by Morgan Hawke
It was not a short walk to the taxi stand. Sobehk was actually leaning on the white staff he carried as he pointed to the three small bright yellow taxi shuttles parked against a wall. A ramp onto to a two-lane station shuttle-way was only a few meters away from the parked hovercraft.
One of the three drivers, a tall human dressed in rugged gray trousers and a matching padded jacket, tossed his smoldering cigarette and waved a hand toward them. “Need a ride?” His Imperial basic held an odd twang, an accent.
Sobehk lifted his hand. “We do, if you don’t mind.”
The man grinned. “Great!” The driver’s hatch to the first shuttle opened, and the man slid into the seat. The shuttles turbines rumbled and the craft lifted from the steel deck to hover about two hand spans above it. The back doors on the shuttle popped open.
Sobehk moved between the wall and the shuttle and got in on the right. Khan stood by the left door and gestured to Fallon.
Fallon lifted her sword out of the way and slid onto the padded bench seat next to Sobehk. Khan slid in after her. She frowned. She hated sitting in the middle of a vehicle; it was impossible to see anything.
The shuttle interior was heavily cushioned and upholstered in soft black plastic. There was a plas-steel glass window between the driver and the passenger area. Fallon smiled slightly. The safety glass made perfect sense since everyone walked around armed.
Directions were given and the shuttle moved forward on its cushion of air. The craft dove into the right lane of the tubular shuttle-way and ramped upward. Unlike the dock, the two-lane shuttle-way was very well lit. Broad bands of bronze were painted along the walls.
Kahn leaned back to look over at Sobehk. “We’re going to the Garden District?”
Sobehk smiled. “Trees.”
Khan frowned and his mouth opened.
“Trees?” Fallon looked over at Sobehk “As in real ones? Living ones?”
Sobehk smiled. “As in bigger than a four-story house ones.”
Fallon’s mind blanked briefly. She simply could not picture a plant that large. “I know it’s possible, but ...”
Khan touched her shoulder. “You mean you’ve never seen a tree?”
Fallon looked over at him. “Sure, a few times. But not up close.” Only the very wealthy could afford the space for a real tree, and they were jealously guarded. “I saw a huge one once. It was inside one of the bigger corporate buildings. You could see it through the building’s glass walls. It was a whole story and a half tall.”
Khan’s brows shot up and then he smiled. “I think you’re going to find the Garden District quite ... interesting.”
The taxi merged onto a four-lane shuttle-way painted with broad green bands then turned and exited the lighted tunnel, diving into a darkness that shimmered with lights and oddly shaped moving shadows.
Fallon frowned at the passing scenery. Darkness meant it had to be station night, but what was with all the odd shadows? She couldn’t quite figure out what the heck she was seeing. There wasn’t a straight line anywhere.
The shuttle scooted along a lighted shopping area teaming with pedestrians.
Fallon suddenly realized that she was looking at plants with branches and leaves that spread wider than Khan’s whole chamber. Trees. They were trees. She sucked in a sharp breath and lunged across Sobehk’s lap to press her face against the window. “Great Maker ... how many are there?”
Sobehk laughed and caught her hips. “Mother Night, sit down!” He pulled her down onto his thighs. “The station is about eight kilometers long and a full two-thirds of the interior surface is forested. The rest is lakes and cropland.”
“Lakes?” Fallon stared at the passing shadows, trying to get an idea of what she was seeing. “Can I see one?”
Sobehk choked. “A lake?”
Fallon rolled her eyes and smiled. “I’ll settle for a tree. Can we stop and look?”
Khan snorted. “You’ll have plenty of time to touch a tree and any number of weeds when we get to the enclave.”
Fallon looked over her shoulder at him. “We will?”
Khan smiled. “There are about a dozen trees including a rather large Terran oak in the garden attached to our suite.”
“Oh ...” A real live tree. She was going to see one up close, and possibly touch it. The whole idea was ... shocking.
The shuttle stopped at the very end of the shopping district near a pair of lifts. The doors popped open.
Fallon crawled over Sobehk to get out and look. Tall ornate cast-iron posts shed light on the walkways, illuminating shop fronts and brilliantly garbed people of every species. Potted trees and plants were everywhere. People were actually sitting under them on small white benches.
There was so much space ... everything looked so far away. And green, even in the dark of station night, everything looked and smelled green and alive. And healthy. There was not one touch of mold or rot or rust in the air anywhere.
She looked up and saw stars. No ... not stars, lights. They were lights shining from buildings very, very far away directly over her head and far into the distance.
Dyson’s was a biosphere, a city wrapped in a bubble. Up was up and down was down. This station was something completely different. The whole station was shaped like a barrel and turned to generate gravity. Directly overhead, people were walking around and doing things, and she was the one upside down.
Khan cleared his throat. “Can we go now?”
Fallon looked back. The shuttle had left and both men were hovering by the lift. “Oh ... sorry.”
Khan shook his head and rolled his eyes, but amusement shimmered across their link.
Sobehk stood by the lift door leaning on his staff. He was smiling and clearly amused, too, but he also had dark smudges under his eyes.
Fallon walked over to stand by Sobehk, but her eyes hungrily devoured the unguarded trees that were only a short walk away.
The lift door opened behind them, and they stepped within the lighted and windowless space large enough for six.
As the doors closed, Fallon leaned up on her toes to catch the last little bit of view until it was sealed away completely.
Chapter Thirty-Three
The lift doors sealed closed with a soft sigh.
Fallon dropped onto her heels and straightened.
Sobehk leaned against the left lift wall and smiled.
Impulsively Fallon stepped over to Sobehk and wrapped her arm around his waist. She pressed her head onto his shoulder. His robes smelled of exotic spices and of him. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” Sobehk’s arm went around her, and he held her close. “Actually, it was Khan’s idea.”
“Me?” Khan folded his arms across his chest and leaned against the opposite wall. “This trip through the Garden District was all your idea.”
Fallon knew darn well whose idea it was. She lunged for Khan and wrapped him in a hug anyway. “Thank you.” She kissed him on the cheek for good measure, too.
Khan sighed, then smiled. “You’re welcome.”
“Yeah, the little side trip was my idea.” Sobehk smiled. “But the whole idea to have a garden suite with live plants and trees was yours.”
Fallon blinked up at Khan. “Really?”
Khan took a breath and released it. “Sobehk and I were talking about this station and the ... conditions on the one you came from.”
Sobehk snorted and curled his lip. “It was a garbage dump.”
Khan’s cheeks pinked and he shrugged. “And I thought one of the small garden suites I have on retainer would make a nice change for you.”
Khan had arranged to have a garden suite for ... her? Fallon stared at Khan, shocked. It was the nicest thing anyone had ever done. Impulsively, she closed her arms tight around him and pressed her face into his shoulder. The leather of his robe was soft under her cheek. Unfortunately it didn’t absorb tears too well. She watched them run down his shoulder.
Khan jerked in her hold. “Isabeau, wha
t is this? Tears?”
Fallon had to take a breath, and still her words came out tight. “That was so ... sweet of you.”
Sobehk choked out a laugh. “She’s right. It was awfully sweet. You must be mellowing.”
Khan growled. “Blood and Night! Give me a fucking break, will you?” He pulled Fallon away from him by the upper arms. “Isabeau, I just ...”
The doors opened. Two fully armored Skeldhi guards glared in, their weapons at the ready.
Fallon jerked away from Khan, wiping at her cheeks.
Khan glared at the guards. “What?”
“Nothing, A’syrnehkyx!”
The guards stepped back and stood to either side, two paces back from the door. The one on the left raised a small device.
Sobehk stepped out into a darkened hallway and raised his left fist to shoulder height.
The guard touched the small device to the back of his hand then peered at it. He nodded. “Thank you, A’syr.”
Khan stepped out and raised his hand. He was scanned and nodded to.
Fallon followed and raised her hand. The hallway was narrow, with charcoal carpeting and pale gray walls softly lit with frosted glass sconces set high along the walls. The scanner was cool against the back of her hand. Her internal computational array registered that she was being scanned for bio-mechanics as well as blood type.
The guard frowned at his reading.
Sobehk lowered his chin and eased his hands to the side in a clearly aggressive pose. “I trust everything is in order, A’syr?”
The guard nodded. “Your rehkyt has some very sophisticated computational augmentations for an upuaht Prime, A’syr.”
Sobehk’s brows dipped. “Yes, she does.”
The guard on the right started. “Pardon my asking, but are you A’syr Sobehk?”
Sobehk turned to face him. “I am.”
The other guard’s mouth fell open. “This is the feral?” He choked. “I mean, the one up for auction?”
Sobehk’s frown deepened. “Yes.”
The guard on the right frowned. “I thought she’d be ... bigger.”
Fallon scowled. I’ll show you bigger...
Khan darted a stern look at Fallon. Hold onto that temper of yours.
Sobehk looked from one to the other. “Is there something I need to know about?”
The guard on the left winced. “Well, there’s a ... wager riding on which councilor is going to end up with her, A’syr.”
Khan sucked in a hard breath. “Which councilor? There are Ehnya’dhyt here? ”
The guard on the left smiled at Khan, carefully hiding his long teeth. “Three arrived for this auction, and all three have come to bid on A’syr Sobehk’s Prime.”
Sobehk’s mouth fell open. “Three Ehnya’dhyt, A’syr? How did they get involved?”
The guard on the right shrugged. “They probably saw the shipvid from the attack on the news broadcast like everyone else.”
Khan stilled. “The shipvid was on a news broadcast?”
“According to report, the broadcast hit the news-net about twenty-four hours after the attack.” The guard on the left smiled at Sobehk. “Your feral is famous, A’syr Sobehk.”
Sobehk winced. “Great.”
“From what I saw ...” The guard on the left gave Fallon a long cool look. “Whoever acquires her is going to possess one bleeding fury of a bodyguard.”
“You saw thevid?” Khan’s anger shimmered across the link.
The guard on the left shrugged. “Everyone has. It’s all over the station.”
The guard on the right nodded solemnly at Sobehk. “You are going to be a very wealthy man, A’syr.”
Sobehk’s cheeks pinked. “Thank you. May we be excused?”
Both guards straightened.
“Yes, A’syr!”
“Of course, A’syr!”
Sobehk stepped past them. “Good day, A’syrs.”
“Good day, A’syr!”
Fallon’s hands tightened into fists as she followed Sobehk down the shadowed hallway. Three councilors? Here? Great Maker, what if the assassin wasn’t going to present himself? What if the one who was supposed to die by her hand simply bought her instead? She shook her head. What a freaking mess!
Khan brushed her right elbow. They still have to plant the second half of the code. We’ll just have to watch who tries to approach you before the auction.
The hallway ended at a pair of arched, frosted glass doors heavily etched with vines and flowers. Sobehk grasped the ornate silver handles. He looked over his shoulder at Khan and Fallon. Ready?
Khan glanced at Fallon. If anyone gets too close, do not be afraid to pull your sword.
Fallon flinched. I’d rather not hurt anyone accidentally.
Sobehk snorted. You won’t. They’ve been using a sword longer than you have. Most of them since childhood.
Fallon ground her teeth. Great. That makes me feel a whole lot better.
Khan grinned. It will add to your aggressive reputation.
Fallon glared at Khan. You are not helping.
Relax. You’ll do just fine. Sobehk chuckled and pulled the doors open.
Fallon stepped out onto a black marble floor veined with silver. The room was gigantic and perfectly round. To the left and right, ornate, jewel-bright carpets had been laid out with graceful divans and plush lounging chairs of black velvet. Broad smoked-glass tables at knee height perched atop black marble statuary. Skeldhi in long colorful silk robes occupied a few of the divans and chairs.
The distant walls held tall, smoked mirrors draped with swags of black velvet, and arched doorways with etched glass doors. The light was soft and came from frosted glass fixtures suspended from ornate hooks that arched from the walls between the mirrors and doors.
Fallon looked up and gasped. The entire ceiling was a glass dome that showed deep space.
Khan leaned close. “You can view the local nebula through the dome at station dawn.”
Fallon stilled. A nebula?
Khan smiled. “It’s quite ... colorful.”
Sobehk looked over his shoulder. “Khan, are you being nice again?”
Khan scowled. “I don’t do nice.”
Sobehk grinned. “Could have fooled me!”
The path they were on led to a circular open area in the center of the room. A small group of seven Skeldhi in ornate black armor stood to one side, talking quietly among themselves. Their floor-draping, silver-furred black cloaks fell from the left shoulder down to the right, leaving the right arm free.
Fallon’s attention was caught by a small burst of laughter on her immediate right. She turned to see a small, gold-skinned and completely nude figure scurrying across one of the ornate carpets on hands and knees. It was a female rehkyt with her bright red hair pulled back into a thick tail of curls. She stopped and picked something up with her mouth then turned and looked up at Fallon. Her eyes were a brilliant azure and she held a golden ball in her mouth.
Fallon’s gaze was drawn to glitter. A small fall of diamonds dangled from her pierced nipples.
The rehkyt turned away and scurried toward one of the tall wing-backed velvet chairs.
A Skeldhi man in bright blue robes reached down and took the ball from her lips. He patted her on the head, and rolled the ball across the floor.
The rehkyt chased after it on hands and knees, her curly tail bobbing with her motions.
The man laughed.
Looks like fun. Khan’s thought was laced with amusement.
Fallon shot a quick glare at Khan. No, it does not.
Sobehk chuckled then abruptly stopped. Here they come. Get ready.
Fallon’s head came up. Here who comes ...?
Dead ahead the small knot of armored Skeldhi had noticed them. The seven men had spread out across their path and four of them had dropped their cloaks to the floor. They were all fully armed and tiny blades jutted all over their armor.
Fallon stiffened. Are they going to attack?
Fallon felt the pressure of a growl in her chest and lightning sparked at the back of her mind. Is that so?
Sobehk darted a glare over his shoulder at Khan. Isabeau, they’re going to attack you, not us. We’ll be fine.
Me? Fallon’s red-tinted anger bled away in a sudden rush and she nearly tripped. What in fury for? I don’t know any of them!
Sobehk sighed softly. It’s more of a test to see how good you really are.
Seven of them ...?Fallon’s jaw set. This is the assessment, isn’t it?
Khan grinned. Yes.
Fallon rolled her eyes. Great.
Khan set his palm on her shoulder briefly. Let no one touch you, but don’t go out of your way to kill any of them.
Sobehk nodded at the armored men. They parted to let him pass.
Fallon felt her temper surge. Seven of them, armed to the teeth, and I only have one short sword ... Her gaze dropped to the pommel of Khan’s blade jutting from the side of his robe at his hip.
Khan stepped up to the line of armored men.
Two men unsheathed their blades.
Fallon grabbed for Khan’s blade and spun, blade out and away from Khan, forcing the entire line to part in front of them.
Khan kept walking as though nothing had happened, but his amusement echoed through their link.
Fallon backed away, drawing her shorter blade from its sheath at her hip as six of the men closed ranks around her. She tossed both blades straight up and, spinning, caught them in opposite hands so that the shorter blade was in her left hand. It was a well-practiced knife move. If the swords hadn’t been so well balanced, she would not have been able to do it.
She spread her arms, blades out, and smiled. “’Can I help you, gentle ‘Syrs?”
An older Skeldhi with a bright blood-red sash smiled grimly. “That is an unseemly amount of attitude, rehkyt.”
“Is it?” Fallon raise a brow. “I thought it was exactly the right amount.” Her smile broadened, baring her long teeth. “I can give you lots more, if you prefer?” She caught a hint of movement behind her and turned on her heel, catching a descending blade aimed for her shoulder at the neck.
