Outlaw

by Angela Verdenius

“I see your point.” She nodded her understanding.

  Sympathy and distaste showed on other faces, and Byron felt relief spiral through him. It was good that some understanding was being shown.

  “What proof do you have of your innocence?” Asked Karion, a female Saalm Consult member, into the slightly appalled silence. “History states that there are eyewitnesses to the settlement massacre. You fight a mighty voice in the Inka Empire.”

  “Where are the eyewitnesses now? Who are they? Again, only the Inka Empire seems to know.”

  “Then it’s time to bring the Inka leader into this case” Karion said. “As it seems he has some questions to answer, too.”

  Darvk stepped forward. “Allow me.” He gestured to Morgan who disappeared through the door, returning several minutes later with an angry Shari.

  Shrugging off his hands, Shari strode into the middle of the room, his angry gaze raking the occupants. “I demand these outlaws be taken now!”

  Meekta eyed him blandly. “Now it is your time to talk.”

  “I was attacked in my own fortress by these murderous women!” He pointed at the impassive warriors. “Drugged and dragged from my own bed, taken aboard the Daamen trading ship and brutalized there!”

  Dark eyes inspected him. “You show no bruises.”

  “This is improper, Meekta! Surely you cannot be thinking they speak the truth? Everyone knows of their lies!”

  “Tell us your version. As they seek to prove their innocence, so you seek to prove their guilt.”

  Shari’s eyes burned with hatred. “Karana, the leader of the Reekas, murdered my son after she wed him. The healer found no sign of ulcers or anything else they swore were present on the men when they died.”

  “That is a point. Go on.”

  “Everyone fears them. The survivors of the massacre fled and have hidden in terror that the Reekas will seek them out for revenge!”

  “Where are the survivors?”

  His eyes narrowed. “The two remaining were both butchered, found by my own Dragon soldiers when they sought them out to offer my protection.”

  “So there are now no survivors?”

  “History records say it all.”

  “I see.” Meekta’s gaze switched to the warriors standing before him. “This doesn’t look good for you.”

  Beside Tenia, a blonde warrior tensed, her dark muttering plain to hear. “I knew this was not a good idea.”

  Byron exchanged another glance with Keema and Coran. This could turn nasty very fast, and very soon.

  Darvk stepped forward quickly. “There is a sure way to find the truth.”

  “What is that?”

  “I would try something.”

  “What is it?”

  “A truth serum.”

  A buzz swept the room.

  “A what?” Sarrah looked at Coran. “He said a what?”

  “I knew he had something up his sleeve,” Coran whispered.

  “It had better be good,” Keema muttered.

  Meekta stared at the trader. “A truth serum?”

  “Aye. ‘Tis the same serum I used on a Reeka warrior to find the whereabouts of Tenia when she escaped me.”

  “Ah, yes. You bought her.”

  Some of the looks Darvk received from the leaders were disapproving, especially from his own Daamen leader, Grezel, until he answered, “A brothel owner wanted to buy her, to chain her down for the reason Reya mentioned earlier. I couldn’t allow that to happen.”

  “I understand.” Not by a twitch of a muscle in his face did Meekta reveal his thoughts. “Where did you get this truth serum?”

  “A woman skilled in the arts.”

  “Exactly what arts?”

  “Of healing and truth.”

  “A witch?” Now Meekta did look a little stunned. “You obtained a serum from a witch?”

  “Uh-oh,” Byron whispered uneasily. “This may not go down too well.”

  Darvk’s gaze never faltered. “Is there any reason why we can’t try it?”

  “It’s poison!” Shari shrieked. “He seeks to kill me to set the women free!”

  “Quiet,” Meekta ordered brusquely.

  Grezel frowned at Darvk. “This is unusual, Darvk.”

  “I know, but it will work. You must trust me.”

  Grezel sat back, considering.

  “We have seen stranger things,” Karion reminded Meekta.

  Bless his Saalm leader. Byron felt a little of the tension ease.

  “As Shari said, it could be harmful to him.”

  “Then bring in the analyst and see if it is harmful. If not, use it.”

  Shari scowled. “You’re not serious!”

  Meekta drummed his fingers on the tabletop, then nodded curtly. “Bring him in.”

  “You can’t possibly mean it,” Shari said disbelievingly.

  “If it is harmless, there is no problem,” Grezel said. “And if it does reveal the truth, that is what you want. Correct?”

  Shari folded his arms with a harrumph.

  An elderly man entered carrying a handtronic. A drop of the serum was placed on the tip and he watched the readings. With a shrug, he looked at Meekta. “It’s just rose oil.”

  “Rose oil,” Meekta repeated.

  “Rose oil.”

  “Nothing else?”

  “No.”

  “You’re certain?”

  “I’m certain.”

  The Reekas didn’t betray their thoughts, the Daamens with Darvk were expressionless, and Byron could only conclude that they knew something no one else did. Truth serum made from rose oil? He barely refrained from scratching his head.

  “Very well, bring the medic to administer it. I trust this is fine with you, Shari? After all, if what you say is true, there is nothing to worry about, is there?” Meekta looked hard at him.

  Shari stared contemptuously at Darvk. “Go ahead, trader. Let the truth about these murderous bitches be revealed once and for all so there is never further doubt.”

  The medic was summoned and he readied Shari, rolling the sleeve up of the borrowed tunic that he wore. Picking up the vial, he reached for the injector.

  Suddenly Shari staggered and fell against him, clutching his chest. The vial was knocked out of the medic’s hand and fell to the floor, the glass splintering and the liquid spraying across the smooth, crystal tiles.

  “Bloody hell!” Darvk swore savagely.

  Sarrah gasped and Byron patted her hand, jaw tight. This definitely didn’t bode well.

  “I’m sorry.” Shari pushed himself upright. “I’m all right.” He held out his arm. “You can give me the serum now.”

  Everyone in the room just looked at him.

  Someone actually said from the side benches, “Is he serious?”

  “Wonderful,” Dana gritted. “Can we scrape up enough from the floor?”

  Meekta called sharply to one of the guards beside the entrance doors. “Bring someone to clean this mess up!” He turned his eyes to the warriors. “The evidence placed before us so far is inconclusive. The leaders need to discuss this further. Until then you will be held in the witness chamber.”

  “No,” Reya said immediately. “We’re not going to any place to be held.”

  He bristled. “You will wait where I choose to have you wait.”

  Tenia stiffened. “I thought we were given amnesty.”

  “So you have.” Karion attempted to put the warriors at ease.

  “See how dangerous they can be?” Shari barked. “Ever ready to fight! Put them in chains before they attack us! Guards!”

  In one meticulous movement the warriors slammed back shoulder-to-shoulder in a circle, eyes wary, assessing the guards at the doors.

  Even as Darvk stepped forward, Byron knew Meekta wouldn’t view his interference favourably, but for the woman he loved Darvk would risk anything.

  “Shari, enough!” Meekta roared, pushing himself upright. “Your hysterical outburst has pushed this situation to the pressure p
oint. Be silent or you will be contained until the next hearing.” He looked at the wary warriors in annoyance. “As for you-”

  “Please.” Darvk held up his hand to gain the irritated leader’s attention.

  “What is it?”

  “The warriors are familiar with myself and my crew. I would ask that they be placed in our care until you return.”

  Meekta appeared ready to object, but Grezel said mildly, “The Reekas are under amnesty, that means they can choose to wait where they wish.”

  Meekta’s irritation almost filled the room. “Correct.”

  “Then mayhap they should wait with Darvk and his crew.” Grezel flashed Darvk a grin. “They’ve handled them so far, I’m sure they can continue to do so.”

  Meekta looked at the Reekas. “Choose.”

  Tenia’s reply was immediate. “We wait with Darvk.”

  ~ * ~

  “They’re going to crucify us.” Dana limped back and forth in front of the ramp.

  Tenia was vaguely aware of her cousin pacing, but her attention was more focused on the words.

  “It was a mistake to come,” Jonette agreed darkly.

  Darvk looked at her. “It’s the best way to decide once and for all on the future of your race.”

  “It was a good idea while you had the truth serum,” Yesta pointed out. “Now we’re back where we started.”

  “Worse,” Dana added. “Right in the middle of law and order.”

  Garret watched her in concern. “Stop walking on that twisted ankle. You’ll only make it worse.”

  “Rest it.” Aster nodded. “You might need to fight soon.”

  “There will be no fight.” Darvk frowned at her. “Amnesty is granted aboard this ship.”

  “What about out there?” Tenia glanced up from where she sat on the floor, leaning back against the wall with legs stretched out and ankles crossed. “We’re an open target as soon as we leave.”

  “No one will take you. You’re all safe with us.”

  “What can you do?” Dana challenged aggressively.

  “Don’t worry,” Garret replied. “We’ll just claim you all.”

  She opened her mouth to retort snidely, but the door to the docking bay opening claimed her attention.

  “The leaders are ready for you to return,” Coran said.

  “How does it look?” Darvk asked.

  Dark eyes sweeping over the tense warriors and traders, he shook his head. “I don’t know. They’ve given no indication.”

  Reya pushed away from the wall she’d been leaning against. “Let’s get this over with.”

  When they filed back in, it was to see Shari standing on the side with a triumphant gleam in his eyes. Tenia’s gaze fell upon the two new occupants of the room, a chill going through her as she met Sinya’s eyes and Minna, Shari’s wife, lifted her head and looked straight at her.

  “Well hell,” Reya murmured. “The whole family is here.”

  “The fun will start any time now,” Dana said forebodingly.

  Connie assessed the room’s occupants silently.

  “We have new witnesses,” Meekta said, “who will hopefully shed more light on this business.”

  The Inka Empire leader’s eyes gleamed coldly across the room at the sisters. With his wife and the pirate on his side, he no doubt tasted victory.

  “Sinya, as with the Reekas, you have been granted amnesty during these proceedings,” Meekta said.

  “Amnetsy while on this ship,” Sinya corrected.

  Meekta’s eyes narrowed.

  “It’s true,” Yolan nodded.

  Darvk had no doubt that Sinya had an escape plan, the barstard always did.

  “Yes.” Meekta said irritably. “While on this ship.” Before there could be anymore interruptions, he stated, “Sinya, you are in Shari’s employ.”

  “Yes.” His gaze shifted to Shari. “He hates the Reekas and seeks to destroy them.”

  Shari stiffened at the words.

  “He told you this?” Meekta queried.

  “Many times. He used me to lead the bounty hunters to two of the warriors.”

  Shari started forward. “That’s a lie!”

  “Silence!” Meekta’s attention returned to Sinya. “Where were these two warriors at the time?”

  “Searching for the truth in the presence of the traders who had claimed them, Darvk and Maverk. It was my job to give them false information on the massacre survivors - of which there were none, they were simply two outlaws paid to also give false information - and to have the traders drugged to clear the way for the bounty hunters to capture the women. This was done and they were taken to Oslow, a settlement on Comll. There they were hung.”

  “We’d heard about that.” Meekta looked at Darvk. “You arrived in time with some Argon allies to rescue the Reekas.”

  “Aye.”

  “Shari was furious that the Reekas didn’t die that day in Oslow,” Sinya added.

  “So why did you work for him, but now confess this?”

  “He kept my brother hostage in the dungeons beneath the fortress. As long as I did what he said, my brother would be safe.” Loathing filled the pirate’s voice.

  “Why you?” Karion asked curiously. “Was there a particular reason?”

  He nodded grimly. “I knew Reya.”

  “Anything else?”

  “My lady, I have nothing else to add except to say that the Reeka warriors have never attacked innocents.”

  “They fought beside outlaw district lords.”

  “Against warring outlaw lords, and only in the Outlaw Sector.”

  “That shall be noted.” Meekta’s attention switched to Minna. “Now I ask the wife of Shari to step forward. Minna.”

  The small, slender figure did as bidden, her eyes seeking and finding her husband. He nodded regally to her.

  Tenia watched her grandmother. She was his trump card, his back-up. Her word would weigh heavily against the Reekas.

  “What do you say to these allegations against your husband, Minna?” Meekta queried.

  Pale blue eyes, heavy with sorrow, shifted to him. Without a word she approached the warriors, moving straight to Reya.

  Tenia studied the lined face of her grandmother, seeing the flashes of her father in the high cheekbones. She glanced at Reya to find her sister giving Minna one cold look before returning her gaze to a smiling Shari.

  The room was silent and tense when Minna reached out and touched the heavy golden braid that fell over Tenia’s shoulder.

  “You have his hair.” Dropping the braid gently, she moved back to stand in front of Reya. “Look at me. Please.”

  Reya’s gaze dropped to study her grandmother expressionlessly.

  “You have his eyes,” Minna marvelled. “You are the daughters of my son.”

  “Minna,” Karion said gently but firmly. “What do you say about the allegations against your husband?”

  Turning, Minna squared her shoulders and looked from Shari to Karion. “Vulya wed Karana against our wishes. He met her while on a trip to Bendya. We had a terrible row when he told us he was going to wed her, and he left and never returned. Shari was inconsolable for a long time, he always said he’d get Vulya back somehow. I thought he was being melodramatic. Several years passed and we heard nothing from our son until he sent us a message about the birth of his first child, Reya. Shari wouldn’t talk for weeks after and he forbade me to visit Vulya. Some time later another message came announcing the birth of a second child, Tenia. Again I was forbidden to visit.”

  “Minna!” Shari snapped. “You don’t know what you’re saying. Meekta, grief has dulled her mind and-”

  “Enough with these interruptions.” Meekta motioned to two of the guards and they seized a protesting Shari and bore him away.

  It surprised Tenia that the Peace Council leader would actually do such a thing to a planet leader of the Lawful Sector, but the more she listened to Meekta, the more she realised the man didn’t take scenes well. No
ne of the other planet leaders seemed surprised.

  As Shari’s shrieks faded, Meekta gestured to Minna. “Continue.”

  “Some time passed before we heard that the men had started dying in the Reeka settlement, as well as male children and babes. There was no explanation. Vulya was amongst the first to die. Shari cried when we received the news, and from the very beginning claimed that Karana had murdered our son. I heard later through servants’ gossip that the Reekas had been forced to leave their settlement after persecution, and the last of their males died on their journey to wherever they were heading. Time passed and I guess, as time went on, that I came to believe the rumours and I lost interest in my granddaughters.” Minna seemed to think about something for several seconds before she continued, “Then news came that a settlement had been attacked by Reeka warriors and wiped out. Shari was away at the time and when he returned, he told me that he’d spoken to the survivors, who had gone into hiding. He ordered his Dragon soldiers to attack the Reeka dwellings in the valley, and had them declared outlaws. After that, they were rarely sighted.” Her voice trailing off completely, she stared sightlessly at the floor.

  Meekta glanced at the leaders around him, who simply shrugged, before stating sternly, “This doesn’t tell us what we don’t already know.”

  And it certainly didn’t sound good for the Reekas. Tenia mentally bit her lip, refusing to outwardly show any emotion.

  “Then let me show you what you don’t know.” Minna withdrew a tiny object from the pocket of her long gown. “I found this after my husband disappeared. I found out the truth behind the massacre and the death of the Reeka males.”

  “What is that?” Meekta’s eyes narrowed.

  “A viewchip holding Shari’s records of major events.” Tears spilled from her eyes.

  “Bring the viewchip here and we’ll watch it.”

  “It is not nice viewing, I warn you.”

  “I appreciate the warning. However, as with all cases, evidence is shown to all so that the decision reached is known by everyone to be true and fair.”

  Minna gazed at Reya and Tenia. “I am truly sorry.” Crossing to Meekta, she placed the viewchip on the table before him and returned to Sinya’s side, where she resumed staring at the floor.

  Wondering what was on the viewchip, Tenia glanced sideways at her sister warriors. Dana arched an eyebrow, her usual sardonic self, no doubt expecting trouble. Connie sent Tenia a reassuring look. Reya didn’t move, her attention on Meekta.