He touched the black lightning bolt on his left cheek and stared straight into her eyes. “The Condorians
will
accept my presence as a new prostitute. In fact, there’s no doubt in my mind.”
Lyra wasn’t convinced and had the sudden feeling he was hiding something. His gaze never wavered, but she had intuition on her side. That inner warning system had never let her down.
She kept gazing at him and something in his silver-colored eyes remained veiled. Even in the dust of the hazy evening, she could see the absolute resolution embedded in his expression.
A lie was a lie no matter who told it. And Colonel Soldar Nar couldn’t hide the deception.
“For the last time I’ll say it. Then let this discussion be over. This mission is a go. Your orders are clear, Sergeant.”
She looked away. It was as though she wasn’t there any longer. Her opinion didn’t matter. For some reason she should have died today and hadn’t. For that brief respite from the hereafter, she was doomed to pay. Death would have its due.
She’d have to go in that ship when he couldn’t get information and was killed. She’d be forced to play a willing prostitute to a butchering, savage race of beings who treated their own women with deadly disdain.
Despair threatened to overwhelm her. She had to find a way out of this.
After a long moment of terrible silence, a window opened in her head. An idea exploded in her brain. It was like some higher force just stuck it there in answer to her riveting fear of being touched by any Condorian. The answer was ridiculously simple. “What if we gave the Condorians something they’d rally to see?”
“I said the discussion was over!”
She grabbed his forearm and, even though his body armor was thick, she still felt the strength of mighty muscle contracting beneath her fingers. “Sir … if we’re going to die to get war plans out of a few commanding officers, how much more info could we get if
many
of them flocked to the biggest show in this sector of space?”
He tilted his head.
She interpreted his silence as a willingness to finally listen.
“You said the Condorian leaders crave things they can’t have. We all know that’s why they’re invading every world between here and the end of the known universe.”
Again, he said nothing.
“What if they could be induced to watch while you and I are having sex? What if Aigean bills us as the biggest sex duo in the history of brothels?”
“Explain.”
“You and me, sir. It’d be safer if we stayed together. And we’d have a better chance of getting information to allied command.”
He glared at her then began to slowly smile. “What a transformation!”
“Sir?”
“Your expression,” he explained. “You just went from a woman who looked as though death was at her shoulder to someone who wants to fight again.”
“Please tell me my idea is acceptable,” she begged.
“All right … let’s consider this.” He paused for a long moment. “There’s one flaw I can think of right away … how are we supposed to get information if we aren’t sleeping with the enemy?”
“We play hard to get for as long as we can, sir. We make ourselves a couple of divas … unapproachable and unattainable. If those perverted Condorian bastards really want what they can’t have, let ’em break down doors to see us. Our disinterest to their presence should dispel suspicion.” She rallied and explained more fully. “If we’re acting like pampered, aloof snobs while attracting as much attention as possible, how could we be spies? As you said, the Condorian ego is a pretty sturdy thing. They wouldn’t believe us capable of walking on board and making ourselves so obvious,” she maintained. “And listen to this — ”
“Do I have an alternative?”
“Colonel, we can’t just stroll onto Aigean’s bridge. We could get all the information in the universe then have no way to transmit it.” She lifted one hand in entreaty. “But we could be
invited
onto the bridge if we acted as though we’re special from the start. Even Condorians get star-struck. I’ve heard they’ve kidnapped a few prominent actors and singers from worlds they’ve invaded. It’s been reported that their officials force these captive performers to entertain on demand. We could use that to our advantage.”
He ran a hand over his chin in contemplation. “Condorian leaders
are
obsessed with anything that’s rare.” He lifted his brows in consideration. “There’s actually some merit in what you say. But you’d really be willing to pass yourself off as my sex partner?”
“Right … like I wouldn’t sleep with you and would rather wallow with a Condorian bottom feeder!”
He laughed outright. “I’m fairly certain that was an insult but I’ll ignore it. This time.”
She looped her arm through his and ignored his shocked glance at the gesture. “Look, Colonel … your original plan isn’t working all that well for me. But this is another choice.”
“Sergeant, there’s no guarantee the Condorians won’t demand our services individually. You must know that.”
“There’s no guarantee that they won’t shoot us when we arrive. Hell,” she griped, “they’d kill me if I was found out here in the wastelands even assuming you’d let me stay here and you won’t!”
“That certainty is inescapable.” He rubbed his chin in thought. “But I believe this was what I was trying to convey when I first outlined my original plan. Your sudden change in attitude, when facing the same probable outcome at Condorian hands, is confounding to say the least.”
“Look, if they demand me as a single, I can always take myself out. I’ll at least have time to find a knife or something. This Aigean person could say I was depressed or mentally unbalanced. And you could still go on to do your thing.”
“Why in the universe is discussing your demise … making you so … ecstatic?”
“At any other time, it’d be sick. But look where we are, sir.”
He pulled at the collar of his uniform before speaking again. “You simply see a way of doing aboard the Venus what you would have done had I not rescued you back at the cave. You’re determined to die. And have it your way.”
She shrugged. “I think my idea can work, sir. It’s better than me following you in like one of your men would have. I don’t know this Aigean woman. She might not trust me. You’ve at least seen her communication.”
“Considering how your optimism has risen since suggesting this, perhaps your plan is prudent. I
do
need you on that vessel. While my original team was better prepared, two of us is all there is.” He picked up several rocks and tossed them into a sand dune before pushing his long hair back and shifting his position. “My reason for commanding your presence on this mission was two-fold. First, your death in the wasteland wouldn’t serve as high a purpose. Second, if one of us fails the other might succeed. The only problem left is that I’m not sure how Aigean would explain both of us arriving at the same time. Her plan was to have a new male plaything to service the Condorian admiral.” He rubbed the back of his neck with one hand. “I suppose we could always say that you came along as a … the Earth word for it suddenly escapes me … ”
“Freebie,” she supplied as she saw her only way of dealing with the situation taking root. “Let me do this with you, Colonel. Don’t leave me out here to come in after you. We can argue until we go hoarse, but we’ll always come back to one conclusion.”
“And that is?”
“We both believe we’re gonna die. I want to go down fighting. I don’t want to check out knowing that I’d willingly got in bed with a Condorian.” She shuddered. “Christ! If you’d left me to fight out here on my own, I’d have had that option. Since you’ve ordered me to go to the Venus, I don’t.”
“I am sorry, Sergeant. Your propensity to keep stating the obvious is wearing thin. I didn’t want you in this predicament any more than you wished to be here.”
She appealed to his sense of chivalry, assuming he had one. “Orders may be orders. But crazy plots devised by generals sitting in comfortable quarters, on some safe vessel in outer space, are way over my pay grade.” She slowly shook her head. “Is there any way in this galaxy that you can convince this Aigean person to change the plans?”
“I don’t know.”
Lyra remained silent for a long moment then came at him from a different angle. “Do you have anyone back home that you care for, sir?”
He exhaled loudly. “Your blatant attempt at psychology is pointless, Sergeant. I’m not that dull-witted. I know the ploy when I hear it. But, to answer your question, yes … I have a family that I care about. Deeply.”
“You must miss your wife.”
“No … that wasn’t the kind of family I meant. There’s been no time for any one woman. I can ill afford the emotional drain that being so far from a mate and children would cause. So I remain without them.” He paused before speaking more softly. “I-I had a younger brother … he’s been missing-in-action for some time. Aside from him, my loved ones remain safe on Craetoria … at least for the time being. Last I heard the Condorians were only a year from invading my home.”
“I’m sorry the enemy is so near your planet,” Lyra said honestly. “And
very
sorry that your brother is missing. Maybe you’ll see him — ”
“I thank you for your concern. You know what missing-in-action means as well as I.” He nodded in confirmation. “He is dead and that’s an end to this conversation.”
Lyra sat and waited for any other option to come to mind. None did. It seemed like the hand of death hovered over them both. Their choices were over.
“You’re very good at winding emotions to your end, Sergeant. You’re trying to get under my skin so that my duty isn’t clear. You want me to see you as a substitute for someone I care for, and give in to your desire to stay out here and fight alone.”
“No, sir. I’m not trying to make this all about me. I just wanted you to understand the fear every woman is living with these days. It’s not something that can be trained out of you. There’s no book a female cadet can read that will make her less terrified of Condorians. But we put on a uniform and we fight anyhow,” she proudly told him. “We do it because we believe in freedom and because we have the right to survive.” She hesitated then followed with, “I have no family left. My two brothers died early in the war. My parents were botanists who were killed by Condorian pirates.” She struggled to keep the rage from her voice. “I-I expect to see them in the afterlife. It’s what I believe. So I’m fighting for them. And I know they wouldn’t want one of those foul, ugly, lewd, deviant bastards touching me.” She stared straight into Soldar’s eyes.
He sighed heavily, shook his head, and stared upward before gazing at her again. “I have never met one person so persistent that the senses are completely scrambled. You are the very personification of belligerence. All right, Sergeant,” he finally relented while dragging his hands through his hair. “We’ll play this your way. Aigean will have to come up with some excuse to get us on that ship. As a duo.”
Lyra let out a shaky sigh. “Thank you, Colonel. You won’t regret this. It’s a better choice. I feel it. And I’m never wrong about these things!”
Soldar reached for his helmet. “For the love of all that’s holy … enough talk! From now on, use only first names. If we’re to do this, we should know at least that much about each other. Now … let’s get to that oasis.”
• • •
Soldar slid down the hillside to the murky pond below. Cascading rock and dirt followed him as he skidded to a stop. His new partner followed, but he kept his eyes on the surroundings.
“
This
is somebody’s idea of an oasis?” Lyra joked.
He nodded. The place was nothing if not barren. “Don’t try to drink this. My people tell me that even a purifying tablet won’t work. There are supposed to be supplies, including water, somewhere near. Help me look,” he ordered.
Lyra did as she was commanded.
When he later saw that she’d stopped moving and appeared mesmerized by something, he pulled off his helmet, shook his hair back, and approached.
In front of her, on the ground, lay a trunk. It had been shoved underneath an overhanging rock and was so nearly the color of the landscape that it would have been almost impossible to see had she not walked right up on it. He pulled it out from under the overhang, put his gloved palm on the lid, and prayed it wasn’t rigged to explode. Condorian officers preferred to kill their enemies where they could witness the carnage from a safe distance. If they were out there somewhere, traps could be set anywhere. Despite his assertion they wouldn’t set snares for only two allies, he hadn’t survived this long without due caution.
“Here goes,” he warned as he watched Lyra back away. Her quick-footed response told him she knew at least as much about the enemy’s ground strategy as most officers of his acquaintance. He pulled the lid open with one swift jerk. When nothing happened Lyra moved closer.
What was inside caused them to simultaneously gasp.
Inside the large container lay every kind of delicacy. He was so shocked that he momentarily remained as still as she. Neither of them could have accessed the food in that trunk for years. They weren’t available on most allied planets these days.
He reached for a large piece of citrus fruit that lay in a basket. It was at this point that Lyra finally pulled her helmet off. He glanced between the fruit and her face. “How long has it been since you’ve seen anything but a dried protein pack?”
“I-I don’t remember,” Lyra replied, almost inaudibly. “Where did all this come from?”
He put his attention on the rest of the trunk’s contents. There was a great deal of food that could have only been obtained from looting. In this sector of space, such fare didn’t exist for the average fighter or colonist.
Along with the fruit was a wrapped loaf of bread, rashers of what looked like some kind of dried beef, and bottles of clear, cooled water. “The Condorian leaders have made themselves a very generous haven of Aigean Florn’s ship. I don’t think for a moment that it’s to pay her back for her staff’s sexual favors. The savages simply don’t want to do without. Certainly not as the rest of the galaxy is existing!” he remarked bitterly. When Soldar handed her the piece of citrus, he was shocked to see her back away. “What’s wrong?”