Chapter 33: Chapter 33

AMY

Amy walked out of Izzy’s room, and Silian came down the hall. His eyes looked dark from a distance and the blue shine normally there, absent.

He looked up at her as he walked, but didn’t stop. He gave her a sad smile and went past. ~Something’s up with him. I saw it on the bridge already.~

“Silian!” she called out and ran after him. “Hey, good-looking, is everything okay?”

“Yes. It will be.” His eyes swirled in a dark-red color.

“Do you need to talk?”

“Perhaps later. When I have calmed, I... I don’t mean to reject you, I just don’t want you to see me this angry.” He turned to walk away.

“Why?”

“Why what?” he said, turning back.

“I said I would help you fight your Raags, remember?” she said walking up to him.

“If it isn’t abundantly clear by now, handsome, I want to be with you for more than one night. Walking off because you’re angry, hell, I get that, but turn it around.

“If I was pissed off, would you want to know or would you want me to walk away and try and deal with it on my own? Should I expect you to be a mind-reader and just know?”

Some of the fire in his eyes lessened as what she said registered with him. “So, you are saying I should work through these emotions with you?”

“You’d better. Sharing when you are in a relationship with someone isn’t optional. Secrets are poison. They destroy trust,” she said, stepping closer and looking up at him. “You still have so much to learn.”

He nodded. “I am just thankful I have a patient teacher, yet right now I still feel angry.”

“So let it go. Get that poison out of you, because if you let it stay inside you, you’ll turn into something you aren’t.”

“Am I supposed to let it out at you?”

“Hell, no, I don’t think I could take you in the arena,” she said with a smile.

“You let it out at something else though, and I’ll cheer you on from the sidelines. Or, if you think it will help, I know a ~great~ way to distract you, and we are still within our allotted time.”

He smiled, reaching out his hand to caress her cheek, and she felt goosebumps climb up from within her.

“As amazing as that sounds, I think I feel better already. Poets talk about the power of love, and now I have seen it in action. How did I get so lucky to have you as my teacher?”

She pulled his head down for a kiss. “I’m not complaining, either.”

She closed her eyes as his kiss blazed through her, taking her breath away, and felt her nipples harden.

The idea of dragging him off to his room to make him forget whatever pissed him off grew more attractive, yet a little girl’s life still hung in the balance. With regret, she broke the kiss and stepped back.

“Well, I don’t feel calm anymore,” she said.

Silian laughed. “Come. We should return to the bridge. But if we get time later, I am taking you up on your offer.”

She grinned, snaking a hand around his waist as they started walking back toward the bridge. ~It’s nice when the student learns so quickly.~ As they reached the top of the ramp, Amy saw everyone focused on the screen.

“So, what pissed him off so much?” Izzy asked.

Amy gave Silian a little squeeze. She wanted to hear what Mikhlas would say.

“He will be fine shortly. Don’t worry about it,” Mikhlas said, but his expression betrayed him.

Izzy tilted her head to one side. “What aren’t you telling me, Mikhlas? This planet we’re going to, what’s there?” she asked.

“I told you. A base. Tekran 4 is one of five planets in the Tekran System, and one of the many bases within the Realm,” he said.

“What else?”

Mikhlas let out a sigh. “It’s not my secret, Isabelle. You should ask Silian. It has to do with Commander Bakron. He leads the flyers in that section. He was a Captain once, but lost his ship many years ago,” Mikhlas said.

“Why?”

“He lost his ship as punishment for the unwarranted discipline of an officer,” Silian said and met Amy’s eyes.

Realization hit her. “Bakron is your father, isn’t he?” Amy said.

He gave her a sad smile and nodded at her, then led her down the ramp. “Officially, I have no father,” he said.

Amy understood the anger now.

“You know who your father is? I thought that wasn’t allowed,” Izzy said.

“It’s not. That is why I have no father, and he has no ship,” Silian said to her.

“Maybe we won’t have to go there. Let’s see what the girl’s father says first,” Izzy said. Mikhlas walked to the platform and spoke.

“Miran, any luck?”

The tall gray caressed the tablet she held projected the voice. “I think so, Captain. I’ve located a frequency and have sent the request with our Fleet signature.

“All I know is that someone will hear us and that someone will be waiting now.”

“Connect me to the rebels,” he said, and the screen changed.

Amy saw a Homeworlder man with lanky black hair turning to gray at the temples staring out of the screen with intense black eyes.

The corners of his mouth were turned down as if he smelled something bad across the connection, and the expression pulled at a long scar that extended from his hairline and scored down to his chin.

~He looks like he was mauled by a tiger.~ The gruesome face didn’t say anything, just stared as if he wished the other side would explode into flame from his very gaze.

“Hemkon. You know who I am,” Mikhlas asked.

“I recognize you. Why am I being contacted by a murdering bastard like you?”

Mikhlas winced and then straightened. “To discuss an arrangement.”

“I don’t deal with Fleet. Were we face to face, you’d be trying to kill me,” Hemkon leaned forward. “And I’d be trying to kill you.”

~Well, isn’t he pleasant?~ Amy thought. ~Mind you, Izzy’s right. This guy is a freedom fighter talking to the people he’s sworn to fight. I’d be salty too.~

“Would you deal to get Alianat back?” Izzy asked.

He looked at her and his eyes flashed red. “My daughter is dead. Who the fuck are you, runt?”

“No, she’s not,” Izzy said, ignoring his question. “We found her, and we can save her, but we won’t lift a finger to help her until there is a deal in place, and there is not a lot of time.”

“This is a trick. You’re just trying to lure me out or trace this connection so you can kill me,” he shouted.

“You sent her in an obsolete class-two transporter,” Mikhlas said. “The cryopods on board were from a noble family called Raqtrem. Does that still sound like a lie?”

Hemkon didn’t speak, but his face paled.

~That got his attention,~ Amy thought.

Hemkon opened his mouth and then closed it, his eyes busy before looking back at the screen.

“What will you do to her?” he finally asked.

“This is the deal I am willing to offer you,” Mikhlas said.

“Her pod is failing, and we will need to wake her soon. When we do, her bio tracker will activate and reveal our position. If you do not attack this ship, your daughter will be returned to you once we reach Homeworld.”

“Lies. If my daughter goes to Homeworld she’ll be killed. If not by you, by another murdering bastard of the Fleet. As if you would return her to me with nothing for yourself? I do not believe you,” Hemkon said.

“There is something we want, but not yet,” Izzy said. Mikhlas frowned at her.

“The runt speaks again. What is the price for my daughter’s life?”

“A meeting at Homeworld. In one month, you will come to Homeworld to discuss a lasting peace between the rebels and the Realm. Until then, you will not attack anyone or anything that falls under my rule…” Izzy said.

~Ahh, Iz, you blew it.~

“Your rule?” Hemkon repeated.

~No point in hiding it now,~ Amy thought.

“Yes. ~My~ rule,” she said and looked at Mikhlas.

“Well, isn’t this interesting?” An evil smile spread over Hemkon’s face.

“Hey Scarface, don’t get creative. The clock’s ticking, and it’s a simple exchange. You want your daughter back, or should we just put her back where we found her?” Amy said.

Hemkon’s smile fell, and he looked at Mikhlas again. “I want to know she’s alive. If you’re telling the truth, I’ll give you two days. Then I will come looking for her, or you,” Hemkon said, and the screen turned off.

“What just happened?” Amy asked.

“He agreed to the terms and gave us two days to return her. We can wake her,” he said with a worried frown.

“What about the rest of the deal?” Izzy asked.

“I don’t know. He may be thinking just about his daughter. If he turns up at a future meeting that’s just a bonus.

“I’m not comfortable trusting him at this point. I still think the best course of action would be to seek the assistance of Tekran 4.”

Amy flicked her eyes to Silian. She saw the same red swirl in his eyes from the corridor looking back at her.

“He agreed. Is that really necessary?” Izzy asked.

“Yes. We cannot fly alone if the rebels can track us. Not with the cargo we carry,” Silian said. “Please excuse me, Amy. I am taking your advice.”

Amy locked eyes with Silian as he made for the ramp and gave him a thumbs up. ~He’s going to work his anger out. I wouldn’t want to be Prime’s doll in that fight.~

“Do we really have to do this? Can’t we have a few ships meet us on the way?” Amy asked.

“I don’t know who to trust, and we will still need to wait for the engines to charge. The safest place for us to do that is at the base.

“For now, let’s focus on getting Alianat out alive. The last thing we need is for her to die after we just told her father we saved her.”

MIKHLAS

As Mikhlas walked off the bridge next to Isabelle, he caught that floral scent of her hair. ~Is now a good time to talk to her?~ He opened his mouth to speak, and before he could say anything she smiled at him.

“Thank you,” she said, placing her gentle fingers on his arm.

“For what?”

“For trying this my way. I know you feel uncomfortable about the risk in dealing with the rebels,” she said.

“You may gain more by doing this to end the rebellion if Hemkon gets his daughter back and comes to that meeting than the Fleet ever could,” he admitted.

As Amy disappeared around the corner ahead of them with a purposeful walk, Izzy motioned toward her.

“She’ll calm him down, I have no doubt. What happened with his dad?” she asked.

“When Silian and I were young officers, Silian learned Bakron was his father and told him,” he said.

“I’m not sure what Silian expected would happen, but Bakron almost killed him. If it wasn’t for Prime constantly healing his injuries during that time, I think he would have.”

“That’s awful,” Izzy said, shaking her head.

“I know. Isabelle?” he said as they reached the elevator.

“Yes?”

“I just wanted to say that you’ve opened my eyes.”

She looked at him, turning her head to one side and curling her hair behind her ear. He noticed the Carillion flower, curled around her wrist like a bracelet, as she did.

“I did? What about?” she said, leading the way into the elevator.

“I’ve not thought of myself as a slave or the rebels as fighting for their freedom. I know a new Monarch brings change, I just…”

“Just what?”

“I never thought the changes you would bring would be so personal.” He swallowed and looked deep into her eyes.

“I almost wish that Amy was the one in that cabin, and you were the friend, so I could have the opportunity Silian has with Amy, to show you how much I care about you.”

“Prime, stop the elevator,” Izzy said, and their descent ended.

She turned to him and gave him a serious look that made his hearts race. “You know I want to do things with you, Mikhlas. I tried already—”

“I know—”

She reached out a hand and placed it against his lips. “Yet I know we must wait.”

He sighed in relief.

“But that doesn’t mean I’m not thinking about it, and a girl likes to know that she’s…wanted. We are alone right now. Does that give you any ideas?”

He smiled as she took her delicate hand away from his mouth. Without hesitation, he leaned forward and wrapped his arms around her waist before picking her up and kissing her deeply.

She moaned into his mouth and the sound drilled into his ears. He wanted to hear that sound again every day for the rest of his life.

Her hands were in his hair and the feel of her, so alive in his arms kissing him back with matching intensity, threatened to make him lose control.

He felt an enormous rush of blood as his second heart kicked into overdrive, his uniform tightening uncomfortably. She pulled back from the kiss and looked down at his waist, her eyes wide and breathing heavily.

He’d never seen anything so beautiful as she looked back at him, a light shining in her eyes with her bottom lip between her teeth. She leaned forward and he felt her warm breath on his ear.

At that moment the elevator started moving again.

He almost dropped her but managed to place her back on her feet. She glared at the ceiling and if it wasn’t for his sensitive hearing would never have heard her say, “Oh, you cockblocking bitch.”

His ears were so focused on Izzy, that it allowed him to hear Prime’s reply in her ear, “There will be time later, Dakira. Besides, you saw it already when he was unconscious.”

Mikhlas schooled his face into an expressionless mask, pretending he didn’t hear Prime’s response.

He willed a part of his anatomy to calm down and tried not to notice as Izzy blushed a red so deep as to challenge her Carillion for vibrancy.

Isabelle cleared her throat. “Yes, um. Let’s try that again later.”

Mikhlas smiled. “I hear and obey, Dakira.”