Poisoned Pawn (37 page)

“With what strings attached, Lowell?” I eyed the card suspiciously.

“None.”

“And why would you do that for me?”

“Because, contrary to popular opinion, I do have a heart.” He took my hand and folded the card into it. “Life would be too dull without you somewhere around.”

The Phoenix was not the same ship I’d left. The first thing I did when I got back to it was to change into my own clothes. The green uniforms were a bit loose. I peeled the bandages off my feet and pulled on a pair of my own boots. I was starting to feel like myself again.

Until I checked the ship. Clark warned me on the flitter ride to the port that some things had been changed. To start with, there were two Patrol officers on the ship, a pilot and an engineer. Our scan boards had been replaced. The equipment was far above even Patrol standards. And the engines had been overhauled and replaced with even faster ones. My ship now resembled either a stealth Patrol cruiser without weapons, or a souped-up smuggler.

I spent an hour going over the ship. The changes had been done well, very professionally. Lowell sent a message saying the equipment was payment for services rendered. I briefly considered pulling it out and leaving it for him, but I had nothing to replace it with. The port had no facilities to speak of, either. I shrugged and accepted the changes.

Jasyn tiptoed around me until I finally threatened to shoot her if she didn’t stop.

“You’re sure you’re all right?” she asked me.

“I’m fine,” I said as I ran checks on engine pressure. “What about you?”

She looked startled.

“You’re the one getting married. Aren’t you nervous?”

“Quit trying to change the subject.”

“Then quit asking me.” I flipped another switch. So far, everything looked better than good with the engine. “Have you made any plans yet?”

“Not really. It depends on when we can find a planet that will allow us to get a license. Most planets have a residency clause. Are you sure you don’t want to perform the wedding on the ship? If we’re in space, it should be legal.” She tapped the nav comp. “Where are we going?”

“Lowell hired us to haul stuff for him.” I pretended I hadn’t heard the rest of her comment.

“And you accepted?”

“He told me you’d already agreed. I read the contract over four times. We take the first load to Kimmel. Second load goes from there to Haviland. Last stop is on Bevin. And if you’ll check the maps, that takes us into the next Sector. Where we have a better chance of finding some decent trade routes.” I didn’t mention the Targon Syndicate. I hoped they’d forgotten me. Or that Lowell had fixed that problem.

“When did you find time to do all that?”

“I borrowed a handcomp on the flitter ride, while you and Clark were sleeping.”

“I’ve been up since before dawn, slaving away in that excuse for a kitchen.”

“And that’s one reason Lowell cut us a good deal.”

She grinned. “You’re downright devious, Dace.”

“Only when I need to be.”

We lifted an hour later. The holds were full of cryptically labeled boxes. We had four extra people on board: the pilot, the engineer, Paltronis, and one of her squad members.

The first leg to Kimmel took us three days. My only complaint was that with seven people on board, the Phoenix had very few private spots. I made peace with my memories. I could forget Luke. He was safely locked away for life. And Tayvis had admitted he loved me. I held that thought close. Two more years and his enlistment would be up. Two years felt like a very long time.

We landed on Kimmel. We left half the boxes and the pilot and engineer at the Patrol base.

The trip to Haviland took another four days. Lowell left me a message there. Typical of him, it was cryptic and short. I was supposed to take five days to make the jump to Bevin. He’d left a cargo of six crates and an address that they were supposed to be delivered to.

Paltronis and her second, a man named Arviid, stayed with us. I suspected her orders were to keep an eye on me. She said nothing about it and neither did I. Until we left the Cygnus sector behind, I was more than happy to have an escort.

Bevin was a pleasant planet with a slightly modified climate. The main port city was heavy with flowers. The buildings were low, with intricately carved trim and flower boxes spilling color beneath every window.

We found transport for us and the cargo. Paltronis and Arviid came with us. The streets of the city were wide and traffic was sparse. I sat back and enjoyed the soft sunshine.

The address led us to an outer suburb of the city, a place of wide yards and friendly looking houses. Paltronis, who was driving, pulled up in front of a building. The front yard was a riot of blossoms. The front of the building was stone covered with blooming vines. We took the boxes to the door.

It was answered by a young woman. She asked us to bring the boxes in. We followed her through a marbled foyer and into a long room at the back. Wide glass doors led into a garden. The room was full of people. Jasyn stopped in the doorway and gasped in surprise. She didn’t even notice when our boxes were taken away.

“You planned this,” she accused me.

So far, I’d recognized Lady Rina with her personal aide, Estelle, and Caid, the engineer who kept her antique yacht flying. Clark greeted other people I didn’t recognize. I was dragged around by both Jasyn and Clark and introduced to everyone. Clark’s father was there, a tall intimidating man wearing a silver uniform and an admiral’s stars. His mother was tall, too, slender and dark and smiling. His two sisters were there. Both had the same sandy hair and green eyes that Clark did. They squealed over Jasyn and hugged her. Jasyn introduced Lady Rina to Clark’s family. I escaped the family reunion and went to stand at the back of the room where Lowell looked very pleased with himself.

“Is this what you had in mind?” he asked me. “Because I’m not through yet. My staff was rather surprised at being asked to plan a wedding. It isn’t one of my usual activities.”

Jasyn was looking for me. She looked absolutely beautiful.

“Neither of you are dressed for a wedding,” Lady Rina announced. “Estelle, please take them both upstairs.” She looked smug.

Estelle was cheery herself. She was a quiet shadow that followed Lady Rina everywhere. She led me and Jasyn up a narrow set of stairs just outside the room. She opened the door of another room.

Lady Rina had provided Jasyn a wedding dress fit for the Empress herself. There was a second dress of pale lavender in my size. I was happy to see it was nothing like the dresses Luke had provided for me; this one was long and gauzy and definitely covered me. Estelle stayed to help us change. I wondered what other details Lowell had remembered that I wouldn’t even have thought of.

We came back downstairs, transformed by the clothes and the help of Estelle, and found the room changed as well. There were flowers everywhere. Everyone was smiling. And waiting at the bottom of the stairs was Jasyn’s brother, Jerimon.

“They gave me a week off my sentence,” he whispered as he took Jasyn’s arm. He winked at me. I rolled my eyes. I’d hoped his crush on me had worn off, but apparently it hadn’t.

I had no idea what to expect, with no experience at weddings. There were music and smiles and a brief ceremony. Jasyn and Clark smiled nervously at everyone. I stood at the front in my new dress and felt out of place. And a bit jealous. Jasyn had family, Clark had family. I had myself.

And then Jasyn hugged me and whispered how happy she was. And I knew I had her. And now Clark. We were family.

The ceremony ended. The chairs were moved aside. The garden doors were opened and people wandered out, visiting with each other. Someone handed me a cup of punch. I stood off to one side, watching. I was happy for Jasyn and Clark, but I was also lonely and wishing that somehow things had worked out differently with Tayvis.

As if my thoughts had summoned him, Tayvis came through the door. My heart started beating double time. He saw me and crossed the room.

“The dress looks nice,” he said.

“Thanks,” I said like an idiot. Now that he was here, I didn’t know what to say to him. I held my punch awkwardly and fished for something to say. I noticed his uniform then, not tan or black, but silver. “Regular Patrol?”

“Ensign First Class, second gunner, third watch,” he said. “It’s what I trained in at the Academy.”

“What ship are you assigned to?”

“The Avenger. There’s a shuttle in about an hour.”

That’s when I noticed the two other men who had arrived with him, both in silver uniforms. They stood near the door, talking quietly.

“We’re patrolling along the Nerilax route,” Tayvis said.

“Are you happy about it?” I put my empty cup down on a table.

“This is stupid,” he muttered. He took my hand, his own was warm. I was suddenly twice as nervous. “Dace,” he said, and cupped my cheek with his other hand.

“Ensign,” one of the men with him called. “We’ve got to go or we’ll miss our flight.”

I don’t know which of us moved first. He was kissing me, and I was kissing him back. He held me close.

“Tayvis,” the other man called.

“Don’t walk away from me again,” I whispered into his ear. “Please.”

“Wait for me,” he said, pulling me closer.

“Forever if I have to,” I promised.

And then he was gone, walking out the door without looking back.

The End