Origin

by Dani Worth

  “We saw you in the landing pod, but you’d disappeared once we left the ship.”

  She grimaced. “Yeah, I didn’t feel like subjecting everyone to more of my breakfast.” She leaned over the table toward Kei. “I went to see Crichton. He looks like shit—the most pitiful thing I’ve ever seen. Is he even going to live?”

  Kei leaned back into the cushions. “I’m going to make it my personal mission to bring him back to perfect health so we can finally get answers.”

  “Then what?” I asked. When everyone looked at me, heat filled my cheeks, but I cleared my throat and went on. “What sort of punishment will he get?” I knew what the man had done—or what he was supposed to have done—but that frail, miserable human had garnered sympathy in me.

  “You sound concerned,” Lux said, her eyes narrowed. “Do you understand he’s the one responsible for the destruction of this planet?”

  I nodded. “I do. It’s just there’s something about him. He’s suffered. And not just physically. I recognize it in him because…I understand it.”

  “Guilt tends to make people suffer.” Kei picked up his fork and speared something small and pink, some kind of meat I didn’t recognize.

  “If there’s guilt, he’s not altogether bad then.”

  Everyone went quiet with my words. I wanted to try and explain more but the whole dining pod grew suddenly silent and all the fine hairs on my body stood at attention. A wave of some kind of emotion, like anticipation went through the room like a sonic boom.

  I stretched my neck to see what had caused the quiet and when I spotted Bastian, I didn’t hesitate. I climbed right over Clay to get around the table. My heart pounded hard as I ran around one of the other tables and nearly launched myself in his arms. His tall slim form was so welcome. I buried my face in his long auburn hair and just reveled in the beat of his own heart against me.

  He hugged me back tight, laughter shaking his chest when I wouldn’t let go.

  “I’m so happy you’re alive.”

  “You were going to escape,” Bastian said, tugging on a strand of my hair. “Spaulding even went back to help.”

  I pulled back, stared up into that beautiful, young face. He was only three years my junior so calling him young was silly, but he’d felt young to me on that ship. I’d wanted to protect him and failed so badly.

  “Why didn’t you leave with Spaulding?” Bastian asked.

  “Lashin killed him. And I didn’t try to escape after that because I thought you were dead. He told me…he told me that he’d…” I trailed off, unable to finish the sentence because the fake death for this sweet young man had been the most horrific story.

  Bastian cupped my cheeks and kissed my nose. “He lied. And I’m sorry I didn’t make sure Spaulding had gotten you out.”

  “It’s okay. It’s all okay now. You’re not dead and Lashin is.”

  He nodded. “I saw the footage. Everyone here has seen it. The man deserved it, Siri.” He hugged me again. “And I wouldn’t worry about that bogus warrant. They only put it out because they’re angry. It’ll get dropped.”

  “I’m going to start getting jealous here. She’s way too pretty to be touching you so much.” Vala stepped around Bastian.

  I let go of Bastian and faced her. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to make you jealous. Bastian is the only friend I had in fourteen years—the only person I was allowed to talk with. He’s important to me.” I didn’t hesitate to make this clear. I’d fight for the right to be friends with him again.

  “I’m joking. But our relationship is still so new, I’m a little possessive. Not even ready to entertain the idea of adding a fourth to the mix.” She wasn’t as tall as most Gwinarians and looked small next to Bastian. Once again, I found myself drawn to the tattoos on her arms. She wore a black vest that left them bare. I stared as a memory swirled in my head.

  She lifted her arm and asked softly, “Do you recognize them?”

  I nodded. “I don’t know why. I keep seeing this part.” I pointed to a black symbol. “I keep seeing it on a sign that says Leviathan.”

  “I think I know why.”

  She looked over my shoulder, way up over my shoulder at the person who’d spoken. Sounded like Anders.

  Turning my neck, I smiled to see that Anders and Clay had joined me. Clay put his hand on the small of my back. Just behind him stood the others from our table. I frowned in confusion, sure they hadn’t all finished eating.

  “Lux doesn’t like to miss anything,” Egan said as if he’d read my mind. Beside him, Kol grinned and hugged Lux close to him.

  The need to explain my actions after Clay had announced to most of the other strangers in the room about my needing personal space came over me. “You’re not missing anything. You see, Bastian was on the ship with me. We went thr—” I broke off, swallowed to try and moisten my dry throat. “We bonded through a hard time. That’s all.”

  “Sweetheart,” Anders breathed by my ear. “Gods, sweetheart. She’s just like you. I don’t think that’s what Lux didn’t want to miss.” He pointed past Vala.

  I turned back, followed his finger to see two Gwinarians standing in the hall. The woman had her hand over her mouth and tears streaked her cheeks.

  Her freckled cheeks.

  My heart started pounding and the room spun around me. Without thinking about it, I stepped back into Clay and Anders and their arms immediately came up to hold me. Clay’s around my waist and Anders’s around my back. He gripped my arm.

  The Gwinarian woman who looked so much like me came forward. Tears continued to fall as she reached out and softly touch my chin. “Sirina.” She choked on the name I suddenly remembered.

  “Sirina,” I breathed. “That’s my name. Sirina Brithsun.”

  The woman nodded, stroked my cheek.

  The man stepped up behind her. Big, imposing and covered in tattoos that showed on his bare arms and crawled up his neck from the collar of his white shirt. His hair was the light Gwinarian shade like Kei’s and he’d pulled it into a tail at the nape of his neck. He stared down at me with eyes that looked exactly like mine. He had the same crystal-like amber rings around his pupils and his gaze was full of such stark pain, I held my breath.

  “Cahn,” I said. “Your name is Cahn.”

  He shook his head, lips pressed so tight it looked like he had trouble opening them to speak. “To you, my name is Father.”

  I started to shake. Anders and Clay both clasped me harder and it didn’t help. Nothing could stop the explosion of emotions and memories tearing through me like wildfire. “I thought you two had died. How did you know I was here?”

  Vala hugged her arms around her waist. “I recognized you, Siri. I couldn’t believe it when I figured out who you are. Cahn and Neesa left Kithra to go after you. Your trail went cold on Earth Two and they stayed there.”

  “We never stopped searching for you.” The woman who was my mother still touched me. “A couple of Trackers got close. We found your first owner and your father got your last coordinates out of her, but after that, we couldn’t find you.” She put her hand on my shoulder, and her touch was so familiar, I closed my eyes. “We’ve never stopped looking for you. All the money from our shop went to Trackers.”

  My eyes flew back open. “You said my first owner. Where is she?”

  The woman scowled. “Bastilleen. If she’s still alive. I didn’t leave her in good shape once she told us what she’d done.”

  I looked up at the bulky man who hadn’t stopped staring at me. My mother stepped aside and he came closer, his hands closed into fists by his sides. He wanted to hug me. I could see the control he used to hold back in every clenched muscle in his body. It was there along with the fear. And knowledge. I bit my lip. “She told you? What it was like on the ship?”

  He nodded, moisture filling his eyes.

  I nodded, looked down, uncomfortable that he knew of my early years.

  “We only left her alive to suffer,” he said, voice gruff with e
motion.

  “It’s hard to take all this in,” I whispered, suddenly hyperaware of the huge audience we had. I looked to Clay and he nodded.

  “Why don’t you take this to Siri’s living pod?” he asked. “She should be alone with her family.”

  “And you,” I said quickly. “And Anders.”

  He turned me and framed my face with his hands before gently kissing my cheek. “Anders and I have a few things we need to see to and you need to catch up with your parents. Your parents, Siri. It’s a wonderful thing to get so many gifts at once.” He kissed my lips. “We’ll come see you later.”

  I wouldn’t beg. Instead, I held perfectly still when Anders kissed me and the two walked down the path tube together. Without me. I couldn’t believe either of them would leave me at a time like this. The pain in my chest threatened to send me to my knees.

  “They sure are pretty to look at, but they aren’t too bright.” Vala stopped next to me. Bastian stood by her side and I then noticed the dark-haired man with them—the one who had Clay’s light blue eyes.

  He held out his hand. “I’m Jackson Canfield. I would have introduced myself earlier but I’m finding it difficult to be here. However, I’m that dummy’s brother.” He pointed at Clay. “And you and I should know each other because it looks like we might be family. Don’t worry; I’m going to have a talk with him.”

  “You can’t force what isn’t there.”

  “Oh, it’s there. He thinks he’s being strong and gallant. He’s actually being a dick.”

  I blinked, not understanding the reference.

  Bastian laughed. “Siri, like Jacks said, don’t worry. Vala and I will help Jacks make sure things are right. Besides.” He rubbed his hands together and narrowed his eyes at their retreating backs. “We owe them after they kidnapped Vala and me and dumped us in a nest of lizard creatures.”

  “Technically, Juniper did that.” Vala smirked.

  That surprised me. Juniper had been nothing but sweet to me.

  “Sirina.” My mother held out her hand. She had freckles on the back of it. “Come. Let’s talk. I doubt neither I nor your father will be able to let you out of our sight for a while.”

  I’d been alone most of my life. With the exception of the first nine years and the one year of short visits with Bastian, thirteen years of being alone. When I wasn’t being used by strangers. Suddenly, I was surrounded by family and friends. I was home. I should be doing more than standing here, shaking. All the right emotions were there. Mostly the overwhelming joy of having a family again—knowing they were alive. Only one thing marred this reunion.

  Part of the family I wanted was still walking away.

  Kei joined us in my living pod. He’d been such a huge part of my childhood and apparently had been very close to my parents as well. They hadn’t realized he’d been off planet during the explosions and was still alive. He broke down when he spoke of his family and admitted that it took time for him to be able to live here without drinking. I caught him watching me often as we talked about my parents’ life on Earth Two and I got the feeling he was still hoping for more with me. I didn’t feel that way toward him and was sure I never could. My heart was full enough with my pirates crowding it up.

  When Kei got word that Crichton was awake, we went with him. As we walked, I reached out to hold my father’s hand and didn’t miss his startled gasp or the way he gently but firmly cradled my fingers. My mother hadn’t stopped touching me the entire time. It was like she wanted to grab me and hold on and couldn’t contain the need enough—so it released in small touches to my arm or my leg or face.

  “Where did the freckles come from?” I asked her as we turned down the tube that led to the med pod. Kei was ahead of us and he pushed through a crowd of people and disappeared through a doorway.

  “I’m half human. My mother was from Earth Three. She and my father were killed on a supply trip off Kithra when I was young, so I was raised here with my father’s family.” She touched my hand which was still entwined with my father’s. “They all died in the explosions.”

  “I’m sorry. I don’t remember them.”

  “But you remember us?”

  “I didn’t for a time. Every now and then, I’d get a flash of something, but the last few weeks, memories have been flowing back. It started when Clay and Anders took me onto their ship. Anders gave me the most beautiful Dranellian blanket and I had this memory of you two.” I looked up at my big, silent father. “You paint.”

  “I did, though it’s been some time since I worked on anything other than tattoos. You used to paint too.”

  I shook my head. “I don’t remember that. But maybe I’ll try it again.”

  “I’ll get you the supplies tomorrow.”

  Smiling, I tightened my fingers on his. “There’s no hurry.”

  We reached the med pod and stayed in the hall outside the door. We wouldn’t have fit inside the room anyway. I spotted Lux, Jarana, Vala and their various mates along with so many others. Stretching up to peer over the shoulder of a Gwinarian in front of me, I saw that Crichton was indeed awake, though he didn’t look happy about it. He was so skinny, it amazed me he still breathed.

  His eyes were only half open as he slowly looked around the room. He jerked to a stop when his gaze must have landed on someone he knew. I moved to look over the other shoulder of the person in front of me and saw that Jackson Canfield was approaching the bed.

  The pitiful man on the bed stared at Jacks hard, then his gaze slid to Vala when she stepped forward to wrap an arm around Jackson’s waist. He stared at her before his shoulders slumped and his eyes closed. Loud beeps sounded and Kei began shoving everyone from the room. He spoke loud enough that we could hear in the hall. “He’s passed back out. We’re obviously not getting any answers out of him today, so everyone out. Let me do my job.”

  I noticed Jacks was the last to leave and only did when Vala touched his shoulder and whispered something to him.

  Someone stepped beside me and I looked up to find Bastian watching them through the window. “My husband used to be lovers with that man. Crichton got him and Vala off planet before the explosions. That’s pretty much all we know except that he was involved in what happened. But he’s refusing to talk. I’m surprised nobody has sicced Jarana on him. She lost everyone she loved in those blasts and could probably torture it out of him. Still has a lot of anger, that female.” He smiled down at me. “Where are your pretty pirates?”

  I grinned. “You think they’re pretty?”

  “The captain looks too much like his brother for me not to think so. Though mine is better.”

  I shot him a frown.

  He chuckled. “The blond is prettier. So where are they?”

  “I don’t know where they are and I’m honestly not sure they’re mine.”

  “Oh they are. I could tell the second I saw you on the vidscreen with them.”

  “Then where are they now?”

  “I heard they were meeting with Jarana earlier. She had news for them. I thought they’d already be back with you. At least to say goodbye. I know they put in a call to their ship and were worried when they didn’t get an answer.”

  “Goodbye? Wait, nobody answered their summons?” I turned to my parents. “You’ll have to excuse me. I need to find my friends. Do you have codes for your vidscreens yet you could give me? I forgot the one in my pod but I’ll contact you with the code when I get home so I can find out where you’re staying.”

  “We’re actually off the same tube. Three doors down.” My mother bit her lip, a habit I must have picked up from her as a child. She didn’t look like she was anywhere near ready to let me out of her sight, so I stepped close and hugged her. She went stiff for a second, then her arms wrapped so tightly around me, I squeaked.

  “Sorry,” she whispered. “I thought I’d never hold my child again.”

  “I’ll call you with my code. We can check in as much as you’d like.”

  “Prob
ably shouldn’t have given her that permission,” my father said. He stroked his hand down my hair.

  I went to get my new vidscreen first and found Anders and Clay in the tube outside my door. “Why didn’t you go in?”

  “It’s not coded to us,” Clay answered. He was leaning against the clear tube, his eyes looking sharper than usual with all the blue leaves behind his head.

  “I’ll fix that right away.” I put my palm on the panel and the door slid open. Anders and Clay followed me in and I turned, shut and locked the door. “What’s going on? Why didn’t you come here with my parents? What did Jarana say? Do you know why Lia didn’t answer your summons?”

  “Whoa,” Anders put his hand over my mouth. “You gotta let us catch up. What happened to that girl who was afraid to ask questions?”

  I pulled his hand down. “She had to grow up, remember?” I noticed my hand shaking and I shoved it behind my back. “You’re leaving me, aren’t you?”

  Clay’s eyes narrowed. “That was always the plan, sweetheart. We brought you home. You’re with your people now.”

  “You’re my people too. You and Anders.”

  “You have your parents. We never expected such a wonderful thing to happen for you, Siri—or Sirina.”

  “I’m still Siri. I may know my full name and my origin but I’m still me. Still the woman who spent time in your bed. Still the woman who wants to stay in your bed.”

  “What about Kei?”

  I blinked. “What about him? He’s my friend. Was my childhood best friend.”

  “He wants you.”

  “I don’t want him.” I growled and threw my arms up. “Are you really telling me you two plan to leave me here? Do you think I’m just going to let that happen?”

  Clay grinned, his eyelids lowering a bit. “What did I tell you, Sullivan? She still has fight.”

  “You called that one right, Captain.” Anders tugged off his shirt, dropped it on the floor and reached for the fasteners on my bulky shirt. “First thing we’re going to do is get her some clothes that fit. You don’t need these baggy things anymore, do you, sweetheart?”