THE PRIZE: BOOK TWO - RETRIBUTION, page 14
Regina Tarl was right. If he’d been sent by Markoff to kill her, that would have been the perfect moment. He hadn’t, therefore he was telling the truth and truly wanted her help. How any being could move that fast was incredible, and in many ways, it made him the perfect assassin. After hearing his story, if true, she understood why he would work for the hell spawn of a Surl, Markoff, then a thought struck her.
“What do you know of the turmoil that besets the Tellurian capital at the moment?” A smile pulled at the corners of Penn mouth hearing that.
“My um… wife and I visited Emperor Cytec and gave him a present.” He laughed.
“A present, you mean as in a gift?”
“Yes. My planet is such a burden on the Empire, what with all the troops they have to keep ferrying in and out, I thought it would be nice to save them all that trouble. I removed the location of Earth from their navigational database.” Penn chuckled at some unspoken joke. Queen Tal Alesha-Baan sat, and contemplated her visitor and his statement. She didn’t doubt he’d done just what he’d said, but how he’d accomplished that, and to what end escaped her for the moment.
“To what end, Sir Penn?”
“Simple. I erased the location of Earth from their database in the stellar cartography institute and added a further erasure protocol to all inbound and outbound ships. They in turn downloaded it to all the navigational buoys along the way, rather like a virus. Within six months the actual location of Earth vanished.” The Queen nodded, understanding perfectly what he’d done, but again, why?
“And the reason for this?”
“After my supposed attack on Cytec, the Capital was in an uproar. As the word spread, some thought it was the perfect opportunity to get out from under the thumb of the Empire. Civil war broke out, planets and star systems declared their independence, in short, chaos. Now, the Imperial Navy is running around trying to restore order and have had little time, or ships to spare to re-survey the region of space where Earth is.”
“By the prophet! It will take them years to do that…” She stopped as the light dawned. “And by doing so, you have a window of opportunity to recover and rebuild your military forces.” Penn nodded. It was brilliant. “And so, the need for ships.” She eyed him shrewdly.
“And who’s is to say, that once you have these ships you won’t use them against me or my people?” It was a good question, and one Richard would have asked in her place.
“I can only speak for the now. It will take many years before we finish rebuilding our civilization, and maybe not in my lifetime. While I live there will be peace between us, and I swear on the life of the one I love, that no human will harm, or cause to come to harm any of your people.” Queen Tal Alesha-Baan let out a breath she hadn’t even realized she was holding. Such an oath wasn’t taken lightly, and strangely she had no reason not to believe him.
“It is said in the Empire, never trust a human, and that you will fight at the drop of a hat, even if you have to drop the hat yourself. Is that true?”
“When it comes to Emperor Cytec, Markoff and his minions, yes. We will fight at the drop of a hat, and no, the Empire can’t trust us. We will do anything, and everything to destroy that abomination any way we can.”
“From the devastation I saw in that vid, I can well understand your anger. I too would do anything to destroy the Empire, but how will a few ships change things? It would be many years and take thousands of ships to defeat the Empire Navy.”
“True. We have no experience building large space warships, and we need a model to start with. Given time we will build our own shipyards and start building our own ships.”
“It might seem self serving on my part, but why bother wasting time and resources building your own yards, when we have all the necessary slips here to build those ships for you.”
“And keep a degree of control over how many we build, and how they are used?”
“Trust is a two way street, Sir Penn. Either we trust each other from the outset, or we don’t.”
“True enough, but what will your people say when hundreds of humans turn up on your doorstep?”
“Horror, fear, outrage, just to name a few. But all that can be overcome if we start out by trusting each other and doing our best to forestall any confrontation.”
“I can assure you, we will not provoke a confrontation of any kind, even if we are provoked.”
“I can speak for the military, as they will obey my orders even if they disagree. The populace is another matter. Even if I issue a decree, some may choose to ignore it and do something untoward against your people.”
“No matter. I will make sure that even if that were to happen, my people would behave.”
“In that case, we have an accord, Sir Penn.”
“Would it be possible in your culture for you to call me just Penn, or better still, Richard?” The Queen blushed slightly.
“You ask a lot S… Penn. The giving and use of a first name is only permitted between bonded couples in my culture. However, I see no reason not to relax that rule in private… Richard.” She blushed again.
“I meant no offense, nor wish to insult your customs. We have a few cultural oddities as well.”
“Such as?”
“Well, for one, when we meet someone, or come to an agreement, we usually shake hands.”
“And the purpose of this act?”
“Many years in the past, the nobles wore and used swords, and it became the custom to offer your sword hand to someone. This was a sign of trust, as by holding each other’s sword hand, or wrist originally, you couldn’t draw your sword and attack.”
“Logical, very logical.”
“Nowadays, it’s used in greeting, and to seal a bargain between two parties.” Richard stood and held his hand out.
“Again, I must break protocol, but I see the purpose, and the necessity.” She stood and came over to shake hands, smiling slightly. “Your society is much more intimate than mine. You do this in public as well?”
“Yes, and on occasions hug… place our arms around each other in a sign of affection.”
“That I will have to work up to.” She laughed.
“I take it there is a cultural reason for not touching each other in public.”
“I believe that originally it had something to do with a virulent plague that broke out. Touching someone else, especially in public, was courting death. The plague lasted for many years, and by the time it was cured, any form of touching each other in public was um… not normal, you might say.”
“I can see that.”
“However, the day grows late and I need to take care of my duties. I’ll have Rem show you to your quarters. You will join me for a late meal?”
“I would be delighted, your majesty.” For once, Richard bowed slightly, and the Queen smiled at the gesture.
“Thank you for the honor… Richard.” As if on cue, Rem knocked and entered, bowing to his Queen.
“Please show Sir Penn to quarters so he may relax until the night meal.”
“As you command, my Queen.” After they’d departed, Queen Tal Alesha-Baan sat for a moment pondering the conversation and its implications.
“Regina!” She called, and a moment later Regina entered the room.
“Yes, my Queen?”
“Oh, stop being so formal. Take off your helm and sit,” she huffed. Regina smiled and did what she was bid. Taking her helmet off, she sank into one of the comfortable armchairs and relaxed as much as she could in full body armor as her Queen took an opposite seat.
“So, you were listening in I take it?”
“I was, your majesty…”
“Regina, we have known each other since we were children, so stop all this my Queen this and that.”
“You always were bossy, Alesha,” Regina grumbled.
“Answer the question.”
“Yes I was. As head of your security, it is my duty to protect you at all times.”
“Even against a human that can move so fast that even the auto defense systems couldn’t track or stop him if he wished to kill me?”
“Yes, that was a surprise, and no, I couldn’t have stopped him if that was his intention.”
“So we are agreed that he isn’t here to harm me.”
“Yes. If that had been his intention, all of us would be dead by now.”
“Lethal isn’t the word I’d use to describe him. He is death incarnate. The Queen muttered.
“True, and I believe we… you can trust him.”
“And what about you and Rem. When is he going to ask me for your hand?” Regina blushed.
“I… we… that is… we were waiting until he received his promotion. That way we’d be the same rank and he could officially ask you for permission.”
“You have it right now. I take it that you cohabit with him anyway?”
“Against your prohibition, Alesha.”
The Queen waved it away. “Your passage through the infernal building changed you somehow. Before, you would never have broken protocol.”
“True. It did change us. We saw so much death… well, what we thought was death at the time, we had to declare for each other, and protocol be damned.”
The Queen sighed. “Maybe I should go to that infernal building and see if I’m fit to be Queen.” She said, looking pensive. “Richard… Sir Penn was right in his assessment of governments. They are so transitory in the long run.”
“From what was said, the ancient builders of that pyramid were right. There has to be a better way to select leader’s based on something other than force, or popular acclaim.
“And finding a man to stand beside you that you can trust?” Regina added. The Queen scowled at her. “Maybe this Sir Penn?”
“Don’t be vulgar, it doesn’t become you, Reggie.” Regina laughed. “Besides which, he’s too young.”
“And how many years has it been since you’ve had a man in your bed?”
“Regina! That’s none of your business… Well, it is seeing as you are my personal bodyguard, and besides you know very well who has, or hasn’t been in my bed.”
“True, no-one.”
“After Than died, I didn’t want anyone else.” She answered sadly.
“Even a Queen needs a pillow mate from time to time, and despite his young looks he is a handsome male even by our standards. Add to which, we know humans and Silurians are compatible.” She left the rest of the question unasked and switched the subject.” Speaking of which, Penn is going to ask you about the human prisoners.”
“I expected as much, and have already issued an order for their release.”
“He’ll want to see them, and take them back to Earth… what a strange name for a planet. Earth means dirt if I remember.”
“We’ve seen planets with stranger names.”
“True, we have. Do you want us to see to the well-being of the humans?”
“Yes, you’d better. And ensure that my instructions on how they should be treated are carried out. The situation is delicate enough with Richard Penn and I don’t want to give him any excuse to think less of us.”
“You are thinking the humans might be of assistance in the near future?”
“What a suspicious mind you have Regina. I never noticed that about you when we were children.”
“That’s because you always found a way to manipulate the situation to your advantage.” The Queen smiled slightly and nodded. “A word of caution, my Queen. Manipulating Sir Penn could be dangerous.”
“I have no intention of trying to, it’s just that I feel that he can be of help to the Silurian race as a whole, as we will be to his, and as you said, he is a handsome male.” Regina bowed her head slightly and kept her thoughts to herself. Handling Richard Penn was something akin to stroking a dire cat. Docile and friendly when you were stroking it right after it had eaten, a snarling, spitting fury when hungry, ready to rip your arm off and eat it. The image of this mad human jumping into the middle of a group of Thrakee and slaughtering them all still haunted her dreams. She hadn’t needed Richard’s little demonstration to know just how deadly he was, and yet, he’d sworn on the life of the one he loved the most, that he wouldn’t harm her Queen or any other Silurian. On that she had to take his word. On her world, you never swore on the life of one you loved unless you were willing to stake both your lives on the oath.
Chapter Ten
Out of Purgatory
Captain Luke Bennet looked around in wonder, as did the twenty two men and women behind him. Four hours ago they’d been trying to sleep huddled together for warmth in the miserable shelter their captives called a hut. Their dayshift in the mine was over and they’d been given food and water, if you could call it food, but it did keep them alive. They huddled together as much for companionship as much as warmth, for unless they did, they’d lose another to despair and suicide. Luke had already lost too many of his people to lose any more. Like most military units, they tended to work together in a crisis, but those that didn’t found themselves out in the cold, literally in the cold mountain air outside the mine, or suffered a fatal accident in the mine shafts. Now they stood just inside the door of what he could only describe as a palace, at least compared to where they’d been a short time ago. Unbeknownst to him, after the evening meal, Richard had brought up the touchy subject of the human prisoners and their treatment.
“When my cousin first broached the subject of the treatment of human prisoners, after she and Rem returned, I thought it was due to her experience inside that building.” The Queen paused for a moment, as if considering her words. “I can see now that she was right, and I have taken steps to redress that decision.” Queens do not apologize, and Richard took her words as the only apology she would permit herself to give.
“Thank you, your Majesty. If possible, I would like to go and see them and explain the situation?”
“Granted. You will be taking them with you when you go I presume?” Penn kept his smile to himself, suspecting Regina had already broached that very subject with her.
“If you would permit me.”
“Granted, knowing they won’t be fighting my troops anymore.” She smiled. “But they are so few against the might of the Empire, even as mad as they are in combat.”
“They will join the others I have gathered together.”
“Others?”
“Yes, Emperor Cytec and Director Markoff were kind enough to collect all human troops serving the Empire into one place, after which I transported them to a safe place.”
“That misbegotten freak did what?” She asked, looking startled.
“Well, that’s what the imperial order said, with his and Director Markoff’s signature on it I might add.”
“Something tells me that there is more going on than you have told me.” Penn chuckled.
“I didn’t say they knew anything about the order, just that it was sent out, and of course obeyed, along with an order for all imperial troops to evacuate Earth.”
“By the prophet!” The Queen looked at him again. “You are a lot more dangerous than you appear, Sir Penn. I won’t even ask how you managed to arrange that.”
“Better not. I hate scaring my friends.”
* * * * * *
“I hope you like your new accommodations.” Richard said, walking into the common room.” Several people shot to their feet, looking menacing. Richard held his hand up, palm outward in a sign of peace.
“Who the hell are you?” A beefy looking man asked.
“I’m Richard Penn, and you are?”
“Captain Luke Bennet if you want to know, and what the hell do you want?”
“I’m here to take you home.”
“Home! Har, back to those fucking imperial assholes. Not likely.”
“No, I mean home, to Earth to join the Terran Marines if you want.”
“Bullshit, there’s no such thing as the Terran Marines!”
“There is now.”
“Wait, I know this guy. He’s that freaky eyed human working for Markoff.” Another put in, fingering the knife in her hand.
“Used to work for, that is.”
“Yeah, go tell it to the Marines, asshole.”
Just then, Tal Regina walked in followed by the Captain of the guard, and stood beside Penn. She took off her helm and tucked it under her arm.
“Oh fuck, just what we need, a fucking blue cape.”
“Are all you humans so disrespectful, Sir Richard?” She asked.
“Stand to attention when you address a senior officer, trooper!” Penn barked. The woman drew herself up to attention, despite herself, glaring at him.
“There seems to be a degree of mistrust here, understandable under the circumstances. Captain, please go and get twenty two blast rifles and side arms and bring them here.”
“Rifles… side arms… but… but… Commander Tarl.”
“Do you want to explain to our Queen why you are unwilling to follow orders, Captain?” The man gulped and rushed out of the room. While they waited in uneasy silence, Penn walked over and sampled the food laid out on the table.
“I hope you like the food.”
“Not bad, considering the crap we’ve had to eat for the past year.” Just then they all heard the sound of running feet and the Captain and five soldiers came running in with armfuls of weapons. Penn immediately handed them out seeing the men and women immediately check them out as any soldier would.
“So, you gave us powerless weapons, so what.” Captain Bennet sneered.
“Captain?” Regina asked. At a motion of his hand, another solder rushed in with a bag and emptied it on the table, spilling out rifle and pistol power packs. Ever suspicious, Captain Bennet picked one up and slipped it into place in the butt. His expression changed to one of surprise as his rifle hummed softly as it powered up.
“If you’d step outside, you might want to prove it works, but please don’t shoot any of the Silurians, or anything important - like me.”
