Rubicon Crossing

by Ralph Prince

  “Karen’s right,” Dillon said. “You shouldn’t have to make the trip because of her carelessness. We’ll continue to the caves, and she can catch up there.”

  Don hesitated. He didn’t feel physically capable of climbing the shaft again, but at the same time, he felt uneasy allowing Karen to return to the surface alone. It wasn’t anything he could justify, but he sensed something sinister in the air.

  “I’ll accompany her,” Stanton offered, apparently perceiving his apprehension. “You can wait here and rest until we return if you wish. You and your companions appear fatigued from your journey, and have not been afforded much opportunity to rest.”

  “Okay,” Don agreed. “Be careful.”

  “You don’t have to worry about me, Donald,” Karen said, kissing him lightly on the cheek. “I can take care of myself.”

  “I have no doubt of that,” he said, as she turned away.

  He stood vigilantly as Karen and Stanton hurried up the passageway. He knew it was silly worrying about her, but the sense of foreboding prevailed. Unconsciously, he drew a deep breath and held it, as they reached the shaft at the fringe of their light.

  Suddenly, two dark figures dropped from above them. The first landed atop Stanton, who collapsed under the weight, screaming in pain. The second struck Karen a glancing blow, knocking her to the ground.

  “Donald!” she screamed as the hunched creature stood over her.

  It was a twisted humanoid, its legs slender and gnarled. Its disproportionately long arms were raised above its head, and in its hands there was a glimmering metallic object.

  “No!” Don shouted, drawing his blaster even as the pack he had been carrying hit the floor.

  Before the echo of his scream faded, a blue-white bolt of energy struck the deformed creature in the chest, sending it sprawling to the ground. Its weapon clattered to the floor next to Karen. A second shot split the air, narrowly missing the humanoid atop Stanton.

  A third creature dropped next to Karen, while a fourth climbed into view, but stayed on the ladder.

  Karen grabbed the knife the first creature had dropped and stood to confront the new arrival, preventing Don from getting a good shot at it. As it swung at the native woman, she dodged to the side and, in the same fluid motion, slashed it across the thigh, causing it to drop to one knee. Bringing the knife down, she planted it in the base of the creature’s neck, driving it into the chest and killing it instantly.

  Struggling, Stanton managed to cast his attacker to the side, affording Don a clear shot; an opportunity he did not waste. The energy beam struck the creature in the side, sending it sprawling to the floor with a grunt.

  Its eyes glistening in the dim lantern light, the creature clinging to the ladder cast a quick glance down the hallway toward the captain, before scampering upward. Don fired again, grazing its leg and causing it to howl in pain as it continued upward out of sight.

  Discarding the rest of his equipment, Don rushed down the hallway to Karen’s side with Dillon close behind. Enfolding her in one arm, he directed his blaster up the shaft, anticipating another attack. He could see nothing in the darkness, but heard the creature rapidly ascending the ladder.

  “It’s all right, Karen,” he said soothingly, satisfied the creature was no longer a threat. “I’m here.”

  Dillon stood over the creature Don had shot in the side, as it crawled feebly toward the ladder. Without hesitation or mercy, he brought his club down several times until it ceased all movement.

  “I’m okay,” Karen said. “I just panicked when they dropped on us.”

  A moan sounded from nearby. Quickly turning toward the source, Don saw Stanton lying with a knife hilt protruding from his shoulder.

  “Stanton!” Karen cried.

  “Jackie,” Don called, “we’ve got wounded.”

  “I’m going after the one that got away,” Dillon said, ignoring Stanton’s plight and beginning the ascent up the ladder.

  “Wait!” Don urged, but Dillon continued upward into the darkness, heedless of his words.

  Rushing forward, Jackie knelt next to Stanton and surveyed the wound. Activating her medical scanner, she studied the readings on the projected display.

  Will, who had followed Jackie, looked on, unsure of what to do.

  “The knife passed between his clavicle and specula and into the pectoral region, missing all organs.” Jackie reported. “There’s some damage to the trapezius and pectoralis major, but it’s easily repairable. He should be all right. Don and Will, I need your help to remove the knife. Hold him still.”

  Stanton’s scream echoed long throughout the tunnel as Jackie removed the blade from his shoulder, but the pain and bleeding rapidly subsided when she applied an anesthetizing cream to the wound. Within moments, he drifted into unconsciousness.

  “I take it those were Tants,” Don said, gesturing toward one of the limp creatures. The hole in its chest still smoldered, permeating the area with the stench of burnt flesh.

  Karen nodded in affirmation. “It was probably the hunting party that was following us,” she said. “I led them to the caves.”

  Jackie glanced up from her patient. “I’ve done all I can here. We need to find him a more comfortable place to rest so I can close the wound properly.”

  “I should go check on Dillon,” Don said. “He’s been gone a long time.”

  “No,” Karen protested. “It is just one Tant, and it’s wounded. Dillon will catch it before it can alert others. He is a skilled hunter.”

  “If you’re sure,” Don conceded, seeing the answer in her eyes. “You took care of that one pretty handily.” He indicated the Tant Karen had killed with the knife.

  “Dillon and Stanton taught me to fight,” she said, looking toward Stanton with grave concern in her amber-hued eyes. “But I’m not as good as either of them.”

  “Stanton will be fine,” Don assured. “Jackie has patched up far worse.”

  “Something’s coming,” Will said nervously, having moved to a position where he could keep watch up the shaft. His hand rested uneasily on the butt of his blaster. He had been trained in the use of the weapon, but had never actually fired it at a living being.

  All eyes were directed up the shaft as Dillon descended into view, prompting a collective sigh of relief.

  “It moved quickly despite its wound, and wasn’t leaving a blood trail,” he reported as he stepped from the final rung to face them. His features were deeply troubled. “It made it to the streets before I could catch it, and there was too much activity to safely pursue it. Donovan and Ross are dead. The Tants must have ambushed them while we were climbing down, then followed us.” He dropped Karen’s pack at her feet. “They know where the caves are now. You have doomed us all, sister.”

  Karen’s shoulders slumped and her head dropped at the accusation, as tears welled in her eyes. She was unable to face her brother because she knew he was right. For years, her people had survived because the Tants did not know where they lived; now they would come in force and kill all her people.

  “It’s not Karen’s fault,” Don said. “It was us who brought the Tants here. She would have made it to the city long before dark if she had traveled on her own. If there’s blame to be had, let it fall on us.”

  Dillon’s attention shifted to Don. “Your weapon,” he said, pointing to the holstered photon blaster. “It made blue fire. How…?”

  “I can’t explain now,” Don said. “We have to get Stanton somewhere so we can treat his wound. We’ll worry about the Tants later.”

  “The Tants are our only worry now,” Dillon disputed. His defiant tone and stance demonstrated he would not have his authority challenged by an outsider. “We need to alert the people, and we need to get more guards posted above so we’ll know when they are coming.”

  “How far is it to the caves?” Don conceded, wishing not to antagonize him. It was apparent Dillon was accustomed to giving orders, not taking them.

  “Not far,” Dill
on replied. “I will help carry Stanton.”

  Nodding, and stooping to recover the satchel Karen had been carrying, Don waited for Will and Dillon to pass, supporting Stanton between them, before turning his attention toward Karen. “You’re not to blame,” he said, knowing his words were of little comfort. Guilt was a heavy burden to bear; a fact he could personally attest to.

  She looked up for the first time since being chided by her brother and nodded unconvincingly. Her eyes remained downcast, refusing to meet his.

  “Come on,” he said, gently taking her hand. “Let’s go see these caves of yours.”

  She smiled feebly and gave in to his gentle urging. Together, they proceeded to follow her brother down the hallway.

  Pausing for a moment as the others walked away, Jackie knelt over one of the lifeless creatures. Making a quick examination of its appendages and features, she drew her mini-light to illuminate the gaping hole in its chest. She made a quick pass over it with her medical scanner, storing the data for future review. Then, grabbing her medical kit, she hurriedly rejoined the group. Casting a final glance at the body near the fringe of the light, she shuddered as an icy chill ran up her spine.

  CHAPTER 3: The Underdwellers

  The “caves,” as Karen had called them, were a labyrinth of hallways interconnecting hundreds of small cubicles as well as several larger rooms. Chemical lights, with a virtually unlimited lifespan, illuminated the area and, though slightly stale, the air was breathable. The hypothesis that the caves were at one time an underground shelter was quickly confirmed.

  After making Stanton comfortable in one of the smaller cubicles, Dillon left the earth crew to ensure the entrance shaft was guarded. They were escorted to a large room and told to await his return. A faded sign hung above the entryway to the room. The sign read: “MESS HALL.”

  Within the room, dozens of people, primarily women, huddled together on ragged blankets or mattresses. Most slept uneasily, while others stared fearfully at the newcomers. Garbed in little more than rags, they were dirty and appeared to be on the verge of starvation.

  “This is where Dillon and I live,” Karen explained, slipping her hand into Don’s. “The smaller rooms are for men who have taken mates and are raising children.”

  “My god!” exclaimed Will, taken completely aback by the sight. “I’ve never seen such deplorable living conditions.”

  “That’s because you’re rich,” Don said, having seen similar conditions, or worse, on many of the war-ravaged planets he had delivered supplies to. “You don’t know what it’s like to have nothing. For these people, it’s a way of life. They would be just as shocked to see you in the excesses of your normal daily routine.”

  “Besides,” Jackie added, “you stayed on the ship during all of our relief stops. The survivors on two of the planets we delivered to were no better off than these people. The Quillans left their worlds destitute by taking most of their natural resources, using the inhabitants as slave labor to do so. If the supply ships get to them before the provisions we delivered run out, they might live long enough to be relocated to another planet.”

  “I didn’t know,” Will said, having no idea the conditions were that bad. “The other two systems were okay, though?”

  “No,” Jackie replied. “There were no survivors at all on the other two. That’s why we didn’t bother waking you up. You didn’t even care about those people enough to offer to help or ask what we found. All you cared about was your damned computer. You didn’t seriously believe this was a pleasant assignment, did you?”

  “Can’t we do something for these people?” Will asked, shamed by Jackie’s blunt, but nonetheless accurate accusations.

  “Why don’t you pull out your credit chip and buy them all escargot,” Jackie suggested sardonically. “Oh, wait. They’re already eating bugs and other crawly things.”

  “Jackie! That’s enough,” Don chastised. “Why don’t you go treat the ones you can, if they let you, and distribute the ration-tabs we brought; they need them more than we do.”

  “Yeah sure,” she said, relieved to have something useful to do. The sight of people suffering while she sat idle made her anxious and irritable. “Disease probably runs rampant through this place.”

  “Will,” Don said, drawing the lieutenant’s eyes from the disheartening scene, as Jackie moved off on her assigned task. “You’ll have to forgive Jackie; she’s had a rough day.”

  “We all have, sir,” Will said, “especially you. You had to carry the weight of two people out there, because of me. I can’t really be upset about what Jackie said about me; it was true. I really have been selfish and insouciant. I feel like a burden to you and Jackie.”

  “Will,” Don said, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder, “don’t be so hard on yourself. We’ve all been through some trying times these past few days. You’ve performed above the call of duty, and far above what I expected. We’re all part of the same team, and each of us is going to need someone to lean on eventually. Now, why don’t you go help Jackie? She needs you to lean on; even if she won’t admit it.”

  “Thank you,” the lieutenant said, finding it hard to imagine the captain ever needing anyone to lean on. He seemed invulnerable in the face of all they had been through. Will wondered if he would be enduring as well as he was, were the captain not there to lend support. “You’re one of a kind, sir.”

  “I know,” the captain responded, his attention returning to Karen as the young lieutenant hurried away. She had stood attentive, bearing silent witness to the entire exchange between the three Terrans without passing judgment. Despite having endured such deplorable living conditions her entire life, she remained somehow innocent.

  “Why do you look so sad, Donald?” she asked, noticing the expression on his face, which hinted at his thoughts.

  “No one should have to live like this,” he said vehemently, his gaze passing slowly over the room’s occupants. “How do you survive?”

  “The men hunt for their mates,” Karen explained, “and the women without mates either fend for themselves, or hope someone has extra. Since our mother died, Dillon and Stanton have hunted for me and for many who are unable to hunt. Dillon refuses to take a mate until after I am chosen. That’s why I was out hunting, to prove to him I can take care of myself, so he will take a mate and be happy.”

  “But why are there so few males?” he asked, noticing nearly all the room’s occupants were female.

  “Many of the men have been killed while hunting,” she explained. “The Tants kill any males they catch outside. Some people say they just take women back to their towers for mating. That’s why the women rarely leave the caves.”

  “How many of these large rooms are there?” Don asked, trying to determine the population of the caves.

  Karen closed her eyes, silently counting to herself. “Ten,” she answered.

  “There must be thousands of you down here,” he speculated. “How do you find enough food to survive? The surface is practically barren.”

  “We have food down here,” Karen replied. “We grow some plants, and breed some animals. We hunt on the surface to supplement what we have, and capture more animals for breeding.”

  “Maybe you could give me a tour after Dillon gets back,” Don suggested.

  “Donald!” Dillon called, approaching, as if on cue, from across the room. “I wish to speak with you,” he said, casting a glance toward Karen, “but not in my sister’s presence.”

  “But—” Karen began to protest, but was cut short by her brother’s sharp glare. He hadn’t spoken directly to her since returning from pursuing the Tant to the surface. She could feel his accusations burning through her still, as his words echoed in her mind.

  “It’s okay,” Don assured. “You can go help Jackie and Will, and I will join you just as soon as Dillon and I are through talking.”

  “Okay,” she said reluctantly, her pouting face downcast.

  Leaning toward her, Don kissed her
lightly on the cheek, and whispered something into her ear causing her to smile slightly. Giving him a quick hug, she ambled off toward Jackie.

  “My sister likes you,” Dillon said, seizing the captain’s attention once more, “and it appears you like her as well.”

  “What’s not to like?” he asked, straightening his stance. “She’s a truly remarkable young lady.”

  “Then you will be choosing her as your mate, and taking her to the stars in your flying building,” Dillon stated rather than asked. There was no discernable emotion in his tone.

  “I’m not sure I can,” Don answered. “But that isn’t what you wanted to talk about, is it?”

  “You are a perceptive man,” Dillon replied. “Very well, I will get to the point. The Tants will be attacking now that they know where the caves are. I have seen that you carry powerful weapons, and I want to know if you intend to use them against the Tants to free my people from them.”

  “There must be other ways of dealing with the Tants than just killing them outright,” Don said, objecting to any senseless slaughter. “They seem to be intelligent humanoids; can’t you reason with them and reach some kind of agreement?”

  “The Tants are animals!” shouted Dillon, his voice echoing loudly through the chamber. Then in a lower tone, he continued, “They are vicious and cannot be reasoned with. Their only goal is the total annihilation of my people.”

  Don considered the native’s words, and recalled what Jackie had said to him earlier. “It was a quick glance,” she had told him, “but long enough. From their body structure and organ placement, there’s no doubt in my mind they were once human. Whatever happened on the surface must have split the race in two; Karen’s people and the Tants.”

  “No,” Don answered after a long silent period. “I will not exterminate the Tants without at least trying some other course of action. We will help you defend yourselves if it comes to that, but I would like to try other options first.”

  “You are a fool then,” Dillon responded coldly, “and fools usually live short lives.”