by Juno Wells
“We could hide my medical bots in any viscous substance and have it rigged to leak if it is not handled with care. Chances are, once our enemy realizes our deception, they will abuse the pod. This is particularly true of Captain Artor. You said he appeared to have mood swings and difficulty controlling his anger and aggression. In any event, we can have them rigged to leak if they attempt to move it, or after a predetermined period of time. They will probably be quick to judge us as lacking in mechanical skills, since we’re flying in such an old ship.”
Queen Kearney asks, “Are you certain that you can program the bots to seek out their engines?”
“I can program them to do whatever we like. I would suggest that we program two sets of micro bots. One to seek out and destroy the engines and other set to seek out the air purification system and release a sedative.”
I’m excited by my brother’s suggestions. “Having a built-in redundancy plan is an excellent idea. It doubles our chances of success.”
Phan’s voice sounds pleased. “I’ll begin programming the bots and human bio signatures immediately. Before you ask, I should have them finished within the next fifty microns.”
Turning to my queen, I remark. “That is two and half hours in Earth time.”
She elbows me gently in the side. “I know that, handsome. I’ve been hanging around your people for almost two years.”
That we can find moments to jest even in such dangerous times gives me hope that we will continue to find true happiness together. In this moment, I know that I will do absolutely anything to protect her from the looming danger. No matter how complex this situation gets, I will find a way safely through it for my queen and the small roomful of child queens under my care.
20 ACTING LIKE AN ALIEN
KEARNEY
WE REASSIGNED Elder Scarn from making incendiary devices to creating a viscous substance that would pass for lubrication. Not surprisingly, he chose actual lubricating fluid. We did darken the color to a deep blue to make it more difficult to see the micro bots. Of course we can’t see them with the human eye, or a Draconian eye. However, they sometimes tend to clump together and can be noticeable if someone’s paying close attention. Plus we don’t know how good their vision is. They may be able to see things we can’t, so it’s best to do what we can to minimize the possibility of discovery.
I lean over the life pod that Scarn is working on. It’s not really a life pod. It’s something he threw together to look like one. “If you could back up, my queen, I would be able to concentrate better.”
“I still smell like our commander’s mating scent, don’t I?”
“I would not wish to insult a queen, but the smell is repugnant.”
I intentionally don’t hit back on that only because we’ve got bigger fish to fry at the moment. “Do you think this will work?”
“With so many people contributing good ideas, I am very hopeful it will. If our efforts fail, and we are boarded, you are to take all the little ones and as many of the younger queens as possible into a shuttle and hide in the anomaly. We have sent a distress call, and that is where our people will look for us. We will keep them busy for as long as possible. Once you are out of harm’s way, our strategy will no longer be victory. It will be stringing out the battle for as long as possible with the goal of keeping our enemies off you while waiting for our brethren to join the fight.”
“Why didn’t Tabor tell me this?”
“Because he will wish to delay telling you for as long as possible in case we are forced to stun you to ensure you get on the shuttle.”
“I won’t leave. This is my ship and I’ll die fighting.”
“We cannot mount an effective battle strategy if we have queens to protect. Would you risk Tabor’s life only for the privilege of staying at his side? You are no warrior, Queen Kearney. The younger queens need someone who can think fast and solve complex problems. You have a duty to them, just as we have a duty to you. Do not shame your takadon by refusing to allow him to fight for you.”
I feel a sharp pain lancing through my chest. My God, he’s right. We’ve all got our part to play in this and I cannot escape mine any more than Tabor can escape his. “I’ve always felt in control of my destiny. Now, I feel as though my life is already set in motion with me only needing to step through the motions of living it.”
“It is times like these that test the limits of our sanity and make us weary of the bonds we have made with others. I have lost much in my life. I was once a breeder to a ruthless Draconian queen and none of my young pleased her. Being forced to stand by and watch all of my babies be reaped, one at a time, broke my spirit. I never thought to care for another being in my lifetime. Signing onto this ship has been my salvation, for not only did I form close friendships with Tabor, Phan, and Timric, but I also discovered that not all queens are evil. Sleeping with a kind queen in my arms has restored my faith in the ‘verse. Entares may have turned her back on me in my youth, but the goddess doubled back to smile on an elder warrior who thought his time was coming to an end. Trust in the goddess, and never lose hope, Queen Kearney.”
“I can understand why Draconians believe elders are full of wisdom. If the worst comes to pass, I will put duty first.”
“I’m afraid you can do nothing else when tiny humans are relying upon you for their safety.”
He stops, wipes his hands, and adds a small, thin sheet of metal around the interior of the pod. “This is specially coated metal that will keep the enemy from locking onto the bio-signal securely. They will likely think their sensors are picking up a female in stasis.”
“Draconians are clever, and you think of everything.”
“Thank you, Queen Kearney. Will you check that your mother and the other queens are well?’
“I can see you’re really trying to get rid of the mating scent. I’ll jump in the mister if it’s that distracting.”
“Though the odor is not as potent, it’s difficult to express how unpleasant it is. I would rather smell ten-day-old garbage than our commander’s scent.”
“I’ve heard breeders stink up the entire ship. I guess my mom’s going to be taking a lot of showers to get your mating scent off her.”
Elder Scarn actually drops the tool he’s working with. “Your mother wishes me for a mate? She calls me her bed warmer. I thought all human females had them.”
“That’s not remotely true. We bring males into our bed that we want to have romantic relations with.”
“Romantic relations means mating, am I right?”
“I’m afraid so. Don’t worry. My mother would die a thousand cruel deaths before allowing anything to happen to your hatchlings.”
His eyes take on a faraway look, and he seems to be lost in his own thought for a few moments. He snaps out of it, commenting wishfully, “She does love small humans. Perhaps she will grow a likening for our young as well.”
“Don’t be a knucklehead. Any children she has with you will mean the world to her.”
Scarn does not seem to know how to process this information. Maybe I messed up by being so open about my mother’s affection for him. I should mention that I messed up there to her, so she’s not blindsided by it.
I head for her quarters, feeling a bit useless. All the warriors are busy executing our plan, and I’m wandering around bothering them. That’s not okay, since I’m a grown woman, and not an attention-seeking child.”
Along the way I bump into one of the Grayson clan, and she’s furious. Shoving another girl down, she screams. “You will obey my every word if you wish to live. I have no tolerance for other queens in my private space.”
“Hold up, what’s going on here?”
“I do not answer to you or any other human queen.”
I take a minute to look her up and down. “Why the hell are you talking like an alien? I don’t know what kind of game you’re playing, but you sound all kinds of crazy, so you might want to button it up.”
An enraged look crosses he
r face, and she lunges for me. She’s all fancy gown and flying hair, and she’s pissing me off. Just before she makes contact, I kick my foot right into her chest, and it sends her sprawling back onto her ass. I walk over, and squat down in front of her. “You and I are both human, dumbass. We’re out in the black of space with enemies trying to kill us. If you don’t let go of the crazy and calm your ass down, I’m gonna lock you in your room. Am I making myself clear?”
She leans forward and inhales. “You are the ranking breeding female on this ship. That fact alone makes you my enemy.”
“Okay, I’ve had enough.” Grabbing her by the arm, I haul her up to her feet, put my hand on the back of her neck and perp-walk her squawking ass to her room. Ordering the other woman out, I fling her inside and use my hand to bio-lock the door. Turning to the two shocked women, I ask, “What the hell was that all about?”
I don’t recognize these members of Grayson’s clan. The one with red hair shakes her head but doesn’t speak. Her long curls are cute as hell, but she’s not coming through with the information I want. The brunette gestures towards the door. “She was fine before she came aboard your ship. Since she arrived, she’s been getting bitchier and more condescending. It kind of comes and goes, but it’s been increasing in intensity. We’ve been trying to steer clear of her, but she’s seems to always be spoiling for a fight.”
“Maybe her life isn’t turning out quite how she intended. Her quaint little imitation of aliens isn’t going to help her fit in around these parts.”
“Do you think she has some kind of space dementia?”
I snort a laugh. “No, I think she’s young, anxious, and attention-seeking.”
“Are you letting her out of the room?”
“Hell no, she’s lucky I don’t toss her in the brig. I don’t know if you two know it or not, but we’re in a fight for our lives against two superior opponents. If we don’t end up getting distracted by foolishness like this, we just might survive and make it to our new home world. I’m locking her down until we’re out of the danger zone. Chilling in her room for a few days won’t kill her. She’s got a private bath, and I want you two to see she gets fed. All the doors have a slot for drone delivery, so don’t ask for a door override.”
“We aren’t looking for any trouble. Where are we supposed to stay?”
“Neither of you are in trouble. I just want you to understand our situation so you can make good decisions for yourself. I’m on my way to my mother’s suite. If you come along, I’ll get her to sort you out with another room temporarily.” When they don’t answer, I turn on my heel and walk off, barely aware that they’re following me.
My mother has just put the twins down for a nap when we arrive. She places a finger to her mouth, a gesture for us to be quiet. After she closes the door to their room, we are free to talk.
She tip-toes across the room before speaking quietly. “How’s the battle going, Keary?”
“We’ve got plans nestled inside of plans. I’d be surprised if our warriors lost this battle. Unfortunately, unexpected things are always happening so it’s difficult to say for sure. Speaking of unexpected things happening, I ran into one of Virgil’s kin acting all kinds of crazy. She tried to attack me, and I had to lock her in her room. If you can possibly believe it, she was talking like an alien. She called me a human queen and said since I was the breeding queen in charge I was her enemy.”
My mother wrinkled her nose in distaste. “That is strange. I wonder what that’s all about?”
The redhead finally speaks up. “Samantha’s not herself. She’s normally really cooperative.”
My mother turns curious eyes on me. “There must be some explanation for why she’s acting so weird. Any idea at all what could be driving this change in behavior, Keary?”
“Hell if I know, but we can’t allow her to go running around picking fights with the other women, which leads me to our next problem. Her two roommates need a place to stay.”
“I think that’s something can be worked out. Would you all like to stay and chat while I look at my list? I made some coffee.”
“I hate to call my own mother a liar, but we don’t have coffee on this ship.”
“That’s where you’re wrong. Scarn spent a small fortune on coffee beans. He’s as addicted to it as I am. After doing without for so long, nothing tastes better than a nice cup of java.”
“I see how it is. You’re getting spoiled, and I’m getting to choose between which of our enemies to kill first. That hardly seems fair.” My voice is light to disguise my anxiety about speaking the truth.
My mother’s head jerks up, “Kearney Sue, tell me you aren’t trying to kill people.”
I cringe at her tone. “No, we’re just trying to disable their ships so they don’t destroy our vessel. There’s no denying that if it comes down to it we might have to crack a few skulls.”
Her disapproval bothers me. “I don’t like the flippant way you talk about death.”
“Me either, but you have to understand that Kendra and I have been surviving out in the black for a while now. We have to do what’s necessary to survive. I can’t say we’ve ever killed anyone ourselves, but the warriors protecting us have. I know it’s hard to get your head around but if our choices are to stay on Earth and slowly waste away or take to space and fight, the latter at least ensures our survival.”
Her expression shifts from disapproving to frustrated. “I just can’t believe it’s come down to this.”
“Unfortunately, human women are coveted in this sector of space. That means some people break the law in order to get ahold of us. I don’t want any of us ending up in some alien brothel or on an alien’s plate for dinner. We have the right to protect ourselves. It would be nice if you could get on board with that.”
“I have to admit that if it came down to it I’d kill to protect my children or the other women here. I suppose that I’m not all that different from you. I’ve just been struggling in a different kind of way for survival on Earth.”
I wrap my arms around my mother, feeling horrible for being so hard on her. “I’m sorry, mom. I just need us all to be on the same page. There’s strength in numbers.”
“I’ll do whatever’s necessary.”
Holding her back at arm’s length, I see the last couple of years haven’t been kind. She’s aged at least eight or ten years since I last saw her. “Scarn talked about what to do if we’re boarded, right?”
She nods, her face a mask of pain. “I hate the warriors staying behind to fight, but we have the little ones to protect.”
“That’s literally the only thing that could pull me away from Tabor. Let’s hope it doesn’t come down to that.”
“I’ll pray it doesn’t, cause I don’t think we’d be very good at standing between danger and the children if all the warriors get taken out.”
“We’re pretty smart and resourceful, so I honestly don’t think that will happen.”
Just then my com goes off. “Queen Kearney, we need you in the medical unit immediately.”
My mother tosses me a weak smile. “Women’s work is never done, in space as well as on Earth.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll keep you posted.”
21 DEALING IN DECEIT
TABOR
I HOVER over my brother and his mate as they work on the bots. She’s taking each one out and fitting it into a tray with small magnetic pinchers. She looks so much like my sweet queen that my heart aches to see her. She’s currently wearing a visor that magnifies the bots so she can see them. When she glances up at me, her blue eyes look huge and comical. She goes back to work, and I have to admire her diligence. Her motions are smooth and quick.
Though she’s impressive, I prefer watching my brother. He puts the trays in a specially designed machine and then keys in the commands for each bot. My brother may not be the biggest or the strongest warrior, but he is one of the smartest. He’s half healer and half scientist but all warrior. It is a combination whi
ch earns him honor and respect among our people. My father and I worked hard to keep him pointed in the right direction and focused on his studies and now that effort has paid off. I have no words to describe how proud I am of him for his part in saving our queens this day.
They are nearly finished, and Elder Scarn is pacing back and forth in the loading bay waiting to load the bots and bio-signature devices into the pods. Once that is done, all we have to do is wait for our enemies to arrive. There can be no doubt they heard us issue a distress call, therefore they will wish to flush us out as soon as possible.
My queen slips in the door unnoticed by all but me. “Are you well, my queen?” I don’t know why I’m asking, but I scented danger on her when she came close.
“I’m fine. There was a problem with one of the women acting out, but I handled it.”
“We are finishing up the bots. Phan has already programed the bio signatures and they have been locked into place in the pods.”
“Elder Scarn explained plan B to me in terms I could understand. The only reason I agreed to abandon you to the fight is because he said I’m no good at fighting and you would be distracted protecting me instead of fighting.”
Anger flared hot in my chest. “He had no right to tell you that. When this is all over, I will have words with him over this.”
She steps forward and wraps her arms around my waist. “Don’t bother. I needed to hear it from an elder. I never would have listened to you.”
“I don’t know whether to be pleased at your dedication or upset that you would not obey your protector when danger is near.”
“You can be both.”
I wrap her up in my arms, praying to the goddess that our plan works. By plan, I do not mean the one involving bots. I have already run the stats on that plan, and there is only a forty-two percent chance it will be effective. I mean our plan to cover the escape of our queens in the two shuttles.