by Cary Caffrey
"But you hate the water—oh." Sigrid blushed.
Suko gathered her back in, holding the towel around her. "You were out there nearly three hours. I was starting to wonder if you were avoiding us."
"No. I wasn't avoiding anyone. I just needed some time to think."
"Think? I think I like the sound of that even less. Nothing good ever came out of thinking."
"It's not what you think."
"Oh?" Suko said suspiciously. "And what do I think?"
Sigrid sighed. She hadn't intended to get into any of this. Not yet, and certainly not here. In her mind, they were going to have this conversation at home. She was going to prepare a proper dinner—or perhaps send for one, yes, that would be more accurate. Then she would broach the subject when the mood was right. Perhaps after drinks or a round of frenetic lovemaking. But it was too late to turn back now, and Suko was looking at her expectantly.
"I've been thinking—"
"Yes, you mentioned that."
"I've come to a decision. I'm-I'm leaving here, Suko. I'm leaving New Alcyone. And I'm leaving tomorrow."
"What? Wait, Sigrid, now hold on—"
"Not forever! And not permanently. And it won't even be for long. I promise. But I have to leave here. You know why, Suko. Between all the stares and the whispers, I'm going to go mad!"
"No one's whispering, Sigrid. And no one's staring either. Granted, Isabel's left eye does tend to linger, but that's only because she's having problems with her optical module—"
"Suko, I'm trying to be serious!"
"And so am I!"
"I know what they're thinking, Suko. They're worried I'm going to snap back and become this Night Witch again. They're afraid, aren't they?"
"They're not afraid, they're just—"
"They're afraid, Suko. They're afraid of me."
Suko gave a long sigh. "It will get better, Sigrid. I promise, but you have to give it time."
"I will. And I believe you. But for now, for now I think my leaving is for the best. For all of us."
"This is your home, Sigrid."
"It's our home, Suko. Yours and mine, and I love it dearly—more than you can imagine. But I can't stay. Not now. Besides, there's a whole universe out there that needs us."
Suko folded her arms, regarding her carefully. "This is about that magistrate woman, isn't it? Lady Gobsmack."
"You know her name is Lady Godelieve, and no, it isn't about her. You've seen what's happening out there, Suko. And you know what a difference we can make."
Suko shook her head. "It's not your responsibility. You can't fight the evils of this world on your own."
"And I won't."
Now that the subject was fully broached and out in the open, her excitement at sharing her plan grew, and she clasped Suko's hands in hers.
"I've already spoken with Lei-Fei and Khepri—"
"Ah," Suko said knowingly. "Now I see. The survivors of Scorpii and the Night Witch together again. I suppose you'll be taking Victoria, as well?"
"I haven't asked her yet, but I will. And I'll need others, Suko—if we're going to do this right."
Sigrid waited and watched. Suko's brow was twisted and she was chewing her bottom lip, which could either mean she was plotting and planning—or getting ready to throttle her.
"Leta will insist on coming," Suko said. "And Trudy will be devastated if you leave her behind. I suppose you'll head for Earth. Back to the Crossroads?"
"Actually, I had another destination in mind. I-I want to start with the Independent worlds. I thought Hecate—"
"Hecate! Bloody hell! Sigrid, are you mad? The same people that wiped out Alcyone? You want to start a war with them?"
"Not a war, Suko! I think we've all had enough of war. I was thinking perhaps a diplomatic mission. Harry Jones is dead. He used the people of Hecate—just as he used everyone! I-I just thought, after everything that's happened, well, I thought perhaps we might…talk."
"Talk? They nearly killed poor Lei-Fei and Khepri—and me! And you want to bring them back to talk? Have you forgotten what they did to Mei and Tara?"
"I—blast it, I don't know what I thought!" Cursing, Sigrid kicked at the sand. Suko was right, and this was a terrible idea. "I don't know anything! I'm an idiot, Suko. I'm a fool. And I don't know a thing about diplomacy."
Suko gave a long sigh and shook her head. Sigrid was certain she'd chide her again. Instead, Suko stepped in front of her—it was the only way she could stop her pacing—and took her gently into her arms.
"No, you're not a fool, Sigrid Novak. You might be the bravest, most steadfast, sweetest and sexiest woman inside and outside the Federation. But you're no fool."
"You-you think I'm sexy?"
"And brilliant. I think your plan is brilliant. I think we've all had enough of war and fighting. Perhaps this talking thing might become all the rage."
"You-you think I'm sexy?"
Suko gave her a double take. "Didn't you hear what I said? I said your plan was brilliant."
"Then you don't think I'm sexy?"
Suko growled. "I think you are very much aware of what I think. And look at you, parading around without even your bathing togs. You know exactly how sexy you are. I won't be baited so easily."
"Then…you'll let me go?"
"Let you? I'm not your keeper, Sigrid, I'm your lover. It isn't for me to tell you what you can and can't do."
"Well…good then." She had more arguments prepared, but apparently she wasn't going to need them. "Because you're coming as well."
"I am? A little presumptuous, don't you think? I have duties here, you know."
"Perhaps, but you're coming, all the same. You're my partner. You're sworn to serve at my side."
"Yes, about that…"
"About what?"
Suko stepped back, holding her at arm's length. "About this whole 'partner' business. We need to talk."
"Uh-oh."
"I've come to a decision. I…I don't think I'm happy as your partner."
Sigrid gaped back at her. "You're—you're not happy?"
"As your partner," Suko said again. "There's just something about that word. It's a little dry, don't you think? Partner. Blech. It could mean anything. We're not in business, you know."
"No," Sigrid said, half panicked, "of course not. Suko, what on Earth are you on about?"
"Lover? Paramour?" Suko paused, as if to mull over the word, tilting her head from side to side. "I suppose it fits. Though it's a bit lurid in mixed company. And girlfriend? We're not children anymore. And we're certainly more than friends. At least I hope we are."
"Of course we are! Suko, you are so much more than that. You know you are! And…you're kind of freaking me out."
Ignoring her, Suko continued. "You were right about one thing. I did swear an oath to you, Sigrid. I swore to stay at your side for the rest of my life. I swore to love you."
"You did, didn't you," Sigrid said, nodding. "Yes, I'm quite sure of it."
"But I never swore an oath to be your partner."
"Suko, if there's something I've done, you can tell me. You know you can."
Suko grinned and shook her head. "You really don't have a clue what I'm talking about, do you?"
As a matter of fact, she didn't. By this point she was thoroughly confused and more than a little anxious as to where any of this was leading. But if Suko's words were causing her a lion's share of anxiety, the way she was holding her—the strength of her arms around her, the tenderness of her embrace—was enough to leave her weak in the knees and she was sure she would swoon.
"I'm asking you to marry me, Sigrid Novak. I'm asking you to be my wife."
Of all the things Suko might have said to her, this was by far the one that Sigrid completely failed to see coming. Her next words came out as a series of choking coughs. "As-as in m-marriage? As in…as in…that thing, and the ring and vows?"
"Yes," Suko said, arms folded now.
"And then you'd be my-my-my…"
"W
ife," Suko said. "I believe that's the word you're struggling with."
"You?" Sigrid said. "Want me? To-to marry you?"
"Me! Yes, me! Of course bloody me! Unless there's someone else?"
"No!"
Sigrid threw her arms around Suko's neck and bombarded her with a wave of kisses that swept across her face, to her lips and her cheeks and down her neck and back up again.
"Wait," Suko said. "Wait. Hold on a second. Did you just say no? Did-did you just turn me down?"
"What? No!" Sigrid said. "I mean yes! I mean no. No, Suko, there is no one else. And yes, of course I'll marry you!"
"You will? You're saying yes?"
Pausing to catch her breath and steady herself, Sigrid held Suko's face in her hands.
"Suko, I will marry you in a heartbeat. I'll do it now. I'll do it tomorrow. I'll do it every day and for the rest of our lives, if you wish it. It's always been you, Suko. All my life. You've been my friend, my protector, and you've been my lover. I wouldn't have it any other way. Of course, my love. Of course I'll be your wife! For now and forever."
"For always," Suko said.
"Yes," Sigrid said. "For now and for always."
PATRONS & CIRCLES
Two figures stood in the shadows of an unmarked alley. The fact that it was unmarked was perhaps fitting. Just another cul-de-sac in a dead city on a forgotten world.
The body of the courier lay in a crumpled heap in a pool of filth and oil. Blood seeped from the gaping gunshot wound in his forehead.
"You did it," the patron's secretary said. "You actually killed the messenger."
Raising the hideout pistol, the patron blew the smoke from the hot barrel before placing it back into its holster. "He should have known to bring us better news. Clearly, he failed to convince Ms. Novak of our good intentions. Perhaps his replacement will learn from his mistake. See that he's properly compensated."
"You do realize he's quite dead," the patron's secretary said, poking at the body of the courier with a booted toe, as if to verify this fact.
"Send his stipend to his family. If he has one."
"Excellent. We can charge his services to the Jones account."
"No. Have those assets frozen. I don't want anything traced back to us."
"Frozen?" the secretary said. "Our own assets? You do realize how much we had invested in Mr. Jones? More than three and a half billion—"
"Yes. In adjusted Federated dollars. You remember I sign those cheques you keep putting in front of me, don't you? Though it's not nearly as much as we have sunk into his successor. A truly deep pit of financial despair, if there ever was one."
"I thought you'd given up on that plan. The cost—"
"Is irrelevant," the patron said. "You're a brilliant bookkeeper, my friend, but your vision is lacking. Harry Jones was an excellent asset. He served us well."
"Excellent?" the secretary said. "Hardly exemplary. His obsession with the Kimura Corporation was his downfall. For goodness' sake, he tried to destroy the Circle—and us with it!"
"A mistake his successor will not be allowed to make. The women of Alcyone will make a far better ally than they do a foe, something we must impress upon them."
"So that's your plan? To make friends?"
"I'm not planning on inviting them to tea, if that's what you're worried about. But, yes, we shall help them. We will help them however we can. Lend them whatever aid they need."
"And Jones?" the secretary said. "What of all his work in genetics?"
"Dump it. Write it off. The only time I want to hear the words Kimura, Alcyone or Novak are when you're in the midst of telling me how wonderfully happy they are to know us."
"Love?" the secretary said. "That's your plan?"
"Friendship, my friend. Cooperation. There is no reason we have to be at cross-purposes."
"Hmm…" The secretary mimed writing all this down, though, of course, wrote nothing. "Yes. I'll get on that straight away."
"Harry Jones will be missed, but his battles are over. Our war, on the other hand? Why that, my dear friend, has not yet begun."
~ The End ~
Table of Contents
Books by Cary Caffrey
PROLOGUE Cor Caroli
Part One Awakening
CHAPTER ONE Rebelle
CHAPTER TWO Contracts
CHAPTER THREE Escape
CHAPTER FOUR The Mistress
CHAPTER FIVE Jaffer
CHAPTER SIX Highwaymen
CHAPTER SEVEN The Crossroads
CHAPTER EIGHT Sisters
CHAPTER NINE White Knights
CHAPTER TEN A Girl For Hire
CHAPTER ELEVEN Presents
CHAPTER TWELVE Operations
CHAPTER THIRTEEN The Courier
CHAPTER FOURTEEN Nuria
Part Two The Night Witch
CHAPTER FIFTEEN Betrayer
CHAPTER SIXTEEN The Pirate King
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN The Hold
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN Arms Of The Enemy
CHAPTER NINETEEN Nemesis
CHAPTER TWENTY Identify
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE Data Error
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO The Camp
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE Exodus
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR Resolute
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE The Road
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX Smith & Jones
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN Rolling Thunder
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT A Murder of Crows
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE The Crow's Nest
CHAPTER THIRTY The Night Witch
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE The Kindness of Strangers
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO Master & Servant
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE Voices
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR End Game
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE The Wounded
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX Crossroads
EPILOGUE
PATRONS & CIRCLES
