While he paced in his guest quarters, Dylan received a call from the Andromeda.
"Hunt here. What's up Beka?"
"An emissary from Enkindo just came on board. There seems to be a threat of an asteroid striking the planet."
"Alright, go and take care of it, Beka."
"Are you going to be OK with the Randamals till we return?" there seemed to be concern in her voice. Had Tyr's worry been conveyed to the whole crew?
"I'll be fine. I'm not alone you know."
"Yeah, I think that's another reason I'm not sure I should leave you."
Dylan laughed, "Go on Beka. We'll be here waiting for your return with smiles on our faces."
"Please," Beka snorted. "Don't go overboard, Dylan. Andromeda out."
The assassin was a fast runner and a cunning adversary but neither trait exceeded those of Tyr. He caught up with the human with a flying tackle and quickly snapped restrains on his wrists. "Come on. We have a meeting to make," he said as he jerked the man to his feet and pushed him forward.
"Your captain should not have returned to Randamal. He should have abandoned this alliance after the first attack," the rebel bitterly warned.
"Returned?" Tyr snorted. "Get your intelligence correct, fool. This is Captain Hunt's first trip to your fair planet."
"Don't play me for a fool! I mean after he was injured! He should have just stayed aboard his ship!"
"Again you have faulty intel. The good captain hasn't left your planet since he arrived two days ago."
The Rebel stumbled to a halt as he shot a look of shock to his captor. "That's impossible! He was injured! I saw the video feed myself!"
Roughly, Tyr spun the rebel around and pushed him forward. "Yes, injured by another pathetic member of your cause," he tone deadly enough to cause the Rebel to hasten his steps forward just to put distance between himself and the Nietzschean.
"You are lying, Nietzschean. He was injured and he would have returned to his ship for treatment."
"Lucky for him, your government was courteous enough to provide medical treatment to him. "
They walked in silence for a few moments before a surprised laugh broke from the rebel. It grew into a fit of laughter that had the man stumbling to keep his balance. But a knife at his throat suddenly erased all mirth from him.
Tyr drew a thin line of blood from the rebel's neck as he snarled by his ear, "Do share the joke."
The rebel's response was a pained wheeze, "I tried to kill a corpse," a smile creased the man's face even as a laugh escaped, regardless of the knife. But Tyr soon made the knife's presence unpleasant. The rebel continued, "And you, you are protecting a corpse."
Tyr entered Dylan's room without preamble but with a determined stride. Dylan dropped the report he had been reading onto the couch and stood up. "You didn't catch them?" his tone bordering on a reprimand.
"Oh I caught him," Tyr countered but immediately continued before Dylan could voice his next question. "We have to go back to the Andromeda. Now."
Dylan was caught off guard by Tyr's insistence and the look of steel in his eyes. "So you caught my would be assassins and what? He threatened me if I didn't leave?' his tone incredulous. But the next second it was full of a warning, "I'm not running, Tyr!"
"Once we are aboard the Andromeda, I will explain everything." Tyr replied.
Dylan gave a short frustrated laugh, "Well, that'll be a while, considering the Andromeda left for Enkindo more than an hour ago."
"What?!" Tyr exclaimed stepping closer to Dylan. "Why did they leave without asking your permission?!"
"They did ask and I gave it."
"Then why the hell didn't you get on board?!"
"Because you weren't back yet and the Andromeda needed to act immediately."
Tyr swore, "Alright. We'll take the slip fighter I came in and rendezvous with the Andromeda as soon as possible. Damn it! I can't believe you let them leave without you!"
"Well I wasn't going to leave without you!"
"I'm not the one injured!!!" Tyr exploded in rage.
"I'm fine, Tyr!" Dylan shot back in exasperation. "Why do we have to have this conversation over and over again!?" But something in Tyr's expression didn't sit well with Dylan. "I think it's time you tell me what you learned from the rebel that's got you so spooked."
"I'll tell you on the way," and Tyr headed for the door but halted as he sensed he was making the journey alone. He swung around to face his captain, "Can't you trust me for a second?!"
"Give me a reason to, Tyr."
Tyr knew that Dylan wouldn't budge from his spot without knowing the truth. Trouble was, Tyr was worried that knowing the truth wouldn't change his stubborn friend's resolve either. Crossing back to stand before Dylan, Tyr told his captain what the rebel had relayed, with some pressure applied. Something that had shook Tyr's composure enough for the rebel to escape.
"I don't believe you are as fine as you feel, Dylan." Dylan's anger rose but Tyr cut off his words, "The Randamals do not have the supplies or technology to treat Human injures."
"What?!" Dylan scoffed.
"They do, however, have powerful pain killers and the technology to mask the appearance of any injury. They use this method to "treat" injuries to their human slaves and send them back out to work...until they drop over dead." Dylan could now plainly read the concern in Tyr's eyes and felt his denials fade.
"Give me your knife," Dylan ordered evenly.
This caught Tyr by surprise, "What do..."
But Dylan sharply cut in, "Now Tyr." And the weapons officer pulled the knife from its hiding spot in Tyr's boot and handed it to Hunt.
Before Tyr could react, Dylan sliced the blade down his arm. Immediately Tyr wrestled the knife from Dylan with a curse, "What the hell are you doing?!"
Dylan said nothing but stared at the cut that seeped red blood.
Tyr strode to the bathroom and returned a second later with a towel. He let out a string of curses as he wrapped the towel around the wound to staunch the blood. With fury, Tyr clamped his free hand behind Dylan's neck, finally getting Hunt's attention, "Are you crazy?!"
But the look in Dylan's eyes spoke of anger not madness. "I don't feel any pain, Tyr. Their medicine is very good. I have been such a fool!"
"Yes, well, let's get back to the Andromeda and then we'll show them how we feel about their medical treatments," Tyr snarled as he started to usher Dylan toward the door.
"But I don't know why Tyr," Dylan suddenly protested.
"We are leaving! Now, Dylan!' Tyr growled, allowing for no opposition. "You can contemplate all you want later. Now move!" and he shoved his captain out of the door.
They could see the slip fighter, trouble was, five guards surround it. "It's almost as if they don't want us to leave," Tyr sarcastically bit out.
"Can't criticize their hospitality, now can we," Dylan quipped as he knelt beside Tyr in the shadows of the hangar bay. "Let's show them how much we appreciate their attentiveness to our every need," and Tyr and Dylan stood up and stealthily began their approach.
Without warning, an explosion tore through the hangar, ripping apart the slip fighter, killing the guards and sending Dylan and Tyr flying to the ground. Before the first explosion could be fully comprehended, others erupted around the hangar. "Come on!" Tyr ordered as he yanked Dylan to his feet and they ran from the hangar.
The corridor burst into flames behind them, even as they dived into an adjoining corridor. "They are under attack!" Dylan yelled over the destruction. "We need to get out of this building!"
The two men ran down the corridor even as repercussions of more bombs shook the foundation. They burst through the doors into the outside world without breaking stride. They ducked as a missile streamed over their heads and struck the building they had just left.
All around them chaos reigned. The city they toured hours ago was becoming indistinguishable. "Follow me!" Tyr yelled and the two men pealed away from the main square.
TBC I'ld love to get some feedback!
"Hunt here. What's up Beka?"
"An emissary from Enkindo just came on board. There seems to be a threat of an asteroid striking the planet."
"Alright, go and take care of it, Beka."
"Are you going to be OK with the Randamals till we return?" there seemed to be concern in her voice. Had Tyr's worry been conveyed to the whole crew?
"I'll be fine. I'm not alone you know."
"Yeah, I think that's another reason I'm not sure I should leave you."
Dylan laughed, "Go on Beka. We'll be here waiting for your return with smiles on our faces."
"Please," Beka snorted. "Don't go overboard, Dylan. Andromeda out."
The assassin was a fast runner and a cunning adversary but neither trait exceeded those of Tyr. He caught up with the human with a flying tackle and quickly snapped restrains on his wrists. "Come on. We have a meeting to make," he said as he jerked the man to his feet and pushed him forward.
"Your captain should not have returned to Randamal. He should have abandoned this alliance after the first attack," the rebel bitterly warned.
"Returned?" Tyr snorted. "Get your intelligence correct, fool. This is Captain Hunt's first trip to your fair planet."
"Don't play me for a fool! I mean after he was injured! He should have just stayed aboard his ship!"
"Again you have faulty intel. The good captain hasn't left your planet since he arrived two days ago."
The Rebel stumbled to a halt as he shot a look of shock to his captor. "That's impossible! He was injured! I saw the video feed myself!"
Roughly, Tyr spun the rebel around and pushed him forward. "Yes, injured by another pathetic member of your cause," he tone deadly enough to cause the Rebel to hasten his steps forward just to put distance between himself and the Nietzschean.
"You are lying, Nietzschean. He was injured and he would have returned to his ship for treatment."
"Lucky for him, your government was courteous enough to provide medical treatment to him. "
They walked in silence for a few moments before a surprised laugh broke from the rebel. It grew into a fit of laughter that had the man stumbling to keep his balance. But a knife at his throat suddenly erased all mirth from him.
Tyr drew a thin line of blood from the rebel's neck as he snarled by his ear, "Do share the joke."
The rebel's response was a pained wheeze, "I tried to kill a corpse," a smile creased the man's face even as a laugh escaped, regardless of the knife. But Tyr soon made the knife's presence unpleasant. The rebel continued, "And you, you are protecting a corpse."
Tyr entered Dylan's room without preamble but with a determined stride. Dylan dropped the report he had been reading onto the couch and stood up. "You didn't catch them?" his tone bordering on a reprimand.
"Oh I caught him," Tyr countered but immediately continued before Dylan could voice his next question. "We have to go back to the Andromeda. Now."
Dylan was caught off guard by Tyr's insistence and the look of steel in his eyes. "So you caught my would be assassins and what? He threatened me if I didn't leave?' his tone incredulous. But the next second it was full of a warning, "I'm not running, Tyr!"
"Once we are aboard the Andromeda, I will explain everything." Tyr replied.
Dylan gave a short frustrated laugh, "Well, that'll be a while, considering the Andromeda left for Enkindo more than an hour ago."
"What?!" Tyr exclaimed stepping closer to Dylan. "Why did they leave without asking your permission?!"
"They did ask and I gave it."
"Then why the hell didn't you get on board?!"
"Because you weren't back yet and the Andromeda needed to act immediately."
Tyr swore, "Alright. We'll take the slip fighter I came in and rendezvous with the Andromeda as soon as possible. Damn it! I can't believe you let them leave without you!"
"Well I wasn't going to leave without you!"
"I'm not the one injured!!!" Tyr exploded in rage.
"I'm fine, Tyr!" Dylan shot back in exasperation. "Why do we have to have this conversation over and over again!?" But something in Tyr's expression didn't sit well with Dylan. "I think it's time you tell me what you learned from the rebel that's got you so spooked."
"I'll tell you on the way," and Tyr headed for the door but halted as he sensed he was making the journey alone. He swung around to face his captain, "Can't you trust me for a second?!"
"Give me a reason to, Tyr."
Tyr knew that Dylan wouldn't budge from his spot without knowing the truth. Trouble was, Tyr was worried that knowing the truth wouldn't change his stubborn friend's resolve either. Crossing back to stand before Dylan, Tyr told his captain what the rebel had relayed, with some pressure applied. Something that had shook Tyr's composure enough for the rebel to escape.
"I don't believe you are as fine as you feel, Dylan." Dylan's anger rose but Tyr cut off his words, "The Randamals do not have the supplies or technology to treat Human injures."
"What?!" Dylan scoffed.
"They do, however, have powerful pain killers and the technology to mask the appearance of any injury. They use this method to "treat" injuries to their human slaves and send them back out to work...until they drop over dead." Dylan could now plainly read the concern in Tyr's eyes and felt his denials fade.
"Give me your knife," Dylan ordered evenly.
This caught Tyr by surprise, "What do..."
But Dylan sharply cut in, "Now Tyr." And the weapons officer pulled the knife from its hiding spot in Tyr's boot and handed it to Hunt.
Before Tyr could react, Dylan sliced the blade down his arm. Immediately Tyr wrestled the knife from Dylan with a curse, "What the hell are you doing?!"
Dylan said nothing but stared at the cut that seeped red blood.
Tyr strode to the bathroom and returned a second later with a towel. He let out a string of curses as he wrapped the towel around the wound to staunch the blood. With fury, Tyr clamped his free hand behind Dylan's neck, finally getting Hunt's attention, "Are you crazy?!"
But the look in Dylan's eyes spoke of anger not madness. "I don't feel any pain, Tyr. Their medicine is very good. I have been such a fool!"
"Yes, well, let's get back to the Andromeda and then we'll show them how we feel about their medical treatments," Tyr snarled as he started to usher Dylan toward the door.
"But I don't know why Tyr," Dylan suddenly protested.
"We are leaving! Now, Dylan!' Tyr growled, allowing for no opposition. "You can contemplate all you want later. Now move!" and he shoved his captain out of the door.
They could see the slip fighter, trouble was, five guards surround it. "It's almost as if they don't want us to leave," Tyr sarcastically bit out.
"Can't criticize their hospitality, now can we," Dylan quipped as he knelt beside Tyr in the shadows of the hangar bay. "Let's show them how much we appreciate their attentiveness to our every need," and Tyr and Dylan stood up and stealthily began their approach.
Without warning, an explosion tore through the hangar, ripping apart the slip fighter, killing the guards and sending Dylan and Tyr flying to the ground. Before the first explosion could be fully comprehended, others erupted around the hangar. "Come on!" Tyr ordered as he yanked Dylan to his feet and they ran from the hangar.
The corridor burst into flames behind them, even as they dived into an adjoining corridor. "They are under attack!" Dylan yelled over the destruction. "We need to get out of this building!"
The two men ran down the corridor even as repercussions of more bombs shook the foundation. They burst through the doors into the outside world without breaking stride. They ducked as a missile streamed over their heads and struck the building they had just left.
All around them chaos reigned. The city they toured hours ago was becoming indistinguishable. "Follow me!" Tyr yelled and the two men pealed away from the main square.
TBC I'ld love to get some feedback!