Return of the Guardian King

by John E Bujanowski Jr

  “This was your idea? You didn’t think we should all talk about it?”

  Boone didn’t answer. He only grimaced. Pryce caught up to Mace and Jona. Mace tried to talk Jona out of it but he finally convinced them by explaining how he hadn’t had enough fun and excitement. This little mission would be his ‘fix.’ Viel, Goss, Gunner, and Chopak approached them and they wished him well by half-hugging each other and patting him on his big brawny shoulders. They admired his gall and attitude.

  As Jona walked toward the dilapidated space gunner, he looked back at Boone. He waved his hand in thanks. Boone sighed a very stressful sigh and said a silent prayer. A tear started to develop. Everyone - Mace and Pryce, the three investigators, and Kola and his men returned to Boone. They all stared at Boone, expressionless at first. Some didn’t know what to think then some started to scowl.

  For Mace, Pryce, and Terra, resentment started to manifest itself. They stood as a small crowd and watched Jona glide toward the static barrier that separated the wide flight deck from the vacuum of space and exit the bay. They saw the huge smile on his face as he waved goodbye. Everyone else worried about their friend while he pushed the old beat-up scrappy space gunner to its limit. It jetted away into the blackness of space. Two intergalactic runners pursued and would play the role of enemy combatants and make sure Jona would leave Efferium unscathed.

  Everyone glared at Boone, some despising what he had done. Boone noticed Mace’s, Pryce’s, and Terra’s tear-filled eyes. He felt compelled to say something.

  “Look. The only way to stop her, now, is not the teleportation device, it’s finding her base of operations.”

  Kola interrupted, “Blowing the place apart.”

  Boone added, “Jona will be alright! OK? And can you tell me who else in the universe is as good as Jona? I would gladly do it myself.”

  “Just stop!” Pryce huffed. “We understand! Alright? Now, we just, we don’t want to talk about it.”

  Mace was still angry at Boone. He said, “We’ll talk later. I can’t even talk to you right now.

  A guard spoke to Boone, “Mr. Nova. I’m to escort you to Debrief. All of you.”

  Apprehension fell on the faces of Boone and his friends. Boone walked over to the Night Star and gently spoke into a voice-activated gadget mounted near the cargo ramp. The Night Star activated an electronic field and the cargo ramp slowly closed. His ship was now locked down.

  Everyone followed the guardsmen as they were led across a wide and busy docking bay. intergalactic runners were still coming and going, damaged ships were landing and seeking help, and people were busy with the attack taking place in orbit just below them.

  On the bridge, a delighted Commander J'Dar enjoyed giving orders to High Guard ships as they pursued the queens’ space gunners. He gleamed with joy as he watched the battle rage on. Space gunners were exploding and falling toward the planet from low orbit, the forward mounted laser was effectively slicing ships apart as they attempted head-on engagements, and the excitement from the bridge crew incited him further into a childlike euphoria.

  “Commander?” Captain Eisen asked as he tried to regain control of his bridge.

  The commander had successfully taken over the bridge by shouting orders and dictating what ‘his’ wishes were. He was out of control and consumed with the battle fray.

  “Commander!” he raised his voice. J’Dar scowled at him, knowing exactly what the captain desired. “We have to debrief them. Now, Sir. If you don’t mind.”

  J’Dar’s scowled turned into a frown then into a smirk. His fun was over, the battle was turned greatly in their favor, and the Ambulas became the main focus. He nodded to the captain.

  Captain Eisen ordered, “XO,” whose name was Officer Somers but since the commander was aboard, Somers seldom had any opportunities to serve on the bridge in any capacity.

  “Sir?” he answered, eagerly ready to take the command chair.

  “We’re heading to Debrief. Recall the runners. I don’t want them chasing those gunners into any kind of ambush. And make sure Jona Kozak gets through all of those skirmishes out there. Understand?”

  The XO nodded. “Understood, Sir.”

  “Also, let’s keep all three NAV stations looking for the Ambulas. It could be off our port bow and we wouldn’t even know it.”

  J’Dar shouted as he looked around at the bridge crew, “Really! Mial, you saw it tuck-tail and run!” He mocked, “Ruff! Ruff!”

  The bridge crew shouted for joy and laughed at the commanders’ mocking - the Ambulas having to flee for its life.

  Captain Eisen replied, “True, Commander but take a look at Nepa’pa.”

  Suddenly, the bridge became quiet as they gazed at the many holograms, some displaying gunners running for cover with High Guard intergalactic runners in pursuit and some holograms were still monitoring the burning carnage in the capital city of Efferium. The holograms displayed a city in great distress as several buildings lay in rubble with fires burning and a host of people in need of rescuing.

  “XO, your orders. Find the Ambulas. Have the runners commence orbit – in case the Ambulas decided to attack something on the other side of the planet. And monitor that Jona guy. We’ll be in Debrief, if needed.”

  “Aye, Sir,” Somers replied.

  The captain and the commander slowly exited the bridge and headed for Debrief. Commander J'Dar quickly checked his personal COM device to monitor the progress of his trusted OPS officer. Zayne was making plans.

  Somers came and stood behind the Gale’s trusted NAV Officer, Ms. Ellswood. “Ms. Ellswood, where is our infiltrator?”

  “Sir, I will be monitoring him,” another bridge officer spoke from a station on the right side of the large bridge. Her name was Officer Pittman. Somers stepped over to her station.

  “He is trying to break free from our two runners, Sir. They are firing on him and he is trying to evade. Sir, he seems to be desperate. Should I advise?”

  “No,” he answered and smiled. “This will be fun to watch. Investigator Lincoln said he is an expert flyer. If he wants to escape, he will have to do it all by himself.”

  Somers glanced at the young woman officer. She was concerned. He placed his hand on her shoulder and said, “Not to worry, Ms. Pittman. They know what they’re doing. He’ll be fine.”

  Ms. Ellswood added, “Sir, they also must make his escape seem very real. I’m sure that’s what they are doing.”

  “Sir,” Ms. Pittman exclaimed with joy. “He is slowly evading them! I can see what he is doing.”

  “Yes,” the XO replied. “I see what you’re talking about. That is amazing!”

  Jona had successfully put more distance between himself and the two runners. The two runners decided they were venturing out too far and turned back. Jona continued to escape the planet Efferium. Jak and Nell were watching the entire ordeal.

  Chapter 3

  “Ha!” the royal guardsman mocked. “The only place you’re going is back to where you came from! Now!” he added as he pulled his phase pistol from its holster. The three guards standing behind him did the same.

  But, the kind short man with jet black hair which he had shaped into several twirling spikes didn’t move. Instead, he smiled. Behind him, his robot hovered three feet off the ground. It too was unique as most robots were square, round, rectangular or appeared as a human-like metal figure walking slowly and awkwardly.

  ‘Idal’ (I’dal) was nothing like other robots – it looked completely human, made of a smooth sturdy colorful material yet without legs. It hovered above the ground. It was a light shade of purple as Jeody thought the color would help it fit in with the palace décor. Idal’s normal color was black with orange and yellow pinstriping. Idal had a human torso from the waist up. Its arms were made of thick rods, it could spin 360° and speak flawlessly. Its head was also human-shaped with normal looking eyes that blinked, a small mouth opening that had no motion, and it didn’t have a nose or ears but had a few tiny wire appe
ndages springing out around its neck. Idal hovered silently and surprised the guards when she gasped a loud exhale. The guards looked at it.

  “You! You, you legless metal human. Robot! One move and I’ll blast you to pieces!”

  Idal chuckled. Then in a soft kind feminine voice she very quickly rattled off an explanation that would take an average person three minutes to say – she replied her message to them in half that time.

  She hovered around her master and noted the guardsman’s name on his uniform and spoke very quickly, explaining, “Guardsman Triek, you cannot in any way fire your handheld weapon at the gates of the royal city of Karkavon and not be held liable as the High Guard directives for engaging citizens within their cities are clear in that you must 1) Carefully and cautiously ask for intent and explain your intent – you – Officer Triek have only threatened in a display of disgust which you will answer for once were are inside, 2) You exercise the request my associate has kindly asked to you, Officer Triek, I am recording and you have made no inquiry as to why we were the ones summoned here and you, Officer TIEKY, I will see to it that you are assigned to protect the dredging machines on Taramora on the planet of Proto Plaxis in the star system of Axeon which we will kindly insist upon once we have spoken to the prime’s daughter, Ms. Lorin Ta’mian and…”

  “Idal,” Jeody replied. “I ‘can’ handle this. I did not ask you to intervene. Please return.” Idal gasped an even louder gasp as before and quietly hovered behind him. Jeody added, “I’m not leaving this spot until Ms. Ta’mian comes.”

  The guardsmen laughed. Jeody continued to smile at them. He folded his arms across his chest and waited. The guardsmen holstered their pistols and did the same.

  Idal was facing away from the guards, intentionally, to act conspicuously. Then Idal made a series of odd sounding tones, chimes, and communication noises. Jeody knew what Idal was doing and rolled his eyes and smirked.

  Idal had the capability of sending communications silently. Often, she would send communiqués and never would she make a sound in doing so. She had no need of noises but Idal made the noises intentionally so the guards would react. Idal quickly glanced at the guards then glanced away. Idal made more communication noises, some quite loud for a moment or two. Idal glanced again at the guards.

  “What is it doing?” a guard demanded.

  Jeody chuckled, “She’s contacting Ms. Ta’mian.”

  “She? That’s a ‘she?’” he asked. “She can try.”

  Jeody replied, “Well, you, Sir, wait until she gets here.”

  Idal interrupted, “You’re in big trouble, Kieky! I’m going to see to it that ‘you’ are…”

  “It’s Triek! Not… OK, OK. I’ll go along with this,” the guard said.

  He spoke into a COM and moments later Lorin Ta’mian appeared. She vouched for them.

  “Ma’am! I am so sorry! I thought they were, Ma’am, we get these people all the time! They come here and try to enter without authorization.”

  “It’s all fine,” Lorin chuckled. “I understand.”

  Lorin looked at the short man and his robot and said, “You are Bo’nady? And this is Idal?”

  “Yes, Ms. Ta’mian,” Jeody answered.

  “Ma’am?” the guardsman asked. “Have they been investigated? I’ve not received any confirmation.”

  “Officer Triek, I have investigated them. Thank you, though.”

  The guardsmen stepped aside as Lorin led Jeody, posing now as Bo’nady, and Idal through the opened doors and into the elegant entrance of the royal estate.

  While passing by, Idal rotated her frame toward Officer Triek and said, “Drudging machines! Taramora! Proto Plaxis!”

  The guard smirked as the obnoxious machine passed by. Triek wanted to blast it. He watched it slowly hover into the estate.

  “Axeon!” Idal muttered to him from a short distance.

  Once inside the estate, the doors closed, a few guards stood in the distance, and Jeody immediately stopped. He motioned to Lorin not to speak. He took a device out of his pocket and had Idal scan for listening devices, monitoring devices or anything that might have ears or eyes.

  “Hmm,” he softly and quietly muttered. “I see four monitors on us. I’m checking their source to see if they are High Guard indeed.”

  “You’re able to do that?”

  “Easily,” he answered. “Nowadays, I can monitor anyone, anywhere, anytime from home. Technology is that capable… and deceitful these days.” He glanced at her with a guilty smirk, “Sorry. But, trust me, I’m not the one you have to worry about.”

  She whispered, “Boone said I can trust you. Can I?”

  He nodded yes and studied his scanner. He said, “You know my name is Jeody. Right? Boone said to never lie to you, so I believe him.”

  “Thank you, uh, Bo’nady,” she said with a smile. “Now, do you fully understand what you are about to do?”

  He sighed, “Yes. Find more traitors. These monitors are all High Guard. As of right now, no one has altered them or tapped into them that I can tell. I am going to pair the signals with Idal and monitor them all week. Some signals have the capability of masking themselves by periodically launching what we call ‘sleeper signals.’ They initiate only at certain times of the day as not to be detected. Idal has already done some very extensive scans while we waited outside the estate. You are under a lot of surveillance, some of it is High Guard; some needs investigating, immediately.”

  Lorin glared at him as he glanced at her and smirked. She let out a loud sigh.

  “Now, I’ve got a lot more to do. Lead on and show me where I’ll be serving for the next week.”

  …

  The bridge of the Sim-Sa Gale was near the top of the battlecruisers pyramid-like structure. A disgusted Commander J’Dar followed Captain Eisen to one of a dozen slim glass elevators – each able to hold two or three individuals and they launched downward several decks. J’Dar checked his COM again.

  J’Dar muttered, “We are arresting Nov… that space bum.”

  The captain looked at him. “For?” he asked.

  “For many things. I don’t know where to start!”

  They exited and scurried down a long wide well-lit corridor. Scattered throughout the corridors were COM panels and several vertical oblong panels with various colored lights. They were called status placards. Green lights indicated – normal operations, brown – civilians aboard, orange – drills were taking place, purple – dignitaries were aboard, yellow – high alert, red – battle stations. Two of the lights on every status placard throughout the ship was lit – brown for civilians on board and red for battle stations. Captain Eisen noticed the brown light indicators were lit. He glanced at the commander as they briskly walked down the corridor.

  “Really?” he asked, disgusted with his attitude regarding Boone Nova. “You’ve issued a warning for his crew? Do you think that’s needful?”

  J’Dar sneered and thought to himself, “Oh! I have some people that need to know! How else can I deal with him? Once and for all? I only know he is a deceiver. And a nuisance! He’s going to be locked up when this briefing is over.”

  Debrief was a spacious room with a large oval conference table sitting in its center. On the center of the table, a holo-emitter awaited the Court of Primes. The room was nearly full – Boone and his friends, the three investigators, Lincoln DeKator, Phia Sa’vo, and Terra Je’en, as well as O'bipherion’s royal guardsman – Kola and his team.

  They reached Debrief, the door slid open, and they saw a room filled with officers, investigators, and civilians sitting and chatting amongst themselves. Captain Eisen stopped and turned to the commander. Everyone looked at the two high-ranking officers chatting.

  “Commander,” he whispered. “This is ‘my ship’ and I am the one who will give the orders concerning ‘my ship.’ You are the ‘fleet commander.’ You command that.”

  The commander gasped. The captain entered and headed toward Boone while the commander qu
ickly followed then stepped in front of the captain. Boone jumped to his feet the moment Captain Eisen entered. Everyone stood.

  Boone stepped toward the captain and quickly reported, “Sir! We have to immediately…”

  “SIT DOWN!” Commander J'Dar screamed as he cut in front of the captain. Boone raised his arms in disgust and sat down. “You will not speak a word aboard this ship!” Four guardsmen stood against the wall and the commander pointed to one in particular. “If he speaks, I want you to shoot him! Do you understand?” he shouted at the guard.

  The guard nodded. J’Dar looked at Boone. J’Dar’s face was red with anger, his hands were balled into fists, and he slowly approached Boone.

  He pointed to his three investigators, “You have manipulated my officers! You are…”

  “Commander?” the captain asked. “What are you doing? Please? Take a seat!”

  J’Dar turned and looked at him. He pointed to Boone in disgust and said, “This man cannot be trusted. He is a liar! A deceiver! A bum of bums and he is not going to trick our people anymore with his… his…”

  “Sir!” Phia blared.

  She stepped around Boone’s seat and confronted the commander. She could no longer bear his animosity. The commander glared at her.

  “He has INTEL! INTEL we need to act upon IMMEDIATELY! If you don’t mind, Sir!” she exclaimed in disgust. “Your anger is now jeopardizing this mission.”

  He stepped toward her and replied, “You will not talk to me like that! And it’s very clear to me, now, that this bum has manipulated you!”

  She softly muttered, “The INTEL, Sir.”

  The captain, as well as everyone else in the room, was angered and confused by the commanders’ rage. The commander continued while Boone somberly and patiently sat. The commander continued to deride Boone.

  “You are going to detention. No more missions, no more influencing and lying to the Court, no more tricks!”

  Phia muttered, “Sir, the INTEL.”

  Captain Eisen stepped between the commander and Boone. “Commander!” he ordered. “Please? Be seated!” Captain Eisen stared down the commander until he took a seat. “Lieutenant Sa’vo? What INTEL?”