by Aaron Hubble
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
Aereas - Gadol City
It was good to have his feet on solid ground once again. Admiral McPhall had been inside the Eden for over four months counting the travel time, and he’d almost forgotten what it was like to breathe fresh air. He inhaled deeply and smelled the sea just on the other side of the city. A front-end loader rumbled past him carrying rock and debris. He watched the tractor deposit its burden and return for more.
“As you can see, sir, everything is progressing per you orders,” Colonel Shepherd said to him as they looked down into a tiered bowl-shaped group of buildings. “Once this bit of debris is removed the complex will be ready for the governors when they arrive.”
The admiral looked over the structures. He admitted to himself they were magnificent. The pilots had performed their jobs well sparing most of the buildings. Turning to Shepherd he asked, “What was this place before the invasion?”
Shepherd pulled up his handheld and scrolled through his notes, his forehead scrunched in concentration. “It was a university. Gadol City University to be exact. From what we’ve gathered they were known for art and history.”
“Well, now it shall have the honor of housing the relocated Continental Peace Federation Unity Council and the rest of the government until a permanent complex can be built.” The admiral turned to Shepherd, “Nicely done, Colonel. You are to be commended for your efficiency and diligent progress. I’m sure the governors will approve when they arrive in a couple days.”
Shepherd stood straighter. “Thank you, Admiral.”
McPhall wondered how much of the city had looked like the university. The buildings were gorgeous. It would be a pity if the majority of that architecture had been turned to dust. As they transitioned from a military operation to a colonization mission, perhaps it would be wise to tour all of the cities and determine what of the original architecture could be preserved and possibly repaired. A little of the old, mixed in with the new would add a quaint feel to the cities. Of course, some would be abandoned all together. There was too much damage, and there just wouldn’t be enough people. Maybe in the future.
A tone from Shepherd’s handheld grabbed the admiral’s attention. Shepherd tapped the screen and held it up to his ear.
“Yes…I see. I’ll be right there.”
The admiral looked at Shepherd expectantly. “Anything important, Colonel.”
“Yes, sir. The commander of the Valkyrie we lost in the forest several weeks ago has been found,” Shepherd said, a perplexed look moving across his face.
“Really? What is his condition?”
Shepherd looked up from his hand held. “Weak and malnourished. He claims to have been in the forest for three weeks trying to get out. He’s asking to see me and says he has information regarding hidden city and a people called the Ma’Ha’Nae. Does that mean anything to you, sir?”
The admiral’s head snapped up. “It does indeed, Colonel. Where is this man?”
“He’s being ferried to our base in the walled city.”
“Prepare a ship. I want to talk to this man personally.”
Shepherd nodded. “Understood, sir.”
“You’re dismissed, Colonel.”
“Yes, sir.” Shepherd saluted, spun on his heel, and smartly walked back toward the transport.
Admiral McPhall strolled toward a stairway leading down the tiers of the complex toward the grassy courtyard. The soft cushion of grass replaced the hard stone. He walked around a large tower which lay broken in places on the ground. His hand traced the intricately carved patterns adorning the rock’s surface. This was a people worth studying. Their society was complex and rich and would teach them much about this planet and how to thrive on it. It wouldn’t hurt the new human residents to know this had been an advanced civilization. In fact, he would encourage it as long as they didn’t know the people here had been peaceful. The illusion of a warrior race needed to be maintained in order to avoid unpleasant situations with those of a more idealistic mindset.
His son came to his mind. The illusion wouldn’t be hard to maintain, the history of this world was full of war. It was just the last five hundred years that would need to be buried. In truth, once his people were firmly entrenched here and enjoying the fruit of this glorious new world, would they care who they’d taken it from? The instinct for survival was always messy, always tainted by “kill or be killed,” trampling underfoot anyone who opposed one’s goals.
But what of the Ma’Ha’Nae? This forest group. They were a problem, but ultimately he wouldn’t know until he talked with the rescued commander. There was no sense worrying over something when he had so little information. Still, the nagging feeling had returned. They needed to be dealt with immediately.
And when they were found, no mercy would be given.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
Aereas - Somewhere over Sho’el Forest
Had a blanket ever felt this good?
Andy lay belted to the hospital gurney in the hold of a Valkyrie, an IV hanging from the inside of his elbow.
What do you call the inside of your elbow?
He couldn’t come up with a word for it so he just closed his eyes again and tried to forget the last three weeks. As a member of the CPF Military he’d been to rough places and put in less than ideal circumstances, but the forest was something else entirely. Andy was unsure how many times he’d gotten turned around or how far he’d actually wandered out of his way. The canopy was so thick he couldn’t see the sun or any stars to navigate by. Not that seeing any stars would matter; they were all different here than those he could see from Earth. His plan had been to follow the river, but it was patrolled heavily by the Ma’Ha’Nae forcing him deeper into the forest and the hell that lay hiding within.
Sleep was something he only got in fits and starts. The sounds and movement around him in the dark of the night terrified him. He’d been attacked several times by things he couldn’t even begin to describe. A giant spider thing had almost pulled him into its lair. In the darkness, he’d heard the flap of wings and remembered the attack on his men. There were still welts on his legs where he’d stumbled into a patch of poisonous plants. Two days of wild hallucinations had followed. He’d woken from the fit dehydrated and almost unable to pull himself to the nearby stream. If the water hadn’t been so close, it would probably have been the end of him. For as many animals that stalked the forest, the amount of available food seemed fairly scarce, or food sources were just unknown to him.
Calling upon his training, Andy blocked out the memories and let his mind drift away as sleep claimed him. A sleep he hoped would be free of nightmares.
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
Aereas - Human base in Homa former Am’Segid great city
The roar of the landing thrusters jolted Andy from a deep sleep. For a few seconds he thought he was in the forest caught in a thunderstorm. Then he saw a member of the flight crew wheeling a gurney toward him and remembered he’d been picked up by a CPF Valkyrie. Andy waved the crewman off.
“I’ll be walking out of here, soldier.”
The man protested. “With all due respect, sir, the doctor’s orders were to ferry you to the city and wheel you into the hospital.”
Andy unbuckled his restraints and sat up. “With respect to the doctor, he doesn’t know crap about what I can handle.” He looked at the soldier who appeared barely old enough to shave. “All you need to do is point me in the direction of Colonel Shepherd and I’ll be on my way.”
“But, sir…” the young enlisted man sputtered.
Andy leveled a steely gaze at the soldier. “Son, unless you want this to get physical I suggest you step out of the way and use your arm to point me to Colonel Shepherd. Is that clear?”
“Aye, sir.” The soldier lowered the cargo ramp at the back of the ship and pointed toward a cluster of buildings. “He should be in his office.”
“Thank you.”
Andy pushed himself off the edge of th
e gurney. It took all of his strength to remain upright. Tumbling to the ground would have been embarrassing after his little speech. After several steps, he felt better and shuffled in the direction the soldier had pointed.
The base was still busy, but there were fewer men milling around the temporary buildings and barracks. He could see more activity in the city itself. Heavy machinery rumbled through the streets, and many soldiers had traded in their rifles for construction equipment. With labored steps, Andy ascended the few stairs to Shepherd’s office. He leaned against the door to catch his breath. The fatigue he felt was real. Being in the forest that long had sapped his strength. He rapped on the door.
The door opened and Shepherd looked out.
“So they weren’t lying.” The Colonel turned and retreated back into his office leaving the door open. Andy took that as an invitation to enter. His battered boots felt like lead as he finished moving up the steps and into Shepherd’s office. Closing the door behind him, Andy slumped into a chair. The Colonel was setting his handheld on the desk.
“The admiral will be joining us soon.” The grizzled man leaned back in his chair and studied Andy without saying a word. After several long moments of silence, he spoke. “I thought I was finally rid of your sorry carcass.” He laughed dryly. “You’re not one to go away easily are you, Dillon?”
“No, sir,” Andy said weakly. He pushed himself up in his chair, forcing his back straight. Perhaps he should have listened to the young soldier and allowed himself to be taken to the hospital.
Shepherd reached into the little refrigerator behind him, pulled out a bottle of water, and tossed it to Andy. “You look like hell, Dillon. You could probably use something a bit stronger than water, but I’m fresh out of liquor.”
“This will work just fine, sir. Thank you.” As far as Andy could remember, it was the first time Shepherd had showed him any kindness. The Colonel pushed a field ration bar across the desk. Andy unwrapped it with shaking fingers and bit off a large mouthful. His hunger made him forget how much he hated these things. Right now, Shepherd could have told him it was fillet mignon, and he wouldn’t have argued.
The door opened behind him, and he turned to see a balding older man step into the room. The pips on his collar immediately identified this man as the leader of the entire invasion force, the admiral himself. Andy struggled to his feet and saluted the man. The admiral saluted back.
“At ease…Commander Dillion, correct?”
“Yes, sir,” Andy said.
The admiral gestured toward the chair. “Please sit down. It sounds like you’ve been through quite a harrowing experience the last few weeks. Why aren’t you in the medical facility being treated?”
“I refused treatment, sir. The information I have can’t wait.”
The admiral eyed him and then pulled a third chair out so he could face Andy. “Admirable, but foolish.”
He felt the admiral’s eyes studying every inch of him. Andy had the feeling the admiral was the kind of man who wasn’t surprised by much. He’d probably seen enough to get a fairly good read on a person with just a look. Andy felt self-conscious with the ration bar and bottle of water in his hand. What was etiquette around such a high ranking official? Should he put down the food? Maybe offer him a bite?
“Commander Dillon, please, tell us about your experience and what you’ve learned. I’m especially interested in any information about this group known as the Ma’Ha’Nae.”
Andy’s eyes widened. “You know about the Ma’Ha’Nae?”
“I have run across mentions of them in native literature, but it was postulated they were nothing more than a legend. It sounds like they are much more than that,” the admiral said.
“Yes, sir. They’re the ones who brought down our Valkyrie and took me captive.”
Shepherd leaned forward in his chair. “One of your men, Lieutenant Morris, made it back to us. He let us know what happened to the Valkyrie and the ambush.”
Andy sat up straight. “Morris is alive?”
The admiral nodded. “The lieutenant commander returned with a female captive and has been helping me look for the Ma’Ha’Nae. I must admit they’ve hidden themselves well. Can you shed a little light on their whereabouts?
“Yes, sir. Do you have a map of the continent?” Andy asked.
Shepherd activated a holo-map and a representation of the Aerean super-continent was projected above the desk. Andy searched the image.
“Here,” he said pointing to the lake sitting on the northern edge of the forest. “This is where the city’s located.”
Shepherd and the admiral exchanged glances and then the admiral looked at him. “Are you sure, son? You understand that is a lake.”
Andy took another drink of water. “I know, but the reason you haven’t been able to find these people is they live in a city located under the water of the lake. They have a domed city that sits on the floor of the lake. They captured me and took me there. I was the only one to survive from my group, other than Morris apparently. I was held in the city, which they call Alam.”
“Are you sure this is where you were being held? You understand the idea of an underwater city seems far-fetched.”
“With respect, sir, the idea of a habitable planet and extra-terrestrial life seemed pretty far-fetched to me a couple months ago.”
The admiral raised an eyebrow and smirked. “Point taken. How big is the city?”
“It’s big, but not huge. Maybe 15,000 people, maybe more. They have weapons and a well-trained group of warriors they call sentinels. They could cause problems for us.”
A look of triumph replaced the normally calm exterior of the admiral. “This could be our opportunity, Colonel. If we can eliminate this group, the planet is truly ours. Contact our forces in the walled city and coordinate an air strike and possible ground assault on this underwater city.”
Looking at Andy, the admiral said, “Commander, we are in your debt. This information will allow us to take full control of the planet. I want you working closely with Colonel Shepherd on this mission. As long as there are free people living on this planet, there is a chance they will be a problem.” The stately man stood. Andy struggled to his feet again. The Admiral held out his hand, Andy grasped it. “Well done, soldier. It’s good to have you back.”
“Good to be back, sir.”
“I’ll expect a plan within the day. Is that something you think you can handle, Commander?”
“I can, sir. There’s nothing I would like more.”
The admiral smiled. “Good. I look forward to hearing from you.” He turned and left the office.
Shepherd looked at Andy. “Together again, Dillon.”
Andy grimaced and then slumped back into his chair. He was ready to get back to the work he knew, the work that was his purpose here on this planet, even if it meant working with Shepherd.
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
Aereas - Human base in Homa former Am’Segid great city
Only five minutes had passed since the last time Calier had checked the time. He didn’t think he could stay in this sewer any longer. Ammaya, Maltoki, and Denar had left long ago. There was still an hour before daylight, but he’d been motionless long enough. It was time to get this mission started. Taking a deep breath, he straightened the human medical officer uniform and then ascended the ladder. His head emerged in to a dark, empty street.
Large chunks of rock and concrete lay broken and burned in giant heaps. He couldn’t see much in the predawn dark, but Calier could tell this part of the city had seen heavy bombardment. He was familiar with the city, but the destruction and darkness made it difficult to recognize any landmarks. The compass his grandfather had given him, the one which had guided them through Sho’el was in his pocket and he pulled it out. The needle glowed a soft orange and pointed him in the right direction. The hospital was some distance from this spot, and Calier hoped the exercise would go a long way toward calming his frazzled nerves. He set off at a brisk pace,
his boots crunching on the broken concrete.
Then Calier stopped. He couldn’t help it. The last few months he’d been sequestered under Alam’s protective dome with no view of the sky. Had the stars always been this beautiful?
Could one of those stars be the sun of the humans’ solar system?
What about the other billions of stars? Did their heat nurture and sustain life just as Aereas’ sun did? Just like the humans’ sun did?
The vista was so beautiful Calier could have sat down in the middle of the bomb pocked street and stared into the black expanse for hours, but unfortunately that was a leisurely option not afforded to him at this moment in time.
Someday.
In that moment, Calier gained a greater perspective on why he was in Homa. He thought it had been about Berit, but in an instant his world expanded a thousand times, and he longed for the Aereas he’d lost. It was for the somedays of the future that he was risking his life today. Looking into the sky, Calier felt the renewed purpose of reclaiming his world.
Tearing his eyes from the sky, Calier put the compass back in his pocket and forced his feet to begin carrying him toward the center of the city where the hospital was located. With luck he should be able to make it before the sun was cresting the walls of Homa.
An hour later the sun was indeed rising, and Calier found himself in a part of the city populated by towering buildings. In contrast to the area where he’d begun this journey, these buildings appeared almost untouched by the fighting and violence. That made sense. If the humans expected to use Homa as a base, keeping most of it intact was to their benefit. It was obvious to him the humans had planned this invasion carefully, and Homa had been of strategic importance.
Calier’s heart almost stopped in his chest as on the street in front of him a squad of ten soldiers approached. Their faces were hard and stony, focused on the direction they were marching. They looked huge, their weapons slung across their chests. His feet wanted to take him in a different direction, but Calier stared straight ahead and forced himself to keep moving.
