“You don’t-I do.” I tapped my jaw. “I’ve got a micro communicator implant here. Small enough to be powered by the oxygen in my blood. But powerful enough to be picked up by the big receivers in the Pentagon. So even if all of our goods are stolen-they can’t get my jaw. So, I suggest strongly, we stick together at all times. I can talk with Tremearne through this thing, get suggestions and advice. But no physical contact or our cover is blown. If he has to pull us out the mission is over-whether we have the artifact or not. So let us be strong, guys and girl, and self sufficient. It’s a human jungle out there.”
“No truer words ever spoken,” Tremearne said grimly. “If no one else has any questions put the cuffs back on and you’re out of here.”
“Hell yes,” Steengo said, climbing to his feet. “Let’s get it over with.”
Our packs were waiting for us in front of a massive and bolt-studded door. There were four shoddy little plastic bags as well, which probably contained our iron rations and water. An orientation booklet was tucked into each one. A backup force of guards with stunguns and porcuswine prods stomped up and glared obnoxiously while our manacles were removed.
“In there,” the petty officer ordered, pointing to the anteroom in front of the exit portal. “Inner door is closed and sealed before the outside one opens. You got only one way to go. Or stay in the room if you are tired of living. After five minutes the outer door closes and nerve gas is pumped in through those vents up there.”
“I don’t believe you!” I snapped.
His smile was without warmth. “Then why don’t you just hang around and find out?”
I raised my fist and he hurriedly jumped back. The porcuswine prods sparkled in my direction. I raised my finger to them in the intergalactic gesture that is as old as time, turned and walked away from them following the others. There was a creak and a thud from behind us as the door swung shut, but I did not turn to look. The future, whatever it contained, lay just ahead.
We helped each other on with our packs, swaying dizzily with the effort. There was the thud of withdrawn bolts from inside the door, the growl of straining motors as it started to open.
Unconsciously we drew together as we turned to face the unknown.
CHAPTER 7
A splatter of rain blew in through the opening door. Welcome to sunny, holiday Liokukae. Which opened wider to reveal the group of very ugly-looking individuals who were waiting outside. They were dressed in an astounding variety of clothing – it looked like all the donations to charity in the entire galaxy had been sent here-and they all had two things in common. They were heavily armed with a mixture of clubs, swords, maces and axes. And they all looked very angry.
Just about what I had expected; I chomped down on the Blastoff capsule I had put in my mouth. I had never thought much of the weaklings-recovering-from-treatment plan and had palmed this pill in case it were needed. It was.
A wave of energy and power washed through me as the mixture of powerful chemicals, uppers, stimulants, adrenalins, swept away all the fatigue and shakes. Power! Power! Power! I swayed forward on tiptoes as Tremearne had advised, flaring my nostrils at the same time.
A great bearded lout swinging a crude but serviceable sword glared down at me. I glared back, noting that not only did his eyes meet in the middle but that his hairline also started at his eyebrows. When he shouted at me his breath frightened me more than he did.
“You dere, little boy. Gimme what you carrying. You all drop what you got or you get it.”
“No one tell me what to do unless he can beat me, you illiterate cretin,” I shouted back. The macho showdown with these macho mothers would have to take place sooner or later. Sooner was better.
He roared angrily at the insults, even though he could not understand them, and swung up the sword. I sneered.