by Grey, Lena
And in my heart, I know our bond is forevermore.
Chapter 26
Kenzie
* * *
The rescue party has only been gone for half a day and I already miss my best friend. I wish Jillian had stayed in the village with me, but I understand why she volunteered to go. Jade and Layla went, too, while Emily and Reese stayed behind like me.
Trauhn tells me we have much to do today, although I secretly think he’s trying to keep me busy so I don’t fret about the missing girls or the rescue party.
After we eat a light breakfast of banan fruit and dried meat that Trauhn calls kerboo, he takes me to see Yola, who pronounces me healthy. She gives me a leather pouch full of dried berries and tells me to eat five of them a day. From what I gather, the berries are the Rakui version of prenatal vitamins.
We look in on Stromm who is in the med hut, still unconscious. His injuries are severe, although Yola seems confident he’ll pull through. Interestingly, Emily has offered to watch over him while the healer tends to her other duties, and she sits dutifully by his side. She’s not over the trauma of our kidnapping yet because she still carries a weapon in the gun holster around her hips.
Next, Trauhn takes me to see the elders. He wants to take me to the Cavern of Memory and needs their permission first. I’ve already met Xvar, who stands guard outside the North Caves, and I greet him with a smile and a wave. He’s young, handsome and strong, and one of the more friendly Rakui warriors. Trauhn tells me Xvar is is eager for a Terran mate and hopes one of my friends takes a liking to him.
Trauhn takes my hand and leads me into the caves where the elders, Morkon and Cyana, are waiting in the greatroom. With their graying hair and aged faces, they do look older than the other Rakuis I’ve seen. Yet they’re still strong and fit, and they look me over with thoughtful eyes.
I stand in silence while Trauhn and the elders converse in the Rakui language. It makes me a little uncomfortable to hear my name spoken, as if I’m being judged or something.
Finally, Morkon speaks to me in Old Galactic. “Ken-zee Trauhn’s mate, yes?”
I think he’s asking me if we’re having sex and my face flushes. “Trauhn and I have mated, yes. More than once if you really must know.”
Cyana smiles in a way that makes me think I just embarrassed myself with that answer. “Mating makes kit. Cyana Morkon’s mate, forevermore. Ken-zee Trauhn’s mate, forevermore?”
Is she explaining the difference between mating, which is sex, and being mates, which sounds less like fuck buddies or boyfriend and girlfriend and more like being married? I think she is. I guess that makes sense, especially when ‘forevermore’ is tacked on at the end. I feel dumb for not figuring that out on my own.
Trauhn squeezes my hand and I glance up at him. He looks worried, like I’m about to reject him. “Ken-zee Trauhn’s mate, forevermore?”
Forever seems like a big commitment to make to a guy I barely know, even if I do love him and am carrying his child. Then I remember being abandoned by a mother I don’t remember and being betrayed by a government that treated me like nothing more than a lab rat.
Trauhn was drawn to my escape pod even before he knew I was inside. And he claimed me as his the moment we first met. There’s never been any doubt in his mind that we belong together. He even called me and our baby a gift from the gods—and meant it with his heart and soul.
I don’t know what the future holds, but I do know that I’d be a fool to let him get away. I smile at him and squeeze his hand. “Yes. I’m Trauhn’s mate, forevermore.”
“Then Ken-zee, mate of Trauhn, is now Rakui,” Morkon states.
“I am?” I say, surprised. It seems strange that a simple pronouncement makes me an official member of their tribe.
Cyana nods and approaches me. “Welcome,” she says and embraces me.
Trauhn speaks to them in Rakui again, then turns to me and says, “We go now.”
I’m guessing the elders gave the go-ahead to let me into the Cavern of Memory because that’s where he takes me next. It’s being guarded by the stoic Rakui who Jillian called Kam. They guy raises his weapons and takes on a fighting stance when we try to enter. Frankly, Kam could use a few lessons in congeniality from Xvar.
He and Trauhn have a heated exchange that I can’t understand before Kam begrudgingly steps aside so we can go in.
Unlike the entrances to the North Caves and South Caves, which are narrow and short, the entrance to the Cavern of Memory is wider and longer, and it’s lit by several small, glowing sconces. I’m not sure what’s illuminating them because there’s no electricity on UD237. Not that I’ve seen, anyway.
The entrance takes us to a massive cavern carved into the hillside. The smooth walls are polished to a shine and the ceiling soars well above Trauhn’s head. There’s no fire pit in here, but there are more of the glowing sconces.
The floor is cold and bare, and there are several small, low stone tables surrounded by leather cushions off to one side. A gathering place, I guess. If this is the Cavern of Memory, I don’t know where those memories are stored because there aren’t any drawings, books or even scrolls.
The only other thing in the space is what looks like a large stone altar perfectly centered in the middle of the cavern. On the altar, there’s an oval indent off to the left side.
“Ken-zee hand on stone,” Trauhn tells me, showing me that he wants me to put my hand in the indent.
I hesitate. It’s hard to explain, but this place seems different than the other caves. It has an almost other-worldly vibe and I sense that if I put my hand on the stone, my life will never be the same.
Trauhn tires of waiting for me to do what he asks because he takes my hand and places it on the stone for me. The stone vibrates and whirrs to life, pinning my palm tight against it as a current of energy travels throughout my body and my brain.
“What in the hell?!” I scream and try to pull my hand away, but I’m pinned to the stone.
I feel Trauhn’s hands on my shoulders. “Ken-zee safe.”
The energy current leaves my body with a whoosh, the stone releases my hand and a giant, high-tech hologram of a female Rakui appears before my eyes.
Welcome, Terran from Earth. My name is Zavra from the starship Avalor. According to a scan of your physical being, neither you nor your symbiont speak the native language. Would you like me to upload the Rakui dialect to your symbiont so you may understand and speak the language?
Holy, shit. The stone isn’t an altar, it’s a freaking computer that scanned my body. And it’s talking to me in English!
Chapter 27
Kenzie
* * *
“Uh, yes?” I don’t know why I phrase my response as a question because of course I want to understand and speak Rakui.
Very well. Please place your hand back on the control panel. Thank you. One moment, please.
With my hand back on the stone, I feel the energy current travel through me again. Thankfully, it doesn’t last very long.
Upload complete.
The computer releases my hands, and I get a new TEASE alert. I tap my wrist and read the message.
RAKUI DIALECT INSTALLATION: SUCCESSFUL
“Trauhn,” I say, testing out my new ability to speak his language, “what is this place?”
He looks at me in surprise. “I told you, it is the Cavern of Memory. My ancestors built it when they first arrived to preserve the memories and history of our tribe. How do you now speak the Rakui language?”
“It’s a little hard to explain, but Zavra…taught it to me.” The Rakui language is more limited than English and I find there are some things I want to say that don’t fully translate. But this is a huge improvement in our communication.
“Ah yes. Zavra is a messenger for the gods who knows many wondrous things. If you ask her, she will tell you the history of my people.”
Zavra is actually an AI, but I don’t say that. I doubt Trauhn would understand the concept of ar
tificial intelligence.
“Zavra, please show me any images you have in your database.”
One moment, please.
The hologram in front of me changes to display a spectacular, futuristic city that looks like something from a scifi movie. The tall, soaring buildings are connected by a series of intricate sky bridges and surround what looks like a mammoth, centralized temple with a domed roof.
Would you prefer to scroll through the image archive manually or view a slideshow?
“A slideshow would be great, thanks.” We’re conversing in English, but Trauhn doesn’t seem to mind. I guess it’s because he’s seen and heard all of this before.
Very well. Slideshow commencing. To pause it touch the image on the screen. Touch the image again to resume the slideshow.
The slideshow begins and more images of the city and its residents display on the hologram screen. “Zavra, tell me about this city.”
You are viewing images of the ancient city of Rak on the now-extinct planet of Ui.
How could such an advanced city be considered ancient? I try Trauhn’s approach. “Zavra, please give me a brief history of the Rakui people.”
The Rakui tribe was formed when a civil war between two warrior factions destroyed the planet Mezol. One of those factions colonized in the Rak territory of Ui, a small, undeveloped planet in the Lezzari galaxy. The faction chose a new name for their people by combining the name of the territory with the name of the planet. Rak-ui or Rakui.
“I’ve never heard of the Lezzari galaxy. Where it it located?”
It is located two solar systems from Earth, although its existence is not currently known on your planet.
“How many people originally colonized on Ui?”
The original Rakui colonists were comprised of 312,064 men, women and children.
“How long ago was this?”
Searching. One moment, please. This data is unavailable.
Well, it was worth a shot. “If Rak was originally an undeveloped territory, how did it become a modern city?”
During settlement in Rak, the Rakuis discovered an abundant natural resource on Ui: a versatile, potent element that proved to be a powerful source of energy. The tribe’s scientists named the element Rakuium and, over many hundreds of years, learned how to harness its energy in powerful ways.
Eventually, the Rakuis became the richest, most technologically advanced people in the Lezzari galaxy. They used Rakuium to create a modernized city for their people, generate breakthroughs in medicine and longevity and build the deadliest weapons for their warriors.
“You said that Ui is now extinct. What happened to it?”
A new civil war broke out on the planet when two distinct groups fought for the control of Rakuium. On one side was the Rakui scientists and their supporters, who had begun sharing the element with outside scientists and wanted to establish an Intergalactic Foundation to make Rakuium freely available to other planets. On the other side was the Rakui military leaders, who wanted to consolidate their power by hoarding the element.
Using Rakuium-powered weapons to fight each other caused a meltdown of the element within the planet’s core. This, in turn, triggered cataclysmic planetary disasters, including violent storms, volcanic eruptions and, finally, ongoing, catastrophic earthquakes.
As Zavra continues her history lesson, the slideshow images change to mirror what she’s telling me. Seeing the death of the Rakui people, the crumbling of their magnificent city and the destruction of the planet at their own hands is heartbreaking.
Although the military leaders stayed on Ui and it is assumed they perished with the planet, the Rakui people evacuated in groups ranging in size from 300 to 5000 citizens.
“How many Rakuis evacuated on the starship Avalor, and what happened to them?” I ask.
Before choosing a final destination, a solar storm caused the Avalor to crash on an unidentified planet. There were 320 passengers and crew on board; 107 perished on impact, leaving 213 survivors.
There are less than 50 Rakuis left now. “How long ago was that?”
Searching. One moment, please. Approximately 307 Earth years.
I wonder if the computer has access to the current space-wide Net. “Zavra, when was your database last updated?”
Searching. One moment, please. Approximately 307 Earth years.
So, that would be a no.
Would you like to hear a short message from our captain?
“Yes, I would.” The slideshow fades away and an image of a handsome older Rakui in a spaceflight suit appears on the hologram.
I am Jakoan, captain of the starship Avalor. For the second time in our people’s history, the lust for power has destroyed our planet. Those of us aboard this ship have agreed to recolonize far away from our origins. We have also taken an oath to live in simplicity. By shunning the wealth and technology that has turned our people against each other, we hope the remainder of our lives will be spent in peace and harmony. My the gods and the heavens bless our journey.
The captain’s image fades away and I can’t help but wonder if his message was prophetic. If the ship full of Rakuis wanted to live in simplicity, they couldn’t have crashed on a better planet than UD237. Zavra speaks to me again.
Do you have any other questions at this time?
“No, thank you.” I’m sure I’ll have more questions later. But right now, I’m feeling a little overwhelmed.
To disconnect from this session, please place your hand back on the control panel.
I do what Zavra asks and feel a whoosh of energy again.
Thank you. Goodbye.
I turn to Trauhn with tears in my eyes. “Your people have been through so much. It must have been awful for your ancestors to flee from the fighting on your planet only to crash land on an unknown world.”
He takes me in his arms. “Do not be sad, my Ken-zee. The Rakui people are resilient. Now that the gods have brought us Terran females from Urth, our tribe will become strong once again.”
There’s an innocent simplicity in his way of thinking and I can’t help but smile. I place his hand on my flat abdomen. “Our kit will help rebuild your tribe.”
He kisses me softly. “Our tribe. You are Rakui now. Forevermore.”
“Forevermore,” I agree.
* * *
COMING SOON: JILLIAN’S AND REMMEL’S STORY
Click here to preorder now!
* * *
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