by Becky Black
"I'd better fix my makeup." She stood up, picking up the shawl. "Can I borrow this?"
"Of course." Wixa looked worried, or perhaps disappointed that she hadn't got any more from Maiga. She still wore that expression when Maiga came back out of the bathroom, a hasty makeup fix later. Wrapping the shawl around her bare shoulders Maiga nodded to Wixa.
"I'd better go."
"Well have a nice time. I'm sure you will. Chervaz is a sweetheart. I'll just finish my coffee and go."
"Okay. Leave when you're ready." Maiga gave her a quick warning look. "Don't go through my stuff."
"Go through your stuff?" Wixa looked outraged. "What do you think I am?"
"Nosey."
It wouldn't matter. She'd find nothing compromising. "Make sure you lock the door." She tossed the end of the shawl over her shoulder and strode out, silently cursing the damn shoes.
~o~
He talks so much.
She sat across the table from Chervaz, at one of the Plaza's more formal restaurants and watched him talking. Watched rather than listened, really, didn't hear most of it. Was it nerves that made him go on so? Then again Ilyan could talk just as much and he couldn't be called nervous. She'd fallen in love with him talking. Before that she'd been attracted to him, but listening to him talk had taken her to the next level.
Damn, doing it again, comparing them. Both talkers though, so hard not to compare. And since she wasn't a talker herself someone had to fill the silence.
There was still one thing he hadn't mentioned though, even though dinner was cleared away, the bill paid and they had lingered over their wine for some time.
"I hear you had a visitor in your office, while I was off the station."
The questioning look he gave her was sincere. She supposed plenty of people must visit his office.
"Captain Bara," Maiga said.
"Oh," a shadow passed over his face. "Yes, she came in. Out of curiosity, she said. Though I'm sure there was more to it than that."
"Well, you've been keen to meet her for an interview. So what did you think of her?"
Chervaz shifted in his seat and grimaced. "To be honest, she made me… nervous." He shook his head. "Shall we take our drinks over to the lounge?"
Quick subject change there, Maiga noted, but nodded and they took their glasses to the lounge, and sat on a plump and comfortable sofa. Maiga pulled the shawl around her, glad to put it on. She had felt too exposed during the meal while it lay on the back of her chair. Crossing her legs, she noticed Chervaz's gaze run down the calf to the strappy and painful shoe. Ah, the ‘putty in her hands' effect Wixa mentioned.
It seemed he didn't want to change the subject after all, since when he turned back to her he continued to talk about Bara, rather more quietly. Smart, Maiga thought. Who knows who might be listening?
"She has a kind of charisma, don't you find?" Chervaz said. "It's impossible not to watch her, listen to her."
Maiga nodded. Ilyan had the same thing. A compelling presence that helped him at his meetings, when he told people about his predictions. Bara did have some of that. But from the look in Chervaz's eyes a large dose of fear came with it. He won't admit she frightens him though, Maiga knew, he's a man after all.
"She induces a kind of attraction and repulsion at once," Chervaz went on. "It could be quite dangerous, I think."
"Dangerous?"
"She can draw people to her, followers. I've heard some disturbing stories about what she's been doing on her visits to the station the last couple of weeks. I think she has some kind of agenda. She's making friends, but quite selectively. She has a plan." He shook his head and bit his lip. "I just wish I could work it out."
"So you could report it under Important if True?"
He laughed. "That would probably be the best place for it."
Bara was on the station right now, Maiga knew, and wished she knew exactly where and what she might be up to. What had she been doing in the clinic yesterday?
Maiga shook her head. She shouldn't worry about it. What did it matter what Bara might be up to? Whatever is was, it probably had the possibility of messing things up around here, screwing up the status quo. But so what if it did? Maiga could stock up the Friss and bug out of here on a day's notice. This wasn't home.
Wixa called it home though. Could Maiga leave her high and dry? Well, perhaps if things were dangerous, then the ship did after all sleep two, they'd go together.
And Chervaz? She looked at him, his troubled frown, worrying about Bara. Worrying about the station. He liked it here. Even if he hadn't been here much longer than Maiga had, he'd put down roots already. Roots made of paper in his case. So he worried.
Then Maiga frowned too, not from worry, but annoyance. Hey, mister, you're on a date with me. What's all this preoccupation with another woman? The thought made her smile. Not jealousy, but more a feeling of being taken for granted. I'm right here and I look great, and I want him to go home thinking about me.
"Chervaz."
He looked at her, curious to hear what she had to say. But she didn't say anything. Rather she leaned in close and kissed him. Quite a brief kiss, a soft touch of the lips, barely enough pressure to feel the bristle of his skin before she pulled away again. It had been hard to close her eyes as she leaned in. But she trusted him. As she moved back, his eyes opened and locked onto hers. He would go to sleep thinking of her. He would wake thinking of her.
Conscious that she really wasn't good at this kind of thing and that if she stayed around she'd likely mess things up, she rose.
"Goodnight," she said. "I'll call you tomorrow."
"I… goodnight? Let me walk you…"
He moved to stand too, but too slow. She turned and made for the door, giving him a last look and a smile over her shoulder. He raised his hand in a goodbye wave, still wearing a stunned look. Then she was outside and at once she stopped to slip off the damn shoes because she couldn't take them one damn second longer.
She walked home on bare feet.
Chapter 16
"Welcome to the free clinic." Bara turned to where Lon and Anishk stood in the doorway. "Your clinic, Doctors."
They came inside, followed by men carrying crates, equipment and furniture. Both still had the guilty expressions they'd worn when she met them in the back room at Dav's. But despite the guilt it had been easy to appeal to their sense of duty as doctors and persuade them the free clinic was a good idea even if Sheni disagreed.
"Doctors, I know you feel bad about setting up in competition to Dr Sheni, but you know it's the right thing."
"Sheni is a good doctor," Anishk said, "I mean, just since coming here, I've learnt so much from her."
"I have nothing but admiration for her," Bara said at once, fearing they might waver. "She's served the community here well, for so many years. But the community is changing. If she can't adapt to that then someone else must. Don't you agree?"
They both nodded. "She is always talking about retiring anyway," Lon pointed out.
"Then she'll probably welcome this." Bara put her hands in her coat pockets and walked around the room, looking at the boxes and the equipment. All provided by her, as a service to the community.
And up here on level two. A deliberate strategy. Most of the clinic's patients would probably come initially from the cheap living quarters on level five, and having them coming up here might set a few cats among the pigeons. But if it had been down there on level five, the folks from the higher decks would have snubbed it just because of the location. Here it sat right in the heart of the lifer's community. They would come, eventually. Feeling ashamed at first, yes. But that word--free--had a power all its own. She'd even leave a couple of guards here, to make sure those lifers felt safe.
"This is so generous of you, Captain." Anishk's words cut into her thoughts. Yes, Bara thought, yes it is. "Can I ask why you're doing it?"
"Why? Do I need a reason? I only want to help my fellow humans. I've seen so much suffering. Anyth
ing I can do to relieve that is my duty."
If you wanted to become the master then sometimes you had to start out as the servant.
"My men will help you set up," she said. "Contact me if there's anything else you need." She shook the hands of the two doctors. "Tonight we'll have dinner to celebrate. I'll make a toast, to your future success."
The number of patients would be the mark of that success. Not only the number of patients the free clinic treated, but the number who left Sheni's and came here instead. Bara strode out, her bodyguards following her. Now, she had a call to make on her new friend. Major Jax.
~o~
"Lini," Major Jax called. "Please fetch us some tea."
"Thank you, Major," Bara said, as they sat on a sofa in Jax's office. "I trust there's been no more trouble."
"None, not since your men started guarding us."
"Oh that's good. And how are the boys doing? Behaving themselves?"
"Oh yes," Jax said quickly, making Bara frown. Did Jax fear Bara would take offence and withdraw her patronage if Jax made any complaints? It annoyed her that the brothel keeper would think her so capricious.
"Major, I expect the highest standards from my men. If you have any complaints I want to hear them. I will discipline the men if needed."
"Thank you." Jax looked relieved. "But, honestly, I haven't had any problems with any of them. They are a credit to you."
"Excellent."
The girl, Lini, Jax had called her, brought their tea. Bara made certain she remembered the girl's name and face. People could be terribly impressed by your remembering their name. Lini poured the tea into small glass cups and handed them to Jax and Bara.
Bara loved these small details of civilised life, the things that held back the dark tide trying to overwhelm them all. Tea. Newspapers. Medicine. Which brought her to why she had really come here to see Jax.
"Oh, I wanted to tell you about something. I'm setting up a free clinic, so all the humans on the station will have access to medical care, even those who can't afford Dr Sheni's fees. The two young doctors who were working with Dr Sheni are running it."
Jax frowned for a moment. Perhaps she was about to say something about Sheni's fees not being very high, but then she apparently thought better of that.
"That's very admirable, Captain," Jax said. "I think a lot of the newcomers are likely to need that kind of help."
"They are exactly who I'm thinking of."
"I'll be sure to spread the word. Perhaps we can give out information about it here."
"You can do more for me than that, Major." Bara sipped her tea. "I would like you and your staff to use the free clinic."
"What?" Jax and Lini exchanged a glance. "But, well, we've always used Dr Sheni. The girls are used to her. You understand that in this profession the medical care required is especially sensitive and the girls really do need a doctor they trust. I'm sure those young doctors will do very well, but I really would prefer to continue our current arrangement with Dr Sheni." Jax finished with a rather sickly smile on her face.
"Perhaps you didn't quite understand what I said." Bara's words were still polite, but they had a crusting on frost on them. "I'm sorry if I wasn't clear. I would like you and all of your staff to use the free clinic. Do you understand me?"
"Ah, yes, I see. Thank you for, ah, clarifying, Captain." Jax visibly shivered. "I'll tell all of my staff to use the clinic."
"Excellent. Your example will encourage others. And after all, Major." she gave a sly smile. "The money the men save on medical expenses might find itself moving in your direction instead."
~o~
Maiga joined the late night coffee klatch in Chullan's. Wixa, Sheni, and Jasini sat at one table. Chervaz and Jaff were there too, though at a separate small table from the women.
"So when does this clinic actually open?" Jasini asked.
"The day after tomorrow," Chervaz said. "I, ah, have an invitation to go and look around tomorrow. To write a story about it for the paper."
"And are you going to?" Jasini asked in an accusing tone.
"It is an important development, and people on the station do need to know about the services."
"And Dr Sheni--"
"Doesn't mind." Sheni interrupted Jasini. "Honestly, I'm not worried. I look forward to your story, Mr Chervaz. Tell the doctors they can call me for a consult whenever they like."
Wixa chortled into her coffee cup and put it down. "Ooh yes, Bara would just love that!"
"I couldn't give two pins what Bara thinks," Sheni said, tone still mild, but her eyes took on a hardness. It melted as she sipped her cup of tea and she smiled again. "Anyway, it may mean I get to take some time off to hang out here with you girls."
"Who are you calling girls?" Jaff said, grinning.
"I just hope Bara is providing them with guards too as well as everything else." Seeing their puzzled faces, Sheni went on. "Free treatment, free drugs. Do I have to explain the possible trouble that can attract?"
"Oh marvellous," Wixa muttered, "Just what I want, a load of drug addicts wandering around my level."
"Are drugs a big problem here?" Maiga asked.
Sheni shrugged. "I get a few drug seeking types. Usually claiming some particular drug is the only thing that takes away the pain of some old injury."
"But all those drifties coming in," Jasini said, "Now they are outside the military, who knows what kind of things they might be getting up to."
A little unfair, Maiga thought, to blame only the drifties. If they were using drugs, then they had to buy them from somewhere. And the well-established criminals on the station, the ones who organised supplies of drugs; they were lifers to a man.
"Hel-lo." Jaff said, perking up as if he'd just got his coffee intravenously. Looking around Maiga saw a young woman approaching their tables. It was obvious what had caught Jaff's attention; a pretty face framed by long, glossy, brown hair, creamy skin and a stunning figure.
"Dr Sheni," the young woman said. "Can I talk to you for a moment?"
She glanced around looking for a chair, and Jaff at once jumped up to give her his, pulling it over to stand near Sheni's. Jaff found himself another chair while the beautiful young woman sat down. Jasini gave her a rather disdainful look, puzzling Maiga.
"Hello, Lini," Sheni said, "how are you?"
"Annoyed," Lini said. "Doctor, I just wanted to apologise to you. On behalf of all the girls, we all feel really bad about this."
"About what, dear?"
"Major Jax has told us we all have to use that new clinic that's opening. That we can't come to you any more. But it was that Captain Bara told Major Jax we had to use the clinic. Even the Major didn't want us to, but Bara insisted. It's not fair!" Maiga noticed Chervaz writing in his notebook as the girl spoke. The snooty look from Jasini changed into a more interested one.
"Lon and Anishk are both fine doctors," Sheni said. "They'll take excellent care of you."
Lini snorted. "They both look like they've got sticks right up their asses. I doubt they can find a cervix without a flashlight and a map."
Wixa shouldn't have been taking a sip of coffee at that point, since espresso was not suitable for inhalation. Jasini pounded her on the back as she choked and Chervaz, appearing glad of the diversion, went to the counter to fetch a glass of water.
"Well," Lini glanced around. "I can't stay, I just wanted you to know about this, and how angry all the girls are."
"I appreciate that, my dear," Sheni said.
"I'm pretty sure Major Jax doesn't like it either, but she just doesn't think she's got much choice." Lini stood up and nodded goodbye to them all, then turned and left. Jaff watched her until Wixa, no longer choking, threw a balled up napkin at him.
"Not on your salary," Wixa said. "You can't even afford to dream about her."
"Wixa!" Jasini said, shocked, then turned to Sheni. "It seems to me that you're better off without having people like that coming into your clinic anyway."
&
nbsp; "Jax and the girls are okay," Sheni said. "Anyway, I don't have the luxury of making those sorts of judgements. I treat the patient in front on me. That's my job." She glanced at her watch. "And it's time I got to bed. The free clinic isn't open yet, so I may still have a patient or two in the morning."
Jasini and most of the others left too, until only Maiga, Wixa, Chervaz and Jaff remained. They all moved to one table. Chullan gave them a look that suggested they might want to be drinking up and getting out of here too, while he rearranged and cleaned the vacated tables.
"So, Bara has Jax trapped in her web," Wixa said, ignoring the coffee house proprietor. "That could be troublesome."
"Why?" Maiga said, puzzled. "What's so important about Jax?"
"Are you kidding?" Wixa said. "There's nobody on this station better at intel gathering than those girls. Well aside from me of course."
"Intel?" Chervaz and Maiga shared a puzzled look. Jaff just looked intrigued.
Wixa rolled her eyes. "How naïve are you people? You know those women were part of the military. Which part did you think that was?"
Maiga couldn't say she'd thought about it much. She'd known some girls who'd vanished from military training back when she was at the academy. Always pretty girls. She'd found out later where they'd gone. It had never been something she'd approved of, training young women to sell themselves. Perhaps some preferred it to combat training though. Some choice! But she had never realised they fell under the umbrella of the intelligence services.
"Pillow talk," Jaff said.
"Exactly," Wixa said, nodding. "And not just gathering information either, but disseminating it. Things High Command wanted to spread surreptitiously rather than by an official announcement. And brothels on places like Jimmy, where so many people pass through and go on elsewhere, were just perfect for that. That place was an information hub."
"Really?" Chervaz scribbled his shorthand notes quickly as Wixa went on.
"In the end that worked against High Command," Wixa said. "Since of course, the same method could be used to spread information High Command didn't want circulated. Wanted to suppress in fact."
