Prisoner of the Amulet

CHAPTER 15

Sanomis was fortunate he was already kneeling, otherwise he knew he'd find it hard to stay on his feet. He felt deflated. He felt defeated. They found him, when he was so close to his destination. And just as he started to feel he made it. Where did it go wrong? Was this even his mistake? He was careful. How did they manage to find him?

"Vagyr?" Sanomis whispered "But how?"

"How what?" the lieutenant asked.

"How did you find me?" Sanomis asked.

"With a bit of luck." Vagyr answered "And with a little bit of help from my module. I managed to finish the upgrades even without you."

"I knew you would." Sanomis said.

"Sure you did." Vagyr muttered "What are we doing here, Sanomis?"

"Funny that, I was about to ask you the same." the geologist answered.

"We are here to find you. To help you." Vagyr said "And if needed, save you."

"You want to help me?" Sanomis asked "Does that mean I am free to leave?"

"Well no." Vagyr answered, "We are to escort you back to Shteint. You have to explain your actions."

"You could let me go. report back you haven't found me." Sanomis begged "Please let me go."

"What is the matter with you?" Vagyr found it hard even to recognize the geologist "Why are you like this? What is happening?"

"If you really don't know, then let me go." Sanomis retorted.

"Don't know what?" Vagyr asked.

Sanomis let out a loud sigh. He had to decide whether to trust the lieutenant or not.

"The real reason for our arrival here." Sanomis said a few seconds later.

If Vagyr was also involved in this filthy, criminal undertaking, this meant the end of the road. But if he was also kept in the dark, like many others, perhaps there was a chance he was willing to help him. Sanomis knew he had to risk it by exposing himself. He was out of moves either way. He might as well use this to try and find out if the lieutenant could be trusted.

"Please let me go." Sanomis repeated his plea.

"You know I can't do that." Vagyr said "I have my orders."

"Please." Sanomis said.

"Listen, I don't know what's this all about." Vagyr said honestly "But I promise you I'll help, once we make our way back to Shteint."

"That won't be necessary." cold, female voice, came from behind their backs.

It caught them all by surprise. But not as much as the fact, the voice belonged to the captain of Khoro, Avena Cinev. Her TEA was not active. She appeared on the surface of the planet not hiding her looks. But not because she was carless. It was to show she had no intentions of staying here long enough to be noticed. And she was standing out a lot, even more so because she was escorted by the two enormous battle vards.

"I'll take the scientist." Avena said, as she approached "You are relieved to return to your ship."

"I apologize, but we haven't received any such orders from our captain." Vagyr said.

"How could you?" Avena said "This is coming straight from the Admiral."

"I see." Vagyr said, as he glanced towards Sanomis.

The defeated look on the geologist's face told him he had lost every hope. But why was that? Something else was afoot beside the ordinary desertion. Sanomis escaped for reasons only known to the few. Perhaps Sanomis was protecting him by not revealing said reason. Said secret.

Vagyr thought to dare and ask. But even if he managed to gather the courage to do so, he was out of time. Avena and her entourage already placed four of the PTDs on the ground in front of them. Moments later they disappeared from the field in a blinding flash of the white light. Lieutenant let out a sad sigh, ordering his soldiers to prepare their discs. Not long after, they too left from this field. The field Roshnak Baanar passed through, some twenty minutes later, on his return back to the village of Vur-Paan.