Bloodhype

by Alan Dean Foster

  “You bet your mandibles we can!” the executive roared. “I’m countermanding those orders now! I want those subs back in port and docked quietly by sundown! I want their captains and crews restricted to quarters until they can be properly instructed about keeping their mouths shut concerning this whole fiasco. There may still be time to keep this out of the faxpax.”

  “I’m afraid I’ll be compelled to neglect those instructions, Governor. But this will be kept as quiet as possible. The three submersibles are under order to observe strict cast silence until something has been resolved—one way or the other.”

  “I see.” Washburn did. He could recognize a fact when it crawled all over his face. This ability put him a cut above politicians on more “civilized” worlds, who’d lost the talent. “Perhaps some good will come of this, anyhow. Running a backwards, nowhere world like Repler is thankless enough. At least I’ll have the pleasure—if we survive—of seeing you demoted to the point where you’ll no longer be an irritation to me.”

  “All things are possible, Governor,” Orvenalix said soothingly. “But for now, I suggest you compose yourself as well as you’re able. It’s not unlikely that we’ll be hearing from the Commander of the AAnn base. When he does contact you, I’d suggest moving away from the speaker and lowering the volume somewhat. He will likely not be inclined to sweet reasonableness. I have the utmost confidence in your ability to handle the conversation which will ensue.”

  Later, neither could remember who cut the other off first.

  “Move away, female!” hissed Parquit. “I’ll have no blood spilled here without consent.” Reluctantly, Kitten backed up to stand between Mal and Porsupah.

  The guard returned silently to his station. Kingsley walked over to Rose, grinning. “Looking feisty as ever, isn’t she, Dom?”

  Rose whispered. “Be quiet, you fool. There’s trouble for you here.”

  “Nonsense! She’s the prisoner. Wasn’t she put off to see me, though?” He chuckled.

  “You have a grudge against this male?” asked Parquit. The question was purely rhetorical.

  Her voice was even, without a hint of the emotion boiling beneath it. “He spent a small time, recently, doing unwanted, ungentlemanly things to me, Excellency. But I endeavor to always remain ladylike. I promise to make his death as quick as possible.”

  “Did you do as she claims?” said Parquit interestedly. He turned to face Kingsley. “Is that essentially true?”

  Kingsley was no interpreter of AAnn intonation, but he was suddenly on guard. “Not exactly, I . . .”

  “ . . . lie a lot,” the Commander added. He examined the youngster closely. Kingsley shifted uncertainly under the close observation.

  “You don’t appear to be armed.”

  “I’m not. Your people took my weapons as soon as I landed.”

  “As was only appropriate. It would be required now anyway. Such things would impair the engagement.”

  “Engagement? What engagement?”

  “Well, it seems the young lady made a vow. Under AAnn social convention, I should not attempt to prevent her fulfilling it. As my having her for dinner would certainly do. And despite your species’ noted predilection for personal combat, one which I am told approaches our own, I have never had the opportunity to observe such an action. I’ve seen transceived casts of simulations, but never one in person. It should prove entertaining. I am in dire need of such, these days.”

  “Now look here, Excellency, I’m a guest. Surely—”

  “Death-vows take precedence over common, let alone forced, hospitality.”

  “But I’m not an AAnn! I’m not subject to your social conventions.”

  “Then why do you and your superior claim sanctuary? For yourself—you do not even understand your own reasoning. Pagh!”

  “Excellence,” Rose began. The Commander turned sharply, as if anticipating the sentence to follow. He gestured at Kingsley.

  “This one means so much to you?” Parquit was watching the drugger closely.

  “It’s not that, really, but—”

  “You bastard!” Kingsley shouted. “You rotten, putrid . . .!” He took a step towards the older man, halted when the guard’s rifle came up menacingly.

  “My, everyone wishes to kill everyone else,” Parquit mused. “I’m not unfamiliar with humanx history. If you humans hadn’t encountered the thranx when you did, it’s conceivable you would have both been sufficiently weak for us to defeat you. A black day when that meeting first took place. Otherwise we would now be in a position to pursue our natural destiny of galaxy-wide domination at a more natural pace.”

  “Don’t hold your breath,” said Mal.

  Parquit turned to face the freighter-captain. “Periodic minor conflict is necessary in order to correctly ascertain an opponent’s strength before waging war, man. We made an improper evaluation last time. We will not make the same error again.”

  “Okay, I retract the request. Hold your breath.”

  The Commander ignored him, turned to Kitten. “So, young female. Is the center of my office agreeable to you?”

  “Just give me an arm’s length.” She smiled ferociously.

  Rose made a last try. “This does violate accepted standards of politeness, Excellence.”

  When Parquit had concluded the AAnn laughter-equivalent, he spoke again. “See? A good idea! I am amused already. To hear you complain of a violation of politeness. To hear you cite accepted standards. How many standards of civilization have you violated? How many beings owe the visit of the Thiever-of-Thoughts to you? The Mindburner? Or He-Who-Walks-Blacksand? Do not speak to me of politeness! . . . You! Are you afraid of this female? You substantially outmass her.”

  “No, your Excellency. Save your insults for this . . . this maggot. I’ll fight her.”

  “Then be to it! I give you,” he checked his own timepiece, “ten time-parts. No one will interfere?”

  Kitten shrugged out of the elaborate confection of crepe and silk. She crumpled the delicate material into a wad, handed it to Porsupah. Moving away to one side of her companions, she stood in very unregulation undergarments.

  “Must you fight indecently, too?” said Porsupah.

  “That’s funny coming from you, you lecherous muskrat! This isn’t going to be pretty, and I could barely walk in that thing. Give me a kiss for luck. And stop playing with your whiskers. It makes me nervous to see you nervous.” Porsupah dropped both hands awkwardly to his sides.

  Mal knelt until his head was on a level with the smaller Tolian’s. “He outweighs her by a good 30 kilos and he doesn’t look slow. You think she can handle him?”

  “I don’t know. She does.”

  Kingsley found Rose and the AAnn Commander staring at him interestedly. After all the talk, the silence in the under-room weighed heavily on him.

  He took a step towards Kitten. Another. “Listen,” he said, smiling nervously. “If you want an apology or whatever, I’m willing to go through the whole bit. We all seem to be in the same ship here.” He held out a hand.

  “You really feel that way?” She relaxed. “Well, I suppose I’d gain merit by forgiving. Once, anyway. As you say, we do seem to have the same unpromising future.”

  Kingsley let out a deep breath. “I was hoping you’d feel that way.” He stepped forward abruptly, his left leg coming up in a vicious hsi kick, using the tibia like a knife-edge, aiming for her temple.

  Her right arm shot up as she dropped, deflecting the kick over her head. At the same time, her left arm drove forward from her hip, knuckles first. Her awkward position caused her to miss the solar plexus, hitting him slightly low.

  Kingsley whoofed loudly and stumbled backwards, one hand going to his stomach.

  Porsupah whispered to Mal, “Kitten comes out ahead on the first exchange of greetings.”

  Kingsley moved forward, trying an unsubtle right chop. She didn’t even bother to block it, but spun to her left, jumping and twisting in one motion, Her heel hit hi
m on the side of the jaw. He crumpled to the stone flooring, scattering sand, and had enough left to roll to his feet. He came up spitting blood and white splinters and there was nothing civilized left in his expression.

  His rush was completely unchecked, animal-like. She hit him sharply on the side of the neck. It slowed but didn’t stop him. His head hit her hard in the midsection and they tumbled into a complex, flowerlike table arrangement to her right. Rose had to scramble to get out of the way.

  Despite the destruction, Parquit was enjoying himself hugely. Personal combat was one of the highest arts of the AAnn. This exotic spectacle was one few among even the highest nobles could afford to have staged.

  Kingsley staggered dazedly to his feet, trying to clear his head. Kitten lay stunned on the sandy floor. Mal took a step forward but had to halt when the guard’s rifle came up.

  Staggering drunkenly, Kingsley stumbled over to the inert body and raised a heel over her groin. At the same time both long legs locked at different angles around Kingsley’s free leg and pressured. Flailing his arms, he crashed to the hard floor, landing heavily on his side. He rolled to his knees, attempting to rise, just in time to meet a flying kick that made pulp of the left side of his face, the cheekbone giving way completely.

  Kitten stood, holding her midsection, which throbbed painfully from the solid butt it had taken. She’d had her satisfaction. But Kingsley, somehow, got to his feet. He feigned collapse, then charged furiously—not at her, but at the guard, trying for the gun.

  This guard was one of the Commander’s personal attendants. He was neither lazy, slow, nor overly involved in the proceedings.

  Kingsley rested a good two strides from the guard, who hadn’t moved. There were two small black holes in his perfect skull, one in front, a slightly larger one directly in the back, where the energy bolt had sprayed out.

  A strange drumming sound caused Kitten to turn, panting, from the ugly corpse. Parquit was thumping his tail on the floor behind him.

  “Well executed, female, very well indeed! And with little damage to yourself. You are formidable, yes, formidable.”

  “My tummy’s killing me, but if you’d like to have a go-round yourself, Excellency . . .”

  “I am honored, but I fear my time for personal combat is past its prime. Nor do I feel the need of putting myself in jeopardy, even from a small female.”

  “I offer protest,” said Rose. He was watching two attendants remove the body. “I have few enough friends left on this planet.” Actually, he was more worried about word of the circumstances surrounding Kingsley’s death getting back to his father. He had enough who were sworn to kill him.

  “Why bother, since you will be leaving so soon?” said Parquit.

  “I’m aware you bear no love for me, Commander. Must they be informed of such things?” He indicated the little group.

  “I reiterate, why bother? They are not going to contact anyone anyplace for some time, if ever. I no longer intend to act in a manner merely pleasing to you.”

  “Going to risk an interstellar incident over us?” said Porsupah. “Strange priorities you have, Commander.”

  “I hardly think your disappearance would engender more than sincere regret among your friends and associates, since you are here quite illegally. And perhaps some mild anger on the part of the being who’ll be responsible for replacing you in the ranks of the Church.”

  “I seem to have heard something similar somewhere before,” Mal whispered to Kitten.

  “Oh, shut up, ox!” She winced. “Nova, that abomination had a hard head!”

  Chimes rang somewhere from within the Commander’s spacious desk. He pulled out an earphone-speaker setup, appeared to listen intently for several minutes.

  “I hear. Yes. For how long? Have you transcribed it? Good. I want it on record. Send it out to the transport as soon as it comes round in orbit again.” He replaced the apparatus in the desk.

  “It would seem, beings, that someone else is not concerned about off-planet ramifications.”

  “What do you mean?” asked Porsupah.

  “There are three vessels of the local constabulary lying close offshore my harbor. They are very much aware of your presence here and appear quite insistent about having you back. Their attitude is decidedly unfriendly. I’ve never known the Major to act so belligerently. You must mean a lot to him. Or the information you’ve obtained.”

  “What do you propose to do about it?” said Kitten.

  “Orvenalix is no fool. He must be conversant with the kind of defensive popgun I am permitted here. No doubt those ships are equipped with that in mind. However, we have a few surprises not included in the agreements. I should prefer to avoid a running battle where some of the installation may be damaged and my personnel subjected to an inglorious death . . . Therefore, in the interests of preserving peace and avoiding unnecessary destruction, I’ll offer your would-be saviors a chance to back off and motor away to wherever they came from.”

  “Why should they do that?” asked Kitten. Suspicions were congealing in her mind that were not attractive.

  Parquit stared at her shrewdly. “I believe you have some idea. Your gladiatorial talents, if nothing else, have identified you as what this disreputable specimen insists you to be. Namely, trained agents in the service of the Emperor’s enemies. I suspect you have some idea of what is taking place here. You’ve been here for over a day now, operating unsuspected. I have great respect for your abilities. I don’t know precisely how much you’ve learned, because we’ve no way as yet of deciphering the vidcast you sent out this morning. That’s one thing I hope to persuade you to reveal, later, at my leisure. I am not confident that it was damped out sufficiently early. The presence of those three vessels is partial proof of that.”

  “I wouldn’t attempt to deny that,” said Kitten.

  “That is a beginning.” Parquit showed teeth. “The fact that they were able to slip inside our defenses without triggering any alarm shows they are either far better equipped than that type of vessel normally is, or that our defensive preparations here have been woefully inadequate.”

  “Probably both,” offered Mal. “If you’re referring to that animated blob of caulking putty—yeah, we’ve seen it.” Porsupah tried to restrain Mal but the captain shook him off. “Probably both,” offered Mal. “If you’re referring to that animated blob of caulking putty—yeah, we’ve seen it.” Porsupah tried to restrain Mal but the captain shook him off. “No, I’m tired of games. It hasn’t done me any too good so far. Let’s be direct for a change.”

  “You two will be the death of me yet!” the Tolian exclaimed.

  If Parquit was surprised by Mal’s disclosure, he didn’t show it.

  “It is more likely that I will be. Come with me, then. I had not planned to attempt this at this time, nor have my technicians. There are last-minute preparations to supervise. You will be able to observe from the top of the Harbor Tower. Watch closely and take note of what transpires. Possibly you may be able to convince your Major that further attempts to save you will prove unefficacious. A simple demonstration should suffice.”

  The Commander came around from behind his desk. “You see, we have delved deeply into the creature, its physiology, its motivations and response. It has been on an extensive training program for some time now. The results have been mostly positive. This will hurry but not disrupt things. It is a dumb animal, true, but it has proven capable of responding to training, to command.”

  “We watched some of your ‘training,’ ”said Kitten.

  “Really?” This time Parquit showed some surprise. “You will tell me how that was managed some time.” Clearly no one at the base had made a connection between a sudden epidemic of nye falling asleep on post and the presence of the three aliens. Which was just as well, even if it didn’t seem useful just now. No point in revealing more than was necessary. And they might have occasion to use the same stunt again—if they could recover their pistols.

  Of
course, if someone got the idea of analyzing the contents of the ammunition . . .

  “I fail to see,” said Kitten, “how coercing the creature from point A to point B and back again is going to frighten away three armed ships. No matter how intimidating the thing is masswise.”

  “Our program has been far more ambitious than that, female. Clearly you did not see very much. As you will soon observe.”

  They were standing in the Tower. The three subs were barely visible, lying on the surface offshore. The three mammals had been offered the use of a mounted magnifier by Parquit, adjustable to human-Tolian eyesight. Tube launchers were visible on the ships, just above the waterline.

  Something in the way of an escape attempt might have been tried, since the technics in the Tower were all occupied. Only the two guards the Commander had ordered to watch them every minute prevented it.

  Kitten was holding an awkwardly shaped transceiver mike. The Commander’s voice sounded from a speaker set in its handle, as well as from speakers around the room.

  “It is time now, female. You may speak to your ‘rescuers.’ I suggest a brief warning. Remind that the final decision to engage in hostilities is theirs. If they still exhibit obstinacy, I will take action. Controller, open the channel.”

  The transceiver operator made slight adjustments to two dials, gave Kitten an unmistakable go-ahead sign.

  “ . . . supah and Lieutenant Kai-sung. Please acknowledge our . . . .”

  Kitten spoke into the mike. “Listen, whoever you are. This is Lieutenant Kai-sung.”

  “Lieutenant? Are you all right?”

  “Present company and location excluded, just fine. My companions likewise. The Rectory received my ‘cast?”

  “A substantial portion, Lieutenant. Enough—before it was damped out to the point where amphi couldn’t do any good. We got the newsy parts, anyway. What’s all this about some kind of ‘alien monster’?”

  “There is one, it is alien, and it most definitely is monstrous. Your friendly local snakes have apparently trained it to—well, I’m not sure what. But the Commander here seems pretty confident about its ability to handle you.”