by Speer, Flora
Halvo regarded her with cool gray eyes. Once Narisa would have been frightened by his scrutiny and worried about her own position in the Service. No longer. The Service was not the primary force in her life anymore. She was free. She might die at Cetan hands, or at Tyre’s. If she survived those perils, she might still be severely punished by the Assembly for daring to defy its Members. But nothing anyone did to her could ever again imprison her mind and heart, or stop her from loving Tarik. Or stop Tarik from loving her. He was looking at her now, tenderness flooding his purple-blue eyes. She could almost feel his arms around her, though he was on the opposite side of the room.
“We will stop Tyre,” Halvo promised, rising from his chair, “and the Cetans, too. Mother, I need to use your transmitting equipment. The first thing to do is notify the Service, and as Narisa has rightly suggested, warn all the worlds, especially those sectors lying between Belta and the Capital. After that, I’ll demand an emergency meeting of the Assembly.”
“Won’t Admiral of the Fleet Momuri have to be told?” Tarik asked. “He is Tyre’s man.”
“Momuri is desperately sick, has been for some time, and will likely retire soon. He won’t be a factor in this. Most of the other senior officers feel as I do about Leader Tyre. With them behind me, I believe we can oust him and select a new Leader.”
“I would nominate Almaric of Demaria,” Tarik said.
“So would I, but it’s against the law to nominate family members,” Halvo responded. With a sudden smile he added, “We will just have to get someone else to do it for us. Lieutenant Narisa, I’m returning you to active duty. Go put on your uniform.”
“What about me?” Suria asked. “I want to help, too. I have my own reasons for wanting Tyre removed from office.”
“You are no longer an officer of the Service.” Halvo regarded her shrewdly. “However, I will assign you to private security duty. Almaric will provide you with a regulation weapon. You are to remain in this room with my father, my mother and Gaidar and guard them all with your life until I return or send Narisa to get you.”
“Arm me, too,” Gaidar said, and after a tense moment of deliberation with himself, Halvo nodded.
Narisa felt a curious distaste for donning the uniform she had once worn so proudly. It had come to symbolize for her all that was wrong with the Jurisdiction, all the unnecessary restrictions the Assembly placed on the lives of ordinary people. It took a considerable amount of self-discipline for her to fasten the jacket clasps and pull on her boots when she would rather have worn her Beltan costume. In a strange gesture of defiance, she folded the robe and sandals together and took them back to the secure room where she gave them to Kalina to hold for her.
“Until I return,” she said, and Kalina nodded understandingly. “Where are Tarik and Halvo?” she then asked.
“One of Halvo’s men called from the first level,” Kalina replied. “I could tell by their voices that something has happened, but I don’t know what it is. Halvo said for us to stay here until they are ready to leave for the Assembly chambers.”
“Did he mention me? No? Then I had better go see what it is they are doing. I am on duty now.” Narisa left the secure room and made her way along the oppressive red corridors and wide stone stairways to the main hall at the first level. There she met several guards, none of them men she had seen before. These were no doubt from the new contingent that Leader Tyre had sent to guard Almaric’s house.
“I am Admiral Halvo’s aide,” Narisa said boldly. “Where is he?”
“Through that door.” There was respect in the guard’s response. Even Tyre’s men felt a certain deference toward the hero of so many battles against enemies of the Jurisdiction. Narisa turned smartly and marched to the door the guard had indicated. She knocked and entered without waiting for a reply from within.
“I said, no one comes in here!” Halvo whirled upon her, furious at any disobedience.
“I understood you required my presence at once, sir,” Narisa said for the benefit of the guard outside the door. Once she had closed and sealed the door, she advanced a step or two into the room. “I apologize for interrupting, Admiral Halvo. Your parents are very concerned. I thought I could find out what is happening down here and reassure them. Why, it’s Jon Tanon.” She moved toward the figure lying on a couch.
“It was Jon.” Tarik was supporting his elderly former teacher by the shoulders, trying to make him drink from a cup filled with distilled spirits. “There’s not much of him left.”
“He looks all right to me.” Narisa knelt next to Tarik. “I thought he stayed aboard the Cetan ship.”
“Apparently he left it.” Halvo’s angry voice sounded just behind her. “Somewhere between the ship and my father’s door, Tyre’s men took him.”
“Took him?” Narisa regarded the perfectly blank face resting on Tarik’s shoulder, and the staring, unfocused eyes. “What’s wrong with him? Can’t he speak?”
“With great effort,” Tarik said, `’he can make sounds, but no sense. His mind has been drained, Narisa.”
“Drained? Do you mean like the Jugarians used to do centuries ago, with their dreadful machines? Mind-draining was outlawed, and all the machines were destroyed when Jugaria joined the Jurisdiction.”
“I would not be at all surprised,” Halvo told her, “to learn that Leader Tyre has such a machine, or possibly the equivalent drugs, which are also illegal. Whatever method was used, Jon has all the symptoms of a man whose mind has been emptied. How much did he know, Tarik?”
“Everything.” Tarik gave up his efforts to encourage Jon to drink. He laid the elderly man down on the couch, then turned to face his brother. “More than we told you, Halvo. The ancient settlers we mentioned were telepaths, exiled by the Act of Banishment.”
“Telepaths.” Halvo stared at Tarik with the strangest expression, as though he did not want to believe what he was hearing. “You star-blasted, romantic idiot, always pushing the laws you don’t like to their outermost limits. Telepaths! And what else? I’m sure there is more to this story.” Halvo’s gray eyes were fixed on his brother’s face.
“There were intelligent, semi-telepathic birds on the planet. I thought Jon should know about them for his historical research.”
Halvo swore a long and colorful Demarian oath that made Narisa want to cover her ears.
“You can understand,” Tarik said calmly, “why we did not inform the Assembly of this.”
“I do understand.” Halvo was trying hard to control his temper. “I only wish you had not told Jon, because now Leader Tyre knows. With a weapon like that to use against us, our attempt to depose him will be infinitely more difficult. You two, along with your two friends upstairs, must have broken almost every Jurisdiction law there is.”
“Except the one about not keeping a Demarian leopard-wolf for a pet,” Narisa said, hoping to break his furious mood. Halvo glared at her for a moment, then gave a sharp laugh.
“You may have broken that law, too, lieutenant, when you tamed my brother. I do admire a person who can see humor in a bleak situation.” He sobered as he looked at the man on the couch. “Tyre had Jon’s mind drained and then had him delivered to my father’s door. That action was intended as a direct threat. We won’t have long to wait before he makes his next move against us.” He spun around at a loud banging on the door. With a jerk of his head he indicated that Narisa should answer it. When she did, an irritated Almaric strode into the room.
“Kalina insisted on leaving the secure room to check on her communications equipment. I warned her not to, that you had told us to stay where we were, but she wouldn’t listen to me. She said she would be safe with Gaidar for protection. Well, she was, I have to admit that. She intercepted an urgent message for you, Halvo. I would not let her come below stairs; I said I would bring you the message myself. Sometimes I wonder who is the head of my family, that woman or me.” The torrent of aggrieved words stopped as Almaric saw Jon. “What’s wrong with him?”
“That’s illegal,” Almaric protested. “All these broken laws. It’s disgraceful. I won’t tolerate it, I tell you, and neither will the other Members. Something must be done.”
“What’s the message, Father?”
“Oh, yes, the message. Kalina says the Cetan attack has begun, concentrated in the Beltan sector. Belta is completely destroyed.”
Narisa closed her eyes. The Belta she had once known had been gone for long years, yet still it hurt to hear those words. Tarik put his arm around her, and she leaned against him, drawing strength from his sensitive understanding.
“Projected Cetan movement?” Halvo snapped.
“A direct line for the Capital,” Almaric replied. “The first ships vanished from the Beltan Sector two hours ago.”
“Lieutenant Narisa,” Halvo barked. Narisa made herself stop thinking about ruined Belta and respond to his clipped phrases. “You are the navigator here. Projected arrival time?”
“At Starthruster speeds,” she replied after a quick mental calculation, “they can arrive here by late tomorrow, assuming they don’t stop to destroy any more planets along the way.”
“Why should they?” Tarik asked. “It would only be a waste of time. Once they have taken the Capital, the Jurisdiction will fall apart. After that happens, they can plunder and kill on any planet they choose.”
“That, I suppose, is a lesson learned from your ancient history studies,” Halvo observed dryly. “We will have to postpone our plans to deal immediately with the Assembly. This is more important, and for the moment we need the Assembly whole and functioning. Lieutenant Narisa, my private guards have been quartered in the eating room. I assume you know where that is. Send half of them here to me. Take the other half to the secure room to escort the people there to this room. Remember the eavesdropping devices and do not expect an explanation. Stay well away from the other guards, those posted in the main hall and at the entrance.”
“I’ll go, too,” Tarik offered.
“I need you here.” Halvo’s tone brooked no objections. “We are going to clear out those unwanted guards.”
It took only a few minutes for Narisa to obey Halvo’s orders. His guards surrounded Kalina, Suria and Gaidar with a protective cordon as Narisa led them down the stairway to the main hall. There they found the second half of Halvo’s men holding back Leader Tyre’s guards and forcing them toward the door.
“Outside the entrance, all of you except my own men,” Halvo ordered. A moment later the door slammed on the last of Leader Tyre’s people. At the same instant Narisa heard the throbbing sound of a transporter coming from the garden.
“Halvo, what is going on?” Kalina demanded.
“We are leaving before Leader Tyre can capture the entire family,” Halvo responded. “Once you and Father are safe, I’ll deal with the Cetans.”
“I can’t leave with no notice. What about the servants? What will Tyre do to them, out of spite, if he can’t reach us?”
“Call the servants on the communicator. Tell them the men I leave behind will take them to a safe place until this danger is over. They are to assemble here in the hall at once. Do it quickly, Mother. You are going to be on that transporter in less than three minutes, if I have to carry you myself.” To Narisa, Halvo added, “We have a little more time than that, I think. Tyre will have the message about the Cetans from his eavesdropping devices in this house, and I don’t doubt he’s too busy looking for a safe place to hide to bother himself with us just now.” He left her to give more orders to his men.
Kalina had gone to the nearest communicator to call the servants’ quarters, and Narisa went looking for Tarik. She found him bending over Jon, while two of Halvo’s men looked on.
“Surely we aren’t going to leave him here, Tarik?”
“These men are going to carry him aboard the transporter. I am trying to get some response from him, but there is nothing, no sign of recognition.” He motioned to the men, who came forward and gently lifted the frail body, carrying it out of the room. “It’s my fault he’s in that condition, Narisa. If only I hadn’t told him so much.”
“If you hadn’t confided in him, Leader Tyre still would have had him captured and his mind drained, just on the chance you had said something important to him. It isn’t your fault, Tarik, it’s Tyre’s.” She put her arms around him, holding him close, trying to comfort him. “I love you.”
He crushed her to him in a fierce embrace, and his lips met hers in a hasty, desperate kiss.
“No matter what happens,” he whispered into her ear, “I love you, Narisa, and I always will. I’m only sorry you have been put into so much danger.” His mouth was on hers again before she could tell him there was no danger she would not dare if he were by her side. She forgot what she was going to say in the glory of his kiss. They both knew it might be their last. It was as though a lifetime of love and joy and passion and laughter was being exchanged, savored, and then slowly relinquished in that kiss, and when it was over, there were tears in both their eyes.
“Tarik, Narisa, we’re leaving.” That was Halvo, tactfully remaining outside the door. Tarik’s hand lingered on Narisa’s cheek, touching her with one last lover’s caress before they joined him.
* * * * *
Narisa was astonished at Halvo’s arrangements for his family’s safety. He had judged Gaidar’s character during their short meeting and never doubted his assessment. He sent Almaric and Kalina, along with the still-catatonic Jon, aboard the Cetan ship docked at spaceport. He put Gaidar in command, with Suria and two of his personal guards for crew.
“I know something of Cetan customs about hospitality and gratitude,” he said to Gaidar. “I am making you responsible for my parents’ lives. I have given you an experienced first officer and an engineer in my men, and an excellent navigator in Suria. Replace that missing part and use Starthruster to remove your ship to a safer sector of the galaxy. Return in three days. If the Capital has been destroyed and you are unable to contact me or Tarik, take my parents away from here, find a peaceful planet, if such a thing exists, and let them settle there.”
“I know just the place,” Gaidar said. “It’s in the Empty Sector, where nothing is where it should be, but if I need to, I will find it somehow. You may depend on me, Halvo. I won’t fail your trust.”
Tarik and Narisa were ordered aboard Halvo’s ship, Narisa as assistant navigator, Tarik as personal aide to Halvo. Both were instructed to make available to Halvo’s crew all the information they had about Starthruster. Then the admiral’s flagship left spaceport to take up a defensive position among the other ships Halvo had called together to prevent the Cetans from reaching the Capital.
The waiting was a tension-filled time. Narisa tried hard to keep busy with work. She talked with the Chief Navigator, explaining how the Cetan ships might function using Starthruster and suggesting alternative maneuvers for the Service ships. All messages between the ships were being sent in code, so she spent a good amount of time with the cryptographer, helping to draft the information about Starthruster into precise terms. When she had a few moments free, she thought about Tarik. He was with Halvo all the time, and his feelings for her, like her own for him, had to be put aside until the Cetans were defeated. And the Cetans had to be defeated. She could not think of any other possibility. In the meantime, during occasional flashes of fear or loneliness, she ached to feel Tarik’s arms around her, longed for the two of them to be safe on their lost planet.
The Cetans arrived on schedule. So quickly were they able to travel that they were invisible until they slowed to less than Starthruster speeds and suddenly appeared in battle formation before the sparse grouping of Service ships. They took full advantage of their situation, blasting at the nearest Service ships before they were fully visible. Those first shots went awry, allowing Service ships to fire and disable a few of the smaller Cetan vessels before the largest Cetan ships recove
red enough to retrain their armament and begin anew.
At Halvo’s command defensive shields had been raised, but still his ship rocked as every Cetan salvo found its target. Narisa had been called to the bridge. She found it difficult to get there. She was buffeted about in the passageway until she stumbled onto the bridge, bruised and with her previously injured knee hurting again.
Halvo was not in the command chair, but stalking about the bridge, reading computer screens over his officers’ shoulders and periodically calling orders into the speakers. He motioned for Narisa to join Tarik, who was monitoring the battle on the wide-field screen. As she stepped toward him, another blast shook the ship. She staggered backward until Tarik, holding on to the safety railing, reached out and grabbed her wrist to steady her. A second later he pulled her to his side with one arm around her waist.
“I don’t want you hurt,” he murmured before releasing her. He glanced quickly around the bridge. All the officers were busy at their own posts. No one had noticed the furtive embrace.
“How is the battle going?” Narisa felt foolishly cheered by that brief evidence of his concern and affection. While standing beside him, she was not afraid of anything at all.
“Not well.” His face was grim. “I had no idea the Cetans could mass so many ships, and they are determined to take the Capital.”
“Have they any chance of succeeding?” It was horrible to contemplate such an outcome. “Tarik, we can’t let them win.”
“Our greatest advantage,” he said, pointing to the monitor screen, “is our discipline under fire. In spite of the Assembly’s nearly total lack of military knowledge and the conflicting demands it makes upon the Service, Halvo and the other admirals have put together a remarkable fleet. We have been joined by Civilian Guard ships from several nearby planets, which have put themselves under Service orders. We are still badly outnumbered, but the Cetans have a habit of doing what they want instead of following their commanders’ orders. Watch there.” Pointing to the screen, he showed her a series of markers that symbolized a group of Cetans about to attack a line of Jurisdiction ships. Three of the Cetans left their formation to intercept two smaller vessels some distance away.