Chapter 23
Making Plans
Two days into the flight home, the pilot called the personnel — except the crew on the bridge — into the diner for an announcement.
The brothers’ offer of help was transformed into increased security in case of another attack.
In the diner, Darren and Lero were present; Blayze was on guard duty at the airlock of the goods hold, which was empty apart from spares and escape pods.
It had been full of supplies for Drypso which had been unloaded on the planet.
“Thank you for attending this meeting,” announced Joel.
“We have received new orders from High Command. We are returning to Drypso to bring the humans back to Ohiri. I haven’t been given a reason, so don’t ask.
You will carry on your roles as normal, including the updated security procedures.
If you have any questions, ask me or the First Officer, but don’t waste our time. That will be all.”
A speculative buzz murmured round the diner as personnel got up to leave, and the pilot called Darren and Lero over.
“A word with you two,” Joel’s brow creased with worry when they approached, “you will take up your previous duties of guarding the females, but you will continue to guard the goods hold air lock.”
“You don’t think there will be another attack?” asked Darren.
Joel threw him a guarded look. “There’s always the possibility,” he explained and sighed. “We don’t have enough staff to spare. Can I count on you three? I trust you’ll relay the new orders to your brother.”
Darren and Lero saluted. “Var’kai, Pilot, consider it done,” said Darren.
After the pilot left, Darren followed him out of the diner. He was to take over sentry duty of the goods hold from Blayze. Lero walked with him to the elevator.
“Seeing Aelanna again will change your mind?” Lero stated.
It was more of a question than an accusation.
Since depositing the females on Drypso, the brothers had discussed their close relationships with the humans and had agreed to do their best to forget them.
They were returning to Ohiri, and Darren would never see Aelanna again.
The loss of her broke Darren’s heart, but he knew his brothers were feeling pain too. They had discussed various alternatives, such as leaving imperial service and seeking another planet to make a fresh start. They talked about new careers. Darren could work as a couturier, maybe open a studio.
“No,” he growled. “I’ll stay on Ohiri. I’ll give up my career as a warrior, and I'll stay strong after the work I’ve done on my emotions. I trust you two will support me.”
He would keep away from Aelanna as much as possible. He only had to suffer her presence for two weeks.
“What are you going to do?” asked Lero.
“Perhaps I’ll go to the Dheltan enclave on Ohiri. Dheltan females live there and maybe I’ll find one to bond with.”
Lero pursed his lips. “From what I heard there were only a handful of females there. Most are mated or getting on in years.”
Darren wasn’t discouraged. “There’s always an outside chance for life to play a wild card. I can’t speak for Blayze, but we can ask him.”
They reached the elevator.
“May the luck of Yithir go with you, brother,” said Lero, as Darren slapped his palm against the panel and the doors slid open. His brother didn’t sound hopeful as Darren stepped inside.
The Pioneer touched down on Drypso and Darren got that sinking feeling he’d suffered when they first arrived. He had hoped never to see the gracking planet again.
Within the day, the humans and their bags were aboard.
Commander Trot was anxious for the girls and the visiting crew to leave.
He didn’t need extra mouths to feed, and guests using precious resources: he had a planet to defend.
With the collapse of the experiment, he couldn’t wait to be rid of them.
That was the unofficial view given to Darren by one of the Ohirin frigate crew, but he noticed something strange.
As the brothers were escorting Pilot Joel from the commander’s office to the ship, they spied two Drypsonian Ohirin warriors with Drek females.
Laughing and giggling together, the pairs passed them in the yard between the ship’s landing bay and the command building.
An Ohirin saluted the pilot’s group as they passed by. Joel nodded his acknowledgement.
“See that?” the pilot growled as they approached the ramp. “What are Ohirins doing with Drek females?”
“I don’t know, but it’s strange. Something doesn’t add up,” commented Darren as they boarded.
Darren soon put it out of his mind. He had other things to worry about, and they were taking off in the early evening.
He couldn’t avoid Aelanna when she boarded.
The pilot sent him and Lero to collect the females from reception where they waited, take them to the ship and see them safely to their cabins.
That was Darren’s job. Those were his orders, issued by Crukugs himself.
He couldn’t refuse; it would be tantamount to treason, since the emperor had been kind enough to grant Dheltans asylum on Ohiri.
When he and Lero arrived at reception, Aelanna’s eyes shone with tears and her chin trembled. Her face was whiter than normal, though her red hair shone. She’d put it into a tight braid over the ivory gown he’d given her. She’d had a traumatic time, he would guess.
He held back the urge to comfort her. The Ohirins no doubt had plans for the females when they returned to Ohiri and he kept his distance.
For the evening meal, his orders were to escort the girls to the diner, including Aelanna, which meant they had to go through the emotional turmoil over again: her, confused and hurting, him, holding back and hurting.
Thereafter, he switched shifts to avoid her. That way he spent a painful two weeks full of longing, confusion and unanswered questions, and he was sure she had too, but at last it was over, and the ship touched down on Ohiri.
He watched Aelanna go into the army building under the care of a female officer. He would never see her again. As the doors closed after the female group had gone in, he reminded himself it was better that way.