by Maia Starr
“But what if we lose? Those are high stakes to gamble against,” I said.
“That's why we can't lose,” the leader said.
I knew exactly what he meant. Losing was not an option. We were going to compete in the war games, and we were going to win, no matter what. The victor of the war games would be a Grantsions Zenkian, or we would lose everything.
“What if it is a trap?” I asked.
“If it is a trap then we will fight our way out of there and return here. It would be no different than performing a raid on the city, only we would have to jump into action with a split-second’s notice. We will already be on guard and on edge. It wouldn't be that much of a surprise if we are expecting it to be a trap and prepare for it,” the leader said.
“I like that idea. If it is a trap, we can use it to our advantage. We will already be deep inside the city in the war game complex. We could do a lot of damage to their infrastructure,” I said.
“We could cause chaos. We could free slaves. We could start a revolt,” Rizim said.
“Now you are thinking. We go to the war games, and we win. If it is a trap, we use it to our advantage,” the leader said.
We all looked at each other. We knew what we were in for. This was the biggest thing to happen since the rebellion. It was going to take a lot of planning and a lot of training.
“When are the war games?” I asked.
“They are held in one month,” the leader said.
“That does not leave a lot of time. I am in,” I said standing up.
“I am in as well,” Rizim said as he stood up.
Each soldier stood up and repeated the same thing. We were all in.
“Looks like we have our war game competitors,” Leader Hirun said.
“Let's get started,” I said.
We raised our fists into the air and saluted. It was beginning. We were about to go through a very serious training schedule and planning unlike anything we have ever done before. It was going to take all of my time and energy. And as soon as I agreed to it, the first thing I thought of was at least this would be a distraction from the human female. This would only give me time to bond with my son and to train and plan. But then I remembered, and there was a part of the treatment team, I would probably be seeing her now more than ever considering training brought a lot of injuries.
Chapter 11
Amber Lynne
I was still confused about the female Zenkian. Why had she come up to Gina and me the way that she did? It was something that I could not stop thinking about for the rest of the day. The next morning, I found myself excited to go to work. I wanted to see him again. I knew that it was dangerous to think this way, but I could not stop thinking about him. This blue alien had occupied my mind. I couldn't get around it. He was all that I thought about. Now the only time that I could see him was when I was treating him. His injury was getting better very fast. Today could be the last day that I treated him, or possibly the next day. I wished that it would be longer, but there was nothing that I could do about it.
I walked out of my living quarters and down the hall.
“Human female. What is your name?” I heard a voice say. I looked up to see the Zenkian female standing in the hallway.
"You? What do you want?” I asked.
“I should've known that it was you. I can see why he would like you,” she said looking at me up and down.
“What are you talking about?” I asked feeling a little scared by this large tall female that obviously had a bone to pick with me.
“My husband,” she said.
My eyes grew wide. This was the ex-wife. She knew. She had to.
“I don't know what you're talking about,” I said trying to walk past her. She grabbed my arm.
“I saw him leaving your living quarters the other day. So do not pretend that you do not know him,” she said.
“Your husband? Telon?” I asked, remembering the name of the new husband that she had. Her eyes grew wide and then she narrowed them at me. That only pissed her off.
“No, my former husband, Commander Nykon. Don't play dumb with me, human,” she said.
I yanked my arm out of hers. “What do you want?” I asked cutting to the chase.
“I want you to stay away from him. He has a son. I cannot have him getting in trouble. My son will lose his father; think of that,” she said.
I suddenly felt like a fool. I thought she was going to be the jealous crazy ex-wife type. But she was only thinking of her son. And she was right.
“There is nothing happening. There is nothing for you to worry about. He simply helped me with some heavy items that I could not carry. I treat him in the treatment areas; that is how I know him. Now if you'll excuse me,” I said walking away.
“That better be the truth. I don't want to hear anything else,” she said as she walked faster and past me. Her long legs made her strides rapid, and before I knew it, she was out of the hallway before I was. I stopped walking and leaned against the wall. That was close. Too close.
I waited for Gina out in the courtyard. She lived down a completely different hallway. I realized that was how the wife had narrowed it down to me. She said that she saw Nykon in my hallway, my living quarters. I felt sick to my stomach. I wanted to run to Nykon and tell him about threats, but I knew that would be a dumb move. We were supposed to cut off all communication except for in the treatment area, my work. Running to him and telling him what happened, would only lead to more attachment between us. I decided to keep it to myself. I definitely could not tell Gina.
“Are you all right? You look flushed,” she asked, and she came up to me.
“I am fine. I was just running late, so I had to do everything really fast and run out here,” I said to her.
“I understand. I overslept the other day. It's an easy thing to do when you live in these cool cave-like dwellings,” she said as we began to walk to the training grounds.
“That is true. I miss having a modern apartment,” I said laughing.
“Don't worry; it will come in no time,” she said.
We walked across the training grounds and into the treatment areas. But we were surprised that this was not going to be an ordinary day.
“What is going on here?” Gina whispered in my ear.
“I don't know,” I whispered back.
We walked in to see Leader Hirun talking to the doctor. They were whispering in the corner. It was a rare sight to see a leader in this area. In fact, I had only seen them during ceremonies. They barely walked the marketplace and open areas. It was considered too dangerous for them to do so.
Finally, they finished their conversation and the leader left. The doctor came out of the corner.
“Gina, Amber, come with me,” he said as he walked into a back room. There were already several assistants sitting down on benches. But these assistants were Zenkian, not human. Gina and I were the only human females in the treatment areas. We sat down on the benches with the rest of them.
“I have news. It is going to be announced today that the Grantsions will be competing against the Waysaw in the upcoming war games. We are to go with them. We are to assist in injuries during the games,” the doctor said.
A chill ran up my spine. This could not be happening. I had run away from the Waysaw city; now they wanted to take Gina and I back? No way.
“The leader cannot expect Gina and I to go. We are human females. We escaped from there. It is absurd to take us back there,” I said feeling a bit shaky.
“I understand your fear. The leader wants both of you to go. The Waysaw have guaranteed a time of peace. That includes that they will not try to take you as slaves. It would be against the rules that they have laid down for this time of games. You do not have to worry,” the doctor said.
“Well, I am worried. What if we refuse?” Gina asked.
“Then your journey to Earth will be delayed,” he said.
Gina and I looked at each other. We were pissed off. If we
went, we could possibly become slaves again. If we did not go, then it was possible that we would not go back to Earth, not for over a year.
“I will leave it up to you. But know that not coming with the team will result in consequences. Now, we will be working hard over the next few weeks. The games are in one month. Right now, the training for the games has started; that means that our most skilled soldiers will be training and getting injured. We must attend to their injuries with the utmost care. They are the ones that are going to be fighting against the Waysaw, and we have to make sure that they are in the best shape possible. Pay attention to your work. This is training for us as well,” the doctor said.
The female Zenkian had no objections to this news, but they weren't in as much danger as Gina and I were.
“What if this is a trap, Doctor? What if we go and the Waysaw have tricked us, and they start a real battle?” I asked knowing exactly how sneaky and manipulative the Waysaw could be because of my own experience with them. I had experience with the two Waysaw that were in charge. I knew how they thought, and this sounded like a trick of theirs to me.
“That is no concern of ours, human. Leave that to the leaders. We will do as we have been ordered. Now go and do your work for the day. See to your assignments,” he said and then walked out.
“Unbelievable. Fuck. What are we going to do?” Gina said looking at me.
“I don't know. What can we do? Let's do our work right now and will talk about this later,” I said standing up and walking out. I was furious.
An hour later, I was treating Commander Nykon, just as I had been the last few days. He was lying on the table; he was quiet. He wasn't trying to tease me or make any sort of moaning like he had before. I wanted to tell him that his ex-wife had threatened me. But I did not know how to tell him. Perhaps it was best if I said nothing at all.
My hands worked on his body; the injury was no longer purple, and it was pretty much healed. This would probably be the last time, I thought.
“So, I hear there is to be an announcement about the war games,” I said.
He put his hand on mine, stopping me from massaging.
“How do you know that?” he asked surprised.
“The doctor told us,” I said.
“Why would he do that? The leaders have not even announced it among the village yet,” he said.
“Because the leader has asked the doctor to take a team to the war games to attend to the wounded,” I said.
“A medical team. That makes sense,” he said. He released my hand, and I continued massaging.
“Yes, it does make sense. But it does not make sense to make human females go. Especially because we were already slaves of the Waysaw.” I said with anger.
“What do you mean make human females go?” he asked.
“I mean that the doctor is making his team go, and that means Gina and me. Two human females that were slaves of the Waysaw,” I said.
“No. You are not going. I forbid it,” he said.
“Forbid it? You have no authority to stop it. I refused, and they said I would not be able to go back to Earth if I did not go to the war games. I have to go,” I said.
“No. I do not want you anywhere near that city. I will not be able to concentrate on winning the games if I know that you are there and I have to protect you,” he said.
“Winning? Do you mean that you are going to be one of the soldiers to compete?” I said as I stopped massaging.
“Yes. I have to. I am the best of the best here. I have to go and fight,” he said.
I was silent. I did not want him to go. I had seen the war games before when I was a slave. They were awful. There was only one winner per round and the loser died. It was like the gladiator games of Rome on Earth.
“Do you really have to? Why are you? I know you say you are the best of the best. But have you seen these games? Zenkian die in them. It is a fifty-fifty chance that you will live. You have a son.” I said to him.
“I know that. But it is no different than when I go to battle. It is a fifty-fifty chance that I will return from battle. I have thought it through. I have to go. I have to win. But I do not want you going, Amber. I will see what I can do. I will talk to the leaders and tell them it is a bad idea to send human females to the city,” he said.
“You will?” I asked surprised by this.
“Yes, I will. But say nothing to no one. Just continue as you are,” he said.
“I will. Thank you, Commander,” I said. I continued my work on his injury. I was hopeful. I hoped that he could get me out of it. I did not want to go back to the city. Just thinking about it made me feel sick to my stomach.
Chapter 12
Commander Nykon Reev
I was furious. Yes, I had offered myself as a sort of self-sacrifice to the war games. But I was not willing to sacrifice Amber. I had to get her out of this. But I did not know how. Two weeks had gone by, and I had been busy with training and planning. It took up all of my time. I barely had time to see my son.
The two weeks were busy, and I was grateful for the amount of work. It kept me from thinking about Amber in other ways. The last time that she treated me was when she told me about having to go to the games. I had not been treated by her since because my wound had healed. I was glad for the healing. I needed to be at top performance for the war games. I knew that I could win. I was confident in my skills. I knew who the victor wise in the Waysaw city. It was Evlon. He had been the victor for many years. I had seen him fight and I knew what I would be up against. Yes, he was a fierce soldier, but he was older. I had youth on my side, and I would take advantage of that.
But now, I had other matters to attend to. I finally had a meeting with Leader Hirun. I was going to try to get Amber and the other human female out of their responsibilities.
“Commander, how is the training? The soldiers look good from what I can see during the practice drills,” he said as I walked into his meeting room.
“It is going well. I am optimistic that we will give the Waysaw a great deal of competition. It is not going to be a problem,” I said.
“Good, and the plans are in place in case it is a trap, and a full-on battle occurs,” he said.
“Yes, we are prepared and willing to take advantage of that moment,” I said.
“Good. And what can I do for you today? You have requested this meeting,” he said.
“Yes, I have some concerns. The doctor is taking a treatment team to the games to attend to our injuries,” I said.
“Yes, it is important,” he said.
“Yes, but part of his team are two human females; they were former slaves of the Waysaw. It does not seem wise to have them returned to the Waysaw city. The Waysaw will try to reclaim what is theirs,” I said.
“It has already been taken care of,” he said.
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“We have already negotiated such a thing with the Waysaw. Humans are allowed to attend the war games along with the Grantsions crowds that will be in attendance. No harm will come to the humans; they have guaranteed it,” he said.
“And what if it is a trap as we expect it could be. What then?” I asked.
“Then that will be a different matter altogether. There will be soldiers assigned to protect the human females. They will be responsible for getting them out of the city,” he said. “You do not need to concern yourself with this. You only need to concern yourself with winning. That is your part in this. I know that you can do it, Commander,” he said.
“I understand. But I still think that it is a bad idea to have the humans go. What if we—” I said.
“That is enough commander. I will not waste another minute speaking of this. We have already decided on the matter amongst the leaders. It has been set. Now I must attend to other matters if that is all,” he said.
“Thank you for your time, Leader,” I said as I walked out.
I walked out pissed off. I wanted to help Amber, and I could not tell the
leader exactly why I did not want her to go. If I told him that it would be a distraction for me because I cared for her and I could lose the games because of this distraction, then he would know that I had been intimate with her. It was too risky. I could not say anything. Now I would have to go and tell her that I failed. I was not looking forward to it.
I made my way to her living quarters. It was dark out. Most of the village was having dinner in the communal kitchens. I made sure that no one saw me walking to her living quarters. I did not know if she would be in the kitchens or at home.
I knocked on the door.
“Nykon? What are you doing here? You should not be here,” she said in a panic.