Ash gripped his goggles in his hand. He glanced at the door, then at the closed curtain before turning his attention back to the old woman. Noma reminded him a lot of his grandmother. She had that same quiet authority when she spoke that he couldn’t quite disobey.
Releasing an exasperated sigh, Ash shrugged the rifle off his shoulder and walked over to the table. He propped the rifle up against the wall, dropped his goggles on top of the table, and pulled his head scarf off before sitting down. Absently shaking out the fabric, he folded it before setting it top of the goggles.
“Do you happen to know what the hell is going on and how everyone seems to know except for me?” Ash asked when Noma placed a cup of water in front of him. “Thank you.”
Noma smiled and turned to pick up a small plate filled with fresh fruit, blue and orange cheeses, and the coarse bread that he discovered was surprisingly tasty. She walked over and set it down in front of him before stiffly lowering herself into the chair across from him. He glanced around the small room. Guilt tugged at him. It was obvious from Abeni and the home he was in that Noma and Abeni had very little for themselves, much less anyone else.
“Thank you,” Ash said, picking up the smallest piece of fruit he could find and pushing the plate across to her.
Noma smiled back at him. “It does not take long for news to spread here. The walls have ears,” she replied with a wave of her hand.
Ash popped the fruit into his mouth and scowled. “What did the walls hear?” he asked.
Noma glanced toward the curtain for a moment before she shook her head and turned back to face him with conflicted eyes. He reached over and picked up a piece of the cheese, hoping she would answer him with something he could understand.
“There is talk that the Ancient Knights of the Gallant have returned,” Noma murmured. “They appeared and were scattered through the star systems.”
Ash gazed back at Noma. “Did they say how many Knights?” he asked.
Noma shook her head. “I heard of one from Tesla Terra and that the Legion looks for one here. The word is there may be more, and the Director has offered a reward for the capture of them – dead or alive,” she said, glancing at the curtain again with a worried frown.
“Nice,” Ash muttered dryly before he followed her gaze. “What’s wrong? Does she need a doctor?” he asked.
Noma looked at him again. “Where did you find her?” she asked curiously.
Ash shrugged. “Three guys jumped her in an alley several blocks from here and were using her as a punching bag. I saw what was happening and rescued her,” he said.
“She is a Turbinta,” Noma stated.
Ash shrugged again. “I know. It doesn’t matter to me who or what she is. That doesn’t change the fact that no man, much less men, have the right to beat a woman,” he replied.
A small smile curved Noma’s lips. “What is your name, Knight?” she asked in a soft, awed tone.
9
Kella laid on the bed listening to the quiet conversation on the other side of the curtain. Her fingers absently played with the knife she had drawn from its sheath. She was shocked when she regained consciousness and found herself not only safe, but still armed with all of her weapons except for the two knives she lost earlier during her fights.
She turned her head to look at the curtain. It was closed, so they could not see that she was awake. Something warned her that the old woman who cared for her knew she was conscious when the man who saved her laid her on the bed. The woman’s cold hands had trembled when she ran them over the tattoo on Kella’s neck that marked her as a Turbinta. She would earn another one when she completed her first mission.
Her lips parted at his calmly spoken words. He didn’t care – she was a woman. He did not see her as a Turbinta, an assassin, as – the lowest form of living creature. He saw her as… a woman.
Kella returned the blade to the sheath attached to her arm. Pushing against the bed, she winced, drawing in a deep breath against the pain and dizziness as she sat up. She silently slid her feet off the bed and braced them on the floor. Her right hand moved to her left ribs. She gently probed the area, assessing if any of her ribs were cracked.
After a minute of pressing and prodding, she decided they were just badly bruised. She had suffered much worse and lived. Her tongue flicked over her busted, lower lip. She traced the swelling, but again dismissed it as only a minor wound. Tilting her head to the side, she continued to listen to the quiet conversation.
The old woman called the man who saved her one of the Ancient Knights. A frown creased her brow. How was that possible? Tallei called them a myth – yet, this male spoke oddly, in the old language spoken on the disk and that was taught to each species.
She had once asked Tallei about the strange language and why it was necessary to learn it. Tallei had explained it was the universal language. The language was one that all understood, even if they did not use it on Turbinta except to communicate with the traders and pirates who came to do business.
This man spoke the language with a strange dialect, using some words which she did not understand, like darling and sweetheart. He also fought unlike anyone she knew, except for the man in the factory. If this stranger was like the other one, she could complete her mission by delivering him to the Director. She needed to find out if he came from a capsule that had fallen from the sky.
After rising silently to her feet, Kella adjusted her balance carefully as she waited for the vertigo to pass, then stepped closer to the curtain. She peered through a small gap in the opening, studying the face of the man who had saved her. Without the headscarf and the goggles, she could see his face clearly now. He was different from any man she had ever seen before, even Hutu’s stranger.
Her gaze ran over his features. His hair was cut close to his head. It was black with tight curls. His skin was a smooth, creamy medium brown. His nose was broad and flat, and his lips… Kella’s eyes widened when she felt an uncharacteristic response from her body. Her lips actually tingled. She raised her right hand and touched her fingers to them before dropping her hand with a scowl.
The only reason they were tingling was because of the blow she’d received, not because of the strange man. She fiercely glared as she continued to run her eyes over him. He had dark brown eyes and a crooked smile that made a curiously small indent appear in his cheek.
She grudgingly admitted she thought his jaw, covered with a slight stubble, made him look… attractive. The scowl on her face darkened, and she shook her head in disgust. What kind of assassin thought her target was attractive? The blow she received to her head must have been worse than she realized for her to forget all of Tallei’s lessons.
A soft snort escaped her. Reaching out before she changed her mind, she yanked the curtain aside and stepped out. Both the man and the old woman rose from their chairs. Kella tossed her head – and promptly felt the world tilt.
“Whoa, darling, you shouldn’t be up,” the man said, wrapping a strong arm around her waist to steady her.
Kella tried to straighten, but the spinning in her head refused to cooperate. She stumbled a little when the man – Ash, his name flashed through the fog in her brain – led her to the chair he had been sitting in. Her left hand groped for the table and she used it to help keep her balance as she sank down into the chair.
“My name is Kella,” she said, unable to think of what else to say.
The man’s quiet chuckle washed through her. “Yeah, I remember that, and the fact that you can be a little bloodthirsty,” he teased.
Kella blinked at him in confusion. “That is what I’m supposed to be,” she said.
“I know, I know, you’re a Turbinta,” he replied, again playful instead of fearful or repulsed.
Kella started to nod her head, but decided it would not be a good idea. Instead, she turned to look at the old woman who stood to the side and behind Ash. The fear in the woman’s eyes was what she expected. She blinked again, before turning her gaze
to the food on the table. Her stomach growled.
“What species are you? You are different,” Kella remarked.
She reached for the plate and pulled it toward her with a quick glance at the woman. Kella hoped some of the dizziness was due to her hunger. Stuffing several pieces of fruit into her mouth, she chewed them quickly before picking up the cup on the table, sniffing it, and draining it in one gulp. Almost immediately, she began to feel better. Satisfied that it was food she needed, she picked up a piece of the bread, laid a slice of the cheese on it, and bit into that.
“I think we might need some more food,” Ash replied dryly.
Noma nodded, looking over at the bare cupboard. Kella caught the tentative glance and paused in taking another bite of the food. She turned her head, glancing around at the room. Only the minimal essentials were present. A single bed that was more of a cot, a rolled blanket near the foot of it, a table and two chairs, a small oil cooking stove and pan for washing. The cupboards had no doors and Kella could see just a few jars.
Once again, a strange feeling washed through her. It was not her fault the old woman was too poor to care for herself. She shouldn’t care that she was eating the small bit of food the woman offered. If she couldn’t afford it, she shouldn’t give it away.
Even those thoughts didn’t push away the unease she felt as she slowly chewed the bread and cheese. She was hungry. If she was going to be successful on her mission, she needed food. Since she was still weak and in unfamiliar territory, it would be better for someone who knew where to go to retrieve the items she needed.
Satisfied with her reasoning, Kella reached into the small pouch at her waist and pulled out several credits. She slapped them down on the table and shot what she hoped was a fierce glare at the old woman.
“I need food. Here are some credits. Go get more,” Kella ordered.
The man cleared his throat and raised an eyebrow at her. Kella returned his look with a defiant one, before it slowly turned to confusion when he didn’t back down. She glanced back and forth between Ash and the woman.
“Please,” Ash said with a wave of his hand.
Kella’s expression cleared. “You are welcome,” she replied, picking up another slice of cheese and bread.
Ash released an exasperated sigh. “I think what you meant to say is ‘Noma, here are some credits. Can you please go to the market for more food?” he suggested.
“That is what I said,” Kella mumbled around her mouthful of food.
Kella observed in puzzlement as Ash picked up the credits that she placed on the table and turned to the old woman. He put them in Noma’s hand when she reached for them and gave the woman a tender smile. Kella tilted her head when she heard his voice deepen and grow more gentle.
“Noma, would you mind purchasing some more food? It appears we are all hungry and I hate that we are eating you out of house and home,” he said.
Noma nodded, her eyes wide with uncertainty. Kella’s gaze followed Ash and Noma to the door. Ash opened the door for Noma, making sure he stayed hidden before closing it again after the woman stepped through.
Kella absently chewed the bread and cheese, her gaze following Ash as he returned to the table. He picked up the empty cup and walked over to the counter where a large pitcher sat. He poured more water into the cup before turning and walking back to the table. Her hand instinctively rose for the cup when he held it out. She blinked in surprise when he pulled it just out of her reach.
“Thank you,” he said with a raised eyebrow.
“Why should I thank you? I did not ask you to get water for me,” Kella said with a frown.
Ash shook his head in resignation and placed the cup on the table in front of her. “No, you didn’t, but it is the polite thing to do. Just like you should have asked Noma in a polite tone to purchase more food. You can see that she and Abeni don’t have the resources to feed themselves, much less two additional people,” he said.
Kella paused in reaching for the cup to frown back at Ash. “It is not the way of the Turbinta,” she finally said, picking up the cup and drinking from it.
She froze when Ash’s hand covered hers. He was leaning down so they were eye to eye. A surge of warmth swept through her when he slid his fingers down to her wrist and guided the cup to the table before lifting his hand to tenderly brush his thumb over her bruised bottom lip, careful not to touch the cut.
“I’m a human, and it is our way to respect our elders and others. Noma and Abeni’s lives have been placed in danger, and an added stress has been incurred by our presence. They were both very gracious to accept us into their home, especially with your injuries,” Ash reminded her.
Kella felt her face flush under his soft reproach. “It is not the Turbinta way,” she snapped defensively, “…but I will remember your words, human,” she continued quietly. She paused a moment, gazing at him. “Is it true? Are you really one of the Ancient Knights of the Gallant?”
Ash brushed the back of his fingers over her cheek before he pulled his hand away. Her body immediately reacted to the loss of his touch. She liked the feel of his warm hand against her skin. It felt… different. The few times Tallei touched Kella, her hands had been cold and impersonal. Some of the patrons of Tallei’s bar tried to touch Kella when she was younger, but Tallei had made short work of them. She would not allow anyone to distract Kella from her training or give them a chance to take her away. A Turbinta mentor spent a lot of valuable time and resources training her pupils. They would not tolerate anyone encroaching on their property.
Kella resisted the urge to touch her cheek. Instead, she picked up the last piece of cheese and bread. She warily watched Ash slide into the seat across from her. He leaned forward, both arms resting on the table. Once again, she felt a wave of uncertainty, confusion, and curiosity sweep through her. He did not feel threatened by her.
“No, I’m not some ancient Knight of the Gallant. I’m a Lt. Commander with the United States Navy and a pilot for an international exploration team. I don’t know how I ended up here….” He paused and glanced around the room before returning to gaze at her again. A wry smile pulled at his lips. “You have no idea how weird this is to me right now.”
“What is weird?” Kella asked in a barely audible voice, mesmerized by the expression on his face.
He chuckled and sat back in his seat. He folded his hands together and raised an amused eyebrow. That was one of the things she noticed about him. There always appeared to be a glint of amusement in his eyes or on his face. She had never seen anyone so happy before.
“That I’m the only one not wearing a Halloween costume,” he replied with a deep sigh.
10
Ash’s sense that he had fallen into some surreal alternate reality was growing by the minute. He really did not have much of a chance to study the woman he rescued earlier. Between the darkness and the Legion soldiers swarming the city like a pack of rats at the dump, his focus had been on finding a safe place to hide until things calmed down a bit.
He was not kidding when he said he felt like the only one not told about the Halloween party. The woman sitting across from him had skin the color of a Douglas Fir tree. Her eyes were the rich color of the bark and her hair was as black as his own, only it looked soft and silky.
He gripped his hands together to keep from reaching across the small table to touch her hair to find out if it felt as soft as it looked. Her face was oval-shaped, and her almond-shaped eyes gave her an exotic look that complemented her coloring. Her nose was slender while her lips were full. Her bottom lip was slightly swollen from her previous fight. She was slender and muscular, far different from his usual taste in women. He normally liked them with a little more meat on their bones, but there was something about Kella that made him want to explore the curves hidden beneath her outfit.
“Why do you look at me in such a way?” she demanded.
Ash couldn’t resist giving her his best smile. The one that usually melted the ladies’ hear
ts. The one that always got him – well, almost always – out of trouble. Just to make sure it was effective, he increased the dimple in his left cheek and gave her the smoldering look.
His cheeks were beginning to hurt when he realized that she was still looking at him with that puzzled, what-the-fuck-are-you-doing expression on her face. He tilted his head and changed his expression from smoldering to playful puppy. Her expression didn’t change. Ash finally gave up. His cheeks were beginning to get a cramp. He relaxed the muscles in his face and released a sigh.
“You know, most women respond differently. That was my best look,” he replied dryly.
She studied him for a moment before she shook her head. “If that is your best, you need more practice. You have very white, flat teeth. Are they real?” she asked.
He raised a hand and slowly ran it down his face. Nope, he never got a reaction like that before. The humor of the situation wasn’t lost on him. His grandmother and Josh would be loving this moment if they were here.
Ash decided he must have died and was sent to purgatory for all of his misdeeds when the Gliese 581g went through the gateway. His grandmother warned him it would happen. He should have listened to her. He leaned forward and dejectedly rested his chin on his hand.
“Yes, my teeth are real, and straight thanks to three years of wearing braces when I was a kid,” he responded with a rueful sigh.
“Do not feel badly about them. Mine are flat as well. Tallei was going to have them sharpened, but it cost too many credits,” she said.
“Who is Tallei?” Ash asked.
Kella hesitated before she shrugged and replied. “She is my mentor,” she replied in a quiet voice, rotating the cup of water in her hands.
“Josh’s dad and my grandmother were my mentors,” Ash said with a nod of understanding. “My grandmother raised me. I never knew my mom. My dad was active military and gone more than he was home. My grandmother was a retired Air Force nurse, so that helped. She was strict.”