by Abella Ward
"I would like to go to the ship and clean up," she offered. "You can walk me there first."
The door slammed open and Pogi strolled in. The noise startled Isabel, and Jada hurried to pick her up before she started fussing. The alien had to sense of boundaries and no patience for anybody.
"I can walk the human back to your ship. Your mother's grave will take you half the day to get to, and you don't want to be out after dark." Pogi scratched her chin. "She'll be perfectly safe in your ship, believe me."
Sildon hesitated. Jada watched him anxiously. She wasn't fond of the idea of walking with Pogi, but she equally didn't want Sildon to delay going to his mother's grave if it would end up putting him at risk. She would have suggested that she and Isabel stay where they were despite the grime, but she had a feeling Pogi wouldn’t allow that.
Eventually, Sildon nodded. "That will work. But if she gets hurt, I'll—"
"You'll do nothing that hasn't been done before." Pogi waved her hand, an irritated expression on her face. "I didn't have to help you, you know. I don't owe you a damned thing."
Sildon grunted. He turned to Jada and kissed her gently. "I'll be back as soon as I can."
Jada nodded, smiling brightly so he wouldn't see how nervous she was about being left alone. After she put Matka's belongings in the diaper bag to take back to the ship, they all left the building together. Sildon headed for the naked mountains while Pogi gestured for Jada to follow her in the opposite direction. Very few people were in sight, and everything had a thick coating of muddy ash. Several buildings had had their roofs caved in from the hail. It made the already creepy town even creepier.
We can't leave this place fast enough.
"This isn't the way to the ship," Jada said as Pogi led her down a side alley. "When Sildon and I—"
"I'm taking a different route. Safer."
When they emerged from the alley, Jada was relieved to see a ship.
Her relief was quickly dashed. She stopped dead. There was a ship alright, but it wasn't the one she and Sildon had been using. This one was bigger, sleeker, and shinier. There wasn't a spot of dirt on it. And around the gangplank were half a dozen soldiers bearing the Planchet Corporation insignia. She tried to back away, but Pogi whipped a knife from the folds of her clothing and pressed it into her ribs.
"What are you doing?" Jada hissed.
"Trading you and the brat for a year's supply of Direata." Pogi prodded her forward. "The Corporation also promised to send me regular shipments of food. Do you know how long it's been since I had sugar?"
Jada clutched Isabel to her chest as the Planchets came forward, guns leveled at her. One of them roughly grabbed her arm, while another turned to Pogi. The tiny, traitorous alien grinned smugly, her two good eyes gleaming. Jada wished that they would develop blinding cataracts like her middle one had.
"Your Direata is being delivered to your home as we speak," he said. "You've done a great service for the Planchet Corporation."
Jada kicked a man that tried to take Isabel from her. "How could you do this?"
"Easily." Pogi stared at her emotionlessly. "I never said that I ever cared about Sildon, girl. I gave you plenty of warning not to trust me. And yet you did anyway. Is it my fault that you're an imbecile?"
The man tried to grab Isabel again and she twisted, putting her body between the two of them. "Don't you dare touch her! I won't let you take her, I won't!"
"Let her keep the baby," the soldier who paid Pogi said. "She won't risk its life. Will you, human?"
Jada glared at him, but when he prodded her in the back with his weapon, she had no chance but to let him push her forward. Her stomach coiled, feeling sick. What were they going to do with her now? It was illegal to perform experiments on humans like herself, citizens under the protection of the Zon Sanctuary. But the corporations weren't exactly known for their legality.
And Sildon? What would he do when he returned and found she was gone?
A voice spoke from behind them. "I would let that human go if I were you."
Jada turned, heart leaping to her throat. For one wild moment she thought the T'shav standing in the alley was Sildon – but then a second T'shav and an Aphrosian stepped out from behind him. Her heart plummeted again. The trio from the Sanctuary had found her again.
Chapter Twelve – Sildon
The further he got from Jada, the more his stomach twisted. At first, he thought it was just nervousness, a sense of dread at seeing his mother's grave after all these years. But as he pushed himself forward, he realized it wasn't about his mother at all. It was Jada and Isabel. He had longed for so long to find his family… Maybe he had found it, but not in the place he was looking.
His mother was dead. His father probably didn't even know he existed. But who said that family had to be blood-related?
He stopped. Seeing his mother's grave wasn't going to bring back more memories. It wasn't going to create new ones with her. She had no answers for him. But Jada and Isabel… They were there, and he could make memories with them. He could be a mate and a father. Maybe Jada wouldn't want him, but somewhere along the line, her stubbornness and unpredictably had made him fall in love with her. And she had to know that.
With a grin, Sildon turned back. It was time to look to the future once more.
He ran all the way back to the village and headed for the ship. Halfway there, the sound of blaster fire and clashing swords reached his ears.
Somehow he knew. Jada was in danger.
He whipped his own sword out and raced towards the sound of battle. He arrived to see the three trackers from the Sanctuary fighting against a dozen or more Planchet soldiers. Sweat and blood gleamed in the sun. The three Sanctuary enforcers worked together like different parts of the same machine, perfectly in synch.
Sildon would have been in awe of them if Isabel's screams weren't permeating the air. A soldier was dragging Jada towards the ship, gripping Isabel upside down in his arm. The baby flailed about. Rage unlike anything he had ever known before welled in his chest. Bellowing out a challenge, he charged the soldier.
The man turned at the sound. He dropped Isabel. Jada lunged and caught her just in time, but it was too late for the soldier. A red haze washed over Sildon's vision. Two men jumped in his way, aiming blasters at him. He cut one down as he kicked the other in the knee. Grabbing the man's gun, he twisted it into his chest before pulling the trigger. Another soldier came at him, and he skewered the man.
Jada punched the soldier in the face and ran away from the battle, clutching the screaming baby to her chest. The man who had dropped Isabel started after her. Sildon pushed himself harder, jumping to kick down yet another soldier and use him as a springboard to give him more lift. He crashed down on the man's back, sword sticking down through the length of his body, entering the shoulder and coming out somewhere near the navel.
A blast of energy whipped by his ear. Sildon growled as he rolled away from the body, snatching up a blaster and pointing it back into the soldiers. They drew up short, aiming their weapons at him. On the other side of the battle, the soldiers were pulling back from the Sanctuary trio. A dozen soldiers lay dead on the ground, but a dozen more came from the ship, weapons at the ready.
"I won't let you hurt her," Sildon snarled. "I will kill every last one of you before I allow you to hurt my mate or our child!"
Isabel remained crying. Sildon wanted to turn and make sure she was unharmed, but he didn't dare move.
"Jada, get the baby out of here," he snarled.
"Sildon…"
He turned despite himself. A soldier had Jada by the arm, a blaster pressed against her ribs. All the air rushed from Sildon's lungs. He took a step forward but froze when the gun dug deeper. His heart pounded.
"Harm the human and the wrath of Zon will fall on your heads." Tom's voice rang through the air, full of power and authority. "Leave now and we'll let you live. But if you don't, then you and the corporation you serve will pay dearly."
The soldiers glanced at him and Sildon. A few of them lowered their weapons, but the rest of them focused on the man holding Jada. The crest on his uniform indicated he was a captain. His eyes darted around wildly. A grimace twisted his lips. He released Jada and stepped away from her. Sildon swore he heard a growl in his throat as he rejoined his men.
"Load the dead and wounded," he ordered. "We're letting the human go."
Tom and his companions moved around the circle, watching the Planchets as they loaded their fallen comrades. When they got to Sildon, Tom gestured with his chin for them to move. Sildon put an arm around Jada and started walking. There was no point in running or fighting here. Any disunity would invite the Planchets to attack again, and then they could all be killed.
They were hurried to the Sanctuary ship, a large, sleek vessel parked right next to theirs. It seemed that they had known exactly where to find them. Sildon couldn't really say he was angry about it. If they hadn't been here, Jada would already be gone.
Tom took Sildon's sword and looked through the diaper bag before ordering them into a cell. It was plain but comfortable. A nice-sized bed with warm blankets, a bathroom area, water fountain, and crib were all inside. Clearly, it had been put together with Sildon, Jada, and Isabel in mind.
"We'll be back at the Sanctuary in a standard week," Tom told them. "If there is anything special you need, let us know. When was the last time the baby ate?"
Jada narrowed her eyes at him. "What do you care?"
"If she needs a bottle, we'll prepare one for her." Tom leaned against the doorframe, gaze steady on Jada. "During our investigation, we learned that you stole her from the Planchets. Risky. But admirable. It will help your case when we return to the Sanctuary."
Sildon put his hand on Jada's shoulder and stepped in front of her. "Her case? She didn't do anything wrong. I kidnapped her and forced her to stay with me. She's the victim here. I accept that I must pay for what I did, but Jada is innocent."
"And we assumed that, to begin with. But it's clear that she helped you. She contacted the Sanctuary saying that you were killed and asking for funds to return. Instead, she used those funds to get you here. I'm sure you have a reason… We'll be testing your blood for musth hormones. If you used your musth to make her act out of character—"
"He didn't."
Sildon turned to tell Jada not to incriminate herself. As long as they had excuses, they could avoid jail for her. He had satisfied himself with thinking that he would be put away, and it wasn't like it was an unpleasant thought. Considering the circumstances, and the fact that he hadn't actually hurt any Sanctuary personnel and Jada was unharmed, he thought he could get mercy. But if Jada went to jail… what would become of Isabel?
Jada stepped closer to him, her eyes burning. "He didn't use me at all. I helped him because he helped me save this baby from a life of experimentation and slavery. He's a good man who was just looking for his family, and if you're too dumb to see that, then—"
"Everything you need for the baby is provided," Tom interrupted. "You'll find diapers and other supplies under the bed."
He stepped back and the doors slid shut. Jada opened her mouth, but Isabel let out an angry scream at that moment, and she turned her attention back to the baby. As she tried to soothe Isabel, Sildon went to the bed and found the promised diapers. Knowing that Isabel liked warm baths, he checked the water fountain and was glad when he found he could adjust the temperature.
"Let's give her a bath," he suggested. "We can see if she was hurt at all."
Jada nodded. They bathed her, finding not a bruise on her, then dressed her. Sildon found a medical scanner and took some time looking over them all to make sure there were no internal injuries. Both Isabel and Jada seemed to be fine, and he sat on the edge of the bed while Jada cuddled the baby. The adrenaline wore off quickly, sending them to sleep.
Weariness and dread pulled at Sildon's own limbs, but he pushed it aside. He had spent the last few days poring over the belongings that were once his mother, but he hadn't read her letter. He couldn't even say why he hadn't. Now, jailed and being taken to an unknown fate, he wanted to read it before it was too late.
She had written on paper, an ancient technique that few used anymore. It was such a delicate material. Sildon opened it, careful not to rip the corners, and settled down to read.
His hands shook and he took a deep breath to calm himself. The letter might not even be for him. It could be a grocery list for all he knew. His stomach twisted as he read the first words. My dearest son.
His heart leaped. It was for him! He clutched the letter tighter, eagerly reading the few lines of writing.
If you are reading this, it means I am dead. I have entrusted this letter to Pogi to give to you. I know she will do her best to raise you. I only hope that she develops better patience before I am taken.
Sildon shook his head. On that planet, what choice had his mother had but to trust the deceitful Trioeil? Pogi had lived with them. She would have given Matka no reason to think that she wouldn't take care of him. And perhaps things would have been worse if she had kept him.
You have often asked me who your father was. Sildon swallowed. He was finally going to learn… I never told you. I wanted you to be mine alone. Your father is a great warrior, and if you knew who he was, you would have wanted to be just like him. But his life is dangerous. I don't even know if he's dead or alive. I only wanted you to be safe. But as I am now gone from your life, I want you to have a family. Your father is the warlord Zon.
His breath caught in his chest. What? Zon? The founder of the Sanctuary? Tom's father? Sildon's hands began to tremble.
I'm sorry that I never told you. I'm sorry that I'm not there for you right now, my son, my brave Sildon. You are strong and mighty. Be the man you were meant to be. I love you.
That was it. Sildon read it again, hoping the words had changed. They didn't. His stomach churned. Zon was a famous man. Yes, he was derided as a murderer and criminal by some, but most lauded his name. Sildon crumpled the letter into a ball. If Zon was his father, then he was going to meet him at last.
Rage began to bubble in his chest. Pogi had told him what killed his mother. It was a common, preventable disease. Zon was rich. Powerful. He commanded a massive fleet and controlled many planets. He had the resources to provide for Sildon's home planet.
But he had slept with Sildon's mother, gotten her pregnant… and then abandoned her. His rage burned hotter. If Zon hadn't left her on that backwater planet, she wouldn't have died. Sildon wouldn't have been given away to people who stripped his culture from him. Everything that had gone wrong in his life was because of Zon.
I'm going to kill him, Sildon realized. If it's the last thing I do.
Chapter Thirteen – Jada
She hadn't really known what to expect when she met Zon. Actually, she hadn't expected to come face-to-face with him at all. She thought they'd be tried by a panel of stern-faced judges. But when they got to the Sanctuary, Tom told them that the warlord himself would be judging their case. Jada had never seen him up close, and when Tom took Isabel for his mate to look after, she could only think the worst was about to happen.
The room they were brought to wasn't elaborate or unique in any way. Jada wouldn't have known that it was Zon's council room if she hadn't been told. The walls were a gentle gray color, the floors polished black. A glass table was centered in the middle of it, with lightly cushioned chairs pushed around it. Tom and his companions, Ronan and Tag, stood while Jada and Sildon sat.
Zon was at the other end of the table. She knew he was almost twice her age, but looking at him, she would never have guessed that was the case. His body was still firm and strong, and there was just a touch of gray at his temples. But then again, their technology did wonders with the physical body. She herself looked ten years younger than her forty years, and she felt stronger than she had at twenty. A human woman sat beside him. His mate, Lisa. The first human discovered in these time
s.
"I have been receiving a lot of angry calls from the Planchet Corporation over the theft of the child who is in your care," Zon said.
Beside her, Sildon tensed. She glanced at him and was surprised to see rage burning in his eyes. She squeezed his hand. He pulled away.
Jada swallowed. "I wasn't going to let a baby grow up to be a sex slave."
"And I greatly admire that, Jada Isles. That the two of you were willing to risk your lives for a child speaks well on your behalf. But you still stole money from the Sanctuary. What defense do you have for that?"
"Not to mention I lost the necklace Bethy made for me saving your butts," Tag muttered, narrowing her golden eyes at the two of them.
Lisa prodded Zon in the side. His lips twitched. "Tag, that is not the issue. Refrain from speaking unless you have something relevant to add."
The Aphrosian shrugged, but Jada was glad for the brief tangent. It allowed her to gather her thoughts. It was clear from Sildon's glare and clenched hands that he wasn't going to say anything to defend himself. So it fell to her. Why hadn't she become a lawyer like her parents wanted her to be? She could do with some eloquence right now.
"I know that our actions were not exactly ethical, but we did it because we couldn't see another way. Sildon had been searching for his family for years, and we needed the money to go back to his home planet, where his mother died and hopefully—"
"I learned who my father is." Sildon pulled a crumpled paper from a pouch on his belt and slammed it to the table. "She wrote me a letter. Her name was Matka."
Zon frowned. He gestured at Tom, and his son retrieved the letter from Sildon. Jada glanced at her T'shav. Fury was pouring from his body, his muscles twitching like he was just holding himself back from attacking. She reached for his hand and he turned to glare at her. She glared back, not about to be cowed by his anger. What was making him so angry, anyway?
A soft gasp made her look back at Zon and Lisa. The warlord's face was tense, his mate's eyes wide. She took the letter from his hand and reread it.