05
Siss growled a low warning.
I'd been working at the printer, printing the last of the plastic panels for the rudder; we'd been letting work slide these last dozen rounds. With the Temtre threat hanging overhead, I wanted to be able to launch the Phoenix and sail it if necessary. I stepped into the main compartment and glanced at DeKan. He hadn't stirred, still tied hand and foot. Siss, however, would know when he'd come to - and given the level of charge in the dart - it was about time.
'I trust you're not feeling too bad, Clan-king,' I said cheerfully. 'Your head is no doubt hurting a'bit. Trust me, I've been darted enough times to know. And well, you've a few scratches and bumps perhaps. We were in a hurry. Still, take your time, collect your thoughts. We have time.'
He smiled faintly and fully opened his eyes, taking a few moments to take in the main compartment. It wasn't a very impressive sight, lockers, the synth-galley - status lights, menu screen and prep-compartment on one side of the companionway and the door to the sanitation unit and another locker on the other side. It was, however, something quite different than the largely wood-built Temtre ships. Something that I hoped was alien enough to give him pause when dealing with us.
'This is your ship, Captain Canary?' If he was impressed, he hid it well.
'It's just a ship's boat. I left my ship behind. I'm afraid this is rather humble, but it's home.'
He dismissed it, too proud to be impressed. 'What are you going to do with me?'
'At the present you're our hostage. Once every ship but yours has left, you'll be released unharmed.'
'Has my clan agreed to that?'
'Ah, there you have me. Naylea is keeping an eye on them. We'll know more when she gets back.'
'They'll never agree to it,' he said. 'I wouldn't. There's too much at stake. The life of a clan-king doesn't outweigh the clan's heritage.'
'Sorry, but we've no interest in being your slaves.'
'Servants. It is not a bad life. You would be valued.'
'No. It won't do. We don't need you. You'll have to learn to trust us. Or learn the hard way what you're up against. We're far from helpless, DeKan. As I said, you've a dragon by the tail. And we can bite. Still, as long as the possibility exists for a peaceful settlement, we'll avoid shedding blood. But if your people give us no choice, Temtre blood will be shed. And shed in vain.'
He said nothing more, and just watched me work. It may have been a half an hour, I'd just finished printing out the last panel and set it aside when curiosity got the better of DeKan
'Where do you come from? Saraime itself?'
I considered my reply. I didn't see any reason to lie beyond substituting "large islands" for planets and the airless region beyond the Pea for the Nebula. 'No, as we said, we're from a large island, far, far from here. This boat and my ship can travel in the airless region that you'll eventually find if you travel away from the brightest patch of the sky long enough.'
'Beyond the frozen islands.'
'Yes, that sounds right. Beyond the cold islands, the air gets thinner and thinner until you can't get enough to live. Without air, however, a ship, or boat like this, can travel very fast and go much further, much faster than any ship in the Principalities. The island I come from?' and I went on to briefly outline the events that had brought us to Dagger Island.
'The whole island blew up?'
'So I'm told. I'm afraid Naylea had put a dart in me, so I was out of it at the time?'
'And why, did she do that, Captain?'
'Well, strictly speaking, we were on the opposite side of a rebellion. A war involving Cimmadar.'
'But you claimed that you're not from Cimmadar,' he asked.
'Right. Both of us were employed by people from Cimmadar. It was a political matter, a rebellion, or counter-revolution that brought us together. And we never did get to see Cimmadar. Indeed, we don't know how all this has worked out, since our ties were broken before the opposing forces met - if they actually have met. I'm afraid the battle has passed us by, leaving us to our own resources.
'But now that your boat is repaired, will you go on to Cimmadar or back to your islands?'
'We don't know where Cimmadar lies, save that it's 100,000 rounds or more away unless we travel in the airless region. The same applies to our home islands, they are even further away and I'm not sure our repairs are good enough to get us there. In any event, I think we will stay here for a time, and see what the Donta Islands and the Principalities have to offer?.'
He shook his head. 'If you would go far, far away, perhaps we would let you go. But if you stay...'
'Even if I could go home, I would not. You see, Naylea and I were on opposite sides in that war. And even back in our home islands we were reluctant enemies. Here, far, far from war and home we can put those differences aside. They don't matter anymore. We can be friends, shipmates, and live together?'
DeKan laughed. 'You choose dangerous friends, Captain. And I'm not referring to your Simla. They're fierce looking, and fierce in defense, but I think your lady is far more dangerous.'
Siss was having none of that. She hissed menacingly and slowly swam towards him.
'I take back my remark,' he laughed.
'I'm sure you're right, Clan-king, on both accounts. But we're tired of being enemies? Speaking of which,' I said, seeing Cin approach on the security screen, 'I believe my partner will be joining us.'
She dropped down into the cabin.
'You're looking mighty cheerful,' I said, seeing her bright smile and laughing eyes.
'I'm afraid Captain DinDay did not take our words to heart. I've had to teach our Temtre friends a lesson - all is not what it seems.'
I wasn't surprised. I didn't think polite threats would hold much sway with the Temtre. Not with a treasure cave on the line. 'What were they up to? And what lesson did you teach them?'
'They were assembling ship's boats on the fringe of the encampment, a pretty clear sign that they planned to use them to search for us. I decided to put a halt to that. While the crews were gathered around DinDay getting their instructions, I sent a few 4mm darts their way - near the gathering, but not near enough to hurt anyone, yet?.'
''I would imagine that created a bit of a stir.'
'Aye, three plasma darts exploding on the savanna near the gathering sent them retreating pretty handsomely. You'd best not try to fight plasma darts with swords and airguns. That's how empires are won and lost,' she added as an aside to DeKan, and then continued, 'I then decided to put a more permanent end to that plan, so I proceeded to blow a big hole in each of the boats. It was so much fun! I did it just like they taught me in school - by strapping on my glasses I could see the blue guide-beam dot when I was on target and proceeded to blow the little boiler out of the boat, leaving a rather big hole in the boat as well. Neb, Litang, I wish there were more of them to blow up. Oh, so childish, and so much fun!'
She laughed again at the memory. And then grew serious. Turning to DeKan, she said, 'So far no blood has been shed. But there is a limit to my patience. I had hoped to settle this by coming to an understanding. All very Unity Standard-like,' this to me. 'But I assure you, I am every bit as ruthless as any Temtre, and if they continue to defy us, they will pay a price in blood, and gain nothing from it.'
'DinDay will not be deterred. He's clan-chief of the First Clan - the original Temtres -and they pride themselves in their allegiance to the old ways of raids and battles. I'm afraid that he'll fight to the death.'
'And you? Are you of that clan as well?'
'I am the Clan-king of the entire clan. They all owe me allegiance.'
'So what does the Clan-king say? Is there to be bloodshed?' asked Cin.
'I've been thinking. I believe that I have an honorable way for all of us to get beyond this misunderstanding.'
'Ah, yes. This misunderstanding.' said Cin.
He smiled, and continued, 'A way that will benefit all of us. I know I can trust you - Simla dragons do not han
g about people with dark, twisted minds. And I'm sure Siss will vouch for me, when I say that I will now give you my word that I will neither harm you nor try to escape. I think that once you hear what I have to offer, we can quickly come to an understanding, and I would hope, a friendship.'
'Siss?' said Cin turning to her, floating between us.
With a little swimming motion, Siss moved nose to nose with Kin DeKan and looked him in the eye - I suspect more for comic effect than necessity. She barked a laugh, that we took for an approval.
'Right, Kin, let's talk,' said Cin. 'Captain, you can cut the Clan-king's bonds.
DeKan stretched, and quickly found how slippery metal decks of the gig are - they did not suit his clawed toes at all. Tables were reversed, our magnetic soled boots now gave us the advantage should the Clan-king's word prove valueless. I offered him a chair and took my position against the hull. The lump on my head was gone, but not forgotten.
'Good,' said DeKan. 'Here's what I have to offer...'