Haven 2: Redemption

by Sandra R Neeley

  “I am fine,” Rokai answered, a smile on his face.

  “No, you’re not,” she said, smiling back faintly.

  His brows furrowed at her response as though he didn’t understand it.

  “You're in jail. That is not fine,” she explained.

  “Is that all? It is nothing. I shall figure a way out of it… I always do.”

  Rosie shook her head and leaned her forehead against the bars. “I can’t believe you did that.”

  “What?”

  “The males, you killed them. All of them.”

  Rokai stood a little straighter, raised his chin. “It is better than they deserved.”

  Rosie nodded. Her eyes were glued to the bunk where Gaishon reclined rather than look Rokai in the face.

  “There were never three other females, were there?” she asked quietly, a slight smile on her face.

  Rokai grinned. “No. There were no others. I was attempting to make you want me more. Did it work?” he asked,tilting his head to the side with a quirk of his lips and a raised eyebrow.

  Rosie gave a half hearted chuckle.

  When she said no more, Rokai addressed his gift to her again. “Rosalita, if I frightened you…”

  “No!” she exclaimed, raising her eyes to his. “No, you didn’t. I was shocked, granted. But once I realized what you’d given me, who the hearts and heads belonged to…”

  Rokai wrapped his fingers around hers where they gripped the bars of his cell in encouragement.

  “No one’s ever…” she tried to explain and stopped, at a loss for words.

  “Continue, please,” he encouraged.

  “You did that for me. To prove that I’ll never have to worry about them again. They can’t hurt me anymore.”

  “Nor will anyone else,” he said, tightening his hand around hers gently.

  “Thank you, Rokai,” she said softly. Rosie sniffled a little, the only hint that she was getting a bit emotional. Rosie pulled her hand free of his and took a step back, obviously composing herself. “Now we have to get you out of here. I’ll go to the big red guy — he’s the boss, right? — and explain the situation. If he won’t listen, I’ll go to his wife, Vivian. She said if I ever needed anything to ask, and she’d do everything she could.”

  Rokai smiled at her. “That won’t be necessary.”

  “Huh? Why not? We have to go make them understand, so they’ll free you.”

  Rokai grinned at her and raised his voice just enough for the ship’s computer to hear him. “Missy?”

  “Captain Rokai ahl Tel Mo’ Kok, or shall I call you Flight Cadet? How may I be of service?”

  Rokai continued to grin at Rosie as he spoke to the computer.

  “Can you unlock the cell I seem to have become locked in, please? I wish to leave it.”

  A moment later and the door swung open slightly. “It is done, Captain Flight Cadet. How else may I help?”

  “If I needed a way to slip away from down here without being seen, what is the best path?” Rokai asked, stepping through the open door of his cell to take his Rosalita in his arms. He lowered his face and rested his nose against her hair, taking in her scent and marveling at the sense of peace he got just from holding her.

  “There is a crawl space just four feet from your cell. It is used by engineering for repairs whenever necessary.”

  “Perfect, Missy. Thank you.”

  Rokai took Rosie by the hand and started walking slowly away from his cell with his face to the ceiling, looking for signs of the crawlspace.

  “You’re going to leave me here to answer for you escaping?” Gaishon said, disbelievingly.

  “You are welcome to come with us,” Rokai answered, still looking at the ceiling. “Ah…, there it is. Come, let us leave this place. I’ve waited too long to see what is next,” Rokai said, letting go of her hand and smiling at her.

  “How are we going to make it up there?” she asked.

  Rokai turned and smiled at Gaishon.

  “Oh, so you want me to help you escape, then sit here and wait for them to notice you are not here?”

  “I already said you are welcome to come with us.”

  “No. I am staying. I gave my word.”

  “Well, I did not. I am going.”

  “Fine,” Gaishon grumbled, getting to his feet. “What do you want me to do?”

  “Hoist me up. Once I’m in the crawl space, I’ll reach down for Rosie. Help me get her up. Then, you can lock yourself back in your cell, if you still plan to stay,” Rokai explained as though it was simple.

  “You’ve got to be kidding… I’m not a tiny little thing,” Rosie objected.

  Both males turned to look at her. “You are a very small female,” Gaishon stated.

  “You are perfect, Rosalita. You are soft. Women should be soft, not hard and muscled like a male,” Rokai said sincerely.

  “What if you drop me?” Rosie asked. “What if I get stuck up there?”

  Rokai stepped closer to Rosie. “Do you trust me?” he whispered, kissing her lips gently.

  Rosie closed her eyes at the contact of his lips softly brushing hers. “Yes,” she answered. “I cannot believe I’m saying this, but yes. I do.”

  “Then stand right here, and be quiet. I’ll reach down for you in a moment.” Rokai gestured for Gaishon, who approached and hoisted Rokai up to the ceiling so that he could remove the panel covering the crawl space. Since it was not a high ceiling, it was quickly done. Gaishon supported Rokai’s weight while he pulled himself up and into the crawl space.

  As his boots disappeared inside the ceiling above her head, Rosie realized they could have just been had. She and Gaishon shared a look, and she had no doubt that her look said, ‘Oh holy hell!’. She’d come to visit him and provided the distraction for him to disappear and leave her and Gaishon standing here responsible for his escape.

  The moment the thought entered her mind, his face popped into view.

  Rosie looked up at him and smiled a relieved smile.

  “I know you did not think I’d leave you here… I killed monsters for you! What more do I need to do to prove myself? I shall do it, and you will never doubt me again,” he said teasingly, but she knew without a doubt, he was not teasing.

  “I trust you. It’ll just take a little time to get used to. I’ve never trusted anyone.”

  Rokai looked down on his Ehlealah. “I understand that more than you know. But you will see in time. Now, give me your hands.”

  Rosie watched as he leaned out of the crawl space in the ceiling, his arms reaching down for her.

  Gaishon stepped around behind her. “Are you ready?” he asked.

  “Yes,” Rosie confirmed. “Don’t drop me,” she warned, placing her hands on Rokai’s forearms, as he locked his hands in place around her forearms.

  Rokai looked at her and raised a single eyebrow.

  “I know, I know… just trust you.”

  “Yes,” he said.

  Rosie looked up at Rokai and balanced herself as Gaishon lifted her, moving her closer to the open crawl space. With what seemed like no effort at all, Rokai pulled her up and into the crawl space with him. He looked down on Gaishon. “Are you sure you wish to stay here?”

  “I am. I shall be fine.”

  “Tell Missy to call to me if you decide you wish to leave your cell,” Rokai said. He flashed his trademark roguish grin and dropped the crawl space cover into place, blocking them from view.

  Rokai smiled at Rosie and leaned forward to brush his nose against hers.

  Rosie smiled back as she sat beside Rokai, dusting her hands off. “Where to now?” she asked, looking around herself at the rows and rows of metal tubing and wiring harnesses that reached as far as the eye could see in every direction.

  “Your rooms?” he answered with a question. “At least until we can figure out what to do next.”

  He started to crawl toward a point in the distance, and Rosie followed. They’d gone no more than a few feet when
suddenly he stopped and turned toward her, a bright smile on his face. “I knew you would not fear me once I delivered my gift to you.”

  “Not at all. I realized what lengths you’d go to to keep me safe, to please me. And that was all I needed to know.”

  Rokai kissed her, holding her face in his bloodstained hands. “I will not ever let you down, my Rosalita. I cannot promise you fortunes and precious things. But I can promise you I will never, ever let you down. And I will always stand beside you.”

  Rosie leaned forward kissing him, using her teeth to nibble softly at his lower lip. “That’s more than I ever hoped for.”

  Rokai grinned as he rubbed his nose against hers again, before turning back to his original path and crawling with her on his heels into the muted, softly-glowing, green lights of the inner workings of Command Warship 1.

  <<<<<<<>>>>>>>

  Zha Quin stood at the docking station where his parents’ very large, very ostentatious transport had just arrived, waiting for them to exit their ship.

  The doors opened, and a guard unlike most would ever see preceded them down the gangplank and onto the catwalk for the docking station. The royal guards always presented themselves with their Psi’s on display. Though not in battle mode, nor provoked to a point causing their Psi’s to emerge, they’d learned how to control it, and always presented as such when on duty.

  A loud booming voice could be heard before its owner was seen. “I told you, all this pomp is not necessary. The guards are not necessary! We are safe here.”

  “It is just their way, Zha Tahl. I’ve learned to live with it. If you traveled more, you would too,” Eula explained.

  “No reason to travel, I’m perfectly content at home. Have all I need, if you’d just stay in one place,” Zha Tahl answered.

  Just as they came into view, Zha Quin reached his hand down to the tiny, little female standing beside him. Vivian slipped her hand into his and stood there, waiting for a hug from her mother-in-law and to meet her father-in-law face-to-face for the first time.

  Eula looked up from her conversation with Zha Tahl to find her son and her beloved new daughter waiting for them. “Vivi!” she cried, pushing past her mate to get to Vivian and give her a hug.

  Vivian smiled and moved to meet Eula. “Mom! I’m so glad to see you!”

  “And I you, child. How are you? Are you well? Is Zha Quin keeping you happy?” Eula asked.

  “Go ahead, Mother, put her first. I’m only the one you actually gave birth to,” Quin grouched.

  “Of course, I did. So that you could one day bring me this lovely daughter,” Eula teased, stepping toward Quin to pull him down for a hug. “I love you, Zha Quin. You know this,” Eula said, kissing his cheek lovingly before releasing him, so he could stand to his full height.

  “Don’t mind him. He’s just grumpy because Rokai has been less than cooperative,” Vivian explained, before a very large, very dark red, and older version of Zha Quin came to a stop in front of her, causing a shadow to fall across her.

  Slowly Vivian raised her eyes to find a extremely stern, highly immovable looking male, peering down at her. She’d seen him on the vid com, but never in person. He was quite intimidating.

  Vivian raised a hand and offered a little wave. “Hi. I’m Vivi,” she said.

  “Really?” he asked, as though sizing her up. “You are very small.”

  Vivian’s face went from unsure to attitude in a matter of less than a second. “Yes, as a matter of fact, I am. And I’m very happy to meet you, but I don’t have to be more than cordial. So if you’d like to make this difficult, let me know now, so I can adjust my plan of welcome.” Vivian finished with a single eyebrow raised.

  Zha Tahl looked from the fiery little female to his own mate, who regarded him with a huge smile, and his son, who proudly watched his Ehlealah stand up to his very large and intimidating father.

  Zha Tahl slowly allowed a smile to take his face as he turned back to Vivi. “I am very pleased to finally meet you, Daughter. I have heard wonderful stories of you and your exploits. Tell me, how did you manage to tame a shraler?” he asked, looping his arm through Vivian’s and starting toward the walkway leading them out of the docking bay.

  Eula looked up at Zha Quin. “Is there any further development with Rokai?” she asked, taking Quin's arm and following Zha Tahl and Vivi as they led the way out of the docking bay and into the rest of the ship.

  “He is missing again,” Zha Quin confessed.

  “Again?” Eula asked.

  “Yes. We arrested him as per the Consortium’s demand, his female was granted access to visit him, and now they are both missing.”

  “But aboard this ship?” his mother asked.

  “Yes, definitely aboard this ship. No transport of any type is allowed to disembark without my personal permission.”

  “Then he is here. That is enough for now. We’d like to speak to the females and the boy he brought back with him, if possible,” Eula explained.

  “I’ve interviewed them all, and they all say the same thing. Rokai is their savior. They say the only problem with the killings and the brutality of the killings they witnessed first hand was that the brutality wasn’t brutal enough.”

  “If they will say these things on record, it could mean the difference between freedom and incarceration of Rokai.”

  “I know. I’ve thought of that. But, they would have to agree. And they’ll need to go into great depths of details of their prolonged treatment to establish Rokai’s reason for responding as he did. Even then, some may not understand his actions.”

  Eula smiled sadly and patted Zha Quin’s arm. “It will be fine, my son. I am here to claim Rokai. The universe will know he is my firstborn. They will know I will stand beside him no matter his actions. They will know that to try to incarcerate him is to incite a fight with the Cruestaci they do not want to incite.”

  “And if he ends up having to serve time for his actions?”

  “Then his actions will be explicitly explained. And his time will be served on Cruestace, not at the hands of any other.”

  “Has he said why he killed the males? Why he went there for them at all?” Eula asked.

  “From his own mouth, he was avenging his female. It is my understanding, she’d been held there and tortured for some time before her owners came to reclaim her — the time they’d agreed to rent her for their use finally at an end. The circles Rokai has moved in are not always the best. He saw the injuries on her back and knew of the males who were rumored to favor that kind of torture. He went after them, outraged that his female had been caused to suffer things he’d only heard of. When he arrived, there were others in the midst of the same treatment. He spoke to a few of the hired mercenaries he knew, and they all gave him the same information. The same six males were the only ones involved in private get-togethers in the main dwelling. He went there, and on witnessing it first hand, lost control, killing them all.”

  “I cannot say I would not have done the same,” Zha Tahl admitted from up ahead where he escorted Vivian into the ship.

  “He has always had such a soft heart. Even as a boy he couldn’t stand to see anyone or anything mistreated.”

  “Rokai?” Zha Quin asked, surprised.

  “Yes, Rokai. He was a little more hurt each time he was sent away. Your granddam was in charge then, running all things as she saw fit, and I was too weak to stand up to her. I will never forgive myself.”

  “It cannot be changed, Mother. Do not linger much on it,” Zha Quin said soothingly.

  “I’m not. And it is why I’m here. I will make it right from this moment on. Whether or not he chooses to be a part of us is up to him, but I will make this right,” Eula said emphatically.

  As finally they arrived at Zha Quin and Vivian’s home, Zha Quin stepped aside to allow the others to enter ahead of him. Before he stepped inside, he turned and faced Zahn, who had been appointed temporary Captain of Vivian’s private guard, and with Asl and Kail had b
een escorting them the entire way.

  He handed a small, white jar to Zahn. “Warrior Zahn, take this jar to the rooms of the female Rosalita. It is rumored that she is the Ehlealah of Rokai ahl. I am sure he is not there, but believe that she most likely is. Please give her this jar and explain that it will heal the remainder of her injuries.”

  “Yes, Sire,” Zahn said, striking his forearm across his chest.

  “Please wait as long as necessary to hand the jar to her yourself. Do not leave her door until it is delivered.”

  “I will see to it, Sire,” Zahn said, knowing that it was safe to leave his post since his two counterparts were there to watch over Vivian, as well as the Sovereign, Sovereigna and their guard.

  “Warrior Zahn, let me be clear… Rokai ahl is not there. I am sure he is not there. You are only to hand this jar to his female.”

  Zahn’s forehead wrinkled up as he listened to his Sire’s words. His Sire was trying to make a point without actually voicing that point.

  “Rokai ahl is not with her, you are to tell her that. He is still missing,” Zha Quin said again, putting emphasis on the word ‘not’, and looking intently at Zahn.

  Suddenly Zahn understood. If Rokai ahl was there, Zahn was to ignore that fact and absolutely deny that he’d seen him at all.

  Zahn nodded. “I understand, Sire. Rokai ahl is still missing, but I shall deliver this jar to his female.”

  Quin held out the jar, not letting go when Zahn reached for it.

  Zahn held onto the jar, as did Zha Quin, they shared a look. Both nodded, then Zha Quin released the jar, and Zahn headed off on his errand.

  Chapter 28

  Rokai stepped out of the shower, refreshed and clean.

  “Feel better?” Rosie asked.

  “Much. But I still think you should have joined me in the cleansing unit,” Rokai said, waggling his eyebrows.

  “I would have, but the foam stings a bit,” Rosie confided.

  “Your skin?” he asked, concerned.

  “My back,” Rosie admitted quietly. “I’ve used all the medicines the healer gave me, but it’s still not healing right. It seems to actually be worse.”