Extinction Wars: 02 - Planet Strike Page 21

“You have no idea what makes Lokhars tick,” Ella told me. “You’re not going to talk them out of anything.”

  “You have to impound the princess’s racer-vessel,” I told Venturi. “Then you have to complete the mission and save our space-time continuum.”

  “I must read the scroll,” Venturi said in a lifeless voice. “The Emperor has sent me a personal missive.”

  “Now!” I shouted at my zagun. “Let’s do it.”

  I started across the chamber for the Esteemed One. Dmitri and Ella followed, and with them came my one hundred troopers. The tigers must have suspected my intentions. A few charged my men.

  Instead of shooting the Lokhars, a shoving match ensued between them and my men. As the tigers weighed more, they had the advantage, and forced the zagun inward.

  “Knock them down!” I shouted.

  Neuro-fiber enhanced speed together with steroid-68 increased strength caused mayhem. There were meaty, hard-hitting smacks and Lokhars sprawled onto the floor. More tigers threw themselves into the fray, charging us. This wasn’t going to work.

  “Shoot to kill!” I roared.

  Troopers unslung carbines, leveling them into firing position. Lasers sounded with a distinct combat noise. Tigers crumpled onto the floor with smoking holes in their foreheads and chests, and that started a panic. Lokhars surged away from my zagun, giving us the opening I needed.

  I dashed to the head of the table and beyond, scooping up the scroll. As I did, Dmitri grabbed the old adept. My troopers surrounded the two, forcing the acolytes away.

  “Listen to me!” I roared. “Listen!”

  The Lokhars were too busy shouting and cursing us. I shoved Admiral Venturi hard so he stumbled against the nearest wall. Then I pressed the klaxon switch. It blared with noise. When I released it, the screaming and Lokhar shouting had ceased. Tigers panted, though, watching me with hate-filled eyes.

  “Here’s how it’s going to be,” I said.

  No Lokhar gave me his attention. So I jumped onto the table, and I swept my .44 at the crowd lined against the walls. They looked at me then.

  “Good,” I said. “This is going to be short and sweet. Even though your Emperor’s bitch ordered me dead, I still consider myself allied with Orange Tamika. Defeating the Kargs trumps everything. Unfortunately, Lokhar intelligence hasn’t impressed me much, certainly not today. You’re overemotional and relic-crazed. Nevertheless, we can still do business together. But I need to keep you from killing me until you regain your senses. I’m taking the Esteemed One with me, together with the stone of God.”

  Lokhars wailed in anguish, and I could feel a charge building up in them, like a giant plasma cannon building up a heated shot.

  I fired a round into the ceiling. The magnum was deafening. Bits of construction dribbled and fell in chunks onto the table. One busted apart, sprinkling smaller driblets around it.

  “I’m a savage, remember?” I shouted. “If you come at me, if you try to kill my troopers, I’m going to blow apart the stone of God with my gun. Then what, huh?”

  That got their attention. The babble tied down, and the tigers stared at me with blank eyes. The evil I threatened to commit—at least in their eyes—was so terrible it probably hardly made sense to them.

  Admiral Venturi stepped forward. He spoke with a hoarse voice. “You cannot mean such vile sacrilege. The stone is the oldest and most holy artifact in Orange Tamika possession.”

  I scoffed, “You doubt my willingness to do it? Dmitri,” I said.

  The stocky Cossack hustled the old adept near.

  “I implore you,” Venturi said. “Do not do this.”

  I pointed at the admiral with my magnum. “I want you to have the stone of God. I’m not going to touch it. You have my word on that. After we reach the portal planet, I’ll return the relic and the adept to you.”

  “You will destroy it,” Venturi said, sounding desperate.

  “As long as you treat us as allies, I will do nothing to the artifact. I’m taking the Esteemed One with me so he can hold the stone. If you attack us, though, know that we will smash the Forerunner relic and kill as many Lokhars as we can. We will start by killing him,” I said, pointing at the old adept.

  “What are your final intentions?” Venturi asked.

  “They haven’t changed,” I said. “We’ll still march to the Forerunner artifact in the portal planet. We’ll fight with the Lokhars with all our strength, battling the Kargs. The princess threatened to kill all the humans. Do you remember? She said the Emperor gave the order. Maybe you think that’s seals the issue. You can bet I don’t. I’m not under the Emperor’s command. If he tries to kill us, I’ll kill his as I’ve already done. I would do it again a thousand times over. Look at her body and think about that. Play fair with us, Supreme Lord Admiral, and we will play fair with you. Try to harm us, and we’re going to unleash the biggest load of whup-ass you’ve ever seen.”

  “Leave the Esteemed One and the stone of God here,” Venturi said. “I will give you my word of honor that none will harm you.”

  I considered his offer for all of a second. A glance at the glaring, hate-filled tigers told me I’d be a fool to trust anyone’s word, especially as I had the one thing they held dear.

  “I believe you, Admiral, but I don’t believe them,” I said. “Now get out of our way. Otherwise…”

  “Do as he says,” the admiral said hoarsely. “We cannot risk the Great Maker’s wrath.”

  Reluctantly, the tigers knelt, even as they glared. Then me, the Esteemed One, the stone of God, Ella and my zagun begun our journey back to the Commando Army’s quarters.

  -19-

  Doctor Sant insisted on joining us. He said to insure good treatment for the Esteemed One. I nodded, but told him, “Stay behind us then.”

  We hustled through the corridors, with the adept and his “stone” in the center of our formation. My zagun aimed their carbines everywhere. I wondered if I should have included gas masks in their kits. I told Dmitri in a loud voice to blow away the artifact if the Lokhars gassed us. If the tigers used listening devices, they now knew better than to try such a move. Even so, the trip was tense and nerve-racking. Finally, we reached the monorail and piled into a car. The thing zipped along at its usual high speed.

  The Esteemed One never said a word. He sat erect, no doubt expecting indignities at any moment. I finally told him, “Look, you’re going to be okay. Doctor Sant is along to see you’re treated with respect.”

  The ancient adept glared at me, but he said nothing.

  I wanted to ask how he liked being in the minority. Should I start talking about his extermination as the Lokhars had done in there about us? How would he like that? Probably, he wouldn’t understand what I was getting at, so I didn’t bother. Besides, I wouldn’t want to seem petty.

  Ella drew me down the aisle away from the adept and from Sant. She’d already suggested I stay away from any windows. Maybe the tiger had sharpshooters out there, waiting.

  “This will never work,” she said.

  “Do you have a better suggestion?”

  “Yes,” she said. “We leave the expedition and go home.”

  “Right,” I said. “How do you propose that? Even if they gave us a ship, they’d just blow us away the moment we moved far enough from the dreadnought.”

  She scowled. “This is a mess.”

  “I have it under control.”

  “Why do these things always happen to you, Creed?”

  “The Maximum Princess Nee started this, not me.”

  “No. The Purple Emperor did, if you want to be specific. In a way, I can see his point. The dreadnoughts must represent a vast portion of Lokhar wealth. They’re also the only things that can enter hyperspace. If we’re going to lose them in battle—”

  “That’s not a given,” I said.

  “Do you really believe that?” she asked. “You gave the Lokhars excellent advice back there. Use the T-missiles on the Forerunner artifact. No. In their blin
dness, they reject the obvious. It is always the same. I do not predict success if they can’t even make the correct decisions.”

  “The T-missiles did seem like a good idea,” I said.

  “Yes,” she said. “That is our biggest problem. The Lokhars think differently from us.”

  “I think the bigger problem is that they want to kill us. I wonder why they’re worried about that anyway. The Kargs are going to devour all of us in the end.”

  “This is a terrible situation,” Ella said.

  “Maybe,” I said. “But it was worse in Antarctica aboard the Saurian lander, and we lived through that.”

  Ella peered at the ancient one. Then she looked at me. “I’d like to study his artifact.”

  I stepped up and put a hand over her mouth. Angrily, she brushed it away.

  “Listen,” I said as quietly as possible. “They could have the car bugged. I’m sure they do.” I winked. Then I pushed her so she staggered backward. “I have given my word. No one touches the stone of God but for the Esteemed One. As long as I live, that is what I will do.”

  Several of my troopers looked up at me.

  Ella muttered darkly and took a seat.

  The rest of the journey proved uneventful. We made it back to our quarters. Once there, I had a meeting with the colonels, explaining the situation.

  “Expel all tigers from our area,” I said. “We will set up a patrolling roster and treat this… Well, we’ll try to act like cops first. If the Lokhars continue breaking in even after we escort the first few out, we’ll kill the others.”

  “Do you expect them to break in?” a colonel asked.

  “I expect everything so I’m not surprised when it happens. This is a combat situation, with our lives at stake. I don’t know if the Lokhars can see reason.”

  “Maybe we should attempt to take over the dreadnought,” a different colonel said.

  “We’re better fighters than the Lokhars, no doubt about that,” I said. “Unfortunately, they have over three million legionaries on this dreadnought alone. We have one hundred thousand troopers. Can each of you kill thirty tigers before they get you?”

  “Why are they acting so crazy?” a colonel asked.

  I shrugged. “I suppose every race has their own taboos. The tigers aren’t any different. We’re breaking them left and right. It’s amazing we’ve gotten as far as we have. Now it’s a matter of waiting and hoping logic gets through to them.”

  We did wait, for three days. We felt the bumps now and again. Each one indicated higher speeds or greater slowdowns.

  During that time, Ella visited the Esteemed One in his holding cell. I had a camera and audio pickup preinstalled and recorded everything. Each night, I watched the recording. This is what Ella did:

  While wearing a flowing nightgown, she came into his cell, kneeling and sitting on her heels, bowing her head and folding her hands in her lap.

  This was Ella? I hardly recognized her. She knelt that way for five minutes, ten, twenty, for two hours in fact. She never said a word. She never looked up. She waited in reverence as the old adept studiously ignored her.

  Finally, the old one stirred. He’d been lying on his cot. Turning his head, he asked, “Why do you mock me?”

  “It is not mockery,” she said in a soft voice.

  He studied her and finally stared at the ceiling again. Another hour passed.

  Weren’t her knees sore? I couldn’t have done that. Well, maybe I could have with someone holding a gun to my head. Then again, I’d already probably have tried for the gun. Clearly, Ella wanted something, and she wanted it badly.

  With a sigh, the old Lokhar sat up. “You must leave. Your presence offends me.”

  Without a word, as demurely as possible, Ella rose and left the room.

  I decided to leave it alone. If I asked, she’d want to know how I knew what she’d done. She must know we had bugged his cell, though.

  The next day, she reentered his cell and did the same thing. She just knelt like a virgin priestess before a holy icon. The Lokhar ignored her just like before.

  Time passed—three hours before he spoke with his paws resting on his frail chest. “Why do you persist in this?”

  “I wish to learn,” Ella said.

  “Learn what?” he asked. “How to provoke a Lokhar high adept?”

  “If my presence disgusts you, tell me please. I will leave.”

  “Yes, go, he said. “Your presence hinders my meditations.”

  She rose demurely and turned to go.

  “That is all?” he asked.

  With her back to him, she asked, “I do not understand, Esteemed One.”

  Air hissed through his nostrils. “I have watched you humans. Your commander is a rash barbarian, without any sense of decency.”

  “He is a fighting man,” Ella said.

  “Lokhar fighters have greater humility and reverence for holy things than your commander does.”

  “Yes. I have seen this to be true, Esteemed One.”

  “When have you?”

  “Commander Creed forced me to attend the strategy session.”

  “You were there?” he asked.

  “When you raised the stone of God…” Ella’s head drooped until her chin touched her chest. “The radiance burned in my eyes and it made my heart thud.”

  “Interesting,” the adept said. “I wonder if it was possible that it burned some of the human dross from your heart. Did a miracle take place?”

  “Do you believe so?” she asked, and she turned, looking at him with hope.

  Was Ella faking this? Why would she…it struck me then. I knew what she was trying to do. She’d wanted to study the Forerunner artifact. Ella was a clever woman indeed. I hadn’t realized she was this deceptive.

  “I had not thought this possible,” the adept said. “Yet your actions these past days…you have acted with Lokhar humility.”

  “I have felt different ever since witnessing the radiance,” Ella said.

  “Why did you don robes?”

  “It…it seemed like the right thing to do.”

  “Hmm,” the Lokhar said, scratching his chin.

  Ella took a step closer. “Esteemed One, could you teach me Lokhar ways? Could you teach me about the Creator and how He left these wonderful artifacts for your race?”

  The old one stared at her. He shook his head. “I do not believe that would be wise.”

  “I understand. I am unworthy for such a task.”

  “What task is this?” he asked.

  “To teach my fellow humans the truth,” Ella said.

  Ten long seconds passed. It seemed forever, as if he’d turned into a statue. Finally, the ancient adept stretched his arms and claws appeared at his fingertips. “I will do it,” he said, in a lofty manner. “Perhaps this is the Great Maker’s…well, never mind.” He pointed at a spot near his cot. “You will kneel and listen, and I will begin to enlighten your heart.”

  Ella did as requested, a fierce light welling in her eyes. I wondered what she’d bring away from this. We needed more knowledge concerning Forerunner artifacts. It might help us later. In any regard, Ella kept the adept busy. She had more time alone with him because I kept sending Sant to Venturi.

  I wanted another meeting. The Supreme Admiral balked at first by always being in conference, unable to reply. Finally, at the end of the third day, Sant returned with a request.

  “The admiral is willing to speak with you,” Sant said. We stood before a holoimage viewing port. It showed star formations I didn’t recognize. One cluster near the upper left corner had different colored lights: blue, orange and red. I’d have liked to visit there.

  “Naturally, I’m willing to speak to him, too,” I said.

  “The admiral asks that you come alone and unarmed,” Sant said.

  “Nope,” I said.

  Sant faced me, looking earnest. “The admiral is insistent on those requirements for personal communication.”

  “That’s ni
ce, and I understand. For I also am insistent, but I’m insistent against his requirements.”

  “You must understand his position, Commander.”

  “Stop right there,” I said. “I don’t have to understand anything of the sort. Tell him I’m getting nervous locked away in here. Tell him when humans get nervous, they break things. The holier the thing they can break, the better.”

  Sant stiffened. “You should not even…joke about such things.”

  “You insult me, Doctor. I’m not joking. I am getting ready to… Well, I don’t want to break the artifact. But I am getting ready to study it.”

  “No!” Sant said. “That would be sacrilege. It is a Lokhar artifact, particularly venerated by those of Orange Tamika. For humans to sully the relic by their touch would lessen its sacred purity.”

  “I guess I don’t see it that way.”

  Sant’s shoulders slumped. “You disappoint me, Commander. I had hoped—but no, I will keep silent on that regard. The admiral anticipated your stubbornness. He gave me a predetermined response. I can see you are intransient. Therefore, the admiral is willing to come here. But he will come in state.”

  “You mean with an honor guard?”

  Sant nodded.

  “Wonderful,” I said. “When does he want to meet?”

  “Two hours from now?”

  “Sure,” I said.

  Sant left to deliver the message.

  I picked a nice spacious room. It had tables, benches, water and food. I lined the walls with two zaguns of troopers. They wore symbiotic armor, complete with helmets and grenades.

  At the end of the two hours, the Supreme Lord Admiral with a retinue of three hundred honor guards, acolytes and adepts solemnly entered our corridors. Some of my soldiers had bagpipes. They wailed Scottish tunes on them, and the tigers looked impressed at the racket.

  I also wore bio-armor. If they were going to assassinate me, they’d have to at least shoot well enough to hit me in the head, as I didn’t wear a helmet.

  Venturi’s guards and acolytes had to stand in the center of the chamber. It turned out I’d barely picked a room big enough to hold everyone.

  “Before I sit with you in conference,” Venturi said. “I would like to see our Esteemed One.”