Hero (37 page)

"and he rewarded me with the position of medic aboard his ship. This ability is innate among Scorillians. It doesn't heal our own wounds, but it works very well on mammals."
"I didn't know that!" Trag sputtered. "How comeI didn't know that?" He was beyond bewilderment. Glancing around at the curious crowd, he went on, "Did any of you know that?" Receiving only negative responses, he turned back to Hidar. "You Scorillians are only known for spreading the plague!"

Hidar waved his antennae dismissively, much the way a human would brush aside

an insignificant speck of dust with their fingertips. "Unfortunate, isn't it?"

"Yes, it is," Trag said. He still couldn't quite grasp the fact that Micayla wasn't dead or dying. Whether or not she lived or died, she was alive at the moment and there was something he had to say. "I love you, Mick. Promise me you won't ever let anyone stab you again."

"I'll try not to," Micayla said. "And if it's all the same to you, I'd much rather you didn't die either." She drew in a ragged breath and added, "Don't think I could stand that."

Trag was almost afraid to ask, but he had to know the answer. After all, he was a big boy; he could take it if she said no. "You said you loved me. I know you probably thought you were dying, but did you mean it?"

"I love you to pieces, Trag," she whispered with tears in her eyes. "I can't imagine loving anyone else. Promise you won't die on me. Live a very long life and keep me pregnant until I'm too old to do it anymore. I want to have millions of babies that look just like you."

Trag felt a rush of warmth spread throughout his body, tingling all the way down

to his fingers and toes. Tears filled his eyes. "I'll do my best," he promised. "Now that this bastard is dead," he said with a nod toward Grekkor's body, "I don't think we'll have to worry about anyone trying to kill us."

"Nice feeling, huh?" Micayla said. "Um, did you really mean that part about us getting married?"

"Sure did," Trag replied. "How about it, Mick? Think you could stand being my mate?"

"Oh, yeah. I'll do it right now if you like."

"Doesn't matter," Trag said. "You said yes. That's enough for me."

Cheers went up through the crowd as Trag kissed her, but he never heard them.

Micayla was purring and that was all that mattered to him--all that would ever matter. For now, and for the rest of his life, he would be content with whatever happened. Just as long as Mick was beside him.

"Ha!" said Jack as she approached along with the rest of the gang. "I knew it would happen! Pay up, Leroy."

Lerotan looked grim but handed over the credits anyway.

"Wait a minute," Trag said. "You two had a bet on this?"

"Leroy was so sure you wouldn't do it after she hissed at you," Jack said with a nod. "Bet me a thousand credits you'd never mate with her--but I knew better. Dammit, Trag, you're a total hottie! She'd be an idiot not to fall in love with you!"

Trag laughed softly. "Be that as it may, I fell for her first--at least, I think I did."

Tisana stepped up just then, nudging Jack in the ribs. "Told you so," she murmured.

"Don't tell me you had a bet on that too?" Trag exclaimed.

"Yes, and she now owes me two thousand credits," Tisana said with a nod toward Jack.
"I do not!" Jack insisted.

"Double or nothing?" Tisana chided. "Remember?"

"Oh, yeah, right," Jack admitted. "Came out behind on that deal, didn't I?" Jack may have been down a thousand credits, but she was still smiling.

"So, how did you know where to find us?" Trag asked. "We've been trying to contact you ever since we landed but haven't had any luck."

"Who wouldn't know?" Jack retorted. "When we didn't hear from you, we came on ahead. Soon as we landed all we heard about was some fancy reception Grekkor was planning. After that, it was only a matter of asking a few questions and here we are!"

"Guess you didn't need me and Mick after all," Trag said.

"Nonsense," Jack insisted. "The way you handled Grekkor? It was downright masterful, Trag! I doubt if anybody else could have gotten him to spill his guts like that.

You pissed him off good and proper."

Trag winced. "My claim to fame?"

"Something like that," Jack agreed.

"Too bad it almost got Mick killed," he said.

"'Almost' being the operative word there," Jack said heartily. "Good thing we had Hidar with us, though. He's even better than Tisana!"

"Want to trade medics?" Lerotan suggested.

"No way!" Jack protested. "I'm never giving up Tisana."

"Oh, and why is that?" Lerotan asked.

"I... well, I'm pretty sure she's better at treating humans for one thing," Jack said hesitantly. "I mean, how often have any of us been stabbed? And for another, I've got an idea she's a better cook." Jack looked at Trag expectantly. "Am I right?"

"I'm not saying a word!" Trag said as he held Micayla tightly in his arms. "As far as I'm concerned, Hidar can do all the cooking he wants. I'll never pick on him again!"
Chapter 27

"Okay, so how did you know we were coming?" Trag asked Ilegret as several Neriks with some sort of official insignia on their tunics carried Grekkor's body away.

"Did Jack tell you, or what?"

"Uh, actually, it was us," Orlat said. "We had a little stake in this too. Not that we didn't want to help you or anything, it's just that Veluka is our cousin."

"You're kidding me, right?"

Slurlek shook his head. "No. He stole the ship from us."

"Borrowed," said Orlat. "The three of us had joint ownership of it."

"But he encoded a message on the ship for us to help you out," Slurlek went on after a brief quelling glance at Orlat. "Not that you needed any help. You were doing just fine all on your own."

"If that isn't just like Veluka!" Jack declared. "He's got an angle for every deal there is! He got you guys--and Grekkor--off his case in one fell swoop."

"So, where is Veluka, anyway?" Micayla asked. "Still on Darconia?"

Jack shook her head. "No clue. He'll turn up again somewhere, though. Mark my words."

"Uh, Hidar," Micayla began. "How long did you say I had to keep this knife in me?"

"About an hour," Hidar replied. "I will put more healant in the wound to make sure before I remove it."

Jack was shaking her head. "Spitting in a knife wound to heal it," she muttered.

"Never in all my born days..."

Hidar turned to Jack, his antennae waving gently. "You have seen for yourself that it was the appropriate treatment," he said stiffly. "But she should not be moved."

Since she was lying in Trag's arms, Micayla really didn't have a problem with

that, but her butt was getting numb.

"No problem," said Trag, wrapping his arms more tightly around her. "I'll sit here with her all night if I have to."

"That will not be necessary," Hidar said.

"Hidar?" Micayla said gently. "Thank you for saving my life."

"Make that four lives," Cat said with complete confidence. "And yes, Micayla, there are three of them, but very young as yet." He paused, scrutinizing her closely. "You have been feeling... strange... for the past day or so?"

"Been dizzy ever since we landed," Micayla replied, "that is, until Trag and I..."

Glancing up at Trag, she felt heat flood her face, in spite of the fact that everyone already knew what they'd been up to. "I guess that was significant, huh?"

Cat nodded. "That is a sign of fertility when a Zetithian female is with the right man." Reaching out to shake Hidar's claw, he said, "You have our never-ending gratitude, my friend."

Hidar's antennae were beating so fast he seemed to lift off the floor for a moment.

"You are welcome," he said. Glancing around the room, he said, "Shall we have lunch
now?"

Having noticed what was on the plates of the other patrons, Micayla had an idea

that Hidar would probably lose a wing if he were to eat any of it. "Wait, Hidar," she said.

"See if you can reach into my pack." Shifting sideways against Trag's chest, she added,

"There's some stuff in there I think you'll like a lot better."

Hidar reached into her pack with his claw-like hands. His wings fluttered in

excitement as he read the label. "Oh, my Maker's Wings!" he exclaimed. "White Castles!"

"What's the matter with the food here?" Rodan said, scratching his bald head.

"Looks great to me."

"Which is why none of us should eat here," Trag whispered in Micayla's ear.

"You probably shouldn't eat anything with that knife in your chest either."

"I hadn't planned on it," Micayla said. She shifted her weight slightly to relieve some of the pressure on her hip. "This feels really weird."

"Does it still hurt?"

"Oddly enough, it doesn't, but I feel like I'm only using part of that one lung to breathe."

"Well, just rest easy then," he said. "It'll be over soon."

Micayla tried to take a deeper breath and immediately decided it was a bad idea.

"I probably shouldn't talk either, but I just wanted to say... I saw what you did, Trag. I've never seen anyone do that. I mean, I've seen it demonstrated, but never actually--"

"Don't think about it too much," Trag said quickly. "I just reacted, that's all."

Taking a quick glance around the room, Micayla saw no evidence that a SWAT

team was about to pounce on him. "Obviously no one is going to throw you in jail for it.

In fact, I'll be surprised if they don't give you a medal."

"Whatever," Trag said with a shrug. "At the time I wasn't thinking about anything but what he'd done to you."

"He deserved it whether he'd killed me or not," Micayla said. "We all know that.

They all know that too," she added with a nod toward the throng of beings of all kinds that had gathered.

The babble of excited voices had grown to a dull roar as the story was being

retold from a hundred different points of view. It was anyone's guess as to how the official report would read, but since the sklarth of Rechred had been sitting at the same table, it was safe to say that at least one eyewitness would get it right. Of course, having Grekkor confess and then try to murder Micayla had been pretty damning evidence

against him. Ilegret was already proclaiming Trag a hero--and Hidar right along with him.

"Never saw anything like it!" Ilegret was saying. "We must have more of you Scorillians visit here--perhaps to remain as healers." Ilegret was patting Hidar on the back like an old friend while Hidar's wings rustled with pleasure.

"What do you know?" Trag muttered. "Hidar might actually get laid because of this."

Micayla bit her lip. "Don't make me laugh," she gasped as the knife jiggled in her chest. "Bad idea!"

"Sorry," Trag said contritely. "But it's true."

She felt him move behind her. "What are you doing?"
"Just looking around," he replied. "Speaking of getting laid, take a look at Leroy and Windura."

Micayla turned her head slightly to the right just in time to see Windura, who had apparently been waiting outside, take a flying leap into Lerotan's arms. The kiss that followed should have set the nearest tablecloth on fire.

"That turned out rather well, didn't it?" Trag commented.

"Sure did," Micayla agreed. "Think she'll reform him?"

"I doubt it. Something tells me Leroy will be playing with guns forever."

"Toy guns, maybe," she said. There was no question that the two of them were lovers, and what the results would be... "They should have some interesting-looking children."

"Mmm, so will we," said Trag. "Ours will be cuter, though."

"Well, if they're even half as cute as the rest of the gang's kids, I'll be happy,"

Micayla declared. "They're all adorable. Can we have--?"

"You can have as many as you like," Trag purred. "Don't know about that million kittens thing, though. I might have been exaggerating slightly."

"You're making me laugh again," she warned. "Ordinarily that's a good thing, but right now it might be fatal."

"I'll shut up then," he said. "I just want to sit here and hold you anyway. No need to talk."

***

or damage. "I can breathe almost normally," Micayla marveled as Trag helped her to stand. "You're a miracle worker, Hidar."

Trag took no notice of either of these comments and proceeded to scoop Micayla

up into his arms.

"I think I'm okay now, Trag," she said. "You don't have to carry me."

"You told me that once before," Trag reminded her. "I didn't listen then either."

"Gonna be my hero whether I like it or not, huh?"

"Yep," he replied as he headed purposefully toward the door. "You have absolutely no choice in the matter."

"Don't go getting all macho on me," she warned. "You know how I hate that macho stuff."

"You'll get over it. I'm not like that most of the time anyway. Allow me my

moment now and then."

"I will if you'll let me be a--what was it you called me? a hissing, spitting bitch?--

once in a while."

"Mmm, I love it when you hiss," Trag said. "And the way you bite..." He broke off there as a thrill of delight shot through him. Rather than disliking the idea, he was looking forward to being gnawed on for the rest of his life.

"Any idea where we're going?" Micayla asked as they left the building.

It was snowing again. Trag surveyed the swirling mass with distaste, not having

the first clue as to which direction to take. All he knew was that he wanted to find someplace warm and comfortable to spend some quality time alone with Mick. "Dunno,
but Jack's ship is bound to be around here somewhere, don't you think? Leroy's too. Just have to find it."

"Well, yeah, but we're probably a long way from the spaceport."

"Good point." The thought of trudging through more snow didn't appeal to him in the slightest, though the snow suckers were doing their best. "Totally ruining my exit, though. You know how the hero always rides off into the sunset with the girl--"