Chapter 9

"You wounded our Second," Vola said. "Why did you do it?"

"He was going to use Tasa for breeding," Orin said. He wasn't about to let anyone hurt Tasa, ever. "And he wanted the ship. I could not allow that."

"I get that you care, but really, that's just wrong."

Tasa watched him carefully. She squeezed his hand. "You care for me?"

Orin focused on her. "Yes…very much so."

"And you didn't use empathy…but magic?" she asked softly.

"That was magic," Orin said, not taking his eyes off of her. "I know your feelings on the matter, but he needed to be subdued. He isn't hurt, just unconscious."

The others had enough respect for them to stay out of it, thank Sohva.

He waited, his heart strung out.

Tasa's eyes widened, and she shook her head. "I don't know what to think."

"He's not dead," Ty said as he took his position on the bridge again. "I confirmed it myself."

Orin licked his dry lips. "Tasa, I was trying to save you and the ship. It was the only way."

"It was not the only way," Tasa snapped. "We could have used our empathy."

"That is true. I suppose we could have done that. It was instinctive. I'm sorry."

Tasa let out a breath. "I'm sorry, too." She sat back down, putting her head in her hands.

"Tasa, he saved us," Falda said. She was kneeling at Tasa's feet, her eyes patient and kind. "He had other options. We all could have done something. But it was effective, wasn't it? He's in the brig where he can't hurt anyone."

Orin hoped their relationship wasn't over before it began. "I know what you're thinking. But…it's not true. None of it. It's just centuries-old beliefs passed from one generation to the next."

Tasa lifted her head, her eyes searching his. "What if it is true? What if…by being with you, I lose my soul? I've lost enough. My home, my family…"

"But you have me," Orin said. "We can do anything if we're together, and we believe in each other."

"Sorry to interrupt," Vola said. Apparently, she'd moved back to her seat, and neither of them had noticed. "But we're entering the Beta Quadrant. We'll need to bring weapons online. I don't see anything on the long-range scanners, but?—"

"Other ships could be cloaked." Orin stood. "Tasa, let's get us home, all right? Then we can figure this all out."

"There's a ship that just decloaked off starboard," Falda said. "Sorry. But they're charging weapons."

Orin swore in Larinu. "All right, let's see if we can make another miracle. Tasa, open your comm. Here." He pointed. She pressed the button. "We're going to hail them. Press this button right here." She did as he instructed, her brow furrowed. An image emerged onscreen. A woman, dressed in what appeared to be leather, with wild hair and wild facial markings, smiled. "Greet her pleasantly. Tell her who you are."

Tasa swallowed hard. "Hello. I am Tasa?—"

"Commander Tasa," Orin whispered.

"I am Commander Tasa of this spaceship…"

"We are looking for safe passage through this quadrant…" Orin prompted.

She repeated it.

"And we hope you would allow us this courtesy…"

She swallowed again. Sweat dripped from her forehead. He grabbed her hand.

She repeated the phrase but did not let go of his hand. Progress.

"I am Queen Raqu'ila, and I rule this part of space. I will not allow you safe passage."

"But that's not fair! We aren't doing any?—"

"Tasa, stop. You have to be diplomatic," Orin hissed, sending her calming energy.

Queen Raqu'ila bared her teeth, and all of them were pointed. "What is fair, hmm? Fact of the matter is, you are trespassing in my territory. We do not take trespassing lightly." The screen went dark, and Tasa gasped.

"So, she's not allowing us?—"

A blast from the back of the ship threw Tasa forward and out of her chair. Her head met the floor with a crack that made Orin wince. He went to her, his heart pounding furiously. "Are you all right? Your head?—"

"Some damage to the ship, but apparently it wasn't anything important," Vola said. "She's charging weapons again."

"Give me the word, and I will fire back," Ty said, his voice almost a growl.

"Do it," Tasa said roughly.

Orin focused on Tasa. "Talk to me."

She opened her eyes. "Everything's blurry and my head hurts. But I think I'm all right."

Orin helped her to stand, but another blast took them down. "Damn, the woman is persistent."

"She's not going to stop," Tasa said. "Fire again! We're going to die here!"

"I didn't go through all of this just for us to die," Orin said, his mind racing as he helped Tasa return to her seat, then sat down in his. "I'm initiating evasive maneuvers! We need to get out of the line of fire!"

"Some damage to one engine," Falda said, her voice quivering. "Um, hate to ask this but…um…did you guys ever fix the engine we almost lost?"

Her words felt like a lightning bolt to his insides. He swore again. He pressed the comm button. "Orin to Engineering. Status on the damaged engine? Talk to me, guys!"

Another blast rocked the ship, shaking everyone.

"That did not sound good," Tasa murmured once they'd stopped moving.

"Um, Orin..." came the reply.

"Engine two is offline," Falda cried. "Now what?"

Tasa didn't feel right. She wondered if her brain had been knocked off-kilter by the fall. And Falda was more stressed out than she'd ever seen her, shouting things to Orin and Orin shouting things back to her.

But she was the commander, wasn't she?

She sat down at the helm and studied the viewscreen. She could see the queen's ship right in front of them, and what looked like other ships surrounding her…

"Hey, Falda and Vola, did you see the ships?—"

"I see them," Vola said, sounding tired. "They're all charging weapons. Do we have the ability to cloak ourselves?"

Orin's eyes widened. He studied his own panel. "I don't see that option. I could possibly try it via magic, but our commander is not a fan." He gave her a level look, daring her to respond.

As much as she hated the idea, they didn't seem to have much choice in the matter. The queen and her ships would decimate them. It was only a matter of time. "All right, Orin, do it. I don't like it, but I don't like the idea of being blown up more."

"Understood, Commander," Orin said and closed his eyes.

The stars outside the window abruptly winked out. Apparently, that was cloaking.

Another blast rocked them, and Tasa held on for dear life.

"Commander, I'm trying to fly us toward Larin," Orin said softly, making her jump. "We shouldn't have any trouble now that we're cloaked."

"I'll try to plot you a course," Vola said.

"Tasa," Orin said a few minutes later, and it stopped Tasa dead. "Something's…something's wrong…I think…"

"Orin?" Johnal said, her expression one of concern. "You don't look good."

Panic tore through her. He didn't look injured. "Orin…what's wrong?" She reached out to touch him, and he took her hand, kissing her fingers.

"Someone is doing psi warfare on me," he said, meeting her gaze. "It's hard to…think."

What did that mean?

"Who is doing this?"

Orin shook his head. "Can't…say."

Tasa squeezed his hands. "We can fight this person together."

"Can't…too strong…"

"Orin, is this person a danger to the ship?" Johnal asked.

"I don't… think so. Not yet…" He was growing paler by the minute.

"Orin, please, let me help you!" Tasa cried. She could feel him fighting whatever this person was doing, and hard. It was taking all of his energy to do it, and his eyes looked hollow, vacant.

"Can you… get us to Larin… alone…Tasa?" Orin asked, and she could barely hear him.

Tasa tensed. She couldn't possibly do this without him. "I don't know. Vola and Falda seem to know what they're doing, but I don't know anything about flying a ship."

"You've been doing well at…commanding…so far. Just follow…them. And…you should be…fine."

"I will. What are you going to do?" Tasa asked. She felt a spike in his anxiety level.

"I need to go…into trance. Now." He squeezed her hands. "Just do your best. That's all I ask of you." Shakily and with great effort, he stood, and Tasa felt her heart break for him.

This entire time, he'd done nothing but help her and Falda. And now someone was hurting him, bleeding him dry, and she couldn't do anything to help him?

That was unacceptable.

She turned to him, her heart in her throat. "How do the Larinu bond?"

Orin's eyes went wide. "You can't be…suggesting…"

She nodded. "Yes. How is it done?"

"Tasa, are you sure?" Falda asked.

"We say…ritual words. And then Sohva…connects us so…our lives…and fates are…one."

"Let's do it, then," Tasa said. She couldn't think of any other way to protect him.

He shook his head. "You're not…not strong enough. Will…kill you."

Tasa took hold of his shoulders. "Then I die. Bind us together. Now."

"Wait a second, we need you—" Ty started.

Tasa glanced at him. "It's all right. I won't die. I'm sure of it."

"How sure?" Vola asked. "Because I can't fly this ship if you pass into the great beyond."

It would have been beautiful, to die among the stars, but she refused to die right now. "Bind with me, Orin. It's the only way." She pressed her forehead to his.

And an onslaught of psi energy hit her all at once.

She could experience what Orin was experiencing now.

A young boy who looked like Orin chased him through a shadowy forest. Orin ran. And kept running, his legs pumping, his breath heaving. He stumbled, crying out. The other boy started to catch up. Orin stood; his knee was bleeding. He pushed himself to run faster. And faster. And faster. The other boy never stopped chasing him.

Orin never stopped running?—

It was a continuous loop, and it was killing Orin.

Because as it played, it also fed on his life force.

"I can't believe it," she murmured. "How?"

"Doesn't…matter," Orin said. "I'm going to say…the Larinu binding words…now." He spoke the words, and they were beautiful, Tasa realized, all rolling r's and flowing sounds. Elegant and graceful, just like Orin. "Now…repeat them…as best you can."

She struggled to say those beautiful words, but when she finished speaking, she felt at peace.

A golden light touched them both, a cord of magic, binding their hearts and souls together, shielding them both from the psychic onslaught.

Tasa felt a different sense, an expanded awareness of everything and everyone around her. It was scary…but it was also beautiful. Was this magic?

"It is…done," he said and fell to the ground, unconscious.

Tasa carefully moved him closer to her and out of sight, where she could watch him. And protect him if need be.

"He has to survive," she said to no one in particular, swallowing down a sob. "If he doesn't…"

"He's strong, and he won't leave you," Falda said. "Now, let's fly to Larin."

It took Tasa a bit to get the hang of piloting the ship, but Orin had been right. Falda and Vola knew their stuff and kept Tasa from making stupid mistakes. Soon, they'd fallen into a rhythm.

"Uh, Commander," Vola said. "We have a problem."

"Tell me."

"Well, we're cloaked, but I believe another ship can see us. They are charging weapons."

"Weapons? Is everyone in this quadrant trigger-happy?" Tasa muttered. "All right, Ty, get ready to fire."

"Affirmative," Ty said.

Tasa could see the ship on her viewscreen, and it was getting closer and closer. "Should we hail them?"

"A lot of good it did us last time," Falda said. "Although…the ship's markings look familiar. Tasa, what do—wait, someone's boarding! How…?"

"Johnal to Stephen, what is going on over there? Who are you allowing to board?"

A quivering voice answered, "Johnal…I have been forced to allow a Larinu to board. He's headed to the bridge."

"Forced how?" Johnal asked. "Do you need assistance, Stephen?"

"He will kill me if I don't allow him access," Stephen said softly. "Just…do what he says."

"I don't think so," Tasa said. She could feel Johnal's heightened anxiety, and Stephen's, too. "Johnal, tell him we won't allow him access to the bridge?—"

"The Larinu will kill him, Commander," Johnal snapped. "We'll let him aboard, but we'll have to tread carefully." She palmed her stun gun, as did Ty.

"Princess Tasa of Aridia," a voice said from the lift. It had the same fluidity as Orin's. "How wonderful to make your acquaintance."

Tasa spun around and saw a man who looked a lot like Orin standing in front of her. But the look of hate in his eyes shook her down to her core.

"Who are you?" Tasa asked, standing. "And why are you threatening my crew?"

He grinned, but it was more a baring of pointed teeth. "I am Gael, the Crown Prince of Larin, and I was asked to find you. I needed to speak with you, and your crew wouldn't allow it."

"So, you decided to force them to?" Tasa asked. "We do not appreciate your methods, Gael."

"Recall that I said I was the Crown Prince of Larin," Gael said. "Brother to Orin."

"You're Orin's brother?" Tasa asked, stunned. Orin had never mentioned a brother…

And then a chill went up her spine as she realized something.

He was responsible for the psi onslaught on Orin. He was the boy in the vision.

He'd tried to kill him.

Gael nodded. "Indeed. I am here to claim what is rightfully mine. You."

"No way," Falda said. "You can't just take Tasa away. Besides, she's already bound to another."

Gael's rage made Tasa's stomach twist. "Why would you want the spare when you can have the prince?" He made a dismissive gesture. "He is no one of consequence. We can break the binding. Come along." He held out his hand, looking at Tasa expectantly.

Wait…so Orin was a prince, too? She'd never go with this jerk, and she certainly wasn't about to break her binding to Orin!

"Why are you saying that I have to go somewhere with you?" Tasa asked.

"Your parents and I made a very lucrative deal. Seems word has gotten to them that you are no longer just a slave, but the commander of this ship. And they couldn't have that, so they decided to get rid of you. Out of sight, out of mind."

Rage made Tasa's blood boil. But the bigger question was: who had ratted her out? She hadn't been commanding the ship for that long, not even a day?—

"It was me," another voice said from the lift.

"Stephen, how could you?" Johnal cried. "You and I have worked together for years! And letting this man in, selling poor Tasa out…how could you?"

"That's a great question," Tasa said. "Johnal, throw him in the brig. We'll deal with him later."

"Yes, Commander," Johnal said with a smile. She went after Stephen. Stephen, his eyes filled with panic, ran, and Johnal gave chase. They headed for the lift.

One problem being handled.

Now to address the bigger one.

"You hurt Orin," Tasa said. "You almost killed him! Tell me why I shouldn't have you thrown in the brig with Stephen right now!" She struggled to keep her cool. She had to somehow get rid of this guy before he captured her—and did who knew what else.

"Oh, that?" Gael smirked, and she hated him for that, too. "I needed to get Orin out of the way."

"He is not going away! Orin is everything," Tasa said, lifting her chin. "He is a good man, an honorable man, and I love him. I will not go with you!"

Orin's brother laughed. "That's good, coming from you, Princess. You're good for only one thing. Breeding. Now kindly surrender the bridge to me."

"Absolutely not!" Tasa gathered her fear and threw it at him.

He just laughed. "Really? Remember, I'm an empath, too. There's something called shielding."

So, her empathy would not work.

She surreptitiously glanced at Falda, who was aiming her stun gun at him.

She met Falda's eyes and nodded.

The weapon's beam slammed into Gael, but he just laughed. Again.

"I am wearing a…sort of force field. Now, please. I don't want to take the bridge by force."

Tasa did not move. Once he had control of the ship, he'd take her to Larin to be his wife. She'd probably never see Orin again.

Speaking of Orin…

She could feel him through their bond. He needed to wake up, so he could help…

"No? Then I guess I will need to take the ship by force," Gael said. He held a weapon aimed at Tasa.

"You will do no such thing," Falda said, and shot him again.

Gael laughed. "You missed it when I said I am shielded against weapon fire, sweetheart. Hmm. You may make a nice mistress for me. I think I will bring you along instead of killing you."

"What do you really want?" Tasa asked. She was grasping at straws, but she needed to stall him. "You're the Crown Prince! Why would you lower yourself to come after a slave?"

Orin's brother blinked. "Well, yes, under normal circumstances I wouldn't even bother. But I have one very serious problem."

"And let me guess what that is," Orin said, striding forward, looking like he hadn't been unconscious or tortured psychically by his brother. "Me, like it always has been."

Tasa let out a sigh of relief.

Orin circled his brother, one eyebrow arched. "Didn't think you'd see me so soon, did you?"

"What a surprise," Gael said. "Good to see you, as always. Now, maybe you can be a help and convince these people to relinquish control of this ship for me."

"Never!" Falda cried.

"I'm not big on using women for breeding," Ty said. "Kindly point me in the direction of your ship so I can blast it to smithereens."

"These people took over fair and square," Orin said. "Princess Tasa is not marrying you or returning to Aridia, either, just in case you missed that part."

Gael smirked. "She says she loves you. Isn't that interesting? A slave in love with the spare."

Orin's hands balled into fists. "I will not listen to such rubbish from you. You think you're the best and most deserving because you were born first. But frankly, I'm not interested in ruling Larin. Or anywhere else." He raised one hand. "You are a sad, despicable person, and I cannot believe we share the same DNA."

"Please, no need for that," Gael said.

"Why shouldn't I kill you right this minute?" Orin closed the distance between them, his eyes filled with rage. Tasa could feel it like the heat of a sun. "You have no respect for people's lives. You think women are to be used and abused. You tried to kill me, your own brother, which is horrifying."

"But…"

"This ship will never be yours. It is ours, and we will be free."

"We do not tolerate slavery," Tasa said once she'd found her voice. "And I am not going with you no matter what."

"Fine, then I will have to take drastic action," Gael said with another smirk.

Orin made a gesture.

Tasa watched with trepidation. Could Orin win this battle? And…what if he didn't?

She had to believe.

Gael's mouth opened wide, and white mist floated out. It surrounded him, round and round, until he was covered in it. And then he went stiff, as if something had pulled his limbs taut.

He yelped, a very inhuman sound. Then he crumpled to the ground, his eyes wide.

"Orin…?"

Orin did not stop. His eyes were on his brother. "He's a very bad man. I am making it so he never hurts anyone again."

Her heart lurched. What was he doing?

"Someone, anyone, take him to one of the escape pods. Put it on automatic and set a course for Bangleladou. Attach a note. Tell them they may use this man in any way they see fit, as he is a convicted criminal of Larin."

"Where—or what—is Bangela-whatever?" Tasa asked, unable to even pronounce the name.

"It's a slave colony," Orin said, his eyes fluttering. He was pale, too pale. "But there are rumors that people there get used as…well…how can I put this? Toys. They are used as toys."

"Very fitting," Vola said.

Orin passed out again.