Calm (2 page)

He frowned, “Your talent has eased my negotiations for these past two years, calming those who were looking for an excuse to fly into a rage. It has comforted me to know that you were waiting to step in and keep things under control.”

“I am glad you think so. So when the reference comes up, it will be favourable?”

The ridges where his eyebrows should be were knit together. “Are you still on about that?”

“It is the next phase of my life, and a little help is needed to keep me going forward.”

“What if I offer you a job as my assistant?”

She blinked, “What?”

“I will be beginning a life at home as a mediator. Having a calming influence with me would be a distinct advantage.”

Meri frowned, “But the Lahash live underwater.”

“And you have a new set of gills.”

She opened and closed her mouth in shock. “You aren’t joking.”

Kao flinched as the techs worked on his lower spine. “No, I am not joking. I could use another qualified mediator at my side.”

Meri’s shock ratcheted up a notch. “How did you know I was qualified? That record was supposed to be sealed.”

His hand closed around hers. “It was. I watched your micro expressions while you were attending my negotiations. You twitched and bit your lip every time a matter of personal family issues occurred.”

“So, you didn’t actually know until…”

“You just told me. Now, I have need of a mediator in my own life on Reepha, and there is no one I trust to do a fair job more than I trust you.” He flinched and sighed as the last of the wires was removed from his muscles and the healing ran to its completion.

One of the team came to the side of Kao’s head and knelt so that he could look at his patient face to face. “We have withdrawn the leads, but you will need a few days in a tank to help.”

Kao didn’t let go of Meri’s hand. “Will you come to Reepha as assistant mediator?”

She looked into his pretty eyes, the pained set of his mouth. She couldn’t say no. “Of course I will.”

He pressed his lips to her skin, and she felt the tingle run from her knuckles through her torso. “Thank you. I will see you after I enter the tank. Will you visit me?”

A blush crept up beyond the neck of her black and gold bodysuit. She shivered slightly, and when he smiled, she mentally kicked herself. “I will visit you, but that is as far as it goes.”

“If you insist. I look forward to your visit.” He released her hand and she backed away from the bed where he had been laid out on his stomach. The techs placed monitor pods on him and lifted him to help him into the waiting tank.

Meri left the room while the techs checked the monitor tabs. Watching him get wet and naked at the same time pushed her self-control. His transformation from quasi-robot to living being in the course of a few hours was a strain on her nerves.

Sighing, she ran a hand over her neatly arranged hair and headed for the research centre. She had to look up the biology and sociology of the Lahash and anything else on Reepha. If she was heading into a situation as a mediator, she needed to know what she was dealing with.

Chapter Three

Six hours of research had taken the wind out of her sails. The Lahash were part of the society of Reepha, the Sivith were the other half, and the water and land folk were always at odds. It was no wonder that Kao was going back as a mediator. His people certainly needed one.

The Lahash enjoyed a peculiar symbiosis with the Sivith, but the Sivith could live quite happily without the Lahash, or so they believed. The Lahash could seduce with a touch and their children were almost entirely born by the Sivith. This strange arrangement led to hostilities, custody battles and general distrust of any of the water born.

A Lahash child needed to be raised on the land until they had reached the age of five and at that point their secondary breathing mechanisms were mature enough to join the underwater community. This meant that many Sivith mothers lost their children at that age and it was traditional for a large payment to be made for the raising of the Lahash children.

The arrangement was peculiar by Terran standards, but since it had been going on for thousands of years, Meri wasn’t in a position to judge, only mediate.

Her head pounded and she stretched. A medical tech approached her, and she was immediately on guard.

“Agent Arkany?” The Azon smiled gently at her and there was appreciation in his eyes.

She snapped her arms down and ceased her stretch, reversing the arch of her chest. “Yes?”

“Negotiator Kao has been asking for you. He is most insistent that you visit him.”

She got to her feet. “Is he unwell?”

“No, merely insistent.” He smiled and offered her his arm.

She took the offered arm and let him lead her back to medical. “Do you unhook many Negotiators?”

“It is a speciality. Working with the leads and the neuro science takes a special skill set.” He puffed his chest out with pride.

Meribeth looked over and had to admit that her current companion was very well put together. His leonine features were handsome and the glint in his eyes had a definitely flirtatious aspect to it. “You did a very good job.”

“Thank you. I have heard much about Kao’s skills as a Negotiator, so it was an honour to give him an easy transition back into the world of physical contact.” He stroked her fingers with his free hand.

She fought the urge to release his arm and move aside. Instead, she sent a wave of calm through him that had the effect of flattening whatever arousal was starting to zip around in his body. It was a technique she used frequently.

She felt a profound sense of relief when they entered medical. The tech led her straight to the tank where Kao was floating, and the scowl on her boss’s face showed some of that temper that she had run into over the past few days.

“Thank you for the escort.” She smiled and dismissed the tech.

“Anytime, Agent. My name is Jarvin if you wish to seek me out.” He took her hand and pressed a kiss to her knuckles, but the shiver of heat and recognition was absent. Despite the fit aspect of his body, hers was not interested.

She turned to face Kao, and his scowl was only slightly diminished. “Hello, Kao.”

He pressed his hand to the plexi between them and with an instinct born of her recent research she pressed her hand to match his.

Why did he kiss you?

He kissed my hand. He didn’t kiss me. Probably for the same reason you did.
Meri winced at the roar of anger that whipped through her mind. She didn’t pull her hand away from the glass, but it was tempting.

She watched as Kao got himself under control, and she waited.

I am sorry. I did not like seeing him touch you.

I was touching him as well. It was a casual contact as you are very well aware.

His mind was not casual.

She couldn’t answer that, so she asked,
Why did you want me here?

I want you with me at all times. There is much to tell you about Reepha, and who better than an inhabitant to bring you up to speed on it.

I have been doing my own research.

Yes, but I can tell you a bit about your first mediation. It is a custody dispute.

She blinked, there was emotion wrapped around his words.
It seems common on Reepha to have that sort of dispute.

Yes, but this is about my daughter.

Her blood went cold as she realised that he had a child and that child had a mother that he had been attached to. Jealously ran through her, and she jerked her hand away from the tank.

Meri’s thoughts spun wildly as she tried to get a handle on the situation. She ruthlessly throttled down her attraction to Kao, and when he tapped on his side of the tank, she put her hand back on the still-warm plexi.

I did not mean to upset you. It is the Lahash way. We have the urge to spawn and we go to the Sivith cities, find a partner and do as nature wills. We then return to the lakes and seas, waiting for our children to be old enough to join us.

Images streamed into her thoughts of being in the water with a tense pulse raging through her blood. The feelings were foreign, but as her sight focussed on nearby females, she noted the definite masculine tone of the thoughts. When he ceased transmitting the emotional mess, he had been approaching a group of females who were transfixed by his appearance.

We attract the females whether they will it or not. We find the ideal mate for that time and place, and we join to make the next generation. I engaged in this activity before I left and received word that my daughter had been born in my absence. My family has kept in contact with her, but it is time for me to take her on as my responsibility.

So, you want me to help you negotiate her custody?

No, the settlement that her mother requires. It is an emotional time for both of us and clearer heads must prevail. That means you.

So, what resources to you have to donate to the cause?

He sent her a list of his holdings, properties and credit accounts.
That should do.

You have a home on land?

I do, as well as one in the lake and one in the sea of Anutha.

So, if she wants it, visitation is possible.

No female wants that. Most are delighted to be free of their Lahash child.

I think you underestimate the strength of the bond. Some women are attached to their children.

The Sivith do not properly bond with Lahash children. That is why it is so important to have family who can visit and care for the child as it grows. It needs to know that it has a proper home when it can begin to breathe water.

That is a lot to put on a child. The waiting.

Our touch gives the child the information it needs. It is something that they learn as soon as they meet their first Lahash relative. My parents and sister were there when Niika was born. They have sent me dispatches for the last six years. She is ready to come home with me, but I have to be there to take custody. I have no idea how this will go, but I want you with me when it comes time to work out the details.

He was frazzled, there was no doubt of that, but he had yet to answer one question that she had no idea how to ask, so she just blurted it out, thought to thought.
What is your actual name?

Vehn. My name is Vehn Kao, of the Kao line.

Pleased to meet you, Vehn. Do you want me to call you Vehn or Kao?

Vehn in private, Kao in public until the custody matter is settled.

So, still all professional in our conduct?
She couldn’t stop her smile.

Until I can arrange it to be otherwise, I will say yes. Professional until Niika is home.

She smiled and pressed her forehead against the glass.
Fine, professional until Niika is home.

With a new daughter in his life, he would lose any growing interest in her in a matter of seconds, Meribeth was quite sure.

She would get her reference when he was otherwise occupied and then move on to the next world in her travelling adventure show. For a few short hours, she had imagined the possibility of Kao as a lover. The image of him as a father was rapidly overlaying it and doing wonders on flattening her hormones.

I will speak with you tomorrow, Kao.

I hope so, Meribeth.
He sent a wave of heat and affection toward her, but she held it off with her talent. Above all, she was going to keep her calm even if she couldn’t have her dignity.

Chapter Four

Until she saw the sociology in action, she was not going to believe that a series of mothers could simply hand over their children at the appointed time. It defied everything that Meri had grown up with. Her mother didn’t easily part with any of her four children as her brothers and sisters-in-law had found out.

“Are you ready?” The Negotiator was dressed in similar clothing to her own, but on him, it was horribly impressive, as was his regenerated long navy blue hair.

“As ready as I can be. Where are we landing?”

Kao pointed to the large structures and large tarmacs. “The spaceport. My family will meet us there and take us to the site where the mediations will be held.”

“So, you will meet your daughter today?”

“I sincerely hope so. I have spoken with her on audio connections, but for obvious reasons, there has been no visual contact.”

“Right, the armour thing. All faceplate, no face.” Meri sighed and shifted nervously.

“Correct. Are you all right? You seem nervous.”

He reached for her hand, and she jerked her arm away.

“Meribeth, is something wrong?”

“No. It has been a while since I have walked free on a world with a species so similar to my own. I simply want to keep my wits about me.” She winced as she realised she may have gotten too close to the actual problem. When he touched her, her heartbeat galloped out of control, her body warmed and she stared at him like he was the last man in the universe. It was part of the Lahash survival mechanism. They could enthrall with a look and seduce with a touch. She despised the thought that she would just be one of dozens he had simply whispered into his arms.

He tried for her hand again, and she shifted. “No psychic contact, please, Mediator Kao.”

He frowned. “I am not used to being refused, Meribeth. This is not like you.”

She looked at his ridiculously handsome features and nodded tensely. “I know, but I think it should be until this mediation is done. I have to remain neutral for it to work.”

She could feel him seething next to her. Their shuttle dropped and levelled out.

“You have until this is concluded to straighten yourself out and be the Meribeth I am used to.”

Her mouth quirked up on one side. “This is the Meribeth you are used to, you are just not used to being on the receiving end of the calm.”