Part 42 (1/2)

It was an odd way of looking at the ocean. ”I suppose we are.”

”If you fall in, do you go to the bottom?”

Now he knew the direction of Jase's thoughts. And didn't like it.

”The waves bring you to the sh.o.r.e,” he said, and didn't know how to explain that fact of oceans to a man from s.p.a.ce. ”Jase? Don't give up on her.”

”I'm not giving up,” Jase said. ”I won't. I couldn't be sick, Bren. I thought I was. But it's better at night. You can see the stars.”

One could. The land was black on either side of them. The water shone. There was a black line reaching far out across the harbor mouth; a light stood at the end of it and a line of light shone across the waves. That was the breakwater, extending south from the cliffs. That was where the beach was, ”There are boats out there in the distance,” Jago said, she of the sharp eyesight. He couldn't see them.

”Beyond the breakwater,” Banichi said, and lifted an arm. ”We'll go out and around, paidhiin-ji. The road is running beside us at the moment, at the foot of the cliffs over there. If we'd dared rely on Saduri or or the Atageini lord, we should have left you both in the towns.h.i.+p.” the Atageini lord, we should have left you both in the towns.h.i.+p.”

”No,” Bren said. ”I'm glad we're here. Just - how are we going to get in to sh.o.r.e in this boat, nadiin? We can't beach it.”

”A good question,” Banichi said, but didn't answer. Bren tried again.

”Can we get ash.o.r.e, nadiin-ji?”

”We will go ash.o.r.e, Bren-ji,” Jago said. ”If we have to go in, which is by no means certain yet.” will go ash.o.r.e, Bren-ji,” Jago said. ”If we have to go in, which is by no means certain yet.”

”With us, you will!”

”Listen to your security, Bren-ji. Always listen to your security.”

”d.a.m.n it, I was with you at Malguri, I was with you at Taiben.”

”My partner,” Jase said. ”Nadiin, my my partner and Hanks-paidhi. Out there.” partner and Hanks-paidhi. Out there.”

”Bad numbers,” Banichi said. ”No.”

”You're not a 'counter,” Bren said, ”nadi. I know you're not. Four is a perfectly fine number.”

Banichi laughed and looked at the open sea ahead of them.

”You need translators, if it's humans involved.”

”Jago-ji,” Banichi said, ”you stay with them. Felicitous three.”

”No,” Jago said.

”Your duty, Jago-ji. Someone has to keep them aboard.”

”I am going,” Bren said.

”No,” Banichi said, ”you are not, nand' paidhi. But you can watch.”

He fell silent then, dejected, telling himself it was not fair of them, but neither was he of any use if he took Jago away from her partner simply to watch them.

”Then trust, Jago-ji, that I can remain safe with the guard aboard, and I will not risk Banichi's life by holding you here. You saved him at Malguri and again in the Marid -”

”An exaggeration,” Banichi said.

”I want both of you back,” Bren said. ”Nadiin.” The wind was like ice this far out in the harbor. The breakwater was very close. The boats were running dark. There was only the one light showing, that at the end of the breakwater rocks.

”Best get inside,” Banichi said. ”All of us. We'll be pa.s.sing close to a sniper vantage, if they've positioned anyone to hold the harbor.”

Banichi herded them back, back to the door. Against the glow from Saduri Towns.h.i.+p, even human eyes could see the fis.h.i.+ng boats running behind them, six, seven, maybe more behind.

The light inside the salon was out. They were dark as all the other boats now. Bren felt his way the short distance to the salon, with Jase and Banichi and Jago behind him.

”Best everyone get down, nandiin,” Banichi said. ”We're coming up on the breakwater.”

”A very good idea,” Cenedi said. ” 'Sidi-ji?”

”d.a.m.ned nuisance,” Ilisidi said. ”You stay inside, 'Nedi-ji. There's nothing to be gained out there. Down!” stay inside, 'Nedi-ji. There's nothing to be gained out there. Down!”

The dowager sat down on the floor. That settled the matter. They all sat down, low, beneath the woodwork, while the engines thumped placidly away.

And all of a sudden surged, as the fis.h.i.+ng yacht proved what it had in reserve. They had to be pa.s.sing the breakwater light, the one vantage for ambush.

Jase was tucked down. Bren held his breath as the deck tilted sharply to port under the power of the engines; and all of a sudden the boat shook and rocked and something exploded against the hull and the superstructure at once.

”d.a.m.n!” Geigi cried, as the diesels roared and the deck pitched hard on the beam on the other tack. Starboard, this time, canted way over. The boat's course was an arc. And they were surely beyond the breakwater. ”We've not lost an engine,” Geigi said, which was the first thing to think in a veering motion. By the sound, that was correct, but the pilot up on the bridge must have jammed the wheel all the way over to starboard and if they were past the breakwater they had to be turning back to - The boat's keel hit something, the engines kept driving, one roaring dry as the starboard side hull hit and bounced along rock. Cus.h.i.+ons and bodies and gla.s.sware and the remnants of the stern window all traveled toward the bulkhead as Jase and Bren slid down the hall toward the door that swung wildly on its hinges.

”Get out!” Banichi shouted as motion slowed. ”We're full of fuel!”

”Do it!” Bren cried, shoving at Jase. They were closest to the door, and the door had come open, the whole boat listing over hard as it swayed and bobbed and sc.r.a.ped along the sh.o.r.e, pushed by the sea and its last working engine. ”Get out!”

Jase moved, half-fell through the open door and slid against the rail, Bren right with him and someone else close behind him. Gunfire hammered at the hull as they went over the rail and dropped into waist-deep water.

Someone and a second someone landed beside them with two distinct splashes. ”Keep down,” Banichi's voice said. ”Keep below the tide line! Stay near near the water unless the tank blows!” the water unless the tank blows!”

He took the advice, his hand in the middle of Jase's back as they moved aside to give others room to exit the still-moving boat, which was grinding and sc.r.a.ping its way along rocks, its engines both dead now, the waves pus.h.i.+ng at it. They were on the breakwater. Others of their group splashed down and they made their way further toward the bow. Fire was still coming at them.

”Where's Lasari?” Geigi's voice cried. ”Lasari! Casurni, he's not answering.”

”Get clear, nandi!” someone said. ”I'll get him out!”

Gunfire boomed out, a large gun, from somewhere astern and in the dark.

It hit the cliffs.

”I've got him,” someone said. ”Geigi-ji, I have him, I'm coming down!”

A hand found Bren's arm. ”Move, nadiin! That rock!”