Four Worlds

by Maureen A. Miller

  FOUR WORLDS

  By: Maureen A. Miller

  All rights reserved.

  Copyright © 2017 by Maureen A. Miller

  Smashwords Edition

  This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places and incidents are products of the author’s imagination and not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental.

  All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under the copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the copyright owner.

  This book would have been completed sooner if not for the precious little four-legged beast that arrived in our lives. She continues to grow, and will one day let her mommy write in peace.

  PROLOGUE

  Less than two days after her high school graduation, Aimee Patterson walked her Cocker Spaniel along the pond on her parent’s farm. When Ziggy charged into the woods on the other side, Aimee was paralyzed with indecision. The forest was scary, a dark lair she had avoided since childhood. But she was not a child anymore, and something had caught the dog’s attention. Trailing after him into that bleak stockade...Aimee disappeared from this planet.

  She woke up on a spaceship so grand and so far from Earth, never imagining that her adventure in space would last five years. In that time, she learned new technology, visited a foreign planet, battled aliens, encountered disease—and cured it. Most importantly, though, she fell in love.

  When the adventure was over, Aimee was twenty-two years old and confronted with a monumental decision. Should she remain in the stars with Zak and start their life together, or should she return to Earth to lead a normal existence and comfort the parents who never knew the fate of their missing daughter?

  Aimee’s heart yearned for one future, but the burden of responsibility argued for another. The truth was that in order for her and Zak to spend a life together without regrets, they both needed to evolve—to mature.

  For five years, she did her time on Earth, always looking to the stars at night, waiting for the moment she could reunite with her true love. When that time came, she rejoined the Horus only to discover that Zak was not there. Informed that he had been left stranded on his own planet, and presumed dead, Aimee was devastated.

  Foreign planets, and even the prospect of death cannot deter a woman in love. Tackling the odds, Aimee mounted her own mission to rescue Zak. Once reunited with her damaged man, she battled at his side against the Korons who sought to annihilate his race. Triumphant, she and Zak reunited with the Horus, but their next stop as a ‘bonded’ couple was Aimee’s home...the planet Earth.

  They did not travel alone to Earth, though. They brought with them the one woman Aimee could call a friend. Raja.

  On Earth, Raja and Zak experience some gifted side-effects. They are capable of remaining underwater for extended periods, and their hearing is greatly enhanced.

  Raja finds herself mistakenly caught up in an FBI sting. She becomes enamored with special agent, Craig Buchanan, and when tragedy strikes, she is faced with the ultimate dilemma—save him, or risk revealing her true identity.

  Craig learns that Raja and Zak are aliens, and battles to protect them. An additional asset appears with the surprising arrival of Gordeelum in an enhanced terra angel. He has learned how to reach Earth earlier than the five-year trek it takes the Horus to complete its orbit. Raja wants to go back with Gordy, but she doesn’t want to leave Craig. Her decision is simplified when Craig announces that he would like to leave Earth and join her.

  Now Aimee and Zak remain on Earth, awaiting the birth of their first child…

  CHAPTER ONE

  Aimee jolted.

  Her eyes cracked open.

  Sun poured through the sheer white curtains, casting an ethereal trail across the floor to her blue plastic flip-flops. A bird chirped on the deck outside. The clock read 6:05am. Her head dropped back onto the pillow, the lure of sleep defying whatever had awakened her.

  Her eyes flew open again.

  6:09am.

  This time she knew what the culprit was and her palm settled over her stomach to quiet it.

  Another hand came to rest atop hers. Wide, strong, tan—this hand dwarfed hers and squeezed for comfort.

  “Does it hurt?”

  One could truly consider her husband, Zak, worldly. After all, he had traveled the universe, experiencing and battling life on such diverse planets. All that considered, he still knew very little about the mystery of pregnancy.

  “No,” she smiled and pulled his arm around her. “It just startles me sometimes. It has to be a boy. He’s got more energy than you and I combined. Definitely a Warrior in the making.”

  Zak tugged until she was on her back and he could gaze down at her on a propped elbow. She would never grow tired of looking up into those golden eyes. She feared for those eyes. The damage of the Korons’ ray was taking its toll on his sight. Zak tried to mask it, but she knew if she asked him to read the numbers on the digital clock that he would struggle.

  “I don’t want him to be a Warrior,” he declared.

  Considering what the role of Warrior had done to him, she could understand Zak’s reluctance to chance the same with his son. As much as she shared his fears, she was never going to be one of those mothers that demanded a career path for their child. She would support her child’s dreams no matter what they were.

  Another sharp left hook from the little one had her cramping up. The solid band of Zak’s arm secured her in place.

  “Easy, Zer-shay. I’ve got you.”

  The endearment tickled her heart. As she looked up at Zak she wondered who their child would favor. Zak’s dark hair was matted on one side from the pillow. A shadow of a beard hugged his square chin. That look of determination that never left his gaze was now flanked by a few more wrinkles than in the past. How old was he, really? She could only make a calculated guess that he was several years older than her.

  Did it really matter?

  She loved him. And she hoped that their child had his golden eyes, and not her green-eyed, auburn-haired tedious appearance.

  “The trip is a week away,” he said, reading her mind. “Are you sure you want to do this?”

  “Yes,” she whispered. Clearing her throat, she continued. “I’ve talked to my parents, and they agree that it’s best for the baby.”

  Zak frowned. “We’ve been to your doctor. Nothing drew his curiosity.”

  Aimee clutched her stomach, only this time it was a bout of nerves that irritated it. “Every time I walk in that office I feel it’s a gamble. I am waiting for them to notice some anomaly in the blood tests. I am waiting for them to discover something—”

  “He’s not going to have three eyes, Zer-shay. Three eyes don’t run in my genes.” He winked.

  Aimee punched him on the shoulder. “No, but sarcasm apparently does and that may show up on the ultrasound.”

  His smile was contagious and some of the nerves ebbed.

  “Zak, the Horus will reach our solar system in a week. I just feel more comfortable having them—having Raja care for our child. We’d have nothing to hide there.”

  “And your parents don’t want to come?”

  “That’s too drastic a change for them. And now that Gordy has found a way to commute here outside the span of the Horus’ Lifequest, we can visit with them soon.”

  Zak’s head tipped back in silent contemplation. He looked back down at her, his eyes sliding to the small bump under the sheets.

  “I want what is best for both of y
ou. We don’t have an FBI special agent around to hide us anymore. I don’t want any extra stress on you. We’ll go back to the Horus.”

  Aimee lurched forward, snaking her arms around his neck. “Thank you.”

  Truth be told, yes, she was extremely concerned about their child’s biology raising the eyebrows of her doctors, but she also wanted to get Zak back to the Horus so they could work on his eyes. Having discussed both of her concerns with her parents, they agreed. Now that they realized she was safe when she left them, they were more tolerant of her departures.

  Zak kissed her temple and murmured in her ear. “I have everything I want right here in my arms. You. Our baby. I will never let anyone harm either of you.”

  The guttural urgency in that claim had Aimee pitying the fool who tried.

  CHAPTER TWO

  Gordeelum paced the bridge of the Guardianship Horus, staring out the bank of windows at a vivid blue planet. The majestic orb nestled beautifully against the black landscape of space. Neptune, he recalled from his map studies. They would be approaching Earth soon, but there was no telling if Zak and Aimee would be waiting in the retrieval zone.

  Vodu gave strict orders that their time in the solar system was to be abbreviated, only affording them a brief pass over the target area. Time was a luxury they no longer possessed.

  Activity on the deck seemed normal. Few of the crew had knowledge of their dilemma. Vodu wanted it that way. He didn’t want to risk angst, or even hysteria. Only a select group of Warriors, and a limited number of engineers were aware of the urgency.

  “We better head down to the transport center.” Raja appeared at his side.

  Gordeelum turned to look at the slim, blonde woman. She was older than him, but it was hard to tell that from the pale flawless skin. There was a grace and poise to how she carried herself, and wisdom in her serene gaze that revealed her maturity.

  “I really hope they aren’t there.” He looked out at the next planet in the distance.

  “You will have time to get them back to Earth, Gordy.”

  “And what about you?” Gordy countered. “What about Craig? You could be safe on Earth. You could all be transported there.”

  A brief flash of sorrow crossed over her face before she concealed it with a forced smile. “I have asked him. You know I don’t want any harm to come to him. But, he knows me now. He realizes that my heart belongs here on the Horus, and with these people. He respects that, and he is adapting remarkably to the ship.”

  “He loves you. He is a good man.” Gordy nodded. “I approve.”

  Raja laughed softly. “Well, that’s a relief.” She followed up with a wink, a rare sign of whimsy from a woman often so literal.

  “So, are you two going to get bonded or what?” He tried to keep the question light with a hint of a grin, but he truly wanted happiness for Raja. He believed that the man from Earth brought her that.

  “He wants to, but I can’t do it yet with this—” she waved her hand at the ship’s bridge “—going on.”

  “We’ll survive this, Raja.” He crossed his arms and stared out the window. “We survive everything thrown at us.”

  Raja’s laugh was genuine. “That we do.”

  The sleek silver uniform sculpted her tall frame, with a subtle green glow crossing over her abdomen. Although they had developed a cure for the plague that besieged the ship, the visual need to track organ failure was still a staple in their uniforms. His dark Warrior uniform was a stark contrast, a marker for anyone on the ship to spot the elite class of Warriors that served as protection for the Horus.

  Raja twitched, startled. One of the pulse alarms must have gone off on her wrist. A half-second later, Gordy felt the pressure below his forearm.

  “It’s time,” he asserted.

  “Craig is going to meet us in the transport chamber.”

  Gordy nodded. For their well-being, he sincerely wished that Zak and Aimee would not appear. But, for the benefit of the Horus he longed for their arrival.

  ***

  Zak held Aimee’s hand as they strode out onto the pier. The wooden ramp jutted off the lake’s shore about thirty feet. Right now, they were hoping it was close enough to the pickup point that had flooded out several years ago.

  “If you feel a tug, but not that sensation that you’re dissolving, we might have to jump into the water.”

  Aimee searched the perimeter of the lake. The red siding of the King barn was visible behind a patch of trees, but the grounds were empty. The roof of her parent’s house appeared and vanished as the wind jostled the Poplar trees. She eyed the sky. Crystal clear. Would the Horus’ colossal underbelly darken the midday sun? Of course not. The ray worked from a great distance.

  The wind picked up.

  “It’s coming,” she tipped her head back, allowing the breeze to comb through her long hair.

  Glancing down, she noticed that their linked hands grew translucent.

  Earlier this morning there had been hugs and goodbyes with her parents. Fewer tears were shared. They knew that their daughter would be safe, and that they would all be together again in time.

  “Last chance to change your mind,” Zak called against the tug of the wind. “We can pull back.”

  Did she have concerns? Yes. Would this displacement from Earth and the convergence aboard the Horus harm their child? Ultimately, she trusted the Horus’ superior technology and discretion with their baby over the possibility of scrutiny and persecution on Earth.

  She tried to shake her head and assure him that she was fine, but her skull wouldn’t move. Instead, it was locked on the view of their joint hands, and in another moment, that union vanished.

  ***

  A familiar chamber emerged around Aimee. Her hand was still clutched in Zak’s, but her free one settled on her stomach. The bump there was discernible under close scrutiny, but beneath the oversized NC State t-shirt it was barely noticeable. If she was to don one of the tight uniforms standing before her the bump would look like a mountain, though.

  “Raja!” she cried out. “Gordy!”

  Raja rushed up with hugs for both of them, and Gordy gave Zak a hearty shake of the hand and a clap on the shoulder. He turned to look at Aimee and she marveled at what a handsome man he had become—a Warrior—with a confident presence and a tall, brawny frame.

  His white teeth flashed at her, and then she was wrapped in a bear hug. Pulling back, he glanced down at her waist.

  “How is my—what do you call it—nephew?”

  Indeed, this child would be Gordy’s nephew by virtue of love alone. She studied the man. Where was the young boy with all the smiles? Gordeelum was now a striking man with short, sandy hair and arresting blue eyes. The smiles might still be trapped inside, but what was on display was a jaw clenched in determination as if he carried the weight of the worlds on his broad shoulders.

  “Doing well,” Aimee proclaimed.

  The waver in conviction did not go unnoticed by Raja. She placed her hand on Aimee’s forearm and whispered, “We’ll take you to the Bio Ward and check on the baby.”

  Aimee’s throat closed at the understanding. Zak’s grip around her waist tightened in support. She looked up at him, conveying with her eyes that everything was going to be fine.

  Well, that was her thought, until she glanced back at Gordy and Raja. Something in their expressions made her uneasy. Something unsaid. Something bad.

  “Why is it that every time I come back to this ship you look as if you have terrible news you don’t want to tell me?”

  Raja’s gaze slid towards Gordy.

  “Because something terrible has happened and I don’t want to tell you.”

  If it was a joke, Raja’s delivery was very dry. The wall behind the statuesque blonde dropped open and an equally towering figure walked through.

  “Aimee! Zak. I’m sorry I’m late. I got caught up in the Surveillance chamber.”

  Craig Buchanan wore jeans and a silver-flecked shirt similar to Raja’
s uniform.

  “You’re wearing jeans,” Aimee observed.

  “A man has to draw the line somewhere,” Craig quipped with a wink at Raja. “FBI agents do not wear tight silver pants. I don’t care what galaxy we’re in.”

  That made her laugh. Somehow it didn’t seem outlandish that an agent from the Federal Bureau of Investigation was here aboard the Horus. Taking a closer look at his customized shirt she discerned subtle green shards across his abdomen. They were still tracking organs. Could she really blame them?

  Zak reached past her and shook hands with Craig. “So, they’ve put you to work in the Surveillance zone?”

  “Yeah.” Craig’s good-natured grin dropped slightly.

  “That bad?” Zak goaded.

  “No, no,” the dark-haired man slipped his fingers into Raja’s hand. “It just has been a little busy over there recently. I’m playing catch-up to learn the policies aboard the Horus—and the problems.”

  Except for Salvan, the deranged scientist that tried to dissect her, Aimee had never experienced any breach of law aboard the Horus. Danger was external. It came in the form of enemies like the Korons, which is why the Warriors existed. It never even occurred to her that a Surveillance zone would be necessary on this ship. That was naivety on her part. Of course, some form of law needed to be maintained.

  Still, reading their faces she knew that something greater was amiss.

  “Alright,” she frowned. “What is it? I can handle it. I have Zak.” She clutched his arm. “I have our baby.” Her eyes flicked to Raja, who gave two pointer fingers up, which should have been two thumbs. “I have all of you.” She hesitated. “So, why the gloomy faces, as if something cataclysmic is waiting around the corner?”

  Raja peeked at Gordy. The message there was one of capitulation.

  “You better come with us,” Gordy uttered.

  CHAPTER THREE