Tiva Boon: Heir of Abennelp (Tiva Boon Series Book 2) (34 page)

“I wanted to show you,” she whispered and pressed her face against his chest.

Caressing her back gently as if trying to mend her wounds, he kissed her forehead and said, “Tell me what he did to you.”

Tiva finally broke down and revealed what Pethor had done. Every strike and prod, each lash and shock. She told him how she went numb and broke free from the chains then stalked the corridor killing every man that crossed her path. “Had Hill not stopped me, I would have destroyed every person on that ship with my bare hands. When the pain goes that deep, I lose part of myself and all I can think of is killing…”

“You’re not alone in that feeling, Tiva.”

“Then you have felt it too?”

“Sure, I’ve watched too many loved ones die. I know what it does to the soul, I know how deep the seed of revenge can burrow inside…but as long as you are justified you can fend off the demons.”

“Pethor was a demon.”

“He’s dead, and though I wish I had the chance to cut him to shreds, you’re safe, you’re here, and that’s all I care about.”

“Thank you, Adam.”

“You’re welcome, m’lady.” He kissed the nape of her neck, and then the scar on her left shoulder. “I love you.”

“I love you.”

~*~

Captain Maar and Camway Aries had their hands full the next day. The sector Ambassador, Earth fleet commandant, and all ship’s command staff met on the Lunar Base to discuss the current situation, while the rest of them continued working minor maintenance.

It would be another ten hours before the
Tolox
could make it to Earth for major repairs. The fighters and cargo ships, however, began to escort people to the planet for shore leave. Tiva found it curious the Captain would allow people to leave the ship, but half the crew was human, most hadn’t been home in years. The command crew and engineers were still on board working. The fewer repairs the fleet technicians had to do, the quicker they could return to Ovvella.

Even though the
Venture
would arrive at the nearest Union territory in about eight or nine days, the data they were currently collecting from the colony and ships debris, would be useful in averting the next attack.

The Union seemed to have the upper hand as far as information, but the Syndicate’s technology was extraordinary. Their ‘unrealistic’ plan to blow up the sun didn’t seem far-fetched after all.

Tiva favored her arm and shoulder most of the day, but somewhere between midday and the early evening, she found herself moving it more easily. Her body was healing quickly. She was adapting to the constant damage and pain of battle, once again, but it was not enough, not yet.

Emerala and Aliri giggled softly as they worked, Raife and Ewan took to the hub for some other repairs, and Adam was rewiring his console. The security still on board consisted of Hemko, Ranndom, and six others. Tiva gave them the rest of the evening off. It was unlikely she’d be sleeping any time soon, and the more work she had to keep her occupied the better. When Hemko replied to her message, she shut down her station and walked to Aliri.

“I am heading to the security office for inventory,” she said.

“All right, Emerala’s making dinner tonight, since we can’t leave the ship yet, you wanna come?”

“If all my work is complete, I would be delighted.”

“Great, hubby said he’d make you a special drink…enough for a buzz, but won’t hurt your head,” Emerala added, enthusiastically.

“I hope to see you later…” She smiled to both and made her way out.

The corridor was eerily quiet, even the gentle hum of the engines was non-existent. Without meeting another person, Tiva entered the office to a stack of datarecorders. Her teams certainly did a thorough job of locating all the
Tolox’s
weapons.

As she sat reviewing and compiling the reports, she noticed half the plasma guns were outdated according to the Union database. Thankfully, Earth manufactured weapons and due to the war with the Syndicate, production had increased by fifty percent during the month. A requisition was called for, but she wanted to view all their products before proposing it to Aries.

By the time Tiva finished the inventory report and prepared the datarecorder with her request for weapons, it was well past dinner. She’d missed Emerala’s party, and surprisingly, no one interrupted her or came to find her. Able to concentrate on her work completely with no disruptions was a blessing, but as soon as she stepped out of the office, Aries appeared at the end of the corridor, waiting.

“Greetings, Aries.”

“Hello, Ms. Boon.” He smiled and held the lift door open as they both entered. “How is our inventory?”

“We require upgraded weapons, sir,” she began and handed him her report. “I took the liberty of going through the databases and came up with a list of what we could use on board.”

“Well, that w-will work out just fine then…”

“Pardon?”

“We are the next ship to be repaired, tomorrow m-morning…everyone has to be off the ship for f-four days. I’ll leave the collection of weapons in your care…chief.”

“But I do not know my way around the planet, sir. I would not know where to start.”

“I’m s-sure you’ll figure it out. See you in a few d-days, Tiva.” His face broke into a smile as the doors opened. “And try to have some f-fun while you’re down there…”

“Sir…” she began, Aries stepped out, and the doors closed. Grumbling at the comment, she leaned back against the wall and waited for her level.

When she entered her room, she called Aliri on the comm to ask her advice. She was surprised to find her friend had left the ship already. Seemed everyone was taking full advantage of the downtime. Moving to her computer, she made transport arrangements, and informed the weapons facility—somewhere in a place called California—of her request. It would take several hours to confirm, so she tidied up her room, showered, and changed and then rested and waited. Having to spend four days on a strange world was somewhat exciting, but she had no clue what accommodations the Union had for its members. Never one for sleeping well in strange places, she turned down the lights and attempted to do so here, while she had the chance.

T
he computer beeped a few hours later, tearing her from the dreams. After stretching and wrapping up in a robe to keep warm, she moved to the desk and activated the incoming messages. One from Pry-Tech, the weapons manufacturer, one from Adam, and the last was from the transport pilot. The cache she requested was already waiting for her to retrieve, however the pilot would not be able to return to the Tolox in time. She had to be off the ship in five hours. Fortunately, Adam was still on board.

After gathering her belongings and weapons for the trip, she made her way to his room hoping he could help her find transport to the surface.

He was already packed and waiting for her. “Figured I’d take you home and show you around while we had the time.”

She told Adam his plans would have to wait while she picked up the supply for the
Tolox.

California was an interesting place. The natives seemed friendly and accustomed to seeing non-humans on a regular basis, never giving her a second look. Gaining clearance for the weapons took the better part of the morning due to heightened protocols, but once they collected the cargo—which seemed like more than she had requested—Tiva was ready to get away from civilization for a while.

Adam guided the zip-shuttle to various landmarks around the country he called America, showing her monuments, historic buildings, beautiful landscapes and enormous cities. He explained the other large countries of the planet were much the same, diverse yet unified, free from tyrannical rule and poverty.

Earth had a long history, one she only knew bits and pieces of, but they learned from their past mistakes—a trait she hoped her own people could adopt. He promised to show her more before their return to the
Tolox
, and before dusk, settled the craft in the midst of a huge forest.

“Are we staying here?” she asked, gathering her things.

“Here, no, down the road, yes.”

“Is this the forest you grew up in, Adam?”

“No, no…that’s in Britain…this is Florida. Much warmer this time of year, you’ll like it, trust me.”

They walked the path, sun lit up the evening sky with shades of purple, pink, and gold. First, they came upon a large garden with iron benches decorating the area. The garden, full of all sorts of flowers, trees, and vegetables surrounded a massive structure, four stories high and quite a distance across. The house was a bit of an odd mixture; some of the house was more rustic and other sections newly added. It was nothing like her stone and slate home on Abennelp, but it was comfortable and calming. Adam beamed. “Here we are!”

“So, is this your home? It is beautiful Adam.”

“Yeah, this is where I live when I’m not out hunting killer mutant aliens.”

“Mutant aliens?”

He grinned, took her bags, and walked to the back door. “I called the grounds keeper last night to get the place ready. I haven’t been back here in a while and I didn’t feel like dusting…” Winking, he unlocked and pushed it open.“After you.”

The room was full of sleek instruments, sophisticated versions of many things she’d seen in Harai’s kitchen. He checked several of the cupboards finding them stocked with various foods. Tiva walked around the furniture, marveling at the décor. “This is my kitchen where I keep my food and prepare it as well, of course. Now then, if we go through the dining room, we can get to my den.” He walked through the door on the other end of the room and held it open for her.

“Thank you.”

He walked straight through the room, merely a dining hall, as he said, with a large table and about a dozen chairs. Some paintings of landscapes and of birds and animals hung at regular intervals, and a few cabinets were against the walls. “All right, then...This is one of my favorite rooms, come on in.” Walking in, he tossed his trench coat off onto a holder in the corner of the room, and leapt up and dropped straight down onto a massive sofa that spanned two walls of the large room. He motioned to the piano; something called a television, and then got up to escort her to the large window showing a small pond in the forest.

Having a place to Calm in peace would be just the therapy she needed. The water looked soothing and welcoming. Smiling, she took his hand and pulled him from the window. “Show me more…”

“All right,” he laughed. He continued to lead her through the home, showing her the different rooms. Gathering their things near the entrance, he ascended the staircase, where he had a couple guest rooms, and finally dropped their belongings in his room.

“This is your sanctuary?” she asked, looking around. The same soft feather bed lay on the dark wooden frame. Soft blankets and pillows covered the mattress. Paintings of the family and friends he had spoken of hung on the walls. Two large doors led the way to a balcony overlooking the pond and forest.

“I guess you could call it that, it’s a little more comfy than my bedroom on the ship…this is more me.”

“I like it, Adam. I feel comfortable here.”

“Good, cuz we can come back here as much as you like when all this nonsense is over.”

She turned to him and frowned. “How am I to travel back here if I go home and rule Abennelp?”

“You’ll be the leader, even they get time off…”He sat down on the bed, sinking into it and smiled. “Think about it, Tiva. With all you’ve seen out here, you’ll be able to advance your people’s technology and society. You spoke the truth when you said there are bad guys out there. There always will be. And if your planet is on their radar, you’ll have to protect them as best you can. Joining the Union is your best bet.”

Tiva nodded and walked out onto the balcony. “I will have to force our ways to the side and teach those loyal to use more technology. We are not devoid of it, and last I knew Neola had the Loyalists making weapons…” She paused and sighed. “Let us not talk about our troubles; this is a vacation, no?”

“That it is…and first things first, dinner.” He grinned and stood up. “Why don’t you make yourself comfortable, change or whatever and I’ll cook us up some real good old fashion home-style cuisine. Want anything in particular, Tiva?”

“Nothing too exotic.” She grinned. “I would like to Calm in your pond.”

“What’s mine is yours, m’lady.” He kissed the back of her hand and vanished from the room.

~*~

Streaks of scarlet and amber slowly faded into the shadow of night. An incandescent moon rose above the lines of jade and russet trees. The gentle warm breeze passed over a plush carpet of emerald grass. If it were not for the colors, this could be home. Everything around her was energetic yet soothing. Only a few other times since leaving had she felt the quiet life of nature around her so completely. It was as if, for a moment, she was alone in the universe, much like her times with Te in her parent’s field.

Aries had told her to have some fun, but Tiva was more interested in healing and strengthening her body. Adam would train with her, that was not the obstacle…maintaining control of all her abilities was. She knew how dangerous they were, and if her heart became cold again, there was no telling how many she would kill.

The lights of the house danced on the swaying grass as she neared. Calming here, alone, with only Adam and Cala to sense was wonderful. They were far enough away from other people for her to relax fully. She had no need to block the thoughts and emotions of friends and strangers. Still, in the back of her mind she knew the dark reality facing her.

Walking in through the door, she leaned against the frame watching Adam put the finishing touches on two plates of food. He glanced up, blinked, and then shook his head.

“Not that I mind having a beautiful naked women in my kitchen, but…if you plan on eating dinner like that,” he paused to grin at her, “we might have a problem.”

She smiled back, her markings pinking some then she walked through to the staircase. “The setting was too perfect, I had to take the opportunity to Calm.”

“Oh, well feel free to strip again after dinner…” He pulled out a bottle from the sleek icebox. “It’s ready, so hurry before it gets cold.”

Adam prepared a variety of foods for her to sample and enjoy. The romantic dinner was the perfect ending to her day. They spent hours talking about everything from the sights they’d seen, to the current Union situation, but eventually the conversation became more deep and intimate as they began telling stories of the past. Sharing the difficult stories of her youth was therapeutic, Adam understood for he had lived through similar events.

They retired back to the den, where Adam showed her some of the ancient marvels of Earth including television, movies and something he called a video game. She attempted to join in, but she couldn’t grasp the concept.

Lying on the sofa with her head on his lap, Tiva watched the two figures on the television fighting back and forth. Adam’s fingers occasionally ran through her hair, relaxing her and before the game was finished, she’d fallen asleep.

The next day, they explored the property, enjoyed a picnic near his pond, and spent the afternoon training and relaxing. Later, Adam took her to see some of the wonders Earth had to offer, taking advantage of the zip-shuttle while they had the chance.

They spent one night in a castle in England and then toured some popular sights of Europe. Making their way across the continent, he showed her the various architecture and natural phenomena in different countries. Adam took her to a land of snow and ice, a country separated by an enormous stretch of brick and stone, and ended the day in the brightest city she had ever seen, Tokyo. The second day, he took her to a desert part of Australia, a continent in the lower hemisphere, then on a safari in an African country and made a few quick stops on the journey home.

Tiva was grateful for all he showed her, and after a couple of long exhausting days, they returned to Adam’s house as the sun settled under the horizon. Four days was not nearly enough to see all of Earth, but she felt satisfied. She hoped the future would hold more trips here and to other planets of the universe, because there was so much to explore.

They shared an exotic meal of various delights collected during their trip. Adam disappeared soon after while Tiva was tiding up the house. Knowing he probably wanted to stretch his wings, she decided to run around the property while she had the freedom to do so.

She arrived back at the house as the moon began to crest, and searched inside and out for him. Disappointed, she made her way to the den only to hear a slight creak of the floorboards above her head. Walking to the back door, she searched the guest rooms then heard it again. High above her head she spotted a round hole in the ceiling. A black feather floated down, landing on a windowsill. There was no staircase or means to reach the ceiling. She knew there was another floor that he hadn’t shown her, it must be his true sanctuary. Thinking he apparently wanted to be alone; she turned to leave, but heard him speak suddenly.

“You remember, don’t you, Cala? He was always your favorite, right? Sometimes I forget…but you don’t. The spot next to him is for Tiva. I still need to commission it, of course, but this is hers.”

She glanced up and saw him move over the hole, but could not see what was inside the hidden room.

“Eric, Andrew, Steven; died in combat, died in combat, died in combat. Is my goddess treating you well?” He stopped pacing. “Tell me, Goddess, do you collect them? The legend says you take the souls of great warriors to fight for you, so tell me: Are you collecting my sons?”

Tiva felt her heart sink. She was well aware Adam had a long past. He had sons, and lovers, wives and friends, but she never fully understood the impact. Losing so much—fate brought them together, she was certain of it now. No one else could ever understand her loss the way he could.

“Please, if you can hear me, tell me that you’re taking care of my sons. And tell me that someday, when I join you…I’ll be able to see them again.”

Hearing him pray wasn’t exactly shocking, what was surprising was the fact that he believed he would join them one day, in the afterlife. Though he claimed immortality, he could die…that added even more weight to the Mystic’s prediction.

“Allison. Who are you?” A frustrated sigh followed. “It says you were my wife, but I don’t even remember you. Why must it all fade away? Lindsay...” His voice grew soft, the pain was apparent, it was so strong she sensed it through Cala’s shielding. He was obviously looking at reminders of his past. Knowing he would come to her if he needed to, she gave him his privacy, she owed him that much. As she walked away, she heard him sigh again. “Lindsay. You...I remember.”