I fought to keep my face neutral as I studied her features. She seemed genuine, but with Mara, any Mara, who could say? I arched an eyebrow at her. “Oh?”
She poured a little bit of the liquid into each glass, not even filling it to the top, and gently pushed one across the desktop toward me. “I’ve misjudged you. I was so concerned about that K’teth of yours that I failed to see the lovely young woman that you’ve become. That was a very brave thing you did today. Your parents would be proud.”
“T-thank you.” I grabbed the little glass from the table and sniffed the liquid inside. “Almonds?”
Mara smiled and took a sip from her glass. “Amaretto, it was one of your father’s favorites. In fact, he’s the one who introduced me and your uncle to it or I suppose I should say he introduced the original Harold and Mara to it. I’ve developed a certain fondness for it, but as you might image it’s rather hard to come by these days. It’s made from a base of almonds, though I’m surprised you recognize the smell. I would have thought they would be hard to come by on Earth.”
“To humans, yes, but the Qharr seem to like them. Duvak, the gray skin who enslaved Becca and me, would often ask me to use them to garnish his meals.”
“I take it you were a cook?” Mara asked this actually seemed to surprise her.
“I was head cook of my compound before I was forced to join the resistance. I seem to have a knack for preparing Qharr cuisine.”
You were forced to join the resistance?”
“Is this alcoholic?” I stared down at my glass and sniffed at it. Mara nodded and I hesitated before taking sip. It was on the bitter side, but it had a much more pleasant taste than the alcohol Strave used to stash away.
“It’s not like it sounds. Kaya, my girlfriend at the time,” I choked on the words. “Staged an attack on the Overseer, a regional authority, and Duvak assumed I was in on it. So I was left with the choice to either join the resistance and have a chance at living or wait around to face the music. Naturally, I chose to live. In a stroke of dumb luck, I managed to kill the Overseer who was bonded to Khala. It’s how we ended up together and why I ended up like this.” I motioned down at my breasts.
Mara nodded and took another sip from her glass. “Kaya? Wasn’t she a part of your group? I’ve watched the original communication between you and–”
“She died,” I said wiping a tear from my eye. “Forgive me, this is a touchy subject. Kaya and I didn’t exactly end our relationship on the best of terms.” I left out the part about Kaya being pregnant. I’m sure she could do basic math, and revealing that little tidbit would reveal that I’d only been in the resistance a very short time. I doubted that would fill her with much confidence.
“I’m sorry.”
I finished off my glass and set it down on the table. It actually left me feeling a little a warm, which wasn’t an altogether unpleasant sensation. “So did your engineers figure out how the Qharr were able to take down your shields so easily?”
Mara nodded. “A faulty array. The Rhiannon device puts a lot of strain on the shield systems. We believe it’s how the Qharr were able to find us so easily. The array was emitting a large amount of energy which their sensors must have picked up. We’ll be able to repair the damage, and the Colonel has ordered a full diagnostic so it shouldn’t happen again.”
“That’s fortunate,” I said. “The last thing we need is two ships without full functioning shields.”
“Yes, well since you brought it up. I talked to one of our engineers and he believes it would be possible to stabilize your shield reactor. The omega seven prototypes shields operate on the same principles as ours. The issues is finding the parts, I doubt it’s something that we’d just find lying around and we didn’t exactly bring along any spares.”
“Maybe we can get your engineers together with our Lily and have them exchange ideas. She’s self-taught, but her tech knowledge has gotten us through some pretty close scrapes. She might even know of some place where we can scavenge parts. Lord knows she had to get hers from somewhere.”
“Very well, I’ll talk with the Colonel. I can’t make any promises, but he’s a smart man even if he’s a bit of an ass. I’m sure he’ll see the benefits.”
“If you don’t mind, I think I’ll return to the ship. I have some things to see too. I haven’t spent much time with our guests, and the good doctor informs me that the oldest girl will probably be returning to consciousness soon.”
“Do send the doctor my regards and tell him he’s welcome to visit the Defiant. It would be good to catch up with him.”
I nodded and smiled back as her as the door swooshed open. “I’ll tell him, thanks for the drink.”
Chapter Four
The E-R-F ship had originally been designed to tow other vessels’s out of a battle and we’d utilized that feature to dock our ship atop the Defiant. Unfortunately, it meant relying on Mara and her people for transport, but its advanced stealth technology kept us better hidden from the Qharr. I was willing to take the risk if it meant keeping my people safe, the few of them still alive.
Mara and her people had been monitoring Qharr communications and hadn’t yet found any mention of the destroyer’s attack on us or its destruction, but given how much trouble the resistance had been causing them it seemed unlikely they’d give us a heads up by transmitting that kind of information through unsecure channels.
I finally made my way through the accordion connecting our two ships and my first stop was the infirmary. For once the two younger children weren’t lurking about and I could only conclude that Becca had finally been successful at luring them away from their older sibling so that they could get some much needed rest. “How’s the patient, doc?”
“Most better.” He warbled. “Vakrexid has taken her off sedatives. I am expecting her to regain consciousness anytime.”
“Sedatives? Doctor, where’d you get sedatives?”
“Vakrexid made them from plants and herbs I collected.” His long hands traces across his face tubes and jerked away as the girl gasped and sat up.
I brushed past the doctor and as she slipped her feet over the edge of the bed. I was quick enough to grab the girl’s wrists and gently push her back down into bed before she could get very far. It wasn’t that I wanted to keep her detained, but she was in bad shape and any movements she made could wind up making things worse.
“You!” she screamed fighting to break free from my grip, but she wasn’t in any shape to fight even if I didn’t have K’teth enhanced strength. Still she did get in one good kick to my ribs that hurt, just a little.
“It’s alright,” I said releasing my grip and backed slowly away. “I’m not going to hurt you. You were pretty badly injured. Do you remember?”
“I remember those things,” she shuddered and stared up at me with big wide eyes her gaze darting toward the door. “Where am I? Where are Fade and Whisper?”
“You’re on a resistance ship. As far as Fade and Whisper I’m not quite sure what you mean by–”
I stopped abruptly pursing my lips as understanding dawned on me. Fade and Whisper were the names of the two younger children. The pair had been so tight lipped that no one had been able to even so much as learn their names. “You mean your brother and sister? They’re fine, they’ve barely left your side since we brought you to the ship.”
She nodded, glancing at the door again. “I want to see them, now.”
“Doctor, would you be so kind as to grab Fade and Whisper for our new friend here?”
“Most assuredly!” Vakrexid replied running out of the room, before I’d even finished the second sibling’s name.
I folded my arms across my chest and stared down at the young girl all the while shaking my head. “If you think you’re going to go bolting out of here with your brother and sister in tow, think again. I don’t want you to think that you’re a prisoner here, but until you’ve healed up a bit, I’m not going to let you go anywhere. Besides, we’re at least three-h
undred meters up in the air. There really isn’t anywhere you could go unless you want to take a long plunge.”
I could see her jaw tighten and she glared up at me looking for all the world as if she wanted to sock me in the face. “You’ll let us go, when I’ve healed.”
“If that’s what you want,” I replied dropping down on the makeshift seat the doctor had constructed. “My name’s Lexa by the way.”
She glared at me and bit her lip and for several seconds I didn’t think I’d get a name from her, but finally she spoke.
“Thena.”
“Thena, that’s an unusual name.”
“Yeah, well what the fuck sorta name is Lexa?”
Clearly, it was going to take some time for Thena to warm up to me. We’d saved the girl’s life and had been met with nothing but hostility. I had a feeling that winning her over would be no small task. She’d never been given a reason to trust another human being not even one who’d probably saved her life.
“Mommy!” A tiny little voice squeaked at the door and a pair of little heads burst into the room and threw their arms around Thena.
“Mommy?” I blinked, never once had it occurred to me that the two tow-headed little children might have been Thena’s children. She didn’t look old enough to be the mother of a seven-year old.
“Why the hell is it any business of yours?” She asked upon breaking away from the hug.
“You’re right, it isn’t.” I turned away meeting the doctor as he stepped into the infirmary. “Take good care of her, doc.”
“Of course, Vakrexid would never do otherwise.”
I shook my head and chuckled as the doctor cocked his head. I took the opportunity to convey Mara’s message to the doctor then made my way back to the bridge where Becca and Lily were waiting. “Lil’ could you give us a minute, I need to talk to my sister.”
Lily glared at me, gritted her teeth then stormed out of the bridge without a word. I winced and watched her go all the while shaking my head. It hurt, but every time I tried to discuss our
“Becca. ” I placed a hand on my sister’s shoulder and met her gaze as she spun around in her seat to look at me. “We need to talk.”
She nodded and bit her lip. “About my symbiote?”
I squeezed her shoulder. “I know it’s been difficult for you, but he hasn’t exactly been very talkative. I think it’s time we do something about that. ”
“I-I wish I could help, but—” Becca stopped mid-sentence as a voice wafted into the room.
“I grow weary of hiding. I believe it is time for me to come out of my shell to borrow a phrase from your language, but I will do so on one condition.”
“Name it.”
“I want my host to give me control of her body for the duration of our talk. I’ve only been bonded to two different Qharr in my short life and neither has bestowed on me such an honor. I have memories of the experiences from my foremothers, but something tells me that I need to experience it for myself to truly… appreciate it.”
My eyebrows shot up and I gritted my teeth. “Becca?”
She back away and clenched her hands at her sides as she glanced at the doorway. She turned back to me, closed her eyes and let out a long sigh just before they snapped back open.
Becca’s shoulders were normally so slumped and she had such a sad look in her eyes all the time that I knew immediately that I wasn’t looking at my sister. Her movements were stiff and ridged, like a piece of machinery whose gears were slipping. When she stepped forward she stopped to balance herself against the console. When the symbiote looked up at me there was none of the usual warmth, but instead I found myself looking into the steely core of his soul. I shuddered and looked away. Was that what others saw when Khala took control of my body?
“I was right. My memories don’t quite compare to the experience. I would have never guessed it would be so… difficult to make this body move.”
I folded my arms across my chest and studied the symbiote in my sister’s body. His stiff machine-like movements aside, there was something very masculine about the way he moved. The symbiotes hands slid up the front of my sister’s body before cupping her breasts as a frown creased her delicate face. “This body is so… soft. The Qharr are all rough edges… even the females. Your kind is very different. It’s difficult to believe that you are the originators.”
“You have reason to doubt it?”
“No, I may not able to manipulate the form of my host on the same scale as a H’ra, but I can still sense the essences, that which you call DNA, of my hosts. I cannot deny the similarities. I believe this Vakrexid of yours speaks the truth though I never would have come to the same conclusion on my own.”
I winced and glanced around. It was a good thing the doctor wasn’t around he’d be throwing a fit. The fact that the symbiote would so carelessly violate the doctor’s believes was more than a little unsettling to me.
“Then you chose to join us, brother?” Khala asked appearing by my side. For a change her hair was done up in a pixie cut, and I did a double take when I took in her fresh-faced and more youthful appearance. I had no idea what had prompted the change, but she didn’t even look old enough to be called an adult. More like a silly teenager playing dress-up.
“Not yet, I must think over the matter some more. I cannot betray the ascendancy. I have given it my loyalty. Surely, you can understand that.”
“What has the Ascendancy done to deserve it? The Qharr enslave us, and treat us like property. We don’t even a warrant a name! Don’t you want to be free?”
My sister’s face stretched into the most god-awful smile. “We can never be free sister. We will always be dependent on our hosts. I am not so sure these humans are a better choice. I must watch and wait.”
My sister’s form melted and she fell to her knees so suddenly that she was already back on her feet before I had reached her. I met her gaze and put both hands on her shoulder more than a little relieved to see my sister’s eyes staring back at me. “I-I’m fine.”
“That could have gone better.”
“W-what do we do now?”
“The same thing as the symbiote, we watch and we wait.”
“We’re just coming into range now,” Lily said breaking me out of my reverie.
Had it really been so long? I sat up in my seat and let out a loud yawn and rubbed my eyes. Maybe my time spent reflecting had involved a little more time snoozing than I cared to admit. I brushed the hair out of my eyes and craned my neck over my shoulder. I hadn’t risked opening up a long-rang communication line for fear of being detected, but a short-range one was much less of a risk.
“Right, Janet,” I said my voice sounding a bit slurred to my ears. I shook my head and cleared my throat. “If there ever was a time for you to contact Rayland I think it would be now.”
I vacated my seat and Janet swooped in just a moment later her hands manipulating the controls after spending on a few short seconds to study the interface. “Let’s see we don’t want to transmit so that everyone and their dogs can hear so let’s toggle the power output and–” She looked up at me probably realizing that she’d been talking to herself, and returned her attention to the interface with reddened cheeks.
“Wait,” I said putting a hand on her shoulder. “Do you really think this is such a good idea?”
Lily, leapt out of her seat and leaned over to look over the console. “The only way the Qharr could pick up this transmission was if there were within about a kilometer,” Lily said. “I’m not reading any ships nearby so the risk is minimal, but there’s nothing to keep the nesters from listening in.”
“Not likely,” Neada replied. “I’m encrypting the transmission. Rayland’s the only other person who knows the decryption key. Even if someone does manage to decrypt the transmission, Rayland and I worked out a code that should leave them scratching their heads.”
Neada didn’t stop to wait for a response, instead she mashed on
e of her fingers down on the ‘transmit’ button. “Masterson, this is Lady Luck, do you copy?”
The only answer was silence and Janet frowned glancing first at Lily then myself and gritted her teeth before trying again. “Masterson, do you copy? This is Lady Luck, please respond.”
Again, she was met with silence. She frowned and had opened her mouth again, when Rayland’s voice responded. “Lady Luck, this is Masterson, I read.”
Neada leaned back closed her eyes and let out a sigh of relief before speaking again. “Masterson, will the man marry today?”
“It took a lot to take back the mink, but I think luck is a lady. Just be aware it may not be my time of day.”
“Copy, Masterson, what are your recommendations?”
“Just, sit down the boat’s rocking.”
“Roger, Masterson,” Janet pursed her lips then released her finger from transmit button. “Good news and bad news. Rayland took back the nest, but things are still pretty tense. He’s optimistic about our alliance, but you’ll probably want to tread carefully.”
“You got all that from that nonsense?” I asked staring at her dumbfounded. “What the hell does a mink or a boat have to do with any of that?”
Neada pursed her lips. “It’s a code that Rayland and I devised if the worst should happen. It’s based on an old Earth musical. I have what you could call a fondness for them.”
“A musical?” I messaged the base of my nose and held my hand up to her. “You know what, never mind, I think I’m better off not knowing. Lily get us detached from the Defiant and set the ship down. Just, don’t shut off the engines I want to be able to take off at any moment.”
“Send a message to the Defiant, tell them we’re setting down, but ask them to stay in the air above us just in case we need them to provide cover fire.”
“You expecting trouble?”
“I just don’t want to take any risks,” I spun around and was almost out the door when I turned back and bit my lip. “Lily, I’ll be waiting at the airlock. Extend the side ramp as soon as you’re able.”
Battle For Earth Page 52
