In Enemy Territory - Shannon West Page 0,68

he’d asked. And he said it wasn’t strictly a Gatifreyan designation, but one the Gatifreyans used during the war for any high commander. Yet all the armies had been disbanded and soldiers had been mustered out and sent home from every Alliance planet. The name obviously could no longer have any real meaning, so it was an odd name and that bothered him. He felt he must be missing something.

Perhaps it was a courtesy title because the commandant had once been a high-ranking officer and a leader in the Army. Like most of the defeated army officers, perhaps the commandant had found it necessary to make a new life for themselves, but the name stuck. Was this person even really Gatifreyan?

The guards had reacted more violently to the takeover than he’d expected too. Pax had told Kylon early on that though the prisoners had formed groups or gangs within the prison, the only real and common enemy they had was the guards. It was generally agreed that the guards had become much more vicious since the new commandant had arrived to take over operations, less than a cycle ago. Whether that was because of their own natures or the commandant’s influence, Kylon had no idea.

The guards and the commandant were already the natural enemies of the inmates, but the inmates were frightened of being killed or injured by the guards if they showed any defiance to them. The guards were not only ruthless, but could also be savage and cruel.

Now the tables had been turned, but neither Pax nor Kylon would allow their men to harass or intimidate the captured guards. It was going to go hard enough on them all as it was when they finally had to surrender and allow themselves to be taken back into custody by the commandant.

It was actually around ten that morning before the first move in this complicated game was made. The horn sounded over the loudspeakers, three short but insistent blasts. Then the commandant’s voice came across, low and hostile.

“Attention Prisoners. Send out the hostages and surrender yourselves immediately. This misguided and criminal attempt is futile and foolhardy. Your leaders have put you in a dangerous position, and the only way out for you now is to abandon them and come out.”

Pulling a guard up to his feet and over to the door, Kylon opened it just a crack so his voice could be heard. He hid himself well behind the guard and partially in the shadows, holding a disruptor to the back of the guard’s head.

“No one is surrendering! We have a list of demands—meet them and we’ll free the hostages. To show our good faith, we’ll send our list out now with one of our hostages. If you ignore them, or if you try to storm our defenses, we’ll execute the guards and the servers. You have two hours to comply.”

A long silence fell over the yard, and then a series of squawks and whines as the loudspeaker started again. “I do not negotiate with prisoners. Again, send out the hostages and surrender yourselves immediately. Your attempt is futile and doomed to failure. The only way out for you now is to come out and lay down your weapons.”

Kylon ignored the announcement, but he tucked a list of their demands down the front of the guard’s robe and shoved the guard outside to sprawl in the yard. Kylon slammed the door behind them with a bang and bolted it. Rasc was there when he turned around.

“Are you kidding me? You kill these guards and we’re all dead. This isn’t going to work, damn it. Surely you can see that. They’re not even replying to you, just saying the same thing over and over. This commandant is crazy and unpredictable, and they’ll never give in to your demands.”

“Calm down, Rasc. This was only the beginning of our negotiations. The opening shots, if you will. They’ll interrogate the guard, learn how many of us are in here, how many have been taken hostage, what our weak spots are, and so forth. Then they’ll make their move.”

“And in two hours? When you told the commandant you’d start killing hostages?”

“The commandant will make their next move before then. And so will I.”

“I told you I won’t be a party to killing anybody.”

“Yes, you have told me, and I’m suitably impressed at the development of these sudden new morals of yours. But let me worry about this, Rasc.”

“Let you worry about it! Is that all