Interstellar Service and Discipline 03 Fallen Star.lit

by Morgan Hawke

Fallon’s purr of contentment threaded with his.

  Sobehk released her mouth to settle in closer. His lips brushed her throat, and his hand rose to cover Khan’s on her breast. His purr was so soft Fallon almost didn’t hear it. “My two hearts,” he whispered.

  My two loves ...She smiled and let sleep take her.

  Chapter Forty-One

  “Khan, are you out of your mind?” Sobehk paced the broad, arched, black marble hallway, blocking Khan from going toward the suite’s main doors. “We still don’t know who has the other half of the damned code!” His blue and white robes whispered with his agitated strides. “You cannot let that boy in here!”

  “We know that he is the target, so he does not have it.” Khan folded his arms. The black circlet around his brow and the black and gold thread of his long court robes gleamed under the hallway lights. He raised his brow. “Let me pass, Dhe’syah . He needs to know who has been trying to murder him.”

  Fallon leaned against the bedchamber’s closed door. They had dressed her in Khan’s signature black, scarlet, and gold, but this time she was in floor-length robes over pleated black trousers. Both of Khan’s black-sheathed blades were in her red sash. It was the uniform of the court-level upuaht , the bodyguard rehkyt to a prince.

  Sobehk groaned and moved to the side. “Don’t get yourself killed.”

  Khan smiled. “Isabeau will keep that from happening.” He moved toward the center of the broad formal hallway.

  Fallon grinned, showing teeth. “I’ll keep him in one piece, whether he likes it or not.” She rolled away from the door and took her place one step behind Khan’s right shoulder.

  Khan nodded to the pair of scarlet armored, bolt-rifle bearing mehdja’dhyt . The double doors opened.

  The youthful councilor prince strode into the black hall, chin down and shoulders back. The lights gleamed on the rainbow-hued circlet on his brow. His pale gold hair flowed over the shoulders of his darker gold robes. He was clearly not pleased.

  Ehnya’dhyt Dhuet, in his customary black and scarlet, shadowed his heels with a slight smile on his lips.

  Khan glanced at Fallon. Neither one has the code.

  Fallon released a soft breath. That was nice to know.

  The young prince bowed gracefully. “Ehnya’dhyt, Prince Khansu.”

  Khan delivered a bow of equal grace to the young prince. “Ehnya’dhyt, Prince Aden.” He turned and delivered another bow. “Ehnya’dhyt Dhuet. Welcome to my hall.”

  Prince Aden clasped his hands behind him and frowned up at Khan, apparently puzzled by something. “Prince Khansu, I would like to ... speak with you, concerning a private matter?” His gaze flicked to Fallon.

  “How fortunate, as I have much to discuss with you, Prince Aden.” Khan turned to the left and held his hand out. “Councilors, if you would be so kind as to join me in my private chambers.”

  Khan’s hospitality chamber was not particularly large -- his dining room was much bigger -- but it wasn’t small by any means. The walls were pale gold with dark gold carpeting. A massive scarlet and gold carpet spread under the black glass table, framed by four tall black velvet chairs. A gold kaffa service occupied the center of the low glass table.

  Compared to the opulence of the rest of the suite, the hospitality chamber was austere. Except that the chamber’s back wall was commanded by an impressively broad window on space that held a gorgeous view of the local rainbow-hued nebula.

  Fallon sighed as she stood behind Khan’s wing-backed velvet chair. Of course he had to sit directly in front of the window, so she had to stand with her back to the loveliest view space had to offer.

  The prince stared hungrily at the window’s view from the facing chair on the left, but Ehnya’dhyt Dhuet, occupying the facing chair on the right, had no difficulty keeping eye contact with Khan.

  Then Khan began to speak. He told them what he had learned of who was trying to murder the prince, and how, and some of what they had done to uncover and prevent it from happening.

  The prince focused on Khan. “I knew it! I thought I recognized you!”

  Khan nodded. “I’m impressed. It’s very common for most to discount and ignore the lower-ranked.”

  The prince’s mouth tightened. “I’ve had too many loyal servants save my life time and again. I would not discount the lower-ranked.” He looked at Fallon and sighed. “So she was your rehkyt all along?”

  Khan shrugged. “I am sorry for the deception, but it was the only way to discover who had programmed her to be a sleeper assassin.”

  The prince looked down. “I have ... suspected Ehnya’dhyt Sehnby on more than one occasion, but there was never any proof.”

  “I have suspected him for quite some time, which is, of course, why I shadowed him.” Ehnya’dhyt Dhuet drew in a breath and released it. “I had originally come to ask why Sehnby had been taken into custody, but I find that I am quite pleased that you have done so.”

  Fallon stilled. She’d had no idea that Sehnby had been caught.

  Khan glanced at Fallon. He was collected only a few hours ago trying to leave the station. A certain purple feline made an appearance in my office and the necessary information suddenly appeared on my computational unit. He frowned. You never did tell me where that creature came from.

  Fallon smiled. The Cheshire cat belongs to Alice, the station master. She hates the Moribund Company as much as I do.

  The station master? Khan stilled. Of Port Destiny?

  The prince’s violet eyes narrowed. “So, that code, the other half that makes Isabeau a sleeper assassin, is still missing?”

  Khan nodded. “Yes, this is why I wished to speak with you. Sehnby did not have it on him or among his possessions. Would you happen to know who Sehnby was associating with? Someone he might not normally associate with?”

  Ehnya’dhyt Dhuet leaned forward. “I believe I can be of help in this instance. There was a certain sehn’dhyt , a lower-level medic, with whom he seemed to have an odd amount of contact.”

  The prince sat up straight. “That’s right! I remember seeing this medic talking to Sehnby right before the auction.”

  Khan frowned. “Do you have a name?”

  Ehnya’dhyt Dhuet tilted his head. “I think it was something like ...Mor ?”

  Fallon stilled, then felt heat spark at the back of her skull. A memory came into sharp focus; the memory of a data jack being removed from the back of her skull as she waked, dry-mouthed and groggy, right before she’d gone to see Sobehk.

  No wonder she hadn’t felt the delivery of the first half of the code. It hadn’t happened until she was on the ship and the assassin was already dead. Mohr hadn’t been anywhere near her until then.

  Khan sighed. “I think I know where he can be found.”

  Fallon clenched her jaw. The Vortex. Tah will know where he is.

  Khan glanced back at her. Exactly .

  Prince Aden’s violet gaze focused on Fallon. “I think it would be best to ... retire him from duty. Permanently.”

  Khan folded his hands together within his flowing sleeves. “I think, my prince, you may be correct. The queen has a rather strict policy about those who choose to work with the Moribund Company.”

  The prince stared at Khan, his mouth open. “What?”

  Ehnya’dhyt Dhuet leaned forward. “Moribund Company? Are you certain?”

  Khan glanced away. “Sehnby ... detained me within one of their ships until Isabeau found me and released me in a very daring rescue.”

  “A rescue ...” The prince sat forward in his chair, staring hungrily at Fallon. “I envy you, Prince Khansu. I truly do. Your rehkyt is truly an impressive creature.”

  “Isabeau has many, many hidden talents, Prince Aden.” Khan glanced at Fallon and smiled. “I am very pleased to have her.”

  Fallon felt embarrassed heat creeping into her cheeks. She pleased him ...

  Khan looked over at Ehnya’dhyt Dhuet. “My detainment on that ship should be sufficient evidence of Sehnby�
��s ... unsavory collaboration.”

  Prince Aden frowned. “Then Sehnby ...?”

  Khan lowered his chin. “Yes, my prince. Sehnby engaged the Moribund Company’s services to kill you.”

  Prince Aden lunged up from his chair, his hands clenched into fists. “I want him. I want to kill him myself.” His growl rumbled low.

  Khan lifted his chin, rose from his chair, and glanced away. “Then I must apologize, because he is already on his way to the bowels.”

  The prince abruptly dropped his gaze and his growl disappeared. “Oh.”

  Ehnya’dhyt Dhuet rose from his chair and moved to the young prince’s side. “If you like, I can bring up the files on the bowels and you can see for yourself exactly how much he will suffer?”

  Prince Aden’s head came up, and he smiled. “Thank you. I think I’d like that.”

  Fallon’s stomach clenched. Bloodthirsty little thing, isn’t he?

  He takes after his father. Khan sighed and smiled. A very good friend of my father’s.

  Fallon carefully blanked her thoughts. She really, really didn’t want to know.

  After a small amount of polite discourse, the two councilors left Khan’s hospitality chamber and headed for the suite’s main doors.

  Prince Aden stopped in mid-step and turned around to face Khan. “Prince Khansu?”

  Khan’s brows shot up. “Prince Aden?”

  “If ...” Aden’s gaze flicked to Fallon standing behind Khan’s right shoulder. “If you should ever decide to ... sell your rehkyt ...?”

  Khan smiled. “You will be the first to be notified. I swear it on my honor.”

  Fallon pursed her lips. Gee, thanks.

  Khan continued to smile. You’re welcome.

  Prince Aden grinned then turned on his heel and walked over to Ehnya’dhyt Dhuet. “Ha! I told you I’d get him to promise!” He stuck out his hand. “Pay up.”

  Ehnya’dhyt Dhuet rolled his eyes. “Can we continue this discussion outside Prince Khansu’s suite?”

  Prince Aden sighed impatiently. “You’re just a sore loser.”

  The guards opened the main doors.

  Ehnya’dhyt Dhuet followed the prince out. “No, my prince, I am a polite loser.”

  * * * * *

  Sobehk parked Khan’s sleek black sportster shuttle alongside one of the heavily armored Mehdjay transports. He powered down the engines and the craft settled gently on the steel deck of the shadowed dock.

  Directly across from them, the Vortex sat among its spill of landing lights. Four other intelligence transports and the full company of scarlet armored Mehdja’dhyt intelligence officers were arrayed all around the grounded ship.

  Alice, the station master, was more than pleased to help them arrest a member of the Moribund Company by locking the Vortex’s release codes.

  Vibrating with tension, Fallon popped the right back door and climbed out of the sportster.

  Her soft-heeled over-the-knee boots didn’t make a sound on the steel deck plates. She closed the door behind her and rolled her shoulders. Her black braid slipped over her shoulder and tumbled over her breast. The supple, gleaming leather suit was an incredibly perfect fit but a nightmare of engineering to get into. Khan had taken great delight in fastening the purely demonic number of crisscrossing straps and buckles that locked her into the suit from wrist to heel to throat.

  Sobehk left the driver’s seat and came around the front of the sportster. His overlapping blackMahfeht enforcer armor gleamed with midnight rainbow hues under the dock’s uncertain lighting. Silver gleamed on the pommels of knives that had been tucked into sheaths down his arms and across his chest.

  Khan stepped out of the front passenger seat in his scarlet and black Mehdjay robes of office. Beneath it he was as armored as Sobehk.

  All three of them wore a pair of swords tucked in their scarlet sashes.

  Fallon stared at the ship. A buzz of white lightning danced fiercely at the back of her mind. She knew what it was. She remembered it from before. But she had questions that needed answers before she could set it free.

  Khan looked over at Fallon. “Isabeau, are you all right?”

  Fallon averted her gaze. “I’m fine.”

  Khan stepped forward and headed for the ship. Sobehk fell into step at his left shoulder and Fallon fell into step at his right.

  TheVortex’s Mahfeht captain, in full black enforcer armor, stood waiting at the bottom of the ship’s exit ramp, withSehnbay’syr Tah in his customary silver robes on the captain’s left and the ship’sMahfeht first officer on the right.

  Khan stopped two sword-lengths from them and bowed. “Respected Captain.” He nodded at the first officer and thenSehnbay’syr Tah. “My apologies for this inconvenience, but would you be so kind as to bring outSehn’dhyt A’syr Mohr?”

  Master-surgeon Tah stiffened and looked over at the captain.

  The captain shrugged and nodded.

  Tah turned on his heel and went up the ramp and into the ship.

  The captain frowned. “Mehdjay’syrKhan, if I may ask, what’s going on?”

  Khan smiled. “An inquest, Captain.”

  The captain’s frown deepened. “You’re arrestingA’syr Mohr?”

  “Arresting me?”A’syr Mohr appeared at the top of the ship’s entrance ramp in full enforcer armor. His long pale hair had been pulled back into a snug braid. A pair of red-sheathed swords was tucked into his pale gray sash. He crossed his arms and his jaw clenched. “On what grounds, Lord Inquisitor?”

  Khan lowered his chin but smiled. “You mistake me,A’syr Mohr. I have a question for you.”

  A’syrMohr’s brows lifted. “A question?”

  “Yes.” Khan’s smile broadened. “Just one.” He held out his hand. “If you would join us, I will ask, and then theVortex will be free to leave.”

  A’syrMohr relaxed his stance and unfolded his arms. He glanced at the scarlet armored guards all around then looked down at his captain and first officer.

  The captain rolled his eyes. “Mohr, we’ve got a schedule to keep. Just get down here, answer his damned question, and let’s go!”

  A’syrMohr scowled and came down the ramp, his boot heels thumping. He came around to stand next to the first officer, bowed, then squared his shoulders and pasted a smile on his lips though his eyes were narrowed and his jaw clenched. “I present myself for your question,Mehdjay’syr .”

  Khan lifted his hand, glanced at the black band on his wrist.He has the code. Be ready.

  Fallon drew in a soft breath and deliberately relaxed her muscles. She was ready. She was so very ready.

  Khan dropped his hand and smiled. “Thank you,A’syr Mohr. You have answered my question.” He smiled. “A’syrMohr, you are under arrest for collaboration with the Moribund Company.”

  The captain jerked hard and the first officer gasped.

  The guards from around the ship came running and over a dozen live-steel blades were drawn from their scarlet sheaths.

  A’syrMohr’s mouth opened in shock. “No!” He pulled his swords free lightning-fast and lunged straight for Khan.

  Fallon lunged to intercept, diving under Mohr’s blades, with both her blades out. She caught them on hers and held them.

  Khan reached for her. “Isabeau!”

  Sobehk grabbed Khan by the shoulder, pulling him back. “No! Let her go!”

  Khan fell back with Sobehk.

  Fallon’s world closed down to herself, the blades of live-steel she’d engaged, and the man who had the answers to her questions. Rage seared the back of her mind, but she wasn’t about to set it loose. Not yet anyway.

  She bared her teeth at Mohr. “Hi, there, remember me?”

  Chapter Forty-Two

  “Feral!” Mohr snarled, and the sour stink of ripe fear washed from his body.

  “So youdo remember me.” Fallon grinned with her long teeth. “Care to answer a few of my questions, Mohr?”

  He twisted to disengage his blades and stabbed in at
tack. “That’sA’syr Mohr to you,rehkyt! ”

  Fallon turned his blades, avoiding him with disgusting ease. He obviously knew his weapons better, but he wasn’t anywhere near as fast or as flexible as she was. She caught and trapped his blades again. “That’supuahtrehkyt , or haven’t you been paying attention?”

  “Bitch!” His blade danced down her blade and he slashed with the other.

  She blocked, shifted around him and twisted her blades around his, trapped his blades again. She smiled. “I can be.” She slid up his blades and nicked the bottom of his chin. “Who picked me to play assassin?”

  He jerked back two steps, the back of his hand automatically wiping at his chin. It came back scarlet. His eyes widened. “You know?”

  Fallon rolled her eyes. “Of course I know, you idiot, I’m a programmer. I know what’s in my own head.” She raised her brow, “Or did they leave that bit out?”

  Mohr snarled and lunged, slashing. “You’re no programmer.”

  Fallon blocked and closed, trapping his blades very close to his face. She grinned from a kiss away. “Wrong.” She whirled, dropped, and side-kicked him hard where his kidneys should be.

  He gasped and was knocked two steps sideways.

  Fallon lifted her blades and dropped her chin. “Ever hear of the Fallen Star?”

  Mohr pressed a hand to his side, winced, and moved up another step away. “Fallen Star, the ship-breaker, is a myth.”

  “Is that so?” Fallon smiled grimly. She’d bruised something. “Guess who found and then broke‘Syr Khan out of that Moribund Company ship?”

  He stiffened, his eyes widening. “You?”

  Fallon nodded hugely. “Yep. Me.” She raised her swords and took a step toward him. “Who picked me to play assassin, Mohr?”

  Mohr backed up a step and raised his swords. His eyes narrowed. “I don’t know. I was told to watch for you by name.”

  Fallon inched closer. “How did you get my name?”

  Mohr held his ground, swords up and plainly ready. “The cyborg gave it to me.”

  Fallon froze. “What?”

  Mohr lunged into a slashing attack.

  Fallon whirled under his blades and slammed a hard side kick into his stomach. “How? What did he say?”