Turning Point (30 page)

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Authors: Lisanne Norman

BOOK: Turning Point
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There is a sexual compulsion because of our Link,
he admitted, unwilling to vocalize lest anyone else hear them.
She said nothing.
It only starts if we touch for too long, and not always then.
He waited a few minutes but there was no reply. Even through their Link he could sense nothing but quiet.
Carrie, I don't like this any more than you do, but I couldn't help it. I responded to you.
I
know.
If we're careful and keep touching to a minimum, it shouldn't happen again.
Silence.
He leaned forward to touch her and she pulled sharply away.
Don't.
Suppressing a flash of anger, he got to his feet and stepped over her. Squatting down, he lifted her bodily and sat her up facing him, then released her.
Stop this now,
he sent, his tone firm.
You're a grown woman, Carrie, don't behave like a terrified youngling. Surely you trust me by now?
He took her face in his hand, forcing eye contact between them.
Look at me. Remember the night in the cave, before we went to Seaport?
She nodded, unable to move her eyes from his.
I felt the compulsion briefly then. Had I not been honor-able, we would not be having this conversation as this problem would be solved.
You have to decide sooner or later, Carrie, but it's your choice, not mine. Like you, I want you to want me for myself, not because of the Link compulsion.
He let her go.
“Go and get some sleep now,” he said. “If we need to talk, we can do it tomorrow.”
“Kusac, I'm sorry,” she whispered. “I know it was my fault, but everything all together ... I panicked.”
“It was no one's fault, cub,” he said, briefly touching her cheek. “This is all as confusing for me, too. Let's just take things as they come.” He switched to mind talk.
Tonight, neither the place nor the time is right. It is as well we came to our senses when we did. If we're careful, we shouldn't trigger the compulsion again.
She nodded, catching at his hand. “I do love you,” she murmured, rubbing her cheek against him.
“I know,” he said, gently squeezing her hand before helping her stand. He gathered up the blanket. “Get some sleep now though.”
He waited for her to get onto the bunk then spread the blanket over her. Leaning forward, he gently licked her ear before leaving her.
Carrie closed her eyes. Sleep would not come easily, she knew that. She couldn't forget his touch. Echoes of it still flickered across her face and neck and she had to block the memories before he sensed them. When she finally fell asleep, amber eyes like twin suns glowed compellingly in the dark before her.
Chapter 9
Kusac picked up the hairbrush and, throwing his jacket and belt on his bed, finished grooming himself. Carrie had been right. He was shedding, though not excessively.
Not wishing to disturb her, he stowed the brush in the recessed locker by his bed and went over to the galley to use the garbage disposal unit. Vanna was there.
“Protein drink or c'shar?” she asked, her hand hovering beside the dispenser.
“Protein, though I could do with one of their coffees!” he said ruefully.
“Coffee?”
“It tastes like c'shar but stronger.”
She handed him his mug. “One day I must get the chance to try it. You had your talk then.”
He hesitated.
“No need to tell me if you don't want to,” she said, taking a mouthful of her drink.
“For every step forward I take with her, Vanna, I seem to take three backward,” he said, his tail flicking. “There are so many similarities to us, it would almost be easier if she were totally different.”
Vanna glanced over the makeshift tech lab.
“Mito's coming over. Let's talk back there where we can't be overheard—and you can still watch Carrie,” she said, leading the way to her bunk area.
The bunk was raised so as not to reduce the already cramped quarters further.
“Hold my drink a moment, please,” she said, handing him the mug.
She pulled the bed out far enough to grab her blanket. Folding it up, she laid it on the floor.
“I hate sitting on bare metal,” she said, rescuing her drink and squatting down comfortably.
Kusac joined her.
“Surely your Link helps you to understand each other better?” she asked.
“That's a knife with two edges, Vanna,” he said heavily. “I'm sure our Leska Link is unlike any other.”
“There may have been other anomalous Links before ...” she began.
“No, none. If there had been, I would have known about them. My education as a Telepath was thorough.”
Vanna's eyes narrowed thoughtfully as she stored this piece of information away for the future.
“Garras is having me seconded to the ship's medical section when the
Khalossa
arrives,” she said abruptly. “He wants me there as the expert on Terran physiology. If you're finding sleep difficult, how about giving me some background information on Terrans?”
Kusac looked round at her, eye ridges arching up in surprise.
“So you'll be involved in the tests on the
Khalossa?”
“That's the general idea,” she said. “However, I need some information to justify a position on that team.”
 
Carrie was the last to wake. When she sat up, she found the pod deserted. The knowledge that Kusac was outside came to her automatically as did the fact that the day was pleasant. She waited for a minute or two, but he did not appear. She did, however, receive a brief greeting.
Feeling a little hurt, she nevertheless took advantage of the solitude to put on fresh clothes from her backpack. Collecting herself a protein drink for breakfast, she went to the hatch and peered outside.
Kusac immediately looked round, acknowledging her presence with a flick of his ears before he returned to helping Garras. Everything appeared as it had the day before, almost as if nothing had been moved for the night.
As she stepped out, the sensible portion of her mind reminded her that Kusac was a member of the crew and would have had to return to his duties at some point, and that point was obviously now. She had no need to feel put out, but she did.
Finding a piece of log to sit on, she sat watching the others, for the first time feeling somewhat superfluous. As she sipped her drink, she began to notice how constantly she was aware of Kusac through their Link.
It was the first opportunity she'd had to look at their situation dispassionately and she took advantage of it. Suddenly, it occurred to her that this was partially why Kusac was otherwise occupied and hard on the heels of that came his approbation that she had figured it out.
Moods, emotions, and the surface thoughts of either one was experienced by both. If mentally she went down a level or two that took a little effort, not much but she would have to concentrate rather than have the knowledge at her fingertips.
She explored the Link further, finding in him his feelings for her. Though he instantly laid them open to her she shied away from them, still not ready to face what he felt.
There was a barrier, an area walled off from her, and she backed off. This was fair because she, too, had such a barrier. With so much they could not hide from each other, they both needed somewhere they could have a semblance of privacy.
A shadow fell across her, pulling her back to the more mundane world.
“Good morning, Skai,” she said, draining her mug.
“Good morning. I thought we could have a chat,” he said, sitting down beside her. “I gather that you and your brother are both joining us.”
“It would appear so,” she said, remembering Garras' warning.
“It'll be nice having you around,” he said, smiling at her. “I expect that once their ship arrives, this crew will be recalled and we'll be working with another group.”
“Probably,” she said. Then, pinning down what was bothering her, she asked, “Why are there no insects around, Skai?”
“Uh? Oh, Guynor tinkered with my bug screen, hooking it up to a power source and so on, but that was yesterday.” He frowned. “Look, I want to give you some good advice. It might be wiser if you spent a little less time with the Sholans when our mob arrives,” he said. “They don't know you and they could get the wrong idea.”
“Wrong idea about what?”
“You spending so much time with the cats.”
“With them, Skai?”
“Okay. With their Telepath, then.”
“Kusac?”
“Yes, with Kusac,” he said sharply. “I've seen you two together, Carrie, seen the way he looks at you and touches you. It isn't right. You shouldn't encourage him. It's not as if he's even human!”
“Who are you to say what's human and what's not?” she asked angrily, getting up. “How dare you talk like that about us!”
As she turned to go into the pod, Skai caught at her arm. She pulled away and stepped through the hatch acutely aware of Kusac's anger on her behalf but also of his resolution that this was something she must deal with herself.
Skai followed her and this time he did manage to catch her.
“Look, Carrie, Elise threw herself away on the Valtegans. I can't stand back and let it happen to you, too,” he said, trying to sound reasonable.
“Kusac isn't a Valtegan.”
“He's an Alien, damnit! He's not human! He's not one of us!”
“Let go of me, Skai, or, so help me, I'll hit you,” she said, her anger now coldly dangerous. “I'll make up my own mind who I'll have as a partner. What Kusac and I share is beyond the understanding of you and your grubby little mind.
“What Elise did was get vital information for sanctimonious bastards like you. She didn't enjoy it, or maybe you didn't realize that! I wonder how many men would have volunteered to work in the cities to get information if the Valtegans had been female. You sure as hell wouldn't have. You're not man enough to do the really dirty work!
“Now, let me go,” she said, pulling away from him again.
Anger suffused Skai's face and as he drew his arm back, he found himself grabbed from behind. He swung round to face not Kusac, but Garras.
“I think not,” said the Captain, restraining him. He turned to where an enraged Kusac stood waiting by the hatch.
“Take your Leska outside while I have a word with our young Terran,” Garras said.
With a filthy look at Skai, Carrie walked past him to Kusac. He stood aside to let her pass, then followed her.
“Are you ...” he began.
“... all right?” She smiled briefly. “You know I am. Angry like you, but all right.”
“Will many of your people think like him?” he asked, tail and ears flicking.
“Probably. We Terrans have a lot of hate in us. Hatred for those with a different skin color, with a different religion—you name it, some of us will find a reason to hate it.
“Never mind, let's talk about something else. Are you still busy?”
“No, we're ready for your guerrillas.”
“That's good,” she said, reclaiming her perch on the log. “Can you stay with me now?” she asked, looking steadily up at him.
“Yes,” he said, returning the gaze and knowing that she had finally crossed at least half of the gap between them.
 
It was not long after noon when they heard the faint sound of an approaching groundcar. Though they were well under cover, camouflaged blankets were draped over any equipment outside the pod to prevent the slightest glint of sunlight on metal and everyone huddled together under the overhanging branches of the tree.
“I hope it's ours,” muttered Skai, still subdued after his talk with Garras.
“It better be,” growled Guynor. “We're running out of time ourselves. We need to send that signal before the Valtegans access our crystal.”
“Kusac, check and see whether there are Valtegans or Terrans on board,” Garras ordered.
Kusac moved away from the others and squatted down, closing his eyes. After a few moments, he turned back to them.
“Terrans,” he replied. “Eight of them.”
They stepped into the open, beckoning to the vehicle as it sped above the surface of the swamp.
Carrie shivered, reaching out for Kusac. He put his arm around her and drew her to his side.
The craft cut its speed and lowered its skids, slewing to a halt in a spray of swamp water. The hatch opened and a figure in a drab green one-piece leaned into view, holding a rope. He took a long look at them before speaking.
“Haul us in to the shore, will you? We've got to get this baby under cover as soon as possible.”
Several hands caught the rope and hauled to with a will until they had the side of the craft near enough dry land for the first man to jump down.
“Well, if it isn't Davies,” said Skai, grinning hugely as he stepped forward. “I told you it was a good excuse this time, didn't I?”
Davies grunted and turned back to the craft. Another figure was emerging.
“Just help me secure this rope onto the bow end,” he said. “You've got plenty of time to crow. We've got work to do now.”
While Skai and Davies jumped onto the nose of the groundcar to secure their rope, the rest of the Terran crew began to emerge. One figure stood poised in the hatch for a few moments before jumping down.
“Richard!” exclaimed Carrie, breaking free of Kusac and running forward to greet her brother.

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