Conquest ~ Indian Hill 3 ~ A Michael Talbot Adventure (59 page)

“Don’t blame you
.
” We raced when we heard the first shots fired.

Blue streaks whistled off the top of the ceiling.

“I was really hoping it wasn’t aliens
,” I said
. “Spindler lied
,
the piece of shit. I should have shot him.”

“Get down!”
b
oomed an alien voice. “I will kill you if I have to!” More blue streaks flew harmlessly past our heads. Well
,
at least past my head, Dee
had to duck
as they were a lot closer to his noggin.

A couple of
gate guards nearly ran into us
in their haste to get away.

“Captain, we need reinforcements
,”
o
ne of them said frantically.

“How many of them are there?” I asked
,
holding tight to his shirt
.
I was afraid he would bolt before I had a chance to get the answer I was looking for.

“A dozen
,
maybe more
,” the guard said
.

“That makes no sense
,” Dee said
. “There would be more rifle fire and Genogerians
’
only sound during combat is that of a war cry, not a plea to surrender.”

“I could hear the footfalls of the detachment that had been sent rapidly approaching.

“Go!” I told the guard. “Tell them Captain Talbot has told
them to hold their position
. Do
you understand?”

The scared private nodded
and
headed off to intercept the defenders.

For the moment there was a dét
ente, no shots were being fired.
A
ll I could smell was the residue of spent ammunition and burnt ozone from the alien rifles.

“Genoge
rian, my name is Michael Talbot.
I am going to come around this corner with my weapon raised. I would appreciate you not shooting me.”

“Is this wise?” Dee asked.

“I doubt it.”

Dee
made
a series of guttural sounds punctuated with some h
isses and snarls, it was terrifying. I waited a few moments as the intruder followed with his own series of noises.

“What the hell was that?” I asked Dee.

“Native tongue
,” Dee said
.

“Any chance you could clue me in?”

“I told him that if he harmed you, I would rip his teeth from his face one by one so that he could not chew his way through the Bahktran and into Heaven.”

“Did it work?”

“He laughed and said you would be fine.”

“That was a laugh?” I asked pointing over my shoulder.

“Come forth
,
Mi-chael
Talbot
,”
t
he alien said having difficulty pronouncing my name.

“How do I end up in these situations?” I asked aloud. Dee shrugged. “That’s the best you’ve got?”

I turned the corner
,
my pistol raised. Like I had promised. There were two entrance guards prostrate on the ground, hanging over them was a very large alien. He wasn’t a
Geno
or a
Prog
, he looked to be a mix of both.

“My name is Urlack
,”
t
he big beast said with a slight bow. “It is an honor to meet the mighty earth champion
,
Michael Talbot. I had thought you would be bigger
.
”

“Hello
,
Urlack. Any chance you could put that
b
ig
b
lue ray gun down? Or at least stop pointing it at
me
.”

“They have shot me
,
Michael Talbot.”

And when I looked closer I could see at least two bullets wounds, one in his forearm and one in his shoulder. It appeared that his chest plate
might
have stopped at least another three.

“Did you expect anything less?”

Urlack
appeared to think
about it for a moment. “I do not know what I was expecting, I am still unsure as to why I have come here.”

“Let’s have them go on their way and you and I will discuss it like the males of our species should.”

“Up
!” Urlack shouted.

The guards looked up at Urlack and then over
toward
me.

“Go
,” I told
them. They didn’t need any more prompting. “Do not, I repeat do not have anyone come down here unless
you hear more gun
fire. Do you both understand?” They nodded
and
ran past.

“I would very much like to meet the one that talked to me in our home world language.”

Dee rounded the corner, his weapon secured on his back.

“Drababan Truchnel! It is truly an honor!” Urlack said. “They told us that you had been killed during the escape of Michael Talbot.”

“I have not been
,” Dee answered
.

I really had a witty sarcastic comment until I realized I was a minority at the moment.

“I have heard of you
,
Urlack, I thought you more of a myth than a reality
,” Dee said
.

I could not tell if that was a veiled insult or Dee merely stating a fact, although both could be the same thing given the right circumstances.

“
Most of what you heard I'm sure is truth
, my
sir
e
is a high-
ranking Cabinet member
who
rutted with a Genogerian. As you know this is a common practice especially in the slave colonies, but the chances of an off-spring are extremely rare
, I think I am more the product of an experiment in hybrid vigor than a successful union
.”

“We are close enough relatives that we can procreate
,” Dee said
to me. “But usually the womb of a Genogerian is hostile to Progerian insemination
. T
hat is why
our
females
are used as vessels for the Progerians.”

“Little chance of a little one coming back to bite them in the ass for their transgression
,” I said
.

Dee took a moment to realize the meaning of my words. “Exactly
,” he said
.
“
A
nd
those that do survive are usually twisted beyond recognition from their environment and
die
soon afterward
. I have never heard of an off-spring making it into adulthood.”

“Those few that are not deformed are usually killed
at birth by
the mother, fearing that some retribution will be brought down on her head for her transgression
,”
Urlack stated.

They both spoke very nonchalantly against what we would consider high crimes on
E
arth, but were also practices that had been committed for millennia amongst various cultures and races
; who was I to judge?

“Do you mean these humans harm?” Dee questioned Urlack.

“Not anymore
.
I am now an outlaw among our people. I have openly protested our involvement in this world and the subjugation of Genogerians as they are being
ruthlessly slaughtered by the hairless monkeys.”

“Umm
,
hairless monkey here
,” I said
raising my hand.

“Yes
,
you are
,” Urlack said
, acknowledging my words.

Dee snorted. “The earthling feels you have slighted him with the reference.”

“But that is what they are
—
why would he feel insulted if I merely called him what he is?” Urlack asked.

“Their feelings are almost as soft as their skin.” Dee snorted again.

“How is it that we are having such a difficult time enslaving them then?” Urlack asked.

“These
feelings
running
deep in them, drive everything they do
.
W
hen they are threatened
,
they are capable of just about anything and what the Progerians did not take into account is that they will fight even harder when nearly all hope has been extinguished or the fate of a loved one is in jeopardy.”

“That makes no sense
,” Urlack said
, his face taking on a classic quizzical stare.
“To dismantle hope has always been a first priority
;
much mightier civilizations have fallen once that has happened. And love is a chemical attraction that should be weakened un
der threat instead of increased.
I
f a loved one should die, it is the perpetuation of the original subject that should be increased. These hairless…
humans are strange creature
s
. How have you found your time with them?” Urlack asked.

“They have been hospitable
,
but mostly out of fear from me or from my human friend.”

“You consider him a friend then?” Urlack asked.

“Yes
,
but he is horrible at games.”

“Wonderful
.
T
his is about as bad as Tracy and Beth comparing notes. This is all really fascinating stuff
,” I told
t
hem. “But I’m not sure how long
that detachment is going to stay at bay with or without my orders. Urlack
,
you look like you could use some medical attention.”

He nodded in response. “Are you
r
medical facilities adequate?”

“They lack the knowledge
of
our surgeons
,
but they know enough to be helpful.”

“Urlack
,
you are going to have to surrender your weapon
,” I told
him
, “My superiors will not feel comfortable with you having it on you.”

Urlack seemed hesitant
and I could not blame him
.
He was in the enemy camp.
Recently
he had been on the side hell bent on the destruction of us. That he was here now had more to do with his own species
’
preservation than with ours.

“I will stay by you
,”
Dee told Urlack as he approached with his hand out to take the weapon.

“That ought to make everyone comfortable
,” I said
.

“Sarcasm?” Dee asked
,
looking back at me.

I nodded.
Urlack took a long look at his rifle and the door behind him before handing the weapon to Dee who immediately slung it over his shoulder.

“How did you get i
n
?” I asked curiously.

“I knocked
,
following the same pattern as the humans that entered previously
,”
Urlack replied matter-of-factly.

“I’m going to have to tell Paul to put a camera there
,” I said
to no one in particular.

“We’re coming back around
.
E
verything is fine!” I shouted. “I’m taking our new guest to the medical facility
—
am I clear?”

“Very clear
,
Captain.
The
g
eneral has ordered an armed escort.”

“Tell the
g
eneral that I will take care of the escort
—
is that clear?” I said
,
coming around the corner.

“General…
Captain
,”
t
he
l
ieutenant of the detachment said, weighing his hands like a scale. “Can’t do it
, sir
, I spent too much time earning these bars
,” he said
,
pointing to his collar.

“A
lright, why is everyone a smart
ass
?
G
rab two or three of your least trigger happy men along with yourself and we’ll get this done
,” I said
.