“Well, do better,” she said facetiously. “Oh, and Captain Yaeger?”
“Yes, my lady.”
“You and DeOrchis, you have my eternal gratitude. I don’t know how I’ll ever repay you.”
Comron noticed the hitch in Yaeger’s breathing and the subtle rush of blood to his face.
“Repayment isn’t necessary, my Lady, we’re just doing our duty.” He cleared his throat. “Now, scrambled or not, we’d better drop off the line. Remember Lepkin, you leave with or without us. I anticipate that we’ll arrive in time, but I will not contact you again.”
“Yes, Cap’n,” Lepkin replied heartily, “when you’re here we’ll know it.”
“Yaeger out.” He turned only to confront Comron’s icy stare.
“Whom do you work for?” Comron demanded.
“That information is confidential. My commander has reserved the right to make his own introduction.”
“Will he be aboard the transport?”
“No, I don’t believe he’d risk himself that way.”
“Ah, so he’s not only the financier, he’s also the brains of your operation.”
The insult wasn’t lost on Yaeger. “Does his lordship have a point?”
Why am I antagonizing the man who can reunite me with Vaush? This was the second time today his feelings for Vaush had caused him to act irrationally. Was this who he was when he was in love or was it the essence playing havoc with his mind? “Forget it,” he said, waving Yaeger off.
“Yeah …,” Yaeger glanced back at DeOrchis. “You’re sure we’re clear. We can’t risk bringing anyone to the nest.”
“We appear to be,” he said hesitantly, “but I’m getting some strange readings, Cap’n.”
“I am too,” Comron announced. “There are some anomalies on the map here,” he pointed at some blurry patches. “There are some sort of large objects in the forest just ahead, but the computer is having difficulty reading them.”
“DeOrchis, I need more information!” Yaeger commanded.
“Sir, we’re being jammed, somebody’s out there!”
Suddenly, three large Nethicaen ships rose above the treetops. Within ten minutes of the liftoff site, it was very possible the ships would locate Vaush before she left for Novoxos.
He swiveled his chair around to Crausin. “Order them to break off their pursuit!”
“Really, Comron?” Crausin answered. “And what if Thalonius is monitoring our communications? How does that make Nethic look?”
“Listen,” Yaeger said, “They believe you’re our hostage, so let’s play on that.”
“Right, we hedge our bets that way,” Comron said, “DeOrchis, where’s that beast of a blast rifle?” When he saw Crausin’s alarmed expression, he added, “Frithe’s gates, it’s just for show.”
DeOrchis was front and center with the blast rifle. He appeared only slightly apologetic as he placed the muzzle to Crausin’s head. Yaeger instructed Crausin as to what to say and then opened a channel to the Nethicaen command ship.
Comron tensed as he sensed some level of ambiguity in Crausin. He could either comply or call down holy fire on Vaush’s transport. Please, Crausin, this is our only way out of this where our bond remains intact. It’s the only way we grow stronger. Stay with me on this, please.
“I’ve got General Brigune on the line,” Yaeger said.
Crausin stared evenly at Comron and gave a reluctant nod.
“Switching on visual,” Yaeger said and pointed at Crausin.
“Your Grace!” General Brigune said, “Are you all right?”
“Order your men to stand down and break off the pursuit.”
“Sire ….”
DeOrchis nudged Crausin’s head with the muzzle. “Do it or they’ll kill me!”
“What of Prince Comron?”
Yaeger quickly placed a blast gun to Comron’s temple.
“They’ll kill us both!” Crausin exclaimed with as much passion as he could muster. “But they’re willing to negotiate our release if you let them go in peace.”
They all looked at Crausin. What are you doing?
“They’ll provide the coordinates for the exchange. We’ll meet there in fifteen minutes.”
They all breathed a collective sigh of relief when they realized what Crausin had done. He’d bought Vaush the time she needed to escape to Novoxos all the while maintaining their innocence in the matter.
“Awaiting coordinates, Sire,” Brigune said.
“Coming right up.” Yaeger turned to the com station and tapped in the fictitious coordinates.
“We have the coordinates.”
“Very good,” Crausin glanced at his wrist chronometer. “Meet us there at 1900 hours.”
“We’ll be there, Sire.”
Yaeger cut the link and smirked. “Thanks to you, Lady Vaush should be safely on her way to Novoxos any second now.”
Crausin snorted. “She’s escaped the fire only to leap into an inferno. She’ll never make Novoxos.”
“Oh, you’re referring to the gathering attack force in the Prienek sector,” Yaeger said offhandedly. “We’re prepared for what awaits us there.”
Crausin folded his arms across his chest. “Perhaps you overestimate your chances.”
“Twenty of us descended and rescued the Lady Vaush from the combined forces of Thalonius, Recaban, and Nethic. You ever stop to think that maybe you’re underestimating us?”
“Don’t get cocky, Yaeger,” Comron said defensively. “I’m the one who kept her hidden away for safekeeping. Where were you when the Sorrel fighters took down our ship or when we nearly froze to death? Where were you when we fought off Recaban and the Nethicaen forces? Not to mention—”
“Gentlemen, gentlemen,” DeOrchis piped up, “Whip ’em out later but, for right now, we’ve got a bigger problem. We don’t have a ship to take us off this rock and when the Nethicaens figure out our little ruse here … well, they’re not going to be happy.”
“It was no ruse,” Crausin said and looked at Comron. “I’ve gone as far as I’ll go. We’re going to meet General Brigune at those coordinates and then I’m leaving with them.”
The disappointment Comron felt over Crausin’s words left him dismayed. He’d hoped against all odds that their relationship had taken a new turn. “Crausin, why?”
“Because Thalonius is watching and, in order to save Nethic, we can’t appear to be co-conspirators.”
“I’m not going back. I have to see this thing through.”
“Yes, I know that now. But we’ve got to hedge our bets here. One of us has to stay behind to protect Nethic.” He looked at Yaeger. “Just tell them that you don’t trust us and that you’re going to continue to hold one of us as hostage until you’re safely underway.”
Yaeger nodded. “Sounds plausible.”
“I’m done trying to convince you of the folly of this course, but I still pray you come home safely.”
Something ugly flashed before Comron, and he knew Crausin would never surrender so easily. What did he really have in store? Once in control of a planetary battleship, did he plan to turn the guns on this tank and insist Comron leave with him?
Disheartened by the prospect, Comron came up with a new plan. “DeOrchis is correct, we need a ship. I suggest we take one of theirs.”
Yaeger raised a brow, his curiosity clearly piqued. “I’m listening.”
“The only way to get them to drop their guard is to make them believe that we’ve turned the tables on you and now you’re our prisoners.”
“No,” Yaeger adamantly objected, “We cannot risk being captured. They’ll use us to find Vaush.”
“So we don’t give them the opportunity. We’ll strike fast.”
Yaeger shook his head. “We don’t know the ships layout or complement. There’s too many variables and unknowns.” He hitched a thumb at DeOrchis, “We’re good, but not that good.”
“But I know all that information. If we take over the bridge, we take o
ver the ship.”
“Once again,” he said impatiently, “if I had my whole team—”
“The three of us can do this!”
Yaeger cast a disparaging look at Comron. “With all due respect, my lord … I hardly think you—”
In a blur of motion, Comron dashed behind Yaeger, relieved him of his side arm, dropped him to his knees, and secured him about the neck.
“Now,” Comron said, pressing the muzzle of the blaster to his head, “you were saying?”
“Damn,” DeOrchis said as if duly impressed, recognizing this as a mere display of Lord Comron’s abilities.
“All right.” Yaeger said, tapping Comron’s arm. “You made your point.”
Immediately, Comron released him, flipped the blaster around, and handed it back to Yaeger.
The captain sprang to his feet and leveled his weapon at Comron’s head. DeOrchis watched as the two men stood toe to toe, neither one flinching or backing down.
“Two things,” Yaeger said in a deadly tone. “First, we’ll try your plan, because we need a ship to get the hell off this frozen dirt pile. And, second, if you ever pull some shite like that again,” his gray eyes narrowed, “I will end you.”
Despite “taking” him just seconds earlier, Comron discerned that repeating the task wouldn’t be nearly so easy. Furthermore, finding common ground was far more productive than continuing the pissing match. “I think we understand each other, Captain.”
Recalling himself and the mission, Yaeger holstered his blaster. “Don’t just stand there gawking, DeOrchis. See if you can get some tactical readings on the ship. Van Laven, tell me everything you know.”
CHAPTER 64
“So you’re planning to kidnap me?” Crausin said.
“Turnabout is fair-play,” Comron retorted. Let Crausin think what he liked, they needed a ship, and he couldn’t afford to leave Crausin on his own. His abandonment issues aside, leaving him to self-destruct was not an option.
“So you officially don’t give a damn about Nethic,” Crausin snapped.
“To the contrary, I intend to make Nethic the financial capital of the Sellusion Empire with our first client being Empress Vaush Hrollaugr.”
“You’re out of your bleeding mind, Comron. It’s never going to happen, and Nethic will pay the price for your unmitigated gall.”
“Ach!” Yaeger exclaimed, “Could we focus on the task at hand? We’ll reach the rendezvous point in under a minute. Is he going to be a problem?”
“No,” Comron said adamantly, staring Crausin down. “We’re going to proceed with the plan and he’s not going to foul it up because he knows it would lead to the complete ruin of Nethic.” If you betray me, if you botch this operation, I will NEVER return to Nethic.
“Are you on board Your Highness?” Yaeger asked, glancing back at Crausin.
Crausin’s eyes remained fixed upon Comron. “On board and strapped in tight.”
“Then we’re a go. But if you try anything cute, I’ll put a hole the size of Draken Four through your aristocratic skull.”
“I’ll bear that in mind,” Crausin said through tight lips.
“There’s the transport up ahead,” DeOrchis announced from the ops station. “Time to move into place.” He reached into a duffle bag and retrieved two sets of handcuffs. “Break-away cuffs, just in case they screw us on this.” He glanced at Crausin. “No offense, just being cautious.”
“You’ll need to lose all that expensive body armor too,” Comron said, “They’ll never believe you don’t have a thousand weapons tucked away in there.”
DeOrchis brought the tank to a full stop about fifty meters south of the Nethicaen transport waiting to take them to the Valiant. Yaeger and DeOrchis rose and began decoupling their body armor. Once stripped down to light-weave body suits, they allowed Comron to bind their hands before them.
“This had better work, Van Laven,” Yaeger said.
“Look, I need you alive to take me to Vaush,” Comron said. “I’m not going to let anything happen to you before that.” He turned to Crausin and back-handed him hard.
“What the hell!” Crausin exclaimed, holding the side of his face.
“We need to make it look as if there was some sort of struggle,” Comron replied and pointed to his rapidly healing bruised face. “You gave me mine earlier today, remember?” He hefted DeOrchis’ blast rifle into Crausin’s arm and took up Yaeger’s. “You lead, our prisoners will follow. I’ll bring up the rear. Just stick to the script, Crausin.” Our future depends on this.
Crausin’s gaze lingered on him a moment longer before he hit the control panel. The heavy door lifted out of the way and the short ramp extended to the frozen ground. Across the distance, General Brigune waited with a squad of twenty soldiers. It took them only a few seconds to discern the pleasant turn of events, and soon they were moving to close the distance to apprehend the prisoners.
“Your Grace,” General Brigune said, his eyes never leaving the prisoners. “This is most unexpected.”
“Take them to the brig,” Crausin said to General Brigune. “Then we’ll hand them over to Thalonius for questioning.”
“Yes, Sire,” Brigune motioned for his men to fall into formation around Yaeger and DeOrchis. They all marched across the distance and entered the transport. During the short trip back to the orbiting Valiant, Comron never took his eyes off Crausin. The residual ambivalence he felt in him left him uneasy.
I won’t ever forget the loyalty you’ve shown me here. I will do the same in return. I swear it. He reassured Crausin reminding him what there was to be gained and what there was to be lost.
When they docked in the Valiant without incident, Comron breathed a small sigh of relief. It had been a couple of years since Comron had been aboard a midrange battleship. Even then, it was only to christen the newly commissioned fleet. Fortunately, it was much as he had remembered it.
As they made their way down, Comron virtually vibrated from the essence coursing through his system. His head throbbed as the pressure to act built. His gaze fell to Crausin who walked ahead alongside Brigune. From the set of his shoulders, he knew Crausin had come to a resolve but which side he fell on remained a mystery.
They neared the final passage before the brig. The pneumatic doors opened, letting them enter. Immediately Comron saw the display of weaponry on the walls, just as he had described to Yaeger. He glanced back at Yaeger who blinked once in acknowledgement. When Comron turned back, he felt the sudden surge of emotion rise in Crausin and knew he couldn’t afford to wait to see which side Crausin had chosen.
He shoved Crausin out of the way and chopped the commander on the neck, dropping him instantly. Before anyone could react, he grabbed one of the spurs off the wall and hurled it at the door control, locking it shut. Havoc erupted as the guards realized that they were being ambushed. Comron’s fist connected with the head of the forward guard while his boot simultaneously landed in the gut of the other, hitting both so hard they flew into the walls.
Free of their cuffs, Yaeger and DeOrchis wasted no time, turning their bodies into highly efficient lethal weapons. When Comron caught one of the guards drawing his rifle, he launched into the air, his foot landing square in the guard’s chest, crushing it. Before he landed, he twisted, kicking another guard clean in the neck. He pulled two long jagged blades off the wall and made quick work of the remaining guards before they could fire a single warning to alert the rest of the crew.
In under thirty seconds, the four men were the only ones left standing. Yaeger and DeOrchis stared wide-eyed at Comron, astonished at what they had witnessed. But there would be time for questions later; right now, they had to stay focused on the business at hand.
“Which way to the bridge, Your Deadliness?” Yaeger said, glancing at the bloody swords in Comron’s hands. “Your own men too.”
“It’s what will happen to anyone who tries to stand between me and Vaush,” he said pointedly at Yaeger, then glanced at Crausin in the co
rner. “Let’s go take the ship.”
CHAPTER 65
The armed guards escorted Vaush down the corridors of the old battle cruiser named the Emperor’s Majesty. She couldn’t help but notice the imperial insignia and red lion sigil that she saw in various places along the way. Yet the insignia seemed to be outdated, as if this ship was an older model from the imperial fleet. Were the ships stolen from the shipyards or purchased as mementos?
Her head swam with questions. Who would risk coming to their aid? What could they possibly have to gain? Whose political agenda were they serving and what would they ask of her in return?
They finally came to a halt before double doors. Lepkin tapped a door signal and a voice came over the intercom.
“State your business.”
“It’s Lepkin. The Honored Lady of Ti-Laros is here to see you.”
The doors immediately parted and the two guards inside beckoned them forward. Vaush steeled her nerves and entered the room. In the center of the room was a long oblong table and standing at the other end of it in the dim lights was a uniformed man with his back to her, as he gazed out at the stars through the large window. Vaush stood in silence until he slowly turned around to face his audience.
The first thing Vaush noticed was that he was dressed in a military uniform dating back to the same age as the vessel. It was the uniform of a high-ranking official—one of the legendary Generals Elite to be exact. He was an older gentleman, though there was a distinct air of vitality in his stance. In his pensive, dark brown eyes, she saw something vaguely familiar, though for the life of her, she could not place it. His complexion was dark, like her adoptive father Larrs. He had a tall slender frame, and she imagined that in his younger days he had been a handsome man. The way the soldiers stood at attention told her that he commanded a great deal of respect and obedience.
“So, you are Vaush Bastionli, rightful Ruler of the Sellusion Empire,” he said beaming with pride and admiration, leaving Vaush more confused than ever.