“I already told you I’d take care of both of us.” He showed me the small laser pistol stuffed in his jumpsuit pocket. “They’ll never take us alive.”
I shook my head. “I want you to run.”
He snorted. “Where? With who?” He caressed my cheek. “We’re human. We mate for life.”
“I—I—”
“Enough talk.” He opened the door and yanked my arm. The shop wasn’t far from the stairwell and most people appeared more interested in staring at the ground than each other. The tension in the air made it hard to breathe. They weren’t helping the Ko search? Didn’t they understand what those monsters could do to the station?
We entered the permanent store that looked over the market and faced a Metax mechanic working on what looked like the inside of a protein processor. “What do you want?” He wiped his hands on his leather apron.
“I need to order parts for a homo sapiens transport ship.” Brody squeezed my hand.
I kept my mouth shut, but wondered what kind of vessel he was talking about. I knew my ships. I’d grown up on station docks all over this sector and never heard of such a model.
The Metax’s hands froze on their way back to his tools. “You’re late.” He nodded toward the door in the direction of the docks. “They left.”
5
“We ran into trouble.” Brody spun around, pulling me with him inside the repair shop entrance, and he scanned the marketplace.
“They don’t want trouble.” The Metax’s words stopped Brody from racing back outside.
My soul went cold at the sight of his shoulders drooping. He believed in secret human colonies. Had banked his whole existence on it, and I’d screwed it up. I stepped toward the Metax. “Please.” I pulled my hair from my face and pointed to the vid screen over the marketplace with my picture on it.
“Lucille.” Brody knocked my hands from my hair so it would cover my face once more.
I held my hands up to the mechanic. “Please…”
The Metax barked in surprise. “Run. Dock 348. No guarantee they’ll help. Don’t come back here.” He returned to his work as if we no longer existed.
Brody nodded his thanks anyway and dragged me from the store at a quick walk. “That mooring isn’t far from here. If we hurry, we might catch them before they board.” Once someone entered a ship, it was difficult to hale them without coms. Couldn’t exactly knock on the airlock since nobody would hear through the thick hull.
I kept my eyes lowered so I wouldn’t meet anyone’s gaze. We couldn’t afford someone recognizing me when we were so close to our goal. Trying to shrink against Brody, I wished myself invisible. It had never occurred to me that his dream could possibly be real. I mean, human colonies? Why would they gather together and make it easy for the Ko to slaughter them? But I wouldn’t be the cause of Brody’s dream not coming true. I always thought we’d end like most human couples: Buy some derelict cargo ship, eke out a living and try to raise a family onboard. I’d been waiting for him to come to the same conclusion these last years.
Staying close together, we crossed the docks toward the bay 348, where I spotted a male Kandarian pleasure slave accompanying a Metax onto the boarding ramp. “There.” I pointed. “Hurry.”
Brody broke into a run with me in tow and we followed them. The metallic ramp clanged and shook with our added weight.
The Metax spun around, swinging its claws in a defensive position. “What do you want?”
I gasped at the sudden aggressive behavior and prepared to turn tail. He moved fast for a big brute, and I didn’t care to be poked by one of those sharp claws. They weren’t usually so jumpy since most sane people wouldn’t attack a Metax. Then again, they were willing to help humans, so they couldn’t exactly be sane.
“Better late than never.” Brody pushed me behind him. “Sorry about that. Can we still bargain for transport on this fine ship?”
“No. Spot’s taken.” The Metax swiped his claws in front of him for emphasis.
Brody crossed his arms over his chest and I could sense his weight settling into the metal ramp. Nothing short of death was going to make him move from his spot. I was well acquainted with Brody’s stubborn streak. “How did you book someone between the time you vacated the shop and arriving here?”
The Metax’s gaze traveled from Brody to me, his eyes narrowing. “These are hard times.”
“I know it.” Brody held out his hand. “I hear a homo sapiens ship is the only way for me and Lucille to travel to safety.”
“There’s no refuge for our kind.” The Metax set his claws on Brody’s outstretched hand. “You’re both humans?” he whispered, searching the surrounding area for anyone watching.
We glanced at each other and Brody nodded for both of us.
The Metax knocked Brody out of the way and snatched my arm, moving with whip-like reflexes. He pulled me toward into their airlock and held me against his chest, his sharp claws resting at my throat.
Brody snarled and lunged after us.
The Metax applied some pressure to his claws. “Don’t,” he warned my man.
I hissed at the burn against my skin. His razor-like claws must have nicked me.
Brody came to a sudden halt, darted glances around us as if searching for a way out or something to fight with, but we were on a boarding ramp in an open airlock. The two most secure places on a ship besides the cargo bay doors. He seemed to come to the same conclusion as I did. He slid the pack off his back.
The Kandarian behind him stiffened. “Easy.” The laser pistol in his hand came out of nowhere. He nudged Brody in the back.
“I’ve no weapons.” He held his hands out to the side with his pack. “I’ve money, though. It’s all we got. Take it and give her back to me.” Gaze anchored to mine, he pleaded with me to forgive him. What a fool. I never would blame him. If neither of us had followed our hearts, we never would have found each other, and I’d encouraged him to follow his dream, but I knew the truth. A place like that didn’t exist.
“Test ’em,” the Metax ordered the Kandarian male. “Either of you fail to test positive then you both die.”
Brody blinked. “Test us?” His head swiveled to the Kandarian and he fisted the laser pistol from his hand. “I thought we was getting robbed.” He aimed it at the Kandarian, the muscles along his jaw flexing as he clenched his teeth. “No go. You won’t get any test from us without some proof you’re the helpful kind or the flesh trader kind.”
“Easy.” I gestured to Brody to calm the heck down. “We admit we’re human.”
Stepping close to Brody and dragging me with him, the Metax showed us his hand. “Pull it off,” he ordered the Kandarian. Underneath it was a human flesh.
My heart fluttered. It was a monstrous disguise. I’d never heard of such a thing. A human pretending to be Jurranian or Kandarian was easy. But a Metax? “Take the test or I end you both here.” He renewed the pressure on my throat with his fake, yet super-sharp claws.
“Take it, Brody.” This was getting out of hand. He’d been dreaming of this moment ever since I’d met him and we were about to blow it. Other humans! I wanted to shout out and hug them all. I wanted to pull out my new book and show them the pictures of Christmas. I wanted to kick Brody in the ass for still waving that dang pistol at everyone.
Brody paled. “I—I’ve been searching…” He set the weapon in his pocket. My man could be silly, but never stupid. He’d keep the pistol until he knew we’d be safe.
The male pleasure slave pulled out a handheld device and pressed Brody’s fingertip to it. “This will sting.” He read the machine and nodded. “He’s real.”
Before I could offer my hand to be tested, the Metax leaned in close and brushed the hair from my face. “Damn girl, you’re in a heap of trouble.” His Metax accent had vanished and he did a quick once-over of the dock before ripping off his cloak and wrapping it around me. “Your picture is pasted on every vid screen on the station. The flesh traders are at each other’
s throats trying to find you, and the Ko have doubled their people on the station.”
I stared at the bald, pale violet-skinned Kandarian. Why wasn’t he testing me? “I wish I knew why they hated us so.”
The human dressed as a Metax gave his partner a long look before facing us again. “We had an understanding, Brody. I’ve spent my life captaining this fine ship finding humans and taking them to the colony, but only if they won’t endanger it.”
Nausea rolled in my stomach. “We’d never hurt other humans.” Deep inside my bones I understood what he was saying. My future intentions didn’t matter. The Ko had my scent and were on the hunt. Prey shouldn’t run home if it didn’t want the predator to follow.
“I don’t doubt that, but every Ko in the neighboring systems is heading this way looking for you. I can take him.” He pointed to Brody. “But I can’t take you. You’re too much of a risk, sweetheart.”
My throat seized and I couldn’t swallow. “But…” I glanced at Brody, unable to speak yet. I’d screwed everything up. Me and my stupid artifact hunting. He always said I shouldn’t endanger myself by searching the markets for human things. My ma had gotten caught the same way and stupidly I’d followed in her footsteps. It was the only way I could be close to her anymore. I stared at Brody, who looked dumbstruck. I wouldn’t keep him from his safe haven, though.
The human dressed as a Metax stared at his feet. “They’ll search every ship trying to leave this system. You won’t be the only frightened humans on this ship.”
Brody breathed hard. “There has to be a way to store her in hidey place until we reach jump speed. I’m not leaving her behind. There ain’t no way.”
“I can’t risk hiding you.” The captain stared at me now. “There’s too much at stake. Can you imagine if they even got a hint about you boarding my ship? They’d tear us apart, or worse, follow us back home.”
“Home…” My heart sank so fast I was surprised it didn’t clang against the airlock floor. I’d never used that word before. Not in reference to me. What was it like on this colony? Did the humans live close together like in my book? I always wondered what it would be like to look upon human faces. I hadn’t seen mine since my last prosthesis fitting long before meeting Brody. Heck, I’d never laid eyes on Brody’s true face. I guessed I never would. This ship didn’t have a chance if I was caught on board.
Neither would my loving, heroic Brody.
I stepped out of the airlock. “Take him then.”
Brody spun around. “What? No, we stick together. If they won’t take you then we find another way.” He grabbed my upper arms and bent to meet my gaze the way he always did, so we could see eye to eye. I loved him so much it burned a hole right through my heart.
I ran my fingertips over the sharp lines of his cheeks. My future plans had always included Brody. I’d never imagined my life without him and now I’d have to. It grew harder to breathe as I fought the sob inside my chest. Jurranians didn’t cry. It was taught to us from the day we were born. For once, I wished I could just be human and let my hurt out. If I stayed a moment longer, the pain in my chest would stop my heart, and I couldn’t afford to turn coward by changing my mind. Not for my man.
“I know that’s what you want.” I withdrew my touch. Nobody was sacrificing themselves for me anymore. My whole family had done that. I wouldn’t let Brody do it too. It was time for me to do the sacrificing. “You’re the best man a girl could win.” My courage was fading fast, the longer I stared into his love filled eyes. I swung my elbow with all my might and clocked him under the chin so hard my joint cracked, just like he’d taught me to do if I was ever attacked. He’d been so good to me. How could I continue to live without him?
He rose to his full height, his eyes rolling back into his head, and then his knees crumpled. The pretend Kandarian pleasure slave caught him under the arm, eyes wide.
The Metax blinked at Brody’s unconscious body slumped inside the airlock.
“Don’t just stand there. Drag him inside before he wakes.” I shrugged my pack off. I couldn’t believe that worked so well. I hoped I didn’t break anything. “Wait.” Searching the contents, I pulled out the Christmas book. “This is for him.” I opened his jumpsuit zipper and stuffed the book inside before closing it once more. My breaths came in ragged gasps.
“I—I’m sorry.” The Metax helped to lift Brody off the ground. “I’ll make sure he makes it safely.”
“There’s something you ought to know. A Ko got ahold of me earlier in the bowels of the station and I kicked his helmet off. He hit me hard.” I pointed to my split lip. “I spat my blood in his face.” I took a shaky breath as the words spilled out of me. Who knew how important this information could be? But other humans needed to know. “My blood burned his flesh. I watched it melt his skin.”
The Metax leaned toward me. “How did you escape them?”
“When the others found us, they were too busy killing the one who’d lost his helmet to pay me any mind as I ran. I’ve little learning when it comes to Ko except to run, but this seems important to me and I want it passed on.”
I sniffed and blinked away my dang tears. “Make sure Brody finds another mate too. He shouldn’t stay alone.” The tight knot in my chest made it hard to talk and I couldn’t stay another moment. I raced off the ramp and across the busy dock, the oversized cloak billowing around me like a dark cloud. I stopped behind one of the structural pillars and leaned against a wall to catch my breath. All these years, I’d thought I’d be the one bearing Brody’s babies. Some other lucky female would get that chance now. I wanted to buckle over and vomit. Why didn’t I listen to him? But no, I had to keep playing that dangerous game. Now, I’d paid the price for my stupidity and I’d have to find my own way off station.
All alone again. I could manage. I hoped…
The dock manifests were listed on screens high on the walls all around the ring. It listed where each ship was moored to the station and their scheduled departure time. As I read the one in front of me it updated the departure times. My nausea vanished. Every ship went on delay. The station hub wasn’t letting anyone leave. What in tarnation? Was something wrong with their systems? That didn’t bode well for crew tempers. It would, however, give me time to find a hole to climb into on someone else’s vessel. Scanning the list, my eyes focused on the live cargo ship, the one I had wanted to take to escape the station when the Ko first became aware of my true nature. I never had a chance to tell Brody about it. That was good in a way. If I succeeded, no one would suspect what happened to me and there wouldn’t be a trail to follow.
I wrapped the cloak tight around my face, but let it fall loose and shapeless around my body. Taking a deep breath, I tried to loosen the knots in my lungs. I didn’t have the leisure of mourning Brody. Not yet. Later, when I was relatively safe, I could fall to pieces.
No matter where I went on station, people would be searching, so it seemed best to travel quick and direct. The live cargo ship was berthed twelve moorings away. It wouldn’t take long to march there and find a secluded spot to watch the loading bay for a chance to sneak on.
Stowing away on a ship was a terrible way to travel, a last resort kind of deal, and it had been years since I’d attempted such a stupid stunt. However, a live cargo ship meant the hold would be pressurized and heated. After my ma was taken by the flesh dealers, hiding among cargo ships was my only mode of transport. I flitted between stations, working odd jobs, stealing or running when I had to. Sneaking onto a ship took skill and I was sorely out of practice.
The mixed crew gathered around a flock of beasts. Using sonic bursts, they tried to herd them in the hold. Idiots. It would only cause the animals to panic and scatter more. They’d do better using food to entice the poor things inside. I’d have to wait until the dock area was less crowded to sneak into a crate or among the herd. If my face hadn’t become so popular, I’d offer to help them out for cheap pay, and then disappear within the hold.
I leaned forw
ard as a loader drove a set of stacked wooden crates by the ship. Those boxes would be easy to pry open and could be filled with anything, like a human stowaway. I grinned and hid deeper inside the cloak. While the crew fussed over their animals, I would sneak inside one of those boxes. I took a step toward the ship when a familiar bald Kandarian male stepped in my line of sight.
He set his hands on his hips and glared directly at me. Stoffin, from the mining ship.
I backpedaled and hit the dock wall so hard my teeth snapped shut. Would he turn me in?
With long strides, he cornered me against the wall before my brain could decide what to do next. “You’ve been keeping secrets.”
“How did you recognize me?”
“We lived together long enough for me to spot your face in any disguise. Give me some credit.”
I hung my head. Exhaustion must have been stalking me, because when it pounced, it took me unawares. Fate wouldn’t let me escape and my desire to fight was fizzling away. “What are you going to do with me?”
“I’m going to keep you from making a huge mistake, is what. I’ve been hunting the docks for any sign of you or Brody ever since the vids posted your picture.” He clasped my face between his large hands. “I would have helped. Lucille, those Ko pulled me off planet from my family when I was little. I’d never help them. You been nothing but kind to me from the day we met. Is that why you and Brody left the ship this morning?”
“No, we just wanted to get away alone for a few days.” The lies came so naturally, even with the truth out about my nature, I’d never compromise the human transport ship. “I fucked up in a big way when we were in the marketplace.”
“So, you’re a human. I always thought your kind would be bigger.” He crossed his arms over his chest and eyed me. “Brody?”
I shook my head. “No.”
No Refuge (Known Universe) Page 4
