Page 45 of Akur

Her gaze snapped to his. “If that’s the case, why didn’t he fight?”

He released a breath. “If it was so simple, the Tasqals would all be dead. V’Alen is on a different mission now.”

“Finding the other humans?”

“No. He went after something else. Something possibly more important.”

Her throat moved, and she watched him for a few moments. Enough that he could feel the heated lifeblood moving in his veins. So he kept on talking.

“When the Hedgeruds came, they weren’t interested in fighting. Only extraction. They targeted the human quarters first.”

“Do you know what happened to Meredith?” she whispered. “The other woman who was with me on that ship?”

“I don’t know.” And that uncertainty gnawed at him. “Everything happened too fast. When I realized they had taken you…” He trailed off, unwilling to admit how the thought of her in their hands had driven him to recklessness.

“So you just…what? Jumped in a ship and followed? And then jumped again into the void of space when you saw my shuttle heading to this planet?”

“Essentially.” He shifted, trying to find a position that didn’t make him solely aware of the pressure behind his pouch. “Though ‘jumped’ is perhaps too elegant a term for what actually occurred.”

She made a sound between a laugh and a sob. “You’re insane. You know that, right? Completely insane.”

“So I’ve been told.” His lips twitched despite everything. “Mainly by you.”

“Because it’s true!” He heard her pacing now, energy crackling in her movements. “And what about the Tasqal who brought us here? Why would one of them help us?”

That question had been burning in his mind as well. “There are Tasqals and High Tasqals. They are hierarchical, absolutely loyal to their collective. For one to act independently…” He shook his head, an ache going through his skull that had nothing to do with any wound. “It’s highly suspicious.”

“Unless things aren’t as unified as they appear?” She sounded hopeful. “Maybe there are factions we don’t know about. Internal conflicts.”

“Possible.” He settled back, closing his eyes. “Hiding in dark holes isn’t exactly their style.” He looked around the room. There were several things that pointed to the fact this hole of a room was hardly, if ever, used. There was dust and dirt. The air itself was stale. “They pretend to be pristine despite being diseased. Grand gestures for all to see. This…”

“Isn’t like them at all,” she finished for him.

“Affirmative, little human.” He winced and saw movement in the corner of his eye as she started toward him. He didn’t mean to bare his teeth in a growl. He did anyway. She stopped and folded her arms, glaring back at him.

“He left supplies.” She was still glaring at him. “He knew we were hurt. Somehow he’d been tracking us.”

He snarled some more. Because she was right.

“He’s smart.” She swallowed hard now and turned away, running her hand along one arm as she nursed the other. “He could be leading others here, too.”

She was right about that as well. But unlike her, he knew more about this scourge than she did. “I have been fighting this war for a long time, human.”

“Kon-stahns.”

“What?”

“Kon-stahns. Stop calling me ‘human’.”

He stared at her, and before he could stop himself, he scoffed. “You call me ‘mint man’. Whatever that means.”

“I didn’t know your name. But I know it now and you know mine. If we’re going to die together, we should at least call each other by name. It’s the least respect we can give each other.”

His eyes narrowed slightly. He hated that she was right. As a matter of fact, he was starting to hate everything surrounding her. It was making him ache. And he didn’t ache. Stupid qrakking heat.

“Kon-stahns.” He hated how good her name sounded. “The Tasqal don’t…” He had to pause, gathering his thoughts through the haze. “They don’t consider comfort. Specimens are kept in stasis or secured for immediate…study. This…” he gestured at their surroundings, “this shows consideration for basic needs.” His gaze met hers. “He means to keep us here.”

She stopped rubbing her arm. “Why? The gator-guards were following us. He could have simply let them take us.”

---