Talia Jager

by Without Hesitation

  Pain shot through my body. “Ah!”

  “What is it?” the empress asked.

  I pulled up my shirt. Something was sticking out of my side. Metal of some sort, from whatever had blown up.

  “Shit,” she swore, examining the wound.

  Another explosion—smaller this time—came from down the corridor. “Can you keep going? We have to go.”

  “Yes.” I would push through the pain. I had no choice.

  As quick as we could, we hurried down the hall.

  “What happened?” I asked.

  “An attack.”

  “I got that much. Do you know who? Or why?”

  “No. It came out of nowhere.”

  “How many are down?”

  “Most? All? I don’t know. We can talk later. Right now we have to get to my ship.” Just as the words came out of her mouth, more explosions went off and her face went ghostly pale.

  Following her gaze, I realized the urgency of the situation we were in. The ships were blowing up—one by one.

  There were shouts coming from behind us. I didn’t know if they were friend or foe. We needed to get out of there. I glanced at the Empress and saw a few tears slide down her face, though she didn’t make a sound.

  “We’ve got to go,” I agreed and we got moving again.

  “Where are we going to go?” she asked turning to me. “All the ships have been destroyed.”

  “Not mine. It’s cloaked.” I took the jump device out of my pocket and opened it up. An immediate connection was found—indicated by a dim blue light—verifying that my ship was still there and functioning. “Ready?”

  She looked at me, vulnerable and excited. “Okay.”

  I grabbed her hand, ignoring the way goose bumps covered every inch of me when our palms touched, and pressed the button.

  Seconds later, we were in my ship.

  There were lights blinking and noises screaming. All three of my crewmembers turned to me.

  “You got the Empress,” Huxley said, quickly shutting up when I shot him a look.

  “Ever! Our ship has been damaged—” Zabe reported.

  “Were we hit?”

  “Not directly. The force of the explosions and maybe some debris.”

  “How badly?” I asked.

  “We can’t FTL.”

  “Can we move at all?” My body felt like it was on fire. The edges of my vision were dark and blurry.

  “Yes.”

  “Then get us out of here,” I gave the order and then collapsed on the ground.

  “Ever!” Huxley shouted and knelt by my side.

  “She has a wound from the explosion. Do you have a doctor?” the Empress asked.

  “No.”

  “Medical bay?”

  “Yes.”

  “Help me get her there.”

  Huxley scooped me up and hurried down the corridor to the med bay. Carefully, he placed me on the table. The Empress pulled up my shirt again and examined the wound. “It moved. I can take it out. Laser wand?”

  “Shit! Ours is broken,” Huxley exclaimed.

  “Suture kit?”

  “Yes.”

  “Do you have any anesthesia?”

  “Just do it. I can handle it,” I said.

  “Put this in your mouth,” she said, shoving in a piece of cloth. “Bite down on it to keep from screaming.”

  I squeezed my eyes shut and waited.

  The second she touched the metal shard pain shot through my body. She yanked it out then applied pressure to stop the bleeding. My vision swam. I wasn’t going to stay conscious through this. Sharp pricks came next as she stitched me up. That’s when I let the darkness come. It surrounded me and I felt nothing.

  Chapter Three

  Akacia

  AFTER AN HOUR OF PACING the room, I finally sat down in a chair. The guy who had carried her—Ever, that’s what they called her—had offered to bring me to a room, but I refused. “You won’t be able to leave this room without one of us. The door will be locked. You understand? We don’t know you.” He had been called back to the bridge, but before he left, he patted me down, looking for weapons, but I had none. They weren’t allowed on Caipra. “The computer sees everything on this ship. Zia, lock the supplies.”

  I could hear locks engaging all over the room. “I won’t hurt her. I just saved her.”

  “Are you sure you wouldn’t be more comfortable in a room?” He had green eyes and silver hair, which was odd because he seemed way too young to have gone completely gray.

  “No.” I couldn’t leave her. I should. I had heard what they said on the bridge. They were happy I was with her. She had been sent to capture me and that should have me worried, but that wasn’t the thought that was foremost in my mind.

  Who attacked Caipra? Were there survivors? Would they realize I was missing? My spacecraft was gone, which meant my crew was gone. Silent tears ran down my face as I thought of each of them and their families. Had they received the news back home? If they had, they would send out a unit to rescue me. But what if…what if they thought I was dead?

  My eyes wandered and landed on her face. She had a black eye and an angry, purple bruise on her cheek. Neither took away from her striking features. Her hair had fallen away from her ears showing the earrings that ran from her lobes to both sides of her helix. Her full lips were slightly parted. She looked peaceful just lying there, but something told me peaceful wasn’t a word anyone would use to describe her. Seconds later, I knew exactly why.

  Without such much as a gasp she sat up with a wild look in her eyes and looked around the room frantically. I stayed in the chair watching as she looked around and then down at her wound. Finally her golden eyes found mine.

  “Empress.”

  “I’m here,” I answered, going to her side. “It’s good you’re awake. Are you in any pain?”

  Her eyes searched mine, like she was looking for an answer for a question that I didn’t ask. She shook her head. A slight grimace on her face was the only sign she was in pain. “You fixed me.”

  “Your injuries weren’t that bad.”

  “Thanks.”

  “You can thank me by returning me to my planet,” was my firm response.

  “I saved your life, too. Shouldn’t we be even?”

  She was right, though I wasn’t giving in. I just needed some time to figure out how to get back home. “I am the Empress. My people depend on me. Can I at least call and tell them I’m alive?”

  “Fine, but you cannot tell them where you are.”

  “And where am I?”

  She held my eyes. “The Nirvana.”

  I knew the name, Nirvana. It was a ship of criminals that were wanted by the Authority for a long list of crimes including stealing and murder. I swallowed hard. What in the universe did the Nirvana want with me? My heart pounded and I took deep breaths to calm myself down. Don’t show fear. Get word to Valinor. Bristow can figure out where I am. “Your reputation precedes you.”

  “Then you know just how lethal we are.” She shifted like she was uncomfortable. “Let’s get to the bridge.”

  “You should rest.” I didn’t know why I was still concerned about her wellbeing, but I was.

  “I’m fine.”

  The door to the bridge opened as she approached. Three pairs of curious eyes awaited us on the other side. There were two males and a female. One was the guy who helped me with Ever earlier. The other had darker skin and dark eyes. The girl looked younger than all of them. A headband kept her short pink hair out of her blue eyes. Although different colors, their eyes were all the same. I couldn’t explain how. Different. Deep. Soulful. Tortured.

  Ever’s voice brought me back to the present. “I’m fine, guys. Really. Can we open a channel to Valinor? The Empress needs to get word to her family that she’s alive.”

  “Yes.” The girl waved me to her. “I’m Briar. Zia, please hail the planet, Valinor.”

  “We need to talk, Everleigh.” The green-eyed
guy grabbed her arm and dragged her to a corner. I could tell by their facial expressions that it wasn’t a warm and fuzzy, “glad you’re okay,” kind of discussion. But I couldn’t focus on that too much because we’d made contact with Valinor.

  “Empress? Akacia?” It was Galton’s voice.

  “Galton. I’m okay. I was rescued.”

  “Were you hurt?” Vika asked.

  “No. The Razor though. It was destroyed with everyone on board. I’m not sure about Dieter. I assume he’s gone.”

  “He is.” Galton was silent for a minute. “It is a great loss. We will have a service as soon as you return. Do you know when that’ll be?”

  An outburst from Everleigh grabbed my attention. “This is my ship! I am the commander!” She pulled away from them.

  “Empress?” Galton questioned.

  Turning back to the screen I asked, “Do you know what happened?”

  Vika answered, “An attack from Wapi. Trying to break up alliances again.”

  “How many were killed?”

  “Besides you, only two remain alive. Where are you, Empress? We’ll send someone for you.”

  “We’ll get her home,” Ever interrupted and I shot her a questioning look.

  “Very well. To whom do we owe the thank you?”

  “None needed,” she said.

  Bristow rushed into view. “Kaci! I’m so glad you weren’t harmed.”

  “Bristow, it’s beautiful up here. I wish you were here with me.” I crossed my arms in front of my body, but instead of resting all the fingers of my right hand on my upper left arm, I tucked away all but two. Then I tapped those fingers on my upper arm twice. It was a signal Bristow and I had used as kids when we wanted the other to save us from a boring lecture or being cooped up.

  He nodded. “Maybe soon.”

  “Fare thee well.”

  “Fare thee well, Empress.”

  Everleigh hit the end button and turned to look at me. There was something in her eyes that said she was quite pleased with her “catch,” meaning me.

  I needed to make nice with these people. Not let on that I was even a tiny bit afraid. “You’re called Everleigh,” I stated, guessing Ever was a nickname her friends used. When she didn’t answer, I added, “You know who I am.”

  “You’re the Empress.”

  “Akacia. My name is Akacia. Figured we should be on first name terms since you keep trying to kidnap me.”

  One corner of her mouth twitched like she wanted to smile. “Everleigh.”

  “You went to the meeting to capture me?”

  “Yes,” she confirmed.

  “Why is it you want me?”

  “I don’t.”

  I was confused for a minute and then it hit me. “Someone else does. Someone hired you?”

  “Yes.”

  “Who?”

  “Caspar Regnier.”

  Another well-known criminal. Caspar was even on the most wanted list. “Why would he want me?”

  She didn’t answer.

  “Are you really going to take me home?”

  “I’d like to.”

  It was a strange reply. I waited for the rest of the answer, but it didn’t come. She wasn’t going to explain. Looking around at the others in the room, I stated the obvious, “They’re upset with you.”

  She shrugged. Both the males looked as if they’d like to tear me limb from limb. Their job was to capture me. Even if Everleigh agreed to take me home, would they allow it? I should be open with them, make them like me. Maybe if they got to know me, they wouldn’t turn me over. I could give them the money they had been expecting from the job.

  “I’m Akacia,” I said, sticking out my hand to shake theirs.

  “Huxley,” the green-eyed one with the silver hair said. When the other didn’t answer, Huxley offered his name. “That’s Zabe.”

  “Nice to meet you. Thank you for helping me.”

  Zabe growled and stormed off. Huxley and Briar turned away, directing their attention back to their jobs. Well, it was a start. I had to keep trying.

  “How long until we reach Valinor?” I asked.

  “FTL is down. We need to stop and have it fixed. There’s a station a few days away at top speed,” Huxley answered.

  Everleigh nodded and Briar said, “Zia, plot course to Gledi Station.”

  “Done. Would you like me to set up any appointments for you, Briar?” the computer answered in a calm voice.

  “One to repair the ship and order a laser wand along with any supplies we need.”

  “Nothing fun?” the computer’s voice rose a bit like she was curious.

  “Not this time.”

  “Very well.”

  “That’s your computer?” I asked.

  “Yes. She is very human-like,” Everleigh said. I didn’t miss the smile she sent Briar’s way. Her pink-haired shipmate must have been the one who programmed it.

  “Let me show you to your room,” Everleigh offered, tucking her long hair behind her ear.

  “Can I ask you something?”

  She nodded.

  “The attack. You didn’t have anything to do with that…did you?” We turned a corner and made our way down a long, narrow corridor.

  “No! I am a thief. I steal things. I am not a murderer.” There was a hesitation in her voice.

  “Are you sure?”

  Her lips tightened into a thin, grim line. “I’ve only killed because my life was in danger,” she said.

  “So you’re not a coldblooded murderer, but you are a killer.”

  Everleigh shot me a look that dared me to say more. “I suppose you’re right.”

  “Will you kill me?”

  Very quietly, she answered, “No. Not you.”

  “You threatened to.”

  She was quiet for a moment. Maybe trying to remember the conversation I was talking about. “Yes, but I won’t.”

  The way she said it, with a tiny bit of tenderness, warmed my heart. A strange reaction considering that she was my captor. We stopped and she pressed her hand on a pad. A door slid open revealing a small bedroom.

  “Not a cell?” I asked.

  She ignored the comment. “There’s a bathroom through that door. Has a shower.”

  I bit my lip. “I could use one.”

  She lingered in the door, watching me, almost like she didn’t want to go. Truth be told, I didn’t want her to. Her eyes moved rapidly over my body, lingering here and there. The way she looked at me—like I was the most beautiful thing she’s ever seen—brought heat to my cheeks.

  A minute later, her expression changed, like she snapped back to reality. She gave me a curt nod and slipped out the door.

  It was like the room dimmed and turned colder without her there. I wanted to call after her, ask her to sit with me, talk a while, but instead I sighed and sat on the bed. I kicked off my shoes and then went to the bathroom. Suddenly I couldn’t get out of my clothes fast enough. I ripped them off my body and jumped in the shower. The hot water mixed with my tears and rinsed off the dirt and blood.

  I had almost died today in an explosion—no, an attack. There were people out there who wanted us dead. If the Wapi found out some of us were still alive, would they try again? I shook my head. I couldn’t worry about that right now. For now, my heart still beat and air still filled my lungs. I was okay.

  My dirty, ripped clothes were in a pile behind the bathroom door. I didn’t want to put them on again. Back in the room, I found a stack of clothes folded neatly on the bed. The faded T-shirt and loose fitting pants were soft and comfortable. I wondered if Everleigh herself had dropped them off or she had someone else do it. I decided it didn’t matter. I was happy to have them.

  Exhaustion hit quickly and I crawled into the large bed. I was out before my head hit the pillow.

  When I woke, my stomach was rumbling. A loud, almost painful growling. I rolled out of bed, cleaned up in the bathroom, and opened the door. Looking both ways, I tried to remember which w
ay we had come last night.

  “Empress.”

  I jumped and turned in the direction of the voice. Everleigh stood there, dressed in tight, black pants and a long-sleeve half shirt that showed off her belly button. All decency left me as I took in the sight of her. Every part of her was delicious. From her long neck to her supple breasts to the bit of skin showing at her midriff. She wore two leg holsters; one held a gun and the other held a knife. Could I trust her word? Would she kill me if she were forced to do it?

  Everleigh closed the space between us, the air felt like it was on fire. My heart thumped in my chest. Licking my lips, I drew in a calming breath and let it out in a slow sigh.

  “Call me Akacia…or Kaci. My friends call me Kaci.”

  “Am I a friend?”

  I bit my lip to tame my smile. “You got me off that planet. Saved my life. That makes you a friend.”

  A smile pulled at the corners of her mouth, a sad smile. I wanted to ask what was wrong, but she turned abruptly and waved for me to follow her.

  “Thank you,” I said to her back as we made our way down the narrow corridor again.

  “For?”

  “The clothes.”

  She nodded. “Figured you wouldn’t want to put those dirty clothes back on.”

  The corridor led to a kitchen. Everleigh opened some cabinets. “See anything you think you would like?”

  “Is that cereal?”

  Another nod. “Sit.”

  “I can get it myself.”

  “Just sit.”

  I sat down and she placed a bowl and a spoon in front of me then went back for the box of cereal and milk. She picked up the box and poured the cereal into the bowl. When she put her hand around the jug of milk, I reached out and put my hand on hers. Her breath caught in her throat. Was that a reaction to my touch?

  “I may be an Empress but I can pour my own milk.”

  Everleigh nodded again and withdrew her hand. I poured the milk and started eating. She sat across from me, her hands folded and resting on the table.

  “Aren’t you going to eat?”

  “I was up early. I ate then.”

  In between bites, I said, “Breakfast at home would be fruit and breads. I haven’t had cereal in a long time.”

  She smiled again, but kept quiet.

  “What do you like?” I asked. It was awkward to have someone watch me slurp cereal. Small talk was, too, but it was infinitely better than wondering if I had milk dribbling down my chin after every mouthful.