The
War – Chapter 8
*~*~*
Sandoval was on duty on the bridge. He
was still searching for the traitor and the possibility to compensate for the
harm he had done to humanity. A blinking display near his left hand told him
that his search routines had found something unusual. Quickly he placed his
hand on the display. Fa'loth didn't need to know anything of this find.
A closer analysis of the signal showed
that an unauthorized transmission to Earth had taken place. The exact source
was not to be discovered. The signal looked like a global transmission. But who
aboard had a working global? With special algorithms Sandoval was able to
decipher the called number. It was not to be found in the logs. So it had to be
an unregistered device. Whoever this contact on Earth was, he could only find
out by calling him.
*~*~*
Liam gave last orders to his friends when
he heard Lili's global beep.
"Ter'kozz again?" he wondered.
Lili opened her global and froze when she
recognized Sandoval. Her global was still set to distortion mode so he wasn't
able to recognize her by sight or voice. She beckoned Lim to come over.
"I don't know who you are," Sandoval
started. "And I don' want to know it. I don't want to endanger you. I know you
have contact to a Jaridian double agent. I'm to blame for the arrival of the
Jaridians. I've made a terrible mistake and now I want to make up for it. Fa'loth
plans to subjugate Earth and annex it to the Jaridian Empire. Just in case you
don't believe me I'll send you Fa'loth's secret data as far as I can access it."
Shocked Liam and Lili listened to
Sandoval's words. So that had been his agenda.
Although Liam was furious about Sandoval's betrayal the relief
that his father was still alive was plainly visible in his face.
"I start the transmission." Liam saw his
father tapping some buttons at his global's display and then tuning around with
a shocked expression. Sandoval's global clattered to the ground and showed how
Jaridian soldiers arrested Sandoval before the screen went black.
*~*~*
When Sandoval woke up he found himself in
one of the mothership's labs, tied to an examination table. Out of the corner
of his eyes he could see Fa'loth entering the room with a happy smile on his
face. A soldier who was carrying a small box followed him.
With a glint of anticipation in his eyes
Fa'loth looked down at Sandoval.
"Did you really think I won't have an eye
on you, human? I do know that the humans are a race without honor. But this
signal you've found: good work! I will find out who has sent it, believe me.
You have a talent for working with the ships systems. Unfortunately this war
minister was not as talented as you are. He was useful to us as long as we
needed to discover the plans the Taelons had in store for us and the other
species they encountered. I have questioned him a bit but he wasn't that tough,
unfortunately. The Taelon our people accidentally shot was much more amusing.
Bad luck he's dead now. So what. I'm curious about how much you humans can
bare."
Fa'loth opened the box the soldier had
carried and took out a strangely formed device.
*~*~*
"Damn! We have to do something
immediately!"
Liam again walked up and down.
"We have to follow my old plan. But all
has to work much more quickly now."
"What is your plan, Liam?" Da'an wanted
to know. He and Zo'or had entered the room just in time to catch the last
pictures of Sandoval's arresting.
"If Ter'kozz is able to distract Fa'loth
and to change the duty roster of his men to meet the returning Taelons they can
walk around unhindered. They know the controls much better than we do and may
be able to put the soldiers out of action if the resistance backs them up. If
we are able to transmit the ship's controls down to Earth we have the Jaridians
in our hands. And without his soldiers it shouldn't be too difficult to catch
Fa'loth. With his threads to humanity and the fearful responses of the media we
have an even bigger chance. Fa'loth
will think we are too cowardly to pick a quarrel with him. He will not expect
to be attacked by a handful of humans. The plan is risky but it's our only
chance. We have no time."
Liam turned to Zo'or.
"Please tell this to the other
Companions. Think about a way to take over the mothership. Augur and his
friends will help you."
Zo'or nodded and went over to the next
room with Da'an and Augur to tackle his task.
Liam divided up his team to put the
things they would need together. Then he called the other resistance cells.
Lili called Ter'kozz.
Two hours before the ultimatum expired all
were ready to go The Taelon embassies had spread the message that the Taelons
would surrender and the media had spread the news all over the world.
Lili entered the room.
"Ter'kozz has reported that his team is
ready. We can go."
"Fine. All go to their shuttles now. Da'an?"
"This time I will accompany you, Liam.
Aboard the mothership you will need all Taelons you can get."
"Okay. You're in. But be careful."
Liam placed a hand on Da'an's shoulder,
then he turned around to give last orders. Besides a human pilot one member of
the resistance was aboard of a shuttle. Not much, but more humans would have
drawn suspicion.
Augur and his technicians had equipped
them all with small transmitters, which were connected so that all action could
be coordinated from Earth.
"Let's go then," Liam said after he had
strapped himself to the pilot's seat of Zo'or's shuttle. "Let's fight."
The shuttles started.
*~*~*
First all went well. The shuttles were welcomed by Ter'kozz' men.
Augur managed with Ter'kozz' help to jam the mothership's communication
channels so that the soldiers weren't able to report anything to Fa'loth. Two
members of the Jaridian resistance escorted every Taelon to his control panel.
For an explanation they would tell that the Taelons were explaining the panel's
systems to the soldiers. Whenever another soldier would appear the Jaridian
allies would threaten their Taelon with activated shaquarava.
With wrong reports they managed to round
up most of the soldiers who were still loyal to Fa'loth in one part of the ship
that they sealed afterwards. Only then the humans who stayed hidden in the
shuttles appeared on the scene. With Da'an's help they forced their way through
seldom used corridors and, if necessary, through the walls of virtual glass
towards the bridge, where they expected to meet Fa'loth.
"We are now that near that we cannot go
further through side corridors," Da'an whispered. "We have to split up."
"Augur! Can you hear me?"
"Loud and clear, Liam."
"Try to get the soldiers off the bridge
with some faked reports. We are nearly there. Is Fa'loth still where we want
him to be?"
"Yes. Ter'kozz' global is still online. I
can trace him. He said he would stay near Fa'loth at all cost."
"Okay. Liam out. The let's go, spread
out!"
Da'an peered around a corner of the
corridor. All was clear. He could work his way to the next room unhindered.
Carefully he treaded along the corridor when he heard voices approaching.
"Sir we should stay at the bridge."
"No way. These soldiers had to report
five minutes ago and didn't do it. I will go and look for myself what's going
on out there. I will not allow conditions like that, Ter'kozz!"
Da'an tried to hide as quickly as
possible but it was too late. Fa'loth had already spotted him.
"Taelon! Freeze! Ter'kozz, bring him to
me."
With activated shaquarava Ter'kozz
approached Da'an, who had stood frozen in the middle of the corridor. When he
turned him around to face Fa'loth, an unbelieving grin washed over the general's
features.
"What a surprise! You're alive! Lucky for
me! I wanted to talk to you, remember? How nice we now have another opportunity
to do that. Ter'kozz, take him to the bridge."
Da'an tried to stay calm. Ter'kozz was
there and his friends were on their way. He tried to repress the rising panic
but wasn't successful
In another part of the ship Zo'or perked
up. Something was wrong.
*Da'an? * he asked in his mind.
As an answer he only received unclear
emotions. Emotions like…panic?
Without hesitation Zo'or whirled around
and ran in direction of the bridge.
"Augur! Fa'loth has Da'an!" he passed on.
He hoped he wouldn't be too late.
On the bridge Fa'loth watched his captive
with pleasure from top to bottom.
"Do you remember the last time we talked?
I think that topic is now checked off. What do you thing of this topic: Who has
helped you to escape? I'm really interested in that."
He placed himself close to Da'an and
passed his fingers tenderly over Da'an's chest.
"Come on, please answer."
At this moment a soldier entered the
bridge. Annoyed about the interruption Fa'loth looked up.
"Yes!" he barked.
"Sir we have traced the location of the
signal that human Sandoval has spotted. The message has been transmitted from
Ter'kozz' quarters. Even now we can locate the signal, but it is much weaker
now. This time the source is on the bridge."
Fa'loth turned to Ter'kozz.
"Well, well. On the bridge. Search him!"
It didn't take long for the soldiers to
find the global.
"Looks like we have found our traitor,
doesn't it?"
Fa'loth returned to Da'an.
"Tough luck, Taelon. I think you're no
longer useful for me."
He activated his shaquarava and placed
his hand on Da'an's chest.