by Gun Brooke
Andreia put one hand on Roshan’s right shoulder and the other one on top of Roshan’s left hand on her waist. Long steps swept them into the center of the floor, and the greater their distance from their audience, the further from Andreia’s mind they drifted.
Instead all she knew was Roshan’s familiar scent of soap and musk. It hasn’t changed. The dance dictated Roshan hold her at a certain distance, but for some reason Andreia found herself barely a hand’s width from Roshan’s chest. Perhaps she’s also reminded of other dances like this?
Andreia looked up at Roshan, who gazed at her with an obvious darkness in her eyes. Roshan also seemed paler, and her grip tightened with every new step. Eventually her grip around Andreia’s waist bordered on painful, making her pull closer as she tried to ease it. “Ro?” The old nickname was over her lips before she realized it.
“Hm?” Roshan blinked and looked down at Andreia with smoldering eyes, now also a bit dazed and less dark.
“You’re hurting me,” Andreia whispered. More couples followed their example, and she didn’t want anyone to overhear them.
“What? Oh, Gods, I’m sorry.” Roshan almost let go completely, and only Andreia’s determination to keep dancing kept her from losing her grip on her dance partner.
“Don’t worry. I’m okay.”
“You are?” Roshan danced away toward a remote corner, away from the food-covered tables. “Of course you are.”
Andreia closed her eyes for a moment and relaxed. “Yes, and I think we’ve established ourselves not only as a couple of sorts, but a gutsy, slightly stupid pair, who don’t give a damn about etiquette.” She frowned. “Perhaps they’ll blame it on our ‘newfound attraction’ and make excuses for us.”
“I was acting in haste again, wasn’t I?” Roshan sighed. Her eyes, wide and cautious, found Andreia’s. “Newfound attraction?”
“From their perspective, of course.” Andreia spoke quickly. “Some things never change. You always were the wild one, Ro.”
“And you were always the one keeping me in check. In a manner of speaking.”
“I was?” Andreia remembered sometimes feeling like the perpetual killjoy. Roshan would go on her crazy spur-of-the-moment adventures, and Andreia would reluctantly tag along, dreading the potential outcome, but refusing to abandon Roshan.
“You always looked out for me.” Roshan sounded almost surprised at her own words. “You tried to talk me out of my more insane ideas, and the times you couldn’t, you went with me, even with the risk of getting caught hanging over your head. And your fear of displeasing your parents.”
“More so, annoying Trax,” Andreia added.
Roshan’s face became solemn at the mention of Andreia’s brother. “Yeah, that handsome, sociopath of a brother of yours. No wonder you were afraid of him.”
“I was not!” Anger filled Andreia, and she pulled back as she tried to hide it. “He wasn’t an average person in anything he did, and as much I would’ve liked to see him choose another career…” She clasped Roshan’s hand tightly, inadvertently betraying her rage.
“Joining the OECS was hardly a mere career move.” Roshan’s voice sank to a low, hissing murmur. “It was a political decision and, given their methods, a way to fulfill sadistic tendencies.”
“Well, it should please you that my brother paid for his faults with his life!” Andreia struggled to keep her voice low and out of earshot.
“I don’t mean that. But if your people hadn’t attacked my homeworld—”
“You forget. Our people. Our homeworld.” Andreia’s fingers were ice-cold, and she realized Roshan must feel the chill. They still had opposing opinions, despite their mutual goal, and Trax’s political stance, assuming that death and destruction were an acceptable means to an end, had reignited the animosity between them.
“Yes, so you say.” Roshan was obviously not about to give in.
Andreia glanced around, relieved to see that nobody appeared to have overheard. This was too careless. “Let’s don’t ruin this chance to make people think we have a relationship.” Andreia squeezed Roshan’s fingertips. “We can’t allow ourselves to get personal.”
Roshan remained rigid against Andreia for a moment, then relented. “You’re right. You usually are.”
Surprised, Andreia knew her features softened. “Thank you. I know that’s not easy for you to say.”
“It isn’t.” Roshan glanced at the crowd. “Is it just me, or are they dancing closer to us?”
“I think they are. Perhaps they’re trying to get the scoop on why we’re here together.”
“Then let’s give them something to make it worth their while.” Roshan smiled faintly. “We can call it a…diversion.”
Andreia didn’t know what to expect. “Diversion? What are you talking about?
Roshan pulled her closer and tipped Andreia’s head back. “This.” She leaned down and brushed her lips against Andreia’s forehead. “And this…” she murmured, and pulled Andreia close, body to body, as they kept dancing.
“Oh, for stars and skies,” Andreia whispered. “What are you doing?” Roshan’s lips were like velvet against her skin, and Andreia leaned involuntarily into the caress. Still, such behavior wasn’t only madness; it was also highly inappropriate at a function such as this. Right then, her parents passed them, and to Andreia’s surprise, her mother smiled and winked at her. Oh, please. She thinks I’m playing Roshan. H’rea deasav’h!
“Diversion,” Roshan breathed. “And a way for them to think we’re being unconventional because we’re in the process of rekindling our relationship. You know, pheromones.”
“Pheromones! Now that’s presumptuous. And besides, they don’t know if we have anything to rekindle!” Gasping, Andreia resented being so defenseless against Roshan’s caresses. “Who’d remember anything so insignificant?” She knew she sounded scornful, but it was the only way she could manage not to give in to her stampeding heart and breathlessness.
“Oh, they’ve been gathering information about the two of us ever since we entered the ballroom. Your parents have their channels, and so does the chairman. They’ve obtained more than one report throughout the evening, unless my knowledge of Onotharian perfection fails me.”
“You’re probably right,” Andreia said, reluctantly. “But it doesn’t mean it’s a good idea to let anyone think we’ve rekindled anything. Especially since there’s nothing to revive!”
Roshan looked down at her with smoky blue eyes in the muted light on the dance floor. “You say that with such conviction. So our friendship meant nothing to you? I should’ve known. You dropped me and what we had…could’ve had very quickly, after the invasion. Guess I didn’t fit your plans to become a local hero, did I?”
“Of course we were friends!” Andreia could hardly believe her ears. “We were best friends, even. How can you question that?”
“Twenty-five years of damn hard work with my ‘best friend’ nowhere in sight says I can.”
“I worked every bit as hard as you, risking just as much, during that time. I was busy!”
“I know. Your lovers were reported in the media with tedious punctuality.”
Andreia knew she paled and her hands grew even colder. “Exaggerations. For appearance,” she muttered, suddenly numb.
Roshan stared at her with frosty eyes for a moment; perhaps there was something in her expression, because Roshan’s face mellowed marginally. “Maybe. I have no way of knowing, do I?”
“You have my word.” Andreia stared up at Roshan as their feet moved automatically with the music.
“But how much is your word worth?” Roshan said. “Trusting you could be the very last thing I do.”
*
Roshan looked down at the dark beauty before her. Andreia’s eyes glimmered gold and amber, and Roshan realized her words hadn’t helped mend fences.
“You have some nerve,” Andreia said slowly. “First you insult me, only to question my honor.”
“You don
’t understand—”
“Oh, but I do. I understand that as long as I’m useful for your quest, your cause, you can force yourself to be in my presence. You don’t see this as our cause at all, do you?”
“I’m not used to sharing my comings and goings with anyone.” Roshan’s lips felt rigid, and she hated how stiff she sounded. Where did my ease go? She only knew she lost it at the sight of Andreia, in the light of her golden eyes.
“Well, get used to it fast.” Andreia pulled back from Roshan’s strong grip. “You’re not calling the shots here, remember. I am.”
The truth was bitter medicine, but at the same time, Roshan felt oddly relieved. Perhaps it’s a good thing, not to be alone in this. “I know.” She still had to force the words across her tongue.
The music quieted, and Andreia seemed eager to step out of Roshan’s arms. “I need something to drink.”
“Allow me.” Following protocol, Roshan guided her dance partner off the floor by offering her arm. Andreia took it, but let go as soon as possible. She walked up to the bar at the far end of the ballroom with Roshan in tow.
“Black Reyera wine, please.” Andreia told the woman serving them.
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Thank you.” Andreia took the glass and sipped it immediately. “Oh, mm. Very nice.” She turned to Roshan. “Want some?”
“No, thanks.” Roshan watched Andreia shrug and take another sip. The wine moistened Andreia’s lips, and a sudden hot, dark feeling weighed in Roshan’s abdomen. Furious at how Andreia affected her, Roshan focused on the people around them, nodding to a few familiar faces. The women were all dressed expensively and displayed rare jewelry, which made Roshan grind her teeth, since the indigenous people could have bought a year’s supply of medicine for an entire family for the price of one of their bracelets.
As fashion dictated, the women’s blouses and caftans were transparent, with just enough opacity to maintain a modicum of modesty. Casta M’Isitor pushed the limits by wearing a white see-through dress that deceptively covered her front all the way up to her neck, only to plunge down to her buttocks in the back, revealing an abundance of olive-tinted skin. Once Roshan would have considered such a display sexy, but now, especially taking into consideration whose back was revealed, it left her indifferent. Am I too old, or just too picky?
Just then, as Andreia was drinking from a crystal glass someone bumped into her from behind, making her spill a few drops on her chin. She licked them away quickly, and Roshan stopped breathing momentarily at the sight of Andreia’s pink tongue running several times across full, deep red lips. Damn! Perhaps not too old, after all.
Andreia glanced up, half smiling. “Making a mess again. Sorry about that.” She brushed a drop of wine off her chin with her fingertips.
“She bumped into you. Not your fault.” Roshan heard how short she sounded and forced a smile again. It certainly wasn’t Andreia’s fault that she looked so beautiful when she smiled. Unless Roshan was imagining things, Andreia smiled very differently at her in private than the way she beamed during video transmissions, intent on enticing an entire nation.
The smile faded from Andreia’s lips, and her face hardened as she paled. “We have to go, Roshan. Trouble.”
Roshan didn’t question anything at this point. “Okay, let’s say good-bye. What’s our excuse?”
“You’re sick.”
“What?” Roshan felt her eyebrows rise.
“You have a bad headache.” Andreia waved her hand impatiently. “So look sick.”
Grinding her teeth again, Roshan wondered why Andreia couldn’t be the one who played sick. After another look from Andreia, she complied as they reached the head table where Chairman M’Ocresta sat with the M’Isitors.
“Chairman M’Ocresta, Dixmon, Mrs. M’Isitor, we need to leave early. We’re sorry and don’t want to insult the chairman.” Andreia spoke softly, with a worried look on her face as she glanced in Roshan’s direction.
Playing her part, Roshan sighed and made her breath tremble. “I apologize, ma’am,” she whispered and steadied herself against the table. “I know this is rude.”
“So this is why you two were clinging to each other?” Casta M’Isitor huffed. She was obviously displeased with their conduct.
“I thought she was going to faint, ma’am,” Andreia said, completely ignoring the sarcasm and acting as if Casta had merely stated a fact.
“Really.”
Roshan thought this was a perfect opportunity to end the discussion, so she bit her lip and made a gross sound, as if on the verge of throwing up. Casta looked at her with disgust written over her sharp features. “Sorry,” Roshan muttered and burped. “Something I ate earlier, I’m sure.” She reached out and leaned heavily against Andreia.
“Get her home,” Dixmon said hastily. “You’re obviously not feeling well, Ms. O’Landha. We’ll visit another time.”
“Thank you.” Roshan kept up the pretence until they were outside, away from the eyes and ears of the Onotharian leadership.
*
Andreia looked at Roshan with reluctant appreciation. “You’re quite an actress. I guess leading a double life for so long makes fooling others second nature.” She squeezed a sensor on a device in her pocket as she spoke, to call her driver.
“You sounded so subservient in there, talking to M’Ocresta and the M’Isitors. I almost forgot you were acting. Now,” she glanced sharply at Andreia, “what’s going on?”
“I’m wearing an earpiece. I always do.” Andreia motioned for Roshan to follow her down the wide palace steps to the courtyard. “I had a Code Omega.” It was the second most severe of the resistance alerts.
“It must be bad.”
“Not a lot of details yet, but it’s about our captured rebels. They’re moving them out, starting tonight.”
“What? That’s insane. The prisons can’t be ready yet—” Roshan interrupted herself, “unless they completed them before they attacked us. Damn! And that doesn’t give us much time. I’m still waiting for Kellen O’Dal’s response. I don’t know if the SC will help us.” Roshan’s eyes turned to ice blue slits, as they’d always done when she focused hard. “And if they do, and act immediately, it’ll take them a few weeks to arrive, at least.”
Andreia’s chauffeur pulled up. “We need to get out of here. You should contact what’s left of your cell. We don’t have time for another Boyoda transmission, so we’ll have to play the cards we have left.”
Roshan followed her to the hovercraft door as it hissed open. “I’ll head for the mountains within an hour. Contact me when you know more. I’ll be wearing my earpiece.”
“Okay.”
Roshan hesitated as if she meant to say something more.
“Yes?” Andreia prodded.
“Be careful.” The words came out slightly strangled, and the look on Roshan’s face did nothing to soften them.
“I will,” Andreia said. “And you too. I ca—we can’t afford to lose you.”
With a brisk nod, Roshan retreated. Andreia closed the door and leaned back in her seat. “The Government Building. I’m in a hurry.” The hovercraft rose and the driver eased into the emergency air corridor, above the allotted lanes. She had to get there quickly and think of a reason to examine official documents at this hour.
Her excuses grew thinner with every situation. Andreia closed her eyes tightly, feeling like she was living on borrowed time. Any action could be her last, if she was found out.
Chapter Nine
Kellen O’Dal stood at attention as her wife and commanding officer, Rae, strode along the lines of provisional officers. More than forty new officers in the Supreme Constellations Fleet had taken the last, and most advanced, course in protocols and regulations, and had also been successfully trained in combat. Now they were about to receive their additional insignias, as well as their assignments.
The levels of the training had been high from a civilian point of view, but for Kellen, they’d been easy
. Her trainer in combat skills had claimed that she should’ve trained him, instead, and she’d struggled only when it came to protocol and regulations. Some of the rules made no sense to her, and she felt they would only hamper a mission. Still, she had to get her clearance and the go-ahead from the Fleet, or she wouldn’t be able to participate in her homeworld’s liberation.
Rae now stopped in front of her, her blue-gray eyes shining with obvious pride. “Ensign Kellen O’Dal, you are hereby commissioned to lieutenant commander, and your assignment will be under the direct command of…Admiral Ewan Jacelon.”
Kellen opened her mouth, stunned, having expected to remain under Rae’s command as she had since she accepted the rank of ensign. “Ma’am,” she merely said and nodded, her hands strictly by her sides. “Thank you, ma’am.”
Rae pinned the insignia on her lapels. “Admiral Jacelon has generously agreed to loan you to my unit, so you will remain on Corma for now, awaiting your first mission.”
Relieved, but still mystified, Kellen smiled faintly. “Yes, ma’am.”
“Congratulations, Lieutenant Commander O’Dal.” Rae moved on to the woman next to Kellen.
Kellen wondered if Ewan had agreed to assign her to his unit instead of Rae’s, even if it was only on paper, to forestall any whispers of nepotism. She knew both the Jacelons were very by-the-book, and that they very rarely bent the rules. Rae had once told her that if you stuck to every little rule and protocol, and always kept your wits when it came to the minor things, you could occasionally get away with bending the big ones. Put that way, it made sense, though Kellen preferred the direct, timesaving approach.
Once the last soldiers had their insignias fastened to their lapels, Rae stepped back. “I am proud to see you all so eager to do your duty as we face war with the Onotharian Empire. They are formidable opponents, but the Supreme Constellations will prevail. We have something the Onotharians haven’t possessed in decades, if ever. They are a rigid and controlling race, and we in the SC, as a unification of planets, have learned to be more diverse, more humane. This, I’m certain, will be our strength and their downfall.”