Read Online Jeanne G'Fellers - No Sister of Mine by Jeanne G'Fellers - Free Book Online
Authors: Jeanne G'Fellers
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women besides occasional physical satisfaction, and none of these appeared adequate for that. “Send your women home. They’ve no place here.”
“We have as much to do with this as anyone!” blared a slack-breasted mother of far too many, ignoring her husband’s embarrassed hushing. “These are our lands, too.”
Our lands too? Cance suppressed her rising anger. Autlach women had no rights of ownership. They’d been taught their place, something some Taelachs, Cance believed, could learn from. She smiled lightly then addressed the women in a gentle tone. “I understand your wanting to participate, but the strength and mental stamina required for this demonstration is ill-fitting a woman. Return to your homes and children. The less you know the better. The Cause has no wish to confuse the delicate emotions of lovely ladies such as you.”
This, accompanied by their husbands’ insistence, seemed to pacify the women’s concerns and they departed, chattering amongst themselves. Again, Cance drank deeply from the wine, refraining from speech until only her chosen remained. “Let’s get down to business. The Langus Cause has asked that the four of you effect a raid on the base.”
“Raid?” The longhaired member of the foursome sneered. “Ta’ what purpose?”
“A simple one. And one I’ll tell you in due time. For now, let’s discuss the layout of the base.” Cance knelt, motioning the others to do the same. From a hidden pocket she produced a small tube and popped its end, removing a scroll and two light sticks.
“This”—Cance unrolled the scroll, securing its curling ends with the sticks—“this is the key to it all.” The lights sputtered to life, their dim, odd green glow spilling across the soil. The men, still squatted, gazed inquiringly at the scroll then their informant. “I presume everyone here has worked a boundary sentry station?”
All four nodded.
“So getting onto the base won’t pose a problem. The difficulty will be here.” Cance indicated the Main Center’s Assembly in the middle of the map.
“Hold on,” lamented the man wearing an eye shroud. “That’s the most heavily guarded area on the base.”
“On this entire blasted moon,” agreed the darkly tanned individual to his left. “Langus’s central weather, water, and power controls are there.”
“Exactly.” Cance made a popping sound with her tongue, a habit obtained during lonely days spent in the prison colony’s isolation chambers. “So are the main controls to the security matrix. That’s what we’re after.”
“Ah’ see,” said the longhaired Autlach. “If the main matrix goes down,” he said, rolling his R’s with the thick accent of the southern Langus farmland, “it goes down moonwide. Plus, we’ll have power over the other control centers.”
“A drink to the winner!” Cance passed the flask. “When it goes down the Cause can make its move all across Langus.”
“I sentried at the Center’s Assembly.” The fourth member of the group finally spoke, his black eyes squinting to focus in the fading light. “The Assembly is Taelach tech. The entryways are sealed and rigged to detonate if tampered with. You can’t get in there.”
“They have to be opened for servicing don’t they?” Cance had little patience for such stupidity. “If it can be opened for that, then I can get you in there.”
“How?” demanded the longhair, his questions clearly establishing him as the group’s leader.
Cance pulled up a sleeve and moved into the light, revealing the plasma bow spanning her arm. “With scan decoders and a few of these.”
“Whoa! Where did you get that?” The man with the eye shroud stumbled back a pace. “I lost my eye to one of those hair-triggered little bitches.”
“And Autlach illegal outside military installations.” The tanned man spat, raising a suspicious brow. “How’d you get one?”
“The Cause has their resources.” Cance rose to full height and
“We have as much to do with this as anyone!” blared a slack-breasted mother of far too many, ignoring her husband’s embarrassed hushing. “These are our lands, too.”
Our lands too? Cance suppressed her rising anger. Autlach women had no rights of ownership. They’d been taught their place, something some Taelachs, Cance believed, could learn from. She smiled lightly then addressed the women in a gentle tone. “I understand your wanting to participate, but the strength and mental stamina required for this demonstration is ill-fitting a woman. Return to your homes and children. The less you know the better. The Cause has no wish to confuse the delicate emotions of lovely ladies such as you.”
This, accompanied by their husbands’ insistence, seemed to pacify the women’s concerns and they departed, chattering amongst themselves. Again, Cance drank deeply from the wine, refraining from speech until only her chosen remained. “Let’s get down to business. The Langus Cause has asked that the four of you effect a raid on the base.”
“Raid?” The longhaired member of the foursome sneered. “Ta’ what purpose?”
“A simple one. And one I’ll tell you in due time. For now, let’s discuss the layout of the base.” Cance knelt, motioning the others to do the same. From a hidden pocket she produced a small tube and popped its end, removing a scroll and two light sticks.
“This”—Cance unrolled the scroll, securing its curling ends with the sticks—“this is the key to it all.” The lights sputtered to life, their dim, odd green glow spilling across the soil. The men, still squatted, gazed inquiringly at the scroll then their informant. “I presume everyone here has worked a boundary sentry station?”
All four nodded.
“So getting onto the base won’t pose a problem. The difficulty will be here.” Cance indicated the Main Center’s Assembly in the middle of the map.
“Hold on,” lamented the man wearing an eye shroud. “That’s the most heavily guarded area on the base.”
“On this entire blasted moon,” agreed the darkly tanned individual to his left. “Langus’s central weather, water, and power controls are there.”
“Exactly.” Cance made a popping sound with her tongue, a habit obtained during lonely days spent in the prison colony’s isolation chambers. “So are the main controls to the security matrix. That’s what we’re after.”
“Ah’ see,” said the longhaired Autlach. “If the main matrix goes down,” he said, rolling his R’s with the thick accent of the southern Langus farmland, “it goes down moonwide. Plus, we’ll have power over the other control centers.”
“A drink to the winner!” Cance passed the flask. “When it goes down the Cause can make its move all across Langus.”
“I sentried at the Center’s Assembly.” The fourth member of the group finally spoke, his black eyes squinting to focus in the fading light. “The Assembly is Taelach tech. The entryways are sealed and rigged to detonate if tampered with. You can’t get in there.”
“They have to be opened for servicing don’t they?” Cance had little patience for such stupidity. “If it can be opened for that, then I can get you in there.”
“How?” demanded the longhair, his questions clearly establishing him as the group’s leader.
Cance pulled up a sleeve and moved into the light, revealing the plasma bow spanning her arm. “With scan decoders and a few of these.”
“Whoa! Where did you get that?” The man with the eye shroud stumbled back a pace. “I lost my eye to one of those hair-triggered little bitches.”
“And Autlach illegal outside military installations.” The tanned man spat, raising a suspicious brow. “How’d you get one?”
“The Cause has their resources.” Cance rose to full height and
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