Published: 25 Apr 2019

Sunlight peaked out between the ragged curtains, creating shafts where the dust motes danced their slow movements. I was awake but not awake. Laying there, I was mesmerized by the particles as they floated lazily in and out of the spotlights. I had no idea what time it was nor how long I had slept.

When I finally dragged my brain into full consciousness, I realized I was no longer alone in my bed. Turning my head I looked into Sam’s face. She was still sleeping but her color was improved. She was snuggled against my side, with one arm draped over my chest.I slowly and carefully lifted her arm and slid out of bed, as I didn’t wish to wake her.

“Ahhh! You leaving?” she mumbled sleepily.

“There’s things to do and plans to make. I don’t have time to just lay in bed.”

“Couldn’t you stay just a little longer? I don’t like being alone.”

Damn! This was all my fault. I could tell she was still scared. I wanted to take her and leave. Make sure she was safely far away from these people. I knew though, that the only way she would ever be truly safe was to get rid of the person who was a threat to her. Besides, I had to find Ryan and the princess as well. They too were in a terrifying place and situation.

“I’m so sorry I got you into this mess. It’s my responsibility to make it right now. I have to find Ryan and the princess. I have to get rid of that piece of shit that did this to us. I can’t wait any longer. Please don’t be angry with me. You should be safe enough here. Besides, you need to rest and get better. You would be of no use to me in your condition. I need you whole and well.”I turned, grabbed my shirt and shoes and walked out.

“Please be careful and come back to me. In one piece would be preferable. I’ll be waiting.” She said as I closed the door.

“Go get some sleep. We’ll talk more later.”

Ja’qu’ill wouldn’t go with me. He was too scared of Phy-Tong-Ki to go anywhere near his place again. I was on my own. He did show me where the markets were though. I started there. I needed a com-link and figured I could get one at one place or another. I was right. There were several places that had them. I traded a sonic grenade for one and a blaster pistol for some clothes to disguise myself with.

Since I didn’t have the tools, it took a bit of work, along with trial and error, to tune the com-link to my ship’s frequency. It was a poor connection and I worried who else may be picking up my broadcast. I had to use it though, as there was nothing I could do about it.

“Jared to Aspiration, come in please.”

“Aspiration affirming contact. Please state ident code for verification.”

“JM55-Set9-C.H.I.P.-15Zed.”

“Ident confirmed. Please state desired action.”

“Emergency code 797979.”

“Affirmative. Working – Stand by.”

I waited about 10 seconds. Then all at once a tingling feeling passed through my body and everything went black. A second or two later everything came back on and I was standing in the main cargo hold of my ship. “Computer respond.”

“Affirmative. Proceed.”

“Change com-link code to secondary at once.”

“Working… com-link access code changed to secondary security. Do you wish me to repeat the code for you?”

“Negative. Raise all shields at full.”

“Working… shields going up now.”

I smashed the com-link on the deck, then stomped it into little pieces just in case anyone was tracking it. I made my way to the bridge and interfaced the tablet I had brought with the AI. “Computer, search this planet’s computers and any other planetary open systems. Please obtain a complete map of the old military base and the underground tunnels and sewers as indicated in the information I’ve linked over.”

“Working… do you wish just the open info?”

“No. I want everything you can dig out. Use whatever tricks, access codes and hacks you have available to you. Also, find all you can on Phy-Tong-Ki and Gregor’s Head.”

“Working… search will take approximately one to two standard hours.”

“Notify me when you’re finished then.”

“Acknowledged.”

While the computer worked, I searched my cargo logs and ship’s stores for anything I could use. I didn’t know how I was going to find Ryan or the princess. I knew it wouldn’t be all that hard to simply blast my wary in. However, just killing Phy-Tong-Ki wouldn’t get Ryan back nor info on where to find the princess.

Using my ship’s scanners did me no good either. I got a plan of Phy-Tong’s place with lots of dots moving around but I had no clue if they were patrons, servants, slaves or guards. I had not had time to place trackers on Ryan and the princess. I hadn’t even thought of it at the time. Nothing had warned me of the possibility of an abduction, so I hadn’t felt the need.

Once the computer finished it’s search, I found a place I could just teleport into rather than having to find my way back through all those tunnels. That was a plus and might give me an advantage. I also had a clearer picture of the old military base Phy-Tong was using. Even though the labels on the different rooms and halls would probably have changed usage, chances were that it would still be similar.

The holding cells were still holding cells. The barracks that were for soldiers would still be there and probably used for slaves now. I already knew that the armory was still being used as it had been.

There were things I didn’t know were there as well. The place had its own water source. A natural spring that had been found during construction. Now connected with pumps and pipes to the entire facility.

It also had its own power station and could go for nearly two months without outside help. There were fifteen grow rooms where food was once grown. If Phy-Tong was using them, he could sit out a siege for months.

How was I going to take this place all alone? I wasn’t sure at all. Suddenly, an idea as pure and simple as breathing came to me. It was so obvious I laughed. I would use his own trick against him.

It took about an hour to ready the canister. Once I teleported it in, all I had to do was wait. It would take about twenty four hours to be certain, so I visited Sam and did some scouting while I waited. Asking questions around this city might be risky with Phy-Tong-Ki’s hold on people.

I used every piece of knowledge I had ever learned over the years to stay hidden and still get the info I needed. It took most of that day but I finally found a person who could help. The guy was in his shop, just where I had been told.

“Good evening sir.” he said, as I walked in.

“Good evening. How’s business today?” I asked, looking around the shop. When I saw that we were alone, I walked to the counter and set a small casket down in front of him.

“What’s this?” he asked.

“Have a look and see for yourself.”

He opened the box and stared at it’s contents for several seconds. “Are they real?”

“Absolutely/”

“Do they work?”

“As well as they ever did.”

“So… what do you want for them?”

“Tell me first what a matched pair of authentic pearl handled Colt 45 Peacemaker revolvers from the late 1800’s Earth would be worth to you?”

“Do you have the cartridges to go with them?”

“I can get you five hundred rounds. That’s all I have.”

“Hmm… wow, I don’t know what to offer. These alone are worth as much as my entire store. With the ammo, they’re more than I have or could even get.”

“You already have, or at least can get, what I want and that’s a very important piece of information.”

“What? That’s all you want! Information! It must be one heck of a secret you want. Umm… okay, go ahead, lay it on me and I’ll do what I can.”

“Some time in the last three weeks, a ship called ‘The Harvester’ came here with two kids, a boy and a girl…”

“STOP! Not another word!” he said, holding up his hand. His eyes were as big as saucers and the color had drained from his face. He quickly went to the door and locked it, turning over the sign to ‘Closed’.

“Follow me.”

He took me through a door at the back of his shop and down a flight of stairs. We walked through a storage room and entered a small room set up as an office. He walked to the side wall, reached up and twisted the light fixture sideways, then pushed on the wall. A section of the wall, that was previously as smooth as all the rest, shifted inward then swung open.

Inside was a small room, about fifteen feet square. I could tell from the thickness of the wall we passed through that this was a shelter or panic room. No one would be breaking in here.We sat down in a couple of stuffed chairs and he reached out to a small control panel attached to the arm of his chair. Touching a couple of buttons he activated a masker field.

“Now we can talk.” he said. “You’re looking for the princess that Phy-Tong-Ki acquired aren’t you?”

“Yes, and the boy that was taken with her.”

“Why?”

“That’s none of your business. I only need a location and you to forget I was here.”

“It is my business if you want my help.”

I had no choice. This guy was the first and only solid lead I’d been able to find all day. I sighed, then told him who I was and why I was here. I told him that I had to find them for Kay-Lar, the Sliveniens and the Bracktors. “Well I can understand about the princess but why’s the boy important?”

“He’s my son.”

“That explains at least some things.”

“What do you mean?”

“Phy-Tong-Ki has been trying to put his hands on you for over a hundred years. At least that’s the talk going around.”

“What? Why? I don’t even know him!”

“Apparently he knows you somehow and blames you for something from the past. That’s all I know.”

“I don’t know what to think about that. He could be anyone. I’m not going to deny that I’ve made enemies over the years but I really have no clue who this guy is.”

“Well, I know this much. He’ll stop at nothing to take you down. If he has your son, he’ll use him to get to you.”

“Okay, So it’s me he wants, it’s me he’ll get. I’m done playing his game his way. Let’s see how he likes having the tables turned for once. Can you get me a location on the princess? Yes or no?”

“I’ll do what I can. Come back tomorrow. This same time. I should have something for you by then.”

“Okay, but I’ll be hanging on to these until I see if your info pays off or not. And… before you complain, I know getting information takes money most of the time. I came prepared for that. Here, take these and use them as needed.”

I handed the guy five small rubies I had been saving for emergencies. If this wasn’t one, I don’t know what one would be. “Will these give you enough to bargain with?”

“Yeah, they’ll do fine.”

As I was leaving the shop, some movement across the street caught my eye. When I actually looked however, there was nothing there. I made my way back to Ja’qu’ill’s home and did more planning. While I was working, Sam shuffled into the kitchen, wrapped in a robe.

“What are you doing out of bed?”

“I can’t just lay there while you do all the work. Besides, I’ve been worse, trust me. Do you have a plan yet?”

“Part of one but I’m still gathering info. I’m not sure just how to do this until I know where I need to go.”

I filled her in on what I had done already and what I did know. We talked over options and plans for hours. It didn’t help much since we were still missing so much info. At this point, the first part of my plan would be lost. The twenty four hours had already lapsed since teleport. From here on in it would decay and flush from the system.

My idea of drugging their water supply with knock-out juice was done too soon. I had acted rashly in my anger and frustration. Now that they were aware of it, I wouldn’t get a second chance. I felt bad that I had wasted that idea, not to mention the drug. Sam was more pragmatic about it.

“So what! Don’t worry about it. We’ll just come up with a new plan.”

Finally, I had had enough. I had been up since dawn and was tired. “I’m going to take a nap. Wake me for dinner, would you?”

I went upstairs and layed down. My mind whirred noisily with all the different ideas we had talked about. It didn’t seem like I had even slept but apparently I had. All at once I jerked awake to a commotion downstairs. Jumping up, I snatched up my rifle and dashed downstairs. Sam was collapsed on the couch. There was blood spattered across her face. There was a large patch of wet blood oozing down her shirt. She was panting like she had just run a marathon.

“What the hell is going on?! Are you hurt? Let’s get this shirt off.”

The old lady and I were both frantically trying to get her out of her shirt and find out how this had happened. Sam just pushed away and waved us off.

“I’m fine! It ain’t my blood! Just let me catch my breath!”

“Not your blood? Then who’s is it? How’d this happen? What were you doing out of the apartment?”

“Oh shut up would you! Give me a minute and I’ll explain. Has Ja’qu’ill come back yet? We got separated.”

She looked at me but I had no idea. I looked at the old lady but she only shook her head no. After about five minutes, Sam had settled down and could talk.

“Okay look, I know you’re going to be angry with me but just listen and hear what I have to say first. After you left I tried to sleep but I can’t just lay there. That’s not me. I told you that. I had to do something. It’s my fault I know. I made him take me even though he didn’t want to.Ja’qu’ill and I had followed you for a bit. We were able to reason out that you were looking for the princess so we decided to leave it to you and try and get info on Ryan. I figured it would help. We don’t have much time left, so I thought we should each be doing a different part of the search.”

“What do you mean, ‘we don’t have much time left…’.”

“Just wait! I’ll get to that. Anyhow, we used your maps of the sewers tunnels and the military base to sneak back in. We had hoped to find Ryan and get him out.”

“Did you find him? Is he okay?”

“Shit you’re bad at this. If you’ll let me talk I’ll tell you. Yeah, we found him alright. Phy-Tong-Ki has him locked up in his own private chambers. We couldn’t get to him. What we did find out is that Phy-Tong-Ki is going to kill Ryan if you don’t come to him by tomorrow, noon. His men are out putting up posters now announcing the execution.”

“That settles it! I’m going in there tonight and getting Ryan! I don’t care if I have to kill every single person in there to do it either.”

“I knew that’s what you’d say. There’s something else you need to know. We overheard two of the guards talking. PhyTong-Ki is going to kill Ryan, no matter what. He just wants to do it in front of you.”

“By the Goddess, why? I don’t even know this guy! What’s he got against me? I just don’t get it!”

“All I know is that supposedly he blames you for killing some guy named Gregor. That’s as much as we heard when we got spotted. We ran for it and made it into the sewers but we got separated down there. I was attacked and while I was busy trying not to be killed, I lost track of Ja’qu’ill. This blood here is the other piece of shit who raped me.”

“Well, at least you got him. You did kill him didn’t you?”

“Oh yeah! He’s dead alright. I made sure of that but I also made him sorry he ever knew me too.” Sam pulled a wad of blood soaked cloth out of her shirt and unwrapped it’s contents. There lay a penis and a set of balls. “I sure hope you did that before he died.”

“Huh. You think I’d wait? He felt every slice!”

“Good for you little one! A man like that deserves no better!” the old lady said, speaking for only the second time that I had heard. Sam and I looked at her and she looked back. Suddenly we all started to laugh.

Just then the door slammed open and Ja’qu’ill burst into the room. He stumbled forward two or three steps then toppled to the floor. He had blood in his hair and down his face. His clothes were torn and he was missing a shoe.

We all ran to him and the old lady squatted next to him. I carefully rolled him onto his back. When I looked into his eyes I could tell he didn’t have long to live. He reached out a trembling hand and grabbed my shirt.

Pulling me close he whispered shakily, “Explosives – in base – use this – kill him for me.” Then he sighed and his eyes went dull. He slipped back onto the floor and went limp. When he did something rolled out of his other hand. I picked it up and looked at it. It was a detonator.

“I’m so sorry. I don’t even know what to say.” I offered, looking at the old lady.”At least he died free.” she said, as she scooped him up in her arms, stood up and walked out of the room.

The room was filled only with the sounds of the city as they invaded through the open door. I walked slowly over and closed it gently, shutting out the world. In the remaining silence I heard soft crying. I looked over at Sam. She had tears streaming down her cheeks. She stood there, quietly crying, her shoulders and chest heaving. I moved to her and wrapped my arms around her. She buried her head into my shoulder and continued to sob. I could feel her tremble with every shuddering breath. We stood like that for several minutes. Finally, Sam pulled herself together. “I need a shower.” she said quietly as she pulled away and left the room without any further comment.

Are you enjoying this story? If you are, please, let Jared know by emailing him at: Jared at CastleRoland dot Net