The Tribes: Chapter 3

Sandoval watched as every being in the complex, human and Taelon alike ,paid reverence to Ka'el's walking stick as Moneo carried it past them to the containment/communication part of the room. To Sandoval this seemed a little much ado about nothing and he was surprised for a second that he did not feel the same reverence for the walking stick that the others in the room, including Marquette, obviously did.

Moneo stepped up a few stairs and placed the walking stick in an energy matrix, and then, like Excalibur it seemed to sing and shimmer in that light. Suddenly the holographic unit created a visual representation of the Earth. Rays of energy flashed across the globe as the unique energies of the walking stick provided a trail back to their owner, Ka'el. In front of both Moneo and Sandoval the global holograph spun around to display Africa in front of them.

"Of course", whispered Moneo to himself. "How could I be so blind?"

Marquette moved up behind Moneo, touching his arm in a comforting manner. Sandoval noticed the gesture immediately.

"Where is he?" asked Lili knowing full well the final resting point of the co-ordinating rays of light.

"Mount Kilimanjaro Captain Marquette." Arrogantly interjected Sandoval.

Sandoval watched Moneo, wondering what kind of being this Ka'el must be to have garnered such loyalty from so many, especially a CVI without the behaviour imperative to place Taelon interests above ones own best interest. Sandoval himself had often wondered what he would do if he did not have to think first of the Taelons in all things. How would he advance his own agenda? But such thoughts were futile and fleeting. Once again Sandoval refocused himself on the continued search for the fugitive Ka'el.

"How was the walking stick able to lead you to Ka'el?" asked Sandoval.

"Taelons shed energy the way humans shed skin cells. And with all the contact Ka'el has had with this particular walking stick it was a good assumption that he would leave enough of himself on it for us to trace his current location if he was still alive on Earth." Answered Moneo.

"Then it is fortunate that you found it intact isn't it?" interjected Sandoval. There was an accusatory tone in his voice.

"I have never been one for word games Mr. Sandoval, though I have heard of your fondness for them. I prefer direct questions. They are more honest, don't you think?" Marquette moved directly to the right of Moneo. A gesture Sandoval interpreted to mean that she would support Moneo in any confrontation.

"All right Agent Moneo. It seems strange the way such an important artefact would be left behind in a destroyed Taelon lab? A lab where nearly everything of value was taken to give the impression that this was a Resistance raid. But they forgot to take all the right technology and the most important trophy of all. Such a prize as this walking stick would motivate the Resistance for years to come. It would never have been left behind in such an open place where any Resistance soldier stealing equipment would surely have noticed it. Fortunate it was left right where you could see it, isn't it?" He then turned away leaving Moneo to ponder his words.

Before Moneo answered, Sandoval continued. "From my experience I know that the Resistance would have taken all workable technology with them, human and Taelon. They are scavengers who exploit any piece of equipment they can steal. But of course you would know this if your faulty intelligence hadn't let you down."

Sandoval then turned to a nearby Taelon scientist. "May I see the Borneo footage again?" The Taelon looked to Moneo for authorisation. At first Moneo hesitated, a gesture not lost on both Marquette and Sandoval. It was like his CVI was working overtime to preserve some semblance of an explanation that Sandoval would believe. Then he nodded his head to the Taelon at the monitor station and suddenly the footage reappeared on the main viewer. Sandoval moved closer with a purpose. He knew what he was looking for. All in the room watched the grainy footage, unsure what they were supposed to notice.

"Stop!" Commanded Sandoval, "Look there!" He walked up to the screen and pointed to Ka'el. "He has the walking stick in his hand." He then gestured to the Taelon at the monitor station to continue running the footage.

"Now in the next instant he teleports away." Sandoval hardly waited for a second to pass before he turned around and confronted Moneo with an icy stare. Then as calmly as a still pond, he pulled his pocket watch from his jacket and brought it up to his ear. "How did the walking stick get in the damaged complex if the complex blew up AFTER Ka'el left WITH his walking stick?" Sandoval then snapped his watch case shut and walked past Moneo, barely acknowledging his presence.

"And for a resistance operation they sloppily left the basement part of the Borneo lab intact?"

Moneo said nothing and looked to Marquette who had that same look of confusion.

"You have a very shoddy operation here Agent Moneo. Since you don't like word games let me put this clearly for you. Tell me exactly what is going on and I suggest you start at the beginning."

But before Moneo can even say a word there suddenly came an explosion that destroyed the far wall of the complex. All three of the CVI's reacted instantly and took a defensive posture to defend against the attackers streaming through the hole in the wall. Dressed in fatigues they appeared to be the same unit that destroyed the Borneo lab. Sandoval concentrated heavily on the faces of the resistance soldiers, storing them in his memory. As the smoke cleared Sandoval could see the bodies of Taelon and human scientists strewn throughout the room. None of them were moving. Several of the Taelons were leaking energy as they were near death. But Sandoval didn't move closer to any of them. Instead he called out orders to both Moneo and Marquette who had moved between the banks of machinery.

"Fire into the crowd all at once. Seal the hole with their bodies to stop their progress. That will give us the time to escape. Activate the escape portal now!" ordered Sandoval.

All three of them fired several blasts into the crowd of soldiers from the skrills on their forearms. The resistance soldiers fell from the concussion of the energy that was hitting them. For the moment they were stopped from entering the complex.

"What about the injured? We have to get the injured out of here". Marquette was screaming at Sandoval as human and Taelon scientists behind them escaped through the portals.

"There is no time. We have to evacuate all we can now. Before they cut the power to the transportals." Replied Sandoval. He could hear the cries of the wounded all around him.

"Well you can't control my actions" With those Lili rushed towards the other end of the complex firing her hand gun at the soldiers using the bodies of their fallen comrades for cover. Moneo was right behind her but he fired above them, causing the unstable roof to fall onto the rest of the soldiers, silencing their attack but not before a stray shot caught Lili in the shoulder, dropping her quickly to the ground. She let out a cry of pain that startled Sandoval into action. But Moneo was to her quicker. Immediately he placed his hand over the exit wound that was leaking blood all over his hand. Lili winced in pain.

"We need a med kit. We can't transport her in this condition." Sandoval looked around and was soon thrown a small metal case by one of the few human guards that had stayed behind. Around all of them injured Taelons lay dying. For the moment they were ignored by both Sandoval and Moneo.

Sandoval threw the med kit to Moneo who quickly opened it, removing a gun like device of obvious Taelon design. He pushed the trigger and a fine mist covered Marquette's wound almost immediately. She winced in extreme pain as the mist caused her skin to re-knit itself before Moneo's eyes. As she relaxed - Moneo pulled the shell from behind her back and held it up for Sandoval to see.

"She should be fine now. After some rest of course. Take her through the portal now!"

The few remaining human soldiers picked up Marquette and they moved through the portal together. Soon only Sandoval and Moneo remained. The silence of the complex was deafening.

"We need to leave also. Return with a larger force. Secure the complex and retrieve all the data stored here. Its is too valuable." Yelled Sandoval as he turned towards the escape portals.

"No we must stay to prevent the resistance from regrouping and attacking the complex again!" Replied Moneo.

"Funny how I haven't heard the sound of gunfire for a few minutes now. Do you think we got them all?" Asked Sandoval. His tone was almost jovial but clearly was mocking the whole situation. "Tell you what, why don't you restart the battle. I will bet you we win again."

Moneo stood up from the safety of his position behind a packing crate. He looked directly at Sandoval but said nothing.

"But first tell me why you had the complex destroyed in the first place." accused Sandoval.

"I don't know what you are talking about?" said Moneo as he turned away from Sandoval.

"Please Agent Moneo. Now who is playing games. Shall I try to leave now? I am interested in how you will delay me this time. Why have you brought ME here?"

"But I..."

The silence in the room continued for what seemed like an eternity. Sandoval braced himself for action.

Suddenly Moneo began to morph in front of him as did the room around Sandoval. Injured humans and Taelons along with the advanced technology all disappeared as their images melded and mixed into one another. Soon all that was left was Sandoval and a rather impressive looking Taelon that stood nearly three times as tall as a regular Taelon. It was also fiercer looking and more muscular. It hovered about a meter above the ground which gave it an even more impressive air. Across the standard Taelon bodysuit it wore a colourful cloth of the finest woven silk. In it’s right hand it held an ornate walking stick. The creature started to circle around Sandoval and continued to hover. Sandoval thought he could hear music. The Taelon glowed and crackled with energy. As difficult as it was to take his eyes off the alien, Sandoval took a brief instant to scan the territory around him. Instead of standing in an underground complex he now could feel the cold whip of a mountain wind. The cliffs of Mount Kilamanjaro were clear. For the first time in his life he felt helpless and vulnerable. He turned to the swirl of energy in front of him. In a voice that was more song than speech, the creature finally spoke. Its words were not from any Earth language and Sandoval's CVI struggled with some kind of translation. When it finished speaking the Super Taelon spread its hands straight out to the side, landed and touched rock. The energy twisting around Sandoval dissipated to create a group of exactly 21 Taelons and one Human male who encircled Sandoval. From the crowd of Companions a lone figure stepped forward to distinguish himself from the others. By the strong tone of his voice and the regal way he carried himself, it could only be one Taelon.

"Bravo Mr. Sandoval. I am Ka'el and I have been waiting for this meeting a long time."