The Token by Kevin Bird (the little red hen ebook .TXT) 📖

and then take you to a ship that will ferry you to wherever it is you have planned to start your retirement.” He turned back to the displays in front of him and all he heard in reply were heavy sighs of relief.


Thirty Four

Some of us had stopped sending images and thoughts; they would not be rejoining the group after this hunt. Sadness suffused all our minds and anger flowed strongly amongst us. Alone on a new world with no elders to guide us, we were frightened. Mistakes made now might become permanent and lead to the end for our kind. That could not be allowed to happen. The only thing we could rely on was our instinct.
When these two-legs had shown so much resistance, even killing as they were themselves were being killed, we were all surprised. Since the cave was so close, all of us had returned to it on a mutual signal to regroup there. Through the cave mouth and from the darkness inside we could see a small group of two-legs. The figures stood defiantly in the open where it would be difficult for us to ambush them. We needed some kind of opportunity to rid ourselves of this nuisance and begin our new lives on the planet we had so recently been born.

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“I don’t like standing here in the open,” one of the men complained to Kell, “Can’t we take shelter somewhere?”
“I must admit I feel the same way but I don’t know if I trust our wooden structures to keep those things out.” Kell was looking around to see what their next move should be. His eyes fell on the Cargo 1. The others followed his gaze and some of them smiled as they read his mind.
“Once we get inside there they’ll not be able to follow us when we close up the doors. I say let’s forget about guarding the blues and greens and let’s take care of ourselves till tomorrow.” Everyone nodded in agreement and as one, they moved slowly and cautiously towards the large open cargo bay door in the side of the massive ship.
As soon as the last pirate had walked up the ramp Kell hit the button that closed the door behind them. They all breathed a communal sigh of relief now they were safe inside the metal shell, shielded from the evil black things. As Kell searched for a way to activate the lights the others slipped to the floor in exhaustion, their weapons across their laps. Safe as they now felt, they were pirates and as such their lives revolved around action and violence, so they were not ready to lay the weapons aside till they could completely guarantee the danger was long gone.
Kell found the switch for the lights but before his finger could connect he was thrust against the wall and the wind was knocked out of his lungs. At first he thought one of the men had pushed him for some reason but then he felt the weight on his back. As his mind recognized that he was about to die, and he could do nothing about it. The creature’s proboscis plunged into his neck killing him instantly and silently. The other pirates heard nothing.
“Come on, Kell, sort them lights out; it’s eerie in here,” the high frightened female voice came out of the darkness falling on dead ears. As the last drops of blood ran from Kell’s neck, his comrades saw shapes in the murkiness inside the vessel.
“Kell, is that you?” the voice was nervous. Clearly it wasn’t Kell as the shapes weren’t human sized and they weren’t moving.
Without a sound all the shapes leapt from the decking at the same instant and drove into the men and women who struggled to get to their feet and bring their weapons up to fire. One of the remaining pirates panicked and hit the button to open the door to the outside of the ship. As he turned his back to run he was crushed under the leaping shapes of two of the creatures. The other pirates next to him tried to shoot at them but only succeeded in creating a cross-fire killing two of their own number.
The rest ran in terror through the open door. They each took no more than three steps before being brought down under a mass of black, writhing shapes. The last human on the pirate world died instantly as his spinal chord was severed.


Thirty Five

In the Teldar system a small, fast ship shifted out of sight with a flash of light. From the nearby planet several sets of eyes looked upward until the light had faded leaving behind the normal starscape.
Bella, her arm around the waist of her husband, reached for the outstretched hand of her daughter and they all slowly retraced their steps back into their home. They had just said their thank-yous and good-byes to Clayton as he was ferried off to meet the ship that would take him to his new life. As far as Bella was concerned, Clayton had easily earned whatever it was Marshall was paying him for his services. Without his help her husband and possibly her daughter would have been taken from her. Another mother was also praising Clayton, and also Jacob, for helping her son, Sean, to be returned safely to his home. Life seemed to be returning to normal but Bella was still worried.
“Jacob, what happens now?” her voice betrayed her concern.
“What do you mean?” Jacob stopped walking and he turned his head to look directly into her face. He could see she had something important on her mind. Bettine, too, knew her mother well enough to tell she was upset and she felt as mystified as Jacob.
“Well,” she continued, “what do we do when the Collectors show up? I’m afraid it will only be a few days before they come for you.” Her pretty face screwed up and she began to softly cry.
Taking her face between his two large hands he gently smoothed her cheeks and wiped the tears away, “Oh, Bella, please don’t cry. Everything will be OK, and you don’t need to worry about anything. The Collectors won’t be coming for me or the rest of our missing Token.”
At this, both she and Bettine stared up at him. Jacob led them inside and they all sat at the kitchen table. “Let me explain. I had the same concern, but Clayton made it clear to me that we won’t have any more repercussions from what’s been going on.”
“How come, dad? When they find out who you are they’ll come and get you.” Bettine still looked on the verge of crying but she wanted to believe her dad.
“The Collector vessel that took me away had all the records about who I really am and also the fact that we hadn’t met the Token. When they were led astray by Clayton they tried to contact the Suppliers for help. But Clayton had also masked their communications ability. So, not only were they not able to get the help they needed, they couldn’t transfer any of their records either; everything was lost when the pirates took the ship. We don't know where they took it; but even if the Collectors found it they wouldn’t be able to access the data without the codes Clayton has in his head, and I don’t think he’ll be telling anyone.” He put his hand on top of Bella’s as it lay on the table and for emphasis gently squeezed it.
“As far as the Suppliers and the Collectors are aware, we paid our Token in full and it was taken by the pirates when they stole the cargo ship. They won’t be coming back till Token time again and, with some luck and hard work, we’ll have caught up with our losses and we’ll be ready for them.”
“Oh, that’s marvelous….,” Bella never finished her sentence. Jacob pulled her into his arms and, ignoring his young daughter standing by their side, kissed his wife deeply.
Bettine ran around the table and hugged her parents in a monstrous embrace laughing aloud with relief and happiness.


Epilogue

As the dusk grew into darkness and the stars peered from the heavens, shadows began to move. From the mouth of the cave we tested the air with sensitive noses and scanned the darkness before us to search for possible dangers. When all seemed clear, a few of our shadowy figures took tentative forward movements onto the packed dirt at the foot of the ramp from the ship. Images flooded from mind to mind: night sky with bright stars, silence, hunger, and most of all freedom. Freedom! Hard won, but ours to enjoy now.
As one we leapt forth on our quest. Stopping in a starlit clearing we congregated. Brushing against one another, the mutual tribal commitment was re-enforced. All of us were young and new to this life; new to this world. Without elders to raise us and teach us the ways to survive, we knew we would find times hard. But our race was used to hardship, and we’d fought hard and long to win our present freedom. We wouldn’t readily give it up, as the so recently deceased two-legs had discovered. This world was now ours to rule; those who would kill us were finally gone.
Our group moved cautiously toward the pen and the muffled noises and smells from within were easily picked up by the all of us. Inexperienced and new to survival we may have been, but we had the advantage that our next meals would be easily found and captured. Those still alive would feed them for many days. In time there would be none left and we would have to move on in search of other prey animals, but we had no doubt that the search would be successful. Other animals, maybe not as big as the ones we would eat tonight, had been sensed and they would suffice. Similar to our parent’s original prey animals, the new food source was to be found in large numbers in the low mountains nearby. Over time, lessons would be learned through trial and error, so techniques for successfully hunting the mountain creatures could help this new family to grow.
In our minds were stored the memories of our family’s history and they would not be forgotten. The history of pride would be born again in these few pioneers, and from this planet would spring forth a new common memory. Once again our name would be seen in all our minds.

End
Imprint

Publication Date: 10-16-2009

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