Acorna's World Part 7

Back in town, Liriili had been fidgeting, forgetting to graze, pacing until her feet were quite rough and sore, walking up and down the road to and from the s.p.a.ceport. The viizaar had no messenger since Maati had vanished, though she had little to do for the moment except wait. Wait for the Khieevi to find them again. She did not know what to do. Now recovered from her anger, she told herself she had done a service to Thariinve and Maati. When the Khieevi came here, those younglings at least would be spared. If they hcu)n't alreaSy been coruumeS, a small voice inside her head pointed out. She ignored it.

Walking down the road from the s.p.a.ceport, where she had once more been checking with the com-shed officer of the day, refusing to believe that the remote reports to her office were frequent or rapid enough to alert her in time for an attack, she saw the stream of her people, two footed and four footed, flowing down from the hills on the opposite side of the bowl-shaped valley containing Kubiilikhan.

Alarmed, disturbed, frightened, and yet, somehow, relieved as well, she returned to her office to await the return of the pilgrims-and of the Ancestors.

The thought of questioning of the Khieevi prisoner bothered Acorna. Despite her fear and loathing, she knew she would not be able to watch without wis.h.i.+ng to heal any hurts inflicted upon the Khieevi in the line of questioning. She also knew that trying to heal the destructive monster was not reasonable.

She could, however, feel its pain from two decks away. Despite Becker's threats to the contrary, no one had touched it since it had been brought aboard and .its net locked into place where cargo nets were normally strung up. It hadn't been necessary to lay a hand on the creature. It was answering their questions sporadically, in between spasms of pain. But it was dying. She could feel it dying.

The feeling was so intense, it was as if she could feel herseli dying, too. She couldn't stand it any longer. She had to leave she'd be forced to interfere with what Becker was doing. A^J they needed the information he -was extracting. She abandoned the bridge for the robolift, stopping on the way to tell the others what she was doing-that she was going to see if the tide was out yet, and if it was, she'd load some more cargo. She'd also continue calling for Thariinye and Maati while she was at it.

She got a "Yeah, ummm hmmm, okay," from Becker. Aari and Mac were totally absorbed by the Khieevi's rapid-fire klick-klacking'.

The door edged open for a moment and the impression of the pain within staggered her. RK pushed himself through the door, flipping his tail up along his back as the hatch automatically snapped shut behind him. With a light leap, he was on her shoulder.

She scratched his chin. "Thank you, my friend. It will be good to have company."

Ghostly blue vapors billowed across an indigo sky and the turquoise light of two of the planet's moons strobed across the sea, the beach, and the forest beyond. Sand skidded against Acorna's ankles and calves. Out here she could still feel the captive Khieevi's pain, but distance helped attenuate it. It also helped knowing that none of her crewmates was inflicting the terrible torture; they were only taking advantage of the monster's agony to obtain answers that might save her people, and any other creatures whose path the Khieevi crossed.

She breathed deeply of the night air. The fragrance of the sweet and spicy gra.s.ses and the fernlike trees, exotic and cit^sy, filled her nostrils. She realized she hadn't grazed yet that ^y, and was hungry. She didn't worry about venturing beyond "e dunes. Her Linyaari navigational instincts gave her an excelent sense of direction, and the light of the two moons above her was sufficient to see her -way to the gra.s.ses between beach and forest.

She was relieved to put some distance between her and the Condor now. When she had eaten, she would return, see what progress her friends had made, and, if they -were finished, ask them to let her examine the prisoner and tend to its wounds. She had not offered to tend to it so far out of fear that once she healed the thing, one of her friends would then have to reinjure it, in all likelihood, to obtain the vital information they needed. This could well be one of the very same Khieevi who had caused the death of her parents, but it was against her nature to cause or endure the suffering of another living creature. It -was against Aari's nature, too. Despite what the Khieevi had done to him, she could not help but feel that partic.i.p.ating in actual torment of another creature, even one of the species who had all but destroyed him, would impede his inner healing, perhaps even prevent it altogether. He, more than she, was born and bred to the Linyaari *way, which was nonviolent.

Back on the beach, Aari had brandished his Khieevi weapon with authority and deadly intent, however. She didn't blame him or judge him for that, but it worried her that he had undergone such a tremendous change, one that -was completely contrary to his upbringing.

She tested the gra.s.s with her horn-it was suitable for her to eat. So she took a mouthful of gra.s.s. It was peppery, not quite what she had in mind. She searched for another plant and found, growing spa.r.s.ely among the peppery sort, a little reed with nodes on the stem. The nodes had a pleasant sour tang that offset the sweetness of the reed. They, too, were edible, and much tastier. She searched selectively for these, while RK slithered through the gra.s.sland as though he were a large jungle cat stalking prey.

She visualized Maati, who had been practically her only friend from narhii-Vhiliinyar. The child was just approaching p.u.b.erty-funny, enthusiastic, lively, hard-working, inquisitive. She pictured Maati's soft pale brown skin and white and black spotted mane and feathers, her brilliant smile, short nose, and wide golden eyes below her little spiraled horn. She thought of Maati's immediate acceptance of Aari and her unquestioning love of her long-lost brother. The child's sadness and disbelief at being left behind by the ConSor when it had taken both her newly found brother and her friend away. They could have brought her along, even though Liriili had objected violently when the subject came up. If they had done so, Maati wouldn't now be lost, maybe dead, along with poor Thariinye, who, although he -was about the same age as Acorna, had not had as much experience or adventure in his life as she had, and so was still rather callow. Irritating, conceited, and arrogant, but not a bad fellow, really.

Her thoughts were anguished and regretful. She especially worried about her little friend, so sensible and knowledgeable about Linyaari ways but more willing than any to help a stranger. (Oh, Maati, Maati, I am so sorry, youngling. I thought you should stay with Grandam. I should have listened to your own thoughts more and not tried to decide for you. . . .) (Kh.o.r.n.ya? Kh.o.r.n.ya! You're here! Oh, Kh.o.r.n.ya, come quickly. I can't find Thariinye and there is something awful out here in the bushes. Please, Kh.o.r.n.ya. I'm scared.) (Maati! It's all right. I'm here. Where are you?) (Looost!) The thought was a long 'wail.

(I'll come and get you. Just keep sending and I'll find you and bring you back. Can you see the beach from where you are? Can you see the Condor7) (No, I'm in the woods and it's dark and Thariinye was right ^re standing guard while I slept. Now he's gone and the noises ^e terrible, Kh.o.r.n.ya.) (Can he read you? Have you tried?) (No. I think he must be unconscious. Knocked out, maybe ) Acorna was galloping through the gra.s.s now and into the trees, following Maati's thoughts as if they were spoken words tracking them to their origin.

The footing was treacherous in the dark but she leaped over bushes and roots. She had to pause frequently, however, to listen again for Maati's thought.

(Keep sending, Maati. I can't follow you unless I can read you.) (I'm sooo tired, Kh.o.r.n.ya. And I'm almost afraid to think too loud for fear whatever it is that's thras.h.i.+ng around out there will hear me like you do.) (I understand, dear, but if I'm to find you, you have to keep sending. If whatever it is hasn't bothered you yet, it probably can't read us.) Acorna was halfway up a steep hill when she slipped and fell in a trail of slime. As she picked herself up again, she saw that she had fallen on the broken branches of what must have been brush. The raw ends of the branches were sharply severed at just above ground level for a long swath as wide as Acorna was tall. Where the foliage had been, a trail of foul-smelling slime covered the ground.

From the smell, she knew this -was a Khieevi trail, the creature eating, digesting, and excreting as it went. No wonder they could trash entire planets in such a short time!

Had the wind not been from the sea, and blowing the smell of the slime away from her, she easily would have picked it up earlier. Now she had a spoor to follow and she lost no time scrambling after it.

(Maati, I think it is a Khieevi who has Thariinye. Stay right where you are and do not make a sound unless you know it is me. Have you moved since he disappeared?) (No, I was too scared of the things out in the bushes.) (Okay, then, that is good. Just stay put. Somewhere right near you there is a trail of broken brush and smelly Khieevi slime.) (Eeewww, is that what it is? I thought maybe this planet just smelled really bad in some places.) (No, that's Khieevi spoor. They excrete as fast as they eat, apparently. You sound stronger. I'll be with you in a bit.) Acorna scrambled further up the hill and down it, following the trail until, though she hadn't heard from Maati in some time, she suddenly caught a very loud thought. (Ouch! You stepped on me!) Looking down, at first she saw nothing but more pale blue brush but then she saw, white and l.u.s.trous among the leaves, a face. She stared.

(Maati?) she asked uncertainly.

"Yes, it's me, Kh.o.r.n.ya," Maati whispered, and rose to her feet and threw her white arms around Acorna's neck so that Acorna's nose was buried in the girl's silvery mane. (But you look-) "Oh, yeah!"

(Think it, youngling. We don't know how near danger is.) (I m star-clad now. Like the new me?) (Why should I not? I liked the old you. You are beautiful! So let's keep you alive, shall we? I need you to follow the slime trail back down the hill and through the woods-your nose will help you if you get off track. When you get to the beach, you'll see the Condor. You need to get Aari and Captain Becker's attention and have them come to help Thariinye and me--) (And leave you alone? Thariinye won't be any help. I can't read him at all. Something's happened to him. If that's a Khieevi, you need me.) IvK bounded up to them and sat down, seemingly to wash, though he kept his ears c.o.c.ked slightly back, as if he was lisening to the their nonverbal conversation. At some point in "elr Journey, he had departed from Acorna's shoulder and taken off on his own explorations. Probably -when she began galloping.

(It L) a Khieevi. And it will be no trick to find it and Thariinye. The trail is extremely clear. Just go back and tell the others that we'll need their help. Meanwhile, I will try to keep the Khieevi from harming Thariinye anymore.) (What if there are other Khieevi?) (Captain Becker will know if there are. He has been questioning an injured Khieevi that -we captured. He'll be able to tell us how many of these things we're facing. I need that information very much before I tackle freeing Thariinye. And I'd like you somewhere safe from this one,) Acorna said simply. And turned toward the slimy trail. But Maati wasn't done yet.

(You said you'd come for me,) Maati reminded her. (You were thinking all those nice things about me, and how you and Aan should have let me come with you. I'm not just a kid, you know. I'm smart. I could help you. What if I get caught on the *way to get the others? What if I get lost?) (Just follow the trail.) (You're only one person. You need help, too. -You know Thariinye won't be much help. We could hear him if he was in a position to help us. You know, you didn't treat me like such a child back home.) Acorna hesitated. She didn't want to put her young friend in harm's way but, then again, maybe that thought was a little ridiculous. Maati had already survived the *wreck of her s.p.a.ce vessel and eluded capture by the Khieevi once today. It was entirely possible, if the Khieevi were on this planet in force, that the s.h.i.+p was no safer place than trooping with Acorna through the forest.

(Very well. You can come with me. But thought-speak only. And stay behind me.) (Okay.) Acorna felt Maati searching for RK, but the cat had vanished. Maati was a little worried, so Acorna sent her the calming thought that if anyone on the face of the blue planet could look out for themselves, it was that cat. Then they pushed forward, along the broken trail the Khieevi had left behind them, hoping against all hope that Thariinye was still all right.

The Council meeting -was brief. Liriili had been questioned. The accusations against her by comshed personnel and by Thariinye's many mourning soon-to-be-lifemates were verified, and a proposal was made for her dismissal. The evidence was examined, including a copy of the broadcast from the CorQor that Liriili denied had ever been received. One of the com-shed officers, who was also one of Thariinye's lady friends, had concealed copies of the pliyi transmission and Thariinye's translation of it, which she had taken from the com-shed before Liriili had given orders to have them destroyed. That was right after the vuzaar had told the com-shed officers to stop transmitting anything at all from the planet for dny reason. Not only did the young officer realize that Liriili had tor some reason allowed Thariinye and a child to go into s.p.a.ce alone, but she recognized that the piiyi had great implications for the Linyaari, and that the people must know about it. The combed officer had been about to set off for the hills herself to fetch tne s.p.a.cefarers when the pilgrims came streaming home.

The Council had not been kindly disposed to having the brining of a possible Khieevi threat withheld from them for no reason, no matter what Liriili thought. (??ed note. not quite correct) After the matter of Liriili had been discussed, the Council was expanded to include Neeva, Khaari, Melireenya, and several of the amba.s.sadors and high teachers and merchants and officers from the returned fleet.

In lieu of Liriili, Grandam now presided over the Council. Liriili faced them from the opposite side of the table where she'd sat for so many years, wearing her "Everything is in order, business as usual" face.

Grandam could not help but smile. "Liriili of Clan Riivye, ^iizaar of Kubiilikhan, you stand accused of treasonous acts against your people and your -world. We will not ask you how you plead. You of all of us are most skilled at concealing your thoughts, one reason we felt you -would make a good administrator. But you have betrayed not only the trust of your people, but my personal trust to you of the life of a young and parentless child, as well as the life of a brave officer of our fleet."

"It -was not my fault!" Liriili said. "I told them not to go. I told them-and this is perfectly true; any of you can read me-that we must not transmit further communications to the salvage s.h.i.+p that sent the piiyi message to us, for fear of the Khieevi tracing the signal back to us. It is perfectly standard procedure. I have saved us all by my actions and this is the thanks I get? That you hold me responsible because two f.e.c.kless and rebellious young people stole our newest and finest vessel and took off on a pointless and dangerous joyride against my express orders?"

"Enough!" Grandam bellowed. "You knew very -well that the Condor had sent the piiyi here for translation-a translation Thariinye completed before the children departed. There is a record of the conversation in which he informed you of his translation. You knew at that time that there was a good chance of communicating with the Condor so that Captain Becker, as well as securing the safety of his s.h.i.+p and crew, could warn our allies of the impending threat without. Yo did nothing."

"Allies!" Liriili snorted. "Look at the Starfarers if you thin we have allies! Did our so-called 'allies' not turn over our fines amba.s.sadors and officers, teachers and traders, to enemies wh imprisoned and abused them?"

"They -were deceived," Grandam said. "But you, Liriil were not deceived. You knew that the Condor and our allie could have been notified of the threat long before the Khlee were likely to be close enough to trace them. You knew tha Thariinye also knew this, and that neither he nor Maati wouli allow harm to come to Kh.o.r.n.ya, Aari, or to Captain Becker i it was in their power to prevent this. You even knew, Liriil that the piiyi contained evidence of the probability of the sui vival of Kaarlye and Miin of the Nyaarya clan, Maati's an' Aari's parents. All of this information was problematic for yoi And so you deliberately ordered the children to do nothing knowing that they -would be forced to disobey you, and tha they-and all those -who depended on their information-woul be lost."

Liriili felt a sharp pain in the middle of her back and sh was Jabbed forward so quickly she fell to her knees. "I didn know that. How could I know for certain? All of you s.p.a.cefaren as usual, were off someplace else -when decisions had to b made immediately. I did what I thought was best for the peopl( Licluding you. And is this the thanks I get for my dedicatio to duty? Some thanks ..."

She was weeping now with rage, -with fear, -with indigne lion, for she half-believed -what she was saying herself, as Grar dam well knew, or she could never have said it.

Oh, Liriili, my poor granddaughter," Grandam Naadiin ^id, pus.h.i.+ng past the Council table behind which she had bee sitting and kneeling to put her hands on either side of Liriili *wet face. Liriili stared rebelliously back at her. "We have been aware of the flaw in your makeup since you were very young you know. You, of all of us, are best able to conceal your thoughts. You alone are capable of, if not lying, at least twisting the meaning of your thoughts to a degree that makes them difficult to read. We decided when the old Viizaar pa.s.sed on to the land of the Ancestors that this-difference-in your makeup need not be a flaw, but could be used for the greater good of all. And you are correct. In general you have been an excellent and conscientious administrator.

"Much of the fault lies with us for not realizing that your- specialness-separated and isolated you, not only from the rest of your people but from the truth within yourself. Now we do not punish you, child, but seek to recompense you for the harm we have allowed you to do to yourself as well as to others. You must face the truth of your actions, if not within yourself, for you seem to be incapable of doing so, but by seeing for yourself the consequences."

Liriili was very easy to read now. Caution was trying to displace fear and disbelief in her mind as Grandam retreated to her official position, sat, then rose again, in unison with the other Council members.

"Liriili of clan Riivye, you are relieved of your duties as Viizaar of Kubiilikhan and administrator of narhii-Vhiliinyar by the High Council after consultation with and in accordance with the advice of the Ancestors. You are rea.s.signed to duty as a junior s.h.i.+pman on the Balakiire, under the command of vifeShaanye-feriui Neeva and Melireenya. Your mission will be to pursue the information obtained from the pliyi, to attempt to warn the Condor of the peril contained in it, to ascertain the whereabouts and ensure the safety of Thariinye and Maati and the Niikactvn, to determine the whereabouts of Kaarlye and Miiri and rescue them or at least retrieve the data in their landing pod, and to warn our allies of the Khieevi danger, even if by issuing such a warning you allow the Khieevi to trace a signal back to the Balakiire. Vi^e()haanye-feriiU Neeva and her crew have volunteered for this mission, and have agreed to take responsibility for you. They are prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice, if necessary, to accomplish this mission. You are hereby dismissed into the custody of the Neeva, her crew, and the Balakiire, and may the wit of the Ancestors and the Grace of the Friends preserve you all from harm."

The prisoner -was in unbearable pain. Aari had decidedly mixed feelings about the fact. His need for revenge was at odds with his hatred of seeing anything, even a Khieevi, suffer so. But there was one comfort to be found in the hold of this s.h.i.+p, as terrifying a place as it was right now. The prisoner was klacking out all the information Aari demanded, but neither Aari nor Becker nor even Mac, who had been quite prepared to "slowly disa.s.semble" the Khieevi, had laid a finger on the creature. Whatever was causing the Khieevi so much agony, they weren't responsible.

Instead of disa.s.sembling it, Mac was rapidly processing the information he was given about Khieevi klackings by Aari and the LAANYE to help interpret Aari's and Decker's questions into simulated klacks and to interpret the answers.

The thing lay within the cargo net on the deck, and the net s couplings were securely fastened to the bulkhead. The monster was going nowhere. Aari was grateful the despicable creature's form was somewhat obscured by the grid of the net. *Is t.i.tanium strands pulled tightly across the creature's protrudlng Gyes, restrained its pincers, and bent one antenna flat against ^e side of its bulbous head. The putrid smell Aari had first ^ticed out by the Khieevi s.h.i.+p now filled the hold and seemed 0 grow worse and worse as time went on. Becker remarked on tne green icor draining from beneath the netted Khieevi.

"It's messing itself, it's so scared," he said. "Scared?" Aari asked. "A Khieevi? Scared? Of us?" "Sure. You were scared, when we found you for the first time, weren't you?"

"Naturally, but I am not a Khieevi." "Let me tell you a little something about people, buddy, any kind of people," Becker said. "These creeps," he gestured to the Khieevi, "they like to hurt anything they come across just to watch it squirm. It's how the b.u.g.g.e.rs think. So when one of them gets caught and put in the same position as its victims, of course it's going to figure we'll do the same to it. Only difference is, we're after information. According to you, when you were a Khieevi captive, they didn't seem to care all that much if you said anything or not. They just liked to hear you scream, right?"

"Yes, Joh. I never understood any of that." "Well, understand this. As afraid as you were, this critter is even more afraid. Because to do to someone what the Khieevi did to you requires being a real lily-livered son of a gun at heart. Yessir, these Khieevi may look like bugs, but they're all piles of pure cowardice with legs, if you ask me. Cowards and bullies, every one." Becker threw his arms around and let his voice ring to make it heard above the piteous but irritating high-pitched sound the Khieevi was making. Aari had never heard the bug-like beings make that sound -while he was among them. Though perhaps he might have heard the sound, or a variant of it, coming from himself.

"Now, Aari, if you have any more "questions, ask away. Mac, you follow and see if you can fill in any blanks for him"What will you do. Captain?" Mac asked mildly. "I'll be thinking up threats and-uh-persuasions, Becker said.

"Very well, Captain. Aari?" "Mac, ask it what it was doing here, how many others like it there are close by, where the main fleet is, and the location of the homeworld."

Mac manufactured the klacking sound of the Khieevi, using his mouth alone. Aari was impressed.

The Khieevi let forth the high-pitched whining sound once more.

"Tell it we'll stop the pain if it gives us the data," Becker instructed Mac, his jaw clenched tightly, his teeth bared in what was an indisputable display of hostility-a hostility Becker seemed to be reveling in.

Aari, on the other hand, was not enjoying his position. He had certainly thought he -would enjoy giving back to a Khieevi what the Khieevi had done to him, but instead he felt filled with loathing-for himself. He was now doing a Khieevi thing. He might as -well be one. But the information was important. He put the thought on hold when he realized Mac -was speaking, and not in klacks this time.

"Theirs was a scout s.h.i.+p. The Khieevi have many such s.h.i.+ps. Their mission was to locate a likely world with the proper atmosphere and nutrients for consumption by the horde. The horde's main fleet has already been notified that this being's s.h.i.+p had located a large number of suitable worlds, including this one, due to a lucky conquest of a scout s.h.i.+p of a twohorned race."

Mac turned to Becker and said, "That -would be the Niriians, surely? You understand, please, that many of the concepts this creature expresses can be interpreted only loosely. Fortunately, because of the remaining programming from my former i^er, I am quite conversant with the basic content of this create s thought and language patterns and can a.s.sure you that "y interpretations are fairly accurate. The Khieevi have a lot l" common with Kisia Manjari."

And so it -went. To minimize the misunderstanding or trance of lying on the part of the Khieevi, ("Well, for pity's sake, Aari," Decker said, "any critter who would do to you what these guys did is certainly not going to stop at a little lt") Becker insisted on asking the same questions over and over in many different ways.

Mac said, "You are very good at information extraction Captain Becker. Have you been in the business before yourself?"

"No, but my dad was great at giving pop oral exams on the subjects I was supposed to be learning when I was a kid " Becker said. "I never could put anything over on him. Who knew it would come in so handy? So let's go over it all one more time ..."

Aari found himself sweating during the questioning, remembering himself in the Khieevi's place and hearing the squeal ooze out of the creature along with the stench.

At some point during the questioning, Kh.o.r.n.ya stopped by. When she left, Aari noticed that RK was no longer in the room with them. By then, among them, they were trying to explain to the Khieevi that they wanted the coordinates of the horde fleet and of the Khieevi home planet, as well as the codes that would allow them to crack Khieevi communication devices.

The thing had just given them a useless string of babble that none of them could decipher when the stench suddenly became much worse, the klacking much more m.u.f.fled, and the squeal thinner, higher, shriller. Then, suddenly, all was still.

Mac kicked at the creature. "I think it is unconscious, Captain."

"Sissy," Becker said. "We never touched it. Some people will do anything to get out of having to answer a few simple questions."

"Joh, you told it we would stop its pain if it told us what we wished to know," Aari said.

"Looks to me like the pain has almost stopped," Becker said.

"No, it is worse. The thing is dying. We must have Kh.o.r.n.ya heal it. I would but-1 cannot."

"Ain't it just too bad for old klacker here that they took out your horn, then?" Becker said, and Aari felt a flash of anger toward him.

"We must call Kh.o.r.n.ya back in to save it, Joh. It may ^ye _ more information."

"Hmm, true. You look like you can use a break anyway, buddy. Go ahead then. Get her."

Aari left quickly. He was surprised to see that he had to call the robolift to return to the deck for him to descend. Its deck was stickier than ever, despite the heavy traffic, and when he tried to move his feet made a sucking sound. The patches of sap were -yes, they actually were larger than they had been when he and Becker ascended to the s.h.i.+p with the prisoner. He bent down, curious, to touch the stuff. It seemed innocent enough, but when he tried to right himself, he found that the hand he had been using to steady himself on the deck stuck to it. He lost his footing and fell, getting sap all over the front of his s.h.i.+psuit. He unstuck himself and regained his balance with some difficulty. He also resolved to clean the deck as soon as they had disposed of the prisoner.

As the lift continued to descend, he saw that the bright blue day had become indigo night, lit only by the pale blue moons. The wind soughed through the tall sapphire gra.s.ses. Kh.o.r.n.ya was nowhere to be seen, but as he looked, he suddenly heard a raucous "Mrowl" and saw RK bounding across the field between the beach and the woods.

As soon as the cat saw him, RK turned and leaped back in the direction from which he had come. Sprinting a few steps, *J^ turned and stared meaningfully, his gleaming eyes twin molten gold coins. He mrowled again and Aari followed, reluctantly. rle had planned to take a slight detour and try to clean off the ^icky, irritating sap with sea water, but the cat was trying to lead him to Kh.o.r.n.ya, of that Aari was certain. "Where is she Riid-Kiiyi?" he asked.

RK ran another few feet and glanced back again, mrowling for Aari to follow him. The cat was conveying a sense of urgency that worried Aari. Through the long gra.s.s and to the ferny trees, Aari followed the cat's lead. Kh.o.r.n.ya. The cat was leading him to Kh.o.r.n.ya. She was in some sort of trouble, perhaps wounded, or maybe she had found Maati and Thariinye and they were 'wounded and she had sent the cat back for help and- Aari smelled the Khieevi spoor before he was actually upon it. Old and cold, it had hardened to a nasty s.h.i.+ny trail. The Khieevi. The Khieevi had Kh.o.r.n.ya.

He vomited what little food he had eaten that day into the underbrush. Returning for Becker now was out of the question. Every moment counted-he remembered -what the creatures had done to him and his blood ran cold at the thought of Kh.o.r.n.ya in their clutches. Precious time would be lost if he went back to the s.h.i.+p-moments Kh.o.r.n.ya would pay for in unimaginable pain if the Khieevi did indeed have her. Somehow, somehow he had to find her, to free her, to protect her. No one must go through what he had. Especially not Kh.o.r.n.ya-beautiful, graceful, gentle Kh.o.r.n.ya. So kind. So caring. Practical and intelligent too and very strong, but no one could hold out against the Khieevi. That they should have a chance to break her into pieces as they had him was unthinkable.

Perhaps he couldn't yet feel what he, sensed she -would have liked him to feel for her-he still felt hollow inside, numb and cold, when he wasn't filled with pain and fury. He had nothing to give to someone like Kh.o.r.n.ya. But he owed it to her to make sure she lived to receive it from someone else someday.

He followed the spoor uphill and down again and then into another section of forest, up another hill. He did not notice when the cat disappeared once more.

But when he heard the screams, the steady jog with which he was following the sign lengthened to a full gallop.

As far as Acorna could see, the problem was not finding the Khieevi. The thing was not stealthy.

Its excremental trail led straight to it. The only problem was how to get the better of it before it could harm Thariinye.

They found Thariinye first. He was at the end of the trail, wrapped up in the end of the trail in fact, pinned by a hardened twist of it to a tree. In the chill of the night air, his breath made a vapor, so they knew he was not dead. But neither of them could pick up any thoughts from him, not even a s.n.a.t.c.h of dream.

The Khieevi stood slightly uphill from him, its moondrenched shadow falling over them, mingling with the shadows 01 the trees. Its bug eyes were lifted to the moons, its head bobbing. Two of its legs tended what seemed to be some sort or electrical contraption. Sparks flew periodically between its legs and the machine, while two more of its legs burned a bit i the excrement, with predictably nauseating results. After each bit of legs had gone through the ritual, the pincers made a series of klacks, much like the Morse code Acorna had learned on the mining s.h.i.+p.

Maati and Acorna thought at the same time, (It's callingthe mother s.h.i.+p. We have to stop it.) (Free Thariinye first,) was their next simultaneous thought. Maati saw Acorna's teeth s.h.i.+ning in the dark-humor and hostility mixed.

(Work your way behind the tree, Maati. See if you can get him loose from that stuff. Here, take my laserknife. I'll see if I can create a diversion.) (Okay. Be careful, Kh.o.r.n.ya.) The two split up, and Acorna circled wide in the forest and up the crest of the hill to one side of the Khieevi, who was actually within a slight clearing. Peering at the creature through the trees, she could see that it was busy with its work. Still, she had the feeling it was only trying to make contact, not that it had achieved its goal. Its pauses were to adjust the machine, not to listen. The Khieevi creature must be stopped before it brought an entire invasion force down upon them.

She needed to draw him off, away from whatever it was he was using to communicate and away from Thariinye and Maati. And she needed to have a plan to get away herself, if possible, once they were a safe distance from her friends. She thought for a second, took a deep breath, and started moving.

She picked up a stick, flung it at the creature, and raced off down the hill at a diagonal from Thariinye's position.

"Neener neener neener!" she yelled at the Khieevi, using an expression she'd picked up from the kids on Maganos Moonbase as she galloped down the hill. She glanced back to see if it was paying attention.

It gave two hops and was almost upon her.

She took off at a dead run, thundering down the hill, screaming at the top of her lungs, with the Khieevi hopping behind her, covering two or three yards with each hop.

(Kh.o.r.n.ya, run!) Maati cried inside her head. (I can't get through this stuff without Thariinye's help. And I can't wake Thariinye.) (Try harder. Use your horn if you have to.) (What if I hurt Thariinye?) (Better that than what the Khieevi will do to him.) Thinking and running at the same time was not easy. Acorna stumbled across a broken tree and fell sprawling among the branches. In two short hops the Khieevi was practically upon her. She dove under the fronds and wriggled her way to the trunk, then hopped up and tried to run again, only to find her leg wouldn't -work. Sharp pains -were running up it.

The heat and stench and klack of the Khieevi were all around her as she tried to squirm and touch her horn to her leg.

The huge bug appeared nightmarishly dim through the fronds as it jumped-and landed on her hurt leg.

Acorna had not cried out for help, mentally or aloud, because she did not wish for Maati to run to the rescue and try to fight the Khieevi. But the sudden pain was so intense she let out a piercing scream.

"Hey you! Big old bug!" Maati sang out, followed by Thariinye yelling, "I'm over here, you slimy hulk of a feces machine!"

The Khieevi stepped back for a moment, uncertain. Then Acorna could swear it bared what pa.s.sed for teeth in that gaping maw, and deliberately brought its foot down again on, well, on the area where her leg had been, because she had pulled the broken limb out of the way.

"Maati, you silly child, run!" Acorna cried.

"Don't you hurt her again, you dung-eating pile of-of dung!" Maati yelled. Footsteps ran in closer.

"Maati, no," Acorna screamed. And so did Maati. Acorna Gouldn't see what happened, but she heard a crunch and a yelp, wen a sound as if the air was being let out of something.

'You pick on little girls, you bag of excrement!" Thariinye hollered. "Why not tie me to a tree with your slimy trail again!" He profited by Maati's example because his voice grew a bit fainter and Acorna heard the sound of his feet crus.h.i.+ng brush as he retreated. The Khieevi gave a hop-and she was free. At least for a moment.

Bending from the waist she rubbed her horn against her leg once she had the bone properly aligned. The pain eased at once, but she was forced to concentrate on the healing of the limb rather than on anything around her. She had no idea, for a precious few moments, whether or not Maati was living -whether Thariinye had escaped capture while leading the Khieevi from her, or even if the Khieevi was about to step on her head this time.