Chapter 17

The Last Rider

SNOW’S RESCUE PLANS had only ever extended as far as finding the imprisoned creature. She had never imagined that setting Ja’Prith free would prove to be the hard part. Nor had it occurred to her that once his fellow creatures had begun their siege of the research station, it would become such a very dangerous place to be.

But she was rapidly realizing this was the case. As she paced the floor, racking her brains for some way to liberate her father’s mind-mate from his bonds, the structure of the building trembled and shook around her. If they didn’t get out soon, they would be buried in the rubble along with their Corporation enemies.

She had tried everything she could think of to break through the transparent wall that enclosed Ja’Prith. She could make no impact on it with either her tonfa or her shield, though she had attacked it with all her might. There was a sensor in the wall, which she felt sure must cause the barrier to retract. But swiping her keycard across it had no effect.

There is one way you might free me.

Snow’s response to Ja’Prith’s mind-message was to press herself against the transparent wall between them.

How?!

As I have told you, the white-coats’ experiments unlocked new psychic abilities buried in your father’s mind. The most remarkable was his capacity to move objects with his will. As his offspring, it is possible that this power has passed to you.

Snow’s mind flashed back to the swerving PShooter shot. It was one of several occasions in her past when something physical seemed to have been affected by her thoughts. But even if she did share this telekinetic power of her father’s, how could that help now?

Her gaze fell on the plasma-shackle control console, on the other side of the transparent wall. Its main power switch was set to ON.

With my wings free, continued Ja’Prith, I would have enough strength to break down these feeble walls.

Snow felt the stirrings of renewed hope. Closing her eyes, she emptied her mind of distracting thoughts and tried to access the part of it that had willed the ball-bearing missile to swerve. She felt the Flow begin to radiate through her body from her medallion. She opened her eyes again and focused both them and her thoughts on the power switch, willing it to move.

She felt a momentary rush in the Flow and the switch clicked to OFF, as though flipped by an invisible hand.

As the plasma-shackles fizzled out, Snow’s mind filled with Ja’Prith’s jubilant mind-cry. Lifting his untethered wings, the huge creature reared up. His head and back burst through the roof of the cell as though it was sugar-paper. He shook his powerful shoulders violently to tear himself free of cables and sensors. A single blow from one mighty wing-tip shattered the transparent barrier.

The hole that Ja’Prith had smashed in the ceiling was large enough to offer him an aerial escape route. Snow didn’t doubt that he could easily have lifted her to safety too, in the manner that Ko’Drall had carried her – if it wasn’t for the cruel damage to his hind legs.

You should go, quickly, urged Snow. Fly, before it is too late. I’ll find a way to reach my friends.

Even as she sent the mind-message, she knew it wasn’t true. The building was begining to collapse around her. And even if she could make it to the hangar, the others would have left in the freighter by now, or otherwise perished themselves. But she was an Armouron. It had been her duty to rescue Ja’Prith – and if she did not herself survive, she knew she had acted well.

I think not, little Wingless One, came Ja’Prith’s response. His yellow eyes burned with a new intensity now. You will leave this place in the manner that befits you.

Snow watched in puzzled incomprehension as the massive creature tucked his wings beneath him to crouch low before her on the cell’s rubble-strewn floor . . .

* * *

On board the freight ship, the mood was dismal.

‘It’s my fault,’ murmured Rake, stony-faced. ‘I should never have let her go off on her own again.’

All four knights were mournfully watching the receding view of the research station, as the ship moved steadily away from the battle scene.

From their bird’s-eye view, they could see the extent of the damage to the Corporation compound. The majority of its buildings had now been demolished, or were ablaze. Mshanga were still circling above, swooping low every now and then to renew their attack.

It seemed impossible that Snow could have survived such devastation. Even the fact that their old enemy, the Chairman, might also have perished in the attack offered no consolation.

‘Look!’ said Tea-Leaf abruptly. She was pointing out of the viewport, back towards the compound. The others followed her gaze and saw why.

One of the Mshanga had broken away from its circling comrades and was rapidly pursuing them.

‘Master!’ yelled Rake urgently.

Salt turned his hollow eyes from the ship’s controls.

‘What is it, Templer?’

‘One of the creatures is attacking us! It must think that we’re Corporation troops, making an escape!’

The massive creature’s powerful wing-beats had already brought it close behind them. It swooped out of sight for a moment, then suddenly loomed up large in the viewport, flying directly alongside them.

Hoax let out a sudden whoop of delight. His three friends stared out of the viewport in utter, delighted disbelief.

A familiar figure in blue armour sat astride the great beast’s broad neck, holding onto the trailing edge of its head-crest as it powered its way through the air.

As what they were seeing sank in, Rake and the others waved wildly at their friend. Snow returned the gesture, beaming from ear to ear.

It didn’t take a telepath to know that right now, the only thoughts going through Snow’s mind were ones of pure joy.