"All right, that leaves nine Other spaces. Assuming I fly and Whiz Bang mans the gun, that'll leave room for Physic, Newton and the drop troops for muscle. Oh, arvd Brother Anthony, of course, since the cardinal said we could take him as a guide"
"What about Bonzo?" Tom asked.
"No," Coeur said, "I figured he could stay behind and help Vink with your repairs."
"Oh. Mighty thoughtful."
"A-hem," Drop Kick coughed, "I think you forgot me."
"No I didn't," Coeur said. "I want you to stay here."
"Now wait just a minute—" Drop Kick began to protest.
"It's nothing personal, sergeant. It's just that I want somebody responsible here in the city 10 look after things while we're away. Plus, I'd like to know you and Mercy are backing us up If something does go wrong."
"Oh, well. If you put it that way...."
'There's probably plenty of danger to go around on this planet," Coeur said, "regardless of where you are."
"Especially as long as we don't know about those meson guns," Tom said. "I've got another question, though, Red. If we do find something up there—like the depot—will it belong to Soledad?"
"I've gone over that with Vazquez," Coeur said. "As far as she's concerned, Soledad only extends to the foothills of the mountains, and I understand a similar situation goes for Callida Fornax on the far side of the range. That means If we find anything. It probably belongs to us."
"Or maybe the gaba herders," Drop Kick added, "True," Coeur said. "You never know who might stake a claim."
Among Brak's cronies, Or. Nayman Piau—the "rubber man* of the Defense Ministry prison—was conspicuous as one of the few officials on hand to prosecute after the Federal District was seized. Caught In the midst of interrogating a rebel prisoner during the attack, Platz attempted to avail himself of a secret tunnel to safety on the north side of the River Loro, but only emerged among the forces of the Imponsero Phalanx and was promptly arrested.
Charged with llie torture and murder of hundreds of men and women, and tremendously unpopular among the common folk of the city, Platz clearly had little hope of escaping execution. Consistent with the legal traditions of Soledad, Platz was given neither a defending attorney nor the opportunity to cross-examine the dozens of witnesses brought against him—Including Cari and An-Wing—so the verdict of the three-judge tribunal was a foregone conclusion: just a week after he was captured, he was found guilty and sentenced to death.
Yet, before this execution—scheduled tooccur the same night tfomefs G-carrier would launch—Platz was given the opportunity to make a statement in his own behalf.
It was characteristically eerie.
"Gentlemen of the tribunal, I would only ask that, KI am to be executed, it be through electrocution. If I'm not, then I may be tempted to come back to life as a nightjack and rip you all to little pieces."
Needless to say, this did not go over well with the tribunal, and Dr Platz was Immediately led before a firing squad—not the electric chair, as he had wished "A real slcko," An-Wing said afterward, speaking with Coeur In the hangar where the G-carrier sat parked and ready for launch.
"So, did you watch the execution?"
"No. I was actually looking forward to It, but Carl pointed out that was rather morbid."
"Well, good for you."
"SUN, It Is kind of spooky, what he said before he died "
"I think I'd say it was more psychotic than spooky, Liu."
"What I meant," An-Wing said, "is what he said aboutcomlng back as a nightjack."
Coeur gave An-Wing a sidelong glance.
"You don't think he'll turn into a Tombie, do you?"
An-Wing sighed, crossing her arms across her chest.
"No, I don't think he'll turn into a Tombie. I am curious, however, about the nightjacks—like why is It nobody seems to know what they arc, or where they come from."
just then Coeur realized An-Wing was shaking slightly, perhaps because of the chill in the night air, or perhaps Platz had affected her more than she was letting on.
"Well, I don't know, Liu. The church seems to thin* they're demons of some sort, but they're probably just some sort of local predator—very cunning and lelhat."
"You're forgetting the third possibility, Captain."
"The third possibility?"
"Yes. That the nightjacks are some sort of relic machinery left over from your Last Imperium "
"Well," Coeur said, hoping not to sound too offensively dismissive, "that's an Interesting theory, Uu, but I'd rather not leap to a conclusion like that without stronger evidence."
"What, do you think I'm paranoid?"
"On the contrary, Uu, I |us( don't have the resources to follow up every investigation I'd like,"
"So what if I'm right? What If the nightjacks are some kind of relic machinery, and they're a real danger to all of us?"
"Well, Liu, if that's the case, then I'll offer you the same advice I'd offer toyou anyway—stay aboard Viet Armis, and tell Drop Kick H you see anything suspicious."
"Any other advice?"
"Try not to instigate any coup d^tcrt while I'm away, either."
"Very funny. Captain," An-Wing said- "I'll do my best." * * *
An hour later, at 1900 hours, the well-stuffedG
As a practical expedient, the drop troops wore their heavy battle dress to save space for supplies, but the gunner Whi2 Bang—who might have to take over the controls from Coeur In an emergency—elected to keep his off for flexibility.
Besides, he didn't think they'd be gone long enough to bother suiting up.
"Come on, skipper," he said softly, as the G-carrier powered over the dark swampland east of Soledad. "You don't really think we're going to find anything in some goat herder village, do you?"
"Actually, If s a gaba herder village," Coeur said, "and no, I'm not certain we'll find anything. We've turned Soledad starport upside down, though, and It doesn't look like there's anything there—just empty bunkers and warehouses."
"In fairness," Newton said, turning from Its comm station at the rear of the cockpit, "there Is another possibility regarding the depot Its contents might have been removed from the starport area long ago by plunder, leaving only the single black globe for Zero to discover."
"Yeah," Whiz Bang said. "How do we know?"
"We cfon't," Coeur answered, "But we're not leaving this mission hanging as long as there's loose threads to sew up.*
"Understood, sir."
"Good. Now keep .in eye onyour scope, corporal, Idon'twant anything surprising us."
Of course, the possibility that anything would surprise them was low—at least before they got to Pesta—for Coeur had no intention of Hying directly into the hard weather of the northern winter. Rather, she waited until they were past the swamps and over the foothills of the mountains—where blustery winds already played havoc with a grav vehicle roughly the shape of a shoe box—and then powered up above the weather at her top speed of 500 kph, fast enough to get them there two hours before local midnight.
"Ah, there she is," Coeur said, three hours later, "Pesta Pass. Everybody secure back there?"
"We're there already?" Tom asked, waking up from a nap, "Sure are, and it looks nasty. Setter check your straps."
"Oh my," Brother Anthony said, making the triangle of the Defender on his chest.
"Oh, don't worry," Physic replied. In the seat beside his, "Red eats this kind of stuff up."
"Yeah," V-Max said, "it's just like turbulence in a gas giant."
"Well, maybe," Tom said, "except when you skim from a gas giant, there's usually no surface waiting to smack you If you screw up."
So warned, the 12 personnel in the C-carrier braced for landing. Sur
e enough, shearing wind currents grabbed at the little craft just seconds later, prompting automatic alarms to sound as it pitched like a liny boat on a stormy sea, "No problem," Coeur said, switching off the alarms with her left hand as she handled the stick with her right. "Just the automatic pitch-yaw alarm, nothing to woriy about."
"Oh my goodness," Anthony moaned, closing his eyes light.
In retrospect, that appeared to be a good idea. Although Coeur never lost control of the G-carrier, its boxy shape was not suited for handling rough weather, and the craft spun nearly all the way around several times before Coeur finally wrestled it to the ground, yielding dizzying vistas through the forward window.
"Nice flyrng," Tom said afterward, unbuckling herself, "Thanks," Coeur said, not sure how sincere the pirate's remark was. "By the way, it looks like we're in luck; it'sovercast up above, but pretty calm down here on the deck. There's just a misty rain between us and the village,"
"Don't tell me you put us down in sight of the village," Tom said, coming forward to look at the EMS Image of the nighttime village just 200 meters away. "That really was some nifty flying."
This lime Coeur glanced at Tom before answering, 'Thanks," she said. "Brother Anthony, is that Pesta?"
"Just a minute, please," Anthony said, mopping his forehead with the sleeve of his vestment before fumbling with the lock of his seat ceit. Sensing his difficulty. Physic finally released the restraint for him and helped him forward.
"You must forgive me, Captain," he said, looking at the scanner. "I'm sure your flying was very skillful. Hmm.,,oh yes, that's Pesta all right. That's Old Man Blanco's hut off to the left,"
"Know him?" Coeur asked.
"Yes, my mission stayed with him a while."
"How about you. Whiz Bang?" Coeur asked the gunner. "See anything?"
"Not much. Captain," Whiz Bang answered, wheeling hisgun sight around to scan the broad valley they'd landed in, "I see some of those gaba creatures walking around, but not any people."
"Hell, that's not surprising," Caffer said, rising to his impressive full armored height, "considering we probably scared Hie crap out of these people when we came down."
"True," Coeur said, rising and reaching for her parka, "The engines are pretty loud. Caffer, you and Brother Anthony are with me."
"Master Blanco," Brother Anthony called, knocking on the wooden door of the stone hut, "open up please!"
"Brother Anthony?" an old man's voice answered from within the windowless structure. A moment later, Us door swung open.
And just as quickly shut again, "I knew 111 You've brought the raiders with you!"
"Perhaps Zero's men were here," Anthony noted "Yes," Coeur nodded, glancing back at Caffer. "Zero's crew had at least a couple of suits of battle dress."
"Master Blancol" Anthony said, returning his attention to the door, "don't be afraid! I have come with friends who helped to liberate the nation of Soledad!"
"Soledad is liberated?" the old man asked from behind the door. "Brak is dead?"
"Yes, the Defender be praised, and departed to his judgment In Heaven! Cardinal Vazquez now rules in his place!"
That, evidently, was good enough news to persuade Oid Man Blanco to crack the door open again. "You wouldn't deceive a poor old gaba herder, would you?"
"No, of course not. My friends have only come to establish a camp and explore The high ravine to the north."
'The Cutter of Blood? Surely you're joking."
"I'm afraid not. Dangerous as it may be, It is a mission of no small Importance,"
Wrinkling a forehead already creased by exposure to the elements, Blanco appeared dubious. As with Cardinal Vazquez and all denizens of the Wilds, Coeur was cautious about ascribing an age to him, but it was clear that he was a good deal older than herseif and that his eyes had seen their share of hardship.
"Well, they're your lives to risk," he said after a moment "You and the woman may come in, but the metal man must stay outside."
"Sorry," Coeur said to Caffer.
That s ail right," he said. "The ralncfoesn't bother me. I'll just stay out here and reconnoiter.*
"Actually, sergeant, if you're going to reconnoiter, I'd rather you didn't do it atone."
"Well, okay. I'll get Fubar and Gremlin to help me set up perimeter sensors around the G-carrier."
"Fine. You do that."
Gaffer then saluted and began tramping off toward the C-carrier, the whine of his leg servos lingering even after he'd disappeared Into the dark mist, "Come," Blanco invited.
The hut, Coeur observed, smelled strongly of straw and animals, and It was larger on the inside than the outside, owing to the fact that Its floor was cut directly out of the hard-packed earth of the pass. Looking about, she saw that smellyyoung gabas were indeed sheltering in a corner of the hut, which they evidently shared with no less than a dozen members of Blanco's family, ranging from elderly aduils to very young children.
"I imagine you're accustomed to richer surroundings," Blanco said to Coeur.
"Actually, it looks very comfortable," Coeur returned. "My name is Coeur D' Esprit, by the way, of the Reformation Coalition "
"Not Oriflamme?"
"Aubaine, actually,* Coeur said, conscious of myriad frightened eyes fixed upon her, "although Oriflamme is one of our worlds. Is that where the 'raiders' were from?"
'That they were," Blanco said. "Said so themselves. Right ruffians, they were, trying to bribe us into being their guides, then shooting up the place when we refused."
"I can assure you that won't be the case with Captain D' Esprit," Anthony said, bringing out a parchment from his robe and unrolling it. "This Is an official edict from Her Holiness, Cardinal Vazquez, sanctioning this mission on behalf of Soledad."
"A lot of good that is," Blanco countered. "You're 1,000 kikks beyond the Soledad frontier. And besides, none of us can read anyway."
"So," Anthony said, rolling the parchment back up again, "I take it you're unwilling to guide us up there?"
"I certainly am, brother, and I'll wager that goes for the rest of the village as well. With the nightjacks the way they are, it's just too dangerous."
"They're bad up here, the nightjacks?"
"You should know it, brother. That Cutter's where they live. It Is. But I'm not going up there to prove it. Old Salvador's son got nabbed just last month, and I don't mean to join him."
"If it's that bad, why don't you leave?"
"And where would we go?" an old woman piped up—a woman Coeur presumed was Blanco's wile. "There's no fodder for the gabas within a week's walk of here."
"If you won't go with us," Coeur said to Blanco, "will you at least help us find a safe route logo by?"
"I suppose I could do that. Do you have a map?"
"Sure do," Coeur said, reaching into a pocket of her parka and pulling out a pocket computer. She then brought the display around so Blanco could see it. That he was impressed by the screen was obvious, but he was positively flabbergasted when Coeur zoomed in from an area map of the continent to a tight focus on Pesta and the surrounding t,000 square kilometers.
"What a remarkable little box," he said.
"It's called a computer. Now anyway, this blinking dot here is us, and this blinking dot here is where we want to go, at the end of the—ah—Cutter of Blood."
"Can you make a paper map with that?" Blanco asked.
"Sure," Coeursaid, pressing the computer's print button and disgorging a high-resolution copy of the screen on sturdy, plastic-fiber paper.
"Well, Sefs see," Blanco said, moving to sit at the single table in his hut, and, coincidental, atlraciing agaggteofchildren who clustered around for a look. "Going stralght-away Is right out, owing to this cut in the rocks—see how it just drops off into a sheer cliff here?"
"Right," Coeur answered.
"That's a path for gabas, sure, but not for people. No, Captain, I'd cut through this side passage here to the east—If that's really where you aim to go."
"I
t is. Thank you,"
"Well, good luck. Do you want your map back?"
"No, you keep it."
"Why, thank you."
"One other thing. That land out there where we landed looks as close to your hut as anybody else's. Do you mind if we camp there?"
"It's not really my land anymore than anybody else's, Captain, but sure, I suppose its okay—just as long as you let me know when you plan to blast off again. Your air-ship spooked the gabas something fierce when you landed—not to mention all the people in the village."
"All right," Coeur said with a smile, making a note of that in her computer before putting it away. "I'll do that."
d * 0
Out of courtesy, Coeurand Anthony visited several other Pesta huts before turning back toward the G-carrier. All told, Coeur doubted there could be more than 100 people in the entire village—a far extreme from populous Soledad. But the inhabitants were generally polite enough when Anthony made their introductions, and Coeur found it difficult to resist the urge togive them a few Kruytcrcorp gold coins—specially laid in at Aubaine as widely acceptable currency—for confirming the wisdom of Blanco's course.
Brother Anthony explained, "As I said. Captain, that would be considered Impolite here. The mountain folk don't like to be paid unless they render some tangible service."
"But what about the map I gave Blanco? Wasn't that payment?"
"Well, that's different. None of the people up here really need maps, so it was probably more for the children."
"Oh."
"At any rate, Blanco couldn't trade U for anything valuable, so It has no tangible value."
"All the same," Coeur said, "I'd say he gave us a tangible service by pointing us toward the depot, but I'm glad you told me about the local money custom. I'd hate to follow up Zero's first impression with a worse one."
'That is wise,"
The sudden beeping of Coeufs pocket communicator Interrupted the conversation, and they stopped so she could answer it. Having passed all the way to the far side of the village, they were now over a kilometer from the G-carrier, hidden behind the village huts.
"Red Sun here. What's up?"
"Captain, something has...happened to...Fubar and Gremlin..."
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