by Peter Kenson
He waited until the gunship was past his position before sighting the launcher and pressing the firing stud. The rest of the team took that as their signal to open fire and Rhamani launched his rocket towards the nose of the gunship before ducking down to reload. The gunship’s energy shields were a capable defence against laser weapons but provided no protection against the rockets which struck home within a split second of each other.
The gunship was obviously alert as the side laser turrets opened up in immediate reply but it was rocked by the twin blasts and the initial beams passed harmlessly overhead as the pilot fought to regain control. However, the blasts did not appear to cause any obvious damage as the gunship began turning to bring its nose cannon to bear.
The rest of the team concentrated their laser fire on one small area of the hull to try to overload the shields as both Chaqi and Rhamani sent a second missile towards the gunship. The dangerous railgun opened up sending showers of rock chips flying in all directions and there were more than a few painful curses as the fighters pulled further back into the shelter of the rocks.
The impact of the missiles had a more noticeable effect this time. Rhamani’s rocket slammed directly into the nose cannon ripping the turret away from the hull of the ship. Chaqi’s shot hit the side of the gunship causing it to roll again and the combination of the two blasts obviously triggered a systems failure as the shimmering energy shields flickered and died.
“Concentrate on the railgun,” Chaqi yelled as he dropped the launcher and made a grab for his assault rifle. One of the side laser turrets had been damaged by the second salvo of missiles and the pilot started to swing the gunship around to bring the other side turrets to bear. The railgun continued sweeping the crest of the ridge as the gunship turned and one of the fighters was thrown backwards, rolling several paces down the hillside to lie motionless.
Both of the flitters were initially below the skyline from where Rachel and Anise were standing, but as soon as the attack started, the two craft tried to gain altitude. The sensor platform was the closer to the women as it came into view and they began pouring fire into its vulnerable underbelly. With no protection at all, they were quickly rewarded by twin trails of smoke as the crippled craft veered away.
As they lost sight of their primary target, they added their fire to the attack on the gunship whose railgun turret was by now glowing cherry red. Suddenly the turret exploded in a rain of molten metal, closely followed by a series of secondary explosions inside the ship itself. The rear of the craft tilted down at an alarming angle and started sliding backwards towards the ground. Its internal flight systems started to fail and it rapidly picked up speed and disappeared behind the ridge. A second later, a fireball erupted as the ship hit the ground and exploded.
With a cheer, Chaqi’s men surged to their feet along the length of the ridge and began directing their fire at the fleeing survey craft. The trails of smoke grew as the energy pulses pounded into its unarmoured sides and it began to lose height. The pilot struggled to bring it to a controlled landing on the floor of the valley but flames were already visible. Two of the crew managed to scramble out of the stricken craft but were cut down before they reached the cover of the rocks. The internal fires continued to grow as more energy pulses hit home, until the whole wreck was ablaze and a plume of black smoke was rising into the air.
Chaqi ordered the ceasefire and led the way down to where Rachel and Anise were tending to the fallen fighter.
“He’ll live,” Anise said. “He was hit by a chunk of rock. He’s got a nasty cut and a lump the size of an egg on his head but he’ll survive. Have a bit of a headache for a few days though.”
“Okay, let’s get him below and clear up around here,” Chaqi ordered. “They’ll send a lot more flitters to investigate that smoke and I don’t want to be here when they arrive.”
He looked at Rachel and smiled. “So how was your first battle, your Majesty?”
“It wasn’t my first battle,” she reminded him. “But it was the first blow I’ve struck against the Belsi invaders and it felt good. It makes me want to do it again… really soon.”
Chapter 24 – Puerto Reis & Marmoros
“Today was supposed to have dawned bright and clear,” Seb thought to himself, as he looked out at the sea mist that had rolled in overnight. At this early hour, the mist was so thick he could barely make out the wall on the far side of Angelo’s courtyard. To the east, the watery sun was struggling to climb above the rooftops and held some promise that it would eventually burn through but for now, the city of Puerto Reis was a dismal place.
Seb, however, dismissed any concern about the refusal of the weather to cooperate with the plans for the day. In a few hours’ time, he would be standing alongside his beloved Teresa, the only girl he had ever loved in his young life, and they would exchange their wedding vows. He knew in his heart that, whatever the reality of the actual weather, the sun would be shining on them at that moment.
He dressed hurriedly, not wanting to waste a minute of the day and rushed downstairs, startling the servants who were busy preparing for the wedding breakfast under Maria’s watchful eye. The servants, he knew, would have been up for hours and he suspected that Maria had been also, although she gave no sign of it as she greeted him. He looked hopefully around the great hall where the banquet would be held but there was no sight of Teresa.
He looked so crestfallen that Maria laughed, even as she scolded him. “Go back to your room. You know it’s bad luck to see the bride before the ceremony so stop trying. One of the servants will bring you a tray to keep you from starving to death before the feast.”
He turned to go with his tail between his legs as Maria called after him. “Oh, and Angelo asked if he could have a private word with you before you leave for the church.”
The ceremony was due to take place at midday in the Temple of the Holy Cross, the largest church in the city and the only one capable of accommodating the hordes of well-wishers who had mysteriously appeared since the duel. Angelo had always been popular in the city and his standing had increased significantly with the annexation of Cortes’ businesses. Count Leonid himself had announced that he would attend the ceremony although he declined the invitation to the wedding breakfast afterwards, declaring that to be a family celebration.
The clatter of a coach outside in the courtyard, heralded the arrival of Isabella who Teresa had asked to be her matron of honour. Seb was still loitering in the entrance hall so Maria shooed him towards the staircase as she went to greet her guests. Isabella came in followed by Semi carrying baby Vido and two maidservants carefully carrying their formal gowns. She smiled at Seb as he hastily ran up the remaining stairs to his room.
“The groom seems a little impatient,” she remarked to Maria.
“They always are, my dear. They have no understanding of the amount of time it takes for a lady to look her best.”
Having agreed on what is undoubtedly one of the fundamental truths of the universe, the conversation turned naturally to the most important guest of the day as Maria enquired about baby Vido’s eating and sleeping habits.
“He is doing very well,” Semi assured her, “and gaining weight every day. He can be demanding at times but he is going to be a strong, healthy boy.”
Isabella’s face was radiant with happiness as she looked on. “He is my joy and Semi is an absolute treasure. I can’t thank you enough for finding her for me.”
They settled Semi and the baby into a private parlour and then Maria led the way to Teresa’s chamber. Unsurprisingly, the bride was already awake and pacing the floor as she waited for them.
“I think it’s not just the groom who’s impatient,” Isabella smiled. “Perhaps we should have scheduled the ceremony for dawn rather than midday.”
Teresa flung her arms around her and gave her a hug. Since they had recovered from the initial misunderstanding of that first day, they had become fast friends.
�
�Have you eaten?” Isabella asked, looking at the untouched tray of food on a side table.
“How can I eat anything this morning?” Teresa replied, as she danced excitedly around the room.
Isabella laughed as she grabbed her friend’s hands and dragged her to a halt in front of her. “First you will bathe,” she said with mock severity. “Then you will sit down and eat something while the maids start on your hair. They can’t even begin to get you ready while you’re prancing around like that.”
“Thank you, Isabella,” Maria said. “If you will take charge of my overly energetic daughter, I will get back to overseeing the preparations for the feast. Otherwise nothing will be ready when we return from the church.”
Both the girls knew that Maria’s household were more than capable of organising everything without any supervision at all but wisely kept quiet. The need to be doing something was simply her way of dealing with the pressure of the day.
For the rest of the morning, Time performed one of its more impossible feats. For the two principals, it dragged itself around, stretching out every second into a minute, and every minute into an hour. For everyone else in the house, it flew by, hugely overcompensating for its tardiness with the principal characters.
An hour before midday, now dressed in his wedding finery, Seb presented himself at the door of Angelo’s private study. His doublet and hose were silver, embroidered with gold stitching and studded with pearls and sparkling white gemstones. Over his shoulders, he wore the red cloak that Jeren had given him, emblazoned with the insignia of a captain in the royal guard. At his knock, Angelo opened the door and looked him up and down.
“Very fine, my boy. Very fine indeed. Come in.”
Angelo closed the door behind him and poured them both a glass of golden wine from a decanter on his desk.
“Normally I would say it’s a bit early for wine, but I think we can make an exception today,” he said, raising his glass in salute. “I wanted to talk to you now because things may get a little hectic later on.
“I hope you already know how proud we are of you, but it will do no harm to restate it. Maria and I are delighted that you are marrying Teresa, even if the first thing you are going to do is to carry her off back to Marmoros.”
He held up his hand as Seb started to protest. “I know you have to go. You have a duty to your king… if only to return his carriage. However, your actions here in defending our daughter’s honour, have had some unintended consequences. Firstly, you have vastly enriched your future father-in-law, for which he thanks you most sincerely.”
He raised his glass again before continuing. “The acquisition of Cortes’ businesses, warehouses and two ships that didn’t set sail in time, have propelled me into a prominent position within the merchant community here. I have the ear of Count Leonid and together we are discussing a number of potentially very profitable contracts.
“But you and I have created a very dangerous enemy. If it is indeed true that his loutish son will never walk again without a cane, then you will never be forgiven. I now control the larger part of his former business and it is likely, therefore, that he will regard me with a certain amount of disfavour also. Maria and I are safe enough here inside Puerto Reis with our people around us, but we worry about you and Teresa.
“We know that you will be safe once you reach Marmoros but the journey could be treacherous. One lone swordsman, even one as skilled as yourself, can be overwhelmed by an attack in sufficient numbers. For that reason and with Sergio’s help, I have taken the liberty of hiring a small troop of six trusted veterans to escort you. They have been outfitted and liveried at my expense for the journey. When you arrive in Marmoros, it will be your decision whether or not you retain them.”
“That’s a very generous offer, sir but…”
“There are no buts, Seb. And it isn’t an offer; the contract has been placed. You never did tell me how you and Isabella arrived here and I’m not going to ask you now. But tomorrow, you will be leaving on one of my new ships, bound for the port of Kell. My information is that Kell is where Cortes has based himself since his expulsion from Puerto Reis. He already had a warehouse and some other business interests there as you discovered on your last visit. You will take these men as an escort for my daughter’s sake, if not for your own.”
“Thank you,” Seb said simply. “I promise you that I will keep Teresa safe.”
“I know you will. But just to be doubly sure, I have some letters here for you to carry.”
Angelo selected two letters from a small stack on his desk. “This first one bears the seal of Count Leonid. It is a letter of introduction from him to Duke Theron of Keldis. He asks for you to be granted safe conduct through his lands.
“The second one is a letter of credit. If you need to hire more men or if you incur any additional expenses, present this letter to Master Solomon in Kell and he will put you in funds. If you don’t need to use it on the journey, then please present it to my old friend Josep when you arrive in Marmoros. The money that will release, should enable yourself and Teresa to set up a very comfortable house together.”
“That is most generous of you. But I expect to be able to provide for Teresa from my own resources, otherwise I could never have asked her to become my wife.”
“Stop butting me all the time and accept a father’s generosity. I have certain expectations of how my daughter will live and, if Maria and I ever make the journey to visit you in your city of marble, we would not wish to be disappointed.”
Seb smiled. “Then I accept most gratefully. Marmoros is indeed a beautiful city but it will pale into insignificance compared to the beauty I will be bringing to it. Nevertheless, we would be overjoyed to welcome you to our home there and I will ensure that you will not be disappointed.”
They clinked glasses again before Angelo continued. “One final thing then; I have some small commissions for you.” He indicated the other letters on the desk. “I have letters here for King Jeren and for Josep, detailing the arrangements that have been made for Lady Isabella and the monies I have disbursed on her behalf. I would be grateful if you would deliver them for me.”
“Of course.”
“Good. Then I thought I heard your best man, Sergio arriving a few minutes ago. He will be pacing the hall, anxious to escort you to the church. And I had better go to find a daughter for you to marry.”
***
In the palace at Marmoros, preparations of a different sort were underway. Falaise looked from Jeren to David and back again, the worry lines evident on her face.
“I don’t want you to go, my son, but I know I can’t stop you.”
“I have to go,” Jeren replied. “I should never have let her go in the first place but I thought she’d be safe with her own people. It now looks as though the Belsi and Vostov between them, are trying to wipe her people out of existence. She needs me now more than ever.”
“And when you find her? What then?”
“I don’t know,” he admitted. “I can’t even talk to her at the moment, while she’s in those damned tunnels with the Resistance. I just know I have to be with her. She needs me, and so does our unborn child.”
“And so do I,” Falaise choked off a sob as a tear escaped down her cheek. She raised a hand to brush it away but David stepped forward quickly and caught her hand in his own.
“I will look after him, Falaise.” He gently wiped away the tear with his free hand.
“And I have something here that may ease the pain of separation,” he went on, reaching into his belt pouch and retrieving two small packages. “A small gift for each of you.”
Falaise quickly unwrapped her package and gave a small gasp of pleasure as she saw the gem encrusted bracelet. Aron had excelled himself in the decoration and workmanship and it glittered on a small square of satin.
“It’s lovely! Thank you, David.” She picked it up to examine it and gave a small frown. “What is that rather dull looki
ng stone in the centre?”
“That rather dull looking stone, Falaise, is worth more than all the other pieces of jewellery in this entire palace. With the exception of the one that Jeren is now holding in his hands and looking very puzzled about.”
They both looked at Jeren who held the pendant out to show them. “It’s nice but…”
“You’re still wearing that amulet around your neck to enable you to talk to Rachel,” David told him. “It’s rather conspicuous and very ugly. Take it off. If you wear that pendant under your shirt, it will do the same job and a hundred times better.”
“It will?” Jeren’s eyes lit up. “Will it let me talk to her in the tunnels?”
“No it won’t do that. Rachel is the most powerful telepath I have ever met. If she can’t break through the shielding on those tunnels, then that stone won’t help. But when she’s out in the open, you will hear her much more clearly.”
David turned to Falaise. “And that bracelet with its rather dull looking stone will do the same for you, my dear. You used one of the amulets once to contact Suzanne. I know you haven’t had the practice with it that Jeren has, but when you’re wearing that bracelet, anyone of us will be able to talk to you and let you see where we are. Jeren, Rachel, Suzanne and myself. I know it’s not much comfort but it’s the best I could do.”
“It’s wonderful,” she said, slipping the bracelet onto her wrist. “I won’t take it off until you are both safely back.” Another tear escaped from her eye and David moved swiftly to catch it again.
“I don’t know how things will work out where we’re going, but I promise I will bring him back safely to you,” he said.
“Thank you, David.” She stretched up to give him a kiss on the cheek. “And bring yourself back too,” she murmured. Then in a stronger voice, “now get out of here, the pair of you, before I completely break down in tears.”