Seeing Stars

  They all jumped when they heard a strained scream from the coffin. The woman’s body sprung back to life. Her eyes widened in terror as she thrashed, arms clawing out from her cold resting place for the last six thousand years. She finally grabbed the edge of her coffin and hoisted herself up to sit, one hand clutched where the amulet had pierced her heart. “Asharte…”

  “Holy shit,” Nate said.

  “No fucking way,” Keiran added.

  Brannan didn’t utter anything. He simply backed up until he hit against the dock’s railing.

  For a moment, Graeme didn’t know what to do. He was as shocked as the others. He didn’t think his crazy idea would actually work.

  The woman coughed. Her body shivered uncontrollably. She turned at Graeme and pleaded, “Asharte…”

  She talked in old merah, their native Dhurgan, the language rarely spoken in the Imperial anymore. Modern day Durghans abandoned it because the younger generations thought it wasn’t trendy enough. Old merah was considered a dead language. Graeme understood her just fine. Their father was an Imperial scholar—he had loved to drill Graeme and later, Nate, endless merah poetry when they were kids. Graeme shook himself out of his shock. He took off his jacket and draped it around her body. Gods. She was so damn cold. Wouldn’t she get hypothermia from this?

  “Amya der,” he said. “Don’t worry, I’m here.”

  “Sibundene thinya. Where am I?”

  “Ebavum et Scotavas. You’re safe.” Graeme nodded at Keiran, who was still flabbergasted with the whole scene. “She needs medical attention. Didn’t you go into a medic school before joining the Fleet?”

  Nate clutched his hair, mumbling, “This is not happening.”

  “I didn’t finish the second year. My family went bankrupt so I had to join the Fleet,” Keiran replied timidly.

  “But you know basic medical procedure, right?” Graeme pressed.

  “I mean, she was stiff! It’s impossible for a stiff to just come back to life!” Nate babbled.

  “Yeah, I know the basics,” Keiran said.

  “Then you need to help her,” Graeme urged.

  “She’s a zombie!” Nate pointed out. “We should stick her back in her coffin before she eats our brains.”

  “Shut up.” Graeme gave his brother a dirty look. “You’re a disgrace to any smuggler you ever joined with. Now, help me.”

  Nate threw his hands up. “I’m not touching the zombie girl.”

  “You’re hopeless,” Graeme muttered under his breath. He lifted the shivering woman and carried her in his arms. “Do we have a sickbay in this flying tin can?” he asked Keiran.

  “I think so. It should be near the beacon chamber.”

  “Show me.” Graeme turned to Nate. “You and Brannan check this container to see if it’s equipped with tracking devices. I wouldn’t put it past them, especially with cargo this important.”

  “Why don’t we eject this whole thing into space? It saves us time,” Keiran suggested.

  “I don’t think that’s wise. Least, not yet. We could use this cargo as leverage in case we’re tailed by the Armada.” Graeme noted Nate was still rooted where he was standing. “What are you waiting for?”

  “Being a vigilante. She’s going to suck your blood when you’re not looking.”

  “Idiot. That’s a vampire, not a zombie. Get to work!”

  Amaranth was confused. Scared out of her wits.

  Everything looked odd. People talked strangely too. Except for the one man who comforted her. And now he took her to another room where all the wall surfaces were covered in metal. The place hummed with low vibrations she couldn’t really fathom. The whole building seemed to be alive. Moving.

  Where am I? The last thing she remembered was Orion Thane trying to kill her. She groped her chest blindly. Did he really kill her? The sharp nail had gone through her chest. But it didn’t feel hurt any more. The pain had vanished.

  The kind man deposited her on a shiny rectangular table and told her not to be afraid. He said his friend was going to examine her to see if she was all right. Amaranth turned to the other man. He had short yellow hair and a long face. His stature was slender as a knife. He seemed nice enough, but his eyes were painted with distrust. She had a feeling this man was wary of her.

  He said something in a language she didn’t understand.

  “Keiran wants you to show him your wound,” the kind man translated. “He wants to know if you’re hurting.”

  She shook her head immediately. “I…I’m fine.”

  “We just want to be sure,” the kind man pressed.

  Amaranth reluctantly obeyed his request. She shrugged off her silk shawl and slid down the front of her low-cut gown, showing them where Orion Thane had pierced her heart. Two pairs of eyes watched her with scrutiny, but their expressions were indifferent. The yellow-haired man, Keiran, exchanged fast conversation with the kind man. Keiran then stalked to a nearby cupboard and started opening its doors and drawers, looking for something. He pulled out a small metal chest from one of the drawers. It appeared he had found what he wanted. He washed his hands in a deep basin then returned to the metal chest to sheathe his hands in something transparent and tight. Keiran plucked a strange implement from the chest and came to her. He pressed the implement against her exposed skin, poking and prodding around her wound.

  Keiran and the kind man fell into a deep conversation. Amaranth wished she knew what they were talking about.

  The kind man turned to her. “Keiran wants to examine you thoroughly. He doesn’t mean to disrespect you. Don’t worry. It will be over before you know it.”

  Amaranth guessed she didn’t have a choice but to agree. She let Keiran listen to her pulse, peer into her eyes while lighting them with a bright light emitting from a cylindrical object. He checked the inside of her mouth and prodded around her abdomen. She was worried Keiran would insist on seeing her nether regions. Luckily, he didn’t. It seemed he was satisfied with what he saw. Keiran nodded and gave her a wan smile. The two men consulted each other.

  The kind man explained to her. “It seems that you’re in perfect health. I don’t know how that’s possible, considering you’ve been sleeping in that coffin for the past six thousand years. Only a few minutes ago you had a puncture hole as big as pinkie finger, and now it’s healed perfectly. That’s a miracle.”

  She gaped. Did he say she had been sleeping for six thousand years? He jests… “I think this must be a dire misunderstanding. I couldn’t have been sleeping for that long.”

  “Your name’s Amaranth, isn’t it?”

  “How did you know?”

  “You’re a hetai for the Sun Temple, aren’t you? You went missing the night Shanrakhan conquered the five continents.”

  How did he know all of this? Amaranth narrowed her eyes, suspicion enshrouding her like a thick fog. “Are you the Khan’s minions?”

  The kind man laughed unexpectedly. She didn’t see anything funny about it.

  “Shanrakhan was dead a long, long time ago, Goddess. Welcome to the future.”

  Future?

  This has to be a jest. I’m in the future?

  “My name is Graeme Darin, but you can call me Graeme,” the kind man introduced himself. “Are you hungry?”

  Suddenly, Amaranth felt ravenous.

  Chapter Two

  The conversation stopped when Graeme entered the bridge. Keiran, Brannan and Nate were all huddled around a half-dismantled device on the floor, arguing. His brother lifted his head and grimaced.

  “How’s the zombie girl?” Nate asked.

  “What’s that?” Graeme ignored his question and pointed at the mangled scrap. For the last half hour, he’d been taking care of Amaranth. After Keiran finished examining her, Graeme had taken her to a private quarter, showing her how to use the lavatory, shower, and giving her food. He found some spare clothes that Nate had packed for him and he loaned them to her. They were too big, but they were better than the gown she was wearing
. She might be as hale as ever, but after six thousand years trapped in a box, her clothes started to disintegrate the moment the glass lid was opened.

  “It’s a tracking beacon,” Brannan answered. “It was planted at the base of the container. This was a set of two. We can’t disassemble the other one.”

  “We must dump the cargo to be safe,” Nate added.

  Graeme pondered it. “We’ll lose our leverage.”

  “What are you talking about?” Nate frowned. “We have her. If she’s that important, they will do anything to get her back.”

  “I’m not going to hand her over to anyone.”

  “So, you’re going to keep her?”

  “She needs our help.”

  Nate stood up, dusting dirt from his hands. “In case you’ve forgotten, we’re on the run. We can’t take care of someone like her. She belongs in the museum.”

  Graeme glared at him.

  “Or the Sun Temple. You forgot who she was. A Goddess. Right now, she should have the sissy priest and his worshippers tending to her every need.”

  His brother had a point. But Amaranth looked human enough. She resembled a frightened child more than a divine being. Watching her like that had awakened his protective urge. All of a sudden, he wanted to comfort her and keep her away from anyone who might want to harm her.

  Earlier, while he was busy showing her how to open the can of a ready-to-eat meal, she’d confessed she was scared. The people she knew had gone a long time ago and she didn’t have anybody she could go to. Graeme told her not to worry—he’d protect her. Amaranth took his hands and kissed them, thanking him while she watched him with her big blue eyes. Graeme couldn’t recall what had compelled his action, but the next thing he knew, his arms were wrapped tightly around her delicate body, promising that he’d always be there for her.

  It was nuts. Good lord. What the hell is wrong with me?

  Graeme had never thrown himself at someone else’s feet. Nor made promises he knew would be hell to keep. He didn’t know what had overcome him. Maybe because she was such a pretty little thing. Maybe it was her divine power. Or the way she looked at him. One gaze and he got lost in her eyes. He tried to discern his sudden feelings on the way to the bridge. It wasn’t just lust, but something else, something more powerful. The feeling was so strong, he knew he’d go mad if he had to part from her.

  Insane.

  “True, we’re in no condition to drag along someone like her,” Graeme agreed, “but I’ve made a promise I’ll protect her. And I intend to keep it.”

  Nate narrowed his eyes suspiciously. “If I didn’t know you better, I’d say you just want to sample a divine pussy.”

  “You have a problem with that?” Graeme snapped back, irritated.

  His brother threw his hands up theatrically. “Hey, I’m cool.” He nudged Keiran, who stood next to him and threw a conspiratory grin. “I take it he didn’t get laid often while he was in the Fleet?”

  “Nope,” Keiran answered him straight-faced.

  “Was he popular with the ladies at all?”

  “Oh, yeah. But your brother is very picky.”

  “If you two are done gossiping about me while I’m standing over here, I’d like to discuss something more important.” Graeme stalked towards the helm of the ship. “We need to set a new route.”

  Amaranth pressed her face against the glass of the viewport, unable to believe what she was seeing. The stars. The constellations. The heavens from up close. She had never imagined men had the capability of flying like a bird, let alone inventing some ingenious machinery that allowed them to travel far beyond the stars where the Gods reside. She surely had missed a lot during her six thousand years of slumber. One second she thought Orion Thane was murdering her, the next thing she knew she was in the future.

  Future.

  The sound of it scared her. The reality of it unnerved her. Everything in the future was so…advanced. For the past few hours, Amaranth had investigated all the nooks and crannies on her quarter. She was deeply impressed with how clever the chamber door was. It slid open magically when she stepped near to it as if a pair of invisible servants was standing by.

  And that wasn’t all.

  The bath chamber was also curiously neat. When she stood and waved a hand under the circular metal plate, it poured water as if it was showering rain. Amaranth had her fun discovering new things. The chamber pot that emptied itself. The food package that also reheated itself. An entertainment centre called holo-TV. A musical singing box. And a delicious treat called ice cream. But one thing that blew her mind was when she looked outside the viewport and saw the stars up close. Graeme had said they were currently travelling between the star systems, but it didn’t occur to her what he meant until she saw what was outside the window. Amaranth had travelled across the sea with giant ships before, but she had never travelled in a vessel that could carry her across the deep sky.

  The future was fascinating.

  The people were also fascinating. Amaranth hadn’t met any women in this vessel, but from what she’d seen so far, men were a lot taller and better looking in the future. They wore their hair very short and their appearances were well-kempt. The kind man who spoke her language, Graeme Darin, was also the most good-looking one. His hair looked like the sand dune and his eyes were light grey, like finely tempered steel. But there was no coldness in his eyes. One look and she knew she could trust her life with him. When she felt confused and scared earlier, unexpectedly, he comforted her in his arms. Amaranth had never felt more protected in her life. Even the High Priest Mamnon with his powers and influences couldn’t make her feel that secure before.

  Amaranth tore her eyes from the viewport and clutched her burning cheeks. She’d just remembered what Orion Thane had said shortly before he staked her heart with the Star of Hecave. “When you wake up, perhaps you will find your true love.”

  She released her breath and groped where the amulet had pierced her. Her heart was beating faster, accompanied with a pleasant rush that surged through her veins. What is this? A strange euphoric feeling radiated from every fibre of her being, overwhelming her.

  Is this love? Truly?

  Whatever it is, it’s delightful…

  “Amaranth.”

  She jumped, startled. Graeme stood in front of the chamber’s door. His tall stature almost touched the frame. Heat warmed her cheeks instantaneously.

  “You okay?”

  “I…I’m fine.”

  Graeme stepped in. He carried a box in his hands. “I was looking for a pair of shoes for you, but I couldn’t find any that would fit. The men’s boots were way too big for you.”

  Amaranth looked at her feet. They were bare. She hadn’t been buried with her shoes. “I’m fine, thank you. They didn’t allow foot covering in the temple, so I’m accustomed to this way.”

  “Yeah, but not in a starship. You’ll get cold if you have bare feet.” Graeme opened the box and extracted a ball of black woollen socks. “Let’s try these on. We don’t want you to get sick, don’t we?”

  “I…”

  He knelt down and told her to hold onto the wall. Amaranth was perplexed when he grabbed her leg and slipped one sock on her foot. The thick sock came to her knee, warming her foot in an instant.

  “Thank you. But I can manage this one by myself.” Amaranth tried to reach the other sock.

  “Shh. Be still.” He worked on her other foot. “There. Much better?”

  Heat seared her face. A respectable man didn’t lower himself to trivial chores in front of a woman. Not unless he was a servant. Graeme did it because he cared for her. Somehow, what he did make her feel special.

  “Thank you. You don’t have to this.”

  “But I wanted to. Are you hungry? We’re about to have dinner in the galley, and I thought you should meet the rest of my crew. Actually, you met them, but I bet you were too shocked earlier.”

  She didn’t expect his invitation. From where she came from, the custom f
orbade women to dine with men who weren’t their husbands or immediate family. Even then, not many husbands felt keen having their wives at the same table. A woman’s rightful place was in the kitchen, raising children, and to be ready in bed whenever her man needed her. She guessed a lot had changed over the millennia. Amaranth inclined her head. “I’d be honoured.”

  “Great. But you have to pardon what we have, though. Instant food. It’s not so great, but it’s filling.”

  “Your food is delicious and I’m thankful for the nourishment you kindly gave me.”

  Graeme watched her inquisitively. A smile blossomed on his handsome face. Amaranth’s heart skipped a beat. The strange euphoric rush returned.

  How curious. I’m content whenever he’s nearby. It feels like nothing else matters if I can be with him.

  Compelled by her discovery, Amaranth reached for his hand and held it. The euphoric emotion rushed through her thousandfold, making her giddy. As a hetai of the Sun Temple, High Priest Mamnon had raised her in seclusion, away from prying eyes. She’d never known the wondrous feeling of being smitten with a man. This new experience awed her.

  Graeme squeezed her back and held her tightly. “Let’s go, shall we?”

  She didn’t want to let go of his hand ever again.

  The galley Graeme had mentioned turned out to be a kitchen. Unlike any kitchen she’d ever seen, this one looked so highly polished and clean, one could eat right from the counter. Apparently, in the future people didn’t cook with wood burning stoves anymore. Machineries had replaced everything.

  The men’s attention fixed on her when Graeme tugged her towards the dining table. She knew Keiran the healer, the man with the short yellow hair. The other two were unknown.

  Graeme introduced her to a young scrawny man with the same hair colour and eyes as himself. He looked uncannily like a younger version of Graeme. The mystery unravelled when Graeme introduced the youth as his brother.

  “Nate talks without thinking most of the time, so don’t mind what he says,” Graeme said. He gestured to the black-haired man who sat next to the healer Keiran. “And this is Brannan Shih. He used to be my communications officer in the Fleet. Now he’s my partner in crime.”