Everyone burst into action. As Ragnar grabbed me, his soldiers blurred, moving with extraordinary speed, like a machine with many human components. Even using my extra optics, I couldn’t follow their movements. It happened in eerie silence; they communicated by implants in their brains rather than by voice.
Ragnar yanked me into the corridor, away from Eldrin, and pushed me toward a small tunnel with a shadowed entrance. Two of his cyberthugs helped him drag me away from the mêleé.
Straining to look back, I saw a blur of moving people, not only silver and gray, but with black mixed in now as well. Black. Damn. That meant Jagernauts. A flash of wine-red hair and blue trousers surfaced in the scuffle. Either the Jagernauts were rescuing Eldrin from his rescuers or else Ragnar’s people were stopping him from following us.
Ragnar strode at my right side with his left arm around my waist and his right hand clenched on my upper right arm. I had never realized how strong a grip he had with all those augmentations of his. I struggled to pull free. “Let me go.”
“Dehya, come on,” he said. “This is our only chance.”
We were almost running now. “Damn it, Ragnar, kidnapping the Ruby Pharaoh in the middle of a mutiny is stupid.”
“I’m not kidnapping you. I’m saving your royal razoo.” He maneuvered me into the side corridor. The two husky soldiers he had brought, a woman and a man, strode on either side of us.
“What the hell is a ‘razoo’?” I said. When my language files supplied the image of a shapely posterior, I muttered, “Never mind.”
As we ran down the dim tunnel, the tumult behind us faded. Then Ragnar drew me into an even narrower access tube. We were in a maintenance area now, one used mostly by robots. He pushed me into a niche barely big enough for the two of us to stand together.
Glancing at his soldiers, who waited outside the niche, he said, “What happened back there?”
The woman tapped a comm on her gauntlet. It glittered in a familiar pattern; it was sending data to implants in her ears. “Those were Primary Majda’s people.”
I narrowed my gaze at Ragnar. “Why would Vazar’s people attack yours?”
“She doesn’t agree with me.”
“Agree how?”
“I told you. I’m taking command of this fleet.” His gaze was so intense I thought it might burn off my skin. “For you, Dehya.”
I wanted to move back, away from him, but he had me pinned against the wall. “And that explains why you dragged me away from my husband.”
His mouth twisted, almost a snarl. “It astonishes me that a woman with your intelligence can be so blind about men. He was never good enough for you, even before the Traders ruined him. He’s been their prisoner, damn it. You have no idea what they did to him, besides torture. They could have redesigned his brain. Someday you’ll give the trigger—a word, gesture, thought—who knows. I’m trying to stop your barbarian from murdering you.”
“Eldrin isn’t going to hurt me.”
“He hurts you just by being married to you.” He leaned closer, his palms flat against the wall on either side of my shoulders. Bending his head, he brushed his lips across mine. “You need a man with strength.”
I turned my head aside. “You will not touch me.”
Ragnar lifted his head. His desire cloaked us darkly; seeing me backed up against the wall with no escape aroused him. He trailed his finger along my jaw, keeping the tip just above my skin so he didn’t touch me. “Think of the ISC forces I can bring to your command. The knowledge of ISC politics. The secured data. All yours. I can give you what you want.” His voice deepened as he leaned closer. “In all ways.”
“I’m not going to betray my husband.”
He kissed me again. “Fifty years,” he murmured. “Gods, you must be sick of him.”
I pushed him away. “Stop it, Ragnar. This isn’t worthy of you.”
“I feel your heartbeat.” He touched his fingertip to my cheek. “You can play the ice queen all you want, but your body betrays you.”
Telling him that my pulse had sped up because I feared him didn’t seem a good idea. He knew I didn’t have the strength to stop him. But I doubted he would force me; he had too much to lose. Had I been other than the Ruby Pharaoh, he might not have worried, but he probably wouldn’t have been interested either. If he wanted only rough sex, he could find it elsewhere. The idea of controlling power excited him. I needed his support, but not at the price of my husband or self-respect. This entire business was about family: Roca, Eldrinson, those unnamed children, the rest of the Ruby Dynasty. I had no intention of betraying them to free them from betrayal.
“You need my help,” Ragnar said. Menace simmered beneath his smooth exterior.
“I welcome your loyalty.” I crossed my arms, making a bulwark between our bodies. “But not in my bed.”
A dangerous edge honed his thoughts. “Perhaps not tonight.”
“Not ever, Ragnar.”
He glanced back at his warriors, who were trying to look alert without appearing to eavesdrop. “What’s the situation?”
“We’ve secured most of the ship,” the man said. “Cases-tar’s people still hold the bridge.”
Ragnar’s gaze darkened. “We can’t finish this if we can’t reach the bridge.”
I swallowed, understanding the implication of his words. If this operation failed, Jon Casestar would have no choice but to execute Ragnar for mutiny. By supporting the Ruby Dynasty, Ragnar might have signed his own death warrant.
“You’ve put a lot on the line for this.” I said.
He turned back to me. “It’s a calculated risk.”
I saw another aspect of the “kidnapping” now. Although it didn’t lessen the threat Ragnar exuded, it reminded me that he had other sides as well. “You grabbed me this way because you don’t want it to look as if I’m involved with the mutiny. In case you get caught.”
“You aren’t involved.” He leaned closer, cupping my chin with his hand. “Unless you change your mind.”
I pushed him away, my hands against his shoulders. “I won’t.” Quietly I added, “But I won’t forget your loyalty or what you’ve risked. Be assured of it.”
“Good,” he murmured.
“What happened with Vazar?”
“Her people attacked us outside your quarters.”
“Then she has thrown in with Jon?”
His voice grated. “She refused to listen to reason.”
I couldn’t hold back my sense of betrayal. I thought of her leaning her head against mine while we wept for the loved ones we had lost. Vaz, don’t do this. But she had made her choice. At least it meant Eldrin was safe; even in my most cynical moments, I couldn’t believe she would let harm come to her late husband’s brother.
Ragnar drummed his fingers on the wall. “We need control of the bridge. Until we have it, I can’t claim to be in charge of this fleet.”
My mood lifted. “I can get you to the bridge.”
“How?”
I swirled my hand in the air as if stirring a liquid. “I know these ships. Find me a good console, one where I don’t have to fight layers of security, and I’ll get you bridge access.”
He grinned. “You’ve got it, Pharaoh.”
The lights in the main office of the Security Division stayed dim; nothing the mutineers tried would bring them back up. The bridge crew had cut power to every system we needed. It didn’t matter. Ragnar had stockpiled portable generators, another indication he had spent more effort planning this than he could have done in the short time it had taken him to find Eldrin and me after Jon put us in custody.
With the generators, we rigged enough power to run Security Major, the main console. Other machines loomed around us, cloaked in shadow. Stray light from the rod-lamps carried by Ragnar’s people trickled here and there, or caught the edge of some hulking machine.
I settled in the control chair and it enfolded me, bringing panels to my fingertips and plugging prongs into my body. I submerg
ed into the virtual reality it created. Darkness spread around me, filled with flickers, not that different from the actual physical room where I sat, except these defined computer networks. I followed a bright thread as it wove through a velvety black mist. Gradually the line thickened, until I was speeding along a silver tunnel, plunging ever deeper into the mind of the ship.
I knew my impressions resulted from the way my mind interpreted the data flooding it. But I still felt vertigo, as if I were plummeting down a long chute. The light intensified until it hurt my eyes, except I wasn’t looking at anything. I tried to slow the onslaught of data, and my brain translated that as if I were braking against the chute.
INTRUDER IDENTIFY. The words rumbled like thunder.
Dyhianna Selei. I encoded my identifications into the name.
VERIFIED. ATTENDING.
I released the virtual breath I had been holding, making blue condensation swirl around me. Although I had worked for decades with ISC networks, it was always possible someone would discover my twiddling and remove some of the backdoors I had hidden in their systems, like this one.
I need access to the bridge systems.
ACCESS DENIED.
Override.
OVERRIDE REFUSED.
Why?
YOU DO NOT HAVE AUTHORIZATION.
I have anthorization for anything. It wasn’t true, but it was worth a try.
NEGATIVE.
What do I have authorization to do?
COMMUNICATE.
Interesting. Did Jon want me to contact them? Open comm channel. I deliberately didn’t specify which one. I wanted to see what it would do.
The light faded into darkness. I became aware of more flickers. At first I thought they were the ship’s networks again. Then I realized this was actual light Focusing outward, I saw Ragnar and his soldiers clustered around the console.
I spoke to Ragnar. “Have you talked with Jon Casestar since the uprising started?”
He started at my voice. “I thought you were going into the system.”
“I’ve already been in and out”
“Excellent.” He leaned forward, one hand on the back of the console, his posture evoking the poise of a wild animal ready to strike. “Casestar has refused contact. But it’s been less than an hour since we showed up at your suite.”
I paused, thinking. Jon could have done a lot with the bridge systems in one hour. “Ship attend.”
“ATTENDING.” Its voice rumbled in speech as well as in my mind.
Now we would see what communicate had meant. “Put me through to Admiral Casestar.”
“WORKING.”
Then we waited. Ragnar was standing in front of the console now, leaning against the back of another, facing me with his arms crossed. Everyone else stood ramrod straight. I felt like a dust mote dwarfed by asteroids.
The comm on my console crackled. “Casestar here.”
“My greetings, Admiral,” I said.
Ragnar stepped forward and put his hands against the back of my console, listening.
“Are you all right?” Jon asked. “Prince Eldrin said Ragnar Bloodmark dragged you out of your suite.”
“Is Eldrin with you?” I asked.
Eldrin’s deeper voice came over the comm. “I’m here. Where the hell did that bastard take you?”
Ragnar raised his eyebrows as if to say, Civilized, isn’t he? I ignored him.
“I’m all right,” I told Eldrin.
Ragnar leaned over the console and spoke into the comm. “She’s fine for now, Your Highness. What happens to her depends on what you and Casestar do.”
I switched off transmit, leaving only the comm’s receive function active. That way, Eldrin and Jon couldn’t hear us. To Ragnar I said, “What, now I’m a hostage after all?”
He braced his hands on the back of the console. “You aren’t my hostage, Dehya. But as long as they think you are, this remains a mutiny. Give your agreement and it becomes a coup.”
I snorted. “No one will believe otherwise. Why would you mutiny except to help me challenge the Assembly?”
“They can speculate all they want.” He gave a dry laugh. “Ifï say you’re a hostage, what are they going to do? Accuse me of lying? They aren’t stupid.”
“What’s going on?” Eldrin’s voice came out of the comm with a snap. “Bloodmark, if you’ve harmed her—”
Ragnar flicked on the transmit panel. “If you would be so kind as to put Admiral Casestar back on, we can commence with negotiations.”
Jon answered. “What negotiations?”
“Release this ship to me, and I will release the Pharaoh to you.”
Jon said, simply, “No.”
I gave Ragnar a dour look. He was right, Jon Casestar wasn’t stupid. Jon knew I was no hostage. He wasn’t going to negotiate terms that would leave me in charge of his fleet.
I closed my eyes and submerged again into the virtual darkness. Silver comm threads curled around me in the velvety-black mist I followed the line of Jon’s words to their source, slinking through the networks, analyzing as I went, leaving behind fragments of my own code intruding on theirs. His security people had guarded this bridge channel with remarkable locks. Truly brilliant.
Ragnar’s drawl echoed in the misty darkness around me. “I won’t release her until you release the ship. But I might have other plans.”
I could almost feel Eldrin losing his temper. Opening my eyes, I scowled at Ragnar and mouthed, Don’t overdo it
Trust me, he mouthed back.
Like hell, I answered. I was half in and half out of the simulation, and the virtual effects continued, curling threads of light around his dark form, outlining him in silver.
Jon’s voice came over the comm. “Pharaoh Dyhianna, you have my protection. But not my ship.”
“Don’t be so sure,” I said.
A pause. Then Jon spoke with a hint of humor. “With you, I am never sure of anything.”
“A wise man,” I murmured. Then I cut the connection.
Ragnar thumped the console with his palm. “Damn it, Dehya. How am I going to shield you if you insist on making it sound like you’re doing this of your own choice?”
“Because I am.” I smirked. “And I’m protecting your admiralic razoo.”
He gave a startled laugh. “My razoo thanks you.” His face took on a sensual look. “We would make one hell of a team. You picked the wrong man.”
He knew perfectly well I hadn’t “picked” anyone. But that changed nothing. “We do make a good team, Ragnar. As allies. Not lovers.”
“Perhaps. Unfortunately, right now that team is going nowhere.” He tapped the console. “We still can’t break the bridge defense.”
“You think so?” Sitting back, I closed my eyes and let threads of light brighten around me, in particular those I had marked during our communication with Jon. I examined the systems his security team had erected to defend the bridge. They were excellent. Amazing.
Then I activated all the intruder code I had put into their security—and crashed the entire bridge defense system.
22
Radiance
Havyrl’s Valor was one of ISC’s largest battle cruisers, several kilometers in length. Its bridge alone was larger than many ships, over half a kilometer across. Ragnar and I entered the great hemisphere together, sailing through the air with a formation of his commandos. Many of his soldiers were already here, having secured the bridge. Jon still sat in his chair at the terminus of the robot arm, but Ragnar’s people surrounded him.
The holoscreens that covered the surface of the hemisphere all showed space, in every direction, as if we floated in the void itself. Delos rotated “below” us relative to Jon’s chair, a magnificent orb of blue, green, and swirling white, like an extraordinary jewel set against a backdrop studded with gem-stars and nebulae.
Ragnar’s soldiers were relieving Jon’s officers of command, replacing them at consoles set into the surface of the hemisphere. Then I realize
d Ragnar’s people weren’t the only ones on guard. Members of Jon’s crew had joined the mutineers. The ramifications were sobering. If this failed, these people would pay the price of their loyalty to me with their lives.
As we headed toward Jon’s chair, the guards around it shifted and I saw Eldrin floating there, gripping a cable. The mutineers had him surrounded too. I didn’t like it. Regardless of what Ragnar wanted to be true, Eldrin wasn’t an enemy.
Ragnar and I skimmed up to Jon’s chair, using cables that stretched across the bridge. Jon watched us approach, his face unreadable. When we reached the chair, the guards moved aside so I could come in closer.
No one tried to stop me as I took hold of the cable near Eldrin. He didn’t speak, but I felt the brief touch of his mind, a moment of reassurance. Then he moved back, leaving me with Jon.
I spoke quietly. “I regret that it came to this, Admiral Casestar. But I must relieve you of command.”
“I also regret it, Your Highness.” He pushed out of the chair wearily, as if he felt heavy despite the lack of gravity. The guards took his arms and moved away with him.
It gave me no satisfaction to see them escort Jon and his officers off the bridge. I hated having to treat a long-time ally as an enemy.
Ragnar watched them with triumph in his dark gaze.
Eldrin floated closer to me, holding the cable. He glanced at Ragnar, who had moved to the other side of the command chair to confer with several officers. Then Eldrin followed my gaze to the hatchway at the back of the hemisphere, where the guards had taken out Jon. No regrets, Dehya. Cases-tar is the one who locked us tip.
I pulled myself into the command chair, then paused while it readjusted to my size. He thought he was doing the right thing.
He was wrong. Anger edged his thought, pure and direct.
Where Ragnar exuded dark intrigue, Eldrin reminded me of open fields and mountains; where Ragnar had sophistication, Eldrin was rustic simplicity overlaid with his years in the Imperial Court. Yes, Eldrin could move easily now among the powers of Skolia, speak their arcane language, and use their manners, always watching his behavior. But beneath that veneer, he was still the farm boy I had fallen in love with.