The Queen's Daemon (T'aafhal Legacy Book 2)

by Doug L. Hoffman

  I guess that is my next objective. I don't know how far ahead the natives are, but they must be a large party and large parties do not move swiftly. Perhaps I can catch up to them by nightfall.

  Chapter 21

  CIC, Peggy Sue

  Repairs and refurbishment of the ship were progressing rapidly. The crew were working round the clock to return the Peggy Sue to fighting shape and to modify the sensor suite to add new capabilities. Chief Engineer Baldursson and Chief Zackly were everywhere, urging the crew on and keeping an eye on the work. The ship's officers, including the Captain, were also wandering the ship, adding to the crew's stress levels. The Captain or the First Officer were apt to pop up anywhere at anytime. Currently, however, the senior officers were together in the CIC, where the large holographic light table displayed a detailed 3D model of the ship.

  “It looks like things are progressing nicely,” said the First Officer. Despite the punishing schedule she looked as neat and proper as always. Her unwilted appearance mildly annoyed her husband, who was beginning to look a bit ragged around the edges.

  “Yep. At this rate Arin says we have two, maybe three more days left at the outside. As soon as we can get everything squared away we can go and kick ET's ass.”

  “Yes, Sir,” Beth and Bobby replied in unison.

  “Speaking of the varmints that bushwhacked us, have we been able to locate them using the passive instruments?”

  “We've been keeping the flotilla of primitive ships under surveillance while using the large telescope to scan for the main attacker,” Bobby said. In Mizuki's absence he had assumed command of the sensor section, driving himself and the techs mercilessly. “We have a sighting of an anomalous object about 300,000 kilometers from the planet.”

  “Is it in a planetary orbit?”

  “In a sense. It's in a Lissajous orbit around the star-planet L2 point, so technically it is in orbit around the M-type star.”

  “Is it a tight orbit or a wide one?” asked Beth.

  “Pretty tight, right at the edge of the planet's umbra, but well inside the penumbra so the planet blocks most of the star's light.”

  “That sounds like Dark Lords fer sure.”

  “Yeah, I imagine they don't much care for light even from a red dwarf. IR data show that ship is cold, like seventy Kelvin cold.”

  “Definitely Dark Lords then. What else?”

  “It's a big bastard, Sir. Looks to be more than a kilometer long and as black as space. We've never encountered anything like it and Peggy Sue says it doesn't match anything in the T'aafhal databanks. The computer concludes that it is some form of Dark Lord vessel and that the primitives are a client race, being used because they can work on the surface of the planet we all seem to be fighting over.”

  “I'm not worried about the minions, it's the mother ship that we need to take out first. Do we have any analysis of the ship's armaments and capabilities?”

  “Between the initial attack and the optical surveillance the computer suggests that it is powered by some form of warp drive, capable of superluminal travel through normal 3-space,” Beth responded. “The supposition is that we were struck by multiple torpedoes using the same form of propulsion. Because they don't use gravitonic drives they are difficult for our sensors to detect.”

  “Beth's correct, the location from the optical observations is uncertain because their warp field seems to be distorting the space around the ship. But if we can get a firing solution with the new sensors we ought to be able to hit them with the particle cannons.”

  “So yer saying that this new warp detector had better work or we have a big problem?”

  “Aye, Captain. They are pretty much maintaining station now, but the range makes a railgun attack a long shot, and torpedoes would be detected in time for them to get underway. We don't know how long it takes them to accelerate to superluminal velocity, but once they do a torpedo hit is not very likely.”

  “Sounds like our best mode of attack is to bring all the systems on line, get a quick fix on the Dark Lords, and hit 'em with the cannon battery.”

  “That would appear to be the best course of action, Captain. Realizing that once our engines power up they will probably be able to detect us.”

  “Yeah, and if the new sensors don't work we may need to go to plan B.”

  “Plan B, Bobby?”

  “Head straight at 'em. Once it's clear they see us and start moving we hit them with everything we got while throwing up a cloud of junk from the close support guns.”

  Beth raised a skeptical eyebrow.

  “That sounds just a tad desperate, Bobby.”

  “It is, but once they know we are here there is no way we can run to a transit point before they catch us.”

  “Sounds like an old fashioned gun fight, pardner—who ever clears leather first wins.”

  “Only if we kill them with that first shot.” Bobby's eyes held a malevolence his friends had not seen before, a smoldering hatred. Billy Ray nodded.

  “Well then we better not miss.”

  Mizuki on the Queen's Highway

  Refreshed and feeling considerably more human after her stop at the campground, Mizuki made good time in her pursuit of the unknown natives. Her aches and pains subsided to the point that she broke into a trot on several occasions. Miziuki suspected that the T'aafhal nanites coursing through her veins not only helped her body heal, they suppressed pain and provided stimulants as needed.

  It was dusk when she came upon the large party of strange, insect like creatures. Her quarry had already stopped for the night, and were busily setting up camp and starting cooking fires. Around the camp's perimeter armed guards patrolled in pairs.

  I guess there are still dangers about if even a large group of armed natives feels the need for sentries, Mizuki thought, observing the insects from the vantage point of a large tree well off the main road. Now that I've caught up with them how do I make contact? Simply walking into camp in the dark doesn't seem like the best way to proceed, not with armed guards patrolling the perimeter of the encampment.

  Even in the failing light, the scientist in her could not help but make observations.

  They seem to come in different types and sizes. That large one next to the fire in the middle of the camp, the one with the big eyes, must be the leader. I guess introductions can wait until the morning, until after I've studied these creatures a bit.

  Having decided on a course of action, Mizuki settled in for another night, in another tree top. Just being in close proximity to the natives gave her an odd sense of security, a feeling that could easily be misplaced.

  * * * * *

  The sound of the natives noisily breaking camp and preparing to embark on another day's journey woke Mizuki from the best sleep she had since crashing on the planet. Chittering and chirping the odd creatures moved along the roadway, many bearing bundles on their backs, others pulling two wheeled carts, and some grasping spears or bows and quivers of arrows.

  The countryside became more open as the elevation increased. Instead of dense rainforest the road passed through open meadows dotted with copses of trees. With the help of the adaptive camouflage provided by her poncho, Mizuki remained unseen as she paralleled the marching body of natives. She still had no idea how to approach the creatures. Even worse, she had no way to communicate with them.

  The survival kit did contain a computer translator, but unless these creatures used one of the ancient trade dialects it would take time to build up enough vocabulary to communicate effectively. Given the conditions, she could not get close enough to the natives to start working with the translator without being spotted. Running from hiding place to hiding place, Mizuki watched the natives as her frustration grew.

  Princess Timushi's Party

  The procession was now moving through pastureland where the royal aphid herds grazed. Rounding a wide curve, the road entered a straight stretch where the land on both sides opened up into wide green pasture. Scattered about the knee h
igh ferns were grazing aphids, slow moving thousand kilo mounds munching their way across the meadow. Their triangular bodies looked like green sails three meters tall, afloat in a sea of waving ferns.

  The large, mostly defenseless beasts were kept for their sweet milky secretions, collected daily and sent back to the capital. Occasionally, some of the beasts were roasted on special feast days. The herds were watched over by a special cast, yet another variant of the polymorphic natives. Not warriors but still versed in the use of weapons, the herd-keepers were not considered among the brightest of the Formicidians. But then, their job required patience and immunity to boredom, not excessive cogitation.

  “Your future herds, Your Highness,” the Castellan announced. “Surely a good sign that we are drawing nearer to the capital.”

  “This countryside certainly seems more amicable than the jungle we have thankfully left behind. Four days to go.”

  “Three at the end of this day, Ma'am, and though our surroundings seem more benign the threat of an ambush cannot be discounted.”

  “You always think such bloody thoughts, my lord Castellan.”

  “It is my job, my Princess, to see you safely to the throne.” Or die trying.

  “At least we are no longer threatened by all manner of wild beasts as we were in that accursed swamp.”

  As Timushi finished speaking the high-pitched bugling of aphids in distress drifted across the pasture. Both the Princess and her guardian quickly located the source of the herd's distress.

  “I fear you may have spoken too soon, Your Highness...”

  Chapter 22

  The Royal Pastures

  From a hiding place in the treeline, Mizuki saw the herd of large green insects turn as one and head toward her side of the open field. As the beasts made a panicky if slow stampede across the pasture their guardians, clutching spears, ran the other direction, evidently to head off the threat. Looking in the direction of the herders' charge Mizuki saw the cause of the panic.

  Emerging from a copse of trees was a tall slender creature, its elongated body a mottled brown, ending in an upper third colored bright green. Mizuki's vision telescoped, bringing the beast into closer focus. Atop the trunk like body was a large triangular head—huge compound eyes widely spaced at the upper corners, narrowing down to a collection of obviously predatory mouth parts at its lower apex. Held in front of the long green neck were a pair of arms folded, as though in prayer. It was a giant Mantodea—a praying mantis ten meters tall.

  As Mizuki watched in fascination the first of the herders reached the predator. The herder tossed its spear, which bounced off the mantis's wide spiked forelegs. The mantis's raptorial legs shot out, moving with impressive speed for such large appendages, neatly snaring its attacker. The smaller creature struggled as the mantis improved its grip on body and thorax. Bringing the herder up to its mouth the mantis ended the herder's resistance by biting a large chunk out of the herder's head.

  The casual savagery of the mantis's attack shocked Mizuki. That's horrible! The herders don't stand a chance against that monster.

  Without further thought Mizuki bolted from cover and ran across the field, avoiding the running aphids who were now in total panic—to them she was another predator and as much a threat as the mantis. In the lower than Earth gravity, long strides quickly brought the angry woman close enough to the tall predator to attract its attention. It swiveled its head for a better view of the alien creature charging toward it.

  What the mantis thought of the Earth woman was unknowable, but it hesitated for a few crucial seconds. Mizuki drew her katana and, with a twisting leap, launch an attack. With both hands she brought her sword down in a vertical blow that struck the beast's left arm at the junction of its upper arm and spike-fringed femur. The arm severed, letting the dead herder's abdomen dangle.

  Not giving the mantis time to react, Mizuki completed her airborne pirouette, landing on one foot like an ice skater finishing a twirling jump. The mantis lost track of her as she charged beneath its body. Two steps brought the swordswoman to the first walking leg on the right side. She severed it en passant, then stopped to look back at her opponent. The mantis staggered.

  A step and a leap took her to the creature's inclined back. Running up the trunk like body, she was almost startled when the mantis's head swiveled 180 degrees to look back at her. A horizontal strike from left to right sent the monster's head toppling to the ground.

  With its head missing and standing on only three legs, the dying mantis tottered and began to collapse. Mizuki nimbly lept from her defeated opponent's back, rolling on impact and coming up in a defensive stance. The headless mantis toppled to the ground, the courageous but unfortunate herder still locked in the spiked grip of the predator's remaining grasping leg.

  Standing up, Mizuki gave her katana the traditional swing and flick to clean body fluids from its blade. Hearing shuffling sounds behind her she turned, sword held one handed, her left arm out to balance the weapon in her right. Five meters from her three more herders formed a ragged half circle, their spears held before them.

  “Well now,” she said aloud, “the next move is up to you.”

  * * * * *

  As the mantis launched its attack the Princess's party halted on the road, near the middle of the meadow. Her guards moved to form a protective wall between Timushi and the violent drama being played out farther across the field.

  “Mantis,” said the Castellan, succinctly.

  “Yes,” replied Timushi. “but what in the name of the gods, old and new, is that?”

  As she spoke an odd four limbed creature ran swiftly across the meadow, heading straight for the towering predator. As it ran it seemed to shimmer, wraith like, the shifting color pattern of its body blending in with the background.

  “I have never seen anything like that, Your Highness,” the Castellan admitted, right hand on her sword's pommel. “But those herd-keepers stand no chance against the mantis, it will eat of them until sated and then move on.”

  As the Castellan spoke the ghostly bipedal figure reached the mantis and did not stop. Instead, it drew a blade and attacked the predator that was already consuming the first herd-keeper. The strange creature lept into the air and severed one of the mantis's raptorial legs.

  “Did you see that, my Lord Castellan?”

  “It must be a daemon!” the old warrior hissed.

  The daemon emerged on the other side of the mantis and lopped off another appendage. Then it jumped upon the predator's back, ran to its prothorax and decapitated the monster.

  “The gods preserve us!” one of the Princess's advisers exclaimed.

  “Spear bearers form a shield wall,” the Castellan bellowed, drawing her sword. “Archers behind the spear bearers.”

  “Hold, Castellan, do not attack the creature.”

  “I was thinking more along the lines of a rear guard to cover your escape, Your Highness.”

  “No, I want to see what the creature does next.”

  “Fine, Ma'am, but if it attacks the other herd-keepers you must flee.”

  * * * * *

  Standing in front of the three highly agitated herders, Mizuki made a show of producing a cloth and cleaning the blade of her weapon. Trying to act as nonchalant as possible she removed the scabbard from her back and positioned it properly in her belt, curved side up. Then, with a theatrical flourish she sheathed her sword.

  The herders chittered excitedly to each other, looking back and forth among themselves and Mizuki. Eventually they came to some form of consensus—the three backed away, opening a pathway between them, and grounded their spears. It was then that Mizuki noticed the much larger martial formation across the field, shielding the party on the road.

  Well, I couldn't figure out a way to introduce myself to the locals. It looks like the mantis solved that problem for me. The herders seem to be taking a pass and referring the matter to the party on the road.

  Straightening her poncho and adjusting her
sword, Mizuki made a slight bow to the herders.

  “Yoi ichinichi o, have a good day, I am going to have a word or two with your friends on the highway.”

  Dismissing them from her mind, she marched toward the group of armed natives clustered near the road. They seemed to be guarding the big eyed individual, perhaps the large native was someone in authority.

  Captain's Sea Cabin, Peggy Sue

  “Naturally, I want you at the helm when we engage the Dark Lords' ship, Bobby.” Billy Ray had called Beth and Bobby to his private cabin off the bridge to go over the action plan for after repairs were completed. “Umky will be on the new fire control sensors and will direct the superluminal particle cannon.”

  Bobby nodded in assent. “Once we blow them out of space are we going to remove the slow ships?”

  “I'm thinking no.”

  “Not good form to leave an enemy, even a primitive one, in your rear. They might try something when the Marines shuttle down to the surface,” Beth observed.

  “I don't think they can do us any harm with the weapons they have, at least none that we wouldn't detect in plenty of time to avoid. Besides, I've had Shadi and Dorri working with the computer to decode their language.”

  “Speaking of which, we've been collecting SIGINT for the last several days, have they made any headway?”

  “Actually yes. We have a pretty good idea of what they are up to. Seems there was a small force already on the surface, infiltrating the local native power structure. Only a platoon's worth of soldiers but some air support assets as well. We managed to destroy about half the reinforcements in space, but they are in the process of landing a couple hundred fresh troops.”