Chapter 2
"How did we get into this mess? I really don't know." A-10 griped as he and Tim2 slogged down a mountain of sand.
Tim2 had managed to pilot the reed safely to the ground only for the two to find themselves in a desert wasteland. This was the Littleton System. But neither of the two students knew this.
"We seem to be made to suffer. It's our lot in life. This is such a desolate place." A-10 said miserably. But then he noticed that Tim2 was walking away from him.
"Where do you think you're going?"
Tim2 responded with a beep and a nod in the direction he'd been walking.
"Well I'm not going that way. It's much too rocky. This way is much easier." A-10 said, indicating the opposite direction. "What makes you think there are settlements over there?"
Tim2 launched into a long explanation on why he thought they should go his way.
"Don't get technical with me." A-10 retorted. "What mission? What are you talking about?!"
Tim2 tried to continue but A-10 wouldn't have it.
"I've just about had enough of you! Go that way! You'll be dead within a day, you near-sighted woodwind!" he shouted angrily as he stalked off in the opposite direction. "And don't let me catch you following me begging for help. Because you won't get it."
Tim2 played several notes of pleading but A-10 would not be persuaded.
"No more adventures! I'm not going that way."
Tim2 sighed and continued on his way, never once looking back. He had a mission to complete.
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Hours later the sun had risen and A-10 was still stumbling about, lost, bewildered, and weak from lack of food and water.
Finally he collapsed in the sand, beaten down by the heat of the sun.
"That reed-playing little twerp! This is all his fault!" A-10 lamented through his parched lips. "He tricked me into going this way. But he'll do no better."
Just then, something on the horizon caught A-10's attention.
"Wait! What's that? A transport. I'm saved. Over here!" he tried to shout through his dry throat. "Hey! Help! Please help!!"
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Tim2 wasn't fairing much better. He had found no sign of Littleton High School or the settlements that were rumored to surround it.
At the moment, Tim2 was making his way down a rocky canyon. And though he couldn't tell for certain, Tim2 felt that he was being watched. And of course, he was right. Figures decked in red, cloth robes were hidden behind boulders, watching the young student. No facial features were distinguishable beneath their hoods. They spoke in a strange language and each of them carried a battered mellophone.
Tim2 was just walking by, beeping nervously, when one of them leapt up and fired at him. The blast caught Tim2 in the chest and he fell to the ground, stunned.
The Mellophones rushed forward to claim their new captive. He would be worth a lot. Mechanic students were in great demand by the farmers of the Littleton System.
Three of the Mellophones lifted Tim2 from the ground and followed the other two back to their transport, a giant sand scaffold. Five other students were tied up on the upper platform. Two Mellophones dragged tim2 to the top and tied him up. Then they climbed back down and the five Mellophones began to push the scaffold across the desert. The first settlement wasn't too far away.
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Tim2 woke up some time later. The first thing he noted was the fact that he was tied up. Then he noticed who it was that was tied up next to him.
"It's about time you woke up." A-10 said grumpily.
Just then the scaffold stopped and two Mellophones climbed up.
"We're doomed." A-10 whispered, suddenly afraid. "Do you think they'll kill us?"
Tim2 just shrugged as the first Mellophone approached and aimed her weapon at A-10.
The second Mellophone untied the six students and motioned for them to climb down. They had reached the first settlement.
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Meanwhile, back in the desert, the sax troopers had reached the abandoned reed and realized their mistake.
"Someone was on the reed. The tracks go off in this direction." the commander said, trying to hide his alarm.
"Look sir, students!" one of the troopers shouted, identifying a small piece of brown cloth that had torn off of Tim2's robe in the crash.
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Chris Skywalker slowly walked out of the small hovel that was his home. The Mellophones had come back with more students to sell. Chris thought that they had enough students to feed as it was but Uncle Will always insisted on buying more every time the Mellophones came around.
"Chris! Chris!" he suddenly heard the voice of his aunt, Courtney.
Chris quickly ran back to the hovel where his aunt stood waiting.
"Chris, tell Uncle if he gets a translator be sure it speaks Baritone."
"Doesn't look like we have much of a choice, but I'll remind him." Chris said before running back to join Uncle Will.
As much as Chris hated it, he couldn't deny that they needed help on the farm. When the Woodwinds had taken over the cities had fallen into disrepair. Now all that remained were the high schools. An area was now defined by the high school that was in it. Chris and his family worked a small farm at the edge of the system. Littleton High itself was a good day's travel from home on a fast case.
Even so, the distance of the high school wouldn't matter much to Chris if this year's crop failed as the last two had. All the systems of the world were now completely self-sufficient. They all grew their own food and made their own clothing. Jeans and fast-food restaurants were a thing of the past.
Chris knew that a lot of the Littleton System depended on the produce from their farm. But if this year's harvest failed then the family would barely make enough money to stay alive, let alone for Chris to get off the farm. Every year Chris hoped to see the harvest bring in enough money for him to leave the Littleton System and see the world beyond. His greatest wish was to enroll in the great Brass Academy of the Pomona System. Maybe even join the rebellion against the Woodwinds. But the past few years had put his dream to the test.
Completely oblivious to Chris' daydreaming, Uncle Will continued to inspect the line of students. He had already chosen a woodwind student who carried a bass clarinet. The student wore a red armband which signified that she was good for manual labor.
Then Will noticed A-10.
"you! I suppose you're trained for etiquette and protocol." he said, noting the yellow armband that signified A-10 as a communications student.
"Protocol? Why it's my primary expertise, sir. I am well-versed in all the customs."
"I have no need for a protocol student." Will said brusquely.
"Of course you haven't, sir. Not in an environment such as this. That is why I have been trained-" A-10 started to say.
"What I really need is a student who understands the binary language of water keys."
"Water keys? Sir, my first job was programming binary spit valves. Very similar to your water keys in most respects."
"Can you speak Baritone?"
"Of course I can, sir. It's like a second language to me. I'm as fluent in Baritone as-"
"All right, shut up. I'll take these two." Will said to the Mellophone walking beside him.
"Chris!" he called to his nephew. "Take these two over to the garage. I want 'em cleaned up before dinner."
"But I was going over to Bell Station to pick up some key oil." Chris complained.
Will gave Chris a knowing look.
"You can waste time with your friends when your chores are done. Now come on. Get to it."
Chris stalked off, muttering to himself as the two new purchases followed him. The bass clarinet, Paige2-Bass4 to be exact, was practicing her instrument with a fury. But suddenly every note she hit came out badly tuned and squeaky. Chris turned back to check on her. He pulled the clarinet from her hands and removed the reed from the mouthpiece, only to find that it was cracked.
"Uncle Will! This Woodwind has a bad reed! Look!" Chris called to Will, holding up the damaged reed.
"Hey, what are you trying to push on us?!" Will asked angrily.
During the argument that followed, A-10 noticed that Tim2 was still struggling against the ropes that still bound his wrists. Not even sure why he was doing it, A-10 tapped Chris on the shoulder.
"Excuse me, sir. But that Woodwind student is in prime condition. A real bargain."
"Uncle Will! What about that one?!" Chris suggested, pointing to Tim2.
"What about that blue one?" Will asked, referring to the blue armband that signified Tim2 as a mechanic. "We'll take that one."
Another Mellophone rushed to untie Tim2.
"I think you'll be really pleased with that one, sir. He really is in first class condition. I've worked with him before." A-10 said as Tim2 came to join them.
"Now don't you forget this." A-10 said to Tim2 as the two fell into step behind Chris. "Why I should stick my neck out for you is quite beyond my capacity."