Close Encounters (28 page)

“Thanks for all your help, Thomas.”

“I’m glad there was something I could do. Besides, you and your ship did all the work. I only put the pieces together.” He finished off his food and stood. “If it’s okay with you, I’ll keep working. Maybe I can eventually come up with something that will stimulate their hypothalamus.”

“I’d appreciate it.”

He left by the outside door, and I watched him go, knowing there was nothing he could do. Saving the Buri had once again been dumped squarely on my shoulders, pushing me even closer to using the Limantti. But at least trying would keep him busy.

Wait just a darn minute here. Apparently I
wasn’t
the only one who could use the Limantti. Sillia had used it to conceive. So had Brownie’s mate. As a matter of fact, she’d been one of the females with Thor last night. The other female with him was…Churka.

“Churka.” I reached across the table and poked him in the chest with one finger. “You neglected to mention that your sibling has more of this ability to connect with the Limantti than the other females, didn’t you? That’s how she was able to communicate with me mentally when she brought me your armlets. That’s how you managed to reach the Limantti last night and convince it to save Crigo.”

“Yes.” He caught my hand and lifted it to kiss my fingers.

“I was not hiding this from you, as you believe. It merely has no importance to my people. Churka is more gifted than the other females because our dam was the last Shushanna. But she is still not gifted enough to become a Shushanna in her own right. Only you have the ability to do that.”

Nonchalantly, I stacked our dishes back on the tray. “Speaking of the Limantti…”

My bid for turning the conversation to the Buri’s history trailed off as the sandy-colored male in charge of the fields stepped through the outer door. He was looking, with a great deal of puzzlement, at an unstrung bow and a quiver of arrows he held in one hand. Mentally, I said a curse word. I’d completely forgotten that Junior was supposed to pick them up from Max.

When he reached us, he stopped and spoke to Thor. “We do not understand the use of these implements. Are we to throw them at the gergians destroying our fields? Our spears would be better.”

With a sigh, I stood and reached for the bow. There was at least an hour of daylight left; might as well use it. “Tell him I’ll show him and the others how to use these weapons correctly.”

With Thor acting as interpreter, they followed me outside, where two other Buri, one a female, were waiting, each with a bow and arrows.

“Ask him how close they can usually get to these gergians before they flee.”

After Thor repeated my question, Gardner looked around and then pointed to an outcropping of rock about one hundred yards away. Good. The bows were seventy-five-pound weight and could shoot an arrow about three hundred and fifty yards, so that was well within their range.

By the time I’d strung the bow, we had an audience. Looked like the entire village was turning out to watch. I glanced around the clearing, looking for a good target and making sure no one was in front of me. “See that tree? The one with pink spots on the dark green leaves? Keep your eye on the trunk.”

The one I’d chosen was at least two hundred yards from where we were standing. I picked up an arrow, notched it, and pulled back the string, sighting down the shaft. The Buri were so quiet you could have heard a falling leaf hit the ground. In the silence, the twang of the bowstring was loud when I released it, as was the thud when the arrow hit the tree.

An excited murmur ran through the Buri, and the two still holding unstrung bows looked down at them with new respect.

While Brownie’s little boy ran to retrieve the arrow, I unstrung the bow and gave it back to Gardner, then, with Thor translating, walked him through restringing it. The other two Buri watched closely and mimicked our actions until all three had mastered preparing the bow.

It came as no surprise to me that they were shooting like Robin Hood’s merry men in less than an hour. They were so graceful and athletic, I’d figured they would be good at archery. And it wasn’t just the original three. After they became proficient, everyone had to take a turn, and the falling darkness was no obstacle. They just started a large bonfire and turned the whole thing into a party.

And without the Limantti consuming my attention, I could finally relax and just enjoy being there. Simply watching the Buri have fun aroused all my protective instincts, along with something I’d never felt before. A feeling of possessiveness.

Whether I’d wanted it to happen or not, the Buri were becoming my people. For a GEP, that was both a scary and comforting proposition. Comforting that I’d finally found a place where I could really belong, scary because I knew I’d have to leave them.

A wave of loneliness washed over me at the thought, reminding me of the Limantti. Maybe the crystal and I had more in common than I’d believed.

I was distracted from my thoughts when two of the Buri, a male and a female, stopped and chattered something at me. Thor, who had just taken a turn with the bow, came over and sat down next to me so I could understand them.

“We would like to know how these instruments are constructed,” the female said. “We both work in wood, and yet we have never seen such things. All wish to have one of them, but especially our hunters.”

“Sure thing. Hang on for a sec and I’ll be right back.” I jumped up and headed for the Quonset hut. “Max, send a simple diagram on making bows and arrows to the printer in the lab, please.”

“Printing,” he responded.

Poe was leaning next to the door, so I knew Redfield was inside. He was bent over a high-powered molecular microscope when I walked into the hut, but he straightened and stretched. “Wow, what time is it?”

“About an hour after sunset.” I snagged the drawing Max had sent to the printer. “Why don’t you take a break and join the party?”

“Are you sure the Buri won’t mind? I don’t think I’m very high on their favorites list.”

“They’ll get used to you.” I shrugged. “Just stay away from Brownie. He barely tolerates
me
and I didn’t try to steal his kid.”

“Good point.”

He and Poe followed me back toward the group, but Thor stopped me before I reached them and pulled me to one side.

“I do not like this, mate. For hundreds of cycles weapons that can kill from a distance have been outlawed among my people, and for a very good reason. It is much harder to kill face to face than it is to hide and kill like a coward.”

I arched a brow. “Are you telling me there’s no such thing as murder among your people?”

“No, but it is so rare, the last time it happened I was a small child. I would not have that change. I know we need these weapons to protect the fields, but I do not like the idea of all my people having the bows and arrows.” His forehead was creased by a frown of worry. “Maybe they should only go to the hunters.”

Immediately I shook my head. “That’s a recipe for disaster. If you only give them to the hunters, you’re creating an elite group of warriors. It’s happened before with very bad results, usually for women. The hunter/warriors take over and demand special treatment or they’ll stop protecting and feeding the tribe. Soon, they’re insisting everyone believe the way they do, and those that don’t are punished. By giving the bows to everyone, you keep that from occurring.”

“Then maybe we should keep them and only issue them at night to those who tend the fields.” He stared down at the drawings I held.

Carefully, I folded the diagram and put it in his hand. “In that case, you take this. If you want to share it, you can. Or you can destroy it. However, before you decide, let me tell you something. I think your belief is honorable and that you have your people’s best interest at heart. If it were any other time, I’d even say I agree with you. But if it comes down to a fight with the Dynatec crew, they won’t hesitate to use blasters that kill at a much greater distance than the bows.”

I reached over and put my hand on his arm. “Thor, as I told you before, Dynatec is up to something, and I’m afraid it won’t be much longer before they act. That’s why I’ve started wearing my weapons constantly during the day, and keep them close at night. It’s why I suggested your people start arming themselves. Max and I will do everything in our power to protect the Buri, but we can’t be everywhere. A bow and arrows are pitiful weapons to go against blasters, but they
are
better than bare hands and spears.”

He stared at me intently. “You think they will attack us soon.”

It was a statement, not a question. “If they want to file Chapter Twenty, they have to get rid of the Buri before I find a way to make you reproduce in greater numbers. The longer I stay here, the greater the chances are I’ll succeed before the two-month time limit is up, and Quilla Dorn won’t allow that.”

For a moment longer he hesitated, and then handed the diagram back to me. “Show them how to make these weapons. I’ll worry about what to do with them afterward.”

If there was an afterward. We were both thinking it, but neither of us said it. I really doubted the Buri would have time to make more bows, not when it took days of intensive labor to complete just one. If and when it came down to a battle, we were going to depend an awful lot on Max and his six laser cannons. He was up to the job, but there was a worry niggling at the back of my mind, something I couldn’t quite pin down.

A wave of noise from my right caused me to glance toward the rest of the tribe. Well, hell. Could I not catch a break? Brownie was stalking Redfield, a blaze of unholy anger lighting his eyes. Oblivious to his danger, Redfield was standing beside Poe, watching one of the younger males take a turn with a bow.

Okay, since they kept insisting I was their damn Shushanna, I was going to act like one and pull rank.

Shoving the drawing in my pocket, I stomped through the crowd and planted myself firmly between Brownie and Redfield, who had just realized he was in the path of danger. “No,” I told the Buri. “I won’t have a fight between the two of you.”

And to emphasize my point, I located his strand and gave it a none-too-gentle yank. Those little suckers were coming in handy, I decided, pleased when Brownie winced.

Unfortunately, it didn’t dissuade him. He straightened to his full height and glared down at me. “This man threatened my child. According to our law, it is my right to call challenge.”

“Is he right?” I asked Thor, who had stayed by my side.

“Yes.”

I turned back to Brownie. “He’s already injured. It wouldn’t be a fair fight.”

The dark-haired Buri surveyed Redfield’s colorful bruises, and then gave a grudging nod. “I will offer a concession.”

One brow arched in question, I glanced back to Thor for an interpretation of that statement.

“He offers to do whatever you deem necessary to make the contest equal.”

“That’s big of him. How do you feel?” I asked Redfield.

“Stiff and sore.” He was eyeing Brownie with an air of resignation. “But if he wants a fight, I’ll do it. I guess I owe him that much.”

“Don’t be an idiot,” I snapped. “It’s not going to satisfy his honor to beat an injured man senseless. It needs to be an equal match.”

Which gave me an idea.

Smiling now, I faced Brownie. “The concession I ask is to choose the form the contest takes.”

“That is acceptable.”

Still smiling, I scanned the crowd until I located Auntie Em, and then motioned her forward. “Bring liquor,” I told her through Thor. “And lots of it.”

W
hile Auntie Em took two other Buri to collect the liquor, I leaned toward Redfield. “Look, I know GEPs don’t get drunk nearly as fast as Naturals, but if Auntie Em is any example, neither do the Buri. Either way, Brownie needs to win this contest, and it can’t look like you’re throwing the match. His honor is at stake.”

“You don’t have to worry, Agent Smith. I know how to handle the problem.”

“Good.” Since Thor was frowning at me, I threw him an innocent smile, but he wasn’t buying it.

You would have him lose the contest deliberately?

Would you rather they beat each other to a bloody pulp and put two men out of commission when we may need every able fighter we can get our hands on?

The Redfield would fight with us against his people?

Yes, I think he would. And he’s a GEP. Not quite like me, but stronger, and with better combat training than Naturals. There’s also the fact that he’s armed with a blaster, which will come in handy.

He stared at the ground for a second, and then shook his head. “Bending the law this way is not right. A branch too often bent must soon break. It was the Redfield’s right to name the concession, but he must not deliberately let Dryggahn win, and you will tell him this.”

Redfield had been standing by patiently while Thor and I conducted the mental portion of our conversation. But after Thor spoke aloud, Redfield glanced at me. “What did he say?”

“He said you can’t deliberately let Brownie win.”

A look of puzzlement crossed Redfield’s face. “Why not? Isn’t the objective to give him satisfaction and restore his honor?”

“It has something to do with the law and tree branches.” I shrugged. “Don’t look at me. I’ve never understood Naturals, and probably never will. And despite being an alien race, the Buri are Naturals right down to their toes. But if he wants you to drink Brownie under the table, then go for it.”

“If you say so.”

He was still looking doubtful, but I knew he’d follow instructions. And Thor was smiling again, which seemed to matter a lot more to me than it should have.

Of course, he knew exactly what I was feeling. Before I realized it, his arm snaked around my waist, pulling me into his side. My knees did a fantastic imitation of limp noodles and it was all I could do to keep from snuggling into him and staying there forever.

Unfortunately, Auntie Em and the two Buri she’d taken along had returned, loaded down with large clay wine jugs. Much as it pained me, I had to at least
try
and act dignified.

Someone had brought out one of the low tables the Buri favored, and she deposited her jug beside it, then marched over to Thor, a glower on her face. “Whose brilliant idea was this? Our stores of wine will be depleted for several sevendays before these two are done. How happy will everyone be when they have only water to drink with their meals?”

“Tell her I’ll replace whatever wine they consume with Panga ale from Max’s stores first thing tomorrow,” I told Thor.

Her answering smile was so smug I had to wonder if that wasn’t what she’d planned from the start of this conversation. She really did love Panga ale, after all. No doubt she’d been scheming ways to get her hands on more since I’d shut down the food unit in the Quonset hut when Frisk attempted to poison me.

“It is time to begin.” Thor gestured to where Redfield and Brownie were taking their places across the table from each other.

Cups were placed in front of them and Auntie Em hurried to join Elder. After a brief consultation, Elder moved to the north end of the table, while Auntie Em stood guard at the south. In unison, the Buri each lifted a jug and poured the cups full, while the rest of the tribe gathered around to watch.

Clearing my throat, I stepped forward. “Only two rules, guys. If you toss your cookies, you lose. And the last man conscious wins.” I waited until Thor finished translating and then asked him, “What happens if Brownie wins?”

“The Redfield will owe him a tribute, of Dryggahn’s choosing. If the Redfield wins, the grudge will be dropped and never spoken of again.”

When I gave Redfield the terms, he nodded and picked up his cup. “Cheers.” He downed it in three swallows and Brownie followed suit.

By the time they were on the fifth cup with no apparent effects, I was getting bored. Shifting restlessly, I looked around for something else to do. Finally, I leaned into Thor. “I think we should go and get Claudia and Ghost and bring them back to the village.”

“Now?” He blinked down at me sleepily, and I realized he was as bored as I was.

“Yes, now. It’s dark, and the Dynatec ship doesn’t have long-range night sensors. I’d like to know exactly what Claudia found. It must have been important for Dorn to react like she has. Claudia is also armed with a blaster. The more weapons we have, the better I’ll feel.”

His gaze sharpened. “You know where they are.”

“Not exactly. But I know the general location. I’m betting that when I get close to them, I’ll be able to distinguish Ghost’s strand from the others and find them that way. It’s only a few miles from here, so we can be there and back before anyone misses us.”

All traces of boredom fell away from him as he straightened. “We will go now. Which way?”

I pointed at a spot that was approximately halfway between Max’s location and the mountains to the west. “Somewhere in that direction.”

Taking my hand, he led me through the crowd and we slipped away into the darkness under the trees, pausing a second to let our eyes adjust before moving onward. I also loosened my blaster in its holster in case I needed to get it out fast.

No more speaking aloud
, I told him.
Just because their ship lacks long-range night vision equipment doesn’t mean they won’t have people out searching.

He nodded, but remained silent, which gave me a chance to concentrate on the strands as we walked. The large unmoving clump was right there, a kind of in-your-face glow. Just to the south of that cluster, the Buri’s strands were a much smaller and looser group that shimmered and shifted, twisting together and then separating into individuals as they moved around. Thor’s was right beside me, thicker and more substantial than any of the others.

I let my consciousness expand until I found the individual Buri who were standing watch on the Dynatec camp. To my surprise, one of them was fairly close, just in front of us and to our left.

There could only be one reason why he was there.

Immediately, I stopped and touched Thor’s arm, bringing him to a halt.
Someone from the Dynatec crew is just ahead. We need to move, very quietly, to the right and circle around them.

He peered through the darkness, then slid sideways between two trees without so much as stirring a leaf, leaving me blinking in admiration at the way he’d vanished. Damn, he was good. Especially when you took his size into consideration. Males who are over seven feet tall aren’t usually the picture of grace and agility. Thor was the exception to the rule.

This way
, his voice sounded in my head.
There’s a stream that will cover any noise we make.

He meant any noise
I
made, because he sure wasn’t making any, and my admiration was tinged with a little envy. My usual method of confronting problems was about as subtle as a thundering herd of pachyderms. But if he could move silently, then I could at least try to do the same. Taking a deep breath, I followed him, paying more attention to where I placed my feet and to the branches that brushed against me.

Moving quietly got easier once we reached the stream. The damp banks padded our steps and the gurgling water hid any other small sound we might make.

Keeping an internal eye on the location of the Dynatec crew member, I let my consciousness expand even further. And in the far upper right of my reach, where Max had last seen Crigo, I found a single shimmering strand of Buri life force. It had to be Ghost.

This way
, I told Thor, and moved into the lead. We were now far enough from the Dynatec crew member that I wasn’t worried about being discovered, so I picked up the pace.

Gradually, the ground sloped upward and became rockier. Just as the trees thinned until I was afraid we were going to be in clear sight on the plain, a low snarl sounded from above us.

“It’s me,” I whispered, and the snarl changed to a chuff of welcome as Crigo stood from his crouched position on top of a boulder. He watched intently as we made our way to where he stood guard, then turned and led us to a black opening in the rock wall.

We’d barely taken two steps inside when I was grabbed and nearly bowled over.

“Kiera! Thank the Goddess,” Claudia babbled, hanging onto me like her life depended on it. “I’ve been so scared.”

“Didn’t you get my note?” I gently disentangled myself from her grip and glanced around. It was a good-sized cave with passages branching off in the back. Someone had started a fire far enough into one of the tunnels that its glow couldn’t be seen from outside. A small trickle of water spilled down a rock wall to fill a tiny pool next to one opening. All in all, it wasn’t a bad place to hide, even if you did have to sleep on the bare floor.

Ghost chattered excitedly at Thor while Claudia answered my question. “I got it, but all you said was to stay in hiding, that Quilla was hunting me, and to trust Crigo. And not to sleep with Ghost.” She frowned at that last one. “Why do you care if I sleep with him?”

“It’s a long story. I’ll explain everything when we get you back to the Buri village.”

“Is that safe? Quilla will know right where to find me.”

“Yeah, she’ll know, but she won’t be able to do anything about it. The hardest part will be getting you there. She has people out looking, so you’ll have to be quiet. And leave your comm unit here. They’re trying to pick up its signal and use it to locate you, but the cave walls are blocking it.”

While Thor and Ghost put out the fire, she unfastened the comm unit and threw it deep into one of the passages. Too bad I didn’t have time to hook it to one of the herdbeasts that roamed the plains. That would sure keep Dorn and company busy for the night. As pleasant as that thought was, it would take too long to run one down.

I moved to the cave opening, where Crigo waited and mentally checked the area. The Buri I’d located earlier was moving back toward the Dynatec camp, so we should have a clear path.

When the others joined me, we set out single file with Crigo in the front. We were almost back at the village when he flattened his ears and came to an abrupt halt. A wave of animosity rolled off him as he stared intently into the jungle.

Someone is out there
, I told Thor.
Keep Ghost and Claudia back.
Freeing my blaster, I moved up to stand beside Crigo and aimed it at the area he was watching.

“Show yourself, Dorn, or I’ll shoot first and ask questions later.”

“How did you know it was me?” She stepped out of the darkness into a patch of moonlight.

“Logic. If it had been Frisk, Crigo wouldn’t be standing here looking at you, he’d be eating you alive. And if had been one of your crew, a Buri would have been near. I’ve noticed that you seem to be good at evading the guards.” I held the blaster loosely, but was prepared to act in a split second if necessary. “Now, what are you doing here?”

“Waiting.” She shrugged. “I knew that sooner or later you’d fetch Claudia, so it made more sense than beating the brush. And you can put the blaster away. I’m not going to attack you.”

“Let’s just make sure of that, shall we? Max, record,” I told the ship as I returned my blaster to its holster.

“Recording.”

I crossed my arms and stared at her. “What do you want with Claudia?”

“She’s a member of my crew. I’d like to have her back.”

Before I could respond, Claudia dodged around Thor and rushed to stand next to me. “Consider this my resignation, Quilla. I don’t work for people who plan on killing me.”

Dorn’s lips curved in a calm smile. “Don’t be so dramatic, Claudia. You’re a valuable asset to my company. Why would I want to kill you?”

Claudia’s chin went up. “Because I know what kind of files you have on your computer.”

“Oh?” My interest went several notches. “What files does she have?”

Dorn’s smile vanished. “That’s proprietary information. I could have her arrested for corporate espionage.”

“You could, yes.” My own smile turned feral. “But then you’d have to open your files to the courts, wouldn’t you? I’m sure they’d love to see them.”

A bolt of pure frustration shot from her before she got it under control. “It might be worth it.”

“Really? Claudia, what are the files?”

“She has one on the Bureau of Alien Affairs, one on you, one on the Buri, another on the crystals of Orpheus Two, and a really big one on someone named Gertz.”

A chill ran through me. How in the thirteen hells had she found out about Dr. Gertz? If the file was as big as Claudia thought, I could no longer assume my secrets were safe. I couldn’t even confront her about it, because there was a slim chance she didn’t know what she had, and I wasn’t about to point her in the right direction. This information had to get to the boss right away.

“Max,” I subvocalized, “feed this straight to Dr. Daniels, and put a red alert on it so he sees it immediately.”

I had to divert Dorn away from that Gertz file, make her think I wasn’t interested in it, so I grasped the first topic that came to mind. “There’s no need to hide the crystals, Dorn. I know exactly what they are and what they’re capable of doing. The information is already permanently entered into Max’s archives. Even as we speak, scientists from all over the universe are studying the information.”

“You’d have to be stupid not to know.” Her smile was back, smug and condescending. “If there’s one thing I know about you, Agent Smith, it’s that you aren’t stupid. A bit naive, perhaps, but not stupid.” She gave another of those negligent little shrugs. “It doesn’t matter. When our Chapter Twenty is approved, the planet will legally belong to Dynatec, along with all the crystals. We’ll be able to ask any price we want for them. Do you know how much people will pay for a crystal that enhances psi ability? The sky is the limit.”