Norian, the power just went out across both Alliances, Lissa sent mindspeech to her mate. If anyone knew what was at the bottom of this, he would. Nobody can access anything. Vehicles are stopped in the streets. Transportation and informational systems are blocke {ms t;Cord everywhere. The hospitals are on backup solar power, but this could be disastrous. Norian, what's going on? Lissa's voice held panic and Norian wasn't used to hearing that.
We're working on it, all right. I'll contact you when we have a handle on this. In the meantime, if you or any of those others that you know can help us out, I'd appreciate it. Norian cut off the communication. The command ship was entering Cloudsong's airspace.
Dantel would never dream of attacking anyone or anything. His power lay in ordering others about. Nedrizif, too, was now marshaling his forces. I watched as at least seventy of Zendeval Rjjn's race became darker creatures and rushed toward me, even as others continued to fire laser pistols and rifles that had little effect. One thought to attack me with a sword. He was now ash at my feet.
Nedrizif should have learned from that example. Seventy black-scaled creatures thought to attack me with fists, teeth and claws. They burned just as the first one had, winking out of existence as their flesh was incinerated in an instant. I briefly wondered how that might feel, their lives winking out so quickly.
I turned my attention to the last two brains as Dantel Schuul screamed at those around him. I'm sure he was watching all his dreams blown to bits before his eyes. Meanwhile, the buyers had learned their lesson—they were running from Cloudsong's old palace. Nedrizif, in an ill-advised and final effort, shouted for his controlled slaves to attack me.
"If it isn't female or looks like this," Norian pointed out the vid-image of Reah in Thifilatha, "then shoot first and ask questions later," he ordered as the ship's door opened to allow his troops to disembark. "You all know what Dantel Schuul looks like. Spare him if you can, I want to speak with him first. Go." Norian nodded and the first ship sent its soldiers onto Cloudsong's soil.
Filled as I was with solar power, I made Nedrizif's Ranos launcher disintegrate before he could lift it to fire. Nedrizif was blasted away immediately after. His slaves were still rushing me—they must have been brought by the hundreds. They died just as easily as the rest. They were innocents, though, and I wept scalding tears as their lives were snuffed out.
I had no idea where Zendeval and Perdil had gone—I was only seeing and dealing with the mindless slaves Dantel was now sending against me. And then I saw them—Dantel had ordered Zen to attack me; Perdil struggled to pull him back. For a moment, I negated my ability to burn and slapped them away, before restoring my burning talent as a new wave of controlled slaves attacked. I wept again as they screamed and died.
Faldin and Darletta were cowering in a corner, hoping to escape my notice after the last slave perished, when Norian, Lendill and the ASD army they'd brought with them blasted their way into the palace.
I sat heavily on the dusty, stone floor, suddenly feeling weary as Dantel and his cronies gave up easily. I overheard Dantel assuring Darletta that his lawyers would get them out of this. Lendill came to stand before me. I looked down at him, wiping away another scalding tear so it wouldn't fall on him. He knew better than to touch any part of me at that moment.
"Reah?" That's all he said. One word that held reams of questions. I didn't answer a single one of them. I skipped away, instead.
{.* * *
Three days. Three of the longest days ever felt in either Alliance. Nothing was recorded, nothing announced, nothing built, copied, manufactured, researched. No government conducted business. Everything was at a standstill. Constabulary everywhere were hard pressed to keep some elements of the population under control—they were looting. Not just food and other necessities, but anything else they could lay their hands on. Surprisingly, no comp-based devices were taken—they weren't working anyway.
During that time, anyone who could fold space shunted work crews here and there, removing the remnants of the controlling devices placed inside informational systems and bringing them back online after three difficult and grueling days. Ildevar Wyyld and Teeg San Gerxon took to the vid waves immediately after, reassuring both Alliances that everything was now under control. They explained how the pirates had managed to take control, albeit briefly, but now, steps would be taken so that no system might be taken over like that again.
"Think you convinced 'em, bro?" Tory cast a worried glance at Gavril. The two-click announcement, followed by a brief press conference, had worn him out. Still, there was no word on Reah. Gavril had even attempted to contact Nefrigar, but the Larentii wasn't answering his mental pleas for help.
"There's a lot to do and many will not understand how we let this happen," Gavril raked fingers through his hair. "I don't understand how we let this happen. We were trying to treat the various symptoms, and not seeing clearly the underlying cancer. I understand Wylend's timing, now."
"Wylend? What does he have to do with this?"
"I think Griffin warned him that something terrible might come, and he wouldn't be prepared to handle it. Not without Ry at his side or in charge. I think those rogue warlocks were in league with these other f**ks. This went farther than most people imagined." Gavril paced inside his private study. Dee was in his office, fielding calls and making reassurances across the Campiaan Alliance. Others were doing the same for Ildevar Wyyld and the Grand Alliance Council.
"Meanwhile, Reah is still missing."
"Yeah. I have no idea where to look for her, and frankly, we all have our hands full here. There's no time or resources to search for her now."
"What do you think really happened? On Cloudsong? Norian and Lendill say the ASD swooped in and saved the day. We both know Reah was there. What happened, bro?"
"I don't think Lendill and Norian know the whole of it," Ry folded in. "Dad's watching over the flocks," he held up a hand. "We need to find Reah. You know she and I," he tapped his chest.
"Yeah, Lendill told us," Tory grumbled.
"Now you know," Ry said.
"How did you deal with that, all those years?" Gavril offered Ry a pointed look.
"Kept my mouth shut and my eyes looking elsewhere," Ry replied readily. "When Great-Grampa was out of the picture, that made it easier, but I had to wait for the right opportunity. After watching live sex shows on Stellar Winds, I couldn't help myself."
Tory ducked his head to hide the snicker. Gavril and Ry heard it anyway.