Bright Horizons by Wilson Harp

away from
Kyle. “Alex Ramirez killed Kiltao Bregan.”
    “Why
Lon?” Ambassador Thomas asked without so much as a quiver in his voice. “Why
did Ramirez kill Kiltao Bregan?”
    “From
what I gathered, Alex Ramirez walked into the lab just when Kiltao Bregan
killed Doctor Emily Troy.”
    Kyle’s
breath caught in his throat for a second. “Lon, where is Alex?”
    “I’m
sorry Colonel Martin, but Alex Ramirez has been taken by the Iltia’cor security
forces and is being subjected to their trial.”
    “What
do you mean trial? When will this take place? We need time to get a lawyer here
to talk to Alex.”
    Lon’s
throat was turning a deep blue, which Kyle knew was a sign of great sadness
among the Hedali. “The trial is already started Colonel Martin. The Iltia’cor
have taken him and have started it already.”
    “Lon,
what kind of trial is this?”
    “They
will have six of their security forces beat him until he is dead. I am truly
sorry.”
    Ambassador
Thomas leaned heavily against the wall for support.
    “Ambassador,
get the rest of our delegation and go to the Hedali ship. We need to get out of
here. I’ll go get Alex, I think we just started a war.”
    Ambassador
Thomas hurried out of the office as Lon bobbed up and down. “No Colonel, the
trial has already started. There is no chance to save Alex Ramirez.”
    Kyle
felt a great sense of pity for his Hedali friend. “No Lon, I’m not worried
about Alex, but if we get there quick enough we might save some of the
Iltia’cor. Please, which way is it?”
    Lon
stopped and looked at Colonel Martin. He was learning much about humans, but
was still not sure how their humor worked. The Colonel seemed sincere, but Alex
Ramirez was not as strong or as fast as the Iltia’cor… and yet, he remembered
watching his bravery and abilities that first day of contact between their
races.
    “This
way Colonel,” Lon said as he turned and quickly went down the hallway leading
to the common areas of the station. 
    In
the common dining area, Kyle saw Hedali, Sortag, and Junniji scientists and
staff gathered in small groups not looking around. The Iltia’cor were in one
large group talking loudly in their multi-tonal language and making large
gestures. When they saw Kyle come into the room, they stopped talking and stood
as one facing him. Kyle ignored them and followed the fast walking Lon into the
Iltia’cor section of the ship. There were no rules or diplomatic problems going
into another race’s private section of the station, but it was generally
implied to be impolite if you were not invited.
    Kyle
didn’t care if he was being impolite at the moment; he had to stop Alex from
making a bad situation worse. Two Iltia’cor security guards were looking at a
door when Kyle and Lon approached. There was a lot of noise coming from inside.
    Lon
pointed at the door. “The trial is in there, Colonel Martin.”
    “How
do I open the door, Lon? I need in there.”
    Lon
started to push a button on a panel when one of the Iltia’cor guards hit him
hard across the face knocking him back into the wall behind Kyle.
    Kyle
didn’t believe in fighting fair. He didn’t believe in fighting dirty. He
believed in walking away from any fight you were in. The guard who hit Lon saw
Kyle move, but the second guard didn’t. 
    Kyle
grabbed an arm of the second guard, twisted it behind the alien’s back and then
dropped to his knees. The motion and torque pulled the second guard over Kyle
and slammed him into the wall.
    Kyle
popped up back to his feet and delivered a sharp, hard kick to the face of the
stunned guard lying on the floor.
    As
anticipated, the other guard grabbed at Kyle. Kyle was already in motion
though, jumping straight up and swinging his head back hard. He felt the pain
shoot through his skull and neck as the back of his head made contact with the
guard’s face. Kyle dropped forward and kicked back with both legs as his hands
made contact with the ground. His kick hit