The man in the silver mask had been standing nearby ever since Vera brought the leaders of the tribe to her for directions and orders. He hadn’t said much but he seldom did speak. Now, however, Vera spoke to him. “You don’t think this is right anymore, do you Weldon?”
“It is said that revenge is sweeter when it is cold. This revenge has turned sour over time,” Weldon said in a cracked voice.
“I don’t think it is all about revenge now. All of those bastards, so called medicine men are no longer living. No, I think greed is driving me as much as anything.” Vera smiled at this. “Certainly that is what is driving our partners. If necessary, we can do without most of them.”
“In any case we have to go on. We can’t stop in midstream. That reminds me, what did you do with the research team Vera?”
“Shit! I forgot all about them. They were taking their captivity without a fuss so I really have had more important things on my mind. They are probably fine but I better have someone check.”
George and Ethan had been ready to take the girls home in the dark, as soon as the girl’s guard stepped away for a few minutes to go to the toilet or any other errand. But he didn’t move.
“That fella must have an enormous bladder,” George commented when the sky began to turn white. Ethan returned to where the girls and George were sitting and they began to discuss what to do next. Suddenly the door opened and the young village girl who had been bring the meals entered with two cups and a pot of hot santee. It was difficult for her to see after the bright light outside so she stood for a second or two and then turned and ran out screaming. The pot of santee dumped on the floor.
“What are we going to do now,” Tamara asked, breathing rapidly.
“Everyone, follow my lead,” said George. “Girls, we have to look like we are making-out here. That’s the only way we are going to get out of this.”
When the guard entered the hut Tamara was following George’s suggestion thoroughly and was kissing him while her arms were around his neck. Kristina hadn’t gone that far but instead wrapped her blanket around Ethan and herself.
“What in hell is going on in here,” the guard yelled?
Although George would have preferred to keep kissing Tamara, he answered.
“What does it look like we are doing,” he replied? “We knew these poor girls needed some male companion ship and we just volunteered ourselves.”
“At this point Ethan decided he probably wouldn’t get another
chance with Kristina so he proceeded to kiss her while hugging her tight.
The guard looked at them for a minute or two and then burst out laughing. “I am certainly too old for that kind of fun and games but I admire your guts and…where did you get those clothes, girls,” He stepped forward and looked as if he was going to grab Tamara.
“Wait a minute,” George called out, “we brought the girls clothes so they would let us make out with them.”
Tamara twisted out of Georges embrace and slapped him in the face. “What do you take us for, whores? You were going to buy us for a few pieces of clothing?”
George didn’t know where Tamara was going with this. No telling what this would devolve into, but another villager came into the hut and speaking to the girls told them that Vera wanted them immediately. He grabbed a wrist of each girl and started back out the door, making no comment on the girl’s clothes.
“Looks like you two weren’t fast enough,” the girls guard chuckled as he too left the hut.
George looked at Ethan and just shook his head. “Oh Shit, it looks like we are just plain out of luck.”
“What do you mean, George,” Ethan asked? “We have to try and rescue them before something or someone seriously starts looking for us.”
“Oh yah, and just what do you think we can do, Sir Arthur?”
“I don’t know,” Ethan turning a becoming shade of red, “but we have to do something. We got them in this mess.”
George knew that if he and Ethan had not helped the girls then they would have just found someone else to help them. Besides, he still remembered the feel of Tamara when he had held her tight and they were kissing.
“Come on then,” George said, “we can’t find where they were going without following them.”
But as fast as they ran, they could hear the village in an uproar. Vera was standing in the village square yelling directions. Handguns and a few heavy-duty lasers were being handed out and most of the woman who weren’t fighters, there weren’t very many of them, were running into the jungle, generally with babies and small children.
“There must be a million aircars up there,” Ethan said as they both stopped and looked up in awe at a sky full of aircars.
“Those aren’t just any aircars you ninny,” said George, poking Ethan in the ribs. “Those are patrol aircars.”
“Can’t be, there aren’t that many patrol aircars on this whole world. Where would they have come from?”
“From all over. They must have recalled every officer they have to rescue the girls.”
“You sure they are not after us? Remember we stole those stunners out of the Chief’s house George.”
“You dingbat. They wouldn’t need a thousand patrol aircars for us. One would probably due.”
“What do we do now,” Ethan said, backing into the shelter of a particularly large tree.
“I know what I am going to do, I am going to sit here under this tree with my hands on top of my head,” and he proceeded to do so.
Ethan soon joined him.
Liam had ordered his pilot to hover two hundred meters in the air over the village so he would have a good picture of the assault. They had worked out a chart listing the location where each patrol aircar would land, with half of them to remain aloft until instructed otherwise. It was a large village; even with as many patrol cars he had available, the majority of the villagers would run into the surrounding jungle. Liam just hoped they cached the ringleaders.
Several patrol aircars were hit with laser fire now but those vehicles were hard to take down. As soon as someone fired a laser at a patrol aircar, it would come to a landing at that location firing stunners which took out those villagers with lasers pretty quickly.
“It is fucked up beyond belief,” Liam said to Investigator Townsead regarding the landings. “But then I expected that.”
“You did Sir,” Investigator Townsead asked perplexed?
“Any operation that includes two or more individuals will fail to exactly follow plans. The more individual units, the more confusion. That doesn’t mean the operation necessarily will fail, just more confusion,” There were a number of trees in the village that patrol aircars accidently tried to land on top of, even more landing on top of each other to avoid landing on top of a villager. One patrol aircar managed to get itself stuck in a tree and the Officers were trying to climb down while several villagers were pot shooting at them.
“There is a saying that quantity often makes up for quality, and I believe it,” Liam said. Order again that no villagers are to be injured if they are not armed. They may stun these villagers, however, to be interrogated later. I know that was in the packet of orders and again in briefing, but when the blood is up some things are forgotten.” Liam had seen the flash of at least two lasers, hoping they were just warning shots.
Liam received a comm message from Amanda. Apparently two of the back-up cars had dropped out of the encircling wave to investigate several individuals walking along the edge of the jungle. When stopped they explain their aircar had crashed and left them on foot.”
“Did they say why they were out at this time of day and what they were doing near the jungle?”
“They said they had been looking for a specific type of plants but couldn’t find any so they had tossed in the towel and were on their way home,” Amanda supplied. “Anyway, that is what the Patrol Sergeant said,”
Liam thought about that for a minute, then decided “that is probably our missing resear
ch team, or what is left of it now. Have that patrol Sgt. give them a ride back to Headquarters and hold them till we get back. We are going to be swamped with prisoners but they are suspected of murder so we will have to make room for them. Most of the prisoners are going to be held in the supply and maintenance buildings. They are mostly empty right now and big enough to hold them all.”
“Ok Boss,” Amanda said with a chuckle.
By the time Liam finished talking with Amanda, all of the patrol aircars assigned to land, had. With forty patrol aircars in the village, most all of the villagers had been rounded up except for the ones that had run into the jungle. Liam just hoped they had caught enough of the ring leaders to break this conspiracy.
“Take us down in front of that group of villagers,” Liam pointed out to his Sgt. Liam had seen what looked like two young girls being closely held by some villagers. “I bet those are Amanda’s daughters,” he said to his team as they landed. To Liam’s eyes they didn’t appear injured although one of them was rubbing her should as if it hurt. They wore loose and floppy clothes and their faces were dirty. But no evidence of tears.
As Liam walked towards the group they fanned out until there were only seven individuals facing him. The woman in front must be that Vera he had heard about. There were two men holding the girls plus four others, one wearing a silver mask and a fancy decorated tunic who was standing next to Vera. He had a large number of scars visible. I bet he has a few scars under that tunic; I wonder what happened to him, Liam thought to himself.
Vera spoke first. “I have Captain Santos’ brats and if you try something I will kill them both.”
Liam could see that she was holding a laser pointed more or less at the girls, obviously not caring that two of her villagers might get hit if she shot at the girls.
“What do you want,” Liam asked Vera.
“That is a stupid question.” Let me and my advisors leave the planet. I know Federation Law can’t be used against us. So… let us go. I will even give you the names of the rest of the people involved in this operation.”
Vera seemed calm and collected for the position she was in right now, but Liam detected an air of desperation. Liam knew that Federation Law most certainly would apply if Vera knew about the LL plant and most likely she did. Federation Agents would follow her anywhere she went. In any case Liam was not going to let her go anywhere. There were numerous officers behind and around him but he knew how quickly Vera could shoot one or both girls before she was stunned so he tried to keep Vera calm.
“You know we can’t let you go, or anyone else for that matter. However, if you will give us the names of everyone working with you it will help you in a trial.”
Vera was starting to shiver either at the idea that she was going to trial or just because she was being thwarted.
“You don’t understand,” she said loudly, “I WILL kill the girls if you don’t let me go.”
Vera’s laser was pointed more at the girls now than it had been.
Liam knew there were a number of stunners pointed at Vera from behind Liam, and there better not have been any lasers, but they were at a distance that couldn’t ensure accuracy. Lasers were great for law enforcement, but they were not accurate over ten meters, and totally ineffective over twenty meters. If they missed or only hit part of Vera she could still kill one or both of the girls. Liam just hoped the Sergeants kept the other officers under control.
“You are in trouble now, but nothing like what you would be in if you harmed those two girls. This planet still has the death penalty for certain crimes and they would use it for you if you killed one of the girls.”
“Maybe so, but I am dead anyway considering all the people I have killed, so no deal.”
Vera had calmed down some but there was a weird look to her eyes Liam thought.
“I think, Vera, I could guarantee that there would be no death penalty for you and your advisors. But that is only good if you don’t harm those girls and you give us the names of your co-conspirators.”
“That just means locked up for life. What a great prospect. Do you…do you know these are Captain Santos’ girls? Maybe I should be talking to her!”
Liam thought for a moment about telling Vera that Amanda had died, but no, he hadn’t lied to Vera yet and someone might have seen her since escaping from the Villagers.
“Yes, I know who the girls are.” Liam could hear rustling behind him
as more officers join the throng.
“Well, there are two of them. Maybe I will just kill one. Which one do you want to live, Agent?”
“I think you would be better off to shoot one of your own than either of those two girls.” Liam would keep Vera talking for as long as he could, hoping one of his sharpshooters could take her out for sure.
Vera thought about that for a minute but then she said “Adam, bring the girl you are holding over and make her kneel in from of me.”
The tribesman holding who Liam thought to be Tamara forced her forward and then down on her knees in front of Vera. At this point a patrol aircar landed almost on top of them and Amanda popped out.
“Ah, the mother wolf,” Vera said as Amanda walked up to stand beside Liam. “Maybe you can do something,” Vera said to Amanda, this agent seems to think that the lives of your daughters don’t mean much. Is that what you think also?”
“I think you would be better off telling your people to lay down their guns. Shooting anyone, including my daughters would be a bad move on your part.”
Vera let out an insane laugh that shook even some of her advisors.
“Bad move? I would be making a bad move? I will show you a bad move. I will start cutting off limbs of your daughter until you agree to let me go. Pull her arm out so I don’t cut her anyplace else Vera said to the guard holding Tamara. How many limbs must I cut off before you agree to let me go?”
Amanda just stood there, feeling so helpless so powerless to stop this insane woman. She turned to Liam, hoping he could find some way out. She even thought maybe let Vera go. They could catch her later.
“Vera, stop! We will let you go.”
“Will you? I wonder. I think…yes, I will take the other girl with me to insure you let me go. This other one I will leave for you but just to remind you what could happen…
The next few seconds happened so fast Liam could not believe his eyes. Vera swung her laser to point it at Tamara’s outstretched arm, Amanda diving at Vera, too slow to stop her, the man in the silver mask also diving at Vera, bringing himself in front of the blaster and Vera firing that hit the masked man in his chest and a multitude of stunner fire bringing Vera to the ground.
Amanda stumbled, partly because the effects of the stunners aimed at Vera, but ended up grabbing Tamara, even as Kristina ran up to her and even if they did all fall to the ground. Liam was calling for a medic even as he was tearing open the masked man’s shirt. He gasped not just at the laser damage but also at the huge number of scars covering his chest and when Liam removed the mask his face was also was cut and cratered to where he had almost no nose or lips, though his eyes appeared fine. Although he called for a medic it was obvious that the man was thoroughly dead.
A medic quickly ran up: Liam had insisted that most of the medics be assigned to the first wave of the attack as that was where most of the injuries would occur. The medic quickly agreed with Liam’s diagnosis and turned to Vera, the only other body on the ground, Amanda and Tamara having stood up.
The medic checked Vera’s heart and breathing then declared Vera dead also.
“What!” exclaimed Liam? She was only hit by laser fire and that is not deadly,”
“No, but she must have been hit by a dozen or more lasers at the same time. That was enough to shut down all of her bodies’ organs including heart, lungs and brain activity. I am sorry.”
While Liam was busy with the medic, Amanda was hugging her two girls. Tamara and Kristina enjoyed it because they knew how much trouble they were going to be in whe
n their mother got them home.
Officers were trying to sort out the important players in the tribe so that could be interrogated back at headquarters. Amanda left her girls for a second to kiss Liam because her girls were safe, when she looked down at Silver Mask and stopped dead.
“What is the matter Amanda,” Liam asked. She was just staring at the body and making a little keening noise.
“It is Weldon! I thought him long dead,” she said with a sob.
“The Weldon that is the father of your girls?” Liam asked. Amanda had told him that before.
Let us get out of here Liam and leave my officers to finish up. They don’t need us now.”
“Yes,” Amanda said, straightening and turning to Liam. “I was told that some other medicine men killed him out of spite and I guess that is true, or at least they tried. Get us out of here Liam”
“Investigator Townsead,” Liam called, I want you to take Captain Santos and her girls home. Take five or six officers with you, and perhaps a second aircar in case there is any trouble. There may be some villagers wanting some revenge. To Amanda he said, “Townsead will take you home and make sure you and the girls are safe. As soon as we have this mess straighten up, I will come home.” Liam thought about what he had just said for a second.
*****
Back at OSI Headquarters the interrogations were taking place whenever a room came free. So far, they had a tentative list of the top aides to Vera and some of the details of the caravan raids. They had learned that some people from off planet were ‘messing around’ in the jungle and then kept under guard. No one knew why.
Liam wanted to interrogate the research team himself, but first he would let them sit and worry while trying to pin down the other conspiracy leaders. He was relatively sure that Jacob Ericson was one of the leaders but so far there was no proof. Then there was Captain Carlos of the City Militia. He had gone to the spaceport and talked himself onto a leaving freighter even though no one was supposed to leave. With eight militia officers helping keeping the spaceport closed, of course they would do what their Captain said. Finally Liam thought the Lieutenants has everything under control and could leave for a little while.
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