by Ralph Prince
“Perfect,” Don said, motioning for her to lead the way.
Once inside the room, Don handed Jackie a second pack he had been carrying and began removing his flight suit.
“What’s this?” she asked, opening the pack and removing its contents. “Medical support foam? There’s enough here to make you an entire body cast. Are you planning on taking that much of a beating?”
“The foam is to prevent the beating,” Don said.
Victor continued observing the captain with puissant interest, but saying nothing.
“You’re making armor,” Jackie guessed. “But why fight on the Sands of Doom?”
“Psychological advantage,” Don said. “The Tants and Underdwellers both regard it as a place of great danger; Oaklander was hesitant to accept the challenge if it were there. I chose noon because the trip out there and the climb up that ridge will have him overheated and worn down before the fight even begins.”
“And your flight suit will keep you relatively cool,” Jackie realized, feeling a little more confident in the captain’s plan. “You have thought this through.”
“I told you I had it under control,” Don said. “By the way, nice room. I see there’s only one bed though.”
“Are you going to stand there half-naked making innuendos, or are we going to get this done?” Jackie asked, feeling her cheeks flush as she presented the can of support foam.
“That did not sound like something a soldier should say to her commanding officer,” Don quipped, somehow finding a bit of levity given their current situation. “Let’s get started; we have a world to save.”
Victor silently watched for several moments, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. Then, shaking his head, he slowly left the room.
CHAPTER 6: The Sands of Doom
As noon neared, Don and Jackie emerged from the shaft into the building’s lower level. Though several Tants occupied the room, they gave wide berth to the two outer-worlders as they passed. To do otherwise would surely incur their leader’s wrath.
Jackie was tense. She felt the pulse pounding in her temples and her muscles ached due to their rigidity. Her sweaty finger rested uneasily on the trigger of her photon rifle as her eyes made a brisk sweep of her surroundings. Aside from the obvious Tants, the scanner interfaced to her goggles revealed a like number hidden from view among the ducts and pipes.
Don seemed more relaxed, and his attention was focused straight ahead. Other than the blaster holstered at his hip, he carried no weapons. Beneath his flight suit, his torso and forearms were encased in a thin lightweight cast. Though it itched constantly, he knew the protection it offered would be invaluable in the upcoming fight with Oaklander.
“Iva,” Don said, activating the communicator interface in his goggles. “What does the situation look like outside?”
“There are six Tants at the entrance with Karen,” Iva replied. “They have been keeping their distance. There are also large numbers massing on the upper levels of the building you’re in.”
“They’re preparing to attack,” Don said. “Have you informed Will of the situation up here yet?”
“Affirmative,” replied Iva. “He contacted me a few minutes ago to run some battle scenarios.”
“Keep him updated on the Tant’s movements,” Don said. “Let him know as soon as they start to move into the lower levels of the building.”
“Roger, captain,” the agent acknowledged. “Iva out.”
“Do you think Will and the Underdwellers will be able to hold off that many?” Jackie asked. “We could barely hold them off when they were attacking in waves of a couple hundred.”
“Don’t worry,” Don said unconvincingly, his own doubts too great to conceal. He wasn’t sure Porter was right for the job of defending the Underdwellers. Though the rookie had tactical training, he had no real combat experience. Jackie was no better a choice. Though she had some combat experience, she lacked the tactical expertise to effectively coordinate the Underdwellers; besides, Don preferred her watching his back. The commander’s plan hinged on his ability to defeat Oaklander quickly enough that they could catch the Tants between the caves and the surface. If either he failed to beat Oaklander, or the Underdwellers failed to hold off the Tants, there would be no planet left to fight for.
Silently, they proceeded to the surface where, as Iva had said, Karen and six Tants awaited their arrival. Oaklander paced impatiently, as Karen and Stitch exchanged venomous words and gazes. The remaining four Tants were armed with crossbows and swords, and stood attentively surveying their surroundings. It was one of the four guards who alerted Oaklander to their arrival.
“I was not sure you were stupid enough to return,” Oaklander rumbled mockingly. “I expected you to remain below and die with your Underdweller friends.”
“Sorry to disappoint,” Don said confidently. “But I don’t back down from fights.”
“That’s who you’re going to fight?” Jackie asked quietly, taken aback by the massive bulk of the Tant leader. “I thought you were kidding when you said he was larger than a load-lifter.”
Ignoring her, Don approached Karen who stood casting barbed glares at Stitch. “Are you okay?” he asked. “They didn’t hurt you, did they?”
“No,” Karen replied sharply. “But that one,” she indicated Stitch, “the one who stabbed you and ruined my flight suit, said he would if you didn’t return. I’m going to cut his tongue out and choke him with it.”
Stitch hissed at her and positioned himself behind Oaklander.
“Easy there,” Don soothed, having never seen Karen so angry. He placed his hand gently upon her shoulder, drawing her attention away from the Tant.
“Are you sure about doing this?” she asked turning and putting her arms around him.
“Don’t worry, Karen,” he comforted, casting a threatening scowl toward Oaklander. “I’ve got everything under control.”
“What’s this under your flight suit?” she asked, realizing her hug met with an unrelenting body.
“Hush,” he cautioned, stooping slightly to whisper in her ear. “It’s for protection.”
“Enough of this!” Oaklander bellowed. “We will go now, to the Sands of Doom. You can say your good-byes on the way there.”
“Okay,” Don agreed, knowing there was no time to waste. “Let’s go.”
The sun was, as usual for the planet, insufferable, and the wind was uncharacteristically still as they journeyed to the ridge. Don looked upon the rocky barrier that surrounded the Sands of Doom, then toward Oaklander. The Tant did not appear to be suffering greatly despite his heavy clothing. Don had counted on the heat wearing him down for the fight, but it didn’t seem to be the case. So far, his plan wasn’t going as he had hoped.
“I’ll offer you one last chance, Oaklander,” Don said, releasing Karen’s hand. “Call off the Tants, and I assure your continued survival as friends of the Underdwellers.”
“Never!” roared Oaklander. “We will not live in the presence of those vermin. I will crush you, then I will crush them. We will go now, just you and me. The rest will wait here.”
“Jackie,” Don said softly. “Stay sharp. Don’t trust them—especially the little one.” He indicated Stitch.
“Don’t worry,” she responded. “I’m a big girl. I’ll be fine. Just get this over with so we can get back to help Will.”
“I’ll certainly try,” Don said, drawing his blaster and extending it toward the lieutenant. “Be careful. You know what to do if I don’t make it back.”
“You’ll make it,” she responded, slipping the weapon beneath her belt. “Good luck, Don.”
“Karen,” he said, drawing her attention from Stitch. “I promised we would be spending more time together soon. I never break my promises.”
Moving closer, they shared a kiss which both knew may be their last. Then, without further delay, Don and Oaklander began their climb up the rugged slope.
When they reached the summit, both combatants were fatigu
ed. Below them, the Sands of Doom stretched like a lifeless gray sea. Instead of cracked dry soil, the crater’s floor was covered in a thick layer of fine ash, dating back to the blast that had shattered the city. Untouched by the elements, throughout the centuries since the cataclysm, it blanketed the hollow like a death shroud.
After a brief rest, the two wordlessly descended the steep inner slope toward the ashen plain. There was no sound, and no movement below. It seemed, in a way, tranquil, belying any dangers that may have spawned the native’s superstitions.
As they reached the foot of the ridge, Iva’s voice spoke to Don through the interface in his goggles. “Captain,” she said. “I have accessed your scanner through the communication link, and have discovered your opponent is armed.”
Turning quickly, Don saw the Tant reaching into his shirt with an evil grin on his deformed face.
“You thought the heat and the journey here would leave me exhausted,” Oaklander said, drawing a cold pack from beneath his clothing. It was the one Stitch had handed him during their first encounter; one of the three Will had discarded. “It may have if not for this. You are not so clever as you think you are.”
“Wait a minute, Oaklander,” Don said, trying once again to reason with the Tant. “You have to listen to me. This planet is doomed unless I can save it. If we don’t end this war, then you, the Tants, and the Underdwellers will all die.”
“You take me for a fool!” Oaklander shouted, drawing a large jagged knife. “You will tell me how to use the blue flame, or you will die here and now.”
Slowly, the captain began backing away from the giant toward the Sands of Doom. Oaklander followed, sweeping the blade in front of him.
“So,” Don said, searching for something to use as a weapon. He cursed, as he found nothing but ash. “You have to resort to cheating to beat me? We agreed on no weapons. You have no honor.”
“You didn’t expect me to keep my end of the bargain, did you?” Oaklander snarled as they journeyed deeper into the Sands of Doom. “You sealed your fate as soon as you demanded there we fight here. There will be no witnesses to say how I defeated you. Even if you somehow manage to beat me, Stitch has orders to attack the Underdwellers. As a reward, I even gave him your woman, to do with as he pleases.”
“I used to think everyone had a right to live,” Don sighed. “But you’ve proven me wrong. You have no respect for life, and that makes you about the most worthless piece of shit I’ve ever known.” Suddenly, Don realized this was the second time Oaklander had offered Karen to his subordinate. He also recalled their first fight, and how quickly the Tant had recovered from a knee to the groin. A sudden epiphany struck him. “You don’t care if both the Underdwellers and Tants die out; you only care for yourself. You’re doing all of this because your time is passing, and you have no heir to your empire due to your impotence. Stanton was right; without your unchallenged leadership, you have nothing.”
“Captain!” Iva’s voice called, momentarily distracting him.
With an angry yell, Oaklander lunged forward and thrust the knife at the earthman’s chest. Caught off guard by the speed and ferocity of the attack, Don was unable to react in time, and staggered back under the force of the blow. The knife’s blade snapped off cleanly as it struck his protective cast, and was swallowed by the valley’s ashen floor.
Gaping at the hilt in astonishment, the Tant failed to react to the captain’s offensive. A powerful blow struck him on the chin, followed immediately by another, which sent a shower of blood and teeth through the air.
Stepping back, Don cradled his throbbing fists to his chest. Hitting the Tant was like pummeling a steel wall.
“Captain,” Iva repeated urgently. “I have been detecting unusual chemical readings from beneath the surface in your vicinity. I have concluded the chemical signatures are consistent with a form of explosive. I believe you are in a mine field.”
Recovering from the onslaught, Oaklander threw the useless weapon aside and wiped the blood from his lips. Then, with an angry growl, he charged.
Easily dodging the awkwardly swung left fist, Don countered with a hard, but ineffective, punch to his opponent’s stomach. “Display their locations on my goggle’s tactical display,” he said to Iva. An overlay of red dots appeared in his field of vision, marking the location of the buried mines. There were dozens with the thirty-meter range of his scanner.
His attention divided between dodging Oaklander’s wild attacks and avoiding the mines, Don continued edging toward the center of the Sands of Doom, and deeper into the field of deadly explosives.
Bringing his left arm across in a sweeping motion, Oaklander struck Don in the head, sending him sprawling, face down, into the ash.
Trying to clear his lenses so he could see, Don felt the giant’s foot connect with his support foam-encased ribs, flipping him onto his back. Pulling the eyewear from his face, he rolled to the side as the Tant’s huge foot sank into the ground next to him, catching his hand and crushing the goggles.
Cursing, Don unsteadily rose to his feet, momentarily dazed by the bright light of the planet’s sun. He saw the large form charging once again, and threw a handful of ash into Oaklander’s face, blinding him and leveling the playing field.
Howling in pain, Oaklander rubbed his eyes as Don pressed the attack with multiple blows to his midsection. Lashing out blindly, the massive Tant leader struck Don another solid blow to the head, once again knocking him to the ground.
Consciousness was quickly ebbing as the captain struggled to regain his footing. His head was reeling as he felt a hand tightly grip his throat and yank him forcibly to his feet.
“Insolent insect,” Oaklander said, lifting the captain from the ground with his powerful right hand. “You were a fool to challenge me, and an even bigger fool to flaunt your blue flame. I now know how to use it. I don’t need you alive; all I need is one of the devices, and I will eradicate the treasonous Underdwellers and rule supreme.”
Supported only by the Tant’s strangle hold, Don strained to focus his eyes. He felt the giant’s other hand grasp his chin as it had done Dillon’s. He painfully recalled Karen’s brother having his neck snapped, after he had lashed out at the leader Tant with his club; the club that Oaklander had so easily blocked with his arm. His eyes clearing, Don saw the large, swollen, purple area on the Tant’s right forearm.
“You are no longer of any use to me,” Oaklander snarled. “Now you will die.”
Almost without thought, Don swung upward with all his might, forcibly striking the Tant’s injured arm with his cast-encased forearm. There was a loud snap, a howl of pain, and the captain was once again on the ground.
His air supply restored, Don mustered enough strength to raise himself to his hands and knees. Looking toward his opponent, he saw Oaklander clutching his arm to his blood-soaked chest and gritting his teeth in agony. The giant staggered forward, rage burning in his eyes. His arm hung limply at his side, blood streaming from the jagged wound where the bone protruded from the skin. Running down his hand, the crimson fluid dripped from his fingertips into the ash of the Sands of Doom.
As he stood to face his adversary once again, Don suddenly became aware that he was no longer wearing his goggles. Terror overwhelmed him as he searched the ground but saw only ash. There was nothing to indicate the location of the deadly mines beneath.
Oaklander attacked again, taking advantage of the captain’s momentary distraction. He swung low with his left fist, catching the earthman in the ribs with a substantial blow.
There was a loud crunch as Don was sent reeling backwards. He couldn’t be certain if it had been his cast, or Oaklander’s fist that had broken, but the result was extremely painful.
The Tant leader screamed in rage and pain as he stared at the twisted fingers of his trembling hand.
“Oaklander, stop,” Don pleaded, only partially recovered from the impact. “You don’t understand the danger we’re in. There are mines—”
“
Never!” Oaklander roared, charging once again.
Backpedaling to avoid the collision, Don stumbled and fell. Carried by the momentum of his hulking body, the Tant tripped over the prone captain, and sailed headlong through the air. There was a thunderous explosion, and a wave of ash, dirt, and gore washed over Don.
The battle, he knew, was over.
CHAPTER 7: Betrayal
Jackie impatiently looked toward the top of the ridge, wishing the captain would return. The Tants made her nervous, and despite her attempts to put some distance between them and herself, they always managed to stay close.
There were four Tants, the fifth having been sent back to the city shortly after Don and Oaklander began their climb. Stitch remained, keeping a watchful eye on the two humans, and casting frequent glances toward the sky, in case the dragon should appear.
Karen was the most impatient of all. Her eyes rarely deviated from the ridge, as she anticipated the return of her mate. The presence of the Tants, a long-hated enemy of her people, didn’t seem to concern her in the least.
“Lieutenant Monet,” Iva’s voice sounded over her communicator.
“The dragon,” Stitch gasped, once again scanning the sky. Oaklander was a fool to discount its existence.
Her fingers still tense upon the trigger of the photon rifle, Jackie tapped the temple of her goggles, activating the link so only she could hear. “Yes, Iva,” she replied.
“I’m concerned about the captain,” Iva said. “He no longer seems to be receiving my transmissions. I have determined that he is in a minefield, and he has come uncomfortably close to two, make that three, of the buried explosive devices.”
“Keep trying to contact him,” Jackie said as she met Karen’s fearful stare. “We’ll see what we can do from here. Keep me informed.”
“Jackie,” Karen asked, swallowing hard, to clear the lump that had suddenly come to her throat. “Is Donald all right?”
“Of course, he is,” Jackie replied, assessing the situation to determine her chances of taking out all the Tants so she could go to his aid. The guards were spread out around them, making it unlikely she could shoot them all before being overtaken. “He can handle himself pretty well.”
