Imminent Danger: And How to Fly Straight Into It (24 page)

“And it’s on your back because …?”

“The tattoo is a symbol of rank. My family is considered fairly important on Rakor.”

Eris found the lines etched into his skin mesmerizing. She reached out a hand and traced one of the sun’s rays with her fingertips.

Varrin began shaking. Startled, Eris withdrew her hand. “What’s wrong? I didn’t hurt your arm, did I?” Then she realized he was laughing. “What’s so funny?”

“I don’t understand you!” he exclaimed, turning to face her. “You’re helpless one minute, confrontational the next, and I don’t even know
what
the rest of the time. Instead of running off when you had the chance, you saved my life and stuck around to make sure I was all right. Sometimes I just want to stun you and sell you to the first slaver I come across, but I can’t make myself do it.”

Eris didn’t know how to respond to that, so instead she took a deep breath and asked, “Varrin, why didn’t you come back to the room last night?”

“Couldn’t sleep without me?”

“Seriously, Varrin.”

He stared at her curiously, head cocked to the side. Then, without warning, he leaned over sideways and dove into the pool.

A wave of water splashed toward Eris. “Hey!” she spluttered, raising her arms in front of her in a futile attempt to stay dry. “Are you crazy? You’re wearing a cast, you stupid man!”

Eris rose to her knees and crawled over to the edge of the bobbing platform, trying to spot Varrin beneath the surface of the bubbling, steaming water. Suddenly, a wet hand grabbed her arm and yanked her into the pool.

“Eeeeeek!”

Eris was not a good swimmer to start with, and especially not in heels and a tight dress. She splashed into the water and immediately began sinking to the bottom. But before she could panic, an arm wrapped around her waist and hauled her back to the surface.

Eris clutched the edge of the platform, gasping for breath. “What’d you do that for?” she demanded, pushing her sopping hair out of her face.

“You should have mentioned you couldn’t swim,” Varrin drawled. He floated serenely beside her, arms outstretched, his buoyant cast bobbing atop the water.

“I’m soaking wet now, you complete jerk! I could have drowned!”

“Not with me around.”

Eris gaped at him. Then, out of nowhere, she started laughing. Perhaps it was that all her pent up frustration was finally being released into the soothing waters, but whatever the reason for the laughter, she couldn’t stop. She had to hold on to the platform with both hands to keep from sinking again.

“You are a strange woman,” Varrin observed.

With a great deal of effort, Eris regained control of herself. “Okay,” she said and then took a few fortifying breaths. “You got me in here. I hope you have a plan for getting me out.”

Varrin floated over to the platform and hefted himself up with his good arm. Leaning toward Eris, he extended his uninjured hand and yanked her up beside him. She sprawled face-up across the wooden surface, disoriented and bedraggled.

“I’m having a very strange day,” she remarked, staring up at the tiled ceiling.

“Perhaps you should tell me what this is really about,” Varrin suggested. He resumed his cross-legged position in front of her.

“I don’t know.” She sighed, pushing herself upright. “Sometimes I just wish we had a more normal relationship.” She looked down and began twisting the water from her dress. “I don’t mean
relationship
relationship. I just mean I wish I wasn’t worried about you double-crossing me all the time.”

“And if we had this normal relationship, it would make things easier for you?”

She looked up. “Of course it would.”

“How so?”

“Well, for one thing, I’d be able to trust you.”

“I think what you really want is for
me
to be normal.”

“Maybe I do.”

Varrin’s expression turned unexpectedly grave. “Do you know what happens to normal people on Rakor?”

Eris shook her head.

“They’re considered inferior to genetically modified Rakorsians like me. They’re assigned lives of hard labor for low pay, often in remote areas of the empire.” He paused. “What have I told you about Kaydrin?”

“Nothing. You never tell me anything.”

“Kaydrin was my closest friend. He was the son of a lieutenant in the imperial guard. We spent most of our childhood chasing each other around the city getting into mischief.”

Eris had a hard time imagining Varrin ever being young and innocent, but he had a far-away look in his eyes, and she wondered if it might actually be true. “So what happened to him?” she asked.

“How much do you know about Rakorsian society?”

“Not much beyond the obvious. Militant. Ruthless. Insane.”

“Did you know there’s no middle class on Rakor? There are only two classes—those who matter, and those who don’t. My class, the class that matters, is called Rakorsian. We are the inheritors of all the wealth and knowledge of our ancestors. The lower class are called Shin’lar—the forsaken ones.”

“And Kaydrin was one of these forsaken guys?”

Varrin looked away. “We didn’t know at first. His father hid their identities well. I understand a great deal of bribery was involved. But someone must have suspected, because they did a genetic screening, and Kaydrin was uncovered as Shin’lar.”

“What, so you stopped talking to him because he was a little different?”

Varrin suddenly leaped to his feet. Eris squeaked and grabbed the sides of the precariously tilting platform. “You have an annoying habit of judging without getting all the facts,” he said.

“Then explain it to me!”

“My people are the foremost experts on genetic manipulation in the galaxy. We were changing our genes, enhancing ourselves to be more physically capable, thousands of years before your species had even invented language. Shin’lar aren’t a different race. They’re a different level of our species entirely, because they haven’t been genetically enhanced at all. They’re what you seem to appreciate so much—perfectly, 100 percent normal. Because my best friend was normal, he was shipped out to an asteroid mine twenty light-years away.”

“Did you try to—”

“Contact him? Of course I did.” Varrin laughed bitterly. “My father made certain I would never find him. He doesn’t share my … liberal attitude.”

Eris lowered her gaze. “I’m sorry,” she said quietly. “I didn’t realize—I mean, I’ve never had your problem. I’ve always been normal, maybe a bit smarter than your average person, but nothing to write home about. No one ever looked at me like I was something special. I doubt anyone even cared that I was abducted. Well, except my mother, but we barely talk, and she’s probably given up on me by now anyway.”

She felt the platform shift again and looked up to see Varrin kneeling in front of her. She had never seen such a soft expression in his eyes. “Trust me,” he said, “I know something about parent issues.” He stood up, crossed his arms against his chest, and bowed. “Let’s start over.”

Eris eyed him suspiciously. “What does that mean?”

“Let’s try to be friends.”

“We
were
friends, Varrin,” she reminded him. “Then you had to go and screw everything up.”

He tapped a finger thoughtfully against his jaw. “Okay. If not friends, then how about companions who don’t want to strangle each other on a regular basis? At least until we reach Psilos.”

She searched his face for some sign of deception but could find none. Fairly sure she would regret this later, she said, “Fine. But only if you swear not to sell us out again.”

Varrin’s grin was so infectious that Eris couldn’t help smiling back.

“Done,” he said, extending his hand to help her stand. “Then for our first act of friendship, I suggest we get out of here and put on some dry clothes.” His eyes drifted down her body. “Not that I mind being wet, but I understand that women generally like to reveal less than you are right now.”

It suddenly occurred to Eris that her thin dress was soaking wet and that she was not wearing a bra. Blushing, she clasped her arms across her chest and hissed, “You might have mentioned that earlier!”

“What? Your excellent taste in sauna wear?”

Eris pushed him into the pool.

25

T
he remainder of their stay at the Starlight was more fun than Eris had ever imagined. Now that she wasn’t busy playing nursemaid to Varrin or getting into very loud, very public fights with him, she actually had a chance to enjoy the activities available at the resort. And they were made even more entertaining by Varrin’s surprisingly pleasant company. While Miguri spent the days napping on the couch—he claimed that lying peacefully on a soft surface was all he wanted or needed for a while—Varrin took a whirlwind tour of the plateau and brought Eris along for the ride.

They went to the council chambers of Vega Minor, where they sat in on a government session. Varrin pointed out the key members of the council and told her outrageous lies about them that had Eris giggling so loudly they had to be forcibly escorted from the premises. They went scuba diving in the Starlight’s private aquarium and sunbathed on the volcanic ash beaches imported from Psilos. They even did some shopping.

But all too soon, the week was over. The Tetrarchy had moved on with their search, and it was safe to leave Vega Minor and be on their way to Psilos. While Miguri helped Eris pack up her new wardrobe, Varrin went to the infirmary to get his cast removed. His arm was almost completely healed, thanks to a combination of Rakorsian genetics and alien medical technology.

Standing in the lobby waiting for Varrin to check out, Eris looked around at the sumptuous surroundings for the last time. She glanced at Miguri, who was almost lost among the cushions of a plump velvety sofa, and began to wonder what Varrin’s life must be like.
He can be whoever he wants, stay in luxurious places like this, and go wherever he pleases,
she thought.
I wouldn’t mind a life like that.

Then she noticed a familiar bald, muscular figure approaching.

“Mimi!” Kraigoth said. “I’m glad I found you. Are you all right? I tried calling your suite yesterday, but the front desk said someone had blocked my number.”

Three guesses who that was,
Eris thought, shooting an annoyed look at the back of Varrin’s head. Then she smiled up at the Scalkan. “I’m great, Kraigoth. Thank you so much for the other night, by the way.”

“Did you work things out with Korlethi?”

“More or less.”

“I know it isn’t my place, but take this.” Kraigoth handed her a small, circular device. “You can use it to contact me if you ever need help,” he said. “Just twist the two halves to activate it.”

Eris was taken aback by his kindness. “I—thank you.” She slipped the device into the sash of her dress.
The way things tend to play out with Varrin, it won’t hurt to have a backup plan,
she thought.

Kraigoth winked. “I can never say no to a damsel in distress.”

Varrin returned from the reception desk a moment later. When he locked eyes with Kraigoth, Eris had the fleeting impression of two lions squaring off over a fresh kill on the savannah.

“Kraigoth,” Varrin grated. “What do you want?”

“I was just leaving,” Kraigoth responded evenly. “Good-bye, Mimi.”

The Scalkan nodded to Eris and then turned and walked away without another word.

Varrin watched him go with a distasteful expression. “You really should be more circumspect about the people you associate with,” he commented.

“I associate with you all the time,” Eris pointed out. “What does that say about my taste in men?”

“You would be hard pressed to find more delightful company than me,” Varrin sniffed. “Now grab the rat, and let’s go.”

They took an air taxi back to the
Nonconformity.
To Eris’s relief, they were granted permission to take off almost immediately. Soon they were blasting away from Vega Minor on course for Psilos.
Next stop, Earth!
Eris thought.

Leaving Varrin to pilot the ship, Eris and Miguri retired to the rec room. The Claktill had her try one of the holo-games. It was the boxing/chess game she had seen Miguri and Varrin playing. She was terrible at it, but Miguri seemed to enjoy the game, so she decided to humor him.

Three hours later, Varrin walked into the rec room with a sheepish grin on his face. “We have a problem,” he announced.

Eris glanced up from the game table. “What’s wrong now?”

“Well, here, just look.” Varrin picked up the remote for the vid-screen and pressed some buttons. The screen lit up and displayed an image of his face. Red, alien writing scrolled across the bottom.

“Wait, have they figured out where you—Whoa!” Eris’s jaw dropped when she saw her face and then Miguri’s appear on the screen. “What the—”

“It appears that Chakra Corp. isn’t too happy to have lost their newest specimens. They’ve put you on the wanted list.”

“Why?” Eris demanded. “We didn’t do anything wrong!”

“Chakra Corporation is afraid we are going to talk,” Miguri guessed, “so they are making us out to be criminals. That way, if we do tell someone our story, they will be less likely to believe us and perhaps might even turn us in.”