But Spaeton House had been broken wide open. Its screens, void shutters, lock-outs, motion detectors, sentry servitors, gun-pods… everything had been inert when the attackers arrived.
They were mercenaries, I was sure of that. Highly trained, highly motivated, utterly ruthless. But who had bank-rolled them, and why?
Answers later, I decided, as another series of explosions rippled across the estate and lit the sky.
The stable block, which I used as a hangar and garage, had just gone up.
'What about one of their vehicles?' Aemos whispered, gesturing the fliers on the lawn.
It was too risky. We'd be out in the open and the speeders were likely to be guarded. I shook my head.
The water dock then?' he suggested. 'Maybe they haven't got to the boats?'
'No, they had everything else covered. They knew the layout, knew to hit the stables. They were briefed about this place inside and out/
We went back inside, through the kitchen and across the little walled herb garden into the scullery behind the dining hall. Smoke fumes strung the air like silk hangings. I had one last means of escape, one I believed they didn't – couldn't – know about.
Barbarisater twitched and I knew someone was coming. I pushed Aemos back behind me.
Two figures came into view. One was Eleena Koi, the untouchable assigned to the house. She was supporting Xel Sastre, one of Kircher's men. He had been wounded in the arm and shoulder.
'Eleena!' I hissed.
'Lord! Thank the Emperor! We thought you were dead!' Her narrow face was taut with panic and Sastre's blood was all over her brushed epinchire gown.
I took a quick look at Sastre's wounds. They were bad, but he'd live if we could get him to an infirmary.
'Have you seen any others? Kircher? Have you seen him?'
'I saw him die/ said Sastre. 'They were driving us back, and he stayed to hold the main hall. Took on twenty of the bastards.'
"You sure he's-'
They blew him apart. But not before he'd finished a good half dozen. He told me… told me Kronsky let them in.'
'What?'
'Kronsky. The new guy hired last month. He betrayed the whole house. Shut down the defence system.'
An inside job, as I had feared. Kircher had employed this Kronsky in good faith, and no doubt scrupulously vetted his background and subjected him to a mind-search. And I had welcomed Kronsky to my house. My respect for the resources, skill and preparation of my unknown enemy grew.
A speeder howled by close outside, and the sound of its sporadic fire shook the windows in their frames.
'Can you keep up?' I asked Sastre and Eleena. They nodded. Where are we going?' asked Eleena.