Slave Empire - Prophecy (27 page)

"That is not
true. He did not murder his people. He saved them from untold
suffering. He has killed many men, it is true, but they deserved to
die. As for the rest, I recommend you ask him about it. His
answers, if he is truthful, may surprise you."

"Why would he
help me, anyway?"

"Look at the
planet on your screen," Endrix replied, and she gazed at the dull
grey world. "That is his world, destroyed by an Envoy. If for no
other reason, he will do it for vengeance."

"Couldn't you
help me? Talk to him?"

"No. In this
instance you do not require my aid, nor would he welcome my
interference."

She sighed,
slumping. "Okay, answer this question, if you can. Why the hell are
these sadistic, cannibalistic monsters called Envoys?"

"Since we have
never communicated with them, we have no idea what they call
themselves. My masters named them Envoys because, even in their own
universe, they come from deep space, where few ever venture. They
fall upon a planet broadcasting peace and love, just as an emissary
would, and only when they have gained access do they show their
true natures."

"More like a
Trojan Horse," she said.

"The Trojan
Horse of your history was a gift from a warring king, which turned
out to be a trick. This is not an accurate description of their
actions. They come as envoys, but they consume their hosts."

"Parasites."

"In a
sense."

A short
silence fell as she pondered this last bit of information, and,
after a few minutes, Endrix said, "I think it is time to return you
to the Cerebilus Moons, and for you to return to Atlan. Your next
priority should be to seek out the Shrike. The time of the Envoy's
coming draws near."

She stifled a
yawn, clamping a hand over her mouth. "I have to sleep, I'm
pooped."

"Pooped?"

"Tired."

"Would it help
if I returned you to Atlan? My appearance may cause some
consternation."

She waved a
hand. "Don't worry about that. I'd be most grateful. I have
absolutely no wish to be hooked up to that damned neural net ever
again."

"Very
well."

The crawling
golden fire engulfed the screen in a solid curtain, and when it
faded, Atlan's pearly orb hung there.

Chapter Fifteen

"Are you
nuts?"

Rawn placed
his hands on his hips and scowled at his sister, who sat on one of
the comfy sofas in her lounge. The shade shields on the vast
windows that overlooked the wild garden were withdrawn, allowing
the warm rays of a glorious sunset to stream into the airy room
with its pale décor and crimson carpets. Tallyn sat on a plush
white faux leather chair on the other side of a low crystal-topped
coffee table, frowning at her. She shrugged, and Tallyn leant
forward.

"The council
will never allow you to seek out the Shrike, Rayne."

"Look, I'm not
keen on the idea either, but I'm following my guide's instructions,
and he seems to know a lot more about this story than you do. After
all, he knew the Shrike didn't murder his people."

"How were we
supposed to know that?"

"Go down to
the planet," she said. "See the remains of the Crystal Ship for
yourself."

"We can't. The
radiation is too intense; the result of several hundred high-yield
nuclear bombs. It will be hundreds of years before anyone can
safely go there again. You shouldn't have gone; you took a hell of
a risk."

"I'm
fine."

"You should
see a doctor, just in case."

"Endrix said
it was safe, and I believe him."

Tallyn rose
and went over to the window to gaze at the sunlit garden. "Anyway,
now that we know what we face, we can arm ourselves against it.
That ship won't be allowed anywhere near Atlan, and certainly not
into our atmosphere."

"You can't
stop it. It's immune to your weapons, just like Endrix."

"Then we'll
find other weapons. Our scientists will start work
immediately."

"It won't
work. Don't you see? That's why Endrix's masters gave you the
prophecy. I'm the only one who can stop it, and I don't even know
how, but I need the Shrike's help, so I must find him."

"What can he
do that we can't?"

"He has more
advanced ships. Endrix says I'll need one."

Tallyn swung
around, scowling. "Why would he give you one, or even lend you one?
He'll sell you at the nearest market."

"He'll do it
for revenge."

"He won't,
because it's not his planet that's threatened this time. Atlan's
demise would please him."

"No." She
shook her head. "He told me he doesn't want Atlan to fall. That's
why he let me go."

"He let you go
to throw us off his trail. He made his escape while we stopped to
pick you up. If he had killed you, we'd have hunted him down, and
he knew it."

Rayne jumped
up. "Fine, think what you want. I have to find him, whether you
like it or not."

"But if we
don't help you, how will you find him?"

She glared at
him. "It's up to the council to decide, not you."

"They won't
allow you to risk your life."

"Then they'll
stop me from saving Atlan. If you prevent me from doing this, you
could be the ones to pay the price. If I have to, I'll buy passage
on a commercial ship and find him that way."

Tallyn smiled.
"Impossible. Commercial ships don't go into his territory, and he
rarely ventures out of it. No, we'll provide you with a good ship
when you need it."

Rayne opened
her mouth to scorn this suggestion, but Rawn took her arm and
tugged her aside. "Leave it, Ray. He's never going to agree, nor
will the council, I'm sure. They're too proud to admit that they
need anyone's help, least of all an outlaw's."

"Whose side
are you on?" she demanded.

"Yours. Look,
I don't like this either, but it kind of makes sense. After all, if
your guide's story is true, and I see no reason for him to lie,
then this man is the only living person to have ever encountered
one of these Envoys. Am I right?"

"Yeah,
so?"

"He knows what
we're up against, the Atlanteans don't."

She met his
tawny eyes. "So you agree that we need his help?"

"Yeah. I don't
like it, but I think your guide's right. But arguing with Tallyn is
just a waste of time and air."

"What do you
suggest?"

"Quit arguing
with him. We'll find a way. I have an idea."

Rayne nodded
and turned to Tallyn. "Why don't you ask the council if they'll
help me find the Shrike? You have to report to them anyway. Let's
see what they say."

"Fine," he
headed for the door.

Rawn went to
use the net line screen, and while he was busy Rayne ate another
meal, resolving to get some sleep afterwards, and a bath. Fatigue
still plagued her. She had not slept since her brief, nightmarish
doze on the scout ship. Rawn was still busy when she finished her
meal, so she bathed and went to bed.

Rayne woke
refreshed, and washed before she wandered through to the kitchen to
make a cup of a hot beverage that took the place of coffee on
Atlan. Pale morning light streamed in through the windows to dapple
the grey carpet, and the silence told her that she was alone. The
peace did not last long, however. Before she finished her coffee,
Tallyn called to inform her of the council's decision, which denied
her request, as Rawn had predicted. She accepted it without
argument, and he broke the connection looking puzzled and annoyed.
An hour later, Rawn returned, brimming with news. She made him a
cup of Atlantean coffee, and he told her what he had achieved.

"It's Mergan's
doing," he said, naming his Atlantean sweetheart. "Her father owns
a yacht, and he works for military intelligence. She can borrow the
yacht to take her friends on trips to Verdian or Termon. When I
told her the story, she agreed to help, and she'll arrange for the
yacht to be available tomorrow night. The biggest problem is
finding this Shrike guy. The Atlanteans don't actually know where
he is. They never do. But..." He raised a finger. "...Last night
they received information that leads them to believe there's going
to be a raid on a shipment of slaves in the Jarlan solar system,
just outside his territory. It might be him."

"And if it's
not?"

He shrugged.
"Then we keep looking. It's our best shot."

"I suppose so.
That's great. You did good. So tomorrow night I can take the
yacht?"

"Well, yeah.
And a few of my friends."

"No way! This
isn't a pleasure cruise. We might encounter one of the most
dangerous outlaws in the quadrant, and you want to bring your
friends? And Mergan too, I suppose?"

"Well, it is
her yacht." He squirmed.

"No.
Absolutely not."

"If it's safe
enough for you..."

"I know him!"
She threw up her hands. "Yes, it's dangerous for me too, but I have
to do it. Well, I don't have to do it. I could just let the Envoy
destroy Atlan, as long as I'm not on it. He knows me, or he might
remember me. At least he might give me a chance to discuss it.
Endrix thinks so. Damn! I just don't know anymore."

"Well, you
can't go alone, anyway. The yacht needs a crew. You can't fly
it."

"I don't have
to. We could have it programmed, like the scout ship."

"That's
tricky, you know. What if it's not him?"

"We can have
two - three programmes. One to go to the Jarlan system, one to
return to Atlan, and one to take me to his base."

Rawn looked
dubious. "That sounds dangerous. What base?"

"It doesn't
matter. There's a map of his territory on the data net. We can
choose a base from that. They're all marked. Once I'm there, his
people will inform him of my request to see him."

"Why don't you
just send him a message from here, and ask him to meet you?"

"With the
Atlanteans listening? He'd never even respond."

Rawn frowned
and rubbed his chin.

"That's got to
be the dumbest plan I've ever heard," a soft voice said behind
them, and Rayne whipped around with a gasp, her heart skipping a
beat. Rawn released his laser's hilt as Tallyn stepped into the
lounge, his eyes chips of black ice, his lips twisted in a sardonic
smile.

"You did that
on purpose!" Rayne accused. "You imitated his voice. You've spoken
to him."

"Of course,
we're old enemies. I knew you two were up to something when you
took the council's refusal so well. I should have you placed in
protective custody."

"If you want
your world to die."

He raised his
hands. "Okay, I've thought about what you said, and I suppose it
does make sense. If your guide told you to do this, he must have a
good reason. I dislike the prospect of asking that murderer for
help, though, I have to say."

"I'm sure you
do."

"I don't think
he will help us, either. But if you're so determined to find him
that you would contemplate sailing off into deep space in an
interplanetary yacht, with no more idea of where you're going or
how to get there than a map off the data net..."

He sighed,
shaking his head. "I'll just have to help you, so you don't get
yourself killed. The Shrike might still do that, but at least it
won't be because of your ignorance or my stupidity."

Rayne glanced
at Rawn, then cast Tallyn an uncertain smile. "Thanks, but won't
the council punish you if they find out?"

He shrugged.
"Probably, but who's going to tell them? Look, I don't like this
any more than I did yesterday, but you do seem to have led a
charmed life so far. Making an eight-hour journey in a flimsy yacht
is just asking for trouble, though, and locking you up is
guaranteed to defeat the prophecy.

"This little
scheme may seem like an adventure to the two of you, because you
know so little about space and its dangers, but you'd never have
made it, trust me. Nor can you go into his territory in an
Atlantean scout. We have a lot of enemies amongst the various
outlaw factions. If I take you in Vengeance, you'll be safe, but
you won't get anywhere near the Shrike, and his people will suspect
a trap."

He held up a
hand again when she opened her mouth. "Even if I dropped you at one
of his bases, I doubt he'd agree to meet you, and his people might
just decide to dispose of you anyway. For some reason, they're
damned loyal to him."

Tallyn
wandered over to a chair and sank into it with a sigh. Rayne sat
opposite him, her gaze intent. "Then what?"

"The Shrike is
notoriously elusive. Few people who've gone in search of him have
found him. Most of them found sticky ends instead. I have a... an
acquaintance, who might be able to help you. He's a smuggler, a
petty crook who trades information with me in return for his
freedom. He might be able to take you to one of the Shrike's bases
without arousing too much suspicion. It will be expensive, though.
Like most of the lesser outlaws, he has a morbid fear of the
Shrike, who has a reputation for wiping out his competition."

She glanced at
Rawn as he settled beside her on the couch, and he raised his brows
and cocked his head with a smile. She turned back to Tallyn.

"When do we
leave?"

"The Shrike
will not see you."

Rayne was
tired of hearing that proclamation, in various forms, and gritted
her teeth. She had been waiting on his base for two days. Tallyn's
smuggler friend, a middle-aged Atlantean with a scarred face and
bad halitosis, had dropped her on Ironia before beating a hasty
retreat, and she was glad to be away from his lecherous looks and
smutty talk. He had kept his deal with Tallyn, however, and
delivered her into Tarke's territory. Now she faced an unexpected
obstacle, one she was beginning to think was insurmountable.