Center Moon: The Stone of Cordova

by Stephen Gambuti

  “Carlen?” Jonas yelled.

  Carlen did not respond.

  “Carlen? Carlen?” Jonas looked back to see why his cousin was not talking. “I think he’s hurt,” he stated, looking to Liotta for an answer.

  Liotta did not bother to answer. Her mind was too caught up with the upcoming fighter.

  Jonas studied her until he realized what she was looking at so intently. “Hold on.” He clutched the weapons control and wildly squeezed the triggers. A powerful string of ion beads sprayed the area. One of the blasts connected with the wing of an oncoming fighter. The rest of the Parliamentary ship sharply spun away. The busted wing remained on course. A head-on collision seemed inevitable.

  “Oh Gods.” Liotta jammed the steering handle straight into the console. The ship’s nose lunged at a forty-five degree angle. The wild wing zipped over the stolen craft.

  Without missing her mark, Liotta returned the craft on track. The beam of light was just ahead. “That was close.”

  Jonas slid down in his seat when the craft dipped. He popped up and readjusted himself.

  “Hey, Jonas?” Carlen picked himself up, rubbing his head.

  Jonas turned, glad to see that his cousin was up off the floor. He burst into laughter when Carlen took his hand away from his head.

  “What? What is it?” Carlen stared.

  “You look like a Crow.” Jonas could not control his emotion. “Your forehead.” He put his own hand on his own forehead to show Carlen what he meant.

  Liotta broke her concentration for only a moment, to get a glance of Carlen. She pursed her lips, trying to restrain her laughter.

  Carlen placed his open palm along his forehead. “Oh great.” He felt a huge welt in the center of it that, from Jonas’s hysterics, could only mean he really did look like a Crow. He plopped in his seat and made sure to fasten his straps.

  The inside of the craft illuminated. Liotta gripped the controls with all the strength her small fingers could muster. She pushed her foot down on the pedals. Less than a second passed when the craft was flung around the moon. The craft moved slightly less than the speed of sound. As it whipped out of Cordova’s clutch, the little vessel pierced the Earth’s atmosphere at the perfect angle.

  The ship’s interior basked in the atmosphere’s reflective sunlight. Jonas was glad to be back home. He patted Liotta on her back. “Great job.”

  “Wait till my father gets his hands on me.” Liotta’s courage shrank. She tried to look at Jonas but her head turned away. “Listen. You can’t come back with me.” Then she gathered the strength to stare into his eyes. “You can’t go to the Academy now either.”

  “They will never know I killed some of their men.” Jonas glanced out the windows admiring the approaching mountains. “Besides, Liotta, I had to do it so we could survive.”

  “It’s more complicated than you think. You have to read the letter.”

  Jonas’s curiosity was piqued. “Well … What did it say?”

  “The way I read it … They were planning on assassinating you.” Liotta looked toward a valley between some sandy mountain peaks. “There. That’s where we’ll go.”

  “Who? Who wants to kill me?” Jonas grabbed her arm. “Where’s the paper?”

  “Hold on.” Liotta tilted her entire body towards the valley while she simultaneously rotated the controls. “Gotta bring us down.”

  “How does it look now?” Carlen’s voice moaned from the back. The craft headed into a field of blue grass and tall weeds.

  Jonas quickly looked and chuckled. “You look fine, Darden. I mean Carlen.” He snickered again.

  “Very funny. Ha-ha.” Carlen tipped his head toward Leo, who was slowly coming around but still not speaking. He got a good look at Leo’s features. He touched his own forehead. “Just great.”

  The craft hovered over a grassy area. The landing gear sprang out along with jets of steam. It settled on top of the long blades of grass, ending the voyage.

  “I can’t believe my mother is going to see me like this,” Carlen whined.

  “Where’s the letter?” Jonas returned to the topic.

  “In my pocket. Hold on.” Liotta reached under her robe and pulled out the parchment. Jonas went to grab for it but she teased it back. “Promise me you’ll be okay with it. Remember. I do not know who left it. The Crows or the Enforcer.”

  “Promise.” Jonas reached out, grasping the letter. He whipped it open, finding an unorganized group of symbols. He nodded his head confidently. The more he stared at it, the more organized it became. The writing style was similar to the symbols on the walls in the prison. He could definitely make out the ‘kill’ symbol, which was a stick figure standing over another one that was lying down below it. The other symbol meant boy. It was a circle with a line under it. “It’s from the Crows. It looks like they planned on killing me all right.”

  Liotta placed her hand on his back. “Listen to me…” She began rubbing. “The Crows had no idea you were on that craft.”

  The accusation Liotta made about the Enforcer penetrated his young mind. Jonas could not conceive the idea that the Parliamentary Council would want to kill him and had killed his parents. Then an idea hit him. He would need to wait for Leo to feel better. He would be able to help him read this letter. He was certain the Crows had written it. However, Liotta was right. The Crows had no idea he was on that craft.

  Jonas wondered if Darden had told him the truth. All his life, Jonas looked up to his father. Everything he thought he knew was becoming a lie.

  At least a half-day had passed. The craft was now rolled into the brush and covered with sticks and leaves. Leo pointed out the best place to land the craft in order to get close to Strom.

  Liotta took off her Crow garb and stuffed it into the vessel. Carlen was adding a few last touches to the camouflaged ship. “Carlen?”

  Carlen turned to her.

  “What do we do? You and me?” Liotta could not believe she was actually seeking his advice.

  “We go home. As awful as that sounds, our parents are worried about us.” He stared at Jonas who was kneeling in front of his half-breed friend. “My cousin will have to sort this thing out for himself now.”

  Liotta tilted her head downward. “Leo doesn’t think that letter was written by Crows either. He said the lines are too perfect. Do you think Jonas will be okay?”

  “He will do fine. He always has. Let’s go say good bye and get home.” Carlen gently swept her towards Jonas and Leo.

  “So you guys are really taking off?” Jonas stared at Liotta. “Well, I will be in touch with you as soon as I settle.” He stood up, facing them.

  “I am going to see you soon.” Carlen’s cheeks turned soft. His eyes began to glaze.

  Jonas wrapped his arms around his cousin. “Thanks, Carlen. You sure aren’t the geek I thought you were.” Jonas hid his pained face behind Carlen’s shoulder.

  “Thanks.” Carlen pushed Jonas away and smiled. “I can always count on you for kind words.” He patted Jonas on the head. “I’ll tell my mother that you’re safe.” Carlen gave Jonas a half salute, turned and walked away.

  Liotta stepped in close to Jonas and gently pinched his chin. She brought his mouth close to hers. She rose on her toes, connecting their lips. Liotta kept her eyes closed for only a moment. “Wow.”

  “Yeah … Wow.” Jonas responded with his gaze embedded in hers.

  “Wow. Wow. Wow.” Leo chuckled from the stone he was sitting on.

  Jonas completely ignored him. “Stay with us.”

  “I can’t.” Liotta looked down abruptly. “My father—”

  Jonas hushed her with his index finger across her lips. “I understand.”

  “I won’t forget you.” Liotta stepped back with her eyes fixed on the boy of her dreams. She then turned away and caught up to Carlen.

  Leo’s laughter ended. “Where they going?” Leo asked as he coughed a bit.

  “Home. Back to their lives.” Jonas watched them wal
k away with the utmost envy. Liotta was going home to her father and Carlen to his mother.

  Just as they made their way over the hill, Liotta and Carlen returned running and waving their arms. Jonas perked up and tapped Leo.

  “What’s that about?” Leo stood up to get a better view.

  “Run!” Carlen’s hands were flailing about wildly. “Jonas, we got trouble.” Liotta was right behind him with her blaster in her hands.

  “I don’t understand this.” Jonas squinted and discovered a group of Enforcers not too far behind Carlen and Liotta. “Now I get it.” He tugged Leo by his hood, into the brush. “Stay here.” Jonas went over to the craft and grabbed two blasters from inside the hatch. He returned and handed one to his half-breed friend.

  “Saw us landing. Will be more.” Leo let out his signature laugh. “Be ready.”

  Carlen and Liotta dodged behind a huge rock that sat just over the horizon. They did not have time to join the others. Liotta readied her blaster.

  Jonas and Leo hid inside the trees. “My call,” Leo stated.

  Ten Enforcers forged over the hill, pointing towards the valley. The group headed towards the opposite side of the woods.

  “Fire!” Leo yelled as he pumped his weapon with fantastic accuracy. Two Enforcers dropped before their team could catch on to what was happening. The officers scattered into the woods. Liotta took out another officer. Carlen went around to the other side of the rock.

  Jonas squatted and cautiously shuffled along the border of the valley. He tried to get up on his opponents without notice. Leo jumped out into the grassy field and screamed wildly. Jonas laughed because he knew Leo was diverting their attention. Leo hopped back into the brush with three Enforcers charging him from across the field. Liotta saw them as open game. She pegged one of them while Jonas took out the other two. There was four more hiding somewhere in the sticks.

  “You should’ve told me to bring my blaster along,” Carlen said helplessly. “I could be in the fight.”

  “Shut up. They’re tracking us.” Liotta knelt down to the ground. She grabbed Carlen by the collar and brought him down beside her. “Shh! It’s too quiet.” Her green eyes scouted the surrounding area.

  Jonas cautiously waded through the leafy tree branches when he suddenly heard the cocking of a blaster. He stopped and slowly stood up straight. Turning toward the sound, he came face to face with a Parliamentary officer.

  “It’s gonna be my pleasure to kill Troupe’s son.” The officer’s grin swallowed his square face.

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” Jonas dropped his weapon and put his chest out as if he was going to deflect anything that was going to fly out of the officer’s weapon.

  “You are just like ‘em. Arrogant. You probably thought your father was a hero. Sorry to say—” The officer’s jaw swung open as his eyes fried out of his head. He fell forward revealing the back of his skull. It was blasted wide open.

  Leo stood behind the fallen officer with a sarcastic look upon his face. “Be happy.” Leo laughed and swiftly turned, firing his weapon. Another officer looming in the brush hit the ground with a thump. Leo scurried over to the dead man. “Two down, two to go.”

  “Let’s go.” Jonas ran out of the woods. He motioned to Liotta in the direction of the other Enforcers.

  Liotta went up against the rock and leaned into it with her back. She looked at Carlen and gestured for him to follow suit. “Stay here.” She rolled out onto the open grass.

  Carlen spotted an Enforcer, aiming at Liotta from the tree line. “Get outta the way!” He threw his body into Liotta, knocking her to safety.

  Liotta turned to find Carlen holding his side. Carlen’s eyes penetrated Liotta’s. His pupils shifted at his charred upper body and back at his friend. He attempted to say something but trounced on the ground. His hands were severely burned as they blocked most of the blast.

  “Oh my Gods. Oh, Carlen.” Liotta tossed her weapon aside and rushed over to him. “Come on … Come on.” Carlen’s glassy eyes went straight through her. “Damn it.” Tears covered her dirty cheeks. She leaned over him, noticing his leg was ripped open, too.

  The Enforcer who blasted Carlen crept out from the trees, aiming at his newest target.

  Jonas spotted Liotta crying over Carlen. “Oh no. Oh no.” He whipped up the hill, unloading his weapon’s firepower on the creeping Enforcer. The Enforcer flipped backwards into the tree line. Without acknowledging the officer’s death, Jonas could only see his cousin. “Carlen? Carlen?”

  Liotta turned to Jonas, her eyes puffy, her nose runny. “He’s still alive, Jonas … he’s still alive.”

  “How could this have happened?” His lips were quivering. “No. No. No.” Jonas consistently shook his head in denial. His hands trembled. He did not know what to do first. He just wanted to rip the world into pieces. Jonas kept switching between rubbing Carlen’s face and grabbing hold of his charred hands. “Oh poor Carlen. Poor, poor, Carlen.” Jonas snuggled his cousin into his arms and rocked him. He pressed his chest against Carlen’s chest.

  Liotta watched Jonas as his depression built into anger. Jonas got to his feet, cocked his blaster and walked openly down the field. He approached the Enforcer, who lay motionless along the tree line. Jonas shoved his weapon into the dead officer’s mouth and squeezed the trigger five consecutive times. Jonas’s features transformed to stone. “Come out, you son of a bitch.” Jonas continued along the tree line searching recklessly for the remaining officer.

  A laser blast ripped through the dirt before Jonas’s feet. The teen raised his gun in a very robotic fashion and consecutively fired straight into the woods. With every step he took, he squeezed the trigger. His ears perked when he heard a moan coming from inside the woods. He followed the sound. The final officer sat clutching his bleeding wrist. Jonas saw his hand, lying separately on the ground next to him. It was still gripping the officer’s weapon. The man looked up at Jonas, hoping for his life. Jonas fixed his blaster against the man’s forehead. He stared at the officer. “Say hello to my dad for me.” Jonas squeezed the trigger. The officer’s head quickly detached from his body. Jonas dropped his weapon to the ground. The teen started shaking uncontrollably. “What’s happening to me?”

  Liotta ran up, wrapping her arms around him. Jonas shrugged her off quickly. He wiped his face dry.

  Leo caught up to them. “More on the way. Need to go.”

  “I am not leaving my cousin.” Jonas turned to look up the hill.

  “Never make the travel. Needs attention,” Leo responded.

  “What am I supposed to do? Leave him here?” Jonas snapped at the half-breed.

  “I have an idea.” Liotta gently placed her hands on Jonas’s shoulders. “Come on.”

  *

  Twelve

  After wrapping Carlen’s body to keep him warm, Liotta left a note stating Carlen was kidnapped and shot trying to assist the Enforcers in battle. She knew Carlen could not speak right now and the dead officer surely would not be able to tell them the truth. She knew Parliamentary Council code required all injured officers and Sapians hurt in battle to be transported immediately to a medi-center.

  Liotta also wrapped Carlen’s stomach with shredded material from their Crow robes. His bleeding stopped but he remained unconscious.

  Jonas desperately wanted to take his cousin with him. Leo and Liotta convinced Jonas, after several hours, that Carlen would surely die if he was dragged from place to place.

  Though not comfortable with the idea of leaving his cousin behind, he knew they were right. However, he was certain of two things. First, the Enforcers would make sure Carlen was brought to a medi-center. Second, Aunt Cleonia would never speak to him again. Jonas knew she’d never really liked him from the beginning. All her new hospitality had to be due to the enormous death bonds his father had left behind.

  The three started to walk up towards the mountains. “I’ll be right back.” Jonas broke from the group.

  Liotta watche
d Jonas run back to his cousin. “Jonas, the Enforcers will be along any second.”

  “Keep moving. Wait for him in the woods.” Leo guided Liotta forward while watching Jonas over his shoulder.

  “Carlen.” Jonas sank to his knees next to his cousin. “Carlen?” He waited but there was no response. Jonas fixed Carlen’s hair, which was over his eyes. “Please forgive me, cousin. I don’t want to leave you here.” Jonas’s lips started to quiver. His cheeks twitched. “I just want you to know…” Jonas’s tears fell upon his cousin’s hair. “…I love you. You and me. We are like brothers, right?”

  Carlen lay there unresponsive.

  “I know you can’t talk to me, but I hope you can hear me.” Jonas bent over and wrapped his arms around his cousin. “When does it stop, cousin? All this pain. It has got to stop.” Jonas sat up and cleaned his face with his sleeve. He turned to see Leo waving from the woods. The teen let out a chuckle. Leo looked funny flailing his arms around.

  “Good bye, cousin. I will see you again someday. I promise. Thank you.” Jonas stood up, staring at Carlen. He could not get over the fact that he was actually leaving him.

  Jonas ran back up the mountain. “Okay. Let’s go.”

  Leo talked about an old village in a remote part of the desert. He truly believed this was Strom. He also knew what was in store for Jonas once he got there.

  Strom was a place for everyone to coexist peacefully. It was about a round’s travel on foot. They traveled by night along the Meso River which cut through the Sara Mountains. The only danger they encountered were a pair of wild dracosaurs and a pack of sabercats. The dracosaurs were easily tamed and used as transportation. The saber cats were slaughtered for food. Liotta was sickened by the thought of eating the twenty-five pound felines. However, her unending hunger and the way Leo fixed them convinced her to try it.