“They’re going to know you aren’t human,” Emerald said uncomfortably. “If it was only one of you, they might just think you were really big—but all of you?”
“Tell them we’re lost,” Koryn suggested. “Tell them we had to divert from a radiation storm and it damaged our systems.”
“We’ll have to fucking damage the systems!” Tariq growled.
“Maybe we should have considered this a little earlier?” Emerald said uneasily. “I honestly hadn’t thought about it being a problem, though, until we didn’t get hailed before. But they either didn’t have anything strong enough to pick up the signals, or, and this is the part that worries me, they think we might be a threat.”
“If they thought that, they would’ve already launched a ship to intercept!” Tariq pointed out.
“They have launched two,” Aeon offered helpfully.
“Shit!” Tariq snarled.
“Gods damn it!” Koryn seconded him.
“Tell them we’re lost and seeking asylum,” Tariq said abruptly. “We’ll think of an excuse to cover it before we land—or damage the fucking ship to cover the lie if we have to.” He glared at Koryn. “Take Emerald back to the lounge and see what the two of you can come up with that won’t involve fucking up what might be our only backup plan.”
Chastened, Emerald retreated with Koryn.
“If he hadn’t been so gods damned preoccupied with fucking he might have considered it before!” Koryn said loudly.
“And you weren’t preoccupied with fucking?” Tariq bellowed after them.
“It isn’t my job …!”
Emerald caught Koryn’s arm and tugged until he followed her to the lounge. “You’ve been saying for weeks that he wasn’t a lord anymore and he wasn’t in charge!” she reminded him irritably. “It isn’t going to help if you two start arguing again. The problem is all of ours!”
Koryn flushed, but he began pacing the lounge, his brow furrowed in thought. Abruptly, he halted and turned to look at her. “I’ve got it! We’re from a different universe and we got sucked through a black hole and ended up here and we can’t go back!”
Emerald frowned. “Is it possible to go through a black hole without getting crushed?”
Koryn stared at her. “Some of them—theoretically. If they’re small enough and the ship is well enough protected. Do you think they’ll know that?”
Emerald considered it. “If they don’t know the theory, they’ll just think it’s a lie.” She thought about options. “They’ll know I’m human. I think we need to focus on a story that will cover that.”
“We picked you up on Earth and decided to take you to your people!”
Emerald sent him a look. “Supposing they swallowed that, how are you going to explain a petition to become a colonist?”
He frowned at her. “I was never any good at lying.”
She smiled at him. “I know. I love that about you.”
He crossed the lounge and dragged close for a kiss. Unfortunately, Tariq arrived at the lounge about that time. “Can you get your mind off of fucking long enough to focus?”
“What did they say?” Emerald asked breathlessly when she’d pulled away from Koryn.
“They’re going to let us land,” Tariq said tightly. “But that’s only because they could see the ship is a yacht and not armed—nothing visible anyway. I don’t think they bought the story about us being lost. It’s gods damned hard to navigate a ship without a computer and nothing else would explain ‘lost’.”
“You should’ve just told them we were seeking asylum and that would’ve given us time to think of something before we landed!” Koryn said tightly. “Now we’re stuck with the ‘lost’ story!”
Tariq glared at him.
“You were the one that suggested it!” Emerald said irritably.
“We have agreed that we will claim that we rebelled and took you three captive,” Aeon said, joining them.
“No!” Emerald said immediately. “They might decide to imprison all of you for being rebels. It’s too dangerous. After all you’ve already done, we can’t ask you to do that!”
“And they might decide we’re the bad guys and throw us in prison!” Koryn added indignantly. “I don’t think I want to end up in another prison.”
Tariq studied all of them and finally shook his head. “I think we’re going to have to go with the truth and hope for the best.”
“I can’t help but notice you don’t look very hopeful,” Koryn said dryly.
Tariq shrugged. “They’re bound to think, whatever we say, that we brought trouble. We might have an advantage if they decide to imprison us until our pursuit catches up with us, though. They won’t know half of our group is androids and, hopefully, the prison won’t be strong enough to hold them. We’ll just have to play it as it unfolds. I don’t see any option—now.” He moved to Emerald and pulled her close. “Truthfully, I don’t think we could’ve come up with anything that wouldn’t be questioned. As Emerald pointed out, we’ll stand out as aliens among them and they’ll know by now that this is an alien craft.”
* * * *
Emerald was too anxious to appreciate her first view of the colony of Centaurian—not that there was much of a view from the back of a military transport. There was no longer any doubt in her mind, unfortunately, that the Centaurians viewed them as a threat—the Anunnaki, anyway. She’d grown accustomed to their size. She rarely thought about it anymore except when something happened to draw her attention to it.
The guards that had met them at the foot of the gangplank as they disembarked brought it sharply to mind, however. She wasn’t certain they’d even noticed her. They’d taken one look at Tariq and Koryn and visibly recoiled, holding their weapons far more threateningly. She didn’t think they’d felt any less threatened by the androids. Although they were noticeably shorter than the Anunnaki, they were still nearly a head taller than any of the soldiers that had met them.
She remembered thinking the first time she’d seen them that they had to be a race of giants. No doubt that was what was running through the minds of the soldiers and they weren’t happy about the possibility of having them as enemies.
They were taken to holding cells and told that they would be informed when the council was ready to review their ‘story’. Neither Tariq nor Koryn had said anything up until they were escorted to separate cells, but both balked at that. “She stays with us,” Tariq said implacably.
Emerald sent him a pleading look. “It’s alright, Tariq. I’ll be fine.”
“She’s breeding,” Koryn said tightly. “If you harm her ….”
The soldier in charge glanced from one to the other and finally studied Emerald. “She’s human.”
“I am,” Emerald said. “I was a soldier of the federation. We’re here because of me … because they wanted to protect me.”
The soldier looked at Tariq and Koryn skeptically. “You can explain everything to council. In the meantime, you’ll occupy separate cells.” He unbent slightly, however. “You won’t come to any harm. I’ll see to it.”
She glanced at Tariq and Koryn again. “I’ll be alright.”
She could tell they still wanted to argue, but Tariq, at least, seemed to realize that it was pointless and might create problems for them when cooperation might not. He nodded stiffly at the soldier and watched them as she was escorted to a cell and locked in. To her relief, Tariq and the others allowed themselves to be imprisoned without argument.
As soon as the majority of the soldiers had filed out, leaving a half a dozen within view to guard them, Tariq spoke to Koryn in their language—which she, unfortunately, didn’t understand any better than the guards.
“No talking!” one of the guards barked. “We’ll move you if necessary.”
Quiet fell over the building except for the occasional sounds of the soldiers as they shifted or coughed or spoke between themselves. Emerald turned finally to survey her cell and moved to the hard cot along one wall. After
examining it, she decided it was clean enough and sat down to wait.
Hours passed. Despite her anxiety, Emerald dozed off. She was roused a little later as food was brought around. It was pretty horrible stuff, but she nibbled at it and lay down again. The next time she woke, the artificial lights were off and sunlight was filtering into her cell through the small window in the door. Groggy, she wondered if it was the light that had awoken her for a moment before she realized that the sounds she heard were the rhythmic tramp of feet.
Realizing their escort had returned, she rubbed her eyes, smoothed her hair the best she could with her fingers and got up. A face appeared at the window of her cell. She recognized him as the solder who’d been in charge the night before. “The council has convened. We’re here to escort you and your party.”
Emerald nodded and stood waiting while the door was unlocked. She saw when she entered the corridor that the others had also been removed from their cells. They’d been placed in restraints and she felt her heart sink. Trying to tell herself as she was fitted with a pair of cuffs that they were merely being cautious, she fell in between Tariq and Koryn as they were escorted out and loaded onto the same transport, or one just like it.
She caught a glimpse of a crowd of gawkers as she climbed into the transport. Most of them were gaping at the Anunnaki, although she heard a woman’s voice speculate on her presence among them.
There was another crowd waiting when they were allowed out of the transport, larger than the first. Despite everything, Emerald couldn’t help but feel her spirits rise to see so many of her own people, all appearing strong and healthy and prosperous. The building they were escorted into was a boon to her spirits, as well. It was a large, well constructed building that had clearly stood for some time. She managed to catch a glimpse of the city as they reached the portico and pleasure filled her at the sight of it. It could’ve been most any small city on the Earth that she’d known. Her chest tightened with a sense of homecoming she hadn’t expected.
The hearing room inside was hardly vast, but it was a large room that also proclaimed Centaurian as a colony that had been well established.
They were escorted to the front, just beneath the dais where the council members sat.
She lifted her head to study them when she’d been seated, trying to decide from their expressions just how much trouble they were in.
The high councilor, a mature woman of indeterminate age, spoke first. “Which of you wishes to speak for your group?”
Tariq stood immediately.
Her brows rose almost to her hairline. “Where are you from?”
“Niribu.”
The woman stared at him hard for several moments, almost as if she was trying to place the name. “This isn’t one of the Earth colonies,” she said finally. “Not but what it’s clear you aren’t one of us.”
“We are called the Anunnaki.”
“And you are?”
“Lord Tariq.”
Surprise flickered in her eyes again. She leaned closer to one of the other councilors who spoke to her. “Since you aren’t from one of our colonies and we’ve never heard of Niribu, I’m assuming that you’ve traveled a great distance?”
Tariq nodded. “We have, Lady. We hope to become colonists of Centaurian.”
The councilor frowned. “I think we need to have a few questions answered before we get to that.”
“I will be happy to answer whatever I’m able to.”
“Who is the woman and why is she with you?” one of the other councilors asked abruptly. “She isn’t Anunnaki.”
“No. We took her from Earth.”
“And she led you here?” another councilor demanded, clearly angry.
“She did not. She didn’t know of this place. We found the information within the computer of one of those who attacked Earth.”
That caused a general commotion and not just among the councilors. The high councilor banged her gavel until the room quieted. “What attack?”
Tariq frowned. “It was long before we arrived. We hadn’t determined when it happened when we left Earth and returned to Niribu. All we know is that Earth was attacked and there were few survivors.”
“But the woman was one?” the high councilor asked sharply, an odd hitch in her voice. “Stand up and approach!”
Unnerved at the abrupt order, Emerald stood up, glanced at Tariq uneasily and then strode purposefully toward the dais.
The high councilor looked down at her, slowly rising from her seat. She’d turned so pale Emerald wondered for several moments if she was ill. “What’s your name?”
“Emerald.”
The woman swallowed convulsively several times. “Emerald?” she asked faintly.
“I was Corporal Emerald Johnson of the 11th Earth reserves battalion.”
The woman’s chin wobbled. “Mother?”
Emerald stared at the woman blankly for several moments, feeling as if the floor had fallen out from under her. She’d thought she was imagining things when she’d noticed the woman seemed familiar. “Cara?”
“Oh my god!” she exclaimed. “It is you!”
She pushed her chair out abruptly and raced toward the end of the council table. Emerald met her there, flinging her arms around her daughter and hugging her tightly. Both of them were sobbing so loudly that it wasn’t until they managed to compose themselves a little that they thought about the room filled with people.
Cara mopped her face with her hand and glanced around and then addressed the rest of the council. “It’s my mother! She was one of those who stayed behind to fight the invaders!”
Glancing distractedly at the others, she met Emerald’s gaze again. “Who are they?”
Emerald reddened. “Tariq and Koryn are my men. They rescued me and brought me here. The others are … their friends who helped us.”
Cara shook her head and turned to the council members again. “I’ll speak with her in my office.”
“What about them?” Emerald asked when Cara took her hand and tried to lead her away.
Cara looked at the men. “They’ll wait here until you’ve explained everything to me.” She hesitated. “Remove their restraints.”
Emerald threw Tariq and Koryn a reassuring glance as Cara led her from the hearing room through a door at the back the councilors used to access the room. As they made their way down the corridor outside, she studied Cara, as appalled to see her daughter was older than her as her daughter no doubt was.
It was unsettling, dismaying to think of all the years they’d missed even while it thrilled her to see her daughter when she’d never thought to see her again.
It was disturbing on another level, as well, she realized when Cara had dragged her into her office and caught her shoulders to study her face. “You look just like you did when I last saw you,” she said after a moment, wariness in her eyes now. “Tell me how that’s possible.”
Emerald swallowed with an effort, but there was no point in trying to lie. “I died there, Cara. They resurrected me.”
A look of horror crossed Cara’s features and then anger and disappointment. “You aren’t my mother!”
Emerald felt tears clog her throat. “I am your mother.”
“You’re a clone of my mother!” she said angrily.
“I know how everyone feels about cloning, Cara, but I am your mother. I’m not just a copy. I remember everything. I remember the way you looked the day I sent you away to protect you. I remember before that when you and I talked about coming here so long ago to become colonists. Please … don’t look at me like that when I’ve waited so long to see you again. I would never have had the chance if it wasn’t for them. The aliens overran us. They killed everyone they could find.”
Doubt flickered in her eyes. “How could you remember … any of those things?”
Emerald shook her head. “Don’t you see? I couldn’t if I wasn’t your mother. They could’ve simply cloned me and I would have been just a copy, but I’m not. I’m
Emerald. They resurrected me. I remember the day you were born. I remember your first tooth—your first crush. I remember the terrible argument we had when I told you I’d gotten a ticket for you. You begged me to stay. You threatened to run away.” She swallowed with an effort. “And I locked you in your room so you couldn’t.”
“I was so angry with you!” Cara said. “And angry with myself that I’d warned you.”
Emerald opened her arms hopefully. “I didn’t want to send you away, baby, but I wanted you to have a chance at a life and you didn’t have one there.”
Cara hesitated and embraced her again, weeping. “I want you to be my mother. I know you aren’t, but I want it to be so.”
Emerald stroked her hair, trying to sooth her as she had when she’d been little. “I feel like me. I couldn’t remember much at first and I was so afraid, but then the memories began to come back and … I felt them all. I didn’t just remember them as if they’d happened to someone else.” She leaned away after a moment to study her daughter’s face, saddened that they’d missed so many years. “Did you meet a nice young man? I never dreamed you’d become a high councilor! I had such hopes in sending you here, but I didn’t know you’d do so well!”
Cara chuckled abruptly. “Neither of us were terribly young by then. I kept waiting and hoping you’d come. Finally, I accepted that you wouldn’t and I started my family without you. I’ve got three children—and three grandchildren.” She shook her head. “You know what? I’ve just realized that I’ve got nothing to complain about! I’m glad they resurrected you and gave me the chance to see you again. I don’t care how it was done. I feel like I have my mother back and that’s all that matters.”
Emerald was so relieved she cried all over again. Finally, they both dried their eyes and settled to talk. Cara had barely been in her teens when she’d sent her away, though, and she was leery of how much her daughter might have changed over the years, so she was careful in explaining what had happened. Unfortunately, there was no way to avoid explaining why she’d been resurrected. She glossed over the slavery issue, however, and told her that a more powerful Anunnaki lord had decided to claim her and that Tariq and Koryn had decided to flee with her rather than lose her. It was close enough to the truth, she decided. No one needed to know that the Anunnaki thought that it was their right to enslave the human race and it wasn’t likely to win friends for any of them if it was known.
Deep Penetration; Alien Breeders I Page 31
