Escape From Zulaire Read online

  Studying the open engine compartment, a tall, lanky sergeant and a corporal bent together over the front flank of the APC.

  Probably hearing her footsteps crunch on the gravel, the sergeant laid down his tools and turned to eye her in a friendly but distant manner. “Miss Markriss?”

  “Yes. What’s the matter? Has something happened at the Loxton office?” Andi’s heart pounded as she voiced her greatest fear.

  “Easy, ma’am, not that I’m aware of. Not exactly.” The sergeant held up a hand to stop her next question. “I’m Sergeant Mitch Wilson. Pleased to meet you.” Automatically, Andi shook the hand he offered. “Captain Deverane is waiting inside to explain the situation. I’m glad you’re here because he has a short fuse this trip.” Hooking his hands in his pockets, tilting his head, the sergeant eyed her up and down. “No one knew where to find you, ma’am. Upset them to admit it, too.”

  Lady Tonkiln’s probably irritated at outworld soldiers intruding on her social event, along with everything else that’s happened today. Hands on her hips, she leaned toward him. “It’s no one’s business to monitor my comings and goings. I wasn’t expecting company.”

  “Well, you’re here now. Problem solved.” He grinned at her. “The captain wants to get going as soon as possible.”

  “Yeah, if this piece of junk holds together long enough to get us back to the capital.” The corporal, who had been looking Andi over from head to toe with more appreciation than the sergeant had showed, kicked the APC’s shielded wheel housing with his heavy combat boot. “It can slag itself then, for all I care.”

  “Go on inside, ma’am, please.” The sergeant nodded toward the house. Then his attention switched to the engine and the swearing corporal, who was tugging at something deep in the guts of the APC. Wilson pushed back his hat with his thumb. “Yeah, okay, soldier, we all know anti-grav would be better, but the brass don’t issue high-tech stuff to operators on a backwater planet like this. Find the damn problem before the captain’s ready to leave, because I’m not anxious to tell him we can’t.”

  “Might be tomorrow, Sarge. This engine needs a lot of work.” The corporal held out a misshapen part. “I’ll have to recalibrate this for sure.”

  “Miss Markriss!”

  Hearing the familiar, stentorian voice, Andi flinched and walked away from the APC. Iraku, the Naranti who was chief of household staff for the ruler’s family, stood at the top of the stone stairs, flanked by the massive, carved columns supporting the impressive facade of the “simple” summer dwelling. As Andi toiled up the steps, he steepled his fingers and glared down at her. “Lady Tonkiln has been looking for you. She was most displeased when you disappeared. Not the behavior we expect from a guest in this house.” He sniffed.

  Much to her own annoyance, Andi stumbled on the last riser, betrayed by the ill-fitting shoes. Iraku grabbed her elbow to keep her from falling, holding on too long, until Andi jerked herself free. Stepping onto the terraced patio, she moved as far away from the man as she could.

  Something about him always sets my teeth on edge. Pompous, officious—as if he was the Planetary Overlord, not a servant.

  For a moment, Andi was afraid she’d voiced her dislike out loud. Then Iraku did a jerky half-bow, rubbing his fingers on his robe as if to remove any taint from the contact with her. Biting back a smile at his instinctive reaction, she knew his antipathy toward her was as deep as her loathing of him. Iraku gestured at the stairs. “Polished yesterday. Perhaps the staff was too generous with the wax. My apologies, Miss Markriss. I’ll have the entire job redone, to prevent any further such incidents. It would have been a tragedy if you’d fallen.”

  As if you cared. She was sure Iraku would have enjoyed the sight of her taking a header on the stairs. The staff will hate me for having to redo the steps. Massaging her tender elbow, Andi was conscious of the immense strength Iraku had in those long, slender fingers. She resolved to stay well away from him at all times in the future. Thank goodness, the summer will be over soon. “Where’s this officer who’s here to see me?”

  “I put him in Lord Tonkiln’s library. Follow me.” Billowing silver and green robes made a graceful circle about the servant as he spun on one foot. Not bothering to see if Andi was behind him, he stalked into the house.

  As a neutral Naranti, Iraku was well schooled in dealing with both the tempestuous, demanding highborn Obati and the subordinate Shenti population. He was also supposed to be expert at establishing cordial relations with any stray outworlders, such as her. He must have missed that seminar. Andi glared at Iraku’s back.

  Maybe running the household for the Planetary High Lord gave Iraku the right to be arrogant.

  But does he have to walk so damn slowly? Reining in her annoyance, Andi paced behind him.

  Iraku paused to adjust a spray of scarlet flowers in one of the urns beside the main doorway, shifting it an inch or two and bringing a second bloom up beside the first. Exasperated, Andi maneuvered around him. “I can get to the library by myself, thank you.”

  “Escorting you is not a problem, miss.” Sidestepping neatly, Iraku blocked her path. She had to stutter-step and let him go ahead of her to avert an unseemly collision. This hallway was too narrow for Andi to walk anywhere but behind the chief servant as he continued his ponderous march to the library wing. Reaching for the elegantly curved brass door handles, he pushed the panels open. Muttering a curse, Andi brushed past him to step inside the room.

  The Sectors Special Forces captain awaiting Andi in the library stood with his back to the door, hands on his hips, staring at one of Lord Tonkiln’s prized abstract paintings. Well over six feet of hard warrior, he’d rolled his camouflage uniform sleeves up, revealing muscular arms matching the rest of his physique. Andi glimpsed the hint of an intriguing tattoo, a black sword wreathed in comets, on one bicep. His hair was sandy brown, a bit shaggy for military correctness. He tapped the toe of his boot against the expensive mahogany floor. The captain’s whole attitude suggested a man poised for decisive action at a moment’s notice, reinforced by the way he wheeled at the sound of the door opening.

  “Finally.” His glance at the military chrono on his tanned wrist was an unconscious gesture of annoyance at time forever lost.

  Green eyes in a tanned, ruggedly handsome face. Andi’s knees went a little wobbly for a moment. My particular weakness in a man. Classic square jaw, straight nose, high forehead with a small scar on his cheek.

  His eyebrows drew together in a frown. “Miss Markriss?”

  “Why are you here?” Andi snapped out of her fascination with his features, feeling her cheeks grow hot. Wow, was I blatantly staring or what? “Has something happened to Dave Flintmay? The Loxton planetary agent?”

  Flashing very white teeth in that tanned face, he smiled at her, but the too-easy grin didn’t reach his tired eyes. “Don’t you people get the news out here? Comlinks broken?”

  She blinked, trying to follow this unexpected conversation starter. “What?”

  Lady Tonkiln received a stack of messages each morning, from either her husband or friends in the capital. Lysanda also had many messages, filled with inconsequential social gossip. Nothing for Andi, but then, everyone knew she was on an extended vacation from the office. The Loxton operation was on its summer hiatus along with most of Zulaire. “Of course we get news. What does that have to do with anything? Captain, what are you doing here?”

  Glancing at Iraku, the officer’s lips tightened as if he bit back some hasty comment. Unabashedly eavesdropping, the Naranti servant remained by the open door. “Thank you, I think the lady and I can manage.”

  Andi stifled a laugh. The gardener’s assistant had been right—the captain’s accent was pretty bad, soft on the consonants and missing the required prefixes. His hypnotraining must have been a rush job.

  Iraku stared at the outworlder, who glared back, jaw clenched, one hand resting on the butt of his blaster.

  I never tried outright dismissal on the old dic
tator. Avoiding him sure doesn’t work. Breaking the silence, Andi tried for a gracious note. “Thanks for escorting me, Iraku. Can you do me a favor and inform Lady Tonkiln I’ve returned to the house, since she was concerned?” Blinking at last, the servant bowed low. He left without another word but drew the door closed behind him in a leisurely fashion calculated to infuriate the impatient captain.

  As Andi watched in disbelief, Deverane crossed to the door. Opening it a few inches, he checked to be sure Iraku hadn’t lingered within earshot, before shutting the door again.

  Offering no explanation to Andi for the cautious maneuver, he gestured toward the overstuffed chairs grouped in front of the fireplace. “Would you like to sit?”

  “No, thank you, I want to know what’s going on.” She took a deep breath, trying to calm her frayed nerves. Is all this mystery necessary?

  “Captain Tom Deverane, Sectors Special Forces.” He walked to the chairs himself. To be polite, she joined him, shaking his proffered hand before seating herself. “Excuse my dust,” he said. “But I’ve been in the Western Plains and the Abujan mountain range for quite some time now.”

  “Why don’t you try telling me something relevant about why you’re here?” Many a slow-moving clerk at the Loxton offices had jumped at that peremptory tone from her.

  “I forget you’ve been out of the loop.” Sitting down, Deverane leaned forward, putting his hands on his knees and taking a deep breath. “Two days ago I got urgent orders, relayed from Sector Command, diverting me from my primary mission. The new priority was to come five hundred miles out of our way to extract you for a safe return to the capital city.” From the dry tone in his voice, Andi guessed how little he’d appreciated the change. “Now, if you could get your things together, I’d like to be on our way before dark.”

  She blinked. Today? He wants me to leave now? Andi shifted back into the chair’s embrace, crossing her legs. “Get my things—what are you talking about? I’m the guest of Lord Tonkiln’s family, and I’m expected to present a significant gift from Loxton at the reception tonight with due ceremony. I can’t ride off with you on literally a moment’s notice without some compelling reason. Why is your Command issuing orders concerning me anyway?”

  The captain got up in one smooth motion, like a great cat uncurling, paced to the fireplace and back, then half sat on the edge of a sturdy table. I bet he’s a person in constant motion—discussing anything in patient detail doesn’t appear to be his style. Well, I’m not one of his soldiers and I don’t take orders from him, so he’d better explain himself.

  “Miss Markriss—”

  “Call me Andi.” And let’s get this discussion on a less military, more personal level so you stop trying to give me orders.

  The quick, meaningless smile crossed his handsome face again, never reaching his eyes. “Andi. In case you haven’t heard, this entire planet is about to be embroiled in a devastating Clan war.”

  Andi didn’t hesitate. “Ridiculous. The Obati and the Shenti have been at peace for four hundred years. Everyone has been satisfied with the status quo for four centuries. How long did you say you’ve been on Zulaire, Captain?” She raised her eyebrows, drumming her fingers on the arm of the chair. “You’ve been here—what? Two weeks?”

  He drew himself up to his full height, probably a foot taller than she, hands clasped tight behind his back, and glared at her. “I’ve been here long enough to see that this place is approaching critical mass, which apparently escapes your scanners. You’re the only offworlder on Zulaire right now who isn’t military, diplomatic, or mining personnel. And all of them are either safe in the capital or behind the defenses of the West Vialtin mine. Except you.” His index finger stabbed the air in her direction. “Along with my men and me. I intend to correct that situation in short order. Now, if you will please get your things—”

  This is ridiculous. Not intimidated but curious, Andi shook her head. “We would have heard something out here. My office would have gotten in touch with me.”

  Deverane walked closer, leaned on the table. “Have you received any communications from the office, or anyone since you came out here?”

  “No, but it’s the summer slow period. Even the Loxton office is all but closed.” She gave him a challenging glare. “Look, on the basis of what you’ve said so far, I don’t appear to need rescuing. You still haven’t told me anything to justify leaving tonight, missing the reception, insulting my hosts, and driving back to the capital like a prisoner.” Wishing the deep upholstery didn’t make rising such an ungraceful process, Andi left the chair.

  “You aren’t getting the picture.” Jaw clenched, he took a few steps to stand next to her. The glare from his green eyes was scorching, and Andi recoiled from the intensity. Apparently taking note of her unease, the captain gentled his voice. “Though why that should surprise me, I don’t know, considering the warnings Lord Tonkiln and the other members of the Council have ignored.”

  “Warnings?” Andi took a step back, crossing her arms over her chest.

  “To get their families the hell out of this isolated, indefensible spot and into safety at the capital.” Deverane took a deep breath. He walked over to stare at the carvings on the mantel. Andi got the impression from the rigid set of his broad shoulders he was trying to control his temper. After a minute, he came to sit near her again. “I was told your boss made numerous attempts to get in touch with you, right until the moment he and the rest of the Loxton staff took a ship offworld.”

  “Dave left Zulaire? They’ve all gone?” Now Andi fell back into the chair, raising a small puff of dust from the plush cushion beneath her. A wave of nausea rippling through her gut, she ran a hand through her hair, looping the tendrils behind her ear. “I don’t understand any of this. Why would my boss and my co-workers leave without me? Why wouldn’t the Tonkilns tell me? You’re still not making sense.”

  Deverane came to hunker down in front of her chair, caging her with his arms, invading her personal space. Inhaling sharply, she caught a whiff of musk and forest and man, threaded with some delicious spicy note. She glanced down at his hands, strong, capable, locked on the chair close to her body. As if to calm an upset child, his voice was soothing and low. “Relax. We can get you offplanet in a military transport once you’re safely in the capital.”

  She lifted her head, gazing straight into his eyes. Half-formed thoughts chased each other in her mind. The longer he talked, the more nervous she got, but it was still all too much to take in. Loxton only pulled staff offworld in the most serious situations. I haven’t heard a whiff of trouble. Dave wouldn’t have left me behind. Would he?

  Deverane touched her arm lightly. “There have been incidents all summer. People disappearing, vehicles abandoned on the transportway with no sign of the occupants. There have even been some small-scale massacres in isolated villages, both Obati and Shenti. The violence keeps escalating. Command thinks a full-blown war is only a breath away, waiting for some convenient incident to touch it off. Lord Tonkiln and the others have chosen to keep things quiet, leaving their families at risk out here in order to demonstrate their belief in their own supremacy. Putting on a pretense of things going along as usual. Or else they refuse to see what’s coming. Civilians.”

  He might as well have said idiots.

  Deverane frowned at her, three deep wrinkles marring the strong sweep of his forehead. “Are you prepared to take the same risk?”

  He’s invading my personal space, damn it. I don’t intimidate that easily, pal. She pushed at his rock-hard shoulders. Standing, he moved away a pace or two, still keeping his eyes locked on her. Licking her lips, Andi smoothed down her silky skirt. “You’re insinuating my hosts have deceived me and deliberately put me in harm’s way? I find that insulting.”

  Eyes closed, he pinched the bridge of his nose. “You’re a pawn to them.” Now he reopened his eyes and flung his arms out, hands wide open. “You mean nothing to them. If you’re going to refuse my offer of evacuation,
then you’d better be ready to take care of yourself, because I guarantee you the Obati won’t.”

  “Give me some specifics to back up your claims, Captain,” Andi said. “So far I only have your word there’s a problem. No insult intended.”

  He nodded. “All right,” he said, his voice crisp. “Fair enough. One of your own Loxton agents was murdered in the southern region, along with all his Shenti guides and workers. The cargo wasn’t even stolen, just left to rot in the haulers. I’m told that was the incident that spooked your boss to close the office and leave the planet.”

  “One of the Loxton crew? Who?” As deputy agent, she knew and worked with all of the Loxton staff. Mentally reviewing who might have been in transit, seeing the faces of men and women who were her friends as well as co-workers, Andi felt a wave of nausea.“Someone named Kane. I’m sorry to be the one to tell you all this.”

  She felt as if he’d thrown ice water in her face. Kane was one of her favorite crew chiefs on Zulaire, always laughing, even while he ran a highly organized local operation. Massacred? Andi’s thoughts were racing and she began to tremble. She swallowed the bile in her throat and said, “When did this happen?”

  “Two weeks ago.”

  “And no one thought I needed to know? No one saw fit to tell me?” Her voice rose as she got angrier.

  “I told you, the Obati were keeping you in the dark, blocking your company’s attempts to communicate with you out here,” Deverane said. “I know it’s a lot to take in.”

  She shook her head. “Why would the Obati keep information from me?”

  Deverane shrugged. “Maybe it’s good propaganda to have the Loxton deputy agent still on Zulaire, still at the social event of the summer. Signals things aren’t as out of control as people might think.”

  “Using me?” The idea revolted her.

  He nodded. “There have been other incidents, although the slaughter of Kane’s caravan was the worst. The victims have primarily been Sectors citizens associated with either Obati or Shenti interests in some way. As a guest of the Tonkilns, you fit that profile.”