Kitty Katt 11: Alien Separation (51 page)

W
E ALL LOOKED
at each other. “The time for planning's over. It's showtime, kids. But, happily, our headliners have arrived just in time to put on a great show for their audience.”

“With no dress rehearsal,” Reader pointed out.

“Or, as we call it, James, routine. Time for everyone to scatter to their assigned positions.”

We were sacrificing four ships to Plan A—the PRF command ship and the three Rapacian vessels. So those were put on autopilot and left floating in space. Well, make that five ships, really, if we counted the already-destroyed Shantanu ship, which we did.

Part of the on-planet activities had involved the Shantanu on Beta Eight retrieving the wreckage with assistance from the strautruch, who had come out in force to help. These pieces had been dragged out of the planet's atmosphere and were now floating nicely in Beta Eight's solar space, near the PRF command ship.

The Cleophese were positioning themselves around the wreckage and the four intact ships while the rest of us used shuttles to get to other ships or, in the case of a few, down onto the planet. Some of the other ships were already in position—the ones that weren't were waiting for passengers from the Ships About To Be Sacrificed.

Jeff and I were not going to be on the same ship because, as previously noted from the first day we'd met and every day thereafter, he was unable to lie. Serene, on the other hand, was heading down to the planet with Rohini because she was definitely the Troubadour For The Job in this case. Brian was going with her because they needed his skills, too.

The argument for which one of us Jamie was going to stay with had been won earlier. Needless to say, we both wanted to keep her within arm's reach, if not right in said arms. Other than seeming extremely tired and a little clingy with Gower, Chuckie, and all the animals, Jamie seemed okay.

This didn't matter at all to Jeff or me, of course. They'd taken our little girl and drugged her and we basically wanted to hunker down and hide her. Of course, events were not going to allow us to ever be regular parents, and this particular excursion was definitely Exhibit A.

That Lenore had drugged Jamie and Gower was certain. With what was the question that, so far, no one had had time to determine. Lakin and the other Rapacians had no idea, and neither did Usha. Since there were plenty of beings around who could tell if they were lying or not, we could believe them, not that it helped. I'd talk to ACE if I could reach him when Jamie was asleep, but right now wasn't the right time, for a variety of reasons, Jamie being awake being the biggest.

However, because I had the largest role in the theater we were about to perpetrate, Jamie was going with her father, meaning all the animals were going with them, as were Tito and most of the Matriarchs. From what Boz had told me, the Matriarchs were doing their best to determine what drug had been used on Jamie and Gower, but they were more concerned with Chuckie, who was having migraines and mood swings. So Gower and Chuckie were on Team Imperial Cruiser.

Tim, Kevin, Abigail, the flyboys, Rahmi, and Rhee were spread out and with the Reptilian, Canus Majorian, and Feliniad command ships, in part to show solidarity and in other part to keep their eyes open in case a traitor on those ships had been missed somehow.

There was risk in this, of course, because if the Z'porrah didn't withdraw, then they'd be doing their best to get here and take out Alexander's ship. But we'd have a little time if that happened, and Jeff was faster and stronger than me, so again Jamie being with him was logical.

At any rate, it was time for us to say goodbye, in that sense. Hugged Jamie tightly. “You be good for Daddy and be sure all the animals behave. Mommy loves you
so
much.”

She hugged me back. “I will, Mommy, I promise. And I love you so much, too.”

Jeff took her from me then hugged me tightly with his free arm. “I don't like the idea of Jamie and me being separated from you, baby. Again, I might add.”

Leaned up and kissed him. “We have jobs to do. This is yet another part of the three-tiered chess game where we have to allow our pieces to be on different boards. We'll be separated, Jeff, but never separate.”

He grinned and kissed me. “Good.” Then he and those going with him to Alexander's battle cruiser got onto their shuttle.

The Planetary Council Members were going to their respective ships, other than Queen Renata, who'd come into the system on the battle cruiser but was also on Team Kitty, so she was with me.

Jeff and Christopher had found the Rapacian's shuttle in the late and unlamented Trevik's ship, and that was what my team was using. Able to lie or not—and with him it was definitely “not”—Christopher was with me, because we were going to be using his speed for scene changes, in that sense.

“So, Renata,” I asked while we loaded our team into our shuttle, “do you know who pulled us into this system and how?”

She nodded. “I did. We were under cease-fire to see if we could come to a compromise. I was on the Planet's Rights Faction ship for this negotiation and realized they were about to double-cross everyone. I'd seen that they had an advanced teleportation system on board—it's something Alpha Five has had for years, and they constantly work to make refinements. I used it to try to bring help.”

“Why did you bring Jamie? And Abigail?”

Renata shook her head. “I didn't. I also didn't bring Paul—though he had been a warrior when we first met, I am aware that he is now your people's religious leader. I chose all the others who had been involved during the invasion attempt, plus my daughters. But I did not bring those three. I apologize for how the transfer worked—clearly I made an error. Plus there was quite a fight when I was caught.”

“Some hitting of the Stop and Go buttons?”

“Yes. Quite the melee, honestly. I'm thankful you all arrived safely.”

“Me too.” Considered this as we started off. Sure, Renata would have been using tech that she wasn't totally familiar with, but clearly it was easy enough to use that she could select us individually and make the transfer happen. “So, does the transfer allow you to see the people being moved?”

“Yes. It's quite advanced, similar technology to what we're using to repel the enemy fleet. Alpha Four has had the technology to watch all of us, Earth included, for decades.”

“Yeah, knew that for sure. So . . . you found us how?”

“Simple Galactic Positioning. I had a good idea of where to look for you. You identify the area where the target is, magnify the image until you can see them clearly, select the target or targets, ‘catch' them, and then activate the pull. Or the send. That's doable also. Normally there are no issues, this technology has been available for many years, after all, it's just that Alpha Five has been perfecting it to make farther distances more attainable.”

2.0 nudged me. “I don't buy it.”

“Buy what?”

“That Renata did something wrong and somehow, despite a tech that works accurately and has been working for years, randomly grabbed not one, not two, but three people she didn't intend to. Is it possible to target an individual regardless of where they are? By using their DNA signature or similar? Or to do a ‘group grab' that would override individual selection?”

“I honestly don't know.”

“I'll bet there is, Ronnie, and I like where your head's at. Something to follow up with later. Renata, we'd originally thought Jamie was taken because she is a legitimate heir to the Alpha Four throne.”

“But Jeff refused on behalf of himself and all his heirs. Therefore, she cannot ever accept.”

2.0 jerked. “She can't in
this
government. However, if you stole a little girl, drugged her, brainwashed her, and then a few years later said, ‘she is the rightful heir,' you could indeed put her right onto that throne.”

“Especially if you killed off all of the former rulers,” Usha added. “That plan makes sense.”

“And then you can claim that you were respecting the wishes of those who wanted to go back to the Imperial Monarchy, even though you'd have her brainwashed to do your bidding. Whatever that bidding might be.” Was seeing red at this point.

Christopher put his hand on my shoulder. “Kitty, I agree that what Ronaldo has come up with seems the most likely plan, now that we know more. But either the people who put that plan in place are already dead, or we're about to do our best to get them the hell out of our part of the galaxy. You being ready to kill right now isn't what we need.”

Took my now familiar deep breath, let it out slowly, and forced myself to bank the anger. “I suppose you're right.”

“What benefit would be gained?” King Benny asked politely. “I'm sorry, Shealla, but I don't understand. If the invaders are coming to take over, why would your daughter matter to them? Would we not all be dead or enslaved?”

2.0 and I looked at each other. “Yes,” he said slowly. “That makes sense. The plan sounds like LaRue, or Zenoca, take your pick. But taking your daughter doesn't make sense.”

“Especially because LaRue is dead, and I don't know if her clone on Earth actually knows anything about this system. My bet is that she doesn't.”

“The Z'porrah wanted Jamie before,” Christopher said. “They wanted her for her power.”

2.0 scrunched up his face. “I'm trying to see if I remember anything about this. Give me a minute, but keep on talking.”

“Okay. The Z'porrah would still want Jamie for her power. But, King Benny's right. If the Z'porrah take this solar system, then they would take Earth, because they'd have their might and the might of the Alpha Centauri system. They could get Jamie then, if they wanted her.”

“I wouldn't want the Gods to be here if I was invading,” Fancy said. “You are why the plans have failed.”

This time it was Christopher and I who exchanged the meaningful look. “She's right,” he said. “But that fits with Renata being the one who pulled us here. She wanted us, they didn't.”

“Why does this matter now?” Zanell asked. “We are about to find out if our ruse works or fails. Shouldn't you focus on that?”

Lakin cocked his head at me. “You wish to be sure that you defeat all the enemies, not just the obvious ones.”

“Wow, Lakin, welcome to Team Megalomaniac. Yes.”

2.0 sighed. “I get nothing other than that I'm supposed to hate all of you for things that happened to someone else. I don't have anything specific about your daughter, Kitty. Nothing at all about her, really.”

“Because your clone was made before they made their first bid for her. You were made right before she was born, I think. Clarence, what do you think?”

The Clone looked surprised. “Me, Shealla? You want my opinion?”

“Yes, I do.”

Now he looked incredibly proud. And as if he was thinking very hard. “I guess the question is this—who would benefit the most from Jamie being brought to the system, right? And Paul and Abigail? Who benefitted from them coming?”

Opened my mouth to answer and slammed it shut. Because I knew the answer.

The person who'd benefitted by Abigail being here was Abigail. The person who'd benefitted by Gower being here was Jamie. And the person who'd benefitted, truly benefitted, from Jamie being here was Chuckie.

“W
E'RE HERE,”
Reader, who was flying our shuttle, said over the com. “Docking, so hold on in case it's not my perfect three-point landing.”

Everyone looked at me. “You were going to say something, Shealla?” Fancy asked politely.

“Just was going to say that Clarence has a great point.” The Clone beamed at the praise. It was official—I liked The Clarence Clone about a million times more than the original. “I just don't know who benefitted the most.”

“We did,” King Benny said simply. “All of us on Beta Eight, as you all call it. Perhaps the Daughter of the Gods made the choice to come herself.”

“Perhaps she did.” She might have, at that. But I had a better guess for who'd gotten involved. After all, Algar and ACE didn't hold the patents on rule breaking. She'd brought her brother along to protect Jamie, because Gower was the ruse, the person our enemies thought was housing ACE. And her sister had gained all her powers back and then some while on Beta Eight.

Wanted to get angry, but I couldn't. Naomi was out there, doing her best to protect her family. Maybe she hadn't realized Jamie and Gower would get drugged. Maybe she knew they would, but chose that as the lesser evil because she knew they could recover from the drug, but that Chuckie's mind would never recover if it had broken.

But this meant that the bad guys outside of Earth hadn't actually wanted our daughter here. None of them had added Jamie, Gower, and Abigail on as last minute additions to the group pull. Sure, they'd used Jamie when she appeared in their laps. Which she and Gower had. They were the only ones who'd made the original target—and Renata hadn't actually grabbed them. Meaning Naomi and Algar might have come to an accord. Or else they'd enjoyed the serendipity of each of them helping the other achieve mutually beneficial goals.

Abigail being with the princesses also made sense, since the goal there was to give her all her powers back and all of Naomi's powers, too. No one would question if she was kicking butt with our own Amazonian Butt Kickers and the oxygen-rich atmosphere was a great cover.

All of this made a hell of a lot more sense than someone in this system wanting Jamie here, let alone Gower and Abigail. With all of us off the planet—and instantly turned into hostages or killed by Lenore and her cronies—that left Jamie open for Cliff to snatch her. He didn't know we'd figured out he was the Mastermind, after all. And that made the Earth portion of this chess game much more logical.

That Renata had been “allowed” to pull us here made sense. Perhaps the failure was that she'd managed to hit the On button more times our enemies had hit the Off button. After all, if the pull hadn't reactivated when we were in the middle of nowhere in space, we'd all have been dead in seconds.

Maybe we were never supposed to have made it to any planet. Which would have solved every problem on all three chessboards and ensured a fast checkmate for all three parts of the overall plan.

So Jamie had been taken here for her own protection as well as Chuckie's. And probably ours, too. If she'd been on Earth, ACE would have been conflicted about the “rightness” of saving us. But she was out there with us, giving ACE the easiest of outs for protecting all of us when we were exposed and helpless in space. The final proof, as if I'd needed it, as to who'd engineered the “accidental grab.”

I was used to thinking quickly, and I'd done so now. We bumped gently up against the Shantanu command vessel that had arrived with the Cleophese.

“But Christopher's right. We need to focus on what's going on here, make sure we do it right. We can figure out all the other stuff later.”

This seemed to appease everyone other than Christopher himself and 2.0, both of whom looked like they suspected I wasn't telling them everything. I'd worry about what to tell them later. It was truly show time.

We were met by a variety of Penguin People. It turned out there was more coloration in them than The Clarence Clone had seen. Rohini, for example, was a beautiful blue with gold. In addition to the colorations The Clone had told us about, there were also some that were deep red and gold, deep brown and gold, and even some blue with red tummies, and red with blue tummies. The Clone was right—they were very pretty.

We hustled to their ship's command deck. Along the way Reader took my elbow and pulled me to the back. “I heard what you were all talking about,” he said in a low voice. “You think ACE engineered everything, don't you?”

I didn't, but I couldn't tell him who I really thought was involved. Time to lie. “Yeah, I do.”

He nodded. “Okay, we'll just move the conversation off the topic if it comes up again. We can tell Christopher when we're alone with him, but no one else outside of our inner circle needs to know.”

Hugged him. “Thanks, James.” That was the outcome that was best for everyone, after all.

We hurried up and rejoined the rest of the group. We had a long way to walk, so we really hadn't missed anything, and caught up right as we entered the command deck, which had the nice, large windshield that was also a viewing screen.

Everyone got into position—Lakin and Usha were on their knees, Renata was “controlling” the prisoners, Christopher was “off screen” so he couldn't be seen by anyone, and Reader and I were up with the Beta Eight natives, this ship's captain, who was of the brown and gold variety, The Clarence Clone, and 2.0.

Looked into my purse. “I need something that looks enough like a small laser to fool dino-birds.” Reached in and came up with a snazzy penlight. Not Algar's finest hour, but it was something that could believably be in my purse, so I didn't argue.

The go sign was sent over from other ships. Our ship's captain, who was named Bettini, also had a comlink to the Cleophese, and they were ready. Our fleet was all connected, too. The entire fleet—all planetary ships, regardless of where they were located within the solar system—was on the group com. It was a nice setup, and one that ensured that if the Z'porrah tried something, we'd know about it immediately.

“Hailing Z'porrah fleet,” the Group Operator who was on Alexander's ship shared. Usha had given us a variety of channel codes, so one of them was definitely going to work.

The first one, apparently. “Usha, you have news for us?”

“Go live onscreen,” she said.

“As you wish.” Our windshield went live and there they were, the dino-birds in all their humanoid-ish Mini Tyrannosaurus Rex With Wings And Feathers glory. Apparently their weird Space Toga Muumuu look was their everyday garb, as were their design-painted talons that stuck out from the bottom of the Space Toga. The Space Togas hid their small wings and little T-Rex arms, so I figured the feathers that stuck out of the Space Toga sleeves were decorative, like the talon paint.

There were three Dino-Birds onscreen. They looked like every other Dino-Bird I'd seen. Happily, I hadn't seen enough Z'porrah to know if I'd met this set or not. They literally all looked alike to me.

“Usha, what is the meaning of this?”

The beauty of having flipped a spy was that she'd given us a lot of intel. “Hey there! You must be K'tano. And that's Ast'ria and Riol flanking you, am I right?”

K'tano gaped at me. “How do you know us?”

“Well, here's the thing—we have your spy. Spies, really. The ones that are still alive, that is, which isn't nearly as many as you had here only a day ago. And we have ways of making spies talk. Like Usha, here. Made her sing, really. She's explained that you three are really hella old, at least by Earth standards. Three hundred years if you're a day, Earth years-wise. And you three have been in charge of many things in those many years.”

“What of it? You are a lesser race. You have no business—”

“Oh, shut it. We know what you're doing. Or at least what you think you're doing. But here's the thing—we don't plan on allowing it. Your underlings tried to invade and conquer Earth three years ago. They failed. Utterly. In no small part because the Alpha Centauri system came to help us. They're who you wanted, anyway. So, even though they showed you mercy, you formulated a new plan.”

“You have no right to speak to K'tano in that way,” the one I was pretty sure was Ast'ria snapped. Literally. She snapped when she spoke. It was charming in that totally not at all way.

“I have every right, Bird Bitch. I am speaking for the combined Earth and Alpha Centauri leadership. All of whom are still very much alive and kicking.”

That was the cue for more pictures to be shown. We got to see them, too, as they popped up and stayed up. Everyone in Alexander's picture looked pissed. Same for those in the Reptilian, Canus Majorian, and Feliniad command ships. Wahoa and Felicia, in particular, looked like they were the last dog and cat in the galaxy you'd want to cross.

Even the Alpha Six command ship people looked angry, as did the Alpha Five representatives who were with them.

“Note, if you will, that the only Rapacian you see is kneeling at my feet on the Alpha Seven command ship. Also note that you don't see a visual from an Alpha Five command ship. Let's show you why.”

Jeff picked up Lenore's dead body, which had been moved to Alexander's ship, and held it up. Then he threw it, hard, onto the floor. The body thumped in that sack-of-potatoes way a dead body will.

The Dino-Birds looked a tad concerned. “What did you do to her?” the one called Riol asked. He sounded just mildly upset.

“I killed her,” Chuckie snarled. “With my bare hands.”

He looked impressively dangerous and deranged. There was only one problem—this was not on script.