Janz Macao sat upon the bed facing the star, bare legs folded lotus fashion and bare chest exposed to the light. His posture and facial expression indicated his meditative state, eyes trance-like. He acknowledged her presence and spoke softly. “You may leave the log, Mister Cartwright. I’ll attend to it later.”
“As you wish, Captain,” Dana responded, leaving the recording at his work station, quietly preparing to leave without causing further disturbance. “I guess dinner is…”
“Oh!” He called her back, “I completely forgot.” He untangled his legs and stood beside the bunk, stretching and flexing his shoulder and leg muscles to restore full circulation.
He wore only the standard Star Service fitness briefs. She could not help but notice the lines and shape of his sculpted physique like that of classic Renaissance statuary. Dana even dared to compare his anatomy with the renown sculpture of ‘David’ by the Italian master, Michelangelo. The loose fitting day uniforms, which he generally wore, did little justice, concealing the perfection.
As quickly as she realized she was staring, she turned away in embarrassment and cast her eyes again upon the illumined star.
Macao didn’t miss the gesture; neither did he comment upon it. Instead, he spoke to her back.
“I’ve just had a lecture from Doctor Patel regarding you.”
At the mention of her nemesis, she turned again to face the Captain. “He gave me a similar lecture regarding you,” she said.
Macao’s eyes sparkled in the colored light and a wry smile crossed his face. “Do we need a third party to come between us?”
“If we did, Patel would be my last choice,” Dana returned.
“He meant well,” Macao chided, “but he lacks information.”
“Agreed.”
The Captain nodded to seal the bargain. “He told me you’re the reason my telepathic senses are not functioning.”
Dana blinked. “Me?”
“He blamed it on sexual attraction.”
She laughed. “I…ah, I don’t know what to say to that.”
Macao chuckled, “He’s full of it, of course.”
She couldn’t help but snicker.
The Captain took advantage of the moment to steer the conversation to the star. “Have you ever… No, you probably would never have had opportunity to see a life-star. I note your curiosity. Have a seat and I’ll explain.”
He patted the bed and sat again at the foot of the bunk, staring at the multicolored, gem-studded, star.
She took the seat at the workstation, rather than sitting beside him, which seemed a little too informal. “Actually, I am quite familiar with a freedom star.”
“On Alpha, it is always called a life-star. When a son of a prominent family breaks tradition and leaves his studies, he takes a vow that for each of thirty years he will store up a portion of his wealth and return his life-star to his family and heirs on Alpha, to assert his freedom.”
“Like buying your way out of slavery,” Dana commented, studying his face intently, seeing both tension and sadness.
“Tradition is a form of slavery. It binds with invisible tethers. My parents had designs for my life, just as your adoptive-father had for yours. I rebelled, of course. Are you familiar with the Shonedren race?”
She nodded. “Nomadic…rather than amassing possessions and property, they wear their wealth upon their person; life jewels, I believe they are called. Upon their death, the jewels are distributed to all of their heirs.”
Macao seemed surprised that she knew such details. He revealed a secret. “My life-mate is a Shonedren captain.”
Dana masked her surprise at the personal revelation. “Oh…”
Janz stared at the life-star. “Alphans mate for life with only one partner. You know that, of course.”
“Yes,” she answered, nervously.
“Shalee Raja Macao was a Shuttle Captain, and a protector for the Shonedren Ambassador to Alpha. She died much too young.” He seemed lost in memories, some very long ago and far away.
Dana picked up a great deal empathetically. She sensed his great sorrow, but remained silent, letting him continue.
“I saved the Ambassador’s life; but I could not save Shalee. That center crystal up there was her life jewel to me.”
“I’m sorry,” Dana quickly offered, glancing at the life-star.
“I left Alpha shortly after her death. Each year, I add another jewel to the life-star. Two more and the debt will be paid to my family.”
“What if a son fails to return a full star?” Dana pondered. “I don’t recall there being a penalty.”
Macao shrugged. “He is disowned and disinherited.”
“A rather odd tradition,” she mumbled.
“Indeed, it might seem so to an Enturian.”
“I was adopted by an Earth-human,” she reminded.
“Doctor David Cartwright…the first Director of Competency at the Medical and Science Academy, Earth. No relation to the former admiral? That was a nasty business, with Barrett Cartwright involved in the death of the Imperial Grand Master.”
Dana shrugged. “I knew the Admiral. DOC knew him very well…no relation, however.”
“Was he your mentor?” Macao wondered.
“Impossible… He’s been gone a very long time.”
The Captain folded his legs again, lotus fashion, and shut his eyes. “When did you first realize you had a mentor?”
Dana blinked. “When I put in for Navitor and was denied.”
Macao shrugged, without opening his eyes. “A lot of good people were denied. Why do you think it was personal?”
“I knew several counselors from Academy. One let it slip out that my request was blocked by someone at Star Service Operations.”
“She didn’t know who did it?”
Dana shifted unconsciously, realizing he was telepathically trying to link with her, “No.”
“So…instead of Navitor, you became the shuttle pilot for Solon, the Galaxean Ambassador. That’s a pretty spectacular alternate prize. Friends in high places…”
She groaned, deliberating just how much to reveal. “Sir, I…know a lot of people. As a doctor and an EMT…I actually did surgery on one of the Alphan Ambassadors.”
The Captain stiffened. “Cray?”
“Yes.”
“As I recall, there was an assassination attempt before he retired. He lost an eye…”
“Yes, well, I was removed from the case and Doctor Santero botched that surgery.” Dana growled, “I could have done a transplant.”
“Just think,” Macao taunted, “if you had a gemstone for every life you saved as a…”
She thought of her first love and snarled, “I never should have become a doctor.” Then, she apologized. “Forgive me, that was inappropriate.”
“Why are you bitter?” He wondered, “Were your years as a surgeon without any rewards?”
She felt terribly uncomfortable with this intimate discussion. “It’s a long story, sir.” She attempted to sound convincing, “I can honestly say that amassing wealth was not important to me back then.”
“What was?”
“Learning about my parents,” she confessed. “It became an obsession.”
“You never learned…”
“I found my father. He was a Star Service officer,” Dana suppressed a surge of unbidden emotion. “My mother — well, one of my mothers — was Enturian. Identities were hidden and the records were sealed. It bothered me that…well, DOC lied to me for all those years. I think he knew all along. When I found out I was a tribrid, he scolded me and told me…” She stopped abruptly.
Macao coaxed, “Go on… He told you what?”
“To never have children. To never mate with an…”
“An Alphan?”
Dana sighed, “Sir, this is all very personal. I’d rather not discuss it, save with my doctor.”
He nodded and changed the direction of the conversation. “I am your Commanding Officer. Never forge
t that. I’m also a friend.” He opened his eyes and looked her direction, “Perhaps that explains why you have a mentor high in the Star Service. Saving Ambassador Cray’s life might gain you such a mentor.”
“I suspected, however, that my mentor was, possibly, one of my natural parents, but…”
“You say you gave up searching?”
Dana shrugged. “I hit a bit of a dead end at Station Four. The genetics lab is gone and the records are gone. I requested a transfer to Scanlos, where the medical archives are stored, but…”
“There are different forms of slavery, and different degrees of freedom,” Janz Macao remarked, shutting his eyes again, returning to some meditation technique.
Dana did not comment. She felt his thoughts calm and a wave of peaceful emotions flow from him.
They sat in silence for a time before she asked, “Do you still suffer from a headache?”
He nodded.
“It could be from the chemicals in the fire extinguishers.”
“Or, just tension…sexual tension…as Patel said. He told me to meditate more. To relax.”
Dana chuckled, and moved to stand beside him, urging him to rise. “I have a better cure.” She lifted up his left hand, directing him to open his palm, squeezing hard between the thumb and first finger, pinching until he winced, and then let go.
He looked puzzled. “Now my thumb hurts.”
“And your headache?”
He let out a chortle. “It’s gone.”
“It’s a pressure point.” She reached up to touch a place on his left temple, almost opposite where he’d been injured. “Massage here, too.” While reaching, she had to lean against his shoulder. His arms slid easily about her tiny waist and their eyes met as he drew her close.
“I sense your hesitation. Are you afraid of me?” He whispered into her left ear, his lips but a hair’s breadth from a kiss.
“Alphans mate for life,” she reminded.
“I have mated already,” he countered.
She shivered as his hands slid lower.
“I’m not asking you to mate with me in the Alphan way. However, we could share some pleasure.” He bent his head down to kiss her upon the lips. “Your eyes are beautiful…magical…and so unusual.”
She closed her eyes and yielded, at first enjoying the kiss and the moment, until his kisses grew bolder, and his hands caressed her curves, igniting desire and longing. When he slid his fingers up under her hair braid, at the nape of her neck, in the Alpha way of telepathically sharing passion, she gently pushed him away. “I don’t think that would be wise, Captain. I should let you rest.” She adjusted her uniform and started for the door.
“Dana January?”
That he used her middle name made her smile. She stopped just before touching the door release.
“I’m sorry about dinner.”
“Another time,” she answered.
“We could…I’ll call down to the galley and have something delivered.” He motioned her back to the chair at the desk.
Dana retraced her steps and sat, while Macao called to his yeoman to have dinner for two delivered to his quarters.
“All vegan?” Dana commented at his choice.
“Patel thinks it will help.”
She shrugged. “You’re a carnivore. A thick steak would have been a better choice.”
“Not from a duplicator…” Macao chuckled. “Maybe you should become my personal physician. You understand Alphans better than most.”
She laughed, revealing, “I memorized the A&P text when I was an EMT.”
“Ah…” he teased, “even the chapter on…”
“Yes,” she interrupted, blushing and changing the subject to his collection of antique books. “Nice collection…I see you prefer Galaxean philosophy.”
“And you prefer Shakespeare…”
He settled down in the occasional chair and discussed the merits of both. When the meals arrived, the Captain sighed, thanked the yeoman for delivering then, once she left, went on with the discussion.
“Galt had a brilliant mind; I don’t think there is a single Alphan master that can compare. My brothers and I always argued about the superiority of the Galaxean method. Only two of us reached the 33rd degree.”
“Mastery…” Dana injected as she sipped her soup.
He nodded appreciatively. “You really do know a great deal about Alphans.”
She shrugged nervously, not wanting to go into details.
“Now…just now, I’m sensing something from you. You are afraid.” He locked stares with her, “Please don’t be.”
“Sir…”
“Just, when we’re together like this, it’s Janz and Dana…Just us…”
She knew that wasn’t quite true. He had a life-mate. Dana shook her head. “Sir, that is not a good idea.”
“We can’t be friends? Not at all? Can you not let down the veil, just for a little while?”
Dana looked away, “Galt would say…”
“Are you going to quote Galaxean philosophy to me? No, no, no… You quote Shakespeare to me, I’ll quote Galt to you,” he taunted.
“Very well… ‘Friendship is constant in all things, save in the office and affairs of love.’ Much Ado About Nothing,” Dana returned.
“How about this? ‘Truth first, then friendship…the head before the heart.’ The Way,” Macao countered.
Dana nodded. “The truth is, we have a mission coming up. Any romantic entanglements…” She stopped at that dreadful word.
He picked up on it right away. “Entanglements…my, oh, my… I know that word, yes, indeed.”
They locked eyes and both began to chuckle.
“You’re right, of course. The mission comes first. Fane! You are so bloody attractive!”
She blushed a deeper shade than her hair and to recover, nibbled on a vegan canapé. “Ambassador Solon taught me a great deal about the Galaxean way.”
“Is he your father?”
Dana shook her head negatively. “No, my father was human, a native of Earth.”
“Then Solon’s wife was your mother,” Macao suggested. “You have his eyes…well, one of them.”
Dana scowled, “No, Sharon died a very long time ago, and I do not have ‘her’ eyes.”
“You’re just thirty-something, right?”
She nodded.
He munched something exotic, and then spit it out into the palm of his hand, making a face. “Remind me never to order another Vegan plate. What is this stuff?” He disposed of the half-masticated artichoke to the side of the tray.
Dana stifled a grin. “You’re Alphan — meat is a staple in your diet. Enturians haven’t eaten meat for a thousand years.”
“Nor have Galaxeans,” Macao commented. “When I served aboard one of their scout ships, I tolerated the galley food. At least the wine didn’t give me headaches,” the Captain remarked, “never understood why.”
“No sulfites,” Dana reminded, “because Galaxeans are highly sensitive to sulfites of all types, as are Enturians.”
He nodded and pointed to a text on his desk. “That’s Chief Surgeon Tracy’s documentary of the…”
“The Calvary Incident,” Dana finished. “I’ve read it.”
“I found all sorts of discrepancies in it. Even wrote a rebuttal; but he never responded.”
“I know him…” Dana broke off when the Captain grimaced. “What?”
“Who don’t you know?”
She fell silent.
“Well?” he groaned, “Do you know the President of the Republic?”
“I met the Betelgean…”
“Dana!” Macao exclaimed. “Fane! You do know everyone! No wonder you have a mentor in high places! Fane! Fane! You… You…” he sighed, “you are incredible… Why are you on my ship?”
She blushed, but did not answer.
“You know…knew…Admiral Cartwright. How about Syzek? Stone? Ensoto? Don’t tell me you know Captain Ensoto, too?”
She n
odded.
“Cray…You said you know him….And Kord… Brettes? Do you know Ambassador Brettes?”
Dana nodded and dropped the last bite of canapé back onto her plate. “My mentor can’t be anyone I’ve met though; it must be someone with clout, but…remote.”
Macao snorted, “Someone in the GCE perhaps?”
“Not Major Gage or Major Brandenberg…”
“Not Tracy, I think he passed away recently.” The Captain shrugged. “Fane! My headache has returned. Show me again?” He held up his hand and let her pinch it, not because it relieved the headache, but because having a woman touching his skin relieved the ache in his heart.
“Were you injured in the line of duty?” Dana wondered.
“Lots of times,” he admitted.
“Here?” She massaged his wrist.
He shut his eyes, but didn’t respond other than to wince.
When she let go, he caught her hand. He wasn’t probing telepathically, but she sensed a connection — a pleasant one.
“Dana?” He gave her a memory of a cavern, deep beneath the surface of a barren desert world — of a bubbling hot spring with therapeutic mineral waters that glowed an iridescent green. In the memory, he soaked in the water, inhaling deeply, sighing, relaxing, playing.
She closed her eyes and felt as if they were there together, and wondered, “Where?”
“That’s the Terrines…a colony of the GCE…one of the twenty-five primary worlds…”
In the memory, Macao was with a woman, a very beautiful woman with albino hair and sparkling eyes. Together they frolicked, naked but covered by the bubbling water.
“How easily you give away such memories,” Dana whispered.
“You horde yours,” Macao teased, pulling her down to sit on his lap.
She admitted, “They are…private.”
He laughed, but it faded to melancholy. “I’ve never shared that one with anyone else.” He looked apologetic and massaged her shoulders. “Don’t be embarrassed. I feel very comfortable with you. Must be your bedside manner.”
Dana Cartwright Mission 2: Lancer Page 10