by J G Possum
Martha replied, “I’m happy you agree, and yes, that’s all the coins we’ll need. The engraver will have something soon.”
On Erona, Zor, his wife Ora, Tron, Ross, and their pilot boarded their airship and made final preparations. The Eron honor guard saluted them as they lifted off the pad and went straight up into the blue sky.
General Urgon was noticeably nervous but seemed happy to see them go. He immediately returned to the palace; he was now in charge. This was the first time Zor had left Erona.
The aircraft flew out over the ocean heading west and gained altitude. They were in flight less than two hours when the pilot started to have a problem--the propulsion system started to act sluggish it kept cutting out and then would restart. Ross asked the pilot, “What is going on?”
The pilot replied, “I don’t know. Something is wrong--the engine is not functioning properly.”
They were near the continent of Earthland but out over the ocean. Each time the engine failed, the aircraft would lose altitude and the pilot would glide and restart the engine. Ross jumped into the copilot’s seat and helped stabilize the aircraft. Tron was aware of the situation and made sure Zor and his wife were buckled into their seats.
The pilot announced, “I’m trying to make it to land, but I’m not sure we have time. We’re losing altitude and the radio is not working. I don’t know why.”
Ross said, “We need to gain as much altitude as possible to maybe glide far enough to reach the jungle.”
Ross felt they could crash land in the heavy growth if they had to. The engine surged and the aircraft gained more altitude, one thousand feet, then shut down. They went into a long, shallow glide, just making it to land flying low across the beach and over the jungle. Ross announced, “Brace yourself—we’re going to hit the trees. Hang on.” Tron put pillows in front of Zor and his wife.
The aircraft skimmed across the treetops and smashed through the jungle canopy, knocking down the tops of trees, coming in at a descending angle, ripping itself along both sides and across the bottom. The sound of tearing metal along with breaking branches was deafening--then the final crash into a large tree and a sudden stop. All that could be heard was the sound of the jungle birds and the tree creatures, as if they were complaining. Realization gradually set in. Ross was uninjured. He looked around and checked on everyone, calling out there names and talking to them.
The pilot had a cut across his forehead, Tron hurt his arm; Zor and his wife Ora said they were not injured, just shaken up, but would be alright. He checked out what was left of the aircraft.
Ross could see the cabin was mostly intact, but they were buried in the middle of a dense jungle beneath a high tree canopy. No one would be able to see them or get to them. He wrapped a cloth around the pilot’s head to stop the bleeding.
“What’s your name?” Ross asked.
The pilot replied, “Eloy, sir.”
Ross said, “You’ll be fine; it’s not a deep cut.” He tried the radio with no luck. He said to Zor, “Sir, I need to find a way to request help. The radio is gone, but I may be able to send out a distress signal.”
Zor replied, “I’m thankful we survived the crash. I’m sure you’ll do your best.”
Ross replied, “Thank you, sir.” He thought, We may be here for a long time.
Andy was waiting for Zor’s aircraft to report their position, so he could guide them to the ship. He received a message when they left and another when they were about halfway over the ocean, but nothing lately. He should have heard from them by now--too much time had passed. Something must be wrong.
Andy said, “Commander, I have not heard from the Eron aircraft.”
“I’m concerned something may be wrong. They do not respond.” Lance put in a call using the Eron special phone.
General Urgon answered. “Zor’s aircraft left Eron three time segments ago. He should have arrived by now. He may have crashed in the ocean. We will send out several of our aircraft to search for any signs.”
Lance replied, “We will send our shuttle and follow the shoreline.” He thought, Why would the general suspect a crash without further evaluation? Something isn’t right.
Back in the jungle, Ross worked on the radio, which looked like someone had worked on it earlier. A careful examination revealed several circuits were disabled and some type of timing circuit was installed. There was no apparent exterior damage. It didn’t make sense--why would that be, and why did the propulsion drive fail? Did someone want the aircraft to crash? The audio circuit was disabled, but he was able to get the transmitter to function. By turning the power on and off, he could send a signal that could be traced. It would be worth a try.
Andy monitored the radio frequencies and noticed an intermittent signal that would come and go. It was coming from the south. It could be a distress signal. Walter and Frank took the shuttle, and Andy went with them to monitor the radio. Frank said, “I’m bringing a heavy laser and some survival gear.” Mila sent one of her doctors in case someone was injured.
Lance said, “Keep checking in, and return before dark.”
They flew south along the shore, watching for any signs of a crash. Walter remarked, “If their aircraft went down in the ocean, they may be lost.” They flew south about fifty miles, but the shoreline showed no signs of a crash. Walter said, “Let’s fly a pattern. I’ll move inland about fifty feet and fly north for a while; then I’ll move inland another fifty feet and fly south. Watch for any sign of disrupted foliage. If I were them, I would try to make it to land and take my chances rather than ditch in the ocean.” They flew the pattern north and south and carefully scanned the jungle below looking for anything unusual. Walter thought , If we don’t find something soon, they may not have made it to land.
Ross suspected sabotage but did not say anything to Zor. It was discovered that Tron had a broken arm, but luckily it was not out of place. Eloy wrapped Tron’s arm tight and made a sling. His head was cut and had a large bump; however, he could function, so he helped Ross check out the aircraft.
Zor and his wife Ora were surprisingly in good shape and stable. Ross was tired out but doing alright. He was worried about the coming darkness. He kept turning the transmitter on and off, hoping someone would notice his signal. He knew he would soon have to secure the craft for the night, which would be a problem. He asked Tron to continue with the signal, while he checked things out.
Walter continued the search with no evidence of a crash so far. Andy, trying different frequencies, picked up the transmitter signal and said, “I have a signal. It comes and goes; it must be them.”
Frank said, “Well, it looks like they made it to land.”
Walter remarked, “Andy, can you notice any change in signal strength? Maybe we can home in on it?”
Andy replied, “I’m locked on the signal. As we search, I’ll watch the signal strength. Right now, the signal is strong; we must be close.”
Zor tried using his com phone to call Lance but could not get through. Ross pried open a side door and climbed out of the aircraft. He checked around the outside. They had crashed in heavy growth. The cabin held together except for the tail section that had been ripped off. He found they were resting on a broken tree stump propped up between two large tree branches. Looking up, he could barely see the sky. He found a metal box lying on its side; prying it open, he found some supplies. He recovered three small rockets that he was pleased to find--they could come in handy.
He climbed back inside and said, “We are in the middle of some heavy growth. We need to close up the back of this cabin section before it gets dark. Tron, please continue sending the signal while Eloy and I try to enclose the cabin.”
They found some stripped sheet metal and used it to block the rear opening. They bent the metal that remained on the hull down over the edges to hold it in place. Ross remarked, “It’s not the strongest repair, but it’s better than nothing. I’m going to fire one of the rockets in case someone is looking for us and is
in the area.”
He moved away from the aircraft, and looking up, found an opening in the canopy with sun shining through and a patch of blue sky. He set up a small rocket, taking careful aim, and lit the fuse. It burned quickly and shot up through the opening about two hundred feet. The rocket burst into a bright expanding red ball that slowly burned out. He turned to Eloy and said, “I’ll fire another one after dark. It’s our best chance of being located.”
Walter maneuvered the shuttle, searching the area that seemed to have the strongest signal. Off to the south about a mile, Frank saw a bright red burst in the sky. Walter immediately turned the shuttle and headed toward it. Andy said, “We found them.” Frank and Walter were elated and felt a rush of adrenaline.
Chapter Eighteen
Walter replied, “I’ll hover over the area; watch if you can see anything.” Looking straight down, the jungle had concealed the aircraft, but broken branches could be seen in a straight row. Walter said, “Andy, drop the rescue chair. I’ll hover over the closest opening I can find. I want you to drop down and report the situation on the ground. I’ll stay as close as I can--we can use that opening just below us.”
Andy replied, “Affirmative, sir. I’m ready.” He opened the side door and positioned the rescue chair. Walter switched to auto-stabilization and hovered over the jungle opening.
Frank handled the cable winch. He said, “Let me know whatever you need.”
Andy started descending into the jungle. “I’m alright for now,” he said.
Ross looked up at the canopy about twenty feet behind the aircraft and saw Andy coming down from the sky. He couldn’t believe his eyes. He thought, The humans are amazing people. He yelled, “WE’RE HERE. There are five of us. We survived.”
Andy replied, “We’ll get you out. We’ve been looking for you. I’ll stay on the chair and bring you out one at a time. Is anyone injured?”
Ross answered, “Nothing serious.”
He called Tron and asked him to help bring Zor’s wife, Ora, out of the cabin and over to where Andy was hanging in the rescue chair. Tron and Ross helped Ora get strapped in place. Andy said, “I have you, your excellency. Don’t be afraid; we have a doctor on board.”
Frank watched while Andy brought everyone up and helped them into the shuttle. Ross turned off all power and secured the crash site. He then joined Andy and was the last one out. The chair was secured, the door closed, and Walter headed toward the Aquarius.
Zor said, “Ambassador Walker, I am pleased to see you. We were worried about the coming night with the hostile creatures.”
Walter replied, “We are happy we found you. If we hadn’t seen the sky signal, we would not be here.”
Ross smiled.
The doctor checked them out and bandaged Eloy’s head, then put a splint on Tron’s arm, which was broken, as suspected. Frank called Lance and reported on their rescue mission. “We are on our way back to the government center.
Lance talked to Zor. “Your excellency, we are happy you and your wife, Ora, are safe. We look forward to your visit.”
Zor replied, “We have much to discuss.”
When they arrived at the center, Ashley had prepared a grand reception. The honor guard, in full dress uniform, stood at attention when Zor and his wife Ora stepped off the shuttle. Loudspeakers played dynamic music, and there was loud cheering. All who were not on assignment were present to pay respect to the Eron Nation’s leader. Lance introduced his vice commander and wife Ashley and his directors Lois, Sue, Terry, Hykaru, Takeo, Jonah, and Mila who were very pleased to meet them.
After all the introductions and hand-shaking, they were escorted up the ramp into the great ship. Lance said to Zor, “This is now our government center.”
They took the Eron to their apartments so they could clean up and get some much-needed rest.
A special dinner was prepared for the evening in the ship’s cafeteria, which had been set up with a long table. Everyone was seated. Walter, as the ambassador, sat next to Tron and Ross, while Lance sat next to Zor and Ashley sat next to Ora. Everyone was in a joyous mood. Eloy, proud to be honored, sat next to Andy.
Lance stood up and made a toast. “This is truly a time to rejoice that two different races can live together in mutual trust and peace. We salute the nation of Erona.”
Zor stood up and said, “My wife and I salute the nation of Earthland and the human people.”
Zor, prior to the dinner, had talked with his council on Erona. They informed him that General Urgon had assumed control over the government on the bases that his aircraft was lost in the ocean.
Zor replied, “I am your leader, and I am alive and well.” Zor said to his council, “I will be in Earthland for some time; keep me informed of what action General Urgon takes.”
Zor said to Lance during the dinner, “Commander, I need to talk with you in private later this evening.”
Lance replied, “Of course, your excellency.”
Ashley and Ora were getting along well. Ora suggested they refer to each other using first names only. Ora told Ashley that Zor was almost two hundred years old, and she was one hundred fifty. Ashley said, “I find it hard to believe--you look so young.”
Ora replied, “We have discovered a food supplement that is derived from the root of the eternal tree. We drink it with our meals, every day. We survived the Great War and had to rebuild most of Eron City. The majority of our people had been killed and we had many hardships.
“Zor and I lost our parents and our children. There were times when life was almost unbearable. I wanted to have more children, but after age sixty we can no longer procreate. We mate for life, you know. We now have had a peaceful life for over one hundred years, and it is so nice to have friends like you Earth people.”
Ashley replied, “Thank you, Ora, for confiding in me. You do have friends here on Earthland, and we are grateful you trusted us.”
That evening, Zor and Lance sat together in the government lounge. Zor said, “Commander, I feel that I can confide in you. I must tell you, I believe my aircraft was tampered with and was expected to crash in the ocean. I was to be killed, along with my wife and companions.”
Lance replied, “What we say here is considered private. I talked with General Urgon after we suspected your aircraft may be in trouble, and he was too quick to say you may be lost in the ocean. I felt he saw it coming.”
Zor replied, “My council has informed me that the general has taken over our government. I must decide a course of action, soon.”
On Erona, General Urgon accused the council of plotting to remove Zor from power and had them placed in confinement. The army followed his orders, they were told Zor and Tron had been killed. The general then learned that the aircraft had made it to land and everyone survived. He was very upset.
General Urgon felt the Earth people had ruined his plan to eliminate Zor and assume power. He had worked on a takeover plan long before the humans arrived. Having the military under his command, he secured the palace and placed guards outside. The Eron people heard rumors that Zor was alive, and many protested what the general was doing. If the protests grew too large, the general had them arrested and imprisoned. The people were very upset that the Council of Three were being kept out of sight, and under guard, General Urgon had assumed total control of the government.
Zor’s attempt to contact his council failed. He no longer could communicate with anyone on Erona. Zor confided in Lance, “I can no longer communicate with my council. General Urgon has taken over the palace.”
Lance replied, “We need to find a way to make contact. I think it is time to inform Tron and the rest of your companions.”
Zor agreed, and a meeting was held with Tron, Ross, and Eloy, including Walter and Frank, in the conference room.
Lance said, “This meeting shall be considered top secret. What is said here stays here.”
He then explained the situation. “We need to find out the present status on Erona and move quick
ly.”
Zor said, “I have many friends and followers in Erona. They need to know I’m alive and well.”
Frank said, “We must act fast. General Urgon will try to solidify his power. His next step will be to attack Earthland.”
Zor remarked, “Frank speaks the truth. General Urgon does not like humans, and he will not wait until Earthland gets stronger to attack.”
Lance said, “Zor, how can we make contact with the people of Erona?”
Zor thought for a while and said, “Tron, if we can get you back to Erona, do you have people you can trust?”
Tron replied, “Your excellency, I know many important people who are loyal to you.”
Lance remarked, “Frank, you are the expert here; how can we get Tron back to Erona?”
Frank replied “Zor, your excellency, does General Urgon have access to surface sensors that can detect watercraft on the ocean?”
Zor replied, “We can detect objects on the ocean surface; however, if the waves are high, it is very difficult.”
Frank replied, “Good. I have a plan that can work. If we could land a small inflatable boat, at night on a secluded beach, we could enable Tron, Ross, and Eloy to hide out in the mountains, and when possible, enter Eron City under disguise.”
Lance said, “They could take a com phone and stay in contact with us.”
Frank commented, “We’ll need to act fast, before the general has time to secure the city.”
Ross said, “We could hide at my home in the foothills if necessary.”
It was agreed--they had a plan.
Frank took Ross, Tron, and Eloy aside and briefed them on survival techniques. He said, “Andy and I will fly the shuttle low over the ocean tonight in total darkness. We will bring a small inflatable boat. You will be dropped off about one hundred yards from the beach north of Eron City. You will have to paddle to shore. You will wear camouflage clothing, and your faces will be blackened. You will have special gear, including a small tent and rations. You must stay out of sight and move quickly. Above all, keep in contact; use your com phone every hour. I will guide you.”
