Page 36 of My Alien Sunshine

Drayth gives me one final victorious smirk before nodding. “Very well. I have to say I’m happy to have them off my hands. They’re nothing but trouble. I don’t suppose your customer would let me watch her break him in? I’d pay, of course. It’s something I’d very much love to see.”

The guards grab my arms and direct me to one of the marketplace exits. I shrug off their grip and reach for Ellen instead, scooping her back up into my arms. Sniffling, she curls into my chest. “You were very brave, big girl,” I praise her as I follow the guards. “Just hold on a little longer.”

“I want Mama,” she whimpers, her tiny fist hitting my pectoral muscle. “You said Mama would be here. I want her now.”

“She’s coming, I promise.” I don’t even consider alternative options because I know Nala will never give up. She’ll fight to her dying breath. Not to rescue me, I’m not that important to her. Hopefully, she will grow to care for me in time, but right now, there’s one thing I know for certain. Nala would rather die than give up Ellen. No matter how long it takes her, she will come here and so will my squad. Because if there’s one rule we live by, it’s that no one is left behind.

Chapter 19

Nala

As Astra and I enter the bridge, all eyes turn to us. Well, to me. I swallow around the lump in my throat and bravely hide behind Astra. It doesn’t really work, though, because I’m several inches taller than she is.

Four pairs of eyes watch me with suspicion and one, belonging to my Zyderi “friend” Lyriana, with open hostility. “What’s she doing here?” she barks, looking like she’s about to drag me back to the cell, or shoot me. Or both.

“I called everyone here,” a bulky Lakhartan replies. “I’m Captain Zarkan,” he says, introducing himself. “The commander of this vessel and this merry group.”

Finally, the person I need to speak to, and he doesn’t seem to hate me on the spot. I’ll count that as a win. “I’m Nala and I, uh…” I clear my anxiety-constricted throat. “I’m not here to lure you into a trap or anything like that,” I say, jumping straight into the deep end. “Faelin snuck onto Drayth’s ship to rescue…” Astra’s encouraging smile helps me finish the sentence. “To rescue my daughter. Drayth has been using her to blackmail me for years and now he wants to sell her to a damned pedophile. That’s my story.”

I’ve been looking at Captain Zarkan as I spoke, but now I glance at Lyriana, looking straight into her eyes as if challenging her to say something. She doesn’t, her expression turning pensive.

“Your daughter?” Zarkan asks, his long tail swishing from side to side. His growl sends shivers up my spine even though it’s not directed at me. Nostrils flaring, he takes in a deep breath, his voice sounding calmer when he finally speaks again. “I assume she’s the reason you’ve never accepted UGC offers for help before?”

“I couldn’t risk it. If it was just me, then maybe, but Drayth has people everywhere. If he’d found out I’d been talking to the UGC…” I trail off, afraid to imagine the consequences.

To my relief, Zarkan nods. “Understandable. Does Drayth have any other slaves with him?”

“No. Just Mu and I’m not sure she’d even want to be rescued. She always seemed sort of…content with being a slave.” That was something I could never understand. “I’ve never seen another slave in his compound. I know he trades them, but he must be doing it somewhere else.”

I run my hand through my hair, straining my memory to think of something useful. “There’s usually about a dozen guards around him, sometimes more. Laser and projectile weapons weren’t allowed on the Farpoint Gateway, so they only carried stunners, shock sticks, and knives, but I bet they have an armory somewhere on the Crimson Serpent. I don’t know much about the ship. Drayth never allowed me anywhere near the docks.”

The crew listen attentively. When I stop talking, Astra’s Syndoran boyfriend jerks his brow, wanting me to continue. I wish I could. I wish I knew something they could use to defeat Drayth. “I-I’m sorry, I can’t think of anything more,” I stutter, on the verge of breaking down into tears yet again. Damn, I must be really exhausted. I’m normally not such a crybaby.

“It’s okay,” Astra assures me, squeezing my shoulder. “Everything is going to be fine. Right?” she questions Zarkan.

“Of course,” he calmly responds with a toothy grin. Being a Lakhartan, his teeth are all extremely sharp and pointy, but I feel reassured anyway.

“Exiting hyperspace in five seconds,” Cai announces. I tense up in preparation and grip the nearest railing, expecting to be thrown across the room. Nothing happens. I feel the slightest dip in movement, like when a car slows down, but nothing more.

I’m grateful my dark complexion hides the embarrassment I feel when I realize I’m the only one who tensed. “Sorry,” I mutter, my cheeks practically glowing. “I’ve never been on a ship before.”

It’s not entirely true. I was on the ship that took me away from Earth but I was only half conscious for most of that time. The few memories I should have from that ship have been blocked out. Thank God for trauma response!

“Yeah,” Astra chuckles, “I also expected something more…dramatic from going a thousand times faster than the speed of light to then breaking suddenly, but it’s just this. I guess we should be happy it’s nothing dramatic.”

“Oh, fuck,” one of the crew mutters, his antennae twitching. “Cai, immediately alter our course to stay out of sensor range.”

The AI sounds almost offended as she responds, “I am already keeping the necessary distance, D’Aakh. Any other instructions?”

I stifle my snort at her bratty behavior, bringing my attention back to why we’re here. “Is the Crimson Serpent here?”

D’Aakh taps on some buttons, bringing up an image of the system we’re in. I don’t understand half of the markings, but I can read the one written in orange. Crimson Serpent. And next to it…

“Is that another ship?” Lyriana asks, leaning closer to the projected image. “What in the darkest of black holes is that thing?”

“It appears to be a refurbished battleship. Dreadnought class,” Cai informs us. A schematic appears on another screen. It tells me nothing, but by the crew’s expressions, I know it’s very, very bad news. The Crimson Serpent is docked to this monstrosity and I can’t help but wonder how in the world I am going to find my little girl there.

Nikolai appears by my side, handing me a glass of a bluish liquid. I hesitate as my distrust rears its ugly head, reminding me that accepting drinks from strangers is a terrible idea regardless of the situation. Taking a deep breath, I remember where I am before accepting the drink graciously.

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