Chapter Eleven
Xatra loomed ahead of them, a giant silver ball in an ocean of darkness. It had taken three days to cover the distance between the planets, O'Connell spending most of his time keeping the MorBui undetected, while trying to detect how many ships were following them. His best guess, based on his scans and his gut, was two, which everyone knew meant there were two.
What surprised them all was that no ship seemed to be following V. It quickly became apparent that Marcus was intent on her and not the stone. Separating seemed like the best course of action, keeping the artifact as far away from Ashe and subsequently Marcus, as possible. They decided to land the MorBui at Vesta, one of Xatra's capitals. O'Connell would attempt to contact Burke an old friend, his hope that Burke could either get an untraceable message to Ling or loan them a ship that Marcus wouldn't know to follow. Meanwhile Guun would take V to a smaller settlement to finish the work he had started on the engine repairs.
Marcus' focus had not come as a welcome surprise to O'Connell. In fact the information had caused him to fall into an unnatural silence. The silence had been a disturbing, if welcome, reprieve from the ranting she had endured when they first made it back to the ship.
She dropped into the seat next to O'Connell, watching him as he prepared to enter the planet's atmosphere, her mind drifting back to those first few hours. Once they had made it back to the MorBui, it had taken only a few moments to prep her for takeoff. Ashe had settled Maluk in Guun's cabin and once they were airborne, treated his wounds and given him a sedative. The burns on his back had begun to blister and she knew he must have been in great deal of pain. He had hardly whimpered when she cleaned and dressed the burns, but had quickly passed out after she given him the sedative.
She had left Maluk and entered the galley, intent on making some hot coffee for her and O'Connell. He had successfully cornered her there, intent on venting his bent up frustration.
"You should have trusted me," O'Connell had yelled.
Ashe had bit back her retort of, 'as if you're trustworthy' and, handing him a hot cup of coffee, chose instead to let him rant. He had earned it. "You're right and I'm sorry."
"I'd have helped you!"
Ashe nodded without speaking.
"And we wouldn't have ended up on that fraggin' planet!"
She nodded again.
"And we wouldn't have met up with that fraggin' bastard!'
She kept her silence.
"And you wouldn't have been fraggin' kidnapped and tortured! Which was your own fault by the way, not mine."
She bit her tongue, hard.
"And we wouldn't be stuck with that fraggin' kid!"
"Hey," she glanced at Guun's cabin door, and then turned on him angrily, "he's gone through a lot, and dealt with it better than a man twice his age. Cut him some slack."
O'Connell clamped his jaws tightly and begrudgingly added, "Yeah. Okay. The kid's got guts, I'll give him that."
"And he got you to me and then got us out. He has skills, he's not useless," she said, annoyed at O'Connell's harsh judgment of the boy.
"True." O'Connell shrugged and then added, "But he was in his element there, babe. He knew the land, the people. What happens now? We took him out of it. He won't know squat, he's gonna be lost. He'll be a liability," O'Connell said, his voice dropping to a whisper as he saw the growing concern on her face.
"And Marcus is still after us. And I still have to get to Ling." Ashe put her mug on the galley table, leaning against it for support, a rush of exhaustion overwhelming her. "What have I done to the poor kid?"
O'Connell set his mug next to hers, and then placing a hand on either side of her body, leaned against her. Her expression made him instantly regret his words. "We did what we had to do. We couldn't leave him in the forest. We didn't have time to get him back to town." He let his forehead touch hers, his body lightly pressing against her. He hated seeing her like this, exhausted, overwhelmed, afraid.
Her sigh had been almost imperceptible.
"And he's a smart kid. Certainly picks things up fast. He'll probably… be… ok…" O'Connell tried to find reassuring words and failed.
Ashe couldn't help but giggle. He was such an ass sometimes, even when he was trying hard not to be. She reached up and ran a hand through his hair. The feel of him pressed against her, the sound of his voice, the warmth of his breath, she drank them all in. She could feel strength returning to her and smiled. He had always had that effect on her. Even at the beginning, when she had fought it tooth and nail. It hadn't been hard when he was off boffing Priestess'. It had been easy to keep him and his effect on her at arm's length. But once they had been together, once she had allowed his hands and mouth to work their magic on her, she had been lost.
She stirred against him, listening to her body as it suggested they take advantage of that strength right now. She glanced at him, eyes half shut, lips half open, a soft sigh escaping her. She knew what he did to her and she wanted him to do it right now.
"Babe?" O'Connell whispered, surprised. However he was not a man who hesitated to act. His mouth claimed hers, his body crushing the breath from her. She arched her back, grabbing onto him, pressing herself against him, feeling his growing need for her. And suddenly there were far too many layers of clothing separating their flesh, and their hands flew to latches and hooks, tearing each other's clothes off. His mouth was on hers, on her neck, her shoulders, her breasts, leaving trails of fire where he passed. Then suddenly he was lifting her in his arms and carrying her towards his cabin.
"What?" she protested, slightly incoherent.
"I'm not taking you on the galley table, woman. I'd never be able to focus on a meal again," O'Connell grunted, as the cabin door opened. He stepped inside and tossed her onto his bed. She lay there half naked, slightly stunned, and laughed at him.
He had stood over her, letting his gaze move slowly over her, drinking in the sight of her naked chest rising and falling, the curve of her hips, the soft white of her skin glowing in the cabin light.
"You're looking at me as if I were dinner," she smiled coyly.
He caught her eyes with his and then slowly dropped his pants to the floor. She couldn't contain the ravenous sigh that escaped her at the sight of his need for her. He moved over her, his hand on the edge of her pants, slowly nudging them off. "Well… I do intend to eat every inch of your body."
She growled in anticipation. Then a frustrating thought occurred to her. "Is the MorBui ok? Do we have time?" Damn logic.
His reply was muffled as he buried his mouth against her stomach. "We have time. Besides," he murmured as he worked his way lower, "right now, as far as I'm concerned, the ship can fraggin' crash."
As his mouth had found just the right spot, her gasp suggested she completely agreed.
Her thoughts raced back to the present and she glanced across the space between them, the taste of him fresh in her mind and wondered if they had time for a little fun. The suggestion must have been written on her face because when he glanced at her he smiled that mischievous smile that made her knees weak.
"Don't distract me woman,' he groaned. "The Xatra port isn't easy. I'm not sure I could give you my complete attention."
"Hmmm…" she sighed, "you're right. Probably not worth it then."
His laugh was low and devilish. "Ah, and now she throws down the gauntlet." He turned to her, his voice low and passionate, "Now I have to prove to you…"
"Hey guys," Maluk interrupted.
O'Connell growled and returned his attention to the console mumbling softly, "Sooner rather than later, sooner rather than later."
Ashe chuckled at his frustration, and then turned to Maluk. "How are you doing, hon? Feel like eating today?"
"Yeah!" He nodded enthusiastically. "I'm starved!"
"Let's go find you something then," she turned to O'Connell, "all set here?"
O'Connell's reply was already distracted. "Yup. Sure."
Grinning she motioned Maluk to head toward the galley ahead of her. "So what do you feel like? I think we have some protein bars, grains, some dried fruit."
Maluk stuck out his tongue. "I miss Gynni's cooking. She made the best porridge. And sweet toast… and biscuits and…" his voice trailed off.
Ashe reached out and tousled his hair. "Do you miss home?"
Maluk took a seat at the galley table, his head bowed. His reply was barely audible. "I'm not a baby."
Ashe grabbed some grains and a container of juice from the kitchen and set them in front of Maluk. She took the seat opposite him, encouraging him to eat, not taken in by his denial. "We will try to get you home again, M, I promise. I just don't know how soon that might be."
Maluk nodded as he guzzled the juice. "I know. You have to get that stone to the Ling guy. Save the Universe. I get it."
Ashe watched the boy eat. His hair was so long that his dark blonde curls almost covered his eyes. He hid behind those curls, keeping people at bay. She knew the technique. Understood how useful it could be in his profession. In fact she had used it herself for a time.
Though she didn't ask Maluk his age, as she was fairly certain he didn't know it himself, she would hazard a guess she hadn't been much older than he was now, the first time Master Ling had made himself known to her. Young as she was, she had already proven herself and been accepted into the society. She had a place, a Patriarch, a family. True, much like Maluk, she was a thief, and a spy, but within her organization she had prestige. She had been the youngest ever accepted, if not the most gifted. Murphy had had that distinction.
It had been a dark night. One filled with the endless rain Orania was famous for. That had suited her, the patter of rain covering the sound of her footsteps, the water washing away any trace of her passing. The hardest part was not dripping on a mark's floor.
The night Master Ling appeared she had been on a rather difficult pinch. The broach from a noble woman, envied by another. It wasn't the pinch that had given her trouble, it was the boarhounds. Tough, nasty brutes that could smell trouble coming a click away. She had outsmarted them though; pepper had a nasty effect on a boarhound's senses. The broach itself had practically jumped into her hands, the noble woman a deep sleeper and rather nasty snorer if she remembered correctly. Master Ling had been waiting for her outside the estate. How he had known where she would emerge she could not say, but he had stepped from the shadows like a ghost. Caught off guard she had almost bolted into the darkness, but he held up his hand and offered her the society's greeting and she paused, curious. Then Murphy had stepped from the shadows and her heart raced. Murphy was already like a god to her and she could not imagine why he and this stranger were waiting for her.
Ling had introduced himself and suggested that she follow him and Murphy to a slightly less conspicuous location. And she had followed, half out of reverence for Murphy, the other half curiosity. When they found a secluded spot Ling had begun a fantastic story about a great evil, its mighty armies and how these armies would one day threaten the universe and how a special stone could prevent the end of all life. How she and Murphy might be called upon one day to find this stone. Find it and bring it to him.
She had been reluctant to believe this elderly stranger's tales, but Murphy had been enraptured. Looking back she realized the idea of his being vital to saving the universe appealed to his ego, however she had simply decided if Murphy believed, then so must she.
Even so, she had trouble imagining she could play a part in something so monumental. It was easy to believe of Murphy, everyone, even Murphy, was certain he was destined for greatness. She was just a ten year old thief with some amount of skill and an unnatural amount of luck.
Ling had visited them twice more before Murphy was taken. After that she had seen him only once. His sorrow at loosing Murphy had been sincere. She had promised him she would be ready if he needed her, but the years had passed without a word. Then two years ago he had contacted her, told her where the stone was, and that it was time to retrieve it and bring it to him.
That directive had led her to Guun, who had then led her to O'Connell, the stone, Maluk and Marcus. The thought of Marcus made her tense for a moment. Again the question arose, how had Marcus known about the stone and how had he known she had it?
O'Connell's accusations against Master Ling came unbidden to her. "Who paid you to take it from me, Ashe? My guess is either K'rier has been after this thing for some time, and finally got the drop on it by cornering your employer, or you were double crossed."
She understood why O'Connell might believe Ling would betray her, however he was wrong. He had never met Ling and so couldn't be expected to understand. Hundreds of theories as to how Marcus knew had raced through her mind, with only one making any sense. There were others. Master Ling had contact others besides Murphy and herself. Though she had never thought about it before, it made sense that Ling had assembled other teams. Youth or hubris had made her assume it was only the two of them. But why not? If she had been tasked with saving the universe, she'd have had a backup plan too.
The loss of Murphy was a perfect example of the need for more than one team. But how had Marcus known about her? Had he worked with Ling and betrayed him? Was he working for the 'great evil' that Ling had never named? Was he one of those chosen to find the stone? And if so, why had he kidnapped her? And why was he following her and not the stone?
Maluk's loud slurping sounds broke through her reverie. He licked the bottom of the bowl, sighing contentedly. She reached over and tousled his hair. He pulled away and the look he gave her suggested she not do that again.
"Full?"
Maluk nodded.
"Ashe," O'Connell's voice came over the comlink.
"Yeah?"
"Can you come up here? I need some of your magic."
"On my way." She gestured to Maluk's bowl. "Do your dishes."
Maluk groaned. "Awwe…"
She headed toward the bridge, trying hard not to laugh. Dropping into the seat next to O'Connell she took over the communications network. "Trouble?"
O'Connell nodded. "An ass of a grunt wants specs and layout. You know I hate grunts."
Ashe grinned, knowing full well how much O'Connell hated authority of any kind. "On it."
"Uh… and you're the captain."
Ashe raised an eyebrow. "Really? He did get under your skin."
"Like a tick," he grunted. "Just do what you do," he motioned to the consol. "Make him love you."
She laughed at that, and then pressed a button on the console. "This is Captain Leilanna." She tried hard to remember V's inflections. "To whom am I speaking?"
There was a slight hesitation before his reply. "Assistant Corporal Millan… m'am." It sounded as if he cleared his throat then continued. "I'm required to file a report on your specs, the ships lay-out and reason for arrival."
"Of course, Assistant Corporal Millan. I shall be happy to acquiesce." She began to issue a generic layout and spec outline. "If I may, Assistant Corporal, why all the fuss? The girls and I have landed here many times, and never had issue. Is something amiss? Should we perhaps continue on to Talusia or Garthan'ia? I certainly do not wish to put my girls in any danger."
"Girls, m'am?" Assistant Corporal Millan's tone had suddenly changed. "Are you…" he hesitated, searching for the polite term.
"Companions, sir. Yes." Ashe's tone was at once intimate and sensuous.
"Oh… I… didn't… are you here for the… the Commander's party?" he asked, almost stumbling over the words.
"Why yes." Ashe was amazed at her luck. "Weren't you informed?
"Oh no, m'am. The Commander didn't say. I didn't… Girls you say?"
"Yes, Assistant Corporal. My lovely, talented girls."
She could hear him clear his throat again. "I'll send you the clearance for bay 12, m'am. It's a bit out of the way, but more… private."
"Oh you are a dear. Will you be at the party, Assistant Corporal? I am sure the girls would like to thank you, in person." Out of the corner of her eye she saw O'Connell shaking his head.
"Uhm… no… no, m'am. I'll be working," his said, his tone filled with regret.
"Then we shall have to search you out, Assistant Corporal, and thank you for your kindness."
She could almost hear his exalted cry. "Yes m'am! Tower 11! I'll be here all night!"
"I look forward to seeing you then, Assistant Corporal." She cut off their link and turned to O'Connell.
"That was cruel." He chuckled as he keyed in their clearance code. "Very, very cruel. You have no idea what you've done to that poor bastard."
She shrugged. "Maybe I'll send him a working girl to make up for it."
O'Connell snorted. "Not the same as a Companion and you know it."
She shrugged again. "In any case we have a secluded docking bay and we know the Commander is having a party. Not bad for less than a five minute conversation."
"No. Not bad at all." O'Connell agreed.
They sat in silence as O'Connell maneuvered the ship's landing. The Assistant Corporal hadn't exaggerated, the bay was secluded, only two other berths in the zone and both of those were empty.
"All right." O'Connell stood, pointing his finger at her. "You stay here; keep an eye on the kid, while I look around."
"What?" Ashe's tone was incredulous. "You're not serious?"
O'Connell straightened his shoulders, trying to look as intimidating as possible. "Damn straight! You're the one he's after Ashe; I'm not letting you go traipsing around Vesta. You're safer here."
"What…where do you…" her voice trailed off, her disbelief obvious. "How did you come up with this brilliant plan? What are you going to do, tie me up? Shove me behind the storage room force field?" She blanched as his eyes widened at the thought. "Forget it. I'd break out in two minutes and you know it." She sighed, and stood placing her hands on his chest. "I love that you want to protect me, babe. But you know I will be safer out there, on those streets, than I will be locked away in here. I'm a sitting duck in here! Besides, if I'm here and you're out there, how will you keep your eye on me?"
O'Connell grunted and then shrugged. "I took a shot."
She pulled her hands away and hit him. "Ass."
"Well, that much you got right." O'Connell grinned, and then jerked his head in the direction of the galley. "What about the kid?"
Sighing, it was her turn to shrug. "Take him with us. He's got street skills. Might be more tech here than he's used to, but let's face it, human nature doesn't change. No matter what planet we're on. He'll be fine."
"Yes!" Maluk stepped into the bridge, his face glowing. "This is my first planet! Well, other than mine that is. Where are we goin'? What are we doin'? Are there people? Are there aliens? Like Dercapods? Or Cranialopois? I heard Cranialopois 'ave 'uuuugge 'eads…" Maluk drew out the word while extending his hands from both sides of ears.
Ashe chuckled, but O'Connell was less enthusiastic. "You will listen to what I say, kid. I can't be worrying about you and protecting Ashe at the same time."
"Got it." Maluk nodded excitedly.
"I'm not kidding, kid. If I have to choose between you and her, it's gonna be her!" O'Connell had trouble focusing on his annoyance while Maluk's head bobbed up and down. He wondered if the kid's brains could survive the damage.
"I got it! I got it! Ashe lives, I die! I'm all good!"
O'Connell turned to Ashe, not able to hide his grin. "He's all good."
Ashe shook her head. "You're both crazy."
They secured the MorBui and after placing their recharged weapons back in their holsters, headed out into the docking bay. There had been a very short discussion between O'Connell and Maluk about his possibly carrying a weapon, however Maluk capitulated quickly. He was too excited about being able to investigate the city; he was not going to jeopardize that by fighting for a gun. Besides, it was amazing what one could 'pick up' when one worked his way through a city.
The smell of propulsion vapors stung their noses after the clean air of Veronus 3. 'Still,' O'Connell thought, 'I've missed that smell.' A docking bay wasn't space, but it was as close to home as he'd ever felt out of the stars.
Ashe glanced around the bay. Not much activity around them, a few androids striding purposefully toward an unknown destination. Otherwise the dock was empty. Nothing that screamed set-up. She had to admit; knowing Marcus was after her was beginning to make her feel a little tense. She wondered which direction they should head in.
O'Connell chose a direction in typical O'Connell fashion. He simply began to stride aggressively toward an exit. "So tell me again why you think Burke is still here?" Ashe stepped quickly to keep up.
"Because he's Burke."
"Ok. I've only met the man once. I remember a year ago he seemed… intent on building something here. He had the tavern, right? But I don't remember him having a ship." She did remember feeling uncomfortable around the man. Not that he had done or said anything overtly aggressive, it was this feeling that there was more. More to what he was, or what he was doing, than he was letting on to O'Connell and it had made her concerned for him.
"He might be able to help us get a message to your Master Ling without Marcus knowing." He stopped short and she over shoot him by a few steps. "As for the ship, if he doesn't have one, he will sure as hell know where we can… borrow one."
She shrugged and smiled. "We can do that."
O'Connell sighed and continued forward. "I hate the thought of leaving the MorBui here."
"Me too. I keep thinking if we could alter our transponder, or maybe if I change the hydrogen particle mixture..."
"Take too long, babe. And it would still be a crap shoot. Using another ship is our best bet. I just hope he still has something as good as the MorCai. Damn that ship was fine."
Ashe shot a glance at Maluk while trying to keep pace with O'Connell's strides. "I don't remember you talking much about your time with Burke. Did you serve together?"
"Yup."
Ashe sighed. Even at his most relaxed O'Connell's conversations about his time in the USF were abrupt. "Was he with you in the Draco sector wars?"
"Yup."
She paused before asking her next question. "Do you trust him?"
O'Connell's stride didn't falter. "Yup."
Ashe shrugged. If O'Connell trusted the man… well then she didn't have much choice in the matter. Still, she had every intention of keeping her eye on him. Something about him just didn't seem… straightforward.
The exit emptied into a large area filled with store fronts and stalls, and for a moment, they paused, startled by the complete silence that greeted them.
The immediate vicinity of any dock or space port was usually filled to the brim with commerce. She had spent time on many different worlds and gotten to know hundreds of markets. They all had one thing in common, chaos. It was the market's lifeblood. Markets were colorful, noisy, smelly and deliciously chaotic, and they hypnotized you into parting with your money.
Ashe remembered these stalls as they were a year ago. The colorful, familiar shops had filled the square. Their noise and scent titillating the senses, making her taste buds dance. At that time there were a few stalls manned by androids, interspersed among the shops. The android stalls were sterile, almost lifeless, and had clashed with the raucous life of the human stalls. It had unnerved her then.
Now the market was colorless, voiceless… silent. Android merchants filled every stall, android shoppers lined the street. There were no vendor cries of specials to lure you in, no smell of roasting meat, no flash of silk or color to entice the eye, no laughter, no life. The androids stood behind their counters, silently waiting for android shoppers to purchase the goods they needed. The market was organized to perfection and the point of desolation.
"O'Connell…"
"Yup. What the hell?" He moved forward, glancing down the streets, crowded with silver skinned imitations of the human form. The buildings rose high above them and were constructed of a mix of glass and metal which produced a curious glittering affect that made Vesta glisten in the sun. "Not a single fraggin' human in sight."
Ashe turned to the north, where the city seemed to rise in the air as it followed the natural mountainous terrain. The buildings there caught and held the sun's light and glowed brightly. "Still beautiful though."
O'Connell began moving through the market, his stride purposeful. "I'd like to know what the hell's going on here."
As they moved through the crowded, yet quiet, square Ashe glanced at the goods offered by the local hawkers. She was not surprised at the amount of tech available. After all Xatra was known for its high-end tech. What had intrigued her a year ago and concerned her now was its android population.
Along with its tech, the planet was famous for its superior android construction. In fact the economy was based on android labor. Xatra was metal rich, a dense planet with vast stores of wealth buried beneath the rock and sand. The androids were originally designed to mine the darkest recesses of Xatra's core. They were viewed as sophisticated machines, however not human and therefore disposable.
As the technology progressed, androids began to be used extensively in the manufacturing, retail and common workforce. If she remembered correctly it was almost impossible to find a piece of bread, a bolt of cloth or new weapon that had not been at least partially generated by android hands. It had intrigued her at the time. Now it seemed android laborers were performing even the simplest human function. Where were the people?
"Ashe," Maluk asked softly, echoing her concern. "Where are the people?" His hands had uncharacteristically stayed by his side as they passed through the stalls, the steely gaze of the android clerks unnerving him.
They had worked their way through the market and a short way down the central street, when O'Connell said, "In here." He motioned to a sign that hung over a darkened door. Swaying in the gentle breeze, the image of a large woman, a pint resting preciously between her breasts greeted them. "Welcome to the Hefty Brew."
Ashe shook her head and laughed, the site of something so human filling her with relief. "Why are all your friends found in bars, O'Connell?"
He grinned at her. "Best place to be, babe! Women, liquor, games… what else does a man need? Well, 'cept the MorBui." He pulled open the door and the smell of stale beer and vomit overwhelmed them. He took a deep breath and exhaled. "Ah! Paradise!"
Maluk and Ashe exchanged glances, and then cautiously followed him into the bar.
The place was dimly lit. Smoke filled the air, pierced only by the dim light of small candles set on a few tables. The bar itself lined one wall, its mirrored back trying to reflect the dim light outward, and failing miserably. Booths lined the wall opposite. In the center were four or five round tables. The bar was filled with humans and she felt Maluk sigh. This place at least he understood. She followed O'Connell up to the bar, Maluk still close by her side.
O'Connell nodded to the bartender. The man leaned against the bar, towel over his shoulder, listening intently to the blonde man seated before him. His dark eyes took in O'Connell and Ashe without expression, changing only slightly as he saw the top of Maluk's blonde head over the bartop. He nodded toward the back and O'Connell moved in that direction.
They found Burke seated in a darkened corner. Ashe remembered the man from his erect posture and no nonsense manner. It occurred to her that Burke may have left the military, but it was still part of him, it was in his blood.
He was clean shaven, if a bit disheveled and she remembered his dark grey eyes. Those eyes turned to O'Connell first in annoyance and then recognition and welcome. His smile was genuine as he stood and pulled O'Connell into a firm embrace.
"Damn it's good to see you, boy!" Burke grinned as he gestured for them to take a seat at the booth he occupied. "Good to see you too… Ashe was it?" She nodded, impressed that he remembered. "Well what the hell brings you two…" he glanced at Maluk and only a slight raise of an eyebrow gave away his surprise, "three to this godforsaken hole?"
"I need your help."
"I assumed that much, boy. I may have aged since we served, but I have not become senile." Burke gestured to a dark haired woman nearby. She appeared moments later with three pints and a small glass of what Ashe could only describe as blue water for Maluk.
O'Connell continued. "Yes sir. We need to get an untraceable message to Ashram."
Burke grew still. "Acknowledged. And?"
"I need a ship."
Burke took a moment to digest this information. Ashe watched his face and was amazed at how stoic it was. Not a flicker of what must be running through is mind showed on his face. Perhaps that was what bothered her so much. Years of military training had created a shell that made the man difficult to read. O'Connell had had that same training, but she could read him like a book. His feelings were usually written all over his face. But Burke held everything in check. It was disconcerting.
"I have the MorCai. She's not in the best repair. And she was never the MorBui. You didn't lose the MorBui did you?" Burke's tone demanded an answer.
"No sir. She's fine. Have her docked in bay 12." Ashe marveled at how quickly O'Connell became subordinate to this man. She again felt irritated.
"Good. Good." Burke nodded. "She's a fine ship, boy. You will not be careless with her."
"No sir. However… we may have to leave her here for a while. We have caught the attention of a man we need to avoid for a bit. I thought I might leave the MorBui here, and with your permission, borrow the MorCai to continue on our mission."
"Mission, eh? He's pursuing you?" When O'Connell nodded he continued, his tone accusatory. "Why haven't you lost him yet?"
O'Connell shrugged. "I've tried. He seems to have an unnatural ability to trace either the ship or…" he glanced at Ashe, "its cargo."
Burke leaned back, his face half hidden in the booth's dim light. "Then why not simply kill him."
Ashe took a long drink of her pint, hiding her expression. She had thought about killing Marcus, but only when she had thought about him hurting Master Ling. To kill him outright, simply to stop his pursuit of her was something she found distasteful. She was a thief, not an assassin or a soldier.
"Unknown repercussions, sir."
Burke seemed to weigh O'Connell's response. "Accepted." He played with the pint before him for a moment, turning it in circles. As if contemplating something that never showed on his face.
"Will you be heading to Ashram with the MorCai?"
Ashe could read the confusion on O'Connell's face, however his voice reflected none of it when he said, "Yes sir."
Burke's hand paused for a moment, he grew so still that only a sharply drawn breath indicated he was alive, and then he continued. "The MorCai is docked at Paradi. A small settlement twenty clicks from here. However, for the price of my ship, I ask you do me a small favor."
"Favor sir?" O'Connell's surprise was evident.
"Yes. I need you to take something... with you… off world. It is valuable and you will need to keep it safe. Deliver it to Ashram. To the holy city."
O'Connell's eye's narrowed. "Deliver a package, sir?"
Burke grinned. "In a manner of speaking, yes."
"Threat level?"
Burke leaned forward, his expression intense. Ashe decided she liked his stoic expression better. No wonder O'Connell seemed to sit straighter when he was near the man. The intensity of his gaze almost burnt her skin and he wasn't even looking at her!
"High, son. However you are an unknown. You presence may tip the balance in my favor."
"Understood, sir," O'Connell's reply was curt.
Burke stood. "Come. Let's get out of here before too many eyes see us together. The less you're connected to me the better. Besides," he motioned to a door partially hidden in the back of the bar, "We need to send your message and I should show you the… package."
They stood and worked their way toward the back exit. Ashe followed O'Connell's erect form, wondering what the hell they had agreed to carry for Burke, why he couldn't do it himself and if the delivery might cost them more than they were willing to pay.