Chapter 7: The Thief's Con
Six hours later, as he promised, Dujak called back with a place to make the exchange. It was to be made on a planet that belonged to the Jaridian warlord, Jakraba. It was an extremely hot mining planet with little to no habitable places…if you were a human. In the daytime, poisonous gases filled the planet, and temperatures peaked at 2000 degrees. At night, there was little to no air, and the temperature dropped to 6000 below zero, needless to say that Jaridian miners remained well within their bases at night.
When the temperatures peaked was when Dujak and Ar'ron met on steaming orange surface to make the exchange. Dujak had to land on a special ship made of an alloy strong enough to withstand the heat, and Ar'ron had to be portalled on the surface.
Tay'jay and Trey were on the surface with Da'an cuffed. They hid Da'an behind them.
Dujak's guards had a square box.
"Where's the Espelon?" Dujak asked Ar'ron sternly.
"Where's the money?" Ar'ron asked back.
"Only after I see Da'an."
"Do we use names here?" Ar'ron asked humorously.
"Enough of your wicked manipulation! Show me the fugitive now!"
"The prisoner is right here."
Tay'jay and Trey moved aside to reveal Da'an. Dujak ordered his guards to seize her, but Trey and Tay'jay blocked them.
"The money," Ar'ron ordered just as sternly, "or no girl."
Dujak told them to hand him the case. Trey took it and portalled back to the ship, where he could check the money without exposing it to the elements.
"It's clean and it's all here," he told Ar'ron.
Tay'jay placed something in the sleeve of Da'an's suit. "Courtesy of Trey. He said you'll know when to use it." He pushed Da'an into Dujak's arms.
Dujak grinned at Da'an. "You have made my life miserable. Now, I'm going to do the same to you."
"I'm hiding the fear," Da'an said sarcastically.
"So what is this smuggling ring I've heard so much about?" Trey asked Tay'jay as they waited.
"The smuggling ring started about fifty stellar cycles ago. It's basically a network of cooperating planets throughout the galaxy that take in Espelons fleeing Jaridians, the Synod, and anyone else who wants them captured. Little by little they're moved until they make it to safe planets with civilizations willing to assimilate them."
"And you're over it?"
"I am," Tay'jay said. "Ownership always goes to the highest bidder, and it's my money that pays for it."
"Which is why you steal? To pay for the ring?"
"Correct," Tay'jay said. "Half of whatever I get for performing a job pays for food, supplies, ships, workers, and anything else the ring needs. I'm also the one who gets other people to secretly invest in the ring too. Since anyone lucky enough to 'see' me thinks I'm Ar'ron, I'm free to be a respectable businessman."
"You have got to be the biggest abomination to the Commonality that has ever existed," Trey chuckled.
"I take it as a compliment," Tay'jay said triumphantly.
"I'm surprised Da'an hasn't disowned you yet," Trey said.
"I'm thinking she probably would have long ago. Everyone else has, which is why there are so many hits out for me. But things change."
"The more they change, the more they stay the same, which is why evolution is such a vicious cycle."
"Exactly," Tay'jay said. "You know if you're looking for a good job, I've got some areas where you could be of good use."
"Thanks but no thanks," Trey said. "I make enough on my own, and working for someone else rather than myself gets redundant after a while. I like my freedom."
"Don't we all," Tay'jay said. "So you're a Shape-Shifter. Didn't your people have a name long ago?"
"We did. We forgot it. We forgot a lot. That's what happens after several generations without a home. You completely forget your past."
"I hope that never happens to us."
"Me too."
Where are we? Tay'jay asked one of his scouts. As Ar'ron stalled Dujak with the exchange, four scouts had stowed on board the ship. They spoke with an unregistered frequency undetectable to Jaridian sensors.
They have just put her in the cell, probably with prejudice.
Let me know when she starts to work.
Yes, sir.
"You'd better get ready," Tay'jay said to Trey. "We only get one chance to get her out, and after that she's gone."
"Well, I've never seen such disregard for a fellow sibling's safety," Trey joked.
"It's only disregard if something goes wrong. That's not happening, not on my watch."
The guards forced Da'an into a dark cell. The inside was the crystal black and metallic green on all Jaridian structures, and a force field kept Da'an inside. There was nothing but the floor, and for a humorous second, Da'an wondered what they would do with a prisoner that suddenly had to use the restroom. The cell was cold and reeked of old steam and leftover odors from previous prisoners. Da'an was surprised to find that the cold bothered her, yet the extremely hot temperatures had not grazed her once. Apparently the Espelon metabolism was not far from the Jaridian's. It was strange considering one was made of energy and one wasn't.
She removed the hairpiece Trey had given her from under her sleeve. When the guards turned, Da'an began feeling around the force field until she came to a gap. It was a weakness that almost no one knew about. She inserted the hairpiece. The force field began to spark on its right side and fizzled out of existence. The Jaridians turned to see what was wrong and found no one in the cell.
"Treachery," one guard growled. "Call Dujak and search for the prisoner. She couldn't have gone far. I will remain here in case someone finds her and comes to return her."
The Jaridian nodded and ran to the communicator.
Da'an shook her head. Not once had they bothered to walk inside the cell to see if she was hiding. Da'an whirled around and placed her hands on the Jaridian's head. The energy from her hands stunned him enough to knock him unconscious like a large jolt of electricity. She dragged him in the cell and quickly removed the hairpiece. She had to do it quickly, or her hand would have been sliced off from the rapidly returning force field.
Sir, the scout told Tay'jay, I believe she has escaped.
Is she moving?
No sir.
Good. You have five cycles to get in, turn off the power, and get out. Do not bother coming back if you fail.
Yes, sir.
With Dujak's attention diverted towards imprisoning Da'an and leaving, the scouts were able to position themselves at different generators avoiding detection.
Team one, kill the cameras.
Dujak's people managing the communication station got the shock of their lives when all their screens went blank. Thirty seconds later, all the lights went out.
All security systems are off, the scout told Tay'jay. I am launching the portable now.
We are ready, Tay'jay told him. He turned to Trey. "Okay, we have two cycles before they get emergency power on. This is the last chance to ask any questions about your job."
Secured. Ready for transport. I am on my way to the shuttle bay, the scout said quickly.
Hide in the cargo hold until we get there, Tay'jay said. A brilliant blue light sent Tay'jay and Trey on the ship.
"What do I do if something goes wrong?" Trey asked.
"Hide in a closet, put your head between your legs and kiss your ass goodbye," Tay'jay said.
"All I needed to know," Trey said casually.
The power went off before the Jaridian could notify Dujak. Da'an took the opportunity to do the same thing to him that she did to the first guard.
Tay'jay raced down the dark halls following Da'an's energy signature. What Jaridians he did pass could not see him enough to distinguish him from their own, so they let him pass. He found Da'an just seconds before the emergency power went back on along with the communication system.
"Well you certain took your sweet time," Da'an joked.
"Better late than never I always say," Tay'jay said. "Just wait a moment for Trey."
Trey had used his true form to enter the communications room through the ventilation system. With hand-to-hand combat he knocked all Jaridians in that room unconscious. "Tay'jay," he said on his radio, "I'm in. I've obtained control of the communications system."
"Are the cameras still off?" he asked.
"No, and I have a very pissed off Jaridian warlord on the radio demanding answers."
"Then give him an answer. You're a Shape-Shifter after all."
"Okay," Trey shrugged.
Da'an and Tay'jay ran through the hallway until they ran into a squad that Dujak had sent to check on Da'an. They hid in a storage room.
"What's going on up there!" Dujak yelled to Trey.
"We had a slight short-circuit while installing a system update," Trey replied in the form of a Jaridian, "but we're fine now."
"I have sent a squad to check on the prisoner," Dujak said.
"I can see her from here, sir, she's still there," Trey said.
"Let me see," Dujak said.
"One moment sir," Trey replied. He rewound the security tapes to when Da'an was still in the cell and put it on constant playback. "Here she is," he said showing Dujak the footage.
As he anticipated, Dujak did not look close enough to observe the time of the footage.
"Excellent," Dujak said. "Squad four. Return to your duties. The prisoner is still secure."
"Yes, sir," the leader said.
"Continue your duty," Dujak told Trey, "and don't let this happen again."
"No problem, sir," Trey replied. When the screen went blank, Trey sat back and sighed. "Tay'jay. You're all clear."
"Good," Tay'jay said.
"Thanks for the two-minute warning, by the way," Da'an told Trey.
"Have you been captured?"
"No," Da'an said rolling her eyes.
"Then, shut up."
Trey guided Da'an and Tay'jay through the hallways passing soldier after soldier. They were almost to the shuttle bay where Tay'jay's scouts awaited when one Jaridian saw them.
"Hey! Halt!" he cried pulling his laser gun and firing on them.
They ran and hid behind a corner.
"What now?" Da'an asked. "We have no weapons."
"Forget that. He's running to the alarm system!" Tay'jay cried.
"Way ahead of you, buddy," Trey said on the communicator.
The Jaridian pushed the switch only to find that it did nothing.
Da'an laughed. "He disabled the alarm panel."
"Then, let's get out of here," Tay'jay said, "and we have a weapon." He pulled out a pole that extended into a large metal staff. Then, he raced down the hall faster than Da'an could see.
"What the—?"
Da'an heard a loud thud and a grunt. Milliseconds later, Tay'jay was back.
"How did…?"
"I don't know. It started after my body changed," Tay'jay replied before Da'an could ask. "I can only do it in short sprints though. I get really tired if I go too long."
"But how is it possible?" Da'an asked.
"I really have no clue, but it's one of the many things that makes me a great thief."
"And warrior," Da'an added.
"You wouldn't know. You never came to see my matches."
"You were in the military, and I was opposed to violence at the time. To an extent, I still am."
"What's changed?"
"I am opposed to needless violence, and no, this does not fall into that category."
Tay'jay shook his head. "You really are an Amo'qui."
They continued to the cargo bay.
The scout was gratified to see Tay'jay and Da'an. He gave Tay'jay the portable portal, and Tay'jay fired it into a wall. "Trey, we're on our way out. What about you?"
"Just one more thing," Trey said. He changed back into the Jaridian form. "Oh, Dujak," he called on the picture radio.
"What is it?" Dujak asked.
"Watch closely," Trey said.
The cameras changed to reveal the unconscious Jaridian in what was once Da'an's cell, the other guard Da'an had stopped from calling Dujak, the unconscious Jaridians on the floor of the communications station, and finally the soldier Tay'jay had beaten into unconsciousness.
Dujak smashed his control panel. "Scammed!" he cried in a furious rage. "I've been scammed!"
"Okay, Tay'jay," Trey said on his communicator. "Now I'm ready to go."
Da'an and Tay'jay had been listening while the scouts portalled out one by one. They were laughing the whole time they waited for Trey to get to them through the air ducts.
"You are awful," Da'an told him when he came.
"That's one hell of a calling card you left for me," Tay'jay complimented.
"So much for kissing my ass goodbye," Trey said.
The three portalled out one by one. Tay'jay was the last to leave, and he set the portable to short circuit once he reached his destination.
"Are you sure you cannot come with us?" Da'an asked Tay'jay as Mi'en prepared a shuttle Tay'jay had given them and stocked with supplies. "The humans could use your help."
"I want to. What you're talking about sounds like the perfect way to get back at the priests once and for all, but it's just not possible right now. I still have a lot of affairs to organize."
"Then, I suppose this is goodbye," Da'an said solemnly.
Tay'jay placed his hand on the back of her neck. "This is not goodbye. It's just I'll see you in a while. I will come and help you, sister. I promise. Just hold out until we come."
"I look forward to it," Da'an said. "Do not wait too long."
Ar'ron was staring at Da'an from the hallway towards the launch bay the whole time they spoke, with a look of profound longing in his eyes.
"I never wait too long," Tay'jay said. He turned to Trey. "What will you do now?"
"I'm taking my men back where they belong, so this is where we part too," Trey said both to Tay'jay and Da'an.
"Thank you for all your help. I could not have done it without you," Da'an said to Trey.
"No problem."
"So was I all that you thought I'd be?" Tay'jay asked Trey.
"Not really," Trey said. "Oh skill-wise you definitely were, but I was expecting someone who looked more like Ar'ron."
"Uh-huh," Tay'jay said uneasily. He turned to Da'an. "Is that a compliment?"
"Of course it is," Da'an said with a smile.
"Okay then. Well, it was great to meet you. Glad to know there are people other than Espelons that I can trust," Tay'jay told Trey.
"Vice versa," Trey said. "Da'an taught me that word."
"Words," Da'an corrected.
"Whatever. The point is you taught me," Trey said.
"Can I make one last request?" Tay'jay asked Trey.
"Anything from the master," Trey replied.
"Can I see your true form? I've always wanted to see what a Shape-Shifter really looks like."
"I don't know what you think you're going to see. It's not much to look at, but all right," Trey said. His Espelon form shrunk and then departiclized until he was nothing more than a floating orb of blue energy with a gaseous center.
"Oh, wow." Tay'jay said.
"It is so simple," Da'an commented. "I never imagined…"
She placed her hand inside. The orb shook and shrank backwards. "That tickles," a voice said.
"Sorry," Da'an chuckled.
Trey changed into an Espelon again, then he took Da'an's hand. "This is for you." He placed the silver charm in Da'an's hand. "I've had the luck of meeting two amazing people in the past few days, and from what I've heard about your plans, you will definitely need all the luck you can get."
Da'an slowly took the charm. "Thank you."
"Da'an," Mi'en called. "The shuttle's ready."
"Then, this is it," Da'an told Trey and Tay'jay.
Trey shook Da'an's hand and walked over to Mi'en. For several minutes they glared at each other as if they were ready to break into argument again. Suddenly, Mi'en sighed.
"Okay, you're not that bad of a person," Mi'en admitted with a half-smile.
"I'll give you that too," Trey said.
"It was…good working with you," Mi'en said.
"Now that's just a damn lie, but I appreciate it," Trey said shaking her hand. Then, he walked off. "Bye."
Mi'en waved at him with a smirk.
"As soon as we meet again, I'm gonna tell you everything about you that I know," Tay'jay promise Da'an.
Da'an nodded. "I love you, brother."
"I love you too," Tay'jay said. He pulled her in for a long embrace and finally let her leave.
Mi'en observed Ar'ron staring at Da'an. A menacing glare appeared on her face, and she grabbed Da'an's hand. The same menacing glare appeared on Ar'ron's face.
The shuttle met two very anxious humans six days later in the woods of the Appalachian Mountains in the dark of night. Renee hugged Da'an the moment she came out. Liam had to pry her away so that he could to the same.
"So did you find what you were looking for?" Liam asked.
"I did," Da'an said.
"Well, we've been having one hell of a time here," Renee said. "Mi'en, it's good to see you."
"She has decided to stay and help us," Da'an said.
"It is my duty to her," Mi'en explained.
Liam and Renee nodded.
"So tell me all about it," Liam said to Da'an as they walked down the mountain with a group of Resistance soldiers as their escort. "How was it?"
"Let's just say I have a newfound respect for what you and Miss Palmer do at nights," Da'an said simply.
The End