One To Many- chap 3

--------- Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way ---------

It was a peaceful afternoon in Watsonville, but with all the excitement that had happened earlier in the day, the townsfolk had enough to talk about for the next two months. Roston Riley had landed his small craft just outside the little town and had made the acquaintance Judge Gantry Dillon, sheriff Cain and his deputies. He seemed young to have such rank as lieutenant, maybe around the age of twenty-five, but this only let Dillon and the rest of the authority of Watsonville know that the boy had some spunk, some drive, some determination to be an achiever. The judge viewed the young officer, as Riley made a request.

“ May I see the produce?” It was a question, but also at the same time a command. Gantry got the feeling that this young Alliance officer was used to getting what he wanted.

“ Follow me,” the judge said, leading him up the steps and into the jailhouse.

Mal Reynolds still sat shackled to a chair. Dillon led the lieutenant over to stand in front of the bandit.

“ This fella here calls himself Mal, and seems to be the leader,” then the judge pointed to the cells against the wall, “ there are the other two, someone named Jayne, and over there is Kay. I was just beginning the interrogations when you arrived.”

“ So this is it? Where are the others? I was told to expect a group of five, maybe more?”

“ This is what we have so far, the rest are still on the gallop. We’ll get them though, you can be sure of it.” the judge spoke confidently.

“ Don’t bother,” the young lieutenant stated, “you have a town to run. I have other personnel along with the two waiting outside. They’ve taken the shuttle to the refueling depot at Fort Oliver to the south of here. I will get with the garrison there and we’ll continue the search. You’ve done well here Judge Dillon. You should be able to tell the townsfolk that things can resume normally,” he paused to make note to himself.

Watsonville was a quaint little town, no sense