Moods, emotions, and the surface thoughts of either one was experienced by both. If mentally she went down a level or two that took a little effort, not much but she would have to concentrate rather than have the knowledge at her fingertips.
She explored the Link further, finding in him his feelings for her. Though he instantly laid them open to her she shied away from them, still not ready to face what he felt.
There was a barrier, an area walled off from her, and she backed off. This was fair because she, too, had such a barrier. With so much they could not hide from each other, they both needed somewhere they could have a semblance of privacy.
A shadow fell across her, pulling her back to the more mundane world.
“Good morning, Skai,” she said, draining her mug.
“Good morning. I thought we could have a chat,” he said, sitting down beside her. “I gather that you and your brother are both joining us.”
“It would appear so,” she said, remembering Garras’ warning.
“It’ll be nice having you around,” he said, smiling at her. “I expect that once their ship arrives, this crew will be recalled and we’ll be working with another group.”
“Probably,” she said. Then, pinning down what was bothering her, she asked, “Why are there no insects around, Skai?”
“Uh? Oh, Guynor tinkered with my bug screen, hooking it up to a power source and so on, but that was yesterday.” He frowned. “Look, I want to give you some good advice. It might be wiser if you spent a little less time with the Sholans when our mob arrives,” he said. “They don’t know you and they could get the wrong idea.”
“Wrong idea about what?”
“You spending so much time with the cats.”
“With them, Skai?”
“Okay. With their Telepath, then.”
“Kusac?”
“Yes, with Kusac,” he said sharply. “I’ve seen you two together, Carrie, seen the way he looks at you and touches you. It isn’t right. You shouldn’t encourage him. It’s not as if he’s even human!”
“Who are you to say what’s human and what’s not?” she asked angrily, getting up. “How dare you talk like that about us!”
As she turned to go into the pod, Skai caught at her arm. She pulled away and stepped through the hatch acutely aware of Kusac’s anger on her behalf but also of his resolution that this was something she must deal with herself.
Skai followed her and this time he did manage to catch her.
“Look, Carrie, Elise threw herself away on the Valtegans. I can’t stand back and let it happen to you, too,” he said, trying to sound reasonable.
“Kusac isn’t a Valtegan.”
“He’s an Alien, damnit! He’s not human! He’s not one of us!”
“Let go of me, Skai, or, so help me, I’ll hit you,” she said, her anger now coldly dangerous. “I’ll make up my own mind who I’ll have as a partner. What Kusac and I share is beyond the understanding of you and your grubby little mind.
“What Elise did was get vital information for sanctimonious bastards like you. She didn’t enjoy it, or maybe you didn’t realize that! I wonder how many men would have volunteered to work in the cities to get information if the Valtegans had been female. You sure as hell wouldn’t have. You’re not man enough to do the really dirty work!
“Now, let me go,” she said, pulling away from him again.
Anger suffused Skai’s face and as he drew his arm back, he found himself grabbed from behind. He swung round to face not Kusac, but Garras.
“I think not,” said the Captain, restraining him. He turned to where an enraged Kusac stood waiting by the hatch.
“Take your Leska outside while I have a word with our young Terran,” Garras said.
With a filthy look at Skai, Carrie walked past him to Kusac. He stood aside to let her pass, then followed her.
“Are you ...” he began.
“... all right?” She smiled briefly. “You know I am. Angry like you, but all right.”
“Will many of your people think like him?” he asked, tail and ears flicking.
“Probably. We Terrans have a lot of hate in us. Hatred for those with a different skin color, with a different religion—you name it, some of us will find a reason to hate it.
“Never mind, let’s talk about something else. Are you still busy?”
“No, we’re ready for your guerrillas.”
“That’s good,” she said, reclaiming her perch on the log. “Can you stay with me now?” she asked, looking steadily up at him.
“Yes,” he said, returning the gaze and knowing that she had finally crossed at least half of the gap between them.
It was not long after noon when they heard the faint sound of an approaching groundcar. Though they were well under cover, camouflaged blankets were draped over any equipment outside the pod to prevent the slightest glint of sunlight on metal and everyone huddled together under the overhanging branches of the tree.
“I hope it’s ours,” muttered Skai, still subdued after his talk with Garras.
“It better be,” growled Guynor. “We’re running out of time ourselves. We need to send that signal before the Valtegans access our crystal.”
“Kusac, check and see whether there are Valtegans or Terrans on board,” Garras ordered.
Kusac moved away from the others and squatted down, closing his eyes. After a few moments, he turned back to them.
“Terrans,” he replied. “Eight of them.”
They stepped into the open, beckoning to the vehicle as it sped above the surface of the swamp.
Carrie shivered, reaching out for Kusac. He put his arm around her and drew her to his side.
The craft cut its speed and lowered its skids, slewing to a halt in a spray of swamp water. The hatch opened and a figure in a drab green one-piece leaned into view, holding a rope. He took a long look at them before speaking.
“Haul us in to the shore, will you? We’ve got to get this baby under cover as soon as possible.”
Several hands caught the rope and hauled to with a will until they had the side of the craft near enough dry land for the first man to jump down.
“Well, if it isn’t Davies,” said Skai, grinning hugely as he stepped forward. “I told you it was a good excuse this time, didn’t I?”
Davies grunted and turned back to the craft. Another figure was emerging.
“Just help me secure this rope onto the bow end,” he said. “You’ve got plenty of time to crow. We’ve got work to do now.”
While Skai and Davies jumped onto the nose of the groundcar to secure their rope, the rest of the Terran crew began to emerge. One figure stood poised in the hatch for a few moments before jumping down.
“Richard!” exclaimed Carrie, breaking free of Kusac and running forward to greet her brother.
He held her close for a moment before releasing her.
“You’ve really flown the nest and met some strange companions, haven’t you?” he said, looking at Kusac.
“Richard,” she began.
He shook his head and held her close again. “I know,” he said quietly with one of his rare flashes of insight. “You don’t have to tell me. I shall miss you.” He let her go and went over to where Kusac stood.
“A bit different from our first meeting,” he remarked with a wry smile. “I should have guessed. We had most of the pieces of the jigsaw at hand and just couldn’t see the picture for looking.”
“You were dealing with a family tragedy at the time,” murmured Kusac. “Who else knows?”
“No one yet. Give it time. Word will travel, but by then you’ll both be safe on the Mothership, won’t you?”
“If not there, then with you.”
Richard nodded. “You look as if you’ve been in the wars already.” He indicated the bandage over Kusac’s shoulder.
“Some trouble on the way here. Nothing serious,” he said evasively.
Richard shrugged, accepting the other’s reticence. He se
arched Kusac’s face, looking for some human referent he couldn’t find. “Do I need to tell you ...”
“... to look after her? No. I know it’s not what you would like, but we didn’t have a lot of say in it either,” Kusac ended lamely.
Richard reached out and grasped his arm. “What I like doesn’t matter, it’s what she wants that counts. Tell me about it later,” he said, smiling again. “I think they need our help to pull this groundcar under cover.”
Eventually they had it hauled beneath the shelter of the tree and the overhanging blankets.
The need to conceal the vehicle had broken the ice, but with the immediate task out of the way, Carrie suddenly found herself flanked on one side by the Sholans and on the other by the guerrillas. Each side had its men grouped protectively around its Captain.
“Perhaps you’d like to introduce us to the Sholans, Carrie,” said Captain Skinner.
It was nearly like culture shock again, so used was she to Sholan company now. Almost panicking, she took a couple of involuntary steps backward.
“This is Captain Garras, his First Officer Guynor, Mito from Communications, Vanna from Medical, and Kusac, their Telepath,” she stammered, indicating them each in turn.
“I’m Captain Skinner. My people are Davies, Anders, Peterson, Hughes, Nelson, and Edwards. I know Kusac at least has met Richard Hamilton,” he said, indicating Carrie’s brother last.
“I do not like this,” muttered Guynor, his tail flicking in slow, wide arcs. “We are outnumbered and carrying inadequate firepower. You should have let us use the rifles.”
“I asked for heavily armed troops,” said Garras quietly.
“They have brought them. Having these advantages over us should make them feel less distrustful. Confirm, Kusac.”
Carrie had been aware of Kusac monitoring the thoughts of the Terrans from the first and now, mentally, she joined him, adding to his interpretation her reading of their current emotions.
She felt his start of surprise, then his professionalism took over again as he collated both their data.
“He’s picked well,” said Kusac. “All are guarded, curious, and ready for trouble should it happen. They view us with varying degrees of skepticism, but there is no hatred and they wish to cooperate. The woman recognizes Carrie,” he added, faintly surprised until he remembered the guerrilla Elise had been in contact with.
Garras nodded.
“If you back up any farther, cub, you will be in the swamp,” said Vanna in amusement, briefly touching Carrie on the shoulder to alert her.
Carrie glanced round, panic on her face and in her mind. Colonial life was looming too large before her once again.
She felt Kusac reach out and take her by the arm, drawing her over to where he stood at the edge of their group. The familiar contact reassured her, banishing the fear.
Straightening her back, she took a step forward. “Captain Garras wonders if you and your First Officer would like to look round our life pod,” she said.
Garras looked as surprised as Skinner, though the Terrans couldn’t tell.
“Yes, that would certainly be most interesting,” Skinner said, glancing at Carrie.
“The pod is too small for all your men to go in at once,” Carrie said apologetically, “but I’m sure they’ll get the chance to see it later. Mito, I know, is dying to see inside the Valtegan groundcar.”
“Um, yes. I expect she is. Anders, would you take the lady on a tour?” Captain Skinner asked.
Mito looked expectantly at Garras.
“Sure,” said Anders, swinging his rifle over his shoulder out of the way. “No problem.”
“Captain Skinner?” invited Garras, stepping away from his crew and waiting for the Terran.
The amenities over and the tableau broken by the departure of the two parties to the respective vehicles, everyone else began to relax.
Vanna was the first to move, ambling over to the Terrans to find out if there was a Medic among them.
Everyone was trying not to stare and yet still get a close look at the Aliens. Finding her opposite number in Hughes, Vanna encouraged him to be as frank as she was in their discussion. They, too, needed to trade information.
“Nicely done,” grinned Kusac.
“Well, someone had to do something,” she replied, equally pleased by the way the meeting had turned out.
“Your help in reading the Terrans was invaluable,” he said. “That was also well done.”
“Is that what you do when you’re working as a Telepath?” she asked, turning to walk with him to their sitting area outside the pod.
“That’s one of the ways that you and I will work together,” he agreed.
“Much more romantic than being a colonist,” she said, smiling up at him.
“Definitely,” he purred, squatting down beside her as she sat down.
They both looked up as the only woman with Skinner’s team came over to them.
She knew Elise, sent Carrie.
“Hi, I’m Jo, and you must be Carrie Hamilton,” the woman said, perching on the edge of an upright log.
Carrie took the proffered hand and shook it politely.
“I knew your sister,” she continued. “We worked together at Geshader.” Her face clouded. “It was a blow to us all when she was caught.”
Carrie nodded, not wanting to reopen that wound again. “Elise mentioned you. What brings you with Skinner?” she asked.
“I’m here primarily as a language expert. When they got the groundcar, they called me back from Geshader to monitor the Valtegan radio transmissions since I’d picked up a fair bit of the language. I was glad to leave Geshader, I can tell you.”
“Was it that bad?” asked Carrie.
Jo shot her a hard look. “You don’t want to know,” she said, her tone flat.
Carrie fell silent, at a loss to know what to say next.
“Say, we brought some coffee and food with us,” said Jo. “I expect you could do with a cup. I know I could.”
“Definitely one of the better Terran things we will have to import,” said Kusac.
Jo gave him a look of stunned surprise, then stuck out her hand. “Hello. I didn’t know you could speak English so well,” she said as Kusac’s furry hand enveloped hers. “I mean, I knew you could, I heard your Captain, but it just seems so strange to sit beside you and see you doing it,” she faltered as he let her hand go.
“I don’t mean to be rude, but ...”
“It’s all right,” said Kusac gently. “We all react to Aliens in different ways. I’m Kusac, the Sholan Telepath. I assure you I really do understand.”
“I’m sure I’ll get used to you, but it isn’t easy to ... relax ... in nonhuman company after the Valtegans. We’ll change, we have to. This is the turning point for us, after all.” She looked at him sharply. “We can trust you, can’t we?”
Kusac threw back his head and roared with laughter. “It’s a little late for you to ask, but, yes,” he chuckled.
“We’re primarily Traders, and our home planet has become quite cosmopolitan, thanks to the various business interests of the three species with whom we trade. You have nothing to fear from us.
“Why don’t you go and get your coffee. We’ll wait for you in the pod and have our own discussion to rival theirs,” he said, indicating the groundcar where Mito and the others—for several Terrans had joined her at the hatchway—were standing and talking.
Jo grinned, relieved. “I’ll be back in a minute.”
Carrie got up again as her brother came over.
“We’re having coffee courtesy of Jo,” she said. “Are you coming?”
“Try and stop me,” he said. “You’re the only way I’ll get a look inside that pod of yours. I come way down on the priority list.”
Vanna ambled over with Hughes.
“Did I hear the name of that drink you’ve been going on about?” she asked Kusac. “What are we waiting for?” She led the way.
Carrie hung
back, letting the others enter first.
“You really have been involved with Aliens before, haven’t you?”
“It was part of my training,” he said. “Alien Relations is something I would have been involved with anyway at some point in the future.”
He put an arm around her as they followed the rest. “Now you’ve experienced the difference between knowing up here,” he tapped his head, “and understanding in the heart. Soon it will all fit together, don’t worry.”
“There’s definitely more to you than meets the eye,” she said, slipping her arm around his waist. “Did you notice Skai is back with his own people?”
Kusac snorted. “If that one values his skin, he had best stay at a distance from you.”
“There’s no need to antagonize him, Kusac.”
“Me, antagonize him?” He raised an eye ridge at her.
“You know what I mean. He’s terrified of you already after what Garras said to him. He won’t bother me again.”
“You shouldn’t have been listening, Carrie. That was an invasion of his privacy,” he said seriously, looking down at her and frowning.
“I take it you don’t you want to know what he said, then?” she asked innocently as they stepped through the hatch.
“You imp! Yes, go on, tell me!” He grinned.
“Oh, nothing much. He just gave him a close look at his hands and explained that Senior Sholan Officers have the right to discipline their underlings if they break the Challenge code.”
Kusac began to chuckle softly.
“He also said Skai could consider himself lucky if he, Garras, got to him before you did,” she added, twisting out from under his arm and skipping over to the galley where Vanna stood.
“She’ll drive you mad, you know,” said Richard from behind him.
“Tell me about it,” Kusac said ruefully. “She’s a child and a woman rolled into one.”
Richard laughed. “I can see you already know her well.
“It’s very compact in here,” he continued, looking round the interior of the pod as they joined the others.
“Cramped,” corrected Kusac. “It’s meant for six not seven, and was never intended to be a major electronics workshop as well as emergency living quarters.”
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