by Reagan Woods
“I’m telling you,” a familiar, female voice sounded far away to Willa’s confused mind. “This a bad idea. We should turn around.”
How did she know that voice?
“We’ve travelled through the jump gate. It is already done,” Balcar’s implacable rumble vibrated through Willa’s ears.
“This is foolish.” The female, Willa realized she was whispering, sounded sad. “This is not how you treat women from Earth.”
“The females and their babes will be safe. I have to go check on the others.”
Babes…? It hadn’t been a dream. Willa slowly opened her eyes, squinting against the white glare.
“Look who’s decided to rejoin the land of the living.” Priya gave Willa a strained smile and helped her into a sitting position.
She was in a med bay, Willa surmised. “How long have I been out?” she forced the words through dry lips.
“A while. Have some water.” Priya tilted an oddly shaped bottle to Willa’s mouth and helped her drink.
“I’m better now, thanks,” Willa said after a few swallows. “So…where are we?”
“We’re on a stealth supply runner bound for Corian space,” Priya replied, her pretty brown eyes troubled.
“I see.” The conversation she’d overheard between Priya and Balcar suddenly made sense. A baby…she couldn’t even wrap her mind around that unexpected development. “And the Commander? Where is he?”
Priya sat on the edge of the tall cot and took both of Willa’s hands in hers, “Commander Tiron expects more trouble, so he’s sending you someplace safe.”
“Where?”
“To his family on Cor II,” Priya informed her.
Other than Sister Mary Felicia, she’d never trusted anyone enough to get close to her heart. And what of the one male she’d let in? He’d sent her away.
“Let me get this straight,” Willa began calmly. “He found out I was pregnant, and decided that it would be a grand idea to pass me off to a bunch of strangers. On an alien planet. Because of the danger of a battle that might happen?” Her voice rose with each sentence, anger burning through her fear.
“I’m sure – “
Willa cut the other woman off. “He couldn’t be bothered to say goodbye?”
Priya winced, “Yeah, it was a lame move.”
Willa drew in deep, calming breaths. She needed a moment to digest all of this. There were too many thoughts and emotions swirling through her head. Shock was at the fore of her emotions. He had looked so angry when he had heard she was pregnant.
But he was sending her to his family so that must mean he cared a little bit about her, right?
Family. Just the thought sent a shudder of apprehension through Willa. She hadn’t ever been a part of anything like that. What if they didn’t like her?
“How long until we arrive?” Space travel took a significant amount of time. The Starship Enterprise roamed around space for decades. She probably had plenty of time to prepare for meeting Tiron’s family.
“We’re only about a day away, I’m told.”
“Well, at least I’ll know someone.” Willa needed to think positively. They would love her. She could do this. There was no reason to get over emotional.
“Um…Balcar and I will be heading on to Cor I after we drop you off. We’ve a report to file with the High Council and samples to log into their data net before we rejoin the General.” Priya’s expressive face showed her empathy.
Fine. She was going to be on her own, in a foreign land with total strangers. Well, she’d suck it up and make the best of it.
When he calmed down, Tiron would realize that she hadn’t gotten pregnant on purpose. He would com her and they would discuss things like rational adults. Then, he would tell her he was sorry he’d shipped her off like an unwanted souvenir to a distant cousin. Because, melodramatic or not, Willa felt like he’d slapped a postage stamp on her and dropped her in the mail.
Chapter Twenty-One
Cor II’s Satellite Space Docks
Twenty Hours Later
“Will you be escorting me to the surface?” Willa asked Balcar. They stood on an isolated stretch of the pressurized docking platform that orbited Cor II. The hustle and bustle of traders unloading freight and bartering ended abruptly a few yards away. It was as if there were an invisible line that the merchants knew not to cross.
Balcar seemed hyper-alert and that made her uneasy. When he appeared to escort her off the ship, it had thrown her to see him in full combat gear, complete with weaponry. Reconciling her kind, intelligent friend with this stone-faced Warrior was difficult.
“No. A member of the Rion household will meet us here and see you safely home,” he replied distractedly, eyes scanning the distant crowd, a hand on his energy blaster.
Her tummy cramped with nerves. Tiron hadn’t com’d her aboard the runner once. She supposed he was busy, but it would have been nice to have some of her fears allayed. They needed to talk. Soon.
Before they disembarked, Balcar had provided her with a long, hooded black cloak to wear onto the noisy docks and given her a series of inoculations against alien disease. Priya, similarly attired, stood slightly behind Willa and to her right. They just needed long-handled scythes to complete their ensembles for the cover of Reaper Couture.
“Are none of the other women coming to Cor II?” Though she hadn’t actually seen any other Earthers, she’d known they were on the ship. Once, she’d thought she heard Holly’s high-pitched screech, but she couldn’t be sure.
“Shhh.” Priya drew Willa around to face her, stepping slightly away from Balcar. “You can’t tell anyone about the other women,” she breathed softly.
“Why?” Willa whispered back.
“These are very insular people.” A loud buzz echoed over the platform and the dingy gray metal vibrated beneath their feet.
“So?” Willa prompted when the commotion subsided.
A small white skimmer shuttle pulled up to the platform. She and Priya watched as Balcar went to greet it. That must be her ride.
The hatch of the two-person shuttle opened revealing a tall alien. He was dressed in casual Corian every-day wear that consisted of soft brown slippers, flowing khaki colored pants and a matching, soft-looking tunic.
“Corians don’t like foreigners,” Priya finally said apologetically. “You’ll have to keep a low profile. We’re searching for someplace safe for expectant mothers to go. Until we have a plan in place, the fewer who know about your child, the better.”
Willa couldn’t deal with the notion of a baby right now. She didn’t think keeping her pregnancy a secret for a few weeks was going to be an issue. After all, Priya had just said this was a stop-gap solution.
“Work fast,” Willa retorted soberly.
“Willa,” Balcar called softly, motioning her to the skimmer.
“No matter how it feels, you’re not alone.” Priya put a comforting hand on her back.
“Willa, this is Commander Tiron’s brother, Giaon,” Balcar said as she approached.
Her breath caught. Giaon looked like Tiron must have before his accident. The strong jaw and broad forehead were exactly the same. Giaon’s high cheekbones and Greek nose were more refined than Tiron’s would have been, even without the scars.
Willa made a quick bow. “Hello, Giaon.”
He ignored her and addressed Balcar. “This was a trivial errand for someone of your rank. Thank you.”
“I’m happy to oblige the Commander. Willa is a special female.”
“Yes, well, we should be going.” Giaon gestured vaguely from Willa’s to his shuttle, clearly loathe to touch her.
She walked to the low-slung skimmer and waited for Giaon to open the door.
Using her canes for balance, Willa stepped into the shuttle and lowered herself into the large, comfortable seat. She wasn’t any happier with this situation than Giaon seemed to be, but she was going to do her damnedest to behave with grace and poise.
∞ ∞ ∞
It was night in Ri, the capital city of Cor II. As they flew over, Willa traced the lines of the buildings with her eyes. She could see no obvious doors or windows in the structures. They glowed an eerie phosphorescent green and the tops were onion-like domes.
At first glance, the city appeared vaguely Russian in design, but the skyline was as far as the resemblance went. There didn’t appear to be any roads or walkways in the layout.
According to the dry tutorial she’d taken, the small, prestigious world had two great desert landmasses separated by a shallow sea. In spite of the dry heat, the planet teemed with life. But everything and everyone lived in Corian-mined caves below the planet’s crust.
Next to her, Giaon’s discouraging silence didn’t invite questions or conversation. He piloted the small craft into a crater that glowed the same greenish-white of the buildings, and she realized the buildings were fashioned of quarried stone.
The shuttle cleared the cave walls by mere feet, but Giaon didn’t slow as he shot down the shimmering tunnel. His piloting skills were exceptional though the speed at which they travelled was hair-raising. Go, Speed, Go!
Glaring at him from beneath her concealing hood, Willa was thankful for the snug harness wrapped around her. She hadn’t thought overmuch about the small life within her up to this point, but Giaon’s recklessness raised protective instincts that she hadn’t expected. If Priya hadn’t just impressed the need for discretion, Willa would have reached over and smacked the arrogant bastard. Maybe that would slow him down.
Rapidly decelerating, Giaon slid the shuttle sideways into a small off-shoot cave and brought them to a jerking halt. In the diffuse light from the instrument panel, Willa could have sworn a smirk ghosted over his generous lips before he jumped from the vehicle.
Mouth firmly shut lest she say something she might regret, Willa followed him to a stairwell carved into the luminous stone. She climbed the slowly curving steps for endless minutes, making her hip and knee throb uncomfortably. Distorted echoes of their footsteps and Willa’s cane strikes were the only sounds she heard.
Stepping through a tall archway, they entered a corridor with a soaring, rib-vaulted ceiling. Here, the carved stone was up-lit from fixtures recessed into the floor. The overall effect was imposing, not unlike the cathedral Sister Mary Felicia had dragged Willa and the other orphans to every week for Sunday services.
“Wait here,” Giaon commanded before disappearing down another intricately carved hallway.
Chapter Twenty-Two
While she hadn’t expected a warm welcome, Willa was nonplussed at the callous treatment. She was exhausted and her hip hurt like a bear.
Giaon returned, escorting a striking brown haired female with tan and cream skin. Willa had seen her before. This was the female Tiron had refused to bond, wasn’t it?
The two led a small processional of six imposing males. If they were trying to intimidate her, it was working. Even the female towered over Willa.
“Hello. I am Liania Rion.” That answered Willa’s most pressing question. She wasn’t exactly welcoming, but, Liania wasn’t as cold as Giaon.
“Hello. I am Willa.” She made a slight bow, pushing the hood away from her face.
There was a collective intake of breath, and Willa realized she’d committed some kind of faux pas. “What’s the matter?” They all stared in silence. Willa wondered there was something stuck between her teeth.
Liania was the first to recover. She ignored Willa’s question. “Welcome to my home.” Her tone was most un-welcoming. “This is my mate, Daniron.” She gestured to an older, graying version of Giaon, and Willa bowed from the waist once more.
“You’ve met Giaon already. This is Sorin.” Another male stepped forward, he was much taller than the others were. His skin tones were lighter, and his eyes a warmer honey-gold.
“Viro,” Liania caught his eye, and he stepped forward shyly. He appeared to be around Willa’s age and, like Sorin, had his mother’s lighter skin.
“And, our youngest, Linron,” she finished. Linron favored Daniron and Giaon, but his friendly smile set him apart from the others. Though he looked quite young, likely still a teenager, his golden eyes held humor and a touch of curiosity.
Shooting a mischievous look at Giaon, Linron said, “Hello, Willa. Welcome. I’m sure you must be quite tired from your long journey. Won’t you allow me to escort you to your room?”
“Thank you,” she accepted, belatedly looking to Liania for direction.
“Very well.” Liania nodded brusquely. “I will have food sent to your chambers shortly. We have house guests, and it would be better if you kept to your rooms.
At least, Linron seemed to like her well enough. He kept up a chattering monologue throughout the long walk to the small apartment they’d prepared for her.
“But you know he’s a hero. I don’t know of anyone else who has survived what he has and lived to tell about it.” Linron looked to Willa for confirmation, showing her how to code the arched door open.
“I’m sorry. I’m afraid I didn’t catch everything you said.” She entered the room, looking around. It wasn’t much bigger than Tiron’s quarters aboard the ship, but it was clean and private. The light gray furnishings appeared comfortable and well made.
“I said Tiron is a hero,” he enthused. “There’s no one as brave as he is among all of the Warriors!”
“He is very dedicated,” Willa agreed, amused at Linron’s obvious hero worship.
“I think that’s why Beandra is still here.” Innocent as his words sounded, Willa thought he might be trying to warn her. “She and her mother thought they could dictate the terms of the bonding contract with Tiron. When he refused, well, that made her all the more determined.” He chuckled pityingly. “They’ve never dealt with a Warrior.”
“Obviously not,” Willa agreed, trying to conceal her disappointment.
Deciding to fast-track the subject of Tiron’s future to her mental I Can’t Deal With This Crap Right Now file, Willa changed the subject, “I’ve only used your technology on-ship, does everything here work the same way?”
∞ ∞ ∞
An hour later, Willa had caught her second wind. Linron had showed her how to dim the natural light of the stone walls by activating a layer of paint that functioned like the privacy glass from her quarters aboard the Hope. She caught him staring at her several times and reminded herself that she was an alien to him. His curiosity was perfectly natural.
Instead of a soni-shower, there were genuine water baths and showers. Other creature comforts included a massage bed and a full-size holowall.
“This is nothing,” Linron crowed at her delighted exclamation. “Wait until I show you the holoroom. It has all kinds of warrior games and true-to-life battle reenactments!”
“Perhaps you can show me, one of these days.” Willa smiled at his enthusiasm, though she’d had quite enough warfare to last a lifetime.
“I thought you brought her up so she could rest.” Giaon appeared at the open doorway, a covered tray in his hands. It was hard to tell if he was angry or simply teasing his younger brother.
“Yes, well…” Linron kicked his toe on the stone floor bashfully.
“Linron was just demonstrating all of these lovely amenities,” Willa defended softly.
“You’re wanted in the great room,” Giaon told Linron with a pointed look.
“Goodbye, Willa,” Linron said dejectedly. “Perhaps I could come and see you tomorrow?” He suggested shyly, hope shining from his youthful face.
“I would enjoy the company, if it’s alright with your mother.” Willa tried to walk the line between friendly and respectful, knowing she didn’t fully understand their culture.
After Linron took his leave, Willa expected Giaon to dump her food tray and skedaddle. Instead, he brought the tray to her little dining space and lingered.
Leaning casually against the wall, he appeared prepared to stand there, studying her, indefinitely. Her sto
mach rumbled with hunger.
“Why do you not eat?”
“Are you going to join me?” She asked, surprised.
“No, I’ve eaten,” he answered gruffly.
“Then I’ll wait. Where I’m from, it’s considered rude to eat in front of someone who is not eating,” Willa explained, gently nudging him along. His unblinking stare was grating on her already stretched nerves. Linron’s scrutiny had been harmless, Giaon’s was too intense.
There was a long, awkward pause. Willa fought her instinct to find a way to diffuse the tension, he would say what he came to say in his own good time.
“I should apologize.” Giaon’s coppery stare slid to his slippered feet.
“Should you?” She asked mildly.
“I was not welcoming and I’m sorry,” he said, finally looking up. He reminded her so much of Tiron that it was hard to stay mad. She might not understand Tiron’s sudden decision to banish her without a word, but it was difficult to forget how much she loved him.
“You’re forgiven,” Willa said magnanimously, she didn’t want to make her time on Cor II anymore excruciating than it had to be.
“May I visit with you tomorrow?” He pushed away from the wall, straightening his shoulders and standing tall.
“I’ll be honest with you, Giaon. I’m unsure what is socially acceptable here. If your mother approves of you coming to see me, I am happy for the company. If not, that’s fine, too. I don’t want to cause any trouble,” she replied matter-of-factly.
He tilted his head to the side, as if trying to solve her like a puzzle. “I can see why my brother took the risk of sending you here.”
“Risk?” Willa had thought the risk was remaining on the Trident through another fire fight.
“I don’t want to offend you again,” Giaon said slowly. “Mother has appearances to keep up, but she means well. She doesn’t approve...” He allowed another awkward pause and cleared his throat, “of your place in my brother’s life.”
Willa said nothing, unwilling to discuss Tiron with his brother.