Part 17 (1/2)

She related the series of events, beginning with her father's illness, which led to her temporary command of McClure s.h.i.+pping, up until J'Qhir heard the Starfire land. She omitted J'Qhir's attempt at the Zi failure ritual and their intimacy. ”It took some adjusting, but water and food were plentiful. I think we would have survived, barring a fatal illness or accident, especially when we moved to warmer climes nearer the equator in the spring. Now, how did you three get together?”

”I think Corru ought to begin the story.” Drew motioned to Corru. Feathers ruffling, the Paxian declined with a tilt of his head. Corru was, Leith observed, a quiet being although she didn't know if this was a trait of the Paxians in general or Corru in particular. He had said little at their initial meeting, other than to keep the partic.i.p.ants focused.

”As I understand it,” Drew began, ”when Corru left you outside the tavern on Arreis, he was followed and attacked in an alley.”

”Were they human?” Leith interrupted, directing her question to Corru.

”Yes,” he confirmed.

”Steve set it up,” Leith explained. ”Just before we left the tavern, he stopped short and I ran into him. He nodded toward a group of humans sitting at a table in the far corner.”

”We thought as much. Anyway, they meant to leave him for dead, but the Paxians are tougher than they look. Shortly afterward, he was found and security rushed him to a med unit. Unfortunately, he was in a coma until a few weeks ago. By the time he regained consciousness, the story of the Warrior's and your disappearance was old news. It was several days before he learned what had happened. Corru knows the Warrior well and didn't believe the story Steve had concocted, even though almost everyone else in the galaxy did. He returned to Arreis to start his own investigation. That's where he met Lieutenant Rohm'dh.”

Everyone turned to the smaller Zi. His saurian eyes blinked rapidly at the sudden attention. ”Beg forgivenesss, mine Terran Ssstandard isss not well. Continue?”

Leith s.h.i.+vered inwardly. It was strange to hear the sibilant speech coming from someone other than J 'Qhir.

Drew shrugged and continued. ”Rohm'dh refused to believe the Warrior would disgrace his position or his people by denouncing his government, kidnapping a human, or any of the other things Steve made it look like he'd done. At the risk to his own position within the Zi force, and if I understand correctly, much greater risk to his clan's position in Zi society, he made enough noise that the Council authorized him to investigate what happened on Arreis.”

”Elder M'Bat'h give authorize,” Rohm'dh clarified.

Leith noticed how J'Qhir's eyes widened as if he were surprised M'Bat'h, the Elder who had been his father-in-law and always opposed him, would care if he were found and the truth known. Leith wanted to point out that M'Bat'h might not like him, might even hold him accountable for T'hirz's death in some irrational way as J'Qhir believed, but M'Bat'h also knew J'Qhir and knew he'd never do anything dishonorable.

”Corru and Rohm'dh ran into one another on Arreis and compared notes. Still, they had no proof, only speculation. They would have gone to Cameron, but Corru knew of his illness, so they had to settle for me.”

”Drew!”

He laughed and chucked her chin. ”Cameron had his suspicions all along. Truth to tell, so did I. Although neither of us really suspected Steve. If we had, I might have checked the encoded log of the Catherine McClure sooner.”

”Surely, Steve had the foresight to change the log.” Leith shook her head. ”He's crazy, but he's not stupid.”

”No, Steve isn't stupid, but he is farking crazy if he ever thought this scheme would work. Too many variables, like Corru surviving the attack and Rohm'dh's faith in the Warrior and a nice feature of the latest stars.h.i.+ps. I don't know if he never knew about it or forgot about it or a.s.sumed his plan was so brilliant no one would ever doubt him. The primary log is the normal log every s.h.i.+p has. It can be easily altered if one knows how. But the newest s.h.i.+ps have an auxiliary log. The encryption code is virtually impossible to break. Most encryptions are broken within days of release to the public. This has been on the market six standard months and no one has broken it yet.”

Leith shook her head. ”Steve stays on top of new developments. We were supposed to take one of the older s.h.i.+ps, but there was a mix-up and it was leased out the morning before we left. Steve was furious. He tried to recall several of the older s.h.i.+ps, but none of them could be returned in time. The Catherine McClure was the only one available large enough to hold the cargo. If he already had his plans in place and contacted the Crucians, he had to take the chance.”

”Well, it was one of several mistakes he made and the most damaging. Everything else was pure conjecture, but this was concrete proof against him. The log clearly indicated the trip to Paradise when he said he'd left Arreis only after he'd been given clearance and returned straight to Earth. We decided he had to have left you two on that planet.”

Drew went on to detail their trip to Paradise, but Leith stopped listening. The food she had eaten had tasted wonderful, but it didn't seem to be settling well on her stomach and threatened to come back up. She tried to draw in deep, even breaths, and after a few moments the nausea pa.s.sed.

Corru had wrapped himself in his voluminous wings and appeared to be meditating. Drew, J'Qhir, and Rohm'dh had gravitated toward the bridge consoles. Drew happily explained the meanings of all the b.u.t.tons, dials, and lights while J'Qhir and Rohm'dh listened intently. Leith drew near them and watched a while.

She was all too aware of J'Qhir, how close she was to him in the confining quarters, yet how far away she was in that she could not touch him or speak to him the way she wanted. When J'Qhir never once looked her way, she sighed softly, and started to walk away. At her movement, J'Qhir turned toward her. His amber eyes blinked once, but otherwise his expression did not change as he returned his attention to Drew.

Leith calmly walked away from them, but inside she was inconsolable. She maintained a steady pace until she reached the bunks. With careful, deliberate movements, she climbed the ladder and lowered the bunk at the top of the tier of three. After crawling onto the mattress, she pulled the curtain for a modic.u.m of privacy.

She didn't give in to the hollow sobs that threatened to shake her body, but tears filled her eyes and overflowed. She wiped them away as quickly as they fell, dampening her fingers and the thin pillow beneath her head.

Another wave of nausea rippled through her, as if her stomach rebelled against the food she'd eaten. She decided it was the sudden change in diet as well as emotional stress. She swallowed hard and closed her eyes, waiting for the ill feeling to go away.

Leith slept and a couple of hours later when Drew woke her the nausea had gone. Her eyes felt swollen and grainy, and Drew asked her how she was feeling.

”I'm fine,” she a.s.sured him. ”Have the calls gone through yet?”

He shook his head. ”If it takes much longer, we'l have you back on Earth and you can tell your parents in person that you're alive before the call ever gets through to them.”

”How long before we reach Arreis?” Leith asked as she descended the ladder. As she stepped off the last rung, a mild wave of nausea hit her. Drew had his back to her and couldn't see her. She clung to the ladder and closed her eyes until it pa.s.sed.

”Another eight standard hours. The Starfire could make it in less time, but I'd rather not push her. Nothing beats a Rover in short bursts, but it's better to keep her at a moderate speed over long distances.”

Leith nodded and followed Drew toward the bridge. J'Qhir and Rohm'dh were still studying the control panels. Corru hadn't moved from his meditation. Leith sat and pulled a viewer into place. With nothing else to do, she could catch up on news of the past two months. The s.h.i.+p's library would have past news accounts in its backlog. Perhaps later they all could watch a vid together.

She had viewed several weeks' worth of news when J'Qhir called out, ”Captain Garrissson.”

Leith looked up from the viewer and warmed at the sound of his voice. She wished she could sit with him, as they had atop the hill, watching the starscape slip by on the large viewer above the control consoles. Her body ached for some physical touch from him and the closeness they couldn't demonstrate in front of Rohm'dh. If only he wasn't here. But if not for Rohm'dh, Drew might very well have put off Corru or ignored his own concern. She couldn't wish Rohm'dh hadn't become involved, but she could wish that Drew had brought a larger s.h.i.+p.

”It's another s.h.i.+p, Stellar cla.s.s. According to the I.D. imprint, the s.h.i.+p is the Brimstone. It's within hailing distance,” Drew commented as he examined the readouts. ”I'l contact them and see if they've managed to get a call through on LinkNet.”

Drew punched b.u.t.tons on the comm panel and spoke clearly, identifying himself and the Starfire. He waited a few moments and when no response came, repeated the hail.

Starfire and Brimstone...a s.h.i.+ver ran up her spine at the ominous connotation.

Finally, communication opened between the two s.h.i.+ps and Drew punched one more b.u.t.ton. The large viewer flickered, went black, then a face appeared onscreen.

J'Qhir was the first to react. ”Hanc.o.c.k!”

Chapter 12.

Leith froze as the life-sized image of Steve Hanc.o.c.k fuzzed then cleared to crystal sharp resolution. She felt as if he were actually present on the Rover, once again looming over her, demanding her complete attention. She pushed the small viewer out of her way and started to rise, but she realized there was nowhere to run as well as no reason. He was aboard the other s.h.i.+p, not the Starfire.

She held her breath and tried to steady her nerves as Steve looked at each of them in turn. His gaze rested on Drew.

”Well, Captain Garrison, you managed to find them. Maybe you're not the dorgian pilot I've always said you were.” His dark eyes lit on Corru, who had unfurled his wings and stood. ”The Paxian is still alive, I see. Tsk, tsk. I knew I should have taken care of you personally.”

Drew scowled. ”Give it up, Steve. As you can see, it didn't work. I've already contacted the GPs- ”

”I don't think so, Captain. LinkNet is still jammed in this sector because of a blown transmitter. They don't expect it to be up and running for another twelve standard hours. Don't try to bluff, Drew. You're no good at it. Remember who always won at Martian poker.”

Drew's face flushed red. ”We always suspected you cheated, Steve, but no one could ever prove it.”

Steve laughed. ”Sure, blame me for your lack of skill. Ah, Leith...” He turned his eyes on her and the humor left them. ”Sorry your vacation was cut short. Did you enjoy yourself?”

Even though she was separated from J'Qhir by several meters, she sensed him tense as Steve addressed her. Before Leith could frame a suitable caustic reply, J'Qhir spoke, drawing Steve's attention away from her.

”Your plan ha.s.ss failed, Hanc.o.c.k.”

Steve cut his eyes to J'Qhir, then to the smaller Zi, and back again to J'Qhir. ”Two Reps with one stroke. I consider this my lucky day.”