Read The Bright Black Sea Page 76

  Chapter 75 The Last Ghost

  01

  Molaye was directing a mixed gang of Starry Shore and Cimmadarians who were carefully guiding the second container held in a cat's cradle of lines towards the cavern's mouth, while I stood on the upper hull of the Raven, in the pale light of the Tenth Star, hands in my jacket's pockets, calmly watching the proceedings – the very apogee of human development – a tramp spaceship's captain. All I needed to do was stand there, my magnetic soled boots firmly anchored to the ship and things got done – under the energetic directions and lash of Molaye's glib tongue – a shining example of a first mate attending to the first mate's job, i.e. seeing that the captain's slightest whims are carried out, promptly.

  We'd only one more container to be off-loaded before the Starry Shore's crew could be dispensed with and sent back to the ship in the longboat they'd brought along, leaving me alone for the first time in a quarter of a century. I'd no regrets, largely because I couldn't see any other course that met my obligations. That doesn't mean I wasn't feeling sad and uncertain. I liked certainty – I'm pretty Unity Standard – and the future was every bit as iffy as it had been when we sailed from Calissant bound for the drifts. Look how that turned out. Plus, there was a shadow in the back of my awareness telling me that my luck wouldn't last forever. That, however, may be the suppressed realization that this venture had several fatal flaws in its planning and was doomed from the onset.

  As the box entered the shadows of the cavern on its slow, carefully choreographed journey to the interior quay, Molaye, standing on its top, waved to me before turning to the task of piloting it through the cavern. I returned her wave and considered what needed doing next.

  We were still anchored across the mouth of the cavern, held off the rocks of Redoubt Island by two spars, bow and stern. The Indomitable was tied up a bit further down the island's shore and beyond her, the old Guardian rode in a web of spars and lines, still undergoing its modest modernization. The auxiliary ships floated in a row beyond the warships. The air around me was alive with its usual suspects, calling, screeching, and humming. Turning, I looked outward to the distant green and hazy blue islands dotting the 360-degree sky. One of the scout boats, acting as a guard ship, lazily orbited Redoubt island, a kilometer or two off. It was all very peaceful, and now familiar as well. But having seen the box offloaded, I was at loose ends, and restless.

  'I'm going over to the Indomitable. Shouldn't take long,' I said to Riv, who had been watching the proceedings with me with the placid superiority of a chief engineer.

  I walked to the Raven's stern and down the hull to the anchor cable running alongside the spar and used it to reach the island's shore near the end of the cavern's ledge. I walked along the path using my newly acquired skill with the toe-claws and up the flag ship's metal planked gangplank to the gate in the grating of the forward well deck of the Indomitable. I found Min, Vinden, and DarQue, attended by half a dozen officers, gathered around a table set up on the far side of the deck near the mid-ship deck-house – making still more plans, no doubt. It'd be more accurate to say I found the Empress, Prince Imvoy, and Admiral DarQue with their aides, since that would better reflect their current status and attitude. The equality of the Unity, and the freemasonry of the drifts was fast fading. We were dealing with royalty now, and the days when I could've just walked over and joined them had slipped astern. Sub-captain Tri'n was standing along the railing next to the gangplank, so I joined her.

  'Hello Sub-captain,' I said as I settled against the railing next to her.

  'Greetings, Captain,' Tri'n said with a brief nod of greetings.

  'Here on business?'

  'The Admiral has summoned me,' she said grimly.

  'No doubt for a promotion. Time to staff the new fleet.'

  'I shall find out, when summoned.'

  'I'm in no great hurry, so take the first opportunity, Tri'n.'

  'I'm in no hurry, either,' she replied looking grim and in no mood to chat, so I let her be. Instead, I turned and watched the big sentry serpent hunt in and out of the vines along the edge of the island.

  'What do you want now, Litang?' Min called out some time later.

  I turned. Min was watching me from the group across the deck. I took her exasperation to be sarcastic, since I hadn't done anything.

  'Just a quick word with the Admiral or Captain Lil'dre concerning my Cimmadarian crew,' I replied, crossing the deck to the gathered dignitaries. 'I was hoping to start training my new crew soon.'

  'Good timing, Captain,' said DarQue with a nod. 'I've just summoned sub-captain Tri'n to see if she'd like to volunteer to serve aboard your ship, if that suits you, of course.'

  'I'd be delighted to have sub-captain Tri'n as my first mate. I've seen her in action, so I know she's a very cool and competent officer. If she's willing, of course.' I wasn't so sure about that part.

  'Please join us, Sub-captain,' commanded DarQue in a louder voice. And when she joined us, he added, 'Captain Litang and I have discussed manning the Raven with a detachment of Cimmadarian sailors and I was wondering if you'd consider serving aboard the Raven – as a volunteer,' this with a nod and a smile to me. 'If so, could you collect a volunteer crew, of what was it – four additional members, Captain?'

  'Yes sir. Four.'

  'Of four reliable sailors, Sub-captain.'

  'I'd be honored and happy to serve aboard the Raven, sir,' she replied, neither noticeably honored or happy, but not visibly reluctant. Not that DarQue had given her a choice. 'Thank you for the opportunity, sir.'

  'Right. Attend to selecting your crew, sub-captain, and report aboard the Raven in...?'

  'At her convenience, sir.' And turning to her added, 'I am serious, Tri'n, about having a crew who wants to serve on board. I think that acquiring a working knowledge of a spaceship would be a good career move. I intend to make spaceers of everyone who is willing to learn.'

  'Only the Dar go outside,' said DarQue. 'For obvious reasons.'

  'Ah, yes. Still, there's space inside the shell-reef as well, and the Pela to explore, so Cim or Dar, I'll make spaceers out of them all.'

  'Right. Cim or Dar, volunteers, Sub-captain,' replied the Admiral, and dismissed us with a nod.

  Tri'n saluted and I managed to snap off an only slightly ironic one as well – I was going to have to practice that – and turned for the gangplank.

  We'd crossed half the deck when a very eccentrically dressed character stepped onto the deck from the head of the gangplank. The sailor was wearing a standard issued Cimmadar Navy green shirt under a reddish-brown lizard-leather jacket and sported a brightly colored feather-scarf at the neck, along with black spaceer trousers tucked into tall spaceer boots, and a spaceer cap worn low over the eyes and with a long dragon feather stuck in its side. Cimmadarians wear their uniforms rather casually, a necessity, given their great variety of work – from hunting expeditions to working deep in the bowels of the ships – but even so, this one stood out, not only in dress, but in attitude. And with that, I realized, in an icy flash of insight, that I was seeing not a sailor, but a ghost.

  What happened next took no more than two or three seconds, but those seconds seemed glacial. I'd first seen this flamboyantly dressed ghost a decade ago, as a slim black silhouette in the fog of a Calissant night. We both had stopped, and stood stock still for that second or two, adrift in the rushing jumble of emotions this particular ghost evoked. She may have smiled when she recognized me through my sinister whiskers, though I doubt that smile reached her lips. Strangely enough, I don't remember feeling fear.

  We both reached for our weapons – my left hand reaching for my sissy in my jacket pocket, rather than the darter on my right hip, while she drew a darter from the holster under her jacket with a smooth, seemingly unhurried, action and aimed it with an outstretched arm for a spot between my eyes. I caught the flash of its drive beam as it crossed my eyes.

  'Look out Min!' I managed to exclaim as I loosened a desperate volley
of darts in the general direction of the ghost.

  Simultaneously, a brilliant flash of blinding blue light behind me brightly illuminated the deck even in the sunlight. A blast of heat washed over me as the powerful plasma dart discharged. I felt pinpoints of pain on the back of my neck and head as the tiny molten droplets of gold sprayed across the deck.

  I staggered, straightened up, and saw my ghost was twisting about on the one leg attached to the deck. I fired again, but this time missed. But it didn't matter. I'd hit her the first time.

  'Are you all right?' I asked Tri'n beside me

  She nodded grimly, her side arm in hand. 'I'm unhurt.'

  I glanced back to see Min brushing off DarQue's attempts to hustle her to safety and a pale Vinden, darter in hand, stalking angrily towards us, along with all the other officers on the deck. The smoldering embers of my cap floated in the idle air currents above us.

  'A Neb-blasted traitor!' Vinden roared, his face twisted in outraged anger. 'Can we trust no one, DarQue?' he snarled, and added, as he came alongside me, 'Seems you got him, though,' and returned his darter to his shoulder holster.

  'Be careful – she could be feinting being hit,' I said, knowing she'd been well out of my range so that if I had, indeed, hit her, it could only have been the result of fantastic luck.

  'You got him. He's let go of his darter,' he said, pointing to the darter floating in the space between us. He did, however, pause.

  I stepped forward and snatched the darter out of the air and pocketed it. I turned to the still figure of Naylea Cin, now floating face down in the shock-silenced well deck with my mind racing. I absently lifted her upright, planting her free leg so that she stood upright, swaying slightly, unconscious, or feinting unconsciousness. I recalled D'Lay mentioning that stealths often had capacitors implanted in their body to absorb some of the energy of a plasma dart to nullify its effects – so I put my sissy to her hand and gave her another dart to be certain. I wasn't going to take any chances. Still, I looked on her calm face and felt a dart of my own – mixture of emotions, one of which, strangely enough, was sadness. She'd failed, yet again. Because of me. Yet again. So now, that black mark that this mission would've erased, would be hers forever.

  'Good shooting, Litang,' said Min as she walked towards us, ignoring DarQue's obvious concern, and quiet, urgent objections. 'You've improved over the years.'

  I turned to her. 'You shouldn't be here. This is a St Bleyth assassin. I don't know how long she'll be out but I'm sure she'd be deadly even unarmed. Why not return to your quarters while we deal with this?' Not that I expected her to do anything of the sort. Simply a matter of form.

  She gave me a contemptuous look.

  'You're the Empress now,' I replied. 'You need to act responsibly.'

  Vinden stepped between us before Min could reply and got into my face instead. 'An agent of St Bleyth? How do you know that? And how did she get here?' He demanded, adding, 'And do you mean you merely stunned her, Litang?'

  'Of course, that's all I can load in my sissy.'

  'What a Neb-blasted fool. Well, I'll finish the job,' he snapped, reaching for the darter he had just holstered.

  I reached out and grabbed his wrist. 'She's my prisoner, Vinden. I'll deal with her.'

  'The Neb you will, Litang. She's an assassin who tried to kill the Empress and me. I'll serve her own medicine. She'll be a lot less deadly, dead,' he snapped, and attempted to tear my hand off his right wrist free so he could draw his darter.

  'No. We're not summarily executing helpless prisoners, are we, Min?' I said, glancing to Min as we struggled, adding urgently, 'That's no way to begin a new regime.'

  But before she could answer, Vinden managed to reach and wrench his darter free, though I still had a grip on his wrist.

  That wouldn't do. I acted instinctively. I put the sissy I was still holding against his hand on my wrist and gave him a dart. He jerked as it discharged and then relaxed. I calmly grabbed his darter and pocketed it as well.

  'Did you just dart Uncle Hawk?' said Min, her eyes wide.

  'Sorry, he made it necessary. He'll be fine in a couple of hours. Just a little headache. Trust me, I know,' I replied grimly, slipping my sissy back into my pocket as it slowly dawned on me what I'd done. 'We're not killing prisoners out of hand. We can't have that.'

  'We're not? Are you out of your mind Litang?' she asked. Perhaps she actually thought I was.

  And perhaps I was, a little, but I denied it, 'Not at all.' And paused to collect my thoughts. 'I'd hardly think you'd want to start your campaign to take back the Cloud Throne from a ruthless tyrant by establishing the precedent of killing helpless prisoners. Not good policy. You're going to have to count on gathering followers from your aunt's navy as you go. How eager will they be to switch sides if they know you shoot prisoners? You need to establish a clear difference between you and your aunt. You need to be the better Empress. Killing helpless prisoners isn't good karma and you'll need all the good karma you can acquire if you're to succeed.'

  'But you just darted Uncle Hawk – Prince Imvoy.'

  'He didn't give me a choice. I merely stunned him, and only to prevent him from doing your cause great harm and because I couldn't take the chance that there'd be lethal darts accidentally flying about if we continued to struggle.'

  She stared at me for a moment and, perhaps, knowing me too well, said. 'What's she to you, Litang?'

  'She saved my life.'

  'You said she was our assassin.'

  'She is. She's the one who tried to kill us on Calissant and she tried again to kill me on Lontria to use my death to get to you. Believe me, I wasn't imagining the threat when I had Vyn and Ten bring you up to the ship.'

  'And yet, I thought you said she saved your life.'

  I began, slowly. 'You see, we crossed orbits once more, on Despar, after you had sailed. She had followed us there to complete her mission. As it happened she rescued me from a pack of Legion of the New Order thugs who had me cornered and seemed intent on beating me to death.'

  'Why in the Neb would she do that?'

  'Well, I gather, for several reasons. She again planned to use me to get to you and I guess she wanted to kill me herself. Slowly. Seems she blamed me for her failures and wanted to make me pay for the damage I did to her career. The Neb-blasted thing is that she shepherded me through several Legion ambushes in a chase over one of the viaducts from Sanjoor to the port. I'm pretty sure she's saved my life more times than she's tried to take it. And, well, I'd rather be on the right side of the ledger. It's a karma thing.'

  'It's more than that,' she said, watching me closely.

  I'd just said all I knew for certain. Anything beyond that, if there was anything beyond that, wasn't clear enough to articulate. 'I owe my life. I think that matters. But what matters to both of us is the principle of the thing. We both grew up in the Unity, the finest expression of civilization humans have ever known. I'm not prepared to abandon that civilization in the name of ruthless efficiency or for some drifteer mania for revenge. We're both civilized people. Prisoners are prisoners. That's a matter of principle. It's who we are.' And with that, I realized, with gut churning dismay, that I'd put myself in a position that I could not and would not, retreat from. Like those damned fools, D'Lay and Nun, this seemed like an ethical principle I couldn't turn a blind eye to. She hadn't killed me when she should've, and could've, and I wouldn't stand by and let them kill her.

  'Well, she almost killed me. I claim a share in determining her fate,' replied Min, and turning to DarQue beside her, demanded, 'What's the custom, what's our policy with prisoners?'

  'We don't take pirates, slavers or raiders prisoners,' he said simply.

  'And assassins?' asked Min, giving me a quick, dark, challenging glance.

  'I would think assassins, like pirates, slavers and raiders operate outside of the commonly accepted rules of warfare, and need not be taken prisoner,' he said simply.

  However, my mind was racing
ahead, reviewing the customs of Cimmadar, as recorded on my com link.

  'Right,' snapped Min, turning back to me, 'You've no local customs to protect your assassin. I see no reason why we shouldn't apply local customs to this affair. Which is?'

  'She can be executed out of hand,' said DarQue. 'If you choose to do so.'

  'And as for defying and darting Uncle Hawk, Prince Imvoy?' she asked just to make me squirm. I hope.

  'Who,' I interjected, hastily, 'Has no operational authority. He's a political adviser. Not in the chain of command. He was overstepping his authority so I didn't have to take orders from him. And I darted him for your safety.'

  She gave me a hard look, but shrugged, 'We'll deal with that issue later. But since, it seems that executing an assassin is within accepted custom, I see no reason why that can't be done – karma or no. We're not in the Unity anymore.'

  'I beg to differ...' I said, as I prepared my defense.

  'I'm not going to stand here and argue. We're not in the Unity, and I believe most local customs should be followed...'

  'I agree, to a point. However, according to local customs, I don't believe you have any say in the matter.'

  'Litang,' she began, growing even more angry, 'If you're about to defy me yet again...'

  'Sorry. But, you see, I was the one she shot at, not you, or Vinden. Since I was her obvious target, that makes this my affair – my personal affair. It wasn't part of some a military action or even a political affair, at least as far as we know. So I claim my personal right – according to local custom, mind you – to deal with my would-be assassin as I choose. Am I correct in my interpretation of Cimmadar custom, Admiral?' I added looking to DarQue.

  'Since you seem to have been the immediate target, and since you haven't been sworn into the Empress's Navy, the assassination was not directed against naval personnel... So it could be interpreted as a civilian and personal matter, in which case, Captain Litang has the right to redress the wrong as he sees fit. Still as the Empress...'

  'Right,' I snapped, eager to end this discussion before royal privilege could be invoked. 'This incident is my private affair. I'm very sorry it occurred in such a public manner. Now, we need to act before she comes around. I'll take charge of my prisoner. I'll confine her to a sleeper-pod on board the Raven until I can send her safely off to the ship.'

  'And then?' Min demanded. 'What do you intend to do with our would-be assassin?'

  I shrugged. 'I don't know. Perhaps I'll have Molaye turn her over to the Patrol. A mind probe will earn her life in Felon's Riff. Or perhaps I'll just have her sent far away. She'll never find us again. And, well, when all is said and done, she didn't assassinate us, did she? I'd think living with that failure, and the contempt of her Order might be an even harsher sentence than death.'

  Min just stared at me for a moment, 'We'll deal with this later. In private.' Turning to the ring of sailors who'd gathered around us, she ordered, 'Please see Prince Imvoy to his stateroom.' And with a curt nod to DarQue, 'Admiral,' she spun and made her way to the doorway in the deck house and disappeared into its dark interior.

  DarQue gave me a long, thoughtful look, but said nothing, beyond ordering two sailors to take charge of Uncle Hawk floating peacefully beside me and glaring around the deck, sending the rest of the sailors who had gathered around and in the balconies overlooking the deck, scurrying back to their duties. We'd been speaking in Cimmadar – that being the way we're thinking these days – so everyone knew what just happened. Who knows what they thought?

  I turned back to Cin, still floating quietly, anchored by her boots, and considered my next move.

  Tri'n still stood next to me, watching me with curious eyes. She was my first mate now, so I might as well put her to work.

  'Ah, Tri'n. Perhaps you can find me something I might use to secure the hands and feet of my prisoner?'

  She nodded and went off, leaving me to stare at my old would-be-assassin – and comrade in arms – wondering at the strange mix of emotions that seeing her now, long after I thought her dead on some (other) suicide mission, had churned up in my mind.

  Tri'n returned promptly with a length of cord which I used to bind Cin's hands and lash her legs together before breaking her free of the deck and tossing her over my shoulder.

  'Can I help, Captain?' Tri'n asked.

  'Thank you, I'm fine,' I said, adding, 'I'm sorry to have made such a fool of myself. Please feel free to reconsider your decision to sail aboard the Raven.'

  We started down the long gangplank

  'She means something to you,' she said from behind me, echoing Min. I was familiar enough with Cimmadarian speech to know it wasn't a question. Which meant I didn't have to answer it. Still...

  'She didn't miss, Tri'n,' I said, and glancing back, added, 'Many round-cycles ago, she was ordered by her superiors to kill me. She could've easily hit me at point blank range, but didn't. How could I, in turn, stand by and see her killed out of hand?'

  'How do you know it was deliberate? And why, if she did?'

  I laughed grimly. 'The one time she did, unintentionally miss me, was when her arm was bumped just as she fired, and she hit the badge on my cap,' I said, pointing to my now bare head and briefly outlined the incident until we reached the end of the gangplank.

  'So you believe she missed deliberately.'

  'Hitting my cap's badge a second time couldn't be a coincidence.'

  'Why? Why did she not kill you?'

  I shrugged. 'I don't know. She likely expected me to miss. She knows my effective range is a meter, or less. And well, we were both between her and her likely targets, she may've figured to stun everyone with the plasma air blast to give her an extra few seconds to get a clear line on her targets before anyone reacted. This was a suicide mission after all, so whatever happened afterward, wouldn't have mattered. Still, she could've killed me, but didn't, so I can't stand by and let her be killed. And even that's neither dragon nor snake, as you'd say. You don't kill helpless prisoners out of hand. That's not war, that's murder.'

  She said nothing more.

  'You don't fear Prince Imvoy?' she asked as we walked along the path for the Raven.

  I glanced at Tri'n. A person of few words, but very direct. Given our very different lives and outlooks, that was probably for the best.

  I shrugged, 'There was ill blood between us already. His men darted me and he kept me prisoner once and he threatened to pirate the Empress's ship when I simply wouldn't turn it over to him. I'm sure he doesn't like me, and I neither like, nor trust him, so this changes nothing.'

  'He can challenge you to a duel.'

  'I've fought one, and won.'

  'So you don't fear a duel?'

  'The custom here is like it is everywhere else. If he challenges me, I'll have my choice of weapons, so no, I don't. But he won't. It'd be beneath his dignity. And too iffy.

  'Yes,' she said quietly, with a sidelong glance. 'Royalty has its privileges. After this, no one would wonder if you disappeared.'

  'I'll just have to be careful and keep in company until we sail. We'll have two of his men on board, but I don't think they'll murder for him. I spared Ben's life once, for what it's worth. And Vikei was the next best of the litter. We'll just have to watch them carefully. And once the fleet sails, we should be able to steer well clear of Prince Imvoy.'

  'And you don't fear me?' she asked. 'That I might act to avenge the honor of Prince Imvoy?'

  I glanced at her. She was impossible to read, but I answered truthfully, 'No. You're my first mate. Shall we cross over to our ship?'

  It was a bit awkward hauling the inert body of Cin along as we pulled ourselves across to the Raven using one of the mooring lines.

  Riv, watching us come on board, with a big grin, called out, ‘Gone native already, Skipper? My, and with two wives – one of each kind – as well.' Fortunately, in Unity Standard.

  I gave him a dark look. Wasted, of course. 'This is Sub-captain Tri'n, the new first
mate of the Raven,' I said in Cimmadarian, introducing her. 'And this is Riv D'Van, chief engineer of the Starry Shore. Don't pay him any mind. He's a mere tourist.'

  He grinned and bowed, 'A pleasure to meet you, Sub-captain Tri'n. Welcome aboard the Raven.'

  She gave him a measuring look and nodded, 'Thank you, Chief.'

  'And who's your other, more reluctant recruit, Skipper?' he asked as I hoisted Cim to my shoulder again.

  'Naylea Cin. The St Bleyth stealth.'

  'What in the Black Neb are you doing with her here?'

  'I'd imagine she was sent to kill Vinden and Min to toss a spanner in the counter-revolution,' I replied. 'I'm guessing she stowed away on the Triumphant on Ravin. As luck had it, I was in position to thwart her assassination attempt aboard the flagship and took her prisoner. I'll send her back to the Nebula in a sleeper-pod. Follow me, and if you have any more questions, you can ask them while we get her in a pod and clear a bit of the junk out of the engine room storage compartment.'

  'You thwarted another assassination attempt?' he said, shaking his head as he fell in beside me. 'This I have to hear. Spin your yarn, skipper. '

  I spun my yarn as Riv and Dici dug out a sleeper-pod from storage and cleared a space in the small storage compartment to store it.

  'You think she was just planning to walk up to Min and Vinden and dart them?' Dici asked.

  'Why not? It would've worked if I hadn't been there and recognized her. This was a suicide mission so the consequences afterward were of no great concern to her.'

  'Why would she agree to a suicide mission in the first place?' he asked.

  'Perhaps to uphold her honor,' I replied. The tentativeness was a lie.

  'Strikes me as a very iffy plan, if you could call it a plan at all,' said Riv.

  'Not at all,' I replied, and turning to Tri'n, 'Did she strike you as – a Dar or an outsider?'

  'An outsider,' she replied without hesitation. 'Not one of our company.'

  'Riv, Dici?'

  Riv looked at her and grinned. 'Aye, I see your point.'

  Dici said, 'I don't.'

  'Look at how she's dressed – an eclectic mixture of spaceer and Pela clothing – which makes it hard to place her with a glance. Both groups, the spaceers and sailors are small enough to recognize a stranger disguised as one of them. But neither pays enough attention to who's in the other group to notice someone out of place. Dressed as she is, both sides would, at least on a casual glance, simply place her in the other group. Assuming she steered clear of people as much as possible she could probably move about pretty freely. Neb, she reached the flagship without a problem and could've likely gone searching throughout the ship for her targets, if they hadn't been on the deck when she arrived There's little enough security here.'

  'The loyalty of those of us who remain have been tested countless times,' asserted Tri'n. 'But no one expected an enemy from the outside.'

  'I must admit, neither did I. She must've gained access to the Triumphant when it was still on Ravin and found a nook to hide in for the passage in a cocoon-style sleeper-pod which was programed to revived her once there was a breathable atmosphere. I'm guessing, but I can't think of any other way... Right. Let's get her stowed away in that sleeper-pod before she revives.'

  'What are you planning to do with her?' asked Riv.

  'I'm thinking I send her as a boxed tourist to some Apier world.'

  'Not the Guard?'

  'I owe her my life, Riv. She gets hers, whether she wants it or not.'

  'She may have more weapons, Captain. Have you searched her?' said Tri'n as I lifted her into the pod.

  'Probably does...' But I found myself reluctant to search her and in a hurry to get her in stasis.

  'Do you want me to search her?' ask Tri'n.

  'Thanks. I'm sure she's still armed, but once in stasis, it won't matter. We'll take that into account if and when we revive her. I think the wisest course now is just to get her into stasis as quickly as possible before she comes to. These stealths have ways of minimizing the effects of our weapons. No point taking chances.'

  She gave me an unreadable look, but said nothing more.

  I activated the suspended animation unit and closed the pod's lid. I locked the compartment door with my captain-only security code and then made certain that all my (soon-to-be former) crew members were warned to steer clear of that compartment and its dangerous, if sleeping, inhabitant.

  02

  I retreated to the lower hull of the Raven and in the mellow sunlight and cool, fragrant breeze, I tried to order my thoughts – the ones I'd been pushing away. Without much success. When Molaye returned from wrangling the box to the quay, I filled her in on the recent events – she just watched me silently with a faint smile, knowing better to say out loud what she was doubtlessly thinking. I outlined my plan to send Cin's sleeper-pod somewhere far away, once the ship returned to the known Nebula. She assured me that'd be no problem, with a sly smirk.

  Molaye had just drifted off to get a bite to eat, with one last unspoken sarcastic remark in her glance, when Tenry swung by and with a nod, we retired to the bow of the ship to sit and have a quiet talk.

  'What's this I hear about you darting Vinden to save the life of Talley's would-be-assassin? Have you taken leave of your senses, Skipper?' he asked, but with a grin.

  'Oh, did anyone happen to mention that I saved their lives as well?'

  His grin widened, 'I rather think that was a given. Trust me, I know – your proper place is in the line of fire.'

  'They seem to assume I was just hanging around to stand in that line. However, I'll have you know, that she shot at me and failed, as she has done on a few other occasions. That makes her my assassin, not theirs, and since I darted her she's my prisoner as well.'

  He gave me a look between wonder and pity. 'And darting Prince Imvoy? How are you lifting that?'

  'He overstepped his authority and gave me no option. I wasn't about to wrestle for his darter and risk darts flying about by accident with Min and Admiral DarQue close at hand.'

  He sighed, 'Well, I see you've got your story well in hand, for all the good it'll do you.'

  'It's the truth, for what it's worth.'

  We sat in silence for a while and watched the young sentry serpents playing in the cavern entrance, darting and twisting about like animate arrows, apparently trying to nip each other’s tail.

  'I don't think Talley's very happy with you, at the moment,' he said, at last. No doubt the official reason for his visit.

  'Can't say I blame her, Ten. But she'll come around. She always does. I'm sure she'll also come around to seeing that we need to be more than drift pirates if we're to rally the people and unseat an empress who's held the throne for a century. Especially with someone, who, as you well know, has no right to it at all. We need to offer someone better. And killing a prisoner out of hand, a helpless one at that, is not the way to begin such a venture. I'm sure Min'll come to see that.'

  'You think so? You don't think she'll wonder why you seemed so adamant in your defense of a girl who tried to kill her?'

  'She can wonder all she wants. We've settled that. She can't have it both ways.' Which may've been saying too much, but what the Neb. Still, I added, 'I hardly know Cin, and what I do, scares me. Don't read anything more into it than in the past she saved my life, and she could've killed me on the flagship. She didn't miss. Hitting my cap's badge twice is beyond chance...'

  'Why?'

  'Who knows? Probably some tactical reason to get a clear line of fire or something, but the fact is, I would be dead several times over, but for her actions. What type of person do you think I am if I'd let Vinden – Vinden of all people – kill her out of hand? What sort of karma would that earn me?' I added growing angry. 'You're Patrol. Tell me I did something wrong.'

  He shrugged. 'I can't do that. Vyn and I agree that killing her would've been ill advised. I'll leave you to do the math on the karma angle.'

  'Karma e
arns you luck.'

  'Well, you're going to need it.'

  'Think so?'

  'Given the need for unity within the movement, darting the Prince isn't lifting...'

  'Given the need for a clear chain of command – which Vinden isn't in...'

  'Given the idiocy of darting a prince of the realm... Not that I don't personally approve, Skipper, but still, you may've pushed your luck or karma too far this time. I think you're underestimating the importance of Vinden in the scheme of things. He was, and still is, the leader of the opposition. Though the crown passes on the female side, the male siblings can be very powerful. Vinden, Prince Imvoy, is the closest thing they have to the old order they're fighting to restore, Talley notwithstanding. She may've officially cut him out of the chain of command, but with his title and stature he can do anything he pleases, and there's not much Talley can do about it. You've picked a powerful enemy in Vinden.'

  I didn't say anything for a while, 'I didn't have a choice, Ten. Well, at least everyone knows what they're getting in me.'

  'True,' he said, and added with a sigh, 'But I'm far from convinced that was wise either. But the deed's done. So tell me, Wil, what's the story of you and this assassin?'

  I told him my tale – I figured it'd reach Min via Vynnia and hopefully make it clear that I was acting honorably.

  After Tenry pushed off, I took time to try to honestly examine my motives. I'd no romantic illusions about Cin. All I needed to do was recall her icy grey eyes and the cold, cruel delight she took in administering pain to kill that notion. Neb, she'd been so cold and ruthless, that even the other members of her class and Order had shied away from her in the end. And yet, that didn't seem to rule out some sort of well, comradeship when faced with danger. True, it hadn't stopped me from betraying her on Despar – but I didn't have a choice.

  And then, there's that unguarded openness in her eyes, the easy sharing of her thoughts, as chilling as they sometimes were, that, well, gave the illusion of friendship. I don't know if she's aware of what she was sharing or not, but, it was such a marked contrast with Min that it made quite an impression on me, and I could not help but want to reciprocate at some level.

  And finally, the fact that I was still alive was entirely due to her – both her unintended failures and her deliberate actions to keep me alive. And as for that jumble of emotions which raced through my mind when I first saw her, after believing her dead all these years including that dart of joy when I recognized her, well, I pushed them into a black hole at the back of my mind, lest they make a liar of me.

  I was going to hear more from Min, and perhaps DarQue as well. But I'd been there before and I was, after all, acting in a very Unity Standard manner, which I didn't feel I needed to apologize for. They already knew what they were getting. I felt that they'd do nothing too drastic.

  I was ready to grab a bite to eat and a nap when Glen Colin came slouching around the hull to stand beside me looking down.

  'What's lifting, Chief?'

  'I hear you darted my boss, Cap'n. Didn't think you Unity Standard chaps held grudges,' he said with a sly grin.

  'I've been corrupted. Just what you'd expect from hanging around with whiskey soaked engineers and guides.'

  'A low blow. I've never darted the boss, even if he can be a right bastard.'

  'Then you've come to thank me, I assume.'

  He grinned. 'Wouldn't want to say that. I've come to suggest that you don't walk into dark deserted alleys alone with the boss. He's a mite sore.'

  'So his head hurts, does it?'

  'More than his head. His pride. And he doesn't suffer contrary fools.'

  I shrugged. 'I doubt I changed his attitude about me very much.'

  'True. But you may've moved up on the list, a'wee bit. Likely to the top.'

  'Is this my official warning?'

  He shook his head. 'The boss doesn't bother with warnings,' and added, with a measuring look, 'Don't know what game you're playing, Cap'n, but I like'ya, so when I say be very, very canny in what you do, you know it's not a threat, but a friendly hint.'

  'Aye, and thank you. I'll just suggest, in return, that my crew's been in the drifts long enough to know who'd be behind any mishap I might suffer, and I've a feeling, they'd do something about it.' I knew Molaye would.

  'Aye,' he muttered giving me a measured look. 'Best just to stay out of his orbit.'

  'I'm not pining for his company, Glen.'

  He nodded. 'Fair orbits, Cap'n.'

  No good deed goes unpunished.

  Tenry appeared in the door of the small mess as I finished my meal.

  'What's the word?' I asked, looking up.

  He just stood, watching me, hands in his trouser pockets and slowly shook his head. 'I don't know Skipper, I've been in some hot spots with my superiors, on a number of occasions...'

  'On a large number of occasions, I believe,' I corrected him.

  '...On a large number of occasions, and still, I think you take the crown.'

  'How so?'

  'I've never darted a Prince of the Realm, but...'

  'But? What's the verdict?'

  'Officially, you're, reluctantly, in the clear. Tallith wasn't happy, but you live a charmed life and seem to be able to get away with anything with her. The Admiral was hard to read. I almost think he found it interesting, though you're lucky you weren't under his command yet or you'd likely be facing a firing squad. Remember he and Vinden were as thick as thieves back in the old days, but perhaps he admires foolhardiness. As for Vinden, well, I don't think I need say anything.'

  'Aye, I'm watching my back.'

  'Just keep out of sight. Darters shoot straight and far. I'd say you're a dead man, except Tallith made it abundantly clear to ol'Uncle Hawk that she wants you alive. I'd say that you now owe your life to her, as well – if you don't happen to have some unfortunate accident along the way.'

  I looked at him grimly, and said. 'Tell her I'm sorry for all the trouble.'

  'And it won't happen again?' he added.

  'That depends on Vinden,' I replied.

  He just sighed again, and grinned. 'I don't quite get you, Skipper. It's all safe and secure, and then you strike out and do something remarkably foolish.'

  'Sometimes you get so Neb-blasted unlucky that you just have to, I guess.'

  Just ask D'Lay and Nun.

  03

  I was napping in the longboat. I thought I'd best sleep inside the boat with its entry hatch, set to admit only crew members. No point sleeping where accidents could happen.

  'Wake up, Wil,' said Molaye out of the dimness beside me.

  'What's wrong?' I asked, as I came to. Something had to be.

  'Your prisoner's gone.'

  'Gone?' That wasn't possible. You can't break out of stasis.''

  She didn't.'

  'Then how?' I demanded, reaching for my boots on the bulkhead beside me. 'Oh...'

  'Right. Taken. I was making my rounds and found the storeroom's latch had been forced and the pod empty.'

  As I slipped on my boots and stood, I felt a heavy coldness in my chest, as if I'd taken a full breath of dark cold space. I'd made an error. A fatal error. A carelessly fatal error. I'd lost a life through neglect.

  I hadn't the breath to curse, hardly the breath to breathe, as I pulled myself through the overhead hatch to the access tube that connected the longboat to the Raven, and down the long passage to the engine room. It was the sixth watch onboard, so the ship was dark and quiet. Whoever was not on shore leave was sleeping. The on leave members might be anywhere, but they knew enough to stay clear of ship during the sixth watch. We reached the storage room. The latch on the door-panel had been crudely cut out – likely with a plasma knife – from the outside. I touched the scarred area around the twisted latch – it was cold. Stepping into the dark room, the light came on to reveal the sleeper-pod open and empty, still lashed to crates, just as we'd left it. There was no sign of a struggle.

  'It seems t
hey came to take, not kill her,' said Molaye.

  'Not here. Vinden...' I muttered, my guts churning with anger. It seemed so obvious now. I'd been so careless. So stupid.

  'Do you know who came on board?'

  'No. The airlocks are all open, people coming and going. I'd been busy seeing the last box to the quay and was making my rounds before finding a corner to nap in, when I discovered this. Whoever did it timed it well.' she replied.

  I stood and stared at the empty pod, attempting to order my thoughts. They all returned to the simple fact that my careless mistake killed someone. Someone I rather cared for.

  'Are you all right, Wil?' asked Molaye, a minute or two later, I suppose.

  'No.' That question was simple enough to answer.

  'Is there anything I can do? Turn out the crew? Organize a search party?'

  I shook my head. 'Too late. And even if we could follow the trail, it'd lead to Vinden. And I've been told, in no uncertain terms, that he's too powerful to defy again. He can do as he pleases. Only the fact that he's passing Min off as the rightful Empress, whom he is, in theory, subservient to, keeps him slightly in check. And well, making a fuss over an agent of the enemy will make me suspect as well. My hands are tied.

  'I failed. I was too careless and too casual and left my prisoner where she could easily be gotten at. I knew Vinden would seek some revenge, but I assumed it would be directed at me – that it would stay between the two of us. I'm not cut out for this sort of struggle. I can't play this game...'

  I turned away. She said nothing. What could she say?

  'I've been very lucky. We've found ourselves in some pretty Neb-damned tight spots and we've gotten out alive and uninjured. I've never had to deal with the dark side of responsibility – until now. I've leaned on luck and Botts far too much. Let this be a lesson, Molaye. Don't make the mistake I did and rely on luck. You never want to be in my shoes, especially when you didn't do everything you possibly could've done to avoid this.'

  'You took precautions, Wil...'

  'Obviously not enough. I clearly underestimated Vinden's dispatch, determination and cunning. He quickly found a way to strike back at me that only strengthens his position. It shows who has the power, and who doesn't.'

  'Well, who's to say Vinden's behind this? If he wanted her dead, why kidnap her? A couple of darts here would've done the job,' said Molaye, just to help me cope, I suspect.

  I closed my eyes. 'Perhaps he wants to interrogate her.' It wasn't the only explanation, however. This was revenge, after all, and I'm certain Vinden would extract the full measure of it. And taunt me with it, whenever he chose to.

  'The other explanation is that someone else freed her. A companion agent, or agents. If one agent can stowaway, why not two? Or a dozen? They may've freed her,' said Molaye. 'Why not?'

  I was pretty certain that Cin was operating alone, but that was, I admit, a guess. 'Why would a partner free her now? That would only tip us off that there's a second agent on the loose...'

  'Unless it doesn't matter anymore.'

  I gave Molaye a searching look.

  'Mission accomplished. They're pulling their agents out...' she said quietly. She didn't believe it. I didn't believe it. Perhaps it was her way of pointing out that I couldn't have it both ways – I couldn't protect both Min and Cin.

  What could I do? I needed to do something, even if it was too late.

  'I'm going over to the flagship,' I said, and started back for the long passage up to the hangar.

  'You're not going to do anything foolish, are you Wil?'

  'Of course not. You know I'm a cautious fellow. I'm just going to report what happened, and make a mild objection. I certainly should be able to do that without raising any eyebrows...'

  She gave me a look. 'Don't let your anger make you do something foolish, Wil.'

  'I'm only angry with myself, Molaye.' I replied, 'I'd best get dressed and report this.'

  I threw on my uniform and made my way back down to the engine room airlock and out on to the hull. The Raven was still anchored across the entry to the cavern. We had one box left on board, but that one was staying. I was told it contained small arms for our eventual recruits. The Pela was, as always, bright, lush and full of flitting, flying life, untouched by my cold, dark despair. I walked across the short stretch of hull to the stern mooring line and pulled myself across to the island.

  There was a guard, now, at the end of the flagship's gangplank, but he recognized me and let me pass with a nod. The deck officer met me as I stepped onto the forward deck.

  'Can I help you, Captain?' he asked.

  'I'm here to see the Empress,' I replied.

  'This is their rest watch, sir. I will note that you called, and inform the Admiral when he awakes.'

  'Are you the officer in charge? Or is there someone above you. I need to report to someone in authority,' I said, keeping my anger in check. Barely. I was, after all, captain of the Raven, and by all rights, no one should have taken the prisoner without going through me. I'd every right to kick about not following proper procedures, at least. This was the Neb-blasted navy, after all.

  'Captain Lil'dre is in charge.'

  'Take me to him.'

  'Can I ask what this is about, Captain?'

  'No, you can't, Sub-captain. Just show me to Captain Lil'dre. Now,' I snapped, with a little of my anger leaking out.

  He turned without a word and I followed him across the deck to the central deck-house and up the steep ladder to its second level, just under the grating and along the narrow gangway until we reached the center door. He knocked, and waited until he was told to enter and opened the door, to announce me. I strode through the door, not waiting for an invite.

  'Captain Lil'dre,' I said, and turning to the duty officer, gave him a nod to dismiss him. He glanced to Lil'dre, and closed the door behind him.

  'What can I do for you, Captain?' Lil'dre asked from behind a large desk.

  'I'm here to report that my ship has been boarded by persons unknown. They broke into a sealed storeroom and without my consent or proper authority, kidnapped my prisoner. I assume, Captain, that the Empress's Navy does not operate like some freelance pirate band, and that things are done according to regulations. Indeed, I believe I've been supplied with a volume of just such regulations. I don't believe sneaking aboard a ship and kidnapping a prisoner is an approved operating procedure.'

  He leaned back in his chair, watching me closely under his heavy lidded eyes, 'We're talking about the assassin, are we not?' he asked.

  'Yes.'

  He paused before answering very carefully, 'It is my understanding that the person was, according to you, outside of naval authority, and that the whole affair was a private one. Is that correct?'

  'Yes. But we're not talking about that. What I am reporting, and objecting to, is my ship being boarded and my prisoner kidnapped.'

  'Do you know for a fact that it was done by naval personnel? As of yet, none of Prince Imvoy's or the Empress's staff have been sworn into the Empress's Navy. So unless it was done by naval personnel, I'm pretty sure we're not dealing with a naval matter. Can you prove naval personnel were involved?'

  'I don't know who was involved, but I know that...' I bit back accusing Vinden. It would do no good, and could get very iffy even if I had proof, which I didn't. Instead, I decided to use Molaye's theory to see if I could light a little fire under Captain Lil'dre – mostly, I'll admit, out of spite and anger.

  'But?' he prompted, smugly.

  'But,' I continued, putting my hands on the desk and leaning over it. 'I do know that we cannot rule out the possibility that my prisoner was freed by an associate. We've no way of knowing how many agents were sent on this mission, do we? If one can stowaway aboard Prince Imvoy's ship, so could two, six or a dozen. There's been no security to speak of here, so it's entirely possible that there's a second enemy agent in our midst. And perhaps more.'

  'You don't know that...' he began.

/>   'Of course I don't,' I snapped. 'That's my point. I do know, however, that they'd not spring the prisoner and thus, tip us off that they existed, unless their mission has been accomplished. When was the last time you saw Prince Imvoy, or the Empress?' I said, and growing ever more passionate. 'Can you guarantee that the Empress and Prince are alive as we speak? Or perhaps it's something altogether different. Who knows what signals they sent coming in from the outside. Radio waves travel great distances in space. They could've been sending signals all the way in, so that the Cimmadar navy could be bearing down on this island even as we speak...'

  The door burst open behind me, sending in a shaft of light. 'Sir, the distant sentries are blowing battle stations!' exclaimed the breathless deck officer.

  We stared at the duty officer, at a loss for words at his uncanny intervention. We could hear the faint sound of a trumpet blowing an energetic tune. Could Molaye have been right? A dart of fear twisted the knot in my guts even tighter than my anger had it tied.

  Lil'dre rocketed to his feet, swung around, and opening a door in the back bulkhead leading to a steep flight of stairs to the wheelhouse, bellowed, 'What are the outpost and guard ship reporting?'

  'They report sighting a large horde of talon-hawks, sir. The vanguard of the horde is approaching as we speak, sir,' replied the unseen officer from the bridge above.

  'Gather your crew members and un-moor your ship,' snapped Lil'dre. 'Get it clear of the cavern mouth. I'll need to position my ship across it to defend the base. We've only a few minutes before the talon-hawks start arriving. They attack anything that moves, so if any of your crew can't get to your ship in the next few minutes they should take shelter in the base or on one of our ships. There's no time to waste! There'll be thousands of the beasts here shortly.'

  'Right,' I said, and dashed out the open door as the ship's sirens began to wail, calling the sailors to battle stations.

  Lil'dre followed me and bellowed 'Un-moor the ship!' as I flew down the ladder to the deck, joining a rush of sailors on the gangplank hurrying down to cast of the mooring lines along the bank of the island.

  I opened my com link to all my shipmates as I ran with the pack down the narrow plank, 'We're about to come under attack by a horde of beasties called talon-hawks. I'm not exactly sure just what they are, but it's battle stations aboard the flagship. Everyone needs to return to the Raven immediately. If you can't make it within the next few minutes, take shelter in the base or one of the ships. Report in so we can account for you.

  'Molaye, we need to move the Raven. The Indomitable wants to defend the entrance. See to the bow line, I'll attend the stern line.'

  'Aye, Captain,' replied Molaye.

  'Hey, Skipper,' said Riv over the com link as soon as I finished talking. 'Sar, a couple of Cims, and I are on the far side of the island, half an hour away from base. My Cim mates say the main horde is still a ways off, but the advanced scouts will be around shortly. They're nasty beasties, so we'll likely have to fight our way back. It may take us awhile to get to base.'

  'No. Wait. Don't even try,' I replied, fighting a growing sense of dark panic. 'We'll send a boat to pick you up. Do you have someplace where you can take shelter?'

  'Oh, we're in a shallow cave with some deep woods for cover. The Cims say the talon-hawks will find us eventually but we can defend ourselves for some time, so if you can get here in the next half an hour, we shouldn't be in any danger at all.'

  'I'll be there in five minutes...' I said reaching the island. I dug my claws in as I raced along the path towards the cavern mouth and Raven, fifty meters away. I could see Molaye on the bow line, working to disengage the latch that secured the anchor cable around a thick vine.

  As I reached the island end of the stern line, I signaled my crew, 'Who are we waiting for?'

  'Just you Captain. Everyone's aboard except Lilm and Lili who are aboard the Guardian, and Riv and Sar on the far end of the island,' replied Illy.

  'Right. I'm clearing this line and will be aboard directly. I'll take the Ghost for Riv and Sar,' I said as I turned to tackle the clamp that held the loop around the tree-sized vine.

  'Can I help, sir?'

  I looked around to see Sub-Captain Tri'n pulling up behind me. Well, she was my first mate now, so I suppose she felt her post was on the Raven.

  'Tri'n. Good. We need to undo this clamp,' I said, 'It can be a bit of a struggle,' I muttered, making way for her to lend a hand. The latch and clamp were not made to release easily. We braced ourselves and pried open the clamp, releasing the looped cable.

  'Thanks, Tri'n, now get to the ship. I'm right behind you.'

  'Aye, sir,' she said, and started up the nearly freed mooring line, hand over hand. I stayed to try to clear the cable from the vine trunk it was wrapped around.

  'Captain, get in here, now!' bellowed Molaye. I glanced up to see her standing on the upper hull, her pirate piece drawn and following a target above and behind me.

  I looked back to see a very large, red feathered bird-like beast, not fifty meters soaring over the headland of the island. Catching sight of Tri'n and me, it screeched in delight and make a swift sweeping motion with its wide, talon tipped wings sending it diving for us. I reached for my darter, but before I could get it clear, the talon-hawk was engulfed in a blaze of blue flame from Molaye's shots. She hit it several more times, just to make sure, and it plunged past us, trailing smoke from its smoldering feathers. I took Molaye's advice and started racing up the line hand over hand, following Tri'n. The Raven could easily rip the line clear, I decided.

  Tri'n had just reached the hull, when Molaye called out again, 'Behind you Captain!'

  I twisted around, reaching for my darter, only to find half a dozen gaping, crocodile jaws shooting towards me – the sentry serpents, mom and offspring – swimming towards me, their tails waving furiously. I hadn't time to react before they brushed past me. I heard Tri'n yell to Molaye to 'Let'em in, they're harmless!' And, as I watched, they disappeared into the darkness of the engine room airlock.

  I reached the ship, and the three of us hurried across the hull for the airlock, all eyes to the skies around us.

  'Thanks, Molaye. Seal the ship and move it off. You're in charge of the Raven. Tri'n, follow me,' I gasped, breathless, caught up in the necessity of action, which, at least, kept my black fears and forebodings at bay.

  I raced through the engine room, and up the long central passageway to the boat deck where the Ghost was accessed by a short tube. I shooed Tri'n ahead, closing the hatch behind me and dove for the cockpit, indicating to Tri'n to take the other pilot's seat. I strapped myself in, and touched the access button with my id-implanted finger to bring the boat to life. I called up the full array of view-panels, that swept around the cockpit, since we'd be flying mostly on visual and with a quick check of the boat's status, said, 'We're off,' to Illy over the com link.

  'You're clear, Captain,' she replied.

  I gave the steering rockets a little blast to get us clear of the Raven's hangar, and fired the main engines to get under way. The Ghost is a hybrid boat designed for either atmospheric or space travel, so it had short wings and a tail with steering flaps for maneuvering in the atmosphere, making it far handier than the long boat, which could only be steered with steering rockets. I used the main rockets and the wing and tail flaps to soar up and over the Raven and Indomitable, both of which were getting under way.

  'We're on our way, Riv,' I said, bringing up the com unit. 'We'll be there in two or three minutes.'

  'That's good news, Skipper. We've already seen some of the beasties through the trees. However, you won't be able to reach us where we are now, on account of the fern trees. They come right up to the cliff wall and reach our cave. The best place looks to be a long clear scar at the base of the cliff, a kilometer away or so inland. If you think you can find it, we'll start out now and meet you there.'

  'Sub-captain Tri'n is on board. I'm sure she knows the island. If you can give
me directions, we should find it.'

  'All I can tell you is that we're on the far end of the island. There's a rocky spine that rises out of the woods. If we follow the edge of the cliff towards the base, we'll come to the open scar, a meadow clear of trees. You shouldn't have any trouble finding it.'

  I translated Riv's directions for Tri'n.

  She nodded. 'I know the spot.'

  'Right. We'll meet you there.' I replied and turned the Ghost for the far end of the island.

  We'd just put the Indomitable out of sight around the curve of the island when I saw a figure racing across the vine mat towards the base. And a second talon-hawk.

  Talon-hawks actually look like overgrown hawks rather than just another dragon, sporting bird-like wings, a broad tail and a beak. Their bodies are broad chested and beak to tail, some four meters in length. They're clothed in a coat of feathers ranging from a rusty orange chest to their deep blood-red wings and backs. Unlike our familiar hawks, the edges of their beaks are serrated with short, sharp teeth. Their wide, true wings – boasting a wingspan of more than four meters – are, like most of the beasts of the Pela, equipped with two long talons at the wingtips, which the talon-hawk uses to hold its prey while it rips it apart with its powerful beak and leg talons.

  The talon-hawk spied the runner at the same time we did. It must have screeched as its beak opened and the runner stopped and looked up. Driven by a lightening flash of its wings, it dove at the runner, its wings folded alongside its body and its taloned rear legs extended forward and tucked close to its body, very much a bird of prey.

  The runner drew his weapon and holding it with both hands, coolly took a second to aim, and fired several times, bathing the talon tiger in blue flame. A darter. That made him one of Vinden's crew. The smoldering carcass of the talon-hawk landed within five meters of him. He turned, and seeing the Ghost overhead, waved. I recognized him – it was Vinden himself. I left him behind.

  'That was Prince Imvoy,' said Tri'n, looking at me with a startled expression. 'Shouldn't we take him on board?'

  'No,' I said bitterly. 'I believe he had my prisoner kidnapped, and may well be coming back from murdering her. The talon-hawks are welcome to him.'

  Tri'n gave me an unreadable look but didn't argue.

  'Besides, he's only a few minutes from base, and looks to be quite competent with a darter. He's in no danger,' I added, which was, unfortunately, very likely, true.

  We reached the clearing a minute later, but the vanguard of the horde was now arriving in force, I could see half a dozen in the forward facing view-panels, and there were probably just as many aft. They seemed to consider the Ghost as some sort of dragon, and fair game, so on sighting it, they'd veer and attack, striking it with their talon tipped legs only to skid or bounce off the smooth hull of the boat, when their talons didn't find a hold as expected. They'd just circle and try again. And again. I was concerned that they might damage the steering flaps, so I tried to evade as many attacks as possible, while we waited for Riv and the others to make their way to the clearing below. Despite the ineffectiveness of their attacks and my efforts to evade them, they continued to attack, and if anything, with greater vengeance. They didn't discourage easily. If at all. And their numbers grew.

  'Thanks for keeping the beasties amused,' said Riv via the com unit.

  'Our pleasure. How soon can we pick you up?' I replied as I swooped and dodged over the island in a swarm of angry talon-hawks.

  'We're still five minutes away. Just keep'em amused and we'll let you know. Once we're in position, if you come in low and slow enough, we'll provide enough covering fire to kill a few of them. I'm told the beasties are not particular as to who they eat, so a few dead one's will draw their attention away from you so you can land and pick us up.'

  'Right, I'll try drawing them off and see if I can lose'em for the pickup. Let me know when you're in place,' I replied, as I set a course away from the island, just fast enough to keep ahead of the enraged beasts until Riv signaled.

  When he did, I spun the boat around and raced back to the island, leaving the pursuing talon-hawks astern, screaming in frustration. I slowed and brought the Ghost in slowly from the far edge of the field, giving them a clear line of fire since we had already picked up half a dozen new ones. Riv and the gang quickly picked them off as I came in, so that by the time I reached their end of the clearing and swung about to present the side hatch to them, the talon-hawks I'd lead astray were streaming back and fighting each other for their share of their less fortunate mates. Tri'n was waiting at the hatch when I settled the boat down and opened the side hatch. Tri'n jumped down and covered the gang as they emerged from the underbrush to race the five meters to the hatch, one at a time – the ones in the underbrush continuing to provide covering fire against any talon-hawks that hadn't given up on the Ghost. Each of the gang carried a carboy on their back which they flung into the boat, and stood with Tri'n under the cover of the raised hatch firing at the few talon-hawks that continued showed interest in the Ghost. They were all standing around the hatch by the time I arrived, so I told them to get the Neb on board and quit fooling around. Cimmadarians hate talon-hawks and like nothing better than to get them fighting and killing each other, which, I gather, isn't hard in these great packs. I'm told that these large packs or hordes are uncommon, but if you're caught on an island in their path, you – and just about every other living thing, are unlikely to survive without a lot of steel between you and them.

  So, with the bloody slaughter taking place overhead, they climbed on board, in roaring good spirits too – I'd no doubt what was in the carboys they'd brought along with them, or the fact that they'd been sampling their work. Fighting their way back to base would've sobered them up fast enough, but this, well, this was a lark for them. I should've been angry, but having dodged another tragedy, I let it coast, though my black despair and anger were just below the surface.

  I didn't return to the Raven directly, but made a slow, wandering circuit of the island, on the off chance there might be others caught in the open, while shaking off continued talon-hawk attacks. It seemed unlikely we'd find anyone – we were being constantly attacked – but having failed to take proper precautions once already this round, I wasn't about to take the slightest chance of failing again for lack of trying. I strongly suspected there were people unaccounted for...

  'Are the sentries safe, or do you think we need to pick them up?' I asked Tri'n as we drifted over the waving tree tops.

  'The watch posts are near old weapons emplacements which will provide adequate shelter, they have sturdy steel doors,' she replied, adding, 'I think everyone alive is now behind steel doors and grating.'

  She likely deduced who I was looking for, but went along with it without objection. We had almost reached the base end of the island – though on the side opposite the cavern – without seeing anyone or any signal, when we came upon a large cluster of fiercely contending talon-hawks. They were fighting over pieces of other talon-hawks in a pink cloud of blood and feathers. I brought the boat to a halt just over the tops of the tall fern trees, searching the ground below for some sign of life since it seemed possible, if not likely, that some of the dead talon-hawks had been killed by darter or gun fire from below.

  'They wouldn't have started that on their own, would they?' I asked her, using the boat's cameras to scour the underbrush and rocks below, without results.

  She shrugged. 'They might, if they're hungry enough, it doesn't take much for them to set upon each other. They may have clans or family groups that fight... Oh, look,' she added, pointing to the view-panel that I'd focused on the pink cloud of thrashing talon-hawks above us. I zoomed in and saw what looked like twisted shreds of fabric amongst the feathers and torn hunks of talon-hawks.

  Armored clothing is very hard to tear, but with sharp enough talons and a savage will, it could be ripped to shreds. I identified a boot and a torn coat sleeve, but most of the pieces were too twisted and shredded to
be identified, much less offer a clue as to who had worn them. Still, there was little doubt that the talon-hawks had eventually overwhelmed the people who had started the feeding frenzy. We'd know who, once the talon-hawk wave had passed and I was pretty certain I already knew why. It was a shame that Vinden had either left or had not reached his men before the bugles sent him scurrying back to base. The sight did little to relieve my anger or my guilt. I'm not even sure Vinden's death would've done anything to do that. It was a mistake that could not be undone.

  We docked with the Raven, five minutes before the bulk of the horde poured over, under and around Redoubt island, darkening the sky with darting fierce red giant hawks. They attacked the Raven just as they had attacked the Ghost with even less effect. Down the coast, the Guardian was blazing away, as was the Indomitable, now positioned across the cavern mouth with its decks lined with sailors armed with the long, deadly, rifles of Cimmadar, who were also blazing away, creating a vast red cloud of talon-hawks, blood and feathers. Very few talon-hawks made it into the cavern, where they were no doubt killed by the crew on the Triumphant.

  Tri'n and I were the last to leave the Ghost. Riv, Sar and the two Cimmadarians were waiting for us in the passageway.

  'We just want to thank you for coming for us, Skipper. Much appreciated,' said Riv. Sar nodded and mumbled his thanks, as did XinDi, and An're, the Cimmadarians, both of whom I recognized.

  'And I wanted to make one thing clear to you and Sub-Captain Tri'n, Riv continued. 'Sar and I are the proprietors of the Redoubt Island Daffa Berry Distillery. XinDi and An're were with us as our guides and guards. They've nothing to do with the distillery at all.'

  I doubt he expected anyone to believe that, but that was going to be his story.

  I glanced across to Tri'n, who usually gives nothing away, and didn't now, so I said, 'What you do in you off-duty time is your own affair. I don't know why you'd bother distilling daffa berries when you have a perfectly good synth-food machine that will produce perfectly good spirits...'

  'But not daffa brandy, Skipper. Not until we've a supply of it for the machine to analyze and synthesize, anyway.'

  I opened my mouth, to point out that if the carboys they brought along with them were filled, they had produced a great deal more than what was needed to analyze, but thought, What the Neb. Why bother? I may well be needing the comfort of daffa brandy to dull my pain, so I said instead, 'You might want to weigh the chances of feeding dragons, talon-hawks, or the Neb knows what else, before you decide to add something new to your already extensive collection of spirit recipes.'

  'Aw, Skipper. The synth-spirits are like synth-food. Not the real thing...'

  'Oh, get out of here, before I get mad. I've had a rough day,' I said, and for once, meant it.

  After they'd left, I asked Tri'n what would happen to XinDi and An're.

  She shrugged, and smiled, just faintly, 'They're too good. Making daffa brandy is a fine art. So as long as the officer's table has its supply, and everyone turns up sober for duty, we turn a blind eye to their off duty recreation.'

  'Good, I'd hate to think my crew has corrupted some innocent...'

  There was a terrified yelp that echoed up the long passageway from the engine room.

  Molaye, who'd been standing next to us, smiled and said, 'I imagine they discovered the sentry serpents.'

  'Leave the Neb-blasted serpents alone!' I bellowed down. 'Do you hear me?'

  'Aye,' Sar called up. 'I only hope he just fainted.'

  By the time the surviving talon-hawks had disappeared into the haze of islands, four watches later, we all had gotten to know the sentry serpents quite well. The young ones – two meters long these days – were soon drifting at will throughout the ship. Tri'n and XinDi assured us that they were not only harmless, but at the right age to be domesticated. Having grown up with the constant comings and goings of personnel, they were already half domesticated, and we soon came to pay them no mind, letting them drift about, poking their cold snouts into everything. And much like Ginger, they seemed to enjoy seeing you jump. I'd be showing our Cim guests something about the ship and get a feeling of something next to my ear only to glance back and find myself nose to nose with a whole lot of teeth and gleaming black eyes. Got the blood pumping. Still, they seemed harmless enough. Mom was a bit more reserved, but in any event, you naturally tend to stay clear of a four-meter dragon floating about. Tri'n, our dragon expert, also knew her way around a synth-food machine and programed some synth-sentry serpent food to feed them. I felt it was good policy to keep'em well fed, since they weren't quite domesticated.

  I spent the time waiting for the horde to clear to introduce Tri'n, XinDi and An're to the ship, and by the time the all clear was blown I had XinDi and An’re signed on as volunteers. If I could get another four like them, I was confident that I could manage the Raven with just a Cimmadar crew, and get by without Vinden's thugs onboard. I didn't want any of Vinden's men anywhere near me.

  04

  We had just moored the Raven again after the all clear had been blown, when Tenry came over from the flagship.

  'The boss wants to see you,' he said, giving me an appraising look from my cabin's doorway.

  'Which boss is that?'

  'The one who's trying to keep you alive.'

  'Good. I've been hoping to talk to that one. Who fed the talon-hawks?'

  He gave me a sharp look. 'Who says anyone did?'

  'After we picked up the distillery staff, I took a few turns around the island, looking for anyone else caught in the open. We came across a cluster of feeding talon-hawks, mostly eating their own, but we saw scraps of clothing amongst the blood and feathers. Whoever it was didn't kill'em fast enough. So who's missing?'

  'Crain and Zervic are unaccounted for.'

  'I believe I can account for them. How does Vinden explain it? I saw him racing to base just ahead of the talon-hawks. I'm thinking he left them to die with my kidnapped prisoner.'

  'You don't know anything about that, Skipper. Stick with the second agent as you suggested.'

  'Oh, I just said that to get under Lil'dre's smug skin. The fact that Vinden and Min are alive makes that theory unlikely. Any other agent or agents would've sprung Cin and tipped us off.'

  'Well, you sure got them riled up. Even without the second agent, the idea that the Triumphant could've been transmitting signals to the space station as it came in can't be dismissed. Vinden is in a suppressed frenzy. He's half expecting an enemy fleet to arrive any second.'

  'Serves him right. He's not to be trusted, Ten.'

  Tenry shrugged. 'Maybe. But he seems to blame you for that, too. And just for the heads-up, he's not happy with you leaving him to die, either.'

  'To die? Neb, I wish. He was a minute or two away from base and in no danger. Though just between you and me, if I hadn't Tri'n along with me, he'd likely have fed the talon-hawks too.'

  'I thought we were supposed to be holding the Unity Standard banner high in this venture?'

  I gave him a look, but what could I say? Still. 'He'll lead us to our deaths unless we do something about him. I don't have a good feeling about this whole enterprise.'

  'Getting cold feet are we?'

  'Look me in the eye, Ten, and tell me you've any confidence that two and a half warships and three hundred sailors and servants are going to bring down a regime that has been on the throne for a century. One that is, at least, as legitimate as ours, and if the truth comes out, more so.'

  He shook his head. 'Not my concern. I'm just a boarding boat leader. But enough gossip. You've a boss to see. I would suggest you fire your rockets and launch. She wasn't in a good mood.'

  'Right,' I said, unhooking my darter and holster off the clip on the bulkhead. 'Let's go.'

  'Pretty careful these days, aren't you?' said Tenry, watching me strap the holster on.

  'A dangerous place, the Pela. Never know when you'll run into something deadly, even aboard the flagship.'

  Tenry did
n't argue that.

  I was shown into Min's cabin on my arrival. She was alone. Her look was anything but welcoming.

  'Good to see you, Talley. It's become rather rare.'

  'You know why you're here, don't you?' she asked, without returning my greeting.

  I found myself remarkably resigned to, well, whatever. 'Tell me.'

  'First off, I've managed to keep you from a firing squad. Again.'

  'Thank you. Much appreciated. Not that I've done anything deserving of a firing squad. The same can't be said for others on your staff. Let's call them Crain and Zervic. Captain Lil'dre has no doubt informed you of the incident on my ship shortly before the arrival of the talon-hawks. I understand Crain and Zervic are missing. Any word? I assume they were wearing their com links.'

  'I didn't summon you here to discuss Crain and Zervic, or what they may or may not've done. I didn't even summon you to discuss your abandonment of Uncle Hawk to the talon-hawks.'

  'He was minutes from base and had already killed the only talon-hawk in the vicinity. He was in no danger, and if he says otherwise, he's a liar.'

  She dismissed that with an impatient movement of her hand, and pressed on, 'I've summoned you to tell you I've appointed Tenry to take your place as captain of the Rift Raven.'

  'A good choice. And me?' I replied. The announcement was neither unexpected, or, I'll admit, un-welcomed, though I felt guilty about that. But then, I was feeling guilty – and unhappy – about a lot of things. And indifferent to my fate.

  'You're still captain of the Starry Shore.'

  'Why can't I continue to serve you here? If we must part ways, it should be with our cards face up on the table.'

  'Because I need Uncle Hawk and he won't tolerate your continued presence. He wants you dead, and sooner or later he'd see to it. I don't need that type of disruption in the cause. Your actions have made it impossible for the two of you to serve together. And since I can't have both, it must be Uncle Hawk, who is critical to our success. Unlike you.'

  'He's a danger to your success, not critical to it.'

  'For Neb's sake, do you have to argue about everything with me?'

  The fatalistic sense of hopelessness that I'd felt growing these last few watches took the breath out of any reply I might offer. I stood mute.

  So she continued, 'There are other reasons, as well. For one, I can't trust you. I'd never know when something arises that you decide is too, well, rough for you, too non-Unity Standard. Bad karma, or whatever. And you'll go and do something other than what you're ordered to do. I warned you this would be hard, bitter and heartless work. And, as I suspected you're simply too...'

  'Too soft? Too Unity Standard? Too cautious? Too cowardly?' I suggested.

  'Yes.'

  She was right, of course. But I was right as well. I was right to be Unity Standard, and had very good reasons for being cautious. I found, however, that I no longer cared. Still, I forced myself to reply. 'I have very good reasons for being what I am. And perhaps I can see more clearly what your prospects of success are – without the cloud of emotions you must feel, on account of your parents and all. Fine. Don't trust me. Trust Vynnia and Tenry. They have the experience you need. But the one person you should never trust is Vinden. He's a fanatic, a failure, a loose cannon...'

  'He's a loose cannon! That's rich, coming from you.'

  'He is a law unto himself, dangerous and delusional. If he was unable to organize a counter coup early in his aunt's reign, what hope is there now, a century later? Did you know he was ready to return without you, to be the regent? He doesn't need you, and if you get in his way he'll treat you no better than that assassin...'

  'Enough, Captain. You've not been summoned to discuss Uncle Hawk or grand strategy. You've been summoned to be dismissed from my service and given your orders to take your crew back to the Starry Shore and forget you've ever been here,' she snapped angrily.

  'Damnit, Min. Someone needs to be discussing grand strategy with you. Do you fully realize what that assassin means to your chances?'

  'Yes.'

  'Do you? Do you realize that since St Bleyth planted an agent aboard the Triumphant, your enemies know not only the approximate timing, but the force you're bringing with you as well? It's taken us more than two years to get here. Do you believe your enemies have done nothing in those two years to counter your threat, even if you assume, like Vinden seems to do, that they've done nothing in the last seventy? Clearly, your chances of surprise, and thus, success are now nil.'

  She didn't answer, so I continued.

  'I may be cautious, or a coward, but is seems to me your cause is doomed, and has been from the start. But you don't have to go through with it. You found your answers. Now, if you want to see Cimmadar, Glen Colin can take you there in one of the scout ship, in secret. We'll wait and take you home when you've see enough.'

  'You don't really understand. And you never will.'

  'Perhaps not. But when the time comes, Talley, when you see the overwhelming power of your enemies, and realize the wickedness of wasting the lives of the people who would follow you to death, make sure you're aboard the Raven, with Vynnia, Tenry and Glen Colin. You are going to need the ability to run, to run fast and very far...'

  'Enough. Clearly you don't belong here, this sort of an affair is not for you. Go, be a tramp ship captain, or a cha planter, or whatever. Don't look back. And don't worry about me. I'll be what I was meant to be as well...'

  'You can be an empress without the Cloud Throne. You have a nucleolus of a new empire right here. Start your own. Be Min the First. You may be born for the Pela, but the Pela is vast. You don't need the Cloud Throne...'

  'It's not a matter of being empress. I will not let the killers of my parents, and grandparents go unchallenged. That is how I think. Who I am. Perhaps because I'm a creature of the Pela. And you're not. Go.'

  I'd a darting sense of deja vu. The wyrm weather dream – not the same, and yet uncanny.... What could I do, but let her go? 'Perhaps you're right, though I'm only saying that because I want us to part friends.'

  'You're saying it because you know I'm right.'

  'Yes, you're always right,' I said, and my five hundred generations of St Bleyth sanctimonious pirates, prompted me to step close and draw her, unresistingly, closer give her a kiss. As in the dream. She returned it briefly with a little tenderness, but no passion.

  'I'm glad that's settled,' She said, firmly pushing me away, 'About always being right.' Then drawing a small drive token from her jacket pocket she placed it in my hand. 'This contains all the documentation and authorizations necessary to transfer the ownership of the Starry Shore and its assets to a new holding company with you and all my old shipmates as shareholders.'

  I stared at her. 'Why?'

  'Neb! Do you never learn? Because I want to. I'll never need it again. It's the Cloud Throne or death for me.'

  'Make that the Cloud Throne or an empire of your own.'

  She sighed. 'Please, just go, Wil. Take this and get back to the Unity and your proper life.'

  I wasn't going to change her mind, so I took the drive and simply said, 'Thank you.'

  'And here's the key to the pilot bot that will take the ship back to Ravin. Uncle Hawk says that it's only programed to take you back. It won't lead you here ever again', she said, handing me a second drive.

  'Right.'

  'I want you off within two watches. We'll be moving the Indomitable and the Raven off the island, just in case your assassin did have a radio transmitter with her. Signal me when you're ready to sail and I'll come over to say my goodbyes.'

  'Right.'

  'And, a final word of warning,' she said gravely. 'Uncle Hawk wanted me to emphasize that you and the gang must never breathe a word of what you've seen here. Should anyone talk, they'll be tracked down and killed no matter who's on the Cloud Throne. It's that stark. It's a matter that transcends any differences. Don't let anyone forget that.'

  'I've made that
all very clear, and will continue to do so. Trust me.'

  'If I could, you might not be leaving,' she replied.

  Tenry was waiting for me when I came out. 'Come along, Captain Roynay. I'll introduce you your first mate. And congratulations, Ten,' I added shaking his hand.

  He was watching me closely. 'You're relieved, aren't you?'

  'Well, Ten, I know you can do what needs to be done better than I. When this Neb-doomed enterprise is about to blow up, as it certainly will – and you know that as well as I do – you and Vyn need to get Talley, and Glen Colin aboard the Raven and clear out – all the way back to the Nine Stars would be my choice, but I'll leave that up to you. Be sure to include Glen Colin, since he alone can pilot you home. We're unlikely ever to cross orbits again, but I'll be able to sleep at night knowing you're on watch.'

  'I will do what I can, Wil.'

  'Remember what even this cautious fellow had to do on Lontria. You may well have to do the same thing here.'

  'Ah, I seem to remember that you ordered Vyn and me to do it.'

  'Exactly. So I know you can do it here as well. Just don't wait until it's too late.'

  I was stowing my gear into my two large ship-bags when I noticed Tri'n watching me from the doorway, several hours later.

  'Tenry's a good man,' I said to her. 'He spent fifty commissions in the Unity's Patrol. He knows how a naval ship operates. He's shrewd and as brave as they come. You'll like him.'

  'I liked you, Captain.' she said simply. 'Good hunting.'

  'Thanks. Good hunting, Tri'n. And take care, don't do anything I wouldn't do.'

  She may've smiled ever so slightly.

  Glen Colin stopped by shortly afterward, as well.

  'Ah, just the fellow I wanted to have a word with,' I said, seeing him.

  'And what word would that be, Cap'n?'

  'As my favorite ghost, Glen, I'd hope that when the time comes and your special talents are telling you that you're getting very near a familiar place – yet another disaster engineered by Prince Imvoy – you'll find a reason to be aboard the old Raven.'

  'And why would I do that?'

  'How long will your supply of Dew of Dunagan last?'

  He grinned. 'You do know how to make a compelling case, Cap'n. I'll keep it in mind.'

  'I'd appreciate it. And don't be a stranger,' I said. 'You know where to find us.'

  'Aye, Cap'n, I do. Perhaps I'll drop by for a yarn or two.'

  I met Min just outside the access tube to the long boat. She'd just finished saying her final farewells to her old shipmates who were now packed into the longboat for the journey back to the ship and home. We stood in silence for a long moment.

  'Sorry, Wil. Take care of my ship. Fair orbits,' she said quietly.

  I shrugged. 'No doubt for the best. Nothing more need to be said.' And I took her hand. 'Be very careful, Talley. I hope you find what you're seeking. It was good knowing you, and loving you, a little.'

  She was having none of that. 'Goodbye Captain.' And with a nod, started down the long passageway to the engine room airlock, to where the scout boat was waiting for her.

  'Good luck, Talley, and don't do anything I wouldn't do!'

  She gave a dismissive wave without looking back.

  I sent what little luck I had left with her.

  We slowly left the island behind and set our course for the ship. I had put out a signal for Botts once I learned we were to sail. It promptly replied that the talon-hawk horde had delayed his return, but it was close at hand and would join us shortly. We moved out of sight of Redoubt island, and waited for it to catch up and then set out for the ship and the Neb. No one had much to say about my dismissal, at least in my hearing. I'd no regrets, knowing that Vynnia and Tenry would look after Min and far more effectively than I could've. I didn't envy them.