Ghost in the Machine (Corwint Central Agent Files)

by C. E. Kilgore

  Torque eyed the two Corwints for a moment, then nodded. They weren’t the first newbies Volarra had brought in to help get them connected with the way Chronos worked. People called her the Black Bitch, but Torque knew her heart was any color but. “You got it, and while I love seeing your pretty face in this shithole again, I’m sure you’re not just stopping in for tea.”

  Orynn smiled playfully at the Mecha. “Why not pour me that tea and we can talk about the ale I need.”

  Torque nodded. “One Black Bitch special coming up.” Torque looked to the others. “And for you?”

  “Troka.” Hank replied. It was a brewed alcohol that would relax him a bit, but it wouldn’t take his head off his shoulders.

  “Same, please” Tara nodded.

  Torque nodded, looked to Ethan who shook his head, then turned back to Orynn. “Strong silent type, eh?” Orynn winked at him and he turned to pour the drinks with a quiet chuckle.

  Orynn smiled for a moment, then went suddenly rigid. Ethan noticed her change and leaned down to her. “What is it?”

  Orynn let out a long sigh and kept her eyes on Torque. “Why did you not warn me that he was here?”

  Torque turned and set the two trokas down on the bar. “Because, I wanted to see you smile a bit longer before you get that scowl of yours.” Torque did an imitation of a grumpy face and pointed to his brow.

  “Traxba.” Orynn cursed in Ruisk as she felt the aura approach. She gave Ethan a ‘just stay calm’ look. He nodded at her reluctantly then turned to the commotion behind them. Hank and Tara grabbed their drinks off the bar just in time to be moved aside by a tall, thin and muscular framed male Ruisk with a voracious grin. Orynn turned and leaned back against the bar with her arms crossed. “I thought I smelled a yexka in here.”

  The Ruisk widened his smile, showing his elongated upper canine teeth and running his tongue across them. He was almost a head taller than Ethan, with dark bronze skin, jade green cat-slit eyes and a wild looking mane of brown and black hair. He growled and set his hands on the bar on either side of Orynn and leaned in to her. He sniffed up one side of her face and then the other in a greeting typically reserved for Ruisk females. He came around to the front of her face and stared into her black eyes. “Now that is a scent I have missed.”

  “I am flattered.” Orynn replied flatly.

  “You should be.” He licked his lips and let his eyes roam her body. “When are you going to let me show you how a real man pilots a ship?”

  “If you show me the man you are referring to, I may take you up on the offer now.”

  “Ataha.” The Ruisk growled more deeply and leaned in closer. Their noses almost touched as he stared at her for a long moment. Orynn didn’t flinch or blink. The Ruisk finally frowned. “Why do you tease me so, Volarra?”

  Orynn finally smirked. “Because your pick up lines are still atrocious, Larx.”

  “Ataha!” Larx leaned away from her and threw his hands up. He glared at Torque and pointed a clawed finger at him. “You told me that was a good one!”

  “Did you really?” Orynn looked over her shoulder at the Mecha who shrugged with a grin. She turned back to Larx. “And you believed him? Yexka.”

  Torque laughed as Larx’s shoulders dropped in defeat. “He’s been working on that one for four weeks now.”

  Larx shot Torque an icy glare as he headed around the side of the bar. He grabbed a glass and poured himself a drink. “I don’t like you anymore.”

  “Then fire me.” Torque continued laughing quietly as he cleaned another glass. Larx must have fired him three dozen times in the past ten years and each time had been a shallow threat. Torque would just show up the next night and they would pretend like nothing happened.

  “And you...” Larx swirled the amber liquid around in his glass and leaned down to Orynn as she turned back around to face the bar. “Where have you been? This place has been absolutely boring without you.”

  “I have been occupied elsewhere.”

  “What could possibly have kept you away from me so long?” Larx whined. Torque tapped his shoulder and pointed at Ethan. Larx sized up the Mecha, then turned back to Orynn. “I’m taller.”

  “And louder.” Torque shoved the Ruisk aside as the tea kettle started to beep.

  “And apparently still too Organic.” Larx mumbled under his breath as he stepped in ahead of Torque and started preparing the black leaf tea. “I’ll do it. You always over steep it.”

  “Do not.” Torque grumbled and turned to another customer who was waving his empty glass.

  Others may have missed the comment mumbled by the Ruisk amidst the noise of the club, but Ethan had heard it loud and clear. His mind started to play scenarios of Orynn’s previous visits to this place with her arm looped through the elbow of other Mecha, but it seemed so ridiculous. He told himself it was probably just part of the guise to keep unwanted male attention at a distance and that it was stupid to think she had a preference for Mecha.

  “So about my ale.” Orynn propped her chin on her hands again as Torque came back.

  “Ale?” Larx glanced over his shoulder before Torque could reply. “The house blend or the special?”

  “Well you know how special I am.” Orynn smiled coyly at the Ruisk.

  “Ataha. Indeed.” Larx smirked and turned back to the tea.

  “Don’t you have patrons to get drunk?” Torque shooed the Ruisk away from the tea and brought it over to Orynn.

  Larx sneered a hiss towards the dance floor. “Heathens, all of them. It’s like musk season out there.”

  “Then you should be right at home.” Orynn licked her lips, then blew seductively at the liquid in her tea cup.

  Larx clawed at the chest of his shirt and leaned on the bar melodramatically. “Why must you tease me so!”

  “Because it is amusingly easy.” Orynn winked at him, then turned to Torque. “I need five.”

  Torque set down the glass he was drying. “Five... bottles?” He said hopefully.

  “Containers.”

  Torque whistled. “That’s going to cost a bit, hon. Supply has been low since those damn Imperial rats started patrolling Welk’s Pass more heavily. Supplies are being rerouted through the Emperor's Belt, but you know how treacherous that stretch of space is. Now I know I still owe you for that bit of assistance with the Port Authority on Merae, but five containers...”

  Orynn nodded. “I know. I have the Chronae to cover the rest.”

  During the whole exchange, Hank had been watching everything in silence. He wasn’t used to taking a back seat, but he also wasn’t used to being in a loud dubtrance crowd full of Ruisk and who knows what else. Jehdra had told him that he needed to watch and learn. At first, he was pissed about the whole idea of some stranger coming on board and doing things her way. Now, as he watched the way she worked to get what they needed, he knew he could learn how to make connections like this, the way she was and the way his uncle had, and he would be the better Captain for it.

  Tara took the final swig from her bottle of troka while Orynn and Torque continued their negotiations. The troka had certainly relaxed her, even if she did still feel a little naked in the tight bodysuit she was wearing. Her eyes roamed over the crowd. Those on the dance floor were too self-involved to notice anything going on around them, but those sitting at the tables near the bar were openly eyeing her. She had to admit that the attention was a little unnerving and invigorating at the same time, even if the attention was from everyone other than the one person she wanted to look at her that way.

  “Alright, alright.” Torque held up his hands and submitted. “Damn Volarra, do you always get your way?”

  “Always.” Orynn winked at him. Torque laughed while shaking his head and headed down the bar to serve drinks to those who had been trying to get his attention. Orynn touched her lip to her tea to check the temperature, then took a long sip. Her eyes closed slowly and she knew she should set the cup down immediately. Instead, she felt herself drinking what
was left.

  Ethan watched the slow way in which she set down her empty tea cup and grew immediately concerned. He leaned down and whispered in her ear. “Are you alright?”

  Orynn nodded slowly. “I will be right back.” She turned and walked away from the bar, passing Tara and Hank without so much as a glance in their direction.

  Hank stepped up to Ethan and raised his voice over the music. “Where is she going?”

  “No idea.” Ethan watched as she headed straight for one of the eight foot tall speakers, its black mesh surface bouncing as the dubtrance thumped and vibrated across the club. “But something isn’t right.”

  “So Vol..” Torque turned back to the group to find Volarra gone. He looked up and scanned the crowd. When he spotted where she was heading, he picked up the tea cup, smelled it and cursed. “Larx!”

  The Ruisk had already started to make his exit when Torque grabbed him by the back of his collar and yanked him backwards. Larx put on his best innocent smile. “Yes, dear?”

  “You lousy son of a greka! Don’t play dumb with me.” Torque growled and held up the tea cup. “You spiked her damn tea again!”

  “Who? Me?” Larx batted his eyelashes, then choked as Ethan reached across the bar and tore his collar out of Torque’s grasp.

  The Ruisk gasped for breath as Ethan dragged him halfway onto the bar. Glasses rolled off the top and shattered on the floor as Larx squirmed under Ethan’s grip.

  Ethan growled. “What did you do to her?”

  “What’s going on?” Hank didn’t like the deadly look Ethan had in his eyes.

  “Damned fool spiked her tea with Drasa.” Torque guessed by the confused look on the Corwint’s face that the guy had no clue what he was talking about. Drasa was a tasteless and mostly odorless alcohol typically ordered by girls who hated to drink but wanted to get good and liquored up.

  “I know it’s just booze to you, but to her... Look, I don’t know how much she’s told you all, but a dash of alcohol to her is like one of you Organics snorting a line of Sil. And...” He stopped. He didn’t want to betray her, and he had no idea how much this new group knew about her.

  “And what?” Ethan tightened his grip on Larx’s collar.

  Torque was pretty sure that Ethan was about to break Larx’s neck. He lowered his voice as the others leaned in. “Well, in case her eyes didn’t give it away, she’s Trexen... but she’s some sort of test-tube fuck-up Trexen. When she gets a little bit of alcohol in her, she heads for those damn speakers and something inside her starts affecting people around her.

  Once it starts, you can’t pull her away from them for love nor money. It’s like she’s addicted to the vibrations. When she gets something stronger in her, she starts causing fights. The last fucking time, brainless here damn near used half a bottle and it took me two fucking weeks to clean up the place!”

  “But… it was... fun... admit it.” Larx gasped for breath as the fabric of his collar finally gave away and Ethan was left holding a piece of ripped cloth. He coughed and rubbed his throat while taking several large steps out of reach from the Mecha. “People were talking about that shit for months! Our business doubled!”

  Torque crossed his arms and shook his head at the Ruisk. “And you seriously wonder why she won’t sleep with you.”

  Hank really didn’t feel like fighting his way out of this joint and that surprised him. “What can we do?”

  “Wait.” Torque shrugged. “Alcohol puts her head on overdrive. She usually burns herself out in ten or fifteen minutes, and after that she’s usually unconscious for an hour or two.”

  “What about the crowd?” Tara looked worried as she watched the way the men had started circling in behind Orynn as she continued her steady steps to the speaker.

  “It’s okay, woman.” Larx replied. “I never would have put my lovely in harm’s way. She’s never been hurt, but they’ll damn sure hurt each other as they try to get close to her.”

  Ethan glared at the Ruisk. “I’m going to hurt you if something happens to her.” He turned to Hank. “I’ll go get her.”

  “You need to get her to focus on something.” Torque replied as Ethan started walking away. “If you keep her from destroying the place, I’ll give you the ale.” He turned to Larx. “And it’s coming out of your next cut, you damn yexka.” Before Larx could protest, Torque turned back to Ethan and yelled. “And please refrain from killing any of my customers!”

  Ethan shoved a man aside harshly as he waded through the crowd that had gathered around Orynn. Her body was now leaned back against the pulsing speaker. The air movement from its heavy base was moving her hair around her face and her eyes were half closed in a look of pure ecstasy. A Hedarion stepped forward and reached out to touch her, but he was pulled back by a Merae and the group to the left broke out into a flurry of fists. A Gokem next to Ethan bellowed something in their native guttural speech and took Orynn’s wrist.

  The Gokem let out a yelp of pain and dropped Orynn’s wrist just as Ethan slammed his fist in the man’s jaw. Two Corwints stepped forward as Ethan dealt with the Gokem. The Corwints took a wrist in each hand, pulled on Orynn for a second, then dropped to their knees in pain. Ethan shoved the Gokem back and looked between Orynn and the two men muttering incoherently at her feet. Larx had said she had never been hurt when this happened before, and Ethan started to understand why. All she wanted was the feeling of the speaker, and she wanted to be left alone with it.

  He stepped up to her, ignoring the angry yells and fights breaking out around them. She looked up to him as he towered over her, but he wasn’t sure if she was actually seeing him. Uncertain if she would affect him the same way, he hesitated.

  The hesitation lasted for less than a nanosecond before his hand lifted toward her face. She needed him, and he was going to get her out of this. As his hand brushed her cheek, she smiled at him.

  “Ethan.” Her eyes filled with recognition. She was trapped in a daze of color and the sweet pulsing vibration behind her. Her hand reached up and mirrored his gesture, sliding her palm across his cheek. “You found me.”

  “I’m here.” He smiled down at her as he felt the connection between them sparking to life.

  The large hand of a Ruisk reached out of the crowd and yanked on Ethan’s shoulder. His hand slipped from her cheek and her eyes lowered again. The connection was broken, and its sudden absence sent a deep, raging anger coursing through his system. He growled and turned on the Ruisk, lifting him off the ground by his collar and throwing him into the group. The force knocked back several others as the Ruisk’s body plowed into them.

  A Corwint and a Xen’dari teamed up to take the Mecha from the left. They both stumbled backwards with blood dripping from broken noses. Ethan spun on others approaching him from behind. There were just too many.

  Then he remembered what Torque had said. He needed to get her focused. Turning back to her, he wrapped his arms around her thighs and lifted her up above the crowd. The connection sparked back to life as her hands slid under his jacket and onto his shoulders for support. When her eyes looked to him again, he tightened his grip. He wasn’t going to let her go again.

  “I need you to focus on me.”

  “Ethan.” She smiled down at him. The speaker behind her continued to pulse, crying out to her to come back, and her eyes closed as she leaned backwards in his arms.

  Guise be damned. “Orynn! Focus on me!”

  The sound of her name brought her back again. She looked down at him as he held her legs to his body. Her hands slid up his face and through his hair. The sound of the speaker faded and became powerless against the vibrations from the connection between them.

  “Vorsithkae, Ethan.”

  Ethan had never heard the word before, or the lingual pattern in which it was spoken. He could only assume it was Vesparian. Their eyes stared into one another and he could feel the crowd backing down. “I’m here. Just stay with me.”

  “Vorsithkae, Ethan.” her face leaned do
wn closer to his and their noses touched.

  He froze. He knew he should move her back to the bar, but he was entranced by the look in her eyes and the feelings buzzing through their connection. The crowd had returned to their drinking and dancing, falling to background noise around his world in which only she existed. He told himself it was the Drasa affecting her, but there was something so genuine in the way she was smiling at him that he allowed himself a sliver of hope that it was all real.

  “We should go back...”

  “Shhh.” Orynn tilted her head and looked at him, caressing his cheek. “You cannot go back, Ethan. There is only forward.”

  “And where does that lead?” His lips brushed hers and her smile deepened.

  “Vorsithkae.” Orynn replied in a soft whisper before pressing her lips against his.

  The taste of her lipstick was bitter, but the sweetness of her lips emerged and his grip on her tightened. Her fingers trailed lines of fire across his scalp, and her knees pressed in on his waist as she lowered herself deeper into the kiss.

  One hundred and twenty-three... and this was the first kiss that threatened to destabilize the strong stance of his legs. He felt it pass all the way through him, sparking along their connection and straight into his synapses. It hit him like a drug, and he was instantly addicted to her.

  16 Impaired Judgments

  “Ataha!” Larx sighed longingly as he leaned on the bar with a soft smile. He tucked his black and brown mane of hair behind his pointed and pierced ear with a glance over at Torque. “I told you I was too Organic.”

  Torque let out a long whistle as he watched the pair. They were lost in each other, completely oblivious to the crowd moving around them. He hadn’t seen a kiss like that in decades, and certainly never between an Organic and a Mecha. “Well, that’s one way to keep her focused, I guess.”

  Tara glanced over her shoulder at Hank with a smug smirk. “And you doubted me?”

  Hank scratched the back of his neck with a small chuckle. “Never.” He tried to control the smile pushing its way on to his lips as Ethan and Orynn finally came up for air. As Ethan carried Orynn through the crowd and towards the bar, the sight of her red lipstick smeared at the corner of the Mecha’s mouth was too much for Hank. A large grin spread itself across his face.