'Of course.' He removed his coat slowly. He unbuckled the strap for his blade and scabbard, handing them to Daooth. 'My other weapons are on board, Commander.'
Daooth stepped aside to allow the soldiers with him to secure the prisoner. He had never seen Kale Soone before, but he could see the family resemblance very clearly. Tiet looked very much like him.
'Sergeant, secure the prisoner.'
'Yes sir.'
The two soldiers with Daooth secured Kale with a binding around his hands and a hood over his head. They didn't want him to recognize the layout of the holding facility if he tried to escape. The two soldiers now flanked Kale and then with each holding an arm, they led him to the holding facility. Daooth fell in behind them with the Barudii blade in his hand, and the other soldiers in the squad followed close behind them.
Kale couldn't resist thinking of how he might escape from these men; if he had really wanted to. As a Barudii warrior it was just natural for him to try and resolve such problems. He could sense all of them around him with his kinesis and he could tell the layout of the building even though they deprived him of his sight with the hood. It seemed kind of funny in a way; how easy it would be. Of course he wouldn't attempt it. That would only make everything worse than it already was.
They led him to a holding cell deep within the complex. The square chamber was approximately ten foot by ten foot. It was heavily armored on every side except the open front entrance. The soldiers placed him inside and walked back beyond the entrance.
A charged field was activated to seal him in. Someone he could not see tapped a keypad that caused the binding around his hands to release.
With his hands free he removed his own hood and surveyed his surroundings. There were ten guards still in the room outside his cell. They were heavily armed and watching him like a hawk. He had the feeling they understood the damage a Barudii warrior could do.
He was tired. He stretched out on the padded bed that was the only furniture in the chamber. Surely Tiet would be down to confront him soon. He thought it was very strange he had not met him on the tarmac. But he would be here. Now all he had to do was wait.
THE blasts came fast and furious from the towers along the length of the compound's perimeter shield. Tiet ran hard toward it, dodging along the way. By his kinesis he could sense the laser fire coming in at him as he ran across the open space before the shield wall.
He speedily approached within range of one of the towers, then ran right up to it and began to kinetically scale it as though he continued to run upon the ground. The guard in the tower tried to fire upon him from close range.
He pulled his blade, igniting it as he passed the large gun turret. The barrel and main chassis of the gun fell away as his weapon kissed it. He went on, never pausing, never killing any of his attackers. As he reached the top of the tower he leapt away from it, flipping end over end down to the ground below.
He hit the ground still running. More shots were coming at him from ground soldiers firing with their weapons. Warriors from all directions seemed to be closing in on him. He ducked and rolled fast across the ground to dodge more laser fire, then rolled out, back to his feet running. He hit the main gate and drove his blade deep into it, cutting a portal as laser fire raged upon the wall and ground around him.
He dove through, finding a great hall beyond. Many Horva were already in the great room. Tiet could hear hundreds of weapons cocking their firing bolts in readiness. He stopped dead in his tracks. He stood at the ready with his blade ignited and his E.M. shield charged. Mere seconds seemed like an eternity. Then a voice shouted over the silence.
'You will go no further, Barudii!'
'My business is with your General Grod,' said Tiet. 'Why is it that with so many brave warriors, he will not face me?'
'He will face you,' replied the voice again as warriors parted before him. From among them Grod came forth. He was easy to distinguish as Tiet had guessed. The Horva leader was an imposing person; a good foot taller than himself and of a regal stature. He looked quite strong physically and there was an air of confidence he exuded.
'Why did you come here Barudii? Do you mean to assassinate me?'
'No. I've come to propose peace between our people. Surely you must know the Baruk are coming to destroy us all.'
'I have no use for your peace. You are a fool to come here and your folly has caught up with you.'
Grod drew a large broad sword.
'We've discovered something of your people's technology on our explorations through your cities,' said Grod.
He slid a catch on the hilt and a dispersion field enveloped the blade. Grod smiled, then charged him. There was a quick exchange of sword strikes between the two. Tiet concentrated on Grod's broadsword; on the hilt.
The field on Grod's sword failed. Tiet's next strike divided it in half as planned. Then Grod did something unexpected, he moved in fast, grabbing Tiet's sword arm. He had expected the Horva to back away with his weapon destroyed, but the fearless old warrior had surprised him.
Grod held his right arm with one hand, preventing any further strike while delivering his own hard blow to Tiet's face. He was stunned and almost staggered, but Grod still had his sword arm. It was all very fast. Grod's next strike was to his forearm.
Tiet felt his right arm break at the Horva's powerful blow. His hand went limp and the blade fell to the ground. Grod did not even go for the weapon. The look in his eye was as though he meant to kill him with his bare hands.
He could hear the crowd of Horva warriors cheering Grod on as the sword fell to the ground. Grod left Tiet's arm and grabbed the young man's throat while pulling a dagger from his side. But his weapon stopped as though frozen by an unseen hand. Grod tried desperately to bring the death strike home, but could not move his arm at all. Tiet stared into his eyes, 'Killing me will not be that easy, General.'
Grod tried to bring the blade down, and then tried to crush the young man's throat; but he could not. He also realized that he could not move his body in any way; his will was not his own.
'Look down, General,' said Tiet. 'Your life is in my hands more than you realize.'
Grod looked to find the Barudii holding a short rod between them with the business end across his own belly. He had seen the weapon before. The Barudii had used the same thing to kill the Teragore in the dome.
'Kill me then, if that's why you came here.'
'I told you already, that is not why I came here Grod. I want peace between our people. I know and respect your struggle against the oppression of the Vorn military, but the civilian populace had nothing to do with that. I proposed this alliance to them and those people have sent me with the same hope.
'Our people need peace. We already have enough of a fight on our hands, the both of us, when the Baruk come; and they are already on their way. Join us, and let's fight them together and hopefully live to have peace on our planets.'
Grod just looked at him, listening and studying the young man. His dagger was still frozen in mid strike above Tiet's chest; held by the Barudii's mental power. Finally after a long silence between them Grod spoke. 'And if I refuse your peace?'
'Then I came prepared to kill you; I do not intend to fight a war on two fronts between you and the Baruk.'
'Then kill me, I don't care about peace with you or the Vorn.'
Tiet only had to activate the kemstick to kill him and Grod knew it as well, but he stood stone faced looking into his eyes, waiting for him to do it. Instead, Tiet pushed him away and released him from his mental grip. Grod looked surprised by the turn of events.
'I don't want to kill you,' he said. 'Believe it or not, I respect your skills and your mission to be independent of those who enslaved the Horva. I still think it's a shame I may have to face you on a battlefield some day instead of around a peaceful table breaking bread as friends, but that's your choice; I tried.'
Tiet brought his broken arm to his torso, it throbbed terribly. He could hear the room full of warriors raising their weapons again, bringing them to bear on him. Grod raised his hand quickly to halt them.
