Star Fire (3 page)

Death’s door-greeter cleared her throat again. “Time is running out, so pay attention, miss.”

“Captain Sasha Tran of
Fortune
,” she introduced herself, feeling out-of-sorts and a little self-conscious. She’d worked her ass off for her commission and damned if she’d let mutiny and death take her title away. Only, the board of directors at Northern Star Trading had that authority. The woman’s military bearing had Sasha straightening her spine and wanting to salute. Rank and file had never appealed to her before and she attributed the impulse to being dead.

“NaTashamarilla.” Unitard dropped her arms to her sides as she dipped forward in a polite bow. Not one to insult a potential customer, even a spectral one, Sasha copied the movement. She was happy to note her hostess’ appreciation of the courtesy. “As civilisation has shortened the use of proper names, you may call me Tasha. Now listen, Captain Sasha Tran.”

“Sasha is fine.” She wanted to zip her lips at the dark expression Tasha gave her. The woman could even give Sasha’s mother a lesson or two in the ‘evil eye’ department.

“You do not have the mentality of a military officer.” Tasha sized her up like a kith trader ready to make an offer for prime goods.

Taking Tasha’s comment as momentary permission to speak, Sasha nodded. “I’m a civvie captain. Small, fast commercial trading ship specialising in romantic imports. The skill set is both public relations and business management. Piloting skills help too.” She zipped it again as soon as she realised that Tasha wasn’t interested. Sasha had always thought that being dead would be a lot more relaxing.

“You are not dead,” Tasha told her at the end of an exasperated sigh. She rubbed her temple in an elegant three-fingered circular pattern. “Not yet.”

Before she could ask anything else, Tasha held up a finger. “Since time is short, let me explain.” Sasha nodded for her to continue. “Two thousand years ago this planet, Aros, was a thriving centre of civilisation. Our scientists created the crystal technology that enabled us to preserve our lives long after death and share our knowledge with our descendants by bonding with a new host.

“But back to the beginning. Despite a few political misunderstandings and prejudiced factions, we believed we had a good treaty with our sister planet, Atmos. Aros was too busy dealing with a series of natural disasters. Earthquakes, storms…our people were too focused on evacuation and preservation to pay our sister planet much attention.”

Sasha nodded again. Both of the primitive planets shared the same orbit around the system’s sun, though neither had a moon. The planets’ close proximity possibly gave them the benefits of a moon apiece. Sasha had hoped the unique worlds would have equally rare minerals, or at the very least artefacts to sell to the scientific community.

Pain flickered across Tasha’s features before she continued. “It was not until too late that our government discovered Atmos’ tectonic deharmoniser. A doomsday device, you might say.” More pain and sadness clouded Tasha’s face. “I died before I could pass on what I’d learnt. I found out later that a small fleet of my people’s ships were able to muster a counterattack, destroying much of Atmos’ resources. After that, the remainder of my people were consumed with survival. There has never been a reason for me to establish the primary bond with a host. Until now.”

“So, let me get this straight.” All of Tasha’s talk about time running out was making Sasha paranoid. She imagined that she could feel the shadow of the injuries she’d sustained when those trees had speared her. She waved to encompass the crowd of women. “You all are dead. I’m not. So, when I wake up soon, it’s going to hurt like hell since I’m not really healed.”

Waving off an interruption, Sasha continued. She held up one finger to finish her point. “But I’m probably going to be possessed by a ghost who lives in some kind of crystal machine built by scientists thousands of years ago. All of which were killed off by nerds from the other planet. So, since all of you are dead and I’m obviously hallucinating, I won’t really care about this when I wake up anyway, right?”

“Wrong.” Tasha ground her teeth. It was interesting to watch a ghost trying not to lose it. Tasha took in a deep calming breath, thrusting out her full breasts. Sasha had an urge to reach out and caress the lean curved lines of the other woman’s rib cage and hips. “You are in the transmogrification chamber, which will heal you if you decide to accept our bonding. Should you choose life, our souls will fuse and our memories will merge. As one, we will have a chance to stop the next tectonic attack on Aros.”

“You just want my body?”
Stupid, stupid, stupid.
As soon as the words left her mouth, Sasha regretted them, mostly because of the odd attraction she was having. Not that she was homophobic—she’d just never had this kind of interest before. She rubbed both her hands over her face, now really beginning to feel the sharp ache where the holes would be in her shoulder, abdomen and leg. “Sorry. You think the natives on Atmos are going to use the earthquake machine on you again? You realise they are in worse straights than you, right?” Sasha rubbed at her shoulder, willing the pain to abate. She tried focusing on Tasha, but wondered about her hair. Did ghosts smell nice?
Focus!
Sasha chided herself to stay on topic. “The other planet is mostly primitive terrain with pockets of civilisation that make monkeys seem advanced. I know—I’ve done a lot of poking around this system this last year, searching for new trade possibilities.” She held up her finger again. “Just so it’s clear, this is me stating that I was careful of the First Contact laws.”

Sasha didn’t think Tasha had heard, since she overrode the last statement. Did it matter? Her own thoughts were scattered all over the place.

“I believe that someone has the tectonic technology, and that someone is trying to use it.” Tasha frowned—her exotic features stilling as she turned her attention inward, obviously focused on a tragic past.

Exhaustion slammed into Sasha. “This is going to hurt, isn’t it?” Either the merging or the waking up—Sasha didn’t know which she was asking about. She was half sure this was a hallucination, hopefully by extremely good drugs in an infirmary centre.

Tasha smiled sadly, holding out an elegant, long-fingered hand. “Birth is never pleasant, but always worth the effort.”

“Says you.” Sasha closed her eyes, gritted her teeth and grabbed the outstretched hand with her own work-roughened one.

Nothing happened at first. Opening her eyes, she noted the pleasant feeling of their joined hands. Tasha was indeed solid. Warmth seeped from Tasha into her, bringing Sasha’s senses alive. Extremely alive, as she realised that the closer Tasha drew her, the more sexual the feeling became. Sasha had never in her life thought she’d be turned on by another woman. Well, there was a first for everything. Sasha had never been dead before either. The energy radiating between them made her pant with desire—her nipples hardened into nubs. Thoughts of sliding against the taller, full busted woman, sent an electric sensation spiralling down Sasha’s spine, as she clenched her abdomen and pussy in anticipation.

Tasha was breathing pretty hard too. Deciding to get on with things, Sasha pressed her lips against Tasha’s full ones, taking the time to slip her hand along her partner’s curved hip and over the swell of her ass. With her other hand, she explored the weight and shape of Tasha’s breasts, taking time to circle and tease the nips into hard buds. The strangled sound Tasha made was enticing, as was every curve and dip between breast, waist and the line of her ass. Sasha tried to find an opening to the skin tight unitard and was frustrated when her caresses and search yielded no fastenings.

Having Tasha in her arms felt warm, right, complete in a way that Sasha had never experienced before. The kiss was more demanding than exploratory as Tasha clasped her head, holding Sasha to her. The first taste of tongue was a bit of surprise, but Sasha opened her mouth eagerly, inviting the intrusion. She moaned with every smooth slide of tongue on tongue, hanging on to Tasha’s ass cheeks. Tasha thrust her knee between Sasha’s legs, dragging her up so that her wet cunt trembled as she rode the firm thigh.

It wasn’t enough. Sasha wanted to touch naked skin. She wanted her mouth on Tasha’s tits, sucking her nipples hard. She needed—

Tasha tugged Sasha’s waistband open, before burrowing her hand down their bodies, between her thigh and Sasha’s pussy. Sasha’s legs buckled when her partner spread open her folds with agile fingers, pressing against her aching nub. Pleasure imploded inside Sasha, sucking in more warmth and energy than she had imagined. She rocked against Tasha’s hand as her fingers filled her channel, thrusting in and out. Sensation expanded in a tingling wash throughout her body.

She shuddered, rubbing her torso against Tasha, needing to be closer. She screamed into the lingering kiss, then convulsed around Tasha’s fingers, buried deep in her core. Wave after wave of orgasm carried her away.

Sudden debilitating pain struck every part of her, from her cervix outward.

It was excruciating. Screaming provided no release. Every nerve ending was on fire. Her whole being felt as if she were being ripped apart and knitted together on a cellular level.

Sasha wanted to die to end the agony, but clung stubbornly to the memory of life. Her mother on Earth. The spaniel she’d had when she’d been a kid. The sheer excitement of flying through the air on her first shuttle mission. Riding high astride her squirren, long hair streaming behind her, while Dirrellen yelled at her to make the flying rodent land. Making love with him that last night before leaving for Atmos. She’d thought that would kill her. It hadn’t, but someone else had, far from her home and Dirrellen’s side.

With their Pyches now bonded into one unit, Sasha was Tasha. They were two entities reborn into a single new woman with the memories and experiences of both of her previous lives.
She remembered how difficult it had been for Tasha to refuse his proposal—to say goodbye. She’d wanted him to evacuate and make a life with a woman not obligated to the safety of her people. That was her one regret—abiding by her orders and not telling him that she wouldn’t come back.

She had to live again. Someone had to find the tectonic deharmoniser and destroy it. Until then, Aros wasn’t safe, or Earth, or any other planet. Sasha-Tasha had died once on an alien planet, drowning in her own blood. She’d died again on those damned trees today. Sasha fought the dark numbness that crept over her senses. Pain meant life. Three strikes and you were out, right? She couldn’t fuck it up again.

* * * *

It was late. Kiev-Dirrel watched the proceedings with a weary eye as they dragged on. Under Lala’s direction the city officials had been assembled, the surprisingly humanoid alien had been found and prepared to host one of the ancestor’s consciences. It was necessary that the host be near death’s door and he was surprised that the broken, bloody woman had any vitals at all. Soon, very soon, the alien woman would merge her identity with one of the females stored in the crystal machine holding the ancients. He hoped for what amounted to a miracle.

As Dirrel, he remembered scurrying through the compound on a daily basis. Discovering that a crystalline combination of minerals from both Aros and Atmos was a viable energy source had been the greatest discovery of Dirrel’s century. For his team, finding the key to eternal life had been everything. Fame, glory…perpetual imprisonment.

In front of him, Lala held court with the city officials. “Today, my beloved people, we witness the delicate balance of the universe. Fate, in all her infinite wisdom, has brought us this woman.” Kiev mentally calculated the odds, which were astronomical. Lala beamed at the assembly. The chiming bangles on her wrists were her own tiny orchestra as her gaze stopped on him a brief second longer. “The chance of life developing on any world is a miracle.” She touched the chamber. “Or divine fate.”

Banners, paying homage to the gods and key constellations, draped his once pristine laboratory. The self-maintaining machines that ran the transmogrification chambers were now housed in carved cabinets, their pretty, coloured lights hidden from sight long ago. Part of him itched to rip away the frilly nonsense and restore the science compound to its former glory.

Clinically, he observed the council chanting prayers and waving incense over the pulsing quartz chamber entombing the nearly dead alien woman. Logically, their prayers and obeisance to their gods did nothing for her. The machines hidden away in the primitive cabinets were attempting to meld her mind with the essence of a long dead Arosan. Idly, he wondered if the genetic differences in a human from another world would hinder the process. He’d never counted that into his equations.

The ground vibrated under Kiev’s feet, sending his heart plummeting as the draperies swayed. The council
oohed
and
ahhed
, thinking the gods had heard their ridiculous prayers. He ignored the spurt of panic, the images of crumbling buildings and screaming people crushed underneath.

Automatically, his hand went to the anti-gravity belt he’d designed and built. If an earthquake yanked the ground from beneath him, Kiev would have plenty of time to activate the belt and push off to safety. Just the security of knowing the device was strapped to him helped calm his fear. Still, he glanced around, making sure Lala was not standing under anything that could topple on her. An anti-gravity belt would be of no help if his mother was squashed like a bug.

The quartz flushed deep rose and stopped. Kiev waited, silently counting to ten for the next pulse, then to thirty.
Fire and brimstone!
he cursed inwardly and jerked into action, shoving Councilman Javis aside.

“Blasphemy!” the councilman sputtered. Kiev ignored him, sliding his fingers around the edge of the heated quartz lid. He didn’t remember the casing ever heating up so much. It had to be the genetic differences glitching the program. The catch was here somewhere. “Stop! The gods must know we do seek to rise above them. That we appreciate their gift. You will ruin the ceremony.”