Exit Strategy Read online

  Veera shrugged. “This is hazard-duty pay. This isn’t going to be easy for you. There are fashion files in the Guardsman’s shuttle. You can configure something from there.”

  “Right. So, I am going to miss the shower.”

  Veera nodded. “I saw the gift, and I will bring it on your behalf.”

  Ahlgos looked relieved. “If you would not mind, we can get the rank marks placed on your face, and then, we can be on our way. The sooner we arrive, the better chance Likiada has.”

  “Right. Okay. So, medical. Let’s get going.” Yna left the office and headed for the lift. She didn’t care if Ahlgos was behind her; she was getting this over with.

  Remuyan rank insignia were on the face. You could literally tell what family a person came from by looking them in the face. It did explain Ahlgos’s obsession with eye contact.

  “Well, we have the rank authorization, and you are going to outrank the Guardsman over there, just in case you needed to know.” The medic smiled and lined the edge of her jaw up with the machine.

  “I figured that out already. Is this going to show up on my skin?”

  “Oh yeah. We are using silver pigments that are complimentary to your biology. Are you ready?”

  She inhaled and exhaled slowly. “Ready. Go ahead.”

  The numbing cream hit her skin, and she closed her eyes. The hum and vibration took over, and she remained quiet until the machine backed away.

  The medic checked the work and nodded. “You look wonderful. It is truly striking.”

  “Mirror please.”

  She held the mirror, held her breath and lifted the reflective surface up so she could see it. Her breath came out on a blast. “Well, that isn’t as bad as it could have been. What are the chin markings for?”

  Ahlgos came forward, “They mark your status as a teacher and your status as a ranking member of the Citadel. The marks on your forehead speak to your origin and power.”

  The face in the mirror looked hostile and barbaric, but that could have been the reflexive scowl that she had when Ahlgos came into the reflection.

  She got used to her image and then put the mirror away. “Okay. Good. Ready to go?”

  He stared at her for a moment before he nodded. “The shuttle is waiting.”

  She got to her feet and nodded. “Then let’s go.”

  They walked out of medical with long strides, and it was only when they were in the shuttle and he was directing them away from the surface of Balen that he turned to her. “For this to work, you are going to have to pretend that you like me.”

  Yna nodded. “When we are on our way down, I will be a devoted fiancée.”

  “Thank you. I will brief you on my family while we travel.”

  “Fine.” She watched the coordinates that he set into the nav computer and did a calculation. They were going to be flying for a day and a half. Wonderful.

  They passed Station 13 and headed for the jump point. She ran a light finger over her new markings. The skin that wore the metallic implants was slick and felt slightly warmer than the rest of her face.

  “The couple getting married are my brother Huknos and his fiancée Nialloa. She is a member of the royal family of Atathan, and their children will hold titles. They met when she was on vacation, and he was one of her hired guards.”

  “That is sweet.”

  He chuckled. “They have courted for four years. It has taken my brother this long to convince them to let her get married.”

  “How will we explain our meeting and engagement?”

  His skin darkened. “Ah. That. Huknos knows about you.”

  “What? How?”

  “He was on my Peacekeeper team when I was on assignment at the auction house.” Ahlgos twisted his lips. “He was with me when you were sent to the other bidder.”

  “Ah. I didn’t know you were with anyone.”

  “Yes, there was a team working to gain some of the other Resicorans from the house.”

  That was news to her. “There were others?”

  “Of course. Five others were sold before you were. You were the only one we missed.”

  She nodded. “Right. Let’s put that aside until your sister is engaged.”

  He sighed in relief. “Right. Well, he knows the situation, but for the others, we can simply have met after I became a Guardsman.”

  “So, tell me about your sister. Likiada, right?”

  “Correct.”

  “What is she like? Why did she rush into intimacy?”

  “Ah, that. I was engaged, so she was expecting an engagement of her own the moment that my contracts were signed. I didn’t sign, so her engagement was halted.”

  “So, this situation is your fault. How much younger is she?”

  “Two hours.”

  “You are twins?”

  “We have a younger brother. He was born the day after we were.”

  “Wow. Triplets. Are multiple births common?”

  He shrugged. “I honestly don’t know. We were all given separate educations, so the relationship between siblings isn’t very apparent. We all go to different schools depending on our aptitudes.”

  “So, you don’t know if others are part of multiple births?”

  Ahlgos tapped his cheek. “The history of our family starts here. No one needs to ask.”

  “You mean they mark children?”

  “Of course. You are marked with a microdot of your family history then your schooling and each achievement after that.”

  “What does my face say?”

  “You were born to a good alien family and separated because of your talent. You rose beyond the separation and became a master of your talent and a teacher to others.”

  “That is a definite summing up of a lifetime.”

  “The embedded microdots would give someone with a scanner the details.”

  “There are chips in my face?”

  “Of course. No one could be expected to take your word for rank markings. The seals of the Citadel are in every bit of information in your skin.”

  “Oh. That is interesting. I am guessing I should have read the file more closely.” She grimaced.

  “I am apologizing once again. I tried every other option, but you were my last resort. They would not believe it if I brought in another Guardsman.”

  “Right. No, it is fine. So, tell me about your upbringing. I feel this is something I should know about.”

  He nodded and started to speak. It was time for him to part with personal information. He already knew most of hers.

  Chapter Three

  Yna got up and prepared her meal. Her brain was buzzing with all the information she had just crammed in, but she thought she would be able to keep it straight.

  She checked the data pad for information on casual and formal wear and concentrated on coaxing her Masuo into the formations on the screen.

  The casual designs were loose and comfortable and similar for both genders. She smoothed her hand over her wrist and the fabric cuff at the edge of it.

  Ahlgos came in, rubbing his hand through his hair and freezing in place when he saw her. “Where did you get that?”

  “I have Masuo. I got the pattern off the vid display.”

  “It looks like something my sister used to wear.”

  She smiled slightly. “That is the idea. The cut is surprisingly comfortable.”

  “Yes. They are. I have to admit, the clothing suits you.”

  Yna chuckled. “That is the Masuo. It is part of me now, so it makes everything flattering.”

  He went to the food dispenser and ordered a meal. “We will touch down in ten hours. Are you ready for the conduct lecture?”

  “Sure, but let’s see. As your fiancée, I am allowed to touch your arm, and you can do the same in public. The clothing I have on is fine for casual daily wear, but at events leading to the wedding, I need to be wearing something like this.”

  She concentrated, and her loose and comfortable clothing became more
fitted, glittering and translucent, barely opaque with a wide swath of skirt hiding her legs. The upper body was faithfully outlined.

  “That is... what are those marks?”

  She didn’t need to look. “Scars.”

  “They follow the outline of your suit.”

  “Yes. It was an interesting day.” She tried to downplay what he was about to ask.

  “When did that happen?”

  “The day they found me. It happened hours before.”

  His fist slammed into the wall above the food dispenser, denting the metal.

  Ahlgos drew in a deep breath. “I thought they were able to heal you.”

  She nodded. “They did, mostly. The suit that I was fused to burned into my skin along the exposed points. Since there was a genetic component involved, it wasn’t possible to reset the cells to normal, healthy tissue. I will always wear the scars.”

  His hands flexed. “I am so—”

  She held up her hand and reset the dress to the casual one. “Don’t. In this case, it wasn’t you. It was one perverse man who met his own comeuppance.” Her grin was not pleasant.

  “Is he dead?”

  “He wishes he was. Well, he is now a bit of an inaccurate description. I think that he is in parts now, all around research facilities.” She reached for her water glass and sipped slowly.

  “Did you...”

  She looked at him innocently. “Me? No. I assure you that he did not meet his end at my hands. He simply ran down the wrong alley at the right time.”

  “What happened?”

  “He owed a lot of money to the wrong people. It seems that his wealth escaped him after my rescue.”

  Ahlgos grabbed his food tray and sat across from her. “Really?”

  “Yes, apparently, he made a large purchase that ended up costing him. It was all very tragic.” She was smirking, and she knew it.

  He stared at her before eating his meal in quick bites. “I am guessing that you are a very dangerous woman.”

  She shrugged. “I always was; I just didn’t use it until after the rescue and reclamation.”

  His expression showed a dawning understanding. “So, your activities have not been exaggerated.”

  “No, they have not. In fact, having read the official reports, they don’t know the half of it.”

  “May we start over?”

  She cocked her head and considered what she had learned about his family. He came from honourable people, and his desire to help his sister was genuine. He had a good heart; he just happened to be the face of her worst moment.

  “Yes, we can start over. I am Yna of Citadel Balen. I am an instructor and escape specialist.”

  She extended her hand to him.

  He gripped her hand before releasing it. “Ahlgos of Remuyan, born to the Ikato family. I am a member of the Sector Guard and stationed on Balen.”

  “Oh? What is your talent?”

  “I have a few, but my family talent is viniculture. I have access to the strength of the vines and trees around me.”

  She chuckled. “That is a little vague.”

  He shrugged. “It is hard to describe. It is better seen in action.”

  Yna chuckled. “I hope that you aren’t going to need them at the wedding.”

  “No, but during the party after, who knows?”

  They both laughed, and a truce was cemented between them. A good night’s sleep had worn away resentment, and learning about his family had gotten her sympathies. She had remembered when she had thought of her relations with affection. It wasn’t his fault that they had betrayed her in the most basic of ways.

  “So, now, how many ceremonies do I have to appear for?”

  He counted and mouthed silently as he ticked items off on his fingers. “Seven. Seven ceremonies including our official engagement.”

  “So, how is that going to work? I mean, once we register the engagement... how do we undo it?”

  “I am willing to let it stand until all of my younger siblings are married.”

  “Won’t you be pressed for a wedding?”

  “If you are amenable, we could simply register as a married pair, and that would keep my family at bay. When the youngers are all married, we could press for a divorce.”

  “Are you comfortable with that?” She stared at him in surprise.

  “I am if it helps them live with their true mates, I am willing to be cast aside when you are done with me.” He grinned and winked.

  “You are a sport. So, your brother is a Peacekeeper?”

  “Yes. He could have gone on to the guard, but he settled for saving lives at home after he finished his contract.”

  “That is when he proposed?”

  “That is when she proposed. The higher ranking of the two has to make the proposal.”

  “So, in our situation... that would be me?”

  He chuckled. “It would be.”

  “Then, as we are to be engaged before we land, will you do me the honour of becoming my fake husband?” She batted her lashes.

  He sighed. “I will. Thank you for asking.”

  Ahlgos quirked his lips. “A gift is usually customary.”

  She shrugged. “I am all that you get for this magical moment.”

  “I will consider it a blessing then. Your family will not object to the situation?”

  She snorted before she realized that he honestly didn’t know. “My family are the ones who turned me in to the authorities. They are the reason I was stuck in that suit and sold to every collector and perv in the sector.”

  He paused. “I knew that Resicor had some issues with talents...”

  “It did. Fortunately, that is no longer the case, but those of us who were trafficked in the suits were stuck until the Sector Guard came for us.”

  “How do you know it was your family?”

  She twisted her lips. “My sister told me. I was an embarrassment, a freak, and my incarceration was the best thing that had happened to the family. They were getting all kinds of sympathy, and my father had even been able to rise a few degrees in the government.”

  Ahlgos’s expression was suitably appalled. “I had no idea. I knew that you had been sold, but...”

  “The Resicor moments are my past and have nothing to do with my occupation right now. I don’t want any of my students to be trapped in a situation with no way of fighting.”

  “What do you teach?”

  She laughed. “The art of escape. I teach my students the practical means by which they can get out of most mechanical and electric locks, as well as practice at jumping and landing from windows and roofs.”

  “That is a dangerous subject.”

  “It is also why my students are already Specialists or Guardsmen. They are authorized to learn the techniques.”

  “So, what is your talent, precisely?”

  “Escape analysis and execution. I can get out of nearly anything.”

  “But not the suit.”

  “No. It was bonded to my skin.” She wrinkled her nose. “It is the only thing that I couldn’t escape from, and based on analysis, it was because of the invasive nature of the suit, even before the final shock that melted it into me.”

  His hands clenched and relaxed. She sat back and smiled. “So, what else do I need to know?”

  “You will meet my mother first, so bow and wear the semi-formal dress. She will touch your shoulders and call you daughter. If she doesn’t, this is going to be harder than I thought.”

  “Right. Do I smile or remain stoic?”

  He wrinkled his nose. “Try and look nervous, as if unsure of your welcome.”

  “Well, I am, but I will try to project insecurity.”

  “Thank you. I will make the introductions with you and the rest of my family, but I think you have the basics.”

  “So, it will be introductions, court reception, back to your family home for the night, and then the first ceremony in the morning. Three days of ceremony and then we will be on our way bac
k to Balen.”

  “Right. If all goes well.”

  “What else could happen?”

  “Well, a noble of higher rank than my soon-to-be sister-in-law could challenge the family; in which case, we have to prove our worth in a series of tests. It almost never happens, but I do know of two cases in my lifetime.”

  “Let’s hope. I don’t trust my students not to practice at the Citadel, and they aren’t proficient enough to not get caught.” Yna smiled.

  “Do you enjoy it?”

  “I really do. I don’t get to use my talent much, but I get to use my mind and my people skills. I was once a newscaster on Resicor before I was outed as a talent. I had a skill with words that let me inform people, and it was taken from me, locked up with all the rest. The Citadel gave it back.”

  “So, the Citadel is what you consider to be family.”

  “It is. Just like my tattoos say. Honoured daughter of the Citadel Balen.” She tapped a nail to her forehead.

  He blinked. “You can read that?”

  “I had to use two mirrors, but yes. I can read Remuyan dialects if I have to. The formal designs used for the tattoos are a little tricky, but I managed.”

  Ahlgos looked impressed. “It isn’t a common language.”

  “Things might regress a little if I tell you why I learned it.”

  “Giving your earlier description, you were going to hunt me down?”

  “Yeah. Something like that.” Plans to kill him had taken up weeks of her recovery. Eventually, she had put them aside as not worth the risk of losing her new life.

  “I am very glad that it did not come to that.”

  “Yeah, well, I had no idea that you were just over the ravine.” She got up and got herself another cup of tea. “So, what do I have to do again?”

  “Stay close to my sister and be polite to the bride and her family. That’s it.” He nodded.

  “And pretend to be madly in love with you.”

  “Only when we are together. When you are with others, you can express your irritation with me.”

  “Thank goodness. I was worried. I thought I would explode before this was all over. So, what are our courtship stories?”

  He blinked. “I hadn’t thought of that.”

  “You might want to. For example, how long have I been chasing you?”