by Richard Sosa
Iris crushed her hand into her forehead. “I should have picked up on this. I should
have been more careful. It looks like we were double-crossed.”
Rik prepared to leave. Iris doesn’t move and stared at the dead man. “We need to contact the police. I think we need to at least leave a beacon here with our contact information and a full report.”
“Report? Do you want to report this? If that happens, I’ll end up confined for sure. I say we just leave and make sure no one sees us or follows us.”
Iris shook her head. “Babe, everyone can be located. Our technology knows we are here right now because we were double-crossed on the cover technology by Rapuru-jec, there’s no hiding. Crimes are harder to carry out. They can be hidden initially but if we report this it will help to solve this crime. That will help us also because this person is probably cloaked on the net and that will be suspicious to authorities. But information will not get to everyone if we sneak out like we did something wrong. We should put a beacon, report this and stay here with the body. That’s the right thing to do.”
Rik stared at her. “In the end, you’re not going to help me, right? I am leaving.”
“No. If we report to the authorities the investigators can link everything and help determine what’s going on.”
Rik grabbed his bag and hands the pulse weapon to Iris. “I already know what is going on. Dask is trying to kill me. I don’t need an investigation to tell me that. You can’t trust him either but you’re not going to help me? I understand if you’re afraid—"
“I am not afraid. That’s not it. Gods, you’re completely stupid.”
Rik stood across from her and sized her up and then turned around, “Bye.” He walked toward the door.
Iris ran after him. “Rik, Rik. Look at me damn you. Please.”
He turned around and narrowed his eyes at her. “What part of ‘I am leaving’ don’t you understand?”
Iris glared at him determined. “Don’t be so dramatic. I haven’t lied to you. I may have been inappropriately playful but that’s because I like you and now, I am dead serious. This is my world, not yours. I know if we walk away from this there will be more to explain, and it will harm your creditability. Some want that to happen so don’t just hand that option to them. Please, I only ask this one thing. Please listen to me. Don’t make me beg.”
“What did you say?”
“Don’t make me beg?”
“No, never mind,” Rik shook himself.
“You said we’re different and we must be more advanced than you because the idea of
leaving this situation without reporting it was so unbelievably abhorrent to me. Nobody would do that.”
Rik softened his stern expression. “O.K. tell me your plan then.”
“We just sit tight,” Iris gathered her thoughts, “I will send the beacon report and the authorities will show up. I recorded it on the IARI. It’s the record of what’s happened. I have audio that automatically linked to this thing, so I am sure the authorities can analyze the sound of the firefight. We’ll ask the police to escort us to a safe place. We’ll get Ra working on a plan to get proper asylum for you, possibly off-planet until we can sort this out. We have the data now to justify it.”
Rik looked at the IARI, bit his lip and scowled at her. “I don’t like this at all. What if Ra is the person who has double-crossed us. The game is changed and under these circumstances, your tidy little world is coming apart.” Rik bent his head down at the ground pondering his next option. He looked at the young dead soldier and looked at the back door as if thinking about making a run for it. Silence smothered them. Rik put his head in his palm. “O.K. do it.”
Iris sent the report and then scanned and recorded the area finishing the recording on the dead soldier. She entered codes in the location response and her confirmation. After completing her scan, she said. “I don’t believe Ra betrayed us. He’s actively searching for Rapuru-jec now.”
“So, he can kill him and bury his tracks.”
“You have a sneaky mind. No. He’s sharing the data right now with the police.”
Rik stared at the young man dead on the floor. “This kid is about as old as Neil,” he stepped away to the corner and closed his eyes, looked up at the hangar ceiling and fought back a tear, “where’s my little brother?”
Iris sat down and invited Rik to sit as well. “Let’s watch the door and be ready for anything.”
Rik rubbed his face to hide frustration and fear. “Where’s my brother?”
“We’ll find him. I promise you that. People are working on that as we speak. Rapuru-jec is probably trying to cover himself now and running to hide. I just sent a message to Ra to get on his tail. We have a record of the contact, so authorities will talk to him when they locate that turd, it will add more light on this situation.”
Rik touched his translator on his throat. “You have a word for ‘turd’ but not for toilet paper?”
“What?”
“Will this kid’s dead face be broadcast all over on the common net,” Rik wondered, “and his mom will hear about it as she’s scanning the common net for a pasta recipe tonight?”
“Of course not. I am reporting this death and all the connecting data about this death will be vetted instantly so family and close friends will not know his identity until a 256-9856 form is processed by the authorities. Then the family can be properly notified.”
“Will we need to wait for this, 256 whatever form to be processed before we know who he is?”
“You mean the 256-9856 form? No. We have limited secured access to all the information because he’s not known to us.”
“By reporting this we are telling everyone that Dask is involved?”
Iris read from her device. “The 256-9856 is filed. It’s not easy but the investigation will immediately try to link this kid’s orders to military operations because he’s in a uniform. If Dask in any way gets uncovered in the investigation, we have him. The authorities can question him, arrest anyone who was ordered to act in the commission of this crime.”
Rik’s shoulders slumped. “No. Of course, they won’t find any such data that links back to Dask. This is a rouge operation sponsored by the highest military and maybe political or religious types. Dask is working for them and I am sure there is a chain of command backing him up.”
Iris scooted close to Rik and said. “Think about it scout, what you’re saying is this is the highest military operation run by Dask, then why send such incompetents to do the work? If we were facing Dask’s people, they probably would have killed us with silence weapons or a locator drone with slicer darts or from far away with silenced snipers. Both of us would be dead already.”
“No. You don’t understand, it’s a few of Dask’s people going rogue. Could be that Dask and those supporting him are simply looking the other way, helping to bury evidence but not getting their hands dirty. That’s how it works. That kid is expendable, and no one will be held accountable for his death.”
Iris sat back and placed her finger on her lip. “As I said, you have a sneaky mind.”
Rik smiled sadly. “Nothing to do with sneaky. I’ve seen it before, on planet Trih-7 the theocratic leader would preach against murder but when radicals killed non-believers, he was silent and pretended to be sad with condolences.”
After waiting for more than a Da-earra hour, Iris wondered. “My butt is tired. We’ve been here for over a Trem.”
Rik felt tired and hopeless and he rubbed his eyes and then gazed at Iris. “Your hair is lovely but now you look like a Pathras has taken you out of the garbage and brought you home through the pet door.”
“What? Why would a pet drag me out from the alley? They couldn’t do that. They’re too small.”
Rik pointed to her device. “Look it up with your app.”
Iris keyed in her translator app and read then laughed. “The Pathras mauls a small rodent in the service sector 4B before eating it, brings it home throug
h the pet door to deposit on the kitchen floor. You think I look like that poor rodent?”
Rik smiled. “I think we both could use some rest.”
“Roger that. I do feel beaten up.”
Suddenly the door lock buzzed. They froze in terror. Iris stood up slowly. “Must be the police.” She examined the monitor and motioned Rik over and put her finger on her lips signaling him to be quiet. Rik glanced at the door monitor seeing a soldier with a pulse rifle standing in the view looking bored with others behind him ready to shoot at anything. Dask stood at the back of the pack.
“Crap, its Dask. Where’s the police?” Iris whispered as they moved to both sides of the door and readied themselves.
Rik, eyeing Iris' hand-held pulse weapon. “Can you use that weapon in a close-in firefight?”
She smiled defiantly. “Just stay out my way I may decide I want my locker back.”
The soldiers continued attempting to open the door.
Rik steadied his hand over the door panel to open it. “I am not leaving. I guess today is as good as any to die. You ready?” She nodded, ‘yes’. He stepped aside punched the code and slapped the ‘open’ key. The door swished open, everyone raised their weapons with screams and shouts. The soldiers busted into the hangar and piled over Rik and Iris. Iris got one shot into the ceiling, Rik had his weapon knocked way with a stun gunshot that hit his arm, but he punched and kicked at the soldiers who tackled him to the ground. Iris was mauled by soldiers, her second shot hit a soldier in the shoulder before she was disarmed, punched in the face and flattened on the ground.
Dask stepped into the room, scanned around and looked down at the dead soldier and then glared at Iris and Rik in a rage. “What the hell is going on? Who is this?”
Rik said as his hands were being tied behind his back, “that little shit and a few others who got away tried to kill us. We called the police and put this on the net.”
Dask glared at Iris. “You what? God damn you; I am going to have you court marshaled.”
“I am sick of this,” Rik said, his voice louder with rage, “you’ve tried to kill us several times and I can’t believe how damn incompetent your people are.”
“Rik, settle down,” Iris said, “this isn’t the time to create a showdown. Not here. The police will be arriving soon.”
“No, they won’t,” Dask looked at each of them in turn to gauge the impact of his words, “they’re called off.”
Iris lost the little color that was on her face and carefully walked over to Rik who understood the danger but was bound. His head jerked around but they were trapped without weapons and no escape route. One soldier made a dramatic show of kicking Iris’ pulse handgun further out of the way. It slid on the smooth floor to the corner of the room.
“You piece of shit, Dask,” Rik shouted, “if you harm Iris, I’ll hunt you down. If you have to murder me that’s fine but let her go.”
Iris squeezes Rik’s arm and said to Dask in a low threatening tone. “This entire incident is on the net and I’ve used the recorder to send it out under your scans and blocks, so if we don’t walk out alive someone’s going to want answers from you. I am scanning you right now.”
Dask’s eyes searched the corners of the room as if looking for a physical camera and he chewed at his lower lip.
Chapter Twenty-two
The early morning purple sky had gray clouds moving fast being carried by higher impatient winds. The day was turning out to be rainy. The massive gray doors to the Defense Services Bunker made a slow creaking sound as they closed behind the escort group. Rik and Iris walked ahead of the escort and Dask followed from the back. Megs approached the group. She looked directly at Dask ignoring Rik and Iris. “I am convinced we can isolate something that works. It’s just the timetable. I don’t think we have time.”
Dask inspected Rik and Iris and frowned. “The Doctor is convinced that we have a chance. Are you still not sure, mister Rik?”
“I don’t give a shit what you’re convinced of or no,” Rik said, “order your toads to target me not her,” pointing at Iris, “she's innocent in all this. She didn’t have a choice when she was placed in the role as my guide. She’s the only friend I have on this planet.”
“What’s going on?” Megs said to Dask.
Dask shifted his challenging stare from Rik to Meg. “These dumb shits can’t stay out of trouble.”
“Dumb shits?” Rik shouted, “it doesn't matter. I am beginning to re-think again that you can't win.”
Iris said. “What do you mean, Rik?”
“If this planet’s army is like that dead kid in the hangar,” Rik spit out, “then this is a lost cause.”
Dask smiled with contempt. “You’re underestimating our forces, speech boy. They can't be matched, and I think the circumstances between you two is clouding your judgments,” he glared at Iris, “especially you.”
“Your forces?” Rik said, “right, like those clowns you sent to tear up a private home, acting like baboons or the ambush at the hangar or shooting at us from the park? You're all, already buried.”
Dask shifted his stance to punch Rik in the face. “Buried? I brought you here to protect you, both of you. Damn it. You two keep going behind me and it’s getting annoying.”
“Screw you.” Rik wrangled at his restraints.
Dask stepped back and glared over at Iris. “Now he’s cursing me. I think you’ve made a mess of this situation.”
Iris was silent feeling the weight of no sleep crushing her ability to think fast. Dask raised his hands in the air as if to surrender. “Have it your way. Rik, you come with me now. I am sick of dealing with you like this,” he said to his soldiers, “follow me,” pointing at Iris, “she stays.”
Iris perked up in a panic. “What? No, wait. Sir? What are you doing?” A team of soldiers surrounded Iris and blocked her efforts to break away. The guards forcefully blocked Iris as she tried more vigorously to move toward Dask and Rik, then she started to fight but was overwhelmed by the soldiers as they dropped her to the floor and held her arms twisted painfully behind her back. Megs stood aside eyes blinking in confusion. The other soldiers escorted Dask and Rik through the open blast doors and into an elevator. After a few minutes, the elevator reached the surface and the doors opened. From the landing, Dask pushed the heavy canter-levered door to the outside with one strong motion.
The rain was pouring down. The group walked around to the back of the brutalist structure and then away from it toward a lone hangar. The hangar, dug into a hillside, was partially hidden. There were a few fighter Flyers lined up outside. Rik wiped the rain from his face and peered at the escort.
When they were closer to the hangar, Dask pointed at the Flyer. “These small ships with a pilot and co-pilot and front and back propulsion have been reinforced against laser attack. Look familiar?”
Rik was disinterested. “Yeah, I can fly these.”
“I hear my people have been showing off the Flyers to you. They think you're special. Did you know how to fly this machine before coming here or did someone spoon-feed this information to you?” Dask spoke while looking at the Flyer as if Rik wasn’t present.
“Spoon feed?” Rik frowned. There was a long silence as they stood in the rain and contemplated each other.
“What did you do with pilot Stu Oman?” Rik sneered at Dask, “your people, they had him tied up. Beaten. No one can find him. Is he dead?”
Dash ignored him. “If you're a Jasfper, I'll kill you, simple. It will solve all my problems.”
“What? What are you talking about? Where’s Stu? Answer me. You’re going to kill me anyway.”
“You don’t know what a Jasfper is? A trickster. Good at making little speeches. Getting citizens all hopeful. ‘Follow me’ you say but with no substance just empty promises, that’s a Jasfper.”
“There's no tricks. When I find my brother, the three of us are leaving this planet.”
“That’s so cute, you have a girlfriend already.”<
br />
Dask looked toward the hanger and was disinterested in what Rik was saying.
“As I said, I'll put a pulse blast through your pinhead skull.”
“You’re going to shoot me now?” Rik was confused, “You didn’t have the guts for that. I can see you giving that task to some kid who isn’t old enough to wipe his nose. You’re responsible for that young soldier’s death old man. Gods, I hate your type, you sit back behind the shooting and send kids to their death just so you can play solider. Coward.” Rik regarded the soldiers behind him, “they fail you.”
Dask stared at Rik for a long uncomfortable minute pondering the answer, his eyes squinted, “smart ass, you have the technology. The weapons we need. Share them, damn you, give this place a fighting chance. We’ll break your encryption and then you’ll be worthless to us.” He held up a small cube in front of Rik.
The rage in Rik boiled over. “You damn thief. It won't help. You'll use the technology to kill each other. That's what’s happening now. You can't fight them.”
Dask brushed rain off face. “I am not used to running.”
“Get used to it, fat ass. I don’t give a damn anymore.”
“I know what you're thinking, how did we come to invent that Flyer. It's the weapon, right?”
Rik inspected the soldiers behind him. “No, I am thinking how the hell can I disarm one of your incompetent people and kill you.”
Dask looked over at his three troops. “Have it your way. Here’s the deal. Your girlfriend dies. I can protect her, or I can let others kill her, your choice. You want to save her then stay out of my way. Go away. Leave when you need to. But do it soon. I don’t give a damn what you do but don’t wait until the invasion. Get the hell out of my way. You’re a distraction. Runaway you god damn coward.”
Rik was conflicted, stunned and rage burned in his soul. “I will leave when I want. I am not like your other dogs to kick and push around. I promise you; I am going to kill you.”
The punch to the face caught Rik off guard. Dask violently punched him again and threw him roughly to the muddy ground. Rik’s hands sunk into the mud and instantly he lost the rest of the air in his lungs when Dask kicked him in the groin. Rik rolled on his stomach and curled up in pain. Another kick connected to his ribs and before he could recover a series of rifle stocks pounded his back. One rifle butt connected with his head, sending a shock wave through his jaw. His ears rung. The soldiers stepped back and pointed weapons at him. Rik was spread eagle on the ground.
