by Regine Abel
“Answer her with brutal honesty about the next steps,” I intervened. “Show her your aura.”
Bane’s head jerked towards me, a shocked expression on his face. It was highly unlike him to betray such emotions publicly. It spoke volumes as to what a vulnerability this represented for him.
Shuria’s eyes narrowed, her suspicions growing another notch, his reaction having given away our secret conversation.
“The number one thing for us is to bring you back to your people, safe and unharmed, as we promised your sister when she decided to join the Vanguard,” Chaos replied instead of Bane while deactivating his shield.
Wrath and Bane reluctantly followed suit but remained at the ready.
Shuria’s head turned towards Chaos, and this time, there was no question she was studying his aura to verify his honesty. Unlike the Dragons, the Xian Warriors rarely hid their auras from each other even though they had the power to do so.
“The children are Mimics. Your species, although now thriving on Khepri, can use all of its members to help it grow and be removed from the list of nearly extinct races,” Chaos continued. “While I am uncertain that whatever is affecting them can be reversed, I and the entire Vanguard will do everything in our power to save them and grant them the normal life they should have had among their people.”
Shuria’s shoulders lost some of their tension, and a bolt of joy surged through her, quickly silenced however by her remaining fears. Despite that, it felt as if, with those words, he had appeased her greatest concern.
“That said, I personally do not trust you,” he continued candidly. “I see the hateful way you look at my former Soulcatcher and her mate. That does not make me comfortable at all. Before we set off on this mission, I had wished to simply fight you to the death for attempting to murder both Tabitha and Bane, and to eradicate the threat that you and your other modified sisters represent for the Coalition. We are well aware of the plans the General had in store for you. But we have made the commitment to try and save all of you, and so we are honoring it. Both of them are convinced that you can be redeemed, so I will trust their judgment. However, for the duration of the trip, I will want you and your sisters to be constrained in some fashion to ensure that you will not stab us while we sleep.”
“This is all your fault,” she whispered under her breath before looking sideways at Bane, hatred burning in her eyes. “If you hadn’t betrayed me—”
“There would be five times as many of these mutant children as there are right now,” Bane interrupted in a hard voice. “You were never meant to be my Queen. Dragons mate once and for life. She was always the one for me,” he added, gesturing towards Tabitha. “But beyond that, the General never saw you as any more unique than your sisters. You would not have been my only bride had I stayed with him. He offered me four more of your sisters. He even had my own hive created on Zekuro with separate rooms for each one of you because he feared you would slaughter your sisters once you found out.”
Shuria recoiled and shook her head in denial. “You lie,” she hissed.
“I do not, and you know it,” Bane said in a harsh tone. “Go ahead, read my aura, and tell me that I still lie when I say you would have been one of many.”
The crestfallen expression on her face broke my heart. Herina turned to her sister, looking somewhat guilty.
“He speaks true,” she said with a gentle voice. “The General had told me I was to be one of his Queens as well.”
“And you never said anything?” Shuria asked, looking betrayed and hurt.
“It didn’t happen. There was no point stirring trouble,” Herina responded defensively. “I never believed it would happen anyway. Not with the Dragons, not with Bane.”
“It would still have been different,” Shuria stubbornly insisted. “They would have been birthed normally, not as freaky larvae that we were never meant to be. The General knew I would refuse to be like one of their Kryptid Queens and lay eggs upon eggs upon eggs.”
“Is that why Pahiven became his Queen instead of you?” Chaos asked. “We all assumed, after the battle of Zekuro, that he would have chosen you.”
“He did. Of course, I refused,” she said, lifting her chin defiantly while slowly shifting back into her new natural form.
“Then I’m sorry to say you were sorely mistaken on that as well,” Bane said gently. “Because he intended for all of my brides to lay our offspring as Kryptid Queens to build himself an endless army.”
Shuria turned away from us and took a few random steps towards some of the stasis chambers. She stared at one of them, unseeing, her hand resting on top of the glass covering as if for support. Although rage continued to burn within her and an uncontrollable anger that felt more instinctive than driven by any personal emotion or the current situation—despair dominated; she felt lost. A part of me wanted to go to Shuria, hug her, and say that everything would be all right, but she would not welcome it.
“You do not need to fear me attacking any of you,” she finally said, her back stiff. “I will not be traveling with you or going to Khepri.”
“What?” Herina exclaimed.
Shuria turned to look at her sister, an unreadable expression on her face. “You will go with them, to accompany Deisha and the children. You are better suited to help them find the cure than I ever would be, and you were never meant for this life,” she said in a firm but gentle tone. “I must find Temrin and put an end to Pahiven’s nightmare. She and her remaining offspring have suffered enough.”
“Silzi wants you safe with them,” Bane argued.
“I will record a message that you can deliver to my sister,” Shuria replied, her tone instinctively hardening as it always did whenever she addressed him.
It would be a long time before things would ever be friendly between them, if ever.
She leveled Chaos with an assessing gaze. “You said you want to help us, then help me raid the Moon of Melibos where he has set up a parallel breeding ground. If you thought what he had planned with my sister was terrible, you have no idea what he’s been up to the past two years since the battle on Zekuro.”
“And what would that be?” Chaos asked, echoing the same curiosity gnawing at all of us.
She exchanged a glance with her sister who nodded in response. She hesitated, not out of reluctance to tell us, but because she seemed to wonder about the best way to go about it.
“Follow me,” she said in a mysterious way, gesturing with her head for us to come with her into one of the back rooms we had not accessed yet.
We complied, the same uneasy feeling mixed with a hefty amount of curiosity bubbling within us. The room reminded me of a mad scientist’s lab. Clearly, it hadn’t been used for decades. Still, the shelves were littered with a variety of old specimens, some of which floated in liquid, and others had been preserved within air-vacuumed containers.
At the very back, embedded in the stone wall, another standing stasis chamber contained a young Tegorian female.
“Are you fucking kidding me?” Wrath said while Chaos cursed under his breath.
Confused, Bane and I exchanged a glance, wondering what had them so upset beyond the fact that she was in that state. Both Warriors pushed past Shuria to swiftly approach the chamber, their fingers flying over the interface of their armband.
“Is it her?” Tabitha asked.
“Yes,” Chaos snarled a second later. “Why the fuck are you holding Ambassador Alezar’s daughter? What do you want with her?”
“She is not the young Malani,” Shuria said with a sad smile while staring at the unconscious female. “What you’re looking at is the three-week-old modified larva that ate Malani.” She turned a resentful gaze towards Chaos, although her fury wasn’t aimed at him. “When he realized the offspring he sired on us would mostly be non-viable, the General got creative, as is his wont. If he has his way, before the year is over, all of the leaders of your Coalition will be replaced by his doppelgangers.”
Chapter 8
Chaos
As soon as we finished placing the chambers in the cargo hold, Herina immediately became nervous. She cast a wary glance towards us before looking at Sabra. Some kind of communication seemed to pass between them, even though I knew they had not telepathically spoken.
“As discussed,” I said gently, “you will remain in one of our guest rooms for the duration of the return trip. For safety reasons, disruptor bracelets will be attached to your wrists as some of the forms you can shapeshift into could put the crew in jeopardy.”
“I have no intentions of causing trouble,” Herina said in a shaky voice.
“Nor do I believe you do,” I replied. “But I am responsible for the welfare of this crew. It wasn’t so long ago that you and your sisters were attempting to kill us. Until we have had a chance to make sure you are not under the effects of the General’s indoctrination, I am sure you can understand why those security measures are necessary.”
She nodded stiffly and cast another furtive glance towards my mate.
“Sabra will do the honors if that is okay with you.”
No sooner did I pronounce those words than Herina’s shoulders lost some of their tension, a glimmer of relief flashing through her black eyes. For some reason, something about my woman resonated with the Mimics, making them feel safer.
“Gladly,” Sabra said, with a gentle smile towards Herina. “This way, if you please.”
She gestured for the Mimic to follow her in the long hallway towards the private quarters. I followed in their wake, Sabra in the front, me closing the march, and Herina walking between us. I had already picked up the manacles while they were bringing in the last chambers.
“Take her to the room at the end of the hallway, on the left side,” I mind-spoke to Sabra.
“I know. Tabitha already warned me which rooms would be used for the Mimics if they cooperated and allowed us to bring them back to Khepri,” she said in a gentle tone.
“Good girl. Already on top of things I see,” I said, not hiding my approval.
“I better be, if I want to get the job,” she replied teasingly.
I chuckled inwardly and disconnected from her mind.
We reached the room, and Sabra opened it before gesturing for our guest to come in. Herina walked in hesitantly and then gaped at the interior, visibly surprised by the comfort that was afforded to her. No doubt, she had expected to be thrown into some sort of cell or detention area. While we did have such accommodations in the brig, we were trying to bring them to our side as they, too, had been victims of the General’s demented experiments.
Sabra quickly gave Herina a tour of the quarters that would be hers for the next four days until our arrival home. It was a large room with a Queen-size bed, a breakfast table in the corner with four chairs, a small sitting area with a giant screen that, in her case, was hooked to a restricted network, giving her access to a variety of entertainment. A small replicator provided a nice selection of meals. Her own en suite complete bathroom with separate shower ensured Herina would have all that she needed for the best possible comfort during the journey.
“This is quite generous,” Herina said in a subdued tone.
“You are not a criminal,” Sabra said kindly. “The circumstances are forcing us to keep you detained, but we do not wish to cause you pain or distress. You have suffered enough already. We’re here to take you home to your people who miss you.”
Herina gave her a shaky smile, that same glimmer of hope fleeting through her eyes again. She raised her arms before her in a submissive fashion. Sabra smiled gratefully and took the disruptor bracelet from me before approaching the Mimic. She gently clasped them around her wrists and then activated them.
I spoke a vocal command that would prevent anyone but me from disabling them again. Herina shuddered and cast a nervous glance towards me but didn’t speak.
“I will bring you food whenever we take ours,” Sabra said. “However, should you need anything else at any point in time, do not hesitate to call me or anyone else from the crew. If you have issues operating the entertainment, do not be shy to ask for help. I will also take you once a day to visit your sister in the Infirmary.”
My hearts swelled with pride and affection for my mate that she would be so considerate. I hadn’t even thought of that.
“The replicator is fully stocked,” I said, trying to show myself hospitable as well. “You will get a variety of drinks and snacks in between the meals that will be brought to you.”
“Thank you,” Herina said, clasping her hands before her.
“One last thing before we leave,” Sabra said, piquing my curiosity. “I would suggest you consider seizing the opportunity to record your memory of all the events that transpired since the attack on Zekuro, and maybe even since the General first began experimenting on you and your sisters. As you can guess, the Vanguard will have many questions for you about what is currently happening with Pahiven and these children. It may be less intimidating if you’ve had a chance to organize your thoughts and the chronology of events.”
“That is a very good idea,” Herina said with a smile. “Does this vidcom—”
“Yes,” I interrupted, blown away by my woman’s cleverness. “It has the standard interface. You will be able to record and edit your message to your heart’s content.”
“Thank you again,” she said.
After a final nod to the Mimic, I gestured for Sabra to exit first. She also nodded and smiled at Herina before complying. As soon as the door closed behind me, I activated the secure lock on it, which could only be deactivated by one of the senior officers on board.
“I’m impressed,” I said with sincerity, looking at the young woman.
Although she tried to act smug, her cheeks took on a slightly pinkish tone, somewhat hidden by the beautiful bronze color of her skin.
“Thank you,” she said with a mocked curtsy.
“I mean it,” I said in a slightly more serious tone. “You handled yourself well, and you managed to make her comfortable despite the situation. That last bit was genius. See that you inquire a bit about how she progresses on it when you bring her food.”
“Will do,” she said.
“Speaking of food, let’s go feed you,” I said with my most neutral voice. “It has been a fairly long and strenuous morning. Let it not be said that the Vanguard mistreats its new recruits.”
“I wouldn’t mind a bite,” Sabra said, her aura exploding in a rainbow of joy.
That did funny things to me. She was my soulmate and clearly drawn to me. I couldn’t be happier, and yet, I didn’t know how to handle it. I wanted to make my intentions known, but it felt inappropriate and far too early. Who would have thought that courting the one made for me would be so complicated?
We walked in an amicable atmosphere as we made our way up to the first floor where the mess hall was located. My fingers twitched with the urge to grab her hand in mine. She kept glancing at me, and I could only surmise that it was because she couldn’t read me as I was going out of my way to block my emotions.
As I reached for the door to the mess hall, Wrath and Linette walked out, absentmindedly nodding at us because they were so engaged in the animated conversation they were having. I always found it unfortunate that those two were not soulmates in light of the strong friendship that existed between them.
The large room, decorated in the standard black and gold of the Vanguard—although with lighter grey walls to make the space look even more spacious—was divided with a lower central area surrounded by elevated platforms with tables giving a great view onto the void of space. A series of round tables, which could accommodate between four and ten people, were scattered throughout the room. Tyonna and Yumi were finishing their meal in the right corner, next to a wall.
We headed to the buffet counter. Considering the smaller size of our crew, we didn’t have the wide variety that was normally offered with a fully staffed frigate. Still, there were enough options to keep
every palate happy. Waste was never an issue either with us Warriors. We could put away an impressive amount of food and still have room for more.
Letting her go first, I extended a tray to her before picking up my own. Once more, it pleased me to see her take a healthy portion rather than munch on the bird food that Victoria—Raven’s mother—seemed to enjoy so much. Sabra chose a thick steak and a mix of stir-fried vegetables. To my surprise, she snubbed the fried rice and sweet potatoes that she normally enjoyed. But that mystery was soon explained when she reached the dessert table. I had discovered that my female had quite the sweet tooth. Shamelessly, she selected a slice of two different cakes. The lovely blush on her cheeks as she did so was beyond endearing.
I had no such qualms. I piled a lot of pretty much everything I could get my hands on without making the two plates on my tray spill over. I didn’t take a dessert. Leading the way, I climbed the three stairs to the dais and picked one of the booths next to a window. As soon as we settled down, that wretched shyness I never knew myself to possess, came over me again. Words appeared to flee my mind, and my tongue turned to lead.
“Bon appetit!” Sabra said.
“And to you as well,” I replied, my brain still chasing for an appropriate topic. “So, tell me about yourself, about growing up as an Empath.”
“There isn’t much special about me,” she said with a shrug after swallowing the bite of vegetables she had taken. “I’m an only child with parents who decided to live outside of the colony with our Thirilian tribe. They are very Zen and introspective, so it was rather strange to be part of a family that was all about building weapons and defenses against them.”