Twisted Justice: An Oz Garrett Novel, page 32
Mercedes disappeared into the corridor.
After a few seconds, Dreyfus asked. “If Zaen is going to kill you anyway, why doesn’t he simply attack this ship?”
“If you saw my trial, you know why. Zaen craves an audience. My execution is a symbol of his power and a message to the politicians in the Stellar Cluster. He could kill me now, but there are few witnesses out here in deep space. Destroying this ship with me on it wins him no credits with his peers.”
Dreyfus nodded in understanding. “I wish you luck, my friend. And I pray Zaen keeps his word and lets us live.”
Garrett cast Dreyfus a knowing glance; they both knew Zaen would destroy the Santiago at the earliest opportunity.
“There is one favor I would ask,” said Garrett. “Do you have anything for this?” he asked, pointing to a small flap on the forearm of his artificial arm.
Dreyfus smiled. “I think maybe I do. Take this.”
“Godspeed, Captain. We may yet get to travel together soon.” And with those words, Garrett left the bridge and made his way to the airlock.
Chapter 62
Four heavily armed soldiers met Garrett at the airlock. He stepped through onto the warship and, within seconds, one soldier placed him in handcuffs. Garrett glared at the man until he looked away.
Another soldier, with four stripes on the shoulder of his uniform, said, “No games, Garrett. Follow me.”
As the soldier turned and began marching along the narrow corridor, the other three surrounded Garrett, guiding him forward.
The situation was playing out exactly as Garrett had expected. The anxious soldiers were leaving nothing to chance. In their heads, they had subdued the prisoner and had covered any escape routes. Their superiority in numbers would intimidate anyone in his position. Despite the soldiers’ military physiques, Garrett towered over them by at least fifteen centimeters.
He sensed an air of complacency from them, similar to the instructors at the camp. These men were used to handling compliant individuals. Although the soldiers marched in unison and stared straight ahead, their bodies were not tense and they held their rifles too low. Minor details, but easy to spot for someone who had trained thousands of Marines.
The group walked in silence along empty narrow corridors, with only the rhythmic sound of the soldiers’ boots on the steel floor echoing around them. Having evaluated the men around him, Garrett paid attention to the ship itself.
His first impression of Zaen’s flagship was a musty relic. The structure looked solid enough, with reinforced bulkheads every five meters. However, the air purifiers needed upgrading to remove both the stale smell and the humidity. He could not imagine spending months on duty aboard the ship; it wasn’t much better than the tunnels of Instruction Camp Four.
Eventually, the soldiers guided him onto the warship’s bridge, one of the largest Garrett had seen on any spaceship, with twelve operators manning different control stations. Each operator stared intensely at a large glass screen in front of them and ignored him as the soldiers marched him in. He noticed the operators were wearing different uniforms to the soldiers, making him suspect they were civilian technicians rather than military.
Zaen was pacing up and down the middle of the room, his robe swirling behind him each time he changed direction. He grinned triumphantly at Garrett. “You’ve learned nothing about the reach of my power, have you?”
Garrett stared back indifferently. “I know you enjoy abusing the authority the Brotherhood gave you. That doesn’t make you a powerful leader.”
Zaen nodded, his grin becoming broader. “Strong words from a condemned man. Yet here you stand before me.”
“How many of your men has it taken to bring me here? Surely you could use your resources in a more constructive way.”
Zaen stopped walking, his grin changing to a scowl. “How dare you tell me how to behave? You’re in my world now. A fact you seem to ignore. Yet you have the audacity to turn my loyal subjects against me. Where did you think you were taking your fellow escapees?”
Garrett took a moment to glance around the bridge, surprised that none of the operators were paying attention to the exchange. “Each person chose to go to a better place, where they won’t face persecution and injustice.”
Zaen’s laughter caught him off guard. “You’re so self-righteous, Mr. Garrett. What gives the inhabitants of the Stellar Cluster any right to judge the Brotherhood? Are any of your worlds an Eden of peace and harmony?”
“Nowhere is perfect. But we do value our freedom and the rights of individuals.”
Garrett’s peripheral vision noticed several of the operators stirring in their seats. “While there may be the occasional conflict, most people are content, free to live and work where they want and have an abundance of food. Can you say the same?”
“I say you place too much importance on those concepts. People don’t know what they want. They need to be instructed.”
“So they can serve the elite, like you? I saw your decadent palace and the hundreds of servants. You act as if you’re a god.”
Zaen’s face turned a dark shade of crimson. “I am a god,” his voice thundered, causing the soldiers surrounding Garrett to take a small pace back.
Garrett stared into the eminence’s eyes. The man was delusional. Years of entitlement with few to challenge him had left him with untold power. How many others like Zaen were there?
Zaen took two deep breaths, his evil grin returning. “It’s time for a demonstration. Are you ready to watch your friends die before I take you back for your overdue execution?”
The threat did not surprise Garrett. He was only partially paying attention to what Zaen had to say and was more intent on studying the others on the bridge. Although the four soldiers around him were standing at attention, their posture remained too relaxed. Each of them was confident they had the situation covered with their prisoner safely bound.
Since arriving on board Zaen’s flagship, he had presented an air of compliant resignation. It was similar to the body language he had seen from the prisoners inside the instruction camp. The soldiers expected that type of behavior.
And that was their mistake.
Feigning anger at Zaen’s betrayal, Garrett took a small pace forward. “You promised you would spare their lives.”
The movement was a ruse, allowing him to grab the small knife hidden in the compartment in his left forearm. With one swift motion, he swung the blade round and up, slicing the throat of the senior soldier standing to his right, followed by a second guard behind him. The other two soldiers froze in horror, ill-prepared for what was happening in front of them.
Garrett dropped the knife and grabbed the gun from the second guard, whose hand went to his neck in a vain attempt to staunch the bleeding. Two rapid shots killed the remaining soldiers. The whole action took less than two seconds.
The gunshots had caught everyone’s attention. As one, all operators turned in their seats, their duties briefly forgotten, the fear in their eyes confirming they really were nothing more than technicians. Garrett could tell they would not cause him any problems.
By now, Zaen’s face had turned a deep shade of purple. “How dare you!” he raged. “This is an outrage. You will never get away with this.”
“Yes, I know that, Zaen. As long as you’re alive, there will be no peace for me or anyone associated with me.”
“You’re absolutely right.” With a speed belying his age, he drew a handgun from the sleeve of his robe and pointed it at Garrett’s head, barely two meters away.
All Garrett could do was stare at the deadly muzzle aimed squarely between his eyes and calculate the chances of overpowering Zaen before the gun fired. Despite the age gap, he had witnessed the old man’s reflexes. He was fast, and his hand was steady.
“I know you want to kill me,” said Zaen mockingly. “Go on, try it.”
Garrett steadied himself, channeling his inner rage. If he was going to die anyway, he may as well die trying to save himself. But, even as he tensed his legs to leap at Zaen, he heard the gun’s trigger and firing pin click. Instinctively, he closed his eyes and waited for oblivion to consume him.
It took several seconds for Garrett to register that he was still alive. He opened his eyes to see the look of disbelief on Zaen’s face as he stared at his gun.
Not wanting to give Zaen a second opportunity, Garrett lunged forward, taking the old man by surprise. The eminence stepped back, but he was too slow to avoid the attack. Garrett’s left hand wrapped around the old man’s throat, lifting him off the ground.
“This is for everyone you have ever killed and tortured,” Garrett snarled through gritted teeth, his left hand tightening as Zaen struggled to free himself, his arms and legs flailing. But Garrett’s hand was like a vice, squeezing the life from the eminence.
Zaen’s eyeballs rolled up into his head as his body went limp. Garrett, recovering his composure, tried to release his grip. Killing the man like this was wrong. However, his arm and hand were now locked in position, all control frozen. Garrett used his right hand to try and release his fingers but the handcuffs prevented him from reaching across. He could only watch in vain as the life ebbed from Zaen.
Too late, Garrett pulled his thumb back, dropping Zaen to the floor. He stared down at the corpse, his feelings conflicted, Although he had not intended to kill, it was no less than Zaen deserved.
Breathing heavily from the exertion, Garrett glanced around the bridge. None of the bridge operators had moved or even tried to save Zaen. Instead, they sat transfixed in anticipation of Garrett’s next move, probably hoping they would not be next. But he had no argument with any of them. They had only been following orders, living under the tyranny created by the Brotherhood and Zaen. Now, without their leader, they looked lost.
“Where’s your captain?” he asked the nearest technician.
The man quivered with fear as he pointed to one of the dead soldiers.
“Who is next in command?”
The man glanced anxiously around the room. “I don’t know. We are all equal.”
Garrett gave the man a friendly smile. “In that case, I hereby grant you a promotion. You’re now captain of this vessel.”
The man didn’t move, instead, staring nervously at his colleagues.
“What’s your name?” Garrett asked.
“Dylko,” the man stammered.
“Well, Captain Dylko. Please, can you unlock these handcuffs? You’ll find the key in your former captain’s pocket.”
Without hesitation, Dylko retrieved the key and Garrett was grateful to be free once more. With some effort, he pushed his now useless artificial arm to his side, with his left hand fixed in its deadly clawlike position.
Dylko was about to return to his station when Garrett stopped him.
“Not so fast, Captain Dylko. I need you to contact the other warships and tell them to stand down on the instruction of Eminence Zaen.”
“But the eminence is dead,” Dylko replied, unable to look at Zaen’s body.
Garrett clapped Dylko on the shoulder. “No one knows that yet. Only the people on this bridge.”
Dylko slowly nodded his understanding. He stood, his legs shaking, and walked to the command seat, watching Garrett all the time as if he was expecting a trap.
“You can do this, Captain Dylko,” Garrett said. “Have faith in yourself.”
Dylko pressed a button on the side of the seat. A light flashed on the screen next to him. “This is Captain…” he began, before pausing. “This is Dylko on the Punisher. Eminence Zaen has the prisoner safely on board and is instructing all ships to return to orbit around Drani IV.”
“Dylko, this is Captain Crouch on the Travesty. Your request is most unusual,” came the reply from one of the warships. “What is your rank and why isn’t the eminence giving the order?”
Dylko looked doubtfully at Garrett, cutting the link. “I knew this wouldn’t work,” he said.
“Convince him,” Garrett said. He knew there would not be a second chance to get this right.
Dylko opened the link again. “Eminence Zaen is interrogating the prisoner. Do you want me to inform him you are challenging his orders?”
The reply was instant. “No, of course not. There’s no need to interrupt the eminence. We will comply.”
“Thank you,” said Dylko, breathing a sigh of relief as he closed the comms link.
“Good work,” Garrett said, watching the dots on the main view screen alter course for Drani IV.
“What will you do with us?”
Garrett hadn’t given that question any thought. “How many others on this ship?”
“Only two more. In engineering.”
That didn’t sound right. This was a warship, after all. “Where are the rest of the soldiers?”
“We left them behind at the space dock. Eminence Zaen said we didn’t have time to get them on board, so we have only a minimum complement.”
It must be my lucky day.
He asked Dylko to open a channel to Santiago. “Captain Dreyfus, this is Oz Garrett.”
“This is a pleasant surprise. What does Zaen want now?”
“Zaen’s dead. The crew is non-military, so it will be safe for you to come aboard.”
There was a moment’s pause. “I don’t know how you did it, but congratulations. Why should we come across?”
“I was hoping Sylwester and his friends could persuade the crew to join us on the trip back to the Cluster.”
“You are full of surprises. I’ll be across shortly with Rosa and Sylwester.”
Garrett turned his attention back to Dylko and the bridge crew. They were all looking at him as if he was going to massacre them. He supposed it did not help that Zaen and four soldiers were lying dead in their midst. Time for some reassurance. “I promise, no harm will come to any of you. There are more of your people on the freighter. I am taking them to a new life in the Stellar Cluster. It would give me great satisfaction if you joined us.”
“And if we don’t want to go?” a technician asked tentatively as he stared at Zaen’s corpse.
“Then you’ll be free to return to Drani IV. Unharmed. All I ask is that you listen to what your fellow people have to say.”
None of the crew looked convinced by his words. He could not blame them; the Brotherhood had convinced them that savages populated the Stellar Cluster. It would take more than a simple speech by him to convince them otherwise.
Chapter 63
Four hours later, Captain Dreyfus called Garrett to the Santiago’s bridge.
“Do you know a Levi Murphy?” he asked.
Garrett nodded, puzzled by the question. “He’s a good friend. Why?”
“Damn right I am,” came Levi’s voice from the loudspeakers. A moment later, a hologram image of his face appeared on the comms desk in front of Dreyfus. “Oz, you had us all worried. I can’t tell you how relieved Leela and Keisha will be to discover you’re still alive.”
Garrett grinned, unable to recall ever being happier to see his old friend. “You should know me better than that. It takes more than a death sentence to keep me down. Where are you?”
“Four hundred thousand kilometers from your location. I’m holding station because of that warship flying next to you. I don’t want to be captured like you.”
“No need to worry. They’re friendly. In fact, the crew’s coming with us, seeking asylum.”
“So I’m too late to rescue you?”
“You’ve saved my ass more times than I can remember.” Garrett laughed. “But thank you for looking out for me.”
“Where are you heading?”
The question threw Garrett, having given it no thought. He turned questioningly to Dreyfus, who said. “Rosa requested we go to Nesta.”
“Weren’t you at war with that planet?” Levi asked.
“That was a long time ago,” acknowledged Garrett. “You know that most wounds heal, given time.”
Levi’s brow furrowed. “I do.”
Despite his words, Nesta was not an immediate destination Garrett wanted to visit. Although he had no issue with the people, nothing was waiting for him there. “As you’ve come all this way, maybe you can give me a lift. I have unfinished business back at Destiny Station.”
“I thought you’d never ask. I’ve several bottles of whiskey that simply don’t taste the same when drinking on my own.”
***
Garrett found Rosa and Mercedes in the single spare crew cabin. Rosa was now dressed in a set of military fatigues she had found on the warship. The clothes were two sizes too large, but still an improvement on the prison garb she had worn. And better than the clothes he had found for himself, which were too small for his hulking frame.
At some point, she had cleaned herself up and now looked ten years younger than the last time he had seen her. He was taken aback by the natural beauty that had been hidden under layers of grime and dirt.
Mercedes excitedly jumped from the bunk and ran to him, hugging him once again. He was getting used to the young girl’s displays of affection and no longer felt uncomfortable. However, he felt a sense of guilt knowing this was a time for goodbyes.
Rosa must have seen the concern in his eyes. “What’s wrong? Are we being pursued again?”
“No, nothing like that. We’re still on track to leave the Bevas Sector in several hours and there are no Brotherhood ships for millions of kilometers. We’re safe. And according to Dreyfus, Syl and the other former residents of Drani IV are settling into the troops’ quarters on board the warship. Even making friends with the ship’s technicians.”
“So why the glum expression?”
Mercedes stepped back, looking up at him with pleading eyes, doubling his angst. Unintentionally, she was making this far more difficult than he had anticipated.
“It’s time for me to say goodbye,” he blurted. “One of my colleagues has arrived. He’s going to take me back to Destiny Station.”
“No!” cried Mercedes. “You said you would stay with us all the way to Nesta.”
