by Diane Rapp
“Can you be sure?”
Dr. Alexander waved a bony hand dismissively. “Jarrack used mind control to strip my knowledge while I was his captive. I’d never forget the resonance of his touch. The old Jarrack is dead but I don’t trust this one either.”
Krystal said, “We’ll discuss your proposal and speak with you later.”
Jarrack pushed his hefty body from the chair. “Believe me! I don’t want to stay in this decrepit body, so I must have access to Transfer. I want a young body. If I fail to honor my word, retreat without placing yourselves in jeopardy. We can achieve our goals with an alliance.”
Donovan gestured. “Bryant, see that he returns safely to his quarters and make sure he stays alone.”
Bryant pressed his sword into Jarrack’s back. “He’ll stay put until you require another interview, sire.”
Donovan watched them leave. “Trenton, you’ve been too quiet during this whole conversation.”
“I like to observe a predator’s habits,” Trenton said. “You were so caught up in truth and lies, that you missed the point.”
Donovan rolled his eyes. “Enlighten us trapper!”
“We don’t need to trust Jarrack or Fremont. If we get what we want from them, it doesn’t matter whether your opponent operated in good faith or attempted a swindle. We need time and equipment to secure our safety. Who cares why they grant us what we want?”
“He’s right.” Dr. Alexander nodded. “The defense system and the nuclear reactor need to be repaired, and our communications and transportation systems are inadequate. Trade hardened mendilium crystals for supplies and stall for time.”
Donovan grinned. “We’ll let Jarrack negotiate with Fremont but watch them both.”
Krystal said, “Make shopping lists, gentlemen. We’re about to enter a technology marketplace.”
******
Jarrack watched Fremont pace the cell as he read Donovan’s shopping list. “Are you sure we should deliver these supplies? Why do they need plasteel?”
“They need to plug a radiation leak in a nuclear reactor.” Jarrack hid an amused grin behind his hand and stroked his chin.
Fremont glared. “They give you information too easily. Did you ever consider they might lie?”
“They don’t give me any information.” Jarrack smirked. “I take it from their minds, a useful new trick I’ve learned.”
Fremont knit his bushy brows and read the last item on the list. “I can’t give them a space tight shuttle! It jeopardizes our plans.”
Jarrack waved his hand lazily. “Get hardened mendilium crystals for the Institute, and you’re in the clear. Crystals are just the start! We’ll eliminate the need for crystals and Transfer machines if you get me onto your ship. I’ll give the Institute the secret to everlasting life.”
“Why don’t we take you out of here and blow Drako out of the sky?”
Jarrack wagged his head in dismay. “Don’t act too rash. My talent can’t be developed overnight so you need crystals to keep the machines working. Donovan isn’t stupid. He won’t let me leave unless he feels safe.”
Fremont banged his hand against the table. “I feel manipulated.”
“You are.”
Fremont glared at Jarrack. “Who’s doing it, you or Donovan?”
Jarrack shrugged. “Does it matter?”
Fremont scowled. “They requested equipment to build a Transfer lab! After all they did to sabotage our program they want us to give them Transfer equipment?”
“Who cares, if we get what we want?” Jarrack leaned forward with a serious expression on his face. “The limited level of technology on this world prevents them from building new facilities. Transfer’s not a secret. After all, Dr. Alexander was one of the pioneers who created the procedure. His little lab won’t endanger the Institute’s monopoly. They’re stranded on the fringe of space with no way to spread secrets to our enemies. The doctor needs the equipment to cure radiation victims. Throw him a crumb and get us off this backward planet.”
Fremont’s eyes narrowed as he studied Jarrack’s placid expression. His voice filled with menace. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were a traitor.”
“Donovan trusts me less than you do.”
Fremont smirked. “All right! I’ll give your plan a try, but I won’t diverge from my original assignment. We’ll grab Dr. Alexander when we leave. How do we catch him?”
With a meaningful glance toward the cell window, Jarrack whispered, “We arrange a small diversion. Send coded messages to the ship’s captain. He’ll obey your orders?”
Fremont smirked. “Gronks are bred to obey orders.”
An expression of surprise flashed across Jarrack’s face. “You didn’t leave anything to chance! I suppose you’ve already established a code for orders that the Gronk must obey?”
Fremont grinned, pleased with himself. “You know me too well.” He glanced at the window in the door and spoke loudly. “Tell Donovan I’ll send a message to the ship and order his supplies.”
“Very accommodating of you, Fremont. I’m sure Donovan will be happy.” Jarrack walked toward the door.
Fremont nodded. “I’m not unreasonable, Bishop, and the Institute is a humane organization. We are interested in the good of mankind.”
“Bless you, my son.” Jarrack knocked on the door. “I will speak to Donovan on your behalf.”
26 ~ SABOTAGE FROM SPACE
Jarrack was true to his word. He got Fremont to send Drako a small shuttlecraft, replacement parts, and now a load of plasteel. Trenton disliked the idea.
It felt too easy.
The supply barge moved slowly past defense sensors as Trenton manned the guns of his new shuttle, hand poised over the controls. His mind raced, considering every possible deception, every area where concealed weapons or men might hide. He scanned the ship for the third time. Life readings looked minimal and radiation readings appropriate. Apparently, the cargo was harmless and the metallic content low.
Instrument readings should alleviate his worry, but the trapper inside him doubted the scans. He itched to blast the barge out of the sky and ground his teeth. Wiping sweat out of his eyes he squinted at the data, searching for proof until he noticed Ryan gawking.
Trenton forced a genial smile. “Enjoying your first trip into space?”
Ryan swallowed. “I’d rather see inside that thing.”
“One wrong move and I’ll open its guts. Then you’ll get a real good look.” Trenton sounded angry.
Ryan blanched. He scrutinized the barge and he muttered, “You think they hid soldiers on board?”
“I can’t prove it.”
“Still, you believe they’re inside.”
“Yes.” Trenton watched the ship pass the barriers and reactivated the planetary defense system. “I hoped they’d try to sneak through while the system was down so I could blast them.”
“No reading on eight,” Ryan said.
“That hole’s closed.” Trenton relaxed but stared at the lad. “Maybe they plan to hit us when the barge leaves. We’ll ride on their tail all the way to Asbohar. Maggie’s anxious to get her plasteel.”
Ryan eased the controls forward and the shuttle dipped smoothly toward Drako. Trenton felt surprised at how fast the boy took to flying, a natural pilot. He sensed wind currents and used them like he’d been born with wings. Trenton watched the cumbersome ship drift toward the sapphire blue ocean as Ryan maneuvered their craft.
“Get us closer so I can check that spot.” Trenton’s fingers clicked over the keyboard and cursed his slow display. “They fussed with this equipment to make it hard on us, but they can’t fool me.”
Ryan approached the barge, and Trenton craned his neck to get a visual. “You see that seam?” Trenton asked. “Go slower.”
Ryan eased back to slow their descent. Their shuttle drifted underneath the barge and blocked the glaring sun.
Trenton chuckled and pumped his fist. “They hid men and weapons behind the b
ulkhead, but they can’t attack until it lands.”
“How do you know?”
“You see this?” Trenton pointed to a radiation scan. “Their hand weapons emit low radiation, not normally enough to alert the sensors. They figure we can’t defend ourselves with swords, arrows, and lances.”
“Can we?” Ryan looked worried.
“They may have more firepower but we’re more clever. I’m glad that we figured out what kind of tricks they planned. Land this thing and we’ll discuss our options with Donovan.”
*****
Maggie supervised her crew on the platform. The mullah’s men responded to her orders. They respected the small woman dressed in silver. New priests recorded every lesson in their notebooks as if the very gods spoke through their mentor.
Maggie chose students by asking odd questions and making them memorize strange words. Pious priests and brave warriors failed the tests. She picked misfits, the ones who vexed previous teachers with deeds of mischief and cunning. Some failed the final test. If a candidate couldn’t fit into one of the ancient silver suits, they were dismissed.
Commoners lined the roofs watching the ship’s engines roar with fire. Maggie shouted orders and her students formed a line as the barge settled onto a sandy landing pad. Giant grapples attached massive hooks to the ground as priests connected silver tubes to openings.
No one seemed to notice suited figures emerge from the ship and join a steady flow of workmen. The intruders disappeared into the building. Maggie grinned and flipped the switch on her communicator. “I spotted three new suit sizes that might fit my recruits. It’s nice of the Institute to send us a special delivery.”
Trenton watched the infiltrators approach the reactor chamber. He nodded at his archers and closed the door. Twenty razor-sharp barbs slipped through special slots in the wall as Trenton spoke into the intercom.
“Welcome spacers! We’re glad you accepted our invitation to Drako. Our welcoming committee will relieve you of those weapons.” A spacer fired his laser. An arrow twanged and the man fell clutching a shaft in his chest.
“Is that proper behavior for guests? Lasers won’t penetrate radiation shielding, so don’t waste your energy packs. Kindly deposit those guns in the receptacle and remove your suits. We don’t want holes to mar such valuable fabric. Interviews will commence in your prison cells.”
Trenton felt proud; the archers’ nerves held steady under fire. The blackened wall was inches from Catherine, but she fired and reloaded without flinching. The captives followed orders and were soon locked in cells. Trenton strode off to the radio room.
“Round one victorious,” Trenton reported to Donovan. “Maggie’s pouring plasteel.”
“We’re not out of danger, so get back here pronto.”
“Can’t I spend one night with my wife?” Trenton pleaded.
Donovan laughed. “You know Maggie won’t take time off until her reactor’s repaired, so you might as well wait like the rest of us. That’s an order.”
“You’re a blasted slave driver. I’ll be there at 0300.”
*****
After the bungled attempt to smuggle soldiers in the hull of the barge, Trenton only allowed small shuttles through the planetary defense system. The shuttles were barely capable of hauling the machinery for the new Transfer lab.
Dr. Alexander examined each piece, wishing Trenton might permit the barge one more trip. He signed the invoice and listened to the pilot complain about the piecemeal delivery schedule.
Krystal opened the bag and held up a brown mendilium crystal. “This one’s junk. It’s contaminated with an odd foreign substance. Where’d they get this stuff? Certainly the mines aren’t producing substandard crystals.”
Alex shook his head. He remembered when his scientific team first discovered mendilium crystals and learned to harden them. It took months of experimentation but they finally discovered the process to manufacture the hardened crystals. No other crystal could absorb the mind of a patient and survive the high energy to place that mind inside a clone.
“Did I lose you, Alex?” Krystal gazed into his eyes.
He nodded. “I was remembering days before the Institute took over. We noticed deterioration in the quality of mendilium years before our exodus, reflective of poor standards within the Institute.”
Krystal felt shocked. “Lives depend on good work!”
“There’s no incentive to maintain quality. Scientific discovery kindled enthusiasm but over the centuries science became mundane.”
“How can we work with substandard material?”
“We agreed to supply quality crystals in exchange for our equipment.” Dr. Alexander examined the crystal with his long fingers. Would he prefer to go back to civilization and work in the Institute labs again? There was always the chance he’d find a way to change things from inside. No. They’d lost control over the Institute spans ago, and now he had sick patients who needed his help to survive.
“I’ll send a message to Maggie. She must increase the electrolysis time and strain out impurities.”
Krystal shoved the brown crystal back into the sack. “She won’t appreciate the drain of energy. I’d better fly this load to the vats at Asbohar.”
“Send Brandon and Jordan with the youngsters and dragons they’re training. I need you to run tests on these components. We’re near completion, and we can’t get stuck with inferior equipment.”
“I’ll get to work.”
Alex peered at the circuitry through a large magnifying glass, following the thin wires to make sure there were no missing connections. “I’m sorry to make you perform such tedious work.”
“It keeps my mind busy.” Krystal saw that Alex tuned her out. She carried the sack into the storage room and summoned Brandon and Jordan.
*****
Shariel watched the dragons and her family interact, feeling a warm glow in her chest. She imagined them building a town near the dragon cliffs and wondered what it should be named. Chacka approached with a dark gray wolf at his side.
Shariel thought, Do you finally bring your mate to meet me?
He is not a mate, Shariel. We must travel with a designated host, who is prepared to take our ancestor minds upon this body’s death.
She felt disturbed and gazed into the gray wolf’s light eyes. Are you sick? I never thought…
No. It is a precaution, but battle looms and we wanted you to meet our next host.
Do you have a name? She bent down to meet the wolf at his level, trying to memorize the face who might later carry Chacka’s mind.
The gray wolf licked his muzzle. We take no formal name until the hosting, but my litter mates call me White Tip.
He wagged his tail and Shariel saw the white end. That’s a good temporary name. I’m glad to meet you White Tip, but I hope it’s a long time before you claim the name of Chacka.
The wolves turned their heads toward the dragons. You have new protectors and we cannot follow you into the sky. Kriegen calls us back to the pack to prepare for duty. We enjoyed guarding you, Shariel.
What? You can’t leave now that we’re going to fight the spacers. We might need help. Shariel’s chest burned and it felt hard to breathe.
Chacka licked her hand and a glow of happiness spread through her body. We stay nearby and will come if you need us.
They both heard White Tip’s low whine and Shariel knew parting wasn’t easy for the wolves. Gazing down at Dazzle, she realized a new life awaited her. Shariel scratched Chacka’s ear with her right hand and reached over to scratch White Tip with her left hand. I’ll miss seeing you every day. Stay safe and visit whenever possible.
She watched the two wolves climb over the ridge with tears threatening to spill. Her heart ached. Brandon plopped down next to her and said, “Jordan and I must fly crystals to Havenshire. Will you miss me?” He curled an arm over her shoulder but she shrugged him away.
Unable to share her sorrow, she averted her gaze and said, “I’ve got plenty to
do here. Have a nice trip.” She stomped down the trail without looking back to see Brandon’s pained expression.
*****
Maggie frowned at Dr. Alexander’s message. “Impurities require longer electrolysis. Doesn’t he know that melting these crystals causes a massive power drain? Now he needs longer electrolysis!” she grumbled. “What if the Institute fires a missile and our shield doesn’t hold?”
Brandon tried to look invisible until the small woman’s tirade passed, but Tessa smiled at the woman she’d always called her aunt. They weren’t related by blood, but Maggie and Trenton had raised her and felt like family.
“Don’t grumble. Dr. Alexander won’t be happy unless we give him what he needs.” She cast a devious look at Jordan and Brandon. “Since there’s more work in the making, you two just volunteered to help!”
Maggie eyed Tessa and grinned. “Good idea! More hands make a quicker job of it.” The small woman gestured at the bags. “Take these to the north chamber but don proper suits…unless you want to risk your fertility.”
Brandon’s eyes widened with horror. “Does she mean we could be…?”
Jordan grimaced. “I think that’s exactly what she means. Where are those suits?”
Tessa led them to the changing room and left, avoiding further embarrassment.
Brandon watched Tessa walk away. “This sister looks quite comely. Perhaps I should get to know her better.”
“Forget it!” Jordan frowned. “Lance is a lot bigger than you.”
“Lance?”
Jordan pointed at the tall man in the control room. “He’s big,” Brandon whispered, “but not much for looks. Perhaps I’ll change her mind.”
Jordan said, “I thought you were interested in Shariel.”
Brandon nodded. “I try to act like a proper gentleman but she doesn’t notice. Today she nearly told me to look elsewhere. I’m doomed to spend my life alone.”
