My secrets? What secrets? Does he mean Ruth? Because our marriage isn't a secret. Kef, we've been trying to spread that particular bit of news all over the universe. "What are you talking about?"
He makes a trilling noise, his feet clicking as he slinks out of his chair. "I brought you a present. Come see, come see. Then we can discuss my payment for keeping your secrets."
Annoyed, I watch as he crosses the room over to the door in the back. I assumed it was a lavatory, but he pushes it open and gestures that I should follow him inside. Bist doesn't open the door enough for me to see what's in there, and my senses are on high alert. What does he mean, my secrets? The Buoyant Star? Something else pertaining to my mother and her schemes?
Whatever it is, this feels more like a shakedown than an actual assassination, so I put my hand on the door Bist went through and push it open. Inside is another small control room, this one with a person seated in front of the rows and rows of monitors. It's obvious from the way the woman peers at the controls—and the raggedy clothes she wears—that she's not the employee here. When she turns, the reason for Bist's subterfuge becomes obvious.
The woman wearing Ruth's face looks me up and down without recognition. "Who are you?"
79
RUTH
It's taking far too long for Straik to return. I pace in our quarters, just as he likes to do, but it doesn't calm my racing thoughts. I'm worried, and I've grown steadily more worried since Dopekh returned to the ship. Something about this doesn't sit right. I'm suspicious of the station in general, but especially that guy Bist, who doesn't like humans. I've learned from the a'ani that Bist is a race called a Threshian, and that Straik's people were in a nasty, nasty war with them for a long time…and lost. I didn't understand why my husband was working with that thing, but he told me that it's because Bist will keep a secret. Has to, or else Straik can turn him over just as quickly. It's a mutual blackmailing situation.
Which makes sense, but I still don't like it.
"How long does this take, Dopekh?" I whine for the dozenth time. "Shouldn't he be back now?"
"Bist could be discussing business with him," Dopekh says, ever the voice of reason. "There could be a dozen things keeping him later than anticipated. He can handle himself, Ruth."
I hate that he's being so logical. He sits at the little table in our room, trying to look calm and casual, except I know him better. His hand remains close to his gun and he keeps checking the comm panel across the room, as if waiting for a message to roll in. Dopekh doesn't know what's going on, but Straik sent him to reassure me.
Which doesn't reassure me at all, really.
I start pacing again when the comm panel chirps. "Captain is returning to ship," Aithar announces.
"Fucking finally," I breathe, rushing out of our chambers and heading for the portal that leads to the docking ramp. Straik is only allowed to get in trouble if I'm by his side, I decide. It's too worrying otherwise. He needs me with him so neither of us is worrying what the other is up to. We work better as a team anyhow.
I race through the ship, just in time for the doors to open and Straik steps in, all shoulders and tight-fitting black tunic. He's delicious looking, but his expression is strained, and my senses immediately go on red alert. I push toward him, my hands moving all over his body. "Are you hurt? You're pale. You look hurt. What happened?"
"Ruth," he murmurs.
"Yes?" I say at the same time someone else does.
That makes me pause. For the first time, I notice that there's someone standing behind him, between him and Kazex.
"Don't panic," Straik says softly.
I blink, because I'm not entirely sure what I'm looking at. There's a woman standing behind my husband, wrapped up in what looks like a dirty blanket. Her hair is long and black, and her face is filthy and turned away from me. Even so, my skin prickles with awareness.
The woman lifts her head. Our eyes meet and I suck in a breath.
It's my face.
She's wearing my face.
I whimper.
"Ruth, sweetheart," Straik says, cupping my face and forcing me to look at him instead of the woman behind him. "It's going to be all right."
"I'm a clone," I say, and I feel like I'm going to throw up. I can't think straight. I'm in shock. A cold, clammy sweat breaks out over my skin and my vision blurs. "Straik, I'm not me."
"Yes you are." His voice is desperate. "Nothing has changed, all right? You are exactly the same person you were thirty seconds ago."