Odyssey Bourne Force by Debbie Renner
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Almost five years later, the OBF1 team and Sataal and his entourage started on a routine journey that took one hour and forty-five minutes by foot from the BSP to the rebel’s headquarters, high in the Tulean Mountain ranges. As Sataal had stated, the whole mountain range hideout was hidden from the Trimadian sensors by a force field that Sataal had modified so the Trimadian sensors would not detect anything. Sataal had shared much of his knowledge with Earth scientists, as thanks for saving his life.
Sataal led them into a cave that was guarded by half a dozen armed Cantal warriors. He disappeared behind a rocky wall for a moment.
A rock beside Mason slid aside making him jump. Inside, was a room filled with the most sophisticated computers and equipment that would make the fussiest of techno heads drool. It did not do anything to Tremaine who always felt intimidated and preferred the assurance of a weapon. That was “his thing.”
“Well, you certainly have been busy,” exclaimed Mason.
“Thanks to the alliance between our two worlds and of course my modified Crytaalic force field to block out the Trimadian sensors, we have been, well, lucky so far,” Sataal said quietly. “Unfortunately, if the Locum or Trimadians find this, we will be isolated, and, well our force field may be sufficient now, but it won’t be forever. They will eventually find us. As you know, they have plundered all the crystals that belong to the door, so there is no quick escape. We have very few working ships available, which could easily be tracked.”
Sataal reminded Mason of the god Atlas, carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders, at least figuratively. He felt responsible for most of the enemy’s warfare technology and his beloved Cantals’ mutation and destruction.
Sataal indicated a large monitor screening different parts of the galaxy where his spies had infiltrated some of the Trimadian warships. Mason reckoned their technology was very cool, but ironically, the monitors were pretty basic. There were bright blue stars representing Trimadian warships which were flickering and changing color, some moving away some starting to disappear off the screen.
“What is happening?” Pete Reynolds piped up.
“The blue stars represent ships that have been marked by rebel Cantals aboard so we can monitor from this base their positions in this sector of the galaxy. They are being destroyed, and some are retreating from the enemy. The Locum is a force second to none, and the Trimadians have strategy, power, and vast numbers. At anytime, this could spread to us and to Graffa.”
The team stared at him and back at the screen full of countless blue stars. Occasionally, one would fade off. Each man was preoccupied with his own thoughts.