A Cat Among Dragons

by Alma Boykin

  “Fourteen hours, my lord. Just as the tide starts going out,” he reminded her. Motion to the north caught his eye and Skeeker turned to see two hovers and two of the larger half-hovers approaching, as per the Lord Defender’s orders. A secondary landing area had been set up on the east side of the base and the pilots maneuvered to land there. Rada didn’t watch. Instead, she seemed to have her attention on the islands in the river.

  Rada adjusted the digital binoculars. “Oh no. Flaming stupid idiotic...” She snarled, “Give me your radio, Lieutenant.” He handed it over without comment, then got out his own magnifiers as she ordered, “Wings One, Ground One, do you copy?”

  “Affirmative, Ground One. Go ahead my lord,” the pilot responded instantly.

  “Wings One, your first rescue begins now. Three people on the large island directly across from the Defender’s dock, south end of the island.” Even as she spoke, a hover diverted from the landing pattern and whistled by just north of where the two soldiers stood.

  “Wings One is en route,” he confirmed. One of the crew had the bottom hatch open and began lowering a rope with a rescue harness attached as the aircraft slowed and started maneuvering into position. Rada and Skeeker watched the first Azdhag lifted to safety, then began squelching back to the relative dryness of the Defenders’ base.

  Skeeker decided to take the chance to get some information. “Lord Defender, a rumor control question?”

  Aw shit. I bet I know what he’s going to ask Rada sighed, anticipating the topic. “Go ahead, Lieutenant.”

  He looked around for listeners before asking quietly, “Was the late Prince-Imperial ill for very long?”

  “Not especially,” Rada didn’t quite lie.

  Skeeker pressed on, “His Imperial-Majesty didn’t order a very long mourning period.”

  The Lord Defender skewered her subordinate with her silvery eyes. “Lieutenant Skeeker, that is his Imperial Majesty’s and the Lady-Queen’s business, not ours. Am I clear?”

  “Yes, Lord Defender. Perfectly clear.” He just couldn’t let it go, adding, “Emperor’s sword.”

  The blaster aimed at his chest terminated any questions left in his skull. “And if I am, that is his Imperial Majesty’s business as well,” Rada informed him, her voice deadly quiet. “You will find, if you live to advance in rank, that promotion brings with it many duties and responsibilities, some of which you cannot anticipate.” The weapon slid back into its holster. “Including high-water rescue,” she continued in her normal voice.

  Skeeker soon had more important things to worry about, such as housing refugees, briefing the rescue pilots, and trying to contact the city leaders. No one had been able to get through to them from the Royal Meteorology Center and calls for help and responses from the local authorities overloaded the standard emergency channel. Rada decided the best thing to do was to stay out of the way: Skeeker, Bees, and the others knew their base and its resources better than she did.

  Instead she stood back and brooded. How fast has what rumor traveled for Skeeker to call me that? she wondered. Although I agree that two sixts of mourning was a very short time. In the four years she’d been on Drakon IV, Rada had learned enough about Azdhagi culture to know that two sixts’ full mourning and another moon of half-mourning would have been more typical and was what people had expected after the announcement of Bis-tahbi’s death. Paymaster’s Purse, but I’m glad Ku-shkii had finished his military service and could be named heir. She didn’t care to be caught up in a war between Shi-dan’s various cousins if they contested the succession.

  The Lord Defender went back outside to clear her head and to watch the flood. It was awful in the literal sense of the word. The river roared, deep voiced, as it swept trees, structures, and who-knew-what out to the sea. Already over a kliq wide before the current high water, the Zhangki spread farther, engulfing and overflowing low places like the water meadows just upstream of the Defenders’ bluff. Rada watched the opposite bank as she tried to gauge how much damage the hungry river was doing to the city. The lower docks had vanished, either washed away or just submerged, and the first floors of the buildings along the waterfront seemed to have water in them, although her low-power binoculars weren’t good enough to tell easily. She didn’t see any Azdhagi moving around until she looked up to the second and third floors of houses, or farther up the bank. Well, these were river folk, after all; if she knew enough to stay back from the water’s edge, they certainly did!

  Two reptiles squelched up to where she stood. “Lord Defender,” Private Kissk began.

  “Yes?” she prompted, not taking her eyes off the river.

  “Sergeant Bees reports that we are unable to establish communications with Zhangki City. Apparently there are private reports of backwater flooding in the industrial area and a very large raft of debris is approaching from upstream that will probably rip down the last of the bridges before Zhangki Mouth.” The private sounded amazingly calm, Rada thought, as he recited the news. She tried to picture the topography in her mind’s eye and realized something.

  “Private Kissk, tell the pilots of Wings Two to meet me at the communications center, please,” she ordered, turning.

  He bobbed his head. “Wings Two pilots meet you at the... few-mets!” he breathed respectfully, eyes going wide and tail lashing.

  Rada spun around to see a roof drift past with at least five Azdhagi clinging to it. “Belay that—launch whoever’s ready and I’ll meet them in the comm center when they get back.”

  Kissk was already radioing in as they turned away from the scene. There was nothing they could do but hope the aircraft could help the flood victims.

  Rada and the pilot of Wing One studied a map of Zhangki City. She pointed to the lower peninsula. “This is what I’m interested in. This bridge,” she turned a knob and scrolled the holo-projection north and west, “and this low area in here,” where the industrial section had developed. “Here’s why,” and the two moved to a copy of an antique printed map, several hundred year-turns old. Rada tapped the surface, letting the pilot figure out the problem.

  He nodded. “River looking for its old channel, Lord Defender. I suggest starting upstream, then move down with the river, so we can judge speed as well as conditions, my lord.” The mottled green reptile studied the old map carefully. He circled an area with his talon. “Beggin’ my lord’s pardon, but I think the river will cut through here before it jumps to the old channel, if the Zhangki acts like the Whitewater up north does.” At her skeptical look, he ducked a bit, suddenly regretting his boldness.

  “Your people are river folk?”

  “Yes, my lord,” he affirmed, expecting her to punish him for contradicting her.

  Instead, she nodded and slapped his shoulder. “Good thinking and a good show of initiative, Lieutenant. Let’s go and see if all rivers act alike.”

  The rotorcraft took off into a misting rain, tracking northwest fifteen kliqs or so. The hoist operator gave a hissing whistle through his teeth as he leaned out the open belly hatch, while Rada contented herself with looking out the side of the aircraft. Formerly green fields held nothing but brown water and the trees that used to line the Zhangki’s banks now formed part of the debris mass building up in the bay. There had been no houses in this area because of the extensive water-grain fields, but the damage was still serious. As per their earlier conversation, the pilot turned south, following the river’s flow and timing the current. It was fast—almost 20 kliqs per hour at the center of the stream.

  Floodwaters swirled through Zhangki City. As Rada feared, the river was in the process of taking back its old channel, cutting a path towards the industrial area on the west side of the Refuge Hills. The low area that the pilot had noticed on the map was already underwater and a barrier dike of some kind was forcing the river back and south, washing out what looked like orchards or a tree plantation. The waterfront had submerged up to the second floor of the houses and warehouses and a few foolish souls swam between th
e buildings. The hoist operator called them idiots and Rada choose to overlook his comment. Her concern centered on the bridge between the peninsula and the main city.

  The peninsula had become an island, thanks to the fast brown water. Mmmm, this is not good the Lord Defender noted as the hover drifted lower, giving her a very good view of the residential area. Water lapped the streets on the edges of the island, nibbling on the lowest houses and gardens. A steady stream of bundle-laden Azdhagi crossed the only bridge, heading for the center of the city and higher ground. As Rada watched, a log floated through the deepening channel under the bridge, hitting the supports and hanging up briefly. If much of the raft and debris from the upstream bridge diverted from the main channel and hit the structure, then started backing up water before the pressure tore down the bridge... Rada had seen enough. “Back to the base,” she ordered, and the hover climbed back up, then swooped down again.

  “People on a raft,” the copilot announced as the aircraft descended to almost water level. Rada pushed herself back against the bulkhead to give the hoist operator room to work as he opened the hatch farther and started lowering a catch harness down to the desperate reptiles on the makeshift raft. After several seconds he raised the harness and pulled two juniors in, passing one to Rada.

  “Dry her off. Heated towels are in the gray compartment,” he barked, all rank disregarded. Rada did as asked, vigorously rubbing the shivering little creature and Healing a sprained forefoot and tail as she did so. The Lord Defender then turned her attention to the larger female junior, who snatched the towel away and took care of herself. An adult female was hoisted in and Rada handed her more drying clothes. The last person, a battered adult male, required medical care and Rada unstrapped in order to help the hoist operator roll the male out of the catch harness and basket. The civilian suffered from a concussion, as well as a broken tail and hind leg, and hypothermia. His mate began trying to warm him with the heated blankets while Rada set and Healed the hind leg enough to get the bone repair well started.

  The hover flew about halfway back to the Defenders’ base when the female finally realized what sat in the aircraft with her and her young. If the belly hatch hadn’t been closed, Rada swore that the female would have jumped out of the aircraft. “That’s a mammal!” she hissed, backing away and clutching the two juniors. “An alien mammal,” and she freed one forefoot so she could cover the tip of her muzzle.

  “My proper title is Lord Defender, ma’am, and I’m addressed as Lord Mammal,” Rada politely informed the female. The Lord Defender then ignored the civilian as she ran through some options in her mind, trying to sort out what to do next. It was painfully obvious that no evacuation was in progress for Zhangki City and the water would be rising for another eleven hours or so. The city council had its collective thumb talon up its elimination orifice, as far as she could tell. Do I politely ask them to do something, do I start evacuating people without telling them, or do I kick their asses into the bay and take over the situation? Although she was Lord Defender, she had no authority to order anyone around who wasn’t in a Defender uniform unless there was an invasion in progress. As a noble, she possessed some traditional moral power to persuade and demand responses, but it was traditional and not legal power, especially in a relatively oligarchic place like Zhangki City. She’d have better luck with the ordinary reptiles than the council, Rada suspected.

  The hover landed and the female shoved her juniors out the door even before the skids touched grass. Rada assisted the medics in carrying the unconscious male out, then hung back to let them work on him while she talked with the pilot. “How close can you get to the city hall?”

  He thought hard. “There’s a park not too far away. I can’t set down, Lord Defender, but if you can take a drop line, I can get you in there.”

  Ugh. I hate bloody drop lines. Talk about being a fat, juicy target! Rada hid her discomfort with a nod. “I may need you to do that. Thanks, and good flying.”

  The council had at last responded, with a curt acknowledgement of the information about the floodwater crest. Then they’d terminated the communications, leaving Lt. Skeeker shaking his head, tail thrashing in undisguised agitation. “Stupid, fat-tailed, spineless, fur-covered, um” and the tirade cut off abruptly as the Lord Defender cleared her throat. “My apologies, Lord Defender,” he said, sinking down until his belly scraped the floor tiles.

  She hid a smile behind her hand. “Unless you care to face me in the salle or face Master Sharti in a duel,” which would be illegal but probable if the lieutenant didn’t learn to keep his muzzle shut, “I suggest you think before swearing. Now, since the council has proven itself unwilling or unable to get people to safety, it seems we’re going to have to help them.”

  Skeeker and Bees stared, gape-muzzled. “Ah, er, ah, with the greatest of all respect Lord Mammal, uh...” Skeeker began.

  Rada cut him off. “We’re here, Lieutenant. I know; our official duties are strictly planetary defense. However,” and she gave a toothy grin, tail swishing, “if your men train for high-water rescue, it would be foolish not to put their training to use. And what is your oath, Lieutenant?”

  “To defend, protect, and guard Drakon IV and its people,” he replied automatically.

  “Which is what we are going to do,” Rada pointed out reasonably. “Under my direct orders.” Which meant that she would take the responsibility for whatever happened. Skeeker perked up at her words.

  “Yes, Lord Defender. Where do you want us to start?” he asked as he pulled up a list of action plans. Rada noticed they included floods and she smiled to herself. That had not been authorized or ordered and she made a mental note to keep an eye on Skeeker. She needed more reptiles with initiative and if he didn’t screw up, he could go far, should he choose to stay in the Defenders.

  An hour later, Rada and her two guards looked out the open door of the hover, watching heavy cables unrolling into the rainy afternoon air. Blessed Bookkeeper, what the sodding hell am I doing? She checked her harness one last time, snugged her gloves tight, and made absolutely certain that she didn’t have anything that might snag in the thick wire. Then she took hold of the cable, triple checked her harness hooks, and at the hoist operator’s signal, stepped out of doorway and rode the line in a controlled, fast descent to the sodden ground. As soon as her boots touched, she undid her harness and ducked, trotting out of the downwash from the hover’s engines and rotors. Her guards were only seconds behind her and as soon as the trio was clear, the reptile on board began retracting the cables. Eeksk and Xhilee checked their weapons while Rada called up a map and verified the path they needed to take to get to City Hall. “Let’s go,” she ordered. Those Defenders not needed to run the base were being taken by the larger half-hovers to the Refuge Hills and from there would start setting up a refugee camp and evacuating people from the low areas.

  * * *

  “I’m sorry, Lord Defender, but the Council is in session. You’re not on their schedule,” the young male at the door to the City Hall informed the alien, not sorry in the least. He had no fondness for the hairy creature towering over him. A female and a mammal—ick. How distasteful, even if she was supposed to be in the King-Emperor’s favor. He fully expected her to leave when he told her to, as a proper female would. Instead, he found himself pinned between the wall and the front door as the Lord Defender and one of her guards shoved the wooden panel open.

  “No need to leave your spot,” she called over her shoulder as he squeaked a protest. “I remember the way.” The Lord Defender swept up the ramp, Xhilee trotting ahead of her in case anyone else decided to have a sudden attack of idiocy. At Rada’s nod her men threw open the doors to the council chamber and the reptiles inside stared dumbfounded as she strode in, grey eyes furious. She glared around the room. “Now that I have your attention, might I ask what you intend to do about evacuating the population of the lower town and housing them until the flood peaks and subsides?” She gave them a few seconds then
continued, “Because if you don’t then I will be forced to take charge and do it.”

  As she would have predicted, Master Sharti came to his feet. “I protest! You have no right, no authority, and no precedent for marching in and taking over! We were just discussing options and don’t need the added distraction of your interference,” he exclaimed.

  “And those options were...?” she asked quietly.

  Hisses, snaps and a few grumbles answered her question. Mayor Blish banged for order. “We planned to encourage residents to move to the Refuge Hill until the water recedes, Lord Ni Drako. That is standard procedure.”

  She nodded. “Good. How are you going to feed and house them?”

  Councilor Kreesh replied, “They bring their own supplies.”

  “And they provide their own medical care?” Rada asked.

  Silence filled the room as rain drummed on the roof above.

  “While you are deciding that, perhaps you can let me know when you planned on beginning the evacuations? You don’t want business interrupted by an undisciplined mass of people trying to flee to high ground all at once, I assume,” the Lord Defender pointed out, tone mild but eyes glacial.

  Blish got to his feet. “People evacuate when they feel the need. We are not soldiers to be bullied or coerced, Lord Defender. Nor are we servants compelled to obey your whims. We are free people and those who are too stupid to remove themselves from harms way get what they deserve.”

  Rada played a card, “Including your own families? Because as we speak, your Honor, the waters are undermining the bridge to the peninsula. My engineers estimate you have perhaps two hours, barring a surge or debris raft hitting it, until the bridge becomes too dangerous to use.” Rada enjoyed a nasty sense of satisfaction at the horrified looks around the table. “Perhaps, since you are needed to oversee the evacuation there, my men could assist with moving people out of the lower town until you’ve taken care of your families.”