"I read you, Merrie. Amon already checked in with me and they're on their way to you," Eliora said.
"I've got Terevit on the west wall. We'll keep him," Shem piped in.
Merrie turned the quad around slowly and found what she was looking for - an old tree with a broad limb and not much foliage. She flew over and set Quad-12 on the branch and powered down its small, but powerful motors.
She walked over to the shelves and pulled Quad-13 off and set it on the table. She registered the quad with her computer controls and then climbed up the ladder. The metal bars of the grate were almost too much for her to slide sideways. She pulled and pulled, moving them only a few inches at a time.
"Can I help with that?" Amon asked as he entered the room.
"Gah. Yes! Did you make these impossible to move for a reason?" Merrie asked heatedly.
"Apologies. I'm afraid they were my design," Nurit said. "What are you doing?"
"Watch and learn," Merrie said. She hated that she was snapping at her friends, but she felt the weight of the world bearing down on her.
As she climbed to the bottom of the ladder, she felt Amon's hands rest on her waist. It startled her, as he'd never previously shown her any affection. She had come to believe that he considered her more of a sister. She turned, perhaps too quickly, expecting him to lift her to the ground. He didn't but rather held her in place for a moment.
"I know we don't have much time, Merrie. I just need to get this off my chest before the day gets past me," he said.
Her heart skipped a beat. She felt the pressure of the oncoming combat, but she would allow herself just a moment.
"What do you need to say, Amon?" she asked looking into his face, searching for an answer.
"I want to be with you, Merrie."
"You are with me," she whispered.
"Always. I want to be with you always. I'm glad that you asked for me. I didn't think my heart would be able to bear combat without knowing where you were."
Merrie grabbed the much larger man's head in her hands and stared into his blue eyes. "Me too, Amon, me too." She kissed him fully on the lips and then released his head. "You've really got to work on your timing though. Now get up there and move that grate out of the way."
Merrie looked over to Nurit who'd watched the scene play out. The older blacksmith flicked a tear from her cheek and stood straight. "What would you have me do?" she asked, breaking the moment.
"There are two ways into this room. The most obvious is the roof. We must defend this room at all costs. We are the eyes for Captain Gian. With us, he can be all places," Merrie said. She handed a quad to Amon. "Place this gently on the roof, would you?" He'd already moved the iron grate out of the way and opened the trap door.
"Can do," he said.
Merrie sat and re-entered the zone, pushing away the distractions of how warm and wonderful she felt from her moment with Amon. Now they just had to survive.
Quad-13 lifted easily from the roof of the barracks, turned from the command center and accelerated in a northward direction.
"Close the roof, please," she said.
"Yes, Merrie," Amon said in his normal, quiet voice. For Merrie it was far from normal.
Fifteen minutes later she found a resting spot in a tall tree and set it down.
"Pull Quad-14 and place it on the roof… but wait a second, I need to register it," she said.
Amon startled when the rotors momentarily fired to life.
"Sorry. They do that when we turn them on. Same drill, put it on the roof," she said.
"How is it that you're able to still see through the other device's eyes?" Nurit asked, recognizing that the screen hadn't changed from when Quad-13 had landed.
"Good question," Merrie said and moved the center screen so its contents were to the left of center. "It's a camera and I left it transmitting. When the Ophie get to where Quad-13 is, we'll have forty-five minutes before they actually arrive here. The center camera is set to Quad-14. I'll use it to scout the immediate area. You can watch with me. If you see something suspicious, stop me and I'll move in closer."
"And you made all this?" Nurit asked. "What about Merik, what's he been doing?"
"Merik turned me loose to follow up on this technology. The settlement needs more than one engineer and Merik prefers to work on bigger projects, like getting water into people's homes, fixing machines, that sort of thing. And for the record, I didn't make any of this. I was just lucky enough to find it in the archives of the engineering pad. All this stuff was invented more than a millennia ago."
"Why haven't we seen it before?" Nurit asked.
"Not sure," Merrie said as Quad-14 sailed over the south wall and swept to the west. "I think we just had in mind what we'd lost and weren't thinking about what we could have."
They continued the visual sweep and forty-five minutes later, Merrie landed Quad-14 on top of the barracks.
"Want me to go get that?" Amon asked.
"No. I'll switch over to Quad-13 but it's good to leave 14 available," Merrie said.
After switching, Merrie flew the quad up the mountain and found the approaching Ophie, still running at their consistent pace.
"Captain, they're at twelve kilometers. We have less than an hour," she said.
"We read you," Gian said.
Merrie gained elevation and kept pace with the leaders, reading out ten minute updates until finally she could see Yishuv through the lens of the quad.
"They're here, Captain."
POINT OF NO RETURN
Brig, Lèger Gros, Tipperary System
"Liam. Someone's coming."
We'd spent the night in an isolated brig and my whole body ached. The initial med-patches I'd received had run out of juice and I was having difficulty breathing through my nose.
I sat up and leaned against Tabby as the door opened and in walked none other than Admiral Marsh, the leader of Nuage nation's security forces. I tried to stand, but couldn't muster the strength.
Before Marsh could speak, Tabby went on the offensive. "Is it your intention to leave us in here to rot? Liam needs medical attention."
Marsh gave me a quick once over and responded, "'You're right. My apologies. I'll see that he is taken care of immediately."
"What do you need, Admiral?" I asked. "Surely you don't get involved in all bar-room disagreements."
"Captain Hoffen. I'm here on a different matter. We've just received word that there has been an accident at your home in the Descartes asteroid belt."
"Accident?" I asked incredulously.
"Yes. There was an explosion and several people were killed. I regret to inform you that your parents, Silver and Pete Hoffen were among the deceased."
I could feel the tears that I'd thought I'd run out of the night before welling up. I tried to talk but could tell it wouldn't be possible.
"It wasn't an accident, Admiral Marsh," Tabby said. The scorn in her voice was evident.
"What do you mean?"
"You said you were here on a different matter, but it was Belirand who did this. MacAsgaill called that strike down on the Co-Op and murdered our family," Tabby said.
"Who else?" I asked, before Marsh could respond.
"David Muir is the only person that has been identified. Miss Masters, you should be careful about your accusations. Captain MacAsgaill is pressing charges for what he's described as an unprovoked assault in the de Laroche bar. Belirand submitted an extradition request."
"They murder my parents and you'd consider handing us over to them?" I asked.
"Belirand is a very powerful corporation, Liam. Off the record, I believe there's more going on here than they've told us, but we have to be very careful in our dealings with them. Somehow, you've made another very powerful enemy and we won't be able to bail you out of it this time," she said.
"You can't hand us over. They'll murder us too," Tabby said.
"It might not be within my control," Marsh said, and turned toward the door. "Liam, I'm v
ery sorry about your parents. I understand they were extraordinary people."
I placed my head in my hands and wept again. Something in me had been holding out hope that they'd found a way to escape.
We sat like this for a long time before the door opened again and a medical technician rolled a cart into the room. She had me lie back while scanning the damage to my body, most of which was on my face.
"Your nose and cheeks require surgery beyond my capacity. I'll repair the tissue damage and stop the bleeding, but you'll need to meet with a surgeon," she said.
I nodded. I didn't care, I was emotionally spent.
After she left, my aches healed but my depression deepened.
Time passed in a blur. It wasn't until the sixth day when Tabby and I once again heard the approach of a group of people. We'd only seen the medical technician and the person who slid in three meals each day. I found it remarkable that they'd left us in the cell together and not separated us.
"I suppose they've decided," I said.
"No matter what Liam, I'm with you. You wouldn't be the man I love if you had turned away from forty-five people who faced certain death. Your parents wouldn't have done it any differently," she said.
"I could have warned them," I said.
"You think Big Pete would have hidden away?"
We'd been dancing around this conversation for the last several days. It was hard for me not to take responsibility for my parent's death. I'd depended on the safety of the Co-Op and the perimeter guns ability to defend them, yet somehow Belirand's Hammer of Justice had sailed right past.
The door to the cell opened and Admiral Marsh walked in, followed by MacAsgaill and two Nuage security forces.
Tabby and I stood, holding hands. Wherever they were taking us, they'd likely split us up and it could be the last time we'd see each other.
"Captain Hoffen, Miss Masters. Ciaran MacAsgaill has something he needs to say to you," Marsh said.
"We have nothing…" Tabby started, but I squeezed her hand.
MacAsgaill stepped forward and looked at the ground. "I apologize for the incident at de Laroche. It was insensitive for me to take advantage of an accident at your family's home to provoke you into a fight. I have withdrawn all charges against you both."
He didn't look at me but at Marsh, who nodded and he stepped back between the two Nuage guards.
"Liam Hoffen, Tabitha Masters," she said. "On behalf of Nuage, I apologize for detaining you under these less than truthful circumstances. In light of this new evidence, would you like to file charges against Ciaran MacAsgaill and his crew for the assault in de Laroche?"
"Would he be jailed?" I asked.
"Probably not. Belirand would utilize their diplomatic status."
"Then no. Are we free to go?"
"Yes. I'll escort you out," Marsh said.
The guards turned and led MacAsgaill away.
"What was that about?" I asked Marsh.
"I don't know. MacAsgaill just walked into my office today and admitted his deception. To be honest, the whole thing stinks. What's going on here, Hoffen? I've seen how you operate, you're into something again, aren't you?"
"Yes. Would you believe I can't tell you for your own safety?" I asked.
"Nothing you say surprises me anymore, Hoffen. Just take it somewhere else and don't drag Nuage into it," she said.
"Belirand kills his parents, tries to abduct us and you're worried about it happening on your station?" Tabby asked as we stepped onto a lift.
"That was insensitive of me and I am truly sorry for the loss of your parents. The reality is that we are a small nation that cannot stand against Belirand. If MacAsgaill hadn't changed his mind, we would have turned you over to him," she said.
"Why did he change his mind?" Tabby asked.
"I was as surprised as you. And here we are," she said as the doors to the lift opened.
"Thank you for being honest, Admiral," I said.
"I wish I could do more."
The doors opened and Ada, Nick and Marny were there, waiting for us. Tabby and I exited and hugged our friends. It was emotional, but I'd run out of tears.
"Where to?" I asked.
"Frimunt and Annalise Licht brought back your parent's bodies in Sterra's Gift," Nick said. "We've been holding off a service, hoping we'd be able to free you. Would you like to get cleaned up first?"
"I need to see them," I said.
The truth was, I didn't want to see my parents dead, but I also knew I wouldn't be able to put them to rest if I didn't.
"Understood," Nick said and stepped toward the bank of elevators.
On the ride down, Ada placed her hand into my own and gave it a squeeze. She and Nick had each lost a parent in the last eighteen months and it occurred to me that this was bringing back emotions for both of them. I released her hand and wrapped my arm around her shoulder. Tabby looked at me, smiled and placed her arm around my waist.
We exited on Level-2 and approached a storefront which had the words Stebbing Funeral over a wood-paneled arch. Nick confidently pushed through the opaque doors and we followed. A man stood up from a desk as we entered.
"Mr. James. If you'll follow me," he said.
"Liam, would you like to do this by yourself?" Nick asked.
"No." I could barely speak.
The room we entered was quiet and dimly lit with rows of benches on both sides. I recognized Frimunt sitting in the front pew. His wife, Annalise, covered in a black shawl sat next to him, crying. At the front, one casket was open, the other closed. Tabby's hand gripped my own as we walked down the aisle.
I looked into the face of my father, who lay there as if he were just resting. I placed my hand on his and reached over to the closed casket with the other to join my family together one last time. The guilt I felt threatened to overwhelm me and I found myself talking to them, telling them how we'd gotten to the place where we were at. After a time, I found that I'd said everything that was on my chest.
"That was beautiful, Liam."
I'd caught a glimpse of Annalise coming up to comfort me. She was a kind woman and I knew her heart was breaking. It wasn't a surprise that she needed to say something to me - only her voice wasn't right. She embraced me and I caught the scent that I knew could only be one person.
"Don't say it," she said.
Tears streamed down my face anew as I clung to the woman. We finally separated and she walked back to stand next to the always stoic Frimunt.
"I'd like to believe they heard you," Ada said.
I turned to see my friends watching me. The universe had seemed to tip on its side and I was having difficulty processing anything but my profound sense of guilt and now joy.
"I'm sorry I got you all into this," I said. I'd changed all of our lives in a way I couldn't undo. Big Pete lying in the casket was a stark reminder of this.
"Cap, we all bear the burden of our decisions. There has not been a point where we could have turned away from this without losing ourselves. You cannot blame yourself," Marny said.
"But I do."
"You have to let go of it. Belirand and NaGEK are to blame. How many have lost their families because of Belirand's desire to restrict access to fold-space?" Nick asked. "Sure, if we hadn't gotten involved, your parents would be alive, but how many will die if we don't act. Would they give their lives so that an entire crew might live?"
"Nicholas, this isn't the time or the place," Marny said.
"No. It's precisely the right time. Ask them, Liam. Ask them if they'd sacrifice themselves. I know you would, why don't you believe they would?" Nick asked. He could be feisty when he didn't think I was seeing things clearly.
"It's too much," I said.
"No it's not. Things have changed, but I need you to get your head wrapped around this. You're right to feel responsible. But don't think for a minute we're not doing this for the right reasons. It's something we're all going to have to live with," Nick said.
"It's just so hard
," I said.
"I know, Liam," Nick said.
I nodded.
"There are some people up in the suite who would like to see you," he said. "Are you okay to head up there now?"
"Sure."
We all took a lift up to Level-30. I stood by Annalise at the back of the lift and reached out my hand. Hers, always cold, was shaking when I held it.
Unlike the other levels, when we stepped off, we found ourselves in a small alcove with a uniformed guard at a desk.
"I'm signing in for this group," Nick said.
The guard nodded and Nick swiped his hand across the pad. A door slid open and exposed a hallway. We followed Nick to a single door at the end. He palmed the door and swung it open.
The room we entered was full of our friends: Jack, Nick's brother, Luc Gray, Celina and Jenny Dontal and even Jake Berandor - the graduate student turned smuggler.
"What's going on?" Tabby turned to me as the door closed behind us and stared pointedly at Annalise.
"A necessary ruse," Nick said as Annalise Licht removed her disguise and exposed herself as my mother, Silver.
"Oh, thank the stars," Tabby said, pulling Mom into a tight hug.
"We didn't know if Belirand would try to finish the job or not," Nick said. "And we couldn't take any chances."
"I am so sorry, Mom. It's all my fault," I said.
"You will honor your father by knowing that he willingly gave his life to save mine and would willingly give it to save the crew of Cape of Good Hope. I wish it didn't have to be, but if it weren't for those who stand against injustice, no one would be free. Liam, you did not make Belirand murder your father. Admiral Tullas, Captain Ahmed Mussa and Captain Ciaran MacAsgaill chose to do this on their own. It is they who must bear this guilt," she said. "And I will not forget their names until they have been destroyed."
I was set back by the ferocity of her words.
Still holding her hand, we walked to one of several couches in the middle of the beautifully appointed room and sat down.
"I'm glad you feel so deeply, Liam. Your father hid his feelings, but you must know he was very proud of you," she said.
A Matter of Honor (Privateer Tales Book 9) Page 23
