Moonbeams and magic (38 page)

might do to the ravishing Yana while she was supposedly unconscious or how she could prevent anything in her helpless condition.

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"Can you hear me, Yana?" Tochar asked later. "Yes, I hear you." When he parted her Hds to check her eyes, she forced them to de-focus and appear glazed. She felt the heat of a flush on her cheeks, this time from tension instead of a chemical aide. With luck and training, she hoped she could dupe the fiendal again. She knew, if he ever got his hands on Trilabs, he would have access to Ren-delar and to the only chemical which could penetrate its power to resist Thorin. She must not let that happen or her world and others would be in grave peril, and no UFG ruler or agent would be able to prevent mental probings. If Tochar got control of Trilabs, no secret would be safe from his discovery; but as long as he didn't attack Darkar's defenses with a Destructoid, it was invincible.

"Will you answer my questions with total honesty?" "Yes," she murmured in a softened and slowed tone. "Why do you spend time with Dagan Latu?" "I love him and desire him. He is handsome, virile, frin—" "That is sufficient. Does Dagan love you?" "I do not think so." "Who does Dagan love and desire?" Be careful and clever, Bree. "I believe it is Starla Vedris." "How does Dagan feel about Starla's treachery?" "She betrayed and hurt him. She crushed his pride. She humiliated him. He is angry. He would not forgive her if

she returned. He does not understand why she defied To-char. He—"

"Did Dagan tell you those things?"

"No, but I sensed them and made conclusions from his slips and expressions. He does not talk about her; it makes him angry."

"Would Dagan help Starla elude Tochar if she returned to him?"

"I do not think so; he is loyal to Tochar and angry with her. He speaks highly of his leader. He is a man of honor."

"Why did Dagan turn to you so soon after Starla deserted him?"

"I think it is to appease his pain, to shove her from his heart and thoughts, for sex, for companionship, for—" She was pleased he interrupted her after she had given enough reasons to satisfy him.

"Has Dagan ever done or said anything to make you suspect he would betray Tochar in any circumstance?"

"No."

"Why were you afraid for me to question you?"

"I have secrets to protect. My life is in jeopardy."

"What secrets? Tell me who you are and why you are here."

"I am Mayoleesee Bargivi of Crepal in the Asisa Galaxy. I was reported missing and am presumed dead. The mate of my sister tried to slay me, so she would inherit our family's wealth, power, and status which belongs to me by birthright. I came to Tochara to hide until he is slain. I hired a bijoni to kill him, but he surrounded himself with guards and cannot be reached at this time. Until he is dead and his threat no longer exists, I cannot return home. I am certain he has hired men to search for me and slay me, but they will not look on Noy; they would believe it is too distant and primitive and I would have no way to get here."

"How did you travel to Noy?"

"I disguised myself and paid a trader to bring me here;

then I killed him so he could not reveal my location for payment."

She was barraged with questions. "How did you meet Dagan and why did you couple with him? Where do you habitate? Who are your friends? How do you spend your time?"

She related how and when Yana met Dagan, that he and Radu were her only friends in the settlement, how Yana allegedly spent her time, and the location of the unit she rented from Radu. "When I met Dagan Latu, I believed he was a man who could protect me if danger approached. I seduced him to draw him close to me, but he met Starla Vedi'is and discarded me. I realized I loved him, so I pursued him again when I heard she was in trouble and missing. I am taking advantage of his anguish and loss. If he comes to love me, I will ask him to return to Crepal with me and become my mate. I will offer him wealth, power, status, and safety."

"Will Dagan accept your generous and enticing offer?"

"I do not think so; he is proud; he is an adventurer, a loner. He does not love me and would not desire to become m.y mate."

"But you still intend to ask him?"

"Yes, it will give him comfort and restore his pride to know he is so highly desired and loved by another woman." She heard Tochar chuckle at those romantic notions which he must consider silly.

"Do you know Starla Vedris?"

"Only by sight and reputation. I observed her a few times when she was at the Skull's Den or walking in the settlement. I heard her speaking with Radu and others there. We have never talked or been introduced."

"Rest while I decide if I have more questions to ask."

She heard him leave, and prayed he would believe her tale and release her soon. If not, she was in deep trouble when she transformed before his piercing black eyes or

when he returned and found Starla Vedris strapped to the table. Dagan also would be imperiled by that incredible discovery. Perhaps, she reasoned, Tochar had gone to seek verification of Yana's claims; she knew he would receive it, as the real Asisan beauty had been found injured and abandoned recently on a barren planetoid in the Serian Galaxy. Mayoleesee had revealed her heart-gripping story to Raz Yakir before she died, and Yakir had told no one about the woman so he could make use of her tragic tale, and hoped that wasn't insensitive of him.

As the horas passed, Yana knew that Tochar was aware the Thorin had worn off long before this time. She couldn't imagine why thQjiendal didn't return to check on her while he awaited a response to his query. It was strange that the reply was taking this long, if indeed it was. Surely, she fretted, Yakir had not confided the truth about Yana to the wrong person, to Tochar's accomplice!

She wondered if Dagan had returned to his chamber and found her missing. Even so, her beloved would think she had gone to her ship or to Yana's dwelling to retrieve something, and there was no way he could communicate with the Liska, not yet. And Cypher, if his program allowed it, he must be worried about not hearing from her by now. Then there was Thaine and Yakir, who had not received a report from her since she started her task as Yana; they must be concerned. The dark reality was that Tochar could get rid of her and no one would know what had happened to her.

At last, the door opened and two men entered the room: Tochar and Dagan. The Kalfan approached the table and released her. With his back to the fiendal, Dagan gave her a wink to indicate everything was all right. For their target's ears, he said, "I'm sorry if this matter upset you, Yana, but Tochar thought it was imperative to check you out since

you're so close to me and I'm so close to him. You did fine, so we can leave now."

She caught his hints and played along with his ruse. "I was captive here for a long time, so I was frightened. I feared I might be sold to my enemy after my identity and problem were discovered."

"Do not worry, Yana, your secrets are safe with us," To-char added. "Dagan will make certain no one and nothing harms you during your visit. If anyone threatens you, contact me or any of my Enforcers for help."

"Thank you; that is very kind and generous," she murmured as she glanced at the now smiling Tochar.

"Dagan is a friend, so I must assist and protect those close to him."

"Thanks, Tochar," the Kalfan said. "I appreciate it."

After they exchanged farewells, Dagan and Yana left the lofty location via the trans-to. While walking to their transportation unit, he whispered a warning for her to be cautious with her words in case a listening device was planted in the vehicle, as he knew one was concealed in the lifter.

"Affirmative," she whispered a reply. After they were seated in the landrover, she cuddled against Dagan's side, certain Tochar was watching them; the potent and evil gaze upon her surely must be his. For the fiendal's ears, as she was positive he was listening to them, too, she said, "I was terrified when Tochar's men invaded your chamber and abducted me only a few preons after your departure. It is fortunate for me I was dressed, for they did not ask permission to enter. They stunned me with an energy, beam and, when I awoke, I was imprisoned to that table. I do not know what he asked me. Did he reveal my answers to you?"

"Yes, he told me who you are and why you're hiding here."

"Now that you know the truth, does it anger or disappoint

you?'

'Of course not, Yana, but you should have confided in

me. I can't help you and protect you if I don't know the truth."

"I'm sorry; I realize how strongly you must detest lies and tricks. I wanted to trust you, but I feared for my survival, and you turned from me for a while. I will be totally honest with you from this deega forth."

"Excellent, because I don't want contact with another deceitful woman. It's obvious that I picked the wrong female when I leaned toward Starla instead of you; she fooled all of us, but forget about her; I will. If you don't mind, I'll continue to call you Yana. Your real name is long and hard to pronounce, and it could imperil you if overheard by the wrong ears."

"That is fine with me, and your precaution is wise. Thank you."

"And you don't have to worry about Tochar endangering you. He knows we're close, so he wouldn't sell you to your enemy. He's a good leader and he wants his men to be happy and satisfied."

"Do I give you joy and appeasement?"

"Of course you do, woman. Any man would be lucky to have you."

"It pleases me to hear those words. I would do anything for you."

"Thanks, Yana."

They kept quiet during the brief remainder of their ride.

As they entered Dagan's chamber, he gestured for caution until he checked the place for security with a concealed detection device. To mask their silence, he said, "After you refresh yourself, pour us a drink so we can relax before our meal."

When he was certain it was safe to speak and behave freely, Dagan seized his lover almost roughly in his distress over her close call with exposure and death. He covered her face and mouth with kisses and embraced her with relief, joy, and love. "What if you had transmuted back into

Starla while he was holding you captive or what if Thorin had an adverse effect on that shapeshifting chemical? I could have lost you, woman."

She clasped his handsome face between her hands and fused their gazes. "It was scary, but I'm fine; I have three horas to go before I alter."

"What if he had asked us to stay and eat with him or he had probed you longer? That was too close; we can't allow it to happen again. I love you and need you, Starla, so I beg you to remove yourself from this peril."

"What do you mean?"

"You have to leave Tochara, tonight."

"No," she protested. "You would be alone, vulnerable."

"I'm in greater peril with you here because I worry about you and that's distracting. Besides, Tochar will become suspicious if I start acting crazy about Yana so soon after losing Starla, and I might do so because I know it is you beneath her facade. You must stay where you're safe except when and if Yana has to make an appearance to continue our ruse. I have to concentrate on our enemy or I could endanger both of us and prolong this mission."

"I understand your dilemma, so I'll stay on the ship if you insist, but I'm not leaving orbit when you might need to escape fast."

He covered her mouth with his and kissed her tenderly, the compromise acceptable. "Now, tell me what happened this morning."

"First, let me speak to Cypher and assuage his concerns about me."

Yana fetched her neck ring from the privacy room and contacted the android. She told him she would be returning to the ship later tonight and would update him on the events that had occurred. She told him to send down the communication device he had constructed for Dagan and another set of phials in case she needed them before her return.

After Cypher complied with her requests and she showed

Dagan how the device worked, she completed her revelations.

Then, Dagan related his arrival at Tochar's and the shocking discovery he had made about Yana being there. "It was a struggle to conceal my panic and fear, but I told him it was fine with me to test you; however, he could have asked me to bring you in for questioning. He said it was done in secret so you wouldn't be alerted to his plans and attempt an escape if you had anything to hide. He said he needed to check you out for both our sakes and safety, but I'm certain he was concerned only about his. He played the recording of your session, and you were excellent, my love."

"Thanks." She disclosed that most of her tale about May-oleesee was true. "I'm sure he checked it out and that's why he believed me and released me. Did he ask you how you felt about Yana?"

Dagan nodded. "I think I convinced him my only interest in you is hot, wild sex; I joked I was getting as much pleasure from you as I could before my next trek, but had absolutely no interest in leaving with you or becoming your mate. He appeared to be satisfied with my answers."

"That's wonderful. Where did you go with Auken and Sach?"

"Into the wasteland to meet a spaceki's shuttle. It was a man named Koi from the Ceyxan galaxy. He had a load of stolen high-tech computer chips and memory boards to sell to Tochar. We delivered the payment, collected the cargo, and stored it in that cave where you had trouble."

"If we decide to take that haul off Tochar's hands, I have the caverns coordinates recorded in my ship's computer system."

"I don't think that's a wise idea at this time. Tochar placed a heavy guard on all of his caves and the two defense sites. We can't risk getting caught around or inside any of them. He even had us install battery-operated motion de-

tectors which will sound an alarm if intruders encroached. I know how to bypass and disarm the sensors, but that would look suspicious since only Tochar, Auken, Sach, me, and the Enforcers know about them."

"You're right; it is too dangerous. We'll let him keep them for now."

Dagan chuckled at her humorous words. "That's very kind of you," he jested. "I'm sure Tochar will be appreciative of your generosity."

"What's next for us to do?"

"Tochar said the team might be leaving in two deegas for a raid, but he didn't reveal the target or destination. He said he'd know by tomorrow. That means we'll be parted soon for a long time."

Her gaze locked with his, and she missed him already. "I need to feel you next to me. Life can end without warning if we aren't careful. Make love to me, Dagan, before I have to leave you."

"I feel the same way; I need for our bodies to be united as one. First, would you change into yourself?" he coaxed. "I need to fiise with Starla before you must leave my side."

She smiled and nodded, then sipped from the appropriate phial. She watched him as he observed her transformation. He still was as amazed as she was about the astonishing procedure and their vast dissimilarities. She grasped his hand, and they walked to the sleeper where they undressed and lay down, safe in the secured chamber.

As he ravished her earlobe, he murmured, "I love you more than I can say with words or show you with actions, more than you can imagine, more than I ever thought possible, more than my own life and successes."

"The same is true for how I feel about you, Dagan, my only love."

With separation looming before them, they were compelled to make profound and earnest love. Even so, their

feelings ran deeper and stronger than mere physical desire. They bonded on every level: emotional, carnal, and spiritual. They knew, if anything went wrong, this could be their last time to make love. Yet, even if everything went right, it would be wegs before they were together like this again, long and tormenting and lonely wegs.

Starla's fingertips brushed over Dagan's tanned face with its expression of intense concern and fervent longing for her. She inhaled his manly scent and stroked the raised muscles on his chest and arms. She moved her hands over his shoulders. His physique was splendid and virile, and she opened herself to absorb pure and raw and magical sensations, the kinds only Dagan could evoke from her.

Dagan gave carefree abandonment to his hands, lips, and tongue as the magnitude of his hungers increased and he strove to heighten Starla's. Her brown hair was spread around her shoulders and his fingers toyed in those lustrous locks. He savored the silky texture of her bare skin, her creamy throat. His breathing became erratic as his eagerness escalated. He enjoyed kindling her to a combustible point and fanning those flames into a roaring blaze that licked magnificently over her luscious body. His mischievous and playful tongue darted around the protruding nubs of her creamy breasts and flicked them into greater rigidity. His hand roved past her navel and into the dark patch between her parted thighs.

Starla urged him to penetrate her with forcefril, deep thrusts. She pressed on his firm and undulating buttocks to coax him to encase himself completely within her sweltering body.

He lifted his head and gazed into her green eyes, glowing with the same feelings that raced through his mind and body. He leaned forward and sealed their mouths once more. This woman had brought his deceased heart to life again. She had retrieved and given him a peace he had lost long ago. She was the one he wanted for his mate, to be

the mother of his children. He knew he would sacrifice his life to save hers if such a grim occasion arose, and she would do the same for him. Yes, his joyful heart sang, they were as perfectly matched as identical twins.

Starla knew it would never have been this way with An-tarus Hoy or any other male in existence. This man—Curran Thaiter—was the one she had waited and searched and longed for since coming of age as a woman. He was her destiny, her spiritual half He was the owner of her heart.

They labored as one until they achieved the ultimate joyful culmination.

Each knew she would have to leave his side, arms, and chamber soon; but they nestled together for a while to savor the golden aftermath of the magnificent experience, their last one until it was safe to meet again; and both prayed that moment would come.

After Starla returned to the Liska, she related everything to Cypher that had taken place since she left her ship two deegas ago. She reported to Thaine, who would pass along the information to Raz Yakir. Thaine was delighted she was safe, was remaining aboard her cloaked ship, and was teaming up with the I-GAF agent. Thaine passed along words from her family, and she gave him messages for her parents and siblings. She told her superior she would contact him again when she had something new to relate, which she hoped would be soon.

Before she left the bridge to retire for the night, she smiled at her android and said, "I love Dagan so much, Cypher, and I don't want to lose him. Please help me protect him from harm."

"I will guard him as I guard you, Bree-Kayah. I will remain on alert and be prepared to rescue him from any peril that arises. I will record all he hears and sees via the unit you gave to him."

Starla was surprised she blushed and hesitated when she asked, "Did you record anything . . . private that happened between us?"

"My analysis of those situations indicated you would not want me to do so. Intimate meetings with him are not part of our mission's evidence."

She laughed and quipped, "You get smarter every deega, my friend. I shall sleep now, but awaken me if anything out of the ordinary happens."

On the evening after Starla's return to her ship, Dagan was summoned to Tochar's dwelling to be told he would leave at midmoming the next deega with Auken and Sach aboard the Adika. For the first time since he joined Tochar's band, he was informed of their target and destination: the planet Ulux in Seri for a load of moonbeams in his accomplice's possession.

As Starla and Cypher listened to and recorded the meeting via the disguised disk on his belt which was programed at a frequency which the flendal 's security system could not detect, they heard Dagan say he wasn't in the mood to visit with Yana before his deparmre as she was getting clingy and he'd been feasting on her for two deegas, so he v/as exhausted and sated. Starla knew that was a hint for her to keep away from him tonight, which turned out to be a smart precaution.

Not long after Dagan returned to his chamber, he left again. She heard him order a meal from Radu, speak to others, enter the men's privacy cubicle, then contact her She listened to his rush of words.

"I have to talk fast, Starla. I'm in the reliever at the Skull's Den. My place isn't secure; Tochar is testing me for loyalty following his disclosure. You heard what he told me: we leave at midmoming for Ulux to pick up crystals from his partner there. Don't come down as Yana because I can't

remove the listening device in my chamber and he would hear everything we said and did. I've already given him an excuse for avoiding you. If I'm not seen with anyone and since my chamber is monitored, if anything goes wrong, he'll know I didn't betray him. Send a report to Phaedrig, but tell him not to take any action at Ulux; Cypher has the code to use. Follow me in your ship and record any evidence you hear. I love you. Take no risks."

She realized that before she shadowed his trek, she had to establish a plausible explanation to cover Yana's absence in case Tochar checked on her while Dagan was gone. She waited until her beloved left the Skull's Den before she entered it as Yana, as she had overheard something useful to her. As she sipped a drink, she told the owner she wanted and needed to shop for things unavailable in the settlement and to seek a diversion to alleviate boredom and stress, but she required safe passage. Radu unknowingly provided the means for her to carry out her subterfuge; he persuaded a close and trusted friend—J'Ali—to give Yana a ride to another planet to which the alien was headed tomorrow, the news she had overheard between the Ceyxans as Dagan awaited his meal. By a stroke of good luck or the intervention by a Divine Hand, that location— thanks to planetary alignments this time of ying —was in the same direction as Ulux, almost positioned between the two points of departure and final destination. She put her strategy into motion by smiling and accepting the "kindness" of J'AH.

Afterward, she went to visit the near incompetent doctor who had been exiled ft-om his world for performing illegal procedures on patients. She told the man she needed something for a headache, which he provided for a small payment for a ftiend of Radu and Dagan. The real reason she had gone to his office was to obtain its coordinates so she could make another visit during the night to retrieve two crucial items to aid her ruse.

The following morning, she entered the Ceyxan trader's vessel as Yana, confined herself to her assigned quarters, and watched them leave orbit with the knowledge Cypher was following in her cloaked ship.

Her plan was to deboard J'Ali's vessel on the other planet, find a private spot, and have Cypher teleport her to the Liska. That necessary precaution would place her only horns behind Dagan, a span which her faster craft could vanquish in a hurry. She deduced, if they could unmask the last traitor during this trek, that would leave only the De-structoids —an awesome task—to deal with after their return to Noy

Suspense and anticipation surged through her as she reflected on a daring ruse which, if it worked, could resolve that one remaining obstacle and terminate its threat, leaving Tochara vulnerable to attack and defeat. She had put Raz Yakir on standby for assistance, as he concurred with her "clever" and astounding idea.