Trial by Ordeal

by Philip R Benge

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  Captain Lysenko arrived at Space headquarters and told the receptionist that he had an appointment with the officer of the day, a Colonel Sargon; he had made it while he travelled across the city towards the headquarters building. On being told that the Police Captain was there to speak with him, the Colonel came down to join him in the large lobby rather than invite him up to his stuffy office. The lobby resembled the reception area of one of the city`s grand hotels, comfy chairs were set around low ‘coffee’ tables and there was even a small bar that provided drinks of various kinds. Captain Lysenko bought the Colonel and himself a nacho each, a drink similar in flavour to a coffee. They sat down near to the windows on the small mezzanine level that ran around the front of the large area, it offered views for the busy officers to look at when speaking to the press, or an official from the government or as in this case a senior police officer.

  “What can I do for you Captain?” Colonel Sargon enquired of the quiet spoken police Captain.

  “I am here to ask why three of our space cruisers under the command of General Ares Fortuna were in the Arturo planetary system yesterday.”

  “I have no idea, a general doesn`t need permission to move his space cruisers around the galaxy, I`m afraid you will have to ask him personally.”

  “There was no official reason for their movement then?” Lysenko asked.

  “No, not that I know of anyway, I could ask, but before I do that I would need to know why a police captain is interested in the movements of our space cruisers.”

  “Two starships were in the area picking up Marot Pallas, he had been rescued by a team sent through the Divilio portal from an alien starship. They had already had trouble with the starship Dagger, a starship privately owned by Ares Fortuna, which twice attempted to stop the rescue from taking place, and then Ares Fortuna turned up in one of three space cruisers, which included the flagship the Dark Nebula. The Swiftsure captain was worried for the safety of Marot Pallas, who had only just been rescued, and so he departed the Arturo moon and hurried back to Helionia. The alien ship had only taken aboard part of their rescue team. However, the captain of the ship also thought that they were in danger of being attacked by the three space cruisers, and so he also had to move away from the moon, and in doing so, he left four members of the rescue party behind, or so I am led to believe. The alien starship is now supposedly hiding inside the dark nebula, which is very close to that planetary system.” Lysenko stated calmly.

  “So Marot Pallas is safe, thank the gods for that at least. Unfortunately, though, as far as your enquiry is concerned it appears on the surface to be a matter that only the general can help you with, I will check into your story and contact you later, should I find out anything of interest. I am told that the starship Dark Nebula will be docking within the next two or three hours, and knowing the general I would think that he is likely to transport directly to his house in the country. Sorry I couldn`t be of more help, but as I say I will look into the matter and come back to you.”

  Lysenko thought that Colonel Sargon really did look sorry that he couldn`t help, but with that Captain Lysenko had to be satisfied. For until he had questioned everyone concerned in the matter he couldn`t take it any further, what with such an important person being involved in the affair, but maybe Trajo Fortuna would let something slip.

  Lysenko was soon sitting in Trajo`s office in the Archaeology Museum and having yet another nacho.

  “Thank you for seeing me, it is concerning the kidnapping of Marot Pallas that I want to talk to you about Mademoiselle Fortuna.” Lysenko said looking at the beautiful woman opposite him and wishing that they could have met under different circumstances.

  “Surely you don`t think that I was behind it Captain.” Trajo said incredulously.

  “No Mademoiselle Fortuna….”

  “Trajo please, call me Trajo, Captain, Mademoiselle Fortuna is so formal.” Trajo pleaded, breaking in to Lysenko`s flow.

  “Of course, Trajo, now I fully realise that you were not directly concerned with the crime, but later perhaps you may have become inadvertently involved, without your knowledge.” Lysenko said softly.

  “Involved but how Captain?” Trajo asked innocently.

  “First you should know that Marot Pallas was rescued by an alien team that went through your portal, and they were finally able to get him out through another portal on a moon in the Arturo system. The kidnappers, or so I am told, were all killed by some of the fierce beasts that inhabit the second of the domains within your portal. It seems that the portal that you found drains the power from all energy weapons that go through that way, and the kidnappers were defenceless against the carnivorous animals within the domain.” Lysenko said, looking at the young woman before him to see how she reacted to what he told her.

  “I see, well thank you for telling me all of this, it appears that you know more than I do about ‘My’ portal Captain. I`m thankful that Marot Pallas is now safe. Tell me, have you found any of the archaeologists yet? And also where do I become ‘inadvertently involved’.” Trajo said in a voice filled with excitement and innocence, she successfully kept hidden the fear that appeared from the moment that he had begun to talk about the second portal.

  “It is thought that all of the archaeologists were killed by the fierce denizens of the dark domain, I`m sorry Trajo.” Captain Lysenko said, but he immediately brought the conversation back to Trajo`s own involvement.

  “As regards your own involvement in this affair Trajo, it seems that the kidnappers were carrying a map showing the entire dark domain, and they also knew of this new portal. Now as far as I can see you are the only expert there is on the whole dark domain/portal mystery, so I wonder just how these common thugs, and, who were all members of the partisan party by the way, came to have such information. And before you answer that question I will come clean and tell you another fact that came my way, the starship Dagger, your father`s ship, twice tried unsuccessfully to stop the rescue of Marot Pallas.” Lysenko knew he should have held this back until Trajo had answered his first question but he found that he was more than a little infatuated with the beautiful young woman opposite him, and that was after being with her for only one short minute. He found that he wanted to stop her from telling him an obvious lie to shield her father, or herself. So much for being detached from your case and the people within it, Lysenko thought.

  Trajo`s face turned white as she listened to Captain Lysenko, she realised that he had told her more than he need have, but as to her reply, she thought quickly about all of the possible answers that she could make.

  “Captain you must realise that I know nothing about the movements of the starship Dagger, so I couldn`t even hazard a guess as to what it was doing in the Arturo planetary system.” Trajo said, playing for time so that she could find an answer to satisfy the charming police captain opposite her.

  “It all sounds to me as if Marot Pallas set this entire thing up, could it be a publicity stunt of some kind?” Trajo asked grasping at straws.

  “No Trajo it is most definitely not a publicity stunt that went wrong, the four dead thugs were known to be members of the partisan party for the last five years.” Lysenko said forcefully.

  “Thugs are easily bought Captain Lysenko; these thugs may well have been bought to play their part in this charade.” Trajo said feeling more sure of her ground now.

  “But Trajo I still don`t understand how the four thugs came to know so much about the dark domain?” Captain Lysenko asked.

  “But did they Captain, do you have actual proof, other than the words of Marot Pallas. It is true that I have found a further two plates which gave me this information, and that my father has used the information to send robotic teams through the new portal in search of the missing archaeologists, unfortunately without any results. Somehow, this information may have leaked out via someone in the pay of the Pallas family. Look I`m sorry Captain Lysenko, I can only add to my earlier words. I believe that the
team found Marot Pallas because it was all a put up job.” Trajo Fortuna said in a very off hand manner.

  Lysenko didn`t mention the three space cruisers as Trajo was now back in control of herself, he had flunked it, for should he mention them she would say that it sounded as if her father was coming to the rescue himself. Maybe he had even heard about his space ship being used by its captain for illegal activities, or even that the captain had been bribed by Marot Pallas. So he left, sorry that such a beautiful woman should be part of her father`s evil plans.

  The space cruiser Dark Nebula had finally docked at the space dock far above the planet of Helionia, and Ares Fortuna used the Matter Transporter to take him back to his luxurious house set in the countryside, some twenty miles from the capital city Helios. Just a little later Trajo contacted the starship Dark Nebula only to find that her father had already left the ship, and was now back on Helionia in his home. She asked the captain if she could use his Matter Transporter to transport over to her father`s home, as she needed to talk with her father on a matter of the utmost importance, Captain Ragusa could hardly refuse this request by the daughter of his general.

  Fortuna was surprised when his daughter materialised before him, and then she told him of her meeting with the police captain, and Trajo was even able to play back a recording of the entire conversation.

  “You are a very remarkable woman Trajo, and it is lucky for me that you are not only my daughter but are also a very beautiful one, for Captain Lysenko obviously allowed your looks to get the better of him.”

  When Captain Lysenko finally arrived at the country house of Ares Fortuna, he was surprised to find that Trajo had arrived there before he had, and he had flown across in his terrestrial shuttlecraft at its maximum speed.

  “Trajo I didn`t expect to find you here already, do you have a portal to this house as well?”

  “Something very much like that Captain, but I haven`t seen my father for a few days and wanted to welcome him back home, so I pulled out all the stops.” She replied coolly.

  “Captain what brings you here, surely you haven`t come to welcome me back home too?” Ares Fortuna asked.

  “No General, I am here on official business, and as I`m sure that you have already heard.” Captain Lysenko said looking across to Trajo reproachfully. “It is to do with the kidnapping of Marot Pallas and his subsequent rescue, and also about the two attempts by your space ship Dagger to stop the rescue from happening.” Lysenko said in a rather accusing voice.

  “Captain I don`t think I like the tone of your voice, or the direction you are heading, I hope you have some substance to your accusations.” Ares Fortuna said angrily, showing clearly what he thought of these vile accusations raised against him.

  “Yes I do, some of it is circumstantial, but the majority was seen to happen, in some cases by more than one witness.” Lysenko responded to what he saw was just Fortuna`s pompous blustering.

  “Then we had better sit down around this table here, and then you can tell me all about this supposed proof that you have.” Fortuna said smoothly and apparently unconcerned about the matter.

  The three of them sat around a large polished wooden table that was normally used for the informal meetings of the Partisan party.

  “I will take you through the evidence that I have as the events occurred General. The four thugs who kidnapped Marot Pallas were all members of your partisan party, they are known to us as petty criminals, although they haven`t committed any crimes as of late. They are Hanson, Mottos, Vistas and Rhoads, do you know these men General?”

  Ares Fortuna was not fool enough to say that they were not known to him, as he could easily be caught out in a lie, instead he made light of his connection with these men.

  “Yes, Captain, these men are known to me, but only as minor members of my party, they certainly are not house guests of mine, I wouldn`t want that sort of person associating with my daughter or my friends.” Fortuna said lightly.

  “You might want to know General, if you haven`t heard already that is, that they were all killed by the ferocious beasts that infest the second of the domains that lead away from the portal discovered by your daughter.” Captain Lysenko said.

  “I was told that five bodies were found just outside of a recently discovered portal on a moon in the Arturo planetary system. I was on manoeuvres in the space cruiser Dark Nebula, along with two other space cruisers, when we saw some activity on the moon around one of the gas giants of that particular star system. When we went to investigate, we saw the starship Swiftsure run off guiltily, and another starship run and hide within the dark nebula, I have returned to Helionia to speak to the captain of the Swiftsure to question him about his activities there. Wondering just what was happening on the moon I asked one the cruisers to send a landing part down to investigate, they not only found the five dead men, but found traces that indicated that there were more men still within the dark domain, they are currently investigating to find out who these men are Captain.”

  Ares Fortuna had taken the unfortunate opportunity offered by the silently cursing Lysenko to ‘own up’ to his presence on the moon, and even to offer a reasonable excuse for being there.

  “It occurs to me Captain Lysenko, that the four thugs may have divulged the information regarding the presence of the new portal on the moon to a third party. They were present just at the moment when my daughter mentioned it in a discussion we were having about it. We had just sent some robotic devices through the new portal in search of the missing archaeological team, the starship Dagger was on the moon in command of this operation. The men were at my house at my request; they were to collect some leaflets to take over to the partisan headquarters for distribution nearer to election time. It may be that they bribed one of the crew of the Dagger, it returned to Helionia after an atmospheric dome was installed on the moon from where the search operations were then carried out, and that in this way they were able to obtain a copy of the map. Unfortunately, no sign of the missing archaeological team was found, and the men conducting the search were brought back to Helionia. We thought that the chances of any of them being alive in such an awful place were nil. We never mentioned the new portal to the people of Helionia, as to have done so would only have raised false hopes amongst the team`s family and friends.”

  Captain Lysenko looked at Fortuna long and hard before continuing. “The Swiftsure was in the middle of rescuing Marot Pallas from the dark domain, while the men that your landing party are pursuing are his rescuers, running away from fear that your men will attempt to kill them. They were to have been picked up by the second ship, an Orionist starship, which you chased into the dark nebula. The first time that the Captain of the Orionist starship came across the starship Dagger, he witnessed your starship fire at the rim of the crater directly above the portal, which completely buried it preventing them from rescuing Marot Pallas and his fellow Orionists. On their second encounter with the starship Dagger, it fired upon them after they warned it away from the moon, because of another rescue attempt that was under way, and because they feared that the Dagger would attempt to interfere as it had done before. They were scared when you approached in one of three space cruisers that you, the owner of the Dagger, would also fire upon them; this fear was also the reason why the Swiftsure headed back for Helionia at top speed. Now then General Fortuna will you please tell me why the space ship Dagger twice sort to prevent the rescue of Marot Pallas?” Captain Lysenko demanded to know.

  “I have no idea why Captain Titan acted in the way that you say he did, and until the captain of the second ship that is hiding within the dark nebula, against all our religious teachings, appears to confront him personally, I don`t think that he should be required to answer your questions Captain.” Ares Fortuna said triumphantly.

  The Captain of the Orionist starship is not the only witness as to the behaviour of the space ship Dagger. Aswan Trajan and the crew of the Swiftsure saw the Dagger fire upon the Orionist ship when it warned the Dagge
r off, because of what the alien starship witnessed the first time they saw the starship Dagger in orbit about the moon.” Lysenko replied.

  “Aswan Trajan is just one of Marot Pallas`s flunkies, he will say what he is told to say, it all sounds like a plot by Marot Pallas to win the election. I will not sit idly by while you assist him Captain, I am going to insist that you investigate the whole affair in a more unbiased way or, are replaced by a more able officer, now please leave my house Captain, the interview is over.” Fortuna demanded smugly.

  Fortuna knew he had won the day, this time at least. Captain Lysenko would need to bring the alien ship to Helionia, and then Fortuna would break the news regarding the fate of the Heliot fleet and who was directly responsible for it, the Orionists led by Tyler Burrows. The same people who were plotting with Marot Pallas to win the election by as many devious means as their warped minds could construct.

  Captain Lysenko left the house of Ares Fortuna a worried man, he was firmly against the partisan party and its violent people, but he could see that Ares Fortuna might actually win the upcoming election if he couldn`t find a way to stop him. He decided to confide his fears in Ray Connors, and so he sent a message detailing all that had been said by Ares Fortuna and his daughter. He also mentioned how he, personally was beginning to fear that the partisan party could actually win the election, unless something was done, and soon. Unfortunately, although he had warned against their coming to Helionia just a little while earlier, it was now beginning to look as if that would be the only possible, but very risky answer to the problem. When he got home he was a much-dispirited man, the world that he knew could soon be turned upside down and inside out, unless a miracle occurred to save it.