Blue Galaxy (4 page)

She kept pace with him and stayed silent. He felt a squeeze to his hand and glanced down at her.

She bit her lip. “Forgive me. I was very young at the time, and like you say, it seems there are some holes in my education.”

He sighed. It wasn’t her fault she hadn’t been taught the true story of the rebels and the war.

“Javan, did you…” She hesitated. “Did you fight with the rebels?”

He shook his head. “Sola, every single rebel was killed, as were their families, their friends and anyone who had ever helped them in any way. They’re all dead. By order of the dictator.
Your
dictator.”

She pulled her hand from his. “Not
my
dictator.”

He laughed mirthlessly. “Your entire social class belongs to him, and that includes
you.
After all, he had to approve the marriage you are being sold into. I wonder what he’s getting out of the deal.”

“You said that you wouldn’t mention it again.”

He sighed. “Yes, I did, didn’t I? I’m sorry. Let’s just drop the politics and have some fun. What do you say?”

She glanced up at him, hard-eyed and serious for a second, before smiling. “Yes, no more serious discussions. What’s this surprise you’ve planned for me?”

“We’re almost there.” He turned a corner, following a red neon tube. “We’re going to the Red Sector. Not too dangerous, rather expensive and…here it is.”

They walked out into a massive open space with a glass-encased dome overhead, and a variety of stores and bars and restaurants lining the concourse. People milled everywhere, laughing, drinking.

“What’s that?” she asked, pointing to a dimly lit storefront with a voluptuous woman lying on a chaise longue in front of the entrance.

“Whorehouse.”

Her eyes widened. “And that place?” She indicated a garishly lit bar.

“Drug den.”

She giggled—a little nervously, he thought. “And that?” She pointed to a soaring glass structure that reached up to the glass dome.

“Our destination.” He pulled her toward it, guiding her as she took it all in. The Red Sector of Artemis Station was a hard thing not to stare at. They walked past an extremely expensive restaurant, famous throughout the galaxy. Two long legs unfurled into their path, blocking them.

“Captain Rhodes?”

He turned, recognizing in an instant both the voice and the man who sat sprawled in a chair outside the restaurant.

“It’s been a long time, Captain. Too long.”

In Destin Grady’s frosty blue eyes, Javan saw the wasted lives of untold thousands of innocents. Between the destruction of the colony ship
Vesuvian,
the New York City massacre and the bombing of Beijing, this man had annihilated the rebels. He’d been cast aside by the dictator after the Three Worlds War for an unknown reason. Javan had never asked, though those chilly eyes dared him to try.

Grady examined Sola. “And I see you’ve acquired yourself a companion. Excellent. Space travel can be far too lonely.”

Sola stared at Grady with avid fascination. Javan suppressed a sigh and introduced them, feeling left out as they sized each other up.

“Sola? What a pretty name,” Grady drawled, flicking his eyes up and down her body.

Javan pulled her closer, causing Grady to smile, but Sola didn’t seem to notice. She couldn’t stop looking at Grady, and a slight shudder ran through her body. A pang of possessiveness ran through Javan’s.

“I’ve been waiting three months for the brandy, Captain. But now that I see what has kept you delayed, I understand. I thought maybe Olympia had caught up with you, but I see that’s not the case. Yet.”

Javan took Sola by the hand and tried to lead her away, but she was paralyzed by curiosity. He had to give her a firm tug before she moved.

“Do you have plans, Captain, or would you and your companion care to join me?”

Sola looked inclined to join him, but Javan got in first. “Sorry, Grady, but we
do
have plans. Maybe some other time?”

“I’ll
bet
you have plans.” Grady emitted a bored sigh and turned his gaze once again toward Sola. “Don’t be late with the brandy again, Captain, or I’ll find someone else to bring it in.”

Javan gave a curt nod and pulled Sola away from the scene.

She touched his hand. “But wouldn’t it be interesting to talk with him? I’d like to know more about him
and
about Artemis.”

“Keep walking. You do
not
want to catch the eye of Destin Grady. Believe me.”

She looked rebellious for a moment before shrugging and skipping to catch up with him. “On to the surprise, then?”

Javan swept her through the crystalline entrance of the towering structure.

“It’s called the Glass Castle. I’ll be right back.” He left Sola exploring and approached the glass reception area. “I want the best room you have available.”

“Yes, sir,” replied the woman behind the desk. “Place your hand on the identity scanner, please.”

Javan did so as Sola joined him. “This place is quite magnificent. Look, there are lights embedded within the glass.”

Destin Grady joined them. “Hello again.”

Javan scowled.

Grady smiled. “Give them the best room, Tilda. And there will be no charge.”

Javan tried to refuse, but Grady insisted. “I was rather rude to you earlier, and I wish to apologize. I’m sure you were delayed with good reason. I’m in the penthouse if you and Sola would care to drop by.” He waved. “Oh, I know. I won’t be seeing you. Well, enjoy yourselves.” Grady walked away without waiting for a reply.

Javan stared after him, wondering why he was being so uncharacteristically hospitable.

Sola stared after him too. “Maybe I did meet him before. He seems…familiar to me somehow.”

Jealousy coursed through Javan. “Let’s go, my lady.”

She turned to him and unleashed a dazzling smile. “I’m ready for my surprise, Javan.”

Sola emitted a long-drawn-out moan. “Oh, that feels so good. More please, more, more, more.”

Javan obliged her, rinsing the soap off her body with the water jet and his hands. “Enough?”

“I’ll never get enough. I’ve decided the worst thing about space travel is the lack of water.”

“I thought it was the lack of real food.”

“That too!”

She was unforgivably beautiful as he gently sluiced the last of their purchased hot water over her sleek black hair, her glistening shoulders, her arched back.

“But the thing is I’ve never enjoyed the feel of water quite so much. It’s something I’ve always taken for granted, but I don’t think I ever will again.”

“Every time I get back to Earth, I always land at Piraeus, and the very first thing I always do is go for a swim in the Aegean.”

“Oh, that must be glorious. I want to do that. Do you just jump right in?”

“Yes, I strip off my clothes and plunge right in.”

“I wish I could do that with you one day.”

He stepped away to fetch her towel, not trusting himself to speak, knowing if he did, he would offer her the chance to swim in the Aegean—and knowing she would refuse.

He wrapped her in the towel and rubbed her down vigorously until she was squealing at him to stop, almost collapsing with laughter. They threw themselves on the bed.

“What’s next?”

“A three-course meal will be delivered in about an hour. Until then?”

She rolled onto her side and snuggled up next to him, burying her face in his neck and inhaling deeply. “Mmm, you smell so good.”

The feel of her in his arms broke him. “Why are you here?” he asked suddenly. “What are we doing?”

With her finger, she caressed his eyebrow and ran down the length of his nose before touching his lips. “I like you, Javan. I like you very much. I like your sad eyes.” She kissed his forehead, then ran her fingers over his jaw. “I like how rough this feels when you kiss me. I love how smooth your skin is when you’ve just shaved. I love the taste of brandy on your lips. I love how you need a haircut.”

Javan closed his eyes. She was using the word
love
again.

“I love your body. So strong, so gentle.” She sighed. “So beautiful.” She bent and kissed his chest.

“Oh, so you just want me for my body?”

“Well, it is a
very
nice body, but there are other things.”

“Such as?”

“You’re kind, you’re funny, you’re clever—”

He cut her off with a kiss. She grasped his head and responded wildly.

They broke minutes later, breathing heavily.

“Let’s just enjoy our time together,” she said.

He flipped her over and spread her legs.

“But we mustn’t fall in love.” She grasped his head and forced him to look into her eyes. “It would be too painful—for both of us. Don’t let it happen. Please…” Her last word trailed off in a moan as their bodies joined.

He clenched his teeth so the words could not come out. But they were there in his head—words he would not admit, words he could not allow to leave his lips. He threw himself into their passion, shuttering his emotions and allowing his body to speak for him. And when she cried out his name, as she always did, he bit deeply into the pillow so that he would not say the words he knew he mustn’t.

Javan woke refreshed yet exhausted and with a profound sense of satisfaction. He reached for the reason he felt so damn good, but she wasn’t there. “Sola?” He waited and listened to the resulting silence.

He got out of bed and looked around, taking a few bites from the remains of their meal. He smiled, remembering her pleasure in the delicious food, how they had fed each other and how, later, they had fed on each other again. He knocked on the door of the water chamber, but there was no answer, so he pushed the door open. Her clothes were gone—and so was she.

He hurriedly pulled on his clothes, cursing her under his breath. Maybe she’d just gone off to explore the station. But why the hell wouldn’t she have woken him? He paused midway through zipping up his pants as a disembodied voice rang through the room.

“Checkout time in one hour, dear guests. Checkout time in one hour.”

“Dammit, Sola.” He threw on the rest of his clothes and rushed out of the room, unsure whether to be worried or furious.

Javan searched the Red Sector from top to bottom: the dives and the dens and the classy joints. She wasn’t in any of them, and his anger dwindled to concern. He even checked in with a highly amused Destin Grady, who offered to have his security people track her down. Javan paused only a moment before agreeing, despite knowing it was foolish to be in the position of owing Grady a favor. There was no telling what trouble the impulsive little fool had gotten herself into; Artemis Station wasn’t exactly the safest place in the universe. He stalked back to the docking bay to wait for Grady’s goons to do what they did best. He scowled and shoved his hands into the pockets of his flight jacket—and realized she’d taken the last of his loose credits.

He came to a halt. There hadn’t been many credits, but she had
stolen
them. His thoughts whirled as he went over the last weeks in detail. That speech about how she must fulfill her duty—could it have been a lie? She’d been desperate for him to take her to Artemis. It was possible he’d gotten her all wrong, that she was taking matters into her own hands rather than submitting to the arranged marriage. He’d offered her a way out, and she’d refused. No doubt she thought she could do better. And she’d been so interested in Grady. He was too angry to think straight.

His pace quickened as he came to the end of the tunnel. He turned toward his ship and tripped as he rounded the corner. Sprawling into a heap, he caught a flashing glance of startled brown eyes as he went down.
Sola.

He pulled himself into sitting position. “Where the hell have you been?”

“I got lost. I couldn’t find my way back to the Red Sector.”

“Why did you leave the room without waking me? Where have you been?”

Pale and crying, she said, “I wanted to explore. I tried to wake you, but you just mumbled and went right back to sleep.”

“I’ve been worried sick. Anything could have happened to you. What on earth were you thinking?”

“I was thinking I would never get this chance again!”

Javan stood and brushed himself down. “Where did you go?”

She stood also. “I got bored quite quickly with the Red Sector.” She smiled tremulously. “Once you’ve seen one opium den, you’ve seen them all, so I started to explore the tunnels just to see where they go, and I ended up in the Blue Sector.”

“Oh, of course. Running back to your own kind, huh? And did they welcome you with open arms?”

“No, they didn’t. They said I’d be arrested if I didn’t leave. They were very strange for Blues. They didn’t believe I was one of them.”

“They don’t have the same kind of status here as on Earth. They might be bent on ruling the galaxy, but they don’t rule here. It makes them suspicious and paranoid. And of course Grady keeps them that way. I think he lets them live here just to have fun with them. They have to obey someone they don’t even acknowledge as ever existing.”

“I see. What a strange man he is.” She paused. “Javan, I borrowed some of your credits. I didn’t have any on me.”

“How could you find your way to the Blue Sector, but couldn’t find your way back to the Red Sector? And how did you find your way here? It seems a little hard to believe.”

“I…ah…I don’t know. I couldn’t find the Red Sector. I wandered for a while before I got to the docking tunnels, and I remembered the berth number. So…I came here and waited for you. I knew you’d come back to the ship eventually.”

Javan cursed. “I’m now beholden to Grady. I’ll have to get a message to him to call off his dogs. He’s not the type of man you want to owe a favor to.”

She hung her head and spoke quietly. “I bought you a gift. I wanted to give you something…to say thank you. I didn’t mean to worry you. I’m sorry.” She put a package in his hands, then walked off toward the ship.

Javan stared after her before unwrapping the present. It was a book—a rare and costly gift. He turned it over in his hands, and a lump leaped to his throat.
The Blue Aegean.
He flipped through the pictures of his beautiful, beloved birthplace and was inundated with memories. Fishing with his father, running home to show his mother what he’d caught. Memories of everything he had lost so young, when there had still been hope for their planet. She couldn’t know how precious a gift this was. As she disappeared into the ship, he wished there were a way to breach the chasm between them.