Stardust And Shadows

by Janelle Taylor

  “But her ship is at Zenufia and Taemin told Jana that’s where Canissia was headed. Surely she reached there long before yesterday. She knows we’re on to her and are searching for her. Surely she wouldn’t be reckless enough to cruise through Maffei and dare to commit another crime, one that would certainly provoke all available forces to pursue her.”

  “The Cass I’ve come to know lately would do exactly that, Brec. She’s so vain she doesn’t believe she can get caught. She’s clever and dangerous. She’s even more unpredictable now that she’s on the run. She probably views Jana as the reason for her downfall and wants to …” He couldn’t say his worst fears aloud, and it wasn’t necessary to do so for them to grasp his point. “When I find that bitch, she will have me to deal with.”

  “Where could she get a ship of this level, one with a cloaking device, drones and fake markings?” Nigel speculated. “What about the Ide code used to fool Kagan? The perfect timing while we were away and Jana was vulnerable? That’s a lot for a woman on the run to discover and use.”

  “She did it last time, Nigel, remember? She even had Jana’s captor fake your voice to dupe Jana into believing you were helping me get rid of her. She planned far ahead by making those damned phony tapes with me to use on Jana. She had Taemin’s help last time and might have it again. That furious bastard might be with Cass, or it might be him!”

  “Or, it could be someone else, but who?” Brec added. “And why?”

  “If it’s Taemin and he harms one hair on Jana’s head, I’ll kill him with my bare hands. But I think it’s Cass and that she’s headed for her own ship in Zenufia. Make sure the patrols along that boundary stay on full alert. I’m heading that way as soon as I can get out of here.”

  “Before you depart, let me get that new detection device installed on the Wanderlust. The boundary patrols already have them. I’ll give Ryker credit; he was also an electrical and mechanical genius. We constructed that prototype in those papers you turned in months ago; it worked without a problem. It can penetrate any cloaking shield, but within a certain range. One of its components can pick up and track minute traces of spent fuel.”

  “If we intercept the course I think she’ll take, maybe we can pick up her trail and pierce her shield. Ryker took her from me; now that bastard’s going to help me get her back!” Varian looked at his superior. “Don’t keep this news a secret, Brec. It’s the perfect explanation for Jana and I to get together again so soon—a daring rescue by her hero. I’ll get Braq, Coran, and Jarre to install the system immediately. For once, my timing couldn’t be better. Ryker’s genius might help us save our women, Nigel.”

  “It must, Varian. I hope Andrea and Jana keep their heads and don’t provoke their captors into harming them.”

  “I’ve seen Jana at work, Nigel; she’s intelligent, brave, and quick-thinking. They’ll both be fine,” he murmured, wishing he felt as confident as he tried to sound for Nigel. “How long will installation require, Brec?”

  “Two hours at most. At starlight speed and with Zenufia and Rigel’s current locations, you should catch up in a day or two.”

  “Let’s hope that whoever snatched them is so cocky about being cloaked that they’re traveling at a leisurely pace,” Nigel remarked. “If they used starlight speed, too, our women are long and far gone, Varian. We may not even be heading in the right direction.”

  “We have to begin somewhere, Nigel.” Varian turned to the other man. “Brec, see if any of our agents can learn anything about Taemin’s location. Check with Jurad. Perhaps, with our new treaty and his son’s treachery, he might be helpful to us. Offer him anything for his assistance, even business with Trilabs again.”

  Far away the following afternoon, Jana and Andrea were placed in the same room for the first time since their abduction.

  “Andrea, I’ve been worried sick about you. Are you all right?”

  “Yes, but I’m scared stiff. What’s going on? Why did he kidnap us?”

  Under the guise of a comforting embrace, Jana whispered in her ear, “Watch what you say; we’re being observed by hidden devices. We can’t give away any secrets. Play along no matter what I say or do.”

  “I’m sure it wasn’t Maal,” Jana said, aloud. “My fatherin-law wouldn’t do this to me. We like and trust each other. It was a trick.”

  “By whom, Jana?” Andrea felt it was safe to ask that question.

  “I don’t know. Perhaps Taemin or Canissia or another enemy of my husband. Or perhaps someone trying to get their hands on our products. Ryker warned me to be careful of such traps, but I never suspected this one. He would be very disappointed in me if he were still alive. I’m sorry, my love,” Jana murmured as if speaking to Ryker’s spirit.

  “Why were we kept separate? Why haven’t we seen anyone besides those eerie robots who feed us? Why did they put us together today?”

  “It’s a terror tactic, Andrea, to show us how helpless and vulnerable we are. We can’t allow them to scare us. We have to remain calm and alert until our captor shows his or her face and we’re told why we’re here. I’m sorry I got you into this predicament. I only wanted you to meet Kadim Maal. He’s such a wonderful man. As soon as he learns about this, he’ll send help. Maal won’t rest until I’m safe and back at home on Darkar.”

  “What about that nice Commander Saar who’s investigating Ryker’s death? Maybe he’ll come and rescue us. They were half brothers.”

  “Don’t put much faith in him, Andrea; I haven’t found him to be dependable in the past. He and Ryker reconciled recently, but we aren’t friends—far from it. I’m sure he won’t consider rescuing his ex-mistress as one of his top priorities. Unless he needs to get me back because of Trilabs. That connection may indeed spur him to search for us. One thing I know for certain: Varian Saar never did anything without a motive that would serve himself. I doubt he’s changed much since we parted months ago, which was the only good thing he ever did for me. Frankly I prefer for Maal to assist us so I won’t become beholden to that traitorous rogue. If this was done for ransom or to obtain something from my complex, we should know soon. If that is the case, I’ll comply and get us out of this mess; we don’t owe these aliens anything—especially loyalty—except for Maal.”

  Aware of the truth, Andrea comprehended why Jana was badmouthing Varian and she played along with the defensive ruse. “What if it’s that wicked prince who captured you and Ryker and tried to kill you two?”

  “When he visited me recently, Taemin said he was tricked into that mischief. I know he was angry because Ryker was trying to convince Maal to sign that new treaty with Maffei, but Maal had no choice. If he had gone to war with Maffei, his people would have rebelled, and Ryker told him so.”

  “Who would have tricked Prince Taemin?”

  “Canissia Garthon, that’s who he told me. Of course, he could have been lying to cover his guilt and to extricate himself from his troubles.”

  “Canissia Garthon?”

  “You remember, she’s the woman I told you about; for some ridiculous reason she hates me and wants me hurt. I don’t know why; I haven’t been in her way since Varian tossed me aside like garbage. She knows Ryker and I were married and very happy together.” Jana feigned a look and sound of bitterness and grief. “It isn’t fair, Andrea, for him to be taken from me just when everything was working out so beautifully between us. I still can’t believe he’s dead. I keep hoping it’s a mistake and he’ll return home.”

  Andrea patted her back. “He’s gone, Jana; you must accept that. He loved you, so he wouldn’t want you to suffer like this.”

  “But our time together was so short, Andrea. We met as enemies and, wham, we were slapped in the face with unexpected emotions. Those first few days with him are like a bad dream that faded; he changed so fast. We had a powerful rapport. We had so much in common. No man can ever replace him. He was so strong, intelligent, and exciting. Every time he looked at me or touched me, my heart raced and I became as hot as a fire. How wi
ll I ever get accustomed to never seeing him again? If he were alive, we wouldn’t be in this mess; no one would dare challenge him, except a fool.”

  “I didn’t know him very long, but I liked him,” Andrea commented. “He was so kind to find me and bring me to live with you two on Darkar.”

  “I couldn’t have gotten through these past days without you, Andrea.”

  “How touching and sickening,” their captor scoffed from the doorway as it slid open and the two Earthlings turned to face that direction.

  “So,” Jana said as she eyed the weapon Canissia held in her grasp, “it is you. I suspected as much. What do you want with us, Canissia? What will it take to buy our release?”

  “You aren’t that rich, not even as Ryker Triloni’s widow.”

  “Then let me purchase Andrea’s freedom. The conflict is between us and doesn’t involve her. It’s me you want to destroy, not Andrea.”

  “How touching to want to protect your little alien friend. No.”

  “Just like that? No discussion or bargaining?”

  “None. After my men and I have our fun with you two, you’re dead,” Canissia said with a wicked smile.

  “You wouldn’t dare harm me.”

  “I have already, and gotten away with it.”

  Jana and Andrea listened as the evil woman related news of the decoy and cloaking device. She even told them a search was on for them.

  “But you’ll never be found where we’re heading. Never in an eon.”

  “You can’t just murder us in cold blood.”

  “Oh, I won’t do it myself. I’ll leave that up to your new neighbors.”

  When the redhead halted, Jana couldn’t help but ask who she was talking about.

  “The most barbaric, lustful, and heartless men alive,” Canissia explained with glee. “Prisoners on a male penal colony. It’s guarded by a force shield, but I happen to know the release code, just like I knew the one for Maal to get through Darkar’s defenses. I overheard his grandfather use it. I never forget anything because one never knows when one might need even the tiniest fact. Back to where I was. After you’ve been sufficiently punished, I’ll drop you two off there. I’m sure you’ll make new friends very fast.” She laughed satanically, then explained it was a prison for the incorrigible male miscreants of Maffei, a place where even the most savage criminal became even more vicious and feral after living like bestial primitives for a short while. “Why, you’ll be too busy to miss Ryker. Of course you’ll probably be too sore to walk straight, but that won’t matter; you’ll be spending all of your time on the ground on your back beneath hundreds or perhaps thousands of creatures who haven’t had a woman in ages.”

  Jana experienced sheer terror at what she knew was a realistic threat from the vindictive female who despised her. Where was Varian when she needed him, off doing his duty for Maffei! If he had kept his word and returned on time, this wouldn’t be happening to them. Their situation was perilous and looked hopeless. “You’ll be caught and punished, Canissia.”

  “I think not. If anyone suspects me, the search is on toward Zenufia where I left the Moonwind. We’re far from that location, and no one will ever imagine to search for you where you’re going.”

  Get all the clues you can, J.G. “Where did you get this ship?”

  “I stole it from the Pyropean commander who was to escort me to mine. I retrieved my loyal androids, got rid of theirs, and prepared for this little trap. It has all the modern instruments and devices. As soon as I learned Varian was on Rigel and out of my way, I put my plan into motion.”

  Jana faked a look of confusion. “What does Varian Saar have to do with it?”

  “I saw him on the news broadcast on Rigel. He was sighted entering a private meeting which included my father. They probably summoned poor Father to dismiss him for spilling secrets to me—valuable secrets, I might add.”

  “I still don’t grasp why Varian Saar figured into your plot. I’ve only seen him twice since you took me to Ryker’s: after that thwarted trap on Luz and when he was the one chosen to escort me and Ryker’s body to Kadim Maal. He wasn’t expected for another visit, thank goodness.”

  Canissia laughed for several minutes. “You’re such a blind fool. He would have come soon, again and again, until he won you back.”

  Jana glared at the woman. “It will be a cold day in hell first!”

  “Even if I told you I kidnapped you last time and Varian never discarded you? That the search mentioned was a real and desperate one to locate you? That he only backed off after he realized Ryker had screwed you? He still yearns for you, and he would have been chasing you again soon.”

  “You’re crazy. Varian gave me to Ryker; he admitted it on a taped message to me and in that interview I witnessed on the telecom.”

  “All lies and tricks to trap me. He never stopped craving you.”

  “Even if that’s true, it doesn’t matter now. Is that what this is about? You’re afraid we’ll get back together and he’ll be lost to you? Don’t worry, Canissia, you can have him. After Ryker, Varian Saar doesn’t compare; he can’t even stand in his brother’s shadow. He might not have tossed me away that time, but he did too many other mean things to me for forgiveness, and he would do similar ones if I gave him the chance, which I won’t. You might not care how he treats you and you may come crawling back for more, but I’m not like you. I don’t want him or need him. Thanks to Ryker, I’m free and powerful and rich. If you’re worried about me exposing what you told me, I won’t; you have my word no one will ever know you kidnapped me, if you really did.”

  “Everything was fine until Varian found you and brought you here. You ruined everything with him and with Ryker and with Taemin. I was Ryker’s ally until you changed him and turned him against me.”

  “You were his ally, Canissia, until you and Taemin tried to kill us.”

  “Ryker told you that?”

  “I thought he told me everything, but he obviously left out at least one confession, if what you said about me being kidnapped for him is true. I can see why he wouldn’t want me to discover that. Even so, it doesn’t matter now; he was the best thing that happened to me in your world. You of all women should know Varian Saar only uses, deceives, and discards exmistresses. Do you think I could return to a man like that even if he said he loved me? I wouldn’t trust Varian Saar for two seconds. He did horrible things to me, and you know about plenty of them. Why you continue to want him after the way he’s treated you baffles me. A woman, even one as beautiful and rich and powerful as you are, can’t win or obtain revenge against a man like him. To attempt such a goal is rash; that’s why I would never challenge him. I’ll be satisfied if he just forgets I exist.”

  “That’s the trouble, he can’t forget you. And he’s after me.”

  “After you? For that alleged kidnapping months ago? If that’s all, I can handle your problem by calling it a lie.”

  “You want me to trust you?”

  “Why not?” Jana asked the sarcastic woman. “I have a lot to lose if what you say is true. If you and Ryker kidnapped me, our marriage would be illegal; I wouldn’t be his widow. If you think I would press charges against you and risk losing Darkar, you’re wrong. We can make a deal, Canissia. I want Trilabs and Darkar, not Varian. You want to be free of charges and have certain products of mine. What do you say to an exchange? A truce?”

  “It’s too late. You see, that isn’t the only charge against me.”

  Jana faked ignorance. “Maybe I can help get the others dismissed or lightened. I can blackmail them with a cut-off from Trilabs. What are they?”

  “Several murders, treason, theft, and so on. I thought Taemin or Maal would grant me. sanctuary in exchange for the truth about Varian playing Ryker, but I was wrong there, one of the few times in my life.”

  “Why on Earth would you think Ryker was Varian? I mean, you’ve known them both for so long; how could you get them mixed up?”

  “Because of what I though
t were slips by Ryker on my last visit.”

  “My husband was tricking you, Canissia. He was trying to provoke you into revealing secrets for a tape he was making to use as blackmail in case you tried to harm me or expose his past secrets. Ryker changed and we were making a fresh start together. He didn’t want trouble. He would never have used the tape if you’d left us alone.”

  “Did he give it to Varian when they reconciled?”

  “Of course not. That would incriminate him, too. After he died, I destroyed it because I didn’t want it found. I couldn’t risk staining his memory. Those were plots he did or planned long ago. He wasn’t like that anymore. Despite what you think of him, he was a good and gentle man,”

  “Did he screw anything like Varian does?”

  Jana gaped at the crude female. “Not that it’s any of your business, but no; they were nothing alike in that area. Do we have a deal?” She watched Canissia lick and stroke the weapon in an erotic manner as she talked.

  “No, never.”

  “How did you lure us off Darkar with such success and cunning? How did you dupe my security chief, or is Kagan working for you?”

  “That trick was so easy to accomplish that I can hardly believe it myself. Have you forgotten your protocol lessons? Rulers never deal directly with the lower class; one of my androids pretended to be Maal’s bodyguard and he spoke with your Kagan. He used Maal’s nickname for Ryker. You know, that ‘cherished flame of my soul’ shit. The uniforms, shuttle markings, and insignia were simple for us to make in the work lab aboard.”

  “What if I convince Maal to give you sanctuary in Androas?”

  “Maal isn’t in power anymore. I know about the treaty. I also know about the one with Pyropea and about poor Taemin’s exile.”

  “How do you find out such things? You must have powerful contacts.”

  “My father was my best informer, but that door’s closed now. With the help of some of Ryker’s best little secrets, all I have to do is whisper a certain sentence into Avatar Kael’s ear and he tells me anything, everything.”