“Hold up,” a voice from the dark building demanded. “Drop it.”
Pelros froze and released the metal pipe he’d been carrying as a weapon. Assuming a gun was pointed at him, he didn’t want to appear threatening. He’d walked for a couple of hours and doubted the human who owned the voice was affiliated with the group who’d held him prisoner.
“Who’s there?” he asked, peering into the dark interior of the building. “I’m unarmed. Show yourself.”
The dull metal of a shotgun barrel eased out of the shadows, followed by the grimy face of a human girl. He heard other movement inside the building and knew she wasn’t alone.
“You’re an alien,” she said. He couldn’t tell if it was a question or a statement.
“I am,” he replied, uncertain if the fact would help or hurt him.
“Where’re you coming from?” She kept her weapon trained on him.
“North of here,” he replied. “I was held captive by a group who is headed this way.”
She studied him a moment longer, stepping closer to examine his face. A signal from her brought two male humans out of the dark building. They also carried guns, confirming Pelros did the right thing by dropping his pipe.
“Take him down to the other aliens,” the girl ordered.
Her words reenergized him. He was saved. They led Pelros deeper into the city. On every block they passed, his human guards signaled to humans hiding in the shadows of the buildings. This was a well-organized front line, and he grew increasingly confident Jones and the humans he traveled with would never be able to cross it.
The initial excitement of being rescued faded, and his legs grew weak again. He focused on each step to keep from tripping as he followed them into a narrow alley between buildings. The dark egress opened into a plaza with several fires casting dancing orange light on the surrounding buildings. The two males led him to a fire with several Anunnaki sitting around it.
“Commander Pelros?” one of the officers said.
“In the flesh,” he replied cheerfully, watching the two humans turn away and leave him with the Anunnaki soldiers. When they were alone, he dropped into a chair and leaned his head back, letting out a long sigh of relief.
“How did you survive?” one of the officers asked, a look of astonishment on his face.
Pelros recognized the soldier, the captain of a company he fought against during training exercises on the voyage to Earth.
“The last we heard, you were far to the north when we lost power,” another one pointed out. “Did you walk all that way?”
“I did walk,” he replied, managing to grin at them. “Hence my exhaustion.”
Taking the hint, the first officer retrieved a flask of water and some food for Pelros. He drank and ate, and they stood impatiently by, awaiting his story. Because of his success in the campaign to recruit the humans into slavery before the green enemy had arrived, he had become well known among the soldiers and citizens on the Pegasus. It seemed disappearance and assumed death had increased that popularity. His return would make him famous.
When the food and water gave him a measure of energy, he relayed to them all that had happened. He mentioned the rebels who were helping the humans, leaving out they were led by his father.
“Have you seen General Athos?” Pelros asked, anxious to hear that his uncle was well.
“No, sir,” the officer replied, looking agitated by the question. “The general is being held in the capital city aboard the Pegasus.”
“What do you mean, being held?” Pelros straightened in his seat, narrowing his eyes at the officer.
“It’s only rumors that leak to us out here on the front, and since losing power, our communication system is crude,” the other officer said, seeming worried Pelros would kill the messengers. “The word is General Athos is being held in the council building. He’s allowed to meet with his senior staff under the supervision of a council member, but they aren’t letting him leave.”
“On what authority?” Pelros asked, anger making him sweat.
“They say the council’s,” the officer said, pointing his thumb over his shoulder at the darkness as a reminder that this report did not originate with him. “Martial law was instated just after we touched down. Perhaps the council members did not like having to answer to the general.”
“General Athos would never have abused his authority,” Pelros said, standing.
“Yes, sir,” the officer replied, his voice wavering.
Pelros turned away from the soldiers and separated himself from them by three steps. His back to them, he looked up at the dark sky and white moon. He noticed it appeared to have stopped moving since he escaped. It hung overhead, casting enough light to see in the open areas.
What idiocy had led to his uncle being detained? Aristocratic vanity and narcissism were to blame, no doubt. He put his fist on his hips, deciding what to do with the disturbing information just relayed to him.
Pelros excelled in his political studies, along with every other subject he’d taken in the academy. He knew the general was well within his rights in declaring martial law, and as much as Athos hated the aristocrats, he would never usurp their authority unless he felt it was necessary for him to do so to save the people.
He’d go to the Pegasus and see his uncle. And if need be, he’d have anyone responsible for restricting his movements arrested. There was a war coming to the surviving Anunnaki. Even if General Athos did lust for power, they needed the general’s leadership to stand as one, or this green entity would destroy them.
“I was met by a human, and saw lots more as I came to this camp,” Pelros said in a faint voice, not wanting anyone but the two officers to hear. “Are their genes still active?”
“No, sir,” the one tending the fire said. “That was all General Athos’ doing. Most of the sla—” he cleared his throat, “humans who were aboard the ship maintained their allegiance voluntarily. And the general recruited the humans from this city before the council took him.”
“So you’re saying every human in this city is allied with us?” Pelros asked with quiet astonishment.
“Indeed, Commander.”
“That may have been the bit of military genius that will save us all,” Pelros mused, proud of his uncle. “And they reward him with confinement? He should be able to come and go as he pleases.”
“Agreed, sir.”
“What are your orders?” Pelros asked.
“We’ve been told that as soon as we contact anyone coming south, to retreat back to the ship and take all humans with us,” the first officer replied. “Now that we’ve run into you, we won’t be here in an hour.”
“Guide me on the quickest route to the ship,” he ordered. “And tell your troops to watch their backs as they retreat. A well-armed group of humans is approaching.”
“How many?” the officer asked.
“A couple of hundred. It is not a large force, but they cannot be underestimated,” he replied. “They are led by the humans who destroyed the other ships. And they’re advised by rebel Anunnaki soldiers.”
It would’ve helped them to know that one of the rebels was his uncle’s brother, that he may be as brilliant and calculative a military mind as General Athos. However, that was a bit of information he wasn’t comfortable with making public just yet. Jones and the humans were greatly outnumbered. He expected the rebel would be killed before anyone could learn of his genetic relationship to Pelros.