Tracking the Trailblazer (Colony Ship Trailblazer Book 1) Read online

  “Remedial training?” Janae bristled up.

  “Just your inability to prepare meals and feed yourselves a balanced diet showed us how woefully unprepared you are for life. Your gullibility on life skills will be corrected, and you will fit into society, at a subsistence level, certainly, but you will be productive members of Ida, despite the poor beginnings you have had to endure.”

  “Let me tell you,” Janae began, with a sharp edge to her voice.

  Ken interrupted, “Excuse us, please. We are indeed ignorant of many things, but would you please help us? You said we will not be executed, and that is supremely good news. Thank you! But, I am confused. All our equipment is gone, and we are locked in here with nothing to do. What is next? I need your help.” Ken leaned toward her, as he sat down at a chair nearby. His smile was radiant, and his eyes were wide.

  Butterfield blushed a bit, but most of that was lost under the red slash of decorative color which blazed across her face, yet her russet colored eyes did gaze at Ken. “Yes, the Benefactor has shown great mercy in the adjudication. Your next stop will be to move into Ida itself. There you will attend remedial classes to learn basic life skills.” From somewhere in the folds of her garments she pulled out a flat, rectangular device which she activated with a press of her palm on its screen. The light from that screen reflected off her painted face.

  “And will we be able to recover our equipment?” Ken asked.

  Butterfield looked at her screen, and moved a few things around with her fingers. “Every item which was confiscated has been assessed. Oh, I see. Well, that does explain some of this.” She taped a finger to her painted lips, then looking over at at Ken, she reached out and patted his knee. “Those things were fakes, props, mockups. The beings that put you into that strange, and illegal vehicle, must have told you they were giving you supplies, and tools for your journey. That made you feel important and special. Tragically, when our technicians checked those out, none of them do anything. They have the outward appearance of some technology, but like a skunk looks pretty with its stripes, but stinks when approached, so too the items you were given. Mere babbles, they have been disposed of. They can no longer be used as tricks to connive unsuspecting and ignorant people like you two. It must have been an elaborate scam to hoodwink you so thoroughly. A pity really. Preying on unsuspecting and ignorant people.”

  “I am not ignorant, nor unsuspecting!” Janae fumed. “Those items are essential to us saving our people. I want them back now!”

  “Yes, I see the conditioning was strong. Was that how they lured you into that vehicle? Is some beloved family member missing? Oh, how deep that treachery extends. I can see it now,” Butterfield spread her arms out dramatically. She had put the device away under her flowing garments, but had done it so quickly, and quietly, that the small machine seemed to disappear. “The tants must have told you that by your actions—some great quest or odyssey—would save your families. Oh, how rude! That fits their patterns of evil and deception.”

  Janae stepped forward aggressively, but Ken put out his arm and blocked her, “So, we were hoodwinked, and tricked. I see the error of our ways now, but that still leaves us as strangers in this strange land. Oh, what a new world with such people in it? Please, help us learn what we need to know.”

  Butterfield reached over and gave Ken a quick hug, patted his back, and said, “That is why the Benefactor, in blissful wisdom, has spared you. Now, I will take you down to Ida and we shall walk over to your living accommodations.”

  “Can we get moving now?” Ken asked, and nearly clapped. “This place is nice and all, but as you said we need to become better acquainted with our new home. Will you be my personal teacher?” His performance was such that Janae nearly gagged, but Butterfield relished the attention.

  “Yes, Ken—that is your name correct?”

  “How did you know? I am thrilled you remembered it.”

  “Ken, I will arrange for times for me to come to your home and train you in the many details you have been missing. Our observations did not fully explain the relationship between you two. Genetically you are not related, and you did not engage in any sexual activity, nor do you show any real familial bonding. What was the nature of your relationship prior to being in the vehicle? Were you slaves in the same camp? Did the tants name it Dome 17, or is that a local custom where you are from? Perhaps the two of you were captured at different places?”

  Janae sputtered, but snapped her mouth shut.

  “I can honestly say I knew Janae for a long while before we came here, but not in any intimate way, and that we were both tricked into getting into that vehicle,” Ken replied. “That is certainly true, and you have opened my eyes. Thank you, Butterfield. Thank you!”

  “For a savage, you have a quick grasp on reality. You are not quite as stupid as our observations suggested, and I will build upon that. I will even instruct you on fashion and maybe make you presentable,” Butterfield replied, and as she stood she kissed Ken’s head ever so gently. “Grab your costumes, and come with me.”

  Janae and Ken both put their jackets on, sealing their RAM suits—but leaving the hoods, googles, and gloves tucked into their compartments—and then followed Butterfield out of the condominium. She led them down a hallway to a vestibule. Janae was upset, but she withheld further comments.

  Ken continued his flirtations, “Butterfield? It was so very nice of you to let me out of that place. Please, tell me about Ida, and all about my new home here. You do live here too, right? I sure hope you do. I look so forward to getting to know you better.”

  “Yes, Ken, I do live here. I was born in Ida, and will always live here. Virtually no people go from one biome to another. Those that try, die. You really are fortunate that the Benefactor took pity on you.”

  “Tell me all about the Benefactor, as you know, I am but an uneducated, simpleton. Help me understand how fortunate I am now. I mean, well, besides having met you, and just walking, talking and being in your presence. That is by far the best benefit this Benefactor has given me.”

  Butterfield laughed a bit and touched Ken’s arm as they walked, “Better than your very life?”

  “Well, no, of course not. Butterfield, I just have never met anyone as charming, intelligent, and beautiful as you,” Ken said as he tenderly took her hand from his arm, and held it in his own. “May I hold your hand? It just makes me feel safe in this strange new place. What is the Benefactor like? Tell me about Ida? You mentioned tants, and other things I just do not know about. I want to learn it all.”

  “You have so much to learn, like a small child just exploring his playground. Oh, Ken, I did watch your efforts at cooking, and agree, you know very few things about how to live. I will aid and assist you in all that, and if need be, you can be taken to a clinic for medical care. But I will explain all that when we get to your new home.” Hand-in-hand Ken and Butterfield walked, and she did explain a few things, but did not give many details. Ken’s responses encouraged her to talk, but most of what was said was flirtatious, frivolous, fluff.

  The three of them saw no other people, nor did they see any of the various colored, six-wheeled machines, called automacubes. Upon reaching a larger area, Butterfield extracted her hand from Ken’s and pressed her palm against a wall. A blue light flashed around her hand, leaving a palm-shaped outline. A door hissed open, and Butterfield turned to step inside, but was looking at Ken.

  “What is that?” Janae screamed as she looked into the open elevator.

  With a swiftness that was unexpected, Butterfield pulled something from under her flowing clothing. She pushed Ken roughly aside, and yelled, “Tants! Emergency by elevator 14F. Tants in the elevator!”

  Three figures burst out from inside of the elevator, and pushed right into Butterfield.

  Zapp!

  An energy bolt emanated from the weapon Butterfield held in her hand. The brilliant yellow beam of energy burned a scorch mark on the permalloy just to the side of the closest approachi
ng figure. The figured ducked, but the two behind it did not. They bowled into Butterfield, knocking her weapon up as it discharged again.

  Zapp!

  An oval burn was made in the ceiling. Butterfield fell to the deck, but did not lose hold of her weapon. The lead figure grabbed Janae, its face right in front of her own. Topped by ragged, dark, unkempt hair, the face only vaguely resembled a human’s features. The eyes—of indeterminate color—were smaller, and too far apart. The nose was blunt, flat, and extended about double the size of a typical person’s, while its nostrils were flared and gaping. Red mucus membranes were visible inside the splayed nostrils, while the mouth was a triangle with its apex just under the flattened nose. Irregular, tiny teeth, looked out-of-place, and eerie in that mouth.

  Janae tried to leap away, but with crushing brute strength the figure grappled with Janae, and hoisted her off her feet. Before she knew what was happening, she was draped over the thing’s shoulder as it sprinted away. It was then she noted it was dressed in coveralls of blue, and wore some kind of oversized brown shoes on its malformed and ill-shapen feet.

  “I have you now,” the thing said with a husky voice. Its fingers were like vices clamped onto her arms.

  Sirens wailed all around, and lights flashed.

  Another deformed figure, whose maladies mirrored the ones on the being who grabbed Janae, pushed around Butterfield, and grabbed Ken. Being heavier, and having a bit more of a warning, Ken was able to wrench his arm away, and dodge down onto the floor.

  Zapp!

  The head of the menacing figure rocked as Butterfield’s energy weapon scored a direct hit. The stench of sizzled flesh assailed Ken’s nose, as he saw the damage the weapon has done. The figure twisted and turned as it fell, the back of its head seared of hair, flesh, and some bone. Above one of the too-wide-apart eyes, a hole erupted spurting frothy gunk from the exiting of the energy bolt. The dead figure’s hands still clenched spasmodically as they reached for Ken. He scooted away kicking his feet and pumping his arms.

  Butterfield was battered to the side of the hall by the third figure. Its elbow crashing into her midsection, causing her to double over in pain. The attacker than grabbed Ken under both arms, and hoisted him up off the floor.

  Zapp!

  The left leg of the attacker sizzled as the coveralls burned away, and the flesh beneath was charred. The attacker’s grip only bore down more, as it limped onward, Ken it is arms. Ken tried to kick, but was unable to land a blow on the attacker, but he did manage to grab several of the fingers which were crushing into his armpits. Ken squeezed, and yanked, and one of the attacker’s hands lost its grip. Ken dropped a bit.

  Zapp!

  The energy bolt sliced completely through the already injured leg, destroying the knee, and melting everything around the bones, causing popping and disintegration of the leg. The attacker dropped to the deck, and Ken’s own legs made contact with the floor. He kicked himself free, and leaped to the side.

  “Come with me!” the attacker screeched as another energy bold struck it. This time the blue coveralls flamed, and the chest was vaporized. Momentarily, Ken saw the other side of the hall through the fried open body, but then it slumped to the floor in a quivering, stinking, oozing, and steaming mass of dead tissues, all wrapped in the remains of blue garments and brown shoes.

  “Janae?” Ken screamed. “Where is Janae?”

  Butterfield turned and scanned the hallway with her eyes, “I do not see her.” Raising her voice, she commanded, “Security lockdown, my location. We have another tant kidnapping. Seal this area!”

  “What took her?” Ken stammered. The smell was making him light-headed, and the grizzled bodies around him were grotesque.

  “Tants,” Butterfield spit the words out, “They want breed stock. Tants will use her for some nefarious purpose.”

  12

  Axis Mundi

  “Kimberly? I am being abducted!”

  There was no response to Janae’s cry. She tried to work her arms free to tap the communication spot under her ear, but she could not reach. Janae’s arms were pinned to her sides, and despite all her strength, she could not break loose. So, wherever her hands could reach she pounded on the being who was hauling her along. She kicked her legs as forcefully as she could. It did nothing. The grip on her was fiercely strong, but not crushingly tight. Like being restrained by permalloy bands, the muscles of the thing carrying her felt immovable.

  She watched as best she could, but mostly she only saw the floor, and lower parts of the sidewalls. Doors opened, stairways were descended, others steps ascended, and once an elevator was used. Through it all, she remained draped over the being’s shoulder. Her heart pounded, and her breathing was raspy as the shoulder under her pressed into her diaphragm. She wanted to talk to Kimberly, but understood the implant had inadvertently been turned off, or, she feared to think about it, but her mind wondered if the implant had been broken when she had been so roughly tossed about.

  “Let me down!” Janae called yet again, “I know you can speak, I heard you. Release me now!”

  There was no response, and the being who carried her walked with a tireless lope. After an unknown interval, which seemed like days, Janae was set down.

  “We are here,” her captor stated.

  Janae’s legs wobbled as she tried to stand, and they then collapsed. She knelt on the floor and rubbed at her feet. Her arms too felt heavy and sort of numb. As sensations returned to her limbs, she looked around. The lighting was dim, but the room was visible. Permalloy cargo crates were stacked at various places, and most of those looked empty. Their hinged sides hung open. Stenciled images on the sides of the crates were just numbers and letters.

  “Do you need water?” the being asked. Its voice was neither male nor female, and its voice was far more pleasant to hear, than the being was to look upon.

  Janae took a small sip from the tube in her collar, and was thankful the RAM recycling was still working. She swallowed and replied, “No, but thank you. Why did you kidnap me?” She tried to look at the being, but she just kept thinking it was some crazed animal thing.

  A voice came from behind her, “Margit-Herbert you may go now.”

  The being that had carried Janae, stepped quickly away. She turned and looked over to where the new voice had originated. She tried to stand, and while her legs were better, she still stumbled.

  “Oh, please, remain seated. I am Siiri-Peter. I am sure you have many questions.”

  Janae sat back down, and rested her legs. As she looked at the new figure, it stepped closer, and it was nearly identical to the one that had carried her. Its disfigurement was so much like the other one, she doubted if she could tell them apart. It too was wearing the same kind of clothing.

  “What is happening here?” Janae said, and then remembered to tap on her communication implant. “I see I am in some kind of storage room, but how far was I taken? And why?”

  Kimberly responded, “Excellent. Janae, I am now hearing your half of that conversation. I am very pleased to know you are alive. Ken too is alive. Do not give away that I can hear you.”

  Siiri-Peter looked at her, “Your aura is different now. No matter, for you and the male are unique specimens.”

  “I am not a specimen. My name is Janae, and I want to go.”

  “You would return to being a prisoner of the norms?” Siiri-Peter said. “I do not think that the best course of action. They will not help you complete your mission. We can try.”

  “What? What do you mean, my mission?”

  “You and your companion came here to the crippled Trailblazer to find sanctuary for a group of people you call Dome 17,” Siiri-Peter replied. “You need to establish some kind of technological apparatus—I am not clear on the details—to bring those people here. How can I help?”

  “You seem to know a lot about me, but I just met you. You know of my mission for Dome 17,” Janae was speaking not only to Siiri-Peter, but for the benefit of Kimberly a
s well. “I need all my equipment which was confiscated. I need to get back together with Ken, and I want to be taken back to that hanger where my ship is located.”

  “Interesting. I have no idea where any of your equipment is located, nor do I know where your ship is impounded. I had hoped our raid would have brought both you and your companion here. Sadly, he remains in custody of the norms.”

  “Just where am I now?”

  “You are on Axis Mundi, the center of the eight worlds. It was once called the needle ship section of the Colony Ship Trailblazer. Now, it is Axis Mundi.”

  Janae’s mind thought of the enormous shaft she had seen from the scout, as well as the idea that there were eight habitats connected onto that. She spoke her thoughts, “Axis Mundi is the center of the Trailblazer, and I was in one of the habitats. Is that correct?”