Page 18 of Tribute
Back in the day, all the Tributes had been military volunteers, and the ability to fight and their high level of fitness had been a given. He should know. He’d been one of the patriotic fools who had willingly signed up, along with Kai. Now the government preferred to use expendables like Lee and train them up tolookmilitary. They weren’t being trained to fight an enemy, but to survive a sexual and psychological onslaught.
He dumped her on his bed and headed into the shower to wash off the accumulation of sweat and come that seemed to constantly cover him. Just a few more days to get it right and then it was Tribute time. Four months of work. Three of basic training and then this last, most intense phase. When he returned, Anna was already fast asleep. With a sigh, he picked her up, took them both through the shower again, and hesitated before laying her on his bed.
Like most of the trainees, she was covered in bruises and scratches from her falls off the treadmill. He traced the outline of a bruise over her hip bone, but she didn’t stir. He lay down beside her and continued to stare at her. He’d get her through the next three days, and then the first phase of his interaction with her was complete.
Depending on what happened after that, he might never see her again. He’d regret that. Despite everything, he’d become fond of her. He was a complete fucking fool. Her chances of survival were incredibly low, and as a trainer, Rehz knew that better than anyone. He reached out and picked up a lock of her fair hair. She should tie it up or get it cut short, but it was like touching the Mitan sun. He didn’t want her to cut it. He wanted to see it spread out on his pillow while he fucked her until she screamed and begged him never to stop.
Cursing himself for even imagining a future with a female who hated his guts and probably wouldn’t live, Rehz forced himself to close his eyes and go to sleep.
CHAPTER
FIVE
Anna glanced around as she and the five males were herded down a long, dark passageway that led away from the training facility. The smell of sulfur and the warm steam billowing toward them made her feel like they were approaching the gates of hell. The tension in the air from the trainers had ratcheted up to a point where she just wanted to scream at them to stop right now, or hit someone, or . . .
Her mouth dried as they turned into a smaller room with a big screen on one rock wall and a dozen chairs. She sat where Kai indicated, and waited as everyone else filed in and Akran took the stage. The lights were dimmed.
“Tomorrow is Tribute Day on Mitan. Our citizens celebrate our colonization of this planet and give thanks for the prosperity of our world.” He glanced down at the lectern as a series of smiling images flashed on the screen behind his head. “Most of them have no idea that their safety and the continued well-being of all humanoid life forms on this planet are bought for them by a small group of people.” He lifted his gaze. “In this case, the six of you.”
There wasn’t a sound from anyone, although even in the darkness, Anna could see the confusion on her companions’ faces. They’d all been too well trained to speak out.
“Fifty years ago the government began to hear disturbing rumors that whole cities and towns in this remote region were disappearing overnight. Security personnel sent to investigate never returned. Eventually, the government sent their best troops and scientists to see what was causing the disruptions. It emerged that what had been considered a barren planet, ripe for colonization, was in fact home to a native species who were in a hibernation phase many miles underground.
“The heat from the cities and towns and the growth of the current population into this region stirred the original inhabitants from their deep slumber. Fearing they were under attack, the species began exterminating what they considered vermin on the surface of their world.”
Akran carried on reading from what was obviously a prepared script. “The original species, theUngrich, have the necessary strength to obliterate us completely. Our armies threatened to use their weaponry to take out the core of the planet and blow it into a million pieces, but it soon became obvious that they didn’t have enough power. An agreement was finally reached. TheUngrichinsisted that they were a peaceful race, and asked only that colonization in this area should stop and that they should be allowed to study our species in more detail. In return for the Mitan providing specimens for examination they promised not to destroy any more emerging colonies in other areas.”
“Specimens?” Anna whispered. “Oh, holy fuck, no.”
He continued speaking as if unaware of the dawning horror on his audience’s faces.
“Once a Mitan year, on Tribute Day, we honor that promise.” He shrugged. “We have no choice if we want to survive. And fortheir part, theUngrichhave kept to themselves and destroyed no more of our colonies.”
Beside her, Trent made a stifled sound, but no one corrected him.
“TheUngrichare not humanoid. Their species has no equivalent in our world. Their appearance is . . . unusual. They exist in an atmosphere that contains less oxygen than our own, which is why we base the training camp here at this altitude, to help you acclimate.” He slowly scanned their faces. “If you accept what they wish to do to you, don’t struggle, and obey their commands, there is a high possibility that because of your training, you will remain intact and will be delivered back to this facility after approximately a week.”
“And if we don’t?” Trent spoke up.
“Then you might anger them. They don’t see us as equal to their species, and they don’t reason like we do. If you don’t perform as they expect, they will discard your results and remove you from their experiments.”
“You mean they’ll kill us.”
“Yes.”
Solly, one of the other males, shook his head. “This is fucking insane. So you’re saying that if we do what we’re told, just like you’ve trained us to do, we might survive?”
“Yes.” Akran nodded. “When you emerge from theUngrichenvironment, you will be given every tool you need to move on from the experience.”
“And we’re no longer under sentence of death, right?” Anna asked, although she had no idea what she was going to do if she did survive. Staying on Mitan wasn’t high in her future plans, but getting back to a planet no one here believed existed was going to be damned complicated.
“Exactly.” He bowed low to her. “Tonight your nation will honor you with a feast, and tomorrow we will offer you up as Tributes.”
The lights went up and Anna realized she had no inclination to move. How long was it since she’d been allowed to sit on a chair? She was so used to being on the floor that it felt weird. Akran came toward her, her leash swinging in his hand.
“Are you all right, Lee?”
She nodded. When he didn’t move away, she allowed her gaze to meet his and risked a comment.
