Virgin (14 page)

Kots made a soft whirring sound that was undoubtedly intended to be comforting, but all it did was make her mad.

“Yes, I’m sure the color matches my eyes, Kots, but I look like a cheap slut in this getup!”

Kots buzzed again, obviously of the opinion that she did
not
look like a cheap slut, but Ava had different standards. She took a deep breath and counted to three.

“Look, I know you’ve been trying to get something going between Dax and me, but really, this is going too far. It’s the most blatant ‘come fuck me’ garb I’ve ever seen. You can’t seriously expect me to wear this. I won’t do it!”

Kots crossed all ten of his arms in what was undoubtedly the droid equivalent of, “Oh, yes, you will.”

“I might as well be naked!”

Kots didn’t reply. It was apparent that it was either the robe or the dress, and she was not about to stroll along the streets of Rhylos in her bathrobe, even if it
was
a more modest garment. Doing the town in the nude was not an option.

Kots just hovered there, not budging a bit.

“Oh, all right! Might as well wear the damn pendant too. At least it will cover part of me. It better not be cold on this planet, or I’m gonna rip one of your arms off.”

Kots beeped cheerfully and zoomed out before she had the chance to throw anything at him.

***

The other passengers were already gathered in the lounge when Ava arrived. All three of them looked up when she stormed in, but before anyone had a chance to comment, she snapped, “The dress is obviously Kots’s idea of a joke. I don’t want to hear one word about it.”

Teke and Diokut began cracking their knuckles, but Quinn gestured toward the viewport. “We were just watching the approach to Rhylos,” he said. “Come here and have a look.”

All thoughts of outrageous dresses evaporated as Ava caught her first glimpse of the playground of the galaxy. She had glanced through some of the data on Rhylos, but nothing could have prepared her for the real thing. Though only early afternoon aboard the ship, it was nighttime in Rhylos, and the city lights shone as brightly as the sun at high noon.

As they swooped in over the city, Dax seemed to be doing some pretty fancy flying. At first Ava thought he was showing off his piloting skills, but a couple of near misses made her realize that he was simply dodging the air traffic that swarmed above the city like bees around a hive.

“I had no idea it would be so breathtaking,” Teke said in reverent tones.

Ava had seen cities before, but none could compare to this one. Playground of the galaxy was right—and this was only a small portion of it. Tall structures studded the surface like sparkling gems, some static while others were in motion. The entire city seemed to pulsate, as though it were a living being with a heart of its own. “Incredible,” she whispered.

Quinn was bristling with excitement. Shoving Diokut aside, he announced, “I want to ride that,” pointing to a revolving disk that tilted in every direction.

“How do you know it’s a ride?” Ava inquired. “I mean, do you know what it does?”

“No,” Quinn replied, “but it doesn’t matter. I love a good spin.”

Ava hated such things. They made her feel sick for hours. “Well, have fun. I just want to find out what
that
is.” She pointed toward a mesmerizing circle of lights that expanded and contracted, changing color with each cycle.

“I believe that is the landing site,” Diokut said. “We seem to be heading right toward it.”

“Do you suppose we’ll be meeting Threldigan there?” Quinn asked nervously.

“Perhaps,” said Teke. “Does that prospect frighten you?”

Recalling what Waroun had said about the witch who could roast you alive, Ava considered this likely. She was a bit anxious herself.

Quinn nodded. “I hate magical things. They aren’t natural.”

“Not for you, perhaps,” said Teke, “but for other species, magic is normal.”

“There’s nothing normal about magic,” Quinn insisted. “If it were normal, it wouldn’t be magic, would it?”

Teke voiced no further opinions, but this sounded perfectly logical to Ava. “Well, just try not to be rude and maybe Threldigan won’t be tempted to use his powers on you.”

Shuddering, Quinn turned back to the viewport as the lights on the landing pad changed from green to magenta. Considering the inherent rudeness of his kind, Ava thought it might be difficult for the Drell to follow this simple bit of advice. She made a mental note to speak to the magician as little as possible, since it had been her experience that most situations could be safely handled if all you did was nod and smile a lot. Quinn, on the other hand, seemed to be incapable of smiling.

Dax’s voice sounded over the comsystem. “The
Valorcry
has landed. All passengers prepare to disembark.”

To Ava’s surprise, Quinn latched onto her hand and refused to let go.
Great! Here I am, about to arrive on the playground of the galaxy, and I look like I’m taking my pet Drell for a walk!
Her only consolation was that, thanks to Kots, Quinn not only looked more presentable, he actually smelled good.

Moments later, Dax entered the lounge. His clothes were the same as ever, but his grim countenance and commanding presence soon had Quinn cowering at her side. If he noticed her ridiculous dress, it didn’t show.

Clearing his throat, he said sternly, “We will only be here for a few days. During that time, the ship will admit you whenever you wish, but do not attempt to bring anyone else aboard.” Leveling a piercing gaze at Diokut, he continued. “Kots knows how to deal with intruders. If you have the credits to pay for a hotel, you may do so, but please report this to Kots. You can communicate with each other or with the ship using these combadges,” he said as Waroun handed each of them a badge. “If you forget where we parked, the ship can help you navigate back to this location.” He paused, letting out a weary sigh. “Carry only the amount of money you can afford to lose, and please, at least
try
to stay out of trouble.”

Though Dax’s tone suggested that he’d had to bail his passengers out of jail more than once in the past and had no desire to repeat the experience, Ava couldn’t help but think how difficult it would be to get into trouble while dragging Quinn along wherever she went. However, since Dax was obviously in no mood to discuss the matter, she didn’t mention it. Nod and smile, she told herself. Just nod and smile.

Dax palmed open the hatch, and the adventure began.

***

The first thing Ava noticed was the aroma of sizzling hot food wafting toward them on a gentle breeze. One moment before, she hadn’t been the slightest bit hungry, but she now felt as though she’d been starving for months.

“Everything on this world is calculated to appeal to the senses,” Dax warned them. “It may take some time for you to adjust, but until then, try not to overdo it.”

Quinn was already following his nose, dragging Ava down the ramp like an eager puppy as he headed toward a vendor selling sausages. They looked ordinary enough, but the smell was irresistible.

Until he got a whiff of the pastries in the next booth and pulled her in that direction. “Are you sure you need me with you all the time?” Ava asked.

“What?” Quinn replied. “I, oh, perhaps I don’t!” Releasing her hand, he reached for his money pouch and pulled out a credit chip. “They take these, don’t they?”

“They accept any currency in the known galaxy,” Dax replied, “but prefer standard credits. Cash only, and everything must be paid for in advance. They don’t trust anyone’s promises.”

Waroun snorted. “Careful you don’t spend it all in one place.”

Before she left the ship, Ava had had no intention of spending any of her cash, but now she wasn’t so sure. The need to acquire was increasing exponentially with each breath she took and every sight that met her eyes. She knew what it was—subliminal messages were pouring into her mind, telling her to “Eat this!” “Do that!” “Buy this!” “Don’t miss out!”—and though she did her best to ignore them, between them and Quinn, who now had a sausage in one hand and a gooey confection in the other, she was finding it hard to resist. She normally didn’t even
like
sausages, but all of a sudden, biting into one was first and foremost in her mind, blanking out any thoughts of her dress or Dax and his dangly bits, whether he was naked or not.

One glance assured her that he was, indeed, still clothed. He was natural, unenhanced—but still gorgeous. “Is it the atmosphere, or what?” she mumbled, gazing up at the dark sky.

“No,” Dax replied. “It’s all done artificially. Most worlds don’t allow this type of advertising, but anything goes on Rhylos, and more than one visitor has wound up destitute because of it. It’s nearly impossible to save your money here. The push to spend is constant.”

Thankful that she hadn’t needed Dax’s advice to leave most of her money on the ship, she ventured on, walking with great determination past the food vendors. It seemed to take every gram of willpower she possessed to do it—until she spotted the other shops. The first was operated by a Twilanan woman with a snout the size of a Drell’s head and a curved horn protruding from the tip. The shop was lit with flashing lights and the lady’s green and gold dress dazzled the eye.

“Come into my shop,” she urged, reaching for Ava’s arm. “Your man will be unable to resist you in one of my beautiful dresses.”

Ava gasped at the swirl of patterns and colors in the garment the woman waved before her. She was just about to take the plunge, regardless of the cost, when Dax bent down and said in her ear, “You don’t need that, Ava. Tell yourself,
you don’t need it
.”

She turned to find his glowing hazel eyes boring into hers. “W-what?”

“Tell yourself you don’t need it,” he repeated. “Say it out loud.”

“I—I don’t need it,” she stammered. She was almost convinced until another glance at it had her faltering. “But it’s the most gorgeous dress I’ve ever seen.” And was certainly better than the one she had on.

“Say it again.” His tone was brusque, but authoritative.

“I don’t need it.”

“Good. Now say you don’t want it.”

“But I do!” Ava protested, knowing that without it, her life would be incomplete and barely worth living. Just having such a dress hanging in her closet would be the answer to her fondest wish, her most fervent prayer…

“Say it!”

With her gaze resting on his compelling catlike eyes, somehow it became easier. The dress was just a dress, after all—certainly not something to covet or to die for. “I don’t want it,” she said, and suddenly, as though a veil had been lifted, she saw that it was colorful but gaudy; the sort of thing she would never wear.

“That’s all it takes?”

Dax nodded. “Most of the time. Sometimes it’s more difficult—particularly when it involves something you would want anyway.”

“Like you,” she whispered. Realizing what she’d just said, she shook her head and attempted to correct her mistake. “I mean, like you would want food if you were really hungry or a new dress if you didn’t already have enough of them.”

He considered this for a moment, his head tipped curiously to one side. “Yes,” he finally said. Gazing past her, he went on, “Looks like I’d better go coach the others. You can tell people about this for days in advance, but it doesn’t do any good until you’re actually here.”

Ava nodded. This entire trip was turning out to be a lesson in self-control and denial—something she hadn’t thought she needed to learn until now.

But perhaps she
did
need to learn it. Though she had never considered herself to be capricious, she was beginning to question that assessment. Her life with Russ had been comfortable enough—certainly no worse than living with Lars—and yet she had left that comfort for the unknown—but why? And why had Lars seemed so attractive at first? If excitement was what she craved, then going back to Russ, who was anything but exciting, didn’t make sense. She only knew that she had been tempted and had succumbed, thus proving her own weakness. If it was all about temptation—and Dax was surely the greatest temptation of all—she feared she was losing the fight. Again.

***

Waroun had already fixed Quinn—though the fact that he couldn’t hold another bite might have had something to do with it—and Dax was able to get Diokut on the right track with very little trouble. Teke was another matter entirely. The elder Kitnock seemed convinced that a starship was something he desperately needed, and the salesman stationed at the edge of the landing pad was more than willing to sell him a Kructan Flyer of his very own.

“No, you don’t
need
a starship,” Dax said as Diokut chimed in with his own admonitions that, one: Teke hadn’t enough money to pay for it, and two: he couldn’t fly it.

“But Dax could teach me,” Teke insisted.

“There are lots of other things to buy here—nice things that would be much more useful than a starship.”