Part 17 (2/2)

”We need to get out of here,” Beck said.

”I know that, but I'm still not leaving without Leonidas.” Alisa realized that since he was in his armor, he ought to have access to the comm unit integrated into his helmet. Distracting him might not be a good idea now, but she had to know his status and if there was anything she could do to help him with the Sta.r.s.eers.

But as she reached for the comm panel, a clank-thunk sounded from under the s.h.i.+p.

”What was that?” Beck asked.

Alisa pointed at the undercarriage camera, where one of the docking clamps was once again in view. The explosives that Mica had planted on them earlier were nowhere in sight. ”I believe our invitation to leave was just revoked.”

Chapter 15.

”Leonidas?” Alisa asked, calling his helmet comm from the Nomad. ”Are you-”

A stab of pain erupted inside of her skull, the power making her suck in a sharp gasp. Something that felt like a dire hawk's talons raked through her brain. Memories of the last several days flashed through her mind-no, they were taken from her mind.

She had no idea which Sta.r.s.eer was scouring her brain, but it was someone powerful. This was a lot more than the reading of surface thoughts that Yumi had spoken about. She relived the stopover on Starfall Station, the cargo drop-off on Arkadius Gamma, the flight down to the planet, the pursuit by the White Dragon s.h.i.+p and the crash, everything that had happened over the last week before the Sta.r.s.eers had appeared to guide them to their temple. Captain Khazan's face flashed in her mind, and then the memories disappeared. Unfortunately, the presence in her head did not.

You led them here with a tracking device, someone spoke into her mind.

Lady Naidoo? Alisa could not be sure.

”I didn't know,” she blurted.

Alisa was vaguely aware that she had fallen out of her seat and lay flat on her back on the deck. Beck crouched next to her, his eyes wide with concern. ”Captain?” he asked. ”Captain, are you all right?”

His voice sounded far away.

I see that, Naidoo said, but you have brought trouble down upon us, nonetheless. More trouble. Those words came as a growl, and Leonidas's armored figure flashed into Alisa's mind.

”I didn't mean to,” she whispered, wincing. The sensation of having talons raking through her brain had lessened, but her head still throbbed with pain. It was as if Naidoo's very presence caused distress.

”Captain?” Beck asked again, his voice still very distant. ”Who are you talking to?”

Alisa could not respond to him. She twitched a finger. It was all she could manage.

Command your cyborg to stand down, Naidoo ordered. My people must get to our fighter s.h.i.+ps so they can defend the temple. We are targeting the wars.h.i.+ps, but they are well armored, and their small fighter craft are harrying us. There is a limit to what we can do with our large artillery weapons. The smaller s.h.i.+ps are too maneuverable for us to easily target.

Alisa could imagine. She had flown similar craft all throughout the war.

A silence came after her thought, though she sensed that Naidoo had not left her mind.

We must take down the pilots one-by-one with our mental powers. There are many, many craft up there. We need our own pilots in the air. Call off your cyborg. He's too d.a.m.ned crafty, keeping our warriors distracted and under attack so they're struggling to focus their mind powers on them.

Alisa resisted the urge to think a firm Good in response. This wasn't the time to be smug, not when she was in the same boat as the Sta.r.s.eers right now. If the Alliance succeeded in destroying the temple, the Nomad would surely be destroyed right along with it.

I must have your word that your people will not harm Leonidas if I ask him to get out of the way, Alisa thought back, then wondered if she should have spoken out loud. How in the h.e.l.ls did telepathy work? She decided that if Naidoo knew who she had spoken to days ago at the station, then she ought to be able to hear these thoughts.

He has injured many of my people, Naidoo growled into her mind, not sounding like she wanted to issue that order.

Well, he's not going to stand down so they can injure him right back. Again. Alisa tried to make her own voice a growl. They've been treating him badly since he arrived. Have you even knocked on Abelardus's door to see if he's in his room? Or done a scan of the station? I sincerely doubt he's been murdered. If only Alejandro's look at the blood had helped confirm that notion.

He is one of our best pilots, and we'll be missing him in this battle, but one man is not what's important now. Call off your cyborg.

You'll give the order that he won't be attacked? And you'll let us go? Alisa asked.

Naidoo did something akin to a snort in her mind. Your fate should be intertwined with ours, since you led these people here.

How do you know that's true?

Alisa couldn't rule out that Khazan might have done something, but if she didn't know that for sure how could Naidoo possibly know it? Or was this more jumping to conclusions, as they had done with Abelardus's supposed murder?

Your fate is tied to ours, Naidoo repeated. You're not going anywhere. Unless you want to help with the battle.

What?

Your cyborg has robbed us of one of our pilots, and I saw in your mind that you have experience with fighter craft.

”I'm not fighting the Alliance,” Alisa blurted, so appalled by the notion that it came out through her lips rather than from her mind.

A light shone into her eyes. Alejandro had joined Beck in kneeling to check on her, and was peering at her pupils.

”She's clearly conscious,” Alejandro told Beck.

The Alliance is trying to destroy us, Naidoo said. And you may have noticed that they're not overly concerned about taking you down with us. If not for our s.h.i.+elds, your s.h.i.+p would already have been destroyed. We all would have been. Your precious cyborg too.

Alisa wanted to argue, to say that Naidoo was wrong, but she couldn't. It would be a lie. Farrow didn't care if the Nomad went down with the temple. He'd given her a chance to escape, but if she hadn't taken it, that wasn't his problem. What did he care if extenuating circ.u.mstances had kept her from fleeing?

Just help us drive them off, Naidoo said. Once they leave, we'll move our temple so they can't find us again. You'll be free to go.

And Leonidas?

Naidoo sighed.

I need him. Realizing that was not likely to sway the woman, Alisa added, I need him to go up and fight, to help you. Most of what you've got that I can fly are two-man fighters. I need him to be my gunner.

A boom rattled the Nomad-it must have rattled the entire temple. The wars.h.i.+ps were hurling more than torpedoes and e-cannon blasts now. Alisa thought of what might happen if the engines that held the temple aloft were damaged.

Very well, Naidoo said. Take him. Help us fight off the intruders, and we will let you and your freighter go afterward. I will also tell you what I know of Durant if we're successful.

Alisa sucked in a breath. Before, Naidoo had denied knowing who Durant was. How much did she truly know? Enough to help Alisa finally find her daughter? Would Naidoo keep her word?

Yes, came the firm response.

<script>