[Makebelieve] Fic: Brothers Of The Blood 24

[makebelieve archive]

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR

Dalton sealed the access panel, giving it a slap with the calloused palm of
his hand for good measure, then crawled slowly out from under the navigation
console. Leaning tiredly back on his heels, he pressed his hands against
heavy-lidded eyes and drew a deep, steadying breath.
Apparently Ian had misplaced one of his mad demons, since one of the blasted
things had taken up residence inside his head. And the most distressing
thing about the whole matter was that his industrious demon swung a damn
mean sledgehammer.

Right against his throbbing temples.

Grinding his teeth against the unwanted discomfort, Dalton pushed shakily to
his feet. The small exertion created a barrage of stars that exploded behind
pain-clouded eyes, starting off a violent display of fireworks that
threatened to rock out his teeth.

He groaned softly, and took an unsteady step forward. Another mistake. The
demon gleefully added a staccato tap dance to his repertoire.

Dalton's knees wobbled beneath his weight and he stumbled. Reaching out
clumsily, he caught himself on the console, but the near fall jarred his
aching head badly. Brilliant light splintered behind his eyes, sending
lightning bolts of agony shooting through his temples. His already gaunt
features tightened and he placed one foot in front of the other with
exaggerated care, walking toward the intercom.

Raising arms which felt more like lead than flesh, he activated the call
button, opening the private link to Ian's quarters. "Ian, are you awake?" he
demanded in a sharp, strained voice.

"What? Yeah. Boss, is that you? Yeah, I'm awake." Ian's sleep roughened
voice came back. "What you need?"

Dalton's smile held dark malice, knowing he'd roused the pilot from a deep
sleep. "I've finished the repairs."

"Sure and you decided to call me and accept my profound congratulations?"

Dalton leaned his drooping shoulder heavily against the wall, chuckling.
"Get down here. We've got a test flight to make."

"Now?"

"Right now."

"Have you informed Adric or do you be wanting me to make the report?"

"This flight does not concern Adric," Dalton snapped, the tiny hairs
tightening at the nape of his neck. "Just get the hell down here. And bring
the rest of the crew with you. The original crew."

"On me way." Rustling sounds filtered through the intercom before Dalton
broke the communications link.

Turning away from the intercom, Dalton rubbed the back of his neck, trying
to massage out the gigantic knots that had formed there. It was no good. He
needed rest.

And he would rest, he promised himself. Later.

Holding that sacred promise close to his heart, his wobbly legs carried him,
just barely, down the curved slope to the lower deck and he slumped into the
crash chaise directly in front of bridge control. His heavy weight activated
the automatics and the chaise purred smoothly, conforming to and massaging
the tense lines of his pain-enthralled body.

"Yama, reduce bridge lights to twilight," he said, draping a black satin
encased arm over his whitewashed face. The too bright lights dimmed
instantly, giving Dalton some mild ease.

Unable to stave off the demands of his body any longer, he succumbed to the
one thing he could not defeat. His dry and gritty eyes drifted closed.

But his vital rest was short-lived. Prompted by an even more desperate
hunger to escape a danger he had yet to identify beyond doubt, his eyes
snapped open after only fifteen minutes. He cast an apprehensive glance
around the empty bridge, before settling back in the chaise. "Yama?"

"Working."

"Run a continuous scan of all systems once we are underway. Inform me
immediately if you detect any sign of stress to the equipment. Any sign
whatsoever."

"Confirmed."

"And pay special attention to the drive and weaponry sections."

"Confirmed. Do you require anything else, Commander."

"No. Yes. I... don't know. Let me think a minute." He knew he was not
considering all the contingencies, but how could he when he was unable to
concentrate on any one thing for more than small spurts of time? "Ah yes,"
he said finally. "Scan for any unidentified ships entering our sector. Use
maximum range detectors." He stifled an exhausted yawn. "Something is about
to happen. I feel it. And if I am right, it will hit us soon."

"Sure and what kind of trouble be you expecting, Dal?" Not waiting for an
answer, Ian moved to the flight module and automatically ran the system
checks, preparing the ship for the unscheduled lift off. "'Tis funny." He
tilted his head, listening to the gentle purring hum of the engines. "The
drive... 'Tis powering up a wee bit fast, boss."

Dalton cracked an eye open and smiled. "You think so?"

A boyish grin lit Ian's handsome features. "Sure and you've been tinkering
with the drive system again."

"You are satisfied?"

"Satisfied? She sounds like a new ship. Hell yes and I be satisfied." He
paused suddenly, eyeing the man who led them. "You did do something, did ye
na'? I be na' imagining the difference?"

Swinging his legs to the floor, Dalton sat up slowly and walked to his place
at the science station. "I've made some changes to the drive, yes," he said
finally, forcing the words from between numbed lips. "Domani thought it
would improve the time involved during warm-up, allowing us a faster lift
off from a cold start. I am glad his assumptions have proven correct."

"Speed is getting pretty important to you, isn't it?" Arissa complained,
stepping from the lift.

Dalton cut her an impassive glance. "As important as my life. And yours."

Settling into the communications station at Dalton's right, Arissa
considered his cryptic words. "Understood," she said softly before she
turned to activate her chosen station.

Yessenia, who had followed her in, took a seat at Operations. Her curious
glance lingered on the empty seat on her left. "Where's Domani?"

"He's assumed a station in Engineering during the test flight," Dalton said.
"He wanted immediate access to the stardrive in case anything goes wrong."

Paris,jerking a grey shirt closed over his deceptively wiry chest, stepped
out of the lift and shot a menacing glare at Dalton. "It's the middle of the
night, Dal."

"I am aware of the time."

"This couldn't wait until morning, I suppose?"

"No, it couldn't wait. Take Domani's position at Operations. Arissa, route
the engineering computer though your terminal. We won't be using
communications if everything runs smoothly."

Her fingers moved swiftly over the pressureboard. "It's done," she said,
leaning back with a satisfied grin. "And I also opened a remote channel to
Engineering. Domani can hear everything that's happening up here and report
back from anywhere in the section."

Ian looked up from the flight module, catching Dalton's heavy-lidded gaze.
"All systems are green. It be a go on your command."

Dalton shifted more comfortably into his seat. "Move us into launch
position."

Ian relayed the instructions to the flight computer. A slight quivering
under their feet verified that the ship's automatics were positioning them
on the launch pad.

Following standard procedure, Arissa reached out her slender hand to open a
link with the base. Dalton grabbed her wrist, halting her. "Leave off,
Arissa. Don't bring them into it."

"What's going on, Dal?" Arissa asked. "Why keep Adric in the dark?"

"Good question." Yessenia turned her chair, searching out Dalton's stoney
glare and frowned. "You look like hell. What have you been doing to
yourself, Dal?"

"What had to be done."

"Have you gotten any sleep at all?"

"That is none of your concern."

"Sleep deprivation is...."

"Not an issue. I assure you there will be time to rest once we're away from
the planet for good. When I'm sure the ship is safe." He whirled around,
pointing at Ian. "Take us up."

Ian relayed the commands crisply. Yama responded smoothly, firing the
engines. The stardrive sang as the computer fed power into the system.
Ian leaned over his console. "Lift, you wee bucket of bolts. Lift," he
murmured, tenderly caressing the glowing controls, tracing each of the
computers actions with his slender fingers.

The Hellequin rumbled under their feet, raising gently from the launch pad,
like a great silver bird striving against gravity to reclaim its rightful
place among the stars.

"Dalton," Adric's worried voice came over the communications channel. "Dal,
what the devil are you doing? Can you hear me, man? Dalton, acknowledge the
base. Acknowledge you hear me, damn you."

"Do not respond," Dalton hissed, preventing Arissa from opening a channel
with the base.

"Tell me why."

"Obey me, Arissa."

"This be ridiculous, boss," Ian tossed over his shoulder, automatically
guiding the ship into a secondary orbit. He locked the ship into computer
control, then spun the flight module around, facing Dalton. "'Tis time, I be
thinking, you be spilling it. Tell us what we be getting into this time."

Sighing tiredly, Dalton tipped his seat back and steepled his hands. "I
expect we are about to be attacked."

"What makes you think we're in danger?" Yessenia said sharply.

Dalton smiled, but there was no warmth in his winter blue eyes. "There is a
mole on that base, my dear. I can smell him, but I can not finger him, so
I'm counting on our sudden departure not being in the game plan."

"You're hoping to tip his hand, this traitor you suspect is there?"

"Nothing so revealing, Yessenia. I just want some simple verification I am
not imagining his presence."

"Hey, we didna' mean any offense when we put that theory forward," Ian said
quickly.

"And none was taken, still a doubt once spoken will remain until tactile
facts back up the reality. So, as it is my belief we won't be allowed to
leave Euzkadi unmolested, we have left the planet. If we are attacked, I am
vindicated of this supposed imagined threat. And you will have all the proof
I can give without a flesh and blood body."


end part 24



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