by L. Fergus
Kita wrapped her arms around Snowy and they both cried.
Kita came down the stairs hand-in-hand with Snowy. She wore her armor, cloak, and weapons. Cowboy and Glen were working. In the kitchen, Zidin helped Barb make a batch of pastries. Her target sat in the corner, playing cards and sulking.
“Hello, Bart,” the two girls said together.
“What do you want?” Bart said, looking at them.
Snowy nuzzled Kita’s shoulder and Kita kissed the top of her head.
“I’m glad to see you’re feeling better. What do you want?” Bart demanded loud enough for everyone in the room to hear.
“I want…I want…I want…” Kita mused. “I want to clean out the rats and the pigeons, so to speak.”
“Going to put that stupid furball to work then?”
Kita turned serious. “No, I’m here to get rid of you.”
“Me? What did I do?” Bart said with a nervous smile.
“Oh, let me think…you mean besides trying to ruin my relationship with the most wonderful girl in the world? No, that’s not the reason, though it’s a good one. I’m interested in the person who wrote these.” Kita laid out the bios confiscated by her intelligence team.
“They weren’t written by me.”
Kita whispered in Snowy’s ear. Snowy left.
“Let’s check, shall we?” Kita grabbed Bart’s arm, reached up his sleeve, and pulled out several scrolls. She opened one and laid it next to the bios.
“The handwriting looks the same to me.” Kita pointed at some of the letters.
“So, what if I wrote those? Just my private observations.”
Kita held up one of the bios. “I found this report on the assassin who tried to kill me a few nights ago. How did your private observations end up in an assassin’s hands? Any ideas?”
“You have nothing on me. I’m in the pay of the king. You’ll need better proof than that.”
“I believe you’re in the pay of the king—King Cunningham. Some people say a traitor is worse than a spy, what do you think?”
“I am neither, I’m just a shaper.”
Kita jumped on the table. She grabbed Bart by the collar and yanked him up to her face, letting his feet dangle.
“In what universe did you think I was going to let a spineless spy operate under my nose? You have that little respect for me? I knew what you were the second I laid eyes on you. I’ve been playing you like a fool from the beginning. You think I would ever let you look at me if I didn’t want you to? I sacrificed the one person in the world I care for more than life itself to keep you thinking you were getting somewhere. I gave up way too much to get you. Now I’m done with you.”
Bart landed in a heap. Kita hopped off the table and grabbed him by his perfect hair. She dragged him out of the inn and down the block to an open courtyard.
Kita let go and Bart jumped to his feet.
“Kita, listen—”
Kita kicked him in the chest, sending him across the courtyard. He hit the wall and slumped to the ground.
“Get up!” Kita yelled, drawing her swords. “Come on, shaper, get up! You said you could beat me and I was all bark and no bite. You’ve wanted a shot at me. Well, here’s your chance.”
Crawling to his feet, Bart snarled at her, “I’ll kill you! You little assassin bitch. When I’m done with you, I’ll skin that cat and make her into a fur coat.” A fireball shot from his hand.
Kita batted it away with her swords. The ground shifted, and Kita leaped into the air. She grabbed a hanging sign and flipped on to it. Fireballs flew at her. Jumping from the sign, she caught an empty sign pole. Swinging around the pole, she flipped through the air and landed on a ledge above Bart.
A lance of flame came at Kita. Jumping into the air, she bounced off a wall toward Bart. He created a wall of stone over him. Kita crashed through it, rolled, and leaped back into the air. A pair of fireballs exploded around Kita, sending her tumbling. With a thud, she landed hard on the stonework. Stone encased Kita’s body.
“I told you I was better than you, bitch. I’m going to enjoy torching your face off,” Bart said with a menacing grin.
Kita struggled inside the cocoon. Bart raised his hand over Kita’s face and a blue flame shot out. The smell of burning flesh filled the courtyard. Kita screamed. Bart pulled his hand away from Kita’s face. The skin and muscle were gone, leaving nothing but Kita metallic bones.
“Pretty girl, what a waste. You should have respected your betters. Goodbye, Kita.” Bart stood up and looked at the shocked faces of Kita’s companions. “I told you I was better than her, than all of you.” Bart glowered at Snowy. “Now, I want my coat.”
Cowboy turned into The Rider and Zidin drew his sword.
“You’ll have to come through me,” Cowboy chattered.
“As well as us,” said a voice from the shadows. Six of Glen’s men stepped out of the shadows armed with various blades.
High on the roof, a squad of legionnaires aimed light rifles at Bart. “Don’t move, shaper,” the leader ordered.
“Give up now and I’ll let you live, son,” said Glen coming out of the alleyway.
“Bring it on, old man. You’re all dead. I’ll get my commission, the contract money, and the gratitude of King Cunningham. It’ll be a triple payday.” Bart laughed.
Behind Bart, Kita’s fist punched through the rock. She freed herself, stood up, and brushed the dust off.
The mouths of Kita’s companions fell open. “Now, that’s more like it,” said Bart. “Give me the cat, and I’ll let you live.”
Snowy pointed behind him.
“Like I’m falling for that.”
A breathy, eerie laugh diffused through the courtyard.
Bart turned and jumped in shock. Kita’s metal skull reflected the firelight.
In Kita’s mind, an image of sound made up for her lost eyes. She picked up her fallen jaw and set it back in place. Chattering her teeth in laughter, she picked up Dawn and Dusk. The hollow eyes of her skull stared at Bart. With her finger, she motioned him to her.
Enraged, large flame blasts erupted from Bart’s hands. Kita leaped over the flames. Landing between Bart’s arms, she sliced off his hands. Howling in pain, Bart sent up random rock spikes from the cobblestones. Kita slammed her fist into Bart’s chest, sending him skidding across the ground. She sheathed Dusk and Dawn as she jumped on Bart’s chest and pummeled him. When his face was a bloody mess, Kita grabbed Bart by his hair and dragged him from the courtyard.
Kita dragged Bart into the main square, the junction for the five avenues that divided up the city. On the north edge of the square was the keep. In the middle towered a statue of a woman with a set of scales and a sword held above her head. At this time of night, the square was deserted except for the guards.
Kita scaled the statue with Bart on her shoulder. At the top, she laid Bart aside, and then tied a loop in a rope she’d picked up on her way. Rapping on the statue to give her a good sound image, she tossed the loop around the tip of the statue’s sword. She fashioned a noose and slipped it around Bart’s neck. Using Bart’s own blood, she wrote out a message on his robe.
“Wake up, Bart.” Kita slapped Bart a few times. When that failed, she jammed her thumb into his empty eye socket. Bart woke screaming.
“Hello, Bart.” Kita stepped aside to show him his situation.
“You can’t do this! This is barbaric. Wouldn’t you rather keep me for a prisoner exchange or ransom?”
Kita laughed menacingly. “I couldn’t get a rat for you. Bart, the only thing worse than a spy, is a traitor. You are both.”
“Then give me a decent death.”
“You’re going to get what you deserve, death by slow hanging.”
“No! You can’t do this! You know me! Is this any way to treat your friends?” Bart screamed.
“With friends like you, who needs enemies?” A wicked laugh escaped Kita. She picked Bart up and took him to the edge.
“One las
t thing to remember me by, Bart.” Kita pressed her teeth to his lips. Opening her arms, Bart swung out over the square. He struggled and tried to yell for help.
“Are you ok, kitten?” said Snowy when Kita climbed back down.
“I’m still waiting for everything to grow back. Other than some pain, I’m fine.”
Not everything is going to grow back.
What do you mean?
Your eyes aren’t coming back.
There must be a way to regenerate my eyes!
I could if we could get you to a medical scanner that has the proper materials. I’m not aware of any facility in this region that has the right combination.
So, I’m blind for a while?
Looks that way.
Ha-ha, very funny.
What’s funny?
The pun you just made.
As in humor? I have been looking into it. I understand humor is a major component of love.
Yes, it is. Hopefully, Snowy will find this funny.
How will she find it funny? It’s a serious handicap, even for you. Your hearing can make up for many things, but not everything.
I hope she finds it funny because I’m going to cry. I’ll never get to look at her again.
We’ll find something.
Let’s hope.
At the inn, Barb and Snowy treated Kita's face. She swore the whole time. Whatever they were doing hurt. When they finished, she took a black bandana and tied it over her eyes.
“What happened out there?” said Cowboy.
“I let him hit me. I thought I’d play with him and get in close at the same time. That damn traitor has cost me much more than I planned.”
“Don’t worry, kitten. He’s gone now, and we can move forward,” said Snowy.
“How’s it going to affect your combat skills?” said Zidin.
Dawn flashed through the air, missing people and stopping in front of Zidin’s face. “I have a slower response time. I’ll get used to it.”
“I’m glad you got rid of him, Kita," said Glen. "It’s been a while since we sent someone hanging from The Lady. It should be a wakeup call to the Crown.”
“I did learn from the best. Now, we need to get back to the raid. I think we’ll have to delay a night to give the combat team time to prepare. I could kick myself for being selfish.”
“Don’t worry about it,” said Cowboy. “Glen and I have arranged it with General Barneky. His people are ready. We can move tonight as planned.”
“How did you get all the intel from inside?” Kita said, astonished.
Cowboy pointed at Snowy. “Your girl is quite the ghost. Glen’s men and our intel people also supplied us with information.”
Snowy’s nose blushed. “I learned from watching you, kitten.” Snowy stroked Kita’s back and Kita purred happily.
“Why don’t you get some rest? I know I need some,” said Cowboy.
At the edge of the walled plantation, Kita, Cowboy, and the others waited. Barneky and his squad leaders arrived using the trees as cover.
“Hello, General. Glad to see you made it,” said Cowboy.
“It wasn’t a problem, Cowboy. Two days out here has left the men chomping at the bit,” Barneky boasted.
“Good. Just make sure they don’t strike too early. I want to make sure we have the VIPs before your men start the distraction and extraction. Zidin, Snowy, and I will go inside and free the VIPs. Once we have them, we’ll send up the flare. Glen’s men will open the gates for you. Once you’re in and the area’s secure, we’ll bring them out. From there, we’ll head to the coaches and get out of Dodge.”
“What about me?” said Kita.
“Little girl, you’re in no condition for this sort of mission. We’ll have someone escort you back to coaches,” said Barneky.
Dusk flashed in the darkness and came to a rest on Barneky’s throat. “Your Commander may not have any eyes, General, but I still know where you are. I don’t need them to kick your ass again.”
Cowboy pushed the blade aside. “Easy, Commander. We’re just worried about you. We don’t have anyone to pair you with. You can move in after the combat team has the area secure. You’re just going to have to trust us on this one.”
“Fine. I’ll be waiting,” Kita said grumpily.
Kita vaulted the plantation wall after slipping away from the coaches to follow the combat team. She didn’t feel like getting dirty crawling through the ditch as the others had. The plantation grounds exploded in a cacophony of sound—men yelling, the clash of metal on metal, and the occasional explosion—blinding Kita’s substitute vision. She followed the sound of Barneky’s voice, trying to stay close. If I have to make someone’s life miserable, it’s going to be his.
The loud sounds stopped, letting her vision recover. The doors of the plantation burst open.
“Everyone forward. Don’t stop. These men will protect you,” The Rider ordered to a group behind him.
“Did you get them all?” Barneky yelled.
“Yes, but we lost Snowy,” said Zidin.
“What!” Kita screamed. “What in the bloody moons happened?”
“Where did you come from?” said The Rider.
Kita ignored him and pointed at Zidin.
“Something caught us on the way out. I don’t know what it was. It grabbed her and took off downstairs.”
“And you didn’t go after her?”
“How do you think I know they went downstairs?”
“The mission comes first,” demanded The Rider. “She knew the risks. We don’t have time to go back and get her.”
“Why not?” yelled Kita. “This place is safe. Send Barneky with the VIPs, and we’ll go get her.”
“We need to get everyone out now. I’m sure the city guard has been alerted and reinforcements are on their way. We have what we came for. We risk everything if we go back in.” The Rider’s voice dropped to a whisper. “I’m sorry. I loved her, too.”
“Not good enough!” Kita shrieked. “I’ll go get her myself. You continue the mission, and we’ll meet you back at camp.”
Kita pushed The Rider aside.
Zidin stepped in front of her. “I’m not letting you go in there. She’s probably dead. If you die, everything unravels.”
“Without her, I’m dead. Now, move.”
Zidin raised Great White. Kita drew Dusk and Dawn and flourished them around Zidin, leaving him unharmed.
“Still think I can't see what I’m aiming at?”
“You’re still not going in.”
“Fine.” Kita sheathed her swords, took a smoke bomb from her belt, and threw it on the ground. A thick cloud of smoke enveloped everyone as Kita dashed through the open doors.
Kita crept through the house. Checking each door, she found one with cold air seeping underneath. She opened the door and placed her foot on the first step, feeling the warped and loose board. No way I’m getting down this without making a sound.
She climbed along the wall instead. The basement’s dirt floor made silent movement easier. The sound of air moving made her pause as she moved along the walls. Feeling with her fingertips, she discovered the outline of a door in the dirt wall. She ran her hand over the door and the surrounding walls looking for the latch. She touched a stone and a section of the wall opened. She recognized the smooth glass of a panel and placed her palm on it, then inserted her finger into the biometric scanner. A soft hiss announced the door opening. The walls were smooth to the touch, but not like metal or glass, and her boots made no sound on a cushioned floor.
A door opened in front of her, and she stepped inside. She clicked with her tongue to reveal a large chamber that contained many sizeable objects. The material under her feet changed to a rough swirl pattern. She touched one of the objects. It was angular with glass windows on the front. The surface felt smooth and on the back was a deep hole. A picture appeared in her mind: a Legion interceptor.
We’re in one of the hangar bays from the colony ship. I wonder how t
hey found it. When the ship split apart, everything sank into the lava.
I don’t understand.
When the ship crash-landed, it split apart to lessen the impact. The planet is molten rock. The pieces, protected by shields, sank into the lava. Eventually, the lava cooled and the ship pieces turned off their shields to conserve power. Time has filled in the void left by the shields. This piece isn’t very deep. I wonder if geological forces have pushed it upward. The humans must have found it by luck when excavating the foundation for the plantation.
Is this part of the original ship?
Yes. I would say you’re one of the first humans to see it in eons, but I think someone has beaten us here.
I’m honored.
You should be. For some reason, I'm finding the wireless connections blocked.
Maybe the other people did it?
Not possible. Only the ship’s computer can do that. My guess is the virus that attacked me did it before the ship separated.
Interesting. Guess we should look around.
Kita walked around the interceptors.
There is a repair bay at the end of this hangar. We should look in there.
The repair bay doors were closed. Searching, Kita found a pair of buttons to operate it.
The door rose slowly. A muffled scream echoed through the room when Kita entered.
“Snowy!” Kita yelled and ran toward the sound of chains rattling.
Kita found Snowy. Chains suspended her in the air. There was even a chain clamped to her tail. She ran her hands over Snowy’s body checking for injury.
“Don’t worry, Snowy, I’m here. I’ll get you free,” Kita said, trying to relax her. Snowy pulled harder against the chains. Kita drew Dusk to cut through the gag in Snowy's mouth. A deep rumbling came from behind.
“I knew if I took this one you’d come, Junior Commander.”