Turning Point (35 page)

“Can our companions,” Garras indicated where Skinner sat, “not suggest any way around your problem?”

“I've an idea that might work, if you're interested,” Anders volunteered, glancing first at Garras, the accepted leader of the assorted crews, then at Skinner, his own superior officer.

“Go on,” urged Skinner.

“It was something we used to do at college to keep one step ahead of our tutors,” he explained. “All computers tend to leak radio frequency data, and we used to eavesdrop on our lecturer's reports as he was typing them out. We'd slow down the signal, then decode it.”

He ground to a halt under Mito's intense stare. Her eyes had narrowed to vertical slits and she looked almost feral as her ears flicked repeatedly.

“Yes,” she hissed. “It would work. We could monitor their transmissions at the Base, picking up the spare signals from the various computer terminals.”

“We'd have to be close, though,” said Guynor, leaning forward in his enthusiasm.

“How close?” demanded Garras.

“With our scanner, maybe as close as a hundred meters,” he replied.

“How long would it take to get enough data?”

“A day, perhaps two,” replied Mito, focusing her eyes again. “It depends on how often they communicate between the departments by computer. With the cargo ship in, it should be more frequently. We'd need to butcher the recording module on the pod, though.”

Garras waved an arm expansively. “Do it. The pod is of no real long-term use to us. Take what you need. Who do you want to accompany you?”

“It will have to be one of your men,” she replied, looking at Skinner. “We don't know our way to the Base, nor their patrol patterns.”

“It had better be Anders, then,” Skinner replied, “since it was his idea.”

Anders nodded. “Any chance of a lift?” he asked. “I'd estimate we're over a day from the Base whether we head out straight from here or go back to our usual route.”

A sigh went up from Terrans and Sholans alike. Skinner squinted up at the sky.

“Run a check on the radar, Peterson, see if there's any traffic about. Jo, see what you can pick up on the radio.” He rose to his feet. “If it's quiet now, we'll take you out before dark.”

Those named leapt their feet, speeding away to gather the equipment and information they needed. Vanna called Kusac over to help her put some provisions together for them.

As he followed her to the hatch, a hand grasped him roughly by the arm, swinging him round and slamming him against the outer hull.

Guynor stood in front of him, teeth bared.

“I haven't forgotten you, Kusac,” he snarled. “I intend to see you brought to trial for your conduct. I may not be able to get you myself this time, but I'll see the law does! And if it doesn't, you'd better spend the rest of your life looking over your shoulder.” With that, he thrust Kusac aside and strode through the hatch.

He'd barely had time to react when Carrie came flying over.

“What is it? What happened?” she demanded, helping him up.

“It's all right, it's nothing,” he said, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze.

“Guynor,” she said. “His hate is driving him insane! Tell Garras.”

“No, leave it, Carrie,” he said as they went into the pod. “He can't harm me.”

“Then I'll tell him,” she said, stalking over to the Captain.

“Carrie!” he called after her but she ignored him.

When told, Garras shot a look first at Kusac, then at Guynor. He turned back to Carrie.

“I'll keep an eye on him and warn the others,” he said.

 

For the next half hour everything was done at breakneck speed to get the equipment out of the pod, and the groundcar ready for takeoff.

“Get back as soon as you can,” said Garras, watching Mito clamber safely into the vehicle. “Send your first report at midday, and your next at dusk, the same the next day. You're more likely to escape notice lying in low cover. Leave your jacket with me.”

Mito unbuckled her belt and, taking the jacket off, handed them both to Garras.

“Don't take any risks: getting that information back to us is your main objective,” he continued.

“Yes, Captain,” she replied, then ducked into the interior of the groundcar.

“He fusses like a den mother,” she said, belting into her seat beside Anders.

“If I've got my facts right, he's entitled to,” he said, grinning back. “Unlike us, you have no military training at all and are purely civilians on a reconnaissance mission that went wrong.”

Mito turned to look at the Terran communications officer. She was growing to like this man with the piercing blue eyes—a shade unknown on Shola—and the crop of curly fair hair atop a weather-beaten face. That face wrinkled again in good humor as he reacted to her scrutiny. She lowered her ears, looking away as her tail flicked with embarrassment.

“I don't mind,” he said. “We must look as strange to you as you do to us.”

“We are a military unit,” she said, trying to cover her confusion with talk, “but not geared for combat on this mission.”

“Ah, I got the wrong end of the stick. Sorry,” he said. “Actually, I'm glad of this opportunity to work with you. There are many things I want to ask.”

Mito's tail flicked again, this time with annoyance at herself. This was ridiculous! These men from another world were too compelling, too male. She found herself almost responding to him as if he were Sholan. It would not do.

Hard on that thought came another; was this the attraction that Kusac felt toward Carrie? She banished the notion, knowing it to be foolish. Leskas were bonded mentally first. Still, she had better be wary of herself.

“What do you want to know?” she asked, keeping her voice neutral.

“About your ships, your people, your planet. Anything that will help us understand each other better,” he said.

“We're going to be working closely with you Sholans for a long time to come and we need to explore those gray areas of cultural differences where misunderstandings could arise. Some of us have to pave the way for the diplomats. We aren't used to sitting down on friendly terms with an Alien culture.”

She shrugged. It was obvious that he was more interested in facts than in her. “Ask away.”

 

The next two days passed uneventfully for those in the swamp.

Jo, finding herself with some spare time, sought out Vanna, who was working on her medical notes on the computer.

“Mind if I join you?” she asked, sitting on the bench beside her.

“Not at all,” said Vanna. “Give me a moment to finish this, then I'll be with you.” She typed a few more sentences and closed her work down.

“How can I help?” the Sholan asked, turning away from the central column to face the other woman.

Jo hesitated. “You know I worked with Elise, Carrie's twin, don't you? Well, although I've only just met her, I feel I ought to look out for Carrie.”

“I can understand that,” said Vanna. “I feel the same about her myself.”

Jo grinned. “That makes this a whole lot easier. Carrie's brother explained to me and Skai about her new Link, the one with Kusac, but I'd like you to tell me more about it if you can. After all, your people are the bona fide Telepaths.”

“Tell me what you know,” said Vanna slowly, “then I can fill in the sketchy areas.”

“Only that the Link was established as Elise died and that by doing this Kusac saved Carrie's life. That the cost has been a more intense Link than he expected. A Leska Link?” She looked quizzically at Vanna, who nodded. “And that this Link is permanent.”

“That's essentially it,” agreed Vanna. “What do you want to know more about?”

Jo dug her cigarettes out of her pocket and offered one to Vanna, who refused.

“A strange habit,” said the Sholan.

“It's the dried leaves of a plant,” said Jo, lighting her cigarette. “It acts as a mixture of a relaxant and a stimulant. It isn't a healthy habit,” she admitted. “I wouldn't bother acquiring it if I were you.

“Carrie and Elise were close, but how much of that was because they were twins and how much was due to their Link no one knew. It seems to me, though, that Carrie is much closer to Kusac. Why? Wouldn't you expect there to be some inhibiting factor in the Link due to them being from different species?”

“You know how to get straight to the heart of the matter, don't you?” said Vanna dryly. “Telepathy isn't really my field. In fact, I've never really been that involved with any of them till this trip,” she said. “I do know that they look at people on a different level than you and I would. They are less attracted to, or influenced by, the outer form because they can ‘see' and ‘know' them on a deeper level.”

“What about the other species?”

“They are all very different from us. You Terrans are the nearest to us in physiology and outlook, and you have Telepaths. I know I have no difficulty in being at ease with your people, nor have most of our crew. Even Guynor seems to be able to be civil with anyone but Carrie!

“As for Carrie being closer to Kusac than she was to her sister, he is male, you know. Even loving sisters can see each other as rivals.”

“It's more than that,” said Jo. “Maybe you hit the nail on the head when you said he was male.”

Vanna shifted uneasily. “I have to admit that even I've found myself looking speculatively at one or two of your male crew members. I've a feeling that a lot more of our people will find you attractive as a species, and the differences won't matter. In fact, that's what will attract them.”

Jo digested this for a minute. “What do you find attractive about our men?” she asked abruptly.

“I'm not sure I can put it into words as I haven't really thought about it. I suppose they just seem more male than our men.”

“And what do you think the men see in our women?”

Vanna shrugged. “Perhaps a fragility or a defenselessness that we lack because they have no fur or claws with which to protect and defend themselves. I have no idea. I haven't asked Garras or Guynor.”

“Pheromones,” said Jo succinctly. “If our people are attracted to each other, I'll bet that our pheromones are similar enough to trigger responses. Have you checked them?”

“No,” said Vanna thoughtfully. “It never occurred to me. I only have the facilities for basic tests here, but once I'm back on board ship I can use the labs there. Garras wants me to become involved as a specialist on Terran physiology.”

Jo nodded. “That makes sense. But pheromones still don't explain Carrie's relationship with Kusac.”

“What relationship?” asked Vanna, turning innocent eyes to her.

“Come on, Vanna, don't be coy with me,” said Jo sternly. “There's a look on Carrie's face every now and then that tells me the girl's besotted! And he's not much different, unless my reading of male Sholan behavior is totally wrong. He hardly ever leaves her side. Even you said they were in love with each other.

“My next question has to be, has he used his Telepathy to make her fall in love with him?”

“Don't be ridiculous!” said Vanna, ears flat, her tone one of absolute outrage. “How could you even think that? Even if Kusac were capable of wanting to do that, Carrie's mind is stronger than his! Mental manipulation is one of the greatest crimes a Telepath can commit. Kusac would never stoop so low.” Vanna's tail was lashing from side to side in her anger and agitation.

“I had to ask,” apologized Jo. “It's what her father, and others, will think. Personally, I couldn't believe him capable of that either.”

“Guynor has already leveled that accusation against Kusac,” the Sholan said, slightly mollified. “He will have to go before a Guild hearing when the
Khalossa
arrives. Have you any idea what the penalty would be for such a crime? They would destroy that area of his brain where his Talent is located. Do you think he—or any Telepath—would be foolish enough to risk that just to have a woman?”

Jo reached out to touch the other's arm. “Vanna, I'm sorry. I told you I didn't think him capable of it, but I'd rather it was me that asked than Skinner or her father, wouldn't you?”

Vanna's tail and ears began to still.

“What they feel for each other is theirs and real, not the product of their Link. Just leave them alone, don't interfere in something you don't understand. You could cause untold harm to both of them,” she said, seriously concerned that the Terrans would try to force the pair apart.

“How, Vanna? If you don't tell me, how can I help them?”

“They don't need help, they need to be left alone to solve their own problems,” said Vanna stubbornly.

“It's the Link,” Jo said. “What does that Link entail? It's more than just Telepathic, isn't it?”

“It's not my business to tell you,” said Vanna with finality, moving to get up.

“Wait, Vanna,” insisted Jo, holding on to her. “Your people know, why shouldn't we? If we're to understand you, we need to trust you! Trust starts here, now, with each one of us.”

Vanna hesitated, sitting back down. Common sense told her to keep quiet, but her instincts told her to trust this woman from the Terran world. Ignorance could cause more harm than the knowledge of what a Leska Link involved. She sighed.

“Very well. First, we don't know much about Leska Links because normally missions such as ours wouldn't carry Telepaths. Also, we've never met another Telepathic species before, so there has never been such a Link with a non-Sholan.