“Malic or I could go with them.”
“We’re a team. We would go together.” Malic reached out to take his hand.
“You would give up the chance to meet your mate?” Nevaeh asked.
“There is no guarantee we will meet our mate no matter what we choose to do. All we know is that our mate is not on earth,” Cassic told her.
“How do you know this?”
“Sassy told us. She used long-range scanners to look for a life form that would be compatible with us and found nothing.”
“It seems our scanners are getting better every day,” Julze gave a sarcastic retort.
“I will have to think over your request and talk to my mates before we make a decision, you’re dismissed.” Rale watched Malic and Cassic leave, wondering briefly if his mates would still love him with white hair.
“Yes, love, we’ll love you no matter the color of your hair.”
“That’s good to know. I think it will be changing colors soon. Sassy?”
“Yes, captain.”
“Why did you tell Cassic his mate was not on earth?”
“His mate isn’t on the planet.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, captain.”
“Do you know where his mate is?”
“I do?”
Rale waited until it became apparent that she wasn’t going to offer the mate’s whereabouts.
“Sassy, where is she?”
“Is that an order, captain?”
His eyes narrowed, but he looked at his mates before answering. They both shook their heads.
“That is not an order.”
“Then, if we have nothing else to discuss, I have work to do captain.”
“I swear,” he seethed. “I am going to take her apart bolt by bolt one day.”
His mates laughed as he closed his eyes.
Chapter Nine
Payton made her way through the ship to the observation deck. The longer she was on the ship, the more she appreciated that room. It could be anything she wanted it to be. In some ways, it had become her home away from home. It was a kind of if I had the money, I’d make my special place look like this. That’s not what she saw when she entered today.
It looked like a horror movie. No, it looked like a segment of America’s past. It was from down south, a plantation with a white man with a whip and black men and women in a field.
“Come in; I’ve been waiting for you.”
She knew Third-in-Command Neveah hated her, but to go this far
“Third-in-command,” Payton said as she entered the room
“The command team had a visit from Malic and Cassic. I assume you remember them?”
She should have gone with them. In the end, she thought they would get further without her there as a distraction.
“I remember them.”
“Come closer, Payton. Here are black women and men slaving in a field to make your life easier. You must like this.”
She gulped and moved closer. It was so easy to say racist shit when you didn’t have a perspective to back it up. The slave owner or whoever had the whip used it on a man’s back, laying his skin open. She jumped, trying not to lose the bit of lunch she managed to get down.
“I wasn’t there,” Nevaeh said, “But I can’t imagine calling a man master or allowing one to apply a whip to my back. To each his or her own. That’s just me. I also can’t claim to be from Ethiopia or someplace where my ancestors weren’t slaves. You can, though.”
“Third—”
“Save it. I’m here for a reason. According to Cassic and Malic, you want to help Leela and her people. Would that be the same Leela with the jet-black skin, the pink eyes, and the neon hair.”
“Yes, Third-in-Command.”
“Why help a black teen. I would think you’d want to see her kind eradicated from the universe. The whiter it is, the better.”
Payton went to her knees, head bowed.
“Oh, no, Payton, you don’t get a get out of jail free card with silence. What exactly do you think you're doing? Do you plan to get them by themselves and kill them? Are you still upset that some skank hoe stole your worthless husband? That’s right, I said it, worthless husband. Do you want Leela and her people to pay because you think your pussy wasn’t good enough to hold him? Maybe you just want them to pay because they’re black. Is that it? You can’t get to me, but you can hurt them?”
“No!” She jumped up and screamed, hands going to her hair. She pulled and screamed and fought with herself until she finally calmed down. “You don’t get it, and to be honest, I’m not surprised. I never helped anyone, ever. I wasn’t brought up to help. I was better than that. My parents were better than that. You helped us, and maybe we paid you, perhaps we didn’t because we were white, royalty. Between my dad’s business and whatever the heck my mom did, I knew that to offer help was a sin, taboo, like sleeping with your brother. Some things just weren’t done.
“Then everything changed. The friends I thought were mine were laughing at me. Then I was abducted and experimented on. My life meant nothing, less than nothing. I was okay with that. Or at least I was before Cassic placed a medi scanner in my hands and taught me the basics of reading it. Now, I have this horrifying choice. Will I help? And I did. I helped, then I stood up for what was right, even when I thought I was going to die. Leela, she came to me like I was a friend. I’m older than her and let’s face it; I’m not as pretty as she is. She’s willowy and thin. Her complexion is flawless. None of that can be said about me. But she didn’t seem to care about the outside. For the first time in my life, I wanted to be the friend I wanted to have. And if I’m honest, I wanted Cassic and Malic to be my friends too. That’s why I went to them. Now you can laugh at the poor pitiful creature that I am.”
Nevaeh walked over and sat with her. She pulled Payton into her arms and allowed her to cry.
“They say tears cleanse the soul. I had to be sure Payton and the only way I could do that was to push you past your safety zone. No one knows what else the Fulyer have done to you.”
“I could be a ticking bomb,” she sniffled, then sobbed again.
“You could be, but I think we are all some kind of ticking bomb.”
Payton stayed still for a long time. She watched as the scene around her slowly changed, as if history was playing itself out again for their benefit. There was a stretch of the underground railroad and the war. She watched as famous people from history were showcased, but the ones that fascinated her were the everyday people. The ones that kept going on despite what was said or done to them.
She watched when a little dark-haired, brown-eyed baby girl was born. She didn’t know how, but she knew it was her. Watching her history and realizing just how bitter it was hurt, but it also cleaned a spot out within her. There was no need to pretend when it was playing out in color in front of her.
As the pain of having lived that life tortured her, the image changed. It was of Neveah held in a cage that she couldn’t stand in.
“Just in case you thought you won the parent of the year award.”
It made no sense, but her tears dried up, and she laughed. Nevaeh laughed with her. Suddenly, she didn’t feel alone.
“You know you could send Cassic and Malic to take care of the Cassillians.”
“Hush your mouth. There is no way I’m sending two males who aren’t even sure they like females to take care of a group of people with a female leader. You will be there to keep them in line, and they will be there to keep you in line. I hate to say this, but your bird kind of freaks me out.”
Payton followed her gaze to find the bird sitting on the same seat; it always sat on when she was in here. It was staring at Nevaeh as if it could see right through her.
“He’s nice.”
“So says the women the bird isn’t staring at. Remember the movie The Birds?” They both shivered at the thought. “We have a planet. It is empty except for wildlife. Rale and Julze agree there is a
perfect spot to start a colony. We’ll take all of you there. Like with any other colony, you’ll be on your own to make it. If I were you, I’d get together with Cassic and Malic and plan what you need to bring with you.”
“Will the ship be okay without them aboard?”
Neveah laughed until she cried. “You’re not going to believe this, but there was a time that ship ran with no one except Rale and Julze. I think we’ll survive. Off you go and take your bird with you.”
*~*~*~*
“They said yes.” Payton couldn’t remember the last time she’d been this excited. This was better than going off to summer camp with her best friend.
“Who said what?” Cassic teased her. He and Malic were sitting in his office in medbay when she came in.
“Those in command, all three of them. They said yes. I mean Third-in-Command put me through the wringer, but I understood why. They have a planet, a whole planet. Who gets a whole planet? Anyway, they said that Leela and her people could start a colony on their planet. Isn’t that marvelous?”
She should be standing still waiting for their joyous answer. Instead, she threw herself onto Malic’s lap, hugging him close. Then she was up, and in Cassic’s lap, hugging him. When she finally stood up, it was to see them staring at her. They were probably upset that she sat on them. How could she forget she was fat? No one wants a fat woman, she could hear her husband's voice tell her. Maybe they were scared that she hugged them. She didn’t have any diseases besides fatness, and that wasn’t catchy.
“It is because I’m fat or because you think I carry a disease?”
“What?” Cassic asked. His eyes narrowed as he tried to understand what she was talking about.
She moved her hand around her body to showcase her weight.
“Just because you are nice and soft is no reason to tease us with it,” Malic told her.
She was going to laugh, but they weren’t teasing. Note to self–Hasian males are strange and different. It will take time to get to know them.
“Are you guys hungry? I tried to eat earlier but got like three bites down. Since we’ll be spending time together, I thought maybe we could eat a meal together.”
Chapter Ten
Payton stood on the observation deck, watching as a planet came into view. Leela was standing in front of her. Her slight body not enough to keep Payton from seeing. Cassic stood on one side of her while Malic stood on the other. They were all staring at the planet coming into view. Sassy was giving them a voice-over of what they were seeing.
It had taken them a month to get here. A month of stops for supplies. A month of making and remaking lists, of checking and rechecking to make sure they had everything they needed. Malic lived on the computer researching other colonies and what they needed to survive as well as their survival rates on the planet they chose. During that time they also lost almost one hundred an fifty of Leela’s followers. They decided to make a life on different planets along the way.
Cassic packed his supplies and upped them so many times Payton was beginning to wonder if there would be room for things like food and materials to build shelters. Not that she had to worry about food. Their cook Attan was going with them, much to Nevaeh’s displeasure. He wanted to be useful. She wanted to do a jig when she found out but decided not to put any strain on her and Nevaeh’s new and tentative friendship. That didn’t stop Neveah from throwing her dirty looks.
“There is usually cloud cover over this portion of the planet,” Sassy’s voice droned on, bringing Payton back as they made orbit. “The planet does not have seasons like earth or Casill. The weather is usually pleasant. There will be rain, but no snow. The growing season is roughly nine months out of the year.”
Payton nodded, trying to remember everything Sassy was saying. Malic had it all down on the computer he was bringing, but Sassy wouldn’t be with them to answer questions. That was a set back as far as she was concerned.
“This may be one of the most beautiful planets you have ever seen,” Sassy told them.
*~*~*~*
“Kaylr, why is that bird on your shoulder?” Nevaeh asked as the planet Falling Water came into view.
“He’s no trouble at all.”
“Just remember he’ll be going with Payton when they leave the ship.”
“Calm down,” Rale took her hand. “They are prepared for this. It’s not like we’re sending them into hostile territory.”
“I’m just talking about the bird, not hundreds of people being on our planet when we’re not there.” Did it sound like she was freaking out? She wasn’t. Payton, could take care of herself, and so could Cassic and Malic. No, if she was concerned, it was for Attan, her chef. She nodded her head to back herself up. When she turned to look, that darn bird was staring at her.
“It’s looking at me.” Julze turned to look, but of course, the bird was looking in the other direction.
Julze bit his lip and said nothing. She turned to look back at the bird. It turned its head without moving its neck.
“It's possessed look!” She was pointing at the bird who was acting like it hadn’t done anything. “I am not crazy; it’s the bird.”
“Love as soon as we drop them off; we’ll go to the pleasure planet for a well-deserved break.” Rale gathered her into his arms.
“It’s the bird, I’m telling you. Kaylr don’t get attached to that bird.” Maybe Rale was right; she needed a break. First, there was dealing with Payton and looking for additional triggers. Then there was a group of refugees that she had been taking care of and better not forget Kaylr, who thought she was the mother he never had. Which was nice, but would have been easier if he wasn’t somewhere between teen and grown. He was in his twenties, just old enough to think he was grown and young enough to still be a child. Is this what she left earth for?
A huge smile slid in place. She would have left earth for ten percent of the happiness she now had.
“You still with us?” Rale asked.
“Yeah, I was just thinking of children.”
“Speaking of which, Cassic has some interesting ideas on how Hasians impregnated their female counterparts.”
“Let’s talk about it after we are sure the Fulyer are not after us.” They still had the Fulyer ship. The next step will be to destroy it.
“This is your captain. We have entered a stable orbit around the planet. You have your assignments and when to report to the shuttle for transfer to the surface of the planet. Retrieve any personal belongings and begin making your way to the shuttle bay. Captain Rale out.”
“We’re doing this?” Julze looked at them.
“We’ve established a world,” Rale told them.
“We’ve only just begun,” Nevaeh sang softly.
*~*~*~*
“What do we do now?” Cassic asked as he looked over the people and the supplies that were spread out over a large area.
Malic was on a handheld. It was the first thing they set up, a small computer system that would allow them to call for help and get the information they needed. That was only possible because captain Rale and Second-in-Command Julze already had the interior for a strong computer network set up.
“What is shelter!” Malic’s voice rang out much too loud.
Payton laughed, thinking he’d make a good jeopardy contestant.
“Shelter sounds good,” Leela told them. She had started with about three hundred Casillians. Over the last month, that number had dwindled to around one fifty. They were going to put up barracks and then take their time establishing individual homes.
“Attan, start with the male barracks, Silvan start with the female barracks. Everyone else break into groups and start to help. We’ll get Leela’s temporary shelter set up and then our own.” Malic had them moving away to get started.
He turned to find that the command team was sitting against a tree watching them work.
“We’ll be taking off soon, but I want to make sure your temporary shelter is up before we do. Remember, y
ou have thirty days before the rain begins. You will need as many accommodations built as possible. There will be no building during the rainy season.
“I’ll make sure it happens.”
“I believe you will, Malic. It surprised me that Hasian would throw someone like you away. We’ll leave you two shuttles, and you know how to get in touch with us as needed. May the blessing of the one reside on your colony,” Rale said.
“May the one with all share with you the bounties of his blessing.”
“We will try to be back in three months, but it may not happen for six.”
“We’ll be ready when you come back.”
“Captain?” Leela walked over to him. She bowed to him, Julze, and Nevaeh. “I never thought that someone would give my people and me a chance. You have all come through for us when we have nothing to give in return. We will take care of your planet like it is ours.”
“It is yours. That is why we have asked you to settle beside us. One day this planet will be flowing with people from different places. If you don’t think so, talk to Kalyr when we get back. Keep your people safe and watch after mine.”
“They’re different,” Payton came to stand by Leela as they watched Captain Rale, Second-in-Command Julze, and Third-in-Command Nevaeh enter their shuttle.
“I don’t believe I have met anyone like them.”
“Neither have I,” Payton told her. “Let’s go, young lady, you can help build your temporary shelter.
“I’m going,” Leela skipped a couple of steps in front of her while Payton leaned on her walking stick and followed.
“I thought this was supposed to be easy?” Payton moaned, trying to stretch her back out. It was supposed to be insert tab A into tab B easy. That wasn’t what was happening. No, it was complicated in the way only builders can make things. What? You’re not going to pay our exorbitant price to put this up? Well, okay, here take this one. She couldn’t imagine what would happen if they had houses with a second or third floor.
Payton's Surprise (The Perfect Match Book 2) Page 6
