The Archer's Paradox - The Travis Fletcher Chronicles (30 page)

It was close to the time of the third meal of the day and Travis was straining his senses to see which guard had lost the lottery this evening. He prided himself on being able to adlib his insults based on the reactions he had got from particular guards on previous occasions. Right on cue he sensed someone approaching his cell. A new signature! But this one was different; he sensed a purpose other than the task of delivering food. Something dark and unpleasant hung around the approaching guard, but he could not get past the mental shield to find out more, no matter how hard he tried. Had he finally pissed off his captors too much? Were they finally going to send him home, or was he about to be summarily executed? He decided to change his tack this time. Maybe anger and insults was not the best approach.

Come on Travis, you dickhead. You always have to go too far.
He reprimanded himself as he sat crossed legged on the bed with his back to the door and his mental shields firmly in place. He could not believe that, even after all the trouble he had caused, these aliens with their overactive sense of honour would shoot him in the back. His breath came in short sharp pants and his heart pounded in his chest as he felt his destiny pause on the other side of the door. There was no way they were going to take him without a fight. He heard the door slide open and his muscles tensed for fight or flight.

“Leave it on the table and fuck off.” Travis forced himself to be calm. “I’m not in the mood tonight.”

“Travis Fletcher,” the unfamiliar voice was female and carried an authority with it that could not be ignored, “turn around.”

“No.” The resolution he tried to project sounded more like a petulant child to his own ears.

“I will not ask again, turn around.” The voice was quiet but carried an irresistible force behind it. Travis felt something slip through his shields and manipulate his motor functions. Unable to control his actions, he turned round and sat facing his opponent.

Her dark hair and eyes and brown skin marked her as Xi Scorpii A. Her hair was tinged with grey and the lines that creased the skin round her eyes and mouth gave Travis the impression that she was late middle aged and quick to laugh, but not today. Today there was no sparkle in her eyes and her lips were pressed together to form a thin line of determination. She carried a tray of food and the standard weapon of the City Guard stuck to her thigh. Travis was not comforted by the fact that her weapon was still holstered, but it gave him a little hope that he may have been overreacting, and vowed to moderate his actions from now on.

“Like I said, leave it on the table and go. I’m not in the mood.”

“So, you are Travis Fletcher.” she put the tray down and stood looking Travis up and down.

“Yes, yes, the saviour of your civilisation, yada yada yada. Heard it all before, not interested, now fuck off.” Travis spat sarcastically.

Mr
̥
du P
ā
taragitti was not fazed by the outburst. “Two of my squad died because of you.”

Oh shit.
This was it after all. Travis took a deep breath and waited for the last pain he would ever feel, but Mr
̥
du P
ā
taragitti had not finished.

“They died because I failed.” she hung her head in shame and remembrance for a moment.

Travis pulled his scattered wits together. “He was my friend too.” he blurted, but he didn’t remember any of the guards getting killed that day. “He was one of the few people I have got on with since coming here, but I don’t remember you.”

“You are referring to the attempt to kidnap you.” Mr
̥
du P
ā
taragitti said and Travis nodded. “I am referring to the attempt to kill the
Ts’ats’aak
that treated you; Sundaravāda Ci
ṭṭ
e.”

“Oh shit.” Travis reeled in shock. “I never heard…no one told me…I…what happened?”

“My squad were sent to escort Sundaravāda Ci
ṭṭ
e to safety, but we were ambushed.” Mr
̥
du Pātaragitti began. I failed to detect the attacker.” A tear formed in the corner of one eye and was brushed brusquely away. “
Be
ḷḷ
i Nadi was the first to die. She was shot in the back of the head. I will always remember her eyes looking at me as she died.” Another tear trickled down her face. “She was so young, so full of life.”

“I’m sorry.” Travis was not sure what to say. “So now what?” he could not believe that she was here to take her revenge.

The food is poisoned.
The thought caught Travis unawares. Out loud she replied, “I wanted you to know how many lives have been lost because of you.” she snapped.

Travis jumped off the bed and backed away until he felt the hard wall of his cell. “You can’t just come in here and…” he felt a cold invisible hand close around his throat, choking off the rest of the sentence.

Each dish contains an element of the poison, individually benign and undetectable.
“I am here to make sure no more of my people die because of you.” she advanced slowly on the helpless Travis, but released her grip just enough for him to answer.

“So, you
are
here for revenge.” he managed to gasp before the invisible grip tightened again. By now they were standing nearly nose to nose and Travis stared terrified into his attacker’s deep brown eyes.

I am here to get you off this planet.
“Does that surprise you?” she hissed into his face.

“So, you’re here to finish what the others failed to do, then.” he managed during a brief respite. It occurred to him that she could have quite easily choked the life out of him by now, but she kept releasing her grip just long enough for him to draw breath, as well as carrying out two conversations with him.

Eat all three dishes and you will become violently ill. Make sure that only
Sundaravāda Ci
ṭṭ
e is allowed to treat you.
“I never said I was going to kill you.”

“So what do you want from me?”

But the poison will unless it is treated quickly.

Just then the door slid open and three Guards burst in. “Release him, Mr
̥
du P
ā
taragitti.” The leader ordered.”

Mr
̥
du P
ā
taragitti looked them up and down, noting their hands hovering over their holsters, before releasing her mental grip on Travis, who fell to his knees, coughing. She dropped her head submissively and two of the guards steered her out of the door with their hands on her shoulders. Before she disappeared from sight, Travis caught a final thought thrown at him.
My part is now complete. The rest is up to you, but do not delay or it will be too late.

“Do you require any assistance?” the remaining Guard asked.

Travis waved the guard out while still nursing his throat and turned his attention to the bizarre conversation that had just taken place. On the one hand she obviously held a grudge against him, but then she promised to help get him off the planet...by
poisoning
him. What did she say? The poison was in the food but would only work if he ate all three dishes? Then he had to make sure that it was the old doctor that treated him or the poison would probably kill him? It all seemed too farfetched and flaky to him. Was this a way of ‘offing’ him but maintaining honour by telling him that the food was poisoned, thereby making his death look like suicide? He would not put it past them, but on the other hand he could not believe that the old doctor would be party to his murder and who would know what had been said?

He sat cross-legged on the bed, looking at the tray as if it was, well, poison. Could he do it anyway? Could he knowingly take something that would not only inflict pain on himself but could also conceivably kill him? There was a name for people like that and he was not one of them. But still, a chance to go home, get out of this nightmare, away from this shit-hole and he was still hungry. Two would be ok, he reasoned with himself. Only the third would be a problem. He reached forward and picked up the first dish. It tasted of not very much at all but reminded him of scampi in texture. After finishing, he waited a few minutes before picking up the second, a little more warily.

An hour later, he was still contemplating the third dish. He half reached for it a dozen times before thinking better of his actions.

“Fuck it.” he hissed finally, annoyed at his own indecision and inaction. He could
either sit here and
rot until someone else decided what to do with him, or he could make his own destiny, even if that destiny only lasted a few more painful minutes. He reached forward and resolutely stabbed a green cube with the consistency of jelly and put it in his mouth before his self-preservation got the better of him. It melted instantly in his mouth and a sharp citrusy juice trickled down his throat before it had a chance to close in reflex. He held his breath. Nothing. Maybe he had waited too long and the other elements had become inert or something. Maybe it was all a wind up to see how he reacted. Maybe…

“Aaaarrrggghhhhh!” he screamed loudly as his body convulsed and he collapsed to the floor holding his stomach. He felt as if he had been stabbed in the guts by a red hot sword and the blade was being twisted back and forth. There was a second respite before it started again. “Help me!” he screamed into the room. A third wave of pain wracked his body and he began to sob uncontrollably. So this is how it ends, he thought as another wave of pain hit him.

Vaguely, through the din of his own dilemma he heard voices, concerned voices. He felt their thoughts caressing his own, trying to ease his pain and not succeeding. Whatever this poison was, it was confounding his would-be helpers.

“We need a
Ts’ats’aak
!” he heard someone say. “Travis Fletcher has been poisoned!”

“I cannot stop it!” he heard another shout. “He is dying!”

“I want the doctor from the ship.” he heard himself say through pain gritted teeth, but no one took any notice. He tried again. “I want the old doctor from the ship.” The bustling went on around him unabated. He cursed to himself and took a deep breath between bouts of pain. “I want Sundaravāda Ci
ṭṭ
e!” he shouted. “Take me to her.” he added for good measure. The hubbub around him ceased for a moment before orders were given, too fast for Travis to work out if he had got through. Then someone found their way into his nervous system and he slipped into merciful oblivion.

“So, we meet again, Travis Fletcher.” Soft, sing-song tones caressed his ears. “It seems you have a talent for trying to get yourself killed and it appears to be my mission in life to save you.” the voice added with a hint of dark humour.

Travis thought he recognised the voice, but the sense of humour could only belong to one person. He opened his eyes and took a moment to focus on the woman standing over him. “Sun… Sundarah …” he stammered, having lost the momentary ability to pronounce alien names. The dry croak that reached his ears bore no resemblance to his own voice.

She smiled and held up a hand to quieten him. “You are still weak from the poison and you have a long way to go.” Travis formed a retort in his head about more cryptic crap but thought better of it. He had a lot of respect for the old doctor and she was right, he still felt as if he had just woken up from a three day bender. She handed him a drinking vessel of water which he gratefully accepted with a nod. The cool liquid massaged and revived his throat as he gulped it down and held the empty glass out for a refill. She was wearing a simple white robe with high collars, reminiscent of their encounter in his Mindscape, but without the butterfly motif. Her dark hair was gathered in a tight bun on the top of her head, the grey streaks making a spiral pattern round the circumference. “My task is nearly complete and we must soon part.” she continued. “It is unlikely that we will meet again, Travis Fletcher, and that thought saddens
me
.” her head nodded forward in contemplation for a moment before continuing. “Remember that you are not the same man who was brought to me not so long ago. Xi Scorpii children are trained from birth to use the abilities that are only just beginning to mature in you. Be wise, Travis Fletcher. I see the possibility of great harm and great good in you.” With that, she turned and left the room before Travis could question her.

Travis struggled up to a sitting position and watched her leave. He could have sworn he saw a tear in the corner of her eye. His eyebrows knit together in a frown as he tried to decipher what the old doctor meant, but his brain was still far too befuddled to make any sense of it at the moment. He promised himself he would file it away for investigation later. He was still wearing his jeans, t-shirt and trainers and it looked like he had vomited down the front, but at least he wasn’t naked, he concluded wryly to himself. The room reminded him of the White Room from the ship but smaller and with fewer healing tubes. There was a window in one wall where he could see glass spires jutting past his view and guessed that they were quite some way from the ground. Opposite the window was a large door, the exit Travis surmised, and a smaller door to one end, through which Sundaravāda Ci
ṭṭ
e had just withdrawn. He tried to stand but his knees buckled under the weight of his own body and he slumped to the floor. With difficulty he managed to get to his feet, using the bed as a support. At that moment the larger door slid open to reveal two instantly recognisable females.

Turix Dayak' slid in with exaggerated stealth, her head swivelling manically to examine every corner of the room and a mischievous grin on her face. She was clearly enjoying herself too much. Xnuk Ek’ on the other hand looked uncomfortable and nervous and fidgeted continuously. Travis looked toward the smaller door, expecting Sundaravāda Ci
ṭṭ
e to come back at any moment.

“Well?” Turix Dayak' asked with mock impatience. “Come on.” she indicated the corridor behind her. "We do not have much time before we are discovered." Travis took a moment to gather his thoughts.
So, these two are the next link in the chain
, he surmised uneasily. He was not sure about having to rely on these two as part of an escape plan, but it was too late to quibble now. He let go of the support and stumbled. Xnuk Ek’ moved forward instinctively to help but Travis brusquely waved her back. Xnuk Ek’ stood back submissively while Travis tried again and tottered towards the door with his head spinning. Once again events were moving faster than he could cope with.

A bounce tube took them to the ubiquitous underground car park where a pre-programmed ground car was waiting for them. Fletcher was bundled into the back while the other two took the front seats. As soon as they were inside it shot off into one of the exit tunnels. Once out of the tunnel, the car sped off down one of the wide boulevards that crisscrossed the city. Night was falling and the evening lightshow had just started. It occurred to him that this would probably be the last time he would ever see that beautiful phenomenon, but he not could bring himself to look at it.

Turix Dayak' broke his reverie as she turned round and tossed a plastic pouch into the back. Travis had seen this device before but this one was grey rather than blue.

“Put this on.” she said, grinning broadly. “It will make you less conspicuous and less…fragrant.” she finished, wrinkling her nose theatrically to emphasis the point.

Travis waited but Turix Dayak' kept watching him, her dark silver eyes twinkling. “Only if you stop watching me as if I’m some sort of lab experiment.” he grumbled, twirling a finger in the air to indicate what he wanted her to do. Turix Dayak' pouted but complied. There was no more room in the back of the alien machine than in the back of his Beemer. A sudden image of
Siân’s legs draping themselves over the front seats as they wrestled with each other’s clothing passed through his mind. He caught a glimpse of Xnuk Ek’ looking disapprovingly over her shoulder and Turix Dayak' grinning broadly. He felt himself blushing heavily as he hastily locked the image away and returned his attention to the jumpsuit.

Eventually the car disappeared into another tunnel and was spat out into a cavernous hangar. There was a lot of activity, much more than when he had arrived. People hurried around with a look of urgency on their faces as equipment and machinery was hastily being loaded into shuttles. He could also see a number of shuttles being worked on directly and a different model of craft he had not seen before; sleek, deadly looking and about the size for one occupant, although he could see no cockpit or entrance. Unmanned? Remote controlled? He thought to himself.

The car stopped behind some crates, close to a large shuttle with a number of similarly grey suited people milling around. Xnuk Ek’ indicated that she and Travis should get out here. Travis looked at Turix Dayak' and raised his eyebrows.

“No,” she shook her head sadly, “my part in this adventure has ended.” she paused for a moment, then spontaneously threw herself over the seats and embraced Travis. “Take care of my best friend.” she whispered emotionally in his ear. “She is very dear and special to me.”

“I will.” he replied, somewhat surprised.

She smiled and kissed him passionately on the mouth, then turned and embraced Xnuk Ek’ fiercely. “Now go, before we are discovered.”
And before I lose all control of my emotions.
She finished, pushing her friend towards the exit. Travis was sure he saw a tear glistening in her eye as she turned back and punched the dashboard. The car sped off and disappeared into an exit tunnel.

“Are you going to tell me what’s going on?” Travis hissed as they crouched behind the pile of boxes.

“I am attempting to regain my honour with you by getting you away from those that would harm you, Travis Fletcher.” she replied.

“Harm me?” Travis queried. “As if poisoning me was not enough.” he snapped but she would not be drawn into further explanation. Instead she pointed at the shuttle a short distance away.

“We have to get on board.”

“And how do you expect to do that?” he asked, sarcastically. “Unless you haven’t noticed,” he added, “I don’t exactly look like any of you.” he finished, indicating himself with his hands.

“We are expected.” she said, simply, in explanation.

“Oh good.” he snapped. “Well that’s all right then.”

She gave him an odd look and took his hand. “Come.”

Travis felt the delicate grip of her fingers as she attempted to lead him out of their cover. He recoiled reflexively, then immediately regretted his action. She was obviously breaking every rule in the book to help him, but he still could not bring himself to forgive her. Xnuk Ek’ looked at him with her head cocked to one side and allowed herself a sad smile. He blushed and cursed himself roundly. As she led him from behind the crates, just a small knot of people in grey suits wandered, seemingly aimlessly, past. They joined the group as they made their way to the open door of the shuttle with Travis trying his best to look inconspicuous.

At the entrance to the shuttle it was Xnuk Ek’’s turn to gasp as they were met by the pilot. “Lak’in!” she exclaimed under her breath.

He bowed slightly, enough for politeness but not enough to be noticed by casual onlookers. Xnuk Ek’ made as if to query him further but he held up a hand and indicated that they should take seats. “Later.” he promised, with a secretive smile.

The rest of the passengers stoically ignored the interlopers until the little shuttle was out of the atmosphere and on its way. A male, about Travis’ height and the characteristics of a Xi Scorpii B native made his way to their seats and introduced himself as the commander of the Interstellar Explorer that would take Travis back to Earth. Earth! Home! A flood of unexpected emotions swirled around his head.

“But what about…” he began.

“I have been asked if you would consider returning to Otoch once all this unpleasantness has abated.” he stated with a deep bow, indicating that whatever Travis said would not be questioned. “We have waited two thousand years.” he replied evenly. “A year or so more would not make much difference to the outcome, and we know where to find you now.”

“But why?”

“Your safety on Otoch cannot be guaranteed, so it was decided that you should be taken to safety, and where would be more safe than your home?”

“The Council?”

“The Council has been compromised.” The Commander spat with sudden venom. “It is certain elements of The Council that have put you in this situation.”

“Have we met?” Travis changed the subject suddenly. Something was pricking the back of his mind. He felt as if he should know the Commander but……

“I am Pansā No Ashi, he introduced himself with another bow. You knew my son, Jagā No Ashi.”

Travis jumped as he recognised the name of the young man who tried to protect him in his apartment. “He was…I…I’m sorry…He…” Travis stammered.

Pansā No Ashi smiled kindly, in the way that only a grieving father can. “I know.” he said. Turning to Xnuk Ek’ he said, “I think the pilot is trying to catch your attention.”

The pair looked towards the cockpit where Lak’in was peering expectantly from behind the pilot’s seat. Xnuk Ek’ made her excuses and joined her erstwhile lover on the small flight deck and Pansā No Ashi took his seat. “Tell me of your time with Jagā No Ashi.” he asked. “I wish to know of his last days.”

Travis looked towards the flight deck where Xnuk Ek’ and Lak’in were deep in conversation with their eyes locked together. He looked back at Pansā No Ashi, took a deep breath and began.

The Council Chamber was in uproar. Protocol had broken down and K'an Aayin was in the middle of insinuating Kiiro No Wani was guilty of the most heinous crimes against the Xi Scorpii people whilst being very careful not to directly question his honour. Kiiro No Wani had to admire the other’s linguistic dexterity as he trod a fine line. Travis Fletcher’s disappearance had been noticed quicker than he would have liked, so he immediately admitted to his part in the proceedings knowing that the interrogation The Council would put him through would subsequently delay the search for Travis Fletcher, giving him more chance to escape. He knew that the Council Leader’s tirade was a desperate smoke screen to cover his own fall from honour. Kiiro No Wani waited patiently for the furore to subside before countering. The longer Kiiro No Wani was allowed to continue, the better. Travis Fletcher must be off the planet by now, but preparing an Interstellar Explorer for departure did not happen instantaneously.

“I deny none of what you have said,” he said finally to a shocked and hushed room, “but I take your words as mere statements of fact and not proof of loss of honour.” Murmurings broke out as each speaker conferred with the rest of his or her delegates. He held up a hand to indicate that he had not yet finished and waited for the hubbub to die down. “Yes, it is true that I orchestrated the release of Travis Fletcher and I did indeed arrange for him to flee Otoch. He is now on his way back to Sol 3.” His final words were drowned out as pandemonium broke out once more but Kiiro No Wani waited patiently. In his haste to accuse him, K'an Aayin had left himself wide open and it was time to strike back. Maybe if he could expose K'an Aayin’s treachery now, he could resolve the situation, bring The Children of Éðel to the table for a peaceful solution and recall Travis Fletcher before the Interstellar Explorer entered hyperspace. He took a deep breath, drew himself up to his full height and pointed an accusative finger directly at K'an Aayin. “But it is your honour that is forfeit, not mine.” he declared, with all the force of the Code of Honour behind him.

Silence. The whole chamber froze in tableau. Not knowing how, or even if to react, they dared not move or breathe for fear of being swept up in the storm of emotions that crackled between the two antagonists, but it was done, and could not be undone. Never before in the history of the Council had such a blatant challenge been made to
another member. The only thing that was certain now, Kiiro No Wani thought quietly to himself, was that one of them would be dead before this session was over. So be it.