Command Decision

by S. E. Smith

  He turned his gaze immediately back toward the way they had come. Where were the others? Had they survived? If so, had they landed on the same planet?

  “Where is Tesla Terra located?” Josh asked.

  The woman didn’t respond. Josh wasn’t sure she could hear him and didn’t bother repeating his question. All he could do was hang on and try to figure out where in the hell he was and what he was going to do.

  *.*.*

  A short time later, he felt the woman slow the vehicle. He could see a strange fence in front of them. Dark red beams stretched between the poles. He sat back when the woman moved. His gaze followed her hand as she pulled a small device out of her pocket and pointed it at the fence. A section of the light disappeared.

  His fingers tightened on the side grips embedded in the seat when she moved slowly forward. Once they were on the other side, she did the same thing before pocketing the device. Unable to keep his curiosity at bay any longer, he leaned forward until his mouth was near her ear.

  “Where are we?” He asked in a quiet voice.

  She briefly glanced over her shoulder, but he couldn’t see her face because of the helmet. “My home,” she replied in a terse tone before turning around to face the front again.

  Josh’s gaze swept over the dark rows as they moved silently down the wide road that separated the fields. He quickly looked behind him again when he heard a loud roar and the sound of something hissing. The yellow eyes of the beast from the forest gazed back at him for a moment. The creature snorted before turning and disappearing back into the thick trees.

  “It cannot get through the fence,” the woman said.

  “What is it?” Josh asked, turning back to sit straight in his seat again.

  “It is a Tusku,” she replied with a shrug. “They are nocturnal and very territorial.”

  Josh didn’t respond. He was too busy trying to absorb the fact that he was not only alive, but on an alien planet somewhere out in the universe. Swallowing, it suddenly dawned on him that if he had survived, the others may have as well.

  “Were there any other emergency pods?” He asked, leaning forward.

  The woman shook her head. “No, your pod was the only one I saw,” she stated.

  Josh sat back and pressed his lips together. In the distance, he saw several dome-shaped buildings illuminated by the moonlight. Several minutes later, the woman pulled the strange vehicle into one that was set a short distance from the others.

  He slid off after she had powered it down. Turning in a slow circle, his gaze took in everything. He finished his rotation, staring at the woman under the dim light inside the building. His breath caught in his throat when she removed the helmet to reveal dark brown luminous eyes that stared at him with a wary expression.

  “Who are you?” He asked in a gruff voice.

  She stared at him for several long seconds, her gaze moving slowly down him as if she was trying to understand who and what he was. Her gaze finally returned to his face. A slight frown creased her brow. Her lips pursed together before she released a frustrated sigh. Turning, she walked over to a small shelf and carefully placed the helmet before pivoting to look at him again.

  “I am Cassa de Rola. You are in my family’s vineyard. Who are you? Are you a Legion soldier?” She demanded, crossing her arms and lifting her chin in defiance.

  Josh frowned and shook his head. “No,” he started to say before pressing his lips together and turning his head to stare at the strange vehicle that sat several inches off the ground, as if suspended in the air. Releasing a tired breath, he ran his hand through his hair. “I don’t know anything about the Legion. My name is Joshua Manson. My… ship was destroyed. I wasn’t alone. There were others with me. I need to find them.”

  Cassa stared at him with a suspicious expression before she finally dropped her arms to her sides. She seemed to be arguing with herself before she released an exasperated huff. Josh’s lips twitched at her look of irritation.

  “I did not see any other containers such as yours falling from the sky. It is possible I missed them. I will bring you out some clothes and food. You can sleep in the back room. There is a cot and a bathroom back there. In the morning, I will see if my father can send some of the men out to search for your companions. They may have landed on the other side of the mountains,” Cassa stated. “Wait here. I will return in a few minutes.”

  Josh nodded and watched as Cassa gingerly stepped around him and disappeared up a short set of steps. He turned when she was out of sight and began searching the interior area of the shed looking for clues as to where in the hell he might have landed. Moving from shelf to shelf, he picked up objects that were alien, yet familiar. Frustrated when he didn’t find anything that looked like a weapon, he turned and stood in silence. He frowned down at the vehicle from earlier.

  Stepping closer to it, he ran his hand along the seat. He jumped when his fingers slid across a button and a section of the side opened. Inside was a long metal shape that looked suspiciously like a rifle. Lifting it out, he turned it over in his hands. He was about to raise it to his shoulder when he heard the sound of footsteps on the gravel outside. Replacing the weapon, he silently closed the compartment and stepped away as Cassa appeared at the top of the stairs.

  “I brought you some of my brother’s clothing,” Cassa said as she stepped down the last step. “You and Pack are about the same size. I’ve also brought you some meat, bread, cheese, and wine. I did not want to wake my father or my little brother, so it will have to do for tonight.”

  Josh stepped forward and carefully took the items from her with a slight nod of his head. Now that there was light, he could see the faint markings along her brow and down along her left cheek. The small spots highlighted her long dark hair and eyes.

  “Thank you,” Josh said, glancing down at the clothing and food before looking up at her again. “Thank you for your help.”

  Cassa gave him a strained smile before turning to look out the doorway. “I must return to the house. We can talk more in the morning,” she replied. “My father will know what to do to help you find your friends. I just hope….”

  Josh gripped the food and clothing in his left hand and reached out with his right when she stopped talking and turned partially away from him. He had caught the faint look of worry in her eyes.

  “You just hope… what?” He quietly asked.

  Cassa turned her head so that she could stare him in the eye. “I just hope you are telling the truth about not being with the Legion. I should have asked if they are looking for you. We are a small vineyard. It is just my father, little brother, myself, and a handful of workers from the village. The last thing we need is trouble with the Legion forces.”

  Josh shook his head and dropped his hand. “I’ve never heard of the Legion, so I seriously doubt they are looking for me. My friends and I are not a threat to anyone,” he promised, taking a step back.

  Cassa studied him for several long seconds again before she nodded. He watched as she turned to leave again. She paused to look back at him with a bewildered expression before she shook her head and disappeared into the night. He waited until he couldn’t hear her footsteps any longer before he set the items she gave him down on the counter.

  Unwrapping the food, he picked up a piece of the meat. It was dark brown with swirls of white through it. He sniffed it before taking a bite. He was surprised by the rich flavor and quickly ate more. He finished the meat and several pieces of cheese, washing it down with some of the smooth, dry wine that was in the flask.

  Walking back to the vehicle, he opened the compartment and pulled out the rifle, weighing it in his hands and exploring it. He spent the next thirty minutes learning what each of the buttons on the land skid did. He received a surprise bonus when the thick, leather seat opened and he found an abundance of sharp knives inside.

  “This might come in handy,” he murmured, pulling a smaller blade out and studying it.

  Rising to his feet,
he stretched. His gaze moved to the pile of clothing and the pair of boots sitting on the counter. Deciding he would not only feel better, but smell better as well, he picked up the items and walked down the small hallway to the back of the building. At the end, there was an open door. Inside, he could see a long, narrow cot and another room that looked like a bathroom. Stepping inside, he turned and glanced to see if there was a door. A lighted panel next to the doorway drew his attention. He reached out the hand holding the boots. The sound of the door sliding shut behind him made him jump and mutter a small curse. With a shake of his head, he stepped away from the door and walked around the room.

  “Where the hell am I?” He muttered, dropping the clothing on the bed and placing the boots next to it. Looking out the small, narrow window, he couldn’t help but take a step closer so he could look up at the trio of moons. “Better yet, where in the hell are the others?” He whispered before releasing a sigh and turning toward the bathroom.

  Perhaps in the morning he’d find some answers. Right now, he would get cleaned up and explore a little more before then. Until he knew exactly where he was and what the hell to expect, he needed to be on his guard.

  Chapter 10

  Cassa moved quietly around the kitchen, preparing breakfast for her father, brother, and their unexpected guest. She had already been out to see the strange man this morning and invited him to come to the house for breakfast. She decided that would be a better time for her father to meet Joshua Manson.

  “You are up earlier than normal,” Jemar said as he stepped into the kitchen.

  “Yes,” Cassa replied, turning to place a plate of fresh fruit on the table.

  “You were up late, as well,” he said, pulling the chair out and sitting down.

  Cassa looked at him with a startled expression before her lips curved into a soft smile. “I thought you were sleeping,” she commented.

  “Not as soundly as you thought,” her father replied with a shrug. He reached for the plate of fruit and selected several pieces before returning the plate to the center of the table. “It sounded like you took the land skid out.”

  “I did,” Cassa admitted in a clipped tone, glancing up as Jesup hurried into the room with a soft apology. “Jesup….”

  “Who is that?” Jesup asked, staring with wide eyes behind Cassa.

  Cassa turned and nervously smoothed her hands down over the front of her dark brown tunic. Swallowing, she stared at the stranger she had found late last night with renewed apprehension. He looked different, more dangerous, dressed in Pack’s old clothing. It was ridiculous, but true.

  Cassa glanced at her father when she heard his chair slide across the floor. Licking her lips, she stepped around the table so that she would be on the same side as Josh. She glanced nervously at her father. A dark frown creased Jemar’s brow as he stared back and forth between her and Josh.

  “This is Joshua Manson. He is why I was late coming in last night,” Cassa replied in a soft, calm voice that belied her nervousness. “Joshua, this is my father, Jemar de Rola, and my younger brother, Jesup.”

  “Sir,” Joshua said, bowing his head in greeting. “Cassa suggested it would be best if I came to the house this morning. I hope you don’t mind.”

  Cassa waited for her father to make up his mind. She knew he could see that Joshua wasn’t like the other strangers that sometimes came to the spaceport on the other side of the mountains. Nor was he like the traders that often came to bargain for their wine.

  “Sit,” Jemar ordered, slowly sinking back down into his seat. “Cassa, the tea.”

  “Yes, father,” Cassa murmured, stepping back around the table to the stove where she had the tea for the morning meal ready. “I found Joshua last night in the forest on the edge of the mountains. He needs help. I told him you would know what to do.”

  “The forest is no place to be at night,” Jemar said, looking at Josh with a raised eyebrow. “What were you doing there?”

  *.*.*

  Josh stared at the man sitting across from him. “My ship broke apart and the emergency pod I was in landed in the forest,” he explained, deciding it was best to stick as close to the truth as he could. “It is possible the rest of my crew also survived. I need to find them.”

  Jemar leaned forward, placing his elbows on the table and looking intently at Josh. For a moment, it reminded him of Cassa’s scrutiny last night. He could see a slight similarity between Cassa and her father. They had the same dark hair and eyes.

  And the same intense stare, he thought to himself.

  “How did your ship break apart?” Jemar asked with a puzzled frown. “Where were you coming from?”

  Josh’s lips tightened for a moment before he shrugged. There was no way he could tell Jemar de Rola that he was from Earth. He didn’t know what happened to the gateway. The last thing he wanted to do was put the planet in danger by revealing where he had come from.

  “The hull was breached and my crew and I were forced to use the emergency pods. I’m not really sure where I am to tell you the truth. I know that the pods were designed to locate a habitable planet and send out an emergency signal. The life support will technically function for approximately thirty days. I don’t know how long I was in space before it landed in the forest,” Josh admitted, skipping the last question.

  Jemar nodded and frowned. “There are several planets in the solar system that are habitable. Some are more remote than others. I can ask at the spaceport if anyone has seen anything.” He paused and picked up his tea, taking a sip and sitting back in his chair. “In the meantime, we are shorthanded. If you need work, we could use the help.”

  Josh felt Cassa start in surprise. She was staring at her father with a combination of confusion and shock. It was obvious that was not what she was expecting.

  “Thank you. I appreciate your offer and I accept,” Josh said.

  “Please eat, we have a long day ahead of us,” Jemar replied, nodding to the food that Cassa had placed on the table. “I will show you around the vineyard after breakfast.”

  Josh nodded, reaching for the plate of food in front of him. He handed the plate to the young boy sitting to the left of him after he had taken several pieces of fruit and some bread. A smile tugged at his lips at the boy’s curious, wide-eyed stare.

  “So, how big was your ship?” Jesup asked.

  *.*.*

  Josh walked beside Jemar as he quietly explained the harvesting process. In the distance, he could see what appeared to be small robots moving down the rows. His eyes widened when he saw a larger robot step over the long line of vines and lift the full bins of fruit. It poured the picked fruit into itself before setting the container back down and moving to the next one.

  “We only have seven helpers left. The others have either left the planet or joined the Gallant Order,” Jemar stated.

  Josh could feel Jemar’s intense stare at his comment. He still didn’t know who or what the Legion or Gallant Order was. From the few pieces of information he had been able to gather, he was pretty sure they were two opposing governing forces. Cassa’s harsh question asking him if he was a member of the Legion told him that she wasn’t a huge supporter of that particular group.

  “Why would they leave the planet? Where would they go?” Josh asked, pausing to study the large, thick orange fruit that was almost as big as his hand.

  Jemar stopped beside him and turned to look at him. “What do you know about the Legion and the Gallant Order?” Jemar asked in a quiet tone.

  Josh shrugged. “Not much,” he admitted. “I know that Cassa isn’t too happy with the Legion.”

  “My daughter can be very difficult when she isn’t happy, Joshua Manson,” Jemar chuckled and reached out to cut the fruit from the vine with a sharp, curved blade that looked very similar to the one that Josh had taken last night. “I do not know where you are from, but I can tell that it is not from any of the known galaxies.”

  Josh stiffened and he cleared his face of any expressio
n. “Why do you say that?” He asked in a cautious tone.

  Jemar looked at him with amusement. “You do not deny it,” he murmured in approval. “I would have had doubts about you if you had lied. Anyone who lives here, even in the remotest sections of the galaxy, is aware of the power of the Legion, and the struggles of the Gallant Order to stop Lord Andronikos from taking over any more worlds.”

  “Lord Andronikos?” Josh replied with a raised eyebrow.

  Jemar nodded. “He is the director of the Legion and not a man you want as an enemy. Those that have disagreed with him do not live long,” he warned.

  “What is the Gallant Order?” Josh asked after several long seconds.

  “The Gallant Order was once very powerful,” Jemar explained. “The Gallant was made up of representatives from each world, knights that swore on their lives to help guide and protect the worlds. As the members grew older, the younger generation thought them old fashion and weak. Andri Andronikos took advantage when one of the planets under the Gallant Order suffered a devastating loss.”

  “What kind of loss?” Josh asked with a frown.

  Jemar’s lips tightened in anger. “It was said to be a natural disaster, but I seriously doubt it. The central core of the planet froze. Millions of people died before support could be sent to them,” he explained with a sad look in his eyes. “Lord Andronikos accused the Gallant Order of ignoring the pleas of the planet. He drew in large followings and continued to build up his army.”

  “Why didn’t the Gallant try to stop him?” Josh asked in surprise.

  Jemar looked out over the fields. “There are few of the original knights left in the Order. We saw what was happening and tried to stop Andronikos. The cost of trying to stop the director came with huge consequences. Unfortunately, we were too few and too old for the wave of support following him,” he replied with a hint of resignation in his voice.