“I’ll grab him,” said the older Sholan, going down on his belly and cautiously edging forward toward the fallen U’Churian. “Cover me!”
Kneeling by the pillar, Kusac pointed his blaster down the corridor, watching for the slightest aggressive move from either their downed enemy or anyone else.
Grabbing the U’Churian’s weapon, Garras threw it back to Kusac, then began to wriggle backward, towing the barely conscious male with him, using his body as a shield between himself and the end of the corridor. It was only a few feet; as soon as he was close, Kusac reached forward and helped haul him into their small alcove.
The U’Churian was fatally wounded, and he knew it. He lay there glaring helplessly up at Kusac and Garras.
“Where’s the Sholan cub?” snarled Kusac, grabbing him by the neck. “Tell me where my son is!”
The other grimaced at him. “Think I’m going to tell you? You’ll never find him!” He stiffened, then as his eyes rolled back, went limp in Kusac’s grasp.
Kusac shook him. “Where is my son?” he demanded again.
“He’s dead, Kusac,” said Garras. “He can’t tell us. But it’s likely they have him well guarded. Find them and we find Shaidan. I’d say it’s not down this corridor, I didn’t see any other guards.”
Letting the dead U’Churian go and nodding slowly, Kusac said, “You’re right. They’d have more guards round him. Let’s head down the other corridor.”
They moved down the southern corridor, making their way toward where it turned right to the west.
Still on point, M’Nar took a quick look round the corner, seeing telltale signs of two U’Churians, one at either end of the corridor. He held up two fingers to Kusac, letting him know before darting past the opening. Nothing happened, but now M’Nar had a good line of sight to both enemies. Noolgoi followed him as soon as he received the other’s hand signal.
Taking aim, he sprayed the entrance to the west corridor. It was a quick burst and he waited to see if there was return fire. All was quiet until he edged his way round the corner, then all hell broke out.
Guess we’ve found where Shaidan is, sent Carrie as she hunkered down behind Kusac.
Yeah, he replied briefly, watching M’Nar back rapidly away from the entrance followed closely by Noolgoi. Still can’t reach him mentally. They must have some damper field on around him.
The shooting stopped and, in the silence, Kusac heard a small voice calling to him and Carrie.
“Papa! Mama! I’m here!”
Kusac immediately looked round the corner, pulling his head back just as another barrage of shooting broke out. “He’s in an opening about halfway up that corridor,” he said. “But there’s two shooters between us and him.”
Suddenly, his son’s mind flooded his with its fear, making him rock back on his haunches and almost fall over. Carrie was there to support him as she also picked up Shaidan.
Papa, there’s two guards here, the cub sent.
I know. Stay back and be safe. We’ll get you, don’t worry! he sent in reply before turning to Garras who was behind Carrie.
“Can you get past the opening to join M’Nar?” he asked in a low voice. “I need a couple of grenades in that first alcove. Jurrel, you go, too. That rifle of yours might make all the difference.”
Garras and Jurrel both nodded. Using the Brotherhood hand signals, Kusac let M’Nar know what was happening and asked for covering fire. Getting an affirmative in reply, Kusac moved back to allow Garras and Jurrel to take his place.
M’Nar poked his nose and his gun round the corner and began spraying the wall opposite, working his way toward the opening. Noolgoi gave him covering fire as he darted forward. Seeing his opportunity, Garras, followed swiftly by Jurrel, did a mad dash over, landing in a pile against the end wall.
Kusac watched as they picked themselves up. Crouching low to the ground, Garras came up under M’Nar and his gun and lobbed a couple of grenades into the opening opposite before they both pulled back. A high-pitched scream followed as the grenades exploded with a satisfying crump.
A fusillade of energy bolts came down the corridor at them, forcing them to keep their heads down and back in cover. Jurrel tapped Garras on the shoulder and signed that he wanted to take his place. With a gesture of acceptance, Garras moved backward, letting the other pass him.
“Papa, he has me!” screamed Shaidan, terrified.
The sword in one hand, blaster in the other, Kusac rose to his feet and stepped into full view, snarling his fury. In the center of the corridor, a U’Churian stood with his arm locked round Shaidan’s throat.
“What do you want?” Kusac demanded.
“Safe passage out of here, then you can have your brat,” said Tyakar.
“What guarantee do I have you’ll keep your word?” he demanded, slowly pacing forward.
“That’s close enough!” hissed the U’Churian, backing away from Kusac.
Suddenly, the cub reached up and grabbed the restraining arm with both hands, digging his claws in deep and twisting his body till he dropped out of the grip.
Not stopping to think, Kusac rushed the U’Churian as a crack sounded from Jurrel’s rifle. Stepping over his son’s curled-up form, Kusac swung the sword in an arc that ended at the other’s neck. Blood sprayed into the air as the head went flying in one direction. Slowly, the body toppled over, blood still gouting out from the severed neck.
Kusac stooped down just far enough to sweep Shaidan into one arm, then pass him back to where Carrie now stood behind him. He pushed them into the alcove between the two pillars.
“I remembered, M’Nar, I remembered how to get away from him!” said Shaidan, his arms clutching tightly round his mother’s neck. “Papa, Giyarishis is there, he’s a friend.”
Kusac spared a questioning glance at M’Nar before turning his attention to the TeLaxaudin standing in the opening of the corridor leading off theirs.
“Prisoner I was, like Shaidan. Managed to damage house AI we did. Hope it was of help.” He scuttled quickly to join them and reached out a hand to Shaidan, holding up the slightly bent transceiver. “Thanking you for its loan. Maybe now you can reach Unity on it.”
“Annuur, have one of your people take Giyarishis to the rear,” Kusac said then turned to look at his son. “You can contact Unity?”
“I think so,” Shaidan replied. “Do you want me to try?”
“Not just yet,” he said. “We need to find the control room and put an end to this nest of snakes. Stay to the rear with Shaidan, Carrie. I don’t want either of you too far back, just in case. Tirak, you and Manesh guard them.”
M’Nar, followed by Noolgoi, Kusac, Garras, and the other teams, made their way carefully up the corridor, darting quickly between the remaining pillars. Once at the top, M’Nar and Noolgoi quickly moved into the room opposite, checking it out.
“Empty,” said M’Nar through their mic system. “The first alcove is also empty.”
I sense one more guard ahead, sent Carrie. Thank goodness the damper field is down! Ahead of him is a room with three people in it, two TeLaxaudin and a Cabbaran. That has to be the control room.
Agreed, sent Kusac, relaying the news verbally to the others. “More alcoves we can duck into round the corner. Noolgoi, take point here,” he ordered quietly.
“Aye, Captain.” Noolgoi peered cautiously round the edge of the doorway, then ran into the first gap. From there, he gestured the others to follow him.
Bolts of energy started up immediately, only to be countered by Noolgoi’s suppressing fire. Under cover of that, they were able to get Kusac, M’Nar, Garras, and half of Team Two into the alcove.
“M’Nar and Noolgoi, advance to next gap,” he ordered. “Suppressing fire, keep with the short bursts.”
As the two gunners moved out, each one shooting only when the other stopped, they were ab
le to advance to the next alcove, leaving the first one free for the Cabbarans and Team Two.
“Garras, roll a grenade along the floor. We need to take out that gunner. M’Nar, Noolgoi, you know what to do. Jurrel, follow them.”
“Aye,” said Garras, taking a grenade from the pouch at his side. Pulling the pin, he sent it rolling along the floor.
Every ear was swiveled forward, listening to the sound of the grenade traveling along the floor. They all heard the exclamations of shock and then the rapid crack of Jurrel’s gun as he fired at the single shooter. A scream, followed by the explosion, and their way to the command room was clear.
“Giyarishis says the three in there are likely to be Zaimiss, the TeLaxaudin leader of the Isolationist Party, Sivaar his medic, and Tinzaa, a Cabbaran Elder,” said Kaid as thick dust and pieces of plaster and wood continued to fall around them. “He’s been visited by each of them. Beware of the arsenals of the two TeLaxaudin, he says.”
“Copy that. Everyone, they have miniaturized weapons systems concealed in rings and bracelets. They are nasty—flechettes, poisons, and energy weapons. Shoot to kill, we don’t need prisoners.”
“What if they surrender?” asked Carrie.
Kusac made a sound of annoyance. “Get them to throw down all their jewelry first, then we’ll see. M’Nar, Noolgoi, advance. Take no risks!”
“Aye, Captain,” they both said, entering the remains of the corridor side by side. Behind them, Kusac was accompanied by Garras, Kaid, and T’Chebbi, followed by Carrie, Shaidan, and the Cabbarans with Tirak and Manesh. Banner and Jurrel provided rearguard protection.
The entrance to the control room had been blown open. There was no sign of the nanites trying to block the doorway, but they stayed back from the opening to be safe. Those inside were coughing and spluttering.
“Surrender now or die,” snarled Kusac. “I don’t care which.”
“Surrender!” came the high voice of the Cabbaran, laying down his weapon and scuttling out to flatten himself to the floor in front of them.
The hums and clicks from one of the TeLaxaudin were translated into Sholan moments later.
“How dare you attack peaceful house! This calumny will be reported to Camarilla!”
“Throw down those weapons, or you won’t get the chance to complain!”
“Coming out to do that, Sivaar I am.”
“Throw the weapons down first,” said Kusac, aiming directly at the spindly TeLaxaudin as he began to strip off rings and other jewelry and throw them toward Kusac.
“Belt, too,” said M’Nar.
“Only belt it is! Naked you leave me,” Sivaar complained, following the order.
“On the ground,” said Kusac, gesturing with his gun.
The small alien squatted down, then lay prone on the dusty floor.
“Zaimiss, you now,” said Kusac, gun aimed on the doorway, waiting for the last TeLaxaudin to emerge.
“You are dust beneath the feet of the TeLaxaudin people! Never should you be elevated to the Camarilla! Barbarians you are! I will not surrender!” As he spoke, Zaimiss raised his arm and let off one shot before he rushed toward the window and leaped out.
“No! Papa!” screamed Shaidan, rushing up to his father and pushing him aside. The shot, meant for Kusac, hit the cub instead.
As it did, both M’Nar and Noolgoi rushed to the window.
“Shaidan!” Kusac fell to the ground, watching as his son was sent flying into the air to hit the stone pillar behind them.
“No!” shrieked Carrie, rushing forward to her fallen cub. “I only let go of his hand for an instant!”
Kaid and T’Chebbi raced up to stand between them and the prisoners when another whine of energy rang out.
Caught like an insect in a candle flame, T’Chebbi let out a grunt of pain and fell to the ground, bleeding from a hit to her arm and her side.
Before his two gunners could react, Kusac fired on both of the prone captives, killing them instantly then scrambling to his feet. “Check for any others,” he ordered. “Jerenn, get that son of a jegget! He shot Shaidan!”
“Got him in my scope, Captain,” came Jerenn’s harsh reply.
“Banner, take command. Kaid, see to T’Chebbi!” continued Kusac.
“Aye, Captain,” said Banner, quickly issuing orders to search the whole area thoroughly and calling for Mrowbay and his medikit.
* * *
Jerenn had pulled back from the aircar when the others had entered the house. Now he was crouched down behind a group of ornamental rocks, his rifle resting on the highest one.
He spotted the TeLaxaudin leaping through the window and heading for the vehicle just as Kusac’s message came through his comm unit. Before he could take a shot, the aircar had powered up and had taken off.
“Damn!” he muttered as he changed position and flipped out the rifle’s stabilizer. Eye to the scope, he pointed the rifle at the aircar and let it auto lock onto his target. “Yeah,” he breathed as he lined up his shot. There were still good odds that he’d get the bastard.
He stopped breathing, making sure that not even the slightest movement could spoil this shot. He had a personal interest in getting this piece of animal dung—shoot his Liege’s son, would he? Not and live to tell about it!
Slowly, he squeezed the trigger. Muzzle flash followed swiftly by the sound of the shot, then silence. He started counting.
One-thousand one, one-thousand two . . .
A flash of light beneath the rear thruster on the aircar showed he had hit his mark, but was it enough?
“You got it!” M’Nar’s voice came loudly over his mic, making him jump and bang his face on the scope.
He looked away, rubbing his eye, missing what M’Nar, leaning out of the window, was seeing. He telegraphed that he was switching to their private comm channel.
“I know you got it,” M’Nar shouted. “Look!”
It looked like the aircar was losing altitude. “If it lands, we’ll have to go get the bastard,” snarled Jerenn, looking across to the window that M’Nar was hanging out of. “He’s not getting away from me!”
“Told you that you got him,” said M’Nar, waving his arm toward the trail of smoke that was now coming from the vehicle. “No need to go after him on foot.”
A resounding boom had Jerenn turning back to the scene. A cloud of black smoke laced with red now occupied the space where the aircar had been. Pieces of it were being flung in every direction.
“Great shot!” M’Nar exclaimed.
Jerenn allowed himself a small smile. “I wasn’t all that happy as a terminator operative,” he said, watching the falling debris. “But that’s one ‘termination’ I really enjoyed.” He flicked his comm back to the main channel again. “Captain, escapee terminated,” he said more soberly.
* * *
Mrowbay rushed forward, checking briefly on T’Chebbi as the nearest victim, throwing pressure bandages to Kaid before moving on to where Shaidan lay in a slowly widening pool of blood.
“Shaidan, baby,” said Carrie, her voice trembling as she reached out to touch his face.
Kusac landed on his knees beside them. “Cub,” he said, his voice breaking as he tried to assess his son’s injuries.
“Let me see him,” said Mrowbay, elbowing his way between the two adults to examine Shaidan properly.
“Bleeding from the ears and nose, possible skull fracture,” the U’Churian medic muttered, before lifting the cub’s small arm aside from the stomach wound. “Captain,” he began, then hesitated.
“Do what you can,” said Kusac harshly, reaching out to stroke his son’s cheek.
“Can’t you heal him, like you healed Zsurtul?” Carrie asked, grasping her husband’s other hand. “There must be something you can do!”
Kusac shook his head. “He’s too badly injured,” he whisp
ered, tears filling his eyes. “Zsurtul only had one life-threatening wound, Shaidan has two, and the fight with K’hedduk weakened me.”
Mrowbay busied himself trying to stem the blood loss from the stomach wound, cutting Shaidan’s tunic away and putting a pressure bandage on him, preparing an analgesic injection.
“Captain, he’s unconscious and unlikely to be feeling any pain. I can give him a regular shot just in case, or I can give him a heavier dose to . . .”
“No!” said Kusac, bearing his teeth in a snarl and turning on him. “He has to have every chance to live!”
Meanwhile, Annuur and his sept had been busily checking on Jo as well as T’Chebbi. As Annuur approached Kusac, Rezac limped over to join them, Jo cradled in his arms. One look at them, and they knew she was dead.
“Oh, Gods, not Shaidan, too,” Rezac groaned, crouching to set Jo’s body down on the ground. “I’m sorry, Kusac. I came to say farewell, to you and my son,” he said, passing a shaking hand over his forehead.
“You can’t go,” said Kaid, looking up from where he was still wrapping the pressure bandage on T’Chebbi’s arm. “I won’t lose you today!”
“I’ve lived two lives, Kaid. Fifteen hundred years ago I should have died. The last few years have been a bonus for me. I’m ready to let the link take me since it’s already taken Jo.”
Annuur nosed his way between then. “Friend Kusac, help you we can, but you will have to decide. Naacha says we can heal either Shaidan or Jo, but not both. T’Chebbi we can help afterward.”
“Help Shaidan,” said Rezac, slumping back against the wall. “Jo and I came on this mission to save Shaidan. We knew the risks, we took our chances. Save the cub, Annuur. His life is still ahead of him.”
“It’s decided, then,” said Annuur, sitting up on his haunches and gesturing the other three of his sept forward. “Step back, Carrie and Kusac. We must be only ones touching him, if you please.”
Tirak grasped Kusac by the shoulder, making him look up at him. “He can save him if anyone can,” said the U’Churian quietly. “I saw Annuur dead when our Watcher ship was attacked and damaged, and yet they brought him back to life.”
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