Survivor Planet Series 2-Book Box Set

by Juliet Cardin

  "Ready?" His stare was blank. In his hand he gripped the weapon, holding it easily at his side as though it belonged to him. And didn't it?

  Didn't I?

  Is that what he meant when he'd said 'mine'?

  Millions of questions flooded my mind. None I dared to voice. Maybe it was better to remain in blissful ignorance. If he could play it cool, so could I.

  He took up the lead, always remaining just slightly ahead of me, out of reach. His mind no doubt plagued him with unanswered questions of his own. I wondered if his conscience troubled him. Mine never seemed to cause me such worry. Anxiety and sleepless nights only haunted me if I got too close to a deadline and had to scramble to find someone worthy to hand over—as in Unworthy. My victims were bad, or mostly so. I suppose that made it all right. I'm sure Aris was of the same frame of mind; that it was them, or us.

  My belly growled. The calories consumed earlier had long burned off. Seeing Aris study the land around us, I knew he searched for a place to make camp. He was edgy now, knowing we weren't as safe as he'd thought us to be. Not since Baynar had sent every able-bodied warrior in search of us. The star we followed no longer guided us to safer lands. We would spend the rest of our days in fear, and on the run. Baynar had seen to that. Who knew how many hunted us? The challenge may have been issued days ago, and now our enemies were beginning to emerge.

  Aris moved off to the right and started down a slope, sending a quick glance over his should to see that I followed. I made my way, sliding and scrambling along behind him till we both stood side by side at the bottom. Ahead of us stretched a wide valley filled with long, flowing grass, and widely spaced, tall, white trees.

  "Those look like birch," I observed.

  "They are. Long ago we took samples from Earth, along with other trees and plants, and brought them here. We also relocated some Earth species of animals. They all seem to have thrived."

  "Humph." Imagine that. No wonder why I felt so at home here. And so much for Aris' boast that Calixtus wasn't messing around with Taleon.

  Aris started off across the field, no longer keeping the star in our path. Perhaps he figured that others may have noticed our direction, and now he wished to alter it. We traveled through the field until it was almost dark, vainly looking for somewhere to lay our heads for the night. Being out in the open made us both uneasy.

  Aris stopped. "Over there." He pointed.

  "Is that smoke?" I was instantly afraid. Smoke meant fire, which meant someone was over there.

  "I'll check it out. You stay here. Hide behind a tree and keep out of sight." He waited until I'd ducked down in the tall grass behind a birch. I didn't enjoy being left behind, but he was a cop, and he had a weapon now.

  About ten minutes or so later, I guessed, I heard Aris calling out to me.

  "Danni, it's safe."

  I got up and headed in his direction. The trees were thicker over here, the gaps between them filled by high brush. Aris had called to me from this area, so I strode into the mini forest until I came upon a clearing. Along with the surrounding trees was a sharply sloping grassy hill, which had a bit of an overhang. Jutting out from the base of the hillside was a cabin. I blinked a few times making sure that's what I actually saw in the dim light.

  Yep. It was a cabin.

  Aris stood before it, and he wasn't alone. An older couple stood on either side of him. I gauged the couple to be in their late fifties or early sixties. The man was tall and well built, while the woman was petite. Both of them had streaks of silver in their hair. Their faces had slight wrinkles, which were accented by the wide, welcoming smiles they wore.

  "You must be Danni," the man said, stepping forward with his hands extended. I reached out and allowed him to take mine in his grip. His hands felt warm and firm.

  "Welcome," the woman said. "I'm Clarissa, and this is Juniper."

  "Ahh, hi." My gaze snapped to Aris, making sure he was all right with this. He appeared to be calm, though I noticed he still held tight to the battle-axe.

  "Aris tells us you've run into a bit of trouble," Juniper said. He wore a fatherly expression, and the concern in his voice gave my belly a pang for some reason.

  "Yes. Our ship. It was fortunate we were able to set it down on Taleon. Though, too bad for the poor landing, and all our communications being cut off." Aris stared hard at me while he spoke, making sure I understood what he'd relayed to the couple. I was glad he wasn't a complete dolt and hadn't told them the truth. Who knew how badly they may want off this planet, and what they'd be willing to do to achieve it?

  Juniper relinquished my hand and Clarissa linked her arm through mine. "Come inside. We were just about to eat. It's becoming dark, and cold." She shivered a little and wrapped her other arm around her trim waist.

  "Yes, please join us. We don't get much company out here," Juniper said, gesturing toward the door, which stood ajar.

  They didn't give me the creeps, which was a good thing. So, after receiving a nod from Aris, I allowed Clarissa to guide me inside. Juniper came in next, followed by Aris.

  I looked around the interior, first noticing the wide fireplace built from stone that took up most of the cabin's right side. I estimated the dimensions of the room to be about fifteen by fifteen feet—small, but cozy. Tucked in the upper left corner was a crude, wood-frame bed, big enough for two. On top of it lay a thick animal fur. The only door sat centered at the front of the cabin, a window on either side of it. In the day, I figured plenty of natural light would flow in. A table sat against the back wall between the bed and the fireplace. A metal arm hung over the fire, on its end was a hook that held the handle of a pot. I surmised this was dinner. Placed by the hearth were also a spit, pot, pan, and kettle. What appeared to be handmade cups and plates sat neatly on the table. I got the impression that the couple had lived here for quite some time.

  Two chairs—the only ones in the room—were placed by the table. Clarissa gestured toward them. "Please, sit," she invited.

  Aris and I sat down. He leaned his weapon against the wall within arms reach. Clarissa went over to stir the meal while Juniper sat down on the side of the bed.

  "Nice place you've got here," I said.

  "It's home," Juniper said with a shrug. "Has been for a long time."

  "How long?" Aris asked. A hitch in his tone told me he was more than slightly curious.

  Juniper appeared to study us for a moment or two. "Judging by the look of you, I take it you're from Calixtus." He nodded at Aris then looked at me. "And you're from Earth."

  "Very astute," Aris said.

  "I'm thinking humans haven't quite reached the ability to fly in space yet," Juniper directed the question to Aris.

  "No," Aris answered.

  "Considering the weapon you've got, and that your partner here is human, you were here to play the game." He paused for a moment. "What I figure, despite what you've said, is that you've lost, and now you're forced to make Taleon home."

  Not true, but if that's what he wanted to believe, it didn't matter to me. "You know about the game?" I asked.

  Juniper nodded. "Know a lot about the game," he confirmed. "The weather is changing, so I know it's over for the season." He gave Aris a confused stare. "Why did you feel the need to make up a story?"

  Aris studied the floor for a moment, the way he did when he pondered, or was embarrassed. "I guess I figured you'd be more inclined to help us if you thought we’d crash landed."

  "As opposed to being a couple of losers?" Juniper winked at me.

  "The ones left behind are combative," Aris said. "I thought you might think me a threat."

  "We left the area because of that reason," Clarissa said. "The ones left behind are dangerous, and desperate...in most cases."

  "In most cases?" I echoed. "What're they like in other cases?"

  Juniper and Clarissa shared a look. "Like us," Juniper said.

  Aris didn't seem surprised. "You played the game?"

  "And lost," Clarissa said
with a sigh. She and Juniper shared another look. By the way they acted they didn't appear to have suffered much. In fact, they seemed quite content. I turned a speculative gaze on Aris and wondered if we could be so lucky.

  Chapter 19

  "You say you've been here a while," Aris said. "You seem to have beaten the odds surviving so long. I'm not sure if you know this, they only recently started doing it, but on Calixtus, the Seers tune in to show the demise of many of the left-behind. Things don't usually go well for them."

  "Those damned Seers. Keep away from them. They're only after action to fuel ratings," Juniper said. "After the game was over we left the playing area quickly, made our way as far as possible."

  "And wound up here," Aris surmised.

  "Not for a while. We traveled mostly, living off the land, searching for somewhere safe," Juniper said.

  "You seem to have found it," I observed.

  "Yes," said Clarissa. "This has been home for some time." She came over to the table and picked up four hand carved bowls. They looked to be made from hollowed out coconuts. She ladled stew into them and handed them out. Next she passed out carved spoons. The stew was hot and delicious.

  "Clarissa, are you from Earth then?" I asked.

  She sat down on the bed beside Juniper with her bowl. "Yes. I was taken from my home in Richmond, Virginia."

  She seemed resigned to the fact that she was stolen from her home to play a game and then stranded on another planet for the rest of her life. I wanted to ask her if she was angry and resentful, as I would surely be, but I didn't want to open a can of worms. Instead, I asked, "How do you find life here?" A legitimate question considering our shared circumstance.

  She gazed lovingly at Juniper, who returned her look with a warm smile. "It was hard at first—for both of us. But now, I couldn't picture myself anywhere else but here."

  That sounded promising.

  We finished our stew and Clarissa generously offered seconds, which we all accepted. After the second bowl I noticed our hosts seemed ready for bed. Clarissa rose and pulled the fur off their bed. There was another, thinner one beneath it. She laid the fur out before the fire.

  "You can sleep here," she said to Aris and I. "I usually toss off this fur at night. We won't really need it until it gets colder. It should be enough for you both, considering you'll be close to the fire."

  "Thank you for the hospitality," Aris said.

  "Yeah, thanks. We appreciate it," I added.

  They both smiled. Clarissa said, "Think nothing of it. Like Juniper said, we don't get many guests out this way."

  Aris and I settled down on the fur before the fire while our hosts removed most of their hand sewn hide clothes and climbed into their bed. The cool nights surprised me. I wondered how cold it would get. Aris and I needed to find a home of our own soon. We faced the possibility of encountering snow, or sleet, or hail. I wasn't sure, and I figured I'd ask Clarissa about the climate in the morning before we headed out.

  I lay on my back and thought about stuff while the fire crackled and popped and Juniper began to softly snore. Tomorrow I'd also ask Clarissa about domestic things such as clothing and sewing, how to make bowls and spoons, and where they managed to scrounge up metal pots and pans. Maybe Juniper scavenged them from crashed ships or something? Also, I'd like to see if someplace suitable for us to build a cabin of our own lay nearby. I liked this couple, believe it or not. And it'd be good for both of us to have each other. A while later, curled up against Aris' back, I drifted off to sleep.

  The sun was just beginning to rise when I awoke. Aris lay fast asleep and I wondered if he'd had trouble relaxing last night. Despite the kindness of our hosts, he still had a price on his head and couldn't get too comfortable. Who knew how many people Baynar had shown his holographic lying ass to?

  Nature called. Quietly, trying not to disturb anyone, I slunk from the fur and went outside. It was a beautiful day. I finished up behind some bushes and strolled back. The clearing with the cabin nestled into the hillside made for a pretty picture. The trees I noticed in this area weren't birch, but more resembled the hardy maples of Earth, though not quite. Looking carefully I saw there were subtle differences. The bark seemed deeply grooved and the leaves were long, narrow, and ruffled around the edges. They also had a bluish tint to them.

  Detecting movement behind one of the wide trees, I paused. Sure enough, there was someone there. I held my breath until I caught a flash of long, brownish-gray hair swinging. It was Clarissa. She seemed to be hiding out, yet I didn't see her peeking around.

  Silently, I headed into the thickness of the trees and made my way around so that her back was to me. Okay, this was definitely weird. Clarissa, scantily dressed, appeared to be making out with the tree. Her hands were placed on it as though it was her lover, and her body was up close and personal with the trunk. Worst of all was the way her head moved as though she was kissing and-or licking the tree. Gross and weird. It was like witnessing a train wreck. I couldn't look away. Strangest of all was the effect on the tree itself. Before my eyes I saw the leaves shrivel and shrink, the vibrant colors change to a dull brown, some of them falling off to the ground. The branches began to bow as though weeping with sadness. It was as though Clarissa was sucking the very life from it.

  A few minutes later she stepped back and wiped her mouth. Then she bent down to the ground and picked up a thin stick. She jimmied it into the bark of the tree, around the part she'd been kissing, and then she slunk back to the cabin.

  Once she was inside, I went over and inspected the tree. Grabbing hold of the thin stick, I pulled it from where Clarissa had stuffed it. As soon as it was free, a sappy substance began to run out of the little hole.

  "Oh, now I get it," I whispered with relief. It must be sap, just like some of the trees on Earth. Strange though, it wasn't clear sap, it appeared thick and red, almost like blood. A shiver ran through me. I jammed the stick back in the hole, stopping the flow, and then I headed to the cabin.

  Inside, I saw Clarissa was gathering up last night's bowls from the table. She spun around when she heard me enter. "Danni!" her gaze shifted over toward the fur where she no doubt thought I still lay.

  "I had to pee," I whispered. She studied my face for a moment, and I knew she wondered if I'd seen what she'd done. I smiled and went over to help her, gathering up the spoons on the table. "Is there somewhere we can wash these?"

  She visibly sighed with relief. "Yes. A stream, nearby."

  We left the cabin and she led the way to the water's edge where we knelt down and began cleaning the dishes. I watched her for a moment, noting she appeared slightly different in her appearance from last night. Perhaps it was the warm sunny morning, but she seemed younger, prettier. Strange. I pushed those thoughts aside, remembering all the questions I'd been meaning to ask. "I was wondering..." I began.

  "Yes?" she cut me off, the guarded look on her face once again.

  "I'm not sure how you'd feel about it, but I was wondering if there may be a place around here that Aris and I might settle down?" She smiled tightly. But when she turned back to the dishes and didn't say anything I went on. "I mean, with us both being from Earth, and the guys both from Calixtus, we have a lot in common. And I'm sure I could learn a lot from you."

  "I...don't know..." she stammered.

  I wasn't sure what the problem was. "Don't you think it'd be nice having people around after all this time on your own?" Maybe they were loners? I know I enjoyed my privacy on Earth.

  She sat back on her heels and stared at her hands. "Danni..." she began.

  Her body language told me a lot. She didn't like my idea at all. "It's okay. I mean, it was just a suggestion. We can find someplace else..."

  She stared at me. "It's not that." She put the dish she held aside and wrung her hands.

  "No, really. I get it. You're used to being alone," I said, although, I really didn't get it at all. How could she not want us?

  Chapter 20

  Ar
is and Juniper were awake and sitting outside the cabin on the little wooden deck when we got back with the dishes.

  "There you are," Aris said.

  "See, I told you they were probably off doing women's work. And gossiping no doubt," Juniper said giving me a wink.

  "I'll take the dishes in," Clarissa said, reaching out for the spoons.

  "I can help..." I eyed the tree she'd molested and noticed it'd perked up a little.

  "No. It's all right," she interrupted, warily following my line of sight. I handed her the spoons and watched her go inside.

  "Well, thanks for letting us spend the night," Aris said, getting to his feet. It sounded like he was ready to leave.

  "Are we going?" I asked.

  "Yes."

  Juniper opened the door and called for Clarissa. "Do you want to say goodbye?"

  She popped her head out. "It was so nice having you. Please be safe. Goodbye." She flashed us both a smile, and then she was gone.

  "Bye." I got the impression she was torn. She seemed to genuinely enjoy our company, but at the same time I think she was relieved to see us go.

  Aris and I headed out. We walked side by side once we were free of the mini forest. I noticed he was studying the weapon he held.

  "What is it?" I asked.

  "Nothing." He was quiet for a moment and then he said, "Did you notice anything strange about Clarissa?"

  I was glad he'd brought it up. "Yes. As a matter of fact, I did. I'm wondering if Baynar got to her. Not Juniper—he seemed all right—just her. This morning maybe. She was fine last night, but today she was all uneasy. And when I brought up the idea of us settling down nearby, she nearly..."

  He stared at me. "Wait. What? You suggested we settle near them? Why would you do that? They're good people. Don't you realize the danger that would put them in? You know Baynar won't rest until I'm dead."

  Now I felt like an ass. "Okay, okay. You're right. I didn't think it through. I just thought it'd be nice to live near people who could help us out, you know?"