“Leave the Esteemed One and the stone of God here,” Venturi said. “I will give you my word of honor that none will harm you.”

  I considered his offer for all of a second. A glance at the glaring, hate-filled tigers told me I’d be a fool to trust anyone’s word, especially as I had the one thing they held dear.

  “I believe you, Admiral, but I don’t believe them,” I said. “Now get out of our way. Otherwise…”

  “Do as he says,” the admiral said hoarsely. “We cannot risk the Great Maker’s wrath.”

  Reluctantly, the tigers knelt, even as they glared. Then me, the Esteemed One, the stone of God, Ella and my zagun begun our journey back to the Commando Army’s quarters.

  -19-

  Doctor Sant insisted on joining us. He said to insure good treatment for the Esteemed One. I nodded, but told him, “Stay behind us then.”

  We hustled through the corridors, with the adept and his “stone” in the center of our formation. My zagun aimed their carbines everywhere. I wondered if I should have included gas masks in their kits. I told Dmitri in a loud voice to blow away the artifact if the Lokhars gassed us. If the tigers used listening devices, they now knew better than to try such a move. Even so, the trip was tense and nerve-racking. Finally, we reached the monorail and piled into a car. The thing zipped along at its usual high speed.

  The Esteemed One never said a word. He sat erect, no doubt expecting indignities at any moment. I finally told him, “Look, you’re going to be okay. Doctor Sant is along to see you’re treated with respect.”

  The ancient adept glared at me, but he said nothing.

  I wanted to ask how he liked being in the minority. Should I start talking about his extermination as the Lokhars had done in there about us? How would he like that? Probably, he wouldn’t understand what I was getting at, so I didn’t bother. Besides, I wouldn’t want to seem petty.

  Ella drew me down the aisle away from the adept and from Sant. She’d already suggested I stay away from any windows. Maybe the tiger had sharpshooters out there, waiting.

  “This will never work,” she said.

  “Do you have a better suggestion?”

  “Yes,” she said. “We leave the expedition and go home.”

  “Right,” I said. “How do you propose that? Even if they gave us a ship, they’d just blow us away the moment we moved far enough from the dreadnought.”

  She scowled. “This is a mess.”

  “I have it under control.”

  “Why do these things always happen to you, Creed?”

  “The Maximum Princess Nee started this, not me.”

  “No. The Purple Emperor did, if you want to be specific. In a way, I can see his point. The dreadnoughts must represent a vast portion of Lokhar wealth. They’re also the only things that can enter hyperspace. If we’re going to lose them in battle—”

  “That’s not a given,” I said.

  “Do you really believe that?” she asked. “You gave the Lokhars excellent advice back there. Use the T-missiles on the Forerunner artifact. No. In their blindness, they reject the obvious. It is always the same. I do not predict success if they can’t even make the correct decisions.”

  “The T-missiles did seem like a good idea,” I said.

  “Yes,” she said. “That is our biggest problem. The Lokhars think differently from us.”

  “I think the bigger problem is that they want to kill us. I wonder why they’re worried about that anyway. The Kargs are going to devour all of us in the end.”

  “This is a terrible situation,” Ella said.

  “Maybe,” I said. “But it was worse in Antarctica aboard the Saurian lander, and we lived through that.”

  Ella peered at the ancient one. Then she looked at me. “I’d like to study his artifact.”

  I stepped up and put a hand over her mouth. Angrily, she brushed it away.

  “Listen,” I said as quietly as possible. “They could have the car bugged. I’m sure they do.” I winked. Then I pushed her so she staggered backward. “I have given my word. No one touches the stone of God but for the Esteemed One. As long as I live, that is what I will do.”

  Several of my troopers looked up at me.

  Ella muttered darkly and took a seat.

  The rest of the journey proved uneventful. We made it back to our quarters. Once there, I had a meeting with the colonels, explaining the situation.

  “Expel all tigers from our area,” I said. “We will set up a patrolling roster and treat this… Well, we’ll try to act like cops first. If the Lokhars continue breaking in even after we escort the first few out, we’ll kill the others.”

  “Do you expect them to break in?” a colonel asked.

  “I expect everything so I’m not surprised when it happens. This is a combat situation, with our lives at stake. I don’t know if the Lokhars can see reason.”

  “Maybe we should attempt to take over the dreadnought,” a different colonel said.

  “We’re better fighters than the Lokhars, no doubt about that,” I said. “Unfortunately, they have over three million legionaries on this dreadnought alone. We have one hundred thousand troopers. Can each of you kill thirty tigers before they get you?”

  “Why are they acting so crazy?” a colonel asked.

  I shrugged. “I suppose every race has their own taboos. The tigers aren’t any different. We’re breaking them left and right. It’s amazing we’ve gotten as far as we have. Now it’s a matter of waiting and hoping logic gets through to them.”

  We did wait, for three days. We felt the bumps now and again. Each one indicated higher speeds or greater slowdowns.

  During that time, Ella visited the Esteemed One in his holding cell. I had a camera and audio pickup preinstalled and recorded everything. Each night, I watched the recording. This is what Ella did:

  While wearing a flowing nightgown, she came into his cell, kneeling and sitting on her heels, bowing her head and folding her hands in her lap.

  This was Ella? I hardly recognized her. She knelt that way for five minutes, ten, twenty, for two hours in fact. She never said a word. She never looked up. She waited in reverence as the old adept studiously ignored her.

  Finally, the old one stirred. He’d been lying on his cot. Turning his head, he asked, “Why do you mock me?”

  “It is not mockery,” she said in a soft voice.

  He studied her and finally stared at the ceiling again. Another hour passed.

  Weren’t her knees sore? I couldn’t have done that. Well, maybe I could have with someone holding a gun to my head. Then again, I’d already probably have tried for the gun. Clearly, Ella wanted something, and she wanted it badly.

  With a sigh, the old Lokhar sat up. “You must leave. Your presence offends me.”

  Without a word, as demurely as possible, Ella rose and left the room.

  I decided to leave it alone. If I asked, she’d want to know how I knew what she’d done. She must know we had bugged his cell, though.

  The next day, she reentered his cell and did the same thing. She just knelt like a virgin priestess before a holy icon. The Lokhar ignored her just like before.

  Time passed—three hours before he spoke with his paws resting on his frail chest. “Why do you persist in this?”

  “I wish to learn,” Ella said.

  “Learn what?” he asked. “How to provoke a Lokhar high adept?”

  “If my presence disgusts you, tell me please. I will leave.”

  “Yes, go, he said. “Your presence hinders my meditations.”

  She rose demurely and turned to go.

  “That is all?” he asked.

  With her back to him, she asked, “I do not understand, Esteemed One.”

  Air hissed through his nostrils. “I have watched you humans. Your commander is a rash barbarian, without any sense of decency.”

  “He is a fighting man,” Ella said.

  “Lokhar fighters have greater humility and reverence for holy things than your commander does.”

  “Yes. I have seen this to be true, Esteemed One.”

  “When have you?”

  “Commander Creed forced me to attend the strategy session.”

  “You were there?” he asked.

  “When you raised the stone of God…” Ella’s head drooped until her chin touched her chest. “The radiance burned in my eyes and it made my heart thud.”

  “Interesting,” the adept said. “I wonder if it was possible that it burned some of the human dross from your heart. Did a miracle take place?”

  “Do you believe so?” she asked, and she turned, looking at him with hope.

  Was Ella faking this? Why would she…it struck me then. I knew what she was trying to do. She’d wanted to study the Forerunner artifact. Ella was a clever woman indeed. I hadn’t realized she was this deceptive.

  “I had not thought this possible,” the adept said. “Yet your actions these past days…you have acted with Lokhar humility.”

  “I have felt different ever since witnessing the radiance,” Ella said.

  “Why did you don robes?”

  “It…it seemed like the right thing to do.”

  “Hmm,” the Lokhar said, scratching his chin.

  Ella took a step closer. “Esteemed One, could you teach me Lokhar ways? Could you teach me about the Creator and how He left these wonderful artifacts for your race?”

  The old one stared at her. He shook his head. “I do not believe that would be wise.”

  “I understand. I am unworthy for such a task.”

  “What task is this?” he asked.

  “To teach my fellow humans the truth,” Ella said.

  Ten long seconds passed. It seemed forever, as if he’d turned into a statue. Finally, the ancient adept stretched his arms and claws appeared at his fingertips. “I will do it,” he said, in a lofty manner. “Perhaps this is the Great Maker’s…well, never mind.” He pointed at a spot near his cot. “You will kneel and listen, and I will begin to enlighten your heart.”

  Ella did as requested, a fierce light welling in her eyes. I wondered what she’d bring away from this. We needed more knowledge concerning Forerunner artifacts. It might help us later. In any regard, Ella kept the adept busy. She had more time alone with him because I kept sending Sant to Venturi.

  I wanted another meeting. The Supreme Admiral balked at first by always being in conference, unable to reply. Finally, at the end of the third day, Sant returned with a request.

  “The admiral is willing to speak with you,” Sant said. We stood before a holoimage viewing port. It showed star formations I didn’t recognize. One cluster near the upper left corner had different colored lights: blue, orange and red. I’d have liked to visit there.

  “Naturally, I’m willing to speak to him, too,” I said.

  “The admiral asks that you come alone and unarmed,” Sant said.

  “Nope,” I said.

  Sant faced me, looking earnest. “The admiral is insistent on those requirements for personal communication.”

  “That’s nice, and I understand. For I also am insistent, but I’m insistent against his requirements.”

  “You must understand his position, Commander.”

  “Stop right there,” I said. “I don’t have to understand anything of the sort. Tell him I’m getting nervous locked away in here. Tell him when humans get nervous, they break things. The holier the thing they can break, the better.”

  Sant stiffened. “You should not even…joke about such things.”

  “You insult me, Doctor. I’m not joking. I am getting ready to… Well, I don’t want to break the artifact. But I am getting ready to study it.”

  “No!” Sant said. “That would be sacrilege. It is a Lokhar artifact, particularly venerated by those of Orange Tamika. For humans to sully the relic by their touch would lessen its sacred purity.”

  “I guess I don’t see it that way.”

  Sant’s shoulders slumped. “You disappoint me, Commander. I had hoped—but no, I will keep silent on that regard. The admiral anticipated your stubbornness. He gave me a predetermined response. I can see you are intransient. Therefore, the admiral is willing to come here. But he will come in state.”

  “You mean with an honor guard?”

  Sant nodded.

  “Wonderful,” I said. “When does he want to meet?”

  “Two hours from now?”

  “Sure,” I said.

  Sant left to deliver the message.

  I picked a nice spacious room. It had tables, benches, water and food. I lined the walls with two zaguns of troopers. They wore symbiotic armor, complete with helmets and grenades.

  At the end of the two hours, the Supreme Lord Admiral with a retinue of three hundred honor guards, acolytes and adepts solemnly entered our corridors. Some of my soldiers had bagpipes. They wailed Scottish tunes on them, and the tigers looked impressed at the racket.

  I also wore bio-armor. If they were going to assassinate me, they’d have to at least shoot well enough to hit me in the head, as I didn’t wear a helmet.

  Venturi’s guards and acolytes had to stand in the center of the chamber. It turned out I’d barely picked a room big enough to hold everyone.

  “Before I sit with you in conference,” Venturi said. “I would like to see our Esteemed One.”

  I’d anticipated that, and swept my arm to the rear. Dmitri opened the door, and there stood the old and rather forlorn-looking adept. Ella stood behind him, wearing her flowing nightgown.

  “Have they touched the stone of God?” Venturi asked.

  The room grew deathly silent. Every Lokhar leaned forward to hear the answer.

  “No,” the ancient said. “They have awe regarding the relic. I…I am surprised. They esteem what should be esteemed.”

  Admiral Venturi turned to his honor guard and to the adepts and acolytes. “It is as I’ve said. The oracle does not lie. It told us we would gain honorable allies in the humans. They are different from us, but they are able to regard with awe what should be so regarded.”

  Dmitri closed the door and that was all we saw of the Esteemed One.

  Venturi sat down across from me. His aides flanked him at the table. It reminded me of old pictures I’d seen in Time magazine as a kid. On one side of a SALT II negotiating team had been large dour Soviet delegates. On the other side of the table had sat leaner Americans.

  “I am pleased you have treated the Esteemed One with regard,” Venturi told me.

  “He carries the Creator’s…” I groped for the right word.

  “Stone,” Venturi said. “It is the Great Maker’s stone.”

  “Thank you, Supreme Lord Admiral,” I said.

  We stared at each other. He spoke first once again.

  “Perhaps you have tainted me, Commander Creed. I have done a terrible deed.”

  “Yes?”

  “After much thought, I impounded the Emperor’s personal race-vessel. I have kept the crew quarantined from my people. I did this as you suggested, so we could carry on our mission.”

  “You have done your duty to your people and to the universe,” I said.

  “You understand me, I see. Many of my highest officers do not.”

  “It is why you lead Orange Tamika and not them,” I said.

  “Yes. I believe this myself.”

  “How can I assist you?” I asked.

  “Return the Esteemed One to us,” Venturi said promptly.

  “I will…once the Commando Army leaves Indomitable and heads down to the portal planet.”

  “You are making this difficult.”

  “Perhaps you’re right,” I said. “But could it be that the Emperor has made it difficult for both of us?”

  “He has,” Venturi said. He looked away, sighed deeply and regarded me. “It cannot be as it was. You realize this, yes?”

  “How was it?”

  “I took you into our confidence. I let you into the strategy session. That can never happen again.”

  “It doesn’t matter,” I said. “If we close the portal, I am glad and we will have done our duty.”

  “The Lokhars can never trust the humans again,” Venturi said. “After this is over, we will have to go to war against your world.”

  I couldn’t restrain myself at that. “You already went to war against us once.”

  “No. That was to save you—”

  “Okay,” I said. “I can’t do this your way. It’s too slow and it gives me a headache. We have your stone. Are you going to stay on task and attack the portal planet?”

  Venturi glowered, but said, “I am.”

  “Do you want our help closing the portal?”

  Venturi’s chest swelled, and he leaned forward. “You are rash, Earthman. I, too, can throw aside ancient customs and speak as my heart compels me.”

  “It’s about time,” I said.

  He snarled, a loud sound, and he slammed a fist onto the table. “If you touch the artifact, I will return to your world before engaging the Kargs. If you give it back now—”

  “I won’t,” I said. “You get the stone once we leave your dreadnought.”

  He glared at me, and I felt his desire to slash my face into ribbons. He rose, I rose, and our people rose with us.

  “There is nothing left to say,” Venturi told me.

  “How about we practice our maneuvers together against the Karg menace?” I asked.

  “No,” he said. “I will do this without you.”

  “Is that what your oracle said?” I asked.

  He raised his head and roared like a lion from the African veldt. It put a chill in my spine, as my hand strayed to my weapon.

  With a trembling arm, he pointed at me. “You are untrustworthy. I sense it in you, Commander Creed. But I am the Supreme Lord Admiral Venturi. I adhere to my word. On my last mission, I will not sully my honor because Earthmen cannot act with decorum. You will join in the assault once we of Orange Tamika have prepared the way on the portal planet.”

  “Don’t get too puffed up,” I said. “We’re the ones who have to go through to the end. It’s not how you start a mission that counts, but whether you finish it or not.”