XXX - Pursuit

First Ensign Cupidus ran across the tarmac of Verham Military Hoverport. Engine fumes were all that intruded on the fresh night air. Like a beacon, the lighted control tower stood out high overhead. Cupidus came crisply to attention in front of First Commander Agon. "The X-49 hovercraft has completed its pre-flight check and is ready to take off, commander!"

"Good, ensign," Agon replied. "What about the briefing file I asked for? Is it ready yet?"

"It's on its way, commander!"

"I need it now!" First Commander Agon snapped. She snatched the walkie-talkie from her waist. "Lieutenant Epura! This is Commander Agon! I want to be in the air in two minutes and I want that briefing file with me! Where is it?! Over!"

There was a brief moment of silence. Then the radio squawked a reply. "It's on its way, commander! Over!"

Agon angrily pressed the send button on her radio. "Not 'on its way', Lieutenant!! Here!! Immediately!! Over!"

"Out!" Agon slid the walkie-talkie back into its holster. She looked at Cupidus. "Ensign, run back to the control office and get that file! I want to see you back here in under two minutes with the file or I'll send you back to boot camp! Understood?!"

"Yes, commander!" First Ensign Cupidus sped off, quickly disappearing into the darkness.

Agon strode briskly to the waiting X-49 hovercraft. The steps were down. She stopped at them. There were no other craft taking off at this time of night; actually, it was early morning now. The positioning lights on all the launching pads were dark except for this one. The fumes from the X-49's exhausts were in her nostrils. She was anxious to be gone.

First Commander Agon was ready to snatch her walkie-talkie again when she saw Ensign Cupidus running toward her out of the darkness.

"The file!" Cupidus exclaimed breathlessly as she handed it to Agon. "Here it is, commander!"

Agon took it without a word of acknowledgement and ran up the steps. "Close it up, Notus!" she barked at the ensign. The door behind her locked smoothly into place. "Take off, Pescus!" she ordered the pilot.

First Commander Agon sat down and quickly fastened her safety belt. There was a delay of only seconds. Then the craft slowly began to lift upward. Soon the buildings below were shrinking rapidly as the vessel gained altitude.

"Commander," Captain Pescus spoke over her shoulder, "You want us to head southwest toward the province of Columba, correct?"

"Yes!" Agon felt little better even though they were now in the air. "Councilman Kamon's flight plan had a destination of the city of Dictum in Columba. That's where we're headed." She lacked enthusiasm. This was too obvious. He would never go where his flight plan said he was headed. But what else could they do? It was their only lead.

It had been easy to check all the hoverports around the capitol. There were only four -- Delphi International, the only one used by all the commercial hoverlines, and three charter hoverports -- Figura, Exolo, and Meto. Jasmine and the councilman had left from Meto. Their charter craft was scheduled to head to Dictum in Columba........It would never happen.

Commander Agon glanced at her watch. The councilman had been in the air about two hours now. Where was he headed?! It couldn't be Columba!

Agon began leafing through the voluminous file she had carried on board, intently studying its contents. If anything would give her a clue as to the councilman's destination, this material might. The folder contained an abundance of factual data about the councilman -- birth certificate, all his school records, his grades, reports from his teachers, anything that had ever been recorded during his school years. Kamon's adult life was also carefully chronicled -- newspaper clippings from his Council campaign, his voting record, articles about his impact as a Council member.

Agon skimmed the data that would be classified as....subjective -- interviews or chance statements by the Councilman's colleagues and friends. The members of the Council would be aghast if they knew that files such as this one existed. But they needed watching...just as anyone in the state did. The Council members demanded law and order yet they had not the stomach to employ the proper tools. Fortunately, First Commander Agon and her superiors did. She'd head the State Security Agency someday if things fell right....like this mission. Second General Agon......it sounded good! First General Agon would be even better.......But it wouldn't happen by accident. She'd have to earn it....Maybe this was her chance. She'd better not screw it up. No telling when another opportunity this golden might come along.

Agon perused the papers in the file carefully. Councilman Kamon was a rebel, a left wing nut actually. A man serving in the Council -- it wasn't right; it wasn't meant to be!

There was no evidence the councilman dated regularly....at least not women. He was a jake, a homosexual. Admittedly, he'd never been caught in a compromising position with a man....yet. They'd catch him. The women at the State Security Agency knew what they were doing. Councilman Kamon would slip up eventually.

Kamon spent a lot of time with his friend Casio. Agon knew what that was all about -- two jakes! It made sense.

Casio did date women occasionally, however. A clever ruse. He just wanted to look 'normal'. The Marmot State Security Agency wasn't fooled by stuff like that!

Kamon's relationship with Jasmine was a real puzzle, however. What was that all about? It had all the appearances of a love affair....But the councilman wasn't 'normal', so that couldn't be it. What was going on?.....Maybe the councilman wanted to quell the 'jake stories' and satisfy his left wing peace-nik friends all at the same time! There was an answer!

Agon came to a magazine article about Kamon. "THE COUNCILMAN FROM THE WILDERNESS", the title of the article read. Oddball, Agon thought. Nobody lived in the mountains. Nome's chosen people were best suited for the lowlands. It was in the Holy Limon. Kamon had no respect for tradition nor his religion, all the more reason why he shouldn't be in the Council.

Color pictures accompanied the story -- Kamon hiking through the foothills of the mountains....Agon flipped the page....."the mountain range the Councilman knows so well......a place where anyone else would get hopelessly lost and perish.....but not Councilman Kamon. He travels through it with as much familiarity as a normal person would stroll through her backyard..........the Tysom Mountain Range...."

First Commander Agon's face lit up. That was it! That's where he was headed!! The Tysom Mountain Range!!

"Captain Pescus!" Agon shouted excitedly, jumping from his seat and stepping into the cockpit area.

"Yes, commander?"

"Turn this bird northwest!" Agon barked. "Make it snappy!"

"Where to commander?" Captain Pescus asked even as she began executing the maneuver.

"The Tysom Mountain Range in northern Sparrow Hawk!" Agon answered.

"Do you think that's where Councilman Kamon and Jasmine have gone?" Pescus asked.

"I'd bet my command on it," Agon replied confidently. "Once the councilman reaches the Tysom mountains he figures no one will find him....and he's probably right. Fire up those jet engines!" the first commander barked. "I want a speed of dok five!"

The X-49 craft represented the latest in aviation technology. It was equipped with jet engines, a new development on the planet Arnot, barely past the experimental stage. The X-49 was actually a hovercraft/jet hybrid. There were few like it, all under the control of the Marmot military.

"Dok Five?" Captain Pescus could not hide his surprise. "Commander, that would break the sound barrier. There would be sonic booms. We'd be rattling windows all along our route. At the very least, I think we should take the craft to a much higher altitude before engaging dok speed."

"I didn't ask for your opinion, captain!" First Commander Agon snapped. "You bring us to a speed of dok five and don't waste time gaining altitude! I don't care how many windows we break along the way! I want to be in the Tysom Mountain Range in under an hour! Councilman Kamon should be there soon and I aim to catch him before he manages it!"

"Yes, ma'am," Captain Pescus replied. She engaged the jet engines.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Its engines droning, Kamon's hovercraft continued on course. The horizon behind him had turned a deep red. Dawn was approaching. He should be able to see the ground below soon. He had to be closing in on the Tysom Mountain Range. This was going to be perfect. He would have just enough light to land. He had a spot in mind. It would be difficult for a search team to find the hovercraft; it might take weeks or even months. He and Jasmine would never be found. Everything was going so well.....if the end of the journey would just come.

Kamon squinted. With each minute that passed now, a tiny bit of darkness evaporated.

His eyes finally found the familiar outline. There they were! The Tysom mountains!! Dark, forbidding peaks reaching for the sky! To anyone else they represented danger, but to Kamon they were a safe haven -- home.

Kamon breathed a sigh of relief. It wouldn't be long now. There were several valleys in the higher elevations. Any one of them would make a perfect hiding place, and he knew them all well. He veered slightly to his right. The outlines of the mountains were enough for him. He knew each peak. He had determined his exact location. Everything was familiar to him now. Soon he would begin a gradual descent.

Suddenly, there was a loud crack. What felt like an explosion shook the small craft. Surprised, Kamon gripped the controls and attempted to steady the vessel.

"What happened?!" Jasmine exclaimed. She had matched Kamon's quiet demeanor throughout most of the long flight. They had spoken only briefly while eating a lunch of sandwiches and beverages which Kamon had brought along.

"I don't know!" Kamon was as puzzled as Jasmine. He struggled with the controls; the craft quickly steadied. He glanced out the windows of the cockpit but saw nothing amiss. The engines were located underneath the vessel in the rear. He couldn't be sure of them but all the gauges read normal and stability had been restored.

There had to be a reason for what had happened. Kamon anxiously pondered the possibilities. They were close now. Perhaps it was nothing to worry about. Once on the ground, it wouldn't matter.

Then he saw it. A dark form in the sky ahead of them....turning....coming back! Another craft!

He should have heard and seen another craft passing over him.....Perhaps he had heard it! A prototype hovercraft with jet engines flying at high speed! A sonic boom!

The Marmot military had been called in to track him down?! How would they get involved?

His rescue of Jasmine would make plenty of people very angry. It could happen.

The craft far ahead of him had completed its turn. It was coming back....straight at him! Yes, indeed, Kamon thought to himself. Someone had engaged the help of the Marmot military and they had arrived in dramatic fashion. It seemed unlikely that there could be another explanation.

"Attention Cat-Boy-Go-Seven-Eight-Six!" crackled over Kamon's earphones. "This is First Commander Agon of the Marmot State Security Agency! You are ordered to land your craft! Over!"

Kamon hesitated, thinking quickly, then answered calmly. "This is Cat-Boy-Go-Seven-Eight-Six. I'm not sure I understand, commander. This is a civilian hovercraft operating in civilian airspace. Over."

"I don't know what you're talking about, Commander," Kamon lied calmly. "I'm alone and on my way to a camping vacation in the mountains. Jasmine is imprisoned in Ingraham Memorial Temple Prison."

"I didn't come all this way to listen to your lies, Councilman!!" Agon's voice crackled in Kamon's ears. "If you do not land your craft immediately, I'll have you shot down!!"

Kamon believed her. His eyes focused on the military craft. It was not far from him now. It was big, dwarfing his small civilian craft. There was just enough light to make out some details. The prototype X-47 was his guess. He'd seen pictures of it at a military affairs committee meeting less than a year ago. It was equipped with heat seeking missiles.....

Kamon's hands moved quickly, flipping switches. The engines quivered for a moment, then fell silent.

"It won't be easy gliding to a safe landing," Jasmine advised.

"I'm not even going to ask how you know my intentions," Kamon said. "But thanks for not asking me not to try."

"I knew you wouldn't listen," Jasmine said.

"You're right."

"Respond in five seconds, Councilman," Agon shouted, "or I WILL FIRE UPON YOU!!"

Kamon remained silent. He would not be answering. Repulsion was the key to flight on a hovercraft. The wings on his craft were not designed for lift, but rather to provide some resistance while descending. During takeoff and flight, the wings were virtually folded lengthwise in halves. It was upon descent that they were normally spread out to allow the craft some float as the repulsion force was gradually eased.

But Kamon had shut down the engines on his craft; repulsion was gone. The hovercraft was beginning to drop. He needed to extend the wings from their folded position, but with no engines, he had no hydraulic power to do so.

"I need to extend the wing flaps," Kamon began soberly. "There's no hydraulics with the engines off, but there's a hand crank behind me. You're going to have to take the control stick, Jasmine. Do you think you can handle it?"

"With the flaps in, there's not much control anyway," she answered curtly. "Do it."

Kamon rose and swiveled backward immediately. Jasmine took the control stick in her hands and quickly slid into his vacated seat.

There was no time to waste. Kamon opened a panel and pulled out the handle. He quickly locked it in place and began cranking furiously. It wasn't long before he had the wings fully extended.

"I'll take over again," Kamon commanded. Jasmine edged out of the seat as Kamon slid in and grasped the control stick. The stick was unwieldy, barely refusing to budge without the aid of the engines and the hydraulic system. Jasmine had done an admirable job with it during his brief absence. "You did well," Kamon commented, almost to himself.

Still, a nearly impossible feat lie ahead of him. A hovercraft was not a natural glider. They were dropping rapidly and the craft was barely under any sort of control.

------------------------------------------------------------------------ Back in the X-47, Captain Pescus spoke. "He's diving, commander! He's trying to get away!"

"The fool!" First Commander Agon was disgusted. She preferred bringing back a recognizable trophy -- the councilman's corpse. But she wasn't going to let him get away. She turned to the gunner just behind her, First Lieutenant Salvan. "Fire missile one, lieutenant! Blast him out of the sky!!"

The heat seeking missile shot out of its tube from beneath the X-47, leaving a trail of smoke as it sped on its way. It headed in the direction of Kamon's small hovercraft......and whizzed by, finally slamming into a mountain side below them, exploding on impact in a ball of orange flames.

"It missed him....?" First Commander Agon was baffled. The telum missiles mounted on the X-47 had performed flawlessly in all tests. The heat seeking devices in the missile's circuitry had never failed. What had gone wrong?

Agon peered out the cabin window, watching the small hovercraft. It was descending rapidly, nearly falling straight down. It was tossing badly. It looked nearly out of control. "He turned the engines off!" Agon exclaimed, suddenly realizing what had happened. She pondered this for a quiet moment. Then, "He's crazy!"

"You did tell him we were going to shoot him down if he didn't land," Captain Pescus pointed out. "He is a councilman. He must have known we had heat seeking missiles. So, he shut down the one thing on board that produced intense heat -- his engines."

"Meanwhile he crashes into the mountains?" Agon scoffed. "That's not a choice. It's suicide!"

"He does seem to be managing thus far," Captain Pescus offered.

"Yes, he is," Commander Agon said with interest. Kamon's hovercraft was dropping rapidly now. Still it was not spinning. He did seem to have some semblance of control. "Follow him down!" Agon barked. "Stay on his tail!" The X-47 nearly paused in mid-air, then turned into a steep descent. The first commander smiled. "This is even better than shooting him down. When he crashes, I'll have my trophy to take home. The corpse of a councilman!"

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kamon's stomach felt like it was in his throat. They were falling at a breathtaking speed. The craft was shaking, shivering. It was not designed to drop like this.

The councilman battled with the control stick. It was resisting his every effort, fighting him. For the moment, the forces of nature were yielding to the might of Kamon's muscles. There was no guarantee this would last, however.

The ground appeared to be rushing up to meet them. Within seconds they would smash into the peak of a mountain. Kamon yanked, pulled, buried his feet into the floor, exerting all his strength in the effort. The wing flaps moved just a tiny bit and the craft barely sailed past the peak.

Though still dropping, Kamon and Jasmine had a new view -- a spacious valley nestled among mountain peaks. Kamon had achieved his first goal. But the floor of the valley offered no safe place to land. It was dotted with trees, heavy brush, and tall grasses. Even if he managed to restart the engines, there was insufficient time to gain enough repulsion force to avoid a crash. They would be killed instantly.

But the expansive lake near the center of the valley offered a possibility, though a remote one.

"The window is closing, Kamon," Jasmine offered. She left her seat and fastened Kamon's safety belt about him. It seemed unlikely he would have an opportunity to do so himself. The craft was shaking, shivering, barely holding together. They were in the midst of a death defying dive. "Even if you attempt to start the engines now, there's no guarantee that they will generate sufficient repulsion force to soften our landing in the lake water. The craft would be smashed to pieces upon impact."

And they would surely die. She didn't have to say it. Kamon knew it as well. Once again, Jasmine had known his intent. He didn't even glance at her as she returned to her seat and fastened her safety belt. The lake was his goal. He should indeed attempt to power up. But if he did it too soon, First Commander Agon would have the opportunity to fire another heat seeking missile at him. He must wait....but not too long.

Kamon hit the switches that would restart the engines. They sputtered and croaked. Kamon tried the switches again. The engines finally responded, roaring to life.

They sped toward the lake. It appeared that they would indeed make the water after all. But no repulsion force was evident. At this speed, they would crash and be destroyed.

Just before impact, there was some resistance. Repulsion force was finally engaged, though minimally. The craft shook and heaved.

"Cover yourself, Jasmine!!" Kamon shouted.

Then the craft plunged into the lake.

END OF CHAPTER