Quest For Earth (7 page)

The door sealing the pilot's cabin whooshed open. Dyrke strode down the aisle. He leaned over the chair in front and zeroed his gaze onto her face.

‘I will leave two warriors to guard the shuttle.'

Sherise nodded and, after rising to her feet, followed him and Lord Barid, a tall, thin Darkon of similar age to her father, out of the shuttle.

It took her a few moments to regain her equilibrium once her feet hit the ground. They appeared to have landed inside a restricted area. Solid-looking grey walls fenced the wide space in a perfect square and, at opposite ends, open hanger doors provided entry points. The walls were high enough to restrict a view of the land beyond and also, she assumed, provided protection. Above her head the sky was a brilliant cloudless blue, so bright she shaded her eyes and squinted. Nowhere could she see any indication of weapons, military vehicles or the accoutrements of war.

Stationed near one of the exits was an open transporter with five wheels encased within a metal belt on each side. A stack protruded from the centre of the vehicle from which a plume of white smoke or steam gushed into the air. There was a group of five or six people standing about and staring in her direction. They gave no indication they intended to walk over and greet them.

She recognised the tactic; it gave the others the appearance they held the greater position of power.

She shrugged and turned away to admire the tidy, ceiling-high stacks of crates and boxes that lined the walls in perfect symmetry. No refuse or rubble disturbed the smooth, even ground. Although it was only a little after the first meal of the day, breakfast as Bree called it, the air was hot and a light sheen of sweat beaded her forehead. She wiped it away with the edge of her sleeve.

After exchanging glances with Commander Dyrke, Sherise set off after him and Barid, intent on maintaining her minor role. Three Darkon warriors clothed in full cyno battle armour strode behind them. With their sensors constantly scanning the area, any anomaly or hint of danger would be instantly transmitted and they would react accordingly.

Sherise's nerves tightened the closer they came to the greeting party and she frowned when she realised the group consisted of military personnel, evident by the olive green long-sleeved shirts tucked into long trousers, teamed with boots and belts with no adornments. Not one Board official appeared to be among them. The only saving grace in Sherise's opinion was that none of the party displayed any obvious weapons on their persons. Whether they had something hidden beneath their clothes, only time would tell. But it seemed very odd to her that the occasion of meeting a race from another galaxy would be treated so casually.

One of the members of the group finally strode forward. A tall man with butter-bright hair and pale-blue eyes, he appeared to be at least ten cycles older than Sherise. There was a slight arrogant swagger to his walk, indicating that he held a rank higher than his companions and that he was well aware of his importance. He inclined his head, allowing a smile to curve his lips before saying, ‘On behalf of the Corporation and the Purideans, we bid you welcome.'

Lord Barid nodded. ‘Your hospitality is both appreciated and needed. I am Lord Barid of the High Council of the Darkons.'

‘Lieutenant Colonel Rothe of the Corporation Guard, the peacekeepers of the city.' He gestured to the vehicle behind him. ‘The members of the Board are eager to meet you. This way, if you please.'

He stepped aside and waved them forward.

After only the slightest hesitation, Barid stepped out. A few moments later they were seated inside with Rothe and two other soldiers who he didn't bother to introduce. The half-door slammed shut. The remaining two Earth men climbed onto the front seat, clanked some gears and with a hiss like escaping steam, the vehicle lurched into motion and rolled out past the hangar doors.

Surrounding the landing zone the terrain was barren and desolate, a landscape of rocky earth and sparse blades of straggling weeds. Sherise craned her neck to peer past the Earth men seated opposite and focused on the blurry outlines of low-lying buildings and the clusters of many trees that shimmered in an opaque haze.

She captured her gasp, aware of Rothe's sharp gaze on her face as if he was puzzled by her.

‘The Central Fortress,' he said smugly.

Sherise exchanged a quick glance with Dyrke beside her. The Fortress was built within a dome.

And as the vehicle sped closer, the enormity of the city became apparent.

Her pulse quickened. Was the dome built to protect the people from the hazardous, difficult life of the Outworld? Or was it a prison, ensuring none who entered could ever escape?

***

‘It is beautiful,' Sherise whispered, awe in her voice as she craned her head sideways, taking in the amazing field with its glossy deep-green grass and invitingly curved narrow pathways. Beds of brightly coloured flowers were interspersed with cunningly planted groves of shady trees with dense foliage of emerald-green leaves.

Several moments earlier, the vehicle had passed inside a grey building built from smooth rock and had traversed along a tunnel before emerging behind the dome walls.

All the buildings appeared to be made of a shell-pink coloured stone with metal roofs in rich shades of orange and balconies covered with striped awnings. Fair-haired people clothed in multi-hued garments ambled arm in arm down pathways and along the travel-way. No sense of haste or urgency disturbed the tranquillity of the scene. The contrast between the elegance of the city and the harsh land beyond the walls was stark.

She drew in a deep breath, appreciating the faint scent of sweet blossoms after all those months of sucking in the sour smell of oil, plasma-plastic and stale air. The vehicle rounded a corner and trundled down yet another street that seemed to lead into the very heart of the city. Buildings now lay on either side of the road, edged with wide footpaths where the people went about their daily business.

Rothe twisted in his seat, jerking his chin in the direction ahead. ‘The Corporation's Headquarters. Only the Board and a select few are allowed beyond the entrance. Of course this law does not include yourselves.'

Barid murmured his approval.

‘Before you meet with the Board, all of you are required to undergo the “cleansing” ritual.'

‘What nonsense!' Barid spluttered and scowled.

Rothe's smile fled, leaving his face stony. ‘The laws must not be broken.' Then he shrugged. ‘Everyone who enters the city for the first time must do this; it's not a sign of disrespect.'

‘We understand,' Sherise said. ‘It is a wise precaution. Who knows what contaminants could have adhered to our persons or clothing. The last thing we wish to do is to infect your people with an illness.'

‘Very well then. How long will such a process take?' Barid said.

‘Fifteen minutes each.' Rothe's gaze settled back onto Sherise and she had to stop herself from biting her lip at his close scrutiny.

Perhaps it had been a mistake to speak out, but she'd recognised the implacable coldness in Barid's voice. Whatever was on his mind, she could only hope that he wouldn't sabotage the forthcoming meeting with the city's rulers. Despite her repeated urgings before they'd departed from the
Quinnie
, she'd been unable to breech his stubbornness and encourage him to share his problem.

But to order him to remain behind was unacceptable. Such an action would be too much of a dishonour for his rank and age. Especially when she had no logical grounds on which to base her disquiet.

She'd just keep a close eye on him and do her best to soothe over any of his hasty remarks.

The transporter stopped with a final hiss of steam.

Rothe climbed down first, then extended his hand to Sherise, which she took with a smile of thanks. Once on the pavement, she stared up at the building looming over her and prepared to mount the steps. But Rothe was marching off down the footpath to the building next door and, without waiting to see if they followed, he disappeared inside.

When Sherise entered the building she found herself in a large room which resembled a waiting area. The walls and ceiling were white, the tiled floor looked squeaky clean and a row of chairs, some of which were being used, ran along the sides of two walls.

The few people waiting there all stared at them, wide-eyed.

‘A medie chamber,' she said, wondering why she was so surprised.

Rothe, who'd been speaking to a guard stationed behind a wide counter, turned and said, ‘We call it a hospital. We'll wait here. One of the nurses will take over.'

A woman wearing a long-sleeved pale-blue tunic over white trousers approached with a friendly smile. Her eyes were bright with curiosity. ‘If you'll follow me please?'

They trooped down a corridor behind her.

‘Well, this is such an exciting event,' she said, glancing over her shoulder. ‘I've never seen an alien before and you look just like me! Nothing at all like what I expected.'

Sherise laughed.

‘Here we go.' The nurse pushed open a door to their left and walked in. ‘Oh, sorry, I didn't realise the room was being used.'

A male nurse, judging by the similar clothes he wore, started and said, ‘Shit. I mean … you startled me. I didn't know another cleansing was scheduled for today.' He stood behind a counter embedded with several rows of buttons, dials and small screens. His jaw dropped as he stared past the woman and took in Sherise and her team.

The nurse frowned. ‘You should have checked the roster. It was updated first thing this morning.'

‘Yeah, sorry about that.'

Sherise observed the man closely, noting how he kept shifting his weight from one foot to the other.

‘Just finished,' he said in a relieved voice and pressed a button on the counter and, leaning closer to the counter, spoke. ‘All good, er … Jasper.'

Another man strolled through an open door on the far side of the room. Dressed in a beige tunic with a hood pulled low over his eyes and similarly coloured trousers he crossed the room and stalked out the door Sherise had entered through.

The moment he walked past Sherise, his gaze flicked to her face. There was an awareness in his eyes, a power in the taut features of his face shadowed by his hood. The edges of his beautifully shaped mouth curved and deepened and Sherise felt the impact deep within her very essence.

She gasped and almost reeled on her feet. The contact lasted only a fraction of a secton and yet it left her shaking and on edge, as if something momentous had happened.

‘Okay. Let's get this done with.' The nurse's voice broke through Sherise's confused thoughts.

She stared at the now empty doorway. What had just happened? But the man had gone.

‘What I need you to do is stand over there on that conveyer belt, one at a time. It'll take you through an area where you'll be scanned and x-rayed, then further on through another area where an anti-bacterial gas will be doused over you. And that's it. Once you're through come back here and when everyone is finished, I'll take you back to the front reception. Now who's first?'

***

Maaka pinched the bridge of his nose and gazed back at the room where the aliens were undergoing the cleansing ritual. His heart was still shuddering from the moment when his eyes had clashed with the female's. Her image sprang up in his mind; long, glossy black hair, rich brown eyes and smooth golden-brown skin. But it had been the emotions he'd sensed seething inside her that had captured his attention, even while his body had instantly responded to the lushness of her body and the prettiness of her face.

‘Get a move on, Maaka, before you're recognised.' The nurse, Jerry, burst through the door, practically running and grabbed his arm. ‘This way. I'll take you out the back exit.'

‘Who was that?' Although, Maaka could take a pretty good guess at the answer. The strangeness of their clothes, especially the armour the male soldiers wore, was a dead giveaway. They were his quarry.

‘Aliens. Can you believe it?' Jerry hustled him along the corridor.

‘What are they doing here?'

‘Oh, man. Keep your voice down.' Jerry stopped in front of a door bolted on the inside and sent a hunted glance back the way they'd come. ‘Good, no one's followed us. Give me a sec while I disengage the alarm.' He keyed code into the small panel on the wall. ‘That's it.'

Together, Maaka and he undid the bolts. Jerry pushed the door wide. But before Maaka could move he caught his sleeve. ‘Listen, Maaka. You've gotta stop coming into the city.'

‘You know I won't.'

Jerry sighed. ‘Shit, I know it's not fair, man. You've got the meds I gave you stashed somewhere safe, right?'

‘Yes. Thank you. I have left a warthog tethered beyond the dome and will be able to deliver the meds to my people well before nightfall.' It would not be the most comfortable of rides, but the creatures were sturdy and could run all day with limited water.

‘Least I can do,' Jerry said gruffly. ‘Take care out there. Before you go, I can tell you one thing. I heard from a friend of my sister who works in the temple that apparently the aliens are here because their ship is damaged. They're looking for a place to hunker down while they get some repairs done.'

Maaka frowned. ‘How long will that take?'

‘May not be ever. My sis reckons the Board is keen to keep them here. They want their technology and probably their weapons. Maybe you and your people should go someplace else. Find somewhere safer to live.'

‘No.' Maaka grinned fiercely. ‘Perhaps your Board should not delay. Because I also want the aliens' technology. And I intend to do everything in my power to obtain it.'

***

Transport Shuttle

The shuttle zoomed over piles of rubble and ruined buildings in an area Bree referred to as
suburbia.
They had scoured the landscape for several hours searching for a point of reference. A familiar landmark, building, anything, until Bree thought she would jump from the shuttle if she had to spend one more minute with the Relic warlord who had reached new heights with his barbed comments.