Blood for the Empress: Part One of the Empress Trilogy

by Lon Varnadore

  "Yes, Empress."

  "I still need their numbers. The... the ending is in sight."

  "Yes, Empress. May I go?"

  "Yes," Katerina said.

  Hagen started to rise and turn.

  "Hagen."

  "Empress?" He asked, head turned at an odd angle and bent.

  "You are forgiven."

  "Thank you, Empress. Ever may you reign!"

  Hagen turned away and walked out. After a dozen steps, he was running from he chamber. She smiled at the man’s fear. She turned to wait for her handmaids to come and dress her. She had a plan to finish, and the vessel in the Seeking Room would need to be rousted.

  Twenty-Six

  Pain was her world. Jonica wasn't sure how she had gotten away from Pryce. Opening her eyes, she found herself slumped in an alley. Her left wrist was a dark purple and hung at an odd angle. The horrid smells of the alley permeated even the permanent haze of pain that threatened to swallow her again.

  It was littered with garbage that hadn't been picked up in days. Debris of crates and what looked like ruined steamjacks were scattered around the alley as well. She saw movement as an older man in ragged, dirty clothes staggered towards her. As he neared, the smell of old vomit and booze hit her hard. He grinned down at her with barely a tooth in his head.

  "Want some?" He asked, pushing out a paper wrapped bottle.

  "What is—never mind," she said. She turned away. "I'll be fine."

  The drunk stumbled closer to her. "It'll take the edge off. And I know a doctor who is pretty—hic—pretty—hic—pretty good at helping addicts." He said, his eyes on her wrist.

  "What makes you think I'm an addict?" she asked, her eyes fuzzing around him as the pain threatened to knock her out again. She felt chilled and feverish at the same time. She clamped down on her teeth so they would keep from chattering.

  "Seen what they do for drugs. He has a good supply. But, this," he said waving the bottle at her, "will take the edge off."

  Jonica grabbed it with her good hand and took a pull of the stuff without taking a whiff first. It burned hard going down. She coughed a half dozen times, wanting to throw it all back up. "What is it?"

  "Rotgut whiskey, old classic where I'm from," the older man said with a broken and gap-toothed grin. "So, why did you do that to yerself?" There was something familiar about his face, but it eluded her pain addled mind.

  "Ex-fiance did it," Jonica said, her throat still burning form the rotgut. Still, it dulled the pain a little, and she took another long pull. It was worse when she inadvertently smelled it before she drank any.

  "He still standing?"

  "Not for long," Jonica growled through the pain. "Even if I have to die and come back as a wraith, he will die by my hand."

  The older man laughed. "Good. Take it, bottle-buddy. I can get more."

  There was a sound of booted feet coming down the alley. "What's that?" The old man asked.

  "Green Jackets," Jonica said.

  "Slag. I have to run."

  Jonica looked at him a moment. "Why?"

  "Price on my head."

  "Same here," she said. She tried to get up and felt the booze kicking in already. It was strong stuff, she realized. "Need to get—"

  As she tried to stand up, the pain made her crumple against the wall she was trying to push herself up against. She started to slide down it again, and she let out strangled cry.

  "Come on, get to one of those trash chutes," the older man said.

  "Huh?" Jonica asked, not looking.

  "The trash chutes there," he pointed with his hand and then turned Jonica's head towards one of the large yellow-and-green tubes that led into the city's incinerator. "Greenies rarely check them."

  "I'll be incinerated," Jonica snapped, slapping his hand away.

  "They're off today, I think," the older man said thoughtfully. "Wait, what day is it?"

  Jamaica sighed. What could it hurt? "Help me to it." The steps were coming closer. She and the older man looked at the mouth of the alley and saw green-jacketed forms coming towards them.

  "Come on, there is enough room," Jonica said.

  "No, you go. I'll lead them away," the older man said. He helped her towards the chute. As he placed her at the lip, she looked down. Maybe-dead is better than fully-dead, I guess. She took another pull of the rotgut.

  "Yes, 'maybe' dead is better," the older man said.

  Jonica looked at him. "How did you—"

  "Go Jonica. We will see each other again," the old man said while letting go of Jonica.

  Those were the last words that the older man said as Jonica slipped over the side of the chute. Her left hand wasn't held properly and as she slid down, her wrist got caught on a lump of dried garbage and the pain made her pass out.

  Jonica came to in a heap of garbage. She peeked over the rim of the bin she found herself in briefly, before the pain of her arm crumpled her back to the heap. She was in a large chamber with dozens of garbage bins; the stink of rot and refuse roiled her stomach. The large incinerator was indeed off. She cradled her useless left hand in her right as she sat stupefied. I think I'm alive, I couldn't be in this much pain and be dead.

  Damn it Jonica, snap the Hells out of it! You need to focus.

  "Why?" She whispered to herself, her voice cracking from the sobbing. "There is no reason to get out of here. Pryce will find me and kill me."

  Only if you let him!

  She growled in her head. "Get out of my head, Meph. What's the use?"

  Jonica, you have to—

  "Meph, I can only do two things well. Shoot and pilot. Both require two functioning hands. I'm worthless like this. Keep Kesh and Lyra safe. Get them back to Europa, or Hells, get them to Centauri. At least the Bloody Bitch can't touch her there." If she's safe anywhere. She let herself fall onto her back, something squelching and squishing under her.

  There was no response for some time. The reek of the bin made her vomit, but it wasn't like she could do anything. She only turned her head to not gag on it.

  You stupid bitch! Stop feeling sorry for yourself and get up!

  "How, fur ball? I only have one hand!"

  And I have no opposable thumbs, and I was able to get down here.

  "What?" Jonica pushed herself up with both hands, screaming in pain from using her shattered left, and then using only her right hand, pushed herself up to peek over the edge of the grimy garbage bin. There, on the deck, was Meph, his sleek black-and-white face stared up at her.

  Shake the lead out, human. We have to go.

  "There is no way I can." She slumped down and started to cry. "Get out of here, Meph. I don't want you to get hurt too."

  Something landed next to her. She looked over and saw it was Meph. The cat crawled into her lap. It looked at her and gave a pitiful meow. "What are you playing at?" She reached out to pet him with her right hand.

  Meph let out a yowl, grabbed her hand, and bit it, hard. He then wrapped his forelegs around her wrist and raked along the bare skin of her right forearm.

  "What in the Pit!" She grabbed him with her good hand and flung him hard against the wall of the container. He slammed hard into the side. He was still for a handful of heartbeats. She was about to go check on him when Meph's left eye opened and focused on her.

  Good, you still have some fight in you. Stop this bullshit crying. You are better than this. You have to get Lyra to Centauri. Kesh cannot pilot. I cannot either, alone. That leaves you.

  "How?" She shouted, pointing to the left wrist. "How am I suppose to fly like this?"

  "You'll find a way," Kesh's voice came from outside the garbage bin.

  She pushed herself to the edge again and looked over to see Kesh and Lyra, who waved. "What are you two doing here?"

  "Came to get you," Kesh said. He had a red bandage over his right hand.

  "You are the one who told me you would get me to Centauri," Lyra said with a small smile. "I don't think this guoga could get me there on his o
wn."

  Kesh shook his head. "See, you are the only one who can help," Kesh said, giving Lyra a wink.

  When did they become friendly?

  Meph looked at her, butting his head into her thigh. Tell you later, there are more problems. She has started to awaken.

  Jonica stopped and looked at Meph. "What do you mean?" She asked Meph through the link.

  Long story. Which I will tell you, once we are aboard your ship.

  "Where's my ship?"

  "Don't worry, Blue is guarding it," Kesh said.

  Jonica shook her head. "How are we going to get out of—"

  Trust in your friends.

  All of them?

  Why not?

  “So what happened with your hand?” Jonica asked as he helped her down from the bin. He was pulling her with one hand. His hand in the red bandage hung at his side, limp. Lyra was the one doing most of the lifting with her Talent.

  “Ran into an issue. Needed to get to the market, ran into a few Greenies, then hid and almost overdosed on quorian tincture.”

  “How did you—“

  “Meph. Found me, slapped me awake, and got me back to the flophouse where Lyra was. The hand is kind of useless for another day or three.”

  And Lyra’s growing power?

  Kesh gave her a look. Been growing steadily since we tried to rescue you.

  Wonderful…

  Jonica walked towards her ship, still gritting her teeth in pain. She opened up her mind link to Meph. "We still have some of that Flash?"

  Yes, we do…Where did that come from?

  "Kesh and his talk of the tincture. Flash is only a stop-gap, but—"

  It will burn out your nerves if you take too much. Also, you can't—

  "I have to, only way to pilot the ship."

  Jonica, think about this. If you start again...

  Meph didn't have to continue. She knew the risk of using Flash again After running from Pryce, it was a habit she had stumbled on before Meph, before he helped her kick it.

  They both knew that Flash would help, but after she had kicked it last time, it would be that much harder to stop using it, if not impossible. Nothing to be done about that now.

  You cannot be serious, Jonica.

  She heard a growl and scream that froze her blood. She looked up, seeing Blue guarding the Runner. On the spaceport metal deck were two robed Talitos, holding wounds. Blue snipped at them, but wasn't trying to kill them.

  "What are they doing near my ship," Jonica shouted, moving towards the near-humans at a sprint. She jerked her slugthrower out, ready to use it. The pain in her left hand was gone for a moment in the rush of adrenaline.

  One of the two turned goggled eyes that glinted in the bloated light of Daystar Jove. A dirty mouth formed into a grin that revealed a mouth devoid of all but a few teeth. "Ah, you are the former owner?"

  The question pulled Jonica up short. She held her slugthrower on the one who spoke. "No. I'm the current owner."

  "What's all this about?" Kesh asked, his own slug thrower out.

  "No violence," the Talitos said, cowering his head. He and his fellow shivered as Kesh, Jonica, and Blue stood around them. "We are the owners of the ship now."

  "How?" Jonica asked.

  "We buy from dock master," the first one said again. He produced a thick data pad slate and held it up to Jonica.

  Jonica holstered her weapon, took it, and looked over the bill of sale of the Ransom Runner. She felt her eye twitch when she saw the name of the intermediary. She looked at Kesh. "So, want to explain this?"

  "What?" Kesh asked, craning his neck to look at the slate.

  Jonica turned it and almost slammed it into his face. "It says the intermediary is Reins." She saw him react. She pressed on. "Want to explain how any of this is possible?"

  "Yes, Reins," the second Talitos said. "He gave us a discount because it is in disrepair."

  "And, stolen!" Jonica said. "He doesn't have the authority to do any transaction with the ship."

  "But, he said—"

  Before the first robed Talitos could continue, Jonica slammed the slate on the ground. It shattered, sending sparks and bits of electronics everywhere. She drew her pistol and aimed it at the Talitos again. "You have about five seconds to get away from my ship."

  The two looked at each other. Jonica knew that the Talitos abhorred deals that led to violence upon them. She gritted her teeth from the pain in her left hand that started to come through again. "Unless you want to fight for it? And possibly die?"

  The two let out a keening and scrabbled away on their hands and knees from Kesh and Jonica. Blue went to nip at one of them when Kesh stopped him. Jonica wanted the scytheclaw to eat them, but shoved the thought aside when a wave of nausea struck her from the pain in her hand.

  Once they were gone, she looked at Kesh. "Trust you about Reins, huh?"

  "I thought he'd come through. Look, it was a mistake—"

  Jonica's pistol came to bear on him. "A mistake? He tried to sell my ship!"

  "I understand that, Jonica, but we have bigger issues," he said, casting an eye on Lyra. "We need to get offworld, right?"

  "Meph, Blue, and Lyra can come aboard. Kesh, stay here and guard the front."

  "Why am I on guard duty and not Blue?"

  "I like the scytheclaw more than you at the moment," Jonica said.

  Blue let out a chirp, turned, and trotted into the ship proper.

  Jonica looked at Kesh, who looked hurt. "And I think he likes me more than you at the moment."

  "Yeah, yeah," Kesh said, turning around and watching for any sign of Fedrats.

  Once inside, Jonica made for her cabin quickly. It took her a moment to find what she was looking for, finding it under a pile of clothes and locking it away in a small strongbox. It was a small injector. Her right hand trembled from holding it. She felt her tongue lick her suddenly-dry lips and her right hand shook from the desire to use it.

  Are you sure about this?

  "Yes Meph, I am," she said. Her right hand had a tremor in it as she brought the injector to her neck. The muscle memory of doing it before took over. She pressed the injector button and the hiss of air and the sudden burn in her neck gave her an overwhelming euphoric feeling. She took a deep breath, and everything was brighter, colors were more vibrant, even Meph’s voice in her head sounded clearer.

  Are you sure?

  Jonica nodded absently, a thrum shot through her. Her left hand, still useless, felt tempered from he mind-numbing pain. A cool, icy coat relieved it. "Everything is great!" She said with a manic grin on her face. "Let's get out of here!"

  Twenty-Seven

  Lyra awoke, surprised. She looked around. Both Lyra and Kesh were nearby, and Blue’s snoring nearby in his own special bed made her smile. He wasn't a bad creature, better than Meph. He was too hauty. She wondered what had woken her when she looked up and saw the White Woman again. The woman smiled at her and said, "I am glad you are awake."

  "What is going on?" she asked.

  "I have come to bring you tidings of your sister. She is alive." The White Woman then waved her hand next to her, and Ryna appeared.

  Lyra felt tears well up in her eyes. "Ryna?" She asked, almost unable to believe that she was seeing her sister. She looked pale and haggard.

  "Yes Lyra," Ryna said, her voice a little out of sync with her mouth. "It is good to see you." She reached out for Lyra. Ryna's hand touched Lyra's for a moment. There was a cold and clammy sensation on Lyra's hand, but she felt her for a moment before the hand passed through her own.

  "Ryna, where are you?"

  "I am close. I am in the Alcrest. Listen to the White Woman, she knows where I am." Ryna started to fade. "Do you promise?"

  "Yes, Ryna. I promise." Lyra cried out. She reached for her sister, but she was already gone. She turned to look at the White Woman. "Where is she?"

  "As she said, she is in Alcrest. She misses you terribly."

  "I miss her."

 
; "She knows. Even this far away, she feels it. That is why she wants to see you tomorrow."

  "When? Where?"

  The White Woman told her and showed Lyra where to go. The White Woman then smiled at Lyra. "And remember, you must do this tomorrow."

  "Ok," Lyra said.

  She opened her eyes, starting to understand more than when she "awoke" in a dream it was still a dream. She stood up, seeing that Kesh and Jonica were still asleep. Even Meph. And Blue was snoring softly in his pen. She smiled at them and walked towards the cockpit, wondering what she could do to make them head to Alcrest. She couldn't fly, and if she told both of them about her vision, they would scoff at her, or do what Kesh did on Ganymede and try to calm her down. She wasn't sure what happened, but she had felt anger at being treated like a child. She felt the same tingle run through her body for a moment before she pushed back. Her family had told her that giving into anger wasn't something someone of The Blood did. It wasn't allowed for some reason.

  Though there was something that she knew she could try and do. She turned back towards the two adults. Smiling, she settled down next to Jonica and touched her softly at the temple. Thinking of Alcrest, she started to send it to Jonica. Again and again for twenty minutes, she sent the name to her. When she was done, she got up and walked to Kesh. She settled down and touched his temple, but made sure to say not to go to Alcrest, again and again. She waited for ten minutes since it was easier to put a negative idea into a person's mind than a positive, according to her mother who taught her and her sister how to do it while their father slept. It was how they had been given such pretty things when she was younger. Yet, it destroyed him later while in the ghettos. She wondered if he had been grateful to be taken away from his daughters, since he saw himself as a disappointment.

  Nothing can be done about it now, she said to herself. She then slipped back into her sleep spot and settled down.