Deathstalker 08 - Deathstalker Coda
wetly from the steam. And a few shapes so frankly nightmarish even Douglas couldn’t stand to look at them for long. Some held edged weapons, some carried energy guns along with a sprinkling of devices that Douglas couldn’t even recognize. For a long time, the humans and the aliens just stood and looked at each other.
“I have never felt so unwelcome in my life,” whispered Nina. “And I’ve been around.”
“You are our guests,” said a roughly humanoid shape moving forward through the steam to stand before them. It was covered in overlapping silver scales, like a body armor—even the elongated head. Crimson eyes burned balefully behind the silver helm. “I am Toch’Kra, of the Maggara. I speak for the community. Which one of you is King Douglas?”
“That would be me,” said Douglas, pushing Stuart gently but firmly to one side. “Nice place you have here. Very . . . moist. Ingenious use of the pool, to help with gravity.”
“The steam helps too,” said Toch’Kra. “We pump it full of the elements necessary for our survival. We cannot speak of what it will do to your lungs.”
“It’s all right,” said Nina. “We’re not staying.”
“I was once King,” said Douglas. “But Finn stole my throne. Now I am a hunted fugitive like you.”
“Not quite like us, human King. You can at least leave this place, and walk the city. We are trapped here. Once, many of us made up the various alien embassy staffs. We were proud to come here, to Logres, to be part of the great adventure of Empire. We believed we had immunity and protection. Instead, we were hunted down like animals, and those unlucky enough to be caught were butchered, and then eaten or displayed as trophies.”
“I’m sure he’d like to do the same to me, if he could,” said Douglas. “We have a common enemy. I’m here to suggest an alliance against him.”
One of the great shapes lurched half up out of the water, made deep hooting noises, and then fell back again. Water surged up over the side of the pool and soaked the legs of the humans. They stood their ground. They knew they couldn’t afford to appear weak. Toch’Kra nodded to the shape.
“He says, what use can we be? Many of us are dying, from lack of food and proper trace elements. From your oppressive gravity. From the accumulating effects of a hostile environment. And some are simply withering, so far from home or hope or sanity. Most of the support tech designed to maintain us here had to be abandoned when we fled our embassies. Why have you come to us, human King? You have your own people to fight your battles. Most of us couldn’t survive outside these walls.”
“I’m here because you are my people too, and I won’t abandon you,” said Douglas. “This is your rebellion as much as ours. Finn must be brought down, and the old order returned, and for that I’m going to need all the help I can get. Nina. Nina . . .”
“Oh! Yes!” Nina tore her gaze away from the long crooked shape moving slowly across the ceiling, leaving a shiny trail behind it, and concentrated on Toch’Kra. “I’m setting up a rogue news channel and communications site. I’m pretty sure we could punch brief messages through to your home planets. Could they send reinforcements, or other help?”
“No,” said Toch’Kra. “The last reports our embassies received told of human ships quarantining our planets. No one allowed offworld. And there is the constant threat of the transmutation engines. We dare not move openly until Finn’s power has been clearly broken. We have learned to be a practical, paranoid people through our contact with Humanity.”
“Don’t blame us all for Finn’s actions,” said Stuart. “I don’t think he is human, anymore. If he ever was.”
“Fight beside us,” said Douglas. “Set an example for your peoples to follow. Take revenge for what has been done to you. After all, what have you got to lose? Whatever happens in the rebellion, it’s got to be better than hiding out here and dying by inches.”
“True,” said the alien. “Our life here is not so precious that we are keen to prolong it. But neither will we throw our lives away to no good purpose. We remember you, King Douglas. You swore to protect us. You failed. Why should we listen to you now?”
“Back then, I couldn’t even protect myself,” said Douglas. “I was just a man on a throne, betrayed by people I had every reason to trust. Things are different now. I have a
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