Deathstalker 03 - Deathstalker War

sword. And SummerIsle, that is the worst case of sneaking around behind someone that I've ever seen. Now relax. We're here to help. The shit is about to hit the fan in a major way, Deathstalker. You've been outlawed."
    David's mouth dropped open. He could hear the girls' shocked gasps, but for a moment he couldn't say anything. It was as though someone had punched him in the stomach and taken away his breath. "What do you mean, outlawed?" he managed, finally.
    "I mean, Lionstone wants your head on a stick," said Stevie One. "Your holding is forfeit. Virimonde is no longer yours, and there's a big reward waiting for anyone who brings Lionstone your head, preferably unattached to your body, so the Iron Bitch can spit in your eyes."
    "But why?" said David, almost plaintively. "I've been good. I've kept my head down, like we agreed."
    "Funnily enough," said Stevie Three, "I don't think Lionstone even knows you're a rebel. She wants you dead because you encouraged local democracy and because you stood against her plans for mechanizing this planet. You shouldn't have been so open with your Steward. And you really shouldn't have threatened to go to the
    Company of Lords. Lionstone's calling that conspiracy against the Crown. Every other Lord is scrambling to put as much distance as possible between himself and you. They can see which way the wind's blowing. Luckily for you, Alice's parents are rebels. They told us where to find you. The bad news is that Empire ships ambushed us on the way down and shot the hell out of us. So you can forget about hopping a lift offplanet. We're all stuck here. Your best bet is to run like hell back to your Standing and barricade yourself in. We'll try and work out some way to get you safely offworld. We can't let the Empress have you. You'd be too big a trophy for her to boast over."
    "Oh, thanks a bunch," said David.
    "Hold everything," said Kit. "What about me? Am I outlawed too?"
    "Hell no," said Stevie One. "You're still the Iron Bitch's darling. Her favorite killer, apart from the Consort."
    "Unless you try and defend the Deathstalker," said Stevie Three. "In which case, you get to stand trial beside him."
    "She's right, Kit," said David. "We'd better split up. If they find you in my company, they could declare you guilty by association. I'll take the flyer in the stable and head back to the Standing. You and the Blues can get the girls to safety."
    "Forget it," said Kit. "I'm not leaving you. You wouldn't last ten minutes without me."
    "You'd be putting your life at risk!" said David.
    "Good," said Kit. "It's been far too quiet around here. I was only saying I could use a little action. But may I suggest we use the tavern viewscreen to check out the situation at the Standing first? You have enemies there, as well
    as friends."
    "Good point," said David. "Alice, Jenny, you'd better get out of here. Go home, and keep your heads down till this is over. If they ask, you barely knew us.
    It'll be safer that way."
    "I'm afraid it's not that simple," said Stevie Three. "You haven't heard all of it yet."
    David stared at her. "There's more?"
    "You aren't the only one that's getting the chop," said Stevie One. "The whole planet's been outlawed. Normally that would mean a scorching, but Lionstone has plans for Virimonde. So she's sending in the troops, to punish the rebellious and bring the survivors under direct Empire rule. The first troop ships should be landing by now. It's war, Deathstalker. The whole planet's under attack."
    "My parents," said Alice, numb with the shock of the news. "They're high up in the local underground. If the Empire's infiltrated our ranks, they'll be targets. We have to contact them, David!"
    "First things first," said Kit. "First we try the Standing."
    "You're a rebel, too?" said David to Alice. "Why didn't you tell me?"
    "Hell, we're all rebels here," said Jenny. "Not much else to do for excitement on a backwater dump like this."
    "The Standing," said Kit. "We have to know, David."
    They gathered together in front of the viewscreen on the tavern wall, and David put in a call to the Standing, using his emergency codes. The Steward answered immediately, as though he'd been waiting for the call.
    "My lord, where are you? I've been trying to locate you for hours! It is imperative that you return to the Standing immediately, to answer the ridiculous charges set against you."

    "Where's my Security chief?" said David. "He's supposed to answer my emergency codes."
    "He