Zaul winced, gritting his teeth. It was clear from his flustered expression that he did not want to defy the Empress. Nor did he wish to be undermined. “But they were going to gamble you away to criminals—the filthy renegades...”
“I object to that comparison,” chided Fenli in a shrill, exaggerated voice.
Zaul glared at the cargo man. “Shut up, you clown. Oh, and why don’t we bring in the locust and the girl too, the whole gang of riffraff?”
“A marvellous idea, Colonel. Bring them all to the war conference. Escort them, Deral.” Lexia gestured to Zaul’s female aide.
“You’ve got to be joking?” croaked Zaul.
“I don’t joke at times like this.”
* * *
Nine figures sat on stools around a transparent table. In the middle, glowed a holo version of a region of space: a dim sun and a mysterious planetoid, dark and near waterless.
Two of Zaul’s elite commanders, communications expert Deral, and weapons tactician Jinquar, flanked Zaul and Lexia. Deral’s horns hung only to her shoulder, noticeably smaller than Lexia’s impressive pair, partially hidden by her coiled helm and long purple uniform which showed off many of her provocative curves.
“Regard the Sitri sector,” said Lexia. “The enemies’ destination, from what we have gathered, is Kraetoria, this unremarkable world. It’s also their former migration grounds millennia ago. For centuries, exploration missions have shunned this sector, the Dim Zone, out of fear of numerous colonization disasters, vessels disappearing, and the harsh, unforgiving worlds.”
“So why return now?” asked Miko.
“We’re not sure,” Jinquar said. “But our intelligence has gathered that they meet to form a significant alliance.”
“Likely to combine their forces for a dark purpose,” said Lexia.
“The Zikri method,” Zaul said grimly, “is to raid the galaxy, targeting freighters and lone ships, sometimes attacking undermanned space stations or research outposts to scavenge for technology. Instead of killing their victims, they offer them to the locusts to feed on.”
Star shuddered. “In exchange for what?”
“Information about the locations of fresh targets, innocent ships, and space stations to raid. Sometimes handing over whole captured vessels.”
“A win-win deal for both,” observed Miko. “Seems a practical trade.”
“Undoubtedly. You were lucky to survive an encounter with the Zikri,” said Lexia wryly, “though you have suffered for it, with this creature you call Audra.”
Miko could not help but grimace. “Don’t ask me to recount any of it.”
Lexia gave a curt nod. “As you wish. First off, I wish to offer your band of fugitives a haven, refuge from whatever you have been running from. It’s the least I can do for helping save my life, liberating me from that swine, B & D.”
Sket nodded. “Acknowledged, Empress, but why keep the rest of us here? I wish only to find my wife and son.”
Lexia’s eyes blazed. “Help me fight against the locusts and I promise I’ll assist in finding them. We can always drop you off at the next trans-hub jump, if you prefer. There are more lives than your two loved ones at stake.”
Sket grumbled his acceptance. “Best deal I’ve heard.”
Lexia smiled. “Very well.” She turned to Miko. “It seems you have collected a pot pourri of rebels.”
“And?”
“Listen. It’s not for nothing I had you brought aboard. Fenli, you are wanted for charges of bribery, smuggling and narcotics, and suspected racketeering in Listus. Unless you wish to be hunted down by bounty hunters, I suggest you join us. We could use a man of your...talents, if not resourceful cunning. We will wipe the slate clean for you—no more charges, if you serve us in good stead.”
Fenli grunted. “I’ll think about it.”
“Star, you have escaped Skullrox. Something you have desired from the very beginning. This is your chance... to keep it that way. For the past six years you have lived like a street sharper, playing a dangerous game of cat and mouse, at times tempting death. For that you have grown bold, cunning, elusive, like a cat landing on its feet. You have inherited the admirable qualities of your parents—your father, a fighting man and explorer, and your mother, a nano-scientist. The pay is better than anything you’ll get on Demen II.”
Star stirred and whipped back her dark hair. “You seem to know quite a lot about us.”
Lexia ignored the remark. “Miko—you are the mystery man of the day. I know your answer already. You’re the invisible man—I mean an invisible figure—you’ve nowhere to go, nowhere to go back to. A man with no past. I give you post as gunner on one of our lightships.”
Her eyes moved from one rebel to the other, as if gauging their reactions. “You have all proven your courage or helped me in some way. Now we must fight against a common enemy. It could be your loved ones snatched next by these Mentera and dropped in their foul tanks, enslaved forever.”
“Usk, what better pilot for a decoy Mentera craft could we have?” she said, turning to the locust.
Usk looked on curiously. For a second, Miko thought the locust understood everything that had been said.
She motioned to uniformed retainers behind her and they brought an earpiece and fingernail-sized mic. They hooked the devices onto Usk’s antenna before he could object: some kind of universal language translator.
“Will you help us?” she repeated. Embodied in her gaze was an urgent plea and a few more words of reassurance.
For a few seconds, the locust paused before chittering in his alien tongue. “Gladly. But, human Queen, I prefer to keep away from combat. No hand-to-hand fighting. No direct clawing with humans. Or Zikri. Squid race is evil. I’m glad to kill locusts. They betray me. Them I hate. I will fly your ship. I don’t want language in ear. I prefer my own thoughts. I know what most speak, think, without machine.”
“As you wish,” Lexia replied, a small smile on her face. She
