by Lisa Lace
For reasons I did not want to admit, not even to myself, it pained me to see him so upset.
"Jidden," I called, setting a hand on his shoulders, feeling the heat rise from him. "Stop for a minute. Talk to me."
"I have nothing to say," he said, ignoring my touch.
"Did you know him?" I asked, dropping my hand.
Abruptly, he turned to face me. I could feel his fury. "No, I didn't know him. And I didn't want to. We are soldiers, Terra. We came here willing to die. I find his death tragic, but it does not devastate me. It does, however, reflect poorly on my ability to command this station and the women within."
The women within. He meant me.
"You think I did it?" I asked, unsure of how that made me feel. They trained me to be a warrior. I should be proud he thought I could do it, but felt something else instead. Shame.
"Did you?"
"No," I told him, shaking my head. "I was on my way to meet you when I saw the soldiers running. I followed them to the lounge."
He studied me, his mind working. "But you know who did."
I crossed my arms and looked away, unwilling to speak. My loyalty to Bellona and the Fortuna was far greater than any loyalty I was building with Jidden.
"So be it," he said, and he continued walking.
* * *
Unlike the lounge, the Grand Hall was almost empty. With its marble flooring and high pillars, it was by far the masterpiece of the space station. It was primarily used to initiate new warrior sisters as they made the Fortuna their home.
A massive video screen had been set up within the hall, in front of which was a table full of communications equipment. There was no time to waste. Four of Earth's leaders – two men and two women – waited expectantly on the video screen.
"Commander Terra Lynch." One of the women, President Bentford, greeted me as I took my place in front of the screen. "I'm glad to see that you are okay."
"We all are," I told her, still trying to figure out how I could say everything I needed to without the Surtu disabling the call.
"So there are no casualties?"
"None on our side."
She smiled, but she did not look surprised. I realized Earth had probably been monitoring the Fortuna all along. Still, there was information their surveillance could not have picked up on, such as my conversation with Captain Fore.
"I spoke with their Fleet Captain," I said, instantly gaining the full attention of all four diplomats. I glanced over my shoulder at Jidden and the two soldiers on guard, and I quickly added, "The Surtu want to take over Earth. They want our women."
I expected the screen to go blank and for Jidden to reproach me for revealing such information, but he didn't flinch.
They don't care what Earth knows. It doesn't matter to them.
President Bentford kept a straight face. It was impossible to tell if the news shocked her, but that was how she'd earned the seat she currently held – she was stoic with her emotions and direct with her commands. People loved her or hated her for it.
"I see," she said. "And what is it about our women that have brought them so far?"
"Their women are dying from an unknown disease. We're the next best thing, genetically speaking."
"And how do they plan to take our women?"
How are they going to attack Earth? That was what she wanted to know. She wanted me to tell her the Surtu's strategy.
"I don't know," I admitted. "More fleets will arrive soon – that's why they gave me this opportunity to speak with you. The Surtu have given Earth an ultimatum. Surrender so that the men of Earth can live, or let them die in war."
"I see," President Bentford repeated. She didn't bother asking me my opinion on the matter. "And do the Surtu have anything else to say?"
Meaning, did I have any more information to share. I had loads, but I wasn't sure how much time I had. "When the Surtu ships connected, I didn't have much time to speak with the Fleet Captain. The Surtu sent me back to the Fortuna, where at least three ships have landed."
This time, Jidden cleared his throat behind me – a warning. Good. It meant I had revealed something important.
"Thank you for calling us," President Bentford said. Her face revealed a terrible sadness I had never witnessed before.
"We will get back to you, our fallen."
"Until then," I said, and the screen went blank.
* * *
I couldn't stop thinking about what President Bentford had said. Our fallen. It was bizarre and too poetic for the abrasive, in-your-face politician. I had to find Gallia. I wanted to tell her about the call, and I had information to share. I also wanted to know why I had this key! Gallia would have the answers I needed.
Thankfully, Jidden didn't follow me when I left. I headed towards the kitchen where I guessed Gallia was, but I stopped when I passed outside Lucina's quarters. I still did not know where she was or if she was okay, but I took a chance and knocked on the door.
Someone on the other side moved, and then to my relief and joy, I heard Lucina speak.
"Go way," she said faintly through the door, none of the usual cheer in her voice. "Kalij isn't here."
"Lucina, it's me, Terra."
"Terra?" She sounded as if she was going to burst into tears. "Thank God it's you. I thought you were a soldier. Are you here to save me?"
I was now. "Quickly, open the door," I said, looking over my shoulder to make sure there were no soldiers on patrol nearby. "I'll take you to the gardens. That's where I think Bellona is hiding. She'll come for you."
"I can't," Lucina said weakly. "Kalij has put a mechanism in the lock. I can't open it."
I thought of the key Gallia had given me, but it wasn't a match. The doors of the Fortuna did not require keys. They had punch codes.
I knew Lucina's punch code by heart, as she knew mine, so I tried it, but it was of no use. Lucina was trapped.
Defeated, I leaned my head against the door. I could hear her shallow breaths on the other side. "I'll figure out a way to get the door open," I promised her. "I'll save you."
She didn't respond. It broke my heart. Lucina was my best friend. I couldn't leave her like this, but I had no choice.
"Has he...hurt you?" I asked.
"Not my integrity. That's intact. But he is violent. He'll grab me, full of desire, but then he'll push me away, ranting about some light bond. Do you know what that is?"
"No," I answered. "Not exactly. I think it's a union ceremony. That's why the Surtu are here. They want to mate with us, to reproduce, but something about the light bond makes the children healthier. The men are not allowed to mate unless they light bond with a woman first."
"I should be thankful he can't touch me yet," Lucina said, choking up, "but the idea of bearing his children repulses me. I'd rather die."
I knew by her desperation that she meant it. "Listen to me, don't lose hope," I said, my hand against the door. "I'll find a way to get you out of here before any light bond takes place, whatever it is. Okay? I will save you. Just hold on."
"I will," Lucina said half-heartedly, her will defeated.
"Swear it," I begged.
"I swear by the pinky ghost, you are the one I honor the most," she recited, echoing a song from childhood.
"I will save you," I promised in return. "I swear by the pinky ghost, you are the one I honor the most."
"You better go," Lucina murmured. "Kalij will be upset if he finds you here. I don't think I can handle any more of his moods."
"Okay," I relented. "I'll be back."
I stepped away from the door, losing patience with my pacifism. If I had it my way, I would take the mini-crossbow I had hidden in my bookcase, and I would show Kalij my mood – straight into his heart.
Not yet. I had to find Gallia.
* * *
Gallia was not made to be a kitchen worker. Even as she washed the dishes, wearing an old apron that was water-stained, her tall and elegant stature made her look more like a cat than a mouse.
It was hard to believe that only a few days earlier it had been me holding the dirty dishrag. I had never liked being a kitchen porter, but I liked being the Commander even less.
"You almost look like you're enjoying yourself," I remarked, joining her near the sink. On impulse, I grabbed a spare rag and picked a dish out of the soapy water to dry it. Our methods were old-fashioned on the Fortuna to conserve our limited energy supply.
"I am," she confessed. "I hate sitting in an office."
I wanted to laugh. I had yet to spend any time in the office, but it wouldn't have been appropriate to find even the smallest amount of humor in our situation. It was grim.
"Did you hear about what happened in the lounge?" I asked. "It was pretty gruesome."
"It was necessary," Gallia maintained, looking over her shoulder towards the soldier that stood near the kitchen door.
We seemed to spend a lot of time doing that these days – looking over our shoulders. We watched the soldiers almost as much as they watched us.
"I'm glad she's out there," I said, putting the dish away. "It gives the women hope."
"Hope is good, but it isn't going to free us. Has Earth given you an indication of what they plan to do to help us?" she whispered.
I shook my head. "No, but I think they're still monitoring us. They must be planning something."
Gallia set down the plate she was drying and pressed her lips together. I knew there was more she wanted to tell me, but this wasn't the place. "I haven't prayed in a while," she said casually, stretching out her arms. "I think I'll head to the temple later tonight and pray. Would you like to join me?"
"If I have time," I answered, fully aware that the soldier at the door was listening. "We'll see."
"They say prayer is the key to surviving hardship," she affirmed as she reached for another plate. "I hope to see you there."
Taking my cue, I left Gallia in the kitchen and stopped by the garden to collect a handful of wildflowers. I walked towards the last place I ever thought I'd willingly go – the docking bay, now enemy territory.
From the reception area outside the docking bay, I looked upon the Surtu ships, wondering how we'd allowed three to land so easily on the station. The men moving in and out of the ships seemed complacent in their duties, but I doubted they all were happy about their placement. Men went to war for many reasons. The reasons didn't always align with the desires of their superiors.
The dead soldier came to mind. He was the reason I was here. The soldier wasn't the first soldier on the Fortuna to fall, and he wouldn't be the last. We were enemies, but enemies could still honor each other's dead.
I tried to enter the docking bay, but a soldier with dirty red hair and a snarl on his face stopped me. By the description Bellona had given me, I instantly knew he was Kalij, Lucina's captor.
"You don't have permission to be here. Step back," he ordered.
I wanted to kill him. He was the only person I'd met who I felt deserved death. If I killed him, I could free Lucina.
"I'm not here to cause trouble. I am the Commander of this space station, and I'd like to honor the dead soldier. It is within my right."
He laughed. "Says who? You have no rights. You're just a bitch leading her pack."
I thought quickly. "I am light bonded to one of your men. Your people are now mine. Let me honor the soldier." As proof, I held up the flowers in my hand.
"To who?" Kalij demanded. He was outraged. "I was told all light bonding ceremonies are on hold."
"We haven't announced it yet, but I spoke with the Fleet Captain this morning. He oversaw the ceremony. We talked for a long time about your customs. He was very proud to tell me his mate is a pure Surtu woman immune to the disease – the only type of woman more valuable than a human. Those were his words."
Because what I said had truth in it, Kalij let his guard down. Perhaps he simply lost interest. I was clearly no threat on my own.
Lucky for you, I thought, as he let me pass. I'll see you again. And when I do, you're not going to like it.
"Where do you keep your dead?" I asked a man leaving Jidden's ship.
"The first deck," he answered, pointing to the ship, and then he marched off. He was even less interested in me than Kalij.
It helped that I had been on the ship earlier. I recognized many faces from our brief voyage to see Captain Fore, which meant they recognized me too. They barely glanced my way as I passed, assuming I had permission to stay on board.
The ship was large and the hallways long, but I managed to find the dead soldier. He was alone in a chilled room that was as sterile as the others on the ship. The blood from his throat had been cleaned, and he wore a white uniform unique to the other uniforms I'd seen the Surtu wear.
It bothered me that he was alone. No one should be alone, not even in death. I placed the flowers across his chest, and I mourned on behalf of his family, wherever they were.
The death of the soldier showed why it was intolerable for Earth and the Surtu to go to war. Both sides would lose. And why? Because the Surtu believed love wasn't reliable? I did not know what type of man the soldier had been, but it was entirely possible he could have won the heart of a human woman and started a family with her – organically, without coercion.
Part of me still believe we could avoid the war and that we could make a treaty, but neither side trusted each other. That was the tragedy of treaties – we only signed them after much bloodshed. Realizing how much death the future held, I decided it was time to pray.
"Goodbye, brother," I said. "Be at peace."
After I had left the docking bay, I intended to retrieve the key, and then meet Gallia at the temple so we could talk. I didn't get that far. Gallia waited for me outside my quarters.
"Would you like to come in?" I asked.
"No," she declined. "None of our rooms are safe. Let's go to the south lounge instead."
"And what of our prayers?" I asked.
"The temple has been disturbed. A soldier sleeps in the corner. I let him be. I'm not sure the Red Assassin will do the same. He'll be lucky if he wakes."
"They're all lucky if they wake," I said, thinking of Kalij, and I followed her to the lounge.
As soon as we entered, I understood why she'd chosen the lounge to speak. Once again, it was packed full of our sister warriors, their chatter loud. It would mute our conversation and allow us to hide in plain sight.
We chose a spot against a window that looked out at Earth. I thought of my family and wondered if they knew that the Surtu attacked the Fortuna. Probably not. It wasn't information the leaders of Earth would freely circulate. Morale would suffer, as would the public opinion of the leaders' capacity to lead the fight against the Surtu.
"Tell me what you know," Gallia said. "Quickly."
It was hard to know where to begin, but I told her everything, from my conversation with Captain Fore to finding Lucina locked in her room.
"Bellona is working on a plan to save her," Gallia informed me. "She's working on a plan to save all of us."
"You've been in touch with her?" I asked. "How?"
"Haven't you?" she returned, equally surprised.
"Only during the siege," I told her, still unclear how long ago it was. One night. Maybe two. Jidden had never told me how long I was out.
"I assumed she had made contact with you before she killed the soldier."
"No," I said. "I had no idea what she had planned." Then I remembered the rustle in the woods when I'd left the temple earlier. "Well, maybe. I visited him," I admitted. "The soldier who fell."
The soldier who fell. The fallen. It reminded me of what President Bentford had said. We will get back to you, our fallen. I repeated it to Gallia.
"No," she said, taking a step back, her face suddenly pale.
"What is it?" I asked. I was frightened. If Gallia was worried, there was a reason for it.
Shivering, she stared out onto the Earth before answering. "'Our fallen' means Earth is going to destroy the
Fortuna and everyone on board."
* * *
"They wouldn't do that," I said incredulously. I refused to believe it. "Are they that callous?"
"It's strategy, not sentiment," Gallia said. "Think about it. They're trading three Surtu ships for one space station. There are hundreds of military bases guarding Earth. We are nothing. I see that now. I thought they chose us because we are strong. Our strength is expendable. We are just bait. We were always just bait."
The Fleet Captain had said the same thing, that we were bait, but that didn't make it true. Yes, we were meant to fool the Surtu into trusting us, but we were also supposed to kill them. The plan was never to destroy the entire space station.
"I still don't buy it," I said. "Earth wouldn't do that. I think you're mistaken."
Gallia took my shoulders, shaking away my disbelief. "Listen to me, Terra. President Bentford was speaking in code. She was trying to tell you to prepare yourself and the women. I was given a list of codes when I became Commander. She has set the plan in stone."
"You knew?"
"Of the code, yes, but there are many codes. I thought they'd only use this one if most the women were dead or if our cause was hopeless. I never thought they'd use it when we still lived. It's still possible to free us."
So it was true. We had lost the fight, and now we were destined to die. I closed my eyes. I refused to look at the beautiful blue planet below. I had been a traitor for sleeping with Jidden in the gardens, but the decision to destroy the Fortuna felt like a stab in the back.
"How long do we have?" I asked.
"They'll likely strike at sunrise when the sun temporarily blinds the space station. They'll send a nuke. It'll be over before we know it."
I still couldn't come to terms with it. "Are you sure there isn't a way to contact President Bentford? Can we reason with her? We're still an asset."
"Can you think of a way?" Gallia asked. "All the communication equipment is on lock down, and sunrise is in a few hours. We don't have the time. Even if we did, I doubt President Bentford would change her mind. Once the codes are set, they're set."