Command Decision (Project Gliese 581g #1) (10 page)

Chapter 9

Josh pushed up and weakly crawled out of the emergency pod. His head was spinning and he felt disoriented. He gripped the sides when his knees gave out under him. The fact that he was still wearing the bottom half of his space suit didn’t help.

He glanced at the woman when she grabbed his arm to steady him. She looked like a human, at least in the dark. Pushing upward, he was relieved to feel some of the weakness fade.

“We need to leave,” the woman said again, looking around the woods with a frown. “There are beasts in the forest that are dangerous. We need to return to the vineyard.”

“I have to get out of this suit,” Josh muttered, reaching for the bottom section.

“Just hurry,” the woman said with an anxious tone, turning to place the long board and knife that she was holding in the compartment under the seat of a strange looking vehicle.

Josh released the bottom half of the suit and let it drop to the ground. Right now, his legs felt like spaghetti and it was taking everything inside him to remain in an upright position. He grunted when he stumbled. The material was bunched around his ankles. In space, it would have been easy to free his legs, he would have just floated out of it.

It took a moment for him to realize that the tight cuffs at the bottom were part of the problem. Bending, he pulled the straps on them free, loosening the material so that he could step onto the soft, moist leaf-covered ground. A grimace of distaste flashed across his face as the moisture seeped through his socks.

“We need to go now,” the woman said, pulling on his arm as she stared behind them in growing alarm.

Josh glanced over his shoulder and nodded. He stumbled after her to the unusual looking device that looked like a motorcycle without wheels. She grabbed a helmet off of the seat, placed it over her head, and quickly slid onto the bike. He climbed onto the back and gripped the edge of the seat.

“Hold on,” she instructed.

“I am,” he mumbled.

Josh glanced over his shoulder again just as a dark shape with yellow glowing eyes broke through the thick woods on the other side of the emergency pod. His eyes widened when the large, hairy beast snorted at them. The creature was at least ten feet tall at the shoulders and coated in a thick, gray fur.

He returned his gaze to the front. His hands and thighs instinctively gripped the vehicle as it shot forward. Everything blurred in the darkness. He didn’t know how the woman knew where she was going, much less avoided the tall trees as they sped through the forest at a neck-breaking speed. He was just thankful she could when he heard the loud crash behind him.

Josh’s fuzzy mind spun as he tried to piece together what happened. The last thing he remembered was being ejected into space after the Gliese had passed through the gateway. The ship was breaking apart and he needed to get into an emergency pod. He had loaded the pods containing the rest of the crew.

He turned his gaze immediately back toward the way they had come. Where were the others? Had they survived? If so, had they landed on the same planet?

“Where is Tesla Terra located?” Josh asked.

The woman didn’t respond. Josh wasn’t sure she could hear him and didn’t bother repeating his question. All he could do was hang on and try to figure out where in the hell he was and what he was going to do.

*.*.*

A short time later, he felt the woman slow the vehicle. He could see a strange fence in front of them. Dark red beams stretched between the poles. He sat back when the woman moved. His gaze followed her hand as she pulled a small device out of her pocket and pointed it at the fence. A section of the light disappeared.

His fingers tightened on the side grips embedded in the seat when she moved slowly forward. Once they were on the other side, she did the same thing before pocketing the device. Unable to keep his curiosity at bay any longer, he leaned forward until his mouth was near her ear.

“Where are we?” He asked in a quiet voice.

She briefly glanced over her shoulder, but he couldn’t see her face because of the helmet. “My home,” she replied in a terse tone before turning around to face the front again.

Josh’s gaze swept over the dark rows as they moved silently down the wide road that separated the fields. He quickly looked behind him again when he heard a loud roar and the sound of something hissing. The yellow eyes of the beast from the forest gazed back at him for a moment. The creature snorted before turning and disappearing back into the thick trees.

“It cannot get through the fence,” the woman said.

“What is it?” Josh asked, turning back to sit straight in his seat again.

“It is a Tusku,” she replied with a shrug. “They are nocturnal and very territorial.”

Josh didn’t respond. He was too busy trying to absorb the fact that he was not only alive, but on an alien planet somewhere out in the universe. Swallowing, it suddenly dawned on him that if he had survived, the others may have as well.

“Were there any other emergency pods?” He asked, leaning forward.

The woman shook her head. “No, your pod was the only one I saw,” she stated.

Josh sat back and pressed his lips together. In the distance, he saw several dome-shaped buildings illuminated by the moonlight. Several minutes later, the woman pulled the strange vehicle into one that was set a short distance from the others.

He slid off after she had powered it down. Turning in a slow circle, his gaze took in everything. He finished his rotation, staring at the woman under the dim light inside the building. His breath caught in his throat when she removed the helmet to reveal dark brown luminous eyes that stared at him with a wary expression.

“Who are you?” He asked in a gruff voice.

She stared at him for several long seconds, her gaze moving slowly down him as if she was trying to understand who and what he was. Her gaze finally returned to his face. A slight frown creased her brow. Her lips pursed together before she released a frustrated sigh. Turning, she walked over to a small shelf and carefully placed the helmet before pivoting to look at him again.

“I am Cassa de Rola. You are in my family’s vineyard. Who are you? Are you a Legion soldier?” She demanded, crossing her arms and lifting her chin in defiance.

Josh frowned and shook his head. “No,” he started to say before pressing his lips together and turning his head to stare at the strange vehicle that sat several inches off the ground, as if suspended in the air. Releasing a tired breath, he ran his hand through his hair. “I don’t know anything about the Legion. My name is Joshua Manson. My… ship was destroyed. I wasn’t alone. There were others with me. I need to find them.”

Cassa stared at him with a suspicious expression before she finally dropped her arms to her sides. She seemed to be arguing with herself before she released an exasperated huff. Josh’s lips twitched at her look of irritation.

“I did not see any other containers such as yours falling from the sky. It is possible I missed them. I will bring you out some clothes and food. You can sleep in the back room. There is a cot and a bathroom back there. In the morning, I will see if my father can send some of the men out to search for your companions. They may have landed on the other side of the mountains,” Cassa stated. “Wait here. I will return in a few minutes.”

Josh nodded and watched as Cassa gingerly stepped around him and disappeared up a short set of steps. He turned when she was out of sight and began searching the interior area of the shed looking for clues as to where in the hell he might have landed. Moving from shelf to shelf, he picked up objects that were alien, yet familiar. Frustrated when he didn’t find anything that looked like a weapon, he turned and stood in silence. He frowned down at the vehicle from earlier.

Stepping closer to it, he ran his hand along the seat. He jumped when his fingers slid across a button and a section of the side opened. Inside was a long metal shape that looked suspiciously like a rifle. Lifting it out, he turned it over in his hands. He was about to raise it to his shoulder when he heard the sound of footsteps on the gravel outside. Replacing the weapon, he silently closed the compartment and stepped away as Cassa appeared at the top of the stairs.

“I brought you some of my brother’s clothing,” Cassa said as she stepped down the last step. “You and Pack are about the same size. I’ve also brought you some meat, bread, cheese, and wine. I did not want to wake my father or my little brother, so it will have to do for tonight.”

Josh stepped forward and carefully took the items from her with a slight nod of his head. Now that there was light, he could see the faint markings along her brow and down along her left cheek. The small spots highlighted her long dark hair and eyes.

“Thank you,” Josh said, glancing down at the clothing and food before looking up at her again. “Thank you for your help.”

Cassa gave him a strained smile before turning to look out the doorway. “I must return to the house. We can talk more in the morning,” she replied. “My father will know what to do to help you find your friends. I just hope….”

Josh gripped the food and clothing in his left hand and reached out with his right when she stopped talking and turned partially away from him. He had caught the faint look of worry in her eyes.

“You just hope… what?” He quietly asked.

Cassa turned her head so that she could stare him in the eye. “I just hope you are telling the truth about not being with the Legion. I should have asked if they are looking for you. We are a small vineyard. It is just my father, little brother, myself, and a handful of workers from the village. The last thing we need is trouble with the Legion forces.”

Josh shook his head and dropped his hand. “I’ve never heard of the Legion, so I seriously doubt they are looking for me. My friends and I are not a threat to anyone,” he promised, taking a step back.

Cassa studied him for several long seconds again before she nodded. He watched as she turned to leave again. She paused to look back at him with a bewildered expression before she shook her head and disappeared into the night. He waited until he couldn’t hear her footsteps any longer before he set the items she gave him down on the counter.

Unwrapping the food, he picked up a piece of the meat. It was dark brown with swirls of white through it. He sniffed it before taking a bite. He was surprised by the rich flavor and quickly ate more. He finished the meat and several pieces of cheese, washing it down with some of the smooth, dry wine that was in the flask.

Walking back to the vehicle, he opened the compartment and pulled out the rifle, weighing it in his hands and exploring it. He spent the next thirty minutes learning what each of the buttons on the land skid did. He received a surprise bonus when the thick, leather seat opened and he found an abundance of sharp knives inside.

“This might come in handy,” he murmured, pulling a smaller blade out and studying it.

Rising to his feet, he stretched. His gaze moved to the pile of clothing and the pair of boots sitting on the counter. Deciding he would not only feel better, but smell better as well, he picked up the items and walked down the small hallway to the back of the building. At the end, there was an open door. Inside, he could see a long, narrow cot and another room that looked like a bathroom. Stepping inside, he turned and glanced to see if there was a door. A lighted panel next to the doorway drew his attention. He reached out the hand holding the boots. The sound of the door sliding shut behind him made him jump and mutter a small curse. With a shake of his head, he stepped away from the door and walked around the room.

“Where the hell am I?” He muttered, dropping the clothing on the bed and placing the boots next to it. Looking out the small, narrow window, he couldn’t help but take a step closer so he could look up at the trio of moons. “Better yet, where in the hell are the others?” He whispered before releasing a sigh and turning toward the bathroom.

Perhaps in the morning he’d find some answers. Right now, he would get cleaned up and explore a little more before then. Until he knew exactly where he was and what the hell to expect, he needed to be on his guard.

Chapter 10

Cassa moved quietly around the kitchen, preparing breakfast for her father, brother, and their unexpected guest. She had already been out to see the strange man this morning and invited him to come to the house for breakfast. She decided that would be a better time for her father to meet Joshua Manson.

“You are up earlier than normal,” Jemar said as he stepped into the kitchen.

“Yes,” Cassa replied, turning to place a plate of fresh fruit on the table.

“You were up late, as well,” he said, pulling the chair out and sitting down.

Cassa looked at him with a startled expression before her lips curved into a soft smile. “I thought you were sleeping,” she commented.

“Not as soundly as you thought,” her father replied with a shrug. He reached for the plate of fruit and selected several pieces before returning the plate to the center of the table. “It sounded like you took the land skid out.”

“I did,” Cassa admitted in a clipped tone, glancing up as Jesup hurried into the room with a soft apology. “Jesup….”

“Who is that?” Jesup asked, staring with wide eyes behind Cassa.

Cassa turned and nervously smoothed her hands down over the front of her dark brown tunic. Swallowing, she stared at the stranger she had found late last night with renewed apprehension. He looked different, more dangerous, dressed in Pack’s old clothing. It was ridiculous, but true.

Cassa glanced at her father when she heard his chair slide across the floor. Licking her lips, she stepped around the table so that she would be on the same side as Josh. She glanced nervously at her father. A dark frown creased Jemar’s brow as he stared back and forth between her and Josh.