by Leslie Chase
Tarva laughed and nodded. “Fine, I’ll add that to what I owe you already, but it’s just a drop in a tankful. I still have to repay you for getting us here in one piece — Dessus, Arvid, and me, we’d have starved in the wilderness without your help. Or been eaten by the wildlife.”
I tried to hide my wince. Tarva might remember that as a favor I’d done her, but if I hadn’t saved them Lisa wouldn’t be in danger now. On the other hand, I would never have met Lisa. The past is behind me, leave it there. Look to the future.
“Get some rest or do some hunting,” I said. “And you can pay me back with some fresh meat. It’s been too long since I’ve been able to hunt for myself.”
“Aye, well, if you will let a human shoot you, that’s what you get,” she said with a grin and a wave as she turned away. “Be more careful in future, okay? We all need friends here.”
I nodded and waved back, letting her turn the corner before letting out a quiet sigh of relief. Not every survivor of the Silver Band was my enemy. Or at least, not yet. How would she feel once I’d freed the humans? We might still end up being mortal enemies.
But at least I didn’t have to fight her now. It was a strange night where that counted as a positive.
The wait for morning took forever and every second I listened for the sounds of alarm. Instead, Myrok came to relieve me at dawn, as the humans filed out to work the fields. I met Lisa’s eye as she passed and she gave me a subtle nod. Good. Neither of us had failed the first hurdle.
Now I just had to hope that the rest of this terrible plan went as smoothly. I didn’t fully believe it would work, but I would do my best for Lisa’s sake. If nothing else good came of it, we’d have some time together. Catching her by the arm, I led her into the shadow of the pod, out of sight.
“Careful, you’ll give us away,” she protested, looking around to see if anyone had spotted us. I laughed.
“You are my khara, my mate,” I said. “No one will question me taking you somewhere alone, little one.”
“I don’t even know what that means,” she protested, her cheeks flushing at the implication. “That’s not a Galtrade word.”
“Khara?” I smiled at her, watching the shiver of desire that shot through her as a result. “It means you are everything to me. That you are the other part of my soul. The female fate has chosen me for, the one I would die to protect. My mate, my heart, my life.”
She blushed and bit her lip, and I couldn’t stop my body responding to her. She was too desirable for words, and I ached to take her then and there. To show her the pleasure I could give my mate and know her body as I should.
There is no time, I told myself, resisting the urge. Lisa’s breath caught as she saw my reaction and her hand brushed my arm sending a wave of desire through me. Nearly enough to force me to action. I pulled back, breathing heavily and struggling to keep my mind on target. Lisa stepped away too, and for a moment we were silent, struggling with our urges.
“Is everything prepared for our escape?” I asked, trying to focus on the important thing: getting Lisa to safety.
For a moment it looked like she didn’t understand, then she nodded. “Yes. I mean, almost. The Carringtons won’t come.”
The name meant nothing to me, but that didn’t matter. Any of the humans remaining behind was bad news for them, but as long as they didn’t betray Lisa it was their decision to make.
“They are free to make their own mistakes,” I said. “As long as you and Malcolm get away, I shall be content.”
Lisa nodded. “You’re right, but I don’t like leaving them behind to die.”
“Perhaps they can convince Gurral of their loyalty,” I suggested. It was a dubious possibility, but I wished them luck. He might listen.
In the end it didn’t matter. Freedom included the freedom to make bad choices — they had made theirs.
Some would say my own decision to help Lisa escape was as foolish. Looking down at her, the soft and fragile human fate had paired me with, I knew that they were wrong. Lisa’s freedom and happiness meant more to me than my own life.
She looked back at me, and the spark in her eyes was too much to resist. Her need echoed my own, and I could no longer fight the mating urge in my soul.
No. That wasn’t true. I could have fought it — but I did not wish to.
I leaned in over her, pressing her back against the curved wall of the colony pod. Her face heated, a flush spreading across her cheeks, and her hands rose to press against my chest.
The feel of her hands made me growl, and she bit her lip again. A delightful sight that made me harden, my body aching for hers. Had she pushed me away I would have stepped back, but her resistance melted like ice in the heat of her desire.
“Torran,” she breathed my name and it was the sweetest poetry I had ever heard. I growled in response, enjoying the delighted shiver that ran through my khara’s body as I bent for a kiss.
And then I heard the footsteps behind me. With a frustrated snarl, I spun to face a prytheen warrior as he came into view. Lisa shrank back behind me as the warrior spoke.
“Torran,” he said. “Gurral is looking for you.”
The warrior looked at us with a smirk and my hands tensed to rip and tear. Frustrated anger nearly boiled over, might have if Lisa hadn’t taken my hand. Her touch reminded me of the need for patience.
“I must go,” I said, turning back to Lisa and squeezing her hand before letting go. “I’ll return as soon as I can.”
Before she could respond, I turned away. Part of me feared that this would be the last time I’d see her, that our poorly thought out plan would fall apart before we were reunited. Perhaps I was going to my death.
If so, I would go with my head held high, and I’d die fighting. I promised myself that much.
The prytheen warrior led me inside, into the heart of the colony pod. Into the chambers that had been the humans’ living quarters before we’d seized control and relegated them to the storage areas, as though they were merely equipment.
I wasn’t impressed by the use the warriors were putting the place to. They’d converted the space into barracks by simply piling soft furnishings on the floor and nesting, and for the first time I felt grateful for the uncomfortable bed I’d been confined to in the sickbay. It had been too small, too hard, but it was a bed, not a pile of cloth.
Even in the wilderness outside I’d have made myself more comfortable than they had here. With an effort I hid my contempt at the laziness of the warriors and followed my guide through a curtained doorway into Gurral’s lair.
The change was immediate and obvious. Gurral had kept enough space to set himself up with a comfortable bed in one corner, and a desk to work at opposite it. A low table held food, bread and fresh-cooked meat, ready for when he wanted it. And behind the desk, mounted on the wall, two laser rifles hung. A display of power and a weapon should anyone try to take his position.
Gurral himself sat behind the desk, flicking through holographic records while a radio hissed reports at him. Some in prytheen, some in a human language, and some in Galtrade. Too much to take in all at once, the chatter of the planet’s new colonies surrounded us.
He didn’t acknowledge me, and I refused to give him the pleasure of drawing his attention. Time stretched out as he sketched on a map, adjusting details in the hologram that floated above his desk until at last, finished with his current task, he looked up at me.
“You’re on your feet at last, Torran,” he said with a sly smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “A quick recovery from yesterday.”
“The promise of a hunt did a lot to speed things up,” I said, trying to sound eager. “Something better to look forward to than overseeing a farm.”
He laughed, slapping the desk. “Yes, I should have known that would motivate you. A scout needs to be active, not sit around watching the humans work.”
Tension filled the air, and his forced humor didn’t help. I stepped closer, trying to judge the situation. If h
e knew about Rarric’s death we’d be having a very different conversation, but something was wrong.
“You didn’t call me up here to congratulate me on my recovery,” I said, glancing at the map and then at him. Since I was here anyway, I might as well use the opportunity to learn something. “You’ve got a plan in mind. An attack?”
Gurral nodded, brushing his hand through the hologram. The image rippled around his fingers and he traced a line south, through the forests to an area outlined in red. The map had few details, nothing I’d rely on, but the crimson area was nestled in a valley between the mountains.
“Here,” he said with a predatory smile. “Humans have gathered in good farmland, set themselves up. They’ve got a strong position, one they do not wish to leave for the long trip to the Wandering Star.”
“Then why are you here, and not there? Why settle for conquering this tiny community?”
“You are a clever man, Torran. You tell me.”
I looked at the crude map, considering. The position of the mountains would be accurate, but the rest was guesswork and makeshift interpretation of the humans’ radio signals. If it was anything like accurate, though, that valley would be easy to protect. A small fortification at the entrance and they’d be able to keep out the poorly armed warriors of Gurral’s band.
“You need to find a way to sneak up on their defenses.”
Gurral grinned, baring sharp teeth and nodding. “I’ve only a handful of warriors, and our blasters do not work. Even with the weapons we’ve gathered here, we are poorly equipped — there are only enough rifles for half of us, and they are puny lasers. Humans may be weak, but any losses they inflicted would be too many.
“Give me working blasters and I’d conquer the valley in a day. With what we have…”
I nodded. It would only take a few armed humans to control the valley’s entrance and from cover they’d be a serious threat. But if Gurral got past them, into the heart of the valley… well, perhaps he overestimated his ability to conquer. Humans weren’t the weaklings we’d thought when we’d come to this planet, after all. Even if he failed to rule them, though, the slaughter he’d unleash would be unfathomable.
Steep, rocky cliffs marked either side of the valley. Tough terrain, especially with hostile wildlife to contend with and possibly human patrols to watch for. The valley mouth made for a better way in, but an alert guard would have plenty of time to spot attackers coming.
The biggest difficulty would be reaching the valley without alerting the humans. Rough terrain, unexplored forest and hills filled with potential dangers lay between the two human enclaves. Crossing it, even with a small band of warriors, was an invitation to disaster. Unless someone with my experience scouted the way for them and got them to their destination both safely and quietly.
It wouldn’t be easy, but this was exactly the work that Terasi had gathered her clan for. Part of me longed for the challenge.
I could do it, get them close and find a way past the defenses. But I would not. I’d seen the conditions Gurral thought fit for humans, and the Code of the Silver Band taught us to be better than that.
Even if not for the Code, Lisa’s people deserved better.
“Won’t Auric and his warriors object?” I asked, gauging the situation. “They’ve got the Wandering Star now, don’t they?”
“Pah. Cowards who refuse to seize control from the human captain? I don’t fear them. Oh, they’d resist if we attacked them directly, but I doubt they’ll send their fighters halfway around the planet to strike at us once we’re the ones in a defensible position. Besides, they have dangers closer to home to deal with.”
Was that true? I didn’t know, but it also didn’t matter. Whether Auric sent aid to these humans or not, it would be too late to stop the conquest.
One more reason to get out of here before I help Gurral commit an atrocity, I told myself. Not that I need one: saving Lisa is reason enough on its own.
I put those thoughts aside and focused on the map, memorizing it. A rough sketch of the terrain we’d be crossing was better than nothing. If I delivered Lisa and her companions to the valley they’d be safe, or as close to it as anyone on Crashland was.
“I can get you in there,” I told Gurral, full of confidence. “It won’t be quick or easy though.”
“There is no rush,” he promised. “Specialist work takes time, I understand that. Remember that there’s a limit, though. The humans’ crops grow fast, and the hunting is good, but we can’t wait around here forever.”
I met his gaze, weighing his words. I knew what ‘no rush’ meant from a leader like this — he’d expect results soon, no matter what he said. And I couldn’t afford for Gurral to realize I had doubts about his plan, so I nodded.
“All I need is a few days to prepare,” I said. “Then I’ll find your path. I need to be sure I’m fit for the journey, and to get used to the equipment I have available.”
The thought of it was exhilarating, even if it was a lie. The chance to test myself against this planet, to see what I could do alone with no tool more advanced than a laser rifle. My fingers itched for it, for the taste and smell and feel of a new world to conquer. But I wouldn’t be alone.
Instead, I’d travel with the humans. Take them to safety. As great a challenge as it would be to attack the valley, it would be an even greater challenge to save Lisa and her people.
I met Gurral’s suspicious gaze and bared my teeth, letting him see my hunger for conquest. He looked deep, weighing me and my commitment, and then nodded. My eagerness to go fitted with his design.
Paranoid though he was, he had no reason to suspect what I actually planned to do. My plan to steal away his human slaves was too crazy for him to even consider.
13
Lisa
The day passed at an excruciating crawl as we all tried to act normal. It wasn’t easy, especially since none of us had gotten enough sleep, and we had to rely on the fact that the prytheen barely paid us any attention. The one advantage of being thought inferior: they didn’t conceive of us as a threat, not now they’d conquered us.
Maria slipped away into pod’s workshop halfway through the morning, leaving the rest of us short-handed. It hardly mattered. As long as we looked busy the prytheen were unlikely to count us — all they watched for was slacking off or escape attempts.
As long as the rest of us took up the slack, they wouldn’t notice a missing slave. At least, I hoped they wouldn’t — if they did it would be the end of our stupid little escape attempt.
It meant a hard day’s work for me after a night without sleep, but I wasn’t the only one working hard. Malcolm, bless him, threw himself into the work, and Alex did too. Even the Carrington boys worked extra hard, and they weren’t even coming on the escape.
Only their father seemed to lack enthusiasm, and he’d never been one for working. Encouraging the rest of us, yes, or at least shouting at us when he thought we were slacking off — but actual hard work didn’t seem to be in his repertoire.
It seemed like a waste of effort to put this much work into fields we’d hopefully never see again, but there was no helping that. With the Carringtons remaining behind we might as well help them… and there was always the chance that our escape failed. Probably that would mean death, but if not, at least there’d be crops to come back to.
Anyway, working hard gave me something to focus on aside from my worries, for which I was grateful. The bright sun passed overhead as I struggled with the branches of fallen trees, clearing space with Malcolm’s help. But eventually my arms gave up, my fatigue catching up with me.
“I’ll check on Maria, see if I can help her with the rover,” I told my brother, wiping sweat from my brow. “I can’t lift any more.”
He nodded, shooting a nervous glance at the watching prytheen. “Okay, sis. Take care they don’t see you.”
I nodded, giving him a quick hug. “Keep an eye on Carrington,” I whispered before we parted. “I don’t quite trust
him.”
His eyes went wide and he nodded wordlessly. I hid a smile. I didn’t trust Carrington, that much was true, but more importantly this gave Malcolm something to focus on aside from the danger we were in. While his attention was on Carrington, he wouldn’t be staring at the prytheen.
It was near enough our unofficial lunchtime that I had a ready-made excuse for leaving the field. I made my way into the pod with as much confidence as I could muster. Anyone watching should see a human on her way to get her meager rations, not someone sneaking off.
But instead of heading to the mess and the food dispenser, I slipped into the engineering bay. Maria had the rover half-assembled already, and she spun around with a guilty look on her face when I stepped inside.
“Don’t sneak up on me like that,” she said, fingers tight on a wrench and hand shaking. “I almost panicked and attacked you.”
“Sorry,” I said, wondering if the wrench would even give one of the prytheen pause. For all their faults, every one of them was a formidable enemy and without a gun I doubted any of us could face one in a fight.
Better not to find out. Once the rover was ready, we’d put miles between us and the prytheen. All except Torran, and he was different.
Still frightening, but different. My fear of him blurred into excitement and thinking of him chasing me down made me tingle and blush. I couldn’t escape him, but I didn’t want to either. My mind kept going back to what he’d said about us being joined by fate, and I bit my lip as I thought about what might have happened earlier if the other prytheen hadn’t interrupted us.
What would those blue lips have felt like on mine?
“Lisa? Hello?” Maria waved her hand in front of my face, dragging me back from that flight of imagination, and my cheeks burned.
“Sorry,” I said again. “Lack of sleep, I’m not focusing well.”
A bright grin spread across Maria’s pale face and she shook her head. “It looked like you were focusing well enough, just not on me,” she said and chuckled. “I have drifted off like that daydreaming about my Alex often enough to recognize the look on someone else. But who is it that has you so distracted?”