“How long will the testing take?” Mike asked wearily.
The medic worked while she talked, taking new samples of blood from Ellie and Otis and placing those samples on a number of test dishes. “A day or two, minimum. I have to let the growths get started, but I can work on making both antidotes while that’s going on. Then we test the antidotes on the test growths. Another few hours to a day or so.”
“Let me know the minute you have the antidotes ready,” Mike ordered. “It doesn’t look to me like we have days. They’re burning up with fever.”
The antidotes were ready in a few hours. Mike pushed the medic as hard as he could. “Is there any sign of growth yet in the test samples?”
“Only microscopic. Not enough to test.”
“You have lots of samples. Test a few right now.”
The medic did as ordered, but she was not happy about it. “The tests results will not be valid, Sire.”
“I know. You can run complete tests on the other samples later.”
Mike then reached both hands down inside Ellie’s hospital gown, placing both hands flat against her stomach. With his eyes closed, he willed his thoughts to Jake. “Come on, Jake. Come to me,” he whispered.
It didn’t take long for Jake to sense his presence. Though he couldn’t feel anything, Mike felt Jake’s presence.
›Hello, Man,‹ he heard faintly, as if from far away.
›Hi, Jake.‹
›I’m too busy for idle chatter. I don’t think we’re going to make it this time.‹
›Yes you are, and I’m going to help. I need you to pass me a sample of the poison.‹
›You already have samples.‹
›No, Jake. I need you to pass a sample into my body. We don’t know which antidote to use. We’ll test one of them on me.‹
He felt Jake’s presence strengthen in him. He had Jake’s complete attention for the moment. More, he sensed Jake’s suffering. The poison was clearly killing him as well as Ellie.
›Not a good idea, Mike. This is a bad one.‹
›I know, and from the looks of things, you can’t save her by yourself. Please let me help, for both of your sakes.‹
›You understand that if I lose her, I am lost as well?‹
›I kind of guessed that.‹
›Okay, here you go. This stuff hurts.‹
›Make it a strong sample, Jake. If we guess wrong, if we use the wrong antidote, it will kill both of you.‹
›Okay. I have to go. See you on the other side.‹
Mike felt Jake’s presence withdraw. He pulled his hands from Ellie and turned to the medic who was staring at him with a shocked expression.
“Any results yet?” he asked.
“No, Sire. I just started the test. What were you doing? ”
“Communicating with her Rider. The poison is in me now, and it’s already working. You’d better get another bed ready.”
The medic’s eyes rose to the ceiling. With a frown, she bustled Mike off to a bed. Reba started to chew Mike out, but Val put his arm around her waist and leaned toward her ear.
“You know it’s the right thing to do. I’d do it for you in a heartbeat. In fact, I’m surprised I didn’t think of it myself. He’s doing it for her, not just for the Empire.”
“Of course he is. My god, it could all fall apart right here,” she breathed.
“No. One Heir remains, if she proves to have the Touch. I’m staying the course. Will you?”
“I choose to stay with you no matter what course we follow,” she whispered into his ear.
Mike’s body arched. He groaned, “Someone better make a decision.”
The medic turned frightened eyes to him. “It’s too soon, Sire. I can’t be certain.”
Chandrajuski’s long, jointed legs inched his bright green body farther into sick bay, the wise old eyes of the giant praying mantis swinging toward the medic until they were on a level with her own.
Speaking like a father rather than the queen’s senior military commander, he said, “You must decide, child. If you choose wrong, it will not be held against you. We understand.”
She returned to her test dishes, taking samples and placing them under a microscope for visual inspection. The computers had so far been inconclusive. Switching samples back and forth, still peering into the eyepiece, she eventually said, “I believe it is most likely this one, but I can’t be certain.”
“Then the decision is made,” Chandrajuski said to her. “Administer the antidote. If this one fails, we will administer the other to Otis.”
Twenty minutes later Mike stirred, then opened his eyes. Chandrajuski took charge, turning to the medic. “Were both knives poisoned with the same chemical?”
“Yes.”
“Administer the antidote to both of them, at once.”
Both Ellie and Otis’ fevers broke hours later. Both remained in a coma as the Riders did their work, but the immediate danger had passed.
Mike was able to leave his bed the following day, though he remained weak. He found Jessie sitting by Ellie’s side, her tail curled around her feet, her body wrapped in massive bandages.
“How are they doing?”
“About the same. No worse. The poison damaged multiple organs. They’re beyond help from the medic, but she believes the Riders have a chance. They both need tanks, but the ship doesn’t carry a tank.”
“You’ve been here a while, haven’t you?”
“I have my responsibilities. I will answer to Otis when he recovers.”
“Can’t you share the job with the other cats?”
“What others?”
“You mean…” He paused, suddenly aware that the rest of the Great Cats were missing. They must have perished in their battle against the gleasons.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know.” After a time, he asked, “Were any of them special to you?”
“All of them were special to me. We were team members.”
“Why don’t you take a break, get some rest. I’ll stay.”
“You couldn’t protect her from a feather right now.”
“Neither could you.”
“You’d be surprised, Sire.”
“Okay, I’ll get Val or Reba to relieve you. Will that be acceptable?”
“Bring both of them, and be certain they’re armed. We cannot guarantee the loyalty of the crew. She is not to be left unguarded, even for a moment.”
He joined Chandrajuski and Jeffers in a planning session the following day. Reba and Val attended, as well. Jeffers started the meeting, briefing them on the sizeable underground organization he had built on Centauri III. During the months of planning Chandrajuski’s rescue, he had managed to transfer his supporters to ships commanded by individuals he was certain would be loyal to the Queen. He had also managed to send most of the families of those sailors to other worlds where retribution would be slow to follow.
Chandrajuski had high hopes that his senior staff had made it aboard the Empire ships at the last moment, but there was no way to communicate with those ships after the first jump. He hoped to fan these leaders out across the Empire to recruit more ships and more men.
Everyone agreed that the ultimate demise of the coup would have its roots in the political arena, and the Queen would surely lead that effort when she recovered. Their job was to support her political agenda with appropriate military force, and they would have to move fast to gather those forces. The Rebels became more entrenched with every passing day.
