were contaminated by viruses and though they aren't harmful to Delroi, they are to humans." Scowling, she turned to face him. The crate had already been unloaded. "I thought you were trying to see what the effects of combining our DNA were?"
"Yes." He turned to a counter, motioning her to follow him to a microscope. She looked through the lens and caught her breath when she saw the HIV5 virus being attacked and killed by foreign looking blood cells. She straightened and met his gaze, waiting for him to tell her what she'd seen. "That's one of the diseased samples combined with Delroi blood." 96
Leaving Earth
by Loribelle Hunt
"You have a natural antigen."
He nodded.
"Is it dangerous to us?"
This time he shrugged. "We don't know yet." As fascinating as it was, the research wasn't her primary reason for visiting the lab. "Who else had access to these crates?" she asked, trying to sound casual. Maybe he'd assume she was worried about exposure for the humans on planet. He narrowed his eyes but answered.
"Everyone in the lab. They arrived the same day you did. Usually we'd let the techs unload them, but Adam stayed late to do it." Pausing, he ground his teeth together. She just kept from cringing at the soft scraping sound. "You think they have something to do with the explosion." A statement. Not a question. Was she that transparent?
This time she shrugged. She was gathering information, not giving it away. "Who are the techs?"
"You should really let the Overchief handle this. Or better yet, Barak Trace."
She stared him down and with a sigh he continued. "This is dangerous, Lady Torfa, but I can see you aren't going to let it go. There are two techs that work on our project. Daire and Hakon." She ignored his calling her by the honorific and Daggar's family name. Daggar seemed to think she belonged to him and apparently so did his men. She'd deal with that later.
"I thought Daire was a nurse?"
"Yes, but she's studying to be a healer and part of the practicum is research."
97
Leaving Earth
by Loribelle Hunt
"I see." And she hoped she was jumping to all the wrong conclusions. She'd liked the efficient young woman. It would suck if it turned out she was involved in the attempt on Daggar's life.
She looked around the gleaming white lab, overcome with sadness again. She was so sick of death and destruction, had hoped with the peace treaty those days were behind them, but it appeared that hatred was still the rule of the day. Back in the royal family's quarters, Daggar shifted, coming awake and she felt him reach out for her, felt the mental probe against her mind. He enveloped her in comfort, support. She wanted nothing more than to return to his rooms and let him hold her until she forgot the world. And she would, but not quite yet. She felt his anger at her determination before he withdrew. She felt the loss like a punch, a big aching hole in her stomach and almost changed her mind about returning to him right away. Hardening her resolve, she turned to leave. "Thanks for answering my questions, Tallus."
He didn't look like he appreciated the thank you at all, so she left quickly. It was bad enough to get lectured by Daggar, she wasn't putting up with it from a stranger. Outside the infirmary, she turned on the corridor that led to the common area and the Earth contingent offices beyond that. She shivered at the thought of seeking the Ambassador out, but no matter how distasteful she found the man, it had to be done. It seemed obvious that someone on Earth had smuggled the bomb to Delroi in the biohazard cases and that person was most likely a human with access to military 98
Leaving Earth
by Loribelle Hunt
ordinance. Once on planet, the rest of the task fell to a Delroi. One of the techs or were they merely part of the delivery system? And how far did the conspiracy spread? Did the Ambassador know? Had Dr. Peters known? She thought not, suspected he was dead because he found the device in his blood samples and
"Yes." He turned to a counter, motioning her to follow him to a microscope. She looked through the lens and caught her breath when she saw the HIV5 virus being attacked and killed by foreign looking blood cells. She straightened and met his gaze, waiting for him to tell her what she'd seen. "That's one of the diseased samples combined with Delroi blood." 96
Leaving Earth
by Loribelle Hunt
"You have a natural antigen."
He nodded.
"Is it dangerous to us?"
This time he shrugged. "We don't know yet." As fascinating as it was, the research wasn't her primary reason for visiting the lab. "Who else had access to these crates?" she asked, trying to sound casual. Maybe he'd assume she was worried about exposure for the humans on planet. He narrowed his eyes but answered.
"Everyone in the lab. They arrived the same day you did. Usually we'd let the techs unload them, but Adam stayed late to do it." Pausing, he ground his teeth together. She just kept from cringing at the soft scraping sound. "You think they have something to do with the explosion." A statement. Not a question. Was she that transparent?
This time she shrugged. She was gathering information, not giving it away. "Who are the techs?"
"You should really let the Overchief handle this. Or better yet, Barak Trace."
She stared him down and with a sigh he continued. "This is dangerous, Lady Torfa, but I can see you aren't going to let it go. There are two techs that work on our project. Daire and Hakon." She ignored his calling her by the honorific and Daggar's family name. Daggar seemed to think she belonged to him and apparently so did his men. She'd deal with that later.
"I thought Daire was a nurse?"
"Yes, but she's studying to be a healer and part of the practicum is research."
97
Leaving Earth
by Loribelle Hunt
"I see." And she hoped she was jumping to all the wrong conclusions. She'd liked the efficient young woman. It would suck if it turned out she was involved in the attempt on Daggar's life.
She looked around the gleaming white lab, overcome with sadness again. She was so sick of death and destruction, had hoped with the peace treaty those days were behind them, but it appeared that hatred was still the rule of the day. Back in the royal family's quarters, Daggar shifted, coming awake and she felt him reach out for her, felt the mental probe against her mind. He enveloped her in comfort, support. She wanted nothing more than to return to his rooms and let him hold her until she forgot the world. And she would, but not quite yet. She felt his anger at her determination before he withdrew. She felt the loss like a punch, a big aching hole in her stomach and almost changed her mind about returning to him right away. Hardening her resolve, she turned to leave. "Thanks for answering my questions, Tallus."
He didn't look like he appreciated the thank you at all, so she left quickly. It was bad enough to get lectured by Daggar, she wasn't putting up with it from a stranger. Outside the infirmary, she turned on the corridor that led to the common area and the Earth contingent offices beyond that. She shivered at the thought of seeking the Ambassador out, but no matter how distasteful she found the man, it had to be done. It seemed obvious that someone on Earth had smuggled the bomb to Delroi in the biohazard cases and that person was most likely a human with access to military 98
Leaving Earth
by Loribelle Hunt
ordinance. Once on planet, the rest of the task fell to a Delroi. One of the techs or were they merely part of the delivery system? And how far did the conspiracy spread? Did the Ambassador know? Had Dr. Peters known? She thought not, suspected he was dead because he found the device in his blood samples and
Similar Books
