Okay, they were nightmare images, but she’d seen similar in the Outlaw Sector. You couldn’t fight as a mercenary for warring lords without seeing savagery.
But what added to the nightmare were the shadows that flitted through the room and high up on the ceiling. A monstrous body rose, barely discernable to the eye but very real to Rani. It’s gilfwi. Itrth was so huge, it’s body so monstrous, that from the thighs down it disappeared into the floor, and from the chest up it disappeared into the ceiling. Huge muscles bulged obscenely, and several twitched as though something was trying to break out. A dull roaring came from overhead and she knew it originated from the monstrous form.
There was an argument brewing in the corner, the flash of a knife, and someone’s head spun out suddenly into the middle of the floor. A hound darted between people and picked it up by the hair, dragging the object quickly along the stone floor, leaving a pathway of blood in its wake.
What happened to the body, Rani had no idea.
A woman crawled out from beneath a pile of people, her clothes torn and her body bleeding. A man dragged her back into the groping, writhing, screaming mass of copulating people.
The bodies swung overhead, the hounds fought for blood and bone, uninhibited copulation was against the walls, and amongst it all, sipping their wine and discussing everyday affairs, sat other people.
The dining chamber of The Overlord’s fortress.
Welcome to Hell.
Rani had seen a lot of horrors, and many matched what she saw now, but never had she seen so many perversions all in one hit. She’d seen tortured bodies of the dead, she’d fought in wars and killed, she’d seen sexual degradation and rape, but never to this extent, and certainly not the half-seen, monstrous shadows that flickered along the walls where shadows shouldn’t be, the half-formed shapes that slid between the chaos.
And most hideous of all were those eating so politely amongst it.
Her stomach roiled, the water she’d swallowed threatening to erupt from her throat. The overload to her senses was almost too much. Her heart pounded in her ears. She wanted to shut her eyes, turn away, run, anything but watch the horrors below her.
Then she felt the cold hand on her shoulder, and glancing sideways she saw that it was milk white. The Overlord’s throne was behind her, his voice in her ear as he spoke softly.
“This is my world, Rani. These are the people I control. You think this is bad? This is only a peek at the atrocities that are committed here every day, a normal day in my fortress. Can you imagine if they spilled into the Lawful Sector? Can you imagine them doing to the Lawful what they do to each other? If they can do this here, what else might they do to the Lawful? The innocent?”
Moistening her dry lips, Rani forced herself to answer. “Are you saying there are no innocents here?” She looked across at the woman swaying on the end of the chain.
“She is no innocent. She killed and ate her children.”
“Then wouldn’t it be better to kill her in turn?”
“She has become part of the entertainment. Her torture and punishment are a reminder to all my people of what I am capable of.” The Overlord remained where he was. “Not one person in this fortress or in the Inner Sanctum is innocent, warrior. You would do well to remember that. These people have no mercy. They will kill, maim, torture, rape, some are cannibals, they do things you haven’t dreamed of. And I control them.”
“You allow them to continue.”
“I stop them from killing each other then spreading to the Lawful Sector.” His hand disappeared and he moved his throne back to the table.
The curtain fell, cuttey n fell,ing off the display of atrocities, and the sound faded as the shields moved back in place.
Heart thumping a sick tattoo, Rani turned and looked at Fredrico. No one here was innocent. What had this man done to be able to face what was down below and still manage to eat?
He returned her gaze but his eyes were now shadowed.
“So, warrior.” The Overlord reclaimed her attention. “Now perhaps you understand why it is so important that I retain a hold on the Inner Sanctum.”
Trying to force the images from her mind but knowing they were burned there for eternity, Rani forced her gaze to The Overlord. He didn’t look so odd now, but dangerous. His pink eyes held a malevolent glint she hadn’t noticed before and the thin mouth was a cruel slash.
One should never discount the enemy. An old lesson she should never forget.
“Why is it so important for you to stop the overtaking of the Lawful Sector?” Her voice was strong and steady even as she shook inside.
“There must always be a balance. Good and evil. The good feeds the evil, keeps us alive. If the good is destroyed, then evil will turn on itself and destroy itself. Evil is never satisfied to just rule. It devours, destroys, and finally makes itself null and void.”
“Evil cancels out evil. So what do you get out of this?”
“Power.” The Overlord stroked the head of the sceptre and now Rani could see that it was in the shape of a gold carrion eater. “I have ultimate power in the Outlaw Sector. But I have my job, too, warrior. We all have a job to do.”
“You have a job?” Rani gave a twist of her lips. “And who is your boss?”
His pupils slitted. “I have controlled this Sector for a time you couldn’t even fathom. I am the only guardian of the balance of good and evil.”
Guardian of good and evil. A twisted, vicious guardian who could see the necessity of keeping control of the most malignant of outlaws.
How ironic was it that the only one standing between a complete war between the Lawful and Outlaw Sectors was one alien being and a handful of his servants?
And she was one of his to command. One of his servants.
God save me.
No, too late. A catch in her throat, she looked at Fredrico and was surprised to find a softening in his eyes. The ruthless light was gone for mere seconds only, but it was enough for her to see a flicker of the man he once had been.
Veknor simply gave her a slow once-over with his dark eyes while tracing circles on the table with the base of his goblet.
Try to keep it together, Rani. You lose it in front of these bastards and you’re lost. You have to stand strong.
She transferred her gaze to The Overlord. “What am I supposed to do? And why me?”
“I had another chosen but she foiled Death every time. She, too, flirted with insanity, but it was not to be.” The Overlord touched his fingertips together. “But you were perfect. Phemar was on the lookout for someone strong, someone who would do the honourable thing, who would be ruled by honour in a different way. Someone who would do what is right.”
“So I was chosen because I’m a good girl?” She strongly doubted that.
“You were chosen because two warriors were being chased and > < chasedthey ran into a cave. Forces are everywhere, Rani, and those forces look for opportunities. Phemar was notified and we knew that your escape from the hunters wasn’t even a thin possibility. Both you and your sister warrior were going to die. But we needed you whole, not hacked to pieces, and the time had to be just right. It was also something we weren’t sure could be done.” The Overlord took a sip of wine and replaced the goblet on the table. “The chance came when your throat was cut.”
“If you’re going to say you saved my life, I’m not that grateful.”
His lipless mouth curved into a smile. “Oh, we needed you frozen right then. Right at that moment. Right when your spirit was just poised to leave your body. That made you vulnerable to dark forces. So you were frozen and kept in hibernation until need of you had Fredrico fetch you and bring you...” He gestured around. “Home.”
Rani had to give the space pirate his due, he could keep a stoic expression.
She frowned, thinking she had to ask about something, about someone important, but she couldn’t quite think who.
“Phemar had heard rumblings of The Darknen. He is restless, he wan
ts a take-over of the Inner Sanctum and from there the Outlaw Sector. He seeks to rule the Outlaw Sector, and from there spread to the Lawful Sector.” The Overlord delicately traced the head of the sceptre. “And that, my dear warrior, is where you come in.”
“Me?” She was bewildered. “What can I do against a - a dark mystic or whatever? If you can’t fight him, how can I possibly do it?”
“Because you tread two paths.” His pupils slitted. “You tread the spirit world and the living. You are marked by a dark mystic. You have powers untapped. Only you, Rani, can hope to face The Darknen and come out alive. Sort of.”
“Sort of?”
“You’re not like a normal living being,” Phemar reminded her, his robes swishing against the floor as he shifted.
That was so comforting. Rani wanted to wipe her forehead, lean her head in her hands. Swear. Wake up from the nightmare unfolding before her. But it was not to be, because it was all so horribly real.
So she simply asked The Overlord, “Others must have tried before this Darknen?”
“Some have, but they weren’t from dark forces.” The Overlord fingered his lipless mouth. “They were easily dealt with.”
“Phemar commands some dark forces. Surely it would be easier for him to fight this Darknen person.”
The Overlord looked at her but didn’t answer.
Oh, so there were other things here he wasn’t talking about. It shouldn’t have surprised her. Evil always had secrets.
“Trouble comes.” The Overlord looked at the far wall, his pupils dilating rapidly. “And when it does, we will be ready.”
They all looked at her then and she stared back.
God above, maybe she was still riding high in her little web of insanity.
Phemar gave a little jerk. “You are not insane, Reeka.”
“Damn.”
Fredrico gave a sudden little smile, his eyes crinkling at the corners.
The tension in the enclosed space had eased. Maybe that was because she wasn’t arguing, wasn’t screaming, wasn’t ranting or raving or... yes, going insh="s, goinane at the very idea of what was being proposed to her.
No, not proposed. Told to her. Expected of her.
Her chore.
“Fredrico will be taking care of you. He will be by your side as you become accustomed to the fortress and surroundings. If you need anything, or want to know anything, ask him.” The Overlord gestured and the silence disappeared to be filled once again with the screams and laughter from beyond the curtain.
Unable to turn her eyes to the spectacle beyond the curtain as it swished open once again, she looked at him. “You could stop this viciousness that goes on in your fortress.”
His smile was unadulterated depravity. “But I so enjoy it, warrior. This is my fortress, my laws, and these are my pleasures.”
It figured.
She stood up, Fredrico doing the same. Without another word he led her back through the curtain and into the corridor beyond. The sounds were still the same, and suddenly she just wanted to get back to the quietness of her room. Or out of the fortress. Somewhere, anywhere, that didn’t have the stench of blood and body, and sounded like a human massacre.
Rani turned to Fredrico. “Is there somewhere not like this?”
“Follow me.”
~ * ~
Outlaw Sector
Tyron
Tyron was a settlement on the outskirts of the Outlaw Sector, and its peacekeepers were alert for trouble. They also seemed to know Abra, but then, Ceri thought, no doubt many peacekeepers knew bounty hunters. Hunters got around a lot.
Abra insisted on getting her checked out with the local medic, who, he assured her, was a good medic, something not often found in the outskirts.
The medic was as abrasive as sand paper and as sour as vinegar. Middle-aged and lean, he poked and prodded at her until she’d finally had enough. Yanking the patches from her temple, Ceri tossed the leads down and proceeded to pull the patches from her upper chest.
“What do you think you’re doing?” Moresby barked out.
“Take a guess.” She yanked the patches off her thighs.
“I’m not finished my examination.”
“Too bad. I’m done with this.” She jumped off the examination table. “You’ve found nothing wrong in the tests you’ve run so far.”
“I’m not finished.”
“It’s been a damned half hour. Enough is enough.”
“Fine.” He gathered up the leads. “Walk outside and drop dead from some strange condition.”
“I don’t plan on doing so.” Crossing to the door, she yanked it open.
Abra looked up from where he sprawled on a sofa flicking through a disc of wanted posters on his handtronic. “Well?”
“Nothing wrong.” She shut the door behind her.
It opened almost immediately. “The tests so far show nothing,” Moresby announced with a glare up at Ceri. “But I haven’t finished.”
“So what are you doing out here?” Abra asked.
“I’m finished.” She strode paonthe strost him.
Moresby muttered something under his breath but she didn’t hear it as she walked out of the office and onto the veranda, the door swinging shut behind her.
Perched on the railing, Ricna observed her silently. She frowned at him
“All right?” he asked.
“Bloody perfect.”
“Ah.” He grinned a little, a sudden flash of white teeth in his tanned face.
Yes, Ceri could see why some of the settlement women flashed him appreciative looks as they walked past, but she couldn’t say his handsomeness made her heart patter. Looks weren’t everything.
Finding Rani was everything.
Abra came out of the door behind her. “Let’s go and get a meal, then. Stretch our legs and get some fresh air before we continue the journey.”
And ask some questions. Ceri looked around to find some of the locals gawking at her, and she frowned even more. Being the centre of attention was something she didn’t like.
Mentally shrugging off the annoyance, she followed Abra and Ricna down the veranda to the tavern. The noise and smell of ale rolled out, and it was comfortingly familiar. Taverns were places she was familiar with, and the source of a lot of rumours and truths. Good places to eat and find out information.
Vane, Nat and Jarvis were already eating and drinking, and they glanced up as Ceri, Abra and Ricna sat down with them.
“So.” Vane looked at Ceri. “Did Moresby find anything normal about you?”
“He thinks my problems are to do with you. Get rid of you and I’ll be fine.”
“I take that as a no, he laughed.”
Abra gave their order to the tavern wench, who winked at Ricna before she left.
Leaning back in the chair, Ceri let her gaze wander over the tavern patrons. This was the outskirts of the Outlaw Sector, there were bound to be a lot of unsavoury characters running around. She spotted someone slipping outside while furtively watching the hunters and gave a mental shake of her head.
Idiot. No one is going to hang around with bounty hunters around. I’ll have to come back later on my own and ask questions.
“Are we going to be here long?” she queried.
“I want to talk to Orde, the Head Peacekeeper,” Abra replied, his own sharp gaze scanning the tavern. “A couple of more hours, probably.”
That was all right. By then it would be dark.
Ceri thanked the tavern wench when she set a plate of food before her and started eating. Later she’d come back and see what information she could find.
~ * ~
Ricna and Jarvis had disappeared with some tavern wenches. Nat had left to spend some time with a couple of friends from another bounty hunter pack, and Abra and Vane went to meet with the Head Peacekeeper.
Ceri left the hunters’ ship and walked quickly through the docking bay and out into the streets. Sticking to the darker areas of the settlement, she soon foun
d a dingy tavern that looked promising.
Entering, she went straight to the bartender. “I’m looking for information.”
He looked curiously at her. “You’re a Reeka and you’re travelli core trang with bounty hunters.”
“I know. Isn’t life strange?”
He looked back at the glass he was drying. “Can’t help you.”
“Really?”
“That’s right.”
“Can’t or won’t?”
He shrugged.
Fine. There was another way. Reaching out quickly, she grabbed his shirt and yanked him halfway across the bar. Startled, he dropped the glass which fell to the floor and shattered.
Holding him down easily on the bar, despite his waving feet and pushing arms, Ceri drawled, “I said, I’m looking for information.”
Some of the patrons nearby went quiet.
“You’re... with... the hunters...” His face was going red.
“I travel with them. That doesn’t make me one of them.” She gave his shirt a jerk downwards, bringing his face closer to the bar. “Now, I’ll say this once more only. I need some information.”
He was scared all right. She could practically feel it. Scared was good. Fear often loosened tongues.
“Or am I going to have to belt the crap out of you?” she continued conversationally.
“I...” He sucked in a rasping breath.
It seemed fourteen years dimmed a lot of memories of the Reekas. It was time those memories were revived.
Straightening up, Ceri grabbed the bartender in both hands and hauled him straight over the bar. Holding him up easily, she brought him up on tiptoes and glared down at him. “I’ve been really patient, little man. I’m not known for being patient.”
“Then I suggest you put him down,” a voice growled behind her.
The bouncer. It figured.
“Sure,” she said, and turning, she thrust the bartender right into the bouncer.
They both went down with a curse.
And that’s when the two more bouncers appeared.
Ceri mentally cracked her knuckles and smiled. Hands on hips, she faced them and coolly looked them up and down. “Problem, gents?”
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