In Evil Times

by Melinda Snodgrass

  Mercedes dropped her hands into her lap. A moment later and he felt her hand reaching for his. He caught it and gave a reassuring squeeze. He wanted to hold fast, but she pulled away and leaned across the table.

  “Shall we begin? We’re very eager to tell you about the League and outline the benefits of membership.”

  “We are interested in hearing about human history after our departure,” Lily Nielsen’s Datter said.

  “But we see no reason to join with you,” Kristin Olmsdahl’s Datter said. Her voice might be an aged quaver, but it was implacable.

  “How about the fact you’ve settled on a barely marginal planet,” Cipriana said.

  “And that there are alien races that I’m assuming you’ve yet to meet,” Mercedes added.

  That caused a reaction. “Aliens?” the youngest woman asked.

  “Oh yes. Aliens that we defeated, but you might want our protection. Space is big. Who knows what else is out there?” Mercedes said. There was something in her tone that led Tracy to think that wasn’t just hyperbole.

  Sector 470—could she know? Probably, and she probably knew more than he did. Years ago Rohan had tasked Tracy with investigating that sector. What he found had been disturbing. Given her access to intelligence service reports, Mercedes probably knew a lot more than he did about the missing ships.

  His attention snapped back to the meeting when the two older women began laughing. “Aliens? You expect us to believe that? Decades of listening without any evidence of non-terrestrial life beyond algae and microbes,” Virginia, the middle-aged woman said. “I’m outraged you would try such an obvious ploy. We don’t frighten.”

  Mercedes was rendered speechless by the reaction. She and Cipriana exchanged flummoxed glances.

  Tracy leaned in and whispered, “Perhaps an object lesson? I’ve got a Cara’ot batBEM. There are Hajin and Isanjo on both ships.”

  Cipriana leaned into the huddle and added, “Buys us some time too.”

  Mercedes nodded. She leaned in at the ruling triumvirate. “Shall we take a break while I prove to you I’m not lying?” She jerked her hand back over her shoulder.

  Tracy left the table, hurried to the waiting officers and filled them in. From their positions at the far end of the room they hadn’t been able to hear much. Admiral Kartirci nodded. “Good call, Belmanor. Use the shuttle radio to contact the ship. Bring them in once they land.”

  “Aye, sir.”

  De Vilbiss caught his elbow before he could move away. “Don’t waste time sending up one of the shuttles. Burn the fuel and bring down another.” His fingers tightened on Tracy’s arm, and his gaze was intense.

  “Should I add those items you forgot, sir?”

  “Yes. Do that.”

  Four of the female troops surrounded him and made it clear he was not going to go anywhere unattended. Tracy quickly added four of the League troops to the mix and they moved out of the building. The snow crunched and squeaked beneath his boots and Tracy felt like an idiot in the midst of this heavily armed scrum. What the hell did the women think he was going to do in the forty seconds it would take to cross to the shuttles? Find some woman and ravish her? Cipriana’s bruised and bloody face seemed to float before his eyes and guilt slammed down. That was probably exactly what they feared.

  The women soldiers accepted that they were not going to be allowed inside the shuttle. Once the hatch dogged closed Tracy moved to the radio and sent a coded message to the Triunfo requesting the batBEMs, but also another squad of fusileros with the order that the extra troops remain onboard the shuttle and maintain radio silence.

  Tracy settled down to wait. Orbital mechanics had the battle cruiser on the far side of the planet. He tried to use the opportunity to sleep, but there was a fluttering deep in his gut. There was a superiority and disdain on the part of the colonists that didn’t bode well for the coming annexation. Tracy hoped the revelation of the aliens would quell those attitudes, but it was only a hope. He drank coffee, ate a protein bar, paced. Eventually the other shuttle settled onto a snowy runway nearby. Tracy pulled on his parka and hurried over followed by his escort. The big side door didn’t open. Instead he slipped in through the pilot’s hatch.

  The sergeant braced and saluted. “What’s the plan, sir?”

  “Stay here. Maintain radio silence, but monitor all communications. We may need you.”

  “Aye, aye, sir.”

  “Sorry about the cramped conditions.”

  A brief smile flickered across his lips. “We’ve had worse. This is like a room at the Ritz.”

  Tracy moved to where Donnel waited with an Isanjo and a nervous Hajin. “So this is how humans do diplomacy. A little bit of charm, a whole lot of deceit and overwhelming firepower,” the Cara’ot said.

  “I’m hoping you three are going to render the firepower unnecessary,” Tracy said.

  “What do you need us to do, sir?” the Isanjo asked.

  “Look scary.”

  A grin made the fur-covered gamin face even more gamin. The Isanjo unsheathed his four-inch claws. “Will this do?”

  “Excellent.”

  The Hajin looked even more distressed. “I don’t really do… scary.”

  Tracy glanced up into the long face. Like most of the males of his species, the Hajin topped out at a bit over seven feet. “Loom. Glower. These are all females on this world.”

  “Oh, your precious League is gonna get their panties in a twist over that,” Donnel said. “And what’s my role?”

  “You’re horrifying without doing a goddamn thing,” Tracy responded.

  Donnel smiled. “I’ll scuttle up the wall and hang off the ceiling. And do tell ’em about the Sidones. Humans hate spiders.”

  * * *

  The reaction was everything Mercedes could have hoped for. During the wait refreshments had been served and Mercedes and Cipriana had chatted with Virginia and Melodia. Amelia hesitantly approached the male officers, studying them with fascination. The admiral’s adjutant, a handsome young lieutenant, bowed and kissed her hand to her evident confusion and some delight. They began to talk until Melodia noticed, and summoned Amelia back with a sharp word.

  Mercedes had just lifted the teacup to her lips when there was a babble of confusion and alarm from beyond the double doors. Melodia strode over and threw them open as Tracy led his group of aliens through the soldiers waiting in the antechamber. The female soldiers were recoiling in alarm, and the male troops from the League ships reacted with amusement. Mercedes noted the exposed claws and Tracy’s batBEM scuttling across the ceiling and she hid a smile.

  “Oh Goddess preserve us,” Virginia whispered.

  “We don’t lie,” Mercedes said. “This,” she thrust a finger at the aliens, “is why you need us.” She checked the data deck set into her sleeve. “I think you’ve got quite a lot to think about. Shall we resume in the morning?”

  “Yes. Yes.” Melodia suddenly sounded old. “We’ve arranged accommodations for you and your males.”

  Glances were exchanged. “Thank you for your hospitality, but I need to consult with my officers before I can accept.” Mercedes moved to Admiral Kartirci. “What do you want us to do?” she asked quietly.

  “I’m quite certain Carl Vink will want us to return to the Concepción.”

  Mercedes considered. The advantage was that it would eat up more hours, leaving the planet, resting, returning. It would also be rude and the clearest indication of their distrust of the women of Sinope. “I think we have to stay, sir.”

  “I don’t disagree.”

  Mercedes returned to the triumvirate. “Thank you. We accept.”

  17

  DUTY

  They were taken deeper into the cliff, and down various corridors to a suite of rooms. Mercedes was very aware of the female troops who surrounded her people, but comforted herself with the knowledge that the League soldiers were better armed and probably better trained.

  They were led to a large metal door that wouldn
’t have been out of place in a prison. Mercedes’ pace slowed but she forced herself to step through. Inside was far less intimidating. There were cushions and rugs on the stone floor, a few of the plastic chairs and couches piled with pillows. There were more of the wall hangings separated by numerous doors. She opened one to find four bunk beds. Another door inside the bedroom probably led to a lavatory. They appeared to be in some sort of barracks.

  The adjutants began to get the fusileros arranged. Tracy set his tap-pad and ScoopRing to privacy settings and de Vilbiss, Kartirci, the admiral’s adjutant, Cipriana, and Mercedes went into a huddle within that protective buzz of cyber and audio security.

  “This room is undoubtedly bugged,” de Vilbiss said.

  “And they’re advanced enough to know we’re jamming them,” Kartirci said.

  “Makes us look just the tiniest bit suspicious, don’t you think?” Cipriana offered.

  “They’re just as suspicious of us. I don’t think they’ll think it’s strange,” Tracy said.

  “I wish we’d gotten a bit more information. How long they’ve been here? How many people were aboard that long view ship?” Mercedes shook her head, frustrated. Tracy cleared his throat. “Yes, Captain-Lieutenant?”

  “While I was waiting for the batBEMs to arrive I communicated with Flag Captain Lord Vink. Fortunately he’s…”

  “Paranoid as all hell?” the admiral offered with a smile.

  Tracy smiled back. “Cautious. He sent a team aboard the colony’s abandoned long view ship. Based on the equipment they estimate they started with only about forty thousand individuals. Most of the cryo units were for animal embryos and seed banks.”

  Diego, the admiral’s adjutant, spoke up. “As for how long they’ve been here… I only had a few minutes to talk with Amelia, but she indicated it had been about a hundred and fifty years.”

  “Population can’t be that big. Not all forty thousand would have been of childbearing age,” Cipriana said.

  “Or had viable ova,” de Vilbiss said. “Remember they’re not doing this the old-fashioned way.”

  “If they’ve got artificial wombs they could have rapidly expanded the population,” Mercedes said.

  The men looked shocked, then Tracy shook his head. “Unlikely. Even if they’d developed that tech they wouldn’t have increased the population by that much. It’s a marginal world. They’re growing food in domes.” He did some fast calculations on his pad. “Best guess, and it is a guess, but I think there can’t be more than three or four hundred thousand people.”

  Kartirci grunted. “That’s a relief. Reichart’s World had four million. That was a bitch to coordinate. We were digging people out of rat holes three years on.”

  “Given the harshness of the environment they won’t be able to run,” Tracy said.

  “This is going to be a lousy provincial governorship,” de Vilbiss said.

  “Well, the Emperor can use it as one of those rewards that’s its own punishment,” Kartirci said. The laughter rippled through the group.

  “We need to wrap this up.” Mercedes interrupted the merriment. “So, tomorrow… what’s my play?”

  “History, lots of history,” Cipriana suggested. “Bore them insensible.”

  “And ask them questions,” Tracy added. “Everybody loves to talk about themselves. And, Your Majesty, there’s another fire team aboard the fourth shuttle. Should things go pear-shaped.”

  “Well, let us hope for harmony and comity until the transports arrive,” Mercedes said.

  Tracy shut down the isolation protocols and moved away. But he kept glancing back at her.

  “You can’t.” Cipriana’s voice was soft, her breath puffing against Mercedes’ ear.

  “Are you sleeping with him, Cipri?” Mercedes was startled at how harsh her voice sounded.

  “No. We’re just friends.” Cipriana bowed her head and stared down at the carpet that covered the stone floor.

  Mercedes gripped her friend’s wrist. “Cipri, I need your advice. About sex.”

  “I’ve sworn off men,” she replied with forced lightness.

  “Since when?”

  “Since I got raped.”

  The flat tone and level delivery left her breathless, but also didn’t fool Mercedes. She pulled Cipriana into the bedroom and ordered that they not be disturbed.

  * * *

  Cipriana’s voice was emotionless, which made the tears running down her face all the more heartbreaking. Mercedes wrapped her arms around her friend’s shoulders and hugged her tightly as the story ran down to its conclusion.

  “So now I work for Exeteur in Medical keeping his files. It’s make-work since I have no training to be of any actual help to him. The only bright point is Tracy. He stops by when his duties permit and checks on me.”

  “I assume the man has been dealt with,” Mercedes said.

  Cipriana shook her head. “Exeteur kept quiet—medical privilege, and I made Tracy promise. He’s kept his word. The captain doesn’t know. No one knows except Tracy, Exeteur and me. Well, and Wessen of course.”

  “Tracy didn’t take care of the fellow?” Mercedes felt disappointed.

  Cipriana drew back, pushed Mercedes away and gave her an incredulous look. “Don’t be absurd, Mer! This isn’t some novela romántica. The man’s FFH and Tracy’s not an idiot. What did you expect him to do? Challenge him to a duel? Beat him up in some secluded corner of the ship? Kill him? One false move and he’s drummed out. Same goes for me.”

  Mercedes felt both guilty and hurt. “You getting raped is not making a false move. You’re the victim here. You should have contacted me. We would have seen to it this man was removed and punished.”

  “Are you really that clueless?” Cipriana bestowed a sharp rap to the side of Mercedes’ head. “You know how the world works. I would be the one to get the blame. And then it would spread to your father. The debate would begin all over again about the wisdom of having women in the military. Then where would you be? I have to endure until there are more of us to give you cover.”

  “I never demanded that of you.”

  “You didn’t have to. It was expected and you and your father never doubted that. We all do our duty to you and the crown, and do our best to survive while we’re doing it.”

  “And you think that doesn’t apply to me too?” Mercedes cried. “I went to the academy, graduated, married Boho—” she broke off.

  The look Cipriana gave her was disconcertingly astute, but she stayed mercifully silent. She sighed, stroked a hand down Mercedes’ arm and gave her hand a squeeze. “Maybe that’s all any of us, princess or commoner, can hope for.”

  The metal door whispered closed behind her. Mercedes sat on the bed and bleakly contemplated duties that lay ahead.

  * * *

  Tracy was restless, unable to sleep and the dinner that had been brought to their suite lay heavy in his stomach. Finally he got up, dressed and went out into the central room. He paced, lit one of the herbal sticks the Tiponis liked to smoke. Its effect on humans was minimal, but it smelled good and tasted pleasant. It also gave him something to do with his hands, a way to burn off nervous energy. The blank door of Mercedes’ room both beckoned and repelled. She was mere feet away. Only a single door separated them. His earlier joy at being assigned to assist her had given way to despair. She seemed to be looking through him. She was polite enough, but he felt diminished. Perhaps she had fallen in love with Boho. Perhaps if he heard that directly from her the longing would pass.

  He stubbed out the stick, contemplated the blank face of the door, willed himself to sense her. Read her mind. Know her heart. He walked to the door. Stopped. Not only were their hosts watching, the fusilero squad leaders had set peeps to watch the bedroom doors. Mercedes wasn’t really alone.

  In one moment he could ruin not only himself and her, but these delicate negotiations. He walked away.

  * * *

  Mercedes listened to the retreating footsteps. Every muscle in her
body had tensed, her lungs seemed to be repelling the air. She knew it had been him. She waited but Tracy didn’t return and the knock never came. She sat up, the covers falling to her waist, hugged her knees and tried to ignore the twinge of sorrow and focus on being relieved.

  Anxiety formed a sick churn in her stomach. She got up and went into the small bathroom for a drink of water. It was numbingly cold as if it came directly off the glaciers that hung like white curtains on the canyon walls. She returned to bed and pulled up the covers, shivered.

  She should be thinking about the coming day. Prepare her talking points, make sure she didn’t give away too much, but her mind kept darting between Cipriana and Tracy. She felt guilty over her disappointment. Was ambition enough of a reason not to act, not to have found a way to punish Cipriana’s attacker?”

  And should he have found a way into your room tonight?

  Evil little voice. Mercedes tossed aside the covers and went to the door. Leaned against it for a moment, pressing her cheek against the cold metal. What would the watchers make of her disquiet? Would they know it had more to do with a pair of grey eyes and less to do with the fact she had to keep a shooting war from breaking out for another forty-eight hours?

  She went back to bed, but sleep continued to elude her.

  * * *

  “Glad to see you grew a brain.” The words whispered into his ear caused Tracy to jump and a yell rose in his throat. Donnel clapped one of his hands over Tracy’s mouth so he wouldn’t disturb the sleepers in the room. The alien was clinging to the wall next to the door halfway between floor and ceiling.

  Tracy pulled away the six-fingered hand and whispered angrily, “I’m not a fool. Why are you up? Are you spying on me?”

  “It’s my duty to serve. You get up—I get up.”

  Tracy glanced at the bunks. Shattering snores from the sleeping men filled the room. He backed out and returned to the common room. Donnel followed.