by Jean Kilczer
He pursed his round mouth. “You do.”
I smiled. “Then turn around. When he did, I untied his hands. “There's a roan mare in the barn who looks strong enough to travel all night. Take a canteen.”
I waited as he went to the barn, and came out with the roan mare. A canteen hung from the saddle horn.
“Let's go, cous.” I mounted and turned the stallion toward the distant cliffs, and tapped his sides. He broke into a canter.
Weed mounted and cantered beside me.
Once out of town, we slowed to a ground-eating single foot, and true to their ancestry, the two Arabs continued into the high plains without working up a lather.
Dawn was spreading her veils. I wanted to outrun them. If the general decided to send out a search party to retrieve his wayward Terran telepath, he'd have to wait for daylight to do it. The air and ground vehicles, bought from traitors who acquired them in exchange for slaves, were basic pleasure craft, without weapons or surveillance equipment.
We let the horses rest and get a drink from a fast-running white-water stream, then continued east, side by side, toward breaking dawn.
A slim figure mounted on a sorrel horse, at the crest of a hill, pointed a rifle at us. To the north, the cliffs loomed with ragged crevices at their bases.
We reined in.
“Who would that be?” Weed asked.
“That would be Wolfie,” I told him. “Standing guard in the middle of nowhere. Just don't tell him I said that! Just put your hands up and ride slow.”
“But I'm unarmed, cousin. You have my stingler.”
“Does Wolfie know that?”
We approached him with our hands raised.
“It's Jules!” I called when we were close enough.
He kept the rifle braced. “Who's the tag with you?”
“A friendly Denebrian. Wolfie, how about you lower the beamer?”
He lifted it over our heads and aimed.
“Wolfie!” I cried. “What the hell?”
Then I heard the distant whine of air craft from the west. Uh, oh.” I turned my horse. Three pleasure craft were plowing the sky, their silver hulls catching the first light as they headed east.
Wolfie had sleeved his rifle. He turned his horse and galloped toward the cliffs.
“C'mon, Weed!” I shouted. “The cavalry's on its way.”
We raced after Wolfie and followed him to a large crevice in the base of a cliff. Wolfie stopped at the opening. “Turn your horses loose,” he said. “The ships will probably follow them.”
“Sounds good,” I said as Weed and I dismounted.
With the hill still between us and the approaching ships, I took the halter and the saddle off the stallion.
Weed unsaddled the mare. We slapped the horses' rumps. The stallion leaped forward and headed west, back home to the village and his breakfast at the barn. The mare followed.
The whine of the ships grew louder as we went through the crevice.
In the shadowed interior, I saw the team's horses, including Asil, behind a makeshift fence of intertwined branches, and vines.
Wolfie dismounted and unsaddled his horse. He nodded into the cave. “That way.”
Weed and I walked deeper into the unlit cavity.
I stopped and smiled. There was Joe, and Reika, and Chancey, and Bat, sitting against a wall, eating breakfast in the light of a small fire.
“Hey, tags,” I called. “Did you save some for us?”
Reika looked up and dropped her plate. She jumped to her feet. Her mouth opened as though to say something. But she didn't.
“Damn!” Chancey said with a full mouth and stood up. “If it ain't the superstar!”
Bat stood up and grinned.
Joe stared at me and I caught his slight smile. I walked up to him and extended a hand. He took it and I pulled him to his feet. He held my hand to shake it. I grinned and embraced him. His shoulders shook.
Tears burned behind my own eyes. “Good to see you, Dad,” I whispered.
“Reika,” I said and let go of Joe.
She threw herself at me and I picked her up, but a sharp pain in my left side forced me to put her down. “Thanks for the present, Ree.”
She just stared at me, her eyes wide. Then she wiped tears that seeped down her cheeks. “We were out of mock steak. Oh, Jules.” She threw her arms around my waist.
I gasped and loosened her grip. “Not…not so tight, babes.”
Chancey came up and shook my hand. “We figured you were either dead or captured by the BEMs, troll.”
I laughed. “Dead, maybe. Captured by the BEMs? No way!”
Bat shook his head and picked up his black bag.
“Bat.” I put out a hand. “I'm fine.” I put my hand on Weed's shoulder. “This is my cous, Weed. He's one of the general's freedom fighters.”
Joe looked him up and down. “How come he came here with you?”
“Long story, Joe.” I felt a sudden pang of fear. “Where's Huff?”
“He's OK.” Reika chuckled. “He's in the back of the cave, either sulking or sleeping.” She shrugged. “That's all he's done since you…took off!”
“Couldn't help it, Ree. I want to go see the big guy. Oh, wait a minute.” I remembered the parchments and took them from my inner pocket and handed them to Joe. “I think this is General's Roothe's attack plans. Weed can read them for you.”
Weed nodded.
Joe spread them out on the ground, near the fire.
I walked to the back of the cave. Huff was curled up, snoring as he slept. I sat down next to him. “Hey, big guy, dreaming of Kresthaven?”
He nodded in his sleep.
I scratched his back and probed for parasites. “Nope,” I said. “No parasites here.”
“I've eaten them all,” he mumbled, then blinked his eyes open and stared at me.
I smiled.
“I dream,” he said. “Oh, Ten Gods, you send me
He patted my back.!”
I shook him. “It's me, Huff.”
He put out a paw and laid it on my knee. Then squeezed.
I pulled on a clump of his fur. “Can a dream do that, big guy?”
He whined and tears wet the fur on his cheeks. “My Jules Terran friend. If you are not real…” He sat up. “I will pull the fur from out this paw.”
“Oh, no! Don't do that. It's me, Huff. Hey, they took off your cast!”
He threw his arms around me.
“Don't – Don't squeeze,” I begged.
“Did they hurt you, my Jules cub?” He stood up. Where? I will carry you.”
“No!” I got up. “I can walk.”
“Where is your hurt?”
I lifted my sweater.
He drew in a breath. “They hurt you in two places.”
I had to chuckle. “I'm OK. Hey, how about we go get some breakfast?”
He put a paw gently on my shoulder. “I am in hunger now.”
We walked back to the fire.
Joe was tracing a finger across one parchment and shaking his head. The rest of the team was gathered around him. He looked up at me. “They're going to eat the general's people alive. Maybe literally.”
“That bad?” I asked.
Reika brought me a plate of eggs, mock sausage, and English muffins.
“Thanks, Ree,” I said.
She kissed my cheek and smiled, then went back for the plate of eyeballs and belly fat for Huff. “Weed,” she said, “can I fix you something?”
“Do you have pumpkin, or cornbread with maple syrup, madam?”
“Call me Reika. I think there's a recipe in the sous for cornbread. I'll go check.”
I sat between Joe and Chancey. “What's the general's plan, Joe?”
Joe shook his head and waved at the parchment. “He intends to send half his troops disguised as a caravan and slaves to the BEM HQ and attack them while they sleep.”
“With what?” I asked.
“We have spears and shields made of the s
trongest wood,” Weed said, “and some stinglers, too. We will surround their compound and wait. When they emerge to go to their landing supply ships, we will attack. Eventually, they will all starve to death.”
“That's it?” Wolfie said.
“There is one other thing,” Weed told him.
“I can't wait to hear it.” Wolfie glanced at Joe.
“We have Great God on our side,” Weed said.
“You're going to need Him,” Joe stated.
Chancey shook his head. “Sounds like a plan to me.”
“Bunch of dumbfuck idiots!” Wolfie told Weed. He got up and strode toward the cave entrance. “You deserve whatever happens to you.”
Reika handed Huff his meal. “Weed, your cornbread is baking.” She sat beside me and put a hand on my thigh. “Weed, what if the BEM invasion force strikes before they all starve to death, and we haven't contacted Alpha?”
Weed shifted his weight. “Great God would not allow that happens.
“Jesus Christ,” Joe muttered.
“Yeah.” Chancey threw a branch in the fire. “They'll need Him too.”
“What about the garrison?” I asked.
“Oh,” Chancey said, “you're going to love this.”
“Well,” Weed started, “the general will have the other half of our troops circle the garrison on horseback, and throw flaming spears at the tents. When the BEMs rush out, we shall slay them.”
“Whoa!” I said. “What about the SPS? It's hidden inside the garrison. He can't do that! Joe? Fire will destroy the unit.”
“Yes, but you see, Jules,” Weed said patronizingly, “when the BEMs' homeworld realizes that their outposts here are no longer responding to their calls, they'll know we killed them all, and they won't dare attack Denebria.” He sat back with a smile.
I looked at Joe. I think my mouth was hanging open.
“Weed,” Bat said gently, “do you understand the magnitude of an invasion force?”
“Yes,” he answered. “Of course. It will be larger than the number of BEMs at the garrison and the Headquarters in the desert combined. My general understands that.”
“Your general,” Chancey said and got up, “understands shit.” He went to scrape his plate.
Weed glared at him. “We intend to attack in two nights from now, when the moons are both new and the night will be at its darkest.”
“I hate to tell you this, cous,” I said, “but there's a good chance that the BEMs can see just as well in the dark as in light. We'll be the ones at a disadvantage.”
Weed lowered his head. “My people have never had to fight a war. This sort of conflict is beyond us.”
“I know, Weed,” I said. “We just wish your general would take the advice of experts in the field, like Joe.”
“He is too proud,” Weed said, “to admit that an alien from another world would know better than he does.” He looked up. “My people have always believed that isolation is the way to security.”
No more, I thought. “Joe. I've spent the last five days living under the BEM garrison.”
He nodded. “Go ahead.”
“I've worked on sharpening my tel skills. I think that now I can mentally project among the BEMs the way I did on their ship, but without being detected.”
“And locate the SPS before we go in?” Joe said.
“That's what I'm thinking. If I have a clear image of its location, I can go directly to it.”
Joe stared at the fire and scratched his stubbly chin.
The group was silent as we waited.
“OK. Then we go in tonight.” He glanced around at the team. “We'll create a diversionary tactic at the garrison while Jules locates the SPS. You make the call to Alpha,” he told me, “and then get your ass back out. Chancey and Wolfie will go in with you.” He stared at me. “Jules, I kid you not. I want absolute obedience to my orders. Do I have your word?”
I bit my lip. I felt mentally handcuffed.
“The lives of the team,” he said softly, “and the success of this operation, will depend upon the absolute cooperation of all members during split second decisions. All members means you too, especially since you're crucial to the success of the operation.”
“OK, boss,” I said. “Lesson learned.”
“And your word?”
I nodded. “And my word.”
Reika put her hand on my shoulder. The sous chef beeped. “Hey, cous,” she said to weed, “I think your cornbread's done.” She got up and went to the chef.
“The ideal outcome,” Joe said to me, “would be that the BEMs never know you called.” He looked around. “We keep comlink silence. Don't give the BEMs a chance to triangulate and call in air strikes against us.” He looked around. “This invasion of a peaceful world is an illegal act of war. Alpha will send a Force One to Tau Ceti to confront the BEM military leaders on their doorstep. And if they're still inclined to invade Denebria, the Worlds Alliance forces will be here to greet them.”
Weed looked from Joe to me.
“You see, Weed,” Reika handed him a dish of cornbread, “that's a plan to save your world.”
Wolfie came back into the cave. “They're still scouring the desert for you two,” he told me.
“I'm not surprised,” I said. “General Roothe is probably pounding holes in that conference table.” I yawned and rubbed my eyes. I realized I hadn't slept all night.
“Why don't you get some sleep?” Joe told me. “We can't leave until nightfall anyway with the general's people flying all over the goddamn plains.”
Huff yawned, pulling back his lips to expose rows of shark teeth. “I too, could not get some sleep.” He laid down beside me.
I cuddled with my back against his soft fur. Flames flickered warmly across my face. The smell of the fire was comforting. Even the crackle of bursting wood was conducive to sleep. This is how our distant ancestors must have fallen asleep, I thought and began to drift off. Suddenly there was fur in my mouth. I couldn't breathe. I swiped an arm across my face and jumped to a sitting position. Huff's heavy forearm slid down from across my head. “Jesus and Vishnu, Huff.”
“Sorry I am,” he said.
I sighed. “It's all right.” I laid back down and felt my muscles relax.
Chancey threw a branch on the fire and chuckled. “Sweet dreams, Superstar.”
“Yeah. Right,” I mumbled.
Bat came and sat next to me with his black bag. “Jules, before you doze off, I'd like to – “
“Now what?” I sat up again. “I'm OK, Bat.”
“Just want to take a look at those wounds before you fall sleep.” He lifted my sweater and shined his small light on the gauze pad. “Well now, that looks fine. Here, turn a bit.”
I did.
“This one looks fine too.” He grinned. “The gauze pads are dry. No infection, Bubba.”
I could've told you that.” I sighed, laid down and closed my eyes again.
“Jules?” It was Weed.
“Christ and Buddha!” I muttered. “What?”
“Chancey says you have an extra weapon. A gun you took off a dead BEM.”
“I do.”
“Would you consider letting me use it during our raid tonight?”
“Sure. You can't go in unarmed.”
“Thank you, my cousin.”
“Welcome.” I closed my eyes.
Reika bent over me and smiled as she brushed my hair back off my face. She bent down and kissed my cheek and my lips. “Sleep tight, babes.”
I felt the beginning of sexual stirring. No way! I thought. “Thanks, Ree, I'm trying.”
Wolfie came to the fire with a cup of coffee and stirred the dying embers with a foot. “Captain, if the operation fails, we meet here?”
I lifted my head and looked at Joe.
He nodded.
I sighed and laid my head back down. But a deeper, unsettling sense of foreboding disturbed my thoughts. I stared at the fire. “What we were about to attempt this coming night
could get us all killed and the Denebrians left open to invasion. Or it could save their lives and their way of life. I looked at Joe, who sat silently, staring into the flames.
He caught my eye and I guess my worried look. “We take it one step at a time, OK, kid?”
I nodded and closed my eyes. Sleep came quickly but it was shot with disturbing dreams.
Chapter Eight
“Jules, baby.” Reika shook my shoulder. “Soup's on. Joe wants us to have supper now. We'll be on our way pretty soon.” She kissed my cheek, then my lips lightly. “You slept well.” She sat next to me. Huff was still asleep. “I wish this night were over.”
I pulled her down beside me. Huff stirred and threw a forearm over my head. I nudged it to my waist and kissed Reika. “Would be nice, Ree, if we could spend it here, together.”
She smiled and lifted her head to look at Huff. “Just the three of us?”
“Jules!” Joe called. “Reika. Huff. Come on.”
“We're coming, Joe,” I said.
I drew Reika close. It felt so good to wrap my arms around her soft body and just hold her.
She brushed my hair off my face. “I swear, babes, if we both come out of this alive, I'm going to give you a haircut while you sleep.”
“We'll make it, Ree. We've got the best people possible working with us.”
“Jules?”
“Yeah?”
“Make me a promise.”
Here it comes, I thought.
She cuddled against me. “Promise me…promise me you won't take any unnecessary chances? Just do what Joe tells you to. He's a good man. He knows his job.”
I sighed deeply. “How many times do I have to promise that?”
She took my hand and held it. “How about forever?”
“OK. Forever.”
“Let's go, Jules,” Joe called. “Reika. Huff. Come on.”
“We're coming, Joe,” I called.
“When I'm with you,” Reika said. “no matter what happens, the world is all right.” She tilted her head to look at me. “When we're apart, nothing is right.”
I kissed her forehead and stroked her black, silky hair. “I'm worried about you, too, you know. Suppose we make a pact?”
“That sounds scary.”
“Suppose we both promise to do everything in our power to make it through this night alive.”