Conduit - M J Marlow (best short books to read txt) 📗

and he could not do it. He dropped the knife and left me curled up in a ball, grieving for the Emperor. He remained outside and assured the officer who came to check that the Sylenni fledgling had been executed as ordered. He waited until I had quieted and then he came back into the cabin. He picked me up in his arms and laid me on the bed. “He did not want you returned to your people, little one,” he said as he lowered himself over me. “So I shall make you mine!” I sent him flying and watched him fall with a moan. I dressed and made my way to the control deck, where I took a place where I could see and not be seen. I took over the pilot’s mind and we headed to the planet. The escorts called in, demanding to know what was going on. I had the communications officer close that channel as his companions tried to stop him. I searched their minds and sent those who were still loyal to the Emperor out and locked the doors. The remaining officers bowed as I took the throne. “This is Dulcinea, Queen of the Sylenni,” I said over the intercom. “If you wish to be free of the Emperor’s misrule, go to your cabins. You have fifteen minutes to comply.” I closed the channel. “Once the time is up, I want you to send gas throughout the ship. Leave only this control center and the crew quarters untouched.” “Yes, my lady,” the officer in charge of such things bowed his head. “Open a channel to the planet.” I said to the communications officer. He nodded. “This is Dulcinea, Queen of the Sylenni,” I said over the line. “Warriors of the Dyhazri, you will stand down until we arrive with your orders. This is your Queen’s order and you will obey.” I nodded and the channel closed. I sank back and closed my eyes. “He did not have to die,” I frowned at the wasted life. “He could have learned a new way.” “The Vyrashtu Emperor was too enamored with power, O Queen,” the officer nearest me said. “His people have long forgotten the basic tenets of family and honor.” The gas went off and I felt minds closing down. I was astonished at the number of them that had chosen freedom. I double checked their minds and locked the doors of the cabins of those who were merely waiting me out. Still so many wanting to be free, I smiled. I got up and went to the launch with a band of officers as my guard of honor. We landed at the conclave sight and I approached the podium. The Dyhazri warriors went to their knees and bowed their heads and the Earth rulers knew I was indeed a power to deal with. “The Emperor would have turned your planet into a livestock pen,” I told them bluntly. “That is not my will. I leave you to rule your world as you have as long as you are willing to welcome our races as equals, as friends.” I looked through the Dyhazri minds and the ones who could not be trusted collapsed. “These ones would seek destruction and dominance,” I told them all. “They will be returned to their home world where they can do you no harm.” I nodded to my allies and they dragged the unconscious warriors to the launch.” I searched the minds of the earth rulers and frowned. “You have a long way to go in your path to a world that is one, I’m afraid. I could force you to comply,” I felt their anger and their fear, “but that is not my way. You will have to find your own path. My only warning is this, if you come together with the intent of harming me or my own, I will stop you.” The Dyhazri left and I stood watching the vessels leave the surface. I made certain that the officers in charge were allies and that they were truly in control of their vessels and then I turned my eyes back to see my mates landing nearby. I threw myself into their embrace, and let them release the pain and fear from my mind. We ignored the earth rulers; they did not matter to us at the moment. “Your Highnesses.” I turned to see the President of the United States standing near, uneasy and uncertain. I smiled and I saw his confidence level rising. He held out his hand and the Sylenni males shook it. I did not touch him. The princes told him it was not our way to allow their queen to be touched and to touch other males. He accepted that and faced us. “You have much you can teach us,” he said simply. “If you wish to stay, we would welcome you.” “We have a home, Mr. President.” Ashad told him bluntly. “But,” he continued as the President looked crestfallen, “we are open to visiting. You may contact General Amos Wainwright in Luzerne, Switzerland. He is our chosen emissary.” I saw him standing in the background and pulled him forward. “General Wainwright, ladies and gentlemen. You may speak to him now about arranging visits. We will retire.” We rose into the sky and flew southward. We did not stop until we arrived where I needed to be. I landed on the lawn outside of Gramps’ house and watched as he and the children came out. They were all there, staring at me. I knew they had feared I was dead, but I needed to see them. I smiled and felt their fear ease. I smiled at Gramps as Jason and Jonas came forward to greet their friends and mentors. I bent down to pick up Adam, who was toying with the collar on my throat. I took it off and let him play with it. I was no one’s slave. “Gramps,” I cried happily as he took me in his arms. “I’m so glad to see you again. “These are my friends, the Sylenni princes: Ashad, Bindri, Chandri, Dovid and Everd.” “We were just about to have dinner, Your Highnesses,” Gramps smiled as he shook their hands. “Would you care to join us?” “I would like nothing better,” I told him truthfully, “but I fear it must be another time. We have been away from the valley far too long. There is so much work to be done and I am eager to get started.” “How sweet!” Winston snapped as he came out of hiding. His men shot my mates and he met my eyes. “I am afraid you are going to have to disappear now, Your Majesty. The Vyrashtu do not wish the Sylenni to rise again.” “You said no one would get hurt,” Snitch protested as he came out of the shadows and saw my mates on the ground. “No one is hurt, boy,” Winston replied. “They are merely sleeping.” He shoved Snitch aside. “It goes like this, Your Majesty. You come with us willingly and we let the princes live. You refuse and we will kill them. You will still come with us and their young will die from lack of care wherever you have hidden them.” “This is unnecessary, Doctor,” I protested. “Anything this world needs, within reason, we would give willingly.” “We want it all, Your Highness,” Winston replied as he cuffed my wrists behind my back and shoved me to his men. “Snitch?” The boy turned, frowning. “Thank you for valuable assistance.” He shot the boy and strode away as I was forced after him. They got me into the van and shoved me into a cage meant for a large dog. “Don’t try anything cute, Queenie,” Winston said as he met my eyes. “We can always come back and finish off that little family.” “You don’t have to do this!” I protested again. I whimpered as he grabbed my hair and yanked. As he held me, one of his men opened the door and shoved a gag in my mouth. Winston tied the ends together on the outside of the cage. They laughed as I cursed at them through the gag. “That’s better,” Winston nodded. “Do we have that drug Gibbons people designed for her?” A man held up a needle. “Give her just enough to make her docile. I want her lucid enough to understand what is happening to her.” The needle bit into my arm and I felt my head begin to spin. I tried to call for help but all I got was static. They removed the gag and I backed away from them. “We are not going to hurt you, Queenie. You are far too valuable to us alive.” He looked at that man. “That same dosage every four hours until we arrive, Dawson.” I started to float and I stopped paying attention them. They did not matter. It was the men they worked for I had to deal with. I let them give me their shots and kept trying to reach my mates. But I still got nothing but static. I wondered if there was something in the van walls keeping me from making contact. I tried to search my captors’ minds but they were null. That wasn’t right, I frowned as I sank back wearily. No mind was null to me. Winston crouched down in front of the cage and I looked at him. “We know about you, Queenie,” he said as he tapped his ear. I noted the earpiece. “All of us are guarded against your tricks; a gift from the Vyrashtu.” I lowered my head to my knees and let myself collapse. I was going to learn nothing from these men. I dozed off and felt a bump as the van entered something. I could see nothing so I just let my head fall again. We drove on another five minutes and then the van stopped. Two of the men put a cover over the cage and put two poles through the bars and the cover. I heard the door open and they were lifting the cage, with me inside it, out of the van. I had no idea where they were taking me and I was getting angry at being abused like this. When were people going to stop thinking they could do such things to me? I heard elevator doors and felt descent. Several long moments later the elevator stopped and the doors opened. Several more moments passed as I was carried along blind to somewhere only my captors knew. A door hissed open, a door was unlocked, and the cage was set down. The poles were pulled out, the cover was removed, and I saw the enclosure. We were back in the first base I had been brought to. “Welcome home, Queenie.” Winston smiled as he prodded me in the shoulder with one of the poles. I moved into the enclosure and they pulled the cage out and locked the enclosure door. “Get used to it. You’ll be here for the rest of your life.” “I’ve heard that before,” I snapped at him. I looked around the enclosure and it had everything I required. I sank down on a boulder. “I am not an animal, Doctor. It would be nice if someone who kidnapped me would remember that.” “You’re not kidnapped, Queenie,” Winston laughed. “You’re dead.” My head turned towards him and he nodded. “We supplied your mates with a body. They are taking you to your little valley to be buried now.” “How could you supply them with a body?” I asked. “I am unique!” “We found a dead Sylenni female in the Vyrashtu cruiser,” Winston told me. “A little mutilation, color changes to hair and eyes, and voila; one dead queen.” He saw my expression. “They can’t hear you from here, Queenie. You are several hundred feet underground and the walls are built