Dark Horse

by Michelle Diener

  She obviously hadnʼt thought the meeting would be so confrontational, and Rose looked at the place set out for her, with her favorite food, and realized it felt like a stone was lodged in her throat. She didnʼt feel hungry, but there was a cup of grinabo, and when Filavantri pulled out her chair, she slowly left Vree Halimʼs side, and sat.

  Jay Xaltro had taken up a position near the door Rose realized, her angle such that she could have covered both Rose and Halim if someone had started shooting. She sent both her guards a small, grateful smile.

  “Does she talk?” Yir glared at her.

  “I talk.” She spoke Grihan, even though heʼd asked the question in Tecran. “I have a lot to say, but I was told this was simply an informal gathering, to meet everyone. I didnʼt realize you would expect me to go into the details of my imprisonment over breakfast.”

  There was another round of silence. It was obviously a day of shocks for the councilors.

  “She speaks Grihan,” one of the Grihan councilors exclaimed.

  Rose stared at her. “Yes.”

  The woman blushed. “My apologies for talking around you. I thought communicating with you would be difficult, but . . . how do you speak Grihan?”

  “I was given a handheld with all five United Council languages while I was imprisoned. Perhaps Dr. Fliap wanted to know how fast I could learn them. I had nothing else to do, so I learned Grihan and Tecran, and can understand a little of the other three.”

  Councilor Yir tapped the edge of his handheld on the table, agitated.

  “We will need in-depth questioning, to find out where she is from. She is clearly as advanced a sentient as anyone at this table.” The woman who spoke was long and thin, almost insect-like with her elegant limbs and large eyes. Her voice was soft.

  “We havenʼt come across her like in 500 years,” her fellow councilor agreed. “Her discovery is breathtaking, and yet, soured by the terrible circumstances under which she was found.”

  “Her resemblance to the Grih is also astonishing.” The other Grihan councilor was staring at her.

  “And I believe she is what you call a music-maker,” Filavantri said, and Rose shot her a horrified look.

  “I am not a music-maker.” She said it firmly.

  “Just your speaking voice sounds like music to my ears,” the woman whoʼd first exclaimed over her Grihan said. “I would love to hear you sing.”

  Rose hunched over her plate, and forced herself to pick up a piece of bread, put it in her mouth, and chew.

  Beside her, Filavantri put a hand on her knee and squeezed, without looking at Rose or acknowledging the gesture.

  She would have to face this, strong, proud and dauntless, Rose realized. The alternative was curling up in a corner and giving up, and there was no way she was doing that.

  Admiral Hoke leaned back in her chair and gave Dav a narrow-eyed look. “Youʼre saying thereʼs a traitor on board the Barrist? Someone in clandestine communication with another ship, which may or may not be the vessel Councilor Fu-tama arrived in?”

  Dav nodded. “Yes.”

  “And the Class 5 locked onto Councilor Fu-tamaʼs ship because there was a high chance it was the same ship that sent the original comm? A comm it clearly sees as an enemy communication.”

  Borji shrugged. “It must have a sequence programmed that anyone using that specific comm method is likely to be an enemy.”

  “This means there could be a third party involved. Someone hostile to the Tecran who killed the Class 5 crew, but just happened to do it right in the middle of our territory. And if it was Councilor Fu-tama who communicated with the Barrist, that third party could be Garmman.”

  Dav had to give it to Admiral Hoke, she got right down to the heart of the matter. He sent her a confirming nod.

  “So what are you doing to uncover the traitor?” Valu tipped back his chair.

  “Everything we can.” Dav thought of Rose after the attempt on her life, clinging to the side of the pool. “He tried to kill Rose.”

  Hoke went still, and then her chair came down with a thump. “How?”

  “Tried to drown her while she was swimming.” Appal crossed her arms over her chest.

  Valu swore, drawing out the obscenity until a sharp look from Hoke shut him up.

  “She didnʼt see him, obviously, or youʼd have him.” Hoke pushed back her chair.

  “No.” Dav stood as well, and just then, his comm unit chimed. He accepted the comm, and went very still as he listened to Jay Xaltro. “Iʼll be right there.”

  As he turned for the door, Admiral Hoke stepped in his way. “We arenʼt done here, Captain.”

  “We are for now.” Dav stepped around her. “Rose has been thrown to the wolves.”

  He tried not to run on the way to the officersʼ mess. Appal, obviously deciding sheʼd better come with him, easily kept up.

  “What is it?” Her boots slapped in rhythm with his as they strode.

  “Dimitara invited Rose to breakfast with her, and brought the whole United Council. Xaltro says Rose didnʼt expect the Tecrans and was visibly upset by their presence. They arenʼt that happy to see her, either.”

  “Well, sheʼs about to land them in a heap of trouble.” Appal didnʼt sound very sorry for them.

  Dav shot her a look and she grinned at him, easing some of the tension and fury he felt.

  Xaltro and Halim would keep her safe, and there was no way the Tecran or anyone else would openly attack her in front of their fellow councilors on a Grihan ship. At the most, she was upset and unhappy, but he had found over and over that she was made from very strong stuff.

  He managed to slow his pace to something resembling a brisk walk by the time he reached the officersʼ mess and stepped into the private dining area. Appal was right behind him, and everyone looked up as they entered the room.

  Dimitara looked relieved and chastened. “Everything all right, Captain?”

  “You tell me, Dimitara.” Dav looked deliberately around the room.

  Rose lifted her head, caught his gaze, and took a sip from her mug. He had heard of knees going weak, but he had never experienced it before. The look in her eyes——relief, happiness to see him and something that was suspiciously close to affection——made him feel a little lightheaded.

  “Given your inability to take us to the Class 5, I arranged for an informal meeting with Rose instead.” There was no mistaking the defensiveness in her voice.

  “Is that so? I thought we had agreed that when it came to Rose, we would consult with one another before anything was arranged.”

  Dimitara looked down. “I had forgotten that. Youʼre right, and you have my apologies.”

  Yurve shit, Dav thought. Sheʼd had a little tantrum because he couldnʼt take her around the Class 5, and sheʼd used Rose as a way to get back at him. He let his thoughts show in his expression, and she had the grace to blush.

  “Rose, are you done here?”

  She stood and gave him one of her sweet, sweet smiles. “Thank you, Captain, yes I am.” She turned to the councilors. “It was nice to meet you, and Liaison Officer Dimitara tells me there is a formal hearing I will have to attend, so I will see you later.” She gave a formal Grihan bow.

  “Be very careful when you face the formal hearing.” Councilor Yir stood. “Everything said there must be the truth, and if you are caught in a lie, the consequences will be very serious.”

  “I will make sure Rose knows exactly what is expected of her. And hopefully the councilors all know what is expected of them.” Dimitara rose as well, narrowed her eyes at the Tecran. “That no matter whether one of their own race is under review, they have to act with complete impartiality.”

  Yirʼs eyes widened at that, and he opened his mouth. “That is outrageous——”

  “Any more outrageous than the veiled threat you just delivered to our witness?” A councilor from Fitali asked.

  Yir sat down, and Councilor Jamoria cleared his throat. “Perhaps it is best that from now on,
Rose only meets with a member of the council under formal, recorded circumstances.”

  Yir hissed, his honor clearly impinged.

  Rose had reached his side, and Dav put a hand on her shoulder, and it was only when he noticed Councilor Fu-tama staring at them both with a strange look of horror on his face that he realized he was gripping the fabric of Roseʼs shirt, pulling down the neckline a little.

  He gentled his hold, bowed to the councilors and propelled her out of the room with Appal going ahead. Xaltro and Halim took up the rear, and Dav noted with approval that Xaltro walked backward, keeping her eyes on the councilors until the door closed behind them.

  As soon as they were in the mess hall, Rose lost her stiff posture.

  “Thanks for riding to the rescue again.” She closed her eyes and shuddered.

  He wanted to pull her closer, but this was neither the time or the place.

  “You shouldnʼt have needed rescuing, not on the Barrist.” He couldnʼt help the harshness of his tone, and he saw her wince.

  He knew she liked Filavantri Dimitara, but the liaison officer had placed her in an untenable situation, and he wasnʼt going to let Dimitara off easily.

  His comm chimed, and he made a face.

  “The admirals?” Appal asked.

  He gave a nod. His hand was still on Roseʼs shoulder and he gave it a gentle squeeze. “I have to go. Will you be all right?”

  She looked up at him and nodded.

  “Iʼll walk you to your room, stay with you for a bit, Rose. If you wouldnʼt mind the company?” Appal stood with hands behind her back, looking genuinely friendly, but Dav knew her too well. She hadnʼt spent any time with Rose since they met down on Harmon, and she would want to see if she could coax anymore information out of Rose about who attacked her.

  “I would like that.” Rose gave a small smile and then looked around the officersʼ mess. “Can we bring breakfast with us? I was too upset to eat in there.”

  Dav felt a renewed surge of annoyance as his comm chimed again, and with a formal bow, he left Rose, Appal and the guards and headed back to the two admirals, who were no doubt just as annoyed as he was.

  They hadnʼt liked being left in the dark and they hadnʼt liked him leaving before they were finished with him.

  He must be contemplating career suicide, because he no longer gave a damn.

  23

  Rose had liked Jia Appal since sheʼd first realized she was a woman. It had calmed her, no matter how illogical it might have been.

  Now she realized her first impression had been a good one, as Appal set the table for them, and made some fresh grinabo from the little station built into the wall of her room.

  She knew the commander could only be here to ask her questions, there was no way she had time for a leisurely breakfast with the United Council here, the Tecran in the holding cells and the Class 5 locking weapons onto approaching ships. But she didnʼt mind. Appal was trying to set her at ease, and Rose would help her any way she could.

  She sat, took a sip of the hot grinabo and leaned back in her chair. “What would you like to know?”

  Appal paused on her way to the table with her own cup of grinabo in her hand and raised her eyebrows. “Was I that obvious?”

  Rose shook her head. “Youʼre a busy woman, thereʼs no way youʼd be taking time off for breakfast unless it was to question me.”

  Appal held her gaze as she sat. “This is going to sound condescending, but I keep forgetting youʼre as advanced a sentient as we are. You understand exactly whatʼs going on, donʼt you?”

  Rose kept her face blank. Unfortunately, she knew way more than Appal, and the commander might not forgive her for it when it all came out. “Perhaps youʼd like to spread the word about that.”

  Appal nodded. “The captain has already made it clear he wonʼt tolerate anyone calling you an orange, or talking down to you.”

  Rose hid her reaction with another sip. Dav Jallan was protective and sweet. It made lying to him so much harder. “The captain hasnʼt treated me as anything other than his equal. Not once.”

  Appal toyed with a strange mix of things in a bowl which Rose had decided not to try. That could be an adventure for another day. “He thinks highly of you.”

  Rose brushed the tips of her fingers across her cheekbone. “I think highly of him. Iʼd be gryak lunch without him.”

  “Itʼs not just that, though, is it?” Appalʼs tone came out a little rougher than usual.

  “No.” Rose fiddled with the bread on her plate. “Heʼs supported me and helped me since we met, and Iʼd be lying if I said I didnʼt appreciate it.” She bit into the bread, took a moment to enjoy the nutty taste of it, and then, edgy at having to explain her feelings for Appalʼs boss, she set it down. “So, again, what do you want to know?”

  Appal blew out a breath. “I want to know who tried to kill you and what that Class 5 is doing in the middle of our territory with a mostly dead crew.”

  Rose huffed out a laugh. “So, not much?”

  Appal stared at her and then laughed as well. “I take it you donʼt think you can help me?”

  Rose shook her head. “I wish I could.”

  “Impressions are better than nothing. What were your first thoughts in the pool room? Anything you can think of.”

  “He was big, but then, youʼre all big. I think I was overcome with the shock of how he squeezed my head when he pushed me down, like adding insult to injury, you know? Like he wanted to hurt me, as well as kill me. It wasnʼt just a job to him.” She rubbed the side of her temple. “After that, I just thought about staying alive.”

  “So, it could be personal? But who have you had dealings with?”

  Rose lifted her hands and shoulders. “Who have I pissed off, you mean?” She shook her head. “Not many people. But they donʼt have to know me personally to not like what I stand for.”

  “What you stand for?”

  Rose bet Appal knew exactly what she meant, but she obliged her.

  She lifted a finger. “An orange, unlike any seen for hundreds of years.” She lifted a second finger. “The unlikely survivor of a strange mass death.” She lifted a third finger. “Someone who just by existing is going to bring some nasty trouble on the heads of the Tecran and set the United Council at odds with each other.” She blew out a breath and lifted her pinky. “And a music-maker who doesnʼt want to be a music-maker.”

  Appalʼs eyebrows rose at the last point. She cocked her head in that strange, alien way she had down on Harmon. “You donʼt want to be a music-maker?”

  Appal said music-maker in the same reverent tones as everyone else, and the hot, tight feeling of impending failure gripped her again. Rose shuddered. “I understand itʼs a great honor, and Iʼve tried to be respectful of that, but I gather my reluctance is seen by some as an insult.”

  “Iʼll keep an eye on that. Rose, youʼve nothing to apologize for. Youʼve been taken against your will, and you donʼt owe us anything. We owe you, because a United Council member nation was responsible for your abduction.” Appal stood, adjusting the bulky shockgun strapped to her leg. Rose realized she hadnʼt even taken it off to eat her breakfast.

  Her sharp, fine-chiseled features, spiky chestnut hair and long, lean frame came together to make a picture of strength and competence Rose felt she couldnʼt match. “Am I confined to my room?”

  Appal shook her head. “Get the guards to take you to the gym if youʼd like some exercise, but the officersʼ one, not the main one. And try not to take chances.”

  Rose relaxed a little. “You may feel I donʼt owe anyone anything, but tell me how to get out of singing or declaring myself a music-maker without stirring the pot even more?”

  Appalʼs look was gentle. “You are a music-maker, Rose. Your not wanting to take the role is the issue, not your fundamental nature.”

  “If you knew anything about the place Iʼm from, you would laugh at the idea of me as a revered singer.” She couldnʼt hide her own panic at the thought. />
  “Use that fact.” Appal gave a slow nod. “Youʼre from a different culture, a different world entirely, and so I think you could simply ask for time to adjust. That will give you the space you need.”

  She could do that. She could do that for a long, long time.

  “What do you specifically dislike about it?” Appal must have seen the calculation on her face.

  “The attention.” Rose flushed. “The sense that Iʼm letting everyone down. Their expectations are so high. Also, I donʼt understand what is socially acceptable with regard to touching or personal space among the Grih, but I was too crowded yesterday, which is why I ran.”

  “We are affectionate, and like to touch, but only with permission.”

  Rose thought back to the pool. To the way Dav had brushed his fingers over her cheeks, and her breasts. “Are any areas of the body considered more off-limits than others?”

  Appal nodded. “Lightly touching an arm, or a shoulder or back in passing, or to illustrate a point, that is all right.”

  “And other areas?”

  “Anywhere else, and thatʼs considered a sexual advance,” Appal said, her eyebrows high on her forehead.

  “Even when offering comfort?” Roseʼs mouth felt a little dry, but then sheʼd always known what she and Dav were dancing around.

  “Even then.” Appal watched her with bright interest. “Youʼre speaking from personal experience, arenʼt you? Already? Youʼve only been on board three days.”

  Rose could feel her face heat. She said nothing.

  “When we pulled you out of that collapsed cave, and the captain handed you up to me, I couldnʼt believe how small and heavy you were. You looked like a cuter, curvier version of us, and as harmless as a kapoot, but thatʼs not the truth at all, is it?”

  Rose made a face. “I donʼt feel particularly dangerous, not when Iʼm standing next to you. You look like you could kick ass and take names with one hand tied behind your back.”

  Appal snorted out a laugh. “We must have frightened you when we landed on Harmon.”

  Rose tipped her head to one side. “Yes. When you pointed those guns as me, I was frightened, but when you retracted your helmet and I saw your face, I relaxed.”