by Casey Lea
Or our babies' health, she thought before she could stop herself and Clear whimpered in response, her fronds twitching at the bleak contact. Darsey quickly sent mental comfort, but was interrupted by approaching footfalls, which drew a desperate squeak from her friend.
“Darse, I’m sorry. This is my fault. I never should have brought you to visit this Maker. In truth, it wasn't to see what our children will look like when grown. I really wanted to know how he makes his post-natal predictions. I'm so sor-”
The distant hum of a security scan silenced Clear, but Darsey ignored it. “It's okay, I get it. Curiosity and the cat etcetera. I know you can't resist finding out how things work, but we need your mind now, clear and calm, so just breath deep and listen close while I talk to our host.”
The scan finished its check and the footsteps resumed. More than one set of footsteps Darsey realized, counting hard in an effort to distract herself from growing dread. Two people? Yes, definitely. Two pairs of feet struck slightly out of time. One stride seemed to be slower, but must have been longer, because it grew louder more quickly. It soon covered the sharper strike of high heels. A male and a female most likely. Darsey managed to tilt her head further to the left, to gain a better view as their captors approached.
The first to come into sight was a mermaridian male in Harvester livery. Darsey was unsurprised. Being kidnapped by slavers was the first possibility that had occurred to her. That would simply have been a case of history repeating itself. However, a closer inspection destroyed her theory. The newcomer had kres fronds. They swayed toward her when she noticed them and then lifted in a friendly wave.
The stranger stopped beside her and cold, mismatched eyes stared down at Darsey, strangely at odds with her kidnapper’s warm smile. That cherry grin lifted the sculpted hollows of his checks to collide with the planes and angles of the rest of his face. He seemed to be channelling both male model and maniac, which was disturbing, but the pity she felt from his fronds was even worse. She and Clear were in deep trouble.
Darsey wanted to smile back, insolently and without concern, but her bravado failed her. This was no ordinary Harvester. His strange fronds marked him as a Beserk, the most vicious and crazed of mermaridian warriors. She couldn't begin to imagine what he wanted with her. Bizarre stories of Beserk breeding needs intruded, despite her best efforts to control her thoughts.
The male laughed heartily in response, before offering a deep bow. “Hold no fear of me, Lady. I can see your uterus is already taken.”
“Not for long,” a voice as smooth and sweet as ch't'kar liqueur mused from behind Darsey. The unseen female laughed at her own comment and her delight was the most unsettling thing of all. Unexpectedly harsh and unrefined, her amusement ricocheted from the steel walls and bright instruments surrounding them.
The two prisoners rolled their eyes left when a second figure strolled to join the Beserk. Clear’s mind instantly cringed, while her eyes closed tight, to leave Darsey staring alone at a tall and lovely mermaridian.
“I don't believe we've met,” Darsey stated calmly and her kidnapper sniffed in response.
“I'm certain-sure you'll wish that was still true in a moment, but some friendships come with unexpected cost, don't they, Clearwing FeatherFlight?” Clear managed a combined gulp and whimper in response, but that was all. The mermaridian wrinkled her nose in disgust. “How you scarred me I'll never times know-” she began, but was interrupted by a tremulous appeal from her kres captive.
“Please spare my baby. I was the one who hurt you. She's innocent.”
“True enough,” the beauty agreed, idly running a finger across a shiny stack of instruments at Clearwing's feet, “but it's also true I don't care.”
“No conscience” the Beserk observed happily. However, the female ignored him to step forward and lean close to Clear’s belly.
“It's your parents I wish to pain and I've an excellent idea how.” The mermaridian straightened and beckoned imperiously. There was no immediate response and she snapped her fingers impatiently.
The gesture was rewarded by another hum from the entry field and the sound of heavy boots striking the floor as one. A phalanx of Harvesters appeared, ten guards marching shoulder to shoulder, except for the first pair. They were separated by a much thinner figure, clothed in flowing robes that repeatedly tangled his feet while the guards dragged him forward.
Darsey recognized him at once. His cherubic face was the last memory she had, before waking up on a slab. It had beamed at her from a hologram on his waiting room wall. He was a gentik called the Maker, whose obstetric services were in huge demand on Eltok. Unfortunately, it seemed he was as much a captive as she was. He cleared his throat nervously and bowed to the two restrained prisoners.
“So sorry to keep you waiting,” he apologized primly and Darsey responded with the warmest smile she could muster.
“No problem. We're not in a hurry,” she assured him.
The Beserk chuckled happily, but Darsey ignored him.
“I'm not a fan of your bedside manner though, or your hysterical staff. The blond bimbo sounds like a drugged hyena bird. Who can I complain to?”
The female mermaridian uttered a feral growl that stopped Darsey cold. The emotion behind that primitive sound made the human's single frond twitch. It tucked tight at the end, wanting to curl up behind Darsey's ear and block out those furious electromagnetic waves. However, she forced it straight again, trying to read deeper than that morass of anger. She sensed satisfaction at their capture, but the fury continued to swell, until it swamped all rational thought.
The mermaridian abruptly launched herself, swerving around the foot of Clear’s table to leap at Darsey. Her eyes gleamed with a faint silver light and her upper lip drew back from her teeth, but before she could complete her pounce the Beserk swept her into a bear hug and spun her off her feet, away from Darsey.
“There, there, easy now,” he crooned. “Be calm and remember your goals.”
The female struggled in his arms and he gave her a neck-snapping shake. Her guards took a step forward at that and the Beserk rolled his eyes at them.
“Be calm too, kiddies. Let the grownups sort mother's little addiction problem.” The tallest guard growled in response, but was ignored. The Beserk shook his prisoner, more gently this time. “We need to act fast, most glorious bossy one, so settle and give your orders.” The female stopped fighting, but several seconds passed before she could sigh and actually relax.
“That one is annoying,” she stated, without looking at Darsey. “See to her first.”
“As you wish,” the Beserk agreed and nodded to the Maker, before carefully releasing his superior. She stepped away at once, to stride to the far wall and lean her forehead against it. He watched her carefully, until Darsey cleared her throat.
“Whoa, hang on,” she ordered, glaring up at the approaching gentik doctor, who stopped in alarm. “Why are you doing this? I know we can pay you more. Seriously, take the money, because if being hurt scares you, I promise our husbands will hunt you down. They'll find you and they'll gut you. That, I really swear-”
Darsey was stopped by the Beserk, who appeared at her side in a blur of com movement, to grasp a handful of her hair and pull her head back hard. His face was grim, but his mental tone when his fronds brushed past hers was still amused. Do you wish death too, girl? Annoy her no further.
Darsey started to shake and didn't dare risk using her voice. She wasn't going to freeze though, not this time. Who's 'her'? Bring me up to speed. Please. Come on, I can see you love to annoy the mysterious 'her'.
The Beserk laughed heartily at that insight, straightening to release Darsey. “I love to annoy everyone, so may I present your patron and host for this spontaneous vacation, Luck-in-waiting, High Lady Lamidia farLamideon. She will be ably assisted during your stay by bus boy, waiter and general dogsbody, Dr. DisRaya also called the Maker. Entertainment, charm and occasional violence will be provided by myself, Beserk
Leader Nikareon, while the scenery is played by our delightfully wooden Harvesters. Are we now at speed, Lady Darsey?”
Unfortunately Darsey vividly remembered Clear’s tale about shooting Lamidia and Nikareon's fronds caught that recognition. “Excellent. No need for more delay then.”
The gentik was still hovering beyond Clear, where he had retreated and he made an unhappy noise. He stepped closer to the kres's med field, ignoring Darsey to start making minute adjustments to his equipment.
Lamidia finally finished her calming meditation and pushed away from the wall. Her mind now burned with impatience and the knowledge that she was running out of time. Darsey's hope leapt at that revealing slip and she glanced across at her friend. She tried to share her plan to delay as much as possible, but Clear’s fronds had curled tight behind her ears like a pair of creamy, spiral seashells.
Lamidia strode to the gentik's side and Darsey's despair returned. She felt her body and mind trying to shut down in panic. She gasped for air, her chest pushing against the restraint field with growing need. Her head began to spin and something swelled in her heart. The pain in her chest felt alien, but carried with it an instinctive urge. She had a sudden overwhelming need for her husband. She had to call to him. Right now.
WING, she screamed silently and even Clear’s fronds twitched, while Nikareon staggered and fell to a knee. He hissed and gave Darsey a warning glare, but she closed her eyes and put all of her terror for her twin boys into her frond. She was about to lose more of her family and she wasn’t strong enough to deal with that. Not again. NIGHTWING.
Nikareon pushed himself upright and leapt to Darsey's side, but she was exhausted and quiet. Something wet tickled her neck as it ran down from behind her ear. She closed her eyes to concentrate on her ragged breathing, wondering whether she had really felt her love's mind, or if that fleeting touch had simply been wishful thinking.
She risked a peek at her enemies and the Beserk was pacing across the lab. He turned back to Lamidia and his eyes shone bright enough to light up the room. “We needs must go. Now. Five minutes at most.”
Lamidia's mouth twisted, marring her beauty, while she stood undecided. She stepped forward abruptly, to stop at Clear’s feet with her hands on her hips and her fingers drumming impatiently. “This gat first then. Irradiation I think. Can you do it quick?”
“None such,” the Maker protested unhappily. “To destroy fertility is counter to all I do, lady.'
Lamidia's face tightened further into angry lines, but Nikareon stepped forward before she could act.
“Blah, blah, carp, carp,” he sneered at the doctor. “I'll do the necessary, gentik. You work on our other guest as instructed.”
Nikareon moved to stand over Clear and offered her a reassuring smile and a wink.
“Time to play doctor.”
Clear’s brow furrowed, while the friendly Beserk positioned an irradiator above her. She looked across to Darse for help, reassurance, anything, but it was Darsey’s turn to stare blankly back.
Nikareon glanced between the two of them and although his expression was amused his fronds leaked bitter cynicism into the prisoners' minds. A pity that kres are most fond of their chicks. Children make easy targets.
3
Waiting
The view from the top floor of Eltok's best hotel was expansive, but Freefall looked past its beauty. All of his attention was on the distant dock, where his ship, the Grace, hovered menacingly, keeping every other vessel grounded. His com thrummed urgently against his wrist, but Pertwing sent a mental identification, Eltok council again, and he ignored it.
He tried to ignore Nightwing as well, but his cousin's angry pacing was too jarring for that. He tried to catch Wing's gaze when he passed, but saw only the whites of his eyes. That wild look did nothing to stop Free's stomach cramping into knots and he had to fight nausea. How could this have happened? All he could do was grind his teeth further, while staring at the city that had stolen his love and his wife.
“They're out there certain-sure,” Wing snarled, striding the length of the glass wall to sweep past his cousin again. His com thrummed too, but he silenced it instantly.
“How long can we ignore the Eltok Council?” Pertwing asked, appearing above Wing’s wrist with her tiny face screwed up. His computer program looked less than impressed. “We can't keep their planet on lockdown much longer.”
“We'll lock it down for all time if we need to,” her creator snarled and Free turned in quick agreement.
“Longer,” he swore and the cousins shared a grim look. Fear and fury flowed between them, until the emotions hung thick in the air and it was impossible to know where the feelings of one stopped and the other began. Free took a deep breath, searching for calm, but Wing started pacing again, which seemed to stoke his anger with every jolting stride.
The double doors to the suite were thrown open and the kres cousins spun as one. The entrance remained empty for several seconds, before six burly individuals shuffled in. The two kres and four humans responsible for protecting Darsey and Clearwing formed a ragged line, pulling themselves upright, so that at least they stood to attention. Every pair of eyes fixed itself on anything other than the two husbands.
Wing cursed and started pacing again, while Free simply stared at the bodyguards. Their strained pose reminded him of his rigid appearances before Arck Sharpeye, but he felt no sympathy for them, despite the similarity. If I'd ever failed Sharpeye this badly he'd have gutted me. “Report,” he barked and the kres in charge of Darsey's detail winced.
“Nothing, sar,” he admitted and stopped to swallow. “The trail ended at Dr. DisRaya's clinic. We've got crew from the Grace and the Nexus running sweeps of the city, but that will certain-sure take time.”
“We have no time-” Free pointed out, but was interrupted by a wild cry from Wing, who slammed the side of his fist against the window. The field thrummed in response and briefly distorted, sending waves of static rippling out to mask the view. He turned back to the others in the room and all except Free looked away. He knew exactly how Wing felt and took a deep breath, trying to keep control and not throw up. He braced himself to stand at attention too, holding his body tightly in check, while Wing moved to stand beside him.
“How?” Nightwing demanded, the word clipped and staccato. “How did this happen?”
The head of Darsey's security was unable to stop a sideways glance, but the human in charge of Clear’s protection was tight-lipped and staring at the ceiling. The kres sighed softly, but had the instant attention of the two husbands.
“Sars, Lady IceFlight said she wanted extra room for shopping and that the Science Minister's team would offer guarding.” He looked more pointedly at the head of Clear’s security, who finally shifted his gaze down from the roof to stare stoically back.
“Ditto, Admiral,” that human bodyguard rasped. “Clear told us Lady IceFlight's detail would provide protection.” He blinked and studied the two distraught husbands for the first time. “We're fired, aren't we?”
“In the least,” Free growled. “Leave before it comes to worse.”
The disgraced guards filed quietly out, except for the leader of Clearwing's security, who paused. “Sirs, I have to observe that it’s impossible to protect someone who won’t co-operate. This is the ladies’ fault-” The human had scarcely finished speaking, when he found himself slammed against the wall behind him. His well-honed reflexes could only react to hold himself still, as a knife settled against his throat.
“Philosophy is little comfort now,” Wing snarled in the guard's face, while his blade twitched to prick the man's skin, “but that observation was none such. I heard only self-serving guano. Do you have anyall helpful to add?”
“No, sar.”
“Wing,” Free said tightly, moving to stand behind his cousin, “I see the temptation, but this is no help.”
Nightwing eyed the ex-bodyguard for a long moment, before abruptly relaxing. The tension left his muscles
and his knife arm fell to his side. The sacked human slid away and joined his comrades, to head from the suite at speed.
Free felt the fear that Wing's frantic movements had held at bay and the same loss opened like a pit before him. He gripped his cousin's shoulder, but his fingers tightened convulsively, while Wing arched backward in shock.
WING, a silent voice screamed. NIGHTWING.
There was no hesitation at the unexpected message from Darsey. Free heard her cry too and traced it, linking that distant touch to his legs. He headed for the door, while Wing ran straight to the window, raising his com.
Nightwing fired, to punch a hole in the safety field and then launched himself through it. His personal float appeared from the garage beneath to rocket into the air and meet him.
Free kept moving at combat speed, even as he tracked his cousin. He sprinted to the door and made it in time to stop the security teams. “You've a medic?” he asked the last bodyguard, who nodded, and Free spun away to follow Wing.
“With us,” he roared and every disgraced guard obeyed.
4
Revenge
Nikareon drummed his fingers against the irradiator until it vibrated wildly and beeped in protest. He dropped his hands to his side, but had trouble keeping them still. There was no point trying to pretend, at least not to himself. That nightshriek cry of Darsey’s had him spooked. It had been frond splitting and had likely carried citywide. Not great when the town was full of body guards and drakked off husbands. Normally the risk of attack by aggrieved midgets wouldn’t worry him, but today was different. After a century of killing for other people, today was finally different. It was vital the babies-on-board stayed safe. Their survival was paramount and that had him sweating.
Easy Nik, he told himself, you’re just concerned because your partner-in-crime today makes tweets look tough. He risked a glance at the Maker, but that brief eye contact was enough to draw a whimper from the gentik. Curse the fool. If Lamidia realized the doctor was working for the Beserks and not her, it would ruin everyone’s day.