Edge World (Undying Mercenaries Series Book 14) Page 27

  “Uh…” I said, feeling a trifle uncomfortable.

  What she’d said was indeed a fact—but it wasn’t a fact I thought anyone knew about except for me, Leeza and Armel himself. Apparently, someone had spilled the beans.

  “Yes or no?” she demanded loudly. “Don’t go playing dumb on me, I’m not in the mood!”

  “No sir—I mean, yes sir. I did meet with Armel a year or so ago.”

  Graves and Fike glanced at one another. They both seemed irritated. Maybe that was because I hadn’t reported an enemy contact. They were often disappointed in situations like this.

  “All right, tell me, what does this fool have to offer the Skay? A forgotten army of Clavers? What?”

  “Oh… right. He’s got a saurian legion. I believe he mentioned commanding ten thousand of them—but that was just in passing, mind you. I didn’t count tails or anything.”

  The group blinked, absorbing this.

  Fike spoke first. “Not a serious force,” he said. “If that’s all he’s got, we can take them. We’ll outnumber them two to one from the start.”

  “Oh really?” Galina snapped. “We’ve suddenly been pitted against a professionally armed and armored legion with a competent commander—but that isn’t the real problem?”

  “No sir. We can take ten thousand lizards easily.”

  “Maybe, but he’ll have all the alien freaks on this dirt-hole planet with him. Just look who else is on the screen!”

  Galina pointed up to the big screen. It was true, the Shadowlanders had been joined by two other native groups. None of them seemed friendly to Earth.

  Fike was startled by this idea. “You think the aliens will all turn against us?”

  “You ensured that the Shadowlanders hate us,” Galina told him. “Remember that punitive raid? With McGill at the head of it? Half of the eggshell domes and carpets in their crappy town burned down. Does that ring a bell?”

  “Maybe we can get the others on our side, then,” Graves suggested. “The rebel forces from the desert and the tundra.”

  “Maybe… but we can’t even participate in this discussion. I’m extremely annoyed right now. Captain Merton, keep contacting the Nairbs and ask to be reinstated in this conference—with an unmuted voice.”

  “We’ve been doing so, Tribune. So far, they aren’t even bothering to answer.”

  I was beginning to see the scope of the problem, and I understood why Turov was freaking out. She’d lost control of the situation. The Nairbs might rule damned near anyway they pleased—without our input.

  “Hey,” I said, “I’ve got an idea.”

  Several sets of unfriendly eyes shifted in my direction.

  “What is it, McGill?” Galina asked.

  “Bring Helsa up here. I think I can get to her mamma through her.”

  Galina narrowed her eyes at me. It was entirely unfair, but she didn’t trust me around random alien women we’d only just met up with.

  I thought that was just sour grapes on her part. Sure, I’d had a fling or two when the mood had struck me in the past. But that didn’t mean I was involved with Helsa. In my opinion, she ought to give me the benefit of the doubt in these situations.

  “Veteran Daniels!” she screeched. “Go get that alien bitch, and bring her up here!”

  He hustled away, and I turned my attention back to the conference, which was still steaming along.

  “Preposterous,” the Skay was saying. “This isn’t a matter of if, but rather when the star system in question becomes our property. Votes and other means of decision-making by the insects crawling over these rocky planets means nothing.”

  He was really well-spoken. I figured that’s why they’d sent him out from the Core Worlds. He was an old, long-toothed Skay. He was probably too ancient to fight battles, what with that scarred-up hull of his, but maybe his AI was still cagey, still tricky in an argument.

  “That is not what I was suggesting,” Nox responded. “Votes are reserved for the Imperial Senate. Nothing like that vaunted process would be appropriate for these simple beings.”

  “What then? What kind of decision-making process are you suggesting?”

  “Rules warning!” barked the Nairb.

  Both the Galactics addressed his parliamentary concern, which had to do with proper wording and deference. All the Nairb seemed to be doing was slowing things down, but maybe that was a good thing in this case.

  Helsa was hustled onto the bridge during this latest dust-up. I was frankly surprised. Had Daniels previously brought her up here under Galina’s orders? That was the impression I had, as there hadn’t been enough time to fetch her up from the brig level.

  Helsa’s eyes met mine, and she gave me a flickering smile.

  I smiled back, but then I dropped that and turned away.

  Galina was watching the two of us. Damnation, that girl was suspicious. I had to pretend like I didn’t give two shakes about this alien girl.

  Galina walked to me and simultaneously crooked a finger at Daniels. Helsa was brought near as well. “McGill,” Galina said quietly, “work some magic, and do it fast.”

  “Uh… okay.”

  I turned to face Helsa. She looked kind of wary about me as well. She didn’t know what was going on. “Helsa, I went down to your planet and had a nice chat with your mom yesterday.”

  “I gathered as much.”

  “Well, do you think you could contact her and get her to talk to us? On the side, I mean?”

  Helsa’s eyes flicked up toward the big screen. They widened in alarm. “Are those strange beings Galactics?”

  “They sure are. Right now, they’re deciding your people’s fate—and mine.”

  “They can’t do that. We’re a free tribe. We’re the best of the inhabitants of 91 Aquarii.”

  I laughed. “I’m sure you are, but that doesn’t mean a stack of spittle to these nasty aliens. The Empire can snuff us all out like so many candles.”

  She looked back at me. “What do you want to say to Kattra?”

  “Just that we need to make a deal—fast.”

  “Why should we prefer one invader over another?”

  I pointed a thick finger at the Skay. “You see that cue ball up there? He’s as big as a Moon and more than capable of leveling your fine planet. What’s more, he doesn’t give two shits about you and your people. Earth, on the other hand, just wants to do business as usual.”

  “Wait a second!” Galina said, putting up both her hands. She was looking up at the aliens, and listening to them. She seemed highly agitated. “What did they just say? Are they agreeing to some kind of insanity?”

  “Sounds like it,” Graves said. “I’m not surprised, really. A trial by combat—that’s much more the style of Galactics. They find votes distasteful.”

  “Combat?” I asked. “Who’s fighting who? I hope it’s us against Armel. I’d really like to kill some lizards.”

  “Shut up, McGill.”

  We all listened in. They seemed to be ironing out the details.

  “I ask,” said the Skay, “who among the three peoples of this planet will stand with the superior beings known as the Skay?”

  The burnt mummy-creature from the bright-side spoke up first. He had kind of a raspy voice, as if his vocal chords had dried out and become like leather shoestrings. “The people of the endless light will march with the Skay. We will sweep all that oppose us from our path. This is inevitable.”

  “Scheming bastards…” Helsa snarled.

  The night-sider spoke next. He sounded kind of hissy, like the voice of a giant spider. “We speaks together, as we huddle close against the snows. We too, will march in the shadow of the Skay.”

  “It’s a setup!” I hollered. “They’re all in cahoots! They want to take your planet from you, Helsa! It’s as clear as day!”

  She looked alarmed. I could tell she didn’t know quite what to do.

  I reached out and latched my hand onto her arm. I tugged at her urgently. “Contact your
mamma! Stand with us before they roll you all over with the help of that giant white rock out there!”

  Helsa nodded. She began working her tapper in earnest.

  -47-

  A moment later, we saw Kattra flinch on the big screen. She glanced down furtively.

  “She got the call!” I boomed. “Now, pick up you arrogant—”

  “She disconnected,” Helsa said. “I’m not surprised, she is in the midst of a critical meeting.”

  “Have you got some kind of emergency signal?” I asked her. “Something that would indicate she needs to pick up immediately?”

  Helsa gritted her teeth. She worked her tapper again.

  On the big screen, Kattra was clearly distracted.

  “Shadowlanders!” the Nairb judge said. “What say you? What army will you stand with in this determination?”

  “I… I must consult with my council.”

  “What?” the Skay demanded. “Is this dissembling a tactic? Delay and confuse? Is that the way of your people?”

  “No, of course not. It is simply a legal formality. Will you give me the time to—”

  “Thirty seconds,” the Skay said. “I will wait no longer.”

  “Ninety seconds,” Nox said. “I demand ninety seconds for consideration.”

  While they argued, I saw Kattra’s face snarling out of Helsa’s forearm. I stuck my big face in between the two women, who both seemed kind of worked-up about something.

  “Hey!” I said. “Just McGill, here. I was wondering if I could offer you some help.”

  Kattra snarled at me. “McGill? I should have known you were involved in this somehow.”

  “I’m only interested in pleasing you, your high ladyship. Listen-up, because I think you’re in trouble. If I’m reading my creepy aliens right, the night-siders and the bright-siders have teamed up against you. They’re with the Skay, and they’re going to take over your planet after it drifts into Skay space, if not sooner.”

  “How do you know this, human?”

  I laughed long and loud. “Isn’t it obvious? Even Helsa here got it—didn’t you, girl?”

  I drew my head back so Kattra could see both of us. We were kind of up-close and personal so we could both get into the tiny camera’s pick-up range. It was like we were doing a selfie together, and I could tell Galina was getting annoyed—but she was just going to have to hold her water on that score.

  “I think it’s true, my Lady,” Helsa said. “The two lesser tribes would never agree to walk the same path together so quickly. They hate one another almost as much as they hate us. I think they’re all working together—against us.”

  “We humans call that a conspiracy,” I said. “That’s what this is, plain as day.”

  “So, what is your proposal?”

  “Just like before—but we might have to do a little fighting together, first. Your army and our army—we’ll stand together against these second-class upstarts that grub around in the low-rent parts of your planet. What do you say?”

  Kattra looked thoughtful but unconvinced.

  “Uh…” I said. “We’re kind of running out of time…”

  “There is too much dishonor between us,” Kattra said. “You have clearly seduced and suborned my daughter, adding further insult on top of the assault you launched at my personal quarters. I would require atonement. Demonstrations of fealty. Definitive—”

  “Hold on, hold on,” I said. “We don’t have time for any of that crap. The Nairb wants an answer. Will you stand with the Skay, or with the Mogwa?”

  She bared her teeth. I could tell she was torn.

  “Hey,” I said, getting an idea, “what if I sweetened the pot for you? What if I gave you an invaluable gift?”

  “What gift? There is no time, as you said—”

  I lifted a big hand to stop her. “There is. The gift is already in your possession. I was thinking about telling you—but it was supposed to be a surprise.”

  Kattra cocked her head and stared at me quizzically. “What are you blathering about, human?”

  Leaning close to Helsa’s arm, I whispered loudly into it. “A Galactic Key. Look for it—I left it in your throne room. It’s all yours.”

  Helsa pulled her arm away from my lips. She looked at me reproachfully.

  But Kattra was still on the screen. Her look had changed. “I’ve heard of such things…” she said. “I must go now.”

  The connection died.

  For the next minute or so, the Nairb called for the Shadowlander vote. No one answered him.

  “Clearly, they have forfeited their choice,” the Skay said. “I will wait no longer on the dawdling of a slave.”

  “I demand we extend the decision time,” Nox said.

  “What?” the Skay boomed. “This is an insult. This will not go unpunished.”

  “How long of a delay are you requesting, Governess Nox?” the Nairb asked.

  “One hour, no more.”

  “Impossible!” the Skay complained. “I will give no more than three minutes.”

  The wrangling went on, and it took them five minutes to decide they’d wait for five more. I enjoyed every moment of that time, hoping against hope.

  At last, the regal image of Kattra returned to the bottom center slot on the screen.

  “You have forty more seconds,” the Nairb said, “if you wish to reconsider.”

  “Not necessary,” Kattra said. “We have rendered our verdict. We will stand with the Mogwa.”

  I whooped and hollered. It was a loud sound, and everyone there winced and glanced at me in irritation. I didn’t care as I was too busy clapping my hands over my head and laughing.

  “Very well,” the Skay said. “I demand the right to deploy my enforcers to aid the righteous owners of this world.”

  “We demand the same right,” Nox said promptly.

  “Granted, in both cases,” the Nairb answered. “The war will commence in forty minutes’ time. All combat must occur on the surface of the planet itself—no bombardment or other interference will be allowed. Are there any other questions or statements to be made by the affected parties?”

  “Just this,” the Skay said, speaking up in the silence that followed, “you have chosen poorly, Shadowlanders. When we eventually gain control of your pathetic planet, we will grind the bones of every last creature in your tribe to dust. No matter what the outcome of this farce, you have chosen to die as a people.”

  “Your words are noted, Skay,” Kattra said evenly.

  She was a tough bird, I had to give her that. She didn’t even flinch or piss herself. She just stared up at the Skay with those smoldering eyes.

  -48-

  “Forty minutes?!” Fike shouted. “We can’t get down there that fast—all the lifters are on the surface now.”

  “Aw…” I said in disappointment. “Are you saying I can’t fight in this war?”

  Galina’s eyes darted around the group. “Get into the drop-pods. All of you. I’ll command the high ground from up here.”

  “I will stand at your side, Tribune,” Winslade offered immediately. “You’ll need a liaison to connect properly with the grunts.”

  She looked at him with unfriendly eyes. “I think I’d rather have you planetside, Winslade. Drop with the officers and keep my lines of communication open.”

  Glumly, Winslade followed the rest of us down to Red Deck. From there, we were fired out into space like so many screaming bombs. Inside half of an hour, I found myself standing on the mossy carpet of Edge World again.

  I picked a fruit bulb, gave it a sniff, then took a bite. It wasn’t half-bad.

  Winslade came close to me. He was in a sour mood.

  “That was quite an impressive set of verbal gymnastics, McGill,” he said. “I only wish you’d managed to keep us out of it in the bargain.”

  “Aw now, you don’t mean that, sir,” I said. “I know you, old blood-and-guts Winslade. That’s what the men call you, did you know that?”

  “
Really? That seems rather—”

  “Hey, listen,” I interrupted. “Do you have a cohort to command down here?”

  “No… I was deposed as the legion’s tribune, and unless Turov makes a change in the command structure—”

  I lifted my tapper to my face. I activated it and contacted Galina.

  “What is it, McGill? Don’t you have an army to order around?”

  “I’ve got my unit, yes sir. But Winslade here—he hasn’t got any troops. Are there any dead officers he can replace?”

  “McGill!? Damn you, man!” Winslade hissed at my side.

  “No need to thank me, Primus,” I told him. “I know how much you’re itching to get into the action.”

  “Hmm…” Galina said. “Winslade was given the acting role of Tribune previously, but I think I’ll put Graves in that spot now. I’ll assign the third cohort to him, replacing Graves. Work together gentlemen—and do it right this time.”

  She closed the channel. I was left staring at my tapper, dismayed. I hadn’t thought she would put him in charge of my cohort. I’d kind of figured he’d be given some other shitty job because she wasn’t happy with him.

  Lowering my arm, I saw Winslade’s ferret-like features staring up at me. “So, we’re working together again? How lovely.”

  “Yes sir, it will be a pleasure to serve. What’s our tactical plan?”

  “First, I’ll contact Graves.”

  He walked off, talked to Graves for a moment, then walked back. He didn’t look all that happy.

  “He wants me to lead the cohort into that shoddy little town. You’re to meet with these alien women you’ve been working so hard to seduce—by the way, how did you manage to get Kattra to agree to join us?”

  “Uh…” I said, thinking of the Galactic Key. That part of the negotiation had been worked out without a lot of fanfare on my part. Both Winslade and Galina knew about the key, and they both wanted it.

  “Listen McGill,” Winslade said. “The last time we shared breathing space, you killed me. Do you recall that event?”

  “Yes sir. That surely was an unfortunate accident on my part. My bad, as they say. I totally own up to it.”