Alien Devices: Tesla joins crew to prevent alien zombie apocalypse (The Secret War Book 2) (14 page)

She awoke in a cold sweat, her heart pounding. Fragments of
dream remained like something from a fever. The face of the woman Petrov had
been snarling at her in her sleep. It had melted into the face of the man she
had killed in the slum. As she watched him die again, the face had melted into
that of her father, who fell to the ground. In terror she knelt beside the dead
body, only to find her hands covered in blood. She screamed as she came bolt
upright.

Staggering to the button in the dark, the tiny room was lit in
the harsh white light from the tube overhead. She knew that she couldn't go
back to sleep. Instead she had dressed in the shipboard clothes she had worn
earlier. and made her way up to the crow's nest, where she had attempted to
banish the nightmares. It wasn't completely working.

She startled at a touch on her arm. Saira, dressed in a heavy
coat like hers, wordlessly held out a steaming cup of tea. Abigail took it and
absently sipped. It was the hot, spiced tea that seemed to always be available
in the galley, no matter what the time of day. The liquid warmed her down her
center. She realized with a start just how cold she had become. She held the
mug out to the smaller woman who silently gestured that she should keep it.

Saira stood quietly beside her while Abigail drank, looking out
at the last stars and the streaks of light on the horizon that heralded another
dawn. Finally, Saira began to chant over the rushing of the wind, a lilting
rise and fall of liquid syllables that peaked with her holding up her arms to
the new dawn. The hairs on the back of Abigail neck shivered at the beauty of
her voice.

“That was beautiful,” Abigail said over the wind. “What does it
say?”

Saira frowned in concentration. “It is hard to translate.” She
looked out at the rising light and after a moment said:

     'O Dawn who comes in radiant beauty,

     Goddess of Joys and Colors!

     Grant us Your blessing.

     Increase our fortunes,

     Light our travels!'

“I am no poet,” Saira said with a shrug. “It does not sound so
lovely in English I am thinking.” Saira continued to look out as the dawn.
Abigail watch the first rays of the sun move across the dark face lighting it
like some ancient statue.

“It was very beautiful, thank you,” Abigail said. “'Light our
travels'. We very much need that I fear.” Abigail sighed, looking down in her
own mug.

“Saira,” she began slowly, “what happened at the tower last
night? When you were fighting Petrov, I saw something... different when I
looked at you.” She hesitated, feeling foolish for her reactions. It was
clearly Saira who stood next to her now, the same brave woman who had been a
friend to her from the moment that they had met. Saira nodded as if she was
expecting Abigail's question.

“What you saw was the Dark Face of the Goddess,” the Arms
master explained. “It is given to the Naga that She will come into her children
when there is great need. It was necessary, for Petrov was possessed by a great
demon. Fortunately, the demon had not as strong a grasp on Petrov as the Lady
shares with me.” Abigail sipped her tea in silence. She should have known that
the Hindu woman would have some mystical explanation for it all.

“I am sorry Saira,” the Scholar said finally, “but I do not
believe in Gods, or demons, or magic. There is some rational, scientific answer
I am sure, a trick of the light perhaps, or shock. Yes,” Abigail said more
forcefully, “that must be it, shock and the speed at which everything was
happening.” Abigail turned towards the other woman, “Please do forgive me for
my bad behavior earlier.” Abigail hoped that the other woman would not be too
offended by her response. To Abigail's surprise, Saira's response was to
giggle.  

“You English!” the Arms Master exclaimed with a laugh.  “I can
show you a painting, or a baby, or the Dark Face Herself. If it does not agree
with how you believe it should, you will say the painting is a board and the
baby a cabbage, rather than admit what your own eyes have seen!” Saira shook
her head. “I have never met a stubborner people.” She faced Abigail. “So, do
you mean to be telling me that this is what has you not sleeping?”          

Abigail fiddled with the now empty cup. She might as well
confess all, she decided. She had already made a fool of herself flinching at
shadows.

“Will said that after my first encounter with Petrov I had
learned that I could do what needed doing,” Abigail began. “Last night, I
believed that was true, and I did. . .things.  But now, I have had dreams.”
Abigail paused, and said in a rush, “Does it ever get any easier?”

“For some, it does,” Saira replied gravely. Abigail noticed
that Saira did not even ask what 'it' was. “That can hold its own dangers,
should it become too easy. For others it never is, and that can hold other
dangers.” The Arms master laid a hand on Abigail's arm. “Tell me, my sister,
why did you fight as you did last night?”

“They were holding my father, or so I believed,” Abigail
replied. She blinked at the question. “They had to be silenced before they
could warn the others to harm him. Later, well, they were trying to kill us,
not only myself, but you and Tesla, and the others.” Abigail wondered why Saira
was asking such a question. It seemed obvious to her. Saira nodded at her
words.

“So you fought as you did for love of your father, and for your
companions, no matter how terrible that fighting had to be?” Saira asked. “That
is why all true warriors fight. They fight for love.” The other woman caught
Abigail's eyes and smiled, “As you did.”

“I do not know that I am that much of a warrior,” Abigail said
ruefully.

“You are,” Saira replied firmly. She removed her hand from
Abigail's arm, holding it palm up towards her. “I was honored to fight at your
side, for the fierceness of your love, Abigail Hadley. I would be proud to do
so again.”

Abigail could sense that she was being offered something
important. It came to her that she valued the friendship of this woman highly.
She had heard enough whispers from the other crew to know that Saira had been
some sort of exotic assassin in the past. The rest of the crew also seemed to
have no trouble accepting that she was a 'sorceress' as well.  Abigail did not
put much stock in such things. What she did know was that Saira was someone who
would always be there for her, should she need it. She was not sure how to
respond, so she spoke from her heart.

“Thank you,” Abigail said. “I am proud to know you, you know. I
would fight beside you as well.” She held out her hand. Saira smiled, entwining
her fingers with Abigail's so that they held hands palms touching.

“So be it, my sister,” Saira said as if it was a vow. “The way
of a warrior can also be a burden as you now know. Promise me that you will not
suffer through the night alone again. Such burdens are more readily defeated
when shared. Seek me out.” She emphasized this with a squeeze of her fingers.

“Alright, I will.” Abigail promised gratefully. She did feel
better for talking about it for some reason.

“Now,” Saira said, “I am cold and can feel that you are as
well. Let us go down, yes? I know that the Cap'n will be calling on you soon
about the plague question. Besides, did he not ask you to look after the fakir
Tesla?”

“Oh my God, I had forgotten!” Abigail released her hand
suddenly. She had been so caught up in her own affairs that she had forgotten
that world's foremost inventor and scholar was her charge. They reached the
cabin that had been given to Tesla just as the Savant opened the door.

“Ah, good morning Lady Hadley,” he said with a glance at her
attire. His mustache twitched. Abigail couldn't tell if his response was
disapproval or something else. She was certainly more dressed than she had been
last night! Tesla turned to Saira with a courtly bow. “Good morning, Arms
master Brighton. I regret that we have not had more time to converse. Do I
understand correctly that the title Arms master means that you are the ships
general-at-arms?”

“It means that I am the leader of the fiercest of fighters on a
ship of fierce fighters, yes.” Saira replied, returning the bow, and then
straightened up to look Tesla in the eye. She placed her hands on her hips. “It
also means that if I tell you to do something it must be done, and quickly. Do
we have any difficulties with that we need discussing?”

“Not at all,” Tesla replied. “I merely wished to ascertain that
was in fact true. After what I have seen of your abilities, we are very well
protected indeed. Thank you.”

Abigail could tell that this was not the response that Saira
was expecting. She looked at the man for a moment, as if measuring him, then
bowed again. 

“You are most welcome, fakir,” Saira said sincerely. “Now, I
must leave you in Abigail's most capable hands. I need to check on our other
guests.”

“How is Madame Chang?” Abigail asked.

“I doubt highly that she is either a 'Chang' or a 'Madame.'“
Saira remarked and then made a rude noise. She looked at Abigail with an
intense expression. “Do not be trusting her no matter what she may say to you.
She is a sorceress is that one, though she tries to hide it. She can twist you
about with her words alone. I have already warned the Captain and he agrees.”

“But as you know, I do not believe in your magic,” Abigail
protested. “Besides, you claim to be a sorceress as well. Does that mean that
you should not be trusted either?”

“If you were my enemy, you definitely should not trust me.
Would that not be so?” Saira grinned at Abigail. The Arms master then turned
serious again. “Abigail, were I to tell you that someone was armed and very dangerous,
would you believe me?”

“Of course I would,” Abigail replied without hesitation. “And I
would never wish you for an enemy. But I simply cannot believe that old woman
can bespell us by twitching her nose or whatever. “

“Babies and cabbages,” Saira muttered. She looked at Abigail
seriously again. “In this, trust me Abigail, she is armed and very dangerous.
And now I must go let her out of her cabin.” Saira shook her head. “It is a
good thing that Dancer is a cruiser or we would never find rooms for you all.”
She affected another little bow at Tesla, “Fakir,” she said to him. “Doubtless
you also find my warnings so many feathers.”

“On the contrary, Arms Master,” Tesla replied. “I always listen
when an expert in their field tells me that there is a concern. I too believe
that the Chang woman may be a threat.”

“There you see?”  Saira looked to Abigail with a self-satisfied
smile. “You should listen to your fakir; he is wiser than he appears. Now I
suggest that you both go for food. I am sure that The Cap'n will call the
meeting shortly.”

“What meeting is this?” Tesla inquired.

“Exactly,” Saira said as if her answer explained everything. As
Saira walked away, she said over her shoulder, “Mind you what I have said!”
With that she was gone, moving down the corridor.

“Forgive her, Tesla.” Abigail said, somewhat embarrassed for
her friend.  “She is a product of her culture. Despite her talk of sorcery, she
really is quite,” the Scholar searched for the right word, “sensible.”

Tesla looked at her, eyes twinkling. “No apologies are needed
Lady Hadley. Nor should you be so quick to dismiss her warnings of sorcery. I
myself have seen things that are not easily explained by other theories. I
sometimes feel that Western man has perhaps overlooked such things, to his
detriment.”

“Surely a man such as yourself cannot believe in such things,”
Abigail protested.

“I am Serbian; we have perhaps kept closer to the other world
than you English.” Tesla said with a very Slavic shrug. “Also, I did not say I
believe, only that some phenomena are not easily explained. It was not that
many years ago that people such as that idiot Kelvin thought me a 'mystical
madman.' I keep an open mind, and I encourage you to do the same.” Tesla looked
up and down the corridor.  “Forgive me, but did that charming woman say
something about breakfast? I find that I am quite hungry. My captors were not
very hospitable.”

“Of course,” Abigail said, suddenly remembering her manners. He
had been held captive for some days and was quite likely starving. She pointed
down corridor. “The mess hall is this way. The environment may not be what you
are used to, but the food is quite good.”

Abigail was unprepared for the reaction of the air devils in
the mess. She knew that it was watch change, and expected the usual friendly
bedlam. The loud voices stopped abruptly when they entered. The line for food
quietly parted as if Tesla was Moses and they the Red Sea. Tesla for his part,
seemed to take this behavior in stride. He walked up to a very silent Wu and
politely asked for breakfast. Abigail had never seen a man move as quickly as
Wu did. Shortly they were seated with full plates. Tesla looked at his plate
and counted to himself under his breath.

“Is everything alright?” Abigail asked. “I am certain that Wu
will provide something else if you need it.”

“It is quite all right.” Tesla waved her question away with a
smile. “The circumference of the plate matches the number of these little cakes
times pi perfectly. It could not be better.” With that extraordinary statement,
he raised knife and fork and began eating. After a moment, he looked up. “Delicious,”
he declared. “I have not had better at Buckingham Palace. Would it disturb you
greatly if we discussed the radiant detector while we eat, Lady Hadley? I find
that combining activities is most efficient. There is never enough time, is
there?”   

While they sat eating and discussing the needs of manufacturing
the detector, Abigail was aware of the covert stares of the room. Tesla for all
he was very neat about it, rapidly made short work of the cakes and four eggs
on his plate. He had just remarked that the tea was 'acceptable, if fussy' when
an older air devil she didn't recognize came hesitantly up to stand at their
table. He stared at Tesla.