by S. L. Viehl
I saw the stubborn denial on Xonea’s face. He was going to be a problem.
Salo was standing outside when I left the room.
“What are you doing out of bed?”
“I was told they demanded your surrender,” he said. I nodded. “What will they do when you refuse?”
“Forty more cruisers are due to arrive shortly. They’ll have enough firepower to knock out surface defense systems. They’ll destroy the planet.”
“We will not let them take you, Cherijo. We will fight them, to the last warrior.”
“I know, Salo. I simply can’t let my people do that. One life in exchange for an entire world? Sounds like a pretty good deal to me.” I reached out and touched his sagging shoulder. “Hey, I got away from them once, remember?”
He said something as I walked toward the Medical Facility. It sounded a lot like, “My life is yours.”
Xonea and Salo were going to be a problem.
The League was feeling rather benevolent, once they had more than sixty ships in orbit. As a result, I was given a standard day to put my affairs on Joren in order. I spent the first half of it working at the Medical Facility.
Dhreen arrived later that day with a fast, sleek transport that was of no use to me anymore. I was doing post-op rounds, and he came up as I finished my exam of a patient.
“Got a great little shuttle,” he said. He was miserable. Flushed dark yellow. Scuffing his footgear around on the floor. “We could jaunt out of here before they knew it.”
“Sixty ships up there, on full scanner sweeps? I think they’d catch us in about ten seconds,” I said. My patient was sleeping, so I lowered my voice. “Thanks, anyway.”
“This has a foul odor,” he muttered.
“Yeah, I know it stinks. I can’t let them decimate this planet, Dhreen. You know that.”
“Cherijo.” The Oenrallian grabbed me and gave me a hard hug. Without another word, he left.
Reever caught up to me toward the end of my rounds. “I must speak with you.”
“Heard the news, have you?” He nodded, and took my arm. “Reever—”
“There are other Healers who can see to the patients.” He hauled me down the ward toward the facility’s entrance. “I must speak with you now. Come with me.”
He led me out of the building and over to Dhreen’s shuttle at Transport. She was pretty and looked like she could zip between the stars. I was almost sorry I wouldn’t get the chance to jaunt on her.
We walked up into the main cabin and Reever closed the hull doors and secured them.
“You’re not thinking of kidnapping me, I hope,” I said. “Not when the fate of an entire planet rests in my two little hands.”
Reever leaned back against the hull to watch me. “Your humor is—”
“Inappropriate, I know.” I grabbed his hand and pulled. “Come on, show me where we would have been cooped up together for weeks at a time.”
He led me back to the small, tidy section allocated for our quarters. What would have happened, if I’d left Joren with Reever and Dhreen before the League had shown up? Would I have had a good life with Duncan? What would it have been like? Would we have had children together?
Now I’d never know.
Maybe it was all for the best, but I wasn’t going back to Terra without finding out one thing first. I glanced around. The sleeping platform was on the small side, but it would have to do. I went to the door panel, closed, and secured it.
Reever watched me. “Cherijo?”
I sat down on the mattress and patted the space beside me. “Come and sit down, Duncan.”
He lowered himself next to me. “There is something I have to tell you.”
“Later.” I put my arms around him, and moved closer.
“I know this is hardly the time or place—”
“You are correct.” He pushed my hands away and got to his feet. “It is not.”
“Your compassion is breathtaking,” I said, his rejection making me sarcastic. “Would it really be so terrible to grant your wife’s last request?”
“I have negotiated space on a merchant vessel. The Captain plans to transition before it can be detected by the League.”
Why did that make me feel abandoned? After all, I was leaving, too. “Good idea.”
His eyes were flat ice again. “Come with me.”
“And let the League blast Joren into dust? No. I can’t.” The offer made me feel a little better. But not much. I wondered why I’d expected him to want to stay with me. “Thanks for the thought.”
“You are very loyal to these people.”
“Who wouldn’t be?” I caught the slight change in his expression, and frowned. “You wouldn’t do the same thing?”
“I have no loyalties.”
No loyalties. God, that hurt. “Then why ask me to come with you?”
“You are my mate.”
“That’s right, I am.” And I had just enough time to find out what that felt like. I stood up and began unfastening my tunic. “Start treating me like one.”
“Cherijo.” He strode over to me and grabbed my wrists. “Come with me. Now.”
“I can’t.” I jerked my hands away. “For God’s sake, Duncan, how can you ask me to turn my back on these people?”
“Very well.” He stepped away from me. “I must go.”
My breath solidified in my lungs. “You’re leaving? Now?”
“If I do not, I will miss the launch slot.”
Dumbfounded, I sat down on the platform. Without another word, the man who had no loyalties, not even to me, walked away.
I spent my last hours with my patients after all. When my time was nearly up, I returned to defense station one. I found Xonal alone in the planning room, and a vid of the mercenary leader staring up at me.
“We have waited long enough, Doctor Grey Veil.”
“My shuttle is leaving within minutes. You can track us by scanner.”
“Do not think to escape, I warn you. We will begin surface bombardment the moment you take evasive maneuvers.”
“I figured you would. Don’t worry. I’ll be there.” I terminated the signal and turned to Xonal. “Keep your defenses ready until the last ship is out of this system. I don’t trust them to keep their agreement. Dhreen will bring Tonetka back to Joren. Tell her I’m glad—she’s—” My voice broke as my ClanFather drew me into his arms. “Thank you for everything, Dad.”
“Is that what Terrans call their male parent?” he asked, and I nodded against his chest. He kissed my brow. “Then remember me as your ‘Dad,’ my honored ClanDaughter.”
Adaola waited by the shuttle with my animal carrier.
“I forgot about Jenner,” I said, hitting myself in the forehead with my palm. Some devoted pet owner I was.
“Again.”
“Perhaps they will let you keep him,” my former nurse said.
I shook my head. “No, they’d only use him to control me.” Like Reever, I thought, had he decided to stick around. “Tell you what, pal”—I dropped down and looked through the front of the carrier—“you stay here. I know a certain little girl who will love you and take good care of you.” I held my fingers to the mesh. Jenner sniffed, then rasped his rough tongue against them. I rose to my feet. “Take him to Fasala. When she gets better, she’ll look after him.”
Adaola enveloped me in a crushing hug. “The Mother Bless You, Cherijo Torin.”
“Kiss the baby for me,” I whispered back, patting her flat stomach. “Go on now.”
I climbed up the docking ramp and took one more look at the beautiful colors of Joren. On the other side of Transport, silhouetted against the scarlet sun, was a tall, muscular form standing alone. I lifted my hand.
Xonea didn’t wave back.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
One Way or Another
Inside at the shuttle control console, Dhreen was preparing to launch. I strapped into the empty seat beside him at the helm. He looked surprised.
“Want to fly her yourself?” he asked.
“No, just some company,” I said. “Yours will be the last friendly face I see for a long time.”
He initiated launch sequence and nosed the shuttle up into the sky. The sheer density of ships hanging over Joren made me shudder.
“They don’t clutter around, do they?” Dhreen said, and whistled.
“No, they don’t.”
“I want you to have something before you go to them.” Dhreen withdrew a small package from his tunic pocket and handed it to me. I unwrapped it, and made a shocked sound when I saw it was Ktarka’s pendant, attached to an ornamental chain.
“Wear it. They might think it’s only jewelry.” He spent the rest of the flight explaining the tiny mechanism inside to me. I hung the chain around my neck and slipped the pendant under my tunic.
“Thanks, Dhreen.”
“Find a power source, and it could help you escape.”
We reached the designated exchange site, and Dhreen signaled for permission to dock. A cold voice granted it. Before our shuttle touched down in the enormous launch bay, I looked for Tonetka. I saw her standing just beyond, three guards surrounding her, more mercenaries behind them.
“There she is.” Why had I been worried the League had starved or tortured her? She never looked better. “I bet she hasn’t given them a millisecond of peace since they kidnapped her.”
The launch touched down. Every rifle in the bay was now pointing at me and Dhreen.
“Whatever you do,” the Oenrallian muttered, “don’t insult them.”
Dhreen escorted me off the shuttle, to be at once surrounded by League troopers. I saw their leader standing a little apart from the rest of his men. He was a spare, smooth-skinned humanoid with ancient eyes and heavy, canine features. From all the decorations on his Commander’s tunic, I gathered he was both experienced and important. Or needed to feel that way.
“You want to call off your thugs?” I asked, which made Dhreen cringe. “We’re not armed.”
One of the men handed me a wristcom—I’d forgotten my vocollar wouldn’t work here—so I strapped it on and repeated my request.
“At ease, men,” the leader called out in a rumbling baritone. His fleshy lips parted over an impressive amount of sharp teeth as he approached me. Men got out of his way so quickly they nearly stumbled in the process. When we were a few feet apart, he halted and gave me a thorough visual inspection. “You’re what all the furor is about?”
“Hard to believe, isn’t it?” I gave him the same appraisal. “And you are—who? The Head League LapDog?”
He laughed. “They warned me about your mouth. Colonel Patril Shropana, League Troop Commander.” He made a shallow bow.
“Healer Cherijo Torin,” I replied. I didn’t bow. “My pilot, Dhreen.”
“I’m delighted to meet you, Doctor. After hearing all that is said about you, I must admit, I expected you to be . . . larger.”
“Really?” I sniffed the air. “I expected League Troops to smell better.”
“Perhaps we should continue this discussion—”
“First things first, Colonel. You have a prisoner to exchange.”
“Of course.” He made a languid motion with his hand. The guards holding Tonetka dragged her forward. Literally dragged, for she fought them with every ounce of the considerable strength she had, despite the bonds on her wrists and ankles.
“Hey, boss,” I said. “I’m glad I didn’t go to your death ceremony now.”
“How—are you—Cherijo?” Tonetka tried to smash her bound hands into one of the guards’ faces. They finally had to pick her up and carry her the last few yards. “Let me go, you—” The rest of what she said scrambled my wristcom.
The guards placed her on her feet. One of them handed me the remote key, then both of them scuttled away from her. I unlocked the tight bonds and tossed them aside.
Tonetka flexed her arms and legs before she gave me a stern look. “Did you save all the children?”
I nodded. “Every one of them, thanks to you. Next time I offer you jewelry, refuse, okay?”
She chuckled, then glowered at Shropana. “Would the League Commander be generous and allow me a private moment with my colleague?”
The Colonel nodded. “A moment.”
She rubbed at dark bruises on her wrists as she pulled me out of hearing range. I found myself in her arms, her mouth against my ear. “Chamber twelve, level sixteen. What I was to show the children before the bracelet.”
“Uh-huh.” I hugged her tightly. “I’m glad to see you, too.” I reluctantly drew back. “I gave your job to Squilyp. Sorry.”
“I am more than ready for retirement now.” Shropana’s voice rang out. “Your time is up, Healer.” Tonetka eyed the silver streak in my hair. “I would have enjoyed hearing how you received that.”
“Salo will tell you the story. Go now. Tell Xonea—” I hesitated as Dhreen joined us. “Tell him I’ll be okay.”
My old boss took Dhreen’s proffered arm. “You are HouseClan Torin, Cherijo.” She pressed her fingers to my cheek as I nodded. “Be strong and survive. I will think of you every day of my life, ClanDaughter. Walk within beauty.”
I watched until the shuttle cleared the launch bay. Shropana came to stand next to me. “I would like to confirm when Tonetka safely reaches the surface, Colonel.”
“Of course.” Everything civilized now, he personally escorted me to a display. I keyed in the signal myself after the proper amount of flight time had passed. Xonal’s weary face appeared.
“Did they make it back all right?”
He nodded. “Both are well, Healer.”
“Thanks, Dad.” Colonel Shropana seemed a little too interested in observing my ClanFather’s pain, so I abruptly terminated the signal and looked at him. “All right. I’m here. What next?”
“I believe you should be asking me that question.”
The voice was unmistakable. I swung around and sure enough, Joseph Grey Veil stood behind me.
He had aged. His once-dark hair was heavily silvered now. The lines around his eyes and noses were deeper. Erect as his posture was, he seemed smaller, too. Probably because I’d spent the last two revolutions around truly impressive people.
I’d dreaded this meeting for a long time. Played it out in my mind, over and over. Thought of what I would say. Agonized over the betrayal that had changed my life.
I discovered I was walking toward him. Now that the moment had arrived, it didn’t seem frightening. I kept seeing the dead bodies this man had left behind in his quest to capture me. Heard the cries of all the injured children. Smelled the decaying flesh of the dead. All in the name of his endless pursuit of perfection.
“Dr. Joseph Grey Veil.” I halted a foot from his position. He was staring at the streak in my hair, the change in my weight. I could almost hear him making clinical notes in his head.
He never saw my fist coming. He fell straight back, and was unconscious before he landed heavily on the deck.
I rubbed my bruised knuckles and walked back over to Colonel Shropana. “What next?”
The Colonel threw his head back, and roared with laughter.
I taken to my assigned quarters and left there. The furnishings were comfortable. My favorite foods stocked the prep unit. Even a collection of jazz recordings was placed for my enjoyment. I noted every single album in my collection had been duplicated. Joseph kept excellent records.
I had to get out of here. I accessed the door panel, but it wouldn’t open. They had locked me in the cozy, attractive little cage.
Mistake number one. I spent my first hour in captivity methodically smashing the music discs. Each and every one of them.
“Dr. Grey Veil?” someone called over the display.
I ignored it. I had finished with the music discs and was unloading all the stores from the prep unit. It was interesting to see how much bulk food a disposal unit could handle. I wondered if it could chew up metal and wiring
.
“Healer?”
They finally figured out how to address me correctly. “What?”
“Are the music discs and food stores not to your liking?”
I should have known they’d stick recording drones in here somewhere. Mistake number two. I was mad now. I began looking for them. The nasty little things are almost impossible to spot.
“Healer? Answer the inquiry, please?”
“Where are they?” I started ripping the fabric and underlying foam from one of the free-formed sofas. I didn’t like the warm brown and orange tones of the decor much, I decided. I’d grown partial to blue. “Tell me now and you’ll save yourself a bunch of unnecessary recycling.”
The disembodied voice sounded dismayed. “What are you looking for?”
I sighed. “Your surveillance devices, stupid.”
“I cannot give you that information.”
“Then I can’t answer your questions.” My fingers hurt, so I stopped to rest. I turned full-circle and smiled at the whole room. “I have plenty of time. I’ll find every single one of them.”
“You would do better to cooperate, Cherijo.” That was Colonel Shropana’s gravelly voice.
“Really, Colonel?” I started ripping again. “I didn’t agree to cooperate with you. I just traded myself for Tonetka.”
“We can assure you will cooperate.”
“Not without messing up Dr. Grey Veil’s tests. He dislikes me performing under the influence of drugs. Ask him about the time I accidentally took too many decongestants when I was fourteen. I thought he’d suspend my entertainment privileges ad infinitum.”
No other comment was made. Guess Shropana had to think things over, I thought, and continued ripping.
I found the first miniature recording drone embedded in a chair cushion. It smashed to irreparable pieces under my footgear. It took an hour to determine there were no more devices in the living area. I left the demolished room and moved on to the next.
Once I got the sleeping platform apart, I found an even tinier device implanted at the foot of the bed. Probably wanted to watch me snore. I immersed the unit in water, and chuckled as it short-circuited. Somewhere in the big League ship, I knew someone had just yanked off their headgear. The feedback would not have been music to their ears.
