Chapter 38
West Tennissee Detention Facility
Mason, TN
An hour later Sin got a glassy eyed look. "You okay?" Luke asked.
"Yeah." Sin replied. "They're here."
"Who?"
"Friends."
"Okay, so they're coming in with lawyers or something?"
"Or something."
All of a sudden there was a loud explosion that rocked the building and made the lights go out. And something clicked in Luke's head. "Oh no. No no." He hurried to the door just as the klaxon started sounding. "Tell me they're not going to assault the prison."
"Queenie gets testy when someone goes after one of her Nobles." Sin replied.
"Oh Jesus. Most of these guys aren't in on this. They don't deserve to get hurt."
"They're using stun rounds. Non-lethal. Knocks them out for about ninety minutes."
"Thank god." They could work around that. "How did they get here so fast?"
"Spencer and I are both wearing translators. They can be tracked from orbit."
"Need to get some." Luke watched as the main door blew open somehow and a small, fierce battle got underway. It didn't sound like you would expect. Gun shots but he couldn't hear the other weapons. Or maybe it was through the yelling from the other cells. "I guess blaster sounds are special effects."
"They are." Spencer confirmed.
It didn't take long at all. "Looks like they took the block." Luke said. "Probably landed in the rec yard. They're going to have to restore power to get us out of here."
"No they're not." Sin said. He was still in the bunk, now he grabbed Spencer's hand and pulled him back. "Get away from the door."
Luke moved to the back of the cell. "Why?" All of a sudden some force of some kind sucked the door to the cell right out of the wall. It flew off the tier and landed in the common space below with a horrific sound. "Fuck."
"Yeah. She's pissed." Sin replied.
Armed soldiers took up positions on either side. A moment later two people walked in, both carrying lit plasma staffs. The one in front was female, dressed in black, with lots of curly dark hair and the brightest blue eyes he had ever seen. "Biy ho Ercom Kaghs, Sin, ca' iya'au mooarriy rlass lloam sa' rlauh iya'au hoac a' gho iya'aumsorr rlavoc aun a oaa'hom a'o?" She asked. Sin chuckled, and was about to say something but he flashed again and groaned. She knelt beside him and placed a hand on his chest to steady him. "Eoasiy a'. Mocas oamo a' hoam lloaiy."
"Koll iya'au'c a'rlo, iya'au nna'll." Sin replied. "Fick na'raas.
A remarkably large Mrr'tani carrying an enormous broadsword came in behind her. He looked over the rail and made a chuffing sound. He took one look at Sin and stuck his head back out the door, saying something over some kind of radio unit. Luke didn't hear the reply, but the big guy came over and helped Sin to his feet. "Ga'agh a' rloanno a?"
"Donocs. Ya'aum faoc a'm rlao?" Sin replied.
"Mao. I's arlnmossarro hoso coaiys."
Once they were on their way the woman turned to him. "SSA Luke Alvez?" She asked, thankful in English."Yes Ma'am." Luke replied. She wasn't wearing anything that looked like rank but he knew an officer when one stood up like that. "I assume you have the rank around here?"
"I prefer Commander." She smiled. "Your people asked us to get you out as well. I assume you're all right with that?"
"Oh yeah."
"Help me here?" She moved over to Spencer. "Do you still prefer Dr. Reid? May I touch you?"
"Yes and yes, at the moment I cannot see." She took his hands and help him to his feet. Between the two of them they got Spencer moving in the right direction. "And you are?"
"The destroyer of worlds." She replied.
He stopped for a moment. "Sa'rai? Sin's old boss?"
"One and the same."
"This is not the first date I was planning." Spencer replied. "I'm sorry."
"Don't apologize. You can owe me for the second."
"Deal."
"Besides, I get to show you something special for the first instead."
"What?"
"You'll see when you're out of medical."
They moved with the squad out of the prison. At one point a group of guards tried to charge them down a hallway but the fire door swung closed on it's own, right in their faces. A couple of guys tried to snipe them from around corners but the soldiers with them were good. Sure enough, there was a ship in the yard. At the ramp there were two of what kinda looked almost like coffins. When they got close enough Luke saw that Sin was already in one "What are those?" He asked.
"Response pods." Sa'rai said. "They sustain life until you get back to Medical. I've ridden in them a time or two. Just lay back and nap for a while." She said as she helped Spencer sit and then stretch out on the other one. "I'll come visit. Promise."
"Thank you."
"Anytime, Nobleman."
Sa'rai and Luke backed out of the way as the medical team got everything going. The pods floated, making it easy to get Spencer and Sin onboard the small ship. They were locked into place in the center of the troop bay, as the squad climbed aboard as the ramp lifted. Even as they were settling in the ship was already rising. Luke looked out a window as they settled into seats on either side of the pods, medics watching over them carefully. "This thing is fast." Luke said.
"Yeah." The big cat said as he came over. "Come here." He had Luke follow him up to the front the cockpit or bridge or something. He handed him a small box with these two little dots in them, familiar from the time he went to the island in New York. Right, should have left those on.
Turns out Sa'rai was flying the ship. "Former fighter pilot, right? Sin said something about that."
"Yes. I like to do my own flying." She replied. "I've been told it's a trust issue. Only empty seat is for the engineer, don't touch anything. Best to hold on to your harness."
"Okay." Luke let himself be strapped in and kept his hands to himself. The big cat took the co-pilot's seat. "I assume I can call in when we get to New York." He said.
"We're not going to New York." Sa'rai replied. "Beginning climb."
"You're not over water yet." The big cat said.
"I'm sure I'll get a pointed memo."
"Climb? Where are we going?" But even as Luke asked the ground dropped away out there, and gravity shifted until it felt like he was lying on his back. He watched as the two of them crossed arms over their harnesses, and a grey skin covered the windshield. "Where are we going?"
"Out of the gravity well." She replied.
"What do you mean?" There was a feeling of power, of pressure. G-force, he realized, and the thrust of the engines. Some kind of shimmering energy field sprang up around him, easing the pressure while it locked him into his seat. "Where are we going?"
She smiled. "Up,"
