Sinagua Skies, part 17
The muffled distant sound of gunshots made Fernando stop to listen. Parren, unfamiliar with the sound asked what was happening.
"Gun fire. The jeeps must have reached the village. We need to hurry." The Spaniard took a step forward but Parren's strong hand grabbed his shirt and pulled him to a stop.
"The battle has begun. To rush forward now would be folly. We are two against many so we need to plan what to do."
"And let your people get killed?"
"The walls are thick and people will be safe for now. The Rangar know what to do."
"Those walls won't protect them forever. Eventually the Captain will order the walls destroyed. There won't be anywhere left to hide." Fernando watched the young woman's face, wondering what she was thinking. He was about to question her when she asked something of him.
"Tell me, if your people get what they want-the ore from the mountains, will they be satisfied and leave?"
The Spaniard snorted, "Not for long. As long as they can keep visiting this world without being caught by the Trade Commission they'll keep coming back. That ore is worth a lot of money."
Parren wasn't sure what money was but assumed it was like trade goods. "Does anyone outside your ship know of our world or has your leader kept this a secret?"
"I doubt that bastard has risked anyone sending a message anywhere. He probably locked out the communication system the second we got the results of the survey."
A lot of that was a mystery to the young woman but she understood the tone. "So our option is clear. None of your people can be permitted to leave our world."
Fernando felt a shiver along his spine. "You plan on killing them all?" He wondered what he got himself into but knew there was no going back.
"If need be, but that's the second choice. Your people need the metal beast to leave this world. With it dead they have no place to go or the means to steal the ore. No one knows your people are here. The fight will leave those men once their transport is gone. The Rangar will decide what to do with them later."
"So we destroy the ship," Fernando said simply. "Follow me."
******
The 1st mate turned on the speaker as he watched the monitor. Outside the ship was the engineer, Fernando and with him, the bare-breasted native woman. Her hands were tied together and she was struggling with the Spaniard. Turk chuckled and spoke into the microphone.
"Hey amigo, what have you got there?"
Fernando kept a tight hold of the woman's arm while pressing the speaker button with his free hand. "I have me a prisoner. She's a feisty thing too. Wanna let me in?"
Turk flipped a switch and lowered the ramp, still watching the two of them on the monitor. Once it lowered and no longer making a loud whir he spoke again to the engineer. "Bring her to the sick bay. The doc can keep an eye on her after I talk with her."
Fernando knew what he was implying and had warned the Emissary she could find herself in a bad situation. Parren had shrugged, saying she would do what had to be done. The engineer made sure he made a good showing of dragging her along the corridors to the medical bay where the only two crewmembers were waiting. Once there, Turk ordered him out of the room, leaving Fernando free to sabotage the engines without the fear of discovery. He knew both officers would be occupied with Parren and wouldn't be keeping an eye on one of their own people.
In the medical bay, Parren was shoved into a chair and given a few stinging smacks to the side of her head. She winced from the blows but refused to cry out.
"We got ourselves one tough little bitch," Turk told the doctor, pleased. Her turned to face Parren once more and glared at her. "Set up the translator, Doc, she and I are gonna have a little chat and she's going to tell me everything I want to know."
"Wouldn't a truth serum work better than roughing her up? "
"We don't know if it'll work on them or not," he said, conveniently forgetting the DNA results showing the natives as human. The doctor knew that Turk just wanted an excuse to beat on the girl.
"Fine, just remember not to kill her. The captain might have some questions for her when he gets back."
* * * * *
Fernando looked at watch before setting the detonator timer, giving himself plenty of time to rescue Parren from Turk and getting them out of the ship. He headed for the medical bay, hoping Parren hadn't suffered too much in the short time he was gone. He reached the door and pulled his pistol from its holster just before swinging open the hatch.
Turk Johnson swung around at the sound of the hatch swinging violently open. "What the fuck..."
"Just step away from the girl, Turk."
"Or you'll shoot me?" the 1st mate asked, circling around the table, causing Fernando's aim to shift and leaving the engineer facing away from the doctor. "You piece of shit, this is gonna cost you plenty when-"
The doctor smashed a heavy textbook to the back of Fernando's head, stunning the man.
"Tie him up before he comes to," Turk ordered.
Fernando was already moaning from the pain when the doctor tightened the rope around his wrists. He struggled to break free of the binding, knowing the explosives would detonate soon. They had to get out of there. A vicious kick to his ribs stopped his struggles as the act of breathing left him temporarily.
Parren cursed the officer in her own language but that only gained her a swelling bruise to her face to join all the others. She felt a fresh rivulet of blood run down her chin. She sent him a look that would shrivel a lesser man's manhood and spat out blood towards his shoes. Turk grabbed a fistful of her hair and forced her to look up at him.
"You must be one hell of a piece of ass for him to turn on his own crew. Maybe I should sample you for myself," he threatened. He released her hair so he could walk over to Fernando and gave him another kick to the ribs.
"First, I'm going to lock up lover boy here so he doesn't get any bright ideas. Doc, take her to my cabin after you clean her up."
Parren understood exactly what was planned but she knew the engineer had done something to cause the metal beast to die. She sent a mental prayer to the Gods even as she took a deep breath to once more curse the officer.
"Desert dung! The sky gods will surely curse you this day."
The officer barked out a scoffing laugh. "Sure, sweetheart, and in the meantime, you and me will have lots of fun together. Now shut up about your fucking gods. They ain't any more real than Fernando's bloody God. Isn't that right you bastard?" Turk asked with a kick.
"And you no doubt think every spiritual being is false," a female voice said from behind the officer.
Turk spun around and saw two people, male and female behind him. Both people seemed to glow from within as did their clothing of spun gossamer and hammered gold. Neither looked worried about having a weapon turned in their direction.
Parren lowered her eyes reverently and whispered, "Obansa, Ganthren."
The dark-haired sky gods nodded at the Emissary, ignoring the two officers. Obansa knelt next to the fallen engineer and waved his hand over him. The Spaniard felt his pain disappear and his hands were no longer bound. He rose to his knees and looked up. One look at the two beings in front of him convinced him of their authenticity.
Obansa smiled gently. "Yes, we are as real as your own God. We are all of one spirit, existing in many places," he answered the engineer's silent question.
Ganthren, the mother of the sky gods, ran her hand along Parren's short hair in a loving manner. Her injuries also disappeared and the ropes that kept her in the chair vanished.
Fernando opened his mouth, remembering about the bomb. He started to speak but the Goddess shushed him. Suddenly the four people and 2 gods were standing near where the engineer had rigged the explosives. A bright light appeared then suddenly froze as time was paused.
"What is that?" Turk demanded to know.
"That's what's gonna keep you from exploiting this world anymore. It just exploded. When these Gods allow time to move once more, we are all dead but it'll be worth it to stop this insanity," the engineer told the 1st mate.
Obansa glanced inside Parren's heart and saw that she agreed. She would gladly forfeit her own life to save her people from slavery. The Emissary had been chosen well. Once more the scene shifted around them. The group was standing away from the ship, overlooking the vessel as it exploded. As the last fiery chunks fell to the mountain valley the gods moved them again, bringing the people to outside the cliff homes of Parren's people.
She looked towards the Gods, silently asking if they would stop the attack or should she begin her own assault on the attackers.
The goddess smiled softly. "You have no need of our interfering further. Well, except for this." A dozen Achaian slave traders appeared on the horizon, leading their pack animals.
"Once the battle is over, hand the foreigners over to them. The humans wanted ore? Let them dig ore for their new masters," the Goddess pronounced. Obansa and Ganthren then disappeared, leaving the engineer and Emissary with the bound officers from the ship.
"I think we have some ass kicking to do, don't you?" Fernando asked Parren.
The young woman grinned and pulled out her knife.
******
Epilogue
Fernando shouted at the running boy as he tormented his little sister. "Koplan! Stop teasing your sister and help your mother bring water in. Topa, your son is driving me crazy!" the Spaniard announced to his wife.
"My son? Why is it he is only my son when he is obnoxious? Here, give me the baby and bring in the water jugs. And where is my sister? She was supposed to pick up her child an hour ago."
"She no doubt took advantage of having time alone with Hyenta," he winked. Parren's household was quite full now with Jopa as her co-husband along with his two wives. Jopa was a busy man, keeping all the women supplied with children. Fernando was amazed the man had energy to hunt for the brood. It was a good thing Parren helped him with the hunting and planting.
Hanpa and Thrana were now both retired, leaving Jopa and Parren as the Master Traders. Soon they would have apprentices of their own.
"Humph, you would think those two were newly mated the way they behave. Go to Hyenta's house and wake the two of them."
"Yes, Topa." Fernando learned early in his marriage that Topa was in charge.
"And my husband?"
"Yes, my wife?"
"Take your son with you," she grinned.
The End