CHAPTER 14
The group rejoined Drs. Hawkes and Kimura at the lab, and Brianne made short work of sharing the transponder signal code with the Knights.
Having acquired the code, Meline said, “The androids, or whoever sent them, will have thought of using sensory masking technology to confuse us, or throw us off the scent, so to speak. They’ll be using some tech to make sensor probes return a false signal or a false impression, masking the cralowog’s readings with the readings of some other animal, trying to make us pass your cralowog over. But they shouldn’t be able to work around your transponder code. We can have the planetary satellite sensor net search every cubic meter of Lacerta, if we have to, for any sign of Damara.”
“You really think she might still be on Lacerta?” asked Brianne.
“I’d say it’s possible,” Meline replied. “It might have been easier for whomever we’re looking for to keep the animal here for the time being while setting up a way to smuggle her off the planet.”
“Of course,” Voran pointed out, “it’s also possible that they had their smuggling plan set up in advance and they’re already gone with Damara.”
Brianne shut her eyes, folded her arms, and shook her head. “I thought of that too,” she said. “I just didn’t want to say it out loud. Space is huge—parsecs and parsecs, and who knows how many planets they might have gone to?”
The brothers stood by her, each putting an arm on one of Brianne’s shoulders, lending her strength. “Don’t think the worst yet,” said Donar. “Our Knights and Corps are the best at what they do. They’ll track Damara across the quadrant if they have to. They’ll find her.”
“And how will they find her?” Brianne asked, snapping open her eyes. “What condition will she be in when they find her? She’s out of her natural habitat and out of the habitat we created for her. She’ll be stressed and scared. And we all know she’s liable to be hunted. That’s what this whole thing is really about, isn’t it? Someone wanting to hunt a rare, endangered animal the way your uncle and your cousins did; that’s what this whole thing is. We might not even find her alive. By the time we find her, it could be too late.”
Brianne shut her eyes again, already grieving. Donar pulled her into his arms; Conran softly stroked her hair.
“Let’s not go to the worst case yet,” Meline said sympathetically. “We’ll feed the code data into the system and see if we get anything here on Lacerta. If not…we decide where to go from here. And Donar is right: we will not give up.”
Meline worked quickly. She apprised the Spires of her mission status and sent them Brianne’s data. The Spires worked just as quickly. At once they uploaded Brianne’s data into their satellite system. Brianne patched the comm systems of the lab into the data net of the Spires and produced a large holographic display of every signal source on every continent of the planet. It blossomed into a glowing tapestry of light within the lab, reaching from floor to ceiling and wall to wall; the contours of all the landmasses of Lacerta, lit up with pinpoints of all points receiving or transmitting signals.
“All right,” Meline called out to the Spires AI that was patched in to the mansion’s computer network. “Narrow the data stream according to given search parameter and reload display.”
As if erased by an invisible hand, every single light in the display disappeared—except one. A single pinpoint remained, on the representation of the same continent where they happened to be standing.
Brianne’s eyes widened with excitement. She gasped, “She’s here! She’s still on Lacerta! Damara is still here!” Casting her eyes among the twins and the Knights, she eagerly asked, “Where is that? Where did it find her?”
“That’s the Corvulth Glade,” answered Voran. “It’s a wilderness area—no settlements, hardly any population. As you know, we’ve kept large sections of the planet that way, partly because our population is so relatively small, partly because it’s good for the health of the planet. But that’s where your cralowog is—and whoever has her, I’m sure we’ll find them there too.”
Meline put a knuckle to her chin, pondering. “From what I know about hunters,” she thought aloud, “they like to pursue their quarry while the animals are going about their natural behavior.” She said to Brianne, “Am I correct that the cralowog isn’t a nocturnal animal? That is, these creatures are active in the daytime, true?”
“Yes, that’s right,” said Brianne.
“Very well then,” Meline went on. “The Corvulth Glade is in the same time zone as we are right now, only a short ride away. Our poachers, unless I miss my guess, sent the androids to collect the cralowog and take her somewhere in the Glade to be held overnight and released into the wild in the morning. That’s when the hunt will be on.” She put her hands on her hips, frowning disdainfully. “It will be more ‘sporting’ that way. So, they’ll move in the morning.”
“Then we can go after them now and stop this whole thing before it starts,” said Brianne. “We can catch the poachers, arrest them, and get Damara back here before they have a chance to harm her any more than they already have.”
“Excuse me,” said Meline. “‘We?’”
“Yes, ‘we’,” said Brianne. “I have to go along. And I’ll need Drs. Hawkes and Kimura with me. We have to come.”
“You’re civilians, Dr. Heatherton,” Voran said. “We can’t have you along on a mission.”
“We’re not just civilians,” Brianne protested. “We’re wildlife experts and biologists, and we’re certified in veterinary first aid. Damara might have already been injured in the process of capturing her. She could be in a weakened state during this hunt she’s been captured for. Once you’ve arrested the poachers, Damara may need immediate attention. Are there any Knights or Corps members qualified to treat her in the field and stabilize her, so we can get her back here?”
Voran and Meline faced each other with growing concern for this unexpected complication of their assignment. Finally, Voran admitted, “We don’t have that kind of qualification. The Knighthood and the Corps train us to give first aid to Lacertans, humans, and the sentient beings who visit Lacerta most often—but not animals.”
“Aside from that,” argued Meline, “this is a dangerous situation regardless. Not only will we be facing poachers, we’ll probably be up against their android accomplices. It’s too much of a risk for you and your assistants.”
“We can handle ourselves,” Brianne argued back. “We’ve been in dangerous situations of our own with more kinds of predatory animals in more kinds of environments than I can name. We’ve had to handle them with hunting skills and weapons. And sometimes we’ve even had to deal with hostile indigenous beings on some planets. There have been unpredictable, risky situations, and we’ve gotten through them. Risky situations aren’t a new thing for Burton and Sondra and me. We’ve had our share.”
“Not like this, you haven’t,” said Meline firmly.
Brianne started to raise her voice, feeling her heart race and her blood turn hot. “Dame Meline, we’re responsible for Damara! We have to go! We have to!”
Raising a hand in an attempt to calm Brianne, the armored Dame said, “Sir Voran and I understand you’re responsible for the cralowog, Dr. Heatherton. What I’m saying is that if we let you come along, we’ll be responsible for you. If anything happens to you, the Spires will be accountable.”
“You’re not the only ones who have a responsibility in this,” Conran interjected. “Donar and I are responsible as well. We’re underwriting and funding Dr. Heatherton’s work. We’ve invested a great deal in her success. So, we have a stake in this as well.”
Meline lifted her head and rolled her eyes. “Mr. Quist, tell me you’re not suggesting that the two of you, you and your brother, should join in this mission as well.”
“That’s exactly what my brother is suggesting,” said Donar. “And he’s right. We’re going along to help Bri—to help Dr. Heatherton. We provided the money and the resources, contracted with all the talent, to make this project happen. Dr. Heatherton’s success or failure is ours as well. We’re a part of this. And we can help keep her out of trouble.”
“And who will keep you and your brother out of trouble?” Meline asked pointedly.
“My brother and I have each other’s tail,” said Conran. “Always have, always will. I don’t need to tell you how connected our nest is all over Lacerta, including at the Spires. If need be, I can contact some Mentors I know, like the ones who were at our reception, make a few arguments, state our case. I don’t like to use our influence this way; in fact, I’ve never needed to do it before. But I can—if I must.”
Meline shook her head. “You would actually go that far?”
Conran replied, “Under our arrangement with Dr. Heatherton, my brother and I have agreed to help her in any way we can. As my brother said, her success or failure is ours, and it reflects on our nest. So, if we have to flex our wings in certain places…we will.”
The two Knights looked at each other again in expressions of defeat uncommon for their office. Knights of Lacerta did not succumb to fear and were unaccustomed to being coerced. They were masters of battle, champions of combat, triumphant against insurgents and invaders and criminals. But against people armed with wealth and position, they were on less certain ground.
Meline sighed, frustrated, preferring to deal for the moment with matters in which her hand was surer. “Putting all that aside for the moment, let’s see if we can determine exactly whom we’ll be dealing with if we head out right now, tonight.” She called to Spires AI, “Readings for all individuals present at the transponder signal coordinates. Species and gender, identification if obtainable.”
The AI voice answered, “One cralowog, female. Seven androids of undetermined origin and vintage, gender neutral.”
“No other organic sentients?” Meline asked.
“Only the specified targets,” replied the AI.
Voran guessed, “The poacher or poachers must have known what they might be getting into, going about their business on Lacerta. Having seven androids with them, they’re ready for trouble.”
“And they’ll get it,” said Meline. “The poachers themselves aren’t at the coordinates right now, but they’re either on their way or they’ll be headed there by morning. The androids are there standing watch. If we move in now, we can get them and the cralowog, but not the ones we’re really after.”
“Then let’s at least get Damara now!” Brianne insisted.
“Again, you’re assuming you’re going to accompany us,” Meline said.
“Which brings us back to where we were a moment ago,” said Conran, folding his arms. Donar did likewise and they both regarded the Knights, unsmiling.
Frowning back, Meline relented. “All right, all right. But…I want to make something clear. This is dangerous and risky situation. If we go now, we’ll be going out into a wilderness area at night and taking civilians with us, which will make it that much riskier. Taking civilians with us is dangerous and I refuse to make it doubly so. The androids must have the cralowog bound and they probably have her sedated, and they’ve settled in for the night.
They and the animal aren’t about to leave those coordinates before sunrise. So…we wait. We call for backup. And then—only then—we move. And Dr. Heatherton, Dr. Kimura, Dr. Hawkes, and you Quists—you will follow orders and instructions to the letter. You will not put yourselves in any more danger than is completely, absolutely necessary. I’m not returning from this mission with news that I’ve allowed two members of one of Lacerta’s most prominent families or any civilian scientists come to harm. Is that understood, all of you?”
“Yes,” said Brianne, glancing at the supportive looks of Donar and Conran, grateful for everything they’d done for her, and seeing the subtle satisfaction in their eyes at having done it.
“This is against our better judgement,” Meline said, indicating herself and Voran, “but we move in the morning.”
“And I still think we have a very good idea of who it is we’ll be moving against,” said Donar ruefully.
“That’s true,” said Conran. “Our nest has had to do such damage control from what that side of the family has done. This will be more of the same.”
_______________
Conran and Donar arranged quarters for the Knights in the vastness of the mansion, and the night wore on. Nighttime was quiet at the Quist mansion regardless, but the silence that settled over the mansion now was a kind of profound disquiet. When the Knights retired, the brothers felt it. And so did Brianne.
In the small hours they found her sitting alone at the table in the breakfast room, a mug of Canopan cocoa in her hands, staring out at the stars.
Any other night, the Quist brothers would be naked at this hour—naked in bed, likely the two of them with someone of the opposite sex. This night, at this hour, they had intended to be naked in bed with Brianne. And they had intended to be doing to her, and having her do to them, all the things the three of them had done all last night and for a good part of the day; things that would have them all crying out for more, which the brothers would eagerly provide. Things tonight were obviously not going at all as planned.
They sat down with her, and Brianne anxiously asked, “Is anything going on? Is there anything new?”
“As a matter of fact, there is,” Conran answered. “The Knights have been trying to pinpoint the whereabouts of our cousins.”
Brianne blinked, straightening up in her seat. “And…?”
“They found Xhondor,” said Donar. “Or they found where he was last seen, recently.”
“Where?”
“He was spotted a couple of weeks ago on Moria Beta.”
Brianne looked off, concentrating. “Moria Beta. I know I’ve heard that name…”
“It’s a gaming and resort satellite,” said Conran. “Essentially a casino and bordello moon orbiting Moria Prime.”
Quietly startled, Brianne said, “He’s been off gambling?”
“All the way on the other side of the quadrant,” said Conran, nodding. “He was spotted gambling and drinking and surrounded by Artoulian courtesans.”
Brianne took that with a slack-jawed reaction. “Gambling, drinking, and…”
“…hiring his bedmates. Artoulians are known for plying that trade,” said Donar. “The females and the males.”
“That was the last time cousin Xhondor was spotted,” Conran added, “and frankly it doesn’t surprise me. “He was always like that, always loved the flashy things. Places, games, females. He’s been known to spend weeks at a time in places like Moria Beta. I told the Knights if that was the last place he was seen, he may not have anything to do with taking Damara. He may have just disappeared out there on his latest bender.”
Brianne sighed. Well, that was perhaps one possibility ruled out. “So, what about your other cousin?”
“He seems to have disappeared too,” Conran replied. “But not in the same way. He doesn’t have the same…habits…as his brother. No one has been able to find any trace of him anywhere. It seems he’s gone silent and invisible. His identity doesn’t turn up in any searches, including financial systems; he could be using nesting corporations or off-quadrant accounts. He’s not even turning up on sensor sweeps. He’s officially nowhere, so he could be anywhere. He could be on Lacerta right now, incognito.”
“And getting ready to hunt Damara,” said Brianne in a grim tone.
“If he’s here,” said Donar, “he’ll make his move in a few hours. And the Knights will be ready for him.”
Brianne took another tone, grimly resolved, a fire of determination behind her eyes. “And so will we.” She fixed that fiery look on the brothers. “We have to be.”
Donar reached across the table and took Brianne by one hand, Conran the other. “We have to be, and we will be,” Conran said.
“Yes, we will,” said Donar. “We know what this means to you. From being with you, from watching you and how much you love your work, and your life, and other life like Damara, we know how important this is to you. And…it’s become important to us. In the short time you’ve been here, after everything we’ve shared…you’ve become important to us.”
She watched Donar’s expression, the flashes and sparks in his eyes, as he held her hand and spoke to her. And she looked to his brother, who clasped her other hand, and saw the same light. It was the most reassuring thing she had felt since they left the city to speed back to the mansion. It touched her on a deeper level than she could remember anyone ever touching her.
“You,” said Conran. “You matter to us very much.”
Brianne almost wanted to cry, to release all the fear and dread and anxiety of this night as a stream of tears. To hear Conran and Donar express themselves this way to her now made her feel ready to burst. But she didn’t. She would save her tears for when she needed them—if she needed them. For now, all she wanted was the feeling of this moment, this warmth.
“You matter to me too,” Brianne said. “Everything you’ve done for me, everything you’ve made me feel—you both matter. I owe you so much.”
“Whatever you think you owe us,” Conran said, squeezing her hand, “you’ve paid us already. Many times over.”
“And you know how,” Donar added.
“I would have been ‘paying’ the two you again tonight, if things had been different,” said Brianne, wishing it were so.
“We’ll get back to that,” said Conran. “Believe me, we will.”
“When this thing is finished, and we have Damara back,” Donar agreed, “you’re moving out of the guest quarters and into the master suite with us.”
“That bed will be ours, the three of us,” Conran said. “Your place is there.”
Conran leaned forward and kissed her, tenderly. When he parted the kiss, Donar did the same. Together, the brothers filled her with their strength, in lieu of what they wanted to give her—and fully intended to give her again soon.
“Even if we’re not going to do what we want to do,” said Donar, “we should at least get all the rest we can before dawn. We’ll be needing it.”
Brianne agreed, and let the brothers lead her from the breakfast room.