Free At Empire's Edge by William C. Dietz Page A

course that was the problem with reading emotions rather than thoughts; it was virtually impossible to make such fine discriminations, and that could result in a fatal error. Still, given the prospect of remaining cooped up in his cage for many months to come, Verafti was willing to take a chance. So, rather than give the alarm, Verafti moved to the corner of his cage, sat down as a way to make himself less visible, and focused his eyes on the front door.
     
     
    While some of his peers slept, and others played cards, Officer Brice Kelkaw was sitting cross-legged on his sleeping bag deep in meditation, a process that was not only relaxing but served to hone his DNA-given talent as an empath. Most of his peers took the talent for granted. But it was Kelkaw’s belief that, like muscles, empathy grew stronger when exercised and, given how important it was to his job, was worth putting some effort into. And that was why Kelkaw was in a receptive state as the Lir bandits landed in the courtyard outside, checked their weapons, and approached the entrance to the building. Their combined emotions were like a powerful fist that buried itself in the officer’s gut and caused his eyes to fly open. “Outside!” Kelkaw shouted. “Grab your weapons!”
    Unfortunately, it was too late by then. The unlocked door slammed open as Iddyn entered and half a dozen armed warriors followed him inside. Kelkaw was diving for his assault rifle as the Lir bandits opened fire. Where was Sivio? he wondered. Dead most likely, somewhere outside the station, and Moshath as well.
    Then the policeman was there, scooping up the rifle, and releasing the safety, as he brought the weapon up. Half the team were already dead as the crisscrossing energy beams cut Tonver, Batia, and Honis down before they knew an attack was under way. Half a dozen more were killed while still struggling to exit their sleeping bags. So by the time Kelkaw pulled the trigger, the battle was already lost.
    But that didn’t stop Kelkaw from shooting both a Lir named Ibb Shyod, and the warrior standing behind him, as one bullet did the job of two.
    That gave the Xeno cop a half second of satisfaction before he, too, was cut down by a dozen bolts of blue energy. The Lir warriors were angry by that time and would have continued to fire, had it not been for Iddyn’s order to stop. There was a moment of silence as the acrid smell of ozone melded with the pungent odor of burned flesh to create a throat-clogging stench. And that was when Verafti spoke from his cell. “Watch out! Behind you!”
    Nearly all of the Lir turned to see a lone Uman standing framed in the doorway. When the battle began, Kath Larsy had been outside, in the temporary outhouse the team had established while they waited for Cato to bring plumbing supplies back from Solace.
    And, in keeping with regulations, Larsy was armed. The pistol was held in both hands, and had she been aiming at the Lir, at least three or four of them would have died. But Larsy’s attention was focused elsewhere, and Verafti knew it. He went facedown on the bottom of his cell as Larsy fired, and felt a bullet cut a painful furrow across his unprotected back.
    Unfortunately Larsy’s act of self-sacrifice was in vain as the Lir fired at her; the police officer staggered under the impact of a dozen energy bolts and backpedaled out the door, before falling to the ground. Wisps of smoke curled up out of the blackened craters that made a random pattern across the front of her body.
    “Good work!” Verafti said brightly, as he came to his feet. The shallow bullet wound was painful, but the shape shifter had survived worse. “Now, if you would be so kind as to open the cage, I could use some fresh air.”
    Iddyn and his warriors stared in amazement at the creature who looked like one of them. Pak Nassali to be exact—only without clothes or weapons. The real Nassali made a hissing noise, and was in the process of bringing his weapon up into