Only Human (36 page)

"Good, have someone take me to the
Erato
."

"Sir?"

"I did not choose
Erato
on a
whim. Tharron's battleship will arrive shortly, no doubt fully armed. You will intercept
and keep them busy while I will employ the Challenger over Shaddallam."

Carras sprang to his feet. "The
Challenger? I protest, sire!"

"Must you oppose me every step of the
way?" Baroch asked testily. He lowered his voice after directing a
meaningful glance at the nearby bridge crew. Few people aboard were aware that
this was anything other than a decisive strike against Tharron's headquarters
and a new and treacherous weapon in his possession. "Were you expecting to
engage in a duel with the child? We will blanket the entire Shad-Laika valley
including Shad-Areen."

Carras was momentarily struck speechless.
The discreetly-named Challenger was an anti-personnel weapon designed to
capture in-flight ships undamaged. It could clear rebel transports of their
cargo of Rhuwacs without having to board and engage in battle. It was a dirty
weapon too easily used for other purpposes, loathed for its efficiency and
utter ruthlessness by all commanders. Here on Shaddallam the Challenger would
not displace a single grain of sand while rendering the entire valley lifeless
with a few well-placed volleys. Had this man gone insane?

"Lord Baroch," he said carefully.
"Perhaps we can wait until Tharron leaves Shaddallam. The valley is densely
populated with sentient–"

"Carras, desist, please," Baroch
sighed. "We cannot hover in orbit and wait for Tharron to strike
first."

"But we don't know if he's been able
to access the... weapon. Most likely, he will be interested in escape. Let me
land my troops on Shaddallam to flush him out. If we can get him airborne he'll
be an easy target."

"Or perhaps he'll get on a boat and
slip out of the valley. Or use a cave system. Or get on a damn sandrunner and
ride out of there! Are you willing to wager on anything that madman might or
might not do? And if he does go airborne, are you willing to let him leave the
planet, destroy both of our ships and then head into Trans-Targon? What price
to pay is Shaddallam compared to the destruction Tharron will cause on other
planets? And that is only a consideration if the Tughan obeys him. May the Gods
find us all if the Tughan gets loose! I believe that you are allowing sentiment
to get in the way of professional judgment. We do not have time for debates.
Carry out your orders."

Carras stared after the departing Factor in
disbelief. The man was willing to destroy a half-million people and a vast
swath of vital forests on what was otherwise a desert planet for the chance of
eliminating the Tughan. It was madness. He rose abruptly and strode from the
bridge.

Outside, Xi and Adachi waited for their
orders. He motioned them along, into the lift shaft to the launch bay where
their conversation would not be overheard. Briefly, he explained Baroch's plan.
He saw his own fear and disgust mirrored on their faces. But they were lifelong
warriors, conditioned to follow orders. Neither commented.

"Xi, take the Factor to the
Erato
.
Lieutenant Colonel McDougall is commanding. You will inform him privately that
he is to release control of the Challenger to Lieutenant Denier here on the
Teti
.
For the record, I believe that, being Delphian, Lord Baroch is not observing
the situation from an objective perspective. His kinsmen have instilled in him
the necessity of killing the Tughan above all else. It is my duty to preserve
Shaddallam's civilization. Do you understand?"

Xi nodded. "Yessir."

"Adachi, return to the planet and be
prepared to intercept anything leaving the surface from Shad Areen. Xi will
join you there."

"Colonel," Adachi said. "I
would fail in my duty if I did not remind you that to undermine a direct order
from the Elected Factors is mutiny."

Carras nodded. "Thank you, Adachi. You
are correct in pointing this out to me and it shall be noted. Your rank gives
you the authority to relieve me of duty."

Adachi grinned. "I wouldn't
presume." The Vanguard commanders left the elevator, not entirely certain
which of their leaders was misjudging the situation. One was perhaps mad,
certainly obsessed, the other about to destroy his illustrious career.

Carras watched them board their Eagles,
then returned to the bridge just as an alarm began to ring through the
corridors. "Colonel, the enemy battleship has arrived and is heading for
these coordinates, approaching rapidly."

"Move to intercept."

* * *

Nova awoke with a start. How long had she
dozed? She looked around her prison, blinking as her eyes adjusted to the pre-dawn
shadows. One lamp still cast its light over the table in the middle of the
room.

Pe Khoja was using it to read from a musty,
moisture-swelled book. "And when Cazin Sovi died," he continued their
conversation as if she had not nodded off at all. "Grair Dunn took over,
have I got that right?"

 Nova sat up on the hard bench, her limbs
aching and cramped. "No," she said. "That was later. Grair Dunn
was in no position to assume command until they found K'lar Four. There was Sovi's
Second, Cryan Sydd. She created a near mutiny but by then they had landed on
K'lar. Sydd was the only one that knew of the second jumpsite past Bellac
Tau."

"I know that 'site," he said.
"Difficult. Back then it must have been more luck than know-how."

"What time is it?" Nova walked to
the small window and peered out into the courtyard. She could now make out the
buildings and the doubled guards.

"I don't know," Pe Khoja said,
engrossed in his book.

Nova stared at his back in wonder. He had
been locked in this little room with her as a favor from Tharron. No doubt the
rebel leader had envisioned lively hours of terror, torture and rape. Knowing what
she did of Pe Khoja's background, Nova had feared the same.

But he had surprised her.

He had searched her and found the dull
knife and had cuffed her for her trouble. Then, after kicking the laughable
weapon under the door and into the hall, he had swept the table clear of bowls
and cups, letting them crash to the floor. Nova’s mind replayed visions of Tychon’s
battered body when the Caspian turned to her.

He had questioned her. At first he had
demanded information about Union dealings which, of course, she refused to
answer. For many of his queries she knew no answer. Others she would not disclose
even in the face of torture.

Surprisingly, he had not pressed her but
had begun to ask about her background and what she knew of the Centauri. They
were easy, harmless questions about things that were common knowledge.
Astounded, Nova was moved to answer. Soon, she was recounting ancient legend
and folklore as well as Centauri's recent history. He had listened well, at
times asking intelligent questions to keep her narrative from wandering. Nova
had talked eagerly, as much to keep herself from worrying about tomorrow as to
keep him from remembering Tharron's 'gift'.

At times he turned from her to study his
books, allowing her to doze. Whenever she awoke, he had a new question ready.
He had ordered a basin of water to let her clean the blood from her face and
the Rhuwac gore from her arms and hands.

She was unable to understand his motives
for any of this. He had committed crimes of the foulest nature in Tharron's
name and could not be credited with a kind deed for anyone. But here he treated
her with more respect than she would ever expect from any rebel and seemed grateful
for the things she told him. He was a scholar of history and she was only
filling in a few bare patches in his vast knowledge of fact and mythology. He
seemed to crave information, looking for something that no one had yet been
able to show him. Something drove this man and Nova had not the slightest idea
of what that might be. It was certainly not the need for wealth or power, for
he had both. He seemed to need nothing, not sleep or food, nor the physical satisfaction
he might find with a female captive.

She rubbed her stinging, tired eyes, not
daring to go back to sleep. It was nearly morning.

"You would enjoy our information
system on Targon," she ventured. "Centauri's entire library bank was
brought there for distribution. All of our schools and academies draw on the
info center for their teaching material. Anyone may access it."

"Any Union member," he said.

"Well, yes," she replied, walking
around him and to the door. She heard voices in the distance. Footsteps. Doors
slamming. The day had begun. "You don't have to be with Tharron, you
know."

His eyes moved away from the book. "I
have no wish to join your Union."

"Why not?" she asked, honestly
puzzled.

"I've made my choices. I cannot betray
Tharron."

"That madman! Pe Khoja, I can't
believe you look to him as he thinks you do."

"Maybe not. I find him amusing. This
whole affair has given me great pleasure. Too bad you were too inept to stop
him from coming this far. You can't expect me to do your work for you."

"What are you talking about?"

"The Tughan is a dangerous thing. Tharron
should not be allowed to possess it."

"If you believe that, why didn't you
stop him?"

"I tried," he said. "Who do
you think sent the K'lar to Tor Ag to give you the tape I made? Why do you
think you were left in Shad Lengh? I knew you weren't dead. I know what Tychon
is capable of. Just as I hoped one of you would survive the surprise we left
for you in the valley. And I may have forgotten to remove your ship's
transponder. How neglectful of me."

Nova stared. "You? You led us here?
Why?"

"It amused me. I wanted to see you
stop Tharron. Or try. I nearly lost you a few times. Who would have thought
your old boyfriend was going to take out my courier on Tor Ag. You're lucky he
bailed when he recognized you. You have quite an effect on people, Captain."

"You wanted us to stop Tharron? But
you could have stopped him. You! You could have killed Tharron or taken Kiran
away. You could have killed the boy and the whole thing would be done
with!"

"Yes, I could have."

"Then why didn't you?" she said,
incredulous.

"To what purpose? This is much more fascinating.
I'm ready to see what happens next, aren't you?"

"This is a game to you? Don't you care
what happens? You've put yourself in harm's way when Carras gets here."

"No, I don't care," he said. He
closed his book and placed it on a shelf. "And I've managed to escape your
plodding ships before. Now be kind enough to appear mistreated when he
arrives."

"Why didn't you?"

"Why didn't I what? Mistreat you? Kill
you? You’re far more interesting alive."

Nova shrugged, embarrassed. "Tharron
threatened to... to take me."

Pe Khoja laughed. It was not an unpleasant
sound. "You Humans have strange notions. The man is a giant. He needs you
alive."

"But he sent you," Nova said,
half-angry at being mocked but strangely affected by his laughter.

"Even if you appealed to me, Human, I
would not have touched you. Perhaps you could help yourself to your library on
Targon and study Caspian anatomy and mating habits. You will find that 'rape'
is not part of our vocabulary."

Nova had to smile. "Does Tharron know
that?"

"Apparently not," Pe Khoja said,
still grinning.

Nova remembered his earlier, startling
disclosure. "If you're against Tharron using the Tughan, would you
consider stopping him? Not for the Union. Stop him for those who will be hurt
by the Tughan. Innocent people..."

She had misjudged him. He shook his head.
"It's too late, Nova. Now I have to see what happens next." His face
assumed a distant, wistful expression. "I, too, am eager to meet this Tughan
Wai. I think he could teach me many things."

"But–"

"I hear them coming," he said.
"I will thank you for the hours of enlightenment before we return to the
business of being enemies."

"I wish it wasn't so," Nova said,
meaning it.

"You have reason to hate me."

"Yes. You are an assassin and a
murderer and you'd see all of Trans-Targon burn before you'd help. I don't understand
you. But I see now that not all of you is evil."

He inclined his head formally. "None
of us are."

The door beside them opened to admit Tharron
and two Rhuwac guards. He saw the remains of his supper on the floor and Nova's
tired, disheveled appearance. It did not look as though her stay in this room
had been a pleasant one. His eyes narrowed when he saw her standing close to Pe
Khoja. He saw no fear there, only a serene expectancy that enveloped both of
them. What had happened here?

Pe Khoja shoved Nova toward the Rhuwacs.
"Is it time to go?"

"It is," Tharron said. "You,
Whiteside, will talk sense to the boy. It is his last chance or he will watch
you bleed. Am I clear?"