Man Of Earth
15
## The whole Headquarters was in uproar, because there stood the woman once known as Starla, and this time she didn’t arrive in rags. This time she wore a leather catsuit, her hair tousled, rumpled into tight curls about her strong face. And she was asking to see Dan Ward, Man of Earth. His one time assassin wanted to talk to him, and she was serious - she was unarmed ##
“What could you possibly want here, Starla? If that is your name?” spat Dan Ward, upon seeing her, surrounded by Guards and quite relaxed on the chair she had been forced to sit in, in the middle of the room.
“Starla actually is my name, Captain. Starla Vegana, in fact. And I’m here to give you a piece of valuable information. But I want protection. I need protection from Sigma Dissonance before I reveal this information.” Starla couldn’t help smiling, especially when she saw the anger stewing on Susan’s face.
“Lock her up! Surely that’s the only action? Shut her up and throw away the key!” called Susan to the assembled.
Starla laughed, “You let her talk to you like that?”
Susan made to move toward Starla, but Dan held her back, “Susan, we have to think with our heads right now, not our hearts. Just how valuable is this information?”
Starla never dropped her smile, “Oh, it’s big, Dan. Enormous.”
Dan turned to Able and Rex Canon. Susan and Low were keeping an intense eye on the woman, “So? What do you think?” asked Dan at last.
Able rubbed his chin, “I personally would advise against it. We don’t know what she’s really got planned. It could be a dangerous move.”
“Very possibly,” said Rex, “But I can see Dan’s point of view.”
“And we would technically have her locked up, and call it protection, to all intents and purposes.” nodded Dan. He then turned back to Starla, “Alright, we agree to your terms,” this arose dissent from Susan and Low, but Dan continued, “You will be under Sunray City's and my personal protection. Now, the information?”
Starla continued to smile, “It’s for your ears only, Captain.”
Dan shook his head, “It’s for all of us, or deals off.”
“Very well,” acquiesced Starla, sitting forward on the chair, “I received information, through my channels, that a High Official of Sigma Dissonance is ready to defect.”
The group looked surprised, shooting each other looks. Dan continued, “If that were true, what does it have to do with you and our protection?”
“Oh, you know how it is, Danny,” chuckled Starla, happy at her little indiscretion, “I can see the way this war is going. I want to be on the winning side, simple as that. Besides, my name is mud now with Sigma Dissonance. Baron Frost has ordered a shoot on sight policy for me, simply for my desire to pass on this trinket of information.”
“I don’t trust her.” spoke Susan, much calmer now.
“I know, Susan. I sense that also, but if it’s true -” began Dan, now looking to the others for support.
“I wouldn’t trust her as far as I could throw her from that window over there,” expressed Ambassador Able, “But maybe if we sent in a small contingent of Guards -”
“No. Only Dan. He will only surrender to Dan, and only then if he is alone.” insisted Starla, now quite serious.
“Absolutely not!” called out Susan.
“Dan, she’s right! There is no way I can allow that -” tried Rex Canon. But Dan held his hand up for silence.
“If that’s what it takes, then fine.” agreed Dan, eliciting another smile from the razor sharp mouth of Starla Vegana.
It took Dan Ward a further ten minutes to convince his friends that this was the right course. If it was true, then all the secrets of Sigma Dissonance would be theirs, and it would cut the length of battle easily in half. Dan’s final point hit home the hardest, but they knew it to be the truth; Dan was only one man, and he could be replaced. Somehow. One man for the chance of saving hundreds, maybe thousands? They had to agree it was the right course of action, for the betterance of the people of White Haven.
#
Starla had informed Dan that the Villa the defector was currently staying at was deep in the woods, some distance from a trade route or regular foot traffic. She insisted she had to go also, to both show Dan where it was and to make the introductions, or the Official wouldn’t trust the plan. So after a further discussion, Starla agreed to be placed in cuffs and lead Dan there, as a sign of her good intentions. Within a couple of hours, the terracotta coloured Villa broke between the gaps in the treeline. And then they were stood before this nondescript Villa in the middle of nowhere.
“He’s waiting in there. Come!” insisted Starla, making for the door to the building. It seemed much more hardily structured the closer Dan got to it, like the terracotta was simply a façade to the real structure underneath. Starla reached the front door and flipped a tile up, revealing a number pad underneath. She tapped in the eight digit code and the door hissed open. Dan stepped over the threshold. The trusting nature of Dan Ward was suddenly tested, as the door slammed shut behind him.
He was on the inside and, how could he not have seen it! Starla was on the outside. And the door wouldn’t budge. Dan realised he was going to need to find another way out, so he ventured further into the building.
Each room Dan came to was either empty or partially furnished, but the furniture was strewn haphazardly into it. That was until he came to the last room of the Villa. From this one, light emanated from a tiny crack in the door. From within, Dan could hear music. It was lilting and gentle, from a time of tranquillity and freedom. It was an old White Haven piece, which Dan had been exposed to only once. He pushed the door open.
In a chair by the fire, sat a familiar face, holding a glass of something dark and warming. It was Baron Adolfin Frost. In the flesh.
“I might have known.” said Dan, by way of introduction. Suddenly the Baron became alert.
“Captain Ward! How did you find my hideaway?! You’re here to kill me, I suppose! Well? Get it done! Quickly!” called Frost, ripping his shirt open.
“You know that’s not how I work, you foul creature! She obviously set this up! How could I have been so foolish!?” admonished Dan of himself.
“She? You mean that assassin woman? Starla Vegana?” asked Frost.
“Yes. She obviously doesn’t know me at all, or she would know I couldn’t kill anyone in cold blood!” The Baron looked visibly comforted by those words. Dan, however, noticed his reaction, “Don’t get me wrong. As soon as we are out of here, I intend to arrest you so that you can stand trial for war crimes, Frost!” expressed Dan calmly.
Frost snorted, “That’s as may be, but neither of us can get out of here! The security system I had installed needs two people to operate it!” Dan was not wholly convinced, so tried on his own to find a switch or something in the room to release the security door. Frost continued talking. It seemed he needed to confess, “You know, Dan, you and me? This could all have been avoided. You know why I invaded? Because I was jealous! I was jealous of what these people had! I grew up in deep space, under the yoke, taught to hate, to destroy, to invade - I never wanted it, you know? Oh, how I wish it could be different now! But it seems we are irrevocably set on this course, and unable to steer away from it! We’re stuck!”
This had Dan’s attention - the tone of a willingness to change, “You know, it’s never too late. The Cities of White Haven used to be at war once, and for an age, but they came together, and are now allies. Because of you, it has to be said, but there is nothing irrevocable.”
Frost allowed himself a chuckle, and Dan couldn’t help himself join in with the oddness of it all, “You know, Dan? I see a possibility here! A chance for change! I know it would be difficult at first, but, who knows? Of course we need to get out of here first, or it’s all for nought!”
“I am so glad you see it as an opportunity.” agreed Dan, “Yes, let us get out of here!” Baron Frost then opened a panel by the fire, and told Dan to go back to the front door and open a panel there also. Once done, after Frost typed in the code, Dan would have two seconds to insert it at his end, which he did.
And as the door opened, Dan was confronted by a contingent of Sigma Dissonance Troops.
Dan could hear the tread of confident boot behind him, “I’m afraid I was merely stalling, Captain. Oh, I’m sorry for the subterfuge! You see, I love this war! It reveals something in me! Something - wonderful! Oh, I don’t know! It has no words! But you know what? Just to show how grateful I am, I will allow you a fifteen minute head start, before I send my Troops after you! And the Villa? It will be destroyed, of course! If I were you,” smirked Baron Frost, from his position behind his well armed Troops, “I would run!” laughed Frost, maniacally, as Dan Ward ran from the area.
It wasn’t easy to conceal himself, but Dan understood the lay of the land and the Troops did not. They trampled in patterns, searching for Dan, while he took the road less often travelled, and eventually arrived back at Headquarters, only to hear a familiar voice. Starla Vegana, it seemed, had returned, with tales of woe.
“- So I grabbed the nearest tree branch, knowing I was bonded and swiped at them, but Dan was already -”
“Was already what? Was tricked? Was deceived?” Dan then grabbed a weapon from the nearest Guard and advanced quickly on the assassin, “Was made a fool of?! You know, I once thought you were redeemable, but now I know you’re beyond saving!” Dan lifted the weapon and aimed it at Starla, who, for once in her life, actually showed emotion, that of sudden and overriding fear. She ineffectually raised a forearm to protect herself, but it would do nothing against the power of the rifle blast.
“Dan! Dan, wait! Remember who you are!?” The voice was distant but familiar. With a touch on his arm, Dan slowly came to. It was Susan. Beautiful, sensible Susan! Oh no!
Dan dropped the weapon and the Guard retrieved it from where it fell, “Lock her up. Lock her up where she will be of no further trouble.” Dan said, exhausted. He buckled a little and Susan took him under the arm and led him away.
Starla Vegana, however, was taken to the strongest, deepest cell of Sunray City, deep, deep down in the bowels of Headquarters, where the door to her small cell was slammed unceremoniously in place.
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