“She’s right,” I said. “All aboard who’s coming along.”
We all piled into the cube and headed for the Plezrite home world. They were going to be pissed when we got there, bringing more aliens to know where they lived. They might fry us all and be done with the lot of us intruders for good.
I set down where I had when I brought Cala. Knowing she had that spooky brindas insight, I figured if she wasn’t there anyway she would be when she sensed our presence. Man, did I look smart or what? I stepped out of Stingray and nearly collided with the gorgeous golden girl herself, sitting in her statue pose.
“Cala, you old witch, I’d give you a big hug, but I might stab myself to death,” I said by way of greeting.
“How reassuring. One less thing to worry about in this sad life,” she replied.
“My lord, she’s beautiful,” marveled Jonnaha when she came out.
Shielan stepped out right behind her sister. “Nice lizard there, Ryan.”
“Curse the Fates and Realms,” said Cala, “there are two of them in the universe.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, but I’ll take that as a compliment, ma’am.”
“Ma’am? Don’t make me regret convincing the Plezrite to save your sorry world, child.”
Shielan gave me a what-the-hell shrug and went over to her sister’s side.
“Cala, if I may address you as such, thank you for—”
Cala raised a hand. “Thanks are not necessary. We will talk at length, I am certain. But let us do so in a more comfortable setting. Come.” With that, Cala turned and walked toward a nearby building. We followed closely behind.
Yisbid sat at a round table. Cala sat next to her and signaled that we should sit where we wanted. There were just us six in the room.
“May I get you anything?” asked Yisbid.
We all shook our heads.
“No, we’re fine,” said Jonnaha. I guess she felt, as the chief political muckety-muck, it was her place to speak for us. That was fine by me. I’d spearheaded more than my share of “important” meetings, thank you very much. “I want to start by—”
“I will start, child,” Yisbid interrupted in a formal tone. “We have much to discuss, but I feel it’s best to state our position first. We struck at the Adamant for purely selfish reasons. I was shown a future by my friend Cala, in which we were subjugated by the evil beasts. We acted to prevent that future.”
I couldn’t stand it. Sorry, I mean I had to say it. “Cala, you have a friend? Will wonders never cease?”
Cala turned to face Yisbid. “You remember the lessons I taught you about restraint and internal strength? This one is an excellent test for those abilities.”
“Perhaps we should invite him to stay so many might master that skill?”
Cala shook her big head. “The gain would never be worth the price. Trust me on this.”
“Aw, you two are verging on insulting me.”
Cala stared at me. “If only that were possible. However, I think we should return to the important discussion we are here to have.”
“Your planet, your call,” I replied, looking away. Shielan, bless her heart, snickered. Sapale elbowed me hard.
“As I was saying,” continued Yisbid, “we acted to avert the unthinkable. But, as each action spawns a series of reactions, I must say we did so once. We are not prepared to do it again.”
I needed to speak. We, I, needed these guys. “Wait a hold-on second. You assumed it was those isolated Adamant you killed who posed a threat to you? I only ask rhetorically because you know you cannot make that assumption. If you want to stop them from ending you, you need to end them. It’s just that simple, and I bet you know it.”
Yisbid got such a sad look in her eyes. I believe forlorn would be the word that covered it. “You are wise, Jon Ryan. I must grant you that.”
“We know that removing a large but probably inconsequential segment of their war machine did not end their threat to us,” said Cala.
“Or anyone else,” I added.
“Jon, you know firsthand what happened to the Deft of Locinar. They were permanently removed as a threat. Similarly, you know that the Plezrite went to great lengths to hide their position. Even I did not know of their existence. Do you know why these two events took place? How they converge?”
“Not a single clue,” I responded honestly.
“Because we are such a great threat to anyone with malice in their hearts. If the Adamant would dominate all they can touch, we would have to be eliminated. The Deft were, and the Plezrite hid themselves assiduously. If they had not, they would have been destroyed.”
“So, you must see that if we persist in fighting the Adamant, they will eventually come to know our location, and they will direct whatever force it takes to exterminate us as they did the Deft,” said an impassioned Yisbid. “For us, to fight is to die.”
“But you did fight,” responded Jonnaha.
“Yes. Once. We did so with great reservation, but we felt it was worth the risk,” replied Cala. “We hurt them badly. We pray the confusion and apprehension that their stunning defeat produces will make them cautious about making war in this region again.”
“And for now, at least, they know only where the Plezrite struck, not where they live.” Yisbid raised her arms demonstrably. “We are a very long way from there, and few know where we are.”
I didn’t totally like the way she said few. Let me see. Sapale, me, and the Als knew where we were. Jonnaha and Shielan knew that they were somewhere, though they had no real notion as to where they were. But they knew there was a planet somewhere with lots of dragons. If the Adamant captured them, that would be enough to start the search for the Plezrite. Okay, that was the complete list of few, and they were all sitting across from fire-breathing dragons. Well, the Als weren’t, but they couldn’t move if both Sapale and I were, um, neutralized. What was it they were always saying in the Star Wars series? I’ve got a bad feeling about this, I believe were the exact words. I penciled myself in for that line too.
The same thing must have hit Sapale. “Calfada-Joric, I call on you formally. You owe me a blood debt. My brood-mate saved the last two Deft, so you owe me two blood debts. As they live on and their family—your family—grows as we speak, the final number you owe is yet to be written. I will hold you to those debts until you’ve paid them off.”
Cala lowered her head and spoke. “I am but one. One soul, one vote, one dissenting voice. I bear the weight of your charges, but I am not in a position to do anything to alter the present.”
“Then come sit by my side,” I said with all the bravado I ever had rolled into one bold overreaching invitation. On cue, Sapale rose to leave an empty seat next to me and sat next to Shielan.
Cala looked up at me and damn she’d have smiled if she had the right muscles to do so. There was a glint of joy in her eyes. She stood and flapped her massive wings. Instead of walking around the table, the big show-off walked on the table. She flicked one wing and landed gently in the seat by me.
“You know what?” I said the her as I patter her arm. “I think I love you.”
“Ah, sound motivation for my death has now presented itself. Thank the Maker of Right.”
“Cala,” said Yisbid in a hushed tone. “It does not have to be like this. it does not have to end as such. You are of great value to us. You are, in fact, priceless. Do not forfeit what you represent in an act of haste.”
“I am not priceless, child,” she responded. “This man,” she thumped me on the shoulder, “he is priceless. As is this brave woman of Kaljax.” She nodded to Sapale. “And these proud sisters are worth ten of me in the eyes of the divine,” she said looking to Jonnaha and Shielan. “It would be an honor and high privilege to die at their sides, in their service.”
There was an electronic whine as Shielan powered up her blaster. God love her, she was the very picture of consistency.
Yisbid rose. Behind us, a column of Plezrite
visants filed into the room. That mega-bitch Himanai led the line. Knowing I still held Risrav, their magic was unlikely to work on me. They’d have to club me to death. Good. That’d give me more than enough time to put lots of holes in that waste of space’s hide.
“We do not act lightly or with a clear conscience,” said Yisbid. “We do what we must to defend our legacy, the lengthy line of Plezrite who—”
“The self-righteous betrayer will be silent,” boomed through the room. The walls shook. Everyone spun to see who spoke. In the doorway stood a pure white dragon, gleaming like pure ice struck by a brilliant beam of light.
“What is the meaning …” Yisbid never finished her sentence. Well, I guess she might have, wherever it was she disappeared to, assuming for her sake she wasn’t just deleted.
“Is there another who would open their treacherous mouth and spew vile abominations?” asked the white dragon.
“I will know who you are,” demanded Himanai.
“Yes, I suppose you will, though it will not benefit you in any way. I am the brindas Mirraya-Slapgren. More importantly, I am extremely pissed. Those who have stirred my wrath should be very afraid.”
Cala made as if to speak but relaxed back before doing so. I believe she was ceding the floor to her best pupil.
“Your evil tricks and twisted …” That was all for Himanai. Poof, and good riddance.
“How many are you in number, you corruptors of all that is good and decent in our species?” Mirri asked of the nearest dragon.
“You can make a handful of us disappear, but you cannot defeat a planet of Plezrite. I now speak for all our people. You are unwelcome scum, and you will all die miserably,” replied the unwise visant. Boy, I wouldn’t want to be her right about then.
“You do, do you?” challenged Mirri. “Let us see if that is true.” She closed her eyes and strained visibly.
Cala leaned over to me and whispered. “She is linking the minds of the Plezrite with hers. I too hear her words. She asks if all the Plezrite agree with Hoiney. She’s the visant who just spoke.”
“What are the locals saying back, he asked with considerable personal interest in the answer?” I queried.
“They are collectively shocked,” Cala spoke in wonder. “Here. I’ll let Mirri tell you.”
“I have learned that only you few criminals have dared to betray your citizens. No one else knew of your treachery. You seven have been denied.”
Several of the remaining rebel Plezrite gasped.
“It’s a big deal,” whispered Cala. Man, she had a smug look of satisfaction on her face.
“I will carry out your denial. You will be sent to Locinar, where I banished the other two criminals. There, you will see if your plots and evil souls serve you well, or not at all.”
And they were gone.
“Excellent work, my friend,” said Cala to Mirri. “Even I’m impressed.”
“Hey, I need to know,” I said to Mirri, “is it safe to hug you?”
“I don’t know, Uncle Jon. Let’s find out.” She opened her arms and her wings, and I dove in with abandon. I did run a system’s check while doing so. No leaks.
“Slapgren, you in there too?” I asked her chest.
“Of course, you bozo,” Mirri replied. “We are one.”
“You’re welcome,” I said, and I hugged them some more. Sapale and the others piled on too. It was … nice.
TWENTY-THREE
Lesset stared blankly at the giant holoscreen at the center of the Lead Point Room. He was daydreaming of the acquisition, control, and expansion of his power. He was not paying strict attention to the battle that was raging into its second day. By all accounts, the campaign was wildly successful and all but over. Soon he’d present himself to that dwarf-brained emperor and receive more useless medals and further land grants. He’d take more wives and sire more worthless pups. But then he’d begin the next plan for—
Something caught his attention indirectly. At first Lesset couldn’t put a name to it, the distraction. He shook his head and flipped on his intense, unerring focus. What? What was different? There, one of the lights on the screen flashed. It was a large dot. Dots on the holoscreen never blinked, flashed, or did anything but burn brightly.
“Guvrof,” he snapped, pointing at his adjutant.
Guvrof vaulted to his feet and sped to Lesset’s side. “Sir?”
“That light there, why’s it blinking?”
“I don’t rightly know, sir. I’ve never seen that before. It’s probably a malfunction, maybe a bad emitter.”
“No, look there.” he pointed emphatically. “Another one’s started flashing.
Guvrof stepped to the holoscreen. He slapped a technician seated at a large control panel at the screen’s base. “You there, what does the flashing light mean?”
“What flashing light, sir?” He looked up and rubbed his eyes.
“You idiot, that one there and there. Those two blinking lights.”
“Flashing lights indicate a damaged vessel. If the ship’s okay, the light stays at the same intensity. If the light switches from flashing to a simple ring, it means … there, you see the ring of light?”
“Yes, of course I do. What does it mean?”
“The ship’s been destroyed.”
Guvrof was momentarily stunned into silence. “Ah, that’s not possible. Which ship is that?”
“Was that, Wedge Leader.” He tapped a few buttons. “That was the Never Know Defeat.”
“She’s a dreadnaught. She can’t be destroyed. She’s eighteen million tons of firepower and shielding.”
“That’s what … there, see the other light is now a ring.”
“Which ship …”
The technician was already tapping keys frantically. “House of Pain, sir.”
“She’s a battle-class destroyer. Also impossible.”
“Guvrof,” shouted Lesset, “report immediately.”
He walked slowly to his commander, puzzling what to say. If he passed along false information, it’d be his head. If he withheld information, it’d be his head. If he passed along bad news, it’d be his head.
“Sir, the technician sitting there,” he pointed out the specific individual should blame need quick assignment, “claims a flashing light indicates a damaged ship.”
“And the thin circle of light?” Lesset thundered.
“He maintains the ring indicates a destroyed vessel. Granted, the fellow must be wrong. I think—”
“Which ships?” Lesset cut off his ranting.
“Never Know Defeat and House of Pain, sir.”
Lesset had never heard of were two ships lost. It was inconceivable. To lose one was a rarity, but two called sanity into question.
“Get me the Watch Commander here now,” barked Lesset.
Guvrof scurried away quickly. Lesset looked to the screen again. It was becoming filled with flashing lights. Soon, there were no solid lights and dozens upon dozens of flashing lights switched to circles every time he blinked. He could not be seeing what he was seeing.
Guvrof literarily pushed the Watch Commander in front of him as they approached Lesset.
“What is the meaning of this outrage, Sub-Wedge Spliter? Who is entering this false information?” demanded Lesset.
“No one, Lord. The data stream is fully automated and cannot be tampered with. The status arrives directly from each ship’s encrypted transponder. It cannot be altered in any way.”
“Do you mean to tell me that most of our ships above twelve separate planets are being simultaneously wiped out? Is that what you are saying?” The veins in Lesset’s neck bulged ominously as he screamed.
“I … I am saying nothing, Lord. I am telling you the system is automated and is reporting what it was designed to do.” The dog was trembling like he was freezing to death.
“Then your system is malfunctioning.” He raised an accusatory finger under the commander’s nose. “I am holding you personally responsible. Do you h
ear me?”
“Lord, please understand …”
“I do not need to understand anything other than your complete incompetence.”
A junior officer ran up. “High Wedge, I have received audio reports from multiple ships.” He held out a data chit.
Lesset looked at the devise very carefully before he took it from the officer. He grabbed his handheld and attached the drive.
This is Wedge Leader Ventelot of the cruiser Magnificent Victory reporting. We are under attack by *** ships that are *** the design of larger dragons. They *** directed some new beam *** us that *** unable to stop. We’ve *** all forward shielding and *** hull breaches …
Only static followed.
Wedge Leader Lesset, Himalfi here from what’s left of the Resist All. We’re … Only static followed.
Dragons, Lord, are attacking our flotilla. I’ve lost …
Only static followed.
“This is preposterous,” Lesset howled as he handed his handheld to Guvrof. “Contact each of those morons and find out what is the matter with their brains.”
“At once, Lord.” Guvrof gladly sped away.
“Get me Field Whole Descanfor immediately,” Lesset yelled to the nearest officer.
Within seconds, a panicky voice came from the speakers. “Lesset, is that you? Gods and demons, it’s all going wrong. I see our ships raining down from the sky like leaves from autumn trees in a storm. Lesset, you have to send me reinforcements at once. My troops are disappearing. Do you hear me …”
“Shut up and listen, you half breed. Report to me what is going on. Your raving like a mad fool.”
“There’s no time. Lesset, we’re all …”
Only a static hiss could be heard.
“Will somebody tell me what in the Fires of Death is going on?” Lesset’s grip on reality was slipping away.
Guvrof ran back. “Lord, I cannot raise a single vessel. They … they all appear to be lost. I heard scattered mention of dragons attacking, but then all transmissions …”
BANG.
The sound was followed with Guvrof’s head exploding in a cloud of red mist. Lesset holstered his sidearm.
“I will hear no nonsense about dragons flying in outer space. Someone bring me a correct report.”
Dragon Fire (Galaxy On Fire Book 5) Page 12
