Victoria's Challenge

  “Brett… how did you know his name?” Cyndy asks quietly.

  “I’ve dreamed about him for years, mom. You can trust me. I’ll take care of him. Ready?” Together, they walk to the door. “Lucas?”

  “I’m here.”

  “Mom’s coming through, have a towel ready. I’ll have Brett next.”

  “Understood.”

  Pulling the curtain back, Victoria’s happy to see they’ve listened to her, to a point.

  “Where’s Cyndy!” Peter demands.

  “With Lucas,” She grabs his arm as he tries to move past her. “She’s fine, dad, and the sooner we get you two done, the sooner you can see that. Now this is a scanner,” she shows them as she had her mother. “It’s going to tell me how sick you are so I can help you but first, you have to strip. Brett, you’re first.” As her hands go to his remaining clothes, the boy shrinks away.

  “Brett, I’m your sister and a doctor. I realize this might embarrass you, but it has to be done. This,” she shows him and her father, “is full of medicine to help make you better, get the radiation out of your system. It won’t hurt.”

  “Dad?” Brett looks to his father.

  “Let her give you the medicine, Brett.”

  “See that didn’t hurt, now you, dad.” She gives him the shot. Scanning Brett, she saves the readings and smiles as he reads clean.

  “Good, now you can go find mom. This is what’s going to happen, Lucas is on the other side, and he’s going to help you. I know he’s a big man, but he won’t hurt you. There are clean clothes for you to wear, put them on and Lucas will take you to mom. Dad won’t be far behind you.”

  “Dad?” Brett turns to her father.

  “Do what you’re told Brett. Take care of your mother.”

  “Yes sir.”

  “Lucas?”

  “Here.”

  “Here comes Brett.” As the door closes, she turns back to her father.

  “I’m not striping in front of my daughter.” Sighing, Victoria walks back to the man who’d always been her hero.

  “Dad…” Looking at him she has to close her eyes, he’s as thin as her mother is, no longer the well-muscled, Special Forces leader, now he looks frail. “You can’t leave this chamber until you’re decontaminated. Otherwise, you’ll make everyone sick, make mom sicker. Do you have anything under those pants?”

  “No.”

  “Okay…” She scans his front. He’s clean from the waist up. “Look I’ll turn away. Take them off,” She points to his pants. “Turn and face the door. I’ll scan you from behind. If you come up clean you’re good to go, if not… Tell me when you’re ready.” She turns away.

  “Okay.” Turning Victoria quickly scans him trying to ignore the pronounced bones showing on his back.

  “You’re clean, head for the door. Lucas! Here comes dad.”

  “Okay. Finish and get out there, you’ve been in too long.”

  “Yeah I know.” Turning, she gathers up her supplies, strips down and scans. Coming up clean, she heads for the door. Stepping through to find Lucas waiting. Reaching for a towel, she quickly dries.

  “How are they doing?”

  “Stunned and exhausted.” Picking up another towel, Lucas starts on her hair.

  “I’m not surprised. Fuck Lucas, they’re barely alive, I don’t know how they’re standing.”

  “We’ll fix that. How are you?” He tips her face up, seeing the pain in her eyes. “It’s going to be okay.” He pulls her into his arms.

  Laying her head against his chest, she lets herself relax for a moment, drawing on his strength. “I need to download these scans so the computer can calculate the proper nutrition supplements they need.” She steps away.

  “I’ll do that while you dress, don’t be long.” Touching her cheek, he limps away. Pulling on her clothes, she quickly follows.

  Lucas is at the communications console when Victoria enters the living quarters, her family looking like lost refugees huddled together on a couch. Had she and Aunt Cassie looked like that when they’d first arrived on the Retribution?

  “Let’s get you guys something to eat.” Stepping into the galley, she comes back with a tray of large cups. “This is a fortified soup.” Setting the tray down, she hands a spoon to each. “The texture might seem odd at first but…” She shouldn’t have bothered, all three heads lower to eat, they're starving. Closing her eyes, she feels Lucas touch her shoulder, understanding.

  “You need to rest your leg. Please?” She inserts before he can argue. Knowing it will help her if he does, he nods and sits in one of the chairs. With a grateful look, she turns back to her family. Frowning, she watches her father pours some of his soup into Brett’s cup.

  “Dad, there’s plenty, don’t do that.” Standing she heads back for three more cups. “Here, you need to eat as much as you can, keep down as much as you can.” Taking his empty cup, she hands him a full one. “Mom? Brett?”

  While they eat, Victoria walks over to Lucas. She can see the fatigue around his eyes. He’d been hurt helping save her family, but he's still at her side. Touching his face, her thumb gently caresses his cheek, turning his head he kisses her palm.

  “Sit for a while. You’re tired,” he says quietly.

  “I’m okay. How’s the leg feeling? Truth.”

  “Sore but better.”

  “You want some pain meds?”

  “No.” His eyes are steady as they meet hers. “I’ve secured the cockpit.”

  “What? Why?” She frowns at him.

  “Curious fingers? Why chance it?”

  “I… your right, I should have thought of it.”

  “That’s what I’m here for. You concentrate on your family.” He glances over her head. “Looks like they’re full.” Turning Victoria sees he’s right. They’ve put their cups aside and now look totally exhausted.

  “Do you want more? Brett?”

  “No.” Her brother answers as he lays his head down in his mom’s lap.

  “Okay, one more thing, and then we’ll let you rest. The scans I did earlier let me know what nutrients your bodies are missing. I’m going to give you a shot to start replacing them. It will help you recover faster.” Going to the computer, she studies the results then loads the syringes.

  With the shots given, she smiles. “Now sleep, your bodies need it. Quarters are this way. Dad, if you’ll help Brett, I’ll help mom.” In the room she prayed she’d get to use, she leads Cyndy to the bed, helps her sit.

  “There’s a bathroom through that door.” She points. “The couch is big enough for Brett. This is water, safe water.” Victoria shows them how to open the bottle. “Have as much as you want. I’ll be checking on you every couple hours. Run more scans to see how your bodies are absorbing the nutrients so I can adjust your next shots.”

  “Victoria…” Seeing the tears in her mother’s eyes, Victoria sits, pulling her into her arms letting her own tears flow.

  “I know mom but you're safe now, everyone is safe. We have time, to talk, to understand what’s happened, to get to know each other again. So right now, all you have to do is rest and get healthy. Okay?” Feeling her nod, Victoria kisses the top of her head.

  “Now lay down, you're exhausted. Dad, you and Brett too, here’s the light controls.” She shows her father how it works. “I’ll put the light on in the bathroom.” Doing so, she walks over to her father, wraps her arms around his waist, resting her head on his boney chest.

  “I love you daddy.” She looks into her father’s exhausted eyes. “Rest, please?” When he finally nods, she gives him an open smile, then, closing the door, she walks straight into Lucas’ arms.

  Lifting tear filled eyes from Lucas’ chest she wonders how she’d ended up in their bed. Looking at her life mate, she sees sympathy and understanding.

  “You need to rest, baby.” He caresses her cheek then puts her head back to his chest. Knowing he’s right, she tries to relax, slipping a hand under his shirt to caress his abdomen, s
he needs the contact.

  “They’re so much worse than I thought they’d be Lucas. Did you see mom?” Her tears start again.

  “I saw. She and your father have been making sure Brett had enough.”

  “I know, but he’s still malnourished.”

  “Yes, there was only so much they could do. That’s love Victoria. They were literally starving themselves to save their son. They’re not anything like Reymont.”

  “No, they’re not.”

  “Now they have you. You know how to help them. It’ll just take time.”

  “We have that.”

  “Victoria….”

  “Hmm…?”

  “What you said… on the surface…”

  Raising her head, she looks at her life mate.

  “About you? How did you hear? You had your helmet on.”

  “Your mic was still active, I could hear you. Would you have done it?” he has to ask.

  “Left them?” Victoria sees his horror at the idea. “It would have haunted me for the rest of my life, but we all make our own choices. Mine will always be you.” Stretching up, she kisses him. “You are my life, you come first.”

  Unable to speak, Lucas pulls her close. She would have abandoned her family for him, a family she traveled across the universe to find. Had he ever known what true love was before now?

  “Sleep.” He’s finally able to force out of his throat. “I love you, Victoria Lynn.”

  “I love you too.” Comes her sleepy reply.

  Sitting straight up in bed, Victoria looks around.

  “What is it?” Lucas asks as she climbs over him.

  “Something’s wrong.” She quickly moves to the hatch. Entering her family’s quarters, she finds Brett and her father sleeping, her mother is nowhere to be found. Seeing the bathroom door’s closed, she heads for it.

  “Mom?” Pushing the door open, she finds her lying on the floor. “Mom!” Immediately she’s beside her. “Mom, talk to me.”

  “Tori?” Glazed eyes meet hers as a cough racks her fragile frame. Moving her hand away, it’s full of black globules.

  “Come on mom, sit up, it’ll come up easier that way.”

  “I’ll wake up your father,” she wheezes.

  “We’ll go into the living quarters, come on, I’ll help you up.”

  “Victoria, let me carry her.” Turning, she sees Lucas has followed her.

  “Your leg….”

  “I’m fine, she doesn’t weigh anything. Madam Chamberlain,” Lucas squats down in front of her, ignoring his protesting leg. “Is it okay if I pick you up?” When she nods, he scoops her up. “Get the hatch Victoria.” Entering the living quarters, Lucas gently places her on the couch.

  Victoria quickly scans her and prepares a syringe. “This will help mom.”

  “Tori… I am so tired.”

  “I know mom. You’ve been fighting for a long time, but I’m here now. Your lungs, they’ve been damaged by the dust. It’s blocking your ability to get enough oxygen. The meds I’ve given you are trying to repair the damage but to do that, you need to get rid of the foreign matter, that’s what you’re coughing up. It’s a good thing.”

  “I don’t know that I can.” Even Lucas can hear the defeat and exhaustion in her voice, she’s giving up.

  “No mom, you can’t give up. Not now!” Sitting next her, Victoria pulls her close. “I’m here mom, you’re not fighting alone, feel me!” Taking her mother’s hand, she pulls it against her heart.

  “Remember in Kayseri, after I’d been abducted, how I wouldn’t sleep? How as soon as I did I’d start to scream?” Feeling her mother’s nod, she continues. “That doctor, he told you I’d never get better, that you should give up on me, put me somewhere, forget about me. Do you remember what you told him?”

  “I tore him apart” is the weak reply, “told him he didn’t know my daughter.”

  “And you brought me home. You brought me home and held me, you told me I wasn’t alone, that you wouldn’t leave me, that I could sleep and you’d hold me if I had a nightmare, you’d be my strength.”

  “You were so little…”

  “It was that way for months. I wouldn’t let dad or grandpa near me. You’d talk to me. Sing to me. Tell me it was going to be okay because we were together, that all I had to do was trust you. Remember?”

  “Yes.”

  “It’s my turn now, mom. I’ll be your strength. You’re not alone. I’m not leaving you. It’s going to be okay, I promise. We’re together again. We’ve always been stronger together. All you have to do is sleep and concentrate on getting well. I’ll take care of everything else.”

  “Your brother…”

  “I’ll take care of him, mom, but we need you, we both need you. Please don’t give up, not now, trust me.” Feeling her slight nod, her mother’s body goes lax as she falls into an exhausted sleep.

  Lucas had stepped away to give Victoria and her mother some room but he’s heard everything said. Cassie had told them they’d had to sedate Victoria before a doctor could exam her. He’d known she’d had nightmares. Had witnessed some and had felt so horribly helpless, for her to be that way for months…. how had her parents survived it? How had she, would he? If it was his and Victoria’s child?

  Moving to the galley, he brings out bottles of water. Opening one, he hands it to her. With a grateful smile, she takes it and drinks.

  “You should go back to bed. Get some sleep.”

  “I’ll stay with her. You still need to treat Brett and your father. She won’t be alone.”

  “I…” Looking at her mother, she doesn’t want to leave her but she knows Lucas is right. Nodding, she eases her mother back, adjusting the cushions to stabilize her head. Sliding away, Lucas takes her place.

  “I won’t be long.”

  “Take the time you need, Victoria. They need you too.” Nodding, she goes to treat the rest of her family.

  As coughs again rack the small woman’s frame, Lucas puts an arm around her, helping her to sit up, wiping her mouth as her body ejects the poison.

  “Here, sip.” He holds the bottle to her mouth. “It’s just water.” After several sips, she slumps against him. Thinking she’s asleep, Lucas is surprised to find her watching him.

  “Tori?” Cyndy croaks out.

  “She’s treating Brett and Peter.”

  “You’re Lucas.”

  “Yes. Lucas Zafar.”

  “It was you that Cassie brought to the cabin.”

  “Yes.”

  “My daughter is in love with you.”

  “It’s mutual. I’d die for her. She’s the most important thing in my life.”

  “Yet, you brought her to a dead planet.”

  “She knew in her heart you were alive. She asked for help, I wouldn’t deny her. Rest Madame Chamberlain, you need your rest.”

  “Cyndy,” she whispers. “Call me Cyndy.” Then she’s asleep.

  “How’s she doing?” Victoria can barely speak. Finding Lucas, his arms protectively around her mother, touches her deeply.

  “Resting, she had another attack. I got her to take in some water.”

  “That’s good.” Pulling out the scanner, she checks his wound, then the rest of him.

  “I’m good.”

  “You’re better than good.” Leaning over, she kisses him. “But you need to sleep.”

  “Victoria…”

  “Lucas, we need to get out of here. You know that. It’s going to take longer to get back to the Retribution. You can’t fly it straight through even if you weren’t injured, and I’m not going to be any help. If we fly twelve on twelve off…”

  “When are you going to sleep?”

  “I’ll catch naps in between treatments. Maybe a few hours in your arms… I don’t sleep very well without you anymore.”

  Of all the things she could have said, that was the only one that stopped him from arguing.

  “Sometimes you fight dirty.”

  “Just stating the
truth, I’ll wake you if I need help, I promise.” Nodding, knowing she’s right, he leans over giving her a hard kiss then with one last look at Cyndy, he heads in to get some sleep.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Hours pass with Cyndy waking to painful coughs but ejecting more and more, Victoria talking or singing her back to sleep, leaving her only to treat the rest of her family. Both men are sleeping well, neither having Cyndy’s problems. Finally falling asleep next to her mother, Victoria is jolted awake by a roar of rage.

  “Cyndy!!!” Peter comes storming out of his quarters as Lucas comes flying out of theirs.

  “Dad! She’s right here.” Victoria tries to keep her voice low to not to wake her mother but her father’s voice has done that.

  “Peter…” Cyndy’s voice is weak.

  “What did you do to her?” As Peter storms across the room, Lucas blocks him, it’s a short struggle, Peter is no match for a Carinian male, even an injured one. “Get out of my way!”

  “Not until you calm down. You’ll hurt both of them. Calm down!” Lucas orders, and brown eyes clash with violet, as neither man is about to back down, it’s Cyndy that finally breaks the stalemate.

  “Enough! Peter I’m right here, I’m fine.” The effort to calm her husband has her leaning over coughing.

  “Cyndy!” Peter is on his knees in front of her, his eyes tormented as she can’t catch her breath.

  “Relax mom, shhhh dad’s here, you’re okay, relax.” Wiping her mouth, she puts the water bottle to her lips. “Take a sip.” Finally, Cyndy leans back exhausted.

  “Dad, sit with her.” Sliding off the couch, she lets her father take her place.

  Lucas watches as Peter Chamberlain carefully slides in next to his wife. She’s pale, obviously struggling to breath, but the love in her eyes when she looks into his is easy to read. Just as Peter’s torment is when he gingerly touches her sunken cheek.

  “Cyndy….”

  “I’m sorry I scared you. I’m alright.”