by James Palmer
“What other way is there, little human?” Endorf laughed hysterically, his voice sounding like granite plates grinding together loudly. Spittle dripped from his jaws uncontrollably as his big red shoulders bounced up and down with joy.
“Okay, fine you want a fight, you got one. But I’m not going to do the fighting here.” The big alien began to protest as Mark raised a hand stopping him. “You want Ariel as your winning piece; I’m totally against that, where we come from slavery is not tolerated in any way shape or form. One sentient creature owning another is barbaric and absolutely deplorable.”
“And yet it is your only bargaining chip that I will accept.”
Ariel looked at Mark cautiously, in his mind he said ‘Relax, I’ve got this.’
“I hope you know what you’re doing.” She answered for all to hear, verbally.
“So who do you propose to fight in your stead, human?”
Red began to stand, cracking his knuckles as a wicked smile cracked across his lips.
Mark grabbed his arm and sat him back down. “Not you Red, and no buts.” Mark turned to Dan Sledge and nodded with a wicked grin of his own.
Dan stood and nodded once to his friends, then turned and walked towards the fighting ring.
‘I gotta tell you Mark, I’m against this.’ Red growled over the mental link, ‘This is my job, not Dan’s.’
‘I need you here, Red. There’s a reason.’
‘You mean besides the fact that he’s a hundred times stronger than me, or anyone else that we know of?’
‘Well, there is that, mostly.’ Mark admitted.
‘Even so I’m the better fighter, you know that.’
‘Yes you are, but with his strength he doesn’t have to be. Now let’s watch the show, this should be interesting, and keep an eye on our pal here, in case he tries to bolt out of here.’ Mark answered mentally.
Dan Sledge entered the newly repaired ring, stepping over the ropes and facing his foe.
Credom sneered at him, “Little human, I will try not to hurt you, much. I know how delicate your species is.”
Then, like lightning, the alien struck at Sledge, its bright red fist slashing forward and smacking Dan across the jaw.
But Dan Sledge’s reaction was not what Credom expected, not by half. Dan stood his ground and smirked, rubbing his jaw with the back of his hand. Credom quickly threw a right cross at Dan, who blocked it with his left arm, and then retaliated with a lightning fast attack of his own. His right fist shot out, as if from a cannon, and struck Credom’s jaw with such force that the red skinned brute shot across the ring and collided with the cables on the opposite side, and then fell to the mat like a puppet with its strings cut.
Credom was stunned. He was lying on the mat and slowly got to all fours unsteadily as Dan stood back, giving him room. The alien stood shakily, and shook his head one time then charged Dan, ramming into his mid-section head first with his bony skull.
But where this would normally have guaranteed Credom a victory against anyone else, against Dan Sledge it was like running into a mountain. Credom rolled over, out cold before he hit the mat.
A deafening cheer went up all through the bar as the patrons celebrated in disbelief.
Slowly, surreptitiously, Endorf made his way to his feet and looked side to side, before turning and quickly, especially for someone so large, headed toward the exit.
Sledge exited the arena and walked back towards the table. What he saw made him run the last few feet towards his friends.
“You’re not going anywhere!” Red shouted as he held Endorf by the collar, and forced back against the wall. Eddie stood across from Endorf with his pistol trained on him while the bartender shouted “No Blasters!”
“Uhh, Best out of three?” Endorf replied with a sheepish grin.
“I think not.” Mark replied. Now it was his turn to smile like the fox in a hen house. “I want that information you promised. No more games.”
“A-all right.” The defeated alien replied while looking at the humans before him, their weapons held at the ready.
“You Earth men are tougher then you look.”
“Who ever said we were from Earth? We didn’t.” Red growled.
Endorf gulped hard at this and looked around for some avenue of escape, but he’d run out of options.
“Sit back down and let’s talk.” Mark nodded at the table and the burly alien took his seat again. He looked visibly uncomfortable as his companion was carried away from the arena in front of their table on a stretcher. Dan took a seat on one side of Endorf and Red on the other. Both smiled at the alien, but their smiles were without mirth.
“Now as we were saying. What do you know about Earth?”
“Uh, I know that a ship came here a while back. A few months, by how we count time on this world. There was a man who looked like you people, an Earthman. He was taken out of the spaceport quietly, and under guard. No one asked questions. There were a lot of credits passed around to make sure of that. Very few saw him come and go. Credom and I did because we were working maintenance on a ship that had to be repaired by the following morning.”
“So you saw the whole thing? Why weren’t you made to shut up about it? How’d you escape notice?” Red asked, face to face with the big alien.
Endorf snorted, “Heh. You’re not as stupid as you look, are you? They never saw us. We were back in the repair bay of the spaceport and they brought him through there to avoid crowds. It was long past work hours were over. We shouldn’t have been there at all. But Credom saw them coming and it just looked wrong. No one ever comes through the repair center, especially at night, at least not that late. So we both hid inside the ship we were working on, and watched silently. We saw them hustling this guy through here. I think he was old as you people go. His fur was white, an’ he had a patch of fur over his mouth.”
“Wait a minute,” Eddie interjected, “Was this guy kinda heavy? Like round around the middle?”
“He was.”
“Did you hear a name? Did they talk to him at all? Did they call him anything?” Mark pressed.
“They called him, like I told you before, the General.”
“Did you see where they went when they left the spaceport? What’d they leave in?”
“You losers really aren’t too bright are ya?” The alien laughed gruffly. “He was their prisoner. They were laughin’ at him. His hands were tied in front of him. They pushed him into a hover car an’ took off.”
“And you have no idea where they went, do you?” Red grunted.
“Up north. To the mountainous regions a few hundred clicks that way.” He waved his hand in a direction behind his head.
“Let’s all take a walk back to the spaceport.” Mark commanded and everyone stood at once. “Endorf, pay the bill.”
Endorf sneered as he laid the credits on the table for the waitress. “Make sure you tip her good.” Red growled. The alien started to protest as Dan placed his hand on the red skinned brutes shoulder and squeezed, just enough to make his point.
The entire group walked back out into the street and headed towards the spaceport a few blocks away.
“What are you?” Endorf asked Dan as they walked.
“It’s complicated. Leave it at that.” Dan replied gruffly.
“I ain’t never seen anything like you. No one ‘round here can match Credom an’ me in strength. Yet you’re stronger than we are. How’s that even possible?”
“You better learn pal, that no matter how bad you are, there’s always someone badder.” Dan replied.
“So where we goin’ now?” Endorf continued talking.
“Now you are coming with us aboard our ship and we’re going to fly up into those mountains and find that man you saw.”
Endorf stopped in his tracks. “No. I can’t do that. I’m not authorized to travel out of this area, and you can’t take a ship out of here and fly that way. All space fairing vessels have to stay here within the spaceport. Them’s
the rules. Plus I ain’t allowed anywhere outta the commercial zone.”
“Why not? Were you a bad boy?” Eddie grinned sarcastically.
“I’m a worker here, on a work visa. I live nearby. Credom an’ I stay here for six months at a time then go home to our planet. Then we come back for another six months. The credits are good.” He shrugged.
“So are all the goodies you and your pal lie, cheat and steal people out of, I’d wager.” Mark replied sardonically.
Again the big alien shrugged, but this time with a smirk.
“Uh guys…” Ariel stopped them with a hand raised. ‘I’m getting thoughts aimed at us and our ship from within the hangar.’ She told them mentally.
Eddie, being the smallest member of the crew—besides Ariel—slunk around the nearest corner and peered over at their ship through the shadows. “Sunova…” He began.
“What is it?” Mark pushed.
“The Stargrazer, it’s surrounded, by guys in uniforms. The purple skinned, salad heads.” He turned back and looked at Mark, “The ship’s cordoned off.”
“What’s going on here Endorf? I want answers now.” Mark hissed.
“Uhh, security has surrounded your ship?”
“That much I can tell. Why, though? What set them off?”
‘They knew we were coming.’ Ariel’s voice sang across their minds once again.
‘How?’ Mark replied mentally.
‘The plant or traitor or whatever he is. That’s the only explanation.’ Red offered.
‘So they’ve been waiting for us. Then those ships that attacked us on the way here were not pirates or thieves or some other random act.’
‘Are you Earthmen that naïve that you believe those were random attacks?’ a new mental voice forced its way into their mind link. Immediately, Ariel fell to her knees holding her head with both hands and moaned piteously. Mark ran to her and grabbed her by the shoulders.
Behind the group a creature appeared that lay an aura of dread upon everyone there. Even Endorf began to babble and mutter as he backed away from the thing, wide eyed and fear filled.
The creature stood eight feet tall, but it was gaunt. Thin as a whisper at sunset. Its skin was a burnt brown color. Its scalp was three sharp boned rows running front to back. The thing then stretched a questing hand towards Endorf. Even as it did so the length of that impossibly long hand and fingers were the first thing one noticed. They were twice the length of a tall man’s hand and had four joints instead of two. It wore a black uniform with white frilled cuffs and collar. Endorf backed away fearfully. Immediately Red positioned himself between the nightmarish horror and Endorf, even as Ariel continued to squirm upon the ground.
“Let her go, now!” Mark roared as he threw himself at the creature before them. Obviously the thing, whatever it was, was not prepared for Johnson’s head long rush as he bowled it over easily, tackling it and sending it smashing to the ground. He drew his fist back and began pummeling it relentlessly.
Ariel was instantly back on her feet, backing away from the creature with fearful eyes. Dan immediately grasped her to him protectively. “What’d that thing do to you?” He asked quietly, fearfully.
“I-I have never felt anything like that. It just took control of my mind. My thoughts were all its own. I couldn’t form a coherent thought of my own. I-it showed me terrible things. I was helpless.”
“What is that thing?” Red asked as he stood there with his gun drawn on it.
“That is a Quel.” A new voice intruded. They all turned towards its source, back towards the Stargrazer, where a purple skinned being was walking towards them with its hands behind its back. It wore a uniform of some kind. “They are nasty creatures, we employ them when we fear telepaths are involved. They, as your woman now knows, can worm their way into a telepaths mind and gain control of it. They are indeed horrid creatures, but infinitely useful. You may all drop your weapons now, we have you surrounded.”
Mark stopped hitting the foul smelling creature beneath him and looked around. Eddie and Red continued to hold their guns at the ready, damned sure they weren’t going to go down without a fight. Dan held Ariel steady, who was still shaky on her feet. They were indeed surrounded by uniformed men, whether military or security of some kind Mark could not distinguish.
While all eyes were upon the Stargrazer’s crew, Endorf turned and ran. The man in charge made a quick motion with his hand, his fingers pointing at the fleeing red skinned alien brute, and then quickly slashing across his throat, as several energy blasts rang out, all connecting with the fleeing mechanics back, dropping him to the cement floor, his body smoldering.
Once more with his hands behind his back the purple skinned humanoid creature turned to face the crew.
“You will be coming with us, are there any more questions?”
Chapter 6
Mark stood slowly as all eyes were trained on him. The men surrounding them watched him nervously. The Quel lay upon the ground, unconscious and bloody. Mark made eye contact with Red, and then moved his eyes towards the Stargrazer.
“Well? Move along, all of you.” The alien officer ordered.
“Why? What’d we do?” Eddie asked, stalling.
“You will ask no questions alien. You will simply come with us. Move along now. That is an order.”
“I don’t think so, now drop your weapons. I really don’t want to kill any of you.” Mark replied with a wicked smile.
“You seem to have some misconception based on your situation. We outnumber you and all our weapons are trained upon you.”
“And my ships guns are trained on you. Drop your weapons and stand down now. Or the ship will take you all out.”
“You lie, Earthling.”
“Another guy who knows where we’re from?” Eddie asked.
“Yeah, looks that way, Eddie.” Mark answered while not taking his eyes off their antagonist. “Seems this guy knows who we are, and on that he has us at a disadvantage. But that’s all. Drop your guns now officer, or whatever you are.”
“Prepare to fire.” The purple alien barked. “Your bluff has been called, Earthman.”
“It’s no bluff.” Mark replied, smiling as the gun on the wing of the Stargrazer barked a blue bolt of light, smacking the alien officer in the back and dropping him to the pavement.
The men surrounding the crew all looked towards the ship and prepared to fire when Mark spoke up again.
“All of you lay down your weapons and surrender. Last chance.”
Now all the troops looked around between the crew, who still had their guns drawn and aimed at them, and then back at the ship whose wing guns were also aimed at the troopers.
Suddenly an energy blast rang out at the teams back, shaking the ground, throwing them from their feet and making them cover their heads and faces as chunks of debris and concrete sprayed about them.
Mark was on his feet immediately, grabbing Ariel by the arm and running her directly towards the Stargrazer while shouting, “Run! Back to the ship, now!”
Behind them hovered an open air craft with two big guns mounted on it. Within it behind blast proof twin windscreens, two troopers were ready to fire again. Red and Eddie begin firing their hand guns at the ship, their laser bolts sprayed across the ship’s hull with little damage.
Dan Sledge suddenly started to run towards the small hovering gunship, building speed as he went with each lumbering step, “You heard the Boss, get back to the ship, I got this.”
“What the hell?” Red shouted as Dan leaped into the air, sailing forty feet into the sky above the small hovering gunship, then he dropped down onto and through the vessel, feet first with his knees pulled up to his chest. As he landed, he slammed them down into the craft, breaking through it like tissue paper, and turning it to rubble in one explosive maneuver.
Now the troopers begin to scatter and run as the Stargrazer powered up and lifted off its landing pad, turning towards their enemies in midair.
Dan Sledge wal
ked towards Red and Eddie, wiping dust from his hands, grinning ear to ear.
Red looked at him, grimaced and shook his head side to side, “I hate you, you know that right?”
Dan laughed and slapped his friend on the back, “C’mon, both of you, let’s get to the ship. There’re gonna be more o’ these clowns gettin’ here any sec.”
They ran towards the ‘Grazer as Red reiterated, “I do you know, I really do,” with a grin.
“Get on board, willya?” Sledge grunted, smiling.
Red, Dan and Eddie ran up the entry ramp as it started to withdraw into the ship behind them.
“What are we going to do Mark?” Ariel asked.
“Get out of here for now. That’s a start.”
The ship powered up and streaked skyward as behind them two more of the two seat gunships began to pursue them.
“They’re firing on us Mark.” Red remarked.
As if to underscore his statement the Stargrazer rumbled twice as energy blasts slapped against its skin.
“Do we fire back on them?” Eddie asked as he readied his weapons console.
“No, these we can outrun. Let’s play it that way, for now.”
Eddie nodded, “Alright Mark. It’s your call.”
“Dan get us out of here, fast.”
Sledge nodded, “You got it, boss.”
The Stargrazer shot away from the planet, rocketing into space, leaving the two pursuit ships instantly far behind.
The Stargrazer blasted away from the planet, and toward a moon, one of four in orbit of the planet.
“Stationary orbit behind the moon, then we contact the Cag. I want the moon blocking us.”
“Okay, Mark.” Dan agreed.
“Ari, get Miles Jefferson on the comm.”
She nodded and punched a button, then started speaking lowly. An instant later the screen at the front of the ship shimmered to life and an image of the Cagliostro’s command deck appeared.
“Hey, boss.” Jefferson greeted them with a forced smile.
“Miles, we’re going to need you here.”
“Don’t know if I can help, boss. Remember that ship we did a number on, on the way here? Well it’s back and it brought friends.”
