The Star King (6 page)

* * *

Andrews Air Force Base Flight Operations sat next to the flight line—an asphalt field of taxiways, hangars, and runways. Jas ignored the
flight crew only
signs on the building's automatic doors and found the women's rest room. Hurriedly, she changed into her flight suit, combat boots, and standard air force-issue brown leather jacket. Facing the mirror, she donned a flight cap; it was a dark blue hat worn many times, with her former officer's rank pinned to the right side. After positioning the cap two fingers' width above her eyebrows, she headed out into the cold, damp night, hoping no one noticed that she was a bit mature-looking to be wearing the silver bar of a first lieutenant. But everything else so far had gone smoothly—including the lift she'd gotten from a

former colleague of Dan's, a Pentagon employee happy to do a favor for his friend. Their admission onto the base proceeded with little more than a cursory wave, and the man was unaware of the crucial role he'd played in dropping her off. Without the coveted sticker he had on his windshield, she would have needed a visitor's pass, which meant forms to fill out, delays, questions—attention she did not want.

Jas strode along a well-lit road paralleling the flight line. To her left was a barbed wire—topped chain-link fence separating her from the runways. Jet engines thundered in the distance. Her muscles tensed as she watched green and red winking lights soar skyward. It was a cargo plane, not a spaceship. So far, so good—all air traffic would be stopped long before a spaceship was allowed to depart. Yet she couldn't keep from checking her watch.

Ninety minutes until launch.

Quickening her pace, she ignored the pounding of her travel bag against her thigh, and the way her lungs tightened in the jet fuel—scented autumn air. The moon floated behind a tattered curtain of clouds, painting the shadows of two hulking vessels ahead in a hazy, fog-touched glow. They loomed, foreboding and ominous, and she wondered fleetingly whether she was out of her mind.

One block to go.

From behind, Jas heard a car approach. Then came the unmistakable sound of a police radio. Gravel popped and headlights hit her in the back. She fought an irrational urge to run toward the ships, to freedom.
You have no ID,
her conscience screamed.
You're impersonating an officer.
But fleeing would be an admission of guilt, so she lowered her bag. Perspiration prickled her forehead despite the chilly air. Then slowly, reluctantly, she turned around.

* * *

Rom's boot heels clicked over the
Quillie's
alloy flooring. "Begin the prelaunch sequence," he ordered his bridge crew. But he did not settle into his command chair to watch the proceedings, as was his habit. Instead he paced, as if the mindless exercise would bum off his anger, his frustration—and the deeply personal sense of shame. He'd been forced to leave Earth without completing a single act of commerce. It was his own fault, too, for thinking he could best the
Vash Nadah.
And now the men who trusted him would suffer for it.

At the far end of the bridge, Rom turned on his heel and tramped back.
Months!
He'd wasted months on this jaunt to Earth, only to be sent away with no more regard than was used to flick away a Centaurian morning-fly. The barest of supplies graced the larders; a pitifully small cargo of salt lay in the hold—and
that
was booty left over from the system visited before this one.
Hell and back!
Shoving the fingers of both hands through his hair, Rom sat heavily in his command chair, his forearms balanced on his knees. From his position behind the six men preparing the ship for launch, he observed the proceedings in sullen silence. Nothing less than a million standard miles between the
Quillie
and this miserable backwater planet would improve his mood.

Zarra called to him from his station in front of the sweeping navigation console. "Sir. The prelaunch checklist is complete."

"Call the tower," Rom said wearily. "Tell them we want an early launch approved. I see no reason to prolong our stay, do you?"

"No, sir!" cried Zarra. The bridge crew chorused in hearty agreement.

* * *

A young security police officer rolled down his window. "Evening, Lieutenant," he said to Jas.

She forced her mouth into a casual grin. "How's your night going so far?"

"Quiet. Just how I like 'em. Where you headed?"

She gestured with her chin. "The
Vash
ships."

He chuckled and lowered the volume on his radio. "You and every other pilot on the base. Can't get enough of them babies, huh?"

"What I wouldn't give to fly one."

"I'll bet." He propped his arm on the door.

Jas relaxed a fraction. He sounded like a bored cop looking to chat. But that could change in a heartbeat if he asked her for ID. She'd better take control if she wanted to win him over. She took a breath. "You know, you're my one lucky break all night."

He grinned. "How's that?"

"I'm beat. Have time for a lift?" Criminals didn't ask policemen for rides.

He unlocked the back door. "Hop in. I can drop you off in front of the checkpoint."

"Perfect." She hopped into the backseat, clutching her bag with shaking hands. "I need to run some paperwork out there. Then I'm headed back to the VOQ," she explained, using the lingo for the building that housed visiting officers.

He stopped in full view of the checkpoint, establishing her much-needed credibility with the two MPs sitting inside. Weak-kneed with relief, she thanked the young cop profusely.

Inside the cramped trailer the odor of cigarettes and coffee hovered in an interior illuminated by overly bright fluorescent lights. Jas slipped the leather portfolio from her bag and set it on a dented metal desk next to the radio. "This is for the
Quillie."

The stockier MP reached for it. She blocked his hand. "Actually, I'm supposed to deliver it in person. Governor's orders. The Arizona state governor," she emphasized. She opened the portfolio and smoothed her palm over the creamy white cover letter. "He promised the captain of the
Quillie
he'd have these here yesterday, but"—her voice hushed—"all I can say is that it's embarrassing that these are so late."

"I don't know, ma'am...."

A sharp hiss echoed from the vicinity of the two
Vash
ships. Then a rumbling began, increasing in volume until the linoleum floor vibrated beneath her boots. Jas's heart slammed urgently in her chest. She jabbed her finger in the direction of the ships. "We're running out of time. Radio the
Quillie.
Tell them their papers are here."

But the MP picked up the telephone instead. "I've got to check with the duty officer first."

"No time for that!" Jas flipped over the cover letter, revealing the first page. "Look, it's a trade agreement. A legal contract. A lot of work went into this." She watched him read the governor's message and then scan the signatures and statements from the CEOs. "Can you imagine the repercussions if this doesn't get on board? Civilians get nasty, especially when the military screws up. My butt's already on the line. I'm sure Governor Goldsmith would love to roast yours, too."

The thinner MP piped in. "Jesus, Russ. Don't get anal on me. We're running stuff like this out there all the time." Grabbing the radio transmitter, he lifted the mouthpiece to his lips.
"Quillie,
this is Alpha Five," he said in painfully mangled Basic. "Alpha Five to
Quillie.
Please respond."

There was static, then a curt, unintelligible reply.

The MP raised his brows. "Ma'am, what do I tell them?"

Jas grinned. "Special delivery."

* * *

Rom spread his hands in disbelief. "They want to
what?"

"Trade," Gann replied, equally puzzled. "He—or she— claims to represent a consortium of powerful merchants. With supposed signed proof of their eagerness to trade."

Rom choked out a laugh. It was no doubt a bureaucratic blunder, a contract destined for one of the other ships. He raised his headrest and buckled his safety harness. "Send the Earth-dweller away. He can sort out the mess with Lahdo."

Gann returned to the bank of communications equipment that had received the Earth guard's call.

"Zarra," Rom demanded. "Where is my clearance?"

"Working on it, sir. The tower says the delay is with a higher aviation authority of some kind—Washington Center, I believe they called it. And they can't give me an estimated time of departure."

"Why doesn't that surprise me?" Rom frowned. More blasted minutes wasted sitting on this rock. hi the lull that followed, he pondered the Earth-dweller's offer. Lahdo would be mortified when he found out that the
Quillie
had been contacted in error.

A grin slowly lifted one comer of Rom's mouth. The launch was delayed, was it not? He might as well solicit a little entertainment to make the time pass faster.

He unfastened his harness. "Gann, disregard that order. What do you say we have ourselves a little sport?"

Gann laughed. "At Lahdo's expense?"

"Naturally. Summon the Earth-dweller. I ache to see his face when you tell him he's aboard the wrong ship." Rom walked to the railing that overlooked the cavernous bulkhead below. "I'll view the fun from here. Naturally I'll join you should the encounter prove amusing."

* * *

Jas's body hummed with awe and fear as she followed the MP to the rebel ship. The dark, smooth metal hull gleamed dully, punctuated by winking multicolored lights. Steam hissed from the craft's belly, adding to the chorus of whirring motors and intermittent mechanical clicking. Distinctly alien, it was at least as long as a Boeing 747, but much fatter, with stubby triangular wings close to the fuselage. A row of odd symbols decorated one side, resembling hieroglyphics—not the Basic she'd learned—likely the ship's name in an exotic, unknown language. A film of some kind coated the forward windows, preventing her from seeing inside. The hair prickled on the back of her neck. She had the feeling that she was being studied by those she could not see. Her suspicion was confirmed when a portal below the nose opened slowly, spilling warm, golden light onto the tarmac. Then the heavy ramp hit the pavement with a gravelly thud and there was silence, broken only by the sizzle of escaping steam.

"Go on in." The MP's throat bobbed, and he stepped backward. "I'll wait here."

Unable to see what lay beyond the steep ramp, Jas inhaled and exhaled slowly, steadying herself mentally. Everything she'd accomplished in her life so far—the choices she'd made, the mistakes and the triumphs— were so that she could experience this one glorious moment. No matter what the outcome, tonight her life had reached a turning point. "Here goes," she said, and began the long climb.

Recessed green lights in the floor led her inside. Laden with the mysterious humidity of a cave, the air gradually warmed, and the lights began to alternate between gold and green. The tunnel was featureless. No graffiti, no trash cans, she thought in a frantic attempt at humor. No cigarette butts or Coke cans lay wedged, trampled and forgotten, in the space between the floor and the walls. There were no signs of life, though she could hear distant voices. And laughter. That unnervingly familiar sound coaxed her forward.

The ramp ended in a cavernous chamber, ringing with a metallic emptiness, reminding her of the interior of an aircraft hangar. A vibration rumbled beneath the floor, and she had to clench her teeth so they wouldn't chatter. The rattling ceased. She heard the muffled voices again, emanating from a room above, beyond a balcony with a double railing. She could see shadows moving, and lights of instruments and computers reflected in an enormous curving window at the front of the ship. Most likely the flight deck, or the bridge. Still, no one had shown up to escort her. Did they know she'd come aboard?

She was weighing the consequences of shouting "Anybody home?" when she spotted a
Vash
man waiting behind a low table that extended at a right angle from the wall. Good-looking and ruggedly built, the man was easily six-foot-three. Dim, bluish light illuminated the room, bleaching his tawny skin. If not for his startling golden eyes, he would have looked entirely human.

"You not the captain," she said in choppy Basic. Nerves were making it tough to speak the language she'd so recently learned.

He spread his hands, palms down on the table. "I'm Gann, the second-in-command. Show me the agreement."

She dropped her gear onto the table. Several lights blinked in protest. Quickly Gann flicked off a switch. His expression was downright forbidding, but his eyes glinted with laughter, pricking Jas's pride.

"My name is Jasmine Hamilton," she announced with cool professionalism, using words she had rehearsed a thousand times in the past few days. "I represent business leaders who want to trade with your ship." Opening the finely bound folder, she turned it so he could see. "This is everything the captain wants. Commander Lahdo said no to trade. But the state of Arizona says yes."

Gann examined the documents. "English," he said, pronouncing it "On-gleesh." With obvious dismay, he admitted, "I cannot read it."

Of course!
Why hadn't she thought to make a copy in Basic? Sheepishly, resorting to unrehearsed Basic, she summarized what was on the papers, and who had signed them.

"This is the
Quillie,"
he said. "No one is permitted to trade with us. Weren't you told this? Your agreement is meant for another ship."

"No. Yours."

He peered over her head and lifted his palms. She glanced over her shoulder, following his gaze to the balcony, to where the shadowy form of a man stood. His face was hidden, but he was the rebel captain; she was sure of it.

She returned her attention to Gann. "I know he wants to see this. Exclusive deal. For very small price."

He appeared incredulous. "You want us to pay you?"

"Well, yes." She thought hard, struggling to remember the words she needed. "Small price, big reward. I give you this agreement. And you give me passage into space. That is all."

His nostrils flared. "We don't take passengers."

She rooted through her bag until she found her pouch of jewelry. She tugged open the silken cord and upended the bag, spilling out her beloved silver bangles and assorted gemstones. Her old wedding ring wandered in a wobbly circle before taking a suicide plunge off the edge.

The
Vash
caught it neatly in one big palm. Unimpressed, he smiled, as if charmed, which irked her some more. She'd bet that the South Pacific islanders of centuries ago felt the same when they climbed aboard Captain Cook's superior ship only to find that that their most valued offerings were considered trinkets. Again he glanced over her head. Her stomach squeezed tight. Any minute her apparent novelty would wear thin and they'd boot her off the ship. It was time to roll out the heavy ammunition. "Have salt," she said. "Many, many salts." She began plunking box after box of Morton table salt onto the gleaming table, making sure she left her personal supply hidden, what she'd estimated she'd need to purchase supplies and lodging.

This time when Gann turned his attention to his captain, his eyes widened slightly. Then his incredulous gaze lowered. "My captain says you may come."

Overcome by a torrent of conflicting emotions, Jas fought to keep them from appearing on her face.

"Quickly," he said. "We're ready to depart." He locked the salt and jewelry in a recessed cabinet. Then he lifted her bag onto one broad shoulder and gestured to a ladder that led up to a cutout in the ceiling. She was halfway up when more rumbling began, forcing her to tighten her sweaty grip on the ladder. On the bridge the crew stopped midtask to stare-at her. Blond and healthy, they wore sensible, rugged work clothes. If not for their bronzed skin and odd-colored eyes, they could have passed for a group of Swedish sailors. "Greetings," she said, offering a half-smile.

"You. Earth-dweller."

Her insides quivered at the very timbre of that too-familiar voice. The rebel captain was glowering at her from the bridge. For countless heartbeats, they regarded each other in mute astonishment.

He spoke first. "It
is
you."

She braced herself. Now was the ideal time to kick her habit of transferring the expectancy of her dreams onto flesh-and-blood men. "I do not know you."

"I believe you do." His voice was low and deceptively calm, but his eyes were as hot as glowing embers. "I see it in your face."

The first tendrils of panic squeezed her chest. She wondered irrationally if she'd appeared in his dreams, too. "You are mistaken."

"Am I?" Clearly he was a strapping male in the prime of life, but in that moment, his eyes were those of an old man—a man who had lived long and lost much.

Inexplicably, her heart went out to him. He must have seen it in her expression, because his features hardened, and he strode past his crew and took her by the upper arm, steering her to a darkened comer. Her vivid physical awareness of every square inch of him rendered her speechless, while his gaze, reminiscent of a jungle cat's, meandered over her, from her boots to her face, pointedly lingering on her mouth. Her cheeks heated, and self-preservation kicked in.
The Vash religion is based on a feminine entity,
she desperately reminded herself.
In his culture, women are respected, motherhood is revered, fidelity and marriage are held in high regard.
He wouldn't hurt her—she gulped—unless, of course, he didn't care for those dictates any more than he had Lahdo's.

She inched backward, but the computer consoles behind her allowed no retreat.

"How did you find me?" he demanded under his breath.

"I watched Commander Lahdo's address. I heard name of your ship, so I know where to look."

"I see. Was that the technique you employed the first time?"

"The
first
time?"

"On Balkanor! Sharron's headquarters."

"Bal-kan-or. Sorry. New at Basic. Please repeat."

"Cease your games, woman! Why are you here? Is it because of my provocation of the
Vash Nadah?
Pointless it is, but satisfying as hell. Am I to retreat to the farthest reaches of the galaxy? Is that it? Is that what you want? So no one need be reminded of my existence?"

Rom gripped the comm console behind him with unsteady hands. The old fury boiled inside him, and he heard it in his voice. Little wonder she looked as if she wanted to bolt from the ship—or knee him in the groin. In either case, his prospects of learning anything from her were disappearing faster than salt in a sieve. "Well? What have you to say?"

She lifted her chin another defiant notch. "I have no idea what you talk about."

Rom scrutinized her. He considered himself a good judge of character; usually he could tell if a trader was lying to him, or holding something back. That was one reason he'd done so well on so little all these years. But he sensed absolutely no guile on her part. Either she was a master of deception, or she was ignorant of her fateful role in his life. But with the launch sequence well under way, there wasn't time to ascertain which one it was.

With an effort that cost him, he encased his turbulent response to her within an iron will. "So be it. We have many days of travel ahead—more than enough time to finish this conversation."

"Sir," Zarra called out before she could reply. "We have received the launch clearance."

"You may use my chair." Rom urged her across the bridge to his contoured command chair, from where he normally oversaw planetary departures. He drew two straps over her head and buckled them at her hips, then pulled two more belts from the sides of the chair and clicked the ends into the alloy receptacle between her knees.

"I have dreamed of this all my life," she whispered.

Startled by her candor, he met her gemlike gaze.

She spoke haltingly, as if searching for each word. "For you it is routine. But for me it is wonderful." Her eyes shimmered.

He clenched his jaw. He must not allow her suspiciously genuine emotion to touch him. He must not let his guard down. The last time he did, it had cost him everything. "When you see me get up that means it's safe to move around," he said briskly. She gripped the armrests and nodded. He strode to a seat close to Gann's and fastened his safety harnesses as the powerful plasma thrusters rumbled to life. But he could not pull his gaze from the expression of awe on her face, and tried to imagine what the launch must feel like to her. Wondrous, of course. One never forgot his first trip into space. He'd been little more than a toddler when he'd accompanied his parents on his first flight. It remained his earliest memory.

The vibration increased as the
Quillie
lifted off. He watched the woman clutch the armrests, the invisible force of gravity pressing her into the seat as the ship accelerated. Then the nose rose to a steeper angle. Her bright, keenly intelligent eyes sought the forward view window. The turbulence increased. Outside, clouds slapped wet fingers across the glass in a futile attempt to keep the great craft atmosphere-bound. Then the ship tore free and there were only stars, bright pinpricks against the vast backdrop of deep space. The exact color of her hair .. .

Rom swore under his breath.

"I see the woman has already captured your thoughts," Gann said in Siennan. "I envy you. Other men must hunt for their treasure, but not the B'kah." He chuckled. "To you the treasure comes willingly, a lovely, pale-skinned, black-haired Earth woman, who not only pleads to be taken as cargo—she pays you for the honor."

Rom scowled. "She paid for passage to the Depot."

"Ah, yes, jewels and salt. A simple act of trade."

"Jewels? Bah! Only a petty smuggler would take such cherished personal possessions. It's the salt I want."

"It does seem to be of excellent quality," Gann conceded.