Hostage To The Stars: A Sectors SF Romance Read Online Free PDF Page B

that it was Immer’s fault. She’d apparently at least tried to help. Although why she hadn’t found a way to let the neutral negotiation team know there was another woman being held here…too afraid, no doubt.
    Johnny shrugged. Even if she had, the Sectors probably wouldn’t have acted differently. There was scant strategic value in spending resources to rescue one anonymous teacher. Even with all the political pressure Governor Grogins brought to bear to save his mistress, Command had offered up exactly one hastily reactivated retiree. But he was here now and Ms. Bridges was going to get his very best effort. He counted the hash marks. Sara had been in this cell as recently as five days ago, allowing for the fact she might have missed a few days, depending on her mental condition. Definitely gone before Immer’s rescue.
    So what had Umarri done with her? Human women were a valuable commodity to some, especially if Umarri had dealings with the Shemdylann pirates, as he was rumored to do.
    Well the Shemdylann sure as hell didn’t land here, at the warlord’s house.  
    Johnny recalled the specs he’d examined by himself at the long ago briefing. Umarri had a landing field of sorts a few miles away. Maybe Sara had been taken there, to await a scheduled delivery to the aliens. He decided to check out the possibilities and if she wasn’t there, he’d retreat into the hills and regroup. Hide out for the day and then make another foray into the warlord’s palace, try to find a likely candidate to interrogate about the woman’s fate. He wasn’t leaving until he was positive she was beyond his ability to help.
    How ironic would it be if she was already long gone from Farduccir and he was stuck here? But Johnny knew how to lie low and where to go to call for a rescue, so his stay on the planet wouldn’t be a moment longer than it had to be.
    He left the cell and did reconnaissance through the front door of the prison, watching the frantic activity as the vehicles were loaded and fuel levels checked.
    Suddenly there was a signal he couldn’t see and all the men stepped away, gathering in a tight cluster around a man who’d emerged from the palace. The attention was all on the newcomer, who was giving orders or possibly a briefing. Johnny slipped from the prison and, walking casually, sauntered behind the others, to the line of trucks. He climbed into the open back of the vehicle at the tail of the convoy and hid amongst the containers.
    A few moments later the truck lurched into motion with much hesitation and mechanical complaining, and then was driven at a slow pace out of the warlord’s compound. Johnny peered between the containers shielding him and through a cloud of dust watched the gates closing as the convoy pulled away.

    He estimated they’d driven a mile or maybe two when the convoy came to a halt, the right distance to have reached Umarri’s primitive spaceport. Johnny slipped out of the truck and into the brush alongside the road. He watched the cargo haulers drive through the security checkpoint at the edge of the landing field and park beside a string of buildings.
    There was no sign of a Shemdylann ship. Two battered shuttles sat on the field, probably both belonging to the war lord, while his pirate ship rode in orbit overhead.  
    The truck drivers were beginning to unload the haulers, assisted by a few more men who came out of a building on the far side of the field. Johnny observed with interest as a vehement argument developed between the newcomers and their compatriots manning the facility.
    A guard left the building carrying a tray, crossed the open space and made his way to a smaller structure off to the side, setting the food down to open the door, and then disappearing inside for a few moments.
    Found you . He’d bet anything Sara was being held in there, awaiting shipment to her next set of captors. Checking the situation, he found the warlord’s men had abandoned the trucks and the