them? Jake pushed the thoughts from his mind as something to worry about later and enjoyed the moment with his dad.
05
Evaran spent the next thirteen weeks studying Earth culture and surveying the planet. The Torvatta was stealthed and hovering over a small village in southern Australia that he had been observing. He rubbed his chin as he examined the front right screen. Tapping at his right front console caused the screen to cycle through various data segments.
U4 turned around from the front console. “Analysis. Multiple energy signatures confirmed.”
Evaran studied the screen. “Interesting. This village has several Daedrould strains, along with others I am unfamiliar with. They are not Daedrould, though. Might be Outsiders.”
“Query. Why are there so many on this planet?”
Evaran half smiled. “I do not know, but this planet is potentially what I have been looking for.”
“Statement. You asked me last week to remind you again about visiting Jake and Kathy. It is now Saturday, September 18, nine days past three months.”
“I did. An extra week should not be a problem. Take us to Robert’s apartment.”
“Affirmative.”
The Torvatta ascended and, after an hour, arrived behind the same run-down apartment in east Denver it had landed at before.
Evaran stood and checked his belt and then walked toward the Torvatta entrance.
“Query. Will you require assistance?”
Evaran paused and faced U4. “I should be okay.”
“Affirmative.”
After twenty minutes, Evaran stood in front of Robert’s apartment building. He pressed the button corresponding to apartment 5G on the console to the right of the door. Silence. He pressed again. Silence. After verifying no one was around, he placed his UIC on the button console. A few taps at his ARI and the door opened. He grabbed his UIC and entered. After a few minutes, he arrived outside Robert’s apartment. There was no response when he knocked on the door. He paused, then knocked again to no avail.
A middle-aged, dark-skinned woman opened her apartment door next to Robert’s and poked her head out. “You a friend of Robert’s?”
Evaran tilted his head. “I am. It appears they are out.”
The woman smirked. “Yeah, they out all right.”
“Do you know where they went?”
“No, but it wasn’t by choice.”
Evaran placed his hands behind his back and clasped them. “How do you know this, and why are you telling me?”
“You’re white,” said the woman. “Ain’t no white people come here willingly, unless you’re stubborn like Robert. And you’re wearing a suit. Ain’t nobody wearing that around here unless they pimping, and you don’t look like a pimp.”
Evaran narrowed his eyes. “I see. Do you know when this occurred?”
“Yeah. Wednesday morning, around one. Woke me up and scared the crap outta me.”
“Did you call law enforcement?”
“The police? Down here at one in the morning?” said the woman, laughing. “They don’t come around here.”
“I see. I understand if you did not want to get involved. It could have been dangerous.”
“Try deadly. You gonna find ’em?”
Evaran nodded. “I am and will.”
The woman smiled and bobbed her head. “I hope you do. Robert was a good man, and Jake’s a good kid too. Had ’em over for dinner a few times.”
“Thank you. You have been helpful,” said Evaran, bowing his head.
“Mm-hmm,” said the woman.
Evaran wheeled around and exited the building, and after twenty minutes, he was back at the Torvatta, sitting in his command chair. “U4, take us back to Wednesday, around twelve thirty in the morning.”
“Query. Was there an error?”
Evaran shook his head. “Yes. It would appear they were abducted. I want to verify that and, assuming it is true, follow whoever did this when it occurred.”
“Analysis. If we had visited a week earlier and then dealt with Greecho, this situation would not have occurred.”
“I know … What is done is done. All we can
05
Evaran spent the next thirteen weeks studying Earth culture and surveying the planet. The Torvatta was stealthed and hovering over a small village in southern Australia that he had been observing. He rubbed his chin as he examined the front right screen. Tapping at his right front console caused the screen to cycle through various data segments.
U4 turned around from the front console. “Analysis. Multiple energy signatures confirmed.”
Evaran studied the screen. “Interesting. This village has several Daedrould strains, along with others I am unfamiliar with. They are not Daedrould, though. Might be Outsiders.”
“Query. Why are there so many on this planet?”
Evaran half smiled. “I do not know, but this planet is potentially what I have been looking for.”
“Statement. You asked me last week to remind you again about visiting Jake and Kathy. It is now Saturday, September 18, nine days past three months.”
“I did. An extra week should not be a problem. Take us to Robert’s apartment.”
“Affirmative.”
The Torvatta ascended and, after an hour, arrived behind the same run-down apartment in east Denver it had landed at before.
Evaran stood and checked his belt and then walked toward the Torvatta entrance.
“Query. Will you require assistance?”
Evaran paused and faced U4. “I should be okay.”
“Affirmative.”
After twenty minutes, Evaran stood in front of Robert’s apartment building. He pressed the button corresponding to apartment 5G on the console to the right of the door. Silence. He pressed again. Silence. After verifying no one was around, he placed his UIC on the button console. A few taps at his ARI and the door opened. He grabbed his UIC and entered. After a few minutes, he arrived outside Robert’s apartment. There was no response when he knocked on the door. He paused, then knocked again to no avail.
A middle-aged, dark-skinned woman opened her apartment door next to Robert’s and poked her head out. “You a friend of Robert’s?”
Evaran tilted his head. “I am. It appears they are out.”
The woman smirked. “Yeah, they out all right.”
“Do you know where they went?”
“No, but it wasn’t by choice.”
Evaran placed his hands behind his back and clasped them. “How do you know this, and why are you telling me?”
“You’re white,” said the woman. “Ain’t no white people come here willingly, unless you’re stubborn like Robert. And you’re wearing a suit. Ain’t nobody wearing that around here unless they pimping, and you don’t look like a pimp.”
Evaran narrowed his eyes. “I see. Do you know when this occurred?”
“Yeah. Wednesday morning, around one. Woke me up and scared the crap outta me.”
“Did you call law enforcement?”
“The police? Down here at one in the morning?” said the woman, laughing. “They don’t come around here.”
“I see. I understand if you did not want to get involved. It could have been dangerous.”
“Try deadly. You gonna find ’em?”
Evaran nodded. “I am and will.”
The woman smiled and bobbed her head. “I hope you do. Robert was a good man, and Jake’s a good kid too. Had ’em over for dinner a few times.”
“Thank you. You have been helpful,” said Evaran, bowing his head.
“Mm-hmm,” said the woman.
Evaran wheeled around and exited the building, and after twenty minutes, he was back at the Torvatta, sitting in his command chair. “U4, take us back to Wednesday, around twelve thirty in the morning.”
“Query. Was there an error?”
Evaran shook his head. “Yes. It would appear they were abducted. I want to verify that and, assuming it is true, follow whoever did this when it occurred.”
“Analysis. If we had visited a week earlier and then dealt with Greecho, this situation would not have occurred.”
“I know … What is done is done. All we can
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