by Speer, Flora
“Let Herne do his best first,” Osiyar said. “Then if Jyrit consents, I will try to help him.”
“Thank you,” Dysia whispered. “He is a good captain.”
“And you are a good and loyal officer – and friend.” As if he had just become aware of his hand still on Dysia’s elbow, Osiyar released her and stepped aside.
“Tarik,” Herne said, “we are going to have to take Jyrit back to Home. I am going to need the operating room there and Alla’s help. And, possibly, Osiyar’s,” he added under his breath.
“We have a fully staffed hospital aboard the Krontar,” Dysia said.
“We don’t have time to take him there,” Herne said. “It’s Home, or he dies.”
“Then do it your way.” Dysia made the decision at once. “Osiyar and I will go with you.”
“Reid, Pelidan, bring the stretcher on the double,” Herne called.
Within a very few minutes the Krontar’s shuttlecraft took off, bearing Jyrit away.
During all of those preparations, Halvo had stayed where he was, leaning against the Space Dragon, trying to regain his balance. When Perri made a fresh move to leave the ship and help him, he ordered her to stay inside in a voice that permitted no disobedience. But with the brief battle over, the Regulan prisoners secured, and Jyrit on his way to good medical care, Tarik stalked toward the Space Dragon. He stopped a few feet away, planted his fists on his hips, and stared at his brother.
“Will Jyrit live?” Halvo asked, straightening to a fully erect stance.
“Probably. Herne knows what he’s doing.” Tarik’s eyes narrowed. “I thought I was the brother who always got into trouble.”
“Well, it was your turn to rescue me, Tank,” Halvo said.
“You aren’t armed,” Tank said. Inclining his head in the direction of Captain Mirar, he asked, “Before we got here, who shot the Regulan captain?”
“I did.” Weapon still in hand, Perri at last left the Space Dragon, stepping from the hatch to stand beside Halvo. Tarik’s eyes went wide and Perri could see he was trying to repress a smile.
“I should have known,” Tank said to his brother, “that, if you were ever kidnapped, it would be by a beauty. For a badly wounded man, you look remarkably healthy.”
“Thank you,” Halvo said stiffly. “It’s good to see you, too.”
“You actually came here in this?” Tarik kicked at the hull of the Space Dragon “This laundry tub?”
“She’s not a bad little ship.” Halvo laid an affectionate hand on the hull. “With a few repairs and a new program in her food processor, I could take her almost anywhere. She comes equipped with an interesting robot and a fine copilot.”
“I didn’t know Regulan women were allowed to touch the controls of any machine.” Tarik gave Perri a searching look.
“They aren’t,” Halvo said. “I taught her myself.”
“You had that much patience with her?” Tank chuckled.
Perri had been watching and listening to their conversation with growing bewilderment. Like most citizens of the Jurisdiction, where the law limited all but a few couples to one child, she had no experience of sibling behavior. She had expected Tarik to embrace his brother and say how glad he was that Halvo had survived both his battle wounds and the mad voyage across the galaxy. Their cool discussion of the condition of the Space Dragon and of Peril’s own piloting abilities was beyond her comprehension. Nor could she understand why Tarik turned on Halvo, speaking in a voice suddenly fierce with emotion.
“Now, Admiral, would you care to tell me why you broke security and not only intruded into this space but led three other ships here as well? How dare you endanger my colony? What possible justification could you have for giving the Cetans a chance to abrogate their treaty with the Jurisdiction?”
“What is there to explain?” Halvo looked toward the Regulans. “My reasoning is obvious.”
“Not to me, nor to the people on this planet whom you have put into harm’s way,” Tarik said.
When Halvo only shook his head at this accusation, Tarik clenched his fists. With the speed of a lightning bolt he threw a punch at Halvo. Halvo’s own hands shot up to block the blow. Wrist pressed against wrist, the brothers stood glaring at each other, breathing hard, looking as if they were ready to kill.
“Stop this at once!” A sturdy, red-clad figure hurried from Tarik’s shuttlecraft toward the Space Dragon. “Can you two never meet without quarreling? Tarik, leave your brother alone. Can’t you see he is unwell?” In fact, Halvo had gone pale. Breaking away from Tarik, he stepped back a pace to lean against the ship once more, as if he were dizzy again.
“Mother,” Halvo said with a gasp, “what are you doing here?”
“Looking for you.” Kalina, having subjected her older son to a thorough inspection, turned her attention to Perri. “I assume you are the despicable creature who abducted my son. Tarik, take her into custody at once. I am surprised that you have not done so already.”
“Actually,” Tarik said, “I have been waiting to discover what Halvo wants me to do with her.”
“Perri stays with me, and no one touches her.” Halvo gave his brother a warning look, to which Tarik responded with raised eyebrows but no protest.
“In that case,” Tarik said, “the most immediate question is, what do we do with these Regulan captives? I have no wish to take them to my headquarters. The less they see of Dulan’s Planet, the better. But if we turn them loose and send them back to their ships, they may attack us in their determination to get their hands on you, Halvo, so they can follow their orders to return you and Perri to Regula.”
“Intern them on the Krontar,” Kalina said.
“No,” Halvo objected. “That might only precipitate another battle in space. I have a better idea. We will tell them the truth about their orders.”
“Do you know what that truth is?” Tank asked. All of his previous antagonism toward Halvo appeared to be gone, a change that mystified Perri.
“I have begun to suspect a complicated plot,” Halvo said. “An intrigue typical of the Regulan Hierarchy and one that extends far beyond Regula. If I am right, Perri has been used as a pawn because her life was considered expendable.”
Halvo walked across the rough grass to where Tarik’s men, Reid and Pelidan, stood guard over the captured Regulans. Halvo spoke loudly enough for all the prisoners to hear him. “Captain Mirar, I assume that you are aware of my part in uprooting the pirates who once menaced shipping in the Styxian Sector?”
“I have heard your name mentioned,” Mirar said. “What about it?”
“Have you in the Regulan Space Service noticed an increase in piratical activities since they were driven from Styxia?”
“There have been some reports.” Mirar frowned. “But very few Regulan ships have been taken.”
“I would be surprised if Regulan interplanetary commerce were suffering much,” Halvo said. “However, if you were to do a little research, you might discover that other, nearby planetary systems have been having a problem. It would be quite natural for pirates driven out of one sector to move on to another and to draw to themselves fellow outlaws until soon the pirate bands are as large as before. For now they are hunting in a sector they find more welcoming than Styxia ever was.”
“What are you suggesting?” Not only did Halvo have Mirar’s full attention, but all of his men were listening intently, too.
“I have been out of commission for more than a year,” Halvo said, “so I have no proof of my suspicions. You would know better than I, Captain Mirar. Although, now that I think about it, I do seem to recall Captain Jyrit mentioning that pirates have recently become a serious problem just outside the Regulan Sector. Pirates require a safe haven where they can shelter between forays. And being barbarian by nature, they do like to avenge themselves rather crudely upon those whom they believe have done them harm. For example, against Jurisdiction Service officers.”
“Of course!” Kalina said, when Halvo pa
used to let his words sink in. “That is why Elyr has married the Chief Hierarch’s daughter. And why Cynri was so worried about him. Whatever else she was up to, Cynri was genuinely concerned for Elyr.”
“I beg your pardon?” Halvo stared at his mother.
“Elyr has married?” Perri cried. “But he cannot while I am still alive.”
“It is perfectly simple,” Kalina said, ignoring Perri and speaking to Halvo. “All you have to do is think like a Regulan – a Regulan man, to be precise – and then it all becomes clear. Captain Mirar sees it. Don’t you, Captain?”
“I am afraid I do,” Mirar said. “And I am deeply troubled. Admiral Halvo, I owe you an apology. It was wrong of the Chief Hierarch to assign Regulan ships to capture you and even more wrong of me to follow orders blindly. My excuse must be that I honestly believed this woman, Perri, had abducted you for her own evil purpose and that my mission was to return you to Regula, where Perri would be punished under Regulan law. Then with much ceremony the Chief Hierarch would set you free, thus earning great acclaim for Regula from the Jurisdiction government. This is what I believed when I set out to find you, Admiral. Now I think that after you were taken to Regula you would have been turned over to the pirates. I could not allow such a fate to befall any man.”
“Thank you, Captain Mirar.” Halvo put out his hand and Mirar clasped it.
“Be assured that Perri will be punished for what she has done,” Kalina said to Mirar, “but by a Jurisdiction court. I will personally see to it.”
“We will discuss Perri’s future later.” Halvo brushed aside his mother’s threat. “Captain Mirar, I have something to show you.” Reaching into his belt pouch, Halvo pulled out the clear specimen container he had kept in that safe place. He held it up so everyone present could see the tiny red triangle inside it.
“Do you know what this is, Captain Mirar?”
“I do.” Mirar was white to the lips. “Where did you get it?”
“I removed it from the main circuitry of Perri’s personal robot. I believe it was meant to destroy the Space Dragon, the robot, Perri – and me.”
“Tampering with a robot is against Regulan law.” Mirar put out a shaking hand. “One of our primary rules is that robots must never be allowed to impinge upon the safety of the humans they serve. Admiral, I promise I will deliver this device to my superior officer.”
“I believe you would, but I cannot give it to you.” Halvo replaced the container in his belt. “I will require it for evidence when I reach Capitol. But you have seen it with your own eyes, Mirar, and these men of yours are also witnesses that the device does exist. Your combined word ought to be sufficient.”
“Admiral, you cannot keep us captive after these revelations. We must return to Regula to tell what we have learned.”
“I believe you should do so as soon as possible,” Halvo said. “If Lady Kalina and Commander Tank have no objections, you are free to leave.”
“Go,” Kalina said. “Only leave this wicked girl in my custody.”
“Certainly,” Mirar said. “Perri can only cause more trouble if she returns to Regula.”
“I place one condition on your immediate release,” Tank said. “Captain Mirar, you are aware of the violent tendencies of our new allies, the Cetans. In the interest of maintaining peace, I must ask you to order your men not to mention the existence of our outpost here.”
“I understand completely. It is in Regula’s best interests to keep peace with the Cetans, since we have an important commercial treaty with them. Those men who have remained aboard our two ships will be told that we of the landing team discovered nothing but an uninhabited world. Contradictory sensor readings will be blamed on the well-known effects of the Empty Sector. And no man who stands here today will say a word of anything he has seen or heard. Is that agreed, gentlemen?” Mirar looked his men over, meeting each one’s eyes. Every man nodded his head or said yes aloud.
“Thank you, Captain Mirar.” Tank shook hands with the Regulan. “You are free to go.”
Perri watched Mirar and his men board the shuttlecraft and lift skyward before she spoke.
“You cannot trust the word of a Regulan man,” she said to Tarik.
“I know,” he said. “But in this case, I think it is safe to make an exception to that wise rule. Those men know that, if word of this colony gets out, the Cetans will refute their peace treaty with the Jurisdiction. And the second place the Cetans will attack on their violent sweep toward Capital will be Regula.”
“What will be the first place?” Perri asked.
“Here,” Tarik said. “They will begin by destroying Home.”
Chapter Eighteen
“We need to take the robot with us.” Halvo turned to Tank’s men. “You two, carry it aboard the shuttlecraft.”
“Halvo.” Tank’s voice was firm. “I am leader here.”
“The robot has vital information in its memory banks.” Halvo said. “Rolli can verify my reasons for trying to find Dulan’s Planet and why, having located it, we were forced to land here. Perri and I do not leave this place without Rolli. I will not argue the point.”
“Reid, Pelidan,” Tarik said, his eyes still on Halvo’s face, “secure the robot in the cargo bay.”
“The habit of command dies hard,” Halvo said. “No offense meant, Tank.”
“None taken.” In a softer tone Tank added, “I am glad to see you again.”
“You two love each other,” Perri cried, beginning to understand, “yet you are in competition.”
“We always have been,” Tank said.
“We always will be,” Halvo added.
“You would die for each other,” Perri insisted.
“Let us hope it will never be necessary.” Tarik turned from his brother to Perri. “Is there anything you want from the Space Dragon?”
“Nothing but Rolli,” Perri said. “I have no personal belongings.”
As the three of them walked toward the shuttlecraft, Perri asked, “What will happen to the Space Dragon? Will she just be left here to rot?”
“I would like to see her repaired,” Halvo said.
“That little ship reminds me of the first one you ever piloted,” Tarik said to his brother.
“The one in which you stowed away.” Halvo’s voice was stern.
“And which you let me fly for a few minutes,” Tarik said.
“You nearly killed us. You were only a child and you did not know half as much about spaceships as you tried to convince me you did.”
“I knew you would save me, Halvo.”
On a wave of masculine laughter they reached the entrance of Tank’s shuttlecraft. Kalina was already aboard waiting for them, and she was not amused.
“This dreadful girl ought to be secured in the cargo bay along with her robot,” Kalina declared.
“Perri sits with me,” Halvo said.
“Halvo, I was hoping you would lend Perri to me for the duration of this flight.” Tarik interrupted smoothly when Kalina began to protest that she wanted Halvo to herself for a time. “Since Osiyar returned with Jyrit and Herne, I lack a copilot.” Behind his mother’s back, Tarik winked at Perri.
Kalina did not argue about the sudden elevation in Perri’s status. Within a few minutes Halvo and his mother were sitting side by side, Reid and Pelidan were strapped into seats behind them, and Tarik and Perri were at the controls in the bow.
“Commander Tarik, you should have been a diplomat,” Perri said.
“Never.” Tarik laughed. “I cannot tolerate long, boring ceremonies and I despise vague language. I do know what a strain it has been for our mother not to be able to care for Halvo herself. She could not leave Capital when he was wounded and so she was forced to depend on reports from his doctors instead of going to him, as any loving mother would want to do. Let her spend an hour or so with him now.”
“You all have very strong personalities,” Perri said. “Do the members of your family quarrel often?”
&nbs
p; “Quarrel, no. Disagree frequently and vigorously, yes. Unlike serious quarrels, our disagreements seldom last long. You will get used to us.”
“Do you think I will be allowed time to do so?”
“For Halvo’s sake I hope so.” Tank glanced at her, then at the control panel. “You look a bit perplexed, but these controls are not very different from the ones on the Space Dragon. Just watch me and you will catch on quickly.”
Perri thought he was one of the kindest men she had ever met. He had defused an uncomfortable moment with Kalina, and he was treating her as if she were a friend instead of an enemy who had harmed his brother.
“There they are,” Tarik said, in a manner suggesting he had just seen someone he expected to meet.
“Who?” Perri asked.
“The Chon. See them there on the view-screen?”
“Birds!” Perri exclaimed. “There were huge birds flying over the island.”
“Yes, I know. They guided us to you, but they stayed well away from the fog bank. Without their help, we might not have found you before you were forced aboard the Regulan ship. Now the birds have rejoined us for the return flight.”
“Halvo told me about them.” Perri hesitated for a moment, deciding, then plunged on, instinctively knowing she could trust this man as she trusted his brother. “When the birds flew close to us, I saw a vision, a picture in my mind. There was an island in a lake and a white building with columns.”
“That was Home,” said Tarik. “Our headquarters. When we approach it, see if you recognize it. If you do, talk to Osiyar, the blond man who was with me earlier. He understands the birds better than any of the rest of us do.”
“Thank you. I will.” Perri was silent, thinking for a minute. “What will happen to me?”
“That depends on you and Halvo. May I give you some advice?”
“Please do.”
“Don’t be afraid of my mother. She is fiercely protective of her menfolk because she loves us so much, but she is a reasonable person. She has even been known to change her mind about certain people.”
“She hates me,” Perri said bleakly. “I cannot blame her for it. I blame myself for what I did to Halvo.”