Razor's Edge

by Lisanne Norman

  “You been asleep,” she said. “Did you mind-speak with Tallis?”

  “Yes, I spoke to him,” he said, yawning. “He’s going to cause trouble. He’s faking it—hardly capable of reading a report, let alone someone’s mind! He’s trying to get clever with us, refusing to tell me where Miroshi is unless we pull him out first.”

  “Can we?”

  “From the heart of Bradogan’s Keep? Not an option. We’re going to have to make sure he stays quiet, though. When he heard what had happened to his home, he broke contact. Hit him hard.”

  “Talk it over with Kusac in the morning,” she said. “You want to bathe or sleep? Looks like you need sleep more.”

  “I do,” he said, his eyes closing despite his efforts to keep them open. “It took a lot of energy because his sending was so weak.” He heard her getting up and reached out to stop her, looping an arm around her waist to pull her down beside him.

  “Tomorrow,” she said, letting him hold her close and bury his head against her shoulder. “We got plenty time, you and I.”

  Her pelt was still damp from the shower. “You smell nice.” He nuzzled his face lower. “Something I have to do first,” he mumbled, stifling another yawn. Then his jaws closed over her larynx, tightening slowly till she lifted her chin. He released her. “Just wanted to be sure,” he yawned again, arms tightening around her. “Damn that bloody Tallis! No right to disrupt our lives like this,” he mumbled as he drifted off to sleep.

  “Captain’s looking for you,” said Mrowbay as Giyesh passed the sickbay door. “Didn’t expect you to stay out all night.”

  “That was silly of him,” she said, leaning against the doorpost. “By the way, can tell you Taynar’s not an immature male. They’re all built like that—until aroused.”

  “And I expect you did a fair job of arousing this Jeran,” said Tirak from behind her.

  She whirled round. “Captain! Didn’t expect you to be up so early.”

  “You took unnecessary risks, Giyesh,” he said, a rumble of anger underlining his displeasure. “Not only could you have been discovered, but he could have harmed you. We know very little about these Sholans.”

  “I bribed the guard, Captain, and Jeran—he’s been here so long! They’ve kept the four of them apart for months. He was desperate for the company of someone who looked like him.”

  “My office, now,” he said firmly, ears flicking in anger.

  Schooling ears and tail into positions of apology, she followed the captain across the corridor and through the air lock to his office.

  Sitting behind his desk, he regarded her. “I sent you to talk to the male, nothing more, Giyesh. Did you stop to think what would have happened if the guard had alerted the Port Controller? How we would have explained your presence with him? Too much hinges on what we’re doing here to have it risked by the actions of one female unable to control herself! I wasn’t joking when I said he could have harmed you. Just because these Sholans resemble us doesn’t make them any less alien than the Sumaan!”

  “Yes, Captain,” she said, hanging her head. “I’m sorry, Captain, but if you’d been there!” She raised her eyes and looked him straight in the face. “We all know you saw the one called Tesha. They have to be safe if you could sleep with her!”

  Tirak’s face took on a thunderous look. “You all know what?” he demanded. “I did nothing but speak to her. I told you all that, dammit! I can’t get that close to an alien!”

  She was confused. “But, we thought …”

  “I know what you thought! You’d all do well to actually listen to me sometimes!” he thundered.

  “I’m sorry, Captain,” she said, looking at her feet, wishing the floor would open up and swallow her. “It’s just that Nayash reckoned you …” She ground to a halt, realizing that nothing she could say would make her night’s excursion any better in Tirak’s eyes. She was only clawing a deeper hole for herself.

  “I hope that after risking everything, you found out something more worthwhile than a comparison of U’Churian and Sholan male anatomy!” he snarled.

  Now she really wished the floor would swallow her! Ears flattened backward, tail drooping to the floor, she mumbled, “Yes, Captain.”

  “Well, get on with it!”

  “The Valtegans sold the four of them to Bradogan about a year ago, as best he can reckon it.”

  “We know that already!”

  “I found out they were captured while traveling from their moon to the planet on leave. There was a fleet of vessels, ones they’d never seen before. Other craft were being destroyed but theirs was held and boarded and they were taken captives.”

  Tirak had sat back in his seat and was looking less angry. “A fleet, eh?”

  She nodded. “They’d never seen the Valtegans before, didn’t know they existed. Obviously they couldn’t speak the language either so they didn’t know what was wanted of them.”

  “Why were they taken?”

  “He doesn’t know. It was a military ship, Jeran said. The general had them beaten and even used drugs on them, but they told him nothing, even when they could understand enough of the language.”

  “What were they trying to find out?”

  “They were never completely sure,” she said. “Jeran was puzzled about that. What surprised him was the Valtegans fear of them.”

  Tirak leaned forward. “Fear? Of captives?”

  “Yes. They were terrified of them. Kept them chained in some temple they had on board, with an object that they considered holy.”

  “Are you telling me that the Valtegans captured them, beat them, and kept them chained up because they’re afraid of them?”

  “I’m only telling you what he told me, Captain. Jeran refused to talk about it after that. Said he’d told me too much already.”

  Tirak sat back in his chair, clasping his hands on his desk.

  “So what did you find out about his people from your more—intimate—association with him?”

  Giyesh looked at the floor again, scuffing one foot against the other in acute embarrassment. She could feel the skin around her nose and eyes begin to prickle with heat.

  “You weren’t so reticent with Mrowbay!”

  “Is different,” she mumbled. “He’s crew, like me.”

  “Do I have to wait for your gossip to get back to me?” he demanded. “You weren’t so damned bashful with this Jeran!”

  “He’s not a mind-speaker,” she said, picking on one innocent fact. “Few of them are. Telepaths, he called them. Said two of the others were telepaths.”

  “What else?”

  Gods! What does he want to know? she thought in a panic. “He’s a nice person, Captain! I don’t know what else to say! He was so alone, so pleased to be with another like himself, and a female! Just an ordinary person trapped here, wanting to go home.” She stopped, remembering something from the night before. “Home. When I asked him if he wanted to go home, he went very quiet,” she said slowly. “It was as if there was nothing for him to go back to. That fleet. Do you think they destroyed his world, Captain?”

  “I think we’ve uncovered a nest of poison stingers here,” he said grimly, “and that the only ones who know what’s going on are these Sholans. You’re dismissed, Giyesh,” he said, losing interest in her as he began to scratch his left ear in a gesture she knew well.

  “Yes, Captain,” she said, backing out of his office before he could change his mind.

  After their first meal, Kaid and T’Chebbi headed out to the town. While Kaid went on to the Spacers Haven, she stopped at the Port Controller’s office. Already there was a small crowd of people waiting, mainly Jalnian agents with one U’Churian and herself. As she searched her memory for a name to put to the familiar face, the other female got up and came over to her.

  “Manesh,” she said, holding her hand out, palm up.

  T’Chebbi nodded and ignored the hand, clasping the other by the wrist instead. Telepath greeting. Why use that? Where had s
he learned it? Then she remembered that Carrie had used it the night before with Tirak.

  “Thought you touched hands,” said Manesh, returning the gesture.

  “Solnian way,” she said. “Not ours. You got business here?” she asked, leaning against the wall.

  “Some. Organizing a caravan for our cargo to Galrayin. Got to get Controller to allocate us space on next one out. You?”

  “Same,” said T’Chebbi shortly. She could have done without the U’Churian present. Hoped she didn’t stay to hear what their business was.

  “How long you here for?” asked Manesh.

  “A while,” said T’Chebbi. “Till ship repaired. Why so busy at this hour?” she asked.

  “Morgil, the Controller, is late,” she said. “There’s much speculation as to what’s keeping him.”

  A commotion at the door made her turn to look as a Jalnian, his head sporting a large bandage, came in. Trailing behind him were a young male and a couple of locals demanding to know what had happened.

  “She finally did it,” said someone beside her. “Hey, Morgil she got you, didn’t she? That’s what you get for foolin’ around with that moth-eaten creature! Said she’d be the death of you one day!”

  Laughter greeted his remark.

  “Tell us what happened,” said another. “What she do? Try to knock some sense into that thick head of yours?”

  “No, she brained him for coming back drunk last night!” laughed a third. “Didn’t you see him? So drunk he could barely stand!”

  “You can keep your mouth shut, Faisal, if you want that cargo to reach your lord this side of harvest,” Morgil snapped as he pushed his way through the agents to his door. “I got nothing to say to you lot about anythin’.” He fumbled with his key at the lock, finally getting the door open.

  “Aw, come on, Morgil, tell us what happened,” said the one called Faisal. “Could do with a laugh this morning.”

  He turned, glowering at them all. “Think you’re so funny, don’t you? Well, laugh at this one. Some of you live outside like me, don’t you? Well, she’s gotten loose.” Hands on hips, he waited for their reaction.

  There was a stunned silence.

  “Not so funny now, is it?” he said, looking round them all. “Watch yourselves when you hear a noise in the night. It could be her, a sneakin’ into your kitchen for food. And if it is, the Gods help you if you disturb her!” He pointed to his head. “Cos that’s what she did to me for only tellin’ her to wash the pans right!” He turned and went into his office, waiting till his clerk scuttled in behind him, then he closed the door firmly.

  “She’s loose? Hell’s teeth! I hope he’s told Bradogan about it,” said Faisal, looking decidedly uncomfortable. “Don’t want one like that roaming around loose. All those teeth and claws, and her half wild as it is!”

  T’Chebbi turned to Manesh. “What’s this about?” she demanded. “You know who they mean?”

  Manesh shrugged. “No idea. Your guess is as good as mine.”

  T’Chebbi grabbed hold of Faisal by the front of his robe. “What you talking about?” she asked, hauling him closer and lifting him slightly off the ground. “Who hit him? Who got loose?”

  “Hey,” the Jalnian said, a terrified look crossing his face. “No need to get angry with me! I had nothing to do with it. Wasn’t one of your kind anyway, so don’t know why you’re getting so fired up about it!”

  “What wasn’t one of my kind?” she growled.

  “The female! Morgil’s female servant! One he says got loose!” he said, plucking at T’Chebbi’s hand.

  She felt a hand on her arm and turned to snarl at whoever had the temerity to interfere. It was Manesh.

  “I’d put him down,” she said quietly. “You can bet Bradogan’s men will be on their way here. Not a good idea for this male to make a complaint about you.”

  There was sense in what she said. T’Chebbi turned back to the Jalnian and dropped him on his feet. Opening her mouth, she smiled pleasantly. “Am sorry. Was only curious. Meant no harm to you,” she said, rearranging the front of his robes.

  He batted her hand away, frowning as he backed off. “No need to be so insistent,” he muttered, turning away from her to his friends. “Bloody aliens,” she heard him say. “Think they own the place just because they trade here.”

  “Another one like us,” said Manesh thoughtfully, glancing at T’Chebbi. “That’s unusual. Wonder where they come from?”

  “They? He said one female,” said T’Chebbi, watching her closely. “You know of others like this one?”

  The U’Churian blinked, obviously taken aback by the question and unsure how to answer it. “No, I know of no others. I meant they as in her species.”

  “How you so sure she’s not one of us taken hostage?”

  “Not possible,” said Manesh firmly. “Would have been reported, we’d all know about it. No ship would leave one of its crew behind in the first place. Would be a bloodbath to rescue her rather than that.”

  “Probably right,” T’Chebbi agreed holding the other’s gaze. “Not good to come between a ship and her crew.”

  Manesh looked away, distinctly uneasy.

  Good, thought T’Chebbi. Let them think is a crew member of ours. Maybe then they not interfere.

  What with the delay caused by Bradogan’s men questioning Morgil, it took a good two hours before her turn came. After sending word to Assadou at the Hotel, she headed for their inn, checking upstairs to see that their belongings were safe before finding herself a seat in which to wait for Kaid. He wasn’t long in joining her. When he sat down opposite, she pushed a drink across to him.

  He raised a questioning eye ridge at her.

  “Is some Chemerian dishwater they call ale, but is safe to drink,” she said. “Got them to open fresh sealed container so know it wasn’t watered down.”

  Nodding, he picked it up gratefully, taking a long drink. “Needed that,” he said, putting the tankard down. “When do we leave?”

  “Tomorrow,” she said. “Next caravan in two weeks.”

  “Tomorrow? That’s short notice.”

  She flicked an ear in assent. “Sent word to Assadou to get cargo ready. Need to let Kusac and Carrie know, also Quin and Conrad.”

  “Weren’t we supposed to contact them last night?”

  “Kusac will have seen to that. They contact him, don’t they?”

  Kaid nodded. “I’d better let them know now,” he said.

  “You can contact them from here with all the noise?” she asked in surprise.

  “Yes. I have a permanent link—only a small one—with Carrie. All I have to do is strengthen it. I thought you knew.”

  “Never asked, and you never said. Not my business. Before you do, I might have found the last one. A female like us was with the Port Controller. Last night she knocked him unconscious and escaped. Bradogan’s men search for her in shantytown outside Port—town where caravans leave from.”

  “We’re missing a female,” he said, taking another sip of his drink.

  “Manesh was there. We talked about missing crew members. She said if was U’Churian, be a bloodbath to get her back. I let her think these four might be crew members of ours.”

  “She’ll have gotten the point, then.”

  “Yes,” T’Chebbi grinned. “She understood. No U’Churians in here are there? I think they decide not to follow me. How you get on? See this Tesha?”

  “Yes, briefly. Had to pay for the privilege, though,” he grimaced.

  She laughed, making him look at her in surprise. “Not tempted, were you?”

  He reached out across the table to touch the hand that held her tankard. “It’s good to hear you laugh like that,” he said quietly.

  She shrugged, grinning. “Were you?”

  He sat back. “With you and Carrie to contend with? Not likely! I spent the time asking her about the Valtegans. From what she could gather, they wanted to know how many worlds we had. Of course, it took them
weeks to even understand what they were being asked, and even when they did, they decided their safest option was to pretend ignorance. From Tesha’s description of what happened, they were taken by the ship that controlled Keiss. It must have returned around the time we arrived to liberate that world. The Valtegans had them dragged up to the bridge one at a time to identify our craft on their screens. Being civilians, and from the colonies, they’d no idea what our fleet looked like so they couldn’t have told them anyway.”

  “If Valtegans so scared of us they’d suicide, probably beat them just for being Sholan.”

  “I came to that conclusion, too. Tesha was bought by the Jalnian who owns the Haven, and she’s kept closely guarded. We’re going to need to break her out, the same with Jeran and Tallis,” he sighed. “And we can’t do it till we get back from rescuing Jo’s group. Let’s hope Quin’s had some luck in locating this rebellion. If they could spring Jo’s party out of Kaladar, even if we’re en route to Galrayin, it would make life so much simpler.”

  “We take communicator with us, then if trouble we can get Kishasayzar’s folk to get them out, take off, and meet us,” said T’Chebbi.

  “That’s our last-ditch option,” agreed Kaid, “but we’d all prefer not to use it.”

  “We’re done here, why we not head back to ship and eat?” she suggested. “Am hungry. Can contact Carrie and Kusac in person then.”

  “Might as well,” he said, finishing his drink. “No point in disturbing them too early. It’s not as if they can do much about getting ready to leave until later.”

  “I can’t do it, I tell you! He’s increased the security earlier than I expected!” said Taradain angrily, flinging himself down on his bed and glowering at her.

  She sat by the fire in the easy chair, a blanket wrapped around her as she shivered uncontrollably. Waves of nausea passed through her, making her feel like she was about to throw up, and to crown it all, her head ached abominably.

  “Then take me back now,” she said, her voice low. “You know I’m ill, and you know why. You’ve sat and watched me since dawn. You must know I’m only getting worse.”

  “I can’t take you out looking like this,” he said. “Some good that’ll do my reputation! I offered to fetch Arnor, but you’d have none of him!”