Chapter 20

Taryn’s laughed and chatted with her friends Mara and Olivia at their usual table in the café they frequented because it reminded them of one on earth. She was grateful for the friendships she’d developed with the two, especially since it reminded her of home on Earth before it became uninhabitable.

Their lunch was suddenly interrupted by a group of serious-looking Synthari guards approaching their table. A knot formed in Taryn’s stomach—something was definitely wrong. The guards’ demeanor was unusual and it made Taryn uneasy.

“Come with us to the medical bay immediately,” one of the guards demanded sternly.

The women exchanged alarmed glances, unsure of what was happening. This was the first time they had been treated this way by the Synthari, and it Taryn feeling unnerved.

“Why? What’s going on?” Olivia asked.

The lead guard didn’t offer any explanation, simply motioning for them to follow him. They had no choice but to comply. Taryn’s mind raced with worry as they walked through the transporter to the medical bay.

Chaos greeted them as they entered—most of the women from Earth were already there, surrounded by frantic female healers.

“Please come with me,” one of the healers ordered.

Taryn and her friends followed her to separate medical capsules.

“Get in. We need another scan,” the healer instructed firmly.

Taryn hesitated at the brusque tone but climbed into the pod anyway, feeling vulnerable and apprehensive. None of the guards or medical staff provided any information, leaving the Earth women feeling confused and anxious.

After all of their tests were completed, they were separated and placed in individual rooms. Taryn’s room felt eerily similar to the one she had first been in on the spaceship when the Synthari first arrived on Earth—a reminder of how far she was from home.

Her suspicions were confirmed when Morvex entered the room, his expression grave and serious. She could tell this was not a routine check-up; it was an interrogation.

“What do you know about the women who came with you from Earth?” he asked.

Taryn frowned. “Not much. I was the only one selected from my territory, and all of these women were strangers to me when we boarded the spaceship. Why?”

“Three of the women chosen for the mating program are sick. One has died,” Morvex revealed.

Taryn’s eyes widened in shock and horror. “What? How did that happen?”

“You were unaware?” Morvex questioned, his gaze fixed on her.

She shook her head, unable to hide her astonishment. “I had no idea,” she said, her voice trembling with disbelief. “I even warned you about potential hostility during our transmission. Why would I lie now?”

Morvex pressed further, his eyes searching hers. “Did you notice anything suspicious or unusual about the other women?” he probed.

Taryn thought back to her interactions with them—brief conversations filled with excitement about their new lives on Naar. There had been no signs of illness or anything out of the ordinary, leaving Taryn feeling confused and worried for her friends’ well-being.

No, I didn’t,” Taryn answered. “They seemed just as eager and healthy as the rest of us. The only one that gave me pause was Cara. She was the one who asked Prince Anuth if we were only meant to be incubators. But I haven’t noticed anything strange about her since.”

“Cara? From Europe? Abyssal Verge?”

Taryn frowned. “Yes. I believe so. While we are cordial, we’re not really close but I’ve believe that’s her.”

“She’s one of the one’s who is ill. We believe that the women have somehow been given something by their government fractions that hid their illnesses long enough to grant them passage.”

Taryn shook her head. “That doesn’t seem plausible. Your machines are too high-tech. It would have been detected. Could they have perhaps smuggled something here or ingested something after arriving that caused this sickness? These women were probably used by their governments to create chaos and break down our deal.”

She couldn’t believe the lengths that some governments would go to in order to achieve their goals, but she’d seen her own at its worst.

“The other two women were from the Stygian Marsh territory in Asia and the Bleakmore territory in Peru.”

She shook her head. “I don’t know a lot about those territories, but their governments have notorious reputations. It’s safe to say anyone from there is likely to be involved in a sinister plot.”

She leaned back in the chair and exhaled heavily. “I suspected something like this might happen,” Taryn admitted, her tone serious. “I’m sure there are other governments on Earth as corrupt as mine is. It’s not right, but it doesn’t surprise me.”

Morvex seemed to relax slightly, his demeanor softening. “We understand that you may not have been involved,” he said, his tone gentler. “But we need to be sure.”

Taryn nodded, her resolve firm. “I understand,” she said. “I volunteer to undergo any testing you deem necessary to prove I’m not a part of this plot.”

Morvex acknowledged her willingness with a nod. “Thank you. Your cooperation is appreciated.”

Her emotions were a whirlwind—shock, betrayal, and anger at the deceitful actions of her home planet’s government. But she knew she had to remain calm and cooperate to ensure her innocence. Her thoughts immediately went to Losax. Did he think she was a part of this? Why hadn’t he come to see her?

“Losax?” she asked.

Morvex smiled. “Is defending you wholeheartedly and quite upset at you being detained. But he understands that we must undergo this process. Because of his expressed interest in you, he must stay away until the conclusion of the investigation.”

She nearly wilted in relief. Knowing that Losax believed in her without her having to defend herself made her feel much better.

Morvex leaned back, studying her for a moment. “It’s possible that you are correct. The women were sent over healthy, then told to make themselves sick here by their governments,” he mused. “That would make it look as if we are to blame. We need to determine their motivations and any additional information you might provide about their governments’ intentions would be helpful.”

Taryn knew this was a pivotal moment for her, not only to clear her name but also to provide insight into Earth’s complex and often dangerous political landscape. She took a deep breath, gathering her thoughts.

“I can’t give you specifics on those government fractions, but I can provide details about mine. Perhaps that will give you some insight into what the three governments in question could be capable of. My government is known for its secrecy and manipulative tactics,” she admitted. “I do not doubt that they may have viewed the mating program as an opportunity to exploit the situation. However, my volunteering would not have been a part of it. They know I would never agree to anything on that level. They would have had to know that sending women with hidden illnesses could potentially cause harm to Naar and the mating program, undermining the relationship between our worlds.”

Morvex nodded, his gaze never leaving her. “Do you believe there may be others involved?” he asked.

Taryn pondered the question, her mind racing through all the possible factions on Earth who could have a motive for sabotaging the program. “It’s possible,” she replied cautiously. “There are other groups who may see the program as a threat to their power.”

“Thank you, Taryn,” Morvex said sincerely. “Your honesty is greatly appreciated and will hopefully aid us in resolving this situation.”

Despite feeling anxious, Taryn was relieved at having finally shared her knowledge with someone who could take action. She was determined to do whatever was necessary to clear her name and protect both Naar and Earth from harm.

“I’ll do whatever I can to help,” she stated firmly.

Morvex nodded once more before issuing instructions for further testing to confirm her innocence. Taryn understood the gravity of the situation and promised to cooperate fully.

As the interrogation concluded, Taryn couldn’t shake the unsettling feeling that lingered. Still, she would do whatever it took to prove her innocence and protect her new home.