Firemask Page 6

  The voice, even filtered through com speakers, wasn't asking, but demanding.

  Fifteen Council members and Caud Rao nervously waited outside the still-sealed airlock of the Corfe . Behind them were thirty volunteers from the Legion, ostensibly an honor guard since Redruth was still a Confederation member, actually as much of a bodyguard for the Council as Rao could devise.

  Each woman or man had, concealed under their dress uniforms, two magazines for their blasters, and small handguns hastily grabbed from Hedley's "contingency" armory. They were also well trained in unarmed combat and knife fighting.

  Hidden inside a hangar, its doors open a slit, a warrant ready to hit the door-lifter control, were two autocannon-armed Cookes. Garvin commanded one, Njangu the other. Garvin's pilot was Rao's driver, Dec Running Bear, his gunner Finf Ho Kang, the former ECM specialist with Ben Dill's Grierson.

  Yoshitaro had an equally skilled crew of hastily-picked volunteers.

  The autocannons were fully loaded, and the gunners ready.

  Garvin watched the Corfe . Its chaingun turrets were lifted, guns ready, and missile launch tubes unmasked.

  "Stand by," Garvin said. "Their hatch is coming open."

  The gangway hissed down, touched the tarmac. Four soldiers in dark green dropped down it, stood at attention, blasters ready.

  A speaker crackled.

  "I'd like to extend an invitation for you men and women of Cumbre's government to board my flagship, so we may discuss matters of great urgency."

  Even through electronic filters, the invitation was, again, clearly a command.

  The Council members exchanged looks, then slowly went up the gangway into the ship.

  Waiting inside the lock was Protector Redruth, who still looked more like a stocky, balding low-level bureaucrat than the dictator of two systems.

  "I welcome you," he said, tone not at all friendly. "We have matters of great import to discuss. If you'll accompany me to the conference room?"

  A green-uniformed man came out with a detector and swept each of the Councilmembers, in spite of protests. Caud Rao made none. Nothing he had hidden on him would respond to any detector he was aware of.

  "None of them are armed, Protector."

  "Good. This way, then?"

  The men and women followed Redruth. Rao tried to take in everything, trying to reach an estimate of Red-ruth's military. The Corfe was spotlessly kept, even if it was obsolescent, and the two weapons stations he peered into were manned by alert-looking soldiers, clean-cut and sharply dressed.

  The conference room was paneled with false wood, old prints on the walls. It could have served any Rentier corporation well.

  "If you'll be seated," Redruth said.

  A door slid open, and a man Rao recognized as Celi-don, Redruth's military leader, came in. He wore dark green, as his soldiery, glittering with decorations, and a Sam Browne belt with pistol holstered on one side, dagger on the other. He was tall, muscled, with a scar along his forehead. He gave Rao a slight nod, looked at the Council members with chill amusement, but said nothing.

  "I know all of you are busy with your normal duties," Redruth said. "So I'll keep this very brief.

  "I'm sure you know that some time ago, I offered to place the Cumbre system under my protection. The offer was refused by your Planetary Government.

  "That was then, and we'd just lost contact with the Confederation. I was most concerned about inroads the Musth would most likely make on Cumbre, up to and including trying to seize the system for their own.

  "My offer was foolishly rejected.

  "Nothing has changed to improve your situation, and it's inconceivable that I would allow my own people to be endangered if the Musth carry out the plans I consider inevitable.

  "Therefore, although I would always rather rule by consent rather than fiat, I have decided Cumbre is to be placed under my protection immediately."

  There were gasps, protests. Redruth waited, his expression calm, as if nothing was being said.

  "This is not a debatable matter," he said. "Of course, I want our liaison to be as painless as possible. I see no reason why this Council cannot continue to handle matters as before, although, of course, I'll appoint a regent to moderate the Council, report to me, and present my views on pertinent matters so you may help me implement them."

  Now there was a yammer—"can't do this."

  "sovereign state."

  "violation of Confederation laws."

  "goddamned pirate," and so forth. One woman stayed silent, Rao noticed, Jo Poynton, who had a smile of tight amusement on her face.

  Redruth waited for a moment, then rapped sharply with his knuckles on the table.

  "As I said," and now his voice was steely, "this is not a matter for debate, but for you to implement as rapidly as possible, or face severe consequences.

  "My plans are—"

  "Excuse me," Caud Rao said. "As you know, my

  Strike Force is part of the Confederation military, and is sworn to defend Cumbre's present government. Are you declaring war against the Confederation?"

  Celidon smiled thinly. "I hardly think the matter is important enough to be called war."

  "What Celidon means," Redruth said, "is we have no intention of interfering with your Force. However, since you lack a naval element, we shall be providing that. I see no reason that my security forces and yours cannot coexist comfortably in keeping order."

  "Unfortunately, I do," Rao said. "You've announced plans to usurp authority. We must stand against it."

  "I don't think things will come to a confrontation," Redruth said. "Particularly if the Council welcomes my presence, realizing the choice is very simple: either my protectorate or conquest by the Musth. That would make the slight change I propose within legal boundaries, and therefore not the concern of you or your Strike Force.

  "Don't lose your temper, Caud Rao. Consider this. The Cumbre system is on the edge of nowhere, barely self-sustaining. Allied with Larix and Kura, there'll be not only safety, but increased trade, increased wealth flowing into this system."

  "And what will be flowing out?" Poynton asked.

  "Certain exports," Redruth said. "But we'll hardly be appropriating them. We'll pay an honest price."

  "Starting with the mines," a Councilman said cynically.

  "That is one of the most important areas of concern," Redruth said. "Is there a representative of Mellusin Mining present?"

  "Jasith Mellusin," a man said, "has recently married. She and her husband are honeymooning. A message was sent to their island as soon as you summoned us for this meeting. I don't know if it was received, but I'd assume it was, and she is on the way now."

  "Good," Redruth said. "We can begin with the ores on C-Cumbre, then discuss other matters, such as the minor increase in your present taxes necessary to support my garrison here."

  "Which will be of what size?" Rao asked.

  "That's still undecided," Celidon said. "It'll depend on how easily these meetings go, won't it?"

  "I see," Rao said, hand unobtrusively pressing a transmitter taped to his side under his tunic. The transmitter sent a one-second beep.

  "How much," a Councilwoman asked, "will you be increasing our taxes?"

  "Initially, no more than one percent on all products, although you might choose to increase the present income tax instead. I have no interest, by the way, in what method of taxation you choose, or the percentage called for from any particular income group."

  "In other words," Poynton said, "if we decide to soak the poor, you could give a damn."

  A man turned and scowled at her.

  "Dammit, this is hard enough, without your 'Raum bullshit!"

  "Excuse me," Redruth said. "I understand your recent problems, but I see no reason to bring them into this matter. Now, let's consider just what of Cumbre's products are most important to the continued security and welfare of our mutual systems…"

  All commanders in the Legion, and all combat aerial and
ground vehicles had secondary receivers tuned to Rao's transmitter.

  "That's it," Garvin said. "Crank 'em up, and get ready to move."

  The drives on the two Cookes whined to life.

  The speedster drove hard past Lanbay Island, into Dharma Bay . Loy Kouro was at the controls, Jasith Mel-lusin beside him. They were barely fifty meters above the water, at full speed.

  Kouro was furious. "The biggest damned thing since the war, and I'm off playing with you!"

  "Loy," Jasith pointed out, "taking an extra two weeks for our honeymoon was your idea."

  "Whatever," Kouro said. "What the hell do you think these people want, anyway?"

  "I'm pretty sure it won't be good," Jasith said.

  "In ten minutes," Kouro said. "We should be able to see Chance Island."

  "This is Scimitar Alpha," Ben Dill said. "Inbound from Balar. ETA Mahan three zero. Scimitars Beta and Gamma monitoring transmission. Over."

  The three aksai , at three-quarters drive, saw D-Cumbre growing large ahead.

  "This is Control," Mil Angara said into a mike, and the scrambled signal spat from a bunker below Camp Mahan into space. "No change to orders. You're cleared to respond to any hostile action. If none is made, remain out-atmosphere for further instructions."

  "Clear." Dill switched frequencies. "You heard the man. Let's go kill some Larries or Kurans or whatever they're calling themselves these days. Out."

  He touched sensors, and missiles armed themselves.

  Across D-Cumbre, the scattered soldiers of the Force went to full combat readiness.

  In the chatter, no one noted a remote sensor, off the small planetoid of L-Cumbre, as it began reporting:

  SIX OBJECTS ENTERING SYSTEM… ANALYSIS SUGGESTS NOT NATURAL… NONE CONFORM TO KNOWN STARSHIP CONFIGURATION… ORBIT PROJECTED TO INTERSECT D-CUMBRE WITHIN THREE HOURS… SIX OBJECTS ENTERING SYSTEM… ANALYSIS SUGGESTS…

  Redruth had opened a folder, was going through exactly what tribute Cumbre would be expected to pay when a man in green entered, went to Celidon.

  He whispered hastily. Celidon's cool gaze flashed into an angry frown.

  "Excuse me, Protector," he said. "But the bridge reports increased signals around the planet, and unknown signals from the moon."

  "What is it? Caud Rao, what's going on?" Redruth demanded.

  Rao shook his head.

  "I don't know," he lied. "I've been in this room for two hours now. Possibly my executive officer has decided to increase the ready status of my Force."

  "Celidon!" Redruth snapped.

  "No problem," the big man said. "If they're getting cute, we can do the same."

  He went out the door, toward the bridge.

  Redruth got to his feet, backed toward the door.

  "I don't know what's going on," he said. "But if any of you have any ideas—"

  Caud Rao had a small ceramic tube, the weapon no metal detector could pick up, leveled.

  "You can stand quite still," he said calmly. "This has only one round, an old-fashioned pottery ball that'll shatter quite messily when it hits something, so perhaps you don't want to breathe heavily."

  Redruth's face reddened, but he froze.

  "Now, we're going back out the corridor to the airlock," Rao said. "You Council people, move first, and quick. We're leaving the ship."

  He palmed the door open, motioned the stunned Council out.

  A crewman came toward them, saw the tiny weapon, and grabbed for his sidearm. Jo Poynton was on him, a palm striking hard into his face, an elbow smashing his throat, and she had his pistol out of its holster before he fell, gurgling, twisting in pain.

  She hefted it, grinned. "Just like the old days. I'll meet you at the airlock," and she trotted away.

  "Now you," Rao said, motioning Redruth out of the conference room. "Think of me as protecting the Protector."

  "My men'll never allow this!"

  "Possibly," Rao said cheerfully. "But you'll reap extremely negative benefits from their faithfulness."

  Rao looked at the gun, grimaced, and went down the corridor.

  "All right," Celidon said as he came on the bridge of the Corfe . "I have the deck, Mister. What's going on?"

  "Sir," the ship's captain reported, "we have at least fifty, maybe more, ships in the air. Everything from yachts to aerial combat vehicles."

  "What the hell set them off?"

  The officer shook his head.

  "Well, find out, Mister! We can't take action until we know what's going on for certain!"

  The captain, remembering he'd been promoted per Celidon's anger at his vacillating predecessor and a firing squad, shouted for silence, then told all stations to report.

  Celidon waited, listening, not realizing one hand kept touching the haft of his dagger, then moving away.

  "This is Corfe-Two ," one of the Mrva/xa-class patrol boats reported. "Three ships inbound from Balar…" the toneless voice changed, "… Jane's IDs them as Musth fighting ships!"

  Almost simultaneously:

  "This is Corfe-Four" another patrol boat called. "Six large ships on course toward D-Cumbre, unknown origin, no Jane's ID! Request instructions."

  The bridge of the Corfe buzzed in confusion, and Celidon shouted silence.

  A speaker turned, reported as ordered:

  "Sir, Eleven Weapons Bay reports hearing a shot within the ship!"

  "What?"

  The speaker repeated the message.

  "Get the landing squad out," Celidon snapped. "Find out what the hell that was! Get a security element to the conference compartment, make sure the Protector's all right!"

  A tech reported:

  "Sir, we have an incoming, low-level flight, from the east, approximate speed two fifty kph, did not answer challenge on standard guard frequency. Three gun stations are tracking it."

  "Knock it down!"

  "Yessir," a weapons officer said. "Three Weapons Position, fire!"

  The bridge jarred as the nearby chaingun blasted.

  Cannon fire slashed into the water less than twenty meters short of Loy Kouro's speedster. He gaped, jerked at the controls, smashed into the waterspout.

  The speedster skidded, went sideways.

  Kouro fought for control, had it for an instant. Then the speedster snaprolled twice. Kouro slid the control back, and for an instant the speedster stabilized. He tried to climb for altitude, then the drive died, and the speedster stalled.

  It nosed into a dive, Kouro fighting it. He brought the speedster level, then ran out of altitude. At just under lOOkph, it hit the water, skipping like a spun stone.

  The hangar door slid open, as the Corfe fired across the parade ground, at some distant target in the ocean.

  "Gunner!" Garvin shouted. "That weapons station."

  "Acquired," Ho said calmly, and touched the firing studs of her autocannon.

  The 20mm cannon roared like a primeval beast, and collapsed-uranium rounds smashed into the exposed Kuran guns.

  Two ammo drums exploded, and a ball of flame swept the compartment, killing the gunners before they had a chance to realize they were dead.

  A panel slid shut, sealing the station, as the Corfe rocked from side to side.

  "Evasive action!" Jaansma called, and the two Cookes skidded out of the hangar, zigged out of sight as another cannon blasted holes in the tarmac.

  "No shiteedah," Running Bear managed, hands blurring across controls as the Cooke banked, almost smashing into a shed.

  Rao found three sprawled bodies in the corridor, and pushed Redruth harder. They ran into the airlock's suiting chamber, found the Council, and Poynton with a pistol in each hand. A Councilman held the third weapon.

  "How're we going to get out of the ship without getting gunned down?" Poynton said.

  "Give me one of those," Rao said, and Poynton tossed him a pistol.

  "Your honor guard took care of the sentries," Poynton said. "They scattered, got to shelter before the ship could retaliate, and we've got some support
- fire from them."

  "They keep trying to close the lock," another man said. "I'm holding down emergency override."

  "Next?" Poynton said.

  "You can't run," Redruth said smugly. "My gunners'll drop you before you make ten meters."

  "Then we'd better kill you now," Poynton said.

  Redruth paled as Rao leveled the pistol.

  "I have you, I have you, oh Lordy lord now I have you," Ben Dill crooned as the aksai swooped on a Kuran patrol boat. He thumbed the firing button three times, and missiles hissed away.

  The patrol boat went to full power, tried to jump into stardrive, didn't make it as one missile blew its nose off, then the second homed on the engine room, and the ship became a geometrically perfect ball of flaming gas.

  "Ho-ho," Dill shouted into his mike. "First blood for Ben!"

  " Corfe, Corfe , this is Corfe-Two ," the panicked patrol boat's commander broadcast. " Corfe-Three destroyed by

  Musth… there's too many of 'em, all attacking! Corfe-Four under attack as well!"

  A missile launched by one of Dill's wingmen blew up half a kilometer away, and the man flinched, reflexively slamming his ship into stardrive.

  Rao heard movement, stuck his pistol around, and slammed half a dozen rounds down the corridor without looking to see who it was.

  "We're dead if we stay here," Rao decided. "Out of here, and run for that hangar! Stay spread out!"

  Fearful faces peered at him, then obediently clattered down the gangway.

  Rao's eyes were on them, and Redruth seized the moment, knocking the caud sideways, then darting back into the corridor, into a compartment, and sliding the door shut.

  "Bastard!" and Rao went after the others.

  A Kuran gunner saw the running men and women, switched his target acquisition to manual, and swiveled the guns down toward them.

  Yoshitaro's Cooke popped up above a transport lifter, and his gunner sent 150 rounds into the position before the man could open fire.

  Moments later the Council members ran into the hangar, through it, and out the other side. Caud Rao was last. He crouched, blew the rest of his pistol magazine into the open lock of the Corfe , doing no good but no harm either.

  Then he was gone, after the others, as cannon shells ripped through the tarmac where he'd been.