Page 16 of Star Mates

“Unfortunately, about time we’re able to find and liberate people, they’ve already lived a lifetime as a slave. It’s hard to rally motivation when you’ve been dissected alive and sterilized.”

“Sterilized?”

“Only the people chosen for the breeding line are allowed to bear children.”

“Are you…sorry, it’s none of my business.”

“It’s okay. I was born in Sparta,” he said, and then dropped the subject by turning away.

The hanger held six launch pads and four of them had ships docked on them. People bustled about, not paying much attention to them. Several questions were yelled to Raiden who yelled his answers back without looking at the person asking them. The entire place had an air of frenzied movement.

“The Sunray is one of six ships we have,” Raiden told her as he stopped abruptly to let a forklift looking truck pass. Emmarie, who had been trailing him, smacked into his back.

“Just six?” she asked, rubbing her forehead.

“Like I said, what we have has been at the generosity of some of the human sympathizers,” he smiled conspiratorially at her. “That’s why our technology seems more advanced and why the ships are treated better than how we treat ourselves. Without them, this rebellion, however small, is worthless.”

“Do you always trade? Or do you have to steal too?”

“Some. I suppose you could liken it to Earth’s mythology of Robin in the Hood.”

“Actually, it’s just Robin Hood, unless you live in South Central,” she murmured back. But at his blank look she waved it off. “So, you’re just one of six pilots?”

“No, there are many pilots, because the Sunray doesn’t belong specifically to me,” he answered, taking her arm and leading her through another busy intersection. “We take shifts, and mine, this time, had been a medical supply run.”

They had reached the large open doorway and Raiden reached down to take her elbow, escorting her from the hanger portion of the base into a system of hallways with various doors and open rooms. People walked with purpose, many greeting the man at her side with smiles or nods of hello. All gave her a curious glance.

They turned the corner and then Raiden led her to an unmarked door and opened it. Inside she spotted a large screen which held symbols and pictures of ships, including the Sunray, and information stats. Several smaller screens were built into walls and consoles with a mixture of buttons, and touchscreens littered the area. A metal table with chairs was pushed off to a side, and Emmarie saw Pikon and Logan sitting there, with an older woman standing in front of them.

“Willoughbee,” Raiden greeted. “I see you met Logan. This is Emmarie Tice.”

“Captain,” she murmured back. She was a tall woman. Her gaunt facial features and very square jaw gave her a very fragile air, but the overlarge fatigues she wore hinted at a spine of steel. Her hair was grey, short, with blunt cut bangs touching the tops of her eyes. She reminded Emmarie of a feminine version of Lurch from The Addams Family. “I was just informed of our new guests.”

“We’re going to take them to the infirmary for scanning and then to Leona for integration,” Raiden replied.

Willoughbee turned her dark, inset eyes from him to inspect Emmarie and Logan. “Which colony did you find them?”

Pikon and Raiden shared a look before the captain cleared his throat. “Well, Willoughbee, truth is…they were on a Merloni ship.”

“In cryosleep,” Pikon added.

Willoughbee’s eyes widened, and she shot another look at Emmarie and Logan. “Are you telling me they’re Earthlings?”

Raiden nodded.

“The Slip Gate is still in operation?” she asked in a heavily shocked voice.

He nodded again.

Willoughbee covered her mouth with her hand and shook her head.

“It’s very annoying being called an Earthling all the time,” Logan replied mildly, though his hands were fisted at his side.

“I apologize,” Willoughbee replied as she tried to gather her wits. “It’s just…we thought we’d never see new Earth, er, humans here again.” She turned to Raiden. “We’ll have to let the Durians know.”

“Why? So we can have another pointless meeting?”

She compressed her lips but didn’t say anything.

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