Chapter 12

CHAPTER TWELVE

A manda clung to Va'rik's neck, still shaking, as Hammy trembled in her arms. She'd never experienced a sandstorm before, but hearing the roar of the wind and seeing that wall of dust heading towards them had been terrifying. Va'rik held her just as tightly, not showing any indication that he intended to ever put her down, and she wished she could just stay in his arms forever.

She finally raised her head and looked around. The inside of the building was as white and modern as the outside, with a long white corridor lined with door panels stretching out in front of them. Despite the storm that must be raging outside, a heavy silence lay over the space.

"Where do you think we should go?" she whispered, curiously reluctant to raise her voice. She already felt as if they were being watched.

"To the lab." Va'rik's voice sounded flat, dead, as he started to walk down the corridor, still holding her.

"Do you know where it is?"

"Yes." He looked down at her, his eyes haunted.

"How do you know?" She remembered the way he had headed straight for the door as they ran to the building. "You knew how to find the door too, and how to close it. Do you remember this place?"

"Yes," he said again, and she frowned at him.

"It doesn't look as old as the city."

"It's from the same time period." He took a deep breath. "Amanda, I need to tell you?—"

"Welcome, my friends."

The mechanical voice coming from the walls made her flinch, but Va'rik only sighed.

"Hello, La'tok'at'bron."

"You know him?" How could he possibly know a disembodied voice?

"I do, but it's complicated." Part of the wall ahead of them opened to reveal what looked like an elevator. "I will take you to him."

"Put me down first," she insisted.

He placed her on her feet, but he kept hold of her hand as they stepped into the elevator. She clutched Hammy in her other arm and tried to control a growing feeling of unease. Only the faint popping in her ears indicated that the elevator had moved before the doors slid open again. Another white corridor awaited them, an open door at one end.

They walked towards it silently, the space absorbing even the slight scrape of her sandals against the floor.

She wasn't quite sure what to expect, but it wasn't a room that looked for all the world like an expensive, if rather spartan, hotel suite. A huge bed draped in white linens rested on a raised dais with a comfortable seating area—upholstered in white—in front of it.

The mechanical voice came from the walls again. "I thought you would like to rest and eat after your journey."

A table slid silently out of the wall, already loaded with food, while a smaller shelf extended from below, filled with some of Hammy's favorite fruits. He squeaked eagerly.

"Is it safe?" she whispered to Va'rik.

"Quite safe," the voice replied.

Va'rik nodded agreement, and she put Hammy down. He hopped over to the food, but despite the appetizing smells coming from the table, she wasn't interested in eating.

"We didn't come here for food," she said. "I have to?—"

"Or perhaps a bath?"

A door slid open to one side of the bed, and she saw a huge white bathroom. A gently steaming tub stood in the center of the room, and her resolve weakened. She hadn't realized how much she missed modern plumbing until that moment.

"Go ahead," Va'rik urged. "A few more minutes won't hurt."

The thought of being completely clean was almost unbearably tempting.

"What about you?"

"I will wait for you out here," he said, his face somber. "Then we will talk."

She took another glance at the tub, and gave in. Just a quick bath , she promised herself, and then she would ask to be sent back to Earth. She could only hope that they hadn't made the trip for no reason.

Va'rik watched the door close behind Amanda, fighting the urge to go after her. He hated being separated from her with so little time left. But he also wanted to talk to La'tok'at'bron. He scowled at the ceiling, knowing the other scientist could see him.

"Why are you delaying, La'tok'at'bron? She wishes to return to Earth."

"Why would she wish to return?"

"Because you made a mistake," he said. "She has a child."

"You are incorrect. Her scan showed no evidence of such."

Guilt filled him. "He is not her biological child. We did not adjust the parameters to account for such ties."

"A child," La'tok'at'bron repeated, and despite the artificial voice, Va'rik could hear his doubt.

"Yes. And our purpose is to create new families, not to destroy existing ones."

"Of course, but?—"

"But what?"

"She is perfect for you."

"I know." He rubbed his chest.

La'tok'at'bron's voice sounded almost agitated. "This is most distressing."

He couldn't prevent a bitter laugh escaping his lips. "I assure you I am far more distressed about it than you."

"I am deeply sorry. I thought I had provided you with every opportunity for a successful mate bond."

"Oh, it succeeded." Despite the pain of losing her, how could he regret it? Then the rest of La'tok'at'bron's words penetrated. "What do you mean by opportunities?"

"I may have provided you with some… advantages that were not available to our previous subjects."

He suspected his face reflected his shock. La'tok'at'bron had always been the one who was most insistent on strict adherence to the experimental protocols. But some of the things that had puzzled him made more sense now.

"Such as my ability to communicate in her language?" he asked.

"Yes. The inability to communicate made no difference to the results of our original experiments, and since our goal is to establish a mate bond, I decided to remove an unnecessary barrier."

"And my knowledge of the planet and its resources?"

"This is our planet." If La'tok'at'bron had a physical body, Va'rik was sure he would have shrugged. "It is only natural that you would have that ancestral knowledge."

"I see."

Silence reigned for a few seconds, then La'tok'at'bron spoke again.

"I will admit that I… wanted you to succeed."

An unexpected warmth filled his chest. He had spent so many years working with the other scientist, but it was not until they had commenced on this last set of experiments that he had become aware that there was more between them than just their studies. "Thank you, my friend."

"I am sorry that you will lose your mate."

"It is more than that." Guilt washed over him again. "I have not told her of my part in this."

"Do you intend to tell her?"

"Of course. But I am… afraid. I do not want her to think poorly of me."

"I can explain."

"No, she needs to hear it from me."

"Very well. You should rest while you wait for her." La'tok'at'bron sounded faintly disapproving. "These physical bodies are so fragile."

A reminiscent smile crossed his face. "The rewards are more than sufficient to compensate."

"Perhaps. Now rest. We will talk again."

He sighed, but La'tok'at'bron was correct. When was the last time he had slept? He could feel exhaustion weighing on him. Perhaps he should take a quick rest and gather his energy for the agonizing parting to come. The soft mattress was a revelation after sleeping on the hard ground—but he would have happily slept on that ground for the rest of his life if he could have had Amanda in his arms.

Hammy hopped up next to him, his warm, little body oddly reassuring. He stroked the soft fur, and the small body vibrated with soft purrs. He could hear Amanda splashing in the next room, and the knowledge that, at least for now, she was close and safe comforted him. His eyes drifted closed, and he slept.

Amanda climbed reluctantly out of the big tub. The water felt wonderful, but she couldn't help wishing that Va'rik had been in there with her. She would have to get used to being on her own again. Tears threatened, but she refused to let them fall.

A shelf extended from the wall, containing a neatly folded towel and what turned out to be a simple white dress. Even though she was grateful for both, it was oddly creepy to have her needs anticipated by an unseen being. She half-expected to hear the voice again, but apparently it thought she could figure out what to do with the items.

As soon as she was dressed, she padded back out into the main room. Va'rik was asleep on the bed, his big body limp, and she realized it was the first time she had really seen him sleep. Even asleep, his face looked troubled.

Hammy was curled up next to him, and she was tempted to join them, but she wanted answers even more. Could she really return to Earth from this strange building? She realized she had been placing a lot of trust on a symbol on a strange map. Her stomach churned.

She needed to return—she wanted to return—but if she couldn't leave, she would be able to stay with Va'rik. Her heart gave a hopeful leap, but then she thought of Billy and guilt washed over her. Dammit, she needed to know one way or the other so she could come to terms with her future.

Looking over at Va'rik's sleeping figure, she considered waking him. But he was already devastated that she was leaving. She didn't want to give him false hope that she was staying unless it turned out that there wasn't a way back. It would be better to know first. Hopefully the mysterious voice could give her some answers.

She pulled on the sandals Va'rik had made for her and slipped quietly out of the room and into the corridor. What was this place? she wondered again. And how did such a sophisticated building exist on what seemed to be a completely primitive planet?

Not really sure where to go, she hesitated outside the next door panel, then cautiously tried to open it. Nothing happened. Then she remembered Va'rik placing his hand next to the outer door to close it. She tried placing her hand in the same spot, and the door slid open.

She had been braced for strange alien technology, but she found nothing more exciting than rows of shelves lined with an assortment of glass bottles. It looked like a supply room for a laboratory. She took a closer look, but none of the bottles were even labeled. No answers here.

Two more supply rooms followed, and she was beginning to think she might as well return and wait for Va'rik to wake up when she opened the third door and came face to face with a tank floating in midair. Rows of what looked like monitors lined the walls of the room, but she was too focused on the suspended tank to pay attention. It was filled with clear liquid, and she could see… something floating inside. It looked rather like a big pink jellyfish, but it had a row of what looked like eyes around the bottom of the upper portion and the tentacles varied wildly in size.

Was it a specimen of some kind? What if this whole place was designed to collect lifeforms? Her heart started to pound, and she began to back towards the door. The eyes opened.