HIDDEN

Daooth Pasad stepped in front of the retina scanner located near the exit of the lab facility. He was an assistant to one of the head scientists located within General Grod’s compound and there were very important goings on of late. He had proven himself to be trustworthy to the Horva while they were fighting the oppression and rule of the Vorn military, giving Daooth the privilege of leaving the compound at will despite being Vorn.

The scanner cleared him for exit. The computer-controlled door opened, allowing him to pass through to the outside. While some of the Vorn scientists had been captured and put to work under the General, others had come voluntarily—hoping to find safety and protection, as they allied themselves with the Horva commander. Among them was Daooth, and he was well-favored in his occupation at the compound and his liberty was a result of that favor.

The tall, slender-framed Vorn clansman made his way to his transport carrying supplies from the compound. He loaded them into the storage compartment then climbed into the cockpit and closed the canopy. Daooth brought the engines online.

The compound had not been built to house civilians, so many of the Vorn loyal to Grod and his campaign were allowed to live in a nearby area that was close enough to the base to enjoy the protection of the Horva. Recently, the Vorn military had become preoccupied with defending their interests on many fronts. The Vorn were in need of reinforcements for the twin Castai across the rift and there were terrible losses because of the Barudii Sphere. Many deaths had also been sustained at the hands of General Grod and his Horva army. The Vorn military was very near collapse, and it seemed nothing would be able to prevent it.

The transport flew away from the building perimeter and passed through a security portal in the shield, heading for the wasteland. The settlement given to the civilians was far from luxurious, but its location underground provided a better weather environment and added protection.

After several miles, the transport came to a large protrusion of rock in the desert that lay to the west of the compound. A metal door opened in the rock—the entrance to Daooth’s residence.

Daooth brought the vehicle inside and shut down the engine. He retracted the cockpit canopy, gathered his supplies then went into his home. He made his way to a closet inside along the main corridor and triggered a switch inside. The back wall released and moved aside.

Daooth proceeded through the portal, leading into a large cavern beyond. The closet wall waited a moment and then smoothly slid itself back into place. He hurried down the cavern to a place where another smaller tunnel intersected with it. Daooth took the passage and came to a room. Inside this room were three men. They were eating when he came into the entrance of the hollowed out chamber.

☼

Tiet spotted the tall Vorn man first as he appeared in the entrance to the chamber where Wynn had served them their meal. Tiet instinctively launched out of his seat with his blade in his hand.

Daooth deftly dodged the first strike and parried with a strong fist blow to Tiet’s side. Tiet recovered quickly, ready to deal a death blow to the man. Suddenly, Wynn was next to him, disarming him with ease. Tiet was astonished and angry. Had he and Orin been led into a trap by a traitor?

“Stop it!” Wynn demanded. “Daooth is a friend. He is a civilian I have known for many years. He saved my life shortly after I came to the planet, when I was captured by Grod and his Horva.”

Tiet and Orin stood down and listened to what Wynn had to say.

“Forgive my startling of you,” Daooth said in a broken Castillian dialect.

“I told you things are not what they appear here,” Wynn said. “There are those among the Vorn who would gladly live at peace with us, but the military has control over them—just as they do on our home world. Daooth is one of many who want that control to end. General Grod is the leader of the Horva armies you saw at Vaseer and at their main compound at Nagon-toth. Grod and his clones are of a breed which was discontinued due to the threat they began to pose to Vorn control.

“They were engineered to be stronger, but it became obvious to the military—as well as to Grod—that these Horva were capable of rising up against their Vorn masters. Grod quickly took the opportunity to lead them in revolt and that rebellion has been building in strength steadily since before I arrived on the planet.

“Grod had been capturing important cloning scientists from the Vorn cities while on raids. He began to conquer entire cities as his power increased. Not long after I arrived, I was captured by the General. He took samplings of my DNA to use in a new experimental process by which he could regenerate his clone body and splice my Barudii DNA with his own in the hopes of gaining our kinetic abilities.

“Daooth helped me to escape and caused an accident which destroyed the genetic material Grod was going to use. He has hidden me here all these years since. It is my hope to somehow free his people from the control of the military and Grod.”

“Why haven’t the civilians risen up for their freedom against the Vorn,” Orin asked?

“My people have not fighting skill to face these armies, and they are not the only threat,” Daooth said. “Baruk clan is also our enemy and are more fierce than Vorn military or Grod. Now they control Vorn military from distance. Vorn do what they want, further Baruk interests, they leave them alone. But now Vorn nearing defeat by Grod’s forces and Baruk are sure to come.”

“Yes, and Grod knows that as well,” Wynn said. “That’s why he’s so desperate to complete his DNA experiment so he can power up his clones with the Way.”

“But you said that Daooth destroyed the sample of your DNA that Grod needed to do the experiment,” Tiet said.

“Yes, but now he has yours,” Daooth replied.

Tiet was taken aback. He had no idea what had occurred before he awoke within the confinement field inside Grod’s compound.

“Then we have to infiltrate Grod’s compound and destroy the samples,” Orin said.

“It not so simple anymore,” said Daooth. “Grod already moved out with scientist for project and samples. He going to Baeth Periege.”

“Baeth Periege is the main city used by the Vorn military and it houses their most advanced cloning facility,” Wynn said. “Grod needs to have control of this facility in order to perform the regeneration of his army. He will have to defeat the Vorn there. And if he does, he will have taken away the main power base and last refuge of the Vorn military.”

“What can we do?” Tiet asked. “If he takes that city and the cloning facility, how can we hope to stop him and a whole army of clones with our power?”

“There’s the problem, my friends,” Wynn said stroking his beard. “We are up against formidable odds, two armies and time itself. If we fail to stop Grod, which must be our first concern, then I fear only the Baruk themselves will be able to stop him.”

“If only our clans could have made peace,” Daooth said. “Men should act as brothers—not this killing of other races. Skin color is only difference between you and me.” Daooth pointed at Tiet. “My blood is red like yours, my heart beats same as yours. Even Grod, a clone of my dark-skinned people—fierce, strong, but he wants freedom just like us.”

“My friends, I realize that I have involved you in a seemingly suicidal goal,” Wynn said. “It may seem overwhelming, and I cannot ask you to endanger yourselves for this cause.”

“We’re already involved,” Tiet said. “That’s my DNA he’s using.” Tiet looked at Daooth. “I guess, I never though about your clan’s side of things. You’re right, Daooth, we need peace between the clans, but how?”

Orin nodded his agreement. “It’s easier said than done. This war has been raging back and forth for decades. We had better stay focused on what we can handle now.”

“We have a transport and some explosive charges that we could use to destroy the equipment Grod needs to conduct the regeneration,” Wynn said. “It’s just about the only way we can prevent Grod from coming into power.”

“I’ve been thinking things out, Wynn,” said Daooth, “I think I have way to destroy facility. We try to infiltrate city in transport then we having to fight our way through Grod’s army and Vorn military guarding city. In these caverns is link to old magnetic rail system. System used to connect Baeth Periege with military compound at Nagon-toth, before Grod captured it.

“Vorn military have detonated charges to bring tunnel roof down and cut off route into city. System still has power, but Grod not want to take time to clear all debris. It remain unused. System runs right into cloning facility. It used to send troops from main cloning facility to compound.”

“How fast is the rail system?” Wynn asked. “Baeth Periege is nearly one thousand miles away.”

“Be a frictionless magnetically suspended rail car system. It will travel approximately six hundred miles per hour,” said Daooth.

“That’s pretty fast. It wouldn’t take us long to get there at all,” said Tiet.

“Yes, but Grod already has the jump on us,” Orin said. “And where is the break in the system?”

“Break occurs approximately one hundred and fifty miles from city perimeter,” said Daooth. “Only problem, how to clear debris and pass through in time to stop Grod. Defenses of Baeth Periege will not hold him long. He has massive clone army, and Vorn military already very weak.”

“I think, with the Way, we might be able to clear the debris, but we will need time to work,” Wynn said.

“My people long for freedom,” Daooth said.

All of the men shared the sentiment. They gathered the explosive charges necessary and followed Daooth through the various side passages in order to access the magnetic rail system.