Shadow Over Avalon (30 page)

“She isn’t going to wake. It’s better this way.”

“Shadow . . . should we prepare for battle?

“I return on my own terms. They want the data I carry, and they won’t get it without a treaty.” She stifled a yawn.

“What’s data?”

“Information. I penetrated a Harvester place at High Fort. It’s more than they hoped for when they sent me spying. They’ll want it badly.”

“But if they defeat us, all they need do is remove your earring,” Saffron objected, swatting at a sand fly.

“I have told Copper I’m half Shade, but he chooses not to believe.” Shadow looked toward the waves, smelling the rich air coming off the sea. Sounds of surf slapping against the shore distanced her from Brethren. She returned to Saffron with an effort. “Telepaths have natural shields against intrusion. Ector isn’t strong enough by himself to force me. I will self-terminate before I’ll permit entry.”

“You’d do this for us?” Saffron looked skeptical.

“Brethren and Shades, both. I stand at the fulcrum. I will have an alliance. Tell Copper my words, as he instructed you to get information.” She had them both caught in their own plans. They must obey, since neither side could risk losing a go-between.

Two days of rest refreshed Shadow. The morning of solstice started a warm, cloudless day. She walked along the shore after breakfast, followed by two brothers. They didn’t appear to trust her not to leave them, looking on edge with her so near water. She returned to the camp with reluctance and one backward glance at the sun glinting off the waves.

“Any sign?” Copper asked, coming over to her.

“Didn’t look. They prefer night.”

“I don’t. They see like cats in the dark. Call them now.”

Several other brothers grouped around him, battle alert. Additional waiting pushed them nearer to breaking point. Shadow removed her earring.

Ector waited beneath the waves. His mind latched onto hers within seconds, wanting to know how many Brethren she had with her. Shadow refused to tell him. She offered safe passage instead and a tantalizing snippet of the information she had gathered. Ector agreed to a night meet if she brought just one of the Brethren along. Shadow countered with a meet now. She let him know how much Brethren wanted alliance, pleading Helga’s case. Ector agreed, if Helga and one other accompanied her. He cautioned her to remain open, or he would not surface.

Shadow signed the details to Copper. The Outcast King ordered Helga carried to the shore. Once Ector’s requirements were met he ordered the others to stay clear.

Ector emerged from the waves, not advancing until he’d checked the shoreline. He remained waist-deep in the swell.

Copper’s hand snaked out to grip Shadow by her belt. He pulled her closer.

“We won’t be interrupted this time. Your gift of the earring was put to good use,” Ector said.

“My proposal?” Copper called.

“Needs discussion. We’re very interested. If you’re serious, I suggest an exchange of personnel, not including the sick woman, whom I’ll take on compassionate grounds. One of yours for one of mine and Shadow must return.”

“How long?” Copper said, edging them both closer.

“Seven days. Is that long enough for my man to go near High Fort for a good look?”

“Yes. Who’s the exchange? You?”

“Not qualified for the task needed. My second has volunteered. He’s also a med— a healer,” Ector said, looking gratefully at Shadow for her timely telepathic intervention. “Your negotiator?”

“Me. I’ll need to instruct my people first,” Copper said.

“Warn them we cannot take you, or this woman, without painless adjustments. There is no other way we can take air-breathers to our transport.”

“What does he mean?” Copper took a step back onto a band of shale.

Shadow signed what had to happen to preserve his and Helga’s life.

“Seems I must trust you. Be warned I have a successor, who will wage war on Shades if I don’t return.”

“I guarantee your safety,” Ector said. “The woman might have a longer stay, as Shadow tells me she’s dying. If we can reverse the disease, it may take months. I can’t promise a cure.”

“She doesn’t expect to live. She’s offering her body in the hope that other sisters like her can be returned to a natural state. This is part of our trade.”

“Brave woman,” Ector remarked. “Shall I call my people to retrieve her?”

“Do so. I’ll be back presently.” Copper hauled a reluctant Shadow with him up the beach to the waiting brothers. “Is he genuine?” he asked once they were out of earshot.

“Helga . . . helped.”

“Sign to me. Am I going to become a Shade creature?”

Shadow let her hands speak to tell him his earring was safe from removal. She asserted her intention to self-terminate at any sign of betrayal, promising not to disclose her information until he gave her leave.

“That’s a powerful lever, my Queen. I’ll trust you, not your friends.”

Copper talked fast to gain agreement for the exchange. Every brother volunteered to go in his place, but he remained adamant.

When Submariners hauled Helga into the water, Saffron started to them.

“No,” Copper ordered. “She’s as good as dead already. This is her choice. The one to exchange with me is a healer. Take advantage of his skills during exchange. Any ache, any pain, I want treated. Give him whatever help he needs to complete his own mission.”

Copper marched Shadow down to the Submariners still gripping her arm. He released her when one of the group headed to his men, hands held high. Ector extended a flat disc to the Outcast King.

“This device must be placed on your forehead. Lie down first, unless you’re fond of bruises.”

Copper took the disc between his thumb and forefinger, holding it up to the sun. He lay down to place it as directed, breathing once more.

“Gently, we have their King,” Ector warned his aides.

Two Submariners carried Copper into the sea. Shadow dived with Ector into the cool waves. She had forgotten how much she liked to swim and enjoyed the sensation while it lasted.

The Submersible loomed ahead where the Terrans were taken inside to be strapped down at the rear of the craft. All then took seats, but Ector turned to Shadow who he had positioned next to him at the front of the transport.

“Put that device back in. We have an override and everyone here is interested in your answers.”

“Lies.” Shadow scowled at him, fitting her earring in place. She sank down into the plush green seat, ignoring the comfort.

“Necessary. No need to let that one know he has lost his edge. Now download every detail.”

“No. Bargain with him. You get the information when you make a treaty,” Shadow said, looking outside to where running lights sent a shoal of fish diving in a silver, panicked arrow.

“Reverted, have you? How did he sway you?”

“He has the same ultimatum hanging over him that you are about to receive. Make a treaty, or I’ll self-terminate before a disclosure of importance, as you must know from the fragment I released. Listen to Copper; he has a valid plan for capturing a fort.”

“So you’re choosing to stand between us.” Ector looked around at her, his eyes narrowed. “An interesting development. We need them. This treaty won’t fail from our side.”

Shadow curled up in her seat enjoying the view. The shoal darted ahead of them in mindless escape mode. She didn’t care what Ector said. Either this alliance happened or not.

Ector began the sequence to bring the craft about until they sped into the darkness of descent. He set automatic pilot once in deep water and turned again to Shadow. “You’ve changed—become much harder than I’d thought possible. Was he cruel?” Ector jerked his head toward the back of the craft.

“The difference between kindness and cruelty has many gray areas. He did what he thought to be in my best interests.”

“And that was?”

“I have partial recall. Gain and loss make bitter bedmates.” She refused to share Copper’s behavior with Ector. The alliance was more important than personal feelings.

“Did you want to talk it through before we reach Avalon? Those ones”—again his head jerked back in the direction of the sleepers—“don’t need to be revived right now.”

“I have resolved these issues. The past is as dead as yesterday’s sunlight, and as relevant. Consider Copper’s plan for taking a fort. It has merits.”

“This subject hurts, so onto the next one?”

“What subject?” Shadow met his cool blue stare. Of her past life, the need for vengeance remained vibrant. The rest belonged to a long-dead girl.

“So be it. Does Copper know you’re half Submariner, or is that another question you won’t answer?”

“I told him, but he didn’t believe. Is Avalon prepared to offer healing to them all? They want a resident technician in their base camp.” Shadow looked back at Helga. The woman had been kind without any ulterior motive – such a waste to lose one like her.

“Exactly how ill are they? Your King looks healthy to me,” Ector said. “And if they can restore memories better than us—”

“Take a look at Helga,” Shadow suggested, smiling sadly. Ector started to concentrate. “No, with your eyes.”

Ector moved to the back of the craft. Other Submariners gathered round as he uncovered Helga’s face, starting back in shock. Several gasped, and one swore at the sight of a full beard on a woman.

“There’s more,” Shadow said, swiveling round. “Very little female remains and she’s sterile. All the sisters cover up because they can’t bear others to see what they’ve become.”

“The men? They seem normal,” Ector said, running his hand over Copper’s stubbled chin in a rapid check.

“Sterile, too. Some have male lovers, but those involved with pleasure women sire no children. They are all hot enough to feel fevered. I think it makes their lives burn faster.”

“A result of Nestine re-banding?” Ector looked skeptical. A look directed to Shadow, which reminded her of Boy’s existence, clearly stated the anomaly.

Shadow shrugged. “They are all affected except me.”

“Places everyone, the show’s over,” Ector ordered, resuming his control seat. He reached out for a console link to plug in his interface, his face clouding over on the exchange with Elite headquarters.

“Politics. Brethren are Elite responsibility, I’m told, and I’ve just traded away our best medi-tech.” Ector looked at Merrick, a dark-skinned youth at navigation control, as he disengaged the communication link. “Can you persuade your sister to moonlight for us? Genetics is her specialty, I believe.”

“A subspecies? She’d jump at it. Permission to interface? I can leave a message in her home unit.”

“No, let’s keep the request from you to her in person. Pay her a visit when she’s off duty, and don’t bring the subject up until she’s alone. I’ve a feeling she’ll start pulling double shifts, should any catch onto our intentions.”

After docking, Shadow learned Ector didn’t want to revive Copper until he had been confined to a room in Elite barracks. Helga was taken straight to the infirmary in stasis. The woman wouldn’t be awakened unless a cure could be found.

Shadow accompanied Helga to help the medi-tech assistants remove the unfamiliar clothes. Again, a string of gasps rang out at the exposed woman.

“Are we dealing with a genetic aberration?” one young man asked, eyeing the body with undisguised revulsion.

“She was a normal, pretty woman once, before Nestines altered her. Keep that in mind if she is allowed to revive. This body disgusts her—more so, since she remembers how she looked before.”

“By the deeps that’s a harsh burden.” The young man thought for a few moments, staring at the wreck. “You went through Nestine hands. I saw you stripped when you first arrived. Is there any change toward this state?”

“None,” Shadow affirmed.

“Can I have hair, skin and blood samples as a comparison? I’d like to start running tests now.”

Shadow pulled out a blond hair and offered him her right arm with a grin.

“The left, you cyborg thing, you.” He laughed, reaching across her to grab the living limb. “Think I was going to be caught?”

“Worth a try.”

“Don’t, if you ever need healing outside barracks. They haven’t any sense of fun,” the man cautioned, still smiling.

Shadow submitted to the sampling, a simple scrape and prick to get one drop of her blood. It had been a near thing. He’d almost taken the cyborg arm.

“You’re coming up for a power pack refit. I’ll get one ordered,” he said. “Going back on surface duty?”

“Within a week, if I get a say.”

“I’ll make it a priority.”

Shadow returned to her own unit room. The blandness of Elite quarters in their boxlike simplicity came as a shock, but nothing could detract from the pleasure of a shower. She had donned an Elite uniform when her door announced Ector. She permitted entry.

“How spooked is your friend likely to be, once revived,” he said, cutting to the point.

“Very.”

“You weren’t,” Ector said, a smile lighting his stern features.