Wyvern's Warrior

by Deborah Cooke

  Why was he glad that she had remained with him, even at risk to herself?

  Dragon fire had adversely affected more than his body, for certain.

  Thalina was right behind him. “Anguissa!” she cried, showing no caution whatsoever. “I’m so relieved to see you!”

  “I knew it had to be something important to drag you out of your workshop,” Anguissa said wryly, still looking at Acion. “Don’t tell me you’ve finally gotten into trouble. I’d almost lost hope for you.”

  “I’ve found lots of it,” Thalina admitted with an ease that Acion found startling. “Father wants to execute Acion. Will you help us escape?”

  “She is intent upon defending me, although this is irrational,” Acion said. “Please convince your sister to let Scintillon’s Law be upheld.”

  Anguissa lifted a brow. “You want to die?”

  “I see no other logical possibility than the termination of my existence, and I would ensure that Thalina lives. She imperils herself against all reason by insisting upon accompanying me.”

  Those dark eyes narrowed and the snakes bared their fangs. “Isn’t my sister good enough for you, Robot?”

  Acion surveyed Thalina. “Your sister,” he began and faltered. “Your sister is unlike anyone I have ever known. I recognize that I will be eliminated. It is only a question of time. I would like to ensure her survival, even if that means my destruction must be sooner.”

  “Hmm.” Anguissa turned to her sister. “You could get another robot, just like him, but in better shape. I’ll find one for you.”

  “Acion is the Carrier of the Seed,” Thalina hissed. “And I want to find out if he’s my HeartKeeper. Help us!”

  Anguissa’s brows rose and the snakes moved with greater agitation. “Knock me over with an electron,” she muttered. “The Carrier of the Seed? That changes everything. Do you have a plan?”

  “I need to help him return to Cumae.”

  Relief lit Anguissa’s features. “That’s only 2.5 light years away.” She beckoned, glanced down the corridor, then led them to the next dock. She kept to the perimeter, but moved with admirable speed. “With my version of the Fractal Interstellar Drive, we’ll be back before Father misses you…”

  “We need to leave immediately,” Thalina said.

  “It is already too late,” Acion contributed. “Flight plans will be placed on hold and the port secured until I am located.”

  “It’s clearly not that hard to find you,” Anguissa said. She displayed a map of the port on the computer film on the inside of her left arm. Lights were flashing on one quadrant. It was the one they occupied. “They’ve identified the Starpod.”

  Acion looked down the corridor to see guards striding toward them with purpose. They didn’t rush, but then, there was nowhere to run and nowhere to hide.

  He felt another new sensation. Panic.

  “And we need some more of the nanobots Acion uses for self-repair,” Thalina added as they hurried up the ramp to the next ship. It was a much larger ship and Acion read its name on the docking registrar.

  The Archangel.

  Archangel: (noun) an angel of the highest rank.

  Angel: (noun) a spiritual being superior to humans in power and intelligence; an attendant spirit or guardian.

  Acion found the name of the ship curiously reassuring.

  Meanwhile, Anguissa’s eyebrows rose. “You are making up for lost time,” she said to Thalina. “Do you have a sample or a serial number?”

  Thalina repeated it perfectly before Acion could.

  The access port was locked and Anguissa’s code didn’t open it.

  “Acion?” Thalina asked with complete confidence in his abilities. “Isn’t some deception justified in fulfilling a mission?”

  Acion didn’t comment, just plugged into the data port on the console. A few appropriate queries and he had the code. He tapped it in and the gate unlocked.

  “Good robot,” Anguissa said and strode past him into her ship. Thalina followed, pausing to give him a kiss, and Acion secured the door behind them.

  They stepped onto the command deck of the Archangel and Acion spied a port. He plugged himself in to the ship’s computer with the appropriate connector in his left hand, needing to know the details of their situation.

  “The port is eighty-two per cent sealed,” he said, his earlier expectation confirmed. “They await only a scheduled freighter coming out of a jump in near space at any moment.”

  “No time for supplies,” Anguissa said as the sisters strapped in. Anguissa gave Acion a considering look. “My crew is on leave. It’ll take time to find them or hire others.” She grimaced. “Actually, they’ll be in the port bar, except for Bond, who will have gone home to Incendium city to visit his kids already.”

  “Too far,” Acion said. “The port bar is nine Incendium minutes distant at a brisk pace. The guards will be at this gate in two-point-one minutes.”

  “Right. The robot will have to do.” Anguissa began the pre-flight procedures.

  Acion reveled in the flow of detail from the shipboard computers. “The Archangel has provisions sufficient for two humanoids for six light years, although they are mostly of the stored and condensed variety,” he supplied. “I cannot testify to their appeal.” He paused. “Nor am I entirely certain of the nutritional requirements for dragon shifters as compared to non-shifting humanoids.”

  “We’ll make do,” Anguissa said grimly.

  “This ship is of a Mongossian design,” Acion said. “Model 86-V-B, the Mongossian Starchaser, their fastest model but one no longer in production. It was manufactured two hundred and nine Incendium years ago, with a Fractal Interstellar drive that has been updated recently.” He frowned. “The augmentation is in violation of galactic standards.”

  Anguissa blinked and looked at him.

  Thalina smiled. “Once a rebel…”

  “I’m glad he’s on our side,” Anguissa muttered.

  “I have sufficient training to co-pilot this vessel in routine travel, and will supplement my records in observation,” he said. “But I need to add to my understanding of this most recent augmentation.”

  “Seriously?” Anguissa said.

  “Seriously,” Thalina replied, because Acion didn’t understand her query.

  “A competent pilot must have full awareness of the capabilities of his vessel,” Acion explained patiently.

  Anguissa shook her head. “That’s not what I meant. I’ve never yet seen a robot who could fly well enough to suit me.”

  “Androids of my manufacture are equipped with a range of programming because our missions take us frequently from Cumae. We are intended to be prepared in any situation…”

  “Okay, Robot, have you ever flown a Mongossian Starchaser?”

  “Twice,” Acion supplied. “One of older manufacture than the Archangel, but not maintained so well, and a newer one, which did not possess a Fractal Interstellar drive…”

  There was an alarm from the gate and a banging on the door of the Archangel.

  “All right, all right, let’s go,” Anguissa said. “They’re going to damage the skin,” she muttered and hit the reverse thrust. “Hey, Robot, can you override the life form data that the computer delivers when we’re hailed? I want it to look like I’ve taken the Archangel out alone.”

  “Even though that would be a foolish choice and you are a responsible pilot?” Acion asked, easily locating the source of that information. He overwrote it, eliminating the evidence of Thalina’s presence, winnowing out all sources of input that might reveal her as he awaited Anguissa’s reply. He knew what it would be, and he was right.

  “Even so,” Anguissa said.

  “I must advise you that this deletion will adversely affect the system’s calculations for food and oxygen supply…”

  “But you’ve already done the calculations, Robot,” Anguissa said. “And I can remember ‘six years’ all by myself.”

  Was this sarcasm? Acion did not know.
Thalina was smiling, which indicated that she found amusement in her sister’s comment.

  “It’s our only chance, anyway,” Anguissa said. “Do it.”

  “It is done.”

  “Good. I like efficiency. There are some nanobots in the pharmacy. Try that port. You should be able to get a feed.” Acion did as instructed as Anguissa frowned.

  “They are not of the specified type,” Acion said.

  “You’re the first robot on the Archangel,” Anguissa said. “I’m making an exception to Scintillon’s Law for you, because of Thalina.”

  “The Archangel is part of Incendium’s fleet and thus subject to Incendium law?”

  “Not technically, but I like to choose my battles with Father.”

  Acion assessed the nature of the nanobots available, then had a realization. “Surely the nanobots could be said to be androids and thus in violation…”

  “They could be, Robot, but no one has been so foolish as to challenge me on that before,” Anguissa snapped. One of the tendrils of her hair hissed at Acion.

  He considered the composition of the nanobots that were available. They were designed for the repair of biological organisms. Under normal circumstances—that is, before he had been given the new programming by the Hive—Acion would have considered them lethal to his systems. In this moment, he had to consider Thalina’s observation about the neurons in his shoulders and the changes he had observed himself. The probability of their having a favorable influence on at least some of his structure was improved to the point that he accessed the drip.

  If he was wrong, the threat to Thalina would be removed with his demise.

  There was a panel on the console that covered a storage space. Acion removed the cylinder containing the ShadowCaster and secured it there, reasoning that the Archangel could protect the gift intended for Ouros better than he could during a jump.

  Anguissa was programming the navigation system. “Since they’re waiting on the freighter, we’ll jump out of here to make it look like I’m in a hurry. That loverboy of mine,” she mused with a shake of her head. “I’m missing him so bad.”

  Acion wasn’t sure who she meant. “But surely they will follow the trajectory of our jump,” he protested.

  “No, we’ll jump to a little backwater I know. They won’t follow us, given its reputation.”

  Acion had time to nod understanding before Anguissa disengaged the port lock and reverse-thrust out of the dock more quickly than he thought was wise.

  “The port is closed down,” she reminded him sternly, apparently noting his reaction. “We’re the only ones in motion.”

  “Yes, Captain,” Acion managed to say before a voice echoed on the deck.

  “Archangel, Archangel, please return to the dock. The port is to be secured by command of the king…” The protest from control came immediately through the comm, but Anguissa interrupted it.

  “But I forgot my boy toy on Nimue,” she said. “And I can’t live without him. I’ll be back soon enough.”

  “Archangel, you are not cleared for departure…”

  “Tell my father that I’ve found the Carrier of the Seed. He’ll understand.” Anguissa accelerated the ship. Acion monitored the ship systems, admiring how she increased the drive’s power and triggered the Fractal Interstellar drive. The console gave no indication that she’d done so, which must have been one of the augmentations.

  Acion found the probability that Princess Anguissa participated in illegal operations to be significantly increased by this detail. He glanced at Thalina, who smiled at him. He felt an odd conflict. He was both glad that she was with him and wished that she had remained behind where she would have been safe.

  “Archangel, Archangel, please return to the dock,” Control repeated. “We will be compelled to fire…”

  “Then tell the king afterward that you’ve slaughtered his seventh daughter,” Anguissa snapped and slapped the comm to silence.

  “They won’t do it,” Thalina said.

  Acion wasn’t so certain of that.

  “Doesn’t matter,” Anguissa said. “We’ll be gone before they even take aim. Got your nanobots on a drip?”

  “I do, thank you, Captain.”

  “And there comes the last freighter,” Anguissa murmured as that ship loomed out of the starlit darkness. She didn’t hesitate for an instant, but put her hand on the console. Her voice hardened to a tone of command. “Prepare to jump, Robot.”

  Chapter Seven

  King Ouros awakened slowly, his thinking dulled by the tranquilizer. He was frustrated by how slowly his vision cleared and disliked that age was affecting his reactions. He had been returned to his royal chamber and was in his human form, Ignita beside him, as he might have anticipated.

  She smiled when he stirred and stopped her fluttering. “Welcome back,” she said, and he heard the relief in her tone.

  So, she had noticed the greater effect of the drug upon him, as well.

  Six hundred Incendium years wasn’t that old.

  The change, though, made Ouros grumpy. His knee was sore and he had a feeling he’d been singed on his back, undoubtedly by Thalina’s dragon fire. He scowled at his servants, aware that only Kraw didn’t retreat.

  The viceroy’s mustache might have wilted a little, though.

  “And?” Ouros demanded, already guessing the answer from Ector’s expression.

  “The princess Thalina escaped Incendium with the android, your highness,” the Captain of the Guard supplied.

  “Escaped?” the king echoed in outrage.

  “The android had apparently rented a Starpod and they went to the port,” Ector supplied.

  “Would you have rather they were shot down?” Ignita asked, her tone doing nothing to improve Ouros’ mood.

  “The starport is still Incendium territory,” he said. “We must pursue them and uphold the law…”

  Ector grimaced, his discomfiture clear. “I must inform your majesty that the princess Thalina and the android Acion are no longer at the starport.”

  “What?” Ouros sat up so quickly that Ignita placed a hand on his shoulder to steady him. “How can this be?”

  “They found passage, your highness,” Ector began.

  “Passage?” Ouros roared. “Who would so defy the law of Incendium to provide passage to a runaway princess and an android?”

  His chamber was silent after the question, and the gazes of both guard and viceroy dropped to the ground.

  “What aren’t you telling me?” Ouros whispered, a thousand dreadful possibilities filling his thoughts. Had Thalina been injured? Had the android launched some wicked plan against Incendium? And what about that vial? What had happened to it? What was in it?

  “They aren’t telling you what you should already have guessed,” Ignita said, perching on the side of his bed. “There is only one captain with the authority to override any command to secure departures, and only person in all of Incendium who would so defy you.”

  “Anguissa,” Ouros said, his rebellious daughter’s name leaving his lips in a long hiss.

  “Exactly, your highness,” Ector replied. “The Archangel had only just returned but departed almost immediately. It has jumped to distant vector of the galaxy. It appears that the coordinates provided by Captain Anguissa on departure were not the actual destination, and we are attempting to determine the ship’s precise location…”

  “Don’t bother,” Ouros said. “Anguissa knows enough about our systems to outwit them. If she wants to hide, she’ll manage to do it.” His voice rose. “She should never have been permitted to depart!”

  “I commanded the port to let her go,” Ignita said quietly.

  Ouros turned an outraged glance upon his wife, but she only shook her head at him.

  “Would you have ordered them to eliminate two of your daughters at once?” she demanded, her eyes flashing. “Anguissa was determined to go, and you know she never backs down.”

  “And you know for certain that
Thalina was aboard?”

  “She must have been. The sensors changed their data about the number of life forms. There were two and then just one, as if Anguissa was alone.” Ignita lifted a shoulder. “But the count changed after they’d left the dock.”

  “Androids,” Ouros muttered, his anger rising again. “Who knows what they have planned. You should never have let them escape!”

  “The Seed, Ouros,” Ignita said with quiet urgency. “Thalina’s senses are filled with the Seed, and she will naturally be protective of the Carrier of the Seed. You can’t blame her for wanting to know if he is her HeartKeeper or not, for wanting enough time to be sure.”

  “He’s an android!”

  “But still the Carrier of the Seed. Even this challenges our assumptions. She must have discovered some detail that gives her hope for their future.”

  Ouros considered this, then sighed. “And so she pursued the only possible path. She removed him from Incendium, so he wouldn’t be executed, in order to have that increment of time.” He shook his head. “And she located the only ally who would have helped her in Anguissa.”

  “Exactly!” Ignita concluded. “Thalina’s very logical.”

  “And yet, a romantic, as well,” the king mused.

  Kraw cleared his throat. “If I might say so, your majesty, the best scientific thinkers are also idealists, in my view. They investigate the world in all its detail, in the hope of improving it in future.”

  “With androids.” Ouros sighed again, feeling every hour of his age.

  He rose from his bed and began to pace the width of the chamber, ignoring Ignita’s efforts to halt him. The room was silent again, as the others waited for his decision. He paused beside his queen and smiled. “Remember the Seed?” he murmured to her. “Remember the madness it awakened?”

  She smiled back at him, her eyes shining. “I wouldn’t call passion a madness.”

  “No, nor would I.” He touched her cheek with affection, then turned to his viceroy and Captain of the Guard. “Thalina is not entirely aware of what she is doing. She is drive by the Seed to defend the Carrier and to attempt to secure a future for them. I hold her blameless in this situation.” He folded his hands behind his back. “Anguissa, in contrast, is fully aware that what she has done is in direct defiance of my will. When she returns to Incendium, whenever that might be, the Archangel will be compounded and broken down into component parts while she is compelled to watch. Whatever stores are in the Archangel’s holds will be surrendered to me and if they are illicit, Anguissa will be charged under the fullest extent of the law. Anguissa’s pilot license will be forfeit and she will be confined to Incendium for a hundred years. There will be no negotiation. That she may have endangered Thalina with her actions is unacceptable. Anguissa has defied me for the last time.”