by Black, Tasha
He shook his head, as if to clear the distraction, and kept running.
At last he took the final corner at top speed and slid to a halt on his furry rump.
His senses were filled with the scent of his mate.
There was the tragic blue-gray flavor of Angel’s tears.
There was also a tomato-red scent of her happiness, in confusing opposition.
And, suddenly, there was also the razor-sharp scent of her fear.
“Is that a w-w-wolf?” Her voice echoed in his head, the terror making him furious and sad all at once.
Something had frightened her.
The something was himself.
“Peter?” a familiar voice asked.
Brother…
Fear and anger met relief and love in an almost unbearable spectrum.
The storm of complex emotions frightened his Other. It shied away.
His human side stood up instantly within, melting the Other away.
“Peter,” Angel sighed in relief.
Tchai chortled and reached for him, fingers wiggling.
He wrapped his arms around Angel and the child, closing his eyes, wishing he could soak them into his body so that they would never be separated again.
“You’ve been busy, brother,” someone laughed.
“Nick,” Peter breathed.
But when he opened his eyes, it wasn’t just Nick standing before them.
Both Nick and Leo grinned at him.
And each of them had an arm around a woman.
No.
Each of them had an arm around a mate.
“I’m not the only one who’s been busy,” Peter said, laughing.
Then Leo got a familiar twinkle in his eye.
“I think you’d better stand back with the little one,” Peter warned Angel with a smile.
Then Leo leaped for him, shifting mid-air into a giant zyr-cat.
Peter closed his eyes and slid into his go-to big cat, a way-lion, just before his brother crashed into him.
The impact was too much to just be Leo.
He flipped himself over and reached out with his teeth to grasp Nick’s lygritte around the scruff.
The three of them rolled and wrestled until they were a boulder of fur and fangs crashing gleefully around the corridor.
“If you three are quite finished, we might be able to get these guys out of here,” a firm female voice said. “You know, onto the Stargazer, where it’s safe.”
Nick’s scruff melted into flesh in Peter’s mouth.
Peter let go instantly and slid back into his human form.
Of course. The hungry shadow was still on board. It wasn’t safe for any of them.
Peter had forgotten all about it in his joy at seeing his brothers.
The three naked men stood, looking at the woman who had spoken.
“She’s right, Peter,” Angel said. “We should go now, while we can.”
“We should,” he agreed. “But we can’t go back to your ship. Not with the baby.”
He looked to Nick’s mate, who seemed to be in command over his brothers.
“Did you get here in a shuttle?” Peter asked her. “Do you have enough fuel to get us to Archmach 12? If not, I can probably scavenge some fuel cells from this ship.”
“Archmach 12?” she echoed in confusion.
“You’re not taking a baby to Archmach 12,” Leo said in horror.
“I’m not taking him to a pirate either,” Peter retorted. “We’d literally be better off anywhere else.”
“Why?” Nick asked.
There was a screeching sound and then the clattering of claws on the ceiling.
“Oh gods,” Leo breathed.
Peter looked up to see the shadow thing had heard them after all. It clung to the light fixture above them, tendrils floating around it, pulsing with hatred.
“Run,” Leo said.
“This way, Angel,” Peter told her, grabbing her hand and trying to lead her toward the escape pods.
“No,” she protested, shaking him off and sprinting after the other two couples, back toward the loading dock.
Peter watched for an instant as his beloved ran with their child toward a fate worse than death.
Then he followed her.
16
Angel
Angel looked around the Stargazer’s mess hall.
It was unbelievable that this place could ever feel so much like home. She had choked down so many horrible meals over the lump in her throat right here in this room, the bitterness at the loss of her brother threatening to consume her faster than she could consume the flavorless mush in her mug.
Now every worn table, every bench, every bolt in the aluminum walls felt familiar and comforting. Even the disgusting gruel in her cup fortified her spirit.
She was with friends.
She and Peter and Tchai were safe from the monster on that abandoned ship. The speed of Peter and his brothers had caught the creature off guard, allowing them to make it back to the shuttle and take off for the Stargazer before it could catch them.
They had gotten lucky. She wasn’t so sure they would be as fortunate if they ever ran into the creature again. Good thing she had no plans to ever set foot on any of the abandoned luxury cruisers again.
And though they still had the problem of Tchai’s citizenship to worry about, they now had a million possible ways to try and solve it.
She leaned back against her mate’s strong chest as Tchai managed to get his chubby fist into her mug.
She watched as he moved his hand to his mouth.
“Bah,” he shouted, his little face wrinkling up tearfully.
“I know, buddy, that’s gross,” she told him, kissing him on the forehead. “But it’s all we’ve got for now.”
“Did no one think to raid the galley before we left?” Leo roared.
“Sorry, baby, we were trying to escape certain death,” Anna said, trying to hide her smile.
“You are lucky you are so attractive,” Leo told her earnestly. “Or I might get desperate enough to eat you."
“As long as you don’t eat Tolstoy, I can look out for myself,” Anna said, her eyes twinkling.
Leo scowled at her and took a long drink of his meal, wincing as he swallowed.
“So what’s the plan?” Peter asked, sounding tense.
“Where’s Mama?” Angel asked the group.
“She’s navigating,” Raina replied. “The others are still on their missions.”
“And the drones?” Angel asked.
“Recharging and uploading,” Raina said.
“Okay, then we can speak openly,” Angel said. “Peter and I know what’s going on with the babies.”
“We already know,” Anna said. “They’re clones. That’s how they got their names.”
“Yes, but maybe not for the reason you think,” Angel said carefully.
Tchai grabbed her empty mug and banged it on the table.
She thought about trying to take it from him and decided it was best for him to be distracted.
“These babies are most likely cloned,” she went on. “They were pod-raised.”
Raina nodded like this was old news to her.
God, this was hard. Angel didn’t like breaking bad news. But there was no point holding back. They needed a plan and they needed it yesterday.
“Their purpose was to meld with New Russia’s ships,” she said. “They were given mind-enhancements in the pod.”
“What are you talking about?” Raina asked.
“That’s not it at all,” Anna said. “They’re the clones of famous Russian cultural icons.”
“No, Anna,” Angel said sadly. “They were intended to be navigational tools.”
“That can’t be right,” Raina said. “Tesla’s already a tinkerer and he’s only a tiny baby. Tolstoy looks like he’s thinking up stories right now.”
Angel glanced over at the baby in Anna’s arms, who did seem to be looking off into the distance dr
eamily.
“And look at Tchaikovsky,” Raina said triumphantly. “Look at him. Tell me he’s not a musical genius in the making.”
Angel looked down at Tchai. He was banging on the table with her cup for all he was worth. And to Raina’s credit, the banging did seem to be somewhat rhythmic.
“Look,” Angel said gently. “I think every mother sees her own baby as a genius. But that’s not what these babies are. They are very special boys, but they aren’t Tolstoy, Tesla and Tchaikovsky’s clones. They are our sons. And they are in danger.”
“So what do we do?” Nick asked, gazing down at his son.
“We run,” Peter answered. “We run now before the thief who runs this ship gets wind of what’s going on and how much money and trouble is at stake.”
“This sounds like an interesting conversation,” Mama’s voice said over the ship’s intercom system.
“Mama,” Angel breathed. She hadn’t heard the click of the intercom. The captain probably hadn’t heard their whole conversation, but she’d obviously heard enough.
Peter stood abruptly and marched out of the room.
17
Peter
Peter stalked out of the mess hall.
After the huge open spaces on the luxury cruiser, this scrappy little ship made his large form claustrophobic.
He paced the narrow hallway between the mess hall and the cabins.
His world had broadened and narrowed again in more than just his physical surroundings.
One moment he’d been working security on a fully manned craft, the next he’d woken up alone with a baby to care for.
Then for a brilliant instant he’d had a mate as well - a whole family, perfect in their cocoon of love and trust.
And now his mate was going to sell out his child.
I accept you.
Her words rang in his head. They had brought him such joy and peace.
Now they were in a prison.
He could not allow his son to be taken.
And he could not betray his mate.
He tossed the problem around as he paced.
They had not consummated their mating bond, at least not fully. He had not possessed her in the traditional way.
He wondered if this might allow them to survive a separation.
The Other in his chest roared in pain.
But he could not allow her to hand their child over. He wouldn’t be able to live with himself. And he hoped she would come to regret such an action too. If his impression of her was correct, she cared about doing the right thing.
Time would show her that abandoning Tchai was the wrong choice.
But he could not allow his son to become a lesson for his mate.
Distraught, he found his feet carrying him past the cabins, toward the part of the ship he hadn’t yet explored.
Maybe he would find a way to get off the ship. If he left with the child, even temporarily, maybe it would give Angel a chance to think about her decision.
Running again, eh, boy? His grandmother’s voice filled his mind. She sounded amused.
If you were here, you would talk sense to her, he raged inwardly.
Why would your mate seek counsel from an old woman? He heard her retort. Her chuckle echoed in his mind, as if she were alive again.
Why did you have to die? Why did you have to leave us?
But that question she never answered.
Don’t try to talk sense to her, whatever that means, she laughed. Listen to her. Respect her ability to figure this out.
Why won’t she listen to me? he asked.
You’ve found a woman of conviction, more valuable than water…
His grandmother’s voice faded.
Before him was the shuttle bay.
A small exploration craft was docked in the nearest berth.
“What are you doing, brother?” Leo’s voice came from behind him.
He must have really been dreaming if his senses hadn’t picked up on his brother’s presence.
“Come back,” Leo said. “There is no need to run.”
“I am not running, brother,” Peter lied.
Leo did not answer.
“I won’t give him up,” Peter said.
“Talk to her,” Leo urged him. “She doesn’t want to give him up either.”
“Then what does she have in mind?”
“Why don’t you let her explain?” Leo asked. His tone was so reasonable.
“Give me a minute to cool off,” Peter said.
“Sure,” Leo said. “As long as you don’t run.”
“That’s my son back there, and my mate,” Peter said. “I can’t run.”
Leo observed him solemnly.
At last he nodded and walked slowly back down the hallway.
Peter watched until he disappeared.
18
Angel
Angel swallowed hard as Mama strode into the mess hall.
The harsh light over the tables made Mama’s silver eye patch shimmer. Her visible eye flashed in anger.
Across the table from Angel, Anna hugged Tolstoy closer, and Nick placed an arm around Raina’s shoulder.
“What the hell is going on?” Mama demanded, voice hard as flint.
“It’s not what you think,” Angel said.
“So you’re not planning to sneak off my ship?” Mama asked. “There’s no trouble afoot for this thief?”
Angel bit her lip.
“Peter doesn’t know you,” she said. “If he did he wouldn’t have called you a thief.”
“Do you think I haven’t been called that, and worse?” Mama laughed bitterly.
“I don’t think you care what anyone calls you,” Angel ventured.
Mama laughed her real laugh, deep and throaty.
“But I do think you’ll care about this,” Angel continued. “Tchai, Tolstoy and Tesla, all the babies, they’re all the property of New Russia.”
Mama gave her a curious look.
“They were supposed to be ship minds. We know they likely have transmitter chips that will be working now that they’re out of that web and comms can get through,” Angel said. “The armed guardians of New Russia are probably already on their way. We know you can’t go up against the government of a sovereign planet, but we can’t just hand over the babies—”
“—New Russia?” Mama interjected.
“Yes,” Angel said.
Mama laughed.
“What’s so funny?” Raina demanded.
“By the fifth moon of Nepthon, I keep forgetting how long you kids have been in stasis,” Mama said, shaking her head. “First of all, there is no New Russia, at least not anymore.”
“No New Russia…?” Angel trailed off.
“They broke into factions a hundred years ago,” Mama said. “They’re too busy fighting with each other to make a war with me. Though there are enough intergalactic treasure hunters in their ranks to give me a run for my money.”
“So what do we do?” Raina asked.
“First of all, we search those kids for transmitters and remove them if there are any,” Mama said. “Have you and Anna been worried about this all this time? That was a pretty good cover you made up about them being famous clones.”
“No, Mama,” Anna said quickly. “It wasn’t a cover story. It was the only explanation we could come up with based on what we saw. We had no idea about New Russia until five minutes ago when Angel told us what she found on her ship.”
“Pity,” Mama said, stroking Tesla’s chubby cheek. “This one really looked like a tinker. I thought he’d be using his genius to turn this pile of aluminum into a showpiece one day.”
“He still might,” Raina said. “It’s not all about genetics, you know.”
“Besides, he’s been enhanced to interface with a ship,” Nick said. “When he grows up if something’s wrong with the Stargazer he might just be able to ask it.”
Mama shook her head and clucked.
“It all sounds great, but th
e main problem we have is money,” she said. “I hear another fleet of unfortunates is being auctioned in twelve days. I’ve got nothing to buy them out with.”
“I managed to tag a lot on that ship,” Angel said.
“I can’t get my drones in there fast enough to haul it out and sell it off,” Mama said. “Besides, it’s risky going back in there. Worth it to save your sorry lives, but not to haul junk.”
“Don’t we have any idea how to neutralize that thing?” Angel asked. “I knew I wouldn’t get any answers while I was in there, with comms down. But Now that we’re back…”
“No luck, kiddo,” Mama informed her. “I’ve scoured every resource we have. No one has ever catalogued a creature like this before.”
“We can’t be the only ones in the entire galaxy who have ever run into it,” Angel argued.
“No,” Mama agreed. “But I think we might be the only ones who ever lived to tell about it. And I’d like to keep it that way.”
Angel couldn’t really argue with that sentiment.
On the other side of the table, Nick cleared his throat.
“Raina had an idea,” he said slowly.
“Go on,” Mama said.
“I noticed something about the web,” Raina began. “Our comms didn’t work when we were entangled in it. It made me wonder if the cloud might be electromagnetic.”
Mama frowned thoughtfully.
“So I did a little experiment,” Raina continued. “I exposed and electrified a small area of the hull.”
“And the result?” Mama asked.
“The web pulled away instantly,” Nick said. “I was watching it from the portal.”
“Which means that if we can electrify the hull of an entire ship…” Raina began.
“It would pop out like a greased gracklehog,” Mama breathed.
Raina smiled and nodded.
“A whole ship would be plenty to trade for a fleet of souls,” Mama said. “We wouldn’t have to trade it for credits first, though if we had time we might have enough for the next fleet too.”
“What are we waiting for?” Nick asked.
“My crew,” Mama said. “They’re still out.”
“We’re here,” Leo told her.
