Sabrina’s response to Hickory’s aim of freeing the Yatzi slaves had been emotional. “They are not birds to be ensnared. They are free beings with an independent will. I am happy to see them released from their cages. I will help if I can.”
Hickory wondered how safe the concubine would be once the Yatzi attacked. They would likely view her as part of the establishment they were trying to destroy. She felt like a juggler with too many balls in the air. She needed an extra hand.
CHAPTER 19
Secret Meeting
Hickory peered through the window of “Spice & Oil” and spotted Sikona examining a jar of incense. She adjusted her SIM to pick up the frequency of his communicator, then walked through the entrance and stood beside him.
He turned his head away then murmured into his throat mike. “Not too close Earthling, or you will give the game away.”
She stepped back half a pace. Happy to see you too, Bikashi. I hope it’s okay to talk here. I couldn’t think of many places a Lakedweller would stand as close to a Bikashi without comment. I’m here on behalf of my mistress to choose some bath oil for her.
“And I am here on a similar quest.” His eyes rounded into perfect circles, then reverted to their normal shape.
The uniform looks good.
“I needed to find a way to blend in when I reached the city; otherwise, I’d appear even stranger than a Lakedweller in a spice shop. We had better finish our business here soon. We can continue our discussions as we walk.”
Hickory selected some cinnamon bath oil and paid the fee using Sabrina’s authority. Sikona replaced the jar of incense on the shelf and followed her out. They maintained five yards separation as they strolled along the footpath in the retail sector.
“I have some news for you, Captain Lace,” he said.
And I you, Sikona, but you first.
She turned left at the next corner, and he followed.
“I have joined the resistance movement. They are the ones who gave me the security guard’s uniform and identity badge.”
Hickory was bemused. There is a resistance movement on Auriga?
“It’s unsurprising you haven’t heard of it. We are small in numbers—less than a hundred in the capital, a few more outside the walls—but we have people in high places in the administration as well as workers and are growing in strength. We are determined to restore the Bikashi culture to what it once was. The ruling class has become corrupt, and their focus is purely on gaining power and riches for themselves by exploiting the poor. We will bring them down and replace the existing government and its infrastructure with one that is more egalitarian.”
Hickory understood. The Aurigan’s experience of corruption and the vicissitudes of his life under what was primarily a feudal system where the top tier was never held accountable had led to Sikona’s epiphany. His sojourn as a Dark Sun and the journey to Kaffur with Hickory had equipped him to become the perfect revolutionary. What of Jolphyr? she asked.
Sikona’s grunt, his equivalent to a belly laugh, drew a few odd glances, but no one stopped to ask the security guard what he found so funny.
“I have not forgotten Jolphyr. I hope to have the pleasure of dispatching him to Hell soon. I wait and watch for my opportunity.”
The chance to strike a blow at your enemy might be closer than you think, said Hickory.
“You have a proposal for me?”
I intend to take the Lakedwellers to Earth and free the Yatzi slaves. She experienced a huge rush of adrenalin as she shared the thought with him. I have my own reasons for doing this, but your resistance movement will benefit too. The Lakedwellers and Yatzis are the linchpins of the system operated by Kabutai and his Directorates. When they are withdrawn, it will lead to the collapse of their government.
“And you want our help to set them free?”
I need your help to get them off the planet.
As Hickory explained her plan in detail, Sikona’s eyes grew round and shining. “You don’t do things by halves, do you, Captain Lace? I will place your proposal in front of the leaders. I imagine their response will be swift.”
But first, let me tell you my other news. What would you say if I told you I’d found your sister?
The Bikashi halted mid-stride, causing the couple behind him to bump into him. He mumbled his apologies and closed the gap to Hickory. He half-reached out to grasp her arm, then changed his action to bend to the ground and pick up an imaginary coin. “What would I say? I’d say I’m disappointed to discover you to be a liar. My sister has been dead these three years.”
You’d best prepare yourself, Sikona. As fate would have it, I am Sabrina’s maidservant. She is far from dead, I assure you. She sends her heartfelt affection for her brother and asks you to meet her secretly in a place of your own choosing.
#
Hickory felt the temperature rise. Now it begins. Aslexis had done what he’d promised and jammed the thermostat on Level three which controlled the air flow through the city. Soon the heat would become uncomfortable, and the security services would start poking around. By then, Aslexis would have reversed the fans in the exhaust tunnels running out of the city and the air coming through the vents would be foul. She nodded to Sabrina. “It’s time.”
Sabrina sprang out of bed and strode over to the communications station. She stabbed at the link to engineering. “Jolphyr, are you there? Is this unbearable heat due to your meddling? This really is too much. I demand you have it fixed immediately. Until you do, I’m going to find somewhere cool to wait. Advise me as soon as the fault is rectified.” She disconnected and flashed her eyes at Hickory. “Please accompany me, Bertha.”
Hickory and Sabrina left the apartment and made their way to the retail sector. They halted outside an eating house where Sikona sat alone at a table by the window, checking those nearby.
“It’s him.” Sabrina danced from foot to foot in glee. She grabbed Hickory by the shoulders and whispered in her ear. “Thank you. I will never forget this.” She hurried across the road and disappeared inside.
Hickory watched brother and sister reunite. Sikona gaped in astonishment at the sight of his sister’s costume, then he reached out and took Sabrina’s hands in his, a sign of his deep affection. Sikona glanced out the window, spoke with Sabrina, and strolled over to Hickory.
He sat on a bench within hearing distance and murmured. “Firstly, thank you for arranging for me to meet with my sister. We have a lot of catching up to do—I have so much to tell her, as I’m sure is true of her. What an incredible life she must have led.”
“Be gentle with her, Sikona. She’s a strong person, but she’s been through a lot.”
“She told me you are her friend. I am grateful it is so.” He paused. “I will ask her formally to enlist in the resistance movement. I do not wish us to be parted again.” He nodded to himself then glanced over to meet Hickory’s eyes. “It was more difficult to reach agreement to your proposal than I anticipated. There seems to be a lack of trust among the leadership of Earth’s motives. However, they are excited by the possibilities, and there is an imminent opportunity. The battlecruiser Czirpitz is in stable orbit above Kaffur and is awaiting orders. There are two officers on board, one of whom is resistance, plus a maintenance crew of six. The cruiser carries two four-man shuttlecraft, two troop carriers capable of holding forty fully armed Bikashi soldiers, and one ship-to-shore transporter with seating for twenty crew.”
“A battlecruiser? That’s one helluva lift home.” She wondered what Earth’s response would be to a Bikashi warship on their doorstep. She hoped she could reason with them before they were fired upon.
“My leaders have stipulated one condition. The resistance will retain the battlecruiser after the mission is complete.”
Hickory’s brows knitted together. “If I’m taking it to Earth with the Lakedwellers, do you expect me to fly it back to Auriga, or…you’re coming with us, is that it?”
“I will bring a skeleton crew with me.
They, and the officer already on board will report to Jess until we’ve completed our part of the deal.”
The Czirpitz was a considerable bargaining chip. She might have used it when she came face to face with Merrik and the Politburo, but any value it had depended on her reaching Earth in the first place. She nodded. “We are agreed. It will be dangerous, and I’ll be glad to have your company.”
Sikona laid out the plan. The mission would commence two hours before dawn, at which time the officer on board would send a shuttle to Kaffur, where Jess would be waiting to transfer the first load of Lakedwellers to the Czirpitz.
After Sikona left, Hickory strode to the opposite end of the shopping precinct and called Jess. Jess, what’s your status?
I’m in the hangar looking to see if we can find some transport off this planet.
I think I have what you need. She told Jess about the deal with Sikona. You’ll be in charge on the flight home, but I need you to make sure all the Lakedwellers are safe on board before we leave.
Hickory strode back to the palace, feeling as though she wanted to punch the air. Could this really work? The trip back to Earth had seemed the toughest part of the strategy to engineer, now the answer had fallen into her lap. She forced herself to stay calm. Many would perish before she could claim success.
#
Aslexis, Gareth, a few kitchen workers, and Anitta passed the word around: a meeting of all Mitanni would be held in staff quarters before breakfast the following morning. Gareth had checked for surveillance equipment and found one camera. He would record an hour of normal activity before the meeting and replay it via the camera feedback. Anyone monitoring the room would be none the wiser.
“How many do you expect to turn up?” Hickory asked.
“Fifty-two of our people work in the palace, fifty-one if we discount Julia, the Bikashi collaborator. Subtract those who weren’t invited—Jesque, Vaques, and four other Bikashi spies and a couple we couldn’t reach—I’d say around forty.”
Aslexis’s grin sent Hickory’s heart into overdrive. She smiled hesitantly, marveling at his well-toned frame and bright blue eyes. She forced herself back to the job at hand. Forty, plus two hundred-odd at the village. It will take more than a few trips to get them all out.
The Mitanni trickled in, and Hickory worried about how many would show up, but then a crowd arrived together and she relaxed.
Gareth spoke to her via his SIM. Vaques has sneaked in with the crowd. I’ll guard the door to make sure he doesn’t leave.
Hickory had agreed Aslexis would introduce her and she would take it from there.
He moved to the front of the assembled crowd and stood on a chair. “Fellow Mitanni, thank you all for coming. Many of you fear for your life being here. To you, I say your bravery is admirable. Some of you have faith in the old ways and believe the prophecies of a redeemer who will free us all from the Bikashi yoke. Your faith will not go unrewarded. Others among you have hope of a life after death where you will be reunited with your loved ones. That day may soon be upon us.”
There was a buzz of excitement around the room. Aslexis was the son of Ishnu and would in due course take up his position as leader of the Mitanni. He had status amongst them and honor. His words carried authority.
Aslexis signaled Hickory to join him. “You do not know this woman, so what she has to say will seem incredible. I ask you to listen because she speaks truth.” He touched Hickory’s arm and stepped back.
Hickory drew in a deep breath and began, “My name is Hickory Lace, and I am not of this world.”
There was silence for a few seconds and then bedlam. Some laughed, thinking it a joke, others were bemused, more were incredulous, and a few started calling on Ra. Hickory raised her hands and asked for quiet. When the buzz settled, she outlined her plan to free the Mitanni from the tyranny of their masters. There was much consternation, even anger from some in the crowd. They find it too hard to believe. She persisted. “I am not from this world. You are not from this world. We come from the same world called Earth, and I would like to take you home.”
Vaques threw back his hood and strode to the front of the meeting shaking his fist at Hickory. “Why do you listen to a stranger who comes here to cause trouble! Each of you knows our history. The Bikashi have cared for us for thousands of years. We owe them a debt. Is this how you would repay them—by deserting them? I urge you to leave and return to your masters before you are discovered. None shall be the wiser.”
Aslexis placed a hand on Vaques’s chest and pushed him backward. “So speaks the squirmer who has preyed on you for many years at the behest of his masters. His own words betray him—we are Mitanni, not Lakedwellers. What has Vaques ever done for any of you, except demand tribute and threaten our most precious gift, our children?” He swept his arm to encompass Anitta and the five solitary young ones at the front of the crowd. “What hope do they have, what life do you have, if you will not accept Hickory’s offer? Will you allow this traitor to crawl back to his masters and tell them of our plans?”
The crowd muttered and surrounded Vaques. He raised his arms to protect himself, but there were too many, all keen to exact a little revenge from a despised sycophant.
“Wait.” Aslexis dragged several assailants off Vaques and raised him to his feet. “Even the vilest among us will add to our strength on Earth. Every human deserves the chance to repent their wrongdoings. What say you, Vaques, will you join us?”
“Pah!” Vasques mocked him. “And wait for the knife in my back from one of you good people? Do what you will. You will not evade Bikashi justice.”
CHAPTER 20
Vengeance
Hickory combed through the details of the plan a third time. It seemed sound, but without a clear understanding of the skills and trustworthiness of Sikona’s people, or the Warlord’s probable response, anything could happen. Murphy’s law never fails. She tossed up whether she should call the Admiral and beg for his support. She’d worked for him for over three years but felt she didn’t know what drove him any more than when he abandoned her as a six-year-old child. She’d never attempted anything as big or complex as this operation, and she felt edgy over all the things that could go wrong, but it was her choice and something she needed to do. She checked the time on her SIM. Two hours to go.
She looked over to where Sabrina was pulling apart her wardrobe, seeking something other than her Jane Eyre costumes. She couldn’t sleep, either, excited by the prospect of joining her brother in the resistance; of being free from the chains of the Bikashi culture represented by Kabutai and Jolphyr. When Hickory had questioned the prudence of her decision, she’d looked at her with puzzlement as though Hickory should understand more than any why she needed to do this. “God does not belong only to Earthlings. He is everywhere. I feel His presence most when His works are placed before me in the unclouded night sky; where stars and planets wheel their silent course. Then do I sense most clearly His infinitude, His omnipotence, His omnipresence. Gladly will I venture into the inky blackness the nearer to be to Him.”
It was pure Jane Eyre, but stated with a belief and confidence in His majesty and power, a confidence Hickory had lost with the death of Kar. She hoped it would work out well for her.
#
One hour to go.
Anyar? she transmitted.
<
The Yatzi will be remembered for their bravery today. Await my signal.
She switched circuits. Gareth, where are you now?
In the Mitanni rest quarters. The two nightshift security guards are sleeping like babies thanks to the brew Chef Minter concocted for them. Everyone is a little nervous, including me, but all is quiet at the moment.
Hickory breathed hard. It won’t be quiet for much longer. In thirty minutes, Sikona and his roughnecks will seize control of the Czirpitz, and Anyar and her Yatzis wi
ll start up the travelator. You need to make your way to the landing area, now, before the fun starts, and wait there for Jess to lift you off. Hopefully, you won’t be missed in all the ruckus.
Check, Captain. Then Jess and I will run a ferry service between Dur Untash and the Czirpitz. I hope the Bikashi resistance can be trusted to keep their end of the bargain. Frankly, I can’t see what they have to gain. They will already have taken the ship. Why not just hightail it out of here?
It was another anxiety point for Hickory, but at least she felt Sabrina and Sikona could be trusted to keep their word to her. If she were wrong, the whole exercise would collapse, and she and the rest of them wouldn’t be alive to worry about it too long. They don’t need us to seize the ship. The real benefit for them is to strip the Bikashi leadership of their unpaid servants and slaves. The ship is a bonus. At least I hope so.
#
Hickory headed back toward the second layer of the citadel. Halfway up the travelator, she signaled Anyar to release the Yatzi.
A moment later, roars of vengeance rose up from the lower floors, accompanied by shouts of fear and disbelief.
The Yatzi horde spilled off the travelator into level three, rampaging through the corridors leading to the Bikashi administration block. Anyar ran in the lead urging her charges on.
A squad of security personnel sprinted toward them, struggling to free weapons and bring them to bear on the charging Yatzi. They didn’t stand a chance. The Yatzi engaged with their enemy tooth and claw, spurred on by a hatred born of decades of mistreatment. Soon, most of the Bikashi lay dead or injured. A few were spared to spread the panic.
The wail of a siren swelled to an ululating moan as the Bikashi command realized the threat of the advancing mob towards their unprotected living quarters. Orders rang out over the address system, directing security to cordon off hot spots and urging civilians to take cover. The travelator was shut down, which caused further hysteria among civilians trying to escape.
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