Taylor tossed up his hands. “And here I thought the Zuul were the lap dogs in this equation.”
“Watch your tone, Van Zant.” Japhara rose to his full height, nostrils flared. “You hail from a world whose affiliation with the Galactic Union spans, what? A century? You couldn’t begin to understand what came before, or the sacrifices that have been made to safeguard the freedoms mankind now enjoys. My people were there. For thousands of years, we’ve served the Cartography Guild as faithful stewards of the atlas. It’s because of that trust—because of that bond—that the Guild Heads saw fit to bestow upon us an insight into the universe that few beings, much less a primitive race of apes like yours, could ever begin to grasp.”
Taylor waved off the explanation. “Whatever helps you sleep at night, Hoss.”
Japhara crowded against his bars, his expression grim. “You ask why the Cartography Guild would keep the NOP worlds from you. Well hear this, Human, and hear it well. There are things in the galaxy that neither you, nor the Rukori, nor anyone else in the Union are prepared to face. Old things, dark things. Things that would tear your civilizations to shreds if unleashed on your soil, and it’s my people—my Guild—who fill the gap between those unspeakable horrors and your families. Remember that the next time you care to cast condemnation on things you do not understand.”
Taylor opened his mouth to hurl another insult, but fought back a chill instead. He ain’t playin’ around.
“Insolent fool.” Japhara snorted. “One day, you’ll learn.”
Taylor watched in silence as the Sumatozou stalked to the back of his cell and sat down. Ordinarily, he would’ve been fine with the quiet. This time, however, it left him far too much space to ponder Japhara’s warning.
Like it or not, the alien had been right when he’d spoken of humanity’s relative inexperience with the galaxy at large. They’d only been traveling out of their own solar system for a century, and if history was any indication, many of those exploits hadn’t gone well.
Case in point, the all-out slaughter that had been the Alpha Contracts.
If there were truly monsters in the unseen regions of the galaxy, then mankind was the last species in the Union that needed to face them.
We’re not ready. Taylor shuddered when a related thought occurred to him. As things stood, his ship, the Ryley Osyrys—assuming she was still out there—represented the only Human vessel in existence with the ability to enter that realm.
We got lucky with the Rukori, but what do we encounter next time? Taylor cleared his throat and thought of something else. “You mentioned you were abducted earlier.”
“Correct.”
“That sucks, no matter how you slice it. How long have you been trapped here? Six months? A year?”
Japhara exhaled. “Next month will mark my fourteenth year in Krulig custody.”
Taylor’s jaw fell open. “And you’re still alive?”
“Such is the burden for one carrying the mark of asset.” Japhara huffed. “I was taken by two Krulig officers from my post on the planet Kash-Kah and brought aboard a Maki cruiser. There, I was interrogated for weeks on end about the atlas, specifically my knowledge of the NOP worlds.”
“I thought only grand latura knew of those.”
“As did I prior to that meeting. Nevertheless, Sadeed learned of the worlds somehow, and he saw me as a means of procuring that information.”
“What did he want with it?” Taylor asked.
“The same thing all Krulig want.” Japhara snorted. “Wealth and power. Unlike most of his kind, however, Sadeed was smart enough to realize that he needed to accrue these things in secret lest they be taken from him.”
“Taken by who?”
Japhara started to speak but seemed to think better of it. He settled for, “Anyone in the Union who would seek to acquire such luxuries for themselves.”
Taylor found that response interesting. Still, he decided not to push his luck. “So when Sadeed figured out he couldn’t get the NOP list on his own, he snatched a grand latura and forced him to hack the atlas and extract the list on the Krulig’s behalf.”
“Not hardly,” Japhara said. “The foundation for the transit atlas is woven directly into the fabric of the stargate network. There is no hacking it, not even by the Guild Heads. The system is far too ancient and complex, with measures of encoding even we do not understand. This is why my Guild can only hide worlds from public viewing rather than deleting them outright. The system won’t allow for the latter.”
“Okay; fine,” Taylor said. “If hackin’ the gate network was off the table, then how’d you score the NOP list?”
Japhara shifted his legs. “What do you know of the GalNet and its machinations?”
Taylor considered the question. “About as much as the next guy, I’d reckon. When a ship is licensed for stargate usage, its owner signs a mandatory agreement with the Information Guild to transport GalNet data—be it government messages, guild info, personal mail, or what have you—to and from their various destinations. It’s how the Union moves data between star systems in lieu of hyperspace communications, kinda like the old Pony Express.”
“Very good,” Japhara said. “Once a starship emerges from hyperspace, it transmits its inbound data to that system’s stargate, which receives the packets, then sends the vessel the data meant for its next destination. Regardless of stargate or ship, every exchange requires the establishment, albeit briefly, of a two-way data stream between sources.”
Taylor raised an eyebrow. “Are you sayin’ you used the data stream as a bridge into the gate system so you could extract the NOP list?”
“Not at all,” Japhara said. “Such an intrusion would almost certainly trigger alarms and alert the Guild Heads to my presence. What I did was capture a one-time image of their data stores from my side of the stream.”
Taylor didn’t follow.
“Answer me this,” Japhara said. “Let’s imagine that I was ordered to extract elements of a one-page report from the desk in your office. Which would be the more prudent course of action: to breach your campus and remove the information physically, or use a drone from afar to snap a picture of the entire report via the window behind your chair?”
Taylor pursed his lips. “You used the data stream as a sight line to copy the full transit atlas, NOP list and all. That allowed you to get away clean then vet the data later.”
“That is correct.”
“But…how?”
“I’m a grand latura, remember? I possess an understanding of stargate technology rivaled by few in the Union. That includes the system’s windows, although in this case, it was more like the universe’s smallest keyhole.”
Taylor wished like hell his lead engineer could’ve been present to hear all this. “So Sadeed got his scaly mitts on the NOP list. Then what?”
“In keeping with his desire to stay hidden, Sadeed and I began combing the list for potential worlds where he could build his new empire. Several were explored. Ultimately, though, it was Rukoria that caught Sadeed’s eye.”
“How come?”
“You’d have to ask him,” Japhara said. “I’m a grand latura, and even I had never heard of the Rukori people. In the end, I suppose it didn’t matter. Once Rukoria had been targeted, Sadeed ordered me to load the NOP list onto a slave drive to his Behemoth’s nav system then again to an old Krulig frigate which now serves as his primary personal vessel.” The alien paused. “I must confess. I’d very much like to know where he procured the latter. Krulig ships haven’t been seen in Union space for over four millennia. Most in the guilds thought them all destroyed.”
Taylor didn’t care about the ship’s history as much as its design. “Let me guess. Small vessel with a trim profile? Looks like a bullet in space?”
“You’ve seen it then.”
Taylor muttered a curse. That’s the ship that attacked the Osyrys. He climbed to his feet. “We need to get outta here. Now.”
“I’m open to sugges
tions,” Japhara said. “I’d be remiss, however, if I didn’t point out that no one has ever escaped this facility.”
“Yeah, well.” Taylor grunted. “Mama always said I was the go-getter of the family.”
“Why do I sense she was correct in that assessment?”
Taylor glanced up. “Was that a compliment?”
“Not even close,” Japhara said. “It was merely an observation, based solely on my knowledge of your idiot brother.”
Dick.
New footfalls from above caused both beings to turn.
“Ah, give it a rest already, fellas.” To Taylor’s surprise, it wasn’t a Zuul that entered the chamber but rather a Rukori servant girl dressed in the usual rags.
She approached the cell alone and put a tray of food and water in front of Taylor’s cage. “Not exactly the Sawgrass Resort and Spa down here, is it?” the girl asked quietly.
Taylor jumped. Who the…Then, slowly—through the gray paint, the white wig, and the makeshift alien features—the girl peered up from under her cowl to reveal Human eyes as green as the sea. “Lisa?”
The reporter grinned. “Hey, Taylor.”
* * * * *
Chapter 23: Uplink
“What the hell are you doin’ here?” Taylor asked.
Lisa looked wounded. “Do I seriously have to answer that?”
“Yeah, ya kinda do.”
“I’m here to help get you out.”
Taylor glanced up the stairwell, expecting a Zuul guard to appear at any moment. It didn’t happen. “How’d you manage to get down here without an escort?”
“Oh, I’ve got an escort,” Lisa said. “He’s perched upstairs with a rifle and one of those wicked-ass blades, waiting on me to come out.”
“And he didn’t follow you down here why?”
“Apparently, he can’t stand being around me.” Lisa made a face. “Come to think of it, that’s been the theme with the last three guys I’ve dated. Maybe it’s me.”
Taylor smirked.
“Fine,” Lisa said. “Valawn gave me another vial of that green goop along with this getup I’m wearing. It’s worn off enough for our noses, but apparently it’s still pretty gnarly smelling to the Zuul.”
Taylor pursed his lips. “Lisa, I seriously don’t know what to—”
“Then don’t.” She dropped her eyes. “Let’s not mince words on this, okay? It’s my fault you’re down here. If I’d have just listened to you and stayed on the Osyrys, I’d be…” She trailed off.
“You’d be precisely wherever they are right now,” Taylor said. “Any word on that, by way?”
Lisa shook her head. “As of when I left a few hours ago, there’d still been no word from Billy or the others. Valawn’s people are continuing to search for signs they made it through the stargate, but to be honest, it’s not looking good.”
The block door creaked open and Lisa’s Zuul guard eased down the stairwell, mindful to keep its distance. “No talk, Rukori. Only serve. Time to go.”
Lisa nodded then lowered her voice to a whisper. “See you soon, Chief. Oh, and enjoy the bread. The baker made it special.” With that, she shot him a parting wink, pulled her cowl down low, and took her leave.
Taylor watched, helpless in his cage, as the reporter vanished from sight, then up the stairwell out of earshot. It had taken a lot of guts to walk in here like that. And her a civilian, no less. Whatever sins Lisa Kouvaris had committed prior, Taylor was pretty sure they were square moving forward.
“Intriguing woman,” Japhara said once quiet returned to the block. “And resourceful, for a Rukori.”
Taylor didn’t bother with a correction. “They’ve kinda had to be that way from the start to survive here.”
“Ah,” Japhara said. “The RFC leader spoke of his people’s origins then. What all did he tell you?”
“Not much,” Taylor said. “Just that his ancestors were tired of war after seein’ a huge chunk of their population wiped out by the Canavar. So, they petitioned the Vergola Council to let them skate without a trail once the guilds were up and runnin’. They’ve stayed off the grid ever since.”
Japhara’s eyes widened slightly. “Valawn told you of the Council?”
“Briefly, yeah. He said back in the day, they were—” Taylor broke off when Lisa’s last words replayed in his mind.
“Enjoy the bread,” she’d said. “The baker made it special.”
Please be what I think you are. Taylor scooped up his food tray and hurried to the back of his cage. There, he sat down and began picking apart the loaf in question.
“Playing with our food to pass the time now, are we?” Japhara quipped.
Taylor didn’t answer. He just kept picking through the bread. Eventually, his fingers touched something solid and familiar. Jackpot! Taylor extracted the pinlink from his dinner and applied it to the port behind his right ear. “This is Chief Taylor Van Zant of the Earth mercenary group, Swamp Eagle Security,” he said via thought. “Does anyone copy on this channel?”
No response.
“Attention, anyone on this line. This is Taylor Van Zant of Swamp Eagle Security. Do you read?”
A pop of static crackled the line, followed by a squelch from the other end.
“We gotcha five by five, Chief,” a voice answered in Taylor’s head.
Man, I love those guys. Taylor exhaled. “It’s good to hear your voice, Jack.”
“Likewise,” the Oklahoma sergeant said. “I see Ms. Kouvaris was able to deliver our little present in her bread basket.”
“You got eyes on her?” Taylor rushed to ask.
“I surely do,” Jack said. “She just exited the Krulig compound and is about to meet up with Stan…now. We’ve got her.”
Taylor closed his eyes. Thank you. “So, what have I missed?”
Jack outlined how he, Stan, and the others had fled back to the surface after being ejected from the stargate, then hid out in Nyo Colony until it was safe to return to the badlands.
“You oughta know, sir, that it was Ms. Kouvaris who insisted we come back,” Jack concluded. “Don’t get me wrong, me and Stan would’ve found a way to do that anyway. However, ain’t neither one of us pretty enough to pull off that little masquerade you just witnessed. One of Valawn’s people tried to step in, but Lisa insisted it be her.”
“That right?” Taylor asked.
“Oh, yeah,” Jack said. “She’s got lady stones the size of church bells, you ask me. She ain’t afraid to swing ‘em around like wreckin’ balls, neither, when it suits her.”
Taylor chuckled.
“How are you holdin’ up?” Jack asked.
Taylor recounted his experiences of the last several days, namely his meeting with Sadeed and his numerous sessions with the Zuul.
“Sombitch,” Jack murmured in awe.
“Tell me about it,” Taylor agreed. “You talked to Smitty?”
“No, but Valawn’s contacts say she’s alive,” Jack said. “The commander is bein’ retained in Cell Block One where you last saw her.”
“We got a plan on how to get us out of this hole?”
“Yes and no,” Jack said. “Even if we committed the entire RFC fightin’ force to your extraction, there’s no way we’d make it through all those Zuul to get both of you out. One, maybe, but not the two of you.” The old merc trailed off. “You know, Chief, given your current position in relation to the commander’s, there’s a better than fair chance we could extract you, then come back for her. I don’t like it, but you’re the head of this outfit. That makes you the priority.”
“Not an option,” Taylor said. “Not even close. We go together or not at all, period. Understood?”
“Yes, sir.”
Taylor could hear the relief in the sergeant’s voice. “How do things look outside?”
“By my count, we’ve got no less than three hundred Zuul holed up in that compound with another two or so back in town.”
“And the watchtowers?” Taylor asked.
“Two Zuul per tower on six-hour shifts around the clock.”
Taylor tugged at his whiskers. “What sort of numbers have we got to counter?”
“Valawn has roughly four dozen RFC soldiers ready to roll,” Jack said. “He thinks he can recruit another two dozen or so from Nyo, but he’ll have to reach out to cell heads from the other colonies for anything more.”
“How long will that take?”
“A day, at least. Maybe two.”
Taylor stifled a curse. “Any chance we could get help from civilians?” He hated asking that, but it was what it was.
“Believe it or not, I put that very question to Valawn as soon as we got back to the Sanctuary,” Jack said.
“And?”
“And he’s hesitant to go that route,” Jack said. “For one, many of the Rukori are too afraid of Krulig reprisals should something go wrong. Those who ain’t afraid of the damn lizards are the ones still loyal to their cause.”
“Which could create a security risk,” Taylor said.
“You got it,” Jack said. “By the looks of things, we get our choice of numbers or surprise in this situation. We don’t get both.”
Taylor slumped back against a wall as part of him lamented ever getting involved with the Rukori to begin with. We’re fightin’ for your freedom, you cowards, he wanted to say. Get off your asses and help! At the same time, the other parts of him—the rational parts—understood the natives’ hesitance. Their people had endured more tragedy than most could imagine, from the grizzly fate of their ancestors at the hands of the Canavar to the one suffered by this generation at the hands of the Winter Death. Krulig occupation or not, most Rukori were just happy to be alive.
Still, something else gnawed at Taylor, some unseen detail that, for whatever reason, loomed just out of understanding’s reach.
The Winter Death…The Krulig…
The darkest of thoughts crept through Taylor’s mind.
“Chief, you there?” Jack asked.
“Yeah, Jack, sorry.” Taylor sat up straight. “Did Keeto leave behind any of that Hemming hardware we brought?”
Free Bird Rising Page 22
