At one point, she became aware of a cushion beneath her head but drifted into darkness again.

  By the time she fully opened her eyes, she was surprised not be on a couch in an apartment. It took a few seconds to remember that she had been taken on a spaceship with aliens.

  The sight of two of them at the table beyond her feet slammed that point into her brain.

  Krissa let out a heavy sigh and rolled onto her back with the pillow beneath her head. It was real. She hadn't dreamed the whole abduction thing.

  Now what?

  Chapter 3

  "She will awaken soon."

  Karik's hard stare would have unnerved a raw recruit, but while he wasn't hardened by the worst of the war, Torik was far from raw.

  In the tight space of his quarters, he stood unflinching under the critical stare of his captain. He'd had worse than Karik before this, each of them masking fear in the cold exterior—fear of losing control of others and themselves, fear of the unknown, fear of failure. Unlike the Seres they had picked up who readily exhibited her emotions, Karik and others like him preferred to keep everyone away.

  But they had other concerns with this task. Torik should be keeping her at arm's length, but he sympathized with her situation, as he had often wished others would of their homeworld's occupation, and couldn't bear to see her afraid. Fear would make her more dangerous, if she had any inclination to be a threat.

  "And you will refrain from telling her," the captain said.

  "You overestimate her." Torik's reply earned him a snarl from the captain. "How can she be a threat if she doesn't know what she is?"

  Karik's eyes twitched narrower, vertical pupils as thin as slits. "Do not lecture me, Lieutenant. Why would House Raou, the ruling nobles of our enemy, the Tah'Na, demand that we—the Lereni—find the daughter of Naperi of the Onduun?" He paused and inched closer, his eyes searing the point into Torik's brain. "Because they know she is dangerous. The later she discovers what she is, the better for us all."

  He eased back, and Torik let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. The threat of Karik's closeness had set off instincts that primed his muscles in preparation for a fight.

  But Karik wasn't careless about his crew that way.

  "This is a challenge. They don't intend to release our world, but I do intend to prove them wrong. This Seres will not learn of her capabilities until she is among them. Let the Tah'Na and the Onduun fight it out."

  Something about that didn't fit, and it clicked in Torik's mind as Karik turned to the door.

  "Won't the Onduun turn their anger on us?"

  Karik paused, his hand at the control pad. "Possibly, but they're supposed to be civilized."

  Torik gave a soft snort. From the reports he had heard about Onduun punishments, they were hardly what he would consider "civilized". Ironically, the Tah'Na used derogatory terms for the Lereni that indicated they thought them less than civilized.

  "There was a reason they abandoned her on that remote world."

  "Earth."

  A low growl came from the captain's throat.

  "She calls it Earth."

  Karik gave him a look that warned of consequences he didn't want to ponder. Rumors about the abilities of the Onduun Seres were both intriguing and frightening.

  Ignoring Karik's threat, he said, "If she learned the truth, she might trust us. She doesn't know any better."

  "Exactly—she doesn't know better. I prefer to keep it that way." Karik fixed him with a hard glare. "Don't say anything to her. We can't take the chance that she would destroy us before this mission is complete. A creature, in fright, will attack to escape. She will not take well to her fate, and we have no defense against the power of the Seres."

  Torik took a breath. Although not agreeing with Karik but understanding his reasoning, he sighed away his argument and said, "Yes, sir."

  Chapter 4

  Krissa's insides gurgled, waking her to the oddity that was her reality. Her dreams had been more normal.

  Food. What kind of food did they have on that ship?

  Krissa looked about the lounge, briefly caught the eyes of the two at their hologram table, and, seeing nothing, stood.

  Where was Torik, the one who was willing to listen?

  No sooner did she wonder than he stepped from the narrow corridor at the back of the ship behind the one in charge.

  "Torik." Anxious for someone to help her, she rushed to reach him, aware of the scowling face that moved away with the creature in charge of that ship. "Do you have something to eat?"

  After a puzzled frown, he exchanged a few words with the two at the table.

  "Repeat," the computer translated one of his words.

  She made a mental note of the word and its translation and said, "Food?"

  When he turned back to the short corridor, she followed him to an open door. At the touch of the pad next to it, it slid aside to reveal a small room containing a round fixture in the center with several bins around it and an arch of table with benches around it secured to the floor.

  "What is this?" She hoped it was some sort of food depository, since it clearly wasn't a kitchen.

  However, when he pulled up on one of the bin doors, the light inside revealed a pile of small packets. Torik pulled one out and handed it to her.

  "What is this?" She turned it over in search of an answer other than what it seemed to be. The silver packaging revealed nothing about the contents, except some strange marks along one edge.

  He let the door down and, with a hand on her shoulder, guided her back to the common room. Past the others, he stopped her at the cushions where she had slept.

  "Sit," the computer translated his word. The word and its translation cemented into her brain with the ease of walking through a door. That door of understanding had opened a crack, and she intended to "see" through it to understand as much of their language as she could. Already, she understood two basic words and some of the rest was beginning to make sense.

  Torik sat next to her and put his hand on the foil-like package. "Like this…" He pulled back one corner where she hadn't seen any way to open it and left the rest to her.

  Hungry but uncertain, she lifted the corner to her nose and sniffed. Not exactly cake and donuts, but she was too hungry to argue.

  Feeling his eyes on her every move, she peeled back the rest to expose a dark, lumpy slop.

  "Ugh. What is this stuff?"

  His grimace burned off any hope. "Rations…Nutritious but not good."

  "Not good? You don't like it?"

  He shook his head, confirming what she suspected.

  "But you must eat," the computer said from his words. "Keep your strength."

  She set the pack in her lap and studied his alien face for some human, familiar sign of what they weren't telling her. "Why?"

  He looked away to the others, who had paused in their work to stare at Torik and her. "You are important."

  Important enough to keep alive but not enough to explain why.

  Sooner or later, she was going to learn for herself.

  But first, she needed something in her stomach.

  * * *

  Krissa dumped the half-eaten slop in the dining area incinerator chute, glad to be rid of it after what she was able to choke down. The food left a bitter taste in her mouth that left her grimacing and wanting to wash her mouth clean with something more tasteful than recycled water.

  "That stuff is awful."

  Torik gave a less than enthusiastic nod.

  "How do you survive on that?"

  "Necessity," he said.

  It would be pure necessity that moved her to eat it, but until that was a problem, she wasn't desperate.

  At the approach of steps, both of them turned. Karik, whom she recognized by the bars on his shoulder as much as the greater depth of his chest and jaw, stopped in the doorway.

  "Torik."

  He turned fully to face his commanding officer.

  "Command center." Saying nothing more, Karik marched out.

  Torik gave her only a glance and followed in obedience.

  Curious, Krissa trailed him from the food area to the main hold and across the common room. At the narrow hall to the control room, Karik turned, stopping Torik. His eyes pressed her to halt.

  "Not you," the bigger alien said and marched away with Torik following.

  They disappeared when the door closed.

  The computer hadn't interpreted. She had understood those simple words.

  The corner of her mouth twitched into a satisfied smile. She was getting it as quickly as she had hoped. Soon, they couldn't keep secrets from her except through closed doors.

  If she played dumb, maybe they would reveal the secret Karik held close to his chest. Or maybe he understood too well, which was why he had taken Torik into their command deck and had spoken to him privately in one of the other rooms that morning.

  Karik wasn't stupid; he knew what she wanted. But he wouldn't give her the satisfaction of revealing anything.

  At the ruffle of fabric, she turned to the other two aliens at the booth table. They watched her with what she could only interpret as curious gazes.

  A shiver of discomfiture made her shift on the spot and look for a place to wait for Torik where she wouldn't be constantly under their surveillance. He was the only one who seemed to care, and no one had ever cared for her. They had always kept their distance, like these two. Karik was also different than most people she met, if she was going to consider these beings people. She couldn't yet place it, but it wasn't the same as school friends or family who would make her feel like she wasn't there. Rather, he seemed to go out of his way to be cold to her.

  Or she was imagining it all. She hardly knew them.

  Rather, she only knew that she appreciated Torik, but even he kept a secret from her.

  A secret that Karik commanded him to keep from her.

  What did they want with her? Why had they sought her specifically?

  If the other two weren't watching, she might have been able to sneak up to the door to listen.

  Like that would do her any good. She might be learning a few words, but she was far from fluent in their language. In time, that might work, but for now, she was in the dark.

  Krissa looked about the quiet hold, watched the two at the table long enough to realize they played a game and soon tired of their slow strategies, and returned her attention to the door.

  Karik had kept Torik for a while already. That might stretch into some time yet, and she was on a ship in space, a real spaceship.

  Excitement coursed through her.

  How had she missed that?

  She'd been too confused and hurt and injured and scared to be excited. However, now that her ankle had mostly healed—thanks to the ministrations of Torik and their advanced medical knowledge—and now that the initial fear had succumbed to curiosity, a sense of exploration took root.

  She rose to her feet and crossed to the back of the room and the metal stairs she had been forced to climb the night before. But now, her ankle was healed. Descending to explore would be easy.

  Intrigued by the new surroundings and bored of waiting, she started down the stairs. They hadn't said she couldn't explore.

  "Nef!" The sharp word from behind froze her with one foot on the top step. The two at the table both stood, watching her with hard lines to their lips.

  A string of words came from the one behind it as he slid out. Arms thrust with violent exaggeration as he stormed towards her.

  Krissa backed away to the wall, her adventure on their ship forgotten.

  "I don't understand," she said, but they continued towards her, their hair flat on their heads. "I'm sorry. I…I…" Where was Torik?

  A voice rose from behind them, stopping both. They eased away from her, but their eyes never wavered.

  Beyond them, heavy steps approached. To her relief, the face that accompanied it was that of the alien she most trusted.

  Torik shoved both aside and interspersed himself with his back to her. A heated exchange between them ended with him pointing to the table with his eyes on the one who had led the advance on her. His green eyes narrowed in contempt, the crewmate returned to the table and slapped a key.

  "How can she understand if you don't use the translator?" The computer voice followed Torik's statement. Not waiting for them to answer a question that seemed more to make them think rather than one expecting an answer, he turned to her in harsh criticism, full of suspicion like the others.

  "I'm bored," she said meekly, twisting her fingers together. "I just thought…I'm on a ship. I've never been in space before. I just wanted to see more."

  The way he watched her made her wonder if he would understand or turn on her.

  He turned back to his crewmates and regarded them for several seconds before saying, "The world of Earth is primitive. Her curiosity is only natural."

  "She would cause trouble," one of the two argued.

  "Perhaps less if such curiosity was sated with guidance."

  The other huffed indignantly. "You are too soft, Torik. She should be locked up."

  "And that would make matters worse."

  Another set of steps approached and stopped.

  Krissa peered past Torik to the cold face of their captain and swallowed.

  "I only want a tour, to learn about this ship." By the looks on the faces watching her, they would rather lock her up. Only Torik stood between them and her, hardly reassuring. "Please?"

  Without a word, Karik gave a sharp lift of his jaw and strode back in the direction of the command center.

  Was that a yes? A no? A signal of something else, like a pre-discussed intent to lock her up?

  Torik returned his attention to her. "You will have your tour."

  Krissa blinked, wondering if the computer had translated correctly. "I will?"

  Torik tipped his head with a hint of the warm smile she had come to trust. "Escorted. It would be safer than you wandering alone."

  "Yeah…" This was too convenient. Why had Karik agreed so readily? That wasn't like him in regards to her.

  Forget it. She wasn't about to question it openly. She'd take what she could get under the circumstances. And now she was going to have something to occupy some of the time on that ship, however much time it might be, and welcomed the return of a friend.

  A friend.

  She started at the thought. She'd never had a true friend before.

  Was he? She had hardly known him for a day.

  "Can we start down there? I've seen enough of this area." And of his crewmates, but she kept that thought to herself.

  Torik moved away to give her a clear path to the steps into the hold.

  She took the invitation and climbed down into the ominous near darkness full of crates and boxes and places for things to hide. In that, she was glad not to have wandered alone to be discovered by some strange mutant space rat hiding in their hold.

  He followed her and touched a control pad at the wall. Lights brightened around them, revealing the scene from yesterday when she was brought on board.

  "The computer will switch and they will hear." The voice of the translator came from a speaker nearby.

  She looked up at the tall alien next to her. "Could you teach me your language?"

  "That will take time."

  "And what else can I do? How long will I be here?"

  Muscles flexed in his cheeks and his gaze flicked to her but mostly stared away, an unfocused look in those inhuman eyes.

  "A few days," he finally said.

  "Then what?"

  "You will learn."

  She supposed it was the best answer she would get from him, but he'd given her a piece she didn't have previously.

  "And what else am I supposed to do? I'll be bored."

  Torik glanced up the stairs for a moment and returned his attention to her with a sigh. A second later, he reached towards the panel next to the steps.

  The words that came from him were not translated.

  Chapter 5

  After a tentative first few dozen words, Torik relaxed into a teaching mode that made the rest easy.

  Krissa soon had a basic working vocabulary that she reiterated at every opportunity in her tour through the hold and into the engine section of the ship with what seemed to be a large bundle of thick tubes between two towers of light rising high to the ceiling past what would have been the upper deck.

  And Torik seemed to enjoy being able to speak to her without the computer. He spoke slowly, giving her a chance to incorporate the different forms of verbs and nouns and some of the phrases. Although she didn't understand the details of the engines, she at least knew the words in Lereni that he used to describe them, helping her with phonetics and understanding the patterns to begin unraveling the complete language.

  In the midst of her language lesson, they stood for a long while in the short corridor between the hold and engine chamber, next to the break in the wall for the entrance ramp.

  Only when one of the others appeared from the maze of storage containers in the hold did they pause long enough for her to realize she was hungry again. It had been hours since her meal, but she was trying to avoid the awful food packs.

  "What are you doing?" The other looked from Torik to her and back.

  "Teaching."

  The air thickened with threat around the crewmate, who eyed her darkly. He snatched Torik by his armor to slam him into the bulkhead. His words growled in anger such that Krissa couldn't make them out with her limited understanding.

  She didn't have to. The way he attacked Torik and pinned him was enough to understand that they didn't like what Torik had done. They wanted to hide something. Her knowledge was a threat.

  "It was necessary," Torik objected.

  "And when she turns on us?"

  "Wait." Krissa grabbed the arm of the one pinning Torik to the wall. "He didn't—"

  In a flash, the alien whipped his arm aside as if spring-loaded. She slammed into the wall with a clunk that rang through her head and body and darkened the world.

 

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