Tobias ran his finger along one of the long corridors leading to their present location on the map. “Could a nuclear device be brought through here, once the defenders have been cleared?” Adam remembered the various barricades and defensive positions he’d passed on the way to the bunker. As formidable as they appeared, in the long run, they would be overrun.
“Yes, but the tunnels can be sealed along their lengths with hidden explosives if we see an attempt to bring in such a device.”
“Then how would we get out?” Riyad Tarazi asked the Elder. “I mean if we ever have reason to leave such luxurious accommodations.”
“There is a way I can escape at any time.”
“How’s that?”
“There is a boring pod available. It is a mining device that can travel through bedrock. It will provide me and up to ten of my entourage a means of escaping, if I find it necessary.”
“That’s comforting — for you anyway,” Riyad said.
After another moment of studying the schematic, Andy straightened up. “I don’t see why they would want to blast us out of here. We are of no strategic value and the enemy has full run of the surface. They could simply wait us out and deal with us later once they’ve established a solid beach hold. And from the blocking of all the exits out of the mountain, they obviously know the complete layout of the complex, including the fact that you could collapse the tunnels if they make a move on the bunker.”
“They may not feel they have the luxury of time,” Adam said. “They know our fleet is on its way, so I don’t think they’ll be setting up any permanent outposts on the surface — or let any of the people down here survive so they can be rescued.”
“That’s true, but they have no reason to go through all the effort. In fact, they may force us to blow the tunnels just to trap us down here. Then whether the fleet arrives or not, eventually we’ll all starve to death. Problem solved. I say they’re going to sit on us. Besides, there must be hundreds of such shelters like this one around the planet. Trying to ferret out a few more Juireans from each one doesn’t seem like an efficient use of man — I mean — alien-power.”
Adam turned to Hydon. “I concur with Lt. Tobias; I think they’ll choose to wait us out. Even if we are eventually rescued, we’ll only be a handful of survivors. Compared to the damage they’ve already caused, we’re hardly worth the effort.”
“Unless they know you’re down here,” Riyad said, grinning at the Council Elder.
“Even if they did, my status is no longer significant. Within the Juirean hierarchy, we are all easily replaceable.”
Just then a loud, crackling sound screeched from the speakers embedded in the metal walls of the room. From the strong stereo effect filtering in from the nearby corridor, Adam could tell the sound was coming through all the nearby speakers, and probably throughout the entire complex.
The screeching continued for a few more seconds as technicians buried their heads in the consoles, seeking a source of the sound or a way to turn it off.
Finally, the screeching ended, but then a voice came over the speakers. “Your attention in the bunker,” said a strong voice, a command voice. “I am Commander Jonnif Vinn of the Ludif Kracori forces presently in control of the planet Juir, as well as all the surrounding systems.” The voice paused for a moment, as if the very mention of his name should elicit awe in the listener. “Our technicians have gained access to your communication network; your own technicians will find that on channel-17 you will be able to return the link to me. I will speak specifically with Elder Hydon Ra Elys.”
All heads turned toward Hydon, who appeared to be more disappointed than angry that his presence in the bunker had already been discovered. That didn’t take long, Adam thought.
Hydon nodded to the technician seated in front of him and the tech opened the channel. “This is Lord Hydon,” he said into the room. “I commend you on your rapid discovery of my presence.”
“You can thank the spies we’ve had in place on your world for years. The few prisoners we have taken so far have not been very cooperative. Not yet.”
“You will find that Juireans do not make good prisoners. What was your name? I was not paying complete attention when you spoke it earlier.” Adam didn’t know if Hydon was being intentionally provocative or not. Either way, he liked it.
“My name is Jonnif, and it is a name your people will long remember.”
“That may be so, but for now it is unimportant. What do you want?”
There was a long moment of silence before Jonnif replied. Adam could only imagine the look on the Kracori’s gray face. Adam was really beginning to like Hydon, even though he was sure the Juirean was just being a Juirean. Even still, it sounded like something Adam might have said….
“I want you, Lord Hydon; that should be obvious. We have control of your planet, as well as the Sector, with all the resources that have allowed your bastard race to maintain control over the galaxy for so long. It is all under the control of the Kracori-”
“And your Klin masters.”
There was another moment of silence. When Jonnif spoke again, Adam could almost hear the joy in his voice. “You appear to be misinformed, Lord Hydon. The Kracori no longer follow the dictates of the Klin. They served us as long as was necessary, but now it is only Ludif direction we follow. And it is our very own Ludif Council who will take immense pleasure in gazing upon the glorious being who is the Juirean Elder, be he dead or alive.”
Jonnif paused again, expecting some defiant retort from Hydon. When none came, he continued. “You are simply a symbol, Hydon, a symbol of Juirean dominance of the galaxy and how it has survived for far too long. The presentation of your body — living or dead — to the Ludifs will demonstrate to all just how unimportant you are — how unimportant all Juireans are from now on. Your end has come, Lord Hydon. Your legend has been broken. Many of your kind may still exist on other worlds, but without legend you have nothing left. You will all be replaced by the Legend of the Kracori.” Jonnif’s voice had climbed to an angry crescendo. Now he paused, letting his remarks settle so all the creatures listening throughout the complex could grasp their significance.
“If that time comes, Jonnif,” Hydon began, “I will not leave any of my physical being for you to present to your Ludifs — whatever they may be.”
“Your attempts to insult me are not working,” Jonnif said. Adam saw a genuine look of shock cross Hydon’s face. So he wasn’t doing it intentionally. Damn! “And your reaction has been anticipated. That is why I’m making this offer to all your fellow captives within your death chambers: Present to me the body of Hydon Ra Elys, either dead or alive, and I will guarantee that all the rest of you in the bunker will be set free, and that applies to all the Juireans as well. While others of your kind will be relentlessly hunted and eliminated by the Kracori, you will all be given amnesty. All you need do is surrender Lord Hydon to me.”
Adam was closely watching Hydon’s face as Jonnif made his offer; he detected no concern whatsoever. And none of the other Juireans in the room were showing any signs of shifty eyes or furtive glances Hydon’s way. Finally, Hydon chose to speak.
“You do not know Juireans very well,” he said. “The preservation of our own selves is of little concern to us. The offering of bribes has no effect on Juireans. I’m afraid this strategy will not provide the results you seek. You will not get my body.”