The Marine's Queen (32 page)

Chapter Sixteen

“
I didn’t know what to do, Sentinel,” the familiar young sergeant said. He gestured helplessly at the other men standing behind him on the ransacked bridge. “Hadrason made sure we couldn’t follow them. Our life support system won’t last more than another hour.”

Joe didn’t recognize the emotions on the faces of the Giroux soldiers, but he sensed they waited for him to tell them what to do. He finally remembered the sergeant’s name. “You did what you could, Becker. You stayed alive so you could tell us what happened. Did Hadrason say anything about where they were taking the queen and Captain Sontu?”

Becker looked relieved. “Something about crystallized iron, sir.”

Fear slapped Joe. Riba and the baby, little Glory and dainty Grace, feisty Yalo and curious Acacia, all hiding on Crevan Four. Had Vin and the other marines had time to prepare?

“
What is it, Joe?” Edow had sent men to check the drive crystals and the other damage to the ship.

“
We have to go after them, Captain.”

“
Do you know where they went?”

Joe waved Edow and Becker over to the damaged star chart. He hated to give the location away but he had to have Edow’s help. He pointed to a spot on the very edge of the chart. “Crevan Four. Callie claimed it for Giroux a few days ago.”

Edow shook his head. “That’s beyond the jurisdiction of the Galactic Military.”

“
What does that mean?” Joe began calculating how far ahead Hadrason was and how soon he might arrive on the distant planet.

“
It means we can’t go there without permission from central command,” Edow answered.

“
You’re not going after them?” Joe was certain he hadn’t understood.

“
I’m going after them, but I have to ask permission.”

“
How long will that take?”

“
Not less than a day, I’m afraid.”

“
Captain Edow, there are women and children, citizens of Giroux, hiding on Crevan Four. They’ll be in as much danger as the queen. You must go.”

“
I will, just not right now.”

“
Give us a ship, and we’ll go,” Becker said. “There’s no silly rules holding us here, and Crevan Four is part of Giroux.”

“
I could give you one of the long distance shuttles we keep in our hold,” Edow said, his words hesitant. “I’ll come after you as soon as I get proper authorization.”

“
I must go with them,” Joe said.

“
I’m sorry. You’re my prisoner. I can’t let you fly off.”

“
Captain, I know Crevan Four. I helped the queen’s party settle there. There are four women and two children hiding in the middle of a large wasteland.”

Edow frowned and swung his gaze between Joe and the Giroux soldiers. “My career will be over if I let you escape.”

“
I’ll return, and if I’m killed Sergeant Becker will return my body to you.”

Edow took a deep breath, and then held out his hand. “Good hunting, Joe. I’d like to have that bastard Hadrason back alive if you can.”

Joe shook Edow’s hand, glad to know there were good men in the military.

“
If Hadrason hurt our queen, you’re likely to only get back pieces,” Becker vowed.

Joe agreed silently. There would be a blood bath if Callie was injured in any way.

* * * *

“
We can’t go out until the sun sets, Mr. Hadrason.” The man wiped large droplets of sweat from his flushed face. “It’ll cook us alive.”

Callie smiled and folded her arms across her chest. Wait until they tried to go out in the bitter cold night.

Hadrason’s thin lips turned down with his displeasure. “Where are the rest of the men? Didn’t you take a dozen with you?”

The man’s face turned even darker. “Some alien plant sprang from the sand and bit two of them. They died before we got back. The rest of them are trying to drink enough to recover from that hell-blasted heat.”

“
A plant bit them?”

Callie laughed out loud. “Just one of the many dangers on Crevan Four.”

Hadrason glared at her. “A minor setback. We’ll find your friends. How did you avoid all these supposed dangers? Where are they hiding?”

“
I guess we were smarter than you and your men.” Callie shaded her eyes and looked out the open side hatch. Her wrecked cruiser still sat in the blinding white sand, but the marine cruiser was gone. “I’m really not sure where my people are, they’re very resourceful.”

Callie suspected one of the marines watched them even now. Probably Vin. The marines had done a good job of hiding Haven. Hadrason’s expensively outfitted ship hadn’t spotted the settlement though they’d orbited the planet for almost a day. Finally they’d landed beside the crash site figuring the women wouldn’t have been able to travel far from the wreck.

“
Perhaps I should bring your captain out of the brig and play with him a little. You’d tell me what you know then.”

“
You’re wrong as usual. My captain and I are both willing to die to keep the citizens of Giroux from you.”

“
I let your crew live, and you promised cooperation in return.”

“
I cooperated for a time, and now the deal is off.”

“
You lied!” Hadrason shouted.

“
To you? Of course.” Callie hoped the stress was getting to him, but his virulent response frightened her. It seemed too near the edge of sanity.

“
We’ll see.” Hadrason leered at her. “I have infusions aboard that will make you willing to do whatever I order.”

Callie feared the drugs. Could they make her give up her friends? “I don’t know where my friends are. I told them when I left to stay hidden.”

“
How did you get off this planet? Your ship still sits where it crashed.”

“
A pirate ship came. We killed them and captured their ship.”

“
We? One marine and your women?”

“
Yes. We’re not helpless.”

Hadrason smiled in his disturbed way. “You are now.”

Callie turned and walked away from the open door. The full heat of the day had almost arrived. She heard Hadrason giving orders to his man for the pending night excursions. Let them try and search at night. Every man they lost to the elements would make one less to guard her and Jak. And one less to hunt for her friends.

The cold would claim a few of Hadrason’s goons, and she hoped the marines might take a few more.

* * * *

“
I didn’t know anyone could fly a ship so much faster than its specs and not explode into a million fragments,” Sergeant Becker said.

Joe didn’t know if the soldier intended a joke so he didn’t reply. He eased the craft between the mountain ridges. They cruised over a part of the planet he’d only speculated existed.

Below them bright sunlight sparkled off a deep, angry river. The red stone walls climbed nearly a quarter of a mile on both sides of the torrent. Hadrason’s sensors couldn’t detect them as they flew in the narrow valley.

Joe checked his controls. The low frequency beacon he sought blinked from the terrain map. As they neared it, the valley widened a bit. Thick forests grew on each side, crowding the river and spreading up the steep walls.

A small clearing opened in front of them just as Joe’s instruments told him he was on top of the beacon’s source. Joe picked up the hand mike. “Unon bless.’

“
Unon keep,” Kam answered.

Joe set the shuttle down, careful to avoid what looked like a small cultivated field. Had his men turned into farmers in the short time he’d been away? He released the hatch and put a restraining hand on Becker. “Let me go first.”

“
Can we be sure Hadrason isn’t waiting in ambush?” Becker looked out the front screen. “They could be hiding in that dense forest.”

“
They’re not.” Joe shut down the drive engines and walked toward the door.

“
How can you be sure, Sentinel?”

“
Because I see two of my men out there.”

Kam and Mak had heavy weapons trained on the shuttle from the shooting platforms they’d hid rather well in the trees. Most men wouldn’t have spotted them. Becker and the other Giroux men crowded around the front screen, staring at the dark woods.

Joe stepped outside, inhaling the fresh air of Crevan Four. The trees blocked enough of the sun’s intensity to allow life if not quite comfort.

“
Sir?” Kam stepped into the open, offering his hand.

“
You moved camp?” Joe shook Kam’s hand. “The women have been teaching you manners.”

Mak joined them and also held out his hand to shake Joe’s hand. “We found this valley after Vin and Yalo returned with supplies and the ship. Except for an invasion of rodents, it’s a real peaceful place. Too small for a permanent settlement, but a good fall back spot.”

“
About the manners?” Joe asked again. Both marines dropped their gazes from his.

Kam shrugged. “Figured it couldn’t hurt to study proper behavior, sir. We might leave here someday, and the women are confident their queen will clear our names.”

“
She won’t get the chance if we don’t get her away from Hadrason. Tell me what you know and where Vin and Roz are.”

“
Let’s go to the operations building, sir,” Mak suggested.

“
Good idea.” Joe called toward the shuttle for the Giroux soldiers. “Sergeant Becker, bring your men along and follow us.”

Becker hopped out of the shuttle, the weapon he’d borrowed from Edow in his fist. “Who are these men, Sentinel?”

Joe ignored the questioning looks from Kam and Mak. “These are the men who’ve been guarding your queen’s companions. You and your men can take over that duty now.”

Becker looked confused, but like a good soldier he followed orders. The operations building was the outermost of a small cluster of newly constructed huts.

“
Joe!” Glory screeched as she ran toward him.

Joe knelt and caught her against his chest. She wrapped her thin arms around his neck and leaned her fragile body against him. He stood, picking her up with one arm.

“
Is that you, Sergeant Becker?” Riba asked. She held Sally in her arms while Acacia and Grace smiled from beside her.

“
Yes, my lady.” Becker looked shaken. “We feared you were dead, but you all look fine.”

“
We’re wonderful,” Grace answered.

Joe felt time pressing on them. “Sergeant Becker, you join us. Riba, would you show the other men around?”

“
Yes, Sentinel,” Becker answered.

“
Sentinel?” the three women asked together.

Joe had no time for explanations. “Show me what you have set up, Kam.”

Modern security and sensory instruments crammed the operations building. Various screens glowed with images from around the planet.

Kam pointed to an illuminated display of the western hemisphere. “The ship entered our grid array yesterday. They orbited for ten earth hours before landing near the crash site of the Giroux ship around six hours ago. Vin, Roz and Yalo went to check it.”

“
I wish Yalo hadn’t gone along.”

Mak shook his head. “Vin didn’t want her to go, but she’s not a woman to order about.”

Becker paused in his open-mouthed examination of the high-tech equipment. “That sounds like the Yalo I know.”

“
Vin and Yalo made two more trips offworld since you left, sir. They have everything they need. Our fortifications can withstand an assault of anything short of a planet killer device.” Mak glanced at Becker as he spoke.