Chrystal Bones (Finding Home Book 1)

by Billie Jo Hanlin

  She turned her mind to the problem of finding the transmitter. “Where have you looked?”

  “We have torn into every system and have not found a thing,” Jayden said, his frustration evident. “We know it is here somewhere. We just cannot find it.”

  Blue turned the problem over and over in her mind while her eyes absently tracked one of the maintenance bots as it made its way across the room. “You haven’t found anything?”

  “Nothing,” he said in disgust.

  Still watching the bot an idea began to form for Blue. If she wanted to hide a bug so well that even searching for it, it still wouldn’t be found. She would put it in the very last place anyone would think of. The maintenance robots were all but invisible. No one paid any attention to them. She did because they were still new to her but she doubted any of the guys even noticed them.

  The bots had their own internal programing and went about doing their assigned tasks. The Trilleion wasn’t one of the larger ships that needed dozens of bots to take care of the small necessary jobs. There were only two of them aboard and they were so unobtrusive that they were easily overlooked. In fact she would bet that the guys had overlooked them.

  Giving Jayden a speculative look she asked him, “Did you check the bots?”

  “What bots”

  “That bot and the other maintenance bot?” she pointed to the corner where it had come to a stop. The look on his face was priceless when his eyes followed her finger and saw what she was pointing at.

  Jayden stared at the maintenance robot in confusion before it hit him what Blue was suggesting. It could work. It was the perfect hiding place for a transmitter. None of them but Blue had thought about the bots. They were too busy looking everywhere else. He gave a mental shout to Idris and Jos to come to medical.

  They came in running only to come to an abrupt stop when they saw Blue sitting up petting Leo. Jos was the first to speak.

  “Well it is about time you woke up from your little nap. We could use your help,” he teased her.

  She smiled at him and said, “Yes, I can tell.”

  Idris was still just looking at her. The relief in his emotions came through loud and clear. “Are you okay?” His mental voice was soft and full of concern.

  “I am fine,” she sent back. “Don’t worry so much.”

  “In that case if you ever scare me like that again...” His voice trailed off. “I don’t know what I will do,” he said aloud, walking to her and wrapping his arms around her. He held tight for a moment before letting go and stepping back. He studied her forced smile.

  Something was wrong but he could tell she was not going to talk about it now. As he exchanged a worried look with Jayden it occurred to him that they had been doing that a lot since she came into their lives. He got that she was a strong woman who was used to making her own decisions but this had to stop.

  He did not know how many more times he could think she was lost again without losing his mind. He was very proud of this sister of his but she was going to make him old before his time.

  Jayden broke into his thoughts when he handed the little maintenance robot to him, “Check this one and the other one in the galley for the transmitter. Blue thinks it might be hidden in it.”

  Idris and Jos both looked first at the bot then at Blue. She shrugged and said, “You have looked everywhere else what have you got to lose?”

  Instead of leaving the room Idris took the bot over to the unoccupied bed next to the one Blue sat on. Taking care he and Jos preceded to dismantle the bot as carefully as if they were operating on a living person with Jayden and Blue watching closely. It did not take long to find it. The transmitter was sitting right on top as if it was installed in haste.

  It was one of the smaller, more powerful ones available and it was used for long range spying and had a range of several light years. It recorded everything it heard and sent a signal out into space every thirty six hours.

  No wonder the Ragillians and who knew who else could track them. All they had to be was in range of the signal and they would receive their location and a complete recording of every conversation that had taken place when the bot was in the same room with anyone.

  It was a hit and miss way of going about it but the person who planted it had known where they were heading when they had started out on this journey. They had just not counted on the side trip to Earth or the space station.

  It also explained how they knew who Blue was. The last thing the Ragillians would want was for Blue to be able to save the one planet they wanted destroyed above all others. Jayden tried to remember if the bot was in the room when he and Idris had discussed their plans and could not. He was as guilty as the rest of them in not paying any attention to the bots.

  “Jos go get the other one,” Jayden was grim with the knowledge that all their plans were null and void as of now. The Ragillians were going to be looking for them and they knew right where they were headed. They would be a target all the way to Shillidon. They would just have to get there first. Once there the Shillidonians were more than capable of protecting this ship.

  A message would have to be sent to warn them what was coming despite the danger of the wrong person intercepting it. There was no way they could keep Blue’s survival and return quiet now. Jayden looked at her pale face and knew she would hate the attention that would be awaiting her arrival.

  When he spoke his thoughts aloud Blue knew he was right, a message was going to have to be sent ahead but maybe there was a way to deflect the Ragillians. When Idris reached in to pull out the bug she stopped him.

  “Wait… What if we left it in and let whoever is on the receiving end think we didn’t find it. We could use it against them and send false information.”

  Jayden nodded his head in agreement, “They have to know that we suspect something.”

  “But they do not know for sure. They do not even know that we are here in the Nexus Nebula,” Idris pointed out.

  Jayden gave a hum and said, “If we do not disable it, as soon as it can it is going to send out this conversation and everything it has recorded for the last few days.”

  “Then let’s give it a few new conversations we want it to send then you can disable it,” Blue put in. “Can you erase what is on it now?” she asked Idris just as Jos returned with the second bot.

  Before he could put it down Dro spoke firmly, “You need to move this to engineering. My patient needs some rest.”

  Blue protested, “I have been resting for five days. I’m fine.”

  She really was feeling as strong as ever. The headache had disappeared while they had been talking. There were no aches or pains left except the one in her heart and that was not something that could be fixed by any medical device ever invented. To prove it to him she hopped off the bed and went to get a closer look at the transmitter. It was a small milky white cylinder connected by wires to the internal workings of the bot. It looked so harmless for something so dangerous to them.

  It didn’t take much time for Idris and Jos to reprogram the transmitter and before long they were on their way. The transmitters were set to send the faked conversations they had recorded, hopefully sending the Ragillians in the wrong direction, as soon as they cleared the nebula’s gasses. If all went well they should be orbiting Shillidon in a little more than a week.

  Sparks eased the Trilleion out of the thick gasses that were part of the Nexus Nebula. Everyone was at their stations and on high alert. Vihan stood ready at weapons. Stealth mode was ready to be activated and maned by Idris. It wouldn’t be needed until they were sure the messages got out. Both the false one to anyone listening and the deeply encoded one that was sent to a private receiver that could be accessed only by the King and Queen of Shillidon.

  Sparks had every view screen and sensor on. Jos was in engineering and Dro maned communications. Jayden stood strong and tall in the center of the room, having already given the orders needed.

  “Clearing the nebula now,” Spark
s said into the quiet room. Blue watched from what had become her auxiliary station, Leo at her feet. She was another pair of eyes on the sensors.

  “Transmitting now as planned,” Dro said. Jayden had chosen to send the carefully worded message to Shillidon second, following the one from the bots. The hope was that the second message would be lost in the first and no one would notice when it veered off from the first.

  Sparks whistled then said reverently, “That is one smooth piece of work. I would like to meet the guy who designed that.”

  They all watched as the transmission attached itself to the forward sensors and rode the beam to the end without ever becoming an active signal. It floated off into space to be caught by a passing ship with the proper receiver. It was so simple it was ingenious.

  With luck on their side the Ragillians would believe they were on the way to Haldairia not Shillidon. There was a palpable air of relief when everything went off smoothly and there were no enemy ships waiting for them. Sparks set the ship on a course for Haldairia and engaged the Hyper Drive. They would continue in this direction for a couple of days before changing direction and heading towards Shillidon.

  Chrystal Bones Billie Jo Hanlin

  Chapter 30

  Jayden and Idris were in Jayden’s office drinking their version of coffee and discussing Blue.

  “Something is wrong,” Idris stated.

  “I know. She will not talk about it but it has to be whatever happened with the Minder,” Jayden said.

  They had all watched Blue drive herself in to the ground; dark circles of exhaustion appeared under her eyes. She was not eating and the pounds had melted off her slender body, turning it gaunt.

  She sparred with Vihan when he was able and when he wasn’t she pushed herself through physically challenging routines designed to push a body to the limits. Each of them had tried to talk to her but she would just say she was fine and walk away. Leo never left her side and he too was losing weight.

  Last night when she came to bed she had made love to Jayden with a desperation to lose herself in him. He did not mind being used to take her mind away from what was troubling her. But he did mind that she was working herself into the ground and had found a way to completely shut him out.

  “You have to do something to pull her out if this. You are her, whatever you are, so you need to fix it,” Idris finally said into the silence that had fallen between them.

  Jayden once again opened his mind to find her and when he encountered the wall between them he stood and strode from the room without another word. He was angry all of the sudden and enough was enough. Idris was right. It was time he put an end to this. He would get her to talk in the only way he knew how.

  When he walked into the gym he saw Blue going at Vihan with a single minded determination. Vihan was not fighting back so much as defending against her attack. He had a bloody cut along one eye and what looked to be an impressive array of bruises forming on his face and arms.

  Jayden watched her swing around with a high kick aimed for Vihan’s stomach. Vihan saw it coming and swung his arm down to block her foot. Using his arm as a springboard she flipped over in the air, landing in a crouch. She sprung up and went into a complicated series of moves who’s only purpose was to put an opponent on the ground.

  “Stop,” he said in an authoritative voice meant to be instantly obeyed and it was. Both combatants stopped in their tracks. Jayden gestured for Vihan to leave. He heard Vihan’s muttered, “About time,” before he left the room limping slightly from a hard kick to his thigh.

  Jayden studied the woman who was his heart and soul and felt his anger rise even more. She was pale and bruised. The weight loss was apparent in her jutting bones showed to advantage by the tight stretch pants and tank top she wore and in her hallowed out cheeks causing her cheekbones to stand out more than usual. The dark bruises under her eyes showed the lack of sleep. Her big beautiful eyes were filled with a stark sadness that he was determined to erase.

  He slowly removed his shirt, never taking his eyes off of her. Next he removed his boots and stood before her.

  “You want to fight, let’s fight,” he told her. Giving her no time to think he went after her forcing her to defend herself.

  They fought in utter silence. The only sounds coming from blows landed. Jayden gave no quarter to Blue. He used every move, every advantage he had to wear her down until sweat was dripping down her face and her moves became slower and slower.

  When the force behind her last kick was negligible he stepped back and asked, “What happened on the Ragillian ship with the Minder?”

  “I stopped him that’s all you need to know,” she said breathing heavily.

  “How did you stop him and the ship?” he pushed.

  “I told you I don’t want to talk about it.”

  “Tough, I need to know.”

  “No, you don’t.” Blue renewed her attack on Jayden. He easily deflected her blows and moved in to grab her arms and give her a shake.

  “You have to talk about it.”

  Blue pulled out of his hold, “Why can’t you leave it alone?”

  “Because whatever you did is eating you alive. Look at you. You are wasting away, turning into a ghost. If that does not matter to you look at Leo. Are you willing to kill him with your need to punish yourself?” he shouted at her.

  Startled Blue turned to look at Leo who was sitting at the edge of the matt. For the first time in days she really looked at him. What she saw and felt broke her. With a cry of despair she ran to him and fell to her knees.

  “Oh Leo, I am so sorry.”

  Jayden came and knelt next to them. “He has not eaten or slept any more than you have for the last few days.” Blue felt ashamed, she had been so caught up in her own misery that she hadn’t paid any attention to him really. He had stayed by her side and gave comfort and she hadn’t even made sure he ate. The tears burned her eyes but she refused to let them fall.

  “Oh Leo,” she said again softly when he laid his head on her shoulder and she hugged him tight.

  They stayed like that for several minutes before Blue lifted her head to look Leo in his eyes. “I need to talk to Jayden then we will go get you something to eat.”

  Sensing the crisis was over Leo purred before lying down and closing his eyes. She slowly stood feeling every ache in her bruised body and walked over to get some water.

  Jayden watched her pace back and forth sipping the water. “Tell me,” he demanded.

  She whirled to face him and said, “You want to know what happened. What happened was I killed him and after I killed him, I killed everyone else in the room. I ripped their minds to shreds,” she paused and when he said nothing she continued.

  “He wasn’t a bad guy. They broke him so completely that he thanked me.” She gave a harsh bitter laugh. “No one has ever thanked me for killing them.” She leaned against the wall and slid down to sit on the floor. Her legs losing the strength needed to hold her up.

  Both Jayden and Leo came over and sat next to her, one on each side. Their silent support helped her to go on. “What they did to him, to get him to do what they wanted, was inhuman. His whole family was tortured and killed in front of him, then they were cloned and killed again and again. When that stopped working his bones were broken one by one.” She stared up at the ceiling and swallowed the lump in her throat.

  “Dr. Ragillian knows just how much pain the body can handle before it gives out and always stopped before that point,” she had to pause again. When she continued talking her voice was a soft whisper of sound that had Jayden straining to hear her words.

  “He was eighteen years old when he and his family were captured because he made the mistake of showing off to a girl. He lived with the knowledge that his family’s deaths were his fault. That tortured him more than anything Ragillian did to him. The beatings, the starvation, the constant pain was all he knew in the end. He did what he was told to have one day or one week free of pain. I can’t blame
him. I know what it is like to be tortured. The doctors on Earth said what they did to me was in the name of science. It took a few days before I was able to understand the language enough to realize what they wanted. I was a kid. I didn’t know the answers to their questions but it didn’t matter because I couldn’t talk at first anyway. By the time I could they had started with their experiments and I was no longer interested in talking to them.”

  She turned her head to look at him, “If it would have stopped the pain I would have told them anything they wanted.” Her anguished expression tore at his battered heart. He caressed her face.

  “You were a child,” he said.

  “So was he. They had me for two years. He was held for seventy six years. He didn’t even remember his name anymore.” She cried out and the tears overflowed and fell from her eyes as she broke down and cried for the first time that she could remember.

  Jayden gathered her in his arms and held tight. He knew that she could not help but draw comparisons between herself and the unfortunate Minder. Both had been tortured in a way no one should ever be. They had both been so young when captured and in the end neither one had remembered their names. It was that one little fact that caused the tears to fall from her eyes. He said the only thing he knew to be the truth, “You gave him peace.”

  Blue cried for the Minder and for herself. She cried for two happy, innocent children who had their lives ripped apart by an uncaring universe and thrust into the hands of cruel torturers. She at least had gotten away after two years but that poor boy who had just wanted to impress a pretty girl had suffered for seventy six years. She hadn’t had a choice. She’d had to kill him. He was so broken that he had welcomed death.

  When the tears dried she repeated the vow she had made on the Ragillian ship to Jayden. “I will find and kill Doctor Ragillian no matter what it takes.

  He knew she meant it. He could hear the determination in her voice and knew there was no swaying her from this decision. The blood in his veins ran ice cold with terror.