“I’m offended,” Jake said.“I’m too skilled with explosives to do something that stupid.”
“Do you have a plan?” Erlingasked, keeping his voice low.
“We’re working on it,”Toemeka said. “Do you?”
“I’m going to release mypilots from the holding cells.”
“There’s no way to get in,”Jake said. “We’ve already checked.”
“Let’s find King Zanton anduse him to get in there,” Erling said.
“Zanton just walked into a roomdown the hall,” Toemeka said. “They brought Onolyn in a fewminutes before that.”
“Why did they bring her here?”
“They’re interrogatingprisoners,” Jake said. “They look better going in than comingout.”
Erling tightened his hand on hislaser. “I’m going after her.”
“It’s too dangerous!” Jakeexclaimed. “There’s two guards in there as well as Zanton. Weshould wait until Zanton comes out, then jump him when he’s alone.”
“I’m going in now,” Erlingsaid. “I’m not going to stand aside and let Zanton torture her.”
“I’m with Erling,” Toemekasaid. “The odds are reasonable.”
“Someone needs to keep guard,”Jake said. “Toemeka, guard the hall; Erling and I will bust outOnolyn.”
“Be careful.” Toemeka slippedinto the shadows.
Jake and Erling crossed to theinterrogation room and burst through the door, lasers drawn. “Don’tmove!” Erling ordered.
“Come another step forward andI’ll slit her throat,” Zanton said, pressing his knife againstOnolyn’s neck. Her eyes widened in horror and a trickle of bloodrolled down her throat.
Erling cursed and lowered hisweapon.
Toemeka heard someone coming downthe hall and slid around the corner, positioning herself so she couldsee the interrogation room door. Soon a woman came into view. Darkenergy radiated from her. A shiver went up Toemeka’s spine—it wasSeetva. Toemeka threw up a protective shield of golden light.
As Seetva reached for thedoorknob, Toemeka fired her laser gun. Seetva jerked away from thedoor and the laser beam harmless hit the door. “Did you think Iwouldn’t sense your presence?” Seetva hissed, hurling a fireball.It smashed against Toemeka’s shield.
“Interesting,” Seetva said.“You have powers. I could use a woman with your abilities.”
Toemeka felt psychic pressureagainst her temples and heard Seetva’s seductive voice in her head.“Putdown the weapon. We can be friends.”Toemeka felt as if her will was being drained away. She shifted to ahigher vibratory level where she could hear the Sound Current roarlike the ocean. The sound blocked out Seetva’s voice. Toemekafocused on opening her heart so fear couldn’t enter, then threwSeetva out of her mind.
Howhad Seetva slipped by her guard so easily and invaded her mind?Toemeka wondered. She strengthened the shield that protected herselfand the infant in her womb. At the thought of her baby, sheremembered an ancient chant she was taught as a young child to defendherself against psychic attacks. As she began to chant aloud theancient words came back to her.
Seetva stepped back and criedout. “Stop that!”
Toemeka chanted the ancient verselouder. She didn’t know their meaning but she could feel the wordsvibrate with energy. She sensed Seetva struggling to draw upon herdark power.
Seetva threw out anotherfireball. It hit the wall of golden light, ricocheted back andexploded in front of the sorceress. Seetva slumped to the floor,unconscious, injured by her own fireball.
Inside the interrogation room,Zanton’s mouth twisted into a smile as he held the knife toOnolyn’s throat. “It’s you I want, Fenian, not her. I’ll lether go, if you surrender.”
“We’ll never agree to thattrade,” Jake said.
“Jake,” Erling said sharply.
Jake ignored him. “What’s onepilot’s life compared to the commander-in-chief of the wholeplanet? But just remember while you’re slitting her throat, I’llbe firing my laser into your head and Erling will be shooting yourguards. Come on, Zanton. My fingers are getting itchy—nothing wouldgive me more pleasure than an excuse to kill you. Lower your knife,or I’ll fire.”
One of Zanton’s guards reachedfor his blaster. Erling shot him and the other guard in rapidsuccession. Both men fell to the floor as Jake simultaneously leapttoward Zanton and grabbed the hand holding the knife. Onolyn brokefree as Jake and Zanton fought over the weapon.
Erling pointed his laser atZanton. “It’s all over, Zanton.” Zanton and Jake stoppedwrestling for the knife. Jake took it from Zanton and told him to puthis hands in the air.
“What did you think you weredoing, Jake?” Erling demanded angrily as he removed Zanton’sBorithon sword from its sheath. “You almost got Onolyn killed.”
“Trying to save your hide.”
“Zanton might have killed her.”
“He and his men might havekilled allof us. Besides youarea lot more valuable, from a purely political point of view.” Helooked at Onolyn and shrugged apologetically.
She glared back.
“From now on, follow my orders.I don’t want Onolyn killed.” Erling kept his gun trained onZanton.
“You’re got to startrealizing you are not just a soldier anymore, but a leader,” Jakesaid.
“Enough people have diedbecause of my poor decision to land on this ship.”
“Jake’s right, Erling,”Onolyn said. “You have to stay alive.”
“Did he hurt you, Onolyn?”Erling asked,
“Just this superficial wound onmy neck,” she replied, touching the cut on her neck. “But Zac wasshot.”
Erling’s heart sank. FirstHendora, now Zac. “Is he dead?”
“I don’t know.” She shookher head.
“Where is he?”
“In one of the holding cells.”
Erling shoved the muzzle of hislaser into Zanton’s chest. “You’re going to free my pilots,then we’re turning this ship around and heading to Jaipar.”
“Why should I?”
“Because I’ll kill you if youdon’t.”
“I’ll be executedregardless.”
“If you do as I say, I’llsign a treaty that allows you to return to Haklute and continue torule under military occupation.”
“How do I know you’ll keepyour word?”
“You’ll have to trust thatI’m a man of my word. What’s your decision?”
Zanton glanced at Jake, and thenback. “I’ll cooperate.”
“All right, let’s go,”Erling said. “Get us in to the detention center and order yourguards to bring all my pilots to you. Don’t try anything because Ihave my laser pointed at you.”
“Do you think this will work?”Onolyn asked.
“It’ll work,” Erling said.“Jake, pretend Onolyn’s a prisoner. I’ll keep a gun on Zanton.”
They stepped into the hallwaywhere Toemeka waited. Erling stared in surprise at Seetva’scrumpled body on the floor. “You took out Seetva?” he exclaimed.“A sorceress!”
“I said I’d watch your back.”
“But she’s really powerful,”Onolyn said.
“Is she dead?” Zanton askedwith a concerned frown. He squatted down and turned her onto herback. Blood oozed from wounds on her face, chest and arms, but noneof the injuries appeared life-threatening. “You’ll pay for
