Center Moon - The Stone Of Cordova

by Stephen Gambuti

  "Why not?" Jonas couldn't understand Darden's refusal.

  "We need to help these people."

  Jonas observed all the madness. The inmates were fighting for their lives. Jonas had used them as part of his plan. In his heart he knew if they were left behind they would quickly be squelched. "There isn't going to be room for everyone."

  "We need to make room. There are four transports over there." Darden gestured towards the crafts. "They will take us right home. These crafts are designed to slide through the atmosphere."

  "I can't go right home, Darden." Jonas shook his head. "I have to pick up my friends."

  Darden wrapped his arm around Jonas. "Okay. Okay," he said thinking. "You and Leo do what you need to. I will gather some of these people up and head back to Earth." Darden motioned toward the ship Leo was nearby. "Go." Darden suddenly remembered something. "Oh." He reached into his pouch. "This belongs to you." He pulled out the stone.

  Jonas went to grab the moon rock from Darden when a huge blast vibrated the port.

  Darden tossed the stone back into his pouch. "Get out of here. I'll meet you on the planet."

  Jonas wanted that stone but knew it would be useless to him if he was dead. He took off toward the craft.

  Jonas had spent the last round of days hating Darden. He forgot why. This Crow was concerned about each of these different people. Crows, Sapiens and half-breeds. Darden wanted to rescue all of them.

  "Let's go." Leo ran into the transport.

  "I'll see you down there." Darden's weathered cheeks lifted from his smile.

  "Where?"

  "Outskirts of the Safe Zone. Forget the Academy. Chances are the probes weren't from Emperor Pernius." Darden walked away and rounded up teams of inmates.

  Jonas headed over to the transport, discovering Leo in the captain's chair. "Move over."

  "Over?" Leo jumped out of his seat. "Yes, sir." He saluted with a cackle.

  Jonas analyzed the foreign control system. It was exactly the same as the craft Liotta's father had. Piloting this vessel would be no problem. He pressed his index finger into a blue squared button that rested in the panel's center. A light hum accompanied the vessel's vibration. Leo began laughing and cheerfully clapping his hands against his knees. The craft slowly hovered.

  "Leo? Leo?" Jonas set his eyes on the huge bay doors. "We have a problem."

  Leo stopped celebrating. He realized that the exit panels could only be opened from the control area. Getting to it would be impossible since there were inmates attempting to overtake it.

  "What if we blast it?" Jonas hoped for Leo's approval.

  Leo pointed with his thumb. "People will instantly be sucked in space."

  "So what should we do?" Jonas was frustrated.

  Leo giggled as he squeezed a red trigger, which rested along the back of a shift stick. The transport's blasters fired upon the doors. "Seemed all clear back there." A giggle followed, as bodies of guards and dead inmates floated past the transport and through the fiery hole. "Oops."

  Jonas got a kick out of watching the Crow guards float out of the port. "Let's be on our way." Jonas gripped the semi-circular handle while putting as much pressure on the foot pedal as he could muster.

  The transport escaped through the freshly mutilated doors, zipping down the cannon filled trail. The teen's concentration was so intense that he did not notice the laser barrels sprouting from the cannon capsules, which lined the trail. The turrets rotated on their axes, attempting to target the fleeing transports.

  The huge weapons rattled in rapid succession toward the vessels. One of the cannons connected its blast with one of the other crafts. The force of the explosion lifted Jonas's craft and propelled it farther down the path. His transport was now clear of danger.

  Jonas worried that the blown-away transport was Darden's. He had no way of knowing since these crafts did not have any apparent communications instruments. Leo had reinforced that suspicion when he informed Jonas that all ship-to-ship contact was usually made via their hand held units. If Darden had not wanted to save everyone, he would have been safely aboard their vessel.

  Jonas had to focus his efforts on getting his cousin and Liotta. He piloted clear across Cordova. They did not encounter any more resistance. Jonas believed the others had a more difficult escape. As the transport approached a grouping of domes, Jonas was scouting the terrain for familiarity. He searched his memory for the sector that held all the landing ports.

  Leo pointed out an escort vessel landing in the foreground. "There. Over there."

  Jonas quickly shifted his eyes towards the direction the half-breed was giving him. That was it. The sky blue dome, which was larger than the rest. That was the port they were led into when they arrived. Jonas tilted the transport's nose closer to the rocks' surface. The craft was being carefully piloted along the runway towards the indoor city.

  "The next part of your plan, boy?" Leo stared out of the window with an intense look.

  "If everything works out as planned, we will glide this baby in and my cousin will have the other one fired up." Jonas wrapped his fingers tightly around the steering handle as the transport's ride grew bumpier.

  "Gravity stones," Leo remarked.

  "The what?"

  Leo stopped gazing out the window and turned toward his young friend. "The gravity stones."

  "What are gravity stones?" Jonas asked, as his arms were jolting for better control of the craft.

  "Don't fight, boy. Stones creating this ride. Power hasn't been decreased."

  Jonas did not understand.

  "Flat rocks of tremendous size buried under each city. Are designed to simulate Earth's natural gravity. This causes concern for some alarm." Leo's eyebrow went up in the center.

  "We didn't get this bumpy ride before."

  "Exactly. An escort ship brought you. Those ships get close, huge lead plates slide over stones, modifying gravitational force of the city. Magnifies the pull inside so people do not drift off while bay doors are open."

  Jonas was astonished by the amount of knowledge Leo had inside his thick, ugly skull. This news was not what the teen wanted to hear. "Okay. So then?"

  "If aren't expecting us, bay doors will not open. If doors do not open, will be pulled into the dome anyway." Leo giggled.

  "Come on, Leo... This is serious. We will go through the dome then?" A bead of sweat trickled down Jonas's forehead.

  "Not exactly. Domes built to withstand Sapien attack. Most likely disintegrate when we hit." A half chuckle slipped out.

  "W-W-What do we do?" Jonas pulled the handle into his chest.

  "That won't work."

  "I can see that." Jonas's attempt to lift the craft up and out of the runway was failing. He strained his forearms so much that they were getting numb from the heavy vibrations and his consistent pressure.

  The city was looming closer. Jonas's face was soaked with wet beads of worry. "Please, come on. Please, come on." The teen tugged so hard, the moisture of his palms caused him to slip off the handle. He flew back in his seat, whacking his skull against the headrest.

  Leo chuckled a moment and took over the controls. He raised his thick, hairy index finger, pressing down on the ignition button. Jonas popped up to restart it. Leo threw his palm up against Jonas's chest to hold him off.

  "What the hell are you doing?" Jonas grabbed Leo's hand.

  "Time to trust, new friend." The craft decelerated, moving steadily to the surface. Leo removed his hand from Jonas's chest. Then he wrapped them around the handle, guiding the transport so it would not crash.

  Jonas felt secure. He picked up on Leo's little plan. Leo was bringing the ship down to the surface. He was not doing anything reckless. "Why?"

  "Stones will pull us if we are up or down. If down, at least have surface friction, slowing down process of exploding into side of city's steel atmosphere." The mad man smiled, more so to gratify himself.

  "What happens next, Galee?" Jonas could not understand why Le
o was not laughing. Did he not get the joke?

  "Galee?"

  "Galee was a master teacher. Very smart. Very famous. It was his theories that launched the migration of the Sapiens," Jonas explained.

  "Because of him, Sapiens came to Earth?"

  "Right." Jonas grinned.

  "Remind me to thank him for my looks." Leo let out a bellow of hard laughter.

  "Funny, very funny."

  "Least my humor made sense," Leo retorted.

  "Okay. So why did we land?" Jonas returned the conversation to its original topic.

  "Wait here for escort craft. It dumps the other vessels. We'll have a way in. Stones power lowers." Leo looked at Jonas, hoping the teen understood what he'd just said.

  "Gotcha." Jonas sat back. "So I guess all we have to do is wait."

  Leo scrunched up in his chair to make himself as comfortable as he could. He closed his eyes and let out a sigh. "Why did you not ask about Strom?"

  "What?" Jonas perked up.

  "Strom... Leo take you there."

  "Really? You know about Strom? Does it exist?"

  Leo popped open his eyes and tilted his head towards the teen. "Strom exist, Jonas Troupe. Your father is Troupe?"

  "Yes. Yes he was. Strom really exists?" Jonas finally felt as though he was not crazy. Then again, Leo, who was apparently crazy, was the only one who knew about this place.

  "Leo takes Jonas home." Leo leaned further back in his seat and released a yawn. "Talk later." He turned away.

  Anxiety burned through the teen's body.

  Eleven

  Jonas and Leo sat patiently waiting for the next escort ship to release a load of vessels. Leo explained that it would be a while longer because escort ships only picked up crafts orbiting Cordova and guided them to this city. This was the moon's only port of entry. Most vessels never made it past Earth's clouds because of the Parliamentary Enforcers. When a surviving Crow vessel was detected, it was pulled in and redirected to this city.

  The conversation quieted down a bit. Both Leo and Jonas were extremely tired. They each took turns keeping watch while the other napped. Jonas was exploring the moon through the window, while Leo kicked back in the opposite chair.

  Jonas reached into his pocket pretending to retrieve his father's rock. He longed to hold that stone in his hands. He could not believe he had just let Darden take it again. He had gained a certain sense of security with it.

  Jonas felt himself getting upset. He tilted his head against the window and glared out at the craters. He placed his palm against the clear plastic and pretended to touch the rocks along Cordova's surface. He slowly pulled his hand away and wrapped his fingers around an imaginary rock. He thought of his father again. This time the memory was not pleasant.

  Jonas closed his eyes as he pictured his father walking through the front door. Captain Troupe was struck in the head with a plate accompanied by his mother screaming.

  "How could you?" Her rage increased as she pounded him on the chest.

  Jonas never understood what they fought about, but all the bad memories began to fill his mind.

  The transport jolted violently along the ground. Jonas strapped himself into his seat, noticing Leo slept right through it. Outside, craters and rocks slid by the window. Jonas could feel the floor rumbling below him. He glanced over at Leo again with a nervous gleam in his eye.

  Leo did not even break from his rest. "Relax, boy. It's only the stones pulling us closer to the city." He quickly returned to his dreams.

  Jonas had experienced plenty of these pulls while they waited, but this one felt different. Stronger. As the transport glided along the surface, rumbling overhead grew louder and louder. The teen peeked upward through the front window and discovered three small crafts, like Liotta's father's, cruising past them. This is it.

  Jonas pushed down on the ignition with his palm. The transport hummed and hovered. Even though he did not see the escort ship, he knew it had come. The types of crafts that flew by were loaded with heavy engines. That meant they had to come from home. They needed to be powerful enough to break Earth's gravitational pull. Jonas lifted the handle up and pumped the floor pedal. The transport moved swiftly, and now smoothly, along the runway.

  Up ahead he could see the bay doors opening just like the first time he had entered the city. He pumped the pedal harder, not to miss his chance. Leo continued to snore. The largest craft went into the city first, immediately followed by the other two. Jonas brought up the rear as the door's opening began to narrow.

  Something did not feel right about the port. There were no merchants selling their garbage. Crows were not crowding the bay area. It was unusually quiet. Jonas watched the crafts settle down slowly. They lowered near the ship that belonged to Liotta's father. The feeling of uneasiness returned. He was praying that Carlen was ready and waiting inside the ship. If something had happened to his friends, he would never forgive himself.

  Jonas noticed Republican Guards leaning in the shadows of the port. He realized they were waiting for him. "Leo? Leo, wake up. Wake up." He nudged his half-breed friend with an elbow.

  Leo slowly opened his eyes, grinning at Jonas. "Thanks for extra time."

  "Forget that. I think we're in trouble." Jonas motioned to the guards.

  "Forget them." Leo pointed to the three ships that had docked near his getaway vessel. "Look at them."

  Armored guards poured out of both the small ships and formed two solid lines in front of the largest craft. The ramp lowered, revealing ten more guards exiting the huge craft. These guards were not armored. They wore robes.

  Their robes were smaller, tighter and colored brightly. Their yellow garments came accessorized with black sashes, which held two-foot swords on one side and fancy blasters on the other. These guards did not wear hoods, either. Their heads were outfitted with purple skullcaps. The backs of the caps had a colorful assortment of dino feathers dancing up and down their backs. They appeared more like warriors.

  "Turn around! Turn around!" Leo barked without a giggle. Jonas knew he was serious. "Ship is carrying the Emperor. Turn around."

  "I can't. The door is closed." Leo's excitement was turning Jonas's uneasy feeling into outright panic. "What? What should I do, Leo? What should I do?"

  "Turn around."

  Jonas wished it was that easy, but the Crows' best soldiers now surrounded his stolen vessel, which had Liotta and Carlen in it.

  The guards broke from their lines. They formed in a circular pattern around an empty lot.

  "Appears they expect to put this thing down in that spot." Leo put his head down.

  The guards aimed their weapons at the transport. They looked like they were about to bring it down themselves.

  Leo slowly gripped the metal rod that sprouted from his side of the console. He then gently wrapped his thick knuckles around the red trigger. Jonas noticed this and followed suit.

  "Word of advice, boy." Leo's face became stern. "Darden said he would meet us on the planet. This transport has power to get there."

  Jonas observed the men getting ready to bring him to his death. A transmission came across the port speakers. "You are defeated. Surrender now and your friends will be spared."

  Leo went to squeeze to trigger. Jonas threw his arms up and slapped Leo's hand. "Stop! Please don't." Jonas gave Leo a pleading look.

  Leo released the trigger. "Okay."

  Boom!

  A loud explosion rang out through the bay. The guards below scrambled for cover. Leo started laughing uncontrollably. "Look. One of their ships blew up."

  Jonas anxiously glanced around him. How the hell did that happen?

  They unloaded all their power on it. The ship's pieces blew in all different directions. His gut knotted up. He'd just lost his cousin and the first girl he actually liked.

  Jonas's mind started twirling quickly. His father's voice popped in his ears. "Kill the no good bastards. Kill them all." Jonas firmly gripped his blaster control. Darden's voice
sprang out loudly. "The most evil man alive." The window filled with images of his mother running for her life. His father presenting him with another moon rock. Darden, saving him from the probe in the hospital. Liotta, laughing. Carlen fighting with Aunt Cleonia.

  "Kill them all. Get them before they kill you."

  "Get them."

  Jonas twitched himself back to reality.

  "Kill them, boy." Leo shouted as he sprayed the guards with the ship's blasters.

  Jonas squeezed the trigger, sending a powerful blast into the second small craft.

  The large craft lifted into the air. Half of the fancy dressed guards hopped on its ramp. The craft spun around facing Jonas and Leo.

  "Gods of all." Leo fired upon it. "Damn!" He missed by a mile.

  Whack.

  The transport they were in flipped sideways. A hole ripped into the rear of the craft. Jonas let go of the controls and held onto his straps. Leo violently hit the roof of the transport, then immediately whacked into the side of the chair. Flames engulfed the vessel's interior. Jonas lay in his chair. The craft descended into the concrete floor. The huge ship redirected its guns toward the crippled transport.

  Looking out of the mangled frame that had once held the cockpit window, Jonas could see the ship's turrets pointing and clicking. The only thing he thought of were the probes that had wrecked his life. He rotated his bloodied head to look out of the other mangled frame. Guards were once again advancing in the circular pattern. This time there were less than half the number there had originally been. Beside him was his friend. "Leo." Jonas reached over and moved his hand along the texture of Leo's scalp.

  With his other hand, the teen grabbed his hand blaster by the console. Sticking its barrel though the windowpane, Jonas squarely targeted the window of the opposing craft. He squeezed the weapon's trigger with every bit of energy that remained. The Republican craft's cockpit lit up when the blast connected. The vessel dropped straight to the ground.

  Jonas unclipped his straps and rolled onto the console. He fit his body through the broken glass and bent frames. The oncoming guards greeted him.