CHAPTER 5
I only managed six hours of sleep, but when Max woke me mid-afternoon, I felt rested, refreshed and starved. My stomach rumbled loudly as I climbed out of bed and headed for the food unit. I was determined to visit the Dynatec camp today, but my innards came first.
While my prime rib cooked, I moved to the other end of the hut to dress, pausing as I caught sight of the armlets. I didn’t want anyone on the Dynatec crew to see them, and yet I didn’t want to take them off, either. Long sleeves looked like my best option, in spite of the heat.
It only took a few minutes to don a lightweight syntec khaki jumpsuit, and by then my food was ready. The aroma made my mouth water. In celebration of finishing the DNA studies on the Buri, I allowed myself a glass of wine.
I had been too tired that morning for the implications of the tests to really sink in, but now I could think of little else. I mulled the problem over in my mind as I mopped up the last bite of gravy with a thick slice of fresh bread and popped it into my mouth. “Okay, Max. We’d better talk about this DNA stuff.” I leaned back and picked up my glass, swirling the deep red wine in the bottom of the flute. “The Buri didn’t simply materialize full grown. They had to come from families, from mothers and fathers.”
“You didn’t.”
I scowled. “Not funny. But even if you’re right and they were created in a lab, where are their makers? Where are the geneticists and the labs? Where did the original genetic material come from that made them?” I shook my head. “It wouldn’t make sense to create seventy individuals and then drop them on a planet for no reason, especially with the ratio of males to females being so uneven.”
“It’s only one theory.”
“And not a very good one.” I sipped the wine. “Can’t you do better than that?”
“Well, I do have another, but I must warn you, there is insufficient data to prove its validity.”
“Spill it.” I finished the wine, then stood and carried my dishes to the recycler.
“An epidemic.”
I stopped, my head tilted to one side as I considered the possibilities. “It would have to be deadly to wipe out all but seventy Buri. And, since none of our bunch are related to each other, their population would have needed to be fairly high to start with. But we’ve seen no signs of buildings, except the new ones in the Buri village.”
“It’s possible they burned any buildings where deaths occurred, and then the survivors moved to a new location. Over a ten-cycle period, the jungle would have reclaimed the scarred areas, making them impossible to find. And it would also explain the age of the current dwellings.”
“Well, at least that one sounds logical.” I resumed my seat at the table. “But I still think the age of their buildings has a direct correlation to the arrival of Dynatec’s exploration team. Did you mention an anomaly in their physiology this morning, or was I so tired I imagined it?”
“You didn’t imagine it. And that brings me to our third possibility.”
“I’m listening.”
“The Buri may not have originated on Orpheus Two.”
I dropped my forehead to my hands and groaned. “Come on, Max! You said it yourself. These people are low tech. I’ll admit their ability to maintain a culture and a high quality of living indicates a great level of evolution, but they still use spears, for Luna’s sakes. Now you want me to believe they built a spaceship and arrived here from another planet?”
“Hear me out before you dismiss this idea. During my tests on the Buri, it occurred to me that their size and denser bone structure would seem to indicate that they evolved on a planet with a heavier gravity than Orpheus Two. Otherwise, there’s no evolutionary reason for their massive scale. And you mentioned their resemblance to the Ashwani, yourself.”
“Uh-huh. And their spears are really magic wands that allow them to move through space with a single wave.”
“Don’t be facetious,” he reprimanded. “We both know a lack of technology doesn’t mean a race is primitive. Their lifestyle could well be a choice they’ve made for reasons that are unknown to us. Besides, I didn’t mean to imply they landed ten cycles ago. What if a group of Buri arrived on Orpheus Two hundreds of cycles ago, and for some reason couldn’t leave again?”
“You mean like a crash, or a disabled ship?” I dropped my hand to the table and drummed my nails on the surface.
“Then where’s the ship?” But my mind was working at high speed now, and I didn’t wait for an answer.
“Suppose the ship never landed on the planet? The early colonization ships from Old Earth weren’t designed to land. They were too big.” I jumped up and paced the length of the hut, excitement curling in my chest.
“This could be it, Max.” I waved one hand. “Okay, here’s the scenario. The Buri are on a colonization ship from Ashwan. When they’re near the Orpheus system, something goes wrong. People have to flee in rescue pods. At least one pod makes it to Orpheus Two, stranding the survivors. Maybe the colonization ship is pulled into the sun, leaving no trace of its existence. The survivors would have to scavenge the pod they arrived in to make it through the first few cycles, and thus, there’s no pod left to find. And with no technology available, their descendants would be reduced to starting all over again, even if they kept some higher-level skills.”
I stopped pacing and sighed. “But that still doesn’t explain why none of the Buri are related.”
“It might if you combined it with my second theory.”
“The plague one?”
“Yes. It’s common knowledge that simple viruses can become deadly if a race with no immunity is exposed to them. There are even examples in the history of Old Earth. Measles, for instance. The disease was a common childhood ailment among Europeans, and yet it wiped out thousands of Native Americans when the Anglo Saxons first brought it to the Americas. And then there’s the last plague, which wiped out the entire population of Old Earth. Scientists believe it was a mutated form of avian flu.”
“Okay, I see where you’re going with this.” I lifted a hand to rub my temple. “So, the Buri survivors were doing fine. Orpheus Two has everything they needed to live. Food and water are abundant. They reproduce, and eventually reach the stage where they can once again work metal and build adobe dwellings. The population increases. Then, whammo. A little over ten cycles ago, an Orpheus bug grabs them and wipes out ninety-five percent of the race, leaving only seventy Buri to carry on.”
I plunked down heavily on the bench, my legs suddenly weak. “Did you find any common antibodies in their systems?”
“Yes, but there’s no way to determine what the antibodies are fighting. It could be anything.”
“Did the little boy and the fetus have them too?” I held my breath.
“Yes.”
My eyes closed in relief. “The parents are passing the immunity down. The Buri will make it.”
The relief was replaced with anger as the implications hit me. “That means Dynatec is responsible for the Buri that went missing. Max, I want you to transmit this information to your archives immediately, and send the boss a red alert. I want him to see this as soon as possible.”
“Kiera, this is only a theory. We can’t prove its validity.”
“No, and I don’t believe it happened exactly the way we’ve outlined. That would be too easy. But when you take the pieces we can prove, parts of the theory start to add up. Especially the part that says the Buri may not be native to Orpheus Two. That’s major, especially if they are descended from the Ashwani. And in the event that something happens to us, it will put the next agent Alien Affairs sends ahead of the game.”
“Do you really believe Dynatec would arrange an accident knowing the repercussions of such an event?”
Max, being only two cycles old, is a mere babe in AI terms, and tends to be a bit na?ve when it comes to humans. “Take my word for it. Whatever they’ve found is so important they’re willing to kill off an entire race to get their hands on it. They aren’t going to quibble over one agent and her ship.”
“Sending.”
I gave a curt nod. “And while you’re at it, see if the boss can get his hands on the original log from the Dynatec exploration team. The company may not have realized what they had right away. I’d like to see if there are any hints we can pick up from it.”
“Yes, Kiera. Anything else?”
I hesitated. “Is Second Lieutenant Karle at the camp? I’d like to check in with her, see if she’s found anything that might indicate what the company is after on Orpheus Two.”
“No, she left this morning with the mapping team.”
“Okay, I’ll wait until she gets back before I head over there. Where’s Redfield?”
“He went into the jungle several hours ago.”
“Alone?”
“He appeared to be alone at the time he left, but Captain Frisk and the Dorn woman are also missing.”
I checked my weapons. “Point me in the right direction, Max. It’s time I had a little chat with Redfield.”
Crigo had left the hut while I was sleeping, but he hadn’t gone far. He was squeezed under a bush, ears flattened in annoyance as two dragon birds threw sticks and berries at him from just out of reach.
“It’s your own fault,” I told him, as the gorgeous creatures left him to chirp happy greetings in my direction. Every time I walked out the door, there was a contingent waiting for me, usually led by the iridescent green lad. He was getting braver, too, coming closer and closer by the day. “If you’d stop stalking them, they’d leave you alone.”
When I walked to the edge of the clearing, the cat rose and followed. “Okay, Max, which way?”
“If you travel northeast at an eighty degree angle, you should intercept the path he was on.”
“Thanks.”
Junior and Ghost were watching, and as soon as I started off, they fell in beside me. I would have preferred to confront Redfield alone, but the only way to rid myself of my honor guard was to outrun them. Since I didn’t want to get them in trouble by outrunning them, I’d have to put up with the duo and hope they didn’t interfere.
It took the better part of an hour to locate Redfield’s trail, and then another fifteen minutes to find the man himself. It had rained earlier, as it did nearly every day, and the jungle dripped around us in glistening drops of moisture. With every step we made, the scent of rich, damp soil and growing things filled the air.
There was so much life, I didn’t know where to look first. In one tree, I spotted a creature that looked like a long-legged, long-tailed koala bear. It watched us pass with unblinking dark eyes that were nearly buried in the folds of fat around its face.
Another time, we disturbed a catlike animal half Crigo’s size, with long, shaggy fur in shades of light tan, black and white that made it resemble a large dust mop. It hissed at us when Ghost stepped in front of me and raised his spear, then turned and fled into the brush.
Crigo watched it with interest, then thoroughly sniffed the area where it had lain, his lips curling back from his teeth as he inhaled. Without a glance in my direction, he bounded into the jungle to give chase.
Great. All I needed was a bunch of half-breed rock cats running loose on Orpheus Two. Nothing like screwing up the ecology in a big way. On the other hand, I didn’t want to wrestle with a hot and bothered rock cat either, so Orpheus Two would simply have to make room for a potential new species.
We weren’t making any effort to move silently, so Redfield had plenty of warning that he had company. I spotted him through the trees, facing us, a knapsack at his feet. My gaze dropped to the hand resting on the butt of his laser.
“Expecting trouble, Redfield?”
His glance shifted from Ghost to Junior before he swung his upper body to nervously to scan the surrounding jungle.
“It pays to stay prepared for anything on this planet. Make them stay back.”
“Sorry, I don’t speak their language. But I do know they won’t hurt you unless you threaten them. If I were you, I’d take my hand off that laser.”
Behind Redfield, the bushes rattled and another Buri stepped into view. This one had dark auburn hair, and he looked as tense and ready as my escorts.
Redfield hesitated, then slowly removed his hand from the laser, his gaze going again to an area off to our right, and I picked up a feeling of tense awareness from him, like he knew something I didn’t. “What do you want, Smith?”
I smiled. “Want? Nothing in particular. I was out for a stroll and ran across your trail. Thought I’d be sociable, since we’re the only GEPs around.” I lowered my shields further, and was almost bowled over by the frustration he generated. He wanted desperately to talk with me, but something was stopping him, and until I knew what it was, I couldn’t risk saying anything.
“Beautiful day, isn’t it?” I moved closer and gestured at the knapsack. “What are you collecting?”
“Botanical specimens.” He relaxed just the tiniest bit and gave me a “wait until later” signal.
Surprised, I dipped my head in an almost imperceptible nod. “Find anything interesting?”
Again, he hesitated, then shrugged. “Yes, I did.” He pointed to the plant near his foot. “Take a look at this.”
I leaned down and studied the flowers he’d indicated. They were about the size of a large orchid, as inky black as Thor’s hair, and shaped like a trumpet. A cloyingly sweet aroma rose from the petals. Redfield stopped me before I could touch them.
“You don’t want to do that. They’re carnivorous.”
I yanked my hand back. They couldn’t have hurt me, but Redfield didn’t know that. He had no idea I’d been created by a monster. Besides, reflexes are reflexes, even when you’re less prone to injury than the average GEP, and my reaction was spontaneous. “Really?”
“Watch.” He removed a probe from his pocket, squatted, and lightly touched the edge of a petal. Instantly, the filaments I had taken for stamens snapped out, grabbed the metal probe, and tried to pull it down into the flower.
Gently, he disentangled the probe, then stood and pulled out a square of gauze. He used it to wipe down the probe, and then held the material out for me to see. Small bubbles boiled on the surface, and the threads parted, eaten away by the liquid.
“Acid,” he said. “They use it to liquefy their prey. And just look at their color. They aren’t simply a dark purple, they’re really a true black. Do you know how rare that is? And that’s not all. They exhibit some unusual properties in the lab. I’m convinced they could have a real use in the medical field.”
He was so enthusiastic about the plant that he’d forgotten his frustration. Good. I wanted him relaxed and friendly.
“Sounds like you know your stuff. I take it you were created for botany?”
“For all the life sciences, but botany is my favorite.” He was still studying the flower.
I nodded. “It’s obvious. Dynatec must be happy with their investment.”
He glanced at me, and then returned the probe to his pocket. “Dynatec didn’t commission my creation. A small drug company in the Cygnus sector was my original indenture holder.”
“Isn’t that unusual?” I arched a brow. “For them to sell your indenture, I mean. They must have invested a lot of time and money in you.”
“I guess Frisk made it worth their while.”
A surge of horror washed over me at his statement and I forgot his reluctance to speak candidly. “Frisk bought your indenture, not Dynatec?”
His gaze turned wary and he took another quick look over his shoulder. “That’s right.”
I could barely breathe. According to my records, Redfield was very young, only twenty cycles. He’d been out of the crèche five cycles, and most of that time had probably been spent in the rarefied atmosphere of a research and development unit. There was no way he could have been prepared for someone like Frisk.
It also introduced yet another problem. Where in the thirteen hells had Frisk gotten enough credit to buy an indenture? Dynatec paid its captains well, but even with frequent bonuses, it didn’t pay that much.
“Listen to me, Redfield.” I gripped his arm, my voice low and urgent. “It’s no secret how Frisk feels about GEPs. But there are laws to protect you, even from your indenture holder. He can’t force you to commit any illegal acts, and he can’t touch you physically. If he’s tried, I can help you. You don’t have to put up with his perversions.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
He struggled to get away from me, but I hung on. The contact allowed me clearer reception of his emotions, and he was on the verge of a full-blown panic, which seemed to be focused on the section of jungle he’d kept glancing at.
“Don’t you?” I knew my fingers were digging into his arm, but I had to get through to him somehow. “A Buri is missing, and several of the males have scars from laser burns. Are you going to tell me you don’t know how they got them?”
With a spurt of adrenaline, he wrenched his arm from my grasp, shoving me back so that I had to fight to keep my balance. His eyes were wild, and his hand hovered over his laser.
Around us, the three Buri guards sprang into action, lifting their spears to shoulder level, the deadly tips aimed at Redfield’s chest. Before I could move to stop them, a roar of rage split the jungle, halting the other noises as though someone had turned off a switch. Without quite knowing how he got there, I saw that Thor was now positioned between Redfield and me. And he didn’t look happy. His fists were clenched at his side, and a low, continuous growl rumbled in his chest as he advanced.
It was enough to send Redfield over the edge. He backed away hurriedly, nearly tripping over his own feet as he yanked the laser from his utility belt. “It wasn’t our fault! They attacked us. We had to protect ourselves!”
I peered around Thor’s arm, my mind spinning with this new information. Maybe I hadn’t been around them long, but I knew the Buri wouldn’t have attacked men armed with lasers without a damn good reason. “Why did they attack you?”
“I don’t know, they just did.” All the blood had drained from his face, leaving his skin pale and clammy with sweat.
He was lying. I could feel the deceit oozing in his veins like blood. But there was something else there with it. Guilt. Self-disgust. And fear, always the fear.
But again the fear wasn’t toward me or the Buri, which left me with only one conclusion.
I grabbed Thor’s arm and hung on, forcing him to stop while I stepped up beside him. “Redfield, you don’t have to do whatever Frisk is forcing you to do. I can help you, protect you.”
He motioned at Thor. “Then call him off. I’m as strong as you are. I can hurt him.”
The bicep under my hand rippled with muscle, and I glanced from it to Redfield. “I wouldn’t be too sure about that if I were you. And even if you manage to get through him, you’d never beat me. I’m ten cycles older than you, and I’ve had ten times the training in hand-to-hand combat. I can break your arm in three places before you can pull the trigger. Now drop the laser and let’s talk about it.”
“Kiera,” Max murmured in my ear. “Frisk and the Dorn woman are listening. From the heat signature, it would appear they’ve been behind that group of trees to your right for the last ten minutes or so.”
Ah, no wonder Redfield was frustrated and scared! He’d known the two were in the area, keeping an eye on him. “Geesh, Max, thanks for telling me. Any Buri with them?”
“Two. They are circling around to make their presence known.”
I nodded and glanced at the trees. “You can come out now, Frisk.”
Redfield’s eyes closed briefly in relief, and he inhaled a deep sigh. Acting as if lurking behind trees was everyday fare, Frisk strolled into sight, the Dorn woman beside him.
“What’s going on here? Redfield, put that laser away.” He glared at the doctor, and I saw Redfield’s hand tremble as he slid the weapon back into its holster. From the way he was emoting, he’d much rather use it on Frisk than the Buri.
“Just a slight misunderstanding,” I told Frisk calmly.
“The Buri thought Redfield was threatening me. He pulled the laser in self-defense.” I didn’t think Frisk had heard anything but the last few comments. They were too far away and we weren’t speaking loudly until Redfield panicked. At least I hoped that was the case. I didn’t want to get the other GEP into even more trouble since I still planned to get him alone long enough at some point that he could tell me what was going on.
To take the attention off the doctor, I turned to the woman. “I don’t believe we’ve met. I’m Senior Agent Kiera Smith.”
She was average height, but that was the only thing average about her. Her eyes were crystal blue, and her hair was long and dark, curling to the middle of her back. She had the kind of figure that sent men into temporary comas. But in spite of the languid sex-kitten fa?ade she projected, I could feel an underlying razor-sharp intelligence. There was no doubt left in my mind. Standing before me was the brains behind this operation. As I’d suspected, Frisk was little more than hired muscle.
By now, there were six very tense Buri circling us, all with their spears ready, but Quilla Dorn treated them like they were tree trunks. She walked toward me, her stride confident and about as sexually muted as a super nova, and held out a hand.
“Agent Smith. I’ve heard so much about you. It’s a pleasure to finally meet. I hope Tommy hasn’t caused you any problems with the Buri.”
I ignored the hand and glanced at Redfield. Tommy? A red flush covered his cheeks, and his gaze was locked on Dorn worshipfully. It made me want to curse. Or pray he was a damn fine actor.
And it wasn’t helping matters that Thor was trying to shove me behind him.
I shifted slightly and gave him a good hard glare so he’d get the message. He returned the sentiments with a fierce glower of his own and a determined look in his dark eyes. Dorn lowered her hand as I turned to face her again.
“Leave the Buri to me. Unfortunately, I can’t say I’ve heard much about you. You aren’t listed on the Dynatec roster as a crew member.”
“No, it was a last minute decision and there wasn’t time to do the paperwork. I’m sure the company will rectify the matter shortly if they haven’t yet.”
“Uh-huh.” I grabbed Thor’s hand and held it still. “Exactly what is your job on this assignment?”
Her full, crimson lips curved into a smile. “Officially, I’m the quartermaster, but just between us, Jon suggested I come along as a kind of vacation. They really don’t need anyone to handle the supplies. Isn’t that right, Jon?” She glanced at Frisk over her shoulder.
He wasn’t nearly as casual about the Buri as she appeared to be, and stayed where he was, eyeing Thor uneasily. “That’s right. Quilla and I go back a long way.”
“So you suggested she vacation on an unexplored world? Kind of dangerous, isn’t it, Frisk?”
“Oh, no,” Dorn interjected. “Jon knows I’m an avid explorer. The trouble is, I rarely get the chance to indulge. He did me a huge favor, bringing me along. I’m even getting paid for it.” She shot a hundred-watt smile at Frisk, and then gazed around at the Buri. “Looks like you’ve got a fan club. None of us has been able to get that close to them.”
It was on the tip of my tongue to tell her that the Buri would be a lot friendlier if the Dynatec crew hadn’t shot at, and possibly killed, one of them, but I restrained myself. “I think they realize I’m trying to help.”
She nodded. “Could be. They certainly are gorgeous, aren’t they?” Her gaze lingered on Ghost, reminding me of the carnivorous plant Redfield had found.
Did all human females have that reaction to the Buri? I was beginning to think so. Claudia Karle had, and I’d certainly proven I wasn’t immune. Now Dorn looked as if she wanted to swallow Ghost whole.
I ignored her comment and brought the subject back to her presence on Orpheus Two. “As an agent for the Bureau of Alien Affairs, I’ll have to report your inclusion on the Dynatec crew.”
“Of course.” She tore her gaze away from Ghost and smiled at me. “Although I’m sure Dynatec reported the alteration to the proper authorities when they were notified of the change.”
When Dynatec was notified of the change? Just who in the fifth hell was this woman that she could issue orders to a company as big as Dynatec? She’d have to own the company, lock stock and barrel before they’d listen to her. I made a mental note to have Max trace the corporate ownership right to its source, but I was already pretty sure of what he’d find.
“If they have, there won’t be a problem.” I dipped my head in a brief nod. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll let you get back to whatever you were doing.”
“Have you found anything yet, Smith?” Frisk called as I turned away.
“No, not yet,” I lied as I continued walking. Thor went with me after issuing a growled command to the other Buri.
Ghost and Junior stayed in place, guarding our backs, until we put some distance between us and the Dynatec people, and then jogged to catch up. Instead of taking the same path I’d used to reach Redfield, Thor headed toward my camp in a straight line.
All three Buri remained silent on the trip, but I could sense the disapproval coming from Thor. It set my teeth on edge and grated on my nerves until I was ready to scream from the tension wafting in the air. My shields weren’t helping, and I was already in a tizzy about everything I’d learned. I couldn’t take any more.
“That’s it.” I plowed to a stop and swung to face Thor, hands on my hips. “If you’ve got something to say, say it and stop emoting at me.” My frustration at our inability to actually talk had reached critical mass. I wanted to hit something and Thor was looking like a pretty good target.
With one gesture of his hand, he sent Ghost and Junior on ahead of us, but I was too wound up to give much notice to that little detail. All my attention was focused on the Buri leader. He stabbed a finger toward the Dynatec camp, pointed at me, and gave his head one hard shake. Then he crossed his arms over his chest. End of subject. The great one had spoken.
I bristled, every nerve in my body going into high gear. There was only one person in the universe who had the right to give me orders, and that was the boss. It was time to set Thor straight on a few issues.
“Oh, yeah?” Okay, not exactly my most brilliant comeback, but I was mad. And if I were being truthful, I’d have to admit his protectiveness was kind of nice. No one had ever cared enough before to try and protect me. And that made me even madder, made me react more strongly than I normally would have.
I poked him in the chest with one finger. “Listen up, buddy. You don’t own me. For your information, I can take care of myself. I’ve been doing it for damn near thirty-two cycles, and I don’t need you coming to my rescue now. The very idea is ludicrous. I’m a GEP, for Luna’s sake! My resume would make your hair stand on end.” I eyed his long, thick locks, trying to picture the heavy mass standing out from his skull. Maybe that wasn’t the best analogy in the world, but it was the only thing I could come up with in my current state of mind.
In my agitation, I began to pace up and down, ignoring the stoic expression he wore. “Do you think there’s any way to get it through that hard head of yours that I’m trying to help your people? It’s my job. It’s what I’m here for.”
I reached the apex of my circuit, spun, and started back, hands waving wildly. “There’s something on this planet Dynatec wants very badly, even if means wiping out your entire race to get it. It’s up to me to find out what they’re after and stop them. But I can’t get the information I need from the crew members if you keep interfering. Damn, I wish there was a way we could communicate.”
Stopping in front of him, I gazed up at his expression, my irritation fading away like water in a sieve as our eyes met and the buzzing filled my head. Each time it seemed to get louder, a little more intense. I tried to break the contact, tried to tear my gaze from his and take a step back, but my feet weren’t cooperating.
Around us, the world slowed to a crawl. The sun froze in its descent, and the breeze that had set broad-leaved plants rustling, stilled. There was no movement, no noise anywhere.
Abruptly, I felt a dizzying sense of displacement, as though I were spinning through a dark tunnel with no light at the end. And Thor was my only anchor. His hands, gently cupping my face, the only reality in this endless blackness.
Unafraid but curious, I watched his face loom larger in my vision until he blocked out all external stimulation. Slowly, so very slowly, his lips, warm and firm, touched mine.