Page 95 of Tribute
He looked up to see about a dozen of his former colleagues, all Tribute trainers, pouring into the space. “I need something to trap this fucker in, stat!”
Within moments, the trainers stripped bare one of the man-size resuscitation units from the medical center. They filled it with the soup oozing from the cracks in the wall through which theUngrichhad failed to retreat and seal its space. Shoving the bulk of the tentacled alien inside was like trying to fit a full-growncamrakinto a half-liter observation jar, but they were damn well motivated to make it work.
He crouched down beside the mess of heaving tentacles and straddled the largest that was still connected to the wall. “You want to stay here? Or do you want to go home? Or shall I just send half of you back so you can see how I feel? Give me Anna and we’ll let you go. We’ll even patch up the portal so your world is safe.”
Behind him, the sound of weapons being readied echoed through the cavern. He didn’t bother to turn his head. Not even when he recognized the next voice to raise itself over the din.
“Release theUngrich, Rehz Akran.”
“Fuck off, Palk.”
“I said stand clear.”
“So you can what? Become leader of the Mitan people when theUngrichunleash their power on the surface? What people, Palk? We’ll all be fucking dead.”
“He’s right.” Aled faced Palk and the armed guards. “That’s what this has all been about for theUngrich. Thisresearch? This fuckingtreaty? All so they could find a way to get out of their space and into ours.”
Kai kicked the unit containing theUngrich. “Who are you going to believe, guys? Palk, or me and Rehz?”
Malke took a step toward Kai. “I’d tend to believe you. Palk’s a sadistic bastard.” Shooting his arm out, he disarmed the nearest guard and turned the weapon on a stuttering Palk. “What do you want us to do with this filth?”
“Stop Palk from killing us and make sure the government knows what’s going on?” Kai suggested.
“This is an insubordination!” Palk cried. “Take these men down!”
“Fuck that.” Kai reared back and executed a perfect kick at one of the guard’s throats, taking his weapon as the man crumpled to the ground. He tossed the gun to Aled as the remaining trainers efficiently overcame Palk’s uncertain troops.
“What are we going to do, Rehz?” Aled crouched beside him.
“Tell everyone to shut up so that I can talk to these fuckers.”
He concentrated hard. “If you give Anna back, I will return you to Ungrich space. My government and our scientists will get here very soon. They’ll walk inside that vault and blow it to pieces with every fucking weapon they have at their disposal. Your entire world will be cut off from ours. You’ll lose everything, and they’ll chop you up into little pieces in their labs and analyze you until the day you die. Even if your Other tries to retaliate, they won’t be in time to save you.”
There was no reply, and he pressed his cheek against the clear surface. “If you give Anna back, you’ll still have your world and your research. I don’t want anything else but her. From the look of you, you won’t last much longer out here. Make a decision while you’re still attached to your world and still alive.”
Kai came to kneel next to him. “If this bastard won’t help, we’ve all agreed that we’ll go in there and find Anna regardless.”
Rehz nodded, his mind totally fixed on the ragged internal breathing of theUngrichwrapped around his throat. His whole body was shaking. If the fuckers didn’t agree to his request, he was taking a fucking flamethrower, walking intoUngrichspace, and . . .
“We comply.”
For a moment Rehz thought he hadn’t heard anything, and then Kai shouted. “Look out!”
He turned in time to see the pink walls vibrate again and release a tangle of probes and a flash of blond hair. He released his grip on theUngrichcoils and ran toward the platform, the mass of the creature spilling out of the container and following behind him.
Pushing his way through the thrashing tentacles, he grabbed Anna and took her into his arms, bringing her out into the cavern.
“Let it go.” He nodded at the rest of the men.
Palk stirred. “The government won’t?—”
His words remained unfinished as Aled stepped forward and punched him in the face. “Fuck the government.”
Within an instant theUngrichripped its probe out of Rehz’s neck and shot back into the wall.
“Shut the portal as best as you can,” Kai ordered. “And seal it up.”
Rehz remained on the floor, his arms around Anna Lee, his head bent over her unconscious form. He was shaking so hard he could barely manage to breathe. Kai and Aled came to join him.
