Chapter 31
Arr thought he was lost. He couldn't get his bearing in these dark tunnels. Jake told him not to mark the walls. Sure you could follow your marks out, but the Hydra could follow your marks to you just as well.
Through some grand stroke of luck, Jake found the home ship. They followed it to the base. Jake thought it was better to wait for the home ship to unload her cargo, take her fighting force and go before he and Arr went in.
They found the mouth of the cave hours ago and killed the sentry. They followed the dimly lit cave several hundred yards to where it split into two tunnels, there they divided up. Jake tried to send Kay-o with Arr. Arr said, he'd be okay. These beings had such a foul odor to him that they would never be able to sneak up on him. Jake might need Kay-o to be his nose.
Arr's tunnel split several times since then. He tried to always bear right. If the tunnels connected at some main room or hall Jake and he might run back together. This maneuver was Jake's order. Arr had been doing his best to follow it.
He was standing at another junction in the tunnels when he caught a faint whiff of a Hydra. The air was still in here. He couldn't tell how close the thing was. He pointed his blaster down the tunnel he thought the smell was coming from, backed around the corner into the other tunnel and into the very strong scent of a Hydra. The beast was on him before he could even fire his blaster. It was another sentry just lying in wait at its post. It knocked the gun out of his hand, making some sort of hideous cry. It was a cry for help. Arr heard the slithering approach of two more Hydras from the adjoining tunnel. There was no room to move in the confines of the cave. Arr struggled, but three against one were good odds for the Hydras. They beat him into submission.
They dragged him several hundred more yards down the left tunnel into a large cavern. Arr surveyed the area. The walls of the cavern were lined with cages. Most of them were full of captives, the majority being humanoid, huddled as far from the Hydras as possible. In the middle of the room was a table. To the right was a bed of hot coals in a large cauldron over a fire. Next to the cauldron was a big stone block, next to it a rack with pairs of metal shackles hanging from it. There were four more Hydras at various duties about the chamber. One that was larger than the rest turned toward Arr and the three Hydras with him. By the looks of it this big one was the boss. He came to stand defiantly in front of Arr. The dank smell of him was almost over powering to Arr's sensitive sense of smell. He ordered the two Hydras that were holding Arr to turn him around. He obviously didn't recognize Arr's species and was trying to determine the possible value of such a creature. When they loosened their grip on Arr he slipped free. He pulled his knife from his boot and darted forward with the intention of capturing the leader. The leader was not only big but he struck with great speed. Arr was not caught totally off guard. He cut a deep slice on the leaders forearm before it came down knocking the wind out of him. The other Hydras piled on him. The leader was shouting orders as he licked at his wound. Jake was right, their language was incomprehensible. They dragged Arr over to the stone with the intention of putting shackles on him.
*****
The Hydras thought they captured a beast instead of the humanoid, which he was. The thing fought wildly. It growled and bit when they tried to put the shackles on it. They finally had to beat it senseless before it would submit to being bound. They threw it in one of the empty cages. They didn't want it to injure any of their other cargo.
Chapter 32
Jake's tunnel came to an abrupt end. He back tracked with Kay-o to the junction where he and Arr split up.
"Seek!" He ordered. The dar-dolf, with head hung low, headed off down the tunnel.
They went several hundred yards and took several right turns when they came to another junction. The ruff of fur around Kay-o's neck bristled. He turned left. Jake started to follow when his foot struck something. It wasn't a rock; it had a metallic ring to it. He gave Kay-o the signal to wait as he reached down for the object and came up with Arr's blaster. Even if the Hydras used blasters there was no mistaking this one was Arr's. When Jake shone his pin light on it he could see the red grip. Last month on the Henu planet Arr used some homemade dye to color the grip on the weapon red to match his suit. Jake had ribbed him unmercifully.
Jake gave Kay-o the hand signal to move behind him and stay there. He didn't want the dar-dolf stumbling into a nest of Hydras. They crept slowly down the tunnel until they were able to hear movement. Jake signaled to Kay-o to crawl and they edged forward cautiously.
He could just see around an outcrop of rock into the cavern. There were seven Hydras. Cages filled with captives lined the walls. He could see Sarah. She was in a cage across the room. His view of the rest of the room was blocked by the outcrop. Jake only hoped the other side of the room contained cages also and that Arr was in one of these. He did not know the type of weapons the enemy carried. He knew he couldn't use his blaster in such tight quarters without risking injury to the captives. He'd have to formulate a different plan rather than just going in and dusting all the Hydras.
His motion for Kay-o to backup was met by resistance from the dar-dolf. Kay-o could smell the enemy and perhaps Arr too. He wanted to go in. Jake finally had to give him a boot to get him moving back up the tunnel to the outside.
Jake needed to do something that would get both the Hydras and their captives out in the open. He decided a controlled fire would be just the thing. He piled green brush to the side of the cave entrance and positioned the pod's exhaust so it would blow the smoke down the tunnels. He started the fire, started the engines of the pod and sat back to wait for the exiting masses.
His wait was not a long one. The captives came out first driven forward by the Hydras. When the prisoners were out of harm's way and the Hydras broke through the smoke, Jake opened fire. The battle was more like a turkey shoot. The Hydras were disoriented having just come from the dark cave. Jake killed six before he even stopped to count. When there was no sign of the seventh he edged down the small cliff that surrounded and hid the entrance to the tunnels. The seventh one must have escaped back into the cavern.
Jake was practically bowled over by Sarah when she recognized him.
"Did you see my partner?" Jake asked, as he extricated himself from her grasp. "He's a young man. Big, blue cat eyes." He said describing Arr. "Red/gold hair."
"When the smoke came they took all of us out except him. They left him in his cage. He's still in there." Sarah said in an aggrieved tone.
Jake caught sight of pilot's wings on one of the captives. "Can you start shuttling the people up to the cruiser? I've got to go in for my partner."
"Gladly," she said with a mock salute and a winning smile.
*****
The leader of the Hydras sensed the deception when there was no fire only smoke. When he heard his comrades dying he realized that the being they left behind in the cage was not alone. The Hydra retreated back to the cavern.
*****
Jake and Kay-o moved slowly through the smoke filled tunnels. When they reached the cave, the Hydra and Arr were waiting.
The Hydra had strung Arr up by his shackle chain from the ceiling. The kid hung with his feet about a foot off the floor. He had obviously struggled. The shackles cut deep into his wrists. Blood oozed down his arms almost to the elbow. He had a gash on his forehead above the left eye. The blood dripped down his face and off his chin. The left eye was swollen shut. His nose was bloodied and his lip was cut. He was unconscious.
The Hydra was waiting for Jake. It had two weapons of a type Jake had never seen before. One was trained on him and one on Arr. The weapon looked like a metal stick with a flat tip on it. There was a grip with buttons and Jake didn't have to wait long for a demonstration. The Hydra stuck the weapon up to Arr's side and squeezed the grip. Arr screamed and writhed in pain. Without removing the weapon he pointed at Jake, he hit another button on the weapon he had pointed at Arr and shot at the cauldron. The cauldron and a big portion of t
he rock floor beneath it disappeared. He put the stick back to Arr's side. The Hydra motioned for Jake to clear the way. The demonstration was over. He would kill the boy if Jake did not let him pass.
Jake wished to God he left Kay-o outside with the captives. He could have attacked the Hydra as it emerged from the tunnel. Unfortunately, Kay-o took the lead when they came back in. Now he was further in the cavern then Jake was.
Jake motioned for Kay-o to move to one side to let the Hydra pass. The leader grabbed Arr around the waist eliciting a groan from Arr and a growl from Kay-o. The Hydra stuck his weapon under Arr's chin, then he raised the other stick he had pointed at Jake to disintegrate the chain above Arr's head. Arr slumped loosely in the Hydra's powerful grip. The thing grinned mockingly as it passed Jake at the cavern entrance. It proceeded to back its way out the tunnel. Jake and Kay-o were close behind.
*****
The pilot had just landed. She was about ready to take another load on for the cruiser when she saw the Hydra backing out of the cave's mouth. Her instincts and good training snapped her to attention. She aimed and fired the pod guns at the Hydra.
Jake saw the Hydra's head explode. Arr slipped safely from its grasp. The reflexes of the Hydra did not have a chance to squeeze the weapon. Thank God!
Chapter 33
Arr awoke in his cabin aboard the cruiser. He had the fleeting thought that maybe it was a bad dream, but the ache in his head told him differently. He started to lift his hand to touch it. With difficulty he raised his inordinately heavy arm only to see the shackles on his wrists. A hand came out of nowhere to grab his arm.
"You're gonna be all right kid," a familiar voice said soothingly.
Arr couldn't see anyone sitting at his side. In fact, he only now realized he couldn't see out of his left eye. He angled his head for a better look coming face to face with a concerned Jake.
"Take them off, please," Arr pleaded holding his hands up.
"They would have been off three days ago if I'd had my way. The only thing I've got strong enough to do the job would take your hand off with them." Jake managed to bandage the bleeding wrists beneath the shackles. He gave Arr's upper arm an affectionate squeeze. "We'll reach Daily's in another 72 hours. He'll be able to round something up to take them off you and Sarah both."
"She was there?" Arr tried to raise his head. The effort sent a pain so intense through it that he thought he'd pass out.
Jake saw the grimace of agony cross the boy's battered face. "None of that now." He coached patting Arr's shoulder. He wrung out a cloth from a bowl by the bed, placing it on the kid's brow. "Yep, she was with them! We were lucky this time." He leaned forward checking the bandages on Arr's face. "You hungry?"
"No. Just tired." Arr's eyes fluttered shut and Jake heard a deep sigh as he fell off to sleep again.
"Fine. You just rest." Jake placed Arr's hands on his chest and pulled the covers up under his chin. He was glad the kid regained consciousness. He didn't mind saying he was worried. Arr took a good beating. He should have known the kid would bounce back after the way he observed his seemingly miraculous healing from Kay-o's bite.
Another three days and Andrew would have Sarah back and all the rest of the throng of people crowded aboard his ship could get back to their homes. When Jake sent a message earlier to Andrew that he had Sarah and would bring her home as soon as possible, Andrew offered to help. He would assist by notifying the captive's relatives and arranging their transportation home from Madelor. He wanted Jake to come straight home with his beloved Sarah.
Jake rose from Arr's bedside, turning to go check on his passengers. Sarah was standing in the doorway.
"He speaks," she said in almost respectful awe.
"Better English than you or me any day." Jake took her by the arm guiding her out into the corridor. The kid needed as much rest as he could get.
"I didn't know what he was when they dragged him in the cavern. He was dressed like a spacer, but didn't talk. When they started to put the shackles on him he was like an animal, absolutely vicious." Sarah craned her neck to see past Jake's bulk to the fascinating alien.
"He doesn't like being bound. Kind of a free spirit," Jake said, as he propelled his curious ward farther down the hall back to her place with the other passengers.
Chapter 34
The next three days Sarah quizzed Jake endlessly about Arr, his people, his home planet and how Jake met him. By the time they made Madelor Jake was tired of the girl and her infernal drilling.
Andrew was as good as his word. He arranged for the other captives. Most of their families were either waiting for them or transportation was arranged. It took just a little less than two hours to sort everyone out and put them on their way.
Jake believed Arr would even have felt that it was worth it all after seeing the greeting between father and daughter. Andrew invited Jake to join them at dinner that night. Jake explained Arr was injured, though he was on the mend he didn't feel he should leave him alone. Andrew continued to press Jake to join them in their little celebration. Finally, the mercenary relented. He took the factory worker Andrew summoned to remove everyone's shackles up to the ship to relieve Arr of his. He saw that the kid was fed and comfortable. He continued to fuss around until Arr called him a doting dar-dolf mother and threw him out.
The meal was delicious. During dinner Sarah caught Jake up on the condition of the newest acquisitions to her menagerie. While she was away the servants did well taking care of them. This subject brought her to her favorite, Arr. She was anxious to know how he was faring.
"Fine," Jake answered icily, searching desperately through his mind for a subject to take them away from this over explored topic.
Andrew leaned forward in his chair. "Sarah has spoken of little else, but this Arr of yours since her return. I do feel he has even taken precedence over her adventure with the Hydras." He smiled affably, as he held out his glass for the servant to refill. "She tells me he speaks English. He didn't speak when he was here."
"If you remember correctly you didn't give him much of a chance." Jake accepted the refill of his glass as well.
"Well perhaps.... She tells me he can be quite vicious," Andrew continued, sipping judiciously at his wine.
"He is as civilized as I am. She was speaking of an extraordinary set of circumstances," Jake said a bit defensively.
"I'm glad to hear that. Now that I have my lovely daughter back," Andrew winked at Sarah seated next to him, "I would not want to buy her something that might hurt her." He pulled a cigarette from his pocket.
"I don't think I heard you right," Jake snorted in disbelief. His brow wrinkled into a frown. "You didn't just say you were offering to Buy Arr, did you?"
"I can assure you I will make you a fair offer." The ever present servant leaned forward offering Andrew a light. He accepted inhaling deeply, then exhaling through his nose in a relaxed fashion. "Sarah tells me he is one of a kind. I know that alone will raise his value."
Jake planted his shaking hands on the table and pushed himself to his feet. He was so angry he couldn't speak. The gall of this man. Arr had almost got himself killed helping rescue the man's 'beloved daughter' and he wanted to buy him like just another animal for Sarah's menagerie.
Jake set his jaw, turned a steely glare on Andrew, and said the only thing he could get out without cursing, "He's not for sale."
Andrew looked at the control Jake was mustering to keep from doing God only knew what. Well, he had told Sarah he would try. He was not going to risk alienating Jake. He was too valuable. Jake had proven that once again.
"Very well, if you should change your mind, you know Sarah would make him very comfortable here and the price would be right."
"If you will excuse me, I should be getting back to my ship." Without waiting for leave, Jake headed for the door.
Sarah ran after him and caught his arm. He turned and his piercing look made her drop his arm and think twice about making a further plea for Arr.
> "I should have left you with the Hydras," Jake said through clenched teeth.
Chapter 35
It happened around this time every year. Jake received an urgent summons to a battle. He knew there wasn't going to be any confrontation, but he always played along. It was really an invitation to a surprise birthday party. His surprise birthday party to be exact!
His dad always made a big deal of birthdays. He said they were the only day that was really, truly yours. He always got all his fellow mercenaries together and threw Jake a party at one of the Outposts.
The first year after Jake's dad's death he was pretty low. He received a communication to come to Outpost #4 for a possible job with good money and low risk. When he arrived all the gang was there. Tim took over for Jake's dad. He arranged it all. Jake remembered it fondly as one of the best days of his life.
Now every year an urgent message would demand his immediate attention at some Outpost about this time of year. He would go to find them all waiting for him with their broad silly grins and rude gag gifts. He would always act surprised. They would always act like they believed him. It truly was a day to look forward to all year long.
This year though, Tim screwed up. He called Jake to Outpost #37 for an urgent battle on Gligula. Jake was there less than two years ago and cleaned up that mess permanently. Course, Tim didn't know that or had forgotten. Otherwise, he would have picked a different planet for the trick. All the same, Jake would act surprised and Arr could get his first glimpse of a pure earth tradition.
He asked Arr when his birthday was when he told Arr the story of these 'Surprise' parties. The kid said he didn't know the date. They all celebrated their birthdays together at the Spring Festival. Dates were not important to the Henu culture.
Jake pointed the cruiser toward Outpost #37 with great anticipation.
Chapter 36
They had been lying in this slime for the last two days. Even with his nose plugs Arr could hardly stand it. He swore he thought he could taste it when he breathed through his mouth. There really was a call for a battle on Gligula. Jake cleaned it up and then the factory came in to process this slime into a gas that when mixed with un-breathable air, made it breathable. They hadn't felt the need for a security team, or any kind of protection for that matter.