"No thanks."
"You have no idea how good it feels! I understand things I was never even aware of before!"
"That's nice."
"We're going right where you want, Wester! It's a good target! There's a strong Legion presence there, and it's so far out there shouldn't be any ConFree drones! I'm going to use their local drive—the local drive, to reach the far side of the galaxy! The D-neg makes a wormhole almost effortlessly, and holds it open easily—and the farther away the target is, in light years, the closer it is to us via the stargate. Antimat alone could never do that. What a kick! I'm not even engaging the inter-universe drive. I know it will work, Wester—I know it!"
"I'm ready." I had been out on the hull, scraping off the rest of the vac leeches and rigging up our commo. We were ready to go—I had even put my smelly tunic back on.
"Sit back, Wester. I'm about to put this baby into D-neg drive. See you on the other side of the galaxy."
"Death."
"Death it is!" And she launched.
###
When we broke into the future, Andrion 2 was just a silver speck in a black field of stars. I knew we had only instants to live, unless our message was received and believed. I was exhilarated to have survived the star jump, all juiced up and trembling with excitement. I had rigged up a line to the hull—the entire ship was one gigantic transmitter, on Legion freqs.
"Legion Andrion Two, this is Beta of CAT Two Four, Twelfth of the Twenty-Second," I announced. "The Omni ship is under Legion control. Repeat, we have just exited stardrive in an Omni ship, now approaching Andrion Two. Do not fire! This ship is a prize of war and is completely under Legion control. There are no O's on board. Repeat, this is Beta of CAT Two Four, Twelfth of the Twenty-Second. Do not fire! We welcome your boarding party!"
Silence, from the Legion. I could feel the beating of my heart. Tara was frozen at the controls, chewing on her lower lip. Willard was beside her. The star floated quietly just over Gildron's head, glowing.
"Don't fail us, Sweety," I whispered.
"One crash starlaunch underway," Sweety replied quietly. "Two…three…six combat invac crash launches from orbit around Andrion Two. Multiple downside targeting systems activating. I detect five combat invac crash launches from orbit around Andrion Three. Deceptors! Starburst! Legion fighters launched and probing—locking on! Combined multiple locks! Downside defensive systems locking on and targeting! Fighters locked! Combat speed! Armament live and locked!"
"GALACTIC NOVA!" The alert boomed through the ship. "THIS IS LEGION COMMAND, ANDRION SYSTEM! WE ARE UNDER OMNI ATTACK! GOING TO BLACKOUT!"
"Legion Andrion, repeat!" I shouted frantically. "The Omni ship has been seized by a Legion unit—we have captured and secured the ship! This is Beta of CAT Two Four, Twelfth of the Twenty-Second, approaching Andrion Two in a CAPTURED Omni ship! We request orbital instructions! Legion, we are not hostile! Do not fire! Repeat, this is a prize of war, acknowledge, acknowledge!"
"Autofire locked!" Sweety warned us. "ALERT! ANTIMAT TORPEDOES LAUNCHED! Repeat, Legion fighters have fired antimat torpedoes, torpedoes are launched, live and locked! I count three, four, six…NOVA! NOVA! ABANDON SHIP! I RECOMMEND ABANDON SHIP IMMEDIATELY!"
"Deto!" I glared out the viewport, convulsed and enraged. "We're dead!"
Tara seized my tacmod and triggered the comset. "Legion! This is Captain Antara Tarantos-Hanna of Starcom, Galactic Information, speaking for Outvac Sector Command! Hold your fire! This ship is not hostile! It is a valuable prize of war, taken at great cost by the Legion! Don't you dare fire!"
"It's too late," I told her. "They've already fired."
Regrets, I thought—so many regrets. I would never see Priestess again. And Moontouch—to have come so close, only to die. But I was too tired to do anything about it. I knew there was nothing at all that could be done.
"Are we going to die?" Willard asked me. I did not answer.
"Antimat torpedoes vectoring in," Sweety reported. "Fracs to impact nine—eight—seven—six…"
"Goodbye, Tara," I said, overwhelmed with sorrow. "We sure as hell tried!"
"I can't believe they're going to do this!" she gasped in horror.
"Two—one—impact!" A metallic bang rocked the ship. I could taste the adrenalin in my mouth. Another! Another! Another, cenite echoes crashing through the corridors. The controls lit up suddenly and alarms shrieked through the bridge, bringing a chill to my skin.
"Impact! Impact! Impact!" Sweety counted off, and I was shaking, waiting for death. Willard was hysterical, terrified.
"OMNI SHIP! THIS IS LEGION COMMAND! YOUR HULL HAS BEEN SUCCESSFULLY PENETRATED BY EIGHT ANTIMAT TORPEDOES! OPEN YOUR EXTERNAL PORTS IMMEDIATELY TO OUR BOARDING PARTY! IF THERE IS ANY RESISTANCE WE WILL DETONATE THE TORPEDOES AND DESTROY YOU! ACKNOWLEDGE IMMEDIATELY!"
"Legion, we are complying with your orders!" Tara replied instantly. My heart was hammering. Salvation! They had set the torpedoes to detonate on command rather than on impact! Perfect! The Legion reacted perfectly, and we were going to live! A crooked grin slowly crept over my sweaty face. I could hardly believe it!
PART IV
PIECES OF SOUL
Chapter 18
The Gods of the Book
Downside, I closed my eyes as icy water sluiced over my tortured flesh. The shower was so delightful I could have been in Heaven. But it wasn't Heaven—it was Alpha Station that had been Alpha Base that had been Zero Alpha, our first zero on Andrion 2. Squad Beta had been on that first drop, our first real combat drop onto an alien world. It seemed like a million years ago.
Stunned and happy, I stepped out of the shower, toweling myself dry. I opened the window port and a soft breeze flowed through the little cube. I had a good view of the station and the starport. An aircar whistled past somewhere overhead, invisible. A puffy film of gossamer drifted just outside, riding the air with delicate wings. We called the creatures air angels. Memories rushed over me.
Perhaps Andrion 2 was my real home—I had made some good friends here among the Taka. More than friends—I had loved a Taka girl, and created new life. I could hardly believe I had returned.
This was a VIP cube—there was a largish table surrounded by airchairs. I sank into a chair, and picked up a Legion tracer from the table. The first thing I had done was to send a message to Beta.
SECRET PERS OPS PRIORITY
ANDRION2/314/06/21-0102
TO: LEGION COMMAND ULDO, 22 LEGION, 12 CER, CAT 24, BETA, PERSONAL FOR BETA ONE OR ANY BETA SURVIVORS.
FRM: LEGION COMMAND ANDRION 2, BETA 3.
SBJ: BETA PERS.
TXT: CINTA, GILDRON, BETA 3 SURVIVED, NOW ON ANDRION 2. SEND NEWS FASTEST ON BETA CASUALTIES, SURVIVORS.
SECRET PERS OPS PRIORITY.
I put the tracer back on the table. I had wanted to add that the mission had been successful, but they hadn't let me. The people who had to know would certainly be informed. I ran my hand through wet hair. It was over at last, for us.
But not for me. I dreaded the news that the response would bring. My mind swirled with images of Priestess. I did not know what I would do if she was not listed among the survivors. I rose from the chair and punched a cup of ice water from the console. A VIP cube—I was not used to such luxury. It made me uneasy.
The door slid open. Tara and Gildron stood there. Tara was grinning. She was absolutely lovely, sparkling with life, clad in Legion camfax, long auburn hair swirling around her shoulders. I put down the drink and walked over to the door and embraced her. She laughed with delight, fighting back.