Moonbeams and magic

by Taylor, Janelle

  Starla did not want to discuss that emotion, since she had misused and betrayed the one man she claimed to love. She worried about Dagan's safety and survival in light of their intimate relationi^ip, a fact of which Tochar was aware. Would Dagan, she fretted, be imperiled by her actions? If Tochar used Thorin on him again, at least the fiendal would learn Dagan had no idea about her having another identity or committing treachery. She dared not warn her beloved on the Adika, as there was no way he could escape the craft, and contacting him would make him appear to be her accomplice in whatever Tochar suspected her of doing. She would find a way to check on Dagan tomorrow after things settled down on the surface, and, if his life was in jeopardy, she would find a way to rescue him.

  Before she changed the subject, she said to Cypher, "Your logic is accurate, as always. When Tochar challenged me after I eliminated Acharius, I reasoned it was reckless for me to stay and attempt to convince him of my false story. Since Acharius was from Maffei, Tochar might have thought to send out my image to someone there who would recognize me, so I couldn't permit myself to be the Jiendal's captive if he made that discovery. As long as he enters my image and voice into the network files, only data about Starla Vedris will be accessed and he'll remain ignorant of who I am. With that override command Thaine inserted in all databases, any information about Bree-Kayah Saar will be prevented from being retrieved. I'm vulnerable to exposure only if he shows or sends my image to someone who knows me. I can't return to the surface as Starla, but I don't want Tochar getting too nervous and taking precautions which could hinder the work of the next agent they send to defeat him. With luck, I will have convinced Tochar of my fealty and will prevent him from running another check on me. Auken believed me, so maybe he can convince Tochar I escaped out of anger and a fear of being unable to prove my innocence. It isn't my fault our mission was annihilated; I couldn't have foreseen Acharius's intrusion." In frustration, she slapped her thigh with her palm. "Blast him, Cypher! He's ruined everything we've worked for; v/e're useless now."

  "Have you forgotten about your transmutation identity?" the android asked. "There are things Yana can do and facts she can gather. We can follow the pirates, observe their raids, and record them for evidence."

  Starla grasped his metallic hand covered in realistic synthetic flesh. "You're right. Cypher. Our goal is too important for us to give up without first trying other tactics. We must not fail ourselves, our ranks, and our superior." She didn't tell him she also hated to leave Dagan, whose life might be imperiled and who might vanish forever if he left

  Tochar's hire to avoid being slain by the fiendal, but she suspected the android guessed her additional motive. "I have an ample supply of phials from Yakir, so I can return to the surface as Yana and spy on them. Since Tochar should assume Starla is long gone, and the colony is crowded and busy, and Yana is already known there, no one should pay much attention to her."

  She smiled at Cypher and said, "Thanks, my friend, for clearing my head and giving me com.fort. After I refresh myself, I will contact Thaine."

  Back in her quarters, Starla wondered again if there was a chance she could persuade Dagan Latu to join her side and cause; she pondered if she could trust him if he agreed, and what to do if he attempted to capture her. If she confessed to being both Starla or Yana, would bruised pride and ego cause him to feel as if she had made a fool of him and provoke him to react badly? Did Dagan possess that unpredictable and perilous code of honor and loyalty toward an employer like most of his kind did? By returning to him, even as Yana, she could obtain information about Tochar's actions. In her heart, she knew he was trustworthy, but she would confide in him only if she was given proof she was right.

  On the planet's surface, Dagan entered Tochar's dwelling and asked why he had been summoned—almost by force— from his work on Auken's ship. "Sach acted strange when he brought me here. Is there a problem?" He took the seata Tochar gestured to and observed the man's odd behavior. He hoped he had not fallen under suspicion for an unknown reason. That dilemma seemed unlikely to him, yet, his gut instinct and keen perceptions warned him that a solar storm was brewing. He feigned an expression of curiosity and calm, but was on alert.

  "My response to your question is yes, if—as I do—you consider the treachery of Starla Vedris a problem."

  Dagan was taken by surprise and did not conceal his reaction. He stared at Tochar for a few moments and realized the man was serious. His love was being called . . . His heart pounded and his insides twisted in dread. "What are you talking about? There must be some grave misunderstanding. Starla is as loyal to you as the rest of us are."

  "I hope that is only a figure of speech, Dagan, since she has revealed herself to be my enemy."

  "Your . . . enemy? How can that be? What happened this morning to evoke such an astonishing accusation?"

  Tochar related in detail the incident that took place in the cave two horas ago. "Despite an intensified quest for her which is still in progress, Starla has managed to elude my men and vanish completely."

  Dagan was stunned and alarmed by all Tochar told him of Acharius's accusation of Starla and the shocking incidents that had ensued subsequently. Tochar did reveal how Auken had argued briefly in her favor, until she "proved to him she was guilty."

  "Are you positive she's done something wrong?" Dagan asked. "If so, what treacheries did she commit?"

  "She looked and behaved culpable before she fled my investigation."

  "What if she was telling you the truth like Auken said? If she was convinced you doubted her and intended to harm her, maybe she got scared and panicked. She's only a female, a very young one at that, and alone. I can't imagine her being daring or foolish enough to spy on you. She never acted like she was observing us or stealing information. It sounds incredible that she could have fooled all of us and for so long."

  "She did, Dagan, I am certain of it."

  The Kalfan knew that an unknown factor was working against Tochar, but his beloved Starla? "How? Why? For

  whom? What could she have learned and how could she pass on your secrets to anybody?"

  "I do not know, but I will after she is captured. You know Starla's skills. Do you think she could make such a blatant mistake as to slay a man by error or in panic? Neither do I," Tochar replied for him. "I know you two became close, so it is time for you to choose between us. Do you know who she was working for or where she would seek a hiding place, on Noy or on another planet?"

  "This is a total mystery to me, Tochar; I have no ideas about her guilt or her whereabouts. She never gave me any reason to doubt or suspect her of being anything other than the woman I . . . believed her to be." Dagan made an intentional pause and implied the words he had omitted: loved and trusted, feelings known to the fiendal and cognizant a denial of them would cast doubts on him. "My mind's in a daze. It's incredible," he murmured again. He wondered who and what Starla could be: an agent for an alien galactic force who feared the man's increasing power, a hireling for a rival who wanted to seize the man's possessions or one for a disloyal partner, or an innocent ensnared by Tochar's suspicions. How could she have duped a lover and a skilled I-GAFqt with such ease, if guilty? If not, why had she fled and to what location? Had Tochar harmed her and this was only a cunning ruse to cover his dark deed? If so, Dagan vowed he would punish the flendal. As if he had been analyzing her and the matter, he said, "If what you say is right, we all misjudged her and she's one of the cleverest people alive."

  "I never doubted Starla's courage, daring, or prowess; that is why she was working for me. No one has ever deceived me as she has, so her punishment must be severe as an example to others who might be tempted to do the same. I have ordered my contacts to watch for her in Kalfa and Seri in case she reached her ship, fled, and goes to either galaxy. I have given orders to kill her on sight before she

  meets with her accomplice. If she is found here, she will be thrown to the Skalds. My Enforcers are guarding my defense sites, storage caves, and d
welling in the event she tries to destroy any of them. I am certain she is responsible for those mysterious incidents, but I do not know yet how she accomplished it all. My men are searching for her in the settlement and surrounding area; all chambers in the cave have already been examined. Her image has been placed on papers and hung in numerous locations. Anyone caught hiding or helping her will endure her same fate. I know you have strong feelings for her, Dagan, but I cannot permit her to endanger us by divulging the secrets she gathered while working for me."

  "Those measures sound harsh and hasty, and I can't help but hope she isn't guilty; but if she is a betrayer to us, you have no choice."

  "Trust me, Dagan, she is a traitor. Are you going to look for her?"

  Dagan forced out a frown and shook his head. "I'm sure your men can find her if she's still in Tochara or on Noy. I'm still in shock; I need a few strong drinks at the Skull's Den while I let this grim reality settle in. If you or your contacts elsewhere get your hands on her, I think she should be questioned before she's terminated. In your position, I'd want to know who hired her and why, and I'd make certain she wasn't replaced." Convince him to keep her alive, Cur-ran, until you or other agents can rescue or arrest her. "I'll be more than happy to question her for you. Within five preons, I'll have answers for you, for me, too. If she duped and used me and made a fool of me, she'll regret that error. Blast it all! I should have known better than to mix work and pleasure. This is the first time I've been blinded like this, and it won't happen again."

  Tochar mused on Dagan's suggestion. "Perhaps you are right about interrogating her before her death; I will consider it. I hope you will understand why I must speak with

  you using Thorin. You and Starla were very close, so I have to make certain you are still loyal."

  Dagan eyed him for a preon as if vexed, which would be a normal reaction. "I'm being honest with you; but if that's how it has to be in this difficult situation, let's get it over with so I can visit the drinker soon."

  Dagan was not surprised by the questions he was asked during his Thorin test. The Kalfan used his immunity to the truth serum and his cunning to convince Tochar of his allegedly conflicting emotions. He revealed how he didn't want to believe the accusations were true, though he admitted they must be because Tochar wouldn't be so positive if he didn't have proof on which to base them. He related his anger at Starla for using him as a cover for her own selfish desires, for enticing him to fall in love with her if she detested men like him and wanted to destroy him along with Tochar. He admitted to being humiliated and furious for not seeing through her ruse; if she had loved him and wanted to protect him, she would have confided in him, warned him of peril if she was exposed. He spoke about how she knew he could be incriminated by her actions and slain but she hadn't cared. He said he might harm her if saw her again, though he didn't lean toward harming anyone, to which his Dagan Latu reputation attested. He said he shouldn't have weakened toward a female; he should have held to his opinion that women were for pleasure, nothing more. The next time he was in need of sex, he would use Yana or one of the Pleasure Givers at the Skull's Den, but he wouldn't become emotionally involved with another woman and would try to forget the deceitful creature whose treachery was gnawing at him and evoking an unfamiliar hunger for cruel revenge.

  When Tochar asked him if he knew anything about her

  plans against him or who she really was, he responded, "No." And when the leader asked him to speculate on those two areas, Dagan said, "Nothing comes to mind. This seems inconceivable; it's baffling."

  Tochar asked him if he had any questions, and he answered, "I want to know who Starla is and who she works for. I want to know why she betrayed Tochar and how she passed multiple Thorin tests if she was lying." To which he heard Tochar mutter, "So do I."

  Dagan continued as if talking to his lost lover, "Why did you betray m.e, Starla? How could you make love to me, then endanger me like this? Did you really love me? Was I expendable to you? Why did you do this?"

  Dagan was relieved when Tochar halted his lists of queries before he asked again, "Do you believe she is guilty of Tochar's accusations?"

  "I'm not sure; I'm too confused to think straight. I guess she wouldn't have run if she didn't have something to hide. If she's innocent, why didn't she stay and ask me to help her prove herself to Tochar?"

  "If Tochar cannot give you proof she is guilty, what then?"

  "He's my leader. I have to accept his word and agree to his precaution. Dagan Latu is always loyal to the man who hires him."

  "Do you love and desire Starla Vedris above everything else?"

  "No, there are limits to what a man can do for his woman, unless he is a weakling or a fool. He must not dishonor himself or break his word or crawl on his knees to please her or to win her or even to protect her."

  After Tochar completed the draining session, Dagan supposedly recovered on the oblong table before heading for the Skull's Den to appease his woes with strong drink.

  Aboard the Liska, Starla contacted Thaine with the grim news about her exposure and how it had occurred. She related how she would remain on the case as Yana and revealed facts about Acharius's treachery and death. She observed Thaine's shock as he listened to the recording of the conversation outside the cave between the two men and the events inside involving her. It was obvious how concerned Thaine was about a Maffeian being an accomplice to Tochar's evil, and the discovery that the fiendal had his wicked eye on Trilabs on the planetoid of Darkar.

  "At least we now know his Serian contact habitates on the capital planet of Ulux, and that traitor has a helper on the mining planet of Kian; perhaps those will be useful clues to Raz Yakir. You must warn him to put his scientists under guard to prevent their abductions." She then voiced an important question to Thaine: "Why did Yakir add new security to the mines and shipments without telling me?"

  "I was to relate that news when we communicated after your return from Kalfa. Raz Yakir made that decision after Syrian's evil was laid bare. He reasoned, with both sources cut off, Tochar might become desperate and make mistakes or try to mount a weapon on his ship, which he has plans to do according to what you overheard. Yakir reasoned that during a transfer process, the weapon is vulnerable to destruction."

  Starla's voice was firm with conviction. "Not with me exiled from his band and settlement; there's no way that Yana can get near any of those weapons." But perhaps there is someone who can . . . "Keep the news about Acharius's death and treason a secret for now. I don't want Tochar to realize it's been reported and suspect I did it. Also tell Raz Yakir to use a plausible explanation for placing guards on his scientists; advise him to trust no one v/ith the truth, as his traitor could be a disloyal friend or someone high in his government. It will be useful to me and our cause if Tochar

  remains confused about who and what I am and whether or not I'm innocent of his suspicions about me."

  "Two of Tochar's cohorts are dead, Bree, so you've done an excellent job. You also have destroyed all crystals from previous raids; be proud of your accomplishments, even if they are your last ones there. We need to unmask and terminate accomplice number three in Seri, and Tochar will be without a means to get his hands on m.ore crystals while we seek his defeat."

  "But Tochar still has three invincible weapons, Thaine. I don't know how I can get to them and eliminate them, but I'll try; then you can attack. And check out Dagan Latu for me again; see if there is anything in his record to indicate he can be coaxed to join our side. If I can achieve that goal, it will give us someone on the inside, someone who can get to at least one of those weapons during its mounting on Tochar's ship. Then, maybe he and I—with C>'pher's help in teleportation—can find a way to eradicate the other two."

  "Don't take any unnecessary risks, Bree, or trust Latu without proof."

  "I won't. I'll work in Yana's form for as long as possible and keep you informed of miy progress and discoveries."

  "I'll report these developments and
your new strategy to Raz Yakir as soon as possible. Now that Tochar is wary, be more alert than ever, Bree."

  "I will, Thaine. Please tell my family I love them and miss them."

  That same night in his abode on Noy, Dagan pondered the mystery surrounding Starla. If she wasn't who and what she claimed to be, how could he discover the truth? He recalled her mock salute on her ship during his visit there, remembered she had no fingerprints to expose her; he reflected on her astute mind and countless skills. If she was an agent or enemy hireling, how had she duped him so

  easily? Or had he been too blinded by love for her to notice the clues she dropped or the slips she made, if there were any? Why, if she loved him as she vowed, hadn't she confided in him? If she was innocent and merely had panicked, or if Tochar had harmed her as thQfiendal had done to his family yings ago, Dagan swore he would slay Tochar with his bare hands. One of the reasons he had become an I-GAF agent was to find a way to get to Tochar, but their paths had not converged until this mission. Yet, he reasoned, if Tochar had killed her, why was the fiendal so furious and unsettled and eager to fmd her? He worried about Starla*s survival, but he couldn't desert his mission to go search for her, and, though tempted, lacked the means to do so. He just wished he knew if she were alive and safe somewhere.

  If only there was a way, he mused, she could contact him to explain her actions and to appease his fears. Suddenly he realized there was: she had a ship with an android who could transport her into and out of his chamber. If she had the coordinates. Coming to him in that manner wouldn't be any more hazardous to him than the predicament their relationship had placed him in. Maybe her love was false and his usefulness was past. But he didn't want to think along that tormenting line.