Odyssey (Galactic Neighborhood Book 2) Read online

  There is one more place I will show you. Come, Kiren.

  She slipped on her pack and gloves and followed Sh’zul down an unfamiliar tunnel. As they went, Kiren suggested the first links should be President Morales and the three other members of her team, including Andre. This seemed to please Sh’zul, as he was eager to share thoughts with Kiren’s ‘mate’. She also explained to Sh’zul the doctor would like to examine him and take samples of his saliva and the substance on his thorns. He was agreeable, but did not seem to understand the reasons or significance.

  The Rxyl did not have knowledge of medicine per se, but did have a few natural remedies for some ailments. Otherwise, illness or age resulted in death or it did not – a circumstance which they seemed to meet with calm acceptance.

  The route they followed took a number of turns and side tunnels until at last she smelled fresh cool air. Whatever he wanted to show her must be very close to a surface entrance, and her curiosity made her wonder what it could be. Sh’zul slowed to a stop as they reached the confluence of tunnels which marked each of the surface entrances. Sure enough, there was a tell-tale ramp leading up and to the right. Off the far side of the ramp a small pile of rock and dirt partially buried something which Kiren could not clearly see.

  She reached into her pack to retrieve the hand torch and turned it on. What she saw startled her so badly she let out a strangled scream. Under the light layer of rubble was a desiccated human body, sprawled like a rag doll, and dressed in a uniform of some kind. One bony hand still clutched the strap of a large pack which rested on the floor nearby.

  Swallowing her fear, she got close enough to see the pack was emblazoned with the word ‘Odyssey’. Near the collar of the uniform was an unfamiliar insignia and the name ‘J. Kirkwood’. Kiren didn’t know how or why this person ended up here, but it must have been a very long time ago - perhaps even someone from the original crew. Had he been trying to contact the Rxyl and fell through the entrance to his death? Why did no one come looking for him? She backed away from the body and turned to Sh’zul.

  “Do you know how he came to be here?”

  Her mind flooded with images, passed on to Sh’zul from another First One who witnessed the events. Scouts reported strange noises from the surface followed by a sharp cracking sound. Soon they smelled blood and found this creature who fell through the tunnel opening. For a short while it moved and made sounds, but then went still. Alerted to potential danger, the Rxyl scouts poured out of the entrance to see several more of the strange creatures moving quickly away. At the time, it was thought the beings might return for the fallen one, but they did not. It was decided to avoid using the entrance, and leave the odd creature undisturbed.

  Will you return this human to your people?

  “Yes. When I leave tonight, I will have the body removed. Thank you for showing me, Sh’zul. My people have different ways of honoring those who die, and he may have living relatives.”

  A sudden explosion broke the silence of the night, followed by a small tremor. Kiren rushed up the ramp and out onto the surface to see what was going on. A great cloud of dust rolled across the parched landscape from the edge of the city. Given the distance and darkness, it was difficult to see anything else. Kiren dug around in her pack for the night vision goggles. Just as she slipped them on, another smaller explosion detonated, and flames leapt up into the sky. Closer to her position, Kiren saw movement and activated the telescopic function of her goggles. Someone was running towards her position, carrying some type of bulky object. A rocket launcher!

  “Sh’zul! Get your people off the surface, now! We are in danger...”

  Another blast detonated, knocking Kiren unconscious as she was thrown against the unforgiving rocks.

  Instead of heeding Kiren’s warning, Sh’zul called for all available scouts to find the human she spotted. Fresh layers of dirt and rock clogged the tunnel opening, and Sh’zul frantically began to dig his way to the surface. He could sense she was alive, but her mind abruptly went silent. For every bit of soil and stone he removed, more poured into the opening, keeping him from reaching her. Finally, his digging broke through the last layer and he surged up to the surface.

  Kiren lay on her back nearby, the pack still strapped to the front of her body. Blood stained her clothing in several places, and one of her arms was bent at an odd angle. Her mind began broadcasting flashes of pain, as she moved her head slowly and opened her eyes. The injuries forced whimpered moans from her parched throat, as her mind scurried to make sense of what happened.

  Sh’zul could clearly see the human approaching, though he and Kiren were partially hidden from view by piles of rock and debris. Knowing it helped her body heal before, Sh’zul began lapping at her wounds. Kiren roused as she felt his tongue licking at a gash in her leg.

  “Sh’zul! Must...get away. Underground!”

  I will not leave you.

  There simply wasn’t enough time to do more before the other human got close enough to see them. Sh’zul positioned himself between Kiren and the intruder. He stopped, pointing a stick-like object towards them. Through Kiren’s mind, he could understand what the human was saying.

  “How convenient to find the very source of my trouble all alone out here in the dark. Your interference has already cost me very dearly, Miss Perry. Once you are taken care of, I will rid this planet of these troublesome sand dragons once and for all. Now that Morales is dead, I will rule Sahara as I was meant to. The almighty Pacifica, along with your thorny friends, will soon be nothing but a historical footnote. It’s time to say goodbye, my dear.”

  As he drew the weapon up to fire, a dozen Rxyl tails began thumping loudly, startling Roux into a moment’s hesitation. This was all Sh’zul needed as he lunged forward, knocking the human to the ground with a shouted curse. Several scouts surged forward to join Sh’zul in a tail lashing, teeth rending whirlwind which quickly silenced Roux’s screams. He was already dead by the time golden flashes of light deposited a group of humans on the small rise above.

  The bloody scene before them twisted Andre Swanson’s heart, as he assumed the worst.

  “Kiren! My God, we’re too late!”

  He rushed down to get closer to the scene, but was stopped by a line of Rxyl, some with human blood dripping from their faces. Kiren, struggling to remain conscious, managed to call out.

  “Andre! Over here...”

  The Rxyl parted, allowing Swanson to rush to her side. Dr. Mayfield soon joined him as she was briefly examined and stabilized. Before the pain meds could pull her under, Andre asked whose body was laying in the dirt behind them.

  “Roux. He was going to kill me and then the Rxyl, so he could take over Sahara. He said he killed President Morales...”

  Andre shook his head.

  “It’s all right, Kiren. He isn’t going to hurt anyone else now. Can you tell Sh’zul we are grateful to them for protecting you?”

  She gave him a small nod.

  “He knows. There is a body below...from Odyssey. Take it with us...”

  She closed her eyes as the medication took over.

  Swanson had a hundred questions for Sh’zul, but with Kiren asleep, there was no way to speak to him. As they prepared to transport to the ship, Andre instructed the buoy to collect the body Kiren mentioned, along with Roux’s grisly remains. Sh’zul pulled away from the group of Rxyl who watched them from a distance. The humans moved aside as he drew up alongside Kiren’s body and placed a front paw gently on her leg. He looked directly at Andre and tried to bridge the barrier between them in his mind. Swanson finally smiled and nodded his head.

  “I’m not absolutely certain, but I believe Sh’zul intends to go with us. I suspect he wants to make sure Kiren is taken care of.”

  There were no objections, and seconds later another burst of golden light interrupted the darkness, leaving the Rxyl scouts alone on the barren surface.

  Chapter 10

  As soon as they reappeared in Expedition’s sick
bay, Dr. Mayfield began barking orders to his staff. Kiren was transferred to a surgical suite while Roux’s remains were taken to the morgue. The desiccated corpse they retrieved was whisked away to be studied elsewhere. When Swanson got a good look at the name on the uniform, he was excited to see evidence which corroborated Thea Chilton’s story. Even more interesting was the large pack which accompanied the corpse. If it contained the AI computer core from the Odyssey, a lot of questions could now be answered.

  If crew members were surprised to see Sh’zul in sickbay, no one said anything. The Rxyl was resting quietly in a corner, the tip of his dangerous tail flicking back and forth like a metronome. With Kiren out of commission, it was up to Andre to help Sh’zul understand what was going on and find out what was decided during Kiren’s mission. There was only one way he knew of to accomplish it. He lowered one of the sickbay beds as far down as it would go and gestured Sh’zul forward.

  When the powerful Rxyl got close enough, Swanson patted the bed with his hand and gestured him forward again. Sh’zul only hesitated for a moment, then climbed up and turned around so his tail was resting against the wall. Andre raised the bed to its normal height, giving Sh’zul a much better view of things. Next, he asked one of the medical staff for a portable cot, and set it up next to Sh’zul’s bed. After explaining to the technician what he was going to do, scanners were brought over to record everything for Dr. Mayfield’s sake – who, as Andre was warned, would be less than happy by what he was planning.

  Andre sat on the edge of the cot, facing Sh’zul, who was watching him intently. He held his hand over his head and then brought it to his mouth and licked it. Then he pointed at Sh’zul and repeated the gestures. Sh’zul’s tail began thumping lightly against the sickbay wall, and he lowered his head over the edge of the bed so the spikes were roughly even with Swanson’s outstretched hand.

  Andre made a quick downward stroke, scraping his palm across the sharp point of the tallest spike. The cut burned and bled, and he immediately lowered it to Sh’zul’s mouth. The Rxyl began licking the wound as Andre suddenly grew very tired and woozy. The pain was gone, and by the time he laid back against the pillow, the cut was nothing but a quickly fading pink line.

  ####

  Samuel Flynn never wanted the office of President. He was perfectly happy supporting Olivia Morales and helping to enact her agenda. The last few hours threw him from pillar to post, and he was thoroughly exhausted. The Government building was very severely damaged - currently held in stasis by one of the buoys. Vice Admiral Arlington assured him all the damaged structures could be rebuilt in a matter of days with the help of their nanotechnology. When Morales’ home was destroyed, it took at least three others with it and damaged several more. Between the two sites, seven people were killed outright and a dozen more injured. All were being cared for in Reno’s main hospital or on board Expedition, and he was thankful the death toll was so low. Nevertheless, there would be funerals to attend in the next few days, and Flynn was not looking forward to them.

  Sam squirmed uneasily in the unfamiliar chair, staring at the plain concrete wall which made up the emergency command bunker in the lowest level of the Constabulary. His own office had also been destroyed in the attack, so there really wasn’t anywhere else for him to wait. The current crisis was over, media appearances finished, and most everyone was now in bed, confident their elected officials were taking care of everything.

  This, he reminded himself, was why he became a public servant in the first place – to serve. Well, he chuckled to himself, he certainly earned his princely salary today! His weary musings were interrupted by the sound of the lift car arriving in the hallway outside. He knew who it was, of course, and the thought brought a smile of affection mixed with relief.

  The doors opened, and Olivia Morales exited the lift looking just as tired as he felt, but very much alive after all. Setting aside the normal conventions just this once, Sam wrapped his President in a bear hug and let the tears fall. They held the embrace a bit longer than decorum dictated, and pulled back enough to see each of them were crying. Finally, they both smiled and the tears gave way to laughter which carried them across the hall to the President’s temporary office. What they both needed was a good stiff drink and a peaceful night’s sleep, but first Morales needed to know what took place while she was tending to her family.

  Flynn wasn’t the only one ecstatic to discover a Pacifican buoy was specifically assigned to watch over the President. When the missiles were fired, the buoy transported her to safety aboard Expedition before they could detonate. The populace was equally happy to discover the Morales family birthday party was being hosted by friends at another location. Their home was completely destroyed, but, thank God, no one was there at the time.

  Once everyone, including Flynn, was notified of the family’s safety, Morales was returned to the surface to reunite with her husband and children while Sam dealt with most of the aftermath. Her family was now settled comfortably in a new location, and though Olivia was loathe to leave them, duty called and she could not refuse. Sam, for his part, intended to make this meeting as quick and painless as possible.

  Morales paused to glance over her new office, and then headed for a makeshift seating area which was equipped with two overstuffed chairs and small coffee table. It wasn’t much, but it was all Sam could procure on such short notice. To say the rest of the office was plain would be considered complimentary. The word which readily came to mind was stark or perhaps functional. To be fair, no one ever seriously believed these emergency offices would be used with any frequency or for long periods at a time, hence the bare bones accommodations. Sam saw the brief expression of disappointment which crossed the President’s face as they took their seats. He laughed when she pulled a bottle of scotch and two glasses from her bag, pouring them each a drink. She raised her glass in a toast.

  “To friends we don’t deserve.”

  Sam clinked his glass with hers in agreement, and they settled back for a few moments to relax and enjoy the scotch. She offered Flynn another round, but he declined, and they set their glasses on the table. Morales looked around once more and sighed.

  “I have no right to complain, mind you, but I spent the last six months getting my office just right. Still, it’s a small price to pay to have survived at all, yes?”

  Flynn simply nodded in agreement and waited for her to continue.

  “All right Sam, give me the condensed version for now, if you please. We can both use a good night’s sleep before tomorrow comes knocking.”

  He gave her a half bow.

  “As you wish, Madam President.”

  Flynn forced his tired brain to assemble the facts in some kind of order, took a deep breath, and then began.

  “Worden Roux was dispatched by the Rxyl after attacking Kiren Perry and threatening to kill her. Under the circumstances, they did us a huge favor, and I see no point in pursuing the matter further.”

  Morales’ expression was a confusing mix of anger and satisfaction.

  “I must admit, the fact he died badly brings me some measure of satisfaction. When all is said and done, I may also enjoy dancing a jig on his grave. I hope you won’t think badly of me for it.”

  Flynn gave her a sad smile.

  “If there’s room for two, I’ll join you.”

  They enjoyed a brief chuckle before Sam continued.

  “There are two more points relating to the late Senator. After Roux was declared dead, Mylissa White hung herself in her cell. We assume she was afraid we would no longer be interested in making a deal on her sentence, so she took the decision out of our hands. Thea Chilton deserved better in my opinion, but perhaps we can honor her memory in a more pleasant way.”

  “The body of Seth Poulter was found, stabbed to death outside his home shortly after the explosions. As you may have guessed, he was the mole I was receiving information from. He was on his way to the constabulary to provide testimony against Roux, but he didn’t ge
t very far. None of the buoys were scanning that particular area at the time, so we have no way of knowing who did it. Personally, I believe it was Roux himself. He had enough time to kill Poulter before firing on your office and home. Without more information, though, the investigation will most likely never be resolved.”

  Morales sighed at hearing of yet another death at Roux’s hands, but her concern for someone else surged to the forefront of her mind.

  “I understand Kiren Perry completed her mission successfully, and is being cared for aboard Expedition. Do you know her condition?”

  He smiled in response, but shook his head.

  “At last report was she was out of surgery but still sedated. Her injuries were severe, and Dr. Mayfield believes without Sh’zul’s intervention she would probably have died. Her debriefing will have to wait until she recovers, but we now have someone else who can communicate with the Rxyl.”

  “It seems Andre Swanson formed a link with Sh’zul as well, and is now spending some time with him in the caverns. He is expected to return in the morning, and will give us an update then. From what I understand, the Rxyl are willing to share Deviri with the colony while the planet is being restored. Once you and I are linked with them, we can work out more of the details.”

  Morales looked intrigued.

  “Did you say ‘Deviri’? I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised they have their own name for the planet, but it’s going to seem strange not calling it Sahara. Of course, once it’s restored it will need a new name anyway. I must admit, though, I am a little leery of linking with Rxyl minds. If we are expected to share the planet, you and I will have to be able to communicate directly with them.”

  Sam shifted in his chair as her comments struck a nerve.

  “I agree. I don’t recall anything in my oath of office about scrambling my brain patterns for the good of the people, but I can’t allow you to step into the unknown without following. Who knows? We may actually learn a thing or two!”