Page 39 of Keeping Freya
T’Rak gives me a reassuring look as he jumps out before the doors are even completely open. I creep closer, the need to breathe becoming overwhelming. Since T’Rak seems to be doing just fine, I release my breath with a whoosh.
The bright sun has me squinting, and I put my hand above my eyes, still breathing hard. We are in the middle of a clearing. It’s silent—like something spooked the jungle. Which, I guess, we could have done by landing. A landing dock has unfolded, and I walk down until I’m standing on the planet’s surface. A hesitant chirping sound comes from the edge of the jungle, and before long, it turns into a cacophony of sounds.
Slowly, I turn around. I haven’t been out in nature since I got kidnapped. A tear escapes my eye. Fresh air, the ground beneath me, the open sky above me.
“Are you well?”
With a smile, I turn back to T’Rak. “I will be.” And in that moment, I know with absolute certainty that I will be alright again.
T’Rak gives me a nod and closes the ship’s doors. “We go that way.” He points a certain way and starts walking. I rush after him into the dense foliage.
“What kind of suit are we wearing anyway? It’s different from the one we wore the other day.”
“Climate control,” he answers. “We have different suits for different occasions. This one comes in handy for exploration.”
“So, does it also regulate body heat when you’re somewhere cold?”
He grunts in agreement, and I pull at the fabric. It feels weird, but the concept is genius. Leaves crush under my boots as we walk, and when I look down, I see the ground iscovered in vegetation. We walk past huge tree trunks that can only be matched by those Giant Sequoia trees in the national parks. Vines hang from different branches, connecting different trees, and I marvel at all the new impressions.
The air is humid, and I'm grateful for our suits when a warm wind blows past us. T’Rak walks in front of me, clearing a path as we go, and I gladly follow in his tracks. He’s careful not to walk too fast, and he checks in with me every few minutes. It’s sweet, but I’m a strong independent woman, so when he checks in for the fortieth time, I roll my eyes at him.
“I was good 5 minutes ago and am still good now. I am tough, remember? I promise I will tell you if I’m tired or need water or other stuff, okay? You are the big, bulky leader, and you carry the pack. I follow and be needy when I feel needy. Happy, buttercup?”
He grunts but refrains from being overprotective for the next mile or so. I call that a win.
I follow T’Rak through a particular dense patch of bush, and suddenly we are standing on a wide path. It’s clearly made, though I don’t think it is well-traveled, because the overgrowth has managed to sneak up on it in many places. Still, T’Rak wordlessly pushes me back into the cover of the jungle.
“First, we rest and drink water. Then we follow the path.” I nod. That sounds like a solid plan to me.
Our break is quick and efficient. Before stepping onto the path again, T’Rak tells me to activate the communication device and turns on his wrist com scanners. I still feel tense, but he makes me feel like he has everything under control, and I decide that will have to do.
Our journey just got way easier, and after what I think are two more hours, T’Raks stops and leads me back into thebush. He pulls up an image from his scanners and shows me the map of the area.
“We are close now. We will continue through the jungle, so we will not be spotted as easily as on the road. Now is the time to decide where you want to hide: here or closer to the settlement.”
I think about that for a moment. Over here, I’m relatively safe. If I climb into one of those trees, nobody will see me and know I’m here. I won’t know what happens with T’Rak, and I have to trust that he will come back to me. Closer to the town, I am way more vulnerable, but I have more control…
“Okay, I will stay here for now. But if you are not back by nightfall, I am coming for you, so you’d better be back.” He smiles, but I’m not done yet. “And another thing. I want to be closer when the real action happens, so you have to find me a good hiding spot, close to the town.”
“I will,” he says. Then we pick a tree, and before he helps me up towards the first branches, he pulls me against him in a fierce embrace. Our kiss is short but sweet.
“Come back to me,” I whisper.
“Always,” he grunts before lifting me and walking away.
CHAPTER 23
T’Rak
Walking away from Fr’Ya on this strange planet, not knowing where danger will come from, is one of the hardest things I have ever done. I know she is relatively safe here; no lifeforms, big or small, are to be found in the near vicinity. I use the cover of the bush to make my way towards the settlement, which I know in my gut is the Den.
It only takes me about half an hour to get to the edge of the jungle. I hear the people before I have visual confirmation. When I do, I know I am right. It looks like one big culmination of bars. A louche watering hole sits on the outskirts of the square, and when I observe, two aliens roll out fighting. A crowd yells at them from the inside, but fights must be common because nobody is following.
I trek around the edges of the clearing, and everywhere I look, it is the same sight. Bars, pubs, with scattered houses and what looks like a hotel in between. On the south side, near a dark and heady sea, a huge landing strip where at leasta dozen different space ships reside, instantly, I spot the Sternotheri ship, and my blood starts pumping. I found him! We are in the right place, and I will finally get my revenge.
Thoughts of my brother try to push into my mind, but I shove them away, reaching for my calm. I cannot let emotions cloud my mind right now. With Fr’Ya in the mix, I cannot allow myself to make mistakes.
Making sure nobody is able to spot me, I crouch down and crawl even closer to the edge of the jungle. Trying to peek into the town. Groups of aliens walk across the streets, going from tavern to tavern. Some operate solo, but most of them seem to be in some sort of group. Interesting. After a minute with nothing, I crawl towards the next spot, which repeats itself until I find the most perfect lookout. There is nothing for me to do now but wait. Wait until the High Commander appears. I wonder if he will be alone or if he will be accompanied by some of his henchmen. They must be the last of the Sternotheri, and a weird feeling hardens my body. Shoving that down, I also pull out my binoculars and settle in to wait.
