by R S Penney
It was strange, trusting these men to guard his back. True, he had gone into battle with Isara or with Valeth or even that fop Pennfield – and yes, each of them had saved his life – but there was always the fear that if he relied too heavily on their support, they might decide that keeping him alive really wasn't worth the trouble. Perhaps that was why Slade had sent the ziarogat to capture him.
But with Jack and Novol…
Twice now, the Ragnosian man had saved Arin with a well-timed shot, and as for Hunter…Hunter just kept grinning and talking about what it would be like when they got back to Leyria. How Arin could help them undermine Slade's operations. To his surprise, Arin found himself looking forward to it.
At one point, Jack stopped near an intersection, glancing back with a smile on his face. “I'll talk to Larani,” he said. “I can't lie; there will be consequences for what you've done. But if you show them you're willing to reform…”
“Perhaps,” Arin mumbled. “But anything would be better than staying here.”
“Word.”
“What word?”
“An Earth expression,” Jack said. “It means you speak the truth. And if I remember correctly, we're almost there. Come on.”
“Status!” Telixa demanded.
She rose from her chair in the middle of a bridge, lights flickering all around her, and approached the weapons' officer from behind. That young man was bent over his console and breathing hard.
A holographic display showed the Leyrians flying around her ship and the Hydra like a bunch of buzzing flies. Well, three buzzing flies. And every time one of those damn Phoenix-Class cruisers got close, her ship took damage. Oh, her people gave as good as they got – one clean shot from her port-side cannons had very nearly drilled a hole in one of those Leyrian pests – but this conflict was too evenly matched for her liking.
“Ventral cannons still down,” Lieutenant Kazari said. He tensed up when he felt her presence behind him.
“Admiral.”
That came from Lieutenant Hadarial.
Telixa strode toward the woman with an angry scowl, shaking her head. “What is it?” she demanded. The way her luck was going, it wouldn't surprise her to learn that they had a critical failure in the fusion reactor.
Hadarial was at her console with hands spread across the screen, a look of focused concentration on her face. “We've lost contact with over a quarter of our security force,” she said. “Internal sensors on Deck 7 are offline.”
Pausing for a moment to plan her next move, Telixa mulled over the implications. As much as she hated to admit it, the Leyrians had established a foothold on her ship. She had no way of knowing how many Leyrian troops were aboard. Ten? Fifty? A hundred? Without sensors, the Leyrians could be bringing entire platoons through the Gate, and she would never know.
Her forces were divided between those who had been sent to contain the escaping prisoners and those who had been sent to engage the Leyrians. With a crew of over five hundred, her battlecruiser was one of the largest in the fleet. Nearly one hundred of those were security officers, and she had lost contact with over twenty of those. This was not going well. Yes, the power outages might have disrupted communications, but it was also possible that those officers weren't responding because they were dead.
Stroking her chin with the tips of her fingers, Telixa murmured as she watched the holographic display. “Pull our people back,” she said. “Order Bravo Team to retake the hangar bay and send the rest to secure the ship's most sensitive areas: the fusion reactor, the bridge, the armory. Post sentries at all stairwells and elevator tubes. Let's try to keep our guests contained on Deck 7.”
“Yes, ma'am.”
Backing up, Telixa dropped into her chair and leaned forward with her hands on the armrests. “And I'd like to give our guests the welcome they deserve,” she added. “Wake up Slade's pet. Let's see what it can do.”
Chapter 29
Rounding a corner into yet another long hallway bathed in the ugly yellow glow of emergency lights, Jack froze when he saw about half a dozen men in black tactical gear blocking his way. At first, his fight or flight instincts kicked in – and he almost raised his gun – but then he noticed that those were Leyrian emblems on their uniforms.
The two men in front both choked up on their rifles, eyes narrowing as they studied him. They quickly lowered those weapons, however. “Ma'am,” one said.
Gaping at them, Jack blinked several times. “Hi there,” he said, stepping forward. “Don't suppose you guys could give me directions to the hangar bay? You know, I have this tendency to get lost and wander into detention cells.”
The six of them were standing in a cluster, talking hurriedly with one another, but everyone shut up when they heard his voice. Bodies parted to allow a small woman to come through, and Jack almost melted right there.
Anna took two steps toward him and then froze, her face lighting up with the most beautiful smile he had ever seen. “Companion be praised…” She ran to him and threw her arms around him in a hug that nearly drove the air from his lungs.
Jack put one hand on the back of her head, holding her close, breathing in the scent of her. “It's good to see you too,” he said when she finally stepped out of his embrace. “I had a feeling you were behind all this ruckus.”
Smiling down at her shoes, Anna brushed a lock of hair off her cheeks. “Well, you know me,” she said with a shrug. “I've always insisted that it's not a party without Anna and at least three Anna-induced explosions.”
Jack laughed.
Arin and Novol chose that moment to come into the open, flanking him on either side. He sensed them through his connection to Summer. Both were uneasy, staring warily at their new allies.
Anna took a step back, and her face hardened when she noticed Arin. “What in the Companion's holy name is he doing here?” When she put a hand on her holstered pistol, Jack felt a spike of alarm.
“They're with me,” he said before anyone could do anything stupid. “They're both with me. Novol here is the reason that I was able to get out of that bloody cell, and Arin has decided that he wants to stand trial and accept responsibility for his crimes.”
Craning her neck to stare up at him with lips pursed, Anna nodded once. “Okay,” she said, turning around. “Now that you're here, we've got no reason to stay. Everybody stay sharp; we're gonna make a sprint for the hangar bay.”
She lifted one forearm and swiped a finger across the screen of her multi-tool. A few deft taps of her fingers, and she was talking to someone over SlipSpace radio. “Lenai to Endeavour,” she said. “We've recovered Agent Hunter, and we're on our way back to the SlipGate.”
“Your timing is impeccable, Operative Lenai,” a man's voice replied. “We've taken some damage, and it would be best to get out of here sooner rather than later.”
“Can you go to warp?”
“Affirmative.”
A quick bob of Anna's head told Jack that she was already formulating a plan. “Be prepared to jump as soon as we're on board,” she said. “Estimate arrival in just under five minutes. We'll have someone signal you to open your Gate.”
“You got it.”
“Let's go.”
Just like that, they were running through the corridors, feet thumping on the floor with the steady beat of military officers at a quick pace. Novol was on Jack's right. The poor guy looked nervous, a single drop of sweat sliding down his forehead.
Jack clapped him on the shoulder.
Novol smiled.
When one of the tac officers sped up, he caught a glimpse of Cassi on his right. His partner shot a glance in his direction, smiled and nodded. “How many times do I have to tell you?” she asked. “You go off alone, you're gonna get yourself killed.”
“Noted.”
They took a right and then a left, and in less than two minutes, they were gathered near the big metal door to the hangar bay. Of course, it was closed. And without power, getting the damn thing open would be
a pain.
Novol reacted without anyone's permission, removing one of the gray bulkheads next to the door and accessing the machinery within. There was a crank of some kind, but Novol started by sliding a metal key into a slot. Well, then…It seemed having a security officer on his side came in handy.
Novol gave the key a twist and then turned the crank with considerable effort. It took several turns before he stood up, gestured to the door and said, “Shigak.”
“It's unlocked,” Arin translated.
Cassi and Anna stepped up side by side, both placing their hands on the metal door and sliding the two halves apart with Keeper strength. The exertion still drew grunts from both of them.
Once they had the gap wide enough for two people to walk through, they all peered into the gloomy hangar bay. Yellow lights illuminated the few fighters that had not been launched and the catwalks on the second level.
Jack's shuttle was in the back with a huge freaking hole in its top-side and scorch marks all over the rest of its body. The port-side airlock was open, creating a tunnel into the darkness within.
The tac officers were the first ones through.
Jack felt wrinkles lining his brow. “You mean I survived in that thing?” he asked, stepping forward. When they brought him aboard, he didn't get an opportunity to assess the damage. “Geez, I am so grounded.”
They all crept into the hangar bay, the tactical officers moving forward with their rifles at the ready, scanning this way and that for any sign of danger. It all seemed quiet, but you couldn't blame them.
Cassi had one of those tense expressions as she walked with a hand on the grip of her pistol. “No, this isn't ominous,” she said. “Hunter, why did you make me watch all of those scary movies?”
“So that you'd be genre-savvy enough to-”
They had gone at most five steps when Jack's spatial awareness caught movement to his right. Figures stepped up to the railing on the second-level catwalk, aiming rifles down at them. He counted eight.
“Back up!” Anna shouted.
Jack and Arin were already retreating through the open door, ducking back into the hallway. Bullets rained down on those who had taken point. Thankfully, their armour did its job impeccably.
One man – a guy in his mid-thirties, by the look of him – aimed his weapon at the catwalk and fired. There was a soft pinging as bullets hit metal bulkheads, and then they were all gathered in the hallway again.
Anna stood beside Jack with a hand on his upper arm. Almost like she was trying to assure herself that he was really there. “We need options,” she panted. “How do we get to the shuttle?”
One of the female tactical officers lifted her visor and stared numbly through the door. “We even try,” she said, “And they'll gun us down.”
“Bendings?” Cassi suggested.
Shutting her eyes tight, Anna shook her head. “No,” she said. “Even with four of us, we wouldn't be able to cover everyone. If we try to make multiple trips, we'll exhaust ourselves by the second run.”
“Then what do we do?”
Anna's mouth was a thin line as she blinked slowly. “We need to get up there and ambush them from behind,” she answered. “But that will require us to go up to the next deck of this ship.”
Arin tapped Novol on the shoulder, pointed in the general direction of the catwalk and said, “Vak torshka sinaven giak?”
“Kiad,” Novol replied.
Arin turned a steely gaze upon Jack as if he still thought that Jack was in charge of this group. “Novol can get us up there,” he said. “I suggest we move before more security teams decide to ambush us here.”
“Cassi,” Anna snapped. “Take the rest of the team and the Ragnosian, get up to the second level and hit them from behind. Jack and I will coordinate our strikes to support you from down here.”
“You'll need me to translate,” Arin insisted.
“Fine,” Anna said with obvious reluctance. “But one sign of-”
She cut off at the whistling sound of something dropping from the highest catwalk. A man landed in the middle of the hangar bay floor, bending his knees upon impact and then straightening to stand like a sentry.
This new guy was tall, well-muscled and shirtless, bald from his waist to the top of his head. With spatial awareness, Jack could sense the panel built into the ziarogat's chest even if it was too dark to spot it with his eyes. “Crap!” he whispered.
Arin was backing away, moving further up the corridor with two hands covering his mouth. His eyes were so wide they looked about ready to fall out. “No,” he croaked. “No, no, no! Forgive me! I have sinned!”
He dropped to his knees, sobbing.
“Go,” Anna said.
In a split second, Cassi was running up the corridor with all six tactical officers and Novol in the lead. That left Jack and Anna alone with one very distraught Arin. The man just kept mumbling to himself, begging for forgiveness.
Jack found himself transfixed by the display, watching closely as Arin trembled and prayed. “Forgive me! Forgive me! I'm sorry!”
With a sigh of frustration, Anna got up, drew her weapon and took a position where she would be safely shielded from incoming fire. “Why isn't the ziarogat attacking?” she wondered aloud. Jack wasn't sure if she was asking him, but he answered anyway.
“Probably it thinks it'll have an easier time killing us in there,” he said. “Out here, it stands alone against two Justice Keepers. In there, it has a whole squadron of men to rain bullets down on us. Besides, it knows we have to go for the shuttle sooner or later. It can afford to be patient.”
“Damn crafty bastards.”
Pinching the bridge of his nose with thumb and forefinger, Jack shut his eyes. “You and I will have to take the ziarogat together,” he muttered. “I don't think that Arin will be much help in his condition.”
Anna was on the side of the door with her pistol in both hands, its muzzle pointed at the floor. She ventured a glance into the hangar bay, then pulled back. “No,” she said. “I'll take the gat. You get him to the shuttle.”
“We stand a better chance working together.”
Anna's lips parted in a sneer of contempt when her gaze fell upon Arin. “He's way too unstable,” she hissed. “Who knows what kind of bullshit he'll pull when our backs are turned? You got through to him; he trusts you. So, get him to the shuttle and then get your ass off this ship. I'll be right behind you.”
“But-”
“That's an order, Agent Hunter.”
Jack grinned, his cheeks burning with intense heat. “Yes, ma'am,” he relented. “But you better make good on that promise, Lenai. 'Cause if you get yourself killed, I'm going to summon your lame-ass ghost just to say, 'I told you so.' ”
She laughed.
After five minutes of listening to his incoherent babbling, Anna had lost any spec of sympathy she might have felt for Arin. The man was on his knees, sobbing and praying to his gods for forgiveness. Promising that he repented. If it were anyone else, Anna might have been moved by such a display. But Arin…
This was the man who killed Glin Karon.
When she thought of Slade's lackeys, Arin wasn't the first one who came to mind. Her hatred for Isara's cruelty – for Leo's misogyny – ran hotter than anything she felt for this man. But that didn't change what he was. Anna just wanted to see him locked up in a deep, dark cell.
“Forgive me,” Arin whimpered.
Leaning one shoulder against the wall next to the door, Anna closed her eyes. Her face was pale, her hair damp. “What's taking so long?” she whispered. “They should be in position by now.”
On the other side of the door, Jack gave her a worried frown. “Cas will get it done,” he promised despite his obvious apprehension. “We just have to move when she's ready.”
“I don't want to have to use Bendings.”
“How bad is it?”
Anna lifted a hand, wiggling her fingers. Half an hour without calling upon any of Seth's abi
lities had reduced the mild sting in her skin to a faint tingle. She could maintain a Bending for ten seconds, maybe fifteen. She could twist gravity once or twice. But she was going to have to be very judicious about how she used those abilities.
Jack saw the reservation in her eyes. “Let me take on the ziarogat,” he pleaded. “I've barely used my powers at all. You get Arin to the shuttle, and then I'll join you.”
“Ordinarily, I'd agree with that plan,” Anna replied. “But as I said, Arin trusts you. I don't know how well he'll react to me.”
“Okay.”
Anna narrowed her eyes as she considered her options. “What I'll need from you,” she began, “is cover fire. If we can force the ziarogat to put up a force-field, it won't be able to shoot me as I charge in. Think you can avoid hitting me?”
“Shouldn't be a problem.”
“Shouldn't be?”
Shutting his eyes, Jack exhaled and nodded. “I can do it,” he assured her. “Just try not to bob and weave too much.”
Her grin was so fierce it made her jaw hurt, and she shook her head with a chuckle. “And you better make good on that promise, Hunter,” she said. “Otherwise, my lame-ass ghost is gonna haunt you.”
With a few taps at her multi-tool, she brought up the communications app and then called the team she had waiting on the shuttle. The screen lit up with Ensign Kellin's face; you only had to take one look at the kid to see that he was anxious. “Ma'am?” he said.
“Get your people through the SlipGate,” Anna replied. “There's nothing more that you can do here.”
“But we can back you up!”
Anna sighed, brushing damp bangs off her forehead with the back of one fist. “No, you can't,” she said. “You try to exit the shuttle, and those men on the catwalk are going to put you down.”