trying to save Denna." Daidaunkh waited until Jarwekh enabled the transmat. "Turn the control interface to show me what you do, and enter Raphael's address."
"You are making a serious mistake," Jarwekh said, slowly touching the control surface. "Both of you. I know you are not resisting Daidaunkh's intentions, Denna."
"Put in a five-second delay," Daidaunkh ordered.
"Please, sir," Jarwekh pleaded. "I failed to stop you twice before. I am failing you yet again. I don't believe Denna wants to die, not this way. The admiral is not a bad person and does not deserve your bad intentions."
"Silence!" Daidaunkh shouted. "Detach the interface and hand it to me as soon as you start the delay to execute. Do it! I can't live like this anymore!"
"I have never thought of it as living," Jarwekh said. "But I will start living now. I am sorry to see you go. I will never forget you. But I will not grieve for you." Jarwekh touched-off the delay, peeled the interface quickly from its support, and handed it across to Daidaunkh.
= = =
The emitter barrel of the pistol hurt Denna's temple and Daidaunkh's arm around her neck had forced her into a humiliating stooped position. She had first reacted to his use of her as a hostage as the opportunity to die quickly and permanently. Then she remembered the boy. She wanted to see him. She wanted to protect him. When the transmat winked them into the security zone of Rafael's residence, she shoved Daidaunkh away from her.
"Give me the weapon!" Denna demanded.
"What? Why?"
"I don't care what you do to the admiral, but I'll kill you if you harm the boy in the slightest!"
"You can kill me anyway!" he declared, handing her the weapon. "But wait until I rip her heart out!"
"She's an admiral, Daida! An old admiral! She must know how to defend herself!"
"It doesn't matter! Even if she kills me, it doesn't matter! I will have my turn at her!" He pointed to the studio. "I'll look there. The light's still on. You take the house."
A few minutes later Denna rejoined Daidaunkh and they stood in the yard between buildings.
"Not there," Denna reported.
"I think they just left," Daidaunkh said. "Jarwekh warned them. They're hiding in the trees. I no longer have my military augments. It will be difficult to trap them. The admiral should be able to see and hear better than I."
"I don't like this place!" Denna complained. "Too many memories!" She made an adjustment on the pistol. She pointed it at the house. In a few seconds the wood siding started to char and smoke, then a hole punched through the wall and something inside ignited, lighting up a window.
"What are you doing?" Daidaunkh protested, reaching to take the weapon back from Denna.
"Burning my past!" She dodged his grasp and pointed the pistol at the studio. It took only seconds for fire to erupt inside. The flames built into an inferno on either side of them.
Distracted by the ravenous fire, they didn't see the figure in a yellow dress until she arrived very near them.
"I remember that dress!" Denna shouted. "That's my dress! You can't wear my dress!"
Daidaunkh heard her words above the roar of the fire. He stopped her when she aimed the weapon at the admiral. He bent close and spoke into Denna's ear. "Don't shoot her! Even if she kills me! Leave her for another Rhyan to kill."
Denna stood aside but kept her weapon aimed at the admiral.
Daidaunkh approached the admiral, coming close enough that she could hear him when he raised his voice. "Are you the one who was called Keshona?"
"Part of me was," Fidelity answered. "What is your name?"
"Daidaunkh!"
/
The syllables of this Rhyan's name seemed to flow into the subvocal channel of her data augment, where her eyes pointed to the tools that refined the spelling and initiated the search. Biographical data was plucked from a vast cache of Rhyan material and appeared as though printed on a screen inside her eyes. "Daidaunkh," she quoted. "House of Illiiandh, son of Daisaukh and Ciriaandh. You are a long time into your family years," she commented, reading more. "Where are your wife and children? I know your Intended died in the Massacre, but there are always others who would help you continue your house."
She spoke the Rhyan royal language flawlessly, startling Daidaunkh. "How do you know of me? Is it your hobby to know the survivors of The Massacre? Why would you possess such knowledge so close to your tongue? Why do you soil our language with your tongue?"
"I don't know, Daidaunkh. It's a surprise to me as well. Why do you burn the life and great works of Rafael de LaGuardia? It isn't right."
"She hates this place where her son was born and died." Daidaunkh indicated his female companion. "Denna burns it. I don't think it will make her any happier."
"What will make you happier?" Fidelity watched the Rhyan but also studied the blonde woman who claimed ownership of the yellow dress. Denna. That name was in the title of Rafael's most important portraits. His wife... a different skin color... but the eyes... yes, the eyes.
"You murdered my family!" the Rhyan shouted at her. "My Intended! The family of my Intended! And so many other Rhyan! You ask a needless question!"
"Nothing you do will make you happier tonight," she said. "All that remains of Keshona is what will continue your suffering. You've found her body, but I beg you to wait for another time to have your revenge."
"Is that all you have to say?"
"Yes."
The Rhyan moved quickly and the first blow grazed Fidelity. She observed the attack by Daidaunkh as though standing apart from the two persons engaged in combat and watching at a slow rate of time. Again and again her avatar allowed her larger opponent near contact but no effective strikes.
"I told you!" Denna shouted. "She's just playing with you!"
Fidelity sensed a change in the Rhyan, a turn toward desperation, an elevation to frenzy. Daidaunkh rushed her, giving up his defenses, gambling that he could absorb some punishment in order to inflict a greater damage to Fidelity. She moved, just enough, not taking advantage of his tactic but simply avoiding him - much as she did with Captain Horss - waiting for him to tire. She jumped, dodged, stepped, and leaned, never leaving a circle larger than five meters. That she could react so quickly, that she could anticipate so accurately, still amazed her. That she could have the time and perspective to think about such things in the heat of combat further impressed her. Who was she? What was she?
Finally understanding she wouldn't move against him, Daidaunkh paused to catch his breath.
"The boy, Daida!" Denna shouted over the firestorm. "The boy!" The roar of combustion could not wash away the pain in her words. She waved the weapon and appeared greatly agitated, even weeping.
Fidelity turned to see Samson hopping on his one leg toward her, trying to hold onto a dog bigger than he was. Gator broke loose, rushed by her, barking a warning or a challenge. Denna shot the dog and he collapsed, plowing into the ground at her feet. Fidelity felt the fringe of the weapon's beam and knew Gator had received a paralyzing shock to his nervous system. He had died instantly.
Denna looked down on the dog, almost dropping the weapon as she staggered back a few steps. Daidaunkh chose the moment of distraction to charge Fidelity. Without even looking at him, she caught his wrist and made him turn in a direction he could only resist. She felt one of his forearm bones snap. As he spun into the ground she caught his lower leg under her foot and broke it.
Samson tried to hop past Fidelity to Gator but she put a hand out to stop him. Samson looked with grave concern at the still body of Gator. Daidaunkh struggled briefly on the ground until the extent of his injuries forced him into a painful stillness.
Denna held the weapon on Fidelity, her eyes - her famous tragic eyes, blue not brown - darting to Gator, to Daidaunkh, to Samson, and back to Fidelity, clearly afraid to look away from her for too long.
"Are you badly hurt?" Denna called to Daidaunkh.
He turned his face away from her.
"Gator!" Samson called
out to the dog. "Gator! Get up, Gator! Come here!"
The firelight sparkled on Denna's garment and inflamed her blonde hair. When she turned in just the right direction her eyes glistened like wet opals. Demons of emotion chased each other across her perfect features. She held her weapon unsteadily, not pointing it directly at Fidelity, perhaps reluctant to fire with Daidaunkh and Samson so close to her. Fidelity was almost certain the woman would never shoot. She felt empathy for Denna and a great disappointment in herself for having forced this confrontation.
"Tell me what to do, Daida!" Denna cried.
Daidaunkh only looked up at Fidelity, and though his dark eyes were full of hate for her, he said nothing and would not turn to Denna.
"I can't wait any longer!" Denna shouted in agony.
Fidelity saw Rafael behind Denna and let surprise change her expression. Denna reacted to her and tried to see who was behind her. Fidelity rushed forward, hoping to prevent injury to both Denna and Rafael. Rafael swung a piece of charred lumber, stumbling as he limped hurriedly toward Denna. Denna tried to turn back to Fidelity despite the threat from Rafael.
"No!" Fidelity cried.
Rafael seemed desperate to prevent Denna from shooting Fidelity. As Denna turned back to Fidelity she tried to blindly duck the coming blow from Rafael. Rafael's legs propelled him so unsteadily he couldn't aim the arc of his club. Just by chance it struck Denna solidly. The weapon fell from her hand. She collapsed in Fidelity's arms.
Denna convulsed as Fidelity lowered her carefully to the