BlackWing: First Ordinance, Book 3 (15 page)

How long before the war comes here?
I asked.

"Hmmph," Yanzi replied. "War already here. We just far enough away that we not see it, yet."

* * *

Quin

"They'll let the people starve while they shoot at each other," Lafe said, motioning for me to sit beside him for afternoon tea.

"Are things happening here already?" I asked while Lafe dumped honey in my tea and stirred before pushing the mug into my hand.

At least the house was warmer now—although I believed the Larentii had a hand in that. Daragar had gone to find a sunny place to feed; a winter storm had pushed gray clouds over Mundia, and snow was coming. He needed sunlight and rest after what he'd accomplished earlier.

It was also a terrible time for people to be hungry, and I knew well enough that most in the city were afraid to go to their jobs when the factories and other businesses were in danger of attack.

"Where are the warehouses—where food is stored?" I asked.

"Between here and Puntia, and they'll be under heavy guard—wars are often won and lost according to who holds the supplies."

"You think we need permission to go there?" Bel Erland grinned at me as he sat nearby. Again, we were in the library—the fire was still going and it was more than comfortable, now.

Terrett and Yanzi sat across from us, watching and listening as Lafe and I discussed the current state of affairs on Vic'Law.

"Juffa hold space station—until now," Yanzi broke in. "Fighting over that, now. Shipments lost or delayed, too."

"So they have outside help. Probably Cayetes," Caylon settled gracefully on the rug near the fireplace. Sal followed him in—I admired the way they could drop so carefully to the floor without spilling a drop of their tea.

I'll teach you
, Caylon hid a smile.

Thank you, Sursee
, I gave a slight nod.

"Where can we find information on the interrupted shipments?" Justis asked. "Is it possible to hijack those before they fall into Cayetes' hands?"

"I can hijack—but I have to know where they are," Bel Erland said.

"I can find anything," I shrugged. "Although Vardil Cayetes is hiding pretty well."

"Don't worry about that—we'll draw him to us," Kaldill said. "If we take what is his, he will be searching for us, never fear."

"Kaldill, do you suppose he's looking for what we took away from him on Vogeffa II?" I asked, my voice small and filled with worry. Kaldill's words had brought that back to me of a sudden, which concerned me greatly.

"It's possible," Sal answered my question. "I'll put Queen Lissa on alert."

"We know what Bleek is capable of," Lafe observed. "Tell everyone to be wary of that monster."

"You think Cayetes would send Bleek?" I turned toward Lafe.

"Bleek was commander of Cayetes' Storm. He always arrived with his troops to rape Gungl. I have no doubt that Bleek is in charge of this mission, if Cayetes wants those people back."

"He'll want them back—even if it's to kill them all," Caylon growled. "He is more than possessive, and intended to kill an entire planet filled with people to get to one man—Marid of Belancour. It's my guess he isn't taking responsibility for what the poison is doing to other worlds across the universe—by blasting Siriaa to bits and sending those terrible creatures everywhere."

Many criminal minds are warped
, Terrett said, causing everyone to nod in agreement.

"We have to decide our first order of business," Sal pointed out. "Prioritize our goals and attempt to recreate the enemy's thoughts and plans."

"I believe the people of Vic'Law should come first—they'll starve or freeze in this winter if we don't do something," I said. "Juffa had all the power companies. Someone will want those and fast. It's sad that very little is solar powered on this world."

"There's very little money in what can be had for free," Kaldill said. "The families won't care that the population freezes to death while they fight over the power stations."

"To say nothing of those who may be killed in the crossfire as the families pick each other off," Berel offered dryly.

I suddenly felt as if we were on an island, besieged on all sides by an enemy whose only care was for himself.

* * *

Le-Ath Veronis

Lissa

"Honey?" I stood in alarm the moment Bel Erland appeared in my private study.

"Everything's fine, Gran," he held up a hand as he grinned at me. I opened my arms; he came to give me a hug.

"What do you need, then?" I smiled as he pulled away.

"I need a pirate ship," he said and laughed.

* * *

Vic'Law

Quin

"I have this," Yanzi appeared as dinner was served that evening, Terrett right behind him.

"These are manifests," Caylon scrolled through the comp-vid Yanzi handed him.

Ships bound for here that are being diverted
, Terrett informed us.
Where they're from, what they carry and when they ought to arrive
.
For the next two months
.

I could see that he and Yanzi had employed a bit of subterfuge to get what they had—I wasn't sure I wanted to know how much danger they'd been in to get it.

"Where did this come from?" Sal asked, peering over Caylon's shoulder.

"Juffa records at Juffa estate," Yanzi grinned. "Terrett hide us. I steal."

"You wily sidewinder," Sal breathed as he studied the information.

"Not sidewinder, but accept compliment," Yanzi chuckled.

"They have warlocks, don't they?" Kaldill asked.

"Many. Each family there," Yanzi agreed. "Having standoff. Barstle make claim for dead family. Others not like."

"How powerful?" Bel Erland arrived in the middle of our conversation.

"Hmmph. Best third level," Yanzi huffed.

"At least they're not pooling their abilities," Kaldill said. "They could be dangerous if they did that."

"They worry about getting paid. Not others," Yanzi said.

"Usually the way it is with outlaw warlocks," Bel Erland nodded. "What's for dinner? I'm starved."

You're fifth level, aren't you?
I sent to Bel, who grinned as he helped himself to a pile of fried chicken.

Yeah. Wizards are backward—they work their way from fifth to first. Warlocks work from first to fifth. Don't get that argument started between a wizard and warlock in a bar. The bar usually ends up paying the price
.

Did you do something like that?

Dad and Grampa made me fix it afterward, so yeah, I guess I did
.

I snickered. Bel grinned.

There's something else
, he said, employing power to place a roll and a pat of butter on my plate.

What's that?
I asked.

You'll see it after dinner
.

* * *

"What the holy hell?" Sal walked around the command console on the bridge of a new starship.

"Here's the outside image," Bel said, holding out his hands and forming a picture with power.

The ship was built large enough to hold us, yet small enough to speed past most anything else that flew through star systems. It was black, like the night about us, except for the name and insignia on its sleek skin.

BlackWing
was painted boldly in white on the sides, with a strange image of a skull and crossed bones shining beneath the name.

"A pirate ship?" Sal made a face at Bel.

"What better way to take Cayetes' shipments and piss him off at the same time? We'll be the criminal element he doesn't know about. He'll come after us. Isn't that the objective? Gran thought it was a good idea. Kooper knows already, so we can slip away from the ASD when we need to."

"Pirates?" I frowned at Bel.

"Quinnie, if there's a way to draw Vardil Cayetes away from whatever hole he's hiding in, this may be it. He'll be infuriated that we take what he intends for himself. We can keep the people of Vic'Law supplied with food and necessities behind everybody's back, too. If we equip some of the larger cities with solar power and hide it from the warring families, we may be able to keep the population alive while everybody else is trying to take over."

"I think it's a magnificent idea," Berel breathed as he studied the console. "Who's flying it?"

"High five," Bel Erland held up a hand. Berel slapped Bel's palm with his and grinned. A friendship was forming between them and I was glad. Both had diplomatic skills that would make most rulers envious.

"We need a captain who isn't connected to the rest of us," Kaldill suggested. "Someone trustworthy and above reproach, in case all of us are needed elsewhere."

"We will think on that," Caylon agreed. "Surely someone can be found quickly, before we steal our first cargo ship."

* * *

Avendor

"Bear, what do you have planned for the next six months or so?"

Bear Wright, a grizzly bear shapeshifter, blinked at Ashe Evans. When the Mighty Hand asked, it was usually a good idea to pay attention.

"Whatever you want me to do." Bear, whose feet were resting on a thick tree stump he'd pulled from the ground by himself, dropped his boots to the porch outside his front door and stood to stretch.

"You think you'd mind captaining a starship with Amos and Flossie Thompson? I think I heard them complain about not going anywhere recently."

"That sounds like a fine idea," Bear grinned. "When do we leave?"

* * *

Vic'Law

Quin

During the night, after I'd gone to bed (Terrett slept beside me, while Yanzi's snake was coiled at the foot of the bed), the explosion that destroyed Juffa's natural-gas plant in Mundia woke all of us.

Dressed only in pajamas and barefoot, I raced after Terrett and Yanzi, who ran toward the library.

Without natural gas, there would be no heat in Mundia. "We need to turn it off before the entire city burns," Caylon snapped the moment we arrived in the library.

He, Lafe and Sal already had blades strapped to their backs. I wasn't willing to let them leave me behind—I understood that people had been hurt in the blast. I blamed it on the Cardino/Churg alliance; I imagined their goal was to freeze or destroy anyone in Mundia who might still be loyal to Juffa. The others were already gathered in the library—those who were able had folded space to get there.

"Bel, I need a coat," I begged. I was ready to fly myself to the fire if the others wouldn't take me.

"I'll take you," Bel Erland gave me a curt nod while a warm coat appeared in his hands.

"I take," Yanzi declared. "You save power. May need," he informed Bel.

"I'm coming," Berel ran into the library. He'd dressed hastily, but at least he was dressed.

"I'll see you there," Kaldill nodded at me before he disappeared.

"Just get us there," Justis said, coming to stand beside me. Caylon, Sal and Lafe disappeared; Yanzi, who was powerful in his own right, ferried the rest of us.

The natural-gas power plant was one of the few things the workers refused to abandon after Juffa's death; it was vital to provide heat for Mundia. Roaring flames from burning gas licked the air while flakes of ash from the burning building swirled toward the clouds; I saw that first as Yanzi set us down outside the perimeter.

What made me angry was this—Barstle Cardino and Nardes Churg had ordered their bomb squad to keep the Mundia Fire Patrol away from the burning facility. They were content to kill anyone who approached; two lines of heavily armed men prevented anyone from getting close enough to fight the blaze.

Amid the roar of flames and the groan and crash of melting beams, I could hear the screams of the workers who'd survived, only to be ignored by those who'd bombed the facility in the beginning.

"I can seal it off to remove the fuel source," Bel Erland shouted.

"What about the survivors?" I shouted back. Heat rolled off the fire as another loud explosion rocked the ground; the winds blew fire and ash in our direction. The very air around us was stained orange and red as we struggled to keep our feet.

"It will only take a minute or two to kill the fire," Bel shouted back.

"What about those guards?" Berel yelled while flinging an arm toward the bombers who blocked access to the building. Their weapons were raised—they'd seen us and were prepared to fire.

"Easy enough," Kaldill joined the shouted conversation. Holding out a hand, he made each weapon disappear. The guards, thirty or more of them, stared in shock at empty hands for a moment before striding toward us.

They'd been paid—and instructed—to kill any who attacked them.

We were about to have a fight on our hands.

Justis took flight, arrowing downward after making a circle overhead. He grabbed the lead attacker with one hand while his wings beat a strong, steady rhythm. The men left behind shouted; the man screamed as Justis dropped him into the raging fire.