It didn't matter. It would take time for him to get another command officer and the ship's doctor behind him. "Lock torpedoes on target. Do not arm."
"Aye, aye, Captain."
Chris' raised eyebrows told her all she needed to know. He thought she was crazy, but couldn't prove it.
Yet.
"Captain, I have the landing party." The communications officer smiled. "Sergeant Kyle on the line."
She thumbed the switch for the communicator on her command chair. "Sergeant, what's your status?"
"Everyone except Major Spencer and Lieutenant Hawking is here on the LC, Ma'am. Their status is unknown. We have no immediate threats to the LC and crew."
Elsa glanced to the science officer. "Find them. Now." She smiled at the communicator. "Very well. Standby, but be ready to evac if you're attacked."
"Understood, Captain."
"Stay in contact with us." She clicked off. "Science, anything?"
"Not yet, Ma'am. I started at their quarters and I'm spiraling out from there."
"Good. Keep at it."
"Damage reports, Captain." Chris didn't look terribly happy.
"Go ahead."
"Mostly minor stuff. The most serious is a plasma leak in the starboard hyperdrive tubes."
"Get crews on it."
"Already done." He smiled a little. "We got lucky."
"Very."
* * * *
He'd been just a little slow on his dive behind the column. Spence tried to justify it by thinking he'd been looking to make sure Star was safe, but the fact was that he tripped over his big feet. The explosion rang his chimes better than Betty Higingbaum did back when he was fourteen and in the ninth grade under the bleachers at the football game.
He looked up and saw Krell kneeling next to Star. His first try at standing resulting in the room spinning furiously and Spence sat down hard enough to cause his teeth to click together. He crawled instead.
Star was unconscious, and her breathing was rapid and shallow. Krell looked up. "I know nothing of human physiology, but I fear for her."
Her skin was hot, hotter than a Hendri's, and her skin felt dry and crackly. Spence leaned close to her, stroking her cheek. "Star? Come on, honey. Can you hear me?" She didn't respond.
He tongued the communicator control in his helmet. "Spencer to LC." No answer came.
Krell went to Harnlan's still form. "He's dead."
"Shame, that." He thought for a moment. "We need to get Star out of here, someplace cooler."
He nodded. "May I help you carry her? The heat is getting to you as well."
Spence considered. Krell obviously had his actions with the elders planned, but didn't reveal them for some reason. He trusted the man just a little more now. "Sure."
They carried Star from the temple and into the empty plaza. They found some shade under a tree that looked like some mad cross between an oak, pine, and palm tree and placed her on the dark grass. Spence pulled off his vest and rolled it into a pillow for her head.
"I want you to know that I care for Star deeply, but I won't come between you and her." Krell shrugged again. "The physical aspects of love are important to humans, and I can never give her what you can."
He felt a little off balance by Krell's sudden foray into the topic of Star. "That's big of you." It sounded flippant, and maybe he intended it to.
"Love between Hendri—" He stopped suddenly, his face wrinkled in thought. "Love between Hendri or between Rangor is more emotional. Perhaps spiritual is a better word."
"I don't understand." Spence chuckled a little. "Then again, I wonder just what she sees in you."
Krell shrugged and reached out his hand to touch Spence's forehead.
In an instant, the details of the situation they were in seemed to fade into the background. Spence knew they had problems and he knew they needed to solve them, but the urgency faded in perspective.
Like waves he once saw on a beach in the Sandusky system, undulations of peace and tranquility washed over his mind, relaxing him and letting him focus on the important things in life. In his mind's eye, Spence saw two faces staring at him.
One was human and beautiful, piercing green eyes set in soft, tan skin and surrounded by billowing red hair. A soft smile touched the lips of the face, and he felt things no Marine should feel, or at least admit to feeling. The warmth and safety promised by the loving smile rocked through him, and he found himself wanting Star to hold him.
The other was alien, with large black eyes placed far apart in blue skin that looked like suede. Bluish-black hair danced at the edges of the face, and the small mouth and thin nose were almost not noticeable at first. But the feelings of safety and warmth were the same, and the urge to cuddle didn't fade at all.
He'd bumped his head hard when the rifle exploded in his hands, and the pain had settled into a nagging throb. Suddenly, the pain vanished. It didn't fade away as his worries did, but just turned off, like someone pulled the plug on a laser. Just gone.
Just as suddenly, Spence realized exactly what it was that Star saw in Krell. It was Krell, somehow, doing this to him. He manipulated Spence's thoughts and perceptions in some way, and Spence knew Krell could do far more than this, and probably had with Star.
He knew he should push away, break the contact with Krell, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. The fact was that he liked the way it made him feel. It was almost as good as the feelings he had when Star held him close to her. Spence could feel her breath on his neck and cheek as they embraced, and there was something new in the mix, too. While her soft hands caressed his body, the gentle tendrils of Krell's mind touched his brain. His erection strained against the body armor, and he wondered if the rigid suit could contain him.
His eyes dropped away from Krell and fell on Star's still form in the grass. Through the peace and rising tide of passion in his mind, Spence could think clearly.
He grabbed Krell's arm and pulled it away from his head. "Wait! You can help her!"
Krell stared for a moment, his eyes slowly focusing on the here and now. "I don't see how."
"Make her injuries better! You made my head stop hurting!"
A trio of lines appeared between the wide-set eyes. "Perhaps." He reached out and touched Star's head, the long fingers resting gently on the hot, red skin. After a moment, Krell pulled his hand away. "I need your help."
"How?"
"Just touch her with me."
He had no idea what he could do or how Krell expected that to help, but Spence knew that someplace in the last ten minutes, all doubts about Krell had vanished. If he thought this would help Star, then it would, and he would do anything Krell asked.
Spence placed his palm on Star's forehead, the skin nearly burning him, and Krell moved to put his delicate fingers on the back of his hand.
Again, the ebb and flow of peaceful feelings rushed over him like the tide, placing everything in perspective. At the same time, he felt energy flowing through him and from him to Star. He fought the urge to pull his hand away, but the power threatened to burn him as the transfer proceeded, the life force coursing across the small area of his palm and into her lovely body.
As he watched, Spence saw the redness in her face fade a little, and sweat broke out on her skin, rolling slowly down to the dark grass as her body fought to regulate her temperature again. Her tongue darted out briefly to lick at her lips, the chapped skin soaking up the moisture in an instant.
Krell suddenly stumbled and fell to his side, breathing hard and breaking the contact. He tried to sit up, his hand clutching for Star's forehead.
Spence broke the contact with her, and took Krell's hand in his. "No, just rest. She's better now."
"Is she better enough?"
"I don't know. Just rest." He poured a little water on his fingers and touched them to her lips, and she licked at the moisture. "I think she's much better."
The noise of clattering behind him reminded Spence he was totally unarmed now. He turned jus
t as Kyle and three other Marines swept into the plaza, weapons ready.
After a corporal gave a hand signal, Kyle nodded. "Clear! Secure the area!"
Twenty more Marines moved through the plaza and took up defensive positions.
Spence smiled. "I thought I ordered you to stay put."
"Yes, Sir, you did, but after getting the rest of the non-combat people to Daedalus and sending me some help, the Captain told me to come get your sorry ass."
"That's OK, then." He glanced at Star. "We need to get her to the ship."
Kyle followed his gaze. "Right. Medic!"
The corpsman came and hooked up several instruments to her. "She's near heat stroke. We need to get her to the ship ASAP."
Kyle handed Spence a communicator. "This will work."
He flipped the switch. "Spencer to Daedalus."
"Davis here. Good to hear from you, Major."
"Thank you, Ma'am, but Star is hurt, we need immediate evac by transporter."
"You're in luck. The system just came back up. How many?"
"Three." He glanced at Krell where he'd managed to get to a sitting position next to Star. "No, make it four."
"Copy that. Standby."
Star, along with the corpsman, Krell, and Spence twinkled out of existence on their way to Daedalus.
* * * *
At least her head didn't hurt this time as she woke up. This passing out crap was for the birds.
She was on a bed, but she couldn't see. Despite this she knew a few things about her surroundings. She knew she was on Daedalus because of the total absence of smells that was the signature of the air processing systems. She figured she was in sickbay because she felt tubes in her arms and she was either blind or her eyes were bandaged. The sheets also had that precision folding medical people were obsessed over.
And she knew that both Spence and Krell were at the bedside because she could feel them holding her hands.
She couldn't help smiling a little. "Hi, you two."
Spence spoke first. "Hi. How do you feel?"
"Surprisingly good, actually."
The singsong of Krell's voice made her shiver a little. "The doctor tells us you'll be fine."
"That's good. Why can't I see?"
"The doc needed to bandage your eyes for a while." Spence squeezed her right hand. "They got a little too dry, but they'll be fine in a few days."
Krell squeezed her left hand. "The blindness shall pass, though."
"Are you both alright?" They seemed a lot more cordial than the last she remembered.
"We're fine." She heard Spence chuckle a little. "In addition to the stuff on the planet, there are some things we need to work out."
"Spence is right, but you need to get well first." She realized that Krell felt cool, like he did in the Rangor cell. "Nothing that can't wait."
Star heard someone else come into the room. "I see my only patient is awake. Star, this is Doctor Hinkle. How are you feeling?"
"I'm just a little tired, that's all."
"Good, that's normal. I'll assume these two told you about the bandages on your eyes. Nothing to worry about, and they'll come off in the morning."
"They told me."
"Good, good. I'm going to run them out of here so you can rest. Five minutes, gentlemen." She heard the door close.
She thought for a moment. "I guess we do have a couple of things to deal with."
"Yes, we do." Krell squeezed her hand again. "Nothing that can't wait a little while. For now, goodnight." He moved, and Star felt his lips touch hers for an instant.
"Krell's right, honey. You concentrate on getting back on your feet." Spence leaned and kissed her softly. "We'll see you in the morning."
After she heard the door close, she wondered what two good looking men would do on their own aboard a ship with a crew that was 59% female.
The thought worried her a little.
Chapter 9
"As I told you, I can't give Star the things she needs and really wants." Krell shrugged. "You can, and though I care for her, I'll stand aside."
"No, that's not right." Spence tossed off his drink in one swallow. Krell couldn't see what attraction alcohol held for humans, but coffee was delicious. "You saved her life."
"As did you. I couldn't have helped her without you both suggesting it and helping me."
"Maybe." He waved at the server for another drink. Alcohol had an interesting effect on humans, causing them to lose their inhibitions. "Yeah, I tossed the grenade into the elder's computers, but you figured out where they were and made the hole to get to them. OK, I helped you heal her, but you did most of it." He sipped at his fourth drink. "Oh, and how did you know where the elders were? And why didn't they know you were there?"
Alcohol also made humans have flight of ideas, jumping from subject to subject without warning. "I was able to hide my mind from the elders by cloaking my thoughts behind Star's and yours." Krell shrugged. "They were so focused on you two, particularly you, they didn't see me. As for knowing where they were, I didn't until you threw your knife at the screen. When I saw them duck, I knew."
"How's that?"
"I'd long suspected the elders weren't real and were instead some kind of machine. They reacted too fast when you threw your knife. The most logical place for them to be was behind the wall."
Spence drank deeply. "Wait a minute. You hid behind me and Star? How?"
"The elders saw in the people of my planet some innate psychic abilities. One is the ability to touch the mind of another, like I did to you and Star, and I used that ability to mask my thoughts. They picked the city dwellers to enhance that power with the box in our head and gave us pyrokinesis so we could control those living outside the city. We became the Hendri and Rangor. At the same time, several hundred of your years ago, the elders built all the plants and animals on our planet."
"Wow, that's strange. Maybe I've had too much to drink."
Krell didn't think Spence meant it because he tossed off the remains of his alcohol and waved the empty glass at the server again.
"Perhaps. Be that as it may, you and Star should be together." He hesitated, recalling the softness of her mind in the Rangor safe room. "I saw in her mind that she loves you, Spence."
"All I know is that I fell for her hook, line, and sinker."
"What's a sinker?"
"It doesn't matter."
"I assume that means you love her, too."
"Yeah, it does." Spence rubbed at his eyes. "What was that you did to me back there in the plaza?"
"The same thing I did with Star. To us, that's how we show someone we care." He shrugged. "We can give someone peace and tranquility, help them put things into perspective by letting them relax."
He chuckled. "So that means you care about me?"
Krell wondered how, or even if, he should bring this up to Spence. "Yes, I do. If for no other reason, Star cares for you, and I care for her. What matters to her also matters to me."
"Well, then."
"But she belongs to you."
Spence shook his head. "No, my friend, she belongs to no one other than herself. She'll be the first to tell you that, too. She'll decide on her own who she wants to be with, if anyone."
"Yes, she will."
"So, until she decides that, we're both on the line."
"That's a very fatalistic view of things."
"I guess it is, but the universe is a pretty fatalistic place." Spence smiled as he clicked his glass of whiskey against his coffee cup. "Cheers."
* * * *
Her eyes wouldn't focus on things too close to her, but otherwise, she felt good. The doctor released her from sickbay, but she was still technically off duty until 0800 tomorrow. That didn't stop her from reading the reports from the teams on the planet. Or at least trying to read them. She had to increase the size of the text on the screen and scoot the chair back about half a meter to see it at all. Added to that, Spence and Krell kept after her to leave it alone.
Between the reports and the things Krell told her, she had a good idea of what happened a few hundred years ago. Some alien species came to the planet, but only a few members of a dying race survived. They found a species with some limited psychic powers, telekinesis and a form of empathy that fringed on what most people thought of mind reading. The primitive people on the planet had separated into two groups, one living in towns and villages with an agrarian society, and the other living in the hills as hunter-gatherers.
The aliens favored the townsfolk, using technology to enhance their innate skills and give them pyrokinetic powers. She didn't know much about these strange aliens who played god here, but they set themselves up as elders and ruled the city dwellers. They instilled a hatred of the mountain folk and even gave the groups the impression they were of different species, the Hendri and Rangor.
At some point, the elders knew they were dying, and built a complex computer system to rule in their absence. That was about two hundred years ago. Before they all died, they genetically engineered a number of plants and animals to make life easier for the Hendri and harder for the Rangor.
Then came Daedalus.
The computer sensed the ship approaching, and decided the Hendri could escape the planet by using the humans to carry them away. In the logic circuits of the computer, the Rangor were destined to take over the planet, and they needed to avoid that.
She thought one could argue with the logic issues all day and still not reach a conclusion, but the fact was that's what happened. She also wondered about the social structures the elders created, both before and after their deaths. Did it reflect their own?
She had a meeting scheduled with the Captain tomorrow to give her opinion of how things should proceed, and she needed to reach her own conclusions. Spence had other plans.
He pulled a chair up beside her and sat down. "Why don't you let your eyes rest a while?"
"I'm fine, and I need to get this all straight in my head for the captain."
Krell dragged another chair to her other side. "Spence is right. You should rest."
Burning Love [Flights of Fancy 1] (Siren Publishing Menage Amour) Page 9
