Consortium of Planets: Alien Test (14 page)

When the bin failed to open, the older Consortian looked angrily at Alont. “It didn’t open,” he growled.

Alont acted scared. “You’re making me nervous. I must have put in the wrong code by mistake. I’ll try it again.”

This time, the bin popped opened and, luckily, revealed a large mesh bag stuffed full. One of the big Consortians looked up at Alont. “What is this?”

Alont, already inching toward the exit, couldn’t believe his good fortune and acted like he knew the bag was there. “That’s right; the pouch is all the way in the bottom. Just reach down to it.”

All three forgot about Alont and were busy pulling things out of the bag.

With a quick glance, Alont watched the timer count down to three. He looked at the three of them and said, “Goodbye.”

The hatch closed quickly as he jumped free. The last thing he heard was “Get him!” before they fell silent. Alont felt the ship’s eerie vibration as it prepared to jump and knew that the terrorists would soon make a fine addition to the black hole. He stepped away from the shuttle and watched it disappear, never to return.

It was dark on Consortia when Alont approached the University’s main entrance. The legendary organization filled the second-largest building on the planet and stretched into the distance. It was one of the red domed structures with massive spires that Alont had easily seen from the spaceport when he first arrived. He looked down at his dirty Warrior uniform and hoped that he could get past their first impression of him. The wide lobby was adorned in polished native stone and glowed with that iridescent light that always made Alont’s eyes burn slightly.

Tonight, he didn’t notice his watery eyes and walked right up to the reception desk. Its wide counter formed a security barrier in front of the line of elevators to the upper floors. One of the guards looked up casually as Alont stepped up to the metal-and-stone obstacle. “I need to speak to someone in charge.”

“You are a long way from home, Mister Warrior.” The guard sounded mildly suspicious and began to send him away. “No one is here at this time.”

The guard had no idea how much danger the University was in. Alont couldn’t give up. He had to warn them. “I have information about a terrorist organization that is planning to damage your University, or worse. My captain gave me the information on Searcher Wystl’s current mission. She may be in danger, too.”

Just then, a large door opened at the side of the lobby and a distinguished-looking scientist walked through. He walked directly up to Alont. “I’m Dr. Reggiald. Did I hear you say Wystl may be in danger?”

Washington, D.C.:

Martle’s phone vibrated, once again indicating Network business. As he picked up the small device, he hoped to hear that Interpol’s agent had been killed.

“Well?” he answered with anticipation.

“General, our mercenary and Interpol’s agent were the same person! Somehow, she tricked our security people. She killed Zul and his team except for one member. And worse…”    

                   Martle cut him off. “What’s worse than that?”

“She let the man live so he could tell us that she’s coming after you!” Vlad explained.

Martle wasn’t worried. He had survived many battles, but he did want to live long enough to see Visen fall from power. Sitting alone in his empty office, the old general imagined the remainder of his life falling rapidly away like sand in an hour glass. Time was fleeting enough without knowing that someone was coming for you. Well, he needed help right now, but first he flipped on the audio monitor in Visen’s office. He wanted to see if he was still busy. He overheard the chancellor talking about Forge.

“That’s right, you imbecile, I meant to send Forge by himself. The girl won’t help him. She’ll do quite the opposite. She’ll need
his
help. In his current frame of mind – thanks to my help, by the way – he’ll die trying to save her from the aliens. That will be the end of the Corps’ legend. No more Dean Forge for me to worry about.”

Surprised and shocked at his luck, the general sat motionless and gazed at the now silent chancellor. He couldn’t believe his good fortune and played back the recording to make sure that it said what he thought he heard. Ever since Martle started the Network, he knew that he needed the colonel to be part of it, but Forge was as loyal as he was good at his job. The only way to get him to flip on Visen was to show him proof positive that Visen wanted him dead. Now he had the key to bring Forge into the Network, the organization that could stop Visen.

He turned off the recording and stepped to his office doorway. “Doctor Friedmark, would you come here, please?” It was time to add the good doctor to the Network’s growing list of operatives.

The gray-haired scientist peered curiously over the top of his computer screens at the highly decorated general. “Yes, general?”

“Doctor, I have something interesting I think you should see.”

With his interest sufficiently piqued, the doctor pushed up his glasses and hurried to Martle’s side. The general didn’t say anything, just motioned him into the office and locked the door.

“What I’m about to tell you could mean my life, maybe yours, maybe thousands of others. But first, I want you to watch the screen. I need your help in figuring out who the woman is that is killing my people. I have video of her as a brunette and as a blonde.”

“Of course, general, you can always count on me.”

Martel raised his eyebrows with a nod and smiled. “I was hoping you’d say that.”

A female killing machine reflected on their corneas with chilling precision, methodically murdered one man after another. There was never any doubt, no question about who would win.

With obvious shock and a dash of terror on his face, the doctor finally tore his eyes from the carnage and stared at the general. Martel didn’t fill the silence. He wanted to hear the doctor’s initial response. The moisture in Friedmark’s mouth and throat had completely dried up as he watched the assassin at work. He tried to clear his throat and opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out.

Martle wondered if he had made a mistake to think the doctor could handle such explicit gore. After all, he was a scientist, not used to bloodshed like Martle. Still, he needed the doctor’s expertise. He offered the doctor a cup of coffee. “Here, Doctor Friedmark, this may help.”

“Thank you,” he said weakly, still trying to get his voice back.

Martle decided to provide some information while the doctor finished recovering. “I’m sorry to have to show you such graphic mayhem, but I need you to tell me who she is. I need to know everything you can find on her, and I need to know quickly.”

Finally, the doctor began to analyze what he had seen and agreed with the general. “Yes. We need to know about her. She reacted to her victim’s movements nanoseconds
before
they moved! She knew what they were going to do before they reacted…and that suit she was wearing – I recognize it!

“I didn’t think it would be ready so soon. I didn’t work on it myself, but a friend of mine told me about it a year or so ago. It stretches and feels like nylon, but it’s extremely strong and has some built-in tricks. She may work for Interpol, but that armor means she has ties to the UDC, and the unusual weapon she uses will help narrow my search. Do we have any DNA to go with face recognition?”

Martle smiled triumphantly. “Actually, we do have some of her DNA on a cigarette that she lit for the person she killed and knocked through the hotel window.”

“Well, General, that mistake will cost her anonymity.” 

Chapter Ten

Alien Lunar Base:

A large alien entered Wystl’s control room with something that looked like a sack of potatoes draped across his back. With indifference, he dumped it on the floor. Sasha was next to stumble through the door, after being shoved by two more aliens.

She caught her balance and screamed in a desperate rage. “Let me take her helmet off! She needs air!”

Sasha watched the aliens’ eyes fall on Wystl for approval. Not waiting for a response, she pulled in vain toward Amy. After Wystl nodded, Sasha fell by Amy’s side and ripped the helmet from her wilted wing mate. Everyone watched as the helmet rattled noisily across the metallic floor. Sasha found a weak pulse but no breath sounds and blew air into Amy’s mouth. She watched as Amy’s chest accepted the precious oxygen. Soon, Amy was breathing on her own but remained unconscious.

Dean was glad that they were out of danger, but until the general’s pilot regained consciousness, she was a liability. Plans to escape or fight had to go on hold until she could participate.

Wystl could see the concern for Amy’s welfare on the faces of each Human and was moved. Their efforts and reactions to the Test were very close to what she would expect for a sentient race of beings that would fit well into the C.O.P. The colonel was right – even Wystl wasn’t sure what would happen if the Dimensional Shifter formed the asteroid belt into a solid ball of rock. A new planet would certainly affect gravitational synergism throughout Earth’s solar system. It might even have a subtle but negative effect on the Earth’s fragile ability to sustain life. It was time to end the Test and turn off the tactical black hole.

Wystl leaned on her intercom and spoke clearly. “Captain Aydr’n, please come to the Control Room. The Test has been terminated.”

Dean and Beth were astounded. Beth was so surprised that she grabbed the shoulder of an alien sitting at his desk to steady herself. He didn’t say anything, but he did look at her, and his grayish-green face turned slightly pink at the edges. Beth wasn’t sure if he minded, but she got the impression that he was glaring at her. She let go and mumbled, “I’m sorry.” He responded with a polite nod.

Dean pulled his thoughts together and maintained his guard. The aliens had to earn his trust.
Wystl’s “termination” could be more of the Test
. Always the good counter-puncher, he would wait and see what the aliens did next.

He glanced at his partner and raised an eyebrow when he saw her pull her hand away from one of the aliens. She noticed his questioning look, held out both her hands with the palms up and shrugged with a crooked smile. Dean mouthed the word “later,” as in when they would talk about it. Then he motioned for her to watch him by alternately pointing two fingers at her and then the same two fingers at his eyes. Beth studied him for additional information, but all he did was motion for her to keep calm. She always hated it when people told her to relax
.

Aydr’n walked in with twenty Warriors and nodded to the ones already in the Control Room. The two closest to Wystl rose from their desks and stepped quickly to her side. Before Wystl could react, one Warrior grabbed her two right arms and the other one snatched the control pad from her upper left hand.

Wystl wasn’t completely surprised and remained calm. “What do you hope to accomplish by taking my controller?”

“The better question is what I
won’t
accomplish,” Aydr’n corrected smugly.

“Congratulations,” Wystl said sarcastically. Then she became curious. “You have stolen my ship. Now that you are fugitives, how do you plan to enjoy your new-found power? Your fellow Warriors will be hunting you down like the groutin you are.”

All the Warriors began to shift uneasily and looked at Aydr’n for reassurance. He held fast. “You can’t scare us. We are strong again, no longer your servants. The Warriors for Change are many and go all the way to the top of the Warrior Caste.”

“Aydr’n, let me get this straight,” Wystl asked, unbelieving. “You have joined a band of traitors and expect to force the entire C.O.P. to do what you want?”

There was a wild look in Aydr’n’s eyes. Anger filled his voice. “That’s right. I don’t expect you to understand. You have
never
been in combat. You have
never
felt the pleasure of the kill or victory over an inferior species.”

Aydr’n was raving now. Wystl yelled to get his attention. “Captain, we have no one to fight! Don’t you understand that we become stronger by learning the answers to the universe, answers to the questions that we don’t understand? Scientists, Warriors, street wipers, it doesn’t matter. We
all
benefit from knowledge!” Then, more calmly, Wystl added, “We can’t learn from something that we’ve stomped all over.”

He wasn’t interested in what she had to say. A show of force for his Warriors was necessary and he raised a hand to slap Wystl down. Then it dawned on him that she wasn’t a bad Consortian, just misguided. He thought better of it, dropped his arm, and tried once again to explain.

“
You
are the one who doesn’t understand.” Aydr’n looked at each of his Warriors. “The wise scientist has been away from Consortia so long, she does not know that the Chn-maa have aligned themselves with a powerful foe and plan to attack Consortia.”

“What?!” Wystl cried incredulously. “I have not been away
that
long, and I would have been informed by the University if there was such a threat! Someone is playing you for a fool.”

He realized that he was wasting his time trying to convince her of anything and motioned to his Warriors. “Take her and the Humans to the cell.”

Dean thought to himself,
And then there were five prisoners
. Or, was Wystl still playing him?

Washington, D.C.:

Jonathan listened as his Interpol liaison informed him that the Swiss problem had been taken care of.

“Sir, our agent who knocked out the Network’s headquarters is a bit of a maverick. She hasn’t checked in with us since she disappeared in Zurich, presumably on her way to the United States to do more cleansing. We don’t know who she’s going after once she gets there.”

He was pleased that she took care of business in Europe, but Jonathan didn’t like unpredictable employees. Everyone needed some kind of control, whether it involved morals, ethics, or even blackmail.

“You need to reign her in,” Jonathan ordered. “I want to know who she’s after in the US.” Just as he ended the conversation, he heard yelling out in the main auditorium and stepped to his office door.

“Chancellor, General Martle, I think the Moonbeam has been turned off! The lights and colors are gone, and we’re picking up no disturbance like we were before. I think it’s over, but, of course, we’ll need to monitor for a while. Hopefully, we’ll get additional information from General Stranova’s and Colonel Forge’s teams when we make contact with them.” 

Alien Lunar Base:

Awake now, Amy found herself walking with the others and in the uncomfortable position of being surrounded by twenty aliens. She was still getting her bearings when she realized that one of the aliens was walking
with
her and wasn’t one of the guards. Her general and probably Colonel Forge’s team made up the rest of her group. At least she was alive, and if she had to be a prisoner, this was exactly who she’d pick to be incarcerated with.

But what’s up with the alien?
Amy bumped Sasha’s arm and motioned with her head at Wystl.

Sasha whispered, “It’s a long story.”

Amy nodded thoughtfully and knew she’d get her answer later.

Dean thought that he knew the answer to his question but had to be certain. “Wystl, I don’t suppose that was another toy control pad that they took from you?”

Before she could respond, the Warrior closest to Dean shoved him forward and growled, “No talking, Human.”

A deep sigh was Wystl’s only response just before they arrived at the cell. The heavy metal door creaked open and, with the exception of Wystl, the Warriors shoved everyone inside. She stepped through the opening unassisted, looked at the stark walls, and smiled at the four Humans. Beth hated the fake-looking smile and hoped that this time it meant the alien had a remedy for their situation. The door banged shut and they were alone.

“Colonel, you asked if I still had the real pad.”

“Hey, a guy has to have hope.”

Wystl sat down and retrieved a smaller version of the pad, about one third the size of the first one, from her ankle. “Hope is important, colonel, and I’m not as defenseless as Aydr’n believes. This pad was the prototype for the pad they stole. It is not as sophisticated as the larger one, but in the right hands, it can be just as useful.”

Sasha added, “Something tells me you have the right hands.”

Wystl smiled again.     

Consortia:

“That’s correct. I believe Searcher Wystl and many others are in danger.”

Dr. Reggiald stared at the young Warrior and tried to determine if he was lying. There was no body language to indicate that he was. Only determination that made him appear older than his cycles was apparent. His story seemed too fantastic for someone so young to make up.

“Come with me, Warrior. We need to sort this out.”

The guard stood up and challenged the doctor. “Sir, you know that I can’t allow outsiders beyond the entrance after hours.”

Reggiald knew the rules. He knew all of them because he wrote them.

“Evil doesn’t always show its face during regular hours,” he said sternly to the guard and pointed at Alont. “This Warrior is trying to help us, and you’re going to make an exception because common sense must prevail. File a grievance if you like.”

The guard was used to the University’s eccentric scientists rewriting the rules whenever it suited their needs, and over the cycles, he had learned to pick his battles carefully. He wasn’t certain, but he was pretty sure that battling the senior scientist before him would be a serious mistake.

He let the look of resolve on his face crack into an acquiescent smile. “Well Doctor, we can’t let evil get a foothold. I’ll just need the Warrior to sign in, and then you can proceed.”

They went through the door that Reggiald originally came out of and entered a long hallway. Numerous doorways lined each side and were spaced about every ten meters. After the fourth or fifth door, the doctor entered an office on the left and motioned for Alont to follow. They sat down at the conference table at the center of the room. Alont set the micro pouch on its smooth, wooden surface. Reggiald watched as the Warrior turned on the display. A three-dimensional hologram of Captain Aydr’n glowed up from the pouch and began to speak.

“Friends, by now I have taken my ship back from the inept scientist who was corrupting it. I am ready to serve you in our cause so that we can step out from under the University’s shadow and stand as true Warriors. Never again will we serve its docile scientists. We will take what we want from inferior species and not be polluted by their degenerate cultures.”

Reggiald leaned forward and paused the recording. “Your captain sounds deluded. Does he always rant like that?”

Alont hadn’t seen this side of his captain and didn’t know what to think. “No, sir. He normally speaks well, calmly, and makes sense.”

Reggiald sighed and started the recording again. The captain continued his monologue. “Once you are ready, I request that you let me know where and when to join you in your push to correct the Senate’s misjudgment. Until then, I stand ready.” The display shrunk back into the pouch.

“They plan to force the government to change their policy concerning the Warrior Caste,” Reggiald summarized. “But we don’t know who, what, where, when, or how. You haven’t given me much to work with.”

Alont had hoped that there would be more details in Aydr’n’s message, and then he remembered his brush with death when he arrived on Consortia.

“Doctor Reggiald, there were three Consortians who tried to force me to give them the micro pouch. The port should have a security record of them.”

“Yes!” Reggiald exclaimed. “Their actions should leave no doubt to anyone that you are telling the truth, and we’ll be able to see who’s behind this.”