by David Winnie
Marianne joined her.
“Beautiful, isn’t it?” her friend said in a reverent tone. “The campsite is just down this ridge about a mile.”
They reentered the tree line. Within the promised mile, a clearing appeared with a slow- moving stream emptying into an alpine lake. The afternoon sun illuminated pollen and seeds in an ethereal glow. Beck, Toady and four boys arrived and they set camp. Annika had her and Marianne’s shelter up in record time. She grabbed a hatchet and soon had assembled an impressive pile of firewood.
Annika slept out in the open, under the starry night. The deep woods were darker than she would have imagined. She felt she were at the bottom of a vast pit, with the stars of the universe above her. Her hand went up and blocked the tiny number of stars she believed were the size of her Empire. She pondered the quote from Father James’ class. “That which lives, grows. That which does not grow, dies.”
The Empire was dying. Her uncle was failing to grow the Empire making it unsafe and unsustainable. Another indictment of his inferiority. One hundred fifty worlds were much too small. If her Empire were to survive, it must grow larger. Much larger. Allies would be needed. Enemies crushed.
She heard a noise. Soft padding of feet creeping toward the camp. The Crown Princess turned hunter, springing lightly into a crouch, drawing her knife.
A vercha cat stalked into the clearing. Long, and black, ears pressed back, it looked at the camp and opened its impressive maw, exposing long fangs and double rows of sharp yellow teeth. It panted and watched the slight Terran woman.
Annika never broke her stare. She reached out and touched the beast’s mind. It wasn’t hungry; it came here every night to drink from the lake. It was trying to decide if the strange shapes were a threat.
“I am only a threat to you if you threaten me. Drink your water and go.’
The beast blinked its eyes, confused. It slunk down to the edge of the water. Annika could hear it lapping. Finally sated, the beast looked to Annika and hissed. She opened her mouth wide, showed her teeth, and hissed back.
The other hunter retreated into the dark.
Annika smiled at the sounds of the day starting in the forest. Birds sang, tiny creatures scurried through the brush, searching for a meal. Yuri’s arm was over her and she sighed happily as she nestled back against him.
Yuri? Yuri was not on Vespa. “God below!” she swore, grabbing the arm, flipping and twisting. She rolled the body onto its stomach, using her weight to drive the arm up further. Her knife was in her free hand, the tip pressed against the base of the skull of her attacker.
“Jesus, let up, will you? That really hurts!” It was Dolan, one of the boys on the trip. She released him and sprung to a crouch, her knife at the ready. “Christ, do you wake up every morning like that?”
“What do you think you were trying to do?”
“I got up to go use a bush. I saw you there, looking so calm and peaceful, I thought I’d join you,” he explained. “That’s all, no funny business intended.”
Annika did a quick swipe of his mind. He was mostly truthful. He hadn’t intended any “funny business.” Not then and there. But he was hoping, maybe later…
His arm and shoulder really hurt. Good.
She helped him up. “Let’s go get breakfast started,” she said.
The others had aroused by now. Annika dug in her backpack, finding the mix for her electrolytes. She had started on a new regime, one that would last a few days, depending on her activity. It’s a vacation. A couple of days of rest and relaxation. I didn’t stress myself too badly yesterday. I’ll take it tomorrow, she promised, stuffing the container into a pocket in her back pack.
The guys decided to go further up the trail and do some exploring. Beck and Toady opted to join them. Annika and Marianne decided to stay in camp, next to the lake. It promised to be a scorcher of a day.
The explorers trooped off while the roommates dragged a sleeping bag to the pond’s edge and spread it out. For hours, they lay there, sunning themselves and talking.
Suddenly, Marianne popped up. “It’s too hot and we have this lovely lake right here. Screw it, I’m going skinny dipping.” She began to undress.
Annika asked nervously, “Mari, what if someone comes along?” The other girl laughed as she removed the last of her clothes.
“You’ll deal with them, I’ll be swimming!” She raced into the water, screaming.
It did look wonderful. And it was hot. Shyly, Annika disrobed and stepped into the water. Gods below! It’s COLD! She waded out a few yards, then dove in. When she surfaced, her teeth chattered. It was wonderful! She chased Marianne around, splashing, ducking under and tripping her and, in turn, being flipped back into the water.
The explorers returned. They all quickly stripped down and soon all eight naked students were splashing and cavorting in the mountain lake.
Annika left the lake, the water sluicing down her slender body. Like the Goddess stepping from the ocean. She lay on the sleeping bag and took a nap, the sun drying her.
Evening came; the young people got dressed and had their supper. Dolan handed her tidbit he made. “Peace offering?” he asked. Annika nodded and moved over on the log she occupied. She nudged his mind again and decided he had learned his lesson.
She didn’t object when he put his good arm around her, walked her to her tent and bid her goodnight.
“Why, Annika, Why?” Blaise stood on the stumps of his legs, his blood pooling beneath him. Gurgling, Victor’s headless body, stumbled toward her. A red mist swirled; she could hear the mocking laughs of Jiro and Anja. She stumbled backwards into the soldier trying to hold his guts in. He grabbed her, yards of his intestine falling out. Thousands were around her now. Reaching, clutching, moaning and crying.
She screamed.
“GET THAT DUST-OFF IN HERE NOW!” The armored shuttle hovered over the camp, bright spotlights illuminating the clearing. Soldiers slashed open the tents, grabbing the students, moving them away as quickly as they could.
Annika sat in the remains of her tent, eyes opened wide, unseeing. Her hands tore at her hair, screaming a long, endless wail. She panted, took a deep breath and wailed again. Marianne was curled in a ball, her hands over her ears, herself screaming.
A medic raced in and grabbed Marianne, fit a neutralizer to her head and carried her off, getting her away from the Crown Princess. Even with his own neutralizer, he could feel the tickles of madness Annika’s screams broadcast.
“The doctor isn’t planetside yet. Recommend we tranq her,” a medic reported over the com. That wasn’t the report Campion wanted. He had seen for himself the effect Doctor Russolov had on the Crown Princess when she was like this. There were no other options right now.
“All right, do it,” he ordered. The medic placed the neutralizer around Annika’s head, took a syringe from his field pack and pressed it into her arm. And another. And another.
Annika toppled sideways, mouth still open, no longer screaming. She still pulled at her hair, but less energetically than before. Her breathing became a shallow pant.
A stretcher basket was lowered on a cable from the shuttle and her pliant body rolled onto it. Wide straps passed over her body and immobilized the Crown Princess. The medic clipped his belt to the cable and they were raised swiftly. The craft spun on itself and raced away.
“Where’s that damned shuttle for the rest of these kids?” Campion screamed over his comm.
“Annika? Sweetheart, can you hear me? Squeeze my hand if you can hear me.” It sounded like Yuri’s voice. She focused on her hand and squeezed. “Ow! O.K. You can hear me, my love. Open your eyes now, Annika. Let me see your pretty green eyes.”
She didn’t want to open her eyes, terrified of what she would see. Still, it sounded like Yuri. Yuri was her hero. He would never let anything bad happen to her.
Annika slitted an eye. It was Yuri! “There you are, sleeping beauty! Can you open the other eye for me now?”
For Yur
i, anything. She opened her other eye and smiled. “You’re here,” she said in a weak, tired voice.
Yuri stroked her head. “Of course, my love. Here for you for now and for always. I have a question for you, Annika. How much electrolyte did you take this morning?”
“It was too nice a day, Yuri. I felt so good, I didn’t take any. I wasn’t tired or anything from the hike.”
He patted her hand. “That’s good, Annika, that’s very good,” Yuri assured her. “Would you like some water?”
Annika nodded. Yuri helped her sit up. “Just a sip to start,” he warned her. She tried to comply. But after three careful sips, she felt her bile rising.
“Oh, no!” she cried and then vomited.
“This confirms our suspicions.” The voice sounded like her Proctor.
“I believe you’re right. Let’s convene the council as soon as possible,” Yuri was saying.
“As you wish, Doctor Russolov,” said the Proctor, “Shall we say eight hours?”
“Sooner, if we can manage.”
“Indeed. Might I inquire as to the condition of the rest of the children?” the Proctor asked.
“A few scrapes and bruises. One or two will need extended counseling. Headaches all around, as you might expect.” This from a stranger who had just then entered the room. “I am Doctor Aaron Thomas. The Crown Princess’s tent mate seems to have taken the worst of it. However, she appears to be recovering quickly.”
“Marianne? Did I hurt Marianne?” Annika exclaimed, “I must go see her.” She tried to sit up.
“Get a hoverchair,” ordered Yuri.
Escorted by her bodyguards, Annika was taken to the wards where her friends were admitted. Marianne was sleeping, a calm look on her face. “Her injuries, thankfully are limited to the forward cerebellum, mostly in short term memory.” Doctor Thomas reported. “She will require counselling and aftercare, but no physical damage was inflicted. I anticipate a full recovery within a few days.”
Annika held Marianne’s hand and asked about the others.
“A much better prognosis,” the doctor said. “Distance from the attack,” (Annika winced at his choice of words) led to less damage. Most are fully recovered already and are waiting for their release.”
She entered the next ward. Beck was sitting on the corner of a bed holding Toady. The four boys were arranged around the bedridden girl. “Hey, Gang.” Annika called weakly.
“What are you doing in here?” shrieked Toady. “Get away from me! Haven’t you done enough? You’re a damn teep and you didn’t bother telling anyone. Stay out of my head, FREAK!” Toady grabbed her pitcher of water and hurled it at Annika. The boys surrounded the bed, tensed and glaring. Two balled their up fists.
“Anni, you’d better leave,” Beck said, standing between Annika and her friends. “We’re all pretty scared right now. Give it a couple of days; I’ll give you a call.”
Annika hung her head. “Let’s go, Yuri,” she said sadly.
They were silent as she returned to her room. She gripped his neck when he lifted her from the chair and back into her bed. Yuri sat on the bed with her, gently stroking her hands. “My love, I need to know what you remember.”
Annika related the events of the weekend. She spoke of the scenic hike, the glorious swim with Marianne and her friends. The warm campfire and closeness she had with those friends that night. Going to sleep and waking in the hospital.
Yuri had pulled out his tablet and pencil while she was talking and was jotting down notes. When she finished, he began to ask questions. How much had she eaten? When did she take her last electrolyte? Did everyone eat the food from the same container? Did anyone else drink the water? On and on, question after question.
Finally, he snapped the pad closed and put it in his pocket. He took her hands again and began to rub them. “I shouldn’t be telling you this, my love. But you’ll hear it in front of the members of the File Council who will be at the meeting in a few hours. We believe this was an assassination attempt. You were barely alive when you were delivered here. Doctor Thomas did an excellent job of purging your stomach, but we will most likely have to purge your electrolytic system to be sure all the poisons are out.
“I’m sure your friends weren’t involved, but they’ll have to be interviewed. We are checking samples from your electrolytes, to see if the poisons were administered that way.”
He wrapped his arms around her, “My love, I came so close to losing you.” Annika encircled Yuri in her arms, holding him in the way he held her so many times.
Chapter 23
The brownstone townhouse Major Campion found was better than Annika or Marianne could have imagined. Sitting on a broad, tree lined boulevard a block from the University, restaurants, markets, and theater were all within walking distance. Beck had rejoined their friendship. The house was plenty big enough; she agreed to move in with her friends.
What none of them knew was that all their friendly, attractive neighbors were members of Major Campion’s guard for the Crown Princess.
Beck had a blossoming friendship with one of the boys from the camping trip, Devin. He was reserved around Annika, still a bit frightened from the incident. Marianne was as scattered as ever, having a boyfriend, then not having a boyfriend. For the other two girls, it was better drama than they could imagine.
With Yuri working so close on Valarius, he made the trip to Vespa every week-end. Saturdays were spent with the whole household on some adventure or another. They would troop down to the local park and engage in games the other students were playing - football, soccer, kick ball, or Yuri’s favorite, baseball. There would be discussions, song circles and plays. Dinners were raucous affairs, at their home with friends or at someone else’s home.
The couple reserved Sundays for themselves. Mostly, they would be seen sitting under a tree, Annika’s head on Yuri’s lap while he read to her. They would come back to the townhouse in the evening and retire to their room.
Gavin Howland requested a private meeting with the Crown Princess. “I have someone I believe you must meet,” he told her. “Your Empire will depend upon it.”
Annika accompanied the Defense Minister to the command post of the facility. Guards in Navy blue escorted them to a secure meeting room. The room was a prosaic conference room: a pootawood table with twenty swivel chairs dominated the center of the room. A large screen ran from floor to ceiling, wall to wall at the far end of the room.
A large, powerful man was facing the screen, his back to Annika and Garvin. His rich, baritone voice said, “Your decision to stay another minute at this college is tactically wrong.” He turned and faced the girl.
Annika startled. Had she not known her father was interred at Angkor Khan’s Temple, she would have sworn he was standing before her. “Crown Princess, it is my honor to present Fleet Admiral Thor Thiessen ne-Khan. Admiral, the Crown Princess,” announced Howland.
Admiral Thiessen gave her a sharp salute. His hair was much shorter than her father’s and graying. He was older, weathered.
But he had the Imperial emerald eyes with the Asiatic fold.
“Go ahead,” he rumbled, “get it out of the way.”
“What would that be, Admiral?”
“You wish to scan me,” he said. “Do it now so we may get to business.”
She performed a swipe of his thoughts.
He was beyond loyal. His passion for the Empire and the Laws of Angkor Khan was absolute.
“Uncle?”
” Yes, I am your uncle. Your father, Robert, was my brother.”
“I thought all the elder heirs died at Giza.”
” I stayed away. The Regent and I have… disagreements.”
“Oh?”
” Yes. Had I known what he was capable of, I would have killed him years ago, the fat little pustule.”
“I see we have something in common.”
“There are many of us in the Empire who have this opinion of the Regent. But he is not our greatest
threat,” Thiessen growled. “You are.”
“Me?” she startled. “Might I ask why?”
“When the time comes to follow the Law of Succession, I will be at your side,” he stated. “The Empire needs a strong leader, especially now. We know of the enemies without; I have no fear of them. But the enemies within, they are a threat to you. You are not preparing yourself to deal with them.”
“I think you had better explain yourself, Admiral,” Annika said coldly.
“Every young person goes through the time of their life when they Become,” Admiral Thiessen explained. “I did; you father did. Even Gavin did.”
The Defense Minister chuckled.
“You are different from the rest of us. You were born into your role in the Empire.”
“Crown Princess was hardly handed to me,” Annika retorted.
“No,” agreed the Admiral. “You were bred to it and have prepared superbly. I could see your father was born to be Khan. I used that as motivation to push him harder to be the superior. For myself, I studied and prepared myself for a life of service to the Empire and become a naval officer, the finest in several generations.
“Like Robert, you were bred and groomed to be the ultimate Khan, surpassing all the previous incarnates. Instead of preparing to secure your Empire, then lead us on a glorious conquest, you amuse yourself with petty indulgence and philosophy.
“Tell me, Child, when the time comes for you to order me to assault the Bougartd home world, will you do so in a fashion that my troops will rally to you and be willing to fling themselves from the airlocks of their ships and plunge naked through the atmosphere because you order them to do so? Or will you issue orders from the safety of your flowering gardens, pointing at a map section of sky at a whim and directing Imperial solders to die because that pretty light appeals to you?”
