The Kallanon Scales (30 page)

“Lowen
Dalrish.”

Torrullin
flicked Matt a glance and then, “Welcome, Lowen Dalrish. Come
inside.” He led the way and motioned for Cat to follow.

He sat them at
the table. “Dalrish is Xen’s First Family, Matt. What is the
meaning of this?”

Lowen cowered
in her seat beside her uncle. Matt put his hand out to hold hers
and squeezed. “She comes to us sent by her father, Lord Vallorin.
He desires a new life for her. Her coming here is sanctioned.” He
stared at Torrullin.

“I believe
you, but I need to know if Dall Reni is aware.”

Matt blinked.
“Reni wouldn’t care.”

“Matt?” Cat
whispered. “Uncle Reni would flip if a Dalrish leaves without his
knowledge. Who is she?”

“We left
without him knowing,” Matt pointed out.

“
Uncle?
”
Torrullin repeated.

“Dall Reni is
my grandfather,” Lowen said, her spine straightening. She pulled
her hand from Matt’s and faced Torrullin. “He is my father’s enemy.
He is my enemy.”

Cat stared at
her.

Cat. Your
questions can come later.

She bit her
lip.

“And who is
your father, Lowen?” Torrullin asked, forestalling Matt’s
explanation.

“My father is
Le Moss Mar Dalrish.”

“Ah, the
missing son,” Torrullin murmured. He transferred his gaze to Matt.
“Speak.”

Matt glanced
uncertainly at Lowen.

“I have found
it is best to be honest before teenagers,” Torrullin said. “Lowen
appears strong. She would appreciate being here for this
telling.”

She
nodded.

Matt exhaled
loudly. “Moss is Dall Mossen, crime lord of Xen III.”

Cat
gasped.

“He is also
our cousin,” Matt continued. “Dall Reni is our uncle, blood
kin.”

“You and Cat
are Dalrish,” Torrullin stated with a sigh.

Matt gave a
half-hearted shrug. “Yes. I can’t change that, but I am my own
man.”

“How does the
missing son enter this tale?”

“I approached Dall Mossen for weapons and crew and found out.
I didn’t know before, for Reni said his son left Xen. Many
speculated he was deceased.”
Murdered.

“Reni is an
unsavoury character, to be sure, but is also the Peacekeeper. This
could have political ramifications for Valaris. We are now
harbouring three members of the Dalrish family, who appear to have
absconded without his permission.”

Matt stared at
Torrullin. He would know whom and what ruled Xen, he was in that
position on Valaris. “My Lord, Reni is guilty of injustices,
particularly where Lowen and her father are concerned. He wants
them dead.”

“Is that why
you spied for him?”

“What?” Cat
burst out.

“Shut up,
Cat,” Matt hissed, paling. “I didn’t realise his real motive, I
swear.” Matt swallowed. “God, you knew?”

Torrullin
smiled into his eyes. “This is your new life, Matt; what you did
before may remain in the past. All I seek now is to understand this
situation. I require the dynamics to deal with Reni should he make
demands.”

“You won’t
send us back?”

“I have given
my word.”

“I want to go
back to my father,” Lowen whispered.

Torrullin
murmured, “I do not know your father, Lowen, but it seems to me he
presented you with the opportunity of a brand new life, and that is
a gift. If he loves you enough to do this for you, then you should
accept it, even though it hurts, for you love him, do you not?”

A tear rolled
over her cheek. “I miss him already.”

“He misses
you. Do him proud and stand tall, and when matters are more settled
we shall bring him here as well, no matter what Reni says.”

“You
promise?”

“Cross my
heart.” Torrullin crossed his heart.

“Okay,” she
whispered and wiped at her cheeks.

“Cat, take
Lowen to your suite, please.” He stared at her when she made to
protest. “Show her where to put her things and show her around.
Don’t worry, Lowen, it is two doors down and Matt will be right
here. Go now, I must speak with your uncle.”

Cat stood and
held her hand out. Lowen rose, her gaze moving from one to the
other. “You promise?”

“I do,” Torrullin said, and the two left. Once they were out
of earshot, he exploded. “
What were you
thinking
?”

Matt was no
coward. “Reni murdered her mother, exiled her to the crime dome the
moment she could walk, banished to another world if she lived! He
would have killed his own son had not my father intervened. Moss is
a criminal, yes, guilty of God knows what, but he loves Lowen, he
never harmed me, even knowing I was spying on him, and he revered
my father. He is a good, decent man …”

“Matt.”

“My Lord, Reni
is …!”

“Matt!”
Torrullin’s voice was a whiplash. Matt fell silent. “I know what
Reni is, but he has power and he could cause trouble for
Valaris.”

“Not if you
threaten to expose him.”

“I have no
right to interfere there.”

“He would
here.”

“He has reason
now.”

Matt lapsed
into sullen silence.

Torrullin
grinned. “Relax. I will send a delegation to inform him I have
contracted yours and Cat’s services. He will be paid handsomely.
That should keep him until we are well into the Zone, and
thereafter we shall do what needs to be done as and when a demand
arises.”

Matt sighed
volubly. “You scared me. Thank you. And what of Lowen?”

“He need never
know of young Lowen, not until her father decides to make a
stand.”

Matt stared at
him. “Moss wants to take him down.”

“That is
internal and we may not interfere.”

Matt’s face
was bright with hope for his family’s future. “I like your
reasoning.”

“I have my
moments.”

Matt rubbed at
his face, finally relaxing. “Thank you.”

“Lowen will
have to remain here, you know that. Not everyone will go. She will
have a chance to make friends before we leave, such as Skye and
Caballa, and that should comfort her until you and Cat return
home.”

“Home,” Matt
murmured. “I like that. She’ll like it when she figures it out, and
if Skye is staying, she’ll be fine.”

“Skye
will
be staying, and Caballa if I can get her to obey me. We need
streamline this operation.”

“Will you chop
troops?”

“I believe
there is issue with heat signature.”

“Big time. I
assumed where we’re going nobody will pick it up.”

“We assume
nothing.”

“Then we have
to streamline well.”

“How many
would be safe?”

“Beacon tends
between thirty-five and forty when on secretive dealings.”

“Leave me now,
I need to think on this for the meeting. Lowen needs to see your
ugly face, besides.”

Matt grinned
as he rose. “You are a good man, Torrullin.”

A while later
everyone gathered.

Cat and Lowen
sat on the ledge before their suite. Matt joined them. He picked
out his crew among the golden Valleur heads and noticed how nervous
they were. Not afraid, and that was promising.

Taranis and
Vannis waited for Torrullin on the lower tier, but he chose instead
to stand above them.

Matt’s gaze
went to him and he wondered what went on inside that head. Cat told
him of the twins’ disappearance and he could not believe the man
was so controlled. Just thinking of Lowen gave him shivers.

The acoustics
in the amphitheatre were excellent. “We are too numerous for the
safe success of this mission. This means many summoned here will
remain when we leave, but doubt not your duties will be equally
pertinent. Camot, choose a contingent of twenty. Place the rest
under the command of your second and he is to train them to lead
others. The battle could follow us home.”

The war leader
bowed.

“The Xenian
crew cannot be streamlined. Krikian, Bartholamu, Taranis and Vannis
will accompany us. Gren, no argument, you stay.”

The green
giant stepped from the crowd, shaking his head.

“I am sorry,
but you are a natural choice, given your situation.” Torrullin’s
voice was firm and the Sagorin subsided. As Guardian, he would be
useful to Valaris if a battle lay ahead.

“Shep, I need
someone to see to the general welfare of folk, and those folk trust
and respect you. Agreed?”

The
purple-robed form nodded. He seemed relieved.

“Phet.”

“Don’t you
dare!” The blue-feathered Q’lin’la quivered in indignation. “I am
light, not much of a heat signature, I will not listen! That is my
final word, even if I have to stowaway!” Phet stepped forward,
crossing small arms over shaking breast.

“Phet, how can
I tell anyone else to remain, if you thwart me?”

“Enchanter, I
am going.”

“You can
attempt to change his mind,” Quilla muttered from the floor, “but
you will exhaust yourself needlessly. Besides, given what we spoke
of earlier, I believe it wise to have at least two Q’lin’la with
you.”

Torrullin
sighed. “Very well.” He found Skye next beside Caballa. “Skye.”

“I’ll
stay.”

“Thank you.
Caballa, I ask that you and Skye take Lowen under your wings and
help her adjust.”

“My Lord
Vallorin, I have had visions.”

“You can
relate them to me before we go. I command you to remain here.”

“What about
safety?” she demanded.

“The focus
will follow us.”

Caballa bowed
and said no more.

“Thirty-nine
by my reckoning, Matt,” Torrullin called up.

“It’s
good.”

“Nobody leaves
here, not until the ship is ready. No opportunity for leaks,
however innocent. Camot, please find clothes and gear for our crew.
That is all.” Torrullin turned to go, saying, “Matt, Vannis,
Taranis and Quilla, in my chambers now. We have a ship to
steal.”

“The ships
leave port tomorrow night,” Quilla said. “The Beaconite said Ceta,
but I dared not ask where.”

“It has to be
the industrial port on Graven Continent,” Matt mused.

“We need get
the lay first and check if it’s there,” Taranis said.

“Someone has a
plan, I hope,” Vannis murmured.

“Best way is
to get aboard without being seen and take it over once it’s in the
air,” Matt suggested.

Torrullin
stated, “We are not to have that crew on our conscience and we
cannot afford witnesses. We take it off the concourse before it is
launched.”

“That is a
tall order.”

“Maybe, but
that is how it plays. We get there early, first to check facts and
then to immobilise the crew. Either we pose as replacement or we
take the ship and hightail it out.”

Matt said,
“You forget there is a second craft and you forget there are
warships and military transports ready to scramble at a moment’s
notice. Any of those will be quicker than we will be in learning
the controls as we go.”

“Then it must
be dead of night,” Vannis mused. “Lack-lustre guards and warships
locked down with crew in port for fun.”

“Ceta is no
place to have fun. Militaristic bunch,” Matt said.

“We warp time
to our advantage,” Quilla suggested. “Slow our pursuit whilst we
speed up.”

“You can do
that?” Matt was wide-eyed. “If you lot ever turned criminal the
rest of us would be in trouble.”

Vannis
grinned, Taranis laughed, but Torrullin ignored that. “Excellent,
Quilla. Now, Matt, how many do you need to get the ship out of
there?”

“Four crew,
including me, and four of you to watch our backs.”

Torrullin
looked to Quilla, who muttered, “I would not keep up, I
suppose.”

“I need you
for time manipulation.”

“You have been
learning twenty years now. Besides, I prefer not to steal the ship,
even though I have no qualms sticking those self-satisfied
Beaconites one.”

Everyone
chuckled.

“Krikian has
proven able undercover. Matt, who would you want for this?”
Torrullin asked.

“Well, in a
pinch I always prefer Shane, but his reflexes are too slow. He is
the old man, a master at evasive tactics, but too old to hunker in
grass. I’d pilot, Cruper on computer, Santori on systems and Agen
on weapons.”

“I thought
there were no weapons,” Taranis interrupted.

“There are
always weapons, but these would be defensive. We need install
attack hardware.”

Torrullin rose
to speak to a soldier outside.

Soon after,
Krikian requested admittance, bringing in three Xenians.

Matt
introduced them.

“Cruper,
computer wizard and navigator.” Cruper was the tall, red-haired
individual Taranis and Torrullin earlier remarked on, with a
craggy, lined face and faded blue eyes. He bowed.

“Agen, weapons
specialist.” Agen was of average build, dark hair and eyes, cocky
and confident now he was away from Dall Mossen.

“Santori,
systems analyst and master mechanic.” Santori was the shaven-headed
man. He was clearly a quiet and contained person, evident in his
economical movements and reserved attitude. His eyes were hazel and
a long scar ran down one cheek. He dipped his head.

“Well met,”
Torrullin murmured, briefly introducing the others. “Please sit.”
He filled them in and had Agen in delight, the other two nodding.
“Fine, if my calculations are correct, Ceta is a few hours more
into darkness than we are. Vannis’ dead of night.” He wiggled his
eyebrows.

Vannis and
Taranis looked at each other and then, simultaneously, “Now?”

“Thirty
minutes to gather gear. Everyone in?”

“Too right,”
Vannis grinned.

“Moses,” Matt
groaned. He glanced at his crew. “Are you guys ready for this?”