Catalyst (4 page)

Minski was almost flapping with excitement. “And you are going to the mayor’s annual gathering. It is too much.”

Wellor looked vaguely upset. “How long have you known him?”

Mae turned and watched the skimmer lights recede in the distance. She really wanted to be with him right now. “I don’t know about the gathering, but I have been assured I will be properly attired, and I have known Commander Harring for two and a half years.”

Wellor nodded as if the information was acceptable.

Minski snuggled up to her on her left side, Wellor her right and Professor Thop quizzed her for hours on how she knew Commander Harring and what her plans were for the future.

By the time Maeryn was in her bedroll for the night, she had worked up an excellent case of anxiety about the following day, which was hilarious for a woman who could see her own future. Somehow, she just couldn’t get a firm grip on what happened next.

Chapter Six

Mae was up, washed, dressed and fed before any of the Tuulor were stirring. Her nerves were up in arms, and she paced at the opening to the site from dawn until noon. The sight of the skimmer caused a ball of lead in her stomach.

She let out a piercing whistle to bring the Tuulor to the entrance.

It was just like Commander Harring had said—one historian and two guards made the hike up the narrow stone steps and the guards saluted her as they relieved her of duty.

The skimmer driver smiled and greeted her before aiming the vehicle for the city.

“Do you know where you are dumping me?” Mae blurted it out before she could stop herself.

“I am taking you to the address that Commander Harring instructed me to take you to. There is someone waiting to assist you in the rest of your preparations.”

She grimaced. “So, you know about that too?”

“It is fairly common knowledge that Commander Harring has not had interest in any of the females around here no matter how much they put themselves in his path. That you are obviously in
Agent of the Enforcers
uniform and he ordered me to take you to a dressmaker means that he intends for you to accompany him this evening to the formal dinner for the colony administrators. The other guess is that as you are also an Enforcer of sorts, and you and he have met before causing his withdrawal from the idea of mating to an Oefric, because he has had you in mind the entire time he has been on Creyar.”

Mae was shocked and embarrassed.

The driver chuckled and gave her a kind glance. “We are a new colony. Most folk here are a little obsessed with mating and growing our population.”

“I see. I have met Commander Harring before, but it was during the course of our duties. I am sure that this is just a standard first date.”

The pilot grinned. “If you say so.”

Mae stroked her hands down the familiar contours of her suit. “I don’t know what the problem is with my suit.”

“It isn’t quite appropriate for the type of event you are going to be attending. Trust me, when you see the other females there, you will be glad Commander Harring arranged this.”

They dropped altitude and joined the traffic moving through the streets.

The pilot pulled in in front of a shop with a very discreet sign. “This is where we part company. They will be waiting for you inside. Good day to you and good luck.”

She exited the skimmer and walked into the shop without looking back. The moment that she entered the shop, a plethora of possibilities ran through her mind.

A young woman perked up and smiled as she took in the uniform. “Agent Lassiter?”

“Please, call me Maeryn.”

“I am Dotha Harring, Nothven’s cousin. He has ordered me to get you everything possible to make you feel at home and in place.”

Mae’s lips quirked. “You take orders?”

Dotha grinned, “When it involves a makeover and a day at the spa, yes I do.”

“We have a spa day as well?”

“Why not, it is on Nothven.” Dotha chuckled.

The shopkeeper was waiting calmly without any indication of rush. “Good afternoon, ladies. How may I help you?”

Dotha smiled. “This charming woman has a date for the social event of the season. She is attending the dinner tonight and the uniform she is wearing is all she currently has.”

Mae blushed. “That is stating it rather baldly. I came to Creyar on business. This is my business attire.”

The woman smiled. “It is a lovely uniform. Bio engineered for you?”

Mae nodded, startled that the woman could recognize it. “Yes. It’s designed to take impact.”

“Lovely composition too but not appropriate for the dinner. I think something in this range for the evening.” The proprietor steered them to the back of the store and her assistant took front of house.

Six mannequins stood in a semi-circle, and they were all wearing very risqué outfits.

“What do you think?” The proprietor smiled.

“Let’s find out.” Mae walked to the first one and closed her eyes.

The Mayor’s mate was angry, and it had to do with the fact that they were wearing the same gown of gold silk.

Mae shook her head and said, “No. The mayor’s mate is wearing this one. She is highly competitive.”

The proprietor frowned. “This is an exclusive design.”

Dotha looked between them. “Rehani, I think you should take it as the truth and see if your assistant has been working on the side.”

The woman frowned. “You can rest assured that I will look into that, now, what about the others?”

Mae touched them all, “This one has a loose seam that will blow if I bow. This one will cause a fight between Nothven and an unmated male. This one is fine, but it isn’t really my colour.”

She skipped over the one that may be fine for Oefric but was too minimalist for her and settled on the silk wrap with the flowing skirt attached to a jewelled belt. It left three inches of her midriff exposed, and Nothven enjoyed seeing her in the Enforcer black and silver. “This is the one.”

Rehani smiled, “Do I want to know what you just did there?”

“Not really, it’s a hobby of mine.” She smiled brightly. “May I try it on?”

The designer got busy, and in no time, Mae had been shucked of her Enforcer uniform and the dress was in place. Rehani admired her handiwork. “I hate to sound immodest, but it looks like it was made for you.”

Dotha sighed. “Damn, I hoped it would take longer.”

Mae tried to cheer her up. “I still need shoes?”

Rehani lifted a set of black and silver heeled sandals. “Sorry.”

Dotha shook her head. “You are trying to kill all my fun.”

Mae smiled. “Maybe you can have another spa treatment?”

Dotha brightened. “That’s true. I just have one question. What are those markings on your abdomen?”

She looked down at the exposed skin. “Oh, that is my tattoo. It is a marking designed to indicate that I am Terran, and therefore, it is illegal to possess me or kill me.”

“Oh, so your job is dangerous.” Dotha blinked.

“More or less. Sometimes more, sometimes less.” Mae laughed. “So, me back in my shell and off to the next stop?”

Dotha chuckled. “You read my mind.”

As she was stripped and resumed her suit, Dotha rattled off a list of spa treatments that simply
had
to be done. With their day firmly set in Dotha’s mind, Mae’s didn’t have to do anything.

Chapter Seven

Her hair was in her standard braids along her skull, turning into loose waves down past her shoulders, but the beads on the ends had been changed to match her evening wear.

Her nails also sported black and silver, as did her eye makeup. When she left the spa and salon, she was coordinated from head to toe with her bodysuit in Dotha’s care.

“Oh, I forgot to give this to you. Nothven would have my head if you showed up without it.”

An elegant silver skimmer was Dotha’s personal conveyance, and she fished around in a compartment, producing a box with a flourish. “Aha!”

Curious, Mae opened the box and looked with confusion at the object inside until understanding rippled through her. Giggles broke out as she put in the hooks that allowed the goblets to swing gently against her neck, and she then slipped the necklace with the hanging goblets around her neck.

“I don’t understand the significance, but if you find it funny, it is obviously a joke between you two.”

Mae grinned. “It hearkens back to the first time I met him.”

Dotha raised her hands. “I don’t want to know, we are going to be late if we don’t get going.”

As Mae took her seat, Dotha triggered a bubble over the skimmer. “I don’t want to mess up your hair, though that is a really practical hairdo.”

Mae chuckled as they left the boutique area of the new city and headed for a huge building on the outer rim of the habitation.

Dotha sighed. “I hope one day I am invited to this party, but until that day, I will have to be satisfied living vicariously through you.”

The light had turned to a pinkish purple as the sunlight began its daily march. The building Dotha stopped at looked far older than the colony was. Dotha pulled into the rotunda and a doorman assisted Mae out of the skimmer. “Agent Lassiter, Commander Harring is waiting inside.”

She inclined her head and walked into the building, head high and shoulders bare. The moment she saw Nothven in his black silk shirt and tight trousers, she could feel the heat in his gaze.

His stride was purposeful as he approached her. “You look…”

She fought a shiver as he pressed a kiss to the inside of her wrist. “Thank you. I feel good as well. Your cousin is quite the enthusiast for all things spa related.”

Nothven smiled. “She really is. Did you have fun with her?”

Mae nodded. “It was the first girl’s day out I have had in a very long time. Certainly the first time I have ever received a four-armed massage.”

He turned and tucked her hand around his arm. “Well, let me introduce you around.”

She fixed a smile on her face, and for the next hour and a half, she allowed herself to be introduced to every mated male of standing in the entire community.

The mayor’s wife was indeed wearing the Rehani knock-off. She complimented the mayor’s wife on the gown, and the woman smiled, “It’s an original Rehani.”

Apparently, Dotha had set her up with the best designer on Creyar. “As is this. She takes such pride in her work. She fitted it to me personally. I have rarely experienced such friendly service as I have on Creyar.”

The mayor’s wife got a suspicious glint in her eye and nodded with a smile. “Yes, it is. I must remember to send her a thank you note.”

Mae smiled brightly, putting her dumb and pretty face into action. It was a bit of a strain, but she managed it.

When the mayor’s wife, Lianna, pointed at her necklace and raised a brow, Maeryn fought a smirk. “Oh, this? Nothven gave it to me to commemorate our first assignment together.”

He was off to one side speaking with the mayor, and he looked up when she said his name. His smile was slow, and it made her wish that the evening were over.

“That is so romantic. What does it symbolize?”

She bit her lip at the memory. “Technically, it symbolizes a lot of wine.”

Lianna edged close to her. “Really? Was it romantic?”

Flashes of waiting for Obnalik to get completely wasted so that his bladder would eventually demand draining in order to get them out of that hole came back to her. “Oh, yes, very romantic.”

The mayor kept looking at her with a peculiar recognition in his eyes, as if he couldn’t quite place her. Finally, he walked up to her. “Agent Lassiter, have you ever been on the Cheevan home world?”

“No, your Honour. Why?”

“You are the exact image of the newest Cheevan goddess. I have the statue in my study, if you and Nothven would care to have a look.”

“Do we have time?”

He chuckled. “They will wait for us.”

Nothven returned, and she took his arm. They followed the mayor through several halls until they reached his study. He walked to a pedestal near his desk and flicked on a light.

“Oh, good grief.” It was obvious to Mae that the mayor was correct. “What is she the goddess of?”

Nothven was trying not to laugh. His shoulders were shaking.

Maeryn looked at the statuette, the hair was hers, the face was hers, the body was hers but the suit was her new custom bodysuit. The woman stood with her arms outstretched at her sides, her face toward the heavens.

“What exactly is she the goddess of?” Mae really didn’t want to know.

“Battle, strategy and cleavage. It is a strange combination to be sure, but the Cheevans are a strange people, crafting gods after those they challenge.” The mayor grinned, “So it is you?”

“Yes. I don’t know how they got my new battle suit into the design, but that is definitely me. Where did you get it?”

Nothven was examining it. “I want one.”

The mayor barked a laugh. “That is what I said when I saw it. I bought it five seasons ago from a limping Cheevan ship. It was sold dearly. She is now standard issue for Cheevans entering deep space.”

Mae shook her head. “Dare I ask what she is called?”

“Argent Assinar. Apparently, their translation capabilities are limited.”

Nothven lost it. He howled with laughter.

Maeryn kicked his feet out from under him, and he landed with a thud. He paused for a moment and then cackled again.

“Oh, grow up.” She crossed her arms and tapped her elegant shoe.

Mayor Hinovin was chortling. “You have to admit it is amusing.”

“I can admit it and still want him to stop snickering like a schoolgirl.”

It took Nothven a moment and he got back to his feet, brushing dust off his trousers. “I have to admit that it isn’t every man who can claim to have a genuine goddess for a mate.”

She scowled at him. “You are not making a very good impression on your would-be mate.”

The mayor separated them. “Children, you can fight after dinner.”

She flipped her skirt and headed for the exit. “I am sure I can find a dinner partner who does not laugh at me.”

Nothven wrapped his arms around her waist and whispered in her ear. “I promise to worship you later, goddess. Please don’t be angry.”