The Lady And the Order [Sunsinger Chronicles Book 4] Read online

  “You have friends everywhere, Lin."

  “Is that a bad thing?” she said with a chuckle.

  “They're awfully convenient, sometimes."

  “True. But consider how much trouble you or I would be in if I didn't have friends everywhere.” Lin watched him while Bain considered her words. “If you are always willing to help others, to be a friend and fill other people's needs, then you'll have a friend when you need one. Besides, it's fun,” she added in a whisper.

  Bain laughed. He sat back in his seat at the control panel and watched Lin's hands fly across the dials and buttons and switches, and he laughed until he ran out of breath. Lin was always right. He wondered why he ever questioned her reasoning—except that if he didn't question, he wouldn't learn. According to Lin, deliberate ignorance and apathy were the greatest sins.

  “Where are we going?” he asked.

  “Erenon, in the Soledad system."

  “But that's one of the leading Conclave worlds!” Bain nearly leaped out of his seat, if not for the belt tightly holding him down.

  “So? Is there a problem with that?” Lin gave him one of those wide-eyed looks that should have been innocent and wondering, but which made her look like she was about to burst out laughing any moment. After a moment, she relented and grinned. “Remember, Bain, it's good to have friends everywhere. Even in a star alliance that isn't exactly friendly toward your own."

  * * * *

  The planet Erenon had two spaceports and three continents. The largest was cleared for Human settlement, and the other two were reserved for native plant and animal life, to flourish unimpeded by imported or adapted species. That meant no Humans were even allowed to camp there, much less settle or try to harvest plants or hunt animals. Bain liked that when he learned about it.

  Erenon was one of the few First Civ colonized planets whose names survived the Downfall. When Humans reached for the stars again at the birth of the Commonwealth, explorers spent decades trying to find the lost colony worlds. By the time the Commonwealth and the Spacers found Erenon, the Conclave had already formed. No appeal to common origins and the survival of Humans against the cruelty of untamed space could convince the members of the Conclave to join the Commonwealth. Trade was encouraged between the two governments; Spacers were treated with great respect and besieged with constant entreaties, offers and downright bribes to forsake their Commonwealth allegiance and join the Conclave. Most Spacers laughed off the offers of jobs in the Conclave and worked as freelance merchants and pilots and transport pilots. They took every inflated payment offered them, though. That was good business. They refused to have anything to do with long-term employment or agreements that smacked of treachery to the Commonwealth. Still, members of the Conclave kept trying. They knew better than try to kidnap a Spacer or force cooperation through threats or hostages. If one Spacer was harmed, eventually all Spacers learned about it and avoided the planet or even the solar system where that happened. Bribes and constantly trying to buy the loyalty of Spacers were the Conclave's only recourse.

  Knowing this, Bain was surprised to learn Lin had friends in the Conclave. He was even more surprised when he learned that the leading citizen of Erenon, Mordor Caderi, was Lin's friend. Caderi would have been king of Erenon if the Conclave allowed titles like ‘king'.

  “In the old days, between the Downfall and the Commonwealth, Caderi would have been called a robber baron. Or a pirate. If he had ships with Spacer pilots, he'd be a space pirate.” Lin sighed and eased back in the galley booth. They had come through the last Knaught Point before Erenon, and they had more than a day of straight space travel before they reached the planet. “I like Caderi, Bain. Don't ever doubt that. We have fun and he was a good friend when I truly needed friends. But I don't trust him out of my sight. He'll be pleasant and flatter you outrageously and he'll be a wonderful host. Enjoy it, because his hospitality is honestly given. But don't trust him. Be careful not to promise him anything. Give your friendship to Caderi, but make sure he knows your loyalty to Fi'in and the Commonwealth comes first."

  “If you don't trust him, why do you stay friends?” Bain put down his fork and wedged it under his plate so it wouldn't float away if he bumped it.

  “Because ... he was a friend when I was still getting used to being with people. He made allowances for my crippled social skills.” She smiled and closed her eyes and rubbed at her temples as if she had a headache. “I knew he was a scoundrel from the moment I met him, Bain, but I think I needed a scoundrel in my life."

  “I don't understand."

  “You have to learn such things through experience. Scoundrels keep you on your toes. Life is never dull, when one is your friend."

  * * *

  Chapter Five

  Erenon was warm, but dry. Bain appreciated that, remembering some of the humid, sticky worlds he had visited in the last year.

  He stood a moment in the open cargo hold airlock and took a deep breath, trying to get a feel for the air on this world. Sunsinger had landed at the far edge of the spaceport at Nuridad, the central city on the planet. Caderi's estate, which he and Lin would probably visit, lay an hour away to the east. In between the city and spaceport lay a high, sharp-peaked mountain range, which curved around both like a protective hand.

  The air smelled of hot stone, with a faint tinge of spices and sun-warmed fruit and flowers—what Bain could smell through the ordinary biting stink of fuel fumes and super-heated thermal-crete from the landing field.

  “Ready?” Lin said, as she emerged from the access tube and crossed the cargo hold. She laughed when Bain turned around and his mouth dropped open. “What's the matter?"

  “You look—great."

  Bain couldn't remember the last time he had seen Lin wear a skirt. He knew she owned a few skirts; he had seen her buy one. In free-fall, skirts were ridiculous and even indecent, and Sunsinger hardly ever stayed long enough on one planet for Lin to indulge in skirts.

  This one had multiple panels, loose like flower petals, in royal blue, deep purple, and white. Lin wore tight, stretchy blue trousers under the layers, and black boots. She wore a belt pouch around her waist, a loose white shirt and a blue vest over that. Her hair hung loose down her back, held back from her face with silver bird-shaped clips. The high neck of her shirt covered her collar link, and showed off the silver and blue enameled torque around her neck, in the same design as the clips.

  'You like?” Lin said, running the fingers of one hand over the torque. “Caderi gave me these when I left Erenon for the first time. If I don't wear them, he'll be insulted."

  “I wouldn't be."

  “That's because you're not Caderi.” She chuckled. “Thank Fi'in for that favor! Ready to go?"

  When Bain nodded, she gestured out the hatch. The sight of her skirts, flaring with every step she took, prompted Bain to step back and let her go first. Lin gave him a regal nod of thanks, and spoiled it a moment later with a snort of laughter. They stepped down onto the landing field, into the warm, early morning sunlight of Erenon. Behind them, the hatch swung closed.

  Bain wore new, dressy clothes too. He had dressed for heat, as Lin advised, in a loose-woven white shirt, embroidered at cuffs and hem with birds and suns, and dark blue pants tucked into his calf-high boots. Lin had warned him to wear clothes he wouldn't mind getting dusty and sweaty, and dirty in the bazaar.

  They walked around the perimeter of the landing field. According to Erenon's air traffic control tower, no other ships were scheduled to land or launch until late afternoon. They could have cut through the middle of the field if they chose. Lin preferred to act with caution at all times.

  The spaceport officials had visited Sunsinger soon after landing, so there were no customs inspections or checking of papers to attend to before they headed into the bazaar. Lin avoided the official-looking, square, black building that seemed to loom over the gate. Bain was glad to follow behind her and merge with the trickle of people leaving the spaceport.

  �
��There is the quintessential, arrogant Spacer,” a man called, causing several heads to turn. “She walks into our city as if she will own it in a few days, and cares not a bit what anyone thinks of her."

  Bain felt his face start to burn with a mixture of embarrassment and anger even before he found the speaker. No one should be allowed to speak that way about Lin—none of those words were true!

  The man was a half-meter taller than Lin, with wide shoulders and a short, curly black beard streaked with silver. His black hair was tied back in a ponytail, hanging past his shoulder blades, and liberally streaked with silver as well. His scarlet shirt hung open to the waist, tied in with a black sash over black trousers and high boots.

  “You're the expert in arrogance, as you very well know,” Lin called back. “What are you doing out of bed so early in the morning, old man?"

  Bain heard at least three people gasp as Lin's words rang out strong and clear through the open space between the spaceport and the outer walls of the city. The other people around them scattered, leaving nothing but empty pavement between Lin and the man, who lounged against the city gate as if it was put there just to support him.

  Suddenly, Bain knew who this man was. The pirate and scoundrel who was the nominal king of Erenon. Mordor Caderi. No wonder the people were startled when Lin talked to him like that.

  “Old? Am I old?” Caderi stood up straight and started walking toward them. “If I'm old, then so are you, O Breaker of Hearts."

  “No fool like an old fool,” Lin shot back.

  Breaker of Hearts? Bain almost choked. He looked at the earrings and torque Caderi had given Lin. He didn't know whether to laugh or be worried.

  “I almost didn't believe the tower when they told me Sunsinger was coming in,” Caderi said. He stopped less than a meter from Lin and jammed his fists into his waist as he looked her up and down. “It's been years. I thought you might be dead, with all that fighting over in the Commonwealth and on the Rim."

  “When have I ever lost a fight?"

  “True. Welcome back, you little rogue!” He roared with laughter and flung his arms tight around her.

  Bain stared. He wanted to look away, but he couldn't, even when Caderi kissed Lin on both cheeks. He felt slightly sick to his stomach when Lin wrapped her arms around Caderi and squeezed tight. He felt a little better when she pushed herself free two seconds later.

  “Let me breathe, will you?” Lin laughed a little and brushed her hands through her hair, straightening it.

  “You look good, Lin.” Caderi's eyes sparkled as he stepped back and looked her over again. Bain didn't like the way Caderi looked at her. There was triumph in the crooked smile he wore. Not a bully's look of triumph, but still a strong sense of satisfaction Bain definitely didn't like.

  “So do you. Still scheming and trying to rule the universe from the middle of that lake of yours?"

  “That ‘lake’ happens to be a small sea, and provides the seafood for this entire city.” He couldn't hold onto his miffed tone. “Have you come back here on business, or just to torment me?"

  “I'll let you guess.” Lin turned and smiled at Bain. Her untroubled expression made the boy feel a little better. She put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed it. “I want you to meet someone, Mordor."

  “Your son. His face and stance and eyes give him away.” Caderi nodded to Bain. The sparkle left his eyes and the curve left his lips. “You are welcome here, young sir. Are you a Spacer like your mother?"

  “No, sir,” Bain said. His tongue felt like it had tied into knots. He felt an icy finger trace a path up his back and he knew, deep inside, that Caderi disliked him. Why?

  “No? I thought Spacer blood bred true.” The man frowned, genuinely puzzled now instead of hinting towards anger.

  “I mean—yes, I'm a Spacer—but Lin—Captain Fieran isn't my mother.” Bain hated it when his tongue turned clumsy. What had happened to his quick wit? He had been so proud of himself, outwitting those four bullies back on Nofac.

  “No?” Caderi repeated. “Lin, please explain."

  “Could we do it somewhere a little less hot and public?” Lin said. She rubbed at her forehead and held out her hand. The back of it glistened with drops of sweat for a moment, before the warm morning breeze dried it.

  “Ah, yes—public.” He nodded and gestured through the gates.

  Ten minutes later, Caderi led them through the doors of a small tavern. Six round tables filled the floor of unglazed red tile, glistening from a fresh washing. There were no servers visible, and Bain wondered if the place was open, so early in the morning.

  “Iced, watered wine!” Caderi shouted. “Fresh diswi. Fresh, not the leftovers from yesterday!"

  Someone called a response from the back room. Bain couldn't understand the words, but they seemed to satisfy Caderi. He gestured for them to sit at a table at the furthest end of the room from the door.

  “Now,” he said, when they were settled. “Are you going to explain, my old friend, or do I take the boy captive and hang him upside down in my stables until I get some answers?” His dark eyes sparkled a little, and one corner of his mouth twitched. Otherwise the man's face stayed somber.

  Bain knew he was teasing, but the threat still sent another shiver down his back. Lin had called Caderi a scoundrel, but the word seemed weak compared to the reality of the man.

  “This is Bain Kern,” Lin said, nodding toward the boy. She leaned back in the chair and crossed her arms at her waist. She looked totally relaxed; Bain envied her that. “He's the son of a cousin, an orphan, and the closest kin I have in this universe, Caderi, so treat him as well as you would me."

  “Your heir?” The man's expression brightened and softened a little.

  “Apprentice, crew, heir. The son I never had.” She tapped the table for emphasis.

  “You could have had many sons."

  “You haven't changed.” She sighed and closed her eyes and shook her head.

  “Neither have you, thank the Fates.” Caderi chuckled. “Welcome to Erenon, Bain Kern."

  He held out his hand and Bain shook it because he couldn't think of any other response. It was a massive hand, hard, with thick calluses over tough muscle. The hand of a man who worked hard, not a man who gave all the work and risks to others.

  “Now that's taken care of, can we please have some fun?” she said, putting a little whine in her voice.

  Caderi laughed, a rumbling roar that seemed to fill the room and let light inside. He nodded and thumped the table a few times and leaned back in his chair.

  “My friend, I've missed you terribly,” he said when he caught his breath. “Ah, the diswi. You'll like this, Lin. It's a fruit that only grows in the northern forests. The proximity of civilization kills it, and no one has managed to cultivate it for more than one season."

  A man wearing rumpled, bright green trousers and a knee-length, short-sleeve tunic came from the back room. He carried an oval, wooden tray holding a carafe of pale lavender wine, three cups, and a bowl of a crimson, chunky pulp that steamed in the warm morning air. A bowl of fresh bread, torn into pieces, accompanied the pulp.

  The server bowed to Caderi before he emptied the tray's contents onto the table. He stepped back and waited until Caderi had poured a cup of wine and tasted it.

  “Perfect as always, Millro. My compliments.” Caderi nodded and smiled and reached into the thick black sash. He brought out a few copper coins and handed them to Millro, who smiled—with relief, Bain thought—bowed, and hurried out of the room again.

  “I still can't tell if the people love you or fear you,” Lin said. She tore a smaller piece out of a chunk of the brown bread, studded throughout with nuts and seeds, and dipped it into the crimson diswi pulp.

  “My friends and law-abiding citizens love me. Those who get in my way, who break the law and fight against the good of Erenon—they hate and fear me.” Caderi raised his cup in salute and took another sip.

  “With good cause,” she said around her m
outhful. Lin chewed a few times, then her eyes widened and she smiled. “This is wonderful. Bain, you'd better eat some before I take it all."

  Caderi laughed, thoroughly pleased with her reaction. Bain understood then what Lin had meant, saying he was a good host and good friend. He truly cared about his guests’ pleasure. A little knot of tension loosened in Bain's chest. He tore off a piece of bread and dipped it in the warm, pulped fruit and tasted.

  It was honey-sweet and peppery, sour and fresh, and little granules burst against his tongue, releasing more sweet-sour flavor. Against the nutty, earthy flavor of the bread, the diswi fruit sent a world of textures and flavors down Bain's throat. He dipped another piece and didn't care at all when Caderi chuckled at his reaction.

  “You'll come to my estate for dinner, I hope?” Caderi said. He picked up the carafe of wine and poured for Lin and Bain.

  “I should hope so. Truly, Mordor, I didn't think we'd run into you so early. I was going to show Bain the bazaar and explore for a few hours, then contact you and finagle an invitation."

  “Finagle? You actually doubted I would want you to visit my home?"

  Bain dipped more bread and chewed. He wondered if Lin could get some diswi—and the bread—to take on Sunsinger when they left. He wondered about the wine. The color alone intrigued him. He didn't even touch the cup, let alone taste, because Lin ignored her cup. If she wasn't going to drink it, Bain knew he shouldn't.

  “Haddan doesn't like me,” Lin said.

  “Haddan doesn't own the estate yet. I still have a few decades ahead of me."

  “He's your son. His feelings matter."

  “Haddan doesn't know if he resents you because you weren't his mother, or if he's angry with me because I considered marrying anyone besides his own mother, or if he considers himself a traitor to his mother because he wanted a different mother."

  “That doesn't make sense,” Bain muttered. He held still and met Caderi's gaze. For five long heartbeats, the man's expression was unreadable as he studied the boy. Then Caderi nodded and smiled.