"I don't suppose any of you have figured out how to play cards in zero gee yet?"
Alicia's question, like most of her more snarky comments, just washed over and around Justin without him taking much notice. That was the key to group harmony, he fully believed: just ignore things and don't take every word personally.
The kiss from the creature who had just left the ship, though.... he took that more personally than anything in his existence so far. Doing so probably wasn't any more wise, in the greater scheme of things, but for now there was nothing he could do. Daium's love, and attention, was all. Tammy and the others, he could ignore.
Chuck's humor, for whatever reason, was much more agreeable to him.
"Should we practice with our neat-o new guns? Get some apples, we'll float them over Melina's head."
"Hey!"
"Don't worry, I never shoot a girlfriend the first month."
This was the first time Justin had actually heard Chuck mention the relationship that was so obviously going on. Wanting to see the psycho stalker's reaction, he turned in time to catch her face dissolve into an expression of mindless adoration. Yup. He was so glad she hadn't focused on him.
"Well," Anthony sighed, "there's nothing more we can do until she gets back." He looked over at the dirty blonde. "What do you think, Tammy, time for a quick lunch?" She mirrored his sigh.
"Don't you mean, 'back to the kitchen, Wench'?"
"'Bitch', yes. You're not busty enough for a Wench."
"Oh, you're gonna looove what I make for you today..."
Justin's eyes went back to the hatch as the others began making their way off the bridge. There was some conversation, but he ignored it. Didn't they know how serious things were...
"Um, Justin..."
Alicia's voice came from his left. Great.
"What?"
"We need to talk, while Daium is gone."
****
The two drifted into the central dome.
Through the clear shell, Justin could see the space station looming all around them. The passage Daium had taken ran away from the ship, joined quickly by other tubes, flowing inward towards the center. Following their path back out, he saw the docked spaceships. The closest, dimly lit by the distant sun, floated a few hundred feet above them. It was large, dwarfing their own. Small shapes moved over its hull, congregating over patches of skin, black and mangled.
He felt exposed to the universe. What better place for a private chat.
Leaving the door to the bridge open, as much for the security of the light as so they could hear Daium return, Justin turned to Alicia. She had floated a few feet away from the guide line, hand touching the wall. Her almost nude figure, partly in shadow before the stars... well, Justin felt his heterosexuality and human sexuality confirmed, in case he had any doubts.
"What do you want to say, Alicia?"
She seemed to gather herself. Still looking into space, she spoke.
"You... well, you and Daium. You're a pair now, I suppose." There wasn't disapproval in that voice. He was glad of that.
"Yes. She... well, we love each other."
She turned to him. Her smile... was sad.
"Did you have anyone back home?"
He looked at her, uncertain of where this was going. She knew he didn't date.
"No."
"I did. Do. Did." She let out a sigh, hand brushing back and forth against the smooth wall. "Darin. I... well, I love him. Thought I loved. You know what I mean."
He didn't but nodded anyway. At some point, she'd get to the point. Looking into his face, and obviously not seeing what she hoped, she changed subjects.
"Do you read comics, Justin?"
Well, THAT came out of nowhere.
"Some..."
"I don't. Well, I've read some romance manga that friends showed me. They were OK, although the guys looked a bit too girly for me. Anyway, my older cousin reads them. He showed me a couple once, when we were bored. One I remember was this 'furry one'... kind of appropriate, which is probably why I remembered it." She laughed, laughter trailing off when Justin kept silent. "Anyway. It was called something like Sharon the Panda, or Shanda the Panda, or something. It was about this woman who ran a movie theater. A new guy came to town, and the two of them really hit it off, fell in love. The usual. But, her girlfriend, a lesbian, well, it turned out SHE loved Shanda too! She and the guy hated each other, naturally, competing for the same girl. Shanda, though, well... she wanted both of them. If they wanted to be with her, and make her happy... they had to deal with each other."
Justin was now very confused. Running a hand through his hair, he stared at her.
"And?"
Alicia closed her eyes.
"And... I think I love Daium."
Her eyes opened. The two humans stared at each other. Justin was at a loss. This...
"...why?"
Alicia hugged herself.
"She touches me, Justin. Her hand brushes against mine, and I feel fire. A shoulder touches me, and I break out in goosebumps. I..." She shrugged. "Darin didn't make me feel that way. My first boyfriend did, in sixth grade, but even that wasn't like this. I can feel her eyes on me, and I want.... does she talk about me, Justin? Does she say anything about me?"
How could she ask questions, after putting him in no condition to think? He shook his head, as much to clear it as to try and answer.
"No! Well, we don't talk, much, with words I mean, her vocabulary is still limited unless she studies ahead of time, although she's learning amazingly fast. But... you love her."
Alicia's eyes were bright with tears.
"Yes. I don't want to, but... well."
Justin rubbed his eyes under his glasses, suddenly very tired.
"And just when I had this whole alien relationship thing worked out. So, what do we do?"
Alicia floated up to him, hand touching his bare shoulder.
"We talk with her. If she... well, if she doesn't know what she's doing to me, we get her to stop and break my heart quickly and move on. I can deal with that. But..." her hand lightly ran up Justin's neck, ending at his cheek, so reminiscent of his first night with Daium that his breath caught. "... if there's something there, something she wants, then... the three of us... come to an arrangement."
****
Daium let the guards pull her limp body through the station.
She deserved this. Her sister was right. What Dad did... what she had helped him do... yes, he hadn't told her everything. Had not filled her in on the details of HOW he was trying to stop the war. But, had she asked?
No.
Maybe this is why Daium had come here, had searched for her sister. For she had doubted, had questioned, some of what Dad had said. But, only to herself.
Now she had to answer for her crime.
She paid no attention as soldiers and civilians parted around them. The world no longer existed. All her mind could do was replay her sister's words, over, and over...
Her movement stopped. Eyes closed, she noticed that. Her mind attached no meaning to the event, but the words it heard started to wake some sense of self preservation.
"Corporal. What do you have here?"
"Traitor. Taking her back to the Memusnahkan."
A strong hand grabbed Daium's head, lifting her face up by her hair. Opening her eyes... she saw the towering figure of Commander Jeli. Her Uncle.
****
Her eyes and his locked for what seemed like ages. He was a tall Orang, even for a male, towering even over the human Anthony, should the two ever meet. Bluish grey fur, well groomed. Suspenders made of silver and gold links, as was his belt, which held two holstered pistols. He projected an aura of strength, power... and, as he shook his head at her, disgust.
"What are Sumi's order's for her?"
"Sir. Take her to the Memusnahkan, lock her up, then locate her ship and take the crew." Commander Jeli shifted his eyes to the two guards.
"She knows we don't have time for this," Daium heard him mutter. Released, her head dropped back down. Would she never be able to look one of her own in the eye again?
"Corporal, I'm going to approve your transfer. Your partner, too."
"Um, excuse me, Sir?"
"I'm transferring you to my ship. Go. We leave in half an hour. I'll take charge of the prisoner."
"Um, but, the Captain..."
"The captain... what?"
There was humor in that voice. A humor that contained all the joy its speaker would get from having you flogged for disobeying a direct order, and in fact wanted you to do so as it would liven up an otherwise dull evening. Daium felt herself suddenly released.
"She'd understand fully, Sir! Going now!"
Large hands, somewhat gentler, took hold and pulled her along. Behind closed eyelids she sensed a change in the light around her. Her back hit a smooth wall. Her Uncle's voice, full of disappointment, came to her.
"Oh, for the Tree's sake, open your eyes."
Daium did, raising her head. They were in one of the docking tubes, alone, for the moment. Her Uncle's four eyes showed no happiness to see her.
"Uncle..."
"Call me Commander, if you want to get out of this."
"Commander... Jeli." He nodded.
"Better." Sighing, one of his large black hands went to her chin, gently raising it up. She felt like a child again, sitting on his lap as the family gathered. She had always been quieter than her siblings and cousins, preferring a warm lap to snuggle in than running around playing. His lap, when Dad was busy, had always been there for her...
"Dad..."
"I know, I know. I don't forgive, mind you, but I know. Success absolves many crimes, failure demonizes them, and I'm sure you know where on that spectrum you fall at the moment." His shoulders slumped a bit. "Why did you come here?"
"Sis..."
"Ah. You always were more intelligent than you were smart. Well, what's done is done. The question is, what do we do next."
She said noting. There was nothing to say. His large hand moved to the top of her head, petting it as he often had. Daium closed her eyes.
"You have a ship?" She nodded. "A crew?" She nodded again. When he didn't speak again, she opened her eyes and looked up at him. Her Uncle was looking down the passage, thinking. After a moment, she could see a decision form. His eyes once again met hers.
"In half an hour, the two fleets leave. I'm launching a combat jump to Tanah, to distract and pin the enemy, while the rest jump to wipe out the vermin on Dom. I don't expect either to go well, but there's always hope." Her eyes shut, momentarily, opening again when his hand began to put pressure on her head. "What civilian ships we've gathered will be sent out to a rendezvous point. Before we leave... you, and your ship, will set out in any other direction and never come in contact with the Orang again."
Her eyes stayed on his, head held in his firm grip, as tears began to flow. Exile. She was being exiled...
Commander Jeli grabbed a communicator off his belt with his free hand.
"Rinda, where are you? OK, good. I want you to grab your pack, if you have time, and be at the end of dock 38 in five minutes. Go." Hitting a few more buttons, he spoke again. "Lieutenant. Rinda will be coming out of the ship in a minute or two. I want you to give her all the combat packs you can load on her. Actually, if there's one there, toss some on a droid as well. As much as you can, all the small arms you can and any data chips. This is a long term mission. Go."
Putting the device back on his belt, her Uncle looked down at the totally confused Daium.
"I'm sending my daughter Rinda with you. You may not remember her. She's just out of the academy, but she's good. I'm proud of her. I'd give you more people, but there's no time. Take her, make her your military officer. Take your ship, and go. As far from here as you can. Cross the universe if you have to. Go, and... start over."
"Start... over?"
"We're done here." Looking back towards the interior of the station, the distant babble of his race drifting towards them, he sighed. "Even if we survive this, which I doubt... well, I'll do what has to be done with a lighter heart if I knew there was another population of Orang out there. Take your ship, my daughter, and go breed. The men and women of your crew will form the seeds of a new branch of our race."
Daium's eyes shot open. First, in shock. Then, half a moment later, at the realization that a certain part of this plan wasn't going to work out the way he expected. Should she tell him? Tell him that there were no Orang males on her ship? That the only babies that would be coming would be either human, or (she hoped) human/orang half-breeds? Have him send some males?
...No. No, she wouldn't tell him. If he sent males, they'd insist that she mate with them. That she not be with Justin. No. She would never do that. Screw genetic purity. Her eyes met his.
"Yes, Sir."
****
Rinda flew down the tube as fast as she could.
Transferred. He was transferring her. Why, in the name of the first Tree, would her father even consider such an act? Had she not pleased him? Had she not performed as well as, if not better, than any other crew member? She hoped, prayed, that this wasn't just him trying to protect his little girl. She was no delicate flower, unsuited to the task ahead. She knew they would likely die. That the jump back to Tanah, forcing a deceleration so soon after accelerating, would drain all their power if not in fact damage the engines. They'd be stuck in orbit, outnumbered, outgunned.
It would be glorious.
Only the fact she was being sent with so much combat gear gave her some hope. In addition to her own pack, luckily already set as she'd expected them to abandon the ship during that hectic retreat, she wore one backpack full of ammo and survival gear and carried two others. Three pistol belts were around her waist, with two automatic rifles slung around her shoulders. Next to her, the rectangular droid carried a half dozen more rifles and five more combat packs. Maybe this was an infiltration mission. Maybe she was being added to an attack squad!
Maybe she'd get to kill some alien scum.
Coming to the end of the passage, she saw her father, her Commander, standing next to some woman. She was dressed like some kind of nerdy nature lover, all that carved wood. Even her glasses and hair beads were wood! Motioning to the droid, Rinda grabbed the railing on the tunnel wall, coming to a stop. The droid halted beside her, front fans kicking in to cancel its momentum.
"Sorry I'm late, Commander." She was actually a minute early, but on such jokes their relationship had been built. Her father smiled, nodding at her. She could feel herself blush under her blue fur.
"I forgive you, Private." He motioned to the woman next to him, who straightened herself. "This is Captain Daium. I'm transferring you to her ship, where you will be her military advisor. You will obey her in all matters as you would me. More so, if possible." Rinda chuckled, memory of past arguments flitting through her mind. Her father looked at the stranger... no, not stranger. Her Captain. "Time is short. Go." He held out his hand, and, hesitantly, Captain Daium took it.
"Goodbye, Sir."
Her father turned to Rinda. There... there was sadness in his eyes. Why would there be sadness?
"Goodbye, my daughter. Be well."
"Fight well, Dad."
One large hand went to her head, rubbing it, as he had for as long as she could remember. They smile at each other... then, he was gone, pushing past her back to the ship.
Well. Her questions would have to wait until they met again. Turning to her new Captain, she saluted.
"Private Rinda, reporting for duty. Sir."
The woman nodded.
"I'm giving you a field promotion to Lieutenant, although we're not big on rank on my ship. Come on, there's not much time." She pushed off, heading down the corridor. Rinda and the droid followed.
****
Rinda noticed they were traveling out around the edges of the station, seemingly avoiding crowds. Well, that was one way to travel faster, even if the path was longer. There also was less chance of some busybody questioning why they were transporting guns, but given the general chaos she could see even from here that also wasn't likely to be much of a problem. People were moving back to their ships. Everyone was focused on their own problems, their own future.
What was hers?
The hatch to the ship was quickly approaching. It was wood. The god damned hatch to her new ship looked like wood. Now, obviously, it wasn't, but why in the world would anyone want their spaceship to LOOK like wood? What was the point? So you could hide in the forest with your huge spacecraft? Captain Daium paused at the door, waiting. As Rinda approached, the Captain hit the switch to open it. Rinda and the droid floated in without even slowing.
A tree.
There was a tree. On the bridge. A tree on the bridge of the spaceship. A walkway ran around the circumference of the bridge, as was usually the case, but a stupid tree filled the center! Chest bumping against the walkway railing, she grabbed it, stopping. And the railing, wood! The curved walls of the bridge sphere, they looked wood too! Oh, whoever designed this ship was insane! It wasn't a warship, that's for certain!
The hatch behind her closed, sealing. The Captain went shooting past, making for the navigation controls. Where was the crew? A ship this size...
"Daium!"
The voice was strange. Male, and yet... looking to her left. Rinda found herself rearing back.
There were aliens on the bridge.
They were smooth. Hairless, apart from their heads. Their shape was Orang, but horrible parodies of real beings. Only two eyes, but they at least had the right number of limbs and mouths. Had she seen feathers, Rinda probably would have shot them for being too like the Ludzie. As it was, her pistol was in her hand without her even willing it there. Their skin ranged from white to dark brown, hair from yellowish to black.
"Captain! What are they?!?"
They turned to her. Rinda saw surprise, but... not fear. One of the creatures, seemingly female given the swell of breasts behind thin white cups, with darker skin than all the others expect one and black hair floating around her head like a halo, came forward with empty hands stretched out.
"Don't be afraid. We're friends of Daium. My name is Nona."
"What are you doing here?!?"
"You are on OUR ship," she replied, eyes narrowing. The fact the creature was in no way frightened to have a gun pointed at it began to unnerve the young Orang. The gun wavered in her hand.
The walls suddenly went black. Rinda's gaze whipped around the bridge. All around her, she saw space! The station, the ships at dock! By the Tree, no warship had this! Where was she?!There was a jolt. Swinging around, she saw the docking tunnel backing away from them, or was it the ship pulling away from the station? It was them. The view began accelerating forward, Around her, she saw the strange creatures move to various control stations, speaking strange words. Daium spoke back to them, in this strange tongue. The dark skinned one, Nona, moved to Rinda's side.
"Don't be afraid," she repeated. "All will be explained soon. Are you Daium's sister?"
"What? No! Why would I be? I'm Rinda, daughter of Commander Jeli. He transferred me to this ship, to be Military Advisor." She motioned to the stockpile of weapons. The alien's expression turned a bit disgusted.
"I... see. Well, regardless, it looks like you're one of us now." She held out her hand. "Welcome."