Center Moon: The Stone of Cordova

by Stephen Gambuti

  Jonas made his way down the hallway. He approached the front door with caution. He did not want to run into someone guarding the outside. Jonas tightened his sack around his shoulders and had Darden’s blaster strapped to his leg with a belt. He was proud of himself because he was able to create a makeshift holster. It was an exact replica of an Enforcer’s.

  Looking out through the thin panes of glass that ran down the front door, Jonas noticed the area was clear. He knew it was late enough and most people were sleeping at this hour. Even Crows. Jonas slipped outside into the darkness. He dropped to one knee, keeping himself well hidden along the horizon.

  He advanced with his back against the dwelling, figuring he could better blend into the night that way. Every couple of steps, he would tap his blaster making sure it was still at his side.

  Jonas located a clump of garbage barrels. He used them as a shield. He squinted his eyes to better focus on some silhouettes in the night. How he wished the dracosaur was here. Jonas whispered her name. “Come on, Chinka.”

  There they were. The same guards that were at the gate last night. The only difference was that instead of two, Jonas saw four. They were armed with heavy-duty weapons. He got the feeling that they were waiting for him. How am I going to get past these men? He could not climb over the fence. The post generated currents of electricity that flowed through the links.

  Jonas reached down, grabbing a stone. He targeted the furthest part of the wall. He threw the stone with perfect accuracy. It caught the top part of the blockade, sounding an electric buzz. The stone fried instantly.

  The guards’ focus shifted in the direction of the sound. Three ran towards the far wall. Jonas could not find the fourth. He crouched down behind the garbage.

  “Up on your feet, boy,” revealed a cold voice from behind him.

  Jonas turned around to discover the fourth man, with a blaster pointed at his head.

  “Thought we were all stupid? Huh?” The man grabbed hold of Jonas’s collar. “My friends on Cordova will be very happy to see you.”

  “Where’s Darden?” Jonas asked as he secretly clenched his fist.

  “That traitor will be terminated any day now.” The man grinned at Jonas as he stared directly into his eyes. “As for you … I think a little accident is about to happen. I figure your body going to Cordova will be enough.” The man cocked his blaster. The sound haunted Jonas. It reminded him of a probe getting ready to fire. His parents’ images flashed before him.

  “Not today!” Jonas flung his hidden fist straight up into the man’s lower jaw.

  The man did not expect such strength. He regained his composure and flashed Jonas a bloody grin. “Sorry, Sapian…” He answered Jonas with a swift uppercut to the stomach.

  Jonas sucked in any available air his lungs could capture. His face turned a bluish gray and his eyes bulged from their sockets.

  “Eat some oxygen, boy.” The man stood over Jonas.

  Jonas fell to the ground clenching his gut.

  “Now eat some of this.” The blaster’s nozzle was stuffed into Jonas’s mouth.

  Jonas looked up desperately at his soon-to-be killer.

  Again, the blaster was cocked.

  Whack!

  “Ahhhh!” Jonas flew back into the dirt.

  The man’s head exploded in multiple directions. Most of the remains were slopped all over Jonas.

  Jonas looked up, surprised over the fact that he was still very much alive, amazed to discover his rescuer. “Chinka?”

  The dracosaur let out a roar. She was obviously extremely pleased with herself. Jonas looked up at the animal and could not believe the huge lizard answered his thoughts. How could this possibly be?

  The animal let out another roar and lowered itself to the ground.

  Jonas understood the lizard and hopped onto the back of it.

  The dracosaur turned around and headed out the gates. The lizard trotted up the hill. The other guards followed as best they could but the dracosaur quickly outran them. Once clear of danger, Chinka slowed and moved to the treeline of the woods.

  “What are you doing, Chinka?” Jonas observed that the animal was stopping. “Chinka?”

  The dracosaur lowered itself. Jonas understood the hint. The dracosaur looked at him with her bubble eyes. She let out a low purr and took off into the woods.

  “Thanks,” Jonas said with disappointment. He didn’t want to see the animal go. He was hoping he could get a ride back to Aunt Cleonia’s house. Besides, he had grown to like her.

  Jonas stood alone along the trail. He figured he needed to make the trip up the hill in order to get his bearings. A rustling noise came from inside the trees. Jonas placed his hand on his stolen blaster. “Who’s there?” He squinted and poked his head closer to the woods. The crackling of twigs grew louder. Jonas pulled his weapon from his makeshift holster.

  “In here,” the soft voice called from a leafy area.

  Jonas clicked his blaster back. He would kill anything at a moment’s notice. “Who are you?”

  “It’s me … your friend,” the voice stated from the cover of the trees.

  Jonas recognized the voice. He didn’t know any girls except for the few he talked to in school. “Do I know you?” Jonas raised his head.

  “It’s Liotta.”

  “Who is Liotta? I don’t know any Liotta.” Jonas focused his blaster into the woods. “Come out or I will kill you.”

  “Why would you shoot the person who came to save you?” the soft voice asked.

  “You better get out here now. This is your last chance.” Jonas was freaked out. All he wanted to get further away from the Safe Zone, but someone wanted to play a game with him. “I’m gonna count.”

  “Save your breath.” The voice hardened as a dark figure emerged from the treeline. As she came out the moons’ light began to unveil her appearance.

  Jonas was taken aback a moment when he realized who it was. Why would she—?

  “It took me forever to follow you here, then I met this dracosaur. This is the thanks I get for saving you?” The girl shot Jonas a hard look.

  “I can’t believe it’s you. This is incredible.” Jonas was extremely ecstatic at the fact that the girl from the medi-center had followed him here. This was the woman of his dreams. “Liotta, huh?”

  “Okay. So now you know my name. I’m exhausted because I was traveling all night. We need to get out of here.”

  Jonas stood there with his lips curled and his eyes moving up and down every part of her body. “So you rescued me?”

  “Let’s go.” She ignored his question and retreated into the woods near the trail.

  Jonas hopped to his feet, grabbed his sack and made his way after her. He started moving faster when he heard the other three guards. I can’t believe my nurse saved me. Jonas was safely out of the Safe Zone and just outside the gate. He aimlessly searched the woods. “Where are you?”

  “Over here.” Liotta’s voice called out.

  “Where?”

  “Here.”

  “Where is here?” Jonas bobbed his head up and down, squinting his eyes into the brush.

  “Right here … Hurry up.”

  “I would if I could, but I can’t see you.” He whipped his head around in response to a snapping sound that came from behind him.

  “Stop right there!” a guard said.

  Jonas, without thinking, reached for his blaster.

  The guard then raised his weapon.

  Whack!

  The guard’s chest blew open as his body flew back. Darden’s small weapon packed quite a punch. More than anything Jonas had ever seen used by the Enforcers. Even his father’s 3TA didn’t have this power.

  Jonas just stood there emotionless. His heart raced as his blood pumped rapidly through his body. He began to breathe heavily. His eyes bulged from his forehead as a mixture of shock and nerves quivered up his spine. He’d just killed a man.

  “Let’s go,” Liotta’s voice pleaded.
<
br />   There was no reply from Jonas. Tears slid down his bruised cheek. His innocence had just been tainted.

  Liotta jumped out of hiding and rushed over to Jonas. She tugged his arm. “If we don’t go now, we will never be able to leave.”

  He rubbed his hand into his eyes to avoid Liotta from seeing any more water dribbling. “Okay.”

  Liotta pulled Jonas away. They ran up the trail as fast as they could. Every few feet Jonas would look back, hoping the man would get up. The further they retreated, the more he realized what he had done. This was not part of the plan—he’d just wanted to escape the probes.

  *

  Six

  The moons’ glow started to fade as the suns rays broke through the early sky. Jonas was sound asleep, near a smoldering campfire. Liotta was leaning against a large rock next to him. She gazed at Jonas while gliding her fingers gently through his hair.

  “Why are you suddenly so friendly?” Jonas opened his eyes slowly.

  “Just figured I would come and save you.”

  Jonas pulled himself into a sitting position. “How did you know where I was?”

  “Let’s just say I was down the hall when the probe attacked you. I saw that maintenance man send you through the wall.”

  “So you followed me?”

  Liotta put her hands together. “Well, I ran home, stole an old blaster from my father and went back to the hospital.”

  “Did Darden see you?”

  “Who?”

  “The maintenance man. Did he see you?”

  “No way. You’re not the only one able to ride a dracosaur.”

  “That village is a Safe Zone for the Crow people.” Jonas looked into Liotta’s eyes. “Darden was actually trying to save me. Then something happened.”

  “It isn’t a Safe Zone anymore.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I signaled my father. They should be here any minute to pick us up.” Liotta held up a small rectangular device with a red flashing light.

  “Why?” Jonas got to his feet. “All these people want is to live peacefully.”

  Liotta jumped up and stared Jonas stonily. “Give it a break. They tried to kill you. Your friend, Darden, turned you in.”

  “How do you figure?”

  “For starters, he destroyed the probe to win your trust and to make himself a hero.” She started pacing and gesturing with her hands. “If you died that night by the probe, then Darden couldn’t hand you over and become a hero. It’s the oldest trick in the book.”

  Jonas sat back down on the ground. “I guess you’re right. It makes sense.”

  “Hmmm.” She nodded.

  “But wait. He’s on Cordova. They brought him to Emperor Pernius. He’ll be killed for sure.”

  “That’s his problem.” Liotta snuggled next to him. “Besides, you’ll be in the Academy in a few days.”

  “Oh, no.” Jonas jumped up again. “My aunt!”

  “Relax. She’s taken care of.” Liotta grabbed Jonas by the hand and tugged him back down.

  “What?”

  “After the attack on you in the hospital, Enforcement went straight to her house to defend them against any further threats.”

  “Why are the Crows so hell bent on killing me?”

  The sounds of small crafts buzzed in the background. “Bye-bye Safe Zone.” Liotta hopped up and pulled Jonas with her to get a better look.

  Jonas and Liotta ran out to the edge of the woods to find twenty hovercrafts coming their way. In the lead craft stood a man waving frantically.

  “That’s my dad. Daddy! Over here!” Liotta jumped up and down frantically waving her arms.

  “I think he can see you.”

  “How do you know?”

  “He’s waving at us.”

  The lead craft was coming up quickly. Directly behind it were four other crafts with huge cannons on the front. Cannon crafts were built for heavy-duty battle. Each could seat up to ten Enforcers and a dozen laser rods.

  Laser rods were inserted into the rear of the cannons and fired at their targets.

  Behind those were what appeared to be attack crafts. Attack crafts were usually smaller in design. They were built to transport five Enforcers each. The idea behind their creation was to target opponents swiftly and make a quick retreat.

  Jonas and Liotta headed towards the lead craft. Jonas realized something was wrong when her father’s wave turned into an up and down motion. It looked like he was trying to push them to the side. Jonas glanced back over his shoulder.

  “Oh, Gods. Run. Run, Liotta, run!” Jonas clenched her hand. He jerked her sideways, back into the wooded area.

  “Do you want to tell me what’s going on?”

  “What? You don’t enjoy holding my hand?” Jonas just kept dragging her deeper into the woods.

  Liotta looked back to see hundreds of Crows charging toward the crafts. They were armed with long blasters. Probes were also dispersed into the upcoming battle.

  Jonas calmed when he realized that the Crows were not following them. He tugged on her shoulder. “Look. Through here.” Jonas pointed in the direction of the conflict.

  The two of them observed behind the cover of the leaves. The Crows stopped their advance and started to mount their weapons to the ground. They converted their long blasters into small laser cannons by flipping open small tripods. The probes advanced along the front lines.

  Jonas had heard a million stories about the types of battles his father used to be in—Now he would get the opportunity to see one first hand. As the two sides prepared for war, Jonas could not help but think that this happened in order to save him. Liotta had warned him about Darden in the medi-center. He hadn’t listened. She’d had her dad pull a few strings to save him. He was about to witness an Enforcement.

  With all that was going on, Darden stayed in the back of Jonas’s mind. He just couldn’t get over Darden’s sudden change in attitude. He decided that he needed some sort of an answer. He’d always felt his father was a hero.

  Slam! The first shot was fired. Two probes blew apart. Pieces went everywhere, including the wooded area. Three Enforcement crafts hovered quickly to fill the positions of the destroyed probes. Five Enforcers jumped out of the back holding their weapons high. The other five enforcers leaned over the sides of the craft. They fired their blasters at small, huddled groups of the enemy.

  The unprotected Crows were ripped apart by the powerful blasts coming from distant larger crafts. The small crafts acted as a clean up crew. What Jonas saw next shattered his illusions of an Enforcement.

  Two Enforcers ran down to a defeated team of Crows. Bodies were everywhere. Most of them were dead. However, Jonas noticed a few injured men pleading for their lives. One person had lost his leg and was screaming in pain. The Enforcers approached the men. They did not see Jonas looking on and Liotta was busy keeping an eye on her father as his craft led the attack. One Enforcer shoved his blaster right into the injured Crow’s mouth. The sounds of his cries softened into a muffled panic. The enforcer cocked his weapon. He stared at his victim. Without remorse, the Enforcer squeezed the trigger.

  “Look … Look at this.” Jonas tapped Liotta on the arm.

  “What?”

  “He just killed that wounded man.” Jonas had his eyes still trained on them.

  “So?” Liotta had not a care in the world. She was to busy idolizing her father.

  “So? So? Aren’t they supposed to capture the wounded guys?”

  “Yeah … That’s what they’re supposed to do.” Liotta chuckled.

  Jonas knew she’d just saved his life, but that statement just turned him off a bit.

  The other Enforcer made rounds to the injured, stabbing them into a painful death with his laser blade.

  Jonas continued to watch with his mouth hung wide open. He was not watching a battle. He was witnessing a slaughter.

  Every pocket of Crows, every probe, was being wiped out one by one. So were the wounded. The strange thing w
as that the Enforcers suffered minor injuries and put their wounded officers into the crafts. Jonas knew he better keep his mouth closed. After all, they were here to save him.

  The smoke started to clear on the battlefield. The air was tainted with the smell of charred flesh. The ground was dressed with various body parts. Jonas had been so anxious to see a battle up close, but now, all that had changed. Seeing the carnage, he wished he had only experienced his father’s battle stories, but now he had his own story to pass down.

  The crafts rallied together in the center of the field. Enforcers hopped out of their vehicles congratulating each other on their victory.

  “Let’s go.” Liotta pulled Jonas out of the brush.

  They hurried over to a small group of officers standing around the lead craft.

  “Daddy?” Liotta yelled to her father.

  A man in his forties with salt and pepper hair and a thin build waved his hand, acknowledging his daughter.

  “Thank you, Father.” Liotta took her hand from Jonas’s and rushed to her father’s side.

  “You have quite a bit of explaining to do.” Her father stared at her sternly.

  “I had no choice. You know who this is, right?” she said, gesturing to Jonas.

  “Yup. Captain Troupe’s boy.” Liotta’s father put his hands in his pockets.

  “Jonas, this is my father, Master Cling.” Liotta hung to her father’s arm like the innocent little girl she used to be.

  Jonas offered his hand. “Thank you, sir.”

  He ignored Jonas’s hand. “Sorry to hear about your mother. My daughter tells me that you are going into the Academy?”

  “Yes, sir.” Jonas looked down at the ground. What about my father? He died, too.

  “We are just waiting for the rest of the battalion to come.” Master Cling stared out over the horizon.

  Jonas stared at the numerous crafts and officers. “The rest, sir?”

  “That’s correct. I’ll be heading back to Tigris with you two. The remaining groups will end the existence of the Safe Zone.”

  Jonas stared down the mountain at the small village, realizing the pain and tragedy those people were about to suffer. He knew there were children down there. He started to rethink this soldier business.