Mastering herself, Maya briefly considered going up to the bridge to lend her alibi some substance, but sought out Zara instead. She was still at work on the landing gear.
“Heyas, Za”, she said. “Need a hand?”
“Don’t you have some sims to run?” the woman asked, not taking her eyes off her work.
“In a bit,” Maya replied. “Thought I’d spend a little time getting my hands dirty first. Been missing the grease.”
Zara looked down from the ladder and smiled knowingly at her. “I could use the number 10 spanner from the box. While you’re at it, care to tell me what’s really on your mind?” The old Engineer knew her far too well.
Maya flashed her a devilish grin and handed her the tool. “Well, I did have a few questions about our new crewmate.”
“Aye-yah, I imagine that you do. Sarah said that you might be asking about him.”
“Did she tell you not to tell me anything?”
Zara reached up into the landing gears innards and went to work with the spanner. “Not directly. She did give the Captain a royal tongue lashing for taking Jeena on in the first place. She wants him off the ship. I ‘magine you know why. I saw her talking to you on the ramp last night.”
“I do,” Maya replied. “And I don’t agree with her. She—he--isn’t a problem. Sarah’s just plain klaxxy. If Jeena does his job, who gives a fek? Besides, isn’t Inish in charge now?”
In the course of their celebration the night before, it had come out that although the JUDI was still considered an Agency asset, control over its operations had finally been given over to Bel Lissa completely. This had occurred because of Sarah’s promotion, and Bel Lissa’s own exemplary service record. It was now Bel Lissa’s call when it came to crew dispositions.
“Aye-yah, she is,” Zara agreed. “Not that that’s sunk in with Sarah yet, and we know how she gets when she digs her feet in.”
She grimaced as she tightened something down, and went on. “She’ll keep working at it until Jeena’s gone, just on the principle of it all. And Inish will insist on the opposite, just on the principle of it all.”
Maya shrugged. “Well, for my demi-credit, Jeena’s fine. I saw her earring--his earring. Deas dam va, that’s gonna take some getting used to.”
Zara laughed. “Yah, I know. I keep forgetting myself. So, now that Sarah’s told you to stay away, what do you want to know about him?”
“Not much,” Maya answered with false innocence. “Just everything. How did he come by that tat, or the name? What ship did he captain?”
“So it’s gossip you want with your grease, then? Why not ask him yourself?”
Maya shook her head. “No, I want to hear it from someone I trust first, then see what he tells me. That’s if I get the chance and Sarah doesn’t have her way.”
The Engineer gave the component she had been servicing a maternal pat, and then came down the ladder.
“Well, I know that he trained up with Skylaar at that fighting school they’ve got there on Nemesis. ‘Think it was part of his Agency training. He must’ve done good, ‘cause they don’t give out those tats to just anyone—or the name. Skylaar could tell you more—that’s if she wants to---and if Sarah doesn’t convince her to paddle your backside just for asking.’
Maya was unfazed by this possibility, and pressed on. “And the ship?”
“The Elizabeth Shirland. Don’t know the whole tale, but the Liz got hit by Indies in Null during some mission or another. And no, I don’t know how he got the command of her in the first place. Must have been something the Agency was trying out as a test.”
Zara started to wheel the ladder over to the next landing assembly and tilted her jaw towards the tool box. Maya dutifully picked it up and followed her.
“And--?”
“That’s it. The Captain knows more, and of course Jeena knows the whole story. You know, you really should just go and ask him. You’d get a lot more for your time.”
“Thanks,” Maya demurred. “Not just yet.”
A moment later, Sarah messaged her.
Are you done with your little breakfast at the Port? the woman asked. Return here immediately. We have an appointment to keep.
“Izzat Sarah?” Zara asked. She’d seen Maya close her eyes, and then the grimace on her face.
“Yep. So much for freedom,” Maya replied. “Zara, if Sarah asks…“
“You know I can’t do much to hide anything from her,” the Engineer said. “Not with all her talents. I’ll just tell her that you cornered me. Then the two of you can sort it out.”
“I suppose that’s the best I could hope for,” Maya conceded. “Thanks for all the grease—and the gossip.”
Claire d’Layne Naval Base, Nuvo Bolivar, Magdala Provensa, Esteral Terrana Rapabla, 1048.10|23|02:50:20
What Kaly didn’t realize was that her Psych doctor had privately come to the opinion that it was time for her to rotate back to the Sisterhood. After their initial session, Kaly had come in sporadically for follow-up appointments, and Dr. Jeanna n’Susyyn had recognized the signs of chronic stress. Her recommendation for Kaly’s transfer coincided with a recent policy change by the RSE, which the Major announced at the team’s next briefing.
“You’re all being sent back to the Sisterhood,” the Major told them. “The Agency has decided to make use of your expertise and loan you out to work with law enforcement groups back home. After you’ve broken in your replacement teams, you’ll be tasked with training street kaapers in the latest tactics and procedures. So, you’re going to get an all-expenses paid vacation, courtesy of the Regila. But don’t let all that fun and sun make you soft. You’ll be coming back here in six months.”
She read out their new postings.
Kaly learned that she had been assigned to the Metropolitan Police Academy on Thermadon. She wasn’t sure whether to feel relief, or regret at this news. As much as she looked forwards to leaving the Republic and getting the chance to air her head out, the team was being broken up. Margasdaater was slated for a posting on Larra’s Lament, T’Jinna was going to Corrissa, and Ben Di had work to do on Delgen. They would not be seeing each other again for at least half a year.
Fully aware that they would soon have their hands full acclimatizing the new teams to the ETR, they held an impromptu farewell party for each other that evening. And although they tried not to, everyone including Kaly, shed their fair share of tears. Suddenly, her earlier decision to leave the service behind and start a new life didn’t seem quite as appealing.
Their deployment to Nuvo Bolivar had brought the team together closer than ever before, and parting--even temporarily--came hard for all of them. Although the Republic was a cesspool and she had grown weary of war, Kaly knew that she would miss her companions deeply.
Regila da Securité par Estat Headquarters, Concordance Park, Thermadon Val, Thermadon, Myrene System, Thalestris Elant, United Sisterhood of Suns, 1048.10|23|02:91:69
Sarah offered no censure when Maya finally walked into the apartment. Nor did she ask her any questions about her activities. Instead, she simply ordered her to clean herself up and change into her dress uniform. It was only after the young woman had complied, and they were sitting in Aria, that Sarah finally divulged their destination. They were headed to the RSE Central Headquarters, and a meeting with her immediate superior.
Located next to Concordance Park, and right across from the Golden Pyramid, the trip took only a few minutes, and as soon as Aria identified itself, they were cleared to land in the parking area reserved for active duty officers.
Before the war with the ETR, the building had been a government office shared by the OAE with several other agencies. Now, only the RSE occupied it, and the OAE, which continued to exist as a purely diplomatic entity, had been displaced. It was sharing space with the Department of State in another location altogether.
The RSE tower was an ultra-modern structure, and the Agency had spared no expense to modify it so that it could fulfill its ne
w role. Decorative concrete barriers protected the entrance from attack by ground vehicles, glass windows were steadily being replaced with blast-resistant versions made of plastic laminate, and shield generators concealed in the building itself created force fields strong enough to fend off missiles, or a hover-vehicle filled with explosives. Human security had also been improved; armed SRU troopers stood watch at all the entrances, in full battle armor and toting compact energy rifles.
Seeing all this, Maya was certain that she was only looking at the surface of the buildings defenses, but even these looked formidable to her trained eye. The RSE was ready for terrorists, and then some.
Following Sarah inside, she found the main lobby to be a vast, brightly lit space, done in white Kevani marble, and offset by burnished steel pillars. Its huge floor was emblazoned with the logo of the Agency in black onyx and marble, accented by gold.
And with the exception of a few women that were dressed as civilians (and who were most likely not civilians, but plainclothes agents) most of the figures coming and going were in uniform like they were. Maya hadn’t seen so much dark colored clothing in one place since Nyx, and she mordantly wondered if the RSE wasn’t trying to outdo the women of the Nightworld with their somber color scheme. If they were, they were doing a damned good job of it, she mused, forcefully suppressing a giggle.
Sarah however, seemed quite comfortable with it all, and led Maya to the ebony reception desk as if the place were a second home. After the uniformed reception staff had scanned their biochips and matched their aural signatures, they were waved through the security scanners to a row of Lifts.
Nodding to the SRU troopers guarding them, Sarah chose the centermost one, and once its gleaming black doors opened, they boarded it and took it straight to the 405th Floor. There were no stops, and no other passengers. Sarah’s rank and their appointment, had guaranteed them a private express ride.
When the car opened, a policewoman met them and quietly escorted them down a long hall. Like the lobby, the passage was a study in severe white marble, gleaming steel doors, and black onyx tile that made their boot steps sound like the crack of energy weapons.
Maya had often heard it said that first impressions were everything, and based on what she had seen so far, ‘warm and friendly’ wouldn’t have been her first choice to describe the place.
In fact, there was a definite chill in the air. Not enough to be considered freezing, but still quite noticeable. There was also the faint smell of ozone, hinting that whatever was going on behind the mysterious steel doors involved very large and very powerful computers.
Not that she disapproved of this Spartan ambiance. A cozy fire, with cookies and milk generally didn’t ‘go’ with the image that a national police/intelligence agency wanted to project.
Their ultimate destination proved to be at the very end of the hall. In keeping with her penchant for secrecy, Sarah hadn’t mentioned the name of the woman they had come to see, but a steel plaque on the door enlightened Maya immediately; “General Angelique bel Thana, Assistant Director.” They were immediately shown into a reception room that was just as sterile as everything else, and there, another officer took them into the General’s office itself.
This was a large chamber with a high ceiling and indirect lighting that only emphasized its volume. A long, black carpet led straight from the door and across the room, terminating at the foot of a great baaka wood desk.
It was plain to the point of severity, and the seat behind it, was just as cheerless, and seemed more like a throne than a mere place to sit. Maya also noticed that no seats had been set aside for any visitors, and it was patently clear that whoever came in, was expected to approach the desk like a supplicant, and stand.
The only decorations in the room where a pair of huge oval windows that commanded a magnificent view of Thermadon Val. Between them, was the same life-sized portrait of Anne Marie Rensolear and the flags that Sarah had on display in her office back in the ETR. Clearly, this somber arrangement was the ‘norm’ for high-ranking RSE officers everywhere, Maya reflected, and Bel Thana was its inspiration.
The General herself was standing with her back to them, gazing out one of the windows with her hands clasped behind her back. As they came in, she turned to regard them.
Maya hated her the very instant that their eyes met. And even though she had been careful to mask her distaste from the psi, the woman still perceived it instinctively. Just from the slight tilt of her jaw, Maya knew that she was reciprocating the emotion, if only defensively.
Thankfully, neither of them gave any voice to their true feelings for one another. Had that actually occurred, on either a verbal or mental level, it would have gone; “Bitch!” followed by the reply “Bitch”, and so on into infinity.
Angelique bel Thana was simply everything that Maya wasn’t; she was tall, blond, and beautiful enough to be a realie star, and positively radiated sophistication, elegance and grace. She was someone that any woman, Maya included, would have wanted to look like, and all the more hateful for it.
Bel Thana smiled at them (perfectly, of course), and greeted them warmly (also delivered with equal flawlessness). It came as no surprise that her voice also matched her appearance. Instead of being hoarse and grating--which it would have been in any just universe--it was rich and velvety.
“Sarah! “ Angelique declared. “How wonderful to see you again!” She turned to Maya next. “You must be Maya. I’ve heard so many good things about you. Both Lady Ananzi and Sarah have spoken quite highly of your performance.”
Caught completely off guard by the compliment, Maya managed to stammer out a polite response that was just as clumsy as the woman was making her feel. Bitch, she thought.
Angelique focused her impeccable smile on Sarah. “Sarah, you and I have a great deal to discuss. The developments that your Station has reported have caused quite a stir here. Perhaps you have a few minutes to spare me?”
Even if Sarah hadn’t been free, she still would have been compelled to give Bel Thana her time, and they all knew it. Bel Thana’s polite request had simply frosted over what was actually an order. It was also abundantly clear to Maya that she was not included in this invitation.
“Maya,” Sarah told her, “I will be a little while. Wait for me downstairs, please.”
“Okay. Sure.”
“Thank you for your understanding, Maya,” Bel Thana added smoothly. “I do so hope that we will have the opportunity to get to know one another better, some other time.”
This was a lie. A genteel one, but still a falsehood. Not that Maya had any more of a choice in the matter than Sarah did. She was, after all, a Lieutenant, and Bel Thana was a General, so it was time for her to leave.
Bitch!
The instant that Maya had left, Bel Thana came right up to Sarah. There was a hungry look in her green eyes, and reflexively, Sarah stepped backwards until she found herself up against the wall. She made no attempt to evade her any further however, and remained right where she was.
It had been a long time, but not so much that either of them had forgotten what they had once shared together, years before. Then, they had both been new agents, just out of training and assigned to the same Station, and their love affair had been one long inferno of unbridled passion. Rank and responsibility had gradually interrupted this, and then separated them, and after that, the years themselves had joined in the conspiracy, severing them completely. But the fire itself had never been extinguished.
“I’ve missed you so much,” Angelique said huskily. Her body was close to Sarah’s now, making her presence all the more electric for the slight gap between them.
And Angelique understood precisely what she was doing. She knew what aroused Sarah.
For a several seconds, they remained like this, staring into one another’s eyes and saying nothing. At last, like a predator that had finally decided that the moment was right to strike, Angelique leaned in and kissed Sarah deeply. At the same time, her hand w
ent directly to Sarah’s crotch, and the woman moaned under her merciless touch.
After a while, they went together into an adjacent room. Like many senior officials, Angelique kept a small living area there, and naturally, a bed.
Time passed.
***
Down in the lobby, Maya had found very little to occupy her time with. In addition to the reception desk, the only accommodation for visitors was a small seating area with several couches--black ones--and a scattering of Holomags. Inspecting these, Maya was disappointed. They were all public relations rags with nothing but positive, and very boring things, to say about the RSE.
Tossing them aside, Maya looked around for some way to pass the time, and finally saw it. She went up to the officer at the desk.
“Excuse me,” she asked her sweetly. “I’ve got a bit of a wait before Colonel n’Jan comes back to get me. I’d sure like something good to read. Do you have any copies of ‘Creative Assassination’ or maybe ‘Espionage for Kids?’ I always loved the coloring pages in that one.”
The officer glared at her sourly. “Just what you see, Lieutenant.”
“Oh well, thank you anyway!” Maya beamed, quite pleased that she had managed to irritate the humorless woman. Then, just to annoy her even further, she returned to the seating area and flopped herself down on the couch with an exaggerated sigh, making certain to kick her booted feet up onto the low table. This earned her another dark look, and all the entertainment that she had been hoping for.
***
Sarah placed an apologetic hand on Angelique’s bare shoulder. Angelique didn’t respond, but kept her back turned. Despite this, Sarah knew that she was weeping. When Angelique did speak at last, it was barely above a whisper and ragged with sorrow.
“It is her,” she said. “She did this to you.”
“No,” Sarah answered. “It is not Trina’s fault. I just can’t—not any more---“
“Not unless she does it to you her way? Is that it?”
Sisterhood of Suns: Daughters of Eve Page 32
