Chapter 24

Mack headed for the stairs and Upper 7, Tobias easily keeping up with his long stride. Parrots screeched, soared. A small group of gangly adolescent boys slumped by, almost tripping on their long, side-slit skirts. The news media, thank the Lady, was nowhere in sight. Mack was becoming immune to the parrots and the kids. But reporters were one thing he wasn't in the mood to deal with right now.

Tobias seemed to pick up on that. "This isn't turning out to be as easy as we hoped, sir."

"Rand filled you in on Blass and the PH?" He used the acronym for Honora Trelmont's title.

"Distressing, sir. Disgraceful, actually."

"I think they may deserve each other," Mack said quietly as they exited onto U7. More Fleet personnel were in the corridor. Mack passed Ops, grabbed Tobias's elbow when the man started to turn. "We're not going there."

"Yes, sir. Sorry. Where are we going?"

"To convince someone that her need for anonymity is far outweighed by the need for her expertise. With Blass."

"Lady Captain Gillie may not be happy about that."

"I don't intend to give Lady Captain Gillie any choice."

"I'm not sure you have that authority, sir."

Mack shot Tobias a questioning glance. They turned down a short side corridor leading to the exterior docking bays.

"She may be Raheiran," Mack lowered his voice even though no one else was in the corridor, "but she's still in our jurisdiction."

Tobias's mouth opened, then closed. "Yes, of course," he said as they came to a stop before the airlock fronting the Serendipity's exterior gangway.

Mack reached for the intercom and hesitated. He wasn't fooled by his second-incommand's bland expression. He knew Tobias viewed Gillie with respect, and not just because she was Raheiran, or Admiral Mack's girlfriend. But because, like himself, Tobias had seen Gillie in action, relating to people. Tobias was worried about what Mack was going to say, and how he was going to say it.

"I'm just going to be honest with her. There's a dangerous game being played out here with Blass. She's in a unique position to provide us with answers." He paused. "I'm not any happier than you are about getting her involved. But with the Prime Hostess here unexpectedly, we have no choice."

He hit the intercom panel on the bulkhead. "Gillie, it's Mack. And Tobias. We need to talk to you."

When he didn't receive an answer after a minute or so, he remembered that odd, cold feeling he'd had in the shrine. And Blass's equally odd, cold look.

Of course, she could be away from her ship for any number of legitimate reasons, which would have nothing to do with Blass. Yet that coldness that had gripped his heart had hinted otherwise.

"Sir, maybe she's-"

"Mack? Hi." Gillie's voice sounded slightly breathless. "Give me a minute."

"We'll wait." Her ship was probably in crystal form. Mack realized he had no idea how much Tobias knew about the real Gillie Davré. Well, he'd be learning a lot, quickly. He trusted Tobias. Just as he trusted his entire team. He hoped Gillie would understand that, feel the same way.

She met them in the Serendipity's main corridor a minute later-and it was the Serendipity, gray bulkheading and all. Her hair was mussed as if she'd just dragged a clean shirt over her head. He started to reach for her, run his fingers through the moonlight softness but hesitated. "Can we talk in your ready room?"

She nodded. They followed. He took her hands when she sat next to him. Tobias was suddenly fascinated with the tabletop.

"Something's going on with Carrick Blass, something I know you can help us with," Mack said. "I've told Tobias and the rest of my team the basics. But we need more, Gillie."

He caught the wary look in her eyes but continued. "Tobias knew you were Raherian before I did. But he needs to know everything you've told me since then. Then we need to talk to my team."

"I think the better course of action would be for me to tell you and Lieutenant Tobias everything I know. Then you work the details out with your team."

"It's better coming directly from you." He squeezed her hands.

She drew in a slow breath, flicked a glance at Tobias.

"We're meeting in ten minutes." Mack put some firmness into his tone. "I need you to tell them what Blass is capable of."

"More than I like." She pulled her hands out of his then stood. "He's Carrickal Grel Tel'ard Blass. Do you know the lineage?" She directed the last question at Tobias as she moved to the head of the table.

Tobias nodded. "I've read the name in the magecharts at my parents' temple."

"It's a very old phratry. Carries a significant amount of power behind it."

"My team should hear this, Gillie."

She leaned on the back of the chair. He watched her face for emotions and was surprised when he saw none. This was the other Gillie, the captain in the Raheiran Special Forces. He didn't know her as well. That troubled him. How could the woman he loved hold so many secrets, so many layers?

"I reserve the right," she said finally, "not to explain certain methodology."

He glanced at his watch. There was no time for negotiations. He had a feeling he might not win anyway. "Agreed."

"Anything else?"

Was she reading him telepathically? Or did she just guess from the fact he was still seated, hands folded. His own expression no doubt gave away far more than hers. "I'd like to bring my team here. To see this ship, as it really is."

Tobias straightened, as if in surprise. Mack had only told Rand what the Serendipity was. But not the rest of the team. There'd been no need, until now.

And Rand knew well what she could and could not say.

A wry smile played across Gillie's lips. It was the first emotion he'd seen from her in several minutes. It warmed him. "Simon agrees with you, not surprisingly," she said, her voice as soft as her smile. "Why do I have the feeling I'm being double-teamed?"

"Simon?" Tobias asked.

There was much his lieutenant didn't know. For some reason, that took some of the sting out of the fact that Tobias had known Gillie was Raheiran before he had. "Rand should have everyone together by now. Go bring them here. I don't want to give out our location over the commbadges."

"Understood, sir." Tobias moved toward the door.

"When you return," Mack said as Tobias stepped over the door tread, "you'll get to meet Simon."

"I look forward to it, sir."

Gillie had her arms wrapped around her waist when he turned around. Her smile had faded. Mack wasn't telepathic but her message was clear. Something scared her. Deeply.

He rose. She stepped into his outstretched arms and held him tightly. He stroked her ruffled moonlight hair. This was the Gillie he knew. "Thank you."

"My life is always so much more complicated than I want it to be." Her voice was wistful.

"You're a complicated woman." That was an undeniable truth.

"Actually, I'm not." She looked up at him. "Feed me. Love me. Not necessarily in that order."

Those had been his words to her, the first time they'd made love. He remembered her answer. "I can do that."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

She leaned against him, sighed. He had the feeling she needed to hear something more, but he didn't know what it was. He opted just to hold her, dusting her face with kisses, until she pulled away, reluctantly.

"Tobias is back."

"On the gangway?" Maybe she had an intruder signal he'd missed. He had been somewhat distracted the past few minutes.

She shook her head. "At the corridor airlock."

Still on station. And the airlock vidcam wasn't on in the ready room. "You can tell that?"

Her response was the slight raising of one eyebrow. Then an affirmative. "I can sense someone's arrival, when I need to."

"Can Blass?"

"Let's talk to your team, okay?" She grabbed the back of the chair at the head of the table, swiveled it toward him. "Sit, Admiral Makarian. It's showtime."

* * *

Pryor, Rand and Brogan filed in after Tobias, nodding to Mack as he stood at the head of the table. Doc Janek greeted Gillie warmly when he came in. "You're looking very well, Captain Davré."

She accepted his hand, and his compliment, with a broad smile.

Mack waited while Rand, Janek and Brogan sat in the remaining three chairs. Tobias and Pryor stood behind Janek at the other end of the table.

He glanced at Gillie, then began. "May I present my team: Commander Donata Rand. Doctor Benton Janek. Lieutenant J.G. Josza Brogan. Lieutenant Commander Fitch Tobias. Lieutenant Tarrance Pryor."

Gillie stepped forward as he extended his hand in her direction. "Ladies and gentlemen, Captain Gillaine Davré, Raheiran Special Forces."

Only Brogan looked surprised, but then, she was the youngest on his team. Tobias and Janek had known Gillie was Raheiran. Pryor and Rand had no doubt guessed Gillie was the friend whose identity he'd been protecting.

Gillie clasped her hands behind her back, military fashion, but it was a comfortable stance, neither overbearing, nor tense. "I wish we were all gathering here under more pleasant circumstances. But recent events, and certain persons on station, have decreed it otherwise. Just as they've decreed that I can't remain anonymous, as much as I'd prefer to.

"I'm in the odd position of being an official representative of my people, yet not specifically to Cirrus One. This is why I asked Admiral Makarian not to reveal my participation. Other than the admiral, and now, all of you, no one in your government knows I'm here. There could be-there undoubtedly will be-ramifications because of this." She nodded her head slightly.

Mack understood her concern. Her actions would reflect not only on her career but on the Raheira as well. That was one of the issues she'd been struggling with.

"But I truly believe I have no choice. Or else I wouldn't have permitted you to come on board. To learn what you're about to learn. I only ask, no, demand this: there are some questions I cannot answer. Please respect that, and understand it has nothing to do with my faith or my trust in each of you." Gillie looked pointedly at Mack. "Or that my omissions are in any way meant to hurt you.

"Now, let me tell you what I know. Then we'll deal with what has to be done."

Mack leaned back and listened as Gillie became the woman he didn't yet know that well, the captain in the Raheiran Special Forces. She succinctly and professionally recapped her information about Magefather Rigo, including that he had been the one to greet Blass's ship when it arrived. She repeated what she'd told him and Tobias earlier about Blass. The Grel Tel'ard mage lineage was old, powerful and true Melandan. And, as such, true Fav'lhir. After more than three hundred years, they were back, once again looking to infiltrate the Khalaran system.

"He has an ancient magecabinet. My people won't create them, but evidently the Fav'lhir have no such scruples. This one has strong, complex, and very dark spellforms."

"You've seen it?" Tobias asked.

Mack heard the note of concern in Tobias's voice and wished he had his second's knowledge. His information on magecabinets was based mostly on childhood scare-tales.

Gillie was nodding. "That's how I found his magename. His cabinet's an essential. It has a living essence, an intelligence, tied, in this case, to Melandan magicks."

Mack didn't like what he heard. It was one thing to ask her to work with his team. It was another to learn what she'd been doing on her own. "You said this magecabinet is very strong."

She hesitated. "I know a few tricks. I had to have his magename, Mack. There are ways to use his name's power against him."

Rand half-raised her hand. "Why didn't you destroy it when you saw it? If that would also destroy him-"

"It wouldn't. But he would've known I was on his ship, in his quarters. He would've undoubtedly returned. Its destruction might also be capable of sending a signal to an awaiting Fav'lhir squadron. Or fleet, possibly with other mages. We'd be dealing with a problem I don't think we're ready for, yet."

"A war of deep magicks," Tobias said.

Mack didn't know what disturbed him more: the potential of a battle of occult powers, which would be dangerously chaotic from what he knew, or the fact that Gillie had been on Blass's ship, and he hadn't been there to assist.

"You're mageline, then." Rand, as always, probing, questioning.

"Yes."

"Stronger than Blass?"

Gillie pursed her lips for a moment.

"If you can't answer that...," Rand offered.

"I'm trying to explain it so you'll all understand. And so that Admiral Mack doesn't stop asking me out to dinner," she added, glancing again at him.

Mack smiled at her but his mind toyed with what she admitted. She had strong mage talents. Stronger than he knew, stronger than she thought he'd be comfortable with. He wasn't sure how he felt about that; he only knew this wasn't the time to dwell on it.

Janek's chuckle broke the slight tension in the room. Mack realized he wasn't the only one hanging on her answer.

"Drop the two of us on an uninhabited world, yes," Gillie said finally. "I can take him. But that's not what we have here. Blass will use everything here against us. Against me.

"That's why the element of surprise is so important. Once Blass learns I'm here, he'll fight dirty. He won't care how many people die around him. He doesn't have to keep everyone on this station alive. I do."

"We do," Mack corrected. Her personal sense of responsibility awed him but annoyed him at the same time. This was his station, his command.

Gillie faced him. "Understand this well, Admiral Makarian. When it comes to a Grel Tel'ard sorcerer, there's very little you, or the Khalar Fleet, can do. This is my territory, just as it was..." She stopped, blinked. Shook her head. "This is my fight. I'm sorry."

"It's not yours alone," Mack persisted.

"You're absolutely right. It's not." Her wry smile, and sudden about-face, puzzled him until she continued. "I have Simon."

The ready room shifted, bulkheads sheeted in crystal, odd-shaped power panels appearing suddenly on their surface. Rand gasped, obviously surprised even though Mack had told her the truth about Gillie's ship. Brogan's head swiveled left and right. Janek only raised an eyebrow. Tobias had a strangely rapt expression on his face and looked as if he were about to drop to his knees in adoration.

Pryor cleared his throat. "The Serendipity's a crystalship."

"Raptor-class," Gillie said.

"And my name is Simon." Mack heard the familiar male voice issue from the bulkhead panels. "I've worked with Captain Davré for many years now, and am quite capable of assisting her in this matter."

"Incredible," Pryor said.

"Thank you," Simon replied. "I do try."

"Simon." Tobias pronounced the name slowly. "Sentient Integrated MObile Nanoessence."

"Excellent, Lieutenant Commander Tobias." Simon sounded pleased. "Quite correct."

"And the NIFTYs-"

"Later, Lieutenant?" Mack knew of Tobias's fascination with technology. Raheiran technology could easily become an obsession.

"Of course, sir. Sorry."

"Is Blass's ship like yours?" Rand asked Gillie.

"It's a crystalship. But it doesn't have Raptor-class capabilities. And it's essenmorgh. It has no innate intelligence or life essence."

Rand splayed her fingers on the table. "So his ship can't assist him like Simon can."

"Not independently."

"Why did the Fav'lhir send him so ill-prepared?" Pryor asked.

"He's not ill-prepared. He's just not expecting me to be here. A Grel Tel'ard sorcerer, with whatever other Fav'lhir agents are already here, would be able to seriously compromise this station. At least, long enough for reinforcements to arrive." Gillie nodded to Mack.

If the station were unsecured, on total open access for a week, reinforcements could arrive quickly. And in large numbers. Mack knew, now, what Blass's plans were. "We found out about an hour ago that Blass, using his influence with the Prime Hostess, and through her, the chancellor, is demanding a week of unmonitored access to Cirrus. In celebration of the opening of the shrine. Because Lady Kiasidira told Rigo this is what she wants," he added.

An intense fire blazed in Gillie's eyes. "Fielgha."

"Temper," Simon intoned.

"Well put, My Lady. Captain Gillie." Tobias smiled thinly when she glanced at him. "I speak a little Raheiran."

Gillie arched an eyebrow in answer, then turned to Mack. "Blass has friends out there somewhere. If he's asking for a week of no security scans, then we can assume at worst, they're three, four days out. Probably much closer than that. Simon?"

"Working on it now. But my longest range is short of that."

"How far can your sensors reach?" Mack asked. They were facing an invasion. An imminent one. Suddenly he found his heart pounding, his adrenaline racing, and it wasn't a totally unpleasant sensation.

"I recalibrated your sensors several weeks ago but haven't activated all the upgrades yet. I can personally tell you you're clear to six hours past your outer beacon, Admiral. But that's only thirty-two to thirty-five hours from here. Not enough."

Rand leaned forward. "The Vedritor..."

"Doesn't have my capabilities to detect cloaked ships, and the Fav'lhir may come in cloaked. That's one of the enhancements I added to your Ops, by the way. Shall I activate that now?"

Mack still had to remember not to face the comm panel when he talked to Simon. "Wait. CQPA personnel aren't going to understand. I'll send Tobias and Rand to talk to Hebbs." He looked at Gillie. "I'm sorry. It seems a few more people are going to have to know at least some minimal information. I'll do what I can to keep your name out of it."

"I understand." Her voice was soft.

Rand stood when Tobias stepped behind her. "We'll make sure the uproar's kept to a minimum, Captain."

"Talk to Simon on a closed commlink through the Serendipity. He'll guide you."

"Understood, Captain. And...thank you." Rand inclined her head respectfully, hurried out, Tobias striding behind her.

"I can request assistance from Fourth Fleet," Mack said after the door closed, "but it will take them at least three days to move ships here. We have one bay on open access starting in two hours."

Gillie frowned, clasped her hands at her midsection. "Alert Fourth Fleet," she said after a moment. "I can stop Blass from taking control of this station. But I can't stop Fav'lhir ships from attacking it. If there's a squadron out there, and they get close enough to do that, whether their sorcerer is alive or dead will matter little to them. Or us."

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