“Don’t tell me—now you’re looking for revenge, eh?” Gareth’s voice was scathing. “From all I’ve learned about the Bikashi, what you describe is common enough, and the Bikashi code of honor would never allow you to betray your own people for something so trivial.”
“Let him speak.” Hickory’s intuition caught an air of tragedy surrounding this alien. There is more to his story.
Sikona’s eyes blinked and he nodded at Gareth. “You are correct, earthman. The Bikashi way is harsh and unforgiving, but some things are acceptable, and others are not. I endured my banishment, unjust though it was. For two years, I lived from hand to mouth begging for scraps from strangers. Then, a friend at the camp told me my Directorate had been murdered and his brother, one by the name of Jolphyr, had replaced him as Science Directorate. The talk around camp said Jolphyr was the leader of a gang of insurrectionists intent on seizing political control, and he’d arranged his own brother’s killing to facilitate that—”
Hickory interrupted. “Is such a thing possible on Auriga? My understanding is the Warlord is all-powerful, his position unassailable.”
“Normally, that is so. But Kabutai is old and will leave no heirs. And Jolphyr is ambitious as well as ruthless. Even so, I did not immediately accept the rumors but followed his deeds from afar. I witnessed him systematically rid himself of all in his employ not of his beliefs and arm those who were loyal. Jolphyr turned out to be very like his brother. He intimidated the families of any who might prove dangerous to his cause.
“My father was an honest farmer, but blunt. When he spoke out against him, Jolphyr had my mother flogged and afterward gave her to his men as a plaything. He threw her into the street after his men were done with her. Ravitik showed courage and demanded the authorities give him justice. Five days later, a gang of Jolphyr’s thugs hanged him in the public square. His dead body was cut into pieces and fed to the wild Predirs. Jolphyr denied accountability. My mother died a few months later. I do not know whether my sister suffered a similar fate. In all this time, the Crazket did nothing to stop him.”
His face had remained impassive throughout, but Hickory could feel the turmoil and anguish within.
He stared at Hickory. “Some things are not acceptable.”
Hickory shook her head. “I believe you speak the truth, but not all the truth. There is another chapter to your tale.”
Gareth’s top lip curled. “I knew it, eh? You Bikashi can’t lie straight in bed. You’re no different from the rest of them, are you?”
Hickory glanced at her stepfather. If Gareth didn’t rein in his consuming hatred of the Bikashi, there was little chance the Admiral would allow him to join the mission. And she already had a feel for how imperative it was they all go. “Gareth…”
Gareth’s head jerked to Hickory, and the fire left his eyes. “My apologies, Cap. I lost it for a second. You know how hard it is to trust anything a Bikashi says, but if you figure he’s telling us the truth, that’s good enough for me. Just so long as you don’t expect me to share a room with him.”
Hickory shared a smile with Jess. They both knew if it came to it, Gareth would share a bed with the devil on her say-so.
“When you heard about the death of your parents, what did you do?” asked Jess.
The Bikashi’s eyes flickered. “I was…advised…to flee the city, but I realized nowhere within the shield-wall of Kaffur was safe for me, so I smuggled aboard an outbound freighter the first chance I got then jumped ship and headed for the Janus system. That was where I met the Dark Suns.”
The Dark Suns. Memories of her two dead friends coursed through Hickory. Jakah and Saurab had been members of the notorious smuggler group. Both were with her on the mission to Erlach, and both were killed by the rampaging Riv-Amok in the city of Kandromena. She missed their companionship and their dry humor.
Gareth stirred in his chair.
Hickory recalled he hadn’t trusted Jakah or Saurab either at first, but even he had to admit they’d proved true.
Gareth glanced at Hickory, then asked the Admiral, “Sir, how did Sikona come to find out about this top-secret mission?”
The Admiral straightened in his seat and joined his hands together. “Luck, really. We were on a routine patrol and came across a fleet of Dark Suns sniffing around Prosperine. He was among the mob we picked up. I was intrigued to find a Bikashi working with the Suns, and even more surprised when he told me about a space capsule the Bikashi navy had brought home with them to Auriga. We went from there.”
Hickory’s pulse raced. She stared at the Admiral, flustered. “Sir, is this the same capsule from the Arc? Was it intact?” What if the Teacher was inside after all?
Sikona interrupted. “I have not seen the capsule, but others have. One who works in the factory said his master believes there is a weapon of great power inside, another told me it contains the remains of an ancient warrior. The supreme command has taken great interest in it, but at the time I left Auriga, it remained unopened.”
A guess, or do they know something we don’t? “So, you’re looking for revenge? You plan to kill this Jolphyr?”
“With your help.” The Bikashi glanced at the Admiral, who nodded.
“That’s the deal, Hickory. Sikona will guide you across the desert and farmlands and past the outcast townships as far as the gates of Kaffur. After that, you go your own way. You find the Sword and Sikona will attend to his business.”
#
After the meeting closed, Hickory gathered Sikona, Jess, and Gareth around a table for some preliminary planning discussions.
“We have to be mad, all of us.” Gareth shook his head, still trying to come to terms with their decision to take on the mission to Auriga. “Talk about going into the lion’s den, eh? And why? On the remote possibility the Sword of Connat survived a nuclear explosion.” He snorted.
Hickory understood. It was natural Gareth would feel dubious about the prospect of infiltrating the Bikashi capital. But they were all worried, she as much as anyone. The Admiral had finally laid out the plan. Go to Auriga, get the Sword, bring it back. Easy for him to say.
“I don’t suppose Auriga will be any more dangerous than radiation paradise,” said Jess, referring to Prosperine. “I doubt we’ll meet any carnivorous plants or violators.”
Gareth’s eyes lit up. “Oh, those guys were just pets, mother. Mind you, I don’t think they appreciated having their tongues ripped out.”
All three grinned. Jess’s last gasp defense, when attacked by the soot-black violators, had taken on the mantle of legend between them.
The Bikashi had been listening to them in silence, and now said, “There are many hazards on Auriga, including marauding wolf-dogs and radiation sickness, but the biggest danger is to underestimate the magnitude of the challenge we face.”
Hickory pursed her lips. Not much chance of that as far as I’m concerned. Although it doesn’t seem to be worrying the others.
Jess glanced at him sideways. “Perhaps you could tell us more about your planet, Sikona.”
“There’s too much to recount at one time. But if you want, I can start with Auriga’s genesis. The story has been handed down through the generations—part reality, part fantasy. A fairy tale, is that the expression?”
Hickory was intrigued. Her knowledge of the Bikashi and their ways had been accumulated from old war documents and her personal experience dealing with Vogel and his shock troops on Prosperine. Sikona’s description of how he was forced to leave Auriga corroborated what she already knew. In essence, the Bikashi were a savage, warlike people, untrustworthy and without integrity. She suspected this was a simplistic view. Hence, any intelligence about the planet or the Bikashi people was of interest. She nodded for him to continue.
Sikona breathed deeply and spoke as though reading a sermon from a holy book, “At the beginning of time, there were two celestial brothers named Goshe and Auriga. They traveled through the void together for many years, searching for Ceti, th
e one who gave them life. The eldest, Goshe, possessed a temperate nature and it was his desire to create beings of wonder from his dreams. Many were the accomplishments of Goshe, but by far his most beautiful was the Hasrou people, and the most exquisite of the Hasrou was Roselle. Her voice was as the sound of nature and her smile like to the rising sun.
“Goshe’s younger brother, Auriga, was brave and ambitious. He liked to play tricks on his brother and often went on long adventures to unknown places. He created the Bikashi people in his own image. Auriga’s offspring liked nothing better than delving into nooks and crannies and seeking out strange and new objects. Of all the Bikashi, Herminius was Auriga’s favorite. He was renowned amongst his people as the bravest and most skilled hunter.
“It is told that one day, as Herminius was walking in the hills far from home, he came upon a cave. A whisper, like the sighing of the wind, reached him from inside and Herminius, being curious of mind, made his way toward the source.
“It was warm and dark inside, and he placed a hand against the wall to steady his step. In this way, he came upon the mind of Auriga. To listen to Auriga’s thoughts was forbidden, but the Bikashi pressed on, hoping to catch a glimpse of the immortal. Presently, he grew aware of a second voice. Auriga was in conversation with his brother, Goshe, and they were discussing the merits of their creations.
‘My people are brave, but the bravest is Herminius,’ said Auriga.
Herminius’s heart swelled with pride to hear Auriga talk of him so.
‘The Hasrou are truly beautiful, and the most graceful is Roselle.’ Goshe caused an image of his favorite to appear in Auriga’s mind, and Herminius spied the vision and was smitten.
“Each night from then on, Herminius would look to the sky seeking Goshe, where Roselle lived. His dreams were filled with images of the Hasrou maiden, and he resolved he would find the path to her and make her his own, regardless of the danger and passage of time.
“Many years went by before a magician arrived on Auriga with amazing tricks and magical devices. He was popular and needed an assistant to collect the gifts at the end of each show. Herminius agreed to be apprenticed to him for three years, and as a reward, the magician taught the Bikashi how to fly. Herminius spent many months building mechanical wings of metal, and eventually he flew to Goshe. He searched long before he found Roselle living with her mother’s people, but Roselle’s mother would not allow Herminius to take her away.
“Consumed with desire, Herminius returned at night and persuaded Roselle to flee with him. They had hardly reached the new home Herminius had built when the Hasrou arrived demanding Roselle’s return. Herminius refused, but the Hasrou told Roselle her mother was close to death such was her grief, and they convinced her to return with them.
“Overcome with sorrow and bitterness, Herminius swore to bring Roselle back. He searched her planet with a band of his kinsmen, but Goshe made Roselle and her family invisible to him. Herminius and his kinfolk laid waste to the countryside, and the Hasrou fled in fear before him. The Bikashi warriors took many of the Hasrou as their prisoners back to Auriga and killed many more. Then, Herminius found Roselle, freed from Goshe’s spell, dead on the battlefield. Consumed with grief, he swore to put Auriga’s God-brother to the sword.
“Seeing the loss of his beautiful creations, Goshe cursed his brother for having created the Bikashi, and departed to spend his days wandering the universe.’
“That is the story of Auriga and Goshe.” Sikona fell silent.
Gareth stared at Sikona, open-mouthed. “It’s…that’s ridiculous. Surely, you don’t believe any of that?”
The Bikashi stretched to his full seven-foot frame and glared at Gareth. “This is part of our creation myth. Like all such stories, there is some truth in it, but mainly it was written thus by the ancients of our race to make it easy for the Bikashi to understand and remember their origin.
“Two things I can attest to, human. Auriga is a lone planet orbiting the sun, Ceti. But there is evidence a second planet existed at one time. Indeed, our scientists think our fragmented moon which we now call Goshe was at one time part of a double planet structure—Goshe and Auriga. The asteroid belt in orbit around Auriga is further evidence of a possible earlier or failed planet. The second indisputable fact is this: Eighty percent of Auriga’s surface remains uninhabitable, made so by a nuclear war more than two thousand years before our time.
“The people on Auriga are made up of five castes who live on the remaining twenty percent of usable land. The first four castes are as you see before you—all Bikashi, divided according to wealth, influence and family. Before my expulsion, I was of the third caste. The fourth is the criminal ranks to which I now belong. The fifth caste is not of the Bikashi race; they are a different species. Is it simply by chance the Lakedwellers serve the Bikashi?”
“They’re called Lakedwellers? What do they look like?” asked Jess, sitting to attention.
Sikona hesitated.
Hickory rose to her feet. “Go on. What do they look like?”
“The Lakedwellers look like you. They are diseased and unclean, but there is little difference to my eyes.”
#
“Sir, did you know there is a race of humans living on Auriga?” Hickory had requested a private meeting.
The Admiral motioned for her to sit down. “From the description Sikona gave us, these unfortunates do appear to be humanoid, but God knows where they came from. It’s unknown for two intelligent species to co-exist for any length of time on a single planet. I find it interesting in all the years we’ve known the Bikashi there’s been no mention of a second race on Auriga.”
Hickory could hardly believe it. Humans living in service, virtually slaves, to aliens on a planet at the far end of the galaxy? It beggared belief they originated from Earth. But then, if not Earth, where? She seized on the Admiral’s skepticism. “I suppose they could look humanoid without being human. Perhaps Sikona’s description overstated the similarity to Earth people.” She wondered again about Sikona’s creation story. Maybe there was more truth to it than there seemed at first look.
“Captain?” The Admiral raised an eyebrow.
“Might it be a way into the city, sir?” said Hickory.
“Passing yourselves off as slaves might work if you’re similar in appearance to them, but doing so would place you in great danger. From what Sikona told me, Lakedwellers are treated poorly and can be disciplined by any Bikashi who feels they’ve stepped out of line. A tongue lashing would be the least you could expect, and you would need to tolerate any indignity if you were to survive such an encounter.”
“I’m not sure I would make a convincing Bikashi warrior even with the help of a maquillage, sir.”
“My thoughts exactly, Captain. We’re still working on a plausible penetration strategy, but I feel our best chance lies with Sikona. We don’t know what the conditions are like except what Sikona has told us. This mission falls into the extreme risk category, but I must attempt it, even if I’m reliant on you coming up with something once you’re on the ground.”
Extreme risk? More like extreme probability of failure, thought Hickory. Would he be at all concerned if I didn’t make it back? I don’t suppose I have much choice about it if Cortherien agreed. She banished the thought. “What about extraction? We’ll need a lift home.”
“Any communication with the fleet is certain to be noticed. You should only call me in an emergency or when your mission is concluded and you want us to pick you up.”
“So, we’re on our own?”
“Brandt will provide you with a device to expand the range of your SIM and some signal amplifiers for you to drop off at appropriate intervals between here and Auriga. Time is of the essence, Captain. You’ll have to rely on Sikona to fill you in on further details about the planet. You and your team should get a good night’s sleep. I’m sure it’ll be the last you get for a while. You head off tomorrow on the Jabberwocky.”
CHAPTER 5
Perspiration dripped from Hickory’s chin as she forced the virtual road bike to climb higher and faster. She glanced at her heart rate monitor—one hundred and ninety—and switched to descent mode. In less than thirty seconds her pulse plunged to sixty beats per minute. She spun the wheels for a further ten minutes to cool down and then headed to the shower.
Feeling refreshed, Hickory dressed then wrapped the homespun robe around her body kimono-style and pulled the sash tight around her waist. She looked at her reflection in the mirror. Sikona had been less than helpful in describing the dress of a female Lakedweller, explaining he had never paid much attention to the Lakedwellers on the planet. Hickory figured that was probably a good thing—most other Bikashi would likely be as heedless of the slaves. The robes Jess had fashioned were nondescript enough to pass without comment, she hoped.
She contemplated her Bikashi guide. Could she trust him? The answer was an emphatic no. I’ll need to be on my guard at all times. His story of the Sword of Connat being brought to Auriga lacked detail. She only hoped it was true.
Her cabin door buzzed. She replaced the robe in her locker and released the security. The door slid open and Jess stormed in. She wore a disgruntled look and folded her arms as she slumped down into one of three chairs positioned around a small table. “I’d have thought a captain would warrant a classier apartment than this,” she said, glancing around. “It’s not much bigger than mine, although you’ve got three chairs and an exercise bike.”
“In the case of the Jabberwocky, rank does not have its privileges, I’m afraid. Believe it or not, this is the admiral’s cabin when he’s on board, although the bike is a special request. Normally, I’d only rate two chairs.” Hickory laughed at the look of indignation on her friend’s face, then sighed. “Okay, what’s the problem? You didn’t come here to complain about your cabin.” She raised an inquisitive eyebrow.
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