Counter-Measures

by W. Michael Gear

  Staffa stepped into the center of the room and gestured to the gravity chairs.

  "Please, let's sit down and discuss a couple of things-iron out our personal problems. From there, we can attack the future."

  Skyla still looked withdrawn and perplexed.

  Staffa placed his hands on her shoulders, staring into her eyes. "Are you all right?"

  She nodded, lip pinched by white teeth, eyes still vacant. "It's . . . I'm missing something important. You know, hanging on the edge of my mind. " Then she smiled and melted into his arms. "Rot, how I've missed you."

  He kissed her, hugging her close. "And I, you. I've been worried sick. I wanted to run off and find you, rescue you like you did me. But I just couldn't. You understand, don't you? "

  She nodded. "You saved us, Lord Commander. I'm proud of you. "

  "So am I,- Chrysla added from where she'd taken a chair across from Sinklar.

  "You've done well, Staffa. "

  Still holding Skyla tightly against him, he gave Chrysla a searching look.

  "Have you and Mac talked about what you want to do? Where you want to go?"

  Chrysla seemed surprisingly self-possessed as she shook her head. "We haven't.

  That, like most things, will work itself out according to the choreography of time and events. Do you have something in mind?"

  Staffa shrugged. "From the reports Kaylla sent, you did very well on Ashtan.

  Does Mac like administration?"'

  " He hates it-but he's very good at it. " Chrysla steepled her fingers. "He's the kind of person we should be looking for. He cares about people."

  "Good. Kaylla will need your help." :'What about you, Staffa?" Chrysla asked.

  'Sinklar and I are leaving Free Space for a while-that is, assuming the Mag Comm can break the Forbidden Borders. "

  Skyla shifted, reaching up with one hand to touch his cheek. "Leaving?"

  Staffa took her hands in his, a warmth in his gray eyes as he studied her.

  "The people don't need me. From here on out, it's going to be a race with the Others-the aliens who trapped us here. The time has come for humanity to forget the Star Butcher." He paused. "What's the matter?"

  Skyla shook her head. "Something . . . that haunting feeling ." that I'm forgetting something. About the dream - .

  , I Go on." Chrysla had stiffened in her chair.

  Skyla studied the heavy hatch. "The doorway. Ily passing through it. You know, when she takes on my identity and looks back with Arta's eyes glowing in her head?"

  :'Yes ... yes," Chrysla prodded.

  'It's . . . " Skyla cocked her head. "It's Staffa's door!" She pointed.

  "That's the door she steps through."

  Despite feeling totally lost, Sinklar experienced a sudden chill.

  "You heard the STU posted outside," Staffa said, grasping the substance if not the nuances of Skyla's account. "The room has been secured. Still, come on, we'll search it if you like."

  "' That won't be necessary," Ily said from the arched doorway. A heavy service blaster, one of Staffa's from the look of it, filled her small hand. "And the first one of you who moves will be shot down on the spot." A smile crossed her lips as her black eyes gleamed. "And with a great deal of personal pleasure, I might add."

  Arta Fera moved on cat feet as she slipped past Ilymilitary blaster in hand-to flank the room.

  Sinklar's heart skipped as he stood. "Ily, this isn't Rega. It won't work out this time."

  Ily stepped up to him, the saucy smile of triumph hearkening back to other days. With nimble fingers, she plucked

  his pistol from his belt and tossed it back into the other room.

  "Ah, but it will. Just like last time. Yes, Sinklar, I can see understanding dawning. You know, I can still read you like a book. You really should work on that." She reached up, running her fingers down the side of his face. "You could still come be my lover. Interested?"

  "Not in the slightest." The realization flashed through him. She always planned three moves ahead. Rotted Gods, she has a way out of here. She's going to get away with it!

  Skyla Lyma made a whimpering sound, dropping to her knees, arms reaching out to Arta. "Please ... please, Arta ... I did what you asked ... don't ... don't hurt me . . ."

  Completely in control, Ily gave the whimpering Skyla an amused look as she walked over to Staffa. Deft fingers removed his pistol and she threw it through the arch. "It's good to see you again, Lord Commander. You look, and smell, a great deal better than you did in the desert. "

  And with that, she slapped Staffa in the face with the heavy blaster.

  CHAPTER 41

  For the purpose of the common good, this body Of law has been developed, that all human beings, no matter their station or status, be both recognized and bound by these truths - Let the law govern not only the individual but the group, the population, the state, and the species. Be it known by these statements that fundamental human dignity must be our goal through the application of the law, that law should not, and will not, replace the concept of justice, of just action, and moral responsibility. instead, let it be the rule and guide by which we define our actions and behaviors with regard to each other, that all may be, assured of protection of their person, properties, and ideals so long as they do not infringe upon those of others -

  Let us understand that law is not meant to be totalitarian or inflexible, but must change with the needs of the people, and must reflect the social realityp and must act for the good of the people -

  Therefore, let the law be equal unto all, and may justice be pursued swiftly, and to the full extent merited, for predators cannot be allowed to prey upon the people, and any society which allows itself to be preyed upon cannot maintain itself. Those who knowingly commit criminal actions forfeit their rights to protection under the law.

  And be it known that throughout human history it has been to the benefit of the state to manipulate the law for its own perpetuation and to the deprivation of the people. That practice shall cease with the ratification of this document. Know, therefore, these laws, and take them as the means of defining your responsibility to each other. May the tyrant, or the predator upon

  you, be punished as is deemed just by victims and within the bounds of the law.

  Preamble to the Uniform Legal Code Sinklar Fist: 5782:06:30:20:38

  Lights shot through Staffa's head as Ily's blow landed. He staggered, tasting blood. Through slitted eyes, he stared at her, hatred welling as his knees bent and his weight shifted to the balls of his feet. Arta Fera, amber gaze burning, had leveled her weapon, daring him to react.

  " Staffa? " Ily asked. "Do you remember? Pay-backs are sheer hell, aren't they? And that's only the beginning of what I owe you. The next few hours are going to be very difficult for you ... I promise. "

  "No," Skyla continued to whimper and clutched at his leg, hugging him. "No, Arta. I was good."

  Ily snatched Skyla's weapon and stepped back, a smirk on her face as she watched. The Wing Commander glared fearfully at Arta Fera, tears leaking from her wide eyes as she cowered.

  Ily shook her head, pointing down at Skyla with disgust in her eyes. "And you loved this ... this . . . "

  Chrysla rose from her chair, stately, poised. "What did you expect? Give me a collar, Minister Takka, and I can make a whimpering wreck out of you, too. But then, you'd know that, wouldn't you? " Chrysla turned, approaching Fera with slow steps, a frown on her face. "You were cloned from me. But you're not me."

  They stood facing each other, two perfect copies of the same startlingly beautiful woman.

  Arta shook her head slowly, "Get back. I'll kill you just as quickly as the others."

  Chrysla smiled then, an animalistic gleam coming to her eyes. "Wouldn't it be fun? Just the two of us? We have the same effect on men, you know. Together, we could torment them, let them try and guess which one of us was going to kill them. We could do two at once ... taking turns, you know? "

  Staffa watched in
horrid fascination as Chrysla's expression mirrored Arta's.

  Skyla continued to cling to his thigh,

  her voice breaking into pitiful pleas mixed with sobs. He couldn't help but reach down to give her a reassuring pat.

  "Damn it! " Ily snapped. "Arta! It's a fake! She's using you! Get back! Back, Chrysla, or I'll shoot you right here! " Arta licked her lips, a slight tremble in her arms. Ily

  moved quickly, stepping close to Arta, centering her pistol on Chrysla's chest.

  "Think about it," Chrysla coaxed, backing slowly, her lips parted slightly.

  "You think nothing! " Ily hissed at Arta. "I love you, remember? This woman, she's a fake. She's never given you anything. "

  Chrysla had settled into a chair, never taking her eyes from Arta's.

  What do you want?" Staffa asked, freeing himself from Skyla's grip. She wailed, wilting onto the floor, weeping. Sinklar had taken it all in, disgust and loathing on his face as he watched Ily.

  "I want you, Lord Commander. I want you to pay for everything you've done to me. I offered myself to you-and you turned me down for that semen-dripping Seddi slut. I want her, too. Before we're done, after I've made you hurt for a while, you'll call her here, Staffa. And then I'll have all mine back."

  " How do you expect to get out of here?" Staffa crossed his arms, ignoring the blood leaking down his face. Sinklar had managed to back two steps toward the arch and the pistols that lay beyond.

  You will order it. " Ily stepped up to him, smiling. "Just before you die. "

  She paused. "You don't have to die, Staffa. Not if you get down and beg me.

  I'll keep you alive. Maybe even allow Arta to play with you for a while. "

  Ily glanced across at her assassin. Fera continued to stare into Chrysla's eyes. "Pus Rot it! Arta! Keep an eye on Sinklar! Damn you, Fist! Get back here. Back to that chair you were sitting in! All of you, sit down!"

  Staffa- shook his head. "I won't do it, Ily. I've done enough harm to people.

  You didn't have any leverage on me in the desert, and you don't have any here.

  I can't be coerced. "

  Ily pointed her pistol at Skyla's head. "I'll kill her. Look at her, Staffa!

  Broken, sniveling. "

  And that's what you'd like to do to me, isn't it? He shook his head. "I'm going to stop you, Ily. You can give up now.''

  She pointed the ugly nozzle of the blaster at Sinklar. "How about your son?

  You chased halfway across Free Space to find him."

  "It won't work," Sinklar said evenly. "I stand with my father. I'd rather die than allow your pollution to be freed again. "

  "I don't want to die, " Chrysla said, her eyes still centered on Arta. "I want to share men, to feel them tense in that final rush of sexual-"

  "Shut up! " Ily snarled. She raised her blaster high, ready to slam it down on Chrysla's head.

  Arta screamed, shifting her point of aim to Ily. Sinklar had already launched himself at Ily, grabbing her arm. Arta retargeted, trying to get a shot at Sinklar. At that instant, Skyla exploded from the floor, driving herself into Arta Fera, screaming with all the pent up fury of a thousand nightmares.

  At the top of her lungs, Chrysla was screaming, "Arta! Help me! Help me, Arta!"

  Ily pivoted, throwing Sinklar enough off balance so she could drive a knee into his crotch. TWisting, she broke his grip and hammered the pistol into the side of his bead.

  Staffa had leapt for Ily, but in the confusion only managed to get a handful of her hair. As she fired a shot at Sinklar, Staffa yanked with all of his might.

  Ily screamed, and Staffa staggered for balance as a shock of her long black hair pulled free. The shot had missed, blasting a chunk out of the wall. Ily tumbled, recovering, spinning on her side, and shooting.

  Staffa shuddered under the impact, and fell, trying to understand what had gone wrong. From the floor, he watched as Ily grinned evilly through the sights centered on his face. "Die, Staffa! "

  The crackling blast ripped past Staffa's scalp as Chrysla threw herself onto Ily, spoiling her aim. Chrysla's wild scream augmented her scratching, kicking, and punching as she grappled with Ily for the weapon.

  Staffa struggled to rise, only to fall again. Hit! I'm hit! A wave of dizziness left him weak, fingers clutching at the carpet.

  Chrysla, despite the advantage of position, couldn't hold her own. Ily got a hand around her throat, tightening her grip. With the other hand, she yanked the blaster from Chrysla's clawing fingers.

  No!" Staffa screamed, scrambling awkwardly across the floor.

  Chrysla sensed her danger and bucked loose, breaking Ily's choke hold and pitching sideways.

  "Stop!" Ily shouted, panting, drawing a bead on Staffa. Everyone stop! "

  "Hell with you!" Sinklar cried, staggering to his feet. "Come on, bitch!

  You're dead! You're going to die in here!" " Sinklar, get down!" Staffa ordered, blinking at a dizzy swirling in his vision.

  "No!" he screamed, aware of Chrysla drawing herself up for another attack.

  Ily braced herself, rising to her feet as she backed away from them in a crouch, trying to cover them all. A frantic smile crossed her lips as she reached a decision. "Watch him die, Staffa. I'm going to execute your son right here. And then your wife. And then your lover. And finally you! "

  "Don't! " Staffa struggled to jump to his feet and flopped, aware for the first time of the slippery blood soaking into the carpet.

  "Watch!" Ily leveled her blaster, the range a bare meter to Sinklar's chest.

  The blaster bolt made a sound like tearing linen past Staffa's ear. Ily's arm exploded at the elbow, the impact throwing her backward, off balance. As Ily tried to recover, the shattered stump of her arm shot streams of crimson from torn arteries. A look of tortured surprise crossed Ily's face as she clamped her remaining hand around her arm to stem the crimson rush.

  Sinklar dove for Ily's weapon, peeling spasming fingers from the grip, leveling it on a stunned Ily as she sagged to a sitting position, horrified eyes on her wound.

  Staffa gasped and blinked, wiping at his bloody mouth. Ryman Ark dropped beside him, appearing as if out of nowhere, doing something to Staffa's leg.

  Blood. So much blood, and he seemed to be wallowing in it.

  A hard-eyed Adze was advancing in a crouched walk, her pistol centered on Ily as she positioned herself in front of Sinklar.

  A grunt and a bitter curse made Staffa turn in time to see Skyla, circling in a wary combat stance. Her hair was loose, the braid trailing. She had a bloody mouth, and her armor was smeared with red patches.

  Fera was panting, gasping for breath, but she struck with incredible rapidity.

  Skyla blocked the attack, twisted, and landed three lightning punches to Arta's ribs before she spun away.

  "Guess I'd better stop that," Ark growled. "No!" Staffa whispered. "Let her .

  . . let her go.

  Only then did Staffa look down at his leg, wondering dumbly at the sight. Ark had the tourniquet clamped down just under Staffa's right knee. Below was a mangled mess, the gray armor charred and flaking over the bloody meat and spear of gory bone.

  No wonder I couldn't get up.

  He closed his eyes, leaning his head back. Ark was bawling orders, and chaos sounded everywhere.

  Staffa felt as if his soul were drifting.

  "Shut up!" Ily shouted.

  In that instant, Arta's attention broke, and Skyla saw her chance. With all the power in her body, she drove herself into Fera, unleashing the anger and hate, knocking the assassin's blaster aside as the weapon discharged.

  "Arta, help me! Help me, Arta!"

  At Chrysla's scream, Fera tried to glance away. Skyla chopped a knotted fist into Fera's elbow and the blaster spun away. She pressed her advantage, hitting Fera hard under the right ribs. Arta staggered to one side, realizing the ruse, ignoring any further pleas of Chrysla's.

  "Thought you were broken!" Fera mocked. "Come, Skyla. Dear sweet S
kyla. Let me play with your hair. Love me, Skyla. "

  "Fuck you, bitch."

  Fera danced to the right and struck with fists and feet. Skyla blocked her, trying to riposte. Arta ducked back, settling into a defensive posture.

  "Snivel for me, Skyla."

  "Screw you, you walking filth!" "So it was all an act? "

  "You got it, Regan bitch. And now I'm going to kill you. "

  "Try, Skyla. I'll have you for my own tonight." "Nope!"

  Skyla struck, only to have Fera block and evade. "While I was clinging to Staffa's leg, I switched on his belt comm. Security's been listening to everything that's been said for the last five minutes."

  Arta's concentration broke, and she took a breath to shout a warning to Ily.

  In that instant, a blaster bolt tore behind Skyla. The advantage was just enough. Skyla slipped past Arta's guard, closing. She locked, driving Arta back into the holo tank, pounding hard blows to the woman's gut as they fought through the image of the Vegan system. Arta tightened the clinch, and Skyla used her head in a cross blow that shot lights through her vision and left her half staggered and bleeding at the mouth.

  Arta groaned and used her own head in retaliation. Skyla lost her grip, staggering as Arta went limp, pulling Skyla off balance.

  Fera drove hard punches into Skyla's gut and managed to clip her with an elbow before Skyla rolled free. Fera leapt, seeking to pile-drive a knee into Skyla's chest. In a violent contortion, Skyla jackknifed away; Arta croaked with pain as she drove her knee into the floor.

  Skyla scrambled to the side, climbing to her feet. Fera was limping as they faced each other, circling, gasping for breath. Skyla barely heard the blaster bolts, concentration only on Arta, on the driving memories of amber eyes, and failure, and that final humiliation.

  Skyla feinted right, then left, then pivoted, using all of her weight to drive a punch into Arta's right breast. Then again. Fera gasped, a crazed look in her animal-like eyes.

  " You and me," Skyla whispered. "Just like it should have been in the beginning."