Negative (2 page)

Aster remained behind Abrieth’s chair until the recess was called, and she escorted her to the lav.

While Lady Abrieth was primping at the mirror, Aster asked her, “Why do you wear such skimpy clothing? Wouldn’t you be treated with more respect if you dressed more conservatively?”

“Probably, but I would not get the amazing deals that I am currently gaining during the negotiations. Have you noticed that the men stare? Have you noticed that I have gotten eight months’ rations for the price of four? Offering the view of my body is a distraction tactic, just as your concealment is. I know what you look like under those drapes, and all that they do is provide you with a psychological advantage.”

Aster shrugged. “It is true. I had to take more training to move in the robes than I did for anything else.”

The lady smiled at her in the mirror. “So, we both dress for the job we have, not the job we want.”

“May I ask one question before we return to the hall?”

“Sure.” Abrieth grinned at her in the mirror.

“Why did you sleep with the Presku?”

Abrieth’s face softened and her smile was filled with sweet memories. “Because I wanted him and he wanted me. We were very good together.”

“Would you marry him?”

“Take him as a mate, you mean?” Abrieth tilted her head. “If he got pregnant, I suppose I would.”

Aster was thankful that she had done her homework. The Presku had a secondary head in their male organ that reached out and took in tissue from their partner. It used that tissue to generate the next generation. If he were pregnant, they would be hearing about it in the next month or so.

“Are you hoping that he is?” Aster couldn’t believe she had asked it so boldly.

Abrieth smiled slyly. “Why would I want something like that? A tall, witty, handsome man who worships the ground I walk on and he gets to carry the child? Who would want something like that?”

“You are right. Silly of me. Are you ready?”

“I am. Let’s get this over with; I have a party to attend this evening.”

Aster inclined her head and walked with her charge out of the ladies retiring room and back to the boardroom.

It was riveting to watch, but Aster was glad to be heading back to the lady’s apartments. She felt flickers of aggression nearby but no one made a move. When they returned to the lady’s quarters, Aster and the other guards grabbed a meal and refreshment while Abrieth got dressed for her party.

The guards were of Abrieth’s species. The Bo. Their names were Tobr, Rin, Ehki, Limo, Gess and Sern.

Sern asked, “How did you see him coming this morning?”

“He looked at no one but Abrieth, not even the buxom woman to his right. The folk here glance and look away. It wasn’t right.” It was easier to say that than to say she felt waves of hostility aimed at the lady.

It had been described to her as seconds of precognition or telepathy. She could feel when folk had immediate intent against her. That was the reason for the swap of genetic material. Lady Abrieth was now part of her until Aster’s body did away with the injected traces.

Her body was primed to defend itself at all times. It had been a little hard to adjust to, but she had come to accept that this was her new lot in life. Her mind was sharp, her body was ridiculously toned and her senses extended in a seeking aura around her body.

She had never wanted to be whatever it was she was becoming, but now that the change was upon her she accepted it. She just didn’t want to advertise what she couldn’t quantify.

Aster tidied up and put her dishes away.

“Aster, can you come in and help me with this?”

Aster sighed, and the looks that the guards exchanged told her that they used to be the ones on fashion assist.

The gauzy wrap that Abrieth was struggling into looked more like a handkerchief than a top, but Aster followed her directions and got it to hold.

“Don’t sneeze, lady. It could blow.”

“I will be fine. Do you have some nicer robes?”

Aster chuckled. “I do. I have some very pretty ones, but that will not make me effective as your bodyguard.”

Abrieth sighed and turned from side to side, her body gleaming through the thin fabric.

“Fine, at least put on fresh clothing for this evening. The source of all the fuss is going to be there, and I want to make a good impression on his family.”

Aster smirked, “I believe your still being alive will do that.”

She followed orders and went to change her clothing. The next set of complete robes was heavier and had a hood in place with a veil drawn over her nose and mouth. The peak of the hood came down between her eyes and attached to the veil.

The clothing was a shade of grey tinged with the deep purple of the local sunset.

When she returned to the lady’s side, Abrieth nodded. “Much nicer. I hadn’t realised your eyes were so pretty.”

“They are just eyes, lady.” Her eyes had changed after the fall. They were now shot with streaks of red that made it hard for other humans to meet her gaze. It was one of her favourite things about being a Terran Volunteer, the alien races were accepting at face value.

“But they are the windows to the soul, or so your people say. It is a pretty phrase.” Abrieth nodded. “Well, the sun is down, so it is time to go. Oh, do me a favour and step on that plate over there.”

“Why?”

“Tomorrow is a costume ball and I need you to come as escort. Everyone must have a costume, so all who attend have to send in their measurements and the clothing will be delivered in the afternoon. I plan to spend the morning at the groomers. You are welcome to join me, sans robes.”

“I will consider it.”

Sighing, but with no reason to refuse, Aster stood on the plate and light scanned her in a tube of light that rose and fell for a few minutes. When it chirped, Abrieth used her data pad to send the information and she smiled brilliantly. “Thank you. I can never get these rigid men to unbend and join me.”

Aster kept her sigh to herself. “I am not a toy to play dress-up with.”

The lady sobered and showed some of the keen intelligence from the day’s negotiations. “No, you are a grown woman with a woman’s appetites, as am I. If we can satisfy them without danger or hazard, I believe we should.”

That took her aback, and Aster kept her mouth shut until they arrived in the household of one of the local nobles, and Abrieth was welcomed, as was Aster as the lady’s companion.

The party was in full swing. Aster observed and kept her senses open to any danger.

When Abrieth grabbed her arm, Aster followed her gaze, and she took in the handsome man flanked by a scowling woman of his own kind and another woman with red eyes and a sensual pout.

The man stared at Abrieth, but his entourage steered him to one side and kept him from mingling and getting closer to the woman he was obviously fixated on.

“Why don’t you marry him?”

The lady smiled sadly when Aster asked the question. “I have a title, but the funds I have are not mine, they are those of the Alliance and the Imperium. I am an expert negotiator for minor issues. I can come and go easily. It is no life for him. He needs wealth and comfort.”

“Have you asked him if he would join with you?”

“I cannot. It would be dishonourable.”

Aster sighed and watched the man as he darted gazes toward her purple companion. “What is his name?”

“Lerodan.”

Aster nodded. “I am going to get something to drink. Security is tight, so just don’t go running into the street without me.”

Abrieth nodded and drifted over to join a conversational grouping with several older men and women who eyed her with lust. She was right. Running through the world mostly naked definitely put people in a different frame of mind.

It seemed so clichéd to strike up a conversation over the punch bowl, but it seemed the only place that Lerodan’s entourage would not follow him.

“Well, this party seems to match the direct definition of a gathering.”

He quirked his lips. “It does, hidden one. I noted you speaking with Lady Abrieth earlier. Do you know her?”

“We have met. She speaks very highly of one of your species. She pines for what could have been if she had funds or more than her station as negotiator.” Aster slipped the cup under her veil and sipped the punch. She made a face and tried to act casual. The stuff was horrible.

“Well, in four weeks, I gain my estates, but by then, I will be mated to that woman over there.”

“Do you love her?”

“I do not, but she is the match my family made while I was still young.”

Aster looked at his earnest features; the pale tan of his skin and mahogany hair gave him the air of perpetual youth. “It is a shame. I can see her heart ache for you, not to mention other parts.”

Aster inclined her head and moved away, taking the offensive glass of punch with her because she didn’t know what to do with it.

She walked around the edge of the party, spoke with a few people who were curious about her robes and drifted back to her lady’s side.

“That was quite the walk.”

Aster inclined her head. “I was trying to outrun the effects of the punch but was unsuccessful.”

“I am amazed that you are still upright. That stuff packs enough of a hit to knock most men on their backsides after one cup. The host prides himself on it.”

Aster looked at the men who had taken up wrestling in the middle of the room and she nodded. “I can see why. It does pack a punch, but not for me. It just tastes gross.”

“Would you care to join the wrestling? It is traditional.”

Aster sighed. “No, I am not dressed for it. Plus, wrestling isn’t my thing. I don’t like to hit the floor.”

“You don’t have to. You start with standing and see where it goes from there.”

“Fine, keep an eye on yourself.”

“Oh, I am going to watch this. It should be entertaining.”

Aster made her way to the fight area, and she waited until the previous bout was called.

“Who will challenge Arez?”

The man she was about to face was a head taller than she was and a deep mahogany with black hair. Even his eyes were black. His expression was amused.

She stepped forward. “I will.”

He hooted with laughter. “Run home and do some needlework. A little thing like you cannot wrestle.”

He reached out to touch her head, and she gripped his wrist, twisted and knocked him to the floor.

The crowd gathered and bets started to ripple along.

Arez stood, and she could tell by his sway that he was not steady on his feet. “So, little miss, may I have your name?”

“It would sound silly for you to be called Aster.”

He grinned. “You want to fight?”

“Well, it has been a while since I had a man’s hands on me, but you are welcome to try.”

It seemed that she couldn’t stop flirting. Something about this man made her feel all coy and aggressive at the same time.

“Do you want to shed some of that fabric?”

She shrugged. “No. You will have to work for it.”

His black eyes widened and narrowed in an instant. The man acting as referee stepped forward, and he raised his hand. “To the floor or out of the ring. Go!”

Arez lunged for her, and she responded, dancing lightly away a moment before he would have made contact. The crowd caught him and helped him straighten.

Aster turned and waited for him to attack again. This time, he moved in slowly before reaching for her. She grabbed his hands with hers and twisted his wrists while kicking upward.

His head snapped back and he dropped to the ground.

The crowd was silent until he groaned and started to stir; the cheer that rose up nearly deafened her. She inclined her head and tried to leave.

The ref put out his hand. “I am sorry, miss. It is two bouts or winner stays on. You will have to take on another comer.”

“Fine.”

The ref called out, “Who will take on this delicate little lady?”

One drunk noble came out and leered at her. “I will.”

It took one pass and a short grapple for her to get the noble to the ground. When she finished riding him to the floor with her arm around his throat, she stood, dusted off her robes and left the wrestling floor.

Her lady was beaming. “Thanks for that. Lerodan and I had a chance to talk. I will explain later.”

Folk came around to congratulate her on her skills and asked if she would do it again during the festival tomorrow night.

She looked to her lady. “What?”

“The costume ball is part of the annual celebrations. A retired bunch of gladiators founded this world. They still engage in combat once a year to honour their god of war, Yodin.” Abrieth shrugged.

“Yodin?”

“It is said that for the true warriors, he will inhabit them and turn them into champions for that one night and the rest of their lives. Combat is still quite the industry on Rekfa. The fighters are quite fun to spend time with.” She waggled her eyebrows.

She twisted her lips sceptically, “Um, do gods take over often? I have heard of a few other species where it happens.”

One of the ladies was eager. “It isn’t the soul of the world. Rekfa has its own Avatar. This is something different.”

Aster looked at her and asked, “You have seen it?”

“And experienced it.” The woman blushed brightly. “Those men who are chosen by Yodin can last all night and into the week beyond.”

Aster paused for a moment and then she clued in. “Oh. Got it.”

The ladies blushed and shared exploits of previous champions with her. Arez was one of them. It was fascinating, informative and Aster was very glad she was wearing her veil, because her appalled expression would have stopped the gossip.

By the time she walked home with Abrieth, her brain was spinning with tales of mythical men who could last all night and who needed multiple partners just to sate their lusts.

“That was informative.”

The lady laughed. “It was. I have been here for the parties before and one or two of the chosen of Yodin have wandered in. They are a lot of fun; I would have to agree with that.”

“So, I suppose that I will find out tomorrow.”