Dragon and Liberator

CHAPTER 29

The voices were still murmuring around Alison, murmuring like a mountain brook in the distance. There were words there, too, she knew.

But with her head bowed, her eyes closed, and her heart aching, she hardly heard any of it.

Jack and Draycos were dead.

Vaguely, distantly, she heard someone calling her name. Blinking the tears out of her eyes, she looked up. "What?" she asked.

"I was just telling you not to take it so hard," Neverlin said. "After all, you'll be joining them soon enough."

Alison took a deep breath. This was no time to fall apart. "As will you and Frost and the Valahgua," she said. "I know Cornelius Braxton, and you're not going to find him an easy nut to crack."

Neverlin shook his head. "You still don't get it, do you, Alison? Even having seen it demonstrated right in front of you, you still don't get it. The Death is literally the ultimate weapon. It doesn't matter how many people Braxton brought with him. He's dead, and so is everyone with him."

"Sir, the Essenay's gone into a half-powered drift," the captain reported.

"Very good, Captain," Neverlin said. "Swing us around and bring us up behind Backstop. No rush—give them time to reform into their attack cluster."

"Yes, sir."

"It's a shame we couldn't be on the same side, Alison," Neverlin went on, his voice lowered. "You're obviously a girl of many talents."

Alison flicked her tongue across her upper lip. There was only one chance left for her now. "What if I told you I was ready to join up with you?" she asked.

Neverlin smiled. "You really think I'd believe you?"

"I could pay for my life," Alison offered. "I still have a few secrets. Things I know that would be very valuable to you."

"What sort of secrets?"

"The sort that would be very valuable to you," Alison repeated. "Or to anyone else who knew them."

For a moment Neverlin eyed her closely. Then, he looked at the two Malison Ring mercenaries still holding on to her upper arms. "Three paces back and wait," he ordered them.

One of the soldiers glanced at the other. "Sir, Colonel Frost said—"

"Three paces back," Neverlin repeated.

"Yes, sir." Letting go of Alison's arms, the two men stepped back as ordered.

"Now," Neverlin said, his eyes back on Alison. "Go on."

"Your side of the bargain first," Alison said. "I want in on the deal with you and Frost. I especially want in on anything the weapons labs turn up out of all this."

Neverlin smiled thinly. "You have a particular interest in weapons?"

"My father does, yes," Alison said. "And of course, I want to not be turned over to the Valahgua."

"That might be difficult," Neverlin warned. "You've cost them a great deal of time and trouble."

"You're helping them get what they want," Alison countered. "I think they can afford to concede a point or two."

"Sir?" the captain called. "The Essenay's on the move again."

"It's just the ship's computer flailing around," Neverlin called back. "Ignore it."

"Yes, sir."

"Well?" Alison asked.

"All right, I'll play," Neverlin said, inclining his head to her. "If these supposed secrets are actually worthwhile, you have a deal."

Alison took a deep breath. Taneem would understand, she told herself. Surely Taneem would understand. "Okay," she said. "Here it is. . . ."

Before Jack could do more than gasp, the violet cone swept back toward him, passed unhindered through the canopy, and cut through him like a tingling knife.

Nothing happened.

Carefully, Jack opened his eyes, only then realizing that he'd even shut them. Draycos? he asked warily.

I'm here, Draycos said, just as warily. What happened?

You tell me, buddy, Jack countered, looking down at his chest. Draycos's gold-scaled head was visible through the open collar, one green eye looking up at him. I thought the Death killed everything it hit.

It does, Draycos said, sounding as puzzled as Jack felt. It always does.

Well, it didn't this time, Jack said. Not unless incredibly grubby flight suits are allowed into the afterlife.

Could they have missed? Draycos suggested doubtfully. That tingle felt rather like a near miss.

That was no miss, near or otherwise, Jack said firmly. I saw it go through me. I felt it go through me.

Then I have no idea, Draycos conceded.

"Jack?" Uncle Virge asked tentatively. "Are you all right, lad?"

"Apparently so, Uncle Virge," Jack assured him. He blinked once, shook his head to clear it, and for the first time since the Death had passed through him he focused on the view through the Essenay's canopy.

Not surprisingly, he'd let go of the yoke when the Death hit. As a result, the Essenay was more or less in drift mode, its nose angling off its original course, its engines backed off to half speed. The drive glows of the Foxwolf and Advocatus Diaboli were already a good distance ahead, still heading for the refugee fleet.

And then, as he watched, the Advocatus Diaboli detached itself from the larger ship and started an almost leisurely curve to the side. "Neverlin's pulling away," he announced.

Weight came onto his shoulder as Draycos raised his head for a look. "What do you think?" Jack asked. "Mechanical trouble?"

"I'm not reading anything obvious," Uncle Virge said. "But those five Djinn-90s that used to be riding wide cover have also turned around. Maybe they're all heading back to deal with the Malison Ring and Braxton Universis ships coming up behind us."

"The what?" Jack demanded, looking at the aft display and keying for a tactical overlay. There were new drive glows back there, all right, coming up fast behind them.

He looked back at the Advocatus Diaboli. It was halfway through its curve, still looking like it wasn't in any particular hurry to take the Death to the incoming ships.

He probably isn't in a hurry, Draycos pointed out. He'll want to make sure the Djinn-90s are in position to give him cover before he gets within range of the attackers' weapons.

That sounds like Neverlin, Jack thought back. On the other hand, the Advocatus Diaboli's leisurely turn, coupled with the Essenay's own drifting course . . .

"Okay," he said aloud. "Here's what we do. Uncle Virge, plot me an intercept course with the Advocatus Diaboli—minimum time, maximum surprise, and I want to end up running parallel along its flank."

"Jack lad, this is insane," Uncle Virge protested. "As soon as Neverlin sees you moving, he'll fire the Death at us again. You and Draycos were lucky once. You can't count on being lucky again."

"It wasn't luck," Jack insisted. "I don't know what it was, but it wasn't luck."

"But how will this gain us anything?"

"I'm going to try for a crash-dock," Jack said. "Hopefully, before they can figure out what we're doing and get the hatchway blocked. If we can get inside and stop the jamming, we can finally warn everyone about the Death weapons."

"If you survive," Uncle Virge said stiffly. "You may be somehow immune to the Death, but I doubt that'll carry over to old-fashioned gunfire."

"Probably not," Jack agreed. "If we don't make it, you'll have to warn them. Draycos?"

"I'm with you, Jack," the K'da said.

As if Jack had had any doubts on that score. "Okay, Uncle Virge, ball's in your court."

The computer speaker gave a long, pained sigh. "Course plotted and ready, Jack lad. But even minimum-time approach will take you a few minutes to get there."

"Good enough." Jack got a grip on the control yoke, glancing over the course details as Uncle Virge scrolled them across the navigational display. "Okay, Neverlin. Here we come, ready or not."

". . . so Frost knows about everything you had in that big walk-in safe," Alison concluded. "I know he found out about the KK-29 patrol ships from the information in your office safe. I'm sure the papers in the big one were even more interesting."

The wary anticipation in Neverlin's eyes darkened into anger. "That's it?" he demanded. "That's your big impressive secret?"

"Not all of it, no," Alison stalled. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Frost and the Advocatus Diaboli's captain conferring behind the helmsman. Still too close to the communications section of the board. "I also know Braxton has been monitoring Jack Morgan's movements, including his little side trips to Rho Scorvi and Semaline. How could he have done that without someone in Frost's group feeding him information?"

"With Braxton's resources?" Neverlin said with a snort. "He could have found Morgan in any of a dozen ways."

"I'm just saying there are things going on under the radar," Alison said. Across the bridge, Frost and the captain moved a few feet over to study the sensor station's tactical displays.

And it was time.

Alison braced herself for action. She was probably about to die, she knew. Chances were she would die without even accomplishing her goal.

But she had to try. She could only hope Taneem would understand why she'd done it.

"This is nonsense," Neverlin declared. "And you're wasting my time." Lifting his eyes, he beckoned her guards forward again.

And as he did, Alison ducked down, rammed her shoulder into his chest as hard as she could, and charged toward the communications board.

But she'd only gone two steps before a hand grabbed her forearm from behind. She tried to twist away, but the grip was solid, bringing her desperate rush to a sudden halt. The hand yanked at her, spinning her around again.

"You little fool," Neverlin said, his free hand pressed against his chest where her shoulder had rammed him. "Did you think I wasn't expecting something like that?"

He let go as her two Malison Ring guards caught up and locked their own massive hands around her upper arms. "What happened?" Frost demanded, hurrying up to them.

"She tried to get to the jamming control," Neverlin told him. "Probably figured that the Essenay's computer would spot that the bubble was down and send out a warning."

Frost glowered at Alison. "With your permission, sir, I think we've had enough of Alison Kayna for one day."

"Agreed," Neverlin said. "Take her to her stateroom—"

With a horrible screech of shredded metal, the ventilation duct across the bridge disintegrated.

And a black-scaled fury hurled herself into the room.

The bridge exploded in pandemonium. Neverlin shouted something incomprehensible, practically falling over as he backed hurriedly away. The hands gripping Alison's arms were suddenly gone as the soldiers went for their guns. Frost had the presence of mind to grab Alison's shirt collar with his left hand as he went for his own gun with his right.

But Taneem hadn't come for vengeance or war. That single leap landed her on the deck beside the communications board.

And with three slashes of her claws she disintegrated the section that controlled the radio bubble.

"You got it!" Alison called to her, twisting around in Frost's grip and kicking hard into the side of his knee. He spun halfway around, grunting in pain as his shot buried itself in the bridge ceiling instead of Taneem. "Now get out of here!" Alison shouted as she bounced her shoulders sideways off her two Malison Ring guards, trying to wreck their aims, too. "Go somewhere safe and hide. Go!"

Taneem's silver eyes flicked once to her. Then, to Alison's relief, the K'da bounded back up through the shredded grille and disappeared down the duct.

"Hold your fire," Frost snapped as the mercenaries finally got their guns lined up again. His own weapon, Alison noted uneasily, was pointed at her. "No point. It's gone."

The Valahgua stepped toward Frost, his tentacles writhing like twin snakes caught in an electric fence. "How a K'da here aboard?" he demanded. "How a K'da here aboard?"

"I don't know," Frost said, his eyes steady on Alison over the barrel of his gun. "But I can guess."

"Alert the crew and soldiers," Neverlin ordered, his breath coming quick and shallow. "If they see it, they're to shoot to kill."

Across the room, an alarm warbled. "Proximity warning," the helmsman called tensely. "It's the Essenay, coming in fast."

"Evasive," Frost ordered. "Morgan must have left a last-ditch ramming order on the computer before he died. Keep us away from the ship. And get that jamming bubble back up."

"Too late," the captain said. "The Essenay's transmitting."

He hit a switch. Alison held her breath. . . .

"Attention, K'da and Shontine," a familiar voice boomed. "Attention, Braxton Universis ships."

And Alison felt her heart surge, the ashes of defeat blazing again with sudden fire.

It was Jack.

"Attention, Braxton Universis ships," Jack called, watching the Advocates Diaboli. The bigger ship had finally noticed the Essenay bearing down on it and was trying to veer away. Turning the control yoke, he swung back toward them. "The ships heading your way are carrying your enemies. For you Braxton people, that includes Arthur Neverlin and Colonel Maximus Frost of the Malison Ring. For you K'da and Shontine, it also includes a group of Valahgua.

"Most important, for all of you, the ships are carrying three Death weapons."

"Identify yourself," a voice demanded, his English carrying an accent Jack didn't recognize.

Draycos lifted his snout from Jack's shoulder and poured out some more of his alien speech. The voice answered back in the same language, and for a few seconds they conversed in short sentences.

Midway through the discussion the violet beam of the Death again swept through the Essenay's cockpit. Again, Jack felt nothing but an unpleasant tingle.

The conversation ended. They're convinced, Draycos said, going flat onto Jack's skin again.

Good, Jack answered. Let's just hope we can convince Braxton's people, too. "Braxton Universis ships—"

"Hello, Jack," a voice cut him off. "Where are you?"

Jack stared at the bridge speaker. "Mr. Braxton?"

"Yes indeed," Braxton confirmed. "Where are you?"

"I'm in the Essenay," Jack said, his mind flashing back to what Harper had said about Alison's thefts from his company. Braxton must want her really badly to have come all this way personally to get her. "Currently working my way toward the Advocatus Diaboli."

"You mean you're in the ship that was just hit with the Death?" Braxton asked.

Jack blinked. "You know about the Death?"

"I know everything," Braxton said. "But if the Death hit you, why are you still alive? Doesn't it work against humans?"

"Oh, it works just fine against humans," Jack said grimly. "And as you saw, Neverlin's got one of them aboard the Advocatus Diaboli. You and your people need to back away before he gets it into range."

"Understood," Braxton said. "But you haven't answered my question."

"I don't know why we're alive," Jack said. "Somehow, a human/K'da combination seems to be immune." He grimaced, belatedly remembering that Braxton didn't know what a K'da was. "A K'da is a sort of—"

"That doesn't make sense," Braxton interrupted. "The Death has no trouble killing K'da/Shontine combinations."

Jack blinked. How in blazes does he know all this?

I don't know, Draycos said. But I have had a sudden thought. With your permission . . .?

Go for it, buddy.

Draycos lifted his head off Jack's shoulder. "Mr. Braxton, this is Draycos," he said.

"The K'da who saved my life on the Star of Wonder," Braxton said. "I hadn't had a chance yet to thank you for that."

He does know a lot, doesn't he? Draycos thought toward Jack. "You're welcome," he said aloud. "There is an analogy I've used regarding the Death. If you wished to destroy the core of a planet, a normal weapon would have to first blast through the crust and mantle to reach it. The Death instead seeks out that core directly, without needing to expend energy on the destruction of its victim's flesh and blood and bone."

"All right," Braxton said. "And?"

"Perhaps a K'da/human combination acts like a double planet," Draycos said. "As the Death seeks out the center of that combination—"

"It seeks out the center of mass," Braxton said, a sudden interest in his voice. "And the center of mass of a double planet is halfway between them. In empty space."

"Exactly," Draycos said. "Again, I don't know how accurate the analogy is. But the fact remains that a human/K'da combination appears to be safe from the Death."

"Interesting," Braxton said softly. "Very interesting indeed."

"Turn it off," Neverlin said quietly.

Like a man awakening from a strange dream, the captain stirred and touched the radio control. The voices cut off.

A deathly silence settled onto the bridge. Alison looked around the room: at Neverlin, at Frost, at the other Malison Ring soldiers. All looked stunned, or worried, or quietly but helplessly furious.

And finally, she turned to the Valahgua. "So that's the secret," she said. "That's the reason you came all the way across the galaxy to the Orion Arm just to kill the K'da. You knew, maybe from the beginning. You knew the K'da originally came from Earth."

"They came from Earth?" Frost echoed.

"That is only a theory," the Valahgua rumbled. "It has not been proven."

"Oh, it has now," Alison told him. "That's why Draycos has been picking up new abilities over the past six months. With Jack as his host, he's found a part of himself he hadn't even realized was missing."

More and more of those on the bridge, she noticed, were starting to transfer their attention from the silenced radio speaker to the Valahgua.

And some of those stunned expressions were starting to give way to anger. The Valahgua had kept a vital secret from them, and all of them knew how disastrous that could be in the middle of a battle.

"You didn't dare take the risk that the K'da would find us and figure this out for themselves," Alison continued. "So you came to Neverlin and dangled big rewards in his face and got him to—"

"Enough," Neverlin said.

Alison stopped, a sudden chill running up her back. There was nothing of the growing sense of outrage or betrayal in Neverlin's own voice or expression. There was nothing there but a dark and deadly determination. "This is all very interesting," he said quietly. "But it changes nothing. There's only one human/K'da combination in the galaxy, and it won't be around much longer."

He looked at Frost. "Meanwhile, we still have the Death, and we have solid Valahguan tactics with which to use it against both the invaders and Braxton."

"And those other Malison Ring ships, too?" Frost asked, an odd edge to his voice.

"Did General Davi develop immortality for his men when I wasn't looking?" Neverlin retorted. "Of course those other Malison Ring ships, too."

"I was thinking of the possible future consequences," Frost persisted. "Those Shrikes wouldn't be here if General Davi didn't already know what was going on."

"But he doesn't know what's going on," Neverlin reminded him smoothly. "He has only Braxton's version of events, a version that won't survive beyond the next few hours. Don't worry, Colonel. Our story is the only one that will ever leave this place."

He turned back to the Valahgua. "The mission is still on, Lordhighest. Order your people to continue as planned."

"They will continue until death," the Valahgua promised. "What of Morgan and the K'da?"

"As I said, they won't be around much longer," Neverlin assured him. "Since Morgan was kind enough to warn Braxton about the Death, I notice his ships have scattered out of their attack clusters. While they're trying to figure out how to regroup to face us, we'll have the Backstop force come back and deal with the Essenay. Colonel?"

Frost pursed his lips but nodded. "Yes, sir," he said. "I'll give the order."