by Gun Brooke
“And Kellen?” Rae kept her voice light, but her fingers trembled inside her closed fists.
“Kellen’s doing well. She’s making preparations as we speak.”
“Preparations?” Paladin leaned closer to the communicator. “For what?”
“Our new friends handed over a crew manifest of sorts as soon as you answered their questions correctly. Kellen is going through it.”
“Are you telling me that they’ve kept a log of the prisoners? I mean, all these years?” Paladin fidgeted with her hands for a moment, then stood up, restlessly rocking back and forth. “That…list can’t fall into enemy hands or be destroyed. That’s imperative, Doc.” Her voice turned into a whisper before she cleared her throat. “Any names you can give us yet, of the people you’re in contact with?”
After a brief silence, Doc returned. “Corgan and Bellish O’Gesta, from Mogeth. That’s it for now. They’re the leaders of Kovos and have been here, more or less, since day one.”
“Any other names?” Paladin asked, and entered the O’Gestas into the encoded database. She kept punching in commands, and soon another screen began blinking.
“Not yet. Here’s Kellen now, by the way.”
Rae’s head snapped up. “Kellen. Rae here.”
“We are making progress, Rae. We’re on schedule and have several new opportunities. I’ll be planet-side soon.”
Rae wondered if Kellen was deliberately reassuring her. In fact, she was sure her wife was being overly optimistic. “Good to hear. Do they provide enough basic supplies?” Please, don’t let the bastards starve you.
“We have enough rations to survive for a week. Don’t worry, Rae. We’ll be back long before we need more. Trust me.”
Rae trusted Kellen with her life, that wasn’t the issue. I need to believe in your ability to get yourself out of this alive. Refusing to acknowledge the cold fist around her heart, Rae kept her voice steady. “I do. Keep up the good work. So far, so good.”
“I will. We’ll report further in a few hours, when we know more. Kellen out.”
“The names are confirmed.” Paladin looked up from the blinking screen. “Bellish and Corgan O’Gesta went missing the second year of the occupation. They were protesters who worked out in the open, supported by what could have become a people’s movement, but the Onotharians struck it down in a completely ruthless manner. Bellish and Corgan were presumed dead after ten years. Obviously they’re not.” Her fingertips slid along the command keyboard. “My father went missing and was presumed dead after only a few months. I know the same conditions don’t apply, but…I guess hope is futile in this case.”
“But it’s only natural to hope,” Rae said. “Statistically, both Kellen and I should be dead, but we’re not. We were both lucky and had enough help to make it through impossible odds when we were on a mission here last time.”
“So you just never know.”
“No. You never know.” Rae hesitated before reaching out. It was important that Paladin remain strong and not too reflective. She took Paladin’s hand. “What we should do, we must do, is to remain focused. Don’t lose focus, Roshan.”
It was as if the use of her real name snapped Paladin out of her weary mood. Straightening, she entered a few new commands. “There. I’ve entered the updated information about Corgan and Bellish. I hope to be able to do the same for many of the others listed here.”
Rae leaned back in her chair. “So do I.” She willed her fear to melt a bit. “So do I, Paladin.”
*
“We have four hundred people already, Berentar,” Andreia whispered in the semiconscious rebel leader’s ear. “We’re going to contact Gantharat in a few minutes. I know they’ll be glad to hear that you’re still here, so hang on.”
Berentar was slipping in and out of consciousness, and it infuriated Andreia that they weren’t able to do more for him than to make him as comfortable as possible. She looked up at Owena, who stood by Eosomas on the other side of the bed. “We have to carry on,” she murmured, out of earshot of the rest of the inhabitants in their room. “We need about two hundred more. Continue the way you’re doing, Eosomas. I have faith in you. Don’t walk anywhere without Owena, though. Consider her your bodyguard, because we can’t afford to lose you.”
“All right, O’Daybo. I’m on it.” Eosomas looked tired, but the fire in his eyes never wavered.
“Good.” Andreia glanced at Owena. “I’m going to venture out before you two leave again. I’ll contact the base and get the coordinates for the Protector and Doc. We need to communicate directly with them in a few hours.”
“I know. We’ll sit with Berentar until you come back.” Owena pulled up a stool and motioned for Eosomas to do the same. “Rest while you can, kid. You’ll need it.”
Andreia walked a few doors down the busy corridor before she found a small storage room, most likely once containing cleaning equipment. She slipped inside and hoped the Onotharians didn’t keep surveillance equipment in the cleaning closets.
“O’Daybo to Paladin. Come in.”
A few seconds of vibrations and static in her left ear preceded Roshan’s calm voice. “Paladin here. Admiral Jacelon’s present too.”
“We’ve made progress. Four hundred individuals are with us, and we expect to have two hundred more within an hour. We’re going by word-of-mouth and testimonials to verify dependability. This is the only way, since we don’t have much time.”
“We understand.” Roshan sounded matter-of-fact, but something in her tone of voice made Andreia close her eyes.
“I also have news regarding your cell leader. Berentar is alive, but hanging on by a thread. I hope we haven’t come too late to save him.”
“Damn,” Roshan said. “I’ll let Jubinor know.”
“I need the relay coordinates to allow us to contact the Protector and Doc.”
“Use ‘henshes,’ the Onotharian word for ‘darling’ and either ‘Kellen’ or ‘Doc’ to open communication.”
Oh, great. Andreia rolled her eyes in the dark, dusty closet. “Affirmative. Will report back as soon as we’re ready to commence operations.”
“Good.” Roshan seemed reluctant to sign off. “Please use caution, O’Daybo. I…we need you to come back in one piece.”
With a sudden urge to swallow repeatedly, Andreia slumped against the wall. “I understand, Paladin. A great many things need explaining.” Will she understand what I mean?
“I look forward to your…clarification.”
Was there a hint of longing in Roshan’s voice? Andreia pushed herself off the wall and slipped back into her Boyoda personality. “Very well. I will report as soon as we’ve established contact and are ready to engage.”
“May the Gods of Gantharat be with you, O’Daybo.”
“And with you.”
Pushing through the crowds in the corridor, Andreia knew this was the calm before the pandemonium. In a few hours they would test the Protector’s plan, and no matter the outcome, everything would change.
Chapter Twenty
“All hands, this is Admiral Jacelon. Battle stations! Secure the bulkheads.” The alarms blared through the SC vessel Gallant. “Ready assault craft!”
Rae took her seat at the center of the Gallant’s bridge, her eyes focused on the large view screen. They were in cloak mode, and she had to get as close to Kovos as possible. “Take us in, Lieutenant Commander D’Artansis.”
“Aye, ma’am,” Leanne replied smartly, and steered the Gallant through an elegant flight path. “ETA in fifteen minutes, Admiral.”
“Very good. And the Iktysos?” The lead vessel in Paladin’s armada was heading up her fleet of nine ships.
“She’s right behind us.”
Rae knew the traders were as lethal now as any warship. “So, we’ve commenced our operation.” Rae stood up, to emphasize the importance of her words. “There’s no turning back now. As soon as Kellen or O’Daybo gives the word, we’ll move in.”
“Yes, ma’
am. We’re ready.” The tactical officer behind Rae sounded calm and on top of things, as expected.
“Cloaking aside, Admiral, I’m still concerned about the small armada of vessels located 60,000 kilometers from our present location. They seem to be conducting drills, and I’m not sure to what extent they’re armed, but—” The operations ensign frowned slightly as she pulled up schematics on the smaller screen in front of them.
“But we need to monitor them. Stay on it, Ensign.” Rae examined the position of the Onotharian ships. They were small training assault craft, possibly armed only with blanks, but it was wise to keep track of them, since their own position was vulnerable. She opened the scrambled communication channel to Iktysos, hiding in the asteroid belt just behind them. “Jacelon to Paladin.”
“Read you loud and clear, Admiral. Go ahead.”
“My long-range sensor has you in position.”
“Confirmed. We are ready to engage as soon as the Gallant decloaks.”
“Excellent. Now we wait.”
“Not my strong suit, but I copy that.”
Rae had to smile at how alike Kellen and Paladin were. Forged by the struggle against the occupation, they’d developed similar traits, and the way they spoke with similar accents was almost eerie. Kellen might mature into someone resembling Paladin and, no doubt, even more formidable than she was now, at only thirty-three.
“Major Egordash to Admiral Jacelon. My marines are on standby and getting eager, ma’am.”
Rae half smiled at the gruff voice of the seasoned officer. “Acknowledged, Major. Keep them motivated.” She rose and ex-amined the field of asteroids before her. “They’ll get their chance to fight today.”
*
“This is it!” Kellen called out to the vast crowd gathered behind her in the narrow corridor. Her voice carried easily, echoing above their heads. “I am Kellen O’Dal, your Protector of the Realm, and I’ve come home to help you escape this hellhole. It is time for all of Gantharat’s proud fighters to return home and continue the struggle against our oppressors. Once this is accomplished, Prince Armeo O’Saral can assume the throne and commence his rightful path as leader of our free world.”
Stunned silence followed her booming voice. Kellen knew there were doubters amongst the weathered rebels, but she didn’t avert her eyes. Instead she let her gaze fall on every face within sight, challenging them to try her.
“The Protectors were all killed!” a man called out.
“I hid, with the prince, for several years.”
“How do we know you’re not lying?” A woman closer to Kellen glowered at her.
“She’s telling the truth. I recognize her from the broadcasts a few lunar-months ago. Don’t you?” Another woman, younger, elbowed those around her. They looked like “newbies,” as Bellish referred to those who’d arrived less than two years ago.
“You’ve seen her?”
“And the prince?”
“Where is he?”
“Where are his parents?”
“Dead?”
The questions rained down on Kellen and didn’t give her any opportunity to answer.
Bellish hollered over the many raised voices, “I vouch for her. I dare anyone here to question my allegiance!” She’d climbed up on Corgan’s back and now was a head taller than everyone else. “We have an unprecedented opportunity for freedom, with backup from the outside. We’ve never had this good a chance to outsmart and overpower the Onotharians. Hear out this woman, our Protector. She brings information of new allies, of real hope.”
The crowd stilled, and Kellen took a deep breath before she continued. “I bring good news, which most of you may be unaware of. The Supreme Constellations battleships are waiting by the Onotharian borders. They need to know that our freedom fighters are rescued and back on duty, ready to assist when they launch their attack on our oppressors. They will apply the same principles we’ve always followed: to cause as little collateral damage as possible. We will not become like our tyrants. If we do, we might as well surrender. And I know you all, I’m one of you, and as a Gantharian Protector of the Realm, and also as a rebel fighter, I will never give up!”
Seconds of dead silence passed until a few people at the front began to clap. Soon the corridors thundered with cheers, foot-stomping, and more applause. “Protector! Protector! Protector!” the crowd chanted in unison. Kellen felt her eyes begin to tear up, but forced the emotions back: she had no time for sentimental reactions now. Granted, they weren’t within sight of the few pieces of surveillance equipment, but soon enough the guards would know something was up. She raised her hands for silence, and eventually the ever-growing group of rebels quieted.
“I need your trust, since we’re working with a team on Vaksses. I can contact them, and you must act only on my mark. Understood?” Kellen let her eyes scan the faces of the ones closest to her. “Corgan and Bellish will help you form two groups, which they will lead, so make sure your teams are equally strong. We have the element of surprise on our side, but we have no weapons.”
“Is that right? Are we to serve as laser-fodder?” a man in the first row asked, not sarcastically, but matter-of-factly, as if he found the idea reasonable. Dressed in extremely tattered clothes, he had obviously been a prisoner for a very long time.
“No, sir,” Kellen replied, shaking her head. “No one is to sacrifice himself. We’ll have plenty of backup fire to divert the guards. Believe me. We’ll get out of this place.” She raised an eyebrow. “Unless anyone wants to stay?”
A resounding “no” echoed through the corridors.
“You convinced them, and that’s just what we needed,” Bellish murmured in Kellen’s ear. “Your status and charisma rallied them. Good job, Protector.”
“Call me Kellen, Bellish. We’re all equals here.” Kellen steadied a slightly wobbly Mikael, who stared at the crowd with moist eyes. “I need you on Bellish’s team, Mikael. Are you up for it?”
“Yes. Yes, of course. I want off this godforsaken asteroid right now.”
“Well, you may have to wait a bit longer,” Kellen said with a faint smile, “but you’ll see your daughter soon.”
“I pray you’re right, Kellen.”
Bellish and Corgan moved with impressive speed through the tunnels, with a group of other elders whom the others prisoners trusted completely. Quickly they divided the incarcerated rebels into two enormous teams. Everyone carefully avoided the security equipment near the exit tunnel, and Bellish told Kellen they could reach every part of the asteroid prison anyway, since it was built around a circular, multi-level corridor. “There’s just one more thing we need to take care of,” Bellish said, her face serious. “The prisoners on the minus three.”
“What?” Kellen didn’t understand. “What’s the minus three?”
“The cells there are locked. And as far as I know, sixteen people are there right now, on death by starvation.”
“Oh, Gods.” Kellen hadn’t forgotten about the cruel punishment, but somehow hadn’t thought to ask. “We need to rescue them and possibly carry them out of here when it’s time.”
“How do we break the doors down?” Corgan joined them, his expression worried. “We’ve tried before, but the guards punished all of us.”
Kellen thought about his words. “You mean, when you opened the doors, the guards entered the prison?”
“Yes.”
Kellen smiled broadly. “Then that’s just what we need to do. I had a different set of plans to get their attention, but rescuing the starving prisoners will do even better.”
“But, Protector, it’ll put you in danger.” Corgan shook his head. “I should go, and Doc—”
“Doc will go,” Kellen assured him, “and so will I. We need twenty more, young and strong, who can carry the locked-up prisoners to safety. Give me two minutes to collaborate with the Vaksses team.”
“Very well, Protector.”
“Doc, are you all set?” Kellen asked.
“Yes,
and I’ll help find twenty volunteers. Come on, Corgan, you can show me.”
As the two men walked into the crowd, Kellen moved to the side and placed her left hand over her ear, to make it possible to hear the transmission. “Henshes, O’Daybo. Kellen to Vaksses team. Come in.”
At first she heard only silence, not even static, but eventually a faint voice came through her earpiece, rerouted via the Merealian Mountain camp. “…to Kovos team. I repeat, O’Daybo to Kovos team.”
“Kellen here. We’re approximately forty-five minutes from achieving our first goal. How does it look at your end?” Kellen pressed her hand tighter to her ear to be able to hear, because of the poor quality of their connection.
“We have around six hundred people ready to go at a moment’s notice.” O’Daybo sounded sure. “One of Paladin’s team members helped us. The message is out, and we’ve devised a new plan to get the guards’ attention. Be sure to watch for infiltrators.”
“Affirmative, O’Daybo. Is forty-five minutes doable for you?” Kellen had to admire her performance so far.
“Yes, I believe so. Let’s signal each other in forty minutes and synchronize with Paladin and Jacelon.”
“Affirmative,” Kellen repeated. “I’ll get my people in position. Kellen out.”
“O’Daybo, over and out.”
Kellen waited ten seconds. “Kellen to Jacelon.”
“Jacelon here. Go ahead, Kellen.” Rae sounded as if she was standing right next to her, and the underlying love in her wife’s voice made her voice catch a little.
“I’m going to need MEDEVAC for at least sixteen, perhaps more, Gantharians once we commence operations, Admiral.”
“People injured already?”
“No. These are prisoners sentenced to death by starvation, Rae.” More emotion than she’d planned crept into Kellen’s voice. It could’ve been me. “I don’t know what state they’re in. We’ll carry them out, but they’ll probably need medical attention immediately. Which ship will serve as a medical vessel?”
