Exile's Throne

by Rhonda Mason

  “That’s exactly my point,” Noar said. “A large enough dose of 10-22R could inoculate a person for life against the TNV. It would require many, many times that dose to try to eradicate the TNV in an infected person.

  “If the spread of the TNV were to stop now, it would still take us years to manufacture enough 10-22R to inoculate every uninfected person at this moment. With the way the TNV is spreading…”

  Kayla finished the thought out loud: “They could all be dead before we can get them the inoculation.” Shit. “Your people have done amazing work, Noar, but that’s just not going to be good enough. The empire won’t agree to withdraw from Ordoch with just a vaccine in hand.”

  “You’re a fool if you ever thought the empire was going to withdraw voluntarily,” Natali snapped. “The only way they’re leaving is if we make them.”

  “People are dying by the millions, Natali, by the millions.” Kayla caught and held her sister’s ice-blue gaze. “They probably have as many dead as we have living on our entire planet right now.” She willed her sister to understand, to see the empire as people, not just the enemy. “Almost all of those who are dead or dying are innocent of any wrongdoing against us.”

  Natali’s jaw flexed. In her sister there was so much pain, so much trauma. Kayla saw it in the clench of her jaw, in the flash of almost rabid hatred in her eyes. After what she’d been through, was Natali capable of empathizing with the empire?

  “We’re talking about the future of our planet, not just what happens to Ordochians today,” Natali finally said.

  “No,” Noar said, surprising everyone. “We’re talking about the future of all the planets in the empire. I want the imperials out of Wyrd Space as much as you do, en’shaar, but I’m not willing to let an entire civilization vanish to see it happen.”

  Natali drew back slightly, as if his words had wounded her. She looked at everyone in turn, clearly trying to gauge how many at the table agreed with Noar’s sentiment. Kayla did the same, but she couldn’t tell. Tia’tan played things close to her chest always. Kazamel she didn’t know well enough to interpret. And Vayne… well Vayne was filled with as much rage and pain and hate as Natali, so maybe at last they could be allies in something.

  “What does Ilmena say to that?” Natali asked Tia’tan. Had she known of Tia’tan’s high status on Ilmena before Kazamel arrived?

  Tia’tan thought for a moment before answering. “The oligarchs are voting on it soon, but I anticipate they will approve the manufacture of a 10-22R vaccination for our own people.” Tia’tan inclined her head to Natali. “We will of course offer this to Ordoch to use as a bargaining measure with the occupation. However, nothing will be given to the empire without discussions between both our worlds.”

  Natali looked displeased by Tia’tan’s words and the shift in power it implied.

  Vayne reached out to Kayla just then. ::Our family sure knows how to make breakfast fun.:: He brushed against her mind, asking permission, and she lowered her mental defenses to let him in so that he could hear her thoughts. He seeped into her mind, a little at a time, just the right fit.

  Admit it. You wouldn’t miss this for the world.

  ::Hey, I was the one who wanted to ditch this all for a farm in Ilmena’s back country.::

  Ilmena doesn’t have any back country left. We’re better off saving Ordoch, ditching the Reinumon palace, and moving to the Sanctuary.

  ::Wouldn’t work: they only let previously extinct species live there.::

  I feel dangerously close to extinction these days, don’t you?

  The tone of his mind voice changed, turning sad. ::I’ve been extinct for years.::

  * * *

  In the end, the discussion at breakfast boiled down to one thing: they had to have the Yari, with its vast bank of ship-to-ship weaponry, and the threat of the PD in their back pocket, if they wanted to accomplish any of their goals.

  So of course it was dead in the water.

  Perhaps not, Kayla thought once again, looking back on how the discussion had ended.

  Kazamel had put the question to the rooks this morning of whether or not they might be able to move the Yari interdimensionally the way they had moved the Radiant. The two rooks had disappeared, presumably to discuss it with the others. Kayla had no idea what the risks to the creatures would be, but they all knew it would take an enormous effort, considering the size of the Yari.

  It was their last hope for using the Yari in the fight against the imperials. Even Natali had conceded that if the rooks couldn’t do this, it was time to abandon the ancient ship to a cold death in space.

  The entire ship seemed to be holding its breath as they waited for the return of the rooks.

  Kayla commed Malkor and told him about the possible inoculation against the TNV. It was too important to their joint goal of freeing Ordoch and eradicating the virus to keep it from him, as Natali had clearly wanted. This was what he had been working toward for years, why he’d tracked Kayla down and forced her to fight as Isonde in the Empress Game. This—the hope of a cure—was why he had given up his career and his life as an IDC agent, why he’d left the world he loved to come fight for her people’s freedom.

  They agreed that they would not inform Ardin or Isonde about 10-22R. That was up to Natali, as Ordoch’s leader, when the time came for negotiations with the empire.

  Sadly, that time had not come yet.

  Malkor passed on the good news that Ardin and Isonde had arrived on Ordoch as the official negotiators for the empire. They had installed themselves at Senfranco Base with Base Commander Chin, rather than in Vankir City. Better to be well out of range of Vega and her Influencer.

  Natali had closeted herself with Wetham via comms and he was no doubt giving her a very thorough account of the rebellion’s progress, but Kayla had declined to be present for that.

  Kazamel and his crew were busy stripping the Radiant of all useful parts and gear, since the ship would never be useful again. Ariel was shuttling Trinan and Vid to the Tear. It had been tough for Kayla and Corinth to say goodbye to them. The burly agents were like her family now, a part of the new life she was making for herself. But Malkor needed them more than she did, and their place would always be with their octet leader, no matter where he went.

  Thankfully she hadn’t had to say goodbye to Toble or Hekkar yet. Hekkar would pilot the Lorius if the rooks attempted to jump the Yari. Toble stayed aboard the Yari as he was the only medic on the entire ship and Ordoch had more technologically advanced medics at their disposal.

  For now, all Vayne, Tia’tan, Kayla, and Noar could do was continue to search the ship for the elusive Zimmerman while they waited to hear back from the rooks.

  Kayla was six levels down from the last powered level, breathing recycled air in her EMU and floating down another empty corridor in zero gravity beside Vayne when she finally made up her mind.

  “We have to confront Ida about the prisoners,” she said. “Whether the Yari makes it to Ordoch or not.”

  Vayne blew out a breath. “Finally. I’ve been saying that for days.”

  “I feel like we stumbled into some ancient feud between Ida and Zimmerman.” Not that she had any actual proof to back that feeling up. “It’s like there’s two teams, and currently Ida’s team has the upper hand, but Zimmerman’s team is massing its forces, readying for a strike.”

  “And we’re the ones who are going to get destroyed,” Vayne finished for her, exactly in line with her thoughts.

  “I don’t know if Kendrik and the others are actually insane and locked up for a good reason, or if they’re not insane but rather some kind of pawn in this conflict.” Kayla corrected her flight down the corridor with a gentle push off the wall she’d been heading toward.

  “And we will never know,” Vayne said, “unless we confront Ida and the others.”

  It was dangerous, though. Depending on how the crew reacted to their questions, she might be touching off a war for control of the Yari. People would have
to choose sides, and…

  A black blob blinked into view and bounced off her face shield, halting her thoughts.

  “The rooks are back,” Kazamel said over ship-wide comms.

  No kidding. Her pulse kicked up. All the waiting of the last few agonizing weeks would finally be over, one way or another.

  Vayne, who floated beside her, sighed. “Let’s see what fresh new insanity awaits us, shall we?”

  It took some time, but finally they met up with the others on the large observation deck.

  Kayla stared at the sight that awaited her beyond the portals. “Are those all…?” The Mine Field was almost entirely obscured by a sea of adult rooks. “There must be hundreds.”

  “If not more,” Natali said. She was beaming. Not just a polite smile, but a full-on grin of excitement. Kayla wasn’t sure she’d ever seen Natali smile like that since childhood. It was infectious. Natali pressed a hand to the portal as if she could touch the rooks.

  They didn’t cavort like the babies did, but the massive adults swam lazily around each other, skimming skin to skin as they passed, only to make a slow turn and do it again. Their inky black outlines were only distinguishable from one another by the lights dancing along their tentacles and across their mantles.

  “They’re willing to try jumping the Yari out of here,” Kazamel said to the room at large. With the exception of those on guard duty, the observation deck was packed with rebel soldiers, Reinumons, and various crew members of both ships. “Actually, I think they’re excited for the challenge. Apparently living in the Mine Field is a bit monotonous.”

  “What are the risks?” Kayla asked. With her only surviving family on board, including her two il’haars, she had to ask.

  Kazamel tore his gaze from the sight of the rooks slowly swimming past the portals. “Honestly? I don’t have the faintest idea, and I’m not sure they do either. They’ve never tried anything on this sort of scale before.” He reached up and petted the baby rook who seemed happily settled on his shoulder. “I’m not sure their intelligence extends beyond day-to-day life. Or maybe it does and I just can’t understand it. In either case, they don’t seem too worried beyond the idea of it exhausting them.”

  Whereas Kayla couldn’t help but worry, obsess over all possible outcomes and plan for every contingency.

  ::What about entering interdimensional space and never being able to leave?:: Corinth asked.

  Kazamel closed his eyes as if concentrating. The room hushed, with the exception of Uncle Ghirhad and Ida chatting happily with each other at the back. When he finally opened his eyes again, he looked amused. “I’m pretty sure I just got the rook equivalent of ‘we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.’”

  “That doesn’t exactly put my mind at ease,” Kayla said.

  Ida came to the front. “We are having no alternatives that come to mind mine. I, too, am excited for the trying.”

  Benny joined her, looking almost enthusiastic for once. “Five centuries is time long enough being stuck in place one.”

  “I stand with the captain,” Tanet added, and Ariel and Larsa affirmed it as well.

  One by one, everyone proclaimed their willingness to try the jump. Everyone except Vayne. Deep in her heart, Kayla knew Ordoch wouldn’t win their freedom without the Yari’s firepower backing up the rebels on the ground. Things had gone too far for the promise of an inoculation and a “we’ll keep trying for a cure” to move the imperials.

  “Not everyone has to stay on board the Yari while the rooks attempt to move it,” Natali said, not quite looking at Vayne. She was right. Several people could go through the Tear to Ordoch if they wanted, or even board Ardin’s starcruiser, Lorius. Assuming they knew how to fly the thing, they could arrive in Ordoch perfectly safely, albeit a bit later than the rest.

  ::It’s not too late to fly out of there and leave this nonsense behind:: Vayne said in her mind.

  That was never going to happen, and you knew it.

  ::Did I? Maybe I always hoped this would fail.::

  She turned to look at him, willing him to understand that he could do so much more than just retreat to a cave and lick his wounds. Stopping Vega, freeing Ordoch—that’s the ultimate defeat of Dolan and his plans. No more farming Wyrds for their psi powers, no more ruining lives with the Influencer. When we finish this, together, you will finally be free of him. Your captivity will finally be at an end.

  Please, brother, she wanted to add, but she couldn’t put that on him. He needed to do this for himself, not because his ro’haar asked it of him.

  ::Even without your psi powers you still see too much.:: He sighed and hung his head. Giving up, at last, his dream of a quiet, peaceful, solitary life?

  “What the void,” he finally said out loud. “Count me in.”

  * * *

  REBEL BASE, ORDOCH

  Seated at a table in what had become the war room of the rebel base, Malkor focused on the mission in front of him.

  The morning found him accompanied by Vid, Trinan, and Rigger, who looked remarkably cheery despite her bandaged hand. The first thing she’d said upon waking was that Kayla had always been right—imperial medical care was shit compared to what the Wyrds had developed. Ygreda, the rebellion spymaster, and Aarush, tactical lieutenant, were seated at the table as well. Aarush, too, was looking much better. He wore an eyepatch instead of bandages around his head now, and many of the wrappings around his burned arm had become unnecessary. He wouldn’t be leading any tactical missions, not with his amputated foot, but he seemed sharp.

  The topic of the war party was the mission to arrest Vega for crimes against humanity and steal the Influencer. Malkor pushed the schematics he’d been studying away and leaned back in his chair. “The plans for Reinumon palace are a mess.”

  “Sadly, yes,” Aarush said. “They contradict each other, even these two,” he indicated the sheets of paraffin paper in front of him. “They’re filed in the same year, only by different architects. I’m not even sure which one was used in the actual expansion and which set was filed as a proposal.”

  “It’s going to be tough to plan an op if we need backup plans for our backup plans,” Vid said.

  “At least we know which way we’re going in,” Rigger said with a smile.

  That one had been easy. There was no way they’d be able to both fight their way in and out, not with the sheer number of soldiers inside the palace. Then there were the soldiers in the palace grounds; in the other grand houses; in the Complex of Oligarchs; in the barracks just outside the Complex…

  Their best bet for gaining access to Vega was to have a legitimate reason for appearing in her office. Being on “official business” would get them past all the security in the city, complex, and palace, provided the business was official enough.

  “Are you working up new IDs for us?” Malkor asked her.

  Rigger snapped the fingers on her good hand. “Already started. I’ve got several ready to go, and with a little more research in the army’s files here on Ordoch, I’ll be able to finish the others. I’m making extras, because we seem to go through those quickly.” She winked.

  “The holograms will be no trouble, either,” Ygreda said. The spymaster would make a damn fine IDC agent, but Malkor didn’t think she’d see that as a compliment, so he kept his mouth shut.

  “I spoke to Commander Chen earlier,” Malkor said. “He’s willing to sign whatever orders we need. Since the prison… debacle… orders with his name on it are going to be studied more closely, but he’ll stand by the orders if a soldier calls to verify them.”

  “Which I’m sure they’ll do if we’re trying to see Vega,” Trinan said. “Now all we have to do is invent some business official enough to get us seen by the head of the occupation herself, and not some underling.”

  They looked at each other. Waited. No brilliant ideas sprang forth.

  Malkor chuckled. “Let’s talk egress instead, and come back to that.” He’d just have to hope for inspiration
. Which meant it might be time for more coffee. He grabbed the carafe and poured out another cup full of the weak substance that passed for coffee on Ordoch. Rigger would definitely have to recalibrate one of the food synthesizers down here if they were going to make this their new home.

  The thought gave him pause. In fact, it made him distinctly uncomfortable. Could he make a life on a planet where he’d always be an interloper? He looked at the others, imagining what the Wyrds would see: an invading army; soldiers who had subjugated their people for years on end—who had murdered and raped them. He pushed that to the back of his mind. He’d rather plan this near impossible op than think about a future on Ordoch, even if it included Kayla and Corinth. And Vayne, he forced himself to add after a second.

  He took a swig of his coffee and focused on the debate raging around the table.

  “Sounds like you IDC agents spend a lot of time crawling through sewers,” Ygreda was saying. If she wasn’t quite smiling, she was at least at ease with them enough to make jokes. “There was a time in our recent history when we Ordochians became almost entirely reliant on bots. We had bots for everything, and I mean everything.” She shook her head. “I think we were on the verge of creating an AI to even run the day-to-day functioning of the planet, but luckily, woke up to our insanity in time.”

  Aarush said, “Well, the Bot Revolt woke us up. In either case, even though we’ve come back from that dystopia, the result is that a lot of our infrastructure is still completely controlled by bots.” He slid another sheet from the pile and laid it in the center of the table. “The sewage and water systems aren’t traversable, thanks to the various sanitation bots who run them and the guides that keep them on track.”

  “We could use Vega and her thrall as hostages to get out,” Trinan ventured. “Except, then the army would have eyes on us and could follow our movements wherever we went. We wouldn’t want to lead them to a rebel base or safehouse.”