by Lizzy Ford
She returned to the row house just as the sun began to burn off the mist and the blue sky appeared in the distance. Rather than feel energized by the activity, she felt more drained. She stood for a long moment in the cramped, silent foyer. An odd scratching sound came from the kitchen, like Evelyn’s cat scratching at the door after it returned from its morning prowl.
Frowning, she went to the kitchen, worried Evelyn’s cat found its way home from its adoptive parents up the street. Not that she wouldn’t mind some company; the house was too quiet this morning, and her memories refused to leave her in peace.
She walked into the kitchen and stopped.
A tarantula cat.
Both surprised and horrified, she snatched the broom she’d left leaning against the counter. It ignored her, focusing instead on scratching at a spot of dirt, one of its main food sources. She stared at it, as irritated by its unwitting acknowledgment of her housekeeping prowess as she was about having this of all creatures in her house. The kitchen table, like much of the rest of the house’s furniture, had been disassembled in anticipation of moving before Evelyn’s wedding. She tugged the top of the kitchen table to block the doorway, hoping it would keep the creature in the kitchen.
Suspecting it was a stowaway from one of the boxes, she took the broom upstairs, where most of the boxes were. She rifled gingerly through the boxes, afraid of uncovering a stash of tarantula cats. When she found none, she returned to the living room, where the rest of the boxes has been deposited, and searched them.
She found no more and returned to the kitchen. The tarantula cat was sucking up dirt and dust from the kitchen corners. She leaned the broom against the wall, unhappy to see the creature but feeling bad for it. It, too, was alone now, somewhere it didn’t belong. At least she’d never have to worry about feeding it; the house was a mess.
She left the door blocked, took a quick shower, and opened the door to her studio.
Evelyn stood in the middle of the room.
Kiera gasped, drawing Evelyn’s attention from the paintings to the door. Kiera stood dumbly, staring at her friend.
“Happy to see me?” Evelyn asked with a hesitant smile. She wore the alien clothing, though her stomach was starting to protrude.
Kiera closed the door to the studio slowly, uncertain what she felt. She couldn’t let her sense of hope seize her for fear of being devastated. She didn’t know why Evelyn was there. She wouldn’t assume anything.
“I guess not,” Evelyn said at her silence. “You don’t look too well.”
“I’m okay,” she replied with effort. “I am happy to see you.”
Evelyn frowned. Kiera felt the awkward silence but didn’t know what to say. She’d lost the ability to feel anger— or feel at all— and just wondered what her friend wanted. To date, nothing Evelyn had done was for anyone else’s benefit but Evelyn’s, a realization she’d come to when she’d stopped crying a few days ago. She loved her friend but understood if Evelyn was there, it wasn’t necessarily for her.
Evelyn turned to the paintings she’d been perusing. “These are beautiful, Kiera. This might be some of your best work.”
Kiera’s eyes went over all her paintings, settling again on the one of A’Ran. Evelyn caught her look as she turned.
“I didn’t think …” her friend said, looking from Kiera to the painting.
“I know you didn’t,” Kiera said with no heat. She didn’t have the energy for a fight. She crossed to sit where she couldn’t see any of her paintings and instead gazed at Evelyn.
“I had that coming,” Evelyn replied. “I haven’t really taken your feelings into account lately, have I?”
“Not really. A little late to matter,” Kiera said with a shrug.
“I didn’t come to argue, though I am sorry if I hurt your feelings, Kiera,” Evelyn said with a small sigh, as if irritated by the apology. Kiera said nothing, trying to think the best of her friend while anger stirred. “I know I haven’t been the best of friends, so if you don’t want to talk to me anymore, I’ll understand.”
“It’s fine, Evey. You made the effort to come. I just hope you’re not raising my rent. Haven’t felt like working lately.”
“Rent? Kiera, please. The least I could do is stop charging you at all,” Evelyn said, chuckling. “I came for … a favor.”
Kiera wasn’t surprised and felt bad for admitting it to herself. She looked at the ground instead of Evelyn, feeling bereft once again.
“The Five Galaxies have just exploded with war. Anshan went crazy and just started wiping out everyone. Qatwal has been under attack directly since Anshan was decimated by that lunatic A’Ran. Kisolm was killed on the planet surface, and Romas will now inherit the planet from his father, if there’s anything left to inherit.”
Kiera listened, interested despite trying not to be. She’d seen how brilliant A’Ran’s battles were. He’d fought forces five times the size of his and won. He didn’t lose. He never would. If he wanted Qatwal destroyed, he would find a way to do it.
“I’m four and a half months pregnant and wondering if I’m better off here,” Evelyn said, a troubled look crossing her features. “The Council can’t talk any sense into A’Ran, and they’re amassing this ginormous army to destroy him. But it’ll take awhile, and in the meantime, Qatwal is on its own.”
“Like Anshan was for all those years,” Kiera couldn’t help but add.
“No, this is different,” Evelyn continued. “Qatwal is under attack. The Anshan dhjan was usurped, maybe because this craziness ran in the family.”
Kiera looked at Evelyn, astonished by her callous words. She’d known her friend to be a little arrogant, but this was something different. This was the type of attitude A’Ran had been forced to deal with since his parents were murdered. While she could never fully understand what it was to have the weight of a planet on her shoulders for fifteen years, her resentment toward A’Ran’s rigid sense of duty began to thaw as Evelyn went on.
“We’ve left the capital city for the other side of the planet. Can you imagine? Romas is off fighting all the time. It’s just … god, it’s so awful, Kiera.”
“Is that why you’re here?” Kiera asked, trying hard to control the anger building within her. “To escape the war?”
“Not exactly,” Evelyn said. Her gaze returned to the painting of A’Ran. “It’s for a favor.”
“What kind of favor?”
“Well, I think A’Ran went crazy partially because we took you. I’ve got a shuttle waiting for me. But, I thought, if you would come out and talk to him, see if you can dissuade him, it might help. Romas said I was crazy with hormones, but I spoke to someone on the Council who thought it was a good idea. I guess they told A’Ran you were killed, not taken. Was the nail in the coffin, no pun intended,” Evelyn joked weakly.
Kiera’s heart leapt at the information. She’d never allowed herself to ask why A’Ran didn’t come for her. She hadn’t been able to face the possibility he might not want her or worse— he was dead. She was making it day to day telling herself neither of those things was true.
“I know it’s a lot to ask after your … ordeal.”
“You want me to go to the shuttle and talk to him over the communicator?” she asked.
“Yes. You don’t have to do anything else.”
Kiera rose and turned away, wondering how her friend was so clueless while standing in front of her painting of A’Ran.
“You’ll have to take me to him,” she said. “He can’t be reasoned with over the viewer.”
“I wouldn’t do that to you.”
“Do what?” Kiera asked, at the end of her patience. “I told Romas not to bring me back here! You dragged me to space, Evelyn, and you told him to drag me back here. For once, I want to make a decision about my own life. If you want my help, you’ll take me to him!”
“Are you sure?” Evelyn asked after a startled pause. “You’re kind of upset about it.”
“I’m not upset for the rea
son you assume I am!” Kiera snapped. “Just take me and the damn tarantula in the kitchen home!”
“You are home.”
“No, Evey, I’m not.”
Evelyn’s gaze fell to the painting again. “So that is why he’s destroying everything,” she said softly.
“I don’t know why, but I really don’t blame him!” Kiera replied. “I’m ready. You can get the tarantula.”
It took a full minute for Evelyn to realize just how serious she was. Evelyn moved after a long, considering look, leaving the studio for the kitchen. Kiera released a deep breath and trailed her. Evelyn removed the obstacle from the door and snagged the tarantula cat as it darted past her.
Silently, the two left the row house for the park across the street, where the spacecraft was hidden in the Monterey mist. Kiera’s heart still did somersaults, and she felt both doubtful Evelyn would follow through and ecstatic at the prospect. She didn’t doubt Jetr had reached out to Evelyn, or her friend would never have come. The odd little man was the loyal ally A’Ran considered him! The spacecraft’s door opened, and her excitement grew. She followed Evelyn into the craft, seeing only one Qatwali warrior to pilot the craft.
She sat across from Evelyn, who continued to give her the odd look, and clasped her hands together hard to keep them from shaking as they took off. After a thick moment of silence, Evelyn rose to place the tarantula cat near the pilot and sealed off the door between the tiny cabin and pilot. She reached into a drawer at the back of the craft.
“I’ve got snacks,” Evelyn said. “Oh, and you may need one of these.”
She produced an armband. Kiera raised the arm of her sweatshirt to reveal the band she already wore. Evelyn looked at her hard again but said nothing.
Kiera lowered the shirt, glad she’d never convinced herself to remove the band. It was her last connection to Anshan and its dhjan. Her stomach churned as the day grew on. There were no windows on the tiny craft, only the two of them and two benches long enough for them to stretch out on. She didn’t want to talk to Evelyn and lay down soon after the feeling of the craft ascending— similar to the pressure felt in a plane— stopped.
Her mind went crazy with thoughts and emotions, and she wondered if A’Ran would be happy to see her. She didn’t know if the choice she made was the right one, but she knew staying alone in the row house had been the wrong one. She wondered how he’d destroyed his own planet, whether his sisters were still safe. If he wanted to see her.
She returned to this thought often as they traveled for two days. Of all the things she felt, she feared he’d reject her once and for all. She’d never given him an answer about staying with him on Anshan. But he if thought her dead, and he was taking revenge on Qatwal, then some part of him must’ve cared! She recalled their last kiss, as hot and passionate as she’d ever hoped, despite his aloof sense of duty.
Evelyn tried to get her to eat twice, but she couldn’t stomach it. She couldn’t remember when she’d last eaten, hadn’t had a reason to care. Now, she was too uneasy to eat. The two days were longer than any other two days had been in her life, and she grew more and more nervous, afraid the connection she had to A’Ran wouldn’t be enough to make him want her again. She wasn’t sure Qatwal deserved a peaceful existence after refusing to help Anshan, but for Evelyn’s sake, she wanted the wars to end, even if A’Ran didn’t want her anymore.
She agonized over what it would be like to meet him again. By nature, he didn’t smile, but would he turn away from her or tolerate her? Would he go so far as to welcome her? Or would the fact that she never gave him an answer to stay or go make him unwilling to give her a second chance?
She slept fitfully between her busy thoughts, sheer exhaustion claiming her in spurts. By the end of the space journey, she was convinced he’d want nothing to do with her and desperate to see him. Near the end of her patience trapped in the tiny box of a spacecraft, she shot up when she felt the familiar pressure of them descending. Evelyn rose, looking as tired as Kiera felt. Kiera had bathed in the bathroom in the back of the craft, but it was too small to have a clothing unit. She stripped off her sweatshirt to be certain people could see her armband in her T-shirt.
The descent felt as long as their two day trip. She pulled her hair back in a scrunchie at the base of her neck, growing nervous once again. There was a gentle bump as they landed. She waited for Evelyn to go to the door first, uncertain what to expect from wherever they’d gone.
The door slid open. It was dark, the dual moons high in the sky. Several figures awaited them, and she saw a low building with glowing lights in the distance. One female figure moved forward, wrapping a shawl around Evelyn’s shoulders and placing a translator on her ear. She handed Evelyn a small bowl of water and then moved to Kiera, handing her a translator.
Kiera took it and put it on her earlobe. She heard no signs of war but saw the distant night sky light up with orange and red flashes.
“They’re getting closer,” Evelyn said in a tight voice.
Kiera said nothing, her mind racing. The night was chilly and quiet. She looked to Evelyn only to find the group had already moved away toward the distant dwelling. She trotted to catch up to them, trailing. The group was silent and tense, the warriors flanking Evelyn eyeing Kiera as much as the distant flashes of light. She shivered.
Evelyn’s entourage shepherded her into the dwelling. Kiera looked around, speechless at the soaring ceilings, the atrium with a waterfall in the foyer, and pristine white walls covered with the multi-colored roping. She hadn’t noticed how rundown A’Ran’s home in exile was until she saw the house of the Qatwali refugees. It made her angrier at Evelyn and Romas, knowing A’Ran and his sweet sisters had been forced out of their home into a life of poverty.
The group continued without her. She couldn’t remember feeling such rejection. The Qatwali warriors had looked her over in full light, as if to ensure she was no threat, then dismissed her with a look that said she ranked lower than the tarantula cat clinging to one wall. Even Evelyn walked away without so much as a glance.
Any resentment she had at A’Ran melted further. She wasn’t sure how he’d lived with this type of treatment since he was a boy. She couldn’t handle it!
She followed the group down several corridors into a massive conference room filled with people in tight groups talking. There was barely room to maneuver, and she found herself standing on her tiptoes to keep track of Evelyn, who had no trouble with the people around her parting the seas for her. Kiera made her way through the crowd to an area with far fewer people. She was surprised to recognize the Council members, from tall, thin Opal to the Council members whose names she’d never learned. Her eyes sought out a familiar form and found him.
Evelyn waited at the edge of another group, in the middle of which was Romas. Kiera maneuvered through the crowd, out of place in her jeans, T-shirt, and armband marking her as Anshan. Only a few people looked long enough to take in her armband, and she shied away from one who stared at her in alarm. Nervous, uneasy, she made her way down the wall toward the Council members, who held court with themselves.
She stopped within full view of Jetr and waited, not wanting to draw the attention of the entire Council to her. Jetr listened and spoke, glancing over after a few minutes. He looked again, this time meeting her gaze. She gave a nervous wave, watching for his reaction and relieved when he offered a warm smile. He excused himself and crossed to her, motioning for her to follow him out a nearby door into a corridor.
“I knew you’d come, if given the means to return,” he said. “You look worn.”
“I’m fine, Jetr,” she replied. “What’s going on?”
“The Council is gathering an army to retake this galaxy,” he said. “It’s slow to form. Many of it requires negotiations with headstrong warriors like A’Ran. Qatwal will be destroyed or taken over in mere days.”
“Did he really destroy Anshan?”
“He destroyed the mines. The atmosphere is contaminated beyond
repair but the planet lives, a distinction I’ve kept from many others.”
“I can heal it,” she said hesitantly.
“Maybe. No one really knows but A’Ran.”
“If you knew he’d go crazy, why didn’t you come for me?”
“I’m a diplomat. I influence others without choosing sides,” he said vaguely. “What’s important is that you’re here, and here— in the Five Galaxies— is where you’ll stay?”
“Yes.”
“Good. Mansr won’t try to talk sense into A’Ran. I’m afraid you’re all that stands between the Council and him. I’ve been a friend of his family for generations. I don’t want to see him assassinated.”
“Assassinated!” she breathed. “The Council would do that?”
“The Council believes he’s destroyed one planet and is about to destroy a second.”
“But if he doesn’t destroy Qatwal and the war stops, will they leave him alone?”
“After this display? I don’t think anyone will want to cross him for a long time,” Jetr said, amused. “That I can influence. When he’s running around destroying planets, I cannot help him.”
She shivered, wondering just how cunning the small man with the warm smile was.
“Are you ready?” he asked.
“Ready for what?”
“You’ll see. Wait here. I’m bringing others with me. Follow us to the battle quarters.” He squeezed her arm and returned to the room.
She hugged herself, scared and uneasy. It was hard to trust Jetr when he seemed so … squirrelly. She leaned against the wall and drew a deep breath, praying A’Ran trusted this Council member for a reason.
A few minutes later, a group of Qatwali left the room. She recognized Romas and his father, two other Council members with Jetr, and a few more strangers. She trailed them as directed down the corridor to a battle quarters that put A’Ran’s tiny room to shame. There wasn’t just one battle planner but dozens, with every wall featuring viewers. Jetr motioned her to the side, and the men gathered in the center of the room, facing the largest viewer. The lights dimmed as Jetr brought the viewer online.
