by neetha Napew
“I’m fine, Chuck, fine;’ she assured him. Indeed, she realized that it wasn’t quite as difficult to sit up and get out of the bed though she still felt as if all her muscles and flesh were being pulled inexorably groundward.
She got a call from Yoltin shortly after she took the com. Yoltin was a real Catteni bastard. Checking up. She had a sudden notion and put it into action by removing the undamaged control panels from where they had been stashed and putting them quietly behind a huge crate in the cargo deck that was currently available. If they should be discovered, though she doubted that, they were no concern of hers. The Drassi had checked off all the items that were brought on board, and being Drassi herself she could pretend she didn’t read well. Not many true Drassi did unless they “needed to know” as Zainal would have put it.
By the time all the repairs had been done, EmassiYoltin did an onboard inspection of every panel and locker of the main ship. Chuck turned an awful deeper shade of gray until she managed to give him a wink. He leaned briefly against the bulkhead in relief.
Yoltin could find nothing to reprimand them for—apart from unwashed dishes in the kitchen, and he ticked them off soundly and loudly for that, while they looked humble, meek, and repentant.
As Yoltin left, Chuck said very angrily to Kris “that the galley must be spotless when Emassi Venlik returned. You are responsible, you will do it.”
“Yes, Drassi Chuck;’ Kris responded with earnest subservience. Both were close to laughing at their little charade and did, when the passenger hatch was closed.
They heard the vehicles revving up and immediately strode to the bridge compartment to see the last of the crew leaving, dust rising at the speed of their passage. They also saw a smaller transport coming out from the field buildings.
“Oh, God, what now?” Chuck demanded. “Go do the galley thing, in case
that’s what’s to be inspected:’
They really had not been that untidy but she sloshed water and what went for cleaning liquid about the sink. Her hands were raw, and she checked to make sure that the liquid had not taken off her skin dye. It looked paler but she didn’t dare do a touch up-the dye had a very no-riceable odor to it—until their latest visitor was gone.
It was Kivel after all, with two Drassi, who inspected the ship as well, spending more time on the exterior to approve a smooth hull.
“You go soon?”
“Emassi Venlik is not back,” Chuck replied.
“He must come soon. This field will be needed,” Kivel said at his most pompous.
“We have been in space months,” Chuck said with a very good imitation of a Zainalian shrug.
“Months? Where?”
The query was innocent enough but there was a gleam in Kivel’s eyes that suggested rumors of an abandoned cargo of considerable worth had circulated.
Chuck shrugged again.
“We will talk of this at the evening meal,” Kivel said, far too affable to have confused even a Rassi.
Chuck looked slightly eager and then relaxed. “I am on guard. Emassi Venlik is a hard commander.”
Kivel inclined his head at Kris. “The little one can stay on guard. We will enjoy ourselves this evening;’ he went on, his tone an insidious promise.
Chuck allowed himself to consider this and, looking hard at Kris, he finally nodded. “You will say nothing of this to the Emassi.”
“No, Drassi Chuck.”
“Come, then,” and Kivel gestured affably for Chuck to take precedence out of the hatch.
Chuck, bowing politely, insisted that the higher-ranking officer leave first. With Kivel’s back turned, Chuck had a chance to throw an inquiring look at Kris, and she winked in encouragement. She’d close the hatch and not open it until Chuck got back. Mitford really didn’t have much choice, not since a Drassi more or less ordered his company.
Kris ate by herself at the com, watching the dark creep across the beautiful forest and then the first moon rise, a large orange crescent. Two, one very far away and small, also started their ascent with the first one mid She almost wished the com unit would blurt at her so she’d have something to do. She poured herself a respectable tot of Mayock’s supe-and then wondered how Chuck would be handling the Catteni equivilent Mitford had often boasted that he could drink anything alcoholic and keep his wits about him. She certainly hoped he could tonight.
The fourth moon was rising, and the level in the bottle of Mayock was only a finger high, when she heard a transport, and loud, off-key singing.
Then there was a spirited banging—by more than one fist—on the hatch and she hastened to open it.
Kivel almost threw Chuck inside, waving back to the transport and waving the driver to go on.
“You made it,” she said, hearing herself slurring her words.
“On... ly just,” Mitford replied, having far more of a problem than :
in enunciating.
“I’Ll get you to bed/’ she said, pleased that she was so much soberer.
he wan’?”
“Cooooo... orrrr... dinates;’ Chuck managed, lurching from side to side even with her trying to keep him upright.
“Thought so.”
“Doan... know... ‘era. On . . . ly Drasssssssi;’ Chuck said and hic”Stuff... was... worst... thing... ever... drank. Drunk. Drink.”
They had reached the captain’s quarters, which was nearest, and Chuck went in at that door. Kris didn’t object. It was nearer than the crew quarters and in his condition she doubted he could get into the lowest of the three-bunks without cracking his skull.
The captain’s bed was also wider and she steered him toward it. He laied down but was sitting up so fast that they cracked skulls.
“Ohhhh;’ he groaned. “Can’t... get... boots ... off;’
She did that service for him with fingers that had trouble opening the The next thing she knew, he had locked his arms about her and pulled her into the bed along with him. By the time his head was down, he was snoringly asleep. She waited a few moments, wanting to get horizontal herself because suddenly the Mayock that she’d been sipping for hours was catching up with her. But he had some sort of a death grip on her and she couldn’t disengage herself.
Well, she was as nearly horizontal as he was, though she still had her boots on. She inched her way into a more comfortable position, put her head on his chest and went to sleep.
SHE WOKE FIRST the next morning. Chuck was no longer snoring but he had his head resting on her bare shoulder. She’d had the most remarkably vivid, almost pornographic dreams, and gasped in dismay.
“And I’m bare?” Chuck also was—clothing strewn about the cabin.
“Oh, my god, that Mayock did it again.”
She swallowed. “That’s unfair. I don’t remember anything about it. At least I hope that dream wasn’t what we did!” She stared at the relaxed, sleeping face of Chuck Mirford and slowly shook her head. She could not, would not believe he, and she, had done that! Such behavior, even in their super-drunken conditions, was as uncharacteristic as it was unlikely. Even impossible. She shook her head, infuriated and irritated.
Then she tried to remember when she’d last had a period and couldn’t.
Between Botany days and the elapse of time on the Catteni trip, she couldn’t figure out if she was in a fertile period or not. She glanced over at Chuck.
Well, if she was pregnant by him, at least she’d spared both of them any embarrassment over actually going to bed for that purpose. But she did wish she’d remember something both logical and in character. That was unfair.
A buzzing penetrated her ruminations. The com unit on the bridge was announcing a message coming in.
Mitford was so relaxed—well, she’d done that for him at least—that she was able to withdraw from his side. She covered him with a blanket, hoping that he was so far gone in sleep he wouldn’t rouse as she went to answer the buzz. She did grab up her clothing as she left the room. Let him think he slept alone.
She
didn’t waste time dressing—she’d just leave the visual off but she wanted to stop the buzz. She managed the correct response in her guttural tone.
“Venlik here. All repairs finished?”
“Yes, Emassi:’
“All cargo aboard?”
“Yes, Emassi.”
“Prepare the ship for immediate takeoff.”
“Yes, Emassi:’
He didn’t even ask why she didn’t turn on the visuals.
Did she have time for a quick shower? Well, she was going to have anyway. She’d have to take care of that detail, or some of the other Humans might notice a certain other reek about her. And her eyes hurt. Oh, Lord, the contacts. She slipped hers out, and they were the first things she cleansed. Then she remembered that Chuck’s would surely still be in so she knelt beside his bed, and delicately stroking the eyelids, managed to slip the contacts out. His eyes might be sore, too, but maybe seeing the lenses in a cup of water might make him think he’d had the sense to do it for himself.
She washed quickly, dried herself off, and remembered to check her color before she dressed. She was still gray enough. Oh, Lord, how glad she’d be to be Human again. She used some eyewash to soothe the irritation, hoping it would ease before she had to use her eyes for something important.
The way Chuck was sleeping, her eyes would be normal by the time he woke. Should she wake him before Zainal returned? No, she’d say she’d !i ‘ just relieved him on watch.
“You caught me in the shower, Zainal,” she rehearsed aloud as she dressed if he asked about the delay in response.
Damn, he hadn’t indicated how long before he’d be there. No, he’d said he wanted the ship ready for immediate takeoff. Had he run into trouble?
She started the pre-flight check, having watched Zainal, G/no, and Raisha do it often enough to know the drill. She then checked each cargo deck to be sure everything was locked down there for takeoff and left the empty deck ready. When she returned to the bridge, she noticed a dust cloud appearing at the edge of the forestry. The truck, and it was a good-sized one, did not, as she half-expected, come directly to the ship but paused in front of the command post. Whatever transpired there was very brief for the vehicle did not stop long. And, as it turned toward the ship, she noticed it headed toward the cargo hatch so she made her way as fast as she could down the companionway, rather pleased with being able to move with some speed in the heavy gravity. One really did get used to it.
She unfastened the hatch so all was ready for a speedy loading as the truck backed up, almost but not quite banging against the fleshly repainted hull.
Coo and Pess emerged first, lifting the accordion backdoor of the truck. They hurried on board with a large and heavy-looking carton. It made a heavy thud as they let it down. Behind them Ninety, Mack, and Gino each struggled to bring in more crates and containers. Zainal appeared with satchels that he deposited with more care on the bow end of the cargo space. He grinned at her, his eyes sparkling with success but he immediately turned to bring yet more crates on board.
“Where’s Chuck?” Zainal asked on his next trip back, and he was speaking English again.
“He had a busy night as the Emassi’s guest,” she said and stepped forward to help unload in Chuck’s absence but Zainal shook his head and tapped the control panel for her to be ready to close the hatch at his command.
It didn’t take all that long to unload with Pess, Coo, and Zainal all more used to Catteni gravity than the Humans who handled the lighter objects.
This deck was almost as full as the others and Kris was obsessed with curiosity.
“Pess,” Zainal said, pointing to the truck and indicating that the Ru-garian was to take it back to the command post. They had to wait until Pess came back, covering the distance quickly with his oddly jointed long legs.
“That’s all?” Kris asked, her hands on the cargo controls.
“Yes. You didn’t happen to do a pre-flight check, did you?” Zainal asked as she closed the cargo hatch. She nodded an affirmative. He and Coo were netting the cargo down, fastening the ropes tight to the deck cleats.
Gino had already gone forward. Mack and Ninety looked about done in as they leaned against the bulkhead.
“Had a good time, lads?” she asked blandly.
“It’ll take the entire trip back to fill you in,” Ninety said with a ghost of his usual impudent grin. “Lenny will never believe what I’ve seen and done.”
“Yes, he will. I’ll vouch for it:’
“C’mon, let’s get strapped in for takeoff,” Zainal said, urgently pointing forward.
“Is anyone after us?” Kris asked anxiously.
“Not exactly;’ Zainal said with a grin, “but they’re not above following
us back to where we left all that high-grade ore;’
“How can they find an asteroid that doesn’t exist?” Kris asked, answering his grin.
“Ah,” and he put his hand under her elbow to speed her along the
companionway, “but that is exactly what we must find before we can go
home to Botany:’
They were almost to the bridge compartment when Kris remembered that Chuck wasn’t strapped in. “I’ll have to net Chuck down.”
“Don’t waste any time;’ Zainal said, turning sideways to squeeze past her. He smelled of something acrid which she couldn’t identify.
“Zay’s also got to be gone for at least a full Catteni day;’ Mack muttered to her as she strapped in beside him.
Kris rolled her eyes. “You can’t leave that man out of your sight but
he gets into trouble:’
Fortunately Zainal was far too busy laying in the course with Gino, making the necessary com calls to hear their soft remarks.
“Tell you one thing, Kris, he’s not a man I’d tangle with anywhere or anytime, and even in my own gravity,” Ninety said, impressed.
Mack chuckled. Having received clearance from Emassi Kivel himself, they proceeded to take off at a sedate vertical ascent.
“Kivel tried to get Chuck drunk enough last night to interrogate him,” Kris said. “I don’t know what they use for such purposes here on Catten, but it was a miracle Chuck made it back this morning.”
Kris severely berated herself for her adjustments to the exact truth but no one would be hurt by her version, and she might not even have any reason to explain anything to anyone.
After enduring the Catten homeworld gravity, the takeoff pressure was minimal. As they rounded Catten on the outward-bound orbit, Kris once again found the beauty of the planet almost breath-stopping.
The space station hove in sight and this time, one of the dreadnoughts was maneuvering out of its dock. By noticing some of the H-class ships nearby, Kris got a better idea of just how ginormous the dreadnoughts actually were. It was comparable to being in a Tomahawk with a 747 looming behind you. And these ships had not been able to penetrate the Bubble?
The com unit blurped, and Gino answered in a totally expressionless Catteni voice.
“Your destination?”
“This is Emassi Venlik. Eosi Ba is responsible for our destination,” Zainal said.
“Understood.”
Maybe Kris only imagined it, but there was even a note of awe in that response. Zainal grinned at Gino who chuckled softly when the com line was off.
The KDL executed a course alteration and then showed its stern to the space station. Zainal poured on the speed as the ship headed out to where thousands of stars gleamed in the black of space.
“Did he beat someone up?” Kris asked when she felt they were safely away.
“To a faretheewell;’ grinned Gino, and then he rolled his eyes. “Some nerd sycophant of an Eosi. I don’t think the ones we met were that anxious for trouble. At least not the ones that Worry and Leon saw. Now the guys I met... One was humongously wide and I made myself as small as possible against the nearest wall. But the ones in an ugly mood were worse than anything Hollywood ever dreamed up, including t
he aliens in Aliens.”
Zainal now leaned back in the command chair and stretched until every joint and tendon seemed to crack.
“Let’s hope Duxie can get us some more of that high-grade ore and we’ll
be the toast of the cap,to, Gino added, and out as often as we choose;’
“Gino, are you okay?” Zainal asked, rising.
“I’m great, Zay, you need the rest;’
“Chuck’s in your bed,” Kris said.
“Where is immaterial so long as pointing to Mack and Ninety, “and you’re off duty, too. It should be all clear ahead, Gino, but wake me if something you don’t understand comes up.
“Get some rest, Zay;’ Gino said and made shooing motions with his right
hand. “You, too;’
Kris looked around for Press and Coo. Surely they’d need some rest as much as the others, but neither Rugarian was there.
“They zonked out as soon as we made orbit;’ Gino said. “Move up i here, Kris, and I’ll give you a rundown of all we did and what Zainal managed, smooth as a baby’s butt.”
A DRASSI CLERK NOTICED THE EXCESSIVE CHARGES and ill; assorted cargo registered against this particular vessel. When he checked through to administration, holding the com line open for nearly an hour, he was told that the ship had sufficient credit to cover the expenses. There was no problem. He was to return to his duties. Being a Drassi, he did so, felt more abused by his superiors than ever. There were no rewards for being diligent on behalf of his Emassi. But what choice had he?
“I HAVE TO TELL YOU, KRIS,” GINO began, “I wasn’t all that keen on seeing a Catteni there on Botany, but.. :’ and Gino whistled expertly and shrilly through his teeth, “when you see how that guy operates, I’d walk through fire for him now.”
“He does have a way about him,” Kris admitted with a grin, “so how did he operate?”
“Blizte was a boondock of a berg, all Rassi in godawful hovels, just staring at us. Or to be more precise, staring at nothing really. Two Cat-teni vets—one had both legs missing and the other was minus an arm—managed the one—get it the one eatery in Blizte. They were sitting on a bench as we went past. Zainal got a wave. A few klicks on and we came to a surfaced road.