Chapter 6
The Stolen Condor
The sheriff led them to a little modern jail quarters down the shopping strip at the end of the walkway. Tygla wondered how Morng survived the shot, and Mike told her that he had his gun set on stun mode. He also told her while the sheriff escorted then, that he did not like to kill people for a stupid gestures like that. He just wanted to have Morng to learn a lesson. She was surprised and relived to learn that Mike was not a ruthless killer and this really impressed her.
“What did you mean when you said it was personal?” Tygla asked quietly, “Do you know him?”
“No,” Mike said as he held the cloth, “I just hate racism.”
Then Tygla knew that he was different. She smiled to him and knew that she has found the perfect man. Inside, the two android deputies forced Morng in a little cell on the far wall and activated the energy bars. Each of the two cells only had a cot to sleep in and a tiny sink securely attached to the wall.
“I wanna talk to my Lawyer!” Morng protested,
The sheriff looked at him as the androids left the small office and said, “You don’t have a lawyer Morng. Now shut up.”
Tygla pointed out, “My friend needs medial aid.”
Sheriff grabbed a box that was hanging on the wall and threw the kit at Justin. Justin handed the kit to Tygla as she opened the box and grabbed some slave and a roll of bandages. Tygla then patched up Mike’s shoulder and kissed it to make it feel better as Mike smiled a bit, but Justin did not like that cute motion and frowned a bit. The sheriff then gestured Mike to the other cell next to it. Mike did not argue and stepped inside. Tygla frowned and did not like what she saw as another set of laser beams draped down in front of him. The office was small, but it had enough room for at least ten people to fill it. Tygla looked at the sheriff’s steel desk and noticed a nameplate that had the name Sheriff Dan Morgan on it. Tygla and Justin sat in leathered seated steel chairs as Sheriff Morgan sat in his.
He looked at the two and asked, “Now, can somebody explain to me what is goin’ on in my station?”
Tygla and Justin looked at each other trying to find the right words to explain all of this. Tygla then looked at the Sherriff, sighed, and replied, “My name is Princess Tygla Tyger of the Felinoron kingdom and these are my friends Justin Jobbs and Mike Tippin. We were on our way to rescue my brother from the Xatu Empire when we lost their homing signal.”
Justin continued, “Yeah, we had to track them down here when we found your little station.”
“Right,” Mike added, “Then we decided to get a bite to eat when this hair ball over there stared to make trouble with my Tygla.”
Morng frowned and argued, as he tried to grab the blue electric bar, “That’s not true! EEEow!” He got zapped and flew back in his cot.
Sheriff Morgan laughed hardily, “You? A princess? Ha ha ha, that’s a good one, I guess you guys are her knights huh? Ha ha ha ha.”
“Private guards actually,” Justin, corrected him.
“I heard some cocker spaniel stories in my life, but this one takes the cake,” The sheriff said as he looked at Mike and Morng. “Maybe a night in the cell will calm you two down.”
“But it’s true!” Tygla said sorrowfully as her eyes started to water. “And now,” she then started to weep, “I will never get my see my brother again thanks to him.”
She cried once more as Mike frowned sadly. Justin patted her shoulder for comfort. Sheriff Morgan frowned too and felt a bit sorry for her as he had soft spot for the women he served.
“Now don’t cry little lady,” Morgan said as he hand her a tissue. Tygla took it and wiped her tears. “I-“
Just before he could finish his sentence, an alarm started to ring. Tygla and Justin looked up to the sound. Sheriff Morgan recognized it, as he knew it was a burglar alarm.
“What the blazes is it this time?” He wondered.
They then heard two laser shot as he got up, grabbed his Laser Winchester, and quickly proceeded to the door. He saw his two mechanical deputies lying on the floor, as someone shot them in the head. He looked up and saw a male black tabby Felinis running pass him and the down the walkway with a small sack in one hand and a laser gun in the other.
“Son of a bitch,” he mumbled as he raised his rifle, but the Felinis shot it out of his hand.
Tygla and Justin ran out when a young woman ran down to the sheriff screaming “Sheriff Morgan! The jewelry store been robbed!”
“Hey! What about me?” Mike said trying to get their attention, but it failed and they were gone.
Justin had to do something. He figured that if helped catch the cat burglar, the sheriff might let Mike go free. He drew his gun and ran like wind down the walkway, chasing the Felinis through the crowd.
“Justin wait!” Tygla shouted, but it was too late.
Tygla then ran after him as so did Sheriff Morgan. The cat burglar kept shooting at Justin as he ran, but Justin avoided each shot. He saw the tabby Felinis head towards the hanger, but he just kept shooting at him. The burglar stop short blasted the door controls and looked for a getaway ship. Justin ran like the devil as the doors began to close slowly. He had to pass through them before they closed. He jumped and tumbled between them when the door was sealed.
He saw the tabby get in to the Condor as he cursed to himself. He got up and ran towards his ship before the ramp was retracting back into the hull. Then he heard the heard the engines rev up as it lifted off the ground and take off out of the bay and into deep space. He did not believe it. That Felinis thief had stolen The Condor, right in front of his eyes. No, Justin thought, not the Condor, anything but the Condor. He was so pissed off that he cursed aloud and threw his gun on the floor in anger. A shot rang out from the gun. Meanwhile, Tygla and Sherriff Morgan had gotten to the sealed door.
“Can you open it?” Tygla asked quickly.
Morgan went to the control panel, fiddled around and replied, “Give me a minute here or two.”
The door then finally opened half way as Tygla squeezed through and saw Justin cursing at himself.
She ran over to him and asked, “What happened?”
“He took the Condor!” Justin yelled angrily at her.
He looked to him with a worried and confused expression, “What do you mean he took it? I thought Michael told you to secure it. Didn’t you lock it up or something?”
“I did,” He replied defensively, “He must have some kind illegal remote code key or something.”
“What are we going to do?” She asked as the sheriff joined them. She turned to his and said, “You have get your ship and go after him.”
He sighed as he took off his hat and scratched his head, “Sorry Ma’am, that’s out of my jurist diction. That and I don’t fly.”
“So what are you going to do to get my ship back?” Justin wondered angrily.
“Now both of you calm down,” the sheriff said, “I just need to call the local Imperial guards and report this.”
“The Imperial guard?” Tygla wondered worriedly.
“Not a good Idea,” Justin said, “If you report it, they’ll impound my ship and I’ll never see it again.”
Tygla agreed, “He’s right, and we need a ship to rescue my brother.”
Morgan sighed not knowing what to do. He looked at them wondering if he should believe their story and trust them. He did not like the Empire as well, but he must report it to the authorities.
She looked at him and said, “Listen, my people are at war with the Xatu Empire, and they have my brother. We need him to help us fight this war. Please don’t call them. You have to help us.”
Tygla frowned at him and Morgan felt sorry, “Well, it’s against station policy, but, oh heck, I can’t say no to a pretty lady like you.”
Tygla smiled brightly, “Oh thank you! What about Mike, can you let him free so he can help us?”
“Oh no,” Justin commented when
he picked up his weapon and holstered it. His heart dropped, knowing his friend was not going to like this. He then said worried fully, “What am I going to tell Mike?”
“Well, since you are new around here,” The sheriff said, “And he didn’t kill Morng, I suppose I can let him off with a warnin’.”
“Oh thank you,” Tygla repeated as she hugged him.
By the time, they returned to the jail, the alarms silenced and they found a short male Lizzian standing in the office and he was furious.
“Sheriff, did you catch the thief?” He said as Morgan looked to him.
“Not yet Hazu, but I’m on the case,” the sheriff replied.
“On the case?” Hazu wondered, “How long before you can catch him and get my inventory back?”
He went over by Mike’s cell pressed several keys on the lock pad that was near it and the energy beams disappeared, as Mike did not quite understand.
“You’re free ta go,” Morgan said to him as Tygla smiled, ran over, hugged and kissed him. He looked back to Hazu and replied, “Come back tomorrow, I should have few answers for ya till then.”
Justin frowned as he saw their embrace and he knew he had lost him again. The Lizzian turned to the door and departed to his shop as he grumbled in his language about the lazy sheriff.
“Free?” Mike asked confusedly.
Tygla nodded to him and replied, “I convinced him to set you free.”
“I just couldn’t see the poor girl cry again,” Morgan said to them, “I guess I got soft spot for ladies.”
They smiled as Mike said to Morgan, “Great, now if we can get the track data for the Hades, we can be on our way.” Justin and Tygla frowned knowing that the Condor is gone. Mike looked at their expression in confusion and wondered, “What?”
“Mike,” Tygla started regretfully, “I don’t know how to tell you this, but, remember that thief the Lizzian told you about?”
“Yeah,” he replied unsurely.
Justin then concluded hesitantly as he sighed, “Well, he sort of took, the Condor.”
Mike could not believe what he was hearing. Mike grew angrily at his best friend, “He what?!”
“I’m, I’m sorry,” Justin apologized as Mike advanced on him.
Mike was now furious asked, “You’re sorry?! How the hell did he steal the Condor? I thought you said you secured it?”
“I did!” He shot back agitated, “As I told your ‘new girlfriend’ he must of had an illegal remote key code or something. You know, I knew something like this was going to happen when you dragged her in to it!”
“Don’t bring Tygla in to this. She had nothing to do with this!” He argued as Tygla frowned. She did not like them fighting like this, and over her.
“She had everything to do with this!” Justin retorted, “If you had said ‘no we don’t do this kind of work’. We could still be at Cian, sippin’ a couple of beers, with our ship, but no you had to fall in love with her.”
Mike shot back, “Hey, I’m not the one who insisted my best friend to take the job.”
“Oh yeah?” He stammered as he struggled to make a comeback but said, “You know what? I had it! I have had it with you and your stupid adventures Mike. You can take your new girlfriend, and rescue the prince without me. I’m gonna find the asshole who stole my ship and get it back.” He then stormed out of the office.
“Our ship,” Mike corrected him, but he disappeared into the mall. He closed his eyes in disbelief and sighed. He lost his best friend and it was his fault.
“Touchy fellow ain’t he?” Morgan commented
“Mike, I’m sorry,” Tygla apologized softly as she started to get emotional. “I didn’t know I would break your friendship with him.”
Mike looked to her and replied calmly, “It’s not your fault.”
“But it is, If I had listened my father in the first place, none of this would ever happened,” she said as water filled her eyes.
“But your brother would still be in the hands of the Empire,” he said as he glanced to the door, “Justin’s just…”
“Jealous?” Tygla said to him.
“I was going to say protective of me, but you’re right too,” he shook his head in resentfulness and said quietly, “I should’ve listened to him.”
Morgan looked to them, “It’s ain’t any of your fault. If I had been quick on the trigger, you would still have your ship, and, since it’s my fault, I think it is my responsibly to make it up to you. Anything you want, it’s yours.”
“Thank you,” Mike said shaking his hand. He looked to Tygla and said, “I better go talk to him.”
Mike found Justin at ‘Zumbee’s’. He was at the bar with a full glass of beer in his hand. He remembered the good times they had and already he misses them. He walked over and sat in the next stool.
“What do you want traitor?” Justin wondered irritably and drank his alcohol, “You and Tygla couldn’t find a ship?”
Mike disregarded that comment and replied calmly, “No, I just came to say that, I’m sorry.” Justin eyes’ gazed to him as Mike continued, “You were right. I’ve should never got involved, with this.”
“And what about Tygla?” Justin asked, “You still love her don’t you?”
“Of course.”
“Mike, she a princess,” he explained, “And only a prince or, or a knight or something can be with her, plus she’s a different race than you. I told you all this. Remember what we agreed after Julia betrayed you?”
“Don’t mix business with pleasure,” they both said together.
“Right, I thought we made pact,” Justin said disappointedly.
“But she is nothing like Julia.” Mile told him, “Tygla is different, she’s sweet, considerate, and loves to help out her family when they are in trouble. Now will Julia do that? No, not in a million years. I made a mistake with Julia, but not with Tygla. I love her Justin. Maybe when you get a girlfriend you’d understand that too. Now I don’t know what your problem is with her but I want to know right now.”
Justin sighed, “When you were with Julia, you dissed me. Now I didn’t say anything to you before because I saw that you were actually happy with her, but you hurt me. I mean. I felt like an outsider, and that you never paid any attention to me anymore. That upset me. I thought I was losing my friend.”
Mike frowned a bit and said sorrowfully, “Look I didn’t know I would hurt you like that and I’m sorry. I guess when I was having a great time with Julia I forgotten that I had great friend as well, but that’s not going too happened again. I’m not going to put a woman between us, ever. I guess we gotta learn to live with it, but if you wanna go and leave me? Ok, I can’t control your life. It’s been fun adventuring with you Justin and I’m gonna miss it.”
Mike frowned, got up, and started to leave. Mike was right Justin thought, but he did not want to be left out again, but what if Mike said was true? He liked Mike too much to have his friendship to be destroyed, and now he lost his only friend in the universe because his selfishness.
Justin turned to him and said aloud before Mike made it the door, “Hey!” Mike stopped and looked at him, “We did have some great times right?”
Mike nodded and replied, “The best.”
Mike exited the bar as Justin looked at his drink. Ok, Julia was bitch, Justin thought, but Mike was right, Tygla was never like her. Maybe it could work out. I mean, I do not know her that much to judge her. He had to give her a second chance at least.
“Oh what the hell,” Justin said to himself as he finished his drink and placed a translucent dollar bill on the bar. He got up and walked quickly to find his friend, “Mike! Wait up!”
He saw him walking back to Morgan’s office. He jogged down and caught up to him.
“Mike!” he called to him again.
Mike stopped and turned to him wondering what he wanted.
“Look, you’re right,” Justin said apologetically, “I?
??ve been acting like a selfish jerk, and I can tell you that, Tygla’s not that bad. But when you learn that you cannot be with her…I’ll be there for you.”
He placed his hand on Mike’s shoulder and cocked a small smile. Mike smiled to him, knowing that Justin made a good call. They both hugged, as they now knew what true friendship really meant.
“Now let’s go rescue her brother,” Mike decided.
“What about our ship?”
“We’ll find the Condor one way or another. Right now, I think our priorities are to rescue Tygla’s brother. Besides you got that remote right?”
He was about to argue about finding the Condor first, but then his did not want to have another fight. “Yeah, but it’s only for short wave.”
“Well don’t you have a long range homing system on that?” Mike asked as he pointed to Justin’s wristband.
“Yeah, but the radar system’s on the Condor, unless we-.” Justin stopped and had an idea, “Unless we can reverse the polarity of the signal. I just need another radar system attached to it and then reprogram the system.” Then he had a second thought as they continued to walk, “Eh, He’s probability a million light years away by now, and Tygla’s brother is… I suppose he’s more important than the ship.”
Mike smiled at his friend’s comment and said, “Right.”
Justin nodded as they approached the door to the jail office, and asked, “So how are we going to rescue him without a ship?”
“I think our new friend was going to help us on that part,” Mike replied as he opened the door.
Justin wondered what new friend they acquired. As they reentered, they saw Tygla still sitting in the chair patiently waiting. She turned her head and smiled to see that Mike and Justin had made up. She would know that their friendship was too powerful for it to fall apart.