Satan's Forge (Star Sojourner Book 5) (9 page)

I did, and the walls steadied. “Can I have some water now?” I rasped.

“Oh, sure,” Bat got up and went for it.

I reached for the tube to pull it out, but Joe grabbed my wrist.

Bat brought me the canteen and I drank.

“Look what I found sneaking around outside,” I heard Chancey say as he and the fluffy one entered the cave. Chancey gripped the arm of a very pretty woman in gray pants and a white blouse.

“I wasn't sneaking around,” she said. “I was looking for the entrance. Oh, Jules!” She broke his grip, ran to me and knelt by my side. “I thought you were dead!” She kissed me and got her arms around my neck.

“Are you Dannie?” Joe asked her.

“No. Sophia.” She stroked my cheek and brushed hair off my forehead. “How are you, baby?”

I nodded. “Pretty good. Who are you?”

“Sophia!” she said. “Don't you remember me?”

I shook my head. Then vague memories of this woman in my arms began to form.

“Dannie, Sophia,” Chancey said. “How does he
do
it?” he asked Joe.

Joe slid him a look. “He's adorable.”

Bat stood up and watched Sophia hug me. “Well, this should keep him awake.”

“It's keeping
me
awake,” Chancey said.

I felt as though a fog were lifting around me, leaving the scene in sharp relief. “You're Sofia.”

She smiled and nodded.

I reached up and stroked her cheek. “Beautiful Sophia.”

The fluffy one whined. I turned to him. “Huff. Oh. Huff.” I grabbed a handful of fur on his forearm. “My good friend.” I felt tears well.

He whined and sat on his haunches next to me. “I am Huff.”

I stroked his shoulder and he licked my cheek and left my hair wet. Bat chuckled as he took some tissues from his bag and dried off my face.

“Joe!” I said. “And Bat. My team. What
took
you so long?”

“We had to stop to sign autographs.” Chancey chuckled. He squatted next to me and grinned. “Welcome back, Superstar.”

I put out a hand and he clasped it.

“Bat,” I said. “Bat. Thanks.”

He grinned. “You're welcome, Bubba. Want a cup of coffee?”

“Oh, yeah.”

He went to get it.

“Joe,” I said.

Joe got down stiffly to his knees. I saw tears in his eyes. “I just want to know one thing, kid.”

“OK.”

I saw him wipe his eyes. “How, on all the known inhabited worlds, do you manage to find the worst place to be, and at the worst time?”

“I didn't ask to come to New Lithnia, Joe.”

“He was kidnapped,” Sophia said.

“Kidnapped?” Bat handed me a cup of coffee.

“Thanks.” I sipped it.

Joe sat back. “By Slade?”

I nodded. “He wanted a tel to keep an eye on the slaves for him.”

“You mean,” Chancey asked, “for thoughts of rebellion.”

“Yeah, I said.” “Man, this is good.” I sipped more coffee.

“He escaped,” Sophia told them.

“Sophia…” I started.

“Then he walked back in,” she told them, “to show the slaves that they could defy Boss Slade.”

Oh shit!
I thought as Joe wiped a hand across his face and stared at me.

“I can see by your back,” he said too softly, “how well that worked out. I can't wait to hear plan B.”

“Is plan B, my Jules friend,” Huff asked, “before plan C in the human alphabet?”

“Uh, are you hungry?” Bat asked me quickly, to change the subject. “We brought along a sous chef. Steak. Potatoes dripping in butter. Salad. Mudpie. We've got the ingredients for all of it.”

“Sounds great,” I said and closed my eyes.

Chancey got up and went to the chef unit. Joe walked to a corner of the small cave and motioned to Bat, who followed. Joe whispered something intensely and waved a hand toward me. “He looks like hell!” I heard him say.

They must have thought I was asleep.

“He's been through hell,” Bat answered.

Joe lowered his voice and said something.

“I just don't know, Joe,” I heard Bat whisper. He shook his head. “The infection is systemic.”

Joe said something.

“It means it's all through his system. I just don't know yet.”

I lowered my head and Sophia cradled it. “Huff.” I reached a hand to him and he cupped it in his massive paws. My body was under attack. Being an astrobiologist, I had a pretty good idea of what was happening inside me. I bit my lip. I would give those ferocious little bacteria a real run for their money. After all, I was the savior of the slaves and I had to free them, didn't I? There was a girl. Oh, God. Dannie? What had happened to her?

Chancey brought me dinner and I wolfed it down. I didn't realize how hungry I was.

When I was finished, I closed my eyes and felt Sophia brush back my hair and kiss my forehead. “Go to sleep, baby.”

That sounded good. So I did.

* * *

It must have been late night when I awoke. I thought I was back in the cell. Then I saw Bat changing the IV bag. I was leaning against Huff, whose breathing told me he was in deep sleep. Sophia was curled on the bedroll to my other side. Joe and Chancey slept near a small fire.

“Sorry, Jules,” Bat whispered, “I didn't mean to wake you. How do you feel?”

“A little better.”

He smiled. "Your temperature's down.

“That's good news, but I've got to pee so bad.”

“I figured that was coming. I don't want you to stand up. This ground is mostly clay. I made some bowls for you to pee in.”

“Is that something you learned in med school?”

He winked. “I like to keep up with the journals.” He looked at Huff and Sophia. “They've got you pretty well blocked in here.” He squeezed between Huff and me. Huff growled in his sleep and tried to move closer. Bat took off my blanket and slipped my pants down past my knees. “You want to do this?” He tapped my shorts. Or should I?"

I tried to lift to an elbow and felt dizzy. “I guess you'd better.” I laid back down. He laughed when he unbuttoned my shorts and set me up in the bowl. “Go ahead,” he said.

“What's so funny?” I asked as I peed.

“You were never circumcised.”

“Well, if you're thinking about correcting that little oversight, I don't think you have enough pain patches.”

“Let's leave well enough alone. Are you finished?”

I nodded.

He buttoned the shorts and pulled my pants back up.

“Thanks, Bat.”

“Anytime, Bubba.” He covered me and tucked the blanket. “I'm a man of many talents.”

He went outside to throw away the bowl, then returned and washed his hands at a tap on the sous chef. He wiped them on a paper towel as he approached me. “A drink of water?” he asked.

I shook my head. “Bat?”

He paused. “I'm listening.”

“If things turn out all right for me, and I get on my feet again, I intend to lead a slave rebellion.”

He sighed deeply. “I would've never suspected that. Well, I've got a lot of pain patches and antibiotics.”

“Those people are counting on me. There's nobody else to lead them.”

He rubbed his forehead. “Jules…”

“I know.”

“Do you? Even cats only have nine lives. I think you've already exceeded your quota, whatever it was.”

“What would you do, leave them without hope? They're being worked to death and murdered as examples not to rebel.”

He stared at the fire. “I don't know. The team put out a lot of effort to rescue you. We all put ourselves in harm's way.”

“I know you did. But they're depending on me. If you could've seen the hope in their eyes when I defied the whole obscene slave system and walked back into camp for their sakes.”

“I honestly don't know what to tell you. I don't know what Joe will say.” He closed his bag and picked it up. “This was strictly a rescue mission. We never intended to get involved in the planet's screwed up political system. There's lots of injustices in the Worlds Alliance planets, Jules. Which ones are you going to tackle next?”

I smiled. “Just one at a time.”

“I believe it.” He shook his head. “You can't expect Joe to back you up on this, or to commit the rest of the team to it.”

“I know.”

“Get some sleep.” He sighed heavily. “Lord knows I need it.” He walked to his bedroll by the fire.

“Goodnight, Bat.”

“Yeah. Goodnight, Superstar.”

Huff stirred and threw a massive forearm across my chest. I gently pushed it off.

I watched a ragged patch of stars framed in the opening of the cave. How easy it would be to just leave with Joe and the team. Go back to Earth. Visit Lisa. Study Blackroot at the Lab. What did I owe these slaves? My life?
Spirit? Are you out there? Spirit.

I heard you.

What would you do in my situation?

What does it matter, Terran? I know what you will do.

“Are you out of your fucking
mind
?” Joe threw his remaining coffee into the fire, then threw the metal cup onto the clay ground of the cave. The fire hissed. Smoke erupted, like a little dragon that had been kicked.

I cradled my cup of hot brew on my thighs as I sat, my back against the cold wall. It was two days since we'd arrived, and I was gaining back my strength. The fever had broken and Bat had the infection under control. The pain patches were a gift from heaven. I bit my lip and looked up at Joe. “Well, I was thinking –”

“Oh, wait!” He threw up his arms. “He was
thinking
.” He kicked his cup into a wall and it bounced back and rattled across the floor.

Chancey and Bat sat with their heads lowered. Huff scraped parasites off his belly and ate them as though all was fine with the team.

“Well…,” I started. “I thought we could –”

“You
thought
?” Joe said. “News flash. I can't wait to read the headlines.” He put up a hand as though tracing a newspaper in the air. “Team of five lunatics tries to free three hundred legal slaves from a mining camp held by fifty or so guards with laser cannons on the roofs. Team is now ashes somewhere in the stratosphere of New Lithnia.” He turned to me. “That's the headline. You want to fill me in on the sidebar?”

I felt a twinge of anger at this harangue. “Mercenaries,” I said.

Joe paused. “Mercenaries.” He looked at Chancey. Chancey raised his brows and glanced at Bat. Bat frowned and looked at Sophia. Sophia shrugged and looked at Huff. Huff continued to search his fur for parasites. I don't think he knew what the word meant.

“Mercenaries,” I repeated. “I've got a full credcount, Joe. My rewards for helping Alpha on a couple of worlds. I can afford to hire them. I'll give you written permission to tap my account from Alpha. I can't do it here. Can't even buy a starship ticket. But when you tags return to Alpha, Chancey can hire the mercenaries. I'll stay here to meet them.”

“And then?” Joe asked.

“Well, they know more about military tactics than I do. I'll let them lead the way.”

“But you'll follow,” Joe said.

I shrugged.

Joe sat down stiffly and wiped a hand across his eyes. “Then maybe that's what you have to do,” he said wearily. “Because I'm not about to put my people in harm's way to overthrow a legal system.”

“I don't blame any of you,” I said. “But I couldn't look my daughter in the face if I turn my back on these people.” I swirled coffee and stared into it.

“Do you understand,” Joe leaned forward, “that if you don't get killed in the rebellion, you could end up in prison for attempting to overthrow a legal system?”

I nodded.

He rubbed his eyes. “Lithium Love Mining has a battery of lawyers that would get their teeth into you like a pack of hyenas, and they wouldn't let go until they threw away the key.”

I nodded again.

“Or, you could end up becoming a fugitive.”

“Joe,” I said softly, “they're getting their slaves from Worlds Alliance planets. That's
not
legal.”

“You'd have to prove it, and the congloms are pros at covering their asses.”

“I know all that.”

He stared at me. “Of course you do.” He shifted position. “And let's just say you free all these slaves. Where do they go on a planet where they will also be fugitives?”

“Back to their homeworlds, or some other planet, if they choose.” I smiled. “What's a credcount for?”

“You're bound and determined to go down in the history cubes, aren't you?” he asked. “The poster child for martyrs.”

“You know better than that,” I told him. “Chancey, you've got some connections with mercenaries, don't you?”

Chancey shrugged. “Could be. Not that I'd admit to it, man.” He glanced at Joe. “But…” He grinned. “I might know a few tags who know a few tags.” He sipped coffee. “Let's call them contractors, OK? And they don't come cheap.”

“I think I can afford them,” I said.

“You ever deal with these trolls?” Chancey asked me.

I shook my head.

Chancey set aside his cup. “These mothers are pit-bull tough, and they don't battle with pen and paper.”

“As long as they're on my side,” I said.

Chancey stared at me as though studying his options, then nodded. “I can arrange a meeting with their leader.”

Joe rubbed his lips. “I've got a granddaughter I have to face.” He shook his head. “I must be just as whacked-out as you are,” he told me.

We waited, hushed, and watched Joe as he ran a finger thoughtfully through pebbles of clay on the ground.

“I found another one!” Huff plucked a bug off his belly and popped it into his mouth.

Joe looked up at me. “OK. Count me in. Abby, forgive me, for I know not what I do.”

Chancey crossed his legs. “Well, I ain't got no fun things going on in the near future. Might as well join the circus.” But then his face turned serious. “My people got a long history of slavery behind us, man. It ain't a pretty way to live.”

We were silent as Bat took off his cap, scratched his bald head, and shoved it back on. “Somebody's got to pick up the pieces when y'all hit the ground.”

We waited.

Bat nodded. “Guess I better stock up on pain patches and antibiotics.”

“Well, count me in too,” Sophia said and looked at Joe.

Joe frowned.

“Somebody's got to keep the home fires burning,” she said.

“Sophia –” I started.

“Don't even say it, Jules. I'm not asking for your permission.”

I looked at Joe.

He shrugged. “Why don't you lecture her on the safe road, kid?”

I touched Sophia's soft cheek. “As long as you promise to stay out of harm's way.”

She tossed back her hair. “Will
you
promise that?”

I looked at Joe.

“You found your kind of woman,” he said.

I knew Huff would stay with me no matter what I decided to do. I grinned and lifted my empty cup. “One for all.”

“And all the lunatics for one,” Joe finished it.

Huff looked at me. “Am I too, Jules Terran friend, a lunatic of one?”

I patted his forearm. “Sure you are, Huff. You're one of us.”

* * *

I stayed in the cave with Bat, Sophia, and Huff, while Chancey and Joe caught a star flight for planet Alpha to report in and be debriefed. I'd given Joe carte blanche to use my credcount on Alpha, in writing and thumb-printed.

As I gained back my strength, Sophia and I went for cool night walks under cover of trees. Twice, hovairs flew by, but they could have been private craft.

We made love in the soft patches of long tongue, a blue, native plant resembling Earth grass, with a lemony scent, and ran barefoot through green patches of soft lichen. We held hands and talked of our future together, perhaps on Earth.

“We don't have crusties,” I kidded her as we strolled, hand in hand, “but we have lobsters, and you don't need digestall to eat mock meat and the vegies.”

She smiled. “Whither thou goest.” She plucked a yellow flower off a stem and tucked it behind my ear.

I smiled. “I will go.”

She embraced me and leaned her head on my chest. “I thought I'd never see you again.”

I took her wrists and loosened her hold. “The back, Sophia. The back.”

“Oh, sorry. I keep forgetting.”

I kissed her thick, wavy, rumpled hair and buried my face in it to breathe her scent. “You smell like long tongue.”

She brushed my lips with hers. “That's because I always end up on my back in a patch of it, dear. You make certain of that.”

I kissed her and felt desire rising, among other rising things. “Well, there's a patch of tongue grass under that tree.”

She rubbed her hips against mine, and I knew she felt the swell inside my pants. “You seem to have a recurring problem,” she said. “Maybe Bat can cure it.”

“Naw. He'd probably want to give me a shot to make it go away.”

I got my hands under her blouse and up her back. She wasn't wearing a bra. I kissed her and she drew down my head and held it to her breast while the nipple hardened.

“You've got cures,” I told her and caressed her breasts, “that Bat never dreamed of.”

I picked her up and carried her to the patch of grass, put her down, unholstered my stingler and lay it beside us. Moonlight played on the curves of her body. I unbuttoned her blouse and she shrugged out of it. I leaned over her and kissed her gently, then worked my way down to her breasts in a path of kisses.

She drew in a breath and arched her back.

“Gently,” I said as she pulled my shirt over my back and head.

"She unzipped her pants, lifted her hips and pushed them down and off, along with her panties and shoes.

“You're like a cat,” I told her.

“How like a cat?” she asked and unzipped my pants and shorts and yanked on them. I lifted my hips and she got them off.

“All lithe curves and supple muscles. But I like you better without fur. Well,” I said and slipped my hand between her legs, “mostly without fur.”

She laughed and pulled me down on top of her.

“Not my back!” I said as she tried to embrace me.

“Oh, sorry,” she whispered, “I keep forgetting.”

Her eyes, in the light of moons, with their alluring slant, drew me in like two pools of exotic black water.

“Jules?”

“Please don't tell me we have to talk now.”

She held my head and kissed me. “I'm in love with you.”

“Oh.”

“I think from the time I first saw you, back on the pier.”

“Sophia,” I said. “My beautiful Sophia.”

“Can you love me?”

“I already do, my princess, but…”

“But we don't know what the future holds.”

I nodded.

“Then let's just live for each moment. Can we do that?”

“That's all we can do.”

She parted her legs and I pressed down and entered her.

It was a gentle lovemaking, with Sophia lifting to meet my thrusts.

We were close to climax when I heard something big moving through the dark brush. I stopped pushing, my breath coming quick, reached for my stingler and aimed.

Huff broke through the underbrush.

“Jesus Christ!” I muttered.

“Oh, there are you,” Huff said, “my good Terran Jules friend. Bat says should he begin supper now so it ends when you and Sofa come back?”

“Yes! OK. Oh, damn!”

“Get rid of him!” Sophia demanded. “Couldn't you leave him tied to a tree? Oh!” She clutched my arms. “I'm coming!”

“So was I.”

“Go back to the cave, Huff!” I gasped.

“Terran mating? That is what I think this is.”

“Goddammit, yes!” I said. That's as far as I got. Huff or no, Sophia was moving and I could not hold back.

“On Kresthaven, my homeworld,” Huff said as we climaxed, “we mate in private.”

“Son of a bitch!” I said as I reached orgasm.