Between Darkness and Light (99 page)

“Fifteen hypoderms,” she said. “I brought the others back and put them in the sterilizer first thing this morning.”

This time Vanna came over to hand them to her.

“I think that's everything,” Carrie said, checking her list and having a final look at the nearly full container.

“You forgot the sterile water packs,” said Vanna, going over to another cupboard. “I'll issue you fifty.”

“What about the coffee, Carrie?” persisted Ray. “You just said you're finished.”

“Ray, you're jangling my thoughts,” said Carrie, scrolling through the comp pad. “I really can't take a break right now, I'm too busy. Energy cells,” she said to Vanna. “I forgot fresh energy cells for the hand scanners.”

Vanna pulled a drawer open and took out a pack which she tossed to her.

“Thanks,” she said absently, continuing to look at the pad as she automatically put her hand out to catch the pack. “Has Garras organized the chargers and the fresh power cells for the energy pistols and rifles?”

“He's doing that this afternoon.”

She nodded, then looked up at her. “Are you sure we've enough wound sealant and coagulant sprays? Fifteen cans of each doesn't seem much and this batch of cans is a lot smaller.”

“These are designed to fit in the jackets,” said Vanna, turning back to her cupboard. “Take another five if you're really worried, just update your pad for me. You did remember to add in the sterile water packs, didn't you?”

“Doing it now,” she said, punching the tiny keypad then glancing at her wrist comm. “I gotta go, Vanna. I promised Kitra and Dzaka I'd meet them in the gym. Rezac will pick this up in about half an hour.”

“Flash it at my desk comp before you go,” said Vanna, putting the rigid top on the container and sealing it. “You can always review the lists later and make up the quota if anything's been missed.”

“Will do.” She turned and walked over to the desk. “Excuse me, Ray,” she said pointedly. “I need to update Vanna's records.”

He got up, more than a little irritated by the way the two were ignoring him.

Carrie pointed the comp pad at the desk unit and pressed one of the keys. A small beep sounded, then the screen flashed up a message. “Updating medical stock data,” it intoned as she turned away from it.

“Done,” she said, pushing the comp pad into the thigh pocket on her trousers and moving toward the door.

Ray reached out, catching her by the arm, being careful to make his touch light, unlike the last time.

He heard her yelp, but all he remembered afterward was Carrie's hand clamping down on his, and his arm being twisted, hand in a wrist lock, his fingers held painfully downward, then he was released.

“What the hell are you doing?” she snarled, eyes blazing in anger. “I told you before, never touch a telepath! Dammit, Ray, you've been here long enough to know better!” With that, she stormed out the door.

Ray stood massaging his hand, too shocked to say or do anything.

Vanna came over to him and put her hand on his shoulder. “Come on, I'll take you down for coffee,” she said, drawing him out into the corridor with her.

“All I did was touch her arm,” he said, reverting to English. “What's with that woman anyway? There was no need to react like that.”

“She was mind-speaking with her bond-sister,” said Vanna, letting him go. “A physical interruption at such a time is extremely painful. She'll have quite a headache now. I did tell you when you came here why you couldn't touch any of us unless invited. That's why we have laws concerning no touching.”

“You actually have laws about it?” he asked incredulously as he followed her down the stairs to the ground level.

“We do,” she confirmed. “If that had happened in Valsgarth town and been seen by one of the Protectors, you'd have been instantly arrested. There's a jail term as the penalty, quite a stiff one actually.”

“That's a lot over the top,” he said, following her round the corner into the short corridor that led to the lounge. “Just for touching?”

“Think of it this way,” she said, opening the door and holding it for him. “Apart from the physical pain and the discomfort you've caused Carrie, every time you touch any telepath we instantly know what's in your surface thoughts. You are invading our minds, forcing your mental presence on us.”

“You're kidding.”

“I assure you, I'm not,” she said, heading over to the dispenser and dialing for a mug of coffee and one of c'shar. “Everyone's mind is giving out their thoughts all the time. Mostly it's like hearing a low, background buzz unless they're looking at you or interacting with you on some level. Then, unless we've got our mental shields up, we can hear your surface thoughts loud and clear. Don't worry, we usually have them up,” she added, catching sight of his stricken look.

She handed him his mug and waited for her own to fill. “But touch is different. If we're expecting it, we can make sure we pick up very little from you. However if we're not expecting it, then the effect can be devastating, depending on the circumstances.”

Collecting her own mug, she went to sit on one of the sofas.

“So just for bumping into a telepath on the street I could end up in jail?” he asked, taking a seat at a safe distance from her. “That's not a very fair system.”

“Not for bumping into one,” she said with a slight smile, “but you would get yelled at, maybe even an official warning. That's why all telepaths wear purple, or in the Brothers' and Sisters' case, a purple edging, to make us highly visible. You did get told that, didn't you?”

He nodded, trying to make sense of what she'd said.

“I bet you dismissed it as being unlikely, didn't you?” She grinned at him over the rim of her mug. “Believe me, it's not. We're more physically vulnerable than non-telepaths so we're protected from physical harm by the law.”

“Fair enough,” he said. “I can see why you'd need to be, but still, she didn't have to do some martial arts moves on me.”

Vanna raised an eye ridge at him. “That was your second mistake,” she chuckled.

“Second?” he asked, giving a wry grin. “One wasn't enough, huh?”

“I know Carrie's told you she's one of the Warrior Elite of Shola, a Sister in the Brotherhood of Vartra. When you grabbed hold of her, she reacted as a Warrior, to protect herself.”

Since he'd arrived here, he'd heard a lot about the Brotherhood, especially from the other Humans on the estate. “Come off it, she hasn't been here long enough to be trained to that degree. It takes years!”

“Not if you have a Sholan Brother or Sister as a Leska,” said Vanna quietly. “If you've been talking to our Humans, then doubtless you'll have heard them mention Kaid Tallinu.”

“Yes,” he said warily. “He's one of the best around, was nearly their Guild Master.” That wasn't all they'd said, he remembered. He was the hardest bastard around and when he took training sessions, you'd better know your stuff because he took no prisoners. “You're not going to tell me that her Leska is that same Kaid, are you? You are.” He shut his eyes briefly. “Shit!” Trust him to pick on the one woman on the whole estate who was his wife!

“He and the Clan Leader, Kusac Aldatan,” she confirmed. “Oh, you've nothing to worry about,” she chuckled. “Kaid isn't mad at you, neither is Carrie now, despite being angry at the time. She's already explained it wasn't done intentionally.”

“He knows already?”

“He knows everything she does instantly,” Vanna confirmed. “Just as my Leska does.”

“That's some link,” he muttered, gulping down a mouthful of coffee to steady his nerves.

“Yes,” said Vanna, a gentle smile on her face, “It is. However, I suggest you forget any romantic ideas you have about Carrie. She's more than happy at the moment.”

“That obvious, huh?” he muttered.

“Only to me,” said Vanna, getting up. “I'm afraid Carrie hadn't even noticed. If you want to apologize for giving her a headache, I suggest you leave it till second meal. She'll still be over at the gym. Now I'm afraid I have to get back to my work.”

“Thanks,” he said as, taking her mug with her, she left.

 

At lunchtime, he headed over to the gym as usual but went to the front desk to ask which room she was in.

“Down the hall on the right,” said the Human behind the desk. “If they're not there, you'll find them in the gun range over there,” he pointed down the opposite corridor.

They had a gun range here? He was beginning to get the distinct impression that he'd completely underestimated Carrie. He'd seen what he thought was a young woman in an unhappy relationship with a Sholan, and had been attracted not only by her looks and what he'd seen of her personality, but by her vulnerability. From what Vanna had said, this was far from the case.

Given the noises coming from behind the door, the gym was occupied. He stepped inside carefully. As well as Carrie, who was now dressed in loose sweat trousers and top, there were three Sholans there. One he recognized as Kitra from her size and distinctive blonde coloring, the other two he wasn't quite sure of as he couldn't see their faces. From their size, both were males, one brown-coated, and the other one was gray.

The lighter of the two males was demonstrating a kick to the young female while Carrie was sparring with the darker male. He leaned against the wall, watching them. Her partner was launching a flurry of kicks and punches at her, at a speed almost too fast for his eyes to follow. Carrie, though backing off, was meeting them with blocks until she saw an opening and grabbed his arm. Moments later she had twisted him around so his back was against her chest and a knife he hadn't seen her wearing was held to his throat.

The male froze, and as she instantly released him and backed off, the lighter male laughed and called out to them.

“She had you there, Dzaka. Don't be afraid to use your strength on her, she's tougher than she looks.”

He recognized them then. She'd been sparring with Kitra's husband, and the other one had to be Kaid. He began to worry that he'd done the right thing by coming here.

Carrie turned to look at him. Her face creasing in a frown, she came over to him. “What is it now, Ray?” she asked.

“I won't keep you long,” he said, pushing himself off the wall. “Just wanted to say sorry for giving you that headache. I didn't realize fully how just touching you could be painful. Vanna explained it all to me.”

She grinned. “It's okay, I managed to get rid of the headache quickly. Just remember you aren't on Earth and we're not Humans.”

He nodded, not knowing what to say next. “I suppose I'll head off for lunch, then.”

“Good-bye,” she said, heading back to the others.

He made his way down the corridor back to the mess, realizing Vanna had been right. Nothing about Carrie was ordinary, even leaving aside her Telepathy, her eyes and her Sholan husbands. Damn, but she'd moved fast! And the way she'd stood up to Dzaka like that ... faced with a Sholan male that size, he couldn't have stood his ground the way she had. As for pulling out the concealed knife ... He shook his head and sighed. No, she would never have been interested in him the way he'd have liked. She belonged to another world, the one she now lived on, not to his.

Carrie stirred on the cushions, running through in her head the lists of everything she'd packed, trying to make sure she'd forgotten nothing just to keep her mind busy. She was missing her cubs already.

“They'll be fine,” said Kaid quietly from beside her, his hand touching her thigh comfortingly. “Taizia and Meral will enjoy looking after them, and having playmates for their young one.”

She nodded, then jumped as a high-pitched beep sounded from Toueesut's comm link.

A few, unusually short for him, trills and riffs of sound, and he was beaming at them. “We go outside now as they will be here for us in a few minutes.”

There was a general rustling as they got to their feet. Filing out into the night, they headed quickly down to the landing pad. They were traveling light, the last of their luggage having been taken to the
Couana
by Toueesut two days before when he'd checked his ship out.

The shuttle arrived first, doors opening as soon as it touched down. They piled in, diving for the seats as they heard the almost inaudible whine of the
Couana
approaching. Then their small craft was flooded by a blinding beam of light as it rose vertically into the air to dock in the tail section of the
Couana
high above them.