Page 73 of Irene

“I’m continuing the pregnancy. I also refuse to be handed off to a different clan, no matter what Nil or your government says.” She took a couple of steps toward Sherv but stopped short. She was too upset to make up. “You, Rusp, and Jemi will man up and be fathers. Whether you want this or not, whether you love me or not, this is your life now.”

“Of course I want you. I love you, Irene! All I wish is you to be happy. I messed it up.” He sank onto the bed. His chin sank to his chest in dejection. “I’m sorry this has ruined your life.”

“Sherv, I don’t blame you. Not really. Mistakes were committed in every direction, by all of us.” When he gazed at her hopefully, she hurried to add, “I’m too raw to give you more for now. I need to cry and scream, but you don’t deserve it. Give me the space to get it together, okay? You could probably use it to come to grips about the baby as well.”

She glanced at the other two, including them in her plea. Rusp’s dumbstruck look had disappeared. Whatever he was thinking, it was masked behind a stoic expression offering no clue of what he thought. He dipped his head in a brief nod.

Jemi was in obvious shock. His gaze was aimed at the floor, distant and glassy. He apparently was incapable of speech at the moment. Irene wasn’t sure if he’d absorbed anything past the news she was continuing the pregnancy.

Sherv also wasn’t looking at her, but straight ahead. His voice was raspier than ever as he said, “Whatever you wish, Irene. Everything is up to you.”

It wasn’t, though. Her decisions had been made for her, thanks to her carelessness. Thanks to the first foolish impulse to put on a disguise and explore.

She crawled onto the bed, keeping her distance from Sherv. She curled on its edge opposite Jemi, turned from them all, and let silent tears run.

A week passed before they reached Kalquor. It would have taken longer if there hadn’t been a couple of wormholes along the way, which erased two months from the journey.

During the trip, there’d been a lot of uneasy silence in Clan Sherv’s quarters. Nil had relented in letting the men out, especially Rusp. Nobeks coped poorly in long-term close quarters. Rusp had been granted three hours a day in the destroyer’s workout area, under heavy guard. Sherv and Jemi were allowed an hour a day to walk the corridors.

Irene could wander as much as she wished, as long as a guard accompanied her and she promised to let him know if she felt lightheaded. Morning sickness had become a real issue. Her breasts were tender, a constant reminder of the life growing in her.

She visited the women who’d been snatched from the Beonid station. Her reunion with Meg and Mrs. Hoffman had been punctuated by laughter and tears. Emma had remained on the Beonid station, choosing the opera company, which now lacked most of its chorus. Irene wondered if Fausto and Valentina had retreated to Earth or cobbled together a show requiring less performers.

Irene was startled to find nearly half of the women, having gotten past the shock and terror of being abducted, optimistically looked forward to reaching Kalquor.

Meg was among them. During a visit Irene made to her and her mother’s shared quarters, she’d quietly enthused, “I’ve been talking on the com to the clan I’ll join. They’re so sweet, Irene. They apologize constantly that I’ve been forced to go to their planet, and they promise they’ll be good to me. They have a whole suite of private rooms for me in their home! It’s in the mountains…I love the mountains. Their Imdiko has written me poetry. Can you imagine? No man has ever written me poetry. They go on and on about how beautiful I am, and they never interrupt me even when I prattle the silliest things. They’re perfect.”

“It doesn’t hurt they’re rich and handsome,” Mrs. Hoffman chuckled. “Describe the jewelry waiting for you. So many gifts!”

“Oh, Mama.” Meg’s disapproval vanished in giggles. “Theyarerich and handsome, but I’m happiest at how they speak to me. So respectful. So caring, and not just to me. Mama has a suite and gifts waiting for her too.And…”

Mrs. Hoffman flushed at the arch gaze her daughter gave her. “They introduced me to a clan, the Imdiko’s uncles. We’ll see how I feel after I’ve spent time in their company.”

“Ha! She’s on the com talking to them every day. Usually twice.” Meg leaned close to Irene to whisper, “Mama goes in the bathroom for privacy to talk to them. I think they’re showing her their…benefits.”

“I heard you!” Mrs. Hoffman looked in the mirror, her countenance demure. She tidied her hair. “A woman should have a preview of the show before she commits herself to it if there aren’t reviews available.”

Irene couldn’t help but laugh at them. Based on what she knew of the Hoffmans and Kalquorians in general, it couldn’t have been a better match.

The women, whether on board with being taken to the alien empire or not, were horrified at the rumors of Gisele’s fate. Those who didn’t want to go wept bitterly to learn they couldn’t return to Earth. Some confronted the guards who kept watch over them. The Nobek security staff bore the screamed insults, hatred, and even slaps stoically. Many of the warriors apologized on behalf of their leaders. Irene was bemused to see the more brutal the women’s animosity, the gentler their jailers became.

The week passed with blessed quickness. Irene was thankful to see Kalquor, with its green-tinged seas, appear on the window vid. When the clan was together in the room, they were awkward. Or at least they were uneasy when it came to Irene. She had no idea how they were getting along when she went out.

It had been agreed…or rather, demanded by Rusp’s parent clan…Clan Sherv would stay with them when they reached Kalquor. The union was being challenged in the courts by the clan Irene had been slated for, and legal representation had already been arranged. The fact Irene was having a baby was deemed a plus for her union to Clan Sherv, but it hadn’t deterred her suitors. They’d tried to com her during the journey, but she’d refused to acknowledge their messages. She erased them without listening.

Otherwise, neither their clanship nor the baby was discussed between Irene, Sherv, Rusp, and Jemi. It was as if they feared those subjects would light a fuse and they’d explode. They slept grouped in the bed, but everyone touched as little as possible.

Irene couldn’t get past the hurt of losing her parents or the uncertainty of impending motherhood. When she imagined she might speak, anger reappeared. She was too scared of what she might say and the pain she could add, to dare to come out of her self-imposed silence.

She was afraid she’d lose Clan Sherv…if she still had them at all. Maybe they’d wanted to clan her, but parenthood hadn’t been on their radar. She worried it had dimmed their feelings for her.

* * * *

Clan Vinin and a few attendants waited for Irene and Clan Sherv when their shuttle from the destroyer landed. Rusp’s parents beamed at them, with the exception of Nobek Ezrob. Irene found it strange three of four of the elder clan appeared so delighted. After all, she and her companions were showing up in disgrace and under guard.

Nil’s men insisted Ezrob sign via fingerprint for transfer of custody. Ezrob was an elder version of Rusp, but for his better trimmed beard. His expression was bland, but he eyed the head of the security detail with an aura of malice. The other man gruffly added a “please, High Commander, sir” to the offered handheld document. Only then did the silent Ezrob jab his finger at the device. Irene thought even the handheld’s answering beep sounded apologetic.

The attendants busied themselves by claiming the small bins of Clan Sherv’s clothes, which had been all Amig had allowed them to take off their ship. Irene wondered if the men hefting their belongings worked for the spaceport or Clan Vinin. Rusp had mentioned a house staff.

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