Therefore, they moved off and finally with the mountains rising majestically in front of them they heard and then saw signs of occupation. Ahead of them Tryon saw a hastily built wooden fortification with what looked to be a large tank but was in fact a mobile heavy Phaser cannon, it was guarded by a score of heavily armoured troopers. Tyler quickly explained what he thought it may be, and Appolon decided that they didn`t want to tangle with such a weapon, or with such a large number of soldiers quite yet, and they hastily backed off and took a second track that would take them about a mile away from this very formidable weapon. Walking up a slight incline gave them their first sight of the Heliot encampment, and the sight made the entire party stop in amazement. There ahead of them, were the wrecks of a dozen large broken space ships, they lay in the bottom of the long shallow valley, in and around them were the four huge intact transport ships that now comprised the Heliot fleet. The valley was filled with men working about these Behemoths, it was slow work for the Heliots, but slowly the transports were being converted into space cruisers, of a sort.
Tyler stood there open mouthed as he saw science fiction turn into science fact before his eyes, but only for a second as a moment later the five Orionist`s plus Tyler and Masters had to fling themselves to the ground as ten Heliot troopers came into view just fifty metres away from them. They were walking along a track that would take them down into the valley and the alien encampment. The reason that they had not been spotted was that the trooper`s attention was on their captives, a small party of bound natives from a village some twenty miles away from the village of Appolon`s. Tyler saw immediately that nothing could be done to help Appolon`s neighbours, not against such well-armed opposition, so he and his comrades had no choice but to watch the troopers head down to the space ships.
“That was Perseus and some of his people, Appolon.” Caroline said in a whisper so as not to give their party away. “What do they want of them?”
“I don`t know Caroline, but soon I expect we shall see the fate that was to be ours if Tyler and George hadn`t intervened.” Appolon said before turning to Tyler.
“Never before have I seen such ships as those before us Tyler.” Appolon said in amazement at the sight before them. “The people of Earth have only small ships to journey to Orion in, never such craft as those down there.” Appolon had only seen small freighters at the space port, only shuttlecraft ever landed on the planet from the larger starships, for they had always stayed in orbit above Orion.
“I can hardly believe my eyes Appolon; two days ago the presence of such things was scoffed at, long distance space travel a thing that only science fiction writers wrote about.” Tyler said in amazement.
“I must say Tyler, that all that we have seen and encountered during this past two days is hard to take in.” George Masters said in amazement at the sight before his eyes. “I`m glad now that you decided to come here first, before journeying on to New Eden, for now we have some very important information to give to the authorities.”
**********
Down in the valley Divilio was talking to Aswan, he was still in a rage at what had befallen his once mighty fleet and was ranting about it once again.
“We lost almost all our crews aboard the cruisers, lost them on this backward planet, Aswan. Someone on this planet will have to be made to pay for what it has cost me in men and equipment, and then I will make all those peace loving cretins who live on the Planet of the Light pay dearly for it as well.”
As the gleam of madness entered Divilio`s eyes, Aswan was grateful that he wasn`t the object of his leader`s wrath. All around them the Heliot ground attack troops had been busy since the fleet had crash landed on Orion. A portion of them had been hard at work since noon of the day of the crash, they had been busy cremating the many dead crewmen from the space cruisers. They were using one of the powerful ground assault Phaser weapons to do the job, and they had finally finished the terrible task just moments before, the stench of burning flesh still hanging in the air and making more than one Heliot trooper rush into the undergrowth to be sick, much to the amusement of his comrades. More of the ground troops had been out scouting the local area in search of the locals, so that Divilio could ascertain what danger they were in from the modern colony that the remote drone had discovered. The balance of the troops were working with the few crew men who had survived from the space cruisers to arm each of the four huge transport ships with a powerful Phaser weapon stripped off the broken cruisers and so turning them into ships of the line.
It was then that the Heliot troopers brought forth their prisoners, and Divilio chose to interrogate the native prisoners using a small portable universal language translator to do so.
“Which of you is the leader amongst you?” He demanded loudly of the cowering natives.
The translating machine was speaking in English, many subspace radio messages had been picked up by the Heliots since their arrival on Orion. They including a report of the present emergency sent to the President from Barry Rogers, a message from Josiah Parkes to the Indefatigable, and finally a message from Paul Swenson to the Archbishop of the Church of the Universe. The airways had never been so busy around Orion, for never had so many people been so busy selling out Richard Jameson.
An elderly grey haired native moved towards Divilio hesitantly, his eyes moving between the huge space craft, the multitude of troopers and then to Divilio. He in turn now demanded of Division, but in a wavering voice.
“I am Perseus, and I lead the people of the golden hills. Tell me which great Lord is it that binds my hands and those of some of my people.” Divilio dismissed the demand of Perseus out of hand.
“Stop your whining and tell me about the modern complex that my scouts reported to me, it lies some forty miles from this place through the valley that cuts through the mountains.” Some of the words could not be translated as the machine had only heard a small amount of English, and so they were therefore spoken in the Heliot language, but Perseus got the drift of Divilio`s demand.
“I will tell you nothing my Lord, not until you cut these bonds around my hands and those of my people.” Perseus stated in a voice that sounded more courageous than he felt.
“Then die old man.” Divilio pulled out his Phaser, aimed it at Perseus and vaporised his heart with one fiery blast of energy. Divilio looked down at the lifeless body of the brave old man and sneered, his contempt for the brave old man plain for all to see, he was happy to be able to vent his anger at something tangible at last, then he turned back to the rest of the captive natives. Divilio looked across at a young warrior who was quivering with fear at the sight of his leader being murdered without a second`s hesitation.
“Now are you going to give me the information that I seek, or do you wish to die also?”
Seconds later the young native was telling Divilio all the information he needed to know about the Earth colonists, and also about all of the native villages on the planet of Orion. Unfortunately the natives knew nothing about modern technology, and so he got very little real information about what the colonists possessed in respect to this subject.
Aswan was standing behind Divilio, and after hearing of the Earth colony had a suggestion to make to his leader.
“Maybe we should visit this Earth complex Generalissimo, when we have finished our repairs to our fleet, we can commandeer anything of value they have together with the information that we need concerning the strengths of the planets in this quadrant of space.”
“Yes Aswan, we will await announcing our arrival for the moment, until our ships are ready to give battle and we can win a decisive victory. This planet will make a splendid addition to our empire, all the slaves that we could possibly want, with none of the troubles associated with those planets that have civilised populations. In the meanwhile have Commander Vakas send out more drone ships to monitor the complex, the area around it and our immediate area.”
**********
On the top of the incline Tyler and the othe
rs had seen the native leader murdered, and they could hardly believe the brutality shown by the strangers down in the valley.
“My God Tyler did you see that, that officer down there just murdered that man.” Masters cried out in anguish.
“Yes George, those soldiers down there have no regard for the life of anyone else except their own, we shall have to be careful not to fall into their hands.” Tyler stated quietly.
Caroline could have wept when Perseus had been murdered but held back, she was a warrior and warriors don`t show their feelings, even so she was also a woman and it was hard for her to turn off her feelings completely, for she felt a single tear trickling down her cheek.
“Appolon sometime soon we will have to avenge Perseus, so that his soul can rest peacefully.” Caroline said, angrily wiping away the sign of feminine weakness.
“Yes Caroline, I swear by the ancestors that I will avenge him, or die trying.” The others with them added their oaths to those of Caroline and Appolon, but they must have wondered just how they would be able to accomplish such a feat without some form of assistance.
“I think that the best thing to do now is to contact the authorities at New Eden and tell them all that has happened.” Masters stated.
He was feeling more scared than he could ever remember feeling, after seeing the native so cold bloodedly slain, he also thought that the authorities would be far better suited to uphold the law than he ever would. Appolon was also all for travelling at once to New Eden and reporting the matter, and Tyler provisionally agreed, however.
“First we have to investigate a little more, and from just a little bit closer to see if we can find out a little more about those butchers down there.” Maybe it was Tyler`s researching background coming to the fore, or maybe it was Fate once more pulling his strings.
“It is much too dangerous Tyler, you saw the way those barbarians down there acted towards that poor old man, and who knows how many more of those devils are hidden around this valley.” Masters said, wondering just what had happened to the fearful young man he had met just two days ago. “Come we should be away as Appolon advises.” George urged his younger friend.
“No George, We need more information about those soldiers down there and there is only one way to get it.”
Appolon however agreed with Masters and urged Tyler to leave before they too became prisoners.
“No Appolon, leave me someone to act as a guide whilst you and George head over to the Earth colony and tell them everything that we saw. I will re-join you all in a little while.”
Tryon was about to step forward and volunteer his services as guide when Caroline pre-empted him.
“I will guide you Tyler, and ensure that no harm comes to you.”
Tyler first thought was to argue the point that he was in need of the protection from a young woman when Appolon spoke, for he knew better than to argue with his sister.
“Argo, I want you to return to our village and collect four more of our warriors. Tryon and Cimon you wait here with George for Argo to return. I will lead Caroline and our friend Tyler down to the bottom of the valley to see if we can find out anything more about this band of bandits.” Appolon said, for he had decided to trust his new friend`s instincts.
Masters couldn`t believe the way things were going and he tried to change Tyler`s mind, but yet again he remained adamant and Appolon tried to sooth George Masters` fears.
“George, have no fear for I will ensure that no harm comes to Caroline or Tyler.” Appolon promised Masters.
Appolon`s last instructions to Tryon were that if anything did happen to Appolon`s party, then he was to head for New Eden and tell Bishop Sinclair everything that had happened. Then the friends parted with the task that Tryon, Cimon and Masters had to carry out being the hardest task of them all, for they had to sit around waiting with nothing else to do but worry about their friends.
It was not long before the first of many problems occurred; it was twenty minutes into their trek when Appolon, who had taken the lead, lost his footing as the trio traversed a long wooded ridge to bypass yet another Heliot fortification. He tripped over and couldn`t stop himself from tumbling down the hill, before finally come to rest, his head striking against the trunk of a large tree, stunning him. When Tyler and Caroline finally succeeded in getting down to him they found that he was unable to continue on without a prolonged rest, for not only was he badly stunned from the knock to his head, but he had also hurt his ankle.
Caroline had seen a stream further down the hill, as they had been descending, and so she was able to apply a cold compress to her brother`s ankle, but it was obvious that he could not travel on it for a while.
“All right Appolon, you hang on here and we will meet you here on our return.” Tyler said. Appolon immediately argued that he was all right, but it was obvious when he attempted to stand that he was far from all right.
“No Tyler, I promised George that I would protect you, we will wait until I am able to travel.”
“Don`t worry Appolon; I will look after the brave Tyler.” Caroline said and after much debate and many further unsuccessful attempts on Appolon`s part to stand, Appolon finally agreed that they should go on without him, and that he would wait there until he felt able to continue after them. Never before had he felt so useless.
“Caroline, please see that nothing befalls our brave new friend, and Tyler, that is my sister with you, please ensure you bring her back to me in one piece.” Appolon warned them both as they left him sitting with his back against a tree.
“Poor Appolon, he is unused to being injured, always he is the strong one of the village.” Caroline said eying Tyler. “We will have to go carefully now that we are without his clever mind and strong body.” Caroline warned Tyler.
“We will be gone from him for only a short while Caroline, I just want to have a closer look at your new guests.” Tyler replied.
“I can think of no reason why we are risking our lives in this venture, Tyler, what is it that you wish to know?” Caroline asked quizzically.
“I don`t know Caroline, but I feel that we should find out more about these strangers, for to do otherwise could turn out to be a great mistake on our parts.” Tyler replied.
“Then go we must.” Caroline stated, for there had been times when she acted on her feelings without fully understanding them, as Tyler was doing right now.
More than once Tyler was sure that this young native girl was looking surreptitiously at him, but didn`t know the reason why. Back on Earth in the twenty first century he would have thought that she maybe fancied him. Here in this far off future he was not sure of anything, except that she was the sister of his new friend, so he aimed to treat Caroline as his sister and nothing more. Caroline on her part was finding herself drawn more and more towards this stranger from the dream world, why she didn`t know but she found her eyes drawn constantly towards him.
Quickly but quietly Tyler and Caroline made their way through the barren foothills of the mountain range that rose snow-capped before them, and finally they were within half a kilometre of the nearest of the massive broken starships. All they had to do was cross a stretch of grassland and drop down through some trees and scrub to reach it.
“Tyler, there is a giant Magi bird, it`s by that broken tree in the middle of the grass land.” Caroline pointed to one side of the route that they were about to take.
“Is it dangerous?” Tyler asked looking at the large bird.
“Not to a warrior Tyler, have no fear for I have hunted these before, should it attack us leave it to me, I will kill it.”
Tyler and Caroline broke cover and set off across the Savannah, moving nearer but to one side of the giant bird. At first all seemed well but then it noticed them, and letting out a loud shriek it charged towards them.
“Wait here Tyler while I kill it.” Caroline ordered as she began to move towards the giant bird.
Tyler felt very awkward just standing there while a girl defended him,
but he knew that this girl was a warrior who knew what she was doing. Caroline was some thirty feet away from him when she stopped to dig the shaft of her spear into the ground and fitted an arrow to her bowstring. Then she drew the bowstring back to its further extent and aiming at the giant Magi loosed off an arrow. it flew the ever closing distance to dig itself into the bird`s large body. Unfortunately as Caroline knew you couldn`t kill a Magi with just one arrow, you needed to use your spear as well, which is what she reached for next. The bird was almost upon her when Caroline forgetting all her hunters experience felt compelled to glance, momentarily, back towards Tyler to ensure that he was safe. In that moment the Magi was almost upon her, its massive beak ready to tear her head off her young body, for even as she forced her attention back towards the giant bird it had closed the distance between them. It was now only feet from her, given another second her spear would have still been in its correct position but as it was the spear merely raked the side of its neck. This though was enough to cause the bird to raise its neck and head away from the sharp spear and so away from its intended target. This saved Caroline from being fatally injured, however she lost her spear when the body of the giant bird crashed into her and she was thrown painfully to the hard ground. The large bird dashed on by, carried by its momentum, shrieking out its own pain, but leaving Caroline badly stunned.
Tyler, on seeing the large bird come to a halt and then turn to continue the attack on Caroline, dropped his spear and ran forward shouting obscenities at the bird to draw its attention away from Caroline. As he neared the Magi he fired off a rapidly aimed arrow, which thanks to Tyler`s skill at archery penetrated the bird`s neck. He had hoped to distract the bird from the fallen girl, and this it did for now the Magi turned towards him and letting off another of its terrifying squawks charged back across the grass lands towards him. The bird was fully ten feet high, looking like a super Ostrich, a nightmare bird from a nightmare world was approaching him like a steam train, and its intention looked anything but honourable. “Oh Lord.” Thought Tyler as he contemplated running for his life, but with Caroline still on the ground and not yet recovered from her heavy fall to the ground that was impossible. With this thought in mind Tyler moved back to his spear and then used it to defend himself. He lunged forward with the spear feeling it bite into the giant bird, the sharp metal spearhead forcing its way into the breast of the Magi and tearing into its vital organs, the momentum of the bird`s charge adding to the strength of Tyler`s earthly muscles. The Magi was not dead though and it lunged towards his head, and that would have finished things had it reached him, but Tyler managed to leap to one side and so kept away from its vicious beak. The Magi squawked its protest at its prey as Tyler grabbed his spear, that was still sticking in the bird`s breast and pulled it free and then pushed it forward once again into the breast of this gigantic bird. The bird roared out again in pain and again it lunged at him but he was too fast for it, its small yellow beady eyes glared out its hatred that Tyler almost felt, and it wasn`t finished yet. Tyler withdrew the spear again as the bird moved its neck snake like moving it from side to side as it looked for an opening to continue the attack with its huge beak. At this range one successful kick from its feet could easily finish the battle, but thankfully it did not unleash this particular article of its arsenal yet. Tyler didn`t have time to think of this, or much else as he fought for his life, and maybe that of Caroline`s too. Tyler, using his spear managed to parry each of the bird`s attempts to reach him with its large beak. Time and time again he caught the bird a sharp knock against the side of its head or neck each time its head darted in towards him, desperately trying to find a way through his defence. Blood was running down its neck from these blows, onto its bloody breast when the bird tiring of being hit on the head all the time changed its tactics. It almost finished Tyler off there and then when it did let loose a terrific kick towards him, Tyler only just succeeded in leaping aside, the birds sharp talons lashed towards him raking his side, had the blow connected it would have been fatal. However, with the bird having lost so much blood its final attempt to kill him was slower and so he managed to survive it. Tyler jumped to his feet again and thrust the spear into the breast of the Magi once again, the bird could only stand there and let cry with another terrific squawk as it began to retreat away from Tyler, but in a direction that would take it near to Caroline who was now coming to her feet again. Tyler wanted to finish things off quickly before the star troopers heard the ruckus from this battle and came to investigate. He thrust his spear into the bird`s knee joint sending it crashing to the ground. The head and long neck crashed down just inches away from Tyler who thrust his spear down for the last time to spear the giant bird through its head, finally killing it.