Halcyon Nights (Star Sojourner Book 2) (24 page)

I opened the door and disembarked.

“Why did you
run
from us?” Rache asked with his fists clenched and came up close to stare me in the face. Or stare me down.

“I wasn't running. I was chasing the czar. You're letting him get away, Commander.” I glanced toward the south.

Rache followed my gaze. “You know his destination.”

“He's heading offworld from an illegal launching pad in the back country. I have to stop him, Commander. Will you listen to me? There's no time to waste. I have to go after him alone and stop him!” It sounded lame, even to me.

“Get into my manta” Rache said. “You'll direct us to the czar.”

“I can't do that.”

A guard gripped my arm. “Oh yes you can.”

You are wasting Terran time,
Spirit sent.
What are you waiting for?
Use your power!

I lowered my head and gathered a coil of tel. It blazed up suddenly, almost out of my control. I was becoming more powerful, I realized. I tacked on a message:
Return to your ship and go back to your family in Laurel. Your family needs you.
You must return to your family. Now!

The guard's hand slipped off my arm.

Rache knitted his brows behind the glasses. “You must believe we're all fools!” he snarled at me. “Kofi!” He shoved the guard's shoulder. “You fool! Can't you discern your own thoughts from tel implants?”

“I thought I could, Commander.” Kofi took my arm again. “But my wife and mother need me.”

You must return to Laurel now!
I sent in a scattergun pattern to the surrounding group.
Your wives and mothers and children all need you.

The soldiers shuffled their feet. Some looked back longingly at their mantas.

Rache suddenly slapped me.

It broke my concentration. I drew a breath and put a hand on my stinging cheek.

“I could have Kofi snap your arm like a twig, traitor,” Rache said, “and then you would lead me to the czar anyway.” He shoved me toward his manta. “Now climb aboard!”

Spirit
? I sent as I turned toward the craft.

You have no choice but to stop them, no matter the consequences to your body.

Somehow, I didn't think I did.

“You're going to regret this, Commander,” I said as I walked toward his craft. “We all are.” I shrugged. “But if that's how you want it.”

I gathered a powerful coil as I walked, deepened its spin to blood red, and threw it at Rache.
Leave Rammis here! He has important work to do for RECOIL. Go home to your family. Now. They need you.

My head began to beat from the intensity of the send as I attempted to overwhelm Rache's will.

“I…I have to go home to my family.” But it was Kofi's will I had overcome. He released my arm. “They need me.”

Rache shoved me into him. “Snap his arm!” he ordered.

“No. Wait!” I screamed.

But Kofi shrugged me aside and trotted to Rache's command manta. “After I go home and see to my family!” he threw back. “I'll come back and break his arm.”

“Come back here now!” Rache called to him. “You idiot!

“Me. too.” The other gorilla guard followed Kofi.

Rache stared after them. “How stupid can those two be?” he said to no one.

With Rache distracted, I threw a message with all the power I could muster.
Commander, your soldiers need you at headquarters. They are children who await your orders. They are all idiots who cannot function without your guidance.

Rache took off his hat and scratched his bald head. “My soldiers are a bunch of children.”

I nodded. “They need you to guide them.”

“Yes.” He rammed his hat back on and strode to his manta. “Children!” I heard him say. “Wait for me!” he called to his manta's pilot.

I turned to the soldiers. They milled about, unsure what to do.
Go home to your family,
I sent.
Your family needs you right now. Your house is burning down. Hurry! Save your children!

That did it. A few of them hesitated. I increased the hot spin, imaged a miniature tornado plowing behind my eyes, drew them a picture of burning houses, and threw the power and the image directly at the group.
My God!
Hurry!
Save the children!

The stragglers glanced around, then raced to their mantas.

I pressed my palms to my temples. The headache was sharp.
When will it pass?
I asked Spirit.

The influence of your messages?

That too.

Until Tres Cruash turns beyond the light of its star.

Night.
And this headache?

That too will pass, if you still occupy your current body. It will also pass if no longer do. I commend you on your choice of phrases and images, Terran. I have known many tels of different races. Those who possessed no imagination never climbed to your lofty heights of lies.

Do I detect a snide chuckle somewhere in that backhanded compliment? Spare me! I've already been slapped once today.

I heard the whine of engines.
I have to wait for them to leave before I go after the czar. Are you OK?

I have recovered.

You heal fast.
I rubbed my right arm.
I wonder which arm Kofi would have broken?

Does it matter, Terran?

I'm partial to my right hand.

Then you would have instructed him to break your left arm.

Right! I mean, yeah, the left arm. Whatever!

I got back into my manta as Rache's squadron lifted, resumed their diamond formation and headed southeast at full throttle.

Home are the hunters.

Laurel would not be pleased with me when these fighting men and women realized how I'd strung them along like puppets. They might be, though, if I managed to stop the czar and appease Spirit. I prayed that I would be in time as I headed for the czar's illegal launch pad west of the blackroot woods.

No matter my casual conservation with Spirit, I knew he was determined to see the czar dead, or all of Laurel.

Cabrón!
I read.
Why do you follow me? What business of yours if I am off-world?

The sky ahead was empty as I bored, full throttle, toward Bjorn and the czar's launching module.
Spirit,
I sent,
are the blood crystals giving him such far-reaching tel power?

My crystals and his mega-dream unit. Do you have a plan, Terran?

Only to stop him any way I can. Czar!
I sent,
leave the stolen crystals behind where I can find them and I'll give up the chase. Terran,
Spirit sent.
The crystals are not enough. I want him in geth state where he will have no memory of crystals or Halcyon

I will see you both in hell first!
the czar sent.
For the crystals, and for the trouble you have caused me, Diablo.

I had a feeling that last part referred to me.
Then we might meet in hell
, I told him.

Along with your daughter and her friend.

What does that mean?

It means that I am willing to take a detour to the granja. You can look for your daughter's small bones in the blackroot beside the module.

The ranch! He had
enough of a lead. I went cold.
For once in your worthless existence
, I sent,
act like the man you're not and face me, mano a mano!

And this will benefit me in what way?

You'll have a chance to kill me. Wouldn't that be pleasant?

Not as pleasant as leaving this dirt ball of a planet behind.

I unhooked the craft's link and punched in Willa's code.

“Hi, Daddy!” Lisa answered. “Are you – “

“Lisa, is Willa there?”

“She's in the barn with Puny. He – “

“Listen to me! Run to the barn and tell her to get on her link. Hurry up, Lis'! Tell her it's important.”

“OK, Daddy. Don't get mad.”

“I'm not mad. Just go!”
Spirit, can't you do something to divert that crotefucker?

The ravager? You ask me to use the power of my tel to influence a being? You know the consequences.

The ravager has this to say,
the czar sent.
Let them run. I will follow your daughter's mind like a bloodhound follows the trail of blood. And that is what they will leave for you if you do not cut off this reckless chase.

You'll never leave the planet alive. Spirit will send us all to hell. Your only hope is to throw the crystals overboard and be satisfied with your power and creds in Lost Vegas. And don't think to keep any crystals.
Spirit will know it.

“Jules? It's Willa. What's wrong?”

“Willa! The czar is after you and Lisa. He's in a manta heading for your ranch. He's reading Lisa's thoughts like a beacon. Get out of there!”

“Oh my God!” she cried.

“Get out right now! You know where the old silver mine is, northwest of your ranch?”

“Lisa, come here,” she said. “Take my hand. Yes, Jules, I know where it is.”

“Get there as fast as you can. I'm on my way to it. Keep the connection open.” I waited with my stomach twisted into knots.

“We're getting into the hovar,” Willa finally said. “No, Lisa! You can't go back for your stuffed horse. Get in now!”

I held my breath as I heard the small ground-skimming craft rumble to life.

“We're lifting,” she said.

“OK. Good.” Though there was nothing good about this desperate situation. I set the coordinates for the silver mine. “The tunnel's narrow, Willa. The bastard can't follow you in there with his manta.”
And his onboard missiles
, I thought. “Drive in as far back as you can. If you have to, you and Lisa continue on foot. It leads to the old Kubraen village. It's probably deserted now, but I'm on my way.”

Let them run,
the czar sent.
I will follow, unless you break off this futile chase. Go back to Laurel, Cabrón, where you belong, with all the other fools.

I'll see you at the mine, you piece of slimeshit, and I'll send you to hell, where you belong.
I was hit with a sudden hot burn of tel.
Was that you, Spirit?

The ravager is flexing his newly stolen
tel
power. You may expect more of it.

I rubbed my forehead. Beneath shreds of clouds, I watched a forest whiz by. Hills wrinkled the high plains. Blue lakes stared up like cyclop eyes. A pristine world.
You know, Spirit, for a being who developed a whole damn planet, there isn't a lot you can do to help us. All I hear from you is Terran destruction!

And my people's continuance. Terrans came uninvited to Tres Cruash.

And we might leave in boxes,
I thought.

The Terrans of Laurel are welcome to stay, if you complete your mission and my blood remains a secret.

I sighed.
OK. Thanks for that crumb.
There was no use appealing to the czar's nonexistent code of ethics. What was the death of Laurel to him if he could make it to Earth with his treasure and then make a grab for Interstel itself? I imaged the red ball burning behind my eyes and forced it to swell with power. I pictured the czar's black eyes and threw it the way a pitcher throws a ball at the bat. This bat had a beard. My head throbbed with the effort. I sat back and groaned. But I felt the czar jerk, and I smiled as his body shuddered.

A hit!

The ground rushed up. My body bounced forward as the manta made a hard landing.

I glanced down. Clouds still sailed below me. I was reading the czar. Damn his soulless heart! He had landed by the silver mine.

I imaged another red ball. In desperation I threw all my energy into it, forcing the ball to grow into a whirlwind. When I thought my head would split, when I felt my brain cells burn from the heat, I threw the ball with everything I had and attached a message:
Burn, you bastard!

I felt his scream, but there was no satisfaction as I squeezed my head and moaned. Nails of pain pounded into my temples.
Spirit, can I kill him with a tel-link?

It's possible. Your power is growing.

Would I die too from throwing that kind of tel force?

That is a distinct possibility,
Spirit sent. I felt fear and knew it wasn't my own.
I warned you, Czar, you won't leave this planet alive.

As long as it takes out the czar before he reaches Lisa and Willa.
Willa,
I thought miserably, and realized that I loved her.

I felt fear and knew it wasn't my own.
I warned you, Czar, you won't leave this planet alive.

Then warn your daughter, for she will accompany me to the flames!

Below, the silver mine.

I rubbed my eyes and blinked through blurred vision as the headache intensified. Was there a limit to my use and abuse of my tel skills?

The Kubraens had rolled the boulders out of the mine and opened the entrance again after Briertrush collapsed it with my stingler.

My vision would not clear as I banked and landed. Flashes of red lightning sliced through my head. But I felt no fear of dying, just an intense hatred of the ravager and a reckless determination to stop him with my life, if need be, before he killed Lisa and Willa. There was murder in my heart. I felt Spirit recoil.
What's your problem
? I sent as I taxied behind a hillock to hide the manta. I knew the czar's craft had missiles.
You're ready to kill a whole community!
I sent to Spirit as I jumped down and ran toward the cave entrance with my stingler drawn.

But not with the vehemence of your predatory race.

What the hell's the difference? Get out of my head now, Spirit. I have to concentrate and you can't help me anyway.
I tried to ignore the vise-like pain.
I'm coming
! I sent to the czar.
Are you packed for a quick trip to hell?

With you by my side
, he sent.

Whatever it takes!

The whine of a manta. I turned and saw it beneath the shade of trees. The czar was still inside! He rotated the craft to aim his missiles at me!

I threw myself behind a boulder as he fired. Chips of rock flew around me. The blast did nothing for my headache. I smelled burning grass and branches.
That's one more, crotefucker,
I sent. Counting the missiles he'd fired over my head in the tunnel, he'd have three more left. I took out my link. “Willa!”

“We're still in the hovar, Jules. I'm trying not to hit the walls, but there's a stream on the floor and the hovar's wheels keep sliding.

“Do your best, Willa, but don't scrape the walls. They're organic. I'm right outside.”

The czar was taxiing. He was no longer after me. He wanted to destroy my manta. Then he could head for the launch pad unchallenged. Or so his thought. He still didn't believe me or Spirit about Spirit's intentions to kill him if he tried to flee. His greed, his lust for power and fame, as Paul Hawkes had accurately defined the czar's character, were blinding him to anything short of lifting off with the crystals.

I aimed through a blur of trees and bushes and swept his manta's front wheels with a continuous blast from my stingler. The vehicle crashed to its belly and threw sparks as it plowed into a tree and went over on its side. He wouldn't destroy my manta now. He'd need it to get to the launch pad. I aimed at the pilot's door and hoped the crotefucker would open it and try to make a run for my craft. But he knew better.

I moved around the boulder as he took a shot at me with his stingler. The flash went wide!

How's your vision, cabrón?
I sent.
Not seeing so good?
Try this!
I took a shaky breath and began to image another hot coil of intense tel.

I heard his manta scrape ground and ventured a look past the boulder, then ducked back. Oh, shit! He was swinging the crippled craft around by a wing to aim his missiles at the boulder I hid behind. If he fired all three at once, and I knew he would, the boulder could explode into rock shrapnel.

I was surrounded by bare ground. No place to run! I took a quick breath and imaged that coil of hot tel. My head was splitting. Flashes of red light blocked my vision. I felt myself fall. My God, I can't do it! I heard his manta whine to life as he prepared to fire the missiles.

Daddy!
Lisa sent.
I'll help you
.

Lisa, baby, stay with Willa
. Was Spirit getting ready to destroy us all? I felt tears slide down my face as I pictured Lisa's innocent features, surrounded by blonde curls. The earth beneath me suddenly shifted. I heard the czar yell.
Is that you, Spirit?
I sent.
Don't kill us. I'm doing everything I can.

Your child has learned her lessons well, Terran. Now she practices them. Pray that she knows the full power she possesses.

The whoosh of missiles overhead. They blasted the crowns of tall trees and set them afire. Cracked branches spun like fiery batons and started grass fires.

I ventured a glance over the boulder. Through hazy vision I saw the czar's manta, nose up, jutting out from a crack in the ground. The earth shook again and the nose sank beneath the surface.
Lisa. Thank you, baby.

You're welcome, Daddy.

“
Hijo de puta
!” I heard the czar shout. He was calling me a son of a bitch as he crawled up to the surface and threw himself behind a tree stump.

Well, I'd live up to the name.

I couldn't get a clear shot at him as he crawled out of the hole and ran behind trees, heading for my manta. I couldn't get a clear shot at anything with my hazy vision. I hoped he couldn't either as I got to my feet and followed him, using whatever cover I could see. But he had too much of a lead and I was too blind.

I stopped behind a tree and held my head as I imaged that red coil that could be my shroud. I coughed on smoke as the fire spread and smoke lifted.

With my hands pressed against my temples so my brains wouldn't dribble out through my ears, I forced the tornado in my mind to feed on my life energy. To grow. I dug my fingernails into tree bark and gritted my teeth as hot arrows of pain seared through my head. The air was cool but sweat dripped down my cheeks. My heart raced as I pictured brain cells blinking out. The tree smelled sweet from the sap that clung beneath my fingernails. I leaned my head against the trunk.

This might well be my last attempt to stop him. “Eat this, cabrón!” I screamed and flung the tel ball at him. A rending within my head!

I cried out and fell.

As I lay there, squinting up at a circle of sky with misty edges, I felt his agony. Was it enough to stop him? I couldn't tell.
Spirit, did I stop him?

You have brought the ravager to his knees, but he has life force yet and continues forward.

To my manta?

To your manta for a transfer of my blood crystals before he leaves the planet. I am sorry, Terran, but I have no choice now.

You are weak, spirit
, the czar sent.
If you had power, you would have stopped me by now.

“Goddamn him!” I rolled and got to my knees. Where was my weapon? There! The feel of cold metal beneath my hand. I grasped the stingler, took a few deep breaths and lurched to my feet.

Grass fires spread as I reeled toward the crack in the earth and his sunken manta.

Roots caught at my jacket as I slid down and stood up on the manta's hull. I had a clear shot from here when he approached for his crystals.

Only he didn't. I saw him using whatever cover he could find as he ran toward the cave.

“Willa!” I called into my link. “He's on his way to the cave. Get as far back as you can.”

“Put me down, Willa!” I heard Lisa cry. “I want to stay here and help Daddy.”

Get in the hovar, Lisa,
I sent.
The dragon is coming!
I heard the hovar start up. The headache was easing and my vision was clearing. I saw the czar run toward the cave entrance.
Oh, no you don't!
I sent as I stood on the manta's sunken nose and fired. I felt his pain as he grabbed his left arm and swore, but he continued to the cave. ”He's coming!” I yelled into the link and lifted myself to the surface. He was already in the cave when I ran at an angle to the entrance. I heard the snap of a beam weapon.