CHAPTER 3 A NEW ALLY
John came to a decision as they were pushing deeper into the wooded area. "I'm going to let you go Mallon, I was only needing you for insurance to get out of there..." he didn't finish his sentence. The sound of bushes crashing, then weapons fire as an energy blast shot straight past his ear, so close that his felt the hair on his ears singe slightly.
"Crap..." he muttered. "Looks like you'll have my company for a little while yet sweetheart. Let's go!"
This time grabbing her hand, he pushed off to the side, diving and weaving through bushes, keeping hold of her hand tightly as he heard her gasping for breath slightly behind him. At one point he felt her tug slightly on his hand and looking back saw that she was attempting to turn the direction of their flight.
"This way Colonel..." she managed to gasp out and he had about a split second to decide whether or not to trust her, then gave a mental shrug of his shoulders. It would be hard for the crap he was in at the moment to get any deeper, so chose trust and let her lead, still keeping her hand firmly in his.
Suddenly they were out of the woods and in a small clearing and before he could mentally debate the wisdom of leaving the shelter of the woods, she had pulled them both down into what at first looked like small hole, quickly pulling branches and debri that had been scattered nearby over them. The hole was bigger than John had surmised, it had been properly excavated and he noted that there was a tunnel like cavity at one end, barely visible in the gloom that the covering that made when it was dragged over. He sheltered his body with hers, waiting to hear the sounds of running feet, which came not too long after. They did not pause however, continued on and he half lay, half crouched with his body covering hers until the sound of the footsteps had receded completed. Pushing up slightly he looked down into those clear gray eyes and without knowing why he did this, reached down to push the strands of long hair out of her face.
"I like a girl who thinks on her feet..." At her confused expression he just laughed and pulled his body back from hers slightly so that he was not pressing against her. Although, that had felt... nice. She sat up slightly and indicated the tunnel like cavity behind them. "We should continue on into here, this will give us proper shelter from the enforcers. They do not know of this place and will not think to search for us here..."
He leaned in close to her again, and grasped her chin in his hand softly. "Ok... search for us? Shouldn't that be search for me? Something you're not telling me?"
She dropped her eyes, and he kept a gentle hold of her chin until she looked at him again, then released it to run this hands down her arms, lightly brushing off the dirt that scattered there.
"I allowed you to capture me and use me as a means of escape. That is a punishable offence in this world. When they catch us, I will be placed in prison also, and allowed a trial. If found guilty, I will be sent to work in the mines..."
John still his hands. "Surely they know that I forced you? That you had no part in my escape? Hell, if it comes down to it, I'll tell them myself! I won't have you taking the rap for something that I forced you to do!" John was angry now, and stared at her intently. "There's more, isn't there... more that you're not telling me? Before we go any further Mallon, I need to know everything. I can't come up with a plan if I don't have all the facts. As an Advocate, I'm sure you'll appreciate that!"
Mallon sighed and her eyes held a sadness now. "Please Colonel... can you step back a little. Your nearness is causing me... making it hard for me to think clearly." John felt the slight shiver that ran through her and felt an answering warmth in his own body. Ah crap John, not now... seriously? And willed himself to keep his mind on the task ahead. He pushed himself away from her, breaking the contact and saw the relief in her eyes.
"Follow me... I'll tell you everything. First we need to get to a more secure place so that you can make your plans." She gave him a last look from those silver eyes and turned to enter the tunnel. John went to follow her, pausing on the brink as he mentally conjured up images of large and hairy spiders that would surely be lying in wait for them in there and made himself take a deep breath.
She moved ahead of him, surefooted through the darkness, pausing only at one point so that he stopped hard against her, and put out his hands to anchor around his waist, to stop their continued momentum. The movement pulled her back against him, and he felt the quiver in her body again, but this time did not let go, continued to hold her. "Tell me now... the rest of your story. No one can hear us down here..."
"There is not much more to tell Colonel. This is a simple world with very simple and clear cut rules and laws. Technology is permitted to a certain and approved level only and if anyone is found entering our world, without prior permission, with unauthorised technology, this is a crime against our people. Weapons are only permitted to be carried by our enforcers. That is law and punishable by life imprisonment in the mines. This is the only punishment given out. The mines provide our only source of trade. We produce a high grade ore that can be converted to a variety of energy sources and it is a highly sought after trade throughout the galaxy,"
He interupted her now. "This punishment for all crimes – life imprisonment in the mines – tell me, are any of the workers in your mines paid money to do this work?" He waited until he felt the shake of her head against his chest. "So all the labour in the mines, is derived from 'prisoners' so to speak?"
"Yes, I believe this is correct, Colonel Sheppard. Apart from the mine supervisors and people in the position of authority."
"And what are conditions like for the people who work in these mines? Is it tolerable?"
She didn't answer straight away and when she did her voice was soft and sad. "My brother is in the mines. He was caught two years ago with technology that was given to him by a trader who had manager to smuggle it in here without the knowledge of our enforcers. He was imprisoned in the mines. They allowed me to see him one year ago, and he did not look well. I am frightened for him. He is younger than me and the only living family member I have left. My mother and father both died in the mines. I have no one left but my brother."
She turned to John now, her silver eyes seeming to glow in the dark of the tunnel and he looked down at her face. "If I help you to get off this planet, will you in return,help me Colonel Sheppard. Please?"
One hand reached down to stroke her face lightly and he watched as her breath hitched a little. "You want me to help get your brother out of the mine.. don't you."
She leaned a little into his touch. "Will you do that for me Colonel Sheppard?'
"And what then Mallon? Where will you go? How can you stay here? An escaped prisoner and a wanted Advocate, wanted for a crime she didn't even commit? You will be hunted down."
Her sad eyes looked up at him. "I would rather be hunted down with my brother at my side, than separated by him or working side by side in the mines with him. I would die in the mines...many do. The work is hard and there is little food given to the workers. There are always others to take their place.. always. Many crimes are commited in this world, and there is only one punishment..."
He pulled her against him so that he could wrap his arms around her. "We'll work something out Mallon, I promise you. For now, I need to work on getting my team free, and our best bet would be tonight when it's dark. Do you know the guards schedule? What is likely to happen?"
"It may be too late Colonel..." He put a finger on her lips to stop her. "Call me John, Colonel Sheppard is a bit of a mouthful..." and watched her blush slightly in the darkness, feeling the heat as it crept up her cheeks.
"John... it may be too late. As soon as you escaped they would have been punished and would no longer be allowed the luxury of a trial. It is likely they have been moved immediately to the mines to begin that punishment."
"And you couldn't have told me this sooner?"
"We were occupied by our own escape..." came her dry reply and he risked a small chuckle. The girl had a sense of humour hidden away in there after all, in fact she had a whole lot of things hidden away...