He leaned forward and propped his elbows on the table. "I like you, Starla, so I want to get to know you better."
"That takes time, Dagan, time we might not have in our risky lives."
"Since our fates are uncertain, we should enjoy every preon we have."
She wondered if that was a sexual overture. "Only if those diversions don't shorten or worsen our existences. I think it is unwise to live only for the deega, as so many do here. Indulgence can be self-destructive."
Dagan locked his blue gaze to her green one. "What kind of future do you want? Any desire for a normal one with a mate and offspring?"
Her heart raced at his odd queries and his desire-igniting expression. She fought to keep the trembling of strong emo-
tion from her voice. "Is that what you want? Do you ask because Vm a woman and you assume that's what all females crave?"
Dagan felt himself heating up beneath her sultry gaze. The fates have mercy, he wanted her badly, and was sure she felt the same. "Why do you always reply to certain queries with a question so you can avoid sharing something personal about yourself?"
Starla laughed to release tension. "You answered your own question."
"I sense that you're a private person and probably have reason to be, but is it just me or everyone you want to keep at a defensive distance?"
"Would you think me vain if I said no man on Noy has interested me in that way since my arrival? Unless I'm wrong about your meaning."
"Your conclusion is accurate. Does 'no man' include me?"
Starla's gaze roamed his face. She found his expression unreadable except for glimmers of fiery desire which matched the flames searing her. "I haven't decided what I think or feel about you, not yet. I try not to make hasty judgments; that can be rash and hazardous."
"Thanks for being honest; and it isn't vain to be discriminating."
Starla thought it was best to change the subject. "I would like to thank you again for being willing to sacrifice your life to save me from those carnivorous brutes."
"I'm sure you would do the same thing for one of your teammates." But how do you know what I said when you were out cold? Dagan withdrew his knife and extended it toward Starla. "You should get one of these. It comes in handy if you run out of power packs. It's good for close-range fighting and for throwing a long distance. Has lots of other uses in a bind." He watched her take the knife and examine it, supplying him with her fingerprints. Added to
the voice pattern he was recording, soon he would know everything about Starla Vedris or whoever she was, as she would be registered in the I-GAF data base, as were all UFG citizens.
"If you don't know how to use one, I'll be glad to teach you," he offered.
Starla returned the knife. "Thanks, but I do know how. You might want to change to a curved handle for a better
grip."
Her practical idea impressed him. "Has Auken told you we're leaving tomorrow to head for the Sion space station to get that part for Tochar's ship?"
"No, I haven't seen or heard from him. I take it Tochar has checked and knows the part is available and the station is approachable. He amazes me with the number of contacts he has in other places. It seems as if there is little he can't learn, so they must hold high and trusted positions." She laughed, then feigned a jest, "If I had his sources, I wouldn't need to work for him or anyone."
"We take a lot of risks and steal valuable cargoes for such small cuts of the profits. Not that he doesn't pay well, better than most leaders, but he sells those hauls for huge amounts, so our services should be worth more."
"Too bad it's dangerous to leave his employ or we could venture out on our own. He has long arms and a good memory, so any departure has to be agreeable to him. Can you repair his ship after we get that part he needs?" she asked.
"Yes, I checked it over this morning; nothing to it. Being on my own for so long, I have to know a ship from top to bottom. I can't exactly call for help if something malfunctions, and I don't want to drift alone in space until death claims me. You're lucky you have an android for company and assistance."
"I'm very fortunate to have Cypher for many reasons."
After she enumerated a few, she asked, "Did Auken say whether or not I'll be going along on the raid?"
"The entire unit is going. Why?"
"Since we're leaving tomorrow and I haven't been told, I wondered."
"He's probably been busy getting the Adika ready to depart."
"I hope that's the only reason; being excluded wouldn't sit well."
Dagan didn't tell her he had hinted to Auken that only three or four of them were needed to carry out the raid, one which would be allowed to succeed with the hope of enticing Tochar away from his stronghold. Though there shouldn't be any risks involved, unless something unforeseen came up, he wanted her kept away from as many dangers and punishable crimes as possible. But Auken was loyal and ignored his words.
"Would you care for a fresh drink?" Dagan asked.
"No, thanks. Since we're leaving tomorrow, I won't even finish this one, and I need to get back to my ship to rest and prepare. Good night, Dagan."
"Good night, Starla; I'll see you at sun-high at the landing grid." He watched her rise and exit, her departure evoking an odd feeling of loneliness. Stop letting her get to you so fast and easy; she's a villite, Curran, despite good traits. Don't forget, she s in the forbidden zone. And get moving before Yana appears; you don't want to deal with her tonight.
Starla took a seat on the bridge of her ship with Cypher. "I'm relieved Auken sent a message to you about the band leaving tomorrow," she told her trusted android. "I can't allow them to shut me out now that they have Dagan. If necessary, I'll find a way to disable one of the men to prevent it from happening. Don't follow us this time and do
something small to make your presence in orbit known while I'm gone, maybe purchase supplies to restock the servo and have them delivered by shuttle. Since we aren't going after moonbeams, there won't be any clues dropped for you to collect, so let's not risk using the hologram and beacon. I'm convinced that Tochar has made certain the needed part is there and it's safe to raid that space station, so I'm certain I won't be taking any risks going without you in the shadows."
"Your reasoning is logical," Cypher affirmed. "I will obey. Keep alert for complications."
"I will, so don't worry. And report our imminent trek to my superior."
From the bridge of the Adika, Starla watched the docking procedure after they were given permission to stop at Sion. She noted that Auken had the correct hailing fi-equency and password and wished she knew how Tochar had obtained them. She glanced at Dagan and the others, who were clad as I-GAF officers, just as she was. She surmised she and Dagan had been allowed to remain on the bridge because the secret moonbeam codes weren't being used today. She hoped the raid went smoothly and that no humans were inside, as Tochar was told.
"Connection complete and ready to enter the station," Moig announced.
Auken thanked Moig and told him to remain right there and be ready for a swift take-off if needed. "The rest of you, come with me," he commanded. "You know what we're after and where those parts are stored. Let's move fast and get going."
Inside the entry corridor, Starla watched Auken and Sach head in one direction while she and Dagan walked in the other to collect certain items. The tubular hallway was long and dim, with only one series of well-spaced lights illumi-
nated. Their booted steps echoed against the metalhc flooring. Their fingers grazed the butts of their laser weapons, ready to battle any unknown threats. The android in the control room wouldn't trouble them, as it was duped.
"The fuel rods we want are down the next corridor and on the left," Dagan informed Starla. "Stay alert in case Tochar's information isn't accurate."
Starla acknowledged his words and kept glancing over her shoulder for any sign of trouble. She followed him into the storage bay and helped him load the rods onto a carrier. She saw him ga
ther other items Tochar wanted for fixture use or sales.
They returned to the ship and unloaded their haul, then headed down another corridor for a second and last pickup in a bay on the far side.
Shortly after leaving that storage area, Starla tensed as she overheard a shocking message from Moig to Auken via their transmitters. She and Dagan exchanged looks of surprise and displeasure.
"We've got a problem, Auken. I have a Spacer on the sensors; it just decloaked and showed itself The pilot is communicating with a man inside the station somewhere; they're I-GAFqxs. Sounds like he was dropped off by another craft and this one's picking him up. He's already gotten permission to dock from that android controller and he's coming in. We have five preons or less to disengage our connection and get cloaked."
"Starla, Dagan, did you hear that message?" Auken asked.
"We heard," Starla responded, "and we're heading back in a hurry. It'll take a while; we're almost on the other side of the ring."
"Drop everything and move fast, but we won't leave without you two."
After the communication ended, Starla murmured to Dagan, "Do you really think they'll hang around very long
with an I-GAFqt aboard and another one coming? If we don't rush, we'll be stuck here and in big trouble. These uniforms and fake badges won't fool those clever agents."
"Don't worry, we'll bluff our way out if the one here sees us. Just don't act suspicious."
"I won't have to: I'm a woman. There are no female /-G^Fers."
"Yes, there are, a few, so behave like you're one. All we need is enough time to disarm them if they approach and challenge us. If Auken deserts us, we'll just have to steal their Spacer and escape."
Starla pressed her fingers to his lips and whispered, "Somebody's coming."
"Get down!" Dagan shouted, and pushed her to the floor. Almost in the same sweeping motion, he drew his laser gun and fired at the agent who rounded the comer at the end of the corridor. He knew he had to stun the man before he was seen, recognized, and perhaps exposed.
Starla grabbed her gun and fired in the opposite direction after the second agent came into view, his own weapon drawn. The man got off one blast, which zinged against the metal carrier near Dagan after she had kicked it between him and the shot's angle. Dagan whirled to check out the peril, saw the downed agent, and looked at her oddly. "He's only stunned," Starla announced. "I'm not killing an /-GAFqt. If you do, you're a fool, Dagan. Tochar couldn't pay me or scare me enough to murder one of them."
"I only stunned mine, too; I don't kill unless necessary." He called Auken and said, "The agents are down, so relax and wait for us. We're bringing our haul; no need to abandon it now."
After the loading and disengaging procedures were carried out, the Adika took flight and cloaked. Auken and Sach were at the controls, and the other three were sitting nearby trying to calm themselves.
Moig, his brow sweaty and his face flushed, complained,
"I thought there wasn't going to be any threats in this sector. That was too close."
"Tochar was told there wouldn't be any Kalfan Sekis," Auken said, "but he can't control or learn the actions of the I-GAFqys. Did you kill them?" he asked Starla and Da-gan.
There was no hesitation in Dagan's response, "No, we stunned them, because they didn't get a chance to see our faces. One docked at the portal nearest us and the other was going to meet him; we were caught between them."
Auken shrugged. "Wouldn't matter if they had seen you."
"As for me, I don't want them eager for my blood," Starla refuted.
"Look at the rearview screen so you'll stop worrying," Auken told her.
Starla's gaze widened as the orbiting space station exploded and sent debris flying in all directions. She reflexively blinked at the bright light and gasped in astonishment. "Why did you do that, Auken? They didn't see us. There will be karlee to pay for this reckless deed."
"When that Spacer appeared, we lost the time to get to the internal recording system and the android to wipe out the report of our transmission, and our faces and voices; so we had no choice. We can't leave evidence behind."
Starla watched the debris slow and begin to float in endless space. Two Inter-Galactic Alliance Force officers had been murdered to conceal their identities and operation methods. At least, she thought sadly, the men had been unconscious and hadn't suffered.
"I know you don't like life-taking, Starla, but it couldn't be helped. They shouldn't have been there, and I wish they hadn't been."
Starla realized it was foolish to argue with the villite; she mustn't let him think she lacked the courage to do whatever was needed to protect the unit and their leader or she could be ousted.
"Do you understand?" Auken asked.
"As you said, we had no choice. At least we got what we came after."
Dagan observed with keen senses and realized how upset she was, which pleased him. He was ftirious with Auken and Sach, and tempted to slay them on the spot, but he couldn't; too much was at stake. Later, he would take revenge for the two fellow officers, though they were not close friends of his. If Auken had revealed his lethal intention earlier, he would have captured the band and returned to rescue the two agents. He would have turned the prisoners over to them, then headed for Tochara to delude their leader. Or he could have pretended they were all slain, altered his guise, and headed for Noy to become the first member of Tochar's new unit. No matter, it was too late to save their lives. Obviously his superior hadn't warned them to stay clear of Sion or hadn't known they were in the area.
Auken turned to Dagan. "What about you? Any problem with that course of action?"
"Not at all; things happen; they can't be avoided."
Starla noted how Dagan's fingers gripped his kneecap as he replied to Auken's query. She guessed the gesture was indication of Dagan's anger about the two deaths, which relieved her follov/ing his disturbing remarks. Maybe you are different from them. Maybe you can be turned around after all.
Dagan looked at Staria. "Thanks for saving my butt back there. That was quick thinking. I owe you for my life."
"You're valuable to Tochar and our unit. Fm glad I could help."
"What about being valuable to you?" Dagan jested with a grin.
"Friends and team members are important to me, too."
"I think Dagan wants to be a real close friend, Vedris," Moig teased.
"Don't start me, Moig; Vm too tired and tense for games."
"Speaking of games, how about we play resi to help us relax?" Dagan suggested.
"Sounds good to me. I'll get the chips," Starla said to silence Moig. She wasn't looking forward to the lengthy trip back to base: seven deegas to the Kalfa/Free-Zone star-gate, then four to Noy in their current alignments. She didn't like the tight confinement with the men . . . and especially with Dagan.
After they landed at Tochara, for the first time, Starla was asked to help transport the load to a cave their leader used for storage, one guarded by Tochar's Enforcers. Yet, she and Dagan were allowed only to place the crates in the entry cavern, and the many recesses beyond it weren't visible for inspection. As she worked, she pressed a button on her wrist device so Cypher could lock in on and record the coordinates for future use, as she was positive this was where the crystals were being kept.
When the task was finished, Dagan asked Starla to join him later for the evening meal and drinks. First, he needed to report the two agents' deaths and see what Phaedrig had discovered about Starla and Yana from their fingerprints and voice patterns. He was eager for those facts, but dreaded what he might learn.
Starla politely declined. "Thanks, but I want to rest. Perhaps I'll see you tomorrow around dusk at the Skull's Den. I just need to be alone for a while."
"After being caged with four men for deegas and what we went through at that station, I understand. See you tomorrow, I hope."
Starla nodded and left in her shuttle to make a report to Supreme Commander Thaine Sanger about the fatal i
ncident at Sion. She knew that Cypher would be concerned
when he heard the bad news, but there wouldn't have been anything he could have done to save those men. By the time Auken exposed his action, it had been too late even for her to save them. She yearned to know how that episode was sitting with Dagan, but doubted he would reveal anything to Starla. Yet, perhaps Yana could extract facts and feelings from him about the incident and Tochar, especially if she used an alluring splash of her irresistible fragrance.
^.
s(jsn
Yana took a deep breath and pressed a button near the door to Dagan's chamber, after making certain no one was nearby to witness her bold visit. He was renting one of four dwellings in a tubular-shaped pod of a heat-resistant material. Its entrance was on the back, facing the ridge, and the passageway to it was deserted at present. Since her Yana abode wasn't far away, she had transported there and slipped to this location without being seen. When Dagan did not respond to her signal within a short span, she assumed he wasn't there and started to leave. As she turned, wondering where he was and if she should seek him out, the door swished open.
"Yana, what are you doing here?" Dagan asked as she faced him.
"I haven't seen you for wegs. Have you been gone or evading me?"
"We just returned from a long trek this evening."
"Then you must be tired, so I'll let you rest. Please excuse my intrusion, but I wanted to see you. I've missed you."
What are you up to, woman? You didn't come here dressed like that just to talk. His gaze noticed the visually impenetrable but thin and silky garment in a multicolored pattern. Thick and shiny tresses flowed around her shoulders and framed her beautiful face like liquid sun. The blue smeared on her lids intensified the hue of her eyes and its
faint tinge to her flesh and hair. Her lips were full and pink, and parted slightly. He had to detain her to see why she had come. He had made certain all of his secrets were concealed before he answered the summons, so he asked, "Would you like to come inside for a while?"
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