Lady Lure (29 page)

“I am honor bound to obey my orders,” Mirar
said.

“Just exactly what are those orders? And who
gave them to you?”

“I am to return Admiral Halvo and the woman,
Perri, to Regula. By order of the Chief Hierarch. I dare not fail.”
Mirar gestured to his men. “Take Halvo under guard to the
shuttlecraft and confine him there. Then search for the woman.”

“I will not allow that!” Jyrit’s fingers
tightened on his weapon.

Captain Mirar was faster. He fired right at
Jyrit. The Jugarian crumpled to the ground. A split second after
Mirar fired, Dysia fired, too, hitting Mirar in his already wounded
left arm. Then the air was filled with the crackle and sizzle of
hand weapons. Perri tried to get out of the
Space Dragon
to
reach Halvo, but repeated weapons fire pinned her down just inside
the open hatch.

The conflict lasted for only a minute or two
before the Regulans were standing with their hands on top of their
heads while the men from Jyrit’s and Tarik’s shuttlecraft searched
them for concealed weapons. Mirar was the only Regulan who had put
up a real fight, and he was one of three who were slightly wounded.
The sole serious wound had been sustained by Jyrit. Dysia and
Osiyar bent over him.

“Is Halvo safe now?” Jyrit asked in a weak
voice.

“Yes,” Dysia said, “all of the Regulans have
been captured.”

“Then my honor is redeemed. I die at peace.”
Jyrit looked as if he were dead already. His gray skin had faded to
a chalky white shade and his antennae were beginning to turn a
pale, translucent blue, the color of death.

“Herne!” Osiyar shouted. “We need you
here.”

“Get out of my way.” A large man elbowed
Dysia aside and knelt by Jyrit. Dysia recognized him as Herne, the
colony physician. “I said clear off so I can work.”

“His bedside manner certainly leaves
something to be desired,” Dysia said to Osiyar, who took her elbow
to help her rise.

“His concern for his patients makes him
forget his manners,” Osiyar said, “but Herne is an excellent
physician. If anyone can save your captain, Herne will do it.”

“Is there something you could do?” Dysia met
Osiyar’s blue eyes. “Jyrit thinks he owes his life in forfeit for
what happened to Halvo. Someone ought to change his mind, to
convince him to fight to stay alive. The Service needs officers
like Jyrit.”

“Let Herne do his best first,” Osiyar said.
“Then if Jyrit consents, I will try to help him.”

“Thank you,” Dysia whispered. “He is a good
captain.”

“And you are a good and loyal officer – and
friend.” As if he had just become aware of his hand still on
Dysia’s elbow, Osiyar released her and stepped aside.

“Tarik,” Herne said, “we are going to have to
take Jyrit back to Home. I am going to need the operating room
there and Alla’s help. And, possibly, Osiyar’s,” he added under his
breath.

“We have a fully staffed hospital aboard the
Krontar,”
Dysia said.

“We don’t have time to take him there,” Herne
said. “It’s Home, or he dies.”

“Then do it your way.” Dysia made the
decision at once. “Osiyar and I will go with you.”

“Reid, Pelidan, bring the stretcher on the
double,” Herne called.

Within a very few minutes the
Krontar’s
shuttlecraft took off, bearing Jyrit away.

During all of those preparations, Halvo had
stayed where he was, leaning against the
Space Dragon,
trying to regain his balance. When Perri made a fresh move to leave
the ship and help him, he ordered her to stay inside in a voice
that permitted no disobedience. But with the brief battle over, the
Regulan prisoners secured, and Jyrit on his way to good medical
care, Tarik stalked toward the
Space Dragon.
He stopped a
few feet away, planted his fists on his hips, and stared at his
brother.

“Will Jyrit live?” Halvo asked, straightening
to a fully erect stance.

“Probably. Herne knows what he’s doing.”
Tarik’s eyes narrowed. “I thought I was the brother who always got
into trouble.”

“Well, it was your turn to rescue me, Tank,”
Halvo said.

“You aren’t armed,” Tank said. Inclining his
head in the direction of Captain Mirar, he asked, “Before we got
here, who shot the Regulan captain?”

“I did.” Weapon still in hand, Perri at last
left the
Space Dragon,
stepping from the hatch to stand
beside Halvo. Tarik’s eyes went wide and Perri could see he was
trying to repress a smile.

“I should have known,” Tank said to his
brother, “that, if you were ever kidnapped, it would be by a
beauty. For a badly wounded man, you look remarkably healthy.”

“Thank you,” Halvo said stiffly. “It’s good
to see you, too.”

“You actually came here in this?” Tarik
kicked at the hull of the
Space Dragon
“This laundry
tub?”

“She’s not a bad little ship.” Halvo laid an
affectionate hand on the hull. “With a few repairs and a new
program in her food processor, I could take her almost anywhere.
She comes equipped with an interesting robot and a fine
copilot.”

“I didn’t know Regulan women were allowed to
touch the controls of any machine.” Tarik gave Perri a searching
look.

“They aren’t,” Halvo said. “I taught her
myself.”

“You had that much patience with her?” Tank
chuckled.

Perri had been watching and listening to
their conversation with growing bewilderment. Like most citizens of
the Jurisdiction, where the law limited all but a few couples to
one child, she had no experience of sibling behavior. She had
expected Tarik to embrace his brother and say how glad he was that
Halvo had survived both his battle wounds and the mad voyage across
the galaxy. Their cool discussion of the condition of the
Space
Dragon
and of Peril’s own piloting abilities was beyond her
comprehension. Nor could she understand why Tarik turned on Halvo,
speaking in a voice suddenly fierce with emotion.

“Now, Admiral, would you care to tell me why
you broke security and not only intruded into this space but led
three other ships here as well? How dare you endanger my colony?
What possible justification could you have for giving the Cetans a
chance to abrogate their treaty with the Jurisdiction?”

“What is there to explain?” Halvo looked
toward the Regulans. “My reasoning is obvious.”

“Not to me, nor to the people on this planet
whom you have put into harm’s way,” Tarik said.

When Halvo only shook his head at this
accusation, Tarik clenched his fists. With the speed of a lightning
bolt he threw a punch at Halvo. Halvo’s own hands shot up to block
the blow. Wrist pressed against wrist, the brothers stood glaring
at each other, breathing hard, looking as if they were ready to
kill.

“Stop this at once!” A sturdy, red-clad
figure hurried from Tarik’s shuttlecraft toward the
Space
Dragon.
“Can you two never meet without quarreling? Tarik,
leave your brother alone. Can’t you see he is unwell?” In fact,
Halvo had gone pale. Breaking away from Tarik, he stepped back a
pace to lean against the ship once more, as if he were dizzy
again.

“Mother,” Halvo said with a gasp, “what are
you doing here?”

“Looking for you.” Kalina, having subjected
her older son to a thorough inspection, turned her attention to
Perri. “I assume you are the despicable creature who abducted my
son. Tarik, take her into custody at once. I am surprised that you
have not done so already.”

“Actually,” Tarik said, “I have been waiting
to discover what Halvo wants me to do with her.”

“Perri stays with me, and no one touches
her.” Halvo gave his brother a warning look, to which Tarik
responded with raised eyebrows but no protest.

“In that case,” Tarik said, “the most
immediate question is, what do we do with these Regulan captives? I
have no wish to take them to my headquarters. The less they see of
Dulan’s Planet, the better. But if we turn them loose and send them
back to their ships, they may attack us in their determination to
get their hands on you, Halvo, so they can follow their orders to
return you and Perri to Regula.”

“Intern them on the
Krontar,”
Kalina
said.

“No,” Halvo objected. “That might only
precipitate another battle in space. I have a better idea. We will
tell them the truth about their orders.”

“Do you know what that truth is?” Tank asked.
All of his previous antagonism toward Halvo appeared to be gone, a
change that mystified Perri.

“I have begun to suspect a complicated plot,”
Halvo said. “An intrigue typical of the Regulan Hierarchy and one
that extends far beyond Regula. If I am right, Perri has been used
as a pawn because her life was considered expendable.”

Halvo walked across the rough grass to where
Tarik’s men, Reid and Pelidan, stood guard over the captured
Regulans. Halvo spoke loudly enough for all the prisoners to hear
him. “Captain Mirar, I assume that you are aware of my part in
uprooting the pirates who once menaced shipping in the Styxian
Sector?”

“I have heard your name mentioned,” Mirar
said. “What about it?”

“Have you in the Regulan Space Service
noticed an increase in piratical activities since they were driven
from Styxia?”

“There have been some reports.” Mirar
frowned. “But very few Regulan ships have been taken.”

“I would be surprised if Regulan
interplanetary commerce were suffering much,” Halvo said. “However,
if you were to do a little research, you might discover that other,
nearby planetary systems have been having a problem. It would be
quite natural for pirates driven out of one sector to move on to
another and to draw to themselves fellow outlaws until soon the
pirate bands are as large as before. For now they are hunting in a
sector they find more welcoming than Styxia ever was.”

“What are you suggesting?” Not only did Halvo
have Mirar’s full attention, but all of his men were listening
intently, too.

“I have been out of commission for more than
a year,” Halvo said, “so I have no proof of my suspicions. You
would know better than I, Captain Mirar. Although, now that I think
about it, I do seem to recall Captain Jyrit mentioning that pirates
have recently become a serious problem just outside the Regulan
Sector. Pirates require a safe haven where they can shelter between
forays. And being barbarian by nature, they do like to avenge
themselves rather crudely upon those whom they believe have done
them harm. For example, against Jurisdiction Service officers.”

“Of course!” Kalina said, when Halvo paused
to let his words sink in. “That is why Elyr has married the Chief
Hierarch’s daughter. And why Cynri was so worried about him.
Whatever else she was up to, Cynri was genuinely concerned for
Elyr.”

“I beg your pardon?” Halvo stared at his
mother.

“Elyr has married?” Perri cried. “But he
cannot while I am still alive.”

“It is perfectly simple,” Kalina said,
ignoring Perri and speaking to Halvo. “All you have to do is think
like a Regulan – a Regulan man, to be precise – and then it all
becomes clear. Captain Mirar sees it. Don’t you, Captain?”

“I am afraid I do,” Mirar said. “And I am
deeply troubled. Admiral Halvo, I owe you an apology. It was wrong
of the Chief Hierarch to assign Regulan ships to capture you and
even more wrong of me to follow orders blindly. My excuse must be
that I honestly believed this woman, Perri, had abducted you for
her own evil purpose and that my mission was to return you to
Regula, where Perri would be punished under Regulan law. Then with
much ceremony the Chief Hierarch would set you free, thus earning
great acclaim for Regula from the Jurisdiction government. This is
what I believed when I set out to find you, Admiral. Now I think
that after you were taken to Regula you would have been turned over
to the pirates. I could not allow such a fate to befall any
man.”

“Thank you, Captain Mirar.” Halvo put out his
hand and Mirar clasped it.

“Be assured that Perri will be punished for
what she has done,” Kalina said to Mirar, “but by a Jurisdiction
court. I will personally see to it.”

“We will discuss Perri’s future later.” Halvo
brushed aside his mother’s threat. “Captain Mirar, I have something
to show you.” Reaching into his belt pouch, Halvo pulled out the
clear specimen container he had kept in that safe place. He held it
up so everyone present could see the tiny red triangle inside
it.

“Do you know what this is, Captain
Mirar?”

“I do.” Mirar was white to the lips. “Where
did you get it?”

“I removed it from the main circuitry of
Perri’s personal robot. I believe it was meant to destroy the
Space Dragon,
the robot, Perri – and me.”

“Tampering with a robot is against Regulan
law.” Mirar put out a shaking hand. “One of our primary rules is
that robots must never be allowed to impinge upon the safety of the
humans they serve. Admiral, I promise I will deliver this device to
my superior officer.”

“I believe you would, but I cannot give it to
you.” Halvo replaced the container in his belt. “I will require it
for evidence when I reach Capitol. But you have seen it with your
own eyes, Mirar, and these men of yours are also witnesses that the
device does exist. Your combined word ought to be sufficient.”

“Admiral, you cannot keep us captive after
these revelations. We must return to Regula to tell what we have
learned.”

“I believe you should do so as soon as
possible,” Halvo said. “If Lady Kalina and Commander Tank have no
objections, you are free to leave.”

“Go,” Kalina said. “Only leave this wicked
girl in my custody.”

“Certainly,” Mirar said. “Perri can only
cause more trouble if she returns to Regula.”

“I place one condition on your immediate
release,” Tank said. “Captain Mirar, you are aware of the violent
tendencies of our new allies, the Cetans. In the interest of
maintaining peace, I must ask you to order your men not to mention
the existence of our outpost here.”