Only Human (35 page)

Tychon ignored the collection of smaller
planes. They were not designed to leave Shaddallam's atmosphere and Tharron
would not use these to escape.

He did not assume that these were the sum
of Tharron's available cruisers but waiting for another would cause as much
delay as repair would. Any of it meant a very small delay but enough of a head
start. These hours of quiet destruction had been well spent. He planned to use
thrusters upon take off, perhaps causing even more damage.

He wasted no time wondering what would
happen if they failed in taking Kiran back. Their getaway was secured.

Satisfied, he and Greah stole back aboard
the Eagle to rest for a while. It occurred to them that Nova's return was long
overdue.

* * *

Nova was unceremoniously tossed into a room
where she landed hard on her hands and knees. She rose slowly. Her hair
obscured her face while she looked around. Rhuwacs between her and the hall. A
single window with metal shutters. No other doors.

"Whiteside," she was greeted, her
name spoken in a near whisper.

She turned to see Tharron, dressed in a
long, casual robe, his head and feet bare, his expression unreadable. A meal
was laid out before him; the table set for one. Jelani stood nearby, eyeing her
nervously.

Tharron snapped something at his men,
furious that she had been able to find her way into his quarters. Someone's
head would leave his shoulders, of that she was certain. No doubt he would post
more guards and seal the building against further intrusions. She was locked
in, Tychon and Greah were locked out and chances were slim that there would be
any more sneaking into anyone's camp tonight.

But Nova had no thought for that, nor did
she pay attention to the thundering curses and commands with which Tharron
assaulted his people. He stopped shouting only when someone confirmed that the
child had been found in the gardens.

She barely glanced at the K'lar, noting
only how much larger he was than what she had understood from any video
material she had studied. He towered a full meter over her, his upper arms
nearly the size of her waist. She saw this with passing interest. No one
restrained her when she walked toward Jelani, her claws bared. "You're
dead Jelani," she hissed. "You're dead for what you did to Kira. Pray
that it isn't me when your time comes. Someone else might kill you
quickly!"

Jelani stepped back. "I did not
know..." His hands shook when he raised them, appealing to her as if for
mercy. Nervous twitches shot across his face. His skin had a blue cast; the
irises of his eyes were nearly white.

Tharron stepped between his Shantir and
Nova. "He is a little disturbed by his recent conversation with the boy.
Recovering nicely now."

Nova's eyes went to the rebel leader. Had
she ever been afraid of him? Why? "You don't know what you're doing."

"Oh, but I do." He extended a
massive hand toward her. "How pleasant to meet you at last. You have come
back from the dead so many times that I think I shall keep you for a while. I
am surprised, I admit, that you were able to dispatch of the Delphi we left for
you."

"It wasn't difficult. Your people beat
him so badly that your drugs had him practically finished. I only had to put
him out of his misery."

His derisive laughter chilled her.

Nova's attention returned to Jelani. The
Shantir still stood motionless, staring at some point beyond her. "He
looks just about tapped out."

Tharron scowled at Jelani. "He will
need time to recover. Is that not so, wizard?"

"Huh?" Jelani stammered.
"Oh, yes, by tomorrow. No later."

Tharron seemed disgusted by the Delphian's
weakness. "He will recover enough to deal with the boy. We shall rush into
the waiting arms of your miserable fleet." His eyes shone dangerously.
"But I will crush those arms and then their skulls and I may yet do the
same with you!"

Nova blinked. "What fleet?"

"What fleet?" Tharron repeated.
"Your fleet. There are two Union ships coming this way. I suppose that
you've been vacationing here for so long that you haven't kept up with the
latest news. Not to worry, the young Delphian will deal with your friends in no
time at all."

Nova cursed inwardly. Why was Carras coming
here now? On a battleship! What could he accomplish against a city filled to capacity
with civilians? She and Tychon were missing in action but that hardly warranted
the launching of battleships. Had the rebel taken Eagle One as well? "How
can you be so sure of what Kiran can do? Look at Jelani! He's falling apart.
Looks to me like he doesn't know what he's doing, either."

"Oh, but I do," Jelani whispered.
"It takes time. More time than we have, I dare say. But it can be done.
Tomorrow, when the boy has rested. I must rest..." He blinked at Tharron.
"Must rest..."

"Go!" Tharron roared. "Go!
Sleep! Whatever!"

Jelani stumbled from the room and Nova was
startled by the brief sensation of pity she felt for him.

Tharron took his seat at the table.
"What a fighter you are, Captain. My people tell me you've cost me some of
my men today. I don't suggest you try it again while a guest in my house."
He appraised her critically. "It is too bad that Tychon is not here to be
my guest also. I should have enjoyed taking my enemy's woman in front of
him."

Bile rose nauseatingly in Nova's throat.
"You will not touch me!"

His arm shot out and an iron fist clamped
over her shoulder. She found herself on her knees. "I was not asking for
permission, Captain." He let her go by tossing her some distance away from
himself. "Stay on the floor where you belong, Human. Fortunately for you,
I still need you. I foresee trouble with the boy. He is hardly manageable.
Perhaps you can be of help. He won't argue with Jelani so much if he knows you'll
pay for his trouble."

"You bastard!"

"Hm, probably." He eyed her.
"You know, I have thought about what would give me the greatest pleasure.
I think I will give you to my Rhuwac pets. I have watched their games before
and it has been entertaining."

Nova felt her temper rise, a much
preferable sensation than fear but, she realized, a much more dangerous one.
"Your pitiful army of lizards," she said scornfully. "Do you not
know that everyone laughs when they think of your foot soldiers? They cannot be
trained to even speak properly. For spies and pilots you have to rely on the
most despised traitors of our species to join you against us. Your own people
on K'lar spit on your name!"

He seemed to find that humorous. "A
Rhuwac matures to a fighting age within nine years. Your years. I have a
limitless number of 'foot soldiers'. Trained to follow my orders without
question. Once I have taken Targon I will own everything else in this sector. I
am breeding Rhuwacs by the thousands per month. When the time comes, I will
load them onto your carriers and ship them to Centauri. Millions of them! And
once every Centauri planet is mine I will have it all. Even your precious
Terra." He roared with laughter. "And all of this will be given to me
by a little boy. One little Delphi creature!"

Nova was amazed by extent of his delusions.
"You're a sick man, Tharron."

"Silence!" he roared.

She shrank back against the wall, out of
reflex reaching for a gun that wasn't there.

He stood up, glaring at her. His hands were
balled into fists. Then, abruptly, he turned and left.

Nova scrambled to her feet while the sound
of the door he had slammed still rang in her ears. She searched through the
remainder of Tharron's meal and laughed with desperate hope when her fingers
closed around a knife. It was dull, no more than a butter knife, but she felt
better for having it.

No sooner had she hidden it under her shirt
that the door opened again. She moved to the far side of the room, expecting
some especially brutal Rhuwac sent here by Tharron for amusement.

When she saw who entered, Nova's knees felt
like worn springs and only the support of the windowsill behind her kept them
from collapsing. Not even her worst nightmare could ever conjure up a moment
when she would find herself alone in a locked room with Pe Khoja.

The Caspian entered slowly, looking for her
with yellow opaque eyes. She felt as though he was looking straight at the
knife she had hidden.

 "Nova," he said and smiled.

* * *

Tychon opened the Eagle's door to a barely
audible, coded knock. The door hissed aside, admitting Greah and another
Shaddallama. He peered into the darkness outside. Nova was nowhere in sight. He
closed the door again.

"Well?" he said, joining the
other two in the main cabin. He recognized Tsegh.

"There is some shouting and yelling
going on by the guard house where they keep their radio. I had a look on my way
past there. They're all awake now and playing with their machines."

"I know," Tychon jerked a thumb
at the cockpit. "It seems that some of our battleships have arrived. I
have no idea why. Carras has been trying to reach us. If I answer we'll give
our position away. I've just ignored it. I don't want to risk anything until we
have Kira in our sight. What's with Tsegh here?"

"I found him trying to find us. He's
come from Tharron's hold." Greah nudged Tsegh who was craning his neck,
staring at the foreign world of the Eagle's interior in silent awe.
"Shring bga, adda!"

Tsegh began to speak, his gestures eloquent,
as Greah translated.

Nova had been caught! She had gone inside Tharron's
walls and they had found her. Now the entire complex of buildings was crawling
with guards and more paced the streets. Tharron did not think that Nova had
come alone.

Tychon cursed. How could she have been so
careless! So stupid! He'd bust her down to Corporal. He'd... "Is she hurt?
Greah, ask him if she's all right. Hurry!"

Greah listened to Tsegh's monologue and
finally cut him off in mid-sentence when he saw Tychon's anxious face.

"He says she was yelling at Tharron,"
Greah reported.

Tychon smiled grimly at that. She would.

"And then Tharron left. He was mad.
They locked her up and then a man with yellow eyes and two thumbs on each hand
went in to see her. That's when Tsegh left."

"A Caspian?" Tychon frowned.
"Pe Khoja!" A new worry began to nag him. He had seen Pe Khoja's face
when Nova had run into them at Shad Lengh. At the time Tychon had thought that
he had read hatred in the man's face. Thinking about it now, Tychon was certain
it had been something else. For just an instant, a flicker of interest had
crossed the dead features. Pe Khoja had wanted Nova, but for what? What was it
about Nova that would interest someone like Pe Khoja?

It took every bit of his strength to remain
where he was. His entire being screamed out to follow his murderous instincts
to Tharron's keep before the beastly Caspian harmed Nova. He could not remember
ever feeling as powerless as he was now.

Greah read the pain in his face. "I'll
take Tsegh back," he said. "It will be light soon."

Tychon got up to stand with his back to
them, leaning heavily on the map table. "Be careful."

"You're bleeding again."

"I know."

"Ty, maybe..."

"Go, Greah. Get him home."

The two men were bent over maps, charts and
screens in a dimly lit corner of
Teti
's bridge. It was quiet in the
long, crescent shaped room, both in deference to the high-ranking leaders and
the tension that had permeated both battleships since dropping into normal
space yesterday. The closest possible jumpsite terminus to Shaddallam was far
enough removed from that planet to give Tharron ample time to learn of their
approach. His hiding place was well-chosen. They were expected.

Carras traced his finger over a two-dimensional
map of Shaddallam. "My last reports show that Major Tychon's final signal
originated here, on this plateau. He said that they hadn't come up with
anything yet and they would try this town, Shad Lengh. After that there were no
further messages but Vanguard Nine has since traced the plane north to the
region of Shad Laika. They flew a direct path, bypassing two towns in these
foothills. I would guess from that that they found something."

"You have established Tharron's base
to be in the valley, then?"

"Yes, the only area with any
significant air traffic and traceable communication. Other parts of Shaddallam
are far too exposed to offer significant cover."

"Have you tried to hail Vanguard Seven?"
Baroch asked.

"Of course. There has been no
reply."

Baroch nodded. "Consider your team
unavailable. You have Eagles here?"

"Yes, Captain Xi on Eagle Three and
Major Adachi on Eagle One have been monitoring this area for outbound ships for
two days now. Nine is on the ground, standing by. Five is now inside Shad
Areen, powered down."