Chapter Six #3
“Yeah, until one of the big bastards gets a hold of me. I know what Aken-Var is like. I have a sick suspicion that Voru-Mel will be less careful.”
Delia said, “Okay, sex questions. That should help.”
Margo laughed. “Sex is usually distracting. Okay, ladies. Let’s answer some weird stuff.”
They started and covered from vanilla to body piercing for enjoyment. The pain-to-pleasure switch and how to know when it wasn’t going to flip.
They talked for hours, and then it was time for Margo to take the pilot station again. She was on duty tonight. “Okay, ladies, I am heading to the command deck. Call me if you need me.”
Chloe grinned. “Can we bring snacks?”
“You can, but we are going to be at Sanctuary Base in around twelve hours. That is the moment we begin to go our different paths. Cori and Isolde will stay on the base for a while with their sister. Chloe and Skylar will head up a new gathering of beings to help bolster a dying species. I will drive, and Geri will choose where she wants to be. I am owned by the ship, more or less. I go where it goes. Delia, stop trying to get Skylar to look up visuals of half the stuff.”
Skylar laughed. “Come on, Delia. Get some rest. You can bug your mother about bondage in the morning.”
Delia laughed and walked toward Skylar.
Margo headed back to the command deck. The clothes for Geri were next to her chamber. When she woke up, she could get dressed.
Margo settled and dismissed her guys.
Baket paused. “You are unsettled.”
“Varu-Mel put a capture contract out on me. Three million credits. I am just trying to make a plan.”
“He... that’s a lot.”
“That is the price of a companion-grade Terran. I am not companion-grade for a Hmrain.” She paused. “How public is that video of me and Aken-Var?”
“It is a matter of public record—oh. You think he saw and was jealous?”
“Not a clue. He and I weren’t lovers, and he fights dirty, but I still won.”
“You won—against Varu-Mel?”
“Yes. There is a vid of it. It took some doing, but I got him out.” She said, “That is where I got this scar.” She ran a fingertip down her forehead, nose, and across her cheek.
“I see. May I tell the others?”
“Sure. They might want a heads up if the ship is empty and there is a bloody smear down the walkway.”
“The contract isn’t for no damage?”
She laughed. “Oh, that isn’t going to happen. Someone is going to get damaged if anyone tries to take me.”
Baket chuckled. “See, you have a plan. I have a vid to find.”
She nodded, triggered the view screens, and gently turned around, looking above her and jolting. “Geri, is there something above us?”
“A vessel has been shadowing us for three hours. The guys were not nervous, so I saw no reason to alert you.”
“Can you zoom in?”
The identification loomed, and Vekka Hale was highlighted. “How did he get here so fast?”
“Based on my records, he has been following us or catching up when we pause to bring on personnel or equipment.”
“Of course.” Margo rubbed her forehead. “Can you hail them?”
“You bet, Margo. One ringy dingy, two ringy dingies.” Geri was laughing. “Contact achieved.”
“Vekka Hale, this is the Freedom Break. Why are you following us?”
Aken-Var’s voice rolled through the speakers. “I am merely keeping an eye on four of my citizens.”
“There are only three citizens here. Is one hiding?”
“Fine, three citizens and one warrior class registered female.”
“Right. I do love to be accurate.”
He sighed. “Margo, we need to talk.”
“We really don’t. You put me where you thought I should be, and you left me there. I am not living that life. Plus, my species doesn’t live as long as yours, so it wouldn’t have been a long life anyway. So, if you want to do me a solid, can you neuter Varu-Mel? That would ease my mind.”
“Varu-Mel is why I am here. I know of his pursuit, and it is not going to stand. He cannot have you.”
“Great. Neither can you. Moving on.”
“Those who participated in what happened have been banished and demoted. The ladies have been sent to a marriage broker; the warriors are back in the field on active duty as rank tens. All battle rankings are gone.”
“How did you do that without an uprising?”
“I showed clips from your confinement and from your arena fights. My people respect a warrior.”
“Great. Well, I am glad that is done. The rest of your ladies can be a bit more at ease.”
“They are all in the marriage broker’s care.”
“Why? Aren’t your balls going to blow off or something?” She knew what he was getting at.
“I was hoping you would take pity on me. I need you.”
Margo said softly, “They put me in a cage. Fed me through the door. No one came for me, no one looked for me. Not even you. I find it difficult for me to be indispensable if no one noticed I was being tortured.”
“Tortured?”
“I have an intense fear of small spaces. When I was in survival mode, I was confined; when I was on the station, I was confined; when I was stolen, I was confined; and when I was at the arena, I was confined. You promised me bright skies and open air. They put me in a box. You lied.”
There was silence. She finally said, “Vekka Hale, please break off pursuit. Whatever you are looking for, it isn’t here.”
Geri’s voice was soft. “Vekka Hale is breaking off pursuit.”
Margo exhaled.
Delia spoke, “That was the guy?”
“That was the guy.”
“You really have bad claustrophobia?”
“Yes. It’s been a rough few years.”
“You can’t give him a second chance?”
“He didn’t look for me, baby. I was in that cell for days. Two begging, and then I was carving myself up frantically to become the warrior that was afforded safety and dignity.”
“Oh, Mom.”
“Yeah. So, what are you doing out and about?”
“Skylar lets me run around, and I felt that you needed me.”
“I did, I do, but I am worried that if I get too used to you, you will leave, and my heart will break all over again.”
She sighed, and Delia took her hand. Her daughter said, “I am going to stay with you then. I will just be here, and know that when I am gone, I will still be here.”
Margo hung on. They flew through the night, and the following ship dropped behind. Margo kept the ship on task while everyone slept, and her daughter’s ghost held her hand.
It wasn’t the worst night she had had recently, and the tears stopped after a few hours.
After all of the moments on Earth that she had missed, seeing her daughter’s face one last time was her biggest regret, and now, Delia was holding onto her as if they were on a ride at the county fair.
Margo didn’t want to wake up. This moment was everything, and tomorrow, she would be reunited with Geri. If she could keep her mind in the present, she could develop a plan to deal with the future. Right now, it didn’t feel too bad.