by S. E. Smith
“You are an incredible woman,” he said in a quiet voice.
Cassa’s gaze softened. “I never thought to find a man I would want to spend my life with until I met you,” she murmured, turning her gaze to focus on the long, winding canyon. “After our mother was killed, I didn't really have time. Jes… Jesup was so young and needed me.” Her voice faltered and thickened when she spoke of her younger brother. She pulled her hand free and angrily wiped at her eyes. “It didn’t help that so many of the young men and women were leaving to join either the resistance or the Legion. The only thing that saved Pack from being taken by the Legion forces was that he was with Hutu that summer. They left me alone as there was no one to take care of Jesup. Father was still away at the time.”
Josh reached over and cupped her cheek. He leaned forward, brushing his lips against her slightly parted ones when she turned her head toward him. A soft sound escaped Cassa and she opened for him, allowing him to deepen the kiss. The firm pressure of her lips against his pulled an instant reaction from him. This again was a foreign feeling to anything he had experienced before. A silent curse escaped him and he pulled back.
“We need to find Pack,” he murmured, rising from his seat on the rock.
*.*.*
Cassa nodded and stood. She quickly adjusted her headscarf to cover her face and lowered the goggles to protect her eyes. She turned to reach for her rifle, stiffening when she felt a sudden sharp sting to her left hip. A startled cry escaped her, drawing Josh’s attention. His low curse was silenced when his eyes suddenly glazed and he collapsed to the ground beside her. Cassa tried to pull the long, thin dart from her hip even as the world spun dizzily around her.
She quickly looked up and stared in frustration at the dark shadows emerging from several sections of the rocks. She stumbled, placing her hand on the rock to steady herself. A low feral growl escaped her when her legs gave out from under her.
“Non-det! Non-det!” Don’t! Don’t. She struggled to shout. “We need your help. Please, Hutu Gomerant… Please,” Cassa whispered to one of the shadows that came to stand over her as the world grew dark.
*.*.*
Josh blinked several times in an effort to clear his vision. He instinctively moved one hand to run down his face. A dark frown creased his brow and his head snapped up when he realized that he couldn’t move his arms.
His gaze swept the area where he was tied to a stake in the ground. Turning his head, he saw Pack sitting on the ground next to him. He was also tied to a long pole. A dark bruise shadowed Pack’s left cheek.
“You look like shit,” Josh remarked.
Pack turned to look at him and grinned. “That’s what happens when you take five of them by surprise,” he remarked casually.
“Where’s Cassa?” Josh forced past his dry throat.
Pack nodded toward one of the caves further up on the cliff. “I saw them take her up there,” he said in a tight voice. “She was unconscious.”
Josh twisted his wrists in an effort to see how tight the ropes were. He winced when the rough cord cut into his flesh. His gaze moved to the section of rock where Pack said Cassa had been taken.
“I have a knife in my boot,” Josh said in a soft, determined voice. “I’m going to twist around on the pole. Try to pull it out and cut the ropes holding you.”
Pack nodded. “I’ll let you know if anyone comes,” he muttered. “I don’t know what we’re going to do when we get free. There has to be a hundred of them.”
“We’ll worry about that after we get loose,” Josh responded, twisting around on the pole. “Right now all I care about is Cassa.”
Pack glanced at him. “You really do care about her, don’t you?” He asked in a quiet voice.
Josh gave him a sharp nod. He was focusing his energy on getting free. His gaze swept around the area, trying to determine the best way to escape. They were in the middle of a long canyon. Most of it was in the shadows of a group of large rock overhangs. Cut into the walls were buildings that reminded him of the Cliff Dwellers of Mesa Verde.
“Hold up,” Pack muttered in a low, sharp voice. “A group is heading our way.”
Josh leaned his head back against the pole and waited. He stared down the long winding canyon. A small group of women worked along one of the shelfs cut into the wall. They were talking and watching him. Pack was right when he said it wasn’t going to be easy escaping.
“He is my brother,” Cassa’s warm voice was explaining. “The other is our friend.”
Josh’s head jerked around and he struggled to see Cassa. She was talking to several men who were walking beside her. One of them said something and she nodded.
“Yes, my father was Jemar de Rola,” she replied in a husky voice.
“Release them,” one of the men ordered with a wave of his hand.
Josh waited impatiently as his hands were free. The moment they were, he rose to his feet and turned toward Cassa. She broke through the group and ran toward him. His arms wrapped around her and he held her close to him for a moment before he turned and placed her protectively behind him. Pack came up to stand behind the both of them. This position placed Cassa between them, not that it would do much good with the number of weapons pointed in their direction.
“What’s going on?” Josh asked, glancing warily at the three men standing in front of them.
“It will be alright,” Cassa murmured, resting her hand on his shoulder. “They know Hutu and they knew my father. This is Jubotu. He is the leader of the tribe.”
Josh’s gaze locked on the tall, stately looking man. He was dressed from head to foot in a long, sand-colored outfit that blended in perfectly with the canyon walls. It wasn’t difficult to see how easy it would be to miss these shadow warriors.
“Come with me,” Jubotu said with a wave of his hand. “We have what you are seeking.”
Josh started when the man spoke. It took a moment for what he was saying to sink in. When it did, his stomach tightened.
“Where is it?” He asked in a slightly harsh voice.
Jubotu waved again. Josh started forward, followed by Cassa and Pack. He ignored the dry burning in his throat as they wound deeper into the canyon. He slowed when he saw the man disappear into one of the low caves. There was no way that the emergency pod could have landed in there. It would’ve had to have been moved.
Josh bowed his head and stepped inside the cool interior. He waited a fraction of a second for his eyes to adjust to the dimmer interior. Soft lighting shone upward, illuminating the cave. The sound of water dripping captured his attention. Just as Hutu had said, there was a pool of water that ran from an underground spring before disappearing down a narrow channel cut in the rock.
“We found it several moons ago,” Jubotu said. “We brought it here until we could determine what was in it. First, you must drink. You have been in the heat for too long.”
Josh nodded and tried to swallow. Almost immediately, a young woman stepped forward with a cup of water for each of them. He nodded his thanks and took the cup from her. Draining it, he handed the cup back to the woman who bowed and moved away.
“Several of the warriors saw it float down from the sky. It took them several days to reach it,” Jubotu explained, turning and continuing back through the cave.
“How could the signal reach through the rocks if they have it back here?” Pack asked in a soft voice.
“I’m not sure,” Josh said, glancing around. “The devices are designed to send a signal in some of the harshest environments on my world.”
Josh followed the man through several more passages before they came to one that had an opening in the roof. In the center, he could see the familiar shape of one of the Gliese’s emergency pods. Hurrying toward it, his gaze swept over the large number two printed on it.
“Ash,” Josh muttered, hurrying around the other side and pressing the release button. “Ash….”
His voice died when the top opened to reveal an empty interior. He glance
d up at the man who had led them here. His jaw worked in frustration.
“Where is he? There would have been a man like me, only with darker skin, inside,” he demanded.
Jubotu stepped forward. “There was nothing. This is how we found it,” he stated. “The desert covers the tracks of any that travel across it within hours. Your man must have escaped.”
Josh bowed his head and closed his eyes. Ash was alive. He had made it and escaped from the pod. It wouldn’t take long for his friend to realize that he was on an alien planet. The question was… Where had Ash gone?
“What is located in the area where the pod was found?” Josh asked.
“There are three cities that he could have possibly traveled to,” Jubotu said with a frown. “The largest is Nobo Sands. The other two, Nobo Cliff and Nobo Cavern are small.”
Pack frowned. “I’ve been to all three,” he said. “I can search Nobo Cliff and Nobo Cavern in a day. If you and Cassa could take Nobo Sands, I could meet you there by tomorrow afternoon.”
“That is the only way if we are going to locate him. Hutu is at Nobo Sands,” Cassa said with a frown. “We can meet up with him there, as well.”
“How long will it take us to get there?” Josh asked.
“We’ll be traveling during the hottest part of the day. It will make it difficult. The land skids might overheat, not to mention it will be hard on us, even with the proper clothing,” Pack responded.
“There is another way,” Jubotu stated with a wave of his hand. “The rivers that run under the sands also provide a passage for my people. I will send two of my warriors to guide you through them. If you get lost, you may never be found.”
“Thank you, Jubotu,” Cassa said, stepping forward and grasping the older man’s rough hands.
“Your father was a great warrior, child. He would be proud of you and your brother. The Legion wish to control us as they control other worlds, but we will not give in,” Jubotu stated proudly before he held out a small metal box to Josh.
Josh took the box with a frown, turning it over in his hand. “Neither will we,” he assured Jubotu with a puzzled frown.
“They are the same type of darts that we used to capture you,” Jubotu stated. “Sometimes it is not necessary, or wise, to kill. I have had your land transports brought down to hide them. You will use transports better suited for the tunnels. My men will show you the way,” Jubotu said with a wave of his hand at two men dressed in the lightweight covering of the Canyon Dwellers. “Good luck on your journey, warrior.”
Josh nodded his head and turned on his heel. He and Cassa followed one of the men while Pack disappeared in a different direction with the other. In minutes, they had wound through a series of tunnels before emerging in a wider one. Josh was surprised to see the advanced technology in the huge cavern. Men and women worked side by side.
“General Hutu has been overseeing our resistance here,” the man explained. “We have been learning to fight in the air. The Legion does not want to fight us on the surface.”
Josh’s lips twitched in amusement at the man’s sneer. He could appreciate the Legion’s decision. It was difficult enough to fight on another’s home turf. The fact that most of the planet had an underground maze of tunnels that they utilized would make it even more of a strategic nightmare. It would be like trying to fight a colony of prairie dogs. You’d never know where they were going to pop up next.
“This is all very deceptive,” Cassa noted, glancing around at the large underground structure. “How did you get all the equipment in here?”
The warrior pointed to the large rock area above them. Josh could appreciate the camouflage covering. From above, it would blend in with the rest of the desert terrain.
“We have had to monitor our movements since the Legion Battle Cruiser arrived,” the warrior said with a glum look. “I am learning how to fly. It is more fun than running over the desert.”
Josh chuckled. “Yes, it is,” he replied.
The young warrior stopped and looked at Josh. “You are a flyer,” He said more than asked.
Josh glanced at some of the sleek fighters. They were different from the aircraft he flew, yet there were a lot of similarities as well. For a moment, his fingers itched to get behind the controls.
“Back on my world, I was a very good flyer,” he said in a light tone. “How long will it take us to get to Nobo Sands?”
“Several hours,” the warrior said, turning and striding past the land skid. “You cannot take your transport. Some of the tunnels are not very wide. We use a different type.”
Josh’s gaze moved over the smaller, sleeker transport that the warrior slid onto. It only had room for one person and looked like an exercise bike back home, only more compact. He carefully climbed on to another one. It didn’t take him long to realize it used the same concept as the land skid. He controlled the acceleration with his foot and the braking system with his hands. Once started, it rose several inches off the ground. He used his body to balance it.
“Are you ready?” The warrior asked.
Josh’s eyes glinted with excitement and determination. At least one other member of the Gliese 581 team was alive. That meant there was an excellent chance the others survived, as well. He gave the warrior a sharp nod and pressed down on the accelerator. Cassa moved in front of him and he took up the rear as they began the winding journey underground. The further into the tunnels they went, the better he understood the extent to which the Gallant Order was taking to prepare for war.
Chapter 18
The journey took a little over two hours. There was a minor obstruction in one of the tunnels. The debris forced them to take a slightly longer route. In the end, they came up just outside the city to the east, instead of the south.
“Look!” Cassa exclaimed, staring at the massive row of gun ships dropping troops off. “The area is flooded with Legion troops.”
“I must return and tell Jubotu what is happening,” the warrior said. “There has never been this type of Legion presence on our planet before.”
“Thank you for your help,” Josh replied in a grim voice. “We’ll take it from here.”
“General Hutu would be in the center of the city. Look for Sandsabar,” the warrior said.
“I know where it is,” Cassa replied. “Mother and I came here once before Jesup was born. It is not a place you forget.”
Josh didn’t say anything. His gaze paused on the rows of gun ships. They were ten deep and twenty wide. He estimated that they carried at least one hundred and fifty men per ship. Several took off as they made their way around the perimeter.
“I’ve never seen so many Legion troops before,” Cassa whispered. “General Landais’ Battle Cruiser must be larger than the ones I’ve seen before.”
“Stay to the edge and walk like nothing is happening,” Josh muttered as they melted into the crowds of pedestrians. “There are four coming up on your right, turn left.”
Together, they turned before they reached the four soldiers that were randomly stopping people. Fortunately, they blended in with their headscarfs, eye protection, and clothing. Josh loosely held Cassa’s elbow as they hurried down the narrow alley to the next street. He paused, glancing around before he nodded to her.
“Which way?” He asked.
“Right, then left,” she replied softly. “How are we going to find your friend? There are thousands of people here. I forgot just how large a city it was and it has grown more since I was last here. He will not understand the dangers.”
Josh pressed his lips firmly together and bowed his head as they passed several more soldiers. He waited until they were far enough away so that they couldn’t overhear him before he responded to her question. One thing he did know was that Ash would recognize the dangers and know how to handle himself.
“Ash is smart,” Josh murmured. “He’ll know how to blend in, even here. The key is figuring out where he would go. He’d need clothing, weapons, and information.”
/> “But, he would need to get them without being seen,” Cassa summarized. “There is a small settlement on the outer edge of the city. It is in the same direction as he would have been traveling.”
“We’ll start there,” Josh said with a nod.
“I’ll let Pack know where to meet us,” Cassa murmured, turning toward Josh to conceal the soft glow of the tablet and quickly sending a coded message to her brother. Almost immediately, she received a reply. “He said no one had seen any strangers at Nobo Caverns. He will go to the Cliffs, but he believes it will be the same. It is slightly further than both of these cities.”
Josh frowned when he saw someone hurrying up to a soldier. He jerked his head to Cassa to move closer so they could hear what was being said. The man speaking to the soldier didn’t look like a local inhabitant.
“Tell your commander that someone stole some clothing and a weapon from a home in the Baska District two days ago. A strange man was spotted moving away from the home,” the man was saying. “Where are my credits for the information?”
“You will get the credits if what you say proves correct,” the soldier stated. “What did the man look like?”
“I don’t know,” the informant snapped. “Dark skin – brown – not red, with short black hair. He was wearing an unusual suit with an emblem on it. The woman said it was made of different colors and had stars on it. She did not know what the symbols meant and would not give it to me without payment in return.”
“Give us the exact location and we will pass on the information,” the soldier replied.
The informant shook his head. “I’ll take you there. I want payment like I was promised for information,” he growled.
“Lead the way,” the soldier said, waving his hand to two additional members of the Legion forces.
Josh waited until they had passed by him and Cassa before he motioned for her to follow them. They kept the men in their sight while staying far enough behind to be unnoticed. Josh immediately recognized that they were just north of the landing area of the gunships.
