Endurance

by neetha Napew

  “Doctor, my personal guard will return these prisoners to their cells. I will assist you in moving the Trytinorn to an area suitable for treatment.”

  I bent down and picked up her discarded dressings, and tucked them into my tunic pocket. When we were back at the infirmary, I’d yell at her for removing her own bandages. Right now supporting her dignified return to duty was more important. “Thank you, OverSeer. I would appreciate that.”

  Devrak’s injuries required some creative suturing techniques, which I carried out in one of the equipment storage areas in a corridor adjacent to the infirmary. FurreVa stayed to observe, and permitted me to rig a support harness for the Trytinorn to stay in for a few days until his wounds healed.

  “If I hear you’ve twitched an inch from this harness, I will sedate you and string you up from the ceiling myself,” I told Devrak. “Understand me?”

  The analgesics I’d given him took over, and he mumbled something nasty under his breath.

  We left the Major with a pair of centurons guarding him, and I insisted FurreVa let me perform a skull series before she reported back to her post. Happily, no complications appeared to be setting in, but I gave her the usual lecture.

  “Wash the graft areas three times per shift with lukewarm water rinses, and keep applying that dermal emollient I prescribed for you.”

  “Hsktskt do not bathe daily.”

  “As far as you’re concerned, they do now.” I set down my scanner and patted one of her limbs. “Thanks for rescuing me, and shutting down that damn arena.”

  “I did not rescue you.” She rose to her full ten-and-a-half feet and glowered down at me. “I merely instituted measures to protect our merchandise.” Her tail appendage curled as she said this, which (according to Reever) indicated she wasn’t being completely truthful.

  I gathered up my instruments and shook my head. “Whatever you say, OverSeer.” The end of a limb landed on the front of my tunic, and I peered up at her.

  “Stay away from the OverCenturon, Terran. He is mine to deal with.”

  Before I could ask why, FurreVa departed. I was brooding over my meningitis cases when my resident careened through the infirmary entrance. Hemangiomas had burst over his face and arms.

  “They’ve just brought in more! Hundreds!” He pointed back toward the prisoner reception structure, and spattered me with some fluid in the process. “Mavbe a thousand!”

  I caught his arm, sat him down on the closest stool, and gave his shoulders a little shake.

  “Whoa, Vlaav. Settle down and catch your breath for a moment.” He breathed in and out deliberately while I mopped both of us up. “Okay, now tell me all that again. Coherently this time.”

  Turned out a new group of Hsktskt raiders had arrived, their ship holds filled with recently captured beings to be sold at the compound. Beings captured while traveling through the border territories, just outside the Pmoc Quadrant.

  It wasn’t good news, but it could have been worse. “At least they didn’t decimate an entire planet this time. What species are the prisoners?”

  “All kinds-Darmarek, Ramperilii, Caffors, even some Tingaeleans. Someone said they were all working on some new planetary orbital station project when the raiders attacked.”

  A terrible feeling of dread stole over me. Two years ago I’d heard one of my neighbors talking about that project. Back then it had been in the planning stages. “Were there any Terrans among them?”

  “I think I saw one, a male-“

  “Where did they bring them in? Where we were?” I didn’t wait for more than his nod. “I’ll be back. Hold down the fort.”

  I raced down the corridors until I reached the enormous, empty chamber situated below central command. All those big pillars came in handy-I hid in a small recess between two of them and watched the Hsktskt march in the last of their newly acquired prisoners.

  Scanning faces, I quickly located the only Terran male among approximately six hundred captured construction workers and technicians. Of average weight and height, with nondescript coloring, he was easy to overlook. His smile and personality would have made him stand out, but at present he wasn’t a happy man. No grin appeared on the face of the small, multilimbed alien standing beside him, either.

  No, I thought, my heart sinking. Not both of them.

  The two I’d recognized joined one of several clusters of males-there seemed to be a predominance of them-then were directed by a centuron toward the appropriate corridor.

  I couldn’t stand there and do nothing, so I put on my best fake-furious face and went after them.

  “Centuron!” I pointed at the group of males I needed to stop. “Detain these prisoners.”

  The Terran’s brown eyes widened, and he opened his mouth to speak to me. I gave him a tiny shake of my head, then a wink. His mouth snapped shut on a grin.

  I turned on the unfortunate Hsktskt and began reading him the riot act.

  “Why wasn’t I informed of these arrivals? Have you forgotten that med evals have to be performed on every single one of these prisoners?” I planted my finger in the center of his uniform. “Am I supposed to be psychic and guess when you’re polluting the general prisoner population with these unevaluated individuals?”

  “A signal would have been sent after they were segregated-“

  “You’d have waited that long? Have you even a clue as to how many germs they’re carrying?” The harassed centuron grunted something incomprehensible. “Well, don’t just stand there griping at me. I’ll have to take the first group to the infirmary and schedule the others. You”-I pointed to the Terran- “and the short one standing beside you. Yes, you. Come with me.”

  I swept off in the direction of the infirmary, and didn’t glance to see if the two males were following. I walked around the first pillar, stopped and waited.

  Paul Dalton and Geef Skrople appeared two seconds later.

  When the two men would have spoken, I lifted a finger to my lips. “Follow me.”

  Only when we were far from the unloading area did I stop again and plant my hands on my hips. “Well, this is a fine mess, Paul.” Then I laughed and gave them both a hug. “God, it’s good to see you, Hi, Geef. Are you okay? Either of you hurt?”

  Paul exchanged a glance with Geef and started laughing. “We’re fine, Doc. Though I doubt you’ll take our word for it.”

  “That’s right.” I took each by the arm and started them toward the infirmary. “Gentlemen, prepare to be thoroughly examined.”

  Geef kept an eye out for centurons while Paul filled me in on some rather staggering facts behind the raid.

  “We got a signal from some friends of yours. They’d tracked Hsktskt raiders headed for the new station we’ve been working on. When they asked us to voluntarily surrender, I thought they were crazy.” Paul shook his head and chuckled. “Until they told us they intended to liberate Catopsa, with a little inside help.”

  “So you just let the Hsktskt capture the station?”

  “Once we’d stripped out all the vital tech and shipped it off station, yeah, we did. Since the engineering crew were the only items left of any value, they took us all.”

  I still didn’t get it. “What can you do here, as prisoners? You don’t have any weapons.” I gave him a dark look. “Do you?”

  “We don’t need weapons. Our friends will be here soon.”

  I thought of the League. “Just who are these friends?”

  Paul grinned. “You know how Jorenians feel about someone who attacks a valued member of their HouseClan. The miners on Aksel Drift Nine also happen to be just as obnoxious, especially after learning that same female saved the lives of five of their female engineers.”

  “The Jorenians and the Aksellans.” I closed my eyes briefly as I imagined it. “Mother of All Houses.”

  “Combined invasion forces will be here within a week, Doc. We don’t have much time. Can you help us?”

  “I’ll have to, won’t I?” I grumbled, then regarded Paul.
“How many ships?”

  “Not many.” His grin stretched. “Just every one available from Joren, and Aksel Major. Maybe two, three thousand.”

  That would do the job. Unless they ran into the League on their way. “How are they going to know where and when to attack?”

  “After Geef and I put the word out to the prisoners, we’re going to escape to the surface.” Paul tapped his forearm, where I could see a small bulge under the skin. “Signal beacon. They’ll send a shuttle down to retrieve us, then we’ll give them the layout of the compound.”

  “If this is going to work without weapons, we’re going to need some way to disable the Hsktskt centurons.”

  Geef glanced at me over his shoulder. “We were hoping you could help us out with that, Doc.”

  “Disable several hundred, ten-foot tall, armed lizards. Sure, no problem.” I wanted to knock both their heads together. “All right, I’ll figure something out. Tell me something-before you were captured, did you hear anything about this insane decision the League’s made to declare war on the Hsktskt Faction?”

  “I watched the transmission from Fendagal XI personally of the Allied League Council debate over the Hsktskt problem.” Paul made a face. “Your father makes a hell of a speech. Toward the end, the entire assembly got out of their seats and demanded a first strike invasion.”

  “Yeah. Sounds like him. He’s had practice.” It was time for me to make a stop at my quarters to check on Gael and feed Jenner, so I told both men to wait for me to return before reporting to their assigned cells. “This will just take a few minutes.”

  Well, it would have taken a few minutes, if I hadn’t be so preoccupied by what the two engineers had told me. If I hadn’t missed the shadow waiting a few yards down from my chamber as I entered it. If I’d remembered to secure the damn door panel behind me once I’d closed it.

  “Gael?” I opened the largest of the storage units and peeked inside. A brown-haired head nearly bumped into mine as the Terran emerged from behind the racks of garments. Jenner climbed down from where he’d been sleeping on the berth, took one look at Gael, and darted underneath it. “Don’t mind him, he’s shy. You’ll never guess who-“

  The door panel slid open, and I tried to close the storage unit, but Gael was halfway out. We were caught, and by the last Hsktskt I wanted to catch me doing anything.

  “Dr. Torin and... Kelly, is it?” SrrokVar strode in and surveyed us with visible satisfaction. “My two missing Terrans.”

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  Truth Hurts

  SrrokVar had his guards take both of us back to the crying chambers. I went quietly, but Gael kicked up quite a fuss as soon as he saw the entrance to the special corridor.

  “Plonker, get your gammy claws off!” he yelled, and fought the centurons so wildly that one of them resorted to a sharp cuff which promptly knocked the Terran out.

  “Leave him alone, damn it!” I grabbed Gael as he fell and flung one of his arms over my shoulder.

  SrrokVar had us both clamped into restraint chairs and spent a good deal of time questioning and scanning me. I refused to speak to him, and he warned me my lack of cooperation would lead only to more discipline.

  The thought of being burned again made my stomach heave, but I kept my mouth shut and my eyes focused on the door panel past his shoulder.

  “Really, Doctor, you of all people should understand the importance of my research. After all, you were the subject of an extended experiment most of your life. I can’t fathom why you would even attempt to counter my orders. Unless by doing so, you hope to conceal the more miraculous qualities of your unique physiology?”

  So he’d somehow figured out the big secret. Or Reever had figured it out and told him. Or Joseph Grey Veil. Not that it mattered. I wasn’t going to budge an inch.

  “Perhaps there are other means to persuade you.”

  I kept my resolve until SrrokVar began walking over toward Gael Kelly. The terror in the Terran’s eyes made me shout at the Hsktskt to stop.

  That didn’t get his attention, but the sight of TssVar and Reever entering the main chamber did.

  “OverLord. OverMaster.” SrrokVar sounded pleased. “I was just preparing to begin a new series of interrogations.”

  “Release the female,” Reever said.

  “I fear I cannot.” SrrokVar heaved a rather human-sounding sigh. “I discovered her concealing this escaped prisoner. In your chamber, OverMaster.” He turned around and flicked a limb toward me. “I’m sure you were unaware of her illicit activities-or did you know she consorts regularly with this Terran male?”

  “That’s a lie!” I jerked against my restraints. “I was just helping him, for God’s sake!”

  Reever ignored SrrokVar and spoke directly to his commander. “This female was joined to me, and our unity recognized by the Faction. I will not permit Lord SrrokVar to damage the future nurturer of my young.”

  “She’s not breeding, OverMaster.” SrrokVar held out a data pad as evidence. “Perhaps due to her refusal to consort with you?”

  TssVar faced me. “Is this true? You refuse him?”

  A huge force slammed into my mind. Tell them you have been willingly intimate with me.

  Go to hell.

  Which naturally led to me being turned into an instant puppet.

  “I’ve never refused to consort with my husband,” I heard myself say in a monotone. “I do so, willingly and frequently.”

  “Then why isn’t she pregnant?” SrrokVar pretended to look askance. “I should run reproductive viability tests on the female, to assure she is capable of providing ample young.”

  TssVar gazed at me. “It would be advisable, HalaVar.”

  “I assure you, OverLord, Cherijo will breed, very soon. Now release her.”

  “Very well.” SrrokVar reluctantly removed my restraints, and pulled me out of the chair. Reever used his mental control to force me to walk to his side, then lift my arms and embrace him. His hand stroked over my disordered hair.

  “You see? She is uncommonly affectionate.” He dropped a kiss on my brow, and I swore silently that I was going to rip his lips off the very moment he dropped the link. His voice changed as he looked at SrrokVar. “Should you attempt to experiment on my mate again, I will petition the Hanar to strip you of all rank at once.”

  Reever walked me out of the crying chambers, and before the door panel closed I heard Gael Kelly start screaming again.

  This has to end, Reever. You can’t keep lying to them about me. And while you’re at it, get out of my head.

  I wasn’t lying, Cherijo. You’re going to carry my child.

  Before I could react to that bald statement, Reever did something that made my mind go hazy. Before I’d gone another step, I fell forward into unconsciousness.

  I woke up in the infirmary, with Paul and Geef watching over me. I groaned and clapped a palm to my aching brow.

  “What did he do, hit me with something?” I eyed the nearest console and sat straight up. I’d been out for nearly twelve hours. “Who drugged me?”

  “No one, far as I know.” Paul edged off the chair he’d been sitting in next to my berth and helped me up onto my feet. “You okay, Doc?”

  I felt like I’d been run over by a platoon of Hsktskt. “Yeah, I’m fine. Long story.”

  “If you are, then Geef and I should be released. We have to get things started.”

  I signed the discharge orders and wished them both luck. “Talk to a League Lieutenant named Wonlee, he’ll help you.”

  After I sent my friends on their way, Pmohhi informed me that a signal was waiting for me on the infirmary console. I accessed it, and found a prerecorded message from SrrokVar.

  “My congratulations on an excellent performance, Doctor. You were most convincing.”

  Too bad he couldn’t hear me. “I didn’t have anything to do with it.”

  “I also wanted to inform you that your other Terran consort, Kelly, will be executed in two rotations. My
condolences.”

  “No. No!”

  Throwing caution to the winds, I ran back and slipped into the access tunnel and went to find Noarr myself. More of the black crystal growths had sprung up in the passages, making navigation even more difficult. After an hour of wandering, I was tired and ready to admit defeat.

  I was also completely, totally lost.

  I sat down next to one of the gleaming black flows and rubbed an idle hand against it. “You’re beautiful to look at, but as a landmark you leave a lot to be desired.”

  “You do not.”

  I should have decked him, but I was too relieved.

  “Where have you been? I’ve got so much to tell you! Two of my friends are here, and-“

  “There’s no time. I’ve arranged to have you transported from Catopsa. The ship must leave at once. Come.” He pulled me toward another passage.

  “Wait. I can’t go anywhere. Gael Kelly is going to be executed tomorrow. We have to get him out of the crying chambers and off this rock. Now.”

  “Kelly.” Noarr halted. “I know him. He has been here a long time.”

  “Then you know what he’s been through. You have to help me.”

  “Cherijo.” He slid his flippers up to cradle my face. “You are in danger here. You must leave. I will free Kelly after you go.”

  “I’m not going. We’ve been through this before.” He couldn’t make me go. Not until I shut down SrrokVar’s operation, and took care of a few other things. “Is there a way to get into the crying chambers from here?”

  He dropped his flippers and made a frustrated sound. “Possibly, if the tunnel has not been cut off by the black growths.”

  “Show me.”

  It took time, and some climbing at certain points. As we passed through the tunnels, I noticed that the Lok-Teel clung in droves to some of the growths, while others remained bare.

  At last we reached the tunnel that led directly into SrrokVar’s main chamber. Through an unglazed aperture, I spotted Gael in the holding cell. Blood stained his tunic, but he was speaking to one of the other prisoners, so his injuries must not have been too bad.