FULL NOVELXO Chapter 8
She hurried in her box in her hand, her glove on. She knelt beside Runa and waved her glove over her. “Ancients this is bad!”
I looked up to see Miri standing in the doorway her face pale and she had a hand to her mouth.
“Miri stay outside!”
She obeyed standing just outside her presence kept the door open.
“Crash team to the training room!” I called to my comms. My call was answered with static. “Shit the signal’s being blocked!” I turned to Kelli. “Do what you what you can.” There wasn’t much I could do Kelli was the professional in this situation. “It was a trap,” I muttered under my breath then out loud. “Miri get Doc Kara and alert the guys.” I figured the interference was only effecting this room. This was a definite set up and I was supposed to take the fall.
“Doc Kara?” Miri asked dubiously.
I understood her hesitation I’d be the same confronted by this not knowing who to trust. “She’s a Martin.”
“Yes ma’am!” she replied responding with a sigh of relief and then she was gone.
I turned my attention to Kelli she had her box open and was routing through it.
“We need to get that blade out she’s barely hanging on to life,” she said to me.
I shivered at her words it was too close to what happened to Solstrid. She held on long enough to place her clan bangle on me and made me promise to return it to her clan little knowing what fate had for me. I reached down to pull at the blade. It was no training sword it was one of those sharp blades the Clan Mother’s guards wore strapped over their shoulders.
“Don’t,” Kelli warned me before I did something stupid. “Moving it could kill her I need her stabilised before I even attempt that.”
I regarded Kelli carefully she was in her element here and I was a frustrated and frightened bystander. I wasn’t scared for myself it was the implications of what had happened here. “Got anything in you kit for that?” I asked hopefully.
“To stabilise yes, she has lost a lot of blood.”
Before I could respond to that the feeling I was being watched flowed over me. It felt as if I was being watched from within me. The same sort of feeling I had when Mouse took over my body, detached but alert and not malevolent.
Before I could shake off the feeling the door opened and my heart plummeted. Instead of the crash team a dozen Valkyrie entered. The only one I recognised was the captain the woman that attacked me outside Jervic’s quarters. The others I didn’t recognise, none were wearing their sashes so I couldn’t tell if any were allies.
“There she is the blood still wet on her hands!” Captain Angrima shouted and pointed at me. It sounded a bit over dramatic and rehearsed.
Whatever fear I was feeling surged away replaced by anger. This was a set up and a right royal one at that. “Really?” I couldn’t help the sarcastic tone in my voice. “It’s only murder if Commander Hrutdottir dies. I certainly didn’t do it!” I showed my hands out of defiance. “See my hands are clean.” I think the silver bangle on my wrist was the reason they hadn’t surged over me.
The captain continued her accusation. “You stabbed the Commander!”
I noted the others with her had made no move forward the fact I was wearing the bangle probably caused them to hesitate. If it came to a fight I didn’t think I’d last long against so many. “Oh really? This is a set up. One of you jokers stabbed Runa and think I’m the ideal stool pigeon?”
Most of the Valkyrie confronting me looked confused and puzzled by the words I’d used. It was why I’d said them my use of Imperial idioms had them flummoxed and uncertain.
Captain Angrima stared at me her fingers still accusing. “You stabbed her I have the proof.”
I was certain she hadn’t I ratcheted up the sarcasm. “Mighty fast proof,” I challenged her. “Since I’ve only just got here?”
“I saw this mato stab the Commander.”
I leaned forward my stance tense anger filled me no called me a worm to my face. Even I knew that was a Valkyrie insult not on the level of ‘arouraío’ but close. “Oh yes, you turn invisible did you? Since there was no one here when we arrived to find poor Runa lying in her own blood the blade of a guardian’s sword sticking out of her?”
“I have it on vid I saw it all!” The captain showed something on her comms to the Valkyrie with her.
I was too far away to see what she was showing but I could see from the scowls and anger it didn’t bode well for me. I seemed I’d have to fight, a fight I didn’t want or need. I wasn’t going to back down as the innocent party. I expect part of my newly found belligerence was the Valkyrie blood I now had thanks to the Elders. “It must have been really good to penetrate the comms block there is here. The same comms block that prevented me for calling for a crash team as soon as I got here?” I hoped Miri had reached Kara otherwise we could be in a lot of trouble. The trouble was I was unsure it was wise putting my trust in her not Miri but Kara. “An all too convenient comms black out!” I added.
Suddenly a familiar voice called out from behind the Valkyrie blocking the door. “Move out the way coming through!” Kara barged through the crowd at the door.
Captain Angrima turned to confront her. “Who called you?” She demanded. It seemed her plan was falling to pieces.
Kara snorted. “Someone with a lot more damn sense than you!”
Kara pushed her way through with two other medics in bright orange suits. The two medics carried a shiny metal coffin. My heart sank at the sight of it I felt betrayed.
Something in my expression made Kara speak up. “Portable cell stitcher!” she said to me then to Kelli. “How stable is your patient doctor?”
I noted she was giving Kelli a promotion and making sure the other Valkyrie knew it.
“Stable,” Kelli replied not even looking up her whole concentration on Runa. “Her vital signs are low but the blade missed vital organs. I thank the Ancients she’s a tough one the Commander.”
Kara nodded to Kelli. “Good we can proceed.”
Captain Angrima interrupted. “You’re doing that while the Commander’s murderer stands there unpunished?”
“Oh shut up Angrima your voice is grating on my ears.” Kara suddenly stiffened as she bent close to Runa. “What’s this Commander Hrutdottir was restrained!” She waved to Kelli. “See these marks on her wrists. She put up a struggle.” She glared at the captain. “And you think a mere human did this against one of the Silver Guard?”
Kelli regarded Kara carefully. “I did see them.”
“See what?” A new voice announced.
I looked up from watching Kara and Kelli to see a female Ezaran push through the crowd gathering at the doorway. With her were Denassi, Jervic and Al. My heart lurched a little seeing Jervic at least he was in his combat armour. I noticed he kept to the side ready to act but he was unarmed. The female Ezaran was tall, taller than any Ezaran I’d ever met. Her fur was lighter than Denassi’s I wasn’t sure if it was supposed to be that way. I hadn’t met that many Ezarans then all those until I saw her were all male. Then this was a Valkyrie ship so it was highly unlikely they’d have any males aboard. She had a long almost blonde mane of hair upon her head tied of out her eyes with a simple band. On the sleeve on her jumpsuit was a symbol the significance of which I was unaware of. She handled herself with surety I wished I possessed.
“Marks on the Commander’s wrists where she struggled and there is a strong sedative in her blood. Someone wanted her incapacitated before they stabbed her. Gwen Hunter did not do this,” Kara stated.
“I see doctor, but I’ll come to my own conclusions.”
I wasn’t sure whose side the Ezaran was on but she did accompany my team so I hoped she was on mine.
“Are you going to listen to these lies!” Captain Angrima ranted at her. “She did it I have the proof.” She waved her comms about.
Before the captain could say more the Ezaran deftly snatched her comms off her wrist. Captain Angrima stared at her shocked.
“This I’ve got to see.” The Ezaran had a look in her eyes that dared any to try and take it off her. She studied the comms for several minutes. “Disgusting!” She growled handing the comms back to Captain Angrima.
I felt sick to the pit of my stomach I was the innocent here and it looked as if wasn’t going to be believed.
Captain Angrima looked triumphant. “Now you see?”
“I meant you!” The Ezaran’s words took a turn I hadn’t expected. “To believe this trash. The human did not do it. Yes this is proof, proof that someone that inept cobbled this together. I believe the human would kill given a fair fight but this, this trash is not her.”
“It shows her stabbing the commander in the back?” Captain Angrima protested.
“Yet you were so incensed that you didn’t see the biggest discrepancy. The Commander was stabbed through her belly.” The Ezaran pointed to the blade clearly sticking out of Runa’s back. “Care to explain that one?”
The captain’s eyes fluttered and she opened her mouth to say something then quickly closed it. Several Valkyrie looked astonished. I was more concerned about Runa.
“Please get her out of here a quickly as you can?” I pleaded with Kara.
“We will as soon as we can.” Kara said to me. “We have to be careful and remove the blade first.” She gestured to her two medics. “Get that open.” Her next words were to me. “I’ll need your help to pull this blade out.”
I trembled at the thought. “Ok just tell me what to do?” I said even if I didn’t want to but I wanted Runa to live. I’d have to bite the bullet and do as she asked.
“Brunhilda, Sorgrima hold the Commander down even the slightest movement by her could be her last.”
Threads of fear wrapped through my body.
“Kelli please monitor,” Kara said to her. She gestured to me. “Hold the tip of blade steady. When I say ‘push’ guide it gently.”
I knelt at Runa’s back and reached for the blade my fingers trembling. I didn’t think I could do it my stomach churned with fear. “Ok I’m ready.” I certainly didn’t feel it.
“I’ll help,” A voice whispered in my head. The Keepers were back they must have found their workaround. I really didn’t want them in my head after the last incident. The last thing I wanted to do was black out at the crucial moment.
“Digger?” I whispered under my breath.
“Please Gwen I’m here to help. Lend me your hands we can do this together?”
“I don’t know. I…I…?” I trembled.
“Please I can help, you want your friend to live. I, we can help her. Let me be your guide.”
The Guardians?”
“Won’t know I was ever here.”
I took a deep breath. Runa’s life came first I wanted her to live. “Ok I don’t want her to die.”
“She won’t.”
I felt that dislocation as my fingers gripped the blade and I became a watcher in my own body.
“You’re not going to let that murderer near the Commander!” Captain Angrima waved her hands angrily at me.
“Give it up Angrima you’ve just had your so-called proof shown to be a fraud,” the Ezaran female said. “You are becoming a pain in the ass.” The Ezaran glared at the other Valkyrie with her. “Isn’t there somewhere else you are supposed to be?
Her tone of voice surprised me I was even more shocked that the Valkyrie actually obeyed her all except Captain Angrima. Now the advantage was on our side. She stood there glaring at me. If the fire in her eyes had any power I would have been burned to a crisp.
“Ready?” Kara asked me.
“Ready,” I replied except it was my voice but not my words.
I pushed, well when I say that Digger did the pushing while Kara pulled. The blade slowly slid out with a gush of blood. I held my breath as Kara tossed the blade aside. I felt Digger’s presence fade as she did so.
“Quickly get her into the stitcher!” Kara said to her medic’s.
They placed Runa into what I considered a metal coffin.
Kara stood her eyes on Kelli. “With me Kelli.”
Kelli looked at me a question in her eyes. She would be safer with Kara than here with me. “Go,” I said to her. If it came to a fight and I sensed Captain Angrima wanted one I didn’t want her to get hurt.
Kelli reluctantly obeyed I saw the consternation in her eyes as she followed Kara as they carried Runa from the room. I breathed a sigh of relief one down and three more to go. I wished I could do the same to Jervic, Al and Denassi. I longed to speak to Jervic he must be going through hell seeing me accused as I was. I did wonder why he was keeping silent but I did see the convert glanced he kept giving the Ezaran. Obviously he was under orders which made me wonder how much power this woman actually held.
“Now the Commander’s been seen to we can talk about what happened here?” The Ezaran female said to me. She still hadn’t given me her name or at least her rank.
“Arrest her!” Captain Angrima blurted out interrupting the Ezaran.
“You still here?” the Ezaran said to her coldly. “You have been proven to be a fraud or at the least stupid enough to believe lies. I do wonder how you got to be captain you’ve certainly shown your incompetence here?”
Even I winced at the Ezaran’s rebuke.
“I’m not going anywhere while this murder stands here!” Captain Angrima responded her fingers pointing at me.
“For your information Gwen Hunter isn’t standing.”
Which was true in my case. Digger’s presence may have gone and I wasn’t sure if she would return. I was glad to be back in charge of my body. I didn’t want to do that again. I should have refused but Runa’s life hung in the balance and I wasn’t going to play with her life like that. I wasn’t sure if I should have let her in but I felt certain that she would not cause me harm, despite what Mouse’s computer had done to me.
The Ezaran continued her voice hardening. “Just go you’re finished. The Elders will take a dim view of your actions. Do you want to take the walk of shame through the Halls?”
Captain Angrima glared at the Ezaran. “This isn’t over!” she snarled and abruptly turned and stormed out of the room.
The Ezaran strode over to me and pulled me up. “You need attention your hand is bleeding.”
I stared at me hand there was a cut I hadn’t noticed on my hand the one that Digger or I used to hold the blade. “Sorry I didn’t notice,” I replied.
“You ok Gwen?” Jervic said the first words he had spoken since he had entered the room.
I just nodded adding. “I’ll feel better knowing Runa is going to pull through.”
“She will,” the Ezaran reassured me. “Since you got here so quickly. Which brings me to the point of how you got here so quickly?”
“I had a message telling me to come to the training room it was supposed to be from Runa.”
“But you had doubts about its authenticity?” The Ezaran questioned me closely.
“Yes,” I hesitated still unsure who’s side she was on.
“Please go on.”
“It wasn’t a vid it was a text. I was suspicious and asked Kelli and Miri to come with me. I suspected something was going on but I wasn’t sure what.”
“Do you still have the comms?”
I handed the Ezaran my comms she stared at it for several minutes I wasn’t sure what she was doing. Finally she handed it back.
“It’s not there.”
“What impossible I just read it!” I said shocked. I knew I hadn’t deleted it.
“I know, but the text was there you did not delete it. There was a self-deleting algorithm in it program. I found its traces. I guess they wanted you to look bad if it came to the worst.” The Ezaran smiled. “Good thing I’m here. Now tell what else happened?”
I detailed what I saw as I got here and my troubles with the comms.
“Denassi,” the Ezaran called.
“Ma’am?” Denassi replied.
Again I wondered how much power this Ezaran had. I couldn’t see a silver bangle but I guessed she was pretty high up in the ship’s hierarchy to warrant the command she had.
“Unlock the comms black out on this room and trace it back to the originator.”
“Yes ma’am,” he said with a salute.
The Ezaran gestured to Jervic and Al. “You two give me a boost up please?”
Both men made a cradle with their hands and lifted the Ezaran high into the air she reached up and plucked something from the ceiling. She leapt out of the cradle and landed on the mat.
“Whoever placed this wasn’t authorised.” She sounded incensed seeming to take the thing she had clutched as a personal insult. “I find how is responsible and deal with them!” She turned to me her voice milder. “Go back to your quarters. I’ll compile a full report.” She glanced to the door. “Someone will not be seen in a good light.” She looked at me. “I’m afraid the XO will probably want to talk to you at some point. Do not worry. What’s that Terran expression, oh yes her bark is worse than her bite.”
“So I’m still under suspicion?” I told the Ezaran directly. I had to say it I was an innocent here.
“You never were.” While I was trying to puzzle her comment out she spoke to Jervic. “Lieutenant go with Gwen Hunter and make sure she’s ok.”
“Yes ma’am!” Jervic saluted smartly.
I had wanted to talk to him and his company would help me shore up my tattered nerves.
The Ezaran smiled at me. “I’m Leadra I’m sorry for the late introduction but I wanted to get the important things over first. If you want to talk or you’ve remembered any detail just go to engineering and ask for the Chief that will be me.”
“Ok Chief.”
“See you again Gwen Hunter. I am on your side we vaihdokas have to stick together.”
It suddenly dawned on me why I’d thought she was different because she was. She was part Valkyrie. It explained a lot now that I could see it. I began to see that there was something going on here, something more than me on this ship. Leadra and Runa were at the heart of it. I pondered this thought as I headed back to my quarters a welcome haven from recent events.