Ep.#1 - "Escalation" (The Frontiers Saga: Rogue Castes) (26 page)

“Then just send one to deliver the message,” the commander suggested.

Admiral Galiardi looked at the commander.

“The president only told you to warn the Jung before firing on them. He didn’t say to do it with
all
the ships.”

* * *

Marcus and Neli bounced along in the dirt road, a trail of dust wafting behind them. The old, open, flatbed hauler shook and rattled, s
ounding like it was about to fall apart at any moment.

“Are you sure this thing is gonna make it there and back?” Neli wondered nervously.

“These old haulers never die,” Marcus insisted. “You just gotta take care of them.”

“That’s why I’m worried,” Neli replied, as she bounced up and down in her seat. “This thing has been sitting for God
knows
how long.”

“Her reactor’s not even half used up, so we’ll be fine. Besides, I know these things like the back of my hand. If something breaks, I can fix it.”

Marcus swerved to miss a hole in the road, causing Neli to nearly fall out of the vehicle.

“I still don’t know why we’re wasting time driving into town!” she cried out, clinging desperately to the side of the open cab. “We’ve only left port a few hours ago. Does Connor really think anything will have changed since then?”

“Would you rather be helpin’ them drag wreckage over to help hide the ship?” Marcus asked.

“We shouldn’t be
hiding
her at all! We shouldn’t even
be
here! Especially if the Jung are looking for us. We should be jumping toward the outer rim, and beyond.”

Marcus shook his head. “The captain’s right, Neli. Jumping out into the unknown with limited resources is just asking for disaster.”

“And staying here isn’t?” Neli replied, frustrated. “Why the hell do you trust Connor so much?”

“Cuz it’s his ship.”

“Come on, Marcus. Haven’t you ever wanted to just tell Tuplo to shove it, and take the Seiiki for yourself?”

Marcus shot a disapproving look Neli’s way. “I’m gonna pretend you didn’t say that.”

“Oh, don’t go all
loyal crewman
on me, Marcus. I know you’ve got a dishonorable streak in you. That’s what I like about you.”

“I’m not kidding, Neli.”

“You’re honestly going to sit there and tell me that the thought of mutiny has never crossed your mind? Not even once?”

“Never.”

“Well, I don’t believe you. Nobody’s that stupid,
or
that loyal. One of these days, you’re going to find yourself agreeing with me…”

Marcus slammed on the brakes, the vehicle screeched to a stop, nearly sending Neli face first into the dashboard.

“What the hell!” Neli exclaimed.

Marcus sat still, staring straight ahead. “You’ve got three choices, woman,” he began in a low, menacing tone. “You can shut up, and never talk this way again; you can get out of the vehicle and never cross my path again…” Marcus turned to look at her. “Or I can burn you where you sit.”

“What the hell is your problem?” Neli demanded, not taking his threat seriously.

“I ain’t the one with the problem, you are. Choose.”

“You can’t be serious…”

“Crew is family, Neli. Either you’re with us, or against us…”

“Marcus, baby,” Neli cooed, “I’m only looking out for you…”

“I said choose,” Marcus demanded, his right hand moving down toward his side arm. He looked her dead in the eyes. “I ain’t askin’ again.”

Neli studied him a moment, wondering if he meant what he said. Finally she backed down. “I’m sorry, Marcus. I won’t speak of it again.”

“Promise?”

“I promise.”

Marcus squinted, unsure if he could trust her. “I’m gonna hold you to that promise,” he finally replied. “And I’ll likely not give you the luxury of a warnin’, should you go back on your word, Nel.”

“I swear, you’ll never have to, Marcus.”

“The captain is a good man, you know.”

“I know,” Neli agreed, not wanting to escalate the situation any further.

“You just don’t know him like Josh and I do.”

“I suppose not,” Neli replied. “Can we just pretend I never brought it up, Marcus?”

“I can pretend,” he responded, as he started the vehicle moving again. “But I ain’t forgettin’. Best you remember that.”

* * *

Doran helped his wife out of the wine barrel, while he was still drenched in the foul smelling, burgundy fluid.

“I look like a sun-dried garant,” she said in despair, looking a
t her wrinkled maroon hands.

“It will wash off, I promise you,” Dumar’s daughter said, as she helped the woman out of the barrel. “Although, it may take some effort, I’m afraid.”

“Everyone! We have cabins ready for you all!” Rorik announced from the roadway behind the truck. “And hot showers, soap, scrub brushes… Oh, and dry clothing and hot food, as well. Please, if you’ll all just follow me.”

Dumar checked baby Ailsa, who was still asleep in her mother’s arms. “She is still sleeping,” he assured Lael. “She will be fine.” Dumar closed his eyes a moment. It had pained him greatly to put the infant and her mother through such an ordeal. “I am sorry, but there was no other way.”

“I know,” Lael replied, almost too exhausted to speak. She placed her free hand on Dumar’s arm to comfort the old man. “Better that she does not remember such horrors. I only wish I could have slept through it, as well.”

“My daughter, Kyla, will help you,” Dumar assured her. “She has babies of her own, and clean clothing for both you and your child.” Dumar looked at the sleeping infant again. “What is her name?”

“Ailsa,” Lael replied.

Dumar looked at the child for a moment, then turned to his daughter. “Kyla, help her.”

Kyla moved closer and reached out for the baby. “Give her to me,” she offered. “I will hold her for you, while you climb down.”

Lael looked at Kyla, unsure if she could be trusted with the one thing that meant more to her than her own life. She then looked at Dumar, the man who had risked so much to smuggle them all out of Aitkenna. The old man nodded his encouragement, and Lael gave in, handing her baby to Kyla. “Thank you,” she said, as she started to climb down from the back of the truck.

Doran embraced his wife as he helped her down out of the back of the truck. “Go, get cleaned up,” he whispered. “I will join you shortly.” He looked beyond her, at their own, nearly grown children, who were already heading toward the cabins on the far side of the courtyard.

“Everyone, stay under the tree canopies at all times. It will keep you hidden from the surveillance satellites,” Dumar instructed the group. Now that everyone was out of the barrels and on the ground, Dumar jumped down out of the back of the truck, joining Doran, Yanni, Michi, and Tori, who were all waiting for him.

“Travon, we must talk,” Doran said.

“Yes, yes. All in due time,” Dumar promised, gesturing toward the cabins. “But first, we must get you cleaned up. If the Jung were to show up unannounced, your coloring would likely raise suspicion.”

“No, this cannot wait.”

“What is it?” Dumar asked, noticing the determination on Doran’s face.

“I could not risk communicating this over the public nets,” Doran began, “not even in code. In all the chaos, we were forced to leave something behind. Something of immeasurable value… In the Ranni labs.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Something of great importance, Travon. Something that could even change the course of humanity.”

Travon was beginning to suspect that the ordeal was causing his old friend to overdramatize things a bit, but decided to humor him for the moment. “Sounds like something we should not let fall into Jung hands, then.”

“That is an understatement.”

“Then we shall find a way to destroy it, before the Jung learn of its existence,” he assured him. “Do not worry, my friend.” Dumar placed his hand on Doran’s shoulder. “Now, let’s get you cleaned up, and get some hot food into you.”

“We cannot allow it to be destroyed,” Doran insisted, pushing Travon’s hand aside, irritated that the admiral was not taking him seriously. “Nor can we let it fall into Jung hands. We must go back for it.”

“Doran,” the admiral began, looking at him with sympathetic eyes. “Sooner or later, you’re going to have to tell me what this
something
is.”

Doran looked at the ground for a moment, then at doctors Sato and Megel. “Is it not enough that
I
am telling you that it is important?”

“Normally, yes. But these are abnormal times, Doran.”

Doran again looked at the ground, as if he were ashamed to look the admiral in the eyes. “I would be putting your life at great risk, Travon.”

“More risk than smuggling you out of an enemy-held city, only a day after its capture?” Travon wondered.

Doran looked at Michi and Tori again.

Travon exchanged a glance with Yanni, who looked as confused as he did.

“Don’t look at me,” Yanni replied. “I don’t know what the hell they’re talking about. I was in data technology. They’re in bio-med.”

“He will learn the truth, sooner or later,” Doctor Megel said.

“We were conducting a research project,” Doctor Sato blurted out.

“Michi,” Doctor Megel scolded.

“He deserves to be told the truth, Tori.” She looked at Doran.

“What
kind
of project?” Travon asked, becoming curious.

“Cloning,” Michi replied.

Travon raised his brow suspiciously. “Cloning is not permitted by Corinairan law. In fact, most Corinairans, if not all, consider it immoral.”

“We are not Corinairan,” Michi replied.

“I see.” Dumar thought for a moment. Then it hit him. “You two are from Nifelm, aren’t you?”

“We are,” Michi replied.

A terrible thought crossed Travon’s mind. “And what, exactly, were you cloning?”

“Not what,” Doran corrected, “whom.”

“
Whom
, then?” Travon inquired, growing impatient, while at the same time, fearing the answer. At first, no one spoke up. Instead Michi, Tori, and Doran, all looked at each other.

Finally, Doran answered. “Nathan Scott.”

Travon took a step backwards in shock. “My God…” The implications of their actions hit him, causing him to nearly stumble. He leaned against the back of the truck, needing something to steady himself. “Do you realize the risk you are taking?”

“Admiral…” Doran pleaded.

“And you, Doran. You violated a direct order…”

“I did not,” Doran argued. “I was never given such an order. Not by you, or anyone else.”

“Don’t give me that crap,” Travon said. “You knew damn well… If the Jung discover that Nathan is alive…”

“We could not let him die, Travon…”

“He
knew
what he was doing when he sacrificed himself, Doran! We all knew! He knew, and he was
willing…
” Travon turned away in anger. “Damn it!” He spun back around, as a realization hit him. “It was Nash, wasn’t it? That brash young woman! And no doubt Telles had a hand in it. Ghatazhak logic, my ass!”

“Nathan was set up, Travon! When you gave him that mission, you knew
damn
well that he would likely not return! That
all
of them would likely not return!”

“I had no way of knowing…”

“Is that what you tell yourself?” Doran replied, cutting Travon off mid sentence. “Is that how you sleep at night? Bacca walked him right into a trap, and you saw it coming! At the very least, you suspected it! That’s why you went to see Captain Scott the night before! Look me in the eye and tell me I’m wrong!”

“It was not my call!” Travon shouted at the top of his lungs, pain in his voice as he recalled the memories that had been buried so deeply in his mind for more than seven years. “It was his, and his alone!” Travon turned away again for a moment, in obvious anguish, then turned back to look at Doran. “Don’t you see? Nathan suspected that it was a trap as well, but he
knew
he had to go. He
knew
it was his destiny to save the Earth…to save us all.”

Doran moved a step closer to his old friend, and commander, putting his hand on the admiral’s shoulder. “That’s why we did it, Travon. Because it
is
his destiny to save us all.”

Travon laughed mockingly. “If you start calling him Na-tan again, I swear…”

“Na-Tan, destiny, fate… Call him whatever you like,” Doran said. “You knew it
then
, and you
know
it now.” Doran shook his head. “None of us would be alive were it not for him. This very world we stand on… It would be no more than a scorched, lifeless rock, were it not for him. We could not leave him behind, just as
he
would not leave us. Not then, not now…not ever.”

Dumar sighed. “We will likely die trying to save him, Doran.”

“I am willing to take that chance, as are the others. The question is, are you?”

Dumar looked at Doran and the others, then gazed off into the distance beyond them. The forest, the lake, and the mountains beyond. He had known war, pain and suffering, for more than two hundred years. But for the last five of those years, he had known peace, which was something he had never expected to experience in his lifetime. And now, it was all about to end.

“Is this clone even alive?” Travon wondered, looking for an excuse to drop the plan.

“The body is fully matured, and ready to receive Captain Scott’s consciousness
and
memories.”

“You can do that?” Travon questioned, finding it difficult to believe. “Just flip a switch, and bring him back to life?”

“In a manner of speaking, yes,” Doctor Megel replied.

“And that will work? We will have Nathan back?”

“We
believe
that
this
time, it will.”

“This time?” Travon looked at Doran.

Doran took a deep breath and sighed. “It is……complicated.”

* * *

The combat jump shuttle swooped in low over the Lawrence spaceport, coming to a hover on the apron in front of the Ghatazhak facility on the far side of the field. As it descended the last few meters
to the surface, its side door slid open, and Jessica jumped the last meter to the ground, unwilling to wait for the ship to land.