Dana Cartwright Mission 1: Stiletto (17 page)

Once again, Kieran chose not to contradict the Ambassador. His father had never, ever, shown such an emotion as pride — at least, not when it came to Kieran’s accomplishments.

Cray seemed to have drifted off to sleep; or, perhaps, Doctor Santero had given him a sedative. In either case, Kieran’s visit was over.

He rose easily. Dana’s recent surgery had certainly done the trick. Too bad she hadn’t stayed in charge of the Ambassador’s care. Surely, she could have saved Cray’s eyesight.

Why had he insisted upon Santero? Pride. Alphan pride.

Kieran stepped out into the anteroom and thanked the android. “Watch over him, LittleJohn.”

“Aye, sir,” the little android moved to the bedroom door.

Kieran transferred to SSID HQ then called Colonel Sierra and Inspector Regis to the conference room.

When they arrived, he offered, “I have a plan…”

Dana stared at DOC as he put a second level spoonful of raw sugar into his cup of Earl Grey tea and stirred it with his distinctive and annoying dink, dink pattern.

After three deep breaths, she crossed the doctors’ lounge and took the chair opposite him. His facial whiskers twitched, but he said nothing until after his first sip.

“Where have you been?”

Dana resisted a vindictive retort. “Station One.”

“With your lover?” His tone clearly conveyed disapproval.

“Nice view from up there,” Dana countered. She knew how to play his game.

He exhaled with a snort.
 

“DOC? Why do you hate me?”

He cast a sidelong glance at one of their colleagues across the room, lowered his voice, and asked, “Why do I hate you? Isn’t the reverse true?”

The attempt at manipulation didn’t work. Dana diverted with, “Did Kyoko know my parents?”

“Back to that, are you?”

“Can you for once — just once — understand that I need to know who I am?”

“You are Dana January Cartwright.”

“No - I am not. I am a Galaxea/Enturian hybrid, raised on Earth with no idea what it means to be either Galaxea or Enturian.”

DOC sipped more tea, ignoring her mismatched eyes.

When it became clear that he would not budge, Dana got up from the chair. “Good-bye, DOC! I disown you.”

She turned her back and walked out, vowing under her breath that it was for the last time. She retreated to her office and used the viewer to call up a file on Kyoko Dey - Cartwright.

The woman in the picture had elegant, long, straight black hair, almond eyes, a China doll complexion, but most of all, a warm generous smile.

Dana remembered now. Kyoko had taught her how to braid her hair, and how to use coconut oil to make it soft and shiny.
 

Kyoko and DOC were night and day opposites. The file said they married at San Diego Star Service Academy the year Dana was born. She retired after twelve years as a Star Service Chief Surgeon at Station Four.

Dana couldn’t be sure, but thought that Kyoko and DOC had met in medical school and had kept in touch all through the subsequent years.

Kyoko’s parents were Japanese scientists — one of the first couples to join the outer colonies near Station Four, but returned to Earth after ten years. They were bio-geneticists.

Dana read a few more entries — tidbits and facts — mostly worthless information.

Nothing in Kyoko’s file answered her question.

Kyoko’s death was ruled an accidental overdose of a prescription medication. Her date of death was the day of Dana’s fifth birthday, which also happened to be the day Rex, the dog, chewed the blanket.

When Dana looked up from the viewer, DOC was hovering in her office doorway — apparently deliberating whether to enter or retreat.

Or, maybe, he wanted an invitation…

“Come in if you like,” Dana said then apologized for sounding so curt. “Sorry…” She turned off the viewer so he could not see her investigation.

DOC’s face held an emotion she had never seen before. He seemed recalcitrant.

“Please do not interrupt me. This is something very difficult for me to say.”
 

There went his whiskers quivering.
This must be painful for him,
Dana thought.

“Kyoko did not know your parents. They were merely egg and sperm donors at a genetics center. The records were sealed because…” DOC cleared his throat, “…Because someone had induced a genetic mutation into your DNA. She brought you to Earth -- and into my care — to protect you. All the other embryos were ordered destroyed.

“I suggest you cease and desist any further investigation into the matter. We did what we did to save your life.”

Dana blinked.

DOC said, “One last thing… Do not mate with an Alphan, a Galaxean, or an Enturian. Your DNA is incompatible with all of them. You are not a hybrid. You are a member of a distinctly new race — though closest genetically to the Enturians. For your own sake, I suggest you bear no children — ever.”

With that, DOC stomped out.

Dana tapped on Francis Calagura’s door and stuck her head in since it was ajar. “Got a minute?”

“Oh, hello,” he called, motioning for her to come in.

She carefully pulled the door closed before crossing the office to sit.
 

“Why so serious?”

She sank into the guest chair. “DOC just…”

“Did he threaten you with an ethics violation, too?” Francis chuckled, reaching for the folded parchment.

“I AM an ethics violation,” Dana exclaimed.

Calagura froze. “What?”

“DOC just… Oh, Francis! He said my parents were sperm and egg donors to a genetics experiment gone haywire and…”

“Whoa! Slow down, Dana…” Francis got up from his chair when she did, but he rushed around to give her a shoulder to cry on.

“Calm down, dear,” he cooed. “I know you are upset, but let us be logical and rational.”

Dana sniffled. “So easy for you to say…”

Francis patted her back. “I’m sorry, dear, just trying to be encouraging.”

She sighed.

“So, the old man finally came clean with you?”

“He told me Kyoko, his second wife, brought me here to Earth to protect me.”

“That makes sense,” Francis said.

“He also said…” Dana buried her face against her best friend’s shoulder, “…I should bear no children because I have a DNA mutation.”

Francis scowled, but petted her head gently. “Oh, Dana… stuff like that can be overcome. DOC would think that way, but he’s not a geneticist. There have been twenty years of advances since he…”

“You forget that Greg’s wife is an OB/GYN geneticist.”

Calagura had forgotten about DOC’s daughter-in-law. “Is she your…”

“No, I don’t go to family,” Dana answered.

“Well, we can track down someone and you can have a full evaluation.” Francis squeezed her a little more tightly then pushed her to arm’s length, “Don’t fret over this.”

She heaved a sigh.

“I know… It’s a big disappointment. Not what you wanted to hear.” Francis smiled and coaxed one from her.

“May I suggest something?”

She nodded.

“Slow down.”

“Slow down?”

“The relationship with Colonel Jai…”

“Oh,” she moaned. “That’s another thing DOC warned. Don’t mate with an Alphan, Galaxean, or Enturian. My DNA is incompatible…”

Francis merely nodded. “Well, that may be true, dear Dana, but he is biased, of course.”

Dana readily agreed with that.

“You need some time to digest this. Want to join me for dinner?”

“Actually, I just had dinner with Kieran at The Viewery.”

“Wow — great place…Great food, too.” Calagura grinned. “So, he wined and dined you. Did he propose?”

She blushed and sighed, “Something like that.”

“Well, keep him guessing, dear,” Francis suggested, “At least until you see a geneticist and can get a definitive answer.”

Dana grew serious. “Do you think that’s why Doctor Garcia snooped in my personnel file?” Her eyes widened. “Of course! That’s what he was doing. He scanned my DNA when I was aboard
Navitor
.”

Calagura agreed. “That could be it. And, my dear, that would explain why DOC was so upset over it.”

“Oh, you are so right. It all makes sense now.” Dana hugged Francis again. “Thank you, my dear friend. Thank you.”

He massaged her back gently. “Thank you for being mine, too.”

Dana went down to the lower level pools and swam laps to relax. Swimming soothed. Something about being in the water just made things all seem smooth.

Someone dove in and took to the lane next to hers and began pacing his laps to match hers.

Kieran?

Dana?

She could sense the link between them now that her thoughts were calm.
 

I’m sorry…

I love you,
he answered.

She admitted, finally,
I love you, too
.

He stopped, mid lap and stood still, beaming, then ducked under the lane floats and caught her in his arms, lavishing her with kisses.

“The cameras,” she reminded.

“Damn them! I don’t care!” Kieran pulled her under the water for the best kiss of all.

They popped up for air and giggled.

“That was breathtaking!” She teased.

“Oh, Dana!” He hugged her with glee.

Then his eyes lighted on a voyeur - DOC Cartwright stood at the side of the pool, scowling at seeing them entangled.

“We’re about to get scolded,” Dana told Kieran, seeing her guardian’s demeanor.

“I’m used to it,” Kieran whispered.

“Such a rebel…”

He laughed.

DOC said not a word before he turned away. His stern look was reproach enough.

Kieran laughed outright and sighed. “He’s fuming…”

Dana shrugged. “I need a few more laps.”

Kieran snuck one more kiss then turned her loose and returned to his lane, but now poured on the speed, passing her frequently — joyously — swimming to the beat of,
I love you, Dana J. I love you!

Dana went to the stairs and sat for a time, having a fresh new clarity over their relationship.

K?

D?

We need to talk.

He slowed and did a few cooldown laps, then popped his head up and asked, “Your place or mine?”

“Mine…”

“Okay.” He dove under the lane dividers and surfaced next to her, taking her hand as they started up the steps, and giving her another kiss before she ducked behind the wall into the doctors’ private area, while he went into the visitors’ area. Then he called, telepathically,
Dana?
 

Yes?

I need my wig and beard.

Okay. I’ll stop at Intake before we leave.

Kieran sent back,
Thank you.

She called telepathically,
K?

Yes?

Have you seen the Ambassador?

Yes,
Kieran carefully repeated only LittleJohn’s phrase,
Resting comfortably.

K?

Dana?

He lost an eye! I might have saved it. Don’t lie.

Kieran froze, halfway into his fresh uniform slacks.
 

How can you tell if I’m lying?
He wondered.

We’re linked.

He stared into the mirror.
You shouldn’t be able to tell.

Dana traced a circle on Kieran’s bare chest, enjoying the sensory input — the joy — and the connection. It felt like a narcotic coursing through her veins, and it was very, very addictive.

He’d slept for many hours since she had tucked him in. Few men invited to her apartment ever made a repeat visit. Having him close felt different. This relationship was destined to be different.
 

She reached for her padlet to read but remembered that Sierra still had not returned it.

Time for a new one; the old had only books and some music in memory. Too bad the Alphan medical texts were gone. She could have finished the neurological one by now.

Kieran stirred and smiled. “You’re so beautiful,” he whispered, kissing her cheek.

She felt the stirring of desire as they kissed, and something more.
 

“What’s wrong?”

He slid his arms about her for a pleasant embrace. “Dana...I have to leave after the Meeting of the Masters. You and I haven’t talked. SSID has an opening, but you would need to train and we would be separated much of the first year or so. However…”

She sensed he held something back. “There’s more?”

“I don’t know how to say it,” he stalled.
 

“That bad?”

“SSID prefers that agents have no…uh…entanglements.”

“Define entanglements? Does that mean a mate? Children?” Dana instinctively felt offended. “Am I an entanglement?”

He didn’t answer. He didn’t have to. The telepathic link between them made it perfectly clear.

“That’s what you think? Yes, I am an entanglement. I’m a distraction. Right?”

He sighed and tried telepathically to calm her down, but her emotional response interfered.
 

She slid off the bed and streaked across the room to the lavatory.
 

Entanglements!
 

Was that what DOC meant when he insisted, do your homework? Her heart ached.
 

Entanglements!

Tears flooded her cheeks. She nervously fussed with her hair, loosely braiding it off to one side, while biting back fresh anger. The mirror didn’t lie. She felt devastated.
 

Entanglements...

Kieran... The future... All her dreams...
 

How foolish you’ve been, Dana? You are worse than a lovesick schoolgirl with a crush. Grow up, girl!
The Star Service is not going to make any kind of exception for you. You’re just a genetic experiment that went awry.

There came a tapping at the door. “Dana?”

“Go away!”
 

“Can we, please, talk this through?”

“No!” She shouted, “I will not be an entanglement! Forget we ever met!”

“I can’t do that! Please, Dana...”

She refused to respond.