Turning Point (29 page)

“Is that food?” she asked, her nose twitching as she sniffed the air.

“Yes. It'll be ready in a few minutes,” replied Vanna.

“Good, I'm starving!”

“What are you doing with the transmitter?” asked Carrie.

“Hey! Doesn't anyone around here speak English?” demanded Skai, sealing the door. “You can all understand me, but I can't make head nor tail of your damned purrs and growls.”

“We were talking about food,” said Vanna in English. “It will be ready shortly.”

“Good. Anything to drink apart from water?”

Carrie threw him a mug.

“Careful,” he said, just managing to catch it.

“There is c'shar in the packs over here, and water in the purifier,” she said. “Help yourself. You can have the heater when we've finished cooking.”

Skai ambled over to the purifier.

“Come over to the bench and I will tell you what we are doing,” said Mito.

Carrie turned to Vanna.

“Off you go. There really isn't anything to do but wait for it to cook.”

Carrie and Kusac followed Mito back to the bench where Guynor and Garras were working with various circuits.

“We're redesigning certain areas of the computer so it will be able to link up to the Valtegan equipment that Captain Skinner is bringing tomorrow. We don't know exactly what fittings we'll need until they arrive, but we can do the groundwork now.”

“Then what?” asked Kusac.

“I design a program that will interrogate the Valtegan computer in such a way that it won't be noticed until too late. Once we have their access codes, we can patch into the transmitter itself, masquerading as their computer.”

“Then you order it to transmit the signal?”

Mito gave a negative head movement. “No, we can't do that until the transmitter is pointing to the correct quadrant of the sky. To move the antenna we have to put it into a Search mode. Considering the amount of traffic they deal with, they will probably have frequent Search routines. We are just starting our own one.”

“And hoping the Valtegans don't notice,” murmured Carrie.

“You noticed the flaw, eh?” said Mito. “If we do it in the dead of night, the chances are there will be a bored operator on duty and he will assume it's routine. I've done enough night shift duties to know that he'll probably be too tired to question it.

“We stop the Search when the antenna is pointing toward the
Khalossa,
then our program will override the transmitter and send the message in a high speed burst. With luck, it won't even register on their monitors. That's the plan. However we have a problem.”

“What's wrong?”

“The software. Given long enough, our computer could break into the Valtegan system, but there are so many options to contend with that by the time we succeeded, our presence would have been noticed. What I really need is some Valtegan software to work from.”

“Food is ready,” called Vanna as the appetizing smell filled the small room.

With obvious relief, the group around the makeshift workbench broke up and headed to the galley area.

“I guess that none of us will get much sleep tonight,” sighed Carrie, helping herself to a ladle full of stew from the dish.

“It will give us time to talk,” said Kusac. “We need time to be by ourselves.”

“As well as time to plan and practice our part in this raid,” said Carrie wryly.

Kusac growled. “I forbid you to mention work until tomorrow!”

“I don't think I heard that,” sniffed Carrie, pulling down the nearest sleeping bench to sit on.

 

After they'd eaten, Kusac spread Carrie's blanket more comfortably on the floor by his bunk and turned off the personal light. Then he fetched her hairbrush and looked hopefully at her.

Carrie laughed. “You're incorrigible,” she said, taking the brush from him and sliding off the bunk to sit behind him.

He unbuckled his belt, taking off the jacket and putting it to one side.

“I itch all over,” he complained as she began to brush him.

“It's because you've been ill, I expect,” said Carrie. “Your fur has gone dull and you're shedding.”

“Mm,” said Kusac, his back arching slightly to meet her brush strokes.

She watched the muscles move, fascinated. Through their Link, she could experience for herself the pleasure that Kusac felt.

As a species, we're more sensually oriented than you,
he sent, turning round to face her. He leaned forward, tipping his head down so she could reach it.

It can grow as long as yours when it isn't cut.
His mental tone was amused.

“Well, how was I to know?” she asked.

It is as I said, we need the time to get to know each other,
he replied, moving his head to one side so she was brushing his ear, too.

Carrie concentrated on his ears for a moment, then stopped.

“It's much nicer when you do it,” he purred, his voice like liquid velvet.

She gave him a long look. “I'll tell you what, you used a bloody good glamour back at Valleytown to make me believe you were a forest cat!”

He put his head to one side, flicking his ear.

“You know,” she changed to mind speech,
damned well! You're not an animal, you're a person.

He reached for her hand and brought it and the brush against his good shoulder.

Is that a problem?
he sent, one eye ridge moving questioningly, amber eyes looking calmly back at her.

Yes. I mean ... Oh, I don't know.
She began to brush him again.

He moved to sit up on his heels, edging closer to her so her arm was less extended.

Your fur is longer at the front, too.
She could feel the vibration of his purr through the brush as she drew it carefully down his chest to his belly. His eyes were half closed in pleasure.

He held out his arms for her and she switched her attention, keeping clear of the bandaged shoulder.

“Thank you,” he said, teeth flashing whitely as he smiled, Sholan style. He took the brush from her and cleaned it, putting the loose fur on the floor beside him.

“Now you,” he said, reaching forward to take a lock of hair in his hands.
Your hair is so soft, Leska. I have never felt anything like it before. And the color ...
He ran it through his fingertips before beginning to brush it.

Carrie turned round, sitting with her back to his knees. Across the room she could see Skai frowning over at her. He rose and began to move toward them, but Vanna called him over. The others were busy with their electronics.

This is our time, Leska,
sent Kusac, putting the brush aside.
Vanna will keep him busy for a while.

She felt his hands touch her shoulders and start to feel along them for the muscle groups.

You are tense. Let me relax you.
He began to gently knead the muscles there and at the back of her neck.

She started to relax, enjoying the massage.

Now you're purring like a Sholan,
sent Kusac, surprised and pleased.

A part of me is forever Sholan now,
she replied.

His fingers moved gently just under her ear. “Do you regret it?” he whispered.

Kusac laughed, shifting his hands to her waist and moving his legs to pull her back against him.

Carrie rested her head against his shoulder—it was becoming a familiar place—and closed her eyes. Like this, there were no problems.

Kusac wrapped his arms around her.

Carrie stirred, feeling defensive.

What do you suggest?
she asked.

You're not classifying me among the mentally ill, are you?
was her tart response.

Kusac gave her a little shake.
You know very well I am not,
he sent, his tone chiding.
It is impossible to lie to each other because of our Link. Thoughts and emotions are too closely entwined and too quickly felt. Trust the Link, Leska, and use it.

I do, Kusac.
This time her tone was gentle.

Kusac was silent as wisps of memories and fears came to him from her. Then the bits fell into place.

Leska, we Sholan males are not like your men. The concept of owning a person is not one we have, it is Human. How can they think that another individual is their
property?
She could feel his disapproval.

Quite easily, from my experience,
she replied.

She was silent for a moment.
Could we do that filter now?

Of course. Let me place it for you, then you can examine it and duplicate it later. Sit up and face me, he sent, moving
his arms so that she could.

When they'd finished, Carrie curled up on the blanket, yawning. She still held one of his hands.

He was large compared to her, she noted once again, her hand almost hidden by his dark-furred one. Her head was tilted back so she could see him.

She
was
small, he thought, looking down at her: childlike, barely reaching the height of an adult. Long eyelashes cast shadows on her cheeks and her throat turned to him.

She felt relaxed, with a warm, comfortable glow that made her disinclined to move. Her eyes opened slightly and she tugged gently on his hand.

He stretched out beside her, lying on his good side.

Tell me about yourself,
she sent, her other hand idly stroking the fur on his chest. Its texture was so soft and silky.

I have two
... he started, but trailed off as he found himself unable to concentrate on what he was saying.

The temperature in the pod was warm, warm enough for her to have taken off her sweater and opened her shirt at the neck. And she had a beautiful neck, long and slender—and exposed to him. Even the way she lay stretched out on her side made her look like a Sholan woman. Her hair, the color of sunlight even in the dim lighting, cascaded over one shoulder and down onto the blanket.

He looked better without his uniform on, she thought, his fur almost glowing in the half light. She let her hand stray lazily through the silky tide until it crept around his waist. She urged him closer.

As he moved nearer, she noticed how well he matched the curves of her body. The smell of his fur, warm and clean with a sharply musky tang to it, surrounded her. She could feel his heart beating—so fast!

For the first time, he was intensely aware of her scent—warm, musky, and very female. Despite her smallness, her body accommodated his perfectly. He could feel the softness of breast and thigh touching him. All the signals were there, Sholan and Terran overlaid.

Through half closed eyes she saw his face come down toward her, his mouth closing on her throat. His jaws tightened gently and they could feel her blood racing against them. The pressure increased and she tilted her head back further. A low growl of pleasure from him and she was released.

Little bites coupled with tiny flicks of a rough tongue rained across her face. It was unlike anything she had experienced before. She began to shiver with pleasure.

Her skin was so soft, tasted and smelled so good—an accompanying shiver ran through him. Amber and brown eyes, both barely open, locked briefly. He found her ear. So tiny, almost pointed like his.

A wave of panic flooded through her and she brought her free hand between them, pushing him firmly back.

At the same moment, Kusac realized what was happening to them. He pulled back from her, rolling up into a sitting position, radiating alarm.

He fought the compulsion, trying desperately to push it back. Any pairing would happen when they were ready, not because of their Link!

It took several minutes, but at last he had himself under control. He turned to look at her.

Carrie had been fighting her own battle, one with fear. One which Kusac, otherwise involved, knew nothing about. The intensity not only of what she was experiencing, but what he felt for her, had been terrifying. She'd recognized the compulsion and for her it had been easier to break free. Fear had been the trigger.

Now she lay with her back turned to him.

Kusac sat there, miserably aware that most of the good their earlier talk had done was now wiped out because of what had just happened.