A Cat at Bay

by Alma Boykin

  Rachel shrugged and twisted a bit so she could see the human. “It was at a Traders’ Fair many years ago, when I was still apprenticed. The Keldaks sent a trade party for the first time that anyone could recall, and the master I was assigned to had been tasked with briefing them on the Trade Truce and finding them a place in the main Mart. I thought at the time that they were more noise than actual threat.”

  Jones mulled over the advisor’s account, and added another piece to the puzzle that was her consultant. She still really knew nothing about the woman who called herself “Commander Rachel Na Gael,” other than that she was not from Earth, had been a mercenary before she began working with the Global Defense Force, and had impressive empathic abilities. Evelyn Jones suspected some other things about the scarred brunette sitting beside her, but had precious few facts.

  “Tell me more about the Keldaki,” Jones ordered.

  “They are bi-pedal marsupials and stand just under two meters tall. Their homeworld’s gravity is about 1.25 times greater than Earth standard, so they are stronger than they seem, with sturdier bones. Last I heard about them, they’d started expanding out of their star-system and were looking to form their own dominion. They tangled with the Azdhag Empire once and I’d have thought that would cure anyone of expansionism, but apparently not.” Rachel frowned, then corrected herself, “Will tangle with the Azdhagi. Sorry, getting my timethreads snarled. Anyway, the Keldak are fairly hierarchical, so elimination or negotiation with the top officer on scene is the most effective way to deal with them, at least from what I remember. There’s just not that much information about them available,” she allowed, with a faintly apologetic look.

  Jones considered the information. “What comes after a scout ship?”

  Rachel retrieved her data-link and called up an image. “Light cutter, similar to the Shii-dakt class,” she shook her head, “Sorry, ma’am. That wouldn’t mean anything to you. A Keldak cutter is about 500 meters long, carries 175 crew and warriors, and has the same firepower as two American Nimitz class aircraft carriers, in a different form.”

  Jones whistled, making her associate cringe. “Sorry. What form of firepower are we talking about?”

  “Plasma weapons. Could level Manchester in about half an hour,” «which might be urban improvement, depending on where they start» Rachel thought, remembering her last visit to that city.

  «I heard that,» Jones said into Rachel’s mind, making her jump. «Hey, I heard that!»

  Despite her annoyance, the alien smiled. «Good, you’re improving, ma’am.» The officer was pleased, until Rachel continued, «Now raise your shields before you pick up more than you really want to, or I learn something you’d just as soon keep private.»

  Oops. Jones concentrated for a moment, willing a wall between her mind and the rest of the world.

  The officer noticed her associate making herself as comfortable as possible, wedged into the corner between the doorframe and seat. “One more question. Why do you nod off so often when we’re en route?”

  “After so many years of marching to the guns, I’ve learned to get my sleep when I can and to be less impatient about travel time, ma’am. Plus we cats have a reputation to maintain,” and she winked.

  The alien drifted to sleep, leaving Evelyn Jones alone with her thoughts.

  Ninety minutes later the GDF vehicles came to a stop at the edge of the Yorkshire Moors National Park. Jones, grateful for the chance to stretch, got out of the car and looked around. A swarm of midges seemed to materialize out of nowhere and she glared at the insects, then ignored them. Rachel made a rude noise as she pulled a small grey-and-black box the size of her hand out of her black satchel and began waving it around. They had halted just inside the park’s borders and Rachel fiddled with the box some more, pointing it west and then west-south-west.

  “The transmissions came from an area about two kilometers from here on a 220 degree bearing from present position.” Sgt. Weber, their driver, spread a map sheet across the vehicle’s bonnet, and found the spot.

  Jones looked it over, mentally laying out positions and routes in and out. “We’ll set up here,” she pointed to a paved turnout, “and then proceed.”

  Rachel put her tool belt, walking stick, and satchel in the rear of the command vehicle and started walking in that general direction. “Cat One, just what do you think you’re doing?” Jones demanded.

  “I’m going to take a look-see. Meet you at the lay-by,” a voice called, and the grey-clad woman vanished into a hollow before Jones could stop her.

  Oh bother. And why did she leave her field kit? As she got back into the car, a hint of motion caught the woman’s eye and she glimpsed a black something slipping quickly through the waist-high heather and brush. Feral dog?

  They found Rachel waiting on top of a small rise to the north of the lay-by when the vehicles rolled in. She didn’t move and seemed to be intently watching something. Rather than join her, Jones sent one of the scouts up while she took care of other matters. After a few minutes, Rachel descended and retrieved her gear from the back of the car. Sgt. St. John shook her head. “Only works if it’s blooming, mum,” and the advisor pulled a twig of heather out of her tightly plaited dark-brown hair with a shrug.

  “’Twas worth a try, Sergeant. An’ ’twill be white come Lughnatha,” she said, mimicking the local dialect.

  The initial reconnaissance of the area revealed a pond where the previous year’s Ordinance Survey showed nothing. The park rangers’ mysterious holes were on the south side of the pond, in two hillsides, and a cautious probe showed them to be more tunnel than hole or cave. Evelyn Jones considered her available resources, and made her plans. Captain Monroe will act as my number two until Khan arrives, since Ngobo and Marsh are remaining at headquarters—Marsh will continue to oversee the signals jamming of the Keldaki scanner, and Ngobo is forwarding more data from the Astronomical Institute to Na Gael and Marsh. Monroe needs field and command experience, Jones decided, and this is a good way for her to get it.

  “As you can see, the pond is new since the last survey ten months ago,” Monroe reported a little later. “The holes, or rather tunnels, were first reported by a park ranger two weeks ago. Otherwise the area does not seem to be disturbed, and the University of York’s geologists report no unusual seismographic anomalies in the past twelve months in this area. However, three walkers failed to meet their car. According to the friend,” the blond shuffled her notes, “they were supposed to be here at 1400 this past Sunday. He was delayed, and reached this lay-by at 1500. When they hadn’t appeared by 1700 he notified authorities. Another hiker claims to have met them at around 1130, four kilometers up the trail, on Sunday. Captain Marsh has the jamming signals and started broadcasting,” Monroe paused to check her watch, “two hours ago. I’ve posted scouts and an observer here, here and here,” she pointed a slender finger at three high points around the area of interest.

  Jones nodded. “Good job Monroe. Cat One, you have the mice ready?”

  Rachel looked up from tinkering with what looked like a child’s remote-control toy and removed her loupe. “Affirmative. I’d like to wait until after sundown before sending them in, if possible.”

  “Why?”

  “First, it will be easier to get close to the tunnel entrance. Second, these sense IR, and we can get better imaging after the sun goes down and the air cools.” She started to add something else, then stopped. At Jones inquiring look, the Wanderer shook her head slightly and gave the hand-sign for “later.” Monroe and the others failed to notice the communication, although RSM Chan raised an eyebrow.

  Jones dismissed everyone to their assignments a few minutes later and went to get supper. Afterwards, she found Rachel leaning on one of the lorries, chewing dried beef and contemplating the scenery. The alien was resting her leg on the lorry’s bumper, and the officer noticed a white shape tucked into the top of the other woman’s boot. She pointed with her mug. “What’s that?”

  Rache
l reached down and handed her the object. It was an elaborately carved knife about twenty centimeters long. “Please don’t try to draw it.”

  Jones contented herself with a close look at the hilt and sheath. “Very nice.” She returned it, and Rachel slid the knife back into its pocket. “That’s not ivory, is it?”

  “No, ma’am. It’s bone. Sturdier and easier to clean blood et cetera off of.” She said it so easily that it took Jones a second to register the comment.

  She sounds like that hand-to-hand combat instructor from the Paras I heard once. Jones filed another bit of information away and finished her drink, waving away the midge cloud that drifted past.

  Rachel turned and faced Jones. “Ma’am, the third reason to wait until after sundown is because the humans are not in danger. The Keldak will send out a night patrol, and we can reduce the number we have to deal with by taking out their troops up here, rather than in the ship proper.”

  “And how do you know this?” Jones leaned forward, not exactly doubting her advisor but very concerned.

  “I did an early recce before you and the vehicles got here, just far enough in to get a sense of the emotions and to make sure what we’re dealing with,” the alien admitted.

  Jones looked away and counted to ten, trying to keep from biting Rachel’s head off. “You realize that you could have jeopardized the command if you had been caught?”

  “I wasn’t, and I got useful information.” Rachel shrugged, totally unrepentant.

  “Commander, there are times I wonder if you are actively suicidal, or just incredibly stupid.”

  A long silence followed and Jones wondered if she’d finally hit a nerve. “Not stupid, no, ma’am,” came the thoughtful reply. “If you will excuse me? I need to get the ‘mice’ off the charger,” and the grey shadow slipped off into the twilight, leaving Evelyn to puzzle Now what in the hell does that mean?

  The remote controlled “mice” found the humans, who seemed to be uninjured and—after a few minutes—unguarded. “Command Two, how many Keldak have you noted thus far?” Jones wanted to know, and Monroe checked.

  “Sixteen. That includes the two neutralized by the scouts.”

  Jones frowned. So much for the alien’s initial assessment. Which suggests that this is more than just a simple scout. We’ve got to get the civilians out, but then what? And do they know we’re jamming them yet?

  Jones turned to RSM Chan. “Any sign of attempts to communicate?”

  “Negative Ma’am. They seem to be lying low after a burst earlier this evening,” he answered.

  After more watching and getting Khan’s latest ETA, Jones made her decision.

  “All right. Recon in force, we grab the three and fall back. Command Two, Hunter Two, get the men ready. Cat One,” and she hesitated. Her gut said that the xenologist should be with them. “Come with us. We may need you to interpret.”

  “Wilco. St. John, I’m slaving the mice to your controls.” The sergeant nodded, then said something under her breath. Rachel paused before following the others out of the command trailer.

  “What was that about, Cat One?” Jones asked, catching the smaller woman by the elbow.

  «St. John cast a tarot on us before we left headquarters. My card was the Emperor, instead of the usual tre of swords. Probably means nothing.»

  Jones had to ask, «What was mine?»

  She could sense discomfort in the reply. «The Hanged Man. Normally yours is the Emperor, according to St. John.»

  They mustered at the back of the rise closest to the lay-by. Jones, Monroe, and Chan finished their plans, then started moving out. Rachel went with the second batch of five, ghosting along the edge of the group, and Monroe had tail. Jones motioned, and the troops made their way into the two tunnels. If all went as planned, Jones’s squad would free the walkers while the others diverted the Keldaks’ attention. That left perhaps seven to ten defenders for each squad to deal with, while the remaining troopers acted as reinforcements.

  By the time they reached the second air lock door, Rachel had worked her way to up her usual position at Jones’ shoulder. The alien wore an intent expression and kept turning her head as if listening or scanning for a sound only she could hear. The soldiers paid her no attention as they eased their way through the dimly lit corridor of the Keldak ship. They encountered one Keldak and captured it without any fuss before reaching the still-open and unguarded room where the three humans huddled.

  “Ksssst.” Corporal Ulianov, on point, eased past the room, taking up a watch position just past a bend in the wall. Jones motioned and the soldiers checked for a force field, and, finding none, slipped inside. The hikers, eyes wide, didn’t say anything after Boer Four, Cpl. Lee, gestured for silence. Rachel had one of her devices at the ready, and she unlocked the trio’s cuffs while Corporal Lee gave them a quick medical check. All three were hungry, tired, and scared, but otherwise uninjured.

  All at once Rachel spun around, head up, eye wide and ears pointing down the hallway. She darted for the door at the first sound of a scuffle and touched Jones’ arm. «Five Keldak incoming. A sixth between us and the exit.»

  “Right.” Jones could feel her breath coming faster with the adrenaline. “You and Monroe get the civi’s out and then come back with the rest of the troops.”

  Rachel started to protest, then shook her head. “Wilco. You lot, follow me,” she said over her shoulder.

  The soldiers shooed the young people out and up the hallway, then took positions along the corridor walls. Jones keyed her radio. “Command One to Block One, over.” There was no reply, not even static. “One to Block One, do you copy?” Silence. She tried Chan’s group, and got no response. The first of the Keldaks appeared, then vanished back around the corner. Right, we’re on our own. Time to fall back and regroup. Just as she started to give the signal, she heard a clang of metal on metal, and her eyes and mouth started to burn.

  A solid looking creature wearing a dull yellow jumpsuit, bandolier, and boots stood in front of the second airlock, its stubby snout and vulpine ears twitching behind a mask of some kind. A second joined it, both pointing gun-looking things at the human troopers. Jones blinked hard, trying to keep her eyes clear. It was getting harder and harder to think and see, and Jones tried to fire at the creature but lost control of her arms and legs. Didn’t think about gas, did you, she cursed herself.

  She never really lost consciousness, but it took several minutes before she could move everything and her vision returned to normal. The Keldaki soldiers had stripped the GDF troopers of their weapons and secured their hands behind their backs. Corporal Lee tried to fight his captor until a paw to his head knocked him to his knees. “Don’t. We won’t hurt you if we don’t have to, human.” The speaker, a Keldak with red dots on its shoulders, hauled Jones to her feet by pulling up on her hands, and she yelped at the pain in her shoulders. “Our field commander wants to see you,” it said, prodding her with the barrel of its gun.

  It drove the humans into a brightly lit control room, where a taller Keldak in a brown uniform stood. Jones winced when she saw the members of the other group already under guard. At least no one’s injured. Yet.

  “Which one of you is the commanding officer,” the brown-clad marsupial asked, arms crossed as it studied the prisoners. Jones tried to work her hands free, and failed.

  She stepped forward. “I am.”

  The alien’s black eyes widened. “Brave, if not very smart.” The guards stacked the troopers’ weapons beside one of the doors, and another Keldak said something in a snuffing, growling voice from behind the field commander.

  “As you guessed, we’re jamming your radios. Returning a favor, you might say,” it paused. “I suppose I should introduce myself, but I won’t bother. You’ll get a chance to know us very well in the near future, after we rejoin the rest of the fleet.” She thought it might be smiling, but she couldn’t tell. Her attention was distracted by the arrival of another Keldak, who dumped a bound Sandra Monroe ont
o the floor. It reported to the officer. The larger creature unfolded its arms and strode over to Jones. Two of the Keldak scouts took hold of her shoulders as the officer approached, digging their claws into her armor. “How many more troops do you have waiting, female?”

  Jones didn’t reply until one of the scouts worked its claw into the gap between her body armor and arm protector, drawing blood. She bluffed. “If my subordinates don’t hear from me in fifteen minutes, they will call in an air strike.”

  The creature stepped back, and gave a human sounding snort. “Ineffective and suicidal. That sounds like what we’ve observed of humans.” The scout that had brought in Monroe said something that made the field commander stop and ask a few more questions. “My lieutenant says that a non-human and that female escorted the three other humans towards the surface. What allies are you working with?”

  “None.” She’s not an ally, she’s under my command.

  The officer pointed towards Sergeant Thomas and two more guards dragged him forward. “Again, who is working with you?”

  “As I said, no allies.” Her mouth had gone dry.

  One of the Keldak soldiers pushed what looked like a hypodermic syringe against the human man’s side and turned it, producing a red spark. Thomas screamed, back arching, bowels releasing their contents, eyes rolling in their sockets. After what seemed like an hour the guards released him and he collapsed, not moving. “Which of your men will be next, officer? Answer my question!”

  A half-truth can’t hurt. “Cat One’s a human hybrid, speaks something called Trader Talk,” Jones admitted. “We don’t know anything else.”

  “Trader Talk? That sounds promising.” A commotion outside the room interrupted the soliloquy.

  The sounds from outside the ship’s bridge grew louder as a woman cursed eloquently. “You mean Trader Talk like that, officer?” The Keldaki officer sounded pleased.