Man Of Earth
8
## It was the middle of the night when Dan Ward’s personal communicator lit up with a call on the secret frequency. The continual flashing of the yellow light distracted him from sleep, and he blearily opened his eyes, seeing the light flashing, sitting bolt upright when he saw who it was and answered the call ##
“Kroney! What’s the matter?!” he called hurriedly down the line.
#
“He said he’s worried they suspect him. He wants his family off the Mother Ship before it’s too late.” explained Dan to the assembled, after he had woken them for the emergency meeting. Many were still in their sleeping attire.
“He has done so much for us, we can’t possibly deny him this request.” said Rex Canon, the Democratic Prime, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.
“Exactly what I was thinking.” agreed Dan, more awake than the others.
“Isn’t it obvious?” said Susan, her dressing gown pulled tightly around her, “We bring them here, to the City! Heck, they can have my quarters if they need them!”
“We definitely need to something, just for all the aid he’s given us, at personal risk to himself. I think we forget that sometimes. He’s just one man on a dangerous double-agent role, on a Ship full of people who would want to do him harm if he were ever discovered.” expressed the Democratic Prime.
Ambassador Low scratched his chin, “Even though it might make a bigger target for us down here, I agree that it has to be done.”
“Look, never mind your quarters, Susan. What if they took my suite at the Embassy? There would be a Guard there all the time, and besides, I hardly spend any time there! I spend most of my time sleeping in a cot over there in the Professor’s Workspace.” said Ambassador Able.
“So that’s where my coffee goes in the morning?” said the Professor, coming to a sudden realisation.
“Then it’s settled!” said Dan Ward, rising to his feet, “I’ll go contact Kroney and tell him to be ready!”
“Can we go back to sleep now?” asked Susan, only half awake. Dan grabbed her by the waist and planted a big kiss on her lips, “Never mind!” continued Susan, suddenly wide awake.
#
The sharp blasts of the Fighters pinged off the hull of the Hopper as it zig-zagged into space, catching an atmospheric wave from the dancing Fighters. The Hopper stall-turned, coming back at the Fighters, which were forced to part in order to avoid a collision.
The Hopper was more sluggish in its rotation, allowing the Fighters another chance. But the Hopper pitched, making itself a thin target, rushing past the Fighters once more. The Hopper was close to the asteroid belt now, so took advantage of cover to avoid the shots the Fighters took upon it. But the Fighters were relentless. They gathered speed and followed the Hopper into the dangerous field of rocks big and small. It was the small rocks that were the most dangerous, as it only took a handful of them to smash into a window, or hit just the right part of the hull, to cause irreparable damage. Even though the Hopper was larger, it danced a ballet of manoeuvrability never seen before above the skies of White Haven. Perhaps once or twice above Earth, however.
One of the outlying Fighters scraped against the side of a rock accidentally, sending it into an uncontrollable spin. Eventually it managed to limp home to the Mother Ship, but not before it received its cargo. Unknowingly, of course. Had the pilot known what he was carrying, magnetically attached to the hull, a box about six by four, big enough for one person, perhaps an Earth Captain, they might not have acted as they did. Once the Fighter was docked in the Bay, Captain Dan Ward dropped from the hull and slid into the crowd of the maintenance personnel now gathered about the Fighter. He kept his head down, until he reached the room that had been prepared for his visit. The door swished open and swished again closed, now locked and secure.
Dan looked about the room. There were at least a dozen men, a handful of women and one or two children present. There was also Co-Mate Kroney, with his arms about his wife and children.
“Dan! We are very pleased you could come!” enthused Kroney, coming to shake Dan’s hand vigorously, “I took the opportunity to bring also many of those who form our resistance here on the Mother Ship. There is Mooney, Raff, Ederben, Clarp -”
Dan smiled, “It’s fine, Kroney, old chum! Hello to you all! I know I speak on behalf of all the people yearning to be free in this great Galaxy here, when I extend to you all our gratitude at the hard and dangerous work you do for people you may never meet! As you know, I personally have some insight into this myself, coming from Earth, so I know these people are worth saving! And that you lay your lives on the line - I cannot thank you all enough! If there is ever anything I can do for you, don’t hesitate to -”
“May we shake the hand of the famous Captain Dan D Ward, Man of Earth?” interrupted an enthusiastic young lady, uniformed and wide eyed. There was a general murmur of assent.
Dan Ward laughed, “It’s the least I can do!” he said, before being carefully mobbed by the collected resistance aboard the Mother Ship. Once they had finished and Dan’s arm felt a little overworked, he moved to Kroney and his family.
“Dan! I would like to introduce you to my wife, Esmerda, my eldest, Samdina, and my son, Erko?” said Kroney, pointing to each in turn.
Dan took the hand of Esmerda, kissed it, and did the same to the girl, Samdina, who was nearly as tall as her Mother, “Ladies!” smiled Dan, like the gentleman he was, “And the young Erko! How are you, my man?” asked Dan of the boy. He didn’t say anything, simply buried his little face in his Mother’s dress.
“He’s shy,” she explained, “But he was singing your name not an hour ago! In fact we had to keep him quiet or we would have been suspected. Poor boy. He knows nothing of what is going on at the moment.”
Dan smiled, “It is good, Esmerda, that he doesn’t. Perhaps he will be able to remember a life free from tyranny, possibly in Sunray City, or some other City down on White Haven.”
“Is it as Father said? Are there trees, and lakes, and places where people walk with freedom of movement, without the attentions of someone or other, looking at one suspiciously?” This was the girl Samdina. Her eyes flashed at Dan and it was quite obvious she had developed a little crush on him, because when he spoke, her cheeks turned a little pinker.
“Samdina, one day soon, I shall be pleased to walk you through those streets, and be greeted with the smiles of many kind people, if it be to your liking!” expressed Dan, knowing a little of the effect he had on the girl, and that it didn’t hurt to make the her happy with simple words Dan could easily afford. She turned red and muttered something about it being a wonderful idea. Dan then turned to Kroney, “Are you sure it is just your family who are to go? I can take more? I could find a way -”
Kroney shook his head vigorously, “No. Only my family, Dan. These others are only here to meet you at last, after hearing so much about you and the people of Earth and White Haven together. Many of them joined the resistance simply from words of your exploits. They are willing to give their lives, every last one of them, to save the people of this Galaxy, as am I. But I cannot protect my family and do the job also.”
“What of their families?” asked Dan of the others.
“Almost all are fighting regardless of their families. There are still so many loyal to the regime, Dan Ward. That is something we are in the process of changing.”
“But you, Kroney?” insisted Dan Ward, “You must come with your family. You know we can protect you.”
Kroney smiled and patted Dan warmly on the arm, “No, Dan. I must stay, for the resistance. Not only that, if I stay, those in charge will not see that anything is different. They pay so little attention to us down here. It will be enough to know my family will be safe, and amongst friends!"
Dan gripped Kroney’s arm in reciprocal friendship, “And they will be, my friend. I give you my personal guarantee! I will protect their lives with my own!”
Kroney smiled, “I know you will, my friend. That is why I trust you.”
Dan then turned to the others, as Kroney gave a tearful and emotional farewell to his family, perhaps as this may be the last time he would see them, ever. Dan smiled broadly to the assembled, “Yes, alright, I can see this is difficult to express emotions for you aboard this Ship, but I promise you, when this is all over, each and every one of you will have a special home on White Haven, should you choose to accept it. Perhaps this is the last time I may see most, if not all of you, but I carry your names, faces - your souls here in my heart, knowing you are giving of yourselves for a cause you believe in, showing that different people of different types, cultures and sensitivities can work toward a common goal, for the betterance of all! Esmerda? Samdina? Erko? Ready?” They nodded in unison, “Right, then! Let’s go!”
Dan walked to the door and slid it open, just enough to see the corridor beyond. There was only a couple of Guards, and they had nearly disappeared around the corner. Dan waved for Kroney’s family to follow him, which they did obediently.
Once into the corridor, they began the slow creep toward the Hangar Bay. Kroney himself brought up the rear, leaving the other resistance members in the room. They didn't notice, however, one of the people from that room exit just after they had disappeared around the same corner. This one, Ghoner was his name - a short, balding man with a limp - went the other way. Alone.
Dan was busy watching the passage of the people on the Ship travel the corridors ahead, about half of them Guards, the rest perhaps administrators, from his vantage point behind an exhaust pillar, “It’s dicey, Kroney, I don’t mind saying that!” remarked Dan as the Co-Mate came up beside him. His family were pushed against the hull, hoping for mercy amongst everything else.
“We may be able to bypass them, though I’m not sure -”
“What are you unsure of, Kroney?” asked Dan.
“If we cannot go directly through them. It is an area usually off limits to non crew, but -”
“Only if you are absolutely sure, my friend! We don’t want to mess this up at this late stage!” insisted Dan.
“I - I think - no, I know we can. If you follow a little behind, it should work. It will work.” expressed Kroney.
“Right, well I trust you, my friend. Go for it.” nodded Dan. Kroney returned to his family and explained the situation to them. His wife and daughter were visibly concerned, and the boy non-plussed. But they were persuaded and began the long dangerous walk, while giving no show of what they intended.
It was working. They walked, as a family, not too tightly together, Kroney just enough in front to demonstrate a Father and husband showing his family around the Ship. Only the boy looked about him, but no one ever paid attention to the little child. That was until he made the mistake no one had thought of as a possibility. He pointed at Dan, who was himself walking nonchalantly like an officiant clerk and called out, “Captain Dan Ward!” in an astoundingly alert voice. Then everyone looked round, Guards unholstered weapons, and Kroney made the most important mistake of his life.
He grabbed his family and ran. Dan shook his head and followed, even as the Guards began to chase him, firing their weapons indiscriminately. Dan had to duck as he ran, but it was important to keep up with the family, if only to guide them in the right direction. Eventually Dan caught up with Kroney.
“I’m sorry Dan!” called out Kroney as they ran, “I panicked! I didn’t know what to do!”
“It’s of no mind, my friend! These things happen! Still, it looks like you will be coming with us after all!” chuckled Dan, which Kroney couldn’t help but join in with.
The next turning brought them into the Maintenance Bay, where were piled tools of varying sizes and uses, next to the Hangar. The emergency had reached this far already, and there was a flurry of commotion within the Hangar itself. Dan looked around the Hangar for a suitable Ship to use. He spotted a Troop Transporter, fairly close and fuelled, “See that Ship? We need to get there.” explained Dan, pointing at the Ship. Kroney nodded.
“Should be easy enough. Esmerda! Children! We must make that Ship yonder!” said Kroney to his family.
“But how, Father? They will spot us as soon as we step foot in the Hangar!” expressed the girl.
“She’s right, Dan! They don’t stand a chance!” said Kroney. But Dan was deep in thought, pinching his bottom lip, with his brows furrowed.
“I think I have it! We need a distraction. Kroney, see that tanker there? Think you could make that and open the valve? Then as you do that, I will make my way to that stairwell, where I will ignite a scrap of paper and throw it into your stream of fuel, creating the distraction we need. As these people are attempting to stem the flow, your family makes their way around the Hangar westwards, and we join them soon enough!”
Kroney nodded and smiled, beginning to walk the short distance to the tanker. Not one person showed him any attention, thankfully, and as he reached the tanker, he slowly released the valve, spilling a long thin stream of fuel over the Hangar Bay floor. Dan had already reached the stairs and was holding the burning paper aloft as the stream reached the point he was waiting for, then Dan threw the burning paper at the stream, which instantly caught fire, having the desired affect of distracting the people of the Hangar by motioning toward the stream of fire and trying to put it out before it caused any real damage. Kroney’s wife and children did as instructed and crept around the edge of the Hangar, safely reaching the Troop Transporter and embedding themselves inside. Kroney made his way to the Ship, while Dan had to take a more circuitous route, so as not to be found out. He was mere feet from safety and the door of the Ship when it happened.
“Well, well! If it isn’t my nemesis, the troublesome Captain Ward!” Baron Frost stood surrounded by his personal Guard, a look of smugness alighting his face, as he cracked an imaginary whip, “How nice of you to present yourself so conveniently! Oh, I see you in there, Co-Mate Kroney! And your pathetic little family! You know, we’ve had our eye on you for some time! A little bird of mine keeps me informed of the so-called resistance force on my Ship! Oh, I expect the odd dissenter! It’s the price one pays for rule. Oh, the burden of rule? You simply have no idea -”
“When you’ve quite finished, what do you want, Frost?” asked Dan, standing his ground and facing the tyrant.
“Why, you of course! In fact, if you give yourself up now, I will spare Kroney here - and his little family. The others of the so-called resistance have already been taken to the medicine bay to have their minds erased and reinserted with a control unit. They’re - quite malleable now. Certainly hard, loyal workers once more!” laughed Baron Frost.
Dan was visibly angry, but did not allow his emotions to crowd the dilemma he was now in. Then Kroney took initiative and stood in front of Dan, defiant as only he could be, “No! Take me! This man must be spared!” shouted Kroney before Dan could stop him.
Baron Frost laughed then uproariously, “Oh, that’s a given, Kroney!” said Frost, pointing a dangerous finger at Kroney, when a shot rang out in the near silent Hangar. Kroney buckled, but did not drop.
He turned then to a shocked Dan, “Go! Now! My family!” Kroney then turned back to the assembled crowd, his voice rising gutturally, animalistically to a scream of primeval proportions as he ran berserk toward Baron Frost, who was suddenly taken by surprise and frozen to the spot like one of the many people he himself would squash beneath his dirty boot.
Dan didn’t waste the opportunity and ran for the Troop Transporter, even as Esmerda and the children were screaming for Kroney and their Father, but Dan had to turn his emotions off for now. He shut the door, despite the protests and fists of the family, sat in the pilot seat and started the thrusters, not waiting for them to get to full power before punching the button to open the Hangar Bay doors and scrape along the gridded floor, into space and on the way toward White Haven. They were half way home by the time Kroney dropped at last.
#
It was difficult to take, and difficult to accept, so Dan Ward kept his distance while Kroney’s family settled into Ambassador Able’s suite in the Embassy, not wanting to be a reminder for what had happened to Kroney. Dan himself accepted why Kroney did what he did, but it remained an emotional thing to live with.
Score one for the Sigma Dissonance, it seemed.
It would not go unchallenged, however. People like Kroney gave their lives for this cause, willingly it seemed. Dan would not be left wanting, when a call came, because he knew that they gave of themselves to the nth degree, so why should he be the one to rest on his laurels, if his skills could come to bear on a situation?
It was left to Susan to comfort the family and help them adjust to this new life. Eventually, and with time, Esmerda and the children would thank Dan for all he had done, be grateful to all the people who cared for them even though they were genetically the enemy, and one early afternoon, Dan Ward kept his promise to Samdina, to show her around the City, the kind faces and soft voices of the compassionate people of Sunray City, with no animosity to her being an accidental part of the Sigma Dissonance, no more than if they were born of Verdant City, or New Dawn City.
After a pleasant stroll, and upon returning to the Embassy, Samdina took Dan’s hand, kissed him gently on the cheek and spoke softly, “Thank you, Dan of Earth.” before smiling happily and skipping back to her Mother and Brother. Even then, Dan received an accepting smile from Esmerda, still not ready to talk to him, but accepting what happened at last. Erko the boy was still lost in his own little world, and merely pointed at Dan and repeated, “Captain Dan Ward!” to which Dan stood erect, saluted and smiled to him, which the boy seemed to appreciate.
Susan then came up beside Dan, taking his hand as they watched the family retire to the Embassy, “I saw you with that girl. I notice you didn’t try and stop that kiss.” she added playfully.
“Jealous, are we?” remarked Dan, equally as playfully. Susan merely released his hand, punched him on the arm and walked away. Dan rubbed at the spot, laughed and followed Susan.
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