Rystani Warrior 02 - The Dare

by Susan Kearney

  “Then we would have been together.”

  Troubled, she smoothed the covers. “You would have died with us.”

  “Better than living alone.” His eyes fluttered closed, but his tone remained sure.

  “Kirek, you could have had a good life here. You would have made new friends.”

  “It would not have been the same.”

  She leaned forward and kissed his brow, shaken by his words. “No. It wouldn’t have been the same. Thank you for saving us.”

  Dora doubted the child heard her. His breaths had turned deep and even, his pulse steady and slow. But he’d made her think about human bonds, which were not so simple to understand. The strongest bonds seemed to be those formed early in life and those of blood and shared exploits that involved life and death encounters, undoubtedly bonds made stronger due to the shared intensity of emotions. It wasn’t necessarily logical, but it was there all the same.

  If she’d been stranded on this world, she would have probably made a new life and new friends. But not a friend like Tessa. It didn’t matter if she and Tessa couldn’t speak or spend time together for months or years. When they did reunite, their friendship would pick back up exactly where they’d left off, with no awkward silences, no fears about being accepted for exactly who each of them was. Their friendship would withstand the test of separation over decades because the bonds they’d forged were stronger than bendar. A new friend would never have known the old Dora who’d been a computer, would never know her in the same way that Tessa did.

  This child had taken up residence in a corner of Dora’s heart due to his goodness, his willingness to risk his life, and she wanted to protect and coddle him in return. Were these maternal instincts evolving from her human DNA? She didn’t know. But he was precious, precocious, and she knew the attachment forming between them would last a lifetime. If he ever needed her, she would be there, without hesitation.

  What of her connection with Zical? She had known him when she was still a computer and had formed an initial friendship that had not only deepened over time but that had broadened in scope to include a physical side. Making love had been one of the most treasured experiences of her life. She wanted more. More physical bonding, more emotional bonding.

  But what did he want?

  Would he have made love if he hadn’t believed they were about to die? She didn’t know. The man was stubborn, but now that he’d had a taste of what they could be together, would he push her away again and attempt to revert to their former relationship? Or would he accept that they needed to spend more time together to determine if they were a good fit?

  Thoughtful, Dora stayed with the sleeping child, reluctant to leave him alone. Not the least bit hungry, she had no desire to return to the conference room to eat. She’d suffered enough stress for one day and didn’t need to listen to more endless debates.

  Earlier, when Zical had been about to die, she’d been almost resigned to their fate. But the moment Deckar had called for the execution to cease, she’d been frantic to stop the machine.

  She’d thought her heart would burst through her chest as she shoved past people. She’d knocked aside one man with an elbow jab to the ribs, kicked another who’d tried to hold her back, using techniques that Tessa had taught her. Of course, without her suit, the skills were nowhere as effective, but her adrenaline had kicked in, giving her superior strength.

  At that moment, when she feared she wouldn’t stop the blade in time, she would have gladly traded places with Zical. He meant so much to her that she would have given her life for his. She had no idea if the strong emotion was love. Love wasn’t supposed to make one hurt, but at the time, she could feel Zical’s pain as if it were hers.

  She’d seen the blade slice Zical’s neck a moment before she’d smashed the circuits. At the sight of his blood, an overwhelming fear that she’d been too late crackled down her spine. Her legs turned all rubbery. Later, the knowledge he would live had brought her such joy that she’d shaken and cried with happiness.

  The turn of events and the emotional highs and lows had left her as exhausted as little Kirek. In Kirek’s bathing room, she removed her toga, showered, and crawled under the covers on her living quarters sofa, wishing Zical was here to enclose her in his strong embrace.

  She wondered if he would come to her. Closing her eyes, she was certain she would dream of him, dream of his handsome grin, his sparkling alexandrite eyes, and his mouth closing over hers.

  “DORA. WAKE UP.” Zical never knew whether it was the urgency in his voice or perhaps his strong grip on her shoulders that awakened her. While he would never hurt her, he was too upset to be gentle. Luckily, she was one of those people who merely needed to open her eyes and her brain was already in gear.

  “What’s wrong?” She sat up, letting the sheet drop to her waist, and grabbed her sarong, already dressing before she heard the problem. “Won’t the Risorians let us go?”

  “Kirek is missing.”

  She raced through the open door to where Kirek had been sleeping. It was empty.

  Her fingers fumbled with the knot at her waist as she dressed. Her big violet eyes flared with red alarm, leaving no doubt to her outrage. “What do you mean, he’s missing?”

  “After the Risorians insisted that the Oracle make an appearance on the holovid to ask for a cessation of violence, I went to wake Kirek. When he wasn’t here with you in your quarters, I thought he might be with the crew, but he wasn’t, so I returned to wake you.”

  “I left him sleeping.” Ignoring her sandals, Dora skidded into her sleeping room. Perhaps Kirek had wanted to shower and didn’t want to risk waking her. But he wasn’t in her bath. Dora clutched her hands into fists, her face pale with worry. “Maybe he’s visiting with—”

  Zical shook his head. “I checked with Dr. Laduna, too. He’s not with the scientists. He’s not in this compound. The guards claimed no one has gone in or out.”

  “Damn it,” Dora swore, using curses she’d picked up over the centuries of which she had no idea of the origin. “I was sleeping so deeply. I should have stayed awake—”

  “That’s ridiculous.” Zical read the fear in her eyes, a fear that matched his own, still he tried to comfort her. “You couldn’t have known someone would take him.”

  Although the boy had an intelligence as high as any adult’s, Dora had mothered him and he’d responded to her like a son. Zical supposed the relationship had been good for both of them. In many ways they had a lot in common. Both possessed a keen intelligence that set them apart from average. In addition, both appeared to be outwardly normal, which wasn’t indicative of their unique natures. Dora had been born as a computer and now lived as a human. Kirek was born in human form, but hyperspace had enhanced his capabilities. Between his powerful psi and his extraordinary IQ, he’d never really been a child except physically. While Dora still bonded with her machines and Kirek avoided the machines’ sensors, they’d become true friends. Both had unusual abilities that set them apart, so it was no wonder they’d taken to one another.

  Although Kirek might have fooled the machines into letting him depart, the guards here were very much human. Zical headed back to the sentries to ask more questions. Perhaps one of them had left his post and the other had turned his back for a few seconds. Or perhaps the guards could be in a conspiracy with those rioters in the city. Fighting to hold onto his temper and keep his voice even, Zical kept his tone low. “If Kirek’s not here, maybe one of the guards is lying.”

  Dora placed a hand on Zical’s shoulder, and he slowed. “There’re other possibilities. Perhaps someone took him out another way.”

  “Then you don’t think he left voluntarily?” Zical had to ask the question, pleased that Dora was thinking through her fears, not panicking.

  Dora frowned in anger. “Leave voluntarily? Stars. Yesterday, he risked his life to save us all and you think he’d leave without so much as saying goodbye?” Her expression of anger faded to fear and frustrat
ion. “He told me,”—her voice broke—“that he’d rather risk dying with us than living here alone. Does that sound like he’d just wander off?”

  Dora banged her fist against the wall, took another step, and banged again. At first Zical thought she’d gone crazy in her grief. But then he realized she was taking the initiative, listening to the echoes, checking the main hallway for signs of a fake door or a secret passageway.

  The crew and scientists gathered as word of Kirek’s disappearance spread. They fanned out, all of them searching for a secret entrance. Meanwhile, the guards must have notified Deckar of the Oracle’s disappearance. With no regard for his personal safety, the man ran into their compound, his movements graceful, his giant legs sliding to a stop before their group. Deckar was one unarmed man among many Federation people, and they could easily have killed Deckar before the Kwadii soldiers could save him, but the real concern on his face for the Oracle’s whereabouts put them all on the same side.

  Deckar’s suspicious gaze sought Zical and Dora. “You saw to it that he escaped from us once before, shortly after your arrival. How do I know you haven’t done so again?”

  “You don’t.” Zical and Deckar stood toe-to-toe, both men bristling with anger. The Risorian might have an inch on him in height, but Zical’s chest and shoulders contained more power. As a trained warrior, not a dilettante, Zical could take the Kwadii down—but he didn’t want a fight. He needed this man’s help and spread his arms wide to emphasize his words. “However, we had no reason to send Kirek away.” He shot Deckar a searching look. “We believe we’re among friends and that you would do no harm to the Oracle.”

  “That is so.” The tension in Deckar’s shoulders eased, and he relaxed his clenched hands. “However, there are others on Kwadii who do not believe in Tirips.”

  “You think the Selgrens took Kirek?” Dora didn’t mince words.

  “There are many possibilities. There are rumors about a Selgren fanatic, L’Matti, who wants to prove the Oracle is a fake. He’s determined to bring down Risorian control of the council.”

  “Would L’Matti harm Kirek?” Dora asked.

  “I don’t know. The Oracle’s presence has disturbed many nonbelievers and you’ve seen the violence on the streets of our cities. If the Selgren L’Matti has the Oracle, he might try to make him recant, then release the retraction to true believers. The clerics might be just as vigorous in their testing to prove Kirek is truly Tirips’ Oracle.”

  “He’s just a little boy,” Dora protested, her tone quivering with anxiety.

  Deckar rubbed his forehead. “To all Risorians, the Oracle is Tirips’ messenger. The Goddess speaks through the Holy Oracle. It’s unlikely, but possible, he was taken by our most sacred order of clerics who would test him to verify—”

  “What kind of tests?” Dora interrupted with alarm.

  “I’m not sure.”

  “How would the clerics gain access to this compound and smuggle him out?” Zical asked.

  “The holy orders are secretive but reputed to possess unusual powers. Normally, they don’t interfere in our jurisdiction. But Tirips’ Oracle would attract the interest of those who don’t normally deign to speak with the rest of us who aren’t so devout.”

  Dora’s brows narrowed. “These tests—”

  “The sacred clerics will not kill him,” the Risorian said, but Deckar didn’t sound certain.

  “What if the Selgrens have taken Kirek?” Dora asked.

  Deckar shrugged. “They would want to prove he isn’t the Oracle.”

  “How would they do that?” Zical asked, not really sure he wanted to hear the answer.

  “Selgrens are unpredictable. I have a diplomatic call in to the council. They have yet to respond.”

  Zical was unsure that a call to the council and the Selgrens was a wise move. Without knowing who had taken Kirek, Zical couldn’t tell who was friend or foe.

  In addition to Zical’s concern for the boy’s safety, Kirek’s disappearance added complications to their mission and delayed their journey, a holdup that might ultimately prove costly. Not only had the child saved all their lives, when he’d stowed away aboard the Verazen, after they’d discovered his presence, he’d predicted they would need him to achieve success. With the mission already behind schedule, Zical hoped it was merely a matter of another few hours until they found Kirek and departed Kwadii.

  Seething with frustration at delay upon delay, Zical wondered what else could go wrong. He’d thought it a matter of time until the Kwadii released them to continue on their quest. By now the Sentinel was likely long gone from its post, leaving the Zin free to enter the galaxy. Every delay might prove disastrous.

  “You have my full cooperation,” Deckar told them. “I’ve ordered sensors scans for this past day rechecked. We will thoroughly interrogate all the guards and examine any discrepancies in their stories. I’ve sent search parties in every direction.”

  Dora’s eyes were bleak. “Thank you. But we need to search for him with our ship. If you could remove the dampeners on our computer, we could make faster progress.”

  “I don’t have that kind of authority.” Deckar dashed Zical’s hopes that the Risorian would go along with Dora’s good suggestion. “Without the Oracle, your status here is once again suspect.”

  “FIRST, WE ESCAPE.” Zical had called a conference, and it was a measure of his leadership skills that their people followed him without question. Each of them longed to leave this planet and continue their mission. All were frustrated and on edge. Dora watched the faces of the crew and scientists carefully as Zical spoke, yet despite their eagerness to leave Kwadii, discipline remained intact and all seemed determined to follow his orders. “Once we’re free of this compound, then we go after three targets. Dr. Laduna, you and your people must seek out the holy clerics and learn if they have Kirek.”

  “And if he’s there?” Dr. Laduna asked.

  “Rescue him and bring him to the ship.” Zical turned to his right-hand man. “Vax. See if you can find out more about the Risorians. Try to discover if Deckar’s been lying to us and if Kirek is among them.”

  Vax frowned. “You think Deckar has Kirek?”

  “It’s the most likely scenario.” Zical spoke thoughtfully. “We’re on his home turf. Who better than the Risorians to take the Oracle? Deckar may have kept him for his own purposes, or turned him over to their clerics.”

  “It makes sense to cover both possibilities,” Dora nodded, anxious to put Zical’s escape plan into action. They’d already waited hours for darkness to hide their scheme, but with every passing minute, Kirek could be taken farther away and hidden better. To think an abductor had slipped right past her to kidnap him was intolerable. Logic told her Zical was right and it was not her fault for failing to protect the boy. She’d had no reason to believe Kirek in danger. However, the thought still didn’t prevent the guilt from slashing her with a cut that wounded so deep that if they didn’t find him safe, she might never heal.

  “Dora and I will seek out Avanti and the Selgren L’Matti. Even if the Selgrens don’t have Kirek, she may know which of her people would most likely abduct him.”

  “But will Avanti help us?” Dora asked.

  “We’ll deal with her when the time arrives,” Zical said, suspecting Avanti had been sympathetic to their cause, but had tried to distance herself to protect her feelings when she’d thought they’d be executed.

  Cyn spoke over her shoulder, but the fingers of his chief engineer were busy with wires that Dora had found behind a wall panel during a search for Kirek. They still had no notion of how or why Kirek had been taken from them, but the investigation into a secret passageway had led to the discovery. Cyn believed she could use the nexus of wires to create a feedback loop into the Risorians’ security hologrids to make the Risorians who monitored their “prison” from headquarters believe that they still remained inside.

  Overcoming four guards shouldn’t be a problem. Success would depend upon
coordinating the attack on both exits without allowing the guards to signal for additional help. From there, they would split up, making their recapture more difficult.

  In human form, Dora had never been part of such an endeavor, and she was shocked by her physical response to the anticipation of danger. Despite her weariness, she was extra alert. Her muscles were tight, her stomach hard and churning. At the same time, she was filled with hope. For the first time they’d found a weakness in the Risorian prison. Soon, they would be free of their captors … or dead. Dora tried hard not to think about the second possibility. She was determined not to show her fear or allow it to stop her from doing whatever was necessary.

  Zical spoke to his team leaders. “After you complete your investigation, rescue Kirek and return to our ship. The first team that arrives must find a way to nullify the dampeners, but don’t activate the plan until we all arrive. Since we don’t have communications, we must move quickly. All of us must meet at the ship within two days. Hopefully, one of our teams will have rescued Kirek.”

  And if not? Did Zical intend to leave the boy behind? Dora’s heart thumped painfully as she realized that they might not have a choice. They couldn’t stay free on Kwadii for long, and the mission must continue.

  So many things could go wrong that Dora’s head whirled with them. The Risorians might shoot them the moment they stepped outside. Even if they got away, they might never find Kirek. The Risorians or the Selgrens could recapture them. Even if they succeeded, the likelihood of returning to their ship and getting away from Kwadii seemed far-fetched. Then, if they made it back into space, she saw nothing to prevent the Kwadii from following and using the tractor beam to recapture them once again.

  Yet, she hadn’t thought of a better plan than Zical’s. She needed Ranth, wished she could use his massive brainpower to help them solve some of the technical problems and to coordinate communications. But Ranth remained locked in his vault, hiding from the dampeners. The tenuous connection she’d shared with him was fading. Although she’d attempted to reestablish communications, she’d been so upset about the missing Kirek that her mind hadn’t been totally focused.