"The hideous creature we look for is a threat to us all, and I know it is here. I don't know why you harbor it. It will only kill you all," Marsung yelled looking down at Go'mesh. With a lunge of his hand, Marsung tore out Go'mesh's heart and squeezed it, blood poured from both the open wound and the handheld heart. "One way or another." Marsung threw the heart to the ground and signaled for his troops to follow him as he walked away. Go'mesh's wife immediately ran to her husband's side and cried.
"NO!"
Janti looked toward Nalia's hut and met the gaze of Lataro. A look of contempt formed on his face as Lataro ducked back into the hut. "I am sorry."
"It is not me you need to apologize to," Nalia said, turning away.
Commander Lataro sat at the table where Nalia had prepared him a small bowl of fruit indigenous to the area. He played with something that looked like a cherry mulling over the occurrences of the morning. Marsung had, in cold blood, murdered a man because of him and Lataro couldn't stand it. It angered him to see this, a peaceful, solemn people held captive by such a ruthless warlord.
"Please, Janti, no!" Nalia yelled being dragged by Janti who entered the dwelling. He was armed with what looked like a pitch fork; its prongs were serrated. It was a type of farming tool, but presently it was something that could mean Lataro's demise.
"He must be turned in!" Janti said approaching Lataro. He looked at Lataro with resentment and anger as he poised the pitchfork at Lataro. "You, my unwelcome friend, are coming with me. The overlord may be grateful that I turned you in and have mercy on my village."
"Janti, Sir. Please put the pitchfork down. Whether or not you turn me in, you will be at the mercy of Marsung," Lataro said confidently putting a piece of fruit in his mouth.
"Get up!" Janti yelled. A small crowd of villagers, men and women gathered at the entrance to Nalia dwelling, but that didn't concern Janti. All he wanted was Lataro to come with him, even if he had to kill him. Bloodlust was in his eyes. Lataro had no wish to harm him, but the pitchfork was thrust even closer to his face.
"Janti. Please. Put the pitchfork down," he said, getting up and placing the parchment he used as a napkin on top of the earthen bowl. Lataro walked up against the pitchfork, its sharp edges now pressing at his chest. "Janti, I have no intention of letting you bring me to the overlord, but I will not fight you. You will just have to kill me."
"I will not have another's death on my hands."
"If you kill me then you will. You will have my blood on your hands."
"Then so be it!" The rage welled up inside of Janti now manifested itself in his actions. He pulled the pitchfork back and lunged it forward with all intention of piercing Lataro's torso.
"No!" Nalia yelled as the pitchfork met lunged forward, but it made contact to nothing but air as Lataro sidestepped it and deflected it with his hand. As Janti was fully extended, Lataro yelled aloud with his leg extended high above his head. The crowd watched in amazement and Janti saw the backside of Lataro's leg, as it came down quickly and smoothly in a perfect ax kick that broke the pitchfork in half. The fork end was now in Lataro's hand, and Janti was disarmed. He was on his knees, sobbing as the Lataro turned to him. There was a loud "klank" as the pitchfork was hurled to the far side of the room.
"Get up, Janti," Lataro said, softly offering his hand to help. Janti grabbed his hand and stood up. "I could have killed you if I wanted to, but I have no wish to do so. You have taken me in and helped me. Now I must do the same for you."
Nalia looked out into the crowd, who were still in awe at the spectacular feat they just saw. Nalia waved her hands. "Go on now. The show is over." The crowd slowly dispersed whispering and talking to amongst themselves.
"Now what was all that about, Janti? Why the sudden hatred?" Lataro asked.
"That...that man who the overlord executed," Janti began to say, "was my brother."
Lataro got up and walked a few paces away then turned around."I am very sorry."Janti nodded his head as he grabbed a cup from Nalia who had ran to the well and retrieved some water."Janti. Tell me about the overlords. Who are they?"
"Jonathan. They are race of people who came to our planet many moons ago," Nalia said sitting next to Janti with her arm around him. "Our forefathers settled this world many many years ago. We survived here by hunting and living of the swamps. But it came at a price, the swamps killed over three-fourths of our population, so when the overlords came, we welcomed them with open arms and thought them as gods, for when the came, they gave us promises of prosperity and freedom in return for us to provide them with a portion of what they gave us. They showed us how to cultivate the land and transform the swamps and dangerous lands into fertile ground yielding food. For years we harvested the crops and gave the overlords a portion. But over time they started demanding more and more until now we barely have enough to survive. The swamps have become more treacherous and dangerous for any of us to enter. The y'lberer..."
"The y'lberer?"
"Yes," Janti said looking up at Lataro. "They are small creatures about a meter long that spray venom up to 10 meters. The venom is so toxic that it will kill a man instantly."
"I think I have seen them in action. It took out one of Marsung's men instantly."
"Well, the y'iberer are not indigenous to this world. We think that they came with the overlords. They flourish in the swamps, but outside of it, where it is dry, they cannot survive."
"So that is why you are so far inland. Away from the swamp and away from the y'Iberer."
"Yes. We have the knowledge to live off the swamp, but we can't get there. So we have learned to farm and cultivate the land. The overlords take what they want to include conscripts for the army, and well..."
"Women like yourself," Lataro interjected.
"Yes. I have been lucky to be favored by Marsung...I mean the overlord."
"Nalia. Please fetch me some more water. I need to have a word with the commander," Janti said with a smile.
"Of course, Elder." Nalia left the dwelling.
"Commander, please sit down."
Lataro sat down at his seat at the table.
"You are man with great many talents. You survived out there in the swamp and survived my attack."
Lataro smiled. "It is just my time in Starfleet."
"Starfleet? Well, that is of no consequence," Janti said looking at Lataro square in the eyes. A smile formed on his face. "Commander, we have about 50 men in this village who are strong and able to fight. Will you, can you train us to resist the overlords and regain our freedom?"
That caught Lataro off guard. The "Prime Directive" suddenly popped in his mind which was telling him no. He couldn't in good conscience interfere with the lives of the Trelanians. But his morality was saying yes, they are humanoids who deserve to live the way they want and not under these overlords. Lataro thought about it. "Listen, Janti. I can't decide now. Will you let me think about it?"
"Of course, Commander. But please don't take too long. I don't want to see another death unless it is of the overlords."
"I understand," Janti said as he got up. "You may stay as long as you need, but please..."
"I know. You will have my answer when the suns are at their peak."
"Thank you." He left Nalia's hut.
In the Flier, K'lara, M'Terrn, and Garek searched systematically the planet's surface. From the crash site to the complex, they hadn't seen any sign of Commander Lataro. From the moment K'Lara took the helm, she frantically scanned every millimeter, scouring the surface for anything.
How can Jon just disappear? K'Lara thought continuously adjusting for thermal readings. The heated methane gas produced a very potent defense from hostile ships, but that bogey seemed to have had no problem to it.
"Commander, I am detecting a faint sensor contact bearing 360 mark 9 and 359 mark 9," Garek said, pushing some buttons in hopes to identify them.
"What is it?" K'Lara asked.
"They could be more enemy ships."
"Can they detect us?" M'Terrn asked.
"They shouldn't. The cloaking device is on isn't it?" K'Lara asked.
"Yes, Ma'am," Garek said confidently.
"Run a level one diagnostic, but just in case arm quantum torpedoes."
"Yes, Ma'am."
"Until then, I am going to take us lower and change course slightly. M'Terrn see if they follow." M'Terrn adjusted the sensor range and noticed that the ship was heading for the last known contact of their predecessor. He immediately reported that to K'Lara. "And where are in relation to that?"
"2000 meters."
"Okay monitor their whereabouts."
Garek happily reported, "Cloak is operating at peak efficiency!"
"Good. Monitor their communications. I don't want any surprises."
"Yes, Ma'am!"
Jon! I sure can use some help here! K'Lara thought as she looked down upon the surface.
"...the object is to catch them off guard," Lataro instructed a rag tag group of villagers in the courtyard. Lataro didn't have to think too hard about what he was to do. He decided to help the villagers regain their independence, their freedom. No person really lives unless they live free. Lataro realized that all this was a slave labor camp, and the overlords, as fitting as the name suggested, were nothing more than modern slave masters. The Trelanians were a relative peace loving race and friendly, but the overlords changed all that.
They are now are trusting of no one, and, until a small display of his skill, were definitely not trusting of Lataro.
He had started off his "class" with a small group of men attacking him. He fended all them off and even disarmed and subdued most. Lataro was very confident as the day progressed that the Trelanians absorbed his teachings. What took Lataro years to learn, took them only a matter of hours. They were wanting to learn and wanting more, and Lataro was tired, but he understood the importance of the training and their eternal vigilance. He continued to train.
"Okay. The last thing for today is the parry of weapons' blast. Unfortunately, you have a 60/40 chance to do so, but that is still a 40% chance of dodging a blast thsn just standing there and getting shot. L'Kar, here, take my phaser and stand over there. On my mark, I want you to fire the phaser whenever you are ready." L'Kar was a boy about 18 who was getting all of the training faster than any one else. In about an hour, he had learned kicks, dodges, various forms from Tang-soo-do, Tae-kwan-do, and Aikido, all of which took years for Lataro to learn, but he, as well as others, had mastered them and wanted more. Lataro knew no more and couldn't teach them any more.
L'Kar stood about 20 meters away and waited. "Okay. The secret to this dangerous art is to know where he is trying to shoot you. By mentally drawing a line from the phaser to you will give you a very good idea as to where. L'Kar, you are pointing the phaser at my chest."
"Yes, Commander."
"Okay, point somewhere else." Lataro looked at L'Kar and noticed he was pointing down and to the right. "You are now pointing at my left leg."
"Yes, Sir."
"Okay, L'Kar. I want you to aim and shoot when ever you are ready." L'Kar drew an imaginary circle with the phaser and fired it. The phaser blast headed in nanoseconds to Lataro's head which he ducked, missing it barely. "Again!" L'Kar shot again this time aiming at his leg, which Lataro lifted out of harm's way. "Again!" The phaser blast was now heading for Lataro's chest. Lataro bent away from the blast and grunted as the phaser blast hit him in the left arm leaving a burn. The class gasped, and Nalia came running to him. "Now you see,"
Lataro said through clenched teeth. "60/40. But did you see that it was aimed at my chest? If it would have hit me, I would be dead now, but I am not. I have serious pain but am still talking, breathing, and instructing. Okay, L'Kar. Let me have the phaser. I am okay, Nalia. Thank you. The pain is beginning to subside."
"My turn," L'Kar said, handing Lataro the phaser. He ran back to where he stood and shouted, "Whenever you are ready, Commander."
"You sure you are ready?"
"Yes."
"Okay." Lataro aimed the phaser and fired. L'Kar dodged it.
"Again!" Lataro fired again and again it was dodged.
"Again! Fire randomly, Commander!"
"Okay," Lataro said in disbelief. He fired four consecutive blasts, and all were dodged. "I don't believe it!"
"My turn," other members of the class said. One by one they came up and tried it and with over 100 shots, no one was hit or injured in any way, except for one who when he dodged slipped and fell and hurt his elbow.
I don't believe this. "That is all for today."
Lataro walked into Nalia's dwelling where she had quickly prepared some vegetables. They sat down and ate. "I can't believe how fast they picked up everything," Lataro said still in disbelief.
"My people," Nalia said, "have great retention capabilities. We process information quicker and can retain it all in no time. Our reflexes are also advanced as compared to other species."
"Then why was I able to take Janti and the first group of men so easily."
"Janti is old and his reflexes are slower, much more than most. As far as the first group and your demonstration, they were not ready nor did they know what to expect."
"I see. So I take it that if your people ever had a war, you would want to learn more about your enemies by spying on them."
Nalia smiled. "Yes."
"Well, believe it or not, they are ready!"
"I do believe it. Actually, I wouldn't have believed them not to be!" Nalia said smiling again as she bit into a long, crunchy root resembling a celery stalk.