Sklisk had no response. She was right, but that did not change what needed to be done. He shifted the Iskstar staff to his back, dropped to all fours, and scurried toward the scent of the warriors.
At first, he was confused as he looked down at the single bug that clumsily attempted to climb up the rock. The bug's pincers were clearly strong as the rocks seemed to scream as it clamped on and pulled. The pincers had very little capacity to grip and for each movement forward, the bug slid backwards.
Sklisk felt guilt as he ran down the face of the mountain to be below the bug warrior. He was certain the warrior could sense his approach, but the bug was unable to maneuver or adjust its path in the rocky terrain. He was almost disappointed at how easily the bug fell to his staff. Sklisk slipped the glowing blue end of the Iskstar into the bug's back, sliding easily through its body. Sklisk found two more bugs twenty arm lengths below and with buoyed confidence he dropped between them, slicing through their legs and causing both to fall helplessly away from the mountain.
On the way back, Sklisk carefully carved a particularly delectable portion from the fallen warrior and hustled to where Jaelisk lay.
"You are now a Piscivoru warrior," she said proudly, accepting the meat.
"Are you able to walk?" Sklisk asked. "Perhaps we should try to re-enter the passageway back to the under."
"I feel pain, but I would not stop our mission," she said. "We will go forward until we are unable."
Together they worked their way to the base of the mountain and slipped into the thick undergrowth. While it pained Sklisk to see his mate hobble on three legs, he knew she would find offense if he attempted to help. He must accept her sacrifice. Even hobbled as she was, they moved more quickly over the ground than they ever could in the vertical standing position favored by some like Engirisk.
"The city seemed so close while we were on the mountain," Sklisk said as they moved forward.
"We are not accustomed to viewing from such a distance," Jaelisk answered. Sklisk noticed that his mate had slowed her pace. The strain of moving on only three legs and the wounds of the evening were finally taking their toll.
"We will stop and rest," Sklisk said. "Engirisk warned that the bright star over Picis gives advantage to the bug warriors and we are to only move while it is behind our home planet."
"Are those not stars?" Jaelisk asked. "I do not find them to be over bright."
"We will trust Engirisk in this," Sklisk said. "You will rest beside this large plant and I will climb it so that I might find an appropriate nest for us."
"Do not coddle me, Sklisk."
"I would not."
All along their path to the city, Sklisk had been forced to maneuver around the densely-packed vegetation, consisting mainly of the giant cylindrical stalks. The sparsely-leafed plant rose high into the sky, moving gently in the air above the surface. He grabbed the rough outer sheath of the closest stalk and began to climb. The ascent was easier than Sklisk anticipated, his claws effortlessly piercing the rough outer material of the plant. He climbed until the stalk thinned and swayed beneath his weight.
A dim glow on the horizon was something Sklisk hadn't expected and he filed the information for later consideration. It appeared a great fire was burning, but at such distance it could not possibly cause them harm. Looking toward the city, he discovered they'd made significant progress and were only a thousand arm lengths from the small rectangular structures that rose into the sky. Why hadn’t he paid more attention to the image of their destination on Engirisk's machine? Sklisk’s mind jumbled the information he’d gathered since their mission began. For the moment, he would prioritize finding shelter for the oncoming star rise. Engirisk’s teachings had been vague as to the star's effect, beyond that the bug warriors would more easily locate them. Blinking his eyelids, he resolved to follow Engirisk's instructions more thoroughly, as opening the machine on the side of the mountain had very nearly gotten them killed.
Jaelisk greeted him as he joined her on the ground. "What have you discovered?"
"There is a great fire burning in the distance."
"I smell no fire," she answered.
"The fire is quite far. Also, I have located a nest of our ancestors where we will rest for star rise."
The two continued through the thinning undergrowth toward the building Sklisk had located.
"What is all of this?" Jaelisk asked as they moved through a tangle of jagged red-brown bars protruding from broken blocks of rock. "I taste iron, but what would make it long and straight?"
"Our ancestors once used iron to build their nests," Sklisk said. "Engirisk teaches this in his class. We stand atop the nests that fell to the Kroo Ack, when our people were pushed to the safety of the Iskstar grotto."
"Do you really believe the Piscivoru were as numerous as the drops of water within the grotto?"
Sklisk placed his hand against the side of the building he'd identified. The building's skin was pocked from age but was still firm and his claws bit into it easily. He allowed Jaelisk's question to hang for a moment, preferring to secure their nest for the rest period. From his observation site in the tall plant, he'd underestimated the height of the structure and together they climbed over seventy arm lengths.
They carefully avoided disturbing the unseen occupants of the building, knowing that fleeing animals would attract as much attention as unwarranted noise. As he climbed, Sklisk worked around damage to the building and more than once discovered his claws gripped only loose material. Idly, he wondered how much longer the structure would stand as a testament to the long-forgotten civilization.
"It is hollow," Jaelisk hissed as they reached the top and climbed over the edge. Indeed, the center of the roof had collapsed long ago, and for a moment they peered into the building's depths. As they scanned the gloom, it became clear that parts of the roof and subsequent floors hadn't completely fallen in. Small ragged ledges and random patches of flat rock remained attached to the outside walls.
"That is good," Sklisk said. "We will not be surprised as we rest."
They carefully moved to a corner of the roof that felt secure and as they had for much of their adult life, curled together.
"I saw the fire as we climbed," Jaelisk said. "It is so large that I am surprised I have not smelled of it yet."
"I do believe our ancestors were numerous," Sklisk said, suddenly suspicious as to what the fire might be. "There are none within our clan beyond Engirisk that could conceive of making a structure as large as where we lay. And I do not believe there is a fire."
"You speak nonsense," Jaelisk said. "We have both seen it with our eyes. There is no other explanation. But I believe we are safe, and so you will sleep." As excited as Sklisk was with all the new experiences, as soon as Jaelisk's breathing evened out, he lost his hold on consciousness and joined her in rest.
For several hours he slept deeply and without dreams. It wasn't until later that his nightmares found him. He helplessly looked on as the bug warriors opened the passageways to the grotto, murdering his friends. He saw his sons, Boerisk and Baelisk, as they were taken from him and could feel Jaelisk slipping from his arms.
Sklisk’s body jerked and consciousness permeated his being. What he’d just seen hadn’t been real, except that Jaelisk was indeed missing. His hearts hammered inside his torso as he prepared to defend himself. Flicking his wounded tongue, he searched for his mate, finally locating her on the opposite side of the building. Sensing that he'd awakened, she turned to him, blinking a greeting.
It was only when he realized she was safe that he recognized the difference in their surroundings. Jaelisk was bathed in a bright, yellow light that illuminated the entire sky. Instead of inky blackness and a starfield, the sky was a brilliant light blue. Sniffing the air, he searched for the fire they'd feared before falling asleep. Still not detecting any hint of fire, Sklisk accepted what he’d suspected: that they were experiencing the starlight of Picis.
"How could we give this up?" J
aelisk asked wistfully as he joined her at the side of the crumbling building. She looked across the ruined city at a bright amber ball that disappeared behind tall structures which appeared to be in no better shape than the one on which they stood.
"Engirisk taught that the star of Picis was on fire," Sklisk said. "I thought he was talking like he did when speaking poetry."
"I would give my life that our people could live once again in the above," Jaelisk said.
"There is no reason to talk like this," Sklisk said. "We will find Engirisk's devices and bring them back to him. It is just a matter of finding his building."
"His building will not be difficult to locate," Jaelisk lifted her one good arm and pointed forty degrees off the setting star. "It is right there."
He followed where her arm pointed and was surprised to discover a building shaped very much like the one he'd seen on Engirisk's flat device. His hearts fell as his eyes drifted across a teaming mass of bug warriors that filled the flat spaces around the building and for thousands of arm lengths in every direction.
"All is lost," Sklisk said. "There is no hope."
Jaelisk reached out and grabbed his hand with her own. "We cannot give up."
Chapter 5
Prize Court
"What do the Abasi want with the ships?" Ada asked. "It's not like we captured any of them in Abasi space."
"I think it's more a matter of maintaining our Letter of Marque, which is under Abasi law," I answered. "Assuming they don't declare that we provoked the battle, our Letter of Marque provides for either a market-based buy-out or an outright award of the ships. Technically, they could refuse to award Hornblower and Fleet Afoot as prizes and buy them out from us. Same is true of the Kroerak cruiser."
Ada shook her head. "That letter gives them a lot of power."
"Don't underestimate the value of sailing under the Abasi flag within Confederation of Planets space," I said.
"I don't," Ada answered. "We've yet to see a government that isn't willing to take what it wants in the name of what's best for the people."
"You're right, Ada," I said. "It’s possible they'll deny our claim on the Kroerak cruiser. We should have a market value in mind for it and a way to justify that value."
"If you don't mind," Munay interjected, "I believe Mars Protectorate would like a say in the disposition of a fully functioning enemy craft."
"I talked with Admiral Sterra on the matter," I said. The admission caused Munay's eyebrow to raise. I hadn't made the quantum communication crystal connecting us to Mars Protectorate readily available to him. "I offered the ship to her and she declined. Apparently, they captured a sufficient number of damaged Kroerak vessels. Also, there is no practical way to send a ship back to the Milky Way."
"I think it's worse than Liam says," Nick said. "There's no way Abasi will allow us to keep a Kroerak cruiser in their space. News of its presence is on every major regional news feed. Even as we speak, there are three ships inbound that have expressed interest in visiting the cruiser. I’m not sure it's the type of attention anyone wants. Abasi won’t want its citizens getting nervous about the Kroerak coming back for their ship."
"Beyond financial, is there strategic value in the cruiser?" I asked. "I'm not sure if it's well known, but we used the last of its weapons and have no mechanism for regenerating them. On the positive, its hull is darn near impenetrable. We could mount turrets on the skin. Who could stop us?"
"Its fuel use is ridiculous," Nick said, poking a hole in my excitement.
"Doesn't burn that much more than Hornblower," I said, defensively.
Nick grinned, knowing I'd eventually come around. "Hornblower's engines leak more fuel than they use. I don't think that's your best argument."
"It has to have value," I insisted.
"Our analysis is that the Kroerak vessel has limited strategic value to Loose Nuts," Jonathan said. "The systems are in decay and without the noble to direct regeneration, we have no reasonable mechanism for maintenance. We propose you use the ship as a source of much needed capital."
"And Hornblower? Don't tell me you want to get rid of her, too," I said, giving Nick the stink-eye.
He chuckled at my poor attempt at intimidation. "Hornblower is a piece of junk. For what we'll invest in repairs, we could buy a much newer ship about half her size with modern systems."
"She's the only ship we have that has any chance of standing up to a Kroerak ship," I said.
"If you'll beg my pardon," Munay said. "Your analysis is too simplistic. Even with the proposed improvements to armor, Hornblower is no match for the alien cruisers, much less their battleships. That said, with improvements to the engines, I believe she could survive prolonged exposure to limited groups of their smaller ships."
"Intrepid survived. Do you believe Hornblower has tactical advantage over Intrepid against Kroerak?" I asked.
"It would depend on the mission. Intrepid's primary value is speed," Munay responded. "Properly equipped, Hornblower could be expected to thin a group of frigate-classed Kroerak. It could also provide cover against a cruiser, but only for a short period of time. In your history of encounters, you have experienced both types of engagements. You survived through both luck and brilliant tactical maneuvering. Hornblower could significantly enhance your odds in certain types of encounters."
"I'd like the minutes to reflect that Gregory Munay referred to my maneuvers as brilliant," I said, smiling broadly.
"I think he led with luck," Ada said. "And just remember who was sailing that ship, Liam."
"Brilliance is discovering an opportunity that most would not see. This team has done that time and time again," Munay said. "Luck is a poor description for a repeatable process. In war college, we talk about recognizing the brilliance in battle and separating it from favorable conditions. Many times, the best results come from a combination of both."
"Any chance Abasi will try to claim Fleet Afoot and Gaylon Brighton?" Ada asked me.
"I hope not."
The arrival of the Abasi battleship Thunder Awakes was a spectacle Tabby and I wanted to observe from Petersburg Station's command center with Mom and Katherine. As it drew closer, the blocky ship shined brightly with the reflected light of Santaloo’s white star. It wasn't lost on me that there was a certain amount of saber rattling going on. Some caution was justified since both the Kroerak vessel and Hornblower were at least partially operational. However, the Abasi’s message here was clear: don't forget who's boss.
The Abasi was a coalition-styled government that represented the interests of the Felio. The feline-featured humanoid species was composed of hundreds of powerful Houses, the top twenty or so of which led the coalition. We'd first encountered the Abasi after our trip through the wormhole from Mhina and found a powerful ally in House Mshindi.
Of course, powerful ally or not, House Mshindi wasn't about to give us any special treatment. What I appreciated, however, was that the species placed a high value on honor. Their society was also a meritocracy based on physical prowess in battle, which strongly favored the female of their species. Tabby and Marny, not surprisingly, had both earned their respect and deference – something I was quite willing to take advantage of.
"Incoming comm – Thunder Awakes," Katherine LeGrande announced. We'd spent the last twenty minutes watching the battleship adjust until they matched our orbit around planet Zuri. The station had already granted the battleship control of our defensive cannons, which was part of the price we paid for setting up shop in Abasi-controlled space.
Mom stepped toward the armored glass separating the command center from space and looked out at the ship. With feet shoulder-width apart and hands clasped behind her back, she prepared to address the ship, nodding to her partner to open the comm.
"Greetings to House Mshindi," she said, more formally than I'd have expected. "Petersburg Station is honored by your presence."
"Greetings to Loose Nuts." A projection of Mshindi Prime standing on the bridge of Thunder
Awakes showed on the glass, the AI sizing and aligning the Felio head of house so that Mom was looking directly at her. "I convey appreciation at your acceptance of agreed-upon security protocol. I request the presence of Liam, Captain of Intrepid for the purpose of executing our duties as Prize Court."
"It is good to see you ready for the hunt, Adahy," I said, using Mshindi Prime's given name. I might not have, but Jonathan, who was observing from elsewhere in the station, prompted me to, given her use of my first name. "I would bring three with me if that is acceptable."
Mshindi Prime's whiskers twitched but her tail didn’t flick. I wasn't exactly sure if I'd caused agitation, but I knew that less words with the matriarch were better than more.
"Such is your right. I have dispatched a shuttle for your transportation. My communication desists."
"Please pardon my interruption, Mshindi Prime. I would address one more item," Mom said, recognizing that she was about to lose communication.
"It is permitted."
"I would like to invite Mshindi Prime and her command crew for a reception after your proceedings," Mom said. "We're quite proud of our station and would enjoy welcoming House Mshindi in a warmer setting."
Mshindi's whiskers twitched again but Mom stood still, waiting patiently for a response. "House Mshindi accepts a hospitable offer," Mshindi Prime said, placing her fist low on her chest, just above her solar plexus, and bowing slightly. "A functionary, Keenjaho, will contact Hoffen Silver for coordination."
"Not much for conversation, that one," Mom said, when the comm abruptly terminated.
"Not as far as I've ever seen," I said. "Tabby, you ready?"
"You're just taking me as arm candy, aren't you?" she asked as we exited the command center on the way to where the shuttle would pick us up. I’d decided earlier to take Tabby, Nick, and Jonathan along.
"Up to you, as long as you don't mind me going alone onto a female dominated ship where they wear the equivalent of swimming suits," I said. It was a gross overstatement on the clothing. Most Felio preferred less clothing primarily due to their fur-covered bodies. As a result, their uniform covered only the necessary bits, and even then, not particularly well. I'd be lying if I didn't admit that I found it all rather, well, you know … intriguing.
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