Razor's Edge

by Lisanne Norman

  Kusac’s fur had started to rise despite his efforts to control himself. “I think not. This Solnian I prefer to keep to myself,” he said, a low growl underlying his words as his free hand clenched into a fist on the table.

  “She would be safe with me,” said Tirak, all trace of his smile gone. “I intended company only, I assure you.”

  “Thank you for the offer,” said Carrie, aware one of them had to defuse the situation. “I know I’d be safe in your company, but I can look after myself!” She caught Sheeowl’s eye and grinned at her.

  The U’Churian female smiled back. “I think our captain is concerned because of your resemblance to Jalnian females. The Jalnian men here tend to assume that an unaccompanied female is fair game. They wouldn’t stop long enough to realize you’re not of their species.”

  Carrie sighed. “I understand, and again, I thank you, Captain Tirak. My safety is Kusac’s responsibility and he takes it very seriously.”

  Kusac’s hackles had lowered and he’d forced himself to relax. “If I misunderstood you, Captain, I apologize,” he said stiffly. “Perhaps another night we could go there.”

  “Kaid’s back,” said Carrie, glancing over her shoulder as she sensed his presence within her mind strengthening. “If you want to stay and talk for a while, he could see me upstairs,” she said to Kusac. Stay and put his suspicions to rest. I think he may well have guessed we’re of the same species as Tesha.

  There’s something about this world I don’t like. This is not like me at all! From now on, we only eat food that comes from the ship, and stick to drinks we know aren’t Jalnian, like this kirris, he sent.

  Coming up behind her, Kaid put a hand on her shoulder. “Did you get what you wanted from Assadou?” he asked her as T’Chebbi nodded to the U’Churians.

  “No problem,” she replied.

  He looked at Kusac. I sensed what happened. Stay down here for perhaps five minutes. T’Chebbi and I’ll take Carrie up now. Unless you want to go to the ship? Would be safe enough with four of us.

  Kusac hesitated.

  “We’re needed on the ship,” said Kaid. “Sorry to break up the evening, but Kishasayzar was most insistent I fetch you both.”

  Relieved, Carrie gulped down her drink and got to her feet. “Thank you for your hospitality,” she said, offering her hand to Tirak. “We’ll catch you later tomorrow.” As Tirak held out his hand, she briefly touched fingertips then turned to leave.

  “They’re as much a couple as Taynar and Kate,” said Sheeowl, watching them thread their way toward the door. “His reaction proved it.”

  “That’s what I was hoping for,” said Tirak, leaning back in his seat. “And it came immediately after I mentioned the Sholan female’s name. I’ll swear he recognized it. And there was the kirris.”

  “Kirris?” Sheeowl frowned, wrinkling her nose. “What about it?”

  “He was surprised they sell it on Jalna. Those double-dealing Chemerians are definitely involved with the Sholans.”

  “What do you plan to do?”

  Tirak pushed himself up from his seat and held his hand out to her, pulling her up when she accepted it. “I think we take a stroll over to the Profit.”

  Chapter 16

  “We’re picking up their violence, Kaid,” said Kusac as they passed through the gateway into the spaceport. “It’s affecting us, making us argumentative. You must have felt it too.”

  “A little. Not enough for me to have mentioned it,” he said. “Likely you’re feeling it more acutely because there are two of you, and it’s the beginning of your Link day.”

  “There’s three of us,” said Carrie, looking up at him. “If your reasoning is right, you should be feeling it more than you are.”

  “La’quo makes him unconscious,” pointed out T’Chebbi. “Not you. Remember when he touched collar, before going to Margins? Was same in warehouse. Not affect either of you that way. Sedates him, not you. That why he not feel the anger.”

  “That’s probably it,” agreed Kaid as they made their way past the first landing pad.

  Carrie stopped dead, turning back to look. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but aren’t those shuttles there? Short hop cargo shuttles, like the one we have in the Hkariyash?”

  “They weren’t there earlier,” frowned Kaid. “They’re only for atmospheric work from the looks of them. Not powerful enough to reach orbit. I’ll look into it tomorrow. If they’ve got shuttles going in and out of here across Jalna …”

  “We can use our own shuttle,” said Carrie in a hushed voice. “This caravan journey isn’t necessary.”

  “We can’t go heading out across Jalna in a shuttle, but a short trip might be possible,” said Kusac, catching her by the arm and drawing her on toward the Hkariyash. “I think we should make another attempt to contact Jo’s party now we know a lot more about what’s happening here. Our extra sensitivity at this time may be just what’s needed to tip the balance and make contact possible.”

  “I can help if necessary,” said Kaid as they approached the cargo ramp. “It’s about time I began to pull my weight as a telepath.”

  “There’ll be opportunities enough, don’t worry. Just as you worked me at Stronghold, I’ll make sure you do a fair share,” Kusac grinned, stopping in front of the hatch.

  T’Chebbi thumbed the palm lock and the hatch slid back to admit them. First in, she waited by the control panel till they were all in, then sealed it behind them.

  “We found the second and third Sholans,” said Carrie. “Tallis, the telepath, is with Bradogan in the Keep, working as a truthsayer of sorts, and Tesha is in a brothel in the town.”

  “A brothel?” murmured Kaid as they made for the elevator up to the crew quarters. “Logical, I suppose, with so many U’Churians here. Do you know which one?”

  “Spacer’s Haven,” said Kusac. “Tirak keeps asking me to go there with him. I’m sure he suspects something.”

  “He does. Everywhere we go, one of his crew seems to have business in the same vicinity,” said Kaid. “They’re good, but not that good. I need to know if it’s simple curiosity or something more.”

  The elevator gave a slight shudder as it ground to a halt. The cool air of the crew quarters was welcome to them all after the heat outside.

  Carrie breathed deeply as she stepped out into the corridor. “Recycled air! Never thought I’d be glad to smell it again after so long on this ship.”

  T’Chebbi snorted with amusement. “Told you you’d get used to smells of town.”

  “It’s the heat more than anything,” Carrie said. “D’you realize we can have showers? And sleep in comfort? Not need to worry about whether or not to leave the window shuttered for fear of thieves? Or whether there are bugs?”

  Kaid stopped outside their door. “Is that electronic or organic bugs?” he asked with a grin.

  “Either!” she said, reaching a hand up to touch his cheek. “Good night, Kaid,” she said, then turned to open their door. As it slid back, she disappeared inside.

  “We had Tallis to contact tonight,” said Kusac, hovering for a moment longer. “You can see to him if you wish.”

  Kaid nodded. “From what Jeran said, he’s not a powerful telepath, but there’s no point in exposing him to your Link. Carrie said you got the passes. For Kaladar?”

  “No, only for Galrayin, I’m afraid. It’s the main lowland town, and its lord—Tarolyn—is Bradogan’s favorite. Killian’s agent is on his way inland with a caravan at present, and this was our best option. We can head out with the next shipment to Galrayin. At least it gets us legitimately halfway to the mountains.”

  “Better than waiting,” agreed Kaid. “See how you get on reaching Jo, then we can look at our options. Meanwhile, I’ll see to organizing the caravan and visiting Tesha. If I call in at the Haven first thing in the morning, I might be able to see her before she starts work.”

  “Can you manage all that on your own?” asked Kusac, looking from Kaid to T’Chebbi.


  The Sholan female grinned. “No problem. Better I go see Tesha, though. Kaid could fall asleep with all la’quo around!”

  “Huh!” said Kaid, throwing a slightly irritated look at her. “Not likely.”

  Kusac grinned. “I’ll leave it to you to sort out between you. We should be able to meet you tomorrow evening for third meal. Here, I think, given the presence of la’quo in everything Jalnian we eat or drink.”

  “In the mess, then,” said Kaid, moving off down the corridor.

  “Good night,” said Kusac.

  Outside their room, T’Chebbi stopped, looking at Kaid. “If you prefer, I can use Humans’ room at night,” she said. “We got space for you to be alone now.”

  Kaid hesitated. They’d had to share quarters on the outward journey because of a lack of rooms, and at the inn as well, but now he had a choice. So did she. They still weren’t lovers and had only shared a bed a couple of times since they’d left Shola. “Your belongings are here,” he said.

  “Mostly at inn. Is not a problem.”

  “It’s up to you, T’Chebbi. It doesn’t bother me sharing the room. Where do you want to sleep?” he asked.

  She shrugged. “Is only that this is their Link day, and know it affects you, too. Don’t want you to feel I have to be in same room.”

  It did affect him, there was no point denying it. Just enough for him to want female company of his own during that time, and it wasn’t fair to T’Chebbi that she happened to be the one who was there.

  He palmed the door open. “How about we discuss this inside?” he asked, acutely aware they were standing in the corridor where any of the Sumaan crew could overhear them.

  “All right,” she agreed, preceding him into the room.

  He shut the door, thinking through what he wanted, what was right and fair for both of them as he took off his weapons and laid them on the chair. “Would you like to stay?” he asked. “Not because of their Link, not because of anything except that I want you to stay?”

  She looked up at him, tilting her head on one side. “You asking me to stay not because of them?”

  “Yes. Because of you.”

  “Stay as what?” she asked. “I stay to keep you company if you want.”

  “More. To share my bed,” he said, reaching out to touch her cheek.

  She moved to one side, letting his hand slide past her. “No.”

  He looked at her in surprise.

  “No,” she said again. “You keep shutting me up, Kaid. Not this time. I want you more than just occasionally.”

  He began to speak but she gestured him to silence.

  “I not shut up this time, Kaid,” she said firmly, walking over to her bed and sitting down on it. “Know you have Tallis to mind-speak, but deal with this first. Is distracting me, making my work more difficult. Need to know where I am with you.”

  If it was bothering her to that extent, the matter had to have an airing. They were both professional enough to know, and admit, their own limits. He had been putting her off—because he knew what she would ask, and he hadn’t been ready to answer her. There was no avoiding it any longer. “I’ll listen to you now, T’Chebbi,” he said, following her over.

  “Know you like me. Like you, too, but want more. Want you as my lover. Don’t want to change how we are, how often we’re together,” she continued. “Just want to know I matter enough to you, like you do to me.”

  “You do matter to me, T’Chebbi,” he said, aware that what she was asking of him was only fair. He’d done his best not to take advantage of her willingness to be with him when he needed her company, but it was an easy habit to fall into.

  “Know you need her, but I think you need me, too.”

  He could feel her distress at being so direct with him, but he knew she needed a measure of security from him. “I know,” he said quietly. “But I’m part of a Triad, I have a life-mate. You should find someone who can give you more than I can, T’Chebbi. You deserve it. Being only my lover wouldn’t be fair to you.”

  “That’s my decision, but you don’t ask me!” she said, ears going flat in distress as she looked down at her hands.

  He smiled wryly. “I’m rather good at doing that,” he admitted. He sat on the edge of his bed, facing her. Reaching out, he took her by the hand. “This really isn’t a good time to discuss it, T’Chebbi. Their Link makes it difficult for me to separate my needs from the Link we share.”

  “Is never good time with you,” she muttered, drawing her hand away from him. “Always you tell me, not now. Had enough not nows. What stopping you? Either you want me or you don’t.” Her voice cracked slightly then recovered. “Is easy, can’t see problem.”

  “It’s not easy. Easy is to say yes and not worry about the consequences.” He wanted her, but a commitment? As troubled as his thoughts had been lately, he’d given no time to thinking of her when obviously he should have.

  She looked up. “I would accept that. Not expecting guarantees. Don’t have to be your Companion.” She hesitated. “Unless you think I’m not good enough.”

  He caught her hand again. “Never that! I had no idea I meant so much to you,” he said, holding her gaze. He turned her hand so he could lick her palm again. “As my lover.”

  Her ears flicked up and round, flaring to catch his every word. “What?”

  “Be my lover, T’Chebbi,” he whispered. “I should have asked you long ago, but I thought you deserved more than just being a Companion.”

  Reaching out with her other hand, she grasped a handful of the longer fur on his jawline. “So stupid, you males. Is you I want, have always wanted,” she said quietly. “Right from time you came back for me so long ago. You think we need the show and the symbols of relationships when is only the person and their caring for you that matters to us.” She pulled him closer, hands cupping his face as they kissed. Then she pushed him away.

  “Now you mind-speak Tallis,” she purred. “While I get first shower!”

  “You conniving little she-jegget,” he said with a grin, watching her jump to her feet and skip off to the shower, shedding sword, pistol, and weapons belt as she went.

  She stopped to wave an admonishing finger at him. “Work, Kaid, then we play.” Her voice held a purr of sheer devilment and he wondered what he’d let himself in for.

  About time, came Carrie’s lazy thought through their private lesser link. You need each other, Kaid. And I need a bond-sister to help keep you two males in line!

  He laughed and T’Chebbi raised an eye ridge at him.

  “Carrie says she needs a bond-sister to help keep me and Kusac in line,” he explained.

  T’Chebbi nodded vigorously, grinning. “She’s right,” then ducked out of sight, laughing as a pillow came sailing in her direction.

  Good to hear her laugh, sent Kusac. She’s someone very special, Kaid. You’re lucky to have her. May you both be very happy.

  Kaid leaned back on his bed as their contact faded, leaving only the small warmth of Carrie’s presence at the edges of his mind. Life as an En’Shalla telepath was very different from what he’d imagined, but one thing Carrie had taught him was that while he could rationalize as much as he wanted, ultimately it was his feelings he had to listen to.

  “Tallis!” T’Chebbi called from the bathing room.

  Sighing, he began to recite the litany of Relaxation, preparing himself for making contact with the telepath at Bradogan’s Keep.

  Tallis, he sent, using the mental wavelength Carrie had discovered earlier. He reached for the Sholan’s unique mental pattern. Tallis!

  Faintly he heard a response. I am here.

  Are you alone? Is it safe to speak? he asked, strengthening the contact.

  It’s safe. Lord Bradogan has dismissed me for the night. But you’re not the one I heard earlier!

  I was there. Help is at hand, but you must wait for now. We have others to see to first.

  The others. Have you found them? Is Miroshi all right? I’ve heard nothing fr
om her for so long!

  We’ve found two more, Jeran and Tesha, but not Miroshi. Do you know what became of her?

  She was so ill—never recovered from what the Valtegans did to us. The Lord couldn’t sell her, so he gave her to one of his males. It’s so good to hear another like myself. To have been trapped inside my own mind with silence for so long!

  The contact was fading again as Tallis began to lose his focus.

  Which one did Bradogan give her to? Kaid asked, once more feeding energy into Tallis’ sending. This was tiring him more than he’d thought, but then they’d all expected Tallis to be more powerful than he was. Obviously he was lying to Bradogan and it was just sheer luck he’d not yet been discovered.

  Which one? If I tell you, you’ll have no need of me, sent Tallis, his tone becoming sly. What of me? When will you take me away from this place? I won’t wait here while you pick the others up! My position is dangerous—at any time the Lord could discover I can’t read his visitors as well as I say I can!

  This one was going to be trouble, he just knew it. What could he say that would buy them some time by putting Tallis’ mind at rest? The sooner we find her, the sooner we can move all of you. We need to find out more about the Valtegans who brought you here.

  Why? They’re gone now. We’re the ones who need help! Your duty is to rescue us, return us to Szurtha!

  Kaid hesitated, then decided to tell him. Szurtha is gone, along with Khyaal. Everything living destroyed by those who took you prisoner.

  There was silence for the space of several heartbeats. Gone, all gone?

  Yes. We must find out more about them. What did they want with you? Why did they take you?

  All dead? My Clan—none left …

  His thoughts were breaking up, becoming unfocused and incoherent. There was no point in pursuing the conversation now, Kaid realized. It would take some time for him to come to terms with what had happened.

  Tallis! Leave the talisman off at night so I can contact you again. Tallis! It was no good, he’d gone.

  Sighing, Kaid gave up and let himself relax into an exhausted heap. A touch on his cheek made him jump. T’Chebbi was leaning over him. She sat back as he rubbed at his eyes.