Empyrion II: The Siege of Dome (37 page)

Piipo replied, “I have memorized the map; I believe I could find Starwatch in my sleep.”

“It will look different—count on it. And don't be fooled.” Tvrdy looked intently at Bogney. “Do you have any questions?”

The Dhog tapped his temple with a grubby finger. “Giloon understanding everything.”

“Fine.” Tvrdy turned to Kopetch. “Your mission in Tanais is of highest importance. Its execution must be perfect. Jamrog will visit Tanais last, and security will be tightest there. Mrukk will have Invisibles seeded throughout the Hage; they'll be alert for anything suspicious. It is imperative that you accomplish your goals without arousing the interest of the Invisibles. You'll be alone; there is no backup.”

“I can do it,” said Kopetch. “It will be a pleasure to outwit the Invisibles in plain sight.”

“Just get close to Danelka. He'll tell you how Jamrog will be traveling back to Saecaraz.” Tvrdy glanced at each of the others, drew a long breath. “That leaves the assassination itself.”

“My rumor messengers are already in place. The weapons were hidden yesterday, and they only await Kopetch's signal.”

“They'll have it in plenty of time.”

“Nevertheless, use your shoulder set if you have to. The Invisibles will be monitoring all frequencies, so keep it short and in code. By the time Jamrog reaches Tanais, he will be informed of the fires in Nilokerus and will assume that we have bungled our plan. Or they will think it a distraction and expect the attack in Tanais. Either way, the Tanais visit will be perfunctory. He will be anxious to return to Saecaraz—this will help you, Kopetch.”

Tvrdy continued, “Upon receiving the signal, I will get in place.” His face lit briefly in a tense, tight smile. “Hagemen, I will not fail.”

Cejka and his men
crept from the disused drainpipe and made their way quickly, quietly through deserted streets, passing between the walls of Hageworks and blocks of kraams. Behind him, one minute later, came Piipo and Bogney with their team. Upon reaching the temple, Cejka and his three firestarters crouched in the growth at the edge of the temple square and waited until the second team had disappeared across the square and were well into the Hageblocks beyond.

“Now!” whispered Cejka. Instantly four figures were racing across the square, up the long ramp, and into the temple itself. The pyramid was empty, but the smutty black candles still burned. As they made their way to the altar at the front, each man lifted his yos and untied the bundle secured around his waist. Then each took up a candle and ran to the heavy hangings behind the altar.

Cejka took his bundle—a plastic bladder filled with a volatile liquid—and aimed the nozzle at the enormous hanging before him. He touched the candle to the damp spot, and the fabric burst into flames. In seconds fire streaked upward along the slanting ceiling. Then, walking backwards, Cejka began pouring the contents of the bladder over the floor. The others, candles in hand, went from one hanging to the next along the further aisles, igniting them as they went. All met at the temple's entrance and paused to view their handiwork.

Each floor-to-ceiling hanging had become a sheet of flames. Smoke rolled up in thick billows and spread like a black foe toward the entrance. All emptied the remaining contents of the plastic bladders in a pool at the door and tossed them aside. “Well done,” said Cejka. “Now for the alarm.”

They ran back across the temple square and hid once more in the dense growth at the edge of the square. There they waited. Smoke poured out of the open entrance, then flames, following the trail Cejka had left behind. Soon the temple square was lit up in garish orange. The sound of the fire became a roar, but there was no one around to hear it.

“Go back to the drainpipe. Wait for me there. If I do not return, go back with Piipo and the others.” The three crept away, and Cejka raced off toward the feast site.

He had not run far, however, when he was apprehended by two Invisibles on patrol. “Where are you running?” asked the nearest, weapon drawn.

“Fire!” Cejka bellowed as loud as he could. “Fire! The temple's on fire!”

The two Invisibles looked at him closely. “There have been no reports of a fire.”

“Four men ... just now,” Cejka panted. “See for yourself.” He turned and pointed behind him. “I must sound the alarm.”

“Stop!” growled the first Invisible. He stepped close, and his hands played expertly over Cejka's body. “No weapons,” he told his partner.

“Weapons?” gasped Cejka. “There's a fire! Go see for yourself if you don't believe me.”

The two Invisibles hesitated, uncertain what to do. Cejka saw his chance. “I'll sound the alarm. You go see what you can do at the temple. Maybe you can catch them.” He made to take off.

“Not so fast!” shouted one of the Invisibles. Cejka's heart faltered. Did they guess he was somehow involved? Should he try to get away?

He stopped, turned around. “All right,” he said.
“You
go sound the alarm. I will stay here.” The two Invisibles looked at one another. Just then there came a whoosh, and a brilliant red orange fireball lit up the night as it flashed skyward to flatten itself against the dome high above.

“Fire!” screamed Cejka again. “The temple's on fire!”

The two Invisibles dashed away, leaving Cejka alone. He wasted no time hurrying back the way he'd come. The quavering blare of a fire siren sounded as he reached the rendezvous point. “We've done our part,” said a breathless Cejka as he hurried into the drainpipe to meet his men. “Let's hope the others succeed as well.”

True
to his word, Piipo did not have any trouble finding the medical center on Starwatch level. He and Bogney and their team of ten encountered no one on the way and entered the physicians' domain unobserved. Once inside, they easily found the supply kraam and began filling the packs each one wore beneath a new Nilokerus yos with the articles Ernina had requested.

When all the packs were stuffed full, they went into the recovery kraam, where, to the astonished stares of the few Hagemen lying there, they took empty suspension beds, threw off the bedding, and began loading larger pieces of equipment onto the floating bed frames. The three physicians on duty heard the commotion and came running in. They were immediately seized, bound, gagged, and pushed into a corner.

The raiders took the beds and shoved them out of the kraam and into the corridors beyond, fleeing back down to the main level. When they reached the lower rimwall outside, they were met by a crowd of frightened Nilokerus Hagemen who had been stopped by security men. The Nilokerus security guards eyed the equipment suspiciously; the guard in charge barked an order, and weapons appeared, “The Hage is on fire!” someone shouted.

“Out of the way!” hollered Piipo, shoving people aside. “Can't you see we're physicians! We're needed elsewhere!”

The security men stepped back as Piipo pushed by. The others followed, and they rushed on. Bogney kept his head down and hurried along, not daring so much as a quick look around. By the time they slipped back into the drainpipe, the smell of smoke hung heavy in the air and flames could be seen darting above the trees in the distance.

“We did it!” cried Piipo when they reached the rendezvous point in Isedon. Cejka and his fireteams greeted them with jubilant hoots, and they all pounded one another on the back. “Anything from the others?” asked Piipo when the sound died down.

“Nothing,” replied Cejka. “It's up to Kopetch and Tvrdy now.”

Tanais
born, Kopetch had no trouble making his way unobserved to the place where Danelka would meet and offer an official greeting to the Supreme Director. The success of his assignment would depend on getting close enough to see Danelka's signal. If no signal were forthcoming, Danelka would lead the party close to the place where Kopetch waited, and a prearranged distraction—some souile-soaked Hagemen stumbling over one another, perhaps—would allow the agent to slip in unobserved.

Kopetch, secure under the protection of Jamrog's own Invisibles, would then go along with the official party until either Danelka found out Jamrog's return route or Kopetch himself discovered it by simple observation. Then he would relay the information to Tvrdy. His signal would allow Tvrdy to get into the position for the kill.

He waited in the shadow of a boathouse near the wharf, listening to the cacophony of the feast from nearby Tanais Square. The simple two-word Rumon signal he'd received earlier indicated that the Supreme Director left Hage Jamuna by boat, and that the official party had grown to nearly sixty people. With that number he would have little trouble blending in—
if
he could elude detection by the Mors Ultima.

The boat was late, but Kopetch, alert at his post, was soon rewarded by the sound of engines rumbling over the water. A few minutes later he could make out the craft, rounding a bend in the river, lights blazing.

I should be the one to do it, thought Kopetch. I could take him as he steps onto the dock. It would be suicide, but worth it for the privilege of killing the twisted tyrant. Why didn't we plan it that way?

Because, he told himself yet once more, if the attempt failed, the reprisals would destroy Empyrion; thousands of Hagemen would die. It was too chancy for a lone assassin. They had only one chance and had to maximize the possiblities for success. Yes, it was better that Tvrdy, backed up by two dozen Rumon, make the attempt. This way, they could manage more of the variables. By the time Jamrog returned to Saecaraz, they would know the exact place and time of his arrival. And, more importantly, Jamrog would believe himself safe from attack. Having visited each and every Hage without incident, he would think he had survived the day. At any rate, he would definitely not expect attack in his own Hage.

The boat came gliding into the Tanais cove. The engines were cut as the heavy craft slid to the dock. Kopetch noticed that those aboard were strangely silent. Ordinarily, the Supreme Director's boat was the best place to enjoy the Trabantonna. In Sirin Rohee's time, those invited aboard were fed and entertained splendidly. But Jamrog's party was markedly subdued.

It is as Tvrdy said, Kopetch thought. Jamrog guesses something will happen here, as do all the rest. Their visit here will be cursory. The first passengers disembarked—Jamrog was not among them.

At the same moment the Tanais welcoming party arrived and proceeded to the boat.

What's this? wondered Kopetch. Only four? Where's the fifth? He looked closer.

Danelka! Where's Danelka? A jolt of fear quickened his pulse. Danelka was not with the Tanais party. There could be no signal.

Kopetch's mind whirled through his list of limited options and decided that to join the party in an effort to learn the information on his own would be dangerous without Danelka and his prearranged diversion, but possible.

He steeled himself for his task.

Jamrog was on the dock now, surrounded by his bodyguard. The Tanais were making him welcome. Now they were leading him into the Hage. The party—bodyguard and official guests included—gathered around the Supreme Director, and all moved off at once, leaving four Invisibles to guard the boat. The party went into Hage by a different way, passing far from where Kopetch waited.

Kopetch shrank back into the shadows, touched the switch at his side, and, turning his head to his shoulder, whispered, “Old mother, Trabant has taken our Hage Leader. Trabantonna proceeds without us.”

Kopetch's message was clear
enough: Danelka had not appeared, and there had been no signal. Without Danelka to guide them along the prearranged route, Kopetch had not been able to join the party himself and now remained on the waterfront, awaiting further instructions.

Tvrdy had two choices: abort the operation, or take a chance on where Jamrog would re-enter Saecaraz. If he guessed wrong, there would be no assassination. He had to decide now. In a few minutes Jamrog would be informed of the fires in Nilokerus, and he would leave Tanais.

The plan hinged on knowing ahead of time where Jamrog would arrive back in Saecaraz, because Tvrdy needed every possible second to get himself and his men into position or the attempt would never succeed. He had to know when Jamrog could be intercepted.

Danelka's part had been to supply that crucial bit of information sometime before the Supreme Director left the Hage. But all was not lost. If Kopetch remained in place, and if Jamrog left the Hage by boat, Kopetch would see and give the signal himself. On the other hand, if upon learning of the Nilokerus fire, Jamrog left by em, Kopetch would not know when or even where they had gone.

There were too many ifs in the equation to suit Tvrdy. To make any kind of intelligent guess, he'd have to have more information. He decided to risk another message. “Hagemate,” he said into his shoulder mike, “can we cruise?”

There was a moment's silence, and then Kopetch's voice crackled, “No ... too crowded on the dock.”

Kopetch's answer meant that Invisibles guarded the Supreme Director's boat. Tvrdy made up his mind at once. Since the boat was guarded, there was a very good chance Jamrog meant to use it again. He was already on his way to the Saecaraz waterfront when he gave the signal to his backup team. “Hagemen, Trabant is thirsty.”

The
Supreme Director, tired now from his long day of official duties, walked among the Tanais, bored by the wild revel around him. The orgiastic rite was now at its frenzied peak. Food and drink had long ago obliterated all normal inhibition, and the Hagemen, having given themselves over to the celebration, now indulged every desire. For Jamrog, however, the excess of the day had quickly jaded his experienced palate, and he longed for the piquant pleasures awaiting him back at his kraam.

Yawning, he reviewed the feast site and saw his magnified image displayed in every quarter. He shunned the Tanais delicacies prepared especially for him, but drank souile—which he had brought with him—with the under directors, who appeared anxious and ill at ease.

“I expected your Subdirector to meet me,” said Jamrog as he sipped the warm liquor. “I hope he is not indisposed.”