by Layla Stone
Her eyes flew open, and she saw the captain leaning over her. Oh, he was pissed. "Let me be very clear, if my commander tells you this room is off-limits, then it would behoove you to heed his warning.”
Commander? Damnit! She should have known. Pax looked like someone who had been around the Federation a long time and put down roots. The way he talked to the captain was far too familiar.
“I’m sorry, sir. I’ll leave right now.” She attempted to move off the bed, but Rannn was still towering over her, and he wasn’t budging.
“Too late for that. You choose this bed, you will sleep in it until we reach Pegna. If anything happens to you, that’s your own fault.” After another moment, he stepped back and marched out of the room in an indignant huff. She rushed to the cleaner so she could start her shift. She’d never primped so quickly in her life.
Sasha grabbed her boots as she exited the cleaner and came to a sudden halt as she remembered that she not only had a roommate but a seriously hot roommate who had the power to control her mind. She scratched at the disc behind her ear again and turned her focus on the Cerebral.
He didn’t look dangerous, but he could be. He was lying down, his face turned her way, eyes open and watching everything.
Unable to stop herself she asked, “Not sure how long I’ll be flying today. Do you want me to grab you something to drink before I go?” It would delay her start time, but she couldn’t stand knowing that he’d gone without something in his stomach. He would need nutrients. And she knew what it was like to be a slave, to be forgotten and overlooked. No one deserved that.
His eyes softened, and he shook his head three times.
Communication. So small, yet so significant to her. “See you later.” Walking down the hall towards the bridge, she couldn’t hide her smile. The Cerebral may be dangerous, but wouldn’t he have to be if he lived on the side of space where dragons and other amazing creatures lived?
***
She flew for eight hours before Rannn came in to say, "I know Terrans have a penchant for taking risks. I wouldn't care if it wasn't something that could directly impact my crew. You are a FAVII, which is the polite term for a fill-in. If you do anything that causes this ship to not get back to Pegna safely, I promise you will never become a Federation employee. That is my word, and I can guarantee it, so don’t you dare do anything with that Cerebral that might have disastrous consequences. Don’t say a single word to him."
Sasha swallowed. Well, that was most definitely a direct order.
Crap. She had already talked to the Cerebral. Did they have cameras in her room? She couldn’t risk being kicked out of the Federation. It was the only way to save her mom and her friend.
Damn.
Why did she feel so compelled to completely disregard the captain’s order? But she couldn’t.
"Now, I'm going to ask you a very simple question. Will you be able to handle your responsibilities?"
Without hesitation, she said, "Yes, sir."
One eyebrow lifted. "You have another four days to prove that to me."
Chapter Six
Cerebral Nuances
Sci’s fists were tight and resting on his bent legs. He didn’t need more reasons to dislike the captain, but now the male was interfering with the one person keeping him sane. Keeping him calm.
As a Cerebral, he should have been content with seeing the things in her consciousness and not bothering with talking. But she enjoyed speaking, and he liked to listen. Her voice was saturated with excitement and other Terran emotions. He liked it, he liked it a lot. Her whole body moved when she spoke, you could see the life in her eyes, and the captain was taking that away with his command.
She had been gone for a short time, and he already missed seeing her face, breathing in her unique scent, watching the energy around her.
According to Sasha’s thoughts, it would be several hours before he saw her again.
The door opened, and the Red Demon walked in, staring Sci down, arms at his sides, ready for anything. The male was a fighter, the scars all over his upper body a testament to that.
Sci didn’t like him either. By the look of it, the Red Demon, Pax, felt the same way about Sci. “I’m gonna say this once…hurt the woman in here,”—he pointed at Sasha’s bed—“and I will personally rip out your organs.”
Sci was familiar with the Red Demon biology and Federation regulations. He was utterly unfamiliar with the nuances of microheterogeneous groups such as Rannn’s crew.
He was unsure if the male in front of him was scared for himself or for Sasha. The way the captain had spoken to her sounded like Rannn didn’t care what happened so long as she didn’t affect the rest of his crew. Pax, on the other hand, criticized her but he also seemed to care—at least that’s what Sasha thought.
Sci would have liked to have Sasha’s viewpoint on Pax’s behavior. She could have interpreted it.
“Don’t just sit there staring at me like you don’t understand. I know you hear me, and I know you understand me. Ansel and Rannn spoke to you, and you talked back.”
A rhetorical statement, so Sci remained silent.
Taking a step closer to the cage, the massive male with his copper skin took up so much space, he blocked most of the light coming from the hallway. The air around him heated a bit, but that was normal for Demons. They ran hotter than the rest of the Federation races. They were also more passionate it seemed. Because where Sasha was excitable, this male was ignitable. “There are few things in my life I take seriously, my teammates’ lives are some of them.”
“Sasha will never come to harm from me.”
Pax was silent for a moment. “And the others on this ship?”
That, Sci would not comment on because if given a chance, he would take his revenge.
Pax’s lip curled. “At least we know where you stand.”
I guess so.
With one last look, Pax used his body and eyes to let the threat hang in the air. When the male left, Sci let out a breath.
Life had taken a turn into the wild where thoughts and actions could be concealed. It was foreign, and Sci couldn’t say he liked it. But then again, his skin was tingling from withstanding the threats of a Red Demon.
The way they interacted with each other was so primitive, and yet the way they protected each other was admirable. No other Cerebral—aside from Chollar, Sci’s brother—would come to Sci’s rescue or threaten to keep him safe.
A small thought crept into his mind, but knowing what he knew now, he would do the same thing. He would threaten anyone and everyone who might hurt his brother. Whoever had planned this deserved to be punished.
Sci was ashamed of himself. He didn’t want the culprit to be exiled. He wanted them to feel pain. He wanted them to feel his pain, the humiliation he felt at being powerless. But, mostly, he wanted them to feel the fear and constant worry he felt for his brother, who he couldn’t save. With every breath, he hoped that Chollar was smart enough to hide.
The cabin door opened again, but this time, a male with metal along his jaw walked in. He locked eyes with Sci and jutted out his chin. He held up a cup; it seemed the contents of the cup were the only food source Sci was going to get.
Sci swallowed, not looking forward to the fight of keeping the unnatural substance in his stomach.
The male didn’t speak, nor did he look concerned to be near Sci. The others, Ansel, Pax, and Rannn all had apprehension when they neared him. Sasha had been scared at first, but she was over it.
Was this the cyborg Ansel had talked about? “How far from Cerebral did the pirates find me? Was I far from my planet?”
The cyborg placed the cup on the outside of the cage. He exhaled loudly before answering, “Not sure. Wasn’t paying attention.”
Sci walked to the cage barrier when he had a thought. “Was there another lifepod nearby? Did the captain check?”
Shaking his head, the cyborg answered, “There wasn’t
another pod.”
“How can you be sure?” Sci was looking for verification, but after the words had come out, they did not get the reaction he was hoping for.
“You’re alive. Be grateful for that. And if you’re lucky, you’ll never have to go back to that mind-sucking planet. Everyone knowing what you’re doing and thinking is unnatural.”
Sci narrowed his eyes. Another biased Federationalist? Or were these the words of a bitter slave? “There is nowhere else to go. I’m a Cerebral. I belong on my homeworld.” Specifically, to find out who’d set a trap using him as bait.
“Why? What’s so great about your planet? Your civilization? You got a lady back home? Or ladies?”
“Of course, there are females on my planet.”
The cyborg looked unimpressed. “Ever tag one and keep her all to yourself, make babies together?”
Tribal units? “Of course, not.” Cerebrals were above that.
“Growing up without a mother and father can do something to a male.”
The cyborg had no idea how inefficient it was to do things that way. “Cerebrals are born in a synthetic-utera environment where everything is clean. Tribals have birth complications, defects and mutations. We are all raised in one facility, with caretakers who specialize in development, including one-on-one mentorship. There is nothing tribal units have over our primary progress.”
The male looked Sci over as if he pitied him. “Synthetic life is meaningless. You sound like a research rat that was born in captivity. One who lives in captivity pretending everything is right when you have no idea what life could have offered you.”
Being an efficient race was not meaningless. The cyborg would never understand, and Sci didn’t have the desire to explain it to him.
Bending down, Sci slid his hand through the electrical bars. There was just enough room to pull the cup through.
The cyborg snorted before he left.
This time, Sci could feel his body slowly releasing the tension in his shoulders. The cyborg must have downloaded archives of Sci’s people, but he didn’t know the reality of it. Sci wished he could erase the conversation from his memory, but something stuck out and was on repeat in the back of his mind.
Keep one for yourself…
Could he keep Sasha for himself?
Chapter Seven
Silence is Deafening
Ansel was in the galley when Sasha walked in. She was still mulling over what to do about her cabin mate. She had been ordered not to speak to him, and yet she couldn’t think of anyone more interesting to talk to than him.
The captain had been specific, and she was going to follow his order. She had to because her mother was counting on her.
Ansel filled a container with the slush. Once it was full, he handed it to her and pulled out a new cup for himself. "I heard you were sharing a room with the Cerebral." He didn't turn around, so he didn't see her eyes roll at how gossipy these grown males seemed to be. "If you ever feel uncomfortable, I will switch beds with you."
Switching beds meant that she would be sleeping next to a sick Yunkin. Ansel would have to come in and out to check on the male, and that would be fine. She should take his offer. It would make not talking to the Cerebral easier.
But then again, he didn’t talk to her, so even if she spoke out loud in his general vicinity, did that really mean she was talking to him?
Yes. It did.
Stupid semantics.
"I appreciate the offer." She was unable to part with her cabin mate just yet. She needed a little more time. But, eventually, she would need to talk to someone, she wasn’t the quiet type.
Changing topics, she asked, "What happened to the crew's pilot? Is he going to be okay?"
Sasha saw the Numan's expression close off. "The venom from the predator’s bite is trying to turn his organs into liquid. The medscope is keeping the poison from doing that, but it’s still there, and I have nothing to make an antitoxin with. Yon will need extensive medical care when we get to Pegna to rebuild what the venom did before I got to him. It’s amazing he’s not dead.”
Trying to sound sympathetic she asked, "How did he get hurt? What bit him?"
Ansel didn't respond right away. Sasha sensed that it was as if Ansel were reliving it. "A scathy barbist. On Earth, they would call it a snake, but on the Angny planet, the snake’s face is as large as you are wide. They have long teeth the size of my hand, and are almost impossible to kill."
Sasha wanted to ask more, but Ansel stopped looking at her as he answered. He stared at the liquid in the cup as if it were tea leaves and it held the answer to the future.
She had only seen Yon from a distance the other day, but she already felt bad for him and what he went through. The Yunkin should get help. No one deserved to die by being forced to fight some mutant snake from another planet.
No comforting words came to mind, and the moment lost its flavor. Ansel flashed a smile that didn’t reach his eyes and left. In the doorway was the cyborg. He let the Numan cross before he entered the room.
A quick chin lift was all the greeting she got from him.
“Hey.”
He poured himself a drink and then eyed her one more time before leaving. Sasha tipped her cup at this back and followed him out the door. The cyborg was obviously not the social type. She wasn’t sure if cyborgs had a certain personality, but this one didn’t seem like he was built for service.
“I’m Sasha, by the way,” she said to his back.
“Sands.”
He didn’t slow down or turn around. Ignoring his rudeness, Sasha continued on. “Will you be going back to your home planet after this?” She wasn’t sure if Pax had alluded to the cyborg being a Luri. But then again, cyborgs didn’t exactly have a home planet, they were made.
“I’m sure that’s none of your business.”
Okay. “I’m not planning to follow you home, just trying to get to know the crew.”
He turned around then, and his dark eyes bore into her. “I’m not a Federation cyborg, I’m not a Luri, and I’m not going to switch beds with you. I’ve had enough time with Cerebrals to last me a lifetime.” Sands was handsome, even with the metal on the side of his jaw. He wore a dark leather jacket that had seen better days, but it fit him perfectly. With an ounce of charm, she would have been all over him, but his words were full of impatience and indifference.
Apparently, he also had an issue with Cerebrals. Sasha wanted to ask about it, but he didn’t give her a chance, he just turned on his heel. Before he turned into the medical room, he said, “Space is not an adventure. But then again, between being a slave on Nexis and being a pilot, I’d take pilot, too.”
“What do you know about Nexis?” she called out to the now-empty hallway.
He didn’t answer.
She should have thought about it before, but the crew could have easily been customers on Nexis. They might know about the home-grown slaves. No one had brought it up, so either they didn’t have the knowledge, or they didn’t care.
Sasha bit the inside of her lip.
She stood there for several seconds before she manually pulled open the sliding door. She stepped in and saw the Cerebral sitting on his cot with a cup in hand. Good. They did feed him.
He watched her pass by but didn't say anything. She should be relieved that he wasn’t going to make it hard on her. He wouldn’t talk to her, and she couldn’t speak with him. The male would just stare at her…
He didn't respond, so she kept walking to her cot, took off her boots, and sat, drinking her slush while studying him. He was looking down at his drink. After several minutes, he set the cup down near his foot without finishing it. He looked her over, then just stared into her eyes.
She finished her drink, set the cup on the shelf, then lay back on the cot. The silence was dull, and she was going stir-crazy. Her fingers thrummed the bedding for a few seconds before she sat back up, desperate for something to do, someon
e to talk to. And since the Cerebral was her roommate, the responsibility fell on him to help pass the time. Or it would have if she hadn’t been ordered not to talk to him.
The captain’s warning rang through Sasha’s mind, but the need to connect with this male was so overwhelming, she could hardly stand it. She had to say something.
She had to.
Pointing at her cup, she said aloud, "This stuff’s nasty. Like blended vegetables, and not the good kind. Aftertaste reminds me of liquid rope."
She peered up, and even though she knew he was listening, he didn’t speak. Sasha wanted him to talk. Wondered what his voice sounded like. Would it be light and clear, the sound of someone who was an intellectual? Or would it be rough and gritty from underuse?
"Ansel," she said the name quietly just in case someone outside might hear her, "offered to switch beds with me." She shrugged to herself and absently added, "Not sure how you’d feel about a Numan cabin mate.”
The Cerebral shook his head. He didn’t take his eyes off her as he did, and she could practically feel his aversion. She couldn’t exactly empathize with him, but she felt it necessary to say, “I know he's a Numan and all, and I've heard stories about some of the wacked things they do to their subjects, but he seems harmless."
The male's mysterious voice whispered, "He's not."
His rich tenor resonated in the air. It wasn’t harsh from disuse nor was it light and clinical. Her pulse fluttered. A delicious tingle skipped up her spine; she was excited that he was engaging.
All thoughts of keeping silent were quickly forgotten.
"Are you afraid of him?" She knew Ansel had blocked the Cerebral’s abilities. "If it came to a face-to-face fight, I bet I could win. He's pretty thin."
"I wasn't referring to him being physically harmful."
His voice rose above a whisper now, and she could barely contain her excitement. She inched forward and tilted her head curiously. "What did you mean?"
He flashed a slight grimace, but it was gone so fast she almost missed it. "The Numan impaired my Cerebral abilities while I was unconscious. Something I didn't even fathom was a possibility."
