“I meant your clan no insult,” I added, but he did not acknowledge my words, and I didn’t know what that meant. With any luck I wasn’t going to be around long enough to find out.
My stomach clenched, and I pushed down a sense of nausea. There was nothing left in my gut, as far as I could tell, but I still couldn’t afford to look weak. I stood, and waited for the arach to come and fetch me. It seemed like forever, before their leader of the day previous stepped into the room.
“Come,” he said. “Your weapons are waiting.”
That caused a flurry of concern at the other end of my implant.
“What did he mean by that?”
“Stand by for assassination.”
“Not helpful, guys,” I transmitted back, and I hoped they were wrong, because it had seemed like an odd turn of phrase. I hesitated.
“My weapons await,” I said, “but does the arena?”
“Everything stands in readiness.”
And now I was really on edge. Somehow, I thought this had a lot to do with the meal I had not eaten, but I couldn’t be sure. I wasn’t exactly up on arach cultural mores.
“You’re gonna have to be fast,” Tens; “Something’s up.”
“Gotcha.”
“Come, little human. There is no avoiding fate,” and the arach leader came and stood, just inside the door.
It took an effort to take that first step towards him, and more to take a second. There was something in the way he was standing that made me think of a giant spider, just waiting to pounce. It was an image he lived up to when I came to a halt before him.
He laid a hand on my shoulder, and reached down to take my wrist. I had an idea just how much trouble I was in before he peeled back the cuff on the armor, and slid his finger beneath the wrist band.
“I am sorry,” he said, “but we do not allow jewelry in the arena.”
I had nothing to say to that, but stared at him wide-eyed, as he lifted the locator off my wrist and then snapped the band in two. He smiled, as he broke it into another two pieces, and dropped them to the deck, where he crushed them under the heel of his boot. His hand tightened on my shoulder.
“You have been sentenced,” he said, “and there is no escape.”
Fear felt like a solid lump in my throat, but I forced myself to nod, and swallowed hard against the scream that wanted to escape. I found it hard to find my voice, harder still to keep it steady.
“The arena?” I asked, forcing myself to keep my eyes on his face.
“Awaits,” he said, and let go of my shoulder, gesturing for me to precede him out of the cell.
I sure as shit hoped Tens had another plan for locating me on the teleport system, or I was well and truly fucked.
I reached the door, and got three steps into the cargo bay, before the light hit. There was just enough time for me to regret not having my weapons, but not enough time to wonder how much in penalties I was going to be fined for losing the helmet to the suit, before the arach and their ship faded from sight.
I don’t think I’d ever been so happy to find myself aboard Mack’s ship, in what seemed like a lifetime of running away from it. The light faded, and I reached for my weapons, backing up from the human shapes I saw in front of me, even as I pivoted to check out what was behind me. I knew this room.
I knew the room, and I recognized the people in it, but I’d been about to face down up to a dozen human-looking aliens who were going to beat me to a pulp, and then kill me, and my brain didn’t quite get that it was safe.
“Cutter!” Mack’s voice made me jump, and I half-turned, my eyes seeking an exit.
He came out from behind the console he’d been standing behind.
“Cutter. It’s all right. Stand down.”
Stand down. I knew those words. The trouble was I was almost always being told to stand down—especially when I wanted to shoot some asshole who thoroughly deserved it.
“Stand down, Cutter. We’ve got you.”
We’ve got you. Tens said that. Part of me recognized the phrase, and started to relax. Tens only said that when he’d hauled me out of the shit.
“We’ve got you,” Tens said, moving towards me.
I backed up a step, and he stopped at the edge of the platform, stretching out a hand to stop Mack moving forward.
“You’re safe.”
Safe. I stood still, finally registering the very concerned looks on the very concerned faces of the people standing at the edge of the dais. Oh. Safe. I stared at them a moment longer, and realized I didn’t want to run from them—not right now, and maybe not for a long time. Right now, I needed to stop running, if only for a little bit.
“Mack,” I said, and Tens snorted, but he kept his hand on Mack’s chest.
Even though they hadn’t said a word, I couldn’t bring myself to move toward them. Instead, I just let my knees buckle, and lowered myself to the top of the platform with my hands resting on my thighs.
“Okay,” Tens said, and I looked up in time to see him drop his hand away from Mack’s chest, and turn back to the console. “Case. Get us out of here.”
The ship shuddered beneath us, and I wondered where we were going, but it didn’t seem important, as Mack slid to his knees beside me, and pulled me into his arms, and then his lap. This time, I let him, taking comfort from the warmth of his chest and strength of his arms, as he pulled me tight against himself, neither of us speaking a word.
“I should wring your bloody neck,” he murmured, his lips brushing the top of my head.
It made me laugh.
“You’ll need to join the queue. I pissed off a lot of people, today.”
“Yeah, but I was one of the first.”
This was true.
“And you left me behind,” I told him, “on an arach ship. I should punch you for that.”
I felt him rear back a little, and knew he was looking down at me, could picture the surprise on his face.
“After going through all that, you want to go three rounds?” he asked.
“No,” I said, and felt him sigh in relief, and bend back around me.
I took a deep breath, and then several more, as though sniffing the air, and then I sniffed at my shirt.
“No,” I repeated. “What I really want is some serious san time, and some fresh clothes. Honestly, how do you stand being this close to me? I stink!”
I heard him sniff, and then he eased me out of his lap and set me down on the floor.
“You’re right. You do stink,” and he stood up and made a show of brushing himself off. “And, now I stink. That is the last time I give you a hug when you need it. Next time, I’m going to make you get changed, first.”
Well, there was only one answer to that.
I stood up, and took a step towards him, making him take a wary step back. Normally, this is where I would have slugged him, as hard as I could, but, today, I just...couldn’t. I really did want some time alone in the san. I curled my lip and moved towards the door, threading my way between the control consoles for the teleportation unit, and studiously not looking at either Delight or Tens. Doc intercepted me on the other side.
“I need—”
“And I need some san time and some food,” I snapped, and he took a step back, “unless there’s something serious you need to check me for?”
He took another step back, raising both hands as though surrendering.
“Fine, but you come and see me once you’ve eaten.”
I reached the door and stopped.
“Fine, Doc. After I’ve eaten.”
I turned to go, but Mack’s voice stopped me.
“Cutter!”
This time I turned and glared at him.
“We’re debriefing over supper.”
I flicked a hand at him, and pivoted back to the door.
“What the Hell ever!” I said, trying for irritating, as I stepped out into the corridor beyond.
This time, no-one called me back, and I made it to my cabin and
into the privacy of the san unit, before the aftershock hit—and it hit like a ton. I curled up in a ball under the water, and I cried. I refused to think about what Bio were going to say regarding the use of resources. I just bawled, using the sound of the shower to hide the sound, and the water itself, to wash away my tears.
And, when I was done with that, I stood up and scrubbed myself close to raw, washing away the scent and feel of spider from my skin, and making sure not the slightest piece of blood, or brain, or whatever else remained on me. Yesterday hadn’t been the first day I’d killed, but it had been the first time it had been quite so many and quite so up-close and personal.
33—Know Thine Enemy
I’m not sure how long I stayed under the water, crouched on the floor, watching it swirl down the drain on its way to recycling. I’m not sure how long I would have continued to crouch there, either, if Mack hadn’t opened up the san-unit door, reached in, and turned the water off.
“Bio is having a fit,” he said, as I glared up at him, “I’m getting hungry, and the cooks are getting grouchy.”
Which meant they had cooked something special, and I’d better go eat it. Mack stretched out his hand, and I took it, and let him help me to my feet. Once I was standing, he stepped out of the san unit, leaving me to work out that I’d forgotten to lay out a set of clothes when I’d come in. I stood there, contemplating that, while I dried myself off, and then wrapped the towel around my body.
Mack opened the door, just as I reached for the handle.
“Clothes,” he said, passing me the bundle he had in his hands.
“Thanks,” I managed, taking them and then shutting the door in his face.
I didn’t know whether to be embarrassed or grateful, and then settled on the latter, shrugging the embarrassment away. Man had seen I’d need to get dressed—and decided not to make me have to do it in front of him. I could deal with that.
It was a nice change.
“You done, yet?”
I took that to mean the normal Mack was returning and I should get my ass into gear.
“We’ve got a debrief, and I don’t want supper getting cold.”
“Fine!”
I hurried, and we hit the officers’ mess at the back of the caf in five.
It was no surprise to find Delight and Tens already in attendance, although Doc’s presence was a bit of surprise. He shrugged.
“Best way to see you,” he said, and I wondered why anyone would want to see me.
They all raised their eyebrows at that, but none of them said a word. Mack guided me to a seat between him and Delight, and I remembered the last time I’d sat between them. Apparently, so did Delight. She reached over and patted me on the knee.
“Don’t worry,” she told me. “We’ve had about all the girl time we’re ever going to need.”
I wasn’t sure exactly what she meant by that, but I figured I didn’t need to; I’d be happy as long as it meant she wasn’t going to teleport me off the ship and shoot me, again. Mack got the ball rolling.
“What happened after the door closed?” he asked, and the only place he could ever mean was the arach ship.
I thought about telling him that what went on in an arach ship stayed on an arach ship, but I knew that wasn’t going to fly, and I needed to just get it over with. I picked a spot on the wall somewhere to the left of Tens’ ear, figuring I might as well as annoy someone while I told the story.
“I backed up and reloaded the Blazer, Glazer and Zak...” I started, and went from there.
When I got to where I negotiated the arena trial, things got a little tricky; I heard my voice thicken, and felt my throat clog up, and Delight’s hand became an irritation on my knee. I guess I don’t like company when I relaying something that painful. Fortunately, she seemed to get it, and took her hand away.
I wondered where Pritchard was; it was unusual for Delight to be without her keeper... Who’d let her off her leash?
“Wouldn’t you like to know?” Delight murmured, and I remembered that my head wasn’t my own. Damn.
“You refused the meal?” Doc asked, and I nodded.
He sighed.
“Next time. Don’t.”
Damn. I waited for him to explain.
“First, because it’s an olive branch, a sign that the clan offering is willing to forgive a breach against them. Acceptance means you count them worthy of being forgiven by.”
Oh. Double damn.
Doc ignored me.
“Second, because it’s an insult; you’re basically telling them you don’t think their worthy of eating with.”
Well, f—
“One more cuss word out of you, young lady,” Doc snapped, “and I am going to put you over my knee!”
Fuck.
And Doc was out of his seat, and coming around the table. I stared at him, and then scrambled in the opposite direction. Tens started laughing, and Delight pushed her chair out, crushing me against the wall.
Well, wasn’t she just a funny f...—I shot a glance at Doc—GIRL.
He stopped, just short of Mack.
“I’m sorry?” I tried, not sure he was ready to forgive me.
His glare got deeper, and he looked from me to Delight, and then down at Mack. I followed his gaze. The look on Mack’s face was unreadable, but he was looking up at Doc, and not saying a single word—at least, not out where I could hear it.
I tried again. I really didn’t want a fight with Doc, but I didn’t know how I’d avoid it. I’d cussed so much lately, it had become a habit. Besides, that whole arach set up was f... it was enough to make anyone swear.
“I’m sorry. I’ll try, okay?”
I waited, watching as the tension leaked out of his shoulders. Finally, he sighed, and turned back towards his seat.
“Do you know which clan it was?”
I tried to think back, but I couldn’t recall the colors of the warrior that had brought the food.
“I don’t know any of the clans, and I’d have to go back over the footage to be able to tell you what he was wearing.”
“We’ll work it out,” Doc assured me. “What happened when they came back?”
“They weren’t happy about the meal,” I said, “but at least I know why, now. I’d have eaten it if I’d known, but I hadn’t seen arach before the two in Andreus’s mansion.”
“Where?”
“Andreus’s mansion. That’s why I kicked the door closed behind me; I didn’t want them getting past, and I didn’t think I could hold them. They’d have hit Mack from behind.”
“Fair enough.” Tens shrugged.
Mack just stared.
“Why would that matter?” he asked.
“Because you were shooting it out with a patrol. They’d have been all over you before you knew it.”
Mack opened his mouth to argue, and then closed it again. He didn’t look very happy.
“You nearly got eaten.”
I closed my eyes, shoving the memory of that first encounter to one side, as I went back to the debrief.
“Like I said, the arach on the ship weren’t happy about the meal, and I was searched at the door.” I looked at Tens. “They knew about the locator bracelet, turned back my cuff and told me jewelry wasn’t allowed in the arena, and then snapped it into three or four pieces, and stomped it, before they’d let me out the door. I’m pretty sure they knew exactly what it was.”
“Being arach doesn’t mean technically deficient,” Doc said, and I wondered why he felt the need. It wasn’t like I’d suggested the arach hadn’t known technology.
“They’re still a good deal more aware than they need to be if they knew to look for the bracelet. Those are new,” Delight told him, and, from the defiant look on her face, I’d run into the middle of a long-standing argument between them.
I waited a couple of heartbeats, before I finished up.
“Anyway, Tens was able to find me without it, and got me out of there.”
I didn’t add
that I was pretty sure I would have been dead if he hadn’t. I don’t think I’d have gotten as far as the arena, either.
“No,” Doc said. “You wouldn’t have. That meal was from one of the upper clans. Next time, eat. You’re accepting their protection.”
I stored that piece of information for later, and looked to Mack.
“Thank you, Cutter,” he said, and raised his head.
“Bring it in,” he said, and the door to the mess opened.
It looked like Mack had spoken to the kitchen about providing something fresh, given we were in orbit. We got the works: fresh cuts of something resembling Terran beef, vegetables that hadn’t been reconstituted, or had the life boiled out of them, and bread—hot, melt-in-the-mouth bread with a crunchy crust. I shut up and ate, all too aware of Delight sitting at my elbow, and Mack sitting across the table corner from me. Neither of them paid me any attention, but I was acutely aware of both of them, and couldn’t help wondering why. The answer came as the plates were cleared away.
“I want you to work with Doc on identifying the arach clans you saw,” Mack told me. “We weren’t aware they were in this sector.”
“Why would anyone work with them?” I asked.
“Greed, sweetie,” Delight told me. “It’s always greed. Odyssey will take care of the Costral clans. They’re more compromised than they know, if Andreus’s dealings went beyond his attempt to blackmail the clans with the loss of the station. That’s usually the first step for an arach invasion: infiltrate in the guise of lucrative trade, take out the external communications, isolate the solar system, fortify the planet and system against all-comers, start building a fleet staging point. If it hadn’t been for this business with Melari and Treivani, we’d never have known in time to intervene.”
It was strange, but by ‘intervene’, I thought she was referring to Odyssey rather than InterGal, and, until that moment, I hadn’t thought the company that wide-spread.
“You’d be surprised, sweetie,” Delight said, but she kept her voice soft, and I wondered if she was actually talking to me, or if she was talking to herself.
She didn’t choose to clarify it, so I left it.
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