Drometheus was one of the inner Inner worlds. It was the capital for a sector of very rich planets. Traffic was an absolute nightmare. Beryn came to help after he put Lowell's goodies away. He knew enough to run scans and program in course coordinates. I had my hands full keeping the ship moving with the traffic flow without running into the other ships. I managed to not notice Mart while I flew.
Lowell talked to people on the headset, reaching over my shoulder to place different calls. We were now the Vishnya, another ship registered to a different company. I'd stripped out the other beacon in between Lowell's training sessions. He talked to port authority and the company we supposedly flew for and half a dozen other people I didn't have concentration to spare listening to. I don't know how he managed it, but he got us a berth on the planet itself, which simplified our running away when we finished burglarizing the Governer's mansion right under his nose.
It was morning when we landed. Bright sunshine flooded the port, reflecting off puddles from the night's programmed rains. Very little about Drometheus was still natural, including the weather. We were in the shadow of several much larger private yachts. It wouldn't be hard to have a ship bigger than ours, just about everything, up to and including shuttles, were bigger.
"The lock," Lowell said, indicating the device laying on the floor. The lights blinked across its surface.
"Now?" I asked as I finished shutting the ship down.
"We've got time, and you aren't fast enough yet." He raised his finger. "And don't waste your breath telling me about my dubious ancestry. Now," he added, starting his watch.
I had my pick out and sprawled on the floor before I thought better of it. Lowell was training me really well. And I hated it.
"Five and a half minutes," Lowell said when the lock finally popped open. "Do it again."
"I'm not going to get any faster," I complained, but I went back to the cockpit while he reset the lock.
"Now," he said.
I went after the lock again. I was losing my touch, it buzzed three times on me. Each time I backed off, slipping the probe out and adjusting the frequencies before trying again. It finally opened. I rolled onto my back.
"Almost ten minutes," Lowell said. "Maybe we should take a break."
I didn't wait for him to change his mind. I was off the floor and into the bathroom in record time. I wanted a nice long shower. We were on a planet, water shouldn't be a problem. As long as we didn't take off in a hurry before they finished servicing the ship. I took a short shower.
I was rinsing out my hair when the door to the bathroom slid open.
"Wear these, please," Lowell said. The door shut.
I used every word in my vocabulary plus a few I made up. I didn't want to be here, I didn't want to be working for Lowell. But it was the only way to help Mart and I had promised to do that. I let the shower finish cycling. The fine spray of water ended and warm, dry air blew over me.
I picked through the pile of clothes Lowell had brought in. He'd taken my others so I had no choice. It was a short, clingy dress in pale green. I might have liked it under other circumstances. I was tempted to walk out of the bathroom naked, but that would embarrass me more than them. Lowell had even included underwear, some I had never seen before. They weren't what I would have picked for myself. They were skimpy and lacy and green to match the dress. They fit perfectly. And so did the dress. I opened the door to the bathroom.
All three of them were around the table, going over notes again. All three turned to look at me. Beryn gave me an appraising look and an approving grin. Mart stared, as if noticing how I looked for the first time. Lowell pursed his lips, looking me up and down.
"Do something with your hair and you'll pass," he said.
"How about I shave it off?"
"I might have a wig," Lowell said thoughtfully. And then grinned. "Yes, shave it off, Dace. That would work even better."
I was in a perverse mood. Since he told me to shave my head, I combed my hair instead. It was getting long enough to begin to curl at the ends. The purple dye was almost completely faded.
"How would you like to be blond?" Lowell held up a fistful of long blond hair.
"How would you like a black eye?" I shot back.
"You really need to work on your attitude." Lowell settled the wig on my head. "Brush your hair back from your face then get the wig in place."
I pulled it off and set it in the sink. Blond hair cascaded in shining waves over the edge.
"This way," Lowell said as he took the comb from me. His fingers nimbly pulled my hair back. He rubbed some goopy stuff in it that made it stay. And then he settled the wig back on my head, this time making sure it was the right way around. He flicked the blond hairs into place, a loosely curling mass framing my face. I looked completely different.
"Turn around," Lowell said, "and close your eyes."
"Why?" I asked as I turned around.
"Now for something completely different. Close your eyes, Dace. Trust me."
I don't know why, but I did. I closed my eyes and let him paint my face. I looked in the mirror when he finished. He was very good. I looked nothing like myself. I looked young and rich.
"Sit," Lowell said when I was done staring at the stranger in the mirror. "Grease under your fingernails will be a dead giveaway."
"You're full of surprises, Lowell," I said as he turned my nails pale peach.
"You have no idea, Dace."
"How is all this going to help me break into the mansion? Am I supposed to be on the guest list?"
"Not possible," Lowell said. "I tried. No, this is just to get you into the city unnoticed so we can meet up with Paltronis. You and Beryn are going to check into a hotel. There are reservations, Beryn knows."
Beryn picked at a corner of a mem sheet. "Lowell's idea, Dace. Don't hurt me. We're supposed to be on our honeymoon."
"You're enjoying this, Lowell," I said.
"Making you look like a person instead of something that crawled out of the engine? Of course. Shoes," he ordered Mart.
I was handed a pair of shoes that reminded me of Jasyn's sandals. The thought of Jasyn sobered me. Was she sitting in jail on Shamustel or worse? Had they lifted the Phoenix in time? I looked up from the shoes and met Lowell's silver eyes.
"Did the Phoenix lift in time?" I asked.
"I don't know."
"But you know everything."
"There hasn't been any word about them, but it's only been a few days. I'll see what news I can get from Shamustel."
"You act like this is just a game, but it isn't."
"You think I don't know that?"
I read the truth in his eyes. He'd sent people to die before, and he knew they would die and still he'd done it. I didn't want to know what else he'd done. I lifted a hand to rub my face.
Lowell caught my hand. "You'll smear your makeup. You and Beryn need to catch your ride now."
I bent over and slipped the shoes on, fighting to hide my emotions. I was supposed to be happy and smiling, as if nothing were wrong. I felt naked. The last thing I wanted was to walk into a hotel with Beryn and pretend. I didn't have much choice. I sat back up, smiling at Beryn as I brushed long strands of blond hair away from my face.
"Shall we go, sweetheart?" I said as brightly as I could. It sounded brittle.
"I'll get the luggage, shall I?" Beryn picked up a bag, one of Lowell's.
"What if they search it?" I asked Lowell.
"Unless they're exceptionally good, all they'll find is clothing and toiletries."
I nodded, accepting his word.
Beryn and I stepped out into the fresh air of late morning. The puddles were gone. We walked over to a yacht and stood near the hatch, as if we'd just come out of the ship. A ground car rolled up and stopped. It was sleek and black and very expensive. It wasn't quite so expensive as to have a live driver, though. Beryn opened the door and slid the luggage inside and then waited while I climbed in after the luggage. He squeezed in beside me and draped his arm over my shoulder. I pushed it off.
"We have to play the part," he said and put his arm back. He leaned forward and gave the car our destination and a handful of credits. It purred smoothly away. He leaned back beside me.
"You don't have to enjoy it quite so much," I said.
"Who said I'm enjoying it? You're such a crab I doubt anyone can enjoy being around you for long."
That hurt. I scooted away from him and stared out through the darkened windows.
"And we're all being touchy because of the stress," he added. "You look good blond."
I didn't respond. It was quiet in the car as it rolled through the streets of the main port city. Cars and flitters and people hurried everywhere.
"How much of Lowell's money do you think we can spend before he gets to the hotel?" Beryn asked. "Room service? How about the most expensive items off the menu?"
"I doubt he'll notice."
"There's the hotel." He pointed at a soaring stack of various shaped white and glass cubes that seemed to defy gravity. "Time to put on your happy face."
"It's Mart," I said, finally identifying the source of my grouchiness. "Sorry, Beryn. It isn't your fault. The farther away I get, the more I need to go back."
He understood, even though I was sure he wouldn't. "Lowell told me a bit about the bonding. That's got to be a pain."
"You don't know the half of it."
"I'm sure I don't. And I'm glad I don't." The car slid to a stop in front of the impossible building. "Are you ready, Mrs. Pinwhittle?"
"Lowell chose Pinwhittle?"
"I knew that would get a smile out of you. No, he didn't. Your papers say you're Millicent Degas. And I'm supposed to be Henri Degas." He reached across the car and opened the door. "Here on the trip of a lifetime for our honeymoon. Feel free to gawk."
I slid out and let him climb out behind me. Polite people in red uniforms lifted our luggage free of the car. Beryn took my arm and escorted me into the lobby. I didn't have to pretend to gawk. It was incredible. Waterfalls and plants and flowers and light played an intricate dance through a space that shouldn't have been able to exist in real life.
The desk was not a desk, it was a holographic projection of light dancing in waves. A woman in a black version of the red uniforms welcomed us and informed us our room was ready. Another woman in red waited patiently. Beryn slid his arm around me, playing his part. I pushed blond hair out of my face and giggled, playing mine.
Our room was only a third of the way up, a cube that hung out the side. Two of the walls were window, floor to ceiling. I had a sweeping view of the city, away from the spaceport. The buildings were all odd angles and strange architecture with trees interspersed in carefully random patches.
The woman in red showed us how to use the room's computer controls for entertainment, room service, and just about everything else. And then she left. My smile faded as the door slid shut. It was fake anyway.
I stood at the window, knowing no one could see in. No hotel would allow the privacy of its patrons to be compromised in such a way. The Patrol probably had special equipment that could see through the glass, but I doubted anyone else did.
Beryn dialed room service. "Beryngian shrimp in demois sauce," he said, mangling the pronunciation. "Never heard of it. You want some?"
"I'm not hungry." I wasn't. The longer I stayed away from Mart the more uneasy I got. I hated the feeling, hated being tied to him this way. And I hated knowing it was permanent.
The food came, a door sliding silently open and a soft chime sounding through the room. Beryn shifted it to the table and started sampling. He didn't like the shrimp. I paced restlessly between the windows. I could feel Mart getting closer.
A knock on the door startled me. "Not Mart," I said to Beryn.
"Are we not home? Or just otherwise occupied?" He leered. And then grinned. I couldn't help grinning back.
The knock came again. "Mr. Degas?" A female voice that sounded vaguely familiar. "Front desk. You requested assistance."
Beryn held up one of Lowell's tiny stunners. I held out my hand and he tossed it to me. I moved to a position where I wouldn't be seen but I could see who it was.
"Answer it," I mouthed to Beryn.
He undid half of his shirt and mussed his hair before opening it.
A stocky brunette in a red uniform stepped into the room. "You can put it down, Dace," she said as she slid the door closed. "I don't believe I've met you, though." She cocked her head at Beryn. "I'm Paltronis. Lowell asked me to meet you here."