Dragonback 06 Dragon and Liberator (33 page)

"Not really," Neverlin said. "The Death apparently kills humans as
efficiently as it does everyone else."

"An interesting weapon," Alison said.

"Which I hope never gets a foothold in the Orion Arm," Neverlin
said, his voice going odd. "That's one of the reasons I was hoping your
father could get a force out here, in fact."

Alison frowned at him. "Are you asking my father to help you kill
the
Valahgua
?"

"Perhaps the Valahgua," Neverlin said, shrugging slightly. "Or
perhaps others. I presume you noticed Colonel Frost's confrontation
with the Lordhighest just before you left the bridge. He nearly came to
blows with him."

"I'm not sure I'd call it coming to blows, exactly," Alison
hedged. "I've seen you and Frost lock horns as solidly as they were
doing."

"Exactly my point," Neverlin said. "The colonel has been growing
more and more erratic lately. That's not a good thing for a delicate
alliance like ours."

"So you're thinking it might be a good time to clean house?"
Alison suggested.

"Something like that." Neverlin paused, considering. "Perhaps both
the house
and
the barn."

Alison stared at him. "Are you suggesting getting rid of Frost
and
the Brummgas?"

"You said your father wanted a fair cut," Neverlin pointed out.
"This would certainly leave a larger share for him."

"It would indeed," Alison said, forcing her voice to remain calm.
Neverlin was even more cold-blooded than she'd thought. "How would you
explain the loss of his troops to the Patri Chookoock?"

"This is war," Neverlin reminded her. "People die all the time in
wars."

"True," Alison said. "Well, it certainly wouldn't cost anything to
ask Dad what he thought about all this. How long until the InterWorld
transmitter is up and running again?"

"Another hour at the most," Neverlin said. "We've now removed all
the bullets Frost fired into it." He grimaced. "As I said, he's getting
more and more erratic."

"I wish you luck trying to take his guns away from him," Alison
said dryly. "Fine. As soon as the transmitter is working again—"

Beside her bed, the intercom gave a ping. "Mr. Neverlin?" the
Advocatus
Diaboli
's captain's voice came. "Bridge to Mr. Neverlin."

Alison reached over and keyed the switch. "Yes, Captain?" Neverlin
called.

"We've got five ships coming off ECHO directly ahead," the captain
said.

"Range?" Neverlin demanded, scrambling to his feet.

"About five thousand miles," the captain said. "Correction—there
are now twenty ships. No; fifty. A hundred twenty. Good God—it's over
three hundred. And they're still coming."

Neverlin looked at Alison, his eyes dark. "The K'da and Shontine,"
he said. "They're here."

Frost and the Lordhighest were already on the bridge when Neverlin
and Alison arrived. Frost gave the newcomers a quick and slightly
curious look before returning his attention to the main status board.
"What's happening?" Neverlin asked as he stepped to Frost's side.

"Nothing yet," Frost told him. "The fleet is still dribbling in
off ECHO, though it finally looks like they're almost finished. Over
nine hundred ships so far, including between fifty and sixty major
warships in vanguard position."

"We will destroy them all," the Valahgua rumbled.

"I'm sure you will," Neverlin said briefly. "Are we moving yet?"

"Yes, sir," Frost confirmed, pointing at the display. "The
Foxwolf
's
taken point, with us riding her aft starboard flank and Backstop
forming up in rear-guard position behind us."

"What about the troop carrier?" Neverlin asked. "Never mind—I see
it."

"I've got it limping along after us," Frost said. "A noble and
valiant ally who's been wounded but is still trying gamely to stay with
us. The Lordhighest says the K'da and Shontine are suckers for that
sort of thing."

A brief smattering of alien speech came over the bridge speaker.
"That's the fleet again," Frost said. "They've already called once,
while you were on your way here."

"Are we going to answer?" Neverlin asked, looking at the Valahgua.

"Not we," the alien said. "The Lordover of the
Foxwolf
will reply for us."

The alien words came over the speaker again. This time, they were
answered, by what sounded to Alison like the same language and a very
similar voice. "The
Foxwolf
's Lordover?" she asked.

"Yes, speaking through a voice changer," the Lordhighest said. "He
welcomes the fleet after their long journey and tells them he also
brings a new ally."

There was another rapid-fire exchange, followed by another. "What
are they saying now?" Neverlin muttered.

"The Lordover speaks of the force that attacked and nearly
annihilated us," the Lordhighest said, a macabre amusement in his
voice. "He warns that we may not have completely escaped them."

"Very well." Neverlin took a deep breath. "Colonel? Do it."

Frost nodded and gestured to the captain. "Order Backstop Leader
to pull forward two hundred yards," he said.

"Will that be enough?" Neverlin asked. "Two hundred yards won't
look like much from the Hammerfalls' distance."

"It's more than enough," Frost assured him. "Especially with the
troop carrier now falling back from us. A simple ranging pulse between
us, the carrier, and the Backstop ships will give them everything they
need."

"Hammerfall groups on the move," the captain reported.

Another burst of alien speech came from the speaker, this time
with a sense of urgency to it. "The
Foxwolf
's Lordover has
pretended to notice the pursuit," the Lordhighest translated. "He is
calling on our friends in the refugee fleet for protection."

"Sir, the
Foxwolf
is increasing speed," the helmsman said.

"Match him," Frost ordered, his eyes flicking between the forward
and aft tactical displays. "Signal Backstop to maintain current
distance from us. We don't want the Hammerfalls closing too fast."

"Troop carrier is falling farther behind," the captain said.

"Signal them to maintain their current speed," Frost said. He
turned a tight smile on Neverlin and Alison. "Our valiant ally, unable
to keep up."

"Six of the refugee warships are moving forward," the captain
said. "Angling outward toward the Hammerfall groups. Other warships are
moving to fill the gaps."

"They want to help, but they're still not sure about us," Frost
said.

"The
Foxwolf
's Lordover will convince them," the
Lordhighest said, a repulsive anticipation bubbling beneath his voice.
"Victory is ours, Neverlin."

"Let's not count our profits too soon," Neverlin warned. "Even
with the Death on our side, there's still a battle to be fought before—"

He broke off as a small but brilliant flash appeared on the aft
display. "What was that?" Alison asked, pointing to it.

"Some kind of explosion aboard the troop carrier," Frost said,
frowning as he leaned closer to the display.

There was another flash, then another, then two more in rapid
succession. "What in the name of—?" Neverlin demanded.

Abruptly, something seemed to fade into view beside the troop
carrier. Something small and quick, firing its missiles into the
carrier's small weapons pods and bridge.

And Alison caught her breath. "Chameleon hull-wrap," she murmured.

Frost swore viciously. "It's the
Essenay
," he snarled.
"It's the damn frunging
Essenay
."

It had been over three hours since that last communication with
Langston and Harper, and Jack had heard nothing else from anyone.

He'd tried to ask for details from the next Brummga who came to
change his oxygen tank, hoping to find out what all that had been
about. But his vac suit radio was still shut off, and he doubted the
big alien had even noticed the prisoner's lips moving.

And then, even as he and Draycos were trying to decide whether it
was finally time for Draycos to go on the offensive, the troop carrier
gave a lurch and began to move.

Any ideas
? Draycos asked.

None whatsoever, buddy
, Jack answered grimly, pressing his
helmet against the bulkhead behind him and trying to decipher the hums
and crinkles he could hear through the metal.
It sounds like we're
under way, but at only half speed. Maybe less
.

More maneuvers
?

Could be
, Jack conceded.
You getting anything
?

There was a brief sense of movement as Draycos leaned off his back
and peered over the bulkhead.
The preparation room is still deserted
,
Draycos reported.

For a few minutes they listened together in silence. The carrier
had turned slightly to port side, Jack decided, and was now heading
straight forward. If this was some kind of maneuver, it was a pretty
simpleminded one.

And then, the faint engine and maneuvering-jet sounds were
abruptly drowned out by a much louder thud. It was followed by another,
then another, then by a quick one-two pair.

Those are missile impacts
, Draycos said suddenly.
Someone
is shooting at us
.

Are we shooting back
? Jack asked, straining his ears. To
him, all the pounding just sounded like someone taking a large hammer
to the carrier's hull.

Yes
, Draycos said.
But too little and too late. It
sounds like the attacker has finished with the defenses and has moved
on to the bridge
—

"Jack?" Uncle Virge's voice came from Jack's comm clip. "Jack lad?
Can you hear me?"

It took Jack a second to find his voice. "Uncle Virge? Where are
you? What are you doing?"

"At the moment, beating the stuffing out of the troop carrier
you're on," Uncle Virge said with clear satisfaction. "You're still in
the starboard scout ship bay, right?"

"Fine time to ask, but yes," Jack said. "How did you know?"

"Langston told me," Uncle Virge said. "He has your comm clip's
frequency and pattern—did you know that?"

"Yes, I gave them to him," Jack said. "How did you get in so close
without being spotted?"

"I just drifted in nice and slow with the hull-wrap going," Uncle
Virge said. "Turns out it works even better in space than it does on
the ground, provided you don't lean on the drive. There we go—all
finished."

The impacts, Jack realized suddenly, had stopped. So had the sound
of the carrier's drive. "Great," he said. "Now all we need to do is
figure out how to get me out of here."

"Leave that to me," Draycos said. "Uncle Virge, bring the
Essenay
to the starboard scout ship hatch and wait."

You sure you know what you're doing
? Jack asked.

Very sure
, Draycos said.
Back to the bulkhead, please.
I'm getting off
.

"Destroy them!" Neverlin snarled. "You hear me, Frost? I want
Morgan and that blasted kid killed."

Alison felt Taneem stir nervously on her skin. Those were her
friends out there. . . . "No," Alison spoke up firmly. "Dad wants the
K'da alive."

"To hell with the K'da," Neverlin said, throwing her a quick
glare. "Frost?"

"We can't reach them," Frost ground out between clenched teeth.
"They're out of range."

"Don't be ridiculous," Neverlin snapped. "Turn a couple of
Backstop's Djinn-90s around and deal with them."

"We can't move the Backstop ships," Frost said. "They're the ones
the Hammerfalls are watching, remember? You want them to end up falling
back, then surging forward, then falling back, then surging forward
again?"

"If you think I'm going to let them get away now—"

"Enough," the Valahgua cut him off. "The K'da and his boy cannot
harm us. Merely jam all communications so he cannot speak to the fleet."

Neverlin took a deep breath, his eyes burning as he glared at the
alien. "Full-spectrum radio bubble, Captain," he ordered. "Lock out
everything except ours."

"First signal the Backstop ships to go wide and institute bubbles
of their own," Frost added. "And have them spread outward to the sides
as far as they can and still keep their bubbles overlapping ours. If
we're going to make a blank spot, we might as well make it a good, wide
one."

"Yes, sir," the captain said. He tapped a key and started giving
orders.

As he did so, Alison felt a movement on her skin. She looked down
as Taneem's head slid up her shoulder and neck just far enough to see
through the opening in her collar. "Hey," Alison whispered, tapping
urgently on her shoulder. If Frost or Neverlin should happen to glance
over here, the whole game would be up.

The captain finished relaying the orders and keyed another pair of
switches. "Bubble activated," he reported.

Alison tapped again on her shoulder. This time, to her relief
Taneem slid back down out of sight.

"Fine," Neverlin said, still glowering at the Lordhighest.
"Continue the operation."

With a shove from his hind paws, Draycos leaped off Jack's
shoulders, through the vac suit and bulkhead, and into the preparation
room next door.

The question of how to take over the troop carrier had occupied
most of Draycos's thoughts for the past three days. Without knowing the
ship's layout or crew complement, he'd known from the beginning that
such an undertaking would have only a small chance for success.

Now, to his relief, all those thoughts and concerns had become
irrelevant.

Bounding across the room, he reached the rack of oxygen tanks
fastened to the sidewall. There were exactly twenty-eight of them, he
noted in passing as he began slashing through the metal with his claws.

Within a minute the rack was wobbling violently back and forth as
the compressed air spewed out into the room. Crossing to the airlock
that led into the hangar bay, Draycos keyed open the inner door.
Waiting until the extra air pressure in the room began to hurt his
ears, he slashed through the airlock's inner door.