Clouds of Tyranny (5 page)

“Locke, I expected you yesterday. Thought
you were dead till the scouts said you emerged from the tunnel just
a short while ago.” “Yeah,” Locke retorted, “Smith, this is
Terra…your welcome, by the way,” said Locke sarcastically. They
didn’t seem to like each other, noticed Terra, possibly father and
son. “Hello,” she said extending a hand. “Pleasure, miss Terra,” he
said with a slightly curved accent (possibly Cuban) as he shook her
hand and did a slight, very slight, head bow keeping his eyes on
her as he did so. Locke watched them both, then exclaimed, “I’ll do
a spy check.” Smith nodded at Locke without making any actual eye
contact.

Smith looked into Terra’s eyes very intently
seeing fear and depression. “You have no need for fear here young
lady,” said Smith reassuringly as he smiled like a father to a
child, “…you look so much like Rina, it’s baffling.” Terra gasped,
“You…knew my mother?” “Yes, she was a wonderful woman. And
powerful.” “I don’t understand.” Terra looked at Smith puzzled,
then looked around for Locke and saw him about fifty yards along
the wall peering over it as he climbed the wall. Locke leaped off
and began walking toward them. When Smith looked to Locke, Locke
nodded assuring Smith all was clear. “Lets talk inside,” said Smith
as he turned around to the wall and placed his palm on its surface.
The stone surface beneath his hand began to glow a bright yellow
and the brick he was touching sank forward into the ones
surrounding it and the large bricks began parting and inserting
into each other. Terra was in awe over the vanishing and rotating
stone pieces; this was the most high-tech display she had ever
seen. After several seconds, there was a gaping hole in place of
where stone once stood. Smith stepped aside and swung his arm
toward the door wanting Terra to enter. Locke was now at her side;
she looked to him. “Its okay,” whispered Locke sincerely and
gently.

Smith analyzed the mannerisms between the
two: what went on? He looked to Locke after Terra entered,
expecting some kind of explanation. Locke just stared intently at
Smith, “I’ll head up the rear.” Smith entered as Locke took a last
look in every direction then entered backwards as the stones slowly
shut behind him blotting out the light behind them. Terra and Smith
walked side-by-side down the long dark corridor that was lit by a
single lantern every fifteen feet on the ceiling. “Don’t trust
him?” said Smith without any provocation. “Who?” questioned Terra.
Smith looked at Terra raising a bushy tan eyebrow and curling his
lips. “He has a habit of getting involved with his missions. Not to
mention the maids and errand girls here.” “Oh…” “Just watch
yourself.” Terra stopped and Smith felt her ceased movement and
turned to face here. Locke was now catching up to them. Terra’s
eyes were slanted and her brows were sharp, “I am in a strange dark
place standing in front of a man that made a stone wall, a
landmark, vanish by touching it. On the other hand, Locke risked
his life to save mine. This man is the only person in the world I
trust. You knowing my mother’s name wont change that.” Locke was
standing behind Terra, not knowing what prompted this defensive
argument on his behalf. Locke gave Smith an annoyed look, a look
Smith had undoubtedly seen numerous times. “Way to make her feel
welcome,” said Locke as he placed his hand on her back, “come on
Terra, there are nicer people inside.” As they walked past Smith,
Locke purposely slammed his left shoulder into Smith’s right arm
pushing him back. They walked as now Smith trailed behind,
unpleased with himself.

“So, this is ‘HQ’,” questioned Terra.
“Yeah,” sighed Locke. After several minutes of venturing down the
corridor, which looked as if it was a never ending stream of
singular lanterns and bricks; Terra swore that she actually saw the
same stain on the walls every few feet, they came to a set of
wooden double-doors. Locke hammered his fist against the large
doors sending a repeated banging echoing through the hall. The slot
in the door opened; through it, two beady little eyes with the look
of no aging, a young man maybe. “Locke! What’s the word?” said the
boy. “The word of the day is ‘Rapier’,” said Locke mechanically
like he was signaling for something. The slot slammed shut and the
doors swung open. “Password?” said Terra. “Yep.” “But, if they know
you why do they need one?” Terra asked confused. “Think about it: I
get captured, tortured, and forced to bring the Empire here and
they use me to get inside and eliminate their threat or ‘rodents’
as they call us.” “Ah, so you say a different word and BOOM!
Returners run out to save you?” “Something like that, yes. For the
record, the distress word is ‘feline’. Got it?” “Mmmhmm.” Locke
walked through the doors as Terra followed. Terra’s mouth stood
agape as she looked upon the ‘lair de Returners’.

The large room houses a dozen tables ten
feet in length, empty except a few tough-looking men sitting and
eating some kind of lumpy soup-like substance. She looked around
the room seeing a kitchen in the far back with three people moving
about doing various jobs: one looking into the cupboards as another
marked things down on a checklist while the third was stirring a
large pot on the stove that was larger than the cook herself. Terra
looked along the right wall and saw three doorless entryways no
doubt leading to more rooms or the like. On the left wall was a
single door marked ‘Returners’. Next to the door laid an all black
German shepherd on his side; he pick his head up from the ground
and glanced at Terra for a second and then dropped his head back
down and sighed as his jowls vibrated. Terra felt claustrophobic as
she looked up at the ceiling that barely hung above seven feet. A
young girl, about thirteen years old with blonde pigtails and
dirty, faded pink dress, was running toward her. Locke stepped
forward and lowered to his knees as the girl ran into his arms
giving him a big hug. “Uncle Locke,” said the pretty little girl,
“Your back!” “That’s right,” said Locke as he stood to his feet
smiling down at the little girl, “This is my new friend, Terra.”
“Hi,” said the girl cheerily, “I’m Sandy.” Terra bent her body at
the waist and looked at the girl, “Hello Sandy, nice to meet you.”
Locke smiled, almost, and then questioned, ”Anything interesting
happen in my absence?” “mmmmm, nope! Welcome home uncle Locke…gotta
go! Bye.” She ran off and into the right doorless entryway and
disappeared. “You gonna show me around?” asked Terra. “Right, come
on.”

Locke started walking
through the middle of the room toward the back and through the
tables as he introduced her to the men eating. “Terra, these are
some of our soldiers,” began Locke as he pointed at the men as he
spoke their names in order from left to right, “Chuck; an
explosives expert.” Chuck nodded hello with a full mouth of mush.
Terra could only see Chuck’s Torso, but could tell he was a very
short and stalky man; not the type to be in a hand-to-hand fight,
so explosives fit. He wore a tanish tank top with food and
gunpowder stains all over it. His face was messy with food around
his mouth like a toddler eating spare ribs and his long, six-inch
goatee even had food in it, as did his stubble-covered head.
How do you get food on the top of your
head?
Thought Terra. “Lars; one of our
best spies…spent a lot of time within the Empire’s walls.” Lars
looked at Terra and grinned respectfully; Lars was sitting up
straight with great posture. Though he was sitting, it was obvious
he was a tall lanky man and cared about the way he looked. Lars was
clean shaved with his hair combed neatly and his dress shirt, with
rolled up cuffs, was sparkling in comparison to the two on either
side of him. “Tomorrow we’re gonna post flyers so everyone knows my
secret, right Locke?” said Lars sarcastically at Locke but not in a
friendly way. “Alright,” Said Locke apologetically. “And this,”
continued Locke, “is Pearl.” Terra gasped for a moment,
A girl?
She thought;
Pearl didn’t look like a girl with her hair that was shorter than
Lockes and a very seasoned face, no makeup or even a hint of
bathing regularly. Pearl was smoking a rolled cigarette as the
introductions were made; when her name came up she rose to her
feet; six feet tall with very short white hair. She was obviously a
fan of rings: a ring sat on five or her ten fingers (three on the
right and two on the left). She wore a big long-sleeved shirt to
cover her female figure, which was immaculate. Pearl seem very
manly, but very beautiful eyes noticed Terra; light blue like the
cleanest sapphires. She looked at Terra sternly, “Pleasure.
Lieutenant Pearl Vanhearse. I shall teach you all you require, Said
Pearl loudly from her diaphragm making Terra move back a step at
her intensity “Uhh, actually Pearl, she isn’t a new soldier
exactly.” Pearl seemed disappointed, “Very well,” she said as she
sat back down and finished her cigarette. “This is Terra, guys.”
The three soldiers grunted as Locke dragged Terra toward the
kitchen, “Pearl is the toughest woman I know, so watch your tone
with her,” said Locke quietly as to not let Pearl hear. “Kay,” said
Terra.

Once in the kitchen, Terra
could smell various things; delicious bread of various flavors from
the coal oven that looked to be older than her. The three cooks
didn’t stop working at her entrance. Locke leaded her through the
kitchen and past the big pot of mush that the soldiers were eating;
they were eating it cold and that made it smell not so bad, but now
it smelled like rotting hare and week old tomato sauce. She turned
her head in displeasure and followed Locke to the head cook who was
now mixing something in a bowl that looked like melted pistachios,
but probably wasn’t. She turned at the aura of someone behind her;
she was a short elderly woman of oriental origin with straw-like
black hair down to the small of her back. “This is Wisco, anything
you need, she’ll make.” Wisco reached in her pocket and pulled out
a small case, opened it and removed her tiny glasses that were
curved on the bottom and straight on top. She put them on and
looked at Terra and shook her hand with both of her palms wrapped
around Terra’s right hand, “Preez to mreet you.” “You to, “ said
Terra sincerely, “my name is Terra.” “Rike tha pwanet?” “Mmhmm,
exactly.” Locke put his left hand between Terra’s shoulder blades
as he pointed to the other two cooks, “And this is Carl and Ed.”
“Hello,” they both said in unison. “Hi,” responded Terra noticing
that they were exactly alike; twins. Locke proceeded to push Terra
out of the kitchen and once in the dining room he saw Smith making
his way toward them. “Dammit,” said Locke, not even trying to hide
his thoughts of discontent for Smith. “Locke!” yelled Smith from
across the room, “Bring her to my chambers after you show her the
dormitory.” “Sure!” yelled Locke back at him, then leaned into
Terra, “Your gonna eat and relax first, of course,” whispered
Locke. She smiled, “Thank you.” They proceeded through the left
entryway hole and into a large room with walls lined with jars and
tiny boxes. There are eight empty cots with a large sink in the
back with a large box of yellow gloves protruding out of it. Only
one other person was in this room; a skinny middle-aged man in
scrubs. “This is the medical room for the injured or sick,”
explained Locke, “or as Smith would say: ‘The infirmary’,” said
Locke imitating Smith’s deep, accented voice. Terra giggled quietly
to herself, then walked into the infirmary towards a middle-aged
man with a handlebar mustache wearing scrubs; she was getting more
comfortable as the tour went on. “Hello,” she said as she extended
a hand, “I’m Terra.” “Maam. My name is Dominic but every just calls
me ‘Doc’ for obvious reasons. I apologize for the absence of my
nurses; Bridget and Helena.” She looked over at Locke and grinned,
“I know
you’re
disappointed. Helena wont shut up about you since…you know.”
Locke rubbed the back of his neck, “Damn. I was hoping the breakup
would be clean and we could just go back to before.” Terra looked
behind her at Locke, “What happened?” she asked. “Well, she wanted
me to give up being a soldier.” “Ah,” said Terra understandingly.
“Anyway,” said Locke, “I’ll show you the woman’s dorm.” “Kay, “ she
said, “See ya Doc.” The doc smiled and waved goodbye.

They were back in the
dining area again and they walked past the middle doorway, “That
leads to the training area and the supply room,” said Locke as they
entered the right door. As they walked down the hallway leading to
the dorms Terra noticed art along the walls: towns, castles,
scenery, water colored persons, and animals. Terra stopped to look
at beautiful picture of a town with green grasses, flowers, and
children having fun with one another. “This is beautiful. What’s
this supposed to be?” she asked looking at Locke who also stopped.
“That’s Sangrohl. Three years ago. Come on, Terra,” he said without
looking to the picture. Halfway down the hall was a wooden door; a
man emerged from it and walked toward Terra and Locke and smiled at
the sight of Locke, “Hey man! Just getting some grub. What’s out
there?” asked the young fit boy. “Rabbit bisque,” answered
Locke.
That’s what that was,
thought Terra. “Yippee,” joked the boy
sarcastically. They passed the door he came out of and Locke
instructed, “That room is off limits to women; the men’s dorm.” She
nodded as Locke looked at her for confirmation of her
compliance.

At the end of the hallway
stood a wooden door with red painting in the shape of a
lioness,
Women’s room,
thought Terra. Locke knocked loudly on the door and yelled,
“Man entering!” “Clear!” yelled a voice from within. Locke pushed
upon the door for Terra as she entered first; inside were thirty
bunk beds making its capacity sixty. Each bed had a different
colored blanket and various items on the bed tops. The walls were
made up of cupboards and closets for storage. In the room, there
were only about a dozen girls in attendance; mostly little girls
that were too young to work or be of any use. “Come on, there’s
someone I want you to meet,” said Locke as he walked to the
opposing side of the large room. They walked along the shiny tile
floor and Terra realized that everyone’s possessions were atop
their beds because the floor was cleaned recently. A young girl,
about fifteen years of age was sitting on her bed reading a book.
She looked up from reading as Terra and Locke approached; she
creased the top corner of the right page, closed it, and placed it
on her pillow and stood up to greet Terra. She was a petite girl,
not more than five and a half feet with shoes on and a hundred
pounds soaking wet. She had straight mandarin hair hanging at ear
level, bright green eyes, rosy lips, smooth clean skin, and dressed
in dark green knee-length shorts, gray tank top, athletic sneakers,
black fingerless leather gloves, and a blue bandana tied around her
right bicep in a double knot (much like the one Locke wore on his
head, in fact exactly like Locke’s). Terra thought back to everyone
she had met thus far; everyone had a blue bandana whether it be
hanging out of their pocket or tied to a body part.