Quest For Earth (8 page)

He's such a jerk. I can't believe I ever thought he was hot.

Bree leaned forward as far as her harness allowed and tapped the flexiglass as the shuttle zoomed closer. ‘There! We're home. I know it.'

‘It looks like … wilderness. Are you certain?' Kondo stepped forward and loomed over her, scowling at the scene depicted on the screen. An oval shaped field littered with damaged motor vehicles, an army tank with vines covering it, mounds of what looked like refuse and waist-high weeds.

‘Rubbish. It's a football field, or at least, it used to be.' Bree snorted. She kept her gaze fixed on one white metal post leaning crazily to the side. ‘I'm sure that's the goal post; or what's left of it.'

Curious, Kondo asked, ‘What is this football field?'

How to explain her life before she'd left Earth? ‘It's where men and women kick a ball around in a game to see who wins.'

‘Sounds like a waste of time,' Kondo drawled, making Bree long to smack his smirking face.

Biting her lip, she rested back in her seat and turned her face away. A soldier who knew nothing but war probably had never heard of the word …
‘fun'
. But for her family, football had practically been a religion; especially after Bree's eldest brother had been chosen to play college football. Tears burned at the back of her eyes and her throat clogged. What she wouldn't give to see her family one more time.

The engine stuttered.

Coughed.

Kondo slipped into the seat beside Bree and snapped orders over his shoulder for his men to strap down. The shuttle jerked sideways, then they were falling. Too terrified to scream, Bree hung onto the armrests and squeezed her eyes shut.

‘Engine is failing,' the pilot said.

No sweat, Einstein.

‘We are coming in too fast. Everyone hold on,' the pilot shouted.

Bree felt a hand close over her fist and she peeked through one slitted eye.
Kondo.
No time to make a fuss, no time to even blink. The shuttle slammed into the ground and kept rushing forward, jolting and shuddering as the pilot fought to maintain control. Bree, pitching back and forth in her seat from the shuttle's momentum, opened her eyes in time to see the wall of dirt they were heading straight for.

I never imagined I'd come home to die.

Chapter 5

The Central Fortress

When Sherise and the command team left the hospital and trooped next door into the Corporation's Headquarters, Barid was still grumbling. They stood on the marbled floor of a spacious foyer guarded by no less than six soldiers, who were well armed, judging by the weapons hanging from their belts. There were no chairs, no counters, nothing but an expanse of space leading to a set of double doors, above which a red orb glowed.

Sherise longed to ask questions about the strange man, but she sensed Rothe wouldn't impart any knowledge. Besides, she wanted to examine her odd reaction before she flagged her interest to anyone. She spared a deep wish that Bree could be with her. Had her friend located the ruins of her home? As soon as the meeting was over, she intended to fly out and join her.

The light changed to green and the doors swung silently open and Sherise shook off her ruminations about the strange man and Bree's wellbeing. She needed to concentrate on the task ahead.

Rothe led them through and began to climb the marble staircase. Silently, they followed until they'd passed three levels and arrived at another set of double doors.

They filed inside. The room was rectangular in shape and contained a long table with chairs positioned both sides. One wall of the room was made of glass and stationed along the other wall were individual tables crowded with silver containers and bottles of clear liquid. Several young girls hovered nearby, dressed in beige tunics and trousers, their hands neatly clasped before them. Facing the doors was a group of older people.

‘The Board,' Rothe announced.

‘At last,' wheezed Barid. He raised his chin and strode forward to greet them. With swift courtesy and practised diplomacy, he took charge of the meeting.

The Board consisted of a group of six men and six women, of middle to elder years and all with broad smiles wreathing their faces. They were dressed in identical white tunics and trousers, although the women's were filmy, revealing the line and pale skin-tone of their legs. They exuded excitement and pleasure at this, their first personal contact with an alien species. In fact, they gave the impression of eagerness to assist the Darkons in any and every way possible.

Sherise smiled and responded when spoken to and did her utmost to remain in the background, taking careful note of every nuance of expression and voice. Her senses told her these people appeared genuine and she relaxed enough to stroll over to the panel of windows to look down on the city below.

She wondered where the strange male was now, then frowned, hastily shoving him out of her mind as she realised everyone was moving to sit at the table.

The negotiations were about to begin.

At the far end of the table, Commander Dyrke turned his face away and Sherise saw his lips move. No doubt a message from the
Quinnie
. But then he glanced in her direction. There was a darkness dimming his aura.

Sherise's stomach rolled over.

Bad news.

***

‘I believe that went very well indeed,' pronounced Lord Barid, rubbing his hands together when they stood outside the Corporation's Headquarters waiting for their transport to arrive.

‘A pity they say they have little to offer us by way of technology,' Dyrke said.

Sherise noted his grim face and knew they shared the same concerns. ‘They will give us food and shelter and, if the
Quinnie
cannot be repaired, a place to call home.'

The Commander stared along the road, unwilling to meet her eyes.

She laid a hand on his arm, feeling the muscles bunch under her gentle touch. ‘It is a good alternative and one which will, at the very least, see our people safe.'

‘We will continue our efforts.' Dyrke swung around to face her. ‘I received a message during the meeting. The shuttle with your friend and the Relic on board has crash landed. Engine malfunction, possibly due to our collision in the Vortex. Do not fear, they are not injured.'

‘Thank the stars.' Heart thudding, Sherise gripped her hands together. ‘Have you sent a rescue team?'

‘It is on its way.'

‘Good.' She hesitated. ‘What is their ETA? If they are still far out, perhaps we could go instead?'

Dyrke stroked his chin. ‘They are some distance yet from Earth. I must return to the ship immediately, however, as the chief engineer has requested my urgent attendance.'

‘You and Barid could wait for the rescue team while I take the shuttle already here and go and pick up Bree and Kondo. It will be dark soon and what the Board have told us about the fierce Outworlders makes me uneasy. They sound extremely primitive and war-like.'

Dyrke nodded. ‘We cannot leave the damaged shuttle unguarded.'

‘I agree. Kondo can leave some of his men behind while we return to the
Quinnie
.'

The transporter rolled to a stop and Rothe trotted down the steps of the building, his soldiers two paces behind him.

‘I will escort you back to the landing zone,' he said. He brushed past and opened the transporter's door.

Sherise hid a smile and murmured to Dyrke, ‘You will have pleasant company while you wait.'

Dyrke snorted. ‘I shall pray to our goddess the wait will not be a long one.'

***

Within sectons the clamps were down and the shuttle tethered to the earth. Sherise unlocked her harness and stood, stretching out the kinks in her cramped muscles. The journey hadn't taken long, a mere two Earth hours, but she'd been filled with tension the entire time.

Outwardly composed, she moved to the side to allow the small squad of warriors file past towards the hatch. Inwardly, she shook so badly nausea rolled in her belly. The homing device had led them directly to the wreck but, despite constant messages, no one had answered.

‘Secure a perimeter. Captain, you and I will examine the damaged shuttle. Ensign, remain in the cockpit and keep your weapon at the ready.' Uncertain of what they would face, Sherise knew they had to be prepared for anything.

She stepped down from the shuttle and took a moment to survey the area. Already the bright blue of the sky was darkening. Clouds were forming too, a reminder that they knew little about the weather patterns of the planet.

But no matter in which direction she looked, she saw no one.

No dear friend.

No Relic warlord.

No crew from the fallen shuttle.

Nothing but stone, rubble and rambling dusty-green plants as tall as her shoulders. The torched shells of ancient buildings skirted the area, casting shadows deep and thick. The malevolent silence that blanketed the bleak landscape caused the hairs on her nape to stand on end.

With his plitza gun in hand and primed, the Captain strode forward, heading for where the small ship was half buried in a mound of dirt and rock as high as a two storey-building. After several frustrating moments of wrestling with the jammed lock they entered via the rear hatch.

Again, nothing. No one.

Sherise attempted to re-start the power source but it gave one lonely splutter before dying. ‘We need technicians from the
Quinnie
here. Captain send a report to Commander Dyrke immediately. Advise him of the status. I intend to check the hold again.' She squeezed past a jumble of broken seats until she found what she'd spotted when she'd first entered. A personal comms unit lying on one of only three unbroken seats.

She snatched it up and quickly activated it.

‘This is Kondo. All are safe on the ground. The foolish Earth female has run off, refusing to wait for rescue. We are heading out to retrieve her. We are unable to send or receive messages, hence I have left behind my comms. We will return here as soon as our mission is accomplished.'

Mission. She's more than a mission, you beefwit.
Sherise rubbed her aching forehead.

‘Lady.' The Captain's voice was soft as if he hesitated to interrupt her train of thought.

‘You heard?' Sherise held up the comms unit.

He nodded.

‘I suppose we should wait for them to return. Did you get through to the Commander?'

‘Negative. We cannot reach anyone.'

Sherise frowned. ‘Just like Kondo. Could our signals be jammed?'

‘It is possible.' He waited a beat before adding, ‘I would like to send out two patrols to collect more data. The Commander is keen to obtain more information on this planet.'

‘We're a little bit short of men,' Sherise pointed out drily. ‘I understand the necessity though.' Even the youngest Darkon was taught that knowledge was power. The Corporation Board had been friendly and eager but short on details on what exactly lay beyond the dome walls. It behoved them to learn as much as possible as quickly as possible about this planet. She sighed and noted how even in the short space of time since they'd landed, the shadows had lengthened. ‘Very well. But everyone must be back at the shuttle before night has fallen. If we fail to dock on the
Quinnie
on schedule, the Commander will dispatch another rescue team.'

‘Stay inside the shuttle, Lady.'

‘Go, Captain.' Sherise shooed him on his way and walked back to where their pilot was leaning out through the hatch. ‘Any luck contacting the
Quinnie
?'

‘Nothing but white noise, Lady. I will continue my efforts.' He disappeared back inside the cockpit.

Keen to continue to savour the feel of fresh air on her face, Sherise declined to join him. Instead, she paced back and forth, watching as the crew split into two teams and trotted off, scanners in hands.

Even though the day was wanning, heat seared up from the ground with such intensity, sweat formed a mist over her body. She fanned the air in front of her hot face with her hand and sighed, longing for the cool, oh so blissfully chilled air on the
Quinnie
. In a few short sectons, the last meal of the day would be served in the communal compartment. The main course would be heavy on protein and bland after the long journey, but the ship's stores still stocked plenty of stewed fruit. The vision of a lovely serving of wild berry-red arcon in thick nectar sprinkled with dusting sugar danced in front of her eyes and her stomach growled in protest. She'd refrained from partaking of the refreshments offered at the meeting, believing that in doing so, she'd reinforce her menial role. Also, she'd been too anxious to eat given what was at stake.

Time passed.

What delays them? Why haven't they found Bree yet? Why haven't the patrols returned?
Restless, and attempting to ignore her rising agitation, she circumnavigated the shuttle several times then paused to scan her surroundings for about the hundredth time. A flash caught her attention. She squinted into the setting sun, trying to see through the haze, but the light had disappeared.

She must have imagined it. She yawned widely and tracked the progress of a shadow as it streaked over the ground. Sherise jerked out of her heat induced stupor and snapped her gaze skywards.

An enormous creature flew high above the shuttle. The setting sun reflected so brightly off its metallic feathers her eyes hurt.

Armour? Was that possible?
She shaded her face. With each swift flap of its massive wings the creature sped further away, heading rapidly in the direction of the ruins. Bree had told her earlier that her former home lay in the very heart of the wrecked city.

She bounded into the shuttle and asked, ‘Anything?'

‘Negative.' The pilot's face was flushed and Sherise didn't blame him. With the main power source switched off to conserve energy it was as hot as Zirsk inside the cramped cabin.