Sliding Into Antar
Abducted
Chapter 17
XVII
Puffing from exertion, Tess stopped and wiped her brow. Then she took the end of the rolled up carpet in both hands again and continued to drag it across the desert sand, leaving a swept path in her wake. The distance between the car and the rocky outcrop was no more than fifty feet, but the desert heat was merciless, and Tess was not accustomed to doing heavy moving herself.
Perhaps it was this fact, and the exertion, that caused her not to immediately notice the arrival of another vehicle. That was a mistake that she soon regretted, as something unseen hit her with the force of a freight train, bowling her over and sending her sprawling into the desert sand. Before Tess could get her breath back, Isabel was on top of her, straddling her, and Tess was face down in the sand.
"What the hell do you think you're doing, Tess?"
"Shouldn't I be asking you that question," Tess managed to sputter, trying to spit the sand out of her mouth. "I'm going home. Max told me to leave, remember? You all did."
"What's in the carpet?"
"None of your business. Groceries… my belongings… what do you care?"
Isabel shoved Tess' face into the dirt again. "Who's in the carpet, Tess?"
Tess gasped and sputtered…
"Earl… It's Earl, okay?"
That answer earned her another mouthful of desert sand.
"It's Alex, isn't it?"
"If you know the answers, why are you asking me?"
Isabel rolled off of Tess, wiping the sweat off her own face and giving Tess a chance to roll over on her back and finally look at her attacker. It was, at least, an improvement over eating hot desert sand.
"How did you get the body out of the morgue, Tess? Wait! Don't tell me! You had the attendants roll it up for you and put it in your car."
Isabel thought she saw just a flicker of a smile tug at the corner of Tess' lips. She considered removing it with another mouth full of sand but realized that that would make it harder for Tess to answer questions. And as much as Isabel wanted to stuff Tess' face in the dirt again at that moment, she wanted answers even more.
"What do you want with Alex?"
"I'm abducting him. Isn't that what we do, Isabel… abduct humans?"
Isabel reached for Tess, but Tess was ready this time and brought her hand up unexpectedly, throwing sand into Isabel's face. Isabel choked on the sand for a second, which was all the time Tess needed to grab her tormenter by the hair and pull her onto the ground with her. Isabel screamed, more out of dismay and anger than pain, and grabbed Tess by the hair, too, as they rolled in the sand together, each trying to gain the upper position. After several rolls, Tess came out on top, but a sideways kick from Isabel put Tess in the sand again, and Isabel scrambled to get back on top of her before she could get up. Isabel succeeded in securing the upper position but only had one of Tess' hands pinned, and Tess grabbed at Isabel with the other hand, catching hold of Isabel's blouse at the neckline and ripping it from the neck all the way down the right arm, causing the shredded garment to hang awkwardly.
"You bitch! That was a new blouse!"
"Ooh, somebody needs their mouth washed out," Tess taunted, ignoring the fact that she was currently at a disadvantage again.
"And I suppose you think you're the one who'll do it," Isabel spat angrily.
"Well, frankly, Iz, I could care less about your potty mouth. Unlike you, I've got more important things to worry about… like Alex."
Isabel slapped Tess resoundingly, leaving a pulsing crimson handprint on her alabaster cheek… though in actual fact, not much alabaster was visible anymore. Most of her face was by now covered with desert dust… as was Isabel's. For good measure, Isabel grabbed Tess' blouse at the neck and ripped it down the front, leaving her exposed.
"You'll pay for that!" Tess screamed, flailing her one fist that was still free, trying to connect with Isabel's face. Isabel dodged it and grabbed Tess' arm, forcing it back down, and ironically, hitting Tess in the eye with her own fist.
"What do you want out of me?" Tess cried. You wanted me to go home, so I'm going. You should be happy. You'll never have to see me again!"
"I didn't tell you to take Alex with you," Isabel said angrily, no longer in a mood to even pretend civility.
"What difference does it make, Iz? He's dead. Max can't bring him back. You know those stupid Earth doctors can't bring him back. So what do you care what happens to his body?"
"I care," Isabel said, "I care. Alex deserves a decent, dignified burial at least. You killed him. Isn't that enough?"
Tess stared at Isabel, Momentarily at a loss for words, and Isabel thought that, just for the briefest of moments, she saw something unexpected in Tess' eyes: regret… and sadness. But then she told herself that it was probably just Tess' black eye coming on.
"Isabel, listen to me… This stupid backward planet is, like, in the stone age compared to our planet. What Earth doctors couldn't even dream of doing is common every day practice on Antar. They can heal Alex."
Isabel shook her head slowly, wanting to believe it, but having a hard time making such a leap of faith…
"I don't know, Tess. You heard what Max said. Alex is beyond his help, and we're Antarian, too."
"Max is a child, Isabel. He's just a boy. His knowledge is like a two-year-old's on our planet. There's so much more that our people can do. You don't have a clue what we are capable of. Nasedo could have taught you so much."
Isabel shook her head. "What he would have taught me, I can live without. Mom and dad taught me more important things… like not to kill my friends… of which you are not one, I might warn you."
"That was an accident, Isabel. Okay, I'm sorry, okay? I'm sorry! I never meant to kill Alex. Alex was my friend. Nasedo taught me to survive, okay? And survival sometimes means using others… even if they're your friends. It's life. That's just the way it is."
"Not for everybody, Tess. Working with others and respecting them can get you a lot more in life than using them can."
"That's if people like you and want to work with you… and respect you," Tess said.
"Well, you have to earn their respect, Tess… especially after you've lost it."
"My watch is broken. Do you still have your watch, Iz?"
"You're worried about the time? It's 4:26."
Tess exhaled, still trying to remove some of the sand that was stuck in her teeth… "We have four minutes to get Alex into the Granolith… four minutes to decide if he lives or dies. What's your choice, Isabel?"
The color went out of Isabel's face, and she stammered, "I… I… What about Max… and Michael? If we take the Granolith…"
"Three minutes, Iz."
Isabel grabbed the end of the carpet… "Get the other end, Tess. I can't do this by myself."
Tess smiled and grabbed the other end, and the two girls carried it into the Granolith chamber together.
"Put him down right here, Iz. The Granolith will pull us in when I touch my hand to it. You should leave us now."
"I'm not leaving Alex with you, Tess. Wherever you're taking Alex, I'm going with him."
"Suit yourself… One minute left."
Isabel wiped at the dust that was caked on her face and groaned… "I don't suppose there's a ladies' room in that thing…"
Tess smiled and shook her head. "I don't suppose."
"Just checking."
Holding the carpet with one hand, Tess reached out with the other hand and touched the Granolith, and immediately both she and Alex were absorbed into it, along with Isabel, who was holding the other end of the carpet.
"What happens now," Isabel asked.
"How do I know. I've never used the Granolith before. It's a one trip machine, I think."
A moment later, lights began to swirl around them and the sound of rocks crumbling could be heard, even from inside the Granolith. Then the Granolith streaked into the sky, leaving a vapor trail behind it, and taking with it three passengers.
Isabel smiled wearily… "Let me fix your blouse, Tess. You're indecent. We don't want you to show up on Antar this way."
Tess nodded silently, as Isabel passed her hand over the torn blouse, mending it… then Tess lifted the torn sleeve of Isabel's blouse back over her arm and passed her hand over it, fixing it the same way.
"What about Kivar?" Isabel asked.
"I can handle Kivar," Tess said with assurance.
>>>>>>>>>>
The Granolith settled gently into the grass near the Starkeen River, several miles outside Antar's capitol city, in a well-hidden area surrounded by forest and high cliffs. Not far away, there was a small house, and someone inside was definitely aware of the machine's arrival. An older man and a girl hurried out of the house and over to the Granolith. As they approached it, it ejected its three occupants, and Tess and Isabel suddenly found themselves on their knees in the grass.
"I am Zory," the old man said in Antarian, "This is my daughter, Tryla. I thought there would be four of you.
"Just us," Tess replied, also in Antarian.
"I didn't know you could speak our language," Isabel said, surprised.
Tess nodded. "Nasedo prepared me to live on our planet. It was his purpose… besides protecting me. He awakened my memories and taught me what I would need to know to survive. He could have done the same for you and Max and Michael… if he had raised you."
"That thought just plain scares me, Tess."
"You wouldn't have grown up so ignorant of who you are if he had raised you," Tess said, then she turned to the old man and the girl, who appeared to be about seventeen…
"We will need someone to take the other one of us to a healer or to one of our scientists who can regenerate badly injured bodies. The patient is inside here."
The old man looked at the roll of carpet and shook his head sadly. "Kivar banished most of our scientists. It may be difficult to find one on Antar anymore."
Tess closed her eyes and groaned. "Then take me to Kivar."
The old man and the girl both recoiled, quite obviously shocked by this request.
"I need to know where to find one of our scientists to heal Alex," Tess explained, "And if Kivar has banished them, he will know where they are."
The old man nodded solemnly… "I will tell you where you can find Kivar, but I will not take you. You will have to go on your own. Kivar would kill me… or torture me… or both… if I were caught. I am the keeper of the Granolith, and Kivar is searching for me."
"Where can I find him then?"
"In the palace, of course. You will need to walk along the river until you get to the small settlement of Starkeen-Lom. From there, someone will take you into the city. You will see the palace. If you want, you may leave your indisposed companion here so that you can travel more easily, but you must not bring Kivar here… and he must not know where the Granolith is."
Tess nodded. "Are you ready for a walk, Isabel?"
"No. I'm staying with Alex. Besides, Kivar may find it suspicious if he knows I'm here. Are you sure you know what you're doing, Tess?"
"Yeah… sure… I can handle Kivar, trust me."
"Do I have any choice?"
Tess shook her head. Then she set out walking along the river in the direction indicated by Zory. After a little over an hour, Tess came to the settlement of Starkeen-Lom, and there, she quickly found a good Samaritan willing to drive her to the capitol; though like most Antarians, it seemed, the young man did not wish to go near the palace himself. Tess accepted and thanked him. Twenty-five minutes later, she was in CoruzAntar. The young man dropped her off three blocks from the palace with a note of caution, which Tess acknowledged, seeming genuinely grateful for the advice. Then she walked off toward the palace.
At the entrance to the palace grounds, she was stopped by four guards, who were not the least bit inclined to allow her to pass; a few moments later, however, they happily escorted her into the palace, convinced that Kivar had sent for her and was expecting her. Tess' mind warps did work on full-blooded Antarians. This was good to know.
The four guards escorted Tess to the entrance of the throne room, where Kivar was at the moment, and left. Taking a deep breath, Tess knocked on the door then opened it. Kivar sat on the king's throne, meditating, and he looked up to see who had entered. He never expected it to be the person he saw in front of him…
"Ava?"
Tess nodded and smiled. "I could not bear being stuck on that backward rock any longer."
Kivar laughed. "I don't doubt that. But I'm quite sure that there are other reasons for your being here that you aren't telling me. You have no reason to want to ally yourself with me. Why are you really here, Ava?"
"You're right. I need information."
"Information? That's all?" Kivar laughed again. "You mean you have no hidden ulterior motive? No matter. I will find out what it is. How did you get here?"
"I hitch-hiked."
"What does that mean?"
"A traveler gave me a ride."
"A traveler… stopping off on that backward blue planet? Earth has never been high on the list of interplanetary stops and vacation spots, Ava… except for scientists looking for clues to primitive evolution. And Antar, I might add, has not been high on the list either, since I took over. Why would travelers go out of their way to bring you to Antar?"
"I mind-warped them."
Kivar laughed. "Well! That was straight-forward and honest. I didn't expect that. But you always were shameless, Ava. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate that. I can work with people who want something and those who have 'agendas.' I understand them."
"I heard that you banished all of our scientists."
"Mmm… not all of them. I still have the important ones… the physicists and weapons developers."
"I didn't know there were weapons developers on Antar anymore."
Kivar waved his hand dismissively. "There weren't. But what else are physicists good for? They haven't complained. It's kept them alive… and off of some of the dreariest planets in the universe… where most of their colleagues are trying to survive right now."
"I need a healer."
"Well… that's no problem. I have healers."
"Not just any healer… a regeneration specialist."
Kivar chuckled then started to laugh… "For a black eye? That's vain even for you, isn't it, Ava? A bath and some cologne would do a lot more for you."
Tess reached up and felt her eye. It did hurt. Until now, she hadn't really noticed.
"A healer would be fine for my eye, Kivar… and… and the bath. I need a regeneration specialist to reconstruct… a friend."
Kivar raised one eyebrow. "A friend? Really? Now this I do find interesting! You have a friend, Ava? And not just any 'friend…' but one that you care enough about to come here and ask me to bring back a regeneration specialist, whom I banished to the other end of the galaxy… just because you ask me to. I'm perplexed, Ava. Either you have some motive that I haven't figured out yet or you're even more of an enigma than I realized."
"So do I get the regeneration specialist?"
Kivar thought for a moment and shook his head. "There's nothing in this for me."
"I'm here… begging you. Isn't that enough?"
"It's pleasant, I admit. But I have no reason to send a ship to the far side of the galaxy just to please you or to heal a friend of yours, Ava. Sorry. If you had something tangible to offer me, I might consider it, but you standing here before me, humbled and begging, is merely a pleasant diversion for me… one that I am already enjoying, without having to give you anything in return. I'm sure you see my point."
Tess nodded. "I expected that. That's why I brought Vilandra with me. I can give you Vilandra."
Kivar smiled and rubbed his chin with one hand. "Now that is much better. Still not enough… but much better. You realize, of course, that I can find out where Vilandra is without giving you anything. I have excellent methods for obtaining information. But surely you know that. What else do you have for me?"
"The keeper of the Granolith… and the Granolith."
Kivar perked up noticeably and, for the first time, he actually looked interested.
"I could still get the information from you my way, you know…"
"You could… but you might kill me trying. It is a risk that you will not take… considering what is at stake for you."
Kivar nodded then started to laugh again. "Oh, Ava! You are good! I knew there was something you were hiding! But it's not enough. I can't control the Granolith without the codes, and the keeper does not have the codes."
Tess' face fell, and Kivar could see that she had totally expected him to leap at this offer.
"You have something else, Ava."
"I don't. I have nothing else to give you, Kivar. I swear it."
"Oh, but you do. You're still hiding something from me. And whatever it is, it has to do with this alleged 'friend' whom you wish to have regenerated. How well do you handle torture, Ava?"
"You might lose everything if you try."
Kivar smiled and nodded. "True… but I might consider it anyway. That is something that you cannot be sure of. Tell me why this 'friend' is so important to you, Ava. And don't tell me that you are becoming sentimental. I'm not buying it. This person has something that you want very badly. What is it?"
Tess pursed her lips tightly together and scowled. This made Kivar smile, more certain than ever that he was on the right track. Tess took a deep breath and, with a look of total dejection, shook her head…
"I didn't come all the way here to have my prize ripped from my grasp, Kivar. I can resist your methods… even torture. You may kill me, but you will not get any more from me. Haven't I given you enough? I gave you Vilandra, the keeper of the Granolith, and the Granolith."
Kivar laughed again. "Well said, Ava… and exactly what I expected you to say. I think you'll find that I can be flexible… when it's in my interest. Whatever this secret of yours is worth to me, I'll give you thirty percent. I would take it, Ava. It's a very good offer. You won't get another one."
Tess swallowed and closed her eyes, a look of total frustration and resignation on her face…
"All right. The boy who is to be regenerated decoded the book for me…"
Kivar looked at Tess, suddenly interested… "The book… that book?"
Tess nodded. "The one you were never able to decode."
"It's ancient Antarian… and written in an unknown code besides… None of the scientists that I had look at it were ever able to decode a single word. You're telling me that a primitive Earth boy was able to do what I and all of my scientists could not?"
Tess smiled. "It seems so."
"Where is the decoded version?"
Tess smiled again. "In his head. He never got to write it down. In order to… convince him to help me, I had to mind warp him… over a period of two months. I didn't know that his mind would not be able to handle it. He died before he could give me the complete decoded version. His death would have been investigated, and I would have been suspected of causing it, so I made it appear that he had been in an accident… in his car… with a semi, an eighteen-wheel truck. Now do you understand why I need the regeneration specialist, Kivar? The person who controls the Granolith controls the universe."
"And that book contains all the information for controlling the Granolith… including the codes for all of its different functions."
Tess nodded, and Kivar smiled…
"NOW you have a deal."
tbc