Public Domain - authored by Dee Dreslough.
"You can't be serious!" Cries went up from all sides, human, Arrallin
and Telkan as Tara outlined her plan. Her new psi senses were proving a mixed blessing, preventing her from simply
ignoring the loud mental and vocal protests from the Telkans as she normally would have.
"Look. We've been over this. We can't beat them straight out. We need to get
in there and surgically cut them down, starting at the top. And, if we don't get the Great Mother back before Mulkol
takes control of Telka, we lose the Telkans. It will be humans and Arrallins only." Tara wondered if she'd
know when the Patriarch of Mulkol had taken the position of Leader at Telka. The ritual would somehow link his
mind to each Telkan, and although it did not grant control, he might have access to any of the plans they'd seen
so far. "We have to act fast, and the number of Telkans filing into Mulkol through the slave trains is beginning
to dwindle. There is no time for debate." She paused, sensing the despair in Telkans. Many of them would not
return from this mission. She surveyed the faces of the humans there. A few seemed nervous, but most just had a
look of angry determination.
Terrimin stepped forward. "General Ir'tarku Tara is correct. Our forces will
support her. Her plan is sound." The Arrallakeeni growled a low note of support. "We'll have support
from the Pride, which will engage the majority of Mulkol's defenses, if not destroy them. We need to assassinate
their Leader. It will cripple them, leaving us time to liberate what Telkans there are left to save."
One of the human men stepped forward. "The plan's great. It's climbing into
one of those Dimar kangaroo pouches that I just can't stomach. Fighting I'll do. But in no way am I riding around
inside one of THEM." Tara recognized him. He was part of the separatist group that had been scouting the southern
coast for a human-only settlement. Tara wasn't sure how to deal with him, but, considering his background in humiliating
others, she tried a dose of his own medicine.
"What? Afraid to do what every baby Dimar on the planet does for three cycles?
What a brave fighting man you are." She dismissed him with a laugh. "Okay, then, you get to spend the
next week as a guest of Ekal until operation Trojan Dragon is over." Harmon nodded to two Ekal honor guard,
who scooped up the protesting man and spirited him up into the higher levels of the Barryd.
The humans looked stunned.
"Every person who does not wish to be part of this mission will be detained
here, in luxury, I might add, until the mission is over. Then, you'll be released to try to start a colony in the
shadow of the Mulkol. I wish you luck. You may be the only ones that survive." Tara stared into the eyes of
each human there. Most were Telkan-sympathetic, and had a look of resolve. A few in the back quietly slipped out.
Harmon was careful to dispatch an Ekal guard to transport each one.
"Luuko? The envelope, please." Tara turned and regarded her big blue-green
friend. She wasn't looking forward to this. "A good general doesn't ask her soldiers to do anything she herself
isn't willing to do", she muttered as Luuko dipped a shoulder to her. "Tell me if the rifle or any of
the gear is uncomfortable, okay?"
"Will do, Leader Tara." Luuko's voice didn't hide the discomfort he was
trying to mask from other psis in the room. Tara chuckled. There was definitely something to being a 'closet psi'.
Gritting her teeth, she slowly slid herself into the pouch, hunkering down in the silky white fur. She had expected
it to be slimy, but it was actually quite comfortable inside the pouch.
Outside, she could hear the chatter of the Dimar as other humans followed suit and
climbed inside the various pouches.
She could feel the muscles ripple along Luuko's back as he strode and lifted into
the air. They were off.
Through her tiny peep-hole in the deep downy fur, Tara could make out some of what
was going on. Her psi-talent gave her the additional edge she needed to assess Luuko's work as leader pro-tem as
they made their entrance.
Luuko guided the group along the fire lines toward the southern entrance to the
Mulkol complex. The distant sound of fighting as the Arrallins engaged the main defenses showed little effect on
the activities of the Mulkol here from what Tara could see from her perch. Finding a slave train into Mulkol wasn't
difficult. The Mulkol were eager to have servants after so many cycles of fending for themselves. Luuko ordered
the group back, telling them to roll in the mud before proceeding. Their recent healing marks would give them away.
Tara hugged her weapons tightly inside the pouch as Luuko rolled in the mud. An
accident now for either of them could spell the end of the operation. She cursed inwardly, regretting pairing herself
and Luuko together. All her eggs were in one basket, or pouch, and if Luuko fell now, so would she. They had to
somehow reach the leader. She could hear Luuko's thoughts churning away as he worked on the problem.
Heads down, and thoroughly muddied, their group of seven shuffled along the muddy
field. Some faked injured wings, and others exhaustion. Luuko took up a faltering flight, falling and flapping
to regain position in the air. They joined the end of the train and blended in. The two Telkans ahead of them turned
back, and Tara could feel their defiance as Luuko and they had a heavily shielded exchange. There was still plenty
of fight in the Telkans, even the slaves, after all.
One of the Mulkol enslavers swept down over the line, barking insults and commands.
Tara could only hear the muffled guttural sounds and see the flash of brown-gray wings through her tiny view slit.
She felt a spike of fear in Luuko as the enslaver paused near him. Tara, trying to be as still as possible, slid
her rifle up to the opening. They were almost inside Mulkol, and she didn't' want to risk detection until she was
within striking distance of at least their top generals. A piercing mental search passed over Tara, and she blocked,
summoning all her energy into Harmon's blocking technique.
Her cradling pouch contracted as the enslaver struck Luuko across the head. She
felt Luuko's shoulders droop, and felt his despair wash through every thought. Careful not to give herself away
as a psi, she tried to emanate positive thoughts.
The enslaver grabbed Luuko by the horns, forcing him to the ground in a hard dive,
driving his nose into the mud and holding it down with a hind foot. Tara struggled to keep from clambering out
of the pouch and dispatching the brute right there. In a roaring laugh, he announced to his 'mates, This one...this
one here is the bloodkin son of the Great Mother! He's come to save his mahmar! Isn't that precious! The gray Mulkol
wrenched Luuko's head up and struck him again so he fell on his back. Inside the constricting pouch and under the
weight of her gear and Luuko, Tara struggled to breath under the pressure.
Well, little hatchling...you'll get to watch her die. The Great Father is still
planning on how to dispose of her. Perhaps the acid pools would suit her well. She could follow in the steps of
your beloved Telkai. But that was a torture from so long ago! We've improved that technology since then. You'll
appreciate our new designs, I'm sure. He wrenched Luuko up by one horn again, dragging the much smaller Dimar along
behind him like a rag-doll.
Tara stifled her fury as she felt Luuko's pain and humiliation. The Great Mother
really was his own mother, and he was frantic to see her one last time before she was lost, but not like this.
Tara felt his spirit wane as he resigned himself to his fate. She half whispered-half thought, "Luuko...this
is not how it will end. By my name, and my honor, Telka will live again."