Keeper (First Ordinance #2)(62)

"They fly really fast," I said. "The Avii, that is."

"I suggest we get the Commander in here, now," Kaldill said, his voice stern. They were going to override my suggestion, which made me want to weep. There was a way out of this, but we had to act swiftly.

*

"What fool idea is this?" Justis snapped. I wanted to cower—nobody thought it would work.

"Technically, it could work," Daragar appeared and weighed in. "But you must move soon or the plan will fail. The Wise Ones say this."

"What?" Justis whirled to stare at the Larentii.

"I'll explain about the Larentii Wise Ones later," Kaldill raised a hand. "If they say this will work, how much time do we have?"

"Less than two clicks, as the Alliance measures time," Daragar replied.

"This hinges upon you and your guards," Ildevar turned to Justis. "If you say no, then we stand down."

Berel stood with me, looking from one to the other. He was determined to go, no matter what Justis decided. "The answer is no," Justis said, his voice cold. "The King will never agree to this." He turned with a rustle of feathers and stalked away.

My breaths shaky, I turned to Berel. "I'm coming with you," I said. "Justis made his decision, I'm making mine."

"Dearest, are you sure about this?" Kaldill asked. He sounded worried.

"I'm sure." At that moment, I was furious with Justis, but didn't say it. The black glass feather I had meant nothing, after all. The guard—and Justis—were refusing to stand with me as promised.

"How do we get to the airship?" I turned to Berel. "I'll fly if there's no other way."

"An airchopper will be here soon," Berel said with a determined nod. "I sent for it earlier. We have little time, and it will take longer than the time mentioned to arrive at the battle."

"I know." I hung my head, already grieving for those about to die.

*

The commanders and troops aboard the Alliance airship only spoke Alliance common, so I had to translate their words for Berel to understand. Within minutes, he was determined to learn their language. He communicated with his father often on the trip to the border between Sectors Two and Three; Edden instructed him to make records of what he observed.

Berel and the High President hoped that the mere presence of an alien airship would force both sides to stand down. The ship's commander shook his head when I asked whether he could use the main weapon he had onboard to disable only the wartanks without also disabling other vehicles.

I worried about the ones working to save the lives of the wounded; if they or their vehicles were disabled, then even more people would die.

"It's all or nothing," the Commander shook his head when I asked. "Those ships in the waters would be easy, but when you mix in those bent on saving lives instead of taking them, the onboard weapon will disable all indiscriminately."

"Thank you for you explanation; I'll make sure Berel understands," I told him.

He nodded—he'd seen uprisings before and knew what was coming.

"He says he can't employ the onboard weapon to disable the wartanks without disabling all the vehicles, the airsavers included," I said. "I imagine anything in the air will immediately stop working and fall to the ground."

"This is impossible," Berel shook his head. I could see he was just as concerned as I was.

"I agree. Justis and the Black Wings could have taken the handheld disablers and taken out the wartanks individually. We no longer have that option, and ten times as many will die because of it."

"I don't know what to do at this point—Father has sent for an airchopper squad equipped with anti-wartank missiles," Berel said. "When those are deployed," he shook his head.

I understood, although he didn't say it. There would be no saving of the lives inside the tanks, once those missiles were fired. They were designed to destroy a wartank and anything in or around it.

"Ten clicks away," the Commander called out.

We were nearly there.

I was desperate.

"Is there a way for me to leave the ship easily?" I asked the Commander.

"The same way you came aboard—through the small passenger hatch on the second level."

"Then I want to leave," I said.

"What?" Berel sputtered.

"I have to try to stop this," I said.

"Only one Avii, with one disabler will not make much difference," the Commander snapped.

"I'm not taking a disabler," I snapped back before turning and walking toward the lift that would take me to the second level hatch. "And I'm not Avii."





Chapter 13

What I was about to do was foolish—the most foolish thing I'd ever done or dreamed of doing. Whether I had the strength or capacity to accomplish this task remained to be seen.

Berel was terrified; I hoped he didn't attempt to hold me back—this was my bit of foolishness and if I died, it would be from a decision I'd made for myself.

"Quin, are you sure?" Berel pleaded as the visitor's hatch opened slowly before us. Siriaa's sun gleamed on metal steps as the door yawned wide and I looked at the sky beyond. Airchoppers could be heard in the distance—they and the weapons they carried would be in range of the wartanks very soon.