by S. E. Smith
“They came back as being Gracie Jones, the female member of the Freedom Five.” Mohan responded.
Kordon felt the muscle in his jaw tighten as he forced his next question out. “What happened to the female?”
Mohan smiled sadly. “She was killed but not before she saved millions of lives on Earth and brought the end to the Alluthan invasion. She is credited with bringing down their shields. It is thought she was killed when the mother ship exploded.”
Kordon nodded tensely. “Send me a copy of the files you have on her including any images.” Mohan nodded and turned. Kordon stopped her before she left to ask her one more question that was bothering him. “Mohan?”
“Yes sir?” Mohan asked turning at the opened door.
“You said her last transmission was different. What was different about it?” Kordon asked.
Mohan’s eyes grew sad as she spoke the words that she memorized as a young cub. “She said, "This is Gracie saying goodnight and goodbye, my love." Mohan waited a moment to see if there were any more questions but Kordon had already turned his back on her. She turned and left wondering if he even realized she was gone.
Kordon stood gazing out the window again letting Gracie’s finally words echo through his mind. He would know her voice anywhere if he heard it. Her haunting last words shook him. He did not want to think of the female with the voice he heard being dead. Kordon frowned as the waves of foreign emotion washed through him. He hoped the image of this long dead female would lay them to rest. Kordon unclenched his fists as his computer sounded letting him know he had new information available.
Kordon moved almost with a sense of dread towards his console. He touched the screen and immediately the file opened to reveal a young female with eyes the color of rarest gems and a smile that knocked the breath out of him. Kordon gripped the armrest on his chair and sank down slowly. His eyes absorbed every minute detail of the female. His fists clenched in rage that something so beautiful, so delicate should be destroyed. Reaching out to touch the soft curve of her cheek, Kordon was amazed to find his hand was actually trembling as he gently stroked it.
Gracie was tired. She didn’t sleep much the night before. She was worried about whether she should have sent out the message. She spent the daylight hours working hard, hoping it would allow her to fall into an exhausted sleep. She hunted for fruit several miles away, gathered enough firewood for a couple of weeks, and cleaned the supply ship until she was sure it was shiny enough to be seen from outer space. Throughout it all, she forced herself to stay away from the control console. By late afternoon, a storm developed forcing Gracie back inside. She kept glancing at the communication’s console before finally giving up and switching it on. She let it rotate through the pre-set sequence feeling dejected when she didn’t hear anything. Maybe last night was a fluke. Maybe no one was really out there and it was all just her wishful thinking. Gracie fought a dozen battles with herself before deciding she needed to try to send a signal again. If no one heard it or responded, then she was in no worse shape than she already was.
Gracie leaned forward and began transmitting. “This is Gracie’s Touch reaching out to anyone who can hear me. I am stranded on an unknown planet or moon. If you receive this message and can understand me please respond.” Gracie repeated it several times before she let her forehead rest on the console. With a tired sigh, she pushed up to end the transmission. “This is Gracie saying goodnight to all.”
“This is the Conqueror. I have received your message. Waiting for a response.” A soft, accented voice responded just as Gracie was about to switch off the console. “I repeat. This is the Conqueror. I have received your message. Waiting for a response.”
Gracie giggled as the first words she heard in three years came over the communication’s console. Her hands shook so bad she had to shake them before pressing the transmission button. “This is Gracie. Who am I speaking to?”
Mohan turned and quickly told one of the men working next to her to get Kordon. “This is Lt. Mohan Ta’nee from the warship Conqueror. Please identify yourself.”
Kordon came to stand behind Mohan. He picked up one of the headsets and nodded to her to continue. Mohan nodded as she waited for a reply.
“Oh, this is Gracie. Gracie Jones…from New York.” Gracie said with a nervous giggle. “I don’t suppose you know where that is, do you?” Gracie asked hesitantly.
Mohan sat back in shock as she listened to the reply. Kordon growled impatiently for her to continue. Mohan jerked forward. “Yes, Gracie Jones. My father taught me of the place you call New York.” Mohan looked frantically up at Kordon not sure how much information she should give.
Kordon leaned down and growled softly in Mohan’s ear. “Lock on her location. Ask her where she is and who is with her.”
Mohan nodded again. “Gracie Jones, can you specify your location and number of members with you?”
Gracie bit her lip as she looked out over the dark surface. “I’m alone. I’m not sure where I am. The computer keeps coming up with unknown. I think the navigation system was fried when I crashed.” Gracie replied softly.
“How long ago did you crash, Gracie Jones?” Mohan responded just as softly.
“According to my calculations it’s been three years, eighteen days.” Gracie responded. “Do…do you know if the Earth is okay? You said your father told you about it. How does he know? Did he tell you if the humans were able to defeat the Alluthans? Did your people come to help ours?”
Mohan gasped as she listened to Gracie’s question. She was asking as if the battle was still being fought. Mohan looked to Kordon who nodded for her to answer. “Yes, Gracie Jones. The humans defeated the Alluthans and everyone is doing well.”
Gracie couldn’t hold back the tears as the news swept through her. “Mohan?” Gracie whispered.
“Yes Gracie Jones.” Mohan responded.
“Did your father…did your father ever hear of a group called the Freedom Five? I wanted to know if Chance…if the guys were okay.” Gracie choked out.
Mohan heard the tears in Gracie’s voice and looked up in desperation to Kordon for guidance. Something strange was happening and she didn’t know what to do. “Answer her.” Kordon said.
“Yes Gracie Jones, my father not only heard about them but he told me tales of their great fight.” Mohan said softly. “All four of the men survived although the ones called Adam and Mark were wounded badly. The other two were also wounded but not as severely.”
Gracie was silent as she let the words Mohan told her sink in. They all survived. Chance was alive. If Mohan’s father knew about them then there must be a way to get home. Gracie jumped when the warning light indicating low power came on. The solar cells were not holding power the way they used to.
“Gracie Jones, are you there?” Mohan asked.
“Yes. I have to go. The solar cells are not holding power very long any more. I’ll try to transmit again tomorrow if possible. This is Gracie reaching out to say goodnight.” Gracie said as the power failed and the lights on the console went out.
The only light was the lightning streaking across the dark sky. Gracie moved over to the seats she used as a bed and curled up. Chance was alive. She closed her eyes as exhaustion caused by lack of sleep and stress overwhelmed her. A smile curved her lips at the knowledge that she might be able to make it home after all. She went to sleep and dreamed she was in Chance’s arms again. It was a dream that she never thought she would have again.
Chapter 5
Kordon rubbed his hand over his eyes. He was working on less than two hours sleep in almost thirty-six hours. He poured over the archives Mohan sent him. Late last night, he held a meeting with his officers. Bran was skeptical of Mohan's explanation. He was more concerned with the fact the signal came from the same signature code as the attackers of the mining company. The heated discussion that followed tried his limited patience. Bran insisted it must be a trap to lure unsuspecting travelers. Kordon couldn't discount his
concerns. Three days passed since the last transmission. Mohan was able to get a general lock on the signal but there was still a vast amount of space and almost a half-dozen or more planets and moons capable of sustaining life in the region. It would take weeks, if not longer, to search each one.
"Admiral." Mohan's voice called out through the com system. "I am picking up a transmission from Gracie Jones."
Kordon sat back. "Patch it through to my office and make sure you lock onto the signal this time."
"Yes sir." Mohan replied.
"Gracie Jones, this is the Conqueror. Please respond." Mohan's voice came over the com system.
Kordon leaned back listening intently. He didn't realize he was holding his breath until it whooshed out as Gracie's soft voice echoed throughout his office.
"Oh, Mohan, I'm so glad to hear your voice. I was afraid I had dreamed you up." Gracie said in her husky voice.
Mohan chuckled at the excitement in Gracie's voice. "I was afraid of the same thing. Where have you been, Gracie Jones?"
"It has been storming here. The solar cells were dead so there was no power unless I fired up the fuel cells to power the supply ship. I try not to do that very often since I might need it later on." Gracie said. She was so excited to have someone to talk to after so long it was hard to contain her enthusasium.
Kordon punched in the information Gracie unknownly gave. A storm on any of the planets or moons would show up on their sensors. He triangulated the information with the signal signature. Within moments, a small moon registered on his screen. Kordon pulled up the specifications and found it matched an atmosphere suitable for subtaining life forms. Kordon sent a command and the coordinates to the helmsmen. The Conqueror could be there in two days time.
Satisfied, Kordon sat back and listened to the soft cadence of Gracie's voice as she talked about the moon she was on and listened to the questions she asked. He had informed Mohan to give just vague details and answers to her questions. Soon, he thought, soon he would know if the voice matched the image he had. If it did, there would be even more questions than answers. If Gracie Jones turned out to be the female of the Freedom Five then she not only came back from the dead but she somehow managed to survive over eight hundred and fifty-two Earth years after the Great Battle.
Two days later the Conqueror was in orbit around the small moon in the Glasis system. Kordon looked down on the moon from the conference room viewports. White clouds covered a good portion of the moon. Mohan was trying to raise Gracie Jones. If they could make a connection, it would save time and resources in pinpointing her location. Kordon was surprised at the aggressive energy flowing through his body. Normally, Zion warriors only felt this type of andrenaline before battle, or life mating, a small voice whispered in the back of his mind. Kordon bit back an oath as the thought slammed into him. Zion warriors became very aggressive when confronted with their life mate. The need to possess and protect their females was a part of their genetics from the days when they would invade other worlds capturing the females and taking them back to their home world.
Kordon turned as several of his fellow Zion warriors came into the conference room. Bran nodded in greeting. He had elevated the warship's alert status to high. Kordon looked at the other four men who stood beside Bran. He knew all of them well. Nodding to Bran, Kordon took a seat at the head of the table.
"Has Mohan heard anything yet?" Kordon asked even as he already knew the answer.
"Nothing. I don't like this." Bran said with a small frown. "It could be a trap."
"Have your sensors picked anything up out of the ordinary?" Kordon asked leaning back in his chair.
"No." Bran said shaking his head in frustration.
"We still don't know anything about the species that attacked the mining camp. They could have some type of shield. The mining foreman mentioned a shield of some type." Quan commented. "They could be using this female's voice to trick us. Perhaps, have us think she is defenseless."
Kordon looked at one of his best fighters. Quan may have been over six and a half feet tall like all Zion males but he could move like a shadow. He had a long scar along his left cheek from a battle a few years ago. He had saved Kordon's life that day and earned the mark for it.
Kordon studied the image of the female from the files Mohan sent him. He stared into the sparkling green eyes and felt his gut twist again. Growling, he pushed himself up out of his chair and turned towards the viewport windows. His fists clenched and unclenched as he fought for control. He snarled when he felt a hand on his shoulder.
Cooraan looked at him in concern. "What is it?"
Kordon shook off the hand and stared out at the darkness. "I'm not sure." He replied in a hushed tone. "There is something about the female's voice..."
Quan looked at the other three men. Out of the five Zion warriors, he was the oldest. "Perhaps it is a trap. We will soon find out and be ready for anything. If it appears the female is part of a trap then we will deal with her as we have any of our other enemy." He said calmly.
Kordon was about to respond when Mohan requested permission for entrance. "Sir." Mohan flushed several shades as she saw all the warriors standing together.
Quan growled out when Mohan let her gaze brush over him. She flushed even more, her fur changing several different shades. Mohan stood frozen for a moment before she turned her eyes back to Kordon.
"Sir, you requested to know when a contact was made with Gracie Jones. I was unable to keep the connection for more than a few moments but I was able to triangulate the signal and have a lock on it." Mohan said letting her gaze flicker over Quan again before she looked at Kordon once more.
Quan let out a low snarl at Mohan. Kordon threw him a heated look. "Send the information to my com immediately along with the recordings of the transmission."
Mohan bowed and backed out of the room quickly without looking back. Kordon put his hand on Quan's arm to stop him from following. Quan looked down at the hand and back up before taking a deep breath and letting it out.
"She's mine." He said softly letting his gaze turn to the closed door.
Kordon nodded. On a warship with a crew of almost five hundred it was not surprising this was the first time Quan had encountered Mohan; especially since Mohan was very shy around most males on board. Before this incident she rarely left the communication's room. Kordon recognized the feelings of aggression and possessiveness Quan was demonstrating.
Kordon turned to Bran. "Prepare the shuttles. I want to see who this Gracie Jones is and why she is using a signal pattern from a ship known for attacking planets under the protection of the Confederation."
Gracie groaned in frustration. Why did the stupid solar cells have to die now?! What was Murphy's Law? If anything can go wrong, it will? Gracie banged her fist on the console again but nothing happened. It seemed the solar cells and the fuel cells decided to quit working at the same time. She didn't know anything about mechanics or machines. If she couldn't program it or hit it with a wrench, she was hopeless. The guys always fixed everything. Gracie sat down suddenly in the chair and pulled her knees up to her chest wrapping her arms around them. At first it was just her lip that trembled, than she hiccupped. By the third breath she was balling like a baby with her head buried against her knees. Her whole body shook as the despair at being alone again crushed what little spirit she had left. She was going to die on this miserable moon all alone. Why couldn't she have just died like she was supposed to when the mother ship exploded? Why was she being punished? Gracie was determined she was going to throw the mother of all pity parties and she wasn't inviting anyone else to come! She had the right to be upset, dammit. Gracie cried and cried and cried before she wiped her nose and eyes against her pant leg.
"Fine! If this is what I have to look forward to than FUCK YOU!" Gracie screamed as she jumped to her feet. "I will fucking die the way I fucking want to and no one can tell me I fucking can't!" Gracie yelled out as the platform door descended. "And, I can say fuck a
ll I want to and no one can tell me it is a bad word, so there!" Gracie added at the top of her lungs for good measure before she froze in horror.
"Oh, fuck!" She whispered as she stared at the group of huge ass men standing outside the supply ship staring at her like she was some kind of banshee from an Irish fairy tale.
Gracie stumbled backwards trying to hit the button to close the platform door but kept missing it. She screamed out when one of the men broke away from the group and charged at her. Turning, she scrambled over some boxes of supplies knocking them over trying to get to the front of the supply ship. She had no idea what she would do when she got there but she hoped by then her brain would figure something out. She continued throwing things behind her ignoring the loud curses as the man following her collided with them. Sliding into the area she normally used for sleeping, she spied her bow. Gracie grabbed it with one hand while grabbing her arrows with the other. She turned just as the huge male reached the open doorway. Gracie fitted the arrow into the notch and swung around pointing it at his chest.