Shades of Gray (24 page)

“Stay alert,” he warned them as the elevator came to a stop. “Don’t take it for granted that everyone is immobilized. The guards might well be carrying gas masks and be alerted to our presence.”

The elevator opened onto a ten-foot circular corridor. Directly opposite it was the door to the command office. The corridor to the only elevator accessing the actual weather platform lay just beyond it, as did the last of the guards. Two air lock irises gave it added security.

“Banner, Khadui, J’korrash, take the office. The rest of you, with me as planned,” he ordered as he thumbed the door open, rifle poised in case anyone waited outside.

The corridor was clear except for a huddled form lying near the open office doorway.

Banner darted forward, closely followed by J’korrash and Khadui. While he bent to check the prone body, they checked out the inside of the office.

“Empty,” they confirmed, moments later.

“This one’s out cold,” confirmed Banner, standing up.

Kusac and the others emerged, making their way slowly to the air lock at the entrance to the corridor.

“M’kou, stay with me. Banner, take your unit and check the rest of the level,” he ordered, taking up a covered position to one side of the air lock as M’kou passed him to take the other side.

Their search was rapid and confirmed that all other staff members on duty had been rendered unconscious like the one in the main corridor.

“Ready?” asked Kusac as he prepared to thumb open the iris.

“Ready,” confirmed Banner and M’kou.

The iris petals wound back silently into their frame, revealing the prone body of another of the gene-altered guards.

“One down, one to go,” muttered J’korrash.

“All clear below,” Tirak’s voice murmured inside Kusac’s helmet as he made the first of his regular updates.

“Copy,” Kusac replied as they silently covered the twelve feet to the next iris.

Taking up the same positions, they repeated the procedure. Once again, they met the slumped figure of one of the guards.

Bending down, Kusac set his rifle to stun and at close range zapped the guard where he lay. “Banner, go back, do the same to the other one. I’m not taking any chances,” he said. “The way that one on the lower level withstood the gas had me worried. They might throw off the effects too soon.”

“How can they?” J’korrash asked. “With the gas in the life-support system, it’s a constant feed into their air supply until we turn it off.”

“Kusac’s right,” said Banner, reluctantly. “One mistake could see us all dead.”

“Blue One, elevator area is clear. Send Annuur and Naacha up now, and two people to cover the corridor.”

“Acknowledged, Red One.”

By the time the two unarmored Cabbarans arrived in the company of Manesh and Sheeowl, they had the elevator door open and waiting for them.

“We’ll need to go up in two trips. You sure you can handle the weather controls if need be until Emperor Zsurtul arrives?” asked Kusac.

“Affirmative, Captain,” said Annuur, trotting past them into the elevator. “Naacha, you come next. I go this trip. Will take a few minutes to scan the system, discover how it differs, then we can take over. If any damage, can repair, but longer that will take us.”

“Let’s just make sure there’s no damage,” said Banner, joining him.

“Agreed,” said Kusac as he, followed by J’korrash, Noolgoi, Jayza, and M’kou, got in with them.

 

As the elevator door opened, they came face-to-face with yet two more of the leather-clad guards.

Jumping to the front of his Primes, Kusac fired instantly, keeping the trigger depressed for several seconds. An arc of energy lanced from his rifle to first one then the other of the two guards, felling them. Beside him, he caught sight of Banner doing the same as his weapon sprayed the room beyond them.

Only one of the guards got off a shot, but crushed together as they were in the elevator, it couldn’t miss.

Kusac felt the blast hit him in the chest and staggered slightly backward, but the special coating on his armor deflected it—to Banner.

Cursing himself for growing sloppy and not checking the room out mentally first, he let go of the trigger and scanned the room beyond. No more guards, only one dead and smoking corpse in front of the central control banks and four terrified scientists crouching under their desks. His heart still racing, it took him a couple of deep breaths before it began to beat more normally.

“Vartra’s bones,” Banner swore quietly as Kusac turned to see that his friend was all right. “Where in L’Shoh’s name did they come from? I’m fine,” he said, waving Kusac’s concern aside. “Thank the Gods the Primes put Sholan coatings on our suits, though!”

A faint wisp of smoke hovered over the control bank, and the section beyond began to spark.

“Annuur, get onto that,” snapped Kusac, stepping out into the room. “M’kou, speak to them. Reassure them, tell them why we’re here. Noolgoi, get Naacha up here on the double! We have damage to the weather system! J’korrash, see to the comms. Make sure no one can contact K’oish’ik without our permission.”

“Aye, sir!”

“You jumped in front of us,” said M’kou, following him. “Why, Captain?”

“Our suits have reflective coatings that absorb most of the damage from energy weapons,” he said, going over to check on the dead guards. “It wears down, of course, but I knew your armor couldn’t take a point-blank shot like that. And we had Annuur with us. See if you can find some kind of fire extinguisher, Jayza. Put him out. Then find some cupboard—they must have some—to stow him and get the air changed in here,” he said, standing up. “The smell must be appalling.”

“Aye, Captain.”

KEZULE was waiting for them in the docking bay when the shuttle from the
Soohibo
, the Touiban’s primary drop ship, landed.

“It’ll be good to see the General again,” said Zsurtul as he and Valden waited at the air lock with Kaid, Dzaka, Garras, and Jurrel.

“I’m sure it will,” murmured Kaid.

The air lock opened, and they began to move down the ramp. Kaid’s first impression was one of organized chaos. From several directions he could hear the hiss and spit of welding torches; people and machines bustled about, loading the one-person fighters into launching gantries set at either side of the bay. No one cast even so much as a curious glance in their direction.

Standing nearby was a shuttle where a small unit of black-clad guards waited, General Kezule prominent in their center. Unlike them, Kezule and his escort were unarmored and unarmed.

At the General’s signal, they marched crisply forward, stopping some ten feet from the end of the ramp. Springing to attention, they saluted Kaid as Kezule, accompanied by two people, one obviously female, stepped forward to greet them.

Kezule inclined his head in a respectful gesture to Zsurtul.

“Enlightened One,” he said. “My condolences on the death of your father. He will be avenged, I promise you. Meanwhile, we welcome you and your companions to the
N’zishok
.”

Slightly startled, Zsurtul glanced obliquely at Kaid, as if for reassurance. Kaid merely flicked an ear at him.

“Thank you, General Kezule,” Zsurtul said, his tone a little uncertain. “It’s good to see you again. I don’t want any ceremony. Please, have your people stand at ease. This is my friend Valden. I think you know the others.”

Kezule gestured, and the honor guard relaxed. “As you wish, Prince Zsurtul. It is good to see you again—and looking so well, if I might say. This is my daughter, Lieutenant Zhalmo, who’s been assigned to you as your personal bodyguard. And my son, Head of our Security, Lieutenant M’zynal.”

Kaid realized he wasn’t alone in picking up the Prince’s instant interest in Zhalmo as the young male stepped forward and took hold of her hand in a very courtly way.

“My bodyguard?” Zsurtul said, smiling and bowing. “Hard to think of one so beautiful performing such a lethal function.”

“A necessary one, Highness,” said Zhalmo, trying to look anywhere but at the Prince as the color of her face darkened in obvious embarrassment.

Kaid watched, shocked to find himself as amused as Kezule.

“Kaid, we meet again,” Kezule said, breaking the silence as Zsurtul finally let go of Zhalmo’s hand.

He glanced briefly at Carrie, giving her a nod and saying, “I remember you,” before turning his attention to Dzaka.

“We met on Shola, in my Liege’s house,” said Dzaka, his voice chilly.

“My son, Dzaka,” said Kaid. “And Jurrel, another of our Brothers.”

“The young warrior I took prisoner along with the child,” said Kezule. “You have my apologies and my respect, for what it’s worth. I took no pleasure in taking either of you hostage. It was a necessary action at the time. I’m sure if the positions had been reversed, you’d have done the same. You remained a worthy adversary, Dzaka, just like that young female of yours.”

“Enough of this idle chat,” said Kaid, breaking into their conversation.

“Time grows short,” agreed Kezule, glancing back at him. “I see you’re all armored. Kusac left suits for you and Carrie. They’re from the
Venture
. Prince Zsurtul, if you’ll accompany Zhalmo and M’zynal to the armory at the rear of this bay, they have a suit waiting for you.”

“Valden, you and Jurrel help Dzaka load the tunnel remotes on our shuttle. I’ll go with the Prince,” said Carrie as Zsurtul and Valden began to walk off.

“We’ll stick to the suits we have,” said Kaid.

“They have Prime modifications, including their style of helmet,” said Kezule.

“The ones with the faceplate filter that causes nausea when others look at it?” Kaid’s attention had been caught, despite himself.

“The same,” agreed Kezule, gesturing to the shuttle. “Shall we talk in there while we wait for Prince Zsurtul? I can have the suits brought to the shuttle for you.”

Kaid considered it as he followed the General.

“I’m hardly about to sabotage the suits of my allies, Kaid, not when I need their continued help.”

“Have them sent over,” he said as they began to walk up the ramp. He didn’t want Kezule doing him any favors—even if the suits belonged to them anyway.

Kaid waited until they were in the passenger area before giving vent to his anger. “You had no right to have Kusac tortured!” he snarled as Kezule sat down in one of the seats.

“I didn’t torture him, and he tried to kill me.”

“You kept him and his son hostage!” Kaid loomed over Kezule, ears flattened to his skull in a show of anger that was just short of how he really felt.

“No. I kept Shaidan hostage for a short time. I needed Kusac’s help, Kaid, and he wouldn’t have given it willingly. None of you would have. Don’t forget that I also rescued all your children and released the rest of them to Kusac.”

“That doesn’t excuse what you did!”

“On the contrary, what I did was totally justified. He tried to kill me, and though he failed, he did succeed in shooting my son with one of those drug pellets. His crew was making illegal and potentially lethal weapons, obviously with his knowledge. I did what any rational commander would have done. I held Kusac responsible for his own actions and those of his crew, and I punished him accordingly.”

Kaid’s hand closed on the headrest of Kezule’s seat, his powered gloves puncturing the cover as he clenched his hand. “He’d just been shot and seriously wounded in the leg with a pulse rifle,” he said, lowering his voice. “You could have killed him. Banner told me what that tape held—you could still have caused him incalculable mental damage!”

“He was unconscious within minutes of the tape beginning—I know because he was being constantly monitored.”

Kezule hit Kaid’s arm aside and stood up, almost nose-to-nose with him. “Do you take me for a fool, Kaid? I needed Kusac alive, but I had to punish him! I couldn’t touch his crew, that would have been unjust—they were only following his orders!”

“When you two are done posturing and threatening each other, maybe I can get to the point you’ve missed, Kaid,” said Carrie from behind them.

Both males turned their heads to look at her.

“Where is Kusac’s son?” she demanded. “Hand him over to us now!”

“His son is safe with my daughter and wife,” said Kezule. “Kusac left him in our care, I can’t give him to you.”

“I don’t believe you,” said Kaid automatically.

“You’ll see Kusac at the Orbital,” said Kezule. “You can ask him yourself then. What would I gain from lying to you? I need your help and your trust to regain our world for Zsurtul. Kusac has given me his. Do you think I would risk all that for spite?”

Kaid reluctantly stepped back, letting his arms fall to his sides. “You’re right,” he said, forcing back his anger. “You’re many things, Kezule, but not foolish. I apologize for doubting your word.” The words almost stuck in his throat.

“Understandable, under the circumstances,” murmured Kezule, glancing around at Carrie standing behind him. “I trust you’re satisfied too? Or will you once again threaten to rip the knowledge from my mind?”

Without warning, Carrie’s armored fist flew out, landing Kezule a whack on the side of his jaw.

“Don’t you ever,” she ground out, a snarl of rage in her voice as she cranked her arm back for a second blow, “touch
any
of my cubs again!”

Kaid barely took in what was happening before Kezule had recovered his balance from the first blow and had grasped hold of her fist in his hand, pinioning it there and effectively holding her still.

“Burn it!” the Valtegan swore, putting his other hand to his bleeding mouth. “You Sholans have too much emotion at times! Much as I deserved your anger, Madam Aldatan, I didn’t deserve that! I never harmed your cub!”

“Carrie! In Vartra’s name, stop it!” exclaimed Kaid, grabbing for her as she struggled against Kezule’s grip.