Sentients Of Orion: Transformation Space Part 26

But the ragazzo lay limp across his tio, a thin bundle of bones with the life fading quickly from it.

Ca.s.s felt for his pulse and gave a pained moan. She wrenched the spear out and threw it away, and then she gently lifted him from where he lay atop Innis.

Silence fell over the group as they watched the distraught woman cradle her 'bino. She rocked back and forth on her knees, willing life back into him.

Tivi Scali fell down beside her and began sobbing apologies, but Ca.s.s didnt seem to hear him. Nor did she notice Innis crawl to her side and stare dully at the thin body.

A weight of despair and guilt settled on Trin. What had he set in motion by ordering them to make the spears? He should have dealt with Innis Mulravey differently, out of sight. Now what would happen?

He glanced around at the faces. Several of the women had hastened to Ca.s.s Mulraveys side, while others stood where they were, lit by the moon-glow. He saw tears or anger on their faces. Even Djes seemed lost, offering him neither counsel nor comfort.

Then a noise wrenched all of their attention to the light-studded sky above-an AiV flying low over the mountainside.

'Into the caves! called Trin.

They all moved except Kristo, Ca.s.s Mulravey and Tivi Scali. Even Innis got shakily to his feet and staggered towards Liesl, who helped him inside.

Trin slid down the rocks to the others. 'We must get out of sight.

But none of them responded.

The AiV sounded closer, circling back.

Trin grabbed Tivis arm. 'It was an accident, Carabinere. Tragic, but just so. We must shelter now.

Ca.s.s Mulravey stared at Tivi, ignoring Trin. She opened her mouth to speak but only an incoherent noise escaped.

'Get beneath the bushes. Awkwardly, Trin grasped Ca.s.s Mulraveys shoulders and tried to pull her down towards cover. The woman stumbled, almost dropping the ragazzos body.

Tivi Scali reacted by diving forward to catch the child.

Trin felt warm blood from the spear wound splatter across his face. Tivi and Ca.s.s were covered in it.

Then a light shot down from the belly of the hovering AiV, capturing them, and the dead 'bino, in its circle.

JO-JO RASTEROVICH.

'Fuel cells low, said Randall. 'We need to turn back.

'Just one sweep, Jo-Jo urged. 'Otherwise the cells been wasted. Well have to come back again.

Their search had taken them north-east over scattered islands, most of them flat and without vegetation. The most likely location turned out to be a largish tract of land at low tide that then diminished on the swell. They landed and explored it during the hour right after sunset. Though the island harboured no 'esques, they stretched out in the sand to sleep for a few hours.

Randall woke them well before light, and they continued on south to the other likely location. Just short of sunrise, Randall announced that they must turn back.

'No, cried Jo-Jo, pointing out of his window. 'There.

Randall grunted and held her line, taking them down lower.

A surge of hope livened Jo-Jos tired body. This island was heavily vegetated and dominated by a small mountain.

'Looks bettern the last one, Capo, remarked Catchut.

'Hope so, said Randall. 'Most like well be stuck on here for ever. This cells probably not gonna get us back.

Jo-Jo saw them first: a scattered group of figures on the mountain crest, scrambling toward cave mouths.

'There! He pointed again.

'Ill sweep back. Randall dragged her finger around the screen, and the AiV obediently circled. This time, though, she brought them in to hover just above the crest of the peak, spotlights blazing.

Most of the figures had disappeared, leaving only a small group cl.u.s.tered together. One of them, a woman, huddled over the limp figure of a child. Three others, adult 'esques, stared up at the AiV.

'Looks like Ca.s.s Mulravey, Capo, said Catchut.

'Think yer right, Cat. Dont know the others.

'Bunch of skeletons, whoever they are.

'Who is she? asked Jo-Jo.

'Friend of Fedors. They came into Ipo together. Tough woman. Not surprised shes still alive.

A friend of Fedors. That knowledge somehow fanned Jo-Jos optimism. 'Lets land.

'Cat, said Randall, 'you stay on board.

The light was approaching rapidly as Randall dropped the AiV onto a small cleared area just above Mulravey and the others. The vehicle thunked hard onto the uneven rock and teetered for a moment, as if it might topple.

Jo-Jo let go of a breath when it settled.

Unworried, Randall threw off her harness and slid the door back. 'Lemme go first. Sh.e.l.l know me.

She jumped down lightly, despite the hours cooped up in the AiV, and stepped nimbly down the hill. 'Ca.s.s Mulravey.

Jo-Jo climbed more slowly out of the pa.s.senger side.

He let his legs adjust to weight and movement before demanding anything from them. As he edged around the AiV to stand by Randall, he noticed something amiss. Blood. All over the woman and two of the men.

A thin, crimson-skinned 'esque with an aquiline nose that dominated his gaunt hawkish face stood up. 'Who are you? he demanded.

Randall ignored him. 'Ca.s.s. Dont you know me?

The woman slowly lifted her head. Her face was ravaged-dark brown and blistered with sun exposure-but her expression was the shocking thing: heartbroken and defeated. The child she held was dead.

She licked her lips and whispered, 'Rast Randall?

'Whats happened, Ca.s.s? asked Randall softly.

'Hes... hes... She couldnt bring herself to say it.

'Im Principe Trinder Pellegrini. Who are you that you wear Pellegrini fellalos?

This time Randall directed her gaze to him. 'So Francos pup did survive. Fedor was right.

'You know Baronessa Fedor?

Randall nodded to Jo-Jo, and back at Catchut in the AiV. 'We all do. Shes the reason were here. She told us about you.

'Is she alive? Does she bring help?

'Cant answer either of those questions. But maybe therere some others I can.

The Principe glanced up into the sky. 'Then we should talk inside the cave. Sunrise is close.

Randall gestured with her hand, indicating that she would follow him. She and Jo-Jo waited as they pa.s.sed: Trin Pellegrini first, Ca.s.s, carrying her dead child, and then the two others who had been standing either side of her. The latter were still casting angry stares at each other.

Jo-Jo tried to work out what had happened. The way Randalls eyes were flickering around, she was too. She signalled for Catchut to follow them. The AiV would soon be too hot to stay inside without the engine to cool it.

They were greeted at the entrance to the caves by a ragged group of 'esques and one emaciated korm, who towered above them all.

The survivors huddled as close as they could to the growing light, curious about the newcomers. As Jo-Jo cast his gaze around the semicircle, one of them stood out from them in both appearance and manner. She was slim without being thin, and her facial skin was tight as a mask, flattening her nose and eyes. Not attractive, and yet something about her seemed... significant.

He knew he was right when Trin Pellegrini moved to stand close to her.

The girl looked him and Randall over, then immediately left Trins side to go to the woman, Ca.s.s Mulravey, leading her away into the caves darkness. Some of the other women followed, and the circle closed again.

'There was an accident, Pellegrini explained.

Jo-Jo felt the weight of unsaid things in their tense manner; saw the complex mix of expressions on the watching faces. What had these people been through to survive?

'Do you have water? asked Randall.

'Of course. Trin nodded to one of the women. No one spoke until she returned with three sh.e.l.ls of water.

Jo-Jo drank quickly. The liquid smelted of fish, just like the cave itself. The air burned despite the caves shade, and he longed to be back in the sky, in the AiVs cooler c.o.c.kpit.

'How did you find us? said Pellegrini finally.

'Could take a while in the telling, said Randall. 'Might be you want to sit down.

Pellegrini hesitated, then agreed. 'We have a meal at this time. Before we sleep. Eat with us, and talk.

It was not an invitation.

Randall nodded on behalf of all of them.

The group shuffled around until they were all seated close enough to the cave mouth to see.

'Not all of you have cooling robes. How can you stand it? Jo-Jo asked, thinking it was time he spoke.

'If you keep out of the direct sun, its bearable after a period of adjustment. We manage better than visitors who dont have our melatonin-rich skin, said Pellegrini. 'Your name?

To his surprise, Randall didnt jump in, but waited for him to answer.

'Im Josef Rasterovich. Not a survivor from this terrible invasion, but a new arrival.

A murmur went around the group which Pellegrini silenced with a word. The young Latino Principe spoke like a true leader.

'Before I tell you more, OLOSS does know what happened here, Jo-Jo added.

'Tell us how you got here, demanded Pellegrini.

Jo-Jo glanced at Randall. Shed folded her arms and was leaning back against the rock wall. She seemed calm and attentive, but he knew she was cataloguing everything she could see. He had to give her time to gather information. Get the group members to reveal something about themselves.

'We were hired to escort your Baronessa Fedor to a place called Rho Junction. She was trying to make a deal to get you people rescued. OLOSS didnt want to do anything in a hurry, and she didnt want to wait, so she was using other means. s.h.i.+t happened, and we ended up stranded on an Extro craft-f.u.c.kin weird drum-shaped thing. d.a.m.n thing landed here a few days ago. We managed to get away. Found a flyer up on the mountain, and flew ourselves here. Fedor had said youd head to the islands.

'And Mira? Pellegrinis voice rose.

'She got taken by Extros on Rho Junction.

'She is dead?

'No. At least we dont believe so. He didnt tell them about the biozoon signature that theyd picked up with the com-cast or his feeling it was Fedor. Mira hadnt said much directly to him, but he knew she didnt hold Trin Pellegrini in high regard.

'She tried to find us help? This came from Ca.s.s Mulravey. She and the girl Jo-Jo had noticed earlier had returned to the circle. Even in the dim light, Mulraveys face was distorted with anguish, though her voice sounded steady. She stepped to the front and sat down. 'I knew she wouldnt leave Vito. Or us.

'Vito? Jo-Jo glanced between Mulravey and Pellegrini.

'Her 'bino, said Mulravey.

'Not her own, corrected the young Principe. 'An adopted ragazzo.

Randall made a slight jerking movement, as though someone had sc.r.a.ped a knife against her skin. Jo-Jo could just make out the tight outline of her jaw.

'And you? Pellegrini asked Randall directly. 'What were you doing on Araldis?

'Franco was expecting trouble. Brought us in to a.s.sess things. She made a dry sound. 'Seems he left it too late.

'My papa hired mercenaries?

'Yep.

'Are you saying he knew about the invasion? About the Saqr?

'Nope. She shook her head slowly. 'But he knew something was wrong. Maybe some deals hed done had come back on him.

The group fell silent as they digested this, particularly the young Principe, who seemed lost in thought for a few moments.