Cogs in Time Anthology (The Steamworks Series) (18 page)

“No, but you can be judged there,” Onic answered, his voice coming in a low growl.

The roar of water echoing off the cave walls cut off Quanda’s response. Shimmering light entered the passageway and the group emerged behind a waterfall. They continued following a cut path down to a clearing that was taken up by a large airship flying Hallistrae colors.

“A flagship?”

“Your people have been looking for you,” said Duva.

“So you sold your clan to them,” snarled Quanda.

Duva turned and slapped Quanda. “Unlike you, I respect my clan. Had you not betrayed my girl-child, I would not have helped them.”

Onic stepped between Duva and Quanda. “Take her to be judged. I will take him to his people.”

Duva escorted the male carrying Quanda to a small gathering of cats farther down the path.

“Do not worry,” Onic said, turning to Domaroc. “She will be judged fairly. Wishing to be Lady Supreme is honorable goal, her actions, not so honorable.”

Domaroc looked up at the Lord Supreme. “You mean Quanda fought with Navarro?”

“That is to be decided. Duva is angry because it was her girl-child who ruled the Ranar and was struck down.”

“That’s why…” A tall woman with short auburn hair cut him off by shouting his name.

“Rihanna?” Domaroc turned to her.

She strode up to him and hugged him.

“What’s that for?” he asked, confused at her sentimental reaction.

“It’s good to see you on your feet. According to the cats you were practically dead.”

Domaroc pulled away from her and hung his head. “Unfortunately, I’m the only one not dead.”

“Navarro didn’t make it?”

Domaroc nodded, but could not meet the woman’s hazel eyes. “I believe so.”

“I have my clan checking,” Onic answered. “Quanda would have left him for dead.”

“Why do you say that?” Rihanna asked.

“So he would not talk. He knew her betrayal of her Lady Supreme. She could not have that. No one would follow a leader who did not get to be leader honorably.” Onic explained.

Before Rihanna or Domaroc could comment, Ndim ran up to Onic and spoke rapidly in cat speech.

Onic nodded. “Understood.”

Ndim bowed and left.

“Well?” Rihanna asked, waiting for an explanation.

“There were survivors of the crash. My clan will bring you the survivors, and you will leave.”

“Agreed.” Rihanna nodded.

“Then I leave you,” Onic said, turning away to join Duva and the other cats.

“Doctor Fali wanted to take a look at you, Dom,” Rihanna said, placing a hand on Domaroc’s elbow, leading him toward the airship.

He stopped and looked back at Quanda, who was kneeling in the center of the circled cats.

Rihanna’s hand tightened on his elbow. “Do you care for her?”

“She rescued me, took care of me,” he answered.

“Did you bed her?”

Domaroc pulled away from Rihanna. “Of course not! She’s a cat! Why would you ask that, Rihanna?”

“Because you look on her with such tenderness.”

He gaped at her. “I owe her my life. I can’t just leave her.”

Rihanna laughed. “You are always so noble, but she went against the laws of her people.”

“What do you mean?”

“According to the Zeri spy, Quanda took with her Lady Supreme’s Prey and plotted the Ranar overthrow.”

“Took with?”

Rihanna rolled her eyes, “Bedded.”

“Oh,” Domaroc answered, the side of his mouth twitching slightly toward a frown.

“She didn’t expect fresh prey to come in and annihilate the clan or her partner to betray her. One or the other happened. Well, whoever he was, he had poor taste.” Rihanna laughed. “Honestly, screwing a cat?”

“Rihanna, you realize you’re talking about Navarro, right?” Domaroc said, soberly.

Rihanna’s complexion whitened. “Commander Navarro Grey?”

Domaroc nodded. “Do I serve any other?”

“Varro wouldn’t.” Rihanna shook her head violently. “Tell me you’re joking, Dom.”

“Rihanna, you are the one who started this tale. I have been unconscious for most of the time I’ve been here. I don’t know what happened. I was hoping someone would tell me. The stories are conflicting.” Domaroc turned back to the airship and started forward. Rest seemed like a good idea.

“Why would you say it was Navarro?” Rihanna asked.

“I know Navarro was the Lady Supreme’s Prey. Now Rihanna, can I get to the doc?”

She sputtered a few unintelligent phrases as they walked.

They had reached the entrance to the airship. Domaroc tried keying in his code, forgetting it was not the ship he was used to.

“Of course, forgive me.” Rihanna said, keying in the entrance code for the door. “Doctor Fali is waiting for you in the infirmary. Standard airship layout.” She smiled trying to lighten her jealousy, but Domaroc wasn’t fooled.

“Where are my quarters?”

She fumbled with the keys on the layout screen beside the door. “Second’s quarters.”

Domaroc arched an eyebrow.

Rihanna shrugged. “Captain’s orders.”

“Whom are we flying under?”

“Trast.”

Domaroc groaned. “It couldn’t have been someone else?”

“Well, Lowe, if you have a problem with me, you can get off.” A short, barrel-chested man stepped out from the doorway at the end of the hall.

“All I want is sleep in a real bed, Trast,” Domaroc answered.

“Then it’s agreed. We stay out of each other’s sight until we land.” Trast held out his hand.

Domaroc shook it. “Agreed.”

Trast left them.

“Do I want to know?” Rihanna asked.

He shrugged. “Probably, but I’m not explaining it. Just take me to my quarters.”

“You know the layout of this ship. I have to start my report,” she responded tersely.

Domaroc gripped the side rail and leaned against the wall. “Just make sure I get there without falling on my face. The doctor can wait.”

“Oh!” Rihanna placed an arm around his waist and helped steady him. “Come on.”

The Second’s quarters were near the bridge of the airship, and after two sets of steps, Rihanna stopped and leaned against a door.

“Did you forget how to walk?” she asked. “You know what? We’re two doors away from the infirmary. You can rest there.” She grabbed Domaroc around the waist.

He shook his head. A sudden wave of nausea washed over him. “I don’t want to deal with Fali.”

“Well, I don’t want to haul your ass any farther. Deal with it.” Rihanna pushed Domaroc forward, stopping him in front of a red door. She palmed it open and maneuvered him inside.

“Ahh! Lowe! Good to see you on your feet,” said the tall, bald man in a blue doctor’s uniform.

“Fali,” Domaroc said, swaying slightly. “Can we forego the examination?”

“Eat something first. You’re pale and dehydrated, I don’t doubt.” Fali pulled one of the bunks down from the wall and pointed to it. “Rihanna, run to the galley for some food for the man, and I could use some too.”

Rihanna gaped at him. “Why me?”

“Well, you are the only one here and your duties as diplomat are over, so you may as well make yourself useful.”

Rihanna glared at the doctor, but before she could rebuke him, the ship shuddered.

“What the hell?” Fali strode to the communicator.

Trast’s voice came over the speakers “Emergency takeoff! Avir to the bridge!”

Rihanna snapped to attention and quickly left to follow Trast’s order.

“Well, there goes supper,” Fali grumbled. “Get on the bed. I won’t do a full examination, but I want to take a couple of blood samples and hook up to a drip.”

Domaroc did as Fali said and stretched out on the bed, surprised to find it hard and uncomfortable. “Can’t believe I was used to this,” he mumbled.

“What’s that?” Fali asked, taking out a syringe from the cabinet.

“Nothing, Fali. Just commenting on civilization.”

“Yes, well, let’s hope you didn’t pick up more than that scar on your head.”

“Scar?” Domaroc said, putting a hand up to his forehead, surprised to find the raised ridge above his eye to his scalp. “When do we find out why we took off so quick?”

Fali shrugged. “Well, if we get injured crew, it’ll be sooner than not.”

Domaroc shook his head. “You should have gotten survivors from the crash.”

“I doubt there were any. All right, give me that arm,” Fali said.

Domaroc stretched out his left arm. “Why do you say that?”

Fali inserted the needle into the back of Domaroc’s hand. “Cat’s don’t leave survivors. Especially, if the survivors caused the eradication of a clan. Besides, when I was able to stretch my legs outside, I overheard the Zeri warriors talking.”

Domaroc started to shift to his side, but thought better of it. “What about?”

“Their Lady Supreme was planning on visiting the Ranar lands, when she received word of the attack came in. She was ready to send in her soldiers.”

“What stopped her?”

“Rihanna and Onic. Didn’t you wonder why she was on board?” Fali filled another vial with blood and tapped the side. “Two more should do,” he muttered to himself.

“Diplomat Rihanna Avir, an expert hostage negotiator? Never thought about it.” Domaroc started to laugh and found he couldn’t stop.

Fali rolled his eyes. “Great—delirious
and
dehydrated. All right, I’m done with what I needed. One drip and some sedative and all will be well, or at least I’ll be able to get some work done while you’re out.”

“Sleep again. I’ve done nothing but sleep.” Domaroc continued to laugh.

The doctor nodded and tapped the side of the drip. “Sleep yes, rest no.”

Domaroc, his laugher fading, closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep. His final thought was wondering if he would ever be able to return to his normal sleeping habits, but his mind was thankful to shut down for a while. The tugging on the needle in his hand and the constricted feeling in his arm woke him a few hours later.

The lights of the infirmary were dimmed and the drip hanging over him was recently changed. That was why the needle had moved and the room temperature liquid coursing into his body was why his arm felt strange. His stomach grumbled in protest and Domaroc couldn’t remember the last time he had eaten.

“Hey Fali, is there any food on this ship?” he mumbled, his eyes opening a little wider.

The lights came to full power, and Domaroc blinked to clear the stars from his eyes

“Fali’s not here,” Rihanna said, standing over him with a tray of food.

“What happened to you?” Domaroc asked, seeing the yellow tinged bruise that ran along her fair-skinned jaw.

“Trast.” She set the tray down. “Turns out the cats were buying time with talk of survivors. They attacked the airship. We were lucky to have gotten off the ground. Somehow, they got a hold of a crystal cannon. Probably from Navarro’s ship.”

“Really? Didn’t know Captain’s could strike Diplomats.”

“They can’t.” She smirked. “Why do you think Fali’s not here?”

“As I recall, Trast isn’t that easy to take down,” Domaroc commented and reached for a roll from the tray.

“What’s between you two?” she asked pulling a chair closer and sat down.
              “He didn’t agree with me marrying his daughter.”
              “Carialis is Trast’s daughter?”

Domaroc nodded.

“Well, that does explain a lot. You better eat more than that bread. We are two hours from home, and you are going to have a lot of questions to answer,” Rihanna said, pouring a glass of wine for him.

“Problem is, I don’t know what all happened.” He propped himself on his side and accepted the glass.

“You have that scar on your head to show that you were out of it. Fali did an examination on your blood and figures you are malnourished and dehydrated. There are also traces of some sort of narcotic in your blood. He thinks the best thing for you is sleep until your blood clears.”

“So I will be presented to the Judges? What am I supposed to say?” Domaroc rubbed at the scar on his forehead.

“Tell them what you know. Why don’t you practice by telling me what you remember?”

“What, that the converter failed, forcing us to land? Navarro wanted to sleep outside because of the smoke in the ship, despite my protests, and then we were attacked. I woke up to find Quanda there. Whatever medicine she used on me caused me to sleep until after the rebellion.”

“You weren’t aware of the rebellion?”

Domaroc shook his head. “I talked with Navarro, and I was supposed to fix the converter when I was able to walk, but the ship was stolen before I could. The crash started the fire, and Quanda and I ran to the Sacred Lands. That’s when you came in.”