If you only knew. “I got … lost in the engine room.”
“Your cheeks are bright red.”
“I’m a bit frazzled.”
“Your hair is particularly unkempt.”
Eris scowled at him. “What are you, the Spanish Inquisition?”
Miguri jumped to his feet, pointing the spoon at her. “You were dallying with the Rakorsian!”
“I was doing no such thing!”
“I warned you this would happen! He lured you in, seduced you, and bedded you, just as I feared!”
“No one bedded me!” Eris shouted. “And even if they did, it’s none of your business! Thanks so much for hovering over me like a mother hen, but I can make my own decisions!”
Miguri’s hair was spiky with alarm. “Eris, you must listen to me. I know you think he is a decent being, but you have to understand that he is a Rakorsian, and Rakorsians—”
“—are like rabid dogs that will turn on you when you least expect it,” Eris finished for him. “But Varrin’s different, Miguri! You said yourself that he’s a rebel or something against his species.”
“I meant it sarcastically!” Miguri trilled. “The idea of a good Rakorsian is absurd, rebel to his kind or not. All Rakorsians are aggressive, cruel, and entirely self-centered.”
“Varrin is not like that!” Eris snapped. “He’s kind, and helpful, and sweet, and you have no right to be so biased against him when he saved your life! And anyway, you’re blowing this way out of proportion, because I only kissed him.”
“Only kissed him? Only?” Miguri said. “Among my kind—” He stopped, and then shrugged. “Ah, well, different species, different rituals, I suppose. As long as you did not get hurt.” Miguri dug the last few spoonfuls from the can and then stood up. “If you will excuse me, I think I will rest again. The events of the last few days have drained my energy.”
As soon as Miguri left, Eris collapsed into the nearest chair. I don’t understand why Miguri is getting his tail all in a knot. Varrin has been a perfect gentleman, even counting our little encounter just now.
The sound of booted footsteps broke her reverie. Varrin strode into the rec room looking annoyed. “There’s been a change of plans,” he announced. “I was just contacted by my superior at IFTAP. They’re refusing to pay me a bonus for rescuing you and the rodent so efficiently.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Eris said sincerely, “but why does that change our plans?”
“Because right before the Minister vid-called, I was contacted by an agent who offered to pay me double if I handed you over to her instead of IFTAP.”
“I still don’t understand. What’s the problem?”
Varrin moved casually toward her. Eris hoped he was planning on kissing her again. Instead, he grabbed her arm and pulled her toward the door.
“What are you doing?” Eris demanded.
“Just putting you somewhere safe to keep you out of trouble for the next few days,” the Rakorsian replied. “My finder’s fee drops if I deliver damaged goods.”
Eris was aghast. “You can’t be serious.”
“Business is business, terrestrial. It’s nothing personal. And thirty thousand tetras is a lot of money. I could buy the Nonconformity a new plasma cannon with that.”
Eris tried to keep her voice steady. “You aren’t seriously considering selling me out to the highest bidder, are you? What about—you know, you and me?” A wave of panic swept over her. “How can you do this? What happened to being my knight in shining armor?”
“My armor is matte black,” Varrin said.
As her rescuer-turned-betrayer pulled her toward the guest cabin, Eris was feeling disgusted with herself. Figures, she thought. The first attractive, interested guy I meet, and he turns out to be a greedy, untrustworthy bastard.
When they entered the cabin, they found Miguri lounging on the top bunk. Seeing Eris’s furious expression, he sighed and said, “Has the Rakorsian betrayed us already?”
Ignoring the Claktill, Varrin released Eris and turned to leave.
“Wait,” Miguri said, sitting up and fixing their captor with a stern glare. “Who are you selling us to, Rakorsian?”
“An agent from Chakra Corporation,” Varrin replied. “She offered me a nice sum—apparently terrestrials are in high demand these days. I doubt they actually want you, of course, but I threw you in for free. I have no use for a Claktill.”
“You—” Miguri began.
“When you sold us out,” Eris interrupted, “was that before or after our encounter in the engine room?”
“After.”
“Well, at least that’s something.”
Varrin winked at her.
But Eris refused to fall for his act a second time. “And this Chakra Corporation? No, wait, don’t tell me. It’s some pan-galactic industrial giant that enslaves minorities and forces them to work in hazardous factories and mines.”
Miguri looked impressed. “Good guess.”
“Why do they even want a human? What use would I be?”
“I don’t know.” Varrin shrugged. “It’s more likely they want you for one of their other divisions. They must need you for something, considering the amount of tetras they’re willing to fork over.”
The last wisps of affection that Eris had felt growing for the handsome Rakorsian faded in that instant, replaced by a blossoming hatred. “I can’t believe I trusted you.”
“Don’t take it too hard,” Varrin said. “I’ve yet to meet a woman who can resist my considerable charms. You never stood a chance.”
Eris opened her mouth to deny his words, but he continued before she could speak. “Anyway,” he said, “we’re meeting the agent on Alpha Centauri in a few days, so you’ll have plenty of time to get used to the idea.” He stepped out of the room. “Enjoy your stay.” A thick steel door slammed shut behind him.
“I believe this is not the first time he has kept passengers against their will,” Miguri observed, eyeing the heavy door.
Eris collapsed onto her bed. “Oh, just say it. I know you want to.”
“Say what?” Miguri asked, climbing down from his bunk. “That I am infuriated about our second imprisonment at the hands of a being who I have cautioned you cannot be trusted?”
“On Earth we just say, ‘I told you so,’” Eris mumbled. “Oh, Miguri, I’m sorry! I feel like such an idiot.”
“You are young,” Miguri said as if that explained everything.
Eris continued to ramble, not really hearing him. “I’m not the type of girl who goes around making out with random strangers. But Varrin … he noticed me, you know? I felt somehow that we—I don’t know. Connected.”
“And he saved you from the Ssrisk.”
“Exactly! Look, I know you warned me, but … he was so perfect. Every girl’s dream come true.” She scowled. “I was such a fool to trust him.”
Miguri patted her hand. “I have made worse mistakes than this, my friend. Do not blame yourself for our situation. It would have happened regardless. Naïveté is not a crime. Well, it is a crime on Koralis 5, but they also outlawed eating after noon, so I think we shall discount their opinion.”
“I really wish I’d skipped class that morning,” Eris murmured.
The Claktill patted her hand once more. “Do not give in to despair. It will take us several days to get to Alpha Centauri, and anything can happen in that time. There is always cause for hope.”
Lying back on her bed, Eris laced her fingers behind her head and stared up at the bottom of Miguri’s bunk. They were in an inescapable room with a captain who, despite his good looks and charming mannerisms, was in fact a horribly immoral being. He was taking them to Alpha Centauri to sell them to a faceless megacorporation, and there was precious little they could do about it. If there was cause for hope, Eris couldn’t see it.
A few hours later, Miguri had a troubling revelation. “Chakra Corporation is primarily a mining firm,” he told Eris, “but they also have medical and phar
maceutical divisions. They are always looking for new life forms to experiment on.”
“You think they’ll make us lab rats?” Eris demanded, horrified.
“What is a lab rat?”
“You know, like a guinea pig.”
“I still do not understand. Perhaps my lamri is malfunctioning.”
“I mean, it’s someone that gets experimented on against their will.”
Miguri’s hair drooped as a shadow of understanding crossed his face. “Then I am sorry to say so, but yes, it is likely.”
“But I thought the Tetrarchy doesn’t allow anyone to interfere with terrestrials! Chakra Corporation sounds like a big company. How can they get away with something like this?”
“The Tetrarchy is only concerned about exposing planet-locked species to spaceflight technology before they are capable of it themselves. It is illegal to abduct a terrestrial from their home planet, but only because of the danger of contamination.”
“So if it’s against the law, then the Tetrarchy must track down kidnappers and rescue the people who are abducted, right?”
Miguri shook his head. “Sadly, no. Were that the case, you would not be in this situation. Once a terrestrial has been abducted and sold off-planet, the Tetrarchy does not bother to track down and prosecute the abductors.”
“Wait,” Eris interrupted. “That makes no sense. So it’s illegal to kidnap terrestrials, but once you do, there’s no punishment?”
“There is a punishment for being caught in the act of kidnapping,” Miguri corrected, “but once the abduction has occurred, the government does not interfere.”
“That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.”
“Tetrarchy policies often leave something to be desired,” Miguri agreed. “The government does not care what happens to individual terrestrials, because they are not citizens of the Tetrarchy. They have no identification numbers, thus no rights. If they are bought by someone, then they are—”
“Just property,” Eris realized. “That’s absolutely—”
“Terrible?”
Eris shook her head. “I was going to say familiar.”
The Claktill’s hair shot up, and his tail began to twitch. “Humans have been enslaved before? I had no idea!”
“Not quite. We kind of enslaved each other, actually.”
Miguri looked disgusted. Eris didn’t blame him. She felt the same way.
They heard the sound of approaching footsteps.
“He’s coming!” Eris exclaimed. “What do we do?”
“Act docile,” Miguri whispered. “He will think we are no threat and might let down his guard.”
“But we are no threat!”
“Shhh!”
The door slid open to reveal the black-clad Rakorsian with a tray of food in one hand and a striker dangling casually from the other. He placed the tray on Miguri’s bunk.
“Thank you,” Eris said tonelessly, restraining the urge to pick up a bowl and throw it at him. Stick to the plan, Eris.
“Thank you,” Miguri echoed, his face impassive.
Varrin cocked his shaggy-haired head. “To be honest, I was expecting more of an attitude from you two.”
“We’ve thought it over,” Eris said in what she hoped was a defeated voice. “We’ve realized you’re only doing what’s right by you.”
“It is not like fighting will get us anywhere,” Miguri added placidly.
Varrin gave them a piercing look. “I suppose if you aren’t going to cause me trouble, I could let you back out into the main part of the ship. It would save me having to deal with your meals and cleanser breaks.”
Eris barely managed to hide her look of triumph.
The Rakorsian continued. “As long as you swear to stay in the areas I assign you …”
Hook, line, and sinker, Eris thought gleefully. Then I’ll zap him with his striker while he’s sleeping, and we’re home free.
Varrin chuckled. “Or I could do the intelligent thing and keep the pair of you locked up where you can’t sabotage me or my ship.”
The two captives’ faces fell.
“But you just—” Eris began.
Varrin tapped his ear with his index finger. “Genetically enhanced hearing. I heard your little escape plan.” He smirked. “Nice try.”
As Varrin turned to leave, Miguri suddenly jumped from his bunk and darted toward the open door. The Rakorsian shot out a hand, seized the Claktill by the back of his tunic, and lifted him several feet off the floor. “Where do you think you’re going, rat?”
Miguri sank his razor sharp teeth into Varrin’s little finger. “Shiro ma rasht!” Varrin cursed, dropping the Claktill and clutching his bleeding hand. Miguri scampered across the room and back up onto his bunk, where he tried to hide behind his pillow.
Fearing for Miguri and expecting the worst, Eris stood to intercept Varrin before he could go after his assailant. But Varrin merely stood in the doorway, glaring at the Claktill. “That was uncalled for, rat,” he said coldly. “Luckily for you, I don’t believe in attacking those weaker than me. And you’re about as weak as they come. Enjoy your meal.”
He left the cabin, closing the door firmly behind him.
Eris groaned. She walked to Miguri’s bunk and rested her arms on the edge of his mattress. “Oh, Miguri! Why didn’t I listen to you? Why did I trust him? How could he turn on us like this?” She put her head down on her crossed arms and sighed.
“He is Rakorsian,” Miguri said. “Get some sleep, my friend. Alpha Centauri is only a few days’ travel from here.”
“Do you think we’ll be able to escape once we get there?”
The Claktill smiled encouragingly. “I have lived a very long time, Eris, and I have been in worse situations than this. Do not worry. We will persevere.”
Eris was overwhelmed with affection for her little friend. Reaching up, she grabbed Miguri from the bunk and then twirled around while hugging him.
“Your species displays an excess of emotions,” the tiny alien mumbled when she released him. “Yet not in an unpleasant manner.”
Eris sat back down on her bunk. “Emotions. Yeah.” Stretching out on the bed, she closed her eyes and pictured the arrogant, traitorous, gorgeous Rakorsian. “That’s what’s been getting me into trouble.”
11
Three days later, they were orbiting Alpha Centauri Prime.
Varrin arrived at the guest quarters carrying two sets of what looked vaguely like handcuffs. “How are my two favorite prisoners today?” he said cheerily. He tossed each prisoner a set of handcuffs. “Put those on,” he added and swept from the room.
“He can’t be serious,” Eris said, throwing her set to the floor disdainfully. “I am in protest here. If he wants me to wear these handcuffs, he’ll have to wrestle them on me himself.”
“They are binders,” Miguri corrected, donning his set. “And I suggest we do as he says. I do not particularly enjoy being manhandled by revolting turncoats, and I doubt you do either.”
“Yeah, I guess.” She sighed. “You know, as soon as I get the chance, I’m going to sock that arrogant bastard right in the nose. I think I’d enjoy that very much.”
Miguri eyed her with concern. “I sympathize with your hatred for the Rakorsian, but I do not believe that would end well for you.”
“Don’t worry, I wouldn’t actually try it. I just—I want him to learn how it feels, you know? Give him a taste of the hurt he’s causing us. I doubt I could hurt his feelings, so punching him will have to do.”
“You must pick your battles, my friend. We are at the Rakorsian’s mercy, and there is nothing we can do about it.”
“Except bite him.”
Miguri looked sheepish. “Perhaps not my wisest decision, I admit.”
The cabin door slid open, and Varrin walked in. He spotted Eris’s binders on the floor. “Still angry? It’s been three days, terrestrial. Get over it.”
Eris picked up the binders and threw them at Varrin’s head. Grab
bing them out of the air, he shot her an amused look. “Nice try. I like feistiness in a woman.”
“Go to hell,” she snarled.
“Don’t be so stubborn,” Varrin said and then moved to her side so quickly she didn’t have time to react. Grabbing her hands, he clamped the binders onto her wrists. “Come with me. I have a ship to land, and I need to be sure you’re safely stowed.”
He herded them into the rec room, strapped them firmly into seats, and then disappeared toward the cockpit.
“I swear,” Eris muttered, “just give me one minute alone with him and a striker … I mean, where does he get off treating us like dirt?”
The intercom beeped. “Stop complaining, girl. You’re making my head hurt,” Varrin said through the speaker.
“Oh, shut up and just fly the damn ship!” she shouted in the general direction of the cockpit.
“Such cruel words!”
Eris could tell from the tone of Varrin’s voice that he was probably enjoying himself immensely and entirely at her expense.
“I’ll say whatever I like, slaver,” Eris retorted.
“Businessman,” Varrin corrected.
“Traitor.”
“Opportunist.”
“Deceiver.”
“You’re the one who’s a bad judge of character.”
“Yeah, well …” Unable to think of a good response, Eris settled for glaring at the intercom. She tried to cross her arms but had forgotten she was wearing binders on her wrists. To her dismay, the binders emitted a salvo of electric sparks when she moved her hands apart.
“Ow!” she yelped. “That hurt!”
“Those are Vekrori binders. They have a default minimum shock setting,” Varrin said. “You’ll just have to deal with it.”
“Gee, thanks for the warning,” Eris fumed.
The ship descended toward Alpha Centauri Prime. As they broke through the cloud cover, the planet spread out below them like a brilliant emerald and sapphire blanket. It looks just like Earth, Eris thought.
They flew over golden plains, craggy mountain ranges, and glittering watery expanses. It’s beautiful, she thought. Except … “What are those?” she asked as they passed over an immense tract of land crisscrossed with wide strips of a glowing white substance.
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