Tiva Boon: Heir of Abennelp (Tiva Boon Series Book 2) (12 page)

The ship rocked again, knocking everyone off balance. Tiva crawled to the junction and scooted against the wall. She took a deep breath and instantly felt the presence of others near. They weren’t her captors…it was…her crew.

The shock of sensing them made her drop her guard for a moment, and she cried out as a shot struck her arm. She stood up and fired around the corner at the last three.

Adam, can you hear me?

She watched the last fall and ran down the main corridor back toward the holding cell. The hall filled with more men. She cursed and started firing again.

Tiva! We’re here, we’re coming!

She dropped to the floor and continued to fire. Quickly, she ducked into an open room and looked for cover. She knelt behind a control panel to gather her focus and heard the footsteps enter. She gripped the blasters, and rose to meet them. As she fired, three figures appeared behind her. Adam rushed to the group of men, Cala swinging fiercely at his side. Hill and Aliri fired their own weapons, but it wasn’t enough for Tiva. She wanted everyone on the ship dead. When the last enemy fell, she ran into the corridor.

“Tiva, wait,” Aliri shouted.

Ignoring the calls of her friend, she spotted another group and fired. She was in killing mode, only this time it was consuming her mind and body.

“Boon, stop!” Hill yelled. One by one, the men dropped. She had no regard for their lives. She wanted them to die. “Knock her out.”

“What?” Aliri asked, shocked.

“No!” Adam stated firmly and rushed to her side. She turned to see two more men. She squeezed the trigger on her gun then felt a sharp pain in the back of her neck. She turned in time to see Hill lower his plasma gun then looked into Adam’s eyes and fell into his arms.

The image of the spirit Shial came to her, luring her to the Eternal Lands. She knew she was dead. All the faces of her loved ones surrounded her. Her father called her name. She reached out to him. Then the warmth of the afterlife began to fade. Something was pulling her back.

“No,” she cried. “Let me die!”

She saw the doctors and nurses around her suddenly. Their words were muffled and quick, almost beyond her comprehension. They stripped her from the Eternal Lands. The light faded and suddenly she saw herself surrounded by her friends and family to celebrate her Remembrance. She was sitting in the middle of her parent’s field, everyone in a circle around her, each with a gift in hand. Her father walked to her first, handed her a small package and she smiled at him.

“Open it dearest one,” he said.

She opened the package and pulled out a small black leather strap. Her eyes widen and she looked to him. “A Guardian Strap, Father?”

“Yes, dearest. You’ve completed your first cycle. You have earned it. I made it for you myself. Mother will show you how to braid it into your hair.”

“Thank you, Father.” She wrapped her arms around him hugging tightly.

Suddenly she saw the Mystic approach her; she was no longer sitting in the gifting circle. She was near her favorite tree.

She smiled at the Mystic.

“Lady Boon.” He bowed his head. “I have seen your future. I must tell you now and you must keep it within you. You must not share what I tell you until the time comes.”

She studied him curiously, and nodded. “I understand, Mystic Litak.”

“You are not what you seem. Your future holds great weight for your people. You will travel far, and return on wings - both shall perish. This is what I have seen.” He bowed his head again, and vanished…

Tiva bolted up on the medical bed, sweating and cringing in pain. Dermal-strips covered the cuts on her body. She brushed them off in a panic and pushed the blanket to the floor, swinging her legs to the side of the bed.

“Whoa…wait a minute,” Doctor Hino rushed into her suite.

“Step away!” Tiva growled and attempted to stand. She was too weak and sank to the floor. Hino caught her under the arm then met her eyes. He was concerned, that much was apparent on his features so she allowed him to help her back to the bed. She sat upright and wrapped her arms around her body.

“How are you feeling?” he asked, as he circled and scanned her.

“I am fine.”

Hino laughed, shaking his head. “And I’m the supreme ruler of the Xatlo galaxy…”

After her exam, Captain Maar came to visit. He seemed preoccupied as his fingers moved quickly over the datarecorder as he sat beside her bed.

“Doctor Hino said that you are healing well.” Maar placed the recorder on his lap and shifted his attention, drawing her to reality. “There are some things that we need to discuss…”

“Yes, sir.”

“First, welcome back.”

“Thank you, Captain.”

“Secondly, I need to inform you that the ship heading to your home world was destroyed. We were not able to save anyone on board.” He glanced at her. He handed the datarecorder to her and stood up. She scrolled through it, but Maar spoke again. “You were gone for two weeks. The explosion you set off with your plasma gun alerted Base security. Unfortunately, the bounty hunters disabled the docking deck’s power and we weren’t able to pursue right away. They masked their ship signature and gained access to the Base. We had trouble figuring out which ship they took you on, but when we finally picked up their trail, we followed them to the Cobee system. Major Raku’s message came through just as we reached Uucor. Your friend, Harai was very helpful. She retrieved your weapon, too, it’s in your room.” He paused for a moment. “She saw them take you to their ship and helped us track them. We found them not long after they left…luckily, Emerala was able to finish the prototypes for the teleporting devices and our mission to retrieve you was successful.”

“I am most grateful to you and the crew for coming after me. I admit I did not expect it with all that had been happening recently.”

“You are a member of this team, this family, Chief. We look out for each other, that’s what the Union Vexillum is about…” He paused and stroked his chin. He rose and paced the small room. “It is true the Union is dealing with threats of an alien coalition, but new information came to light the day you were abducted.”

“The bounty hunters had scout technology, sir…” she offered.

“Yes, they did…” he agreed. “The Pizilite have been selling it to the highest bidders for the last few years. We’ve uncovered who the salvagers are…a race called Bujeni. We’re not sure where they are from, rumor has it they are a group of roving gypsies, but the Vexillum is working on that right now. Do you remember anything else that might be helpful?”

“No…” she said and rubbed her temple, thinking. “I do not believe the information I have will help. Pethor, my captor, claimed to have severed ties with an alien race, and hired the Uucorian bounty hunters to come after me. I think perhaps he was trying to become part of this group with the Pizilite’s and Kihlmaro’s.”

“Did he mention them?”

“No, but he said they had a new alliance, and with the bounty hunters having the scout technology, I assume that is the connection.”

“If you can find proof of this we may be able to help your home world.”

“I do not think I will be returning there, sir. I have no reason. Those in power wish me dead, if you had not arrived when you did…” Tiva folded her hands together.
For if I return the blood of every Rebel will stain the grass of my world.
“I will have a detailed report for you as soon as I am able to return to my room, Captain. Perhaps the new information the Union has uncovered and the small amount I was able to retrieve will help us find this enemy.”

“I want you fully rested and healed before you return to duty. I’ll get you the new codes for the ship…” He paused a moment and then met her eyes. “You have been through hell, Chief. No one expected you to live after seeing your condition, but you are a fighter, and one of the best. I will need you if we are to beat this threat.”

“I understand, Captain. I will do as the doctor orders…”

“Excellent, now some of your friends are here to see you, do you feel up to it?”

“I would rather them not see me in this state, sir.”

He chuckled. “All right, I’ll tell them, but Caedm insists you see her.”

“You may send her in.”

“She’s in the command center, I’ll send her down.” He walked to the door then turned around. “By the way, the book you had with you is back in your room.”

“Thank you, Captain…for everything.”

“Rest well, Ms. Boon.”

After the captain left, she slid off the bed and hobbled to the lavatory. She glanced at herself in the mirror; semi-healed wounds covered her cheek, and most of her body. She peeled off several of the dermal-strips, some of the cuts on her arms and legs were not as severe as the others and had closed. Tiva stripped off the medical gown and stared at her stomach and chest. The three-pronged torture device marks were very visible, but the whip marks that trailed from her right shoulder to her left hip still caused her pain. Most of the wounds would not scar thanks in part to the strips, it was a sliver of comfort.

Tiva took a quick shower, and carefully replaced the majority of the strips. She rubbed the back of her neck and tried to focus her mind. The captain said she was gone for two weeks, yet it only felt like days. She’d been lying in the infirmary for almost three. Too much time had passed.

Donning a soft pink robe hanging in the lavatory, Tiva limped back to the bed and sat on the edge. The doors to her suite opened, and Aliri came in, beaming.

“I’m so glad you are all right!” She rushed over and grabbed her hand. “I’d give you a big hug, but…”

“Thank you for coming to see me.”

“Everyone wants to see you, we were all so concerned.”

“I was not my intention to make you worry.” Tiva shifted on the bed and pulled her hand back. “I was careless and suffered the consequences.”

“Bull shit!” Aliri spat, her hands flying up in disgust. “You were outnumbered, cornered, and kidnapped! Those bastard bounty hunters…oh, if I ever get my hands…” Aliri sat down next to her on the bed and tucked a lock of Tiva’s hair behind her ear. “I heard you Tiva…I wish I could have saved you from this ordeal. They were gone by the time I found someone to tell. But, I’m glad you’re all right, and I know you’re still healing. So, I’ll let you rest now, and when you want to talk to me, know that I’m here for you, my friend.”

Tiva nodded. Part of her wanted to take comfort in Aliri’s words, the other part kept everything inside. “Thank you.”

Tiva refused to see anyone else until the doctor released her from the infirmary. When he finally did, he restricted her for two extra days while she acclimated herself to moving around again. She spent most of her time pacing or resting.

One of Hino’s nurses said having a record of her current state would allow her to vent and deal with all that had happened. Tiva was skeptical, but tried anyway.

“The crew of the
Tolox
successfully retrieved me from the clutches of the Rebel Abennelpian’s, thank the spirits. Pethor wanted to charge me with war crimes! I know not what will happen, but now that they know I am alive, I must keep my eyes and senses open.”

She tapped on her computer and stopped the recording. The Yantar she’d rescued from the ship was resting on top of her own. As she studied it, she wondered who had left it. She noticed the paper on the back cover of the Yantar was purposefully lifted; she raised a brow and carried it back to her bed. She found her Timbur, detached a claw, and carefully sliced the page off revealing a folded piece of parchment. Slowly, she flattened the page, and staring up at her, in her native language, was the message. She read it not once or twice, but repeatedly until the words actually seeped into her mind. The tears fell to her cheek next, and then she stared at the parchment and growled. “By the spirits!”

Tiva continued to read hoping the words would change. Tears turn to sobs as she gasped for breath. “No.” She threw the Yantar across the room slamming it into the mirror, shattering it. “Why, Harer?”