Chapter Twelve

Kila's veins turned to ice at the thought of Lokmi being shot into space.

"They got in a lucky blast, Chief," he lied. He vowed to his clanmate and himself, "It won't happen again."

"I'm glad to hear it, Captain. Relay any further engineering orders unrelated to the engine room to the assistant chief engineer. Lokmi out."

Kila took a breath, settling himself and focusing on the job he had to do. "Slight change of plans, crew. Hit the next wave of fighters, same protocol. Then tear apart the warship sending the third batch."

"Helm and I can randomize the firing pattern, Captain," Jado said as they began their attack run.

"Agreed," the helmsman confirmed.

"Do it." A less systematic approach would prolong the fight. But if the Darks could anticipate when and where the spyship planned to fire, it could finish not only Lokmi, but the whole crew and its vessel.

The spontaneous ruse proved effective. The spyship, invisible on the enemy's sensors and intermittent to view, darted here and there among the firing warships. Kila redirected his weapons commander and helm twice when he saw an opportunity to wreak havoc they'd missed. Otherwise, the pair did a fine job, for which he had every intention of having Piras issue a commendation for. They made the GC squadron think they were homing in on a target only to show up and blast to pieces another.

In the end, after half the force had been disabled or destroyed, the three remaining warships broke off and fled. They left behind several single-man fighters. Kila ordered his own small complement of fighters deployed to help the spyship mop them up.

"Stand down attack stations," he said.

"Stations standing down. Blast doors in Engineering are retracting."

"Chief, did you enjoy your break?"

"What break? I've been busy ordering the drones readied to go outside and fix the damage to the hull, setting up containment buffers around the engines, and keeping an eye on main engineering from a vid monitor." Lokmi sounded anything but amused, but his voice was a gift nonetheless.

"Of course you did. Just because you could run your department from bed, don't think I'll allow it."

Lokmi chuckled. "Yes, Captain."

Nobek Veko at the com station, his face hidden by the long mop of hair he rarely shook back, spoke. "Captain, I have a com reading from the retreating ships. Return relays coming from another position."

Kila's brow wrinkled. Were the various Darks too far apart or too few to perform their telepathy adequately? Or were perhaps some of the GC's key fleet personnel unridden and dependent on ship-to-ship communications?

"Get a lock on where the responses are coming from. Helm, deploy drones to scan the area as soon as he reports."

"Yes, Captain."

* * * *

Open Arms Orphanage

Piras switched off his com link after speaking for nearly an hour to Kila. The odds against keeping the orphanage safe until the ships capable of evacuating the children and staff had gone up astronomically following the spyship fending off the Galactic Council squad.

There has to be a way to keep the civilians safe. Somewhere to hide them, where the GC won't think to look.

He commed Hope, Cheryl, and Besral to meet him in the head administrator's office. They were soon assembled. The flush of triumph from defeating Ydru's team, capturing the Darks, and the spyship's victory had been replaced by concern. They knew they weren't out of the woods yet.

We're nowhere near clear. We're stuck in the middle of the damned forest. Piras squared his shoulders and gave them the bad news.

"More enemy ships are coming in our direction. Twenty warships are speeding toward the remnants of the first squadron…and us."

"How long until they reach us?" Cheryl asked.

"No more than two standard days. I strongly suspect they won't be bothered to try to take prisoners this time."

"All this for twelve senior citizen Nobeks." Grim pride lit Besral's craggy features.

"And the women and girls who can hear those overcome by the Darks," Cheryl added.

"You were remarkable," Piras praised her. "It's no wonder the children's welfare was entrusted to you. Now if we could just get you out of harm's way."

"The stelnium walls of the root cellar hid the bunker we dug. We can enlarge it," Besral said.

"It's a thought, but if they use scanners outside, where the stelnium doesn't shield, they'll find you."

"What about the woods where I told Ydru our Kalquorians had gone?" Cheryl asked. "We have a couple of days to go deep in there and set up a camp."

"Or the abandoned Bi'isil embassy on the opposite side of the moon," Besral brightened as he remembered the sole other habitable area available.

"Also possibilities. The trouble is, if Kila's ship can't hold them off…and as good as his crew is, winning against the approaching force is damned near impossible…the GC will search as soon as they realize you're no longer at the orphanage. They will find you."

Piras paced. If only they had someplace safe to hide all the children. If only the marauders could reach them in time to evacuate. Neither option seemed to be plausible.

There must be a way.

* * * *

Kalquor

"I don't know about you, but my examination was certainly thorough," Betra groused as he left the medical station set up in the domestic shuttle port. "I almost yelled for Oses to protect my honor as a clanned man."

Resan, who'd emerged from another testing and examination room, chuckled. "It did seem overkill given we have our tests from the ship in order and haven't been on a planet or station suffering any outbreaks of the virus. I suppose they have to be careful, though."

"The virus has claimed many lives." Oses had finished his exam ahead of them and stood in the waiting area. "You can't blame them for keeping a disease-free district untouched."

"I'm relieved for your parent clan's and grandmother's sake." Betra smiled at Resan.

"As am I." Resan glanced at a closed door to an exam room as a child's irate cry sounded. "Too bad the littles must suffer through the tests. I hope getting to run around free of restrictions for a few days will make up for it."

They hadn't seen Clan Seot again since arriving on Kalquor, but for the party Betra's parent clan had thrown. Restrictions on the numbers of those allowed to gather in a single place had made the celebration more sedate than Matara Elwa's past parties, but there'd been no opportunity for the Imdiko to be alone with Shalia. He admitted it was for the best. It had certainly kept Resan and Oses off his case since the kitchen episode.

Clan Seot began to emerge from the exam rooms. First came Nobek Larten, carrying a red-faced Ejia. It had been his room the angry squall had issued from. The scowling boy, apparently furious at his father for consenting for him to be harassed by medical personnel, held his arms to Clan Resan as a whole. He apparently didn't care who would agree to take him so long as he could escape his parent.

Oses stepped forward, his chuckles joining Larten's. "Allow me to give him time to learn to appreciate you again."

"Not sick, Unca Oses!" the boy shouted as he was handed off. "No fair to go to doctor!"

"Sometimes we go to keep from getting sick," the warrior soothed. He sat Ejia on his shoulders, and the elevated position cheered the excitable child.

Seot and Nayun were next. Then Cifa emerged, carrying Jordan. Anrel preceded Shalia, who held a chirping Evelyn. As a human who couldn't be infected by the virus causing so many problems on Kalquor, Shalia had been spared the testing.

The hybrid children of Kalquor were less susceptible to the virus' ravages, but there had been one of their number who'd succumbed, a newborn. They had the ability to be carriers who displayed no symptoms, a danger to pure-blood Kalquorians.

"Our travel bins should be sterilized and ready to go by now," Resan told the group. "Since the rough part is done, what do you say we get this holiday adventure started?"

The children cheered their agreement. Anrel and Jordan raced to Betra, eager to claim him. Anrel reached him first and clambered up to wrap her arms around his neck and legs around his waist. She stuck her tongue out at her younger sister. Laughing at Jordan's adorable pout, Betra put her on his shoulders as Oses had Ejia. She squealed happily to be given the perch, where she could look down on her scowling sibling.

Resan stooped to let Nayun ride ronka-back as Seot sighed, "Kids, don't be pests. Your uncas aren't pack animals."

His fellow Dramok winked. "They're fine, my friend. By the time we see them again, a couple of them might no longer agree to be carried. We'll enjoy it while we're able."

They headed out. Betra fell in step with Shalia, who carried Evelyn despite Cifa hovering close, ready to claim the youngest of their brood.

"Let the fun begin," she laughed. "Hopefully, you won't disown this gang before it's over."

"Not a chance," Betra insisted, beaming at her. Being next to her, carrying the older girls…it felt amazing. Intimate.

It felt like clanship.

* * * *

"Are we sure Wildlife Management didn't breed and release the senilows on purpose? I barely have to aim to hit them."

Betra grinned at Shalia, then scanned the landscape. Her clanmates were busy some distance away tending to the four children they'd brought along on the hunt. Ejia, who was partnered to Larten, couldn't be seen in the tall grass. Cifa had Jordan, who was also invisible. The top of Nayun's dark head floated alongside Seot, who had charge of Evelyn too. Anrel had opted to hunt with Oses, and they'd disappeared heading northeast. Resan, in the company of his grandmother Nekis, was likewise nowhere to be seen.

Shalia snorted as she inspected her kill, her bow slung over her shoulder. The long-clawed herbivore, part of a species that wreaked havoc on crops when it grew too numerous, lay with all four legs in the air. It had been felled by a single dart, which Shalia had sent through its heart. "How many so far?"

"You've claimed five in the last two hours." Betra sent up a red flag to signal the downed animal to the officials who'd claim and sell it to meat processers. Most Kalquorians and humans didn't care for the stringy flesh of the senilow. It was often sent to other planets whose species enjoyed the taste and texture. The cull kept the numbers of the beasts manageable, allowed hunters to enjoy the pastime, and benefitted the local economy.

"There are so many this trip. Even Ejia, as loud as he is, should be able to shoot at least one." She smiled to see Larten lift their exuberant son high enough to fire a metal dart, or "arrow" as Shalia called it. Their quarry, a staggering senilow Larten had apparently already hit, was quickly overtaken by the fleet Nobek. Ejia fired his dart and hit it in the neck. Larten finished it quickly so it wouldn't suffer any longer as the youngster cheered himself. Larten tossed him in the air and caught him, shouting in victory.

"You were right. He got to claim a prize." Betra glanced around at the mottled furred backs moving in the grass. The hunting party was spread out and had confused the beasts. They couldn't help but blunder toward Nayun, Evelyn, and Seot as they rushed to escape the noise Larten and Ejia made.

"On to the next, though it's hardly a challenge today. Don't take it the wrong way; it doesn't mean I'm not enjoying myself. It's so good to wander freely." Shalia lifted her face to the sun and closed her eyes as she absorbed its warmth on her face. She kept walking while basking in delight. "This stupid virus has kept us—whoa!"

She yelped as she stumbled and fell headlong into the grass. Betra, a few steps behind, raced to her side. "Are you hurt?"

Her pained grimace answered for her. "I just had to find a hole to step in, didn't I? Way to go, Shalia Monroe."

Betra crouched next to her. "Which leg?"

"Right ankle," she gasped. "How stupid am I to walk in a field while my eyes are closed?"

He felt around the calf-high boot. "Does this hurt? That would be a yes," he answered when she hissed and instinctively jerked from his touch. "Could be a sprain."

"It better not be worse. I'm an idiot. I swear despite this, I've come a long way from the trouble magnet I was back in the day."

Betra laughed. "When we were taking you and the other women from Earth to Kalquor, I often had to squash the urge to put you in a stasis chamber, where maybe you'd be safe for a change."

"Do you remember the Little Creep? The It? We were boarded by Tragooms, what, twice?" She laughed despite the obvious pain she was in. "If there was danger, it went out of its way to find me. It's a wonder you and Oses didn't start avoiding me before we were halfway through the trip."

"You had a few redeeming qualities that made it worth sticking close."

Her eyes met his, and longing filled him. For all the misadventures they'd shared, Betra wouldn't have traded those months of being her lover for anything.

Perhaps she felt it too. Her features softened, and he knew she was remembering the days when they weren't having to fight for survival. When they shared themselves intimately, body and soul. When they were every bit as close as clanmates and loved without inhibition.

He edged closer. "Shalia, I can't begin to tell you how much I've missed you and your trouble. I mean, I hated it when you were in danger or hurt, but the rest…it was wonderful."

Her expression was definitely softer. "I have to say, I'd go through the worst parts again just so I could enjoy the good times."

"You, me, Oses…part of me lives there still." He leaned nearer. If he kissed her, would she reject him? Or would she let him?

"We heard a yell. Is everything all right?"

Betra jerked back as Resan stepped through the tall grass that had concealed him and Shalia from their surroundings. Nekis, a strong, hale woman despite her nearly white waist-length hair, was right behind them.

"I decided to see if I could break my ankle and ruin everyone's fun. I think it's only sprained." Shalia gave Resan a dirty look, ready for him to insult her. Betra was reminded again it was as if it were the old days.

"Does it hurt?" he asked mildly. Betra noticed how his Dramok's sharp gaze lit on him for a moment.

"Only a ton, but don't worry. I won't cry."

"A nice change." He smirked but remained on his best behavior after a warning gaze from Nekis. His grandmother was aware of the dislike between the pair, a dislike she most adamantly refused to share. She adored Shalia, much to Resan's consternation since he worshipped his grandmother.

"You must have stepped in this hole," the family matriarch said. She crouched and gently probed Shalia's ankle as Betra had. She earned the same wince and jerk. "Yell for her Imdiko to come here. Cifa can carry her to the shuttle and take her home. He won't want to remain here when his clanmate is hurt. The rest of us can continue hunting as planned."

"Thank you," Shalia said, her gratitude shining at Nekis as Resan shouted for Cifa. "I can't stand the thought of wrecking this holiday when you've been so kind to host us."

"It's always a delight to have your clan here. I might stay in tomorrow too if you're unable to hunt. You and I have a lot to catch up on." Nekis beamed at the thought.

Cifa burst into view, followed by the rest of Shalia's clan. Oses and Anrel were a split second behind. Everyone was exclaiming at once, asking what had happened.

A hand fell on Betra's shoulder. He glanced up to find Resan smiling at him…a not very nice smile. "Make room for her clan so they can tend their Matara, my Imdiko."

"Of course." Betra stood up and stepped aside as Clan Seot and their children crowded around Shalia. He pretended his legs weren't shaking.

* * * *

Alpha Space Station

Spy Nobek Selt glanced at his superior officer Nobek Kuran, then to Kuran's Dramok clanmate Rihep, who wasn't a spy. The pair stared intently at the footage from the promenade Selt had loaded into the computer vid hovering over the desk of the office they occupied.

Because Admiral Piras was off on assignment, Kuran was in charge of Earth II's spy contingent, which Selt and his clanmates worked for. They used their absent leader's office for the private meeting. Selt's clanmates Deram and Hadlez were also present, in their capacity as spies and Charity Nath's on-station guardians.

"I have an identification on the Gyma who was watching Matara Charity," Selt reported. "His name is Nydroj, and he's an aide to his world's ambassador to the Galactic Council."

"I see it." Rihep's eyes narrowed as he peered to the side of the Gyma, sharpening his usual peaceful countenance.

"A Dark?" Kuran pressed. His rugged good looks turned fierce.

"It's on his back and shoulders. A couple of the tentacles are wrapped around the Gyma's neck." Rihep's lips pressed tight together.

The Dramok had once pursued a career as a Temple of Life priest. He continued to meditate regularly, a practice that helped some Kalquorians detect the enemy's presence. It was why he'd been called in to view the footage despite not being a member of the Kalquorian fleet's spy division.

Deram and Hadlez exchanged worried glances.

"Do we know the current whereabouts of this Nydroj?" Kuran's attention went to Selt.

"I tracked him as soon as Matara Charity reported him watching her. He left almost immediately after she spotted him. His heading would take him to Galactic Council space."

"What was he doing on the station? I thought GC personnel had been banned since the trouble started," Deram said.

"They were," Kuran said, scowling at the footage as it played on a loop. "Nydroj was on Earth when the whole mess started. He'd been operating as a liaison between Earth and the Galactic Council. He disappeared until Matara Charity spotted him last night."

"His spacecraft had remained on Earth all this time. Chief Adams had it under guard at our request. Before daybreak, it took off without clearance, then disappeared before patrols could track it." Selt scowled.

"Someone was bribed to let it go," Hadlez guessed.

Perhaps, but how the Gyma's vessel had eluded the phased marauders was a mystery. "It knew our security force's routes and managed to avoid them."

Kuran glared at the footage. "The admiral had changed them before he left. Even I'm unaware of the routes."

"Maybe the Gyma simply got lucky," Rihep said.

Selt didn't believe it for a second. Something alarming was going on.

He switched his focus to his greatest concern. "What I want to know is why the Dark was interested in Matara Charity. It can't be a coincidence it was watching the daughter of Borey Nath."

"And also the sister of Admiral Piras' Matara," Kuran added. "Matara Charity was forcibly married to Browning Copeland, wasn't she?"

"Whom the Darks weren't able to prove beyond a doubt was still alive. Kalquor maintains the Holy Leader perished when his battlecruiser exploded." Selt's stomach curdled. "Charity Nath was supposed to have died on his ship as well."

Deram snarled in abrupt fury. "The Darks are still trying to convince our allies and enemies we have Copeland. Footage of Charity alive and well and on this station could stir the waters again."

Selt's fist hit the top of the desk. His job keeping the young woman safe had just gotten a lot harder.

* * * *

Earth II

"Ken Bryant told me it looks as if the virus came in via the refugees arriving from Galactic Council space," Toni reported to her sister from her balcony.

Earth's governor sighed. She was stuck on Alpha Space Station as the virus recently nicknamed Dark Death raged on the planet. Earthers had already blamed it on the shadowy enemy, thus they'd dubbed it appropriately.

On the vid, Stacy appeared to be standing only feet from Toni's chair. Toni was grateful her sister wasn't there in danger of catching the illness, which had a staggering twenty-five percent fatality rate…but she also wished she was. Toni could have used a hug.

"It's as bad on New Bethlehem. Worse on Mercy since they're still dealing with riots in the wake of the government's shenanigans. Lack of infrastructure, food, and shelter…because no one is fully in charge there, the mortality numbers are downright devastating." Stacy swallowed and turned away for a moment to collect herself.

"No one is allowing in the few refugees who managed to leave Mercy. They're flying through space on the vessels that would take them, but there's nowhere to dock. Even Haven turned them down." Toni told her what Stacy already knew to give her a few seconds to cope with the emotional tide. Her big sister was a tough cookie when it came to facing off against opponents, but the suffering of others undid her in private.

Stacy was composed when she faced Toni once more. "Haven is right to do so. They have medical protocols allowing ships to land should everyone on board prove uninfected. Unfortunately for the innocent, concern those who took part in Mercy's conspiracy might be hiding among the refugees is slowing the process. No one knows all the players in what reduced Mercy to the mess it is yet, so getting the refugees to a port has become nearly impossible."

"I heard you were working on the Mercy refugees' behalf, nonetheless." Pride warmed Toni.

"How can I not? There are children and elderly on those ships. Joshada is considering letting them land on an isolated island until their situation is better resolved. Kuran and Ken have also spoken to Kalquorian officials about the possibility of using outposts confiscated from the Bi'isils after the war. Those places are just sitting there unused."

"It's a start but outfitting them for a long stay for thousands would be costly."

"I'm meeting the legislature by remote vid this afternoon to discuss if we can allocate funding. However, because our citizens are fighting the virus and having to divert a large amount of funds to research to get a handle on it…" Stacy shook her head. "We've lost the financial support we had from the Galactic Council, thanks to this Dark invasion. Kalquor is helping, but they have their share of problems."

"And a suspicious illness of their own to fight." Toni told Stacy of her conversation with Clan Imon and the concern both viruses had originated in Bi'isil secret labs. "When the Darks destroyed the Bi'isils, they could have easily gained the knowledge and means to set biological warfare loose on us."

Stacy's expression lit in sudden excitement. "I've heard the same from Kuran…he told me something else. We don't know what exactly the Bi'isils had concocted in those hidden labs. The Darks wiped all records clean when they left. But much of what Bi'is had in its arsenal was based on earlier pathogens they'd developed, such as the virus that nearly brought the Kalquorian Empire to extinction."

"Okay." Toni thought she had a glimmer of what made Stacy look so hopeful, but she couldn't quite catch hold of it.

"The Bi'isils used human slaves to test other means of biological warfare."

"As they did to every species they could lay their nasty hands on. Those little gray bastards never missed a chance to develop bioweapons against anyone and everyone who could possibly challenge their supremacy." Toni had acknowledged the horror of the Darks eliminating the entire Bi'isil population, but she hadn't shed a tear for them. They'd been utter assholes.

"My understanding is, Kalquor recovered and handed the Galactic Council the research done on Earthers prior to the secret labs. The GC locked up those notes and findings to keep them from being unleashed against us by other species. Since Bi'is never found it necessary to attack Earth or its colonies, the research never came out publicly. Including to us."

"Right." Toni began to grasp where Stacy was going. "If Dark Death is a virus Bi'is never unleashed—"

"Or even if it's based on those previous findings, our scientists could use the information to find a vaccine. Maybe even a cure." Stacy grinned. "That's how the Kalquorians are fighting RCN-16…by working from the previous viruses Bi'is used against them."

Toni hated to bring her down, but she had to mention the major hurdle before them. "You said Kalquor gave the Galactic Council the Bi'isil records. The Darks have the GC and are probably behind the epidemic. I don't see them handing the research to us."

"Sis, we're talking about the Kalquorian Empire, which has a vested interest in keeping Earthers alive and well. Do you really think they didn't keep copies of what they found?"

Toni had to laugh. "They have pretty decent moral standards, except when it comes to keeping some vestige of their existence alive. I bet they'll even put a few of their researchers on the case."

"Which will make them look pretty damn good to Earthers if they ride to the rescue and yank us out of this mess."

"I guess you have coms to make."

"Right away. Thanks for being my sounding board. Thinking out loud has made a big difference."

"Good luck, Gov."

"Love you, Toni. Stay healthy in the meantime." Stacy signed off.

* * * *

Open Arms Orphanage

Kila made certain his usual grin, which possessed a naturally predatory air, gave off a gentler confidence as he spoke to Matara Cheryl and Nobek Besral in the head administrator's office. "There's a terrible epidemic loose on Earth and the colonies Mercy and New Bethlehem. For this reason, the inhabitants of the orphanage will be evacuated to Haven instead, which has remained free of the virus."

"Haven wisely quarantined as soon as it became obvious a similar but different virus was present on the Kalquorian home world and its colonies and stations," Piras added. "Because it's a blended population of our peoples, they had strict guidelines in place when what's been dubbed Dark Death rose on Earth, Mercy, and New Bethlehem. Once you pass medical protocols at Haven's off-world medical station, you'll be allowed lodgings on the planet until Earth can offer a permanent solution."

"Two viruses at once?" Besral's expression was openly suspicious.

Kila nodded. "We're concerned the Darks gained access to clandestine Bi'is labs, where we think bioweapons were being developed."

"Which is why you insisted on your medical personnel testing us after our face-to-face contact with Ydur's group. In case they'd somehow contaminated us." Cheryl allowed only a hint of horror to peek from her otherwise composed features.

"I hope you can forgive our not telling you upfront. We hated to frighten you and the children without cause. Thankfully, there's no sign of either you or your Kalquorian staff being infected."

"That's good news." Cheryl's gaze moved between Kila and Piras. "Earthers and Kalquorians seem to be the Darks' main focus. Do I understand the situation?"

Both men nodded.

"Then I'm concerned about us being relocated to Haven. It appears safe for now, but since both our species call it home, it could become a target in the future. Perhaps we should look outside your empire and Earther settlements as far as a temporary solution."

When she put it in those terms, Kila agreed. Silently, because it was up to Piras to broach such considerations to Fleet Command…though he'd make his opinion known to his clanmate in private.

"It's a valid point, and I'm glad you brought it up," the admiral said. "I'll inform my superiors of your proposal and see what we can come up with."

"Thank you."

Piras glanced at Kila. "What are the Galactic Council forces up to?"

"Their larger squad continues to approach. Our backup has gone com silent, as we fear the GC will pick up any attempts to communicate." Kila grimaced. "Unfortunately, it means we have no idea where our marauders are or if they'll get here in time to defend the orphanage from the enemy."

Piras ground his teeth, his strong jaw working. He let up when Kila's foot nudged his leg under the table.

He glanced around the table. "We must assume we're on our own when it comes to defending the children. We need a plan. Share any ideas you have, no matter how outrageous."