by Cary Caffrey
*
Sliding the door to the habitat closed behind her, Sigrid wondered again if she could avoid the gathering. No. Her mistress had ordered her, and she would perform her duty. And Hitomi made an excellent point. Suko would be there.
Sigrid activated her PCM—not for the first time attempting to access her comlink to call to her. But of course the module wasn't functioning. Strange how she'd come to rely on her bionics, and how much she took them for granted. They were now as much a part of her as her own hands and fingers.
She walked the rest of the way to the beach and heard the noises up ahead, voices of the girls mingling with the sounds of waves crashing against the shoreline. Smoke from the bonfires drifted toward her. Some of the younger girls swam, splashing in the shallow waters or bathing in the glowing light of Circe above. Others sat lazily by the dwindling bonfires.
Leta saw her first. The tall amazon leapt to her feet and came running to greet her with several of the younger girls following in her wake. Sigrid was helpless as Leta wrapped her in an enthusiastic bear hug, lifting her clean off her feet and spinning her around. The girls surrounding her cheered and waved. Sigrid heard their shouted questions, their demands to hear what treasures she had brought back for them.
What could she tell them? She had nothing for them, and it broke her heart.
Leta put her down and held her at arm’s length. Only then did she see how badly banged up Sigrid was, the scarring on her face nearly healed, the bruises turned black.
"My God… What the hell happened out there? And don't tell me you ran into a door!"
"Later," Sigrid said. "I'll tell you everything. I promise." She didn't want to talk about it now. She couldn't. "Right now…right now, I'm simply famished. Is that crab I smell steaming?"
"It is. You're just in time."
Leta led her over to the fire. Sigrid wasn't truly hungry, but it seemed a polite distraction. If she had a hunger, it wasn't for the selection of delicacies freshly harvested from the ocean waters. Sigrid continued to scan the crowd in earnest, searching for the one person she wished to see above all.
"She's over there," Leta said with a roll of her eyes. There was no need to look, no need to ask who she was talking about. Leta handed her a heaping plate of fire-roasted fish and steamed crab—or what passed for crab on New Alcyone. They were beastly things, with six eyes mounted on long stalks, and twelve legs, each stretching nearly half a meter in length. Leta topped off the plate with piles of fruit, freshly picked and cut. Sigrid barely noticed.
Her eyes were drawn instead to the lone girl on the far side of the beach. Suko had changed into a pair of shorts and swimming top. She sat perched on a checkered blanket, nestled in a standing of tall grass, her face buried in yet another book, fingers swiping speedily through the electronic pages.
Plate in hand, munching on an enormous crab claw, Sigrid walked toward her. The spot Suko had found rested a good ten meters from the rolling surf. Sigrid smiled—she knew this was about as close to a swim as Suko would get. Suko would always prefer the warmth of a fire to the cooler ocean waters.
"Nice of you to show up to our little cookout," Suko said, not looking up; the sound of her pronounced Kiwi accent was music to Sigrid's ears.
Sigrid glanced at the book in Suko's hands and tapped the access port behind her ear. "You know you can plug that thing in—you can just download those directly."
"Hardly the same," Suko said. "Maybe you should try actually reading sometime."
Sigrid's mouth hung open. "Try…? I read!"
"Something besides the sides of food packets. Now, hush—this is the best part."
"Best part?" Sigrid snatched the pad away, trying for a glimpse of what it was she was reading. It was another of the ancient romance novels Suko favored. This one looked particularly lurid, all lust, lies and murder. "If you've read it before," Sigrid said, "why on Earth would you read it again? You already know who the killer is—"
Suko made a grab, but Sigrid held it behind her back, forcing Suko to reach around her, much to her delight.
"I told you," Suko said wearily, "it's always better a second time. Now give it here."
"Well!" Sigrid said, handing it back. "I had no idea! Although I'm not sure how it can be different. I mean, the words are the same. And it all gets stored in your memory core—"
Suko swung the pad and swatted Sigrid with it. "Now I know you're just teasing."
Sigrid snickered, leaned over, and planted a long kiss on Suko's lips.
"You have food in your mouth," Suko said.
"It's all right. I brought enough to share." Sigrid held up the plate, but Suko took it and put it aside. Sigrid looked after the retreating food. "Hey…!"
Suko pushed her gently back on the blanket and leaned over her. Her hair fell over her shoulders and spilled onto Sigrid's face. Sigrid blew twice, trying unsuccessfully to blow the strands away.
"You're late," Suko said.
"I got here as soon as I could. Lady Hitomi—"
"That's not what I mean, and you know it. It's been two weeks. It was supposed to be one! It was the only reason I allowed you to go."
"Allowed me to…? You said you couldn't come. You said you had to stay to train the young ones."
"You know what I mean." Suko leaned over her till their faces nearly touched. "It's not fair—you rushing off to all corners of the galaxy, leaving me here to worry. Must you always play the hero?"
"You worried about me?"
"Don't tease. Of course I worry. But it's not just that… Two weeks is a very long time to wait."
"Wait for what?"
Suko swatted her on the shoulder yet again. "Are you trying to torture me?"
Sigrid pulled her closer. She smelled Suko's fragrant hair, familiar and intoxicating. "No, I'm not trying to torture you."
Suko's lips parted, inched toward her.
"You're wearing a bathing suit," Sigrid remarked, noting Suko's unusual choice of apparel.
"We're at a beach." Suko leaned in again, this time managing to get in one kiss.
"But you don't swim."
"You've been gone a while. Maybe I took lessons."
"I don't believe you."
Suko kissed her longer this time, her tongue flicking playfully over Sigrid's lips, teasing, drawing Sigrid's tongue out to meet hers before disappearing again. "You sure you want to start an argument now?"
Sigrid shook her head. Her arms coiled around her. "No. No arguing."
Nestled in Suko's arms, the familiar salty taste of her lips on hers, Sigrid felt the stresses and the worries of the past days evaporate in an instant. New, more pressing urges supplanted them and demanded that they be tended to. She had indeed been gone too long.
"You know…" Sigrid said, twisting a lock of Suko's hair about her fingers. "Books aren't the only things that are better twice."
"Twice? I thought you were more of a three or four timer—"
"Ahem!"
Leta stood over them, arms folded across her chest. "All right, you two. There are children here."
Sigrid looked up, embarrassed, but of course none of the younger girls had noticed. They were far too busy playing by the fire and splashing in the surf.
"Frankly, you're making the rest of us jealous."
"Sorry."
It was hard to think of Leta being jealous. Leta could have her pick of anyone. She was twenty years old now, and she still seemed to be growing—somehow managing to achieve a figure that was athletic, powerful and voluptuous all at the same time. Leta was friendly, brave and bright, one of the nicest people she knew, and yet she remained alone.
Leta sighed. "It's all right."
"Maybe we should go," Sigrid said to Suko. "Do you think it would be rude if we made our exit?"
"Yes!" Leta protested. "You just got back. I don't want to hear about you rushing off to some love nest. There'll be plenty of time for that later."
"Gah!"
Without warning, Leta reach
ed down and plucked Sigrid from the sand, lifting her and practically tossing her under her arm. "You can have her back later," she said to Suko. "Right now, she's got some people she needs to say hello to."
Suko bowed her head, waving her hand with a flourish. "It appears your audience awaits."
Hanging like a sack under Leta's arm, with her feet dangling off the ground, Sigrid could only wave back, helpless as Leta carried her back toward the bonfires. "Um, I'll see you later…I hope! Wait up for me?"
Suko rose and stretched long and luxuriously. "Don't worry. You'll not be getting off that easily."
CHAPTER FIVE
Revelations in the Dark
Sigrid arrived home much later than she'd intended. She was exhausted and drained. The young ones had peppered her with questions about her journey to Konoe Station, eager to hear of her adventures. Sigrid did her best to put a positive spin on the affair. The story of her flight on the joy-rocket seemed enough to distract them, though she left out the more unsavory parts about Corbin Price, the gangs, the throngs of flesh traders and such.
And she certainly didn't tell them about what she was planning next. She wasn't even certain herself. But there was a darkness growing within her, a shadow she could no longer ignore.
The lights were off in their small house, and all was quiet. She couldn't blame Suko for not waiting up.
Sigrid undressed in the quiet of their sitting room, removed her holsters and pistols and placed them on the weapons rack next to Suko's. Suko's collection of katanas sat mounted on the shirasaya above the mantle. Two of the swords were new, unsullied, pristine in their composite scabbards. But it was the other blade that caught Sigrid's eye. She reached for it and caressed the smooth lacquered surface of its simple wooden saya. This weapon seemed odd, out of place, an antique lost in the sea of advanced armaments that littered their home. The katana was very old, that was certain. Some might consider it obsolete, and only worthy of being discarded.
But Sigrid knew better. For this was the very same katana she had found on Vincenze and bought for Suko with the first of her earnings as a mercenary. The sword and Suko would not soon be parted.
Carefully, Sigrid withdrew the blade. The steel was now fully restored. By Suko. Oiled, polished and powdered, it gleamed in the dim light of the sitting room. Suko had taken care to repair the leather handle and restore the gold inlay that had worn away, returning some of its lost majesty. Sigrid swung the sword and felt its weight in her grip, marveled at the balance. It was a weapon that begged conflict, deadly in the hands of one trained to use it.
"Now, that's something you don't see every day."
Sigrid spun about, nearly dropping the sword. Suko stood in the doorway. Her hair was tied to the side with a red ribbon and draped loosely over one shoulder. She wore only a short kimono, the thin material highlighting her athletic form in magnificent fashion.
Sigrid blushed, realizing how silly she must appear, swinging Suko's sword about dressed only in her undergarments. Suko walked toward her and took the sword from her hands, placing it back on the shirasaya.
"You want to be careful with that. My girlfriend gave it to me."
"Your girlfr—"
Suko stepped closer, backing Sigrid up against the wall. "Mm-hmm. It's very special to me. If something were to happen…"
"I'll be careful. I promise."
"You better. You're already in enough hot water as it is. Do you know how long I've been sitting here waiting?"
"Sorry. Those young ones—they're full of questions. And then Leta and Khepri wanted to know about the supplies and—"
Sigrid stopped to watch as Suko undid the tie of her kimono; the thin robe fluttered to the floor.
"Oh…"
"I asked," Suko said, "do you know how long I've been waiting?"
"Too long?" Sigrid offered hopefully.
"Good guess."
Sigrid reached for her, pulling her close, but Suko shook her head and pushed her away—first to her confusion, and then to her delight as Suko's intentions became abundantly clear. There would be no more waiting, no interruptions. Suko would have her now.
Suko's fingers were swift, deft, first finding, then releasing the clasps from Sigrid's bra. Sigrid barely had time to shrug the garment off as Suko's hands were on her, covering her. Like a spark to tinder, her touch set each of Sigrid's sensory nodes afire, igniting Sigrid's own longing and her need to have Suko and have her now. Yet when Sigrid leaned forward, trying again for a kiss, it was only to be denied once more. It was becoming obvious, and painfully so, that she was to be a mere spectator in these events, the subject of Suko's impatient desire.
Suko knelt before her, her hands inching their way lower, moving slowly down Sigrid's side. With her thumbs hooked in the waistband of Sigrid's pants, Suko slipped the undergarment over her hips, drawing them down. Sigrid kicked them aside hurriedly, her heart racing as Suko lifted her leg, eager to see where Suko would lead her next.
Balancing on one foot, Sigrid fell back against the wall. One hand reached out and grabbed the shirasaya to steady herself, the other fell against the weapons rack, sending knives, eSMGs, and spare ammunition packs to fall clattering to the floor. If Suko noticed, she didn't show it. Her mouth was on Sigrid, her tongue darting out, viperlike, and Sigrid wanted nothing more than for her to strike. More weapons fell from the rack beside her as Sigrid lost her balance yet again, nearly sending the whole thing crashing down. But she held fast to the shaft of the scabbard nestled in the shirasaya at her side.
When Suko finally rose to stand next to her, Sigrid clung to her neck for fear her trembling knees might give way. Then, taking her by the hand, Suko led her to the bed, and Sigrid followed, nearly tripping over a fallen bandolier.
Spent, exhausted, Sigrid collapsed on her back. Beads of sweat dotted her stomach and her neck. She pushed the thin cotton sheets aside, allowing the cool ocean air to wash over her. She stared in amazement at Suko. "What on Earth ever possessed you to come up with that?"
"I told you. You can learn a few things from books. It seems I've had little to do but study in your absence."
"I'm glad you put your time to good use. You'll have to tell me the name of the auth—oh…"
Suko wasn't done with her yet. Like a stalking predator, she crawled over her on the bed, straddling her and pinning her arms back. The red ribbon caught under her and pulled free, sending her long, black hair cascading past her neck and down around Sigrid's shoulders. With a flick of her head, Suko tossed her hair back. Then, taking one of Sigrid's hands in both of hers, she kissed the tip of each of Sigrid's fingers, slowly, patiently, one after another, letting her tongue play over them, all the while staring at Sigrid, her eyes speaking of the adventures yet to come.
Kneeling over her, Suko took Sigrid's hand and moved it down, guiding her along, inviting her to touch herself.
Sigrid swallowed. "You sure you wouldn't rather me…I mean, after all you've done…you know, do you?"
Suko put a finger to her lips, hushing her while her hips performed a slow, rhythmic circle.
"I'm talking too much again, aren't I?" Sigrid asked; she nodded vigorously, knowing she was.
Suko leaned forward and smothered Sigrid's mouth with her own, shutting her up in such a pleasing fashion Sigrid could hardly complain. Suko's tongue eagerly explored the depths of her mouth. There was a desperation to her efforts, and to Sigrid's. It was a shared hunger, the kind only brought on by long absences. Sigrid felt her press harder against her, moving in time with the motions of her hand and her fingers, urging her onward and bringing her closer to the climax that was by now inevitable.
With her free hand, Sigrid caressed Suko's cheek, her thumb brushing Suko's hair back. Suko held the hand against her and closed her eyes, her neck arching backward. "You should have come with me," Sigrid whispered. "You should have come."
But if Suko heard her, Sigrid couldn't tell.
Her only answer came with her lips and her hands, cl
awing, biting her way down the length of Sigrid's torso, her nails raking Sigrid's stomach as they continued their journey beyond. Sigrid thought to move her hand away, but Suko placed her own hand over it, keeping it in place, urging her onward. Sigrid arched her back, her knees moving wider apart as she felt Suko's tongue on her again. Suko's fingers entered her then, and Sigrid pushed herself against them, the impending explosion building within her. Suko's motions were feverish, her desire frenetic, whipping Sigrid toward a dizzying precipice that, once driven off, left her gasping for air, and trembling from her abdomen to her knees to her toes.
She found herself shaking, shivering, and she shuddered again, as if from some aftershock.
Suko moved to her side; her arms wrapped around her, her warm body pressed up against her, still moving in time with their breathing. "You know that's the only reason I ever let you go," Suko said at last, her voice a low purr, her breath hot on Sigrid's neck.
"The only…?" Sigrid couldn't form the words.
"You asked why I didn't come with you. I'd say it's the homecomings. Makes it rather worth it, don't you think?"
Sigrid let her arms coil around her, pulling her close, her lips finding Suko's again. "Never again. I'll not leave you again. I don't think I can bear it."
"Don't worry. I won't let you."
After a long, lingering kiss, their lips parted. Suko lay next to her. The adventurous gleam slowly faded from Suko's eyes, replaced with wonder, and questions.
"You still haven't told me what happened out there—about these Merchantmen."
Sigrid lay back and stared up at the ceiling. What happened, indeed. Where should she start?
"I thought you were avoiding me," Suko said. "You didn't answer my calls."
"Avoiding…?" Then Sigrid remembered. Of course—the damaged comlink. Her hand shot to her PCM access port. She hadn't considered that Suko might be trying to contact her all this time. "There was some damage… I forgot."
Suko brushed Sigrid's hair back; Sigrid saw her eyes scanning the bruising on her face, the deep cuts, nearly healed. "Should I be concerned?"