"Aadi profited from looking away. If you had looked away, it would have haunted you for the rest of your existence. It haunts you now, and it didn’t even happen. That is the difference."
“It doesn’t matter.” Jen waved a dismissive hand. “My parents are dead. I wasn’t able to save Todd. And Kimmy… Kimmy’s lost to me. I’ve failed everyone I’ve ever loved.”
“There is some truth in your words, but it is not the complete truth. There is one that you love who is still alive. One that you can save. If your love is truth.”
“What? What are you talking about? They are all gone!”
“I speak not of your past, Jennifer, but of your future. You know who I speak of,” the Goddess looked down as the white flooring thinned, revealing something only the Goddess could see. “But your time grows short. For even the strongest and worthiest lose faith when the burden they carry alone becomes too great.”
“I don’t understand.” But as she spoke, a roar shook the universe. It was filled with the same pain and anguish that Jen felt for all the loved ones she’d lost. It dropped her to her knees, and her eyes filled with tears as she whispered.
“Treyvon.”
• • • • • •
Treyvon sat back in his chair on the Defender, thinking about what Luol had told him, and he looked at the brown lump in his hand. What in the name of the Goddess was going on?
They knew the Ganglians had discovered Earth. Jennifer and the other humans were proof of that, but had they also discovered an alternative food supply? If so, it would give them a great deal of power over the Kaliszian Empire. But why was it on a Zaludian ship?
The Tornians, while allies of the Kaliszians, would not take it well if Kaliszian jewels and power crystals started going to someone else in exchange for food supplies. The Tornians needed those things to keep their remaining females happy.
The female that Wray had discovered. Was she from Earth too? Was she breeding compatible with them? If so, then some Tornians would do anything, give anything to acquire a female. It would shift the balance of power within the Tornian Empire and could tear apart the alliance between the Tornians and the Kaliszians. Both were on the edge of collapse. If one went…
The sound of an incoming comm pulled Treyvon from his dark thoughts to find an astonished and bewildered looking Gryf on the other end.
“Gryf,” Treyvon didn’t bother with formalities, not with the way his longtime friend looked. “What is it?”
“I’ve discovered something in the cargo hold,” he began. Treyvon wondered if it were more food.
“What?”
“I… I don’t believe it is something that should be discussed on an open channel. It is too important. I have left Rood in charge and am on the shuttle and returning to the Defender. I request that you meet me in the docking bay, Treyvon.” Gryf didn’t bother with titles either. “Only you.”
Treyvon frowned at the unusual request, but he trusted Gryf. They’d saved each other’s lives too many times not to. “Alright, I’ll meet you there. Defender out.”
Treyvon was just approaching the doors to exit the bridge when Matteo yelled out.
“Incoming! We have two Ganglian ships inbound with weapons hot!”
“All ships! Battle stations! Prepare to fire!”
“Yes, General!”
The Emperor’s battle cruisers were the first to fire as they were the farthest out, but the Ganglians’ shield held, and they flew by them, concentrating their fire on the two damaged Zaludian ships.
“Take them out!” Treyvon ordered. “They’re trying to destroy the Zaludian ships!”
The crew of the Defender reacted immediately. Their brothers in arms were on those ships, ships that had no defenses left because they had destroyed them. The lead Ganglian ship’s shields were no match for the bombardment the Defender sent its way, and it exploded. The second ship didn’t even try to avoid the debris filling the space where its sister ship had been. Instead, it flew straight through it, sustaining significant damage but also making it so the Defender’s guns could not lock onto it.
“NO!” Treyvon's roar filled the bridge as he and the others could only watch in horror as the second Ganglian ship intentionally crashed into the smaller Zaludian one, destroying both.
• • • • • •
Jen's eyes flew open, and she tried to understand why she was surrounded by darkness when only moments before she'd been surrounded by light. Or at least she thought she had been. As her eyes adjusted, she realized where she was.
She was in Medical.
Again.
She was lying in the deep repair unit.
Again.
What she couldn’t figure out was why? Why was she here? Suddenly it all came back to her.
Serving the Emperor beast stew and biscuits.
Seeing her and Todd’s wedding rings around that bitch, Rachana’s, neck.
Her attacking the Kaliszian female.
‘When had she become such a violent person?’ Jen wondered. She’d never been that way back on Earth. She’d never had to be. With just a smile, she’d always gotten what she wanted, except in the kitchen. The stove, an oven, a pot… they didn’t care about her smile. Didn’t care if she was beautiful. The kitchen was the one place where what she could do mattered. Not her looks, not the man she was going to marry, not the amazing future everyone said they were going to have. Only her skills mattered.
There’d been one instructor, Chef Pierre, who hadn’t taught French cooking as his name implied, that had been her hardest taskmaster. Her smile and long blonde hair had worked against her in his class. He very vocally criticized every one of her mistakes, but he’d done that with everyone else in his class too. No one ever aced his class, and Jen had fought tooth and nail for the B-plus she got, and it felt like receiving three Michelin Stars.
Was that when she’d learned to fight?
She didn’t know. Just like she didn’t know what she would have done if Mac hadn’t been able to confirm the rings were from Earth by reading the inscription she’d put in Todd’s. She’d seen Mac’s confusion that there hadn’t been one in hers, but that was something between her and Todd.
When Liron had given her back the symbols of her and Todd’s marriage, she’d run to the only place she found any peace.
The gairdín and the Crann.
Why that place called to her, calmed her, she didn’t know and really didn’t care. The only other place that made her feel that way was when she was with Treyvon.
Her heart seemed to miss a beat at the thought of Treyvon. That was a betrayal, wasn’t it? Of what she and Todd had had? And really there was no reason for her to think Treyvon cared about her. Sure he had touched her scarred cheek a few times, treated her with kindness, and had nearly kissed her.
But none of that meant anything. After all, she was the only available female on this planet, and even Spada had made a play for her.
But why did Treyvon’s move not feel like a play?
It always felt more like he couldn’t control himself and that was saying something for General Treyvon Rayner, Supreme Commander of Kaliszian Defenses. The one male in the entire Kaliszian Empire known for his extreme control.
She remembered holding that chain and rings in her hand as she sat on the bench encircling the Crann. Remembered the sudden rage that had consumed her that the rings had mattered more to Todd than she had.
She remembered throwing them away. Which is what she had begged Todd to do in that damn mine. She’d asked him to lose them or bury them. Anything but continue to carry them. He’d refused, saying they were a symbol. A symbol that they were more… better… special. That only the most important people could afford rings like these.
It was then that Jen realized that everything that had happened to them, all the horror they had seen, had snapped something in Todd’s mind. He became like Gollum from The Lord of the Rings stories, obsessed with the power of a ring over all things, even life.
That’s why she’d thrown the rings.
Thrown them away as Todd should have done, showing that she meant more to him than they did.
But she hadn’t, and Todd had died protecting the one thing that really mattered to him… the rings.
Then she remembered… nothing. Just darkness and pain.
No, that wasn’t true. She remembered something. She remembered a voice calling out to her, begging her to hang on, to be strong just a little longer for him. But who?
“Treyvon!” Just the thought of him had her jackknifing up, her gaze sweeping the room searching for him.
“Jen?”
The voice had her head turning to find Mac, who had apparently been sleeping in the chair next to her.
“Mac.” She couldn’t believe how dry and raspy her voice was.
“Yes!”
Jen barely glimpsed the brilliant smile that broke over Mac’s face before Mac was calling over her shoulder. “Luol! She’s awake!”
The sound of running footsteps had Jen looking over Mac’s shoulder. Luol was the first to enter, followed by Maysa, but as she waited no one else followed.
‘Where was Treyvon?’ she thought to herself.
“I find I am growing tiresome of you spending so much time in my deep repair unit, Jen.”
“Luol!” Maysa smacked his arm hard. “What a thing to say!”
“But it is truth, my love,” Luol told her unrepentantly. “Jen has spent more time in this bed than anyone else on record.”
“That does not matter! You should not have said it!”
“Of course, my love. Now may I deal with my patient?”
“What?” A deep flush rose over Maysa’s face. “Oh, yes, of course. I’m sorry I didn’t mean…”
“It’s fine, Maysa. I was only teasing.” Luol gently cupped his Ashe’s cheek for a moment then turned his attention to Jen and spoke gently. “Nice to have you back with us. How are you feeling?”
“It’s nice to be back, and good,” Jen told him. “I assume I have you to thank for it.”
“Not just me,” Luol gave her a knowing look. “Others were instrumental in your recovery.”
“They were?”
“Yes, but we can discuss that later. Right now I want to examine you. Lie back down.” With an arm supporting her shoulders, he helped her lie back down on the bed. “Now tell me, what is the last thing you remember?”
“I remember being in the gairdín,” Jen began to cough. Mac was instantly there helping her take a sip of water. “Thanks, Mac,” she said and then continued. “I heard… something. Alarms, I think, and then there was an explosion. After that… nothing. Until I woke up here.” She let her gaze travel over the three people there, saw the looks they gave one another.
“What? What am I not remembering? How long was I unconscious?”
“Close to three days, Jen,” Mac told her quietly.
“Three?”
“Yes, you sustained very… serious injuries,” Luol told her.
“I’ve had those before,” Jen countered.
“Not like these,” Luol informed her quietly. “The explosion was caused by a Zaludian missile.”
“Zaludian?” Jen looked at Luol in shock.
“Yes, they fired over thirty missiles, but only one got through. It struck not far from where you were in the gairdín. The impact threw you back against the Crann, breaking multiple bones and causing a great deal of internal damage, massive bleeding.”
Jen heard what Luol was saying but asked, “What about the Crann? Was it damaged? Destroyed?” For some reason, that dead tree mattered a great deal to her.
“I…” Luol shot a concerned look at Maysa and Mac. “Not that I know of.”
“Can you find out?” Jen demanded.
“If it concerns you so much then yes. I will have Nikhil send someone to find out.”
“Nikhil?” Jen’s entire being stilled even as she started to sit up demanding, “Why would you ask Nikhil to find out?!! Why not Treyvon?!!”
“The General is no longer on Pontus, Jen,” Luol informed her.
“What do you mean no longer…” She felt the blood drain out of her face but forced herself to ask. “Was he killed in the attack?”
“NO!” Three people exclaimed as one, and her eyes flew to each one trying to decide if one of them was lying. She settled on Mac, the one person who would always tell her the truth.
“No, Jen.” Tears filled Mac’s eyes as she jumped up onto the bed, gripping Jen’s hand with both of hers. “I swear! I wouldn’t lie to you about that. You were the only one seriously hurt during the attack.”
“Then… where is he?” Jen couldn’t believe how plaintive her voice was and knew her eyes were begging Mac for answers.
“Do you remember being in Treyvon’s private office before the attack?”
“Yes.”
“You left it.”
“Yes, and went to the gairdín.”
“Shortly after you left, Commander Gryf came rushing in saying we were under attack, and we all rushed to the Command Center. We thought we were in the clear and then the Zaludians sent off one last shot.”
“The one that hit the gairdín.”
“Yes. The initial report was it struck nothing of importance, but as soon as Treyvon heard where it struck, he knew you were in trouble.”
“But.. but why? How?”
Mac had her own ideas on why and how but knew now was not the time to voice them. At her pause, Luol took over the story.
"Gulzar contacted me. Only stating that we had someone severely injured in the gairdín," Luol said. "When I arrived, I found Treyvon leaning over you, trying to protect you from the growing ground storm."
"There was a ground storm?"
"Yes, and it was building into a big one. But here's the thing, the minute we got you inside, Jen, it stopped. As if the hand of the Goddess herself stilled it."
"And why would you think that?"
"Because if it hadn't, then the General and over half of his Elite Warriors wouldn't have been able to pursue the Zaludian ships that attacked us."
"He went after them?"
"Of course. He wasn't just going to allow them to escape. Not only because the Emperor was on planet, but because you were injured and that Treyvon would never allow to go unpunished."
"How long ago?" Jen asked.
"How long ago?" Luol frowned at her.
"Did he… they leave?"
"Almost three days now."
"He stayed…" Jen whispered.
"For as long as he could," Luol agreed. "With you, until he was called away by the Emperor."
"Of course," Jen murmured nodding her understanding. "He would never refuse to do his duty." She gave herself a mental shake then moved up onto her elbows, her gaze traveling down her sheet-covered body. "So I was severely injured…"
Mac looked at Luol, raising an eyebrow at the sudden change of subject. "You were."
"Worse than in the mine?"
"Yes."
"Worse than when the Zaludians attacked the first time?"
"Much."
"So that's why the lower half of my body is covered." She glanced down.
"No," Luol spoke this time. "You are covered because I thought you might be cold."
“Jen,” Mac looked from Luol to her friend, “there’s something you need to know about your injuries.”
"You were critically injured, Jennifer." Luol moved to stand next to Maysa, his gaze never leaving Jen’s face. “You lost so much blood that the deep repair unit was barely able to compensate."
"You're saying I nearly died."
"Yes. I hope you can understand that I was concentrating on trying to save your life and repair the worst of your injuries."
"Why do you say that as if I wouldn't? You saved my life, Luol. Why would I be upset about that?"
"Jen," Mac drew her attention back to her, "what Luol is trying to say is that because he was concentrating on your serious in
juries, he didn't realize that the unit had started repairing your scars."
"My scars?" Jen whispered and raising a shaky hand to the left side of her face found it smooth.
"I know and understand why you refused to have them repaired. I'm sorry, Jen."
"It's not your fault, Luol. I'm alive because of you. The scars don't matter." She saw them all relax. "You really thought I'd be upset because you healed them?"
"It was a possibility," Luol admitted with a wry grin. "There is something else you should know. It concerns your ankle."
"What about it? It's not bothering me."
"And it won't, ever again."
"What?" Jen asked confusion filling her voice.
"The blast re-shattered your ankle, Jen. Because it did, the repair unit was able to heal it."
Jen just stared at Luol for a moment, not sure she'd heard him right. "Heal it?"
"Yes."
"As in completely heal it?"
"Yes."
"As in no more pain? No more limping?"
"Yes to both," he told her smiling.
Jen looked at Mac who nodded as tears streamed down her smiling face. "Isn't it wonderful, Jen?"
"I… I can't believe it.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
Leaning back against the cold wall, Treyvon barely felt the sting of the scorching water pelting his chest as he began the arduous process of removing his beads. With the removal of each one, the weight that always seemed to be pressing down on him seemed to grow instead of lessening. Finally, with the removal of his True Mate and Ashe beads, he set them on a ledge and lowered his head, and let the pounding spray separate his braids until his hair flowed long and free before him.
The hull of the remaining Zaludian ship had been compromised from debris striking it, and if not for the actions of the Captain of the closest battle cruiser using its shields to protect it, the rest of Treyvon’s Elite Warriors would have met the Goddess.
Instead, Onp and Nroa had been able to stabilize the ship long enough for the remaining Warriors to be evacuated along with the cargo it was carrying. Then they had moved a safe distance away and with one shot, blown the ship to smithereens.
Now three days later, they were back on Pontus. Liron was on his way to Imroz with the luciferin sample Jennifer had acquired, and Treyvon was going to get some much-needed rest. Not that he deserved it or thought the Goddess would grant it to him. Not after the way he had failed his Warriors and his Emperor. Besides the containers full of unknown food stores, he’d found none of the answers Liron demanded of him.