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gaze toward her.
The door opened, and Sorreth entered, accompanied by four
others dressed identically in tan trousers and shirts of a material
that looked lightweight. Lab personnel, Torri deduced. Maybe
the only ones here. Two men, two women. They all looked
human, though one of the women might have had Sendalian
connections, from the shape of her eye orbits.
 You ll be pleased to know that the High Council has
overruled the Directive and I am allowed a blood sample from
you, Sorreth announced. The techs flanked him, men on his
left, women on his right.  Make this easy on yourself.
 The Council s ruling is invalid, Torri challenged.  As
you ve determined, I am not Radij. The ruling was for a Radij
subject.
Sorreth s lips twitched in what might have been a smirk.
 I don t need a Council ruling to conduct a standard medical
170 Andi Marquette
protocol for purposes of identification, he countered.  True,
you re not Radij. But you are unidentified, and as a military
officer in charge of this facility, I can do whatever necessary if
I feel security has been breached. He motioned with his chin
at one of the examination tables.  Will I need to ask my aides
here to help you up?
 Major. Kai moved closer.  Regardless of whomever this
is, there are certain procedures to follow 
He turned to face her, a slow, deliberate motion that
reminded Torri of the crouching of a predator before it attacked.
 And I m following them. This individual has misrepresented
herself not only to me, but to you and other holders, as well
as to a temple representative. I am authorized to identify her.
He cocked an eyebrow.  By. Any. Means. Necessary. Without
taking his eyes off Kai, he spoke to his techs.  The mercenary
seems to have a problem understanding my suggestion. Please
help her onto the table.
The two male techs moved toward Torri, wary, and she
tensed. Sorreth and Bal were armed with pistols. The techs
weren t, but they probably carried stunners or prods.
Sorreth wasn t so careless that they wouldn t have weapons.
She glanced at Jindor then at Kai.
 I request official authorization, Kai said, her tone level
though her expression was grim.
 And you shall have it. When I m done here.
The techs gripped Torri s arms, one on either side.
 Under the Articles of Detention  she started.
 Fuck your Articles. He whirled toward her, venom in his
voice though his face carried no indication of it.  I tire of this
game. Strap her down, he said to his techs.
 Major, Jindor said, steel in her voice,  whatever her
identity, she is still a temple representative, and as such, can
request representation from Oiros with regard to this
matter.
The techs looked from Jindor to Sorreth, waiting for his
response to her statement.
A Matter of Blood 171
 Ah, yes, he said.  The temple. What will I find, Priestess,
if I send my hunters deeper into the temple registry?
Torri clenched her teeth. Sorreth may have outmaneuvered
them all. The techs fingers dug into her arms. She d have
bruises later, if she lived to care about it.
 Is it Coalition practice to insult a member of an established
temple? Jindor shot back, words like ice.
 No. And he grinned, his amber eyes flashing in pleasure
and triumph.  Because I find it hard to believe that is, in fact,
what you are. Put her on a table, too, he ordered the female
techs.  Time to solve this mystery.
16
Torri went limp, and the guards holding her arms relaxed
their grips. It was enough. She slammed her right elbow into
the abdomen of one, and he gasped and doubled over. She
brought her knee up to his chin and pivoted away as his head
snapped upward. He stumbled back against one of the tables.
The three other techs stepped away from her. Clearly not
soldiers. Sorreth had made a mistake there. Torri dodged the
clumsy attack of the remaining male tech and easily knocked
a female tech to the floor. Jindor was yelling at her, pointing
at Sorreth. Torri ducked, heat from Sorreth s laser practically
singeing her eyebrows. It completed its journey to the opposite
wall amidst a hail of fragments and the smell of molten metal.
And then Kai knocked his arm as he fired again, and the
shot blew a hole in the closest examination table. Torri rolled
to her feet but Bal was faster.
 Please, she said, the barrel of her pistol not an inch from
Torri s forehead.  Stop. Hands up.
Torri complied. What now? She rested her palms on the top
of her head. Alarms sounded in the corridor, no doubt because
Sorreth s shots had compromised security. Cyllea help them
all if the shots had compromised safety, as well. Jindor looked
from Torri to Kai and back again, expression unreadable.
 I will have your head, Tinsdale. Sorreth reached down
for his pistol Kai must ve gotten it away from him but
she kicked it away. It slid past Jindor and clunked against
A Matter of Blood 173
an examination table. He straightened, furious.  Your career is
over, he added between clenched teeth.
She stared at him, expressionless.  Hardly. I don t believe
I m the one who opened fire in a closed lab facility buried in
a toxic environment. Or did the major neglect to learn safety
protocol with regard to biohazards?
The door opened, and another tech entered, accompanied
by two soldiers, one of whom was Hyacin.
 Major. Commander, she said as she saluted.
The rank-and-file soldier did as well, and stood at attention
nearby. From his stance, he was green. And armed. Easy
enough to relieve him of his pistol. But Bal she was a more
seasoned type and getting past her was another matter. Hyacin,
now, as well.
 Captain, Kai responded.  Did the major s weapons
practice breach the structure?
Hyacin s eyes widened just as the first guard Torri had [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]