by Sara King
The Human glanced at the Ooreiki with obvious irritation. “Because we’ve got a job to do.”
“But we killed a prince,” Galek insisted, his trunk-shaped body stiffening. “Two of them, now.”
“All the more reason to send us back.” The Human glanced at the others. “Everyone’s chips working?”
Jer’ait was not watching the others prepare their gear for the next battle. Unlike the others, he had nothing to prepare. All he needed was an array of patterns and his own body.
Instead, he was watching the Human’s left hand.
The Human had been trying to hide it, keeping it closed around his weapon or buried in his pocket, but several times, it broke free and trembled like a dying Takki before the Human got it back under control.
Interesting.
“All right,” the Prime said as the shuttle settled. “Same drill as last time. Daviin lurks, Jer’ait scouts, Flea leads. Scarab, first hint of a fight and you get out of sight, you hear me?”
“Yes, Commander.” The Grekkon’s eyes remained focused on the far wall, utterly motionless.
“Let’s go!” the Human shouted as the door opened. Jer’ait ducked out the door and gave his zora the pattern of a Jikaln. He began running even as his body morphed, becoming four legs, teeth, and nearly-invisible, camouflaged speed.
Jer’ait slipped into the dense, jelly-like foliage and began weaving back and forth in front of the advancing party, clearing the path for the others.
He found his first Takki crouched in the brush, facing the direction his party had used for their ambush. Jer’ait sank his teeth into the Takki’s neck and twisted, tearing a chunk of purple flesh away from his victim’s throat. As the Takki died at his feet, Jer’ait crouched, eying the area where his companions were to appear, disturbed.
The original plans had set them to make their incursion from the opposite direction. Keeping in mind the last Dhasha’s advance knowledge of their attack, Joe had altered the plans at the last moment, bullying the pilot into changing course in mid-flight and landing them on the other side of the entrance. The shuttle engines had been shielded, completely silent. So how had the Takki known from which direction they would come?
A coincidence. It had to be. Perhaps they had unwittingly landed in some other groundteam’s drop zone.
But with only four hundred groundteams covering an entire planet, how likely were the odds of that?
Jer’ait twisted and lunged deeper into the forest.
The next Takki was also facing the same direction.
Unnerved, Jer’ait eyed the path his companions were to take.
They couldn’t know. Not unless the Human had warned them…
Jer’ait remembered the Prime’s shaking hand and he grew cold. He was turning, running back to the shuttle, when Joe materialized in the brush in front of him. “Where do you think you’re going?”
Jer’ait glanced at the Human’s hand. It was no longer shaking.
His fears dissipated. Your days on Morinth have left you paranoid. “Thought I heard something in this direction.”
“You did.”
The Human flicked its hands, a swift, practiced movement, and Jer’ait felt a sharp sting in the chest of his Jikaln pattern, directly beside a major fluids exchange. Jer’ait did not have a chance to isolate the poison before his body went limp. He dropped into the sticky foliage, only able to watch as the Human moved toward him and crouched beside him. “That was easier than I thought it’d be.” The Human’s hand reached out and touched him firmly on the side. Another sting.
As his eyes widened with understanding, Jer’ait was lost to darkness.
#
“Jer’ait, where the hell are you?” the Prime demanded.
The Human and the Ooreiki were crouched around the Grekkon’s burrow, searching the forest with their rifles. They had not heard from the Huouyt since they left the shuttle.
“This sooty pile of bones is pissing me off,” Zero said. “We saw the bodies. He’s out there somewhere.”
“Maybe his chip’s malfunctioning,” Flea suggested from his position on a branch above.
“Should we go look for him?” Galek asked.
“This is PlanOps, not grade school,” their Prime snapped. “He can take care of himself.” He switched frequencies. “Team Two, Team Three, this is Team One. You make it in?”
Silence answered him.
Those standing around the Grekkon’s burrow tensed.
“Damn it,” Daviin heard the Human whisper under his breath.
Even as he said it, Daviin sensed something in the woods behind them. “Movement.”
“Where?” The Ooreiki did not bother to hide its fear.
“Two hundred rods to the west. Large enough to be a Takki.”
“Go check it out.”
Daviin slipped between the trees, gaining more and more contact with his target as he closed the distance between them. Once Daviin judged he was within twenty digs of his target, he pinged the area.
“It’s a Takki.”
“Bones,” Joe muttered. “You gotta get it.”
Daviin coiled, preparing to spring.
“Before you kill it,” Joe said, “Find out if it knows where our Huouyt is.”
“What if he’s got a chip?” the Ooreiki asked. “Won’t that give away our position?”
“They already knew we would be here,” Daviin said. “One would assume they know our position, as well.”
“That’s furgsoot,” Joe snarled. “I changed coordinates. Only an ashing Trith would’ve seen us coming.”
“Then the Vahlin uses a Trith,” the Grekkon interrupted. “We need to continue with the mission before they find us.”
“No, screw that,” Flea said. “If they’re using a Trith, then they already know where we’re going and we’re dead anyway. Joe, we should go looking for him.”
“What’s a Trith?” Daviin snapped. “You want me to kill the Takki or not?!”
The Prime hesitated. Then, “Question him. If they got Jer’ait, they already know we’re here.”
Daviin lashed out, knocking the Takki to the ground. As it strained to rise, he wrapped three coils around it, rendering it helpless.
“Where is my companion?” Daviin demanded, remaining cloaked.
The Takki never flinched, never showed a flicker of fear. “It appears my chip isn’t working, after all. I thought you were all dead, as I’ve heard nothing since I took Jikaln form.”
Daviin released the Huouyt and uncloaked, irritated. “It’s Jer’ait. His chip didn’t activate.”
“Mothers’ ghosts. Goddamn government sootwads. I’m gonna give those medical furglings an earful. Charge us eight turns for something every Congie should have installed for free, then it doesn’t even burning work.”
Daviin cocked his head, frowning. “They charge eight turns for a chip?”
“Either that or eight hundred grand. But who’s got that kind of money?”
“I’ve got that kind of money,” the Baga said cheerfully.
“Who paid for my chip?” Daviin demanded.
“I did,” the Human said. Then, privately, “Can’t have you swearing as my Sentinel and then expect you to shell out eight hundred thousand credits, could I?”
“I’ll pay you back,” Daviin said, feeling a rush of irritation at the Human’s presumptions.
“Don’t bother,” Joe replied. “I figured eight more turns on my contract isn’t gonna make much difference. Not when they’re going to make us tunnel crawl until we’re dead.”
Daviin’s talons dug into his palm as he tightened his fist.
“Get him back here,” Joe ordered over the public channel. “As the Grekkon keeps reminding us, we’ve got a prince to kill.”
“Follow me.” Daviin led the Huouyt back to the main party.
As soon as Joe saw Jer’ait, he cursed. “It’s a goddamn ripoff. We gotta pay for something that we need to do our job. Bones!” He frowned, indecisiveness w
ritten plainly on his face.
Daviin understood why—the Huouyt was their information-gatherer, the one who required constant contact. Without it, he was all but useless to the team.
“Daviin did it,” Joe said finally. “You can, too. Next time I see those sooters at medical, though, they won’t be able to sit for a week. But Mothers’ ghosts, why didn’t you say something back on the shuttle?!”
“I didn’t realize you were talking,” Jer’ait said meekly.
Their Prime took a deep breath, steadying himself. “Fine. We can still do this. Daviin, inviso-mode. Jer’ait, get down there with Scarab. You stay with us when he breaks through. I want you within hearing range at all times until we get down there and figure out a plan. Got me?”
“Yes, sir.”
Daviin gave the Huouyt a startled look. He’d never heard Jer’ait refer to the Human even half as respectfully. Perhaps his little solo jaunt through the woods—and Daviin’s coils—had rattled him.
They climbed into the tunnel, the Human and the Ooreiki staying behind to cover their trail. Up ahead, Daviin heard the Grekkon pause, then reverse. He hurried to catch up.
When he reached them, he found the Grekkon sunk into the wall of the tunnel, spear-shaped appendages aimed outward, ready to skewer anything that got in its way. He’d broken through to a small slave tunnel. The Baga and the Huouyt were gone.
Daviin moved forward to inspect the tunnel, pinging tentatively. With the size of the tunnel, he didn’t have to be afraid of a Dhasha hearing him.
“Where’s the Huouyt?” he asked the Grekkon.
The Grekkon’s voicebox kicked in softly. “Scouting.”
“The Human told him to stay.”
The Grekkon said nothing. Its black eyes continued to stare at the wall opposite it, utterly motionless.
Behind him, the Human and the Ooreiki caught up.
“Where the bones is Jer’ait?” Joe snapped. “Flea, he with you?”
“He went the opposite direction,” Flea replied.
The Ooreiki immediately got down and flashed his light down the tunnel. “Jer’ait?” he called, as loudly as he dared.
The Huouyt did not respond.
“Should I go after him?” Galek asked.
Joe said nothing.
“Sir?” the Ooreiki called. “Should I go first?”
Silence.
“Sir?”
The sour smell of fear sweat assailed Daviin’s senses. Daviin dropped his energy level so he could see the Human’s face. He immediately wished he hadn’t. The Human’s face was pale and the smell was coming from him. He was staring at the tiny tunnel they had breached. His hands were clenched on his weapon. He was shaking.
“Yes,” Joe said finally. His voice sounded strained. “Flea, how’s the way up?”
“No one so far,” Flea called back.
“Come on back. See if you can find us a bigger tunnel.”
“A bigger tunnel? This one’s perfect. There’s no Dhasha on the planet that could get in here. Just big enough for Daviin and the Grekkon…even the little ones can’t—”
“Find us a bigger tunnel!” the Human snapped, a little too loudly.
The Baga sped past, a sulking whir in the darkness. The Ooreiki ducked into the tunnel to follow, the Grekkon after him. Daviin took the rear, waiting for the Human to crawl into the tunnel in front of him.
As soon as the Human got onto his hands and knees and began pushing his weapon in front of him, Daviin touched his shoulder. “Something wrong, Joe?”
Joe glared up at him from where he lay on his belly. “Just go.”
Daviin frowned, but obeyed.
The Baga found them a bigger tunnel, and after half an hour of crawling, they were able to straighten somewhat. The Ooreiki killed two Takki and the Grekkon buried them in side-shafts that they disguised with holograms.
All the while, the Human’s face grew paler.
Daviin took his first Dhasha by accident—the creature came up behind them and was actually straddling Daviin when he struck.
“We need to get out of the main tunnel,” Daviin growled as they dragged the Dhasha out of sight. “We’re caged Takki here.”
The Human stiffened, but did not object. Galek found them a slave tunnel he said led to the heart of the place, so they took it, the Baga leading the way. Once more, Daviin and the Human brought up the rear, though when the Human hesitated upon entering the tunnel, Daviin grabbed Joe by the shoulder and dragged him out of earshot of the others. “Commander,” Daviin said on the private channel, “Is everything all right?”
“No,” the Human replied, clenching his fist. His voice cracked. “We need to do this fast.”
“What is it?” Daviin insisted.
“Nothing,” the Human said.
“Commander—”
“Goddamn it it’s nothing!”
Softly, Daviin said, “I’m your Sentinel, Joe. I can smell the fear on you. What’s going on?”
“Tunnels,” the Human whispered. He probably hadn’t meant for Daviin to hear it, but there wasn’t much Daviin didn’t hear.
“What about tunnels?”
The Human’s face twitched and he gave Daviin a startled look. Then, quietly, he said, “I’m afraid of tunnels.”
Daviin glanced both ways, then lowered his head to the Human’s height, until their faces were ninths apart. In a whisper, he said, “You are playing with me.”
“No.” The Human squeezed his eyes shut. “Ghosts, no.”
“Then what?”
He opened his eyes. “I’ve seen the blood already.” It came out in a whimper. His whole body gave a sudden tremor, like he had been hit by a sudden draft.
Daviin wasn’t sure what to make of their Prime’s sudden disintegration. “Is this because you poisoned yourself on Earth? After-effects of watching your brother’s execution?”
Joe laughed. It had been loud enough that, should any Dhasha be within two hundred rods, they would have heard it like a dinner bell.
Daviin grabbed the Human by the shoulders and slammed him against the wall. Using his private channel, he shouted, “You’re fooling with our lives here, Human! What’s the matter with you?!”
Joe shuddered. “I can’t do this.” He squeezed his hand into a fist and sucked in two huge breaths that sounded dangerously like they were near sobs—or he was going to start hyperventilating.
Daviin released him violently. “You will, because I didn’t Sentinel myself to a coward.”
The Human nodded his head.
“No!” Daviin snapped. “I didn’t. And if it turns out that I did, I can negate my contract in an instant. Technically your slavery was cowardice in the past, so I’ve let it slide, but if you don’t finish this mission because you’re huddled in terror, Human, it is the last you will ever see of me. I swear it to the Ayhi’s graves.”
Joe watched him a moment in silence, then glanced back at the tiny entrance to the slave tunnel.
“So,” Daviin said, “Can you finish the crawl?”
Joe peered into the tunnel, unmoving. “I don’t know.”
“Yes or no, Human!”
Joe tore his eyes from the descending darkness and returned them to Daviin’s face. “Yes. But I’ll need one hell of a drink afterwards.”
“Human,” Daviin said, gripping his shoulder, “Get us out alive and I’ll buy your drinks myself.”
#
“A Jreet, a Grekkon, an Ooreiki, a Baga, led by a Human.”
“What the hairy fuck is a Human?”
His assassin cocked his head and considered. “Small bony biped, scaleless, average intelligence, known for their linguistic abilities. I tagged the Jreet, as he will be your main danger, but the Baga might also prove to be an irritation if he escapes the first assault.”
Lavik snorted. “I am not afraid of a glorified worm.”
“The worm in question weighs approximately two thousand lobes.”
Lavik grinned. “An old one, eh? Shoul
d be fun.”
“Sire, I greatly recommend you don’t fight this Jreet personally,” the Huouyt immediately warned. “Send one of your underlings, one of your heirs, someone you don’t mind—”
“Oh, shut up.”
The Huouyt made a face, but did not look up. He remained in silence, staring at some point on Lavik’s leg. It was obvious he was going to take him literally.
Lavik sighed. “You’re a true itch, Huouyt.” He glanced at the captive, whom his assassin had trussed up like a farm-bred Takki. It was in his natural form, three semi-aquatic legs and two paddle-like arms bound together by ultra-thin wire. It was having trouble raising its long, neckless head from the ground, but he was attempting it anyway.
Lavik found it amusing to see a Huouyt in natural form. Their long bodies and tapering heads always reminded him of a kreenit penis. “Tell me of the prisoner.”
“We should kill him,” his assassin said immediately.
Lavik cocked his head at the Huouyt, sensing something deeper in his subordinate’s words. “Why?”
“He’s a Huouyt. He can change the shape of his body. The moment we take our eyes off of him, he’ll be free of his bonds.”
“That’s why we have Takki watching him.” Lavik returned his gaze to the prisoner trussed up across the room. The captive had been cursing the other Huouyt non-stop for the last hour, making interesting comments about his heritage and breeding habits. “Besides. His antics amuse me.”
“At least let me silence him,” his subordinate said stiffly.
“No.”
“Sire, I humbly request—”
“Request denied. What has he told us so far? How goes the war?”
“He told me nothing,” the Huouyt said. “Refuses even to tell me his name.”
“Oh?” This perplexed Lavik. “Huouyt aren’t exactly the most loyal creatures in Congress. You must not be asking him the right questions. Most Huouyt would jump at the opportunity to betray their mates in order to save their own lousy hides. When the Vahlin destroys Congress, the whole species should be added to the food supply.”
“Of course,” his assassin gritted.
