The Lexal Affair, DM Arnold [i wanna iguana read aloud .TXT] 📗

“There!”

Nayva piloted the skimmer directly over the shuttle and put it into station-keeping.

The shuttle pilot leaned from the craft. “What're you waiting for? Do you have the princess?”

“Yes,” Nyk called. “Get ready to give us a hand.”

The pilot stepped out of the craft. Ylak retrieved a thorn from his pouch and loaded it into his blowgun. Nayva dropped the skimmer to the ground. The boy stood and blew the dart into the pilot's neck. The man reached for it, then fell to the ground in convulsions.

“Quick -- leave the skimmer here,” Nayva said. They clambered aboard the shuttle.

Nyk turned to Ylak. “You'll have no trouble finding your way back to the village?”

The boy flashed a broad smile. “No trouble at all.”

Nyk climbed into the shuttle, turned and waved at Ylak and gave him the two- fingered Floran salute. The boy turned and ran into the forest. Nayva closed the hatches and started prelaunch. The power cells whined as they spun up. “Do you still want to go to Floran?”

“Yes, yes! Let's see the Altians deny this.”

The shuttle headed skyward, and soon achieved orbit. Nayva operated the navigation computer. The sensors picked up other vessels orbiting Lexal. She set course to join them in formation.

“White, this is leader,” came a hail. “Do you have the princess? ... white, do you copy?”

Nayva switched off the communications system. “Prepare for subjump. We're not following their script.”

“Can they track us?”

“I'm afraid so.”

The viewport shutters closed and Nyk felt the jolt of the subjump. Nayva operated the navigation computer again. “Prepare for warp jump.” The ship shook. “One more -- subjump.”

The viewport shutters opened and Nyk looked down on his indigo homeworld. “That's a beautiful sight!”

“We're not done yet,” Nayva said. “Another vessel just came out of warp jump and is heading toward us. Hold on.”

“Head for Sudal. We'll hole up in the Residence until this blows over.”

“Is that the best place?” Andra asked.

“It's built like a fortress. Do you have a better suggestion?”

She swung the craft around to enter the Floran outer atmosphere belly- first, then oriented to fly as an aircraft. “I'm computing a trajectory toward Sudal. But, for now it looks like we're heading for Floran City. They'll have a harder time tracking us in the lower atmosphere, and this bit of evasion might buy us some more time.”

Nyk looked out the forward viewports and saw Floran City looming before them. “We're diverting to Sudal,” Nayva said. She pulled hard on the stick. The craft swung around and flew past the mons and toward the southern city.

Nayva switched on the communications system. “Sudal, this is Lexal-One requesting priority landing.”

“Lexal-One, acknowledged. Bearing one-eighty-two, left. You are cleared.”

“One-eighty-two, left. Acknowledged.”

Sudal appeared before them in the forward viewport. The shuttle lost altitude and velocity. The landing approach vector appeared on the nav display. Nayva trimmed their approach, dropped landing gear and touched down. She pulled the craft off to the side of the polymer concrete apron.

Nyk popped open the hatch and helped Andra out. “Are you coming?” he called to Nayva.

“I'll stay with the shuttle -- in case you need it.”

Nyk held Andra's hand as he ran to the groundcar lot. He picked one, popped open the cowl and climbed in. He pressed his wrist to the scanpad and selected Sudal University as the destination.

The cowl slid shut and the car headed to the south. Nyk switched off the automatic guidance. A unistick popped up from the floor. He grasped it and piloted the car by hand out of the city limits and toward the east. He pulled onto the access road running past the Residence and drove toward his childhood house.

14 -- The Assault

Nykkyo drove the groundcar up to the house, popped the cowl and helped Andra out. “Go inside -- I'll be along shortly.”

Andra headed into the house. Nyk rolled the car into the lower level, hopped out and headed up the spiral staircase.

He spotted Andra in an embrace with Senta. “Andra -- I'm so happy you're safe. I was so worried when I heard of the situation on Lexal.” Senta stepped back and regarded Andra - - her soiled and tattered gown. “What happened to you?”

“It's a long story,” Nyk said from near the house's main control panel. He pressed an actuator and the storm shutters slammed down. “I'm not sure we're safe -- we may be having uninvited guests.”

Senta moved toward Nyk. “Nykkyo! You would be behind this.” She threw a punch at Nyk but he ducked and stepped back. She advanced toward him and slapped his face.

Andra grabbed her arm. “No, Senta. Nyk came to rescue me. It was my idea to get involved.”

“No matter,” Nyk replied. “I'm sure the Altians will track us here. I hope this structure is strong enough to hold them off until help arrives. Now, I must make a call.”

Nyk entered Kronta's locator code. “The Altians have overplayed their hand,” Kronta said. “They've seized Lexal and now there's a pitched battle at the Sudal shuttleport. The stunners our internal affairs boys have are no match for those Earth firearms.”

“What's the HL's response?”

“We've been in contact with Wygann, who's in hiding somewhere outside the Lexalese capital. The HL has censured -- and muzzled -- the Altian and Deltan delegates and has offered to activate the strike force -- to help Wygann. He's refused.”

“Wygann refused the HL's help?”

“That's right.”

“Send that force to Sudal, and to the Residence. Andra and I are holed up here and we could use reinforcements.”

“I'll send the word.” The display went dark.

Nyk paced around his childhood home. “I hate being confined.”

Senta glowered at him. “How long do you expect it'll take them to find you?”

“Not long. No one can keep their whereabouts secret on this world.”

Andra picked up one of the handguns and tested it for balance. “I'll show you how to use this. Press the safety release with your index finger. The thumb-trigger is here.” She handed the pistol to Nyk.

“There's an update on Lexal on the vidisplay,” Senta said. Nyk and Andra stood behind her and watched as a mob marched on the ruined Lexalese palace. “Wygann's been recruiting Lexalese citizens and they're about to retake the palace.”

“How big is that crowd?” Nyk asked.

“Half a million,” Senta replied. “Maybe more. They're armed with tools - - kitchen knives, saws, farm tools.”

“Not a match for firearms.”

“But Wygann has the numbers. There's no more than a thousand or so of Vellod's supporters and Altian troops in the capital. It's unbelievable.”

A bang came from one of the storm shutters, then some pounding. “Quick, into the lower level,” Nyk said. He stepped to a vidisplay and placed another call to Kronta. “Where's internal affairs?”

“They have their hands full in Sudal. Two more Altian shuttles have landed.”

“We have commandos trying to break into the house.”

“They'll be there, Nyk.”

The pounding was joined by some scraping. “How long will that shutter hold out?” Senta asked.

Nyk shook his head. “I don't know.”

One of the troops taunted them through the shutter. “Janna, we know you're in there. We killed your pilot, now we're coming for you!”

Andra looked up at Nyk. “They killed Nayva!” She grabbed one of the handguns and headed up the spiral staircase.

“Where are you going?” Senta asked.

“I'm going to do something to discourage them. Maybe I can take out one or two of them in the bargain.”

Nyk picked up the other handgun and headed after her.

“No, Andra!” Senta shouted. “Don't!”

“We'll have the high ground,” Andra replied. “And, I'm wearing a shield.”

“You don't have a shield, Nyk!”

“I'll keep down.”

Nyk pushed open the trapdoor to the observation deck in the center of the Residence's domed roof and followed Andra. She pointed to a large skimmer parked on the bluff. Four commandos where leaning against it. Two of the troops were attempting to pry up one of the storm shutters. Another pair were standing back, watching the sky.

Andra pressed the gem in her belt buckle. She lifted the handgun and held it in a two- handed grip, her finger pressing the safety release and her thumb poised on the trigger button. She lowered the weapon and aimed at one of the commandos working on the shutter.

The weapon discharged with a dull poomph. The commando was thrown back and fell to the ground, blood oozing from his helmet. He convulsed for a moment and was still.

Andra turned the weapon on the second trooper and fired, knocking him to the ground. He stood and ran for cover behind some rocks. The commandos near the skimmer ducked behind it and shouldered their assault rifles.

“You'd better get down,” Andra said. “They're about to return fire.”

Nyk ducked into the trapdoor. The troops began firing at Andra, their rounds striking the shield with blue flashes, losing energy and dropping at her feet.

“I'm keeping them pinned down,” she shouted. “Got one in the leg. He's out of commission.”

One of the troops near the skimmer hopped into it and two others sat on its tail. The craft began to lift off. Andra turned and fired at it, hitting one trooper and knocking him off. He staggered backward and fell off the bluff onto the rocks below.

Andra fired at the skimmer. Fuel from its power cell began spraying. She fired again, and a spark from the round's impact ignited the fuel. The skimmer burst into flames, and Nyk could hear the two troopers screaming. “I denied them the use of their skimmer. It's down to four against one -- better odds.”

“You'd better get down,” Nyk shouted. “Every round that shield stops uses energy, and the power cells won't hold up forever.”

Andra ducked down and switched off the shield. The shooting stopped. “Now what?” Nyk asked.

“These boys will be a bit more careful, now.” Nyk and Andra knelt on the stairway beneath the trapdoor. “Maybe I should take a look,” she said.

Nyk shook his head. “No, keep down.”

“I just spoke to Kronta again,” Senta called from below. “He says an internal affairs skimmer will be heading our way shortly. He's very upset about this whole thing.”

“As if we're not upset?” Nyk replied. “Can you hear anything?”

“No. Nothing.”

“I wonder what they're doing?” Andra asked.

Hammering and scraping resumed at the shutter. Andra switched on the shield, climbed to the roof and began firing again. “They've set up a cross- fire,” she shouted. “One behind each of those big rocks. They want to keep me occupied so the others can cut through the shutter. It won't work.” She fired at the troops near the house and drove them back. “Got one! Now it's three to one!”

The commando near the house fell back behind a rock and began firing at Andra with a handgun.

“That Lexalese pistol isn't very powerful,” Nyk shouted. “You can tell by the sound, compared to what they're using.”

“It's powerful enough to be deadly,” Andra replied. “It uses some sort of fuel-air technology ... Nyk, toss me the other handgun. This one's empty.”

Nyk handed her the pistol. “They're wearing some sort of body armor,” Andra shouted.

“That must've been part of Zander's shipments, too.”

“I have to aim at their legs ... or their heads. I wonder if they counted on this shield. Got another one! Now, it's two against one!”

Andra turned back and forth, pinning the two remaining commandos behind their rocks.

“Where is that skimmer?” Nyk shouted. “How many more rounds do you have?”

“I haven't been counting,” Andra shouted back. Nyk continued to hear shooting. Then, Andra screamed and fell to the roof.

“Andra!” Nyk poked his head through the trapdoor. Andra was lying on the roof, writhing. A red splotch was forming below her ribcage.

Nyk pulled her into the house and secured the trapdoor. He carried her to the main living level and stretched her out on a bench. “Senta!” he shouted. “Andra's been shot!”

“Oh, no!” Senta sat and held Andra's head.

“Is it bad?” Nyk asked.

“I'm bleeding inside,” she gasped. “I can feel it.”

“Try to lie still. It may keep the bleeding to a minimum.” He turned to the vidisplay. “Kronta, where's that skimmer?”

“It's on its way, Nyk. A Lexalese shuttle landed to help mop up in Sudal. They'll be