Forsaken (9 page)

Even knowing he was in for a ration of nonsense, he couldn’t help but ask, “What is an Amish quilting circle?”

“The Amish were a tribe of human cannibals and the quilt was their favorite weapon. It was tradition to stand in a circle while sharpening the blades and discuss recent happenings in the village.”

Kotto just shook his head. “You’re so full of shit the entire crew can smell you.”

Irron glanced up with a frown. “Keyran warned you?”

“Thank the gods.”

“But I liked that one.” Then without missing a beat, Irron continued as if his tall tale had never been told. “Raina might have the protein marker and she does have the journals, so she’s not going anywhere.” He looked up again and gestured with his lighted tweezers. “If she’s too important to release, sir, that makes her your prisoner, not your guest.”

“Fine. She’s my prisoner. Why is everyone caught up on syntax today?”

“Is that what made you lose your temper? Did she call you a heartless pirate?”

“Something like that.” The doctor let go of his hand and Kotto flexed his fingers. The pain was significantly better, but blood was still seeping from a couple of the wounds.

“Don’t you have medi-bots?” He motioned toward the fresh bead of blood trailing across his palm. “I made damn sure I removed every shard. Why aren’t these lacerations closing?”

“I only activate them when I head into battle.” He used an annoyed tone, hoping the doctor would drop the subject.

Irron made a face as he pushed the magnification screen out of the way. “That’s irrational, especially now. Your commanding a crew of pissed-off Rodytes. Turn them back on and leave them on.”

Keyran had frequently commented on the talkative doctor. Kotto should have known Irron would never back off that easily. “Fine.” He activated the nanites with a sharp mental command. Immediately, his hand tingled and the wounds began to close. “Satisfied?”

Curiosity drew Irron’s brows together as he pulled off his gloves. “What made you hibernate them in the first place?”

“They work too well.” Kotto shrugged, trying to minimize the issue. “They don’t just numb pain. They dull all my emotions. I started feeling like a zombie half the time.”

“Then they’re malfunctioning.” He quickly washed his hands then motioned Kotto toward the sink. “Clean up while I go get my bot kit.”

Some commanders would take exception to Irron’s bossy tone, but this was his domain after all. Kotto washed his hands and forearms, shocked at the amount of blood that covered his skin and smeared his clothes. Even without his medi-bots, he’d barely felt the pain.

The doctor returned with an alloy case roughly the size of a small piece of luggage. He directed Kotto toward one of the other treatment areas, so the medical staff could clean up the mess.

Kotto flexed his hand and shifted his weight from foot to foot. “Clearly, they’re operational now.” He held out his restored hand as proof.

“This will just take a minute. Stop whining.”

Kotto looked at the clerical area in the middle of the circular room, but Irron’s staff didn’t react to his rude behavior. Apparently, the doctor mouthed off to all his patients.

The top of the case was a screen and several wand-shaped scanners were arranged in the bottom. Irron selected one then approached Kotto. “When did you first notice the numbed emotions?”

“Shortly after I was injected with the bots.”

Irron made another face but didn’t look at him directly. “That had to have been decades ago. Why hasn’t this been corrected?”

“My first placement was Fort Ja Harr. I spent twenty-seven years in that hellhole.”

Irron shuddered. “Thank the gods they finally shut it down.” He glanced at Kotto as he asked, “Haven’t you been on the
Undaunted
for the past few years? General Nox’s staff is second to none. Well, except for us, of course.”

He nodded, liking the doctor despite—or perhaps because of—his unconventional approach. “By the time I was transferred to the
Undaunted
, I’d used the workaround for so long, I’d basically forgotten about it.”

Irron didn’t look convinced, but he let it slide. After scanning various parts of Kotto’s body, the doctor turned back to the kit and swept his hand across the open case. The holocontrols came to life and he quickly made several adjustments. “I didn’t see any glaring malfunctions, but I tweaked the sensitivity settings. If this doesn’t fix it, let me know and we’ll do a full extraction. Those bots are old as dirt.”

Kotto laughed. “So am I.”

The doctor responded with a semi-playful scoff. “You just turned fifty-three, that’s an infant compared to me, son. You haven’t earned the right to complain yet.” Then he waved Kotto toward the door. “Get out of here. I’m sure your
prisoner
was freaked out by your temper tantrum. Go calm her down.”

By the time Kotto reached his quarters, his hand had stopped throbbing and he felt like a complete ass. It had been years since he’d lost control like that, maybe decades since he’d allowed anyone or anything to outwardly upset him. The only thing a Rodyte soldier controlled completely was his reaction to stimuli. Surrendering control to anyone else, even inadvertently, was the ultimate weakness. He would not let it to happen again.

He seldom spoke of his past and seeing the events through Raina’s eyes had made everything that much worse. Then adding insult to injury, she’d misunderstood the purpose for his story. He hadn’t been justifying his father’s actions. Kotto was the first to admit his father was a monster. He’d wanted Raina to understand the horrors surrounding the battle born, hoped she’d see why they needed to escape, or better yet dismantle the existing system. The last thing in the world Kotto wanted to do was defend the actions of his father.

The door to his quarters verified his identity then parted for him. Raina stood at the viewport as she had before, but this time she didn’t turn around. “I’m sorry I lost my temper. I didn’t mean to frighten you.”

She did face him then. A long skirt and baggy sweater enveloped her completely, hiding any clue to her true shape. Heelless slip-ons adorned her feet, well-worn and unadorned. Was she going out of her way to make herself less appealing or did she honestly not care about outward appearances? Her hair was pulled back into a messy ponytail that reached the middle of her back. The color, however, was lovely, deep brown with just a hint of fire. Her thick-lashed eyes shared the reddish-brown color and her lips were lush and delicately bowed. He couldn’t wait to discover if they felt as soft as they looked.

“Is your hand all right?” She made a bland gesture toward his hand, but her gaze locked with his.

“It wasn’t serious.” He moved toward her slowly, feeling predatory and restless. Despite assuring Ashley that he wanted Raina as his employee not his mate, his interest was intensely personal. He was fascinated by Raina. He wanted to peel back her protective layers and ignite her inner fire. “I think the details in my story gave you the wrong impression. I, in no way, approve of the practice of war brides.” So why didn’t he set Raina free?

“You’re as much a victim as your mother.”

He tensed. The last thing he wanted anyone to perceive him as was a victim. He’d been wronged, that fact was undeniable. He’d been abandoned and abused, but the adversity made him strong, it focused his hatred and defined his purpose in life. Before he could clarify his position, she slowly licked her lips and his objections scattered. All he could think about was her.

Though her steps were smaller, her movements slower, she inched toward him as well. “I should have realized you were just trying to make sure I understood how your father thought, that you weren’t trying to justify his actions.”

They stood near the center of the room. She was close enough to touch, but Kotto kept his hands at his sides, unwilling to send her scurrying into the corner again. “My father might have been twisted by circumstances beyond his control, but his actions were inexcusable.”

“What happened when…” She sighed and dragged her gaze away from his face. “Never mind. It’s none of my business.”

He placed his hand on her upper arm and she looked at him again. “You didn’t open this door. I did. Obviously, the memories are painful, but there really was a point to all the unpleasantness.” Not wanting her to slow him with questions, he hurried through the rest of the tale. “Father told his captive her life would be forfeit if she delivered another boy.”

“But the sex of the child is determined by the male’s chromosomes. At least that’s how it works in humans.”

He shrugged. Unable to stop touching her, he pushed his hand up to her shoulder then let it slide slowly to her elbow. “I’m a soldier. Genetics is far beyond my field of expertise.”

“Were you her final pregnancy?”

He nodded, his throat too tight to speak.

“And did he keep his word?”

Again he nodded, but he swallowed past the tightness in his throat. “My father didn’t make idle threats. My mother’s heart mysteriously stopped beating two days after my birth. He was off-world at the time so there was no investigation. He sold me to the RPDF when I was three. Keyran was already there. I was told my father had been killed by a Bilarrian, most likely an enraged father, when I was seven. I never thought of him again.”

“I’m sorry for your loss. No, I’m sorry that you never really had a father.”

All he saw in her eyes was pity and hesitation, so he reluctantly lowered his arm. “My story is not unusual. The vast majority of battle born sons are forced into labor camps or they serve in the RPDF.”

“What is the RPDF?”

“Rodyte Planetary Defense Force,” he clarified. “It is your army, navy, air force and marines all rolled into one.

Her jaw dropped and horror filled her eyes. “He sold you to the military when you were three? That can’t possibly be legal. What is the Rodyte equivalent of Child Protective Services?”

Finally, she was starting to understand. “The battle born don’t have the same rights and protections as pureblood Rodyte children. As I said, we’re a commodity, an underclass. We’re the forsaken, a useless byproduct of our fathers’ quest for power.”

She started to say something then stopped and turned back toward the window.

He caught her hand, preventing her retreat. She looked at him but didn’t speak. “How can I respond to your objections if you keep running away?”

Anger sparked deep in her gaze and she raised her chin. “I’m not running away. I don’t like being rude. I was taught not to say anything if I have nothing nice to say.”

Slowly, he pulled her toward him. “Those are excuses. You’re afraid of me and you don’t need to be.” After a meaningful pause, he added, “I don’t want you to be.”

A reluctant smile spread across her lips and her gaze dropped to his mouth. “You can’t command someone not to be afraid of you. It just makes you more intimidating.”

He lightly cupped her chin and guided her gaze back to his. “I vowed to protect you with my life. Rodyte vows are literal. If any harm comes to you while you’re under my protection, my life is forfeit.”

Her eyes widened and she shook her head. “I don’t want my actions to endanger you.”

His thumb sneaked up and teased her lower lip. “Why? Are you planning something reckless?” Much to his surprise she didn’t flinch away from his touch or resist his light hold on her hand. Was it possible their attraction was mutual? Intrigued by the possibility, he shifted his hand to the small of her back and eased her even closer. “I don’t want you to feel powerless. The vow was meant to ease your fears, allow you to relax and enjoy this adventure.”

She had to tilt her head way back to maintain eye contact, but she didn’t pull away. “I appreciate the offer, but I’d feel more comfortable if I weren’t responsible for your life.”

Rather than argue the point, he changed the subject. “What were you about to say before you turned away?”

She took a step back and positioned her head at a more natural angle. It also took her just out of reach. “I understand that you’re not your father, but there are similarities between your aspirations. The battle born were created by the previous generations’ ‘quest for power’ and now you’ve launched a power quest of your own. I’m concerned that human females will become ‘the forsaken’ in this new drama.”

“It’s a valid point and the only way I can reassure you is by earning your trust.” Desperate to touch her again, he clasped his hands behind his back. Shoving her up against the nearest wall and kissing her senseless might awaken her desire, but it would definitely not help her trust him. Unfortunately, he knew what would. “Trust can never be established as long as you’re my prisoner, so I officially release you. As soon as we’ve finished this conversation, I’ll have you streamed to your lab or wherever you’d like to go.”

Her brows drew together and confusion clouded her gaze. His offer had obviously surprised her. “Will you simply kidnap someone else if I refuse to help you?”

“You know the answer or you wouldn’t ask the question.” He watched her closely, carefully analyzing every expression, the subtlest gesture. She kept smoothing down her skirt and fiddling with her sleeve, yet her gaze gravitated toward his mouth. She appeared mildly suspicious, yet intrigued. One thing was certain. The sizzling awareness that had been tormenting him was affecting her. In fact, it seemed to be the cause of her nervousness, not genuine fear. “I have mission objectives and a very tight timeline. I was really hoping to convince you to work with me.”

“I still have a lot of questions.”

“I’m here to answer them.”

She hesitated, but didn’t retreat. “This has nothing to do with the project so if you’d rather not answer, I understand.”

“Go on.” He encouraged her with a smile.

“Is your harbinger brother still alive? Have you ever made contact with him?”

Wanting to create a more relaxed environment, he turned toward the sitting area. “That’s a long and even sadder story.” He sat on one end of the sofa and was pleased when she joined him rather than isolating herself in one of the chairs. “I think we’ve spent enough time in the past for one night. Let’s talk about something else.”

“All right.” She looked anything but relaxed. Her hands were folded in her lap and her knees pressed together. “May I ask a few questions about the future?”

“I’m not sure how many I’ll be able to answer until you’ve signed the contract, but I’ll tell you what I can.”

“You said nothing will be forced on the human females. Do you intend to deal with each woman directly or are you negotiating with a specific government?”

“I’m not the person who will make those decisions. Our primary purpose right now is recon. We’re gathering information so the higher ups can make those determinations. I will say that our faith in any government is basically nonexistent, so we’ll deal with the individual females as long as possible.”

“But you said there’s an outpost inside the moon. How is that possible without the involvement of at least one Earth government?”

He tried not to sound condescending as he explained, “We can easily shield ourselves from humans. Your people hadn’t even left the planet when the outpost was built. The rest is rather amusing actually and it’s more or less public knowledge so it doesn’t require the nondisclosure agreement.”

She actually smiled and soft color spread across her cheeks. “Oh do tell. I think we could both use a little amusement right now.”

“Lunar 9 was fully staffed by 1970. We found the ‘space race’ between the United States and Russia fascinating and wanted a front row seat at the finish line.” He extended his arm along the top of the cushions, aching to touch her yet knowing she wasn’t yet ready for intimacy.

“What does fully staffed mean? How many people can Lunar 9 accommodate?”

He shook his head. “I can’t give you specifics without the contract.”

“Fine. Let me hear the amusing part.”

“In December of 1972 one of your astronauts discovered a utility entrance to the outpost. The intrepid fellow actually snapped several pictures of one of our ships before we caught him misbehaving.”

“Misbehaving? It was the astronauts’ job to explore the moon.”

He chuckled. “That’s the amusing part. Our best lawyers studied human laws before the outpost was approved by the crown. They prepared documents to protect our interests in a variety of situations. We made contact with the United States, so we used legal precedents known as ‘eminent domain’ and ‘adverse possession’ to stake a legal claim on Earth’s moon. The astronaut was told to leave and make sure no one from Earth ever landed on
our
moon again.”

“Oh my God, that would have been during the Apollo 17 mission. Everyone knows something happened, but no one is willing to admit what really took place.” She shook her head with a distracted smile. “The conspiracy junkies would have a field day with this story.” Her gaze cleared and she looked into his eyes. “Rodymia owns the moon? That’s too funny.”

Relieved that she saw the humor in it, he began to relax. “Hostilities back home escalated and the outpost was closed about ten years later. Resources were needed elsewhere. Still, our ownership has remained unchallenged for more than forty years, which only strengthens our claim. Even if one of Earth’s governments objected to our being there now, I doubt there is anything they could do about it. We have every right to occupy our property.”

She fell silent for a moment, clearly lost in thought. “This is cruel and you know it. You’ve told me just enough to make me
really
curious about the rest.”

Which had been his intention from the start. He was close to success, he could sense it. Careful to keep his tone light, he said, “We’re only asking for six months and your discretion. In return, you’ll have access to a wealth of knowledge far beyond anything you’ve ever dreamed possible. What do you have to lose?”

She hesitated again, so he didn’t push her. She’d either agree or he’d have to let her go. There was nothing more he could tell her, at least nothing she was ready to hear. He knew where she lived and she would be well guarded until curiosity changed her mind.