Dana Cartwright Mission 3: Kal-King (26 page)

He slowly eased his pose to normal, back aching, glad the mercs hadn’t stripped him, nor searched him. He had Hawk’s disrupter secreted in the right body plate. Against a projectile weapon it was useless; against a laser rifle it might prove valuable.

The lights dimmed even more, since the motion-detecting sensor registered very little movement. Even when the doors parted and shut, seemingly without reason, the lights remained on minimum.

And then a scream rose up from the women’s cage, and a distinctive hiss sounded.

Janz clawed the bars of the cage near the locked gate. “Xal?”

The Felidae purred in the dark.

“Thank the stars.” Janz whispered, “Have you got a plan?”

Janz pulled away as a tongue licked his knuckles, and the Colonel’s cat eyes opened wide right before him.

“What are these?”

“Slaves.”

“Hmm.” Xalier’s nose twitched as he sniffed and, in disapproval, bared his incisors.

“How’d you get aboard?” Macao watched the claws on Xalier’s right paw as they probed the locking mechanism.

“I hid aboard the ship just before Russet cornered you. Rats! I can’t. I’m sorry.” He gave up on the lock. “Who has the key?”

“The shortest merc...”

“Make a ruckus. Lure them in.”

“What if all five come? Or more?”

Xal just purred, vanishing behind some crates and boxes. His movements triggered the motion sensors and the lights came on.

Janz gave him a five-count before he began banging and rattling the cage door, noisily shouting for help. He almost laughed.
 

One of the oldest tricks in the book. It made him think of Dana.

Be careful!
She cautioned.

Glad we’re linked… Wish you were here.

I am, in spirit.

A lone merc stepped through the hatchway. It wasn’t the short one with the key.

“Fane! Get me out of here,” Janz pleaded.

The merc, still in battle armor, didn’t come closer.

“You are slave. Shut up.”

“No, I am not a slave. I am a Republic captain, and this is kidnapping. Get me out of here!”

That gained no response.

“Tell King, I am his sister’s friend.”

“Tell King yourself; he hears.”

Macao groaned, worrying that August could have heard the exchange with Xalier.

Dana? Do Dagger Class have full surveillance cameras in the cargo area? Dana?

I’m checking.

Hurry.

Dana pulled up the specs on
Katana
, did some quick computer checks, testing the surveillance system.
Yes. Full surveillance. Janz?

Fane!

The camera controls are on deck eight.

Can you hear, too?

Yes!
She assured.
It can be disabled from the level above, deck seven; the panel is in the air duct that controls the…

Dana heard telepathically a scream. It wasn’t from Janz.

Sir?

Not to worry. Xal just took out a guard. Now, where is that panel exactly?

She reviewed the blueprints and specified, to the meter, exactly where and how to disable the cameras.
 

You won’t fit though,
Dana cautioned.
The air ducts are smaller than in the older style ships. Not sure even if I would fit.

The link went silent.

Janz? Shalee?

Shh…

McHale paced by the tactical station. “Mister Coe?”

“Sorry, sir, I saw three life-signs aboard the Cutlass. Now there are none.”

“COM? Get King,” McHale ordered.

The communication’s officer scowled, “No response, sir.”

Thresher
’s Captain returned to pacing. “Where’s the Commodore?”

When no one responded within the first two seconds, McHale growled, “Come on, people! Lives are at stake here!”

Coe resisted a retort because Commodore Jai burst onto the bridge with perfect timing.

“Janz is aboard King’s ship. There are hostages.”

“Rats!”

McHale dove for his chair. “What’s the sit with the teams?”

“All back aboard. The only ship that got away was the Cutlass,” Kieran assured.

“Who’d we lose?”

“Xal.”

“No, sir.” Coe countered. He pointed to King’s flagship, the Dagger Class. “The Colonel is aboard
Kalis
.”

McHale scowled. “You holding out on me, Coe?”

“Sorry, sir, I just realized the third signature aboard that Cutlass matched a Felidae not a human.”

“COM, send this. August, we know you have slaves aboard and we have March and Hawk. Let’s deal.”

McHale signaled to end the message, clenching his fist. “I hate freaking waiting.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

August circled the bridge, bouncing off obstacles with his robo-chair, repeating monotonously, “I warned Hawk.” He mimicked the Tresgan’s squawk, as he fumed and schemed.

“How do I… Why should I?” King pounded the arms of his chair. “Trade?” He came to a stop a hair’s breadth from the merc captain’s feet. “We trade the Republic captain for Hawk.”

“And March?”

“Pfft. He’s a fool.” August hissed, “All my brothers are. Only January is perfect.”

“The doctor…”

“I know…” August snarled, like a cat. He drove the robo-chair to the communications station. “
Thresher
, I will consider your offer.”

Xalier sniffed the air duct before hooking his forepaw claw on the grate and tugging.
 

Sniff. Sniff.

The scent triggered a memory; a mix between Novem, Dec and March. It had to be their clone brother, August.

In the dim light, he assessed the size of the duct. His head fit. So his body would, too. There would be no turning back and, damn it, no retreat.

After a few seconds deliberation, he decided, “No.”

He returned to Macao. “A trap. Too tight. Call more mercs.”

He leapt away, and assumed a pounce position above and to the right of the entry, just an instant before the hatch slid open.

Three mercs marched in, heading straight for the cage, hand weapons at the ready.

All the bay lights came on. The blood on the deck formed a sticky brown puddle right where they should have stopped.

Macao grinned, feeling mischievous. “I couldn’t hold it.”

Two backed away a step, while the short one produced the key. “King will see you.”

Macao allowed them to push him along, resisting the urge to glance up at Xalier. That would only give the Felidae’s position away.

They might have taken out the three mercs, if there was time to plot it. However, the door slid closed, and the laser against his back nudged.

As they climbed the ramp to deck seven, he spotted the exact location Dana had described, just short of a grate. Too bad Xal didn’t try for it; he’d be right there.

By the time they reached deck one, the bridge, Macao’s back pain tormented until he couldn’t bear the agony. He gritted his teeth and shut his eyes moaning.

August groaned, “Put him in a chair.”

One merc nudged Janz toward the pilot’s seat.

“NOT THAT ONE!” King screeched, using the robo-chair to block their path. “Get out! Leave us!”

He’s sharp
, Dana reminded.

Macao stifled a snicker.
Glad you’re still with me… How the hell do I get out of this one?

Shalee whispered,
Disrupter.

Dana added,
Wait
.

Janz watched the three mercenaries depart, but the door remained ajar.

August paid no attention. He glared, demanding, “You have a bad back, too?”

“Yes,” Janz hissed through the pain, focusing on King.

“You need a chair?” August pounded the arms of his.

“Soon,” Janz sighed, “if Dana can’t fix it.”

August snorted.

“She’s the best, you know.”

“If she’s the best, why do you still hurt?” August taunted.

Janz felt embarrassed, admitting, “I don’t obey doctor’s orders.”

King laughed, and set the chair to circling.
 

Dana’s sadness came through.
He’s mad.

Shalee added,
And dangerous
.

Janz just watched, stalling, “August? Do you have a photographic memory like Dana has?”

King nodded. “I have full recall of everything I’ve ever read.”

“Have you read your father’s story?”

“Pfft! ‘
The Calvary Incident’
is pure rubbish. Doctor Tracy made it all up.”

“Dana says…”

“She lies…”

“No, she’s perfect… She can’t lie.”

“You love her? Do you?”

Janz reddened, “She’s my friend.”

King’s chair skidded to a stop; he hissed, “She’s my sister!”

Macao dared, “No, you’re a clone. You’re not her brother. You’re a…a…replica.”

“Clones are illegal,” King shouted.

Macco countered, “Slavery is illegal!”

“Clones are an abomination! Clones are imperfect! Clones must be destroyed!”

Janz stared; King sneered.

“I hate you all! Sanctimonious, bloody Alphans! Sanctimonious, bloody Enturians! And damn those sanctimonious Gall-ax-e-ans! Clones are people! We didn’t asked to be created. We were ordered destroyed! Like trash!”

King lifted a weapon from a hidden place on his person.

It wasn’t a laser, but Janz secretly retrieved the disrupter box from beneath his body armor.

King held a projectile weapon, like the one Doctor Russet had brandished. King waived it about, and then pointed it.

Janz sucked in air, expecting death. He shut his eyes, depressed the button on the disrupter, apologizing to Shalee.
I’m so sorry, my love. Forgive me.

He heard the boom, the decibels hammering his ears.

Then he felt hot, wet blood covering his face, but no pain.

Macao opened his eyes and saw orange fur covering King.

“Xal!”

Dizzy from the acoustic trauma to his ears, he reached for the Felidae, tumbling with the wounded cat to the deck.

Press on the exit wound with your hand!
Dana ordered.

Thankfully, he could hear her telepathic command.

“Sir! There’s been a weapon discharged on their bridge. Possible hull breach in progress!” Commander Coe’s voice cut the silence.

“MAT everyone off that ship,” McHale ordered.

Within seconds, the MAT chief called over the COM, “Medical emergency!”

Commodore Jai headed for the lift with Captain McHale on his heels, but before they stepped inside, Coe called their attention to the forward view screen.

“Look!’

Both the Dagger Class and the docked Cutlass disintegrated into the vacuum, sending debris in a wide arc.

Coe anticipated their next question, offering, “Our screens are holding firm. No damage reported.”

“King?”
 

“MAT’d,” Coe returned, sheepishly adding, “Deceased.”

McHale heaved a sigh. “Keep a close watch on the other ships in King’s fleet. We’ll be in sickbay.”

The Commodore entered the triage room first, quickly observing that three diagnostic beds were occupied. On one, a body was covered by a sheet. On the second lay Janz Macao. The body on the third was getting all the attention.

Doctor Serge argued with his assistants over Xalier’s prone form. “We’ve stopped the bleeding, but the damage is extensive. We can’t chance it.”

“Chance what?” Captain McHale demanded.

“The slug pierced his lung and exited. Can’t wait. Have to remove it.”

“We have no compatible blood for a Felidae. He’s lost too much,” the assistant countered. “He’s too weak.”

Serge turned a plea to the Captain. “Sir? We could lose him, too.”

Kieran injected, “His family is at Centauri Prime. We could be there in a few days.”

“Only if we put him in stasis inside a C-FIIN.”

McHale nodded. “
Thresher
will mop up here. Take my ship if you like, Commodore.”

“Mine’s faster,” Kieran assured. He turned to his brother. “Janz?”

“He can’t hear you, sir,” a human nurse cautioned, as she prepared an injector.

“Oh, yes, he can.” Kieran pried the disrupter box from his brother’s clenched fingers.

Janz stirred, opening his eyes.

What happened?

Janz responded to the telepathic demand in kind, recounting how Xalier went for King’s jugular. The gun went off.
 

Is King dead?

Yes.

Kieran gave Macao’s arm a reassuring squeeze.
I’m taking Xal to Centauri. Want to come?

Dana’s there.

Good... I can use some R & R.

What about March and Hawk?

They’re McHale’s problem.

No, March is Dana’s brother. We need to take him with us. He’s a doctor.

For?

To monitor Xal and me.

Kieran nodded.
Stay put. I’ll arrange it
. Then he heard a second voice.
Shalee?

Set all the slaves free.

The Commodore frowned,
Shalee, I can’t…

Set them all free. Order it done. Trust me!

He withdrew his hand, allowing the nurse to minister to his brother, turning to
Thresher
’s Captain. “McHale, join me in the corridor?”

Once the door to sickbay closed, the Commodore announced, “It is in the best interests of the Republic to free all of King’s slaves. Will you see it done?”

“I will, sir, gladly.”

“Have them checked for those tracking devices.”

“Aye, sir,” McHale nodded, “and do what with them, sir?”

“Well, Crown Enterprises owes them. In fact, with King dead, the assets of the whole operation would belong to the next of kin. That would be Dana and her siblings.”

“The slaves are ‘assets’?”

“No, they are not. Under Republic law, they cannot be valued as slaves. They can be counted as employees, however, and should earn the current wage for their services. I would think Hawk can provide details about the whole operation. Perhaps in exchange for his cooperation, the Republic could waive all charges against him.”

“That might do it,” McHale nodded. “What about the damage to the Crossroads Station? Isn’t Crown Enterprises responsible for that?”