Authors: Lisanne Norman
* * *
Day 34
"I tell you, I'm going back there tonight!" The soldier slammed the blade of the spade into the grass, stamped on the edge and lifted out the clump of earth, flinging it on the small pile that lay behind him.
"Shut up, Fayal. The sergeant's around somewhere. He catches you talking like that and we'll all be grounded for the next month, never mind the next week!"
Fayal growled, standing back from the hole and leaning on his spade. "Let him! Think I'm going to let someone else move in on that little female I've been sweetening up for myself? Forget it, Vryal! You want to stay on the estate, your choice. Rraysa, what about you? You coming with me?"
Rraysa jammed the new post into the hole, then held his hand out for the hammer. Vryal passed it to him.
"I asked you if you were coming," repeated Fayal.
"No. This is my last day of this duty. I plan to keep it that way." He waited for Vryal to grab the post then began swinging the hammer, knocking it into the ground.
"Spineless, that's what you are," Fayal snorted derisively. "You change your minds, I'll be here at fourteenth hour."
"No way, not with those ferals you been feeding!" said Vryal. "Where are they, anyway? Thought they'd be out to complain at the noise we're making."
"They're there, all right," said Fayal. "Watching us from behind those bushes on the other side. Won't bother us when there's so many of us."
Rraysa glanced over the low fence before giving the hammer a final swing. "One day, those cats are going to get you for walking all over their territory."
"Not while I'm throwing them a nice chunk or three of raw meat," laughed Fayal, scooping a spadeful of soil up from his pile and dumping it round the base of the post.
"Hurry up, Fayal," said Rraysa, sticking his hammer through his belt. "I want to get back to the base as soon as we're through here."
"What for? To sit in the mess and drink c'shar? Spend the night watching vid comm?" He laughed again as he shoveled the remainder of the soil into the hole, then stamped on it to firm it down. "There," he said, moving out of the way. "Get on with it, then. Don't want that c'shar to get cold, do we?"
Vryal began hauling the mesh back across the gap to the new post while Rraysa dug in one of his pockets for the staples to secure it. Within minutes they were finished and heading along the cleared area around the fence to the old gate track that led to the main estate.
* * *
Brynne was waiting with Garras and Vanna when Father Lijou arrived. He'd left Banner and Jurrel keeping Keeza company. Half an hour later, they were entering Brynne's home.
"I want to know all the details," said Lijou, as he and Vanna were ushered into the den at the rear of the house to join Jurrel.
Upstairs, Keeza heard their voices and felt a stir of memory. Excusing herself from Banner's company, she returned to her own room where she lay down on the bed.
She'd heard the voice before, but where, and when? Fear that her new world, still so very fragile, was under threat again, filled her. She curled up, closing her eyes, wondering how much longer she'd have to endure the slow drip of returning memories.
"A red-robed Valtegan," said Vanna thoughtfully. "We saw none like that. Most wore the one-piece fatigues like the Humans. Green ones. Red robes, though. Suggests someone important, some officer."
"Priest?" asked Jurrel. "Priests always wear robes when on official duties."
"Trouble is, we've got all our Valtegan experts off-world," said Lijou. "This must never happen again. Can you remember anything more, Vanna?"
She shook her head. "Father Lijou, you're asking me to go back a long time."
"They probably weren't on Keiss when you were there," said Brynne. "They were off killing the settlers on our two colony worlds."
"That's true. If this one went with General M'ezozakk, then he's definitely someone of importance. What did you say he was doing in this vision?" she asked.
"I didn't. He was attacking Carrie," said Brynne.
"Attacking her? How?"
"Sexually," said Brynne grimly. "He knew her as far as I could tell."
"Oh, Gods! Not that!" said Vanna, shocked. "Didn't anyone stop him?"
"I didn't see enough for that," said Brynne, putting his hand over hers. "Just think. Who among the Valtegans knew her?"
"No one! Her sister was another matter... That's it! He must have known her sister, Elise!"
"Elise?" asked Jurrel.
"Her twin. She worked undercover for the Human guerrillas in the city of Geshader as a prostitute to the Valtegan officers."
"Wasn't she caught and tortured?" asked Lijou. "I seem to remember reading it in some files not long after Carrie arrived here."
"Yes. She was. Can you access those files from here? Perhaps what we need is in them," said Vanna.
"The comm is over there," said Brynne, pointing to his desk. "Please, help yourself."
It took only some ten minutes before Lijou found what they wanted. "The red-robed priest was the torturer," he said, turning back to them. "May Vartra protect them if they're with him. Now we know the nature of the threat."
"Hold on," said Vanna. "Not so fast. We're forgetting something here. Carrie was put into cryo with a serious injury. How can she possibly be in any fit state for even a Valtegan to rape her? I didn't see any evidence on Keiss that the Valtegans were capable of performing that kind of surgery on Humans, let alone had drugs like fastheal to accelerate healing."
"You're right," said Brynne, thinking it through. "That's what the dreams of the tiled room and the bright lights were. But the priest was definitely present last night."
"If not the Valtegans, then who?" asked Jurrel. "Who would let one of them have access to her?"
"More Valtegans," said Lijou, feeling a chill run through him as he remembered what Rhyaz had said about the wreckage that had been found and the traces of ships' signatures. There had been two others as well as those of the
Profit.
"More?" asked Vanna.
"We have confidential information to that effect."
"How many more? More ships? Their world? What?"
"I'm not at liberty to say," said Lijou, tight-lipped. "I want to go through all your dreams again, Brynne. Vanna, nothing you hear in this room, or pick up from Brynne, is to go any further. I need a Leska pair working for the Brotherhood at Stronghold for the foreseeable future. They must leave immediately. Can you get Garras to allocate us a team? Reliable, stable people, those with the longest mental reach."
"Tamghi and Kora," she said instantly. "What's up with Vriuzu? Is he ill?"
"He has duties elsewhere," said Lijou. "Please see to it immediately."
"You're on alert as of now," he said to Brynne and Jurrel once she'd gone. "I'd hoped to avoid involving you, Brynne, but it seems we may have no choice. Whatever took the
Rryuk's Profit,
and it looks likely that it involves Valtegans, has Brothers and Sisters capable of giving them the location of Shola. We could be facing a Valtegan invasion."
"Have you told High Command?" asked Jurrel.
"High Command has given us the authority to deal with aspects of the situation," said Lijou carefully. "As of yesterday, the Brotherhood is now a member of that council. Vartra warned us to mobilize our people, and we have done so."
"I thought the halls were a little empty of late," murmured Jurrel.
"Your visions are our best source of information, Brynne. More, you have an open invitation to visit Vartra. I need you to dream-walk to His realm today to see what more He can tell you."
Brynne nodded. "I forgot to mention Dzaka told me Kashini woke again the same night I had my dream."
"Let's pray the cub is only aware of danger and not actually seeing what's happening to her parents. I need to contact Master Rhyaz and update him," Lijou said, turning back to the comm.
* * *
Crouched on the tree branch, Kezule could see the fence for twenty feet on either side of the disused gate. The night was hot, the air alive with the chirring of insects. Nearby, the ferals roamed, leaping over the low fence at will yet never triggering an alarm from the sensor grid.
Earlier in the evening, after he saw the one called Fayal jump the fence and leave for the town, he'd tried throwing a stone through. No response. It was as if there existed a dead spot that the alarm system couldn't— or wouldn't— pick up. Having watched the ferals, he thought knew why. For most species, they were deterrent enough. Not for him. All he had to do was emit the right scent and they'd be gone. He'd had to use it before when he'd disturbed a nesting pair with young. Fear of them had given way to anger at the thought he'd come all this way, survived the Sholans' hunt, only to be torn to pieces by feral cats! His anger scent had had them squalling in terror and running for cover.
He looked up at the moon overhead. Only one tonight, and that on the wane. By his reckoning, it had been six hours since Fayal had gone out. Soon he should be back. Though almost convinced the sensors were permanently disabled at this point, he wasn't prepared to take the risk. Far safer to wait for this Fayal to return and enter just behind him. And if the Sholan did sense him, then who would wonder at the ferals turning on him? Shifting uncomfortably, he eased his limbs a fraction, then settled down again, watching and waiting. He was going in tonight, one way or another. Two days he'd been sitting watching this place, ever since he'd seen the ferals leaping in and out without setting off the alarms. Now, at last, it had paid off.
When Fayal finally came, the noise of his approach was audible for several minutes. A soldier of this caliber disgusted Kezule. This was not a warrior, merely a drunk dressed up in a uniform. Had one of his troops behaved in such a way, he'd have been terminated immediately. But then, he reminded himself, this one was a lesser being, not worthy of recognition as a person.
Fayal emerged staggering from the overgrown pathway. Seeing the fence, he pulled himself upright, took a deep breath, and began to advance toward it more carefully.
"Mustn't forget the ferries," he muttered, stopping almost beneath Kezule's hiding place to dig deep in his uniform jacket pocket. "Where did I put it? Wouldn't think you could lose bits of chiddoe in a pocket! Ah, there you are," he said cheerfully, pulling a sealed container out. With great deliberation, he began to open it.
Kezule was also keeping an eye on the ferals. Unnoticed by Fayal, the larger female had been laying in wait for him and was now cautiously emerging from the undergrowth. Belly flat to the ground, tail extended behind her flicking lazily at the tip, she inched her way toward the drunken Sholan.
Fayal, meanwhile, had pulled one of the bloody gobbets of meat from his container and was peering around, looking for the ferals.
"Here, ferrie, ferrie," he chanted, waving the piece of meat in the air.
The scent of the blood was enough for the large feline. It leaped at the Sholan, hitting him square in the chest and bringing him down to the ground.
Fayal's cry of terror was drowned out by the cat's snarl as, dodging his flailing arms, it lunged for the meat. Its jaws closed on Fayal's arm instead and suddenly, both were fighting for their lives.
The commotion brought the male and the two half-grown cubs running to join in the fray. Within moments, the fight was over and the feeding frenzy had begun.
The feral's leap had thrown Fayal some six feet from the tree trunk. Now the cats were pulling and tugging the body around, snarling and snapping at each other. The sight sickened Kezule. His people eliminated any predator likely to threaten them as a matter of policy. To see a sentient being devoured by such animals, even if there was a rough justice to it, was not pleasant.
He remembered why he was there. Now, while the ferals were occupied, would be the safest time to go— he hoped. He stood up, and gripping the trunk with his claws, stepped onto the next thick branch, taking himself farther from the felines. If he crawled along it to the middle before dropping to the ground, it gave him the shortest distance to the fence. Once there, he could make for the tree he'd spotted during daylight. It had several limbs low enough for him to leap up and grab hold of. The ferals could climb trees, but he doubted they'd be willing to leave that much meat to come after him.
Cautiously he edged along the branch, squatting at the farthest point that would bear his weight. He waited for his moment, eyes never leaving the ferals as they ripped and tore at what to them was only a carcass. He sprang, jumping outward, landing only a few feet from the fence. Clearing it in one bound, he raced for the tree, having a moment's panic as he briefly lost his bearings. Then he was jumping for the branch, legs swinging in midair as he scrabbled with his claws for a hold. He could feel their hot breath on his legs, he knew he could, then he was up and clutching tightly to the branch.
Heart pounding, he looked over the edge. The ferals were where he'd left them, though the female was looking in his direction, sniffing the air and snarling. He shivered, then very slowly, edged back along the branch till he reached the bole of the tree. Leaning back against the trunk, he paused to catch his breath. He was in, and he was alive. Now he had to move on, just in case the alarm had been triggered.
* * *
Day 35
Master Rhyaz got to his feet as L'Seuli entered his office. The younger male looked tired and drawn.
"Master Rhyaz," he said, touching his right fist to his left shoulder in salute. "You asked me to report as soon as I got back."
"Finished so soon, L'Seuli? I really didn't expect you for another two days at the earliest."
"I knew the matter was urgent, Master Rhyaz. The outpost jump points are far faster than the normal routes, especially in
Striker.
"
"Sit down and make your report, then, Commander," he said, gesturing to the chair by his desk.
"Thank you," said L'Seuli, accepting the seat gratefully. "All four outposts are fully manned and ready, with provision made to accept the extra designated craft when the time comes. Training missions for flight and gunnery crews have already been implemented and morale is high. The commanders are aware of the possibility of incoming signals or telepathic messages from our missing personnel, and the likelihood of pursuit. Or possibly, of invasion."
Rhyaz nodded. "Well done. I've had similar reports in from our agents in the Forces. Those Brothers and Sisters who could not be recalled under some pretext are ready to leave immediately they get the word. Transport will be arranged from each sector to take them to Refuge, ready to crew the
Va'Khoi.
What's her current status?"
"My visit to Refuge took an extra day," said L'Seuli. "I took the time to inspect the
Va'Khoi
thoroughly. They're still working on the main drive problem but as for the rest, the ship's up and running. As you know, the refit should have been completed by your predecessor, Ghezu, but he decided to scale down the work. Our people have done extremely well in the short time they've had."
"Let's hope Ghezu's delay doesn't cost us dearly," said Rhyaz. "How long till she's fully operational?"
L'Seuli consulted his wrist comm. "Should be ready in a day or two if she isn't ready now," he said. "Captain T'Chaku said if she had a Toubian swarm, she'd have been ready two weeks ago."
"You know we couldn't reveal we have these resources," said Rhyaz with a sigh. "If we'd been able to call in a swarm, we'd have been ready four years ago! When do they plan to test the
Va'Khoi
?"
"As soon as the drive is on-line and they get the go ahead from you. They have enough of a crew to man her for that, thankfully. The comp simulations looked good."
"I'll contact Captain T'Chaku tonight. Thank you, L'Seuli. Go and rouse the kitchen for something to eat, then get some rest. I'll hear the remainder of your report tomorrow."
L'Seuli began unfastening the gold commander's insignia as he got to his feet.
Rhyaz frowned as he realized what his aide was doing. "Keep the rank for now, L'Seuli. When this finally breaks, I want you out there organizing security for the exchange of hostages."
"As you wish, Master Rhyaz," murmured L'Seuli, taking his leave.