Surprising Reunions
Mattim couldn’t believe she was gone. They all stood there in stunned silence not wanting to believe that what had happened had truly happened. Rowel was the first to recover. “We have to go after her.”
“How?” His wife asked breaking out of the trance Leena had left them in.
“Well we know where she’s headed. We just need to get there.” Brit nodded and moved to her father’s side reaching up and placing her hand on his shoulder “She’s right father,” she said, “we must move forward. We’re not done here yet.”
Mattim turned anger burning in his eyes “Let’s go!”
Leena felt strange as she marched through the halls of Martian ship not even attempting to hide. She had seen ship hangers many times and knew exactly where to direct her transportation to. She marched up to the first set of Martian guards she saw and demanded to be taken to their leader.
The guards were surprised when the realized who she was and were glad to comply. She was led to a large room where a cloaked figure stood at the window with his back turned to her. His voice was rough when he spoke, “So you’ve decided to turn yourself in?” The figure didn’t turn but continued to speak as he looked out the window out over the distant earth. “After all these years I thought I would get more of fight out of you than this.”
“I demand to see my family which you captured.” The figure turned at this statement his face still covered by his hooded cloak, he was surprised by her tenacity even when he held all the cards.
He turned to one of the guards and nodded “bring her family to me.”
The Brit was still surprised at Leena for what she had decided to do as she and the three Imaginess stood walked down the halls doing their best to stay in hiding it seemed that most the soldiers were preoccupied with other things and they were able to slip though the halls fairly easily.
“I wish I understood this language better,” Brit complained, “I never did like Saturian very much, too difficult. It just figures that these would be the aliens we’d run into.”
“We’ll figure something out.” Alita said trying to be comforting.
They heard footsteps coming down the hall and dove into a room to hide. Brit kept the door open a crack trying to see what was going on. It was a man and woman Saturian and they were talking in hushed voices glancing nervously up and down the hall. But what surprised Brit even more than their behavior was their words for they weren’t speaking in Saturian but in Martian, a language she knew well.
“– what is going on here, Uliver?”
“It’s hard to explain, Trine.”
“What’s so hard to explain? You sent me on the mission of a life time and then follow me as if you don’t trust me? What aren’t you telling me?”
“I’ve got my own reasons for being here. But there’s been a change of plans.”
“I know,” she paused, “What was she thinking turning herself in like that.”
“I don’t know. What I do know is that we are not leaving this ship until both her and her husband are mine.”
“You want her husband too? What’s so important about him?”
Uliver turned to look at her a strange look in his eyes. “He’s albino Trine.” Then he turned and moved down the hall Trine following close behind him.
As soon as they were gone the four spies moved from their hiding place and Mattim noticed how white Brit’s face had turned. “Brit, what’s wrong?”
“They're after you too.”
“What?” Mattim was surprised by this then asked, “Wait you understood them?”
Brit nodded, “They were speaking Martian.” This earned another look of surprise and then a realization dawned on Mattim.
“Did you catch their names?” Brit hesitated and Mattim grabbed her by the shoulders shaking her as he yelled again “Did you catch their names?”
“Uliver and Trine.”
“Trine? I knew it. We have to get out of here.”
“Why? What’s wrong?” Brit asked starting to get highly freaked by Mattim’s actions.
A female voice from behind them startled them all into silence. “Why Matthew, what are you so afraid of?”
The four of them turned to find Trine and Uliver standing behind them in Saturian form.
As Leena’s family was escorted into the room Leena did her best to hold back the tears that suddenly sprang to her eyes at the sight of the family she hadn’t seen in years. The looks of fear on all their faces were nearly unbearable.
She turned in the direction of the cloaked figure. “I command you to release them.”
“Release them? Why would I do that when I already have you?”
“I can change that” With a tap to her belt she disappeared another tap and she returned. “I can leave as easily as I got in. Now release them.”
Once again Mattim stood there in stunned silence not knowing what to say as he looked at the two figures standing near them. “I don’t believe it.” He finally managed. Then he gave a joyful whoop and ran toward the man known as Uliver pulling him into an enormous hug. The man was beaming as he returned the hug.
Finally the two men pulled away and Mattim looked at him in shock. “What are you doing here?”
“Helping an old friend.” He said clapping Mattim on the shoulder.
Mattim turned then to the four people behind him. “Guys, I would like for you to meet and old friend of mine, Tucker.” They stood there for a moment in surprise as they recalled Mattim’s story of meeting this alien. “How on Imaginess did you get here? And working beside Trine of all things.”
“That will have to wait for another time, Old Friend. But for now we have some rescuing to do.”
“Right! So what’s the plan?”
Leena could sense her captor’s hesitation even though she couldn’t see his face. She glanced over at her family all huddled up in the corner and surrounded by guards. Their fear had given way to surprise and interest now as they watched her in action. Finally the Hooded Figure seemed to gain control of himself again and stated “How do I know that you won’t just disappear once I’ve released them?”
Leena was surprised by this question; she hadn’t expected the alien to be that smart. But before she could respond a loud knock on the door caused everyone to freeze as the Hooded Figure nodded for the door to be open.
Leena’s heart dropped when she saw her husband, daughter and two friends being led on a rope by two Saturians.
“What have we here?” Asked the Hooded Figure.
Tucker held the rope that bound Mattim and Brit lightly in his hands. His heart was beating rapidly as he entered the room. It had been close to 10 years since he had begun working for Hamol; ever since he had saved him in a battle the two had been nearly inseparable and when Hamol became High Kong he had asked Tucker to be his advisor. But even still he had never done something as dangerous as this.
He glanced at Trine stood beside him calm and collected. She was used to this kind of thing. Danger and risk were practically her life. He watched as she took a step forward giving the rope an effective jerk. “We found these stowaways’s wondering the lower hallways.”
Tucker waited as the hooded figure who he decided must be the leader examined the prisoners. Keep it together Tucker. All we have to do is wait for him to send us to lock up the prisoners and hope that he lets us take all of them then we can bust them all out.
The hooded figure finished his examination and in a raspy voice ordered them to take them and the other prisoner to the prison cells. The four guards who stood beside the group turned to follow but Tucker knew they could take them.
Trine turned to lead them out of the room ignoring Leena’s protests as she attempted to bargain with the Hooded Figure.
Trine gave Tucker a slight nudge trying to get him to focus and not give them away. But there was something about the Hooded Figure that had struck a chord with him he just couldn’t put his finger on it.
“Is something wrong?” The raspy voice of the Hooded Figure caused his heart to jump. Although the voice was hoarse from years of neglect he would never forget that voice. His mind raced and his heart leapt within him as realized just who it was that was hiding beneath the cloak. Tears began to well up in his eyes as he choked out the only word that he could manage.
“Chaka?”
The whole room seemed to freeze as the room echoed with the word. No one moved as they waited with held breathes for the drama that was sure to unfold before them. Finally a raspy voice spoke from behind the hood: “Tucker?”
With that single word Tucker could hold back no longer. He rushed forward and scooped Chaka into his arms knocking the hood from her face and kissing her for the first time in over a decade.
“Tucker? Is it really you?” All Tucker could do was nod as he embraced his long lost love. “I thought you were dead.”
“I thought you were dead.”
“No,” said Chaka “I was captured and put in prison never knowing who I could trust, being alone. Then someone told me about Su Kutcha and that it was rumored that she lived on earth. It didn’t matter then, it mattered once I escaped I needed something so I would be accepted on Saturn.”
“But you’re Neeuk why would you need to be accepted.”
I know that now but after all those years I had forgotten. I had forgotten everything that I was Neeuk, about you, everything. They considered us all to be boys and gave us numbers and cut our hair. I was so used to being called a ‘he’ it didn’t bother me that Neeuk Bedula thought I was a boy or that I was treated as one but after seeing you… I remember, I remember it all.”
“And I’m so glad.” Said Tucker as he leaned down and kissed her again
Then Tucker turned toward Mattim who was standing beside his wife. “Well if it isn’t the infamous Leena.” He said as he came over to join them Chaka never leaving his side, “Matthew I would like you to meet Chaka the woman I told you about, over 10 years ago when we were in prison together.” Matthew shook her hand and then said “this is my wife Linda.”
Tucker laughed “of course who could have missed that wedding announcement?”
Matthew suddenly got serious. “So Tucker how did you get out of that prison? I thought you had died in that war that they had the prisoners fight in.”
Tucker smiled and said “that is a story worth repeating…”
“After you were taken by the Imaginese, I dived into the battle hoping that a stray shot would pierce me and I would die something just to end my miserable existence. That’s when I saw him: A Martian man laying facedown in the mud a gaping wound in his side.
“Something inside me compelled me to come to his aide so I did. I did my best to stop the bleeding and patch the wound and then raced him across the battle field to the medical tent.
“I was surprised when so many medics ran out to help me until a young boy – no older than thirteen – told me that he was none other than the Kong Hamol himself.
“About a month later after he had recovered past the point of death I was rewarded with my freedom. But I asked that he not send me back to Saturn and offered him my services and my knowledge. Before long I was promoted to Hamol’s right hand man.
“He began to trust me more and more and even began to take my advice on certain things and I was able to protect both Earth and Imaginess from attack. And when I saw the ships heading here I knew it was for Leena and you so I asked if I could go to the rescue and he accepted.
“Oh! And get this, Matthew. Hamol has a knack for turning into a shukan to spy on his prisoners. He was the shukan in our cell that always seemed to be watching us and listening to our conversations.”
“What!” Matthew burst into laughter at this bit of news and soon everyone was laughing. Introductions were made and everyone was escorted back to the Cuthbert’s farm where Tucker and Chaka said their goodbyes.
“We’re going back to take our rightful place as the rulers of Saturn.”
“Just remember me when you get home.”
Tucker smiled as he repeated the words he had said so long ago as they had sat together in the mud of Mars. “A good friend doesn’t leave his friends to fend for himself.”
Matthew smiled as he recalled the words “You still have an entire life to fix your mistakes, Tuck. You can still be the best husband and the best Gnik to ever rule Saturn.
Tuck smiled as he remembered telling Matthew his list of horrible things he had done. “I guess it’s time to start a new list…a list of ‘Bests’”
“Be sure it starts with Best Friend because you have truly become my best friend, Tuck.”
Tears sprang to Tuckers eyes at these words but he quickly blinked them away as he clapped his friend on the shoulder, “Until the end.”
“Until the end.”
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