Nexus Point

by Jaleta Clegg

  Chapter 4

  I blinked my eyes open. They were crusted and raw, as if I'd been crying. I raised my hand to wipe them, then frowned at the ropes on my wrists. It took a moment for my muddled memories to clear.

  I looked for my rescuer and captor. He was nowhere in sight. I sat. The knots took only moments to pick loose. He'd left me plenty of wiggle room. Either he didn't know how to tie someone or he was deliberately testing me. I coiled the rope and left it on top of his pack. I wrapped his blanket around me, chilled by the early morning air. I poked at a pot of porridge set to one side of the fire. I licked my lips and thought about eating it, but decided I'd better wait for an invitation.

  I sat on a rock, hiking up my skirt. A huge bruise ran down my thigh. Itchy welts covered my legs. I scratched a patch of red skin.

  "What did you do? Run through every briar patch in the forest?"

  I jerked the fabric down.

  Tayvis put a pot of water on his fire before turning to study me.

  I stole glances at him while I hunched under his stare. It was worse than the time the commander of the Academy hauled me into his office and reamed me out for fighting behind the barracks. I'd learned to do my fighting during hand combat training. I didn't think fighting Tayvis would solve anything. I'd lose before I even began.

  He stepped close, touching a spot just above my ear. I jerked away. He grabbed my ear, pulling just hard enough to keep me in place.

  "That needs cleaned before it gets infected." His fingers gently examined the other lumps on my head. "These aren't too bad. How are your feet?"

  I didn't know how to handle him being nice. No one had ever been nice to me before, not like this. I sniffled, blinking rapidly. I shifted my toes in the dirt, scratching my leg.

  Tayvis lifted my foot out of the dirt, revealing a rash spreading down both legs. He dropped my foot and dragged me off my rock, his hand around my arm. "If you don't wash it off soon, it will spread."

  "Why do you care?"

  "Who said I did?" He pushed me into the stream. "Well?"

  "The water's freezing."

  "You won't get it off standing there." He waded into the stream. "Do you want to do this the easy way or the hard way?"

  "You're giving me a choice?"

  "No, not really." He pushed me down to my knees.

  I struggled, but he had leverage. He clamped the back of my dress in one hand and shoved. He had no right to treat me this way. I didn't care that he was a Patrol enforcer. I kicked him. He shoved my head underwater.

  He pulled me out, yanking me to my feet. I coughed, sputtering cold water.

  "Were you telling the truth last night?"

  "You think I'm lying? Still?"

  "Convince me you aren't."

  "Or you'll drown me?"

  "I could shoot you if you prefer."

  "I'd rather you didn't do either."

  "Then tell me why you're here. Who are you working for?"

  "Myself."

  "Not Leran? Not Pardui? Not the freebooters?"

  "I don't know who you're talking about."

  He turned me around to face him. The water rushed past our feet. I couldn't read anything in his face. He finally hauled me out of the stream, dragging me back to his camp.

  I stood next to the fire, dripping water. I watched his every move, trying to figure out what he wanted from me.

  "You aren't going to cry, are you?" Tayvis asked.

  I shook my head, angry now, at him, at Leran, at my crew, at my own stupidity. I wanted to lash out and fight, I didn't have a target handy. I was smart enough to realize Tayvis might be my only chance off this world. He could get me out of this mess, if I could convince him he wanted to. He had power as a Patrol Enforcer to get all sorts of mistakes forgiven.

  He stirred the pot near the fire. He scooped out a dish of the porridge, then set the bowl on the rock next to me. "Shall we start over?"

  I picked up the bowl. The porridge tasted bland and pasty, but I'd eaten worse.

  He ate out of the pot. "How's the rash?"

  "Better." I watched him warily as I licked the spoon. "Why are you bothering with me?"

  He shrugged. "Maybe because I believe your story, wild as it sounds. And, because I really could use a second pair of eyes and hands."

  "What are you offering me?"

  "A way out, eventually. Isn't that what you want? If you are telling the truth, then you are here by accident. Your only way off is through the Patrol. If you are lying to me, I'll find out eventually. And then you'll wish you'd never set foot on Dadilan."

  I put the bowl aside. His threat left me colder than the water dripping on my bare feet.

  Tayvis tapped his spoon against the pot, watching me. "How do I justify your presence? It will take a least a week if we go straight to the Patrol base, but since I have other things to do, it's going to take a lot longer. It would simplify things if you really were Patrol."

  I kept quiet. I'd been offered a posting in the Patrol when I had graduated, but told them no. I didn't want anyone dictating my life, I wanted to be free. I'd made a mess of that.

  Tayvis collected my bowl. He seemed ten feet tall. "Your choice, Dace. Either I swear you in as an adjunct officer, or I shoot you. Which will it be?"

  "It's temporary, right? Joining the Patrol?"

  "Just until I'm through with my investigation and I can get you on a shuttle, yes. However, I won't guarantee your safety. And you will have to help me."

  "You're swearing me in as an officer of the Patrol. What rank?" Anything to delay the inevitable.

  "Are you certain you wouldn't rather be shot?" He glanced at me as he rinsed out his bowl. His lip twitched in his version of a grin. "If you're lucky and you help me out, you might get a commendation from the Patrol before they kick you out."

  "If those are my choices, then I agree."

  "To being shot?"

  He was going to make me say it, out loud. "To joining the Patrol. Happy?"

  "Not really. You might prove more trouble than you're worth." He put the dishes aside to dry. "Raise your right hand."

  I gave him a flat stare. He wasn't serious. Was he? I lifted my hand.

  "Now, repeat after me. I, Dace . . ." He drawled my name as if he still didn't believe it.

  "I, Dace," I repeated dutifully, hating every word he forced out of me.

  "Do solemnly swear to uphold the laws of the Empire."

  "Do solemnly swear. Do I really have to do this?"

  "Say it."

  "Do solemnly swear to uphold the laws of the Empire."

  "To obey the directives of the Emperor."

  "To obey the directives of the Emperor."

  "To do whatever my commanding officer tells me to do."

  "That isn't in the oath."

  "It is now."

  "To do whatever you tell me to do."

  "To cook and clean and scrub his boots."

  I lowered my arm. "I am not going to say that. I don't have to."

  He shrugged as he picked up the bowl and spoon. "It was worth a try. I hereby declare you an official officer of the Patrol for the duration of the investigation, with no pay, except for food and your ride off this planet when the investigation is complete. Any questions?"

  "Yes, sir. What is my rank? There isn't a category for none."

  "I'll have to think that one over."

  "What are you investigating?"

  "Smuggling." He gathered the rest of his belongings, packing them neatly.

  I squeezed water out of my clothes and watched him, waiting for him to explain.

  "Anywhere but Gragensberg, you are going to cause problems. You'll have to keep your mouth shut. Women are to be seen, but not heard. The only way to explain your presence is that you are officially my slave. If anyone asks, I bought and paid for you." He jerked the top of his pack closed.

  "Slavery is illegal," I objected.

  "Not on Dadilan." He kicked dirt at the fire. "I have to find my horse." H
e walked into the bushes.

  What had I just agreed to? I didn't see how I could help. Did he suspect me of lying? Still? Why agree to keep me with him? It made no sense.

  He returned, leading the biggest horse I'd ever seen. He swung his pack onto the horse.

  "Am I expected to salute, sir?"

  "I don't think that will be necessary." He pulled cords tight across his pack, fastening it to the seat strapped around the horse. "I'd prefer it if you didn't call me sir, either. It might sound suspicious."

  "Then what am I supposed to call you?"

  "Lord and master?"

  "Over my dead body." I stalked towards the trees. I made it two steps before my feet reminded me they were bare and the ground was painful. I stopped, my back to him. I hung onto the few small shards of pride I had left. I expected him to find some new way to humiliate me.

  "Then just call me Tayvis," he said, surprising me.

  I glanced over my shoulder. His eyes were the color of melted chocolate. I couldn't read his expression.

  "We've got a long way to ride." He slapped the horse's shoulder. "He's big enough to carry us both. Well? Do you want help?"

  "No, I can do it myself," I snapped. I'd spent too much time feeling helpless.

  He stood next to the horse's head and waited.

  I looked the horse over and tried to find the information in my head. I could fly a ship across the galaxy, I could figure out how to get onto a horse. Eventually.

  Tayvis took me by the waist and lifted. I snagged my skirt with one foot, almost falling off the other side. The horse stamped its feet and snorted. I grabbed a fistful of hair and the seat edge to pull myself up. Tayvis swung on behind me.

  I wiggled, trying to pull my skirt free.

  Tayvis grabbed my arm. "You're scaring the horse."

  I squirmed, looking for the knob to hook my knee around.

  "What are you doing?" Tayvis didn't sound at all patient now.

  "I am trying to sit."

  "It isn't that hard."

  He shoved my knee down. I straddled the horse, one leg down each side. It was much easier, but it left a lot of my leg hanging bare. I tried to pull the skirt lower.

  "Dace, sit still for a minute."

  His horse danced sideways. He fought it one handed. His other arm held me in place. "I don't care how much of your legs are hanging out. Just sit still."

  I sat, my ears burning with embarrassment.

  He ran his hand down the impressive collection of bruises on one leg. "What did you do to yourself?" His voice rumbled in my ear.

  I shrugged, trying to hold on to anger. It was better than hurt and humiliation. "I think I got those in the crash."

  "That makes your story a little more believable."

  His horse settled down into a steady rhythm. My legs reminded me that I'd done this most of the day yesterday. I shifted, trying to ease the cramps.

  "Just relax and move with the horse." He pulled me against him, his arm warm around me.

  I forgot all about my aching behind and mostly naked legs. I'd never been this close to anyone. None of the men at the Academy had ever looked at me as more than competition for grades and placement.

  I leaned forward, away from him. He didn't trust me. He didn't know me and I certainly didn't know him. I felt twisted and strange inside. It had to be the stress. I told myself that very firmly and pretended my odd feelings had nothing to do with his arm around me.

  "Relax, Dace." His breath tickled the back of my neck. "You're too tense. The horse picks up on that."

  I settled gingerly, sliding closer to him.

  His arm tightened around my middle. "Better." He kicked the horse into a faster pace.

  I grabbed handfuls of horse hair and hung on.