The return trip seemed to go by so much faster, even though Marthos was actually tenser than when they started out. Sending a small bubble of encrypted messages when they were ten verls from the ship, he hoped they would have enough time to complete the directives. He had alerted Loku that their mission was successful and that medical needed to be alerted to the little humans’ needs along with Kirrek, Darthos and the Princess. He had included the news of Jarrek’s capture and the directive given to him from Jarrek as regards Kirrek, Hailey and the Princess. He was sure that he would need help in keeping that promise.
“There is an incoming message for you, sir.” A voice said through the speaker of the comm, situated at the head of the table in front of Hailey. Looking down at the speaker, than up to Loku, she said, “Jarrek has been captured by Varill and is hurt pretty bad. Now his second in command, Lurzar or Lazur or whatever he’s called is hurting Jarrek for information on a female that our guys may have rescued, but they have hurt very badly.” Hailey blinked rapidly, coming out of the dual experience. It was going to take some getting used to, without making her want to hurl. It had made her a little dizzy.
Loku leaned over the table and pushed the response button. “Please send it to me here.” He commanded. Two seconds later a beep came through and Loku pressed a button and put the message on the big screen to the left of the table on the wall. They all read the contents quickly, and cheered for the successful retrieval of Kirrek, Darthos, and her daughter, who it shocked her, to realize was these men’s Princess. The condition of the woman shocked them all. Hailey was suddenly grateful that she was not awake or aware of what happened to her and felt horribly guilty that she had not suffered like this other woman. Which was silly, she thought to herself, but she felt it just the same.
Loku looked over at the older men seated at the table and thanked them for their service and then dismissed them. He then summoned his aid into the room and began issuing orders for medical to meet the incoming ship with three gurneys to transport the wounded and their best medical personnel to meet the ship to transfer the Princess to the suite set aside for her care. Second Senior Medical Doctor Krases B’el Whalekin would be overseeing every moment of her care as soon as she touched down. Not only was he an excellent medical healer, but Sameth had chosen him to study every single document that they had in the data chips for infants, women and embryonic development. He now possessed all the knowledge that they would need to keep the Princess alive until she could be born, and he would make sure, down to the cellular level that she was perfectly healthy. They were all terrified that the Krakill had managed to harm her somehow. It was something those evil bastards were certainly capable of. Every warrior was holding his breath and saying prayers to the Goddess to let her be healthy and strong.
“Would you like to go meet the ship?” Loku asked Hailey.
“No, I would like to speak to Sid for a moment and then you.” Hailey told him.
“Then if you will excuse me, I will call for refreshments and return.” Loku said and gave her a small bow with his hand over his heart.
“Sid, I know that you want to get to the ship or medical to meet and check on your man, but I want to ask about the message from Marthos. He has specifically said that these instructions come from Jarrek and outline that Kirrek is to take my daughter and me to your planet and she is to be taught what is needed to rule. Is this something that is necessary? Why will I not be able to take her home with me?” Hailey questioned Sidhawk as he had stepped into her confidant role and had been honest in all he said. He had taken the time to get to know her and let her get to know him. Jarrek hadn’t even done that. To be fair, they had been caught up in this mess, but still.
“Jarrek is your Corduva, and must make plans for every contingency, including his death. He is ensuring you are taken care of and that you have all you could possibly require. Of course you will have to come to our planet Hailey, do you keep forgetting that your daughter is a Princess and Jarrek’s heir? He is the next ruler of our planet. When he passes to the next plane, his daughter will rule after him. If he passes to the next plane before she has come of age, then Jarrek appoints a guardian to teach her how to rule the throne and takes care of that throne until she is of age to take over those duties. I am quite sure that you are part of that ruling body as you are his Princess now that you are bonded. Kirrek is his brother and can be trusted to rule for your daughter without trying to usurp her place, or yours.” Sidhawk explained as patiently as he could while inside he was ready to race off and kick Kirrek’s ass. He heartily approved of Jarrek’s provisions. It would force Kirrek to stop his rush towards death and keep him safe. Not that he wanted Jarrek to die. Goddess no, but perhaps he could order his brother to refrain from missions and help train his daughter. Sidhawk was tired of space. There was nothing to see, even when they found a trading post or moon to search and they could stretch their legs. Very few planets were capable of sustaining life, so there were not as many where they could spend a few weeks in the crisp air.
“Thanks Sid. You can go to Kirrek. Kick his ass sweetie. Doesn’t matter if he is hurting, kick him more. That way he can do all his healing at one time. I doubt you would go so far as to kill him, but he needs to see you fierce honey, or he will walk all over you.” Hailey told him, standing up to give him a gentle hug. She only reached his collarbone.
“You are a wonderful woman Hailey. Jarrek was really lucky that the Goddess gave him you.” Sidhawk said and kissed the top of her head.
Hailey blushed, but was pleased with the compliment. “I think we both got lucky. I hope you do as well, Sid. Don’t worry too much. I remember all that you told me about bonded couples and it will be all right.” She watched him walk out the doors to chase after his man. She hoped he did kick Kirrek.
“He is correct, you know. Jarrek did get lucky that the Goddess gave you to him.” Loku said from the opposite doorway, surprising Hailey.
“What? I thought I was Satan incarnate, or the great big evil, inconsiderate and uncouth.” Hailey replied, trying not to show her surprise at his watching her talk to Sidhawk.
“I was angry and panicked that my best friend of the last fourteen hundred years was inconsolable when you broke his heart. Jarrek was talking about killing himself or letting Varill kill him so that you could be free. I did not stop to consider your side. I did not care about your side. I only wanted to help my friend, and yes, my past lover. I am apologizing to you, that I did not stop to think of all that you had gone through. You have my most heartfelt apologies, my Queen.” Loku said in his most solemn tone and bowed deeply with his hand over his heart. He held that pose for a moment before straightening his spine.
“Look, Loku. I get it, really. I would have probably done the same thing if I were in your shoes. If my best friend came to me and cried on my shoulder, then I would rip the person to pieces. I wouldn’t care if it was her fault or his fault, or all a big misunderstanding. If she was crying and hurt then I would hurt him just because he made her cry. You basically did what I would do. It hurt. I cried and then I thought about it after I talked with the Goddess. We’re cool. No need to apologize, but I accept it and give my apologies to you. I am sorry Loku.” Hailey told him and then stepped closer to give him a big hug. Once she stepped back she looked up at him and said, “Let’s sit back down. You alien bastards are too tall for me to keep looking up, it hurts my neck. At least at the table it is a little better. I don’t feel as though I have to strain my neck to look at you.” Hailey sat down and continued.
“So Sidhawk explained to me exactly what a bonded couple can do for each other and I have a plan. I am quite sure you won’t like it, but I am telling you right now, this is how it will be. Your job will be to back me up. I am coming to you with this for two reasons. One, you are Jarrek’s best friend as we have already established. Second, because as you pointed out earlier, you are the Second in Command of this ship.” Hailey told him once he had seated himself across from her.
Hailey rolled her eyes at him. Men were the same everywhere it seemed. They really liked to puff out their chests and make big sweeping decrees. They were clueless. “I plan on using the bond to morph to Jarrek when he is close to death and morph him to safety.” Hailey new this would work. The only problem was that she was having a hard time not trying it now. She was here with Loku having this conversation, but also with Jarrek suffering unthinkable torture. She was trying to reassure him that it didn’t usually last long and then they would give him a break, but didn’t think that he cared. He kept trying to push her out so that she didn’t have to suffer with him. She pushed some of her own terrors at him, so that she could reassure him she knew of what she spoke. He only got angry and wanted to morph away so that he could seek revenge on her behalf. Then became even angrier when he realized the drug they had given him was still killing his ability to morph at all. “The problem I have and wanted to speak to you about are that the Krakill have found a way to prevent your kind from morphing. They have given Jarrek some kind of drug that burns his symbiot and has rendered him without his extra abilities. I need to know what kind of effect this will have on us when I try to save him.” Hailey asked coming back to herself again. She briefly wondered what she looked like when she was pushing stuff along the bond, then pushed it away. Too many things going on to let herself get sidetracked.
“Unknown. I do not think that it should be an issue, as if he is close to death, than as his bonded you can morph to him and morph him out. Unless they are right there to give you an injection within the three seconds that you are there, I do not see it as an issue.” Loku said after a moment to contemplate all the issues. That they had found a way to stop their morphing was the most horrifying fact. He wanted to start firing on the ship to wipe that information out of existence. Only Jarrek’s presence onboard stopped him from giving that order.
“Great. I was thinking along those lines as well. Now, how do we go about this? Sidhawk didn’t tell me how far I could morph to, when I went to his side and then morphed away. Can I morph from our ship to theirs without a problem? Can I morph back that far with Jarrek?” Hailey questioned and hoped for the best.
“No Hailey, that is too far. If you were on a planet, it would be possible to go from one side to the other without a problem as bonded couples are very strong together, but with his symbiot unable to morph at all, you would be doing it all under your own strength. There is just no way that a novice could do something like that. You do not even know how to morph.” Loku told her shaking his head almost before she finished the question.
“Well I was hoping for good news. So, how can I save Jarrek and get us back onboard before we blow the ship. We are running out of time. I feel it slipping with every minute that Jarrek is still in Varill’s hands.” Hailey was beginning to get scared that she had waited too long to get her head straight, but then took a deep breath and forced it away. Part of that was Jarrek freaking out at the idea of her anywhere near Varill. “Too freaking bad,” She pushed back towards Jarrek. He wasn’t in a position to deny her.
“Hurry Loku, I’m not kidding about time running out soon.” Hailey said again, feeling the dread balloon bigger in her stomach.
“Let’s get to the launch bay. We can get Bruthus to bring you back closer to Varill’s ship. I will send Marthos and Rometho with you to help you nurse Jarrek’s injuries while getting you back to the ship with all haste. Rometho can also calculate how far away you have to be before you blow the ship.”
Loku practically dragged her down the hall. She felt as though she was a stuffed toy he was pulling, just flopping along boneless. They reached the elevator and Loku called for landing bay twelve. Thirty seconds later the elevator open to many people shouting and moving around very quickly.
“What’s going on?” She was scared the Krakill was attacking them.
“This is just the typical chaos of a returning ship with injured men. That we have an injured woman, and the Princess on board that ship, well it is making all the men rush to get the ship docked correctly and the medical personnel ready to take their charges as soon as that is accomplished. Look to the left. They just finished backing into the bay. Now, they are ready to take charge of the injured. As soon as they complete that I will get them ready to head back out with you.” Loku had to speak up, before he was heard above the shouting of orders.
She watched as the back door lowered to the ground with a dull thunk, before it had completely touched the floor two men were jumping on board towards Sameth and his first patient. It was the other woman from earth.
Horrified by the condition of her body, she screamed up at Loku that the woman should be covered from the warriors’ eyes. She would not appreciate a bunch of men seeing her so vulnerable. She hated that a large group of them had seen her naked and vulnerable. That they had not looked at her differently did not matter. She thought that they had also kept their promise not to talk about it, but still that didn’t matter to the main issue of not wanting to be seen so vulnerable. No woman would want that. Sure, a lot of them were medical personnel and had to see the injuries to treat them, but the rest of these warriors did not need to see that poor woman like that.
Loku gave a loud whistle and told them to cover her up and just like that she was covered and they were rolling her away to the medical ward at top speed. Next were Kirrek and the other warrior with him. She wished she could remember the name that Marthos said in the message, but figured that if she was successful in rescuing Jarrek, she could meet him later, and if she failed then she would be in Hell and want to die, so it would be the last thought on her mind.
Sidhawk ran alongside Kirrek’s stretcher, cataloguing his injuries with his eyes, but keeping a tight grip on his hand. She knew that grip. It was the grip of a lover trying to keep the beloved tied to the plane of living. A grip that said he was not going to give up and let Kirrek succumb to his injuries. Hailey prayed she would be able to grip Jarrek like that. She was still going to kick his ass for being stupid.
The last group of medical personnel seemed to be the largest. Hailey began to move closer. She knew what this was going to be, her daughter. She was terrified and grateful that so many were there for her unborn child. Loku, sensing that she was overwhelmed with emotions, wrapped an arm around her to give her comfort. She took the warmth gratefully. She hoped that Jarrek was with her, watching as she got the first look of their daughter. The baby was growing rapidly, which scared her more than a little. She was technically only about three days conceived, but she looked as though she was closer to twenty-two weeks, or four and a half months along. When she had first seen the video from Mr. Stinky the baby had looked about eight, 9 weeks, or two months along. That had worried her, as she couldn’t fathom how so much time could have passed and her not be aware of it, but that she was a mom at all had filled her with love, panic and fear. Now she could hold this baby in the palm of her hand. She looked like a little miniature person. Just forming eyelashes and brows covered her face, and she was currently sucking her thumb and kicking her legs. You could see the vulva quite clearly. Holy moly this was real. She wished her mom could see this. “Loku, can you ask them to record everything? I want to be able to show my mom how she grew and developed. She would love to see this.” Hailey whispered to him while tracing the outside of the glass. She knew that time was running out for Jarrek, but looking at the daughter that while engineered from their genetic material, was awe-inspiring. She wished every mother could watch their child grow inside them like this. It was mesmerizing. She just wanted to sit and stare at the miracle of her child and watch her grow.
“Of course they will Hailey. Jarrek will wish to watch it as well do you not think? Let them take care of your daughter now, Hailey. I promise they will let no harm come to her. Once you rescue her Prati, he will want to see h
er. Come on, let them in.” Loku said while trying to steer her away.
She let her fingers fall from the glass and turned to the man in charge of her care. “Guard her well and record everything please.” She told him with tears in her eyes. She was not a mother in the typical sense where the baby was growing inside her, but she felt her daughter all the way to her soul.
Wiping the tears from her face, not ashamed in the least of her emotions for her child, she looked over to the remaining men on the ship. Bruthus, Marthos, Rometho and the twins Heathrick and Shemrick were all there looking back at her. She quickly stepped forward and told them the plan of what she and Loku thought to do. Bruthus turned and began charging the fuel so that they could be on their way as soon as possible.
Knight in Shining Alien?: Athrian Warriors Book One Page 15
