“No, what?”
“No, you aren’t going to pose as a discontented city worker, and you aren’t going to try to be recruited by the Dailjan,” stated Jon.
It was eerie. An outsider would tell her that Jon was telepathic, too, but Dina knew it was just a rather common phenomena amongst partners. They often came to know each other so well they could anticipate what the other was about to say before they said it. Dina felt a swell of pride and pleasure that Jon was getting to know her that well.
“Why not? I have a distinct advantage over the other officers who tried it. And chances are they won’t suspect a woman.”
“It’s too dangerous. If a dens, or someone equally as powerful, is behind all the strange doings in the desert, your disguise won’t hold up for two seconds.”
“Even if it doesn’t, what’s the worst that could happen? He’ll deny me and tell me to reevaluate my life.”
“The worst is that he could kill you.”
“I don’t think he’ll do that.”
“No. Now forget it. We have lots of work to do yet.”
Dina was frustrated, but she knew Jon was right. They did have a lot to do. But she didn’t intend to forget her plan. “All right. What’s next?”
“Go over the information available on the dark outworlders that Chandhel mentioned, and study the maps for tomorrow. Khilioi made an eighth-hour appointment for us tomorrow, so we’ll have an early start. I don’t think either of us have had a good night’s sleep for a while, so knock off early and make sure you’re rested.”
Dina nodded her agreement. “What time should I be ready?”
“Let’s meet at the seventh hour, mark zero. It won’t take long to make the trip to the mine, but I want to make sure we have plenty of time.”
Dina nodded again, picked up her reports, and started for the connecting door.
“Dina.”
She stopped and turned back towards Jon.
“Good work on your first day,” he said quietly, giving her a wink.
Dina beamed. “Thanks.” Jon’s opinion of her meant more to her than anything, and she felt her exhaustion dissipate, as if she had been wearing a heavy cape on her shoulders that had just been lifted off by invisible hands.
Back in her own room, she instructed her computer to link with that of Justitia, which was still docked at the Aeternan port. She then downloaded information on the mantis, dens, shapeshifters, and cannibals to the room computer. She requested the mantis file first, and at her command, the room dimmed, the computer projected three dimensional images, and the computer voice recited the basic information Dina had requested.
Dina learned that the mantis originated largely in the Cyg Etesia system, but now came from various worlds. Many of the mantis claimed to be “true” by virtue of actual divine intervention. Those claiming to be “true mantis” often repudiated others of their kind as being false and using trickery, guesswork, and mind-altering drugs as substitutions for divine inspiration. True divine inspiration was a difficult thing to prove, and even those forsaken as “false” were often able to cultivate large followings. The “divine” messages of the mantis varied, but most embraced a simple, austere lifestyle, stressing spirituality and downplaying, though not totally abandoning, technology.
An idea started to formulate in Dina’s mind as she listened to the dissertation. Trickery. She thought about the dens. No, she thought, she should stick to the facts. But the idea wouldn’t go away. A dens who could use his powers on an unsuspecting group of people, picking up their thoughts and feelings, then relaying that information to a mantis. Even a false mantis could easily appear to be truly prophetic. It was definitely a possibility. An unscrupulous mantis in league with an unscrupulous dens. Perhaps Xuche had been in league with a partner and had been forcibly ousted when the partnership went bad. The various possibilities continued to spring forward, one after another, and Dina gave them free rein. Perhaps Xuche had resented being a “puppet” figure. Perhaps another mantis had ousted him. Then a new idea formed.
This “leader” was clever and seemed to know every step the AEA makes. Perhaps he was a former AEA officer. Dina made a note to check with Commander Katzfiel to see if any former members had resigned or been terminated.
Dina took a short break, ordered a hot mocava, and dutifully viewed the files on shapeshifters and cannibals next. Though interesting, there seemed little chance either could be involved in the murders. Shapeshifters primarily used their ability for personal survival and were not known for hiring their talents out. The cannibals of Onipherus were an extremely primitive people, very fierce, who fed from the dead bodies of their enemies. If not for the fact that the autopsy reports revealed the bodies of the victims to be intact, Dina might have believed an Onipheran to be the killer. But she doubted that one could kill and then resist feeding on the body.
She had purposely saved the file on the dens for last, not especially wanting to view images she knew would upset her. She opted to take another break first to clear her head and peered out the small window of her room. Confined to the ship for so long, Dina craved fresh air. She looked at the time, then glanced out the window again. The sun had dipped toward the horizon and sat balanced on the roof of the building to her west, throwing spikes of light upward and outward like a blazing crown of thorns. The temperature would be comfortable, but she picked up a light jacket just in case and knocked softly on Jon’s door.
He opened the door right away, dressed in the same clothes he’d been wearing before. Dina noticed that Jon’s eyes once again had the weary look they’d had the night before, and thick strands of hair hung down over his forehead.
“Hi, partner.”
Dina couldn’t help smiling. “I’m still working, but I need some fresh air. I thought I’d go outside for a walk around the compound. I figured I’d better let you know, or hopefully, that you’d want to join me.”
“You sold me. Come on in.”
Jon’s computer was on, and there were maps and files covering the table and a good portion of the floor. There was a half-eaten piece of fruit bread and a steaming cup of mocava on the corner of the table. Jon instructed his computer to mark his place in his file and to close it. He then picked up a jacket and followed Dina out the door. Moments later they were outside the Visitor Center.
The Exodan sun had slid further still, so that it was secreted behind the larger buildings. They ambled westward, the flashing rays playing hide-and-seek as Dina and Jon wove their way past the jewels of Aeternus.
She took a deep breath and looked around, seeing a number of people making their way from building to building. Not unlike any other city, she thought. People were walking, a few riding in huggers or skimmers, as they moved from the food court to their quarters, or from their quarters to the recreation hall, or from their place of business to their place of rest. Some were talking, laughing in pairs or groups. Some were alone. Some were strolling, as if they were lovers who had a forever, and some hurried, as if time was their biggest enemy.
Somewhere out there, somewhere, is the real enemy, she thought. A killer . . . Dina shivered as the temperature began to drop noticeably. She put her jacket on.
“Jon, let’s walk over to the recreation hall. It’s nearby, and we don’t have to stay, just take a peek inside to see what it’s like.”
“Dina, this isn’t a vacation. We still have a lot of work to do.”
“I know. But it’ll only take a few minutes. And it will be a help to us if we get to know the city and the people a little.”
Jon gave her a look that said she had won this battle, but to be careful.
They picked up their pace and soon beheld the Crown. A round, two-story building, it sat perched not far from the Ghe Wespero, its crenulated roofline adorned with an overabundance of white lights. A giant glittering tiara, it drew patro
ns like a magnet, and a narrow stream of people, many of whom seemed happy and animated, were already being sucked inside. Jon and Dina joined the throng, and in five minutes passed through the large double doors.
A large entrance hall fed the crowd to the various establishments within. To the left, skirting the outer edge of the building, was the Mocava Cave. A glance inside showed cozy seating areas for drinks and conversation. To the right was the Opaline Oasis, a beautifully decorated sun room for reading or contemplation. Between the two, leading deep into the windowless center of the building, was the Furnace. A thick double-paned black glass door covered with dancing neon flames beckoned patrons to enter. Most of the people making their way to the Crown at this time headed straight for the Furnace, and every time the door opened, Dina could hear music and laughter.
Dina pulled Jon towards the Opaline Oasis instead and, once inside the quiet room, her gaze quickly fell on a couple seated on a cushioned bench next to a decorative water fountain. The man hunched over the woman, stiff as a fortress, his arm and bent head ensconcing her from the world. The woman’s head was lowered as well, her curtain of hair hiding her features. Dina watched the woman’s fingers pluck at the hem of her shirt.
The man spoke in low tones, and the woman’s head bobbed gently, her hair rippling with the movement. Her fingers moved faster, the hands telling a story no one else could hear.
Dina couldn’t pick up their voices, and, not wanting to intrude, did not tune her mind to them. But suddenly the man squeezed the woman’s arm, she threw her head back, and the toss of her hair revealed a smile brimming with hope and joy.
The corners of Dina’s mouth lifted in response, and she glanced up at Jon’s face. His eyes weren’t on the couple, but were scanning the room methodically like a security camera. Dina’s mouth flattened with the reminder of who she was.
Jon caught her eye, and his voice was soft as he spoke. “Come on, let’s head back. Our work for tonight isn’t done yet.”
Dina only nodded and reflected once more, as she had many times in the past, on the strangeness of her job. She worked all hours, and when the average person’s work day was done, hers was often just beginning. There were no holidays and no relatives nearby. Danger was a constant. Unpleasant conditions were a given. And her only friend was her partner.
Dina wondered for a moment why she couldn’t be like the woman on the bench, or the many like her. If she were someone else, perhaps she would be here with Jon as her lover, his arm protectively around her, his head bent to hers so he could brush her silky hair with his lips. They would have come here to be alone, to savor each other’s company, perhaps to make plans for the future.
But as she headed back to the Visitor Center with Jon, the moment passed. Dina was different. She had always been different. And her career was a conscious choice she had made. Jon seemed to sense her mood, and they walked back to the Center in silence.
Was it possible that Jon had the same feelings she did? Surely he too craved the closeness only a lover could provide. If only he would think of her as more than just a partner.
She paused outside the Visitor Center, and Jon stopped beside her. She knew he was impatient to get back to work, but the western sky wouldn’t let her go. The last rays of light reflected fire off the glass on the west sides of buildings, while the eastern sides were already shrouded in shadow. The sun was just sinking below the edge of the world, a final bead of orange there, then gone. The sky was snaked with shades of crimson, purple, and blue smoke.
The street was quiet, and Dina stood silently, feeling a part of a worship service. As she watched, the colors of the sky shifted, deepening, until only a glow above the horizon gave evidence of the vanishing day. A chill shiver skated down her spine.
Once inside, Jon and Dina paused outside her door. Dina searched the depths of the beautiful green eyes, but saw only kindness, perhaps affection, and she wished again for what was not. Did an absence of passion in his eyes mean he felt none? Or just that he hid it well?
“Be ready at seventh hour, equipped and dressed for the desert. And get some sleep,” he said.
Dina nodded. “Thanks for taking the walk with me.”
“You’re my partner.”
Dina smiled and felt a little better. Inside her room, she took a long drink of water, cleared her mind of thoughts of Jon, and ran the computer file on the dens. There wasn’t much she didn’t already know. Their laws were strict, but many dens were nevertheless destroyed by those more powerful than themselves. They were banned from numerous worlds, but many found work as mercenaries on other worlds in spite of the bans.
When she had first become aware of her ability, she had read, viewed, and listened to every piece of material she could find on the Deorcans. At first she had hoped to feel a kinship with others who had abilities similar to her own, but she soon discovered the Dark Star dens were a ruthless and hated people.
When Dina was still a child, the other children in her neighborhood, upon learning of her ability, had taunted her, excluded her from their group activities, and sometimes even hurt her. Dina’s father was forced to move his family on more than one occasion. As Dina grew older, she had learned to fiercely guard the secret of her ability, the loneliness and isolation far preferable to the pain.
Even as an adult, Dina had been reluctant to form relationships, fearful that her secret would become known, and she would once again be the object of hate. There had been few boyfriends, and only one lover. The relationship had come to a disastrous end when Dina admitted the existence of her ability to him. Dina had applied for the Bureau as soon as she had been old enough and had immersed herself in her work.
But the worst had been yet to come. It was only a year ago that disaster had randomly struck her life like a lightning bolt. A lightning bolt in the form of a dens from Deorcas Tron. A killer dens. If Jon had known there was a possibility of dens on the small colony of Exodus, would he have brought her on this assignment? Did Jon even know how strongly she felt about the dens? Dina knew he was well aware of what had happened to her that night a year ago, but they had never talked about it.
He had simply accepted her from the first time they had met and hadn’t questioned her feelings or discussed his. He was a private man, but up-front with his friends and co-workers. What you saw with Jon was pretty much what you got. Unless you were a suspect, and then you got the famous Rzije act, complete with dimples, charm, and crinkles around his eyes that convinced you he was your best friend.
Yes, Jon knew about her ability and accepted her nonetheless.
Enough, thought Dina, wearily instructing the computer to exit the dens files.
She quickly programmed the following morning’s wake-up time and breakfast selection, then took a warm shower and lay down on the bed. Now she was sorry she had saved the dens file for last. As she closed her eyes, she prayed that the computer images of the dens wouldn’t take residence in her dreams. She needn’t have worried.
She was in the shadow world again, alone in a hall of mirrors. Her reflection flashed back at her from every angle, and she spun around and around, sensing no escape. Then she stopped spinning, and one by one, the reflections began to melt and reform. Instead of herself, she saw strangers in the mirrors. They were shadowed, and the more she strained to see their features, the more indistinct they became. All of them beckoned to her, each more insistently in their turn. The first merely stood, waiting for her, while the second called to her in a voice without words. The third reached out his arm to her, and she shrank back, confused. She turned again to the first and tried to call to him, but he gave no answer, and she found herself spinning once more, faster and faster, until the images blurred into one . . .
Four
The Kels
“WAKE UP, MONDINA. The time is the sixth hour, mark zero. Mondina, it is time to wake up . . .” announced the computer vo
ice. Dina awoke with a start, the mirrors having shattered as the computer announced the time.
Another disturbing dream. The man in this dream, however, had been faceless. She couldn’t even tell if there had been three different men in the mirror, or if it been one man and mere reflections of him. Was it the stranger from her first dream? Dina had tried not to think too much about the erotic eagle-man, but he persisted in invading her mind, as did the man from the marketplace. Were they indeed one and the same? Had the vision in the marketplace simply been another dream?
As she got out of bed and bathed the sweat from her body, she focused on evicting the troublesome images from her mind. She had slept longer than the previous night, but it didn’t seem to be enough, especially given the manner in which she had awakened. However, this would be their first foray into the desert, and that thought alone spurred Dina to dress with enthusiasm, putting on a cropped undershirt, a rose beige weather suit, and lightweight, knee-high boots. She pulled her hair to the nape of her neck and fastened it with a small gold clip.
She checked her equipment, grabbed a vest and hood from the cooler, and knocked at Jon’s door. As she did, she could feel her heart racing as always when she was near him. He answered promptly, looking well-rested and refreshed. His just-washed hair was still damp, and his clear green eyes fairly sparkled.
“Good morning. All set?” he asked.
Dina nodded, and smiled as she noted the rare absence of the cup of mocava in his hand. Jon was indeed ready. “I see you are, too. Let’s go.”
Equipment in hand, they descended to the storage bay and thoroughly checked their two skimmers. Satisfied that food, water, first aid supplies, rez guns, blankets, and recorders were all present and in good repair in the storage compartments, they set their trail finders for the Dheru Kel. Exiting the bay doors, they kept their speed in check through the city until they arrived at the Ghe Wespero, where the mercari were well into their brisk morning business. Loud shouts vied with singsong proclamations as merchants competed for customers.
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