The girl grabbed Solkan's arm. "Enough," she said. "I am fine."
Solkan looked her up and down. "You are not fine."
"I will be checked out by medical. Later." She spoke firmly to Solkan.
Kolvin was ready to fight for his fellow Rhimodian. To rip off his restraints and head over there and defend his unit.
Instead, Solkan stepped back into line, head up, and looked straight ahead. Any sign of his anger and fiery temper gone.
Had that female sprayed him with something?
"Get in there," the lead soldier said, gesturing to the air lock.
It was time, for sure. Time to go home.
If he believed what was happening. Kolvin, though, concluded it was more likely yet another one of Zapier's tests, then it was time to die. Kolvin was done being a test subject for the scientist.
Each Rhimodian had to duck down to enter the air lock and then transfer to the ship on the other side. The connection was tiny, and they had to go through it in single file. Not until they had reached the other side did Kolvin stand up. He scanned the ship, looking for signs of deception. It was hard to believe just so simply, they were heading back to their people.
To not be part of this prison anymore.
The two male soldiers went forward to the ship's pilot seats. The cargo bay they entered had two rows of benches on each wall. It was a narrow vessel, likely a military transport ship for ground troops. The seats were not chairs, but just a shelf. Probably just large enough for an average Terran to sit on. For the Rhimodians? It barely fit their rear ends.
"Rhimodians, sit," the female said, her voice authoritative.
Kolvin could see the swelling and the damage from the restraint starting to surface on her face.
Solkan looked at her and grumbled something before turning toward the air lock again.
"Solkan, sit!" the woman snapped. "I am not putting up with your shit today, cyborg."
Solkan opened his mouth.
"Stop."
How this female, who barely came to their shoulders, had the vocal strength to make Solkan shut up and sit, Kolvin had no idea. He did not obey anyone.
Evidently, except her. She must know him. She knew his name. Perhaps she was familiar with all their files. They were all cyborgs, yes, but they all did not look the same. They were not clones.
She crossed her arms and glared at all three of them. "By Terran command, you are being returned to your people."
"Why?" Kolvin asked.
"Peace has been reached between the Terran Empire and the Rhimodians of Sol. Part of that peace is that you be returned to your people."
"All of us?" Solkan asked.
"Yes. All the captured prisoners of war that the Terran Empire held are being returned to their people." She rubbed her neck and tugged at the collar around her uniform.
"When did peace happen?" Kolvin asked. "How long since the treaty was signed?" He had heard stories about how long it could take to get bureaucrats to get anything done.
"Recently. The initial announcement came a few days ago. The top-tiered thing on the list was to return you to your people."
Kolvin shook his head. "How did they know we were here?" If his people knew they were there, why did it take them five years to come after them? Were they that disposable?
"No answer for you," the female soldier said. "They're waiting for your arrival on Sol-3 for reintegration with Master System."
Kolvin looked to the window that showed them pulling away from an uncloaked ship. Large, square, and well-armed, the facility he'd been on was startling looking. Or would have remained so had the vessel remained uncloaked.
