by Leslie Chase
“How did you manage, then? The rebellion and killing the Imperials, I mean. With that bond to the Empire, wouldn’t you have to obey?”
Delkor was silent for a long while, long enough that I wondered if he’d forgotten the question. Ahead of us I heard voices echoing, bickering, competing. We were coming to an inhabited area, perhaps one of the inner markets.
As though that was a signal, Delkor spoke again. “The binding isn’t magic. Going against it hurts, and eventually kills, but given a strong enough motive it can be done.
“Some Caibar were content enough with the false bond — we got prestige as the elite warriors of the Empire, and for a few that was enough. To keep the rest of us loyal and eager they offered us the saar-blossom as well as the stick. Fulfill our term of service and they’d send us back Home where we’d find our true mates. With our training and cybernetics, we’d be like gods on Home.”
More and more bitterness filled his voice, now barely above a whisper. Ahead, the bustling noise of a settlement drew closer, and once we reached it there’d be no space for private conversations. Delkor would close up, and who knew when he’d open up again?
“That sounds smart,” I said, prompting him to continue while we still had time. “Awful, evil, but smart.”
“It was. And probably it was even true, once. But the Imperial nobility didn’t get rich by spending their money — they looked for a cheaper way to do the same job.”
His voice had tightened, anger under careful control. Even so, I shivered. Confident he’d never hurt me, I still feared seeing what would happen if he let that energy explode.
“Killing us was cheaper, easier,” he continued. “Less messy. They didn’t have to worry about a planet of supersoldiers and what we’d get up to. The only problem was that eventually, we figured it out.”
“And then the rebellion,” I said. No wonder Delkor hated his former masters. “But how? Didn’t the, uh, the bond stop you?”
Delkor took my hand, raised it to the back of his neck. Through his thick hair my fingers touched a jagged scar perhaps an inch long.
“We learned to cut the implants out. Brave warriors died learning how, but the survivors were free.”
I shuddered at the thought of needing surgery to mount a revolt… especially surgery that left them dying. “How did you survive? You said Caibar die without mates, right?”
“Yes, but fortunately it’s a slow death.” His chuckle of dark humor made me flinch at that. “With medical aid, we’d last months, perhaps a year or more, before the pain became too great for us to function. That gave us a window of opportunity, time to topple the Empire and return Home. Once there, we’d find our mates and survive, or at least that was the plan.”
He fell silent again. The voices and music were too close now, and a mix of scents filled the air. Spiced food, heady incense, cheap perfume, it was a strange combination. I resented it, not because it was unpleasant, but it signaled our arrival. If there was more to Delkor’s tale it would have to wait.
The corridor came to a dead end, a crudely welded grate separating it from what looked like a storeroom of some kind. The level must have shifted at some point, pushing the station’s decks past each other, because the storeroom was a couple of feet lower than the corridor we stood in.
Delkor’s focus shifted from the past to the present with a smoothness I’d never match, focusing on the way forward. Crouching by the grate he waited, listening, and I did my best to make no noise.
Eventually he was satisfied and without warning he punched the grate. His metal hand struck with enough force to tear it clear of the hole in the wall, and it clattered to the decking below.
Without waiting to see if anyone noticed the noise, Delkor dropped down into the room. He turned, grabbed me and pulled me to him.
“Now hold on—“ I squeaked as powerful muscles and corded metal lifted me with a casual but irresistible strength.
I could have jumped down, I thought through a surge of resentment. But Delkor’s embrace washed that away in a moment, his body pressed against me, his arms holding me safe. His hearts beating close to mine.
The desire to hold onto him, to sink into him and forget about everything else, was hard to resist. In Delkor’s arms I felt invulnerable.
It didn’t last. Footsteps outside the small storeroom pulled us back to ourselves and Delkor put me down quietly. His eyes narrowed as he watched the door, but the steps passed by without stopping.
Around us, shelves piled high reached to the ceiling. I looked at the stock on them and frowned. Fluffy towels, bathrobes cut for various species, and soaps on one set of shelves. Scented candles, oils, powders on another. Smartclothes hung from a rail, shapeless garments that would fit themselves to whoever put them on. Expensive, the kind of thing that a wealthy man on Earth would buy his mistress as a gift. An optimistic oligarch had sent me one, hoping it would impress me. It hadn’t.
Through the wall I heard giggles and a yelp. What kind of place was this?
Delkor looked as confused as I was, opening the door a crack and peeking out. I joined him, just in time to see a scantily clad green-skinned woman walk past, her long, elegant tail flicking from side to side as she led a Drall male down the hallway. If either of them had glanced in our direction they’d have seen us, but she looked supremely uninterested and he only had eyes for her figure.
Oh. We’re in a brothel. Great.
The realization almost made me laugh, more from frustration than amusement. Every market I’d visited on Nautilus Station had at least one brothel; along with gambling and drinking they were the main ways for scavengers to blow their money. While most boasted they offered companionship for all tastes, they’d never tempted me or, as far as I knew, any of the crew of the Ladies’ Choice. I had no idea what they were like inside, but this seemed higher class than I’d expected.
Delkor shut the door quietly, and I looked at the two of us. Smoke-stained, singed, our clothes torn… we’d stand out like sore thumbs in here.
Just our luck that we’d ended up in an expensive brothel. The ones controlled by Syrcen’s syndicate looked like the kind of places where bloody, battered visitors wouldn’t get a second look.
On the other hand, if we’d landed in one of Syrcen’s establishments the guards would know to look for us. This was probably better.
“Stay behind me,” Delkor said. “By now our enemies may have spread word of our escape. But I will hit them hard, fast, and we will break free before they have a chance to react.”
He was entirely serious. Without knowing how many people were in the building, how well armed they were, or even which direction we needed to go, Delkor intended to tear his way through everyone between us and freedom. Maybe I was as crazy as he was, because looking at the coiled, dangerous Caibar warrior, I didn’t doubt for a moment that he’d succeed.
The problem was, how many bodies would he leave behind us? I crossed my arms, looked up at him.
“No.”
His reaction would have been comical under other, happier circumstances. Head snapping round to look at me, his eyes wide, I realized that he’d never considered that I might not cooperate with his plan. Well, tough luck, big guy. You didn’t count on Earthwoman stubbornness.
“The people in here aren’t our enemies,” I said. “I’m not going along with a plan that leaves god knows how many of them dead.”
“There is not time for debate,” Delkor responded, unmoved. “And I would sacrifice any number of them to see you to safety.”
He would, too. Maybe that should have horrified me, but it made me smile. So long as I was with Delkor, he’d do anything to protect me — how could I not appreciate that level of devotion?
But it didn’t mean the people here deserved to die.
“The workers are innocent,” I tried. “So are most of the customers. Maybe even the guards. For all we know, we don’t have a single enemy in here.”
The look Delkor gave me, amused and exas
perated, made me blush, but I stood my ground. “Yes, okay, there’s a good chance that some of them will be looking for us. Syrcen probably put a bounty on our heads. But we can’t kill people on a ‘probably.’”
“There’s no time for this,” he replied. “Your gentle nature is sweet, Khaa-Ree, but I cannot afford to indulge it now. If you will not follow me, I shall have to carry you.”
“And how will you fight, with me over your shoulder?”
“Badly.” Delkor sighed and hissed something under his breath. “I will still do it, unless you offer a better plan.”
A fair point, especially since I didn’t. I needed to find one, fast. Turning, I looked around the storeroom again, hoping for inspiration. A smile slowly spread across my face as I pieced things together.
It wasn’t a good plan, but it might work.
12
Delkor
“This is ridiculous,” I said, striding along the corridor behind my mate. That was an understatement; letting her walk in front where she might face an ambush first made every muscle in my body tense.
The view was some consolation. My Khaa-Ree’s stolen smartclothes had done as they were programmed to do, clinging to her curves and accentuating them. Shiny black and red covered her skin while hiding nothing. A wonderful change from the loose jumpsuit she’d worn before, now unceremoniously stuffed into a matter recycler. Watching her ass as she led me through the hallways almost distracted me from the danger we were in.
In contrast, the heavy dressing gown around my shoulders covered me from neck to feet. It hid my muscles, my implants, and my injured back. Together, we looked nothing like the pair that the Drall might have described. Unless they’d managed a good description of our faces, but that seemed unlikely.
Khaa-Ree’s plan was crazy and dangerous, yes, but it might still work. And no matter what happened, the audacity of it made me smile. If it worked, it would make a fine tale — if it didn’t, I’d fight our way out. Since that had been my plan to start with, we lost nothing.
Other couples passed us in the maze-like network of corridors, ignoring us with studied indifference. Each time I felt a little more confident in this plan — no one looked too closely at one more customer and his girl.
Don’t get cocky, I told myself as I caught a smile spreading on my face. I am still the only Caibar around, and we’ve not seen any other humans. It only takes one person realizing that to see through our disguise.
As though that thought summoned trouble, a man stepped into Khaa-Ree’s path, blocking her way. Light on his feet, he’d gotten close before I realized he was there.
Squat, scaly, head covered in spines and robes covered in gold, I recognized neither the species nor the man. But when he reached out to touch my mate he nearly died before he could speak.
Khaa-Ree waved a hand behind her back, frantically signaling me not to attack, and I held down my instinct to pounce and kill this threat to my mate.
“Where are you going?” The man asked in Vehn, his voice harsh and headspines quivering. “Stupid girl, the rooms are back there, get back to your work.”
His stubby arm pointed back the way we’d come, and it was only then that he noticed me. His expression changed in an instant, an impressive transformation as he went from furious to obsequious.
“Ah, a thousand apologies Revered Guest,” he said, bowing with a flourish. “I hope you are enjoying your visit to the Silver Flower?”
I have no skill for dissembling. Lying, intrigue, those are not the weapons I trained with. And the spine-haired man had a cunning, suspicious look to him; I doubted he’d be easy to fool. Searching eyes stared out from deep pits in his face, and I knew he’d already seen more than he should.
Kill him, take his keys and anything useful, hide his corpse behind one of those erotic statues. My tactical training offered a simple solution to the problem. All that stopped me was the knowledge that Khaa-Ree would disapprove.
“Some fucker stole my clothes.” The words left my lips before I’d thought about it, genuine anger and frustration pouring out behind the lie. “I was with the girl, distracted, and when we were done—“
“Ah, Revered Guest, I am overcome with grief,” the host said, hands fluttering apologetically. “If you would please be calm and follow me—“
“Calm? Calm?” There was a certain joy in unleashing my anger, even over a deception. “I have been robbed and you wish me to be calm?”
With frantic hands, the manager gestured for me to keep my voice down. A client passing by glanced in the doorway, concerned, and then ducked away when I turned by glare on him.
Khaa-Ree’s shoulders shook and I realized she was holding back laughter. Not speaking the language of the Vehn she would understand none of what we said, but she didn’t need to — the fear and anguish on the man’s face were clear. His spines folded back and he ducked his head repeatedly, pleading with me to follow him.
Not long afterward we left the Silver Flower by the side door, ushered out by a smiling and desperate manager who wanted nothing more than for this large, angry, and loud client to go away before my shouting gave his establishment too bad a reputation. He’d found clothes for me somewhere, and while none of them fitted right, they were better than nothing. Much better than my uniform. That was more recognizable than I was.
A hefty purse jangled at my belt, compensation for my ‘loss’, and Khaa-Ree walked beside me, still struggling to contain her laughter. The manager had been quick to agree to a ‘home visit’ to make up for my spoiled assignation.
“I can’t believe we got away with that,” she said as we vanished into the crowded marketplace. “I was sure we’d have to fight our way out after all.”
With a shrug, I tugged at the collar of the too-tight red top they’d given me. “That might have been less uncomfortable, but it would have drawn more attention. Your plan was better.”
She looked over her shoulder at me, smiling. Forget the skimpy clothes she’d ‘borrowed’ from the Silver Flower, that was her at her sexiest. The sheer joy sparkling in her eyes, the soft blush on her pale cheeks, the mischief in her smile…
Irresistible. No one could know my struggle not to grab her right now and claim her for all the marketplace to see. In a just universe, nothing would have stopped me. Unfortunately, this world is imperfect — taking my beloved would have to wait until we were somewhere safer.
Wrenching my gaze from her, I watched the crowd for any signs of interest in us. Fortunately, the chaos and confusion around us meant that we didn’t stand out as much as we might. I didn’t relax — the crowd also gave cover to anyone hunting us.
People from scores of species mingled here, the hubbub of a dozen languages mixing into an incomprehensible roar. I recognized many species and most of the languages, but others were strange to me. How far had they traveled to pick over the bones of the Empire my rebellion had toppled?
If they hadn’t, Khaa-Ree would not be here, I reminded myself. She came to join the rush, and she found me. I’d still be slumbering in the escape pod if she hadn’t.
But that didn’t blunt my resentment of this marketplace. The stalls carried loot, treasure ripped from dead ships. Parts, scrap, and personal items, anything that scavengers managed to pry from a dying Empire’s decay. One shop even carried the clothing of the Imperial nobility, and despite my rebellion against their tyranny it felt wrong to see the tiara of a countess sold for the value of its jewels.
All around us bargains were struck and prices haggled over, scavengers bringing their valuables to barter for an hour’s entertainment. Or, in some cases, to bargain desperately for parts they needed to keep their ships running. Dozens of currencies changed hands in the chaos, and I wondered who, if anyone, kept track of it all.
At the edges of the market, bars crowded round. Eager to separate a successful scavenger from his or her new wealth, each tried to make itself appealing and unique, and each made me grimace with distaste. There, one pretended to be a genteel
Imperial entertainment establishment. There, clouds of purple smoke drifted out of a door, carrying the soporific scent of kjja blossoms. A third advertised itself with a pair of Imperials in chains, scantily clad and promising the delights once reserved for the nobility.
“The Silver Flower seems almost civilized in comparison,” I grumbled, pushing our way through the throngs of people.
“It’s higher class,” Khaa-Ree said with a shrug. “Prettier furnishings and politer managers, but no ‘nicer’ than any of the other places here. Just more expensive.”
“That’s all civilization is, sometimes,” I replied. “A pretty overlay on the same injustices as everywhere else. I prefer honest brutality to the lies of the Empire.”
We pushed on, slipping out of the market and into the quieter corridors around it. Khaa-Ree relaxed now that we were out of the crowd, but my senses stayed on high alert. If anything we were in greater danger of being spotted now, without the crowd around us.
No one paid us any attention. In the chaotic churn of aliens this station had descended into, the two of us didn’t stand out.
“I know where we are, I can find our way to the port from here,” my mate told me, excited. “Let’s go around the back way, yeah? The Drall syndicate will be watching the main entrance and I’d like to see what’s going on before we show our faces.”
It wasn’t a bad plan, I conceded, but still I pulled a face. “If your enemies are waiting there, I will kill them.”
Her hand pressed to my chest. “Yes, I know. But the syndicate is dangerous, and not just to me. Let’s at least find out what you’d be fighting before you charge in, okay?”
Another fight avoided rather than faced head on. I snarled, unhappy with this direction, but nodded reluctantly. This wasn’t like the Silver Flower, here the people I’d be fighting would be our actual enemies — and I so wanted to slay those who’d threatened my Khaa-Ree.
But more important, I didn’t want to risk bringing harm to her door. She valued the friends she worked with, and that was reason enough to keep them safe. If I needed another, there was the fact that they were human females like her. If fate was kind, they’d save the others of my pack — if I ever saw my own kind again.