by Alma Boykin
The striped brown Azdhag shook his head. “None, my lord. The humans and some strangers took them off into the woods three days ago, just before an afternoon rain storm, but we lost the trail when we snuck out that night.”
Rada thought hard. “It’s not easy to hide two juniors, let alone twelve, plus two females. And we didn’t see any of them at Burnt Mountain.” The juniors and females disappeared about the time her spy vanished and the Wanderer started getting a very bad feeling in her stomach. Aloud she assured the anxious reptile, “I’ll send the scouts out and put word on the radio.”
After he finished the rest of his report, Rada caught one of her men who had just woken up from a nap. “Corporal, after you get something to eat I want you to take two others and search all the manor storage rooms and cellars for weapons caches, supplies and anything odd. Start with the upper levels, since they’re used the least, and work your way down to the low cellars.” He saluted and trotted off, leaving her to wait and hope that her hunch was wrong.
Half an hour later a rough voice called “Lord Ni Drako, Lord Ni Drako!” and one of the soldiers skidded up to where she stood in the courtyard, confirming the Steward’s plan for distributing supplies. “You need to come to the cellars, my lord.” As soon as she started moving the soldier sped into a run, Rada hard on his heels and ignoring her aching leg. She made no pretense of dignity as she charged down the steps, almost tripping in her haste. Two more soldiers waited for her, as did Sergeant Biss.
“This way,” he said. “ My lord, you need to know that the humans claimed this part of the keep and forbade the staff to enter.” They ducked into the unused part of the lowest storage area, the one Ni Drako’s people normally reserved for aging seasonal meat surpluses. Biss handed her a torch and she flicked it on.
“God damn those fucking sons of bitches!” she swore. “Dirt-eating, sister-screwing bastards of pox-ridden spaceport whores!” Rada relapsed to the vocabulary of her earlier mercenary days as she looked at the bodies of the missing juniors and females. The professional part of her mind analyzed the visible wounds, blaster burns for the most part, while the rest howled in rage. You gutless, honorless sons of slime mold murdered my people. My defenseless, harmless people, the ones I swore to protect. Lord Ni Drako took a deep breath of the blood and fewmet tainted air of the abattoir and turned to her sergeant. He recoiled from her expression, backing out of the way of her deadly quiet words. “Sergeant Biss, please ask for volunteers to bring the remains up to the courtyard so their relatives can claim them. Tell the Steward to have the juniors and Uncles gather wood, enough for the pyres.” Then she returned the torch and strode out of the cell, rigid with anger.
“My lord?” the corporal called after her. She stopped mid-stride, then turned to him, silent. “My lord, we’ve found something else you should see,” and he flattened himself against the corridor wall as two other troopers carried a silvery blue True-dragon out of a beer cellar. Oh thank You God, Rada breathed, carefully not rushing to her friend’s side. Rada laid a gentle hand on the reptile’s head, reaching with her other talent to ease the pain of bruises and scrapes. Zabet didn’t respond and Rada started to panic, then caught herself. “Take my concubine to my quarters, please, and call the Healer to look in on her. And have food and drink waiting for me.”
Sergeant Biss growled as he watched his soldiers carry the last of the small bodies up the steps and lay them out in the courtyard of the manor house. Lord Ni Drako was there, forefeet fisted tight, silver eye burning with anger. The Daimyo of Singing Pines and Burnt Mountain had ordered the gates closed after sending a messenger to the village to notify the families of the missing to come to the keep for news. Everything within the keep walls had come to a halt and in the stillness Lord Ni Drako’s words rolled as loudly as thunder.
“Those who committed this atrocity are already dead. But know this: I will find out who ordered it, and if they are still alive, they will be brought to justice. No one murders the defenseless and escapes unpunished. No one,” and he knelt beside the smallest body, caressing the little green muzzle before standing again. Biss noticed that his lord’s forefoot dripped blood from where claws had cut flesh. “By my blood and on my honor, this I swear. Let it be known.” With that Ni Drako turned, leaving the deadly silent courtyard to the manor folk and soldiers. The Steward and Sergeant followed their lord with their eyes, but said nothing. Then the Steward made a sign to the males at the gate. “Let the people in,” and the families of the missing came to claim their own.
Rada stalked to her private quarters, where the manor Healer and an assistant were working on her “concubine.” At the Healer’s nod Rada sat on the sleeping platform and took her friend’s head in her lap, adding her own skills to the others’.
Zabet’s eyes were cloudy when she finally opened them. <
Rada caressed her friend’s battered ears and massaged her neck. “You’re in my quarters and safe, Boss. We’re recaptured Singing Pines and Burnt Mountain both.”
The True-dragon tried to move, then subsided, exhausted. The Healer patted her lord’s concubine and explained, ”My lord, we were able to get some food into her and she swallowed a goodly amount of water. Lady Zabet is dehydrated and hungry. She also suffers from deep muscle bruises.” At Rada’s suspicious look, the Healer nodded, “It seems that she was beaten, Lord Mammal. But she should recover as soon as she gets some rest and nourishment.” As she spoke, one of her assistants tried to get Zabet to drink some more. When that was not successful, the two medics lifted the silver head and spooned the thick beverage into Zabet’s muzzle, then stroked her throat so she swallowed. The True-dragon managed to drink all the herb-rich mixture before falling into a deep sleep.
Rada worked to hide her feelings. “Thank you. She would be quite expensive to replace,” she casually observed. I’m not fooling you, am I?
The Healer gave Rada a sideways look and twirled her tail tip. “Indeed, Lord Mammal.” She bowed before departing to see to her other patients.
After the Azdhagi healer left, Rada laid Zabet’s head on a pillow and got up, finally breaking her own long fast. She read through the reports and messages coming in, making notes of those that needed immediate action. Rada, tired and focused on the task at hand, failed to notice an unusually strong herbal taste in the stew.
The soldiers stationed outside their lord’s personal quarters listened attentively until they heard a quiet “thump” from inside the door. They snuck in, pulled the sleeping noble off his desk and stretched him out beside his concubine, then covered both with a light quilt before resuming their positions. “How long will he be out?” the corporal asked.
“Sergeant says at least five hours. And not to let Lord Mammal hurt the healer after he wakes up.” The two soldiers lapsed back into silence.
Chapter 2: A Rendezvous with Death
The pain of claws on her chest woke the mammal. “Wha? Huh?” She struggled out of her haze as Zabet’s talons pricked her skin.
<
“Even I’m not suicidal enough to try to take on a platoon of better-armed professionals in a fortified position, and me with only four soldiers and six hunters!” Rada snapped, then caught herself. She lay still as Zabet vented. After a bit the claws lifted.
<
“I know. We grabbed weapons but not soap, silver dancer. I’m surprised the humans didn’t smell me coming,” the Wanderer replied, heading for the small bathing area attached to her rooms, calling over her shoulder, “And I’m glad to see you, too!” She emerged damp but happier and Zabet handed her “lord” a cup of tea. “I’m also surprised they didn�
��t loot my quarters,” Rada said as she finished dressing and arming.
Zabet looked smug. <
“Good Lord, Boss, you were lucky! And you probably won’t be the only female. There are a few hunters that I have my suspicions about, not that I’m going to ask. Now let’s go get some breakfast and see what I have to work with, besides one squad of veterans and two manors of pissed-off peasants.”
Lord Ni Drako led the way to the manor’s smaller dining hall, the one used when the King-Emperor was not in residence. All the guards not on duty and a number of the manor staff were already eating, and their lord and his concubine joined them, taking their place at the head table. As they ate, a messenger brought several pages of notes for the Lord Defender, who skimmed them as he worked her way through the meal. The soldiers finished first, and Ni Drako gestured for Sergeant Biss.
“Get everyone together here, Sergeant. Have Bala bring the maps.” In a few minutes thirty Azdhag soldiers gathered, waiting for the Lord Defender to finish. As soon as he did and a servant had whisked the dishes out of the way, Bala spread the map out over the broad table and Rada stood up.
She didn’t have to ask for silence for once, and she smiled, canine teeth bared. “First. Thank you for your hard work yesterday and the past sixts. You’ve done a very good job, and I won’t forget it. And I’ll make certain his Imperial Majesty knows, as well.” She met everyone’s eyes, reinforcing her praise. “We still have a long way to go, as you are well aware. The radio traffic shows that three of the Great Lords, Beerkali, Dissch, and Kirlin the Younger, are holding out on their estates.” She pointed to Skytouched, the Beerkali estate in the hills north of the Palace-Capitol complex. “My plan is first to establish contact with Beerkali and join his forces to ours. That will give us a lot more people and resources, and air support.” At someone’s cough, Rada nodded and gave the troopers a faintly twisted smile. “And armored vehicles. I know. I’ve been carefully ignoring House Beerkali’s little toys for a few centuries.” She outlined her general plan and invited, “Questions, observations, local knowledge?”
Someone raised their tail and she acknowledged them. “My Lord, that’s a lot of open ground to cover without air support.”
“We have air support, Corporal, just not much of it. Night’s Claw is undamaged and fully fueled and armed. Apparently whoever thinks they are in charge wanted the plane intact for their own use, but the humans hadn’t gotten through the bio-selective lock-outs yet. However, your point is still valid and I plan to depend on stealth more than on air support.” Rada pointed to two of the Imperial veterans turned hunters. “I want more scouts, preferably ones used to night work, if you can find them. We’re going to move hard and fast, Ancestors willing, and I don’t want to get flanked. Can you find me people?”
The two nodded. “Yes, Lord Defender. And we’ll probably get more as we move. These mammals are not winning any friends,” the older of the two said. “At least judging by what I hear.”
“Your sources on that are probably more reliable than mine.” Lord Ni Drako straightened up and issued her orders. “We cross the Zhangki River tonight. Biss, get us loaded onto two transports, as much weaponry as we can haul, and enough rations for a sixt. Bala, you and Scoutmaster Teerki put your heads together and figure out who to contact and who to avoid. Schriik,” and Ni Drako nodded at her communications specialist, “see if you can get through to Beerkali. Then start a rumor that we’re going to move downriver tomorrow, heading for Blacklands. Be creative,” she advised, and the corporal looked happy to oblige. “Once you finish, try to get some rest. We move out as soon as it’s dark.”
Another tail rose, this time from the rear of the group. “What about the civilians?”
“Evacuate Singing Pines, along with Burnt Mountain’s main settlement. I know” and Rada put her hands up to forestall comment, “it’s so close to harvest that we could lose part of next year’s supplies. But based on what’s already happened here, there will be reprisals and I don’t want to lose people and crops both. We’re dealing with Grey’s Raiders, and Grey’s Raiders don’t have the best reputation to put it mildly.” That satisfied the troopers and she dismissed them, then went looking for her Steward.
The villagers weren’t happy but moved quickly to evacuate Singing Pines. Some headed for the woods, others for Burnt Mountain. A few of the manor staff and three or four of the males from the village volunteered to stay behind to provide a semblance of life should anyone fly over. Rada also spoke to the families who had lost juniors or mates and dams, offering what comfort she could. She’d not attended the cremations—those were for the families and their priests, not their liege. Just before sunset the last of the civilians that intended to leave departed.
“That’s everyone, Lord Mammal,” Huntmaster Bala informed her.
She folded her arms. “Not quite,” she said, looking down at him. “I need you to go back to Burnt Mountain and keep an eye on things there.”
He reared up onto his hind legs, looming over her, “Lord Mammal! My hunters and I have led everything since this whole gut pile formed!”
“Yes, you have. Which is why the people at Burnt Mountain will listen to you if the need arises to evacuate there, or to throw out any more invasion attempts.” Rada let him consider her words, then continued, “You’re the best leader of irregular forces that I’ve worked with in quite a while, Bala. And that’s why I need you here, not with me.”
He grumbled, growled, and clawed some dirt before settling back onto all four legs and agreeing to stay behind with his hunters.
Forty Azdhag soldiers and a small True-dragon slipped across the Zhangki River under cover of darkness as a single aircraft flew low overhead. They avoided settlements as much as they could, as well as dodging the mercenaries’ and traitors’ patrols while they traveled east to Lord Beerkali’s lands. Just before dawn the soldiers finished putting camouflage over Ni Drako’s fighter and setting up camp. Ni Drako met with Scoutmaster Teerki, Biss, and Corporal Schriik.
“Any luck contacting Great Lord Beerkali?” she wanted to know as she devoured some jerky rations.
“Not yet, my lord, but according to the traitors’ radio chatter, he’s not only holding out, but managed to give them a good scare or two,” Biss told her. They all smiled at the news.
“Very good! I want as many scouts as we can spare to leave tonight and try to make contact with Beerkali’s people.” Things looked workable thus far, and Rada felt a hint more optimistic about their prospects, assuming she didn’t get shot down, assuming the Raiders didn’t have a second wave inbound, assuming no one had thought to turn the tracking satellites inwards to look for air traffic . . . And assuming makes you into an ass, as well as getting you shot in that ass, remember. She yawned. “Sorry.” Rada walked around to make certain that everyone was fed and accounted for, then told the corporal on duty that she’d take second watch. Then she joined Zabet in the shade under Night’s Claw and let the feline half of her take charge, falling asleep in an instant.
Two nights later Ni Drako’s troopers gathered a kliq from where the traitors and their mercenary liaison were camped. Everyone checked their weapons one last time, and the Lord Defender listened to the final reports from her scouts as Zabet and Biss inspected her armor. “I’ve been doing this for over a century, Sergeant,” she protested.
“No disrespect, my lord, but we can’t afford to lose you to a lucky shot,” the heavyset reptile had countered as he tugged
on her vest’s fittings. Even her threats to give him a battlefield commission had failed to make him back down, especially after Zabet agreed with him.
“Schriik has the signal for Beerkali’s commander?” Rada confirmed.
“Yes, my lord.” The Sergeant didn’t quite sigh.
Ni Drako’s troops achieved nearly complete surprise. As the Lord Defender and others observed when they analyzed events later, the traitors and mercenaries suffered from poor communications, to put it charitably. As a result, despite how Ni Drako’s people had taken the Imperial manors, the enemy investing Skytouched remained unprepared for a night attack. The traitors’ attention remained focused on Lord Beerkali’s forces, not anticipating an attack from the rear, and certainly not a night engagement. Rada’s Defenders moved quickly and quietly, neutralizing the few pickets, shooting single bursts on the run, and pushing well into the camp before most of the enemy even realized they’d come under attack. At that point Rada’s soldiers added to the chaos with shouts of “Azdhagia!” and flash grenades as well as more lethal surprises. Once they’d fully engaged, Corporal Schriik signaled Great Lord Beerkali’s troops and they sallied out, their cries of “Up Beerkali Hai!” adding to the Defenders’ yells and the screeches of the enemy. After a hard fight, the Defenders carried the field as the second moon rose over the horizon.
Lords Ni Drako and Beerkali met on the edge of the chaos that had once been the traitors’ camp. “Great Lord Beerkali,” Ni Drako saluted the old but still hale Azdhag noble. He rose up on his hind legs and gave her a formal, human-style salute.
“Lord Defender. Glad to see you this side of the Gates of Hell, and welcome to Skytouched.” He returned to all fours with a thump. “Thank you for the assist.”
“You’re very welcome! Excellent defenses and planning, my lord. You’ve done amazingly well,” Ni Drako complimented him.
