Inherit the Stars (17 page)

Shekelor frowned. “Redryll is the reason I had to come to this system in the first place. If I ever find him, I shall haul that fool behind
Fanged Pauper
on a cable until he freezes in his suit. Now keep silent.” He gestured to one of his men, who ripped off Jandeel's cloak and bound the dagger wound with brusque motions.

A strange hope surged through Kivita. Perhaps Sar had acted the way he did for a reason. Or the supposed deal with the pirates had gone awry. Maybe it'd all been an act. Whatever the case, it meant he wasn't Shekelor's ally, and still lived.

“I've spent two chits. The Naxans won't release my ship until I've paid.” Kivita fought back a gasp as one of the pirates holding her squeezed her fingers until the joints popped.

“He told ya to plumb shut ya mouth,” the pirate said.

Stalling for time, Kivita forced a smirk on her face. “And leave
Terredyn Narbas
? It's better than any ship in your little fleet, Shekelor. Why not share what I'll get for selling the Juxj Star? Hell, I'm not greedy.” She hoped the Naxan mercenaries would pass the stall again.

Shekelor's three coils stretched out to her. One gripped her throat, one fondled her breasts, and one slapped her thigh, burning the skin underneath her chaps. “I am capable of treating you in many ways, Kivita Vondir. Remember that. Your ship is meaningless. What I shall get for you is beyond your meager
ambitions. Now smile as if you are going to spread your legs for all of us.”

She didn't struggle as they led her into the aisle. One of the pirates slapped her bottom every few moments, giving the impression they'd just purchased sex from her. Kivita finally laughed with fake merriment after the other pirate squeezed her hand again.

Shekelor led them from the dim-lit cargo bay into the adjacent one. Tannocci and Naxans sold tool kits for starship engines, modified energy dumps, and cryo equipment. A few dealt in nav computers and galley appliances. She tried to make eye contact with a few merchants; maybe they'd see her distress. But none paid her any mind.

The pirate stopped slapping her rump and rubbed it, and the other licked her cheek, his breath worse than a sewer. Kivita maintained her smile so much, her face hurt. C'mon, think of a way to escape these assholes, or cause a disturbance the mercs will notice.

Refugees filled the next bay, where three dapper Naxans in green jumpsuits with golden tassels ordered people into groups. The Naxans studied each refugee, examining mouths or ears with a handheld lamp. Since these people might starve, some sold themselves as indentured servants. Many would work in Sutaran strip mines or harvest desert vegetables on Nax. Most contracts lasted ten years, though many never returned from their postings.

“Plumb stupid bitch,” the pirate who liked rubbing her said. “Our slaves could have netted some good fucking things until you ruined it all.” He pinched her rump so hard, it brought tears to her eyes.

“Say, she's nice. How much?” a skinny Naxan asked Shekelor, pointing at Kivita.

Shekelor stopped with reluctance. “I purchased her for my crew. She isn't negotiable.”

Kivita had to restrain herself not to shout or at least do something. But what?

One of the pirates laughed in her ear as the group continued. “Ya worth plumb more than all these skanks, Red.”

Fury swelled in her chest. First chance she got, she'd cut off this scum's—

“Beautiful hair. Face to die for. How much?”

Kivita's heart stopped at the familiar voice.

Shekelor turned, a deep frown on his bisected features. “I said, she is not negotiable—” His frown became a scowl.

Someone pushed through the crowd behind them. Naxan mercenaries along the bulkheads glanced up and headed in Kivita's direction, as refugees made way.

Sar and Cheseia approached the pirate band.

Kivita had never thought he looked so handsome in his gray bodyglove and polycuirass. His brown-and-green-flecked eyes measured her with their old care, desire, and charm.

Nostrils flaring, Kivita tried to slow her excited breaths.

“Everything's negotiable around Tejuit Seven, Shekelor. Even your life.” Sar's hand rested on his sword hilt. Cheseia gripped a baton.

Kivita could almost taste the tension as both pirates holding her squeezed her arms. The pain didn't register as she met Sar's eyes. Her leg muscles tensed, ready to spring.

“Release her,” Sar said. “Naxans don't like pirates.”

Kivita's heart beat with expectation, though none of the Naxan merchants or refugees gave her situation notice. More than anything, she wanted to draw her sword and lash out at her captors.

Sar shot her a warning look.

“There is nothing you can do here, Redryll.” Shekelor recovered his smile and studied Cheseia for a moment. “And I am wise to your lovely Ascali's voice. The mercs will toss you from an airlock if you draw blood here.”

Sar laughed, but his stare could have cracked diamonds. “Who said anything about blood?” He cleared his throat. “Fraud!”

The Naxan merchants stopped inspecting the refugees and stared at Sar. Kivita sighed with relief as the two men holding her eased their grips. Even Shekelor appeared surprised, until his face morphed into a disdainful mask.

“You don't have a—”

“Chit for her? Here it is.” Sar held up a computer chit covered in glue pen notes.

Kivita's muscles tensed, and she held her breath.

Shekelor stalked toward Sar as three Naxan reps approached. Two Ascali and three human mercenaries trailed the Naxans, hands on their weapons.

“What is this about a purchase fraud? Such an insinuation is not made lightly aboard our ships,” a Naxan said.

“I bought this prostitute's services before these guys took her. Got the proof right here.” Sar handed the chit to the Naxan.

Coils writhing, Shekelor's lips peeled back from his teeth.

The Naxan studied the chit, glanced at Shekelor, then clicked twice with his mouth. “You?” he asked Kivita while pointing at her. “What is your name, and did this man purchase your services as he has stated?”

Kivita kept her voice level. “I'm Kivita Vondir. Yes, we made an agreement before these brutes came along.”

The Naxan stepped closer and clicked four times. “To verify this, what . . . services did you offer?”

Kivita's cheeks warmed and she licked her lips. “Some damn good sex—that's what.”

The Naxan studied the chit again and looked at Shekelor. “This man has a contract with this woman. Since this chit hasn't been turned in and collected, you may not interfere with that contract. Release her.”

The two pirates didn't obey until Shekelor finally nodded to them; then they let go of Kivita with a shove. No way were they just going to fling her away without something in return.

Wheeling around, Kivita shoved her knuckles into one pirate's nose, crushing it with a pop. As the other reached for a weapon, Kivita slammed her knee into his groin.

Two Ascali mercenaries restrained her in grips even more formidable than Shekelor's men had, while onlookers cleared the cargo bay. Sar drew near Kivita with a scalding stare.

The Naxan merchant raised his hands. “Violence is not tolerated in a hive-ship consortium! Remove her license for one Tejuit week. Escort her to her ship, if she has one.”

Sar held up a hand. “I still have a contract with her. Prefer she fulfilled it on my ship.”

The Naxan shrugged and clicked twice. “Make the best of what you've gained. Take her away.”

A chill traveled up Kivita's spine after she scanned the cargo bay. Shekelor and his men had already left the area.

As the two Ascali led her back through the cargo bays she'd passed through, Sar and Cheseia walked on either side of them. His jaw tightened, but Sar didn't look at her, and no one spoke. When the group passed Jandeel's stall, the Sage wasn't lying on the floor.

“He's fine,” Sar said as they wormed through a crowd of bulky Sutarans carrying trade crates.

Kivita blinked. “Jandeel? You mean—?” She hesitated, but Sar didn't answer.

Right before Shekelor's arrival, Kivita had suspected Jandeel of being a Thede, or at least a Thede sympathizer. Sar's so-called allies might be Thedes after all, not pirates. In the time they'd spent over Gontalo, he'd been critical of the Inheritors—nothing more. But suspicion darkened her relief into frustration.

She was tired of him saving her, tired of wanting him.

“So, how long will you require my services, kind sir?” she asked as they passed through the bay filled with food stalls.

“I just saved your ass, Kiv. You're welcome.” Sar still avoided her eyes.

She started to retort, but one of the Ascali escorts nudged her. “Be speaking to each other once you are boarding your ship. Until then, stay being quiet.”

Though the mercenary's professional but unyielding tone silenced her, Kivita glared at Sar until the sound of the drums filled her ears again. The same Naxan greeter waited near the airlock magnetized with
Terredyn Narbas
.

“Do not be entering any Naxan hive ship in this system until a Tejuit week has been passing,” the other Ascali said. Both of them looked over Cheseia, murmured respectful words to her, then left.

Ignoring Sar, Kivita approached the Naxan. “Have any chits been turned in for my ship?”

“Why, yes,” the Naxan replied, then made several clicking noises while operating his console. “A Tannocci garment manufacturer and a Tannocci Sage?”

“Yeah,” she replied, shooting Sar a look. Someone had aided Jandeel; the wounded Sage couldn't have turned in his chit already. Who else on this damn ship was helping Sar? Once again he had her . . . but not for long.

After the Naxan keyed in the sequence for her to reenter
Terredyn Narbas
, Kivita stomped to the bridge. Sar and Cheseia followed.

“Yeah, just come on in, make yourselves at home.” She enabled the autoloader, which deposited the required goods from her cargo bay. After several minutes with no one speaking, the transaction was completed. Kivita finally regarded Sar with her coolest stare.

“I see you followed me here, just like that pirate asshole. Well, come and get it, smoothie. My services are all ready for you.”

Cheseia scowled. “He has just truly saved you. You should be definitely thankful.”

Kivita wanted to rub her arms and hands where the pirates had gripped her, but refused to show discomfort in front of Sar. “Oh, I'm thankful. You just made me embarrass myself in front of all those people. Plus, Shekelor's still around.”

“Want to join him instead?” Sar asked. “Help yourself, sweetness. Jandeel will live; we passed him after we'd spotted you with the pirates. But what were you doing talking to a Sage, Kiv? Not your usual stop in a spaceport.” He tossed the unused chit onto Kivita's hammock. A hint of worry rose in his eyes, and he looked away.

Kivita crammed her new hat and the purple cape into her locker. “Maybe I wanted to find out something.”

Sar neared her, hands clenching and unclenching. “Did you ask him how the hell you managed such a shortcut from Umiracan?”

“Would you rather the journey take the full two years?” She looked away and tried to suppress a shiver. Did they know what else she could do?

Did she?

Cheseia studied Kivita with narrowed eyes. “Explain to us why you certainly stole Shekelor's ship with Seul and fled Umiracan. Why you did not answer Sar on the radio when he surely hailed you over the planet.” The command in her voice dared Kivita to lie.

“Maybe the Rector was right. You got a deal with the Aldaakians, Kiv? They let you go pretty easy. Shock Troopers showed up all nice and quick, too. That almost got us killed.” Sar glowered at her.

Kivita poked a finger against Sar's polycuirass. “Then
maybe you should explain all that bullshit about a deal with Shekelor. You were practically kissing his ass. For all I knew, you planned to sell me into slavery after Orstaav led me from that hall! Hell, I wanted my ship back, okay? Not my fault the Aldaakians arrived so soon.”

“You knew the Aldaakians would surely be coming?” Cheseia flinched as if bitten by a wood snake.

Sar frowned. “How, with all that radiation in the Expanse? No way they'd have detected us so soon.”

“The transmitter room in the fortress had Sarrhdtuu tech,” Kivita said. “Seul sent out a signal, okay? I told her that her commander could have the Juxj Star for my ship. I changed my mind, though, once I neared their cruiser on
Fanged Pauper
. Seul let me escape, believe it or not.”

Sar shook his head. “Lot of good it did. Seems the Aldaakians were on our trail, anyway. Dammit, I told you to trust me. I wanted Shekelor to confuse any who might be following us while we escaped the system.”

“He violently tossed us into a cell after you left the hall.” Cheseia smoothed her mane with frustrated strokes. “Shekelor mentioned he would certainly sell you to someone.”

“The bastard was expecting us, Kiv,” Sar said. “Knew your name, everything.”

Kivita's guts churned. “C'mon, sell me to the Sarrhdtuu? Why?” Did her visions have anything to do with it? If what Jandeel said about Savants were true, and that story of the executed Susuron queen . . .

“Has to be the Sarrhdtuu,” Sar replied. “Someone put one of their beacons on your ship, and Shekelor didn't have all those Sarrhdtuu enhancements the last time I knew him.”

The vision of Sarrhdtuu torturing humans taken from a wrecked ship came to mind. Her hand bumped into Sar's, and she blinked the thought away.

Sar jerked his hand back, lips tight. Cheseia gave him a confused look.

Kivita's cheeks burned again. “Well, excuse me. Guess you don't want my services, huh? Got your Ascali beauty for that. Well, you've got your answers. Get the hell off my ship. I'm sick of your games.”

“Dammit, this isn't a game!” Sar grabbed her by the shoulders. “I see things when I touch you, Kiv! Stars, planets, images I don't understand. Seeing them even now.” He jerked her close. “What did Jandeel tell you? That you're a Savant?”

She'd never seen him explode with such emotion. The cold, fearful look in his eyes appeared again, and now she realized its origin: he'd feared for, and had been afraid of, her since entering the Umiracan system.

“Let go of me.” Kivita trembled at his touch.

“Shekelor had a brain-pulse analyzer in his throne room. He knew what you were the whole time on Umiracan. How long have you known? Son of a bitch, Kiv. How long?” Sar's last question came out in a whisper.

“Ever since touching that datacore from Xeh's Crown, I've had headaches. Weird dreams. After touching the Juxj Star, now I see them all the time.”

“Don't you understand?” Sar asked. “The Rector must've known, too. Inheritors scan all adults on a regular basis. He knew about you. You can't go back. You can't just sell that gem now.”

Kivita recalled the tingling she'd felt on the hive ship, up until the pirate had turned off the small device. Jandeel's words about Inheritors executing Savants
made the tremor in her stomach grow until it shook her whole body. She'd been set up for something. Something beyond her ken.

“Now you're seeing some of the things I've dreamt about since Xeh's Crown.” She stared off into space as an image of Kith guarding Vstrunn entered her mind.

“Kith on Vstrunn,” Sar murmured, then slowly released her. “I know a few Savants. None can put thoughts into another's mind like that.”

“Jandeel's a Thede, isn't he?” Kivita stepped back from Sar. “So are both of you, right? What's happening to me? Why'd this gem choose me?”

“Wish I knew,” Sar replied.

Cheseia plopped on the floor and jerked her mane from its headband. “You will never be truly free of enemies again, Kivita. Sar, we should definitely leave Tejuit and take her to the Thedes.”

“She's right, Kiv. Until the Arm is free of the Inheritors, you'll never be safe. The Thedes are the only ones you can turn to now.”

Kivita blew out a breath, rattling her lips. “Wait right there. Since leaving Vstrunn, you two have dragged me across the light years. Wow, now you've saved me twice. But this is me you're talking about, not just this damn gem anymore. If we go anywhere, I'll be the one deciding.”

“With that Sarrhdtuu beacon on this ship? They'll track you all over the Arm. Longer we stay here, sooner they'll find you.” Sar's face fell, as if all the years he'd spent in cryostasis now weighed down on him. Cheseia, though vibrant with typical Ascali vitality, possessed haggard eyes. Maybe they really intended her no harm and wanted her safe.

Sar paced Kivita's quarters. “Shekelor will be
watching out for us. Need to lose him somehow. Need to scrap or hack your beacon, too. Don't know how myself, but we're a meteor running from a supernova until it's deactivated. They will catch you.”

“I'm not ditching
Terredyn Narbas
,” Kivita said.

“We need to leave this hive ship.” Sar looked straight at Kivita. “You help the Thedes, it'll bolster resistance in the Arm. There might be some information in the Juxj Star to bring this war into the open. This won't be a salvager run, Kiv, with a big payment at the end. The Inheritors will want you dead afterward. Will you help us?”

Kivita studied the old placard of her with her father. What would he think of his daughter being a Savant? Now she was the salvage everyone desired, the most wanted individual in the Cetturo Arm. That meant she needed friends, allies. Her gaze bored into Sar.

“What if I won't help the Thedes? Will you refuse to help me then? I need to know, both of you: does your friendship depend on what I can do for you? If it does, then just go. The airlock's right there.” Kivita crossed her arms.

Cheseia rose, her beautiful features pinched in anger. “You unfortunately accuse us too much! Why would we truly save you if all we wanted—”

Sar touched Cheseia's shoulder. “Kiv's right to ask. You know what I hope you'll do, sweetness. But if you don't want to help the Thedes, hell, I'll still help you any way I can.”

“Will you? You once told me that no one with an agenda could be trusted.” Kivita pursed her lips.