Chapter 17: Rescue Plan

The cool night air had the smell of the sea, and he took several deep breaths to calm his whirling emotions. He instinctively liked these people and he had accepted years ago that he would never be returning to Earth and that this was now his home. These people had nothing to do with the war and the destruction of his species. The Grojan part, and Minara, he pushed into a to-be-thought-about-later box in his mind. He had intended contacting one of his agents in the morning, but he needed to get things moving now.

He headed for the City Guard headquarters. He knew roughly where they were because this was an important port for Matheros that faced Terfain and would be where an invading force from Terfain would most likely arrive to invade the mainland or reinforce Matheros. During the war with Halcyon he had set up a network of agents that contributed to keeping his adopted home safe.

It was easy to avoid the Nightwatch patrols as they carried lanterns to light their way. As long as he avoided any light he could see sufficiently by the light of the distant moon. As he walked a plan formed in his mind, and as much as he tried not to he thought of Minara. His guts twisted and his heart ached in his chest. He could not bring himself to hate her, but she was a Grojan, she regarded humans - him, as vermin to be hunted and killed. Yet, God help him he loved her. It made him feel like a traitor to his now dead world.

Worse, the Intelligence Corps had turned him into a fucking Grojan, the enemy, but why? They must have known what a Grojan looked like, they must have had access to Grojan DNA. What the hell had gone on? Was anything they had told him the truth? This was conspiracy theory gone wild. He realized that he actually hated himself, falling for a Grojan female and being turned into one of the enemy by his own people.

After half an hour or so his plan finalized and he had located the Guard building. He walked up the steps and opened the main door. A reception desk with a bored looking soldier sat in the hall, doors led off to the cells on the left and a common room for the men on the right. Behind the desk stairs lead up to the first floor offices.

The soldier looked up when Arron walked in. He regarded him suspiciously, his eyes glancing at the weapons hanging from Arron's belt. "Yes, what do you want? It better be good for you to have broken the curfew."

Arron fixed him with a glare and spoke using his command voice. "I want to see the Captain immediately, soldier."

Arron had used a set of Latin code words for his agents. They were easy for him to remember, they were easy for the people to say and meant nothing to them. "Tell him Pax Romana."

"Yes sir."

The soldier rose with a scrape of his chair and climbed up the stairs. He knocked on the door facing the landing, opened it and walked in. Arron heard muffled voices. The soldier returned and lent over the balustrade. "The Captain will see you now, sir."

He stood to one side as Arron climbed the stairs, and then once he had passed made his way back down the stairs. Arron pushed open the door. The Captain sat at a desk covered in untidy piles of papers and files. Arron turned and closed the door as the Captain stood. "General Arron?"

"Yes Captain."

"What can I do for you, sir? I must say I'm very surprised to see you, I had heard you were taking the Princess to Halcyon to seal the new alliance."

"I was, Captain, however she has been kidnapped by Terfain agents and I plan to get her back."

The Captain's face went white. "That will stir things up somewhat General ... I'm sorry, please take a seat." He indicated one of the chairs in front of his desk. Arron sat and the Captain followed suit.

"Captain, as a matter of urgency, the Princess's body guard is asleep in the Rising Sun Inn. I need her detained immediately but unharmed. I want her locked up for a month or when the Princess returns which ever happens first. I need her out of my hair for the next stage of my plan. She is however extremely dangerous, so send at least five of your best men and ensure they take her while she is still asleep. Do not let her get anywhere near her weapons and ensure they cuff her straight away."