Star Brigade: The Supremacy (SB3) (30 page)

Liliana quickly turned to Khrome, whose expression soured.

“Rogguts.” Captain Nwosu shook his bald head in palpable sorrow.

“They aren’t dead,” Khal said condescendingly. “Those passengers weren’t on the starliner at all when it landed. Thirty-six passengers were found all over Faroor. The rest are still missing.”

Liliana parted her lips then to detail what occurred to her and Nwosu during the skyquake. It made perfect sense to inform everyone. But Nwosu’s gaze pinned Liliana to her seat as he subtly shook his head. The doctor froze, confused but remaining silent.

The Captain looked away. “We have enough to start our search. Now, unless Ghuj’aega is spotted during the night, everyone rest up for tomorrow’s departure at 0630 orvs. I’ll take first watch. Dismissed.”

Marguliese rose first and ushered Mhir’ujiid from the War Room. Everyone else stood.

Lily turned to Khrome. “You were awesome today.”

The Thulican looked at her with genuine gratitude. “Thanks, LLC.”

She couldn’t keep her worried doctor side from showing. “But are you okay?”

“Liliana...” Khrome began with mock exasperation.

The doctor exhaled in exasperation. “Yeah, I know. You’re Khromestoppable.”

“Khromestoppable.” Khrome rubbed a thick thumb at his chin, golden eyes alight. “I’ll put that one under consideration.” He headed for one of the War Room’s exits as Liliana giggled after him.

“Lt. Cortes.” The PLADECO specialist strode up, lanky and compact in build under those fatigues. In normal lighting, his stony features appeared boyish and round.

“Specialist Byzlar,” she shot back, grinning broadly. “Is there a first name in there somewhere?”

“Call me Vaas, with a V.”

“Vaas, with a V.” Liliana decided that she liked the name. Byzlar smiled that big, boyish smile again.

“
Move
.” The massive V’Korram Prydyri-Ravlek barged through the pair, his footfalls making no sound. Startled, Byzlar jumped back. Liliana, more irritated than shocked, stepped back.

Byzlar turned to Liliana in annoyed confusion. She shrugged. “You’re not the first to complain.”

“Cortes.” Liliana turned to see Captain Nwosu behind the War Room table, watching her intently.

“Byzlar.” Fiyan waited at the War Room’s exit with Uyull in tow.

Byzlar chuckled. “Our superiors summon us. Tomorrow, more questions.” The PLADECO officers departed, leaving only Lily and Captain Nwosu.

The tall Cerc rounded the War Room with three strides and motioned her over. “You get checked on by another doctor?” she immediately asked.

Nwosu grinned exasperatedly. “The same time as Mhir’ujiid. Only some bumps and bruises.”

Lily sighed in relief. How he kept so centered and contained despite today’s insanity amazed her. Lights from the nearby console glittered brilliantly off Nwosu’s eyes. “Marguliese will see what else the girlie knows. Now, about that little incident downtown…”

Liliana stared up quizzically at his nonchalance. “Little?” She put both hands on her hips. “All due respect, sir, everyone except us was frozen for a good two macroms.”

Nwosu replied with an icy look. “I know, Lieutenant. But I’m not mentioning it to PLADECO…yet. See anything else?” Lily hesitated, until a wave of vertigo overtook her. In that moment, she remembered everything else she saw…a giant figure taller even than V’Korram, swaddled in a cloak black like pure midnight. It never turned around…or had it? The doctor told Nwosu all this in a blurted-out rush.

“I see.” He leaned back with an unreadable face. “Until we know more, keep this quiet.”

The doctor nodded eagerly. Who would believe that space-crazed nonsense?

“Another bit,” Nwosu added. “A Ttaunz requested your help for an undiclosed medical issue.”

Liliana jerked back. “Some Ttaunz requested
me
?”

“It’s something they need addressed quietly, for a VIP.” The Cerc placed a hand on her shoulder, clearly sensing Lily’s unease. “If this wasn’t safe, I’d never allow it. Arcturus will be with you.” Nwosu nodded at the War Room exit. “He’s waiting outside when you’re ready.”

A large part of Liliana thought it smart to just take the orders. But the doctor couldn’t help but inquire further, “I thought we weren’t helping the Ttaunz.”

The Cerc’s rugged features brimmed with humor, but his hazel-gold eyes revealed nothing. “True. But doing this little favor for the Ttaunz might be beneficial for everyone in this situation.”

“I’ll get my gear,” Lily replied obediently.

Ten macroms later, she and Tyris got off a translifter on Magnasterium’s highest floor, entering a narrow hallway much less ornate than most in this compound. For a time, the only sound was the faint echo of their footfall. The doctor felt an impending dread crawl up her skin, but hid it as best as she could.
Like Captain Nwosu.

“He give details about how we’re helping?” Tyris’s cold, high voice fit their eerie surroundings.

Lily shook her head. Tyris’s dark cobalt eyes narrowed into angry slits. Normally the Tanoeen didn’t say much, sometimes his silence expressing more than his words. Lily frowned. “What’s wrong?”

“Marguliese probably knows everything,” Tyris snapped, quickening his pace.

His fury took Lily by surprise. “I doubt it, Ty.” She kept pace with the taller Tanoeen’s swift strides.

“She’s his second-in-command in all but title.” Tyris’s anger was sharp like a cold whip of wind. “Why was I promoted to commander if he doesn’t trust me to do the job?”

Lily kept quiet, not liking where this conversation was headed.
Some den mother you are!

“Dr. Cortes?” a voice called from behind. Both Brigadiers turned to spot a lone figure halfway down the corridor. They approached the older Ttaunz wearing satiny black finery with his silver mane in one long braid.

“I am she,” Lily answered.

He looked relieved yet jittery with skittish energy. “I am Georn son of Jeyzyr. Nwosu kept his word. Come with me, please.” He motioned her forward.

Tyris moved to follow, but Georn blocked him. “Nwosu said to expect two, but we only need her.”

Lily stopped dead in her tracks. “Excuse me?”

Georn looked back. “We only need you. Now please come!” he said in a panic and grabbed at Lily.

She twisted away. “No!” Liliana turned to Tyris, her superior officer, searchingly.

The Tanoeen quickly rounded both Liliana and Georn to block the open doorway, whipping out and extending his quarterstaff with a sharp
K-CHAK.

Georn nearly jumped out of his pelted skin. Tyris resembled a menacing sculpture of chiseled ice.

“Both or neither,” his glacial tone left no room for debate.

Liliana watched him, pleased.
Now that’s second-in-command material
.

Georn’s shoulders slumped in defeat. “My superior won’t be happy.”

“Too bad,” said Tyris, cold air curling from his spiky head.

Lily, more confident now, added, “You still haven’t said why you need me.”

Georn looked around the corridor frantically. “Not here. The Ttaunz…
they
could be listening.”

Tyris’s narrow gaze narrowed further. “Aren’t
you
they?”

Georn glared, but said nothing and marched into the door.

The Tanoeen shrugged. “Let’s just do this.” He gestured with his staff for Lily to enter first.

Both Brigadiers entered, the door sliding shut behind them. Georn led the duo through a dark-green hallway as he launched into his tale. “A TDF soldier overheard Dr. Cortes conversing with some UComm officer in…downtown Thasque.”

The Ttaunz winced at those last two words. Liliana’s attitude softened. She knew his grief all too well months ago after Conuropolis’s devastation. Georn continued, “I heard and did some investigating on you.” He turned to appraise Lily reverently.

The three entered a spacious lobby-like room. The only furniture in it was a coffee table in the center with a few slim golden wristbands sitting on top.

“I approached your leader, Captain Nwosu, confidentially, mainly because you’re not Ttaunz.”

Lily frowned, feeling uneasy. “Why does that matter?”

Georn leaned in close, whispering now as if they were in a noisy room. “Because that means you probably won’t be bought or blackmailed by Defense Minister Haemekk.”

Liliana gaped. Tyris straightened up, his eyes tightening. Georn gestured to the table with the golden wristbands. “Put these on, activate, and I will tell you everything.”

The elderly Ttaunz, already with a band on his left wrist, tapped a button and faded from sight. Liliana’s heart skipped a beat.

“What the hell have we gotten ourselves into?” Lily asked Tyris, a knot forming in her stomach.

“Take my hand,” Tyris ordered. Lily did as asked, which sent an icy shock through her arm despite his fist being gloved. Tyris snatched a wristband off the coffee table and snapped it on his other wrist. The Tanoeen extended that hand. Lily hesitated, but ultimately pressed the button.

For an instant, it felt like someone had flattened the whole room and flipped it over like a playing card. Sights and sensations stretched and shrank. The flipping stopped, and Liliana found herself with Tyris in another room altogether. The space looked similar to the earlier foyer, until she soon noted the variances. The entrance was on the opposite wall, guarded by an armored Ttaunz soldier who didn’t even blink at their arrival. The room had a coffee table identical to the first room paired with a long couch. And the wall colors were a harsh red.

“Did we transmat?” Tyris whispered.

“Not exactly.” The Brigadiers spun about. Georn stood behind them with arms folded. “You are in the same space as before, but in a pocket room.”

Liliana rolled her eyes. She had experienced pocket rooms before, secret spaces within existing rooms accessed by spatial shifting technologies, an overindulgence of the Union’s wealthier citizens.

The Ttaunz gestured toward the entryway where the tall guard stood. “This way.” In the next room was a sizeable floating sphere filled with pinkish antibiotic liquid that drew both Brigadiers’ attention, which Lily immediately recognized as a mediglobe used for critical patients. Surrounding the mediglobe stood additional medical equipment with holoscreens to monitor the patient. A slender medimech zoomed about, checking each screen periodically. Liliana saw a bedchamber in the adjoining space that looked lived in.

A Ttaunz male floated lifelessly in the mediglobe’s center with eyes closed, a number of wires plugged into his unclothed and emaciated body.

He looked no different from other Ttaunz highborn to Lily. She was about to ask who he was, until another elderly Ttaunz entered, eyeing both Brigadiers with confusion. She was petite and striking, but gaunt in a way that wasn’t age-related. The simple grey robes complimented her blue skin pelt and unusually long silvery tresses.

“Naejjo, it’s okay.” Georn strode forward to pull her back to the globe. “It’s the help I promised.”

Tyris nodded up at the mediglobe. “Who
is
that?”

“Maorridius Magnus,” Georn said grimly, “the reason we need Dr. Cortes.”

“Naejjo daughter of Eurella from House Dablam,” the female stated wearily, “wife to Maorridius Magnus.”

“I…I’m flattered.” Lily glanced at Tyris and wished she hadn’t. His reaction to Naejjo’s full title introduction held such bile she nearly laughed. “What about Faroor’s Ttaunz and non-Ttaunz doctors?”

Georn glowered as if she had asked a stupid question. “Haemekk got to them first, so they never gave honest answers about the Magnus’s infirmity. Maorridius’s personal physician had been trying to get offworld help for months. But Haemekk arrested him for a bogus treason charge weeks ago.” Georn shook his head sadly. “We only have a few medimechs to keep him stable now.”

Naejjo looked so defeated that Liliana’s jaw went slack. “Why would the Defense Minister do that?”

“The Viceroyship.” Georn raised two fingers. “He wants to control it through the Magnus’s sons. And two, Haemekk was the one who slowly poisoned Maorridius with the virus.”

Tyris glanced again at Liliana without humor. “You have proof?” the Tanoeen inquired.

“Yes.” Georn seemed offended by the barrage of questions. “Through the Magnus’s water, brought in exclusively from Galdor. Barely detectable. Once we found out, he was already like this.”

Georn was shaking again with anger. “Whatever the contagion is, it is so rare most doctors don’t know what it is. And nothing appears on the global medical databases. Haemekk got to those, too.”

Tyris looked to the mediglobe. “And the Viceroy’s council, or his sons—”

The word “sons” caused Naejjo to crumple. Georn was immediately at her side, guiding her to a seat.

“She’s fine…” Georn waved off Lily’s approach. “The ministers are Haemekk’s puppets. And the Magnus’s younger son, Gaorr, is wrapped around Haemekk’s finger.”

Naejjo looked up, red-rimmed eyes burning. “He barely visits his own father. And Taorr…” She devolved into sobs just saying the name. Tyris backpedaled. Lily kept contained, having seen worse in her career.

“Taorr was doing what he could,” Georn continued calmly, rubbing Naejjo’s back. “But Haemekk undercut his attempts to get his father help. Then there was his inane mission to help the Farooqua.”

“Which got him kidnapped,” Naejjo interjected between sobs. “Now he could be…
dead
.”

Liliana closed her eyes, not wanting to hear any more speculation. She needed facts. “How did his illness get this bad?” she asked, opening her eyes and turning to the mediglobe.

Georn returned to the topic. “It started with a bad cough, and complaints of always being cold. Then almost two years ago, he collapsed in a meeting. When his condition worsened, he vested his powers into Haemekk’s hands—since his sons weren’t of age. He got so bad we had to put him in this mediglobe.”

Naejjo found some vestige of strength as she got back to her feet. “I’ve never left his side since.”

Georn put his arm around the female, which seemed to ease her. “So we still don’t know what’s wrong, just that his temperature is dropping and his organs are failing. Faroor needs its Magnus back!”