Destiny's Forge

Excerpt:
Antonia made sure that the corridor was clear before entering the darkness of her room. She had programmed the lights to come up to half-level brilliance only when she keyed them, and she seldom did so except to complete the odd report or two, preferring starlight. She unholstered her weapon and put it on the desk, stripped off the top layers of her uniform and dropped it into the laundry bin, then reached for her night shirt.
She was halfway into it when a deep velvety male voice came to her from behind. “You have shattered all my illusions,” it said. “I used to think you slept in the nude.”
Startled, Antonia sprang back onto her berth. Her hands became claws and her body tensed into a battle stance. “Orsini?” she hissed. “What should I call you now?”
The tall stranger ambled over calmly and appraised her with a look of complete arrogance. He looked almost ordinary in his uniform, his hair now cut regulation short, but his dark eyes were just as compelling as ever. “You thought I was dead,” he observed, his generous lips curled into a cynical smirk. “I am touched by your concern.”
Antonia glanced at the alarm controls and saw that they had been stripped out. Her sidearm was sitting on the desk out of reach within a hand's length of his grasp. His tall lean body blocked her way to the door. “What are you doing here?” she asked. “Are you responsible for the sabotage? I thought such tactics to get attention were beneath you.”
“So many questions. So what if I am? How are you going to stop me?”
She did not reply at first. Then she said, “I will think of something. Do not forget that you, too, are in a compromising position. All I have to do is tell the captain who you are --”
“But you won't,” he said, his face growing hard. Then it relaxed and he chuckled. “Come, I cannot harm you. We need not involve these others. You and I are too much alike. You should give in to your instincts and learn from me.” Orsini moved closer still and sat on the bed just inches from her body. Antonia edged back until she collided with the bulkhead. “If you do not cooperate and keep silent about my presence here I will be forced to do something drastic. Perhaps even kill one of your friends.”
“I would have thought that blackmail is beneath you,” she ventured. “But then, you are a murderer as well, aren't you? Did you kill Ventana?”
The spy shrugged. “Ventana got in my way. I had no other choice. But I have to protect my secrets just as you must protect yours. And if I have to resort to blackmail, then so be it.”
“What do you want? Why are you here?”
“Thus far I have tried to prevent the Forge from entering this region of space and discovering the little experiment my employers have attempted. I admire Captain Gray's determination. My little software diversion only slowed him down. I regret what happened to the professor but he interfered and paid the price. I did not expect the signal to be so powerful.”
“If Kovacic was not your target then perhaps it was me. I was there when it happened.”
“True you have been a pain in my ass but I like you too much. I did not intend such damage.”
“Your innocence in the affair has yet to be proven,” she said.
Orsinis looked up at the ceiling and blew out a puff of breath. “I know I cannot convince you to believe me, but I am telling you the truth.”
What are your employers trying to do?” she asked.
“That is for me to know and you to find out. You should know that if the experiment is a success it will open a way for an old enemy of yours to return home. Now I am powerless to stop the Forge from being destroyed during the next phase of the experiment. Short of writing a love note I am not sure what I can do to convince Captain Gray to back off without risking discovery. And you, my dear, should not have interfered during your meeting with Minister Velok.”
Her cheeks suddenly felt hot. “What you are talking about?”
“I know what you did, don't deny it. You will be disappointed to learn that the destruction of my tiny bug caused little damage to my auditory system.”
Orsini/Szelling's hand lashed out, caught her leg and pulled her down roughly onto the bunk. He leaned over her and held her easily as she struggled to get free, and he was far stronger than she could even imagine. Antonia twisted her head to avoid his lips but his mouth and breath caught her in their trap and she quieted gradually.
“You have no idea how long I've wanted to taste you, to take you as mine,” he said. “I want you badly, but I can't afford to have you running around foiling my plans.” He kissed her again to stop her words of protest.
Antonia found herself responding, then fought for contol and managed to find it. Szelling seemed to sense this and released her abruptly. “I want you to think about what I have offered you in exchange for your silence. When those little red pills run out you know you just have to ask me for a booster. I'll be around, if you can find me.”
He rose smoothly and glided toward the door, paused and pointed toward her pistol. “Oh, and keep your weapon with you. The next time we meet I might not be so taken by your charms.”
Then he was gone. Antonia went to the door and keyed the lock. Her mind was awhirl with desperation. Now she knew he was using the power he possessed to cloud the other crew members' minds and escape detection, or he would have already been caught. She needed to break through the illusion he projected and reveal Orsini for what he really was without exposing herself. She wondered why he was so willing to help her now, so free with the information. She was not sure which side he was on, or if he was playing both sides against the middle. But his revelation that someone was trying to create an artificial stargate in this space told her that she was close to the end of her quest.