Laura Jo Phillips (37 page)

Calnic froze.  Had his prayers been answered at long last?  If so, he would have to do his part.  All blessings required a tithe.  Otherwise, it would be withdrawn.  This was a very important moment.  He thought carefully, taking his time.

“The Aki would be pleased to learn such a thing has been done,” he said, speaking far more clearly than he felt safe, but deciding it was worth the risk.

The woman was silent for a long moment, and Calnic’s hope grew.  She, too, was being careful. 

“Li-Hach-Cor is a large world,” she said at last.  “To search for such a place would take much time.”

Ah, Calnic thought sadly, his hope shrinking.  The Other’s camouflage system prevented them from finding what they sought. 

Calnic wondered what to do.  For a Li-Hach, it was a simple matter to see right through the technologically generated camouflage.  But, as Calnic was aware, humans did not possess the ability to manipulate such things with their minds.  That was a Li-Hach trait.  

He shook his head slowly and regretfully.  “It would be an unkindness to tell you what you wish to know,” he said, throwing caution to the winds.  “You cannot see through the camouflage, and will be upon the compound before you are through it.  By then, the Other will have terminated your lives.”

“Can you see through the camouflage?” Summer asked.

“Yes,” Calnic replied, “but I cannot go with you.  It would be against Aki for me to do so.”

“How is it you can see through it?” Summer persisted.

“It is a simple matter to manipulate such things for Li-Hach,” Calnic said.  “If it were not so, we would not be able to control the many machines required to cultivate such a large amount of land.”

“You control the machines with your mind?” Summer asked.

“Not precisely,” Calnic replied.  “We control the computerized components in the machines with our minds.”

“I can do that as well,” Summer said, surprising Calnic greatly.

“It is so?” he asked.  Suddenly his skin flushed an odd purplish color.  “That was rude of me,” he said with a slow, deep bow.  “I apologize most profusely for implying doubt of your word.”

“No offense was meant, and none was taken,” Summer replied politely.  “And yes, it is so.  Could you teach me how to see through the camouflage as you do?”

Calnic straightened up and thought hard.  What he was considering was forbidden.  But it was forbidden by Li-Hach law, not Li-Hach-Aki law.  It was a fine line, and he knew it.  He also knew the punishment would be severe, should anyone find out.  This was a very high tithe to pay indeed.  But it would be worth it if....

“What of the Other?” he asked suddenly. 

“The Other?” Summer repeated blankly. 

“He who is master over the compound you speak of.”

Summer fell silent for a long moment.  Calnic waited patiently.  Such thoughts and decisions could be complicated, he knew. 

“The Other has caused problems for the Aki,” Summer said.  She made it a statement, not a question, so Calnic did not have to respond to it.  Nevertheless, he dipped his head slowly in acknowledgement.

“We will do all we can to rid the Aki of the Other,” she said.  “If we are not successful, know that we will have done all we could.  Know also that the Other shall never know of this meeting from us.”

Calnic dipped his head again.  He could not have asked for more.  The Aki needed to be free from the Other.  This was their first hope of that in all of the years since the Other had come to Li-Hach-Cor.  It was a risk, but it was a worthy risk.

“Would you approach me please, Summer?” Calnic asked, pronouncing the woman’s strange name carefully.

Summer bowed politely, then walked forward until she was only a couple of feet from Calnic.  “I give you my promise that you shall not be harmed in what I do,” Calnic said softly.

Summer smiled.  “You have my trust, Calnic.”

Calnic returned her smile, then bent forward, reaching out slowly with both hands.  He very gently, very lightly, placed one finger of each hand at Summer’s temples and closed his eyes to focus.  He was pleased to discern that Summer did indeed have the ability to connect with computer processors as she’d said.  In fact, she had far more ability than she knew.  Calnic smiled to himself.  He had made a wise decision.  This was a very unique woman.  She was most worthy of the gift he was about to bestow.

A few moments later he lifted his fingers from Summer and bowed to her. 

“Go in peace, Summer Whitney, Mind of the Jasani, Sister of the Soul, Sister of the Heart, Slayer of the Double-Headed Dragon, and Harbinger of Peace to the Thousand Worlds.”

Calnic straightened and smiled at the expression of surprise on Summer’s face.  “The Aki have been blessed to bring aid to you this day,” he said.  “Long shall you be remembered.”  Calnic dipped his head once more before turning around and walking slowly back to the border hut, and the growing contingent of his brothers waiting anxiously for his return.  He paused and looked back just once to see the women getting into the ground-car.  He raised one hand in farewell, knowing he would probably never see Summer Whitney again.  But he did not mind.  He would feel her strength and courage in his heart for all time. 

Chapter
38

That appeared to go well,” Maxim said as Summer and Darleen got back into the ground-car.

“Yes, I think it did,” Summer agreed.

“When you approached him, I nearly broke our agreement to remain in the vehicle,” he said.

 “You are not overly patient either, are you?” Summer asked with a smile.

“No,” he agreed easily.  “Patience is not a common trait of the katrenca.  So what did he do when he placed his hands upon you?”

“I think he changed me,” Summer said thoughtfully.  “He said a few things that I did not really understand, but of one thing I am certain.  The Aki want the slave compound gone from their world.  They fear one that he called
the Other
.  I promised that should we fail, the Other would not learn from us that we had met with the Aki.”

“Your word will be upheld,” Maxim said.  “Now, if you would, please explain your comment that he changed you.”

“As you know, I can control computers to a certain extent telekinetically ,” Summer said.  “Now, I am sensing the computer components in this ground-car and I’ve never been able to do that before.  I could stop them all if I wanted to.  I’m not sure how, but I know I can.”  Summer frowned for a moment, then gave her head a little shake and looked back at Maxim.  “Calnic told me that they, the Li-Hach, could see through the camouflage.  I asked him if he could show me how to do the same.  I think he gave me the power to do it.”  She turned her gaze to Ran.  “Would you please pull up the planetary views from the ship,” Summer asked.

“The images?” Ran asked.

“No, I think I need the live views for this,” Summer said.

Ran complied.  Summer leaned forward and watched the views as Ran scrolled through them.  “There,” she said suddenly, pressing her finger against the screen.

Ran blinked, and bent to look more closely at the screen but as far as he could tell, the spot she was pointing at was no different than the rest of the image.  There was nothing to see but barren land surrounded by more barren land.

“Are you certain?” he asked. 

“Oh yes, I am certain,” Summer said with a grin.  “Mark this point.”

Ran did as she asked, marking a point on the opposite side of the planet. “It’s a large complex, perhaps twice the size of the one on Jasan,” Summer said as she continued to look at what no one else in the ground-car could see.  “It’s rectangular, with what appears to be a large open courtyard in the center of it.  The main structure is surrounded by a high wall set back about twenty yards, and there are about a dozen concentric rings of electronic security that begin about a mile away from the outer wall, but no guards.”

Summer continued to stare at the screen.  “I think that whoever is in that complex already knows that we are here,” she said.  “I also think that we are going to need to use Lio.”

Maxim stared at Summer for a long moment.  She was a warrior, whether she knew it or not, and her instincts were good.  Far better than she realized.

“What do you have in mind?” he asked.

Summer turned and looked at Darleen.  “Do you wish to be in on this?” she asked.  “There is no shame in saying no.”

Darleen tilted her head.  “Would you say no?”

“I cannot,” Summer replied.

“Nor can I,” Darleen said.

“Very well,” Summer said and turned back to Maxim.

“This is what I propose,” she said.

“JCX-2089er, this is HJ RL Perry, please respond on this frequency,” Lio said into the mic with just exactly the right amount of exasperation in his voice, just as Summer had ordered.  “Dammit, I can’t float around out here forever, William.  Answer me.”

“Hello Lio,” said a deep voice.  Everyone in the comm room froze for a moment.  They had been at this for hours now, and had almost given up on the plan.  Now that they had gotten a response, it took them all a moment to register it.

Summer sent a command to Lio, who opened his mouth and began speaking.  “About damn time,” he said irritably.  “I need you to guide me in.  I had to borrow this ship from Jasan and it does not have the decoders for the Blind Sight system.”

“Why didn’t you get the locals to tell you where I am?” the voice asked.

Lio snorted.  “Those tall skinny, blue things without brains?” he asked contemptuously.  “According to them, you don’t exist.  Evidently they lied to me.”

“Ah, did they?” the voice asked.

“Perhaps I shall go back down there and teach them some manners,” Lio said with a hint of amusement in his voice.

“No,” the voice said at once.  “I have no desire to have the Li-Hach searching for the reason their crops have been destroyed.“

“That is unfortunate,” Lio said.  “I am yearning for something to destroy.  I have not had a good week.  Now how about those coordinates?  Or shall I head off for Seti Rendora with your special package instead?”

“You have my package?” the voice asked, clearly excited now.

 “Of course,” Lio replied.  “I bring yours, and one of my own.”

“Very well,” the voice said.  “Come on down Lio, but be certain that there are only the three of you.  I would not want any unpleasant misunderstandings.”

“No problem,” Lio said easily.  “I will have one crew member pilot the shuttle down, drop me and the females in a ground-car, and then return to the ship.  Will that suffice or must I pilot the shuttle myself?”

“And risk all of your lives?” the voice said with amusement.  “I know what a terrible pilot you are, Lio.  I think you best let someone else handle the shuttle.”

“I do not need your insults,” Lio said coldly.  “I’ve spent hours trying to raise you, and I grow bored.  Perhaps I shall go to Seti Rendora after all.”

“You are so touchy, Lio,” the voice replied.  “I’ve sent the coordinates to your ship.  For your sake, you better really have what you say.”  The connection closed and Summer took a deep breath and blew it out shakily.

“Well, that worked,” she said. 

“Yes, it did,” Maxim agreed.  

“How much time do we have?”

Maxim turned to Ran.  “About two hours before we are in position to reasonably launch the shuttle.”

“That’s not very much time,” Maxim said.

“It’s enough,” Summer said.  “Don’t worry Maxim, I know I can do this.”

“I know you can as well,” he replied.  “I have every faith in you.  But it is very difficult to let you walk into danger without us.  I don’t know how we are going to be able to do it when the time comes.”

“It’s the only way Maxim,” Summer said patiently.  “You know that.  We cannot get through that security by force without a long battle, and that risks the lives of the women held prisoner down there.  Not to mention the high probability of drawing the attention of the Li-Hach.  Our presence here in a military ship could trigger a diplomatic incident.  An ugly one.  A sneak attack is our best chance.  As soon as we are close enough to the compound for me to sense the computer systems, I can start shutting them down.  It’ll be easy.  We’ve already proven that.”

Maxim grinned ruefully.  She had completely disabled two shuttles and three ground-cars before they had conceded her ability.  He had no idea what it was going to take to fix them, but he had a feeling it was going to be expensive.  Not that he cared.  It was worth it for him to be certain she could do what she planned.

“The only thing I’m worried about is how to hide the katana,” she said.  Maxim smiled.

Chapter
39

“Darleen, which would be more like Lio?” Summer asked as they prepared to climb into the ground-car on the shuttle.  “Would he prefer to drive himself, or would he have one of us do it?”

“Definitely one of us driving,” Darleen said.  “He likes being waited on.  We should both sit in the front seat and he should sit in the center of the back seat.”