fought to regain control, but it was hopeless. The shuttle spun
wildly, and she lost sight of everything outside the windows. Finally,
she saw the canopy strike something and shatter. Then the shuttle hit
-the ground.
\ No newline at end of file
+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