Jeanne G'Fellers - Sisters Flight by Jeanne G'Fellers Page A

teaching, Norlynn
translating as needed. Genevic and Myrla remained unobtainable on the com unit.
    Evangeline
and I lay belly down with our hoods high, taking turns gazing through a hand
scope at the mine entrance below. I chalked notes on the map spread on the
ground before me, indicating the position of elements the satellite scope hadn't
provided. Evangeline bagged the scope, considered the map, then taking the
chalk, added details my unseasoned eye had missed in the moonlight. Then we
crawled back down the hill, skirted a small pasture and made our way back to
camp.
    "The
odds are certainly against us." Evangeline scratched her painted head. Her
waist length hair was pulled back in a local Aut styling I had recommended.
    "We
weren't exactly expecting things to be simple," said Stiles. Her disguise
had been heightened by a clever bit of artificial beard growth on her chin.
"I tried the com while you two were gone. Still nothing."
    "The
corns have proven useless up to this point." Evangeline drew the updated
map from her tunic sleeve. "The best approach still appears to be the
initial one we developed."
    "March
straight in as Auts and see what chaos we can create?" A brief smile
crossed Stiles's face. "Sounds like suicide, but I'm game, especially if
it frees some of those unfortunates down there."
    "Master
Evangeline! Master Evangeline!" Evangeline spun about to see two of the
Yauld detailed to bring in game approaching at a labored walk. At first, I
thought they had been injured, but I soon realized that they were actually
wearing extra packs and leading a pair of nassies, which each carried an
unconscious, bound and gagged Autlach across its back.
    "Nice
find but not edible." The duty cook slid wild white roots into the ashes
for roasting then spied three hoppers hanging from one of the Autlach's packs.
"I take that back." She relieved the man of his catch and began
skinning the carcasses. One of the Yauld hunters dropped four more hoppers
beside the cook then turned toward Evangeline.
    "'Good
hunt, yes?" she asked in chopped Old Tongue.
    "Very
good." Evangeline nodded then pointed to the far side of the camp.
"Place them over there away from the fire. How many were there?"
    "Seven,"
said the same hunter.
    "We
stumbled on these two on our way back here," added the other in more
competent Old Tongue. "We picked their heads for their campsite, then
located the camp and killed the watch before he could raise an alarm. Everyone
else was sleeping, so we managed to phase out two more before a phase-blind
third woke." She blew out and straightened, apparently recovered from the
incident. "Killed him and one more then brought these two back for
questioning."
    "Either
of you injured?" asked Evangeline.
    "Nothing
of merit."
    "Escapees?"
    "None.
Seven heads counted, seven bedrolls and packs located and disposed of."
She poured out the contents of the extra pack she carried. Bulging money
pouches and a collection of shackles and the amber lenses used to render a
Taelach phase useless landed at Evangeline's feet. "One other thing. We
came across quite a few tracks leading in the same direction. Not sister tracks,
not Yauld."
    "Did
you follow them?"
    "We
were when we came across these two." She pointed to the unconscious Auts.
"Lots of tracks."
    "Well
done. Rest while you can." Evangeline dismissed her hunters then called to
Commander Stiles. After a brief but intense conversation with her, she waved me
over with one hand. "See what you can do with them." She pointed to
the Auts.
    "I'm
sure it won't be much." I knelt before them then glanced up at the master
Kimshee, unsure how to rouse them from their induced slumber.
    "Open
your mind and learn." Evangeline crouched beside me. Awakening a phased
Autlach is comparable to unlocking a door, and just as simple once you master
the skill.
    I
cautiously pushed my thoughts toward her. Is my entrance better?
    Yes,
the burst was suitably subtle. Evangeline
squeezed my shoulder in