by Tracy Lauren
“Do you your people dance, Kate?” I ask my mate. She raises a brow at me.
“Yeah, we dance. Do your people dance?” She asks, the surprise lacing her voice causes me to laugh.
“I do not know of my people, but I dance. Does that surprise you?” She leans back and appraises me from head to toe.
“Hmm, well I was surprised to find out there were aliens. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised there are dancing aliens,” she jokes. “But, no. I don’t think I’m surprised you dance. You’re like the perfect boyfriend--of course you dance.” She pauses to reflect. “But if you tell me Da’vi dances you’ll blow my mind.”
I chuckle at the image that brings up. “Yes, that would ‘blow my mind’ as well.” I look at my smiling Kate. It is grounding to have her by my side, it makes all that is difficult so much easier to bear.
“What is ‘boyfriend’?” I ask.
Her cheeks flush and she begins to mumble a response, but just then Gorrard emerges from the stairs and after scanning the room he heads towards our table. I stand.
“Brother,” I say in greeting and we clasp arms.
When we sit silence quickly falls upon our party. I have too many questions to know where to begin. Gorrard seems to be waiting for me to take the lead. Kate senses my hesitation and places her hand on my leg. Her touch comforts me, but I still struggle to put my questions into words. I realize I still fear what the answers will be.
“Please, can you tell us everything?” Kate asks. “From the beginning?”
“You were born after the migration then? I suspected as much, you are young still. But your father? He never told you our history?” Gorrard asks with a questioning expression.
“There was never… an opportunity,” Kate answers for me. Gorrard takes this in and hangs his head in his hands.
“It is a sad day to learn such news. Your father gave our people such hope--something to live for again,” Gorrard tells us.
“My father…” I grit out, clenching my fangs, but Kate stops me before I can tell Gorrard exactly what I think of my father.
“Please, Gorrard. From the beginning, there is so little we know,” Kate requests.
“Yes, of course. Our people, the Vendari, are a very old race. We are from a very old and desolate region of space. The stars around us were dying, as was ours. Our scientists struggled to find new ways for us to continue on despite our expanding sun. Our planet was becoming cold and hard with no life coming from within. Our ways were dying. Everything. Our culture, our beliefs. They were dark days. We feared even having fledglings… not knowing if they would…” he trails off and looks away momentarily.
“The Six Kings convened and brought with them the most intelligent minds in all of their lands. A decision was made, to look out into space and find a new home. Some thought perhaps that as a people we had run our course. It took time to get all to agree there was more out here for us. In the end, the Vendari longed for the old days and to resume our way of life. Starting new elsewhere was the only solution.”
“However, it was difficult to say goodbye to our planet. So, we looked for something that felt similar. It was called Project Elysia. Sensors ran for seven years, until finally we found our new home, or we hoped we had. It was a great distance away, and the sensors couldn’t provide us with complete assurance. But it didn’t matter. We were out of time.”
“Massive ships had been built. Six of them. One for each King and his people. A beacon was sent ahead to guide us. We were all to be placed in cryo for the long trip. Even at great speeds it would take many years to reach Elysia. Some of us were set to wake early, myself included, so we may scout ahead and decide if this planet we were headed towards was truly meant to be our Elysia,” Gorrard toys with the pendant at his neck again.
“I was there briefly, on our new planet. I found myself alone after the crash. Injured. Our equipment was obliterated. I had to seek out medical attention. I was lucky to be able to get a pod to function and I left. The beacon was never activated. I couldn’t have activated it, even if there was time--I had no key or code…”
“What would the beacon have done?” Kate asks.
“It would have called the six ships. Let them know the planet was all we had hoped. It would have activated the thrusters and begun the wake cycle for the cryo units,” Gorrard explains.
“Wait, what? So, everyone from your planet is still out there somewhere, frozen and asleep in space?” Kate asks horrified. My mind reels and my stomach feels as if it is going to empty itself onto the floor. Gorrard nods painfully.
“When I first saw you, I had hoped it meant the other ships arrived somehow. That our people found home and they were safe.” Gorrard searches my face. “But you are a mystery to me, my King.”
“I am no King,” I tell him.
“You are your father’s son,” he insists.
“How do you know Rennek is the king’s son… or the king or whatever?” Kate inquires.
“The wings. None but royalty have wings,” he tells us. Kate’s eyes go wide at Gorrard’s response and though I admit it would explain why I am the only one with wings, I know my father was no king.
“You called him the Grey King? What can you tell us about him,” Kate questions.
“He was my king. My family followed the greys for generations. He was of great intelligence. It was he who encouraged the plan for Project Elysia, our whole planet would have died and all our people with it, if it hadn’t been for his leadership.”
“Where are our people now, Gorrard?” I ask, breaking my silence.
“I have not been successful in locating them. The first thing I did after I was healed was gain employment so I may secure deep space, long range scanners to begin the search. I have eight now, on surrounding moons and planetoids. It has been thirty years since my crash and based on my estimated speed and trajectory calculations, they are still approximately ten years out.”
“What happens if the beacon isn’t activated? Will they just arrive in ten years and wake up?” Kate questions.
“I do not know,” Gorrard shakes his head. “I do not know if they will remain in cryo… suspended and waiting. I worry too that if they are not awoken they might be discovered by slavers or pirates. We hadn’t anticipated how much more populated this region of space would be, I do not know if the migration ships were programed to manage attacks. These questions--the fears, have plagued me for years. The fate of every male, female and fledgling has been in my hands alone. It has been a terrible burden and your presence only brings more questions,” the old and scarred Vendari’s shoulders sag.
“You are no longer alone, brother. Can we hack the beacon?” I ask.
“You honor me, my King.” Gorrard says, sincerely and humbly. “I did hire a hacker once in an effort to try to activate it remotely, but it was expensive and she was ultimately unable to sync with our technology. This seemed to be a dead end, so I placed more of my efforts on the scanners.”
“You will have to show my friends and I your data from the scans. I believe we will be able to help. The person I am here looking for might be able to offer resources as well,” I tell him.
“Who had keys or access codes for the beacon?” Kate questions.
“There were two senior officers on board our scout ship, they had the code. Each king had the code also,” Gorrard tells us. I cringe at this. My father was out raiding planets rather than caring for his people--the people he supposedly encouraged to journey out into the stars. It makes little sense to me.
“My crew, they are Vendari also,” I tell him.
“No…” shock covers his face.
“Half-breed, like myself.”
“I do not understand how…” Gorrard’s gesture his shock--just as a laser blast flashes towards us, connecting with the older Vendari’s arm.
Chapter 29
Kate
Gorrard’s arm seems to explode before us. Blood splatters my face. There is a strange and surreal second whe
re my brain struggles to process what just happened. We were sitting and talking only seconds ago… and now chaos. Everything was silent and then… the silences shatters violently.
Rennek’s chair shoots out from under him as he pushes forward onto all fours. He lets loose one of those deafening lion’s roars. His body is so massive, especially with his wings spread, he seems to cover both Gorrard and I completely, shielding us from danger.
I dive forward as Gorrard falls from his chair. He is nearly as massive as my man, so it’s a struggle to help him gently to the ground. I have to help him. I look at his arm. It’s hard to tell what’s going on there, it’s a mess and bleeding profusely. I need to make a tourniquet. I start ripping at my hem and I’m vaguely aware of the sounds of lasers whizzing past us. Rennek flips the metal table over to cover Gorrard and I before he bounds away. I hear screams in his wake.
“It’s okay, it’s okay. You’re going to be okay Gorrard,” I tell the Vendari man over and over. He growls viciously in response. I work madly to tie off his arm.
“Our people, long ago…” he breathes hard. “We were warriors. We fought with honor and only to protect the weak. It was our purpose. To serve, to watch, to protect.” He tells me as he watches me work. “Generations have passed since we were last able to follow those instincts. To live by the old ways is an honor. To die by them is a privilege.” I look up into his eyes now, confused by what he is saying.
“Take this,” he pulls the pendant from his neck. “It has the coordinates of Elysia and a chip with all my scanning data.”
“Gorrard, you’re going to be fine. We just need to get you to a hospital,” I tell him, but he forces the pendant into my hands.
“You will make a wonderful queen. It has been my honor,” he says, then he is up on his feet. He lets out a battle cry before he drops down onto three legs and leaps into the fray. Laser shots are still flying past me as I crouch behind the table. I cover my head and ears, but my eyes go to the other side of the room. The singer, the blue one with hair like medusa and a voice like water, lays sprawled across the small stage… a hole in her chest.
I fumble frantically for my charger. The table flies out from behind me and Rennek is there. He throws me onto his back, between his wings and I grip him around his neck. We are escaping.
The noise fades as we race through a kitchen in the back of the bar, but as soon as we exit the building we see the chaos from within has spilled out into the plaza. Rennek shoots two aliens as we speed past them, his tail whips and slices three more. He keeps running.
When we get far enough away, Rennek sets me down and we walk side by side, hurriedly through the crowd. He keeps his grip on me tight. We walk like this for a few paces before I venture to find my voice. “Where are we going?”
“The rendezvous point. We have been compromised, it is not safe to return to the inn,” he tells me and I think of Allison.
“Maybe it was just us? Bounty hunters happened to recognized you and thought to turn you in?”
“It was not,” he dismisses.
“How do you know?”
“The males I killed, the ones who fired on us. They were UPC.” His face is unreadable as he tells me this.
“How could you tell?” I ask. “I mean, I didn’t see much, but I didn’t see any uniforms.”
“Their weapons, their training. I know it well enough.”
“I don’t understand… did an off-duty officer recognize you or something?” I reason. “I thought they just wanted you for questioning.”
“There should be no UPC in dark space. They do not patrol here. There is some other reason those men were here Kate, a reason they attacked us. I do not understand yet, but it is not safe to go back to the inn.”
“But Da’vi and Allison?”
“We must trust them to take care of themselves,” he says pulling me along. He’s walking quickly, which means I’m running to keep up.
“Wait, Rennek. I need to catch my breath for a second,” I beg. I feel a little dumb, since he carried me ninety percent of the way. To be fair though, his legs cover a lot more ground than mine do. He stops patiently and places a big hand on the back of my neck. He kisses my forehead before resuming his watchful survey of the bustling crowds around us. I notice we are back in the section of the space station that has shops. We must be near the kabob place.
“That was scary,” I tell him. “Do you think Gorrard…” my voice catches. Rennek strokes my hair but doesn’t answer right away.
“He aided me in protecting you. He bought us time to escape. His sacrifice will not be forgotten. Come, Kate. We must keep moving.”
I swallow a sob at his response but the words steel my resolve and I press on.
“Look, is that the kabob place?” We see it just ahead of us. I scan the surrounding area. I hope to see our friends waiting for us, but I don’t see Allison or Da’vi. But… I do hear them.
Laser shots erupt ahead of us. The crowd parts and everyone begins to scatter, running to safety. Rennek crouches low and throws me onto his back again. I feel a little bit like a rag doll. I cling to his neck and peek over his shoulder. As the crowd parts, I see Da’vi and Allison running full speed towards us. Da’vi is firing in the direction they came from and I see at least half a dozen aliens in pursuit.
Rennek kicks over a nearby kiosk to block us and starts firing his own gun--providing cover to our fast approaching friends. Allison actually beats Da’vi to us. She slides to a stop and dives behind the kiosk with us.
“We’ve got good news and bad news,” she shouts. “The bad news is a little obvious--” she nods towards the fire fight.
“What’s the good news?” I shout. Just then Da’vi reaches us, but he isn’t alone. Rennek’s brother, Tennir, slides in beside us.
“To the hanger, now!” Tennir commands and we are up and running again before we even have a chance for introductions.
“Why does she get a ride?” Allison complains and before she can finish her sentence Da’vi throws her over his shoulder and continues to run--seemingly unburdened by his load. “Whoa! I was kidding!” She shouts, but he doesn’t put her down, and she doesn’t try to fight it either.
Tennir is leading the way now and most of the gunfire has died down, but there are still a few pursuing us. Every so often one of the guys pauses to shoot a couple rounds behind us. I’m recognizing where we are now. I can see where the pods are just up ahead. Red lights flash along the walls and a siren blares. The previously crowded area of the station now looks like a ghost town. Everyone has taken cover to avoid our little party.
Just before we round the final corner leading to our escape a new batch of pursuers cut us off. We screech to a halt--literally, because Rennek’s claws drag big gauges into the metal floors. Before our guys can do anything to defend us another bunch bursts through a doorway. We’re finished. There are too many of them, I think immediately. But then a miracle happens. The guys who burst through the door don’t turn their guns on us. They spread out between us and our hunters and start laying down cover. Rennek and the guys don’t even question it. They just run. I look back to try to make sense of what’s happening. Then I recognize two of the men protecting us. They are the guys from Gorrard’s bar. My heart had been ready to give up, I thought we were dead. I struggle to breath without sobbing my relief. We aren’t dead yet. We might still make it.
I see the pod. The rest is a blur. Everyone scrambles aboard. The men are shouting. We are buckled in. Then, the speed we hit makes my stomach try to cuddle with my spine. The men worry we’ll be followed, but the seconds tick by and nothing happens. Gorrard’s friends saved us. We hustle to the ship and Rennek is shouting orders to everyone. Dax jumps on navigation and we rocket the hell out of Dodge.
Chapter 30
Kate
Rennek strides over to me and starts inspecting me from head to toe. He is practically shaking. I haven’t seen him like this. In all the life or death stuff we have been through, I’ve se
en him angry and wild and brave and courageous… but never shaken.
“I’m fine,” I tell him. “Are you okay?” He presses his forehead to mine and lets out a long exhale. When he pulls away he smiles at me. That cocky smile that makes me want to slap him and kiss him at the same time. I can’t help but laugh.
“I do not like you being in so much danger in one rotation,” he admits to me.
Rennek swings around and finds his brother. Reaching out to him, he clasps his shoulder--like I saw him do with Gorrard. Tennir pushes his hand away though and pulls Rennek into an embrace. I see Rennek’s shoulders sag, like a weight has been lifted and he can finally relax. I hear the pair speaking quietly to one another, but I can’t make out their words. When they release one another, I see tears in their eyes. I can’t help but think their brotherly love is insanely adorable--but I keep that to myself.