“I would like that,” Aja replied formally. “If it’s not too much trouble, do you have a hairbrush or a comb I could borrow first?” She pushed a tangled lock away from her face. “I don’t know about you, but I didn’t get a chance to pack an overnight bag.”
Jess put an arm around her shoulders. “I know. What that bastard Ravensworth did to us sucks. I’ll get you a hairbrush right away so you can use it while I make the tea.” She gave Aja a quick once-over. “You’re much taller than I am but I think I can find a couple of things for you to wear, too, if you’d like. They’ll fit better than Vyraz’s jumpsuit. Although if anyone can rock that look, it’s you. The cream color is fabulous against your skin. Were you a model back home?” She glanced at me and smiled. “I know you have work to do, Archon. I’ll take good care of her until you come back.”
“Thank you, Jess.” Breathing a sigh of relief, I headed back to my lab.
Though I’d been certain Jess would give my new mate a warm welcome, I was happy to see how well the two females seemed to get along. My human’s emotional state was as important to me as her physical well-being. I didn’t want to restrict her to my quarters any longer than I had to. Confining her would be like caging a magnificent wild tarazza. The sooner she accepted her situation, the less I needed to be concerned that she’d try to escape.
Jess was an excellent role model. Mantsk said she’d been defiant at first, as would be expected of any unwilling female given to aliens to become a breeder or sex slave. But our captain won his little human over and, when they were together, I could sense the genuine love and affection they had for each other.
I knew I should have told Aja the truth right away. That when those of us who were left approached the Federation for sanctuary and help in tracking down and defeating the enemy who destroyed our world, Earth’s leader had given her and the other females to us instead. Their leader Ravensworth called it a goodwill gesture. But I knew it for what it was—a move to stave off what he feared would be an alien invasion. By us. An unknown number of male warriors from an unknown world. He’d sent the females to us with as much concern for their fate as a cornered man has for the hunk of raw meat he tosses at the pack of darwolves surrounding him.
I’d been so aroused by my first sight of her. Then her wildly passionate response to the cybellus and the spanking and her first sexual experience drove everything else out of my head.
To assuage my guilt, I told myself another human female would deliver the news in a more compassionate way. From what we’d learned about the humans, they all had two things in common. Along with possessing damning information about their leader Ravensworth, none of them had any close connection to beings of their own race. No family ties, no mates. For the ones who’d been awakened, it seemed to make the transition to living in our world easier for them once they bonded with their warriors.
Our world. The images flooded my mind. I faltered, leaned against the wall for support as a wave of grief hit me just as hard as it did when I first became aware of our loss.
I knew the moment Arythios was attacked. After we received the desperate calls for help, I didn’t have to wait for scans from the defense missiles we sent out ahead of our Starfleet. Through my connection as an empath, I felt the fear, the horror, the unbearable pain. I saw the devastation through the eyes of my brother Archons as they lay dying. The ruined shells of our once-great cities. The smoking skeletons of majestic trees—all that was left of our vast forests. Carcasses of fish rotting on the shores of our oceans, of animals lying in the fields. Corpses of men, women—of the children—littering the streets, burned beyond all recognition.
I’d borne the burden in silence, hoping for once my gift had led me astray. That what I’d seen wasn’t real. Then, when the horrible images were beamed back to us, I didn’t have the luxury of giving way to anguish. I had to stay strong for my fellow warriors. As the last surviving Archon, it was my duty to bury my own heartache and tend to the psychic wounds of my men.
One day, I’d let myself mourn. But for now, I had another burden to bear. I believed the secret to finding justice for our fallen world lay in the past. That somewhere among the ancient scrolls I’d discover the identity of our faceless enemy. Already, I’d found cryptic references to an evil force that attacked Arythios long ago. Our ancestors found a way to defeat their foe. But how?
I took a deep breath, squared my shoulders, and headed back along the corridor to my lab. It was time I got back to work. The key to the salvation of my race lay hidden somewhere inside my head.
Chapter Ten
Aja
After Vyraz left the room, a silence descended for a long moment. I’d been only with him, shut up in his room for the most part and hadn’t seen another woman, not one awake at least, since boarding the ship. Finally, Jess opened her arms. “Bring it in,” she said, not waiting for me to do so. She enfolded me, hugging me tight and patting my back. “I’m so glad to meet you. You must have a thousand questions.”
“A million,” I told her. “More than that.” I stepped back, fighting the desire to just hold on for dear life. There was something so comforting about her. So safe, so warm. “But first, I want to work on these tangles. Maybe I should just hack it off and not try to take care of my hair in space.”
“No!” Jess fumbled in a drawer and turned around holding a brush and comb. Like everything in her room, they were colorful. Wildly so.
“Those are gorgeous. Are they ivory or something? Rainbow ivory?” I reached out a finger to touch the back of the brush. “So smooth.”
“I am not sure what they’re made of, but they’re great, right? And considering hair is not a common thing among the men on this vessel, and apparently only one woman ever entered their space force…”
I gaped. “One? Ever?”
She nodded emphatically. “I know, right? Not that men don’t seem to dominate most of the good careers on Earth, but women at home at least had jobs.”
“And Arythian women…”
“You know, they don’t talk about their lost women too much. Every time I ask a question, Mantsk gets so sad, I back off. Their hearts are broken.”
I kept my gaze fixed on the items she still held. “I guess it’s understandable. I didn’t have a lot of family, just my father, who was not exactly Mr. Warmth, but I can’t imagine having to tell people that Earth was no more. I mean…all the beauty of the mountains and the ocean—not that we didn’t ruin a lot on our own, but there was still a lot there to love.” My throat tightened. “And all the kids who never had a chance to grow up…”
“That’s why I let Mantsk tell me what he wants and try not to push. Sometimes he wants to share things, and sometimes not. When I put myself in his place, I don’t think I’d even be able to go on.”
I traced the swirls of colors, all those in the rainbow and some I couldn’t even put a name to, as silence stretched out between us. Finally, I lifted my eyes to meet hers. “How do they get by, day to day, with something like that?”
“I guess you do what you have to. Before they had us, they were looking at extinction as soon as the men aboard these ships die. Poof! Almost as if they’d never lived.”
“I think that’s beyond what my brain can even process. We’re way out here, somewhere, I have no idea where. But back on Earth, people are coming and going, working and playing, having babies…” I sank onto a low-backed chair, contemplating the prospect. “They’re very brave, aren’t they? The Arythians?”
“Yes.” She fiddled with the brush and comb. “I’ll take you down to the storage bay if you like. If the Archon allows.”
“Argh!” My head snapped up, jaw locked. “That’s what makes this all so confusing. Sure, they’ve been through hell, experienced a loss greater than I can really take in, and they still keep moving, trying to find a way to get past it. And the Archon—” My cheeks heated. “Well, I don’t have a lot to compare it to, but he’s amazing in bed.”
She grinned. “Or over
a chair, or standing against the wall, or in the shower. I mean, it’s a squeeze, but so worth it.”
I lifted a hand. “TMI. But it sounds like you know what I’m saying.”
“Yes.” Her eyes sparkled. “I think it’s genetic. But it doesn’t matter. I doubt there’s a man on Earth who can compare.”
Still blushing, I couldn’t hold back. Jess made it easy to share. “The anatomical details don’t hurt at all.”
We were both laughing now, the first time I’d felt so free in a long time. Maybe ever. Jess came over and bent to give me a big, warm hug. “I’m so glad you’re here. I love Mantsk, but there are no other women awake aboard this ship yet, and I sure needed a friend.”
“Me, too, even though I didn’t really have many at home. At least not since I finished school.”
She cocked her head. “It’s easy to get busy with work and lose touch.”
Or be kept a virtual captive in my father’s shop and home, not to be released until I accepted one of his marriage “suggestions.” But Jess wouldn’t understand that, and the memory was painful enough without the pity I’d see on her face. She was clearly a modern woman. So I went another way. “Did you say you love the captain?”
A soft look came over her face. “At first I thought it might be Stockholm syndrome. You’ve heard of that, right?”
“Where kidnap victims identify with their captors?”
“Close enough. But after I got to know Mantsk, to see him in the command seat, the respect the crew has for him… Sure, the sex is extraordinary, and once I got used to his bossiness—not what he calls it—saw past it to the tender heart underneath, I grew to like him then it kind of snowballed.” She pressed a hand to her belly. Our baby is going to have an amazing dad.”
“So you don’t want to run away, to go home?”
Her lips curved up, her eyes taking on a sheen. “This, for now, is home. And we are looking for a planet where we can put down roots. Especially since babies born in space may have some problems. But I have faith in Mantsk. He will take care of us.”
I had hoped to ask her for advice, for some information that might help me with my plan to escape. But Jess was going nowhere. She was happy aboard this ship careening through the galaxy. And while I thought I understood, she was having a baby after all, I wanted to be in control of my own destiny for the first time in my life.
Whatever that might mean.
Jess brushed a tear off her cheek and straightened her shoulders. She lifted a lock of my rat’s nest, and I remembered why I was there.
“Even like this you have the prettiest hair I’ve ever seen. Want me to brush it for you? Sometimes it’s hard to get those knots in the back, especially with long hair.”
“Would you really? I’d appreciate it.” And I didn’t want to cut my hair. It had been to my waist since I was a toddler. Caring for it took up some of the time of my nearly empty days. Helped ease the anxiety of waiting for whatever middle-aged, paunchy marriage prospect might cross the threshold at any time. Or the occasional pasty wimpy son of a political contact. And wondering how my father would eventually, inevitably, force me to marry one of them. “Maybe I’ll braid it or something afterward, so I don’t have to go through this again.”
“Good plan. I can do that for you. Let me get the tea brewed first, and you can sip it while I do your hair.” She fussed around by the beverage dispenser before returning with two cups. “Here we go! I’m anxious to hear how you like it.”
“Thank you.” I took one of the cups and breathed the steam. “Smells delicious.”
“Good. Now lean back, relax, and let’s play salon. So, Ms. Aja, how are things at home? Any new recipes to share?”
I froze. “He isn’t going to expect me to cook…”
She lifted a strand and began to work the comb through it, laughter shaking her hands. “No. But they are trying to grow some Earth veggies and fruits for us, so we feel more at home. Apparently also to make sure we don’t lack any trace vitamins or minerals. I just learned they are actually growing them in soil from our planet.”
“That’s really considerate.”
“Don’t sound so amazed.” Jess set the comb down and lifted a piece of hair in the back. “This is a real snarl. I’m going to use my fingers. Tell me if it hurts. Anyway, Mantsk is very considerate. And the Archon is amazing. Did you know he has most of their history, lore, and I don’t know what in his head? His job is transcribing it to make sure it’s not lost. He’s the last of his kind, so they treat him like a treasure.” She leaned over my shoulder and gave me a serious look. “He’s also a warrior in his own right. I know it’s all strange, but hang in there. I think you’ve scored one of the best of them.”
“I’m an archaeologist.” It felt odd to say. “Although I never used my degree. But I wanted to.”
Straightening again, Jess continued to untangle my hair. She had more patience than anyone I’d ever met. “That must be interesting. Why didn’t you ever—”
Before she finished or I had to explain, the wall dissolved and Vyraz and Mantsk stood there. Jess set down the brush and moved toward the captain. He held out his arms, and she stepped close to be enfolded in his embrace. “Did you have a pleasant visit, little one?”
She nodded, face buried in his chest. “Yes, thank you, Master. It’s nice to have a friend.”
He tipped her chin up. “Am I not your friend?”
She beamed. “Of course, but it’s not the same thing. Did you know Aja is an archaeologist?”
“And what is that?”
“She studied human history, right Aja?”
“That’s part of it,” I replied, standing up. I ran my hands over my hair, feeling its smoothness. I’d braid it myself since it seemed salon time was over. “If you have a hair tie or something, I would appreciate the loan.”
“Oh, sure.” She stepped away from the captain and hurried to a smooth section of wall where she waved her hand. “Mantsk likes our quarters neat so I keep these things hidden away.” A small bit dissolved, revealing a shelf filled with an array of brightly colored items. I wasn’t sure why they would make the room messy in the cacophony of the rest, but that was their choice. “I think this will work.” She gave me a length of cord, gold and green strands wound together in a pretty pattern.
“Perfect. Thank you.”
“Time to return to our quarters, Aja.” Vyraz reached out a hand, and I realized he might feel slighted. I hadn’t even greeted him. Not a good way to earn his trust. In an attempt to undo the damage, I plastered a huge smile on my face, but he just shook his head.
I took his hand. “Thank you for the visit, Master. I hope I may come again soon?” Appropriately subservient?
“Yes, if Mantsk doesn’t mind.”
Damn, if the men had to be consulted every time we breathed, it wasn’t going to be easy to hang out.
Or escape.
Chapter Eleven
Vyraz
I’d been lost in the latest scroll for hours. Visualizing the text line by line then working with Larissa to record it.
Along with the virtual translation, I’d designed a program to print a hard copy of each sacred book in the original language onto a replica of an actual scroll. One day, gods willing, my people would have Holy Ones again. I wanted those who came after me to feel the same sense of wonder and awe I did when I first held the sacred books in my hands and read the ancient script.
It was a time-consuming process. The scrolls weren’t just a dry recounting of historical facts. They were the repository of all our Arythian culture and beliefs, a link between our earliest ancestors and ourselves dating back untold millennia. I wasn’t just skimming through them for information about our enemy. When I read the scrolls, the words came alive. Past and present merged into one unending river of time. I saw my forebearers, felt their joys and sorrows, their triumphs and fears.
In many ways the work was healing, easing my grief. Reminding me that though individual lives end,
life itself goes on. Flowing like a river.
Suddenly, inspiration hit, taking me in a totally different direction. I felt excited. Energized. I needed to get my thoughts down immediately.
“Larissa, cease this translation. We’re going to switch to a different task.”
“Yes, Archon.” The voice was calm, as always. Emotionless.
We’d perfected AI on Arythios but it was no replacement for a live partner at work. I’d given my virtual assistant a pleasing female voice, but I couldn’t give her that special something that makes us sentient beings. Separates us from the androids we built to look like us and act like us. She might be able to sense the change in my mood, even correctly name the emotion she heard in my voice. But Larissa could never share my excitement or come up with a creative spark of her own.
“Larissa, create a new document. Working title: Post-apocalyptic Musings of the Archon Vyraz. It’s going to be hailed as the most important work created by an Archon in this generation!”
“Yes, Archon. Will you require a physical copy for this document as well?”
“Absolutely. In fact, put it onto one of those blank scrolls we created.”
“Yes, Archon. Proceed when ready.”
Sighing, I struggled to get back the sense of excitement I’d felt. Larissa had absolutely no sense of humor. A live assistant who’d worked with me for as long as Larissa had would have been full of questions. A lab partner who really knew me would have teased me mercilessly, realizing I meant the title as a joke, a sarcastic reference to some of the boring texts we studied written by pompous old Holy Ones through the ages who fancied themselves on an equal footing with the gods. Of course it would be the most important work of an Archon in this generation, since I was the only one left.
“Past, present, and future—all lives merge into one unending river of time,” I began. “The mightiest river is made up of individual drops of water, but it does not cease to flow if a cupful is taken out.”
Conquered Page 6
