The Tejano Conflict (25 page)

“If you want to keep soldiering, you can. But you don't have to, and you don't have to risk the stray bullet.”

The stunned silence was so deep, Jo could hear their heartbeats.
Ten million New Dollars each? Plus royalties on what would likely become the best-selling aug ever? Holy shit! They'd be filthy rich!

Formentara laughed. It went on for a while, and zhe had to wipe hir eyes when zhe was done. “I wish you could see your faces in this moment,” zhe said. “I really do.”

As the group left the conference room, Formentara stopped Jo. “I have a new aug for you.”

Jo looked at hir. “I thought you said I'd reached my limit.”

“Well, yes, that was true, but I have been noodling with an idea. It's a one-off.”

“Really? When can I get it?”

Formentara laughed. “Don't you even want to know what it does?”

“I trust you.”

“Yeah, that's the problem.”

Jo frowned. “Why is that a problem?”

“There are three, maybe four people I know of who can keep as many augs as you have balanced.”

Jo nodded. She knew that. Normally, every major system augmentation you had installed cut years off your life, the balance of natural and artificial hormones, nucleo- and myotides, the biodegradation, everything combined to cause wear and tear. If you were running fifteen or twenty augs, you could effectively be superhuman, but not for long. Jo had known that from the beginning and elected to go that route anyhow. It wasn't until Formentara told Jo zhe could keep her balanced that she had any notion of living past fifty or sixty.

“So, you have enough money to find one of those people and pay them if I get run over by a pubtrans bus or something, but let's face it, the best of them won't be as good as I am.”

Jo laughed. Formentara could say that with a straight face because it was true, and zhe had never been one to offer false modesty.

“And with everybody rich, I don't know what will happen to the Cutters. I'm thinking maybe we might all go our own ways. If you and I are halfway across the galaxy from each other, it might make tune-ups a problem. So I came up with the new aug. It's a regulator. It will monitor and record your systems. Plug yourself into a docbox anywhere and run it, it will balance you. Not as good as I can, we're talking art more than craft, but better than almost anybody else.”

Jo blinked. She managed to get “Uh . . . ?” out, then ran out of speech.

Formentara grinned. “Didn't see that one coming, did you?”

Jo found her voice: “No. I didn't.”

“Thought about marketing it, but that's not a good idea. Aug hogs would push the limits of what a human is way past where you are, lot of folks would install a score of programs, and I can see how that could get nasty. Not everybody needs to be able to run like the wind or kick serious ass.”

“Playing God, Formentara?”

Zhe shrugged. “I've been doing that all along. If you have the tools and the knowledge of how to use them, you get that option.”

“Thank you,” Jo said.

Zhe nodded. “All in a day's work, sweets.”

– – – – – –

Grey waited by the kiosk as Kay approached. Troops moved around them, moving this way and that. Nobody drew close, though.

“Still alive, I see,” he said.

“As are you, I notice.”

“Does this please you?”

She said, “It does not displease me.”

He smiled.

“It was an odd engagement,” he said.

“Yes. I would never have predicted this outcome at the onset. There were reasons; perhaps we could speak of them later.”

“I would be happy to do that.”

She paused. “You seemed to have done your job well. We saw evidence of it.”

“One does what one is contracted to do as best one can.”

“Of course.” She paused, then, “I would have you meet my friend Jo Captain.”

“I would be delighted to do so.”

Kay said, “Jo?”

“On my way.”

She arrived less than a minute later. “Jo Captain, this is
Grey
masc.”

Jo nodded. “We saw examples of your work; you seem passing adept.”

The Vastalimi nodded. “Thank you. It is my pleasure to meet you. A friend of Kay is by default my friend.”

Jo grinned a little.

They exchanged a few more words.

He had a dry, quick wit, certainly a point in his favor. He seemed at ease talking to Jo. Kay liked males who were quick. And strong. And not hard on the eyes.

Jo said, “I have to get back, much documentation to be done before we decamp. Could I have a word privately, Kay?”

Kay looked at Grey. He gave her an openhanded shrug. “I will wait for your return.”

Jo moved away, and Kay followed her.

“Well?” Kay said.

“He's smart, funny, and while I'm no real judge, good-looking for a male. Stands well. And he adores you.”

“You can tell that last part?”

“Oh, yeah. His attention is focused. Radiates from him. My approval isn't necessary, but he looks like a keeper to me.”

Kay smiled. “Good to have my own view confirmed.”

– – – – – –

Grey waited for her, smiling as she approached.

“And so now to matters of some importance?”

She considered him. “To what do you refer exactly?”

“The war is done. I speak of us.”

“Us?”

“Yes, fem, us.”

“You have a proposal?”

“I do. I would have us contract and be mates.”

That should have surprised her, but it did not. She had known he was going to say that before he formed the words—she could taste it, smell it, feel it.

It was quite the thrill. She felt it all over her body.

Still, she needed to offer the logical argument. “We hardly know each other.”

“But we do know each other, cherished fem. I have been looking for you since I ran
Seoba
in the Great Grassland as a
dijete
cub. I simply didn't realize who you were until we met. You are the one; there can be no other.”

She was inordinately pleased. “Really?”

“Thirty seconds into our first conversation, I knew it. No doubt. It will be something to tell our offspring. Did you not feel the attraction?”

She had. She still did. She looked at him. “I spoke earlier of a history on the Homeworld. I should tell you of it.”

“It doesn't matter.”

“It might, should we ever wish to go back to Vast.”

“We established that neither of us wish to be on Vast, else we wouldn't be
here
. Whatever you were, whatever you did, anything that passed before? None of that is important, only
now
matters. If you will have me.”

“There is another complication.”

“You toy with me as a
div maka
does its prey.”

She grinned. “Perhaps a little. Still, I need to tell you. I find myself unexpectedly wealthy.”

“So? Little money or a lot, who cares? It doesn't matter. Will you have me?”

She nodded. “I will.”

He looked relieved. “Good.”

“Were you truly worried I would not?”

“What mere male can fathom the mind of a fem?”

She whickered. “A good attitude. Perhaps we could find a private place and do a little . . . grooming?”

“Oh, I would very much like that!”

He moved forward; she stepped to meet him. He offered his face to lick. She did.

It tasted like pure joy.

The general was packing personal gear when Cutter arrived.

“Hey, Zoree?”

She stopped and looked at him. “What? More bad news? I've already had two potential clients cancel on me. Even if it isn't your fault, I don't much like you right now. Why are you smiling?”

“Remember my rich uncle?”

“The one you don't have?”

“Yeah, him. Turns out I kinda do have one, sort of.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Go find that star-fruit orchard you wanted.”

She looked at him. “What?”

“Price it, give me the number, I'll transfer the noodle, with enough extra to build a nice house, buy a shitload of puppies, and send the grandkids to summer camp. Make your wife happy if you retire in one piece.”

“Are you having a psychotic break from your guilt here?”

“Nope. I'm sharing the wealth.

“Did I ever tell you about our resident genius Formentara?”

– – – – – –

Jo was talking to Wink.

“How is the lat?”

“Hardly notice it. My enhancements are busily healing it.”

“Yeah, and my medicine.”

“That, too. Oh, look, here she is.”

Kay appeared, and while her manner told Jo she didn't really need to ask, she asked anyhow. “So . . . ? How did it go?”

Kay smiled. “We are going to contract as mates.”

“Outstanding!”

“I am pleased, yes.”

“Congratulations from me, too,” Wink said. “We survived another war, there are new liaisons, and, now, all that money . . .”

Jo shook her head. “It is pretty amazing.”

“It is a lot of money,” Kay said.

“I hear a ‘but' in there,” Wink said.

She looked at him. “How many beds can one sleep in? How many homes does one require? I have sufficient for my needs. And now a mate. What is more important than that?”

“Fem has a point,” Jo said.

“Yeah, but you can smooth a lot of paths with that kind of noodle. Make the walk a lot easier.”

“And which of us has ever chosen the smooth and easy path? You?”

Wink laughed. “There is that. Still, it's good to have a choice. What does your Grey think about this?”

Kay shrugged. “It doesn't matter to him. All he desires is me.”

Jo said, “There's the mate I want.”

“I will share him with you if you like.”

Jo chuckled. “No, that's not necessary though I appreciate the thought. I just mean in general.”

“Life is unpredictable,” Kay said. “It can end at any moment, and it twists and turns in unexpected directions. Had I not raised the issue of the poisoned elder on my world, had I stayed there and partnered with Jak, my path would have been much different. We would have never met and become family as we have. Nor would I have met Grey. Standing here, I would not change anything that brought me here.

“It will be good to be able to do what we wish, Grey and I, but what we want is to be together. Where does not matter, and the how of it? We will address it as it comes.”

Wink snorted. “I hate being the least philosophically evolved in the room.”

“As is usually the case,” Jo said. “You need to find a good fem and work on that.”

“You offering?”

“Maybe. Now that I am among the idle rich, I might need a new boy toy.”

“Hey, I'm as idle and rich as you are. You won't have to pay me.”

They both grinned.

– – – – – –

People bustled around, packing, breaking things down, getting ready to move.

In his office, Cutter smiled at Formentara. “Drink?”

Zhe shook hir head. “Might as well sip paint thinner.”

He laughed. “This is maybe the best bourbon for a thousand klicks in any direction unless there are some serious collectors hiding here.”

“So, high-class paint thinner. I can afford to lose a few brain cells, but, no. Never developed a taste for it.”

He waited a few seconds. “I have a question for you.”

“Really?” Zhe raised hir eyebrows. “You want me to fund a new army for you?”

“No. Your gift is already beyond generous. I am speaking on a . . . more personal level.” He paused, sipped at his bourbon. Hesitated, then said, “If you don't mind my asking, what are your, um . . . sexual preferences?”

Zhe blinked at him. “Really? You've never wondered about such things before.”

“Not aloud, no, but I have wondered.”

“And this is because . . . ?”

“Because . . . look, I'm not good at this, forgive me, not much practice, but . . . because it has, um . . . become relevant.”

Zhe smiled. “Why, Colonel Cutter. Are you making a run at me?”

He blew out a sigh. “Yeah, actually, I am.”

“Well, I'll be damned.”

There was a long—and for Cutter—uncomfortable moment.

“Innie or outie, I'm good either way,” zhe said. “And while I am pretty choosy about my partners, you have been at the top of my would-do list for a long time.”

“Really?”

Zhe laughed. “You have no idea how attractive you are, Colonel.”

“Call me ‘Rags,'” he said. “Maybe you could show me . . . ?”

Zhe laughed.

“You know what the good part about all this is?”

Gramps looked at her. “What?”

“Even all the biz with the Bax, it was straightforward. We thought Junior was the bad guy once we found out about him and the aliens, and it turned out he was. Not like it was on Ananda, and on Vast, where we never had a clue who was doing what until the end. Maybe we are gettin' smarter.”

“I suppose that's possible,” he said.

There was a pregnant pause.

“So,” Gramps said.

“So,” Gunny echoed.

“You're a rich woman now. Got any plans?”

“Not really. Ah never expected to find myself in this situation. Always figured Ah'd die in a battle somewhere. Here Ah'm a multimillionaire for less than an hour, haven't had time to think about it.”

“Me, too,” he said. After a moment, he said, “I can open that pub.”

“You could open a chain of pubs, buy the brewery, build your own town, and be the mayor. You don't have to work anymore.”

“True, but I can't see myself as one of the idle rich.”

“Me, neither.”

“Formentara just made our choices legion.”

“Zhe did that.”

He shook his head.

“Problem?”

“Maybe. I'm thinking the important question is not so much what I'll do with all that money and time.” He paused again. Looked at her, waiting.

“Uh-huh?”

He took a deep breath. “I'm thinking it's the company I want to keep while I'm doing whatever I'm doing that matters.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Uh-huh?”

“Butter wouldn't melt in your mouth, would it? You aren't going to make this easy for me, are you?”

She smiled. “Why start now? Where would the fun be in that?”

He grinned back at her. He took another deep breath. “Okay, let's just throw it out there. Um. I—oh, hell, Megan. I love you.”

“Ah know that.”

“And . . . ?”

“Yeah, well, all right. Me, too.”

He smiled. “You wanted me to say it first.”

“Why not? You've done everything else first, old as you are.”

He held out a hand. “Want to come over here?”

“Oh, Ah expect Ah'll want to come in all kinds of places.” She caught his hand in hers.

When they hugged, he couldn't remember its ever feeling so good with anybody.

“Maybe you can spend some of your money on rejuve treatments,” she said. “Although you might not have enough to pay that tab.”

“Sheeit, Chocolatte, you won't be able to keep up with me as it is.”

“Talk is cheap. Don't tell me, show me.”

So he did . . .

– – – – – –

“Damn, old man, where did you learn how to do that?”

“Centuries of practice. Want to do it again?”

“Now you are just bragging.”

“Well, I'm not up to everything, but there are ways, then there are ways.”

She laughed. “If you promise not to keel over with a heart attack.”

“I won't if you won't.”

Both of them laughed.