"Technically?" I wasn't sure how one could technically win a war.
Kadran gestured, bringing up a fresh display. On it I saw the wrecked remains of spaceships, too many to count, orbiting the same gas giant.
"The coalition forces were almost entirely destroyed, and the remainder had to retreat from the system. Prince Xeraxis had his victory, but the Lament was badly damaged, left without a hyperdrive to follow and win the war. So the Empire 'won' Allor system, which has no repair facilities. The other powers haven't been able to come back to reclaim it because the Lament and its support ships would wreck any fleet they can put together. And so this has become the perfect place for smugglers and other criminals to meet and trade."
I whistled, looking at the graveyard of ships. A fleet that size... I had no way to visualize it, but the battle must have been epic. I wondered how many lives had been lost and shuddered at the thought. No, I don't want to know.
"Why hasn't the Empire repaired the Lament?" I asked, trying to distract myself from the thought of the death toll. Kadran grimaced.
"The Silent Empire is complex, and full of feuding factions," he said, sounding distant, as though this wasn't a subject he much enjoyed talking about. "Prince Xeraxis overextended himself with this war, and while he was busy his enemies inside the Empire snapped up the worlds he held. Building the repair facility large enough for a cathedral-warship like the Lament would require stripping a planet bare, and he no longer has any planets to use. Nor the strength to take one against any kind of opposition."
I shivered at the sheer scale of that. Stripping planets to fix up a single ship? That sounded monstrous.
"So, this Silent Empire sounds like a nest of vipers," I started, trying to form a question. Kadran tensed next to me, and I knew it was a touchy subject somehow. "If we're going aboard their ship, is there anything I ought to know about them?"
"Only that they are bad news," he said darkly, staring straight ahead. "The Imperial Princes scheme and fight amongst themselves constantly, each wanting to position themselves as sole heir to their sleeping Empress. If they weren't squabbling, they might have conquered the galaxy by now. The Hungry Stars alone know what will happen if they ever manage to wake the Empress from her stasis-coffin."
"They sound awful," I said with feeling. Kadran surprised me with a rueful laugh.
"Perhaps I should tell you that they are humans like you," he said. "Earth is only one of many human worlds, and most of them are part of the Empire."
"Do you think that'll make me like them more? Squabbling warlords who want to conquer and enslave everyone — I don't care if they're humans or aliens, they still sound terrible."
That seemed to surprise him a little, and I wondered if he'd really expected me to be all in favor of conquest as long as it was my species doing it. Not exactly a flattering way to be seen. I glared across at him and he winced.
"The princes aren't all bad," he said after a while. It did sound like an easy thing for him to admit, and I saw him tense as he spoke. "The Anti-Slavery Patrol is largely funded by an Imperial Princess, for one thing. But that is not the side of the Empire I know."
There was a history there, but I didn't want to pry. Something dark and angry filled Kadran, some feeling that pulled him into his past. I shivered and left it alone rather than risking making him angry.
The giant ship grew on the main screen, and I realized that we were heading straight for one of the statues. I blinked and the scale came into focus. There were already half a dozen other ships landed on the palm of the statue's outstretched hand. It was hard to wrap my head around just how big the damned ship was.
If it fazed Kadran, he didn't show it. Bringing us in to land, he parked the Crimson Princess neatly and shut down the ship's engines.
"This is a black-market dock," he told me as he worked. That darkness was still there, but he'd pushed it down. "We won't have to register ourselves with the Lament's authorities here. It might buy us a bit of time, but it does mean that we'll be walking straight out into a port full of thieves."
I swallowed and nodded, pulling myself up out of my seat and remembering walking through a bad neighborhood back on Earth. Don't look weak, don't show fear, and hope you don't attract attention.
A glance at the alien warrior beside me made me smile, just a little. On Earth I'd never been with a protector like him, and that seemed more likely to keep me safe than anything I could do. I promised myself I'd stick close to Kadran, at least until I got my bearings.
Shouldering my pack, I followed him out to the door.
* * *
The Lament for Battles Unfought had definitely seen better days. At least, this dock had. A door led us inside from the statue's palm, and as we descended there were signs of decay everywhere.
The place was a mess, half the lights weren't working, the walls were covered in graffiti, and alien beggars slumped against the walls. Still, the place had an undeniable air of opulence — one of the beggars sheltered at the feet of a huge and glorious golden statue, the remains of a beautiful mural peeked through the crude words painted on the walls, and what lights remained shone from beautiful crystal chandeliers.
It was like we'd entered a shantytown built inside the palace of the richest king imaginable.
Kadran hadn't bothered locking the ship behind us — we weren't coming back, after all. If someone stole it that would only make it harder for Drezz's men to track us down. Somehow I had the feeling that as soon as we were out of sight it would be stripped for parts or flown off, and that was frightening. Sure, we had no real use for it, but the Crimson Princess was the only place I'd felt even slightly safe since I'd been snatched from Earth.
Don't be ridiculous, Amy, I told myself. You nearly died aboard it, and if we stayed we would die. But as true as all of that was it didn't make me feel any better.
Kadran pushed through the port and I stayed close behind him. I didn't want to take the chance that I'd be separated from my only ally. If we lost contact, I had no idea how I'd find him again and I doubted any of the people here would be helpful. More likely they'd turn around and sell me straight into slavery, or worse.
The crowd around us was a strange mix of humans and aliens, dressed in everything from ridiculous finery to tattered rags. It seemed like the perfect place to blend in and vanish, and I hoped that would make it hard for the Revenge's crew to follow us when they got here.
There were guards, humans in dark armor, but they didn't look safe to approach. Glaring around from under their helmets, they hefted clubs which crackled with energy. Even the toughest-looking aliens gave them a wide berth.
I soon saw why. As we entered a wide-open area holding some kind of market, we passed two of the guards. Behind them were a bank of clear tubes, large enough to hold people. Three of them did, their occupants writhing in agony, battering themselves against the glass.
I shuddered at the sight, glad that the glass didn't let us hear the noises they were making. Kadran looked around to see what had caught my notice.
"Don't stare, you'll attract attention," he said, guiding me towards the market. "Those are some of the ship's torture pits, reserved for those who commit crimes against the Prince."
"What have they done?" I asked quietly, turning away from the gruesome sight. Kadran shrugged.
"Could be anything. Could be nothing. The point is to make it clear — respect the prince and his guards."
It was, I had to admit, an effective lesson. I stayed close to Kadran as he led me into the market, past stalls selling food and drinks and stranger things that I couldn't recognize. Kadran ignored all that, shouldering past aliens who tried to pull him towards one shop or another. He was looking for something specific, though I didn't know what.
When he stopped, it was at a strange little stall. Rich blue cloth hung over it, frayed at the edges and moth-eaten. Incense was thick in the air around it. And watching us from inside was a frail old human woman. Or perhaps she'd once been human �
�� the thick bundle of wires led from her shaved head down to a panel in the floor made her look like something else now.
She sat cross-legged dressed in robes of the same worn blue fabric that draped her stall, a small smile played over her lips. Behind her stood a younger woman, also human, stood motionless holding out a copper bowl.
"Greetings, Kadran," the old woman said, voice a hoarse whisper. "What brings you to this humble ship's oracle?"
"I need guidance, Mother," he answered, sounding formal. Was that a religious title? A coin dropped from his fingers into the waiting bowl. "A safe place to stay, and a hypercom contact."
The old woman sucked her teeth, turning her eyes to me. They weren't natural eyes. Spheres of gold set into her head, they seemed to glow. "And who are you? The Lament doesn't know you. Come closer."
Swallowing nervously, I stepped forward. The intensity of that golden gaze was troubling, and I looked away, glancing up at Kadran for help.
"This is Amy of Earth," he said, answering for me. "An uncontacted human world. It's her first time away from home, so there's nothing to know yet."
She chuckled dryly. "And you're trying to keep it that way, I suppose? Well, Kadran, the hypercom guild is busy these days. Lots of people wanting to talk, it won't be cheap or easy to get you to the front of the queue quietly. Do you have the money to pay?"
"You know that I'm good for it, Mother," he said. "The Patrol will pay."
"Credit? I will see what I can arrange, but that makes things tougher," the old lady said, frowning. Her hands rose, gesturing in complex patterns that I couldn't follow. "It doesn't help that the Patrol isn't popular here, and not many people are going to want their money in the first place."
Kadran growled and I could feel his anger bubbling to the surface. The younger woman flinched back, but the Mother sat motionless. Kadran wouldn't strike an old woman, I was sure, but even shouting would attract too much attention here. Putting a hand on his arm, I tried to calm him.
To my surprise it worked instantly. Kadran's growl faded and the tension left his muscles. It was as though my touch had flicked a switch inside him, letting him let go of his anger.
"I just want to go home," I said to the woman. "I don't know what's going on here, or who you are, but please help me."
Those disconcerting artificial eyes looked at me, and I felt certain she saw more than she should have been able to. After a moment a small smile creased her face and she nodded.
"There are limits to what I can do, child, but I will help." More gestures, her hands flickering through the air with speed and precision. A few moments later, she nodded. "I cannot promise that they hypercom guild will take your credit, but I can direct you to somewhere safe to wait. There's an abandoned shrine to the Silent Empress that local superstition says is haunted. No one will trouble you there, and I can keep you off the books."
"Thank you," I said, smiling with relief. I didn't follow most of what she'd said, but a safe hiding place sounded ideal. Anywhere we could relax, even a little bit, would be a blessing.
The old woman smiled, an eerie expression that didn't meet her golden eyes. "This isn't charity, you understand. I will expect the Patrol to pay up."
She was looking at me, but it was Kadran who answered. "Of course. Any service you provide will be paid for in full, you have my word."
"And your word has always been good," she said, clapping her hands together sharply. When they parted a small white light floated out from between her palms, darting this way and that like an impatient dog wanting a walk. "Follow the sprite, it will take you where you need to go. I've given it a path that will be relatively unobserved — not the fastest, but I expect you care more for discretion than for speed."
"Thank you, Mother," Kadran answered, bowing low. After a moment's hesitation, I curtsied. I didn't want to cause offense by not showing respect, and from the way she beamed I knew she appreciated it.
The sprite darted off as though it had slipped an invisible leash, and we had to hurry to keep up. It led us into the quiet space behind the market stalls, and then quickly out of the market itself into dimly lit corridors.
"Who was that?" I asked, a little breathless. "Was that... magic?"
Kadran's shoulders shook as he suppressed a laugh and I suppressed an answering urge to hit him. "It's not magic, it's technology. The ship's computers have a vast amount of information, but most of it is only available through the Lament's artificial intelligence. Ship-priests like the woman we just spoke to wire their brains into the computer networks of the Imperial ships, so they can access them directly. That gets her past the security protocols and the AI. A ship-priest's consulting fees can be ruinous, but they have better information than anyone else aboard aside from the crew."
Those cables ran straight from the computers to her brain? I shivered at the thought. That seemed pretty far to go for a better internet connection. But if that helped us, then fine. The sprite seemed to know what it was doing, leading us along a complicated path on which we met no one. Sometimes we heard others around corners, but somehow the route the ship-priest had given us always turned away at the last second.
Eventually, the little light flitted out into an open space. There were no lights inside, but starlight gently illuminated a huge statue of a beautiful woman smiling down at us, one hand extended in a blessing gesture. Her other held a rod, or maybe a scepter, and the whole statue was so finely made that she almost seemed alive. Like this giant stone woman could step off her pedestal and go for a walk, not that she'd be able to fit into the corridors of her ship.
That must be the Silent Empress, whoever she is, I thought, trying to keep myself from staring like a tourist. Whatever else might be true of this empire, they could do impressive sculpture. There was something hauntingly familiar about her features, too. I couldn't place what it was, but it was unmistakably there.
The space around the statue was arranged in steps big enough to sit on, and the place had the feeling of a church. There was even what looked like an altar at the statue's feet, though it was bare at the moment. And the shrine's walls held smaller statues, too, including one that looked like a model of the Lament for Battles Unfought itself.
It was the back wall of the shrine that drew my attention, though. Something, some weapon during the battle, had torn a great hole in the wall. Beyond it the vacuum of space waited, stars shining bright in the distance. The air must be held in with a forcefield and that made me shiver. If it failed, anyone in here would be sucked outside in an instant and die horribly.
No wonder the locals thought the place was cursed, I thought. Who would want to come here to pray, looking out at their own death like that?
So of course this is where we're going to live for a while. Perfect. I turned away from the ragged, torn walls and looked at Kadran.
He stared at the statue, his expression dark, closed off, cold. Unreadable. But his body language wasn't. trembling with rage, his hands clenched and unclenched as though he were imagining tearing some enemy limb from limb.
The sprite that had guided us here circled the statue in a quick rising spiral before flickering out of existence in front of our eyes. Tentatively I reached out for Kadran's shoulder, only for him to flinch away. I jerked my hand back and he looked at me as though he had forgotten I existed.
"Sorry," he muttered. "This place brings back bad memories for me."
I didn't know whether I ought to pry or not, but I had to ask. "What's wrong, Kadran?"
"The Empire," he started and then trailed off into silence. Just when I thought he wouldn't say any more, he started again. "The Silent Empire is what's wrong, and I will be glad when we can get out of its grasp."
I swallowed nervously, the raw pain and anger in his voice intimidating me. Trying to look encouraging, I took a step closer.
Whatever was on his mind, he pushed it down. It was impressive how quickly he got control of himself — a couple of deep breaths and his expression cleared. I wished
I knew that trick, but I also knew he had only put off whatever feelings had come so close to overwhelming him. They were still there, under the surface, and eventually they'd burst free again.
"I am sorry," he said. "I should not let my emotions overcome me so."
"Hey, no fair," I protested. "You have to get to relax too, and I need to know what's going on. Don't bottle everything up, that's not going to be good for either of us."
But he took another deep breath and turned away, under control again. "I will answer your questions when there's time, Amy. Right now, though, we need to get ourselves settled in and safe. I should not let old wounds slow me down like that."
This isn't the end of that conversation, whatever you think, I promised myself. Perhaps he was right and this wasn't the time for it, but we'd come back to it.
"I'm sorry you went through whatever it was that happened," I said quietly. "We don't have to talk about it now, but you should talk to someone, sometime. It helps."
"Perhaps once we're out of danger," he said. "For now, I cannot let the dark memories of the distant past distract me. I have a duty to look after you, first."
He was all business, no sign of the pain he'd felt showing. Except in his eyes, which were still haunted by the past as he looked around the shrine. I followed him as he explored, trying to take everything in. There wasn't much to see beyond the shrine itself, but Kadran checked it carefully.
"If we set our camp up behind the statue we'll be out of sight of the doorway," he said after a moment. "It's a pity that the hole's only patched with a forcefield, but it's safe enough as long as you don't get too close."
"No danger of that," I said with feeling, looking at the ragged gap. I didn't like being this near the hole, but Kadran was right. Here, in the shadow of the Empress's statue, we couldn't be seen from the door. Perhaps it was a coincidence, but it was also an angle from which we couldn't see the statue's face — and that seemed to make Kadran a little more comfortable.
Stolen by the Alien Raider: A Novel of the Silent Empire Page 6