Alien Caged (38 page)

Robards nodded, his smile grim and his response coming with no hesitation.  “His will be done.”

* * * *

Zemos watched his men prepare for what he knew would be the final assault on the battlecruiser.  The ship’s engines had started again, meaning the Earther crew was finding their way through the mess Oret had made of their systems.  The computer consoles in the cargo area remained without power.  Zemos had no way of tracking his enemy’s progress or of trying to re-establish contact with the Kalquorian ship that had responded to their call for help hours earlier.  They were on their own, and if the Earthers caught up with them now, they were dead.

Oret was nearly done with giving the teams their final instructions.  He and his group of six men would attack the battlecruiser’s engines in an effort to keep the ship crippled long enough for the Empire’s fleet to find and capture it.  Other small squads would create diversions elsewhere on the ship to distract the Earther crew.

The first two teams of four men each slipped out using the service tunnel.  Oret nodded to his Dramok as his group also headed towards the access.  Zemos went to his side and fell into step with him, accompanying his clanmate to the hatch.  They did not bother with sentimentality because it was in neither man’s nature to do so.  Yet when possible, Zemos had always seen Oret off on any mission the Nobek went on. 

They reached the opening.  Zemos waited for Oret’s usual goodbye salute of “for honor and Empire”, as he had always proclaimed for the many decades Zemos had known him.  Oret surprised him this time.

Staring into his Dramok’s eyes, Oret softly spoke.  “Keep yourself and our clan safe.  I will see you again soon.”

Oret had never promised to come back alive from a mission before.  An ache filled Zemos’ throat at his words. 

He said, “Your three clanmates will breathe easier when you return.  Good fortune, my Nobek.”

Oret glanced at Elisa and Miragin, who stood a few feet away.  He gave them a smile, nodded to Zemos, and left with his group.  The remaining teams of Nobeks tasked with providing distraction left as well.

Zemos turned to his small band of a few security and non-combat personnel.  “They’re off.  Rest as much as you can for now, but be ready to fight if the guards alert us to trouble.  Those on guard, keep a close watch for any sign of attack.”

With nothing else to do but wait, he started towards Elisa and Miragin.  He needed to hold his Matara even if it did look unprofessional.  The pair looked as grim as he felt following Oret’s departure.

He had nearly reached them when one of Captain Walker’s guards, Nobek Almon, intercepted him.  “Excuse me, Captain.”

“Is there a problem, Lieutenant?”  Zemos glanced over at Walker, still surrounded by three other guards.  The Earther returned his level gaze.

Almon said, “Not so much a problem as a request from our prisoner.  He wishes to speak to the Matara.”

Zemos looked at Almon, his eyebrow raised.  “Is that so?”

“He’s quite adamant about it.  I think he believes he will soon die and wants to make amends as best he can.”

Zemos gave the security officer a bald stare.  “Have you or your men threatened him?”

Almon didn’t flinch.  “No, Captain.  He is making groundless assumptions.”  A slight smile touched on the man’s lips.  “To be honest, I rather like the lad.”

The captain had to restrain a snort of laughter.  “So I’ve noticed.”

Almon colored a little.  “It’s not just that.  You didn’t see how he fought us for Engineering.  As misled as the boy is, he is still brave.”

Zemos nodded.  “He does possess honor.  I will inform Matara Elisa and see if she’s willing to talk to him.”  Before Almon could return to his post, the Dramok added, “Lieutenant, you might warn Walker that I will not put up with any berating, if that is what he hopes to do.  His beliefs do not give him the right to judge her.”

Almon bowed.  “I will make sure he is aware of it.  With the captain’s permission, I would be glad to mete out any punishment the boy deserves.” 

Zemos had a hard time controlling the grin that wanted to stretch his mouth.  Almon was definitely infatuated with Joseph Walker.  “Thank you, Lieutenant.”

As Almon went back to guarding the Earther, Zemos joined Elisa and Miragin.

* * * *

Elisa watched Zemos approach, her throat aching.  If Miragin’s trembling arm hadn’t been tight around her shoulders, she might have spouted tears after watching Oret leave.  She couldn’t imagine how Zemos stood issuing the orders that could get his Nobek killed.  She supposed the Dramok had come to terms with the necessity years ago.

He drew near, and she managed a tight smile.  “Oret is off to save the day again.”

Zemos put his palms on her and Miragin’s cheeks, comforting them.  “If there is anyone in this universe no one needs to worry about, it is that Nobek.”

Elisa cocked a brow at him.  “Does that keep you from feeling anxious?”

“Not for one second,” he answered with feeling.

They all smiled then.  Miragin even chuckled, though the sound was strained.

Zemos’ touch went to Elisa’s shoulder, his momentary humor dropping off as he gazed at her.  “Captain Walker would like to speak to you.”

Momentary fear stabbed in her heart.  She swallowed hard.  “I can imagine what he wants to say.”

“The guards believe he wishes to make an apology.”

Elisa snorted disbelieving laughter.  “That can’t be right.  I’ve admitted I wish to return to Kalquor with you and remain with your clan.  This is reprehensible behavior as far as Earthers are concerned.  As my captain, it would be his duty to call a trial and have me executed.”

Zemos squeezed her shoulder.  “He hasn’t got the power to do any such thing now.  You do not have to talk to him if you don’t want.  I was merely passing along the message.”

Elisa had thought as her Dramok, Zemos might make such decisions on her behalf.  He had a paternalistic streak a mile wide when it came to her.  It made Elisa feel good that he wasn’t so overbearing as to think he could control her every move.  She felt as if he not only acknowledged her strength but supported it too.

Elisa turned her gaze to Walker, standing in his corner with his guards.  He looked so young and defenseless among those big, hard-faced Nobeks ... a scared little boy in the clutches of trained killers.  However, it wasn’t just fear on his expression as he looked back at her.  Joseph Walker looked like someone who had lost everything and could only look forward to more unmitigated agony. 

Elisa felt sorry for the man.  He had always been kind to her, never failing to ask what he could do to make her life easier as the sole woman on board the battlecruiser.  It could be his kindness would fail now that she had turned her back on him and the rest of his crew.  It could be he would accuse her of lust and sin, which she was guilty of.  However, Elisa couldn’t leave him alone as he was now, feeling as she had for most of her life:  without a friend in the universe.

She sighed and gazed up a Zemos.  “I’m an idiot to do this, but I’ll hear what he has to say.  He took up for me too many times for me to ignore him right now.”

The Dramok nodded.  He gave Elisa no indication of what he felt about her decision.  He simply stood aside, giving her room to pass and motioning Miragin to do the same.

Elisa straightened her shoulders.  Setting herself for whatever verbal abuse might be slung, she walked straight up to Captain Walker.

The lost look on his face was chased back by a trembling smile when she stopped before him.  In a rush, as if afraid she would stop him before he could get everything out, Walker said, “I can’t tell you how relieved I am that you are still alive, Elisa.  I wanted to apologize for letting things get to the point where the others would see you die rather than save you.”

Elisa blinked, absorbing the import of his words.  When she got it and realized he wasn’t about to go into a rant of accusations and belittlement, her whole manner eased. 

Letting her sympathy for his situation show, Elisa said, “That isn’t your fault, Captain.  You can’t dictate others’ thoughts or beliefs.”

“There have been those that have tried pretty damned hard to do so, though.”  He hung his head.  Elisa was startled to see that instead of wanting to shame her, Walker was ashamed of himself.  His voice barely more than a whisper, he said, “It’s always been easier to go along with what others have told me to do.  All I wanted was for them to approve of me, to show me I was worth something.  I didn’t even want to be the captain of this hunk of metal because I knew I’d be no good at it.”

Elisa took one of his hands.  It was cold and almost lifeless in her grip, as if Walker had no strength.  She said, “You were the best choice for a leader after Captain Drummond killed himself.  That’s why we chose you and why you took on the responsibility.”

He shook his head.  “I did it because I was told I had to.  I did it because it was what everyone else wanted from me.”  Walker looked up at her, and the lost expression in his eyes nearly made Elisa cry.  He said, “Trying to save you was the first time I ever acted on my own beliefs.  The funny thing about that was, you didn’t need to be saved by me, because somebody else had already come to the rescue.  The one time I was strong was a waste.  How’s that for a kick in the ass?”

Elisa didn’t have anything to comfort him with, because he was right.  Clan Zemos had saved her, not Captain Walker. 

All she could manage for Walker was a lame-sounding platitude.  “You’re a good man.  I’ve always known that.”

“I could have been better.”

Zemos’ voice was gentle as he was moved to interrupt their conversation.  “Captain Walker, forgive me for interjecting, but I want you to know my feelings on the matter.”

Walker straightened and looked at his Kalquorian counterpart.  His jaw tight, he said, “Go ahead, Captain Zemos.”

Zemos gave him the patient, paternal look he was so good at.  “Joseph, you were faced with unthinkable circumstances.  First a war, then the destruction of your planet, and then having to assume command of a ship full of renegades, some of whom were against you.  A command that you allege you never aspired to.”

Walker shook his head.  “I didn’t want this damned death ship.  It was bad enough when they took me from my supply vessel and made me first officer here.  Being captain was the last thing I ever wanted.”

Zemos gave him a grim smile.  “Yet you did your best with what was expected of you, and you never lost your humanity.  Others have done worse.”

The Earther made a sound that was probably supposed to be laughter.  It sounded like a sob.

Zemos said, “I promise that if we get through this and you are put on trial, I will speak on your behalf.  As Elisa says, you are at heart a good man.  You’ve just made some very bad decisions that have cost us all.”

Walker stared at the Dramok.  In the terrible despondency of his expression, Elisa saw a small glimmer of hope.  “You’d do that after all this?”

Zemos put his hand on the man’s shoulder.  “You were put in a position that you were too young and inexperienced to handle.  Of course there would be errors in your judgment.  I do not fault you for that.”

Walker drew a breath.  “Thank you, Captain Zemos.  I hope you will also accept my apologies for what I’ve done to you, your crew, and your clan.”  He glanced at Elisa.  “Promise you’ll take care of her.  Of us all, she’s the real victim in all this.”

Zemos affirmed, “With my last breath.”

Walker nodded.  Elisa squeezed his hand, and he squeezed back, smiling at her with his blue eyes brightened by tears.  Yes, he did deserve a chance.  More than a chance; Joseph Walker deserved a real life.  To herself, Elisa vowed that she would see to it Zemos kept his promise and spoke up on Walker’s behalf.

* * * *

Oret reached the engine room, a veritable cavern filled with an enormous stretch of humming machinery.  He blinked from the service tunnel’s opening as his sensitive sight pierced the dim lighting.  By the ancestors, the battlecruiser’s guts were a monstrosity.  Seeing the inefficient mix of computers and working mechanisms didn’t cancel out his awe.  The engines were astounding for their sheer size.

He eased into the room, looking and listening for any sign of the Earther crew.  Smells assailed him:  grease, oils, and even the almost-forgotten sweat and musk of living men that had occasioned these environs.  For now, however, the guts of the ship seemed to be empty of life.  Engineering, the vessel’s heart, was the next room over, located on the other side of the engine room’s far wall.  That was where the main focus of the Earthers should be as they tried to wrest navigation and control back.  However, the engines themselves seemed to be unguarded.

His team of six Nobeks followed him in, gazing around and ready to fight.  “Check for guards and report back to me,” Oret said.  They were gone almost before he finished speaking.

Seconds later, they returned and gave him the news:  the Kalquorian team had the engine room to themselves.  They were free to commit all the havoc and destruction they could manage before their enemies were alerted to their presence.

One told Oret, “There are four doors into this room.”

He told them, “One of you to watch each, the other two with me.”