Endurance

by Richard Chizmar

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Dire Consequences

  The signal came in from the L.T.F. Perpetua at once. “SsurreVa. Have you and HalaVar secured the facility?”

  Time he understood who was playing on his team, and who wasn’t.

  “Not exactly, OverLord.” I programmed a chamber status report to go out with my signal. “But as you can see, I have secured the main fusion chamber, bypassed the coolant system and routed the superheated discharge back into the core. It should melt down the outer housing and cause an explosion, oh, quite soon.”

  There was a long stretch of silence. Then TssVar, who I had expected to detonate himself, returned the signal. “You had no intentions of negotiating a peaceful exchange, did you?”

  I shrugged.

  “The Terran Grey Veil was correct. You are a habitual liar, SsurreVa.”

  I smiled at his furious image. TssVar should have listened to Joseph Grey Veil—my creator was usually right. “If that’s what it takes to keep the Aksellans from being slaughtered, you bet I am.”

  “I have captured a group of these miners,” the OverLord told me. TssVar gestured, and a writhing Aksellan was brought before the screen. “I can kill them one at a time, or all at once. Which do you choose, SsurreVa?”

  “I don’t.” I kept my face and voice bland. Damn, how had he managed that? “But do whatever you feel is necessary. Watch out for the females. They have awfully bad tempers.”

  “Very well.” Surprisingly, he ordered his guards to remove the Aksellans from the Command post. “What are your terms to end this before the core detonates?”

  That I could deal with. “Release the Aksellans you’ve captured, and allow the miners to peacefully evacuate the station. Send a small group of your centurons over to handle the ore processing. Once that’s done, unload the League crew, take the fuel, leave the station, and head on your merry way.”

  Reever made a strange sound, but I ignored him.

  Something crashed on the Hsktskt side of the link.

  Might have been that piece of console TssVar heaved across his office. “I will not release the League slaves.”

  “You’d rather be blown into itty-bitty molecules?” I spread my hands out. “Fine with me.”

  “You will not destroy my ship,” the OverLord said. “Not when all the captives remain on board.”

  Bluff time. “I sold them out to you, didn’t I? Watch me.”

  I’d been counting on TssVar’s inability to feel humanoid emotion, but he’d been hanging around me for too long. “I watched you operate for hours on the League Commander after he attempted to kill you,” he said. “You will not do it.”

  “Then it’s been nice knowing you.” I quickly terminated the signal. Maybe if I said nothing more, he might change his mind—

  “He will not, Cherijo.” Reever moved to stand beside me and examined the console. “This overload becomes irreversible in five minutes.”

  “I know.” I gnawed at my lower lip. Surely there was some other way I could convince the Hsktskt I was serious, without actually killing anyone. Then it occurred to me that Duncan had accessed my thoughts, that we were alone, and he could do any damn thing he wanted. Especially as he’d somehow gotten his hands free.

  “No, Reever.” I pulled the weapon from the holster, but it was already too late.

  Cherijo.

  All he had to do was gently pry the weapon from my nerveless fingers and set it aside. Then he used his mind-control tricks to make me walk away from the console. I made some gasping sounds as my body mechanically followed his mental commands.

  Why are you laughing? he said inside my head.

  Because you don’t know the override codes. Tears of strain from being unable to physically laugh rolled down my face. So we’re all going to die together, one big happy family.

  He tried to get at them for a minute, and I had to use every ounce of control I had to keep my mental bolsters in place. Finally he left the console and knelt before me. Cherijo. You cannot do this. You cannot kill.

  He was absolutely correct, not that I was going to tell him. Why not? I’m not too fond of the Hsktskt, or the League. Alunthri will never be free, and I know it would rather die than go back to being someone’s pet. Most of the Aksellans will survive. And you—The bitterness swamped me. I loved you and look where it got me.

  The autodrone announced that two minutes remained before the core went to critical mass.

  I can persuade TssVar to agree with everything but releasing the League captives. Reever cradled my stiff face between his scarred hands. If I do, will you stop this?

  I had two minutes, but it didn’t take that long. Yeah. Okay.

  He kept me there while he went back to the console. “This is OverMaster HalaVar. I have negotiated an agreement on your behalf, OverLord.”

  “HalaVar, shut down that core!” TssVar said, in a near-bellow.

  Reever’s voice went low, but I still heard him. “I have never asked anything of you, TssVar, but I remind you of our blood-bond.”

  Another brief interval of dead silence. “Very well. Quickly, the terms.”

  Reever told him, and TssVar agreed to it. The next moment I was being dragged over to the console, then the mind-force controlling me disappeared. “Reverse the overload.”

  I worked fast. The exchangers blew open and I engaged the hull dampers to open and vent the super-heated fuel into space. The chamber sensors slowly began to inch back down out of the red range.

  All the excitement was over.

  The Aksellans had been monitoring the situation from their remote terminals in the asteroid field, and Clyvos agreed to provide the necessary fuel stores. As before, his only condition was that the station and the miners be left alone once the Hsktskt had what they wanted.

  TssVar ordered Reever to bring me back to the Perpetua. “To the Command Center, brother.” He appeared, if anything, angrier than he had before.

  Reever nodded, grabbed my arm, and hauled me out into the corridor.

  “Hey.” I tugged, but his grip was like a vise. “Why the rush?”

  “Have you any idea of what you have done?” Reever said as he dragged me through the station.

  Not really, but I guess I was going to find out.

  The launch carrying Clyvos, the miners, and another detachment of Hsktskt centurons arrived at the same time Reever and I flew back to the Perpetua. The Aksellan and I exchanged glances through our viewports as the launches passed each other.

  I waved. “Looks like TssVar plans to keep his side of the bargain.”

  Reever, who was manning the launch alone, looked up from the helm for a moment. “Hsktskt rarely prevaricate. They consider it beneath them.”

  “Like everything else.” I sat back and rubbed my hands over my face. “Will they throw me back into isolation?”

  “I don’t know.”

  That was my OverMaster, always eager to reassure me. Whatever was eating him must be suffering horrible indigestion. “I guess you’re out one slave-girl. A shame. Be a good soldier and maybe he’ll give you another.”

  Reever put the helm on autopilot, got up out of his harness, and walked back to where I was strapped in. Yeah, he was angry. I could tell from the way that little muscle ticked along his jaw.

  “I used a blood-bond to keep you alive I have been holding in reserve for fifteen years.” He sounded vicious, and at the same time, astonished. As though he couldn’t fathom his own actions.

  I felt like saying join the club. “So what’s another blood-bond, more or less?” I closed my eyes. A moment later I was ripped out of the harness and hauled up to his eye level by my slave collar.

  Okay, I thought, I should stop gloating now.

  “I grow tired of your ridicule and sarcasm,” he said, letting go of the collar to pin my arms to my sides. “You belong to me and you will do as I tell you.”

  My fear went the same route as his self-control. Out the door panel.

  “I’m sick o
f your mouth, too.” I wasn’t that far off the deck—if he dropped me, nothing would break. “Despite what you think, I’m not your property, pet, or plaything. And, for future reference, I’ll do exactly, exactly what I want, when I want, where I want.”

  His hands tightened, grinding into my bones. “You will say nothing of this to TssVar.”

  “No!” He was really hurting me now. I kicked him in the shin, as hard as I could. He didn’t move a muscle. “What are you made of—stone? Damn it, put me down!”

  He didn’t. He shook me, fast and hard. “You will say nothing, Cherijo, or I will keep you suspended in a mental link. Indefinitely.”

  “Just try it!” Could he? I fought to free myself, and kicked him a few more times. “Let go, let go of me!”

  Unexpectedly he did just that—set me down on my feet. Before I could react, he drew back his arm and hit me. No love tap, but a heavy, openhanded slap that sent my head smashing into the cabin wall. My ears rang as I collapsed against the passenger seats.

  “You will remain silent when I speak to TssVar,” he said in a horrible voice. I flinched as if struck a second time. “Do you understand?”

  “Yeah.” My eyes filled with tears of hatred and pain. I slowly regained my equilibrium, pushed myself up and covered my burning cheek with my hand. “I got it.”

  “Cherijo.” He reached out, then hesitated. Slowly his fingers curled away and he dropped his hand.

  While he was preoccupied with staring at my face (and doubtless the bruise that was forming on it), I brought my right hand up and slapped him equally as hard.

  “I won’t say anything.” I waited until he caught my gaze. “But touch me again, and one of us won’t walk away breathing.”

  Without another word he went back to the helm.

  * * *

  An armed escort was waiting for us, and the trio of lizards didn’t look very happy. They marched me and Reever up to the Command Center, where TssVar was giving orders to another group of his centurons. When the OverLord saw us, he made a single, vicious gesture that cleared the room.

  Well, almost. FlatHead stuck around so he could watch the fun and games, I supposed.

  “SsurreVa.”

  I’d forgotten just how big and scary a Hsktskt can be, especially when they stand about an inch away from you. All those gleaming teeth, perfectly designed to grab, hold, and rip to pieces. “OverLord.”

  Reever stepped forward, and actually put a hand on one of TssVar’s upper limbs. “There is much that I must tell you, brother.”

  “Yes, OverMaster HalaVar.” GothVar pushed away from his position by the door. He reminded me of a scavenger, moving in for whatever scraps he could get. “Tell our Commander how this Terran fodder deceived him. Tell how she conspired to betray us to the Aksellans from the moment we entered the processing station.”

  I noticed he didn’t mention anything about his premature helpfulness, but I was going to keep this last promise to Reever. I’d keep quiet. After this, all debts were satisfied.

  “HalaVar.” TssVar shoved me out of his way to stalk up to Reever. “I would hear your explanation.”

  “Dr. Torin was held at gunpoint during the entire incident, as was I.” Reever lied without twitching a blond eyelash. “She followed the Aksellan’s instructions in order to keep both of us alive. I was unable to relate this during the transmission, for the same reasons.”

  “She did not sound as if she was under duress.” The Hsktskt swiveled around to stare at me. “I would have thought her enjoying her … coercion.”

  “I had hoped you would understand our plight when I referenced our blood-bond.” Reever sounded bored. “Why would I cancel such an enormous debt over the life of a few miners and one Terran female?”

  “Why, indeed.” TssVar’s gaze roamed between us restlessly. “Yet it is done, HalaVar.”

  “Yes. It is.”

  I had no idea of what they were talking about, but now I was getting bored. Tempted to ask if I could go, I caught the look on Reever’s face and bit the inside of my cheek instead.

  GothVar had no problem with self-restraint. “HalaVar indulges this slave, OverLord.” He came over to me, clamped one of his huge hands around my right wrist and nearly pulled my arm out of its socket.

  “Hey!” I yanked back.

  With a swipe, he shredded the length of my tunic sleeve and held out my arm to TssVar. “You see? No PIC.”

  My slave-brand was gone? I checked. It was. Nothing marred my flesh, not even the faint signs of fading keloids. My creator’s tinkering had landed me in hot water once more. I couldn’t tell TssVar that, but I wasn’t letting him burn me again. “I don’t need a brand, for God’s sake. I’m not going—”

  “See to it,” TssVar said to Reever. One of his six limbs lashed toward the door panel. “All of you, get out. GothVar, assist HalaVar with this female’s designation.”

  Even FlatHead knew when to gracefully retreat. “Yes, OverLord.”

  Outside in the corridor, Reever only shook his head when I opened my mouth. GothVar shadowed us from Central Command all the way to the chamber where Reever had first branded me. I began to break out in a sweat as I remembered the pain and helplessness.

  “I guess you can’t inject me with an indelible pigment?” I shuffled over to the circular pad. Reever said nothing. “I want the drugs this time.”

  “No drugs,” GothVar said, and held his pulse rifle trained on my chest. “You will perform the application on her as she is, as I watch.”

  Reever removed his own weapon and held it on FlatHead. “Release her, OverCenturon.”

  Me, about to be burned, standing between two beasts with guns fighting over how to do it. Maybe I should have surrendered to Joseph the first time he’d attacked the Sunlace.

  GothVar laughed. “You have no blood-bond to claim amnesty with, HalaVar. Kill me if you will, but TssVar will see you both dismembered for the murder of a free citizen.”

  The lizard had a point. I stepped between the metallic columns and held out my arm. “Do it.” Reever shook his head, and I hissed out an impatient breath. “Now, Reever, before I end up getting shot, too.”

  GothVar came to stand right behind me, the best view in the house. Reever hesitated another moment, then quickly put his weapon away and went to the console.

  I felt the cold, dry touch of scaled flesh on the back of my neck, and froze.

  “When you feel the laser sear your flesh, scream for me,” the Hsktskt said, scraping his claws against the rim of my slave collar.

  “I can’t decide why no one likes you.” I closed my eyes when his claws slid between the collar and my throat. “However, I’ve narrowed it down to two possibilities. It’s either your breath, or your face.”

  “Soon we will reach Catopsa.” The claws dug into my flesh. “I will have you assigned to my tier. I will take my time with you, make you last.”

  Doing what? “Terrans tend to lose their appeal rather quickly,” I said, then jerked as Reever activated the laser, and swallowed a shriek. “Sorry … to … disappoint … you….”

  Heat slashed through my skin as the programmed application carefully re-carved each symbol. One of FlatHead’s limbs curled around my waist. Hot breath scalded my cheek. Dimly I realized he was enjoying it, aroused by the smell of burning.

  Fire enveloping my suit. I was burning. Children screaming with terror. Tonetka’s graceful hands, slapping at me, trying to beat out the flames….

  I made it through almost to the end. The last thing I heard was GothVar’s tongue slithering out to taste my pain.

  Reever must have kept me sedated for a day or two, because when I woke, my fresh brand was scabbed over and itching like crazy. I was on his sleeping platform, and he sat beside me, reading something on a data pad. I rolled over and got up carefully, making sure my legs would hold me.

  “You’re awake.”

  I didn’t wait to have a tête-à-tête. Whatever he had fed me wanted to come back up, so I made a q
uick run to the lavatory. Once my stomach was empty, I spent some time under the cleanser. I couldn’t rid myself of GothVar’s voice, or the memory of the sick pleasure he’d taken in my branding. The nausea stayed with me even after I dressed.

  FlatHead wasn’t a scavenger, I decided. He was what scavengers ate.

  I needed to do some work, so I resolved to go back to running Medical, and told Reever that. He said nothing, only examined my arm for a moment, then handed me a League physician’s tunic.

  “I will escort you,” he said when I’d dressed and headed for the door panel.

  “I know the way.”

  No one was running Medical anymore. Apparently Malgat had been sent to Detainment, and the nurses and residents had fallen into complete despair and equal disregard for standard procedure. I discovered a half dozen injured patients waiting who had not yet been treated, inpatients who need follow-up, and a thousand other tasks.

  There was no use pointing fingers. I just called the League staffers over to the center of the Bay and laid down the law.

  “OverLord TssVar has appointed me as the new Primary for this department. Senior staff will make progress reports directly to me, twice a shift. I want those patients waiting to be triaged and sorted in priority. Immediately. You”—I pointed to Vlaav, the loud-mouthed Saksonan who’d given me so much trouble after Shropana’s operation—“are in charge of assessment on ambulatory patients.”

  The red nubbly pockets on his hide swelled. “That’s a nursing slot!”

  “Aren’t you bright?” I wondered if those bulges ever burst, and made a mental note to keep him out of my sterile fields. “It’s yours now. Show me what a good nurse you’d make, and I might let you play doctor someday.”

  I went on to assign the senior staff positions, which everyone objected to—even the assignees. I blocked out the protests and requisitioned a pair of the most qualified nurses to do rounds with me. Then I started walking to the first berth.

  No one else moved. The entire Medical staff stood like statues in the center of the Bay, watching me while displaying varying degrees of astonishment.

  This was going to be tougher than I’d thought.