“You could pardon him—”
“That’s like saying he did it!”
“He did do it. He admitted it right inopen court. He took those codes, Rem. His motive waspatriotic—anyone with a heart can see that. But he took them, soyou can’t ever really clear him of the whole mess. The mostyou can do is convince everyone that he did it to protect Earth.Out of a sense of duty, not for personal gain. I’d love to help youdo that.”
“As long as we keep your mother out of it?”he drawled.
Zia sat back, hurt and frustrated. “It’snever going to work, is it? No matter what I say or do.”
“Zee—”
“It doesn’t matter. We’re landing, anyway. Solet’s just drop it for now. Or better yet, for good.” She walked tothe door of the transport, trying not to let him see how close totears she was. “Looks like we have a welcoming committee.”
“Huh?” He joined her as the door slidopen.
There were five Malarans waiting forthem—four exhausted-looking soldiers with bloodshot eyes and themech strategist Taryak, who had a strained expression on her faceas she approached Zia and Rem. “General Carrak needs to see youright away.”
“What’s wrong?” Zia wiped her eyes with hersleeve. “Are you sure she needs us both?”
“I am sure. There is no time to waste.Please, follow me.”
* * * *
Rem tried to take Zia’s arm as they followedthe entourage to the second floor, but she yanked it away, and hedidn’t blame her. She was upset—more upset than he’d ever seen her.So upset he was pretty sure she hadn’t noticed what was going onaround them. Or more accurately, what wasn’t going on.
The building was almost deserted, and throughthe huge viewing windows, one could see that there were nomaneuvers taking place outside. Not a single skirmish, even thoughthe next challenge was less than four days away.
“Something’s going on,” Rem murmured toZia.
“Something’s always going on aroundhere. I’m sick of it.”
“Zee, look around.”
She finally seemed to notice, and quickenedher pace to catch up with Taryak. “Where is everyone? Why aren’tthey practicing?”
The strategist motioned toward Carrak’soffice at the end of the hall. “The general is waiting for you. Iwill give you some privacy.” Bowing, the Malaran moved to the sidewith her guards.
“Someone’s dead,” Zia guessed.
Rem tried to slip his arm around her waist,but she knocked it away. “Don’t! You’re just making it worse.”Looking straight at him for the first time since their argument,she added softly, “I don’t want Carrak to know we’re fighting. Soplease? Just act normally.”
* * * *
Without waiting for Rem’s reply, Zia walkedahead of him into the office, where Carrak was seated in awheelchair behind her desk. It should have been a good sign thatshe wasn’t in bed anymore, but Carrak actually looked worse, notbetter. Her eyes were bloodshot and her blue-black fur lacked itsusual intimidating luster.
“Close the door,” the general ordered them,and Rem hastily complied.
Then Carrak’s tone softened. “Zia? How areyou feeling today? Are you well?”
Zia winced, wondering how the general couldhave noticed so quickly that she was upset. “I’m fine, thanks.”
“And you, Captain Stone? You are well?”
“Yes, General. I’m fine.”
“Good. Sit down.”
Zia studied the situation soberly. It wasn’tlike Carrak to care about anyone, especially not Zia, but there wasno doubting her sincerity. She was worried about them.
But why?
“If someone died,” Zia murmured, “just tellus. Is it the prime minister?”
“No one is dead. Not yet. But we cannot rulethat out.” Carrak’s breathing was shallow and wheezy. “Oursituation is precarious. Many Malarans are sick. Virtually everyMalaran pilot, and many civilians as well.”
Zia gasped. “Ambassador Humber has it, and hesounded terrible. And you’re sick too? And Maryak? Gannor?”
“All of them. The early stages of a lunginfection. I was concerned you were infected too, but it appearshumans are not susceptible. I am glad of it.”
“Do you suspect foul play?” Rem demanded.“Some sort of bio-weapon?”
“Our scientists are studying the situation.”Carrak paused for a violent fit of coughing. Then she continued.“It is a particulate-borne germ. But it can also be spread bycontact from Malaran to Malaran. It affects our pre-lungsinitially, but for those who have been symptomatic longest, thereare gastrointestinal complications. Our doctors say the danger ofdehydration is the most serious concern in regard to health.Obviously,” she added with a growl, “health is not the mostimportant issue here.”
“The challenge,” Zia whispered. “Can’t youjust postpone it? Tell Alluva you want the entire thirty days. Andif it turns out they really did unleash a bio-weapon against you,then all rules are off, right? Just attack them and blow them tobits. Earth can help with that, you know. We may not have manyrobots, but we’ve got some powerful weapons in our arsenals.”
“Zee’s right,” Rem said angrily. “If they’vebroken the code of warrior combat—”
“We do not know that,” Carrak cautioned them.“It may be a natural phenomenon. Inconvenient but unplanned. And ifit is sabotage, we suspect the Vekzori, not the Alluvans.”
“That’s crazy.” Zia shook her head. “They’reright here on Malara with us, so they’ll get sick too! I get itthat they hate Earth—and me—but why hurt their own friends andfamilies? And why give Alluva an advantage in the nextchallenge?”
“They are zealots. In their most extremeform, they would rather see Alluva win than see Malara allied withEarth. And if our doctors do not develop a remedy for theseinfections in the next day or so, they will get their wish. Malarawill fall to Alluva.” Before Zia could ask, Carrak added firmly,“The rules do not allow for any extensions of time. When we gavenotice of the date, place, and configuration yesterday, we becamebound by those specifications.”
Zia rubbed her eyes, trying her best not topanic. “Rem just talked about the warrior code of honor. If theAlluvans didn’t do this, won’t they be shocked by this traitorousact? And refuse to benefit from it?”
“They would say it is an internal Malaranaffair—something we brought on ourselves. Illness, bad weather—evenglobal catastrophe—have never been grounds for postponing achallenge. It
