Wanderer's Escape (31 page)

“
I still don't like this,” Elizabeth muttered.  “Stay on your guard.”

The short flight was uneventful.  Once they had settled in the landing bay Jess triggered the hatch and watched via the sensors as Teeko quickly headed out.  Jess lost sight of Teeko as soon as it left the shuttle.  Elizabeth and he took longer to exit, taking it slowly while trying to avoid being obvious about it.  Elizabeth had a walking stick with her and used it as she slowly exited the shuttle, Jess walking beside her.  They were met by a young man dressed in dirty blue work overalls.

“Welcome to Iona.  I'm Nicholas.  Sorry for the state of my outfit, the manager got delayed and I had to rush down here to meet you.  We don't often get unscheduled visitors so you've caught us out I'm afraid.  If you'd follow me you can wait in the manager's office.”

They followed Nicholas out of the docking bay and down several short corridors, taking it slowly as Elizabeth hobbled along using her stick.  As they went Nicholas chatted away explaining the workings of the farm, how the water and soil were renewed by mining comets and many other facts about Iona.  Despite himself Jess quite liked Nicholas, especially when the subject of the workers came up.

“I guess you know we use slaves,” he said uncomfortably.  “It's the only way places like this can be profitable.  I know that, but... well... they could be treated better.  Fed better for sure, we're running a farm aren't we?  Treated with more respect.  Given rewards rather than punishments.”  Suddenly he seemed to realise what he was saying, and to who.  “Sorry, please don't repeat that.  I'd get into a lot of trouble.  But... well, you seem nice.  If you get the chance to suggest they could be treated just a little better maybe you could bring it up.”

“
We'll see,” Elizabeth replied, in a neutral voice.  “So do you need special soil bacteria for different crop types?”

Relieved to be off the dangerous topic of the slaves Nicholas launched into telling them about the varieties of crop bacteria needed for various different crops, how some could be used for many crops while others had a unique symbiosis with a single crop.  Partway through Jess received a message from the ship confirming the infiltration package had been successfully deployed and was fully integrated.  The Wanderer estimated it would take several minutes more to fully control all the systems.

Jess hid a smile and returned his focus to the lecture by Nicholas, which seemed to be never-ending.  Jess was rather glad when they arrived at the manager's office and the flow of technical terms stopped.  Nicholas showed them into a small room with a big table taking much of the space.  A black executives chair sat behind it, with three worn looking chairs the other side.

“
Please, sit down,” Nicholas said, gesturing towards the chairs.

They moved towards the chairs, Jess glanced over his shoulder and was pleased to see their robot holding position just inside the door.  As he looked the door quickly slid shut.  The moment it did there was a tremendous crash and Jess's vision went white.  He immediately reached for the ship, accelerating his thoughts.  He was alarmed to realise he had no control over his body, he felt it slowly falling to the floor.  At the same time his implants warned that powerful airborne drugs were seeping into his body, drugs designed to knock him out.  The implants quickly countered the chemicals, breaking them down into harmless compounds.

Jess, the robot has been hit by some sort of electrical charge
Sal sent. 
It's managed to shake most of the effects off thanks to the changes the Wanderer made, but I'm shifting it into low power mode to make it seem disabled.  Backup is there if you need it.

Thanks.  Something hit us too.  I can't see or hear, my body is falling and I can't control it.  They are trying to drug me too, the implants are fighting it off.  I think Elizabeth must be out for the count.  I can't tell though.  I'm scared Sal.

Hang in there Jess.  The robot still has vision and sound, I'll feed them to you.

Suddenly Jess could see again, though seeing his own body slowly falling to the floor was a strange sight.  Elizabeth's too.  Jess was pleased to see that Nicholas had also been affected.  He liked the man and this suggested Nicholas hadn't known about the trap.

Drones are ready to launch from the shuttle,
Ali sent.

Hold on,
Jess replied. 
Let's see what happens here first.

He didn't have to wait long at all.  A hidden side door in the office opened and seven people wearing breathing masks emerged.  They rushed towards Jess and the robot, ignoring Elizabeth and Nicholas, though to Jess the rush took place very slowly.  One dived towards Jess, reaching his body not long after it struck the floor, and slapped a device onto the back of Jess's neck.  Jess's implants immediately identified that a cocktail of anaesthetic drugs was being pumped into his body.  He had the implants clean these up too, while keeping his body completely limp.

Someone knew to go straight for you
, Sal pointed out. 
I don't like this.

Two of the others reached the robot and slapped devices onto it, which immediately started to discharge electricity through its chassis.  Once again the robot's advanced design allowed it to shrug off the assault.

Maybe,
Jess replied. 
But they've seriously underestimated us.  Let's see how this plays out.

Believing they had secured Jess and the robot one of the attackers flicked some controls on the large desk.  The main door opened and powerful fans kicked into action.  Within a few seconds the air was breathable again.  The attackers started to remove their masks, one of them crouching by Jess as he did so.  The angle prevented the robot seeing his face yet Jess thought he looked familiar somehow.  The man spoke.

“Bloody hell kid, you just don't learn do you?”

Jess couldn't believe his ears.  It was Matt!

Chapter Twenty Seven

Jess stared at Matt in disbelief for a few moments, then he sent Sal an urgent message.

Sal, don't shoot him!

Despite Sal's thoughts also being sped up there was a long pause before she answered.

How did you know?

Because it was my first instinct too.  We need to find out what's going on.  The Wanderer is making progress on subverting their systems.  Please, hold fire.  For now at least.

All right, but when we decide to nail him
I
get to pull the trigger.

Fair enough.

Matt reached out a hand and ruffled Jess's hair, it was almost an affectionate gesture.  He shook his head.

“
Kid, how could you be so dumb.  I was there after you'd promised to help Ali you'd come here and rescue her friends.  I knew you'd be here sometime soon, but to walk into such a simple trap.  Bloody stupid.”

“
We set?” asked one of the other men.

“
Yes Slick.  He's out for the count.  Let me send the message to the ship now.”

Oh great, this should be good
sent Sal.

Bear with it.  We'll have control of the stations systems pretty soon.

Jess found it strange hearing Matt's message both in the room and via the ship, he quickly muted the relay from the ship and focused on Matt's words directly.

“
Sal... Ali... and whatever other strays Jess has picked up along the way.  It's Matt here, in case you've forgotten me already.  I'm sure you're on the ship.  Glory Falls didn't suddenly get a fleet of ships all on their own, especially not a ship made up of our ships.  And I know he wouldn't have handed those ships over without getting you both.  That little display at Stone Snake fooled plenty of people but not me.  It was too neat, too convenient.  I thought you'd escaped.  Lucky for me I was right.

Listen up.  We have Jess.  He's unconscious and is damn well staying that way for now, I don't know how he escaped us before but it ain't happening again.  We've got his lady friend too.

Now we need Jess mostly intact but that doesn't mean we won't break the odd finger or toe, and we'll really go to town on his friend.  If you want them in one piece then you'll let us board the Wanderer and escort you ladies off.  No arguments, no discussions.  You've got ten minutes to think about it, then our shuttle heads your way.  Please don't do anything silly, I'm really looking forward to seeing you both again.”

Ten minutes.  That's great.  Sal, Ali
– get the combat drones and shuttles ready.  As soon as we have control of Iona's systems we can make a break for it, then start the rescue.  I think we're going to face a lot more resistance than we thought.  We may need to arm the prisoners as we rescue them.

Got it,
Sal replied. 
We'll be ready.

Be careful Jess,
Ali sent. 
I love you.

Jess had to use his implants to control his heart at Ali's words, his chest felt like it would burst.  He was determined to get free and back to her.

Several more men entered from the main corridor, pushing two medical trolleys.

“
Load them both up,” Matt ordered the new arrivals.  “Let's move them farther away from the docking bay.”

Two of the men moved over to Jess and bent to pick him up.

Now what?
asked Sal. 
We don't want you to be separated from the robot.

I know.  Let it go for a little longer though.

Before the men could grab Jess a tremendous roar ripped through the room.  One of the two men suddenly flew several metres and crashed into the wall.  Teeko flashed back into visibility and sent the other man flying.  Once again Teeko was reared up, only four legs on the ground.  With his accelerated thoughts Jess could appreciate the incredible strength the alien could generate by twisting the top half of its body then letting it unwind in a whip like movement.  Teeko started towards another man, while several others started to raise their weapons.

Damn, we have to move,
Jess sent. 
Sal – concentrate on protecting Elizabeth and Teeko.  My shields can take a few hits.  Release both drones from the robot, Ali and I can take one each.  The drones from the shuttle will never get here in time to make a difference.

OK.  Drones released.

Jess's point of view suddenly jumped to that of the floating drone.  While equipped with only light shields and weaponry to keep it small enough to conceal in the robot it was more than up to the current task.  Jess expanded his links to Sal and Ali, allowing them to instinctively agree their response and who should take which target.

Jess took two of the men who had recently entered the room, both were bringing machine guns up ready to fire.  Reluctantly he targeted their heads for several shots each.  It was a life and death situation for him and his friends now, he couldn't risk trying to disable the men.  The drone's laser snapped out several times at each man, killing them instantly.  Ali had taken out two others already.  Sal had moved the robot so it could protect Elizabeth with its shield, now she targeted several more of their attackers
– blowing large holes in their bodies with the robots advanced weaponry.

Teeko had disabled another attacker, or more likely killed judging by how the body landed.  The robot and drones quickly finished off the others, just leaving Matt who stood still and slowly raised his hands.  Jess climbed to his feet, staring at Matt.

“Damn kid, you proved me wrong.  You do learn after all.  It ain't going to help you though.  Surrender to me now.  Make it easier on yourselves.”

“
Matt,” said the robot in Sal's voice, before Jess could answer.

“
Yes Sal?” he asked, turning towards the robot.

“
Drop dead!”

The robot fired several weapons at once, Matt's body was thrown back against the wall, not that he cared
– he was killed almost instantly.  Jess stared in horror at the old man's body.  Despite everything he'd still felt something for Matt, still harboured hopes that somehow the old man could be persuaded to give up his old friends and rejoin the Wanderer's crew.  Those hopes were gone now, destroyed by the same shots that had left Matt's body smouldering on the floor.

Chapter Twenty Eight

Jess was jerked from his stunned state by Sal's voice rasping out of the robot.

“
Jess, we need to get you out of there.  How is Elizabeth.”

He gave himself a shake and crossed to check on Elizabeth.

“She seems to be all right, her breathing is steady.  She's out for the count though – I think we should load her on one of the trolleys.”

“
Makes sense, I'll help you.”

The robot moved forwards and helped Jess get Elizabeth onto the trolley.  He strapped her securely in place.  Then he glanced at the open door to the corridor.

“We need to watch for anyone trying to surprise us.”

“
Already doing it, Ali has one of the drones watching the corridor.  We've activated the drones on the shuttle too, they are protecting the shuttle for the moment.”