The Forever Life (The Forever Series Book 1)

by Craig Robertson

  I was about to fire on them, when one figure opened my door. “Come with us or you will die.”

  “Who are…”

  She—it turned out she was a female—stopped me. “Later, I explain. Come.” She scanned the street. “We have no time. More will be here soon.” She extended a hand. “Come!”

  Why not? Mangasour had tried to kill me already. She could hardly make a worse first impression. I sprang from the backseat and into her car. We sped away, to where I had no clue. All three of my purported rescuers continually looked out the windows for signs of pursuit. A kilometer away, a garage door swung open. The driver turned in and the door slapped shut behind us. There was visible relief in the body language of what I hoped were my new friends.

  “Okay,” I said. “Mind telling me who the hell you are and what this is all about?”

  She looked straight ahead. “Soon. For now, come with me.”

  We walked out the back of the building and got in another car. It drove fifteen minutes to a small structure on the outskirts of town. We pulled into the garage and this time we got out.

  “We're safe enough here,” she said. “Let's go meet my leader. He will explain everything.”

  We snaked though the house until we came to a door. She knocked, a voice inside said to come in, and we did. Two figures sat in lounge chairs. One rose. “Thank you for coming to meet with us, Jon. I must apologize for the unconventional manner of your transport. There was no way around it.”

  “Unconventional, eh? That's what the Kaljax call cold-blooded murder?”

  “Please sit. The deaths of those individuals was unfortunate, but it was our only chance to free you. The fact that you were so poorly guarded was an error on Mangasour's part. It was unlikely to occur again.”

  “They tried to poison me, you know?”

  He shared a worried glance with the others. “I didn't know that, but I'm not at all surprised. They most certainly want you dead, my friend.”

  “Speaking of friends, exactly who are you?”

  “Ah yes, my apologies, again. I am Tourine Ser, the leader of this resistance cell.” He pointed to the woman. “Sapale you have already met. This is Dontiqui, my wife.” He indicated the other seated person. I could see some gender differences. The females had rounder faces, more prominent ears, and longer necks.

  “And what do you want with me?”

  He smiled. At least that sign was common between our species. “Why, to save you, Jon. And, so far, we have.”

  “Thank you. Forgive me if I'm not overly grateful just yet.”

  He sat back down. “Perfectly understandable. Please, join us.” Sapale was already seated.

  Sure, why not? I plopped down and crossed my legs. “What did you save me from and, more importantly, why? What am I to you?”

  He smiled again, this time more emphatically. “There is much you can't know. But, it's sufficient to say we saved you from bad people. We did so because you are our savior.”

  Forty years into the gig and that was one I'd never heard. Never expected to, either. Tourine Ser clearly didn't know me too well. “You're shitting me, right?”

  “I hear your words but do not take your meaning. What has bodily waste to do with our current interaction?”

  Dontiqui leaned over and slapped his leg. “Don't be so dense, love. He questions whether your remarks to him are, in effect, covered in shit.” She looked to me. “We say 'tastes of shit' in our language, but the meaning is the same.”

  I nodded. “Thanks.” Back to Tourine. “Your words taste of shit.”

  That got a laugh from all three. “Yes, I imagine they do,” he said. “But that's why your life was to be taken by our enemies. To us, you're preordained. Now you seem to have arrived. For those in power, such a thing is most unwelcome.”

  “What prophecy am I fulfilling? By the way, I'm not fulfilling any prophecy. I'm here for business, not salvation, purposes.”

  “It was written long ago in our sacred books that a traveler from the stars would come. He would bring peace. He would deliver justice. Such a man would lead the Kaljax to Tralmore, our blessed place.”

  “Heaven? You think I'm here to lead y'all to kingdom come?” I chuckled grimly. “That's a laugh. If you had a chance to talk with my ex-wife, she'd set you straight on that account.”

  He laughed heartily at that quip. “Jon, I like you much!” He rested back. “Our enemies fear you might be, or at least will be mistaken to be, Braldone, our savior. For this, you must die.” As he said Braldone, he rubbed the back of his hand on his forehead. The others did the same.

  “Why? Braldone can't be killed, he's a savior, right?” When I said the name, all three rubbed their foreheads.

  “No, he can be killed.” He reflected a moment. “Perhaps saviors are at their best when they're martyrs. In any case, the powers in control on Kaljax desire no change in the present state of affairs. Whether you are, in fact, Braldone (foreheads rubbed) or not, they don't want you around messing with their control.”

  “Isn't it kind of bad to murder one's savior? That's got to hurt their chances of making this Tralmore place you mentioned.”

  “They gladly forfeited any right to Tralmore long ago to control the here and now. You, my friend,” he pointed two hands at me, “are capable of upsetting that stability. For that reason, you must be eliminated.”

  “Okay. Just take me back to my ship. I'll leave and solve the problem of Braldone” (rubs by all) “nonviolently for yours truly.”

  He shook his head, another act we shared in common. “That will not happen. Your ship is guarded by a formidable force. They'll remain there until they can figure out how to dispose of the craft. You may not leave in it, and all traces of a possible Braldone (you know the drill) will be erased.”

  “And where do you and your merry band of outlaws fit into this picture? Why save me?” I was afraid I knew the answer. They wanted to control a savior. We can be an effective political tool. Never waste a good tool when it can serve an insurgent group so effectively. Might just put them where their current oppressors currently sat, mightn't it?

  Sapale fielded that question. “It's not enough that we did? Have you no thanks for our intersession?” My, but she was the high-strung filly.

  “Thanks for saving me. Now, what's in it for you?”

  She disliked being shown up so glibly. “Your gratitude is shallow.” She looked at the other two. “I say we throw this ingrate back to Mangasour and let him smile then.”

  Tourine Ser smiled. “Easy, Sapale. Jon is our friend and under our protection. We will do no such thing.” Back to me. “We do, as you suspect, have an interest. Though I doubt very much you're Braldone, the destabilizing effect of that perception can benefit us greatly. Many will rally to our cause if it is perceived to be holy.”

  “And is your cause holy?”

  “You are quick of mind! To us,” he pointed to his accomplices, “no. It is a political battle of good versus evil, but not a divine war.”

  “But,” I observed, “it wouldn't hurt if others saw your position as morally superior.”

  “No,” he shook his head, “it wouldn't hurt our base of support. Quite the opposite is likely, as you already suspect.”

  “So, I'm your prisoner, not Mangasour's. Seems like I'm the big loser either way.”

  Dontiqui weighed in gently. “But we do not plan on killing you. Plus, you're not our captive. You simply have nowhere else safe to go. You are our guest.”

  Maybe I could bluff my way out. “Nobody seems to take into account that my crew will come down and blast me free. I'll be no one's pawn then.”

  She nodded in agreement. “That's quite possible. But, were that to occur, it would greatly weaken the government. In so doing, it aids us immeasurably.” She smiled knowingly. “The fact that your crew has been so patient up until now suggests a show of force isn't forthcoming, at least in the near future.”

  Of course it did. That's why I was bluffing, not p
osturing. Al, you've been following all this. Any thoughts? Suggestions? I'm open to even lousy ideas.

  “None, honestly. I think it is best to go with the flow for now and see what happens. If the situation changes or I think of an alternative, I'll let you know.”

  And the shuttle. It's surrounded?

  “Yes, a swarm of armed guards are present.”

  But the ship is secure, right?

  “Yes, locked tighter than a nun's knees.

  I laughed out loud. That prompted the scowling Tourine Ser to challenge me. “You find something in my wife's words humorous? She spoke both the truth and kindly. Why the laughter?”

  No reason to be honest with kidnappers, even if they did save my butt. “Pardon me. It's the stress. It's finally getting to me. Please excuse my outburst.”

  “You will be,” Dontiqui said, “a guest in our home. Sapale will remain with you. She will be you guide and teacher while you stay with us. She will do everything possible to make the unpleasant aspects of this situation more agreeable. You'll please let us know if there is anything you require.”

  “Thank you, Dontiqui. I'm fine for now.”

  “Do you wish to communicate with your vessel in orbit? This can be arranged.”

  “No. The ship knows all it needs to for now.”

  She puzzled at that remark. “Really? As you wish. Sapale, please show him to his room. I'm certain he would like a chance to rest and perhaps eliminate waste products.” She furrowed her brow. “If the facilities for this do not match your physical requirements, please let me know. Alternate methods will be arranged.”

  My, but that was awkward. Discussing potty-business with a nonhuman. The unforeseen aspects of this job just kept slapping me across the face. “I shall.”

  Sapale stood. “Come. I'll show you the way.”

  I sure hoped to high Heaven she was neither going to demonstrate nor be an observer for bathroom-use protocols. I wasn't sure I could handle that. Hand to hand combat, yes. Years alone on a perilous mission, check. Potty training with a girl alien, no way. Fortunately, she just showed me where my quarters were and were the head was. As it didn't matter at all to me how it functioned, I told her the arrangements were picture perfect. She seemed relieved to hear that.

  Conscious that I was probably under constant surveillance, I pretended to rest. Later, I even made an attempt to fake bathroom use. I just hoped any cameras were behind my back. A few hours later, Sapale knocked on my door. Dinner was ready. The four of us sat around a square table and were served food much like I had earlier with Mangasour. The astringent flavor was, however, absent. That must have been the evalgian poison. To bad, I kind of liked it.

  “Mangasour said I survived evalgian. Is that unusual?”

  Tourine Ser, whose mouth was full, nearly choked. “Yes, it's quite remarkable. It's the most lethal substance known. Even the smallest trace is irreversibly fatal. Your physiology must be extremely different than ours to have withstood it.”

  You don't know the half of it. “I guess so,” I agreed. “So, tell me, is Mangasour the leader of the whole of Kaljax, or are there other similar factions?”

  “There are,” Sapale began, “two or three other sizable political groups. A unsteady peace is maintained, but there is much bad blood between all concerned.”

  “What's so bad about Mangasour's reign? What is it you risk so much to oppose?”

  Her expression hardened. “He is cruel, ruthless, and lacks any morality. Millions have died and even more enslaved on his whim.”

  “And you seriously hope to bring him down? Do you think that's possible?”

  She smiled wickedly. “With a savior on our side, our prospects just improved.”

  “What about before I arrived?”

  She shrugged. “We did what we had to. Victory may not have been a realistic goal before you came.”

  “No offense, but I don't plan on hanging around all that long. With me gone, how will that effect your calculations?”

  Sapale smiled broadly. “First, you escape. Then radio me. I'll answer your question then.”

  I stuck my hand across the table. “Deal!”

  She stared at my hand like I was offering her a rotting skunk. “What would you have me do with your hand? It doesn't look appetizing to me.” She pointed at it with her fork-like utensil.

  “It's a sign of a bond where I come from. Friends do it.”

  She stabbed her next bite. “Fine. When you and I are friends, we'll share hands.”

  Sapale was beginning to grow on me. She was my kind of gal: sassy, irreverent, and anxious to piss others off. Over the next few days we remained locked away in Tourine Ser's house. Sapale wasn't one for idle chatter, but I did start to develop some image of Kaljax and its inhabitants. Getting words out of that girl's mouth was as painful as removing one's own appendix, but I was able to pry loose some information. Mangasour was less than an emperor but more than a president in terms of his office. He'd led this region of Kaljax, known as the Sur, for many years. His uncle was in control before him, and a half-cousin before that. There were no elections. Power was achieved by consensus and nurtured by ruthless ambition.

  Kaljax's technological stage was similar to our late twentieth century. Much like Earth, wars between the main nations had taken place periodically for thousands of years. They were brutal by anyone's standards. The last one was two decades before and millions died on all sides. There were rumblings suggesting the next war was not that far off. All sides had nuclear weapons and limited space capabilities, so any conflict was potentially catastrophic. These factors combined to make Kaljax a risky choice for colonization. If we came here, it might have to be with all guns blazing. But, a bad option was better than none. Fortunately, again, it was not for me to decide. I just reported the facts. People with their butts affixed to chairs would make the tough calls.

  While I was in protective custody, I had Al drop several remotes. I wanted to gather an independent database. He reported that what Sapale told me in terms of the plant and animal life was accurate. It was valuable to know she wasn't actively deceiving me. That insight might prove useful down the line. Al had hacked into everybody's systems. He was able to inform me that all four major powers were aware I had landed. At the highest level no one actually believed I was Braldone, but every party saw me as a destabilizing threat. I was conscious that threats of my magnitude had trouble buying life insurance. With an entire planet determined to kill me, I was definitely living on borrowed time.

  I was unable to hatch a plan to break the stalemate I found myself trapped in. Even an overt show of force on my part might be insufficient to regain the shuttle. It decided that would be my last option. For better or worse, it turned out I didn't have to come up with a plan of action. One was determined for me. Late one night, all hell broke loose. I was in my room faking sleep. My hosts were asleep and three guards were on watch. With my acute senses, I heard footfalls outside—lots of feet trying to be silent. That couldn't be good. I sprang to my feet and checked out the window. A large squad of soldiers all dressed in black spread out to surround the house. They appeared to have night-vision goggles.

  I dashed across the hall to Sapale's room. As quietly as I could, I slipped in and approached her bed. I placed my hand over her mouth. That woke her instantly. It was clear her first impression as to my intentions was less pure than they were. She bit my palm and struck at my head with both hands. She landed a series of blows as I whispered loudly into her ear. “We've got company. Twenty to thirty armed men are about to attack.”

  She slumped back. I lifted my hand. “Sorry. Okay, let's move.” She shot out of bed and I followed. She was, by the way, buck naked. Interesting insights into Kaljax anatomy were gained by me that night. She snatched up a rifle and peered out her window. “Shit,” was all she said.

  She ran down the hallway to the stairs. I grabbed her jumpsuit, which was across a chair, and followed her down to the kitchen. “What about the others?
”

  “Too late. They'll know what's happening soon enough. I have to get you out alive.”

  She opened the back door and stuck the barrel of her gun out. That's when the shooting commenced. Bullets ripped through the windows and the walls. Three struck my leg, but their velocity was insufficient to break my polymer skin. Sapale returned fire. Almost immediately, our three guards joined in. The darkness of the night was stroboscopically lit by muzzle-flashes. Through the window I saw two soldiers fall, then a third.

  “Now!” screamed Sapale.

  She flew out the door. I was right behind her. She swept arcs of automatic fire back and forth in the direction we ran. A single figure surged from behind a wall, dropped to one knee, and drew a bead on her. She couldn't see him. I pointed my index finger and removed the top of his head. Hopefully in the confusion no one noticed.

  We made it to the trees that surrounded the backyard. Bullets zinged off the bark all around us. Luckily, the house was flanked with a small forest, so we had temporary cover. Sapale kept running, so I did too. We heard the firefight continuing behind us. I couldn't tell if the shooting was in one place or if it tailed after us. There was a sudden massive explosion. Then everything was silent.

  We were on our own.

  “Where are we heading?” I said on the run.

  “As far away as possible.”

  “No, I mean do you have a plan?”

  “Yes. To not die. Shut up and stay sharp.” I'd never received orders from a naked lady. Turns out there's a first for just about everything.

  We careened through the brush at the edge of the stand of trees. I knew someone had to be following, but I couldn't hear them yet. That meant we had maybe a one-minute lead. The shrubs gave way to a dirt road. Sapale turned to follow the path. I went along, knowing we wouldn't be brought down from behind just yet. The trail terminated quickly at a paved road. We turned right. Checking over my shoulder, I confirmed that none of our pursuers had broken through to the trail yet. Good. That bought us more time and would force them to split their numbers twice.