Rubicon Crossing

by Ralph Prince

  “We will fight then,” the Tant declared.

  “There are two other conditions,” Don added. “I will need time to inform my crew of the terms of our deal, so we will meet here when the sun is highest in the sky.”

  “Agreed,” said the Tant.

  “And,” Don continued, “to ensure no one else interferes with the combat, we will fight on the Sands of Doom.”

  Again, Stitch gasped, and the murmur faded to fearful silence.

  “Not on the Sands of Doom,” Oaklander objected. “None who go there ever return. It is a cursed place.”

  “Are you afraid?” Don asked mockingly. “The great Oaklander, afraid of the Sands of Doom?” The murmur returned louder than ever.

  The giant’s gaze shifted from Don, to Stitch, then back to Don. “The Sands of Doom it is,” he agreed, nodding his head slowly.

  “I need safe passage to and from the caves,” Don said, cautiously advancing toward the Tant.

  “Wait!” growled the Tant leader. “How do I know this isn’t a trick? How do I know you will return at the appointed time?”

  “You’ll have to trust me,” Don replied. “I’m a man of my word.”

  “Your word means nothing to me,” rumbled Oaklander, his face drawn into a scowl. “What if I decide to kill you now?”

  The assembled Tants let out a collective gasp, making Oaklander regret his outburst. Killing Garris after accepting the challenge would surely damage his reputation as a strong and fearless leader.

  “I wish you would try,” Don threatened, aiming his weapon at the Tant’s face. “I’ve been itching to kill someone all day; preferably the little bastard who stabbed me. He almost ruined my entire day.”

  Stitch cautiously positioned himself so Oaklander stood between him and the earthman, hoping to make himself less conspicuous. The throbbing in his head suddenly grew more pronounced.

  “Well?” Don asked. “What’s it going to be? Do I pass, or are you the first one I kill?”

  “Master,” Stitch said in a hushed tone. Slowly, he limped to the leader’s side and whispered something that caused the larger Tant to smile evilly.

  “You may pass,” Oaklander announced, stepping to the side and motioning toward the building. “But the woman stays with us. That way, I know you will return.”

  “No deal,” Don said, feeling, rather than seeing, Karen close in behind him. “We both go, or you die.”

  “In which case,” Oaklander said calmly, “you will never reach your Underdweller friends. Even with the blue flame, you will be overcome by sheer force of numbers. The Tants will not hesitate to attack unless I command otherwise.”

  “Donald,” Karen said softly, “I will stay with them. I am not afraid.”

  “No, Karen,” Don protested. “I can’t let you stay. There’s no telling what they might do to you.”

  “We will not harm the woman,” assured Oaklander. “You have my word; and I’m a man of my word. You may even take my advisor, Stitch, with you into the caves as insurance.”

  Stitch gasped audibly at Oaklander’s suggestion. He knew the earthman’s feelings toward him.

  “It’s the only safe way,” Karen said, placing her hand gently upon his forearm.

  With a sigh of resignation, Don nodded his head. “I’ll be back for you,” he said quietly. “I promise. Keep your weapon ready, and don’t hesitate to use it.”

  “I’ll be all right,” she assured, kissing him on the cheek. “I’m not afraid of them.”

  “Okay, Oaklander,” Don said finally. “But if you so much as lay a hand on her, my wrath will make the Sands of Doom seem like a Sunday picnic.”

  “Guards!” Oaklander bellowed, addressing the two crossbow-armed Tants. They snapped to attention, their hands going to their foreheads in a salute.

  Activating his communicator, Don regarded their action with astute interest. “Iva,” he said, deliberately speaking loud enough for all to hear. “Karen will be staying on the surface. Scan her at all times, and if anyone comes within five meters of her, destroy every Tant in the city. I don’t care if you have to bring down the entire city to do it. Is that understood?”

  “Affirmative, captain,” came the reply. “I understand perfectly.”

  “The dragon,” Stitch whispered, drawing a warning scowl from Oaklander.

  “Guards!” the Tant leader repeated. “One of you is to escort Garris to the cave’s entrance and allow him to descend. He is not to be attacked or detained on his way out, nor are any of his companions. If anyone harms him, I will have their head; he’s mine.”

  “Yes master,” they said in unison, again saluting their leader.

  “Stitch,” Oaklander continued, “you will accompany Garris to the caves to ensure his safe return.”

  Stitch understood his master’s innuendo: Garris was not to return alive. “Yes, master,” he said, contemplating the method of assassination he would employ. Perhaps a slip on the way down the shaft. The metal rungs could be hazardous in the dark.

  “You can keep him,” Don said. “I doubt he means enough to you to make an effective hostage. Besides,” he added, smiling menacingly at the crippled Tant, “the temptation to drop him down the shaft would be too great.”

  “As you wish,” Oaklander said. “Make sure you return by the time the sun peaks, or your woman’s life is forfeit.”

  Giving Karen a reassuring kiss, Don followed the guards into the building, leaving her, Oaklander, and a relieved Stitch behind.

  Karen watched the entrance long after he had vanished from view, knowing she had nothing to fear.

  “Stitch,” Oaklander said softly, so only his advisor could hear. “You did not tell me he used a device to throw the blue flame.”

  “I did not know,” Stitch sniveled. “I did not see the device in the dark of the caves.”

  “This changes everything,” Oaklander smiled. “I don’t need Garris; I just need the device. After I kill him, lead the warriors into the caves. Do not stop until all the Underdwellers are dead. They won’t be expecting an attack under the truce.”

  “What of the girl?” Stitch inquired, casting a glance toward her as a wicked smile crossed his twisted face.

  “Do what you wish with her,” he answered, “she is yours.”

  CHAPTER 5: Preparing for War

  Jackie and Will sat silently in the dark behind the barricade, waiting for the inevitable attack. They were both weary after a night of fitful sleep in one of the complex’s small chambers, while the Underdwellers took a shift on the watch. Though they shared the room and the succor of one another’s company, exhaustion curbed their mutual carnal desires.

  A full day and the better part of two nights had passed since the Tant called Stitch had delivered Oaklander’s ultimatum. It was only a matter of time before he tried to make good on his threat. If Stanton was right—and there was no reason to believe he wasn’t—the next offensive would be by the warriors, and would be far more brutal than the previous assaults.

  A quiet shuffle from the hallway leading to the caves alerted them to the approach of Stanton and young Victor. The two traversed the second blockade and approached purposefully.

  “The boy wished to see you,” Stanton said as they neared. “I thought it best to accompany him, as he would have come alone had I not.”

  “How can you see without light?” Will asked, able to pierce the darkness only with the aid of his tactical goggles.

  “I don’t know,” Stanton admitted. “It’s not a trait shared by all Underdwellers, only the hunters. Those who spend all their time in the lights of the caves never acquire it, but all who venture above eventually develop it. We also have tolerance to the bright light of the surface.”

  “Is Captain Don here?” Victor asked, peering down the tunnel toward the entrance shaft.

  “No,” Jackie answered, her thoughts churning with concern over the commander. Again, she wished she hadn’t had to leave the ship while his condition was so critical. “He’s
not going to be well enough to come here for a long time.”

  “It is shortly past dawn,” Stanton said. “If Oaklander is going to make a move, it will be soon. He will send his forces while they are fresh, not when they are exhausted by a day in the heat. We should have more people with weapons stationed in the hallway.”

  “That’s probably a good idea,” Will agreed.

  “I thought you might concur,” Stanton smiled. “I’ve already sent for them. This will likely be our last stand. Again, I thank you for your assistance in helping us. We may not survive this, but at least our last few days have been filled with hope.”

  The sound of rapid footsteps and shouts resounded from the direction of the entrance shaft, heralding the approach of the two sentries. They vaulted the barrier, nearly trampling young Victor in their haste.

  “Someone is coming,” one of them warned.

  “Take up a position at the next barricade,” Will ordered. “There are more Underdwellers with weapons on the way.”

  “Switching to thermal,” Jackie said as she adjusted her goggles and took aim down the hallway. “Stanton, you and the boy should leave now.”

  Taking the boy by the hand, Stanton wordlessly retreated down the tunnel after the two sentries.

  For interminable minutes, Jackie and Will trained their weapons into the darkness. Then, three thermal patterns appeared. One of the images seemed to float above the floor toward them, while two smaller ones darted back and forth midway between the larger one and the floor, occasionally blinking out of sight.

  “What is it?” Will whispered. “They’re not big enough to be people.”

  “I don’t know,” Jackie responded nervously, her finger tense on the trigger of her photon rifle.

  “This is a fine reception for your captain,” a voice called to them, prompting simultaneous sighs of relief.

  “Don!” Jackie called, scarcely believing her ears. She switched her goggles to light-amplification mode, realizing the thermal weave of his flight suit had masked all except his head and hands from detection. “What are you doing here?”

  “I couldn’t let you two have all the fun,” he answered. “Besides, we’ve got a lot of work to do, and not much time.”

  “How are you here?” Jackie reiterated. “The last time we saw you, you were nearly dead. It should have taken at least a week before you were able to get out of bed.”

  “Captain Don!” Victor shrieked, scampering over the barrier and rushing to the commander.

  “I’m fine,” Don assured, lifting Victor and vaulting the barrier with little effort. “The transfusion you gave me did the trick.”

  Activating her medical scanner, Jackie passed it over his wound and read the display skeptically. “There’s hardly a trace of the injury except for some scar tissue. This is nothing short of miraculous. The nanites in Karen’s blood must have learned from the nanites in the bio-mend and resulted in some kind of new super bio-mend.”

  “Sorry,” Stanton apologized, trotting up to them from behind. “The boy broke and ran.”

  “Stanton, right?” Don asked, having only met the Underdweller briefly when they first arrived. “It looks like the shoulder is better.”

  “Much better, Captain Garris,” Stanton replied. “Though it still pains me when I move it too much. I understand you were injured as well.”

  “Where is Karen?” Will asked, looking past him down the hallway. “Didn’t she come with you?”

  “Not exactly,” Don replied, pulling the large pack from his back and extending it toward Will. “There are two photon rifles and a dozen extra power packs in here. Teach some of the Underdwellers how to use them, if you haven’t already. I also set up communication relay modules at the top and bottom of the shaft, so we can contact Iva from down here. She’ll apprise you of the situation on the surface.” He turned his attention toward Jackie, “I need your help with something.”

  “Wait a minute,” she said. “You show up, barking orders without so much as a ‘Hi, how are you?’ Where’s Karen? How did you get past the Tants? What’s going on here?”

  “I know how you are,” Don responded, a sense of urgency in his tone. “Iva said you are tired, but uninjured. I’m fine. Karen’s fine. The Tants let me pass. Now if you don’t mind, we’re running out of time.”

  “I do mind,” Jackie snapped. “You’re acting awfully strange, and I want to know why.”

  Jackie, Will, Stanton, and even Victor stared at him waiting for an explanation. “Okay,” Don conceded. “I’ve got to be back out there by noon, or there’s no telling what they’ll do to Karen. I’ve challenged Oaklander to a duel on the Sands of Doom, and if I win, hopefully we’ll have time to repair the ship before it’s too late.”

  “Too late for what?” asked Will.

  “What do you mean, you’ve challenged Oaklander to a duel?” Jackie asked.

  “I was getting to that,” he replied, addressing Will. “The Tants are the least of our worries right now. I spoke with Iva just before I left the ship, and she’s discovered that the comet we encountered is on a collision course with this planet. She claims it will wipe out all life here unless we can either slow it or deflect it enough that it misses the planet, and the only way we can do that is to repair the Nova. The closer the comet gets, the harder it’s going to be alter its path. If it gets too close, the gravity of the planet will pull it in despite any efforts we make to avert it.”

  “I told you passing through a comet tail was bad luck,” Jackie said under her breath.

  “But how are we going to repair the ship?” Will asked. “Iva said she may have located the necessary parts, but the Tants have got us trapped down here.”

  “Not for long,” Don said confidently. “There’s a bunker at the center of the Sands of Doom. Iva flew over it on the way here. There’s an array of solar panels, which she thinks will be adaptable to our needs. I just needed to deal with the Tants so we can go get them. That’s why I challenged Oaklander.”

  “You can beat this guy, right?” Will asked.

  “Sure,” Don replied. “He’s not that tough.”

  “Oaklander is a formidable warrior,” Stanton chimed in, drawing a sneer from Don. “I do not think it wise to face him in combat.”

  “Is he the one who stabbed you?” Jackie asked.

  “No,” Don answered. “That was his henchman, Stitch.”

  “The sniveling messenger guy?” Will inquired.

  “Let me get this straight,” Jackie said, trying to piece everything together. “This henchman, Stitch, is the one who almost killed you, and you’re planning on taking on his superior? How big is this Oaklander?”

  “He’s not that big,” Don answered sheepishly.

  “He’s the size of a load-lifter, isn’t he?” Jackie surmised.

  “Maybe a little bigger,” Don admitted.

  “What if you lose the fight?” Jackie asked. “Or hadn’t that possibility occurred to you? After all, your last plan, of talking to them, didn’t work out all that well.”

  “I’ve got it under control,” Don assured, hastening to finish.

  “Lieutenant Monet’s concern is valid,” Stanton warned. “It would not be wise to underestimate Oaklander. If he accepted a challenge to single combat, he will do anything to ensure his victory. Perhaps I can give you some insight on Oaklander. It may help in your fight with him. He will use every bit of his strength and cunning in the fight, and both are considerable. If he believes he is outmatched, he will resort to less-than-honorable methods to win. All he has is his leadership of the Tants; take that away, and he has nothing left to lose. His greatest weakness is his temper. He is quick to anger, and that makes him reckless; unfortunately, it also makes him more dangerous.”

  “I found that out in the tower,” Don said, recalling the force of Oaklander’s blows.

  “What are Jackie and I supposed to do while you’re out there?” Will asked. “Sit and wait for them to attack?”

  “That�
�s exactly what you’re going to do,” Don replied. “I need Jackie on the surface to watch my back while I’m fighting Oaklander. I’m guessing the Tants will be attacking while I’m out there, so have the Underdwellers ready. Once Oaklander is out of the way, Jackie and I’ll come in behind them. If we’re real lucky, we can get the Tants trapped between here and the surface with nowhere to run. We’ve got to neutralize them as quickly as possible, even if it means killing them all. If we don’t, there won’t be anything left alive on this planet in a year. Now, Jackie and I have things to do. Stanton, stay with Will and start setting up better fortifications in this hallway. These barriers aren’t going to slow down the next wave.”

  Before either crewmember could protest or further question him, Don proceeded down the hallway at a rapid pace. Victor, who had remained uncharacteristically silent throughout their discussion, immediately followed the captain.

  Casting a quizzical glance at Will, Jackie too set out after him. She would have preferred a “Hi, how are you,” but she knew it wouldn’t be that simple. Don had an unnerving tendency of making things more difficult than they should be.

  “Don,” she said upon catching up to him, “I get the feeling you weren’t telling us everything back there. I know you well enough to tell when you’re holding out on me, so what is it?”

  “I’m just worried about Karen,” he lied, not sure she would believe the story of the Overseer. “With all the new developments, I’m under a lot of pressure. This started out as a routine supply run; now I’ve got a war to end, and an entire planet to save. How am I supposed to act?”

  “I’m sorry,” Jackie apologized, as they reached the inner complex. “Maybe I’m letting my imagination run away with me. I guess I know you well enough to trust your decisions, no matter how stupid they seem. Anyway, I’m glad you’re all right.”

  “Thanks for the vote of confidence,” Don said. “We need a place with a little privacy.”

  “Will and I have a room,” she offered, immediately regretting her choice of words. “A room the Underdwellers gave us to rest in.”