by PJ McDermott
Jess drew her sword and pointed it at the other guard.
The noise brought Josipe-sѐr-Amagon from his office further down the hall. “What is happening here?” he said brusquely. “We all fight on the same side. Save your anger for the Pharlaxian enemy.”
Hickory released the soldier and handed him back his spear.
He muttered in a surly tone, “We had orders—”
“And I’m giving you another one.” Josipe glared at the naur, who stood to attention.
Both soldiers looked at Hickory and Jess sheepishly and mumbled an apology, then stood back to allow them into the private offices. The Chief bid them wait outside Yonni-sѐr-Abelen’s suite and knocked on the door for admission. A few minutes later he returned and ushered them inside. “You’re lucky. The High Reeve is keen to speak with you. Go straight in. I must leave, now. Until we meet again.” He smiled grimly at Hickory and Jess. “I wish you luck in these evil times.”
Sѐr-Abelen turned from the window as they approached. “Hickory Lace and Jess Parker, I’ve been waiting for you. Your father will be relieved to hear you are safe, Commander Lace.”
Hickory and Jess stopped two yards from the High Reeve and bowed low in greeting. “It is good to see you, Yonni-sѐr-Abelen. You have spoken with my father recently?” said Hickory. She searched for some emotional response from the High Reeve, but she could sense nothing. Total absence. Very unusual. He must have a high natural shield.
“Quite recently. We maintain what I believe you refer to as a video link between us, which, although strange, has proven to be valuable. We will talk with the admiral presently. First, though, I would like you to tell me what has happened to you these last few weeks.”
The smile he gave them did not reach his eyes, and Hickory glanced at Jess before replying. Mine, she signaled.
“The story of my capture and torture by the Pharlaxians is of little worth, High Reeve.”
“I agree. I am more interested in what you can tell me about the naur, Kar-sѐr-Sephiryth.”
“The Teacher has been taken captive by the Pharlaxians, and as we speak, he’s being transported in a cage to Ezekan. It is their intention to publicly humiliate and execute him before the gates of the city. But all this, I am sure, you already know.”
The High Reeve shook his head, and his eyes flashed with annoyance. “We don’t have time to play games, Miss Lace. I want you to tell me your findings regarding Kar-sѐr-Sephiryth’s claims of divinity.”
“That would be an enormous waste of your time, Yonni-sѐr-Abelen. I have yet to draw any conclusions, and in any case, the head of my order will be the first to hear my views when I have formed them. It would be more productive to discuss the information we have obtained about the rebel forces. It would also save time if we were to include the admiral in these discussions.” She raised her eyebrows and stared into his eyes.
A sardonic smile twisted the lips of the High Reeve. “You may call me Yonni, commander. Let us talk to the admiral.”
Neither the admiral nor the High Reeve gave much away as Hickory presented her account, but the information on the Bikashi numbers was clearly new to the admiral, and the High Reeve moistened his lips when she told him her assessment of the siege engines at the disposal of the Pharlaxians.
“The Pax have been building these things at their desert hideaway, under the direction of Vogel and his people. Jess saw them at work and has prepared a detailed report on logistics for you.” She nodded to Jess to continue.
“They’ve quite a factory going there,” said Jess. “They’ve been using natural materials so they’re not detectable by scanners, even if you could use them, Admiral.” Her face colored as she glanced at the High Reeve. “My guess is they will be able to breach the city walls in a matter of days if Sequana manages to bring up all of his heavy equipment.”
Hickory’s father nodded his approval. “Thank you, both. Please pass on your report to Lieutenant Brandt as soon as you are able, Jess. Commander, I’m glad to see you pulled through okay.” He pursed his lips. “A pity about the damage to the comms equipment. I’d like to have had this information before they started to move. What about Mack? Where is he?”
Hickory and Jess looked at each other. Jess told the admiral about Kar-sѐr-Sephiryth’s role in Hickory’s rescue. “We think this is an exceptional individual, a truly generous and gentle being, and we would like to do what we can to help him, regardless of our professional assessment.” She took a deep breath. “The last we saw of Mack, he was in hiding outside the lines of the Pharlaxian camp. He hoped to reach the Teacher and free him. We don’t know if he succeeded or if he’s been discovered.” She didn’t continue, but all in the meeting knew that if Mack had been found there was a good chance he was now dead.
The High Reeve’s eyes narrowed as Jess finished her report.
Hickory coughed. “The main thing is, sir, what are we going to do about the Bikashi? If the government forces take on the Pharlaxian army head to head, the Bikashi will wipe them out.”
The admiral grimaced. “I’d like to tell you we will come riding in like the cavalry to your relief, Yonni, but I’m unable to give you that assurance. At least, not yet. However, I will take this to my superiors and argue the point as strongly as I am able—assuming you will request our assistance?”
Yonni-sѐr-Abelen shrugged. “I hardly have a choice, do I? Either you humans come to my planet armed with your devilish weapons, or I let the Pharlaxians take the city. Either way, I feel we are headed for a time of unparalleled conflict. Things will change dramatically on this planet, and not for the better, I fear. I will have the request drawn up and signed by the Senate leaders this afternoon.”
Hickory felt some sympathy for the High Reeve. He was in an impossible position. She wasn’t sure the IA’s mission would survive either. She came to a decision and cleared her throat. “There is one option we could pursue that may allow Prosperine to sort out these problems with only a little help.” She hesitated. “But we need to be able to get out of the city unseen.”
Rescue
The admiral and the High Reeve agreed to her plan. Yonni said he would arrange for their departure. Now it was up to her and Jess, and Mack—if Mack was still free, and if they could find him fast enough.
Kyntai and Mirda were delighted to see Hickory and Jess when they arrived back at the embassy. Kyntai looked behind Jess expecting to see Mack, and both naurs were upset to hear that their new master wasn’t with them. Half an hour later, Hickory and Jess donned the hooded Avanauri cloaks with the square shoulders favored by the rebel soldiers. Jess wore the extra protection of a face scarf because of her dark skin color. They waited a few minutes until the aurora had gone from the sky, then the boy drove them to the temple. The high priest had been forewarned, and he led them down the steps to a secret exit hidden behind the Sacred Sword grotto. He explained that this passage had at one time been used by priests to escape the city in times of persecution. The door led to a tunnel that rose steadily upwards and came out on a mountain track a few hundred yards from the city walls.
When they left the tunnel, the night sky was clear and glittered with stars. An orchard stretched for miles below them, and there was no sign of the enemy. Hickory now thought of the Pharlaxian rebels as the enemy, which, given what she was about to do, seemed appropriate to her. She sent Kyntai back to look after Brutus. He appeared glad to go. The youngster had never experienced war, but Hickory had no doubt his youthful imagination would fill in the horrors omitted by the storytellers.
They followed the track down into the trees. Jess crouched and signaled Hickory to stop. A band of archers carrying massive longbows trotted past, not more than a hundred yards from them. They waited until the group were well out of earshot and then moved on. “Forward scouts,” hissed Jess. “The main body can’t be far away.”
“Half a day at most,” agreed Hickory.
Several hours before the dawn, they emerged from the trees onto the eastern edge
of the goldengrass plains that swept away to the sea. Gradually, the terrain underfoot deteriorated, becoming crisscrossed with gullies and ravines that were difficult to negotiate in the dark.
The indigo of the night sky gave way to a pink flush on the horizon, and when they climbed the crest of a hill, they spied the rebel camp sprawled out below.
“What do you think?” Jess said, afraid to express her fears that Mack might have been killed in a failed attempt to rescue Kar-sѐr-Sephiryth.
“If Mack’s alive, he’ll be down there.” She didn’t say that she was unable to reach his SIM because Jess already knew.
“How are we going to find him?” whispered Jess, peering through her spyglass at the myriad of tents in the valley.
“If their previous practice is anything to go by, the Teacher will still be on public display. We should be able to spot him unless Mack managed to find a way to free him.” Hickory could feel the anxiety emanating from Jess.
Jess nodded her agreement.
Hickory searched the area with her spyglass. If the Teacher had escaped, there would be a lot more activity around the camp. “There he is,” she said a moment later. “He’s at the front of the army, still strapped up in the cart. No sign of Mack.”
They decided to make use of the fading darkness and edged down the hillside using the rocks and scrub for cover, stopping at each hiding place to listen for any sound of sentries. Fifty yards from the first tents, they spotted a night patrol. Two guards met up with their compatriots, then turned and walked a hundred yards to a third duo. Hickory realized the pattern would be repeated around the perimeter of the camp. Sequana was taking no chances.
Hickory and Jess waited until the guards passed them by, then slipped across the lines. They reached the tents without being discovered. Rising to their feet, they tugged the hoods on their cloaks over their heads and walked slowly through the camp towards the carriage in which Kar-sѐr-Sephiryth was being held. It was quiet. The only sounds they heard were the snoring of soldiers in their tents and the whoop-whoop of a nocturnal predator. A group of half-a-dozen grizzled warriors sat around an open fire, talking in subdued tones about tomorrow’s action. Others had fallen asleep where they lay, their heads resting on their armor and their weapons nearby. One stalwart drained the last few drops of his wine before he threw the flask away and stumbled into his tent.
Two bored-looking guards carrying spears stood beside the prison wagon. Hickory motioned for Jess to wait beside a tent until she had the guard’s attention, then sauntered over.
“Salutations, friend. So this is the so-called Son of Balor, eh? Not much to look at, is he?
One guard laughed. “There never was much to look at, but since the Bikashi talked with him there is even less.”
Hickory could see the welts and bruises on the prisoner. Despite the pain he must have been feeling, his eyes lit softly on her. Hickory’s heart caught in her mouth. “They’ve done a good job on him,” she responded.
The second guard looked more closely at her and weighed his spear in two hands. “I do not recognize you, soldier. Pull back your hood so I can see your face.”
“Won’t do you any good,” said Hickory.
Jess crept up behind the guard and cracked him over the head. Before he had hit the ground, Jess leaped at the second soldier and put her knife to his throat, stifling his cries with her other hand. “If you want to live, keep still,” she whispered into his ear.
They bound both guards securely to a wheel and stuffed gags into their mouths.
Hickory climbed onto the wagon, cut the Teacher’s bonds, and whispered in his ear. “Be quiet now. We don’t want to alarm the camp. There—you’re free. Can you walk?”
Hickory and Jess helped him down from the wagon, and he rubbed his wrists and stretched his legs. Then he went to the two guards and placed his hands on their necks. Satisfied, he rose. “They will both recover. Thank you, Jess, Hickory. I’ve been tied to that stake for a long time, but if we walk slowly, I will manage.”
“We were hoping to find our friend, Mack, with you. Have you seen him?” said Jess, as they supported the injured naur by the arms and led him towards the edge of the camp.
“Your friend is courageous. He made a valiant attempt to free me but was unfortunately caught. I believe he is being kept under guard by the Bikashi. I can show you where.”
Hickory frowned. “You’re not strong enough. We need to get you away from here.”
“Hick…” Jess pleaded. “Can’t we at least try?”
Hickory looked at her. Jess knew as well as she did the mission was more important than any individual. She felt a wave of sadness sweep over her. It had been hard losing Gareth, but there was nothing they could have done to prevent that from happening. Hickory handed her flask to the Teacher. She was surprised at how much better he looked now compared to just a few minutes ago. She remembered how fresh he’d seemed in the desert after what must have been a tiring walk. It’s not normal. He appears to have incredible powers of recuperation and boundless energy.
It was almost as though he read her thoughts. He smiled and returned the bottle. “Not magic, Hickory. Meditation and prayer. It clears the mind and helps diminish the worst of the pain, but the joints still become stiff after standing in one place for so long. Come, I will take you to where they are holding your friend.”
Keeping close together, they followed Kar-sѐr-Sephiryth through the gray mist that had fallen. He raised his hand, and they froze. A few yards in front of them an Avanauri soldier hitched up his trousers and staggered back into his tent.
The fog parted momentarily, allowing them a glimpse of the Bikashi camp. Vogel had billeted his soldiers away from the Pharlaxians. It seemed the two groups hadn’t bonded well together. The Pax were still nervous about having off-worlders around.
“The Bikashi provide their own security for this sector,” whispered Kar-sѐr-Sephiryth, “but they will not see us if we move quietly.”
Hickory’s eyes narrowed in the gloom. She counted twenty-six tents in the clearing. A soldier stood at the entry to the biggest. Could be Vogel’s sleeping quarters, and then she caught her breath. A light breeze had sprung up, and curling wisps of mist had momentarily defined the shape of something solid but invisible. A masking force field! Vogel is taking a huge risk. She nudged Jess and nodded at the phenomenon.
Jess put her mouth close to Hickory’s ear. “That’s why we couldn’t reach Mack. They must be mad, or desperate. If the Agency picks up that they’re using this sort of advanced technology, the admiral will be sorely tempted to launch a strike force, despite the consequences.”
“The force field only covers a small area, not the whole camp. If the power source is small enough it won’t be picked up by IA scanners,” said Hickory.
“Which means it has to be nearby.”
A flat plasteel platform stood a few feet from where the structure had momentarily appeared. That has to be it. Hickory pointed. “See it?”
Jess nodded and touched her shoulder. “Two guards,” she whispered into her ear. “Not patrolling—stationary—one at each side.
“Ideas?” asked Hickory.
Jess pointed to where the Bikashi mounts were corralled inside a rope fence on the other side of the clearing. A large tree with overhanging branches stood just outside the roped-off area. A yarrak munched contentedly on its leaves. “A distraction, maybe? But that still leaves one guard who will wonder where his buddy has disappeared to.”
“He won’t be worried if he sees him coming back,” said Hickory. She turned to face the Teacher. “If this works, we’ll have to get away from here quickly. We won’t be able to go back via the main camp. But we can’t leave our equipment and rides behind.”
“What do you want me to do?” he said.
“Titus and Brutus—they’re tethered just the other side of that ridge over there, in an apple grove. Fetch them and wait for us on the back road to Ezekan.”
He nodded. “I’ll
be there.”
“Teacher—” she hesitated, uncertain of what to say. “Please be careful. If you’re captured, I don’t think they’ll let you live this time. And… we need to talk about some things.”
Kar-sѐr-Sephiryth held out his arms, and she hugged him, her face pressed to his chest. He stroked her hair and whispered. “Don’t be concerned, Hickory. We each have an unfinished part in this story. I have no intention of dying just yet, and I’m looking forward to our discussion.” He smiled and let her go.
Hickory wiped a tear from her eye and watched him depart.
They gave Kar-sѐr-Sephiryth a fifteen-minute start and then Hickory loped off. She took a wide detour around the Bikashi camp until she reached the other side of the yarrak enclosure. The old tree offered plenty of toeholds and places where her hands could grip. She climbed steadily until she reached a stout branch extending over the compound.
Hickory snaked along the tree limb until she was as close to the sleeping yarraks as she could get. She shook the branch. The leaves rustled loudly. The yarraks lumbered to their feet, yipping in fright.
Moments later the guard approached to investigate. He moved cautiously, peering over the rope fence and talking quietly to the beasts. “Hey, now. What’s all the noise, big fellas? Something disturbs you, eh? One of those Pharlaxians trying to take you away?” He looked around suspiciously.
Hickory waited until the Bikashi drew near to the tree then leaped. She landed on top of the guard, and they both fell heavily to the ground. Hickory rolled away and jumped to her feet. The guard didn’t move. Blank eyes stared at her. She checked for a pulse and found none. Grimly, she changed into his clothing, donned his helmet and picked up the spear. She took a few deep breaths and tramped back to the compound, taking up the dead guard’s position and waving to the other, reassuringly.
A few minutes later, Jess approached the second Bikashi, who immediately challenged her. “Stop where you are! Come no closer—” Hickory came up from behind and knocked the guard on the head with the pommel of her sword. Catching him as he fell, she laid him softly on the ground.
