Arrogant bastard, came the automatic thought. His features were strong and regular, with prominent cheekbones and an angular jaw, but it was a much younger face than she had expected. Thick dark hair hung forward in lazy arcs on either side of the prominent widow’s peak. He wore a small exodite stud in his left ear and a gold chain around his neck which held an odd-shaped pendant. Only the pendant and a brown cooling vest adorned him from the waist up. She’d been fooled. He was clearly not the largest man she had seen here. That coupled with the youthful face had indeed led Dina to believe he was anything but the group’s leader.
As Dina slowly chewed the bread, she continued to study her host with an eye for detail that served her well on the job. He joined her in partaking of the brown bread, and Dina noticed he had a habit of running a hand through his hair in a vain attempt to control it, but like an oar through black water, the smooth waves reformed as if nothing had disturbed them. But the gesture had allowed her to glimpse the corded, muscled neck that had been camouflaged by the curtain of hair. Her gaze dropped, and she noted his biceps and forearms, equally developed. He didn’t look at all the way she had imagined a dens to be. They were supposed to be physically unimposing as a race, but this was obviously a powerful man, mentally and physically. She would be imprudent to let his soft voice and sensual beauty lull her into forgetting that. No, she would not be fooled again.
Her composure restored, she put the bread down and spoke. “Forgive me if I appear dull to you. It’s been a trying day. Who are you?”
“Rayn DeStar, evil and blackhearted dens, at your service,” he stated, and stood, bowing more deeply than good manners dictated, one side of his mouth cocked higher than the other. He performed the traditional greeting of his home world, swinging his upturned palms to either side, but the gesture was done with a flourish bordering on mockery. She could see that he still wore the tiger’s-eye trousers, only slightly lighter in color than his eyes.
“Not your real name, I assume. Where are you from?”
“Of course not my real name, but as good as any. I am, as I’m sure you’ve guessed, from B’harata, third planet of what you call the Dark Star, Deorcas Tron. Now tell me who you are and what you’re doing here.”
“You dens are all-knowing. I’m sure you already know my business.”
“I prefer to have you tell me.”
“I’m Agent Mondina Marlijn, Interplanetary Investigation Bureau. I was sent here to investigate the homicides in the mines. I’m sure you’re well aware of those incidents.”
“And what do you want of me?”
“Your assistance, cooperation. An exchange of information.”
“Exchange for what?”
“I don’t know. What is it that a dens craves? Besides power, I mean.” She knew she shouldn’t have said that. After all, he was her host, and she owed him her life. More importantly, she knew she needed him for her investigation. She couldn’t afford to anger him, yet she couldn’t seem to help herself.
His expression shifted ever so slightly. The good-natured arrogance seemed to sink below the surface, drawn deep inside him, leaving a mask that revealed nothing. “I would think that to be an effective investigator one would need a more . . . ‘open mind’ than you seem to have. You have nothing I need.”
Her eyes rolled upward as she realized her mistake. How could she have been so stupid? She was saved from having to reply by the arrival of the tall, powerfully built Dailjan she had seen with the dens earlier. The Dailjan approached DeStar and whispered into his ear, cupping the side of his mouth with his large hand. Rayn nodded, and raised his hand ever so slightly. The large man went out the way he came in, without a further word or gesture.
“Your partner’s been spotted. He’ll be here soon. After you assure him that you are uninjured and quite safe in the hands of the Dailjan, I will talk to him in private. I’ll need his . . . word . . . that he will not betray us to the angwhi in Aeternus who purport to be the law there. I can trust that the word of a Glacian is good, can I not? My business with you is concluded.”
Though still soft, there was a cold, sharp edge to his words that chilled her and inflamed her at the same time. Her own voice again failed her.
Alessane appeared at Dina’s side as Rayn turned and exited through the rear.
“DeStar, wait! We have more to talk about,” Dina cried out, but he was already gone.
“Come,” said Alessane gently, putting a restraining hand on Dina’s arm. “One does not argue with Star.”
“No! I need to talk to him!” No sooner than she spoke the words two Dailjan appeared, one on either side of her, to escort her to the entrance. As she waited for Jon to arrive, she fumed, hardly able to believe that she had jeopardized the most important investigation she had ever been on just because of her hatred for the dens.
Her gaze jumped from the rocks to each of her escorts to her own restless hands, plucking uselessly at the torn front of her tunic. There had to be a way to salvage this, she thought. She’d swallow her pride and crawl on her hands and knees to that rogue, if need be, but she’d pick up the pieces of this disaster. She couldn’t imagine a more humiliating experience than apologizing to a dens, but then again, nothing about this job was easy.
After a moment, her eyes picked up the movement of a man on a skimmer. The skimmer popped to a stop about a decbar away from the cavern entrance, and the rider dismounted quickly, taking cover behind a jutting granite formation, his long rez gun in hand.
Dina turned to Alessane. “He won’t come any closer until he knows it’s safe. I’ll have to go out to meet him.”
Alessane called quietly to the Dailjan nearest to her, who nodded, left, and returned a moment later mounted on a two-person skimmer.
“Get on. I’ll take you to him. Don’t worry, I won’t hurt you. DeStar would have my hide if I did.”
Dina hesitated, then swung onto the skimmer behind the lean, hooded Dailjan. He cruised the skimmer to within ten bars of Jon’s location, and coasted the machine to a gentle halt. Dina dismounted and ran to Jon while the Dailjan returned to Sanctuary. As Jon ripped his hood off and grabbed her, she saw the sweat run down his forehead, only to be caught by brows that were angled sharply into a V, below which smoldered green eyes glinting with moisture. From worry, she wondered, or from the heat?
“Gods, Dina, what happened? Are you all right?” He took her by the shoulders, then ran a hand across her face, looking for injuries.
“I’m fine. I’m not hurt, really. I was attacked at the mine, but . . .”
“Attacked! Damn it, Dina! I told you to be careful at the mines.” The look of relief that had been on Jon’s face changed swiftly, and the soft creases of worry reformed into tight, angry lines. His eyes hardened to emerald shards.
“Jon, listen to me! It was the killer, I’m almost positive. But a man saved me and brought me here.”
“What man?”
“His name is Rayn DeStar. He’s the Uz-Dailjan. He wants to talk to you.”
“And I want to talk to him. Which one is he?”
Dina looked at the men and pointed to a figure to the right of the entrance. Though hooded and dressed similarly to the others, she knew it was DeStar. She wasn’t sure how she knew, but she did. “That one. At the far right. He wants to talk to you in private.” When Jon hesitated, Dina added, “We should be all right. It doesn’t seem to be their intention to hurt us.” She wished she could believe her own words.
RAYN ESCORTED JON inside to the private chamber before removing his own hood. “Welcome to Sanctuary, Officer. Rayn DeStar, leader of this humble band of strays, at your service.” As he had with Dina, DeStar gave an exaggerated bow.
“Specialist Rzije, IIB. Let’s dispense with the foolishness, shall we? Tell me what happened at the mine.”
“I was near Kewero when I heard the whine
of a rez gun.”
“What were you doing near the mines?”
“I was on my way from Bhel Kap, one of my supply caverns, to the Albho Road. The way takes me past the mines.”
“What happened when you heard the rez?”
Rayn met Jon’s eyes with a gaze so steady his eyes didn’t blink. “I know Kewero Kel is closed, so I went to see what had happened. I saw a cave-in at the tunnel entrance, then heard a call for help. I used my own gun to open the entrance, got the lady out, and brought her here.”
“Did you see anyone else at the mines?”
Rayn was already growing bored with the questions. Time to end this, he thought.
“No, I saw no one.” After you leave here you will know me only as Rayn DeStar, leader of the Dailjan. You will not question my identity beyond that. You will not reveal this location, or my identity, to the Aeternan Enforcement Agency. “We are a simple people, and mean no harm to anyone.” Dina has nothing to fear from me or my people. “Agent Marlijn told me about your investigation. We will be happy to cooperate any way we can.” You will allow Dina to come here whenever she wants to come. DeStar cast each compelling thought to Jon’s mind, then, with a small smile, hooked Jon’s mind and set the suggestions deep.
“And now, I think it would be a good idea if you got Agent Marlijn back to the city. She might deny it, but I think she’s a little shaken up.”
Jon blinked and shook his head. He looked at Rayn and extended his hand. “I have no doubt she’ll deny it. Thank you for what you did.”
DeStar grasped Jon’s hand, and one corner of Rayn’s mouth lifted higher still. “Come. I’ll escort you out.”
At the cavern entrance, Jon asked Dina about her skimmer.
“It’s still back at the mine.”
“Okay. We’ll double up ‘til we get back there. I want you to show me exactly where this attack happened.”
Dina nodded.
Rayn stood next to her, his smile still in place. She could nod to her partner all she wanted, but it would be his bidding she would do. He burned her with his gaze until she reluctantly turned to acknowledge him.
If you want any cooperation from me, you will do as I say. Tell your partner the same story I told him. I heard a rez whine, saw that the tunnel entrance was blocked, and heard your call for help. You will not tell him, or anyone else, what I am.
I won’t be dictated to.
Let’s just say it will be to your advantage, and your partner’s, to do as I say.
Ah, your true colors at last. Blackmail.
Call it what you will, but you will obey me.
Dina didn’t reply, just returned a stare as cold and even as DeStar’s. She tried to control the torrent of thoughts that sprang to mind, knowing he would be able to pick them up, but it was difficult. A heartbeat passed, and Dina looked back at her partner. “Jon, just get me out of here,” she whispered.
Jon pulled his hood back on and reached into one of the cargo compartments for a second hood, handing it to Dina. “Get on, and hold on,” Jon said as he mounted the skimmer.
Dina straddled the vehicle quickly, slid her arms gladly around Jon’s waist, and tightened her grip as they surged forward. The journey back to the mine was quick, and all the more so as Dina’s head spun. She tried not to think about the dens, concentrating instead on how good it felt to be holding Jon, her arms locked around his waist and her head against his back. She wished she didn’t have the hood on so she could feel him next to her cheek.
Her savior, she thought, but as she did, her thoughts tangled, and as they drew close to the tunnel Dina had escaped from, her contentment at being close to Jon was replaced by unsettling memories of her attack and rescue.
Once at the mine, Jon called Security Chief Hrothi via commband, and before the sun could move in the clock of the sky, countless mining officials and AEA personnel arrived on the scene. They were careful to land their hovercraft away from the tunnel entrance to avoid disturbing any evidence, and within moments, the area was cordoned off. A scanning crew swept the entrance and the interior of the tunnel, but only Dina’s discarded hood was found. There was no trace of her commband or utility belt.
Dina sat in the cool interior of the hovercraft and related her story to Hrothi and Corporal Khilioi. Hrothi’s heaven-blue eyes seemed to invite trust, but even so, she kept the knowledge that the Uz-Dailjan was a dens to herself. Her rage at DeStar’s parting thoughts still fresh in her mind, she had been tempted to divulge all his secrets, but something held her back. She wanted his cooperation. She certainly wouldn’t have it if she betrayed him. She also wanted time to think and a clear mind before she took the step that would most likely mean a dangerous confrontation between a deadly dark outworlder and law enforcement officials.
When asked about the location of the Dailjan camp, Dina was vague, citing her dizziness and the sun’s high position as reasons for her confusion, and when the trail finder on Jon’s skimmer was checked, the data pinpointing Sanctuary was gone.
“No matter,” boasted Khilioi. “Our technology is far superior to that of the desert waste. There isn’t anyplace they can hide we can’t find them. We’ll flush them out.”
Jon entered the hovercraft and caught the young man’s final words. “Corporal, I would prefer you allow us to conduct the investigation,” he stated, his mood clearly fouled by the events of the day.
“Of course, Agent Rzije,” replied the corporal, his white teeth flashing through his smile.
Jon looked at Dina, and his expression softened. “Time to get you out of here. Are you sure you can ride? I can arrange for another hovercraft.”
“I can ride. Let’s just go.” Impatient now to get back to the city, she forced herself to remain alert and in control on her skimmer.
Jon kept his machine at a prudent but steady speed across the Albho Mar, and Dina could see that his gaze constantly shifted her way. Dear Jon, making sure she was all right.
It was easier now for Dina not to think about what had happened. The sun was still high, and the shadows of the waves of sand, so prevalent and mesmerizing in the early morning light, were gone, replaced by a flat sea of blinding white, above which shimmered waves of heat. It took all her concentration to keep her perspective and to control the machine.
At last they arrived at the Aeternan Visitor Center and parked the skimmers in the storage bay. As soon as Dina shut off the machine, she felt the dizziness return with a vengeance, washing over her. She wondered briefly if she could get off the skimmer, and realized as she fell sideways that the answer was no. The last thing she remembered was being caught in Jon’s strong arms before she hit the floor.
Six
Kathedra Kap
IT HAD BEEN ONLY two days since she arrived on his world, and so much had happened. She shuddered as she thought once again how close to death she had been. Dead, but for a dens. Propped up on the hospital bed, Dina wriggled to relieve the stiffness and glanced at the clock on the wall. It was late in the afternoon, and she knew she should be spending this time resting, not thinking about all that had happened, but it was hard to stop her mind from replaying the images. Besides, she thought, the dreams hardly allowed her any rest. In the end, she called for a medical assistant to give her something to help her sleep.
When Dina woke later in the evening, thankfully not remembering any dreams, another quick series of tests were run. Finally, satisfied with the tests, Dr. Lumazi released her. Back in her room, Dina cleaned up, then plopped to her bed with a sigh. She still had a lot of thinking to do before talking to Jon, and all of it involved the dens.
Dina was sure that DeStar knew what was going on in the desert. He might even know the identity of the killer. The trick would be to pry the information from a man who was a master of mind games. Could she do it? Could she outwit such a creature? It would be dangero
us, possibly even deadly. The dens hadn’t struck her as a brutal man, but she couldn’t assume anything. Did she dare do it? If she did, and succeeded, it would make her career.
Her career. Thoughts of Jon stirred. If Jon knew that DeStar was a dens, he would never allow her to interview him. More than that, Jon, ever a straight arrow, would probably try to take the dark outworlder into custody. Dina had no doubt that in such a confrontation DeStar would have no compunction against destroying an opponent.
It seemed to Dina that her only choice was to try to con both men. She didn’t like it. She had never lied to Jon before. Being truthful was not only part of her professional code of ethics, but part of her personal code as well, and she was closer to Jon than she had ever been to anyone, save her parents.
Yet she couldn’t risk Jon’s life. Nor did she want to lose a golden opportunity to move the investigation forward, perhaps even solve it. Like it or not, the dens was a key she was loathe to let go of.
Her mind was made up, and as soon as she realized that it was, she felt the burden of indecision lift from her. In its place, though, she felt an unseen shadow glide over her. She shivered again, but this time not because of fanciful notions, but because she knew she had made a dangerous pact. She was going to bargain away her integrity to try to keep two men alive, one of whom was but a chameleon-like creature housing thoughts and motives she couldn’t even guess at.
Dina took several deep breaths, then checked her appearance in the mirror. She put on a little makeup and tied her hair back at the nape of her neck, allowing a few long strands on either side of her face to escape. She took one last deep breath, then called Jon on the room computer.
“Dina. It’s about time, you slacker. Get in here.”
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