Her own terrible tension hovered inside her, but it had a different basis. And it was fueled by entirely different emotions. She loved Jarek.
Lying in his arms earlier, exhausted but satiated and content, she'd admitted the planet-shattering truth to herself. She loved Jarek san Ranul, had loved him ever since he'd hidden her from Turlock's men, offering his life for hers.
Now she faced the possible sacrifice of her own life so that the man she loved, and his people, could live. The universe was testing her, demanding steep lessons in this lifetime. Lessons she had no intention of shirking. Spirit had clearly shown her the path she must take. If necessary, her life for Jarek's. Her life to atone for her father's grievous crimes against the Shielders.
While one part of her reached for the resolve to see this through, possibly even reveled in the opportunity to right a horrendous wrong, another part of her was terrified. She didn't want to die, didn't want to leave Jarek. She didn't intend to give up without a fight. She would hold on as long as she could, but she didn't know if she could withstand the drain of the sphere.
Jarek's words jolted her back to the negotiations. "We'd like to purchase at least one of the spheres," he was saying. "More than one, if possible. But we have yet to discuss your price."
"There are many prices in the universe," came Phylos' raspy response. "Not all of them involve gold."
Jarek set down his cup and leaned forward. "There is certainly truth and wisdom in your words, Phylos. But I would appreciate it if you could answer me in terms that I can deal with."
The blue hood turned toward Eirene. "Have you reconciled your misgivings, my lady?"
She didn’t hesitate. "Yes."
"Have you resolved the emotional concerns, those issues of the heart?"
She looked at Jarek, found herself trapped in the depths of his eyes, in the memories of his body joined intimately with hers. Issues of the heart… She loved him. It was that simple. She turned to Phylos. "I have resolved the issues that we discussed. I'm willing to acknowledge my birthright, and use my powers for higher spiritual purposes."
"It is your intent to help Captain Ranul in his quest?"
She intended to give her all for Jarek's quest—even her life, if need be. "Yes, to the best of my ability."
The shadowy visage remained fixed upon her. "The spheres are not Shen property, Lady Eirene. They belong to you and your people. Yes, there are other Enhancers in the galaxy, small in number and scattered across the vastness."
He turned to Jarek. "You may have all the spheres, if Lady Eirene so wishes. But I suggest that you only take one when you depart. I do not believe your ship could accommodate more."
"Thank you, Phylos," Jarek said sincerely. "But the price—"
"There is no material price, Captain. However, we hope that the spheres will be used with the highest intentions, those of helping all in need."
Jarek's expression indicated his shock, but Eirene wasn't surprised by Phylos' announcement. She was beginning to understand the principles of cause and effect in the universe, and the resultant karma.
"I thank you from the bottom of my heart," Jarek replied. "I give my word the equipment will be used for a good purpose."
Phylos rose with a graceful swish of his robe. "The sphere is being loaded onto your ship as we speak. Your belongings and the small creature have also been returned to your ship. Your supplies have been restocked, and all is in readiness for departure. There is no further need for you to remain on Aldon. The plight of the Shielders is most critical, and we know you wish to proceed with your plans as quickly as possible."
He moved toward the entry, and Eirene felt a flash of panic. He had so much knowledge and wisdom, radiated such calm and acceptance. He had helped her find balance, to reach inside to uncover answers. She hated losing his guidance. She had some last burning questions for him, a need for answers before they left Aldon.
"Phylos, may I have a few moments of your time?" she asked.
He halted and turned. "Of course."
"I'd like to speak with you alone." She looked at Jarek. "Please."
He cupped her cheek, a reassuring warmth in his eyes. It wouldn't have surprised her to know he was aware of her emotional attachment to Phylos, and her distress at leaving Aldon. "Don't take too long. We need to depart as quickly as possible."
She nodded, placed her hand over his. "I’ll be there soon."
"I'll get the ship ready for takeoff." He nodded to Phylos. "You will always have my gratitude, and that of my people." He left the chamber.
"What concerns you, Lady Eirene?"
She looked into the dark oval. "I have been thinking about the wormhole, and what might be on the other end."
"There is another part of the galaxy on the other side. I can assure you there are habitable planets there."
That wasn't what concerned her the most. What bothered her was the possibility that Jarek would be stranded in this new and unknown territory. She believed she could activate the sphere and start the process of opening the wormhole, but she didn't know how long she could endure operating the sphere. She feared Jarek would be trapped—with no way to return.
"Are there other Enhancers in that part of the galaxy?" she asked.
"You have fears for your survival," Phylos said knowingly. "Yet you plan to continue."
No sense denying what the astute Shen already knew. "I intend to operate the sphere to help the Shielders, and I'm not certain I can survive the process. I want to know if there are Enhancers on the other side of the wormhole."
"We believe there are, Lady Eirene. An unknown number of Enhancers traversed the vortex before the Controllers nearly decimated those remaining in this quadrant. We pray that those who navigated the hyperspace have flourished."
His answer wasn't an absolute guarantee, but it gave here hope that if anything happened to her, Jarek might be able to find Enhancers to operate the sphere. They could bring him back so he could begin evacuating Shielders from the quadrant.
"We will monitor your progress in your quest," Phylos said. "And we will assist any way we can. The rest will be in the hands of the One."
Emotion constricted her chest. "Thank you, Phylos. You have done so much for me. I will never forget you."
"Nor I you," he replied gravely. "The One be with you, Lady Eirene, and endow you with light and guidance."
He stepped back to let her pass, and she walked by him. "One more thing, my lady."
She halted at the entry and looked over her shoulder. "Yes?"
"Do not fear the energy. And do not discount the power of love. Love is the true essence of the One, and the greatest force in the universe."
Love. She understood it was spiritual, unselfish love to which Phylos referred, just as she was beginning to understand its amazing power. Love for his people had motivated Jarek to devote his life to their salvation. Love for Spirit and for doing what was right had given the Enhancers the courage to defy the Controllers.
Just as her love for Jarek gave her the determination to do what must be done to save him and his people. No matter the personal cost.
* * *
It was the damnedest thing. Jarek sat back in his seat, staring at the blank screens on his console, as his ship hurtled upward through Aldon's atmosphere. Once again, he had no control of his craft, and all his systems appeared to be malfunctioning. But his ship was moving smoothly toward deep space, directed by the Shens.
Finally, the ship cleared the planet. The screens blinked on, and the console hummed to life. All equipment was back on line and functioning fully. Shaking his head, Jarek entered the coordinates that would take them into the heart of the twelfth sector, to the black hole.
He glanced at Eirene. She was staring out the portal. He could feel her energy spiking, knew she was upset over something. Reaching out, he took her cold hand, gave it a squeeze. She turned to him with a weak smile.
"Feeling sick?" he asked.
She gave a small shake of her
head. "Just thinking."
"What about?"
She looked back at the portal, but not before he saw the flicker of unreadable emotions in her eyes. "How long will it take to get to the wormhole?"
"Not very long. Fortunately, Aldon is on the outer edge of the twelfth sector. We can be in the approximate vicinity in less than three cycles."
"Three cycles," she said, almost to herself.
"What's wrong? I know something is bothering you."
"I don't want to fail you." She turned toward him, her eyes darkening to the deepest blue. "I want you to find shamara for your people. But I'm afraid I'll let you down."
He had his own doubts and fears, but they no longer centered on her willingness to help him. He knew firsthand how much heart and spirit she possessed.
"I know you'll do everything you can to help. I believe in you, Eirene. You could never disappoint me or let me down."
Her eyes glistened suspiciously, and he swiveled toward her, wanting to comfort her, to discover and exorcise whatever demons were plaguing her. "Please tell me what's—"
The alerts went off, blaring a warning. Jarek swerved back to the console. A ship approached on the port side, fully armored, weapons primed.
"Damn!" He reached toward the weapons console, but never made it. A strike wrenched the ship sideways.
They were under attack.
Chapter Eighteen
Jarek switched on his laser cannon as he scanned for damage. He cursed even more when he saw his main thruster had been disabled. The transceiver beeped. Locking his laser on the approaching ship, he punched the receiver pad. "Who the hell is this?"
"Just returning the favor, san Ranul. How you like having your main thruster destroyed?"
"Turlock," Jarek snarled.
"Didn't really think you would get away from me, did you, Shielder? Could never happen. One of my men spotted your ship on the other side of Saron, just as you were taking off. I tracked you to this area and then lost you."
Frustration roared through Jarek. He was so close to his goal, only to fall prey to this vicious lowlife. Fear for Eirene's safety followed in the wake of shock and anger. He'd let her down again.
"Wasn't about to let you get away, especially seeing as how the Controllers doubled the price on your head. Been hanging around this area and waiting," Turlock snorted. "Figured you'd come out of your hole sooner or later. I intend to collect that reward."
Jarek quickly weighed his options. He would choose the destruction of his ship over capture, but he had Eirene to consider—and an irreplaceable sphere that represented his people's salvation.
He muted the transceiver and turned to Eirene. "Our main thruster is gone. We can't possibly outrun them. Hell, we can't go anywhere. They have more firepower than we do. Our only chance is to for me to surrender. I want you to hide in the galley again."
"No. You can't do that! It will mean your death."
She was right; the odds for his survival were grim. "We don't know that for certain. I might be able to escape, like before. But if we don't surrender, if we fire on them, they will blow us to debris. Then we'll both be dead."
Just then, the alert went off again. Another ship was approaching. Jarek whirled back to the console, scanned the data. It was Sabin's ship. Relief rushing through him, he signaled Sabin. "You could have gotten here a little sooner, Travers."
"I've been trying to contact you for three cycles now. Where have you been?"
"It's a long story. We need to deal with Turlock first."
"Got my accelerator beam locked on him. I see your laser cannon is active. Let's blast him."
The alert went off again. Yet another ship approached. "Damn," Jarek muttered, reading his scanner. It wasn't a Shielder ship or anyone he knew, and it was heavily armed.
"I think we'd better find out what's going on here," Sabin said.
"I'm going to conference the calls through the comm." Jarek made the connections and hailed the new arrival.
A battered face appeared on the videoviewer, and Eirene gasped. "I found you, san Ranul," Vaden said. "Thanks to Turlock's surveillance. I assume my treacherous niece is with you. You won't escape me again. Especially since I know something the Controllers might find very interesting."
"We'll get away." Jarek shifted his laser cannon from Turlock to Vaden. "After I blow you into the fires."
"Can't be done, san Ranul. My ship is too well armed. Besides, I've already shared my discovery about my beloved niece with Turlock, and a few of our associates. Maybe you'd like to know it, too, if you don't already. How does it feel to mate with an Enhancer? Is it better with her than other females? "
"Yeah," snorted Turlock, obviously in on the conference. "I heard those Enhancers turn on the heat."
Eirene's panicked burst of energy speared through Jarek. He wondered how Vaden had discovered the truth, but was determined to find a way to get her to safety. "You're a deluded fool, Vaden. Everyone knows Enhancers are extinct."
"Everyone knows most of those freaks are extinct," Vaden retorted. "But a few show up from time to time. Keraat and Derian told me about the strange things that happened when Eirene was around. She exploded my disrupter—I'm certain of it. She's an Enhancer, all right. Legally, she belongs to me and I intend to have her."
"You're wrong on all counts, Kane. Eirene is not an Enhancer, and she doesn't belong to you. You won't get her." Jarek's sensors indicated Vaden was activating his laser banks. "Travers, keep Turlock covered," he ordered, preparing to fire on Vaden's ship.
"Now I'm terrified," Vaden taunted. "You and your whore don't stand a chance. We have better weapons. And you're disabled, san Ranul. You can't run."
"Eirene is no good to you dead, and neither am I. If you disintegrate us, you won't even have my body to turn in."
"Then we'll destroy your friend's ship and board yours." Vaden's weapons switched to Sabin's ship. The alert beeped again.
"Who in the Abyss is that?" Turlock snarled.
Scanning the readouts, Jarek was amazed to see Chase McKnight approaching. Chase had formidable weaponry, already activated, that he trained on Vaden's ship. Jarek immediately switched his laser cannon to Turlock's ship.
"Thought I'd come along to keep you out of trouble," came Chase's deep, calm voice. "Looks like you need some help with these lowlifes."
"Stay out of this!" Vaden roared. "We're tracking these people on the behalf of the Controllers. Get away, citizen, before we're forced to arrest you for obstructing the law."
"That would be very difficult," Chase replied. "Since I am also a Controller agent."
"Then you understand our rights," Vaden said, his tone now friendly and persuasive. "We are claiming bounty privileges on the two people in the ship on your starboard side. Remove your weapon lock and allow us to proceed."
"I don't think so," Chase said.
"Looks like we're at a standoff, you bastards," Sabin cut in. "Three ships against two. I don't think the odds are in your favor."
Jarek stayed silent, waiting to see how things shook down. He looked at Eirene. She was deathly pale, her hands clenched in her lap. Muting the comm, he said, "Vaden and Turlock won't blow us up. They want the gold they could make on us too badly. And they're outnumbered."
"My uncle knows the truth now. He won't stop until he has me in his possession."
"Where we're going, he won't be able to follow." Jarek turned back to the comm. The alert sounded again. "I don't believe this." He studied the scanners.
A Leor warship bore down on them, weapons activated. He felt like he'd been punched in the gut. It didn't seem matters could get any worse; yet they just had. "Blazing hells," he muttered, cursing this run of incredibly bad luck.
"What?" Eirene asked.
He looked at her, wishing he could absorb her into himself, could keep her safe. "Eirene, remember that whatever happens I—"
"Kane, Turlock, you summoned me here. This had better be worth my time. I tire of futile chases," a harsh
voice rumbled over the comm.
"No false alarm this time, your Lordship," Vaden said. "San Ranul and my niece are in the craft on your port side. Their ship is disabled. They can't escape."
"What are these others doing here?"
"This is Sabin Travers," Sabin cut in. "Commander Gunnar, I assume?"
"You assume correctly. What is your purpose here, Travers? Is Moriah with you?"
"Yes, Moriah is on board. Chase McKnight is on the other ship. We're here to defend our friend."
"You mean san Ranul? The man who stole what is rightfully mine?" Gunnar challenged.
Jarek decided it was time to speak for himself. "San Ranul here. I had no idea who Eirene was when I met her, your Lordship. It was never my intention to take from anyone."
"Ignorance is not an acceptable excuse," Gunnar growled.
"Yeah," Turlock snorted. "You tell 'em, Commander."
They didn't stand a chance against a Leor battleship, even if they could dispatch Vaden and Turlock first. Jarek gripped the console, cursing his helplessness and his inability to keep Eirene safe.
"Destroy Travers and the one claiming to be a Controller agent," Vaden said, "but don't harm san Ranul and my niece. We can make a huge amount of gold on them."
Gunnar ignored him. "Turlock, I heard some highly unsettling news. I spoke with an associate of yours—Rafar was his name. I was most interested in what he had to say."
"Can't this wait?" Vaden interjected. "Help rid us of san Ranul's allies. After we have san Ranul and Eirene in hand, I have a proposition that might interest you."
"Silence!" Gunnar roared. "I will decide when we conduct business. Right now I have questions for Turlock."
"D-don't believe anything Rafar has to say, your Lordship," Turlock stammered. "He's a lying bastard."
"And what are you?" Gunnar asked.
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