Belinda McBr

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The shuttle was swift, and within an hour, we disembarked into a zero-grav corridor, using
heavy straps attached to a conveyer belt to move us to the station. After a brief time in a pressure
lock, we stepped into the noise and chaos of the Warlan space docks.
Griffin led me past rows of sleek fighters and sturdy, heavily armed freighters. My gaze
was caught by ships that looked like pleasure craft and others that looked like patched-together
barges. We approached a disreputable-looking cruiser, and my heart dropped in my chest. Surely
the crate had something magnificent in the engine room?
To my relief, we passed it and arrived at a common-looking cruiser. It was nothing special;
nothing about the ship would catch the eye or draw suspicion. At our approach, a ramp slowly
An Uncommon Whore 39
lowered, and without pause, we boarded the Aida. I stifled a smirk. It felt like I was boarding a
sedate, boring, family vessel. The trash heap docked next to us was more interesting!
As the ramp closed behind us, Griffin must have caught my skepticism.
If you were a port agent, which cruiser would you inspect for contraband?
His point was clear; the anonymous appearance of the Aida would draw much less
attention. I shrugged and looked around at the clean, utilitarian interior of the vessel. Clearly
some modifications had been made inside. This cruiser had been stripped down to the basics.
This was obviously not a passenger ship. The common area had been converted to a space
designated for training and exercise, with mirrored walls and padded floors. It could also store
plenty of cargo. I suspected there were also false walls and removable floors.
He skipped any sort of tour, heading straight for the bridge. I quietly slipped into the
copilot's seat, feeling rather useless as Griffin began a preflight check. The expression on his face
was grim; I could see that he was in a hurry to leave the planet behind. There was no telling if the
authorities were seeking us. I chewed on my lip, suddenly realizing what a big fucking deal this
was: I was a missing king and had been hidden away as a slave on a planet known for criminal
activity.
Someone on Warlan knew about me. Someone would quickly realize that I'd escaped and
left another man in my stead. If we were caught, I'd probably be mind-wiped. And Griffin? That
dominant temperament of his wouldn't be modified, even with a mind-wash. I doubt they'd
bother to keep him alive.
For all I knew, the chip in my brain might activate a tracking signal. My heart fluttered in
panic. And U'shma& what of him? Would he suffer from my actions?
I caught myself at that thought. Why would I care about U'shma's fate?
As the engines powered up, Griffin activated a holographic display over the instrument
panel. It was a map with a course plotted.
We'll keep to the original flight plan. Our next stop is here. He pointed to a tiny dot on
the map. It's an agricultural planet. We'll purchase grain and farming implements. But after we
take on our cargo, we'll be taking a slight unscheduled detour& to this little rock.
It all meant nothing to me. I didn't know how to read the map and didn't recognize the
system. Feeling that it was expected, I nodded in agreement.
40 Belinda McBride
What's at the planet we're detouring to? I gazed at the glittering display in front of me. It
was nothing like the night sky of Warlan.
Your memories. He gave me a brief smile. I know a few people here and there. This
one won't appreciate the visit, but he owes me.
I rubbed the back of my head, almost imagining that I could feel the microscopic implant
that had taken so much from me. There was odd comfort in not knowing. It was freedom from
the harsh reality to which I'd be returning. Memories held only the promise of pain and grief, of
mourning the loss of so many. In all honesty, I'd rather remain safe in my forgetfulness.
For the next several hours, Griffin worked, taking us out of the port and safely into the
stars, while I simply tried to stay out of his way.
* * * * *
Time dragged.
I tried to sleep, but to no avail. The room was strange to me, the bed uncomfortable. I
smelled a stranger in the air. We still hadn't discussed the man that we'd left behind on Warlan
the man who looked so much like me. His room said little about him beyond the fact that his
body was the same size as mine. There were no mementos, no decorations or images of family or
friends. Simply basic clothing and a hygiene kit. Being in his room disturbed me.
Wandering the cruiser, I returned to the large space that was clearly a gymnasium. Two
walls were lined with mirrored surfaces. Standing racks held swords and poles and other
weapons used in hand-to-hand combat. The other walls were padded. That made me grin,
imagining the violent sparring that must sometimes take place here. The weapons were held in
place by a strong magnetic force so they didn't fall loose during rough travel.
I entered the room and began walking a form with the kilij in hand, letting my body guide
me. If I thought about what I was doing, it slipped away. When I simply followed the sword, my
body followed too. Emptying my mind soothed the panic that simmered just under the surface of
my thoughts.
I walked the form until my muscles burned and blisters rose on my skin. The pain threw
me deeper into the meditative state. Words rose unbidden in my mind nonsensical, meaningless
words. Yet those words had meaning when combined with the swordplay. Faces& images
wavered in my mind as I moved. Gradually I increased the speed of the set, until the room
An Uncommon Whore 41
blurred in front of my weary eyes. I knew nothing but the blade and the form. This was one set,
one story. This was the story of the beginning, of darkness and light Chaos and Logos. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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