2. Bambi
BAMBI
SEVERAL ROTATIONS LATER
Wiping sweat off my brow with the back of my hand, I take a break and glance around, smiling at the sight we all make.
I pull my long, curly dark brown hair up into a ponytail, sighing in relief as the cool air kisses the back of my neck, shaking my head in bemusement.
I take a moment and ponder how the hell I got here.
Not once in a million years would I have ever thought the skills I learned growing up on the compound would be something applicable on an alien planet.
Smiling at Gwen when she shows me her progress, I realize that I’ve finally found something I can contribute that’s useful: showing other human women how to weave baskets out of the reed-like plants that grow along the banks of the nearby pond, so we have storage containers.
It’s not glamorous, but it doesn’t need to be.
We need functional things, and a basket is pretty handy.
Being smaller finally has one advantage: our fingers and hands are more dexterous and far more suited to this type of work than any of the Rukuhk females.
Lurtza and Myev, in particular, aren’t really arts and crafts kinds of gals, but they’re marvelous warrior scouts.
Both females excel at finding the necessary materials for the rest of us to create items for life here on Deapra.
It’s hard work, but rewarding to see the results of your efforts.
I feel like this is a concept that connects us all—humans and Ruks alike.
Mam doesn’t want us to be completely reliant on the items inside what Gwen refers to as the “plunderdome” on the Zenith, and that makes sense. Those things are finite, and since the guys don’t want to be space pirates anymore… we need to become a self-reliant settlement.
Even if there aren’t very many of us.
A huff of frustration precedes a bedraggled, partially-formed basket sailing through the air, and I look over at Heather only to see her sitting with her arms crossed.
She must feel my eyes on her because she glares at me and huffs again. “Why the fuck is this so hard?”
Snickering a little, I get up and fetch her—admittedly sad—attempt at a basket. “Practice makes perfect. I take it you weren’t one for crafting back home?”
Rolling her ocean blue eyes, she sharply retorts. “Ugh! No! I was married to a man who treated me like his queen. I filled my days with organizing his home, managing various charities, and loving my husband.”
By the time she’s done talking, her words have faded to a whisper, and her eyes are glossy with tears. Before I can attempt to offer her any sort of comfort, the sound of a ship breaking through the atmosphere drags my attention to the sky above where the Zenith is parked.
Anxiety slams into me.
The AI called SCOUT, and the intimidating organic males, EvO and ViN, with him, said they wouldn’t ever return to this part of space.
So, who the hell is that?
Dust boils up and blasts across the clearing as the vessel settles itself on the ground a short distance from the Zenith.
Waving my hand in front of my face, I try to displace some of the detritus so I don’t breathe it in.
That’s just asking for a sinus infection…
which would mean being forced to go to the medbay on the Zenith and letting Einar examine me.
The mere thought sends a terrified shudder down my spine.
Tugging at the long sleeve of my top, I ensure it’s all the way down so the cuff touches the back of my hand. I know my friends have seen the scars that litter my body—observed before the Ruks gave us clothes—but I’m pretty sure none of the males know… well… except Einar.
However, he’s a healer, and from what I can tell, he keeps his patients’ information to himself.
It’s similar to how doctors back on Earth were.
Confidentiality and all that stuff. No matter how much his brothers pester him to reveal their mates’ secrets.
If the guys want to know, they have to convince their women to tell them.
I can’t deny that it’s entertaining as all get out to watch massive, intimidating beings try to cajole their mates into telling them everything.
The guys all love a metaphorical cup of tea.
A flash of blue-green out of the corner of my eye pulls me back to the matter at hand.
Bikar.
My supposed “mate.”
What a cosmic joke God played on me.
He’s Mr. Persona Non Grata right now and, honestly, I can’t blame his family for being super pissed for what he did.
I’m not sure if I’ll ever feel comfortable around him.
His actions are eerily similar to what was done to me, and I still can’t sleep at night because of those memories.
Slamming that mental door shut, I force the images back behind the wall in my mind.
I don’t have time for a panic attack right now.
Bikar sacrificed his brother Murgul’s safety and trust to gain access to technology.
The concept is baffling to me. Especially since I grew up in a house that barely had electricity and definitely didn’t have things like Wi-Fi.
Hell, I didn’t even have a phone until I was an adult, and that was only because I bought a burner at the local Dollar General that I had to keep hidden from my father.
Pretending I don’t notice him looking at me out of the corner of his eye, I staunchly ignore him as he jogs past where Kallen, Ruby, Rowan, Gwen, Heather, and I are gathered.
Bikar is closely followed by the rest of the guys, and they reach the ship just as a low grinding sound emanates from the back of it.
We all watch as the hatch opens, and a ramp extends down to the ground.
But…no one emerges.
Peering over at the girls, I raise my eyebrows. “Do y’all know anything about this? I thought all the big bads left, and weren’t ever coming back since we, apparently, live in the podunk redneck part of space?”
Ruby’s snort of laughter causes Slavic’s head to jerk around, and she shoos away his concern with a nonchalant wave of her hand. “Damn, Bambi-girl. I never know what kind of word vomit you’re gonna grace us with when you open your mouth.”
Rubbing my nose, I try—and fail—to hide my smile. “Life’s too short to be serious all the time.”
Heather flips her long black hair over her shoulder and chimes in. “That’s the damned truth, but for real though… who the hell is that?”
All of us look to Ruby for an answer. Her husband—mate—is the captain of the Zenith, and the oldest brother of the Ruk boys, so she’s, by default, the boss’s old lady.
When she realizes we’re all looking at her expectantly, she—in typical Ruby fashion—rolls her eyes and snarks, “I don’t know why all of you are looking at me like that.
You know as much as I do. SCOUT, EvO and ViN discussed setting up some sort of communications with us so ViN’s little girl Amy Lynn can chitchat with Atasha, but I have no clue why there’s a whole ass ship here.
Although SCOUT did mention something about sending a supply ship, so maybe that’s what this is? ”
“Well, I guess we’re about to find out.” Gesturing towards the ship, we all watch as the Ruks confidently stride up the ramp and disappear into the ship.