Wound3

ALTERNATE TALES OF THE STAR FORCE

STAR BLAZERS---A WOUND (LIKE A KNIFE TO THE HEART)

Being the ninth part of THE RIKASHA INCIDENT--- BY: Frederick P. Kopetz

ACT THREE: TOWARDS THE DESERT

I. DUST AND ASHES

Space Battleship Argo

In Orbit Over Carufax

April 11, 2202

1202 Hours: Terran Space-time

After the battle, Commander Mark Venture had decided to call a staff meeting in the main briefing room.

So far, the results were not encouraging.

"At this point in time, the Argo is in very bad shape," said Sandor. "We just got that latest fire put out in the engine room, but with some damage to some of the spare parts stores we had in there. While the main engine will still work, if we find ourselves in another battle, we might sustain some damage we can't fix."

"You said that you have less than half of your technicians left?" asked Venture.

Sandor nodded. "So far, the people from the Engine Group have been able to take up the slack somewhat. Miss Henson has been especially helpful; she's learned technical details that are beyond her usual sphere of experience." Not far away, Diane Henson smiled. Nice to be appreciated for once, she thought. "Still…it's going to be difficult to replace the men and women we've lost…especially Royster. Losing him was almost like a physical blow…like a stab wound."

"A blow like a knife to the heart?" asked Dash.

Sandor nodded, trying to keep his tears from showing.

"I think you know why we're here," said Venture. "Commandant Ter'garv of the Rikashans has come to the same realization that we have; that it's too dangerous to stay here much longer. He has said that he may soon have to leave, even if he has to leave his Baron Cha'rif in enemy hands. We may soon have to make a similar decision."

"But we're not gonna leave the Captain in their hands, are we?" yelled Homer.

"Or Nova?" demanded Eager.

"Or Rosstowski or Aliscea?" snapped Conroy.

Venture put up his hands for silence. "I haven't reached that decision yet. All I can tell you is that Ter'garv told us over a secure channel that it would probably be a good idea to leave in six hours and follow him to a place of sanctuary within the Baron Cha'rif's territory in the Rikashan Empire. He said that he could cover us so that we could repair the ship in one of the Cha'rif Clan's domains."

"But ain't that enemy territory?" asked Eager.

"It is," said Sandor. "However, from what we've been able to ascertain about the Rikashan Empire, it is controlled by the R'Khell Priesthood, with seven great clan leaders under that. Within the clan leaders' spheres of authority, you could say there are seven semi-feudal states within the Empire. Clan Cha'rif, we understand, controls one of the largest of these states. As a respected Clan of the Empire, the Cha'rifs have some limited autonomy in their territory. Almost like a state within a state. That could help us."

"How do you guys know all this?" said Homer.

"I spoke with Ter'garv," said Venture. "He has been Baron Cha'rif's second-in-command for years and served his father before that. He said he has been in psionic contact with the Baron Cha'rif's father, Duke Sta'gin Cha'rif. He said that people in the Rikashan Empire are growing sick of the cruelties of the R'Khell Priesthood, which leads the worship of Ekogaru. Ter'garv said he has a hunch that very soon, either Sta'gin or Anton will make a bid to become the new Lord of Rikasha and take over the whole Empire. He said he then hopes that they would purge the R'Khell priesthood, end the war against us, and join in the fighting against Ekogaru on our side once Ekogaru's atrocities become known."

"That sounds like a recipe for civil war," said Dash. "Aren't the R'Khell priests themselves armed?"

"I admit it does," said Venture. "However, a holy war against Ekogaru and his priests would certainly be a factor that would meld the Empire behind the leadership of a Cha'rif. Ter'garv said everyone respects their clan since in three thousand years, they have produced more Rikashan Lords than any of the other clans, and that the current Lord, T'Grish Zaden, actually came into power in their last revolution because he was a kinsman of the Cha'rifs."

"So what are we doin?" asked Eager.

"First, we're getting the Captain and the others off that planet, along with Baron Cha'rif," said Venture. "Hemsford, I want you to ready a full assault party of twelve Marines led by yourself. Your job is to get down there, find the Captain and the others, and get out. This time, don't take non-lethal force, since you might be fighting the Technomugar…"

"Sir, we're using lethal force this time, right?" said Hemsford.

Venture nodded. "This is no longer just a mission to apprehend the Hartcliffes and the Rosstowskis, but is a mission to get Captain Wildstar back as well. As to what will happen to the runaways, I'll leave that decision to Wildstar. However, the understanding is that you have six hours to carry out your mission. If you don't find them in six hours, as of 1230 Hours, you are to return to the ship, since we are weighing anchor and leaving this planet at 1900, whether we find Wildstar, Aliscea and the others or not."

The crew gasped at that. "That'd make it real convenient for you, wouldn't it, Venture?" snapped Homer. "Then, you'd finally be the Captain! Wouldn't you love that?"

"Homer, that was uncalled for! This is a staff meeting!"

"And even thinking about leaving Wildstar behind is uncalled for, too!"

Venture released a deep breath. "Look, Homer. It wasn't an easy decision for me to even consider, let alone make! However, Captain Avatar gave orders a few times that would have resulted in Wildstar and others being left behind…"

"The battle with the Gamilon Magnetron Wave Fortress," said Sandor. "Remember?"

Homer just glared at Sandor. Sandor looked evenly at Homer and continued with, "In that battle, I understand that Captain Avatar gave orders for Wildstar and I to be left behind. I was told later on that you were about to carry out his orders and attempt a warp when Wildstar called in, Venture."

Venture nodded. He added, "And if you remember the look on my face then, Homer, I didn't like the idea much. I also didn't like just having to sit there the night you went crazy and tell you that we couldn't turn the Argo around and head back for home because your father was dying. But, I couldn't turn the ship around then and risk suicide for one person. We can't do that again now, if it comes down to it. In the meantime, we have to try to get Wildstar back, and Aliscea. They're the two most important prisoners in Ekogaru's hands right now."

"Yeah? What about poor Rosstowski? Bryan and Angie Hartcliffe?" countered Homer. "And Nova? Venture, she's one of your best friends! You know what those people do to women! If you let her stay behind, you'd…"

"We're doing all we can to get them back," countered Venture. "Now, Homer, you just shut up! We have other things to discuss."

"Aye, aye, sir," said Homer.

"Was it easy?" asked Holly Venture as she sat on the aft observation deck in full uniform in a wheelchair a bit later on.

"No, Holly, it wasn't," sighed Mark. "I almost had to throw that damn Homer out of there."

"I think you two don't get along because you don't know how to talk to him. You let him get you angry, and he reacts to that because he's so excitable. Other people don't talk to him that way."

"I'm not other people, Holly. I'm me. I'm a stupid guy from New York State with a little brother who loves to play soccer. And the crew doesn't look up to me. They tolerate me. They look up to Wildstar and those close to him."

"They look up to you, Mark. Don't talk like that!"

"Like hell they do," he sighed. "They probably respect Nova more than they respect me. She wouldn't have let that meeting turn into a near-fracas. And she knows how to get their loyalty in battle."

"So do you, Mark. And if you're looking to resign the post of First Officer, I can tell you Nova wouldn't accept it. She told me before she left that she had a hard time dealing with the decisions that she had to make while in command that…well…that made me like this," said Holly as she tapped at the large wheels on her wheelchair. "She wants to be a doctor, Mark. Not a ship's Captain, and not a First Officer, either. That's your job. And you can do it."

"Can I?" sighed Mark. "Can I carry out my duties as First Officer?"

"You can," said Holly with brimming eyes. "I believe in you, and so does everyone else."

She reached over as best she could and kissed him. "And don't worry about me. I'll be all right on the Second Bridge. I don't need to be able to walk to carry out my mission there at Astrogation. I'll manage."

Holly pushed the wheelchair forward and began to turn around. "We'd better get going now, Mark. I'll see you later, darling."

"Thanks, Holly," said Venture as he patted her hand. "You make one hell of a wife, you know that?"

"Thanks," said Holly with a smile. "See you later."

II. DESPERATION

The Courtyard around Castle Pa'Cranda

Planet Carufax

April 11, 2202

1226 Hours: Terran Space-time

Bryan Hartcliffe leaned against a stone pillar, feeling as if he was going to vomit. He hadn't run so hard or so long for months.

"You all right, Angie?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Thank God I didn't break a heel or anything in these boots…"

"You want pain, you try running in pumps sometime," gasped Nova as she ran up beside Angie. "Baron, where are we?"

"Outside of the castle," said Baron Anton Cha'rif as he came up with Wildstar. He wasn't breathing hard like the others, since Rikashan physiology was a bit more efficient than Terran physiology in such a situation. "If we take that street, we'll pass through the town square. The motor pool isn't far from there. Ekogaru's powers were weakened, so he would still need a transport to get to the air base, which is about twenty-five of your kilometers from here. I twice served on this planet when I was coming up through the ranks, once as a flight officer, and once as the Planetary Governor. That's how I knew that palace so well…my wife and I once lived in there. In fact, my son was born here on this planet."

"Thanks for the history lesson," gasped Derek. "Can we see if we can catch up with Ekogaru?"

"I believe we can," said Cha'rif. "I…"

A little girl in a torn sackcloth dress and dirty bare feet came up. She didn't speak, but her eyes were brimming with tears. She extended a hand towards Cha'rif.

"Jan," he said softly in Rikashan. "E'tlla evin da'crats ento m'beliezan. Ne?" (Little Girl. You look hungry. Yes?)

"Ne, ne, ne," sobbed the little girl. (Yes, Yes, Yes…)

Cha'rif looked around and then quickly opened a small pouch on his belt. He handed the little girl some gold coins.

"Ne," he said quietly. "E'tella evin ento m'belieza. Hanta! D'rats egen da'vuts, Tanti." (Yes. Take this. Now you can feed that hunger. Be strong, little girl…)

"Ne," said the girl. "Atla, atla, atla…" (Yes. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!)

Cha'rif hugged her and she ran off. He looked at Derek and explained, "She was hungry. I gave her enough for a month's worth of food, some new clothes, and shoes. I also told her things would get better."

"Thank you," said Derek.

"That was very kind of you," said Nova.

Cha'rif sighed. "When we were enemies, you saw only my harsh side. I'm not that kind of person, you know. I'm an effective warrior, but I really hate war. I'd much rather live in peace."

"Well, it looks like we have something in common," said Derek.

"You feel the same way? I'm not surprised. You seem like a decent man, Captain Wildstar," said Cha'rif with a smile. "But enough. We'd better get going."

Derek nodded at that.

"When I ran things here, it was better than this," muttered Cha'rif as they entered the town square. "Much better than this."

A man with nothing on but a ragged loincloth was trying to move a heavy cart all by himself as if he was a pack animal. He looked dirty and emaciated.

Angie felt sickened at this sight, as well as others.

Not far away, a little boy in only a rag stood playing in the gutter. He ran up to Cha'rif and told him something in rapid-fire Rikashan. Cha'rif gave him some more coins and patted him on the head.

Cha'rif turned to Nova. "Sorry about the interruption. The man with the cart is his father. When Ekogaru arrived, he said that the Technomugar forces took his mother, his sister, their pack animals, and all of their possessions except for their cart.."

"What a horrible government," said Nova. "They have no reason to treat these people like that!"

Cha'rif nodded. "This is what the future holds for Earth if you don't stop Ekogaru."

"Oh, my God!" cried Hartcliffe. "Look at this, Wildstar! This is sick!"

Derek looked. Not far away, there was a cross. A woman who had once been attractive was nailed to it. She was now dead, and was partly covered with flies.

Cha'rif read the inscription above her head, translating as he read. "My name was Mashelle. I refused to mate with the Mighty High Protector Gralnacz. This is my penalty. Ordered by the Lady Yvona, this day. I hope I rot in Hell."

"All this because you resisted being raped," murmured Baron Cha'rif. "Poor child."

"This is making me sick," sobbed Nova.

"Me too," replied Derek.

"Scum!" snarled Cha'rif. "I hope that all of you Technomugarians end up like this! You are the most cold-hearted beings I have ever met!"

"Oh, really, traitor?" asked a cold voice behind them.

Cha'rif turned, and saw that he was facing a group of ten Technomugar soldiers in armor and an officer in a regular uniform.

"My name is Helvetzi," said the tall, bald Technomugar officer in command. "You'd better give up, Cha'rif. We've got you worsted. You and your treason-born Terranische friends. Otherwise, it won't go well for Rikashans in the New Order."

"Where are Lord Ekogaru and Aliscea?" demanded Cha'rif. "I had captured Aliscea first. She is mine by right of conquest, as are these Terrans I have recruited to our cause."

"You recruited them?" said Helvetzi. "You're telling the truth? I don't think so."

An armored personnel carrier pulled out, roaring out of the courtyard in a cloud of dust. Helvetzi considered something for a moment, then he looked at Cha'rif with a wicked smile.

"Ekogaru just left in that carrier," said Helvetzi. "If you and your friends take that other one, perhaps you can catch up with him?"

"Why would you give us a carrier?" asked Cha'rif.

Helvetzi came up to Cha'rif and he whispered, "Vergar's request. I am in his Group. He said I was to do it. Get in there, quickly…before you're noticed."

"If you're really out to help us, do something, Helvetzi," said Captain Wildstar after he and Nova whispered to each other.

"What?" barked Helvetzi.

"Free those people," said Nova. "There are children starving here and people dying for no reason. If you really have a heart, help them!"

"Scum!" he roared, spitting right before Nova's feet. He bounded up to her with a hand extended; Nova flinched as if she was about to be struck, and Derek unholstered his weapon.

Instead, Helvetzi stopped before her and only tapped Nova's cheek. "You'd better…" he hissed. Then, he whispered, "You'd better be careful. I'll do what I can. Bear in mind, we are being watched."

Nova just nodded. Helvetzi then grabbed Captain Wildstar's arm. He glared at Derek and whispered, "Put that damned thing away. Otherwise I'll have to shoot you. Are you too damn stupid to see I've just given you a chance to run?"

"Thanks," murmured Derek.

Then, Helvetzi struck Derek in the face. Nova screamed, until Helvetzi winked at her before yelling, "Scum! Get in that armored personnel carrier! Now! All of you! Terven! You drive them! Take them to the quarry, strip them, and execute them there! Got it?"

Terven, who was faceless-looking in his battle armor, saluted. He nodded, and then he and four others forced the Terrans and Cha'rif into the carrier after taking everyone's weapons.

In the carrier, the Trooper locked the hatch after the four others followed him in.

One of Terven's men roughly shoved Nova and Derek into webbed seats beside each other. Behind them, Angie screamed as she was struck by the armored trooper.

"Strip!" he yelled. "The women, first! Take off your damned boots!" he yelled as he put a gun in Angie's ribs. “You take your damn top off!“ he yelled at Nova.

"Hey, stop treatin' her like this!" yelled Bryan Hartcliffe. Beside him, Paul Rosstowski was silent, mourning in his thoughts.

Another guard punched Bryan.

"No, we'll cooperate," said Nova. She reached for her ascot. "Start with your boots, Angie. Then let’s just take everything else off like they want," said Nova in a despairing voice as she began to undo her ascot. "Maybe then they'll stop hitting the rest of us."

Wildstar didn't know what to think of this. Is this some weird game? Why are they acting like this if they're helping us?

Because not all of them are on our side, thought Cha'rif. Not all of Terven's men can be trusted and I'm not sure about Terven himself!

From the driver's seat, Terven took off his helmet and smirked at them. He had a scarred but strangely genial face with blue-green skin. Nova was now down to her blouse, having shrugged her way out of her jacket. She began to undo the blue necktie that she wore with her Naval-issue blouse under her white jacket and ascot.

"What are you smiling at?" demanded Cha'rif. "When does the charade end?" he whispered.

"Watch," whispered Terven.

Terven raised his hand and the guard who had taken Angie's boots off her suddenly collapsed into a heap. Another one, who was beginning to unbutton Nova's blouse from the collar down (against her protests that she could do it herself), collapsed into her lap and then clattered to the personnel carrier's metal deck. The other two Technomugar troopers fell down a moment later.

A somewhat shocked Nova pulled the helmet off the trooper who had fallen into her lap. She felt the side of his neck for a pulse. "There's nothing," she said while retrieving a black and gold rank epaulet that the dead trooper had pulled off her blouse.. "I think he's dead."

"Oh, he is dead," said Terven with a laugh. "Had to kill him, I'm afraid. Damned loyalist. Now, I'd better get you out of here before anyone suspects. Oh, yes, you can get dressed again. I don't get any thrill out of looking at prisoners."

He started the personnel carrier, speaking with Cha'rif in Rikashan. Cha'rif nodded and then looked back at them.

"He has a plan, and he said he'd like me to do something when this carrier's hydrogen fuel runs out. For now, we shall follow Ekogaru. And, yes, my senses tell me this one is on our side. As I said before…even some of the Technomugar are sick of Ekogaru."

"Yeah, we sorta saw that," said Angie as she pulled her boots on. She looked back at Nova, who had just buttoned her blouse back up and fixed her necktie. However, she refused to put her jacket or ascot back on for the moment. "Ma'am, what's with you?"

"It's hot in here," said Nova. "Would you let me get my weapon back, Terven?"

"The one who was accosting you had it. Take it, and give your husband his weapon back, too. I think you'll need them."

"Thanks," said Captain Wildstar. He smiled when Nova handed him his weapon.

Now we're ready, thought Derek. But for what? I hope we can catch up with Ekogaru…and then finish him off. He looked weakened…maybe Cha'rif could do it…maybe we could do it…

III. THE MADNESS OF LORD EKOGARU

The Area Outside of The Town of Pa'Cranda

Planet Carufax

April 11, 2202

1312 Hours: Terran Space-time

"Scum-masters! Freaks! Traitors!" raved the burned and twisted form of Ekogaru as he personally ran his armored personnel carrier.

"What is the problem, Lordship?" asked Gralnacz.

"We have traitors in our own ranks!" raged Ekogaru. "One of my own Technomugar is driving that carrier chasing us! And with my circuits damaged, I cannot link properly to the Fortress to enhance my power! I am crippled!"

"Good," said Aliscea with a smile from the back of the armored personnel carrier. To get her in the carrier, they had been forced to remove her chains, but she still wore her damper bracelet. "Now we're even!"

"What do you mean, fool?" raved Yvona.

"He has no power, you have no power, I have no power. And, for the first time in three thousand years, Ekogaru, you will have your cyborg butt soundly kicked when you let me out of this chair! Don't you think I can fight?"

"Gralnacz, shut her up," barked Ekogaru. The Dark Lord began to laugh for no reason. "Shut her up in the best way you know how!"

Gralnacz smiled. He walked up to Aliscea and put a knife against her throat.

"Don't kill her, you ignoramus!" snapped Ekogaru. "We still need her as a bargaining chip, and, when I regain my powers when I am repaired, she will make a great cyborg slave when she is properly broken. Greater than you two put together!"

"What do you mean?" protested Yvona.

"You failed me back there! Too busy wanting to torment your damned niece to just up and kill our enemies! And too busy raving about your lost beauty to consider anything else!"

"Lordship, I look like you, a skull! Damn that Cha'rif and his fire! I didn't know he had abilities like Aliscea's!"

Aliscea began to laugh. "Yvona, I am rubber and you are glue! What you say bounces back on you! Bleh!" Aliscea stuck her tongue out at her would-be tormentor while putting her thumb up to her nose and wiggling her fingers with a free hand.

"Damn you! I can't kill you, but I can make that hurt!" raved Yvona. The gruesomely burned cyborg staggered up to Aliscea, only to get a bare foot planted in her stomach for her trouble.

"Gralnacz! Tie her mouth shut!"

"With pleasure," said Gralnacz, who was behind Aliscea. He tied a gag over his daughter's mouth from behind while she protested and tried to scratch his glowing eyes out. "Get me another rope, Trooper! We need to tie her feet to this chair!"
An armored trooper tossed him a rope. He began to tie her feet while squeezing the skin on her insteps to make them hurt. Then, the grotesquely burned cyborg began to run a finger up his daughter's leg with a leer in his eyes. "When I get to where I want to, you'll like it. Don't deny it!"

Aliscea struggled and screamed under her gag.

"You'll love it, Aliscea, darling…" said Gralnacz as he made his way past her knee to her thigh.

"Stop your games!" roared Ekogaru from the driver's seat.

"Lordship," said Gralnacz. "You said she was mine…"

"After I have her first," said Ekogaru. "Then you can have her. But I can't have her while I'm driving, so your play will have to wait."

"I'll see you later, daughter," said Gralnacz as he gave his daughter a final lewd pat. Aliscea gave him a look of utter hatred before he went away.

"How far to the ship?" demanded Ekogaru. "Gralnacz!"

"Not far. The ship is in what they call Imperial Valley, near a railroad line. If we double back through the forest, we can be there in an hour."

"Good," said Ekogaru. "Maybe going through that forest will put them off our track, huh?"

"It might," said Yvona.

IV. HOT PURSUIT

The Edge of Imperial Valley

Planet Carufax

April 11, 2202

1342 Hours: Terran Space-time

"Let's head out," said Hemsford on his Marine Landing Boat's internal speaker system.

A flight tech on the Argo said, "You have permission to take off, Marine Two."

"Good," said Hemsford. "Now, let's go down there and give those Techies a royal good old butt-kickin' and then get our girl Aliscea back, huh?"

The other Marines cheered as Hemsford took off.

Soon, his boat was roaring under the Argo's dark red keel, framed by the blackness and manifold stars of deep space, heading off into the unknown on Carufax.

Wonder what the hell we'll find, thought Hemsford as the journey continued.

On Cha'rif's armored personnel carrier, Terven banged the dashboard. "Curse this thing! The fuel's running out!"

"What?" said Captain Wildstar.

"This uses tritium for fuel, and we're about to run out of it," said Cha'rif. "We shall need to find another means of transport into Imperial Valley. It seems his space battleship has landed right near the point where your original landing boat came down with some damage"

"I have to stay with the carrier for this to be believable," said Terven. "I am sorry, but here, we part company. I'll try to hold off the others.".

"We can run," said Nova.

"And catch up with that armored personnel carrier?" said Cha'rif. "Not likely."

The armored personnel carrier came to a halt near a frame building. Cha'rif put his head up through an access hatch, followed by Wildstar.

"Well, I'll be," said Derek.

"Hmh?"

"It looks like an ancient Earth railroad station, with a steam locomotive simmering by it!"

"That'd be the local switcher," said Cha'rif. "The line goes into Imperial Valley…if any of you know how to run that sort of steam-driven monstrosity…"

Nova stood up on tiptoe to look. "Derek, I can drive that."

"What do you mean?"

"Remember when I was little? My father took me on part of the ancient Denver and Rio Grande Western narrow gauge before the planet bombs destroyed the line forever. Part of our ride, we were in the cab of the steam locomotive together…and my dad helped run it for a bit. I think I might be able to figure out the controls if one of you guys could shovel coal into it, that is."

"Why don't you shovel coal into it, Nova?" asked Angie.

"I might…uh…get myself very dirty doing that. Besides, only I know how to run it. Too bad Sandor or Royster aren't here. They could figure out anything mechanical. Hope I can remember everything."

"Good luck," said Derek.

It didn't take the armed party long to tumble out of the carrier (leaving Terven behind), overwhelm the local train crew, and take over the engine and the two open wood-sided gondola cars behind it. Nova took off her coat, and climbed up into the locomotive, she winced a little when she discovered the metal deck was hot, but since she had no shoes, she would just have to get used to it. She found a set of goggles and wrapped a bandana around her head while puzzling over the brass gauges and controls.

"Well?" said Derek, who had stripped to the waist for his stint as fireman of this locomotive.

"Shovel some coal into it. This big gauge with these alien markings that kind of look like numbers must be the steam pressure gauge. When you get the steam pressure up into the green, it must be ready to go," Nova said as she put her bare feet up against one of the cooler surfaces in the steam engine’s cab; namely a small wooden chest on the deck in front of the seat that held waste and oil cans.

"Right," grunted Derek.

"You'd better hurry!" yelled Cha'rif. "The Technomugar will have another engine coming down this line to pursue us."

Nova put on a pair of heavy, greasy gloves she found nearby in the cab and yelled back "Everyone in there?"

"Yeah," yelled Bryan Hartcliffe. Rosstowski was utterly silent.

"Then let's go!"

Nova pulled a cord, and was relieved when the whistle blew. She gave the locomotive some more water with a valve near a water sight glass, and then she released a brass handle that she thought controlled the brake. She was relieved to hear a hiss of airbrakes releasing.

She pulled back the throttle lever above her head and smiled as the engine began to chug and roll down the tracks.

Derek flicked a lever and grinned at Nova as the automatic bell began to clang. Nova smiled back and blew the whistle and then watched down the tracks as the little train gathered speed.

Rosstowski doggedly held on to one of the bench seats in the open gondola car as the train clanked, clunked, and rattled forward. He looked back. We must be doing twenty-five kilometers an hour now, faster than that armored carrier, he thought. Maybe we will catch up to Aliscea after all.

"Ya like this?" said Bryan. "Ya always said ya wanted to ride behind an old steam clunker."

"Yeah. Just not on some alien planet with my wife missing or dead on a mission."

"This is fun!" giggled Angie. She took off her boots and put her bare feet up in the breeze. "Wheeee!" she laughed. This is almost as much fun as flying a Tiger!"

"What is fun?" asked one of Cha'rif's Rikashan troopers in his dark blue armor.

"It is the same as D'lergishnaivar," said Cha'rif. "Sort of," he said with a smile creasing his weather-beaten face. "We really don't have a word for 'fun' in Rikashan!"

"Nova's having fun," giggled Angie as the whistle blew again.

"No, I think there's a cow on the tracks," said Rosstowski. However, Paul grinned a little for the first time in hours.

Then, he got an idea. "Hey, Nova!" he teased. "Your legs look great up against that seatbox!"

A minute later, a piece of coal flew over the coal-bunker and hit Paul in the head. "Ouch!" he yelled. But, he laughed, not knowing whether Derek or Nova had whipped the coal at him.

"Hey, Rosstowski!" yelled Captain Wildstar. "You do that again, and you're gonna be up here making love to this shovel."

The whistle blew again, and Angie laughed. If this were a real joy ride, I'd have my blouse tied up under my boobs by now, she thought. She sat there with her half-bare legs dangling over the edge of the car and added. If we ever do this again, I have to wear shorts…and flip-flops.

The whistle tooted as the train rumbled down the tracks. "How far?" cried Nova over the noise.

"About another ten of your kilometers, I think," said Baron Cha'rif. "Give us about half an hour. We should get there first."

"Good. We can plan a good ambush," said Derek. He looked over the coal bunker and yelled, "Mrs. Hartcliffe! Put your footgear back on!"

Angie cried, "Put on your shirt, sir!"

"I will when we get there! I've given you an order! Obey it! This is a military mission, you know. If we find a steam railroad anywhere on Earth after this war, we can have a fun day trip then and then you and Nova can stop to go pick flowers in your bare feet. But not now! Got it?"

"Yessir," said Angie. She sighed and began to pull her boots back on.

In the meantime, Hemsford's landing boat landed near the rather battered one commandeered by the Hartcliffes. It seemed the landing zone was not too far from an old shack in the Imperial Valley on the planet. The country was breathtaking, but to Hemsford, the forest looked as if it could be crawling with enemies.

"Okay, guys, move out!" he barked.

"Keep low, sir," said one of them as he walked over a bare spot on the ground. "Look. That space battleship's over there, by that little lake."

"Keep your heads down!" yelled Hemsford. "And be quiet! Move out, two by two. Venture said they'd be by some railroad tracks in a few minutes."

One of Hemsford's Marines shouldered his weapon, and, whistling to himself, he scanned the ground.

"Lookit this," he said. "Footprints."

"What's that?" asked a nearby Marine. This Marine was busy scanning the sky with his electronic Macrobinoculars.

"Look at the ground, Sarge. It looks messed up."

The Sergeant stowed his binoculars, stopping to examine the ground. "Three sets of footprints. One big set…the man has boots on, far stride…a smaller pair of boots, looks like a lady, maybe, and another third set…bare feet. Small. Looks like a woman, too. Hey, Chief! Get over here!"

"I told you not to yell, you…" began Hemsford. Then, he stopped. "The damn personnel carrier. Right in front of us! Looks like they're taking our girl to that ship."

"Why do you think it'd be here?"

"Wildstar said she had almost nothing on when she was taken. Why else would some chick be walkin' barefoot over this ground?"

"So?"

"Wallchinsky!" he yelled to another Corporal, a trusted friend. "Get Second squad and back me up. We're following these footprints. If we sneak up on them, we might just get Aliscea! C'mon!"

"Hey, we're gonna see a woman with her clothes falling off? Cool!" yelled another Private.

"You shut up, or you gonna see a knuckle sandwich!" snapped Hemsford. "Keep your traps shut and follow me. Maybe we can off the big cheese Ekogaru himself, bros."

"Yeah," muttered one of them. "That'd be worth the trip."

Wildstar scraped the bottom of the coal bunker on the locomotive with his shovel. "Coal's running out, Nova!"

Nova popped her head over the bunker to look at Cha'rif. "Are we there yet?"

"Almost…" he said. Then, he looked back. "Damned planet!" he yelled. "They're close to finding us! Another train's coming in the distance!"

Derek perked up his ears over the hissing and clanking of the locomotive, and he heard a distant whistle in the background. "Looks like the jig's up!" he cried. He gathered up his dirty uniform top and peacoat. "Nova! Bring us to a stop! We're gonna have to run!"

"Right," she said. The air hissed and the brakes screeched. Bryan held on to Angie as the cars clanked and rocked to a stop.

Nova threw her coat back on and then turned some valves. "We have to get off this engine! Fast!"

"Why?" yelled Rosstowski as he jumped over the side.

"I turned off the water so it'll explode and stop those guys."

"Doesn't it have a safety valve?" asked Derek.

"That won't help if the firebox sheet goes from the heat with no water," countered Nova as she climbed off the locomotive. "Or I think that's what Daddy said about these old locomotives. Derek followed her. It was a hard jump from the locomotive to the rocky ballast surface. A heel on Nova's pumps broke as she landed. Muttering a soft curse to herself, she abandoned her shoes and ran barefoot into the woods. Derek followed her, followed by Rosstowski and the others.

"There they are!" yelled some harsh electronic-sounding voices. "Get them!"

As Wildstar and Cha'rif ran, two of the Technomugar troopers broke off and began to shoot at them.

Derek fired back. Cha'rif stopped him. "Captain! Don't you know your wife has set that steam engine to explode? Run with us!"

Derek then holstered his sidearm and ran with Nova. They bounded into some underbrush and into some dirt.

Behind them, the abandoned steam locomotive hissed loudly and exploded just as the Technomugar troops from the second train began to search the gondola cars that Wildstar and the others had abandoned.

Derek shoved Nova into the underbrush as metal parts clanked around them. She then smiled at Derek, with her face covered with soot from the locomotive.

"Told you it'd work," she said. She kissed her husband.

"Nice one," replied Derek. "Thanks for the idea. It worked great!"

Cha'rif looked at them, "I sense Aliscea's spirit nearby. Come! This way!"

"Well, looks like we've almost hit paydirt!" yelled Derek.

"Yeah," said Paul. "Looks like it."

They ran towards the center of the valley, surprising Hemsford's squads, who almost shot at them for a moment until the Marine Group Leader realized who they were.

"Hold your fire," shouted Hemsford. "It's Wildstar!"

"Aliscea's on that ship!" panted Wildstar. "Cha'rif will help us board. We're gonna assault that ship from the nearest gangplank."

"Right," said Hemsford. "How should we split up?"

"I've got a plan," said Derek. "Listen…"

Nearby, at Ekogaru's space battleship, the Haar'ven , Aliscea was shoved into the ship by Yvona after having been untied from her seat in the armored personnel carrier.

"You're hurting my arm!" yelled Aliscea.

"I'd love to hurt other parts of you, you tramp," smiled Yvona. "You liked what your father did, didn't you?"

"Like hell I did!"

"You love me, don't you?" said Gralnacz as he came up. "Admit it. You would rather be with me than your husband."

Aliscea backed away from the two of them into something that looked like a communications room.

A Technomugar officer sat there. She was alone with him.

Aliscea saw her chance. She chopped the startled officer hard in the side of the neck, kicked him in the crotch, and took his brass-plated weapon. Then, she grabbed him by his shirt and threw him out of the seat with strength she didn't know she had when not psionicially enhanced.

Beautiful and desperate in her rags and damper bracelet, Aliscea quickly aimed at Gralnacz as he ran into the room.

God, forgive me, she thought. This was my father. But I have to do what I must.

Gralnacz stood in shock for a moment. "You…you wouldn't…"

"I would!" snapped Aliscea.

Aliscea undid the safety and then she shot her father.

There were two shots. They went through Gralnacz's chest. Shardovan Gralnacz died screaming in pain.

Aliscea knelt near the communications chair. She looked on as smoke curled up from both her blaster and her father's corpse.

I finally did it, part of her thought. Yes! My vengeance has begun!

Aliscea shot again at Yvona. The startled Terran took a shot in the leg and a painful shot in her abdomen before she fell.

Somehow, Yvona crawled out under Aliscea's fire. She stumbled into the arms of three guards.

"Get her," she gasped before she collapsed.

"Lady Yvona!" said one Technomugar trooper.

Another one ran up to the hatch. "She's locked it. She's just trapped herself in there. I wonder what she means to gain?"

"She's crazy," said his mate.

"Yes."

Already, I can feel the Dark Lord weakening since I killed my father, thought Aliscea. Then, it hit her.

It was a miracle that she could feel anything psionicially with the damper bracelet on. This must be coupled to Ekogaru, she thought. As his power weakens, so does the bracelet.

Then, across the depths of space, her mother's voice came faintly to her mind. Encourage the others to kill off more of Ekogaru's servants, sent her mother. Much of the Dark Lord's power is in his servants now. If his servants are killed, behold, he loses power. And as he loses power, he becomes easier to destroy.

Is this why you said I couldn't do this on my own, Mother?

Yes, sent back Astrena. But you have begun with, thank the One, the death of your vile father; a death you need not feel guilty about. Now, you must begin to weaken the others….

Then, her mother's mental voice faded, and another voice came into her mind. Aliscea!

Paul! Oh, Paul, I love you!

Our link is weak. Are you all right?

Getting better, Paul. You have to get a message to Nova.

How? What kind of message?

Ekogaru is beginning to fade. To help bring him down, Nova will have to duel with her Aunt Yvona. Can you tell her that?

I'll try. We're in battle now.

Thank you, Paul…

Now, there's the matter of this bracelet, thought Aliscea.

"We're in!" yelled Hemsford as he and Wildstar shot down a group of Technomugar troops. They were now inside the Haar'ven. They were the second squad; Hemsford had sent Wallchinsky in with the others as the first squad. They hadn't reported anything so far.

"So that's what she sent to you?" demanded Derek.

Paul Rosstowski nodded. "She said Nova will have to deal with her Aunt Yvona next to hurt Ekogaru."

"Wonderful!" replied Nova. She stepped over a body, trying not to get the sticky artificial Technomugar blood on the bottoms of her bare feet. "Wish I had shoes on," she said.

"Didn't you have them before?" demanded Derek. "How can you lose parts of your uniform like that?"

"I broke a heel jumping off that train, Derek."

"You could've run without it, stupid!"

"You ever try to run in ladies' pumps with a heel missing?" snapped Nova. "No. Strike that. I hope you haven't tried to run in women's shoes. Or maybe you should sometime! Anyway, stop arguing…we have to get to Aliscea and then Yvona! We have no time for this!"

"Watch your temper, Nova," said Derek.

Nova snorted. "That's a new one, coming from the cowboy of outer space himself! When do you watch your temper?"

"Guys, we're on a mission," said Hemsford. "Save the lovers' spat for your quarters…"

"You're aware you're talking to your commanding officer?" snapped Derek.

"Hey! There could be troops firing at us any minute!"

"Like now?" asked Bryan Hartcliffe.

Mid-argument, they were caught in a vicious new firefight. Angie ran up, screaming. "Get them, Bryan!"

"Righto!"

Bryan and Angie fired away from a bend in the corridor, joining Wildstar, Nova, Hemsford, Rosstowski, and several Marines in the firefight.

For a moment, all rivalries were forgotten as the group of fifteen men and women fired together as a unified squad against the Technomugar Marines who were trying to repel the boarders.

Finally, the smoke cleared for a moment. Twenty-two Technomugar troops were dead, but klaxons were going off. Rosstowski thought he could hear the tread of running feet on the deck above them.

There's more coming, he thought. We'd better get ourselves together.

"I hear more of them!" cried Nova.

"Great job…you back me up, Lieutenant," said Derek.

"Yessir. We'll resume our conversation later, Derek!"

"Hemsford, get your Marines on that side of the passage. We've got this side by the hatch," said Captain Wildstar. "Truce on the personal crap?" he added towards his wife as they took cover in a doorway off to the side of the corridor.

"We have more to discuss later! Take back your comments, Derek!" yelled Nova.

"You still wanna argue?"

"Not now. We'll take it up later! Remember, we're…"

"Captain and crewperson right now. Right," said Derek.

"Here they come!" Nova then backed up her husband by firing at the enemy troopers along with him as they came.

"Okay! I take it back!" yelled Wildstar.

"Why now?"

"We might be dead soon, Nova!"

"Good reason."

"Get them!" yelled a guard.

The enemy began to fire like crazy. Derek yelped as a bolt of energy grazed his right hand, but he kept on firing.

"Derek!" cried Nova. She yelled at the guards. "Don't you dare kill him!"

"Why not, Terranisch creep?" they mocked back.

"Because I was about to do it before you showed up!"

The guards looked very puzzled.

"Not literally!" yelled Derek. "You pea-brains know nothing about marital spats, do you?"

"We do not bother with marriage ceremonies. When we see a desirable woman, we just take what we want. Like you, you filth! Behold, you are going straight back to Ekogaru, dead or alive!" yelled an officer as he fired at Derek. Captain Wildstar yelled again as his hair was singed and he fell back against the closed hatch.

"Derek!" screamed Nova as he fell.

"I'm all right, damnit! Just singed hair!"

"Good. You've got enough of it!"

Derek then looked up at his wife. "Truce?"

"Good," said Nova. "Truce! Not that it matters much when we might be dead in the next minute!" she cried.

They both fired like crazy around the doorway, just barely avoiding enemy fire as it skipped in.

"Hit that button," yelled Baron Cha'rif as he ran up, firing his weapon to help out.

"Which one?" muttered Derek.

"The green one, Derek!" said Nova. "Use your head for something other than a hat rack!"

"Yeah, that one," said Derek as he and Nova had to fire again as pink bolts whizzed all around them.

He hit the button. Nova leaped through the door first, followed by Derek. He let the others run through, and then he ducked back out in the corridor, gave the Technomugar a defiant finger, and chucked a grenade given to him by a Space Marine. Then, Derek used his weapon to blow up the console controlling the door, rolling in just before it closed.

As he rolled, his face smacked right into Nova's toes on her right foot. She giggled at that. "You don't have to kiss my feet here, silly!"

"Your pedicure's getting chipped."

"Good. You're fixing it later, Derek. If we live through this, that is."

"We may not," said Cha'rif. "Look!"

More guards ran up. Derek dragged Nova back by the wrist and shoved her into another doorway. He fired again and again, gritting his teeth as he fired and as Nova fired over his shoulder, almost standing on his back to do so.

Both of them leaned in against the hatch to let Rosstowski take cover with them.

In another room, a wicked light shone in Yvona Josiah's eyes as a surgeon finished putting new plastiskin on her face. "Good," she said, running over to a computer console. "Now, let's give you two lovebirds a little ride!"

Yvona smirked, pressing a button.

Behind Derek and Nova, the hatch opened. They yelled, being thrown off balance when the door opened, since they had been leaning on it. Before they could recover, a moving belt grabbed their feet and flung them down the hatch into a black chute.

"Wildstar! Nova!" yelled Rosstowski as the two of them tumbled off into darkness, going head over heels down the chute. "Crap! We've lost them!"

"Go in after 'em!" yelled Hemsford.

Rosstowski tried to jump in, but the hatch slammed shut in his face.

"Damnit!" he yelled, banging on the hatch.

"That will do no good," said Baron Cha'rif. "Give me time, would you? Remember, I know something about these ships!"

"Get to it, bloke," said Bryan Hartcliffe. "But hurry. We don't, like, have much time?"

"Now what do we do?" said Hemsford.

"Pray?" said Rosstowski.

"Yes, but we act, too," said Cha'rif.

"Ladyship," said a trooper, who was gazing at a computer screen near Yvona. "We've got the fish you wanted."

"Trooper!" snapped Yvona. "Tell His Lordship I have them. I will send my guards down there to help me retrieve them."

"I thought you wanted them for yourself."

"I do," said Yvona. "But, my girls will help me out a bit. They'll make sure they're herded right into my trap."

"What about Aliscea?"

"She will take care of herself, no doubt," said Yvona.

Then, Ekogaru's voice boomed throughout the ship. "All hands! This is Your Lordship! Prepare for liftoff and docking with the Fortress. In half an hour, after I judge and destroy Carufax, I shall be looking at my ancient homeworld again, with the Star Force and her ship and these treasonous Rikashans taken with me, caught up like fish in the Warp Field of the Grand Fortress! Yes. We are heading back to Rikasha herself! Very soon, my Great Second Advent will begin! When I stand in my Temple on Rikasha, appearing at last, I shall received the worship I crave! Then, I shall truly feel like a God! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!"

"Now?" whispered an officer in the shadows at the aft part of the Technomugar space battleship's bridge.

"Not yet," whispered Vergar. "It is not the time, yet. But it must be soon. As you can hear, he is skirting the very edge of madness."

To Be Continued With Act Four: "…The Sweet Smell of a Sacrifice."

THERE ARE NOW 30 DAYS TO THE ARRIVAL OF EKOGARU IN EARTH'S SOLAR SYSTEM

To return to the Introduction to the Rikasha Incident please click here