by Shae Mills
He winced. Annya was special; she was dedicated and loving, and she had come to fulfill him. But now he had to acknowledge what he had always kept hidden. Annya was not Chelan—not the woman who fascinated him, who challenged him at every turn, intellectually as well as emotionally. And to even compare them was so unfair that it made his guts writhe.
He stared at the rock for a moment and then let it drop, watching it as it rolled away. Then he looked down over the ships, realizing that he was doing the same thing to Chelan as he had just done to the stone, letting her slip away. Yes, he would push their relationship if he returned to the Empire, inevitably; and yes, he knew she would relent, eventually. But he also knew that interaction with Chelan would destroy Annya. She was just like Chelan in that regard. She was not an emotionally hardened Iceanean woman, raised in a sexually permissive society. And on top of that, he was Annya’s world, her only world. Chelan had Korba now, and in the past she had also possessed Dar. But Fremma had accepted his new people’s mores, married Annya, and pledged his fidelity. She did not have anyone else, and he was bound.
Suddenly, as if struck, he hunched over in agony. It had been so easy back then, when he first took Annya as his own. Chelan was forever lost. But now...
He struggled to catch his breath and then raised his head and stared out over the land, his thoughts in chaos as his emotions roiled. He realized he was giving up the life he had been trained for to avoid hurting Annya; his inability to shake Chelan from his desires would be his downfall. But it had to be this way. He had once devastated Chelan by taking someone else. He could not do that to another woman—not to his wife. And the only way to ensure that that never happened was to avert temptation, to stay away from Chelan... completely.
The ships began to rise, and he pushed to his feet, his torment persisting. As soon as he had kissed Chelan earlier, his passion had been unleashed. To stay and say good-bye, once and for all, this time by choice, he had not been able face. He had headed into mountains at a fast sprint, determined to run until he collapsed from exhaustion in an attempt to burn away all that plagued him. And as he had dropped to his knees on this peak, he had realized a simple truth: he could never run away from her wholly. The Empress was indelibly etched in his being to the depths of his soul, and the only way he could escape her was to stay away, forever.
He watched as the ebony birds of prey pointed toward the heavens, and within a blink of the eye, they were gone. She... was gone... and he was Droth Los once more.
THE MOMENT CHELAN HIT RIBUS 1, she was off to be with Jason and Shanna. Hugging her children grounded her, imbued her with happiness, and took away all her troubles. And for the next three days, she never left their company.
RIBUS 1 stayed within the Taunton Cluster until Terig was finished looking over assay reports from mines on Rake. Reports from other high-production mines around the sector were also sent for his consideration, but after his preliminary recommendations were put forth, the rest of the operations were turned over to Korba’s men. When the man of Earth was finally on board RIBUS 1, the battleship was ready for her journey back to RIBUS 7.
Chelan was on the Bridge with Korba and Stose as the giant ship made the jump to hyperspace. But as with the trip to Rake, Chelan was fine, with no ill effects from the transition, and so the mystery surrounding her one serious reaction remained. Hopefully, it was an anomaly that would never occur again, but Korba was taking no chances.
When all was well, Stose took his leave, and Chelan watched as Rake’s solar system became but a distant blip and then vanished. She straightened and took a deep breath as grim reality hit. Fremma was forever gone.
AS THE WEEKS PASSED, Chelan immersed herself in her two greatest gifts in life: her children and her mate. And any spare time she had, she spent it with Terig and Salinger, poring over the endless data reports on RIBUS 7.
Korba, on the other hand, in addition to running the entire Empire from the decks of RIBUS 1, was spending his time slogging through reports on Zenatropium shipments that spanned the time from when Talon first appeared on the Empire’s doorstep to the present. Frustratingly, nothing solved the mystery of the material on RIBUS 7.
Chelan leaned over him one day, her hands on his shoulders as she massaged the tension from them. “You know, you should let this go.”
“Why is that?”
“Because we both know that the amount of Zenatropium needed for what was done to RIBUS 7 was minuscule. Whoever procured the mineral could have simply stolen it from one of the planets, or bribed officials.”
“True, but there is still the issue of the manufacturing of the alloy and the fabrication of the pieces.”
Chelan sat down. “Maybe we have been looking at that from the wrong perspective too.”
Korba sat back. “What do you mean?”
“I suspect that whoever was lurking on our ship had above-average intelligence. Why have the alloy and all the casings manufactured somewhere and dragged to RIBUS 7 in what would have taken a rather huge freighter—well, several of them—to get it there? All the RIBUSes have full manufacturing facilities. Why not do the manufacturing on board?”
“That would take manpower.”
“It would if the construction had to be done immediately. Whoever it was had a lifetime to work on it—one small clandestine trip to Rake or any other of the planets there, one small shipment of Zenatropium delivered to RIBUS 7’s decks, and a whole lot of time to get into the fabricating business.”
Korba jumped to his feet. He pressed and intercom button. “Get Ilan or Zane on.”
“Yes, my Lord,” came the voice.
Korba began pacing. Then Ilan spoke. “Commander. I did not expect to hear from you so soon. I hope all is well?”
“All is fine. We will be back soon. But in the meantime, there is something you can do for me.”
“Yes, my Lord?”
“I want what manufacturing facilities on RIBUS 7 were not destroyed to be scoured for trace amounts of Zenatropium. Check the manufacturing tools, the floor, the filters—check everything.”
“Yes, Sire. You suspect the alloy and the tubing were produced on board her?”
Korba looked at Chelan as he spoke. “I have no idea at the moment. But if it is present, that is one more indication that our wayward visitors on the ship had an intimate knowledge of her and all her capabilities. It also means we can give up the quest to find a terrestrial manufacturing facility, and therefore concentrate on what we find on RIBUS 7 as a lead to the identity of our guests.”
“I will get on it right away, Commander. I will report everything as soon as I know it.”
Korba hit the switch off and then leaned over Chelan and kissed her. “I knew there was a reason I was fascinated by you right from the start.”
Chelan grinned. “It was my looks, and don’t you dare deny it.”
Korba smiled. “So true, but my infatuation became far deeper very fast for a different reason.”
“You wanted to break a virgin?”
Korba burst out laughing. Then he raised his brows. “God, no. I did that enough in my years of tutoring. That process was definitely not the highlight of my sexual experiences.” Then he frowned at her. “And initiating you, as I recall, did not go as planned either.”
Chelan shrugged. “You were procrastinating. I hastened things along a bit.”
“And damaged yourself in the process.”
Chelan watched as he sat in the main command chair. She stood and then slithered into his lap. “I have zero regrets.” And she licked his lips seductively.
He grinned as his hands went around her waist. “You know that you ruined my record for the most bloodless initiations ever recorded.”
Chelan reached under his shroud seeking his ready maleness. “I do not think I actually counted in that tally. I am not Iceanean.”
Korba smoothed his hands up over her breasts. “True. So maybe my record is intact. You were, however, my last virgin.”
Ch
elan smiled as she released him from his pants and stroked him. “Disappointed, my Lord?”
Korba lifted her effortlessly and settled her down over him. “Not a chance.”
The intercom buzzed and Korba hesitated, unwilling to interrupt his time with Chelan, but he dared not ignore it. He reached for the console and hit a switch, not bothering to look where the communiqué was coming from. “Yes, what is it?”
“Ilan here, my Lord.”
Chelan slid off Korba as he rose to his feet. “Continue,” he ordered.
“I know you just made the request, my Lord, but because we knew what to look for, it did not take long to find traces of the mineral throughout the largest manufacturing area still able to function.”
Korba stared at Chelan as he spoke. “The plot thickens.”
Ilan continued. “As soon as the crew found the first trace, I ordered all logs to be searched to see if we could tell when the machinery was last used and to what extent. But it seems those logs have been obliterated.”
Chelan looked at Korba. “Why would someone take the time to erase the machine logs but not take the time to clean up the Zenatropium?”
A chill ran down Korba’s spine. “Because disabling the recording devices is easy. Cleaning up is time-consuming.”
Chelan watched her mate closely. “And?”
Korba took a deep breath. “And it could also mean that our ghost was in the manufacturing business right up until we arrived. He, she, or it did not have time to clean up.”
Ilan spoke. “I agree. But we have known for quite some time that no one else is on board. Our mystery being is gone.”
Korba’s eyes narrowed. “Do not be so sure,” he uttered quietly.
“Your orders, Sire?”
“Keep all operations on schedule. Make sure security is alerted. I want no chances taken. Have a crew do an in-depth analysis of the residue—where it is and in what concentrations. Check all the filters. See if they have been replaced or cleaned. Do whatever you can to pinpoint the last time anything was used. And check all other manufacturing facilities on the ship with the same degree of diligence.”
“Yes, Sire.” And the connection was severed.
Chelan wrung her hands together. “Oh my god. Whoever was on our ship is pretty talented.”
Korba’s jaw clenched. “True. Now to narrow the possibilities as to the identity of our interloper.”
“You think it is a single being?”
“I have no idea, but before that ship leaves this part of space, I am going to find out all. I am not dragging that hulk back to Iceanea with an alien presence on board her or anywhere near us. Whoever did all that work is indeed erudite and talented. Armed with the knowledge of the Zenatropium shielding capabilities, they could be right on the periphery of this operation watching all. And with what the Troke did with their clothing, they could even be on board. And worst yet, we still do not know their ultimate purpose?”
Chelan suddenly felt a stab of panic. “You think they are waiting for the perfect opportunity to take you out?”
“I exclude nothing from the realm of possibility. But in truth, I do not believe that to be so.”
“Why not? Like on Rake, you and I are both here—the children, all the high-ranking officers... We are all in one spot.”
“Anyone wanting to take us out on this ship only had to outfit a few fighters with a cloaking ability to attempt that. To spend years repairing parts of RIBUS 7 makes no sense if assassinating me or you was their goal.”
Chelan realized she had been holding her breath, and she finally took in a lung full of air, relief washing over her. “Okay. Then all is relatively well.”
Korba grunted. “Until the mystery is solved, nothing is well. Extra precautions will be taken from this point on.”
Chelan nodded. “I understand completely.”
OVER THE COMING WEEKS, Chelan spent what little time away from the children she had studying the progress information on RIBUS 7. The battleship was coming along splendidly. Three of the eight engine rooms were now functioning. Just three more and she could make the jump to near-light speed with another RIBUS guiding her.
She sat in the private Command Center this morning staring at the screens before her, her mind churning. Back on Earth, something she could not explain had pulled at her, urging her to seek RIBUS 7. She had thought it was Fremma’s spirit, or some cosmic transference thereof, but that no longer made any sense. Fremma was alive.
She rubbed at her eyes and then looked back at the screen. So maybe it was the ship itself that had been beckoning to her—and while on her decks that single time Korba had allowed her there, she could definitely feel something else—but again, nothing made sense. Dar had once felt a bit of what gnawed at her while on Earth, and even Korba had. Yet at times she felt like she was losing her mind. She needed to get on board RIBUS 7 again and try to figure everything out, put all the pieces of the puzzle together. But with the discovery of the Zenatropium in the one manufacturing facility, that was even more unlikely.
She sat back in her chair and sighed. Her time with Fremma on Rake had been so short and so infused with shock and confusion, it had not even entered her mind to ask him his opinion on the strange phenomena that still tugged at her relentlessly. But her one chance was now lost. Though she was well aware that she could contact him through the Empire’s communication systems, she knew that was not prudent given the situation. He wanted to free himself from her, and it was best for all concerned that he did.
She spun around in her chair just as Korba and Terig walked into the Center, her quandary interrupted. “Well, anything new?” she asked.
Terig smiled. “Actually, there is!”
Chelan sat forward and looked at him quizzically.
He grinned as he sat down. “While we were gone, the Iceaneans managed to get my entire estate cleared of all that dreaded sand. The old homestead is back to her former glory, at least until the next storm.”
Chelan smiled. “That is truly wonderful, but you know what I meant.”
Korba chuckled and sat as well. “Actually, all the reports pertaining to RIBUS 7 are almost on the boring side of things right now. Progress is being made on all fronts. A massive contingent of transports has arrived, carrying a myriad of panels that will be fused into position on some of the more important external breaches. That way there will be less damage to her internal structures from any space debris while en route to home. Plus, it will seal many more areas that need to be worked on while in transit.”
Chelan’s eyes widened. “That is a colossal undertaking in and of itself.”
Korba nodded. “It is, but necessary. As always, we will work only on the most important areas, with the hope she can limp home. Once she is in a dry dock there, then the real work begins.”
Chelan nodded to the two men. “Uh, so, has anyone given any further consideration to my request to board her once more?”
Korba stared at her, his eyes hardening. But before he could speak, she did. “Look, work has been going on now for months without incident. The decks are as safe as they are going to be until we get her to Iceanea. The mystery area is clear and remains so. Zane and Ilan have kept track of every ship, no matter how large or small, entering and leaving her decks. I just need an hour... one short Earth hour. You let me do this, and I will forever behave myself.”
Terig watched Korba carefully, bracing himself for the rebuttal.
Korba studied her. “Somehow I have the feeling that if I do not relent, you will end up hounding Terig until, in an act of self-preservation, he obeys you.”
Terig remained stone still, trying desperately not to reveal anything, but Korba’s lips quirked. “Nice try, my man. I know now she has already tried to procure your services.”
Terig straightened. “My Lord—"
Chelan spoke in a hurry. “I did try, well before we left, and he warned me, as did you, that it was not a good idea. But now many more months of work have been poured
into the ship.” Chelan pointed to the main screen and nodded toward it. “Look at her. She looks like an animal being swarmed by insects. So much has been repaired.”
Korba rubbed at his jaw. “How about you board her when we reach Iceanea?”
Chelan froze. “Then it will be too late,” she whispered.
Terig and Korba stared at her. Korba’s eyes narrowed. “Too late for what?”
Chelan sighed. “I honestly do not know. You both know I felt something back on Earth. And you did find the ship, and now we are here, but I still feel a pull. Maybe I can figure it out if I go to her, maybe not. But the mystery surrounding the Zenatropium repairs seems integral to the whole baffling situation. And since the repairs were done here, I feel it is important that I go to the ship while she is still here. That is all.”
Korba and Terig looked at one another, and then Korba folded his hands in his lap and settled back. “Okay. I give in. One trip, one hour, no more. And only to the Command Center.”
Chelan was temporarily gobsmacked by his capitulation, and she leapt at him, landing in his lap so hard she temporarily knocked the wind out of him. “Oh, thank you, my Lord. You will not regret this.”
Korba hugged her back. “Do not do anything that causes me to regret this decision. If you do, I will send you down to Terig’s castle for the duration of this work, and you will be chained to a wall in his dungeon.”
Chelan swung around in Korba’s lap and looked at Terig with wide eyes. “You have a dungeon?”
Terig grinned and nodded, switching to English with a perfect Scottish burr. “Aye, I do. I never took you there, but chaining you to my walls would be pleasurable indeed.”
Chelan huffed. “Ye are a cur.”
Terig laughed. “Ye had better obey his Lordship, er ye are mine, lass, to punish as I deem fit.”
Chelan smiled and switched back to Iceanean. “Deal. So, when do we leave for RIBUS 7?”
“Not so fast,” Korba rumbled. “I want a few other things dealt with first.”
