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“Let me put something on.” Jill moved around them to grab a shirt and pants from the pile before rushing back into the bathroom, where she dressed fast. The clothing was a little baggy but it was clean. She took a few deep breaths before returning to the women again. They were nice, if not a little overwhelming, and so far, she liked them.
She felt a little self-conscious taking a seat at the table, but hunger drove her to dig into the food. It was a blue rice with purple veggies, and cooked meat that tasted like beef. It was pretty good. The women hesitated before sitting at the table, too. Sara poured her a drink of water from a pitcher on the table.
“Thank you. Sorry if I’m being rude. I can’t remember the last time I ate.”
“Don’t worry about it. Do you have any questions?”
Jill looked up and held Nara’s gaze. “So many. I just don’t want to be ungrateful.”
“You won’t be. That’s why we’re here. Ask away.”
“Are we really safe on this ship? Are you really…um…free?”
Nara didn’t look offended. “I’ll be honest with you. There are tons of shitty aliens out in space, and a lot of them think women are only good for being sex slaves. It’s not like that with any of the people on this ship. We’re not going to spring any nasty surprises on you. We’re like a family. You may be considering going back to Earth or finding somewhere else to live, but it might not be safe. At least our guys protect us.”
Sara agreed. “Most aliens would try to kidnap you for sexual slavery. Some just hate us for being human. Earth doesn’t have the best reputation with some of them. Without going into detail, let’s just say some Earth ships have done some bad shit. The people on this vessel, even though they’re aliens, are some of the best you’ll ever meet.”
Jill wanted so badly to believe them. “Cavas said it’s a sanctuary for humans.”
Nara chuckled. “That’s a good description. He nailed it.”
“What’s the price, though?” Jill glanced between them. “To eat your food, for this room, the clothes? Nothing in life is free. What are they going to expect in return?”
Sara reached over and gently patted her arm. “We help out where we can. That’s it. Nothing nefarious going on here. I just kind of sit around talking to people who are on duty, now that I’m pregnant. No one wants me to lift anything or stay on my feet for long.”
“I’ve been trailing Mari and helping her keep parts of the ship working.” Nara shrugged. “The guys don’t really expect much from us, to be honest. We’re not as strong or big as them. Just don’t offer to help Midgel in the kitchen. She’s our cook, and she’s territorial as hell.”
Sara chuckled. “She looks as if her mom might have been a mouse and her father a short human. Don’t be shocked—or mention it. She also gets upset if you ask her about ever getting married. She’s kind of anti-man, and has sworn to stay single forever.”
“In her culture, women are used as breeders. She’s had to do that a few times,” Nara added. “I don’t think it was a great experience, and she never wants to do it again. That’s why she works on this ship. She’s safe from her males forcing her to have their babies. Our guys would kill anyone who tried to snatch her. She’s protected here.”
Jill glanced between them again, skeptical. “You’re saying I can live on this ship, and no one is going to make me have sex with them, or something equally bad? I just want to know what to expect.”
Nara’s expression softened. “Every man on this ship who’s interested in sex has a wife, except for Cavas. Our alien guys don’t cheat. You’re safe. No one is going to touch you or do bad things to you. Just help around the ship, treat everyone like you’d wish to be treated, and that’s it. We have the room, and you’re safer here than if we dropped you off on a planet somewhere. Humans become targets on their own. Some slaver would grab and sell you. Or worse, they’d just steal you for themselves. Either option wouldn’t be good, if you want to avoid being sexually abused. The Vorge is the sanctuary Cavas told you it was.”
“It’ll be nice to have another human aboard.” Sara leaned closer, holding her gaze. “We’re not lying, Jill. I totally know what it’s like to get screwed over and dropped into a bad situation. Our world leaders did that by selling me to aliens. We’re totally on the level. Just help out where you can around the ship and that’s all that will ever be asked of you. I swear. We all work as a team.”
“We’re just like a family.” Nara looked and sounded completely sincere. “A tight one. We all care about each other.”
Jill finally relaxed slightly, blinking back grateful tears. “What about Cavas? Do I have to worry about him? You said he’s not married.”
“He’s an honorable Tryleskian,” Nara explained. “They don’t believe in forcing women into anything. Most of their race are good guys. They’d kill a male for hurting a woman in any way. Rape is a death offense on their planet. Of course, there’s always some bad mixed in with the good. Cavas isn’t normally a part of our crew. Do you want to know why he’s here?”
Jill nodded.
“Cathian, Cavas, and Crath are triplets, but not identical. Tryleskians have multiple babies at once. Their father, Beltsen, is a major asshole. He’s not honorable.”
“Understatement. He’s a rich, powerful politician type. Earth style.” Sara made a dirty face. “You know what I’m saying. You can’t trust him as far as you can throw him. He’s as corrupt as they come.”
“We have some blackmail material to keep Beltsen Vellar from trying to take this ship from us.” Nara hesitated. “Let’s just say we don’t follow the orders he gives because he’s a total douchebag. Cathian is their world’s ambassador. This ship goes with the job. The Vorge is our home. We’re not losing it just because we won’t break laws when he orders us to. Anyway…Beltsen asked Cavas to come after us to get the evidence we have. When he refused, their asshole father had Crath kidnapped, and he’s being held on the planet you were just rescued from. Beltsen is basically holding his own son’s life over this crew to get that evidence.”
Sara cradled her rounded belly. “We have zero expectations that Beltsen won’t kill one of his own sons to get what he wants. We need to find Crath. Cathian has already reached out to all the other siblings to let them know what’s going on and warned them not to trust their father, so more of them aren’t used against us.”
Nara nodded. “They’re pissed at their father. It insults them all that he’d do something this shitty. It’s dishonorable, and even shocking. You’re supposed to love your kids. Not have one kidnapped to try to force your other son into doing bad shit. The siblings know we’re searching for Crath to save him. That’s how you were found. Cavas and Dovis were searching for Crath in those cells, but found you instead. They weren’t going to leave you down there. You’re a human who needed help. It’s what we do.”
The alien man with blue eyes who’d helped her escape flashed through Jill’s mind. “I think I saw him. The brother.”
Nara met her gaze. “Cavas told us. Both of you were recaptured before Crath could get you to his shuttle. He would have brought you to us if you’d managed to get off the planet. We’ll find him, though, and when we do, then we’ll deal with Beltsen Vellar. Otherwise known as worst father ever and a major asshole. This shit has got to stop. He keeps screwing with us. This time he’s gone too far.”
Sara leaned in, adding, “The other siblings are working on removing him from power on their planet. We have to find Crath, though, before they can really go after him. Beltsen will order Crath killed in retaliation for sure. Once Beltsen is kicked off his throne, as they say, one of the brothers in the next litter will take his seat. We’ll no longer be given orders, and we won’t have to worry about losing our home.” She tapped the table with her finger. “This ship.”
“Litter?” Jill frowned. “Is that what you said?”
“Tryleskians have litters. Multiple births with each pregnancy.” Sara patted her stomach. “I’m gla
d I’m having a Parri. Multiples are rare for them.”
“A typical litter is between three to five babies. I’ve been assured by Cathian that they’re smaller than human infants at birth. Like two pounds each. The upside to that is, Tryleskian males only go into heat every three years. That’s the only time they can knock up their wives. It’s not like women will be endlessly pregnant, marrying one of their men.”
Jill tried to wrap her head around what Nara just said. “Wow.”
“Tryleskians can totally have sex when they aren’t in heat, of course.” Nara chuckled. “That was one of the first questions I had when I learned about their heats. Was I locking myself to a guy who would only do me every three years? Wait until you see Cathian.” She winked. “It would have been torture if that were the case.”
“He looks a lot like Cavas,” Sara explained.
Nara jerked slightly, then reached down, lifting a round disk. She pressed it. “What’s up?”
“Mandatory meeting in the dining hall,” a gruff male voice stated.
“We’ll be right there. I’m with Sara and Jill. Thanks, Dovis.” She pushed the button and stood.
Sara did too.
Jill hesitated, unsure what to do.
Nara motioned to her. “Come on. You’re part of the crew now.”
“Okay.” Jill got up from her seat. “What about shoes?”
“You’re fine. We’ll replicate some for you later.” Sara closed her eyes and got a weird look on her face…like she was concentrating really hard.
Jill glanced at Nara. “What is she doing? Is she okay?”
“She does that when she’s thinking at the Pods.”
“The aliens who can read minds?”
“Yes. Brace yourself when you see them. They look like eggs with thin arms and legs. The Pods are super nice, though. You don’t have to be afraid of anyone on this ship. I promise. We really are like a close family. I can’t say it enough.”
Sara opened her eyes and moved toward the door. “I asked them to make her shoes and reminded them she was scanned in medical, so they can get the sizing right.” She glanced at Jill. “It’ll be after the meeting, since we’re all needed now. Sorry.”
Jill followed behind them as they left her cabin and headed toward the dining hall. She felt a lot better after talking to the women. Cavas had seemed nice enough, but he was an alien. Her trust in them wasn’t the best after all she’d been through. But now she knew he’d been telling her the truth. She was safe on the ship, with aliens who wouldn’t hurt her.
* * * * *
Cavas took a sip of his fruity drink and scanned the data that had been uploaded to his handheld device from one of the drones they’d sent down to the planet. He looked up, scowling at Cathian. “Are you sure you need to keep your entire crew apprised of our plan?”
His brother nodded. “We’re going to need their help, and we don’t keep secrets from each other. This isn’t the military, Cavas.”
He inwardly winced. It was another reminder that his life had been drastically altered. He didn’t feel regret, so much as a sense of shock. It had never crossed his mind to resign from his duties. He’d been in line to command their entire military within a few years. That had been his ambition for as long as he could remember.
Now that future was gone.
Cathian seemed to read his thoughts. As brothers born in the same litter, they had a strong bond and knew each other well. “Are you certain you don’t want to replace our father when he’s forced from his position? It would give you great power, and you’d be in control of our entire family’s empire. You’re second born of the first litter our parents birthed. It’s your right, since I sure as hell don’t want to live full time on our planet.”
“No. Let the litter born after ours take that duty. I’d rather stay here.” He studied Cathian’s face. “If you’ll have me.”
“You always have a place by my side.”
That was a worry off his shoulders. “Crath sure as hell won’t want to take over father’s position, either.”
Cathian snorted. “No. He would consider it a punishment. All three of us have been great disappointments to our father.”
“You and Crath, perhaps. You refused to step down as an ambassador when he wanted you to. It was supposed to be a temporary position for you to learn how to play nice with aliens. Father planned to personally groom you to take his place in the next few decades at home. And Crath has always had wanderlust. Once he learned how to fly a shuttle, there was no keeping him at home. I was the only one in our litter to follow the path our father wanted. He looked forward to me leading our military.”
Cathian grinned at Cavas, knowing he was being teased. “Not anymore. You resigned. You’re a disappointment to him now, too.”
“I don’t feel bad about that. He’s not who I believed him to be.”
“No shit.” Cathian growled, his humor gone. “I want to kill him with my bare hands.”
“As first born, it’s your right. He’s brought shame to our entire family with his actions. Let’s get Crath back first.”
“Agreed.”
The doors to the dining hall opened, and Cathian’s crew began to enter. Cavas studied them. York, Dovis, and Raff were fierce fighters. The rest of them though were weak links. None of them would cut it in the military except for the Pods. They were an asset with their mental abilities.
All three of the small aliens glanced at him with smiles, reading his mind.
He gave them a nod and placed his data pad on the table.
Everyone else arrived, including the thin cook. She sat far from the others. He’d be leery of trusting her, with the standoffish way she acted, but the Pods would know if Midgel were a spy.
Cathian stood, giving his life-lock Nara a kiss before moving to the center of the room. He motioned for everyone to sit.
Cavas couldn’t help but throw a few curious glances at Jill. He hadn’t expected her to attend. She sat between Sara and Nara, keeping her chin down.
He shot a glance at One, thinking at the Pod. Is the new human a threat?
One mouthed no.
That was enough for Cavas. He trusted the Pods. He knew their history and the absolute loyalty they felt toward his oldest brother. Cathian had rescued them from criminals and kept them safe. Mind-reading aliens were in high demand on the black market. Their lives would have remained hellish if they hadn’t found safe harbor on the ship.
“We have found the arena. It’s a few hundred miles from the colony, situated very close to a mountain. Scans from the drones we sent down have shown a large cavern in the side of that mountain. It’s probably where their prisoners are being held.” Cathian tapped his data pad and flattened it in his hand. An image appeared on the wall next to him. It was a vid the drone had taken of the large outdoor arena, and two massive doors in the side of the mountain, hundreds of feet off the ground. A thin walkway connected them to one of the platforms near the top of the arena. The doors to the mountain were open. “There are fifty-four life signs inside the mountain. One of them is hopefully Crath.”
“We’re hopeful that Crath isn’t being forced to fight deadly opponents, since our father will want him alive. It’s a secure place to hold him, though.” Cavas stood, moving next to the image. “I plan to go down to see one of the fights and hopefully sneak inside that cavern, to search for our brother.”
Red dots lit up. There were dozens of them. “These are the guards posted,” Cathian informed the crew. “The drone tagged them because they wear uniforms. It won’t be easy to get past them. We’ve scanned the side and back of the mountain. It appears there are no other alternative ways inside. That means entering the arena, reaching a high point where that bridge is located, and crossing it into the mountain cavern.”
Cavas took over again. This was the difficult part of the plan that he hated most. “I’ll play the role of a wealthy slave owner going to see the fights this evening.” He glanced at Jill, but she kept her c
hin down. “We had our drones scanning life signs on all the shuttles coming from and going to the arena. There have been three fights since we got them in place. There are mass transports to bring spectators, but those people are most likely seated well below the walkway. We’re certain those higher platforms are viewing options for the wealthy. They’re closest to the walkway. Life scans confirm the wealthy assholes in private transports travel with females. Probably a sex slave. Jill, is that correct? Your source of information said it was a status thing among the wealthy males, bringing a female?”
Jill looked up, met his gaze, and gave a slight nod.
“Every private shuttle has had at least one female, sometimes two,” Cathian grunted. “That’s the bad news.”
“I hate this…but we need one of you females to play the part of a sex slave,” Cavas said quietly. “It will put one of you in danger,” he admitted. “We thought about flying a shuttle over the walkway to gain access, but there are too many guards, and we must worry about whether the caverns are rigged to blow. I’ve seen that before on a few missions to retrieve captured prisoners from pirates. Rather than risk them being rescued; the pirates detonated their holding cells.”
“I wish Marrow were here,” Cathian said. “She’d be perfect for this. Unfortunately, she is not.” He shot an angry look at Cavas.
“I needed her to fly my shuttle and pretend to be me. Father would either move Crath or have him killed if he suspected I was attempting a rescue. I know Marrow is tough and a good fighter, but she’s also a hell of a pilot. I won’t put it past our father to try to have me captured—and Marrow won’t be caught.” He glanced at York. “No offense to your flying skills, but Marrow’s the best pilot on The Vorge.”
“I wouldn’t have left my Sara, anyway,” York answered. “She’s pregnant. And no, you can’t take her down there.”
“Of course not.” Cavas wouldn’t ask that.
“I’ll do it.” Nara stood.
“No,” Cathian snarled.
She met his gaze with a glare. “Are you kidding me right now? I’m in charge of the humans, and I say it’s me.”