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Part 10
On the Planet Quevila:
Aeryn and D'Argo landed the pod without incident. From the intel the Peacekeepers had provided on Quevila, showed that it had five major continents, six major oceans, industrialized, developed, and urban. The atmosphere was a dirty yellowish-brown with pollution. Indications were the oceans were basically dead and the huge arid tracts where nothing would grow. Simply put the planet was slowly dying.
Stepping onto the surface they were greeted with ill-dressed inhabitants that seemed grounded-down by the harsh existence. A small rag-tag boy ran up to them waving some kind of ware. "Buy, Mast'er'omor. Buy."
Shaking his head D'Argo waved the boy aside. "Not today."
Aeryn scan the crowd looking for a ManorKan female. D'Argo asked as they walked down one of the many rolls of vendor's booths. "Do you know what a ManorKan looks like?"
"Yes."
After a microt when she did volunteer any more information, he had to ask. "Well how do they look?"
"Ugly."
"That narrows it down. I would say more then half of the planet's inhabitants match that description," D'Argo said sardonically.
Aeryn thought for a microt before saying, "Do you know what Xerconic sea hag look like?"
After D'Argo nodded his head, Aeryn said, "The ManorKans are uglier."
Screwing up his face in distaste, he muttered, "As long as she doesn't smell like the old hag."
At the end of the vendor's roll Aeryn and D'Argo came to an intersection; a low squalid stone structure stood before them. Various types of aliens were crossing in and out of it's interior. D'Argo shared a look with Aeryn, and nodding in silent agreement they cautiously entered the dwelling.
Once inside they were greeted by a strange noise and even stranger sentient life forms. The interior was dimly lit with a single beam highlighting a raised platform. A group of bluish-gray, short squatty creatures stood in a circle playing an unusual looking instrument. Another tall, reed-thin alien, with long fingers, gripping a microphone, opened her puckered lips and started singing in an eerie high-pitched voice. Grimacing, Aeryn held up a hand to her left ear.
Looking around the room, D'Argo could make out what looked like an overly large purple, tentacled alien that kept glancing their way. The creature was nursing a drink at the end of a long row of tables. He made eye contact with D'Argo before nodding his head for them to join him.
Warily Aeryn and D'Argo made their way to his table. The alien held up a tentacled appendage and saluted them with his drink.
"So the Legendary crew comes to the rescue of their friend. Here is to you, may the Collector loose everything."
Glancing around, D'Argo reached for his weapon wondering how in the frell this creature could have known about them. Seeing no one else paying them the slightest interest, D'Argo glanced over at Aeryn in bafflement. She stood there calmly studying the creature.
"You are Clampax?"
"Yes. So the Peacekeepers had informed you of me. Good. Good. You have the credits?"
What the frell? D'Argo didn't remember anything about them meeting a Sheeaannia. He wondered what he had missed in the meeting and on the chip. Suppressing his anger he decide to let this encounter play out then he was going to have a long talk with Aeryn about keeping him in the loop, as John would say.
Taking a small bag Aeryn dropped it on the table with a clink. "This is the amount you agreed upon."
Clampax weighed the bag tossing it from one tentacle to another. Leaning back into his seat the bag disappeared and his drink reappeared. "Strangers come they disappear in the bright light. Some say they die. Some say the overlords take them for they are the defilers that are causing the planet to die."
"And you believe this?" Aeryn asked in a cold voice.
"I believe the last part is nothing but dren the inhabitants came up with because they just don't want to take responsibility for doing this to themselves," Clampax said. Leaning forward he whispered, "I don't have a clue where the white light comes from. Nor do I know why or who is responsible for it. I do know someone who does know."
"If you mean the ManorKan female we already know about her," D'Argo said.
"Yes, but do you know where to find her? I do. I know who works for the Collector and where they stay when in the city," Clampax bragged.
"You've been paid. Where is the woman?" Aeryn demanded impatiently.
"Market booth."
"We came through the market but there was no ManorKan there," D'Argo growled through his teeth.
"You've been but one way, the market goes for metres. Many metres. Many directions. Old Kula'ora doesn't like Peacekeepers, or anyone else for that matter, but she will help you for only two reasons and that is credits and her utmost hatred for the Collector."
"Then were can we find her?" Aeryn demanded again.
Taking a deep drink Clampax held out another tentacle, "Take this and it will lead you directly to her. "
Taking the flat silver pad D'Argo looked down at the screen as a bright red light flashed at him.
Smiling Clampax said cheerfully, "That is her. Follow the maze on the page and you will find her."
After glancing around one last time they left.
Senior Officer Cafin stood at one end of the market place watching as Aeryn Sun and D'Argo crossed to a stone structure and disappeared into its darkened entrance.
He scrutinized the surrounding area of low, rough buildings constructed of stone, mud and thatch tucked closely together. Noting key defensive positions he sent his commandos to cover the fugitives' exit.
The moment his people were in position he observed a large cloaked figure moving across the plaza. He scowled as he watched as the market's inhabitants scurry out of the figure's path. Slipping to one knee, Cafin ordered his Sergeant, "Take one other and follow the dark cloaked creature. You are to report back to me the moment you know its true destination."
"Sir," the Sergeant moved away. Cafin surreptitiously tapped his comms and reported to the Admiral of his discovery about the one called the Collector.
Councilor Keitha paced, she didn't dare to stop or she might strangle the officer standing in front of her. She demanded in a tight voice, "Has the Recon team secured the information we need?"
Lieutenant Shay' a stood ridged and reported. "Yes, Ma'am."
Glaring at him she snapped, "Well, report!"
"Councilor, Officer Romanic, reports that a Scarran has been sighted in the general area of the market place."
Glancing up sharply, Keitha demanded. "Is he anywhere near Officer Sun and Ka D'Argo?"
"He was heading in that direction when they lost sight of him."
"Then they had better find him or it will be the worst for them," she angrily snapped.
"Ma'am."
"When were you going to let me in on the plan?" D'Argo growled.
"What?" Aeryn asked distractedly as she scanned the panel to make sure that they were properly following the red beacon. "What do you mean?"
"The plan. There is always a plan. As Captain I either get the whole plan or I don't play," D'Argo continued as if he had Aeryn's complete attention.
Aeryn turned her head and looked directly at the very annoyed Luxan. "I thought you knew how to read the codes embedded in the chip that told of the need to visit the Sheeaannia. I was following the plan. Here, look again." Aeryn casually tossed the chip back to D'Argo.
D'Argo and Aeryn stopped at the next crossroads and ducked into a communications booth. D'Argo fed the chip into the reader. "There, see the message embedded here and here?" Aeryn asked.
"No, I do not see anything but the fact that we have to come down to a frelling smelly planet that is wreaking havoc with my sinuses and speak to an ugly alien about a cold trail that might lead to another cold trail while John Crichton might be dying somewhere."
Aeryn shook her head and pointed to small dots and embossed markings on the hologram. "These are the instructions and here is the money allocation. These messages are from Counselor Keitha. It tells me that she and the Admiral are major adversaries. She trusted me to understand and there was no time to fill you in. I am sorry for the deception. It won't happen again."
D'Argo looked at Aeryn's resolute face and realized that his emotions had gotten in the way and that Aeryn was holding herself particularly still to contain her own anxieties about John Crichton and the extremely tenuous leads they had been given. He hated this dren. He hated the circles upon circles of deception and duplicity with them stuck right in the middle as usual. "You better have a Plan B, Aeryn when this goes sour as it always does."
"Oh, I do, D'Argo. Shoot the hezmana out of everybody." Aeryn said smiling grimly.
D'Argo placed his hand on her shoulder. "Then let's get to it."
The air snapped with tension as Asha Kaoru stood overlooking the city below, her eyes scanning the plaza until she spotted the Peacekeepers moved in a ghostly dance along the edge of the market.
"The Collector has left the compound. Now is the time for us to move," a deep male voice protested.
"Patience," Asha whispered. "The first step to John Crichton's liberation is underway."
She looked over her shoulder at him. "It is time for the second step. Go."
Without a word the man disappeared down the stairwell. She continued to watch for a few microts before turning her attention back to the plaza. "Now it is your time," she murmured.
A small ill-dressed boy moved out of the shadows. "I will get the Mast'er'omor to the light."
Asha glanced at the boy with a half smile. "Keep the Luxan away. Only the female Peacekeeper is to go to the light."
"Upon your instructions," the boy said, as he genuflected before disappearing into the stairwell.
The golden haired woman activated her comm and said, "Advise the priest everything is going as planned. The human will be emancipated very soon. Be prepared to break orbit within the next two arns."
De-activating her comms, she watched as a Scarran entered the plaza. Now it was time for step four. She stepped up on the low retaining wall and jumped over the side onto a neighboring roof, raced along the edge paralleling the Scarran below. Coming to a stop while still hidden from her quarry, she once more stood on a low edged wall and then dropped silently to the alleyway below.
Flatting up to the side of the wall, she observed Marcella waddle out from a back doorway and approach the Scarran. It was as she had expected; the Ickora woman was doing what her species was renowned for, namely selling their very souls out of greed. After a few microts, she watched as the Scarran turned and left, leaving Marcella standing there for a microt longer before she disappeared back into the entrance way.
Pushing away from the wall, Asha held up a red crystal, and activating it she started to talk.
A mixture of affluent and scruffy booths blended together in extensive rows of riotous chaos running in every direction. Vendors or their assistants stood out in front calling out to every passerby about the quality of their wares. An assortment of aliens milled about the booths haggling over items they needed or wanted to trade.
D'Argo looked around impatiently and demanded, "Are we there yet?"
Without answering, Aeryn turned to the left then sharply to the right. Beyond impatient D'Argo demanded again. "Well?"
Coming to an abrupt halt, she pointed directly ahead. "There, in that booth."
Without another word both moved quickly towards the indicated booth.
Before D'Argo and Aeryn went even twenty denches towards their goal, D'Argo was startled by a scent he never expected to smell on this overgrown dustbin of a planet. Taping Aeryn's shoulder, he urgently indicated the need to speak privately away from the crowded streets. Both Moyana ducked into a close-by alley.
"Scarran," D'Argo hissed urgently, "There's a frelling Scarran on this planet. How is there a Scarran here so far from its normal haunts?"
Aeryn shook her head, "I don't know but one of us should follow it while the other deals with the informant."
"Aeryn, you know that you have to talk to the fekkik woman because I don't know the plan. You made sure of that."
"D'Argo don't start in on that again. There is no time, there is never enough time." Aeryn looked down at the "map" and shook her head. "Look, you follow the Scarran. I'll follow the female. She's moving again. I'll meet you back at the Transport Pod in an arn. Comm me if you need backup."
D'Argo shook his tenkas in disgust at the situation. The decision was terrifying —leave Aeryn with out a backup or leave the Scarran wandering around without out knowing what it was up to. He turned and rapidly jogged towards the illusive smell of hot lizard hunching his shoulders in worry at what he was leaving behind. Aeryn turned towards the dirt-strewn street and the booth where the female alien waited, seemingly for Aeryn's arrival.
"This plan is frelled," Aeryn mumbled as she looked on the heavy green creature.
Officer Romanic and his party were set and in position waiting for the Scarran to come out of the alleyway. Officer Lyna Krytal stooped beside Romanic and reported, "Sir, the Scarran met with the Ickora female. They spoke for a microt then the woman went back into the building in across from this one."
"Then were is the Scarran?" He demanded.
Shifting around she pointed to the grand-entrance to the market place maze and said, "Sir, I observed two other Peacekeepers following him."
Romanic faced her and asked, "What do you mean two other Peacekeepers?"
"I didn't get a clear visual of their faces but they were progressing at a stilt projector."
"Frell, as the Councilor predicted…" Officer Romanic broke off and ordered. "You take the lead, Krytal, the Councilor wants to know where this Scarran is going."
Motioning for his troops to move out he actived his comm to report back on this new development.
Aeryn slowly entered the murky booth; she blinked to clear her eyes in the smoky gloom. A gruff voice grumbled, "We don't serve your kind here."
Coldly, Aeryn said, "I'm looking for Kula'ora. I was told this was her booth."
A stoop-shoulder alien came out from behind the display counters. All four of his eye sockets turned their purple glare onto her as he snapped out, "Kula'ora will have nothing to do with a Peacekeeper. Begone from here."
Glancing around Aeryn knew the ManorKan woman was there. The male moved menacingly toward her, demanding, "Leave now!"
"Or you're what?" Aeryn with her weapon raised moved to the right glancing over the counter. "I was sent here because I was told she could help me." She peered back at the male, who had frozen just drenches away from her.
"A contact of hers by the name of Arnell." Aeryn said as she reached in for a bag of currency. She tossed it onto the counter next to him. "Or maybe the name Keitha has some meaning to her."
"Arnell…Keitha…why would they send you to me?" A raspy, dark voice asked from behind a curtained off doorway.
Aeryn's eyes flickered over as the curtain was pushed aside, extra-long boney fingers picked up the bag of currency.
Aeryn said, "I was told you hated the Collector. "
"You seek the Collector? Why?"
"He has something that belongs to me," Aeryn paused then corrected herself. "To us."
The curtain was push further back revealing the speaker even more. A leprous old hag covered in oozing pimples stood facing Aeryn, as the curtains dropped back into place. Her purple iris in her red eyes took on a deeper shade, as she looked Aeryn up and down. A hiss escaped from between her yellowish crooked teeth as she exclaimed, "Peacekeeper bitch. Arnell knows I don't deal with bitches."
She waved her boney fingers. "Leave."
Determined Aeryn held onto her anger as she tried to reason with the repulsed creature. Keeping her voice emotionless she tried again.
"Another person you have worked with name Keitha refer me to you. She said you can furnish me with the necessary information…"
"I work with no females of any kind," Kula'ora snarled. "I know what you seek from the Collector. I know you seek the light. The one you seek is gone; you've got'ta to face it. Now leave!"
Aeryn raised her head higher as she faced at the ugly old ManorKan woman. A soft smile settled on her lips, as she recalled a lesson John had taught her.
Smile and in a calm reassured voice speak to them. It will disarm them and make them to reveal what you want or it'll drive them crazy. Either way you can get some satisfaction from it.
"I have paid you. You say you know what I seek. Now how can you be sure that he is dead?"
"He was hit. When the bright light hits you…" the old woman spit out. "Your body disintegrates…every particle of your being disburses."
The ManorKan puzzled over Aeryn's unnerving calmness. She continued as if talking to a dense person. "What part of disbursement don't you understand?"
"I know what it means. Now can you tell me more about this white light?"
"Who said it was white?" She snarled.
"I have spoken to a few others. They recommended I come to you for more detailed information." Aeryn tilted her head slightly. "Now what can you tell me about the white light?"
"I told you what it does…"
Aeryn cut her off. "I know, but where does it come from? Who causes it?"
The old woman gave her a calculated look. "That will cost you more."
"How much?"
"More then you can pay, bitch!" Kula'ora snarled.
Frell the calm approach. Aeryn's features tightened, growing serious. Her voice dropped in pitch. "How much?"
Hearing the underlying threat in the Peacekeeper's voice, an ugly sneer twisted the ManorKan's face. She spit out. "So, now you show your true colors, Peacekeeper."
Taking a step forward, Aeryn's face was devoid of emotion. This old hag was going to tell what she wanted or…
The old woman held up her open palms towards Aeryn. "I curse all Peacekeepers!" she shrieked. "I cursed the male Peacekeeper and he now is dead! I follow my Emperor. May the all powerful Emperor Staleek live forever!"
Raising her pulse rife back up Aeryn took a step backward, when the woman glowed a strange reddish color before collapsing to the ground with a startled look.
The Kula'ora's male companion roared and grabbed at Aeryn's weapon when she pulled the trigger. He glowed for a moment before falling away from her dead. Turning quickly Aeryn faced a Sebacean male looking straight at her with his weapon pointing in her direction.
A strange smile came onto his face as he glanced down at the old woman. "I never did like dealing with that old hag."
His eyes flickered back up to Aeryn. He slowly lowered the bizarre weapon. "I do believe we are on a common mission."
"You think?"
"Yes. I know where and when the light will appear, " he calmly said. "I also know where it will send you."
"Where would that be?"
"To the Collector's compound where the human is being held."
"And who are you? Who sent you, the Admiral or the Councilor?"
"Either…both. Does it really matter? I was sent here by a mutual friend to share this information with you. This might be the only opportunity for us to librated him. I am also to inform you that there is a Scarran scout coming this way. He is already on planet." The man glanced back over his shoulder then back at her saying in a low voice. "It would appear someone has alerted them that Crichton is here for a price they can have him."
Still not quiet convinced but desperate to get to John, Aeryn took one more glance around for D'Argo. Not seeing his return she motioned the man ahead of her. "Take me to the location of where this light will appear."
Nodding her head the man turned and led the way. In the shadows of the booths Senior Officer Cafin and three of his commandos continued to follow the pair upon the Admiral's orders.
On the Command Carrier:
The Captain stood watching as the Communications Tech scanned the various telltales that indicated the positions of their forces on the ground. Various blinking lights around the screen indicated that each commando unit was firmly in place. But as he watched the Tech adjust readout as one by one the lights blanked out.
They were gone. How? Angrily he snarled at the tech. "Find them. They all couldn't just have disappeared without a trace."
The Tech shook his head and replayed the event for the now sweating Captain. He adjusted the readouts, scanning it quickly, looking for something, anything. And then, finally, one of the lights winked out. Just winked out. No indication that anything was wrong. No sign of an approaching enemy. No reason to believe that anything was wrong. One microt it was there and the next it was gone. With a nod from the Captain, the tech returned the console to the current situation,
An instant later a second light went out. Two commandos were gone. The tech pressed a few more controls. A visual appeared as contact was made with the other Marauder team. Suddenly, a blinding white light blanked out the screen.
The Tech checked the various sensors. Even if they had been killed they would still show up. It could be that something, some kind of an electronic screen, had been thrown around them to render them invisible. They could still be there, invisible to the electronic eyes on the ship.
He tried a couple of other things. Still the commandos were gone. As if they had fallen into a deep hole. And even, then they would still have registered on some of the instruments.
The Admiral entered command and stopped right behind the Captain and tech. He glanced at the screen and asked, "Have you made contact with the other team?"
"For a moment, Sir then they simply disappear like the others."
"What of the Ka D'Argo and Officer Sun?"
"We have a lock on the Luxan but…" the captain broke off. "Sun is gone."
"What do you mean she's gone?" The Admiral demanded.
"She simply vanished. Sensors show that our people were where they were supposed to be one moment and gone the next. No indications of anything approaching them. Nothing. They just vanish."
The Admiral felt himself grow cold. "Any high energy flux before the person vanished?"
"Not that we can detect, Sir."
"Is there any other commandos that hadn't vanished that can report to us, Captain?" Arnell said through clinched teeth.
"No, Sir. Only the Luxan and assorted other…"
"Then I would advise you to order more solders over there now!" The Admiral barked.
