Glen Cook Darkwar 03 Ceremony

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Ruhaack and her wooden voidship. She left the hunt in care of a sister she had
known in the days when she had battled the rogue out of Maksche, a silth
almost as stubborn and determined as she. But she did not expect the campaign
to retain its momentum long after her departure. The Communities would
convince themselves that they had struck a mortal blow and no longer need be
concerned. They would begin withdrawing their darkships.
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II
Marika came out of the Up-and-Over well away from the alien starship. She
waited and probed the dark till High Night Rider and its escort of five
Redoriad voidships materialized. She gave the Groshega sisters time to think
about the advent of the force. Then she sent, Brodyphe. I am here. If you do
not leave peaceably, I will have to send you down the dark path after Bestrei.
Go. There has been too much death here already.
There was no response from the silth aboard the starship.
Marika had not expected one, really, though she had hoped that an attack of
sense would smite the Groshega once they knew she was there to evict them. She
drifted closer. The Redoriad darkships spread out. She glanced back at Grauel
and Barlog, who had refused to be left behind, no matter their dreams of
ending their days at home.
Go! she sent.
Three Redoriad darkships darted toward the alien starship.
Beams and rockets leaped to meet them. They pranced away, unharmed.
Marika scanned the surrounding space. The great black still lurked at the
system's fringe, but it was not under control, not moving. It seemed
disinterested in what was happening down near the sun.
Did the Groshega intend to maintain their claim with technical weapons?
Marika vacillated. There was something wrong with the whole situation. How
could the Groshega hope to best her with alien armaments? They could not have
the use of the suppressor suits and weapons developed by the rogue scientists.
She had had those removed to the surface of the planet before departing. They
were in the care of one of Balbrach's most trusted Mistresses...
She hardly thought about what she did. She grabbed ghosts and clambered into
the Up-and-Over, bringing herself out beside the great black.
Was she mad? Had she begun seeing plots where none could exist?
Or had she been guided gently into a trap?
The Groshega had a strong champion. The Redoriad had numbers. They were silth,
as subject to pestilential silth blindnesses and shortcomings as sisters of
any other order. The Redoriad had been allies for years, but that did not
guarantee an alliance forever.
And nobody loved Marika, who had the strength to thwart greed and crush
schemes.
She took the great black under control almost without direct thought and
leaped back to the heart of the system.
She dropped into an atmosphere of confusion. They did not know where she had
gone, or why. Marika sent, Balbrach, I want you to take High Night Rider and
your darkships back to the last milestar. Wait there three hours, then return.
Why, Marika? Balbrach could not disguise the disappointment in her touch.
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This is an uncomfortable situation. It has some very unpredictable aspects. To
avoid potential problems arising from the uncertainties I have decided to
handle it alone. I believe I can accomplish our ends more quickly that way,
and with fewer silth killed.
Balbrach understood the message behind the message. She sensed the great black
roiling around Marika, angry at being disturbed, eager to rip and slay. She
sent, As you wish, Marika.
Marika did not move until the Redoriad had vanished.
Now she must move quickly, lest they not do as she had ordered, and try to
surprise her.
Brodyphe. Are you coming out? Must I come after you? You have no chance
against me.
She nudged her darkship toward the alien. No beams or rockets greeted her.
After ten minutes two darkships left the derelict.
There should be another. Hurry. I am impatient. Come to me here.
Another darkship left the alien. Marika eased closer. She sent a lesser ghost
into the starship and detected no Groshega silth.
The Groshega voidships floated toward her, into visual range. She sent, Who
were your allies in this venture?
They did not respond.
She touched the great black.
Aboard Brodyphe's darkship silth screamed into the otherworld. Their bodies
twisted, tore apart. The golden glow faded around them. Blood crystals and
flesh fragments scattered.
Marika touched the Mistresses of the remaining ships. Who were your allies in
this venture?
They confirmed her worst suspicion.
She touched the great black again, then turned away before it was over. Down
to the alien starship she went, sending before her small ghosts to locate and
disarm booby traps. Then she went aboard.
The moment they could talk, Grauel demanded, "Did you have to kill them?"
"Are you getting soft, Grauel? They intended to kill us." Huntresses were not
wont to mourn enemies, nor to give them a second chance.
"No. It just did not seem necessary."
"It was, Grauel. I struck a blow at an idea when I eliminated them."
"What idea?"
"The idea that one sisterhood or a cabal of Communities can seize this ship
for the purpose of limiting its benefits."
Grauel nodded, but was not entirely mollified. Marika reminded herself that in
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some ways the Wise were more tolerant than were younger females, who had to
face danger more directly.
Barlog asked, "Are you sure you were not more interested in crushing any
doubts about your own invincibility?"
Marika scowled at her and turned away. She stalked through the alien ship to
the control area. She did not relax her hold upon the great black, which she
moved far enough away that its presence would not be immediately obvious. She
replayed the final message from the alien crew, again studying their
smooth-faced strangeness, their methlike yet alien forms. How well had the
brethren unraveled their language with the times and clues they had had
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