Read Online Shadows In Still Water by D.T. LeClaire - Free Book Online

the blank screen. She hadn’t even asked how he was doing. Although the question had become quite perfunctory on her part these last few years at least she usually asked. Give it up, Rialus, he told himself and stood to his feet, pulling out his link and snapping it back on his belt. He still had work to do, so he shoved all thoughts of Co-lanen back to their usual spot in the back of his head and returned to the lab.
    This time Jak almost ran into Keller who was on his way out. “Tried to call you but it was busy,” the man said. He jerked his thumb back toward his desk. “It’s carrying raphrydia all right. The great box pox mystery is solved.”
    “Clean him up?” Jak asked.
    Keller nodded, “All clear. Irradiated him from head to toe. His own mother wouldn’t know him now.”
    “Thanks, Rob.” The tech nodded again and walked out the door. Jak moved on to the desk. The wemrat looked up at him from the isolation tank. Shaking his head, Jak tapped the glass. “You sure caused a lot of headaches.” He fought back a yawn. “I can’t even tell you when I slept last.” At the sound of footsteps, Jak poked his head out of the enclosure. He found himself face to face with Althan Tahk, the Kosapi. He couldn’t quite control the quick flicker of his antennae. He knew the Kosapi had seen it as an evil grin split the Kaprinian’s face.
    “What are you doing here?” Jak asked, forcing his voice to be calm and without anger.
    “You like your human half don’t you?” Tahk asked the question as if he were actually curious to know the answer.
    Jak struggled to keep himself from punching the stranger. Not a good idea, he warned himself. Although no weapons were visible, the Kosapi was probably carrying a small arsenal and probably didn’t need one anyway. “You are not supposed to be here, sir. If I have to I will call security.”
    “Sir. I like that. You can continue to call me that. I was looking for that sweet little nurse, what is her name? Millie?”
    “Stay away from Millie.”
    “Oh? Got an eye on her yourself? The other one, the doctor, she’s not too bad either.”
    “Touch either one of those ladies and this whole galaxy won’t be big enough to hide you.”
    The Kosapi laughed in his face. His eyes darkened then and his voice dropped an octave lower. “Do not threaten me, kashen. Someday I will take the time to teach you your place.” He reached out with his thumb and index finger and flicked Jak’s antenna, sending a vibration of pain shooting down into his head. Jak just managed not to wince. Laughing, the Kosapi stepped back on the elevator.
    “Gedden,” Jak swore out loud. He felt as if he were ten years old again and surrounded by all the older Kaprinian boys who used to pick on him. In fact, Co-lanen had been the only person in the whole school who had ever treated him with any respect at all. And now she seemed to want to distance herself from him as much as possible.
    He rubbed his eyes and tried to clear his thoughts. He needed to sleep.
    Opening his comm-link, Jak called the guard on duty at the airlock. “Make sure that Kaprinian with the twisted antennae gets off the ship,” he instructed. “Why’d you let him on board?”
    “No one’s come through here except yourself, sir,” the guard replied. He paused then said in a bewildered tone. “Here he comes now. But I sure didn’t let him on, sir.”
    “Make sure he gets off and don’t let him on again,” Jak said. He returned his link to his belt. What was the Kosapi up to? Jak shook his head as he went to his quarters. He was too tired to think.
     

     

Chapter Seven
     
    Bridget flopped on her stomach onto the couch in one of Davis’s employee lounges, her right hand dangling to the floor. Torp and Steve claimed the two stuffed chairs while Miguel headed for the vending machines.
    “Ohhh,” Bridget moaned. “I’m sore, I’m hungry, I’m dirty and I’m never going to get this smell out of my hair.”
    “Cargo