The Skolean paced the deck of the bridge. He had grown tired of waiting. This little human vessel was vexing him.
"My lord," V'lorn pleaded, "this technology is far superior to our own shielding. Perhaps, destroying the vessel is a mistake."
Korlich spun on the heels of his feet and narrowed his eyes at the armory officer. His black lips curled up and revealed the sharp incisors. "I am lord of this vessel, V'lorn. Mind your tongue, or I'll rip it from your mouth."
V'lorn slunk back. "Yes, my lord."
Korlich flopped onto the throne. He was anxious, a feeling that he didn't plan to share with his crew. Weakness could be smelled, and mutiny was always only one ambitious Skolean away. The thought of this ship's shield technology had occurred to him, and if the opportunity presented itself, he would gladly steal it away. However, instilling a measure of fear into his crew was more important now. The crew was tired of waiting for this prize.
The Hasian ship had appeared not long after the Michon arrived. The smaller cutter was well-armed. Enough so, Korlich wasn't ready to risk the Michon till he knew his prize was really there.
"Patience of a predator," he said to his crew. A lie. Patience was a trait that the entirety of the Skolean race lacked. Korlich was the same. Indicating a plan, the lord bought some time with his crew to maintain face against a stubborn enemy.
Now, he growled to himself. He stared out the window at the other ships. The crew would need to see him make an example of at least the Hasian cutter. The captain was a smug, little man. He had offered him a small harem of females. Korlich had scores of slave girls. He certainly didn't need to be given any. If anything, he would blast the Hasian cutter until he could lift the corpses of these females. Fresh corpses were still ideal for some of the lower ranked crew. Good practice, Korlich thought.
Rising from the throne, Korlich leaned near to V'lorn and rasped, "I am growing tired of your failure. I leave command to you. I will be in my nest with your concubine. I will do my best to deliver her back to you intact."
V'lorn stared down in deference. A lord had rights to all the females on the vessel. His violation of V'lorn's concubine was a discipline against the armory officer and an affront to V'lorn's honor. To defy the lord, though, would result in death, or worse.
"Yes, my lord," V'lorn muttered in a hoarse tone.
Korlich turned on his heels and left the bridge.
The Girl Awakens
"Don't touch me," the girl snarled.
Farkak was unconscious against the wall. His body had disrupted a table covered in beakers and utensils when the girl lashed out and hit him. Cooper hadn't seen the blow, but it appeared the girl was strong. Much like the beast roaming the halls.
"Whoa," he said to the girl. "I don't want to hurt you."
"Who are you?"
"My name is Cooper Montbarts. We answered your vessel's distress signal."
"Distress signal? What vessel?" Her face contorted in confusion.
"What's your name?"
"Learra."
"Beautiful name," Cooper commented. "What do you remember last?"
"I don't know. I remember being at home?"
"Where are you from?"
"Taboorn."
Cooper didn't recognize the name. "What planet? Or system?"
She looked confused. "What do you mean system? Taboorn is on the continent of Valdan."
Shit, he thought.
"Do your people travel in space?"
"What is space?"
"Like among the stars."
Learra laughed, "Only the gods live among the stars."
"Oh, sweetie, you are going to be enlightened soon."
"What do you mean?"
Cooper waved his arm to the table. "Have a seat."
When Learra complied, Cooper said, "Someone very bad stole you away from your home. Right now you are on a vessel in space."
"What? That's impossible!"
"I'm sorry, it's not. There are millions of civilizations out there that travel the stars. There are also many, like yours, that don't have that capability."
"That's crazy. No one can travel the stars."
"You mentioned that your home was on the continent of Valdan. Are there other continents?"
"Yes. Eldan, Wardan, Powdan."
Cooper nodded as she talked. "Are they separated by water?"
"Yes."
"Do your people travel the waters in between them?"
Learra smiled and said, "But of course. How would we know about them without sailing to them."
"What powers your ships?"
"Wind."
"Do you travel between cities, as well?"
"Yes, of course." Learra was amused by Cooper's questions.
"How do you travel?" Cooper asked. "By car?"
"Car? We ride minnas or in carts pulled by minnas."
"My home was once the same way. We started by exploring the seas. That thirst for exploration grows. We built horseless carriages or minnaless carriages. We built ships that moved without wind, and then ships that soared in the sky like birds."
"That's nonsense."
Cooper smiled. "Not at all. It's true."
"How is that possible?" Learra asked.
"There are always those people who see the impossible as possible. They believe that the ability to leap from one mountain to the next is simply a matter of faith."
"You are saying that we are in," she started. "What do you call being among the stars? Space?"
"Yes, we are in space."
A sound emitted from Farkak. He was regaining consciousness.
Cooper glanced over his shoulder at Farkak still sprawled on the floor. "Learra, have you always been strong enough to throw a man around?"
"What do you mean?"
"You knocked poor Farkak there across the room."
"I don't know," she blubbered.
Farkak sat up slowly. Kneeling down beside him, Cooper said, "Take it easy. You had quite a fall."
"She hit me," he muttered.
Cooper smiled. "Oh, that she did. I guess you weren't expecting it."
Farkak stood up.
Cooper said, "She was startled and scared. Her adrenaline drove her at you."
"She knocked me out."
Cooper cocked his head with a smirk. "She just punched you a couple of times. I think the blow on the table when you fell knocked you out."
"It hurts like hell," he said.
"I imagine. Why don't you go lie down in the other room? I'll find you a painkiller."
Farkak stumbled as he walked into the other room.
"Cooper, come in," Shaltia said over the comm.
"Yeah, Shaltia," Cooper responded.
"Oh, fuck," Shaltia said.
"Shaltia, do you read me?" Cooper insisted.
There was silence, then a muffled response that Cooper couldn't understand.
"Shaltia?"
"Not now," Shaltia demanded.
"What's going on?"
"Not fucking now!" Shaltia yelled into the comm.
Cooper was standing. "Alura, what is going on over there?"
"At present, the Skolean vessel and Fucking Schwarz's vessel are standing in attack mode with weapons armed."
"Fucking Schwarz?" Cooper snorted.
"That is what Captain Shaltia said his title was."
"Where is Shaltia?"
"Captain Shaltia has gone to the Burnside to investigate Tyma Gribel."
"Shit," Cooper muttered. "Has she checked in?"
"Just now, sir. She has asked me to lock the rec room of the Burnside."
"Oh, great."
"Cooper," Shaltia said breathing heavily. "I have Mitch."
"Oh, thank god," Cooper said. "What happened? Why are you over here?"
"I think Schwarz is after your monster, which I just ran into in the rec room."
"Are you alright?"
"Yes, I found Mitch there. We have him locked for the moment in the rec area."
"Get
back to the Alura," Cooper ordered.
"What the fuck? Do you think you are the boss?"
"Sorry, I just don't want you to get hurt."
"Where's Farkak?" she asked.
"He's in Med Bay with me."
"Then, your monster is locked up at the moment, and Farkak is with you. I have free range of the ship. Let me look at Gribel while we can."
"What makes you think Schwarz wants the 'Skolean?'"
"He says you have his property."
Cooper looked at Learra sitting on the examination table. "I think he is after more than him. The girl is awake. And she is something else."
"What do you mean?"
"She doesn't know where she's from?" Cooper said.
"She doesn't remember?"
"No. She remembers. She is from a planet that has only mastered wind-powered sailing vessels."
"Oh, fuck. She's been stolen?"
Cooper answered, "Yeah, it seems so. Sounds like a slaver to me."
"Fucking Schwarz," Shaltia muttered.
Cooper laughed.
"What's so funny?"
"Fucking Schwarz," Cooper chuckled, "that's what Alura called him."
"Oh, yeah," Shaltia said. "What are we going to do about her?"
"We can't leave her here, and I'll be damned if Schwarz gets her."
"I'm going to Gribel's quarters. Just keep Farkak and the girl there so we know where all the players are."
"Will do," Cooper answered.
"Who are you talking to?" Learra asked.
Smiling Cooper said, "My partner." He pulled the comm receiver out of his ear. "This allows me to hear her when she is not with me."
"This is all insane."
"How are you feeling?" he asked her.
"Scared. I want to go home."
"I know, I will try to take you there," he reassured her. "But how do you feel, physically?"
"I feel fine. How should I feel?"
Shrugging, he responded, "I'm not sure. I've never been in stasis before."
"Then, I feel fine."
Cooper pulled a chair from under the desk and sat down facing her. Her skin was smooth and soft, as was her hair. Straight blond hair with streaks of brown fell over her shoulders. Cooper cringed at the thought of what slavers would do with a young girl like this.
"What did you do on your world?" he asked.
"My father was a farmer. I was his only daughter. I was being taught how to be a good wife."
"Wow," Cooper said, "fun times."
"It is what we do. My brother was learning to be a farmer like my father. Girls don't have to learn to work in the fields."
"What about for fun?"
"I have a friend named Triata. She and I enjoy swimming in the creek during the growing season."
"Boyfriends?"
"What do you mean?"
Cooper explained, "Like a male friend that wants to be with you romantically."
"Oh, no. That would be improper. I will be wed next season when I turn sixteen. My husband would want a pure vessel."
Cooper blushed a little. "Let's keep you that way then."
Farkak appeared in the doorway of the other room.
"I forgot to find you a painkiller," Cooper admitted.
"It's fine," Farkak said. "I'm better. How is our patient?"
"She's healthy it seems."
"She certainly packs a punch," Farkak said. He extended a hand to her and introduced himself.
"I am Learra," she said taking his hand. "I am sorry if I hurt you."
"No apologies. You were still coming out of stasis."
Learra looked at Cooper. "What is this stasis you both are talking about?"
Cooper pointed at the tube. "You've been asleep for a long time. Months, even. In that tube. It's a stasis tube. It will slow your body functions down to a crawl. You could sleep in it for centuries and never age."
"How long was I asleep?" she asked.
"There's no way to really know. You've been on this vessel for at least eight months. It's possible even eighteen months ago when the ship left Cheundia."
"What is Cheundia?"
"It's a planet where this ship came from."
"Eighteen months. That means I am almost seventeen. I was to be wed at sixteen."
"I'm afraid you missed the cake."
Tears welled in Learra's eyes. "This is terrible, my family will be disgraced."
Farkak responded, "Does she not remember?"
Cooper shook his head. "Learra was kidnapped. From a primitive planet."
"Fuck me," he said. "Learra, this isn't your fault."
"It does not matter. My father will be disgraced. No one will purchase my father's crops. They will be outcast."
"Learra, I'll get you home."
"It will be too late," she insisted. "I will be too old."
"Technically, you haven't aged. You are still only fifteen."
She drew her knees up to her chest. Cooper motioned for Farkak to come with him and leave her alone for a while.
"I can't believe someone stole her," Farkak said. "Do you think a slaver?"
"I imagine so."
"Bastards. They take advantage of people in the worst place."
Cooper nodded and said, "Let's get you a painkiller. It'll help your head."
"I can't believe she knocked me out."
Cooper gave a grin. "The girl lived on a farm with at least one brother. I think she must have known how to fight."
Cooper found a bottle of pills. "I sure wish the doctors would label these for the laymen."
"Here is some Debetecal," Farkak said. He swallowed two pills.
"Why don't you lie down for a bit before that knocks you off your feet?" Cooper suggested. "I'll keep watch."
"Thanks, a few hours of uninterrupted rest is something I haven't experienced in months."
Farkak climbed onto one of the med bay beds while Cooper stepped out of the room. Learra was rocking gently on the examination table. Cooper moved close to her.
"Learra, you with me?"
"Yeah."
"Do you need anything?"
"I am a little hungry," she said.
Not surprising, Cooper thought. She hasn't eaten in eighteen months.
"I don't know if they have anything here."
Cooper glanced back at the darkened room with Farkak. The Debetecal should have him sleep for an hour or so. Probably enough time to make a quick run to the kitchen and find something that hadn't spoiled yet. He wasn't ready to warn Learra away from Farkak yet. All he had was his sixth sense. Shaltia had even said that Farkak was a good officer.
Ten minutes. I'll just be gone ten minutes, he thought.
"Learra, I want you to stay here," Cooper explained. "I'm going to run to find you something to eat. I'll be back in no time."
She nodded, and Cooper left the Med Bay. The dining hall was two levels up. He stepped on the lift and went up two levels. The dining area was still eerily empty. The lights were now powered, and the illumination brought out the feeling that the area was just abandoned. There were no signs of a struggle. No blood or guts smeared anywhere.
Cooper found a box of sweet wafers. In a pantry off the kitchen, he found some containers of water. Lifting one of the containers under his arm, Cooper moved quickly back to the lift. His head swiveling in case the beast had escaped the rec area. The lift returned him two levels down.
The doors of the Med Bay opened, and Cooper found the examination table where Learra had been seated empty. A quick walk through the Med Bay proved that both Farkak and Learra were gone.
The Monster's Monster
"Mitch, sit," Shaltia ordered the bulldog.
Obeying, Mitch turned a circle and let his tail rest on the deck. Shaltia and Mitch had found Tyma Gribels cabin. The eugenecist had an orderly room. The drawers were filled with folded clothing, separated by type. The personal head was clean. Toiletry items were arranged on the shelf.
The scientist had everything arranged
in a very specific manner. Shaltia sat at the screen on the desk.
"Alura," she asked, "can you access his personal files?"
"One moment," the computer responded. "No, Captain Shaltia, I cannot as it is. The Burnside's computer has a privacy setting for passengers. This computer is off-network from the Burnside."
"Damn."
"However, if you can connect the comm to the comm port, then I might be able to communicate with it."
Shaltia complied, plugging her comm unit directly into Gribel's computer.
"Yes, I believe I have accessed the data."
The screen flashed and icons opened. Shaltia stared at the information opening on the screen. Alura was accessing ever file, and there were thousands.
"I don't suppose you could glean this for important information," she asked the ship.
"I am already downloading all files and analyzing them."
Sitting back in the chair, she asked, "Anything interesting?"
"It seems you were correct, Tyma Gribel was attempting to use genetic manipulation to create super soldiers. His personal log indicates that he was working in the Nera System. When authorities discovered he was doing human trials he ran with his research. His human trials resulted in seventeen deaths."
"Great, he's a nice guy," Shaltia said.
"He has spliced the genetic codes of six different creatures onto a human gene."
"What creatures did he use?"
"A nygon an animal with thick hide from the planet Hyria in the Burean System. A topia, an avian predator common in the Tulia System. A gorilla, a primate from Earth in the Sol System. A sylon, an unusual creature that can change its physiology. The sylon can reshape its skeletal structure to fit in smaller areas. A sealon, an aquatic mammal from the Centauri system. A cronalk, a marine creature similar in physiology to a shark from Earth, only larger and more aggressive."
"Was he successful?"
Alura continued, "According to his personal log, he was. His first human trial created a hybrid human. The concerns he had were that the hybrid lost some of its human conscious and logic. It became animalistic.
"Gribel believed he had found a way to maintain the consciousness of humanity. His second trial he believed would correct the problems of the first. He had aspirations of using the two test subjects as 'breeding stock.'"
"He wants to breed them?" Shaltia asked astonished.
Alura's Bind_Book One Page 8