Davron
Davron Part two © 2014 Gary Weston
All rights reserved
This ebook is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer's imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental.
Chapter 12
When Belle had locked herself in her cell, she opened the helmet locker and took out the book. She was both intrigued and concerned about what was hidden in the old book. That a prototype had killed its inventor was sufficient to make her nervous, on top of the words by Burns.
“The truth is, Jazz, it is so new, nobody really knows the consequences of using this thing”.
“So very reassuring, General,” Belle told herself sombrely.
Belle thought about the one experience she'd had. It had been like a very real dream, but more so. At the time, she was convinced she had been actually back in time, with Davron. His adventure in destroying the illegal bio-lab had been well documented, and because of records found, and the evidence Davron himself had transmitted to Earth, Davron had gained as many supporters as enemies.
And she had been with him when he had taken control of the bio-lab space station, and destroyed it. But she had been interrupted by Akrins, banging on her door. That episode years ago in Davron's life was a profound one which said much of the man. This was the real Davron, not the rumours or the 'official' version put out by anxious authorities. She could get much from returning to that point and learning the truth.
Belle opened the book and removed the small, but powerful device. She would have to find a place to leave it exposed to the light to recharge it once she had used it again. She pressed the green button on one end and turned the first cube until it clicked into place. The meditative state came easily to her, now. Being mentally prepared, the surreal world that came from the green light combined with the control of her alpha waves and had her where she needed to be.
Immediately, she was inside the bio-lab's airlock, with Davron, as he used his equipment case to open the inner airlock door. He had a weapon in his hand, ready for anyone about to stand in his way. The inner airlock door opened, and a tall, middle-aged, overweight man stood with a weapon in his hand. Belle recognised it as a stun gun, and depending on the power level it was set at, could either inflict pain, all the way up to killing somebody.
The man hesitated, unused to any real action in his cushy 'security' role. Davron didn't hesitate, and the dart his weapon fired hit the man on the side of his neck. The fat body froze on impact and stood there unable to move, not even blinking. He was about to collapse and Davron caught him, laying the unconscious man on the floor.
Davron took the stun gun out of the man's hand and immobilized it and jambed it into the waste-band of his belt. The yellow suitcase Davron lay on the floor and opened. Belle walked up and looked over his shoulder at what he was doing. The simple, ugly yellow, battered and dented case belied the interior. This was the highest technology, most of which she could only guess at. Davron the genius would have designed and built every part of it.
A door wooshed open and two lab-coated technicians, a short barrel of a man and a tall skinny female, had summoned up courage from somewhere. The woman was carrying a stun-gun, the same model the security guard had held. The pair pulled up sharp when they saw the guard on the floor.
Not used to physical altercations, the un-dynamic duo stood together, the woman waving the weapon, vaguely pointing it at Davron. Before she had the chance to use it, Davron swiped his index finger over a blue sensor in the case and a high pitched sound pierced the air and had the technicians falling to their knees, holding their hands over their ears. Davron increased the intensity and the pair were unconscious. Davron obviously had protected his ears for just this eventuality and was unaffected.
Belle didn't know how, but the noise had hit her like a tsunami of pain and with her head feeling ready to explode, she had woken up in her cell on the Venom. She was curled up in agony, but thankfully, the pain went as fast as it had hit her.
She found strength to jab the red button on the silvery device and the green light filling the cell vanished. What had happened to her? How was it even possibly she could see so much what was going on AND be struck down by Davron's magic box of tricks? It was impossible. The event she had witnessed, had happened almost three years ago.
Belle thought about calling Burns for an explanation, but she knew that it was entirely possible that Davron could hear that call and be alerted to this new development. Burns had been correct. The device; the HATED; could be the only weapon they had of any use against Davron. She was on her own with this. Confiding in her crew was not an option, at least not just then. Whatever was happening, she had to figure it all out by herself.
Chapter 13
Belle joined the others on the flight-deck. She was aware of the meanings behind their expressions. The poker face of Lieutenant Liz Danders hid a resentment that was palpable. She was angry at the way the World Space Authority held her back from achieving the leadership positions she thought she was entitled to. No love lost there.
Engineer Toby Akrins could have actually been attempting to smile in a friendly way at her, but his eyes and crooked mouth always gave a permanent leer. If ever a man undressed a woman with his eyes, it was Akrins. Not a man to be trusted.
Weapons Senior Sergeant Dale Matlock could be a possible ally, thought Belle. Like her, he had been at the sharp end of many battles in the war and was an anti-terrorist expert. Matlock was a lone wolf, not willing to trust his life to the hands of others. He only worked in a team if the top brass gave him no choice. But if things got sticky, it would be Matlock she would want by her side. She hoped he felt the same about her. As for what he was thinking, the face of this dark and broody killing machine could be masking a mind with agendas she couldn't even guess at. Between the three of them, she realised that to all intents and purposes, she was practically on her own.
Danders swivelled in her pilots seat. “Captain. You must know more about Davron that what we do. Brass would have told you all they could about him for this mission. Anything you can share?”
Belle shook her head. “No. Not really. You all know this ship inside out and the weapons we carry. As for Davron himself, he is such an enigma. Little is really known about him and the authorities tell us only what they think we should know, and just their versions of the truth. Davron's been the subject of rumour and speculation for years. Other than the official media releases, that's all I know of the man. Anyone know or think they know anything useful?”
“He killed his father,” said Akrins.
“Allegedly,” said Matlock. “We know Davron sabotaged Davron Industries, because of the weapons they were producing.”
Belle said, “And from that, we learnt the company was selling to all three sides in the war. The longer we were killing each other, the more profit they made.”
“A nice irony, I always thought,” said Matlock, with a grin. “That research laboratory was supposed to be unmanned that night. Paul Davron had an inkling son Patrick was about to do something, and found the lad in the main research area. He still didn't want his son accidentally hurt because of over sending in zealous security, so decided to tackle his son by himself.
Patrick managed to break all the security in the place, and rig it all to self-destruct. Paul surprised Patrick, but it was too late to stop the whole place going up. Patrick told his father, but Paul figured that whatever his son had done, he had the smarts to undo it. They fought, Patrick trying to get his father out of the place. Paul didn't listen to his son, one time too many and paid the price.”
“Davron did us all a favour,” said Danders. “Because that lab was destroyed, the war ended soon after. Millions of lives were spared because of Patrick Davron.”
Akrins scoffed. “That's the peoples version. Our government didn't see it that way. Those proton missile warheads being made for our side, were supposed to end the war, anyway. With us being victorious. Patrick was to them, nothing but a stinking terrorist, working for the enemy.”
Belle said, “With all the evidence destroyed, Patrick had no way to prove his innocence. We all know what happened next.”
“It was hysterical,” said Matlock. “On the very day he was due to be executed, he escapes and steals the Romulus. More strikes against our side. He was made public enemy number one, after that.”
Belle looked coldly at Matlock. “Are you Davron's fan club, or something?”
Matlock shrugged. “Just my opinion. And just think about what he's doing now. He's clearly developed the capability to wipe out Earth and then us as an afterthought. If that was really his intention, why hasn't he done it already?”
Akrins said, “Because he's messing with our heads. He knows we know he can take us out any time he feels like it. He's laughing at us, watching us run around like headless chickens. To me, that makes the son of a bitch worse than ever. Not only can he kill us all, he will. He just wants to make us all suffer even more.”
Danders said, “You say that, Akrins, because that is exactly what you would do in his position.”
“Go screw yourself,” snarled Akrins, his crooked teeth giving him a living gargoyle appearance. “The Captain asked my opinion, and that was it.”
Belle snapped. “I wasn't after opinions. I want facts. Does anyone know anything about Davron that isn't already common knowledge? Not just rumour or conjecture. Something real.”
The blank looks on their faces as they struggled to answer spoke volumes to Belle. Like everyone else, they knew nothing about the man who could wipe them out at any moment. Again, she realised, it was up to her to find out all she could about what made Davron tick, and why he was ticking like a bomb.
Chapter 14
Belle was relieved to leave the flight-deck and her poor excuse of a crew; three the W S A would merely shrug indifferently about, should they not survive the mission. They were considered dispensable. With Captains and crews decimated from the wars, the W S A intended to retain the 'best', and only risk the bottom of the barrel. Belle hoped General Burns didn't consider her to be in that category, but had placed in command of the mission because she had a solid reputation and was respected throughout the organisation.
As Belle lay on her bed, she had been considering Davron. With his battered yellow case of tricks, he had disabled the illegal laboratory before boarding it. This much became known later. But how had he done it? In the few years since Davron had taken the action he had, he would have improved all his technology to make it even more effective. The Venom had nothing to prevent Davron simply disabling it the same way he had done the laboratory.
To have any way of stopping Davron doing that, she had to understand exactly how he did it. Burns had once told her. A problem understood is a problem on the way to being solved. It was time to go back in time onto Davron's ship the Romulus and see for herself.
Holding the small but powerful device, Belle wondered why she had been given it without any users manual. How was she supposed to use it without instructions? The answer was, she realised, she wasn't the only one not fully understanding the gizmo. Dr Ravenour, the one man who could have explained how to use it, had died testing the prototype. The project, conceived by Ravenour in the darkest times of the war, had been considered a possible weapon. What won wars was not armies. It was information.
The people working on the device would have been entering new territory, blindly working from diagrams found in the inventors laboratory. Finding issues with the gizmo and fixing them from first principles, would be daunting enough. With what had happened to the inventor in their minds, nobody would be prepared to put their lives on the line to test it, let alone figure out how it all worked. And that was even if anyone with her ability could be found, crazy enough to try it out.
“Yeah,” grunted Belle. “Why don't we just give the damn thing to Belle? If it kills her, no harm done. Heck! She's never gonna survive the damn mission anyway. Yeah. I can just see that happening. Thanks a bunch, you guys. If the gizmo doesn't kill me, the mission will. Screw you, you bastards.”
Belle made herself comfortable and pressed the green tip on the end. Then she twisted the first silver cube to the mark on the previous cube. This was one tiny mark past the one she had used before.
“Here goes everything.”
Belle twisted the cube to the second mark.
Chapter 15
The green cloak from the HATED was much more than a holographic imaging device. It also tuned into individuals alpha waves. Not only tuned in, but helped induce the perfect state of mind to combine with the programs in the cubes. Using her self-taught meditation techniques, Belle felt her conscious mind go into a dark place of total peace and silence. The constant drone of the ship faded into nothingness. She could hardly feel the bed she was on or the HATED in her hands. Her breathing became shallow and her heart-rate slowed right down.
Although her eyes were closed, she could see the green cloak, as if inside a bubble or a surreal cloud of emerald coloured fog. Then the fog seemed to solidify in places. Nothing specific to begin with, just some invisible sculptor, weaving the green fog into particular shapes, then those shapes would fade away, other shapes taking their place, becoming more structured and tangible.
The green fog became lighter in shade until it became yellow, then cream, then finally a light grey as the holographic projection became the ship. Not her ship. Not her cell on the Venom. Through her closed eyes it all became clear. She was on Davron's ship, the Romulus.
Belle gasped slightly, when Davron walked onto that flight-deck of the Romulus. It took all her self-control to keep relaxed and her eyes closed. For a split second, the green fog swirled around her and she almost lost it, but things settled and she was back on that flight-deck and she was watching Davron at the controls of his ship. She went down a set of four metal steps and crossed over to stand by his side. She had seen him before. He was known by everyone on Planet Earth, his likeness painted on building walls by graffiti artists. Rebellious teenagers had the same black image on their clothes. He was an icon.
The creature he had somehow become, with the dead eyes and the bizarre tentacles sprouting from his upper body was nothing like this young man she was stood next to. It was ridiculous. This young man, close to six-foot tall, and slim, close to being skinny. He had become so notorious; considered dangerous by the worlds leaders, including the W S A.
Belle studied his face. Killers eyes? Blue, so innocent looking, but that familiar intensity shone brightly out of them. His lips were a little too full, almost girly. But when his eyes narrowed in concentration, his mouth still turned up at the corners in a determined smile. Davron worked the controls, the huge main screen showing the illegal laboratory which seemed close because of the hugely magnified view of it.
Davron used the forward thrusters and balanced those with the main rear thrusters, gradually reducing the power from the rear, bringing the ship to a halt. He seemed almost relaxed, unhurried. He was totally confident in his plans and ability. The battered yellow suitcase appeared. He placed it on one of the seats and clicked it open, exposing the electronics.
Belle stood next to him as he wiped long fingers over unidentified sensors; a myriad of coloured lights flashing on and off. A cacophony of hums, whistles and loud clicks came from the case. Leaving the instruments settings as they were, he closed the lid and latched it shut. Then he returned to the control panel and the screen and in seconds, the ship was heading straight towards the lab. Then he hailed the lab on the radio.
“Hi. So. You guys.
How's your day been?”
“Who the hell are you?”
Davron laughed. “Me? Just a lonesome space cowboy, thinking of paying a friendly visit. You guys have beer? I'm all out.”
“Keep on coming, cowboy. Another thousand miles closer, kiss your ass goodbye.”
“My ass? I've no pets on my ship. I mean. All that poop. That would be a nightmare.”
“I'll ask you nicely one more time. Get the hell out of here.”
Davron chuckled. “Hmm, no. I don't think so.”
There was a pause, then, “Bye, bye, cowboy.”
Davron clasped his hands together, his fingers wiggling impatiently together.
“Hello. Me again. Problem? What? Trouble with your laser cannon?” He made a deep exaggerated sigh. “So unreliable, these days. I suppose I should try my cannon out, hey? Just in case I have the need for it. Now. Let me see. Which one is it? Ah! Here we go.”
Davron fired a laser cannon shot which streaked over the top of the laboratory, streaming off into deep space. “Well. My cannon seems fine. Now. Do you let me in to have that friendly chat and a beer?”
“Not a chance in hell.”
“See you shortly,” said Davron with a chuckle.
Davron shut down the radio as the man on the laboratory was in mid-flow of verbal abuse. Working a few controls, the screen changed and thermal images of all life on the laboratory could clearly be seen. Three humans, and several of the caged animals could be made out clearly in reds and oranges. Davron's smile dropped a little.
Belle could see he saw nothing that surprised him. He was simply confirming what he already knew. It was time to go to work. He slowed and stopped the Romulus, then fitted his helmet. Opening the inner airlock door, he entered and punched the code into the small, four seat hopper.
Belle had followed him inside. She was about to climb into the back-seats, aware that her physical body was years in the future on the Venom, so had no need for a helmet. As the top of the hopper started to close back up, the green fog returned. Everything around her, the hopper, the Romulus and finally the man on the front seat, faded away. She woke up back in her cell, on her bed, her breathing and heart-rate returning to normal.