“Keep going straight,” insisted Will as they neared the turnoff for the highway. “If that clerk realizes the truth, the highway is the first place they’ll look for us.”

Debra drove past the entrance to the highway. “So we stick to the back roads.”

“Right,” said Will. “It’ll take longer, but we’re less likely to be discovered.”

Debra took out the scanner and handed it to Will. “You should be able to access the area navigation net with this,” she explained. “Find us the best way to the capital.”

Will began typing on the scanner and within a few minutes a map appeared on the screen with a small dot indicating their location. “Keep going straight and I’ll let you know when we need to turn.”

By now the last vestiges of the sun had vanished from the sky. The only light on the road came from their headlights and from the occasional car coming in the opposite direction.

“The groceries I bought are in the back if you’re hungry,” said Debra.

Will reached into the backseat and brought up a bag and began rummaging through it. Finally, he pulled out a pre-made sandwich in a plastic container along with a bottle of juice. “This will hit the spot,” he declared with a smile. He looked over at Debra. “What would you like?”

“Toss me one of those apples,” she answered.

He handed her one and there was a loud crunch as she took a bite. She had to use her sleeve to wipe her face as juice dribbled down her chin. “Now that’s what I’ve been craving.” She took another bite.

They continued driving into the night with Will giving Debra directions. When he wasn’t doing that, he sat back and closed his eyes trying to come up with a plan. The possibility that they were known to be on Earth only made things that much harder. However, he still couldn’t come up with anything that would work. As much as he hated getting anyone else involved, Will knew they were going to need help.

There were many people on Earth he’d been friends with, but Will had no way of knowing how they’d react if he contacted them. However, there was one person he could be sure of. He’d served with her under Debra’s father.

He looked at the scanner and saw a recharging station not too far out of the way.

“We need to take a detour to a recharging station,” he said.

Debra looked down at the front panel. “But we’ve still got nearly a full charge,” she replied. “Why the detour?”

“Because I need to contact someone.”

“Who?”

“Tanya McAllister,” replied Will.

Although Debra had to keep her eyes on the road, Will could see the expression of anger on her face. “No.”

Tanya had been the second in command to Debra’s father and Will had grown to respect and admire her. Robert Corlander’s death had hit Tanya hard and she’d given up active service to teach at the academy. Will had always suspected it was so she could keep an eye out for her Captain’s daughter.

“She’s the only person I know we can trust,” retorted Will. “I don’t know what happened between you two, but you need to put that behind you if we’re going to have any chance of getting Grandle.”

Debra’s hands grew white as she gripped the steering wheel. “She tried to wash me out of the academy is what happened,” she snapped. “Told me I wasn’t cut out to fight in the war.”

Will looked down. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”

“Now you do,” answered Debra the anger ebbing from her voice. Tears began flowing down her cheeks. “The thing is she was right. After less than a year of fighting, I deserted.”

Pulling off to the side of the road, she wiped her face and looked at Will. “I know it’s silly, but I don’t know if I can face her.”

Will reached over and bushed away a tear from her face. “I don’t think it’s silly.” He looked down. “I’ll try and think of someone else.”

Debra shook her head. “No. Despite everything, I know we can trust Tanya. Contact her.”

They drove on and Will directed Debra to the recharging station. That time of night the place was deserted and Debra pulled up in front of a small building which was made up of four well-lighted alcoves. Inside each was a chair sitting in front of a screen with a keyboard.

“Wait here,” instructed Will as he walked to the nearest one. He slipped several credits into the payment slot and sat down. He flipped the switch which would prevent his image from being transmitted then started typing. When he finished, he pressed the activation key.

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The screen flashed several times before a woman’s face appeared. Tanya McAllister had brown hair which just touched her shoulders. Her face, though still young looking, showed some small wrinkles around her eyes and mouth.

“Hello,” she said.

“Commander McAllister, this is Delta-Seven. Please respond,” answered Will. It was his call sign from when they served together. He could only hope she remembered. The look of shock on her face told him she did.

“Delta-Seven, this is McAllister,” she answered, confusion in her voice. “Go ahead.”

“Request rendezvous,” said Will looking down at the scanner. “Oh seven hundred hours at map coordinates alpha-eight.”

“Rendezvous request granted,” she replied.

“Delta-Seven out,” finished Will.

He hurried back to the car.

All set for tomorrow morning,” he informed Debra.

They set out again and switched off driving so each of them had a chance to get some sleep. As the sun began to rise they entered the mountains which overlooked the capital. As they gained altitude, they could see the sun glistening off the towers of the Capital Complex in the distance.

“Almost to the meeting place,” said Will who was now driving. “That will give us a couple hours to settle in and check out the area.”

Debra stifled a yawn. “Sounds like you’re expecting trouble.”

“I’m always expecting trouble,” he answered. “It’s the only way you can be prepared for it if it happens.”

Near the top of the mountain pass, they pulled off the road into the parking area of what might have once been a restaurant. Most of the lot was overgrown with grass and all that was left of the building was charred timbers and broken glass. He pulled the car into the back of the parking lot out of sight of the road.

“Let’s look around,” said Will as he and Debra got out of the car. Will put on the backpack and they each strapped on their blasters.

Walking around the parking lot, they came across a rough path which looked like it hadn’t been used in years. Following it, they headed into the forest and soon found themselves going up a hill. As they stepped out of the trees, they found themselves on top of a small hill which overlooked the parking lot and the road in both directions. Will looked around and smiled.

“I think this will do nicely,” declared Will.

Crouching down in the tall grass, they watched and waited. Occasionally a car passed by, but they all continued on without stopping.

Will glanced at his watch. “Almost seven.”

At precisely seven a small grey sedan came up the road and pulled into the parking lot. Will and Debra remained crouched down in the grass as the car parked. A woman whom Will recognized as Tanya McAllister got out and looked around, but remained by the car.

Making their way back down the path, they soon reached the parking lot. “It’s good to see you, Commander,” said Will as he and Debra stepped out into the open.

“It’s good to see you, Will,” she answered coldly without looking at Debra.

“Oh great,” muttered Debra. “I knew this was a mistake.”

“Well what did you expect,” snapped Tanya. “You deserted your comrades. Your father …”

“You leave my father out of this,” shouted Debra. “I made a mistake and I’ve been living with it ever since. I don’t need you rubbing it in.”

Will stepped between the two women. “Enough,” he cried angrily. “I don’t care about the past. All I know is that Debra has risked her life to help me. So, Tanya, if you can’t be civil, you might as well get out of here.”

Tanya stood there a moment as stared at Will. “You know,” she said, “if I were still your commanding officer I could have you thrown in the brig for talking to me like that.” A smile played across her lips.

She looked over at Debra. “I’m sorry. I had no right to say what I did.”

“Thanks,” answered Debra.

Neither sounded happy, but Will didn’t care. They had work to do.

“Okay. Let’s get down to business,” declared Will.

“So what’s all this about you being a traitor?” asked Tanya.

“I’m not,” replied Will. “But, it’s a long story so let’s find a place to sit.”

At the edge of the parking lot were several benches that surprisingly were still in good shape. They all sat down and Will began telling Tanya everything that’d happened since he and Debra met. He considered skipping the thefts he and Debra had carried out, but knew he had to be fully honest with Tanya to get her help.

She did raise her eyebrows when Will got to the part about stealing the Strelian Crystal, but didn’t say anything. That wasn’t the case when he got to the invasion of Celentus.

Her eyes grew wide and an angry demeanor came across her face. She shook her head. “It all makes sense now,” she muttered.

“What do you mean?” asked Will.

“I still have a lots of friends in the military I keep in touch with,” she explained. “However, for the past eight months, I haven’t heard anything from them.”

Will nodded. “I’m sure Grandle doesn’t want any information about what he’s doing getting back to Earth.”

“That’s not all,” said Tanya. “All of the instructors I worked with in the academy have been reassigned. Thought it was just normal turnover, but after what you’ve told me, it’s clearly something more.”

Will resumed telling her about everything he and Debra had discovered. Tanya grew angrier as he continued speaking. He went on for nearly two hours.

“And so here we are,” he concluded. “In spite of everything we’ve tried, we haven’t found any evidence to tie Grandle to what’s happening. There’s only one thing left for us to try, confront him directly and hope we can get him to tell the people of Earth what’s going on.”

Tanya shook her head. “And if he won’t?”

Will looked down and didn’t say anything.

Tanya put a hand on his shoulder. “I know it goes against everything we were taught at the academy,” she said in a consoling tone, “but if Grandle won’t cooperate you have no choice. There’s too many lives at stake.”

Will nodded. “Will you help us?”

“Yes,” she said. “What the president is doing is wrong and he has to be stopped.”

“Thanks,” said Will.

Tanya looked over at Debra. “It would seem I misjudged you, Debra. You could have just run off at the first sign of trouble, but you didn’t. I know your father would be proud.”

“That means a lot,” answered Debra.

Tanya stood up. "I heard on the radio as I was driving out that the authorities know you’re here. Said they found your fingerprints at some hotel. They gave a description of the car you're driving.”

Will and Debra weren’t surprised. The hotel clerk must have looked for a picture of Will.

“I’ll take you into the city and you can stay with me,” continued Tanya. “Then I’ll see what I can find out to help you get into the Capital Complex.”

The three of them got into Tanya’s car and they headed off for the city. As they drove, they continued talking with Tanya asking more questions about what they’d been through. For the first time in a while, Will felt a glimmer of hope.