The Adventures of Connor Jakes: Masks (The War for Terra Book 1)

by James Prosser

  “You should’ve let him go,” Jakes replied. “That guy’s a pain in the ass.”

  “Maybe, but he left his kid in their quarters,” Bonnie replied. “Poor thing crying and asking me to find his dad. I had to go just to shut him up.”

  “And you wanted to have kids,” Jakes said, pointing a finger at Melaina’s chest.

  Bonnie’s eyebrows went up as the two of them stared each other down. Melaina finally broke off and stepped back to the injured man. Jakes took a deep breath and closed his eyes. When he re-opened them, he was calmer and seemed more in control.

  “Look, we gotta find out who this guy is,” Jakes said. “Is there anything we got that can wake him up?”

  “Nothing that won’t kill him,” Bonnie replied, looking at the small med-kit on the dresser. “We really need to get a doctor, Captain.”

  “Well we can’t just leave him like this either,” Connor rasped, throwing his hands up in frustration. “Anyone got any suggestions?”

  “I can help.”

  The voice had come from the corridor outside. All three humans turned to look at the gray-skinned child standing at the door. Bric stepped inside and closer to the bed before Jakes stopped him.

  “Now just hold on, kid. What is it you plan on doin’ here?”

  “I can touch his mind,” Bric replied, holding up his hands. There were small indentations at the fingertips like suction cups. As Connor watched, the cups puckered and released. Melaina gasped as the alien stepped closer. Connor placed a hand on the boy’s chest.

  “I ain’t lettin’ you suck this man’s brains dry,” Jakes said. “We’ll find another way.”

  “There is no other way, Connor,” Melaina replied, stepping up and taking one of Bric’s hands. “Let’s give him a chance. You won’t hurt him, will you?”

  “He will feel no pain that he is not already feeling.”

  “Then you should go ahead. Try to find out who he is and what he was doing out there,” Bonnie said.

  “I’m outnumbered on my own ship. Where the hell are Parker and Mendel?”

  “Shut up, Connor,” Melaina said.

  The boy stepped to the head of the bed and raised his long fingers. He spread them wider than a human hand could stretch and seemed to engulf the injured man’s head. The movement was gentle, almost loving as he pressed the fingers to the side of the head at selected points. Melaina watched as his face relaxed and he held his head high. The wide nostrils flared and he took a deep breath. Melaina felt her heart beating as the moments passed. Bonnie stepped closer to Bric, reaching out but not touching the boy. Finally, the gray-skinned boy spoke.

  “His name is Rene,” Bric said, opening his eyes and looking at Bonnie. “And he thinks you’re beautiful.”

  Bonnie dropped her hands and stepped back, looking at the boy in confusion. Bric had changed subtly in the few seconds he had been looking at her. He seemed older than before in some indefinable way. Melaina looked at Jakes, who seemed concerned with the procedure.

  “He knows a doctor in the area. Someone who helps the slaves when the guards are too rough. He might be able to help,” Bric said.

  “Do you have a name?” Melaina asked.

  “Yes,” Bric replied in the same tone. “His name is—”

  “What are you doing?”

  All three heads turned as Bric lost contact with Rene. Standing in the doorway was the bloated, sweaty figure of Albert Wilhelm Holcombe.

  “Daddy’s home,” Jakes said quietly.

  3

  “”I … I really don’t want to talk about that. I’m sorry, it’s just too painful, and I don’t really remember much.”

  Alice Bennett

  Alliance Today Interview

  (Questioned about her abduction during the War)

  “You had no right to bring him into whatever you are doing,” Albert Holcombe said. “He’s just a boy and he’s very naïve about things.”

  “Father, I—”

  “Don’t you start, Bric. You just sit there,” Holcombe said, turning his anger towards his son. “I’ll deal with you when we’re off this scow.”

  “Now that’s about enough of that, chubs,” Jakes said, pushing away from the wall where he had been leaning. “You and I may not get along, but don’t insult Liberty.”

  “Both of you, stop,” Melaina said, interjecting herself between the two men.

  “There is nothing to discuss, Doctor Petros. You and Mister Jakes—”

  “Captain!”

  “MISTER Jakes coerced a boy into some illicit activity, and is probably trying to make some kind of profit off that man lying in the other room.”

  “I volunteered!” Bric said, stepping closer to Holcombe before being gently pushed back.

  “We aren’t trying to profit off of anybody, Mister Holcombe,” Melaina replied, glancing at the boy as he sat back down. “He is badly injured and we needed to know what happened. Bric offered to help.”

  “I am sure your motivations were all well-intentioned, but it still doesn’t excuse your behavior. He is a child in my custody and you had no right to force him to—”

  “That’s enough, tubby,” Jakes said. “Melaina already said we didn’t force that boy to do anything. Why don’t you take a second and tell us how he did what he did and how he came to be in your custody before I go tell the local police you kidnapped him and killed his parents.”

  Holcombe paused for a moment to look back at his son. The gray-skinned boy stared back in confusion and panic as the fat man stepped closer. Holcombe whispered something to the alien and motioned for him to return to the other room and sit with the injured man. Bric hesitated, pleading with his big eyes to stay, but Holcombe’s gaze stayed steady. In the end, Bric walked away and into the corridor, closing the door behind him.

  “What I say to you now I say not because of your threat but because I want to make myself absolutely clear,” Holcombe began. “That child is under my protection and if you so much as look at him in a manner I find remotely … um … offensive, I will personally end the career of the supposed pirate Connor Jakes with extreme prejudice. Is that clear?”

  Connor and Melaina glanced to each other, surprised at the confident and even dangerous tone exhibited by the fat man. For the first time since they had been brought aboard, Melaina saw a glimmer of the spirit that must have kept the man alive during the occupation. Connor looked back to Holcombe and nodded with his usual grin. Melaina caught a hint of something else though. She realized she was standing in a room with two very dangerous men.

  “Bric is, as you may have guessed, a very … um … special boy,” Holcombe began. “He is not my biological son, but I have raised him these last few years and I protect him as if he were my own.”

  “Most parents love their kids,” Jakes said.

  “Did yours?” Holcombe retorted. “About five years ago, the staff at my … um … employer’s estate monitored a ship fleeing from the … um … Ch’Tauk fighters which were pursuing it. We shut down all power to avoid being revealed—”

  “You mean you played possum and hoped they wouldn’t see you.”

  “Mister Jakes, I insist you stop these interruptions!” Holcombe cried. “I am trying to explain my son and what he is capable of before I take my leave of you.”

  “Go ahead, Mister Holcombe,” Melaina said, putting a hand on Connor’s shoulder to pull him back. “Connor will behave, I promise.”

  “For your sake, I hope he does. In any case, the pursuing ships … were successful in damaging the ship enough that it crashed,” Holcombe continued. “It crashed into my … um … the moon I was on. When the Ch’Tauk left, the staff went out to look for … um … salvage. What they found was … um … unexpected to say the least.”

  “He was alone?” Melaina asked.

  “No, I’m afraid his family was on board the ship. They, however, did not … um … survive. We were cautious about the boy but he … grew … on us. He is only about eight years old by our standa
rds, Doctor Petros, but very … smart. He absorbs … um … that is, he learns information so very quickly. He ran through the library of the … um … moon soon after he began to read. It has been my … um … responsibility to teach him.”

  “What about the … you know?” Jakes asked.

  “Indeed…” Holcombe said, looking to Jakes. “About a year ago, one of the staff members had a … um … injury that caused her to fall into a coma. As we were trying to treat her, Bric stepped into the room. I had been instructing him … um … in the medical arts as much as I could, so I let him stay. He put his hands to the woman’s head and … um … he told the woman’s husband she loved him before she … died. Even mentioned their child who was lost in the … um … invasion.”

  “How does he do it?” Melaina asked.

  “I wish I knew, Doctor Petros. I am not sure if it is something all his race does or … um … some sort of mutation. In any case, I have been very protective of him and his talent. I caught some of the … staff … forcing him to read their minds. It was a … um … party trick for them, you see.”

  “Mister Holcombe, I am so sorry,” Melaina said, stepping closer to the man. “We had no idea. That man in the other room was injured and we had no idea what had happened to him. Bric offered us a chance to help him. You weren’t anywhere around and—”

  “About that. Where exactly did you go, chunky?”

  “I forgive your ignorance, Miss Petros,” Holcombe replied, not looking to Jakes. “But not your rudeness. If you must know, I was attempting to access the accounts of my former … um … employer. During the occupation I was unable to … um … access the accounts. I was trying to secure transportation off this planet for my son and me. If, as you say, the war is over, I can … um … return to my old life. Or whatever remains of it.”

  “Of course,” Melaina said, her face betraying no reaction to the insult. “As soon as Bonnie returns you can leave whenever you want. We don’t want to hold you here any longer than you want.”

  “Sadly, it may not be that simple,” Holcombe replied. “My employer’s … um … accounts have been frozen since the war ended apparently. My son and I are without any … um … resources.”

  “You can stay here until we—”

  “Like hell he can,” Jakes interjected. “Times are tough all over and we already got too many mouths to feed.”

  “Connor!”

  “Melaina, no,” Jakes said, stepping closer to Holcombe. “You can start packin’ now, Albert. Bonnie and the boys are bringin’ back that doctor and we’ll probably have to pay for that too. I don’t need another bill.”

  “Trust me, I would much rather be anywhere but in your debt. I will begin taking my leave. I can’t say it’s been a pleasure meeting you, Mister Jakes,” Holcombe said, steeling his eyes and turning to Melaina. “Doctor Petros, I wish we could have had more time. My son appreciates all you have done for us.”

  “Mister Holcombe, please—”

  A loud thump sounded on the outside of the hull, stopping Melaina and causing both to turn to the door. At nearly the same time, the internal comm sounded. Connor tapped the key and Tuxor’s voice came from the speaker.

  “Captain Jakes?”

  “It’s me, Tuxor. What’s happenin’?”

  “Miss Estevez has returned,” the calm voice of the amphibian announced. “It seems she has brought the doctor you requested. Misters Mendel and Trega have also returned. They have brought uniformed company.”

  “Aw hell,” Jakes said, slamming off the comm and exiting the room.

  Just after Holcombe had returned, Bric had told them the name of the doctor Rene knew. A quick search of the local directory had directed them to a nearly abandoned area of Eridu known as “Human Town.” Connor had called Mendel and Parker Trega to accompany her in case things went bad and the doctor needed persuading. He had searched both men for hidden weapons, allowing only small, personal defense pistols. If Parker had hidden explosives on him, Jakes had no desire to go looking for them.

  Connor raced through the ship, nearly falling down the ramp as Bonnie came up. She was carrying an odd figure under one arm, sheltering it from the electric bolts being thrown at them from pursuing guards. Eli Mendel was running backwards in from the door, firing his small pistol towards the nearest of the guards, with Parker keeping his head down and running.

  “Bonnie, fire up the engines,” Jakes called. “Get us the hell outta here!”

  Bonnie grunted as she turned a corner and left. Parker came next, out of breath and stumbling up the ramp. The leather jacket he wore was badly burned and missing the left sleeve. The explosives expert had a nasty burn on the bared arm beneath.

  “Eli, get in here!” Jakes yelled, wishing he had grabbed his own pistol as the ramp began to hum. “We’re buggin’ out!”

  A few more shots from the small chemical pistol and Eli was on the ramp. One of the guards made a leap and landed on the deck behind Mendel. Connor kicked out, feeling the boot connect with the hard, scaly skin of the reptiloid. The creature winced but kept moving. It pushed itself up on short, powerful legs and faced off against the captain. Connor halted the lift even as the ship began to rise from the floor.

  The reptiloid shot forward, trying to catch Connor with the short baton it carried. Connor dodged the attack and brought an arm down across the creature’s back. His elbow stung as it struck the padded ridge along the creature’s spine. Momentum keeping the alien moving forward, he and Connor landed on the ramp hard. Connor could see the landing bay beginning to move as the ship maneuvered for a quick exit. He brought his legs up and tried to kick the creature off of him. A snarl of fetid breath and the reptile shot its face forwards, teeth exposed.

  A thick boot flew into Connor’s vision. Eli Mendel had kicked the creature hard across the open jaw even as the reptiloid tried to bite Connor. There was a roar of pain from the guard, and Connor kicked out hard. It was smaller than Connor, but weighed more than it looked. He pushed with all his strength for one massive push. Eli grabbed the creature and, with the force of Connor’s push, hauled the guard up and out the ramp. He heard it thump as it hit the receding pavement below. Eli held a hand out for Connor and helped him up. Jakes pressed the ramp control and stepped inside.

  As soon as the hatch closed, Connor and Mendel both ran to the cockpit lift. As the lift stopped, Jakes ran onto his bridge. The ship was careening down the long tunnel leading to the exit of the spaceport. Each bay had access to the tunnels which merged before a short gateway door.

  “What about the door, Bonnie?” Jakes asked, wiping reptiloid saliva from his neck.

  “No time,” the pilot replied. “Gonna do it Parker’s way.”

  Connor braced himself as he saw the thick doors ahead. The whole complex was built underground so as not to disturb the view for the visitors. The great doors were facing away from the city, positioned behind a row of majestic trees hundreds of years old. It was customary to halt and wait for the gatekeeper to accept his bribe before the doors were opened. Jakes knew this was not the plan.

  Plasma fire from the hidden cannons located in the bow of the ship slammed into the concrete and metal doors. It seemed to take too long before the plasma began to chip away at the structure of the door. In one mighty explosion, the doors shattered and Sweet Liberty flew through. The modified yacht shot from the open doorway trailing plasma fire and smoke. As soon as it was clear, Bonnie turned the nose up and fired the thrusters on full. Sweet Liberty shot out on a ballistic course into the sky.

  “Dammit, Eli, Melaina’s gonna kill me for this,” Jakes said, looking back at the big man. “She really thought it was nice.”

  4

  “Planning strategy is the art of war. Tactics are the ways you achieve that strategy on the micro level. Battles themselves are won or lost on which side can adapt to the other side’s art faster.”

  Ronald Chang

  Memoirs

  “Is okay.”

  “What do yo
u mean?” Connor asked the little doctor. “Is he gonna die or are you okay?”

  “Take your pick, Captain Jakes,” replied the alien. “Both are okay.”

  Connor stepped back to allow the creature to step past him to get to a nearby sink. The alien they had brought on board was one of the strangest Jakes had ever seen. Suspended on six thin legs, his body rose from an ovoid thorax. Two spindly arms seemed to float freely across the body, not keeping to any particular anatomical position. At the moment, the arms were encased in manipulator gloves, allowing the doctor to work on his patients. His actual arms ended in scythe-shaped daggers with fine hairs along the underside. A squat, melon-shaped head swung back and forth on a thin, segmented neck. Compound eyes topped the look and made Jakes feel as if he was always being watched. It spoke through a badly programmed vocoder with an eastern European accent.

  “Look, Doctor … what was your name again?”

  “V’K’T’F’N’C,” the creature replied, examining the minimal supplies from the med kit. “I will need my lab. This is inacceptable.”

  “Look, Doctor, I’m just gonna call you Victor, alright? I’m not sure your vocoder is workin’ right,” Jakes replied as the doctor wobbled its head in agreement. “We can’t go back to your lab. In case you didn’t notice, we just barely escaped the city. We gotta work with what we got. I just need to know if this guy is goin’ to wake up or if he’s goin’ to die?”

  “He will wake soon. Minutes, I think,” Victor replied. “If I am to serve as doctor here, I need proper lab.”

  “I’m not sure you get me, Doc,” Jakes said, exasperated by the conversation. “We ain’t got a sickbay, just this med-kit and a table down below. Rescuing you forced us to get outta that city a bit quicker than I planned. You’re stuck with us now. Wait … did you just say serve with us?”

  “Doctor,” Melaina interjected, cutting off Connor. “I think what the captain is trying to say is that we will try to accommodate you as much as we can as soon as we know what our next move is.”