Kora crossed her arms and gave him her best side-eye. “We’ve traveled a long way in space to be here, but I wasn’t aware we’d gone back in time to the days when women were their husbands’ chattels,” she said sarcastically.
Thrashk turned on her, fists clenched. “Be quiet, female.”
Kora rolled her eyes.
Ensign Rathri marched over from her station at the door. “What’s going on, here?”
“My female is insubordinate. Rebellious. I must beat obedience into her,” Thrashk told her.
Aelanna gasped.
Rathri looked Aelanna and Kora up and down coldly, and she made her disapproval plain on her face. “I’m sure that won’t be necessary. I’ll have words with the females when the interviews are over.”
“Let me know if there’s any improvement in her attitude,” he clipped and marched out.
Aelanna kept silent. Thrashk was an obstinate man, and she didn’t think a mere woman could persuade him to her point of view. That he should show his temper before she’d chosen him confirmed his arrogance, or maybe he was right about being her only suitor.
If she was forced to go through with it — whateveritwas — perhaps she could reason with him. Her thoughts didn’t shrink the stone of dread in the pit of her stomach though. She fought the urge to throw up.
By the end of the day, Aelanna didn’t have any more suitors and none of the others had, and the ensign had nothing to write on her clipboard. In Aelanna and Kora’s opinion, the experiment spectacularly failed. Still, there was always thechance that she could be given to Thrashk as he’d predicted, she thought hopelessly.
But more worryingly, if the lizards abandoned the program, what would the Ohirins do with them?
Then at breakfast a few days later, a rumour buzzed around the canteen that the Pioneer had returned.Why had it come back? Had the repairs failed?She didn’t want to see Darren again, or she did, but it was too painful for them both. She cowered in her room, feeling miserable and conflicted, but above all, she feared Thrashk returning for her.
No lizard came to claim them though Aelanna and Nayli sweated it through days and night at the possibility of the captain and the brigadier showing up in Rathri’s office insisting on their claims.
Chapter 23
Making Plans
Two days into the flight home, the pilot called the personnel — except the crew on the bridge — into the diner for an announcement. The brothers’ offer of help was transformed into increased security in case of another attack. In the diner, Darren and Lero were present; Blayze was on guard duty at the airlock of the goods hold, which was empty apart from spares and escape pods. It had been full of supplies for Drypso which had been unloaded on the planet.
“Thank you for attending this meeting,” announced Joel. “We have received new orders from High Command. We are returning to Drypso to bring the humans back to Ohiri. I haven’t been given a reason, so don’t ask. You will carry on your roles as normal, including the updated security procedures. If you have any questions, ask me or the First Officer, but don’t waste our time. That will be all.”
A speculative buzz murmured round the diner as personnel got up to leave, and the pilot called Darren and Lero over.
“A word with you two,” Joel’s brow creased with worry when they approached, “you will take up your previous duties of guarding the females, but you will continue to guard the goods hold air lock.”
“You don’t think there will be another attack?” asked Darren.
Joel threw him a guarded look. “There’s always the possibility,” he explained and sighed. “We don’t have enough staffto spare. Can I count on you three? I trust you’ll relay the new orders to your brother.”
Darren and Lero saluted. “Var’kai, Pilot, consider it done,” said Darren.
After the pilot left, Darren followed him out of the diner. He was to take over sentry duty of the goods hold from Blayze. Lero walked with him to the elevator.
“Seeing Aelanna again will change your mind?” Lero stated. It was more of a question than an accusation. Since depositing the females on Drypso, the brothers had discussed their close relationships with the humans and had agreed to do their best to forget them. They were returning to Ohiri, and Darren would never see Aelanna again.
The loss of her broke Darren’s heart, but he knew his brothers were feeling pain too. They had discussed various alternatives, such as leaving imperial service and seeking another planet to make a fresh start. They talked about new careers. Darren could work as a couturier, maybe open a studio.
“No,” he growled. “I’ll stay on Ohiri. I’ll give up my career as a warrior, and I'll stay strong after the work I’ve done on my emotions. I trust you two will support me.”
He would keep away from Aelanna as much as possible. He only had to suffer her presence for two weeks.
“What are you going to do?” asked Lero.
“Perhaps I’ll go to the Dheltan enclave on Ohiri. Dheltan females live there and maybe I’ll find one to bond with.”
