Dark Space - Marianne de Pierres [87]
‘Well, that’s your corner over there.’ Mesquite disappeared outside, then returned with an armful of kranse stalks and some rags. ‘Korms need to roost, don’t they? Keep it tidy. Some of these women are real prejudiced against aliens. More so now.’ For all her abrupt manner, Mesquite hadn’t used the word ‘ginko’. It stood her apart from just about everyone else.
Mira pulled her bedfilm away from the corner and with fatigue-numbed fingers built a nest for the korm wedged between her and the wall. Then she coaxed the korm onto the jumble of rags and the alien roosted instantly, exhausted.
Laying Vito on the bedfilm Mira curled herself around him and went straight to sleep.
* * * *
TRIN
Juno Genarro handed Trin a rifle and a combat web to fit under his hood. The landing pad on the top of Malocchi’s enclave was deserted apart from the four Loisa craft. Smoke drifted across from the fires burning below at Dockside.
‘You might be the last Pellegrini alive. I’d hate to have the death of the newest Principe on my conscience.’
Trin listened for the humour in Juno’s voice. When he couldn’t hear it, resurgent dread shivered through him. Malocchi’s enclave was eerily quiet and he didn’t know what to do about Djeserit. She slept now, curled into her seat, gills moving only faintly.
‘Someone should guard the AiVs,’ he said, fumbling with the safety on the rifle. He’d had basic instruction at the Studium but it was not something he’d ever taken seriously. The Cavaliere were his protection. Had been.
‘You would volunteer, I expect.’ Christian loomed at his side, his expression obscured by the distortion of the combat webbing.
Trin tried dissuading him again. ‘We’ve had no communication from Malocchi. There are fires all over Dockside and the pad is deserted.’ He looked along the edge of the building to the blunt edge of the stairs. Where are their TerVs? Where are the Cavaliere?’ His voice sounded thin and high with fear.
The Carabinere gathered around, waiting for Christian to respond. Trin could see Juno Genarro moving among them, whispering.
Christian also noticed. ‘Juno, you stay with the AiVs,’ he said, frowning.
Genarro shook his head and slapped the butt of his rifle. ‘I’m more use to you in there, Capitano.’
Trin thought Christian wavered, knowing he was right. ‘Vespa Malocchi will stay then. Seb will lead one team, Genarro another. I will take the third. Test your shortcasts.’
Trin struggled not to panic as he activated the webbing. It moulded tightly over his nose and he felt something thrust into his ear and tug at his lip as the audio settled into place. He forced himself to breathe deeply a couple of times, and the membrane over his nostrils and mouth thinned enough to allow the passage of air. It still didn’t feel comfortable, like trying to breathe in a dust storm.
Remembering his basic instruction he worked his jaw to find the shortcast frequency. Static crackled on most of the channels but one was filled with unintelligible shouting. He clicked on until he found Christian’s voice.
The Capitano divided the groups. Trin listened to his simple plan and watched a display flicker alive and steady in his right eye. The webbing was a more advanced version than the ones they had practised with at the Studium and he couldn’t interpret many of the icons.
‘Pellegrini, you are the only one without body armour. You should stay behind here as well,’ said Christian.
Trin felt a prickling suspicion. Why the sudden change of heart?
‘I’m more use to you in there.’ He deliberately used the same words as Genarro. ‘I know the building well. I worked here, remember.’
Christian only hesitated for a few seconds. ‘Bueno. I want it on record that you chose to come in.’
So that was it. ‘I choose to enter Carabinere headquarters of my own volition.’ Trin made sure his words were crisp for the web’s recorder.
‘I’ll watch him, Capitano,’ Juno volunteered.
‘One sweep and out on my order.’
‘Where will we go then?’ asked one of the others.
Christian didn’t answer.
* * * *
Inside the coldlock they split up,