Chapter 6 – Decision Time
Buck stayed at the inn for a couple more days and took the opportunity to teach the villagers self-defence, especially the women, who seemed to respond well to his instruction. There was no more interference with the men,whom they called "The Brothers" and village life settled back down to normal. Buck hated to leave the people to the mercy of those thugs, but promised to sort them out once and for all. He learned that they lived up in the hills and were well protected by a strange alien beast that they kept chained up. After promising to come back soon, he bid good-bye.
Buck circled his starfighter low over the land searching for any sign of the outlaws. It wasn't long before he spotted their vehicle parked outside a large building just a few miles west of the village. Chained up outside the house was the scaled creature that Darius had mentioned. It was about seven feet tall and looked humanoid in appearance, but with pale blue skin. Its eyes were pitch black and narrow, with the nose pinched and snout like. Attached to its hands were vicious looking claws. Buck continued to watch the strange creature as it paced back and forth until one of the men jabbed it with a large stick. The creature snarled at the man showing its razor sharp teeth, but ceased its pacing and sat down on a nearby crate.
"I'll be back!" Buck muttered as he made mental note of the men's location and increased his altitude. As his ship continued to climb higher and higher, he noticed another larger village just north west of the planet on the edge of the continent. Soon Buck was flying through the star-studded vacuum of space.
-o-o-o-o-
It was early evening when Wilma approached the final stargate and arrived on the west side of Neptune. She quickly passed by the outer edges of Saturn's furthest rings, flew over the moons of Jupiter and when she approached the colony of Mars, she contacted Earth's Defense Directorate.
"This is Colonel Wilma Deering requesting landing permission."
"What is your security code, Colonel?"
"CD Zero-Nine-Seven-Five."
There was a buzz e Hof static on the line and then a voice confirmed, "This is Sergeant Landau, Colonel Deering. Thank you, you are now cleared to land in New Chicago."
"Copy that Sargeant, Deering out."
It wasn't long before Wilma's starfighter was streaking across the desert, which Buck had once described as Lake Michigan, and towards the huge dome that housed the Inner City. She landed safely and climbed out of her ship with a heavy heart and set off towards the high speed monorail which would take her into the center of New Chicago.
Doctor Elias Huer made no effort to hide his surprise when Wilma strolled into his office. "Colonel Deering, I wasn't aware that the Searcher was back so soon!"
"The Searcher hasn't, Doctor Huer", Wilma stated softly. "It's just me. She paused, "I think Buck might be heading this way, as well."
Doctor Huer's brow furrowed at this. "What do you mean? Isn't he with you?"
She shook her head.
"I heard about that dreadful trial. Preposterous! Buck would or could never be a traitor! I would have been more than happy to have helped, but I'm afraid it was out of my hands, Colonel."
"Yes, I know." Wilma stated with a little smile. "You know him so well, Doctor Huer. I'm afraid it's hit him really hard."
Wilma went on to explain the details of the last couple of days. She omitted the details of finding Callie in Buck's quarters. She had been embarrassed to learn that her feelings for Buck had been a little transparent as of late.
"I'll put out an alert in all the docking stations. If he tries to land, we'll be the first to know about it." The elder man stated, trying to make her feel better.
"Okay. Thanks, Doctor Huer."
Wilma spent a restless night in her apartment due from being anxious on any word of Buck's location. She awoke early the next morning and checked with the docking station, but there had been no sign of him yet. She decided to spend the day catching up on local news and helping Doctor Huer in his office. At first it crossed his mind to ask Wilma why she hadn't just called in a request to pick Buck up rather than traveling all the way into the farther regions of space. But deep down, he knew the answer.
By nightfall, there was still no word on Buck and Wilma started to worry that she had been wrong in her assumptions that he was heading for Earth. He should have been here by now. A sudden, terrible thought crossed her mind. What if Buck wasn't planning on coming back to Earth? What if he went to the Guardians instead? And begged them to send him back to the 20th Century? She would never see him ever again. No! Wilma shook that very thought from her mind. Whatever Buck was going through, he wouldn't do that to them. Right?
A sigh escaped her and the growing ache in her heart threatened to overwhelm her. As she willed away the hours, Wilma mused over their last encounter. However much it hurt that he would choose another woman over herself, she would much rather have that then to never see him again.
-o-o-o-o-
Many light years away from Earth, Buck stood in the deserted square one the remote planet of Janovus V. The setting sun cast a golden glow over the horizon. He gazed at the wall in front of him where ten stone figures silently watched over their surroundings. A light breeze began to stir up dried leaves which had fallen to the ground.
He walked cautiously toward the wall as a dozen thoughts ran through his troubled mind. Now that his journey was complete, would he be granted an audience? Was it arrogant to assume that they would even appear to him, let alone grant him a wish? He tried to formulate a greeting as he cleared his throat.
Before he could utter a single word, the statues began to glow with translucent light. In front of Buck's eyes, they quickly transformed into human form. – Just as they had when he was here several months ago with Wilma and Hawk – When their metamorphosis was complete, one of them began to speak. Buck recognized him immediately as the shepherd boy - the humble peasant who had sacrificed his own life for Buck's during a sudden earthquake.
"Hello, Captain Rogers. We have been awaiting your return."
Buck's eyes widened in surprise. "You know why I'm here?"
The young guardian smiled. "Yes. You wish to be reunited with your family."
"You know about the trial, I take it?"
The young boy nodded slowly. "Yes. We are aware of recent proceedings."
Buck took this moment to bow his head. His heart was beating wildly in his chest as the enormity of this moment truly dawned on him. He had traveled all the way across the universe to be here. And now…now he was… what was he?
"Can-can you do it? Can you really send me back?"
One of the other guardians decided to speak this time, "It is possible. But you must understand that there will be—consequences, Captain Rogers."
Buck swallowed a lump in his throat, "Consequences? What kind of consequences?"
The younger guardian faded from sight, only to re-appear on the dirt floor in front of the Captain, causing him to jump.
"Now, that is better! Perhaps I seem a little less formidable at this level, Captain Rogers? As I was saying, yes it is possible for you to return to your own time, but only to a time before your original point of departure. You would then have a choice whether to retain your mission. If you do not leave Earth in 1987, then you would be free to remain with your loved ones. The only thing is your memory of your time in this century would be erased."
Buck was in shock, "What? You mean I'd just forget about everything that happened in the last two years? All my friends, all I've accomplished, everything?"
"Everything."
"But would Earth be safe? From the Draconians, I mean. Wilma, Doctor Huer? Would Draco finally conquer the Earth?"
"It seems that yes, that would be the outcome," the young guardian said sadly.
Buck screwed up his eyes tightly. A vision of his parents and siblings swam in front of his eyes. His home, friends and the towering skyline of Chicago also flooded his mind. A picture of Jennifer swam across his vision. How many lonely nights had he spent longing to see her again? Then he thought of Wilma, the hurt expression on her face when she found Callie with him in his quarters. He had caused her so much grief already. She would be the hardest thing to leave behind.
After taking a deep breath and holding it for a few moments, Buck exhaled and replied, "Then I can't do it." he shook his head, "I can't do that to them." He hung his head in defeat. "I don't want to put all my friends and the rest of Earth in danger. I just wanted to see my parents again. To know what happened in the days leading up to the holocaust, but if that's the price – then it's too great. I'm sorry for disturbing you. I'll be on my way."
"Wait!" One of the other guardians held up his hand. "There is another way!"
-o-o-o-o-
Wilma stirred in her sleep as the urgent sound of her communicator beeped wildly, disturbing her dreams. Opening her eyes she saw the flashing light indicating an incoming call from Doctor Huer. She jumped out of bed and pressed the button. Her night clothes were wrinkled and her hair fell in a halo of disheveled curls around her face, but it was no time to worry about appearances.
"Colonel Deering, I've just gotten word from the Delta Sector. Buck has appeared on the radar and seems to be heading in this direction."
This news catapulted Wilma from drowsy to fully awake. "Thanks, Doctor Huer! I'll head straight down to the landing bay at once!"
"I'll meet you there."
A mixed feeling of excitement and apprehension filled Wilma's body as she changed her clothes and hurriedly raced out her door, nearly knocking over a maintenance drone in the process.
My muse really loves reviews – they make her happy. A special thanks to AdventureGirl6 for the beta of chapters 5, 6 and 7