Fugitive (37 page)

   Then the Nedwuts came running around the curve. Some of them must have recovered from being stunned because there were now five of them, Drusilla noted, and she found herself wishing that they had used more than the stun setting on them while they had the chance. It was unlike her to feel quite so murderous, but remem bering the pistol held to her head made her feel less forgiving; she had no doubt that it had been set to kill. She held her breath as Cat, Leo, Jack, and Manx fell in behind them just as Tisana shot a huge ball of fire that landed right in front of the Nedwuts, blasting them all off their feet to sprawl in the dirt.

   The Nedwuts were soon scrambling to their feet and firing random shots as they ran for cover.

   "Get your hairy asses back here!" Jack bellowed, firing a narrow stun beam that glanced off one of those hairy asses and sent its owner howling down the road only to be blasted by another of Tisana's fireballs.

   Drusilla had to admire the Nedwut tenacity; they obviously had no intention of giving up without a fight. Drusilla wasn't quitting either, and after a few near misses, she knocked one of them into a nerveless heap. Two others who appeared to be unarmed tried to reach the cover of the jungle but were headed off by Cat and Leo, leaving Manx face-to-face with Klarkunk.

   "You Zetithian scum!" Klarkunk snarled as he aimed his weapon.

   Klarkunk was quick on the draw, but Manx was faster. Drusilla screamed as Manx fired a round that glanced off Klarkunk's shoulder, but was enough to deflect his aim, sending the Nedwut's shot streaking past Manx's head. Unfortunately, Klarkunk wasn't one to give up easily and spun back toward Manx, ready to fire.

   Another pulse beam streaked across the road, hitting Klarkunk again, just as Lester's truck burst into the clearing and screeched to a halt right in the middle of the road.

   The Baradan climbed out of the ancient vehicle and surveyed the situation, his hands displaying his distress. "This violence must stop!" he exclaimed.

   "We will not be interfered with again, Baradan!" Klarkunk snarled, completely ignoring the wisp of smoke rising from his shoulder. "Go back to your village with your other cowardly natives. These Zetithians are ours for the taking."

   "Ha!" Tisana called out from her position. "You three are all that are left. I'd say we had the advantage here."

   "Yeah, and especially since we've already disarmed most of your gang," said Jack, indicating Cat and Leo, whose pulse rifles were trained on the Nedwut leader. "You may have one fancy rifle left, but you're outnum bered, and you know it."

   To everyone's surprise, skinny little Lester walked right up to Klarkunk, who was obviously too stunned by this bold move to react.

   "You must put down your weapons," Lester said firmly. "Now."

   Drusilla watched in amazement as the Nedwut leader lowered his weapon. Lester wasn't even armed! How was he doing that? "Don't trust them, Lester!" she cautioned. "It's a trick!"

   "No trick," Lester said, his hands swirling in a dance as he spoke. "They will do as I say."

   Klarkunk gazed at the Baradan's hypnotic hands as his pulse rifle fell to the ground.

   "Now," said Lester, motioning toward Manx, "if you will gather all of the weapons and put them in my truck, this will be over."

   Manx did as Lester requested without argument, and though Cat handed over his rifle with an expression of marked regret, he didn't argue either.

   The stunned Nedwuts were beginning to stir as the other four stragglers appeared around the bend. They made a vain attempt to flee into the trees, but Lester motioned for them to approach, and they did. "Please remain where you are and do not speak," Lester said once they were all assembled in a cluster. To Drusilla, this command seemed completely unnecessary because that was just exactly what they were doing anyway. She couldn't help but laugh at the sight of the band of snarling predators standing there like a litter of chas tised puppies.

   "So this is how you do it!" Jack marveled. "I couldn't figure it out. You're a cop?"

   "Enforcer," Lester replied. "It is rare that my talents are required among our own people, but since we have begun inviting offworlders, it has become more neces sary." He glanced around at the two opposing factions and shook his head. "Such violence is a waste of life and resources. Peace is better for all."

   "Yeah, well, we've been
trying
to put an end to it," Jack said defensively. "But these slimeballs won't cooperate."

   Lester favored her with a wide orange smile. "You have not reached the source," he said. "Only then will it end."

   "Tell me about it," Jack grumbled.

   "You seem pretty good at this mind-control thing," Manx observed. "Don't suppose you could get them to tell you who that is?"

   Lester shook his head. "I can only control actions, not get them to divulge information."

   "I knew there had to be a catch," Drusilla muttered. "Wish you could give them a good case of amnesia." Then something else occurred to her. "This talent of yours. It doesn't work with eltrans, does it?"

   "Sadly, no," Lester replied. "All of our people can control the lesser creatures, but only a few of us have the ability to direct the more intelligent beings. None of us have any effect on eltrans, however, which may be why we get along so poorly."

   "Welcome to the real world," Drusilla said with a dry chuckle. "They're the only ones you can't manipulate. That must drive you crazy."

   "Yes, it does," Lester said, looking rather bleak.

   "You might try being nicer to them," Manx suggested. "Zef has always been a good friend to me. I think he only picks on you because he knows you don't like him."

   "Possibly." Lester regarded Manx for a moment before he spoke again. "Dwell explained your situation to me when he called for help. You should have made your presence known when you arrived here," he said. "Had we known of your need for sanctuary, we could have protected you."

   Manx grinned. "Sorry I didn't trust you more, but when you've been running as long as I have, it's hard to trust anyone."

   "So, Lester," said Jack, eyeing the Nedwuts with distaste. "What are you planning to do with these guys? Just let them go?"

   "I believe it would be best," Lester replied. Turning to Klarkunk, he said firmly, "You must all leave this planet."

   "Don't suppose you could slip in a 'and don't hunt Zetithians anymore' while you're at it, could you?" Manx suggested.

   "It would be my pleasure," said Lester, "but I have little control over future actions."

   "Mind if I try asking them a few questions?" Jack asked.

   "I cannot guarantee they will reply," Lester said with his wide grin. "But you may attempt it."

   "Klarkunk," Jack began, standing toe-to-toe with the Nedwut leader. "Mind telling me who the hell is paying you to do this?"

   Drusilla had to admire Jack's courage, but she also had an idea that it was pointless.

   "Someone with far more power than you," Klarkunk spat at her.

   "I could have figured that much out for myself," Jack said. "But you just confirmed my suspicion that there's only one person at the root of this."

   "It will do you no good," said Klarkunk.

   "You might be surprised," said Jack. "You just take your hairy rat's ass back to wherever you came from and tell your 'boss' that I'll be looking for him."

   "I have no 'boss,'" Klarkunk sneered.

   "Sure sounds like it to me," Jack said with a shrug. "Somebody's pulling your strings, and that puts them in charge, not you." She looked Klarkunk right in his beady little eyes and poked him in the chest with her finger. "But I guess you'll be hunted down for a bounty if you rat on him, won't you?"

   "You know nothing of this matter!"

   "Be that as it may, the Zetithians will survive this vendetta if I have to kill every last Nedwut in the galaxy. I can promise you that."

   "Those are only words," Klarkunk said. "You do not have the power to enforce them."

   "Maybe not, but I've still got something you haven't got."

   "And what is that?" he said contemptuously.

   "Seven Zetithians," Jack replied. "All males worth five million credits apiece. And you'll never lay so much as a finger on any of them."

   ''And I've got four of them," Tisana put in.

   "I've only got one," Drusilla declared. "But just give me time."

   Manx, Cat, and Leo exchanged wry smiles. "You won't touch any of our women, either," said Cat.

   Drusilla could see that the interrogation was going nowhere, and apparently Lester agreed. "You will leave now," he told the Nedwuts.

   "As simple as that," Drusilla said, shaking her head as the Nedwuts began their retreat. "And to think, Lester was the last one we ever thought to ask for help. Amazing."

   "No shit," said Jack.

   "There's just one thing bothering me," Drusilla said. "That last shot at Klarkunk. Who fired it?"

   Jack looked at Cat and Leo and then at Tisana. They all shrugged.

   "Well, someone did," Drusilla insisted, "and it wasn't Manx." Turning to Lester, she asked, "Is there anyone else here with an illegal weapon?"

   "Illegal? No," Lester replied. "The offworlder who was attacked was provided with a weapon, just as you were."

   "You mean Tash'dree," Drusilla said, still not sure why. "Oh, I get it now! You didn't need to arm any of the natives against that cat because they could control it! Too bad none of you could catch it."

   "To control such a creature, we must first find it," Lester said miserably. "It did not attempt to attack any of us."

   "Probably figured you would taste bad," Jack put in helpfully.

   Lester's smile was sickly at best. "Possibly."

   "Tash'dree!" Drusilla called out. "Are you out there?"

   When the woman suddenly appeared at the edge of the clearing, Jack's reaction was immediate and intense.

   "Holy sheep shit!" Jack exclaimed. Ducking her head, she turned quickly away and pulled Cat along with her.

   Cat's eyes widened. "She is one of—"

   "Don't say a word," Jack said tersely, but kept her voice down.

   "Jack!" Tisana scolded. "She just saved Manx's life! What's wrong with you?"

   "I don't want to talk about it," Jack said, starting down the road toward the speeders with Cat in tow.

   "Jack, come back here!" Tisana called. "You can't just—"

   "I understand," Tash'dree said solemnly.

   Manx just stood there staring at all of them like they'd lost their minds, but Drusilla rose to the occasion, saying graciously, "Thank you so much, Tash'dree! Without you, Manx might be dead now."

   Tash'dree nodded in reply. "I am very pleased to be of service to him."

   "The only other armed person on the entire planet, and you just happened to be in the right place at the right time," Tisana observed, her sharp green eyes narrowing in suspicion. "Mind telling us why?"

   "Zef told me you followed Drusilla when she left the house," Manx said to Tash'dree. "I'm glad you did, but—"

   "If you had been killed, I would have failed in my mission," Tash'dree said simply. "I could not let that happen."

   "Your mission?" Drusilla echoed.

   "Perhaps this is not the best time to discuss such matters," Tash'dree said with an eye toward Lester. Darting a pointed glance at Jack, who'd had to stop when Cat dug in his heels and flatly refused to move, she added, "I would like to meet with you at a later date—and with my sister, as well. She can explain it best."

   "Your sister is better now?" Lester asked anxiously.

   "She remains weak, but is recovering," Tash'dree replied. "I will return with her in a few days. You will be at the lake house?"

   Drusilla nodded. "I'll be there for a few more weeks," she replied. "You and your sister will be welcome."

   Tash'dree bowed her head briefly before handing her pistol to Lester, and then retreated into the jungle.

   "Wonder what that was all about," Tisana mused.

   Drusilla had no ideas, though she suspected that Jack knew a great deal more than she was willing to admit. "Guess we'll find out in a few days,'' she said with a shrug. In the meantime, she had a suggestion that she hoped would meet with everyone's approval. "Hey, Lester," she began. "I'm sure these old friends would like to spend some time together. Is it okay if they all stay at the lake house for a while?"

   Lester grinned. "If it will keep them out of trouble, they are welcome to stay for the remainder of your visit."

   "Yeah, we'll chip in on the rent and no worries that we'll eat up all the food," Jack put in as she rejoined the group. "We've got our own."

   Cat choked, but managed to turn it into a fairly believable cough.

   Jack, however, wasn't fooled for a moment. "What's the matter with our food?" she demanded.

   "It isn't quite the same quality as the supplies we brought for the lake house," Tisana said, obviously doing her best to sound diplomatic.

   "Those are perfectly good Suerlin marching rations," Jack insisted. "They have the best food of any army in the galaxy."

   Cat winced, but Leo took Lester aside for a moment, speaking quietly, after which Lester turned to Jack.

   "There is plenty of food at the house," Lester said with a gentle wave of his hands. "We may not have Terran visitors again for some time, and it shouldn't go to waste."

   "Yes, and Klog is a great cook," Drusilla chimed in. "He can even squirt whipped cream out of his finger!"

   "That sounds great," said Jack. "But this gang will eat you out of house and home in no time. We should contribute
something."

   With a nudge from Leo, Lester's hands resumed their hypnotic dance. "You will eat the food in the stasis chamber at the house," Lester said to Jack. "While you are here, you will not eat any of the food aboard your ship, nor will any of the rest of your crew."

   "But I
love
Suerlin food!" Jack protested.