by neetha Napew
“Veska, how do you know so much?”
“A great many come through this transit platform. I can speak only to a fraction of a fraction of them, but that's still a big number.”
The vidphone session went dark. Nyk drummed his fingers against the desk; then scanned through his directory of locator codes. He opened another vidphone window on his laptop. Soon he saw the image of a blond woman in a long gown and heavy belt. She had answered the call from a room lined with embroidered white draperies and iridescent chandeliers. An ornate canopy bed was in the background. Nyk could see the Lexalese colonial insignia carved into the footboard, and light glittered off beaded curtains.
His eye was caught by an elaborate tattoo on her right deltoid. It appeared identical to the design in the footboard, but with another emblem worked into the center. This he surmised was the Wygann family moniker. The pattern was rendered in a bright purple instead of the black ordinarily used for marriage crests.
“Nykkyo -- a surprise hearing from you so soon.”
“Princess -- please forgive the intrusion. I hope it's not an imposition...”
“Call me Janna, Nyk. It's no imposition. I'm always happy to hear from one of my friends -- and peers.”
“Peer?”
“A friend of Andra is a friend of mine, and I regard all my friends as peers. Call whenever you wish to talk.”
Nyk smiled. “I've been trying to contact Andra about some homeworld issues. It appears my friendship with her has put me into the position of a go-between. It's not one with which I'm comfortable.”
“Andra and I have just come from the armory and are changing for dinner. She may be on her way to the dining room as we speak.”
“Armory?”
“Yes -- She was teaching me to shoot. Andra is an amazing young woman.”
“You don't need to tell me that. Teaching you to shoot what -- a firearm?”
“Yes -- Mykko thought it wise I should know how to defend myself. Our arms- master planned to train me, but Andra offered and I accepted. We enjoyed ourselves. She's quite good.”
“It's ... come to my attention Andra learned during a stint on Earth.”
“She's told me a bit about her stay there -- how nearly everyone she saw carried weapons. She's concerned for your safety, Nykkyo -- we both hope you know how to defend yourself.”
“I assure you that's not the case in the corner of Earth where I'm stationed. Would you mind showing me your firearm?”
“I don't see why not...” She opened a drawer and removed a bulky device with a handle set at the center. She held it to the vidphone camera and turned it so Nyk could see it from different angles. “Here is the thumb-trigger. Here's the fuel cell.”
She pointed to a compartment in the handle. “Here's the pellet magazine.” She opened the compartment and tapped out a metallic sphere. “This is a round -- a 12 millimetre sphere of depleted uranium, cladded with a steel shell.” She replaced the round and closed the compartment. From another drawer she withdrew a metal cylinder. “This is the safety key. The gun won't operate unless it's in place.” She returned the key to the cabinet. “With Mykkoin around, I keep the gun and the key separated.” He watched her return the pistol to the drawer.
“How many on your world carry arms?” Nyk asked.
“Only our security forces or other authorized officials. I guess I qualify as an authorized official.”
Nyk pondered a moment. “Janna, what can you tell me of Rud Vadima?”
“Vadima was Mykko's assistant adjutant. He was a loyal supporter and a good friend -- destined for grand things in our administration. Then, about two and a half Floran years ago, he disappeared.”
“Disappeared?”
“Vanished -- without a trace. We have no idea what happened to him.”
Nyk caught some motion in the corner of the vidphone screen. Startled, Janna turned toward it with her hand over the black gem in her belt. The door opened and a little, blond boy ran in, followed by a teenaged girl. Janna spoke to them and they left.
“Was that your son?” Nyk asked.
“Yes -- that was Mykko Junior.”
“He's adorable.”
“Nykkyo, I'll tell Andra you called. Now, dinner is served.” The vidphone session terminated.
Nyk sat and stared at the screen. He opened another window to access the Floran central database and began looking at photoimages of Janna and Chancellor Wygann.
Seymor poked his head through the door. “Lunch at Bronfmanns?” he asked.
“Sure.”
“What're you up to?”
“Oh, I'm looking for images of Mykko Wygann and his wife -- state functions, charity events and so on. Look here...” He gestured Seymor behind the desk. “This photo dates from about the time we broke Zander's smuggling ring.”
“So?”
He pointed to the screen. “Look at her belt. She's not wearing it in any photos taken before this one. In all the subsequent ones she's never without it.”
“What does that mean?”
“There's more. I spoke to Kronta yesterday. The oversight committee believes Zander was providing Earth arms to the Lexalese administration. There are guns on the colony, no doubt -- but I believe what Wygann has are home-grown technology and legal under the charter.”
“Then, why would Zander ship Earth arms to Lexal?”
“That is the big question, isn't it? Well -- I'm working a hunch. If I can find a bit more evidence, I'll fill Kronta in on my hypothesis.”
“Nyk, Illya has an entire team working the weapons issue. It's not that I want to discourage your ... creative thinking, but this simply doesn't fall within our domain of responsibility.”
“I suppose you're right.”
“However, there is a backlog of field reports that DO fall under our domain.”
“I'll get right on them.”
“After lunch. Come along, lad.” Nyk followed Seymor out the door.
* * *
Nyk opened the front door and walked in. “It's Nick,” he called out.
Yasuko appeared from the rear of the house. “No Sukiko again?”
“I received a call from someone at NYU this afternoon, asking if I knew where she was. I told them she was probably at the museum again. Then I called and spoke with Dr Donatovich. He told me Suki had not been visiting him.”
“I'm worried, Nick. Where do you think she might be?”
“Now I wish she had that cell phone. Your guess is as good as mine. I'm operating under the no-news-is-good-news principal.”
“We'd better not hold dinner waiting for her -- George is in a poor enough mood as it is. The market was down and one of his underwriting deals fell through.”
Nyk knelt at the low table. George eyed him. “Is Sukiko working late?”
“We don't know where she is.”
“So, she's back to her old habits, is she?”
“What do you mean?”
“When she was in high school,” Yasuko explained, “Sukiko would ... stray off from time to time. Once she was gone for two whole days. It turned out she was with some older kids who were supplying her with drugs and alcohol.”
“Drugs? Alcohol? In exchange for what?”
Yasuko pursed her lips. “Don't go there,” George admonished.
“Sukiko had a problem with them,” Yasuko continued. “She doesn't know that we know, but one can't hide such from one's parents. She seemed to straighten out in college. I hope she hasn't had a relapse.”
“I don't think so,” Nyk replied.
“It would be bad for the baby. Invariably she'd return in tears. We'd have a confrontation -- ground her or come up with some sort of penance. She'd behave for a while...”
“Then,” George added, “the pattern would repeat. I certainly hope she isn't planning on continuing this behavior after the baby comes. She shouldn't be out ... frolicking...”
“We don't know where she is,” Yasuko interrupted.
“You know
damned well where she is and what she's doing. For God's sake -- she has a man in her life and a child on the way. She ought to know better than to run off with another of her lesbian friends.”
“We don't know that for sure,” Nyk replied.
“I don't care where she is -- she belongs right here.” George brought his finger onto the table with enough force to rattle the dinnerware. He shook his head. “I'm too old and she's too big for me to take her over my knee.” He glanced toward Nyk. “Perhaps she'd benefit from that sort of treatment from you.”
“Oh, no. I'd never strike her.”
“What do you intend to do?” Yasuko asked.
“I intend to hear what she has to say and then decide what action, if any, is appropriate. It is possible she has a legitimate explanation.”
George snorted. “Anything's possible. But, a leopard cannot change its spots.”
* * *
Nyk sat on the sofa in the apartment. Yasuko paced around the room. Nyk looked at his watch. “You might as well go to bed, Yasuko. I'll wait up for her.”
“I won't sleep.”
“If she does come home, we'll probably need some time alone. If not -- then you and I can take turns mounting a vigil. I'll call as soon as I know something.”
Yasuko gripped his shoulder, nodded and brushed a tear from her cheek. She headed down the stairs.
Nyk looked again at his watch. He sighed, leaned back and shut his eyes.
The events of his short relationship with her ran through his mind. His one comfort was his belief that the unborn child she carried was destined to give rise to the man who discovered his world. That meant as long as he existed -- saw sights and thought thoughts -- Suki and her child were safe.
He was startled by the sound of the front door and footfalls on the stairs. Suki breezed in. “Oh, Nykkyo -- do you have any money?”
“Some. Why?”
“There's a taxi waiting out front. I didn't have any cash and the driver won't take plastic. He's holding my purse as collateral.”
“I'll take care of it.”
Nyk dashed down the stairs and returned with Suki's bag. He found her kneeling on the sofa. “Here's your bag.”
“Thanks. I'm relieved I didn't have to ask my father for the money.”
“What happened?” She kept her face turned from him. He sat beside her and caressed her back. “Are you all right?” She began sobbing. “Please tell me what happened. We've been worried sick.” He touched her chin and turned her head to face him. On her left cheek were three bloody gouges. “Who... how...”
“Oh, Nykkyo,” she blubbered. “I feel like such a fool. You've every right to be furious with me.”
“I want you to tell me everything from the beginning. But first, let's deal with those scratches.”
He led her to the bedroom and had her lie on her right side. Then he took a cardboard carton from the closet and removed a polymer case. “Healing salve,” he said as he opened a bottle from the case, “this may smart for a moment.”
Suki winced as he applied the thick liquid to her face. “You lie still -- I'll get some cotton.” He headed out of the bedroom and paused to pick up the telephone. He punched in the number and could hear it ring downstairs. “Yasuko -- she's home and safe. I'll fill you in tomorrow morning... about five minutes ago ... see you in the morning.”
Nyk sat on the bed and daubed her cheek with a cotton ball. “Now, from the beginning.”
“Oh, Nykkyo -- I haven't been honest with you. I've been seeing Alice since -- well, since shortly after moving back to New York.”
“When do you see her?”
“It started out innocently enough. I needed to check some facts for a paper I was editing and I ran across her at the museum. We talked -- she apologized for how she had treated me. She told me she was in another relationship. We started having lunch together a couple days a week.
“After the rape she sent me flowers at work. A few weeks ago we met for lunch. She told me she had broken up with her latest lover. She seemed distraught. I told her she needed a good cry. I know how good it feels to cry on your shoulder, Nykkyo -- so, I offered her mine.
“We found a rarely-used room -- there are plenty of such hiding-places in a building the size of the museum. I held her and she cried. Then, she kissed me. Oh, Nykkyo -- I have no self-control.”
“What happened next?”
“The kissing led to some petting and the petting led to -- well, you can imagine. That storage room became our trysting-place. Since then, Alice and I have been meeting two or three times a week to... well, you can imagine that, too. Are you becoming angry?”
“Disappointed, perhaps. Then what?”
“Then, we were almost discovered. I can't believe the risk we were taking. We decided it was too dangerous to keep meeting in the museum, so we agreed to meet in her apartment in SoHo.
“I knew things were spiraling out of control. When I had my first counseling session we talked mostly about Alice. I realized I needed to do something -- but I was so conflicted. I tried to tell you that night, but it came out all garbled and sanitized.
“I invited her home for dinner -- I thought bringing it out in the open would be a catalyst to break it off. I was expecting you to be home, but your flight was cancelled.
“After dinner we came up here to talk. I had every intention of telling her, but instead we ended up making love all evening. Yes, Nykkyo -- I lied about that, too. When you discovered us -- I was terrified, but you took it so calmly.” He handed her a tissue and she dabbed her eyes. “You must be getting angry, now.”
“What good would anger serve? Go on.”
“I vowed to break it off. Yesterday I went to Alice's apartment to tell her, but instead we ended up...” Suki resumed crying. “There's something terribly wrong with me! I spent the whole afternoon with her. That night, I thought you'd be suspicious when I didn't want to make love.”
“I did think it was a bit odd...”
“I knew you probably wanted it, being away for a few days, but I was exhausted and couldn't. You told me about Dyppa and I exploded -- then I really hit bottom. It dawned on me how you were innocently trying to help someone, while I was cheating behind your back.” She held up her thumb and forefinger. “I felt this small.”
“Then, we made love.”
“Today I met Alice determined to break it off. I told her. I told her I have a wonderful man in my life and a baby on the way, and that I wasn't going to see her any more.”
“How did she react?”
“At first she was understanding -- she wished me luck. Then, she suggested we make love one last time. I refused -- I told her it was over. She became furious. She said she wasn't letting me out of the apartment until I made love with her. It got later and later. I tried to reason with her -- I pleaded with her. Finally I picked up the phone and started to call 911.”
Nyk daubed her face with the cotton. “There -- go look in the mirror.”
She went into the bathroom. “That's amazing. I was sure I had been disfigured. I can barely see them.”
“There'll be no trace tomorrow, guaranteed.”
“Does that stuff work on bruises, too?”
“No -- the skin must be broken... Did Alice give you bruises?”
“Not where they'll show. I started to dial 911 but she grabbed the phone from me, ripped it out of the wall and started hitting me with it. We had a knock-down, drag-out fight. I screamed. The neighbors started pounding on the door. 'Before I let you go, I'm putting my mark on you,' she said and gouged my face. I had no idea her nails were so sharp.
“By now one of the neighbors had called the police. Alice opened the door and this cop was standing there. He must've been trying to figure out if it was some domestic disturbance or what. He saw my face. I told him I didn't want to press charges.”
“Why not?”
“Oh, Nykkyo -- by then I just wanted to come home. The cop used his radio to call a cab.”
&
nbsp; “That's it?”
“That's it -- that's everything. I'm so sorry, Nykkyo. I feel so embarrassed and so foolish for getting sucked into something like this. I deserve what I get -- go ahead and give me my scolding.”
Nyk lay on the bed and held her, stroking her back as she whimpered and sniffled. “Suki, I'm not going to scold you. We do have some things to discuss. I told you I hold our relationship to Earth standards. But, you don't appear to be doing the same.”
“You're right,” she sobbed. “I'm so sorry -- I didn't intend to be unfaithful, Nykkyo -- please believe me.”
“I'm not angry for what you did with Alice.”
“You're not?”
“No. You were acting in a Floran way. Wanting to patch things up with an ex-lover is a good thing, and a Floran thing. I desperately want to be on friendly terms with Senta. Expressing fondness by sharing the gift is a good thing, and a Floran thing, too.”
“So you don't mind...”
“Not at all. I am hurt by your actions, though -- because you weren't honest with me -- because you felt you had to ... skulk around behind my back and lie to me and your mom about your whereabouts. Our relationship must be founded on trust. I'll never lie to you.”
“Oh, Nykkyo...”
He brushed away a tear. “You hurt me, Suki -- by lying to me.”
“Oh, God -- the last thing I wanted to do was hurt you. I'm so sorry ... I really am, Nykkyo.”
“What hurt more is that you couldn't trust me -- that you felt the need to lie. Suki, you need keep nothing from me. If you had told me you wanted to spend time with Alice...”
“You probably would've told me to enjoy myself. Oh, God, Nykkyo ... oh, God...”
“If you decide you want to spend time with someone else -- or, even live with them -- there's nothing I can do to stop you. I hold no authority over you. All I can do is to demonstrate my love for you and to hope you don't find a better offer. I would expect you to be honest with me about it.”
“Oh, God...” Her body shook from her sobbing. “This is worse than a scolding. I deserve that -- not this. What did I do to deserve you? Can you forgive me?”