Dragonback 06 Dragon and Liberator (24 page)

"Theoretically, yes," Draycos said. "But you'd need a portable
monitor, which we don't have. Other than that, the only centralized
monitors would be in auxiliary control, just forward of the engine
control complex."

Jack grimaced. The engine complex was way back in the aft section
of the ship. "No good," he said. "It'd take you as long to get back
there as it would to scope out all the possible rooms in the first
place."

"Or at least nearly as long," Draycos conceded. "Perhaps we need
to abandon the idea of attacking these weapons before we reach Point
Three."

"No," Jack said firmly. "The minute we come off ECHO we're going
to have Frost breathing down our necks. If he doesn't catch us, he's
sure going to pin us down. If we're going to take out this thing, we
need to do it now."

"In that case, I'd best get started checking rooms," Draycos said.
"If I find it quickly enough, I should at least be able to guarantee
that that one's out of action."

"Assuming that isn't where they've shifted all the Brummgas that
used to be guarding this other—" Jack broke off, his breath catching in
his throat.

"Jack?"

"It's okay, buddy," Jack said, his brain suddenly racing. "I just
had a sudden revelation. Did you actually see the Death weapon in the
weapons bay?"

"Yes, of course."

"What direction was it pointing?"

There was a short pause. "It was pointing a hundred and ten
degrees port side from the bow," the K'da said slowly. "Just aft of
straight across. Odd. They've always been pointed forward, or a few
degrees outward from forward."

"All aimed and primed and ready for their upcoming attack, in
other words," Jack agreed. "Now, suddenly, they've got one pointed back
inward toward the middle of their own ship."

"It's pointed at the other Death weapon," Draycos said, his voice
suddenly charged with energy. "They're protecting
each other
."

"Like a pair of chess knights in mutual guard positions," Jack
said. "Now, knowing
that
, can you tell where the other one's
been stashed?"

"Knowing that, there are only two possibilities," Draycos said
slowly "The forward machine shop, or the port-side power substation."

"Are both of them close enough?" Jack asked. "Back on Rho Scorvi,
you said something about atmosphere limiting the Death's range."

"It's not the atmosphere itself but the density of life within
it," Draycos corrected. "As the Death kills, some of its energy is
absorbed by the life it's destroying. The atmosphere of a typical
planet is full of microorganisms, spores, insects, and other life."

"And we were in a forest at the time," Jack said. "Probably one of
your higher-density locations."

"Correct," Draycos said. "Also, the nearness of a planetary mass
affects the Death in a way that the artificial gravity of a ship does
not. As a result, on a planet the Death has a much smaller range."

"But none of that applies here."

"Correct," Draycos said. "Here the Death will have no problem
cutting completely through the ship. However, in a choice between the
machine shop and the substation, I would vote for the latter. It has
more power available."

"Let's try that one first, then," Jack said. "How long will it
take you to get there?"

"At least ten minutes," Draycos said. "The route isn't very
straight."

Jack chewed at his lower lip. The idea that was taking shape in
the back of his mind was straightforward but tricky.

It was also dangerous. And not just for him and Draycos.

"Shall I get started?" Draycos prompted.

"Better idea," Jack said. "See if Langston can give you a lift."

"You
are
joking, right?"

"Not at all," Jack said. "If you can get onto his skin without any
of the Brummgas in there noticing, he can stroll down the corridor
faster and easier than you can travel through the ducts."

"The ducts would be safer."

"Not necessarily." Jack hesitated. "Besides, we owe it to him let
him know what's coming."

There was another short silence. "Is there something coming that I
don't know about?" Draycos asked.

"I think there is, yes," Jack hedged. "Let me think it through a
little more. Meanwhile you go see if you think it's possible to get to
Langston."

"Very well," Draycos said. "I'll speak to you again when I can."
The comm clip went silent.

For another moment Jack lay where he was, gazing at the floor
above him. Then, rolling over, he started crawling toward the next
nearest group of wires and cables.

This was going to take more of a diversion than he'd originally
thought.

The Brummgas hadn't moved from the positions where Draycos had
left them a few minutes earlier. Langston, in contrast, had abandoned
his place behind the Death weapon and was moving slowly around the
room, gazing at each of the security camera monitors as he passed them.

His path, Draycos saw, would bring him directly beneath the
ventilation grille. Keeping an eye on the Brummgas, Draycos got ready.

And as Langston passed beneath the grille, Draycos extended a claw
and gave the edge of the grille three quiet scratches.

Langston paused, his head cocked. Draycos repeated the scratching.
Langston half-turned to look at the Brummgas standing by the door, then
turned back, leaning toward whatever equipment was directly beneath the
grille as if he were studying it. "Hello?" he murmured just loud enough
for Draycos to hear over the quiet hum of the equipment.

"I'm here" Draycos murmured back, watching the guards closely.
There was no reaction there that he could see. "I need to find the
other Death weapon."

"I heard someone say they'd moved it to the conference room off
the main control complex," Langston offered, pretending to make an
adjustment.

"No, it's somewhere nearby," Draycos told him. "The Valahgua
expect me to attack this weapon. When I do, they plan to use the other
one to kill me."

Langston stiffened. "I see," he muttered. "I wondered why I'd been
trusted with this job." He took a deep breath. "Okay. What do you need?"

"Jack has a plan," Draycos said, hoping it was true. "But I need
to locate the weapon. I think I know where it is, but it'll be faster
if you can carry me part of the way."

"Okay," Langston said. "You ready?"

"One moment." Pulling the comm clip off his ear, Draycos set it
beside the grille. It would have been nice to be able to take it with
him, but there was no way for a K'da to carry anything while in
two-dimensional form. Another thought occurred to him, and he set the
clip on mute so that Jack could still hear but not transmit. "Ready."

Langston turned toward the two Brummgas standing guard by the
door. "Hey—Vimpru," he called. "How'd you like to hop over to the mess
and get me a drink?"

All five Brummgas in the room turned to face him, identical
expressions of disbelief and contempt on their faces. The two at the
door looked at each other, then deliberately turned their faces away
from him. The three at the Death's controls gazed at him a moment
longer, then did likewise.

Smiling tightly, Langston lifted his hand and poked a finger
through the grille. Draycos touched it and slid up the man's sleeve
onto his arm.

Draycos felt a shiver run through Langston's skin as he settled
himself across the other's back, legs, and arms. "Whoa," Langston
murmured. "That's . . . interesting. Out of sight, now."

Turning on his heel, he headed for the door. "Fine—I'll get it
myself," he said as he passed between the two guards. "Lieutenant
Pickering won't be happy to hear you weren't being helpful."

Neither Brummga bothered to answer. Keying the door, Langston
exited the room.

The corridor outside was very quiet. "I see they've moved everyone
else out of the line of fire," Langston commented. "Which way?"

"To the right," Draycos said, flicking out his tongue. There was
nothing nearby but Langston's own scent and that of distant Brummgas.
"We're heading toward the forward power substation on the port side."

"Got it."

Langston started down the corridor, his footsteps sounding
unnaturally loud in the quiet. Easing his head along the other's chest,
Draycos peered out through his collar.

This wasn't one of the main cross-ship corridors that cut a nice
straight path between starboard and port-side hulls. This was instead
one of those that meandered all over the place, angling and teeing
every thirty feet or so as it worked its way around the more oddly
shaped rooms at the ship's bow.

"It's forward to that T-junction, left, right, and left again,
correct?" Langston asked.

"Yes, but I can't let you go that far," Draycos told him. "You
told the Brummgas you were going for a drink. Just take me to the
nearest mess room and I'll be gone."

Langston continued on in silence another few steps. "I think I can
do a little better than that," he said. "What's Jack's plan?"

"I don't know yet," Draycos admitted. "I'll need to get back in
the ducts before I can find out."

"
He's
in the ducts, too?"

"No, but my comm clip is," Draycos said. "I can't carry anything
in two-dimensional form."

"No problem." Langston dug something out of his side pocket and
pressed it against the base of his throat. "Here."

Draycos lifted his head slightly and focused on it. "Your comm
clip?" he asked, frowning.

"A spare, actually," Langston said. "You can reset it to your
private frequency and pattern specs and call Jack without having to go
back into the ducts."

"Excellent," Draycos said. "Thank you." Lifting his front paws
from Langston's chest, he took the comm clip and started adjusting its
settings.

He was still working at it when Langston took a sharp turn to the
right, keyed open a door, and went inside a room.

A room with the well-remembered aroma of permanent disinfectant.
"A
relief station
?" Draycos asked.

"Why not?" Langston countered. "Low ceilings, no cameras, and as
much privacy as we're going to get.
And
we're only three rooms
away from your power substation."

"You're also way too far from your station here," Draycos warned.
"There are two other relief stations closer to the starboard weapons
bays."

"Both of which have been fitted with Brummga-sized equipment,"
Langston countered. "No, we token humans usually use one of the three
that were left the way you and your Shontine friends originally had
them. Perfectly normal behavior for me to be here. You ready with that
yet?"

"Just finished." Draycos keyed on the comm clip. "Jack?"

"Here," Jack's voice came. "You find it?"

"Not yet," Draycos said. "But we're near the substation, and I can
get into the ducts from here."

"Keep your voice down, will you?" Jack warned. "I can hear
Brummgas in the background."

"That's coming from the comm clip I left by the weapons bay
grille," Draycos assured him. "I'm using Sergeant Langston's spare comm
clip."

"Oh," Jack said, sounding a bit taken aback. "Okay."

"Should I have hidden the other comm clip better?" Draycos asked.
"It
is
muted, so they can't listen in."

"No, that's okay," Jack said. "Actually . . . yes, actually, that
could turn out to be useful."

"I gather you have a plan?" Langston asked.

"Yes, I think so," Jack said. "How are you doing, Langston?"

"They don't trust me, but they're being good enough to give me
plenty of rope with which to hang myself," Langston said.

"Sounds like Neverlin's style," Jack said. "How game are you to
wrap some of that rope around your neck?"

"I'll do whatever's necessary," Langston said, his voice calm but
deadly serious. "I'm a warrior." He looked sideways down at Draycos's
face pressed against his shoulder. "Draycos understands."

"I think I'm starting to, too," Jack said. "Okay, here's the
scheme."

Quickly, concisely, he laid it out for them. "Going to take some
careful timing," Langston commented when he'd finished.

"Yes, but with three comm clips I think we can pull it off," Jack
said. "
My
biggest question is for Draycos."

"Don't worry about me," Draycos told him, ignoring the creeping
feeling shivering across his scales. No, he certainly didn't want to do
this. Not this way.

But he could see no other way to do what had to be done. "As
Sergeant Langston said, we're warriors. We do whatever is necessary."

"You also do what's right," Jack reminded him. "Is this going to
conflict with that?"

"I do not kill without need," Draycos said. "Not even enemies. But
this is a war of survival. I'll do whatever is necessary."

"Especially given what's at stake," Langston murmured.

"Yes," Draycos said. "Let's get on with it."

"Okay, then," Jack said. There was still some lingering doubt in
the boy's voice, but he clearly knew better than to press the issue.
"Get into the ducts and confirm the other Death is actually there.
Langston, you get back to your station. Don't forget to pick up a drink
on the way—that was your excuse for leaving, remember."

"Right," Langston said. "You need a hand, Draycos?"

"No, thank you." Draycos leaped out of Langston's collar, landing
on one of the relief station's dividers. Balancing there, he got a claw
under the corner of the ventilation grille and popped the hidden catch.
"Ready."

"Good luck," Langston said, holding out his hand.

Reaching down, Draycos touched the outstretched hand with his paw.
"And to you," he said. Turning, he swung the grille open and crawled
inside.

I'll do whatever is necessary
, the words echoed through his
mind as he started toward the power substation.
Whatever is
necessary
.