Cobra Traitor, page 34
part #3 of Cobra Rebellion Series
“Yes,” Jody confirmed, tapping a small device on her shoulder. “Rashida, we’re on our way. Get the Squire ready to go.”
“Wait a second,” Merrick said as the three of them slipped between the huts and headed toward the Dominion ship, Jody still gripping his right arm. “I told you I need to see Anya and Kjoic first.”
“And do what?” Kemp asked, coming up on his left side.
“We either need to get Kjoic aboard our ship or find him one of his own,” Merrick said. “Anya comes aboard regardless.”
Out of the corners of his eyes he saw Jody and Kemp exchange looks around him. “Kjoic is your pet Troft?” Kemp asked.
“He’s an ally, not a pet,” Merrick growled. “And I need to talk to him.”
“Fine,” Jody said. “We’ll go with you.”
The aircar had indeed landed, and without any damage Merrick could see. Briefly, he wondered if he would have to go up and knock; but even as the three of them crossed the open space the hatch opened and Anya and Kjoic stepped out. Kjoic had a laser belted to his side, his hand resting on the grip. He hesitated a fraction of a second, then strode toward the three Cobras. “Truth, we at last obtain it,” he said, his voice harsh, his membranes fully extended. “A koubrah-soldier, you are one of them.”
“Yes, I am,” Merrick said, keeping his voice calm even as he put a target lock on Kjoic’s laser. “Is that going to make a difference now?”
For a moment Kjoic stood rigid. Then, slowly, his membranes began to sag. “No,” he said. “I have freed you from the Drim’hco’plai. The bargain, your side must be kept.”
“I’m ready to do so,” Merrick said. “You want to ride with us, or get your own ship?”
“My own ship,” Kjoic said. “We do not travel further together. There are five long-range ships nearby. One will suit me.”
“You still have the drug sample?”
“I do.”
“Good,” Merrick said. “Then let’s go get you a ship.”
“Hold it,” Jody said. “First: what drug? Second: you’re in no shape to go anywhere.”
“Kjoic got me out of the Drim prison and stole this aircar to bring me here,” Merrick said firmly. “He also helped me get a drug sample, which we’re not going to go into right now. Bottom line: I’m helping him get a ship.”
“No, you’re not,” Jody said, just as firmly. “If he needs help”—she shot Kjoic a suspicious look—“then Kemp and I will go.”
Merrick shook his head. “Out of the question.”
“Hold it,” a faint voice came from the comm on Jody’s shoulder. “Ask him if he’s talking about the row of heavy fighters about a hundred meters south.”
“Yes,” Kjoic confirmed after Merrick relayed the question.
“Good,” the other voice came. “New plan: Kemp and I will go get him his ship.”
“Plaine—” Jody began.
“No arguments,” Plaine cut her off. “Best way out of here is to give Merrick’s Troft one of the fighters and disable the rest of them. I know how to do that. You don’t. Kemp and I are going.”
“Then stop wasting time and get out here,” Kemp said. “Jody, take Merrick in and get him to sickbay.”
“In a minute,” Merrick said, shifting his attention over Kjoic’s shoulder.
To find that, during their conversation with Kjoic, Anya had somehow slipped away.
“She went that way,” Kemp said, pointing toward the aircar’s stern.
“Thanks,” Merrick said, and headed off.
“Merrick—” Jody called, making a grab for his arm.
“I’ll be right back,” Merrick called over his shoulder as he broke into a fast jog. “Get Plaine out here so Kjoic can get his ship and we can all get off this rock.”
Anya was moving along a line of cargo carts when Merrick caught up with her. “Wait up,” he murmured, his senses alert for Troft activity.
She glanced over her shoulder at him, but kept walking. “You have your exit,” she said curtly. “Go.”
“Wait,” he repeated as he caught up with her. “I’m not just going to leave you here alone.”
“I’m not alone,” she said. “My father and others are near at hand. I will find them, and we shall win our freedom.” Abruptly, she spun to face him. “Do you leave? Or do you help us?”
“I—” Merrick broke off, staring at her in confusion. There was an unexpected impatience in her face and voice, along with an arrogance and self-discipline he’d never seen in her before.
“Decide now,” she said tartly. “I am content either way.”
“You’re—what?”
“Do you truly not understand?” she demanded. “You’ve learned the masters’ secret. You’ve obtained the drug for us. That was all we needed, and you have done well. Now leave us to fight our war.” She stared at him a moment, then turned away.
“Wait a second,” Merrick said, grabbing her arm, his mind spinning. “What are you saying? That you used me?”
“You were very useful,” she said. “So was Commander Ukuthi.” She looked pointedly down at his hand on her arm. “The battle continues. Join us or not, but do not interfere.”
Slowly, Merrick opened his hand, the last six weeks of his life twisting like leaves in a windstorm.
Anya, sold into slavery by the Drims in punishment for her parents’ failed revolt…or had it been deliberate plant and manipulation with the goal of sending her to a rival demesne?
Commander Ukuthi of the Balin’ekha’spmi demesne, suspicious of the Drims’ ambitions and their secret work on Muninn…or had Anya been the one who planted those suspicions and fears in the first place and goaded him into action?
And Merrick Moreau Broom, Ukuthi’s Cobra prisoner, persuaded by Ukuthi’s concerns and driven by Anya’s own fears and vulnerability to accept this mission on the Balins’ behalf…or had Anya ever been vulnerable at all?
Everyone had apparently done exactly what Anya had wanted. But even with the drug driving Ludolf’s soldiers there was no way he could win freedom for his people against the vastly superior Troft forces. Could he?
Merrick didn’t know. And suddenly, he didn’t care.
“Good luck,” he said, taking a step back.
Anya turned away again, not even acknowledging his comment. He watched as she reached the end of the line of carts, peered cautiously around the corner, then headed toward the sound of fighting in the distance.
He knew he would never see her again.
Jody was waiting when he returned to the Dominion ship, standing alone by the open hatch. “You okay?” she asked as he came up. “What happened?”
“She’s gone,” Merrick said. It was all she needed to know, and he didn’t feel like talking about it. “Are mom and dad and Lorne all right?”
“They were when I left Aventine.”
“That sounds oddly unreassuring,” Merrick asked, frowning at her. “What exactly did I miss?”
“Too much to go into now,” Jody said, studying his face. The Anya conversation was far from over, Merrick knew, just postponed to a calmer time. “Come on, I need to get you inside.”
“Not yet,” he said, stepping back as she reached for his arm. “We need to make sure the Trofts don’t rush the ship while your friends are helping Kjoic.”
He stepped to the other side of the hatch, frowning as he looked around. Even granted that a fair percentage of the Trofts were presumably being pinned down by Ludolf’s forces, the Trofts should have made some response to the Dominion ship’s arrival by now.
“Yeah, they’re being pretty quiet, aren’t they?” Jody said, agreeing with his unspoken thought. “Aside from the group we hit—thanks for the assist, by the way—and the ones Plaine chased away earlier we really haven’t seen many of them. Best guess is that the rebels hit the spaceport barracks while we were coming down, and the Trofts are still catching their breath over that one.”
“That could explain why they haven’t put any fighters in the air,” Merrick agreed doubtfully. “But these can’t be everything they’ve got on the whole planet.”
“Oh, I’m sure they’re not,” Jody said. “But Rashida’s keeping an eye out for anything coming in from elsewhere.”
“Good,” Merrick said. Yet another unfamiliar name. “Just how big an entourage did you bring?”
“It’s just the five of us,” Jody said. “Kemp and Smitty are Caelian Cobras, Rashida’s our pilot—she’s Qasaman—and Plaine is a Dominion Marine.”
“The Dominion of Man?” Merrick echoed. “Are they here?”
“Three ships’ worth of them are, anyway,” Jody said grimly. “We’re not sure exactly why, but we think it has something to do with a war they’re fighting on the other end of the Troft Assemblage.”
“And you?” Merrick asked. “When did Aventine start…you know?”
“You mean with women? They haven’t. I was a special case.”
“Like Mom?”
“Basically,” Jody said. “So what’s this drug you and Kjoic were talking about?”
“It seems to be a strength enhancer,” Merrick said. A movement to the side caught his eye, and he tensed as he keyed in his infrareds. But it was just a small animal, scavenging in a tuft of weeds. “The one time I saw it tested it also seemed to create loyalty to the Trofts. That was apparently the biggest goal of the research—strength enhancement by itself has been something the humans here on Muninn have been using for a long time.”
“Which explains the gents with the rocks,” Jody said. “You think the Trofts are trying to create their own version of Cobras?”
“And testing out the drug on humans?” Merrick shook his head. “I doubt human and Troft physiologies are close enough for that to make sense. But I’ve been thinking. Do you remember how the Cobras were used during the first Troft invasion of the Dominion?”
“They were dropped on occupied worlds to coordinate resistance forces, right?”
“Right,” Merrick said. “So what if you drugged a bunch of the people here on Muninn and dropped them on Dominion worlds?”
“Ouch,” Jody said, her forehead creased with concentration. “Though it wouldn’t be quite the same, since there wouldn’t be any resistance groups for them to link up with.”
“Are you sure?” Merrick countered. “We have no idea what the political situation is in the Dominion right now. If the war and government are unpopular enough, there could be some unrest.”
“Point,” Jody conceded. “We can ask Plaine about that. But even if everything is sunshine and flowers, a bunch of violent Troft loyalists could cause a lot of chaos on the ground.”
“Forcing the Dominion to divert resources from the war to deal with it.”
“Yeah.” Jody hissed between her teeth. “Terrific. So is that what we’re sitting on? A planet-sized test-tube for Troft experiments?”
Merrick gazed across the field, noting the distant flickers of reflected laser light from the various pockets of battle. “No,” he said quietly. “The people here have been Drim slaves for a long time. Mostly they’ve been sold to other demesnes to fight in combat-style games.”
A shiver ran up his back. Yes, Anya had used him. But if the situation had been reversed, wouldn’t he have grabbed any tool he could to throw off that kind of oppression? Would he have even considered the ethics of manipulating another person to do whatever he considered necessary?
“Terrific,” Jody murmured.
Merrick snapped his attention back to the situation at hand. “What’s terrific?”
“Rashida just called,” Jody said grimly. “She’s picked up a flock of fighters coming in from the north—ETA about fifteen minutes.”
“So we need to be up and out of here in ten?”
“Something like that,” Jody said. “Kemp? Plaine? Anyone listening?”
She paused, frowning. “Trouble?” Merrick asked, stepping closer to her and boosting his audios a bit.
“They’re not answering,” Jody said. “Kemp? Plaine?”
“Jody, get in here and take over the gunbay,” a new voice came faintly from her comm. “I’ll go look for them.”
“No, you stay put,” Jody said, straightening her shoulders. “Rashida’s fighters might get here sooner than expected. Merrick, you stay here and guard the hatch.”
“Better plan,” Merrick said. “Seal up the damn hatch and we’ll both go.”
“Merrick—”
“Yeah, what is it?” Plaine’s voice came through Jody’s comm.
“Plaine?” Jody called. “It’s Broom.”
“Yeah, I got that,” Plaine said. “Is there a problem?”
“Rashida’s picked up incoming fighters,” Jody said. “ETA about fourteen minutes.”
“Okay, fine,” Plaine said. “We’re almost finished. We’ll be back in five.”
“Is Kemp all right?”
“Sure,” Plaine said. “Why wouldn’t he be?”
“I just—neither of you were answering,” Jody said, foundering a little.
“You get Kjoic his ship?” Merrick asked.
“He’s prepping it now,” Plaine said. “We’re setting the rest of our charges.”
“Make it fast,” Merrick warned. “I’ve seen these fighters in action. We don’t want to be on the ground when they get here.”
“Well, then, stop bothering us and we won’t,” Plaine said tartly. “Out.”
“At least they’re okay,” Merrick said, stepping back from his sister.
“Yes,” she murmured, her expression tense as she gazed across the open ground. “So far.”
The minutes ticked by. The flickers of laser light moved across the background, and Merrick could hear occasional sounds of fighting and scuffling, but for the most part the battles played out in eerie silence. Both sides apparently knew their respective goals, and neither side wanted to sacrifice stealth for the emotional boost of war yells.
He was wondering if he should ask Rashida for an update on the fighters when Jody abruptly caught her breath. “They’re coming,” she murmured.
“Where?”
Jody nodded toward a gap between a shed and a tipped maintenance cart. Merrick turned his gaze that direction, making sure to pay attention to his audios and peripheral vision. If this was a Troft ruse…
It wasn’t. Five seconds later Kemp and Plaine came into sight. They checked their perimeter, then sprinted toward the ship. Plaine, Merrick noted, carried a sleek laser rifle and had a handgun belted at his waist. Kemp the Cobra hadn’t bothered with either. “They’re here, Rashida,” Jody murmured as the men approached. “Get us moving the minute I get the hatch closed.”
Ten seconds later, all four were inside, the hatch was closed, and Merrick found himself grabbing for a handhold as the ship angled up and to the side and climbed toward space. “You get them?” he called.
“What?” Kemp asked.
“Did you disable the fighters?” Jody clarified.
“Oh,” Kemp said. “Yes. At least, I think so. That was all Plaine. I just got your brother’s Troft to one of them and cleaned out the other Trofts who were hanging around.”
“Plaine?” Jody asked.
“Yeah, yeah, I got the fighters,” Plaine said impatiently. “Now shut up and let me get to the gunbay.”
“That may not be necessary,” Rashida’s voice came over a corridor speaker. “I’ve just received a transmission.”
Plaine swore. “If they think we’re going to surrender—”
“Attention, world of the Drim’hco’plai demesne,” an authoritative voice—an authoritative human voice—boomed from the speaker. “This is the Dominion of Man War Cruiser Dorian. You appear to have one of our courier ships.
“We want it back.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
“You’re frowning, Colonel,” Corwin said.
Colonel Reivaro turned from the row of status displays. “Excuse me?”
“I was remarking on the fact that you were frowning,” Corwin said. “Bad news from the Dewdrop?”
“Not bad, just a bit confusing,” Reivaro said. “The shakedown crew is coming aboard, with twelve Cobras among them.”
“Really,” Corwin said, feeling his throat tighten. Surely Lorne hadn’t fallen for the Dominion’s trick. “How do you know they’re Cobras?”
Reivaro pursed his lips. “Because all twelve are wearing our neckbands.”
“Really,” Corwin said again. “Interesting. And you didn’t kick them off?”
“They’re not officially under Dominion control,” Reivaro reminded him. “But I’m definitely rethinking the situation. Either they don’t think the neckbands can be activated once they’re far enough out, or else the satellite attack has been changed from the main mission to a diversion.”
“A diversion for what?”
Reivaro smiled tightly. “That is the question, isn’t it?”
“Lifting off now, Colonel,” one of the techs called.
Reivaro did the data stream thing again and nodded. “Yes, that’s the question, Governor Moreau. Let’s watch together and learn the answer.”
* * *
“Signal from Jeffries,” Emile reported from his post by the top-floor window. “Dewdrop has lifted off. All Cobras are aboard.”
Lorne nodded. He’d expected nothing less. Reivaro had clearly hoped to add a few ghost Cobras to his stable, and the colonel was probably wondering why the only ones aboard were ones he’d already identified and collared.
What he wouldn’t do was abort the mission just because it wasn’t following his expectations. The man was far too unflappable for that.
“Huh.”
“Huh what?” Lorne asked, checking the rope on the table one more time for tangles and potential snags.
“Question from Nissa Gendreves,” Emile said. “She wants to know if we can detect laser fire coming from inside Reivaro’s HQ.”
“What laser fire?” Lorne asked, the rope momentarily forgotten. “Where’s it coming from?”
“It’s not coming from anywhere,” Emile said with exaggerated patience as he flipped his white card up and down in Dida code. It was the safest and most secure communication system available to them, but it drove Lorne increasingly crazy. Not just because it was slow, but also because only the city Cobras could use it. Having to rely on men like Emile to pass on all messages made him extremely uncomfortable. “Just a theoretical question, I gather.”
“Wait a second,” Merrick said as the three of them slipped between the huts and headed toward the Dominion ship, Jody still gripping his right arm. “I told you I need to see Anya and Kjoic first.”
“And do what?” Kemp asked, coming up on his left side.
“We either need to get Kjoic aboard our ship or find him one of his own,” Merrick said. “Anya comes aboard regardless.”
Out of the corners of his eyes he saw Jody and Kemp exchange looks around him. “Kjoic is your pet Troft?” Kemp asked.
“He’s an ally, not a pet,” Merrick growled. “And I need to talk to him.”
“Fine,” Jody said. “We’ll go with you.”
The aircar had indeed landed, and without any damage Merrick could see. Briefly, he wondered if he would have to go up and knock; but even as the three of them crossed the open space the hatch opened and Anya and Kjoic stepped out. Kjoic had a laser belted to his side, his hand resting on the grip. He hesitated a fraction of a second, then strode toward the three Cobras. “Truth, we at last obtain it,” he said, his voice harsh, his membranes fully extended. “A koubrah-soldier, you are one of them.”
“Yes, I am,” Merrick said, keeping his voice calm even as he put a target lock on Kjoic’s laser. “Is that going to make a difference now?”
For a moment Kjoic stood rigid. Then, slowly, his membranes began to sag. “No,” he said. “I have freed you from the Drim’hco’plai. The bargain, your side must be kept.”
“I’m ready to do so,” Merrick said. “You want to ride with us, or get your own ship?”
“My own ship,” Kjoic said. “We do not travel further together. There are five long-range ships nearby. One will suit me.”
“You still have the drug sample?”
“I do.”
“Good,” Merrick said. “Then let’s go get you a ship.”
“Hold it,” Jody said. “First: what drug? Second: you’re in no shape to go anywhere.”
“Kjoic got me out of the Drim prison and stole this aircar to bring me here,” Merrick said firmly. “He also helped me get a drug sample, which we’re not going to go into right now. Bottom line: I’m helping him get a ship.”
“No, you’re not,” Jody said, just as firmly. “If he needs help”—she shot Kjoic a suspicious look—“then Kemp and I will go.”
Merrick shook his head. “Out of the question.”
“Hold it,” a faint voice came from the comm on Jody’s shoulder. “Ask him if he’s talking about the row of heavy fighters about a hundred meters south.”
“Yes,” Kjoic confirmed after Merrick relayed the question.
“Good,” the other voice came. “New plan: Kemp and I will go get him his ship.”
“Plaine—” Jody began.
“No arguments,” Plaine cut her off. “Best way out of here is to give Merrick’s Troft one of the fighters and disable the rest of them. I know how to do that. You don’t. Kemp and I are going.”
“Then stop wasting time and get out here,” Kemp said. “Jody, take Merrick in and get him to sickbay.”
“In a minute,” Merrick said, shifting his attention over Kjoic’s shoulder.
To find that, during their conversation with Kjoic, Anya had somehow slipped away.
“She went that way,” Kemp said, pointing toward the aircar’s stern.
“Thanks,” Merrick said, and headed off.
“Merrick—” Jody called, making a grab for his arm.
“I’ll be right back,” Merrick called over his shoulder as he broke into a fast jog. “Get Plaine out here so Kjoic can get his ship and we can all get off this rock.”
Anya was moving along a line of cargo carts when Merrick caught up with her. “Wait up,” he murmured, his senses alert for Troft activity.
She glanced over her shoulder at him, but kept walking. “You have your exit,” she said curtly. “Go.”
“Wait,” he repeated as he caught up with her. “I’m not just going to leave you here alone.”
“I’m not alone,” she said. “My father and others are near at hand. I will find them, and we shall win our freedom.” Abruptly, she spun to face him. “Do you leave? Or do you help us?”
“I—” Merrick broke off, staring at her in confusion. There was an unexpected impatience in her face and voice, along with an arrogance and self-discipline he’d never seen in her before.
“Decide now,” she said tartly. “I am content either way.”
“You’re—what?”
“Do you truly not understand?” she demanded. “You’ve learned the masters’ secret. You’ve obtained the drug for us. That was all we needed, and you have done well. Now leave us to fight our war.” She stared at him a moment, then turned away.
“Wait a second,” Merrick said, grabbing her arm, his mind spinning. “What are you saying? That you used me?”
“You were very useful,” she said. “So was Commander Ukuthi.” She looked pointedly down at his hand on her arm. “The battle continues. Join us or not, but do not interfere.”
Slowly, Merrick opened his hand, the last six weeks of his life twisting like leaves in a windstorm.
Anya, sold into slavery by the Drims in punishment for her parents’ failed revolt…or had it been deliberate plant and manipulation with the goal of sending her to a rival demesne?
Commander Ukuthi of the Balin’ekha’spmi demesne, suspicious of the Drims’ ambitions and their secret work on Muninn…or had Anya been the one who planted those suspicions and fears in the first place and goaded him into action?
And Merrick Moreau Broom, Ukuthi’s Cobra prisoner, persuaded by Ukuthi’s concerns and driven by Anya’s own fears and vulnerability to accept this mission on the Balins’ behalf…or had Anya ever been vulnerable at all?
Everyone had apparently done exactly what Anya had wanted. But even with the drug driving Ludolf’s soldiers there was no way he could win freedom for his people against the vastly superior Troft forces. Could he?
Merrick didn’t know. And suddenly, he didn’t care.
“Good luck,” he said, taking a step back.
Anya turned away again, not even acknowledging his comment. He watched as she reached the end of the line of carts, peered cautiously around the corner, then headed toward the sound of fighting in the distance.
He knew he would never see her again.
Jody was waiting when he returned to the Dominion ship, standing alone by the open hatch. “You okay?” she asked as he came up. “What happened?”
“She’s gone,” Merrick said. It was all she needed to know, and he didn’t feel like talking about it. “Are mom and dad and Lorne all right?”
“They were when I left Aventine.”
“That sounds oddly unreassuring,” Merrick asked, frowning at her. “What exactly did I miss?”
“Too much to go into now,” Jody said, studying his face. The Anya conversation was far from over, Merrick knew, just postponed to a calmer time. “Come on, I need to get you inside.”
“Not yet,” he said, stepping back as she reached for his arm. “We need to make sure the Trofts don’t rush the ship while your friends are helping Kjoic.”
He stepped to the other side of the hatch, frowning as he looked around. Even granted that a fair percentage of the Trofts were presumably being pinned down by Ludolf’s forces, the Trofts should have made some response to the Dominion ship’s arrival by now.
“Yeah, they’re being pretty quiet, aren’t they?” Jody said, agreeing with his unspoken thought. “Aside from the group we hit—thanks for the assist, by the way—and the ones Plaine chased away earlier we really haven’t seen many of them. Best guess is that the rebels hit the spaceport barracks while we were coming down, and the Trofts are still catching their breath over that one.”
“That could explain why they haven’t put any fighters in the air,” Merrick agreed doubtfully. “But these can’t be everything they’ve got on the whole planet.”
“Oh, I’m sure they’re not,” Jody said. “But Rashida’s keeping an eye out for anything coming in from elsewhere.”
“Good,” Merrick said. Yet another unfamiliar name. “Just how big an entourage did you bring?”
“It’s just the five of us,” Jody said. “Kemp and Smitty are Caelian Cobras, Rashida’s our pilot—she’s Qasaman—and Plaine is a Dominion Marine.”
“The Dominion of Man?” Merrick echoed. “Are they here?”
“Three ships’ worth of them are, anyway,” Jody said grimly. “We’re not sure exactly why, but we think it has something to do with a war they’re fighting on the other end of the Troft Assemblage.”
“And you?” Merrick asked. “When did Aventine start…you know?”
“You mean with women? They haven’t. I was a special case.”
“Like Mom?”
“Basically,” Jody said. “So what’s this drug you and Kjoic were talking about?”
“It seems to be a strength enhancer,” Merrick said. A movement to the side caught his eye, and he tensed as he keyed in his infrareds. But it was just a small animal, scavenging in a tuft of weeds. “The one time I saw it tested it also seemed to create loyalty to the Trofts. That was apparently the biggest goal of the research—strength enhancement by itself has been something the humans here on Muninn have been using for a long time.”
“Which explains the gents with the rocks,” Jody said. “You think the Trofts are trying to create their own version of Cobras?”
“And testing out the drug on humans?” Merrick shook his head. “I doubt human and Troft physiologies are close enough for that to make sense. But I’ve been thinking. Do you remember how the Cobras were used during the first Troft invasion of the Dominion?”
“They were dropped on occupied worlds to coordinate resistance forces, right?”
“Right,” Merrick said. “So what if you drugged a bunch of the people here on Muninn and dropped them on Dominion worlds?”
“Ouch,” Jody said, her forehead creased with concentration. “Though it wouldn’t be quite the same, since there wouldn’t be any resistance groups for them to link up with.”
“Are you sure?” Merrick countered. “We have no idea what the political situation is in the Dominion right now. If the war and government are unpopular enough, there could be some unrest.”
“Point,” Jody conceded. “We can ask Plaine about that. But even if everything is sunshine and flowers, a bunch of violent Troft loyalists could cause a lot of chaos on the ground.”
“Forcing the Dominion to divert resources from the war to deal with it.”
“Yeah.” Jody hissed between her teeth. “Terrific. So is that what we’re sitting on? A planet-sized test-tube for Troft experiments?”
Merrick gazed across the field, noting the distant flickers of reflected laser light from the various pockets of battle. “No,” he said quietly. “The people here have been Drim slaves for a long time. Mostly they’ve been sold to other demesnes to fight in combat-style games.”
A shiver ran up his back. Yes, Anya had used him. But if the situation had been reversed, wouldn’t he have grabbed any tool he could to throw off that kind of oppression? Would he have even considered the ethics of manipulating another person to do whatever he considered necessary?
“Terrific,” Jody murmured.
Merrick snapped his attention back to the situation at hand. “What’s terrific?”
“Rashida just called,” Jody said grimly. “She’s picked up a flock of fighters coming in from the north—ETA about fifteen minutes.”
“So we need to be up and out of here in ten?”
“Something like that,” Jody said. “Kemp? Plaine? Anyone listening?”
She paused, frowning. “Trouble?” Merrick asked, stepping closer to her and boosting his audios a bit.
“They’re not answering,” Jody said. “Kemp? Plaine?”
“Jody, get in here and take over the gunbay,” a new voice came faintly from her comm. “I’ll go look for them.”
“No, you stay put,” Jody said, straightening her shoulders. “Rashida’s fighters might get here sooner than expected. Merrick, you stay here and guard the hatch.”
“Better plan,” Merrick said. “Seal up the damn hatch and we’ll both go.”
“Merrick—”
“Yeah, what is it?” Plaine’s voice came through Jody’s comm.
“Plaine?” Jody called. “It’s Broom.”
“Yeah, I got that,” Plaine said. “Is there a problem?”
“Rashida’s picked up incoming fighters,” Jody said. “ETA about fourteen minutes.”
“Okay, fine,” Plaine said. “We’re almost finished. We’ll be back in five.”
“Is Kemp all right?”
“Sure,” Plaine said. “Why wouldn’t he be?”
“I just—neither of you were answering,” Jody said, foundering a little.
“You get Kjoic his ship?” Merrick asked.
“He’s prepping it now,” Plaine said. “We’re setting the rest of our charges.”
“Make it fast,” Merrick warned. “I’ve seen these fighters in action. We don’t want to be on the ground when they get here.”
“Well, then, stop bothering us and we won’t,” Plaine said tartly. “Out.”
“At least they’re okay,” Merrick said, stepping back from his sister.
“Yes,” she murmured, her expression tense as she gazed across the open ground. “So far.”
The minutes ticked by. The flickers of laser light moved across the background, and Merrick could hear occasional sounds of fighting and scuffling, but for the most part the battles played out in eerie silence. Both sides apparently knew their respective goals, and neither side wanted to sacrifice stealth for the emotional boost of war yells.
He was wondering if he should ask Rashida for an update on the fighters when Jody abruptly caught her breath. “They’re coming,” she murmured.
“Where?”
Jody nodded toward a gap between a shed and a tipped maintenance cart. Merrick turned his gaze that direction, making sure to pay attention to his audios and peripheral vision. If this was a Troft ruse…
It wasn’t. Five seconds later Kemp and Plaine came into sight. They checked their perimeter, then sprinted toward the ship. Plaine, Merrick noted, carried a sleek laser rifle and had a handgun belted at his waist. Kemp the Cobra hadn’t bothered with either. “They’re here, Rashida,” Jody murmured as the men approached. “Get us moving the minute I get the hatch closed.”
Ten seconds later, all four were inside, the hatch was closed, and Merrick found himself grabbing for a handhold as the ship angled up and to the side and climbed toward space. “You get them?” he called.
“What?” Kemp asked.
“Did you disable the fighters?” Jody clarified.
“Oh,” Kemp said. “Yes. At least, I think so. That was all Plaine. I just got your brother’s Troft to one of them and cleaned out the other Trofts who were hanging around.”
“Plaine?” Jody asked.
“Yeah, yeah, I got the fighters,” Plaine said impatiently. “Now shut up and let me get to the gunbay.”
“That may not be necessary,” Rashida’s voice came over a corridor speaker. “I’ve just received a transmission.”
Plaine swore. “If they think we’re going to surrender—”
“Attention, world of the Drim’hco’plai demesne,” an authoritative voice—an authoritative human voice—boomed from the speaker. “This is the Dominion of Man War Cruiser Dorian. You appear to have one of our courier ships.
“We want it back.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
“You’re frowning, Colonel,” Corwin said.
Colonel Reivaro turned from the row of status displays. “Excuse me?”
“I was remarking on the fact that you were frowning,” Corwin said. “Bad news from the Dewdrop?”
“Not bad, just a bit confusing,” Reivaro said. “The shakedown crew is coming aboard, with twelve Cobras among them.”
“Really,” Corwin said, feeling his throat tighten. Surely Lorne hadn’t fallen for the Dominion’s trick. “How do you know they’re Cobras?”
Reivaro pursed his lips. “Because all twelve are wearing our neckbands.”
“Really,” Corwin said again. “Interesting. And you didn’t kick them off?”
“They’re not officially under Dominion control,” Reivaro reminded him. “But I’m definitely rethinking the situation. Either they don’t think the neckbands can be activated once they’re far enough out, or else the satellite attack has been changed from the main mission to a diversion.”
“A diversion for what?”
Reivaro smiled tightly. “That is the question, isn’t it?”
“Lifting off now, Colonel,” one of the techs called.
Reivaro did the data stream thing again and nodded. “Yes, that’s the question, Governor Moreau. Let’s watch together and learn the answer.”
* * *
“Signal from Jeffries,” Emile reported from his post by the top-floor window. “Dewdrop has lifted off. All Cobras are aboard.”
Lorne nodded. He’d expected nothing less. Reivaro had clearly hoped to add a few ghost Cobras to his stable, and the colonel was probably wondering why the only ones aboard were ones he’d already identified and collared.
What he wouldn’t do was abort the mission just because it wasn’t following his expectations. The man was far too unflappable for that.
“Huh.”
“Huh what?” Lorne asked, checking the rope on the table one more time for tangles and potential snags.
“Question from Nissa Gendreves,” Emile said. “She wants to know if we can detect laser fire coming from inside Reivaro’s HQ.”
“What laser fire?” Lorne asked, the rope momentarily forgotten. “Where’s it coming from?”
“It’s not coming from anywhere,” Emile said with exaggerated patience as he flipped his white card up and down in Dida code. It was the safest and most secure communication system available to them, but it drove Lorne increasingly crazy. Not just because it was slow, but also because only the city Cobras could use it. Having to rely on men like Emile to pass on all messages made him extremely uncomfortable. “Just a theoretical question, I gather.”
