TIME : 9:30 P.M. (21:30)
PLACE : 1000 km from Altair 7
Out of all the planets they had ever been to, this one was the most dangerous. Altair 7 was the headquarters of the Ruler's empire. Never before had they fought the Ruler on his home soil.
The planet itself wasn't much to look at. It was a solid gray all the way around. However, it contained the strongest military power in the galaxy. A fact that they were more than aware of.
"We've just entered the atmosphere," Hank reported. "We should be landing in about thirty seconds."
"The planet looks so lifeless," sighed Peter. "The surface is just as gray as the atmosphere. It's amazing that anything can survive here."
"I wish you hadn't said that," complained Linda. "I don't like this place, and we haven't even landed yet."
Hank brought the ship in for a landing and the four of them started looking for an elderly couple. Lisa was feeling better, but she still wasn't in perfect condition.
"Shawn tells at to find Chav on Zhrook's Space Station," grumbled Lisa. "Chav tells us to find an elderly couple on Altair 3. I wonder who the elderly couple will tell us to find."
"No one," replied a voice. "This is the last leg of your journey."
The voice came from a woman in her late seventies. She was accompanied by a man who was older still. There was no doubt in their minds that they had found the elderly couple they were looking for.
"Are we ever glad to see you!" exclaimed Peter.
"Hurry!" warned the old woman. "We must go to our house before the soldiers get here. Then, we can talk."
Without saying a word, the six of them walked briskly to a nearby house. Considering their age, the old couple's physical capabilities were remarkable.
"How did you become spies for M.W.G.D.?" asked Peter once they were safely inside.
"We don't attract as much attention to ourselves as a younger couple would," answered the old man. "We have lived on Altair 7 all our lives. We were here before the Ruler took over the planet. While most of our friends either fled or died in revolts against the Ruler, we stayed right where we were and became spies for M.W.G.D. Once you've been in the same place for a long period of time, people tend to ignore you. As long as we don't do anything out of the ordinary, the Ruler and his troops ignore us."
"We helped your predecessors," added the old woman. "Unfortunately, we didn't help them enough. We don't intend to make the same mistake twice."
The old woman moved a large rug in the middle of the room revealing a series of compartments. Each compartment contained something they would need at the base. Linda went straight to the weapons. The weapons the old couple had stored for them were better than the weapons they currently had, so she made a quick switch and told to the others to do the same. Hank admired the laser armor. It was very expensive, but well worth it. If their lives were at steak, which they probably would be, the laser armor would be more valuable to them than the weapons. Peter, as usual, was looking at the jetpacks.
Lisa was more interested in getting rid of her hangover than in anything the old couple had to offer. She made her way to the nearest bed and collapsed.
"When the others are ready to leave, they'll come and get me," she thought.
All of the sudden, a soft buzzing sound started in all rooms of the house. The old man and woman reacted immediately.
"Take what you can and leave," warned the old man. "We have visitors and odds are, they won't be friendly."
Peter, Hank, and Linda each took a new weapon, a full suit of laser armor, a jetpack, and anything else they could think of that they might need. The old man showed them so the back door while the old woman went to the bedroom to warn Lisa.
"What's going on?" wondered Lisa. "What's that buzzing sound."
"You must leave at once," explained the old woman. "Hurry! The others are outside waiting for you."
Unlike the others, Lisa didn't have a chance to grab anything on the way out. The rug had been put back into place leaving the room looking dull and ordinary. Lisa hurried out the back door.
Fifteen seconds later, there was a knock at the front door. The old man walked over to answer it. Just as they had suspected, their alarm system had been triggered by a pair of the Ruler's soldiers.
"An unauthorized ship landed in this area recently and we were wondering if you knew anything about it," started the first.
"No," said the old man. "but feel free to search the house."
The two soldiers looked at each other and then at the old man.
"That won't be necessary," concluded the second. "Just let us know if you see anything suspicious."
The old man watched the two soldiers as they walked over to the next house.
"How far do you think they'll get before they're discovered?" he asked his wife.
"By now, they should be half way to the base," she replied.
TIME : 9:40 P.M. (21:40)
PLACE : 10 km north of the Ruler's main base
Peter, Hank, Linda, and Lisa left the house as quickly as possible. They ran in the direction of a large clump of trees which was the closest thing to a forest that Altair 7 had Once they were there, they sat down and caught their breath. From then on, they could no longer avoid the Ruler's soldiers. They would have to rely on their disguises.
Peter, Hank, and Linda put on the laser armor and jetpacks. Lisa became worried.
"I didn't have time to get anything," she explained.
"Always be prepared," quoted Peter revealing an extra phaser, and extra suit of laser armor, and an extra jetpack. "I had a feeling you would need these."
"Thank you!" exclaimed Lisa.
Peter turned on his jetpack and headed in the direction of the base. Hank, Linda, and Lisa followed close behind.
Copyright MCMXCII, MCMXCIX
