DAW 30th Anniversary Science Fiction Part 44

"Wha?" My voice is slurred. Still drugged.

"You've been granted clemency by the governor."

"Cold." The word sounds choppy through chattering teeth. "I need my clothes." All these people.

The doctor looks puzzled.

Sitting up sends the room spinning. "G.o.d, I'm going to throw up again."

"You shouldn't sit up so fast," says the doctor. "This last treatment has been a bad one. No one's gone through four of them in so short a time."

The room keeps swaying. Memory's an unstable black fog. People talk, but the words melt into one another.

"Treatment? Pardon?" Those words should mean something.

The doctor's expression shows concern and, maybe, guilt. "The California Highway Patrol found a biker named Eric Frazier in a trailer park-three bodies were on the property."

"Eric Frazier?"

"They found Mosh, Johnny," says one of the prison guards.

The doctor nods.

"Why are you calling me Johnny?" asks Betty Dupree.

Everyone freezes. In the suddenly silent room, the doctor says, "That's your name, John Schaefer."

Betty knows the devil's voice, and she knows it lies. She looks the doctor in the eyes. "Johnny tried to kill me."All the color drains from the doctor's face. He reaches for her arm and says, "Please, Johnny-"

"That's not my name!" She yanks her arm away from him. John Schaefer, the man who tried to kill her, is dead.

When she pulls away from the doctor, she faces the giant oneway mirror that forms one wall of the empathy room. Betty Dupree sees her reflection in the mirror.

For a moment she doesn't believe what she sees.

Then she screams.

Lisanne Norman.

When we say that everyone at DAW is part of our family, it is something we really mean. And Lisanne Norman is certainly an example of exactly how our family continues to extend itself. When my sister Marsha was living in England, she became friends with a young woman who was active in the science fiction community there, and was also a member of a Viking reenactment group. Her name was Lisanne Norman.

At some point, Lisanne told Marsha about a novel she had been working on for some time. As an avid reader, a good friend, and someone with publishing experience, Marsha told Lisanne she'd be happy to look at her ma.n.u.script. After Marsha had given Lisanne as much input as she could, she suggested to Lisanne that she submit her novel to me at DAW. And with moral support and an introduction from Marsha, Lisanne finally built up her courage and did exactly that.

Of course, the ma.n.u.script was Turning Point, and it became the start of her DAW Sholan Alliance series, which she is still writing today.

"Pa.s.sage to Shola" tells the story behind a kidnapping which occurs in one of Lisanne's Sholan Alliance novels. In the novel, we are introduced to two of the characters-the Sholan, Taynar, and his Human Leska, Kate-after they have been rescued. Now, readers can discover how they were kidnapped in the first place and learn what happened to them before they were once again reunited with their own people.

-SG.

Pa.s.sAGE TO SHOLA.

Lisanne Norman.

DAY 1.

"You did what?" Jeedah's ears flicked back, then righted themselves as she sat up in bed and looked at Dyaf in horror.

"I put you down to take Taynar Arrazo and his new Human Leska from the Hillfort settlement on Keiss and convey them to Clan Leader Kusac Aldatan's estate on Shola," he sighed. "I a.s.sumed you'd leap at the chance of a few days'leave back home."

"The leave, yes," said Jeedah, getting up and pacing around the small room.

"But three weeks shut up with that Arrazo brat? That's too high a price, Dyaf!

And he's a Telepath-he'll know I don't like him!"

"He has his new Leska to keep him diverted," he said, propping himself up on one elbow. "The trip won't be that bad. Come back to bed, Jeedah, please."

She stopped at the foot of the bed and eyed him steadily. "Just how will having a Leska keep him out of my way?" she demanded, tail swaying rhythmically from side to side in the beginnings of anger.

"Leskas are mind-mates, linked to each other for life. They need to spend every fifth day alone together because of their mental link."

"Great, not only do I get the Keissian system's spoiled brat, but I get him on a testosterone high, too!" she said disgustedly. "In Vartra's name, why choose me?"

"Because you're experienced in dealing with these Humans, and your vehicle is one of the few small long-range couriers on the Khalossa that we can spare," he said patiently. "And Commander Raagul wants them out of this quadrant as soon as possible. The new mixed species Leska links are worrisome enough without having to deal with them in a potential war zone should the Valtegans we drove off Keiss decide to return in force."

"So you volunteered me for the job of ferrying them home. Thanks, but no thanks, Dyaf. You can just unvolunteer me." Her voice held the undercurrent of a snarl.

"We all have to do things we don't like, Captain," he said stiffly, his eye ridges meeting in a frown. "That brat, as you so aptly call him, with all his airs and graces, has been a thorn in everyone's foot since he arrived. Now that we have a legitimate excuse to get rid of him, we want him out of here as soon as possible."

"You pulling rank on me now, Lieutenant Dyaf?" she asked very quietly, stilling her tail.

"Not unless I have to, Jeedah," he said, equally quietly. "I chose you because I know you'll get him home without strangling him on the way."

Jeedah's mouth dropped open in a faint grin as she folded her arms across her chest. There was some truth in that, at least. She sighed, accepting the inevitable. "When do I ship out?"

Dyaf glanced at his wrist comm. "In six hours. Come back to bed, Jeedah, we've plenty of time yet," he pleaded, holding his free hand out to her enticingly.

"No way," she said, bending down to pick her scattered clothing up off his floor. "I've my ship to check over and a psychic damper to be fitted in one of the cabins. You know I insist on doing a full check myself before a mission. Who's crewing with me?"

"Nekaba," sighed Dyaf, letting himself fall back amongst his pillows. "He'll be waiting at Hillfort for you as he was on leave up there. It's not necessary foryou to go right this minute, Jeedah. They're fitting the damper on your ship now."

"I always check my ship myself. You owe me big time for this, Dyaf," she said, pulling on her tunic and sealing it.

He growled, a low rumble that carried no menace. "Don't push it, Jeedah."

"First you cancel my weekend leave because of this mission, then you let Maintenance go climbing all over the Mara when you know I hate anyone working on her unless I'm there! I reckon you owe me."

"All right! So I owe you!" he said, exasperated, as he raised his head to watch her fastening on her weapons utility belt. "What is it this time?"

"Haven't decided yet," she grinned, showing her teeth. "Could be a meal in the Palace Restaurant in Shanagi, or . . ."

"That'll cost me a fortune!" he exclaimed, glowering at her.

"Or it might be a trip to the Storyteller's theater to hear Kaerdhu. . . ."

"Jeedah, have some pity!" he groaned. "You know I can't stand him!"

"I didn't say it would be either of them. What you'll owe me depends on how much the Arrazo brat has annoyed me," she said, putting on her sleeveless jacket and letting it hang open. "I'll collect when I get back," she grinned, blowing him a kiss while flicking her tail provocatively as she turned to leave.

"Take care," she heard him call out as the door shut behind her.

Outside in the corridor, she began to curse softly. Just her luck! She'd been-no, they'd been-looking forward to two whole days off together, which didn't happen very often, and now she had to do a baby-sitting run for Taynar Arrazo-and him with a Leska now! Vartra surely had a sense of humor when He arranged that match! Poor little Human, she'd have her work cut out for her trying to deal with that "precious" young male. She groaned. Three weeks alone with them! Ye G.o.ds! How was she going to cope? Dyaf indeed owed her and she meant to collect with interest when she returned!

The weather as she approached Hillfort was squally and thunder-filled, rendering communication garbled at best, so she wasn't too concerned when she couldn't raise the settlement's landing pad. She could just make out the small landing area ahead, its lights on to guide her down. She frowned, her instincts suddenly telling her that something wasn't right but she couldn't quite close her teeth on it. Hillfort was unknown to her, she'd never had the need to land at this site before today.

Below her, the small hut that served as the comm station and waiting area seemed deserted. As the wind gusted around her vehicle, she automatically compensated, realizing on a day like this, no one in their right mind would be waiting out in the open. Slowing the engines, she brought her deep s.p.a.ce courier in to land, keeping it idling while she waited for the obligatory goodbyes the Human female at least would be saying.

Squinting through the rain-lashed viewport, she saw the hut door open and three figures wrapped against the weather come scurrying over to her. Onlythree? In this weather, they'd probably said their farewells in the village.

Activating the side door for them, she sealed it as soon as they were on board. Giving them time to pa.s.s through the two iris locks and reach the small bridge, she twisted around in her seat to greet them, noticing that Nekaba, his face concealed by a Human hat, was carrying his energy rifle.

"Stow that rifle aft, Nekaba, then show the kits their quarters," she said, looking at the two bedraggled younglings. Taynar stood there motionless, water dripping from his hair and slicker onto the floor of the shuttle, ears flattened to invisibility against his skull, eyes wide and staring with shock. The Human female looked little better. Just as her internal alarm bells went off loudly in her head, a movement from the adult drew her eyes back to him. As she looked down the length of the rifle barrel, she realized he wasn't Nekaba.

"What the h.e.l.l . . ." she began, then stopped dead, fear clutching her vitals as the armed male removed his hat and threw it aside.

At first sight, he looked Human, but the large, dark green predator's eyes that stared unblinkingly at her from a pallid green complexion were those of a Valtegan. The crest of skin running from the front to the back of his head, lying flat for now, marked him out as no ordinary soldier-he was one of the very few elite Officer Cla.s.s. G.o.ds, she'd never seen one of them in the flesh before!

She thought they'd killed all the Valtegans over a year ago when they'd liberated this first Earth colony. He smelled rank, but then he must have been in hiding for nearly a year.

As he shoved his captives farther onto her small bridge, his stale scent became overpowering.

"Destination changed," he said, his voice a sibilant hiss as he p.r.o.nounced the Human words with some difficulty. "I tell you where we go."

She pushed her fear aside, there was no time for it now. Slowly, she inched the hand behind her back toward the auto-navigator. She had to lose their route before the d.a.m.ned lizard found it! There was no way he was going to find out where Shola was.

"We can't go far," she said, trying to divert his attention. "This craft is only a shuttle, it isn't capable of deep s.p.a.ce travel."

Light flared briefly past her face, scorching her nose before exploding on the console beside her outstretched fingers. With a cry of pain, she flung herself back in her seat, clutching her singed hand.

"Stand." The rifle barrel was touching her temple now, and he had her upper arm in a viselike grip.

d.a.m.n, but he'd moved impossibly fast! Holding her hands palms up, she got out of her seat slowly, letting him thrust her toward the two younglings.

Still keeping his rifle trained on them, the Valtegan quickly looked over the controls, hissing with annoyance as he checked out the damage his shot had caused.

Jeedah risked a small sigh of relief. At least she'd managed to wipe thememory bank before he'd realized what she'd been doing.

"There wasn't anything we could do, Captain," said a small voice.

She looked down at the Human female standing beside her.

"He was waiting there when we arrived. He killed Nekaba once he'd found out why we were there."

Jeedah touched her gently on the shoulder. "It's not your fault," she managed to say before she was grasped by the front of her jacket and hauled back to the console.

"This was communications?" the Valtegan demanded, pointing to the sparking section of the control board with the rifle barrel.

"Yes."

He hissed his displeasure, bifurcated tongue flicking out in anger. "You fix later!" He flung her aside as easily as if she weighed nothing. The bulkhead came up to meet her, and everything went black.

Something cold was pressing against her forehead, making throbbing pain worse. She batted it away and tried to sit up, groaning as a wave of nausea swept through her.

"She's awake!"

Sholan that bad had to belong to a Human. She risked opening her eyes and sure enough, there was the smooth, hairless face of the young female.

"I'm fine, youngling," she mumbled, slowly pushing herself into a sitting position. The movement made her feel nauseous and the pulsing of the ship's engine beneath her only added to her misery. "Any idea where we are?"

"In the lounge, on the floor. He locked us all in here. You were too heavy for me to lift, so I made you as comfortable as I could where he dropped you.

I'm called Kate, by the way."

"Jeedah," she said, pa.s.sing a shaking hand across her forehead to a.s.sess the damage. She had a lump the size of an egg just above her right eye. "I didn't mean literally. Are we still on Shola, or in s.p.a.ce?"

"In s.p.a.ce, but still in Keiss' solar system, I think, because I saw the moon through the window a few minutes ago."

"Porthole," Jeedah corrected automatically. She tried to get up, then wished she hadn't as the room swam alarmingly around her and her stomach heaved.

Kate's hand steadied her as she swallowed convulsively, trying to rid her mouth of the bitter taste. Clamping her teeth together, she tried again, this time getting her feet tangled in the blanket Kate had put over her. Finally she made it and staggered over to the wall seating and collapsed next to the porthole.

"Kate, there's a small first aid kit in my bathing room cabinet," she whispered, leaning her head against the cool transparent surface. "My cabin's the one opposite here-out the door and turn right. Would you fetch it, please?"

Her hands were still shaking as she opened the kit and rummaged through itto find the a.n.a.lgesics.

"Let me," said Kate, taking it from her.

"Blue pack," Jeedah mumbled, praying she didn't have a major concussion.