Chapter 16
SIXTEEN
Sevas
Sevas watched through the tiny viewport in the cabin as the Dokkol ship dock with theirs. She felt happy for Ulo, but a knot tightened in her stomach. They’d grown close, and saying goodbye wasn’t going to be easy. She tugged at the waistband of her newly acquired pants for the hundredth time. Female Terians wore skirts at the settlement, so pants—all that was available in the storage crate—were an adjustment. She glanced over her shoulder at Ulo, who stood with his rocky shoulders squared and his small, dark eyes glued to the viewport. He didn’t blink once, waiting for the docking clamps to secure and the hatch to open.
“This is good, Ulo,” Sevas said, moving beside him. She placed a hand on his arm. “You’re going home. Back to your family.”
He swallowed hard and nodded. “I… I didn’t think I’d ever see them again.”
Takkian stood near the hatch, one hand resting on the metal. “They’ll be relieved to have you back. But don’t forget—just because you’re leaving us doesn’t mean you’re not part of our team. You’ll always be one of us.”
Bruil cleared his throat. “Don’t make me get sentimental, lad. I don’t do sentimental.”
Sevas smirked at the older male. “Admit it, Bruil. You’re going to miss him.”
Bruil grunted but didn’t deny it, which made Ulo smile for the first time since the Dokkol ship had arrived. The hiss of the docking hatch snapped everyone’s attention forward. The air lock door slid open, and two Dokkol officers stepped inside. They were even more massive than Ulo. Their rocky plating gleamed a smooth, silver hue, as though polished, and they filled the entire cabin with their bulk, stooping over to accommodate their height.
“Ulo, son of Yil and Perna,” one of them said in a deep, rumbling voice. “You are safe now.”
Ulo’s head dipped in a respectful nod. “Thank you. These three—” He motioned toward Sevas, Takkian, and Bruil. “They helped me escape. They saved my life.”
The Dokkol officer’s sharp gaze shifted to Sevas. His eyes, more reptilian than Ulo’s, narrowed slightly as they studied her face. “You have done a great service. The Dokkol do not forget such kindness. Ulo will be reunited with his family. They have been overwhelmed with worry for him.” His voice was grave but sincere.
Sevas offered a faint smile and stepped forward. “I’m so happy for him and them.” Her voice cracked a little, but she kept her chin high. “We will miss him, though.”
Ulo shifted uncomfortably, the weight of the moment settling on his massive shoulders. “I’ll never forget what you’ve done for me,” he said. His gaze moved from Bruil, to Takkian, and then to Sevas. “I was scared when they took me. I thought I’d die at the arena, but… You showed me how to be brave. You fought for me.” His deep voice trembled. “Thank you.”
She bit the inside of her cheek to keep from tearing up and patted his arm. “You fought for us, too,” she said. “You’re family.”
Takkian stepped closer, placing a hand firmly on Ulo’s shoulder. “You have strength you’ve barely tapped into. Use it wisely. Protect your people. That’s what matters.”
Bruil stayed back, arms crossed, but his gruff voice softened. “Maybe we’ll cross paths again someday.”
Ulo nodded. His rocky skin made scraping noises as he adjusted the strap over his shoulder, holding a small pack of the few supplies they could offer him. “I…I hope so.”
The Dokkol officer motioned toward the air lock. “We must go. Ulo’s family are eager to have him back.”
Ulo turned to Sevas one last time. He seemed to hesitate before stepping closer and surprising her by pulling her into the gentlest of hugs. His strength was overwhelming, but his touch careful, as he was well aware that he could crush her. “Goodbye, Sevas,” he rumbled. “Goodbye, Takkian. Bruil.”
Tears stung her eyes, but she hugged him back fiercely, even though her arms barely spanned his torso. “You too, big guy.”
The Dokkol officer hesitated. “Before we leave, there’s something you should know. During a recent trade run, we encountered a vessel that we had never seen before. Its design was very strange, and the occupants were two Zaruxians and two Terians.”
Takkian stiffened, his silver eyes narrowing. “Zaruxians and Terians? Together?”
The officer dipped his head. “Yes. They claimed to have fled Axis-controlled territory and were seeking others of their kinds. We traded some provisions and directed them to a neutral multispecies trade outpost. If you are kin or share allegiance, you may wish to investigate.”
Sevas exchanged a glance with Takkian, her heart thudding in her chest. “Do you remember their names?” she asked quickly, hope bubbling despite herself. “The Terians—did they give their names?”
“One identified herself as Fivra,” the officer replied, his tone matter-of-fact. “The other, Turi.”
Sevas’ breath caught. She gripped the edges of her pants so tightly that her knuckles turned white. “They’re alive,” she whispered, her voice trembling. “They’re alive.”
“You know them?” Takkian asked, his brows knitted.
“They’re my friends,” Sevas said, her voice thick with emotion. “Fivra and Turi—they were taken with me. Well, Fivra was. Turi stayed with… One of those Zaruxians has to be the overseer, whose name I don’t know. But it must be him. Did one of them have dark purple scales?”
The officer nodded. “Yes. His name was Ellion, if I recall. Quiet, remote male. The other was named Cyprian, and he had red scales. More talkative, that one.” The Dokkol’s eyes narrowed as he looked hard at Takkian. “They both resembled you. Their eyes were silver like yours. You could be brothers.”
Takkian’s expression went unreadable and his lips parted on a silent breath. He looked away, but Sevas was still reeling from this revelation.
“I thought—” Her voice broke, and she shook her head. “I thought I’d never hear from them again.”
The officer nodded. “They were safe and their ship was weapon-equipped. The outpost is remote and the Axis has little business there. I can send the coordinates to your ship, if you wish.”
“Yes,” Sevas said. “Please do that.”
Bruil braced himself against the wall with some handles. His arms crossed, but his yellow eyes were sharp. “Sounds like your friends are survivors,” he said, his tone gruff but approving. “You Terians are tougher than you look.”
Sevas let out a shaky laugh, tears threatening to spill over. “We are. We all are.”
The officer gestured toward Ulo again. “We must depart now. The longer we linger, the more risk we bring to both ships.”
Ulo gave them all one last look. His rugged features were soft with unspoken gratitude, then he turned and left with the officer. The hatch closed behind him, and Bruil sealed it in place.
Sevas stared at the sealed hatch as if she could still see Ulo through it. She felt relief that her friend was finally on his way to safety, and a pang of loss that he wouldn’t be with them anymore. But more than anything, hope buzzed just beneath her skin. Fivra and Turi—her friends—were alive. The words repeated in her mind, sending determination through her.
Takkian’s hand tightened around hers, grounding her and pulling her back to the present. “Are you okay?” he asked quietly.
She nodded, but her throat was too tight to answer at first. Finally, she managed to say, “It doesn’t feel real. I thought they were gone, Takkian. I really did. And now… They’re out there. They’re free, and they’re looking for others.” Sevas turned to look at him fully, and then at Bruil, who watched her intently.
Bruil gestured toward the console. “We have two choices.” His gruff voice cut through the stillness. “One, we set a course for that trade outpost and hope we find this ship before they move on. But that’ll put us out in open space, and if the Axis is scanning for escaped ships, they could find us.”
“Or?” Takkian prompted, though his jaw was already tight, as if he knew the answer.
“Or we keep to the gas clouds and lie low for as long as we can.” Bruil’s rough hand swept over the console as he leaned back against it, arms crossed. “The Dokkol ship has already drawn attention by docking here. If the Axis have patrols in this quadrant, it won’t take long before they start snooping. Staying hidden gives us time to regroup, test this ship’s defenses, and prepare for whatever mess we’re diving into, but it’s also a risk.”
The options hung in the air like a weight pressing down on all of them. Sevas locked her gaze on the sealed hatch, her mind a whirlwind of emotions. Fivra and Turi were alive. The knowledge flickered through her like a single, fragile flame, illuminating the hope she thought had been extinguished back in the arena. But underlying that hope was the risk of leaving their safe haven, however temporary it might be. Her heart pulled in two directions—toward caution, and toward the fierce, undeniable need to reunite with the only remnants of the life she once had.
She caught movement from the corner of her eye. Takkian. He was watching her. His silver eyes were bright but steady, gauging her reaction. She bit the inside of her cheek, wishing she could simply say what she wanted without having to weigh the cost of it. But no—Takkian would never make a choice without seeing the complete picture. And neither could she. She took a breath and raised her eyes to meet his.
“I know it’s dangerous.” Her voice was steadier than she felt, though it wavered, thick with unspoken emotion. “But…” Her throat tightened. “We have to find them. Fivra and Turi—they’re not just my friends. They’re family. True family. If they’re searching for me, Nena, Lilas, and Cerani, they got free. And if they are with Zaruxians…” She shook her head as the possibilities flooded her. “We can’t ignore this.
Sevas watched Takkian and Bruil. Her chest tightened as she waited for their response. Takkian’s eyes flicked to hers with an intensity that made her breath hitch. There was a flicker of unease in his expression—faint but unmistakable—like the very idea of what she’d said unsettled something deep within him. She knew him well enough by now to recognize how fiercely protective he was, especially of her. It was a part of him she relied on, but it also made her wonder if he sometimes overlooked his own needs for hers.
When he finally spoke, his voice was steady, resolute, the very sound of it grounding her. “We’ll find them,” Takkian said with a calm certainty that steadied her once again. “We’ll track them down and reunite you with your friends. But—” His voice took on a sharper edge. “—we need to be in agreement and we need a plan.”
His words landed with a weight that made her chest ache—not from sadness, but from a warmth she wasn’t entirely sure she deserved. She allowed herself to smile faintly, even though the flicker of worry still burned in her mind. She reached out, her fingers brushing ever so lightly against the back of his hand. “What about you?” she asked quietly. The question slipped out before she could second-guess it. “You’ve lost so much, too. Do you think…you’d want to find other Zaruxians?”
Takkian’s expression didn’t immediately change, but his silence spoke volumes. His fingers twitched under her touch. She could feel his muscles tighten. For a moment, she worried she’d asked something too raw. But instead of anger or dismissal, a flicker of vulnerability passed through his eyes.
He turned his gaze away, toward the floor, as if grappling with the question himself. “I’ve thought about it,” he admitted at last. His voice was low and rough. “Not often. Not because I don’t want to—it’s just…easier to believe there’s nothing left of my people but Bruil and me. Easier than hoping, only to find nothing.” His shoulders tightened as he drew in a breath. “But if they’re out there… If there are any Zaruxians left, I want to find them.”
Sevas swallowed hard. She hadn’t expected such an answer, but hearing it made her heart ache for him in ways she couldn’t quite describe.
Bruil shifted closer. There was an unusual tension in the air surrounding the older Zaruxian. His brow furrowed and the lines around his mouth deepened. “Maybe finding more Zaruxians wouldn’t be such a bad idea,” he said, his voice uncharacteristically thick. “I didn’t think I missed them, but it’s been many cycles since I’ve heard any word of my kind. A long time since I’d felt…hope.” His words hung in the air, heavy with meaning, catching everyone off guard.
Sevas blinked, her mouth slightly agape. “Bruil, you—”
“Shush,” Bruil interrupted with a wave of his hand. “I’ve been an old soldier too long, too accustomed to loss. I figured being alone was my fate. But having you two, having a chance to reunite or rebuild… It’s more than I ever thought I’d get again.” He gripped the handle that kept him in place. His voice was heavy with emotion. “If there’s a chance we could find our kin, I want to take it. I want to see if there are more of us out there. More survivors who’ve kept our fight alive despite the odds.”
The sincerity in Bruil’s voice struck a chord deep inside Sevas. The weariness in his expression and the weight of loss reminded her that she, too, had hoped desperately for connection, for survival, for a sense of belonging. The notion of tracking down Zaruxians, of seeking lost ties, brought warmth to her heart. She saw the determination in Bruil’s yellow eyes. It echoed the fierce drive she’d seen in Takkian and felt in her own heart.
“We’ll do it, then,” she declared, her voice resolute. “We’ll find this ship with Zaruxians and my friends, but we need to be smart about it.” She glanced at Takkian, meeting his gaze with unyielding resolve.
Excitement flared within the small group, easing the lingering sadness of Ulo’s departure. A sense of purpose wove through them. They had each experienced great loss, but together they could forge a fresh path, one defined not by fear, but by the connections they could rebuild and the family they could reclaim.
Bruil nodded. “I’ll navigate. If we can avoid the Axis patrols, we can make it.”
Sevas’ heart swelled. Silence hung in the air, filled with the promise of what was to come. The ship hummed softly around them, a reminder of their shared escape and the journey ahead.
“Let’s check those coordinates. The Dokkol would have sent them by now, and we’ll make our plans.” Bruil’s voice was practical once more. The emotion faded to his familiar gruffness. “And let’s do it quickly, because the moment we move, we’ll be vulnerable.”