Read Online Slave Empire - The Crystal Ship by T C Southwell - Free Book Online
Authors: T C Southwell
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perfect
opportunity.”
“ May I point out -”
“ I know, Rayne’s safety is the priority, and we’d be breaking
this unspoken truce. But once we had him prisoner, they wouldn’t be
able to do anything.”
Marcon shook
his head. “He’s under sentence of death. Once we captured him,
there would be nothing to stop them attacking us, and we’re badly
outnumbered.”
“ Then if I get the chance, I’ll just kill him. They won’t know
who did it.”
“ It would be underhand to use their information to hunt the
Shrike when he’s trying to save her too.”
“ Perhaps,” Tallyn said. “I’ll decide if and when the moment
presents itself, but I intend to go aboard Norvar
anyway.”
“ This is a breach of protocol.”
“ Noted.”
Back in the
original corridor, Tarke resumed checking doors. The corridor was
deserted now, and the ship shook with shuddering thuds and muffled
bangs. Blackened scorch marks and several corpses testified to the
battle his men had fought here, and they appeared to have driven
the Draycons off and pursued them. Tarke checked two still,
black-clad forms, but they were dead. The alarm still whooped in
the distance, but the dulcet message had stopped. Ominous groans
and creaking underscored the distant explosions as Norvar was torn
apart.
Finding a door
that would not open, he fired at the lock mechanism until it burnt
out in a shower of sparks and the door slid open. He entered the
smoke-filled room, peering into the haze.
“ Rayne!”
A Draycon
sprang from the smoke, crest raised, throat sacks swollen, his
claws reaching for Tarke’s throat. The Shrike sidestepped, and his
laser shot almost cut off the alien’s head. Returning to the
corridor, he went to the next door. As he aimed at the lock, a
massive explosion tore through the ship, making it judder. A harsh,
braying klaxon added its cacophony to the din. The Draycon ship was
taking a terrible pounding. He scanned the corridor, but evidently
the warren of passages and corridors that made up this ship had
swallowed his men. Undoubtedly they were searching as diligently
for him as they were for the girl, but their hunt had taken them in
a different direction. He sent a brief order to Scimarin.
Tell the
others to ease off on the attack, or this ship will break up.
The men can’t
find you, and I cannot guide them to you, since I have only a vague
idea of where you are.
He burnt out the lock of the next door. I’m okay. I think I’m in the right area now.
You should
have some men with you.
I’m fine.
A Draycon
charged from the cell as the door opened, almost bowling Tarke
over. The alien paused and snarled, then ran away down the
corridor. Tarke moved on to the next door, aiming at the lock.
A movement
caught his eye, and he spun and flattened himself to the wall. The
Draycon who had just come around the corner already had his weapon
drawn. He fired at the same instant Tarke did. Tarke’s bolt cut
through the Draycon’s neck, and he collapsed.
Tarke
staggered as the air was punched from his lungs, a savage, burning
pain lancing through his chest. The metallic tang of blood invaded
his mouth, and his vision dimmed. He coughed and slid to his knees,
clutching the side of his chest where the agony burnt. A rush of
memories blinded him as he struggled to breathe. He slumped,
struggling with them and the pain, clinging to the unpleasant
reality of the doomed ship’s blaring alarms.
The Draycon’s
laser bolt had hit him just above the heart, and, at such close
range, it had penetrated his armour. Blood squirted forth in little
scarlet jets, staining the white floor. A minor laser burn would
often cauterise itself, but this had hit at least one fairly major
artery. He clamped a hand over the wound to slow the bleeding. Pain
made it difficult to breathe, and air hissed through the mask’s
intakes as he gasped.
Rayne blinked,
her eyelids growing heavy as the embalming fluid mixed with her
blood. Her eyes
opportunity.”
“ May I point out -”
“ I know, Rayne’s safety is the priority, and we’d be breaking
this unspoken truce. But once we had him prisoner, they wouldn’t be
able to do anything.”
Marcon shook
his head. “He’s under sentence of death. Once we captured him,
there would be nothing to stop them attacking us, and we’re badly
outnumbered.”
“ Then if I get the chance, I’ll just kill him. They won’t know
who did it.”
“ It would be underhand to use their information to hunt the
Shrike when he’s trying to save her too.”
“ Perhaps,” Tallyn said. “I’ll decide if and when the moment
presents itself, but I intend to go aboard Norvar
anyway.”
“ This is a breach of protocol.”
“ Noted.”
Back in the
original corridor, Tarke resumed checking doors. The corridor was
deserted now, and the ship shook with shuddering thuds and muffled
bangs. Blackened scorch marks and several corpses testified to the
battle his men had fought here, and they appeared to have driven
the Draycons off and pursued them. Tarke checked two still,
black-clad forms, but they were dead. The alarm still whooped in
the distance, but the dulcet message had stopped. Ominous groans
and creaking underscored the distant explosions as Norvar was torn
apart.
Finding a door
that would not open, he fired at the lock mechanism until it burnt
out in a shower of sparks and the door slid open. He entered the
smoke-filled room, peering into the haze.
“ Rayne!”
A Draycon
sprang from the smoke, crest raised, throat sacks swollen, his
claws reaching for Tarke’s throat. The Shrike sidestepped, and his
laser shot almost cut off the alien’s head. Returning to the
corridor, he went to the next door. As he aimed at the lock, a
massive explosion tore through the ship, making it judder. A harsh,
braying klaxon added its cacophony to the din. The Draycon ship was
taking a terrible pounding. He scanned the corridor, but evidently
the warren of passages and corridors that made up this ship had
swallowed his men. Undoubtedly they were searching as diligently
for him as they were for the girl, but their hunt had taken them in
a different direction. He sent a brief order to Scimarin.
Tell the
others to ease off on the attack, or this ship will break up.
The men can’t
find you, and I cannot guide them to you, since I have only a vague
idea of where you are.
He burnt out the lock of the next door. I’m okay. I think I’m in the right area now.
You should
have some men with you.
I’m fine.
A Draycon
charged from the cell as the door opened, almost bowling Tarke
over. The alien paused and snarled, then ran away down the
corridor. Tarke moved on to the next door, aiming at the lock.
A movement
caught his eye, and he spun and flattened himself to the wall. The
Draycon who had just come around the corner already had his weapon
drawn. He fired at the same instant Tarke did. Tarke’s bolt cut
through the Draycon’s neck, and he collapsed.
Tarke
staggered as the air was punched from his lungs, a savage, burning
pain lancing through his chest. The metallic tang of blood invaded
his mouth, and his vision dimmed. He coughed and slid to his knees,
clutching the side of his chest where the agony burnt. A rush of
memories blinded him as he struggled to breathe. He slumped,
struggling with them and the pain, clinging to the unpleasant
reality of the doomed ship’s blaring alarms.
The Draycon’s
laser bolt had hit him just above the heart, and, at such close
range, it had penetrated his armour. Blood squirted forth in little
scarlet jets, staining the white floor. A minor laser burn would
often cauterise itself, but this had hit at least one fairly major
artery. He clamped a hand over the wound to slow the bleeding. Pain
made it difficult to breathe, and air hissed through the mask’s
intakes as he gasped.
Rayne blinked,
her eyelids growing heavy as the embalming fluid mixed with her
blood. Her eyes
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