Kara Discovered: Episode 7, Captured
Jeffries wakes naked, tied, and staked down in the desert.
Head throbbing, Jeffries’ throat burned with thirst. Opening his eyes, he saw nothing. He tried moving but couldn’t; something held him.
“They’ve tied us down to stakes, Sir.”
That voice was weak and to his left. It took him a moment to put a name to it. “Wess?”
“Yes, Sir,” the man paused, and his voice trembled. “I’m senior NCO now. I’m glad you’re alive and awake. I have no idea what to do.”
Hearing that felt like a stab to his gut. Jonathan Douglas Michelle had sixteen living kids from four marriages in his 400 years before joining the legion. He had joined after one of his children died making a planet drop on a new colony without the legion providing security against the wildlife. Jefferies had failed to keep their dad alive and would have to write each one of them and tell them why. If he could survive this, that is.
Making sure he kept his voice matter of fact, he said, “I am blind. Anyone still have their glasses?”
“No, Sir, we are all buck naked and tied to stakes in the sand,” Wess answered.
“About that, Sir,” said a different voice off to his right that took him a moment to place.
“Yes, Private Preston.”
The shaky voice said. “I can see somewhat. Maybe forty meters before everything is a blur.”
From everything Jefferies had read about the laws of physics here, that should be impossible. Keeping his voice calm and reassuring, he asked as if he was expecting that, “How long have you been able to see like that?”
“From the moment they took my glasses, sir,” he said, a bit calmer.
Keeping any excitement out of his voice, he asked, “What do you see?”
Prestons’ voice became stronger and more sure. “There are three different races, Sir, but only two of them fought us. The sergeant was killed fighting the short tan boney dwarf. There is only one of them. I think the ones that didn’t fight are mad at him for killing, though the other bigger ones seem happy he did. There are a couple of score of those big bears. There are none of the ones that were upset at the killing near. They are just over a meter and a half tall and lizard-like. I have only seen three wondering in and out. They act like officers.”
Faintly hearing a distorted voice in the distance, Jeffries interrupted him. “How far from the gate are we?”
“About five hundred meters,” said Doctor Green. “How soon can we expect a rescue? It sounds like more people have come over.”
“Did someone make it back?”
“No Sir,” said Wess. “All accounted for either here or dead.”
“Then no rescue is coming anytime soon. They have no idea what they would be up against, and can’t send robots to recon it.”
Green’s voice became shrill. “Then what fucking good was it to hire the legion?”
Fighting to keep any hint of his anger out of his voice, Jeffries responded, “If we can get some people back to them with the information they need, you will see what men trained as soldier can really to.”
“We saw,” Titus said, his voice cold and distant. “You, Michelle, and one more managed to kill eleven of them before that other became a factor. From the way he moves, I suspect his kind evolved on a high G planet.”
Jeffries clamped down hard on his terror and took a breath. “If that is the case, then no one is getting back to the camp unless we can mob him with enough people.”
A different voice spoke. “About that, Sir. I can get my hands free anytime I like.”
“Weavers, is it?” he asked, as if just taking another routine report from him.
“Yes, Sir,” Weavers said, sounding relived.
Again, keeping his voice matter of fact so his men would not get excited, he asked. “How sure are you, and how did you manage it?”
“Almost positive I can get my hands free. Whatever they are, they are not used to tying living things down. I could grab both stakes and twist them back and forth. Both are very loose in their holes now. I have been applying pressure with my ankles and letting it off. But I don’t know how much good that will do.”
This time it was safe to let a smile creep into his voice, “Alright everyone. Be very, very careful not to let our captors know, but start working your hands loose, and use applied pressure like Weavers did on you feet.”
“And then?” asked Titus.
“The squad attacks the small brown one while you, Green, and I run for the gate.”
He heard the sneer in Green’s voice, “Running out on your men?”
“Wess, who do you want doing the rescue? Major Wilson, with his untrained men, or myself, with a platoon train to use primitive weapons.”
“Run like hell, sir.” You could hear the grin in that voice.
“You see, Dr. Green, the only real chance for a rescue is my platoon. The only way that they can do so is if I am there to lead them.”
People like Dr. Green made him glad he was no longer in acidemia.
He got to work getting his hands loose.