Past Tense

by Viola Grace

  "Thanks. That will be a tremendous help." Her relief was palpable.

  "Excellent. Then off we go." Finder grinned at her and nodded happily. They had worked it out and now, they could forge forward as a unit.

  The family greeted them when they entered and the grieving widow escorted them to the room where her husband had died.

  Pete smiled kindly, "May I ask you some questions after we investigate the room?"

  She deliberately didn't call it a crime scene. It was this woman's home after all.

  "Yes, of course, Guardsman. Whatever you need. We are just so happy that someone is looking into it."

  She would have patted the widow on the shoulder, but Finder did it for her.

  As soon as the widow left them, the investigative team walked into the first crime scene.

  Past Tense moved forward with Midnight right behind her. "Finder, what is missing?"

  "There should be a perfume bottle, a small chest and a weird round thingy on that dresser over there." Finder pointed to the deep grey wood.

  Calsh cleared his throat and said. "Those items were requested by family members. At the time, there was no reason not to give them up."

  She was conscious of Calsh watching her with a worshipful gaze. He was depending on her for the answer of who killed this man. "What was his name?"

  "Urkei Nkalo. He was having a house party which included the governor when he dropped dead." Finder checked her data pad. "His wife found him, screamed and the room was immediately flooded with staff and guests."

  Frost was scenting the air and watching the doorway as if a ravening hoard was going to charge in. Finder looked at him, "What is it?"

  "Something in the air…"

  Past Tense let her fingertips drift over the top of the dresser. The image of the victim was clear. He removed jewellery from the box that Finder mentioned and caressed the weird round thingy. His thoughts were painted with lust as he fondled the object and the next moment she felt his pain rip through her.

  Gasping, she stumbled back into Midnight's arms. "What did you see?"

  Shaking, she clung to him as her mind processed the images she saw. "It wasn't natural causes. That is confirmed without a doubt. Definitely not natural."

  His hands smoothed her hair away from her face and she looked up at him in a daze. "Are you all right?"

  "Stabilizing. Still not one-hundred-percent fine."

  Finder came over and looked at her in concern. "What did you see?"

  "Search every file for the weird thing. It is some kind of potency icon that has the same sort of desired effect as the female with four arms. Are all the dead potential heirs men?" She caught Calsh with her gaze and he froze before he stammered an answer.

  "Of course. We only allow males to inherit, so all the deaths have been males."

  "Someone is preying on the men. The fertility sculpture isn't the problem. The base is the problem. It is psycho-reactive. When a man fondles it with sex on his mind, it paints him with a targeting signal. That is when the weapon strikes."

  Frost was still on alert. "Something isn't right."

  Finder tensed. "If he senses something, it usually means trouble. Calsh, we need to get back to our shuttle. Now."

  "Yes, Guardsman." He gave her a snappy salute.

  With Calsh in the lead, they left the house and passed the widow who was weeding her flower beds. Past Tense broke from her herd to talk to the tiny woman. "Who gave him the statue?"

  "The statue?" Her skin turned a hot fuchsia. "What do you mean?"

  "The small fertility figurine. Who gave it to him?" Desperate for the answer, she reached out and touched the woman to determine the answer.

  Searing images ran through Past Tense's mind and she stumbled free of the widow the moment before a blast shattered the turf in front of them. In an instant dark tendrils shot from behind her to coat the area with unrelieved black. Midnight fell around her.

  "Oh, now I get it. Midnight." Darkness surrounded her and the widow in a huge pool. Molten gold eyes appeared in front of her and she was lifted from the ground.

  It wasn't arms that lifted her from the ground, it was a huge claw. Dangling in that claw, she could feel the breeze turn into a harsh wind as enormous wings pounded and propelled them into the sky.

  Are you injured? A booming version of Harusk's voice sounded in her head.

  Um, no, I am fine. I am upside down but fine.

  I will drop the darkness shortly, after we are safely away.

  How large is it?

  Three kilometres.

  That's pretty big.

  Thank you for noticing.

  Her laughter was lost to the wind, but when the darkness around her faded, she lost her breath as well.

  She was in the grip of a real, live dragon. Glossy jet scales covered every inch of him. His brilliant gold eyes followed him in this form, the wicked snout culminating in a hard beak. His eye ridges were expressive, but he still managed a wink that had her smiling in response.

  It has been forever since I had a Mayden in my clutches.

  Keep flying and maintain the clutching. These winds are something else.

  Yes, isn't it wonderful?

  Not if I don't have nose slits designed for sucking in air at two hundred kilometres per hour.

  Good point, hold tight, you can draft me from a seat on my neck.

  She expected him to place her there. Her scream was lost to the wind as he threw her high into the air and he dropped beneath her to ease her landing. The robes happily formed a cushion under her when she landed, but the smooth scales of his body did not offer much comfort. He had a fine crest of hair on either side of ridges that became spikes on his tail.

  Are you settled?

  Did you have to toss me?

  Yes. My elbows don't bend to my back in this form, scoot yourself until you are comfortable.

  She grabbed hanks of hair and ignored his mental wince as she used her death grip to settle herself more comfortably.

  Lean forward, you will be able to breathe within a few inches of my neck. The crest can also act as a filter if you require it during any contaminated atmosphere.

  How obliging of it. She followed his directions and sighed happily as oxygen came more easily.

  A look over her shoulder showed Finder on a dragon of her own, his icy demeanour giving no doubt as to his identity. Their shuttle was on the ground and there was enough space next to it for the dragons to land.

  Their descent was sudden, the dragons dropping with their wings folded against their backs.

  Pete couldn't stop her scream as she lifted off his back with the force of their drop. She lost her grip and was kicked into the air, tumbling end over end until she was held fast in two strong arms.

  "I have you." His face was terribly masculine as his wings glided them to the ground in a silent slice through the air.

  "We are going to have a talk about you flying with me."

  "Really?"

  "Yes. You aren't going to do it anymore." She was panting and lightheaded.

  She must have looked as pale as she felt, because he stopped quipping and carried her into the shuttle, seating her at the table and pulling the tabs to heat her food. The self-heating rations were preparing themselves and he held a straw to her lips.

  "It's juice. Drink."

  She sipped, coughed and sipped again. The next hour consisted of her being fed like an infant on Harusk's lap as each of the packs of soups and stews heated. Her stomach seemed bottomless, but when she finally couldn't eat another bite, her feeder agreed to stop the attempts.

  "That was a lot." She was yawning uncontrollably. Finder and Frost were curled on one bunk, leaving the other one for them.

  "Now you need some rest."

  "Not with a full stomach. I might lose all of your good work." She grinned sleepily.

  He lifted her and took a few minutes settling them in a seated position. She was curled across his lap and his wings extended to either
side of them, curling around her protectively.

  "Did someone actually take a shot at me today?"

  "As far as we can determine, yes. What did you learn from the widow?"

  She yawned. "It's the governor's wife. She gave the icon to the widow and she showed it to her husband. They were going to sneak off for a tryst in the middle of their party, but he started without her."

  "What does the icon do?"

  "Some kind of fertility statuary. The widow wanted a child and her husband was…uninterested in that kind of activity. Based on the residue, it got his interest up all right. And then, kapow! His rod saw lightning."

  He chuckled and the sound reverberated through his chest. It was a sound that carried her into her soundest sleep in years.

  Chapter Seven

  She woke to the group talking over her head.

  Finder was saying, "Seriously?"

  Midnight rumbled above her, "According to the charming creature waking in my arms, yes. The governor's wife. She is the one handing over the icons."

  Past Tense rubbed her face and sat up a little more firmly in Midnight's arms. "I still don't know how they are being struck by the lightning. I know there are rooms with windows and that they are being painted with a signal. Is there anything there that can be helpful?"

  Finder grinned and turned to the computer. "That is the bit of information that I couldn't put together. The windows. It was the windows that I didn't take into consideration."

  They sat in silence until Past Tense fought her way free of Midnight to use the lavatory. By the time she finished her sonic shower and fixed her hair, the mystery had been solved.

  "Private suborbital craft. The men were painted with an ionic tracker and the moment that they passed a window with a clear shot, they were done for. When you touched the spot that the statues had been in, you picked up some of the ion trace. It made for easy targeting on you." Nodding with satisfaction, Finder contacted Captain Calsh.

  "Captain, we have located your assassins. It appears that the governor of your area and his wife have designs on the royal seat. Yes, Frost and Midnight will assist you in making the arrest." Finder was grinning and the men scowled, with a few more pleasantries, she disconnected the call.

  "He's just outside the shuttle, waiting. He isn't going to go after the governor without backup. You are aware of the situation and can confirm the arrest in front of the king."

  Frost growled, "Fine, but you two stay in the shuttle and keep the door sealed and the shields on. If they can track the ion trace to the shuttle with their targeting system, they can blast the hell out of the ship."

  "Yes, Mother." Finder gave him a kiss and turned him toward the door.

  "No kiss for me?" Midnight looked to Past Tense and she twisted her lips for a moment.

  Up on her toes, he moved his mouth toward her, but she pressed a kiss to his cheek. That light contact sent a shock of information through her and she stepped back. Her voice was hoarse, "That's all you get."

  He gave her a considering look. "It is enough. For now."

  The dark and light dragons left the shuttle, leaving a dutiful Finder to seal the hatch and put on the shields.

  "Do you think they will be okay?" Pete was fidgeting.

  "They will be fine. If you are too worried, contact Midnight with your mind." Finder set about making tea.

  "You know I can do that?"

  "Of course. When you were in the tank, I bet you heard singing in your mind."

  "Yup."

  "That was his mind synching to yours. Whether you are actively talking or not, you will always be in touch. If his mind can match yours, there is no going back really." She shrugged and put her feet up. "Wanna play cards?"

  Bemused, Pete held up her hands. "I can't without gloves. I would know what you dealt. I am also a cruddy dealer, because I know what the card is." She sighed. "Do you mind if I nap again?"

  "Be my guest. Get what rest you can. You have had a very productive day."

  Laughing, Pete rolled back into the bunk and tugged a blanket over her. The image of Midnight curled around her stayed in her mind as she let her body take what it needed.

  * * * *

  Calsh checked his firearm again and Midnight wanted to clench his fists. Instead, he was obligated to keep a calm and cool demeanour.

  "The governor's manor is dead ahead. He is home, his aide confirmed it." The captain was swallowing nervously.

  "Do you think he knows we are coming?"

  "If Finder's assessment was correct and they targeted Past Tense, then I have no doubt about it."

  Midnight clenched his fists in reflex before smoothing them. If she had not reeled in exhaustion, that bolt would have hit her squarely in the back of the skull. His instinct to cloak the area had been a moment too late.

  If the governor made one wrong move, the Sector Guard may be dealing with fatality paperwork. No one messed with his mate and didn't pay a price.

  The skimmer set down in a lavish courtyard. Frost nodded and they waited in the front garden for the governor and his wife to come out. If they had to, Frost would chill the entire house, but they were not going inside a home where they were not able to move freely.

  The height of the Finiar was more of a handicap than Midnight would have imagined.

  The governor came to the door, his wife beside him. "Members of the Sector Guard, how can we help you?"

  "You are under arrest for the attempted murder of a member of the Sector Guard and the murder of fifteen men in line for the throne."

  His wife smiled up at them, in a very earnest and doe-eyed manner. If Past Tense hadn't told him about their perverse sexual displays, he would have had more sympathy for the woman.

  "You gentlemen cannot be serious. What is there to tie us to these deaths?"

  Midnight nodded and one of the Finiar officers pulled out the scanner. "We are scanning for an ion trace."

  The moment he mentioned ions, the two tried to dart back into their home. Frost sealed all doors and windows on the main floor in seconds. Officers were intimidated, but they grabbed the governor and his wife and held them for the scan.

  Both spouses lit up from head to toe and not simply on the hands as someone who handled the icons would have.

  The two were cuffed and forced onto the skimmer. Midnight noticed that they were not patted down, but he just assumed it was not customary.

  As the skimmer lifted off, he felt a tingle on the back of his neck. With a snarl, he launched himself from the craft just as it got to the tree line.

  His wings worked hard to gain altitude as he shifted forms.

  Frost was wide eyed on the skimmer, looking at the hole in the floor plate where he had been standing. What happened?

  It was that damned ion beam. Mayden was hanging onto my crest. She must have rubbed the ion off.

  Why weren't the other two injured? They are covered in the stuff.

  My guess is that they have a remote that renders their signals inert while they are using it. Search them, would you? I am going after that ship.

  He assessed the trajectory and when he felt the tingle in his crest again, he swerved. Gotcha. He had it in his sights now and with his talent, he lashed out and wrapped it in darkness.

  It was a small, unmanned vehicle, but when he grabbed it in his jaws, it squeaked. The targeting system must have been going nuts, but his jaws kept it angled away from him. The heavy beats of his wings pounded through the air while he followed the skimmer to the royal demesne.

  This was the proof that Calsh needed to get the governor a guilty verdict, so he deliberately did not crush the technology to bits.

  Chortling, he followed the skimmer to the ground and landed as close to it as he dared. With Frost ready, he put the vehicle down and let the other dragon do his job. The weapon was encased in ice in an instant.

  The king of the Finiar came out to greet them. "Thank you, Guardsmen, for your assistance in finding the assassins."

  "Than
k also your Captain Calsh. He was instrumental in gathering the information that eventually led to the capture of those who were taking out the royal inheritors."

  Midnight did not change his shape, merely bowed his head in acknowledgement. Frost spoke for them all. "We have concerns about any residue that may be on objects they have passed among your people. This weapon has been brought down, but who knows what else could be lurking in your skies."

  "I had heard you have females on your team." The king blinked up at them with a lascivious gleam in his eyes. He was not listening to anything Frost said.

  "Yes. We do have females on our team. They are in the shuttle making the report to our base. Our partners are the brains of the operation and we do not take kindly to those who get between us and their safety." He was radiating hostility and the king connected the words partners and us.

  "I understand. Governor Maldiu will be given due process with your statements carrying great weight. The people of Finiar Twelve thank you most kindly for solving this case."

  Frost nodded. "You may want to remove that ion tracker. It could still cause havoc, even in its broken state."

  The king nodded.

  "Then our report will be filed with the Alliance and your government and we officially take our leave. Goodbye." He bent his knees and before the king or the captain could speak, he launched himself into the air.

  Midnight loved the surprised cries as he propelled himself upward, joining his brother dragon in midair and setting the course for the shuttlecraft.

  Do you think they will destroy that tracer?

  No. I think they will keep it and use it against their enemies. Midnight huffed in disgust. Have you spoken to any other Drai since you woke?

  Frost shrugged, his icy eyes blinking in memory. A few. They are not what they once were. There is a reason we were asked to sleep, but sometimes, in the darkest hours, I do wonder what a Drai woman in my bed would be like, then I look at my beloved Roxy and I kick my own ass.

  You are that much in love with your little Terran?

  I am. You are, too. Yours has you wrapped around her finger and she isn't even fit yet.