Chapter 12
CHAPTER TWELVE
H utu’s Star Cruiser: Tracer
Julia wondered for the thousandth time if she was doing the right thing. The logical part of her mind was trying to tell her she was crazy for risking everything to rescue a man who was hated throughout the galaxy she had woken in.
Well, not everyone hates him, she defended.
She fingered the disk Roanna had given her with quiet instructions to give it to Roan. She wanted to ask what was on it. Roanna had closed her hands over hers and simply told her to trust her gut. And that was what she was doing.
The metallic hum of the supply bot echoed softly in the corridor as she trailed behind it, clutching a tray of food as though she belonged there. Sergi walked beside her, his movements relaxed, and confident—too confident until she remembered his background on Earth. A wave of envy swept through her and she shot him a glance. He chuckled and squeezed her arm in reassurance. They paused outside a set of double doors when the bot stopped. Her eyes flicked to the alien markings outside the door. She couldn’t read them, but she knew where they were at and what the symbols meant—they were outside the cell block.
“This is going to work,” Sergi murmured. “Cramming him into that supply bot is a brilliant idea. No one will think to look inside. Your Legion General will be a certified contortionist by the time he escapes all of his prisons.”
Julia shot him a dry look. “He isn’t my Legion General. Mei was right, you do have a very sadistic sense of humor sometimes. Hasn’t he been through enough torture? Besides, Roanna believes he is important to the success of the rebellion.”
“Me? Sadistic? You should see some of the tricks Mei played on me! And do not forget that Roanna is Roan’s grandmother. She would be negligent in her duties if she didn’t want him to be successful—and good.”
La’Rue’s voice crackled through their earpieces. “Okay, H has the programming done on the cameras. The guard will have a key card. The fields are independent on that level to make sure that if you have a bunch of prisoners, they can’t escape all at once. Each cell has to be deactivated either at the console or with the key card. H and I will have the Star Runner ready to leave as soon as you get here.”
“Aw, dusha moya, you do not know how sexy you sound when we are breaking the law,” Sergi teased.
The air in the corridor felt too quiet , the industrial lighting too bright. Julia’s pulse pounded in her ears as she followed Sergi, every step a countdown to chaos.
The cell door loomed ahead.
“Five credits he’s already working on breaking himself out,” La’Rue muttered over their commlink.
“He’d better not be,” Julia hissed, pressing a hand against the door panel. “I will be pissed if we are doing this for no reason.”
Julia pursed her lips and shook her head at Sergi when he snorted out a low laugh and winked at her. Only he… and Mei… and Ash… okay, and Josh if what Roan told her was true, would think breaking someone out of an alien prison cell onboard an alien ship in an unknown galaxy was an exciting adventure. Her lips quirked when she thought of the fact that her father would be getting a kick out of the fact that she was doing something so outrageous and daring.
God, I miss you, Daddy, she thought, blinking to clear the sudden burning in her eyes.
The plan had been simple enough when La’Rue suggested it: Reprogram a supply bot to sneak Roan out. No one would question a bot moving supplies around the ship and it would be large enough—barely—to squeeze Roan into it. All they had to do was freeze the security cameras in the cell block, knock out the guards, steal the key card, stuff Roan in, and get down ten levels on to the docking bay where La’Rue’s freighter was located. Oh, then, fly away—without permission.
La’Rue wryly chuckled that the trickiest part would be stuffing a former Legion general into a bot the size of a trash compactor and getting him to the docking bay without anyone noticing.
“H and I will handle the freighter,” La’Rue had assured her earlier, already heading toward her ship. “All you have to do is get Roan out and meet us there.”
Simple. Julia thought.
Simple never went well—especially in space.
* * *
She breathed out when the lift doors slid open with a soft whoosh. Sergi waved Julia forward, motioning toward the guard stationed outside Roan’s cell. She took a slow breath, steadying herself, and walked toward the guard with the tray of food balanced carefully in her hands.
The guard looked up, his expression bored until his eyes landed on Julia. His eyes swept over her, changing from suspicion to respect and a touch of awe when he recognized her. Guilt flared inside Julia.
Enjoy it while it lasts, Julia, she silently mused.
“Late-night meal delivery?” he asked, raising an eyebrow at the tray in her hands.
Julia tilted her head, offering a polite smile. “Even a prisoner deserves to eat.”
The guard pursed his lips and shook his head. “He’s been fed. Better than he should have been.”
Julia continued around the curved console, drawing the guard’s attention with her as she walked until his back was to the entrance. He never saw Sergi coming. The butt of Sergi’s weapon hit him squarely at the base of his skull, dropping him in one smooth motion.
“Quick and painless. Well, maybe not painless, but he will live,” Sergi cheerfully said, bending down to retrieve the key card from the guard’s belt.
Julia set the tray aside and slid the card into the control panel. The door hissed open to reveal Roan seated on the bench inside. His eyes gleamed with dry amusement when he saw her in the doorframe with Sergi grinning over her shoulder.
“You look comfortable,” Sergi greeted.
Julia elbowed Sergi in the ribs and scowled at him. “We don’t have much time. Get the supply bot.”
Sergi grimaced and rubbed his side. “She’s bossy.”
Julia swallowed when Roan stood. Her eyes swept over his face, noting that most of the bruising and cuts were healed, but there were still shadows of the deeper wounds.
“You know,” he said. “I could get used to being rescued by the two of you.”
Julia arched an eyebrow. “Wait until you see what we are about to squeeze you into.”
Roan’s amused expression faded as his gaze flicked to the compact supply bot waiting just outside the cell. He blinked, clearly unimpressed.
“You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“Nope,” Sergi said cheerfully, patting the bot. “It’ll be cozy. Think of it as a portable meditation pod.”
Roan sighed, stepping toward the bot with resignation. “Remind me to return the favor someday.”
“I’m sure Sergi can’t wait,” Julia replied, suppressing a smile as Sergi laughed.
* * *
Less than a minute later, Julia glanced at the guard lying on the cot in the cell. Sergi decided it would be best to put the man there to keep him from sounding the alarms should he wake before they made their escape. She turned and shot Roan an apologetic expression when she noticed his grimace of discomfort.
“Hopefully, it won’t be for long,” she murmured, stepping forward to close the side hatch.
“I just hope no one tries to put anything else in here, or better yet open it. They are in for a surprise if they do,” Roan muttered. “I thought the soiled linen cart was degrading.”
“Oh, there are many more things that are worse than this, trust me,” Sergi said with a shuddered.
Julia’s lips twitched despite the gravity of the situation. Leave it to Sergi—and Mei—to find humor in dangerous situations. The thought of Mei sobered Julia. She truly hoped the other woman had survived.
Once Roan was folded into the bot, Sergi reprogrammed it to head directly to the docking bay. She exchanged a brief glance with Sergi before heading to the lift they had arrived in. The bot would take the service lift and Sergi—well, Sergi was taking a route that she hoped didn’t cause too much damage to Hutu’s ship. A glance over her shoulder showed the supply bot trundling off toward the service lift at the opposite end of the corridor. Sergi had already disappeared.
Julia breathed out a tense sigh as the lift doors opened and she stepped inside and turned.
* * *
The doors slid open with a whoosh two levels down. Julia murmured a good evening to two crew members as she exited the lift. Deep in thought, she turned a corner and walked straight into a pair of thick, dark-red arms. Her head shot up and her lips parted on an apology before ending on a hiss of dismay when she recognized the man she had collided with.
Of all the luck, she silently groaned before schooling her face into a polite mask.
“Good evening, General Gomerant,” she greeted.
“Hutu,” he corrected before he frowned and glanced over her shoulder.
Her lips twitched. “Hutu.”
“Having trouble sleeping, Dr. Marksdale?” Hutu asked, his tone casual but tinged with wariness.
Julia smiled faintly. “Please call me Julia. I was feeling restless. Thought I’d take a stroll. It often helps me relax.”
Hutu didn’t move, his eyes narrowing slightly. “A stroll through the lower decks?”
Julia shrugged. “It is the quietest place on the ship. Back home, I would have gone for a run. That’s a little difficult in space.”
Hutu said nothing, his gaze drilling into her like he was trying to peel back her thoughts layer by layer. Then his expression softened, though the suspicion lingered beneath it.
“I spoke with Josh earlier,” Hutu said, his tone shifting slightly.
Julia’s heart skipped a beat. “Josh? How is he?”
“He was concerned about you, and thankful that you have been found.” Hutu’s eyes darkened. “The Legions attacked Plateau after their deadly attack on Tesla Terra and their annihilation of the capital of Jeslean has sent shockwaves through the galaxy. He is working with the rebels in the region for a counter-offensive.”
Julia’s throat tightened. She had heard fragments of the story, but seeing the grief flicker in Hutu’s eyes gave it weight.
“He is a good man and a strong leader,” she said quietly.
“He is,” Hutu agreed, his voice softening. “I fear if what Roan has told me is true, it will not be the last of the devastation. I fear not even the legend of the Ancient Knights will be strong enough to stop what is coming.”
Julia frowned. “What did he tell you?”
Hutu lifted an eyebrow. Julia’s thoughts flashed to Roan—his losses, his guilt, his determination to fight back. The few days they had together on Plateau were bittersweet. They had talked, but there was still so much that she didn’t know about him. A lack of knowledge that she hoped she wouldn’t come to regret.
Hutu’s expression hardened again. “You need to be careful, Julia. Roan is a Landais and a Legion general. He’s not to be trusted.”
Julia dropped her gaze, hiding the swirl of conflicting emotions tightening in her chest. “ I understand,” she murmured, her voice steady despite the turmoil within.
Hutu watched her for a beat longer before stepping aside. “Get some rest. You’ll need it.”
Julia gave him a strained smile and bowed her head in agreement. “I plan to. Goodnight, Hutu.”
“Goodnight, Julia.”
She continued on her way with calm, measured steps, her pulse thrumming beneath her skin. Every step felt like a countdown, the air charged with unspoken tension. She could feel Hutu was watching her.
It wasn’t until she reached the mid-ship landing bay and saw La’Rue’s freighter that she breathed a tired sigh of relief. She lifted a hand to smooth her hair. Her lips pursed with distaste when she noticed that her hand wasn’t quite steady. Once again, she wondered how Sergi and Mei did it—acted perfectly normal in strange and dangerous situations.
If I ever see Mei again, I’m going to have to ask her.
Julia shot Sergi a weak smile when she saw him heading toward her and the freighter from the opposite direction. Now, to see if the supply bot made it. Her heart was hammering in her chest by the time she reached the top of the platform.
She released a strained laugh when she noticed the empty bot inside the storage bay. Their perfect plan had gone off without a hitch.
Well, most of it. Now, to get off the ship before Hutu finds out what I’ve really been doing.
Star Runner – Galley
Nearly twelve hours later, the smell of brewing tea filled the small galley, mixing with the faint scent of engine parts and a residual of a smell that was unique to space. Julia wrapped her hands around the metal cup, letting the warmth seep into her palms as she stared at the swirling liquid. Her thoughts were anything but calm. Exhaustion plagued her, but her mind refused to shut down. Sergi had reassured her that the search for them was moving farther away and they would be able to come out of hiding soon.
She released a tired sigh and slid onto the bench seat, waiting for the tea to cool enough for her to drink it. She hoped it would help calm her mind. Tracing her finger along the rim of the cup, she wondered once again if she had made the right decision. Breaking Roan out of the brig on Hutu’s ship had been reckless—dangerous.
Within a half hour of their departure from the Tracer, rebel star fighters had been searching for them. She bowed her head, letting the aroma of the tea calm her nerves as she remembered their frantic departure from Hutu’s battle cruiser. La’Rue and H had overridden the flight protocol, giving them permission to leave while Sergi had manually released the locking devices Hutu had ordered placed on the freighter. Roan had helped La’Rue prepare for departure, giving her a coordinate.
Her lips twitched when she remembered La’Rue’s suspicious expression.
“Why are we staying so close? Why don’t we just jump?” La’Rue had demanded.
“Because the General Gomerant’s battle cruiser and star fighters would catch us before we made it a quarter of the way to wherever you plan to go,” Roan had responded.
“How do you know that?”
Roan had raised an eyebrow. Julia was learning that he did that when he was amused. Granted, she was interested how he knew what Hutu would do, as well.
“Because that is what I would do. I bet you—” he paused and looked around the bridge of the freighter with an expression of uncertainty before he sighed. “I bet you whatever you need to keep this thing flying that Hutu has a tracker hidden onboard.”
La’Rue groaned and muttered a curse, her eyes flying around the interior of the bridge before her eyes darkened with worry. Julia’s stomach clenched at the thought that there might be a tracker onboard. It made sense. Hell, even the Gliese had one until the ship broke apart. Her gaze followed La’Rue’s. Finding the device on the freighter would be like searching for a fine needle in a very large hay stack.
“If you’re right, why the hell are we even helping you get away?” La’Rue growled under her breath.
“Because we have to stop my father and uncle before they unleash unimaginable devastation on the galaxy.
Roan’s quiet response caused both her and La’Rue to stare at him with concern. She could hear the truth in his voice—and so could La’Rue. For now, they needed to trust Roan. Whether they wanted to or not.
Trust doesn’t come easy.
A sudden, sharp pain, like a jagged shard of ice, pierced her as the thought struck her. Her knuckles turned white as her fingers tightened around the steaming cup, the next memory—a painful ghost from a time she’d tried to bury—surfacing unexpectedly, bringing with it the bitter taste of regret. Her exhaustion weakened the barriers she’d built, and the dark memories seeped through, sharp and cold as shards of glass. She closed her eyes, her breath hitching as a sharp pain twisted her gut, the familiar weight of guilt pressing down on her chest.
Nineteen months before: The Gliese 581g lab
A sudden shiver ran through Julia as she uploaded new data into the computer. Her lips curved into a melancholic smile, the memory of her father’s old saying bringing a lump to her throat and a chill to the surrounding air. Her father had a knack for transforming ordinary sayings into enchanting, myth-like pronouncements, his voice imbued with a captivating lilt.
“Zeus’s chariot has cast a shadow on the sun.”
The lab on the Gliese’s felt unusually cold that day, despite the hum of equipment surrounding her and the environmental systems being set to their normal settings. Julia paused to check her bio report to make sure she wasn’t running a temperature. A quick look at her vitals showed everything looked normal.
Rubbing her hands up and down the sleeves of the jacket she was wearing, she turned and walked over to the plant containment units built into the wall. Satisfaction filled her when she saw the rows of tomatoes, peppers, carrots, and beans were thriving in the hydroponic systems. The new lighting system and nutrients that she had added appeared to agree with them.
She had just finished closing the clear plexiglass container over a new row of seedlings she had planted when the computer console pinged and Mei’s cheerful voice called out to her.
“Hey, Julia. You have an incoming message from Earth,” Mei said. “It only took six months to reach us. I hope it isn’t saying you won the lottery.”
Julia laughed and touched the screen to answer. “I hope not either. I think they have a time limit on when you can collect. I’ll take it in here if you don’t mind sending it through. I have about another half hour worth of work before I can come up.”
“No problem. Sending it to your console.”
Julia sat down on the stool in front of the computer and punched in her password. She frowned when she saw the message was from an encrypted address. She was surprised when she opened it and noticed the attached encrypted report marked classified with Admiral Greenburg’s personal seal. Curious, she clicked on the file. A request for voice activated password appeared.
“Julia Marie Marksdale, Project Gliese 581g Mission Specialist 050899,” she stated.
“Dr. Marksdale, greetings. There is no easy way to explain the information I am about to share. It is out of respect for you and the promise that I made that I do. It is with a heavy heart that I inform you that your father’s accident was not an accident, but deliberate sabotage….”
Julia’s stomach twisted violently as the words on the screen blurred.
Sabotage.
Not an accident. Not bad luck. Murder.
She should have died with him. If she hadn’t stayed behind for that meeting, she would have been in that helicopter.
The realization crawled through her veins like ice.
Someone had planned this . Someone had taken her father’s life and the rest of the original Gliese 581g crew. And they had let her live. Why?
The bile rose in her throat. She clenched her fists, her nails biting into her palms, forcing herself to breathe.
And then—her attention landed on the name.
Her breath hitched.
No. No, no, no.
But it was there. Clear as day.
The person who had betrayed her father was someone she had trusted.
Julia numbly continued to listen as General Greenburg’s explained the findings of the internal investigation into the crash of the helicopters carrying her father and the chosen crew for the Gliese.
Pain radiated through Julia as her fears were confirmed. The report included findings that had not been included in the initial reports that she had been given. This report included information that could have compromised the General’s own position.
She lifted her fist to her mouth and bit down on her knuckle to keep her sob from escape. Her eyes locking on one name that appeared over and over again in the report. Intense grief and the sickening nausea of betrayal cut through her. Even with proof, General Greenburg wasn’t able to keep the investigation open. The stakes were too high, the mission too sensitive. The government had buried it all… and looked the other way at those responsible.
Julia realized by the end of the report that her survival had been a miscalculation, an inconvenient flaw in the conspirators’ plan to control the Gliese project. If she hadn’t stayed in D.C. for that meeting, she would have been on that helicopter. She reached out and closed the file, saving it offline to the thumb drive before deleting the message.
Her hand shook as she stared blankly at the screen. There was nothing she could do to extract justice for her father and the others. She was here… on the Gliese millions of miles away from Earth, instead of her father.
All because of the one person I should have been able to trust the most.
* * *
Julia blinked, the memory receding, leaving a bitter taste in her mouth. A tear had fallen unnoticed onto the back of her hand. She wiped it away quickly, blaming her exhaustion.
Trusting Roan was probably a gamble she shouldn’t have made. Men like him—men like his father and uncle—played the long game. They didn’t show their hand until all the pieces were in place.
But Roan wasn’t his father—or like— Her mind shied away from the vision of the handsome face that rose in her mind before she angrily pushed it back into the box she kept it in. She had always trusted her judgement, depending on facts and logic to guide her. The few times in her life that she hadn’t usually did not end well.
I want to trust him. The thought rose unbidden, unfiltered.
Julia tightened her grip around her tea, forcing her breath to steady. But could she?
Roan Landais was a soldier. A leader. A Legion general . He had been trained to manipulate, to infiltrate, to conquer.
But he was also the man who made her feel safe.
That realization hit harder than anything else. Because she didn’t do safe. She didn’t trust safe.
Safe was a lie. Look where it had taken her the last time.
You never felt safe, her inner voice whispered. You settled for the expected.
Deep down, she realized what she was experiencing was different. Roan wasn’t the kind of man a woman settled on. She also wanted—needed—to believe that Roan was nothing like his father and uncle because she was attracted to him.
If she was honest with herself, she would admit that she was afraid. Afraid that if she gave her heart to Roan that she wouldn’t survive another betrayal if he was.
Julia looked up when the galley door hissed open. Roan stood in the doorway, his presence filling the room despite the stealthy way he moved. His dark eyes met hers immediately, scanning her face with an intensity that made her breath hitch.
Neither of them spoke.
Julia forced herself to sit straighter, carefully masking her fragile emotions. The air between them hummed with unspoken words, sharp and expectant. He took a step inside, his gaze never leaving hers.
“We need to talk,” he said quietly, his voice steady but laced with something heavier—something she couldn’t quite name.
Julia swallowed, setting her cup down with deliberate calm. “Yes, we do.”