"Jeez! You really think my sense of humor is getting the better of me today, don"t you?"
Bros grinned. "The Brig," he said. "Last place they"ll look for us."
"We couldn"t all fit into Kraig"s locker," she muttered. The elevator doors opened onto B corridor and a scene of organized chaos. "And we couldn"t very well slip into that repair tunnel without being seen, now could we? I figure the Brig"s our best shot." She glanced at Joseph. "Suggestions are welcome."
"Speak with authority and behave as though we belong," he said.
"Don"t I always?" she asked and lead the way.
They rounded a corner and blundered into a squad of Kolnari.
"YOU!" bellowed their leader. "What are you sc.u.m-vermin doing here?"
"Sir!" Joat saluted. "We are to report to Captain Hobsbrawm. Sir!" All she could see in his black faceplate was her own reflection, looking determined. Thank the powers-that-be for Captain Hobsbrowm, Thank the powers-that-be for Captain Hobsbrowm, her mind babbled. I her mind babbled. I wonder if Hobsbrowm"s a he or a she? How long can I keep referring to him/her without using a personal p.r.o.noun? wonder if Hobsbrowm"s a he or a she? How long can I keep referring to him/her without using a personal p.r.o.noun?
"Hobsbrowm is not here," the Kolnari sneered. "You will fall in with us."
"With all due respect, Sir. I am under orders," Joat said.
"What is wrong with that man?" the Kolnari demanded unexpectedly, pointing at Bros.
"He"s still getting used to the heavier gravity," Joat said. "He"s a light-worlder."
"Phah! Weakling." He said it almost indifferently, as though thinking of something else.
He"s wondering if he dares to interfere in the kind of "orders" that would allow me to defy him, Joat thought. Joat thought. Make up your mind, creep! Make up your mind, creep!
"Hobsbrowm does not need three of you. I will take this one." He pointed at Joseph. "Fall in!" he bellowed.
His face a blank, Joseph did so.
"What is your name, Sir?" Joat asked. "So that I can tell the Captain where this man is."
The Kolnari went very still. The way they did when they thought they might have made a mistake, but weren"t certain yet what it might be.
"Skarik na Marid, pet.i.te-n.o.ble, commander of a section, is my name," he growled. "And I tremble at the thought of displeasing your captain. What is your name, sc.u.mvermin?"
"Rendino du Pare," Joat said crisply and rattled off Kraig"s ID number. It"s not like he can check it out, It"s not like he can check it out, she thought nervously. she thought nervously. It just has to sound right. It just has to sound right.
"On your way, sc.u.mvermin, before I change my mind."
Then the Kolnar barked an order and his squad marched off, Joseph bringing up the rear. Joat watched them out of sight. Joseph never looked back.
Silken jammed her fist into her mouth as though she would ram her scream back down her throat. She bit down until she broke the skin, and blood, hot and salty spurted onto her tongue. She flailed out with one hand, as though to clutch Belazir"s green robe; only to have it whisk through thin air.
Nomik Ciety screamed. A hoa.r.s.e bubbling scream like she"d never heard before. He was balanced on the crown of his head and his heels, his back arched in a great bow, arms held stiffly at his sides with his fingers clawing the air. Nomik"s eyes were wild with disbelief and foam dribbled from his mouth.
Belazir watched with satisfaction, his heavy arms folded across his chest and his expression one of sensual enjoyment. Pleased that the drug was working as it should this time.
The med-tech stood by the hatch looking almost as aghast as Silken. The two Kolnari guards watched with academic interest.
"Please, Master and G.o.d," Silken begged, blood running down her chin, "make it stop, please! Whatever you want, we will do, I swear. swear. Only make it stop!" She collapsed in incoherent sobs across the holo of Belazir"s feet. Only make it stop!" She collapsed in incoherent sobs across the holo of Belazir"s feet.
He looked down at her in mild interest.
"You are not as strong as I thought you would be," he remarked. "But I am generous to women, I will instruct you in the causes of my displeasure." He frowned slightly; it was difficult to make himself heard over Ciety"s screaming.
"First," he said, raising his voice slightly. "You sent to me the daughter of our worst enemy to perform an important task for us. I cannot help but feel insulted by your lack of sensitivity." He sighed in exasperation as Nomik"s screams reached new heights. "Kick him onto his face," he instructed the guards. "Perhaps it will stifle some of his noise."
He turned back to the wide-eyed Silken, who had her hands pressed against her mouth, as though that would somehow help to silence Nomik"s cries.
"Where was I? Ah, yes. Second, as part of this woman"s crew, what do I find? I find Bros Sperin! One of Central Worlds" most notable covert operatives." He spread his hands, raising his brows.
"What am I to make of this? One thing was bad enough-sending me the girl when I could not torture her to death without wrecking my greater scheme- but the other . . . ? It is intolerable. So ... you are fools or you are enemies. Either way you must be punished. Surely you understand this? Incompetence and insults must always be addressed."
Nomik"s body collapsed and he lay panting, whining slightly.
"Ah. It is over." He turned to Silken and said rea.s.suringly, "There are supposed to be no permanent effects."
"You b.a.s.t.a.r.d," Nomik gasped, "you b.a.s.t.a.r.d."
Belazir compressed his lips.
"Of course," he drawled, "sometimes, with some individuals, a lesson must be repeated a number of times before its meaning is comprehended." He raised his hand to signal the med-tech.
Suddenly another Kolnari appeared beside Belazir.
"Great Lord!" he said excitedly.
Belazir backhanded him, knocking the man to his knees. His yellow eyes blazed.
"How dare dare you enter here? What is the meaning of this intrusion?" you enter here? What is the meaning of this intrusion?"
"I abase myself before you Great Lord," a one word expression in Kolnari. The soldier bowed his head and placed both fists on the floor where he knelt. "Communications are down," he said urgently. "The fleet is under attack by Yoered Family fighters."
"What?"
"They"ve come because of us, you fool," Nomik lay on his side, glaring at Belazir. "You can"t kidnap someone from Rohan and not answer to the Family for it. They"re going to kick your b.u.t.t, a.s.shole."
Everyone went still, Belazir drew a deep angry breath, his nostrils grew pale and pinched.
"Give her the antidote," he snarled at the med-tech, "give him the disease. Then report to your stations." Then he disappeared form the cell.
One of the guards grasped Silken"s arm and raised it. The med-tech touched it with an injector. He moved over to Ciety and applied another to one of his arms. Then the three of them fled the cell and Silken crawled over to hold Nomik in her arms.
Belazir threw off his silk robe and strapped on a utility belt, checking the charge in his plasma gun.
"Report," he barked.
"There is little more, Great Lord. Ships have been launched to meet the foe, the battleworthy ships have closed around the mother ship in protective formation. With communications out we can do little but wait."
"Fool!" Belazir snarled and marched out of his quarters moving towards the bridge.
Outside the door Skarik na Marid"s small squad formed up around Belazir in a protective square.
Joseph strode along behind Belazir, eyes blazing, his heart full of hate. Amos"s words rang in his head, "It would grieve me, my brother, to have you die like a fool."
Benisur, what am I to do? G.o.d has placed our enemy in my hands. Can I turn away in fear for myself and still call myself a man?
He could almost hear Amos"s answer. "Wait for your best moment before you strike. And do not condemn yourself as a coward if no such moment arrives."
Before them an elevator opened and disgorged another crowd of Kolnari warriors running to their battle stations.
Joseph"s whole body pounded with his heartbeat, it was all that he could feel, the blood raging through his veins. Never have I felt such desire, not even in the arms of my beloved. Never have I felt such desire, not even in the arms of my beloved.
He grabbed Belazir by the neck and flung him into the empty elevator with a mighty shove, drew his laser and threw himself in afterwards just as the door closed. He hit a floor at random, then spun and kicked Belazir"s legs out from under him, bringing the b.u.t.t of his pistol down on the back of the Kolnaris neck with a vicious crack.
Joseph fired on the elevators control mechanism and they lurched to a halt. Then he turned back to his prey, his blue eyes alight with joy.
"You!" Belazir screamed, staggering to his feet. The blow would have killed any normal human. Belazir screamed, staggering to his feet. The blow would have killed any normal human. "You!" "You!"
The Bethelite cast his weapon aside and drew the long curved knife. He could hear Amos"s voice again- this time condemning him for a fool. And I do not care. Some things are beyond even loyalty, my prophet and friend. And I do not care. Some things are beyond even loyalty, my prophet and friend.
The lift cage was large, built to transport a section or more of troops in power armor. Belazir sidled crabwise, tearing off the remnants of his robe. His body was matte-black except where the dusty gray of scars seamed it, a gaunt thing of ma.s.sive bones and muscles shrunken and knotted and still powerful enough to crack teak beams. There was no mind behind the golden eyes now, and a string of saliva dangled from one loose-curled lip.
"You!" he screamed, and leaped with his hands outstretched to tear. he screamed, and leaped with his hands outstretched to tear.
Joat was relieved to see that the corpse she and Joseph had left behind was still on duty behind the reception desk. Bros labored along beside her and at last she felt safe enough to put his arm around her shoulder and give him some support.
"No," he said, resisting her. "Not until we"re behind a locked door. There"s no telling who we might run into."
She blushed and compressed her lips. He was right, and she was embarra.s.sed. It wasn"t like her to get soft like this.
They moved into the Brig and she started trying doors, looking for one that wasn"t locked.
Around the comer came two Kolnari and a med-tech, moving so fast they almost collided.
"What are you doing here?" one of the guards demanded.
"We"ve been sent to relieve Kolnari guards for duty elsewhere," Joat said.
"No," the other guard said, looking hard at Bros. "No, she lies. He is a prisoner."
"Ridiculous," Joat snapped. "We are heading into into the Brig, not out of it." the Brig, not out of it."
"This is Bros Sperin," the guard insisted. "I know him."
The other guard and the med-tech began to grin.
Oh s.h.i.t! Joat thought and went for her laser. Joat thought and went for her laser.
The first guard slapped her hand aside and kicked her legs out from under her. Joat lay for a single instant, stunned; she"d forgotten over the years, the inhuman speed of the Kolnari.
Bros is unarmed! she thought as she crashed to the floor and she saw both guards moving in on him. Before she could get her stunned body back in action the med-tech had her in a hold that immobilized her. He stripped off one of her gloves and pressed an injector against the inside of her wrist. she thought as she crashed to the floor and she saw both guards moving in on him. Before she could get her stunned body back in action the med-tech had her in a hold that immobilized her. He stripped off one of her gloves and pressed an injector against the inside of her wrist.
The last thing she saw as her vision darkened was Bros going down in a flurry of kicks from the two Kolnari guards. She heard something snap, and then there was nothing.
She woke to the sensation of something heavy resting on her lap, holding her against a wall. Her eyes flickered open and she snapped them shut, the light in the room was so bright it drew tears. Cautiously, she slitted her eyes open and looked down to see what was so heavy.
Bros lay in her lap. He was perfectly still; blood trailed from his mouth. She snapped the locks on his helmet and tossed it aside, touched her bare hand to his pulse.
Chief Family Enforcer Vand looked down at her impa.s.sively.
"He is alive?" Vand asked.
Joat nodded wearily, then glanced up at him. Vand was much taller than she"d expected and twice as intimidating as he was on a screen.
"It would seem they questioned him very thoroughly," he observed. He looked away, his eyes never resting long on any place or thing.
Just as well, Joat thought. Joat thought. When he looks at me I feel like I"m about to be dissected. When he looks at me I feel like I"m about to be dissected.
"The Family would very much like to interrogate Mr. Sperin," Vand said, considering the notion.
Joat made a small flinging gesture and a knife slipped into her hand, she pressed it up under Bros"s jaw.
"But you won"t," she said with fierce determination.
"No," he said, his face still impa.s.sive, but a look of something like respect touched his cold eyes. "Of course not. In addition to restoring the Family"s honor, the object of this mission was to rescue Mr. Sperin. It would hardly do to compromise Yoered"s honor immediately after saving it. Now would it?" He smiled, and she wished he hadn"t. "Our honor is an extremely valuable commercial property."
Joat had the impression she was being laughed at, though nothing visible backed it up.
"You must excuse me. We"re in the process of teaching the Kolnari a rather sharp lesson on maintaining a certain standard of professional etiquette when in a Family port. Remain here," Vand commanded. "I have some med-techs on the way."
Then he was gone, moving lightly despite the bulky battle-armor.
As if I was about to scamper off and get into trouble, Joat thought sourly. She leaned her head wearily against the wall and closed her eyes. When she opened them she found herself looking into Silken"s. Joat thought sourly. She leaned her head wearily against the wall and closed her eyes. When she opened them she found herself looking into Silken"s.
Silken sat on the floor across from her, with Nomiks head leaning against her breast, in a pose that mirrored her own.
Tears ran down Silken"s cheeks and her expression was tired beyond all bearing. Her hair was wild and there was blood around her mouth, bruises on the porcelain skin.