Gates of Hell by Susan Sizemore Read Free Book Online Page B

She was bossy, and too smart for her own good. She was a musician, a koltiri, and held the rank of Scientist, the techno equivalent of Roxy’s Physician title. Reine was brilliant enough to have been granted a permanent berth on a Sector Ship, the most coveted posting in the United Systems. Her and her wife Betheny’s specialty for the last several years had been the reengineering of captured Trin technology and ordnance, which was something Roxy certainly wasn’t cleared to know about.
    Roxy adored her sister, admired her, fought with her, was fraught with her, and now frowned at the sight of her face on the flatscreen of one of the media center’s comm booths. They had similar features, of course. Both had heavy gold hair and big purple eyes; koltiri bred true. Both were tall. Reine was something of a slender willow woman, while Roxy had a more sturdy build, amazon to Reine’s high elf, in their father’s Terran terms.
    You’re calling
? She was even more surprised when Reine blocked the telepathic thought. “You’re calling?” Roxy repeated aloud.
    “There is a range for telepathic transmission,” Reine answered. “You’re somewhere out on the Rose border. I’m—not. It’s easier to call than to send.” Lying was not one of Reine’s many talents, and she looked foolishly uncomfortable doing it.
    We could find each other in hell
. No answer. O—kay. Roxy sat back and crossed her arms beneath her ample bosom. Several colored lights on the console and a stream of figures across the bottom of the flat screen told her just how secure this channel was. “Hope you’re not paying for this yourself.”
    “MedService is picking up the tab.” MedService was Roxy’s old outfit. Reine had always been MilService all the way. “I’ve been asked to deliver the message. They need koltiri working in hospitals and quarantine centers to combat this Sagouran Fever pandemic.”
    “I know.”
    “You’ve been asked nicely. Now it’s my turn.” Reine gave a toothy smile. “Time to come out and play, little sister.” Roxy shook her head. “You going, big sister?”
    “I can’t.”
    Roxy sat up straight, glaring at the woman who wouldn’t even talk to her properly. “But I’m supposed to go? Why aren’t you volunteering to leave your nice, safe haven? Rafe won’t let you?”
    “You’re the one married to the asshole.” Reine held up a hand before Roxy could make another sneering comment. “I’d volunteer if I could.”
    Reine let her get a sneer in this time. “Too busy working on classified projects? Too busy with all your husbands and wives?”
    “I only have one wife. She and Rafe send their love. And to Eamon,” she added after a noticeable pause. There was no mistaking the worry in Reine’s eyes when she added, “Martin’s not on board right now. The way this fever is jumping planets, having someone I love away from a safe environment is scary.”
    Roxy crossed her arms again. “You’re scared for your husband, but it’s all right for your sister to deliberately expose herself to contagion?”
    “He’s Terran, you’re—”
    “Half.”
    “A doctor as well as a healer, with vows and oaths and stuff to fix people. Your healing skills are needed more than your research right now. You used to work in hospitals.”
    “Eamon doesn’t want me to leave.”
    “So?”
    “We’ve got some promising research going.”
First, do no harm
. That was how the oath Reine had mentioned started. In some ways, it was safer for the rest of the galaxy to have her in hiding aboard a warship.
    “It’s not Eamon’s decision. Not as your captain, or as your husband.”
    “But it is yours?”
    “Aren’t we a little old for bickering?”
    “No.”
    Reine laughed. “I’d love to get into a really good fight with you, hon, but this is a ten-minute burst transmission. You don’t want me using all of MedService’s budget for this year, do you? You’re needed in your capacity as a koltiri healer, Dr.