by Sara Page
“What did we expect to see on the orbital?
“Slaves that were off limits.”
“What else?” he asks as he hovers closer to me.
“Black market type shit. Prigs and… Fuck. I never saw a single Crima.”
“Not a one. I scanned Maul. I searched every single place we went. I never sensed or saw a single one.”
Looking down to Lexi, I pull her backward. Falling into a chair, I yank her down into my lap.
The stuffed loaf still in her hands but forgotten, she says “I know that name… Crima… But I’ve never saw one before. What do they look like?”
“An insect looking race. They stand as tall as a Rathturian or slightly higher. They have antennae on their large, bulbous head. They have an almost Rathturian body though which means they have the male anatomy of a Rathturian… Say, Marketh? Could they be breeding with them?”
Marketh zooms around in a large circle. Circling and circling. I can tell he’s thinking about it. “Sexual congress would be certainly possible, though I’m not sure if they would be able to impregnate humans. Considering their race is much more hardy and suitable for such things, I doubt they would. Humans have a tendency to only birth one to three offspring in one gestation. The Crima tend to spawn ten to twelve in their females.”
I can feel my bonded shiver at Marketh’s words.
“I don’t think my body could handle that many children inside of it.”
“Indeed not. The body of the human female does not allow the stomach to stretch to such large proportions.”
“Do you know if any other humans were there with you?” I ask Lexi, but as soon as the words come out of my mouth I can feel her tense up.
“No. Well, none that I saw. The guy who helped me infiltrate the slaver’s market only had me.”
“Why did you choose that place specifically?”
“My… handler, he said it was one of the better places to be taken from as a human. Something along the lines of it being too far from our solar system.”
“What were you hoping to accomplish, my bonded? Did you understand how easily you would slip through the cracks and disappear forever?” I ask.
It seems folly to me to blindly put hope in doing as she did. Humans have barely gotten out of their solar system. Doing as she was going to do… Her handler must have been pretty damn familiar with the black market.
“Well…” she sounds sheepish as she says, “I did, but we also knew that it was where most of the humans who ‘disappear’ are sold off from, or at least that’s what his contacts said.”
“Was that where he thought your sister was shipped off to?” Marketh asks.
“Yeah.”
“It’s sound reasoning, Maul, but all of our evidence says the Crima only go after large groups of humans.”
“That’s what troubles me. We never saw more than Lexi, and we didn’t see a single Crima. We need more answers, Marketh.”
“I agree. We need to see what Ja’Raesh has heard.”
I nod my head in agreement and help both Lexi and I stand up. “We need to get ready for Black Ranch.”
Our ship slips out of jump point to enter the blackness of space that sits between star systems. Out of our window we can see how there is nothing but empty black with pin pricks of white all around us.
“Where are we?” Lexi asks from my side as she stares out the window.
“Black Ranch. Marketh, turn us towards the orbital station.”
We can feel the pulse drives slowly spinning us into the opposite direction as the orbital comes into view.
“Wow…” Lexi says with awe. “What in the world is that? And where’s the solar system?”
I chuckle. “There isn’t one, we’re in between.”
Looking up at my face, she asks, “Seriously? You mean we are out in the middle of nowhere?”
“Yes.”
“But… I mean… This isn’t right, is it? How can we not be in a star system? Isn’t just floating in the dark dangerous?”
While she is right about it being dangerous, there’s more than one hundred ships moving in and out from the orbital. It looks just as busy here in the deep dark space as it does on the many different orbitals around the arms of the galaxy that float inside of solar systems.
“Very,” Marketh says. “So it’s best if we get on with the business at hand.”
I nod to the orb. Marketh floats over to me and slides into the docking station on my wrist.
“Did you get the Paxzies settled down tight?”
“Yes. I have them in lock-down mode. They will only have access to their cabin and the galley.”
“Good.”
We head out of the dock station and Marketh says to me through our link, “Ship is fully locked down. Only you, Lexi, and I have privileges for entrance. I did a full scan of all the ship’s programs and removed the backdoors. It’s ours.”
“It’s cold,” Lexi says.
“No sun to keep the orbital warm with. They rely on the internal heating systems of the orbital to keep it warm. The closer we get to the middle the better it will get.”
Pulling the hood of my cloak up, I drape it across my forehead. It doesn’t mask me completely but someone would need to look inside to be sure of who or what I am. I do the same for Lexi as we get off the ship.
She isn’t going to be noticed too much. Even here, I am sure there are humans. Just not too many of them. And there are enough races that are human-like in appearance for her to blend in with.
“So, who’s the friend we’re visiting?” she asks as we walk off our landing dock, heading for the air lifts.
“An old acquaintance from the academy,” I say.
“Why are we going to see them?”
“I need to see if I can get any information on what’s going on with the Tribunal investigation.”
“Okay.”
We quickly make our way through the orbital’s many thoroughfares. Each one lowering in level as we make our way deeper into the ship. Slowly the temperature rises as we reach the middle. It’s much warmer here and the crowd becomes much more dense as we walk past stores and stalls selling just about anything that one could think of.
This isn’t a slavers market but even here they have specialty slave shops here for those of a more discerning taste.
“Are those prostitutes?” Lexi asks in a low voice.
“No, bonded, those are pleasure slaves for sale by the hour or permanence.”
“Oh.”
Making our way through the merchants isn’t difficult, it’s just a slow process as we must follow at the crowds pace.
“Picking up any readings on the net?” I ask Marketh.
“Nothing so far, although with all the transmitters firing around here, I doubt I’ll be able to get much if I do. We need to be careful.”
“Did you happen to make sure that the ship is doing passive scans?”
“Of course, what do you take me for? An android or something? I have all passive scans running for the orbital and the surrounding area it will cover. I also have it running any active scan that won’t be caught or cause trouble.”
“Good. Keep me up to date.”
“How much further?” Lexi asks, and though she doesn’t sound anxious, I can feel it through our bond gently tugging at me.
“Not much,” I say, “It’s just up there, to the right.”
Finally able to break away from the push of the crowd, we step onto a small walk before opening the doors to a shop called ‘Spice and More.’
“Welcome,” comes from the back of the shop as a silver female Rathturian steps from behind the counter.
Marketh detaches from his docking station instantly and flies at the woman. Dropping Lexi’s hand, I’m not far behind. We make it across the store before the woman is able to recover from our abrupt charge and quickly take advantage of her shock.
Wrapping my hand tightly around her throat, I slam her spine first into the wall, rattling sma
ll opaque packets of spice lying there on the shelves. Marketh shapes his orb into a patch of silver plating as he covers her docking station.
“Maul, what in the...” Lexi says in shock.
“How dare you!” Ja’Raesh wheezes through her trapped airway.
Sending first a soothing vibration to Lexi, I grin at Ja’Raesh. “I dare quite easily, outcast. I see you aren’t in the gutter on some backwater planet, dying.”
“No…” she grunts as she stands on her tiptoes. I know her hands want to come up to fight me back, but they won’t.
She knows the score if she does.
“I had hoped I wouldn’t see you again, Ja’Raesh, but that’s the star’s decision I suppose. Still, while I have you here, we need to speak.”
“She’s controlling Arie, Maul. We won’t have a problem from her, either,” Marketh says aloud. He’s speaking of her symbiote, who like Ja’Raesh has been outcasted.
“Good, then we are of an accordance.” I release Ja’Raesh’s throat then turn from her.
Walking over to Lexi, I grab her hand and pull her towards the back of the shop. “Close your shop down for a while, Ja’Raesh. We have things to talk about.”
Marketh removes himself from her wrist and flies over to hover by my head.
“Sure, whatever you want, Investigator,” her words come out in annoyance as she walks to the front.
Hovering there for a moment, she locks the doors before closing the blinds.
“We’re alone,” I say.
“I have no doubt of that. I wanted to make sure you didn’t have a tail though. What with all the heat you’re bringing around the western annex…” she says as she turns from the door.
Shaking her head, she makes a follow me motion as she steps past us and into the back room of her shop.
It’s small enough to be cramp for the three of us, but then she opens the small port door in the back room and steps out. We follow her down a small set of stairs to what would amount to an apartment, but to me a home wouldn’t have a computer filling every available surface except for the bed and the small cooking station.
“Still keeping up with the galaxy around you, I see.”
“Of course,” she says as she begins shuffling monitors and keyboards away from chairs for us to sit on. “Who’s the human, Maul? Got yourself a little slavey? Trying to release some tension from not having a...”
“Silence outcast,” I growl.
“I’m not a slave!” Lexi grumbles loudly as she pulls her hood off her head. Her long black hair falls down around her shoulders, framing her pale, beautiful face. Her blue eyes almost glow with intensity as she looks around herself. The glow of electronics gives her pale skin an iridescent glow as she looks up to me.
“What are we doing with this woman?” she asks with irritation. I can feel her claim on me, almost as if she were wrapping her body around mine.
“We’re getting information, my bon—” I begin to say but try stop myself.
It’s too late though, I can see the annoyance on Ja’Raesh’s face melt away. Mixed emotions cross her features as they go from shocked to curious to sad.
“That’s not possible,” she says finally and her face shows nothing now.
“It is Ja’Raesh,” Marketh says quietly.
I nod my head and reach out to Lexi’s hand as she reaches out to mine.
Pulling her close to my side, I say, “It is. I’m not entirely sure on the how or why, but I can feel it even now. It is a part of us both.”
“Then the stars are as cruel as they are uncaring. What is it that you want, Investigator Maul?”
She’s right of course. If our civilization’s bonding can now encompass other races, it’s a cruelty to any who cannot find their bonded on our planet. To have to search the cosmos to find your bonded could mean searching without ever knowing…
Keeping it as brief as I can I say, “We need to know what’s going on within the Tribunal. I need to find out who tried to kill me off before I could dig further into the outer slave rings selling off-limit races.”
Her laughter comes out harshly as she turns to face me. “Who isn’t doing it, you mean.”
“What are you talking about?” I ask.
“Who isn’t trying to kill you. Why do you think I was looking for a tail on you? Even out here, in the backwaters of frontier land, your bounty is proceeding you.”
“Bounty?” Marketh asks before I have a chance to say anything.
“Oh yes. I don’t know everyone you pissed off, but you certainly did piss off a number of people. Your bounty has tripled since you did whatever it was at that market. It’s up to one point five million. If I believed I could do it and not have our disgusting race after me, I would take you myself.”
Fuck.
“Any idea on why they put it out?” I ask as my universe begins to slowly spin.
“They want whatever it is you took,” she says as she looks at Lexi and then back at me. “Or whatever it is you know. Either way, your head has a price on it.”
“Who’s paying it out?”
“That’s the thing, it’s coming from multiple sources. Not one, but three.”
Double fuck.
“Maul,” Marketh says with urgency. “We need to go now.”
“Yes, we do.”
Turning away from Ja’Raesh, I say over my shoulder, “I wouldn’t let on that we saw you. If whoever comes doesn’t kill you for information on me, I will for giving it out.”
Chapter Twelve
Lexi
I’m not entirely sure what is going on. Ever since we left that lovely plot of space with the two suns, I’ve felt Jack trying to intrude into my thoughts, constantly disrupting them. I don’t know what to tell him yet so I just keep pushing him out.
But his pressure is becoming stronger and more persistent. I’m not going to be able to keep him out for much longer.
I need to figure something out and quick.
“Stay close,” Maul growls as we hastily exit the shop and push through the crowds filling the market.
“What’s going on?” I ask, stumbling as I struggle to keep up with him. There’s so many new amazing sights and smells around me but I could care less. All I can think is, “Who was that woman?”
How does Maul know her? Were they former lovers? The very thought makes me feel almost murderous.
But then I remember I was his first, he’s known no one but me, and I begin to relax.
Maul’s eyes never meet mine. They’re pointed over my head, constantly scanning the market and the alien faces surrounding us. “She’s an outcast.”
“Yeah, I got the gist of that. But why is she outcasted? What did she do?”
Maul tugs me through the crowd, his sheer size and presence enough to keep others from getting too close.
His eyes flick towards me, meeting mine for a moment before darting away. “She killed her bonded.
My feet just stop and the strongest, strangest mix of fear, disbelief, and disgust slams into me. “Is that even possible? How?”
I try to wrap my mind around it. With this bond between us, I can barely comprehend it. To hurt, much less kill, someone I’m so connected to feels impossible. He’s quickly becoming an extension of myself I can’t see myself living without. How could someone do such a thing? Why would they do it?
Maul and I haven’t been bonded for very long, but even now I feel like trying to murder him would be like trying to murder my own soul.
“Not all are as lucky as us,” he explains. “It’s rare, but sometimes those that are bonded hate each other. They much rather… sever the bond than remain connected for life. But the only way for that to happen is if one of the bondmates die.”
My god. The realization that Maul could have just as easily killed me than save me hits me like a ton of bricks.
“But I thought if I die, you die…”
Maul nods his head and I can feel his tension. He doesn’t like the direction of this conversati
on but I need to know, dammit.
“Sometimes, the hatred is enough to keep one alive,” Marketh chimes in.
Damn, that must be some next level of hatred.
“So she was outcasted because she killed her bonded and survived it?” I ask.
Maul’s grip on me tightens and he sends me a burst of soothing reassurance through our bond. “Yes, but we’ll discuss it later. Right now there’s no time. We must—”
Maul suddenly freezes and spins around. The crowd around us tightens and pushes in closer. Someone bumps into my side while another person pushes up against my back. Words are snapped angrily in languages I do and don’t understand, and as the crowd of bodies buzzes with irritation, I’m beginning to feel suffocated.
“Maul?” I squeak, pushing closer to him as I try to escape an elbow jabbing me in the rib. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think we were purposely being hemmed in.
Maul curses under his breath and begins to shove his way through the crowd. We only make it a couple of feet though because there’s so little room, moving one person only moves a new one in front of him.
“Lexi!” Jack cries out, finally breaking into my mind through my panic.
I still don’t know what to say so I choose to remain silent.
“Lexi,” Jack repeats when I don’t answer him. “I know you can hear me.”
I stare at the mass of bodies surrounding me, closing in on me. Someone’s hot breath hits the back of my neck.
“Stay where you are. Help is coming.”
Maul’s been quiet and it’s obvious he’s doing that thing again where he tunes out the rest of the world while he inwardly talks to Marketh.
I grab the front of Maul’s robe and tug, forcing him to look down at me. “We have to move!” I cry out above the roar of the crowd. “Jack knows where I am!”
A hand touches my ass, curving around it, and I try to ignore it as Maul’s green eyes meet mine. At this moment, we’re on the same wavelength. Words aren’t needed, they’ll only get in the way.
We’ve got to get the fuck out of here before we’re trapped like rats.
Maul nods and lashes out with his hand and tail, pushing forward. The crowd in front of us starts to go down, falling like dominoes. Maul holds me close, stepping over them. I feel a little bad that we’re knocking people down but at least we’re finally making some progress.