Crisis Of Empire - Crown Of Empire Part 4

"Look!" Kitchley called to Jessine.

"You look," said Jessine, staring out the win- dow in horror. Two armored troop carriers hovered in the central quad.

Kitchley turned, the enormity of their prob- lem becoming abundantly clear. 'That is not my escort. How did they manage?"

"Inside help, or they've taken more of the complex than we realized," Jessine replied, still staring.

"Down!" Jessine dropped to the floor, one

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Chelsea Qimzn Yarbro

hand dragging Kitchley's sleeve. She dared not raise her head to see if he was safe. The window

vanished with a crash.

The black snout of one of the APC's poked

through the empty window. Laser-cannon set in the turret moved restlessly, for all the world like antennae. Still on the floor, Jessine tried to wrig- gle backwards, away from the advancing vessel-

Kitchley checked the wall screen. The black- clad guards were making for the inner door.

Jessine climbed to her feet and tried again to reach the hidden dropshaft. Kitchley rolled under a claw-footed couch. The first man into the room from the APC grabbed for Jessine, his hand just brus.h.i.+ng her tunic. She let her breath out. She was going to make it. Then a line of red light Hashed between her and the dropshaft. She stopped short, stumbling, and the man had her.

d.a.m.n! But she gained her balance again.

Moving with his pull on her arm, Jessine swung her fist back into the soldiers groin. She felt her hand bruise against the sh.e.l.l of his cup. The sol- dier grunted, but didn't let go. Jessine kept turning, her right hand coming up and around.

As her head turned and she saw his face s.h.i.+eld, she speared her hand at his throat. This time, he let go. But the other guards were on them. There were too many, and Jessine was overwhelmed

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and carried back toward the window. The Cemi- ans were in the next room and the walk were starting to tremble.

The side bay door of the APC slid open and soldiers inside reached out to grab her. More sol- diers swarmed around her, forcing her through the door. Below them a second troop carrier was holding off soldiers on the ground.

The Germans had almost destroyed a second interior wall and were now training their weap- ons on the troop carrier.

The troop carrier's turret laser-cannon swung around and fired a short burst into the center of the Germans.

Three of the Germans were shattered by direct hit, bits of their uniforms and flesh flung about the room in sizzling, puking heaps. The others drew back out of the room.

"Get out of here," one of the officers ordered, and the troop carrier slid back from the wreckage ofJessine's suite, to hover over the other troop car- riers in the quad. "And take care of Merimee."

"Who the h.e.l.l do you think you are?"

demanded Jessine.

A tall young man pushed his way through his men. "Lieutenant Varrick of the Kona Tatsu, Madame Merimee. Our orders are to get you to safety."

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Chelsea Quinn Yarbro

Jessine was seldom called by her maiden name these days, and that caught her attention even as she was pushed firmly into an accelera- tion couch.

Lieutenant Varrick secured the final buckles.

"Just lie back and relax, Madame. You can't do anything for the High Secretary now. Leave it to

us."

"Who sent you?" she demanded.

"Damien Ver," said the lieutenant.

The answer left Jessine with more questions, but none she thought Lieutenant Varrick could

answer.

"Opponent approaching. Opponent approach- ing," declared the carriers computer voice. "Directly

above."

"Above?" repeated Varrick as a shadow came

over them.

"Opponent identified," the computer said

calmly. "Naval a.s.sault frigate. Logistics garrison."

"Logistics? Sclerida!" Jessine slapped at the harness release and launched herself from the couch. She shoved through the packed men to

the open bay. "Oh my G.o.d!"

"Nav, evasive action," ordered Varrick.

"Comm, I don't suppose the/re hailing us."

The hail came direct from a loudspeaker.

'Troop carrier. Troop carrier. This is your order

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to surrender. Repeat, this is your order to surren- der. You are out-manned and out-gunned.

Surrender now and no harm will come to you.

All we want is the Laity Jessine."

"If we let her go, Ver wiH take us apart a joint at a time," muttered Varridk He glanced back at Jessine.

Demoiselle, strap in- This might get bouncy."