Page 27 of Warrior
“Why did you keep touching the hull, even though you knew it would shock you?” I wanted to know if he was indeed stupid or smarter than I gave him credit.
“Wh-what?” His throat bobbed with a gulp.
"Why did you keep touching the hull, even though you knew it would shock you?" I repeated the question again, slowly, enunciating every syllable, even though I knew damn well he had a translator implant. I could see the slightly discolored skin at his left temple.
The Aljani swallowed hard, his eyes losing some of the fear. "I wanted to see if I could find a way into the skiff."
“Why?”
The young guard’s eyes hardened. “I thought if I could get into the skiff, maybe I could pilot it.”
"Ahhh," I breathed, twirling the knife through my fingers just to intimate him. "You thought you'd found a prize.
His snort was high-pitched and angry, like I'd somehow insulted him with my suggestion.
“I didn’t want a prize,” he snapped. “I want to go home.”
My eyes narrowed ominously. “A warrior—a soldier who deserts his crew does not deserve to live.”
The Aljani turned his gaze from me, staring out the porthole. “I’m not a soldier,” he muttered.
No shit!
“You wear the dress of the Aljani guard,” I nodded to the collar of his uniform peeking from under his enviro-suit. "You carry their weapons."
He let out a deep moan, sliding down the wall until he sat, knees drawn against his chest, head hanging. “I’m as much a prisoner as that human female.”
“Tell me.”
The gaze he flashed at me was a mix of anger and surrender. "What's the point? You're just going to kill me.
"I will definitely kill you if you don't talk."
Pale blue eyes stared momentarily, followed by a deep, shuddering sigh. “They conscripted me.”
“Conscripted?” My shock showed with the way the word blurted from my lips. “I did not think Duke Ako believed in conscription.”
"He doesn't. All the guards on this moon work for Nansar.” The pale blue eyes rolled in exaggeration. “I was an apprentice to the robotics master on Ajaxiaun. I'd always wanted to work with robots." His sigh was heavy and regretful. "One day, Nansar and a group of his guards came into the shop. When they found out I had no family, he conscripted me. That's what alot of us on the moon are, orphans with no one who cares. Except for those like Taitus and Zhune." Dumbass made a face that told me he referred to Cocky and Bored. "They and some others are disgraced military or prisoners.”
“Have you been through warrior training?” I wonder why I asked. I knew damn well he hadn't.
"They showed me how to use the blaster. That was it." He shrugged. "When we arrived on the moon, the captain said our service was just for show. Younglings doing the work just needed our presence to keep them afraid. They brought in the human after the guard assigned to the care of the younglings became too attached and tried to mount an escape.” Pale blue eyes flickered over the interior of the skiff. I did not miss the yearning held in his gaze. “Spotting your skiff was the most excitement since I got here.”
“What was the plan for the skiff?” I watched him intently.
“We were told to find the pilot and dismantle the skiff for parts." The pale blue eyes rolled again. “I hoped I could get past your security and use it to get off the gods forsaken moon.”
The knife felt too heavy in my hand, and I laid it on the floor, considering. “What is your name?”
"Xaden." Relief tinged his voice. "My name is Xaden."
"Here's my problem, Xaden." I pursed my lips, pondering a solution. "One of your comrades radioed the base that they captured me. But as you can imagine, I have no intention of being a prisoner."
Xaden smiled, and for a flash, he looked no older than Ewok and the other younglings.
“I need to get back to help the human and the younglings, so I can't let you go. Even if you swore you wouldn't talk, there is always room for error." I ignored the flash of fear in his pale eyes, "I need to make your comrades think I am dead or gone, sono one keeps searching for me. Plus, we need to get rid of these two." I gestured to the two corpses.
The smile on Xaden's lips grew deeper. “I have an idea.”
