by Gun Brooke
“I know. I don’t have one. I have no idea where the main med kit is.” Mogghy murmured something inaudible, and she realized he was talking to someone outside. Suddenly the ramp above them shifted. She crawled on top of Dwyn and shielded her from falling dirt and rubble.
Mogghy knelt next to them. “Do you think she can be evacuated?”
Desperate, she shook her head. “No, damn it, I don’t. Look at her, she’s hardly breathing.” Jacelon, Kellen, and Leanne had joined them, and Owena was approaching behind them, carrying two blazing branches.
“We need some light here,” Owena said, and drove the branches into the ground. “Here, help me make more.” She handed several limbs to Leanne, who lit them with a quick blast of a sidearm.
Jacelon knelt next to Emeron and gently palpated Dwyn’s stomach. “I think she’s bleeding internally. Oches signaled the SC headquarters several times before the blast, and I can only hope the MEDEVAC teams get here in time.” She touched Dwyn’s cheek. “She’s so brave.”
“She’s braver than any of us.” Emeron choked on her words, feeling utterly helpless. Fury rose inside her, as did the bile in her throat. “Dwyn...” she whispered to the motionless figure on the ground. She wanted to pull her into her arms, cover her with kisses, and coerce her life-force to return to her. Dwyn was so cold, but so deeply unconscious she didn’t even shiver. Emeron didn’t want to imagine what might have happened to her brain, and spine when the blast threw her and the ship halfway across the clearing. A small, persistent voice repeated that Dwyn was dying, that help was once again coming too late, and she could do nothing about it.
“Imer-Ohon-Da?” a faint female voice said, startling her. She snapped her head around and looked at Yhja, who stood on uncertain legs behind her with Trom holding her up. “We must hurry, Imer-Ohon-Da.”
“Yhja, you shouldn’t be on your feet.” She motioned for Mogghy to take the young woman away, but Yhja raised her hand in a commanding gesture. “Listen to me, Imer-Ohon-Da. You are the daughter’s daughter of Briijn. You possess the knowledge and talents of her bloodline. You don’t recognize this, but now you have to use all the courage your grandmother gave you when you were a small child.” She stumbled up behind Emeron and placed her hand on her shoulder. Trom did the same, and their touch was warm and vibrating. “If you don’t, Imer-Ohon-Da, we will lose Dwyn. Only you can save her.”
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Emeron was about to object, fiercely, that Yhja would even suggest she should engage in the Disians’ pseudo-magical thinking. She’d once hoped that the Disians would be able to save Briijn, but had soon realized that her Cormanian relatives were right. It was useless gibberish.
“You cannot allow your doubt to stand in the way of Dwyn’s life and happiness.” Yhja spoke softly, but her voice grew stronger with each word. “You blame the Disian culture for the death of your grandmother, this is no secret. And Pri warned Trom and me that you were too wounded to determine the truth.”
“I need a medical scanner. And she needs a MEDEVAC to a hospital in Corma,” Emeron cried.
“Dwyn needs you. She needs the wisdom and knowledge that run through your veins. Trom and I cannot perform the ceremony, but you can. With our help, through you, you can do this, Imer-Ohon-Da.”
“Try, at least,” Leanne sobbed. “If I can do anything to help, Emeron, I will. Don’t believe the cold-hearted socialites and careerists that make up most of the women in our family. Believe in Briijn. Believe in the woman you adored and who loved you unconditionally. Don’t throw away your heritage. If you don’t try...” Leanne drew a trembling breath and clung to Owena. “You’ll never forgive yourself if she dies.”
“Leanne.” Emeron wanted to explain just how preposterous the possibility was when suddenly she visualized a half-naked Dwyn sitting on her bedroll in their tent, waiting patiently and faintly smiling as Emeron ran the sanitizer rod along her hair and body. She trembled and looked up at Yhja. “All right. What do I do?”
“You know the songs your grandmother sang by the fire?”
“Yes. Those were lullabies.”
“Yes. They are also the key to the gateway to healing. This is how parents and grandparents keep their families, especially their children, healthy.”
Emeron stared down at Dwyn, and for a terrifying moment, she thought it was too late. “All right.” She cleared her voice and glanced around, seeing the dirty and scratched faces of her unit and Jacelon’s. Except for the two marines guarding their captive mercenaries, they all stood around Dwyn and her in a circle, and their presence gave her strength and courage. She placed her hands around Dwyn’s ribs.
“Megos hordos maitele, megos hordos nove oso nenne taghest...” I will help you, darling, I will help you and you will feel no pain... Emeron sang the guttural song that Briijn had crooned to her so many times. Yhja and Trom’s hands rested on her, sending a near-burning sensation down to her own hands and out of her fingertips. She sang the four lines over and over, and with every new cycle, she felt as if her knees sank farther into the dirt as she became one with the forest around her. Beneath her fingers, Dwyn lay still, and the only thoughts in her mind were to save her, to give her back her future.
Emeron was aware of the others around them, but only vaguely. She drove herself and Dwyn farther along the path of healing each time she repeated the chant. Her own torso was warm, despite the cold ground she knelt on, and she wanted to give all that abundant warmth to Dwyn. Envisioning her own soul entering Dwyn’s system, flooding it, finding everything that was injured and healing it from within, Emeron heard her voice sink half an octave.
For the first time since Emeron had returned to the forest, the life-force of the Umbra coursed through her, strengthening her as she chanted, and she felt safer and stronger than she’d ever been. She knew she could help Dwyn. The chant mesmerized her, and she trembled. The Umbra simmered just beneath her skin, sent shock waves of an unimaginable force through her, and she abandoned the last remnants of her fear. Throwing her head back, she stared with unseeing eyes at the starlit sky, well aware of the people nearby, but at the same time focused only on Dwyn.
The low murmur continued as of its own volition, and eventually she began to fall, but she refused to let go of Dwyn. Gentle hands helped her lie down and only then, when she lay next to Dwyn, her face buried into the amazing blond hair, did she let go. Exhausted, she closed her eyes. She still hummed the chant, even as she began to black out. She struggled hard to carry on her chant, forcing every word over her lips.
“Megos hordos maitele, megos hordos nove oso nenne taghest...” I will help you, darling, I will help you and you will feel no pain...
*
Rae gazed down at Dwyn. Emeron had chanted for more than forty-five minutes, until her voice had failed and she had passed out. Trom and Yhja were now on their knees, looking almost as exhausted. Dwyn lay still, and Leanne crouched next to her, feeling her carotid pulse. The moment Leanne touched Dwyn, her eyes snapped open and she drew a deep breath, then another.
“Emeron.”
“Dwyn, Dwyn,” Leanne said, and tried to keep her from sitting up. “Listen to me, you’re wounded badly. You have to stay like this.”
“No, I’m fine. I’m fine, but where’s Emeron? Oh...” She stared down at the woman next to her. “What’s wrong? What’s wrong with her? What happened?”
“Nothing’s the matter, Dwyn, lie down.” Dahlia joined Leanne’s attempt to keep her immobile. “You look better. In fact, much better than before. And it’s because of Emeron.”
“What do you mean?” Dwyn looked at Leanne and Dahlia.
“She healed you,” Leanne said reverently. “She chanted a Disian chant for the longest time, the same verse over and over, and finally she...well, I don’t think she actually fainted, rather fell asleep. From exhaustion.”
“She healed me?” Dwyn blinked several times. She took two deep breaths, without coughing, Rae noticed. “My lungs. They feel fine. Help me
up.” She extended a hand to Owena, who stood next to Leanne. Owena helped her to her feet, slowly, and she stood first on one leg, then the other, stretching. She smiled. “Whatever she did...” She fell to her knees in the dirt next to Emeron and pulled her up into her arms. “Whatever you did, Emeron, it worked. It worked.” She cried now, large, crystal-clear tears that moved Rae enough for her to step closer to Kellen and place her hand on the small of her back.
“What’s going on? Dwyn?” Emeron looked up, dazed. “Dwyn.”
Rae motioned for Kellen and the others to follow her to the group of restrained prisoners. Dwyn and Emeron needed a chance to make sense of what had just happened. Rae looked at the row of eighteen dead mercenaries, most of them the crew of the crashed vessel. Suddenly she stopped and raised her head. At the same time her communicator came to life.
“Alex de Vies to Jacelon, come in. I repeat, Alex de Vies to Jacelon, come in.”
Rae tugged her communicator to her lips. “Jacelon here. Good to hear your voice. What’s your ETA?”
“A minute or two, Admiral. We received a delayed message via the old communication system only forty-five minutes ago. We’ve been trying to pinpoint your location since then. I’ve never come across such magnetic disturbance. It threw all our sensors off. If you hadn’t set off that explosion, we’d still be looking for you.”
“Well, glad we could oblige.”
“Is everything all right, ma’am? We understand from your previous transmission that you have Diplomat Jacelon safely in protective custody?”
“Affirmative. Have you let my father know yet? And Armeo?”
“Yes, ma’am. And you should be able to see the first hovercraft by now. I’ll land first and have my tactical team make sure the area is secure before the MEDEVAC teams arrive.”
“We have secured the mercenary enemies, but we haven’t determined who is sending bots to kill Dwyn Izontro. We have wounded on both sides and need the medical teams ASAP.”
Rae and Kellen looked up as the night sky became bright. Two large hovercraft landed and marines streamed out, quickly assessing the clearing and the surrounding forest. Alex de Vies joined them, inspecting the wreckage area.
“You took down this vessel with plasma-pulse rifles?” He looked dumbfounded.
“Not really. We’re not sure how it happened, but we have Ms. Izontro to thank for it, I think. There have been some extraordinary events here tonight, and honestly, I’m not sure how to phrase them in my report.” She knew they might never know how Dwyn could have caused such an explosion with a mere energy-destabilizer.
Six of the larger MEDEVAC hovercraft landed in the center of the clearing, and the medical staff jumped out and began to run toward them. Dahlia stood a few feet away, watching the arriving backup. She swayed a little and Rae was immediately at her side, her arm around Dahlia’s waist. “Hey, Mom, easy. Let’s get you a stretcher.”
“I’m all right, Rae. I need to make sure M’Ekar goes on the first hovercraft out of here.”
“You’re going to have to explain why you care what happens to that callous bastard later. Right now I want you out of here. No objections. I’m pulling rank.”
“I’m not one of your soldiers...” Dahlia began haughtily, then softened and smiled. “Very well. Send M’Ekar and me on the first one.”
Rae shook her head. “All right. If that’s what it takes. You’ll both go directly to the infirmary aboard the Dalathea. Father, Armeo, and Ayahliss are there. It’s the safest place for you right now.”
“I doubt I’m in danger now that M’Ekar and Weiss Kyakh are both helpless.”
“I’m not taking any chances, Mother.” Rae didn’t intend to back off. “Father would never forgive me, nor would I, if anything else happened to you.”
“If you insist. Honestly,” Dahlia said, and leaned against her, “I’m ready for a nap.”
*
Dwyn helped Emeron to her feet, taken aback by the intensity in her eyes. SC forces examined the wreckage and scanned the clearing as well as its surroundings. She had so many questions, but Emeron’s slightly dazed expression told her they would have to wait.
“Thank you,” she said quietly. “You saved my life.”
“Only after you saved mine, and everyone else’s.” Emeron hugged Dwyn. “We should get you to one of the MEDEVAC hovercraft and have you checked out immediately.”
“No need,” she insisted. “You healed me. Don’t minimize or doubt what you just did. My lungs are fine, and whatever injuries I sustained in the explosion are healed too.”
“But you had extensive internal bleeding,” Emeron said. She placed her hand on Dwyn’s stomach. “You were swelling up and...” She quieted.
“No swelling now. Nothing. I’m fine.” She smiled. “I promise. I wouldn’t lie to you.”
“I know. I also know how persistent you are, and determined to put your duty above yourself.” Emeron looked thoughtfully at her. “All right. Stay close to me while we wrap things up. I don’t want you out of my sight.”
“Okay. I can do that.” She winked, feeling lighthearted and giddy merely to be alive.
They joined the rest of Emeron’s team, and Dwyn walked among them, making sure they were all right. Mogghy had his cut seen to by an SC nurse and seemed well enough to flirt ruthlessly with her. Dwyn stopped when she saw Ensign Noor, who sat on a rock holding her knee. “Noor. What happened?”
“It’s embarrassing.” Noor sighed. “The blast didn’t hurt me, but then I tripped over Lt. Mogghy’s back-strap security carrier and twisted my knee.” She looked miserable and Dwyn fought to hide her smile.
“Anyone seen to you yet?”
“No, no. I can wait. There are people with worse injuries that need medical attention.”
Dwyn wouldn’t have expected any less of a member of Emeron’s team. She remembered how disdainful of babysitting an environmental activist Noor had originally been.
“We should ask Emeron to hold your knee and chant,” she deadpanned, but began to laugh at Noor’s horrified expression. “I’m kidding. A little touch-up with a bone knitter will do the trick.”
“You shouldn’t scare a poor soldier that way, ma’am,” Noor said, with a relieved grin. “It’s one thing to see the commander bring you back to life, but—”
“Another matter to have her tend to a sore knee. Got it.” She sat down next to Noor. “Mind if I keep you company? She healed me, but to tell the truth, that wore me out.”
“I bet.” Noor looked at her with half a smile. “I owe you an apology, Dwyn.”
“Whatever for?”
“I treated you badly those first days. You were merely doing your job, and I shouldn’t have been such an idiot about it.”
“Apology accepted. I don’t think I made it easy for you either. I can really get wrapped up in the importance of what I do. Guess it’s called arrogance.” She shrugged. “It’s easy to fall into that trap, and I’m sorry too.”
Noor lit up and extended her right hand. “We’ve reached consensus,” she said brightly.
“I agree.”
Dwyn was amazed by how quickly the SC troops worked the area, and she watched as they carried the surviving mercenaries one by one aboard the MEDEVAC craft. Emeron explained they would go to several different prison facilities, depending on their injuries.
“Will I be able to retrieve my samples?” Dwyn asked when it was time to leave. “We went through quite a bit because of them. At least that’s what I assume.”
“I’ll send in a well-armed unit to retrieve our hovercraft and your samples right away,” Emeron said. “Now that the SC forces are dealing with the aftermath of the hostage situation, I can go ahead and do what I do best. Police work.” She reached out to Dwyn. “Time to go.”
“All right.” Dwyn took the proffered hand and stood. “Do you have teams coming in to clear out the debris?”
“The SC forces have people who will recover everything here and examine it thoroughly. It’s
part of the chain of evidence against the kidnappers, and I’m sure it’ll tell quite a tale about pirates in general.”
“And the Disians. Will they get help? I mean to rebuild, that sort of thing.”
Emeron’s smile softened. “I’ll make sure that help is offered, at least. Whether they’ll accept it, I don’t know. A unit of SC marines will escort Trom and Yhja back to the village. Yhja is doing all right, and it was clear they want to go home. Poor kids, they look exhausted.”
“I bet they are. We’ve taken them for quite a ride.” Dwyn found she was still clinging to Emeron’s hand. A little embarrassed, she let go. “So where’s our ride? I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to get out of here and go straight to my hotel and have a long bath.”
Emeron laughed. “Sounds like a good idea. The bath, I mean.” It was her turn to look flustered. “And our ride is over there, with Captain de Vies.”
They joined the protector and Jacelon, who stood talking to Owena and Leanne outside the hovercraft. Dwyn climbed inside and took a seat near a small round window. As the hovercraft ascended, she looked down and was amazed at how far the wreckage had scattered. It seemed to cover almost the entire clearing.
Something glistened at the far eastern corner, and she shifted in her seat to take a better look. The sparkling object moved, and soon more followed it. Like six deadly projectiles, the bots streaked across the clearing. Dwyn gasped. “Raise shields,” she shouted, drowning out the conversations around her. “Captain de Vies, maximum shields. They’re headed right for us!”
Chapter Thirty
“Shields up,” Alex de Vies commanded. “Evasive maneuvers. Damn it, these things don’t show up on sensors.”
“They’re shielded somehow.” Rae, buckled in next to him, looked furious. Kellen saw the familiar signs that she was running out of patience. Her thin lips were pressed even tighter together, and her eyes were so steely gray, they were almost black. Angry red spots glowed on her cheeks.