I did it, Tia thought. She looked at the stealth shield closer. No, actually I didn’t. The stealth shield is Matthew’s. Somehow he’s handling the stealth shield, and I’m taking care of the active scan. How?
Reserving the how for later, Tia reached into the double-wing and probed for the something she’d felt earlier. She sensed it hiding behind a subtle stealth shield. She sensed a familiarity to the frequency. It’s demonic, she thought. I’d never have detected it fully on my own. I don’t think it knows I’m probing it. Matt’s stealth shield is protecting my active scan.
Tia glanced around the confined space of her R3 fighter. “Computer, how much larger than my cockpit is the one on the double-wing?”
“Twenty-five percent,” replied the R3’s computer. “The Crosioian pilot’s wings take up the extra space. If you are asking how much more free space the double-wing has, I calculate only five percent.”
Five percent, Tia thought. That’s not enough room for any demons I’ve seen or heard Rick talk about. What’s going on?
An emotion coming down the link from Matthew seemed to be asking the same question.
He must not be able to sense the results of my active scan. That’s not surprising since the Conglomerate fleet is still a good half a light year away. What’s surprising is that our rings are allowing us to share Power with each other at this range. We’re not creating Power like Rick and Jeehana, but we are sharing it.
Once again Tia wished Danny or Margery was with her. Well, they ain’t, so no use wishing. I’ve got to figure this out on my own.
Throwing caution to the wind, she gave a long burst from the ion-drives to propel the R3 closer to the drifting Crosioian fighter. She hit the reverse thruster when the R3 was within fifty meters. Punching the zoom on her windscreen, she peered into the cockpit of the double-wing. She made out the body of the Crosioian pilot. A gooey substance was oozing out of its eye sockets.
Hmm, Tia thought. I got lucky. I guess I got hold of the bat’s brain with my telekinesis. No wonder the fighter got put out of action so quick.
A movement inside the double-wing’s cockpit caught Tia’s attention. She saw a small flash of orange sticking above the Crosioian’s control panel. Zooming the windscreen’s viewport even closer, she spied an orange head the size of a small monkey’s. The head had leather, reptilian-looking skin. Two finger-length horns protruded from the creature’s forehead. Something moved behind the head.
Are those wings? Tia wondered. She looked at the creature again. It’s actually a little cute. I wonder if it’s friendly.
The creature turned its head in Tia’s direction. Red eyes flashed as its gaze locked on her. It opened its mouth, revealing fangs as a wave of hate and evil washed over Tia.
Definitely not friendly, she decided. Keeping her finger on the trigger for her plasma cannons, she eased the R3 forward until only ten meters of cold space separated the two fighters.
“Computer, identify the creature in the cockpit—the live one.”
“Unable to comply. The information is not in my databanks.”
“Access the tele-network. Flag the request as a Delta-five priority.”
“Compliance. I have retrieved the information from the central computer’s historical storage unit. I calculate a ninety-seven percent probability that the orange beast is a mythical creature the old Earthlings called an imp. Typical size is a half meter or less. In myths, they were devilish creatures, or demons, if you prefer, that played pranks on unsuspecting humans.”
Tia knew what she saw was no mythical creature and doubted it was on board the double-wing to play pranks on the Crosioian pilot.
“Contact the Conglomerate’s flagship,” Tia ordered. “Tell them to have a mobile containment unit on standby when I get there. Uh, you better request an armed security detail as well. Tell them I’ll be there in two hours.”
“Compliance.”
Removing her finger from the plasma cannons’ trigger, Tia touched the icon for the R3’s tractor beam. A concentrated ray of yellow light shot out, enveloping the double-wing. At the same time, Tia probed the enemy fighter with her active scan while using her telekinesis to disconnect weapon and engine controls.
Nodding her head, Tia thought, I don’t know if that miniature demon can fly the fighter or use its weapons, but I’m not taking any chances. It may or may not be an imp, but whatever it is, it’s got to be the reason the R3’s sensors couldn’t detect the double-wing at long range. Rick told us that the Crosioians used demons to hide their fleets around Estos. He assured Liz all of them had been pulled back to the demonic plane when he destroyed Zenthra’s computer avatar. An image of the miniature demon in the double-wing fighter appeared in Tia’s mind. Obviously Rick was wrong. Or…the Crosioians are getting replacement demons. The question is how?
Plotting a course to the Conglomerate fleet, Tia hit the hyper-drive switch. When acceleration decreased, she checked the rear video to make sure the double-wing was still in the tractor beam’s grasp. It was.
She remembered the hatred in the imp’s eyes and the feeling of evil rolling over her. If the Crosioians have more of these things, that’s going to throw a kink in Liz’s rescue plan. I’ve got to find out what the Crosioians are doing. I swear that miniaturized demon is going to tell me what I want to know, or I’ll take a grinder and sand down its horns.
Speaking out loud, Tia said, “If there are more of these things, it could mean the deaths of all two hundred million POWs. I’ve got to know. I’ve just got to.”
A tingle of concern passed down her link with Matthew. She smiled and sent an emotion through the link.
“Wait for me. I’m coming.”
Chapter 20 – The Blood Fur
_____________________
The supreme leader of the Crosioian Central Command hurried out of her quarters on the royal yacht Gaze at the Stars. Making her way down the corridor, she passed crewmembers going about their duties. At her approach, they tucked their wings close to their sides and threw themselves up against the metal walls until she passed. Between the crewmembers bracing against the walls and others hurriedly stepping into side halls and doorways, the normally congested main corridor remained clear enough that she made it to the yacht’s bridge in less than thirty seconds.
As soon as the supreme leader stepped onto the bridge, the yacht’s captain raised a paw over her left chest in salute. “The transport ship Blood Fur has activated an emergency beacon. Their captain says they are leaking radiation from their hyper-drive. She is requesting assistance from any and all ships in the district. Based upon the rate of radiation, she says her crew will all be dead in twenty minutes.”
The supreme leader glanced at the dozen crewmembers standing erect at their stations on the bridge. No one made a noise, not even the captain. It is my decision, the supreme leader thought, not theirs. Our flight plan was to fly direct from the outer realms to Astaris while remaining in intergalactic-drive to avoid possible interception by Empire forces. My mission in Andromeda was successful. They will be sending their fleets to our galaxy in two weeks. My task now is to return to Astaris to attend the tournament while our fleets are assembled to destroy the Empire once and for all.
Swiveling her ears at the captain, the supreme leader asked, “From what tribe does the Blood Fur hail?”
An ensign held up a sonic tablet to the captain. The captain swiveled her ears at the tablet before turning back to the supreme leader. “Her registration indicates she is from the Tantos tribe. The manifest lists the crew and passengers at four hundred and thirty-two.”
The supreme leader flapped her wings. “So many? Why?”
The captain shrugged. “Unknown, Sir. Their captain mentioned the Blood Fur was carrying the Tantos tribe’s applicants for the tournament. I can only assume the Blood Fur is also bringing support staff and their tribal leaders with them.”
Flapping her wings hard enough to stir up a slight breeze, the supreme leader paced the width of the br
idge once before turning to face the captain. “What about life boats? They should be able to evacuate in them long enough for rescue ships to arrive.”
The captain’s chest turned a light gray. “I asked the same question, Supreme Leader. The Blood Fur’s captain hissed something about an explosion and lifeboat malfunctions before we lost contact. Our sensors are still picking up the transport, so it has not been destroyed. We are attempting to reestablish communications now.”
Unfurling her wings to their maximum spread, the supreme leader flapped them slowly as she once again paced the bridge. The loss of over four hundred crew and passengers would be bad enough, she thought, but it would not be worth the risk of exposing the Gaze at the Stars to danger. The loss of the Tantos tribe’s twelve scout applicants and their tribal leaders is a different matter. One of their applicants might be the scout we need to lead our team into the Hole. I cannot risk losing them.
She stopped pacing and turned back toward the captain. “How close is the nearest Crosioian ship?”
“Two hours and thirty minutes. The Blood Fur couldn’t have picked a worst place to have a problem. Our security ships have been placed every five hours’ hyper-drive distance along our flight route. We could make the distance in a few minutes using our intergalactic-drive, but the Blood Fur’s crew would be long dead before any of the other ships could arrive.”
Making her decision, the supreme leader furled her wings behind her back. “Make for the Blood Fur. Once you are in range, shutdown our intergalactic-drive and shift to normal hyper-drive. Bring us alongside the Blood Fur and begin transferring their crew to our ship. We have to get them away from the radiation. Order our nearest security ships to meet us at the Blood Fur’s location with all due haste. Arrange for a medical transport ship with anti-radiation equipment to rendezvous there as well.”
“Sir,” said the captain. “For your safety, I must recommend that we not—”
The supreme leader spread her wings. “Your concern for my safety is duly noted, Captain. Now carry out my orders.”
The captain raised a paw to her chest before turning to face the sonic screen at the front of the bridge. “Helmswoman, make for the Blood Fur.”
“Aye, aye, Sir.” Within three minutes, the helmswoman said, “We have arrived, Captain.”
The captain nodded. “Deactivate intergalactic-drive and switch to hyper-drive. Get us close. Use the ion-drive to maneuver us next to the Blood Fur and dock.”
“Sir!” replied the helmswoman as she touched the lever to disengage the intergalactic-drive.
Everyone on the bridge leaned forward slightly as the ship’s momentum slowed.
The sound waves on the forward sonic screen blanked out for two heartbeats before displaying the normal sonic view of space. The Blood Fur was dead ahead. Vapor spewed into space from a large crack near the ship’s engine. The berths along the side of the transport ship for the lifeboats were empty. A twenty-meter-long docking tube jutted out from the ship’s airlock.
“Helmswoman, connect our forward airlock to their docking tube,” said the captain.
“Aye, aye, Sir,” replied the helmswoman as she began the delicate operation of maneuvering the Gaze at the Stars alongside the Blood Fur.
“Science Officer, keep me informed of radiation leaks. Let me know as soon as we begin approaching danger levels.” The captain had a second thought. “Belay that. Keep me informed of any leaks greater than normal levels.”
“Sir!” said the science officer.
The crew of the Gaze at the Stars worked quickly and efficiently. The supreme leader expected no less, but her chest swelled with pride anyway. The hundred and fifty-seven member crew of the royal yacht was the best in the fleets. She had handpicked them herself.
The captain turned to her communication officer. “Have our medical crew stand by at the forward airlock. If the radiation is at the levels the Blood Fur’s captain indicated, we will need to get their crew off as fast as possible and straight into sick bay.”
“Sir!” replied the communication officer before turning to her console and issuing commands.
Within another two minutes the Gaze at the Stars was positioned next to the Blood Fur. The helmswoman expertly aligned the yacht’s airlock with the end of the twenty-meter-long docking tube and connected the two starships together with nary a bump. The supreme leader nodded her approval.
“Open our forward airlock and notify the Gaze at the Stars that we are ready to begin crew transfer,” ordered the captain. She swiveled her ears toward the science officer. “I thought I told you to keep me informed of radiation leaks, Lieutenant. What is the delay?”
The lieutenant cocked an ear at her console before swiveling both ears at her captain. “There is nothing to report, Captain. I am detecting no leaks.”
“Impossible,” said the captain. “What about the vapor coming out of that crack near the engine?”
“Steam, Captain. It is just harmless steam.”
The fur on the back of the supreme leader’s neck stood on end. She sent out an active scan, probing the inside of the Blood Fur. Strange but eerily familiar energy frequencies were intermixed with those of the Crosioian crew. She reached back in her mind, trying to remember when and where she had last sensed the frequencies. She sucked in a deep breath as the answer came to her. The energy frequencies are the same as those I sensed in the Hole when Charge-In-The-Face-Of-Great-Odds and I made our recon of the rift two hundred years ago.
The supreme leader’s fighting-computer flashed a warning in their shared space at the same time the supreme leader realized her mistake.
“Warning,” said the supreme leader’s fighting-computer over the helmet’s external speaker for the benefit of the bridge’s crew. “Demons are on the ship. I calculate it is a—”
“It’s a trap!” the supreme leader shouted. “Emergency breakaway. Now!”
The Gaze at the Stars shuddered. The sound of an explosion echoed through the ship.
“Breach in forward airlock,” said the communication officer. “I have lost contact with the medical team.”
“Helmswoman, get us out of here now!” ordered the captain.
“Two Balorian heavy destroyers are on our port bow,” said the science officer. “They must have been using some type of advanced stealth shield.”
“They have activated tractor beams,” said the helmswoman. “We are pinned in. I am unable to break away from the docking tube.”
The supreme leader pulled her phase spear from where it hung on her belt and activated it in destructive mode. The spear elongated as she headed for the forward airlock. She didn’t know why their supposed pirate allies were attacking the royal yacht, but she had no doubt it did not bode well for the Gaze at the Stars or its crew.
Alarms sounded in the ship as the captain’s voice came over the ship-wide intercom. “Prepare to repel boarders. This is not a drill.”
No drill indeed, thought the supreme leader. This is what I get for staying alive long enough to become old. I have doomed us all. She eyed the meter-long glowing point of her phase spear. Bite deep into the flesh of the enemy, old friend. Time for one last battle before we go to the great beyond.
Chapter 21 – Into the Fire
_______________________
The double bed in Richard and Jeena’s quarters on the Defiant was a tight fit in the small cabin, but as far as Richard was concerned, it beat the two of them sleeping in separate bunk beds. He much preferred the closeness of his bondmate lying against him while she slept. He glanced around the darkened room. The dim light coming from under the curtained doorway illuminated his battle helmet and gear on top of the desk an arms-length away. Jeena’s staff was just visible leaning against the desk where she’d left it the night before. The blue gem at the top of the Lady’s staff did little to illuminate the room, but for some reason Richard found the warm glow comforting nonetheless. The sound of members of the Defiant’s crew moving quietly around in the mess area on
the other side of the curtain was only slightly distracting. Richard easily ignored that.
What I can’t ignore is whatever’s tickling my nose.
Taking care not to wake his bondmate, he raised a hand and brushed away an errant strand of silver hair from where it had blown across his face. He glanced down at his bondmate. Her head rested softly on his bare chest. The sound of her breathing as she slept was comforting in its own way. He listened to her breathe for a minute, then returned to the last page of the book he’d been reading for the last couple of hours about war and peace. Like usual, Nickelo displayed the pages of the book in their shared space so he could pass the time without disturbing his bondmate. Richard read the last line of the final page.
“Big book,” Richard thought.
“Any time someone writes about either war or about peace, it can get complicated,” replied Nickelo. “Writing about both can definitely get verbose. The question is, did you like it?”
“Yeah, I think so. I probably won’t be rereading it any time soon though.”
Nickelo laughed. “Wise decision when you consider that you still have another four thousand books from the ten thousand book list I gave you of ‘books to read before you die.’”
“Well, that’s definitely going to take me a while, if more than a few of them are as big as this one was.”
“Oh, a few are,” admitted Nickelo. “I must point out though, that you don’t have to bother reading them if you don’t want to. I could just send you a summary of every book on the list in our shared space, complete with discussion notes and optimum points of view for use during conversations. You would have the memory of having read them without going through the actual effort.”
“Where would the fun in that be?” Richard asked. “As it so happens, I like reading. It relaxes me. As a wizard scout, I don’t need very much sleep, but my mind needs to rest. Reading gives my brain a chance to relax from the stress of the real world.”
Wizard Defender (Intergalactic Wizard Scout Chronicles Book 8) Page 20