Fortune's Wheel

by Lisanne Norman

  "Not that I'm aware of," she said, loading her hypoderm and placing it along with several spare ampoules

  into pouches on her belt.

  Brynne leaned against the counter and, taking his hands out of his pockets, handed her several dressingpacks.

  "You may need these in your medikit."

  Vanna took them from him and was about to lay them aside, then changed her mind and placed them inone of her jacket pockets.

  "You could be dealing with either deep cuts or stab wounds," he said. "Pressure dressings are

  invaluable."

  "I know," she said, turning toward him. "How did you?"

  He shrugged. "I did a paramedic course back on Earth. I've mentioned before that because I have yourmedical knowledge through our Link, I'm being allowed to study it here when I've time."

  "No, you can't come," she said, knowing what he was about to say. "Kusac wants Carrie kept away

  from Terrans just now. Your little outburst did her a lot of damage, so stay away from her."

  "I had no intention of upsetting her," he said.

  She grunted disbelievingly.

  "Suit yourself," he said, moving toward the doorway. He stopped beside her, putting a hand on her

  shoulder.

  "I hope everything goes well for them, but remember, if it doesn't, your life needn't end, too." He gave her

  a gentle squeeze before leaving.

  Taken totally by surprise, she stood there in a daze until Chena returned with the refrigerated box.

  "Everything's there," Chena said, latching it into its fas-tenings against the wall. "Aren't we being a little overcau-tious taking all this stuff?" she asked. "It's only a Challenge to first blood, after all, quite a common occurrence."

  Vanna rounded on her. "Do you know who is fighting?" she demanded. "Liegen Kusac Aldatan's Leska! Would you be prepared to risk their lives by not having the necessary equipment if anything wentseriously wrong?"

  "No, of course not," she stammered, tail and ears flicking in distress.

  "Damn!" swore Vanna, looking out the doorway past her toward a small group of Sholans who were

  heading their way.

  "That's the head surgeon and his minions. I'd hoped to leave before they arrived. Go out and meet them, see what they want and try to head them off, Chena. Garras should be along any minute now. When he arrives, he'll send them packing." Vanna hurriedly went back to checking her medikit.

  * * *

  "You've checked that the Protectorate's got the estate pe-rimeter and the entrance covered?" Kaid

  asked T'Chebbi.

  "Checked, and we've got the eastern coastline covered," she said. "Everyone is in position and knows

  what to do."

  He turned to Rulla and Dzaka. All four of them now wore the Brotherhood grays to identify themselvesimmediately as the inner guard. "We're only waiting for Garras, and he's on his way."

  He looked up at the roof of the house where a couple of snipers were strategically placed. He activatedhis throat communicator. "Position Delta. Confirm visibility and re-ception."

  "Confirmed, Alpha."

  Still looking at the front of the house, Kaid addressed the little group behind him.

  'T'Chebbi, I want you with Meral at the edge of the cir-cle. You'd better get into position now."

  "Aye, sir," she said, walking away from them.

  "Rulla, Dzaka, you'll be on the hundred meter mark, fac-ing the house. Garras and I will be beyond you, covering the area between there and the treelme. I don't need to tell you what to look for, do I? If in doubt, shoot first. We can sort it out afterward." He turned round, his gaze pinning Dzaka for a long moment. "Positions, then. Keep an eye out behind you as well until Garras and I take up our positions."

  "Are you sure you want me that close to them?" asked Dzaka.

  "Only people I trust are in the immediate vicinity of the Challenge circle," said Kaid. 'Trust, Dzaka." Once

  again he gave him an uncompromising look before turning and walk-ing away toward the house.

  * * *

  Carrie paced around the kitchen, unable to relax. "Eat something," urged Kusac, trying to follow his ownadvice though the food tasted like sawdust in his mouth. "I can't," she snapped. "I feel like I'd throw up if I tried."

  "Then leave the eggs and meat. Have some bread at least. You can't fight on an empty stomach."

  "Cub, you must have something," said his mother, fetch-ing a container from the cupboard. She opened it

  and offered her one of the ubiquitous energy biscuits that were always plentiful in telepaths' houses.

  Reluctantly she accepted one, taking a small bite.

  Kusac handed her the mug of coffee, grasping her by the hand and pulling her down onto die bench at hisside.

  "Now sit still for a moment," he said. "You'll be worn out before you begin."

  She took a larger bite, and a drink. "Taizia says diere'll be omer people there. I didn't realize we'd havean audience."

  Kusac glanced at his mother.

  "We've insisted on the minimum number of people neces-sary to satisfy the legal requirements," said his mother soodüngly, coming to sit on Carrie's other side. "Kusac will be there, of course, and his father to act as judge in the mat-ter. Rala will be accompanied by her older brother and two Warriors. T'Chebbi and Meral will represent us."

  "Why the Warriors?"

  "To make sure neither Kusac, nor Rala's brother, inter-feres, and to judge when the first blood is drawn.

  Then it will all be over," she said, patting Carrie's hand.

  "Is there any chance it will be canceled?" asked Taizia from her corner of the table.

  Kusac shook his head, looking at .his wrist unit. "There's not enough time left now for that."

  Kitra came rushing in. "Your friend Vanna is here," she announced as Vanna, Garras, and Chenafollowed her into the room.

  Kusac's mother got up to greet them. "You've time for some c'shar?" she asked, ushering them to thetable.

  Vanna checked die time. "We should have," she said, sit-ting down beside Taizia.

  Carrie got up and began pacing again. "I can't stand the waiting," she muttered.

  Kusac rose and went over to her. She evaded him, walking over to the window.

  "There's another craft arriving," she said. "It feels like Rala."

  "They'll call us when they're ready," said Kusac soodi-ingly as he followed her, only too aware of how

  nervous and jumpy she was.

  A few minutes later, his father came in. "Taizia, I've got a job for you."

  His daughter looked up unhappily.

  "I need you to stay in the study by the comm in case a message arrives from Keiss. If it does, you're to

  bring it to me immediately."

  "Yes, Father," she said. // it hadn't been for me, she wouldn't have Challenged Rala. This is all my

  fault, she sent on their private wavelength.

  Tazia, we've been all through this before, sent Konis. You weren't to know the Challenge wasn'tnecessary. It's no one's fault.

  Kitra grinned from ear to ear. "Good! I can watch the fight."

  "You will be keeping your sister company," her father said sternly.

  "But, Father!"

  "No arguments. You stay with Taizia. Off you both go."

  He noticed Vanna and her two companions and nodded cordially to them. "I think it's time for you to jointhe others outside now, Vanna."

  As they left, Kusac moved away from the window, still following Carrie.

  "They're not ready for you yet," Konis said to his son. "I'd like to speak to you both first," he continued.

  Once the room was empty except for his wife, he put his hands on Carrie's shoulders. "Whateverhappens today, re-member that we love you as our daughter. No one blames you for Challenging Rala. The idea in itself was a good one, it's just a damned shame all this is so unnecessary now. For-get us,forget Kusac, forget everything but the fight. Don't let yourself be distra
cted by anything. You will win, I'm sure of it," he said, hugging her.

  She returned the hug and he released her, turning to his son and putting a hand on his shoulder.

  May Vartra and all the gods be with you , he sent, the mes-sage aimed only at Kusac.

  Kusac put his hand up and squeezed his father's arm af-fectionately, unable to say anything. Then, taking

  Carrie by the hand, they went outside to be met by Kaid and Garras carrying the weapons.

  Kaid looked Carrie up and down with approval. "You re-membered," he said, pointing to herloose-fitting, sand-colored trousers and shirt. "With those on, you'll present the minimum target possible. I would fasten your jerkin, though," he warned, leading the way round to the combat circle at the front ofthe house.

  "She'll do fine, lad," said Garras, touching Kusac briefly on the arm. "Don't worry."

  "I'll try not to," he said.

  Carrie stopped when she saw the knot of people, panic flooding through her. / can't do it, Kusac , she

  sent.

  He sensed her fear and put his arm around her, pulling her forward with him. Yes, you can, he replied.

  Rala turned round and saw them. As she caught sight of their bracelets, they felt her hate like a physicalblow. / know you can hear me, Terran. By the end of this fight, he'll be mine again !

  "The bitch, she's sending to me!" Carrie muttered, push-ing Kaid aside as she picked up more thoughts

  pertaining to her alienness and corruption of Kusac.

  Kaid held her back.

  "Patience," he said. "Remember what we've taught you. Keep your emotions out of the arena. The first to lose her self-control will lose the fight. Remember that and you'll do all right." His fingers touched her cheek fleetingly, then were gone.

  Once again she heard the quiet voice in her mind, this time wishing her luck.

  Kaid beckoned Meral over. "I'll leave you with Meral for now," he said. "I have to see to security. Wedon't want any journalists here, do we?" He hoped she'd forgotten the sec-ond killer was still at large.

  Meral stood back a little from them, giving them a last moment of privacy. T'Chebbi was already standingbeside Rala and her brother while Rala's two Warriors waited for Kusac.

  Kusac pulled Carrie around to face him and began to lace up her leather jerkin, the only form of bodyprotection the combatants were allowed.

  "Shield yourself fully from her," he said. "Don't let her use her hate to distract you. Stay calm and think of

  it as a practice with Kaid or Meral."

  Carrie could feel Rala's anger mounting because of

  Kusac's obvious partisanship. She risked a glance round Kusac's shoulder at the Sholan female. Rala'sface was con-torted in fury. Her ears were flat, and at her sides her hands clenched into fists as the hairrose on her neck and shoul-ders. Her tail swayed like an independent entity, bushing out to twice itsnormal size.

  Enjoy it while you can, Terran, because it's the last time he'll touch you ! came the vitriolic thoughtbefore Rala point-edly turned her back on them. He'll be mine five minutes from now!

  Ignore her, Kusac sent as he reached the top of the jerkin and tied off the cord, tucking the ends safelyaway before looking at her. His arms went round her and he held her close, almost crushing the breathfrom her. His mouth found hers in his equivalent of a kiss. Remember you are as pre-cious as life tome. Do whatever it takes to win.

  He released her reluctantly, going over to Rala's warriors and her brother.

  She watched him walk away, suddenly realizing that in this crowd of furred Sholans, she was the onlyhuman. She began to panic as she rubbed her hands together. They felt strange to her, lacking a coveringof fur. Her thoughts began to fragment into his/her reactions, then Meral came up to her with theweapons.

  With an effort, she forced back the panic and tried to fo-cus on the task ahead of her. Her errantthoughts wandered again, this time worrying how Kusac would react if she did lose the child. Instinctively, she tugged at the jerkin, easing its fit across her stomach.

  You are the important one, was the fierce reply as he turned to look at her.

  Meral handed her the shield, his presence pulling her back to the moment. "You're winning already," hesaid quietly. "Look at her. She's hyping herself up with anger. She's go-ing to make mistakes. Don'tworry." He helped her fasten the shield on and handed her the short sword.

  She balanced it in her hand, giving it a quick spin to loosen her wrist. It was a vicious weapon, resemblinga re-versed claw. The spine of the blade went from a T-section near the enclosed handle to a diamondshape at the tip, with a secondary cutting edge on the upper surface. The blade ex-tended along the baseof the grip, again with a razor sharp edge to it.

  No delaying it any more, she thought, stepping onto the sand. She waited for Rala, realizing that most ofthe fear had gone now that the adrenaline was beginning to take over. Similarly equipped, Rala steppedinto the circle.

  Carrie remembered what Kaid had said. "Don't see her as a person, see her as an obstacle between youand your Leska."

  Carrie moved nearer the center, crouching down and watching her opponent. At a signal from Kusac'sfather, Rala took a guard position and began to pace around her.

  Chapter 20

  The stone was really beginning to hurt now, its jagged edges cutting into his hip. It was no good, he hadto move. Every-one's attention was focused on the combat circle anyway; he was unlikely to be seen. Cautiously, Chyad eased his stom-ach and hips upward, shifting his legs a few precious centi-meters tothe right. His movements disturbed the bird that had been perched in the bush. Shrieking and scolding, itflut-tered angrily up through the branches above him and flew off.

  Chyad's head sank back down on his forearms as he cursed quietly to himself, waiting for the inevitable. Nothing, not a sound. They'd not noticed. He began to breathe again. He raised his head, looking outthrough the foliage. No chance for a clean shot yet, everyone was milling around.

  There was the male from the Khalossa, their bodyguard. So, he was one of the Brotherhood, was he? So much the better. He'd stick to his original plan and take one of them out during the fight when perhapshis shot would go unno-ticed. His revenge against him would be even sweeter. He'd have to live withknowing that he'd been beaten by an ordi-nary Forces male.

  Now that the damned bird had gone, he could move a little more freely. He reached down and scratchedat a half-healed thorn cut on his leg. He'd been here for the last week, living rough off the land out by theruined temple until a couple of nights ago. Knowing they'd step up the security in the days before the Challenge, he'd managed to find himself a lair in the middle of this thornbush. It was an ideal loca-tion forwhat he had in mind. Thumbing the power on, he lay there, cradling his pulse rifle, watching, ready to spinthe wheel of fortune one final time.

  * * *

  Kaid turned his back on the circle, walking the couple of hundred meters toward Garras. There he hadnot only an un-interrupted view of the combat, but also of the cleared area around them.

  "Everyone's in position," said Garras quietly. "Anything moves, we'll see it, and they've got instructions to

  shoot down any autovids."

  Kaid nodded, grateful for his friend's presence. Garras' ability to follow his thoughts was even moreinvaluable now.

  "Was it wise to place Dzaka so close?"

  "I've snipers on the roof. One way or another, I find out today if I can trust him." Kaid's voice was bleak.

  He thumbed the communicator clipped at the base of his throat. "All units, report in."

  The males and females he'd requested from Ghe?u re-ported in one by one. There were ten in all,scattered throughout the grounds and at the entrances to the estate. His people were taking no chanceswith the renegade male from the Khalossa still at large.

  * * *

  Carrie turned to keep Rala in sight, allowing the other to do the work while assessing her movements. The Sholan seemed to have poor shield control, as if she disliked it or had s
pent more time learning touse the sword.

  Deciding she couldn't tempt the human into attacking, Rala suddenly rushed toward her, sword raised,aiming for her head.

  Carrie blocked using her shield, pushing the Sholan back while cutting with her blade to Rala's left side. Itbounced off the other's shield and she pulled back to feint at Rala's right, changing direction at the lastminute for a shoulder level blow. Rala turned just in time, managing to take it on her sword. Using hergreater strength, she pushed Carrie's blade aside, ramming her in the stomach with her own shield.

  Staggering back, Carrie recovered her balance, managing to get her weapons up in time to block theflurry of blows Rala rained about her upper body. As Kaid had warned, she was having to work hardjust to defend herself. Waiting for a chance, she shoulder-charged the female backward, rush-ing in topunch Rala's shield aside while the other was still off balance. It gave Carrie the opening she needed andwith a single cut to Rala's side, she had taken first blood.

  Rala looked at the rent in her jerkin, seeing the blood be-ginning to seep out. Going down in a crouch,her face con-torted by hate, she moved closer to Carrie as Kusac's father turned to the watching Warriors, waiting for them to declare First Blood.

  "If I can't have him, then neither will you," she growled. "You may be a telepath, but you're not Sholan! I

  call the Blood Rite on you!"

  Oh, God, thought Carrie, an icy wash of fear running through her, not that, not the death Challenge !

  As Rala ran toward her, Kusac moved forward, only to be grabbed by one of the Warriors.

  "No!" he yelled, sheer terror in his voice. "Stop her!"

  He turned on the Warrior, trying to pull free, but was firmly grasped from the other side as well. Caughtbetween the two, he was unable to move. He felt the gestalt snap into being and hadn't the time to evencurse before he saw Carrie stagger backward under its power.

  Meral and T'Chebbi stood frozen, unable to intervene for fear of distracting Carrie. Then it was too late.

  Rala's cut to her thigh went home, leaving a long slash that began to bleed instantly. The shock jerked Carrie back into control of herself just as Rala, seeing her standing wide open, lunged forward with astab aimed at her heart.