by Neil Davies
"There's no windows!" He forced surprise and alarm into his voice.
"Exactly." Steve seemed triumphant. He had finally forced his friend to see it himself. "No windows, no nothing. Have you ever seen a ship without windows, or lights, or something visible on the hull?" He didn't pause for an answer but ploughed on, answering himself. "No, neither have I. It's weird. What kind of creatures could fly in a thing like that? They almost look..." he shuddered, "...alive."
Jack nodded. Was it possible? Living ships? There was nothing unusual about Bio-Mechanics and Bio-Electronics but the leading scientists of the Inner Council had never got further than linking a human for the duration of a flight to the control centre of a ship so that it reacted to his instincts like an extra limb. The ship itself had still been built from man-made materials, still worked through computers and engineering. The ship might have access to a living brain, but it was not itself alive. But these Szuiltan ships... he could not rid himself of the thought. They looked alive!
Steve reached a decision. He leant back in his chair and swung his feet up onto the console before him. Jack recognised his friend's relaxed posture. It was his we might be in deep shit but there's nothing I can do about it so I'm not going to worry posture. It had been a joke with the old gang back on Earth all those years ago. It gave Jack a strange sense of comfort and brought a feeling of normality back to their situation.
"Well, it's certainly not starting out like any other trade I've been involved with," said Steve, pushing his hand against his forehead in a vain attempt to ease the throbbing pain. "Larn knows what's going to happen when we actually reach the planet."
Chapter 26
Carina sat back in the plush corner armchair and closed her eyes. In a cluster of less comfortable, but more practical, seats in the centre of the room sat Leader Carlton and a small selection of his most trusted advisors. They ignored her. She was the Leader's official mistress. She was of no importance to the matters they now discussed.
She stretched her legs out, bending one leg at the knee, knowing how that would cause the pale green and, above all, thin material of her short skirt to slide back, revealing more of her thigh than the religious zealots among the Leader's party would think decent. She laced her fingers behind her head, feeling the swell of her breasts strain against the near transparent fabric of her T-shirt. The discussion in the centre of the room continued, but she sensed eyes upon her and she allowed herself a small smile of satisfaction. She had chosen her clothes carefully for today, inoffensive enough so as not to cause comment as she walked about, but tantalisingly revealing in the right pose.
It amused her to tease the Leader's advisors this way, just as it amused her that there were no women in those chosen, a weakness of the Aksian patriarchal culture that someone such as herself could exploit. There were many in the Leader's entourage who desired her, she knew, even among those zealots who openly sneered at her more revealing outfits. By flirting with the right people she could learn much. That they treated her as a dumb whore with more figure than brains angered her occasionally, but it was too useful a persona to abandon. Who else but a stupid, inconsequential but decorative official mistress would they allow in the same room as their important discussions?
She feigned restfulness and listened intently.
"Is it secure?"
Carina recognised the voice of the speaker. Commander Felton, Senior Military Advisor and the man personally in charge of security. She knew that this room on 'Armistice' had been thoroughly checked by Felton's men for spying devices and concealed weapons, but it was typical of the man to ask the question anyway.
"I have no reason to doubt our host's neutrality," said Leader Carlton. "And I don't believe that Earth is either powerful enough or ingenious enough to have infiltrated spies into the Stain military at this stage."
"Not everyone shares your opinions of our enemy."
This was said by Councillor Shamus, causing Carina's smile to broaden slightly. Shamus was one of the more obvious among her admirers. He was even older than the Leader, but his desire was blatant and often not well controlled. He had been subjected to several 'private' meetings with the Leader about his behaviour.
"Please explain?" Leader Carlton again.
"There are those, a growing number apparently, who feel that Earth are not only likely to have spies everywhere, but, in fact, already do. Mayor Lane, for example, seems to see Earth spies around every corner."
"I feel it was a mistake to leave the Mayor as the senior officer on Aks," said Councillor Morgan, his soft lilting accent from one of the outer suburbs unmistakable.
"What else could I do?" said Carlton. "I certainly didn't want him along on this trip. His opposition to the treaty is well documented. To have him here would have risked too much."
"Leaving him on Aks was also, perhaps, too great a risk." Councillor Morgan again.
"What are you suggesting? That I had him imprisoned for the duration of our journey? Or perhaps that I should have just dispensed with all pretence on the matter and had him quietly disposed of?"
A murmur of suppressed laughter grumbled in the room.
"I had no choice," said Carlton. "And now he has his spy, so maybe he'll be a bit quieter on the subject."
"Or more determined than ever to prove that Earth remains our enemy," said Commander Felton.
"I can't change what's been done. The Mayor is the senior officer on Aks. We can only hope that his patriotism and religion will stop him from doing anything too stupid until we return. Now," Leader Carlton took a moment to compose himself. It seemed that talking about Mayor Lane agitated him more and more lately. "Can we please turn to the principal reason for this meeting? Namely, the itinerary for our visit here on 'Armistice' and the exact sequence of the signing. If anyone's going to stumble over things in front of the whole galaxy's media I want it to be the Earth Controller, not me."
Carina turned her thoughts away from the discussion. It seemed the more interesting matters had been passed now and the list of coming events did not overly concern her. She pondered for a moment on the subject of Mayor Lane. She would not, personally, have ever allowed him to reach such a high office, but Carlton had been concerned to demonstrate a fairness in his administration at the time, even to those opposed to some of his more radical policies, and nothing was considered more radical on Aks than the thought of peace with Earth. Still, given that the Mayor was firmly in position now and was not likely to change his entrenched views, she would have eliminated him some time ago, subtly, an accident in the desert, perhaps a worthy government official trying to do his job caught in the violence of the suburb riots. There were ways to remove him without causing suspicion, and he was too dangerous to be left. Carlton's failure in this added to her contempt of him. He was not only a weak man, he was a weak Leader. With Mayor Lane in charge on Aks, she did not think it impossible that Carlton's days as Leader were coming to an end.
She did not intend to be pulled down with him.
Mayor Lane was a man like any other and, despite her personal feelings towards him, she was prepared to do whatever it took to continue her privileged position.
Chapter 27
Ursa sat in the back of the air car, her hands bound behind her, the wire cutting painfully into her wrists. On either side of her sat the Aksian guards, grim faced, determined in their duty. There was no bargaining available to her there. Driving was the man she knew as Richard, the man whose loyalties confused her. First he had seemed to be working for the Inner Council, then she had presumed he worked for Aks, now he seemed to be in the employ of Suzex.
Suzex. She still trembled at the memory of that nightmare from the Inner Council's past facing her, threatening her, laughing at her. It was all true, all the fears and the rumours about Suzex's involvement in Aksian politics. The early reports to the T.I.C. had proved accurate. She needed to let the Inner Council know. But how?
The air car had left the last of the suburbs behind some minutes e
arlier and they were now heading deeper into the desert. There was still the occasional ruin jutting skeletal from the sand, but even these were thinning. Soon there would be nothing but sand, and once they were far enough into the desert...
She had appraised the situation countless times since being pulled out of the Mayor's office. She was unarmed. Her hands were tied behind her back. Three armed men guarded her, and any one of them would kill her without an instant's hesitation. They were taking her out into the desert to execute her, and there was little she could do to stop them.
If they followed standard training they would force her to her knees and shoot her in the back of the head. It was difficult, if not impossible, to prevent such a simple and brutal method.
There was a possibility, however, with what she gauged of Richard's personality, that he may prefer to look into her eyes as he pulled the trigger, and she had little doubt that it would be Richard who performed the execution. That afforded more opportunity for action, but still gave her little hope of survival.
There might be a moment when they first got her out of the car when all of them would be within striking distance, but it would only be for the most fleeting of moments. Nevertheless, it seemed her best hope. She would need to be ready for it.
In the final analysis, she would probably die whether she tried to escape or not. It seemed foolish and cowardly not to at least try.
"I know you feel a need to try and escape Ursa," said Richard, his voice smug and self-satisfied.
She suppressed any reaction. He could almost have been reading her mind, but then he had also received training from the T.I.C., and their instructors always emphasised the preference of suicidal escape attempt over quiet acceptance of execution.
"It's really not worth the effort," continued Richard, "although I know you'll feel obliged to try. That's Ok, it just makes things a bit messier."
Ursa sensed a stiffening in the guards either side of her. They were unnerved by Richard's words. He might accept her attempt at escape as natural and understandable but they had not received such training. She knew they would have had at least a minor briefing concerning her, as would all the soldiers involved in the raid on her house. She was certain that briefing would have covered her time in the Aksian Special Forces. They knew she was trained to kill, armed or unarmed, and the thought that she might turn those skills on them in an escape attempt obviously worried them. Richard's arrogance, his need to tease her, might have given her a slight edge she would not otherwise have had.
"Are you so sure I won't escape? There are only three of you after all." Her tone was mocking, confident. It took all her strength to make it so.
"A commendable show of bravado Ursa. Well done." Richard's tone was equally mocking, but he continued to be ignorant of the effect the conversation was having on the Aksian guards.
"I regularly trained against five or six armed men when I was with Special Forces Richard. Why should three cause me any problem? And you're right of course, I must escape. I couldn't possibly give you the satisfaction of killing me, not after you betrayed me." She continued to hold her voice steady and strong, although it was a struggle. She was in agony from the wire around her wrists and her head still pounded, but she fought back the grimaces, determined to hide any sign of weakness. She knew Richard would see through it, but she doubted the Aksian guards were trained enough to see anything but the surface she allowed them to see.
"Well, my dear Ursa, I would really like to talk to you further, but I think we're far enough into this infernal desert now."
He pulled the air car to a stop in the shadow of a tall crescent shaped dune.
She glanced at the guards. She could see the trace of nervousness there, the uncertainty, the fear even. It was not much, but it could be enough to slow their reactions, however minutely, and that would give her the edge she needed.
Richard was out of the car quickly. He would be the most difficult obstacle, she had no doubt about that. He was highly trained, and highly cautious. His confidence, his supreme belief in his ability to carry out this execution with ease, might, however, prove to be a flaw, a weakness.
The guard on her right climbed out and she was pulled and pushed from the car. Richard stood a short way off, his gun already drawn and pointing at her. The second guard was in the doorway of the car, about to pull himself out.
She gauged the moment. Richard would not panic, he was too confident for that. He knew he could stand off and shoot her down any time he wished. The key fact was her belief that he would not panic. That allowed her to reduce the odds.
She thrust her leg backwards and round in a short arc, her heel connecting solidly with the side of the sitting guard's head, smashing his skull into the edge of the car door. A spray of blood spat from his mouth and he tumbled onto the sand.
The guard standing in front of her hesitated. This was what he had been afraid of. This woman was dangerous. He reached for his holstered gun. Too late!
Ursa rammed her forehead into his face, hearing the crunch of his nose breaking, feeling the blood spatter her face. Without pausing, she swept his feet from under him with her leg and, as he fell, stamped down hard onto his throat. She felt his windpipe collapse under her heel.
As he struggled and jerked in the sand, unable to breath, unable to save himself from dying, he finally drew his gun from its holster only to immediately lose grip on it. It fell close to his body as he twitched in the final spasms of death.
Richard had not moved. He still stood some distance from her. He still had his gun aimed at her. When he spoke his voice was calm and clear. She had been right about him. He had not panicked.
"Very impressive Ursa. Am I meant to applaud or something? Pity it was all a waste of time."
Ursa shrugged, a painful movement with her hands tied so harshly. She forced herself to appear calm, resigned to her fate.
"It served a purpose for me. I needed to release some of the aggression that's been building since I learned of your treachery."
Richard laughed, but his gun never dropped its steady aim.
"I admire you, I really do. I wish we could have been closer before you found out about me. It could have been... interesting."
The shudder that ran through her was involuntary. She had, at one time, almost convinced herself she was falling for this man, this 'Richard' who dropped into her life occasionally. She had even contemplated allowing her desires to take over. After all, there would have been no need to worry about 'pillow talk' with another member of the T.I.C.. Had he suspected? Did it really matter now? Funny how something so trivial should come to mind at such a time.
"I'm sorry your efforts have all been for nothing," said Richard. "But I think it's time to get this over with."
Quick. Study.
Thoughts raced through her mind.
Where is his weakness? Everyone has a weakness somewhere. What is he afraid of?
She thought back to the scene in the office, Suzex's shout, Richard jumping.
Suzex!
"I bet Suzex is going to be pissed that this turned out so messy."
He hesitated. She saw it in his eyes, the hesitation, the slight doubt. It was there!
"I bet he's not the forgiving type, as an employer I mean. That's all you are, isn't it Richard? An employee? There's no cause is there? Just money. And there's always more employees to be found for the right price."
She could not be certain what effect her words were having, but the important thing was that he still hadn't pulled the trigger.
He'll still do it, she thought, but I've planted a small seed of doubt about how he'll look at the end of all this. I've got to try and push him further off balance.
"Two dead Aksian soldiers, Richard. Killed while you just stood and watched. Mayor Lane's not going to be happy, and my guess is that Suzex wants Lane treated gently at the moment. Something big is on the horizon and Lane features prominently in Suzex's plans."
He was beginning to shuffle slig
htly from foot to foot, both the heat of the sand and the beginnings of a fear for his own future causing him discomfort.
"All that matters is that you will be dead," he shouted, the control of his voice so evident earlier now lost. "Suzex will understand, you bitch, and you'll be buried out here along with those stupid soldiers!"
You bitch.
It was the first time he had insulted her. He was losing his composure, his calm, even something of his self confidence.
"You're in the shit, Richard, and you know it."
She watched the barrel of the gun intently. It was beginning to move ever so slightly. If it would just move enough...
"It won't save you."
Any pretence at calm was gone from his voice now. He was angry, worried. What she said had made some sense to him. Everyone had heard rumours of Suzex's ruthless reputation with employees who proved less than worthy.
She forced a smile. She must now seem the confident one, the calm one.
"I know I'm dead, Richard, but I bet you didn't think you would be too."
The barrel moved another inch. It was no longer pointing directly at her.
Now!
She dropped towards the discarded gun of the dead Aksian guard, falling onto her back on top of it.
Richard's finger tightened on the trigger instinctively, as she knew it would, but his aim was off enough to send the explosive shells whining safely past her ear as she fell.
She scrabbled for the gun blindly, her hands digging into burning sand until she felt her fingers were being seared off. She screamed in agony. It was there somewhere. She had to find it!
Richard recovered from the momentary shock of Ursa's sudden movement. All thoughts about what might happen to him later were thrust into the background as he turned his attention to the now. She was clever. She had thrown him off balance just enough to make her last desperate attempt at escape. He was shaking with anger as he turned the gun towards where she struggled on the sand.
