Resolution Page 10

  She turned to the Yollin, who was striding angrily toward the cage. “I’m not paying for that.”

  Merry pulled the cage door open and stepped inside. She looked around the other teenagers inside the cage. They were spread out, watching the door to the run. “Why aren’t you leaving? Come on, get out of here. “

  She spotted the collar on the slave closest to her. “Well, Gott verdammt. That sucks, but it’s not anything we can’t fix.”

  The slave, a female Yollin, shuffled her two legs and switched hands with her knife. “Shut up and get ready to fight. It’s coming, can’t you smell it?”

  Merry almost gagged as a rank scent crept into her olfactory range. “What the hell is that?”

  The Yollin didn’t answer.

  “My aunt won’t let us get hurt,” Merry told her. Any opportunity to say more vanished when the doors to the run were pulled back from the inside and the biggest feline she had ever seen came padding out.

  Merry assessed the cat for weak points as it paused to sniff the air, its tail whipping as it stalked with utter assurance towards the adolescents. She couldn’t see any. It was all claws, teeth, and muscle. Um… Aunt Tabitha?

  Tabitha snickered. I take it this isn’t the fight you were looking for?

  Not exactly, Merry admitted. Grandad never told me how to fight a…one of those.

  A “one of those,” is a Pandrexan alict, Tabitha informed her, making her way through the crowd to the side of the cage. As apex predators go, it’s not one of the ones you want to get up close and personal with. Want me to get you out of there?

  No freaking way, Merry retorted. I’m not leaving these kids to die.

  Tabitha compared the hunger in the alict’s eyes to the furious determination Merry was projecting. Fine. But stay sharp and fight smart. That feline has a poisonous barb in its tail. Oh, and you do not want to get bitten by it either.

  The alict stalked a slow circle around the center of the cage, testing the occupants one by one.

  Be aggressive, Tabitha warned as the feline approached Merry. They go for the weakest first. There’s something else, but I can’t remember what it is.

  It’s not going to live long enough for whatever it is to be a problem. Merry growled, dropping to one knee as though she were afraid. She gave a couple of deliberate whimpers to see if it drew the cat’s attention.

  Tabitha saw Merry’s hand slip inside the loose fight club uniform she wore as the alict zeroed in on her niece as an easy meal. What are you doing?

  It’s cool, Merry told her coolly, drawing the blade she’d stolen from the Skaine. Thanks for the tip. She glanced at the slave fighters, hoping the alict didn’t go for one of them first.

  They were moving in to protect her. “Get back,” she hissed. “I’ve got this.”

  They fell back and the alict stalked closer, saliva dripping from its fangs as it contemplated the offering before it. This was a meal that would not bite back. It stopped and sniffed the air hesitantly when it got a few paces away from Merry, its instincts saying something different than its eyes.

  Tabitha held her breath as Merry baited the alict, keeping it off the weaker children. Oh, my God. You have a death wish, don’t you? What do you expect me to tell your mom?

  Merry shuffled back and emitted a frightened squeak, enticing the alict to ignore its instinct and attack. Shh, I’m concentrating.

  The alict tilted its head from side to side, confused by the discrepancy in its senses. Its tail waved as though it were independent of the rest of its body, snaking around to test whether the Merry was indeed weak enough to attack.

  She let out another small whimper. It was enough to convince the beast.

  Merry launched herself into a sideways roll as the alict’s tail whipped toward her, coming to her feet with the short sword raised. The barb hit the floor where she had been a bare second before.

  The alict roared and whipped around, spraying blood from the place the end of its tail used to be.

  Merry stepped out of striking distance into a back stance, her sword held ready at her right shoulder. It dripped blood on the floor as Merry bared her teeth at the alict.

  Tabitha almost cracked up. Merry looked just like John—utterly calm, utterly focused, and utterly deadly. Where did you get that sword?

  Merry stepped again as the alict slinked around to face her. I stole it from that useless guard, she bragged. If he can’t hang onto the sword, then he shouldn’t have it in the first place.

  The slaves in the cage moved in cautiously to flank the alict. The Noel-ni who’d been saved by Merry's earlier interruption came from the other side, her claws at the ready, joined the next moment by the Yollin who had given Merry the heads-up earlier.

  One by one, the other slaves moved in, brandishing what weaponry they had with the war cries of the long-oppressed given a voice.

  Tabitha spotted Merry’s mouth moving. What’s going on in there?

  Merry slid over to complete the circle around the alict. They’re asking me what we should do next. What should we do? Do we have to kill it?

  Tabitha heard Merry’s tone and decided her niece was done. I can put it to sleep for now with a night-night round. She drew her Jean Dukes Special and entered the cage too, but she couldn’t see a shot through the kids. Just don’t move, any of you. I’m looking for a shot that won’t get any of you killed.

  Gotcha, Merry replied. She paused to pass the information along to the other adolescents. It’s sad, really. This creature is magnificent. It would be pretty cool to have around if it wasn’t trying to kill us all.

  Tabitha snickered. A fourteen-year-old girl confronted with a fluffy animal would only ever go one way. Yeah, um, I really hope the next words out of your mouth aren't, “Can we keep it,” she told Merry. Because I really can’t see your mom letting me take you out on another road trip if you bring home two hundred pounds of poisonous predatory alien feline.

  Good point. Merry sighed. But I’m looking into its eyes right now, and I’ve never seen an animal so sad. Can we get it back to its planet, at least?

  Tabitha paled as the nugget of information she’d been unable to recall earlier came loose and presented itself to her. You’re looking it right in the eye? What’s it doing?

  I dunno, Merry answered, somewhat dreamily. It’s just lying down like it’s tired. She yawned. I know how it feels. I'm kind of sleepy as well…

  Tabitha acted immediately. She recalled her drones from around the room and directed them to dive at the spot on the floor directly beneath the alict’s head.

  The feline dropped to the canvas with three tiny holes in its skull, dead almost as soon as Tabitha had given the order. She avoided slipping on the blood puddle in her hurry to get to Merry's side, but only just.

  Tabitha caught Merry by the shoulders and shook her. Her eyes were distant and unfocused. “Merry! Wake up! Fight it.”

  Merry snapped out of it. She blinked at Tabitha, then looked at the dead alict blankly. “I’m okay. What happened?”

  “Sorry, Trouble.” Tabitha held her niece in her arms, tilting her chin up to examine her eyes for any residual effects. “That thing I forgot? Pandrexan predators have hypnotic abilities.”

  The other kids gathered around Merry and Tabitha.

  “I told you my aunt would get you out of here,” Merry told the Yollin as Tabitha got to work breaking their collars.

  A mocking snicker came from the cage door behind them. “Your faith is very touching, child. Unhand my property, Ranger.”

  Chapter 10 Tabitha and Merry

  Tabitha turned at the sound of Zinshei’s voice. “Oh, great! You saved me the bother of coming all the way upstairs to kick your ass.” She spread her arms wide to cover the children. “Kidnapping, people-trafficking, forced imprisonment, running an illegal gambling den. Oh, and interplanetary animal-smuggling. You know you’re not walking away from this.”

  Zinshei waved, and the sextet of Shrillexian giants stepped into the cage
. “Oh, but Ranger, those were simply side earners that served as the perfect honey trap for the prize I really wanted. You.”

  Tabitha spit up a little bit inside her mouth. “Sorry to break your heart. I don’t know what you’ve heard, but the interspecies thing doesn’t really do it for me.”

  “Dead!” Zinshei spat. “I want you dead!”

  She laughed at the Noel-ni’s outrage. “Yeah, you’re going to be waiting the rest of your life and then some for that to happen.”

  Merry glanced nervously at the enclosing guards. Aunt Tabbie?

  “Hold it right there, you sonsabitches. I’ve got two Jean Dukes Specials and zero tolerance for child abusers. Lay so much as a finger on any of these kids and we’ll see how fast an ex-Ranger can drop all six of you fuckers.” Her cold smile assured the guards she was speaking the truth.

  “Five,” one of the Shrillexians stated. “Brothers, join me.”

  Zinshei seethed, foam flecking the fur around his mouth as he screamed, “So be it, Knarlax. You can die with the rest of them!”

  Tabitha grinned, recognizing him as the guard who had taken a shine to Merry. “Good choice. I appreciate it. I’m Tabitha.”

  “I know who you are, Ranger. I just didn’t believe you were crazy enough to take Zinshei on directly.” He joined Tabitha, pointing a sword at Zinshei. “No more. No more. I will die before I let you murder another innocent for profit.”

  Tabitha snorted. “I was only kidding about any of us not making it,” she reassured her new friend. “The only one dying here today is Zinshei, along with anyone else who wants to continue,” she waved a finger in a circle, “this.”

  Zinshei pulled a device out of his pocket and waved it around threateningly from his safe distance. “What are you waiting for?” he shrieked at the other five Shrillexians. “Kill them!”

  Knarlax nodded to his brothers. “Let it be. I will die knowing I fought for what is right.”

  The crowd was silent at this point, sucking up the drama as the Yollin continued taking bets in the background. The lone Shrillexian braced his blades and prepared to face either his death or his brothers’.

  Tabitha’s fingers were poised over the triggers on her Jean Dukes Specials, ready to deal death at the first twitch from any of the other five.

  Disbelief rippled through the crowd when one by one, the five remaining Shrillexians turned their backs and completed the protective circle around the children in stoic silence.

  “TRAITORS!” Zinshei shrieked. “Without me, you would have ended up as mercenaries and died on some nameless planet!”

  Tabitha blinked tears away, dismissing Zinshei’s rant. “It’s not like that anymore. Your choices are yours to make from here on out. You’re getting out of here,” she promised them. “Every one of you.”

  The brothers simply strengthened their fighting stances, ready for Zinshei’s next move.

  Achronyx spoke up in the back of Tabitha’s mind. The Enforcement Force is here.

  The Enforcement Force? Tabitha scoffed. Someone must have been undercaffeinated when they came up with that. How are they dealing with the elevator?

  Six or seven at a time, Achronyx told her. You’re going to have to keep things under control for a little while longer.

  Tabitha glanced at the crowd, which was already looking a little denser than it had been a few moments previously. Those the plainclothes officers I can see out there?

  They are, Achronyx confirmed. As soon as there are enough officers in the downstairs level to deal safely with the guards accompanying the spectators, they will act.

  And how much longer is that going to take? Tabitha demanded.

  Almost there, he asserted. You can keep Zinshei busy for a little while longer, can’t you?

  Tabitha clicked her tongue. I suppose. I don’t have much choice, do I? She considered the options. Looks like I need to start a fight. She spoke out of the side of her mouth. “We need to buy some time.”

  Zinshei was running out of steam in his impotent rant at his former guards. The Shrillexians stood fast at Tabitha’s side, weapons raised, and ignored him. “If you won’t obey me, then all of you can die!”

  Zinshei glared at her with utter hatred. “I’ve wished for the day I could be rid of you for so long. Every time you rear your ugly pink head, I lose out.” He pointed at the dead alict. “Do you know how expensive it was to transport that alict off Pandrex?” He lifted the hand holding the device.

  Tabitha shot the device out of Zinshei’s hand. “I don’t, but I do know the crime carries a very harsh sentence. I hope you like digging rocks in the ass-end of nowhere because that’s where you’ll be spending the next couple of decades.”

  Zinshei barked a cold laugh. “Not likely. Your days of costing me are over.”

  Tabitha kept one eye on the drone feeds in her HUD and continued riling Zinshei. “Any day I can cost you a few thousand credits is a good one, I’m not gonna lie.” She tilted her head and smirked. “You know, I’m kinda going to miss busting your dumb ass every few years. What am I going to do for laughs now?”

  Zinshei snarled. “I wish I could have spaced you decades ago, Ranger. There was always the matter of your badge.” His snarl twisted into an emotionless grin. “I don’t see a badge anymore.”

  “Not cool.” Tabitha shook her head and raised her Jean Dukes, enjoying the discomfort the view of the inside of the barrel of was causing him. “And there was me thinking we had some simpatico after all these years.”

  “Enough of this. No more avoiding the inevitable.” Zinshei twisted his head from side to side. “WHERE ARE MY IXTALIS?”

  Indela and Heptix appeared at the door to the run and advanced into the cage with their long Ixtali knives raised.

  Merry picked up her stolen short sword and came to stand by Tabitha’s side. “Aunt Tabitha, is this the kind of situation where I’m allowed to curse without getting a punishment?”

  Tabitha shrugged as the two Ixtalis climbed the cage. “Why the hell not? I won’t tell if you don’t.”

  Merry grinned and leaned toward Indela and Heptix. “Hey, assholes! Fuck you!” She straightened, holding her sword with a little more confidence than she had the moment before.

  Tabitha couldn’t suppress her laugh. “Keeping it simple, then?”

  Merry nodded, her eyes on the Ixtalis. “Why mess with perfection?”

  Tabitha wished she wasn’t in the position of needing to drag the situation out until there were more than her, the Shrillexians, and a bunch of kids against half the people in this room and their guards.

  Her worst fear came true when some of the patrons at the front of the crowd sent their bodyguards in to protect their favorite fighters.

  Achronyx! she hissed. Where is the damned enforcement whatever?

  A few more minutes, Achronyx replied. They are almost in position.

  That doesn’t help me now, does it? Tabitha had no choice but to let the fight go ahead. She holstered her Jean Dukes Specials and slipped her hands into the grips of the twin kukri blades she kept sheathed at the back of her belt as the cage filled even more.

  Indela choked out that nasty laugh of hers and skittered towards Tabitha and Merry, leaving the Shrillexian brothers to take care of the bodyguards who were rushing to support the two Ixtalis.

  Merry was ready. Her adrenaline should have been spiking, but she wasn’t feeling anything but cold outrage. She glanced at Tabitha, seeing the hesitation in her aunt’s stance. Aunt Tabbie, I’ve got her. Take care of those brainless muscleheads, okay?

  Tabitha didn’t waste time arguing what made sense. Merry had no chance of getting out of this unless she did something about the bodyguards. She passed Merry her kukris and drew her JD Specials again.

  Fight smart, and if that bragging bitch puts her back to you—

  I know, Merry dropped the sword, grinning as the grips on the kukris molded themselves to her hands. The cluster of tendons on the inside of the rear ankle. Indela was upon her in
the next moment, cutting off their time for planning ahead.

  Merry slide-stepped in, feinting a jab with her left blade as she brought the right around to cut into the Ixtali’s thigh.

  Indela skittered back out of range, hissing.

  “’Sup?” Merry taunted. “Is it different when your opponent can fight back?”

  Indela backed up, reversing up the mesh feet-first. She sprang suddenly, knives flashing. “You can fight, but you will die.”

  Merry ducked and whirled under Indela’s knives, the momentum from her turn giving her the perfect arc to slash open Indela’s robe and slice into her soft under-carapace. The Ixtali hissed in pain when Merry flicked the left blade as she completed the spin.

  “How dare you!” Indela shrieked as her robe dropped away, her mandibles writhing with rage and shame.

  Merry danced around Indela, cutting here, jabbing there with the blades. “How dare I? How dare you? An easy death would be too good for evil like you.” This was going further than she’d ever been, but the dead Noel-ni on the floor cried out for Justice.

  Tabitha worked around the two, keeping the bodyguards, and now a shit-ton of Zinshei’s guards, away from the adolescents. She focused a drone on Merry as she fired from her position, noting that the Ixtali wasn’t looking like she was slowing down despite the blood loss she was suffering at Merry’s hands. She needed to end this.

  Achronyx spoke up in her mind. There are enough law enforcement officers in the crowd.

  A screech cut the air, halting both Achronyx’ report and Indela’s attack. Tabitha turned to Heptix, who was on the floor under the stamping feet of the three children.

  “Brother!” Indela’s hands moved seemingly of their own accord, then there was a clatter as the young Yollin hit the deck with a knife’s hilt protruding from her thorax. “I’ll kill you all!” she screeched, striding over to retrieve her knife.

  Merry saw red. She leapt onto Indela’s back and opened her throat with Tabitha’s blades before the Ixtali could take another life. “Take that, you murdering sack of bistok shit!”