Master of Shadows, Chapter 13: Darkness

In an instant Jack whipped out his laser pistol and pointed it at Alice. An anger surged through him that was more intense than anything he had ever felt before. “Tell me you did not just kill my wife,” he said in a very dangerous and cold voice. “I want you to tell me that she is still alive.”

“All you care about is your precious wife, isn’t it?” Alice snarled. “You are all fools! Maybe I’m wasting my time trying to save civilization. Maybe it would be better if I let you all die.”

The rage inside Jack reached the boiling point. He pulled the trigger and fired. The laser hit Alice squarely in the chest. Her red suit absorbed much of the energy but the suit’s breastplate was badly damaged and the blackened suit began smoldering. A look of panic appeared on Alice’s face as she belatedly realized that she had pushed Jack too far.

Jack coolly surveyed the damage he had done to her suit. He kept his pistol aimed squarely at her. “Let’s try this again. What have you done to my wife?”

“I haven’t done anything!” she pleaded. “I’ve been standing right here the whole time.”

Jack shook his head angrily. “Stop it, Alice! Don’t play games with me. That suit isn’t going to protect you the next time I fire. I want you to tell me what you have done to my wife.”

“I don’t know!” Alice said, with genuine panic in her voice. “The city attacked her and she’s gone. It might have just taken her prisoner but I don’t know. You’ve got to believe me! It’s not my fault. You can’t blame me for this.”

Jack looked at her with an expression of intense anger. He desperately fought to regain control of his temper and not shoot her again. He couldn’t remember the last time he was filled with such rage. “You are murderer, Alice. A murderer and a thief. I have no doubt that if you had a gun in your hands right now both Joe and I would already be dead. Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t kill you before you kill us both.”

Joe interrupted him. “I’ll give you one. You’re not an executioner, Jack. Alice will answer for her crimes. But this is not the time or the place.”

The computer at Alice’s feet beeped, and she glanced down at it. “I’ll give you another reason,” she replied.

“What’s that?” Jack asked.

Alice smiled. “It’s too late.”

Before she even finished her sentence the room was plunged into darkness. Alice immediately somersaulted behind her and kicked Joe squarely in the chest. The attack caught him off guard and he went sprawling across the room. The elderly man slammed heavily into a crate and fell to the ground, unmoving.

Jack was still holding the laser pistol but the room was completely dark. I can’t see her, he panicked. She’s getting away!

He stopped moving and stood perfectly still. He could hear nothing. She’s probably trained for combat in the dark, he thought ruefully. I bet she has all kinds of black-belt karate skills. This is so unfair.

Then Jack heard something – the sound of metal crunching against metal. Jack slowly turned around and strained to look in the general direction of the noise. In the utter blackness of the room Jack saw a single red light in the distance, about eight feet off the ground. When the light moved he realized that there were actually two red lights beside each other. His blood ran cold. Those aren’t lights – those are eyes!

Without making a sound Jack slowly crouched behind a crate and waited. He gripped his pistol tightly. At first he heard nothing, but then he could hear the sound of metal footsteps. As they drew closer Jack found himself holding his breath. Large drops of sweat poured off his brow. He couldn’t remember the last time he had been so scared. Please, please go away!

His mind wandered to Joe Taylor. What happened to him? Is he all right? I haven’t heard him move. Is he dead? Is he injured? Well, he’s not moving, so of course he’s injured! Why do these things have to happen to me? Why didn’t I listen to my wife? Oh Lily, where are you?

Jack suddenly realized that he no longer heard anything. He waited a moment longer but the metal footsteps never resumed. Gathering up all his courage, Jack slowly stood up.

Two glowing red eyes were staring right at him from an inch away.

Jack panicked. He staggered back into a crate and knocked something over. He quickly pulled up his laser pistol and fired repeatedly at the eyes. There was a flash of sparks on the other side of the room and then a whoosh. Something in the distance caught fire. As the object started burning Jack used the light from the fire to look around the room. He was completely alone.

It was just an illusion! he thought to himself. There was no robot here at all. I hate this place! It’s impossible to tell reality from mirages.

Before Jack put out the fire he quickly surveyed the room and found a small lantern. Jack turned it on and set it aside, and then used a nearby blanket to smother the flames that were consuming a wooden crate. Inside the now-burned crate was a pile of blackened machinery. I hope there was nothing important in there, Jack thought to himself.

“Joe?” Jack called out. There was no response. Jack walked over to where he had last seen Joe and found the fallen Starman still lying on the ground. He was not moving and his eyes were closed.

I guess this is where my ten minutes of first-aid training comes to play, Jack thought. After holstering his pistol he grabbed Joe’s wrist and attempted to take his pulse. When my boss sent me to that first aid class I was convinced he was wasting his time. I’m a technician, for crying out loud! But I guess emergencies do happen. I’ll have to send him a thank-you card or something.

Joe still had a pulse, and that made Jack feel a little bit better. He then performed a quick examination of the Starman. He’s got a nasty cut on his head, and it looks like his leg is broken. I’d better do something about that.

Jack searched the room for a first-aid kit. He located one in a crate of supplies and used its contents to dress Joe’s injuries. As he finished tying a splint to Joe’s leg the Starman slowly returned to consciousness.

“Take it easy,” Jack said as the Starman opened his eyes. “You’re not as young as you used to be.”

“You’re telling me,” Joe replied weakly. He looked at Jack and then down at his leg. He winced. “So that’s where all the pain is coming from.”

“You’ve got a nasty bump on your head too,” Jack commented. “You’ve probably sustained a concussion but I’m no expert.”

Joe smiled. “It wouldn’t be the first time. Thanks for helping me out. What’s been going on?”

“Way too much, I’m afraid! The lights went out, Alice escaped, the city almost scared me to death, and you went down for the count. I have no idea where Alice went but I have a feeling she is up to no good.”

Joe sighed. “I’m sorry about all this, Jack, I really am. When I asked you to come with me to talk to her I really thought she was just a misguided person and would give herself up. I never dreamed she was capable of murder. My respect for the title of Starman blinded me to who she really was.”

“So you think Lily is really -”

“I don’t know,” Joe interrupted. “And I don’t think Alice knows either. All she knows is that the city did something. I have a hunch that Alice knows far less than she thinks she does. She is so convinced she knows what is going on that she can’t even see the facts anymore. All she sees is what she wants to see.”

Jack finished dressing Joe’s injuries and then looked at the elderly man. “So what do we do now?”

Joe sat up, wincing in pain. “Scoot that computer console over to me. I want to see what Alice has been up to. If she could spot me as I was landing then maybe I can use that thing to spot her.”

Jack grabbed the computer and hauled it over to Joe. The Starman gingerly set it on his lap and worked at the console for a few minutes, carefully examining the holoscreen. He frowned.

“What’s wrong?” Jack asked.

“Well, there’s good news and bad news. The good news is that I’ve found Alice. The bad news is that she’s several miles away from here. That doesn’t make any sense to me. How could she have possibly crossed so much distance in just a few minutes?”

Jack snapped his fingers. “She’s got access to a wormhole transporter! I forgot to mention that.”

Joe looked puzzled. “But how is that possible? Didn’t you tell me that she blew up her ship?”

“Yes, but she also told me that she has a shuttlecraft hidden somewhere. I bet it’s just like yours.”

“That would explain it. I’m sure her suit is connected to that shuttle, and she’s using it to get around. That also means it’s going to be almost impossible to catch her. Our first order of business is going to be to find that shuttlecraft and disable it.”

Jack looked at the Starman in disbelief. “You want us to destroy our only way off of this planet?”

Joe laughed. “Not exactly! But I do want you to turn it off. If it’s not running then she can’t use it to escape.”

“You want me to turn it off?” Jack asked.

“I’m afraid so! Look at me, Jack. I’m not exactly able to move around right now. This is all in your hands now. I need you to find that ship and take care of it for me.”

“Can’t we use the ship to radio for help instead?”

Joe shook his head. “We don’t have time for that. Alice has been busy, Jack. I think she’s almost done assembling her bomb.”

“Ok, then here’s another plan. Why not use her shuttlecraft to get off of this planet and back into space? Alice will be stranded here with no way to escape and she’ll have to bide her time until the police arrive and pick her up. It’s foolproof.”

“Not quite, I’m afraid. There is still the small matter of the city’s defenses. But aside from that not-insignificant problem, what happens if Alice detonates her bomb while we’re gone? She could easily blow up the entire city. Your wife could still be out there, you know. If we allow Alice to destroy this place then the chances of you ever seeing your wife again become very, very small.”

“I hadn’t thought of that,” Jack said. “But the city is huge. How could Alice possibly blow the whole thing up?”

Joe paused before answering. “This is not the only camp that Alice has established. I’ve seen a couple other places on this map where it looks like equipment has been stored. There is one reading in particular that I am almost convinced is the Third Treasure. It gives off a very peculiar type of radiation that is easy to detect.”

“Ok,” Jack said. “So?”

“I’m familiar with some Ahmanyan weapons that could easily destroy this entire planet. For example, the Ahmanyans found a way to destabilize normal matter. When this technique is activated all of the normal, stable matter within the weapon’s sphere of influence starts collapsing and turning to energy. If Alice recreated that device and gave it a one-foot radius she could easily destroy this entire underground bunker, and possibly the city as well. But if she gave it a ten-foot effective radius she would have a good chance of destroying the entire planet.”

“You’ve got to be kidding! I had no idea the Ahmanyans had weapons like that. I’ve never even heard of such a thing.”

Joe smiled. “There are reasons for that. As far as I know the last time the device was used was in the first Ahmanyan-Xenobot war, which was a very long time ago. But if I were an insane Starman bent on destroying a planet that’s what I would do.”

Jack nodded. “Ok, I think I’ve got it. You want me to disable Alice’s shuttle so she can’t escape. We’ll then capture her somehow and use her ship to leave.”

“That’s the plan,” Joe agreed. “Think you’re up to it?”

“Not really. But what choice do I have?”

Joe smiled. “You’ll do fine! But can you do me one favor before you go?”

“Sure – anything.”

Joe pointed to an object lying on the ground, out of his reach. “Can you hand me my laser pistol?”

Jack reached over, grabbed the gun, and handed it to the Starman. Joe checked it for damage and then put it back in his holster.

“So where do I go ?” Jack asked.

“First things first,” Joe said. He removed a small metal strap from the arm of his suit and handed it to Jack. “This is a communications device. Strap it onto your arm and press the button whenever you want to talk. I’ll stay here and keep an eye on things and will let you know what’s going on.”

“Thanks,” Jack replied. After securing the strap he glanced at the holoscreen. “So where am I going?”

Joe pointed at a small area on the map. “I’m pretty sure that is her shuttlecraft right there.”

Jack frowned. “But that location is underground! How could she possibly have gotten the ship a mile below the planet’s surface?”

“The wormhole transporter is quite capable of transporting the ship itself,” Joe pointed out. “After all, the transporter works by opening a wormhole. It’s not hard to open a wormhole and then shove the ship through it. I’ve done it myself. And you have to admit that if the ship was underground it would be out of reach of any prying eyes on the surface.”

“I guess I see your point. You did tell me you didn’t find any sign of her when you entered orbit. That’s why you came to us.”

“Right!” Joe agreed. “And out of all the readings I see on this screen that dot looks the most promising.”

“How far away is it?” Jack asked.

“About a mile,” Joe replied. “But it’s not hard to reach.” Joe used the map to explain the route through the underground passages. After a few minutes of discussion Jack nodded. “I think I’ve got it.”

“Remember, I’ll be right here watching you. I’ll let you know if you make a wrong turn.”

“Thanks,” Jack replied. He stood up and looked around. “Is there anything I can get you before I go?”

Joe shook his head. “Just hurry back safely. And I am sorry about all this.”

Jack nodded. “I’ll see you later.” He waved goodbye, grabbed a lantern, and then started walking down the long, dark, metal hallway.

* * * * *

It’s the darkness that bothers me the most, Jack thought to himself. He had been walking for almost half an hour now. The lantern he was holding did a decent job of illuminating the surrounding area, but in the distance the light faded away into darkness. I can’t see what’s behind me or what’s ahead of me. I don’t like it.

Jack made his way to another intersection. He pressed a button on his wrist communicator. “Do I go left here?”

“Yes,” Joe replied. The voice was a little crackly but it was easy to understand. “You’re almost there! At the end of that hallway is a flight of stairs. Go up three floors and then make a right. The ship should be right there.”

“Thanks,” Jack replied. He resumed walking. His body was aching from all the exercise he had experienced over the past week but he ignored the pain. All he could think about was the darkness that surrounded him.

In the distance he heard the noise of metal striking metal. He shuddered. These noises are going to make me lose my mind. I keep hearing things but I never see anything. Am I really alone down here?

Jack shook his head to clear his thoughts. He pressed on down the hallway, quickening his pace a little. As he neared the end of the passage he heard footsteps behind him. Jack whirled around, lifting his lantern a little higher to see what was behind him. The noise stopped and he could see nothing.

Jack placed his hand on his laser pistol and then slowly took his hand off of it. “I’m not going to play your little game!” he shouted into the air. “There’s nothing out there, do you hear me? Nothing! I am not going to panic.”

Sure you’re not, Jack thought to himself. He opened the door to the stairwell and started climbing the stairs. You’re a mile underground on an alien planet. Something terrible just happened to your wife, and that same evil is still out there and it’s after you. You’re alone, it’s dark, and you would give your right arm to be in Eagle City right now. How could you not panic?

Jack swallowed. Keep it together! You’re almost there. Three flights of stairs – that’s what he said.

When Jack reached the third flight he looked around. In front of him was an airlock. The stairs continued up into the darkness.

Jack’s communicator crackled to life. “That’s it! You made it. Now go through the door.”

Jack frowned. “There’s an airlock here, Joe. Are you sure you want me to do this?”

“It’s either go through or come back,” Joe replied.

Jack sighed. He pressed a button on the control panel beside the airlock and the door opened. Beyond the door he could see nothing. The room was pitch black. There was not a single light to be seen.

That’s odd, Jack thought to himself. Don’t airlocks normally have two sets of doors? Maybe that was a security door or something. I don’t like this.

Jack gathered up all his nerve and walked into the dark room. As soon as he had crossed the threshold the door slid shut behind him. Jack walked further inside and looked around. He soon realized that he was in a small, empty metal room. The only thing the room contained was darkness.

Jack touched his communicator. “Got bad news, Joe. There’s nothing here.”

The surprise in Joe’s voice was impossible to miss. “Are you sure? Have you looked everywhere?”

“It’s a tiny room! There’s nowhere near enough space to park a starship in here. I’m telling you it’s totally empty.”

“Wait a minute,” Joe said. There was a slight pause. “The readings just changed. Now all I see in that room is you.”

Jack clenched his fist. “It was an illusion! I’ve seen the city do this before. It was nothing but a trick.”

“Didn’t you say you went through an airlock door?” Joe asked, with concern in his voice.

Jack ran to the door and pressed the button to open it. Nothing happened. He pounded the door, screaming. “I’m trapped!”