Free Omega Games by S. L. Viehl Page A

Reever clouded my head. Then an idea occurred to me.
    “I do not know anyone named Davidov,” I said. “But my husband might. The drones that came to our ship took him to another dome, on the west side of the colony. If you would bring him here, I am certain he can explain everything.”
    “If your husband is young and healthy, then Drefan owns him until his salvage debt is repaid. And you’re a terrible liar.” She tilted her head. “Davidov and his thugs haven’t let anyone near Trellus for the better part of a year. He barely drops enough to keep us alive, so no way would he force down your little ship just for kicks. What’s the deal?”
    Why would Alek blockade the entire colony? “No one kicked us, and we made no deal. I had thought the colony was under quarantine.”
    “We are. Davidov’s quarantine.” Bitterness tainted the smile she offered me. “How did he put it? No one lands, and no one leaves. He’s destroyed every transport we’ve tried to send out, and jams every distress signal we’ve transmitted.”
    In the future I was going to pay very strict, devoted attention to what the hair on the back of my neck did. “Why is Davidov forcing the colony to live in isolation like this?”
    “No one knows. He won’t tell us.” She gave me a long, measuring look. “If you’re part of his game, I’m not playing it. Cat, forward that crazy bastard’s relays in here. I want the ones on the bounty, with the images.”
    The voice from the wall protested. “Mercy, if you show your hand—”
    “What’s she going to do?” she snapped. “Cry? Beat up the dreds? Bite my head off? She’s maybe a hundred pounds soaking wet.”
    “So are you,” Cat said, his voice growing. “We won’t know anything about her until we do a full workup.”
    “Later. Forward the relays.”
    The display screen on the wall flickered, and began showing a series of relay vids written in multiple languages. On each one was an image of my face as well as Reever’s. I assumed they were from the time he and Cherijo resided on Kevarzangia Two.
    “So, Resa. ” Mercy moved in until her breath touched my cheek, and her eyes bored into my own. “I’ll be generous and assume that gash on your head made you momentarily forget that your name is Cherijo Grey Veil. The bounty, though, that’s going to be harder to explain.”
    I sighed. “It is complicated.”
    “I can only imagine.” She folded her arms. “Davidov has been offering four million stan credits to anyone who brings you and your husband to him, but the minute he has you, he forces you to crash-land here. Did something change? Why did he want you in the first place?” When I began to reply, she lifted one finger. “Don’t make up any new stories. I’m really not in the mood.”
    “We did not know Davidov was the trader offering the bounty,” I told her. “We met with him because he was once my husband’s friend, and he claimed to have information about it. He told us that Trellus was under its own quarantine, and tried to talk me into coming to the colony. He offered to smuggle me down during his supply drop.”
    “That sounds screwed up enough to be the truth. Lights down. So.” The golden stars in her violet eyes expanded as the emitters dimmed. “Any particular reason he decided that it had to be you? Maybe you being in so tight with the Hsktskt?”
    “I am not tight with anyone,” I said.
    “You went to their planet.” Malice sharpened her voice. “You saved them from that plague. I call that pretty tight.”
    She did not care for the Hsktskt; that much was evident. I would have to make her believe I didn’t either.
    “I was forced by the Faction to go to Vtaga.” I kept my eyes down and my tone submissive, as if I were answering an Iisleg male. “They threatened to begin the war again if I did not help them. While I was there I was abducted by criminals, several times, and my husband and child were nearly killed.”
    Mercy didn’t say