-the ground.
-
-==== Harlan: Thief, Resistance Operative====
-Jake looked down at the carpet under his feet. "No. He protected me
-with his body. I lived because he took the force of the blast." His
-eyes roamed up the wall, seeing a time years ago and miles away. "When
-the Guard came around to see if everyone was dead, I unfocused my eyes
-like you taught me. Remember? And lay limp. I had enough blood on me
-to look realistic."
-
-"Someone poked me in the side with a gun. It hurt, but I managed to
-stay limp. They went on."
-
-His gaze met Harlan's. "I lay there for a long time." His eyes
-sparkled with unshed tears. "My dad and me - we didn't get along well.
-Part of it was the Resistance. He believed. I thought it was
-bullshit."
-
-Running his hand through his hair, he said "We argued, sometimes to
-the point of throwing punches. I couldn't sway him. And I was too
-stubborn to open my eyes."
-
-He chuckled, a laugh with no humor in it. "Boy, did I ever have my
-eyes yanked open that night." Looking at Harlan, he said "If I had
-twitched, they would have shot me dead. Even though I was supposedly
-on their side."
-
-He hung his head down and shook it. "Shit! I was dumb."
-
-"I think I lay there, between the cold floor and the cooling body of
-my father, for at least an hour. At one point I started crying. Crying
-like I had no tomorrow. And I didn't. I had no idea what to do, where
-to go."
-
-Still with his head hanging, he said "The reason I survived had
-nothing to do with my skill or knowledge. The Resistance came. I was
-crawling out from under Dad at that point and was trying to get to my
-feet." He smiled grimly. "I was as stiff as Dad was becoming."
-
-"Three men suddenly appeared - like out of thin air. One was
-Santorini. I didn't know the other two." He sighed. "They obviously
-knew me. One spoke up. He wanted to kill me. Santorini looked at me,
-covered in my father's blood, tears streaking down my face, one leg
-still stuck under the corpse. He shook his head and had them bring me
-along."
-
-"For days, I slept or lay staring at the ceiling. I didn't eat much. I
-didn't think much. Thinking was far too painful. I just lay on the bed
-in a fog."
-
-He smiled then, a genuine smile. "Finally Santorini's daughter,
-Emerald, came into the room. I wasn't dead, so I noticed her.
-Brilliant green hair and eyes and a smile that would light up the
-world. She kicked me out of bed, forced me to dress, and dragged me
-back to the land of the living."
-
-Harlan smiled. "I think I've met her."
-
-"At the Big House?"
-
-Harlan nodded.
-
-"Yeah. She's been undercover there for a couple of years." He leaned
-back. "I don't like it. Hell. I hate it. But she's a big girl and can
-do what she wants. I'm just her husband."
-
-"You're married to that witch?"
-
-"Yeah. Ain't she great?"
-
-Harlan grinned. "Hell, yeah."
-
-Harlan and Jake began to laugh. Mellie stared at them. "What's so
-funny?"
-
-Harlan managed to say. "You'll have to meet her."
-
-When he had controlled his laughter, Harlan said "You'll have to
-forgive me if I don't trust you implicitly yet, Jake. I'll let
-Santorini okay you."
-
-Keeping their phasers centered on Jake's back, Harlan and Mellie
-herded him out the door and into the garage, boarding a two seater
-AirScooter. Mellie sat on Harlan's lap and guided the machine. Fifteen
-minutes of discomfort and crowding later, they arrived at the Green
-Palace.
-
-Santorini met them at the front door. He didn't even look at Harlan or
-Mellie. He went straight to Jake and hugged him, holding the younger
-man tightly for a moment. When the Boss stepped back, Harlan could see
-tears in the eyes of both men.
-
-Harlan shrugged and put his phaser away. Looking at Mellie, he saw
-that she was smiling and had already holstered her weapon.
-
-Santorini brought Jake over to them. He started to introduce Jake, but
-they all interrupted, saying that they had indeed met.
-
-The Boss said "Oh, yeah. That's right. Thank you for not killing or
-maiming him. Emerald would kill all of us."
-
-Mellie looked at Santorini and asked "You got any more daughters,
-Boss?"
-
-"Yeah. Two more. Why?"
-
-Mellie shook her head. "Nevermind."
-
-Jake carried a message from Cassidy. Cassidy could see what was about
-to happen on his world and he wanted to be on the winning side. By his
-calculations, the Resistance would win. He would be throwing all the
-resources of the Syndicate behind the rebels.
-
-There were stipulations, of course, including a full pardon for every
-man or woman who fought for freedom.
-
-Cassidy wanted that pardon. He had set up a legitimate business
-several years ago, importing fashionable clothes from New Dessel where
-they were made with cheap labor. To his credit, he had insisted that
-all of his workers be paid at least a good wage by New Dessel
-standards. He also managed to get them good health care coverage and
-even two weeks vacation. They were basically indentured servants so he
-forgave fifty percent of their debt and released them when the rest
-was paid off. He even rehired them at a significant increase in wages.
-All of this could be done on New Dessel and still save him money.
-
-He wanted to move to New Dessel and continue his reforms, but he
-needed to be free of his past. Going straight was complicated.
-
-Cassidy also foresaw the need for their armories to be updated. He had
-done that for the Syndicate. He offered the Resistance the same
-advances - at a discount, of course.
-Cassidy was giving them a good deal. If they could trust him.
-
-Jake thought Cassidy was sincere. He wanted to be a hero for a change.
-And to make money at it. Jake said he could almost hear the cheering
-of the crowds when Cassidy talked about his dreams.
-
-The Boss agreed to meet with the would-be hero. Each would bring their
-most trusted associate and no one else. They would all be armed. That
-was understood. Trust only stretches so far.
\ No newline at end of file
projects / universe.git / commitdiff