The Bright Black Sea (124 page)

I looked at him grimly, and said. 'Tell her I'm sorry
for all the trouble.'

'And it won't happen again?' he added.

'That depends on Vinden,' I replied.

He just sighed again, and grinned. 'I don't quite get
you, Skipper. It's all safe and secure, and you strike out and do
something remarkably foolish.'

'Sometimes you get so Neb-blasted unlucky that you
just have to, I guess.'

Just ask D'Lay and Nun.

03

I was napping in the longboat. I thought I'd best
sleep inside the boat with its entry hatch, set to admit only crew
members. No point sleeping where accidents could happen.

'Wake up, Wil,' said Molaye out of the dimness beside
me.

'What's wrong?' I asked, as I came to. Something had
to be.

'Your prisoner's gone.'

'Gone?' That wasn't possible. You can't break out of
stasis.''

She didn't.'

'Then how?' I demanded, reaching for my boots on the
bulkhead beside me. 'Oh...'

'Right. Taken. I was making my rounds and found the
storeroom's latch had been forced and the pod empty.'

As I slipped on my boots and stood, I felt a heavy
coldness in my chest, as if I'd taken a full breath of dark cold
space. I'd made an error. A fatal error. A carelessly fatal error.
I'd lost a life through neglect.

I hadn't the breath to curse, hardly the breath to
breathe, as I pulled myself through the overhead hatch to the
access tube that connected the longboat to the
Raven
, and
down the long passage to the engine room. It was the sixth watch
onboard, so the ship was dark and quiet. Whoever was not on shore
leave was sleeping. The on leave members might be anywhere, but
they knew enough to stay clear of ship during the sixth watch. We
reached the storage room. The latch on the door-panel had been
crudely cut out – likely with a plasma knife – from the outside. I
touched the scarred area around the twisted latch – it was cold.
Stepping into the dark room, the light came on to reveal the
sleeper-pod open and empty, still lashed to crates, just as we'd
left it. There was no sign of a struggle.

'It seems they came to take, not kill her,' said
Molaye.

'Not here. Vinden...' I muttered, my guts churning
with anger, It seemed so obvious now. I'd been so careless. So
stupid.

'Do you know who came onboard?'

'No. The airlocks are all open, people coming and
going. I'd been busy seeing the last box to the quay and was making
my rounds before finding a corner to nap in, when I discovered
this. Whoever did it timed it well.' she replied.

I stood and stared at the empty pod, attempting to
order my thoughts. They all returned to the simple fact that my
careless mistake killed someone. Someone I rather cared for.

'Are you all right, Wil?' asked Molaye, a minute or
two later, I suppose.

'No,' That question was simple enough to answer.

'Is there anything I can do? Turn out the crew?
Organize a search party?'

I shook my head. 'Too late. And even if we could
follow the trail, it'd lead to Vinden. And I've been told, in no
uncertain terms, that he's too powerful to defy again. He can do as
he pleases. Only the fact that he's passing Min off as the rightful
Empress, whom he is, in theory, subservient to, keeps him slightly
in check. And well, making a fuss over an agent of the enemy will
make me suspect as well. My hands are tied.

'I failed. I was too careless and too casual and left
my prisoner where she could easily be gotten at. I knew Vinden
would seek some revenge, but I assumed it would be directed at me –
that it would stay between the two of us. I'm not cut out for this
sort of struggle. I can't play this game...'

I turned away. She said nothing. What could she
say?

'I've been very lucky. We've found ourselves in some
pretty Neb-damned tight spots and we've gotten out alive and
uninjured. I've never had to deal with the dark side of
responsibility – until now. I've leaned on luck and Botts far too
much. Let this be a lesson, Molaye. Don't make the mistake I did
and rely on luck. You never want to be in my shoes, especially when
you didn't do everything you possibly could've done to avoid
this.'

'You took precautions, Wil...'

'Obviously not enough. I clearly underestimated
Vinden's dispatch, determination and cunning. He quickly found a
way to strike back at me that only strengthens his position. It
shows who has the power, and who doesn't.'

'Well, who's to say Vinden's behind this? If he
wanted her dead, why kidnap her? A couple of darts here would've
done the job,' said Molaye, just to help me cope, I suspect.

I closed my eyes. 'Perhaps he wants to interrogate
her.' It wasn't the only explanation, however. This was revenge,
after all, and I'm certain Vinden would extract the full measure of
it. And taunt me with it, whenever he chose to.

'The other explanation is that someone else freed
her. A companion agent, or agents. If one agent can stowaway, why
not two? Or a dozen? They may've freed her,' said Molaye. 'Why
not?'

I was pretty certain that Cin was operating alone,
but that was, I admit, a guess. 'Why would a partner free her now?
That would only tip us off that there's a second agent on the
loose...'

'Unless it doesn't matter anymore.'

I gave Molaye a searching look.

'Mission accomplished. They're pulling their agents
out...' she said quietly. She didn't believe it. I didn't believe
it. Perhaps it was her way of pointing out that I couldn't have it
both ways – I couldn't protect both Min and Cin.

What could I do? I needed to do something, even if it
was too late.

'I'm going over to the flagship,' I said, and started
back for the long passage up to the hangar.

'You're not going to do anything foolish, are you
Wil?'

'Of course not. You know I'm a cautious fellow. I'm
just going to report what happened, and make a mild objection. I
certainly should be able to do that without raising any
eyebrows...'

She gave me a look. 'Don't let your anger make you do
something foolish, Wil.'

'I'm only angry with myself, Molaye.' I replied, 'I'd
best get dressed and report this.'

I threw on my uniform and made my way back down to
the engine room airlock and out on to the hull. The
Raven
was still anchored across the entry to the cavern. We had one box
left onboard, but that one was staying. I was told it contained
small arms for our eventual recruits. The Pela was , as always,
bright, lush and full of flitting, flying life, untouched by my
cold, dark despair. I walked across the short stretch of hull to
the stern mooring line and pulled myself across to the island.

There was a guard, now, at the end of the flagship's
gangplank, but he recognized me and let me pass with a nod. The
deck officer met me as I stepped onto the forward deck.

'Can I help you, Captain?' he asked.

'I'm here to see the Empress,' I replied.

'This is their rest watch, sir. I will note that you
called, and inform the Admiral when he awakes.'

'Are you the officer in charge? Or is there someone
above you. I need to report to someone in authority,' I said,
keeping my anger in check. Barely. I was, after all, captain of the
Raven
, and by all rights, no one should have taken the
prisoner without going through me. I'd every right to kick about
not following proper procedures, at least. This was the Neb-blasted
navy, after all.

'Captain Lil'dre is in charge.'

'Take me to him.'

'Can I ask what this is about, Captain?'

'No, you can't, Sub-captain. Just show me to Captain
Lil'dre. Now,' I snapped, with a little of my anger leaking
out.

He turned without a word and I followed him across
the deck to the central deckhouse and up the steep ladder to its
second level, just under the grating and along the narrow gangway
until we reached the center door. He knocked, and waited until he
was told to enter and opened the door, to announce me. I strode
through the door, not waiting for an invite.

'Captain Lil'dre,' I said, and turning to the duty
officer, gave him a nod to dismiss him. He glanced to Lil'dre, and
closed the door behind him.

'What can I do for you, Captain?' Lil'dre asked from
behind a large desk.

'I'm here to report that my ship has been boarded by
persons unknown. They broke into a sealed storeroom and without my
consent or proper authority, kidnapped my prisoner. I assume,
Captain, that the Empress's Navy does not operate like some
freelance pirate band, and that things are done according to
regulations. Indeed, I believe I've been supplied with a volume of
just such regulations. I don't believe sneaking aboard a ship and
kidnapping a prisoner is an approved operating procedure.'

He leaned back in his chair, watching me closely
under his heavy lidded eyes, 'We're talking about the assassin, are
we not?' he asked.

'Yes.'

He paused before answering very carefully, 'It is my
understanding that the person was, according to you, outside of
naval authority, and that the whole affair was a private one. Is
that correct?'

'Yes. But we're not talking about that. What I am
reporting, and objecting to, is my ship being boarded and my
prisoner kidnapped.'

'Do you know for a fact that it was done by naval
personnel? As of yet, none of Prince Imvoy's or the Empress's staff
have been sworn into the Empress's Navy. So unless it was done by
naval personnel, I'm pretty sure we're not dealing with a naval
matter. Can you prove naval personnel were involved?'

'I don't know who was involved, but I know that...' I
bit back accusing Vinden,. It would do no good, and could get very
iffy even if I had proof, which I didn't. Instead, I decided to use
Molaye's theory to see if I could light a little fire under Captain
Lil'dre – mostly, I'll admit, out of spite and anger.

'But?' he prompted, smugly.

'But,' I continued, putting my hands on the desk and
leaning over it. 'I do know that we cannot rule out the possibility
that my prisoner was freed by an associate. We've no way of knowing
how many agents were sent on this mission, do we? If one can
stowaway aboard Prince Imvoy's ship, so could two, six or a dozen.
There's been no security to speak of here, so it's entirely
possible that there's a second enemy agent in our midst. And
perhaps more.'

'You don't know that...' he began.

'Of course I don't,' I snapped. 'That's my point. I
do know, however, that they'd not spring the prisoner and thus, tip
us off that they existed, unless their mission has been
accomplished. When was the last time you saw Prince Imvoy, or the
Empress?' I said, and growing ever more passionate. 'Can you
guarantee that the Empress and Prince are alive as we speak? Or
perhaps it's something altogether different. Who knows what signals
they sent coming in from the outside. Radio waves travel great
distances in space. They could've been sending signals all the way
in, so that the Cimmadar navy could be bearing down on this island
even as we speak...'

The door burst open behind me, sending in a shaft of
light. 'Sir, the distant sentries are blowing battle stations!'
exclaimed the breathless deck officer.

We stared at the duty officer, at a loss for words at
his uncanny intervention. We could hear the faint sound of a
trumpet blowing an energetic tune. Could Molaye have been right? A
dart of fear twisted the knot in my guts even tighter than my anger
had it tied.

Lil'dre rocketed to his feet, swung around, and
opening a door in the back bulkhead leading to a steep flight of
stairs to the wheelhouse, bellowed, 'What are the outpost and guard
ship reporting?'

'They report sighting a large horde of talon-hawks,
sir. The vanguard of the horde is approaching as we speak, sir,'
replied the unseen officer from the bridge above.

'Gather your crew members and unmoor your ship,'
snapped Lil'dre. 'Get it clear of the cavern mouth. I'll need to
position my ship across it to defend the base. We've only a few
minutes before the talon-hawks start arriving. They attack anything
that moves, so if any of your crew can't get to your ship in the
next few minutes they should take shelter in the base or on one of
our ships. There's no time to waste! There'll be thousands of the
beasts here shortly.'

'Right,' I said, and dashed out the open door as the
ship's sirens began to wail, calling the sailors to battle
stations.

Lil'dre followed me and bellowed 'Unmoor the ship!'
as I flew down the ladder to the deck, joining a rush of sailors,
on the gangplank hurrying to unmoor the ship.

I opened my com link to all my shipmates as I ran
with the pack down the narrow plank, 'We're about to come under
attack by a horde of beasties called talon-hawks. I'm not exactly
sure just what they are, but it's battle stations aboard the
flagship. Everyone needs to return to the
Raven
immediately.
If you can't make it within the next few minutes, take shelter in
the base or one of the ships. Report in so we can account for
you.

'Molaye, we need to unmoor the
Raven
.The
Indomitable
wants to defend the entrance. See to the bow
line, I'll attend the stern line.'

'Aye, Captain,' replied Molaye.

'Hey, Skipper,' said Riv over the com link as soon as
I finished talking. 'Sar, a couple of Cims, and I are on the far
side of the island, half an hour away from base. My Cim mates say
the main horde is still aways off, but the advanced scouts will be
around shortly. They're nasty beasties, so we'll likely have to
fight our way back. It may take us awhile to get to base.'

'No. Wait. Don't even try,' I replied, fighting a
growing sense of dark panic. 'We'll send a boat to pick you up. Do
you have someplace where you can take shelter?'