CHAPTER 26
Coming and Going This story contains sex between minor boys and teen-agers. If such things offend you, or you are not at least 18 years of age, then please don't read on. This story is not true, but who knows, maybe some day it will be.
Robert Charles put the key in and pushed the starter button on the sled. Nothing happened. He pushed it again. Nothing.
"What the fuck?" He got up and went over the other sled. He pushed the starter button. Nothing happened there either. Robert Charles punched in a code and opened up the panel where the power chips were. It was empty. He went back to the first sled. It was empty too.
"Who took them!?" he screamed.
"Took what?" Scooter asked.
"The fucking power chips! What else?!"
"I don't know. I didn't know they were gone." Scooter was confused. Why did Robert Charles lock the chips up if they were gone already? And who took them? It sure wasn't him. He tried last night and they were locked. Yet Robert Charles opens the case up and they are gone. He didn't get it.
Robert Charles was furious. He couldn't figure out how they were taken. He had watched the sleds the whole time until the scouts left. They never got near the instrument panel. Nobody did. Jordan was watching too. And as soon as the scout teams left he locked the chips up. And only he knew the code. There was no way anybody could have gotten in there.
He started asking everybody. Nobody knew anything. He knew somebody was lying. As the sun came up he started tearing apart the sleds looking. Jordan helped him. Brett refused, saying he was feeling weak and needed to sit down. Robert Charles called him a wuss. No one else would help. They pulled out some food to eat and watched Robert Charles go crazy.
He and Jordan looked around the camp. They found nothing. The sun was rising higher.
"I want to look in everybody's backpack." Nobody moved. "Now!" Still nobody moved. Robert Charles raised his metal bar and walked towards Brett. Brett raised his arms over his head to protect himself. Jordan jumped up on the sled and grabbed Robert Charles's arm.
"Hey, he's on our side!" he yelled.
Robert Charles stopped and lowered the bar. "Shit. I'm sorry Brett. I'm really sorry. I wasn't going to hit you. I was just so pissed off." He walked over and gave Brett a hug. Brett was still a little frightened and wasn't sure what to think, but he accepted the hug, going along with whatever it was Robert Charles was doing. Robert Charles took Jordan and Brett to a shaded area and started talking to them about who could have taken the power chips. Jordan had checked the spares and they were gone too.
"It had to be Stevie," Jordan said. "He's the only one other than me who knows enough to figure out how to get those chips out."
"I think you're right. But how did he do it? It had to be last night, because one of us was watching the sleds the whole time during the day. The only time we never saw them was when we told the scout teams good-bye."
Brett's heart thumped when he heard that, but Robert Charles went right on. "It had to be Stevie. He must have done it last night. I want us out of here before the scout teams come back. This is my chance to get back in control and lead this group right. I don't feel like dying with those guys out here in some empty mountains. I think it's time to have a little talk with Stevie."
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Mike and Douglas looked at each other when they heard the voice. It sounded like a kid's voice. They started moving wreckage until they found two boys strapped into a pair of seats that were covered by debris. They were the twins from the lower school. Douglas tried to remember their names. They started with D he knew. Mike and Douglas started working to uncover them. They both looked cut and bruised. They were white with chapped lips. Their dark hair was a mess. Douglas knew they were 9 or 10, the oldest boys in the lower class.
"Thirsty," one of them said. Douglas unstrapped his water bottle and let them each have a couple of swallows. He'd read he shouldn't give them too much too fast, so let them each have a couple of good swallows.
"I'll get you more soon. We need to get you out of here first."
He and Mike kept moving stuff away until they could get the two boys unstrapped. They were hungry, thirsty, weak, banged up, and bruised but all the parts moved okay. They didn't seem seriously hurt. Mike and Douglas helped them out of the shuttle tail section and found a spot in the shade for them to sit in. Douglas gave them a little bit more water and said he and Mike would be right back.
The first thing they did was look for food. They found some in the wreck of the galley. Mike got some that they could eat cold and they brought it back out to the twins. The twins ate and drank some of Mike's water. Neither of them said anything. They sat there not believing they had been found. And by two boys they had seen on the "Starkeeper". They were so weak and tired and hurting they didn't even ask what they were doing there.
"I'm Douglas. This is Mike. I guess you can figure we were on the 'Starkeeper''".
"Drew," the smaller one said. Then pointed to his brother. "Drake."
"We'll talk later about how we all got here. For now we need to get you back to our group. There are more of us. All of the upper class boys landed here." He didn't say that one of them had died here too.
They left Drake and Drew alone for a while and explored the wreck to see if anybody else survived. It was scattered everywhere. Parts of the fuselage were still in one piece. They expected to find a lot of bodies. It wasn't until they got to the cockpit area that they found some. Even though Douglas knew he would see one it still shocked him and made him sick when he saw it. It belonged to a crewman. The smell was awful. They found five more, including one woman, before they quit looking, but found nobody alive. They were all crew members. They went back to the twins. Douglas asked them how many people were on the shuttle. He found out that including them, there were only eight. Six crew members and the twins. Douglas was curious as to how that happened, but he would wait to get their story.
They decided that the twins were too weak to walk back down the trail to the sleds. Mike was going to walk back and get a sled to bring back. The trail was wide enough. It wasn't until the cliffs that they wouldn't be able to go any farther. The thing was they would have to back the sled down, which would take some pretty good driving. And who would drive it up and back down?
"Alex," they both said together.
Mike and Douglas both went down to the trail. They hugged each other and Mike started down the trail. Douglas picked up his backpack and climbed back up.
He gave the twins more water and then explored the wreckage. He found one special treasure and one other interesting find. The special treasure was a case of emergency water bottles, filled with water. Douglas counted 100 of them. This was going to help a lot, especially with two extra bodies in their group. He also came across two laser pistols. They all thought there might be some weapons on the "Moonduster", but they never could find them. There were some lockers near the cockpit that they couldn't open, so maybe they were locked in there. But when the "Sundancer" crashed it must have broken open the locker. Douglas fired the two pistols at the ground. They were both charged. He stuffed them into his backpack and went back to join the twins.
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Robert Charles had Stevie cornered. "What did you do with the power chips, punk?"
"I don't know what happened to your stupid chips. I never touched them."
"And why did you tell your brother about what happened before the concert?"
"What does that have to do with anything? Let me go. I don't have your stupid chips."
"I think you're lying. And I'm going to make you tell me where they are."
Robert Charles threatened to beat Stevie up if he wouldn't tell. Stevie said he didn't know where the chips were or who took them. Robert Charles knew if he beat up Stevie, Alex would come after him. But if he got them all away before Alex came back, Alex would never find them. He had no intention of leaving a sled that worked behind or water. Without Alex, Mike, and Douglas nobody could challenge him. But he needed the power chips to pull it off.
Robert Charles asked the others. He was hardest on Scooter, Travis, and Jim. They might know enough to have taken the chips. And Scooter had a way of sneaking around. Maybe he got them out before he locked the panel, but he didn't see how.
"Did you check if the chips were in there before you locked the panel up?" Scooter asked.
"No. Where else could they be?" Robert Charles answered.
"Then for all you know they were taken out a long time ago. Maybe when the sleds were turned off the drivers took them. Maybe they are with the scouts."
Robert Charles was fuming. Scooter could be right. But he swore he and Jordan never took their eyes off the panels from the time they stopped until the scout team left.
He went to Ryan next. Ryan got a little smart mouthed. He hated Robert Charles. He knew Robert Charles was the one who hit him on Mars.
"What if I know? What are you going to do?"
"Are you saying you know?"
"Maybe."
"I think you're lying. But I have a way to find out."
Robert Charles called Stevie and the others over. They were all standing in front of him. He got up and stood behind Ryan. Nobody saw him pull out his knife. He put it up against Ryan's throat.
"Now, Stevie, or Ryan, or whoever. I'm going to find out where those chips are now, or Ryan can join Matthew in Inferno hell."
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Douglas slowly got the twins going. He gave them a little bit of water at a time and told them how they had all ended up on Inferno. In bits and pieces he found out how they got there too.
The lower class had been visiting the crew spa and the wading pool. It was the best way for the little kids to get some time there. The twins were 10, and often wished they could hang out with the upper school kids instead of the little kids, but their parents said they were still too young to be with them. Drew and Drake got dressed and headed back for their cabin. The class wasn't going to meet again until after lunch, and the teacher said they were old enough to leave on their own. They were heading for the elevator when the ship shook and they heard a roaring sound. Then the alarms went off and the red lights came on. They followed the lights just like in the drills and got to a shuttle. There was already a crew member on it who helped them on. Most crew members had shuttles to get to if they could, but some of the ones off duty came on to the "Sundancer". They sat there waiting for more when one of them saw a flames coming down the corridor and shut the airlock. They could see the flames hit through the airlock window. Everything shook again and the shuttle was knocked free of the "Starkeeper" and they fell out of warp.
The crew members soon figured out that the right wing was damaged and one of the rockets. They hoped to see more shuttles or hear a locator signal, but neither one happened. They discovered later that their radio was damaged too. Two of the crew members went on a space walk and repaired the damaged rocket. One of the crew members was an astrogator and he quickly discovered the sun that Inferno orbited. They headed for it, but had to stop three times when the rocket went out again. Plus, they couldn't run at full speed. When they found Inferno they were able to pick up a locator signal. It was weak, but it was from a "Starkeeper" shuttle and it was on the planet. They figured out where it was and decided to land there. Their radio wasn't working so they couldn't send a message down.
The crew members did another space walk and repaired the broken wing so it would unfold. Then they finally figured it was time to land. Lorinda, one of the crew members, strapped the boys into the back of the galley, saying the back was the safest in a landing. She left two bottles of water with them and told them not to leave their seats until they were told it was okay. Then they started their landing.
It seemed to go okay until one of the rockets started going out. The shuttle kept turning to make up for it, and then they guessed the damaged wing broke. Out the window, they saw that the pilot was trying to land in a small area. It was too small and they hit rocks coming in. That was all they knew. They had been on the ground for three days they figured. They thought they would never be rescued, but were careful with their water. They had run out that morning. Then when they thought it was all over, Douglas and Mike found them. It was like a miracle.
Douglas told them that their problems weren't over but they were surviving. He told them about what Matthew thought he saw and they were going to find the green valley. Nobody knew what the horsey was. And Matthew was dead.
Now they all had to sit back and wait for Alex to come back with the sled to take them back.
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Robert Charles had the knife at Ryan's throat. "Tell me where the chips are or he dies!" Robert Charles was getting desperate. He didn't plan on killing Ryan, but he hoped it would scare somebody into talking. Ryan didn't know that though, and he was shaking so hard he thought he would faint. The knife blade was right up against his throat. A small trickle of blood dripped out.
Brett knew what Douglas had told him. If he had no other choice he had to tell. Well, he had no other choice now. He stood up. "I know.......," but he never got a chance to finish. He heard a loud thunk, and Robert Charles dropped to the ground on his knees, holding the back of his head.
"I knew there was a reason I played baseball," Jeremy said. He and Alex came running down the hill. They had turned the corner and seen Robert Charles threatening Ryan with the knife. Jeremy picked up a large rock, and threw it, knowing he had only one good chance. His aim was good, and the rock plunked Robert Charles on the back of the head.
Before Robert Charles could recover, they had some rope out and had him tied up to the side of a sled. Ryan was giving Jeremy a ton of hugs and kisses.
"I wasn't going to do it," Robert Charles said. "I needed to know. I just needed to know."
They all ignored him. Jeremy was the hero of the moment and was getting all of the attention. Then Scooter remembered.
"What was it you know?" he asked Brett.
"Where the chips are."
"Huh? You do? Did Douglas tell you?"
"No. I hid them myself," he said with a big smile.
Then he told his story. Douglas had told him how to remove the chips. When everybody walked up the hill to the trails, he stayed behind and took the chips out of the panels as well as the spare chips. Then he walked up the hill acting like he was very sick, but was going to come up anyway.
"You mean you didn't really faint?" Travis asked.
"Nope. But I think I faked it pretty good," Brett said.
When Robert Charles said they were going to go, he said he wanted to go. He wanted Robert Charles to think he was sick and on his side so he wouldn't start getting suspicious of the time Brett was alone. He got scared for a moment when Robert Charles almost started figuring out that the only person alone with the sleds was Brett. But he was so quiet, and little, and seemed so helpless, that Robert Charles never suspected that Brett was the one who took the chips.
Jeremy gave Brett a big hug. "Looks like we're both heroes now," Jeremy told his love.
"Where are the chips?" Alex asked.
Brett took them to the big rock. Douglas had noticed a hole worn away on the side away from the path. Brett reached in and pulled out the chips. He handed them to Alex with a huge smile on his face. Brett hadn't felt this good in almost his whole life. His Braden self could never have done what he did.
Now all they had to do was wait for Mike and Douglas to return. Scooter kept sending out thoughts, but so far he hadn't gotten an answer. But he knew he could feel Douglas's love. Maybe there was a limit on their thoughts but there was no limit on their love.
It was Stevie who saw Mike first. He was alone. Scooter felt his heart sink. Was Robert Charles right about Mike? He had predicted Mike would come back alone. Were Robert Charles and Mike both their enemies, but in different ways?
"Where's Douglas?" Scooter asked as he ran up to Mike.
"You know where he is," Robert Charles yelled. You keep thinking I'm the enemy. But it's him, your precious Mike."
Mike saw that Robert Charles was tied up. He knew something serious had gone on. "Douglas is okay. He's up in the hills. We need a sled to go get him."
"Is he hurt?" Scooter asked. He was worried and scared.
"Nope. Far from it." Then Mike told them all what they had found. Alex was starting the single sled before they even finished. Scooter and Mike jumped in with him and they went crawling up the path.
It was faster then walking, but not much, but they got to the spot where the shuttle was. They all climbed up the hill and on to the small plateau. Douglas and the twins were lying in the shade sleeping. They were all naked, and Scooter wondered if something went on between them. He found out later nothing had, that Douglas had taken his clothes off to keep saving them and got the twins to do the same. Besides it was more comfortable this way.
They got the twins to the sled. They got some storage boxes and went back and filled them with the bottles of water. They had found just a little food that wasn't spoiled, but the water was the most important. Douglas looked back at the crash site. If we ever survive this, he thought, somebody would have to come back and bury the brave crew members who brought Drew and Drake to them.
Alex slowly backed the sled down the path. It was even slower than going up, but he got it back with only one close call. The whole group was there to meet them and to greet Drew and Drake. Mike went to cook some warm food for them.
Douglas looked at Robert Charles. Alex, Mike, and Scooter had filled him in about the chips, his near attack on Brett, his attack on Ryan. They told him about how Robert Charles was going to take the sleds and probably strand the four scouts without water or transportation, no matter what he said. Then they told him about how Robert Charles had been stealing water, especially from Matthew.
"He dies," Alex said. "And I'm more than happy to be the executioner. He is dead. As of now."
"No," Douglas said. "Nobody dies. At least not so we are the killers."
"You can't let him stay with us. We can't trust him for a second," Mike said. "He is evil. I'm happy to help Alex kill him right here and now."
"No," Douglas said one more time.
"Then what are you going to do?" Alex asked. "Let things go as they are?"
"No, we can't do that. But I won't have him killed. That makes us worse than he is. But we can't keep him with us."
"Then what???" Alex asked. He was getting angry with Douglas. This was the time for Douglas to show how tough he was. As far as Alex was concerned, dying was too good for Robert Charles, but he didn't deserve to live.
"Call the group together. The twins too," Douglas said.
They all met near the sleds. Douglas looked at all of them. Robert Charles was tied to the nearer sled.
"Robert Charles has betrayed us," Douglas said.
"Bullshit, and you know....," Robert Charles started to say, but Scooter put his foot right into Robert Charles's balls and pushed. Robert Charles grunted and then shut up.
"Robert Charles has betrayed us," Douglas said again. "I'm not going to go into all the leadership crap and what happened to Ryan. That was bad enough. But the most precious valuable thing we have is water. We all rationed it carefully. We gave Matthew more than the rest of us because he was hurt. We knew we needed to find what we were looking for before the water ran out. We all knew every drop was precious."
Douglas looked at Robert Charles with fury in his eyes. "You stole the most important thing we have from us. You took our life. You drank water when the rest of us did without. Every day you stole from us. And worse you took it from a boy who was hurt and sick. You are the worst human being I have ever met in my life. I can't even begin to imagine how you think. You disgust me. I give you the only water you deserve." He walked up to Robert Charles, aimed his dick at him at peed in his face. Then he spit on him and walked away. Ryan came up after him and did the same. Stevie followed him. Then Mike, Alex, Jim, Scooter, Jeremy, Travis, Brett, and even Jordan. The twins looked at what was going on not knowing what to think. The whole thing scared them.
Robert Charles was sitting there in the sun covered with piss and spit. He felt like puking. Mike had actually thought of jerking off over him, but then figured it was a waste of his cum, which was reserved for his friends.
"Robert Charles, do you have anything to say before I decide what is going to happen to you?"
Robert Charles spit on the ground. His mouth had the taste of piss in it. "Yeah. First I don't know why I bothered trying to lead you guys. You're worthless faggots. A bunch of queer cowards. I thought I could make you guys somebody. You aren't even worth my pissing on. And as for your precious water, Matthew wasn't worth saving it for. He was hurt, sick, was gonna die, and was slowing us down. I was doing you a favor."
Jordan turned, doubled up his fist, and whipped it across Robert Charles's mouth. A trickle of blood came out of his mouth, mixing with the piss already there.
"RC, I kept thinking maybe you could be somebody who could help us survive," Douglas said in a angry but controlled voice. "You could have done so much for us. Instead you robbed us of what we need to live. You abused your power. You threatened and bullied. And it goes back to the start of this trip - from Mars on.
"Some guys here want you to die right here. Right now. They want you sentenced to death. Dying is too good for you. And killing you makes us worse than you are if that is possible. Here is what I'm going to rule. This is my decision. It is mine alone. You had six bottles of water in your stashes. They are yours, and are six more bottles than you deserve.. You had your shoes, your socks, your pants and shirt, they are yours. Your backpack is yours. That's all you get. I am exiling you from the group. You are on your own. I am ordering to go down the hill and not follow us. Alex is going to untie you. He and Mike will escort you the first mile down. They will watch you keep going. We can see you from up the trail. I am going to warn you not to follow us." He picked up his backpack and pulled out the two laser pistols. He handed one to Alex.
"If you try anything on the way down, I'm sure Alex won't mind using this one bit."
Alex nodded yes.
"Andif anybody ever sees you near us, you will be shot. It will be shoot first and ask questions later. I don't have the guts to kill you, RC, but I don't think Inferno will be shy about doing the job. You have your six precious bottles of water and your two feet. Good luck."
Douglas turned and walked away. Alex and Mike untied him. They handed him his clothes but didn't let him clean up. He was to be led out naked and covered with piss.
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It was too late to try going up the mountain. Douglas said they would need to have two guards out. They set up a schedule for two hours at a time. Douglas kept one gun and gave the other to the guards, plus his watch. Scooter and Douglas took the first shift. Alex and Mike had a later one. Nothing happened though, and they started up right at dawn. They kept a laser gun on each sled. Shotgun really had a gun now.
The sleds climbed slowly up the hill. They were back to thirteen boys. They still didn't know where the valley was, if it even existed. They had 100 extra bottles of water and two young boys they needed to learn about. Douglas was sure he did the right thing exiling Robert Charles. He didn't know what Inferno would do to him. He couldn't see him surviving in the desert with no water, food, shelter, or even clothes. But somehow he had the feeling they hadn't seen the last of him.
Drew and David sat in the trailer sled. They were alive. But the older boys seemed strange and different, just like they did on the "Starkeeper." They looked at each other wondering what they were in for now.
Next: Chapter 27 Green Horsey....Horsey Green
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