Phantom of the Wind (24 page)

“What did you do with the runabouts?” Kendall asked.

“Dispensed them to deserving individuals among the Alliance,” Paton answered for Quinn. He struck his chest with his thumb. “I got one of them.”

“Who owns Tappas Industries?” Kendall queried.

Quinn shrugged. “I have no idea, but I’ve heard he is
an Ghearmáin
. You may be on to something,
Lhiannan
. He could be
an Spáinneach
.”

“Obviously we were being singled out,” Paton said. “Did whoever was on the
an Spáinneach
ship think we’d break off and run after them?”

“Apparently so,” Quinn replied. He was watching Shannon who was yawning, his eyelids drooping. “Ian, when did you last sleep?”

The navigational officer opened his eyes wide. “Sir, I don’t remember,” he answered.

“He has taken up with one of the Burgon’s ex-concubines,” Fenella called out.

“Where is the lady now?” Quinn asked.

“In my quarters, Cap’n,” Shannon replied.

Quinn exchanged a look with Kendall. “How ‘bout you and me swapping quarters for a while?” the Phantom asked. “And let Dougie take over for you. Being asleep at the wheel ain’t good.”

Those on the bridge studiously avoided looking at their captain. It was apparent they all understood what was being asked.

“It would be my pleasure, Sir,” Shannon was quick to say. He winked at Douglas.

“Then go to your lady, slap some clean sheets on your bunk and then take your new friend to my quarters. I had the linens on my bed changed yesterday and no one’s slept on them,” Quinn told his navigational officer. He glanced at Xavier. “Change the entry codes on the doors accordingly, Morgan.”

Xavier was biting his lip to keep from smiling. He nodded and set about doing as he was told.

“Well done, Sir,” Paton said with a chuckle.

“Get bent,” Quinn replied sweetly.

“Message coming in at last from the
Sekkeen
,” Douglas reported.

“That’s a relief. On screen.”

The Burgon’s tired face appeared on the large screen. “Quinn, I’d like to see you over on my ship. Prince Ayo will be joining us.”

“Aye, Your Excellency,” Quinn replied. “On my way.”

Nodding, Ryden Bakari ended the connection between the two ships.

“He looks awful,” Kendall commented.

“I’d look that way if I’d lost you,” Quinn told her. He got up from the command chair, reached out to take his wife’s hand and kissed her upturned wrist. “Why don’t you have Fen take you down to our new quarters? I’ll join you there when I come back.”

* * * * *

Ayo Taborn appeared only seconds after Quinn on the
Sekkeen’s
transporter pad. The dark man was scowling. “I tried hailing you but you were blocking my transmissions, pretty boy. What the hell was the meaning of that?” he demanded.

“I’ll explain when we speak to the Burgon so I don’t have to do so twice,” Quinn said. “Something is definitely rotten in Virago.”

“What has Virago to do with anything?” Ayo asked.

Quinn sighed. “It’s just an expression,” he replied.

“You and your stupid Cengusian expressions,” Ayo complained as the two men followed a guard to the Burgon’s private quarters.

Their escort stopped at the Burgon’s door and announced them. The door shushed open and the guard stood aside to allow Quinn and Ayo to enter—the door slid closed behind them.

“Take a seat, gentlemen,” the Burgon said. He was sitting in a swivel chair that was turned so he could survey the dark heavens beyond his ship. In his hand was a snifter of flamed-colored liquid. “Atkins, pour a libation for my guests. Chrystallusian plum brandy for Lord Quinn and
tangomanji
wine for Prince Ayo.”

A cybot stood off to one side of the room and it bowed before going over to the bar to do as it was bid.

“I enjoy
tangomanji
,” the Burgon observed. “Very refreshing, but then again I’ve always liked iced watermelon.”

“I will send you a case of it from my cousin’s winery,” Ayo offered. “It is the best to be found in Necroman.”

“I would like that,” the Emperor of the Alliance said.

With their refreshments in hand, Quinn and Ayo took a sip, waiting for the Burgon to tell them why he had sent for them.

“Diabolusia has decided to stay out of this,” the Burgon said. “Once their king realized ninety percent of his galaxy was against the attack on Aduaidh Prime I suppose he reasoned it was not to his advantage.”

“Cowards,” Ayo said with a sniff. “Don’t trust them, Your Excellency.”

“Oh I don’t,” the Burgon said, swiveling his chair around to face them. “The other countries involved are
an Ghearmáin
, Diewan and Jabal of the Federated Moons of Rysalia and Astráil.”

“All places prominently in league with Tappas Industries,” Quinn said.

The Burgon frowned. “Tappas?”

“My lady-wife has a theory,” Quinn said. “She believes TI is behind the attack on your palace. I believe that attack was meant to lure me back from Theristes.”

“Don’t we think highly of ourselves?” Ayo asked in a droll tone.

Quinn set his snifter of brandy on the table beside his chair and sat forward, his fingers threaded together between his knees. “Ayo tried to reach me a while ago but all transmission to my ship was being blocked. We tried reaching you as well as the
Camara
but couldn’t get through.”

“We weren’t blocking your transmissions,” the Burgon stated.

“No, but an
an Spáinneach
ship was.”

Ayo’s eyes widened. “From where?” he asked. “My crew did not tell me we had a Coalition ship close by!”

Quinn explained to the Burgon and Ayo what had occurred on his ship and the reason he believed he’d been singled out.

“How do we find out who owns Tappas Industries?” Ayo questioned, his dark face set and hard.

“We have a spy within Morrison’s office and normally I could contact that person, but right now it would be dangerous,” the Burgon explained. “But I can contact Ben-Alkazar. He will know.”

“You do not believe the Dahrenian Admiral is involved, do you?” Ayo asked.

“No,” the Burgon and Quinn said at the same time.

“And I am sure he is livid that Diewan and Jabal have thrown in with what Morrison is calling the New Coalition.”

“If a New Coalition has been organized, the High Council will not take it lightly,” the Burgon said. “A New Alliance won’t be as forgiving as the old one was to those who stand against us.”

“Fool,” Ayo called Morrison.

“You say this mystery ship tried to lure you away from us with a call for help?” the Burgon asked. “Do you believe they will try again?”

“Perhaps not in the same way, but if catching me is their plan, I’m sure they’ll try something else.”

“Equally stupid, no doubt,” Ayo said with a snort.

“No, I think it will be a more carefully thought-out plan,” Quinn said. “They must realize we saw through their first ploy. The second won’t be as tactless.”

“Quinn’s right,” the Burgon agreed. “But the next time around, you need to engage them. I want whoever is behind this, and I want the pleasure of lopping his head from his neck with my new scytheblade.”

“You have joined the Order of Taibhse?” Ayo asked, awe rife through his voice. “I already had much admiration for you, Your Excellency. Now I am envious!” He turned to his childhood friend. “Why have you never sponsored me for membership, Phantom?”

“We’ve been through this before. It takes finesse with a sword to even be considered for membership in the Order, Ayo,” Quinn said with a long sigh. “All you know how to do is slash and chop. You’d maim yourself with a scytheblade with the way you thrash about in battle.”

Ayo’s eyes narrowed. “Impudent,” he labeled Quinn. “Impudent and uppity!”

The Burgon laughed for the first time since he lost his wife. He drained his glass of Chalean brandy then held the snifter out to his ‘bot for more. “Leveche has gone after the Jabalan ships—there are five of them—and Cosaint sent word he’s taking on the lone Astráil ship and will then go after the Diewanian. Taegin Drae and Cair Ghrian are standing by should Leveche need them. That leaves the
an Ghearmáin
fleet.”

“How many are in that fleet?” Ayo asked.

“We can account for twelve, but if this mystery ship of Quinn’s isn’t in that count, then we’re looking at thirteen.” He thanked the ‘bot then laid his head on the back of his chair. “I had planned on the three of us seeking out the
an Ghearmáinachs
.”

“But now?” Quinn pressed.

“I think you should leave yourself open for your mystery ship to draw you out,” the Burgon said. “If Kendall is right and the man behind this is on that ship or maybe even on the
Raptor
—which we haven’t been able to locate and this might be why—I want him. We’ll set our own trap for the bastard.”

“If this is the owner of Tappas Industries, I’ve cost him a lot of money over the last several years,” Quinn said. “My guess is he was on the
Raptor
and itching to get his hands on me. That’s why Morrison came to intercept the
Borstal
.”

“I imagine you’re right,” the Burgon said. “And now Mr. X is even more determined to catch you.”

“Give us the coordinates for the
an Ghearmáinach
ships and we’ll separate. Chances are the mystery ship will come after the
Lhong Shee
,” Quinn said.

“We need to coordinate this, but if they have a way to block our transmissions to one another, it will be hard for us to stay in contact,” the Burgon reminded them.

“All the more reason to believe Tappas Industries is behind all this,” Ayo said. “They would have the newest technologies that aren’t incorporated on Alliance ships.”

“That makes sense,” Quinn agreed.

“I am sorry I had to draw you back into this, Quinn,” the Burgon said. “You’ve given enough and suffered enough. I had hoped you could find peace on Theristes.”

“It’s not your fault, Your Excellency,” Quinn replied. “My loyalty is to you and the Alliance.”

“All right,” the Burgon said, brushing away the telltale moisture that had gathered in his eyes. “Head back to your ships and I’ll send the coordinates over for the twelve ships we know about. Pick four you want to go after and let my navigational officer know. We’ll split up and head after our targets. As soon as Cosaint, Drae, Leveche and Ghrian are finished playing around with their own targets, I’ll have them rendezvous with the
Sekkeen
. We’ll take things from there.” He clutched his hand into a fist. “I’m going to end this war once and for all.”

Chapter Nine

2208 CMT

“He apologized for having to bring me back from Theristes,” Quinn told Kendall as they lay on the bed they were now sharing. “He looked so tired and you could tell he was trying not to show his grief to us.”

“Did I tell you about the conversation he and I had after you and I split up?” she asked.

“No. Where was this?”

“He came to
an Iodáil
for a conference, and when he learned I was there at the medical institute made a point of coming by to see me, along with about a dozen of his personal bodyguards.” She smiled. “You can imagine what a hit I was with my fellow students when the Burgon himself showed up in class asking for a moment of my time.”

“He would have created quite a stir,” Quinn said.

“We walked outside on the quad—his guards at a safe distance behind us—and he asked how I was doing. He didn’t mention you and neither did I, but looking back on it now I think he wanted to reassure himself that I would be around when you came after me.”

“What makes you think that?”

“Oh it wasn’t so much what he said as the way he said it. He was on a fishing expedition, but at that time I didn’t realize that. He asked if I was seeing anyone and I told him I wasn’t, that I didn’t have time and that I wasn’t looking. He said that was wise for we never know what life has in store for us. He told me I should immerse myself in my job and allow Fate to do the rest.” She threaded her fingers through her husband’s.

“He knew how I felt about you,” Quinn said. “They all did. I know they hated to ask me to do what was needed, but the others—Cair, Ruan, Gabriel—they were already married to their ladies or had kingdoms to run. I was the only one they considered unencumbered.”

“I can see their reasoning,” she conceded.

“So what else did you and the Burgon talk about that day?”

“We talked about him having emptied his harem,” she said. “When he said it, I wondered why in the gods’ green world he felt he needed to tell me—of all people—but now I understand. He told me that he’d never once laid a hand to any of the women in his harem. Most of them were given to him as gifts or had been taken as hostages for their fathers’ good behavior.” She giggled. “I remember him saying something like—‘oh, here you go, Burgon, old man. Here’s another girl for you. Add her to your seraglio for she’s eating me out of hearth and home!’”

Quinn laughed. “I can hear him saying that.”

“He only wanted the Empress Anastasia. His second wife had been foisted off on him—his words, not mine—to avoid Aduaidh Prime going to war with Idimmu Prime. He slept with her once to consummate the Joining and in order to make it legal but never went back to her bed again.” Kendall shook her head. “Now it all makes perfect sense why he would have told me all that back then, but at the time I was confused and not a little bit unsure of his motives.”