She strode to him, taking one of his hands. “I implore you, Centurion.”
He looked into her green eyes. She was beautiful and had an intoxicating scent. His loins reeled with sexual possibilities. Wait a minute. She’d told him about Acton’s mind-altering toxins. Had she just put some on him now?
“Let’s keep this platonic,” Tanner said, marching her backward to her former spot. He disengaged from her, returning to his place near the door.
She studied him. As she did, the hatch opened.
Tanner stepped to the side, his hand dropping onto his gun-butt.
Marcus stared at him, with the beamer aimed at his chest.
Tanner wondered if the two had timed this. Was Marcus supposed to have come upon them while they touched each other? Would Marcus have declared that as defilement, as dishonor?
“We need a little more time,” Ursa said.
Marcus searched her face. She nodded. He backed away, letting the hatch shut.
“There,” Ursa told Tanner. “That should prove our good intentions toward you. Marcus just had the drop on you.”
“How about you tell me something useful? Otherwise, I’m heading to my quarters and getting some shut eye.”
Ursa inhaled deeply, maybe to give her an extra second to think. “We’ll take one step at a time, but I will tell you this. Lord Acton is extremely dangerous, as is his niece.”
“Why did Lacy come after me on Calisto Grandee?” Tanner said. “Who were the thugs aiding her? Were they also Lord Acton’s relatives?”
“No. They were ordinary thugs.”
Tanner remembered the bruiser’s bleeding ears. How had Lacy caused that? Had she used some kind of sonic weapon? Yet, if she had fired a sonic weapon, why hadn’t it made his ears bleed?
There were still too many unanswered questions for his peace of mind.
“Tell me this,” Tanner said. “Were you my original contact on Calisto Grandee? Was that a ploy to get me there and then set me up for capture?”
“It’s a long, complicated story,” Ursa said. “I don’t have time to get into now.”
“That’s it,” Tanner said, turning to go. “We’re heading back to Calisto Grandee.”
“Wait! I can tell you this.”
Tanner regarded her.
“Lord Acton is an Earthman,” Ursa said.
“What?”
“It’s true. He was born on Manhome. He knows the ancient legends and is privy to much of their higher understanding.”
“The man’s from Earth?” Tanner asked, bemused. “I guess that means Lacy is also from Earth.”
“I don’t think so.”
“Then, how can she be his niece?”
“I don’t know the precise situation between them.”
“Is saying she’s his niece a euphuism for she being his lover?”
“No,” Ursa said. “Don’t be absurd. Lord Acton is the danger and our great hope. He actually belongs to the Institute of Man.”
Tanner shook his head. He had no idea what that was supposed to mean or why it should matter.
“The Institute is a powerful, semi-secret organization centered on Manhome,” Ursa said. “They have many degrees of service or levels, many ranks. I’ve heard it said that within the Institute resides all of humanity’s previous knowledge. It is the reason why Acton has poisons that can render an individual open to his suggestions. It’s the reason he can control the Lithians. More to the point, it is how Acton has the knowledge Remus can use to free itself.”
“Why would the Institute want to help us?” Tanner asked.
“I don’t know.”
“Acton hasn’t told you?”
“No.”
“Do you trust him?”
“No.”
“Then why are you working with him?”
“Because our homeworld has no other choice,” Ursa said. “The situation is dire and Lord Acton is our last hope.”
“Why is your brother acting as a sentry?”
“In case Acton walks the corridors looking for you or us. I don’t want him to know that you are aware of his identity yet.”
“Why would that matter?”
Ursa seemed reluctant to say. She hugged herself, finally saying, “Because I’m certain at this point Acton would kill you in order to keep his identity secret.”
Tanner laughed once, sharply. “Lady, instead of making things clearer, you’ve made them murkier. I still don’t understand anything about this supposedly unique weapon that we dare not wield.”
“None of that is going to matter if we can’t get out of the Nostradamus System.”
“Okay,” Tanner said. “I can see that. It might help me though if you would give me the hyperdrive coordinates to wherever we’re headed.”
Ursa thought about that. “Yes, I can do that. Once we reach the hyperdrive region, you can lay a course for the Petrus System.”
“Petrus!” Tanner exclaimed. “That’s madness. It’s a pile of rocks, a blasted system—”
“I know all that,” Ursa said, interrupting. “But the system also has the Petrus Hideaway.”
“You’re kidding, right? The hideaway is a lawless port full of swindlers, cutthroats and pirates.”
“Precisely,” Ursa said. “It’s the perfect place to buy new torpedoes as well as certain other refinements your raider is going to need.”
“If we make it out of Nostradamus System alive,” Tanner said.
“Centurion, you’ve been to Petrus Hideaway two other times.”
“How do you know that? Never mind. Maximus must have told you. I was lucky to get away last time. Bounty hunters are not well loved at the hideaway.”
“I understand. Bounty hunters are hated there, in fact. Those at Petrus call them weasels and have a de-weaseling organization to check each ship coming into port.”
“Okay. You know about that. Now you realize why we can’t go there.”
“We must go there,” Ursa said. “It’s the only place you’re going to be able to purchase a cloaking device for the raider.”
Tanner became blank-faced. “Do you realize how much money a cloaking device would cost?”
“A vast sum,” Ursa said.
“More than my raider is worth,” Tanner added. “If we’re carrying that kind of wealth…we’d be fools to take it to the Petrus Hideaway.”
Ursa smiled. “Don’t you understand yet? That’s what this is: a fool’s mission. That’s why we chose you.”
Tanner bristled.
The hatch opened, and Marcus stuck his head in. “You’d better wrap it up. Acton is awake and he’s heading for the captain’s quarters.”
-13-
Tanner beat Lord Acton to his quarters. The centurion rummaged in his bulkhead drawers, finally pulling out a pair of leather gloves. By the time he slipped them on, the hatch chime rang.
“Okay,” Tanner whispered to himself, squaring his shoulders. He took a deep breath and opened the hatch.
Lord Acton had added a cape to his attire and held an ivory cane. The Earthman seemed to take in Tanner at a glance.
Tanner felt as if Acton noted the gloves in particular.
The Earthman’s head swayed the tiniest fraction. He raised the cane as if making a mental adjustment. The top of the cane had a golden lion head on it. He let the lion head tap against Tanner’s chest.
Already keyed up, Tanner grabbed the cane, yanking it out of Acton’s grip, tossing it into his quarters so it clattered onto the floor.
Acton’s eyebrows rose, and he made to brush past Tanner, no doubt to retrieve his cane.
“Not so fast,” Tanner said, blocking the way.
With a thrust of his arm, Acton shoved Tanner aside, hurling him against a bulkhead, making the centurion’s back thump against it.
He’s strong like Lacy, Tanner realized. The next moment, he drew his gun, aiming it at Acton.
“Touch the cane and I’ll kill you.”
Something in Tanner’s voice m
ust have convinced the Earthman. Acton halted, turning around, taking in the gun aimed at his chest.
“You have primitive emotions,” Acton said in his odd accent, “much too easily engaged. I suggest—”
Tanner thumbed back the hammer. Every instinct screamed at him to gun down the Earthman in cold blood. There was something very off about Acton. He was more than dangerous. For this instant in time, he seemed like a virus out to destroy the galaxy.
Acton inclined his head in a smooth, polished manner. “I see I miscalculated concerning you. I don’t often do that. Will you retrieve my cane for me?”
“Get out of my quarters! You have a second to comply.”
Acton inclined his head once again, as if the threat didn’t truly concern him. With a swirl of his cape, he moved to the hatch.
Tanner backed away to keep space between them. The impulse to shoot almost made his gun hand shake. What was wrong with him? The man had tossed him aside much too easily, that was true. Did that sting his pride so much that he was willing to murder the man?
“Captain,” Acton said from the corridor. “If you will permit me—”
Tanner pressed the switch that shut the hatch. He locked it a second later. Holstering the gun, he went to the cane. Grabbing it where he’d seen Acton hold it, he raised it, carefully examining the lion head. He couldn’t see anything resembling a spike.
Putting it back on the floor, Tanner unzipped his jacket, shrugging it off. He searched for a pinprick, but couldn’t find one.
Tanner rubbed his chest where the lion head had struck. He didn’t feel any different. He’d assumed that Acton had seen his gloved hands and tried to dose him with toxins another way. It appeared he had been wrong.
Putting his leather jacket back on, Tanner picked up the cane. He tested it. The lion head twisted with a click. He pulled a sword out of the ivory cane-case.
The chime rang.
Tanner shoved the sword back into its holder, twisting the lion head so it locked. The Earthman hadn’t dosed him again, but the man was far stronger than he appeared.
The chime rang again.
Tanner had to make a fast decision. How was he going to handle Acton? Ursa said he had the antidote to the Coalition. It would appear he had overacted against the man.
The idea of someone trying to control him…enraged Tanner like nothing else could. Maybe the arm-swing toss had been a freak occurrence.
The centurion opened the hatch, handing the cane to Acton lion-head first.
The Earthman nodded, taking the cane, tapping the end on the deck. “I did not mean to presume, Captain. I have heard about some of your exploits. I imagine a man in your profession must have hair-trigger responses. Rest assured that I am no threat to you. The cane is an heirloom. I forgot myself and wished to retrieve it immediately.”
“It appears we understand each other,” Tanner said.
“Assuredly,” Acton said. “You are a man of action, of purpose and with great pride. I will not forget that.”
That almost sounded like a threat.
“Now,” Acton said, “let us consider this matter forgotten. Otherwise…”
Tanner raised an eyebrow.
Acton moved his lips in the approximation of a smile. There was no humor or good will in it, though. A smiling puppet would have been more convincing.
“I have considerable…assets,” Acton said. “Neither of us should presume concerning the other. If you should aim your weapon at me again…” The Earthman let his unspoken threat hang in the air.
“If you don’t like having a gun aimed at you,” Tanner said, “don’t give me cause to do it.”
“Yes,” Acton said, as if speaking to himself. “You have received a fair warning from me. That will suffice for now.”
Tanner itched to draw his gun again just to see what Mr. Big Shot would do. Sometimes, though, discretion really was the better part of valor.
The Earthman’s eyes seemed to drink in Tanner’s reactions or lack thereof. “We have settled the issue, I see,” Acton said. “That leads me to the reason for my late-night visit. I have detected a problem.”
“Yeah?” asked Tanner.
“Your particle beam emitter has malfunctioned.”
A cold feeling blossomed in Tanner’s gut. “How could you know that?” he whispered.
The Earthman showed his teeth. Maybe he thought it was another smile. “In your way of thinking, I am like the legendary Shand of lore. I have… techno-miraculous abilities that would astound you. Fortunately for you and Remus, I am on your side.”
“That doesn’t answer my question.”
“But it does,” Acton said. “I know because I am like a Shand. That is like saying a wolf knows a deer is in the woods because it can sniff the deer’s scent. I have ‘sniffed’ out your dilemma, as it were.”
“Let’s say you were right,” Tanner said, guardedly.
“If I were right, I would like to help you fix the weapon, particularly as the raider is without torpedoes.”
“You can’t—” Tanner was going to say, “You can’t know that.” But clearly, the man did know.
“My mechanic is working on a replacement relay for the accelerator.”
“By mechanic you mean the Avernus apeman?” asked Acton.
“Do you have a problem with that?”
“I assume you are referring to the common Remus bigotry directed towards those of Avernus. I have none of those biases, I assure you.”
“Fine,” Tanner said. “What’s your—” Again, the centurion cut himself off. The Earthman was speaking graciously. Maybe the man really was trying to get along with him. It was time for a new direction with Acton.
“I appreciate your thoughtfulness, Lord,” Tanner said. “It is probable that Greco will fail to manufacture a new relay in time for combat.”
“I have come to the same conclusion. It is why I am offering you help in manufacturing the relay.”
“The workshop is small—”
“I have failed to make my meaning plain,” Acton said, interrupting. He reached into an interior coat pocket, the one with tails, and withdrew a shiny main relay for an accelerator.
Tanner’s jaw dropped.
“Please,” Acton said, thrusting it forward. “Take it.”
“How did you…?” Tanner asked, taking the relay.
“I have told you how, Captain. I am like a Shand. I have mysterious means. Normally, I keep this information to myself. The Varus twins do not know about it, but I’m sure you will inform them. I don’t mind, as I understand the nature…well, I understand human nature all too well concerning these matters.”
“Okay. If this relay works—”
“Captain, I ask that you do not insult me. The part works. It will be the last part in the accelerator to fail.”
Tanner weighed it in his hand. It seemed heavier than the broken relay Greco had pulled out of the accelerator.
“I did not intend any insult, Lord.”
“Your apology is accepted, Captain. Until tomorrow, then. I wish you a restful night.”
Acton tapped the deck with the end of his cane, turned and headed down the corridor to his quarters.
Tanner clutched the part. He hadn’t apologized because he hadn’t tried to insult the man. He’d wanted to tell Acton that his words hadn’t been an apology, but had decided that wouldn’t help things between them.
He studied the part. Would it work? Why was it heavier than the original? It was time to see Greco and find out.
***
“It works all right,” Greco said, later. “Do you want me to test fire the emitter to make sure?”
Tanner stood on the floor near a removed plate. Greco was lower down inside the accelerator. The centurion crouched so he could speak more easily to his friend.
“Doesn’t that strike you as weird?” Tanner asked.
“Which part?” Greco asked.
“That Acton had the needed part.”
“Not if he’
s a Shand,” Greco said.
“I’ve never heard of whatever that is. What’s a Shand supposed to be anyway?”
“They were a strange group of technologically advanced miracle-workers before the Great Break Up.”
The Great Break Up had been the destruction of the Old Federation with far too many planets losing the science of hyperdrive. Some had fallen out of industrialism and back into bronze ages where champions fought with swords and spears.
“Their understanding of science seemed miraculous to ordinary people,” Greco said. “They were instrumental in the final defeat of the cyborgs.”
“Ancient history, in other words,” Tanner said with a shrug.
“I wouldn’t dismiss it, boss. The man did give us the right part. We might actually have a weapon now. That’s huge.”
“Or we may be putting a Trojan horse into our only real weapon.”
“Why would Acton do that?” Greco asked.
“I have no idea,” Tanner said. “I just know I don’t trust him. I’m not sure I trust brother or sister Varus much either. But at least they’re not freaks.”
Greco shrugged. “At the moment there’s not much we can do about any of that. We have—”
“No. We can do something.”
“What’s that?” Greco asked.
“I want you to finish making the relay in your workshop.”
“Boss, are you serious? I’m exhausted. I want to crash—”
“I’m not saying do it right now. Get your sleep and then keep manufacturing the part. If Acton is going to spring a threat on us later, I want to have an alternative.”
“You’re making life hard on me,” Greco said.
“The last four years have been hard on all three of us.”
“I know. I’m just saying, with the part already installed—”
“Quit your complaining. I need to tell you a few things.” Tanner proceeded to tell Greco the evening’s incidents, including the mind-altering palm grease.
“So Acton is an Earthman,” Greco whispered later. “Do you believe that’s true?”
“If Acton is a Shand, he doesn’t have to belong to the Manhome Institute. He already has crazy powers, right? He gave us this piece, and he knew the accelerator wasn’t working.”
Star Raider Page 9
