Going Cold Read online

  “Right. Well, I am going to have to explain a few things in rather gory detail.”

  Hesker stood there and put on outfit after outfit while she got a species-by-species sex talk, including musks, heats, and ruts. Even the Nyal mating masks were discussed in case they came up.

  “You have been given a suppressor shot, but that only lasts for three years. You should not be affected by your cycles, but information is never wasted. A male in rut is as dangerous as you think.”

  Mistress Yshuri clicked rapidly, and it was obvious that she was laughing.

  The assistant smiled. “And when your mate burns stone, you can definitely feel the heat.”

  Hesker looked at Hydrangea.

  The princess blushed. “Ah. That. Well, he’s complicated, but yes, he was a guardian, and that is why we need you. The Nyal is funny about bloodlines, so we need to take those that are in doubt and convince them to come to our side on this. They are about to have what they consider to be a half-breed emperor with an out-of-system wife. We are lucky to have some seers on our side, so we know what to send where. You are the means to deliver it.”

  “Okay. Your sex life is your own business. Well, I guess it is the empire’s business, but I don’t care. Just tell me what I have to do. I work better with parameters.”

  “Well, then, parameters you shall have.”

  Hours went by, and when they were done, Hesker needed a nap, and she knew what she was there for. She was a sacrificial lamb, the tethered goat, and the carrier pigeon. If she did her job, she would be out in five years, and then, she could explore the universe at her leisure. She looked enough like a Nyal to pass, and that helped her with her remaking.

  If she made it through the five years, she would be stronger and the imperial courier. What happened after that would be up to her.

  She was wearing one of the new costumes and her hair pinned up in loops. Hesker sat across from Hydrangea and finally had to ask questions. “You were in the first wave?”

  The princess nodded and handed her one of the rolls that were sitting in the centre of dinner.

  “I was. I was a contract law and etiquette teacher. Most species out here can’t get direct downloads, or they think it is beneath their dignity. So, us Terrans agreed to stuff every bit of information that could possibly be useful to our chosen careers into our heads. Men and women, we took everything they offered, and we absorbed it then let them send us out into the stars.”

  She smiled. “I can see from your expression that you did an early application. What happened?”

  “My parents found the acceptance letter. They broke both my arms, cracked my skull, and said it was a fall down the steps. I couldn’t get anyone to believe me and had a history of bad falls.” She wiggled her fingers in air quotes.

  Hydrangea frowned in concern. “What happened?”

  “I stayed with them until they passed. I worked for them but didn’t get paid, and when I got a second invitation, I was lucky that they both passed away the same day. Monoxide poisoning.” Her face was blank. She knew that it was cold.

  “So, what did you do then?”

  “I had them cremated, and I left. There was nothing to hold me back and no one to cause trouble with the Volunteer Project.” Hesker smiled. “Now, how did you meet your husband?”

  “Ah. It was over forty-seven-ingredient soup. I was working as a teacher on Deyfell 4, and my friend Liskey found this diner with forty-seven-ingredient soup. It is a dark consommé that tastes like coffee. Normally, the guardians on that world sent out a repulsing suggestion that let them have the shop to themselves, but it had been quite a while since I had anything that tasted like coffee, and nothing was going to pry me away from it. So, the guardians came in and were surprised to find me and a panicked Liskey there. They invited themselves over to our table and were fascinated by my fascination with the soup. I ordered a pot of tea after my soup, and we talked.”

  Hesker smiled. “That was your first meeting?”

  “Yeah. The second was at the same diner. They had been watching for us instead of the other way around. That was the day of our first kiss.”

  She chuckled. “On my first date, they kidnapped me to take me to their base to help him heal. Turns out he can heal just fine on his own, but they were using my sympathies to get my agreement. After that, I was stuck.”

  “You had to marry him?”

  “Not because I was pregnant but because we were exclusive and very tightly bound to each other.”

  Hesker chuckled. “So, you think the guy for me is out there somewhere? That would be interesting.”

  Hydrangea grinned. “I am sure that he is out there somewhere; the key is to recognize him when you find him.”

  “How will I figure that out?”

  “Start with feeling like you are flushed and excited when you see him. Then, see if you think about him when he isn’t with you, and the memory gets you excited, and usually, you will be on the right track.” Hydrangea smiled. “When you feel really interested and kind of unsure, that will probably be someone that you can give your attention to.”

  “Is that what love is?”

  “That is what lust and interest are. Love is a feeling of surety that he can see you with jacked-up hair, smeared makeup, and eating chicken wings, and he will think you are adorable.” She smiled. “Things like that give you non-verbal reinforcement that you made the right choice. Of course, so does him crying when you are pregnant the first time and just as weepy on the fifth. But, that takes longer.”

  “How old are you?”

  “I am first wave, around fifty-five.”

  She stared at the woman. “You look like you are in your thirties.”

  “Good food, exercise, and skincare do wonders for you.” Hydrangea explained. “So does knowing that you are where you were supposed to be all along. I am really hoping that you find that out here.”

  Hesker picked up her teacup. “So am I.”

  Chapter Three

  The ship that she was given was far larger than the shuttle and had imperial insignia all over it. She had gifts for a hundred different people on different worlds. When she needed more, there would be a dead drop on a space station or an orbital beacon.

  As they headed to her first assignment, Captain Adonai-Avedis gave her clues on how to use the talent that she had first seen flare-up around Imbolt.

  “It is a basic empathy, but yours is extremely focused. You seem to see things that are dangerous. That is what your file indicates anyway.”

  She was sitting and staring at a series of knives on the table. “They are all dangerous in the right hand.”

  He grinned and nodded. “Take another look.”

  She moved her left hand over the blades, and one of them flashed black, and another one was swirling grey. She pointed. “These ones are more dangerous. This one is flat black, and this one roiling grey.”

  “So, this one is only dangerous to certain biologies, and the other is a cellular shatter blade. They used to be popular in the Nyal courts. They are necrotic.”

  Hesker snatched her hands back. “Oh. Well. That is something.”

  “The Nyal use a lot of poisons and even more subterfuge. Do not touch anything without scanning it. You are also going to be identified as Dame Hesker. You have been granted a small segment of mining asteroids and a team to harvest them. You need a rank to go to the places that you are needing to go.”

  “Ah. Wait. So, I have stuff?”

  “Of course.”

  “Can I see an image of the stuff?” She bit her lip.

  He smiled. “Sure. Krin can bring it up on the display.”

  She locked her fingers together, and she mused. “I have never had anything before.”

  “Your clothing is your own.”

  She shook her head. “No, it all has imperial seals on it woven into the fabric. It belongs to the empire.”

  He blinked. “It does?”
>
  She chuckled. “It is a uniform. Nothing more. That’s fine. I have worn uniforms before. I am fine with it.”

  She looked at the ornate boxes on the wall. “Where are we going first?”

  He smiled. “We are going to Nyal. No, it isn’t the seat of the Imperium; it is just one of the first lands inhabited by my people. There are five worlds named Nyal in one form or another.

  “Um, you are not pure Nyal. Where are your ancestors from?”

  “Azon. That is where the darker skin comes from. Also, where the psychic influence comes from.”

  She blinked and stood up, looking against the wall of gift chests. She touched the two that were engraved with the word Nyal. “So, they are all clearly labelled for the stupid.”

  He grinned. “They are labelled for a Terran. No one else can read them.”

  She looked, and the word was in scripted English. “Oh. Right. Well, that is something.”

  “Your first four visits are going to be on our home worlds. This will enable you to get the feel of things.”

  “So, they know I am coming.”

  “Oh, yes. Commander Valat is contacting each destination so that you are received appropriately.”

  “He is doing it? Why not you?”

  “He comes from an older family. My family is wealthy, but they are not as well respected as Valat’s. He is a better protocol officer than I am.”

  She nodded. “He did mention that I was going to have to learn a lot of stuff that wasn’t fully covered in the education that I was exposed to.”

  “He knows just about everything about everything. You are going to be in good hands, Dame Hesker.”

  She smiled. “Right. Well, when are we going to be at your home world?”

  “Four hours. Two jumps.”

  She nodded vaguely. “What’s a jump?”

  “Oh, this might take longer than I thought.” He got up and went to the hallway. “Commander Valat!”

  The man who should have looked less imposing than the captain came into the box room and seemed to take up the space.

  “What is it, Captain?”

  “She needs to know how to greet the Nyal nobles, and please, explain to her what a jump is. I will get the clearances sorted.” Captain Adonai-Avedis left her with the commander.

  Commander Valat looked like a stereotypical Nyal. He had white hair and red eyes, pale gold skin, and a calm demeanour. If someone had asked her to imagine the perfect representation of that species, his features would have been right in line. He was too average if that was a thing.

  He smiled and said, “First, we will begin with the jump explanation.”

  He moved the knives aside, even the deadly one. He sheathed them and settled them in a box. “Right. Now. This knife is our ship. This is the destination, and this is the jump gate.”

  He went through entering the gate, the duplication, and stretching of the transported material back into its functioning position.

  “For a moment, you are in two places at the same time, and then, you are over a few star systems.”

  “Does it hurt?” she licked her lips nervously and looked Valat in the eye.

  “No, it feels strange the first time, but once you get used to it, it is simply a way to get where you want to go.”

  She nodded. “Got it. Now, what do I need to know about how to greet the Nyal?”

  He smiled. “They are big on bowing, but good posture is needed everywhere else. Straight back, head high. Eye contact.”

  She blinked. That last one was going to be a problem. “What if I can’t do the eye contact?”

  “It will be considered flirting.”

  “Shit.” She looked him in the eye, and he was laughing, but it wasn’t unkind.

  “Good. Very good. Now, practice the bow.”

  “Why a bow and not a curtsy?”

  “You won’t always be wearing a skirt. Some of the communities prefer leggings or hip wraps. A bow is the safest greeting.”

  She nodded, got to her feet, and they started practicing. The theory of etiquette was a lot less detailed than the practice. Practicing was tough.

  They went through greetings for an hour. When he agreed that she had a graceful bow with both hands extended for the box to be proffered and without it, he looked at her seriously.

  “Now, you need to learn to dance.”

  “I don’t dance.” She felt herself going cold at the thought of someone close to her.

  “I know. It is in your file. It doesn’t matter. You must get used to performing like a representative of the imperial couple. You need to be polite, calm, social, and personable... for the rest of your contract.”

  She blinked and then nodded. “Right. The contract. Okay. How do I start?”

  “Well, there are solo dances, group dances, and couple dances. You might need to learn a couple dance for Nyal, but they will accept that you do not dance.”

  Hesker fidgeted. “How long does it take to learn a dance?”

  Valat smiled. “It takes as long as it takes.”

  He offered her his hand. “Come with me.”

  She put her hand in his, and her vision flashed black. She pulled her hand from his and frowned, then touched him again. She looked at his face, and there was a black roiling cloud behind him, and his features were shifting from his Nyal face to animals and the stuff of nightmares. “Huh.”

  He looked at her warily. “What is it?”

  “Nothing. I just thought I saw something.”

  He paused. “Are you upset? Your hand has gone cold.”

  She shrugged. “It happens. So. Dancing?”

  “We have a space for you to exercise, dance, and stare at the stars.”

  The crewmen that they saw in the halls bowed and moved aside.

  Hesker whispered, “What is that about?”

  “You are a very high-level diplomat, no matter what you believe. You are the emissary of a new regime, and there are already assassins looking for your location.”

  “What?” She felt her temperature drop again.

  “Caalos Renix is the declared heir, but there are cousins and other more distant relations who want the throne. They do not want the heirs to take their position, and if they can keep these worlds from supporting the prince and princess, they might be able to get enough of an uprising to overturn the Imperium. If they stop you, they stop the heirs from reaching out and gaining strategic support.”

  “Will I have to have sex with anyone?”

  He held her hand lightly and shook his head as he turned them toward a set of double doors. “Welcome to your training centre and sanctum.”

  There were a number of objects that she recognized from the vids and the download.

  Valat left her and walked to the music centre. He put in a crystal, and the music was a subtle beat with chimes vibrating through it.

  He returned to her and extended his hand. She reached out, and she tried not to lock up.

  “A dance is a simple thing. It starts as a step and changes into two people walking around each other.” Valat walked around her and kept hold of her hand.

  She pivoted slowly and stepped around with him, moving like she was made of wood.

  “And now, we are dancing.”

  Hesker paused. “Aren’t I supposed to move with you?”

  “You are.” He changed direction and turned back to move into his start position.

  He smiled. “And now, you have danced.”

  She backed away. “This is stupid. I am a klutz.”

  Valat walked up to her, less than an inch from her but still not touching. “I give you free rein to touch any and all parts of me. That includes striking me or stepping on my feet. Are we clear? There is nothing you can do that will permanently injure me.”

  She blinked and stared at him. “How did you know I was worried about hurting you?”

  “You are worried about hurting everyone.” He moved
toward her, and she moved back. “You keep yourself away from others, but they stumble into your path.”

  She paused, and he paused. She advanced, and he moved back. He turned with her, slowly moving to one side, and the music set the beat. He moved his hand to frame her face, and she did the same to him. They still weren’t touching, but they were moving in sync. When the song ended, he stepped away. “And now you have danced.”

  She blinked and stepped back. “I guess I did.”

  He grinned. “And you didn’t step on me.”

  She sighed. “Give it time.”

  He smiled. “Come along, I have to start work on your hair. The stylist may have been good, but she missed some finer points.”

  “You are going to do my hair?”

  “I am in charge of your bodily maintenance. If you get a cut, I will repair it; if your hair is out of place, it is my responsibility; and if you need to learn to dance, I will teach you.”

  She blinked, and she took his hand as he led her back to her quarters. When they got back to the large suite, she settled and let him pick her dress and do her hair for her first assignment.

  Her hair was loosely bound, and when it was nearly tucked in, he opened a box and produced a circlet. “Wear this.”

  “Why?”

  “It has a monitoring function. It sees what you see, and it can be useful if we need to defend you against a social faux pas.” He eased it under the hair that he had carefully arranged, and then, he smiled. “Charming.”

  She looked at herself in the mirror and covered her mouth to stop her laughter. She looked like a snow princess.

  He frowned. “Is something funny?”

  “No. It is just something that I have to let go of.” She smiled.

  “Now, apply the makeup for a court visit, and we will be on our way.”

  She exhaled, picked up the facial wipe, and blanked her slate. It was time to practice what she had learned.

  Chapter Four

  Captain Adonai-Avedis was grinning as they left the tarmac of the private landing area. They were heading for his grandfather’s palace.