The Archer's Paradox - The Travis Fletcher Chronicles (23 page)

The underground garage area covered the full footprint of the tower above. A column dominated the centre of the space and ran the full height of the building. It was made up of a central core that carried utilities up the tower to individual apartments. Round the core were groups of bounce tubes for each quadrant of the tower. Glass supporting columns, wide enough for three men to stand shoulder to shoulder and not be seen were arranged in concentric circles out to the circumference. The sniper had seen the bank of tubes the guards had used, so he had taken up a position that gave him a clean line of sight to the bounce tubes and the guard’s vehicle beyond; anyone coming out of the tubes would have their backs to him as they went to the vehicle. All he had to do was wait.

The doors opened to the deserted garage and the squad stepped out. Six City Guards with senses and weapons sweeping the area and Sundaravāda Ci
ṭṭ
e in the centre of the scrum willing herself to be as small as possible. The sniper tried to stay as invisible as possible to both.

Be
ḷḷ
i Nadi was the last to leave the bounce tube. She cast her senses around the cavernous garage just in case her older and more experienced team mates had missed something. She felt something, something wrong, something malevolent,
something
…“Danger! Behi…!” Everyone turned at her shout and mental alarm to see her fall to her knees with her eyes wide, mouth open and a tiny pinprick burn in the centre of her forehead where the sniper’s beam had passed out of her skull. Her lifeless eyes seemed to hold her Squad Leader’s for a moment before she fell face down on the smooth glass floor.

The sniper cursed himself for being slow and took aim again.

Squad Leader Huli Līpi
ṅ
g shouted commands and unceremoniously pushed his charge back into the bounce tube with orders to stay hidden. An intense pain stabbed through his right shoulder and every muscle seemed to scream in protest then go dead. His weapon clattered to the floor as he cried out and grabbed at his, now useless, right arm.

Missed again.
The sniper made a mental note to admonish himself later, but he still had a job to do. Belatedly, the guards had managed to get themselves organised. Their training was obviously incomplete or inferior and they were completely unprepared for an organised assault. His sniper’s rifle was not powerful enough to penetrate the shields now erected against him. It was a weapon of stealth for use against unprotected targets and the time for stealth was over. He reached for his assault pistol as multiple pulse blasts from the two uninjured warriors impacted his pillar, melting craters in its perfectly smooth surface. He returned fire and his beam impacted a shield without penetrating, but the sniper could see the look of pain and concentration on the guard’s face. They were set up between him and his target but with no convenient cover they were exposed. He fired again at the same guard and saw him collapse backwards with some satisfaction. He was down but not dead and his partner attempted to drag him out danger. The
remaining warrior intensified his rate of fire to cover the retreat but the sniper took advantage and managed to snap a quick shot into the back of the retreating warrior, who collapsed over the unconscious comrade he was trying to save.

Sundaravāda Ci
ṭṭ
e peeked out of her hiding place. Huli Līpi
ṅ
g was a short distance away, obviously in a great deal of pain and unable to help. She fought down her panic and reached out to assess his injuries. She could do nothing for his shoulder and arm without a healing tank, but she could numb the pain, if she could only get closer. Slowly she slid from her hiding place and across the floor. The last remaining Guards were coming under heavy fire and were slowly being driven back. Mr
̥
du Pātaragitti’s mental shield was failing rapidly. Older and stronger than the rest of the squad, she was managing to keep her partner safe, but it was getting harder with each salvo unleashed against them. She had missed the mental signature of their attacker and as a result, two of her squad were dead and two injured. She was determined that her dishonour would end here as she gritted her teeth and prepared for another onslaught.

Sundaravāda Ci
ṭṭ
e reached Huli Līpi
ṅ
g and started numbing his pain receptors. As she worked Huli Līpi
ṅ
g’s face cleared and he reached for his fallen weapon. The sniper saw an opening as Huli Līpi
ṅ
g moved, exposing his target. He changed position slightly to get a better shot. It was a split second decision and Mr
̥
du P
ā
taragitti took it. In the lull from the sniper’s fire, she dropped her shield, reached for her own weapon and launched herself across the smooth floor firing repeatedly. Most shots went wide but it was enough to unsettle the sniper who had to change position again to take out this new threat, exposing his position further. Both Huli Līpi
ṅ
g and Mr
̥
du P
ā
taragitti
’
s partners took advantage and the sniper died in a hail of pulse blasts that all but incinerated his body.

Shortly afterwards, a second squad of Guards arrived to take over responsibility of Sundaravāda Ci
ṭṭ
e. They had been despatched as soon as Huli Līpi
ṅ
g had got off a plea for help after he had been injured, but they had arrived too late to assist. Sundaravāda Ci
ṭṭ
e was appalled at how short the battle was. Everything had happened in slow motion and seemed to last an age but now it was over she realised that it was mere moments. Two people dead, two seriously injured and all to protect her. Was she worth that much sacrifice? She seriously doubted it. She promised that she would personally attend to the injuries of both men; Huli Līpi
ṅ
g’s muscle damage and the guard’s mental injuries. If the shot that injured Huli Līpi
ṅ
g had been a shade to the left, the disruptive charge would have ruptured his heart, not just muscle tissue, and there would have been three deaths. When the sniper’s shot had collapsed the Guard’s shield, the force had fed back and burned portions of his brain. He would need careful attention if he was to fully recover.

She was running with no idea why, but she knew she was running away from something rather than towards something; it was a headlong flight of panic with no direction or destination. Bare feet pounded the dusty ground beneath her, propelling her along with long, powerful strides as she gasped for breath in the thin arid air. Sweat poured down her forehead and into her eyes where the salty moisture stung and made her eyes water, blurring her vision. She could feel her heart labouring as it threatened to burst from her chest, partially from the exertion of running in the oxygen deficient atmosphere and partially from fear, but she had no idea what she should be afraid of.

Eventually the road she was running along came to an intersection and she skidded to a stop, wondering what to do. At the intersection a number of simple wooden signs pointed in every direction, but she could not decipher the writing carved on them. To the left and right, the road disappeared off into the distance. Ahead was a primitive wooden bridge with a gate across it but she could not see what the bridge was spanning. A thought crossed her mind that this was wrong as the only trees left on Otoch were in the gardens under the dome and no-one was allowed to use those rare plants for construction.

Guarding the gate was a man. He was fair-skinned with close cropped fair hair and was a good head shorter than she was. Lights, like two miniature blue suns, burned brightly where his eyes should be, obscuring his features. He had a hole in his chest, big enough for her to put two fingers into, where she could see his heart beating inside. He looked like a native of Xi Scorpii E but that was impossible, Éðel had been destroyed in The Fall and the survivors, if there were any, had never been seen since. In his left hand he carried a slender, curved piece of wood that was held in tension by a thin cord. Across his back was slung a long container full of sticks with feathers attached to the end. It occurred to her that these items made up a primitive weapon.

The man gestured urgently with his left hand that she should follow him as he pointed over the bridge ahead with his right. He was shouting but she could not hear anything. On impulse she looked over her shoulder. On the horizon a massive dust storm raged that stretched as far as she could see in both directions and it was getting closer. She felt a tug at her arm. The man was pulling at her, mouthing words she could not hear or understand and pointing across the bridge, away from the storm but she could not move. Rooted to the spot, she turned back to the oncoming maelstrom which was now much closer than she expected. No, not a storm. Behind the dust cloud it was night, she could see stars through the dust, and in front it was day with the sun high in the sky. At the storm’s edge the ground was crumbling into nothing, leaving only a void.
RUN!
Her voice screamed inside her head but her feet refused to obey.
RUN!
She turned back to her companion who had stopped gesticulating and regarded her regretfully, his eyes glowing with cold blue light. She turned back to the oncoming devastation and was appalled at how far it had advanced. At this rate it would engulf them in moments and they could never out pace it, no matter how fast they ran. She let out a sigh and stood, resignedly awaiting her fate with her head held high and proud, it was inevitable but she would not show fear. The man moved next to her and took her hand, gently entwining his fingers with hers. She looked into his eyes, which were no longer burning but were now a bright ice blue.

“I want to live but I would rather die with you than live a lifetime alone.” His voice was gentle and tinged with sadness and she felt as if she should know him. “Are you ready?” he asked, pointing forward.

She turned back, lifted her arms across her face and opened her mouth to scream as the maelstrom engulfed them.

Xnuk Ek’ sat bolt upright, eyes wide and with sweat dripping down her face. “Travis Fletcher.” she panted to herself. “How dare he?!” she exclaimed to the empty room. What was Travis Fletcher doing in her dream? She took a moment to regain her calm and examined her Mindscape, which showed no evidence that the man from Sol 3 had invaded her dreams. Perplexed, she got up to get a drink of water. For some reason her mouth felt dry and dusty, as if she really had been running on the surface outside the dome. She sat on her balcony overlooking the city and examined the dream, trying to determine its meaning.

The sun was rising above the horizon and shafts of light ricocheted between the city’s glass towers sending shards of multi-coloured light moving slowly over the dome high above, like a child’s immense prismatic toy. It was majestically beautiful and normally lifted Xnuk Ek’’s spirits, but this morning she regarded the phenomenon
dispassionately. She had been awake for most of the night trying to decipher her dream, but was no nearer to an answer. She needed to speak to Travis Fletcher to help unravel the symbols. That much was certain, but her promise to Wingu Kanzu forbade that course of action. Her honour hung by a slender thread and another dishonourable action would be the end for her. Not that she held the honour of her erstwhile
Nuuktak
and
Nohchil
in much esteem anymore. Anyway, even if he could understand, would the man from Sol 3 even lift a finger to help her after what she had done to him? She buried her head in her hands and wept, wishing on whatever mythical deities Travis Fletcher worshiped that she had never gone to Sol 3 and that she had never met him.

After a while she lifted her face to the sky, where the morning lightshow was beginning to fade as the sun climbed higher. On a whim she searched out the only friend she knew who would not shut her out as soon as they felt her signature. Turix Dayak’ answered her touch and felt her friend’s anguish. She sent back an image of a secluded area of parkland where they could meet and talk without being disturbed. Was Turix Dayak’ thinking of her friend’s privacy, or was she embarrassed to be seen with someone who had fallen so far from grace? No, Turix Dayak’ was many things, but she was also a true friend, the thought lingered in the back of her mind however.

The meeting was emotional and Turix Dayak’ felt out her depth being the quiet voice of reason to an emotionally unstable Xnuk Ek’, which was a reversal of their usual roles. Xnuk Ek’ had hidden herself away ever since they had returned home, refusing all contact with family and friends for fear of tainting them with her dishonour and Turix Dayak’ was disturbed by the depths to which her friend had sunk during that time and feared for her sanity. She wished Xnuk Ek’ had contacted her sooner, and then maybe she could have done something to help her through the mess she had got herself into.

After Xnuk Ek’ had explained her dream and the dilemma she found herself in. It was almost another Paradox of Honour, but this one had a simple solution that Turix Dayak’ laid out. Xnuk Ek’’s eyes filled with tears as she hugged and thanked her friend. They made their plans and parted company to prepare for their rendezvous the following morning. Maybe if Xnuk Ek’ had come to her in the first place rather than her lover all this could have been avoided. But this was not the time for self-blame and recriminations. Her friend needed her and she would do anything in her power to help, including putting her own honour in jeopardy, if that’s what it took.

**********

The door chime mingled with Travis’ dream in that odd way that sounds from the real world can encroach into the dream state. He was standing on a cliff overlooking the sea, in the distance the bell from a distant buoy tolled rhythmically with ethereal tones as it rocked back and forth in the swell. The sun appeared at brief, random intervals through the clouds that raced overhead as they ran before the chill wind blowing in his face. The grey waves crashed continuously on the rocks far below, sending up showers of white foam that reached up for him with long ghostly tendrils, before falling back into the swell yet he felt warm and content. The whole scene was familiar, something he could understand, something he could grasp and describe. The bell seemed to call to him. It sounded like a voice, almost indistinguishable against the cacophony of wind and wave. A voice called to him; not by name and not in a discernible language, but on a deeper subconscious level, tugging at his soul. It was gentle, seductive and irresistible, and seemed to be coming from the rocks below him. He took a step forward.

“Yes.” it seemed to whisper to him. “Come to me.” he took another step. “I’m waiting.” another step and he was at the cliff’s edge. “Just a little closer” it urged, as he put a foot over the precipice. As he was about to succumb to the irresistible call, a huge dragonfly, over three feet long,
its
scintillating wings beating furiously against the wind, appeared in front of his face.

“WAKE UP!” It shouted. His body jerked in a violent spasm as he awoke with a start.
WAKE UP!
The imperative command repeated in his head, making a sharp counterpoint to the soft, seductive door chime.

“I am awake!” he shouted reflexively at the empty room, not a little irksome and not sure if he had actually heard the voice in his head or was it his subconscious stopping him from jumping?
And why a dragonfly?
What happened to the butterflies?
His brain was still firing random thoughts after being woken so suddenly from such a vivid dream. He shook his head to clear it.
Why does that never work?
He thought idly to himself, still trying to control his thoughts. It was still dark. He could see the glass towers of the city outside covered in multi-coloured points of light, almost mingling with the myriad of stars overhead in the cloudless night sky beyond the city’s dome. He staggered out of the
bedroom and pressed the button to open the door. A female lounged nonchalantly against the jamb with a mischievous smile playing round her lips, but her honey brown eyes held an urgency that caught his attention. She was wearing a blue jump suit and her dark silver hair cascaded over her shoulders. She also carried a blue pouch, about the size of a supermarket carrier bag.

Finally his turgid mind made the connections and her name formed in his mind, but the warning thought from his visitor stopped him from giving voice to his recognition.

Aloud she said. “Will you come with me? I have something to show you. It is important.” her easy smile did not match her troubled eyes.

I probably couldn’t pronounce your name anyway.
He thought, petulantly. Then, realising he was still naked and in need of a shower. “I need to change.”

She eyed him up and down and raised her eyebrows before tossing him the pouch she was carrying. “Put this on, you will need it.”
Hurry, please. We do not have much time.

The seriousness and urgency of her thoughts galvanised his actions. He pulled open the pouch and pulled out a blue jump suit, identical to the one Turix Dayak' was wearing. He climbed into it and fastened the toggle. It was similar to the ship suits worn by the crew on his journey here, but this one had an integral boots, gloves and a transparent hood that hung limply down the back.

Satisfied, Turix Dayak' led him from his apartment to the bounce tubes at the end of the corridor. Travis cast around for his bodyguards that had kept vigil outside his rooms since the kidnap attempt.

Turix Dayak' caught his thoughts.
There has been a mix up with the shift patterns of your guard.
Her thoughts had a mischievous edge and she giggled like a schoolgirl, but she would not be drawn on the details.

In silence they plummeted to below ground level. From there she led him to a small ground transport which sped off almost as soon as they sat down and made straight for a tunnel that would take them to the surface. Obviously pre-programmed, thought Travis, she was not wasting any time.

When the car had been ejected into the night, Turix Dayak' turned to Travis. “It is good to see you again Travis Fletcher.”

Travis was not sure if he could honestly return the compliment. “Where are we going and why the secrecy?”

“I could not take the chance that your accommodations were being monitored.” she explained. “Also you did not respond to the door chime so I apologise for the deception and for invading your dream.”

“
You
were the dragonfly?” he asked, surprised.

She nodded smirking and continued. “Where we are going will be revealed soon enough.”

Travis thought she was starting to sound like someone else but kept quiet. He looked out at the city passing by outside the transparent bubble. It looked eerie and even more alien in the pale yellow moonlight that shone between the towers as they passed.

The rest of the journey passed in silence. Turix Dayak' offered no more explanations and did not seem to want to engage in small talk. Eventually the car plunged into another tunnel and they were subsequently spat out into a small hangar filled with personal flyers. Each was about the dimensions of a stretched limousine, with a blunt, transparent nose forming a small cockpit to the front, with enough room for a pilot and three passengers, and stubby delta wings and a tail to the rear. Travis could see no exhaust or indications of propulsion, just the same as the shuttle that had brought him down from the ship when he had first arrived.