The Fringe Worlds (11 page)

“So what happened next Obviously the Juireans didn’t stay quiet for long.”

“No, they didn’t,” Kaylor agreed. “They came out with a new strategy: The Expansion. Realizing that a galaxy is too big for one race to control, the Juireans allowed regional alliances and individual planets to petition for entry into the Expansion, yet retain a high level of autonomy and self-rule. Through this strategy they were able to gain control over thousands of additional worlds by giving the local authorities more freedom in exchange for allegiance to the Juireans. And the strongest of the local authorities gained access to the most technology.

“Yet the Juireans had learned from their past. They maintain strict control of the technology, only doling out bits and pieces, and never the means of production. In fact, the Juirean culture these days is built almost entirely on managing their Expansion and the manufacturing of the technology.”

“Sounds like a pretty reasonable thing to do,” Adam said. “These Juireans don’t sound that bad.” As soon as he said that, the look of disgust on the faces of the two aliens told him he didn’t have all the facts.

“How can you say that” Kaylor asked, scorn in his voice. “The Juireans are heartless animals who only have what they’ve got by stealing it from others.”

“Sorry,” Adam said. “It just kinda made sense. How else are you going to govern a whole galaxy”

Kaylor just shook his head, a dismissive gesture toward someone who knew no better. Then he continued: “Since they are only one race, the Juireans insist that the ultimate authority in the Expansion is always left to a Juirean. So they have breeding factories on Juir; they don’t have traditional mating pairs like most races. Children are analyzed for ability and then separated at an early age to be trained to perform various tasks within the Juirean structure.

“Like I said, at the very top are the Elites, followed by the Overlords and then the Counselors. Below them are the various administrators and technicians. The Overlords run the military side of Expansion, along with the Guards, who are like the magistrates on other worlds. But the Juireans are the sole arbiters of their actions. No other race, except for other Juireans, can even question the decisions of an Overlord. The Counselors are more of the regional administrators, answerable only to the local Overlord. Being at the edge of the Expansion, the Fringe has very few Juireans of any classification. We just aren’t that important to them.”

“And that’s why you’re so concerned about this Counselor coming today” Adam said. “To get the attention of a Juirean, let alone a Counselor, must mean there’s something very strange about that spaceship you brought in for salvage.”

Kaylor just bobbed his head, yet it didn’t take an alien body language expert to read the worry on his face.

Finally Kaylor asked Adam, “And you know nothing more about the ship or where it came from”

“How could I You know I’m from some backwater world that doesn’t even have space travel - not real space travel like you have. Hell, we’ve only been to our own moon a few times. I honestly have no idea where the ship came from or why I was aboard.”

“There were a total of 80 of your race aboard. That must mean something” Jym said from the faraway cot.

“Hell if I know. Remember, to me I’ve only been awake in your universe for about two days, and already I’ve had a fight with you,” he pointed at Kaylor, “been in a gunfight with two crazed lizards and been arrested for murder. To top that off, back home they think I’m dead and all the people I know and love are grieving for me. Damn, this adventure is getting off to a great start! I wonder what tomorrow will bring”

Kaylor grunted. “At least you don’t have to face a Counselor.”

“Yeah, well do you realize now that my chances of meeting the owners of that ship are virtually nonexistent And if that’s the case, then I’m truly fucked!” With that Adam slammed his hand against a bar of the cell - and was shocked to see that it had bent outward about an inch!

Looking over quickly to see if Kaylor or Jym had noticed, he was relieved to see that they hadn’t. Shifting on the cot until he was seated like Kaylor, with his back against the front bars, Adam stretched out his legs on the cot. Then he placed his left foot against another bar of the cell, and using the bars at his back as a backstop, pushed with his leg. With some effort, he felt the bar begin to give!

He stopped and once more looked over at the two aliens. Jym had laid down on his cot, while Kaylor was staring straight ahead toward the rear of the cell, lost in thought. Adam didn’t know why he wanted to keep his latest discovery a secret from them, but he felt he had to. He had no doubt that if he wanted to, he could separate the bars enough to slip through. Of course the bars on this side of the cell simply lead to another cell, but he knew he could bend the front ones just as easily.

Now that he knew he could escape from the cell, he was at a loss as to what to do with this knowledge! This whole planet — hell the entire alien universe — was a prison for him. Without a plan, he was still screwed. And he didn’t have enough knowledge or experience to formulate a workable one.

What to do What to do

The next few hours passed without much interaction between the three of them, but they all sat up when they heard a commotion coming from the processing room. The door to the cell block opened suddenly and a flood of creatures began to enter.

Kaylor and Jym jumped to their feet, while Adam remained seated on his cot.

About a dozen of the natives entered the cell block, followed by five of the mean-looking lizard creatures like the ones Adam had killed the night before.

After the lizards, the Juirean entered. Adam reasoned it had to be the Juirean because of the deference that was granted him, as well as the fact that he was about a foot taller than anyone else in the room, including the seven-foot tall lizards. But Adam quickly noticed that a lot of the height came from the magnificent main of hair this creature had. It flowed from his wide forehead and puffed out on top for a good foot before cascading halfway down his back. And it was a pale green color, which was a stark contrast to the creature’s swarthy complexion. Even though the forehead was wide, the face tapered down past a simple, normal looking nose and smallish mouth to a pencil thin chin that thrust out from the jaw line.

Adam couldn’t tell much about the creature’s build since he was draped in several layers of flowing capes of greens, blues and reds. It was all quite the spectacle. Still, Adam wasn’t that impressed.

The Juirean Counselor — Deslor Lin Jul was his name — stepped closer to the bars of Kaylor and Jym’s cell. He then took a screen pad from one of the Nimorians and scanned it. Looking at Kaylor, he finally spoke. “You are the salvager” His voice was extremely strong and projecting; Adam reasoned that came from centuries of being at the top of the food chain throughout much of the galaxy. Having that much power must be a real head-rush! Adam thought.

“Yes, yes I am,” Kaylor stammered. In the brief time he’d had with Kaylor, Adam had never seen him this nervous.

The Juirean cocked his head slightly to the right. “Bring the two of them. I will require a room with no listening devices or images.”

The Juirean then moved to Adam’s cell. Adam did not stand up, which seemed to irritate most of the Nimorians, and especially the Rigorians, who demanded that he stand before the Counselor. Adam just flashed a big, toothy grin at the lizards, which threw them into some kind of crazed frenzy.

“SILENCE!” the Juirean commanded, and the Rigorians immediately ceased their chatter. Adam remained seated.

After scanning the pad, the Juirean turned to his right and began to leave the room. “Bring him, too,” he said just before disappearing though the doorway.

The three of them were escorted to a large room in the same building with a wide desk near the middle. Chairs were brought in for the prisoners. The Juirean sat behind the desk then signaled for everyone except the four of them to leave the room. Adam didn’t question the Juirean’s confidence in being left alone with the prisoners. After all, who would dare accost a Juirean Adam continued to size up the Counselor as he took a seat.

Kaylor and Jym looked as though they’d pissed their pants. They sat hunched over slightly, occasionally daring a glance up at the Juirean. Then without ceremony, the Counselor began speaking:

“There will be no salvage of this craft,” the Juirean stated bluntly. This got Kaylor and Jym’s attention. “The ship is being confiscated by the Juirean Authority and all records of its discovery have been purged from the Library.”

“Forgive me, Counselor,” Kaylor said feebly, “but that is a legitimate claim. Why can we not receive a salvage, or at least a recovery fee”

“That ship is of unknown origin and therefore is to be taken to Melfora Lum at the demand of Overlord Oplim Ra Unis. You will provide all data regarding the location of the find, the direction from which the ship appeared, the circumstances of the recovery and any observances once you entered.”

Kaylor appeared crestfallen. Adam knew the alien had placed so much promise on the salvage and now it was being ripped away from him. But Kaylor did not offer any resistance to the request - order - and began reciting exactly what had occurred over the past two days.

Damn! Was it only two days ago that all this had started for Adam The thought suddenly made him very tired.

While Kaylor droned on, Adam noticed that the Juirean kept looking over at him. Their eyes would lock, and then the Counselor would casually return his attention to Kaylor. When Kaylor had finished, the Juirean turned his full attention upon Adam.

“What were you doing about the ship”

“I don’t have any idea. Like I’ve been telling everyone, I was kidnapped - abducted. I woke up in one of those pods not knowing how I got there or why.”

The Juirean just stared at him, then finally: “You have not met any of the ship’s crew or owners or had any conversation with them”

“All I saw was one of those gray things, but I couldn’t understand anything it was saying.”

“And where are you from”

“I’m from the planet Earth.” Adam waited for the customary comment about dirt and such, but it never came.

The Counselor spoke: “Why would the Kl—, the owner’s be interested in your race Does your race have contact with them”

“No, I don’t think so. We haven’t had any confirmed contact with aliens - with other races - even though there have been a lot of stories.”

“I guess the stories are true, aren’t they” The Juirean said.

“I suppose so.” Adam was getting tired of all this. “Listen, I just want to get home. I’m not interested in any of this bullshit or any of your politics. I didn’t ask to be here and I could care less about whose ship that is and where it came from. We are not a star traveling species-“

“Then why were 80 of your kind on that ship What value are you to its builders”

“You aren’t listening to me, bud I-Don’t-Know!”

Adam saw the veins in the Juirean’s neck begin to twitch. He was sure the Juirean had never been spoken to like this before, but he didn’t give a fuck. This thing was just another obnoxious bureaucrat on some kind of power trip.

“It is decided,” the creature announced suddenly. “You will be transported to Melfora Lum to be interrogated by the Overlord himself.” He turned to Kaylor and Jym. “And the two of you will be subjected to a brain cleansing to erase all memory of your encounter with the derelict ship.”

Adam was almost too pissed off to notice the shock that came over the faces of his companions, but the expression of sheer terror in their eyes eventually got his attention.

“But we’ve done nothing wrong! We promise we will not say anything about this,” Kaylor pleaded.

“I will guarantee that you will not.” The Counselor pressed a button on the desk and about a dozen creatures entered the room. “Take them back to their cells and arrange a link with the Overlord.” The Juirean stood, glaring at Adam as he was removed from the room. Adam just gave him a wink.

In another room in the Ministry, Fredic Dess listened in on the conversation the Counselor was having with his Overlord.

KLIN! Can it be true Whether it was or not, this information would make him rich! Angar had promised to pay him handsomely for any information he could provide regarding the prisoners. He had already given him their location within the Compound, as well as instructions about the best way to approach the building to affect a rescue. Now this!

He fingered the communication device and Angar answered immediately.

The moment the cell door was closed and locked, Adam was already planning his escape. But he would need Kaylor and Jym’s help; he just didn’t have any idea how much help they would be.

Kaylor had fallen back on one of the cots in his cell and was just lying there, staring at the ceiling. Jym was on a cot, too, but balled up in the fetal position, giving off soft whimpering sounds. They looked like two lost causes.

Adam moved to the bars separating the two cells. “Listen up,” he hissed at them. “We’ve gotta get out of here. There’s no way I’m leaving with that green-haired Juirean.”

Kaylor just stared at the ceiling.

“Snap out of it! I need the two of you to pay attention.”

“It’s no use, Adam. There’s nothing we can do at this point.”

“Bullshit! What was he talking about in there, about a cleansing”

Kaylor looked over at him. “A brain cleansing. They’re going to erase our memories. They’re supposed to be able to be selective, but I’ve never heard of a perfect cleansing. We are probably going to lose a couple years of memories, if not more. And then people who have had it done are never the same.”

“Then we have to get out of here before they can do it.”

Kaylor just looked at him as if he was crazy. “Do you not see where we are”

“I can get us out of here. But then we’re going to have to get off this planet, and I mean fast.”

Kaylor sat up and Jym stopped his whimpering. “How”