Taming a Raven

by Kathleen Lash

  With weapon drawn, he ran the slight distance and entered the cave. Bright spotlights from the men behind cut the gloom. Much to his dismay, the initial channel appeared devoid of life. If a higher power did indeed control the destiny of simple beings, he prayed it’d help him chose the correct cave.

  After surveying the structure of tunnels within the mountain previously, probabilities told him this was the likely one.

  Placing doubt aside, he strode as quickly as the light al owed. He heard the strum of a weapon and said loudly, “Scatter!” While the men took cover, they kept the lights fixed on the path ahead. He caught movement to the right, aimed and began shooting. He pushed off the wal , continued to fire and kept walking. Two men joined him and they cleared a path for the rest to fol ow. They’d cut down more than forty creatures before finding a large antechamber. There wasn’t room for more than twenty of the bastards inside. His men would see to them as he retrieved the major.

  Finding the man chained to a stone wal , Gage blasted the middle portion of the links to set him free. The president’s son fel to the ground as Theazians dropped al around them. The stench of their blood fil ed his nostrils. Gage asked as he crouched close, “Major?”

  “Ryker,” he replied, barely able to raise his head. “I heard an explosion. Did you bomb the area when you knew I’d be here?”

  “Only the surrounding area was neutralized.”

  “You stupid, arrogant son of a bitch, the ceiling damn near crashed down on my head and—” The major fel silent after Gage punched him in the face.

  He’d no time for chitchat.

  He drew Deacon’s spoiled son into a sitting position before hefting him onto his shoulder. As he walked to the tunnel they’d just come from, he hoped the major remained unconscious. If not, Gage would hit him again. The blood dripping from him relayed his mistreatment and torture. None of the wounds appeared too serious. Thankful y, the enemy needed to keep him alive and in reasonable health in order to make a trade.

  “Trade, my ass,” Gage grumbled. He refused to trade himself, lose or walk away from a single being in his care. If he hadn’t thought he could get Deacon, his crew and Reina back successful y, the major would’ve been left.

  Without further incident, they cleared the mouth of the cave. As soon as his personnel surrounded him, he gave the order for transport. A medical team met them in the area and Gage placed the major on a hover bed. One of the medics asked, “Has he been conscious, Sir?” Men stepped forward to al ow the rest of the platoon to be brought on board. “When we found him, yes. See to his jaw soonest, Corporal, would you?”

  “Aye, Sir.”

  When the last of the group assembled in the transport area, he heard and felt the ship come up to ful power. They were two ful minutes behind the schedule he’d outlined. LeRoy tried to give him the time back by hastening to a transportable range over the val ey. A second medical team came forward to wait. Only four medics and two officers would accompany him on this leg of the mission. He ful y expected to retrieve Pinski and Lobank. As for Reina

  —if the two officers and he couldn’t locate her before time ran out, they’d al be left.

  He took a moment to look over the two young men who’d volunteered for the mission. He kept his voice low. “I ful y expect to locate and bring back Lady Reina.”

  “Yes, Sir,” they both replied.

  “I want to bring it to your attention, gentlemen, that in al my arrogance, I’ve miscalculated a time or two in the remote past.” Major Dahl smiled but kept his eyes straight ahead. “I couldn’t fathom it, Sir. I’ve no thought of a failed mission this time.”

  “Me either, Sir,” Lieutenant Rodriguez added.

  “Good men.” They stepped onto the transportation platform to wait with the medical team.

  Those remaining in the room came to order and faced them. Gage looked over the assembly and wondered if there’d ever been a more trustworthy and honorable group of soldiers. With more than one thousand beings on board, only five had chosen a disreputable path. He’d deal with them outright.

  LeRoy’s image came on the screen. “General, one minute until transport. We can detect only two life readings in the val ey.”

  “What of the Bolt? We should be within range.”

  “The Governance vessel Decree is securing the Bolt as we speak. Two mutineers remained with the ship, Sir. They tried running before giving themselves up when they scanned the armada drawing near. Decree hailed us to say they’d been ordered to go to the val ey once they obtained the Bolt.”

  “Since we’re already at the location, tel Decree not to bother. We’l fetch our own.” Just as Gage reckoned, with a regulation removal of the major, there wouldn’t have been time to save the others. By the time Decree got done fiddling about, the armada would surround Infur and align themselves to destroy the planet. One more thing needed to be said and he’d say it for the benefit of al those in the room and those listening on the bridge. If they failed in the mission, he felt inclined to impart a bit of nonsense. “Mason?”

  “Aye, Sir.”

  “Keep Raze and its fine crew most safe in my absence.”

  “I wil , Gage. Best of luck in retrieving our young soldiers and Lady Reina.” The crew saluted them before they transferred.

  Pinski, Lobank, Brach and two other men lay scattered about in the sand. The medical team checked each body.

  Gage walked by Brach and a moment later he heard one of the medics say, “Dead.”

  The same happened as they passed the other mutineers. He stopped and dropped to his knees when they reached the private. He felt for a life sign at her throat and found a weak pulse. Rodriguez checked Lobank and declared, “He’s alive.” The medics rushed over and began tending them. Gage said, “You’l get them on board within the next two minutes. Have I made myself clear?”

  “Yes, Sir.”

  Gage, Dahl and Rodriguez raced toward the jungle at the perimeter of the val ey. He touched the communicator on his wrist and said, “Confirm my direction, Graham.”

  “It appears to be correct, General.”

  “We haven’t time to guess, son. Best you give me a definite course to fol ow.”

  “I’m trying, Sir. It’s just that as I track the raven, her life force appears strong before it fades.” Gage kept running and forced himself not to react. The inability to accurately scan a vegetation-rich environment was also why they couldn’t transport into or out of the jungle. It was too hard to get accurate readings. “What I mean is that I seem to locate her and then the signal fluctuates. I can narrow it down to a four- or five-mile radius.”

  “Not good enough, Graham. We can’t search that much terrain. Figure something out.” They made it to the jungle and walked as quickly as undergrowth al owed. “Scan for sound,” he said to Dahl, hoping being in closer proximity might give them a direction.

  After a moment, Dahl replied, “Al I get is squawk, Sir. The area’s too condensed with too much movement and innate racket.”

  “LeRoy!” he seethed.

  “We’re working on it, Sir,” LeRoy replied.

  Screeching and rustling came from every direction. They kept moving. Graham said, “I know what’s wrong, Sir.”

  “Anytime, Graham” Gage replied.

  “Her cal , General. I’ve stopped tracking her physical form and I’m seeing a cleaner result by homing in on her cal . Straight ahead. You’re on track.” For her to emit a cal meant she lived.

  Rodriguez yel ed out and went down. Gage turned as Dahl shot the massive snake that’d bitten Rodriguez. The pain etched on the soldier’s face relayed everything. Gage ordered, “Get him to the val ey for transport.”

  “But, Sir,” Rodriguez gritted out.

  “Can you handle him, Major?” Gage asked Dahl.

  “Aye, General.”

  Gage turned and quickly proceeded. He tapped the communicator. “LeRoy, prepare to transport Dahl and Rodriguez. Have medical standing by. The lieutenant’s been bitten b
y a reptile.”

  “You’l return as wel ?”

  “I’l continue. Tel me how far and in what direction.”

  “There won’t be time. Turn around and—”

  “Give me a blasted distance and direction!”

  Graham immediately said, “South by southeast. Keep moving, Sir.”

  Gage started running and after five minutes heard the low, guttural growl of Theazians. After pushing through a dense patch of thorny brush, he targeted, aimed and kil ed two of the beasts hovering over something amidst many bodies. He cleared the distance, scanning the area before holstering his firearm. Nothing moved except surrounding foliage from smal er jungle inhabitants.

  He kicked several bodies aside and found Reina. He dropped to his knees beside her and wiped the stinking green blood of the beasts away to discern any wounds beneath. He wished to reassure her but found he hadn’t the voice to do so.

  With time of the essence, he gathered her into his arms most careful y and brought her gently to his chest. Her ragged breaths and the multiple bodies surrounding them relayed how valiantly she fought. The emptiness within his chest eased as she stirred. She twitched before lashing out.

  “Rest now, sweet one. I have you.”

  Unhindered by her weight, he walked and made his way quickly through the jungle. Apparently Dahl had more difficulty with Rodriguez because Gage caught up to them before they left the dense vegetation. Once they reached the val ey floor, he touched the communicator and said, “LeRoy.”

  “Aye, Sir!”

  “Four for transport soonest.”

  “Immediately, General!” Dahl smiled when a cheer of loud, excited voices came from the communicator.

  After having such astounding luck, he hoped LeRoy hadn’t been ordered to hang him for disobeying orders the moment they made it on board. If that particular scenario didn’t unfold, a court-martial was certainly imminent, most likely with the hanging to fol ow.

  * * * * *

  After the destruction of Infur, in the course of a single eve, Lobank and Rodriguez regained their health with the aid of medics under the direction of Dr. Nare who remained on a healing bed. After the first ful day, Dr. Nare deemed himself fit for duty and personal y tended Pinski, Major Deacon and Reina. Pinski’s prognosis turned in the right direction and Gage expected her to rejoin the ranks within another two to three eves. Major Deacon also did wel , the physical aspect of his captivity the least of his ailments. Reina’s condition, however, remained unchanged. Her physical wounds were quickly righted. Her mental state seemed impossible to fix.

  Gage wondered what more could be done. Nare believed her only chance would be al owing her clan to tend her. That hope had been stolen when Materna Nakita viewed her through the monitor and offered up no other suggestion than to administer a fatal remedy. She’s gone from us, General. With no one guiding her and fighting too great a time, she’s gone feral. Even if her sense returns somewhat, we can’t receive her after this. We’ve grieved and she’s dead to us. Put her to rest.

  He’d not left her sickbed once they’d boarded Raze. With LeRoy on the bridge, Graham to back him up and Dunn with the engines as wel as the armada surrounding them, he hoped for a smooth flight home. Gage contemplated what to do as he absently picked long raven tendrils from her face.

  One of the medics had brushed Reina’s hair and the electrical y charged silken strands clung to her cheeks and neck.

  Her thrashing continued as she jerked against the restraints. He’d tried ordering her from the raven state and gently requested it as wel . She’d been unable to hear him. Even Nare distanced himself, final y having a patient he couldn’t make wel or even turn in the right direction.

  She’d destroyed more than twenty Theazians by the time he’d found her. Could it be possible Materna Nakita had been right and she’d gone so deep into herself that she’d become lost? Impossible! Her strength went beyond any fight.

  He’d done much pacing in the confines of medical over the many hours. Exhausted, he took the chair beside her bed and sat wearily down. Her rage remained such that the bed constantly worked to repair new damage to her wrists. He couldn’t stand to see more wounds necessitating closure and took her fist into his hands. Immediately she stil ed, which caused him to tense. He suspected she gathered strength for an attack. Instead, her heart rate slowed and her vital signs fel more into line.

  Adrenaline flowed as he came to his feet. He dared not hope… With a shaking hand, he brought his palm to her freezing cheek. He half expected her to bite but she instead turned into his touch. Of course! In a fighting state she reacted to that which surrounded her. Those tending her had been most intent on healing and focused on touching her as little as possible. He too previously had an abundance of emotion that surely transcended to her.

  “Thank you, Lady, for your tolerance.”

  During the course of her treatment, her eyes stayed unnatural y wide and wild-looking. Stroking her cheek, the intensity of her expression lessened as her lids drooped. Her breathing continued to slow and some of the tension left her body. At long last she took in a deep breath and shuddered upon its release.

  Nare passed by the foot of her bed and said, “I’m in need of food, General. Would you care to join me?” Gage asked, “Is she physical y wel , Nare? Can she be moved?”

  Nare nodded. “The physical damage was repaired the first eve.”

  Gage stared at Reina and Nare left them. She settled considerably as he stroked her hand and arm. He wondered how she’d react if more things in her environment became less restrictive and normal. His fingertips outlined her jaw before he drew the length of her soft hair through his fingers. Quietly, he said, “Release.”

  The restraints slid away and Reina sat up. Careful to withhold any note of discord from his voice and maintain a relaxed posture, Gage said, “Lady, you’l accompany me.”

  She complied by sliding her legs over the edge of the bed before standing. Her head turned sharply and she peered, studying him before fixating on his eyes. Ready for any sudden movement, he detected nothing.

  He intended to take her back to his quarters so they both might have an opportunity to rest. They’d made it beyond the door when she glanced to her right and stopped. She had the oddest manner about her as she studied the corridor. After gaining only a few steps, he ceased her by grasping her upper arm. She stared at his hand and appeared to wait for what he’d do next.

  He explained, “You’ve no voice to make requests, so we’l proceed differently. I’l accompany you where you go.” Sudden tension rippled through her before she took hold of his wrist and jerked his hand away. Preparing himself for the fight he believed would fol ow, he released a breath when he saw her relax. She turned toward him and took his hand into both of hers. She held his wrist, placed the palm of her hand against his before threading their fingers together.

  “If such is more to your liking, Lady, we’l carry on thusly. Thank you for your patience in showing me.” They proceeded down corridors until the smel of food greeted them. He heard her stomach rumble and smiled. She’d not eaten when he’d offered food in medical. Perhaps she wanted to feed herself while sitting up and without restraints. A moment of dread washed through him as he pondered how the crew would greet her. Al of them knew of her bravery and what she’d accomplished while on Infur. Most also probably knew she’d been tied down in medical since her rescue. With her pupils blackening her eyes and her inability to speak, he believed most of the personnel would be at least wary.

  When they entered the mess, conversations ceased and those within the room came to their feet to stand at attention. With a brief wave of his hand, the crew sat down. She began moving toward a particular table and when Nare and LeRoy noticed her, they stood. Nare initial y appeared quite concerned until he witnessed her calm demeanor. LeRoy held a chair for her and she hesitantly sat. Gage took the chair to her left before Nare and LeRoy reseated themselves. While food was brought to them, Nare asked, “You look mu
ch better and I know you can’t speak, Lady Reina, but could you offer a gesture as to how you feel?”

  Nare waited, seeming to assess her as she took a moment before nodding. Nare’s shoulders came slightly forward as if relieved. The mess remained without sound and Gage felt inclined to fil the void. No one dared to stare but he knew where attention was focused. “The lady told me the food in medical wasn’t to her liking. She thought perhaps she’d fare better here.”

  When she slightly smiled, Nare said, “We do it on purpose, Sir. We feed gruel to our patients so they hasten their recovery.” The mess hal servers set down plates of steaming meat and greens. Reina took a fork to hand and rearranged food on her plate. Before she could take a bite, LeRoy said, “Forgive me, Lady, but I’ve yet to gain some answers from you and if you’d be so kind—I wonder about your handling of the felines. The thought of personal y touching one of the beasts is inconceivable to me. I witnessed you putting one to sleep through the monitor. I’d venture it’s nothing less than amazing to lay hands on such power and fur.” Gage and Nare both smiled. “Have you always been at ease around felines or does it have to do with your special abilities?”

  LeRoy spoke loudly enough for most to hear. Inhabitants of the room remained silent until she slowly passed her hand in front of herself. A murmur of astonishment came from the crew. LeRoy said, “Always—amazing. Is your ability only with cats, Lady?” Eyes stil fixed on him, she slowly shook her head.

  “Other animals too?” She nodded slowly.

  What a clever man Mason could be. He showed the crew despite Reina’s unusual gifts and the expanse of her pupils, she remained but a woman. By speaking outright about her uniqueness, the crew gleaned information while watching her act in a completely appropriate manner. She took the knife, cut a slim piece of meat and placed it in her mouth before slowly chewing.

  Within moments, the buzz of voices slowly resumed. The ease in which LeRoy and Nare sat and conversed, spoke volumes and al owed the crew to relax in her presence. It did more than any order he could’ve issued regarding her treatment. Too, seated amongst the crew and casual y dining appeared to greatly settle the remaining tension in Reina. She ate slowly, fol owed conversations by giving attention to whomever spoke and after she’d eaten a third of her meal, she appeared almost drowsy.