by Susan Kelley
“Yes, sir,” the men answered together.
Joe looked back once as he and Vin walked to the ship’s open cargo door. So few left. A rare bitter emotion rose within him. How many of his men had been lost by the carelessness and callous disregard of their superiors? So many lives wasted before they had a chance to live.
“Joe,” little Glory called. She trotted to him, her perfect face puckered into a frown. “Are you and Vin coming back?”
Joe hunkered down to her level. What if he’d never had the chance to meet this little wonder? “Vin will be back before you know it.”
“What about you?”
“If I can, I’ll be back before you learn your numbers.”
Glory smiled. “I already know some of them. When you get back, will you find me some more applenuts? They were the best ever.”
“I promise.”
She flung her thin arms around his neck and squeezed with all her little girl strength. Unon! What had he done to deserve such a blessing?
Joe caught up with Vin. He looked back one more time, fixing the image in his mind. Just in case he never saw any of them again.
* * * *
Despite all their attempts, the pirate ship still stank of slovenly men. Callie avoided the sleeping area and even the food service room. She’d never suffered from space sickness, but a few more hours in this flying garbage barge and she might have a first bout.
She made her way forward to the bridge. Yalo sat in the navigator’s seat while Joe piloted the vessel. Vin sat in the co-pilot’s chair watching the security scanners.
“Four hours until we reach Zulu Station,” Yalo said when she saw Callie. “They’re always open for business.”
“I don’t like this,” Joe said. “We should have purchased a less obvious vessel before coming here.”
“It will be easier to do business if we have Galactic Credit Markers before we try to buy anything.” Callie had already explained this. “I can access my accounts at any Galactic Bank. Zulu has one.”
The marines exchanged a look, but they didn’t argue further as the ship hurdled forward. Few words were exchanged except for discussions on other ships and the best way to avoid them.
An hour out from the station, Callie went to the lone private cabin to change her clothing. The small room reeked less than the rest of the ship.
She shed her familiar loose leggings and short tunic she’d worn every day on Crevan. She pulled on a longer formal tunic and skin-hugging shimmery silk tights. Heeled knee boots completed the outfit. Next she unwound her braid and began to brush out her long hair. She wished for a mirror. Lately, she’d felt her body was a stranger to her.
She ran her hand down her side, wondering when the curve of her hips had become attractive. When had her bountiful bosom become a thing of great desire? She thought if she looked in a mirror, she might see a lady of great beauty, not the plain, large-boned woman she’d been.
And the change was only because of the way Joe looked at her. Because of the way he touched her. Because of the way he kissed her.
Now she was taking him to her world and putting him in danger. To protect herself from her enemies or to prolong her self-delusions?
Callie shook her head against her doubts. Joe knew the risks and had agreed to take them. She needed to concentrate on the needs of Giroux. If having Joe made her feel beautiful and full of a mysterious feminine power then so much the better.
* * * *
Joe stayed within a yard of Callie as she negotiated with the government official. Vin and Yalo positioned themselves to each flank, their weapons near to hand.
He resisted indulging his curiosity about the space station. He and Vin had only ever landed here to refuel. They’d never wandered at will around one of the monstrous structures.
The station had a controlled atmosphere and temperature regulation. The hangar where they’d berthed had smelled of machinery and metal, reminding Joe of the missions where they’d traveled for weeks in the belly of a ship.
“I’ve never seen such a pure grade,” the buyer whispered to someone standing beside him. A small barred window allowed only a small view of the man hiding behind a steel wall. A strange way to do business if one was an honest man.
Joe doubted Callie had heard the quiet mumbling as the two men discussed the crystallized iron.
“I can give you the current rate for medium grade ore.” The government man smiled at Callie in a way Joe didn’t like.
“It’s pure iron.” Joe stepped into the man’s view. “Give us your highest price, or we’ll find another buyer.
“Who am I negotiating with here?” The man lifted his chin as he spoke.
“My guard knows the value of crystallized iron better than I do. I trust his word completely. Do you think we should go elsewhere, Captain?”
Joe watched Callie for a clue, sensing she played a game of sorts. What should he say?
“No need,” the official sputtered. “I’ll give you top price your highness.”
It didn’t take long after that. The man cast a few hateful glances at Joe, but he signed the debit papers for Callie.
They rode a smooth escalator to the marker office where Callie collected the metal engraved cards. Only a few people were about in the large room, but Joe felt their stares on him.
“We’ll have to get you some new clothing before we go home,” Callie whispered as they joined Vin and Yalo near the exit.
Home?
“Let’s get out of here,” Vin said, putting a hand in the middle of Yalo’s back and urging her forward. “These people are odd.”
Callie and Yalo laughed, but Joe didn’t get the joke. He took rear guard position as they hurried back to the hangar. He could ignore the distractions of the alien surroundings, but not the view directly in front of him.
The clinging leg wear Callie had donned drew his stare. The heeled boots added a swing to her hips. Her hair hung loose and swayed in opposition to her hips. Unon!
Joe shook himself mentally. He forced his concentration to his duty, listening to the sounds of men moving among the docked ships. Few paid attention to his small group, but something tweaked his senses.
The ships, some massive and some smaller than theirs, were parked in uneven rows. Joe tuned out Callie’s and Yalo’s footsteps, hearing other boots traveling in a course parallel to theirs.
They reached their ship where they’d parked in an area off by itself. Vin entered the code to open the door, giving a slight nod to Joe before he entered. He’d heard the shadow also.
They took off without incident. Joe set the course for Percali.
“I’ve never been to that system,” Callie said. Now that they’d left Crevan, she seemed really anxious to get home. “How long will it take us?”
“Two days to there,” Vin answered.
“I hate the delay.”
“We need faster ships.” Yalo put her hand on Vin’s shoulder as she leaned over him. “We should take turns resting. We’ve missed at least one sleep cycle.”
“She’s right. Go, Vin. I’ll take first watch,” Joe said.
Vin obeyed without discussion. Callie slid into his copilot seat as after he and Yalo left the bridge.
“What are we watching for?” Callie asked with a smile.
Joe pointed to the small holographic display between her set of controls and his. A red outline of a ship floated in the star chart of the surroundings. “We’re being followed.”
Callie gasped. “Followed! Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I just did. They’re hanging back.”
Callie glared at him. “You have to tell me about things like this right away.”
Joe frowned, wondering about her anger. “They’re probably watching to see where we go. They’ll want to find our source for the crystallized iron.”
“How long have you known they were there?”
“They were watching us in the hangar.”
“What?” Callie’s glare burned
hotter. “They could have jumped us in there and no one would have known.”
“No would have known it until they found their bodies.” Joe scanned the control panels, noting the fuel reserves and engine efficiency ratings. Mak had it sailing as smooth as the newest model in the fleet.
Callie sighed and then laughed softly. “All right. So you had it under control. Why aren’t we trying to lose them?”
“I don’t think we can with this ship. We’ll let them follow until we switch ships, and then we’ll either kill them or lose them.”
“Joe, you can’t kill people you don’t want around.”
“Then we’ll lose them.” Joe stored away her warning. He’d have to be careful of such things. Not all threats were lethal in civilian life.
“I think Vin and Yalo are made for each other,” Callie said after a long stretch of silence.
“Made for each other? Yalo was made too?”
Callie laughed. “No, she wasn’t made. Not like you and Vin.”
Joe didn’t understand her amusement, but he liked hearing her laugh. Perhaps his venture into the world of real people wouldn’t be so bad.
* * * *
Callie stretched out on the hard bed. They’d cleaned two sleeping mats and put them in the private chamber for her and Yalo. One thin blanket covered her nakedness. The cold temperature of the chamber brought her nipples to sharp peaks. That and her anticipation of Joe joining her.
Long moments passed and the stress and frantic preparations caught up with her. Her eyes grew heavy, and the mattress seemed softer.
An hour or more may have passed when Joe lifted the corner of the blanket and joined her. She turned toward him, curling against his warm side.
A soft glow emanated from a lighted panel beside the door, the muted illumination almost making the stark room romantic.
“I can’t wait to sleep in my own bed,” Callie whispered. She snuggled deeper into Joe’s shoulder, using one hand to draw aimless circles on his smooth, sculptured chest.
“Crevan Four was the longest I’ve been in one place since my training was complete. I’ve never had a bed that I became so accustomed to that I missed it.” Joe slid his hand up her bare back and down again, chasing a delicious shiver with it.
“You will when we get to Giroux. My bed is huge and soft. The sheets are washed in lavender soap.”
“What are the sheets of your soldiers washed in?”
Callie lifted her head to look down at him. His eyes glistened dark and fathomless as he returned her gaze.
“I don’t know about their sheets, and you won’t know either. You’ll be with me.”
“Callie, I have little knowledge of social customs, but I know I can’t share your bed when we reach Giroux. You’re queen, and I’m an escaped convict. I should like to sleep near you until we’re sure it’s safe for you.”
Callie slapped her hand on his bare chest, flinching at the sharp crack it made against his skin. “You’re right about one thing. I’m queen and I can do what I want. I want you to sleep in my bed.”
“Why?”
Callie hesitated. Such a simple one word question. “I won’t feel safe unless you’re with me.”
“I can keep you safe without sharing your bed.”
“I feel stronger when you’re by my side.”
“You are strong. Look what you’ve been through. I’m afraid you’ll suffer for my presence.”
“I’m queen.” She refused to consider his legitimate concern. “We’ll deal with any problems if they arise.”
Callie rubbed her foot up his calf, ruffling the sparse hair. Her knee pressed higher, encountering his heavy testicles and then his erect penis.
Joe’s hand on her back tightened. He pressed her closer. “Is this why you want me in your bed, your highness?”
She didn’t have a chance to answer as he lifted her on top of him. One of his hands roamed over her stomach and slowly traveled toward the junction of her thighs. His other hand encircled as much of her one breast as he could. He squeezed and rubbed his thumb over her nipple at the same time his other hand found the throbbing nub guarding her entrance.
His talented hands drove worries about Giroux from her mind. For a little while.
* * * *
“What’s Vin doing?”
“Checking for tracking devices.” Joe took Callie’s arm and led her toward the other ship they’d purchased. It was a beauty, fast and sleek.
“Everyone will want to know our source for the crystallized iron.” Joe led her into the cargo hold. It was mostly empty except for some clothing and a few supplies Callie had purchased for their trip to Giroux.
“No one knows about it except the agent who bought it.”
“And anyone he told and all the men who moved it for him and anyone they told.” Joe checked the new weapons. The guns could be set for lethal fire or a pulsing stun option. He’d also purchased the best communication units made. He intended to be no more than a whisper away from Callie. The earpiece was nearly invisible, and the microphone could pick up a breath.
“Have all your purchases been delivered?” Joe itched to get back into space and away from the busy space port with its racket and clatter.
“One more package to come.” Callie said.
“If it’s not here when Vin is done, we’re leaving without it.” Joe hopped out of the cargo door and helped her down. She glared at him but didn’t argue.
They walked to the other ship. Vin and Yalo would travel back to Crevan in the larger cruiser. It wasn’t quite as fast as Joe’s ship, but it had a huge cargo area.
“We’ll be lucky to get aloft with all this on board,” Yalo said to them.
“You need it all,” Joe answered. “Your ship can carry a greater weight than this and still get airborne.”
“I was kidding, Joe,” Yalo said with a grin. “I can’t wait to see everyone’s faces when they see what we brought back with us.”
Joe left the women to admiring the supplies. He felt too harried to try and figure out when the women joked or were being serious. He found Vin leaning over an open compartment. “Find anything?”
Vin lifted his sweat-soaked head. “Three zeeray tracers and the standard transponder. I disabled it and pulled the tracers.”
“Everything is loaded. Send Mak and Roz for more supplies as soon as you get back. You have enough firepower to hold off anybody. Get the sensor blocks in place before you do anything else so no one can find you if they do manage to follow you to Crevan.”
“Yes, sir. Don’t worry. We’ll be fine.”
“Set up the subspace receiver. I’ll send a message if things go bad. You guys get out of there before the army comes.”
“What about you, sir?”
“Consider me gone, Vin. You’re in command.”
Vin stared at him for a long moment before answering. “We’ve fought a lot of battles together, Joe.”
Joe nodded. Vin was more than his second-in-command. He was a brother, not in blood but in deed.
“I feel like you’re going to fight this one without me. And, Joe, it looks like a suicide mission.”
“Perhaps.”
A peal of laughter drew their attention to the two women digging through some of the packages in the hold.
“I don’t know about you, Vin, but I can’t go back. I can’t just survive every day and be content. If there’s even a slight chance I can keep part of this new life we’ve discovered, I must take it.”
“I understand.”
“And how could I live somewhere in safety and know that Callie had to face her enemies alone?”
Vin shook his head. “But do you know how to fight the enemies she has? I’m afraid they’re the same kind of foes we faced at our court martial. What can men like us do against liars and sly politicians?”
Joe touched the new pistol strapped on his belt. “Liars and politicians die as easily as other men.”
Chapter Ten
Joe adjusted the
volume of the hyperspace communicator. “They’re talking about you.”
Callie leaned over his shoulder, her unbound hair brushing his arm.
He turned his head so a few wisps tickled his cheek.
“Who’s this General Drant?” Callie asked as she came around to the copilot’s chair. She tapped the key to turn up the volume on the communicator where the general issued crisp orders to the men under his command.
Joe admired the clinging body sheaf Callie wore before answering. Life on Giroux would be really interesting if Callie dressed the way she had since they’d parted ways with Yalo and Vin. “Drant is the officer in charge of all active army units.”
“Even yours when you were active?”
“Recon marines were a force onto ourselves. But we worked with his units at times. Usually our orders came directly from the ministry.”
“Do you know him?”
A new message came over the receiver. The voice instructed all patrol units to report any sightings of Callie’s small cruiser and gave the coding for her distress beacon. All information was to go directly to Drant’s headquarters on an encrypted frequency.
“I wouldn’t say I know him,” Joe answered when the message ended.
“Would he know you on sight?”
“I assume he would. Our likenesses would have been given to all military and security personnel when we went missing.”
“Surely they assumed you were dead.”
“I don’t know. We had no access to interplanetary communications after we crashed.”
Callie stared out the front viewing screen. Darkness and stars stretched into eternity in front of them. “Do you think Drant is trustworthy?”
“I wouldn’t know how to tell?”
“Perhaps I can contact him before going home. He can provide protection for me.”
“I’m your protection.” A strange emotion rose in Joe, something hot and unpleasant.
“I know that, Joe.” She gave him a confused look. “But I don’t know what I’ll find at home.”
“If we contact the regular army, it’s only a matter of time before one of them recognizes me.”
