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Aliens stood about fifty feet from us when we materialized next to the other Raiders. The aliens didn’t look friendly. Five of them in dark uniforms stood stiffly. Faces and hands had a dark burgundy hue. They carried ugly black guns similar to our rifles. Reptilian features. Incredibly large eyes. The field they stood in looked like an African plain. But beside it, on both sides, stood two thick forests. Aliens stretched from one side of the plain to another. About five thousands slowly walked toward the first five. Others came from the rear. We were going to be outnumbered by about a thousand to one.
The Raiders stood in a line, their guns ready.
“I don’t think they want us to go anywhere, major. But we have to get to the last gate. Looks like we’ll have to fight our way through.”
“Sure does.” I looked at Huck. “Can you talk to these creatures? Tell them we mean them no harm but we must get to the last gate.”
He nodded. “They are called Datlanians. I will try to negotiate.”
He spoke in an odd language. I had no idea what he was saying. But he gestured to us and then pointed past the Datlanians. The first five, who I guessed were the leaders, stayed stoic. They didn’t move at all. But they didn’t aim their guns at us and start shooting either, so perhaps the negotiations were going well.
One of the Datlanians stepped forward and gave a brief, caustic-sounding reply. Huck shook his head and replied.
As he talked, hundreds more troops filed into line before the five leaders. The odds went up. Looked like five thousand to one now. The reinforcements kept coming.
“The leader is adamant, major. He says this place is for Datlanians and for Datlanians only. No one may violate this sacred ground. He has ordered us to return to the chamber we came from. He said we must leave within five minutes or they will attack and wipe out you and your intruders.”
Raiders tensed. Their fingers curled around the triggers of their guns.
“Tell them we don’t desire bloodshed. Ask them nicely again if they will permit us to cross their land.”
Huck posed the question but I didn’t need a translation. The Datlanian leader shook his head. He spit out a one or two-word reply.
“Huck, tell me we are going to give him and his troops a demonstration of what we can do.” I pointed to my right. “Tell them not to get upset, but we are going to fire into that cluster of trees. After we fire, we should have about two minutes left on our deadline. We’ll talk again then.”
“Rab, Murdock, set your lasers to wide scans.”
“Yes, sir.”
“I want nothing left.”
“As you wish, sir.”
The cluster of trees was a quarter of a mile wide. Large trees, thick branches. About forty feet high. But a wide-scan laser rifle can spray fire for a half-mile.
“Fire!” I said.
White-hot heat from our lasers fried the trees. Branches and leaves disintegrated. The mangled trees evaporated from view. Smoke and a sharp cracking noise came from the burnt-out spot.
Rab and Murdock smiled and got back into line with the rest of the Raiders. I stared at the five Datlanian leaders.
“Huck, tell them this: the stake of my planet and my race are on the line. I must cross this chamber. We will disturb nothing, but we will cross. I would prefer to walk in peace, but we will cross to the next gate even if we have to step over the dead body of every Datlanian in this chamber.
“Understand; my civilization is at stake. You also must consider this; even if you manage to kill us, many, many of you will die. My world will send other missions and other men to accomplish what we failed to do. You can kill them too, but more of you will die. And the missions will keep coming, and will keep coming until they put every Datlanian in the ground. You cannot win this battle and my race must win it. Think about that.
“If you do not want us trespassing your sacred land, we will fly over it to get to the next gate. But one way or the other we will get there.
“In the words of a great general of the 20th and 21st century, ‘I come in peace. But I’m pleading with you, with tears in my eyes. Do not try to stop us, or I will kill you all. Every last mother’s son of you.’
“A revered book on my planet gave this bit of advice. There is a time to heal and a time to kill. Don’t make this a time to kill. I was just told the squad loves deeply. Which is true. But if this is a time to kill, fine. Not that we hate you. I have religious squad members who will preach you a good funeral. We do not kill out of hatred, so we will send you off in style. We’ll even bring flowers to the eulogy. But you will be dead. So, decide if this is a time to heal or time to kill. It’s your choice.”
Huck had been translating. He waited for thirty seconds, then added a few words. I imagined he was trying to smooth over my remarks, if that was possible. The stern faces of the five Datlanians did crinkle a bit. They turned and looked at each other, possibly discussing options. The line broke and the five formed a circle, talking between themselves. A minute later they reformed the line. The leader spoke to Huck.
“Major, he says that if you can fly over the land without walking on it until you get to the next gate, that will be acceptable. But you must never come to this chamber again.”
I nodded. “That’s fine. Raiders, turn on your jets.”
“I must leave you now and return to my home,” Huck said.
“Sorry we never had a chance to chat much. Never found out who you really are or how you happened to be here.”
“Let me assure you the story is long and dull. You don’t have the time to listen. My good wishes go with you.”
“Thanks again. For all your help.”
We took off and flew as fast as safety permitted. An hour later we landed before the last gate. I had a rearguard ready with weapons, but the Datlanians kept their word. When Cajun and Tek opened the gate, we rushed in and the technological wonder of all technological wonders stared at us.
Miles of walls jammed with machines blinking blue. Or I guessed they were machines. They had some basic resemblance to the computers back on Earth.
“Cajun, Tek, Clint, the ball’s in your park. Figure this out.”
“Piece of cake, major,” Cajun said.
I gave a nod of appreciation. “Cajun, you have amazing optimism.” I quickly looked around again and breathed a sigh of relief. There were only computers in the large room. No forests. No red sand. No black scorpions. No time paradoxes. I called the three Raiders together.
“Find out how to navigate this thing.”
“You must have a plan,” Cajun said.
“I certainly do. It’s a gold-plated, five-star plan and has a sense of irony to it.”
“Let’s hear it, major.”
When they heard it, all three liked it. It’s always nice when your men and women compliment you.
My communicator buzzed. Captain Markey was calling.
“Logan, everything OK?”
“Yes. We’re almost home. You must have worked on the communications.”
“Yes, but they’re not solid. The sphere interferes with messages. Generally, we can talk only for a few minutes, then static interferes. But I do have one more piece of good news for you.”
“I always like good news. What is it?”
“We discovered a second portal. It’s located in the chamber you’re in. We can attach the tunnel of air when you like and bring you back.”
“Glad to hear it. Is the titanic vessel on the way?”
“Yes, per your request. It should be here in two days.”
“You’ve made my day, Wade. One or two more minor tweaks and we can go back home. I’ll call when we need to come back over.”
“We’ll be ready.”
Two days later, the Raiders and I watched from the Bridge of the Patton as the huge titanic vessel opened its shuttle doors. Thanks to the skills of Cajun and Tek, the sphere eased in without any trouble at all. It wasn’t even a tight fit. The sphere may have been five hundred miles long, but the Morganthal, named in honor of our boss, was a thousand miles long.
“Even with the ship’s speed, it will take two or three years to get to the edge of the next galaxy. A four to six-year journey for the crew, but it’s for a good cause.”
“Then they will release the sphere?” Astrid said.
“Yes. Whoever created it wanted to destroy us. But they created the seed of their own destruction. We’re giving it back to them, with our best regards.”
“At times, my dear, you amaze me,” Astrid said, smiling.
“Thank you. But we’d have failed except for our new friend Huck. Let’s go have a farewell toast to him.”
