Night Song (The Guild Wars Book 9) by Mark Wandrey (best ereader under 100 .txt) 📕

wore pants and a vest, too, their skin as tough as light armor. This one had a coat of a greenish fur and a hood partially obscuring its face. He caught a brief view of eyes looking at him, then the door closed again.

“What was that?” Alan asked.

“One of their females,” Jill said. “They never leave the barracks. I think they’re afraid of us.”

Alan nodded and followed her through their door. Though something very non-Lumar-like in the way the female had looked at him stuck with him. He decided he’d like a chance to meet one of the females.

* * * * *

Chapter 6

Vergola Assault Base—E’cop’k System

Thrills of excitement raced from the soles of Veska’s booted feet to the top of her skull. The battle had petered out with the removal of the Paku from the fight, and the captain had ordered the Gheshu further outsystem. Then…then she had allowed Veska to join her and A’kef for further discussion of how matters stood in E’cop’k.

Veska was not invited to speak, not with the captain and Rei’Shin having so much to discuss, but regardless, it was all she could do to keep the tips of her ears from trembling and revealing her delight at being in the room. Makori would howl to hear it, which added a measure of sweetness.

The actual facts of their situation were not nearly so enjoyable, but Veska had been a mercenary long enough to take joy where she could. That and her trust in her leaders kept her hopeful even when everything the captain said landed with the weight of unfortunate news.

“Any attack on their position could bring harm to the pups and end Krif’Hosh altogether.”

“They are not pups anymore,” the captain pointed out, pacing the length of her bare desk. “And they have the Human armor, you said. It makes Humans damned hard to kill. If their Human guardian takes his job as seriously as you say, I cannot conceive of a world where the Zuul version does any less to keep its occupant alive.”

“If you lead an attack, I would put my faith in that, rather than the luck of Human engineering. It has long been known that what Nillab of Insho’Ze, Fi to the Hosh aims for, she does not miss.”

“Do not flatter me and expect to end the hunt, Rei’Shin.” The captain flicked an ear dismissively, but A’kef did not move his own in apology, he only stared at her until she continued. “I have a contract.”

“You have a prior contract with the Hosh.”

“With Krif’Hosh, and that contract ended before the clan.” Her voice roughened, and she snapped her jaw, turning away from them to stare at the etching on the wall. The three Hosh, the balance of the Zuul, under the spiral symbol of Coshke. The Hosh, bearers of Coshke.

Veska’s eyes traced the familiar banner. She’d known the legend of the captain since she’d first focused her eyes on anything other than food.

Nillab of Insho’Ze, littermate to Veska’s own granddam. Nillab of Insho’Ze, who fought so ferociously a Hosh had taken notice and promoted her. Nillab of Insho’Ze, who had saved the Kal’Shin of a Hosh, losing half her jaw and a section of her skull in the process. Nillab of Insho’Ze, who had had her face reconstructed, her new teeth coated in unbreakable metal, and had completed over a hundred contracts for Krif’Hosh before retiring in glory and riches.

Nillab, who had left retirement and returned to Insho’Ze when Krif’Hosh had disappeared on a contract far across the galaxy.

Veska had done everything in her power to be worthy to train under the oldest captain in Insho’Ze, and had reveled in every second of the grueling time.

She had never seen the captain show doubt.

Until now.

“Nillab, as Rei’Shin—”

“I have accepted a contract, Rei’Shin.” The captain did not turn back to look at either of them. Tension held her ears and tail perfectly still. “Shall I dishonor Insho’Ze by breaking it?”

The silence held so long, Veska vibrated with it, saliva pooling in the back of her mouth.

“No,” A’kef said as he must, as Veska knew he would.

She thought of Rex, across the system with the Humans, and swallowed both the snarl and howl that wanted to shake straight through her. They were Zuul. They would do as they must. They would do as honor demanded. Unto the end.

* * *

Fak’l dismissed the report from his slate with a silent curse. This entire operation was bending like an over-extended limb, threatening to crack at any time. The tactical situation had been solidifying, if slowly. Now a message from the cursed Sumatozou running the gate. Fak’l reached a hand out and plucked a headset from its stand like it was a delicate flower.

“This is Master Guildsman Fak’l; connect me to the stargate.” A moment later a trumpeting voice replied, translated by his pinplants.

“Gatemaster Jobortogato here.”

“What do you mean, I can’t break the lockout?” Fak’l demanded.

“It means what I said.” The delay was only a couple of seconds. In a system as small as E’cop’k, the Lagrange points were close to the planet.

“Gatemaster,” Fak’l said, a sneer in his voice. “I put you in charge because you assured me it wouldn’t be a problem. How is it you now say it’s impossible?”

“The coding is nothing I’ve ever seen before,” Jobortogato said, and now his voice carried a slight simpering edge to it. “It’s strange, reminiscent of some of the ancient coding I’ve seen.”

“Twenty thousand years ago we allowed you to be the face of the Cartography Guild because you had some skill with computers. You broke the Dusman’s lockouts on the gates and restored commerce. In exchange, we gave the Sumatozou great riches and prestige. It was easier for us to stay back and control from behind.