Captive - Cheryl Brooks Page 0,92
say. She was about to ask what sort of life form a Nedwut would consider cute when she realized she really didn’t want to know.
What she did want to know was how he’d convinced the other Nedwuts to turn on Pelarus. “So tell me, was the mass revolt of the guards your doing?”
“Not really. Word came from the dungeons that something was up. Not sure who got the ball rolling, but I’m guessing one of your buddies was responsible.”
She chuckled as she veered to avoid picking off a family of Scorillians. “With Moe being an essentially honest man, my money is on Temfilk and Nexbit. Once they get an idea, they keep harping on it until you’ll agree to almost anything just to shut them up.”
“The guards probably didn’t take much convincing,” Harlex admitted. “After a while, you get kinda sick of seeing your boss living like a king while you’re barely scraping by. Once that notion takes root, revolution starts to sound pretty good.”
“You guys had it better than a lot of people, especially my gang. I mean, you at least had paying jobs and a place to live.”
“True, but you and your gang were folk heroes. We were just hired muscle.”
“Too bad that folk hero distinction doesn’t come with a paycheck.” She shook her head. “I still don’t get that part.”
“Underdogs need heroes more than most, and an underdog who manages to thrive in spite of persecution is an inspiration to everyone except the people in charge.”
Klara and her gang hadn’t exactly been thriving. Surviving, perhaps. But not thriving. After a brief internal debate, she simply said, “I suppose so.” Although, once again, she was struck by the inherent humor of their conversation. “What made you so philosophical?”
“Years of guard duty,” he replied. “Most of the time, about all you can do is stand there and think. It’s a wonder more guards don’t come up with radical ideas.”
“Probably because all most of them think about is going home.” In her quieter moments, Klara had pondered the best ways of keeping her gang safe and fed. Nothing else had ever seemed as important. Now she would have children to look after.
And Moe…
She banked the speeder into the last turn before the long, straight road to the spaceport, then tapped the control panel hoping to coax a little more power from the engine. Before she could think about keeping Moe safe and fed, she first had to ensure that he didn’t die.
As they sped down the road, she began to notice several groups of Haedusians heading in the same direction. She waved a hand toward one of the larger clusters. “Any idea what that’s all about?”
“Dunno,” Harlex replied. “Might be following Moe and Pelarus, same as us. Maybe hoping to be on hand for the final showdown.”
Klara let out a derisive laugh. “If there is a showdown. Pelarus had a big head start on the rest of us.”
“Even so, he might be in for a surprise when he gets to the spaceport. Don’t know how far the word has spread, but he may have a hard time finding anyone to help him. Not being the type to get his hands dirty, I’d be willing to bet he doesn’t know how to fly a ship.”
“You’re probably right.” If only it could be that simple. An entire city against one man with wings and possibly a pulse pistol or two rather than Moe taking him on singlehanded. “We really need to catch him alive, though. I mean, if he dies before we figure out where all the money went…”
“We’re no better off than we were before,” Harlex concluded. “Still, with him gone, things are bound to improve. They can’t be any worse.”
Klara disagreed. Having lived on the street for most of her life, she’d known fear, hunger, and despair. Without any semblance of law and order—no matter how autocratic—conditions could get much, much worse. Without anyone to pay for the goods they carried, supply ships wouldn’t even bother to land. Before long, there would be panic in the streets, with people fighting over the last of the food and what little water remained. Thousands might die before help arrived, if indeed it ever did. The mere thought made her shudder. Oh, yes, life in Srekatoa could get very ugly very quickly. And if the Nedwuts were to take over…
As allies went, she wasn’t convinced they were the best choice, despite being the strongest, if not the most numerous, allies she had. Harlex