Heart of a Peacekeeper

by Angela Verdenius

  As if she intended to be anything else. Brave she might be, even a bit foolhardy, but she wasn't a complete fool.

  Bending over, Orde cupped his hands ready to give Des a leg up. Placing her foot in his cupped hands, she reached up for the hole, and as Orde gave a small grunt and straightened, she grabbed the edge of the hole but remained crouched. Straightening slightly, the laser in her other hand, she tipped back her face as she looked up out of the hole, trying to see if shadows were being cast.

  When silence greeted her, she took a deep breath and straightened abruptly, her head coming out of the hole quickly. Holding the laser in front of her, she brought it up at the same time, ready to fire. A quick, nerve-ridden glance around showed that the top of the hill was deserted. In fact, there was a small ridge separating her vision from the hill opposite, which was the best thing to happen all day. They had protection of sorts while they got out of the top.

  "All clear,” she said softly. “Let me down, Orde.” Once she was standing back in the cave, she glanced around. “Two can be boosted up, but the third will have to somehow get partway up. How?"

  "Easy.” Orde moved to a pile of the rocks. “If we pile the rocks in the middle here, whoever is last can climb up them."

  "We can all climb up them, then."

  "Depends how quickly we need to get up there."

  "Fair enough. Let's pile."

  They started to pile the rocks.

  "How far away are you now?” Des asked Adin.

  "Ten minutes. Can you hold on?"

  "So far, so good. I—"

  Marcel's voice came sharply through the communication receiver. “There's movement."

  "Right. Keep an eye out. We're going to widen this hole a bit."

  She'd noticed that the rock at the edges of the hole were thin. “Orde, we don't have to widen that hole by much. If we can knock down some of that thinner stiff around the edges, we'll be fine."

  "I'll do it.” He hefted his laser in his hand. “We're far enough away that no one will hear this."

  "Or if they do, they'll be up here in seconds."

  "There is that."

  "Or you'll cause the whole lot to come down on us."

  "There is that, too."

  "Why don't we just grab some heavier rock and throw it at the edges, making it crumble?” she suggested.

  "Whatever you're doing, you better move it,” Marcel said tersely. “The outlaws are lined up and look like they're ready any second to move."

  Des looked at Orde. “Okay, fire."

  Two carefully aimed and shot laser fire made two large chunks of the rock break away from the hole, narrowly missing Des each time.

  "There'll be nothing left of me for the outlaws if you have your way!” She glared at Orde.

  With a small shrug, he grinned. “I said we wouldn't let them get hold of you."

  "At least wait until they're on top of us!"

  "Sorry, Boss."

  "Yeah, well...” She gave him a sudden thump in the shoulder, sending him staggering back a step. “You're a good man, Orde. In case I forget to tell you."

  "What about me?” Marcel sounded mock indignant.

  "Marcel, you're all good men, you and Orde and Aiken.” Des took a deep breath and met Orde's eyes steadily. “If something happens, I want you to know that I do respect your work, and as men, you're not bad."

  "I'm getting all teary,” Aiken said.

  "And you're the best woman to work with,” Orde said.

  "Even though we're scared of you,” Marcel added.

  Des laughed outright.

  "If we move these big chunks onto this pile, it'll be enough for us to climb up,” Orde suggested.

  Between them, they managed to get the big rocks onto the pile, and sure enough, it was tall enough for a grown man to get up on and touch the edges of the hole.

  "Movement!” Marcel barked suddenly. “They're coming!"

  Orde stayed near the hole while Des ran the short distance back to the main are of the cave. Sure enough, the outlaws were starting to come down the hill, and the fighter craft were being entered by the pilots.

  "All right, help me move Aiken back out of the way of the main fire,” Des ordered.

  The analgesia patch deadened any feeling of pain, so Aiken didn't even flinch when they hurriedly pulled him back further into the shelter of the cave. They propped him up against the wall in a dark area, so he could watch both the back and the front of the cave.

  "Take care.” He looked up at Des. “I won't let them get hold of me. Don't let them get hold of you."

  "I'll do my best.” She smiled, shouldered her manblaster and left him.

  Leaving one of her men grated, but there was no choice. If they didn't fight the best way they could, they'd be lost. This was the only way.

  Once below the hole, Orde silently cupped his hand and boosted her up through the hole. The ridge hid her from view as she came out the top, and she rolled to lie flat. Marcel came up next. Quickly, they both moved to the edge of the hole and stretched down to grab Orde's wrists as he reached the top of the rock pile and reached up. Within seconds he was lying on his stomach on the hill top.

  "Report,” Adin said tersely.

  "We're up and out.” Des crawled over to the small ridge and pulled the manblaster from her shoulder. “And looking down at a rather large gathering of outlaws out for a good time."

  The view wasn't as light-hearted as her words. From her high vantage point, she was able to see that the three fighters were lifting off the ground, and the outlaws were starting to move faster, some of them already hitting the ground at the foot of the hill.

  "Des?” Adin queried.

  "About twenty outlaws and three fighters.” Des replied.

  "Des.” This time it was Simon's deep voice, rumbling through her pleasantly, almost comfortingly. “We're nearly there. Five minutes, lass. Just five minutes."

  "I'm afraid we don't have five minutes.” Des knew she could very well die in the next few minutes. But there was something ... her hybrid lycats.

  If she died, who would have them? The lycats weren't keen on other people, except for her father, but he could be anywhere and might take weeks to get back to her home. They didn't really accept anyone else ... except for one other man.

  Without hesitating, she said softly, “Simon?"

  "Aye, lass?” His voice was strained.

  "If something happens to me—"

  "Des—"

  "If something happens,” she overrode his voice. “You'll take Fuzz and Chels, won't you?"

  "Des...” His voice trailed away, and she thought she heard an audible gulp.

  "The outlaws are coming,” Orde warned her, the whine of his manblaster loud in the air. “In another twenty seconds or so, they'll hit the bottom of our hill."

  "Simon, there's no time. I love those lycats. Please, they've accepted you. Take them. Sell my house and take whatever you want in payment, but take my lycats. Please.” Not for anything would she beg, but for her beloved pets, Des would go down on her knees.

  "Aye, lass.” Simon's voice was husky. “I'll keep your lycats myself."

  "Thank you."

  "There had better be something good in exchange for me agreeing, when you get home.” He tried to laugh, but the sound wavered strangely.

  "Adin, tell Dad I love him."

  "Roger. You boys?"

  Marcel, Orde and Aiken quickly muttered a few names, and then there was no more time. A fighter craft lifted above the ridge, and the astonished pilot stared right at them.

  "Fighter up!” Des roared, hoisting the manblaster up onto her shoulder and aiming with incredible speed. “Fire!"

  The laser blast from her manblaster shattered the space shield and took the pilot's head clean off his shoulders in a sizzling mess. The fighter craft continued to soar up, but she didn't have time to watch, for the second fighter craft was coming up.

  The fighter craft started to wheel away, the pilot realizing what
was happening, but Orde's cool shot hit the engine, and it shuddered and spun away crazily.

  The third fighter soared up and out of immediate range.

  "Outlaws coming up the hill!” Marcel yelled.

  "I'll take this fighter!” Orde said. “You two take down the outlaws!"

  Unable to see much over the top of the ridge, Des was forced to kneel upright, firing the manblaster down the hill. It flared, and shrieks of pain greeted her. Marcel gave up the manblaster to fire with his laser.

  Out of the corner of her eye, Des saw the fighter wheel around and came zigzagging back towards them, avoiding the laser fire from Orde's manblaster. The fighter fired off a round, and she swore.

  "Incoming!” Orde yelled. “Everyone back!"

  They scrambled back just in time, for the ridge they'd been sheltering behind blew out in front of them, part of the hill sliding down in a rain of rock and rubble. Men below swore, but not as much as Des did.

  "Our bloody cover is gone!” She cursed. “Those bastards will be up and over in no time!"

  "There's no choice! We have to stand and fight!” Marcel rolled up onto his knees.

  No sooner had he said so than the first outlaw's head appeared over the edge of the hill. Marcel fired and got him directly between he eyes. He fell back without a sound. Another outlaw appeared, and both Marcel and Des surged to their feet and started firing lasers.

  Holding a laser in each hand, Des simply fired as each outlaw appeared. Managing to hold their ground, she didn't look around when Orde cursed, but she felt the laser blast from the fighter craft sear along her ribcage. Running on pure adrenaline now, she hardly felt the pain.

  "He's not trying to kill us!” Orde yelled. “He's trying to make us fall to the ground and give the outlaws time to get up!"

  "Well he's a bloody poor shot!” Des roared back over the searing sound of laser fire.

  "He got you?"

  "I'll live! Now try and get that bastard down!” Then the unthinkable happened. The fighter craft got off another shot, the laser fire searing into the hill top again, and this time Des felt the hill give out beneath her. “Oh, shit! The hill's going!"

  Enough of it slid down to expose the peacekeepers directly to the outlaws. If they didn't move, they would be picked off at leisure.

  "Oh, damn it!” The dirt started to slide under her boots. Des gripped her lasers as the outlaws shouted triumphantly and started firing and running towards them. “It's all shot to shit now! Let's go!"

  "On your tail, Boss!” Marcel called.

  Setting her boots firmly for balance in the loose soil, Des started to slide partway down the slope, then dug her foot in to stop the slide. The outlaws, surprised, stopped and gaped, then realized their mistake when she started firing.

  At such close range, there was no missing, and four fell before they realized what was happening.

  The survivors dropped to the ground, desperately trying to get a bead on her while scrabbling for cover, of which there was none.

  Laser fire caught her across the upper arm, another across her thigh, a third burning a hole in the side of her calf.

  Unaware of the injuries, the adrenaline taking over, Des started to once more slide down the slope in a crouch, firing her lasers. Marcel was behind her, and she dimly heard him cry out in pain.

  "Don't kill the Demon!” someone roared out.

  Marcel went spinning past her and fell to the bottom of the hill. He remained still.

  Something hot seared just below her shoulder, and she nearly dropped the laser. Cursing and swearing, calling the outlaws for everything under the sun, she slid the last few feet to the bottom of the hill.

  Manblaster laser fire went straight past her and shot the outlaw lunging for her. God bless Orde above.

  Orde skidded to a halt beside her, and they looked up to see the fighter craft swooping down upon them. More outlaws were coming towards them.

  "You're stuffed now, you bastards!” an outlaw a distance away jeered. “We've got you good and—"

  A pursuit craft soared down in front of the outlaw fighter craft, making it veer off course. Another pursuit craft soared in from the right, lasers spitting death, mowing down the outlaws where they stood.

  "Look!” Orde panted into Des's ear, and pointed.

  Looking up, she saw the mystery ship appear in the distance, then it turned and was gone from sight within seconds. In its place a huge trading ship soared over the area, turned and started the landing process in front of the hill. The heavy legs stopped the bodies of the outlaws from being crushed.

  The outlaws that could run did so, but not before Des saw several of the wounded being shot dead as the more able-bodied fled. They didn't get far before the pursuit crafts started to round them up, using laser fire to herd them into a section.

  Realizing the intention, some simply broke rank and ran, only to be shot down. It all ended with four outlaws left standing, arms raised in surrender as Emory's pursuit craft hovered directly in front of them, his laser guns smoking.

  "The cavalry has come.” Orde stumbled and Des grabbed him.

  "Orde? Are you all right?"

  "A little scratched.” His face was white. “But you look just as bad."

  Adin's pursuit craft landed, followed by another of his peacekeepers. The rest stayed in the skies, keeping watch.

  "Des?” Simon's voice came through clearly, a slight tremor in it.

  "We're here.” Her gaze flicked to where Marcel was lying face up in the dirt, but his chest was rising and falling and she breathed a sigh of relief.

  "You're bleeding.” Orde touched her shoulder.

  "Bloody hell!” Cursing at the pain that shot through her from the tentative touch, Des stepped back, only to curse again as burning pain singed its way up her leg.

  "All over, in fact.” Orde said.

  Now she felt the pain.

  * * * *

  Sitting in the cabin of his trade ship, Simon listened to the battle going on not five minutes away.

  Down there his lass was fighting for her life. He heard everything. In fact, every trader in the trade ship heard every word, every blast, and every grunt of unacknowledged pain.

  Going into the Enforcers Building with the original intention of tracking down the elusive wench who'd given him such soul-shattering pleasure, Simon never thought that he'd find himself in the middle of an emergency.

  The realization hit home hard when the sound of the battle came over the communication receiver.

  Now he was waiting impatiently for the ramp to go down. Through the space shield he'd seen the three peacekeepers at the bottom of the hill, all covered in dust and blood. What alarmed him the most was that Des and Orde were leaning against a couple of the big boulders as though unable to stand upright alone.

  Which meant that Des was hurt.

  Once the ramp lowered, he strode down it, laser in one big fist. Behind him came his crew, each one armed and ready for trouble. However, once outside, it was more than apparent that Adin's peacekeepers had the situation under control.

  A peacekeeper transport ship settled down in the midst of the carnage, and the peacekeepers loaded the four live prisoners into the depths of the transport ship, and tossed the bodies of the dead into the cage at the back.

  Simon barely noticed, for his attention was fixed on Des. Blood streaked the side of her face, blood soaked the side of her shirt, and one pants leg was wet with blood. Her friends didn't look much better, but Des was the one he was focused on.

  The medic, Moresby, was hurrying along behind Simon and Heddam, but he still couldn't keep up with the hurried stride of the far longer legs of the Daamen traders.

  Des looked up from where she was leaning against a boulder that had been blown off the top of the hill and slid to the bottom. The pupils in her eyes were dilated with pain, but she managed to raise one brow. “Out for a breath of fresh air, trader?"

  "You're wounded.” Two long steps brought him up directly befo
re her, and he reached out with his thumb to gently brush at the blood on her cheek.

  Frowning, she moved her head back. “Don't touch. It bloody hurts."

  "I'm taking you back to the ship—"

  "No can do.” She looked to where Adin was hurrying across from his pursuit craft. “The job's not done yet."

  "Des, you're hurt. Let Adin finish up—"

  "No.” Her gaze narrowed on him. “I'm Head Peacekeeper, and this is my job.” Her jaw clenched. “Back off."

  Simon was out of his depth, and he knew it. Helping injured wenches was something he'd done a few times, but they'd always been grateful for his help, and it had been in situations in which the Daamens had been in control.

  This situation was under Peacekeeper jurisdiction, and he had no rights on his side to simply pick her up and cart her back to the ship. Damn it.

  Des switched her gaze to Moresby. “Aiken is up in the cave with a broken leg. He needs immediate transportation home."

  "Don't tell me my job, and I won't tell you your job,” Moresby replied waspishly. “How are you all?"

  "Shot to shit. What do you think?"

  "With that mouth still spewing obscenities, I'd say you'll live.” The medic knelt down beside Marcel. “I can't attend to you all at once. I need help."

  "We can wait. How is Marcel?"

  "Pulse is strong. He has a head wound which might be the reason why he's unconscious."

  Relief was evident on her face and she looked at Adin as he came to a puffing halt. “A bit out of condition there, old man."

  "Don't start with me. Stars above, you all look like you've been dragged through the bushes backwards, and shoved back in the other side to repeat the process."

  "No. Really?"

  Simon noted how she continued to lean against the boulder.

  "Did you recognize any of them?” Adin queried.

  "No. We were in a bit too much of a hurry to exchange pleasantries—"

  "Except for Stone.” Orde gave a weak grin.

  "Yeah, we heard.” Adin nodded approvingly. “Nice shooting."

  Simon saw something slithering down the boulder against which Des was resting, and he narrowed his eyes, trying to make it out.

  "Adin, I'd appreciate it if you could drop the prisoners off at my Building,” Des said quietly. “I'll get to them once we've cleaned up and had a bit of a rest."