by S. E. Smith
Saber grimaced when he heard the banging on his front door. He laid his head back on the couch when it stopped and closed his eyes again. For a moment, he wondered if he had imagined it, as his head was still making the loud pounding that had woken him from a fitful sleep.
He jerked when he felt the presence of someone else in the room. His hand groped for the weapon he usually carried; instead, his fingers wrapped around his cane. Swinging it upward, he grunted.
“What do you think you are doing?” Hunter demanded, glaring down at where Saber was sprawled on the couch.
“That’s the problem, he isn’t thinking – as usual,” Dagger added, giving the voice command for the panels in the ceiling to change to clear.
“Shewta! What are you two doing here? I know I locked the door,” Saber muttered, releasing the cane that Hunter was holding and covering his eyes. “Shut out the light,” he demanded in a thick, slightly slurred voice.
“No,” Dagger said, walking over to sit down in the chair across from Saber.
“Sunshade mode,” Saber hissed, breathing a sigh when the panels darkened to block part of the sun, but not all of it. Pushing up into a sitting position, he leaned forward and drew in a deep breath, hoping that the room would stop spinning. “What are you doing here?”
“Trying not to kill your ass,” Hunter snapped in irritation. “You made Jesse cry!”
Saber glanced up at Hunter’s angry face and grimaced. He knew what was about to happen. It had been building for the past five years. With a weary sigh, he leaned back and stared at Hunter, ignoring the pounding in his head from too much liquor.
“Taylor…,” Saber started to say before he clamped his lips shut at the dark scowl on Hunter’s face.
“Gone,” Hunter snapped again, moving to sit down in the other chair across from Saber. “She left yesterday afternoon on an aid mission to Dises V.”
Saber groaned and leaned back, running his hand over his hair as he stared up at the shadowed sky. Dises V had only been in the Alliance for the last six months.
“As you know, the Eastern sector on Dises V reached out and requested help from the Alliance. The council agreed to provide limited support and medical aid. The problem is tensions have been mounting over the last couple of months between the two ruling sectors. The Eastern sector is embracing the Alliance while the Western opposes it. The Western argues that the Alliance has no jurisdiction to be on the planet. They have been using the inhabitants of the Eastern regions to supply their labor force. The Eastern sector is smaller and has been the main source of that labor over the last few centuries. They want to conform to Alliance standards and free all those sold into servitude. Razor is trying to negotiate a peace accord and set up trade to help the Eastern regions receive additional resources to make the transition easier,” Hunter bluntly informed Saber.
“What Razor really wants to do is flatten the Western sectors refusing to comply, but there are too many innocents being held hostage by the rebel groups in the Western regions,” Dagger added, bending forward to pick up Saber’s cane and twirling it between his fingers. “If you ask me, the whole region is about to explode.”
“Razor has requested additional troops, but the council is hoping to avoid that. They believe if the Eastern region is aware that more troops are on their way, things will escalate before a treaty can be signed. The Western region insists that they deal with their people. That this is a matter between them, not the Alliance.”
Saber scowled at Hunter. “That makes absolutely no sense. If the council knows how dangerous the situation is, why don’t they agree with Razor’s demands? You would think they would realize that he understands the situation and wouldn’t request additional troops unless he suspected something was about to happen. Surely, the ruling faction of the Western region knows better than to oppose Razor?” he muttered. “Why would you allow Taylor to go to that region knowing it is about to explode?”
Hunter’s eyes narrowed. “I didn’t,” he bit out. “She left while I was in a closed meeting. Jesse feels Taylor is old enough to make her own decisions.”
Saber grimaced and glared at Dagger, holding his hand out. Dagger tossed the cane he had been playing with to Saber. Leaning heavily on it, Saber struggled to a standing position.
“Call her back,” Saber grunted. “This isn’t Earth. Jesse should know that Taylor is under your protection. There is no ‘old’ enough. The duty of a Trivator demands that he care for the females under his protection until that protection is passed to another.”
“You should have thought about that before you hurt her, Saber,” Hunter said in a cold, hard voice. “I gave my trust to you that you would protect Taylor.”
“I…,” Saber started to say before he pressed his lips together and turned away. Walking stiffly, he leaned on the cane for support. “It is better that you don’t trust me. It is time for you to leave,” he said in a quiet voice.
“No.”
Saber turned in surprise upon hearing the determination in both Hunter’s and Dagger’s voices when they said the word at the same time. He stared warily at the two men as they rose. Hunter crossed his arms while Dagger stood across from him, his fingers moving restlessly by his side.
“You’ve wallowed in your self-pity long enough,” Dagger replied with a humorless, sharp-tooth grin. “We’ve decided we want the old Saber back.”
“I didn’t mind too much before because it gave Taylor time to grow up,” Hunter replied with a shrug. “The problem is, she is grown up now. I know that Taylor spent the night with you before she left,” he continued. “Did you claim her?”
Saber flushed and looked away. “Do you think I don’t realize that she is grown?” he asked in a thick voice.
“That’s not what I asked,” Hunter growled in a low tone. “I asked if you claimed Taylor the other night, Saber.”
Saber turned and glared at Hunter, refusing to answer his question. What could he say? Yes, he took Taylor, but cast her aside the next morning. The flush on his face deepened with shame and remorse. That was exactly what he had done. He had used her as if she was a….
“She deserves more than a broken warrior,” he muttered, sinking back down onto the couch.
His head jerked up when both Hunter and Dagger burst out into bitter laughter. He glared at them. His head was about to explode, his throat felt like he had swallowed a handful of sand, and his heart felt like he had ripped it out of his chest, and the two men he considered his brothers thought it was funny.
“I don’t see what is so humorous in the situation,” he growled, glancing back and forth at them.
“Broken?” Dagger said with a shake of his head. “I spent two years in a fucking fight ring. You want to talk about broken….” He drew in a hissing breath and stared at Saber with dark, piercing eyes. “I still have nightmares. If it wasn’t for Jordan….” His voice died and he shook his head again. “Don’t you fucking talk to me about being broken.”
Saber glanced at Hunter’s calm face. “He’s right,” Hunter said. “I was there with you when you were wounded, Saber. You weren’t the only one hurt. I had to learn to walk again, too. If not for the nano-charges implanted in my spine, I wouldn’t even be able to stand up.”
A wave of shame flashed through Saber. They were right. Dagger’s two years of captivity had left their own deep scars, both inside and out. If not for Jordan Sampson, his friend would have died in one of those illegal rings and no one would have been the wiser. They had all accepted that he had been killed when the fighter he was flying exploded shortly after crashing.
If not for Hunter, Saber would have been dead as well. The attack on them was strangely reminiscent of what was happening on Dises V. The thought of Taylor caught up in a civil uprising filled Saber with rage.
A soft moan escaped Saber when he bowed his head. Reaching up, he rubbed his throbbing brow. For the first time in his life, he wasn’t sure what to do.
“The healer said if this latest pr
ocedure on my leg doesn’t work, they may have to amputate it,” he finally said in a rough voice.
“If it happens, you deal with it. Do you really think that Taylor would turn you away because of it?” Hunter asked, sitting back down in the chair across from Saber and staring at him. “Taylor, Jordan, and Jesse are different. Taylor spent the last five years studying ways to help you, Saber. What Trivator female do you know would have done that?”
“None,” Saber reluctantly admitted as he turned to watch as Dagger walked over to the set of doors.
Saber studied the stiff shoulders of his friend. He knew that Dagger was remembering the dark times in his own life. After several long seconds, Dagger turned and looked at him.
“What Trivator female do you know would spend two years searching for a dead warrior, then when she found him, refuse to leave him behind, no matter how dangerous it was to her own life? Jordan came close to dying, more than once,” Dagger said in a gruff voice. “If not for her… I thought I was going insane. She brought me back, as much as I could be,” he admitted, looking away.
“You are right,” Saber finally admitted with a tired sigh. “Taylor’s last words to me were that she loved me, and that I was lying to her. She was right. I do love her.” He turned his head back to Hunter and rose stiffly again. “Hunter, I would like to request your permission to claim Taylor as my Amate. I swear I will do everything in my power to protect her,” Saber said in a solemn voice.
Hunter rose and looked at Saber with a crooked grin. Saber knew what he would see, and it wasn’t impressive. His clothes were wrinkled. He smelled of liquor, and he desperately needed a shower. Straightening his shoulders, he stared back at Hunter with determination.
“I accept your request,” Hunter said with a smile. “Now, you just have to get Jesse to agree. She isn’t very happy with you at the moment.”
Dagger stepped up and slapped Saber on the shoulder, chuckling when Saber winced and shot him a nasty glare. He knew Dagger had done it on purpose. Dagger was probably wishing he had slapped him upside the head.
“Neither is Jordan,” Dagger grinned.
Saber nodded with a wry grin. “The one who is the most angry with me at the moment is Taylor,” he replied. “I need to get cleaned up. I don’t want her to see me this way, though it is no less than I deserve.”
Hunter shook his head. “She told Jesse she didn’t want to see or hear from you until she returned. Jesse said Taylor was quite adamant about it,” he said with a grimace.
Saber swallowed. That isn’t going to happen. She is going to talk to me even if it means getting on the next transport to Dises V to do it!
“How long did she say she was going to be gone again?” Saber asked, looking at Hunter’s slightly amused expression with dread.
“Three months,” Hunter replied. “You have three months to get yourself together.”
Another groan escaped Saber. He would still contact Taylor. She might not want to see or talk to him, but he had a lot to say to her. Each sentence began with the phrase ‘I’m such a moron’.
Chapter Eleven
Dises V: Two months later.
“Taylor, over here!” Buzz called from the other side of the large tent.
“Be right there!” Taylor hollered back, smiling down at the little boy that she had helped. “Remember to do your exercises every day. Before you know it, you’ll be able to play just like the other boys.”
“I will,” the boy said, staring up at Taylor with a touch of hero worship.
Standing, Taylor smiled at the boy’s mother, Karna. She had brought him in with a compound fractured arm almost three weeks ago. It had taken two surgeries for the healers to repair all the damage.
“Thank you, PT Taylor,” Karna said with a nervous smile. “You are different from the other warriors. I am glad my son was given into your care.”
Londius, or Lonnie as Taylor had nicknamed him, slid off the table and wrapped his arms around her waist. She hugged him back and ruffled his hair. At seven, he was full of energy and reminded her of herself when she was that age.
“It’s just Taylor, and I am glad too,” Taylor said with a slightly worried smile. “I hope you have a safe trip home. I thought I heard the sound of explosions earlier.
Karna nodded. “Yes, the unrest is growing. I hope that the two sides come to terms soon. For the Western to want to use people the way they do….” She paused and shook her head. “It is wrong, but there are more of them than there are here in the Eastern region.”
“I agree,” Taylor replied, turning when Buzz called to her again. “I have to go. Don’t forget your exercises, Lonnie.”
“Goodbye, PT Taylor,” Lonnie called, skipping ahead of his mother.
Taylor grinned before turning. She had only taken two steps when the communicator at her waist buzzed. Pulling it free from the clip, she glanced down at the message. A choked giggle escaped her.
“What’s so funny?” Buzz asked, looking at the screen before he raised an eyebrow at her. “What kind of a warrior sends a female pictures of yellow pieces of cloth?”
Taylor hugged the communicator to her chest and scowled at her best friend. “One that knows he is on my shit list,” she replied, sticking her tongue out at Buzz. “What did you need?”
Buzz frowned and shook his head at her. “I don’t understand what you see in that male. He is old. I am closer to your age and I am whole,” he grumbled.
“There’s nothing wrong with Saber!” Taylor said sharply, glaring in warning at Buzz. “Where did that come from, anyway? We’re best buds, not – you know – like interested in each other.”
Buzz turned unexpectedly. Taylor stared up at him in surprise when he reached out and tightly gripped her arms between his hands. Tilting her head to the side to look up at him, she realized that he had really gone through a growing spurt over the last two years.
“Best buds,” he muttered, staring down at her in frustration. “This is a term you used when we first met. You said it meant friends. That was fine for when we were younger, but I have been waiting for you to reach the age of acceptance.”
“Age of acceptance,” Taylor mumbled, trying to understand what the hell was going on. “That is like so – retro. I mean, back on my planet, I think they stopped talking like that about a hundred years ago.”
“You are not on your planet, Taylor,” Buzz bit out harshly. “You are on mine!”
Taylor looked around the tented clinic that had been set up. “Technically, we aren’t on either,” she said with a confused smile.
“I know that,” Buzz growled. “That’s not the point! The point is….”
Buzz’s words were cut short by a loud explosion that shook the tent. His arms immediately wrapped around Taylor and he turned to cover her as part of the tent collapsed. The sound of sirens and additional explosions shook the ground.
“We’ve got to get out of here,” Buzz said in a low, urgent voice, holding onto Taylor.
Taylor nodded, slipping her hand into his and squeezing it. In the background, she could hear yelling and the sounds of fighter transports flying overhead. Another series of explosions rattled the tent. They barely made it out the other side when the force of a missile striking it sent them both flying through the air.
A scream tore from Taylor’s throat as she hit the ground and rolled. The force of the impact knocked the breath out of her and her ears were ringing from the thunderous sound. Crawling, she rolled under a large trailer used to haul material behind a ground cruiser.
More missiles struck close by, destroying many of the new medical buildings. Through a cloud of smoke, Taylor saw Lonnie’s familiar form on the other side of the gate. He was sitting on the ground between two buildings, crying.
Rolling out from under the trailer, Taylor stumbled to her feet. She covered her nose and mouth with her arm to keep from breathing in the smoke from the fires caused by the explosions.
Her eyes swept the area. She didn’t see Buzz an
ywhere. Shaking her head, she tried to clear the ringing in her ears as she stumbled through the debris. She ignored the men that ran by her, shouting; her only thought was to reach the little boy.
She gasped when a hand suddenly reached out and grabbed her arm. Turning, she started to strike out when she saw Buzz’s dirty face gazing at her. Turning, she threw her arms around his neck in a brief hug.
“We’ve got to go,” he shouted, pointing in the opposite direction.
“No!” Taylor cried out, trying to break his grip and pointing to where she had been going. “Lonnie!”
Buzz turned and looked in the direction that Taylor was pointing. A grim expression crossed his face. Nodding to Taylor, he turned and started running toward the little boy.
Taylor ran beside him, glancing with fear as several Trivator warriors raised their weapons and began firing in the direction they were going. Fear for the little boy gave her an adrenaline rush and she sprinted past Buzz when he stumbled as the ground shook under their feet again.
“Lonnie,” Taylor cried out, kneeling in front of the boy. “Are you hurt? Where is your mom?”
Lonnie shook his head, looking wildly around him. “I don’t know,” he choked out. “There was an explosion and we were running and I lost her. I didn’t know what to do. I thought she might come back to the tent.”
“Taylor, we’ve got to get out of here,” Buzz said, scooping the boy up in his arms.
Taylor nodded. She rose and started to turn when she heard the sound of a cry. In the narrow alley, Taylor spotted Karna. She was struggling to climb over some fallen debris.
“Take him to one of the transports,” Taylor instructed. “I’ll help his mother.”
“Taylor,” Buzz started to argue.
Taylor shook her head and started to move away from Buzz. “I can’t carry him, Buzz, you’ll have to do it. Go!” she ordered, turning and running down the alley.