A blend of Cantonese, Mandarin, and two other dialects that I cannot understand, Meph said.
Why doesn't she drop the name Dao and cut through it?
He looked up as Jonica finished talking to the official, gave him a short bow, then turned back and grabbed Kesh by the collar of his jacket. Before he could stop her, she cocked back her arm and slammed her fist into his face. "I am not dropping that name here, you moron."
Kesh went down in a heap. Damn, she hits hard.
"Yes, I do. Keep that in mind next time you start thinking about what you would do to me."
"It was a dream!"
"Uh huh," Jonica said, then turned and walked out.
Was he serious about the bonding of weapons? Meph asked through the mind-link.
"Wait I missed that part," Kesh said, pushing himself up into a sitting position. "We have to peacebond our—"
"Yep," Jonica said. She pulled out a small cylinder and stuck it on the end of the butt of her rifle. Kesh grumbled, but pulled out a length of wire and wrapped it around his dagger and snapped the holster of his slugthrower shut and twisted a bit of wire around it. When he looked up, Jonica and Meph were looking at him strangely.
"What? I do it wrong?"
"No," Jonica said. "Only I have to peacebond my rifle. Energy weapons need to be. Peacebonded, but daggers and slugthrowers are fine." She then pulled out a small slugthrower and stuck it into her waist belt. "Come on, we're going to be late."
"For what?"
Once free of the customs official, Kesh led them towards a public area before the ferry. Blue was excited to be out. He sniffed and growled at half the spaceport before they got to the ferry. Kesh was surprised by how dry the place was, yet the smell of briny water was ever present. When they left the maze that was the spaceport, he saw the big yellow and white salt pillars from the water. "It's a bit hot here." He said, his eyes looking up at Jove. The burning red ember glowed in the sky.
Kesh recognized someone waving at him. A man with fancy clothes and a sword on his hip. "Reins!"
"Hey you old scavenger trash," Reins shouted back, running up to Kesh. He came towards Kesh with arms wide and a beaming smile. The days had been kind to him. He looked thirty when Kesh knew him to be twice that age. His hair was slicked back, a wide-necked shirt and dark striped breeches and thick work boots finished what he wore. Yet, Kesh knew it had to be Reins because of the gold-capped teeth, the rings on each finger, and the saber at the man's hip.
"What's with the sword?" Jonica asked, her hand going for the slugthrower at her own.
"Whoa, whoa," Kesh said. "It's his thing. He likes to pretend he can duel with it," Kesh said.
"I can duel with it," Reins said. He gave a bow to Jonica and Lyra. "A pleasure to meet such a beautiful young woman. Kesh, you didn't tell me you were with angels," he said, reaching for Jonica's hand. She tried to pull it back, but he gave it a small kiss on the back. Jonica tried to hide her disgust. When Reins took the hand of Lyra and kissed her hand, Jonica growled. The older man backed up a half step.
"How can I help you, my old friend?"
"We need fuel and some supplies for the ship," Kesh said, pointing towards the Runner.
"That is a tall order, my friend. I'm not going to make any money—"
"The debt between us is settled if you do so."
"Done!" Reins said, throwing his hand out to clamp onto Kesh's. "I promise, you will have the best quality food. It will be—"
"Yeah, the best," Kesh said. "See to it, ok?"
"Of course, my friend. Please, enjoy the city." He then reached forward and embraced Kesh hard. "The scytheclaw is going to be an issue. The city isn't a place for them."
"I already said that," Jonica said.
"Fine," Kesh said. He turned and beckoned Blue over. He took hold of the reins. He pulled Blue a little closer. "Blue, guard!" He pointed at the ship. "No one but me or Reins nearby, understood." Kesh then had Reins hold his hand to Blue's snout.
The scytheclaw let out a small noise and padded back to the ship.
"Now," Kesh said. "You are the only one who can get close to the ship, and I know for a fact you can't pilot something like that. Especially the Runner."
"Oh, why is that?"
Jonica smirked. "Wouldn't you like to know?"
Kesh turned to the rest. "Let's go before he can back out."
"The ferry to the mainland leaves in twenty minutes," Jonica shouted. The group boarded it with little fanfare. Kesh kept his eyes out for anyone who might have recognized them from the system-wide alert.
One of the near-humans on the ferry, a Ioian judging by the scales, kept staring at Lyra. Kesh looked at Jonica, troubled. "I don't like that Ioian staring. He—"
"They don't have eyelids," Jonica said. "Didn't you know that?" A eye brow raised.
The Ioian had heard this and stared at Kesh. He said something in a guttural tongue and Jonica laughed.
"What did he say?" Kesh asked.
"Something about you smelling like dung." She grabbed Kesh before he went after the Ioian. He sneered at the retreating, smirking form.
"Easy there," Jonica said. "We don't want to draw any attention here." She nodded towards Lyra. "Remember?"
"Yeah, yeah," Kesh said, pulling his hand from the dagger at his hip.
"I'm less sure now about that Reins guy," she said.
"Trust me," Kesh said with a wink.
Jonica shook her head and followed.
"Are you sure this is a safe place?" Lyra asked, glancing around the low-slung beams of the wine shop.
"No," Jonica said. "But it is better to be inside and off the streets. The Fedrats are looking for you... us."
"Let's get some food and drinks, I'm starving."
"When are you not?" Jonica asked before she stretched out an arm, making a motion with her hand. A wench came by with a serving tray.
"What'cha like, Jaks?"
Lyra looked at the severing girl confused. "Why would you—"
Jonica hushed her with a motion of her hand. "Three ales, please."
"I don't drink," Lyra said as the girl left. "I've never—"
Jonica leaned in closer "Listen, you want to fit in? You drink. You too, kid."
Kesh cocked an eyebrow. "I'm not a kid, and I don't mind a drink or two." He rubbed at his right hand. Jonica didn't let it show, but she was curious.
On it boss, Meph said.
Good cat.
Thanks human, Meph growled back.
Jonica liked to tease Meph. She knew he wasn't a normal cat. He was hyper-evolved and able to communicate. But you're still a cat, Jonica would say, and that would cause Meph to stop talking for a time.
Meph settled on the wooden floor. It is very dirty.
Deal with it, Meph, Jonica said through the mind-link.
I do not like it, it's very—
Meph, can you dampen Kesh's connection?
Yes.
Did you do it? Jonica asked.
Why?
Do it cat!
Done. Why?
He's hiding something.
So are you. Meph looked up at her and started to groom a paw. Even the girl is hiding things from both of you.
And you are the knower of all things?
You could say that.
Jonica drummed her fingers on the tankard and looked around the inn. She spotted several men and women with black queues hanging down their backs with an Oriental cast to their face. I don't like this. Ganymede is rife with them.
I am aware. But I doubt he is here.
What are the odds that he is?
Besides, he is probably still on Regs Seven.
Meph, is Kesh getting suspicious?
"You're being quiet," Kesh said as he downed his ale.
Jonica took a long pull to hide her pause. "Thinking is all. We need rooms. And we need to know when Reins will come through?"
Kesh gave her a smile. "No problem, I'll get right on that," he said while getting up and
going to the innkeeper.
He does not suspect anything, Jonica. At least for the moment.
What about Lyra?
She is harder. Her powers are growing far more than I thought possible. We need to get her to Wormwood.
Wormwood's compromised.
"What?" Lyra asked. "Meph said I had to go to Wormwood."
Jonica looked around while putting a restraining hand on Lyra's shoulder. "Shh, little one. Let's not talk about that here? Alright?"
Kesh came back, smiling. He held up a few slips of plastic that were the keys to the rooms. Jonica, Meph, and Lyra went to one of them.
"What about me?" Kesh asked as he followed up after them.
"Go back to see Blue then."
Once the three were in the room, Lyra asked again about Wormwood.
"Wormwood is compromised," Jonica started. "It was—"
Who told you? Meph asked.
"Qyi."
He is the one who sent us to that—
"No, he was worried about the meeting, you know that, Meph. Don't be unkind. That wasn't Qyi's fault."
It does not change the fact that he was the reason that ultimately we were led into a trap.
"Either way, we can't go to Wormwood," Jonica said.
Meph let out a growl, then turned away from the two, and jumped onto the floor. He walked as far as he could from the two and settled down in a corner.
"You are just going to—"
Night. I need to think about what to do.
Jonica looked at the psi-cat. "Great. He unlinked from me and Kesh."
"I could find out what—"
"Don't," Joncia said. She touched Lyra's arm and snapped the child out of whatever she was trying to do. "Leave him alone. He'll sulk for a bit, but he will help use when he can."
Jonica took the comb to her shoulder-length white hair. Lyra had gone to get something to eat with Kesh. Jonica was sure Kesh wouldn't do anything with her so close. She still made sure Meph was listening to them closely. She pulled at the tangles that had formed for a good fifteen minutes. One was so bad, she thought she would need to get a dagger and cut it out.
Or scissors.
Jonica stared at Meph. "Hush, you."
What's wrong?
Jonica was silent. She didn't want to speak about it. She closed off her mind to Meph.
Why?
She ignored him and continued to work at the tangles. She looked in the mirror. For a moment, seeing the younger version of herself, back when she cared a bit more about keeping her hair coifed and shiny. The endless nights of combing it a hundred times to keep it clean and looking presentable for Pryce.
The name made Jonica's fingers clench and her teeth grate. Even Meph, who couldn't hear her thoughts, raised his head to look at her.
That bastard?
"Yes," Jonica said. "That bastard."
Why think about him?
"Its a human thing, Meph. You wouldn't—"
I will never understand humans, Jonica. Never fully.
"Don't worry about it Meph." She pushed herself away from the vanity and stretched herself out. She felt a yawn crack her jaws. She rolled her head from side to side, part of the time looking out the window of the inn. On the third time, as she rolled her neck towards the window, she stopped and jerked her head towards the window.
For a moment, she thought she saw him. No, he can't be here. Why would he be here?
Who? Meph asked, who?
"Him, furball."
Meph unfolded himself and was at the windowsill in moments. You know I would like to see if my theory is correct about humans. Where?
What theory?
That you all are potentially psychic.
"No," Jonica said. "You're wrong. He is here."
Where?
"I don't know. He's gone." She brought her hand up, the ring still hidden in her gauntlet, she pulled it out and shivered before closing her hand on it and pushing it back into its secret compartment again. "Come on, I have to find out if what I saw was—"
What are you talking about, human?
"Just come on," she said. She opened the door to run out when she stopped and turned to grab the staff. It had helped in the ice caves, thanks to Kesh, and she knew how to use it now. At least a little. It could help her out on the streets of Gherl. She and Meph slipped out of the side and into the stream of people wandering around. Some were going to the massive marketplace. Others were going to one of the temples that ringed the city proper.
The one structure that dominated everything was the long spire in the center of the city. It was a strange structure, since it was a cross between a spire and a pagoda. It was a constant reminder that she was in a city controlled by the Dao. It was the reason she hadn't wanted to come here in the first place. If the Dao were around, then Pryce might be around. He had business with them back when they were together, but he also had business on other worlds. What are the chances he'd be here?
She was yanked into an alley as Meph growled out a warning. Before Jonica could react, the smooth, boyishly-handsome face of Pryce Kystallik, heir to the Kystallik Freight Company and Jonica's former fiancé, was in front of her. "Jonica, so good to see you again." He then backhanded her hard, knocking her to the ground. The blow wasn't from a normal hand. A little woozy, she looked up to see a white metal hand with claw-like digits where his left hand used to be.
"Very good to see you, wife."
Twenty-Two
"Jonica is going to be gone for some time. Why don’t you come and have something to eat with me?" Kesh asked, giving Lyra his best smile. "I don't want to sit here all day. You have to be hungry."
He heard her stomach growl before she spoke, and Kesh gave her a wink. "C'mon. The tavern downstairs has a few good things on the menu."
"What about Meph?"
"What about the little fur ball? He'll be fine. Right?"
Yes, human. I'll be fine. Be cautious with her. She is—
Kesh flapped a hand in the psi-cat's direction. "I know, I know. Very important." He turned back to Lyra. "Let's go."
As he lead the way down to the tavern section of the inn, Kesh felt an itch between his shoulder blades. He turned to see Meph staring at him. What's the deal?
Meph didn't respond. His golden green eyes stared at him, unmoving. He didn't shake the feeling of the cat watching him until the two of them were downstairs.
"What do you recommend?" Lyra asked, looking at the small menu that was carved into the post next to the table. Kesh cast an eye at the menu and saw something that he thought they only had on Mars. "We need to try this," he said, pointing to the words, "Shellback stir-fry."
The girl waiting on them nodded and left. Kesh gave her the once-over when they first entered the inn. She was a cute brunette, a bit short, but buxom. Her eyes were a strange cat-like shape that didn't cause Kesh much of an issue. He had been with near-humans before.
"So, why do you and Jonica call that star Jove?" Lyra asked, posting towards the dull red light that took up a third of the view of the sky.
"Once upon a time, it was called Jupiter, but our ancestors tried to ignite it into a star. It didn't quite take. Turned into a brown dwarf."
"So, it isn't like Sol?"
"Not really. It gives off light, enough to help the planets around Jove to be somewhat habitable, but there was more work to it than Mars or Venus. Even Centauri Prime and beyond had been planets larger than Ganymede, Io, Europa, and Callisto." He saw Lyra shiver when he mentioned Europa. He didn't blame her.
"You did well back there in the ice caves, though I'd still love to know how you did it."
She shrugged. "My Talent."
Kesh nodded absentmindedly as the waitress brought over two platters of stir fry and two ales. He looked at the greasy mess on the plate, then back at the waitress. "This doesn't look like shellback stir fry. This looks like synthentic meat."
"It's real shellback. We got a shipment this morning," the waitress said, a sneer twisting he
r face.
Lyra mumbled something under her breath. Kesh thought he heard her say, "Lying."
Kesh turned to Lyra, gave her a serious look, and then back at the waitress. "Are you sure this is real shellback?"
"Yes," she said and walked off.
"She's lying. She doesn't know what it is, but she knows it isn't shellback."
Kesh shrugged. "Well, I'm still hungry, and we have it. So..." He took the fork, skewered a few thin strips of greasy meat and sad-looking vegetables and brought it to his mouth. He popped it in and started to eat. It was mostly fat and greasy, a few hints of gristle and no meat. Nor flavour. It was flavourless gristle and grease. He gave a disgusted look at the rest of the plate. "Well, at least we know not to order that," Kesh said with a sigh.
"What about these?" Lyra asked, eyeing the drinks.
Kesh took a sip and smiled. "The ale is good, have some."
"I'm too young to drink."
"How old are you?" Kesh asked. He had a guess that she was a young-looking eighteen.
"I'll be thirteen in a month, going by Terran standards."
Kesh's eyes grew bigger. "Well, I can see I was a bit off."
"You have weird thoughts. And naughty ones."
"I thought you were older," Kesh said.
Lyra frowned at him. "Still."
"Still? Trust me, not happening. I'd rather be with Jonica, though she hates me."
"Lying," Lyra said with a smirk.
"Oh? What do you know?" Kesh asked, setting his elbows on the table and taking a longer pull of the ale.
"Nothing." Lyra said, brushing hair out of her face and looking back at the Daystar of Jove.
"Why won't you tell me?"
Lyra gave him a small smile. "Not polite to tell other people's secrets. Like yours and the thing." She said, waving at his right hand.
Kesh stopped. "You know about that?"
"I can't help it. I didn't—"
Kesh held up a hand. "Don't worry about it. I understand." He was about to say something else when he looked out the window and saw Jonica and Meph running down the alley.
"Was that—"
"That looked like Jonica," Lyra paused, "She's in trouble!"
Twenty-Three
Blood for the Empress: Part One of the Empress Trilogy Page 11