Emerald Sea

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

“Now that’s just wrong,” Antja said.

Herzer had dragged himself out of the water and ripped the mask off, swearing that he was never, ever going to wear one of the damned things again. Bast, Elayna and Antja were waiting for him on the shore, sitting on a projection of reef that was just above the tideline.

To one side, Chauncey was ripping huge chunks out of Shedol, holding the body of the orca down with one talon and then lifting the meat skyward to bolt the flesh down his gullet.

“The ixchitl were Changed humans as well,” Bast said.

“I know, but that’s just wrong,” Antja exclaimed again.

“Well, maybe it is, and maybe it isn’t,” Herzer replied. He was lying with his head in Bast’s lap but he lifted up to look at Chauncey, then over to where Joanna was starting to feed on Shanol.

“But if you really think so, you try to get them to stop.”

And he passed out to Bast’s delighted chuckle.

“Hi, Daneh,” Edmund said, tiredly, as he climbed over the side of the carrier. “You’ve got some work ahead of you.”

The wounded mer were being hoisted over the side and carried down to the sickbay but Daneh walked to her lover first.

“You look… worn,” she said.

“I am that,” Edmund replied. “Any luck?”

“Mbeki,” she said, shaking her head. “Long, sad story. Later.”

“Do we have enough evidence to convict?” he asked.

“He’s dead,” she replied, shaking her head. “Talk to the skipper, I have to get to work.”

Joel seriously considered breaking cover to “discuss” some ramifications of his family’s “handling” of Commander Mbeki. Not just that a potential double agent was dead. Not just that his family was now in unnecessary danger. But that in the future, doubling agents was going to be that much harder.

Bottom line, Duke Talbot was a fine soldier but he didn’t know shit about intelligence matters. It irked him to realize that this was the case of almost everyone around Sheida. A bigger bunch of Boy Scouts was hard to find.

He was going to have to have a serious talk with Sheida when he got back.

In the meantime, one of the officers who had interrogated survivors from the ships let slip that some of the commanders had tried to make it to the nearest island. Rounding them up was a high priority; he might as well get some information out of this debacle.

Time for another cover to go away. And probably for one Joel Annibale to go, officially, AWOL.

“You took your time getting back, Lieutenant,” Edmund said as Herzer climbed over the side of the ship. The general had had time to wash up and change into uniform and it was well after dark. “I thought you’d gone AWOL.”

“I came back on the surface,” Herzer admitted. “If I never put one of those masks on again, or see emerald water again, it will be too soon. Dragons belong in the air.”

“Speak for yourself,” Joanna replied, hoisting herself over the side to the now familiar heeling of the ship. “I kind of like it down here. Any chance of a permanent posting?”

“Maybe semipermanent,” Edmund replied. “What with the Fleet base, there’s no reason that there shouldn’t be a dragon weyr as well. But don’t get settled in; the main brawl is going to be up north, not down here.”

“Understood, General,” the dragon replied with a grin.

“Antja and Elayna?” he asked.

“Back with the mer,” Herzer replied. “And happy to be there. Shanol and his second in command are well and truly dead.”

“Vickie saw,” Edmund replied. “And apparently threw up all over her dragon.”

“And the last five surviving orcas were last seen headed out to sea, trailing blood, and hotly pursued by a group of sharks,” Herzer added. “I’d say we won this one, boss.”

“Yes,” Edmund said, somberly. “But at a hell of a price. On the other hand, groups of mer from all over the islands are flocking this way, from reports. We always knew that there were more than just the mer at Bruce’s village. Apparently having seen, and heard through the delphinos, about the attacks, they’ve decided that they have to choose sides. And most of them are choosing ours.”

“Mission accomplished,” Herzer said, looking out at the blue waters of the Stream. “As to the breakage, that’s why they call it war, sir.”

“Herzer, sometimes you are too bloody-minded even for me,” Edmund replied. “I understand that there is some medicinal rum aboard. I’m going to go raid the stores. Why don’t you wash up and join me in my cabin for some medicating.”

“Sounds good,” Herzer replied. “But I’m also going to go find where they hide those captain’s crackers. Anything with some damned carbohydrates. A pure fish and fruit diet gets old.”

“Don’t tell me,” Edmund laughed. “What you’d really kill for is a cheeseburger.”

“Sounds good,” Herzer said with a lifted eyebrow. “Why?”

“Another song I’ll have to teach you,” Edmund replied. “Probably on our fifth or sixth glass. I’ve got some bad news, though.”

“What?” Herzer said. “The ixchitl and orcas are dealt with, the mer are safe and part of the Coalition. Rachel is okay?”

“Rachel’s fine,” the general replied. “But a dispatch sloop arrived. The bad news is from back home. Harzburg has flipped to New Destiny. The little army you trained is now on the other side.”

“Son of a bitch,” Herzer muttered. “Son of a fisking bitch. Those bastards.”

“Yep,” Edmund said, shrugging. “I think they’re going to get a sharp lesson in why you don’t piss off the Blood Lords. Especially with fire-dropping dragons backing them up. Especially since they’re pressuring Balmoran, militarily, to switch sides as well. Balmoran has, officially, requested Federal support. So… pack your bags.”

“Well,” Herzer said, tossing the mask to the deck and looking around at the ship and thinking about the last few days. “At least I got my Caribbean vacation. Sun, surf, hot women. And, okay, some emerald seas. It’ll have to do. Now, you said something about rum?”