Galactic Axia Adventure 1: Escape to Destiny

by Jim Laughter

  They both grew silent while they contemplated the situation. Robert finally broke the silence. “Listen, Delmar. I want to tell you something and then I’d better go. Remember the pocket watch?”

  “Of course I do,” answered the boy.

  “As you know, I got that from my fellow troopers in the old 653rd after I was wounded. You remember meeting them when we went on our field trip to Jasper Station, don’t you?”

  Delmar nodded.

  “They’re a great bunch of guys, and if you ever need help, you can count on them. Just show them the watch and explain that I sent you. They’ll take care of everything.”

  “But how will I find them?”

  “Just go to Jasper Station. The 653rd patrols this star cluster and you’ll recognize their building.”

  “How will I get to them if they’re not there?”

  “In that case, appeal to any trooper unit,” Robert answered. “We’re a brotherhood. We watch out for each other like one big extended family.”

  The cave grew quiet again and Robert rose up to go. “I better go now,” he said. “If I stay out too late, it might look suspicious.”

  The boy stood and they embraced. Robert picked up his empty pack and walked slowly toward the entrance. Before he slipped through, they wordlessly shook hands and Robert disappeared into the night.

  ∞∞∞

  The police ground car stopped in front of the social agency office at the appointed time. Looking out of her window, Prudence Hornbeck, the director of the social agency noted the arrival. A glance at her expensive wall clock confirmed their punctuality. Efficiency pleased her, so it was with a satisfied smile that she greeted the officers.

  After seating everyone involved in today’s plans in the conference room, Director Hornbeck entered the room and strode to the front.

  “I want to thank everybody for coming today,” she began. “We have a serious situation on our hands and our combined efforts today will bring an end to a dangerous set of circumstances.”

  She paused for a moment and peered over her glasses at their faces while she pretended to check her notes. She made mental notes of which of her workers were behaving positively to this meeting, and also saw that the police officers looked bored.

  “I want to thank the officers for their cooperation in our effort today to apprehend this criminal. For those not familiar with our subject, here is his picture.” She turned and pinned a large photograph of Delmar on the board behind her.

  Returning to the front, she noticed that the police officers looked confused. “Is there a question, officers?”

  “Yes, there is,” began an older man. “I thought we were going out to pick up this boy’s brother.”

  “You are definitely mistaken,” she answered. “His older brother has been trying to raise this delinquent for many years. The boy has been nothing but trouble. He hasn’t made any effort to care for himself, or to help his brother support him. He reported to us that Delmar assaulted him and has run away, and is now terrorizing the neighbors. Irate neighbors have reported numerous thefts and vandalism, and many are threatening him because of the actions of his delinquent brother. He has voiced concern for his personal safety. Our efforts today are to bring this vagrant to justice where he can be punished for his crimes.”

  A hand went up hesitantly. “Yes?” she asked one of her caseworkers.

  “Ma’am, you mean we’re to bring him in for counseling and rehabilitation, don’t you?”

  “Yes, that’s what I meant,” Hornbeck answered. She was pleased that the caseworker understood their policy.

  The two officers had not said anything since her explanation, so the director adjourned the meeting and they dispersed to their waiting ground cars.

  Arriving at the Eagleman farm, they all gathered around the front porch. Dorn was sitting on the edge of the step looking distraught. The view through the open door showed the living room had been trashed.

  “You see what that monster did to me!” Dorn sobbed. “He came home again last night and tore up the house and then attacked me with a broken bottle!” He held up his poorly bandaged arm.

  “Why didn’t you call the police?” one of the officers asked.

  Prudence Hornbeck frowned at him. “Don’t you see this poor man has been through enough?” she said angrily. “His brother threatened to kill him if he did, so he called us instead. I will not have you badgering our victim!” Everything grew silent again except for the pitiful sobbing of Dorn.

  “Here’s what I want you to do,” Hornbeck said. “I want you to search the woods for this dangerous criminal while we stay here with this man. Now move out!”

  The officers noticed that they were the only ones to start toward the woods. The director and caseworkers gathered around Dorn and someone said something about a grant request to pay for the damages supposedly caused by Delmar. Continuing into the woods, both officers were glad to be clear of the bureaucratic circus.

  ∞∞∞

  The fish had not been biting, so Delmar was checking his bait when he heard the crashing of someone in the forest below. He gathered his things and silently slipped into a hidden viewpoint where he could observe the intruders.

  Shortly after reaching his lookout point, Delmar spotted two police officers on the lower trail. Several minutes passed and he determined that there were only two of them. He suspected they were looking for him.

  Carefully sliding back from his perch, Delmar edged along the trail toward his cave. He could still hear the noise below so he didn’t unduly hurry. Rounding a bend, the boy was suddenly confronted by one of the officers. He froze as the man looked at him and grinned.

  “Don’t worry, Delmar,” the officer said, “we’re not here to find you.”

  “But how did you catch me?” he asked. “I could hear you down on the trail.”

  “An old trick that you better learn, son,” replied the officer. “We saw you watching us by the reflection from the metal in your hands,” the officer said, pointing Delmar’s fishing tackle. “So as soon as we were out of your line of sight, we split up.” Just then, the other officer came through the brush. He was also grinning.

  The first officer continued. “After we split up, Joe here continued making noise like an army of greenhorns while I circled around another trail to intercept you. Remember, it’s not the obvious that you need to be wary of.”

  Delmar looked from one smiling officer to the other. “Are you going to take me in?” he asked fearfully.

  “How can we take you in if we can’t find you?” the first officer answered. “Now get going. We’ll probably have to be back up here tomorrow with more searchers, and some of them don’t understand.”

  Delmar took their advice and turned to leave.

  “Oh, by the way,” Joe called, “Happy birthday!”

  Delmar stopped with surprise at the comment. In his many weeks in the woods, he had failed to keep an accurate record of the date. The boy turned, waved, and was soon out of sight of the officers.

  The two men sauntered leisurely down the trail and continued searching to give Delmar more time to conceal himself. If they arrived back too early at the Eagleman farm, more searchers would be called in immediately. By taking their time, they assured Delmar another night before they could mount a concentrated search effort.

  ∞∞∞

  “There! That should do it,” said Director Hornbeck to the distraught man on the porch. “There shouldn’t be any problem with approval of this compensation grant.”

  After dispatching the officers to search, she had sent the rest of the caseworkers back to the office and stayed to help Dorn herself. Through the years, she had grown familiar with this case and developed a personal interest in it. She folded the completed grant, put it in her briefcase, and snapped the case shut. She looked up in time to see two officers emerge from the woods into the late afternoon sun.

  “Well? Did you find him?” she asked as they approached the porch.

&n
bsp; “No ma’am, we didn’t,” the first officer answered.

  “And why not?” she asked sternly.

  “Ma’am, those woods are pretty big,” Joe said.

  “I don’t see why that should present a problem,” she replied. “I can see a couple of miles of the woods from here so it shouldn’t be too hard to find one little boy.”

  The officers did not say anything. Why bother?

  “Tomorrow we’ll come back with some competent searchers!”

  The two men refused to rise to the bait. Thinking for a moment, the director continued.

  “I want you officers to stay here and protect this man in case his brother shows up,” she said. Dorn still sat on the porch trying to look pitiful. “I’m going to go check out a lead you missed.” With that, she got into her agency ground car and sped down the driveway.

  Robert had just finished with the cows and was carrying the milk into the house when the ground car pulled into their driveway. Agnes took the milk and set it in the cooler while Robert went out onto the porch.

  “May I help you?” Robert said as Ms. Hornbeck strode up to the porch.

  “Yes,” she said. “Where are you hiding Delmar?”

  “We’re not hiding him,” said Agnes. She came out onto the porch and stood beside her husband. The director looked up at them and frowned.

  “I know you have him hidden here, which makes you criminals just like him.”

  She then walked around the steps that lead onto the porch and headed back toward the out buildings.

  “And where do you think you’re going?” Robert asked. He dismounted the steps and intercepted her.

  “I’m going to search the buildings where you’re hiding the boy,” Hornbeck answered contentiously.

  “No you’re not,” said Robert evenly. “Now get off our property.”

  “You can’t stop me from looking!” she said hotly as she glared into his face. Robert held his temper in check. This cretin wasn’t worth getting angry over.

  “I said get off our property,” he said with a firmness that set her back. She continued to glare at him for a moment, then turned and stalked back to her ground car.

  “I’m coming back tomorrow with a search warrant and tear this place apart! Then I’m going to have you arrested!” Director Hornbeck shouted. “They shouldn’t let dangerous people like you out on the streets!”

  She climbed into her vehicle and slammed the door. Gravel flew as she sped down the driveway and onto the road.

  Robert and Agnes just stood for a minute watching the ground car disappear out of sight. Robert climbed back up the steps and together they went into the house for the evening. Tomorrow was going to be a busy day.

  ∞∞∞

  Back at the Eagleman farm, Prudence Hornbeck told Dorn and the officers about what had just happened. Assuring the pitiful man they would be back tomorrow, she and the officers returned to town. The privacy of the drive allowed the police officers to discuss the situation. Neither cared for the way things were going, and especially for the director’s coddling of Delmar’s brother. However, there was very little they could do. Their hands were tied by the local courts, which had given the social agency broad powers in these matters.

  When they arrived back at the agency office, Ms. Hornbeck called another meeting. She and her minions planned tomorrow’s search of the Hassel farm and their subsequent arrest. A quick call to the judge secured the necessary warrants.

  Calling the police chief, the director used the court orders she had just received to demand two dozen officers for tomorrow’s action. Hamstrung by the court order, he reluctantly agreed.

  Chapter Seven

  Dawn at Jasper Station was bright and clear when the Imperial ship set down. Its ramps extended and various details of the crew and the few passengers exited the craft. One particular passenger, a trooper-first, looked around and then spotted the ground crew chief.

  “Excuse me, chief,” the trooper-first called as he approached.

  “Yes? How can I help you, trooper?”

  “I’m Trooper-First Michael Azor, and I need to find the liaison office.”

  “Over behind the ops office,” answered the chief, pointing toward the Operations Building.

  “Thanks.” Trooper Azor turned and strode toward the indicated structure. Once inside, a clerk examined his identification and the directives from Empress Ane. “May I help you, sir?”

  “I’m here under direction of Our Lady to investigate a situation.”

  “Let me show you to the C.O.” Mike followed him to a small, overstuffed office where a lieutenant was sat behind a desk.

  “What can I do for you, trooper?” the lieutenant asked.

  “I’m here under direction of Our Lady to investigate a certain matter, sir.” Mike handed him the papers and waited.

  “It looks like we’re going to be busy. When do you want to get started?”

  “Immediately,” Mike answered.

  “I thought you’d say that.” The lieutenant stood and took his hat from a rack in the corner. “Let’s go.”

  ∞∞∞

  Another meeting was just breaking up in Keeler. “Okay,” said social agency director Prudence Hornbeck to the assembled caseworkers and reluctant police officers, “let’s go.”

  It was obvious she enjoyed commanding such a large contingent of people. She was certain she was going to set things to rights before the day was over. The officers and the workers piled into their ground cars and the convoy wound out through the valley.

  Arriving at the Eagleman farm, the cars carrying the caseworkers parked under a large tree. The police ground cars, along with the social agency director’s car, continued up the road toward the Hassel farm.

  ∞∞∞

  Back in town, the Imperial ship carrying the lieutenant and Trooper-First Azor set down in a field across from the headquarters of the local police district. The nearly empty parking lot puzzled the lieutenant. Inside they also found a corresponding lack of personnel. The lieutenant approached the front desk clerk and asked to see the chief. After calling on her intercom, the receptionist pointed to an open door and asked the two men to enter.

  When they stepped into the office, the chief shook their hands and invited them to sit. Introductions were made around and the three men sat down.

  “So Mike,” began the police chief, “what brings you to our little neck of the galaxy?”

  “I’m here on special assignment from Our Lady to investigate a matter that has come to her attention.” He handed the chief his directive. The chief read them for a couple of minutes, shaking his head occasionally. He finished with a grunt and handed the papers back to Mike.

  “We’ve known about this situation for some time but our hands have been tied by the courts,” he finally said. “That agency and its director have undermined justice for quite a while. Today she used her friend the judge to force me to put twenty officers under her direction ‘to apprehend parties hiding a criminal fugitive and search the premise of the same’” he said, quoting from the court order. “She got the judge to issue arrest warrants against a neighbor who complained and also for the missing boy.”

  “Where is she now?”

  “I had to pull nearly every officer I had for her little expedition and they went over to her office an hour ago,” the chief said. “If I figure right, they should be up the valley by now at the farm of Mr. Robert Hassel.”

  Trooper-First Mike Azor sat quietly for a minute. “Is this Robert Hassel the neighbor she intends to arrest?”

  “That’s right,” answered the chief. “And his wife Agnes too. Something about reckless endangerment.”

  “I know those folks, chief. If Robert and Agnes say something happened, it did,” Mike asserted.

  “Well then, you better do something, or she’s going to make things pretty miserable for those people.”

  “Chief?” asked the lieutenant. “May I use your phone?”

  “Sure, go ahead,�
� the police chief answered. “I hope whatever you’re thinking of doing works.”

  “I’m sure it will,” replied the lieutenant with a grin. “I’m sure it will.”

  ∞∞∞

  Agnes looked out the window to where Director Hornbeck was standing. The bullhorn was finally quiet, and now they waited. Robert watched the rear of the house from the back upstairs windows while Agnes covered the front. When the convoy of ground cars had pulled up in front of the farm, they thought the police had come looking for Delmar.

  Robert had gone part way out into the yard to talk with the director. When he refused to allow her onto their property to serve the warrant, (none of the officers seemed inclined to do it) she became very angry, grabbed a gun, and threatened Robert. That was when Agnes put a slug into the headlight of the director’s car while Robert ran for cover. Since that time, it had been a standoff with Director Hornbeck shouting threats at them through the bullhorn.

  Agnes spotted a half dozen officers moving down the road. She saw them climb over the fence and fan out through the field in an effort to surround them.

  “Robert,” she called, “it looks like they’re trying to cut through the side field to get to the out buildings.”

  “I see them, honey,” he called back. “Do you see any more going around the other way?”

  “Just a minute, I’ll check.” Agnes slipped into the spare room above the kitchen where she could see the other side of the house.

  “There go some more,” she called to her husband. “It looks like a half-dozen or so sneaking through the oats.” Returning to her viewpoint at the front bedroom window, Agnes observed the director talking into a portable radio.

  “Looks like she’s planning something, Robert.”

  “The other bunch has spread out near the swine pens.”

  Agnes saw Hornbeck talk again into the radio and then a shot rang out.

  “Here they come!” she yelled just as more shots careen off the house. Another shot was fired from the side field and Agnes heard a downstairs window break. She stuck her rifle through the curtain and sent a round over the heads of the men near the front. She saw them scatter for cover and then get ready to charge the house.