by Juno Wells
Anger ignites hot and fast in my gut, but I swallow it back in favor of talking to him. There are so few age-mates for Kendra that I can’t risk him messing this up for her. Stretching my neck sideways, I try to get rid of the cramp that’s growing there. I begin walking towards him, but he spins on his heel and stalks back into the ship.
I pick up speed and follow as fast as my feet will carry me. I find him in an auxiliary relay junction. They are small nooks where a bunch of wires and pipes merge before branching off in different directions. “Are you angry about my sister leaving her mark on your brother?”
Without turning around he utters with a short clipped response. “It’s not my place to judge the actions of a queen.”
“You didn’t look very happy for your brother. I thought all warriors wanted to be chosen.”
“Again it does not matter what I think, so please stop asking. Queens speak and warriors obey. That is the natural order of things. If Queen Kendra wishes him, then it will be so.”
“I know we don’t always look or act like the way you expect queens should, but my sister is a good person. She’d never do anything to hurt Phan or embarrass him. You have to know that.”
Finally turning to look at me, I can see the disappointment in his face. “I doubt she will spend enough time with him to do either.”
My mouth falls open. “What do you mean by that?”
“Nothing,” Turning away, he begins to work again.
I reach out and grab the top of his uniform that’s now hanging about his waist. Trying to jerk him back proves to be a futile endeavor. I couldn’t budge him if I wanted to. He’s a mountain of muscle. “I demand that you tell me what your problem is this minute.” His eyes find mine, and he can tell I’m not playing around.
He takes a minute to get his anger under control before speaking to me. “Our clad is full of warriors with pretty faces. We are accustomed to queens who choose us for sport before moving on to spawn with breeders. My own father was devastated to be cast aside. Even though the queens of old treated us horribly, to be chosen meant everything because it meant we could spawn and pass on our heritage. I wished better for my brother. That is all.”
Instead of trying to return to his work, he tugs his clothing gently from my grip and melts back into the shadows. It takes me a minute to realize what he was attempting to communicate. Kendra marked Phan and his battle buddy, Timric, who’s an actual breeder. Tabor thinks she’s intent on using Phan for entertainment and Timric for breeding.
Hell, he doesn’t know a damn thing about human women. Forget the fact that she’s not interested in Timric at all, she couldn’t breed one but not the other because human women don’t have control of when they release pheromones like Draconian women. When we’re aroused it just happens. Miss Kendra and I are going to have a little talk tonight. We need to get a handle on this before things get out of control.
I don’t get a chance to speak with my sister the rest of the day, because she spends the entire day between Phan and Timric. They’re getting along swimmingly and laughing it up. I’m a hundred percent sure she has no idea everyone thinks she’s chosen them. I spend the day worrying about the hundred and one things on my plate, only to discover another shock when I grab a quick shower and head to bed.
Gaping at the three of them all piled into one bed, I screech, “What the hell is this?”
Kendra beams at me. “They’re my protectors. We’re not having sex, and I promise that I’m not getting distracted.”
Folding my arms across my chest, I deadpan back sarcastically. “Well, shacking up with two guys seems distracting to me.”
“It’s not. We’re working as a unit and getting more done as a team than we could individually. It’s called synergy.”
“How far back in ancient Earth history did you have to go to dig up that term?”
I get the stubborn chin up gesture from Kendra. The one she gives when she’s being intractable. “Don’t be angry. I have a right to make choices for myself. Besides we’re not mated. We’re just getting to know each other a bit better.”
“I’m your guardian, and I say no.” Scowling at the two younger warriors, I growl, “Get lost, both of you.”
“They aren’t leaving. Protectors never abandon their post.”
“This would be all kinds of cute if we didn’t have that important thing to do.” I give her a meaningful look to remind her we’re supposed to be checking on our family.
“We both have the same goal. We’re just going about it different ways.”
“It’s always been you and me against the world.”
“Well, we’re in space now, and it’s the four of us against the ‘verse.”
I can see she’s not going to change her mind, and I’m too exhausted to argue with her about it. I give the three of them my back and crawl into bed. I hope now soon we get an actual room. Sleeping in the loading bay is no picnic. Turning over, tears sting in my eyes. I’m slowly losing control of this situation, and I don’t know how to muscle things back into line. Why did Kendra have to get all google-eyed over guys now? Also, why did she have to mark the second one? That was totally unnecessary.
I try to fall asleep, but all I can hear is the sound of whispering from the other bed. Well, whispering and giggling. They’re just too young to be thinking about mating.
My eyes grow heavy, and I get sucked into a dark dream world. My dream starts out well, so I relax into it. I’m lying on my back staring up at the stars. We’re on Earth. I know because I can see the big dipper. A gentle breeze blows over me, turning slightly more chilly as the stars twinkle overhead. I’m content knowing we made it back to Earth, and then I realize I haven’t checked on my family.
The wind turns bitter, and seems to be clawing at my skin. Bolting upright, I look around. Spread around on the ground is my kin, all pasty white with white eyes. They are stiff and covered in spider webs. Rolling to my feet, I go from one to another, trying to find my mother and sisters. They are nowhere to be found.
I’ve covered some distance checking the bodies strewn about, and now I’m near the cave my family was using for a safe house. Standing slowly, I begin walking towards the mouth of the cave. I’m expecting it to be dark, like it was when I left. It’s not. There is a roaring fire just inside the mouth of the cave. The closer I get, the larger the flames become. By the time I’m standing at the mouth of the cave, it’s a raging inferno. I hear my mother crying out for help, but I can’t get to her. When I try to push past the flames, they lick my skin, leaving behind black searing marks on my skin. It’s like the flame is alive and wants to keep me away. I can hear my sisters screaming as the flames reach out and wrap around my arms. It’s shaking me, taunting me, and there’s nothing I can do.
Suddenly, I jolt awake to someone shaking me. It’s Kendra, with a wide-eyed young male on each side of her. I jerk back out of her grasp and scramble to the far side of my bed.
She holds up both hands in a gesture I recognize as her wanting me to calm down. “You just had another bad dream. Everything’s fine.”
I’m gulping air, shaking, and can’t quite pull myself together. I give my head one shake to the side, trying to clear my mind. A shadow moves near the door of our tent. Instead of Tabor, it’s the older warrior, Scarn. He moves to my side, wrapping a blanket around my shoulders. “Come back to bed, my queen. I will watch over you.”
His voice is deep and fatherly. He’s right, of course. I’m freaking out the young adults when I should be setting a positive example. Some role model I’m turning out to be. I murmur, “Thanks Elder Scarn. It’s kind of you to intervene.”
“Think nothing of it. You need your sleep. We have a mission to complete.”
“You’re right.” I climb back onto my bed, even as Kendra, Phan and Timric head back to bed. I notice she’s sleeping at the head of the bed under the blankets, and her companions are sleeping at the foot above the blankets. Kendra’s no fool. I should have known she would tak
e it slow.
9 LIFT OFF
TABOR
WE’VE REPAIRED the ship and Queen Kearney has rendered final payment to the Denarians. Phan and Timric have both snagged small six-person shuttles and the parts they need to repair them. I suspect they intend to use them as special projects to while away our time in space. It will give them something productive to do and keep them from making mischief or irritating the older warriors, so to my mind it is a good idea.
Queen Kendra seems to be welded in place between the two of them. I never see one without the other two. Phan seems happier than I can ever remember him being. Perhaps I have misjudged the situation, and she intends to breed them both. Old suspicions die hard for a battle-hardened warrior like myself. I have noticed Scarn paying more attention to our queen than ever before. He scowls at me, but does not speak his mind. I know not what to make of it.
We ready the ship for lift off. I sit in the captain’s chair with Queen Kearney at my side. Today she is wearing a proper gown in honor of our first liftoff. She looks lovely, even though we brought no caretakers to see to her needs. Her hair is piled high on her head and decorated with gemstones. Even Queen Kendra is dressed like a true queen as she sits on my other side with her young males standing behind her. It’s unfortunate that she elected to keep the mangy animal she played with at the salvage yard. Even now he sits at her feet, growling at anyone who looks at her.
I clear my voice and tighten my wings. “Drag, plot a course for Earth and engage on our queen’s mark.”
“Course laid in, sir.”
Queen Kearney’s voice sounds off. “Liftoff, Drag.”
“Yes, my queen.”
We feel barely a shudder as the gigantic ship rises from the ground. I’m pleased, because this is evidence of our mechanical skills.
Drag speaks. “Permission to break orbit.”
“Granted.” My queen takes to command well, clearly as proud as I am of the ship. I must admit that it pleases me to see her so happy. This is the most stress free that I can remember ever seeing her. Phan’s hand comes down to land on Queen Kendra’s shoulder. I’m surprised when Timric does not touch her other shoulder. Now that I think about it, she does seem to favor my brother in smiles, and she stands closer to him physically. Either my brother is her favorite, or she is still deciding and Timric has not impressed her as worthy of being mated. I don’t like to think that she’s toying with my brother’s affections before settling down with the breeder. Now that I’m thinking more clearly, I think Queen Kendra is too nice to behave in such a way. In any event, I should not waste my time thinking about my brother’s personal life but I do wish him happiness.
Scarn sounds off from the security console. “I’m picking up hyper-space signals from an incoming Strovian vessel. They are headed to Earth as well and wish to know if we would like to share their hyper-space bubble.”
Queen Kearney askes excitedly. “They’re one of the species that can fold space-time, right?”
I dip my head slightly in acknowledgement. “Yes, they could get us to Earth in microns instead of days but the costs will be steep.”
“Don’t you think it is a little convenient that they came along just when we were leaving?”
I frown. “No. This is the most prominent salvage yard within a thousand parsecs. It attracts all kind of ships. Strovians usually look for a way to offset the costs of stopping for spare parts, so it makes sense they were scanning for potential ships to share their hyper-space bubble. Even now they are likely sending out a signal offering the same to other ships.”
Scarn chimes in, “They have had a Taladar vessel, a Yuroba mid-range bulk transport and a Zelerian ship accept so far. If we wish to accept their kind offer, it will cost us twenty thousand credits, and we must wait thirty microns for all the ships to converge on this location and for the Strovian ship to load the cargo being transported from the planet.”
Swallowing thickly, our queen nods her head slightly. “Tell them we accept and are ready to join their hyper-space bubble when they say.”
I suspect that will just about wipe out her credit account. “Would you like me to ask if they will accept some gemstone in trade?”
“Do you think they would be interested in such a trade?”
“Strovians are likely to be going to Earth for human brides. They will be interested in pleasing them with pretty baubles.”
A look of relief crosses her face. “Yes, please, we have some extremely rare gemstone that should be more than enough to cover their asking price.”
I type out a modest offer on my data pad and they shoot back a counter offer. I run some calculations, and we kick back and forth various deals, until I wrangle the best deal possible for my queen. We’re getting the transport for a handful of her most precious gemstone and an introduction to the Earth ambassador. Little do they know, any species may request an audience with the ambassador. Sly, I know, but I am honor bound to get the best deal possible for my queen.
She’s pleased when I show her my negotiation. I dash off a request for an audience with Earth ambassador, explaining that we have items to trade and are looking for luxury cloth, seeds and items for our queens in exchange for nutrient dense bars, gemstone and rare metals. I am unclear on which of our trade items gets the almost instant reply, but we set the meeting for tomorrow morning. The Strovians are more than pleased, as am I at the opportunity to show my worth as a warrior. I wish my queen to see me as a valued warrior. No sooner do I think this than she speaks.
“While we’re waiting, I need to speak to you in private.” I follow her to the adjoining meeting room. Kendra and her males follow us, as Scarn slips into the captain’s seat. The hairs stand up on the back of my neck and I glance at my brother. He feels something is off as well. An idea gut punches me so strongly that my steps falter. Has this all been a ruse for the queens to get back to their dying world because they have no wish to live among us? I pray that is not the case.
The moment the door closes behind us, Queen Kearney turns to speak. “I spoke the truth when I said we came to Earth to trade, but trade is not our primary reason for making this journey.”
I sink further down into my seat, my horns slip back against my head and my wings droop. Though I do not want to hear more, I must listen carefully. It sounds like she is leaving us.
Leaning back against the door, she explains, “Kendra and I signed the bride’s registry almost two years ago in order to get money to help our family.”
I jolt up in my seat and pain lances through my chest. “You have family on Earth?” Earth is a dying world, barely capable of supporting life.
She looks small and frail in the gown. It flows over her slight curves with very little effort. Her ice-blue eyes are filled with pain. She folds her arms over her chest and takes a deep breath. “We do. In fact we have a rather large family, and they are not housed in any of the bio domes or underground cities. Since we had no money, they would have been forced into the lower levels. The people there live in squalor.”
“Tell me you found proper housing for them, my queen.”
“We didn’t. Our family owned a huge piece of property. It was almost a hundred acres covering an entire mountain. When our environment began to deteriorate, it was the oceans that soured first, turning into gigantic cesspools of acidic salt water. Then the animals began to die. Our men caught some exotic disease which locked onto their male DNA and wiped out about eighty percent of the men. There is an inoculation, but no cure. Whatever it is, the disease does not seem to affect alien visitors, so you don’t have to worry about being sick.”
I ask hopefully, “Are you saying that your family is still at your mountain homestead?”
She nods her head sadly. “We discovered a huge cave. It’s dry and high in the mountains, which are still relatively untouched. We used to camp there on summer vacation because it had a water source.”
I feel my insides crumple. “This is why you and your sister queen have pushed so
hard to mine gemstone and purchase this ship. You worry about your loved ones left behind on Earth.”
I watch my queen drop down into a seat. She seems relieved to get this off her chest.
“This is why you never spare time for courting warriors. You are worried about the wellbeing of your family.”
“I worry that the food we left was not enough to sustain them.”
Running by hands over my head, I feel my horns are now plastered to my head. My wing base aches from the tightness of my clenched wings. “This is why you and your sister queen wear uniforms instead of gowns, why you work night and day and eat only food bars.”
Tears fill her eyes but she forces them back. “It’s hard to wallow in luxury when your family is starving. We have little ones. The twins were newborn when we left.”
I pull myself together. “We must visit them when we first arrive and see to their needs.”
Phan talks for the first time. “We’ll bring them to the ship so I can see to their medical needs.”
Kendra reaches over and takes his hand in hers. He slips a wing around her and tugs her close.
Timric heaves in a deep breath. “My shuttle is ready. I will retrieve my bride and as many as I can carry.”
My head jerks around to stare at him. However, it is Kendra who speaks. “I have a twin. She teased me that if my mate had a brother to bundle him up and save him for her.”
“You have a twin?” I can scarcely imagine it.
“She looks just like me. She likes men with blond hair and Timric has a lot of it.”
Suddenly everything makes sense. She chose my brother for her mate and Timric to be her sister’s mate. I cannot imagine a young female who would turn down an actual breeder. “I hope she likes you as much as Queen Kendra does, Timric.”
“My queen has a name. It is Kara.”
“It’s a good name.” Turning to my queen, I murmur, “This mission is turning out to be more important than I ever imagined it would be. How many family members do you have on Earth.”