Someone like Rose McKenzie would know what to do. More to the point, Bane would at least consider what she had to say.
He caught sight of Filavantri Dimitara, the head of their delegation, as the crowd swirled around her. She was Bukarian, chosen to lead the council team because she had been one of the first councilors to see firsthand what the Tecran had done with the Earth women and the thinking systems they'd built into the Class 5 battleships.
It had been decided that the Grih couldn't lead this delegation. Shots had been fired between them and the Tecran, and no one believed they'd be objective. But the Bukari had a reputation for evenhandedness, even if Dimitara was considered too attached to the Earth woman, Rose McKenzie, and perhaps less objective about the Tecran because of it.
The Tecran had tried to block her appointment on those grounds, but they just didn't have enough standing in the UC after everything that had happened, and Dimitara had been voted in unanimously by the other members.
“Ambassador.” Dray interrupted the conversation Dimitara was having with one of the Fitalian members of their leadership group, Pilto. The one who'd requested that Bane hang back when they approached the Tecran.
He knew he had a suspicious mind, but Dray found himself looking at Pilto a little more carefully given the current circumstances.
“That thing is causing exactly the kind of chaos and ill will I suspected he would.” Pilto flung a hand out toward the Tecran envoy. “Look at that.”
“You don't think the Tecran were doing the same, coming at us in attack mode with five Levron?” Dimitara's question settled something in Dray's chest.
Their leader was no idiot.
He'd planned to draw Dimitara aside, but given the fuss Pilto had made, and the mutterings of agreement around him, he decided it would be useful for everyone to understand the benefits Bane brought with him.
“I have information that the rear two Levron are coming in with weapons hot, and they're shielding it.”
Dimitara had turned when he'd addressed her by her title, but now she gave him her full attention. “How do you know this?”
Like Pilto, Dray gestured toward the envoy, and Bane.
Dimitara drew in a sharp breath. “He told you directly?”
Dray nodded.
The Fitalian ambassador's gaze moved between Dray and Bane, his eyes getting even wider than they were usually. “I thought he was neutral, not aligned with the Grih.”
Dimitara turned on him, eyes flashing. “The Tecran are approaching us with their weapons hot and shielded, Bane has moved into a protective position to help us, and your take on the situation is jealousy that the information was passed on through the Grih?” The disbelief and disappointment in her tone had the effect of making the ambassador shuffle back a few steps.
When he had nothing to say, Dimitara dismissed him by turning her back on him and scanning the crowd. “Vauk!” Her call to the only Tecran representative on the team was loud enough to silence those around them.
The Tecran woman moved toward them reluctantly, aware of the avid eyes on her. She had been standing to one side, watching the Levron approach, and Dray could see the snap of temper in her eyes at being waved over.
“Why are some of those Levron coming in with weapons hot?” Dimitara didn't mince words.
Vauk blinked. “I'm sure that's not the case--”
“They're shielding, but that doesn't fool us. It certainly didn't fool Bane. Please explain.” Dray noticed his words registered with most of the team members standing in earshot, and they all drew closer, faces serious.
“I--” Vauk tapped at her ear, and then turned away, murmuring in Tecran.
“I can hear chatter between the Tecran battleships.” Bane's voice was soft in Dray's ear. “Some members of the military decided to try and launch an ambush. They weren't planning on shooting at the Urna, just me. This wasn't known to the political leaders who are present in the front three ships.”
“Apologies for any distress caused,” Vauk turned back to them, her face twisted in a false smile. “This is just standard practice when our Levron travel in convoy. No offense or harm was meant.”
“No harm other than to Bane,” Dray said.
Vauk blinked again.
“We know your military were planning to fire on him.” Dray made sure he could be heard by everyone.
There were plenty here who resented Bane, and were more sympathetic to the Tecran than they deserved. He wanted all the Tecran's tricks out in the open, so no one was fooled.
“How dare you say that?” Vauk drew herself up. “What proof do you have--”
One side of the Urna's transparent wall became opaque, and then a visual comms of three Tecran generals discussing their strategy to shoot Bane played out across it.
There was dead silence when it finished.
“I've relayed the same clip to the Tecran politicians onboard the Levron and back home on Tecra.” Bane's voice was dry, but Dray thought he heard the edge of glee in his tone. “As well as to UC headquarters.”
Everyone's gaze swung to Vauk.
“I . . . didn't know! I'm not in the generals' confidence.” She took a step back, turned on her heel and ran out of the viewing area.
“My guess is she's off to resign.” Zutobi had moved in next to Dray again. She was watching the Tecran woman disappear down the passageway.
“The Tecran won't accept it. They can't lose her now, because the UC would need to appoint a new liaison, and that would take a few weeks. They won't want to have no eyes or ears in the leadership team that long.”
Zutobi nodded at his words. “Then she's in for an unhappy time.”
“Look, they're leaving.” One of the Garmman delegates pointed toward their Tecran escort.
Sure enough, the two at the back had broken away from the other three, dropped down out of sight, and then Dray felt the faint buzz against his skin that told him they'd both light-jumped away.
He turned at the sound of voices, saw Dimitara was following a comms officer out of the viewing area toward the comms station.
Most likely, the Tecran wanted to smooth things over with her.
But they were already at a significant disadvantage with the UC leadership team now.
They had shown themselves to be a nation divided.
Bane drifted up and then over the remaining three Levron. He stayed directly above them for a long beat, and then lazily rolled back to his place next to the Urna.
As the crowd watched him, Dray thought he could sense awe, rather than fear, this time around.
Chapter 5
A shaft of light woke her.
Lucy opened her eyes on a shiver.
She had spent a restless night, waking often, cold to her bones from the hard, icy floor and the sharp wind blowing through the door. Sometime around dawn she must have fallen into a deeper, exhausted sleep, because the Tecran sun had risen high enough to hit her in the face.
She closed her eyes and let warm orange light bloom behind her eyelids as she tried to absorb every bit of its meager heat.
The wind seemed to change, to find a newer, sharper cut, and she shivered again and stood.
She moved cautiously, stiff and achy from being curled up all night, and saw for the first time what was in the room she'd taken shelter in.
It looked like climbing gear, but higher tech than anything she'd seen on Earth. There were grapple hooks attached to what looked like crossbows hanging from hooks on the wall, along with loops of rope and strange gloves with small hooks on the palms and fingers.
She opened the door a little wider, and stepped out, cautiously pressing up against the high wall of the building as she eyed the narrow walkway and the sheer drop beyond it.
Now it was light, she could see for the first time that there was a small platform right near the storage room she'd hidden in that protruded out over the clifftop.
This must be where the Tecran suited up before climbing down the cliffs.
She shuddered, and brushed at the dust on the cloak she wore. She didn't do well with heights, although she had to admit the view was amazing.
The fog had completely dissipated and she could see everything. The sparkle off the water, the black rock of the cliffs, the green of the grass on the plateau and the astonishing, breathtaking buildings that grew out of the cliffs.
In what she guessed was the middle of the city, a massive statue rose up, set a little back from the cliff, with no buildings in front of it. It faced the sea, arms held out with palms cupped.
It stood head and shoulders higher than any of the buildings around it.
It represented a hawklike figure, hooded, and something about the positioning of its arms and hands made her think it was waiting for benediction as it gleamed silver in the morning light.
She'd seen something like it somewhere before, and then she remembered the small figure above the doors of the building she'd glimpsed last night. A tiny imitation of the real thing.
She stared at it in amazement for a long moment before the wind gusted a little harder and forced a cough from her.
She was still in her pajamas, and her feet, now she'd stepped out of the blanket she'd wrapped them in, were already freezing.
Before she went anywhere, she would have to find a solution to her footwear problem.
She pulled the door wider, letting in as much light as possible, and looked over what was inside the tiny space.
She found what looked like a soft shoe, and after a few minutes of searching, found its match.
She stepped back out to look at them properly, and decided even though they looked too big, she didn't have much choice but to wear them.
She sat down and pulled them on over her thin slippers and then yelped in fright when they tightened around her feet. After a moment of panic, she felt them loosen a little, so they fit her perfectly.
She stretched out both feet to look at them more carefully, and had to admit they were warm, but they looked strange, with tiny hooks all over them.
The Tecran must be mad if their idea of fun was hanging from a cliff with nothing but shoes and gloves with little hooks holding them up.
At least the soles were thick, and when she stood, she bounced a few times, enjoying the cushioning.
The wind shifted again, and she went still as she heard the murmur of voices.
The door behind her banged shut, and she winced as the voices cut off suddenly.
She dithered, torn between whether to hide in the tiny storeroom, knowing she'd be trapped if she went back in there, or stay where she was.
Suddenly, two Tecran stepped around the corner of the building, and came to a startled halt at the sight of her.
They didn't stick close to the wall as she had, and after a moment's hesitation, one of them, the man, began walking toward her right on the edge of the drop-off.
It seemed like he was coming at her fast.
Panic seized her, and she opened the door of her hidey-hole, leaned in, and grabbed one of the crossbow devices.
When she turned back, the Tecran was much closer, and his face was slack with astonishment, the feather-like protrusions around his face standing up like a surprised owl.
Her scarf had slipped down around her neck, the hood of her cloak was off her head, and she realized he could not mistake her for a fellow Tecran. Her hair, the thing about her that seemed to most fascinate the Tecran scientists she'd come to know at the facility, was dancing around her head in the breeze.
She held the crossbow tightly to her chest, the grapple dangling awkwardly from the front of it.
“Be calm, we won't hurt you.” He spoke slowly, as if he didn't expect her to understand him. His gaze kept moving from her face to her hair and back.
A woman came up behind him, her own expression wide-eyed with surprise, her beak-like mouth open. It occurred to Lucy that their very alien features no longer had much impact on her. It was all she'd seen for so long.
The woman blinked. “She's one of the ones they said . . .”
She trailed off, and the two exchanged a panicked look.
“What does 'I'm one of the ones' mean?” Lucy stared at them. They knew something about her?
They flinched in surprise when she spoke.
“You speak Tecran?” The woman's voice was soft with shock.
“I've been here for months.” Lucy lifted her shoulders.
Again, the two shared a look.
“Can you tell me how you seem to know something about me?” Lucy clutched the crossbow a little tighter as they both shuffled back a few steps.
“The explosion. Last night.” The woman ignored her, spoke to her companion as if she'd just realized something.
“Yes.” He drew the word out. “That was a military facility.” The man turned wary eyes back on Lucy. “This is not something I want to be mixed up in--”
The woman hesitated, then gave a nod.
They shuffled back a little more.
“Please, just tell me what you know.” Lucy took a step toward them, and it seemed to galvanize the man. He turned, took hold of the woman's shoulders, and turned her as well.
As she gave Lucy one last parting glance, the woman lowered her eyes, as if she was embarrassed at their retreat, then she walked quickly back the way she'd come, the man close on her heels.
A moment later, Lucy was alone again, with nothing but the low moan of the wind and the spectacular view along the cliffs for company.
Those two had recognized her.
Or if not her, specifically, people from Earth. The woman had even made the connection with the facility.
Which meant, if they spoke to anyone, word would get out that she was here. And that would lead those hunting her right to her.
She had to go.
Go now.
She walked along the side of the building, keeping close to the wall again as the wind swirled around her, tugging at her cloak.
The ledge dropped off to the sea far, far below.
When she turned the corner, relieved to have solid ground in front of her, she saw the two people who'd found her talking to another Tecran, both of them gesticulating wildly to the newcomer.
They all went silent at the sight of her, and Lucy realized she was still clutching the crossbow.
She'd shot crossbows, and even longbows, for fun, but what was she going to do? Shoot someone with a grapple hook?
The idea was so ludicrous, she bent slowly and set it down on the ground at her feet.
The wind had kicked up another notch, and it blew her long, curly hair wildly around her. Her cloak streamed behind her, revealing her body in her thin pajamas, and she could see from their expressions she was the strange, alien creature here. Not them.
“Please,” she said, hearing the weariness in her own voice, “just tell me what you know about me and I'll be on my way.”
“Do you have a credit bank?” the new Tecran asked.
“No.” She didn't even know what the system of money was here. She'd been tucked up in the facility the whole time.
“I'll give you mine. It's got enough to last a couple of days on it. Go into the city. You'll find help there. For us . . .” He flicked a look at the other two. “It's a tricky thing. We might be seen as traitors if we help you.” He lifted his hands, the fluff on his feathery arms ruffling in the wind.
“I have a credit bank on me.” The woman who'd walked away from her dug into a pocket, and the man with her did the same.
They gave them both to the third man, who'd pulled out a colorful rectangle from his own pocket. He leaned forward and set them on the ground, as if scared to get closer.
Like they were afraid to touch her, or get too near her.
She frowned. “Are you frightened of me?”
She would need to know this if she was going into the crowds of the city.
They looked at each other uneasily.
“The scientists and doctors at the facility weren't afrai
d of me.”
The woman closed her eyes. “Don't tell us anything about the facility.”
“We aren't afraid,” the new man slid both hands into his pockets. “It's just . . .” He eventually shrugged, unable or unwilling to explain.
“Good luck.” The man who'd found her originally shuffled back toward the door of the building. “The zipu comes every five minutes and it'll take you all the way to the city. It's only a short walk along the path.” He gestured to a meandering path that disappeared between two low, stunted trees. Then he turned and walked into the building.
After a moment of silence, the other two followed him, the woman glancing at her with a frown more than once.
Lucy waited until they had disappeared and then she scooped up the credits they'd left her.
It felt a little icky taking the thin, bright rectangles, each a colorful rainbow made of something similar to enamel, but she couldn't be picky. She hadn't eaten or drunk anything since last night, and the Tecran's version of money had to make things easier for her.
She contemplated the path, guessing the zipu they'd referred to was some form of public transport.
Did she take it, or did she use the hover?
She decided to have a look at the zipu first. She might stand out more on the hover.
And she knew where to find it if she wanted it back.
She looked over her shoulder at the closed door of the building, caught a glimpse of the three Tecran watching her through a narrow window, and turned back to the path. She straightened her shoulders and started walking.
Chapter 6
“That little confrontation earlier was a little too dramatic for my tastes.” Filavantri Dimitara stared at Dray from across her desk, her big, dark brown eyes set in a slender, elongated face.
He didn't move, but Yolandi squirmed a little beside him.
Zutobi just made herself more comfortable in her chair.
All three of the Grihan leadership team members had been called into Dimitara's office after her conversation with the Tecran envoy, and no one needed to be a genius to guess why.
Dark Matters (Class 5 Series Book 4) Page 3