darknadir (54 page)

* * *

Some time later, Commander Q'ozoi returned, followed by an aide carrying a chair for him. It was placed beside Kusac's bed.
Kusac didn't wait for him to start talking. There were questions he wanted answered. "Why has a device been implanted in me?"
"When you were brought out of cryogenic sleep, you had violent seizures. They threatened your life. The implant was the only way of controlling them before they killed you."
He absorbed that for a minute. It was possible, depending on how long they'd had Carrie awake, but he'd never heard of seizures as a symptom of Link deprivation. In the brief moment he'd sensed them, he'd known that Carrie and Kaid had formed a Leska Link. At least she was safe. "Seizures?"
"Your body was suffering muscle spasms and you were choking. Between the seizures, you were violent. No other way to incapacitate you and control the fits without harming you could be found. It was an emergency measure, I'm afraid. The implants weren't designed for your species, they're for the M'zullian Valtegans. Our doctor did what he thought best at the time. I've answered your questions, now it's your turn, Kusac. Will you take us safely to Shola?"
He closed his eyes. He was tired, had no energy or interest in this or any conversation. "I can't. I don't know the codes you want. I can take you to the place where my people are going. Another of the Sholan crew is empowered to make Contact negotiations. You can show him your papers."
"Another, Kusac? Are you similarly empowered?"
It was said so softly that he almost didn't realize his mistake and the implications of the commander's question. "Not now," he said. "I was relieved of duty when I was put in cryo."
"But you're out now."
Kusac opened his eyes again. "You could make me, but anything I signed wouldn't be recognized by my people."
"Then give me the codes and coordinates for where they're going," Q'ozoi said, holding out a comp reader.
Kusac tiredly lifted his right arm and took it from him. Pushing himself up on his other elbow, he switched hands and punched in the figures before handing it back.
Q'ozoi took it from him, glanced at it, and stood up. His aide ran forward to remove the chair. "Thank you. Doctor Zayshul will be in presently to make you more comfortable," he said.
Kusac let himself fall back to the bed. Keeping his thoughts straight for this long had drained him. All he could do now was pray that he'd done the right thing.

* * *

It had taken Kezule that night and another to reach the first estate. By hiding high in the trees adjacent to it during daylight, he'd learned it was the Aldatan estate, and the one he wanted, Valsgarth, lay farther south. The route through the trees took longer but was safer than crossing the open fields and leaving his scent behind for them to smell.
Another night's travel had seen him in the woodland behind the small village. It was smaller than the other, consisting of only two main rows of wooden houses divided up by five short streets intersecting them at right angles. Construction work was still going on at the end farthest from the large house, but many of the buildings were occupied.
The inhabitants were a curious mixture of species, a fact he found baffling. Why would the Sholans want to share their private estates with aliens? He recognized one species, the Humans. The other, a brightly dressed, ungainly species, he had never seen before. A mixed group of all three species had left early that morning in several small aircars, heading for a distant hill topped by ruins. That intrigued him. Why were they going there? They'd had an air of purpose about them, as if going for a reason other than leisure. They returned just before dusk, their clothing stained and dusty. He deduced they were involved in some manual work, perhaps more construction.
Crouched as high in his tree as he could safely go, he'd watched their day unfold. It was essentially the same as the one on the other estate, with some Sholans heading out to work in the fields and others making themselves busy around the village with building, combat training, planting their gardens, and visiting the village store. The training had him confused. He'd understood from the telepath he'd killed and the female, Keeza, that this was the estate where the majority of telepaths lived. How could they be training when to fight made them physically sick? Then he remembered the two Sholan males who'd taken him had fought with others of their kind in the desert. Something about them had changed. Was it mixing with the Humans? He dismissed the puzzle for the time being. More important was his need to find out where the ones he wanted lived. So far, he'd seen no sign of them.
Darkness fell and streetlamps were lit as people retired to their homes for the evening. Overhead, the aerial patrol flew by at its usual time. He climbed lower, pulling on the dark robe again for better concealment. Still he waited, listening and watching for the night foot patrol he knew would come through the main street. He almost missed them, so quiet were they. Gray-clad, they blended in the shadows well. Not soldiers, these ones. They were more than that.
They were no sooner out of sight than he heard a noise from the building opposite. As he watched, the window was pulled quietly open and a head poked out, looking around. It ducked back in, then a knotted rope was thrown out.
Curious, he watched as, with much whispering and giggling, two small figures climbed down to the ground.
"Daira, shut up!" hissed the larger one. "If you keep up that noise, you'll wake my mum, then we'll never get to see the Touibans!"
"Sorry, Mandy," he whispered.
"Come on, let's get going," Mandy said, grabbing him by the hand and heading toward the back of their garden— and closer to Kezule.
He watched as they climbed over the low fence and crept round the rear of the gardens, heading for the end of the street. Keeping to the deep shadows, he followed them. At the last building, he stopped, watching as they scampered through the pools of light cast by the lamps to the buildings on the other side. Now he could see clearly what he'd suspected. One child was Sholan, the other Human.
He couldn't risk following them, and equally, couldn't afford to lose them. During the day, he'd seen others walking around the village wearing dark robes. Maybe if he pulled the hood up, he'd escape notice. It was his only option. He had to get across the roadway. Tipping his head down and pulling the hood well forward, he clasped his hands together, letting the wide mouths of the sleeves cover them. Stepping out into the open, he walked briskly across the street, making for the rear of the buildings opposite where the children had gone. Reaching the cover of the far corner, he slowed down, breathing again as he realized he'd made it.
Cautiously, he peered round the corner, catching sight of the two small forms scurrying down the back of the garden fences. He followed, once more keeping low, seeing them jump a fence near the far end. As he drew level with the house, he realized the reason for their illicit night outing was to spy on the household of garishly dressed aliens.
Easing his gun from his robe pocket and flicking the safety off, he stuck it through the tie belt. The night was still, what little movement of air there was came from the young ones toward him. If they saw him, his disguise should fool them long enough for him to get close. Maintaining his crouch, he inched his way slowly forward but they were too busy trying to peer through a window with partly open drapes to notice him. When he finally loomed over them, it was too late. A quick blow to the back of the neck of the young Sholan, then he grasped hold of the other one, hand over her mouth to stop her from yelling.
"Be very quiet or you and your friend will die," he hissed in her ear as she struggled to get free.
She stiffened and he felt her try to nod her head.
"I'm going to put you down and take my hand from your mouth. One sound and you know what I'll do." He set her down, removing his hand from her mouth and grasping her by the throat. "Don't try to pull away," he warned letting her feel the tips of his claws against her flesh. "One squeeze of my hand is all it takes. Understand?"
She nodded, putting her hand up to her mouth to stifle her cry of fear as she caught sight of him.
Pulling her with him, he reached down to pick up the Sholan child. Slinging him over his shoulder, he dragged the female back into the trees just beyond the end of the garden. When he could no longer see the lights of the village, he stopped, dropping the unconscious young male to the ground. He could forget about him, he wouldn't wake till dawn. He turned to the Human child.
"In which house does the Human called Carrie Aldatan live?" he demanded.
"I... I don't know," she said falteringly.
He shook her like a rag doll, claws causing tiny wounds in her neck. "Which house?" he demanded.
"The big one at the end," she whimpered, tears running down her face as she caught at his hand, trying to pull on his fingers. "But they're not there! They're not back from Jalna yet!"
He hissed with rage, hand tightening instinctively till he realized he was throttling her. He relaxed his grip. "Who stays there now? I saw people going in and out of it today."
"The doctor and his companion, Jiszoe, and Kashini, and Brother Dzaka. And the nurse."
"Who are they? Relations of the Aldatans?" He increased the pressure slightly. Relations would do, would force them to surrender to him when they returned.
"Their baby and Kaid's son. He guards her," she sobbed. "Please, don't hurt me! I haven't done anything!"
"You'll take me to this house." He needed somewhere to go, to hide out in safety with his hostages till the Aldatans returned. Then he remembered the hill and the ruins. "What are they doing at the ruins?"
"It's being excavated. There's tunnels in it where Sholans hid from the Valtegans in the past." She stopped, eyes widening even further in fear. "You're a Valtegan!"
He gave a short laugh. "Yes, I'm a Valtegan." He let his tongue flick out close to her face. "I have nothing to lose, so make no sound and you will be set free once I have the people I want." Reaching inside his robe, he pulled out the rope that was coiled round his waist. Turning her round, he quickly and efficiently bound her wrists behind her, cutting off the extra length with his teeth. He'd need that for the one called Dzaka.

* * *

Ten minutes later, Mandy stood at the back door waiting for someone to answer Kezule's knock. The light had already been on, and almost immediately, they heard footsteps making their way to the back door. It opened, casting a pool of golden light onto the path.
"Mandy! What on earth are you doing out at..." Jack fell silent as he found himself looking at the muzzle of an energy pistol held by a Valtegan.
Kezule waved him back into the house and, pulling Mandy with him, entered, shutting the door behind him.
"Sit," he ordered, pointing to the table where Jack had been working. He picked Mandy up and placed her on another chair as Jack resumed his seat. "Where is your mate?" he demanded.
"In bed asleep," said Jack quietly. "You must be Kezule. I had no idea you were free."
"Silence!" Kezule hissed, checking out the room thoroughly before looking cautiously through the doors to the adjacent main kitchen. Stuffing his pistol through his belt, he took a towel from the back of a chair and ripped it into strips. "The one called Dzaka, where is he?"
"In bed asleep," said Jack as his arms were pulled behind him and tied to the chair.
"I want him and the child down here, now. Call him."
"No need," said Jack as they heard a noise from the room next door.
Pulling his gun, Kezule dived for the door, standing to one side as it burst open to admit a naked but armed Sholan male, a young child clutched to his chest.
"Jack, what..." Dzaka skidded to an abrupt stop as he took in the situation.
"Drop the gun," said Kezule, aiming directly at the child. "Slowly."
Dzaka lowered his weapon, dropping it to the floor near his feet.
"Kick it away," ordered Kezule. "Then sit down at the table, there." He pointed to the chair farthest from Jack and Mandy.
Dzaka sent the gun spinning across the floor, then moved toward the table and sat down. "What do you want, Kezule?" he asked, shifting Kashini so his body shielded her.
"You and the child. Put it on the table and place your hands behind your back," he ordered, readying another strip of towel.
Dzaka placed the unusually subdued Kashini on the table. "Leave the cub, Kezule," he said quietly, putting his hands behind his back. "You have me, you've no need of her. She'd only be a liability to you."
"Enough talk," said Kezule, binding his wrists individually, then together.
"The estate is crawling with guards. You can't possibly escape."
Kezule ignored him, unfastening Dzaka's wrist comm and turning up the psi damper field to maximum before putting it on him again. Pulling the remainder of his rope free, he placed it round Dzaka's neck, tying it in a noose with a rigid knot. He then tied a sliding knot at the other end. Turning to Kashini, who'd been watching the proceedings with curiosity, he scooped her up in one arm, tucking her inside his robe against his chest.
"Your guards are so good they couldn't keep me out," he said, going round to Jack. He grasped him by the chin, turning his head to face him. "I am taking them as hostages till the Aldatans return. Tell your people that. They can contact me on their wrist communicators." A blow to the back of his neck and Jack slumped unconscious to the table.
Mandy began to whimper as Kezule turned to her.
"Leave Mandy alone," said Dzaka, beginning to rise from his chair. "There's no need to..." but already she was sliding bonelessly off her chair.
Grabbing Dzaka by an arm, Kezule pulled him to his feet, then slipped the other end of the noose round Kashini's neck.
"One sound and the child dies. There will not be a second warning. You are tethered to her. If you run, the loop will tighten and she will strangle. Do we understand each other?"
Dzaka nodded. Kezule switched off the light and opened the door.

* * *

The journey through the woods had been a nightmare one. Dzaka had been ordered to lead them to the tunnels under the ruins. That was bad news. If Kezule got holed up in the lab area, he could seal them in by closing the steel doors. They were blast proof and virtually impregnable.
The pace Kezule had set had been punishing and Dzaka hadn't time to watch where he put his feet. As he stumbled for perhaps the twentieth time, he suddenly felt his footing go completely from under him. With a yell of fear, he began sliding and rolling down the side of a small gully. He felt the rope round his neck tighten painfully, then suddenly go slack as he caromed off a tree trunk, stunning himself, before finally coming to rest at the bottom.
He lay there, head aching and spinning with the sick fear that Kashini was dead. Unable to get up, he had to lie there while Kezule slithered down to get him. Then he heard Kashini whimpering. Relief flooded through him.
Kezule stood over him, knife glinting in what little moonlight there was as he returned it to its sheath inside his robe.
"Lucky for the child I had that," he said, reaching down and hauling Dzaka to his feet.
Blood from Dzaka's cut brow was running into his eyes and he had to shake his head to clear them. He groaned as pain stabbed through his temples.
Grasping hold of the noose still round his neck, Kezule pulled him closer. "With one as clumsy as you, I cannot risk the child again. I want your oath of honor that you won't try to escape."
From the folds of Kezule's robe, Kashini reached out for her bond-brother. Her fingers brushed his cheek before Kezule released him.
"I swear," Dzaka gasped. "Just don't harm her!"
They regained the path, Kezule holding him by the arm as they traveled parallel to it, keeping in the cover of the woods until they saw the opening to the tunnel ahead. It was in darkness. There wasn't the need for the archaeologists to work round the clock any more, so no one was on duty. As they entered, Kashini began to whimper again.
"Where are the torches or lights?" demanded Kezule, stopping just inside.
"There, to your left," said Dzaka, bobbing his head in the direction of the box on the wall. With any luck, someone would see the lights blazing out and come to investigate before Kezule got them holed up in the lab.
Kezule opened the box, looking carefully at the labeled switches. "What areas do they light?" he asked. "And can they be turned off from inside?"
"The top one is main lighting, the one below, emergency lights only. The others light individual caverns and tunnels."
Kezule's hand hesitated over the top switch, then flipped the one below. Above them, subdued lights flickered briefly then came on. Kezule rounded on Dzaka, hitting him once across the face, sending him staggering backward.
"Don't lie to me again," he hissed, crest rising briefly in anger. Grasping him by the arm again, they entered the tunnel.
Licking his split lip, Dzaka limped on, leading the way up the slope to the first chamber, then across to the next tunnel. When they came out in the main chamber, he heard Kezule's sharp intake of breath. There was a field kitchen here, complete with supplies, and even a couple of camp beds for their first aid station. It had just about everything he could need to stock up for a siege. Except raw meat.
Kezule made a quick tour of the room before leading him over to the lab. Again he hissed in pleasure as he saw the steel door. Surveying the room quickly, he dragged Dzaka to the ancient microscope, securing him firmly to its massive base. That done, Kezule returned to the main chamber to gather the bedding and stores.
Dzaka immediately began pulling at the bindings on his wrists, trying to get free, but the harder he pulled, the tighter they got till his circulation was almost cut off.
Kezule returned for the final time. He'd located the kitchen generator and the feed for the lighting as well as several flashlights. Activating the flashlights, he stood them on the work surface nearest the door, then unplugged the lights and replugged them into the generator, switching it on. Heading for the entrance, he sealed the steel door. The sound of it sliding shut sent a shiver of fear through Dzaka.
"Now we wait for them to discover you're missing," said Kezule, pulling Kashini from his robe and coming toward him.