“They are from Aldebra, they are members of their military Bishop, I will be happy to have a go at them, see if I can get them to talk, because I know enough Aldebran to be able to question them. However, first I suggest that we split them up, they are more likely to let something slip if we separate them and then question each of them alone.”
“Ok, we have a few spare tents Mr Summers, I will have them erected and then they can each have a separate tent, then I will arrange for them to be brought back to the room that we are using to question them in, and you can have one at a time, hopefully that way you will be able to get something out of them.” Bishop Marley said in agreement.
While Susan went off to help the other colonists, Mark had the six tents set up in two rows, they were alongside a long section of the downed starship that lay flat upon the ground, and this made the guarding the troopers all the easier, for the troopers could not escape that way. The six unwounded soldiers were now led out of the starship, and Mark asked for hobbles to be tied to their feet, to hamper their movement. Commander Lu-Song immediately moved forward to protest when he saw two of the colonists attempt to tie the hobbles to the first of his men, however, Mark had anticipated this. He had First officer Jenson prime and ready to go, and with full instructions as to how he was to react to the actions of the Aldebran officer and his men. Jenson raised his Phaser rifle and fired it, the resulting energy bolt screamed past the commander`s head and exploded against the metal of the starship. Stunned by this violent reaction to his protests Lu-Song stopped moving, fear entered his heart when he saw the angry scowl appear on Jenson`s face. This had been the result that Mark had been looking for, for the troopers to worry that one of the senior officers amongst the earthmen was a very dangerous individual, one who was only looking for an opportunity to kill them all. Finally all the six troopers had been hobbled, next he had their hands tied behind their backs and it was only then that the troopers were forced into the tents. Mark now took Captain Larson aside and had a quiet word with him.
“Captain, I think it might be wise to have your people keep a close watch on the area near to the Aldebrans while they are in the tents, we need to ensure that none of our people try to avenge the deaths of the colonists, no matter how justified we may think they are.”
Captain Larson was shocked at Mark`s words, and he said so. “Surely not Mr Summers, our people would never do such a thing.” Larson protested.
“Even so, I suggest that as well as guarding the Aldebrans, a watch is kept on anyone who ventures too close to their tents.” Mark said and Captain Larson finally agreed to the request, even if he did think it unnecessary.
With this matter taken care of Mark took Robert Jenson into a small room that had once been Jenson`s cabin, this was where they would carry out the interrogations. Mark set up a small camera between two books on Jenson`s bookshelf, the lens pointed directly at the chair where the Aldebran prisoners would be seated. He then showed Jenson his smart phone and on the small screen Jenson could see the chair.
“Just what is that for Mark?” Jenson asked quizzically.
“I find that a prisoner`s face is a good indicator of what he is thinking, especially when they think that no one is watching them.” Mark replied and there they left it.
Mark now had the first of the troopers pulled from his tent and gagged, this was to prevent his cries for help reaching the ears of his comrades, he was then led back inside the starship and he found Mark and Robert Jenson waiting for him inside. The trooper initially expected to be killed, especially when he caught sight of Jenson, but when forced into a chair and his gag removed he realised that he was to be interrogated again. Mark was to be the good interrogator, and Jenson had already been cast in the role of the bad interrogator. They had chosen their trooper well; he was the youngest and most likely to break, if interrogated in just the right way, for this was his first tour of duty and one that he now wished he was not on.
“Trooper, why have the Aldebran military attacked a peaceful colony of Earth, I did not know that our people were war with one another?” Mark asked in a quiet and calm voice.
The trooper was surprised to be questioned in his own language, even if the grammar was poor; however he stayed silent. Mark continued to ask him further questions, none of which were answered. The time had come for Jenson`s second scene in this drama. All the time that Mark had been asking his questions he had been pacing behind Mark, now he rushed forward and hauled the trooper to his feet, he then slapped the man hard, knocking him back down into his chair, and to say that the Aldebran trooper was surprised was an understatement.
“Answer the questions or I swear by all that I hold dear that I will cut you.” Jenson said pulling a large knife from his belt and putting its blade against the trooper`s throat. He had screamed his words in English, not knowing any Aldebran, but it was not necessary, his actions and manner needed no one to translate them.
The trooper tried to stand up to escape from Jenson, but the young officer`s other hand was holding him down in his chair, the young trooper did not understand Jenson`s words, but he knew that the earthman wanted answers to the questions that had been asked. Mark made to stand up, but Jenson threw him such a look that Mark sat down again, seemingly cowed by the young officer. The trooper looked over at Mark and cried to him for assistance, all Mark did was to finally stand up and hastily leave the cabin, outside he listened for the trooper to cry out in surrender. Jenson now made use of the large knife again, a family keepsake from long ago, and he traced the tip of the blade along the trooper’s neck, actually nicking the skin at one point causing the trooper to cry out. Jenson`s smile was now one of complete evil, and the trooper screamed out loudly that he would talk. Mark rushed back into the cabin and seemed to placate an angry Jenson, who had by then hauled the young trooper to his feet and thrust him against the wall, Jenson grudgingly let the trooper go, but not before thrusting him violently back into his seat, Jenson then leaned against the rear wall scowling and throwing the occasional menacing look at the trooper while he cleaned his finger nails with his knife.
“Earth is the attacker, Aldebra is just defending itself, our authorities had already informed Earth that P1056 is in a sector of space claimed by the Aldebran people. You dismissed our claim to the planet and invaded it under the pretext of colonisation, sending one hundred armed soldiers in the guise of peaceful colonists.” The trooper explained angrily.
While the trooper was scared of Jenson, he only replied with the most limited of information, and then he said no more believing that he would then be released. However, when they turned away to talk the young troopers betrayed the fact that he knew something more, for both men saw on Mark`s smart phone a hastily concealed look of relief appear momentarily upon the trooper`s face and this was followed by a smirk filled with malice. This he hastily concealed by raising a hand to his mouth and coughing when he saw the two men turn around to look over at him. From what he had seen on his phone Mark thought the young trooper`s facial expressions might infer that the trooper believed that their roles would soon be reversed.
Mark had not finished with the trooper just yet, first he had him repeat parts that he had not fully understood, but he finally got the gist of what the trooper had told them. Mark then took Jenson outside of the cabin to bring him up to date. On hearing the translation the First officer smiled.
“Our trooper is holding something back, he was initially scared into giving us this scrap of information, however, for an instant I saw something in his eyes, a gleam that told me he knows a lot more, something that might even give him hope of being freed sometime soon.” Jenson said and Mark had to agree, that is what he had seen in the trooper`s face, a hidden confidence now the threat of death seemed to have been lifted. Mark took just a moment to think the matter over and come to a conclusion.
“Mr Jenson, that is the impression that I had, and I believe that his confidence could stem from a knowledge that reinforcements are on the way, and that
he believes that he will be rescued very soon. Why don`t we try again, see if we cannot wheedle a little more out of the trooper. We need to know everything that he knows if we are to save the lives of our people. Come on, and this time Mr Jenson, really convince him that you are as mean as you make out.” Mark said almost evilly. “But without actually harming him.”
“Please call me Robbie; Mr Jenson makes me feel more like my father.” Jenson said with a smile, something that he had not done since the Aldebrans had launched their attack, for Mark had given him back his confidence that they would come through on the winning side.
“OK, Robbie, and I am Mark to my friends.” Mark replied with a smile.
Mark led Robbie back to the cabin, and Robbie had to smile before they re-entered the room, for he would really be enjoying this play acting, had so many of their people not been killed and injured by these alien troopers. On entering the cabin Mark looked angry, a fact immediately noticed by the trooper who wondered what had occurred to bring about such a change in his interrogator`s manner.
“Trooper, we now know that you are holding something back, suppose you come clean about your reinforcements, the young officer here will only believe that you have told us everything if you confirm everything that we already know.” Mark began in halting Aldebran. “Captain Larson, the captain of the downed starship, he is interrogating one of your companions and your comrade has told our captain everything. You made the young officer and me look like fools, so if you want to leave this cabin in one piece and alive then I suggest you tell this officer everything, because otherwise I will not be able to stop him from killing you, not after he saw his friend killed at the beginning of the firefight, killed by a trooper who looked a lot like you.” Mark urged, stressing the latter part of his demand but still managing to sound as if he was only asking the trooper to confirm what they already knew, and something that would also be in the trooper`s own interests.
As Mark finished speaking, Robbie moved away from the wall nearest to the trooper, where he had stood glowering down at the trooper, and now he moved much closer to the trooper, and he looked very annoyed. “Mark you should leave now, he is not going to tell us anything.” Robbie said angrily. “Leave.” Robbie roared loudly; his veins standing out upon his forehead and making him look terribly fierce.
The trooper`s confidence visibly burst, it was obvious that he was unsure as to how he should proceed, to keep quiet and risk instant death or to confirm what they obviously already knew. He agonised over this decision, whether he should mention the troopship that would arrive in a little over three weeks’ time, for to mention it would make him a coward, worse, a traitor, but if they already knew of it, surely there would be no harm in confirming it. He almost wet himself when Mark walked hastily from the cabin, shutting the door noisily behind him. Bound as he was, he had no way of defending himself, and Robbie once again traced the blade of his knife across his throat, and then cut away the buttons on his uniform exposing his chest.
“Trooper, I saw the bodies of men and women outside, killed by you and your cowardly team, so I hope that my friends will forgive me, for it is time for you to feel a little pain.” Robbie said trying to sound very evil and as far as this trooper was concerned managing it, Robby then looked deep into the trooper’s eyes, eyes that clearly showed his fear and he almost lost control for Robbie was indeed very angry over the deaths of the colonists.
The trooper seemed to understand every word that Robbie said, for he screamed in terror for Mark to return. Mark rushed in and made noises that not only appeared to calm Robbie, who seemed genuinely disappointed that the trooper had broken, but had stopped him just in time from pushing his knife deep into the trooper`s body. The trooper was terrified of Robbie, and looking at Robbie`s expression he now saw a pair of eyes that showed how annoyed he was for being stopped and were filled with extreme impatience. Robbie moved away from the wall where he had retreated to, now that Mark was in the cabin, and he appeared to be on the verge of attacking the trooper again.
“Our troopship will be here in a little over three weeks.” The trooper replied hastily and when Robbie`s real anger showed signs of morphing into something evil, the trooper hastily added. “A salvage ship and a freighter filled with our colonists will also arrive. The salvage ship will take every scrap of your starship away and dispose of it in one of the planet`s oceans, so that Earth does not know what has happened to it.”
“Your ship in space, why has it not helped you more, we would be defenceless against a determined attack.” Mark asked.
Having answered so many questions the young trooper answered this one without thinking. “It developed a fault on the way here; it almost crashed, just as your ship did.” A smug smile appeared on the troopers face for a moment, but then he caught sight of an angry Robbie and hastily carried on answering the question. “They dare not attempt another trip through the planet`s atmosphere in case their ship is caught up in the terrible turbulence of this planet and breaks up, killing the crew.”
“One more thing trooper, what is the name of your senior officer?” Mark asked.
“Commander Lu-Song.” The trooper replied unhappily, for the mention of his commander had reminded the trooper of his cowardice.
Mark looked up at Robbie. “That should be the lot Robbie, come outside with me and I will tell all, then we should speak to some more of our prisoners to see if we can get them to confirm what the young trooper has told us. Robbie shot the trooper a dark look as he followed Mark from the cabin, and the trooper finally did wet himself.
The authorities back on Earth would not have allowed the trooper to be interrogated in such a way; however, this far away from Earth, Mark had decided to use bluff with a lot of anger and threatened violence thrown in. Mark glanced over at Robbie as they left the downed starship, and he saw the officer visibly change, he was now the young officer who Mark had seen before he and his wife had gone into cryogenic stasis.
“You sure got into the part Robbie; you even made me afraid for the trooper.” Mark said.
Robbie looked at Mark, but his smile was gone now, in fact he looked rather grim.
“I had never before seen a dead body, today I saw too many of our people killed for no reason, and it made me extremely angry. Mark, interrogating that young trooper, I found myself becoming the part I was playing, if you had not come in when you did, that last time, I think I might have used my knife on that young trooper.” Robbie replied.
“No you would not have Robbie, you are not that kind of person, your humanity would have stopped you.” Mark assured the young officer, although Robbie was not so sure.
“The next three prisoners are all veteran troopers; I will tell you if I want you to play the bad interrogator, because I really do not expect them to break.” Mark said.
In fact the three men refused to say anything, for they assumed that if their captors would kill them for refusing to talk then they would probably still kill them if they did talk. Mark knew the type, as he was one, and so he had them returned to their tents.
Mark and Robbie then had the sub officer brought in and Mark told Robbie how he wanted to play it this time, having noticed how superior the sub officer had acted even though a prisoner.
“My father is General Yang, a member of our emperor`s grand council, harm me in any way and you will pay dearly for it.” Yang threatened and then sat there in silence.
“Sub Officer Yang, we have no need to harm you, the four troopers who preceded you told us everything that we needed to know, but as an officer of the empire we thought that we should at least give you the curtesy of speaking to you.” Mark said casually.
Robbie now spoke. “We know about your troopship and we are already making plans to receive it, we foresee no problem in dealing with the troopers aboard it, for we had no trouble with your squad and they were Special Forces.” Robbie said just as casually.
After Mark had translated all that Robbie had said Yang jumped to his feet in anger
. “You will be squashed beneath the feet of the two hundred troopers, you will not be able to play the poor little colonist this time, they will know that you are an invasion force and treat you accordingly.” He boasted insolently.
Mark decided to leave it there, he had the sub officer returned to his tent and then he spoke to Robbie.
“Let`s have a word with their commander, see how he reacts to what we have just heard.”
Their conversation was cut short, for they were joined by Captain Larson and Bishop Marley who both wanted to know whether Mark had learned anything of interest, so he now told the two men all that the young trooper had said and how it had been confirmed in part by the sub officer.
“So, they are Aldebrans; I had heard that their emperor was a little mad, now I believe it.” Captain Larson said angrily.
“We need to speak with their commander, confront him with all that we know, and watch how he reacts; perhaps the two of you should be with us this time. I believe that what the young trooper told me was the truth, he was far too scared of Robbie to lie, even so he may have got his facts wrong, we will know for sure after we have confronted the officer, unless he turns out to be one hell of a poker player.” Mark said.
“Mr Summers, as we cannot understand the Aldebran language, how will we know what the officer is saying?” Bishop Marley asked quizzically.
“First of all please call me Mark, we are all going to be friends, aren`t we?” Mark asked.
“Yes Mark, in fact I am sure that we will be very good friends.” Bishop Marley replied, smiling, and Captain Larson nodded in agreement.
“Then let me explain how you can help.” Mark began. “I will begin by attacking him verbally, then I will threaten him with execution. After he has responded to my accusations of murder, I will reveal to him that we know about the troopship, then I will mention the salvage ship and finally the Aldebran colonists. Before each of these three revelations I will say his name, Lu-Song, that will tell each of you that I am about to mention one of the three facts.” Mark explained.