by L P Peace
‘It was my fathers who were Kuyon.’ Dairon almost kicked himself. Now was not the time. The thought was made worse when Garen’s face clouded over. He took half a step back.
‘Thanks,’ he said before walking away.
‘Garen…’
‘Nice talking to you,’ the Protectorate said. ‘I must help prepare.’
Dairon sat down.
‘Are you okay?’ Makios nudged his arm.
‘I didn’t know it was possible to fuck up so much on one day,’ he whispered.
Beside him, Makios leaned against the bulkhead, closed his eyes and sighed. ‘It’s funny; personality-wise, you’re all Adanith. I thought you’d be smooth like him when you met your pre-bond. Turns out in this, you’re definitely Teyrin,’ Makios smiled.
‘I hope there’s a fight when we get to where we’re going,’ Dairon shook his head. ‘I need to punch someone.’
‘There’s Adanith,’ Makios chuckled mirthlessly.
‘You found them on Teralis?’ Captain Naradai seemed angry.
‘Yes, as well as human,’ Thanesh confirmed.
‘Unfortunately, the humans don’t count to the IGC but we can get their cooperation for the sake of your half-Inadiine, Weyilan and Kuyon crewmen.’
Thanesh nodded his thanks.
The Cealin were members of the IGC. That meant they were not allowed to harm fellow members. More and more, it was becoming imperative for him to claim a planet, build it up and apply for membership.
‘They are no longer human,’ Thanesh said. The vrokking IGC and their rules. ‘They are Protectorate now. The results of the same experiments my people were subjected to three hundred solars ago.’
The captain’s eyes widened, the whites standing out against the darker grey of his Adalan skin.
‘Then your base species was human?’
Thanesh nodded. ‘The Cealin who experimented on us confirmed it. I am sending our heading,’ Thanesh passed the information via the open comm.
‘We have another ship in the area. We’ll both be there in a few hours. There’s also a Seliika ship nearby, and we rendezvoused with them last rote. Would you like us to contact them on your behalf?’
Thanesh nodded again.
‘We’ll see you in a few hours,’ Naradai said before the screen returned to the black of space.
Naradai had taken a video statement and was sending it to the IGC in support of their passing into Cealin space. Teralis was a short distance by FTL from the border between the two territories, a fact Thanesh would be forever grateful for.
When they left Teralis three hundred solars ago, they chose a random direction and struck out. They wandered into Amaran space and were picked up shortly after. That fact dictated the rest of their future and saved them from predation by other, less friendly species. That alliance helped his people build a foundation, upon which they built the Protectorate. Thanesh would be forever grateful to the original Ilan he had met all those centuries ago, as well as every other Ilan he had called ‘friend’ through their brief, human-like life spans.
Alethia’s face appeared unbidden in his mind, and every nerve in his body screamed for him to reach her, find her, keep her safe. If his anger had been a fuel, they would have reached her by now. He looked forward to wrapping his fingers around the slender Cealin’s neck and feeling it snap.
‘Sir.’ Jarit flicked a switch. The screen came to life.
The Ivoresh from Makios’s crew appeared on the screen. Her face was grim, set into determined lines.
‘Protectorate. We’re coming up right behind you. I thought you might like a stealth ship to help get Alethia back.’
Thanesh frowned in confusion, then remembered the conversation he had with Keral rotes before.
‘The Erathan?’
The Ivoresh nodded.
‘Where are you?’
The Ivoresh smiled. ‘Erathan’s are quick. We’re on your wake, ready to dock when you are.’
It would mean dropping out of FTL. It would mean giving Kallis a lead. It would also mean closing that lead quicker.
Jarit was waiting for Thanesh’s signal. He gave it with a single jerk of his chin, and the ship fell out of FTL. The Ivoresh, watching for the command, dropped from FTL at the same time.
‘Thank you,’ he croaked.
‘No need. We all love Alethia here. She’s like a sister to me. A pale, soft-skinned, tiny little sister.’ There were lines of tension around the small smile of humour in the Ivoresh’s face. Thanesh understood why Alethia considered this crew her family.
‘Let Naradai know,’ Thanesh commanded as he stood.
Jarit nodded.
Thanesh walked into the compartment behind the bridge. Dairon and Makios stood to greet him as he entered.
‘Already?’
Thanesh shook his head.
‘Then why have we stopped?’ Dairon’s voice was high with panic.
Thanesh pointed at Makios. ‘Because your crew just arrived,’ he pointed to Dairon. ‘On your ship.’
A deep, straining breath was released from the half-Kuyon, half-human. ‘Thank fuck,’ he hissed.
Docking only took a few moments. Thanesh looked at Dairon, his eyebrow arched, asking the obvious question.
Dairon shrugged.
‘Smugglers have to move fast. The quicker the docking procedure, the quicker you can be on your way and the less chance of being caught.’
‘So, you are a smuggler.’
Dairon grinned.
‘No, he’s not.’ Makios shook his head. ‘He just knows some smugglers who like to work quickly in passing freed slaves to him.’
Dairon’s grin faded.
‘Good,’ Thanesh said, waiting for the seal to secure so they could pass through to the other ship. ‘I am about to claim your world as my homeworld and your sister as my mate.’ The words heightened his awareness of the lack of Alethia at his side. ‘I cannot have the brother of the mate of the leader of the Tessan Protectorate being a smuggler.’ He looked at Dairon. ‘From this point on, you are completely legitimate. But do not worry, I have more than enough roles for you in our new world.’
Dairon was staring at him, mouth agape. Emotion clouded his features and he swallowed hard.
‘Tessa was my mother’s name,’ he whispered.
‘I know.’
The doors opened and Thanesh led the way onto the Erathan.
The other door opened and he saw the Ivoresh and a haggard Uunda, leaning heavily against the wall at his side.
‘You look like hell.’
‘You would as well if you’d had a citon charge blast through you.’ His voice was ragged, his words slurred. ‘It’s a good job I was holding Alethia, or she wouldn’t have made it.’
‘I do not believe Kallis would have used it if it could hurt her.’ Thanesh turned and allowed space for Dairon, Makios, Keral and Korren to enter the ship ahead of him. Once everyone was on board, the ships separated. Dairon led the way to the bridge and slipped into the pilot’s chair.
‘Vella, stop readjusting my chair,’ he said, slipping the seat closer to the panel.
‘What was I supposed to do, fly the damn thing hunched up in that little space?’
Dairon’s voice was broadcast throughout the ship. ‘Everyone brace.’
Thanesh grabbed a handhold on the ceiling of the bridge.
A few moments later, static stars streaked as the ship hit FTL. Thanesh felt a moment of inertia before everything returned to normal.
‘That was quick.’ Thanesh nodded his approval.
Dairon looked at him.
‘I was born on Tessa.’ Dairon grinned. ‘But I grew up on this ship. No one knows it like me. ‘Cept maybe Alethia.’ He conceded after a moment. Something in Dairon deflated.
‘We are getting her back.’ Thanesh felt the conviction in his bones. He did not find her just to lose her. He would not let that be their story.
‘Let me show you something.’ Vella headed towards one of the co
ntrol panels. Thanesh followed her.
Vella handled the controls like a female intimately familiar with the ship. She tapped a file and opened it.
Thanesh took in the information and pulled in a hissed breath.
‘And this is accurate?’ The Ivoresh nodded. Her small horns bobbed. The teal of her scales reflecting the light from the panel.
‘Deyuul got a crew member to send over the specs for the ship before another one sabotaged it.’
Thanesh brought up the comm and opened a call to Jarit on the Cealin ship.
‘I am sending you something. I need you to comm it over to Naradai.’
‘Yes, sir.’ There was a pause and a hiss. ‘Is this right?’
Thanesh nodded confirmation. ‘The IGC will want that.’
‘What were they doing, sir?’
‘Were? Are. I think the Cealin are planning on expanding their empire.’ Using the Protectorate as their foot soldiers. Thanesh unclenched his hands, feeling his sharp claws ease out of his flesh.
Kallis droned on for several hours after Alethia had stopped listening. He’d been ranting about having to leave Teralis, having to start again, having to go on the run. His head seemed to be in so many places that he was reeling to catch up. One moment he was blaming Thanesh for Kallis unchaining him three hundred solars before. The next moment, it was the King’s fault for not having more faith in him. He blamed the general he planned on killing all those solars ago, then the current head of the Cealin army for giving him the authority to run the facility. He held Alethia responsible for distracting him, then her family for coming to get her.
During his rant, the only person Kallis didn’t blame was himself. He seemed to think that every action he had made was perfect. It was other people who let him down. He was blameless; the universe was wrong and instead of handing him his proper place, it kept moving the posts.
Alethia believed Kallis didn’t understand the simple concept that other people had wills of their own. Desires, including freedom, that were ingrained in even the simplest creatures.
Finally, the Cealin fell silent.
‘Perhaps you should never have done the experiments in the first place?’
‘You should be happy I took the males of your world, or you wouldn’t have met Thanesh,’ he hissed at her. ‘Or your world wouldn’t have defences that have held the Bentari and Fedhith back for centuries.’
Kallis turned back to the controls, his face contorted with the rage he’d been steadily working himself up to for the last few hours. When he turned towards her once more, Alethia regretted opening her mouth.
‘Ungrateful whore,’ he snarled. He was unclipped and on his feet a moment later, moving towards her.
Alethia shrank back in her seat, watching the furious face of the Cealin fill her vision.
Behind him, the screen lit up and another Cealin face appeared.
‘General Kallis,’ the male said. He was talking to Kallis, but his eyes were on Alethia.
Kallis’s eyes widened before he masked his surprise and turned to face the screen. Only when Kallis was looking at the screen did the Cealin’s eyes move from Alethia.
Kallis gasped. ‘Prince Devorak?’
The male nodded. ‘I just came from a very disturbing com from the IGC,’ the young Prince said. His face was hard, his eyes flickered to Alethia. ‘I believed these experiments were long done with after your last failure.’
‘Your father gave me another chance.’
The Prince waved his hand dismissively. ‘My father is very ill. Decisions are to be brought to me until he is well again. My decision is that these experiments come to an end.’ The Prince leaned closer to the screen. ‘Now.’
Alethia looked at the young Prince. She believed he was young, though it was hard to tell. Kallis looked young, but he was over three hundred solars old.
Kallis had gone quiet, but his whole body was shaking. ‘Of course, my Prince,’ he said finally and nodded.
‘Good.’ The Prince sat back. ‘You will dock with us and transfer the female and yourself to my custody.’
‘Immediately, my Prince.’
Alethia tensed. Kallis was saying all the right words, but his manner, his body-language was throwing off defiance and rage. He had no intention of giving himself in.
The Prince’s eyes hardened. ‘Now,’ he said, his tone clipped, his voice full of anger.
The ship jolted.
Alethia was thrown roughly to one side of her chair, her arm almost wrenched where it was strapped to the armrest.
‘I’m going to destroy your family,’ Kallis hissed at the screen.
‘Give up, Kallis. There’s nowhere for you to go.’ The Prince seemed utterly unconcerned with Kallis’s threat.
‘Vrok you and your whole family.’ Kallis slammed his hand down on the control console and turned to Alethia. His white skin had taken on a light lilac tone. His face was contorted with rage, his lips twisting into an ugly sneer.
He bent over her and pulled the straps, securing her to the chair.
Alethia clasped her hands together and swung them hard into Kallis’s nose. Violet blood exploded across his face; he staggered back from her.
She pushed herself from the chair and ran to the door which opened in a swish.
‘Computer, lead me to the escape pods,’ Alethia shouted.
Above her, the lights flickered then blinked off and on. The lights to her left followed, blinking on and off in a rhythm she was clearly meant to follow.
Alethia ran. She was barely around the corner when she heard the door to the bridge swish open again.
‘Alethia.’ Kallis’s voice was full of rage.
Alethia picked up her pace. She followed the lights through the white corridors of the ship until, turning a corner, she saw the blinking stop abruptly. She ran to where they ceased and found an escape pod.
Hands grabbed her from behind. ‘So, you are a whore.’
He picked her up and threw her to the floor, her head hitting it with a resounding thud. Everything went black. She came around with Kallis’s hand around her throat. She tried to pull air into burning lungs and felt herself lifted bodily from the ground. Another swish, of doors opening, was followed by the sensation of being carried.
The escape pod was dark. Alethia’s eyes moved around wildly as she tried to focus, but she was unable to take anything in. Light flickered on and blinded her.
She was pushed into a seat. Looking into Kallis’s face, she saw with satisfaction that the bottom half was covered in violet blood.
Kallis pulled at the straps. Alethia threw her weight against them and pushed Kallis off balance. He stepped away and quickly launched himself back into the space between them. He raised his hand and swung it across her cheek. The slap reverberated dully around the small pod and snapped Alethia’s head back. Her vision exploded into pure white before the white faded and the room came back into focus. When it did, Alethia was strapped down.
The huge eyes of Kallis filled her vision. They were filled with rage. Purple and black bruising was appearing around his eyes and nose.
‘I like pain. Receiving and inflicting.’ His words twisted her stomach. She’d never have believed she’d want the Cealin government to get a hold of her before. Now all her hopes were on the Prince and his ship.
He turned and hit the button to close the door and start the release sequence. The doors closed, but the release sequence failed to activate.
Kallis hit the button again, then again, yet still nothing happened. He looked at the door with disbelief on his face.
‘What’s…’ He glanced at Alethia.
She watched him quietly. Kallis was a rabid dog; he was more of a danger now than he was before.
A hard thud rocked the ship and pod, then it all went still. Alethia recognised a docking umbilical making connection. From the look on Kallis’s face, so did he.
Alethia was convinced she would find herself with a weapon to her head while Kallis deman
ded a ship, though she doubted the Cealin would care about her as a hostage. Kallis seemed to have come to the same conclusion. Instead, he gave himself up without a fight.
They were led aboard the larger Cealin vessel and were halfway to the cells when a message came through and Alethia was brought to a lavish guest room.
Everything on the Cealin ship was some shade of white, mixed with silvers and subtle, almost wintry shades of colour. Ice blues, cold purples. It looked like what her mother had described to her as a ‘winter wonderland’.
The suite was divided into a central living area which had two large sofas that faced each other across a massive, low-lying table. There were two more seating areas arranged in small intimate corners. All of the furniture and the thick carpeting under her bare feet were white.
There were two bedrooms, and Alethia walked into the largest. This was more of the same, though the bed was large even compared to Thanesh’s, which is the largest she had seen until this point. There was a smaller seating area next to a viewscreen which showed a snow-covered world with black plant life. In the background, a black and white, thickly furred creature stalked through sparse underbrush. Looking back at the room, Alethia saw a huge bathroom. Inside was a sunken bath. Steam rose.
She moaned with want. She didn’t trust that she was safe here, but she wanted that bath more than almost anything.
What little clothing Alethia was wearing when Kallis took her was covered in dirt, sweat and violet blood. She looked at Kallis’s blood with pride before stripping them off, dropping them on the floor, closing the bathroom doors and stepping down into the bath. She floated in the water, feeling it lap against her skin, taking the grime, sweat and blood of the last few days from her. While she’d been in the bath, someone had been inside the suite and replaced her ruined clothes with other garments. She picked up the smooth white dress, noting the sheen of ice-blue that reflected under the white lights of the room.
She slipped the dress on. It was at once too big, draping on the floor, and too small at the waist. Were these females insects with the tiny waists? The shoes were pointless, being much too big, and there was some kind of fur thing which she refused to deal with after struggling to find out what it was for several minutes.