Wing Commander: Freedom Flight

by Mercedes Lackey

  "That you are, mate. Kirha, I was just wondering… what's your name now? It wouldn't be Kirha hrai Hunter nar Aussie anymore, would it?"

  "No," the young Kilrathi warrior said. "My name is only Kirha now. Just Kirha." He smiled, snowing his sharp teeth. "Thank you, my lord."

  "Don't call me that, Kirha. You're your own lord now. Hell, find yourself a Kilrathi lady an' start your own hrai, some day when this is all over." Hunter glanced through the open cell door. "I'd better let the guards take you to the transport. They're starting to look impatient."

  "One moment, please." Kirha stepped forward awkwardly in his bindings, dropping to one knee in front of Hunter. "You are no longer my liege lord, Captain Ian St. John, also known as Hunter. But in my heart, I will always be sworn to you, to fight for you and your honor. To know that you, a human, have given me the freedom to begin my own hrai… that is a debt I can never repay. My only fear is that someday I will face you in combat, as an Imperial Kilrathi against a Confederation human. I hope that day will never come."

  Hunter shook his head. "I doubt it will, Kirha. You're going to be locked up in a prisoner camp, remember?"

  Kirha smiled. "I would not wager on that, my lord." He held out his furry, clawed paw for a human handshake.

  Surprised, Hunter clasped it. "Goodbye, Kirha."

  "Farewell, my lord Hunter," the Kilrathi said.

  Hunter stood in the corridor, watching as the guards escorted Kirha away. I never thought I'd see the day that I'd feel sad to say goodbye to a Kilrathi. But I do. He may be one of them, the enemy, but he's been a good comrade, and a good friend. He stood there for a long moment, long after the guards and Kirha had gone.

  "Hun-ter?"

  He turned and saw K'Kai, hurrying down the corridor toward him. "K'Kai! What are you doing here?"

  "I wanted to talk to Kirha," the Firekkan said. "Is he gone?"

  "You just missed him," Hunter said.

  "That is sad," she said, looking as if she meant it. "I wanted to say goodbye to him. Even though he is Kilrathi, I now think of him as a comrade and a friend." She cocked her head to one side. "It is something I never dreamed, as a hatchling in my nest… that I would fly among the stars, and meet beings from other worlds. It has not been so difficult to befriend you, Hun-ter, a human…" she said, leaning close to Hunter to groom through his hair. "Except that there are never any tasty bugs in human hair!"

  "Sorry, I'm not going to put any there for you, lady!" Hunter said, ducking out of reach and laughing.

  "I wish I could have said goodbye to Kirha," she said. "And given him this gift as well. I suppose we will have to drink it instead."

  For the first time, Hunter noticed the large clay bottle in K'Kai's claws. "Firekka's Finest?" he asked.

  "Of course," she said, opening her beak in a silent Firekkan laugh. "What else would we drink to celebrate our success? Come come, we will go the Rec Room and drink to our victory!"

  And I'll drink a toast to departed friends, Hunter thought. To Gwen, who died to save the Firekkan hostages and her comrades. And to Kirha, who was brave and honorable enough to fight for his enemies against his own people.

  And to our success. Against all the odds, we did it. Amazing.

  "You're on, lady," Hunter said, linking his arm under K'Kai's wing. "We'll drink to the future, and whatever it may bring!"