by Stella Cassy
“Ahem.”
I looked up at the source of the disturbance, squinting into the vidwin across from my bed, which lit half the room. I frowned and raised up on an elbow. The disturbance caused Lara’s lashes to flutter, half between dream and reality.
“Deathstars, what—”
“Lehar. Once, the sound of an incoming transmission and the light from the screen could wake you instantly,” Tarion’s voice boomed into the room. His eyes were fixated to the right of me, on my human. “Nish must have treated you well.”
“Tarion, sir, is there problem?” I sat up completely and pulled the bed covers over her bare shoulders.
Tarion’s eyes rested on her neck. I expanded my wings wide enough to fully block her upper body from his eyes.
My actions suggested that I had taken a mate. There would be no reason to bring a female onboard to sate physical needs. That was done planet-side. There was no reason to believe I had taken a slave. I had never had a personal slave and never expressed interest in one. I hadn’t thought what to do with a slave every micron of every solar and lunar. I was responsible for her. What could I say to explain her presence? I had no explanation that I understood. If I were First Commander, it would not be necessary. My vidwin was set to private, but First Commander overrode that and many other things that went with the privilege of the rank. I had not given any of those matters much thought before.
“That is your first response, cousin?” he said, his brows raised.
“After first rising, yes.” I grasped the hair at the front of my head and rubbed it to the back of my head.
“You are usually in the observatory at this time or en route to the bridge.” He cast an eye at my voluminous bed covers.
“I will be on my way soon.”
“First, there is pressing Hielsrane business to attend,” he said. “There’s trouble in one of our outer quadrant planets.”
I slid down to the edge of the bed, closer to the screen. “Which one?”
“There are reports that there is an impending uprising in Coovoo.”
“There have been rumblings since they were acquired. They do not have the resources to do more. Their forces cannot sustain the losses if they thwart us.”
“True, but their grumblings could incite unrest among our other holdings and undermine our reputation.”
“For some that is their sole intention, as they can do little else.” I lifted a shoulder and raised a hand. “Is it wise to begrudge them that?”
“Your stance always leans toward temperance,” he said.
“When needed, yes.” I eyed the nourishment dispenser and cleared my throat. Normally I would have taken the covers and downed a hydro pack along with my nourishment while Tarion talked.
“That is why you are an excellent captain, but they haven’t been under our purview long enough to ignore,” he said. “This is more serious. Reports have increased in frequency and severity.”
“Are you in route there now?”
“Carissa and I are too far away, and I want the situation assessed firsthand,” he said.
“Immediately?”
“Yes, we’ll meet you on Kanet to regroup and strategize,” he said.
“Consider it done. We’ll depart as soon as I can get back to the bridge. We are in orbit already, so it should not take more than two solars.”
“I thought you would be on Nish much longer,” he said.
Lara’s gold painted talons peeked from beneath the covers. Tarion shot a hard look behind me, although he could not see a hair on my human’s head. I had not had the opportunity to mention her presence offhand. Truthfully, I had not wanted to. Tarion would not have. He ultimately did not care what I or anyone thought when Carissa had been his slave, briefly, before becoming his mate. Because that was what a commander did: whatever in the verse he wanted.
“Their treasures were limited, and the crew enjoy other planets for more extended leave.” As a crew member, I would have been obliged to mention my run in with the Pax but as Capt. of Hielsrane Two, I should be afforded personal discretion. Or had it been an indiscretion?
“Computer, set the vidwin to voice only until after first solar nutrition, indefinitely.”
“Is he gone?” Lara whispered. Her head popped up over my shoulder.
“Yes. “
Her honey-jewel eyes enlarged. “He sounded mean.”
“As Capt. of the entire Hielsrane operation, he cannot be anything less than direct.” She rested her lips against my shoulder blade and her lashes brushed against my skin. Such little contact sent a shiver through me. My Drakon skin was not usually so sensitive. I caught her lips with mine. My intent was a quick taste of her sweet mouth, but it brought back memories from our lunar session. Her arms went around my neck. Two thick ropes of hair fell onto my shoulders.
“When did you rearrange your hair?”
“Last night when I came back from the bathroom,” she said.
I frowned. I never slept so soundly when on a rare occasion another shared my nest; never expected to until I took a mate. Something was awry. Was it the aftereffects of Nish? Shifting into my dragon, at times, resulted in prolonged sleep. The distance from Nish’s market to the landing strip did not warrant it, usually.
“Where are we going?” Her voice rose higher, her interest piqued.
“Nearby.”
“Is it near my planet,” she said, “or in that direction?”
“No.”
“Where, then?”
How long would it take for her to settle down? The same time it took Carissa? There wasn’t much similar about their dispositions other than they were both human.
“A planet called Kanet. A rebellious one that is causing trouble again. One that we took quite some time ago.”
“Where is it located?”
“A nearby planet but not where I would choose to go. In sector two. Two lunars from here. I have to prepare for the journey. Sleep longer.”
“Will you tell me more later?” She yawned and her eyes closed halfway.
“Yes, if you like.” I ran my fingers across her delicate neck. Though deactivated, I detested the Pax’s collar. I wrapped a finger around one of her soft curls and lifted a clear stone dangling from her ear with my talon, the gem refracting light and catching my eye. “From your planet?”
“Yes.” She closed her eyes. Like a hatchling peeking out, she burrowed in our nest with the covers up to her chin as if Tarion’s eyes were still on her from the vidwin. I ran my fingers in her soft hair and across the silk of her shoulders, quickly covering them before I lost my sense of time underneath the covers with her again. What male of any species would not be drawn to such femininity? For once, I had something other than my shell collection to lure me to my quarters early.
“Computer, connect Dashel.” I went to my compartment were I displayed my shell fragments and let my eyes rove over my collection, then opened one of the hidden compartments below it where I kept my crystals and gemstones, a secondary interest and once part of my mating dowry before I rose to Hielsrane’s level two position.
“Lehar.” His voice was eager and alert, despite the early morning hours. Did I ever talk with my mouth full of ambition as he did?
“Reverse course and begin pre-flight diagnostics for Kanet immediately. Have the bridge crew perform an in-depth review of chatter on the communications channel. Send a probe ahead to Coovoo within the hour as well. I’m on my way up.”
9
Lara
Fool’s Gold
I picked up the ugly collar on the floor as I ran my fingers over the necklace around my neck. Dozens of reddish orange stones that caught the light more than my diamond earrings were suspended in a V-shaped pattern down my neck, strung together by tiny intricate chains of some metal that looked like a mixture of gold and copper. I must have stared it for fifteen minutes straight when Lehar presented it to me.
I wedged the collar under the edge of the bed in case he decided put it b
ack on my neck.
Satisfied, I went to the shower. Behind the curved clear partition, the water beat down on my body like an overzealous masseuse and I shifted from foot to foot. I closed my legs until the water switched to foamy suds to prevent it from beating on tender places. I wasn’t as sore as I had anticipated. The streams of water clicked off silently like at a car wash, I guessed. I’d never been to one before.
I danced from one foot to the next and rubbed my upper arms to keep the goose bumps at a minimum. The dryer switched on and hissed its warm air onto my chilled body. I squeezed my eyes shut so that they wouldn’t dry out.
The door zipped open and Lehar entered the room silently for such a big guy. He was dressed in his usual black and gray with a sheen to the material covering most of his body.
Without the benefit of a shower curtain or even steam to fog the partition, all I could do was angle away. The low swishing sound must have wicked away most of the steam, not that much was generated from the tepid water.
“Are they here? Your cousin? Carissa?” I looked over my shoulder. I tried to keep the excitement out of my voice, but I could tell, as usual when I brought her name up, that he didn’t want to talk about her. “How old is she?”
“I do not know, but she should be of similar age to me.” His eyes narrowed and his brows drew together. “How old are you?”
“Twenty-five. Years. And you? What does she look like?”
“Thirty-two revolutions. She is like you, a female human, but a lighter hue, as Tarion is to me.” He squinted at me. “You will have the opportunity to get all your answers from her directly soon. I have never known you to talk this much on a single subject.”
He couldn’t possibly think I was going to give up going home. I should shut up. I wiped the grin off my face. “Yeah, you’re right.”
“You are not your usual self.”
I opened my eyes and was blasted by warm air. He was worse than my old shrink.
He laid back on the bed facing me, his wings spread out behind him in an elaborate fan, hanging off the sides of the bed. The outer edges and spiny parts were the color of wine with lighter reds in the middle. They really did look like they could detach. “Why do you turn your back to me as soon as I enter the room?”
“I’m not used to you yet.” It took months before I was comfortable walking around naked in front of a man, even if I was sleeping with him. I certainly didn’t walk around naked with anyone else. Who did? Didn’t he have some ship stuff to do while I dressed? I closed my eyes.
“The back of you is just as pleasing. We have joined, yet you are shy,” he said without a twitch or inflection in his face or voice. He might as well have been talking about the weather. “I am your first master,” he said, his voice full of pride.
He stared off at the smooth gray ceiling, then the corner of his mouth tilted up in a smile.
I spun around. “Don’t use that word.”
His eyes traveled down my body slowly. If he thought we were going to roll around on the bed like we did last night after that comment, he was more alien than he looked.
“Slave, master — your list grows long,” he said. “Owner?”
“Just because you helped me doesn’t mean you own me.” I blinked furiously to get some moisture back in my eyes.
“Nomenclature is important to you.” He put his hands behind his head and spread his legs, stretching the close-fitting uniform across his crotch and emphasizing the outline of muscles that were too numerous to be the same as humans in his neck, legs, arms, and feet. The length between his legs just looked like another defined muscle without being obscene in material that molded his body. His eyes followed mine. He looked back up. There was no “caught you looking.” There was no reaction at all. The opposite of when his hands were all over me. “That is contrary to what everyone other than you knows. Why does a factual statement offend you so?” His face was pinched, brows raised, voice flattened.
Without waiting for the dryers to stop, still damp, and without looking at him, I padded to where my bra and panties lay in a pile on the floor. With each step, I counted: one thousand one, one thousand two, one thousand three… With my back to him, I wiggled into my underwear. By the time I got to one thousand twenty-five, I was dressed in my underwear, but I still wanted to slap him.
I faced him. There was no point in this conversation as I would not be around for long. I swallowed down my irritation just like I had with a dozen other directors, producers, agents and actors. I did not sleep with any of that group — anymore. Last night was a nice memory I was taking back with me.
He sat up and held out some gray and black clothing. “I will have an appropriate uniform fitted for you at a later date. You are tired of your single human garment.”
“Thanks.” I took the two pieces from him and sat beside him. He put me on his lap and helped me get my arms into the stretchy material. I pulled the fabric together in the front and he ran a hand from my throat to my waist. It clicked together seamlessly. He helped me get into the pants, which were three times too big but were made of some spandex type material, snug enough that they didn’t fall down.
I put my hand on the necklace. “This is pretty.”
“I didn’t like another’s collar around your neck.”
It was still a collar. Of course it was. I understood him. “Where is the ... translation chip?”
“The matrix is in the back clasp.”
“Oh.” My hand dropped to my lap. “It is more comfortable. Where did the clothes come from?”
“They belonged to a youngling.” I didn’t have to force the smile. I hadn’t seen anyone under seventeen so far.
“Kids. Are any of them onboard?” I always loved it when children and animals were on the set. They were easier to deal with than most adults. I rolled up the sleeves and the pants legs.
He lifted my right wrist with the end of one of his sharp nails and tapped the black satin ribbon I had wrapped around it. “What is its purpose?” he asked.
“For my hair.”
“It is still wet.” He smoothed my hair to the back of my head. “I will dry it for you.” He pursed his lips and blew air around my head.
I held up my hand after fifty seconds and leaned away before I ended up with straw hair. I stood. “That’s enough, thanks. I want it a little damp. By the way, I need some lotions or oils, you know, toiletries.”
He went to the space between the shower and the toilet, then tapped his fingers on the middle wall. A hidden compartment opened.
“Come,” he said.
Inside were a row of illuminated squares. Under the yellow one, he cupped a hand beneath it. Liquid dripped out. He brought it over and drizzled it into mine. “Rehydrates.”
I brought it to my nose. Cucumber and some citrus. It had the consistency of a combination of lotion and oil. I rubbed my hands together, then smoothed it over my hair.
“The blue one is for face and hands,” he said. He dipped his mouth under the green square. Liquid streamed into his mouth and he rinsed and spit it out. Then he gestured for me to come over and do the same.
I wavered on my tiptoes but still could not reach the dispensers without hopping.
He laced his fingers together. “Please sit.” I settled back on my alien swing against his chest.
“I feel like a child.” He held me close to the dispenser so that I could wash my hands and rinse my mouth, which tingled with ginger and spicy mint. Except for last night, I was the warmest I’d felt since standing under California sunlight the morning before I was abducted.
After I had finished and he set me on my feet, I stood on my tiptoes and brought his face down to mine and smacked his lips with mine. “Thanks again.” Never thought I’d be so happy to have basic bath products and ill-fitting clothes.”
“You will have many more.”
I didn’t know what that meant or how to respond to that, so I went back to the bed. I sat down and released my hair from the twisted bun I had
secured at the top of my head after Lehar fried it, then tied the ribbon around it so that I had a big curly pouf. “What should I call him, your cousin? Capt.?”
“I will present you. There is no need for you call him anything but sir as I do.”
“You call your cousin sir?”
“We are on a mission,” he said in that even tone of his. “That is what is appropriate.”
“What is the temperature like? Will I be warm enough in this?”
“Tarion was delayed by a solar storm. I have to deal with that insane bastard Newsove alone,” he said. “Carissa is not coming therefore you should remain here.”
“Oh.” I pulled at the heavy but thin cloth of my new clothing. As long as I kept the top knotted at the bottom and pulled over the pants, I looked less as if I was wearing someone else’s clothes. I had so many questions for Carissa that I needed to write them down. “What are they like the people—inhabitants—of Kanet?”
He dropped down on the bed on his back and extended his hand to me. I need to break him from that, but I curled up beside him.
“They’re called Mosets,” he said.
“Everyone is so different out here. Were any of them on Nish?”
“I did not see any at the market, but it was thrice as crowded as I have ever seen it. That is probably due to your presence.”
“Because of me?”
“Even if most could not afford the price, they wanted to gawk,” he said.
“Like the pandas at the National Zoo.”
“What are they?” he asked.
“An animal imported from another country, a different part of my planet,” I said. “Do Moset look anything like the Drakon or Pax?
“Nothing like us, nor the Pax, but their temperament is similar. They are motivated by trade. We have nothing much to do with them. The Mosets can be violent and irrational. Their leader Neswove is an insane despot I am amazed has retained his position. But they are allies, now that we have granted them their independence. Computer, display last footage on Kanet meeting, mute sound,” Lehar said. He ran his hands through the back of my hair, destroying the remaining corkscrew pattern from my stylist.
