"Not really, we have monitored your dreams. Not all your dreams are nightmares. Your dreams of Tattie are far from nightmares, would you not agree?"
Cris blushed and glanced at Tattie, then leaned in and said to the image, "I don't care to have this discussion with my mother!"
"I don't understand, Cristóbal. If you—"
"Mom, you're always embarrassing me in front of my friends—this is why I don't bring them home!" This outburst was followed by an uncomfortable silence.
"I'm sorry," Cris said. "You are the spitting image of my mother."
"Would you prefer we look like your father, or your childhood pet?"
"No, no—one parent at a time, please. And I could not sit here and have a serious discussion with my dog."
"Then let's just leave things as they are, all right, Cristóbal? First, let us sum things up briefly.
"You fell through the singularity and in arriving here, killed the malevolent son of a very evil man. You want to go home, but the people who aided you are in danger, and you want to help them. The trees, in aiding your escape, have declared war on the assistant of the evil man, open hostilities are close to starting, and the clock is ticking on the execution date of the villagers who aided you. You would have gone to try to help them, but you promised Mag'Osnik you would come to see us first. Is that about it?"
"Yes, ma'am, that's it."
"Wonderful, then we can help the people of Gala, all the people on Nazer, and Kalob, and those who reside on the moons of the demi-star Zuluth. And one another, as well.”
"How?"
"The details are our concern. Here is what you must do. Go into the fortress of Kurat Vara where Bruckna keeps a spacecraft hidden in the event Caval Du Mal needs to flee. You must kill the Sorgina, release all those imprisoned in the fortress, then find that spacecraft and fly it to Natu, the larger of Nazer's two moons. There, you must wait for Caval Du Mal and his fleet to pass. They will be headed here to kill you, because Caval Du Mal will know instantly when you have done away with the Sorgina. Once the fleet has passed the moon, you must destroy his flag ship."
Cris sat silent a moment. "That's your plan?"
"Yes, dear."
"Okay—Mom—I see a few minor problems. First, I've been told there are three thousand slaves that guard that fortress."
"Yes, dear."
"And it's safe to say that this witch probably has some additional security there just now, right?"
"About five hundred Lautmen."
"And she has some sort of powers, too, I hear."
"Yes, dear."
"Peachy. I can't see us just walking in, killing the bitch and taking her spacecraft."
"Cristóbal, watch your language. I will, of course, be watching, and the Avory have already agreed to assist. And you will find additional allies as you progress."
"Who, how?"
"That is a detail you must leave to us."
"Let's just assume, for an instant, that we make it to this moon, Natu. Just how do I sneak up on a warship—it is a warship, right? I mean, you called it his flag ship."
"Yes, dear, it is a warship, the largest ever created."
"And you think I can attack the largest warship ever built with a craft small enough to hide inside a fortress?"
"Of course not, dear, the Sorgina's spacecraft is unarmed. You must all get inside the warship."
Cris's mouth fell open and his eyes grew large with incredulity. "What?"
"Keep your voice down. Cristóbal, your father and I have known since you were born that you are special. You'll figure it out."
"Figure it out? I need plans and schematics of both the fortress and this warship, do you have those?"
"Yes, Cristóbal, we do, but you have not the time necessary to study them."
"The executions don't start until the ceremony of…Lum vel house—"
"Lumvelhas, dear."
"Whatever, the night of two full moons. I figure we have almost two weeks yet."
"No, Cristóbal. We have learned that Caval Du Mal has instructed Sorgina Bruckna to gather the remaining Sorgina to her and be prepared to depart Nazer in four days from the rising of the sun in the morning. We suspect he is planning something very bad for all who reside on Nazer."
"Damn—darn, that's not much time. Is there anything else I should know that will make this more difficult?"
"One other thing, dear. The spy you were talking about—is Celestra. She and several members of her family."
"I never trusted her," Tattie said.
"What do you plan for her?" Tarnus asked.
"We will feed her information that will misdirect our enemy. As long as she remains useful to us in that capacity, she and her family may remain free. Once she is no longer useful, they will be imprisoned. You four must leave tonight for the plain of Dort where on the hill of Kreneo you will find the fortress of Kurat Vara."
"Will the people of Emer Alda be able to provide us any transportation to speed us on our journey?" Tattie asked.
"Yes, my dear, you will be given an Astora in which you will also find food and other equipment you may require."
"Is there a way we can contact you in the event we need you?" Cris asked.
"Not where you are going. There are four locations like this one on Nazer. There is also one on Natu, and if you need it, it will be pointed out to you. Before you go, would anyone like some peanut butter cookies?"
"Mom!" Cris again forgot himself.
"Then go now, and watch out for one another."
As the image of Mrs. Salazar rose so did everyone else. She stopped and turned to Tattie and said softly, "Remember child, mitziatzu Iretsa gustiec (Love conquers all). You remember that, now."
Chapter 21
The Mouth of Death
As the four of them headed back down the tunnel, Tattie casually commented, "I really like your mother."
"That was not my mother."
"She has a wonderful home…is she a queen?"
"No, she's not a queen; it's a really old house in a historic neighborhood. And that was not my mother. That was a holographic projection based on my recollections of my mother."
"I know that, Cris, but did it not look like your mother?"
"Exactly."
"Sound like her?"
"Yes."
"Act like her?"
"Oh, yeah."
"Then for all practical purposes, did we not just meet your mother?"
"My mother would never tell me to sneak into a heavily defended fortress, kill someone, steal a rocket, and then go destroy a spaceship."
"Would your mother have not offered us the little round cakes?" Tarnus asked.
"Yeah, peanut butter, too. She knows I love them."
"Oh," Tattie exclaimed, "how sweet!"
"What exactly is a peanut butter?" Tarnus asked.
"I'll get you the recipe, okay?"
"I'd like that," Tarnus replied in matter-of-fact manner.
Cris leapt ahead and turned to face Tattie and Tarnus. "Do you two not understand that we've just been asked to accept a suicide mission?"
"Cris," Tarnus said calmly, his hands on his hips, "this is really two missions, both quite straightforward and simple. I will admit that having the plans of the fortress and the ship would have been very useful."
"Ya think?"
"Excuse me, lady and gentlemen," Capek interrupted, "but the Velka Mislay have seen fit to upload that data into me."
"Really?" Cris thought a moment. "Well, it's not much of a game changer, but I don't see we have any better options. So, just what is an Astora?"
○O○
One tier down to the center level of the city and through its labyrinthine interior, they arrived at a port facility not that different from the Eagle bays back on JILL except infinitely larger. Of course, there were no airlocks, but there were massive hangar doors.
They entered hangar eighteen where they found a small craft that looked like one of those experimental liftin
g body aircraft from the 1960s. The main difference was the wings, instead of delta wings these curved gracefully upward. There was room inside for six people and a small cargo area in the rear.
Overall, it was only a little larger than a good-sized SUV. Cris noticed that there did not appear to be any forward-looking windows, and no canopy for the pilot. The machine was painted dazzling white with gold trim and what appeared to be squadron or corporate logo on each side of the nose.
As they started toward the craft, a technician came running up to them. He was a Parenmerian. He looked odd to Cris in that he was dressed in a set of white coveralls rather than in rags, and he appeared to be well-fed and in good health. The little fellow looked up at them and bid them stop. "A moment please—our preparations are not yet completed." As he spoke, a massive robotic arm unfolded from out of the ceiling. Every time it moved, the sound of powerful servos filled the room. Quickly, it positioned itself above their craft and from its end a small wand emerged and pointed directly down at the ship. The arm began to slowly move, lowering the wand, looking like a hypodermic needle about to give an injection.
As the wand touched the top of the ship, the entire vehicle suddenly turned solid black, a flat, lusterless black.
The Parenmerian technician looked up at them again. "It's best for nocturnal operations. Good fortune to you all."
Tattie looked at it and said, "It looks like a meerlow."
"A what?" Cris asked.
"She means the black flying creatures. Surely, you've seen them?" Tarnus said.
"Oh, you mean the blackbirds. Good name. Let's Cristen her the Meerlow."
They continued toward the Meerlow and with each step, Cris kept asking himself what he was doing. Back home, an operation of this magnitude would have seen months of planning and rehearsals. Every possible ounce of intel on the target would be gleaned and set before him and been continuously updated. This had the feel of a pull-it-out-of-your-butt operation, the best way on Earth to get killed. Of course, I'm not on Earth, am I?
At the entrance to the ship were stacked four metal boxes. Cris stopped and looked back at his companions. None had a clue.
"Open one, man," Tarnus exclaimed.
Cris examined the top box—front center of the lid was a red button, Cris depressed it and the box opened. Inside was a rather short rifle. Cris picked it up and rolled it over in his hands.
"That weapon," Tarnus said, "is a shoulder-fired, magazine fed, electrically operated, projectile launching weapon with a target acquisition computer. There are several different kinds of ammunition available for these weapons, and I see a good selection there in the case."
There was also a pistol identical to the one he had seen on the body of Ela Qum Mato Ranzer back at the crash site that first day.
Cris had handed a set to Tarnus and Tattie before he noticed there was a fourth box. Cris hesitated. Then he looked at Capek. "Well?" he asked.
"Cris," Tattie said, "he is one of us. He has earned it."
"I know he has," Cris said. "I trust him. The question is, Capek, do you want it?"
"The weapon, as all weapons, carries with it a great deal of moral responsibility," Capek spoke thoughtfully. "If this weapon can serve evil individuals, it can serve us in our efforts to defeat that evil. I'll take the rifle only, please."
Inside the Meerlow, the ceiling was not high enough to allow anyone to stand, least of all Tarnus, who sat in the back in order to stretch out his legs.
"Capek, you drive, you're the only one knows where we're going."
"I beg your pardon, Captain Cris," Tattie said, "my teaoh and I know very well where is the plain of Dort. I have even seen the fortress from afar. Teaoh actually attacked it once."
Cris jerked around toward Tarnus. "You did?"
"Yes, a very long time ago. Unsuccessfully, I might add."
"You must have studied it before your assault, do you remember anything?"
"It is forever burned into my memory."
"I know what you mean."
Tattie shot Cris a glance with those words, then took the co-pilot's seat.
A voice now came over the radio. "Special number one, you may depart the city at your discretion."
"Emer Alda flight, this is special number one," Capek said. "Please note our new designation, we are now Meerlow."
"Noted in the log Meerlow, all good fortune to you."
Capek powered the Meerlow up. As he did, the entire forward area of the ship became transparent. Instrument readouts appeared to float in front of Capek and to follow his sight where ever he turned his head. Capek lifted the Meerlow just off the ground. He retracted the landing gear and pivoted around a hundred and eighty degrees.
The hangar doors opened, and, in a flash, they burst out into the darkening sky. Capek swung several times around the city, then pulled up and kept climbing until the sun was once again above the horizon and the tops of the orange and pink clouds were below them.
Capek leveled out. "Lady and gentlemen, there remain an hour-and-forty minutes before we are sufficiently inside the planet's umbra for light levels to descend low enough to afford us maximum concealment."
"Umbra?" Tattie asked.
"The shadow of Nazer," Capek explained, "indeed, that of all planets is made up of two—cones, if you will. The umbra is the darkest cone of shadow, where the light source is completely blocked—"
"He means when it gets dark," Cris interjected.
"Yes, more concisely. Your mother advised me that I am too verbose, I must become more aware of my—"
"That was not my mother!" Cris said emphatically.
Tattie giggled and, instantly, Cris felt the temperature inside his body rise and all discomfort left his mind. He smiled to himself and turned away. Again, he thought of the odd light the two of them had generated, it was obviously linked to this warmth she generated within him. Perhaps she would cause him to spontaneously combust. What power did this woman have over him, anyway?
Having additional time, Cris suggested Capek display, on the window monitor, the maps and schematics of Kurat Vara.
The map showed clearly that the plain of Dort was another impact crater, vastly larger and very much older than that within which stood Emer Alda. Here, the crater walls had been eroded almost entirely away.
The floor of the plain was an ancient lava flow, dark, almost black in color. Nothing grew in that black rock, it was entirely devoid of life. After the passing of so many millennia, soil should have filled the crater and the forests should have reclaimed it, but the Sorgina did not want her enemies growing so close to her. No eavesdropping spores, listening leaves, no peeking, lidless plant eyes, no meddling roots.
The hill of Kreneo was all that remained of the weathered central mount. It was appropriately shaped like the top of a skull, and crowned with an impressive fortress that was centuries old.
Kurat Vara was made of black stone, no doubt quarried inside the crater. It was a simple square, but a large one. Its walls were thirty-seven meters tall, and at each corner stood a cylindrical tower. Three of these towers were fifty meters tall, the fourth was sixty meters tall and topped with a crooked spire.
The walls and towers had been updated and now bristled with anti-aircraft and anti-personnel weapons, indeed this was a formidable position.
“There is but one entrance into that place, a set of huge, stone doors that pivoted inward, but they have not opened in several lifetimes. In the center of these doors is a very much smaller door that would allow the passing of only one person at a time, and it was made of thick, strong, iron,” Tarnus said.
“The center of the cubical fortress contains an open-air courtyard, but any thought of descending into the place with the Meerlow is ridiculous in the extreme in light of the fortress's many guns.
"The dungeons, where no doubt the people of Gala are being held, are below the fortress in what was once a beautiful, natural cavern," Tarnus went on. "These caverns had been eviscerated by the original bu
ilders. The beauty of nature devastated in favor of a place of pain."
Tarnus sighed. "This ruined cavern is Kurat Vara's only weakness, and our only hope."
"What do you mean?" Cris asked.
"The dungeons were once part of a vast network of caves that legend holds descend into the very heart of Nazer. The dungeons are walled up and separated from the caverns now, however those sub-Nazerian passages still exist, and will be our avenue into the Sorgina's lair."
Cris was silent a moment, then said, "Are you sure? If that were my position, I'd blow all those tunnels, cave them in, then there'd be nothing to worry about."
Tarnus shook his head. "The original builders in antiquity considered that solution, but found the area under the fort so riddled with caves that they feared the fortress would collapse into the cavity that would be left after such a demolition. So they sealed up all they could find and buried the secret of the caves with the bodies of all those who had worked under the ground. The old king's scholars discovered the secret over two hundred conjunctions ago in the ruins of an ancient temple on the other side of the globe."
"Excellent," Cris rubbed his hands together.
Tarnus raised a brow. "Do not celebrate yet, my friend. Were I the old croat, I would have traps and early warning devices set up in all the tunnels that approach the fortress."
"Yup, you're right."
"However, there is the possibility that she does not know about the tunnels. Their existence was a lost secret for a very long time, and the old king shared the knowledge with none but his Geldneth guard. Regardless, we'll discover the truth soon enough."
Under the cover of darkness and masked behind a low hill, Capek, following guidance provided by Tarnus, brought the Meerlow to within five kilometers of the edge of the plain and landed softly in a meadow among tall trees.
Cris gathered up his weapons and equipment, turned off the interior lights, and exited the Meerlow. The darkness was like a living thing that grabbed his body and held him fast.
"Tattie?" he called softly.
"Here, Cris."
"I'm blind again. Can you tell if any of the Avory with the eyes on their trunks are nearby?"
"They surround us, Cris."
Across a Sea of Stars Page 28
