Touch of Danger (Three Worlds)

by Strickland, Carol A.

  “Sounds wonderful. But you don't have to—”

  “Want to. Not have to.” He gave her a final squeeze and released her. “I'm going to conk out for a while. Miss me?”

  Lina glanced around to see if anyone was looking and kissed him. “Sweet dreams,” she whispered.

  Now she couldn't concentrate when she tried her porting. Londo's girlfriend! She'd never imagined herself anyone's girlfriend before, never thought that anyone could love her. Wonderful Londo. Most perfect Londo! Her brawny honeybear with the strong arms and the voice that made her bones melt. When he smiled at her, every thought in her head flew away, leaving her stupid but deliriously happy. He had seen her disgusting true self and yet was so understanding. Accepting. Comforting.

  He could take her body and make it come alive. It pleased him. She wanted to please him, for he had given her so much. To be able to touch, much less touch him was a miracle and would always be.

  She would never take her two steps back from the real world again, so long as he was around.

  (But how long would that be?)

  What would it be like when they got back home? Lon would take her out on dates, wouldn't he? She blushed at her own faint reflection in the biocleaning compartment glass when she thought of how those dates would end up: Londo curled up sleeping in her little bed beside her.

  She jumped when Jae touched her shoulder. “Congratulations,” he said.

  “On what?” Lina asked.

  Jae nodded his chin toward the corner where they'd had their interview. “Now the entire sector knows that Valiant has a girlfriend.”

  “I wish he hadn't said anything.”

  “But he did.” Jae slid into the seat beside her. He fiddled with the lights on display. “Do it again,” he told her.

  She ported—yet another chess piece destroyed, this time quicker than most. Jae's face was expressionless as she frowned at the compartment.

  He said, “The media is already inundating Legion PIC with demands for information about you.”

  “Whatever for?”

  He looked at her levelly. “He's Valiant,” he said, drawing out the word for emphasis.

  “Oh.”

  “He's the most famous Legionnaire there is. A legend in his own time. I'm sure that's the same way on Earth?”

  She nodded miserably. Jae knew. Who wouldn't? He knew that she was a Muttbutt who didn't deserve Londo Rand. She'd been fooling herself for a few minutes today.

  Jae bulled on: “People have made a big deal about Londo and all his romances. Most people never knew the truth.”

  All?

  “Bernita,” Jae began ticking them off without her asking out loud. “Felzann. Ramone fa Telischar—she was cute, but she didn't last long. The Nawps.” He gave a little laugh at that. One by one the names came out until he ended with, “Aiko—that's Orenya. You've heard of her, of course.”

  “No. She's famous?”

  “They don't come more famous than Aiko.” His gaze raked her, measuring her behind his words. “He's never mentioned her on Earth?”

  “No.” She licked her lips. “There were just celebrity dates. Set-ups. And Forte, just a couple times. I suppose with the press knowing about a couple of times, that must have meant that they were together for a long time, right? Londo values his privacy.”

  “Londo values people not knowing that he's—he was a virgin,” Jae said. “That's changed. Thanks to you. I imagine you're about to become quite the celebrity.”

  “No.” It came out less than a whisper.

  “Don't you want to be famous? Lon's a Mega-Legionnaire. That's as much celebrity as you can be. People are impressed by celebrities on Earth, I know. Lon's brought printed magazines back with him.”

  “No.”

  Jae continued as if he hadn't heard. “People here are obsessed with fame. They'd do anything for it. You'd do anything for Londo, right?”

  “Not for that reason! What we have is private.” She spat the word. “Private! Not for other people to know about!”

  “Lon's going to make sure people know,” Jae told her. He played with some of the bright lights on the table in front of them, but he watched her from the corners of his eyes. “It's been a long time coming. It's taken a toll on him through the years. Doubting his own manhood, hearing the jokes behind his back—and if anyone can hear something behind his back, it's Lon. You'll be wide open to public scrutiny within another day. Bet.”

  “No one would be interested in me.”

  “And on Earth?” Jae settled back in his chair as if mentally scheduling the timeline for that news release.

  “They don't know about us there,” she finally said. “I'll ask him not to say anything.”

  “So you'll stay locked up behind his doors?”

  “Behind my own. I'm nobody, Jae. No one will ever suspect.” Jae was Londo's best friend; of course he'd be concerned. “I, I told him…” She took a breath. “I told him that I won't tell anyone. Whenever he gets tired of me, I'll go quietly. I won't raise a fuss. I won't embarrass him. You don't have to worry about it.”

  Jae studied her as she pursed her lips. “Do it again,” he instructed.

  Lina didn't want to seem the suffocating girlfriend, so she tried to make her stroll to Londo casual once he was sitting up after his nap. He blinked a few times at the world until the blank look slid off his face. It was still marred with dark circles under his eyes. His cheeks were sunken more than they should be, but they were better.

  “Can I get you a—” she began when one of those communication screens rolled down from the ceiling. Two chimes sounded.

  Londo glanced at the writing that floated in mid-air and paled.

  “What is it?” Lina didn't like how it had affected him.

  “It's erm.” He looked like he was trying to catch his breath.

  Lina looked around for Wiley. Did Lon need medical help?

  “It's something I need to take,” Londo told her quickly.

  When she turned back to him his color was still pale, but his shoulders were straight and he seemed alert. “Sure,” she said. When he looked at her expectantly, she added, “Oh,” and moved away. It must be one of those security calls.

  But the female exclamation of “Londo!” behind her made her turn. The screen had expanded to full-figure…and what a figure! Slender, definitely female even from the back, and clad in shining, skin-tight gold.

  Whoever it was, was almost exactly Londo's height—though that could be something to do with the screen, Lina thought. The woman had black, close-cropped hair. Each lock had been capped on the end in a flat, triangular gold bead, so the effect was more golden jewel than hair.

  With a wave of Lon's hand, both sides of the sound cut off from where Lina could hear it, though the conversation went on. Did Londo hesitate in talking? Was it the illness or something else? He was trying to look cheerful. Maybe he was.

  The woman put her hands on her contraposto hips and shook her head at Londo. The gold-tipped hair danced.

  Lina caught her breath when Jae sidled up from nowhere next to her. “Well well,” he said sotto voce.

  She couldn't help herself. “Who is she?”

  “You really don't know Orenya?” He began to walk toward the studio wall to Lon's far left. Lina kept up with him.

  “Just what you told me. That's Orenya?” She glanced back at the private conversation, now able to get a better view of Orenya's front. Was that why Jae was practically steering her this way? Or did he really need to fiddle with one of the panels on the wall?

  “Everyone's heard of Orenya.”

  “She must be a Legionnaire.”

  Damn, but she was gorgeous! Skin darker than Lon's, heavy-lidded eyes and a wide, smiling mouth. Her gold suit seemed as if it had been dipped in oil, so the lights flickered on every bit of female anatomy. Lina could see now that it was tight, but not quite skin-tight. Tight enough.

  “A very famous Legionnaire. As famous as Lon.”

  �
��So that's…a business call.”

  Jae chuckled.

  “Is it?” Lina demanded. Over there, that golden Orenya person laughed with Londo, though she couldn't hear it out loud.

  “Valiant and Orenya,” Jae told her. “The tabloid shows run rumors that they're a twosome.”

  For a moment Lina thought she'd faint. The room seemed to swim in front of her. Londo and another woman. Not someone from his past, but from the now. Why couldn't she breathe?

  “Everyone here knows,” Jae said. He wasn't checking that panel but his fingernails. “Her civilian name's Aiko Fallow. Londo never mentioned her once?”

  No he hadn't. The dog. Why he and this Orenya woman— Obviously lovers. Obviously they had—

  Wait. Londo'd been a virgin. So Orenya couldn't be his lover.

  Or she could, to an extent. Lon had said that he could handle a few bases before he met Lina.

  “Third base,” Lina surmised and tried to recall what all the stops were.

  “Say again?”

  Whose ballpark was Londo playing in?

  Chapter 15

  Lon's heart thudded in his chest. “Aiko,” he said and was glad it didn't come out as a squeak. He didn't have to fake the smile and once-over he gave her. She was a glorious woman.

  “I just got in. They told me when I arrived. I called as fast as I could.”

  Now he had to control the smile, make it seem relaxed and easy. “I'm fine. Now.”

  “I was afraid from all the reports that you'd be, well, just a tad on the dead side. They said you didn't look too good when you arrived, dearest. Sunfire, you could have died!”

  “Actually—” Lon began but decided against telling her that he had.

  “You're sure you—”

  “They've been taking good care of me,” Londo assured her. “I'll be back in full form in a few days.”

  Aiko's brows contracted. “Few days? Valiant takes that long to recover?”

  “Maybe Wiley's just being cautious.”

  “Him?” Aiko frowned her disapproval.

  “I don't know why you and Wiley can't get along.”

  “They said you were in some kind of quarantine. It is viral?”

  “Interstellar travel.”

  “What?”

  Lon scratched the back of his head, which allowed him not to look her in the eyes. “I came in by teleport, not hyperspace.”

  Aiko opened and closed her mouth, then looked thoughtful. “How—”

  “It's something new. Came in handy, didn't it?”

  She crossed her arms over her gilded chest. “What aren't you telling me? Is Stoan having you guinea pig R&D's gadgets again? Is Wiley behind this? I swear I'll—”

  “Don't blame Wiley,” Londo said quickly. “He's just as surprised as I was. He's been in here doing his best to get me back on my feet.”

  “So this—” she waved her hands to indicate his condition— “wasn't due to the R&D?”

  “No. Good thing we had it, though, as things turned out.”

  She shook her head. “I need to know—”

  “Not now. I'll be out of quarantine in two days.” He linked her to the countdown clock and she glanced at it from her end.

  “What's going on, Lon?” she asked. “What is it you're not telling me?”

  “Two days, chérie. I'll take you out to lunch. There's someone I want— Ah, maybe not.”

  “Not?”

  “Not lunch. We'll have a long talk in two days.”

  The left side of her mouth curled into an impish smile and she lowered her eyelids seductively. “My place or yours? I bought some lingerie with you in mind.”

  He couldn't help himself. He gave her an evil grin before he stanched it. “Maybe not that long a talk. Don't plan on it being that long, Aiko.”

  Puzzlement creased her forehead.

  “Give me two days. I'm really kind of dizzy here. Need to rest and all that,” Londo said quickly, giving her a pained look.

  She pursed her lips and then said, “I'm late for debriefing.”

  “Then you should go. Don't want to get you any demerits.”

  “I think I can handle a couple.”

  “Two days, Aiko. Two days.” Londo hoped she couldn't see the guilty sweat on his skin. Maybe she'd think it was illness.

  “I'll check back,” she promised, and the screen rolled back up into the ceiling.

  He heaved a sigh at that, but behind the screen were two people standing, watching him. Jae and Lina.

  Make that blabbermouth Jae and Lina.

  Londo groaned.

  That brought a shocked look to Lina's face. She ran to him. “Londo, are you all right?”

  She thought he was sick. He put a hand to his stomach the way that norms did when they didn't feel well and said, “Maybe I got up too fast.”

  Jae's sharp eyes mocked him.

  Lina pulled at the blanket as if she were going to cover him. “Can you make it to the break room? Maybe you need some coffee. Or some juice. Or cold water.”

  “Maybe.” He drew it out so he sounded pitiful. Jae cocked his head at him.

  Lina helped him off the bed and then tucked the blanket around his bare shoulders. “We'll get you hydrated and see how you feel, okay? And then you can tell me all about Orenya.”

  Londo choked and stumbled for real. Jae, damn him, let out a short round of his patented machine-gun laugh: “Hah-hah-hah!”

  “You told her,” Londo growled.

  “And why didn't you?”

  “Told me what?” Lina asked innocently as she lent her shoulder for him to lean on. “Jae just said that the tabloid shows—”

  “I never had time to tell you about her,” Londo said. “I wasn't keeping anything from you. There was nothing to keep from you.”

  “Does Aiko know that?” Jae asked from their side.

  “You stay out of this!”

  “Just speaking up for her since she can't be here.”

  “I— We— You—” Lon sputtered.

  “Let's get you hydrated,” Lina suggested. Lon could hear the steel in her voice hiding the hurt.

  During an uncomfortable break room session Lon assured Lina that rumors about him and Aiko were exaggerated. He didn't think he convinced her and he couldn't try to read her as that might reveal that perhaps he wasn't telling the entire truth of the matter. Surely he was entitled to keep some secrets, especially when they might hurt someone else?

  At long last he thought he succeeded in diverting her attention to other subjects. Then he got up and moved the sectional privacy screens that had been around his bed to hers. He gently ordered her to a nap and came back later with half-completed debriefing reports to watch her sleeping peacefully. Healing units irradiated her in blue and violet glows. The worst of those horrible blisters had disappeared, leaving patches of scabby red and brown in their wake. The hole in her arm was still as raw as ever.

  Her attending translator unit suddenly bounced up in the air and flew toward him.

  Deftly Jae caught it, closing his fist around it as he came up behind Londo. “Badly hurt,” he told Lon quietly in Lingua. “She could easily have been killed. She was dying until Wiley caught her.”

  Lon didn't answer.

  “A hostage for Valiant, caught in battle by mistake. When will it happen next? She's no Legionnaire. Where's her training? When have you ever hung around with anyone—anyone!—who didn't have a solid background in self-defense?”

  “Be quiet, Jae.”

  “Come back to the real world, Londo Rand. Girlfriend to Valiant: why don't you just pass out invitations to all your enemies with maps detailing the best spots for ambush?”

  “Shut up.”

  “I just don't want you to get hurt.”

  “Like hell. I know what you want.”

  “I don't want her to get hurt either. She seems nice enough, but nice never saved anyone from an assassin. Of course, she might be pretty when she heals up, and I've seen pretty save a couple peopl
e once or twice. But sooner or later, Lon-Lon…”

  “Don't be an ass about this, Jae. I'm warning you once only.”

  “Who's being an ass? We've made plans. Maybe I should remind you of them.”

  “Plans go wrong. Circumstances arise that make shreds of the best plans, you know that.”

  “And you can stand here and tell me this as cold and callous as if you were giving a mission report. Thanks a lot, Valiant, you bastard. You're making the worst mistake of your life. That's my one warning to you. In all the time we've known each other, have I ever deliberately misled you? Shards, man, if you can't think of Lina's safety, think of Aiko. This'll kill her.”

  “It won't.” Lon's jaw set tight, his teeth clenched. “Aiko's tough. She's not that involved. Others have blown that all out of proportion.”

  “You haven't even told her yet, you coward. Think, Londo. For once in your life, when it comes to dealing with people as people, think! Sometimes you can't apologize your way out of a mess. Sometimes people don't forgive.”

  “And sometimes people go too far. Drop it, Jae.”

  Londo walked deliberately away from him. The blond Legionnaire watched him go and then released the translator. It sped back to float beside Lina's head as she slept.

  “Fine, if that's the way you want it,” Jae muttered. He watched as Wiley called Londo over to his examining table. Wiley loved his experiments, and to have Londo be the focus of them was making his day, maybe his week. He was talking excitedly. Londo was trying to be patient with his friend, but kept grumbling about how he'd had his fill of being experimented on long, long ago.

  Jae sat down to a screen and called up the commander behind a fluctuating privacy field that the otherwise-occupied Londo and Wiley would never notice. He was fortunate. Not only was Stoan Kinrol available, but Andrisenon Nemlor, the subcommander, sat with him in his office. She was in civvies and not on official duty. A Legionnaire's work was never done.

  “Jae!” Stoan exclaimed, surprised and then troubled. “Has something happened? Is Londo all right?”

  “Londo is fine,” Jae began.

  “Then that woman…” Stoan's eyebrows came together as he frowned.

  “Is she really a mind controller?” Andri quickly asked.