It was still dark when Grandma Bella roused the boys for an early breakfast. It was the best one yet, a full cooked breakfast, bacon, eggs, hashbrowns, sausage, beans, mushrooms and tomato. There was also a huge stack of toast, just in case anyone was still a bit hungry.
Grandpa Jake had just come into the dining room and was having an urgent hushed conversation with Grandma Bella.
Grandpa Jake: Alright everyone – listen up. We are expecting the Hundeerde transport shuttle Howler, to arrive in another few minutes, that’ll be around sunrise.
We have also just had word that the Marauders are on the move and are heading this way, likely to be approaching from the south woods.
We are going to need everyone ready to move as soon as the Howler arrives. Once landed, they will send a Delta Pack here to escort you back to the ship.
As if on cue they suddenly heard the loud whine and howling roar of the thruster engines of the Howler making its approach. It circled slowly as it looked for the best place to land on the village green. As soon as it landed, the loading ramp at the rear opened and a stream of Delta-A Pack tactical special forces disembarked, fanning out around the perimeter of the green, securing the immediate area of the transporter.
Commander Onyx: Delta-B Pack extraction team – Axle, Rider, Storm, Arrow, Mustang, Pincer! With me!
Delta Team B: Yes Sir!
Delta-B team formed up and set off at double time, across the green and towards the Fox and Hounds. Soon they were at the front door and Onyx rapped on the knocker; Grandpa Jake opened the door. Leaving two of the Delta Pack on guard outside, Onyx along with the rest filed in to meet their young charges in the dining room. Commander Onyx marched up to Grandpa Jake and saluted smartly.
Commander Onyx: I am Commander Onyx – Are you General Jake Husky, Sir?
Grandpa Jake: I am General Jake [Ice-pick] Husky – Artic Division. Retired.
Commander Onyx: Very well Sir, I have orders to escort these twelve human boys, you and your wife, and the three hunde pups back to Hundeerde. Do you concur?
Grandpa Jake: I concur. We are ready to go – say the word and we will move out.
While the formalities had been taking place, the boys had assembled in the dining room ready with their backpacks. They shifted about nervously; and to be honest, they were a little intimidated when the four huge German Shepherd soldiers marched in with their commander.
One of the Delta Pack soldiers saw that the boys were a bit scared and overwhelmed, and he stole a glance with a tilt of his head, down at Lewis, who, as usual, was holding on to Dogger tightly.
Mustang: Hey there little buddy – nice dog you have there, what’s his name?
Momentarily stunned to be addressed directly by one of the soldiers, Lewis quickly gathered himself together.
Lewis: Oh Hi, this is Dogger – I’m Lewis.
Mustang: Well hello there Lewis – and hello Dogger, I’m Mustang. You stick with me, and my friends and you’ll be safe, OK?
Lewis: OK! Thanks – we will!
It was time to leave.
Onyx got the boys to form up in pairs, and Grandma Bella marshalled the puppies in behind the boys. With Onyx leading, they filed out of the front door and into the bright early morning sunlight, the boys blinking momentarily as their eyes adjusted. As they all filed out, Delta Pack-B formed up closely beside them. Grandpa Jake and Grandma Bella fell in close behind with Angus, Fergus, and Hamish, while one last Delta Pack soldier brought up and covered the rear. Once the front door of the Fox and Hounds was closed, Grandpa Jake took out a small key fob and pressed it. There was the unmistakable sound of two loud chirps.
Grandpa made a grim smirk.
Grandpa Jake: Woe betide anyone who tries to get in there and raid my single malt whiskey collection.
At that moment, there was the distinctive sound of a Marauder vehicle approaching from between the south wood trees. It stopped with a screeching lurch and a belching cloud of smoke from the exhaust. It was also now directly between Onyx, his group, and the green where the transport shuttle Howler was waiting.
Delta-B Pack immediately closed ranks around the boys and the huskies, taking up a protective defensive position.
Four Marauders got out of their vehicle and faced Onyx and the group.
A young Marauder lieutenant faced off with Commander Onyx with much more bravado than he felt.
Marauder Lieutenant: I have orders to take these boys into custody under suspicion of delinquent vagrancy. I also have orders to arrest these two – he paused not sure what to call them, but motioned at Grandpa Jake and Grandma Bella – these two into custody under the charge of aiding and abetting the said, delinquent vagrants.
While the Marauder Lieutenant was giving his little speech, Onyx had been quietly signaling for reinforcements from the much larger Delta-A Pack. Onyx deliberately waited just long enough for the lieutenant to start squirming in his boots before answering. This also allowed time for Delta-A Pack to move into position, effectively surrounding both friend and foe.
Onyx then spoke very directly, deliberately showing his teeth just a little more than was entirely necessary.
Commander Onyx: You – and whose army?
With dawning comprehension of the position they were now in, the Marauder Lieutenant stole a look around and saw the large circle of Delta-A Pack closing in on him. He tried a bluff.
Marauder Lieutenant: I – er – we have a significant back up force waiting in the woods… you have – um – no jurisdiction here.
Onyx cut him off.
Commander Onyx: There is no such force. We have scanned this area thoroughly. You came alone;
He paused for effect.
– and now pork chop, this is my jurisdiction!
With that, a combined low growl of the entire Delta Pack, rumbled through their ears. This was accompanied by the presentation of many rows of white pointy teeth.
Commander Onyx: Further more, I have orders by the authority of the combined inter-planetary council – of which Earth is still a member – to arrest you and your cohorts on the charge of executing with murderous intent, a defenceless seventeen year old civilian minor, in the city seven days ago.
Before the Marauders knew what was happening, they had been swiftly disarmed and restrained by the Delta Pack. As they were led away the boys caught a snippet of a remark by one of the marauders.
Marauder: …and they said we’d only be dealing with frightened kids and two old people!
Once the prisoners had been led away, Onyx checked in with the group.
Commander Onyx: Everyone OK back there?
There were a few shaky nods from the boys.
Charlie whispered to Samson.
Charlie: I think the Marauders might of just peed a little.
Samson: I think I just peed a little.
Commander Onyx wasted no further time; he mobilized the group towards the waiting Howler. Once everyone was inside and accounted for, Onyx gave the signal to the pilot to take off.
Almost imperceptibly the Howler began to rise into the air, and was soon climbing higher and higher until all of a sudden, the azure blue of the sky gave way to the inky blackness of space. Spread below, the magnificent arc of Earth’s curvature could be seen where the atmosphere transitioned and space began.
For the boys, only a one or two could remember even flying in a commercial jet plane, this experience however, was next level – quite literally out of this world.
The Howler was now approaching an even bigger starship, the HSS – Chasetail. The Chasetail was the large interplanetary ship that would take them all back to Hundeerde.
Howler Pilot: Chasetail this is Howler – requesting approach and docking vectors.
Chasetail Controller: Howler – Chasetail, you are cleared for approach and docking using vectors Fido-9; landing pad Kennel-4.
Soon the Howler was swallowed by the yawning docking portal of the Chasetail, and it gently landed onto landing pad K-4.
A small entourage was there to meet the evacuees headed by General Huxley himself. Commander Onyx marched up to General Huxley and saluted smartly.
Commander Onyx: All evacuees are present and accounted for Sir!
General Huxley returned the salute.
General Huxley: Very well Commander. Well done. We will have a full debriefing in thirty minutes.
General Huxley then turned to Grandpa Jake and shook his paw, and despite usual protocol, hugged him warmly.
General Huxley: Jake! So good to see you! When you called, I was so pleased to be able to return you the favour of a quick response in a time of need. I have never forgotten that time in The Artic you and your powerful team of sledders came to rescue my team trapped for days by that freak storm.
Grandpa Jake: Good to see you too Marvin! Your return favour was certainly appreciated. You sure sent us a fine team to help us out, down there.
Grandpa Jake motioned towards the boys.
Let me introduce you to the boys.
Grandpa Jake then proceeded to introduce each of the boys to General Huxley. When they got to Seb, Huxley paused a little longer.
General Huxley: Hello there Seb, I have to say, even though we have never met, there seems to be something very familiar about you. May I ask what your full name is and also, who your father was?
Seb: Hello Sir, my name is Sebastian James Jarvis. My father was a scientist, his name was James Earl Jarvis.
Huxley was taken aback with surprise.
General Huxley: Jarvis? Jimmy Jarvis? He – I mean your father – was the lead scientist on a field research trip we made to your Artic, ten years before The Great Collapse. It was the same trip that Grandpa Jake here had to come and rescue us all from, when an unexpected storm had us all trapped for days.
Raven: Wait. What? Whoa! Lemme get this straight…
Seb’s father and General Huxley, were rescued by Grandpa Jake in a storm ten years ago, then;
Our clan was then rescued by Grandpa Jake and Grandma Bella a week ago, from the Marauders – and then;
All of us, plus Grandpa Jake, Grandma Bella and the pups were all rescued by General Huxley’s team today;
– and now – we’ve just found out – General Huxley knew Seb’s father!
Seb: Yup!
The journey back to Hundeerde took another seven days via the hyper-speed solar-current corridors. The boys never tired of looking out the windows, watching the stars streaking by as they travelled further and further on to their new life on Hundeerde.
Previous: SS2.7 – Dog and Bone
Credits:
Character Avatars – Microsoft Designer – Image Creator
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