The Thief Of Mardu Part 11

"You do that." Her voice and expression suggested he do so, and quickly. "And you're going to owe me some pretty long watch hours when you come back."

A buzzer sounded, interrupting her, and she thrust her com unit at Catam. "d.a.m.n. That's probably him again. Stall him or join him, but don't let him board this s.h.i.+p yet. I've got a few things I don't want to have to explain to a peacekeeper. And you know what I'm talking about." She stood to leave. "Isa, glad to meet you. I'm sure we'll have a chance to talk when this mess you're in clears."

Mara smiled and winked at her, turned a no-nonsense look on Catam, then left the galley.

They sat in silence before Isa exhaled a deep breath. "Wow. That's some captain you've got there."

"I know." He looked glum. "She's great to have on your side, and a royal pain in the a.s.s when it comes to handing out watch a.s.signments."

Isa couldn't help but grin at his dejection. "Look at the bright side. She didn't tell you not to come back, and she actually thinks this mess I'm in will clear up for the better."

"You mean this mess we're in." The com unit buzzed again. "And if you think I'm not involved, wait until you hear Sernal. He'll tell you how screwed up we both are, but in a lot more colorful terms."

Chapter Eleven.

After several minutes of one-sided conversation, Catam interrupted his brother by disconnecting.

"Was that wise?" Isa asked, looking decidedly uneasy.

He sighed. "Probably not, but I couldn't take much more. He's been like that since childhood. All lecture and no fun. Don't worry, as soon as he's done throwing things, he'll call back."

Sure enough, they had time to finish their meal before the com unit sounded.

Catam rolled his eyes and hastily swallowed his last bite. "h.e.l.lo?"

"If you hang up on me again, I swear I'll come down on you so hard you won't see the sun for at least three months. Brother or not, I'll slam you in Jintak's holding tank and lose the digi-data until you grovel like a threll."

Catam knew his brother had reached the limits of his patience. "Sorry for disconnecting, but you wouldn't let me explain a thing."

"Talk," Sernal ordered curtly.

Catam hurriedly explained Daarna and Arnath's involvement in Klin's death and detailed the skirmish with the guards at Klin's estate.

"Okay," Sernal said slowly. "But you still haven't explained why it's taken you so long to report, or why the suspect isn't in custody in Jintak. You could have furthered the investigation after you completed the mission. I wouldn't have objected."

"You don't understand." Catam ran a frustrated hand through his hair and deliberately kept his back to Isa as he lowered his voice. "If they haven't already, Arnath and Daarna will put out the Ari on your suspect. She'd no doubt be dead right now if I hadn't altered the plan."

He heard silence while Sernal digested his justification.

"So you did what was best for the suspect to keep her alive? All in the interest of justice, I a.s.sume? I'm sure she's not attractive. And I know you didn't have s.e.x with her. Tell me you didn't."

"Ah, well, that's a little more complicated." He held the com unit from his ear to avoid going deaf. He glanced at Isa and saw her blanch at some of Sernal's loud and obscene phrases.

After a short pause, Catam put the unit to his ear again. "Are you through?"

"You and I are long overdue for a talk, Catam," Sernal seethed. "But in the meantime, I'm working to smooth over Statesman Bedenzi's indignation over the situation with the guards. With any luck I can convince him not to press charges against you.

"You have two more days. Get me the evidence to clear Isa Araye or I'll find her and bring her to Jintak myself. Understand?"

Catam reluctantly agreed. "Understood."

"And you call me with a progress report first thing tomorrow, upon Aran's rise."

That didn't leave Catam much time, but he and Isa would have to make the best of it. With their allies running short, he didn't want to chance bringing Sernal's wrath down on them too.

"I'll call you. I promise," Catam growled at another of Sernal's threats and disconnected.

"That went well." Isa's sarcasm chafed what little remained of Catam's pride. Nothing like having your older brother make you feel like a child again, only to have your lover turn around and do the same.

"I did the best I could." He glared at her, realizing he directed his frustration at the wrong person, but was unable to stop himself. "Maybe now you'll take a hard look at thieving. Keep this up and you'll be living in Jintak, as sure as Klin's dead. Is it worth it? Stealing for mere currency?" he added with disgust. "Is it worth your freedom, your life?"

"It's worth my dignity," she answered in a quiet voice. "It's worth my self-respect. So don't lecture me about thievery. If I could apply my talents elsewhere, don't you think I would have? But on Aran, there's little choice for a daughter, and less so for a fourth daughter."

She gave a short laugh, devoid of humor, and he knew he'd hurt her. "Be glad I'm not a pleasurer, or you'd owe me thousands for the s.e.xual favors you've taken during our short acquaintance." She deliberately made light of their relations.h.i.+p, reducing their intimacies to the physical, and shamed Catam at once.

"Now why don't you let me finish my meal in peace while you contact Cheltam, hmm?" she turned to her food, successfully ignoring him as he stood there, wondering what to say.

A short 'I'm sorry' seemed too trite and since he couldn't think of anything better, he left the galley in search of the control room.

He'd wanted to talk to Isa about her choice of profession for some time, but not like that. He could almost see the trust and openness between them fading as she withdrew into herself.

Hadn't he speculated on her difficulties growing up on Aran? Why hadn't he allowed his brother's anger to simply roll off him, instead of reacting with an unasked-for sermon? h.e.l.l, he thought with a scowl, I sounded just like Sernal.

He stalked into the control room and ignored everyone. He sat at a locator station and punched in all known facts concerning Cheltam. Having worked with the information specialist before, always via mediastream, Catam knew how to reach him, but not necessarily where to reach him.

Half an hour later, after speaking with several of his contacts in Tekar, Catam located Cheltam. The man currently resided in an upscale neighborhood within the gambling district.

"Captain Mara?" Catam asked after disconnecting his call. "Can you set us down northeast of Qalteh's club in Tekar?"

She nodded. "No problem. Nu, set course for Qalteh's, and before you ask, no, we're not setting down for more than the time it takes to drop Catam and Isa. I swear, you Raggas live to gamble," she muttered. When Catam headed for the door, she stopped him. "A moment of your time?"

He nodded and chanced a brief glance at Lurin before he left. The Thesha mouthed "good luck," making Catam groan. He didn't need another lecture. Not now.

Mara led him to her personal library and closed the door behind them.

"We'll be there in a few minutes. I should inform Isa." He tried to sound earnest, and not as if he was trying to escape.

"She can wait," Mara murmured. She sat on the edge of her desk and waited until he sat across from her, where she could look down at him. "Catam, why have you been so depressed lately?"

"Depressed? I haven't been depressed."

"Not since you met Isa." She pursed her lips. "Ever since Lurin joined us I've noticed a change in you. This past year, you've turned from a lighthearted rogue into a moody, thrill-seeking danger-trap."

"I like Lurin," he protested, uncomfortable with her insight.

"I know you do," she said softly and her eyes warmed. "But something isn't right and you know it. Oh, you're still funny and pleasant to be around, but when you think no one's looking, you seem to sink into yourself. And lately you've been volunteering for one dangerous a.s.signment after the other. You try working alone, as if Set, Nu and Lurin don't exist."

"I'm sorry. I didn't realize I was such a liability," he said stiffly.

"Don't freeze me out," she ordered. "You know it's true. Tell me, Catam. We've been together for more than six years. I'm your captain yes, but I'm also your friend."

The sincerity in her voice and in her eyes made him rethink his caustic comment. "I don't know what's wrong with me," he admitted on a sigh. "I was glad to have Lurin aboard, still am. But seeing you and him together, I don't know. It made me start questioning my choices. I mean, is this my life? Hunting the sc.u.m of System and visiting a new woman in a new port between jobs?"

"It's funny, but I didn't see a problem with my life until Lurin forced me to take a second look," Mara mused. "Now you're taking a second look, and you don't like what you see." She paused. "Or do you? Isa's a beautiful woman."

Catam grimaced. "She's beautiful, intelligent, and trouble. She's a thief, Mara. And we track those people down and hand them to the law."

"People change, Catam. Star's sake, you can change too. It's not set in stone that you live life as a bounty hunter--not that I'm recommending you change career paths."

"Change isn't as easy for some as it is for others."

"Meaning?"

He shrugged. "My people don't like change, and neither do Isa's. The Mardu are expected to play when we're young, then chose a profession and follow it until we're no longer able to work."

"But why?" She stared at him in surprise.

"That's the way the Mardu are. That Isa comes from Aran, one of our moons, doesn't make her less Mardu. It's a sorry trait, I know, but not everyone is as flexible as you are."

"You're more flexible than you know." She watched him with appreciation. "I've never seen you lose a bounty. Ever. And rumor has it you've never lost anything you really want."

"I am the best," he bragged to lighten the mood.

"Well if you want more out of life, then take it. If you want what Lurin and I have, be brave enough to accept it when it's thrust under your nose, or in your case, placed in your custody."

"You and Lurin love each other. I didn't say I was in love with Isa."

Mara rolled her eyes. "You didn't have to. I know you better than you think. The entire time she's been on the s.h.i.+p, you haven't left her side except when absolutely necessary. You completely disregarded Sernal's orders. And I know that while you hate the peacekeeper mission, you would never deliberately foil your brother unless you had a very important reason."

"Tell him that," he muttered.

"And most important," she continued, ignoring him, "when you gaze at Isa, you have that look."

"What look?"

"The same look Lurin wears when he looks at me." She nodded and winked. "When a Thesha swears off all other women, you know it's true love."

Catam had to agree. In the past year, he'd never seen a man so completely besotted with one woman. And for a Thesha, a man that could have any woman he wanted with little effort, "besotted" translated to "in love."

Conscious that he felt as if a weight had fallen off his shoulders, Catam stood. Opening up to Mara had made him feel worlds better. It was as if the fog confusing the real issues disappeared, leaving him a clear path toward the future.

"Thanks, Mara." He hugged her, not surprised to feel a mental push to disengage. He let her go, already planning his next meeting with Isa.

"Sorry." Mara's face heated. "Lurin and I have a tendency to stay connected." She tapped her head.

"He's a lucky man." Catam smiled, glad that Mara finally had someone to love her as she deserved.

"I know. I'm constantly reminding him."

He laughed. "Would you mind postponing our landing another hour? I need some time with Isa."

"Not a problem. Good luck."

He left Mara to find Isa where he'd left her, in the galley.

She nodded politely when he entered, but gave him no more welcome than that. Knowing she had a right to her anger, he strove for patience.

"We'll be approaching Tekar soon."

She didn't respond.

"Mara wants us in our room prior to landing."

She frowned up at him. "Why?"

He shrugged. "Something about doing an emergency landing for practice. Since this isn't a regular stop, she's trying to make good use of the trip, I guess."

Isa stared at him suspiciously before she stood and preceded him to the room.

Not a bad lie, he congratulated himself. Just a little further.... She entered ahead of him and he refrained from rubbing his hands greedily. He discreetly set the lock using his personal ID and turned to face Isa.

"What did you just do?"

He knew his little thief would take note of every detail. "I just locked us in."

"Why?" She sneered at him. "So you can f.u.c.k me again? Well this time it's not free, Catam. It'll cost you." Her chest heaved with emotion, anger and hurt lacing her words.

"I'm willing to pay any price," he said softly and shortened the distance between them. "I'm sorry I sounded judgmental earlier. I'm not really. I respect what you do, even if it worries me."

She looked confused. "What?"

"I shouldn't have taken my anger at my brother out on you."

"No, you shouldn't have." She seemed slightly mollified.

"And I shouldn't have lectured you about your life's work."

"Agreed." She nodded, relaxing.

"I just need to show you there's more you're capable of, much more."

Without giving her a chance to respond, he sealed her mouth with his own.