Chapter Seven
Somehow Starbuck managed to hit the ground flat on his back. He lay there for several moments, willing his lungs to start working again, as he vaguely felt someone patting him down and simultaneously heard angry voices in the background. Above him, the rope he had been suspended from, dangled from the tree branch as a reminder to his stunned body of just how he had ended up having the breath knocked out of him.
For an instant, it was just Starbuck, alone and struggling to breathe, and then the worried face of Dorado was leaning over him, blood trickling from his nose.
"Starbuck," he grabbed the still cadet by the shoulders, "are you all right?" The cadet hadn't moved a centimetron since Ortega and Orcus had released the rope and then grabbed his feet, effectively flipping him onto his back for a hard landing.
Suddenly, the spasms that had frozen his diaphragm ceased, and Starbuck drew in a small, shaky breath. He puffed a quick breath out and sucked in another greedily, filling his lungs to capacity this time.
"That's it. Just breathe." Dorado told him as he let out his own breath.
Tani started running the biomonitor over Starbuck while Dorado kept a hand on his shoulder. "I think he's okay. Nothing broken anyhow." She remarked, astounded.
Starbuck closed his eyes and took a few more breaths as he listened to them.
"Good thing he has a hard head." Dorado told her.
"I can't believe they did that." Tani whispered. "Just for a few tokens?"
"It's more than the tokens. Ortega was getting revenge." Dorado squeezed his friend's shoulder. "Hey, you still with us?"
Starbuck opened his eyes and nodded faintly. There was a dull throb at the back of his head. That was strange; he didn't remember hitting it. "What happened?"
"They jumped us." Dorado gritted his teeth as he wiped the trickle of blood from his face. "I thought they were just going to let you drop from the top, Starbuck, but then they grabbed the rope again. Sorry, Bucko. I let you down."
Starbuck shook his head slowly. "No." He replied with a faint grin. "They did. Pretty frackin' hard too." He started to sit up slowly.
"How can you joke at a time like this?" Tani asked him, putting an arm around him and supporting him as he leaned forward.
"Head injury." Dorado replied for him. "How do you feel?"
"I'm okay." Starbuck shrugged their hands off of him. "Just had the wind knocked out of me." He patted his pocket and reached inside. Empty. "Are you two okay?"
"Yeah. I'm afraid we were outnumbered by those bruisers." Dorado griped.
"Well, we weren't exactly expecting them to jump us like that either." Tani remarked in disgust. Hades, when the three Stamphalians had appeared, they had approached them offering their congratulations. Before she and Dorado knew what was happening, he was being wrestled to the ground and she was pushed away as though she was a mere child, while they reluctantly stepped back to grab the rope which would stop Starbuck's fall.
"I guess it's a lesson in expecting the unexpected." Starbuck commented as he gingerly felt the back of his head.
"Should we check his pupils?" Tani asked Dorado.
"How many fingers am I holding up?" Dorado asked him, sticking up three digits in front of his face.
Starbuck brushed the hand aside. "I'm fine. Let's go after the frackers. We're wasting time."
"Go after them?" Tani asked. "Are you crazy? They just kicked our astrums."
"They had the advantage. Now we do." Starbuck told her. "Dorado?"
"First prove that you can stand up. Then I'll think about it." Dorado replied sensibly, though he was praying that Starbuck would be up to hunting the daggits to the furthest corners of Mazuria.
"Oh, for Sagan's sake." Starbuck muttered as he climbed to his feet easily. "See, I'm perfect." He held his hands out dramatically, as if that somehow illustrated his point. Other than the faint throbbing in his skull, and his neck and back aching dully, he felt fine. Well, at least as fine as he did before the fall.
Dorado nodded, satisfied. "Okay. Let's go get them."
----------
As they climbed higher in altitude, the clouds moved in. A fine mist surrounded
them, filling the air with oppressive moisture that was reminiscent of a steam room at a recreational center. Starbuck paused to sit down and take a sip of his beverage as his teammates studied the topographical map on a GCS unit. He closed his eyes briefly and massaged the back of his neck, where the dull ache was building into a continuous throb.
"We're getting close to the restricted zone." Dorado told them.
"Yes, I wonder why. I would have thought that they would head back to the Stamphalian rendezvous after they stole our tokens." Tani commented, studying the map.
"Maybe they weren't looking for our tokens." Starbuck muttered.
"You think the same thing that blocked our cache also blocked theirs?" Dorado asked, as he turned around to consider the cadet.
"Dunno. Maybe." Starbuck said briefly. It hurt to think.
"So, you think there's another cache out here?" Tani asked, her eyes shining with excitement at the thought of not only getting back their tokens, but getting the Stamphalian's as well.
"Could explain why they're so close to the zone. They simply can't find it." Starbuck shrugged. "How's it looking for a place to ambush them?"
"Ambush them?" Tani asked. "What are we going to do?"
"We should try to get ahead of them, and it's looking damn likely on the other side of the mountain. These paths are probably used by the locals and the Stamphalians are following them like established roads, if the tracks they're leaving are any indication." Dorado pointed to the boot marks in the damp dirt.
"How do we get ahead?" Tani asked.
"We go over the mountain instead of around it." Dorado pointed out the course on the map, increasing the definition and showing her how to find the potential routes around the mountainside. He pointed up the hillside. "It looks fairly gentle as far as the slope goes. If we haul astrum, I think we could beat them to this ravine."
"Are we still safely out of the restricted zone?" Starbuck asked.
"Yeah, but just." Dorado replied. "Do you think we're getting too close?"
"No, I think the locals would leave themselves a decent buffer zone. We should be okay." Starbuck returned.
"How are you feeling, by the way?" Dorado asked, wondering if his friend looked a bit paler than normal.
"Hot." Starbuck replied, wiping the sweat from his brow once again. "C'mon, we better get moving if we're going to get there ahead of them and plan any kind of surprise attack."
"Attack?" Tani asked nervously.
"I see a series of full-scale surprise attacks, each one more startling and surprising than the one before it." Starbuck smiled at her.
"Really?" Tani asked cynically.
"Tactics." Starbuck nodded, as he pulled his pack on and headed up the mountain behind Dorado without elucidating.
"I can hardly wait." Tani returned as she fell into step behind them.
The climb was arduous as they paced themselves relentlessly up the mountainside. The mist settled heavily on the terrain, making the trip all the more difficult. The scenery, which should have been spectacular, was instead all but eliminated, as they trudged onward. All three were drenched in sweat and humidity as they reached the summit where they quickly stopped for a drink.
"I don't get this wet in the turbo wash." Dorado commented dryly as he pulled his jacket off and stuffed it into his pack.
"You'd think the survival gear would be better suited to the environment." Tani remarked grumpily as she sat down heavily, pulling at her sodden tunic.
"It's supposed to build character." Starbuck remarked, sitting beside her. He ran his fingers back through his soaking wet hair. His head felt as though it was going to split wide open. Well, he hoped it would be soon: it should relieve the pressure. He glanced at his chronometer and smiled slightly, then elbowed Tani in the arm. "Nice going, kid. We made good time."
"Thanks. And stop calling me kid." She smiled at him. Lords, she was exhausted. She must have had to take two steps for each of theirs as she followed them up the steep incline. Well, at least Starbuck had eased off his wisecracks.
"Let's move it out." Dorado told them again heading down the hill. "Be careful, it's a bit slippery."
"Right." Tani grumbled as she followed behind, treading carefully on the slick terrain.
Starbuck stowed his canteen and stood up. The pressure in his head increased ten-fold while his vision blurred and vertigo enveloped him. For a micron, he thought he was either going to vomit or pass out. Instead, he promptly sat back down. Frack.
"Hey, are you coming?" Tani called back to him, suddenly aware he wasn't behind her. She stopped, uncertain as she looked at him.
Starbuck took a deep breath as he cradled his head in his hands, becoming aware of her eyes on him. He ran both hands back through his hair, trying to appear nonchalant, and looked over at her. "I thought maybe you needed a head start."
"Are you intimating that I'm slowing you down?" Tani asked with a frown.
Starbuck met her gaze. He didn't see any of the playfulness that was usually there between them. Somehow, he knew that this was not the time to push it. "No. I meant it, you're doing great."
She studied him. He looked like the usual Starbuck, but something was amiss. He was too . . . quiet. And nice. "Are you okay?"
His gaze flickered down the hill towards Dorado, who had by now turned and was pausing, undecided on whether to continue without them. Starbuck waved the cadet ahead. "I got a head-rush. I'm okay now." He stood up slowly, hoping he was right. Lords, you'd better not be injured, Bucko. Now is not the time!
Tani nodded, satisfied. "So are you going to fill me in on the full-scale surprise attacks? Just how do you make each one more surprising than the one before?" She was almost relieved to hear him chuckle as they moved down the mountainside together.
Surprisingly, to the tenderfoot of the threesome, the descent was almost as difficult as the climb. The path was slippery and wet, and it took just as many muscles to slow and control her downward path as it had the upward. Finally, she came wearily to a halt beside Dorado as he held up a hand.
"Shh! I hear something." He said quietly as he started laterally across the hillside in the direction of the voices.
Tani looked back at Starbuck, who had been lagging slightly behind as rear guard. She signaled him to stay low and silent and then continued on. He abruptly picked up his pace and was right on their heels within a centon.
Not far ahead, they could see the Stamphalians on the path below surrounded by several locals. The path ran along a deep ravine which appeared steep and treacherous. The locals appeared aggressive and angry as they swarmed the cadets.
"You're not supposed to be here. It's off limits to outlanders." A swarthy complexioned man with jet-black hair which hung loosely at his shoulders growled at Ortega, as he pushed him roughly in the other direction from which they had come.
"We're NOT in the restricted zone." Ortega argued. "Just look at the map."
"This is my land. Do not presume to tell me you know it better than I." The man hissed at the cadet. He was dressed in fatigues which blended in with the natural colours of the landscape.
"We're not trespassing. We have permission from your government to be here." Orcus informed them.
"And which government do you refer to?" the guerilla hissed.
"The Mazurian government." Kardon replied.
"This is Chobatar territory. The Mazurians have no jurisdiction here."
Dorado stopped not from the altercation. Starbuck slipped in beside him looking below.
"Ortega's right." Dorado whispered. "We're not in the restricted zone."
"Doesn't much matter if the locals think we are." Starbuck replied.
"What do you think?" Dorado asked.
"I guess it depends what the Chobatars are going to do to them." Starbuck answered reluctantly after considering the situation. "They're armed."
"So are the Stamphalians." Dorado returned.
Starbuck nodded at the obvious. The last thing they needed to see was a stand off . . . or a shoot out. If it appeared as if it would come to that, they would definitely have to step in. Then again, maybe the Chobatars would just turn the Stamphalians around and send them back the way they came. It was too soon to tell. "You're in command."
"Thanks for your support." Dorado muttered sourly. Lords, he hated being in charge. Just his luck that Starbuck chose today, of all days, to not try to usurp his authority.
"No problem."
Dorado sighed. "I guess we wait."
"Dor-a-do . . . " Tani's tremulous voice came from behind them.
They turned to see her looking uphill. Sprawled across the mountainside and heading their way were another group of Chobatars, weapons drawn and aimed at them.
----------
Starbuck raised his hands and sucked in his breath as he started counting the Chobatar rebels headed towards them. Five of them. Talk about bad odds. They looked angry too. His gaze flickered back to the scene below as one of the guerillas approaching him alerted his friends to the fact that they were about to be ambushed.
Now, every Chobatar in the area was glaring at the three Phoenix cadets with suspicion and animosity.
"Don't move or we will shoot. Not only have you intruded on Chobatar territory, but you have also displayed an antagonistic intent. That alone is enough to have you all in front of a firing squad." The Chobatar stated matter-of-factly as he walked up to Starbuck and Dorado, removing their weapons as his cohorts guarded them closely. Another rebel disarmed Tani, who stood just behind them.
"Hey, wait just a centon, pal. You're way off the mark here. We were actually trying to catch up to our fellow cadets . . . " Starbuck began.
The Chobatar pushed him roughly backwards and pointed his weapon at the cadet. "You warriors think we are naïve and backward! You are mistaken! We are educated men involved in a national crusade to regain what is rightfully ours! Chobataria!"
"CHOBATARIA!" The others cried out, weapons held high in the air.
"Do not think you can hornswoggle us!" The Chobatar cried in rage.
Starbuck regained his footing, glancing quickly at Dorado, who looked as intimidated as Starbuck felt. He focused on the Chobatar again and tried to ignore the weapon, which seemed Colonial in origin, not to mention shiny and new. Suspiciously so. "Easy. Look, we aren't trying to . . . hornswoggle you. We're here on a military training exercise to locate tokens." He studied the rebel's features noting how the dark eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly as he listened. "They . . . " Starbuck pointed to the Stamphalians, "have our tokens."
"You would have me believe you came to ambush your fellow warriors?" His head lifted slightly, even as his lip curled into a sneer of disbelief.
"Cadets." Starbuck clarified as he nodded. "It's a competition. The squadron with the most tokens wins a secton-end pass." The man appeared to consider his words. "There was no aggression intended towards your people."
"If what you say is true, then one of these cadets will have these . . . tokens." The rebel stated watching Starbuck's reaction.
Starbuck nodded. "In a small tylinium container in his pocket. Three tokens. Silver in colour."
The rebel stood back and waved his weapon, motioning the cadets to proceed towards the Stamphalians. "Let us go see. Perhaps a firing squad will not be necessary after all."
Starbuck winced as he heard groans of disappointment behind him. He hoped they were simply trying to frighten the cadets. He started picking his way down the hillside behind Dorado with Tani not far behind.
"Would the Colonial Academy grant us a secton-end pass if we turn in these tokens ourselves?" One of the other rebels mused aloud and was rewarded with the laughter of his comrades.
"Nice going, Bucko." Dorado whispered back to him.
Starbuck nodded back at him, hopeful they would be back on track soon. They quickly made their way down to the path, only metrons in distance and a steep drop from the others when Tani suddenly shrieked behind them.
Starbuck and Dorado turned as one, hands dropping down slightly and curling into fists as their bodies tensed for battle. They whirled to see a rebel with his hand firmly glued to Tani's astrum.
Tani was wide-eyed and furious as she turned on the Chobatar who was grinning lecherously and slapped him soundly across the face. "DON'T touch me!" She screamed shrilly. When he stared back at her with an even bigger grin, she smiled in return and promptly kneed him in the groin.
"Now!" Ortega's voice shouted simultaneously.
Chaos erupted. Kardon dropped the closest Chobatar with a blow to the jaw and then went down beneath two more as he was jumped from behind. As Ortega struggled against another, Orcus leapt to his rescue, knocking the man on the head with the butt of his blaster. The Chobatar dropped to the ground unconscious. The two cadets jumped into the fray again.
"Frack!" Starbuck muttered as he stood torn between helping the Stamphalians and preserving the temporary truce he had elicited from the guerillas. Two Chobatars were simultaneously reaching for a likewise ambivalent Dorado. Starbuck glanced back towards the others and caught sight of a rebel taking careful aim at Orcus with a blaster.
His body reacted before his mind could even begin to make a decision; he hurled himself off the sudden drop towards the Chobatar, crashing on top of the man even as the weapon discharged.
From the corner of his eye, Starbuck could see Orcus drop limply to the ground. He slammed the Chobatar's hand onto a rock, the weapon flying free. Adrenaline surged through his veins as horror and anger engulfed him. With every modicum of strength he had left, he punched the rebel in the jaw, and then scrambled forward, grabbing the blaster as the man lay senseless beneath him.
He could hear the yells of the other cadets and a sudden howl of terror from Ortega. Starbuck snapped his head in the direction of the cry just in time to see Ortega tumble backwards over the edge of the ridge.
The blast of another laser interrupted the melee. Every eye was drawn upwards to where a Chobatar stood, his powerful left arm wrapped around Tani's throat and his weapon swinging downwards towards her forehead. "Don't move or I will kill her."