“My name’s Calesta Koshkin,” she said.
Tarkio set the glass down.
“What do you want?” he asked.
“I met a young woman once,” Koshkin began. “She was alone in the world, so we took her in and gave her a place to live...”
“What does that have to do with—”
“We also gave her something more important,” Koshkin continued. “We gave her a purpose and a place in something bigger than herself.”
“Jolana,” Tarkio whispered.
“Yes, she was a bright girl. She did all that we ever asked of her.”
“You’re from Red Lotus.”
“Yes,” she said. “And Jolana Valeria was one of my girls.”
Tarkio began sweating. He could feel it beading along the back of his neck.
“I really thought she cared for me,” he said. “I didn’t realize, until it was too late, that she worked for you.”
“That’s the whole idea,” Koshkin said. “That’s how we earn the real money.”
“I loved her.”
“But now she’s dead.”
Tarkio pointed at Koshkin. “She’s dead because of you, not me!”
“How do you figure that?” Koshkin snarled back.
“She was using me,” he said, “but you were using her to get to me. You’re the one who put her in danger and I blame you for getting her killed!”
Tarkio could see the nails of Koshkin’s fingers digging into the back of the armchair.
“When a girl joins the Red Lotus,” Koshkin said, “she becomes part of a family, a sisterhood.”
Tarkio became aware of more people in the room. As Koshkin spoke, the shapes became clearer as they entered the light. Each was a woman. Some held swords; others knives. A few had long, claw-like blades attached to their hands.
“Most of all,” Koshkin went on, “each woman knows that if anything happens to her, the other sisters will take revenge.”
“You’re making a mistake,” Tarkio said.
Like lions, the women pounced on the archsenator before he could say another word. With their blades, they tore him apart, his blood showering the room with red.
In the morning, when the butlerbot found the remains of his master, little was left that could still be recognized. From the eviscerated body, bloody footprints trailed off in seemingly every direction.
Jolana Valeria’s bathroom was tiled in white, with blue towels hanging from a warming rack on the wall. The floor was white marble, but a turquoise rug kept Archsenator Tarkio from slipping in his bare feet. He filled the basin sink with water and splashed his face until the sweat was washed away. He took one of the towels, dried his hair and body, and wrapped it around his waist. He didn’t mean to yell at Jolana, but he needed a few minutes to gather himself before facing her again.
When Tarkio opened the bathroom door, Oscar Skarlander was there to greet him.
“Wha-What?” the archsenator stammered.
Skarlander had his back to the bed, but Tarkio could see it over his shoulder. Jolana was laying partially covered by the sheets.
“What’s going on?” Tarkio asked.
Skarlander, wearing black gloves, shrugged as if caught stealing candy.
“Liabilities must be eliminated,” he said without emotion.
“What do you mean?” Tarkio said, pushing past the Warlock operative.
Tarkio saw Jolana’s eyes staring at him, lifeless and cold.
“What did you do?”
“She was working for Red Lotus,” Skarlander said. “She’s given them everything you’ve told her so they could sell it to the highest bidder.”
“You killed her!”
“Well, you’re just as guilty,” Skarlander said. “You should really be more careful with whom you associate, Archsenator.”
Wearing just a towel, halfway between a dead woman and the man who killed her, Tarkio turned and faced Skarlander, even if just to avoid Jolana’s unblinking eyes.
“What about me?” he asked. “Am I a liability too?”
Skarlander smiled.
“Perhaps someday,” he said, “but not today.”
Chapter Fourteen
Maal-Bok stepped from the airlock onto the Hotspur, bending so his horns would pass beneath the hatch. Over seven feet tall, the Magna loomed over Quartermaster Calico waiting for him in the corridor.
“Welcome aboard,” Calico said.
Bok’s face was narrow with high cheekbones. Like all Magna, his eyes were red with pupils like slits.
“I expected Captain Blixx to greet me himself,” he snarled.
Calico rubbed the sparse hairs on his otherwise bald head.
“The Captain’s waiting for you in his quarters,” Calico replied. “I’ll be taking you to him directly.”
The Quartermaster led Bok through the ship, encountering a few dirty looks by some of the crew. Bok ignored them like an emperor parading past commoners. He was above them, like all his race, educated from childhood to recognize their innate superiority over other races. To them this was not arrogance, it was simply a matter of fact.
At the captain’s cabin, Calico knocked and the door slid open. The Quartermaster ushered the Magna inside, but remained in the passageway.
Behind a wide rosewood desk, Captain Blixx reclined in a brown leather chair with a bottle of whiskey. A robot without legs and with only one arm sat in a stuffed red chair.
“Care for a drink?” Blixx asked.
“No, thank you,” Bok replied, staring at the robot.
“Don’t mind Stumpy,” the captain said. “He won’t bite.”
“You named me Stumpy?” the robot asked. “When did that happen?”
“I didn’t mention it?” Blixx asked, then addressed Bok. “I erase his memory periodically.”
“It’s terribly disconcerting,” Stumpy admitted.
“Take a seat, Mister Bok” Blixx said.
“I prefer to stand,” Bok replied.
“It’s quite an honor of you to drop by in person,” Blixx said, which Bok immediately recognized as human sarcasm.
“Your next target is vital,” Bok said. “I knew bringing the coordinates in person would emphasize that fact.”
From his pocket, the Magna took out a data chip, the device tiny between Bok’s giant fingers. He placed the chip on the captain’s desk.
“Did you get this intel from your usual source?” Blixx asked.
“One of them.”
“Is it reliable?”
“Humans are never fully reliable,” Bok said, and then, after a pause, “No offense.”
Blixx laughed into his now empty glass. “None taken!”
“Regardless of the source,” the Magna went on, “We must act quickly.”
“Well, I’ll be the one acting on it,” Blixx said. “You depend on me an awful lot more than I depend on you.”
Bok gave a wry smile. “As I’ve said before, our arrangement benefits us both. Even a human mind can grasp that, surely.”
The captain slammed the glass down.
“I’m no fool, human or not!” he said. “Without me, you’d have nobody to do your dirty work!”
“Perhaps,” Bok said, “but without me, you’d have the Imperial Navy breathing down your neck.”
“He makes a good point,” Stumpy remarked.
“Shut up, robot!” Blixx replied.
“Then it’s settled,” Bok continued. “You’ll attack the target and retrieve the package on board. If all goes well, you’ll have a nice ransom to fill your coffers. That should cheer you up.”
“Aye, it would.”
After a long, awkward silence, Stumpy said, “It’s so nice to meet new people.”
When Princess Katherine turned sixteen, Empress Isabella chose Lady Sophia as her daughter’s handmaiden. This raised a few eyebrows in the court since Sophia was from an unremarkable family among the nobility. Lady Sophia herself was never entirely sure why Isabella chose her, but as persona
l servants went, Sophia proved herself more than adequate.
Shortly after her appointment, while walking with Katherine, Lady Sophia saw Prince Alexander for the first time. The prince was fencing with an instructor on the grounds of the Imperial Palace.
“My brother is such an idiot,” Katherine commented at the time. “Why fight with a sword when someone can just shoot you?”
“I believe it’s tradition,” Sophia replied. “He seems good at it at least.”
“Humph!” the princess aid. “That’s about the only thing he’s good at.”
They continued their stroll, but Lady Sophia found herself looking back over her shoulder at the prince.
The second time she saw Alexander, he was dancing with a young woman at the Imperial Ball. Everyone knew the girl, a debutante from a prestigious family, but Sophia thought she was too immature for someone like the prince. A girl like that wouldn’t know the first thing about pleasing a man. Sophia considered introducing herself to Alexander, but knew that was simply not done, not by a lady anyway. Since the prince rarely seemed interested in spending time with his younger sister, Sophia felt frustrated by the lack of opportunities. Still, the scandal of meeting him unannounced would be too much to bear. People already talked about her enough without adding fuel to the fire.
The third time was on Revenna, in the carefully tended hedge maze of Empress Isabella’s estate. Lady Sophia lost track of Katherine among the walls of green and, while she was looking for her, found Alexander instead. He was sitting on a stone bench in one of the open areas of the maze. He offered the seat beside him and Sophia didn’t hesitate. When Katherine eventually found her, Sophia and the prince were kissing.
After that, much to Katherine’s dismay, Sophia spent as much time with the prince as with the princess.
“It’s gross,” Katherine said one afternoon.
“Why?” Sophia asked.
“He’s a disgusting good-for-nothing. You could do better.”
“Better than the emperor’s son?”
“Well, you know what I mean.”
But they remained together, often meeting clandestinely since Sophia heard rumors that Prince Richard also did not approve. Not that any of that bothered Alexander. On the contrary, Sophia got the feeling he stayed with her partly because it made his brother angry. Alexander denied it, especially in bed, but she began to wonder aloud how much he really loved her.
And then it was over.
She didn’t know all the reasons why, but she could guess at most of them. Men like Prince Alexander tired of seeing the same face day in and day out. He wasn’t the marrying type to be sure. In her heart, she always knew that about him, but when she saw him in the news with another woman, both smiling for the cameras, Sophia still felt surprised.
“You’re better off without him,” Katherine said.
“Indeed,” Sophia replied, quickly changing the subject. “That’s a lovely dress you’re wearing by the way.”
“I know!” the princess shrieked. “Don’t you just love it!”
“Of course,” Sophia said.
After a short hyperspace jump, the Imperial yacht Victoria arrived at the Glitter Fields a few light years from Revenna. From the observation deck, the Fields sparkled in waves of color like a curtain in the wind. Standing by one of the windows, Captain Harrison, his feline fur combed neatly, explained what his passengers were witnessing.
“The Glitter Fields,” he said, “are actually a cloud of highly charged particles extending for millions of miles.”
“Can we fly closer?” Lady Sophia asked.
“I’m afraid not, My Lady,” the Tikarin replied. “The particles would interfere with our sensors.”
Sophia turned to Princess Katherine.
“Pity,” the handmaiden said. “It’s breathtaking.”
“Not when you’ve seen it a dozen times,” the princess remarked.
Prince Alexander, with Lefty Lucy beside him, rolled his eyes.
“Just ignore her, Captain,” he said. “She can’t help being a brat.”
Harrison bowed. “It’s quite alright, Your Highness. I was young once.”
“Excuse me for having an opinion,” Katherine muttered, moving off toward the bar.
Lady Sophia, staying with the others, asked, “Have you seen any action in the Navy, Captain?”
“Precious little, thankfully,” Harrison replied.
“Thankfully?” Sophia said.
“Well, every ensign dreams of combat, but dying in space is a terrible thing.”
“Really?”
“Space is a cold void,” Harrison explained. “If someone dies out there, his body would freeze and never decay. It would float endlessly, forever.”
“Not exactly a romantic way to go,” Alexander said, chiming in.
“Not at all, Your Highness.”
They watched the spectacle outside for a while without talking. The beauty of the particles, Captain Harrison thought, was in stark contrast to the ghastly medium in which they glittered. Like the ancient seafarers of old, travelers far from port were always in danger. A ship gave its crew and passengers a sense of security, but the captain knew it was just an illusion. At any time, disaster could strike and all would be lost. Nothing was safe far from home.
Deep in thought, Harrison jumped when Sophia touched his arm.
“Sorry!” she said. “I was just saying it’s unusual to see a Tikarin officer.”
“Yes,” he said. “But I appreciate the opportunity.”
On the other side of the captain, Prince Alexander leaned into view.
“A little luck doesn’t hurt either,” he said.
“Oh, luck has nothing to do with it, darling,” Sophia said, “but ambition can do wonders!”
Captain Harrison, staring at the particle cloud, noticed a tiny glint apart from the rest. Squinting, he realized it seemed to be moving.
“Captain Harrison,” his first mate’s voice came over the intercom. “We’ve detected a ship approaching at high speed.”
Harrison went to the comm built into the wall. “What kind of ship?”
“Unknown, sir. Its transponders are turned off.”
“Raise shields!” the captain ordered, his eyes still focused on the speck of light out in the void.
After a pause, the first mate said, “Shields are not responding.”
“What?” Harrison asked, disbelieving.
“Shields and hyperdrive are both offline, sir!”
Before the captain could respond, the comm unit blew apart, showering him in a deluge of sparks and molten plastic. Twisting around, he saw Lady Sophia near the bar, holding a small blaster in her hand.
“Sophia?” Princess Katherine said.
Captain Harrison saw another flash and felt a sudden, burning pain in his stomach. He fell against the wall and slid slowly to the floor, his hand cradling the wound.
“Are you insane?” Katherine screamed.
Calmly, Sophia threw a glance at the princess beside her.
“Sorry, darling,” she smirked. “I’m more of a dog person.”
Before Katherine could move away, Sophia grabbed her by the arm.
“Don’t go wandering off, darling.”
Lefty Lucy started toward Sophia, but Alexander barred her way with his arm.
“Wait, Lucy,” he said.
“That’s a good girl,” Sophia said, pointing the gun at them both. “Don’t do anything foolish.”
“Whatever you’re doing,” the prince said, “you better think twice about it.”
“Don’t be silly,” she replied. “Soon I’ll be richer than in my wildest dreams!”
“This is about money?”
Sophia winked at the prince. “And love, darling.”
“If this is revenge for what happened between us—”
Sophia laughed, but her eyes were fixed and stony.
“Why are the cute ones always so dumb?” she asked. “This has nothing to do with you, Ale
xander.”
Sprawled on the floor with his head against the wall, Captain Harrison had been keeping a keen eye on the ship racing toward them, growing larger as it approached. He realized it was within weapons range but, instead of feeling the shake of blaster impacts, he heard a hiss and a crackle.
The air around Princess Katherine began to shimmer. Lefty Lucy bolted toward her.
“No!” Alexander shouted, but it was too late. A shining beam of light from Sophia’s weapon crossed the room, striking Lucy in the stomach. As Katherine’s form dematerialized, Lucy fell to one knee, her outstretched hand straining toward the princess. When the static in the air had faded, Lucy’s arm dropped, her body lying unconscious on the deck.
“You’re going to pay for this, Sophia,” Alexander swore through his teeth.
“I wouldn’t count on that, darling,” she replied. “I’m full of surprises.”
Lady Sophia gave the prince a royal wave as her body became surrounded by a bright glow. Like the princess, seconds later she was gone.
Alexander didn’t move, his gaze transfixed on the empty air that formerly contained Princess Katherine and Lady Sophia. Only the abrupt shock of an impact against the ship jarred him out of his trance. The deck seized upward and back again, knocking the prince off his feet.
Captain Harrison groaned while his body was thrown across the floor.
“They’re firing at us!” the Tikarin moaned.
Alexander rushed to his side, holding the captain’s head up.
“Without shields,” Harrison said, fighting to remain conscious, “we don’t stand a chance against that ship.”
“Why didn’t we spot them sooner?” the prince asked.
“They must’ve used the Glitter Fields as cover. There’s too much interference.”
Harrison’s cat-like eyes opened wide.
“What is it?” Alexander said.
“Get to the bridge,” the captain replied. “You need to give them a message.”
Alexander looked doubtful. “What about you and Lucy?”
“If you don’t deliver my message, we’re all dead anyway.”
Durant Blixx witnessed another salvo from his blaster cannons strike the Victoria. Loose pieces of the yacht’s ruptured hull spiraled away like blades of grass in the wind. Blixx, more than most captains, knew the effort that went into building a vessel. Now, seeing it violently torn apart under his orders left him strangely empty.
Imperium Chronicles Box Set Page 14
