by Layla Stone
Her stomach felt as if it were floating. The g-force and speed of descent were like feeling bubbles in your bloodstream.
Holding one hand over the engine power button and the other hand over the faster-than-the-speed-of-light divers, she waited until she saw the tips of the communication towers then hit it.
The ship flipped right-side up, and the engines burned hard as she followed up with the light drive, burning the entire port’s communication system to ash.
The four chasing ships fired on her. The galleon was already in motion, and the torpedoes missed her and hit the port below, adding to the chaos.
Having all four vessels in view, it was easy to lock onto each one. With a quick flip of the switch, she deployed sensor disrupters that were stuffed with debris and confused all levels of spectrum sensing.
Flipping another switch, four drilling mounts deployed. The drills could breach any substance. Drilling through the outer surface and into the next safety layer, the ships had to dive or risk the suction pulling their vessels apart.
The galleon flew past the four ships, through the stratosphere, and moved quickly into space. Not confident in their safety, Sasha moved the ship forward thrust and escaped the entire planetary system.
Sitting back in her seat, she pulled up the space map and set a route to Pegna. Using her familiar setting to calm her down, she was finally able to concentrate on her next priority. Her mother.
Turning to Sci, she said, “Please, can you stay with my mom? I really don’t want her to be alone? I need to be here, and we need to get back to Pegna as soon as possible.”
Sci begrudgingly left, and Sasha took in a shaky breath. Her heart pounded so hard she wondered if her heart could be bruised. Her emotions were frayed, and her mind was unable to reflect on anything. She was solely focused on the main priority: staying alive.
Keeping everyone safe.
Chapter Thirty
Joan’s Mind
Sci’s was standing next to Sasha’s mom in the medical unit. His connection to Sasha’s mom flickered in and out of awareness. There were so many minds he attacked while on Lotus Nexis he didn’t realize her mother was one of them. Now that he was able to isolate the mind, he was furiously trying to connect with her.
Sci also watched helplessly as Sasha battled back the memories of what happened to her. He didn’t push them away like he did Ansel. He needed to see for himself. From the time he felt her mind he noticed two things, one that she was in pain both mentally and physically. Second was that she kept thinking of him.
What he didn’t understand was, why he didn’t feel the tether between them. He had assumed it was her, her love for him. And now it was gone.
A stuttered thought, a memory of Madam Allure, flickered in from Sasha’s mom and Sci grasped onto her mind with all his might and forced her mind to accept images he sent her. Images of Sasha getting free, of Madam Allure dying and of them getting away.
He didn’t introduce himself, playing back the images from Sasha’s memory into her mother’s. The mother’s mind…held on.
The memory ended, and Sasha’s mother began dreaming of welcoming her daughter home. Then just as soon as they embraced, her mother’s mind imagined Donil coming to the door looking for Sasha, and the mental connection winked out.
Sci gritted his teeth. He waited impatiently for the connection to open up again.
In Madame Allure’s basement, he hadn’t been able to pay attention to Ansel’s mind, but now that he was paying attention he was disappointed in Ansel. The Numan’s mind was attacking itself again, but this time it was worse. The Numan was furious with Sasha for saving his life. He thought he had finally reached the end of his life—justice for all the evil and horrendous things he had done.
Sci knew Ansel had yearned for death. He hadn’t bothered to address it before, but he was going to confront it now. Pushing back the darkness from Ansel’s mind, he allowed the male a moment or two of relief. Then Sci told Ansel, in a series of images, that if he didn’t let go of his anger, he was going to ensure all his dark memories were completely erased. He wouldn’t remember a thing about his time in the gladiator pit.
Ansel being Ansel, threatened to install a better cerebral blocker.
Sci being Sci, challenged him to try.
Another memory of Sasha flashed into the mother’s mind. Sci seized hold of the connection and decided this time he wasn’t going to let her mind direct her dream. He was going to wake her up.
Sci fabricated images of Sasha and her mother living on a new planet. In Sci’s mind he realized he used his own home as the place where they lived. He longed to contact his brother and find out if he was okay, but Sasha came first. And right now, that meant that her mother was his priority.
Sasha’s mother’s heart beat is getting stronger. Are you doing anything? Ansel asked Sci.
Sci answered the best way he knew how, by sending images of what he was doing.
Ansel’s mind had begun to whirl. The small ship had no medical room, but Ansel didn’t let that deter him. Sci found Ansel kneeling next to Sasha’s mom, connecting a scanner to a Minky pad and taking an infrared look at the brain.
“There is no trauma or stroke. That’s good. I’m going to see if I can— Oh, wait.” He moved the scanner and Sci saw a dark spot. In Ansel’s mind he knew it was liver failure. “Hepatic encephalopathy. Her liver stopped working, poisoning her. I can…”
Looking at the scanner that showed him the inside of the woman’s body he nodded at himself. He inserted the black rod through the tube, using the scanner to guide it over the liver and cauterized the blood vessels.
Ansel removed the rod, then he grabbed the knife, broke off the tip, secured it to the small tube and pushed it into the larger tube and slowly cut off the diseased part of the liver.
Removing the knife, he tied the small bag to the small tube and reinserted it into the abdominal cavity, removing the cut of chunk and pulled it all of the tubes out slowly with the liver being the last to follow.
With the medscope he was able to heal the open cut with seconds, but the liver would take time to re-grow.
Terrans can regrow up to 75% of their livers. She’ll be okay, Ansel told Sci.
Sci moved to the side of the room to give Ansel plenty of space. He introduced himself to Sasha’s mom. Her mother was pleased to finally meet him. She had been worried about what kind of person he was. Worried that her daughter might have been taken advantage of by someone so unique. That’s how Joan had succumbed to Johill, Sasha’s father.
Sci also introduced Sasha’s mother to the outside, and she immediately thought he needed flowers in front of his house. Sci didn’t think so, but he didn’t contradict her thoughts.
Almost done, see if you can ask how she is feeling?
Sci was able to look into Joan’s consciousness. Sasha’s mother was anxious. Worried about her daughter, worried about being found. Sci relayed Joan’s emotional state to Ansel.
Okay, I was able to clean up the liver and heal it. Hopefully, in the next few hours, she will feel better.
Sci waited until Ansel had finished with Sasha’s mom and cleaned himself up before he walked over and held out his hand. It was a Terran tradition, but he used it since his race didn’t have an equivalent. “Thank you for helping her. I’m grateful you were able to help.”
A passive way of making Ansel aware of how valuable he was. Ansel noticed the unsaid words but didn’t bring them up.
“It’s what I do.” The words were somber but sincere.
Chapter Thirty-One
Forever Lost
After the ship had exited the atmosphere, Sasha programed the flight plan and engaged the auto pilot. Sci took her out of the pilot seat walking hand in hand, with her feet shuffling and skidding on the wide, polished hallways. A small wave of nausea slowly ran over her. She swallowed back the extra saliva and tried to breathe through her mouth.
She needed a
bed, a cleaner, and food, not in any particular order. Suddenly, a sharp pain struck from her lower abdomen.
She breathed through that, too, not stopping until they reached an empty room. Far away from everyone else.
They didn’t both fit in the cleaner. Sasha promised Sci she would be quick, but he was acting like he needed to be in the cleaner with her. No matter how much she protested, he refused to leave. Trying once more to have a moment to herself, his voice shook. “Don’t ask me to leave you, because I won’t.”
Sasha allowed him to stay. When the water started, he was the first to notice the floor. He pushed himself into the small unit, and she lowered her gaze and saw the pink water and the thick, red lines running down her leg.
“What the…?” Sasha’s whispered, but Sci was already on his knees. Another cramp, and she felt something come out of her center. Looking down, she gasped at the blood clump. She couldn’t say the words, but she wanted to. She had started her period, but the blood…it was too thick, hurt too much. Did Allure cause internal bleeding? Was she…dying?
“Hold on, Sasha, Ansel’s coming.” Sasha hadn’t realized she had fallen to her knees. The warm water cascaded down her naked body where she huddled in Sci’s arms. He kept repeating soothing words, letting her know that she was going to be okay. That Ansel would figure it out.
She didn’t look up when Ansel first walked in. She couldn’t. Sci was holding her head against his chest. “What is wrong with her?”
“I just got here. I need to run a medscope over her.”
Sci moved slightly, pushing her up to a standing position and then he held her upright. Ansel ran the medscope over her body then he used a paper-thin strip and took some of her blood and slipped it into the machine.
While it ran tests on the blood, he looked her over, asking a silent question. When the medscope trilled, he looked down.
Sci gasped beside her. “It can’t be.”
Sasha pushed against his warm chest. “What’s wrong?” Dying became her first fear.
Sci pulled her down on the floor with him, squeezing her tighter than before. “Sasha.”
“What! What’s wrong with me?”
Ignoring Ansel by her side, she watched as a tear fell from Sci’s eye. Her heart stopped. She was going to die…
“You were pregnant.”
The words…she heard them, but they seemed foreign. She was more numb than before. Pregnant. Was.
Ansel was the one to speak next. “I’m not entirely sure when you first became active together, but the baby is further along than it should be, even if you had sex the moment you met. Looking at Sci, he asked, “How long is a Cerebral’s gestation?”
“Six months.”
Ansel looked surprised. “That would make sense, then.” To Sasha, he said, “I’m very sorry for your loss.”
Was she sorry?
Pain shot through her, and she grasped her belly. Allure had killed her baby. The madame did win in the end.
“The tether—” Ansel began.
“Was my child,” Sci finished.
Sasha’s numbness drifted away, and fresh guilt swamped her for the loss of the unnamed and unknown baby.
Thick clumps of blood moved down her thigh. Sci knelt back down and wiped them away. “I love you, Sasha. I need you to know that.”
She already knew that. “I love you, too.”
Using his telekinesis, Sci brought her new clothes and padding to wear in her panties to help contain the blood, then they went to medical to stay in one of the medical beds while her body expelled the rest of the tissue.
Hours later in the isolated medical area, Sci held Sasha, her back to his chest, wrapping his arms around her, holding her close. She was not going through this alone, and she was forever grateful for Sci’s connection to her.
They fell into a disturbed sleep as the ship made its way back through the space on autopilot to Pegna.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Honor First
Sci’s black anger didn’t dissipate when they closed in on Pegna. He continued to hold Sasha. She was still bleeding and still reeling with the reality of losing their child. She’d blamed herself at first for being rude to Benelt, thinking if she had been nicer, maybe she wouldn’t have been kidnapped. Sci put a stop to those thoughts the second they started.
Pegna’s admiral and Captain Rannn were standing at the receiving dock when they arrived. Behind them was a swarm of Yunkins with phasers pointed in Sci’s direction. Red lights blinked in the hangar as they exited the galleon.
The admiral pushed his shoulders back as he said, “You are all under arrest. Do not argue, do not speak, do not think of doing anything. Follow the guards to the brig where they will secure you inside your individual cabins.”
Captain Rannn frowned when he saw Sci holding Sasha in his arms. Peering at Pax, who was holding Sasha’s mother, he said, “The Federation must provide medical assistance to everyone. Call the medical officers.”
The admiral roared. “You will ignore Captain Rannn and do as I said. If you need medical care, you will be seen once you are properly detained.”
The guards moved to each person, phasers pointed high. Pax ignored the threat, as well as Sci. Sci held in his abilities. Not because he thought it was wise; no, because Pax had let him read the missive from Captain Rannn demanding that Sci obey every order that was given to him when they arrived. Sci was not disillusioned to think that Rannn didn’t have a plan. Sci had to, once more, blindly trust someone without having access to his mind and thoughts. It was an uncomfortable place to be, but Sci’s actions—according to Pax—could affect everyone’s safety and careers.
“Who’s that?” the admiral demanded.
Pax answered, “Sasha’s mother.”
The admiral was silent for a moment and then said, “What’s wrong with her?”
“She’s in a coma.” That was from Ansel.
The Bolark snapped his fingers. “Check her.”
The nearest Yunkin turned to the admiral. “Check her?”
The admiral’s green skin shimmered yellow. “As in, use your stunner to ensure that she’s not faking.”
All at once, the mass of bodies moved forward. Sci was not sure who made the first move, but Sasha had pushed out of his arms, almost falling to the cold, hard ground. Thankfully, Sci was able to catch her with his telekinesis so that she didn’t hit too hard, but the momentum had begun. The guards lunged towards them.
Sci used the last of his abilities to hold the closest officers still, using their bodies as a shield against the others.
“Shoot them all. Shoot the criminals.” Sci recognized the voice as the admiral’s.
“Hold your fire!” roared Rannn.
The Yunkin nearest Pax was not under Sci’s control. Sci tried to make the adjustment, but not quickly enough. The guard pulled out Joan’s arm and pointed his phaser at it.
Sasha gasped.
Pax used his heel to break the male’s knee. The large Yunkin dropped to the ground, arms flailing, cries pained as his leg bent unnaturally.
“Stand down! Do not move!” And on went the shouts from various voices.
Sci bent over and pulled Sasha back up to his chest. He wrapped her body tight with his arms, keeping her still. In her mind, he could see that she was ready to lay waste to every Yunkin commanded by the admiral.
Sci peered at Rannn, who was walking towards him, arms up. “Do not do anything, Sci.”
“I said, shoot them!” the admiral shouted again.
Sci glanced around and noticed that all eyes were on him. Gazes filled with dread and fear.
They’re afraid of you, said Ansel telepathically.
Rannn was in front of Sci a moment later, but Sci was still watching the infantrymen. Arrogantly, Sci tilted his head. A subtle dare. Letting them know that he knew.
“Sci,” Rannn said his name as if he were demanding that Sci listen and obey.
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Not taking his eyes off the enemies, Sci said, “I will not allow anyone to harm Sasha or her mother.”
In a harsh whisper, the captain replied, “It would behoove you to listen to me and release the officers.”
Sci didn’t.
Rannn looked tired and sounded even more exhausted when he said, “Trust me, Sci. Just trust me and stop pissing me off. Your end game is so small, you can’t see the big picture. There is a lot more coming at you then you could even fathom, and if you go off frying these guys’ brains, it will ruin your plans and delay mine. And I’ll take it personally.”
“What’s your end game?” Sci asked. Because he was sure the captain had no idea what his plans were. Sci wanted to go home. He wanted to take Sasha and her mother far away from here. He wanted a family, and he wanted his brother alive and safe.
To Sci’s disappointment, the captain said, “Right now? My end game is to not get any more of my team killed. After that, it’s to get a court session convened by this evening.”
Sci remembered how well Rannn had dealt with the courts last time. He also knew that the captain was smart enough and thoughtful enough to send Sci to help rescue Sasha. For that, Sci continued to trust.
The admiral snarled. Rannn rounded back as they watched the Bolark pull out his own phaser and point it directly at Rannn.
Two Yunkins stepped in front of the weapon.
“Move.”
“No,” one said.
“Move, or I will kill you, too.”
Three more stepped in front of the admiral.
Sci peered up at Rannn and somehow knew without a doubt that this was Rannn’s doing.
Rannn spoke directly to the admiral. “Federation law demands due process. Any Federation member who takes that away or impedes one’s trial is without honor, and those without honor are not worthy of a Federation assignment.”