However, he paused, looking around the room, and giving Lili, who was pouting, a stern glance. Of the two Vultairian males with him, the older one looked uneasy, while the younger, who apparently was junior even to Lili, seemed ready to burst into giggles.
“What I want to do,” Jaroc Laggos added, “is propose a Family alliance with the Carmaks.”
Jock was sitting on one of the beds, clutching an empty glass. He had apparently been using it as a prop while explaining something to Malin, Joaley, Rakil and Lank, who were all seated around him, some on the bed, and others on the floor. Xoraya was there, too, listening, but she was lying down on the other bed. Only Canna was missing, probably asleep, regaining her energies. Now Jock put the glass on the bedside table and turned to face Jaroc full on.
“A Family alliance with the Carmaks?” he repeated. “How so?”
Mikal saw his eyes fall onto Lili who was staring at the floor. Did a hint of a smile cross his face?
“Well, the usual way these things happen, of course,” Jaroc snapped, as if to a slow child. “Marriage. Marriage, in this case, between you and my granddaughter, Lili, here. It seems that she’s been pretty keen on you and your musical tinkering, and my daughter-in-law, Lowry’s wife, was encouraging her in that, even when the menfolk of the family were against any such alliance.”
“But you, the Laggos menfolk, have now changed your minds about the matter,” Jock said with a half-grin. “Sounds to me like you are the one who’s keen, now.”
“Well, the world is changing,” said Jaroc expansively. “We Laggoses like to move with the times.”
“What does the young lady think about the idea?” Jock asked. “It seems to me that she’s pretty central to the scheme.”
The youngest Laggos burst into an unbecoming gale of giggles, while Lili looked like she wanted to crawl into the nearest wall crack. In fact, she looked ready to burst into tears, but was stubbornly holding them back.
“Roch, control yourself,” Jaroc snapped at the youth, glaring at him. “Your sister’s future’s at stake here, remember that!
“Lili’s being a silly idiot,” he added, to Jock. “She’s listened to some ugly rumours about you and that Adventuress woman, the Leader of your Troupe, as if she mattered. She’ll be gone in a few weeks anyway, no matter what you and she have been doing.”
“I won’t...,” Lili sniffed, getting the words out with difficulty. “I won’t marry someone who...who plays sick games with some off-world hussy...in a brothel, no less—and with Klensers, too! I won’t!”
Joaley, on the floor, burst into hoots of laughter. She beat her fist on the floorboards.
“Yea Kati, the Actress!” she cried. “She did a damn good job!”
Lank and Rakil were chortling, too. And Jock leaned back, a huge, unrepentant grin on his face, staring at Mikal who was standing, leaning on the door jamb, looking thoroughly pleased with the world.
“Since you’re here, Mikal, maybe you will defend Kati’s honour—and mine—from these baseless accusations,” Jock said, holding back laughter.
“Baseless accusations!” Roch obviously did not believe this. “Everyone’s talking about it on the streets, and among the Exalted! Baseless, my eye!”
“They say that she even bought a negligee at Lorrie’s stall, and got Lorrie to shorten it, and alter it to fit her perfectly, and was quite smug about it,” Lili added, and now she was crying, tears running down her cheeks. “And she’s not even that good-looking,” she added defiantly. “I’m prettier than she is!”
Mikal thought that Kati likely would have agreed with the assessment. Lili was a fetching Vultairian woman—if a man liked his women very tall and pale, that was. He didn’t, but he could understand if Jock had fallen in love. In spite of her present agitation, the girl looked intelligent.
Rakil, always the Borhquan gentleman, took the opportunity to fetch a handful of tissues from the bathroom, and passed them to Lili.
“Thanks, Rakil,” Jock said. “That should have been my job, but right at the moment, she probably would have tossed them in my face. Mikal, could you, please...?”
“Certainly, Jock.” Later on, Joaley would comment that Mikal’s expression looked exactly like that of a cat that had gotten into the cream. He was quiet for a moment, apparently weighing his words carefully.
“Kati is here on Vultaire on a job, an espionage job of sorts,” he finally began, looking directly at Lili who was drying her face. “She is a multi-talented woman, and often uses her abilities as an amateur actress to worm out information which would be impossible for her to get in her normal persona. She and Jock concocted a scheme of pretending to be pleasure-seeking lovers, in order to find out how the Klensers were treated, and to learn about the off-world slaves in the Vultairian brothels. Some of the Exalted had already decided that Kati was an amoral Adventuress, and she decided to use that to advantage in her investigation.”
“And why are you the one to tell us this?” cut in Jaroc. “Are you her boss?”
“No.” Mikal’s grin was broad. “I’m her lover.”
The Laggos Family members stared at him. Warrior Vonn chortled, the first time he had made a sound since greeting Mikal.
“She looks absolutely beautiful in that negligee, Lili,” Mikal added. “Lorrie did a very good job fitting it for her. However, I’m quite certain that I’m the only man who has seen her in it, and since Kati’s naturally a little bit prudish, that’s likely the way things will remain.”
The room seemed to explode into gales of laughter. Even Xoraya looked like she was thoroughly enjoying herself. Joaley was clapping her hands.
Jock walked over to where Lili was sitting, clutching the tissues in her hands. He pulled her up from the chair and took her into his arms, and began to whisper into her ear, while Lili pressed her face into his shoulder.
Jaroc looked on them, his face mirroring satisfaction.
“So that’s settled then,” he said.
“And Lili gets what she wants, like she always does,” muttered Roch, looking less satisfied.
“What is going on here?”
Kati, fully dressed, stood at the door, looking bemused.
There was more laughter. Mikal grabbed hold of her and wrapped her into his arms, laughing uproariously.
“We’ve been talking about you,” Joaley told her, between bouts of giggles.
“Talking about me?” Kati let Mikal hold her, but her attention was on the rest of the room. “Why would you talk about me, for heaven’s sake?”
That had half the room roaring again. Even Vonn was wiping tears of laughter from his face. The Torrones Warriors A-Class were going to be treated to an amusing story, later.
“Your stint as an Adventuress created some problems for some of the locals, apparently,” Mikal murmured into her ear. “And for Jock. I did set things straight, however, love.”
“Oh. I’m sorry, Lili. And, sorry, Jock. I was just doing my job, folks; didn’t mean to interfere in anyone’s love life.”
*****
For the next couple of weeks Kati and Mikal were caught up in the activities resulting from the changing of the guard on Vultaire. They made their depositions to the Official Investigation into the Situation on the Planet, along with a parade of Vultairians and many of the former off-world slaves, including Roxanna and Ingrid. They tried to stay out of the discussion as to what kind of government Vultairians should adopt in the coming new era, being of the opinion that this was a topic best left to the planet-dwellers themselves, and the Lamanian-trained team of experts that were expected to arrive to help the locals with the transition. Although, as Kati laughingly told Xoraya, Joaley, Canna, Ingrid and Roxanna, when the women all got together (with the green girls surrounding Ingrid), Mikal was incapable of refraining from lecturing people like the Carmaks, their allies, and even the Laggoses, on the necessity of cooperation, rather than competition, among factions. He discovered that he had an avid listener in Jorun, who was determined to lear
n as much as he could about everything possible while he was awaiting the arrival of the shipment of translation nodes, one of which was going to be implanted into his neck.
Jael Vanta surprised everyone, including her parents and grandparents, by deciding to attach herself to Jorun as an Aide. Jorun, when he saw how serious the girl was about making herself useful, asked Roxanna to spend some time training her. Roxanna complied with gusto, pleased to pass on her mantle to someone who would be remaining on the job for the long term. She herself had begun to spend more time with Rakil, and Arya had suggested that she apply to the Peace Officer Academy along with him; as Mikal noted, Arya was as good at recognizing talent as Maryse herself was.
Arya and Mikal both, were also recommending that Joaley be accepted at the Academy; the red-head had learned a lot during her stint with Kati, and was doing a good job of dealing with the anger issues and the explosive temper which had seen her rejected on her first try.
When Xoraya approached Mikal and Kati with the idea that she would like to obtain an old ship with which to continue the quest for her Life-Mate and the slavers who were holding him, Kati immediately suggested that they take Lank with them, since he had a deft hand with ship engines. Lank was delighted with the offer; he had been feeling a bit left out of things, what with Rakil paying court to Roxanna, and therefore less available to hang out with his former travelling companion.
Meanwhile, Jock and Lili were planning their future which included a certain neglected orchard of nardo trees on the Margolis Island. The Estate, with its illicit laboratory, was displayed to the Official Investigators as proof of blatant disregard for Federation law, and it looked like the Family Margolis would lose it. Lili’s grandfather was ecstatic to hear that Jock wanted to revive the particular tree plantation; he was a fan of nardo wine, but had had to limit himself to a small supply that he had been able to buy from one of the southern island Estates, one run by a Carmaks ally.
“I think that I’m going to like the new way of doing things,” he told his son, Lowry. “And I hope the new government throws those lazy Margolis bastards into the Prison Complex Cellars for a long stretch. They’ve been a walking disaster for much too long.”
“Watch it, Pa,” Lowry responded. “You’re gonna out-Carmaks the Carmaks, if you’re not careful.”
“Now, that would be a good thing,” threw in Lowry’s wife, Cassie. “The Carmaks get things done, and they do it without pissing anyone off. They’ve been doing in Ithcar precisely what that Federation Agent, Mikal What’s-his-name, goes on about at every opportunity. Cooperation, not competition, that’s what he preaches.”
“Hah, you’ve been listening to him talking, have you, Cassie?” Jaroc laughed and looked slyly at his son. “It’s a good thing that this Mikal is so short, and besotted with that Kati woman. Otherwise, Lowry, I’d worry about competition.”
*****
Mikal and Kati spent as much time in one another’s company as was possible, within their busy schedules. Often they had to snatch the time to make love at the end of an exhausting day, or the first thing in the morning. They comforted one another by reminding themselves that soon enough time would come when they would be on a space ship, with ample leisure.
Josh had agreed to take them, Xoraya, and Lank to a space ship yard which was said to deal in inexpensive but nevertheless perfectly functional used ships. Rakil had recommended it, when he had heard of their planned next step.
“That’s where we Borhquans bought our two ships,” he had explained. “They were a good deal and have served the planet for decades, now, with only the usual maintenance. When the Paradisans asked us for advice about ships we sent them there, too.”
“And we’ve been perfectly happy with our purchases,” Malin had added. “As a matter of fact, those yards are on a Space Station which is not that far from Paradiso, in space-hopping terms. If you’re going to be going there in the Cruiser, maybe Ingrid and the Grenie girls, Canna, and I can catch a ride to Paradiso with you. That would certainly be safer for Ingrid and the Grenie quatrad than taking a passenger liner; no worries about running into some rabid Volkor IV K-Alpha. The thought of running into one of those beasts has had me sweating, while I’ve been trying to plan the route for getting the Grenies, with their patron, to Paradiso.”
Ingrid had flatly insisted that she would go with the green girls to their home world. The girls needed her until they were on their own planet, she had stated. She had promised them that she would see them home, and she intended to keep the promise. Malin had offered his assistance, and had persuaded Canna to go along with him, since, as he put it, sometimes a female bodyguard could accompany them where even the best-intentioned man could not.
“But aren’t you a K yourself, Malin?” Mikal had asked.
“Sure,” Malin had answered. “But I’m a civilized Paradiso Beta. As well-trained as a K can be, since I had the good luck to come under the tutelage of Roge Maruchal’s late first wife’s father. That old gentleman takes pride in schooling the best behaved K-men in the Galaxy.”
“So I’ve heard,” Mikal had conceded. “I’ll talk to Josh. I don’t see him objecting, since you’re quite right about it being the safest option for Ingrid and the Grenies. I did communicate with Maryse, and my mother as well, about Ingrid, and hope to obtain the safeguard of Lamanian citizenship for her, before she leaves here. Assuming that she agrees to my scheme.”
“What have you been plotting, Mikal?” Kati had asked. “And how come I don’t know?”
They had been eating supper at Marku’s Bistro, at the end of one of the long days that nevertheless seemed to whizz by, thanks to the never-ending list of things to do. Only Mikal and Kati, Malin and Canna, and Rakil and Roxanna had made it to Marku’s that evening; everyone else had been busy doing something else, or had grabbed a quick meal while working, and then gone to sleep wherever it was that they slept.
“Sorry, love; I should have run this by you, but I’m starting to forget things, even with my node prodding me.” Mikal had patted her knee. “My node isn’t quite the miracle-worker that yours can be.”
Kati had snorted at that, and The Monk had hissed soundlessly at her.
“I can be a miracle-worker, you know,” he had subvocalized.
“And a shit-load of trouble,” she had subvocalized back, and then returned her attention to Mikal.
He had been grinning at her, clearly guessing the direction of the inner exchange between Kati and her node.
“I suggested that perhaps my parents—generous, kind people that they are—could arrange to adopt Ingrid into our family. With her consent of course. It would automatically extend to her the protection of Lamanian citizenship, as well as the added prestige of my step-father’s name—his family is a well-established provincial dynasty, although Dad’s not one to trade on it. But, knowing him, I think that he’d be quite happy to have a young woman in danger make use of it; he would say that it’s nice that an accident of history can actually help someone who needs it.”
“Grandpa Iaon always said that your Mom had picked herself a good second husband,” Rakil had said with a nod.
“Yeah, they met when Grandpa came to fetch me for my Borhquan training years,” Mikal had agreed. “Step-father quite impressed Grandpa Iaon, I gather.”
“You think that your parents would do that?” Kati had asked. “Is the adoption process a big deal?”
“Yes to your first question,” Mikal had replied. “But only if Ingrid consents to become my adopted sister. The process, if everyone is in agreement, is quite simple, just a matter of registration. It can be done before we ship out, as a matter of fact, again with the caveat that all participants consent to it.”
“Would that help to keep any Volkor IV Alphas that she might run into, from trying to seize her?” Malin had asked.
“The calculation is that they would choose to avoid the wrath of Lamania which would be inevitable if they harm a Lamanian citizen, especially one belonging to a p
rominent family,” Mikal had said with a fierce grin. “Do not forget that we Lamanians have a good working relationship with the Torrones.”
Malin had nodded.
“Right.” Then he had sighed. “We Paradisans have another problem, of course. How was the Grenie quatrad smuggled off Paradiso, and from where on Paradiso? Plus, from all I’ve heard, including what you’ve told us, Roxanna, this was certainly not the first quatrad taken.
“Roge Maruchal went ballistic when I contacted him about it. And I hardly blame him. Keeping the Grenies safe is the first order of business for us Beta Paradisans. To have failed at that....” He had shaken his head.
To Kati’s surprise, Canna had reached a comforting hand to cover Malin’s larger one. It was the first time she had seen the dark woman show any overt affection towards anyone. Perhaps the romantic liaising that appeared to have permeated the atmosphere lately, had helped to loosen her tightly controlled emotions. Malin’s face had broken into a smile at the gesture; he had sat very still, as if determined not to scare the hand away.
*****
Finally Mikal and Arya sent the Report of the Official Investigative Team to Maryse who would have the job of presenting it to the Federation Officials, including President Vascorn. Meanwhile the Vultairians had already begun making their own changes. The Torrones Warriors were staying on, keeping the peace in the Capital City, and flying to other population centres to do the same, whenever necessary. Arya took it upon herself to work with the Vultairian Committee to Create a New Constitution, while she was waiting for the Team of Experts to arrive from Lamania. She told Mikal that she could handle the situation on Vultaire without his input if he wanted to get on with chasing the slavers.
Thus, the Musical Troupe put on their final performance with Kati as their Leader, one evening, in the Legislature Grounds, to a raucous and celebratory crowd of thousands. A good time was had by all, including the Klensers, some of whom joined the Troupe on the stage for several numbers, with their pipes, rhyeles, triangles, and whatever other instruments they had been able to scrounge from helpful citizens. “The Ode to a Mudball” was a great hit, as was “The Slumming Song”, and many of the Tarangay sea shanties.
On Assignment to the Planet of the Exalted Page 83
