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This chapter, and all following chapters, are the original 1st draft chapters from Destiny's Edge. The places, names, and events contained within these chapters are somewhat different than those found in the finished novel.
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"Where do we go now?" Tiela asked.
"We're not too far from the caves we were in before," Mikkel said, who had quickly scanned the area to determine where they were. "We could head there."
"How far?" Kel asked, looking up at him.
"Less than a day's walk."
"We don't seem to have much choice," Kel said, with a reluctant sigh. "We certainly can't stay here, as very shortly this whole area will be swarming with T'kri."
"The forest should provide us with adequate cover until we reach the next clearing, Captain," Mikkel said, indicating the line of trees that lie ahead of them.
"Very good, then let's get moving," Kel said, and began to lead them across the clearing and into the forest.
#
It was a strange and unsettling morning that saw Janette Pelletier sitting restlessly at her desk in her office and trying to keep her focus on the stack of paperwork in front of her. But no matter how hard she tried, she was unable to escape the uneasy feeling she had had ever since she arrived at Clearhaven's Council Hall earlier that morning, for the T'kri, who normally patrolled the busy streets of Clearhaven, had suddenly and mysteriously vanished during the night.
Down in the streets below her office window, many of the townsfolk stood outside their homes or businesses, and all of them confused as to why the T'kri had suddenly vanished. Some were simply looking up and down the streets, appearing as perplexed as Janette felt, while others were huddled in small groups, chatting quietly amongst themselves; no doubt talking about the T'kri's disappearance and what it meant.
Upon entering the Council Hall, Janice spoke with Tanis and instructed him to send out security patrols into the neighbouring towns to see if the T'kri had vanished from them as well. She had also asked Sam Hunt to try and contact Captain Harris and the rebels to see if they had any information to explain the T'kri's sudden disappearance.
But that had been over two hours ago.
"Tanis!" Janette called out as she looked up from her desk, setting aside the report she had in her hand.
"Yes, Janette?" Tanis answered as he entered the room.
"Has Sam heard back from the rebels yet as to what's going on with the T'kri?" she asked.
"Not a word. In fact, virtually all communications with the rebels have been cut off. He's tried twice now, but each time he's received the same response, nothing."
"Damn, just what the hell is going on out there?" Janette asked rhetorically.
"It's probably safe to assume that the rebels have stepped up their actions against the T'kri."
"If that was the case, then why would the T'kri suddenly disappear? If anything, I'd expect them to be rounding up our people and executing them as punishment."
Tanis never had a chance to answer her question, however, as a loud explosion outside suddenly rocked the building. They both bolted for the window and looked out to see a thick cloud of black, billowy smoke rising from the forest in the east, near the mountains and Ru'kayesh.
"What the hell was that?" Janette yelled, and then hurried out of her office with Tanis following close behind her.
Running down the stairs, she made her way out the front door of the Council Hall and into the street, where she encountered several other council members. They too had left their offices and gathered outside to investigate the source of the explosion.
"I told you! I told you those damn rebels were going to cause shit!" Jeff yelled, turning to her as he pointed up at the smoke.
"Just calm down, Jeff, we don't know that for certain."
"Oh it's them alright, I'd bet my life on it."
"Bob has security reported in from the other towns yet?" she asked, ignoring Jeff and looking up at the tall councillor who stood beside her.
"Not yet, I'm afraid. What do you think we should do?"
"For now, keep the people calm," she said, and looked behind her to see the growing number of people now anxiously staring up at the rising column of smoke.
"Fat chance of that happening. If that was a T'kri shuttle going down, and the rebels are responsible, I guarantee you there'll be more than a few people just itching to get in on some of the action."
"I hope you're wrong about that, Bob," Janette said, even though she could tell by the excited looks on some of the colonists' faces that he was most likely correct in his assessment. "I just hope that Captain Harris knows what he's doing," she said, more to herself than to anyone else.
#
As the sound of the sudden explosion rocked the cave occupied by the rebels, Captain Johnathan Harris, who had been sitting at his desk going over the morning reports, rushed to put his uniform jacket back on and hurried out of his makeshift office. His second-in-command, Lieutenant-Commander Gregori Melnikov, came running into the cave from outside where he had been standing watch, and Captain Harris waved him over.
"Gregori, where the hell did that explosion come from?" he asked when Gregori skidded to a halt in front of him.
"Near Clearhaven, sir. A T'kri shuttle went down in a clearing somewhere. I've already asked Ensign Kim on the com to get in touch with our patrols to have them check it out. We should hear back from them shortly."
"What about our operatives in Ru'kayesh, have they been able to provide us with any information about what may have happened?"
"Not as far as I know, Captain. But our patrols around Ru'kayesh have been reporting a general increase in the number of troops being sent there from the neighboring towns during the night."
"Damn!" Captain Harris swore. "Just what the hell is going on out there?"
Just then, Captain Harris noticed a young woman coming towards them at a run. She stopped in front of them and saluted.
"Ensign Kim, isn't it?" Captain Harris asked, returning her salute.
"Yes, sir," she replied, slightly out of breath.
"Report, Ensign."
"Captain," she said, "one of our patrols has reported in. They've been able to determine the location of that explosion. It's in a clearing just north-west of here, about three kilometers east of Clearhaven."
"Have they reached the site of the explosion yet?" Gregori asked.
"No, not yet, sir, but they did report seeing three T'kri shuttles engaged in a dogfight just prior to the explosion. From what they could make out, it appeared that two of the shuttles were chasing after the lead, and all three of them were heading away from the mountains and Ru'kayesh."
"Thank you, Ensign," Captain Harris said; nodding his head as he absorbed the information he had just been given. "Continue monitoring our patrols' progress and report back to me as soon as they've reached the site of the explosion," he ordered.
"Aye, sir," she said, saluting again before running off to carry out his orders.
"You know, Captain, it's possible that the fleeing shuttle could have been commandeered by Mikkel and the other aliens he and Janice stayed behind with," Gregori suggested.
"The thought had occurred to me. And if that's the case, it makes it even more imperative that we get out there to investigate for ourselves what happened. Get another team ready to go, Commander. If Mikkel is somehow still alive, I want him taken into custody, and the Sergeant as well."
"Right away, sir," Gregori said as he turned to leave.
"And, Gregori," Captain Harris said, stopping him.
"Yes, sir?"
"I'll be personally leading the team to supervise their capture."
"Yes, sir," Gregori said with a nod of his head, and he hurried off to assemble the Captain's team.
#
It was well into the afternoon before the Caitarans, led by Mikkel and Janice, finally emerged from the forest and into the next clearing. Jev, who had been following behind his brother with Kiyel, found it oddly familiar somehow, but said nothing as they proceeded across, then slipped quietly into the forest on the other side. They had only traveled a few dozen yards into the forest though, when Mikkel suddenly and unexpectedly stopped in his tracks.
Looking past his brother, Jev saw that they were now standing before a natural shelter made from vines which he instantly recognized as the same shelter that he and Kiyel had used a number of times before.
"We should be safe in here for a while," Mikkel said, turning to face the Caitarans. This looks to be quite well hidden.
"Thank God! I'm really bushed," Jev sighed wearily.
"It seems to be as good a place as any," Kel agreed, with a nod of his head.
Kiyel helped Jev settle down as comfortably as he could, under the circumstances, next to a tree, then he beckoned Tiela over to join them, which she quickly did.
"Tiela, can you take a look at Jev?" he asked her. "He received quite a hit to the head, during the crash, and it was bleeding a little, before."
"Of course, Kiyel, and I'll take a look at that arm of yours as well. Who tied it up like that by the way?"
"That was me," Jev said. "Kiyel was still out cold when I woke up."
"You'd make a good medic," Tiela commented, as she knelt down next to him and opened up her medical kit.
"That's just what Doc O'Riley said," Jev said, with a smile as Tiela had him lean forward, so she could examine his wound. "He told me he thought that I had a natural talent for treating the injured, after seeing the way I took care of Kiyel."
"Well, I don't know who this Doc O'Riley is, but I certainly agree with his assessment. Now, just hold still for a moment," she said.
Jev sat patiently while she carefully used a pair of scissors to trim his fur around the wound.
"It's not a bad cut," Tiela said, as she began to gently and carefully clean the wound. "Have you been experiencing any dizziness?"
"A little when I first regained consciousness in the shuttle, but not any more. Right now, I just feel exhausted," Jev admitted.
Tiela nodded her head. "I'm not a bit surprised at that, considering all the stressful things that you and Kiyel have been doing, lately."
She finished her clean up, by spraying a clear liquid on the wound. Almost immediately, Jev felt the throbbing pain in his head begin to diminish, then disappear all-together.
"Thankfully, it appears that you've managed to escape a concussion. Once I've finished with Kiyel's arm, I'll prepare some Karri for the two of you. It should help you get some of your strength back."
"Thanks, Tiela," Jev said, with an appreciative smile.
"Alright, Kiyel," she said, standing back up and gently grasping his arm. "It's your turn. Let's get this wound cleaned up and get some antibiotic on it, so it doesn't become infected," she said as she gingerly snipped off the makeshift bandage that Jev had wrapped around his arm.
Fresh blood began to flow from the wound as soon as she did, but she was ready for it, quickly spraying the wound with a liquid bandage combined with an analgesic, sealing the wound and stopping the flow of blood. She then applied a fresh sterile bandage to the wound, wrapping it around his arm, and securing it with a couple adhesive strips.
"Try to keep this as clean as possible, Kiyel. I know it won't be easy, but do the best you can."
"I will, thanks, Tiela," he said.
She smiled at him, and patted him on the back then began packing up her med kit.
"Izha," Kel said, taking his attention away from Jev and Kiyel, "were you able to confirm that the message was sent successfully?" he asked her.
"Yes, sir. I even sent the message twice, just in case the T'kri were able to jam the transmission the first time."
"Excellent," Kel said, with a satisfied smile. "Then all that's left to do now is avoid being discovered by the T'kri, and wait for the Cetani to arrive."
To Be Continued ... in The Enemy Within