by Ruby Dixon
I frown, arms crossed over my chest. “Bridge?”
“Right. I keep forgetting. You probably don’t know what that is. Never mind.”
Cap-tan shines his light-beam onto the wall, where the two pods were broken open. “Cryo chambers. Two open, the others empty. Slaving, you think?” He looks to Trakan.
“Only one reason for szzt to have cryo. Intelligent cargo.”
I do not know what they are saying. “Two humans came from here. Are there more?” My heart gives an excited thump. Perhaps someone was missed?
But Cap-tan shakes his head. “Not likely.”
I bite back my disappointment.
“What happened to the crew?” Cap-tan asks.
“Dead,” I tell them. “One of the humans made sure they did not leave.” I gesture up ahead, where the cave forks into narrower passageways. “They are in that direction.”
“We need crew quarters,” Trakan says, moving his beam in that direction. He heads inside and then tilts his head. “Think I found a dead guy here. Frozen solid.” He bends down and pats the body. “Nothing worth taking.”
“Mmm.” I wait. Surely they will find something they want.
They do, some time later. They find a room with two strange chairs staring at a wall that is cracked into many pieces. Tiny buttons and sticks are laid out in front of them. “The bridge,” Cap-tan murmurs. “And look. Under the station itself…”
Trakan’s light-beam shines on a square on the floor. “Kef yeah. A blast-safe.”
Their excitement is palpable, and mine rises. I wait silently as they poke and prod at the thing for the next while, until one of them attaches a small square to the front and pushes buttons. New lights shine, and something chirps a sequence. “What is that?” Cap-tan asks, and his voice is disapproving.
“Best if you don’t ask, sir.”
Cap-tan snorts. “I had better not see that used on the Lady, ever.”
“No, sir.” It chimes, and Trakan grins. “It’s open.”
Both men lean forward as the lid hisses up, and they shine their light-beams there. My curiosity rising, I look, too.
It is full of small boxes. It does not look exciting to me, but one of the men sucks in a breath. Trakan grabs the first box and pulls the lid off. “Kef,” he breathes. “Credit chits. Hundreds of them. These fools crashed with a fortune on them.” He pulls one out and flips it over, then looks at Cap-tan in excitement. “Nontraceable.”
Cap-tan sags in obvious relief. “That is good. That is very, very good.”
“This is your salvage?” I ask. “This is what you want?”
“This is amazing,” Trakan says, grabbing another box. “We’re keffing rich!”
I put a hand on his shoulder. “Good. I need something from you.” Excitement rises through me, and I force my expression to remain calm.
Cap-tan’s eyes narrow at me. “What is it you want? Credit chits are of no use to you here.”
“I want none of this.” I gesture at the cave-ship of the bad ones. “You can take all of it. I said I would take you here, and I did. But I want something in exchange for what you take. It is only fair.”
“Whatever you want, name it,” Trakan says.
Even Cap-tan does not hesitate. He nods. “Speak.”
I choose my words carefully. It is something Vaza and I have discussed, ever since the newcomers arrived and Farli resonated. There is still a chance out there for us. “This ship carried humans.”
“Slaves,” Cap-tan agrees. “Illegal slaves.”
“But there is a way to get more of them and bring them here.” I pause, and then continue before they can object. “I want a mate. There is no female of suitable age for me. Not in our tribe. Not for myself, and not for the four other hunters that still wish for mates. I want you to bring back humans—these ee-lee-gull slaves you speak of—and bring them here. Five of them. We will take good care of them and make them good mates. They will be happy with us, like Shorshie and the others.”
They exchange a look. “What you ask is not easy,” Cap-tan says.
“That is my price.”
He nods. “I will see what I can do.”
Epilogue
MARDOK
“I don’t feel any different,” I tell Farli as we lie in our furs the next night. We are out in the open, our sleeping pallet piled close to the others. There is no fire, because all of the hunters who came with us are sa-khui and the symbiont keeps them warm.
And for the first time since arriving on this planet, I’m not cold. It’s keffing amazing. The snow doesn’t bother me. It just feels like damp powder, not icy hell. I curl up with Farli under the furs and pull her against me, and she doesn’t feel hot to the touch, just pleasant.
“I like your eyes much better this way,” she tells me, snuggling up to my chest. “Such a nice blue. Not dead like before.”
“Dead?” I say with a laugh. “Really?”
“Very dark and no spark of life in them,” she says with a nod. Her fingers trail up and down my chest. “And I am glad you have a khui.”
I am, too. I thought I would feel strange, but I don’t. I don’t feel much of anything, except for the steady drumming song in my chest that started the moment I woke up and looked at Farli. Resonance. I expected it to fill me with a surge of emotion for her.
I didn’t expect for it to make my cock stand at attention constantly. I guess it’s the symbiont getting me ready to make babies with her. I guess we didn’t try hard enough last night. I grin and pull her closer. I’m willing to give it as many tries as we need. Not right now, of course. Not with the others sleeping close nearby. Plenty of time for that when we return to the village and her cozy little house.
I gaze up at the stars overhead, my mate tucked against my shoulder. Somewhere up there, The Tranquil Lady is soaring away from this planet and toward her shipping destination. My seat is empty. Bron Mardok Vendasi will be listed as missing in space. My flight-suit has been sent out the air-lock by now, and the others will do their best to cover my trail and make it seem like I’m just…gone. No one will come looking for me. Accidents happen in space all the time, and someone like me with a sad history? It wouldn’t be too much to assume that I just went out the airlock while the others were sleeping.
I watched the ship leave earlier, during the hunt. The chaos of the moment and the chase of the enormous, dangerous creature meant that I didn’t have time to focus on it leaving. There was no time to be anxious. No time for my mind to fray at the edges and think back to those awful days on Uzocar. No time to feel like I was left behind, because Farli was at my side, encouraging me to shove my spear—however awkwardly—into the flanks of the sa-kohtsk as it tumbled to the ground.
It was the first kill I participated on, and I felt a sense of pride when the others slapped my back in approval. Then there was no time to focus on anything except the khui itself, and receiving it. The moment the glowing filament touched my skin, I blacked out. I woke up later, warm and strangely content, and purring to Farli.
Of course, now that I have time to stare up at the sky and panic at the thought of being stranded here on Kopan VI forever? I’m oddly calm. The worst has happened, and I’m fine with it. I’m not on an enemy planet. I’m not forgotten. I’m here by choice. I’ve got an entire village of people who are warm and friendly and giving. I’ve got an ancient wreck of a ship to tinker with. Most of all, I have the woman I love at my side.
With her, I’m never going to be alone again.
Author’s Note
Eeee!
I have wanted to write Farli’s book for a YEAR. No joke. The moment Harlow started tinkering with the Elders’ ship, I knew that someone from Homeworld was going to come back and Farli was going to resonate to him. Some books pop into your mind with complete plots, and this one did. It was a joy to write, not only because Farli’s so forthright and happy, but because Mardok’s so stoically wounded on the inside and trying to hide it. I know a lot of people were Team
Bek but I’ve never seen him with Farli. I hope you see why!
And I hope you can guess where the next few books are going. I think you’ll like how we’re heading. I do get asked a lot if there will be more books. My answer — I have plans for books for at least four more. Provided that sales remain strong, I’m ready to keep going if you guys are ready to keep reading.
A few notes about this book in particular. Mardok and his civilization are extremely advanced, and have completely different language patterns, customs, everything. It quickly got overwhelming for me mentally to determine how much I should pepper into the book. I’m more about giving the reader an immersive, enjoyable experience than being 100% technically correct. So Mardok has a bit of his own slang tossed in (keffing!) and a lot of our own idioms in there simply because it makes the book flow. Some of you might be out there saying, “An advanced culture wouldn’t talk like this, Ruby!” And I know this! But I thought it would ‘keep you in the story’ more than a phrase like “Mardok picked up his zabiji and gave the kislani a toss. Bazet milani, he hated when the zippi doo dat had a yippie-ki-yay stuck into it.” See what I mean? It drives me crazy as a reader (and it’s like wading through mud as a writer) so I opted for a more conversational tone.
Speaking of conversational tones, I’ve also updated a few of the barbarian words. You’ll notice that Farli uses ‘village’ instead of ‘vee-lage’ and ‘house’ instead of ‘howse’. This was a slippery slope and I worried that, a few more books in, we’d have an entire quasi-language that would make it hell for casual readers to follow. I like to think that after a few years of using the human words, they’re easier on the mouth. Maybe we’ll migrate the names over, too (though I find them charming as they are).
The tribal list has also been updated! In addition to a bunch of new kits on the block, I’ve also updated a few small familial connections, like Bek and Maylak being related, and Zennek being the brother of Farli & co.
See, there’s a method to my madness!
And all of that minutiae was probably extremely boring for some of you to read. Sorry not sorry! It’s a living, breathing tribe in my head — and from the messages I get on Facebook, I’m not the only one. I’m so thrilled that everyone’s still having fun on this journey with me. You guys are fantastic fans and I’ve been having a blast with these books. The series itself is getting long and in my brain, Farli’s book is the ‘end’ of a cycle. That doesn’t mean that there won’t be more books. There will be! It just means they might have slightly different covers/titles but it’ll still be the tribe we know and love and the hunters that are so desperately awaiting their mates.
Much love <3
— Ruby
The People of Ice Planet Barbarians
As of the end of Barbarian’s Choice
(8 years post human landing)
Mated Couples and their kits
________
Vektal (Vehk-tall) – The chief of the sa-khui. Mated to Georgie.
Georgie – Human woman (and unofficial leader of the human females). Has taken on a dual-leadership role with her mate. The sa-khui cannot pronounce her name correctly and refer to her as ‘Shorshie’.
Talie (Tah-lee) – Their first daughter.
Vekka (Veh-kah) – Their second daughter.
_______
Maylak (May-lack) – Tribe healer. Mated to Kashrem. Sister to Bek.
Kashrem (Cash-rehm) - Her mate, also a leather-worker.
Esha (Esh-uh) – Their teenage daughter.
Makash (Muh-cash) — Their younger son.
_______
Sevvah (Sev-uh) – Tribe elder, mother to Aehako, Rokan, and Sessah
Oshen (Aw-shen) – Tribe elder, her mate
Sessah (Ses-uh) - Their youngest son
_______
Ereven (Air-uh-ven) Hunter, mated to Claire
Claire – Mated to Ereven
Erevair (Air-uh-vair) - Their first child, a son
Relvi (Rell-vee) – Their second child, a daughter
_______
Liz – Raahosh’s mate and huntress.
Raahosh (Rah-hosh) – Her mate. A hunter and brother to Rukh.
Raashel (Rah-shel) – Their daughter.
Aayla (Ay-lah) – Their second daughter
_______
Stacy – Mated to Pashov. Unofficial tribe cook.
Pashov (Pah-showv) – son of Kemli and Borran, brother to Farli, Zennek, and Salukh. Mate of Stacy.
Pacy (Pay-see) – Their first son.
Tash (Tash) – Their second son.
_______
Nora – Mate to Dagesh. Currently pregnant after a second resonance.
Dagesh (Dah-zhesh) (the g sound is swallowed) – Her mate. A hunter.
Anna & Elsa – Their twin daughters.
_______
Harlow – Mate to Rukh. Once ‘mechanic’ to the Elders’ Cave. Currently pregnant after a second resonance.
Rukh (Rookh) – Former exile and loner. Original name Maarukh. (Mah-rookh). Brother to Raahosh. Mate to Harlow.
Rukhar (Roo-car) – Their infant son.
_______
Megan – Mate to Cashol. Mother to newborn Holvek.
Cashol (Cash-awl) – Mate to Megan. Hunter. Father to newborn Holvek.
Holvek (Haul-vehk) – their infant son.
_______
Marlene (Mar-lenn) – Human mate to Zennek. French.
Zennek (Zehn-eck) – Mate to Marlene. Father to Zalene. Brother to Pashov, Salukh, and Farli.
Zalene (Zah-lenn) – daughter to Marlene and Zennek.
_______
Ariana – Human female. Mate to Zolaya. Currently pregnant. Basic school ‘teacher’ to tribal kits.
Zolaya (Zoh-lay-uh) – Hunter and mate to Ariana. Father to Analay.
Analay (Ah-nuh-lay) – Their son.
_______
Tiffany – Human female. Mated to Salukh. Tribal botanist.
Salukh (Sah-luke) – Hunter. Son of Kemli and Borran, brother to Farli, Zennek, and Pashov.
Lukti (Lookh-tee) – Their son.
_______
Aehako (Eye-ha-koh) – Acting leader of the South cave. Mate to Kira, father to Kae. Son of Sevvah and Oshen, brother to Rokan and Sessah.
Kira – Human woman, mate to Aehako, mother of Kae. Was the first to be abducted by aliens and wore an ear-translator for a long time.
Kae (Ki –rhymes with ‘fly’) – Their newborn daughter.
_______
Kemli (Kemm-lee) – Female elder, mother to Salukh, Pashov, Zennek, and Farli. Tribe herbalist.
Borran (Bore-awn) – Her mate, elder. Tribe brewer.
_______
Josie – Human woman. Mated to Haeden. Currently pregnant for a third time.
Haeden (Hi-den) – Hunter. Previously resonated to Zalah, but she died (along with his khui) in the khui-sickness before resonance could be completed. Now mated to Josie.
Joden (Joe-den) – Their first child, a son.
Joha (Joe-hah) – Their second child, a daughter.
_______
Rokan (Row-can) – Oldest son to Sevvah and Oshen. Brother to Aehako and Sessah. Adult male hunter. Now mated to Lila. Has ‘sixth’ sense.
Lila – Maddie’s sister. Once hearing impaired, recently reacquired on The Tranquil Lady via med bay. Resonated to Rokan. Currently pregnant for a second time.
Rola (Row-luh) – Their first child, a daughter.
_______
Hassen (Hass-en) – Hunter. Previously exiled. Newly mated to Maddie.
Maddie – Lila’s sister. Found in second crash. Newly mated to Hassen.
Masan (Mah-senn) – Their son.
_______
Asha (Ah-shuh) – Mate to Hemalo. Mother to Hashala (deceased) and Shema.
Hemalo (Hee-muh-low) – Mate to Asha. Father to Hashala (deceased) and Shema.
Shema (Shee-muh) – Their daughter.
_______
Farli – (Far-lee) Adult daughter to Kemli and Borran. Her brot
hers are Salukh, Zennek, and Pashov. She has a pet dvisti named Chompy (Chahm-pee). Mated to Mardok.
Mardok (Marr-dock) – Bron Mardok Vendasi, from the planet Ubeduc VII. Arrived on The Tranquil Lady. Mechanic and ex-soldier. Resonated to Farli and elected to stay behind.
Unmated Elders
_______
Drayan (Dry-ann) – Elder.
Drenol (Dree-nowl) – Elder.
Vadren (Vaw-dren) – Elder.
Vaza (Vaw-zhuh) – Widower and elder. Loves to creep on the ladies.
Unmated Hunters
_______
Bek – (Behk) – Hunter. Brother to Maylak.
Harrec (Hair-ek) – Hunter.
Taushen (Tow – rhymes with cow – shen) – Hunter.
Warrek (War-ehk) – Tribal hunter and teacher. Son to Eklan (now deceased).
Ice Planet Barbarians Reading List
Are you all caught up on Ice Planet Barbarians? Need a refresher? Click through to borrow or buy and get caught up (or add to your keeper shelf)!
Ice Planet Barbarians – Georgie’s Story
Barbarian Alien – Liz’s Story
Barbarian Lover – Kira’s Story
Barbarian Mine – Harlow’s Story
Ice Planet Holiday – Claire’s Story (novella)
Barbarian’s Prize – Tiffany’s Story
Barbarian’s Mate – Josie’s Story
Having the Barbarian’s Baby – Megan’s Story (short story)
Ice Ice Babies – Nora’s Story (short story)
Barbarian’s Touch – Lila’s Story
Calm - Maylak’s Story (short story)
Barbarian’s Taming – Maddie’s Story
