Daughter of Atrocity, page 5
“Um, Mezzer Carr is it?”
“Yes, yes,” he said, distractedly, reaching for his luggage once more. “Don’t worry, I’m gone.”
He stepped outside, barely hearing her invitation to visit again. The gloom swept around him, and he looked into the shadows running in both directions. Why would Marina sell up, disappear? She was too well entrenched in the upper echelons of New Helvetian society. Her contacts and influence were undeniable. None of it made any sense.
So, what now? It seemed there was little choice. Time for him to find a hotel.
Chapter Seven
Belshore
Her back hurt all over. Her arms, particularly her left elbow hurt. Her head hurt, and that was the worst. The right side of her skull felt like one big bruise, and it throbbed. She worked her mouth, trying to encourage a little bit of moisture, and that hurt too. She didn’t dare open her eyes yet. She could tell it was light, but too much would be an insult to her fragile senses. Slowly, bits and pieces started creeping into her awareness. There had been the alley, the guy with the stupid skin and hair, the two big ones and….
She opened her eyes, narrow slits and tried to peer around her. Moving her head made it throb even more. Her vision was fuzzy, but she could tell straight away, she was somewhere unfamiliar. Not her quarters. She worked her mouth a little more and tried sitting up. She was naked, the feel of smooth sheets upon her skin. How had she…?
“Don’t try to move too quickly. You’ll feel a little better soon. Can I get you a kahveh? I have some Kalanian….” A woman’s voice. Not one she recognised.
“What the…. how did I get here?”
“I had help, I’ll admit,” she said. The woman gave a faint laugh. “I’m not sure I’d be up to the task myself.”
Mahra swallowed once more and peered blearily in the direction of the voice. As things came better into focus, she realised that she did know this woman after all. She was the one from the bar, from the street.
“What hap—” Mahra caught herself. “You shot me! What the…?”
The woman held up her hands. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to. I just….”
“You shot me!”
“It was so confused, people moving so fast. I’m not very good. And, well….” She held out her hands apologetically.
Mahra struggled properly upright, the intensity of the pounding in her head becoming more pronounced for her efforts. She winced.
“Last night. You had a needle. You only thought to take it out then.”
The woman bit her lip. “I know,” she said. “I’m sorry. You know what they say. Only draw a weapon if you intend to use it. They could just as easily have taken it from me.”
“But you did use it.”
She sighed. “Only when, well, it seemed right. Besides, you didn’t seem to want to use yours.”
Mahra lowered her head, closed her eyes, and let out a long breath. “That was a conscious decision,” she said quietly. Her head was still pounding, but the pause had brought her back to a sort of calm. Slowly she lifted her head again and opened her eyes. “So, who are you?”
“I’m Jacinda. Jacinda Leith.”
“Mahra. Mahra Kaitan. So, thanks, I guess. I could probably do with that kahveh. Thanks, that is for this…” She gestured at the bed and the room. “Not so much for shooting me.”
“It was an accident.”
“Yeah,” said Mahra.
“Anyway,” said the woman called Jacinda. “I’m the one who should be grateful. It was you who stepped in when you had no need to. You could have just left me there to face it.”
“Yes, I could have, couldn’t I?”
She was thinking about that when a new realisation hit her. “Wait. Where’s Chutz?”
“Who?”
“Chutzpah, my zimonette.”
“Oh, your pet.”
“Not a pet.”
“Right,” said Jacinda. “You said that in the bar. It’s closed in the bathroom. I didn’t quite know what to do with it, especially after seeing what it was capable of. The way it attacked the guy with the snake skin thing….”
“Yeah, he does that,” said Mahra. “Um, how exactly did you manage to get him here and into the bathroom?”
“I had help,” she said.
“That doesn’t explain….”
“Oh, right. Um, you weren’t the only one who got hit.”
“Wow. You must have been spraying needles like a…I don’t know what.”
Jacinda gave a sheepish little shrug. “I guess I panicked.”
So Chutz was okay. That explained why she hadn’t been getting any alarm bells. She didn’t particularly want to feel like that again. That once had been enough.
“Yeah,” said Mahra. “Kahveh would be good now.”
Jacinda nodded, stood, and quickly disappeared into another area. While she was waiting, Mahra used to the opportunity to look at the rest of the room now that she had a bit more control of her senses, looking for more clues to this Jacinda woman. She didn’t know what it was, but there were already contradictions there. She couldn’t quite pin down what they were though. She’d been so obviously self-assured as she’d glided out of the bar, but then spraying needles around an entire street. More of the scene was coming back to her. The way she had shrunk back against the wall as the two merchanters and the one with the hair had surrounded her. Mahra shook her head and went back to scanning the room. It was neat, functional, one might almost say austere, but not as austere, of course as her own quarters back at the operation. Basic whites and creams. There were no cubes though, no wall displays, which she found a little strange. Perhaps she had them turned off because of her unexpected visitor. Perhaps it wasn’t that unusual after all. People often valued their privacy until they knew people a little better. Except, well, Mahra was naked under the sheets. Didn’t show much respect for her privacy, or her modesty for that matter. Mahra gave a little self-deprecating snort. When had she ever been modest? Still, there had been that frisson between them in the bar. Perhaps…no. Not now. At least not yet.
There were no clothes in evidence. Jacinda hadn’t been wearing what she had on the night before, as far as she could remember it, but there was no sign of any other clothing. Had the woman slept? If so, where? The scent of freshly brewed kahveh filtered into the room. Further speculation was cut short by Jacinda’s reappearance with a full mug in hand. Mahra took the proffered cup and leaned back to sip at it, giving her the opportunity to study the woman now sitting in a chair across from her. As the hot liquid hit her mouth, she winced. The inside of her cheek had clearly suffered some damage in last night’s affray. The next sip she took more cautiously but appreciating it as the rich full flavour of Kalanian Black Mountain filled her mouth and senses. Just what she needed right now. She closed her eyes and let the sensation wash over her. Despite its goodness, the pounding in her head continued. She opened her eyes again, once more wincing a little at the light.
Jacinda had a roundish, slightly oval face, large dark eyes, perhaps a little larger than norms would dictate, but it gave her a sort of cute, girly look, as did the bobbed blonde straight hair. The eyebrows matched the hair, so Mahra guessed it was natural. Full mouth, narrow chin, and a short nose. As Mahra studied her, she watched back doing nothing to hide the fact. There was something more to this one though. Mahra could see a sharp intelligence and a speculation working behind those eyes. She sipped at her kahveh, using it to try and mask her scrutiny. She could tell that Jacinda was more than just looking at her; she was studying her in turn. Mahra suspected that this woman had used those young, innocent looks more than once. She blinked as she considered that thought. Was that what was going on here? For the moment, she wasn’t worried about Chutz. He had to be still out, or asleep, because she was pretty certain that he’d be making his presence felt by now if he wasn’t. There was one more thing she was missing though, and it was just as hard to replace.
“Um, where are my things?”
There was the slightest smile at that. “Oh, nothing to be concerned about. They should be back soon.”
“Back?”
“Well, of course. They are getting cleaned.”
“I, uh…but what about my blade, my boots.”
“Don’t worry. They’re in the next room.”
Mahra relaxed a little at that. The kahveh was also doing its job, and she managed to sit up a little more, pulling the sheet up further around herself. Jacinda had said she’d had help. Mahra suddenly wondered if the help had also involved removing her clothing and getting her into bed.
“So, this is your place?”
“Mmm-hmmm.”
“So, I guess you’re local.”
“Yes, that as well. At least for a while.”
How old was she? It was hard to pick. She stood then and moved over to sit on the edge of the bed.
“Here,” she said. “Let me take that.”
She took the now empty mug and placed it down on a bedside table then turned back and reached out with one hand. Mahra frowned and pulled back.
“No, it’s all right,” said Jacinda.
She took Mahra gently by the chin and turned her face to one side. “Hum. We might want to do something about that.”
Mahra lifted her hand and prodded at her face with her fingers, wincing as they made contact. She lifted her other arm to the side, and winced again, then slowly lowered it again.
“That bad, huh?”
Jacinda bit her lip and nodded slowly.
“Hmm,” said Mahra. As much as she enjoyed a good brawl, it had its consequences. People just didn’t miraculously heal overnight like they did in the adventure feeds, and despite the advances of medicine, the body’s capacity for repair moved at a certain pace. She groaned as the bruises on her back protested as well.
“So why did you bring me here?” she asked.
“Well, it was the least—”
“—you could do. Yeah, I know. Still.” She looked Jacinda straight in the eye. “There was something going on back in the bar, wasn’t there? I wasn’t wrong about that.”
Jacinda gave her the hint of a smile and then looked away.
“Let me get you some more kahveh,” she said avoiding the question.
She reached for the empty mug, leaning close to Mahra as she did so. There was a scent about her. Mahra wasn’t sure whether it came from her hair or her skin. It could have been both. And then, she was staring after the retreating back as she left the room. She moved well and there was still that assurance in her step, and in the way she spoke as well. She could worry about the possibilities later. For now, she was more interested in getting into some clothes and seeing the Chutzpah had come through everything in one piece, despite the fact that she would know in an instant if something serious had befallen him, minor damage wouldn’t affect her in the same way. While she was waiting, she played out last night’s events in her head. She was slow, out of form. That much was clear. She should have had a much easier time dealing with those two. The man with the snake skin and hair, she simply discounted. She was generally more than a match for those of a similar size to herself, even without her blade. Two things could present a challenge, sheer brawn or a ranged weapon, needle, sliver, straight out gun. For the most part, people who carried them either didn’t know how to use them properly or were over-confident as a result, barring trained military. Generally, it didn’t take too much to exploit either of those. But then, she’d ended up shot anyway. Wasn’t good.
Mahra eased herself back against the wall as Jacinda reappeared bearing two mugs of kahveh this time.
“So, tell me a bit about yourself, Mahra Kaitan,” said Jacinda.
Mahra thought about it for a little while as she took her mug, sipped, and then grimaced. She had forgotten about the inside of her cheek again.
“What do you want to know?”
“Well, let’s start about where you’re from. Somehow you don’t strike me as a local, though you never know in this place. I think I would have seen you around before now. I’m pretty sure I would remember.” There, that little half smile again. And funnily enough, they were the exact same questions that Mahra might have asked of Jacinda herself.
Mahra took another tentative sip. “Here, there, everywhere. I don’t think it matters. I had a home once, but not anymore. I haven’t really had a proper home for a long time.”
“What do you mean?”
Mahra shrugged. “I’m sure you’ve seen it before. You’re in a port after all. I’m one of those. Spend most of their time on ships between worlds or simply passing through.”
“And is that what you’re doing here?” said Jacinda.
“What?”
“Passing through.”
Mahra paused before answering. “I’m not really sure,” she said. “I think I need to see how things play out for a little. But to be honest, this one seems to be surviving a little longer than most.”
Jacinda tilted her head to the side a little as if expecting more, but Mahra wasn’t going to give her any, at least not yet. Despite the hospitality, despite the sense of something between them, she really didn’t know this woman. Maybe there’d be time for it. Maybe there wouldn’t. It was too soon to tell.
“What about you, Mez…Leith was it? I don’t know anything about you. Here I am sitting naked in your bed.” She glanced around. “At least I presume that it’s your bed….”
Jacinda gave a brief laugh. “Yes. I think we’re a little beyond formality though, don’t you? So, please, Jacinda. As you say, naked in my bed.”
At that moment, there came an announcement over the home system.
“Ah,” she said, “And that we should be able to remedy, in a moment. Wait there.” She placed her mug down gently on a small dressing table. “Don’t go anywhere,” she said back over her shoulder as she left to answer the door. Not that Mahra felt like she had anywhere to go. She sipped at her mug, waiting for Jacinda to return.
“Back,” she said unnecessarily as she reappeared and casually tossed Mahra’s freshly cleaned clothes onto the bed. She looked down at the clothing thoughtfully. “I would have offered you something of mine in the interim, but, well, I didn’t really think anything would fit.” She shrugged.
Mahra placed her own mug down, pulled the covers aside and cautiously swung her feet to the floor, first testing her weight and then just as carefully standing. Jacinda had taken her seat again and was unashamedly watching Mahra over the rim of her cup.
“Right then,” said Mahra, taking a cautious step and then wincing as she reached for the clothes. Her head was pounding again. She probably needed to ask for something to deal with that.
“So, what about you, Jacinda? What do you do?”
“I’m a dancer,” she said. “Sometimes an actor.”
Considering where they were, Mahra didn’t need to ask what sort of dancer. She had the body for it. Fit, but a lot more comfortably put together than Mahra herself. Where Mahra was slim and muscled, Jacinda carried a bit more padding on her, but she carried it well and it seemed to be well-toned padding.
“And do you like it?” asked Mahra. You never knew.
“It’s okay,” she said. “Pays my way. Better than nothing. I get to meet a lot of people.”
“Mmm-hmm,” said Mahra as she pulled on her clothes, gritting her teeth as she stretched to put on her top. She wasn’t going to question it but looking around the trappings of the place Jacinda lived, she thought that maybe that was an income that needed some supplementing from time to time. It wasn’t exactly her place to ask how. Speaking of which, she reached into her pocket.
“Um, where’s my card?”
“Don’t worry, it’s in the next room.”
Mahra nodded. “Good. Maybe I can get my other things then….”
Jacinda stood then, moved across to stand in front of her. She was a good head shorter than Mahra. She looked up into her face, questioningly.
“You’re not leaving yet? You should rest a bit. You haven’t even finished your kahveh, and….” She lifted one hand towards Mahra’s face, but then dropped it again.
Mahra shook her head, and immediately regretted it.
“I think I’m going to need something a little stronger than kahveh. I should see to Chutz as well, and while I’m at it, I could do with using the bathroom.”
Jacinda, dropped her gaze, pursed her lips a little and then beckoned for Mahra to follow. “This way.”
Bare feet padding on faux stone floor, Mahra opened the indicated door and poked her head inside. Chutzpah lay curled up there on a towel on the floor. Jacinda must have placed him there if what she said was true. Slowly he lifted his head and looked at her blearily. He gave a couple of small chitters and then dropped his head again, Mahra nodded.
“You too, eh Chutz,” she said. “I know exactly how you feel.”
His paws and snout still carried slight traces of blood. It seemed that Jacinda hadn’t made the effort to clean him off. Maybe just as well, It would give him something to concentrate on other than any perceived mistreatment. She dreaded to think about how he might have reacted if she’d tried when he’d even been semi-conscious.
She slipped inside the room and closed the door. She palmed the wall above the sink to mirror and peered at the bruises on one side of her face. She had another down on her jaw on the other side, which she didn’t quite remember acquiring. With a sigh, she blanked the mirror and then did what she needed to do. When she had finished, she stood for a couple of moments considering. As tempting as it might be to see where this whole situation might lead, for the moment, she felt like crap and by the looks of Chutz, he was not much better. She needed to visit a medico, and there were a couple of good ones at the CoCee base. They could check Chutz out at the same time, and she would insist upon it regardless of any protests. She crouched down, then, decision made.
“Chutz, come,” she said, and then cried out as he bounded onto her back. Hissing through her teeth, she regained her feet. Yes, no question. Some sort of treatment was in order, and something nice to take the edge off the pain as well.
