by Lisa Lace
“You never should have lived, Leanne. We gave you this life, and we gave you twenty-three years of peace. Now, your debt has come due. You were born for this.”
Leanne couldn’t speak. Her whole mind was spinning in shock. It was one thing to know she’d been taken, and her life would never be her own again. To know that her life had never been hers, that she’d been living on borrowed time her whole life, was too huge to comprehend.
“I shouldn’t have told you.” Resek sighed. “I wasn’t supposed to. They said you wouldn’t be able to handle it.”
“I want my life to be my own.” Leanne whispered, her voice choked with tears.
“I know. Believe me, I wish it was. If I could, I would take you away from all of this right now.”
He couldn’t, though. He didn’t say it, but Leanne knew now. She understood. She was literally born for this. The Wescra had given her life when she had none. They’d given her a second chance. There was only one thing she could ask.
“When this is over, if I live through it, could you take me home? Back to Earth?” Leanne didn’t know what kind of life she could have, after living through a war. How could she ever get past the memories of death and horror? It was her only chance, a slim hope to hold onto, that she could go back to a normal life when this mad war was done.
She doubted it would be allowed. In fact, she could see from Resek’s eyes that it wasn’t. He’d probably be arrested for trying to return her with all of her knowledge of his people. His eyes were intense and slightly more liquid than usual as he stared at her.
“Yes.” He had hesitated, his voice hoarse and strained. “Yes, that I can promise you. If we both survive, when our part is done, I will take you back.”
Leanne couldn’t stop the tears running down her cheeks. She was hurting too much to fight anymore. She leaned in, and Resek mimicked her motion unconsciously until their shoulders were touching.
He didn’t say anything. He didn’t need to. He knew the pain she was feeling now; he’d known it for his whole life. Leanne realized she was shaking.
Resek wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into his chest. Leanne sobbed, allowing him, for once, to comfort her.
Chapter Ten
“I’m fine.” Leanne was determined, ignoring her body monitor as it went from blue to red. Resek ignored her protests and put down the wooden rod the two of them were training with today.
“Have some water.”
Leanne was exhausted, and she gulped down the water he offered. His hand brushed hers, which sent a tingling sensation down her arm. She was seized with the sudden desire to kiss him. He was standing so close to her that she could feel his warmth, and memories of the last time he touched her were starting to make her blush. Hopefully, he just thought her face was red from exertion. “Ok great, let’s go again.”
Resek smiled faintly. “We’ll do some target practice.”
Target practice didn’t require nearly as much energy as hand-to-hand combat. Leanne gratefully took the gun he handed her. Did she imagine it, or did his hand linger just a moment too long on hers? She couldn’t read his expression and wondered if he could possibly be thinking similar thoughts to her.
“How long until I can fight?”
There was a hint of impatience in Resek’s voice when he replied. “When I say you are ready. Asking me every day won’t make it happen any sooner.”
Leanne frowned at her gun, disappointed. Ever since she’d decided to help the Wescra win this war of her own free will, she’d been eager to start. The Greli needed to be defeated, and she wanted to help. She’d thrown everything into her training. Resek had been pleased, but was still cautious about her safety. He wouldn’t let her fight with him until he was sure she had enough training.
Leanne focused on the target shooter. She was ready when a hologram of a Greli soldier dashed toward her, running in wild zigzags, making it almost impossible for her to aim.
She quickly analyzed the movement and aimed her gun at the spot she estimated he’d be in the split second it took from the moment of firing to the moment of impact.
The figure flashed from red to blue and slowed. She’d hit it, but not hard enough for a kill. It kept coming so Leanne aimed carefully. Once again she missed. The Greli soldier was closing in on her, but that gave her the advantage of close range. She shot straight for the chest, and the hologram glowed green before disappearing.
“Good. Again.”
They repeated the exercise. Sometimes Leanne got it on the first shot, but more often it took her a few tries. Once, the hologram made it right up to her before she could hit it. She did as Resek had taught her, abandoning her gun and taking out the wooden pole that resembled the stick-like weapons the Wescra and Greli used in close quarters.
The hologram wasn’t trained for hand-to-hand combat and went green at the first blow.
“Take out your weapon sooner. If you can’t shoot your enemies, don’t let them get that close without being ready. Your gun won’t be much good at such close quarters.”
Leanne nodded, catching her breath. Resek tossed her a metal frame with apparently nothing in between the rounded spokes, but Leanne knew that it was a shield, created by a forcefield around the frame.
“Let’s try something a bit more realistic.”
Practicing her aim was good, but in reality, the Greli wouldn’t be running towards her in crazy patterns and not shooting. They’d be coming straight for her, and they’d be shooting. Leanne needed to learn how to defend herself as well as fight.
This time, the machine projected multiple Greli, all rushing towards her. Leanne still struggled with this. She focused on keeping her shield up and trying to watch the Greli guns. Resek had told her that she could tell from the angle and placement of the guns where they were aimed for, and should move her shield to defend herself accordingly.
Of course, in a real battle, it wouldn’t be as much of a problem. Resek wouldn’t put her on the front lines, so she wouldn’t be in the line of any direct shots. He wanted her to prepare for the worst, though, so she tried. It was difficult enough judging the angle of one gun, let alone keeping track of dozens and trying to defend herself with the shield as well as shoot at the same time.
A sharp beep and a faint pressure on her left side told Leanne she’d been shot. She yelped in surprise. It didn’t hurt, but it always gave her a fright.
“If unsure, use your shield to cover your torso. You can more easily get away to the healers if you’re shot in the arm or leg. If they get your torso, they’re more likely to hit something vital, and you could bleed to death before you can get help.”
“Why don’t you expand these?” Leanne gestured to the shields. “Make a larger force field around all of you that doesn’t rely on individual shields.”
Resek looked pleased. “Good. You’re starting to think like a soldier. We used to do that, but force fields on such a large level require a bigger power source. The Greli soon learned what we were doing and targeted the force field projectors. We don’t exactly have the infrastructure to make more, so we make do with the smaller shields.
“There are some people hidden on a nearby moon, trying to work on replacing some of the technology we’ve lost, but it’s risky. If the Greli discover them, they will be slaughtered. The army is here and can’t protect them. We’re hoping that the group is small enough that they'll go unnoticed.”
Leanne went through a few more drills, but her progress was negligible. After two hours, she’d managed to kill half a dozen of the Greli projections, but according to her own wounds, she’d have been killed herself five times over.
Eventually, Resek turned off the machine. “You need to learn where the gun is pointing from a glance. A glance is all you’ll have. Watch.”
He came and stood right in front of her with the practice gun, pointing it at her chest.
“Where am I aiming?”
“My chest.” Of course she could tell now, with him only a few feet aw
ay from her.
Resek took a step back and moved the gun subtly. “Where now?”
“My leg.”
“Be more specific.”
“My right leg, um, my knee?”
“Thigh.” He shook his head. “Why would I be aiming for your leg in the first place?”
“Sometimes there isn’t a clear shot at the head or torso, because of shields or other soldiers in the way. Also, if you hit someone in the leg, they will likely go down immediately and trip others up. Soldiers have been known to keep fighting with a less serious shot to the torso, but taking out a leg will definitely take them down.”
Resek nodded in approval. He kept moving back, and it got harder and harder to tell where he was pointing his gun. Still, it was easier than the projector, and Leanne at least felt like she was making a little progress.
After a while, they went back to close quarters fighting. She and Resek picked up their practice sticks, and she took the defensive stance he’d taught her. This was always the exhausting drill. Resek struck with the speed of a snake. It was all she could do to defend herself. He pushed her hard, and she found herself backing up, trying to avoid his weapon.
He did his best to soften the blows, but there was only so much he could do to pull back when he was moving fast. Soon, she felt bruised and aching all over. She didn’t complain, though. She wanted to win this war, and if tough training is what it took, she’d gladly do it.
When her monitor beeped red again, Leanne nearly collapsed in relief. Apparently, Resek thought the same, because he moved close to her and put a hand around her upper arm, ready to catch her if she fell.
The sun was setting, and Leanne was exhausted. She wanted more than anything to lie down, but she didn’t want to move. Resek smiled. “You did well. You threw your all into it and learned a lot. I couldn’t have asked for more.”
To Leanne’s surprise, he picked her up in his arms and carried her inside. She struggled weakly but finally went limp, leaning her head against his chest and listening to the steady beat of his heart.
“You’ve done enough today,” he told her, laying her down on the couch. He stood tall above her, and Leanne felt something stirring inside her. She reached for him, and he took her hand.
She was sweaty and gross, but Resek didn’t seem to care. He kissed her carefully, but when she upped the intensity, he responded. Her body lit up as he hovered over her, kissing her until her head was spinning.
Leanne was happy she had made the first move. Since she was stuck here, she may as well enjoy the mind-blowing sex that was part of the bargain. The aches and pains all over her body seemed to recede as Resek caressed her, and her mind disengaged, leaving only the feeling of his body and hers.
The thought about how he looked during training, strong and confident, his gaze never missing anything, heated her up even more. She stared into his eyes as his hands wandered downward, brushing over her nipples. Leanne squirmed to get out of her bra as quickly as possible, baring herself to him.
Resek had a hungry look now as he started licking her. He sucked at her earlobe, then trailed wet kisses down her neck. When he finally got to her breasts, Leanne was panting again, harder than during training.
She tried to reach for him, but he pinned her hands above her, forcing her to surrender to him. By the time he’d gotten her clothes off, Leanne was ready to beg to have him inside her. She could feel Resek’s rock hard cock against her leg, so she knew he felt the same.
He pulled her into another kiss and finally released her arms. She took quick advantage and used her hands to position his cock just outside her pussy. As she expected, Resek couldn’t resist such an invitation.
She gasped as he pushed into her. All the tension that had built up in her muscles focused to a point as he thrust into her, over and over again.
Everything released in a blinding bolt of pleasure. She screamed as she held onto him, barely even aware of him reaching his own release. She slumped back, her body feeling weak and loopy with pleasure. Resek kissed her once more, and Leanne closed her eyes, already feeling herself drifting off.
“What part do my friends play in this?”
They were taking a break from training, sitting in the shade and sipping water. Well, Resek was sitting. Leanne was slumped in his lap, her head resting on his chest.
“Their time will come.”
She batted him playfully on the shoulder. “That’s not very helpful, you know. You’re always so secretive about this iluni plan. Don’t you trust me?”
“It’s not a matter of trust. A great responsibility has been placed upon me. I was the one to start this. The plan had been in stasis for years. As the Commander, I was the one who told the ships to leave, to fetch you. I stood at the radio with my people’s hope in my hands. When I told them to initiate the plan, another stage of the war started, and we finally had a chance to win.”
“Yes, but none of that explains why you can’t tell me more about this plan.”
“Very few people know about the true extent of the plan. Many have heard only the name, and many others know even less than that. There is a reason for this. If a soldier is captured, it’s likely that the Greli will torture them for information. You’ve seen the Greli’s methods. Given enough time, even the most loyal of the Wescra will tell what they know.
“The fewer people who know the full details of the plan, the safer we’ll all be, and that includes you. I’ve already told you more than I should.”
Perhaps, a few weeks ago, Leanne would have stormed off in a huff. Now, she merely shrugged. She didn’t like it, but she understood. The Wescra had pinned all their hopes on her and her friends, the iluni, as they were called. She also knew that Resek was right. Anyone subjected to Greli torture would talk in the end.
After training, she took a shower as usual and sat down for supper with Resek. She was getting to know him better, but he was still intimidating at times. Resek the man, when he appeared, could be lighthearted and tender. Resek the Commander, who was around most of the time, was cool and detached, and sometimes scared Leanne with his intensity.
“Am I ready to go into battle yet?”
“Not yet. I will tell you when you are ready.”
Leanne bit her lip. She’d been sitting on a suspicion for a while but was nervous to voice it. She had to know, though.
“I’m not sure you’re right, about me not being ready yet. I wonder if I have enough training to get by with, but you’re keeping me out of battle to protect me.”
“You are a vital resource and must be protected.”
There he was, Resek the Commander. Leanne was constantly confused with him, never knowing if what he did was to keep the "resource" alive so he could win the war, or if it was for her as a person.
His expression brooked no arguments, so she remained silent.
“I’m going into battle tomorrow. Something has come up, and my men need me to check it out in person.”
Leanne tried not to show her disappointment. She could train by herself with the hologram machines, but she felt like she never learned a fraction as much that way as she did when Resek taught her.
“What’s come up?”
“There have been whispers of the Greli Commander in the area. Not just the local Commander of these troops, but the Commander of all Greli forces. If he is here, we need to target him at once, but we need to be careful. It could be a rumor spread for the very purpose of drawing us out. I’d like to lead a team to find out exactly what’s happening.”
“That sounds dangerous.”
Resek snorted a laugh. “War is dangerous. You’ll continue your training while I’m gone?”
“Yes. I was thinking, maybe when you get back, we could do some first aid stuff? I don’t want to be a healer, but it’ll probably be useful knowing the basics, right?”
Resek smiled at her, a proud smile that she’d do anything to see. “Correct. Most soldiers are taught basic to advanced first aid as part of their
training. I will get a simulator for you, and we can begin when I return.”
She was oddly nervous the next day when Resek left. Of course, she knew beyond a doubt that he was a brilliant military Commander. He could more than take care of himself. Still, if there was one thing he’d taught her, it was that in war, things seldom went as planned.
“I will see you tonight.”
He turned and left. Leanne wondered if she should try to teach him about the human custom of kissing before you part, but she wasn’t sure he’d approve of a custom that had no practical effect. Resek’s practicality impressed her at times. At other times, it drove her mad.
She watched him until he was out of sight, then turned wearily to the various hologram machines they used to practice. Figuring she may as well get the worst over with first, Leanne picked up her shield and practice gun and set the machine to have Greli running and shooting at her.
The machine recorded her practice sessions. So she was hoping she’d do well today and be able to show Resek her progress when he got back. If he got back.
Don’t be stupid, she told herself. Of course he’s going to come back. She shouldn’t care, of course. Whatever else she might be feeling, he’d still had her kidnapped. She did want the Wescra to win this war, though, and there was no question that Resek was the best chance they had at that.
The sun rose in the sky as she practiced alone. Sometimes, Resek would get back before sunset. Other times, it would be well past dinner when he would come home. No matter how exhausted he was, he always somehow managed to look noble and put together. Leanne wished she could replicate that effect. But she supposed there were more important things. She trained hard, passing the time until Resek returned.
Chapter Eleven
Sunset came and went. Resek still wasn’t back. Leanne ate and got ready for bed, then stared out of the window. There was no sign of him.