Taming Miss Oberon - Part 2
01/11/1999 . Source: Geoff Willmetts 

A Psi-Kicks story by GF Willmetts.

'Robust as usual. Good respiratory and heart. Nothing out of the ordinary compared to Miss Oberon's regular medical reports I've written.'

Briefly translated. Normal for her but would be extra-ordinary for a Baseline human. Whatever the Fey did with their animal sharing didn't tend to come to the fore at a preliminary medical. Maxine Caruthers had never persuaded the Fey to carry telemetrical bugs in training. It wasn't on his schedule, but would be something worth asking the Fey to consider some time.

Kataya smiled at the doctor as she completed buttoning her shirt to just above her breasts. 'Paracrow tute, Doctor.'

The doctor nodded as the Fey and Blank left. If he was lucky, he might get a couple more hours sleep in a chair before his official hours started attempted to make sense of the results once again. His immediate boss seemed to work impossibly early and late hours. There was that odd smell again. Only slight but unprofessionally unsettling. An early morning dip in the pool would clear his head.

The early morning sea mist clouding them in as they walked across the Compound. It would be a fine day later, when the rest of the world woke up.

'I wish you'd told me you were using an alias', McKensie started. 'It would have saved some problems last night'.

'What alias, gorgio?'

'Kisaiya Matchka.'

'Oh that. First thing came into head.'

'Kitty Cat? Matchka's Romany for cat, isn't it?'

'How do you know, gorgio?'

'I do research, Miss Oberon. I read a lot. I like reading.'

'No one there speaks Romany, Mr. McKensie,' Kataya stopped and stared at him, 'Avoid giving clues about the Stable or self. We Oberon Clan learnt to be secretive generations ago. We travel. Everyone thing we Romany.'

'But not going as far as saying where you go at night...or what you're doing? You realise there's a potential assignment that means we might have to leave at short notice? I had no way to contact you. It was only an accident that I was where I was when we met.'

'Fhuh! Too soon after zoo visit. Scientists think settling down period works best.'

'So what did you do to settle down?'

'Hunting, gorgio. Sharing with tigers quite exhilarating. So is urge to hunt. Want directions for that? Roamed fifty miles. Then took mates for pub crawl.'

'And after the pub crawl?'

'Is own time, Mr. McKensie. Do with it who and what pleases.'

She stalked off and McKensie had to run a little to keep up. The Fey was obviously pissed about having to explain her movements, he decided.

'Take a bleeper next time, Miss Oberon. It'll make it easier to reach you.'

'Fhuh!'

End of conversation. Kataya Oberon was in Combat One before McKensie reached the observation booth. Yesterday's orders had been carried out. Camera positions had been changed. The assault course had also been modified. All targeting would be based on heat source. Unless the Fey could cut her body temperature, she would be under heavy attack.

It took half an hour for the Fey to return to the booth. By that time, Combat One was a wreck. Live ammunition had done serious damage to all the buildings and would need substantial repairs. Camera telemetry wasn't perfect but the Fey had been caught on film a couple times, largely from cross-connecting views he'd told the Techs to set up, making it impossible for her to avoid being seen.

'Bostaris! Baleneskoe bostaris! Did Grandfather put you up to this, Mr. McKensie?'

McKensie scratched the back of his neck. 'I got the impression you were finding these exercises too easy,Miss Oberon.'

'Never get this tough out in world.'

'And the Stable can't afford you to be complacent on assignment. Combat Four after lunch. They should have finished the upgrade there then. There's an arms specialist coming in tomorrow afternoon. He's to give you a run-down on these new heat trackers you might be encountering. We need an assessment as to whether they're being designed with someone like you in mind, but he doesn't need to know that.'

The second night, McKensie parked his pool car a short distance from the pub and waited. Keeping the Fey busy and occupied should have cut down her night time activities, he decided. According to the door alarm he set up, the Fey had left her room by eight. She hadn't taken the bleeper. Checking previous records, what little there were, indicated these spells of absenteeism appeared to happen only certain times of the month. Otherwise, she stayed in working her way through the video catalogue. They didn't always coincide with the tiger bonding or physical activity. Is this what Maxie had complained to the Fey about? The problem would lie with whether she would have these urges and vanish into the night while away on assignment. That would make her very much a liability.

The pub closely punctually at eleven and McKensie watched the Fey walk off with her date. It was obvious as they passed under the streetlights that her date was a different man. Was she using her pheromones to work her way through the local population? Or was there something else driving her out to socialise? From all reports, both the Fey and her Grandfather tended to be unobtrusive as much as possible. Journeying with the Romanies tended to make them elusive. This was totally against character. McKensie followed at a distance on foot but both Fey and her date suddenly vanished from sight.

The next afternoon, McKensie got to the arms specialist first. An army sergeant in his mid-30s. Dark, muscular and likely to be regarded as a potential beau to the amorous Fey. McKensie introduced him to the new neutraliser deodorant as a decontaminator before introducing the Fey. It was obvious from his own body reactions, having only lightly sprayed his clothes before dressing, that she was using her odour as the sergeant went over the heat trackers but he was quite unaware of its effect. McKensie issued orders to Elaine Forster that all the men on base were to use the same deodorant.

A similar one, based off what they discovered about Rex Oberon's pheromone, would be available for the women tomorrow. Same orders. Why? Experimental trial. Fortunately, both neutralisers appeared to carry a pleasant enough odour so no one would complain of smelling like carbolic soap. It would take a little longer to bring manufacturer levels up to supply the entire area but free samples would be available and distributed in the local villages tomorrow. It would even have the name 'Kisaiya Matchka' on the packing endorsing whatever she told them about her job. What the Stable wants, the Stable gets!

That night, McKensie watched the pub again from a different pool car. The Fey arrived on schedule with her entourage of men. Her animal-cross stamina might be astounding but he wondered how the men could keep up with her. After this afternoon, it would be important for the Fey to find out whether her pheromone was still working. It must have puzzled her. Would she figure out how he came up with the solution?

McKensie yawned. All this extra duty was tiring him out as well. With luck, the current problem with Kataya Oberon would be over tomorrow night and they could begin prepping for the assignment. Whether she would appreciate the change in her fortune would be debatable. Short of bugging her, he was still at a loss as to how she eluded him the night before. It wasn't like in the Compound where it was possible to use any outdoor sound as a distraction and move in and out of vision from some odd angle like a stage magician. It might be night but the street was too well lit to suddenly vanish. McKensie wasn't surprised when the Fey and her date did the same thing again that night.

The fourth day had McKensie reporting to collect an order package from Elaine Forster. Unlike their dealings with the other Psionics, the Stable Bureaucrats didn't have to resort to passing information through a computer chain to prevent themselves being scanned. He hadn't reported any problems and so the paperwork had come through for the assignment.

Alone in his office, McKensie read the assignment. Rio. Civilian passports for both of them as man and wife. Other identification. Traveller cheques. Loose cash. Very thorough. Honeymoon. Cute, you bastards! The Fey had to bring back the contents of a safe from a bank vault in a secure building in Rio's business district without being detected if possible. Details supplied. Information noted that these heat detection devices were being used here that had been sent to Combat One for practice. They had three days before they left. Quite why there was suddenly such a deadline wasn't clear. No doubt one of the Farsighters had scanned the area and the material was likely to be moved. Combat Four had a safe set-up. Several in fact. It was suggested they practice.

That afternoon, McKensie was left in an interesting position at seeing the Fey getting into safes. The first was rather easy. With one pointy ear against the safe door, her hand fiddled the combination lock and opened it in under a minute.

'I'm impressed, Miss Oberon, but what happens if it isn't quiet?'

'Do your best, Mr. McKensie.'

They moved to the next safe. McKensie hit the remote control that set off the loudspeaker system simulating a loud carnival taking place. The Fey gave a curt smile and began to work on the combination locks. This safe had a pair of them. McKensie raised the volume and it took the Fey twenty minutes before she gave up in frustration and thumped the safe in frustration. The Blank immediately killed the noise.

'No fair, McKensie', she complained. 'No place this noisy.'

'Yes there is. Rio. It's the middle of the carnival season over there. We've got three days to either prep you or ensure you're carrying the right tools to break in.'

McKensie examined the safe door. Where the Fey had hit it was a sizeable dent.

'Upstairs would also like you to leave no sign of entry, especially to the safe. It might delay anyone tracking us down leaving the country. They're going to be pretty pissed when the contents go missing...'

'Fhuh! Impossible to track. You know that. If anything, you excess baggage. Do deal, Mac. You stay home. I go, do job.'

'Fine. An unaccompanied woman in Rio? Height of the carnival season? You'll have the men around you like flies, even without your added attraction. We go together.'

'Fhuh! And you want single beds? Odd married couple.'

'Right about that, too. Now let's sort out what kind of extra equipment you might need to cut down the noise and how to smuggle or get it in Rio. Judging by the security equipment it almost looks like someone has been deliberately preparing against Psionics.'

The planning went on until nearly seven before they both decided upon a break until the next day. The heat sensors weren't impossible to beat except under blanket coverage. McKensie left orders to set up Combats One and Four with that arrangement before leaving for his own rendezvous.

Using a third pool car, he settled down behind the wheel down the road from the pub. The Fey's stamina was beginning to bother him. Would she want to sample the Rio night life during their assignment? She seemed to be using her night's off as a release valve from the Compound. Better to go with the Fey than let her loose on her own. He'd have to bring it out in the open before they went and that meant catching her out. Putting her on the spot would indicate that he was no...

TAP! TAP! TAP!

'Wha..?'

TAP! TAP! TAP!

Blurry-eyed, McKensie looked out into the dark. Someone was tapping on the car door window. Must have slept, he decided. Instinctively, he wound down the window.

'Yes? Can I help y...!'

Too dulled by his own sleep, McKensie could only watch as a hand pulled up the door safety and spring the catch. His adrenaline began to surge as he was dragged out and pushed against the wall. Too late! There were several hands holding him too firmly to struggle. There had to be three of them at least.

'If...if you're after my wallet, you're going to have to put me down.'

>Huff!!!<

One of them had hit him in the stomach. Another caught him in the kidneys. If they hadn't been holding him up, McKensie would have fallen.

'Pay attention, creep!'

They hit him again. Body blows. They were out to frighten him. They were succeeding.

'We don't like the way you been following the lady Kat.'

'You're frightening her. Watching what she does. Where she goes. Who with...'

'You don't belong here. Stay away or you'll get more of the same.'

'Get another job...'

Without the hands holding him against the wall, McKensie was sure he'd have been on the floor by now. Training had never equipped him for a mugging, let alone this kind of beating. Felt sick. Ready to puke...

'Paul? George? John?', a familiar voice called. 'You boys taking long time to piss. Toilets not good enough for y...Bengako tan!'

McKensie was really past caring as he slid to the ground, expecting the boot to be put in to finish the job. Just what he needed. The Fey to gloat over him.

'Caught your stalker, Kat.'

'He won't bother you again.'

'He'll leave you alone after this.'

The Fey's pheromone reached his nose. McKensie decided that if he was going to heaven, this was probably the best smell to remember, even if he wasn't affected by it any more.

'Bengako tan! Never asked you bostaris to protect me. Piss off before getting into any more trouble. Will see he don't raise charges. Go before the poknies...police get here.'

'But...'

'We thought...'

'You know what thinking did you? Go!! Bugger off before get arrested! He's doing job, is all. He'd get you banged up for years.'

'Well, all right, Kat. If you think it's best...'

McKensie tried to move, but could only hear footfalls retreating. He lent over and puked into the gutter.

'You daft bugger, Mac.'

Kataya crouched down and held McKensie's head to her breast. The Blank thought she was weeping before he passed out.

'You really don't know nothing, do you?'

o O o

'Oooh!'

'You groan, Mac. Therefore you live.'

McKensie opened one eye. Then the other. The light was dim. He moved his head to look around and was hit by a cracking headache. As his head crashed back onto the pillow, the Blank knew that this wasn't his room. It looked like the Fey's. He really was in the tiger's den.

The next thing he knew was a cold poultice was being placed on his forehead.

'Head better now, Mac?'

McKensie opened his eyes. The lights were still dim. Looking down on him was the Fey. Her pupils wide and dark, compensating for the low light, looking down on him.

'How'd you get me here? Should be in the infirmary.'

'And what will doctor do? Rio two days away. Doctor ground you. Mission aborted. Another Blank. Don't want no greenhorn.'

'What time is it?'

'Nearly dawn. Don't move, Mac. You plenty bruised.'

'Your friends?'

'They thought you peeping tom. Tatto ratti se len. They hot blooded. Concerned about welfare. Mine.'

McKensie tried to chuckle. 'They...they can't know you that well.'

'I'm no dinnelo, Mac.'

'Dinnelo?'

'I'm no fool, Mac. I'm a romani chohawni. The Romanies called Oberon Clan witches. They trade myth for Clan protection. Deep, deep secret. Who believes myths? Gorgios see myth not reality. Some Romanies think us myths. Being with Stable more public. Not likely to reveal Oberon potential outside other Psionics.'

'So why the...>cough!<...social life?

'Rest now, Mac. Sleep. I have to practice.'

'Don't want to sleep...'

'Yes you will, Mac. Be good gorgio...'

'.....!!'

o O o

'Mmmm...that smells good? What is it?'

'Food. Medicine. Something Clan taught a little to Romanies. Little more time to cook.'

'What time is it?'

'Eleven. Morning.'

'Geeze!' McKensie attempted to sit up and groaned loudly as his muscles gave their own protest. 'Christ!'

'Hush. Hush, Mac', Kataya chided him. 'Told Lieutenant Forster you off base. Want to compromise self ethics found in my bedroom?'

McKensie gave another groan, albeit more suppressed. This time for the situation he was in rather than his body pains.

'There, there', the Fey continued. 'Listen, Mac. Going to roll you over. Massage muscles. Blood circulating removes bruises. Then we eat.'

McKensie felt cold air sweep his body as the bed clothes were pulled away. The Fey expertly turned him over as he realised he was completely naked. The pain was still too much to be bothered about anything. It was enough to initially register that the lights were only slightly brighter than earlier. He turned slightly to look at the Fey as he saw her arm. The fine hairs on her forearm were orange tinged with black, like the hair on her head. Made them stand out distinctively rather than being purely hirsute. A pair of cat's eyes looked down on him. How did she hide that Fey potential in public?

'Nothing wrong with vision, Mac. See, am here.' She waved her hand in front of his eyes and watched as he followed her fingers. Unspoken, they had checked for any possible concussion from his mugging.

'Good. No head injury. Said they didn't mean serious harm.'

Expert hands than began to knead his back muscles in a thorough fashion. They were a deep caress than the comparative thumping another masseur gave him a couple years back. Backed by tiger-shared enforced muscles that shouldn't be a surprise, he decided.

Later, he was able to sit up with some assistance, surrounded by pillows supporting him, to eat. The Fey sat cross-legged on the bed eating her favoured shredded raw beef from a bowl that she had retrieved from the canteen. His dish had been filled from the cooking pot in the corner and supplied with a spoon that spared his fingers. It was basically a chicken and vegetable broth and an assortment of unrecognisable, at least to him, herbs.

'You did it again when you came in', McKensie said.

'What was that, Mac?' Her voice was calm and even.

'The door opened and then suddenly you were there. You couldn't have just edged into sight in the doorway. It couldn't have been speed either. How'd you do that? It's been bugging me for days.'

Kataya sighed. 'Not letting rest until answer, are you, Mac?'

'Your grandfather did the same thing when I first saw him. Suddenly there! Does this just happen to me or do you suddenly appear to everyone that way?'

'Is that big problem, Mac? Cameras still see me.'

'Only if you get in their way. Something you've been diligently showing me you avoid.'

Kataya Oberon stared without answering and then swallowed the last of her shredded beef.

'Look, Miss...Kataya. I'll keep it off the record if this is some sort of Clan secret. Are you Fey generally invisible to people until eye contact?'

'What you see in pub, Mac?'

'Everyone saw you as you came in.'

'Fhuh! So much for theory.'

'But you did look around...'

'Mac, not invisible to Baselines or Psionics. Grandfather think only Blanks have problem.'

It was McKensie's turn to pause before speaking. 'You looked straight at me. You knew I was there.'

The Fey fingered her nose. 'Good nose. Even new silly deodorant don't conceal smell.'

No secret about the deodrant then. Better to continue as if she was already informed in the subject. 'What does the deodorant smell like?'

'My Grandfather. Thought him there couple nights ago then saw you watching me. You steal his underwear, too, gorgio? Lost mine couple days back. Thought laundry early.'

'When did you find out it was me?'

'Found packet in your mailbox getting your clothing and books. Had a peak. You no cross-dresser. My size. Thought you buy me present. Then realised mine already. Had them cleaned.'

'You're not angry?'

'Should I? Never thought neuter Blank interested in Fey.'

'Probably won't now. That deodorant cancels out your pheromone. It's been circulated here and the village. Just sorting out a loose end.'

'Giving friends time to think about you than me. You daft bugger, McKensie. Think no one cares without pheromone? Locals like for self. Nearly use to smell. Keeps them focused. Can keep them in place with no help now.'

'It probably helps.'

'Only problem when in season...in heat.'

'Which is?'

'Distraction. Thought you wanted explanation about your sight? This different topic.'

McKensie collected his thoughts as he finished his meal but all he could really do was yawn. The Fey was being evasive now and he was tiring. There were solutions to both problems if he could frame...frame the right questions.

'Tired? Sleep, Mac. Talk later. Rest do good. Combat Four waits. Will try better there...'

o O o

McKensie woke feeling immensely aroused. Straddling him was the Fey kneading his chest. His hands groped for the sheet but it was either out of his reach or missing. If the Fey had been naked such actions could have been regarded with a more sexual motive. In this situation, he could hardly deny the effect she was having on him. Then again, she seemed more intent on his chest than what she was doing to his loins. It didn't need the pheromone this time. This was strictly a male reaction to the presence of a woman. At least, he hoped that was all it was.

'Er, Kataya...Kat?'

'Yes, Mac?'

'The blood's moving to other parts of my body.'

Without looking around, a hand reached around and placed a little pressure beneath his erection that quickly deflated. Unconcerned, her hand didn't dwell at his groin but went back to kneading his chest before moving to his left shoulder.

'Better?'

'Er...Yes. Thanks.'

'Could work from side but these muscles deep and needed weight. You don't fall well.'

'Don't remember falling. I'll try to be more careful in future.' McKensie decided to look for a different subject. 'How was Combat Four?'

'Cannelo bostaris! You expect safe protected like this?'

'Upstairs said to expect the worse. So I made it as bad as it could go. Placed cameras and sensors in ways that gave blanket coverage. Figured there might be a level of sound-proofing. Agreed with you about keeping sound out, but that was the only concession. If it's easier it'll be a cinch. Didn't want you complacent. Why?'

The Fey switched to his right shoulder. 'Need a povo-guero...a mole to dig under than me to go through or over?'

'Do any of your Clan have that attribute?'

Kataya stopped and looked into McKensie's eyes before giving a wide mouthed chuckle at his more wry smile. Her fangs might not protude out of her mouth but they were extremely distinctive and looked sharp.

'Not good option. Limited vision. There's Auntie Badger...'

'Auntie Badger?'

'You'd like her, gorgio. Good tunneller. Too bad she busy.'

'What happened? You change the subject when you want to avoid something. Did you keep the tape?'

With easy movement, the Fey rolled off his chest and padded across to the television and pushed a video into the slot. Now she was standing, McKensie could see she was wearing a loose tee-shirt and mini-briefs. He couldn't help noticing in the poor light that the fine hairs on her legs were as decidedly tiger-stripped as her arms. Rather decorative and pretty. Inhibitions didn't seem to belong to this creature, he decided. The deodorant couldn't have lasted this long, surely? What was that she said? Possible to get use to it?!! What? The smell or the effect it caused?

She came and sat next to him as McKensie slowly moved himself more upright in the bed. It no longer seemed necessary to hide his nakedness. A couple cats that must have entered her rooms this time, decided to jump up and join them on the bed. Kataya absent-mindedly smoothed one of their pelts as the other curled up by her leg and she swept the sheet over him.

Probably to prevent any of the cats from scratching me, McKensie decided.

The screen showed the scene in the distinctive sniperscope green. In the bottom left hand corner was the date, time and notice 'Combat One'. Very light streaks indicated the position of the heat sensors beams. These weren't like the home-user or even standard security. They were extremely wide-beam.

'Can your night vision spot them?'

'Enough to spot them when dark, Mac. A tech left the lights off and the hazard went up. Something neither of us thought. Compensates for normal light.'

'I'll give him a medal. I took it for granted that they'd leave the lights on. Easier to film. With these sensors they wouldn't need them.'

'Watch show, Mac.'

The Fey suddenly appeared on the screen, green sniperscope filter, seemingly dodging the beams and crashing into the safe. The lights came up and she removed three darts from her back. Kataya touched a remote pause control.

'Tech says they would have been linked to a firing mechanism. As soon as I hit the safe door, the heat goes up and dead Fey if played real.'

'Shit!'

'Tried again.'

The video continued. The Fey dodged in a longer pattern before getting to the safe and kept ducking the darts as her hand reached for the combination lock. The video timer has slowed down, compensating for the speed she was moving. The sixth time a dart connected with the back of her hand and she smashed the lock with her bare hand as the lights came up. The camera focused on the dent in the lock. The video paused briefly and then Kataya turned it off.

'I take it the Tech was watching?' McKensie turned to look at her as Kataya nodded.

'Wouldn't let me do the test alone. Refused to load weapons with real bullets.'

'Good decision. What did you tell him?'

'Said was bionic. Have to upgrade security clearance, Mac. Said big secret. Little more pay. Is OK?'

McKensie sighed. 'A small price. He did a good job.'

'No better getting into safe. Couldn't smash lock open either.'

'What happened at Combat Four?'

Kataya turned on the video and forwarded it a couple feet. The left-hand corner declared 'Combat Four'.

The scene wasn't exactly the same and the camera views panned around keeping up with her. The Fey wasn't avoiding the beams this time but jumping up and around at the heat sensors. With a gymnastic grace she disabled two of the four before moving in on the safe. Listening intently, Kataya rapidly spun the combination lock and stopped as the lights came up. An auxiliary camera by the side of the safe showed the scene behind. A man, presumably the Tech, was standing there in combat gear with a rifle aimed at the Fey.

'Bang! Bang!' He hadn't fired. Just spoke the words.

'Disabling sensors activated guard alarm. Didn't stop safe heat sensor either. Thirty seconds not enough.'

'Christ! Not when you have to get to, in and out of the room as well.'

'Not want suicide mission, Mac. Ideas needed?'

The Fey rolled off the bed and went to the corner where she dished out some more of her unique chicken broth for the Blank and brought it back to him.

'Thermal suit. Reduce your heat signature.'

'Saw Lancier video demonstration. Looked like tyre-man 'fore it exploded.'

'Yeah! I saw that too. Chris said his body drained the inner heat thermal unit and shorted out system trying to compensate for his heat demands.'

'Would reduce speed. Lose heat like Psionics.'

'Reduce room temperature?'

'Only sharpens sensor difference. This Rio, Mac. Always warm. Such places air-conditioned.'

'Psionic heat signatures would stand out in any hot climate anyway. This looks like a tailored device against Psionics.'

'Doubt Baseline human would penetrate either. Too high up for assault.'

The Fey handed the broth and a spoon to McKensie and sat watching him eat.

'Upstairs must think your chances of succeeding are better than the other Psionics', he said after a couple mouthfuls. 'The Farsighters usually suggest the Psionics with the better chances of succeeding.'

'Met once. Chatter endlessly. Reality always changing. Probability only favour. Not exact. Reality still cheats when lest expect.'

'Right. Sorry. I think it would be a mistake to rely totally on your abilities. Shield against the ammunition. Block the lift.'

'Still need to get out after. Would still set off alarms. Not covert.'

'I don't think that option is going to be that available to us...you. The priority is getting the safe contents out. The second is getting out of Rio without causing too much attention. No rush on that. Contents aren't supposed to be there that long. That's the only time priority. They're bound to watch the airport and port. Assuming they know who they're looking for.'

Kataya watched him for a few moments as he thought about the problem. 'This turn you on, Mac. The planning. The battle. The bloodlust. Better than camova...sex? Better than books?'

McKensie flushed scarlet. 'I...well, I...It's my job to think and plan...Being a Blank doesn't mean we don't have any other talents. It's nothing personal.'

'Really have no idea what I cope with, do you, Mac? Tiger in blood is more than physique.' She got up and slipped on a pair of jeans and sneakers. 'Just worry 'bout me mixing with locals. What for? 'Fraid I'd kill anyone? Control Baselines by pheromones? Fhuh! Why kill? Your 'crats think too highly of such simple task. You need to think more.'

'I...I...Yeah! That was there, but...'

'Tech is resetting Combat Four for more work. Told him do job alone for security. Read book.'

The Fey threw one of his books into McKensie's lap as she left. It was one on tigers.

o O o

Kataya Oberon arrived back much later with a large bowl of shredded beef. She seemed a combination of tired and elation as she dished out a bowl of Mac's own chicken dinner. It didn't appear to lose anything with its extended cooking.

Her hair was wet. The orange in her hair hadn't lost any of its translucent quality. Mac decided she had probably showered in the Combat bay before returning. He had finally managed to shower himself and dressed in his pyjamas. Not so much to be a prude but to be comfortable. Probably conditioning to be dressed, McKensie decided, but it was something he preferred. Naked he was totally at her mercy and she wouldn't need to smell to spot any body reaction. The bruises were coming out and no longer hurt, but it was still obvious he'd had a beating.

'How'd it go?'

She opened a cupboard full of video tapes and slotted one into the video recorder before settling down next to him on the bed.

'We go in morning. Want to rest, Mac. Think on problem.'

The opening credits of the 'Die Hard' film started to roll.

'Bruce Willis?!'

'Fhuh! Film has man roaming infra-structure of building.'

'It's fantasy.'

The Fey turned and gave a grin. 'Shows Baseline mindset thinking. I like action films!'

'With what you do, it's more like a busman's holiday?'

'Busman's holiday?' she echoed puzzled.

'Busman who works on a bus also spends his holiday time on a bus. No change in life style. You watching action films is doing the same thing. They can't do a quarter of the things you're capable of. Why not have a change? What about a romantic movie?'

'Romance films voyeurish! Prefer doing than watching. You like them? We watch one?'

'Er..No...Not particularly, but they're supposed to be more feminine.'

'Fhuh! See enough men's asses in action films.'

'Including Bruce Willis?!'

'Too fatty. Needs more exercise. Lousy tailor. Only supplied with grey vests.'

'What about Science Fiction or horror? Plenty of action films there? Including super-human lookalikes.'

'Show me sometime.'

'OK. I'm no expert on them though.'

They both settled down to watch the movie. The Fey sat cross-legged at the top of the bed next to the Blank, quite intent on the video. McKensie found himself watching her as much as the screen. A couple of the cats joined them on the bed. Half way through, Kat rolled off the bed and prepared them both drinks from a small cocktail cabinet.

'Not into beer like your Grandfather?'

'You like beer?'

'Prefer fruit juice.'

She then added the contents of his glass to her own and flicked the top of a fruit juice bottle and poured it into his glass and handed it to him. McKensie could still taste the alcohol in the glass as she settled back on the bed.

'What are you drinking? Car battery acid?'

'Keeps camova under control.'

'Camova? Isn't that Romany for lust.'

'Learn quickly, Mac. Stops tiger problem.'

'This isn't going to be a problem in Rio?'

Kataya Oberon gave him a coy look and licked her lips. 'Worried I molest you, Mac?'

'That book was quite explicit: Tigresses are on heat for two days a month where they mate up to two hundred times in that period. Where do you hide their bodies, Kat?'

'What bodies, Mac?'

'All those male hunks you must burn out on those pub crawls you go on with that pheromone working over-time. When you're on heat.'

'You see them already. Some of them mugged you, Mac. They just drinking mates. Too drunk to notice. No lunneny.'

'I saw you walking home with a different man each night.'

'Fhuh! Jealous?!'

'I..No! Just fill me in on some gaps in my education. What's the difference between tiger and Fey when on heat? Your Grandfather says the Fey part over-rides animal instinct. You'd walk through fire where a tiger wouldn't. I'd have thought with sex the drives would be even but couldn't be avoided. What dominates?'

Kat sighed. 'Neither. Drink dims the urge. Help home mate most drunk. Silly buggers started taking it in turns getting rat-assed for privilege. No memory of anything. Pheromone makes think they had good time. Asleep to world. Cock wouldn't hold flag in wind if awake. Only mates. Not lovers.'

'Not angry about me asking?'

Kat kissed him on the cheek. 'I not worry. Watch film yes? Then sleep. We then very busy.'

o O o

'It's all a question of your temperature', McKensie told her. 'Get it changed by a couple degrees for a few minutes and we'd...you'd have an easier time.'

'Fhuh! Pity can't arrange indoor snowstorm', the Fey muttered back. 'Bostaris air-conditioned room is problem.'

Both of them looked out at the heat-hazed Rio tarmac, waiting for the air-con bus to arrive and whisk them out into the city from the Aeroporto Galeáo. It was tropical hot. The Fey was clearly amused with McKensie's attempts at Portuguese for some reason. Studying the phrase book on the plane wasted the hours but hadn't exactly endeared him to the language. It wasn't quite the same as his crash-course in Romany where much of the time it was a matter of understanding word substitution. This was a different grammar.

The temperature was humid and hot. Somewhere in the early 30s. They were tourists amongst tourists. All of them sweating together, although McKensie doubted if Kat was sweating. She was wearing a designer trouser-suit and hat, but this was more to do with hiding her appearance. The Fey had flatly refused to have her arms and legs shaved. Her streaked hair wouldn't look out of the ordinary in today's fashions. The fine hairs on her arms gave little indication at her exposed wrists. She would have a perfect disguise out in the carnival atmosphere but not here at the airport. Immigration Control had passed no comment at a woman dressed such in a humid climate.

Then again, they had probably seen enough eccentric tourists anxious to avoid being sunburnt, too. Probably couldn't care less if they were a honeymoon couple or not either. Judging by the other couples in the group it was probably a suitable cover than to make everyone believe they'd been married for a couple years. He was sure the hotel would make a fuss over them, but that kind of attention would work in their favour. Who in their right mind would think a honeymoon couple would want to leave their bedroom at night?

Holding onto the Fey's waist, McKensie could whisper in her ear less obtrusively. It might not be as effective as the full Psionics spaking mind to mind but it beats the deadly silent they often presented in such situations and then continued the conversation verbally without a change in beat.

Once in the city, they'd be tourists amongst tourists. It was only at the airport that they might be vulnerable to being spotted. It was a myth to believe one could be truly hidden in such places. Airports might move tens of thousands of people, but this number would be reduced when looking at specific flights. You stop still long enough and someone would eyeball you to either to pick your pocket or to con some money. The ghetto kids loved American dollars or 'Anglish' pounds. There weren't that many European flights and the numbers could be counted in hundreds as they left the planes. If whoever the opposition were knew who they were looking for, it would cause problems. They had far too much information to not be taking any Psionic threat seriously. It couldn't be a fluke that these detection devices had been chosen. No one moved anywhere without someone taking interest if they wanted to. That wasn't their problem. Getting in and out of the safe should be their only worry. He had a nagging feeling that life was never worked in such a linear fashion.