Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine

Tanner

They moved into the tunnel entrance. "I left a small stash at each end, but most of the food is in the middle. You'll see why." Tanner bent down and moved a few large rocks that were piled beside the opening. Uncovering a sack and a small Viant water jug. Digging in the sack, she pulled out what she called a glow stick. "I have a small light. It won't do more than illuminate the floor so we don't trip on rocks. On this side, the tunnel is pretty narrow. We'll need to walk single file. Let's just work our way to the middle. We'll have time to rest, eat, and talk."

Binja smiled and held out his hands. "Let me carry those. I have my own form of night vision. I can see well enough I won't need your light, Tanny. You lead, I'll keep pace behind you."

It was exactly what she needed. Time with her thoughts. She could process everything he told her so far. It hadn't been a lot, not really. Tanner was pretty sure he was laying the groundwork for more shocking revelations to come. Turning on the light, she headed down the packed dirt tunnel.

Shortly after she escaped the pleasure house and moved into the forest, Tanny had found one of the cats, or pimats as Binja called them, just a mile or so from this tunnel. Or she supposed it would be more accurate to say that the cat found her. There was a stream nearby, one full of fish. That evening, Tanner was lucky and managed to catch five. Then she took the chance and created a small, smokeless fire and cooked the fish on sticks. She ate two, along with a few pieces of what she assumed was fruit. When she finished eating, she wrapped the remaining fish in one of her small rags and put them in her backpack for later.

She'd fallen asleep with her stomach full for the first time since she'd been captured.

A crushing weight on her chest woke Tanner. When she opened her eyes, she found what looked like a very large house cat sitting on her, glaring down, snarling. The cat's short fur was gray, and it was covered in vivid green and orange stripes. It had long whiskers, longer fangs, and claws sharper than any house cat. It also had the most amazing green eyes.

That cat stared at Tanner for several minutes and she stared back, afraid to move. Finally, the cat laid down and started purring. Tanny had smiled and tentatively raised her hand to scratch behind the cat's ears. She estimated the cat weighed over twenty pounds. When the cat finally let her sit up, it was pretty obvious she had babies somewhere. Poking at the bag with the cooked fish, it was easy to figure out what made Mama Cat seek her out. She was starving.

Feeding Mama C the rest of the fish thrilled the cat so much, she led Tanny to the tunnel and introduced her to her babies. She stayed for several days, fishing and cooking for the mother cat, so she didn't need to leave her five new kittens alone.

Even though Tanner spent most of her time searching for Candy, she still checked on the cats. The kittens were about two months old now. Tiny compared to Mama C, but they could walk and had stopped nursing. She'd been here just a few weeks ago and everything was fine.

Tanner couldn't help worrying about them. In this part of the tunnel especially, she feared there could be a cave-in. There were no beams in the ceiling, nor was the dirt reinforced with rocks going up the walls and overhead, like she discovered on the other side. She walked as fast as she could, careful not to trip on the rocks or step into one of the holes in the floor.

Turning her thoughts away from potential disaster, she considered Binja's origins. She didn't think she cared that he was a clone. Tanner understood the concept, but she'd have to be around Binja and some of his brothers to really grasp what that meant. Did they think the same thoughts? Have the same feelings? She was a one-man kind of woman. Not adventurous in any sort of way that might include group sex. Not that Binja was hers. She didn't think.

But he still hadn't explained the mark on her hand. Or why his tattoos moved into her. Tanner needed a lot more information, and she was tired. Not just physically. But emotionally. She didn't know what to do about her sister. She was out of ideas.

For the next hour, Tanny blanked her mind. She put one foot carefully in front of the other, hurrying down the tunnel. Eventually, enough light reached them that she could turn out the glow tube. She hurried around the next bend and turned, waiting to see BinjaOB's face.

Binja stepped around the corner and stopped. His jaw dropped, his dark eyes opened wide, and he gasped.

The silver man's reaction to her surprise was everything she wanted to see.

When he could speak, Binja's words made Tanny giggle. "This is unexpected."

Laughing, she turned around and put her hands on her hips. Took in the beauty of the falls, the tropical feel of the surrounding plants and trees, and the small lake. "Very unexpected. I think whoever created this tunnel knew this oasis was here. It was why it was built. I've never seen a sign that anyone else visits this spot. I climbed to the top of the waterfall the first day I came here. It would be next to impossible to just stumble across the crater. All around the rim, the area is steep and barren. The river runs underground, spilling out and over at this point. It continues underground for several miles before it makes an appearance again. You saw the entrance to the tunnel—it is well hidden. It is the same on the other side. I believe they made the tunnel quite some time ago. Whoever built it kept this a secret and the creator either died, moved away, or became too old to make the journey." She shrugged. It was the only thing that made sense to her, and she'd thought about it a lot.

Nodding, Binja looked up, noting the size of the crater. "The opening is small. The area gets what? Maybe six hours of sun a day."

Tanner nodded. "Yes. We have about three hours of good light, another four of varying shadows, and then an hour or two of total darkness before the sun sets out there. But fires are safe."

"You'd have to fly right over the crater to see a fire. Why didn't you make this your base camp?" he asked.

Tanner took off her rifle and the backpack. She sat them near the entrance and again rearranged a nearby pile of rocks, pulling out a water jug and sack of supplies before she turned to face him. "I spend time here, but it takes a good hour of walking inside the tunnel to get to this point, another out, no matter which way you go. This is the only place you might be able to hide if someone else started through… and there is no real warning system. The nature sounds come from right here. The birds and insects wouldn't react until someone stepped inside this cavern. It makes me nervous. I'd need an electronic warning system and maybe cameras set up on each end of the tunnel to feel safe. I don't feel that way when I'm out in the open."

Binja smiled at her. "That makes sense. What is the plan?"

She snorted. "I'm pretty sure you've got a good idea of what I want to do. We eat, talk, rest, and wait here until a little before sunset. Then we make our way to the tunnel entrance that is closest to the market and figure out if the alien is still in the tree watching. Then decide if we can get to the market without being seen by the local SS guard or take him out. At that point, we'll find another base. I need to search for my sister, and I still want to kill the Andaran." She held up her hand before he could ask. Shaking her head, she reminded him, "I'll tell you about Candy after you explain the mark on my hand."

Tanner headed closer to the lake. "Bring the sack and water jug. We both need to hydrate and I've got dried meat and fruit in both. You can eat as much as you want." She looked around the park-like setting. She loved this place. For a few moments, she could relax and think about Candy and reinforce her resolve to find her sister.

Maybe Binja knew something that would help Tanny find her. Sitting on a rock, she opened her water and took a drink. She'd boiled both of these the last time she was here., just a couple of weeks ago. The liquid might be a little warm, but it was fresh. One of the best discoveries she made at the market was a booth that sold dried meats, fruit, and vegetables. She knew most of the locals boiled the items and used them to cook local dishes. But the meat tasted like beef jerky to her and the dried fruit was pretty tasty. Both were filling and made her feel as if she were getting enough protein and vitamins.

Binja sat and did the same, drank some water and ate some dried food. He didn't complain or seem surprised by the options, so she figured this might be normal for him.

Tanny waited for a few moments for him to finish before she prodded once again. "You need to tell me about the marks."

"I told you about clones, that the color of our skin is used to identify me and each of my brothers. The unique design of each one of our marking bands are also used to identify us."

"Okay. I think I get that. But why do I now have bracelets that match your marking bands and a spot in the middle of my palm?" Tanner demanded.

"The Father creator is humanoid. His DNA makes up most of our genetic makeup. But he added in other species' DNA. DNA that was supposed to strengthen us… make us smarter… and in many ways—magical." He frowned, as if confused how to explain what he meant.

Tanny was sure there was more than she'd seen, but she understood this enough to skip it for now. "Like the bird markings that can separate from your body and look like an actual bird, and your ability to camouflage your skin and disappear in the shadows. It seems like magic but must be capabilities that come from other species. Correct?"

Binja grinned. "Yes, you understand. Each brother has a few general abilities, one's given to us all. Like thought transference or telepathy. So, we can silently communicate with each other and our ship. Then, each brother was given many individual gifts."

"What are some of your other abilities?" She interrupted.

"The Father created me as the Master of Stealth. My powers allow me to look into another's heart and soul, to see the good… or bad in any species. My silver flesh and black bands move on command, allowing me to camouflage and hide in plain sight." He hesitated for a moment, as if afraid to tell her the rest.

"Tell me, BinjaOB. The time for secrets has passed." She felt that, needing to know it all, to move forward… Or run like hell. He had to be honest with her.

"I worry you won't be able to accept what I've been created to be. Our Father holds a prominent position within the Galactic Alliance. The Alliance is the governing body for most planets. Alliance law should rule Viant. The Andaran has corrupted those laws, but we will speak of him later. The Father created our Band of Brothers when he needed help to fix things when they went wrong. For instance, we are often sent out to verify the anti-slaving policies of the Alliance are being upheld. Obviously, Viant is no longer complying with that law. My brothers and I seek to fight the good fight as mercenaries and couriers. Our main charter is to always right the wrongs we find in the universe. Most of all, we search out and rescue any soul who needs saving. Our creator fashioned the brothers for just that purpose."

Binja paused for just a moment this time. "I am the assassin. The one my Father created to bring the worst criminals to justice. I can hide in plain sight, am skilled with any weapon, and can track any species. Typically, justice does not mean taking a criminal to any court. I cause death to those like the Andaran." He closed his eyes for a moment and then confessed, "I am not a healer or a soft soul. I know how to use technology to kill, not to save a life. I bring death to those who are evil."

Tanny could see he was waiting for her to condemn him. She started giggling. "Oh, we are a pair. It's not time for my story yet, but trust me when I say I don't have an issue with you being an assassin. I appreciate all the background. It helps me understand who you are, why you are. But we need to speed this up. Explain the scrollwork, Binja."

He stilled, took a moment to think about her words, and then a big grin broke across his face. "Yes. It is time for you to understand my tattoos . All the brothers have the bands on our right biceps. They were not externally created but are genetic. When we were young, we believed they were our marking bands. That our skin color, the bands, and our individual abilities made each of us unique. We were created a long time ago—we've lived for decades believing this to be true. Yet, the brothers recently discovered that the bands have a higher purpose. They are much more than marking bands."

She held up her hand. "Wait. How old are you?"

"A clones awakening is our birth. Your Earth years are roughly similar to one of our cycles. The Captain is the oldest of us. He has been awake for eighty cycles. The youngest of us is sixty cycles. Only the oldest and youngest mark their awakening, and we all celebrate as if it were our own. I am in the middle somewhere. For the first twenty life cycles, we were all in training, receiving instructions on how to use our inherent ability with powers such as telekinesis. We had lessons in medical aid, on using weapons and explosives, and worked on developing our unique skills. Until recently, we didn't know that our tattoos were also mating bands."

Closing her eyes, Tanny stilled her heart. It was about to beat out of her chest. In fear or excitement, she wasn't sure. Probably both. What the hell? She didn't understand this. Opening her eyes, she studied the silver man. He was nervous again. Not exactly fidgety, but she could tell he didn't want to have this conversation. Tough. "Explain what you mean by mating bands."

He nodded. "The knowledge is new to us. I will explain what the Father told us. When he says you, he means all the brothers. The Father said, ‘When I created you, my genetic material formed the foundation for the brothers. You also know that I combined bits and pieces of other species. Some of those additions, like the mating bands, I gave to everyone. I realized that a revolving door of feminine company wasn't ideal. This spurred me to search throughout the universe for something better for my boys. I didn't want to leave your choice of female to fate. So, the first thing I did was mix my DNA with genetic material from the dragon king on Megoth. That is where you get your mating bands. The mating bands will only react to the perfect woman for you. It also ensures that you are the perfect man for her. If you meet the perfect woman—even briefly—the bands will know. You won't miss an opportunity because there wasn't time to speak to her or get to know the woman. The bands will move or begin to itch. They'll ache if you leave her. Fate must bring you together, but once that is done… the bands create a physical and mental link between the two of you… then there is no divorce. No unhappiness and slammed doors in the middle of the night. She is the only woman who can make you happy, and that happiness will last your entire life. You won't grow tired of each other or regret the relationship.' So, now we know the Father created the bands to find us a mate."

Tanny didn't say anything. She sat there, staring at him. She didn't know what to say, nor did she know how she felt. Panicked? Crazy? How could something like this happen to her?

As if he knew what she was thinking and wanted to distract her, Binja ran his hand over the top of his right shoulder to his elbow. "Unless one of my other brothers is guarding a secret, my bands are the only ones that can change into something else. Eita is one of a kind. I did not know that the bird could mark you. Nothing like this happened to the first brothers who found mates. The Father said, ‘Once your mate's life is joined to yours, the marks will run through her body. Healing… everything.' Three of my brothers discovered their mates on Viant and all were prisoners in some way of the Andaran. More than being prisoners, all three of the women were ill—from cancer, a brain bleed, and other issues."

He paused, as if waiting for her to say something, but she was… in shock.

Binja sighed and continued, "The process of healing by the mating band caused enormous pain to the first mate, Casey, until we figured out that her mate could absorb her pain. The Father didn't know the healing would hurt the Earth woman. He said, ‘The marks weren't designed to cause pain and agony. They are meant to revive and refresh.' Sharing the marks is intended to make our mates the healthiest they've ever been. To tie your life span to mine."

Tanner held up her hand again, wanting Binja to stop speaking for a moment. There was too much to think about. His voice trailed off, and he sat back. Waiting for her, watching her. Gently. Was that even possible? To watch someone gently? Yes. She decided. His eyes asked for nothing from her. She knew he was concerned. Probably thought it was too much for her.

She rubbed the spot in the middle of her hand. Looking down, she sighed. It had taken the shape of a small bird. A quick glance at Binja's bicep told her it was an exact miniature of Eita's head. Tanner closed her eyes and didn't resist when Binja picked her up and sat her on his lap.

Her silver man held on tight, while Tanner willed away the panic she felt.