*
Ted bit back a scream as his head was slammed against the wall. Gavton was going all out this time. The officers he’d brought with him stood back, either watching or cursing at the computers on the December’s bridge. Ted thanked the stars that Trell’d had the foresight to lock everything vital down before he’d left. A thought crossed Ted’s mind then. When had he started believing in the Kolean faith? His thoughts were interrupted by yet another blast of searing pain.
“What are you planning? Where’s the rest of your crew?”
Ted opened his mouth, planning to say something obscene, but only a choking sound came out. Gavton had hurt him badly enough that he couldn’t talk. Maybe he couldn’t get enough air into the new lung, and Ted felt a wave of fear that the new lung had been damaged, but fortunately he was still able to breathe, albeit raggedly. Gavton pulled back a fist to hit him again.
The fuzzy incoming transmission on Gavton’s handheld was like a herald from the stars themselves. Gavton muttered a curse in Drevi and stepped away from Ted, who crumpled to the floor like a rag doll. Garbled Drevi was being spoken as Gavton listened. Initially, Ted didn’t bother to translate mentally what was being said. He found himself not caring anymore as constant waves of pain coursed through his body.
“But, General...” Gavton sputtered, unable to form a complete sentence. “My people have captured the December and the human who caused all of this...”
“I said pull out! I don’t care if you’ve got Kenneth Wood himself in custody. Orders from an emergency session of the Heads of the Houses. We are to cease all military action on Earth immediately pending an official investigation.”
Although Ted’s brain couldn’t focus on what was being said, he did know that Gavton’s attention was entirely focused on his handheld. Slowly, Ted began to crawl backwards towards the captain’s chair.
Gavton was furious. The will of a unanimous vote of all the Heads of the Houses on Dreve was the ultimate authority, and could even undermine an order from the Queen herself. Gavton knew he’d been beaten, but in his rage he didn’t seem to care. Letting out a furious roar, he lunged at Ted, as if to have his final revenge on the man who had defiled his family.
Ted reached under the captain’s chair and grabbed the pistol hidden underneath. He was shaking so hard he was amazed he could shoot straight, but he did, firing five vicious blasts into Gavton’s legs. He didn’t shoot to kill, but he was pretty sure Gavton wouldn’t be walking for a good long while.
Screaming, Gavton collapsed to the floor. The shiny new floor of the December’s bridge was now covered in Drevi blood as Gavton thrashed around. “Kill him! Kill him!” Gavton was shrieking as he was unceremoniously carried away by his officers, who were undoubtedly more afraid of defying the Heads of the Houses than they were of their captain, who was losing more and more of his sanity as the seconds ticked on.
The door to the bridge shut, and Ted was left all alone, sitting in front of his chair, pistol still clenched in his hand. Gavton’s unwanted interruption was all the proof he needed that his crew had succeeded. It was over.
XVIII
December Page 51
