Aquari by DD White
The Ministry of Science Lands in Veldada’s Backyard.
Other mission members introduced themselves to Veldada. The other member of the security team had been Nandor who also happened to be Silvanin’s brother. They were armed with paralysis weapons that were also back-engineered from artifacts that were discovered by the Ministry of Science, which were also part of the reason the Ministry had been disbanded. Handirlas had been talkative and quick to introduce himself. He was the analytical one, always good for accurately calculated probabilities and statistics. Then Curvfin had been known as the crafty one, and eventually the silent one in the corner busy with some control panel repairs got up to introduce himself as Salmar.
This rag-tag band of exiled scientists while armed with Aungtalli-like technologies were hopeful the mission would go as planned. They had actually flown to Keshdesh before Veldada had sent her message. They had inside information of the plan to transport Hanson back to the prison in a secure vehicle. The plan would be to disable the vehicle from above with powerful laser weaponry built into their flying saucer. Then with paralysis technologies they would disable the security guards without harming them, and fly Hanson away. Handirlas acknowledged that he calculated it had only a 72% to 76% probability of success.
The plan of these Uranian rebel scientists almost worked as planned. They were able to observe the transport vehicle arriving at the Aungtalli temple to pick up a bloody and beaten Hanson. Veldada pressed against the view port to get a glimpse of her man. Hanson appeared a broken man who had been severely injured by the day’s questions. They flew above the transport, which appeared through the flying saucer view port like a moving dot on a map of Keshdesh. Inside the saucer, the only clue that you were moving at all would be the scenery zipping by the view ports like something on a television.
When the transport began to approach the remote area that they agreed upon as the place to stop it, Thrandu ordered Curvfin to fire the laser weapon. Curvfin already became anxious to use the laser controls he had sat at. Repeated pulse laser blasts shot from the saucer to cause the transport to lose control. It drove off the side of the road into the ravine of pod-pollen and cerfusius trees. A tree put the transport’s journey to an end near the place where the saucer then chose to land.
That part of the mission went just as planned, but the plan began to unravel as security guards shot particle projectile weapons at the crew before they could even get out of the saucer door. Nandor and Silvanin poked paralysis rifles out the saucer entrance to return fire. Nandor yelled out. “We are stuck on the ship we are upon.
They’re out of range for this kind of weapon!”
They brought along weapons that originated from an ancient culture that they discovered among ruins of the Southern Desert. That ancient culture had mastered amazing technologies. These were weapons that shot energy out of a rifle. Uranians who were hit by this energy beam were left unconscious and paralyzed for at least several minutes. They were however, having bullets shot at them that were much more effective at the range they were at.
Silvanin pulled a regular Uranian pistol that shot 4.7 millimeter projectiles from a 15 round clip of bullets that were packed with the Uranian equivalent of gunpowder. “I know we said no harm to be done,
but I’m resorting to a basic gun!”
Silvanin shot back, which did seem to stop the bullets from being shot their way for a couple seconds while halting the guard’s advancement. Veldada found cover by the chairs in the center of the saucer, and wondered if these scientists were any good at being warriors for all their undeniable Uranian courage. Suddenly the tide turned by a laser blast from the saucer that sent the security guards running away from them.
“I know shooting now can hurt landing gear,” said Curvfin.
“No damage done. Now move on out of here.”
Nandor and Silvanin didn’t need to be told twice. They both stormed the vehicle that had been wedged in with the tree it hit. It had been like a bulletproof van with a sliding door on the side. Before they could get to the cracked side door, someone shot at them from inside. Both Nandor and Silvanin got prone in response and Silvanin immediately responded with more gunfire from his pistol. While Silvanin did that, without a word, the other brother Nandor got up to move around and point his paralysis rifle at a better angle through the transport vehicle side door.
It turned out the paralysis weapon was at a more effective range that time, and an energy beam fired in the doorway. Then out dropped an unconscious Uranian security guard on the ground outside the vehicle. More bullets then pelted the doorway from the guards that were outside as both Nandor and Silvanin entered the transport vehicle through the cleared side door.
Hanson had been shackled on a bench inside the vehicle. He tried desperately to perk up and smile at his friends. He seemed to struggle just to remain conscious. “Enough Hanson, there is no time to talk.
We must rescue you now out of this lock,” said Silvanin who looked around for a key.
Nandor tried to leap outside to check the unconscious security guard for keys, but he became forced back into the transport vehicle by gunfire from the guards who had been chased away earlier by the saucer laser.
“Enough of all this. Here’s the key I’ve got,” said Silvanin.
“Brace yourself Hanson, I need just one shot.”
Silvanin’s pistol fired with a loud bang and a bullet broke through the shackles. With some rattle and a pull, they got Hanson free.
Then came the next turn for the worse as they began to shoot out of the vehicle door because the guards were outside firing inside to trap them. Those guards had obviously already called in for backup, and time had been running out for the rescuers. Excruciating moments dragged on as bullets spit into the vehicle and Silvanin’s 15 round clip required replacing. They both began to feel the mission started to fail, while Hanson just seemed indifferent. At the time he genuinely became satisfied enough that they tried to rescue him at all.
Before the guards that were firing at them could begin shouting out the terms for Nandor and Silvanin’s surrender, which they were about to do, they became flanked from behind by Thrandu and Handirlas who crept up on them with paralysis weapons. Then the shooting stopped, and Thrandu yelled out. “Do not give up! Your companions are here!
The guards are out now! The coast is now clear!”
Hanson just wearily pulled what passed for a Uranian smile across his bloodied beak-like teeth while Nandor and Silvanin helped him from the transport to the saucer.
Veldada’s worry began to subside as Thrandu and Handirlas returned through the entryway first. They both turned around to encourage Nandor and Silvanin who were pretty much dragging a haggard and beaten Hanson along. Veldada got out from behind the cover of the chair to join the others at the door who were cheering the rescuers in. They were almost to the flying saucer as the guard paralyzed earlier near the transport vehicle side door began to awaken and strain against the paralysis. From the ground Nandor, Silvanin, and Hanson were still visible in front of the crashed transport vehicle while the guard still held a pistol in his paralyzed hand. In a last fit of will, the guard’s hand with the pistol slowly rose against the agonizing paralysis. A long shot, which the guard would later believe missed, fired from his pistol by a trigger finger that almost failed to move at all.
Nandor, Silvanin, and Hanson at last entered the saucer, and Hanson’s eyes widened at the sight of his lover Veldada. They both embraced as Hanson and Veldada relaxed in a central chair while the horror of the day finally started to drain away.
Veldada ran her hands over Hanson and said, “My true love, they would have killed you tonight.
To no longer see you, my greatest fright.”
Hanson turned loving eyes on her saying, “Veldada my love, my one last regret
was not giving you a child since we met.”
A tear appeared in one of Veldada’s eyes. “Hanson my love don’
t worry because I’m
glad you are back to keep trying with time.”
Then Hanson said, “Veldada I feel my life is now through.
I’ve only time now to say I love you.
Please I’m so sorry … but let me explain,
… I’m only just noticing this new pain.”
Veldada quickly ran her hand behind Hanson’s back and pulled it up covered red with blood. Then she screamed as Handirlas yelled out. “Emergency! Something happened before
Hanson was safe. There’s now blood on the floor.”
There had been a flurry of Uranians running around as Hanson had been laid on his stomach to reveal a bullet wound near his left shoulder. Bandages were produced to stop the bleeding that quickly became a large bright red puddle that they were splashing through in the panic. Veldada cried and laid next to Hanson on the floor, their eyes joining in a painful mutual realization.
His body became so riddled with the marks of torture and bruises that the bullet wound seemed almost camouflaged if not now for the gushing fresh blood. Veldada ran her non-bloody hand through Hanson's hair to comfort while the bleeding had been finally stopped.
Thrandu became choked up with regret, but managed to say. “Sorry Veldada. Oh where to begin.
I’m afraid we can’t stop bleeding within.”
Veldada begged Hanson to hold on as clouds of pure black in the night sky sped by outside the view ports. They could be back at Gulfang in less than an hour with the virtual particle driven saucer. He would be safe from execution in a Gulfang hospital. Hanson slipped unconscious after a last assurance to Veldada that he loved her, and that the rescue had not been a complete loss because he did have one last cherished glimpse of her to take with him. Then Hanson died in Veldada’s arms.
Other mission members introduced themselves to Veldada. The other member of the security team had been Nandor who also happened to be Silvanin’s brother. They were armed with paralysis weapons that were also back-engineered from artifacts that were discovered by the Ministry of Science, which were also part of the reason the Ministry had been disbanded. Handirlas had been talkative and quick to introduce himself. He was the analytical one, always good for accurately calculated probabilities and statistics. Then Curvfin had been known as the crafty one, and eventually the silent one in the corner busy with some control panel repairs got up to introduce himself as Salmar.
This rag-tag band of exiled scientists while armed with Aungtalli-like technologies were hopeful the mission would go as planned. They had actually flown to Keshdesh before Veldada had sent her message. They had inside information of the plan to transport Hanson back to the prison in a secure vehicle. The plan would be to disable the vehicle from above with powerful laser weaponry built into their flying saucer. Then with paralysis technologies they would disable the security guards without harming them, and fly Hanson away. Handirlas acknowledged that he calculated it had only a 72% to 76% probability of success.
The plan of these Uranian rebel scientists almost worked as planned. They were able to observe the transport vehicle arriving at the Aungtalli temple to pick up a bloody and beaten Hanson. Veldada pressed against the view port to get a glimpse of her man. Hanson appeared a broken man who had been severely injured by the day’s questions. They flew above the transport, which appeared through the flying saucer view port like a moving dot on a map of Keshdesh. Inside the saucer, the only clue that you were moving at all would be the scenery zipping by the view ports like something on a television.
When the transport began to approach the remote area that they agreed upon as the place to stop it, Thrandu ordered Curvfin to fire the laser weapon. Curvfin already became anxious to use the laser controls he had sat at. Repeated pulse laser blasts shot from the saucer to cause the transport to lose control. It drove off the side of the road into the ravine of pod-pollen and cerfusius trees. A tree put the transport’s journey to an end near the place where the saucer then chose to land.
That part of the mission went just as planned, but the plan began to unravel as security guards shot particle projectile weapons at the crew before they could even get out of the saucer door. Nandor and Silvanin poked paralysis rifles out the saucer entrance to return fire. Nandor yelled out. “We are stuck on the ship we are upon.
They’re out of range for this kind of weapon!”
They brought along weapons that originated from an ancient culture that they discovered among ruins of the Southern Desert. That ancient culture had mastered amazing technologies. These were weapons that shot energy out of a rifle. Uranians who were hit by this energy beam were left unconscious and paralyzed for at least several minutes. They were however, having bullets shot at them that were much more effective at the range they were at.
Silvanin pulled a regular Uranian pistol that shot 4.7 millimeter projectiles from a 15 round clip of bullets that were packed with the Uranian equivalent of gunpowder. “I know we said no harm to be done,
but I’m resorting to a basic gun!”
Silvanin shot back, which did seem to stop the bullets from being shot their way for a couple seconds while halting the guard’s advancement. Veldada found cover by the chairs in the center of the saucer, and wondered if these scientists were any good at being warriors for all their undeniable Uranian courage. Suddenly the tide turned by a laser blast from the saucer that sent the security guards running away from them.
“I know shooting now can hurt landing gear,” said Curvfin.
“No damage done. Now move on out of here.”
Nandor and Silvanin didn’t need to be told twice. They both stormed the vehicle that had been wedged in with the tree it hit. It had been like a bulletproof van with a sliding door on the side. Before they could get to the cracked side door, someone shot at them from inside. Both Nandor and Silvanin got prone in response and Silvanin immediately responded with more gunfire from his pistol. While Silvanin did that, without a word, the other brother Nandor got up to move around and point his paralysis rifle at a better angle through the transport vehicle side door.
It turned out the paralysis weapon was at a more effective range that time, and an energy beam fired in the doorway. Then out dropped an unconscious Uranian security guard on the ground outside the vehicle. More bullets then pelted the doorway from the guards that were outside as both Nandor and Silvanin entered the transport vehicle through the cleared side door.
Hanson had been shackled on a bench inside the vehicle. He tried desperately to perk up and smile at his friends. He seemed to struggle just to remain conscious. “Enough Hanson, there is no time to talk.
We must rescue you now out of this lock,” said Silvanin who looked around for a key.
Nandor tried to leap outside to check the unconscious security guard for keys, but he became forced back into the transport vehicle by gunfire from the guards who had been chased away earlier by the saucer laser.
“Enough of all this. Here’s the key I’ve got,” said Silvanin.
“Brace yourself Hanson, I need just one shot.”
Silvanin’s pistol fired with a loud bang and a bullet broke through the shackles. With some rattle and a pull, they got Hanson free.
Then came the next turn for the worse as they began to shoot out of the vehicle door because the guards were outside firing inside to trap them. Those guards had obviously already called in for backup, and time had been running out for the rescuers. Excruciating moments dragged on as bullets spit into the vehicle and Silvanin’s 15 round clip required replacing. They both began to feel the mission started to fail, while Hanson just seemed indifferent. At the time he genuinely became satisfied enough that they tried to rescue him at all.
Before the guards that were firing at them could begin shouting out the terms for Nandor and Silvanin’s surrender, which they were about to do, they became flanked from behind by Thrandu and Handirlas who crept up on them with paralysis weapons. Then the shooting stopped, and Thrandu yelled out. “Do not give up! Your companions are here!
The guards are out now! The coast is now clear!”
Hanson just wearily pulled what passed for a Uranian smile across his bloodied beak-like teeth while Nandor and Silvanin helped him from the transport to the saucer.
Veldada’s worry began to subside as Thrandu and Handirlas returned through the entryway first. They both turned around to encourage Nandor and Silvanin who were pretty much dragging a haggard and beaten Hanson along. Veldada got out from behind the cover of the chair to join the others at the door who were cheering the rescuers in. They were almost to the flying saucer as the guard paralyzed earlier near the transport vehicle side door began to awaken and strain against the paralysis. From the ground Nandor, Silvanin, and Hanson were still visible in front of the crashed transport vehicle while the guard still held a pistol in his paralyzed hand. In a last fit of will, the guard’s hand with the pistol slowly rose against the agonizing paralysis. A long shot, which the guard would later believe missed, fired from his pistol by a trigger finger that almost failed to move at all.
Nandor, Silvanin, and Hanson at last entered the saucer, and Hanson’s eyes widened at the sight of his lover Veldada. They both embraced as Hanson and Veldada relaxed in a central chair while the horror of the day finally started to drain away.
Veldada ran her hands over Hanson and said, “My true love, they would have killed you tonight.
To no longer see you, my greatest fright.”
Hanson turned loving eyes on her saying, “Veldada my love, my one last regret
was not giving you a child since we met.”
A tear appeared in one of Veldada’s eyes. “Hanson my love don’
glad you are back to keep trying with time.”
Then Hanson said, “Veldada I feel my life is now through.
I’ve only time now to say I love you.
Please I’m so sorry … but let me explain,
… I’m only just noticing this new pain.”
Veldada quickly ran her hand behind Hanson’s back and pulled it up covered red with blood. Then she screamed as Handirlas yelled out. “Emergency! Something happened before
Hanson was safe. There’s now blood on the floor.”
There had been a flurry of Uranians running around as Hanson had been laid on his stomach to reveal a bullet wound near his left shoulder. Bandages were produced to stop the bleeding that quickly became a large bright red puddle that they were splashing through in the panic. Veldada cried and laid next to Hanson on the floor, their eyes joining in a painful mutual realization.
His body became so riddled with the marks of torture and bruises that the bullet wound seemed almost camouflaged if not now for the gushing fresh blood. Veldada ran her non-bloody hand through Hanson's hair to comfort while the bleeding had been finally stopped.
Thrandu became choked up with regret, but managed to say. “Sorry Veldada. Oh where to begin.
I’m afraid we can’t stop bleeding within.”
Veldada begged Hanson to hold on as clouds of pure black in the night sky sped by outside the view ports. They could be back at Gulfang in less than an hour with the virtual particle driven saucer. He would be safe from execution in a Gulfang hospital. Hanson slipped unconscious after a last assurance to Veldada that he loved her, and that the rescue had not been a complete loss because he did have one last cherished glimpse of her to take with him. Then Hanson died in Veldada’s arms.