Hard Hearted

by Viola Grace

  She knew something Tomo didn't, so this was the time to get this over with.

  Tomo's new bride swished her hips, Hearted tried not to laugh. She was reinforcing her claim on her mate and it was rather pathetic.

  Without a word, Gray removed her armoured healer robes and handed them to Mist. He grabbed her arm. "Are you sure you know what you are doing?"

  "Fairly sure. Just have patience, this will all be over in a moment." Impulsively, she leaned up on her toes and pressed her lips to his. Her body started to sing as his arms came around her. It was enough to get her blood surging in her veins.

  "I thought they took your soul."

  "They did, but I still have a memory of what is appropriate and a kiss in this situation is appropriate." She leaned up and whispered in his ear. "Make sure to keep your recorders aimed at the scene. It is more important than you can imagine."

  "I will, but I still don't like it. This seems very bad." He gestured to the nine Kozue warriors who had blades and blasters aimed at him.

  "They won't move if you don't."

  "Gralial, present yourself for sentencing." Tomo's voice was snide. He was running high on his power trip.

  She walked to the designated spot on the floor and faced what many would not. A spear gun taken from the ocean-going vessel of her ancestor was trained on her.

  "Kneel."

  "No. I will meet death on my feet, not cowering on my knees." She raised her chin and looked at her ex-betrothed with calm acceptance.

  "Kneel!"

  "Go blow yourself."

  She stood steady as he reached for the gun in a fury.

  "Read the charges, Tomo. Do this right." Her voice carried the tone of a schoolmarm.

  She waited as he got his temper under control, sparing a few glances to Mist who was having difficulty controlling his urge to protect her.

  "For the charge of hiding your talent and agreeing to a betrothal, the sentence is death."

  "The sentence was removal of my soul."

  "We have reconvened a council and overturned the decision of the enclave. Your sentence is death."

  Silence was humming in the air, a few of the warriors fidgeting in discomfort.

  "So you did not get the enclave to sentence me. You did it yourself."

  "I did. Now prepare to receive your sentence."

  "Fire away, ass hat."

  The insult was enough to get him to pull the trigger without further posturing.

  She could see the twelve-foot spear coming at her and let it come. Her body flew back with the impact and she skidded across the deck as she was impaled by steel and wood.

  A guttural roar ripped through the air and she held up her hand. "Mist. Stop. Put them down and come over here."

  The warriors who were dangling from tendrils of mist and screaming with pain were dropped when she gurgled out her order through the bloody froth in her lungs.

  He was at her side in an instant. "What can I do? Oh, stars, you are bleeding out."

  "Pull the spear the rest of the way through me. Only four feet to go."

  "You'll die."

  "Trust me on this. Do it. I don't lie. I will be fine." She pressed a bloody hand to his face, leaving a trail on his skin.

  She held her groans as he pulled the rest of the spear through her. She fell face forward into her own blood the moment she was free. It was time to go to work.

  With Mist hovering over her, keeping everyone away, she was free to reset herself. Her hands flexed on the floor and her body started to knit and repair. As soon as she could, she sat up, then knelt straight so that the watching Kozue could see the effect of her talent through the open hole in her uniform.

  Tomo was gibbering, his bride knelt at his side, her eyes wide with horror. "It can't be."

  Mist looked into her face and he started a small smile. "What would you like, Gray?"

  "There is a ball on the arch over the doorway. Please retrieve it for me."

  Tomo cried out. "No, you cannot have it. You gave up your soul."

  Mist's tendril lashed out and grabbed her soul, returning it to her with plenty of care.

  She took the ball and cradled it in her hands, then stood from the pool of blood that should have meant her death. "We can go now."

  "No, you agreed to leave your soul. We have been undefeated since it was placed." Tomo was practically frothing at the mouth.

  She gave him a narrow-eyed look. "My soul was the price for my life. You just executed me. It doesn't matter that I did not die. You executed me. The original agreement is void, as is all Alliance interference in any matters this enclave may have in the future."

  Mist draped her robes over her body and led her to the doorway. She paused for a moment. "Oh, by the way, Tomo. The next time you get engine parts from a derelict, please make sure it isn't a plague ship. Deliberately infecting your population is frowned on by the Kozue."

  They continued down the hall on the way to the shuttle bay.

  Ganath stopped them. "What will you do now?"

  "I will wait until I am back home and then I will re-join with my soul. This is not a matter for any other witnesses. I mean, other than my partner. I have years of experiences with no reactions and am sure that they will spill over when I am whole again."

  "How did you get your soul back?"

  "Tomo executed me in front of witnesses. I got better, as I always do for some reason."

  Ganath nodded and put his arm around Shevil. "I cannot thank the Sector Guard enough for coming to our rescue. Now and years ago when we needed placement help."

  "You called them to save me?"

  "It was the only way and I always knew that you would find a way to retrieve your soul. You always had a skill at getting what you needed, when you needed it." Ganath reached out as if to hug her and she looked at him blankly.

  Mist opened her robe to show him the uniform covered with blood. "She isn't up to hugging. Perhaps a nice letter to Teklan base via mail."

  Ganath looked disappointed, but Shevil put her hand on his arm. "They will keep our secrets. Do not worry, love. Mist, take care of my granddaughter. She will be a riot of emotions once she is done merging."

  "I understand. Now, we need to leave before she passes out. Though she is putting on a brave face, her body is cooling rapidly."

  "Squealer." She took a few steps forward and when Mist put more tendrils around her for support, she sighed in relief. The Deadpan was waiting for her and it had never looked more welcome.

  She stumbled into the shuttle and as Mist sealed the hatch, she peeled her suit off. Naked, but free of most of the blood, she sat at the controls, oblivious to the fixated gaze watching her. "Docking bay control, please open outer doors. Or I will blow our way out of here."

  Lights started flaring and she flicked the interior thrusters on to manoeuvre to the edge of the gateway. As the metal plates swung open, she moved out of there the moment that she could fit the Deadpan through the opening.

  The moment they were out into open space, she hit the thrusters and powered up to make the fastest time to the jump point.

  "Are you fine to pilot, or do you want me to fly?"

  "It is more logical to have you fly. I will take a shower and get into a fresh uniform. I just wanted to get out of there as fast as I could."

  "Understood. Taking the con."

  Gray got to her feet the moment he took over. Her boots fought her, the blood making them sticky, but she got them off. She stripped off her suit the rest of the way on the way to the lav, wadding it up and tucking it aside.

  Naked and covered with her own blood, she stood under the gel and smoothed it over her skin as quickly as she could. When it dried and flaked into a fine powder, she used a vacuum to remove all residue and then turned on a sonic cleanser. Her body and hair was now clean and the mirror showed her the large pink mark of new skin that was still churning with a healing heat.

  Free. She had gotten her soul back and freed herself from any obligation
to her clan. The Alliance would also be getting a copy of the data that Mist had gathered for her. The Kozue would not be making any deals with the Alliance without this incident being mentioned. Going back on negotiated agreements was not a business practice that the Alliance would accept.

  Clean, dry and resolute, she returned to the cabin and scrounged up a new uniform and boots. Mist was watching her over his shoulder as she wandered around in the nude.

  "Your wound is healing well."

  "Yes, but not as fast as it should. I am under some stress and the pain took me by surprise." She nodded as she tugged on the uniform and sealed the closures. The fresh boots were a warm, fuzzy comfort to her feet, the lining soft and welcoming.

  Gray dug through her robes until she found the orb. A breath of relief sighed through her lips. "I thought I was imagining it."

  "No, you really took a spear to the chest in an effort to regain your soul. When will you take it back into you?"

  "When I am safe. This might not be pleasant and I want to be able to have a secure environment in case it drives me mad."

  "I will remain with you if you will let me. A resurgence of emotions is not something you want to tackle solo."

  Gray finished flipping her navy hair behind her and resettling her robes. Dressed and ready to resume the piloting, she took the orb and kept it inside the right side of her healer's robes, next to her heart.

  They were almost to the jump site, so she put the halo on. "I will resume piloting. Prepare for jump."

  He relinquished the controls and let her take them back to Teklan.

  She had confronted her enclave and come out of it with her soul back, a new understanding of her genetics, freedom from the clan and her partner at her side. If it wasn't for the ruined suit, it would have been a perfect day.

  Chapter Seven

  "This is the Deadpan calling for landing clearance on Teklan base. Sorsh, are you there?"

  "Ready and waiting, Hard Hearted. Bring it in and park it in your spot. The beacon is activated."

  "Is General Brodin back?"

  "He is. I will notify him of your return. The debriefing will commence when you arrive."

  "Thank you."

  Mist was watching her with concern in his eyes. It was strange to her, but somewhere during their trip, they had solidified into a matt grey gaze that took in her every move. "Will you let me be with you?"

  "After we debrief and when I put my soul back in? Yes." She smiled, her flash of muscles twisting her lips upward for a moment before relaxing.

  "Good, I do not wish you to be alone."

  "Thank you. Your concern is well intentioned, I am sure."

  She dropped the Deadpan through the atmosphere and noted Mist clenching his hands onto the arms of the chair. This was an image that would hopefully, one day, make her smile.

  Teklan base came up fast, but she settled Deadpan in its berth with a grace that a life in space had taught her.

  Before they left, Gray and Mist suffered through a quick decontamination blast at the door to the shuttle. She rocked back on her heels, falling into his arm. He quickly moved to catch her. "You are still not well."

  "No, I am not. But I will heal faster with my soul in place. At least I believe I will. I have never been this badly damaged before."

  He kept one arm around her waist as they entered the base. "You didn't know if you could recover and you still faced that spear gun?"

  "It was the only way to get my soul back. If they carried out a new sentence, I would be entitled to retrieve the orb. I didn't expect his aim to be that good though. Tomo used to be a crappy shot."

  Mist's arm tightened for a moment. "I see."

  She sighed. "You don't really, but when it was a choice between life like this and a chance to be whole, I had to choose whole. For you as well as for me."

  They passed several crewmembers who waved happily at Gray.

  "What did I have to do with it?"

  "You need a complete partner. I am attracted to you, but I can't express it properly. I know that there is a loss even if I can't get worked up about it."

  He remained silent as they entered the general's office. The dhemon was catching up on his paperwork and smiled as they entered. "Mist! So sorry I was off world when you arrived. I trust your first assignment was concluded satisfactorily."

  "It was."

  Brodin looked closely at the new recruit. "Is that blood?"

  Gray nodded. "It is mine."

  The dhemon leaned back and folded his hands over his chest. "I think I need a full debriefing. You can start at the point where Relay called you, Hard Hearted."

  Cool and dispassionate, she told Brodin everything. He asked to see her soul and she lifted the swirling orb from her robes.

  "You actually managed it. Congratulations. I am a little surprised that you have not merged with it yet."

  "I needed a clear head to leave the Kozue enclave. Mist is a fair pilot, but until we get him programmed into the Deadpan, a jump isn't likely. That reminds me, after the change, I need to have the controls reprogrammed for my new brainwaves."

  He leaned forward and made a note. "Understood. Mist, what is your take on the events?"

  Gray sat still while she heard the events from Mist's point of view. Her actions seemed a little psychotically reckless when viewed from outside her own perspective.

  "So when the spear ran through her and dragged her across the deck, I lost control. I attacked the warriors watching me and would have killed them if Hard Hearted had not asked me for assistance. Removing the bolt was difficult, the wood was slippery, but once she fell to the deck, I could see her tissue begin to knit. At that point, I concentrated on keeping interference to a minimum until she pushed herself back into a kneeling position."

  Brodin was looking pale, especially for a dhemon. "Gray, what was the logic behind this?"

  She cocked her head, "Because Tomo overturned the banishment decision without going through proper procedures. He will be arrested and held on a Kozue penal world. His wife will go with him if she wants to."

  "I mean why did you take the chance of dying?"

  "It was necessary to break the hold that they had over my soul. Since my original sentence was repealed, my sacrifice and punishment was no longer viable. They had no right to my soul if they tried to execute me."

  "I see. You knew you would regenerate?"

  "I suspected. When I was five, I cut off a hand in a rotor and it grew back almost immediately." She shrugged. "My father said he would explain it to me one day, but the next year, he and my mother were ejected from the enclave, leaving Garoz and myself in the custody of my grandfather until we were adults."

  "I see. So you thought you might, but you were not sure and risked yourself anyway. Please install those emotions at the earliest opportunity. We need you to remember fear a little more closely." His tone was caring and he leaned forward to prove his earnestness.

  "Canil will keep me company while I reintegrate. He will alert you if there is a problem, I am sure." She tried to rise to her feet, but Brodin raised his hand.

  "Call your brother. He needs to know what is going on. I don't want to have to explain to him why you suddenly went insane." Brodin stood up and walked around his desk. "Stand up, Gralial."

  Bemused, she stood. "Yes?"

  The brotherly hug that he gave her was warm and controlled. "Best of luck to you, Gray. If this works, do you want to change your designation?"

  She nodded as he stepped back. "Reset will be a good option, I believe. I hope to see you shortly. Oh, is there any way to get some food sent to my quarters?"

  "Wouldn't you prefer to do this in medical?"

  "No, not really. The less people who see me at my most vulnerable the better."

  Mist wrapped his arm around her waist. "The sooner, the better, I believe. Are we dismissed?"

  "Yes. Keep me apprised of her progress. I look forward to meeting the real you, Gray."

  She muttered, "S
o do I."

  Brodin gave her a hard look, but let them leave. "Dismissed."

  Mist kept his grip around her waist and supported her as her knees buckled. "Are you strong enough to do this?"

  "I believe so. If not, medical is only a door away." She opened her door and stumbled inside. The soothing colours of her quarters embraced her.

  "Where should I put you?"

  "The bed I think. It seems about my speed right now."

  He steered her toward her bed, helped her get into position and then hovered next to her. "What can I do?"

  A knock at the door heralded a tray of food and Dirbin pushed it into her room with a knowing look at Canil.

  Gray waved at him as he left and then she fished out her orb.

  "Do you want to eat first?"

  "Oh, I think doing this on an empty stomach is best."

  "Right." He knelt next to her, taking up a watchful position. "Wait, did you call your brother?"

  She sighed. "No, can you hand me the remote to the com?"

  He even brought the terminal to her, holding it so she could make her call.

  "Station 13? This is Gralial calling for Garoz."

  "I am sorry, Gray, he is out on assignment. Off to retrieve an eco-manipulator on a colony world. Can I relay a message?" The com officer was pleasant but genuinely remorseful.

  "Tell him I went home, I got what I left behind and I am enjoying it."

  "You are enjoying something? It must be quite the item."

  "You have no idea. I will call him later."

  "Glad you are well, Gray. Take it easy." The com officer disconnected the call.

  Canil put the unit back in place.

  "Are you ready for this, Gray?"

  "I am."

  "If you need me, I am here." He didn't touch her, but a dark swirl of mist coalesced behind him. He was ready when she was.

  A deep breath was her only preparation as she pressed the orb to her forehead and sent her power surging through it. She heard a crack and the rush of sensation that struck her left her breathless.

  Tears started to seep from her eyes and they flowed faster and faster as love, fear, disappointment and anger rippled through her, attaching to all the moments of the last few years. Her own fear and pride at her flying, the pain of damage to her body at random intervals, the rush of sexual tension that she used to feel when she healed.