fortuneswheel (20 page)

* * *

Jakule had finished his cone and would dearly have liked another, but even with his increased confidence he couldn't face another bout of Kheszi's brand of humiliation. All these males, they treated him as if he was nobody. One day, he'd show them, just wait, they'd see! Who was it he wanted to see? Chyad, that was it. Bastard, coming into his room and threatening him like that! Who'd he think he was anyway? Just some jumped-up greasy mechanic, that was all. He, Jakule, was one of the ground troops. They risked their lives while people like him sat safely in their little metal shuttles flying backward and forward, safe from the enemy on the ground.
It was about time someone showed Chyad what it was really like, and he was going to be the one to do it! Palming his gun out of the inside pocket, he pushed it into one of the large side ones. Now it was within easy reach. He staggered slightly as he got to his feet, and holding onto the tables he passed, he made for the door.
"What did you give him, Tayn?" asked Kheszi, watching him leave.
"A special," grinned Tayn. "Cut with that moss extract."
Kheszi turned back to look at him, snarling in anger. "You bloody idiot!" he said, landing him a vicious blow across the side of his head. "That stuff doesn't mix with alcohol, and he's been drinking! Follow him, make sure he doesn't get into trouble. Get him to his quarters if you can. Keep him there any way you want. Knock him out if you have to. A couple of hours should do it. Now get!"
Blinking back the tears of pain that sprang to his eyes, Tayn headed after Jakule.
He could see him heading down the concourse. He was moving fast for someone who had been staggering when he got up.

* * *

Chyad knew through his grapevine that Jakule was on the loose. He also knew where to find him. That little bugger was getting to be more of a problem than he was worth, he thought grimly as he made his way down the concourse toward the smoke bar. Him and his bloody habit! They should clean up that area, get rid of the illegal substances. A person could get enough out of the drinks and the legal smoke without wanting more. It had no place onboard.

* * *

As they came out of the elevator, Carrie saw Vanna and Garras sitting on a bench waiting for them.
Still there,
she sent as Kusac put his arm across her shoulders. She waved, attracting their attention.
"Do you mind if we go shopping first?" asked Carrie. "I'd like to get some clothes of my own," she said. "Rhian has very kindly loaned me some, but I'd like some that fit me."
"Not a problem," said Vanna, "so long as we've eaten in time to go to my lab. We have an appointment there."

* * *

Jakule stopped. There was Chyad, right in front of him. He'd show the bastard! It would be the last time he talked to him or anyone else like that! He pulled the gun from his pocket, raised it up and pointed it at Chyad, then froze. It was the Terran female and her Leska.
From behind Tayn saw him stop, saw the flash of metal that was the gun. Gods, he was going to use it! He started to run, knowing there wasn't time, that he was too far away!

* * *

Time slowed in that inevitable way it has when something is about to happen. Carrie had experienced it before. She watched as the Sholan moved fractionally, realigning his gun on them. Around her she heard loud shouts, but the words were too slow to make sense. With peripheral vision she saw figures moving toward them, running toward the gunman. She knew they wouldn't be in time. Even thoughts were too slow now.
She leaned against Kusac, trying to push him and herself out of the line of fire, but he was too heavy. She was trapped like a butterfly on a board, waiting for the pin to descend.
Light lanced toward them. Almost at the same moment off to one side she saw a second Sholan release a shot, hitting their attacker, sending him crashing to the ground. Helplessly she watched the light accelerate toward her, then it hit, knocking her backward to land in a heap on the ground.
From nowhere, people appeared, descending on the fallen body of Jakule and around Carrie and Kusac, forming a living barrier between them and any further assailants.
She lay there stunned, looking up at the ceiling above, then Kusac and Vanna were by her side.
"She's all right," said Vanna, clamping her hand over the wound on her arm. "Just call Medical. I'll see to her."
Are you all right?
demanded Kusac, kneeling beside her.
I can't sense any pain.
It doesn't hurt.
She was aware of being surrounded by people on every side. It was difficult to breathe, she felt claustrophobic.
Kusac got to his feet and started pushing them back. "Get back! You're causing more harm than good," he said. "We need room!"
He knelt down again, suddenly feeling an agonizing pain in his right arm. His head began to swim, then he felt her black out.
"I think the pain's just hit her," said Vanna.
"I know," said Kusac, his voice tight.
"You, too? Shit! Hang in there and try to block it. She can't feel anything for the present. Where the hell's the onduty medic team? They shouldn't take this long."
"You hold her arm, I'll carry her," said Kusac, reaching down to pick her up.
"I don't want her moved, Kusac," said Vanna, but he ignored her.

* * *

Chyad stood rooted to the spot for several seconds, hardly able to take in what had happened. As Jakule fell, he saw Tayn standing beyond. The other skidded to a stop, staring at him with wide eyes, then turned tail and ran in the opposite direction.
Jakule had been coming for him, Chyad realized with a shock. He began to growl low in his throat. That damned smoke bar! What the hell had they given him? He'd blown everything now, the stupid son of a she-jegget! Then he saw the security people moving. Where the hell had they all come from? His blood ran cold as he realized the extent of the unseen protection that surrounded the Terran female and her Leska. His people had picked up none of it. They were all amateurs compared with this.
Turning, he headed back the way he'd come. Maybe it was just as well the runt had flipped like that. Now he knew the full extent of what they were taking on. At least no one could tie this to him and his friends.
The klaxon had brought everyone out into the concourse, and a hand grabbed at him as he pushed through the crowd.
"Chyad! Wait!"
It was Maikoe. He pulled free, slowing slightly to let her catch up with him.
"What happened? Why's the alarm going off?" she demanded.
"Jakule shot the Terran female. The energy flare set off the alarm."
"Hey, stop a minute," she said, hauling on his arm. "Jakule shot her?" she asked incredulously. "Why would he do a stupid thing like that?"
"He wasn't after her, he was after me," said Chyad. "The Terran just happened to come into his line of sight and he changed his mind."
"Gods, you were lucky! What about the Terran? Is she dead? What happened to Jakule?"
"I don't know, I couldn't see for the security people around her." He stopped and grabbed her, pulling her back against a store front.
"You should have seen them, Maikoe! There must have been upward of half a dozen of them rushing forward!" He shook his head, beginning to realize just how narrow an escape he'd had, not only from Jakule but from Security. "Jakule's dead. One of the guards took him out."
"At least he can't tell them anything," said Maikoe. "What the hell did you do to him to make him come after you with a gun?"
"He was watching their corridor when they moved into their new quarters. Myak saw him. I told him to stay out of sight."
"Are you sure Myak saw him?"
"Positive!" growled Chyad, pulling away from her. "I'm getting out of here. If you've any sense, you'll do the same. I'll contact you when things have calmed down. Tell the others to do the same."

* * *

The emergency team arrived back at her lab five minutes after they did. The comments Vanna threw at them over her shoulder as she worked were brief and to the point.
"Where the hell were you? An emergency team shouldn't take fifteen minutes to reach their patient! By then they're likely dead! I'm ordering drills for all of you as of tomorrow morning at eighth hour. See you're here on time. If you don't improve, I'll have your rank reversed to ward orderlies! Now get out of here!"
She glanced up at Kusac, her tail still swaying from side to side in anger. "You're in my way, too," she said abruptly.
"I'm not leaving," he said from his position by Carrie's head.
"It's not serious, Kusac. Just a flesh wound. There's no need for you to stay. Go and join Garras outside."
He ignored her, staying where he was.
"Don't you trust me?" she asked as she finished wrapping a dressing over the wound.
"Don't be ridiculous," he said.
"She's staying here overnight so that I can monitor her," warned Vanna, collecting her various implements. "I want to be sure she doesn't go into shock."
"I'm not leaving," he repeated.
"You can't stay."
"Then neither does she."
"Aren't you carrying this a little too far?" she asked quietly.
"Gods, Vanna, I've just found her! I could have lost her out there, and you ask me to leave her here on her own?" He shook his head. "No, I'm staying."
Vanna looked at him across the limp form of Carrie. There was a determined look on his face. She had a sudden feeling she was going to get to know it well. "I give in," she sighed. "Stay if you must, but I don't know where I'm going to put you."
"You'll find somewhere," said Kusac with a faint grin.
"Don't bet on it," she said, leaving the treatment room.

* * *

"Well," growled Raguul to the Brother, "not to put too fine a point on it, you bungled that one."
"On the contrary. He only got off one shot which, considering he was a wild card, is acceptable. Even your telepaths didn't pick him up because he changed his target at the last moment."
"I don't consider it acceptable."
"Commander, it is impossible to guard anyone against an unexpected attack. Given the circumstances, everyone concerned acted with speed and efficiency to protect them. I destroyed the threat. Have you had the lab report on Jakule yet?" he asked, changing the topic.
Raguul grunted assent and pushed the folder over to the Brother with a clawtip. "You were right. Drugs and alcohol pushed him over the edge."
Tallinu picked up the file and quickly scanned the contents. "His intended victim was Chyad, the leader of the dissidents."
"So you said. He's still at liberty as you requested. The smoke bar has been cleared, and those responsible are in the cells."
Tallinu nodded. "I don't want Chyad to know we're on to him yet. I've got an informant in the group now. It should be interesting to see what comes out of this."
"Interesting isn't the word I'd choose," said Raguul. "I'm having them moved. I don't care what your plans are, I cannot put either of them at risk again. They'll spend the rest of their stay on the
Khalossa
in one of the ambassadorial suites, which is where they should be anyway considering Kusac Aldatan's rank. In future, they'll go nowhere without personal bodyguards."
"As you wish," said Tallinu. "I have to warn you that if you do this, though, you run the risk of not being able to eliminate this dissidence at the root."
"We'll all face that problem when we come to it," growled Raguul. "One way or another I want that gang rounded up now. If you don't, then I will. I won't risk their lives again. Gods, their parents are the major negotiators in this treaty!"
"Very well. I'll need thirty-six hours."
Raguul nodded with relief. "Draz tells me you've organized the security at Physician Vanna's lab."
"I've placed two males, Meral and Sevrin, on personal guard duty outside their room, with another at every corridor junction and elevator in that section. They're on two-hour shifts to maximize their efficiency. Has High Command isolated all our ships and started the Attitude Indoctrination program?"
"It's been done, both in space and on Shola and Khoma. There have been no other reports of dissent against the humans."

* * *

As he left the Commander's office, Tallinu stopped to talk to Myak.
"How is the indoctrination program proceeding? Did you get your guild's aid?"
Myak looked up at him, his eyes unblinking. "The Telepath Guild has included some subliminal messages for us in both the standard Attitude Indoctrination program and the Basic Ethnography. We're using it at present on those due to go down to Keiss. It appears to be working. Quite a few of our personnel seem to be enjoying the lectures, in fact."
"No crises of conscience, then, Myak?"
Myak blinked once. "No, Brother Tallinu. Not in this case. Too much hangs in the balance. You are more in touch with the Gods than us, you should know this."
"Oh, I do, my friend. I do. Vartra has a lot to answer for."

* * *

"I thought you wanted to run some tests on them today," said Garras as they left the medical section.
"That can wait," said Vanna tiredly. "I need to eat."
"Then let's have... third meal," said Garras, checking his wrist unit. "Why don't we go to my quarters and call the restaurants? We can get them to send something over."
"Sounds good. I need to relax, not sit in the mess or a restaurant."
Though hungry, Vanna picked her way through her meal. Finally, when they sat with cups of c'shar, Garras asked her what was wrong.
Vanna sighed. "I've been offered a new job."
"Let me guess. When Kusac and Carrie leave for Shola, they want you to accompany them."
Vanna looked up at him, startled. "How did you guess?"
"Not difficult. It's the logical thing to do. You've told me their lives depend on each other, so he'd be foolish to leave behind the only Sholan medic with any idea of how to treat his Leska. And Kusac's no fool."
"I'd like to go," she said.
"It's your decision, Vanna. Personal physician to the heir of the Aldatan Clan, and a contender for the leadership of the Sixteen Telepath Clans isn't a job to be turned down lightly."
"He's concerned he may not remain the heir for long when his parents find out about his Leska."
"I doubt that," said Garras. "It would look very bad for the Head of Alien Relations to disinherit his son because he has an alien Leska."
Vanna shrugged. "It doesn't affect my decision anyway. The problem is, I also want to stay."
"Oh?"
"Yes," she said.
"May I ask why?"
"I've got friends I don't want to leave behind. Good friends," she said, looking up at him.
He reached down to touch her cheek. "Now you're getting sentimental," he said gently. "You mustn't let sentiment stand in the way of the life you want. Just be sure that it's what you really want."
"Shola's a long way from here."
"My duties are likely to keep me on the surface of Keiss for some time. With you here doing research, we wouldn't see much of each other. If you go, I can visit when I'm on leave. I'm due one soon. I have Clan matters to attend to regarding my trade agreement with Skinner over coffee."
Vanna grinned. "You crafty so and so! You've been planning it!"
Garras' ears dipped slightly. "Let's say I anticipated your leaving and was hoping rather than planning that I would have a reason to visit you. Now come up off the floor. It's too far down for me at my age."
"Your age!" she scoffed, uncurling herself and joining him on the settee. "You're hardly an ancient!"
Garras made a grab for her, catching her by the scruff. "You go with Kusac and Carrie to Shola if that's what you want," he said as he licked the insides of her ears, making her squirm, "just so long as I can visit you and have you to myself for a while."
"I promise, I promise!" she said, laughing.