Shades of Gray (53 page)

“Weren’t you married to a daughter of the Emperor, Kezule?” asked Kaid, idly playing with the stylus in front of him.

“Yes. Why?”

“Did it give you a claim to the throne?”

“Not directly. There were many in the family with a greater blood tie to the Emperor’s family, but had they all been killed, then yes, it would.”

Kaid nodded. “Rather ironic the way we are now preparing to rescue your daughter. Kind of a reversal of what Kusac went through with Shaidan.”

Kezule’s crest began to rise slightly but he suppressed it. “There is a difference. I meant no harm to Shaidan, whereas K’hedduk will use my daughter, turn her into one of his harem . . .” Catching sight of Zsurtul’s look of distress, Kezule left the rest unsaid.

“If we leave as soon as we can,” said Zsurtul, “as soon as the Ch’almuthians tell us the ship is on the way from M’zull, she should be all right. He needs her alive, doesn’t he? I accept he will force her to marry him, but . . .”

“I’m sure she’ll be fine,” said Kusac. “He’ll be making her his Queen after all, and Zhalmo isn’t stupid, she’ll do what she has to to survive.”

“You’re right,” the young King said with obvious relief. “She’ll know I won’t abandon her because we did get the chance to talk a little.” His color heightened in obvious embarrassment. “My interest in her is returned, General, I assure you. I’m no K’hedduk to want to . . .”

“I understand, Majesty,” said Kezule, taking pity on him as his own anger faded. “No one for a moment thought your interest in my daughter was anything but mutual.”

“Let’s see the plans of the M’zullian Palace, Kezule,” said Kusac. “See if we can form a rescue plan from my idea.”

The M’zullian Palace was similar in design to the Prime one, but it had no defensive wall around it, and the surrounding town was closer.

“Of course, we have no idea if it is still the same,” said Kezule as the others left their seats to come and stand behind him. “After the Fall they may have had to relocate for a number of reasons, but Lufsuh, the Head Inquisitor, said they do still use the old Palace.”

“He also said their defenses are far better than here,” added Kusac. “Are there copies of these plans yet, Kezule?”

“I have a copy for you, Captain,” said M’kou, handing him a slim folder.

“Thanks. I’d like to go over this with Lufsuh later today.”

“Looks like their main landing area for local traffic is just outside the Palace,” said Kaid, pointing to an area of the map. “It’s large enough for something the size you say the cull ship is to land there, but would it?”

“Given the nearest landing area is a good distance outside the town, I’d say yes,” said Banner. “They won’t want to risk their new prisoners trying to escape.”

“Nowhere for them to go,” said Kusac. “That’s a military town.”

“Even so . . .”

“Point taken,” said Kusac. “Looks bad to the natives and all that. Where’s the harem?”

“That’s the question,” said Kezule. “On these plans, it’s on the fourth floor as it was here, but we need accurate information.”

“Looks like I’ll be spending time with our M’zullians then,” said Kusac. “I have a feeling they’re not your run of the mill ones either. They blended in with the Court here, so they must be used to it at home . . . which means they likely know their way around the Palace.”

“Wouldn’t you be better off talking to Lufsuh and leaving them to me?” asked Kaid.

“You can take one, certainly,” said Kusac, engrossed in the plans. “But I’ll take the other. The cull took how many young people?” he asked, picking up his comp pad and activating it.

“Between ten and twenty, mostly young females,” said Kezule. “They also took a tribute in goods from them, medicinal herbs and grain, some cloth too. The military crew consisted of eight armored warriors who actually left the ship to supervise the loading.”

“That’s the part I needed to know,” said Kusac. “If they’re in armor, they won’t know that we’ve substituted our own people. What color and style of armor?”

“Not quite the same as ours,” said Kezule. “The helmet is smaller, and their armor is a sand color where ours is gray.”

“The chances of getting enough undamaged suits to use theirs is small,” said Kaid. “Would they notice the difference if they were painted the same color?”

“If no one else is wearing their armor inside the Palace, it should pass,” said Kezule. “So we need twenty warriors that include a crew of ten, plus ten or so prisoners, mainly females.”

“Those playing the captives would be most vulnerable without armor,” said M’kou.

“Have you any lighter battle armor they can wear under clothes?” asked Kusac. “Some protection is better than none.”

“If they have not, let us be having the materials we require, and we can make them lightweight protection on the
Tooshu
,” said Toueesut.

“We may not have long enough for that, Toueesut,” said Kusac.

“Ten suits for Primes not take long. Not be comfortable as proper ones, but will reflect some damage back from them and have hidden comms in them. Better than going into this battle in their skins, yes?”

“Yes, indeed,” said Kusac. “I don’t want any of my people injured if it can be avoided.”

Your people?
sent Kaid.

I trained them; they’re my responsibility,
Kusac sent back.

Surprised, Kusac smiled at him.
Thank you, that means a lot coming from you.

“There should be at least ten female captives,” said Kezule. “Those I have among my surviving commandos are better used as soldiers, not captives. All the captives need to do is look cowed and frightened and do as we tell them.”

“Trust me, Kezule, you want as few civilians as possible on this mission,” said Kusac. “They can freeze at the wrong moment, run the wrong way, any number of things that will put not only them at risk, but the whole mission. If we haven’t enough females, we’ll get some cosmetics and turn the males into them.”

“What?” Kezule sounded both shocked and outraged.

“We don’t intend to let the enemy get close to them,” said Kaid. “All they’ll see is the bright face colors and will assume they see females, not males.”

“Their scent . . .”

“Get Zayshul to make up something that we can spray on them to at least hide their male scent. Remember, most of their bodies will be inside armor.”

“Ah, I forgot that. Then there’s a good chance it will work as few of our scent glands are on the face and neck. But will they be that easily deceived?” Kezule looked perplexed.

“People see what they expect to see, Kezule,” said Kusac. “That’s one of the things you learn in the Brotherhood. Give them some of the major clues that these are female, like the bright face coloring, and their own minds will fill in the other details. They don’t need to be perfect.”

“Start picking your team, Captain,” said Zsurtul. “You know which ones are better designated as warriors than prisoners. We need to be ready to leave immediately we get warning from Ch’almuth.”

“Aye, King Zsurtul,” said Kusac, then turned to Kaid. “Can you ask Carrie if she’d help devise cosmetics for the males? The Prime females do use them.”

“She says that’s not a problem. She’ll talk to Shishu about it later today.”

“Thanks.”

Why don’t you send to her yourself?
Kaid sent
.

“We’ll also need to secure Ch’almuth from future M’zullian incursions because once they know we used their ship and corridor to reach them, they’ll take reprisal action,” said Kaid.

“I’m told their weather platform is now working properly and that our people are renovating the weapons system but that control of it is now back in the hands of the Ch’almuthians,” said Toueesut. “Some extra weapons has General Heokee that he is having installed there too as the ones they have are not sufficient for the ships of today.”

“They’ll need more than that,” said Kusac. “The best we can do with three days warning is arrive shortly before any M’zullians do. They can wreak a lot of damage in that time. We need a destroyer permanently in orbit there.”

“Sorry, but new orders came through today for me to remain here,” said L’Seuli.

“Send the
Zh’adak
,” said Kusac. “Load it with fighters—the landing bay should be able to take about forty at least. You have the
Tooshu
and the
Va’Khoi
here, it’s a 100,000 tonner, the
Kz’adul,
which is 200,000 tons
,
the
N’zishok
and the
M’zayik
and two more at 1,000 tons, and Raiban arrives in another nine days, before K’hedduk can reach M’zull. If I know her, she’ll come with something the size of the
Khalossa
plus a small fleet. We should be more than amply protected by what we have here.”

“We can probably spare at least one of the 1,000-ton vessels too. We’d need to have some of your people as gunnery crews,” said Kezule thoughtfully.

“That we could be doing, General,” said Toueesut. “We have the spare personnel to be aiding you in this way, and we can spare some fighters as we discussed.”

“Then get the
Zh’adak
kitted out with the extra craft and personnel now and send her to Ch’almuth as soon as you can,” said Kusac.

“Agreed,” said Kezule, looking over to M’kou, who’d been trying to catch his attention.

“Giyarishis says not much progress yet. Says he remembers he was growing some la’quo on Kij’ik, and if we get those plants, that will do for now.”

“Arrange it, and pass on appropriate orders to the
Zh’adak
to prepare for the Touibans’ arrival.”

“Send a message to Ch’almuth, M’kou,” said Zsurtul. “Tell them we are making provision for their defense now and to ready anyone else willing to emigrate.”

“Yes, Majesty,” said M’kou.

“We cannot be a party to delivering any chemical weapons, Kezule, you realize that, don’t you? It’s against Alliance policy to use them,” said L’Seuli.

“We have the treaty ready to sign, Commander,” said Zsurtul. “Are you saying that if we continue to pursue this field of study, we cannot join you?”

L’Seuli was silent as he obviously looked around for an answer.

Kusac gave a small laugh and reached for a glass of water. “He can’t say that because he knows damned well that the drug you got from me was illegally produced! He means stop talking about it in front of him, King Zsurtul, but he can’t even officially say that, can you?”

“Something along those lines,” L’Seuli murmured with a frown. “Kaid, you taught him too well—he’s become a cynic like us!”

“He did that all by himself,” said Kaid, glancing at him as he chewed on his stim twig.

“Have you checked up on the M’zull half-breeds from Shola yet?” Kusac asked him.

“Yes, I did. I think if we split them up so they’re not together, or at most only two of them in the same posting, they’ll be fine. They did tell me that it was only after the Emperor’s death that K’hedduk approached them. Until then, they were taken into custody, drugged by the same ale as everyone else.”

“Mind if I check them out before they’re released?”

“Be my guest,” said Kaid, “but you’ll not pick up more from them than I did. They were telling the truth. Seems our methods of teaching them made all the difference, subverted their aggression into a team spirit rather than into individual advancement.”

“A lesson I will remember,” said Kezule.

“Kusac,” said L’Seuli, “I brought the mech you asked for down with me today. It’s crated up, of course, and sitting in the courtyard by the barracks under guard. I keyed it into your bio signature. I have no idea why you wanted it—it’s only a huge toy.”

Kusac smiled. “Toueesut, want to play with me and my new toy?”

The Touiban, mustache bristling with curiosity, looked over at him. “A toy you say? What manner of toy is this?”

“I’ll show you after this meeting.”

“We found another couple of those gene-enhanced monstrosities in one of the towns a hundred miles from here,” said Kezule. “We’ll have to check for them in every town and city in a two hundred mile radius at least. We’re also working on getting the old public comm system repaired so we can start up regular broadcasts to the whole of K’oish’ik again. That way we can get the people to report any of these thugs so we can go pick them up.”

“Is there anything further to discuss?” asked Zsurtul, looking around the table. “Then I suggest we adjourn for today. Thank you all for attending.”

“Clan Leader,” said Toueesut, dancing around the table to his side. “This toy you mention . . .?”

“Ah, yes, come with me,” said Kusac. “Have you seen the MUTAC, Kaid?”

“No, I can’t say I have. I’ve heard of it, though.”

Kusac sensed the other’s interest was piqued. “Care to come and look at it with us?”

“Sure. It’s on the way to the cells anyway.”

“Mind if I come?” asked Banner.

“Be my guest.”

 

It seemed to tower above them because of its bulk, yet it was only about twice their height. As the last side of the packing crate fell away and it was fully visible, Kusac stepped back in awe.

“What the hell is it?” asked Kaid, looking up at the white mechanical shape of a Sholan crouched on all fours.

“Insurance,” said Kusac as Toueesut began trilling and dancing in delight. “This is the Multi Terrain Attack Carrier prototype, MUTAC for short.”

“Insurance, how?” asked Banner as they all moved closer to it.

“Imagine this coming out of nowhere at you,” said Kusac, reaching out to put his hand on one of the two jump jets on the leg nearest him. “It can jump or be HALO dropped, has explosive and guided missiles on board and an energy beam weapon mounted on the top. Comes complete with full sensor and electronic countermeasures equipment.”