Blood of Denebria (Star Sojourner Book 4) (19 page)

Weed unsaddled the mare. We slapped the horses' rumps. The stallion leaped forward and headed west, back home to the village and his breakfast at the barn. The mare followed.

The whine of the ships grew louder as we went through the crevice.

In the shadowed interior, I saw the team's horses, including Asil, behind a makeshift fence of intertwined branches, and vines.

Wolfie dismounted and unsaddled his horse. He nodded into the cave. “That way.”

Weed and I walked deeper into the unlit cavity.

I stopped and smiled. There was Joe, and Reika, and Chancey, and Bat, sitting against a wall, eating breakfast in the light of a small fire.

“Hey, tags,” I called. “Did you save some for us?”

Reika looked up and dropped her plate. She jumped to her feet. Her mouth opened as though to say something. But she didn't.

“Damn!” Chancey said with a full mouth and stood up. “If it ain't the superstar!”

Bat stood up and grinned.

Joe stared at me and I caught his slight smile. I walked up to him and extended a hand. He took it and I pulled him to his feet. He held my hand to shake it. I grinned and embraced him. His shoulders shook.

Tears burned behind my own eyes. “Good to see you, Dad,” I whispered.

“Reika,” I said and let go of Joe.

She threw herself at me and I picked her up, but a sharp pain in my left side forced me to put her down. “Thanks for the present, Ree.”

She just stared at me, her eyes wide. Then she wiped tears that seeped down her cheeks. “We were out of mock steak. Oh, Jules.” She threw her arms around my waist.

I gasped and loosened her grip. “Not…not so tight, babes.”

Chancey came up and shook my hand. “We figured you were either dead or captured by the BEMs, troll.”

I laughed. “Dead, maybe. Captured by the BEMs? No way!”

Bat shook his head and picked up his black bag.

“Bat.” I put out a hand. “I'm fine.” I put my hand on Weed's shoulder. “This is my cous, Weed. He's one of the general's freedom fighters.”

Joe looked him up and down. “How come he came here with you?”

“Long story, Joe.” I felt a sudden pang of fear. “Where's Huff?”

“He's OK.” Reika chuckled. “He's in the back of the cave, either sulking or sleeping.” She shrugged. “That's all he's done since you…took off!”

“Couldn't help it, Ree. I want to go see the big guy. Oh, wait a minute.” I remembered the parchments and took them from my inner pocket and handed them to Joe. “I think this is General's Roothe's attack plans. Weed can read them for you.”

Weed nodded.

Joe spread them out on the ground, near the fire.

I walked to the back of the cave. Huff was curled up, snoring as he slept. I sat down next to him. “Hey, big guy, dreaming of Kresthaven?”

He nodded in his sleep.

I scratched his back and probed for parasites. “Nope,” I said. “No parasites here.”

“I've eaten them all,” he mumbled, then blinked his eyes open and stared at me.

I smiled.

“I dream,” he said. “Oh, Ten Gods, you send me

He patted my back.!”

I shook him. “It's
me,
Huff.”

He put out a paw and laid it on my knee. Then squeezed.

I pulled on a clump of his fur. “Can a dream do that, big guy?”

He whined and tears wet the fur on his cheeks. “My Jules Terran friend. If you are not real…” He sat up. “I will pull the fur from out this paw.”

“Oh, no! Don't do that. It's me, Huff. Hey, they took off your cast!”

He threw his arms around me.

“Don't – Don't squeeze,” I begged.

“Did they hurt you, my Jules cub?” He stood up. Where? I will carry you.”

“No!” I got up. “I can walk.”

“Where is your hurt?”

I lifted my sweater.

He drew in a breath. “They hurt you in two places.”

I had to chuckle. “I'm OK. Hey, how about we go get some breakfast?”

He put a paw gently on my shoulder. “I am in hunger now.”

We walked back to the fire.

Joe was tracing a finger across one parchment and shaking his head. The rest of the team was gathered around him. He looked up at me. “They're going to eat the general's people alive. Maybe literally.”

“That bad?” I asked.

Reika brought me a plate of eggs, mock sausage, and English muffins.

“Thanks, Ree,” I said.

She kissed my cheek and smiled, then went back for the plate of eyeballs and belly fat for Huff. “Weed,” she said, “can I fix you something?”

“Do you have pumpkin, or cornbread with maple syrup, madam?”

“Call me Reika. I think there's a recipe in the sous for cornbread. I'll go check.”

I sat between Joe and Chancey. “What's the general's plan, Joe?”

Joe shook his head and waved at the parchment. “He intends to send half his troops disguised as a caravan and slaves to the BEM HQ and attack them while they sleep.”

“With what?” I asked.

“We have spears and shields made of the strongest wood,” Weed said, “and some stinglers, too. We will surround their compound and wait. When they emerge to go to their landing supply ships, we will attack. Eventually, they will all starve to death.”

“That's it?” Wolfie said.

“There is one other thing,” Weed told him.

“I can't wait to hear it.” Wolfie glanced at Joe.

“We have Great God on our side,” Weed said.

“You're going to need Him,” Joe stated.

Chancey shook his head. “Sounds like a plan to me.”

“Bunch of dumbfuck idiots!” Wolfie told Weed. He got up and strode toward the cave entrance. “You deserve whatever happens to you.”

Reika handed Huff his meal. “Weed, your cornbread is baking.” She sat beside me and put a hand on my thigh. “Weed, what if the BEM invasion force strikes before they all starve to death, and we haven't contacted Alpha?”

Weed shifted his weight. “Great God would not allow that happens.

“Jesus Christ,” Joe muttered.

“Yeah.” Chancey threw a branch in the fire. “They'll need Him too.”

“What about the garrison?” I asked.

“Oh,” Chancey said, “you're going to love this.”

“Well,” Weed started, “the general will have the other half of our troops circle the garrison on horseback, and throw flaming spears at the tents. When the BEMs rush out, we shall slay them.”

“Whoa!” I said. “What about the SPS? It's hidden inside the garrison. He can't do that! Joe? Fire will destroy the unit.”

“Yes, but you see, Jules,” Weed said patronizingly, “when the BEMs' homeworld realizes that their outposts here are no longer responding to their calls, they'll know we killed them all, and they won't dare attack Denebria.” He sat back with a smile.

I looked at Joe. I think my mouth was hanging open.

“Weed,” Bat said gently, “do you understand the magnitude of an invasion force?”

“Yes,” he answered. “Of course. It will be larger than the number of BEMs at the garrison and the Headquarters in the desert combined. My general understands that.”

“Your general,” Chancey said and got up, “understands shit.” He went to scrape his plate.

Weed glared at him. “We intend to attack in two nights from now, when the moons are both new and the night will be at its darkest.”

“I hate to tell you this, cous,” I said, “but there's a good chance that the BEMs can see just as well in the dark as in light. We'll be the ones at a disadvantage.”

Weed lowered his head. “My people have never had to fight a war. This sort of conflict is beyond us.”

“I know, Weed,” I said. “We just wish your general would take the advice of experts in the field, like Joe.”

“He is too proud,” Weed said, “to admit that an alien from another world would know better than he does.” He looked up. “My people have always believed that isolation is the way to security.”

No more,
I thought. “Joe. I've spent the last five days living under the BEM garrison.”

He nodded. “Go ahead.”

“I've worked on sharpening my tel skills. I think that now I can mentally project among the BEMs the way I did on their ship, but without being detected.”

“And locate the SPS before we go in?” Joe said.

“That's what I'm thinking. If I have a clear image of its location, I can go directly to it.”

Joe stared at the fire and scratched his stubbly chin.

The group was silent as we waited.

“OK. Then we go in tonight.” He glanced around at the team. “We'll create a diversionary tactic at the garrison while Jules locates the SPS. You make the call to Alpha,” he told me, “and then get your ass back out. Chancey and Wolfie will go in with you.” He stared at me. “Jules, I kid you not. I want absolute obedience to my orders. Do I have your word?”

I bit my lip. I felt mentally handcuffed.

“The lives of the team,” he said softly, “and the success of this operation, will depend upon the absolute cooperation of all members during split second decisions. All members means you too, especially since you're crucial to the success of the operation.”

“OK, boss,” I said. “Lesson learned.”

“And your word?”

I nodded. “And my word.”

Reika put her hand on my shoulder. The sous chef beeped. “Hey, cous,” she said to weed, “I think your cornbread's done.” She got up and went to the chef.

“The ideal outcome,” Joe said to me, “would be that the BEMs never know you called.” He looked around. “We keep comlink silence. Don't give the BEMs a chance to triangulate and call in air strikes against us.” He looked around. “This invasion of a peaceful world is an illegal act of war. Alpha will send a Force One to Tau Ceti to confront the BEM military leaders on their doorstep. And if they're still inclined to invade Denebria, the Worlds Alliance forces will be here to greet them.”

Weed looked from Joe to me.

“You see, Weed,” Reika handed him a dish of cornbread, “that's a plan to save your world.”

Wolfie came back into the cave. “They're still scouring the desert for you two,” he told me.

“I'm not surprised,” I said. “General Roothe is probably pounding holes in that conference table.” I yawned and rubbed my eyes. I realized I hadn't slept all night.

“Why don't you get some sleep?” Joe told me. “We can't leave until nightfall anyway with the general's people flying all over the goddamn plains.”

Huff yawned, pulling back his lips to expose rows of shark teeth. “I too, could not get some sleep.” He laid down beside me.

I cuddled with my back against his soft fur. Flames flickered warmly across my face. The smell of the fire was comforting. Even the crackle of bursting wood was conducive to sleep.
This is how our distant ancestors must have fallen asleep,
I thought and began to drift off. Suddenly there was fur in my mouth. I couldn't breathe. I swiped an arm across my face and jumped to a sitting position. Huff's heavy forearm slid down from across my head. “Jesus and Vishnu, Huff.”

“Sorry I am,” he said.

I sighed. “It's all right.” I laid back down and felt my muscles relax.

Chancey threw a branch on the fire and chuckled. “Sweet dreams, Superstar.”

“Yeah. Right,” I mumbled.

Bat came and sat next to me with his black bag. “Jules, before you doze off, I'd like to – “

“Now what?” I sat up again. “I'm OK, Bat.”

“Just want to take a look at those wounds before you fall sleep.” He lifted my sweater and shined his small light on the gauze pad. “Well now, that looks fine. Here, turn a bit.”

I did.

“This one looks fine too.” He grinned. “The gauze pads are dry. No infection, Bubba.”

I could've told you that.” I sighed, laid down and closed my eyes again.

“Jules?” It was Weed.

“Christ and Buddha!” I muttered. “What?”

“Chancey says you have an extra weapon. A gun you took off a dead BEM.”

“I do.”

“Would you consider letting me use it during our raid tonight?”

“Sure. You can't go in unarmed.”

“Thank you, my cousin.”

“Welcome.” I closed my eyes.

Reika bent over me and smiled as she brushed my hair back off my face. She bent down and kissed my cheek and my lips. “Sleep tight, babes.”

I felt the beginning of sexual stirring.
No way!
I thought. “Thanks, Ree, I'm trying.”

Wolfie came to the fire with a cup of coffee and stirred the dying embers with a foot. “Captain, if the operation fails, we meet here?”

I lifted my head and looked at Joe.

He nodded.

I sighed and laid my head back down. But a deeper, unsettling sense of foreboding disturbed my thoughts. I stared at the fire. “What we were about to attempt this coming night could get us all killed and the Denebrians left open to invasion. Or it could save their lives and their way of life. I looked at Joe, who sat silently, staring into the flames.

He caught my eye and I guess my worried look. “We take it one step at a time, OK, kid?”

I nodded and closed my eyes. Sleep came quickly but it was shot with disturbing dreams.

“Jules, baby.” Reika shook my shoulder. “Soup's on. Joe wants us to have supper now. We'll be on our way pretty soon.” She kissed my cheek, then my lips lightly. “You slept well.” She sat next to me. Huff was still asleep. “I wish this night were over.”

I pulled her down beside me. Huff stirred and threw a forearm over my head. I nudged it to my waist and kissed Reika. “Would be nice, Ree, if we could spend it here, together.”

She smiled and lifted her head to look at Huff. “Just the three of us?”

“Jules!” Joe called. “Reika. Huff. Come on.”

“We're coming, Joe,” I said.

I drew Reika close. It felt so good to wrap my arms around her soft body and just hold her.

She brushed my hair off my face. “I swear, babes, if we both come out of this alive, I'm going to give you a haircut while you sleep.”

“We'll make it, Ree. We've got the best people possible working with us.”

“Jules?”

“Yeah?”

“Make me a promise.”

Here it comes,
I thought.

She cuddled against me. “Promise me…promise me you won't take any unnecessary chances? Just do what Joe tells you to. He's a good man. He knows his job.”

I sighed deeply. “How many times do I have to promise that?”

She took my hand and held it. “How about forever?”

“OK. Forever.”

“Let's go, Jules,” Joe called. “Reika. Huff. Come on.”

“We're coming, Joe,” I called.

“When I'm with you,” Reika said. “no matter what happens, the world is all right.” She tilted her head to look at me. “When we're apart, nothing is right.”

I kissed her forehead and stroked her black, silky hair. “I'm worried about you, too, you know. Suppose we make a pact?”

“That sounds scary.”

“Suppose we both promise to do everything in our power to make it through this night alive.”

“I'll second that, babes.”

“Then it's a deal.” I kissed her mouth, so full. “My little flower lips.”

“Jules!” Joe called.

Ah, here we go.
I got to my feet and helped Reika up. “Huff?” I shook him. “Time to get up.”

“The checkers are red!” he mumbled in his sleep.

Huff hates the color red. It's synonymous with death on Kresthaven, and rarely found, except in blood, on that ice world. But it's a culture obsessed with checkers, their national game, ever since they bought a set from a space merchant a generation ago, then killed the merchant because the checkers were red and they thought he was Death. Back on Earth, I had found a set of blue and onyx checkers as a gift for Huff. He treasured it. Maybe he was dreaming about the coming events of this dark night. Maybe the night would turn red.

“Huff!” I said.

He sat up.

“We've got to go, big guy.”

He wiped a paw across his eyes and looked around. “I hate this going, Jules friend.”

“We all do, Huff.” I patted his shoulder. “We all do.”

We gathered around the fire and ate our suppers in silence as we waited for Joe to tell us his plan.

He put down his empty plate. “Jules is the crux of this mission, with his tel powers. The rest of the team acts in a supporting role. Chancey, you and Wolfie provide cover for Jules so he can search for the SPS with as little distraction as possible.” He glanced from Chancey to Wolfie.

They nodded.

“Weed, I want – “

“Yes, Captain?” Weed said.

“I want you to stay close to them with the horses, in case you need to make a fast getaway.”

“But, Captain,” Weed said, “I can do more than that. I can – “

“This is not the time for a learning experience,” Joe told him.

“But –“ Weed started.

Wolfie threw him one of his more intimidating looks, and Weed closed his mouth.

“Huff,” Joe said.

“Yes, I am Huff.”

“I know you want to stay with Jules, but – “

“Yes. But that would be well.”

“Well, you can't,” Joe said. “Your fur is a dead giveaway. You'll hold the horses for me, Bat and Reika while we initiate a diversionary tactic.”

Huff glanced at me and whined.

“It'll be OK, Huff,” I said.

“Bat, Reika,” Joe said, “the BEMs have set up an improvised landing site near the garrison for their supply ship. I suspect it's a shuttle that makes deliveries to their HQ in the desert and then drops off supplies for the garrison. When you're ready to go in,” he told me, “one of you three fire a flash beam into the sky. That'll be our signal. Bat, Reika and I will attack the installation, and the ship, if it's docked.” He looked around. “That should send the BEMs pouring out of the garrison.”

“And that's when we go in,” I said.

“We'll hold off until you give us the word that you're ready,” Joe told me.

Reika sighed and took my arm.

I squeezed her hand. “And if things don't go exactly as planned?”

“Then you beat a hasty retreat and we'll meet here, providing you don't have BEMs on your ass.” He looked around. “Don't bring them here.”

“Weed,” I said, “why don't you tell Joe about the DABs underground warren. The main section is located right under the garrison, Joe. If we can't make it back here, it's a good plan B.”

“Weed?” Joe said.

Reika and I got up, scraped our dishes and washed them. It was a comforting routine, as though we'd be back to use the sous chef again. The reality was that we were running out of ingredients, and even if we made it back here alive, our supply of digestall was also limited. There was always pumpkin and cornbread, grown from Earth seeds, but that wasn't a sustaining diet. I thought of what Joe had said.
One step at a time.

The horses were hobbled outside to graze on good grass near the narrow swift-running stream that sizzled as it ran toward Northwest Village. Long twilight shadows striped the land in twisted bars of scrub brush, and pinnacles that rose in red spires. I zippered my jacket against the chill night air. It was moist with a promise of rain as it settled over the land and deepened the smell of bitter root.

Weed hefted the spare saddle from the horse he'd ridden here over the white mare's back, and harnessed the travois. Joe wanted us to keep it in case of wounded on our way back. I watched yellow and buff-colored birds caw as they flew to their night roosts in the cliffs. I think some had nests hidden in the rock fissures.

“Hello, Prince,” I told Asil and stroked his fine arched neck, as black as descending night. Reika walked over as I saddled him. She reached up and kissed me. “Luck.”

I smiled. “Luck, Ree.”

She turned and strode back to her horse

Chancey and Wolfie rode on either side of me as though to protect me from unseen dangers. Wolfie and Reika carried their land warrior kits in their backpacks. Chancey had his beam rifle slung across his back. Huff loped on all fours close in front of Asil. His white coat gleamed in the rising moons.

We were silent as we rode, but I could feel the sense of camaraderie, the sure knowledge that we were a unit, with all minor differences left behind us in the dust.

In the yellow light of the larger moon, I saw a shiny fulgurite lying in sand, a beautiful specimen of petrified lightning. “I'll catch up,” I threw over my shoulder and went to pick it up. It was white as snow, with traces of blue. A hollow tube, about two feet long.

I put it into my saddlebag.

Joe rode up. “For Lisa?”

“Yeah, Joe. You think she'll like it?”

He grinned. “She'll love it, kid. Especially since it's from Dad.”

I swung back onto Asil and we continued.

It was past midnight when we reined in on the crest of a hill overlooking Northwestern Village. A few street lamps still burned. A pleasure craft, probably young Denebs, cruised the main drag, then lifted to circle above the dark stone and fibrin structures.

Beyond the town, the great battlements of the western mountains rose in ragged peaks like silent tsunamis that flooded out the stars.

Joe rode up beside me. “How close do you want to get for the probes?”

“A couple of hundred feet.”

“You think you can project into the tents and see what's going on without being detected?”

“I think so. I've been practicing in the DAB's warren.”

“You remember what I said about following my orders?”

“I gave you my word, Joe.”

He nodded and started down the hill. We followed.

We stayed to shadowed side streets where windows were dark and only the two moons threw crosses of light.

Voices!

The metallic Dissonance of BEMs calling to each other and cackling in that cracked-cement noise they make.

We dismounted and led the horses past stone and fibrin private houses with lawns of sweet-smelling purple flowers, and children's toys scattered on stone walks.

In the distance, three of the six garrison tents were bright with lantern light. Shadows flickered across the material as figures moved inside.

“Some sort of celebration,” I said to Joe. “I hope a few of the crotemungers are still asleep.”

“And if they're not?” Joe said.

I bit my lip. “It'll be a lot harder to probe without detection.”

He put a hand on my shoulder. “Do the best you can. We can't use the beam flash as a signal to begin our attack on the landing site with all those crotes awake. Weed?”

“Yes, Captain.” He moved closer to Joe.

“Leave Jules and Chancey and Wolfie's horses tied. When Jules says it's time for our diversion, ride here. Don't spare the horse, and let us know.”

Weed nodded and moved back from us again.

Wolfie pointed to a ground vehicle about a hundred feet away from one of the tents. “Is that close enough?” he asked me.

“As good as any place,” I said.

“Jules,” Joe said, “if you can, probe for the reason for this celebration. It might be important.”

“I'll try, Joe.”

He put out his hand. I shook it and smiled. “Be careful, Dad,” I whispered.

He nodded. “Look who's talking?”

“Huff,” I said, “I…” For some reason, I felt tears well up. He threw his bear arms around my shoulders and gave me a lick of his long tongue. “The Ten Gods have my orders, Jules Terran friend, to see to your care.”

Bat came up and patted my cheek. “Take care, Bubba.”

“You too, Bat. Reika? A kiss for luck?”

She hugged me. “If kisses could keep you safe, I would shower you with them, babes.”

I pressed her head against my chest and kissed it.

Weed remained behind with Asil and Chancey and Wolfie's horses while the others mounted and rode toward the landing site installation.

“Watch out!” Wolfie whispered as a BEM, a bottle clutched in one tentacle, braced himself on three more and slithered sideways across a grassy patch between lit tents. He fell over, cackled and spread his tentacles for balance as he staggered to his feet.

We waited for him to go into a tent, then the three of us ran, crouched, to the ground vehicle, and sat down in its shadow.

I lowered my head to my hands and began a sweeping probe, calculated to encounter a sleeper with the delta waves that indicate deep sleep.

The celebrating BEMs began to sing, if you could call the raucous sound of tin being rattled a form of song. I exhaled a long breath to relax. I had to ignore this distraction and find sleepers without being detected. Chancey and Wolfie sat very still, but the rhythm of the song played havoc with my probe.

“And you, my brother. And you, All Mother…”

The words beat in my mind. I imaged a tunnel where words and rhythm were muffled outside the walls.

There, in one of the dark tents. Sleepers. I conjured up the aroma of the sweet purple flowers and sneaked past the minds' guards of sleep. One alone was dreaming.
A barren, ruined world. Probably Tau Ceti. A tortured landscape with no growth.
How true was this dream of his homeworld, I wondered. I approached the sleeper's mind softly, on wings of gossamer, and pictured the SPS monitor and mount atop its panel of buttons and lights. He turned it into a flickering film of female BEMs dancing. I pulled it back to the SPS and held it there. The dreamer surrounded it with the inside of a tent. I drew back from the image, like a camera zooming out, and the dreamer complied.

There it was!

The third tent to our left in the field. Dark. The sense that it was not a sleepers' tent, but unoccupied, with the cold stillness of an empty room. Outside, a pile of opened boxes.

I carefully backed out of the sleeper's dream and opened my eyes. The real tent was there to our left, with the opened empty boxes beside it. “It's here!” I said. “It's in that tent.” I pointed.

“Shit,” Chancey said softly. “Then let's go.”

Wolfie patted me on the shoulder and got up. “Nice work,” he said.

I could hardly believe it.

“Weed,” I called in a whisper. “Not yet. We don't want them pouring out of the tents.”

He nodded and moved the horses back.

With no BEMs in sight, we trotted across the open field. Chancey and Wolfie stayed behind the pile of boxes to give me cover.

I opened the tent flap and went inside. Boxes were piled along the four walls, blocking windows and the light of moons. I waited for my eyes to adjust. And drew in a breath. The SPS stood alone in an alcove formed of boxes.

“Oh my God,” I whispered. That's it! Oh my God!”

Then I remembered to subdue my thoughts as I ran to the SPS and fell to my knees. I touched it with a sense of reverence. In space, the unit could locate star systems. Here, tucked in this corner of a tent, it could communicate with planets. I pressed the ON button, my breath coming fast in my throat.

Nothing.

“What the
hell
?” I muttered with my heart sinking. I pressed it again. Still nothing. My stomach felt queasy as I checked the panel, found the latch and opened it. Empty! The battery was gone. “Christ and Buddha.” Without the battery, and no place to plug in, the unit was useless.

I ran to the flap and threw it open. “Chancey! Wolfie,” I whispered. “They took out the battery. It's
gone.
”

“Mother fucker!” I heard Chancey rasp.

Three BEMs emerged from a lit tent, waving bottles and singing.