“The Estrell never surrender.” The alien seemed to have difficulty just remaining on his feet. “Upon no circumstances can we be taken or dominated.”
The Estrell? That was their name? Kahuel was in no mood for clemency. They had shown none to Talina. “Then you will die.”
“Such an attack upon our persons will bring severe retribution upon all of you.”
Kahuel would not be intimidated by such threats. “Words. Just words.”
The surviving Star People regrouped, staggering.
“The guilty will be taken, tried and terminated.” The melodious alien voice carried the doom of the inevitable.
But they had just demonstrated that they could not sustain even a short fight against larger numbers. “Then we'd better finish you off right now.”
The victory tasted sour. It seemed too easy. What was happening to them? The six exhausted Star People stood back to back, as if to fight again, but instead they retracted their blades. Some jagged knives remained stuck, still protruding, making clicking mechanical sounds. Then the Estrell raised their heads and uttered a piercing cry, dissonant and deeply disturbing, almost to the point of pain, making Kahuel cringe.
The cry stopped when they collapsed in a heap, sprawled next to their fallen companion. The soft chant in the background became noticeable in the eerie quiet after the battle.
“What happened?” a warrior asked. “Are they dead?”
“Careful. It could be a trick.” Kahuel had seen it before. It wouldn't be the first time an enemy played possum. But blood seeped from their ears.
A woman warrior threw a hatchet that sank into an Estrell's forehead with a thud. Nice aim. No reaction. Only a rivulet of blood. It seemed the Star People were dead. Just like that. Had they committed suicide? How and why?
Kahuel turned to Esperana. “Could you check on the wounded?”
The princess lifted a brow but then her expression softened. “I guess I can do that.”
Kahuel ran to Diablo's side, where Vanaru already examined the feline. “How bad is he?”
“I'm not sure.” Vanaru was shaking. The Chosen didn't take death lightly. “He lost too much blood... too many cuts...”
Blast the Estrell. “Can you help him?”
“Maybe... I really don't know.” Vanaru's trembling hands coursed along Diablo's flank.
Kahuel knelt and gently caressed the black furry head. “Please, don't die on me.”
The jaguar snorted but his eyes did not open. A bad sign. Kahuel couldn't imagine life without his faithful companion. Diablo had saved his life many times. Women had come and gone but Diablo never left his side. And now he might also lose Talina. He'd make the Estrell pay for this... for all of it.
Around them, warriors helped the wounded sit and lean against the boulders. In the clearing, the Chosen still sat, spellbound by the women's soft chant.
Kahuel laid a hand on Vanaru's shoulder. “Do you think the other Star People on the ship know what just happened here?”
Vanaru shook his head. “It's unlikely. The Guardian snakes are dead, and the chant is too weak for them to sustain contact.”
Kahuel's mind calculated the risks of his new, daring plan. “I have an idea.”
“What?” Vanaru pressed yet another bleeding slash in Diablo's side.
“They came to take me and Esperana back to their ship, right?” Kahuel could sense the wheels of Human ingenuity turning in his brain.
“So?” Vanaru's face tensed. Could he feel Diablo's pain?
“What if we do go up as their prisoners?” As Kahuel said it, it sounded insane, but could it really work?
“What do you mean?” Vanaru's turquoise eyes opened wide.
“We need seven tall bodies under the diaphanous capes and two prisoners, Esperana and me, to be transported in the moon beam up to their ship.” Kahuel's excitement grew as the idea took shape. “Can you send us up there?”
“You are not seriously considering attacking their ship!” Vanaru stared at him in utter shock.
“Why not? That's the place they'll least expect us to show up.” Surprise seemed to be the best strategy against high-tech enemies.
“But it's reckless! They will kill you!” Vanaru glanced up at Esperana, who had quietly joined their small circle around Diablo.
“Not if we are armed and ready to take them unaware. We could rescue Talina ourselves.” Kahuel's idea congealed into shape.
Esperana tilted her head with new interest. “What do we know about the Estrell ship?”
“Talina said the Star People are few, that they are weak and vulnerable, that's why she was able to hurt one easily.” Vanaru frowned. “But she also said it feels strangely light on their ship, that balance is a problem.”
“Low gravity, now doubt.” Was Esperana taking the idea seriously?
“That must be why they were so easily fatigued.” But Kahuel realized that on their ship, the Estrell would have the advantage.
Vanaru glanced up at Esperana, uncertainty in his eyes. “Talina also mentioned that it's very dark and blue inside their ship.”
“Sensitivity to light. That's why they wear dark lenses when they come down. But that's not an issue. My Grays carry night lenses.” Esperana's tone grew more decisive. “Up there, they must rely on technology, so there will be no dampening field. And they can't use this type of offensive armor in close quarters.”
Kahuel's heart beat faster, pumping exhilaration into his veins. “Do you agree that we stand a chance?”
“I do.” Esperana gazed up at the large full moon. “I only hope our phasers and personal shields will work up there.”
“But they must have advanced weapons, too.” Kahuel shivered at the sophistication of their deadly low-tech armor. His gaze strayed to the heap of dead Estrell, resembling large insects with protruding blades, like extra limbs, or antennae. “They may have ship defenses, and weapons even more lethal than these.”
“I'm sure they do,” Esperana said, calmly. “But with the element of surprise, we might be able to take control of their vessel.”
Kahuel glanced down at Diablo's black pelt, where dark red blood seeped between Vanaru's healing fingers. Then he met Esperana's gaze. “So, you will do it?”
“As a Mutant Princess, it is my sacred duty to defend this planet from hostile alien influence. My Grays are trained for such missions.”
“It's my idea. I'm going with you.” Kahuel wanted to make sure they rescued Talina. And if they didn't, he would.
Kahuel stopped a passing female warrior. “How serious are the injuries?”
The woman shrugged. “Two dead... Lots of blood. It's bad, but we've seen worse.”
Kahuel bit his lips. Warriors tended to downplay their injuries. More would certainly die. Kahuel felt responsible. He'd started that fight. “I promise you, they will be avenged.”
“Good.” The warrior woman nodded and walked away.
Esperana motioned to the Gray Captain and gave him brief orders in a soft voice lost in the faint, permeating chant.
Immediately, six Grays stepped forth and wrapped themselves into the abandoned Estrell capes. Although heavier, and with a thick neck, the Grays stood as tall as the Estrell, and the cape camouflaged their bulk. It seemed eerie, as if the Estrell still stood there.
The Gray Captain knelt near the bloody Estrell Diablo had killed and pulled the last cape off his body. Kahuel noticed for the first time a spark of life in the Grays. For once, they hurried and seemed to care about something.
Esperana motioned to other Grays. “I need extra phasers, night vision lenses, blades...”
The Grays pulled the requested objects out of the compartment pockets of their gray armor and handed them to her.
Esperana held a phaser to Kahuel. “Can you work one of those?”
Kahuel smiled and winked. Phasers were strictly forbidden to anyone with only five fingers. “I've been known to break the rules once or twice. I'm actually an excellent shot.”
> “Use it well.” Princess Esperana tossed him the phaser.
Kahuel caught it as he rose to his feet.
Esperana smiled. “Just never mention this to any Mutant Prince in Kassouk. They already hate me.”
“No danger of that.” Kahuel hooked the phaser on his belt, next to his dagger and checked his sword.
“We must hurry, before they suspect anything amiss.” Esperana scanned her team of Grays. “Ready?”
The Grays nodded. Did they know she could read their minds? Probably not.
Kahuel cast a last glance at Diablo, inert on the cold stone next to Vanaru. The jaguar showed no sign of improvement. Kahuel swallowed a lump in his throat. “Please, hang in there, Diablo. Wait for my return.”
At the Jaguar's side, Vanaru closed his eyes. “Resume the Star-Chant.”
The chant suddenly swelled and filled the clearing, even louder than when it started. The beam of moonlight, from which the Star People had descended, widened and brightened, vibrating softly.
Soon the pillar of light expanded to accommodate them all. Kahuel turned to Esperana who nodded, then he resolutely stepped into the moonbeam. It resonated with eerily soothing sounds.
Esperana called back to Vanaru, “Keep the chant going until we return.”
“Good luck!” Vanaru gazed upon her with what Kahuel could only call adoration.
Esperana stepped into the beam with the seven Grays in iridescent capes. When they all stood inside the light, Kahuel's body lifted off the stone slab. Then he levitated and floated upward, toward an invisible destination.
His gut clenched. The floating awakened his predisposition to seasickness. He barely controlled a wave of nausea. What if the Estrell waited for them onboard with deadly weapons to exterminate them all?
Great Engineer, please protect us.
* * *
In the blue glow of his private chambers, Lord Straal lifted his gaze from the lovely First Meteorologist seated across his floating desk, sipping on a vial of sweet nectar. He resented the intrusion, but he willed the door to open anyway. “What is it, First Anthropologist?”
The man bowed low. Too low. It couldn't be good. “I apologize for the interruption, My Lord. But the surface team has returned.”
“With the prisoners?” Excitement bubbled in Straal's chest. His people would have justice. No one dared oppose the Estrell.
“Affirmative. We positively identified the two prisoners.”
“Good”. But something in his officer's attitude told him not all was well. “What is it?”
“They do not answer the mind contact... it could just be interference.”
Warning chimes jingled in Straal's brain. Surface trips were so trying, he'd sent others this time. “Are they all right?”
“Hard to tell.” First Anthropologist switched his weight from foot to foot. “Apparently, they are wearing the anti-radiation capes inside the decontamination chamber.”
“Odd!” But that would account for the interference. “Why would they do such a thing? Are they too fatigued to remove their protective clothing? Could they be hurt?”
“Possibly, My Lord.” First Anthropologist lowered his gaze. “There is Estrell blood on the collar of one cape.”
“Blood?” Lord Straal smiled reassuringly but didn't like the strange sensation in the pit of his stomach. “Probably an ear bleed from the dreadful chanting. Send medics and a full security team to the decontamination chamber immediately.”
First Anthropologist bowed. “At once, My Lord.”
After First Anthropologist left the room, Straal shuddered. He should have gone to the planet himself, but these trips were murder on his old bones. Now that he had successfully implemented the New Generation Project, and he held the potential troublemakers in custody, he could relax.
He smiled to First Meteorologist. “Where were we?”
First Meteorologist's shoulders tensed with concern. “Will they be all right?”
Straal took her delicate hand over the floating desk, enjoying the soft, dry sensation of her skin against his. “Have no worries, my dear. We have the best medics, and the security team is highly trained in handling prisoners.”
Chapter Sixteen
Kahuel gazed with foreboding into the dim, pulsing glow permeating the Estrell ship, like through a deep blue sea... He sat straight on the bench of the small oval room, as ordered. He could barely breathe in the oppressing heat, like before a tropical storm. Soon, the iridescent sizzling shower ceased.
Esperana checked the azure crystal transmitter on her chest. “Still no contact with the planet. We must be too far away. But at least we can communicate among ourselves.”
Kahuel checked his red crystal and refrained from commenting. He had no long-range transmission either. Strange, since the red crystal of Yalta could reach much farther in space than Mutant transmitters. They were nowhere near the planet, but light years into deep, cold space.
Esperana aimed a small scanner at what looked like the exit door. “There is a large empty room on the other side.” She signaled for everyone to stand.
As he rose from the bench Kahuel overshot due to low gravity and bumped into a caped Gray who stabilized him with both hands on his arms. The door slid open and they all walked into the next room. Kahuel wondered how the Grays could glide so gracefully while he barely maintained his balance. Walking in low gravity resembled floating in a dream. But he hoped he wouldn't have to run, like in a nightmare when legs flail without touching ground.
All nine of them crossed into the large empty room.
“You can shed your disguises,” Esperana said ahead of him.
The Grays dropped their iridescent capes into a pile. The door shut behind them. Small floating globes diffusing eerie music gathered around them.
Esperana pointed her scanner at one of the spheres. “Not a threat.” She glanced down at the phaser on her belt. “Weapons are charged and ready.”
Small points of green light flickered on all the phasers, including Kahuel's. Technology. Even in Yalta's palace, his mother kept technology to a minimum. Yet he knew how much damage the small device could inflict and found it reassuring. His sword might not suffice against this particular enemy.
“Use the highest setting.” Esperana remained calm, even as she gave the order to kill.
Kahuel complied. They had no other choice. The Estrell wanted them dead.
“Night lenses.” Esperana slipped on the phosphorescent glasses.
Kahuel lowered the light lenses over his eyes and marveled at how clear and bright everything seemed. The dark blue glow turned the color of a summer sky. He discerned designs and ridges in the bulkhead, and golden inscriptions over the triangular frame of what looked like a door.
Esperana held her scanner and waved it around briefly, then she pushed a key on the device and set it on the floor in the center of the room. The holographic image of a smooth, elongated triangular vessel filled the space. Then it revolved slowly, like a three-dimensional map. Kahuel had seen such maps before.
Esperana indicated a red blip at the center of the ship's internal structure. “We are here. The small green blips are the Estrell.” She walked around the hologram, studying it intently. “This looks like a science vessel. Labs, private quarters, equipment, food supplies. Small crew. No heavy armament.”
Kahuel forced himself to breathe. At least this wasn't a battleship. He'd read in the archives that most battleships had lethal internal defenses that could blast intruders with automated precision.
Princess Esperana pointed her finger at the nose of the structure. “Here is the control room. This is where I'm headed with you three.” She designated three Grays then returned to the hologram. “We'll secure the main deck, here.”
The Gray captain cleared his voice. “What are my orders, Princess?”
“You will lead the rest of the team here.” She pointed to the far end of the ship. “This looks like life support controls. Find a way to raise the light l
evels and stop that music coming from the floating spheres.”
“The music?” The Gray captain raised a questioning brow.
Esperana nodded. “If they are as sensitive to sound as I suspect, that should confuse them enough to give us an advantage.”
“Then what?” The Gray looked confident, as if the job presented no challenge.
“Sweep the decks, kill them all, then meet us back here,” Esperana said with finality.
“What about Talina?” Kahuel didn't care about anything else.
“I came here to destroy an enemy threatening our planet.” Esperana's tone allowed no protest.
“Where is she?” Kahuel closed his fists at his sides. Would he have to rescue Talina himself? He scrutinized the recesses of the intricate holographic image, searching for a small red dot.
Esperana remained quiet and closed her eyes behind the night lenses... exasperation, or mind-talk? She relaxed and pointed to the bottom of the ship, where a faint red point pulsed. As she enhanced the area, several green dots patrolled the area. “Incarceration level. Three decks below this one. That's where she is detained. But we'll get to her after we secure the ship.”
“No. We must get her out immediately.” Kahuel imprinted upon his memory the maze of corridors and vertical shafts going down to the incarceration level. The many green dots moving about that area must be guards.
“I can't spare any Grays.” Esperana gazed down at him, her body stiff with unmasked annoyance. “I need them to secure the ship.”
“Then I'll go there alone.” Kahuel hoped the resolve in his voice would change her mind. He didn't really want to wander an alien ship full of enemies by himself.
Esperana sighed. “I can't help you, but I can't stop you either. Just understand that you will be on your own, unprotected. I can't jeopardize the entire planet for one or two individuals.”
The comment slapped Kahuel in the face, and he flushed at the reminder of his selfishness. He swallowed the knot in his throat and gazed down at his booted feet. “I understand. I still want to go.”
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