Free sci-fi ebook: Legends & Liars, Chapter 21

CHAPTER 21

Three of the convicts hovered close to a fire as night closed around them. Four tuskers were roasting on a spit over the fire.  One of the convicts pulled one of the small animals off and tossed it to Amasunto who ripped into it hungrily.

Another convict stood guard outside the circle of light.  The four prisoners watched warily and the children cling to their mother.

Amasunto nearly swallowed the tiny rodent whole and licked his fingers. “More!” he bellowed.

Even those who had escaped the maximum security prison with him feared the terrifying giant.  The convict who gave Amasunto the first tusker started to take another off the spit.

“No.” Amasunto stopped him. “I find them too greasy for my taste.  I need proper nourishment.” He smiled a crooked-toothed grin at Toby, who cowered against her mother and nodded toward the boy. “He will do.”

“You know that ain’t our thing, Amasunto,” the man said.

Amasunto licked his lips hungrily. “I was not thinking of sharing.  Prepare him for me.”

The convict looked at the boy and his mother with regret, but he knew better than to disobey Amasunto.  He nodded to another of the convicts, who had no compunction about roasting children as he strode toward the prisoners.

Elena’s eyes grew wide in terror as she clung to her children. “No!  You can’t do this,” she pleaded.

“Momma, what’s he going to do?” Tobey said terrified.

“Give me the boy,” the convict demanded.

Elana clung desperately to Toby as the convict pulled at his arm. “Please, don’t!  Take me, I beg you.”

“Normally, you would be acceptable, but he will be more tender,” Amasunto said and nodded at the convict. “Get it done.  I am famished.”

“Why are you doing this?” Elana asked desperately. “We have done nothing to you.”

“It is not personal.  It’s a matter of metabolism.  I must eat every two hours or I will perish.” He shrugged. “It is who I am.”

“If you must eat, then why not me?”

“Your time will come.”

The convict slugged Elana, knocking her down and yanked Toby from her arms as he walked toward the smoking fire and drew a knife. He did not see the pencil-thin red laser beam cut through the campfire smoke as a red dot centered on his chest just above Toby’s head. 

Everyone in the camp, however, did see the beam. All eyes followed it to the man as he drew the knife up to Toby’s throat.

Toby struggled as he dangled in the air and kicked helplessly against the convict’s legs.  Then the convict noticed everyone staring at something.  He finally saw the red beam of light in the smoke and he looked down slowly, following its path to his chest.  He looked up at Amasunto with an aw-shit expression.

Amasunto tried to see into the darkness around them. “Perhaps you should put the lad down,” he said quietly.

Instead of heeding the warning, the convict raised Toby higher and pressed the knife against his throat.  The red dot rose to the convict’s head.

“Even if you kill me, the boy’s dead,” he shouted into the darkness.

From the opposite direction another red beam cut across the first and centered on Amasunto’s chest.  The tiny dot expanded slowly to a ten-inch circle, indicating the size of the hole the blast would make.

“Now it is personal,” the man-eater said.  “Put him down.”

“No way I’m gonna do—”

Without warning, the convict’s right leg was blown off below the knee.  He screamed in agony and dropped Toby as he fell to the ground writhing in pain. Amasunto stood across the fire with his shotgun-blaster. 

The red circle remained on his chest.

“Drop it,” Jake commanded.

Amasunto tossed the weapon aside.  It was a practical decision.  There was no fear in him as Jake, October and Tibbs stepped into the circle of light.  But there was recognition on the giant killer’s face. 

Then a little smile.

“Sergeant Lane?  I thought you were dead,” Amasunto said cheerfully.

The children saw October and ran to him, crying together, “Grandpa!” They lept to him as he knelt to take them into his arms.  Elana ran to her father.

“Christopher?” he asked her of his son-in-law.

Elana shook her head and tears swelled up in her eyes as she looked toward Amasunto. “We were traveling to the Escalante outpost,” she said through the tears.  “They ambushed the caravan.  Chris... he tried to protect us, but,” her eyes glared at the monster with hate, “but that one murdered him...in front of the children.”

Amasunto looked past Jake at them.

“Touching,” he said without feeling.  “If I had known they were friends of yours, sergeant,” he grinned through crooked lips showing sharp teeth, “I would have had them for breakfast.”

“You know him?” Tibbs asked.

“We’ve met.”

Tibbs looked from Jake to Tibbs. “The two of you are just full of surprises.”

“It was a long time ago.”

“It seems like only yesterday when we were comrades-in-arms,” Amasunto said.

“He fought with the rebels?” Tibbs said.  “With you?  Why am I not surprised!”

“He’s a mercenary,” Jake said as he glared at Amasunto, “and a traitor.”

“That’s not how I saw it, sergeant,” Amasunto said.  “The other side simply made me a better offer.”

“Just business, right,” Jake said scornfully.

“I liked you, sergeant.  But I had a reputation to consider.  I couldn’t let emotion stand in the way of a firm offer.” He shrugged his massive shoulders.  “You know how it is.”

“Yes, I do.  And I’m sure you’ll understand—” Jake aimed his weapon at Amasunto.

“That wouldn’t be smart,” Amasunto said. 

“You know I’ve never been the smart one,” Jake said.

Amasunto held up a small device in his hand. 

Jake knew instantly what it is, a miniature tactical nuclear explosive device. 

Amasunto smiled as a long finger tapped gently on a button. “If you are intent on killing me, then I have nothing to lose,” he said.

“Is that what I think it is?” said Tibbs.

“Exactly,” said Jake.

“Crap!”

“The range is limited, but everyone here will die,” Amasunto said.

Tibbs looked desperately at Jake then Amasunto. “Let him go,” he said.

“He’s bluffing,” Jake said.  “He may be uglier than hell, but he doesn’t want to die any more than you do.”

“Mr. Lane, please,” Elana pleaded.

“Yes, sergeant, after all, there are the children,” Amasunto mocked.  “As I recall, you always were one for protecting the children.”

It was a deadly standoff as Jake kept his weapon aimed at Amasunto, who caressed the button on small explosive device.  Jake straightened up, eased the weapon down and motioned with a nod for the others to move back away from the camp. “We’ve got the high ground and can see every move you make,” he said.

“You had the high ground before.”

“We don’t have a traitor among us this time.”

Amasunto eyed Tibbs. “It’s a small asteroid, sergeant.”

October guided Elana and the two children out of the camp.  The four other prisoners moved out with Tibbs as he walked backwards keeping his weapon trained on the other convicts.

Jake stood at the edge of the light a moment. “I won’t hesitate to kill you next time,” he promised.

“That would be wise,” Amasunto said.

Jake stepped into the dark and disappeared. 

Amasunto stood motionless for a few moments then took out of one of his pockets a long, twisted cigar-like object and casually flicked the explosive device as he lit up and took long drag.

One of the convicts went over to the injured man who had dragged himself up against a rock as his knee smoldered; the remains of his leg lay nearby.

“They might have a radio up there and call for help,” the convict said as he looked down at the injured man.  “We better get moving.”

“You’re right,” Amasunto said.

“What about me?” the wounded man gritted. “I need a doctor.”

“He ain’t going to make it out of here on his own,” said another convict.

“Excellent point,” Amasunto said as he took a drag on the cigar.

The man’s fear overrode his pain as he looked up in terror at Amasunto.

“I ain’t carrying him,” said the man nearest the injured convict.

“No need,” said Amasunto as he blew out cigar smoke through fleshy slits on either side of his thick neck.

The wounded man struggled to rise, but fell back in agony.  He looked helplessly at the others. “Just help me up,” he pleaded.  “I won’t slow you down.”

“You’re right.  You won’t,” said Amasunto as he picked up his weapon and pointed it at the terrified convict. “I hate to travel on an empty stomach.” 

Free sci-fi ebook: Legends & Liars, Chapter 20

CHAPTER 20

The separation of efforts quickly escalated.  Each dug at his own site and processed his own ore apart from the others.  Over time, it became apparent that October’s site was paying off more than Tibbs’, who eyed October’s growing pile of canisters suspiciously, comparing it to his own. Then when October added his to Jake’s, Tibbs’ paranoia increased exponentially.

Tibbs began burying his canisters somewhere outside of the camp.  Each time he filled another canister he took it out and slid it into a hole under a rock.

One night they were sitting around the fire eating their rations. Tibbs looked with disgust at the packet of mystery meat. “I can’t eat this crap any longer,” he griped.

Jake squeezed compressed meat substitute out of tube. “I’ll pass your comments along to the chef,” he said.

“One of us could go for fresh provisions,” October suggested.

“You’d like that wouldn’t you,” Tibbs said accusingly.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Jake said.

“He knows,” Tibbs said jerking his thumb toward October.

“What are you talking about, Tibbs?” October said.

“I’ve seen you watching me.”

“What,” October said flabbergasted.

“You want to know where my ore’s hid, don’t you.”

“You’re paranoid.”

“If you haven’t noticed, October is out digging both of us,” Jake said.  “Why would he care about your share?”

“He’s a greedy old son of a bitch, that’s why!  What do we really know about him, anyway?  Maybe he makes a habit of talking guys like us to help him find ore then he comes back alone.”

“You’re not paranoid; you’re crazy,” October said.

“Crazy like a fox,” Tibbs said slyly.  “You ain’t never going to find my share.  I got it stashed where no one can find it.”

October nodded to their right. “Oh, you mean in the abandoned tusker hole under that flat rock,” he said.

Tibbs was incredulous.

“You keep sticking your hand in that hole, you’re gonna get tusker bit, and there ain’t no antidote,” October said as he bit off a chunk of jerk meat and chewed.

“You’ve been spying on me!” Tibbs screamed as he threw his food in fire. “I knew you were up to something.”

Jake’s attention shifted as he heard something in the distance. “What’s that?” he said.

There was the sound of clinking metal on metal some distance from their camp.  They looked out over the valley below them and could see several figures moving in their direction. Jake took a pair of binoculars from his pack, focusing. 

Eight men and a woman struggled across the rock-strewn valley. Four of the men and the woman had a thick leather collars around their necks and they were tethered together by a heavy rope.  Two children walked beside the woman, holding her hands.  They looked starved and badly beaten.

By their tattered clothing on the four armed men Jake knew they were escapees from the penal colony. The four convicts jostled their prisoners forward.  He shifted his view forward and refocused on a fifth figure. Jake thought it was the ugliest, tallest, most gruesome creature in the galaxy.

“The one leading is Amasunto,” he said as he lowered the binoculars.

“We’re dead if he spots us,” Tibbs lamented.

At well over ten-feet tall, with long, hairy, muscular arms that hung nearly to the ground, and a massive head resembling a cross between a reptile and a wolf, Amasunto carried an assortment of weapons, ranging from a five-foot, curved scimitar to a laser-guided rifle, pistols, and a bandoleer of grenades.

Jake handed the binoculars to October. “Anybody you know down there?” he asked as October peered through the binoculars.

October studied the male prisoners. He stopped when he saw the woman and children. He was stunned and turned to Jake.

“We’ve got to help them,” he said desperately.

“Whoa, wait a minute,” Tibbs jumped in.  “We don’t have to do anything.  They might move on.”

“Is that your daughter and grandkids?” Jake asked October who could only nod.

Tibbs looked over the rock ledge, then back at Jake and October. “That isn’t my problem,” he said.

“No, it’s my problem,” October said.

“I don’t think we should—”

“You in or out, Tibbs?” Jake interrupted.

“This ain’t Mars, and you’re not in SpecOps any more, Lane,” Tibbs challenged.  “I’m not about to go charging down there with you to be some kind of hero.”

“Who said anything about charging?”

Tibbs looked uncomfortably at Jake and October.

Free sci-fi ebook: Legends and Liars, Chapter 19

CHAPTER 19

The men set up camp in little time.  Jake and October assembled a portable laser smelter.  Tibbs used an electronic sniffer device to hunt for likely ore deposits.  The LED readout indicated ore traces deep below their feet.

Even with solar-powered pneumatic drills it proved to be back breaking work to get at it.  Jake hammered away at the rock, digging deeper and deeper as October and Tibbs hauled out the broken pieces.

Tibbs and October took turns processing the jagged pieces of rock to melt out small amounts of ore, letting it drip into collection canisters.

Their days and nights were filled with digging, hauling, processing, calculating the totals, eating dehydrated meals and stacking canisters of ore in special harnesses to be loaded on the mules.

Tibbs was beginning to eye the growing pile of canisters hungrily and watched Jake and October suspiciously as they labored nearby. As they hauled over another load for processing, Tibbs held one of the canisters containing the blue liquid that was far more valuable than gold.

“I’ve been thinking,” Tibbs said as he pushed the rocks into the processor and nodded toward the pile of canisters. “Maybe we should split it up now instead of waiting.”

“That’s what you think, huh,” Jake said.

“Sure.  It makes sense,” Tibbs said earnestly.

“How do you figure?”

“Things can happen before we get back to New Romani.”

“Such as?” October asked.

“Just things,” Tibbs said defensively.

“Things?”

“Yeah.  Each man’s responsible for his share.  And what each digs from now on is his.  It’s only fair.” He studied October. “You only keep what you dig and process yourself.”

“That’s how you want it?” Jake asked.

“Yeah, that’s how I want it.”

October looked at Jake, then Tibbs. “You don’t think I’m doing my share?” he said.

“I didn’t say that.”

“But that’s what you're thinking,” October accused.

“I’m thinking what I dig is mine.  What you dig is yours, that’s all.”

Jake and October exchanged a look. “If that’s how you want it,” Jake said.  “We split up what we have to this point then you’re on your own.”

“What do you mean I’m on my own?” Tibbs said.

“I can’t speak for October—”

“Oh, please do,” October interjected with a grin.

“We don’t feel the same as you do, so we’ll continue to work together and divide our take when we reach New Romani.” He glanced at October. “If that’s okay with you?”

“Fine by me,” October said. 

Free sci-fi ebook: Legends & Liars, Chapter 18

CHAPTER 18

Spinning on its axis, the asteroid now faced away from Jupiter.  In the night sky there was only stars and other asteroids.

And of course, Jupiter.

October opened a small stove, removed the wrapping on a chemical pellet and placed it under the burner. He squeezed a single drop of fluid from a small can and the pellet ignited into a brilliant blue-green flame as he slipped a pan on the fire and squeezed in some goo from a plastic bag, poured in a dab of water and stirred.

“Stew will be ready in a minute, gents,” he called out as he looked over at Jake, who had a similar stove with coffee already brewing.

“Coffee’s done,” Jake said eager for the strong brew.

Tibbs helped himself to the coffee.  He sat on a rock and looked out over the landscape dejectedly. “I’ve had it,” he complained.

Jake looked up from pouring himself a cup of coffee. “What are you talking about?”

“We’ve been slogging through these damn mountains for two weeks and there hasn’t been a sign of ore.”

“No one said it was going to be easy, Tibbs.”

“Some nose for ore,” Tibbs said for October’s benefit.  “If you ask me, old man, you’ve been lying so long about striking it rich you believe it yourself.  I don’t know what I was thinking, teaming up with a rundown old man who probably hasn’t ever seen a real strike, not to mention hanging out with a loser mercenary—”

Jake stood up and said, “Sit down and shut your mouth before—”

“What?  What do you think you can do?” Pitts said angrily building up a head of steam.  “You think I’m afraid of you, Lane.  I’ve killed better men than you without breaking a sweat.  You’re just a big, dumb ox who caused a lot of men to get killed.”

Jake walked toward Tibbs, who didn’t budge as he drew his pistol.  Jake stopped and glared at Tibbs, who smiled wickedly and brought the weapon up and pointed it at Jake’s face.

October watched the two men as if they were a curious attraction. He casually poured himself some coffee and chewed on a piece of jerky.

Jake’s mule looked up from eating, curious.

“Come on, what’cha going to do, big man,” Tibbs goaded.  “You ain’t so tough now, are you!  You think you’re such a badass.  I’ll show you—”

Jake’s mule suddenly kicked out its hind legs, catching Tibbs in the back.

Jake dove to the side as Tibbs’ weapon went off and blasted the rock that October was sitting on, sending him pitching backwards, as his coffee went flying. Jake scrambled up and tackled Tibbs.  The two crashed in a heap.  Jake flipped Tibbs off of him and they started to slug it out. 

They were punching and gouging one another when October’s hysterical laughing caused them to stop, still clutching each other’s throat.  They looked over at him as he danced a wild jig like a drunken sailor on one binge too many as he held a chunk of rock in the air and spun around shouting crazily.  

“You two wouldn’t know ore if it came up and hit you in the face,” he said gleefully.  “It’s all over the place, right under your feet, but you’re too blind or too greedy to see.”

“What are you talking about, old man?” Tibbs shouted as he pulled away from Jake.

October held up the piece of shattered rock, still smoldering from the gun blast. A thick vein of blue ore oozed along a vein, dripped in a long glob and splattered on the ground between October’s boots.

“I told you I had a nose for ore,” he said as he ran a finger through the blue liquid and held it up like a kid who had just dipped his finger in fresh cookie dough.  He winked and flicked it at them.  Some splattered on their shirts.

Jake touched it and rubbed it between his fingers.  From his time in the mines he knew what he was looking at and smiled at October.

Tibbs rubbed the ore on his shirt. It parted like mercury. “What do’ya think it’s worth?” he asked.

“I never seen ore this pure,” October said.  “Melts like butter...cold to the touch...no impurities.  Only problem I can see is how will we spend it all.”

“You leave that to me,” Tibbs said already thinking of ways to do just that.  “I aim to have one hell of a night on the town.”

“We’re a long way from that,” Jake said.

“Right you are,” October agreed.  “Under the geological treaty, Vector Corp holds the lease on all mineral rights.  Wildcatters get twenty percent per factory-processed liter, but one hundred percent of what they can carry out on their own.”

“We should have brought more mules,” Tibbs said, eyeing the three animals.

“I figured one mule a piece was plenty,” October said.

“You figured wrong,” Tibbs said testily.

“That mule can carry enough ore to make you plenty rich,” Jake said.

“There’s no such thing as too rich,” Tibbs said.  “I’ve got big plans and it’ll take big money to pay for them.”

“Then you better have plans to do some big work,” October said holding up the rock, “because this was a fluke.  We’ve got some long, hard days ahead.”

“Then we better unload and get to it,” Jake said.

The fight forgotten for the moment, they started unloading their mining equipment from the mules.

Free sc-fi ebook: Legends & Liars, Chapter 17

CHAPTER 17

They continued making their way toward the distant mountains for the next four days and nights. As the journey unfolded, Tibbs began to show fatigue and stress.  Jake seemed to never tire and October was always in good spirits as he constantly pointed out geological curiosities along the way.

The artificial atmosphere showed off the galaxy above in a magnificent aerial display, as Jupiter hovered above them. On the fifth day they reached the foothills.  Tibbs pulled up his mule and yanked out a water bottle as he glared at October’s back.  Jake led his mule along the narrow path past Tibbs.

“Doesn’t that old man ever let up?” Tibbs griped.

“You better take it easy on the water,” Jake said.

“What’s it to you?” Tibbs snapped.

“Nothing.”

Tibbs knew Jake was right, but would never have admitted it.  He stuffed the water bottle back into the pack and yanked at the mule’s tether. The mule complained noisily and lurked back, digging in its hind legs and sat down stubbornly. Tibbs temper flared and he beat on the mule’s head with the tether.  The mule refused to budge. 

Then Tibbs picks up a rock. “I’ll show you who’s boss, you stupid—”

Jake grabbed his hand.  Tibbs whirled around with murder in his eyes, the rock raised to strike. “Don’t you ever touch—”

Jake punched him in the mouth, sending Tibbs crashing to the ground. 

The mule looked down at Tibbs, then at Jake.  It snorted as if in disgust at Tibbs and trotted off to join the other mules and October.

Tibbs rubbed his chin and glared up at Jake with murder in his eyes. 

Jake offered him a hand up. 

Tibbs slapped it away and got up on his own.  He glared at Jake then moved off down the trail.

Free sci-fi ebook: Legends & Liars, Chapter 16

CHAPTER 16

They had been traveling for three days. As they broke camp on the fourth day and began loading the mules Tibbs’ animal started bucking.  All of Tibbs’ gear flew off and the animal took off across the valley, with Tibbs running after it. “Come back here, you stupid, son-of-a-bitch,” he screamed angrily.

October and Jake laughed as Tibbs stumbled, got up and threw a rock at the frightened animal.

“That will convince him to come back,” October joked.

“I’ll teach him to run off,” Tibbs shouted as he ran across rough ground. Suddenly he dropped out of sight. Jake and October exchanged a curious look and waited a few seconds to see if Tibbs would reappear.

“Gas hole,” Tibbs called weakly.

“He sure has a mouth on him, with all the cussing,” October said.

“I think he said ‘gas hole.’” Jake said.

“Uh-oh.”

They took off running across the rough terrain to the spot where Tibbs had disappeared from sight. At the rim of a small crater Tibbs’ mule stood looking down into it.  If a mule could smile, it was. It looked up at October and Jake, then back down at Tibbs.

The crater was filled with a blue haze and Tibbs was sprawled on his face at the bottom.  He had tried to climb out but was unconscious still clinging to the side of the crater.

October and Jake ripped open their emergency packs and slipped on their breathing devices as they scrambled down the side of the crater.

“Got to get him out of there or he’s a dead man,” October said, breathing hard.

They slid down through rocks and reached Tibbs. Jake took Tibbs’ breather out of his backpack and slipped it over his nose and mouth.  Then they grabbed him under the arms and dragged him up and out of the crater.

October put his ear to Tibbs’ face. “He isn’t breathing,” he said.

Jake adjusted the breathers’ output and started giving Tibbs artificial respiration.  They exchanged a concerned look when Tibbs didn’t immediately respond. October took a small white pill out of his emergency kit and slipped it under Tibbs’ tongue.

“See if we can kick-start him with a little jolt,” he said.

A few seconds later, Tibbs’ body jerked and Jake stopped pushing on his chest. The clear plastic over his nose and mouth fogged up as he started to breathe.  His eyes opened slowly, blinking rapidly.  He tried to sit up, but Jake held him down.

“Take it easy.  You had a close call, but you’re okay now,” Jake said.

Tibbs whispered, “What happened?”

“The terraforming plant on this rock doesn’t quite fill all the nooks and crannies with air,” October said as he pointed toward the stars.  “You fall into the wrong hole and you might as well be out there, ‘cause there ain’t nothing to breath.”

Tibbs sat up slowly, glared at October without a hint of gratitude. “You could’ve said something about that before we left town.”

“I figured someone as well traveled as yourself would know about such things.”

“You did, did you?  You know what I think.  I think you just might be thinking a two-way split is better than three,” Tibbs accused.

“What the hell are you talking about?” Jake demanded.

“Kinda getting ahead of yourself, aren’t you, Tibbs,” October said calmly.  “We haven’t even found anything yet.  Is this how it’s going to be, you thinking everyone’s trying to cheat you?”

Tibbs seemed to realize he had gone too far. “No.  No, I didn’t mean nothing.  Sorry, it must have been the fall, talking crazy like that.”

“We’re partners, Tibbs,” Jake reminded him.

“Sure we are,” Tibbs said.

“Remember that.  We need each other to get the ore...and to get out of here alive.”

“I know that.  I said I’m sorry.  What else do you want me to say?”

“Nothing,” Jake said flatly and grabbed the halter to Tibbs’ mule. “Let’s just get going.”

October pointed to a distant mountain range. “Good idea,” he said leading the way.  “It’s still another day or two.”