Grey Eagle - Chapter 31

Chapter Thirty-One

"Okay. Now listen to me. My radio's going to black out for a bit while we're coming through. A little longer than usual 'cause all you have is that little broadcast unit. But I'll be there. You hear? Even if they catch up, they can't make it back with you before I get there. Don't fight. You hear me? Don't fight. They've kept you this long, they'll keep you awhile longer. I'm almost on top of you. I'll be there."

Arion laughed softly, his hardest question answered for him, but he felt numb and disappointed. He had almost made it. "Did you know Raach and Sharsa are brothers?"

"Stay with me, Arion. I'm almost there. Don't fight. Try to keep them talking, but don't fight. They can't make it back now no matter what."

"I'm with you..."

"Tell them I'm coming. Keep....long as....n. They wo....if they....ng."

"You're breaking up Soren. I'll do what I can. Whatever happens, don't let them take me back." There was no answer. Aviel, whatever happens, let me keep my head. Thy will be done.

He gazed at the wreckage of the instrument panel, not needing it to know the craft was failing. The laser blasts had done their job, it just took a little while. Hopefully long enough. But he had done his job too. He had survived long enough to warn them.

He looked back at the pursuing hovercrafts. They were gaining on him quickly, and he wondered if they wouldn't just kill him outright. They had been using lasers rather than brotiks, or he'd have been caught already...

The motor seized and the craft dug into the ground. Well, that's that. He felt weighted down, but he was grateful that the skittishness hadn't returned. He picked up the laser and climbed out of the craft. He stood beside it, facing the oncoming venators, waiting.

His stomach hurt, and he had to concentrate on breathing to keep from holding his breath. But he knew it was the only way, the only hope. And Soren would be there soon... For once he could see a light at the end of the tunnel.

The three hovercraft pulled short and stopped. Two locals climbed out of each craft on the sides and stood waiting, lasers ready. Sharsa and Raach climbed out of the third, center craft. Arion lifted the laser out to his side, displaying it, but pointing away.

Sharsa approached slowly. "Let me have the laser," he said calmly, as if to a child.

"So you can kill me?" he answered in Venatese. "No, we need to talk first."

"No one's trying to kill you. Give me the laser and we'll talk."

"That's why you're shooting at me, right? No, I think I'll keep it. I'm not trying to shoot you, but I definitely don't trust you."

"They were firing lasers to disable the craft. If they were shooting at you, you'd be dead. I don't want you hurt. Give me the laser and we'll talk."

"I think this is working just fine like this. Besides," he added, suddenly realizing why the catch-all had held a laser, "Raach has a brotik in his belt. I can tell the difference by now. If you wanted to stop me without hurting me, you could have done it a long time ago, without wrecking the craft."

Sharsa glared at Raach, seriously frustrated. "Raach is being obstinate," he declared flatly.

"Why?" he asked Raach, startled and suspicious. But he only smiled, quietly amused. "You were listening, weren't you, Raach?" he asked. "That's my wingmate coming. He'll be here soon. I'm going home. Dead or alive, I'm going home."

Raach nodded, his smile almost disappearing, but not quite. "You belong to Sharsa. You are his responsibility. He decided your wingmate was instructing you to bluff. Myself, I would have stopped sooner, but the safest place now is with you."

"He won't let you take me back. You know that. Just go. Just go now and he'll leave you alone."

Raach chuckled. "Will he? He still thinks of me as an animal. I need you, or he'll kill me without even thinking about it." He paused then, growing somber, considering. "I do think it would be best if you gave us the laser. Understand, I'm fighting for my life now."

Arion looked at him, piecing things together, then at Sharsa, who was visibly shaken and frightened by Raach's words. For some reason, Raach had spoiled things on purpose, but... He smiled, looking at Raach again. "You made a big mistake, didn't you?"

Raach gazed at him, his yellow eyes bright and intense. "You might say that. But I still have nothing against you going home, and we can still get out of this in one piece. All of us. Give me my laser; you don't intend to use it."

"You've got me for a buffer, I've got it. I'd rather keep it." While he felt oddly willing to trust him, Raach clearly knew that Soren couldn't destroy them if it meant intentionally killing a human. Soren would risk anything to free him, possibly killing him by accident, yet he could not purposely murder him. But what of Sharsa? What did he know, and what would he do?

"No," Raach said firmly. "You won't use it, and I need to be in control." Slowly and purposefully he walked towards Arion.

He tensed, but nodded, realizing that he was in fact incapable of shooting Raach. "One way or the other, I'm going home," he said softly, holding it out.

"Yes," he agreed, accepting the laser. "Thank you."

He smiled, curious. "You're welcome."

"Sharsa," Raach said without looking away. "Get him his mythra." Sharsa glared at him, insulted, but he went.

Arion studied Raach, searching his eyes. "Why?"

"It's yours."

"No. Why'd you do it?"

He smiled slowly. "The phoenix rises."

Arion gave a soft, uncertain laugh, dropping his eyes, then looked up suddenly. "Reegat said something about bringing the others home?"

His smile grew stronger and he nodded. "Yes."

Sharsa returned with the mythra, glared at Raach, and handed it gently over to Arion. "You'll never understand now, but I always meant to send you home," he said with his old, familiar softness. "I do like you, Arion, and it still pleases me to give you the mythra."

"Thank you, Sharsa. It still pleases me to have it." He frowned then. "For a homologist, you have a lot to learn about humans and friendship. If you really cared..." He shook his head, and looked up at him, accusing. Sharsa nodded, but his jaw tightened.

"...ion....please. Cor....Arion. Come....." The radio bubbled with static as Soren's voice broke through.

"This is Arion. Please repeat."

"Arion. I'm here. Do you read?"

"Loud and clear."

"How are you?"

"Surprisingly well, actually."

"Who's that leaving?"

"The locals. Looks like Sharsa didn't pay them enough."

Soren laughed. "Either that or - "

"We have what you want," Sharsa broke in suddenly, pushing Arion aside. "Turn around and leave, or we'll kill him."

"Sharsa..." said Raach softly, shaking his head.

"He'd prefer that to my leaving him with you anyway," Soren answered casually.

"We'll kill him," repeated Sharsa angrily. "Very slowly. Very painfully. Turn around and go."

"Sharsa."

"I'm not going anywhere," said Soren, his voice taking on an edge. "I'm coming. Leave him alone or you'll regret it."

"Soren," began Arion, but Sharsa shoved him away towards Raach.

"No, you'll regret it. What is it to you if we live or die? But you care about him. He's our only hope. Turn around and go, or he dies, slowly."

"Your only hope lies in letting him go."

"Promise then." He glared at Arion, triumphant. Raach gave a short hiss of anger. They could see three ships approaching now, two Starphires and a Valerian.

"Promises are dangerous," answered Soren tersely. "Especially to a venat. Leave him, now, and I might let you live."

"You'll kill us anyway," he growled, growing desperate as the Starphires whistled overhead, the slower Valerian still approaching. "So maybe we'll kill him anyway." He looked to Raach for support. Behind them, a craft exploded, followed immediately by the second.

Raach hissed again, grabbing Arion, tearing his shirt. Arion cried out once in shock and pain as Raach bit him, high in the right shoulder, tearing... Sharsa's eyes widened in surprise. "Empty threats are worse than useless," Raach growled at him, furious. "You'll have us all killed."

"Arion!"

He stifled a second cry, grunting as Raach bit him again, holding.

"Arion?!"

Sharsa stood still, speechless. "Answer him," Raach said softly to Arion, and began licking the wound.

He moaned, sick. "Soren... Oh God... He's eating me..."

"Okay, buddy. Okay... You may live," he said then, teeth closed, hateful. "Don't force me, and I won't kill you. But if you keep hurting him, I promise you will die."

"Agreed," said Sharsa, returning to life.

"Arion. You with me?"

"...Hey," he answered weakly, leaning on Raach's support. The two Starphires whistled overhead, passing them, banking to return. The Valerian was slowing, preparing to land.

Arion stood on his own then, and Raach released him. "I'm sorry," he said softly.

Arion looked at him, startled. There was no shame, no guilt, only simple regret. But it was sincere. He nodded, then smiled, lopsided, and held out his hand. "Give me the brotik."

Raach nodded, handing it to him.

The Valerian landed, slowing to a stop behind the crippled craft. Soren climbed down cautiously, laser drawn. His eyes flickered with angered sympathy as he saw the bloody shoulder. "Stand away from him, vampat," he said, glaring at Raach.

"Soren, no. It's okay..."

Soren glanced at him, and smiled slightly. "Hey there. Can't even keep a hovercraft intact in an open field, can you? Why don't you come over here by me?"

He picked up the mythra and came slowly. "It's all right, Soren. They were just leaving."

"Leaving?" answered Soren with a faint laugh. "They're coming with us. Provided they don t force my hand," he added threateningly.

Arion looked at him, at Raach, and Sharsa. Raach's face was neutral, but Sharsa's was a mixture of fear and betrayal that was all too familiar. "Soren, no. Don't. It isn't..."

"Don't sweat it, buddy. We're the ones in control here now."

"I know, but... Really, it's okay. Leave them be."

"Let them go?" he asked, incredulous, his eyes never leaving them for long.

"Yes."

He whistled, soft and low. "Why? What kind of garbage are they filling you with now?"

Arion closed his eyes, exhausted. "Please..."

"Okay, pal," he said, relenting. "It's your ballgame." He looked at Raach, at Sharsa, hateful and frustrated. "The man says you're free to go."

Raach nodded, solemn. "Thank you, Arion."

He nodded silently, caught between two worlds. He watched, somehow confused as Raach turned and followed Sharsa to the craft. Oh, Aviel... But the recognition swam deeper in, without words. He simply hadn't expected to survive.

He looked at Soren, so comfortingly familiar, so terrifyingly foreign. "What were you guys doing so close over here anyway?" he asked quickly, cutting off the questions already in his eyes.

Soren smiled, backing off. "Oh we had a sneaking hunch they just might be up to something. They've never given anyone back before, so when you showed up still alive and none too thrilled about what they told you to say, it just sort of made sense to hang close and listen."

He paused, grinning, but Arion remained silent, subdued. "Come on. We'll patch up that shoulder and get you ready to travel. Let's go." They walked to the ship and Arion climbed up and in. Soren looked back at the retreating hovercraft, shaking his head, then followed Arion in and shut the hatch.

***