THE alarms sent the Matriarch to her feet. “Are we discovered, Laretai?”
Her Senior’s manipulator arms flew across her screens. “No Matriarch. I haven’t even dropped the fence yet. All I’ve been doing is setting it up so that it looks like a genuine equipment failure.” Her tone was puzzled.
“Kaidan?”
“There is no sign of him in the system, or on any of the screens. I have a watch program on alert for him – it would have alerted us if his image or name was detected anywhere in the system.” Her manipulator arms moved faster. “Ah! The sentry outside our quarters has vanished.” She tapped furiously. “No, not just vanished, his body has been discovered two levels down.” She turned towards the Matriarch, apprehension colouring her voice.
“The humans!” The Matriarch was certain. “Not only are they within the sentinel ring, they have penetrated the ship. In fact, it is likely that they are within the female section of the ship. Fetch Lacey immediately!”
“But the fence, Matriarch? Kaidan will be waiting, hidden.”
“His message will mean nothing if the humans decide to kill us, Laretai, and I have no doubt that they would be both justified, and very effective in doing so. We need Lacey. She may be able to assist.” The Senior bustled from the room, urgency in every line of her body, and returned with Lacey within moments. The old woman was tousled from sleep, rubbing her eyes and yawning. The Matriarch was reminded of how fragile their hopes were, hanging as they were on an old woman and a boy. “Lacey, I believe that the free humans have penetrated the ship and perhaps even these secure quarters.”
The old woman frowned. “Are you certain?”
“Our sentry is dead, and his body discovered two levels down. There will be troopers in these hallways within seconds, and despite the lack of images, I am certain that there will be more of those felines with the humans.
“We must wait then. And I must wait with you. But I must seem no more than a slave unless absolutely necessary, and if the humans arrive before the Overlord, I will do my best to explain.”
“That was my thought also,” said the Matriarch, inclining her head. “It may be that Kaidan will meet up with some of them as we planned, but it also may be that we encounter them before he does. And if the plan demands our sacrifice, then so be it. Estei is as prepared as time has allowed, and she is well supported by Hirtoi. I have sealed the files indicating her succession, should I fall.” The alarm klaxons continued, deafeningly, and the first sounds of rapidly moving footsteps sounded outside the room.
“The Overlord has directed a level by level search, beginning at the entry level of our quarters, Matriarch. We must expect it and behave accordingly.”
“Laretai, alert Estei and Hirtoi, and the rest of the seniors. No matter what happens, we must maintain a semblance of normality. Send three of the seniors to delay the Overlord at the door. We must allow the situation to play itself out, but the least we can do is to prevent a full scale invasion of our privacy. There are things better left unseen in these quarters.”
“Hirtoi mirrors my activity, Matriarch. She has set a watch routine on the Overlord’s personal tablet.”
“Is that wise?”
“Hirtoi will surpass all of my skills given time, Matriarch, and in the writing of such code, she already has no peer.” The Matriarch nodded, thinking furiously.
“Our preparations are complete then, and what will be, will be. We will wait, and act as the occasion warrants.”
***
The alarms had sent Shanna and her companions into an urgent huddle. “What do you think’s alerted them?” asked Verren.
“It could have been the missing guard, or something Taya, Ragar and Zandany did,” replied Allad quietly. “Or something completely unrelated. Nevertheless, we know what’s up here now, so our priority is to rejoin the others. Verren, take us back as fast as possible. Shanna send one of your cats ahead with Cirrus, and then take the rear.”
Faded, Shanna began to follow the others, stepping quietly at Amma’s heels. Storm ranged behind them, and she could feel his concern slowly escalate as they came closer and closer to the access point. When they’d entered, the area had been deserted, and few Garsal had been abroad in the hallways.
Now, Shanna and the others were forced to flatten themselves repeatedly against the walls as filmy robed females moved past in groups, hurrying in all directions. As they closed on the access point, Shanna could see more and more activity up ahead. She almost ran into Amma as they approached the doorway into the reception area. Some kind of altercation appeared to be taking place, and Shanna could hear loud, harsh sounding syllables, reverberating in the large room. She checked behind, made sure Storm was watching the rear, ‘felt’ for Twister ahead with Verren, and settled her back against the wall to concentrate.
***
“Zoash!” The Overlord stormed into the command centre, manipulator arms still attaching his rank badges.
“Overlord, we have found a body.”
“Where? And whom?” He was displeased to be wakened so early by the screaming alarms.
“The honour sentry was found in a storage unit two floors from his post. He was dead.” Zoash paused. “There were claw marks on his body.”
The Overlord stiffened. “Could it be the renegade cat that has been attacking our troopers within the compound?”
Zoash flicked his manipulator arms uncomfortably. “It is possible, Overlord. However, the medical technicians are of the opinion that the body exhibits signs of more than one assailant, and there is no reason to believe that the feline would deliberately conceal the body.”
The Overlord felt an unexpected chill course through his body. “How is it possible they are inside the ship?” he asked, barking the question, voice harsh. He beckoned peremptorily to his hatching sib to follow, and stalked from the room. “And they are as far as the female quarters?” His hopes of offspring shook and quivered. The Matriarch would crush them with a word if her precious enclave suffered an attack of any kind. He increased his pace. The alarm klaxons rang ceaselessly.
“We were unable to discover how they penetrated last time, Overlord, or escaped. Once again, they have surpassed our security technology.” Zoash’s voice was reluctant.
“You are certain that there were only three flyers? And no felines?”
“We are, Overlord, but in retrospect, the perimeter failures during the storm may have had a more sinister meaning.” Zoash’s voice became quieter with every word and the Overlord halted, and then ground out each word separately, voice thundering the syllables.
“In retrospect. You told me that our technicians were working on the problems, and that the perimeter failures were all explainable. Until now. And now, they suddenly become breaches by a hostile force?”
“Overlord,” they were the most obsequious tones the Overlord had ever heard from his sib, “it is often easy to see things in hindsight, as more facts become available.” The Overlord resumed walking, tapped the elevator keypad, entered with Zoash on his heels, and turned to face him as the elevator began to descend.
“Your job is to look ahead, not behind. This should have been one of the scenarios placed before me. We will discuss this later. In more detail.” He turned away from his sib, noting the sudden blanching of colour on his carapace. As Overlord, he had many powers, and without a recommendation from him, Zoash would be denied offspring. No doubt he had had plans for his progeny to rise and conquer. A small wave of satisfaction wafted through the Overlord’s mind, but was buried quickly by a torrent of unease. For months, just one feline had preyed on his troops outside the ship and hive. Over those months, the death toll had become truly impressive. Just one. The words rolled around inside his mind, causing more discomfort than he’d believed possible.
Perhaps it was ‘just one’ inside the ship. ‘Just one’ was a dreadful thought. More than one suggested death, terror and disaster. The doors opened, and he strode out into the midst of an argument. Filmy robed seniors stood firmly in the doorway, preventing his troops from accessing the female section.
“Troopers, stand down,” Zoash ordered
At least his sib was still good for something the Overlord thought irritably as he strode forwards. “Why are you denying us entry? Your security is breached.”
The oldest Senior stood motionless, tidily and precisely clothed, despite the early morning hour. “Overlord, our quarters seem perfectly secure. There is no disturbance within.”
“Your sentry is dead, and his body concealed two levels down.”
She brushed the comment aside with a disdained wave on her mid section limbs. “Your male feuds have nothing to do with us. The never ending jockeying for position you indulge in is no business of ours.” The Overlord scrambled for a reply, uncharacteristically nonplussed.
“My apologies, Senior, but there was no feuding involved.” He inclined his head to her. “The sentry appears to have been mauled by one of the dangerous felines that infest this planet.”
Her demeanour changed to one he was hard pressed to decipher, and he saw her calmness slip so slightly he was unsure that it had. “But there is no sign of any such feline within our quarters, Overlord. I am certain that there is nothing amiss.”
“It appears that they are able to remain undetected by our security systems, Senior.” It pained him to admit it, but it was unavoidably true. “We are rectifying the matter as we speak.” He disguised his uncertainty with vocal confidence. “Nevertheless, it is essential that for a short time we have a security presence within the enclave. It will be brief, but we must ensure your safety. Will you conduct me to the Matriarch?”
“I will send a message, and we will commence our own search immediately, Overlord.” She turned to one of her underlings, giving him no time to insist on immediate entrance. The Overlord had the feeling she was deliberately delaying, but the niceties of protocol required to enter the female enclave had millennia of tradition behind them, and he was forced to patience, despite the urgency of the matter. With visible evidence of an incursion by the felines he would have been able to insist, but with no evidence to back up his claims, he was forced to stand idly, awaiting the Matriarch’s graces. As he watched, one of the younger females departed rapidly, her robes floating behind her gracefully. Taking his message, he supposed.
“Silence that klaxon!” he demanded. He might not be able to force his way into the female quarters, but he could take his anger and discomfort out on the obvious scapegoat. “And send troopers to all critical locations.” Zoash bowed his head without speaking and stepped away to do his bidding.
***
Shanna flattened herself more firmly against the wall as another of the female Garsal moved past. This one moved decisively, bent on some errand. She stretched her ears, still trying to overhear an understandable word from ahead. The altercation seemed to have ceased, but the way was still blocked. She wondered what was happening. She couldn’t imagine what was preventing the immediate arrival of the Garsal troopers. A hand touched her shoulder and tapped it. She interpreted the instructions carefully.
Be Alert. Move soon.
She tensed herself, poised herself on the balls of her feet, mentally located her starcats again, and inched slightly closer to Amma. And then back again. She didn’t want to impede her friend’s movement. Gently, she extended her senses, trying to pierce the metal bulkhead in the same way she was able to see what was ahead when she was working her way through dense vegetation. She marvelled that she’d come to feel that such sensing was ‘normal’ in such a short time.
The bulkheads seemed denser, more difficult to penetrate using her ‘extra’ vision, but slowly, the blankness resolved into fuzzy outlines, and then more succinct images. She counted, and then placed her hand on Amma’s shoulder and tapped.
Ten Garsal, two groups, spaced out.
She used the same coded tap she’d have used for dangerous predators, reasoning that they’d all understand what she meant. She felt Amma’s surprise, and then her acceptance in her body posture, and a moment later her friend tapped back.
Soon. Doorway. Two steps. Patrol.
Shanna translated in her mind. Move shortly, make for the doorway, then the other doorway and head for the rendezvous with the other three. Amma’s shoulder muscles tightened, and Shanna felt her lean forwards slightly. She fumbled her silent whistle from her shirt neck to her mouth and signalled her cats to be ready, and then she felt Amma move forwards. She dropped her hand from her friend’s shoulder, trusting to her senses to ‘feel’ where they all were, and then took her first few steps.
Silently, every muscle tense, and every breath taken as gently as possible, Shanna began to weave her way through the Garsal clustered near the doorway. It was wide enough that the female Garsal standing just on the other side was spaced just far enough away for a human form to slip through – if that human was careful. Shanna signalled Twister through, knowing that the faded starcat would leave nothing more than a faint disturbance in the air.
She saw the Garsal’s filmy robes lift briefly in the wind of his passing, and almost sighed in relief, catching the sigh on the inhale and slowly allowing her breath to ease past her lips. She ‘felt’ Cirrus duck through after him, once again leaving nothing but a tiny eddy in the air. Her extended senses ‘felt’ Verren approach the doorway, and then ‘felt’ him slide through, pause, and then move between the two groups of Garsal to stand near the doorway to the ramps. Satin, Allad, Spider, Amma, and then it was her turn.
Shanna wove her way past the final Garsal form, hesitated slightly, and then ducked through, carefully keeping her body in contact with the cold metal of the door frame. Her heart nearly stopped when the tickle of the Garsal female’s robes slapped her hand.
The female had turned suddenly, causing her robes to swirl as she did so, and the outermost layer had struck Shanna’s hand. She froze, convinced that the creatures would notice the interruption of the smooth swing of the fabric, and then forced herself to move. She slipped past the Garsal, feeling the large faceted eyes stare right through her; smelling the slightly pungent odour she’d come to associate with them ever since the removal of the corpse from the flying machine.
A few more steps, and then she felt Storm slide through as well, not even stirring the floating material. She realised that once again she was holding her breath, and joined the others at the far door. None of the Garsal appeared to have noticed anything. For a moment she wondered what they were waiting for, then realised. If the door suddenly opened and shut by itself, the Garsal would know that someone was there. Yet every second they delayed, standing in the room with ten Garsal, meant that it was more and more likely that one of them would walk into one of the hidden Scouts. Shanna tried to keep her breathing even and silent, but this type of stationary skulking was even more difficult than hiding from a staureg with just a frondan tree and a rock for cover. In fact, hiding from a staureg seemed child’s play compared to standing faded in a room full of Garsal.
Time seemed endless as they stood there, waiting. Shanna had time to wonder what was happening with the other three, to wonder what precisely had alerted the Garsal, and wonder how her family and friends were faring on the plateau. She ruthlessly crushed the thought that any of them might be dead, or wounded, or captured by the Garsal. Then her mind flitted to thoughts of Kaidan and she had to struggle to convince herself that she wasn’t abandoning him by leaving this portion of the ship.
Finally, the Garsal female spoke again, and the ten Garsal came suddenly to attention. She stepped aside, and they all entered, filing through the door, each bowing its head to the robed one in what seemed like a respectful fashion. She stepped through after them, and then the door closed, and finally, they were alone.
“Let’s go,” came Allad’s whisper. “This might be our best chance.” The door opened, Shanna whistled Storm through, and then they were back on the ramps, moving as fast as they dared.
***
“Matriarch, the Overlord is without,” said Laretai. The Matriarch flicked a quick glance around the room. Lacey stood behind her chair, eyes on the floor, the very model of a cowed slave. Laretai stood at the doorway, and Estei and Hirtoi sat in position on either side of her.
“Allow him entry.” She pulled herself taller as the doors opened. “Overlord, what news have you?”
“Matriarch, it appears that at least one of the felines has entered the ship.” She noticed that his wording reflected what he wanted her to believe, not the reality.
“And how is this known, Overlord?” She heightened the disapproval in her voice, and watched the impact strike him.
“We have found a body, Matriarch. Your honour guard, in fact. There is evidence of claws and teeth.”
“My Senior tells me that the body was concealed two levels down – hardly the work of a feline!” She allowed the syllables to crack out, each one scoring a strike on the Overlord’s ego, and she felt Laretai stiffen behind her. She knew the danger she was courting though, just as she knew how to needle the pompous male, arrogant in his overconfidence like so many of his type. “Has it not occurred to you that it may be a deception, engineered to divert suspicion from a feud?” The agreed upon approach was very plausible to any who knew the male Garsal mind. “There have been precedents.” She watched the barb strike home. The Overlord’s line was well known for its use of such subterfuge, and there had actually been a scandal not that long before the colony ship lifted.
“I assure you Matriarch, it is no deception,” said the Overlord, and she nearly pitied him. For once, he was earnest in his desire to please, but his motivation was still defined by his desire for offspring.
“We will wait and see,” she replied disdainfully. “Sit with us if you wish. Perhaps you can update us on the invasion of the plateau, since you have seen fit to disturb us at this ridiculous hour.” She settled back into her chair, deliberately arranging her robes for maximum effect. He was torn, she could see. Torn between trying to locate the felines he was so obviously fearful of, and of demonstrating his tactical prowess. She gave him no quarter.
Finally the Overlord signalled regret. “I must return to the command centre, Matriarch. I will leave Zoash here, directing the search. He will provide you with as much information as you request.” He waved a manipulator arm at his hatching sib, and the Matriarch flicked him a glance.
One to watch, Laretai had said. They had been words of caution.
“Of course, Overlord,” she said graciously. “Your personal warnings are appreciated.” She stood, and he had no choice but to take his leave. She could see his displeasure though, it flickered through every step he took.
***
The tension filled descent of the ramps ended outside the vehicle storage area. The door stood wide open, and there was a flurry of Garsal activity inside. The harsh alien syllables seemed to be becoming louder by the second. “Send Storm in with this.” Allad’s whispered instructions were followed by a note tucked into Shanna’s hand. She nodded, despite knowing he couldn’t see it, and bent to tuck the note into her starcat’s harness. She rubbed his head briefly, and sent him on his way. “Stay together unless a large group comes past,” said Allad, “we’ll be wanting to move directly to the slave quarters once the others join us. How’s the fatigue levels?”
Shanna thought for a moment. She was mildly weary, less than she’d expected actually, and then flicked her fingers over the patches stored in her thigh pocket for easy access. She checked the one still on her wrist. Almost depleted. She’d burned through it at a fairly high rate. “Good at the moment,” she whispered, “and I’ve still got a fair few patches, but I’m burning through them fast.” The others whispered similar comments. At least fading was her primary talent. She suspected that the last couple of hours had been harder on her friends than herself. She rubbed Twister’s neck as he pressed against her leg and stood quietly, faded, waiting.
She felt no alarm from Storm, just a sense of waiting, so she relaxed slightly, sent Twister patrolling up and down the nearby ramp, and pulled a few slices of dried fruit from another pocket. She handed them around by the simple expedient of ‘feeling’ where her friends were, locating their hands and pressing a slice into their hands. She was unable to resist leaving her hand in Verren’s slightly longer than she should have, but finally gave it a squeeze and then let it go.
She ‘felt’ Storm approaching, and tapped the others to alert them, and Ragar circled them in, sending the starcats to sit as sentries at either end of the ramp. “Report.”
“We managed to immobilise or damage about half the vehicles before that alarm went off,” whispered Ragar. “What did you do?”
“Not sure it was us, but we think they discovered the body of the sentry. The female quarters were behind the door. I’d guess they’re held in higher regard, or at least guarded carefully – or maybe even both.” replied Allad.
Ragar nodded. “Back to the basic plan then – down to the slave quarters, break out as many as possible, and get them out, and whatever we can, we’ll break on the way out.” His voice was determined, and Shanna felt her resolve stiffen. So far, despite extensive searching, they’d remained undetected. Perhaps they had a real chance of escaping from the ship with the slaves. She felt more hopeful than she had for some time. She’d never really realised how effective being invisible to the naked eye would be, even if they were moving in a group.
She checked herself for fatigue, decided she’d need a new patch shortly, and stepped off. She felt as though she’d been running up and down ramps for hours. But then again, she had. She hoped desperately that her family was still safe from the invaders, and then put the thought firmly out of her mind. Now was not the time for distractions.