

By:

Maureen A. Miller

@2012 Maureen A. Miller

Cover design by Angela Waters Art

Smashwords Edition

All rights reserved

ISBN-10: 1479329452

ISBN-13: 978-1479329458
Thank you to my DH for everything.

This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places and incidents are products of the author's imagination and not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental.

All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under the copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the copyright owner.

PROLOGUE

Corey Burnfield's beefy shoulder blocked her view.

Aimee couldn't move. She was jammed in on one side by Christine Whitaker and her entourage of drama queens. Corey cut off the other side by placing his hand on the wall behind her. He leaned in to prevent any avenue of escape.

"Emma Patterson, right?" Corey's breath smelled like cinnamon gum.

"Aimee," she mumbled, searching past the senior quarterback to try and glimpse the freedom of her third period classroom across the hall.

"I've been looking for you." His smile was straight out of a toothpaste commercial. It entitled him to his choice of any girl at Bayville High School. Only a few months away from her eighteenth birthday, and having never been on a legitimate date, Aimee was nearly susceptible.

"You have?"

Her command of the English language suddenly floundered. Why would the star quarterback who had eyes the color of blue topaz want to talk to a clarinet player?

"Isn't your dad a mechanic?" Corey asked.

_Well, if you consider the Project Engineering Director of the local automotive plant a mechanic, then maybe_.

"Not exactly," she admitted. She wasn't good at lies, especially ones that were issued under pressure like this. "He works behind a desk."

Corey looked over his shoulder at the pack of football players making their way down the corridor with the same bullish grace they used on the field. They were no more adept than a stampede of cattle. His shoulder shifted to shield her from their view. Aimee wasn't quite naïve enough to believe that it was for her benefit.

"Whatever." His gum snapped and his eyes got shifty. "Look, my dad bought me an old Ferrari for graduation. None of the shops in this hick town know how to work on it. I was wondering if I could stop by after school and show it to him." He tried to flash his smile again, but it was looking rushed now that the football team approached. "Then maybe you and I can hang out or something."

Was she supposed to faint? Get red in the cheeks? Go _oh my God, oh my God, oh my God_?

Aimee just wanted to get to her third period class and not be a pawn in Corey's grand plan. Graduation was a mere forty-eight hours away and she didn't need any drama before then.

"I'll ask him about it," she offered quietly.

Taking advantage of Corey's next glance over his shoulder, she pushed under his arm and slipped across the hall to class.

"I'll catch you later, Emma," he called out as he turned away.

Aimee, she thought with a roll of her eyes.

With the limited pageantry of her graduation completed, Aimee sat at the dinner table and asked, "Dad, do you know anything about Ferraris?"

"Aim, it's a General Motors plant." Jennifer Patterson injected before her husband could swallow his chicken and speak. "You're talking some fancy piece of Italian metal that gets over 600 horsepower and almost 8000 RPMs."

Aimee smiled. Her mom seemed to know more about cars than her father with his fancy job ever would.

Tom Patterson set his fork down. "No, Aim, I don't know anything about Ferraris other than they are extravagant, unnecessary, and cost more than this house." He sliced a look at his wife and she just dumped more potatoes on his plate. "So I hope you're not asking because you want one."

"No." Aimee set her fork down as well. She wasn't hungry anymore. She wasn't even sure why she'd brought it up, but now that she had, she'd had to explain. "Corey Burnfield's dad got him one for his birthday and he wanted to know if you knew how to fix it."

Jennifer Patterson choked on her chicken as she reached for a glass of sweet tea.

"Oh really?" her father asked with a sniff, his eyebrows going up. "Sure wish I could help out there, but the Burnfields have a little more money than us. I imagine they can afford to find a foreign specialist."

"Corey Burnfield, the quarterback?" Jennifer coughed on the last word. "You were talking to the quarterback? Are you guys friends?" Her mom leaned forward and grinned eagerly. "Or is he your boyfriend?"

Aimee was glad she didn't have food in her mouth or she might have gagged on it. She shoved back from the table. This was not a conversation that she wanted to have. Picking up her plate, she took it to the sink. If her mother was waiting for her to suddenly grow popular and bring home a posse of friends, she was dreaming. Aimee could just see her mom salivating at the notion of her daughter hooking up with the quarterback and skyrocketing into social dominance. The woman watched too many movies.

"No, Mom," Aimee answered as her mother followed her into the kitchen.

Jennifer continued as if she hadn't spoken. "Well, I think you should invite Corey and his Ferrari over here. If your Dad won't look at it, I will."

"Jen, you wouldn't know what to do with a car like that." Tom crumpled his napkin onto his plate and approached the counter. He leaned into Jennifer, but Aimee could hear his sardonic whisper, "and Aimee can't handle a boy like that."

Aimee shook her head and sighed. Both her parents believed her to be a social misfit...and about ten-years-old.

"I'm taking Zig out." Aimee didn't think they even heard her. "I'll be back."

"I bet I could take that car up to 100 in five seconds." Jennifer continued until Aimee closed the back screen door and could no longer hear them.

Dusk in North Carolina was laced with the sweet scent of honeysuckle. Her family's property was sizeable—at least a few acres. Across a knoll and at the bottom of a hill sat a small pond. To the ignorant it might look like a romantic mist hugging the stagnant water, but Aimee knew it was a swarm of gnats. Careful not to slide in the mud, she let her Cocker Spaniel, Ziggy, distract the mob of insects as she tip-toed to its edge. Had the surface not been so murky with the olive tint of algae, she might have been able to see her reflection. It would have revealed an ordinary seventeen-year-old with brown hair and blue eyes that sometimes had trouble focusing.

Aimee loved this pond. It was her sanctuary, and the gnats were her royal corps of knights. Closing her eyes, she tried to imagine the roar of horses approaching as a somber battle horn sounded their plans to storm the castle. A lone knight would break away and steal her from the courtyard, tearing off into the woods, and into adventure.

Aimee's head dropped back down. It wasn't the sound of majestic knights approaching that she heard—it was Ziggy's incessant barking, and a symphony of Carolina locusts announcing the onset of night. The dog really knew how to kill a fantasy.

"Zig, shut it," she yelled through the fog of gnats.

Ziggy ignored her and took off, charging around the pond to howl a threat at whatever dog demon lurked on the other side.

"Ziggy, get over here," Aimee tried again.

He was out of sight. He'd gone into the trees.

With a huff, she started off after him. One thing they never did was to venture into the woods on the far side of the pond. She honestly had no idea how deep the forest penetrated. Once, she had estimated that it spanned several miles, but she wasn't about to calculate on foot. It wasn't their property anyway.

The forest on the far side of the pond looked like any childhood lair of terror spun by the brothers Grimm. Sunlight never pierced the trees, and in that cocoon, nocturnal damnation prevailed. In the past, she had walked along its shadowed edges and felt the silence reach for her with long black fingers. No birds chirped in there. No creatures scurried in the underbrush. A vacuum existed in that dark warren—a vacuum that sucked the life from the forest on the far side of the pond.

And that is where Ziggy had disappeared.

Great. Just great.

"Zigzig?" Aimee whispered as she stepped into the shadows.

Waning sunlight cast a violet glow on the outskirts of the woods so that the thick tree trunks resembled columns from an ancient Greek temple.

"Zig?" She wasn't sure why she was whispering, but the woods spooked her imagination into overdrive.

Aimee cleared her throat. "Ziggy, dammit, come here!"

She heard a muffled bark and sure enough it came from the gloomiest, most shadowed wedge of the forest. Aimee steeled herself. With one last look back at the pond, she started after him.

She found Ziggy only a hundred yards in, and what struck her as odd was that he stood still. His long ears, which usually brushed the ground, now hovered a few inches in the air. His head and snout were held high, and Aimee found herself following his gaze up into the trees.

"What is it, Zig?" she whispered, her eyes struggling to focus.

At first she saw nothing. The darkness was a void barely penetrated by the waning sunlight at her back. Yet, there was something. A light. A reflection. _Something_. A hum. Definitely a hum. Not the wind. Not a motor. It sounded like the oscillating fan in her bedroom window.

Aimee squinted. She swore for a moment that they weren't even trees overhead and that it was the massive underbelly of a giant vessel. A spaceship parked atop the forest, obliterating any sunlight. She rolled her eyes. Space ships and aliens lurking beyond the Patterson property.

_Right_.

"Come on, Zig." she muttered, kicking herself mentally. "Neither of us belong here. We're just spooked."

Ziggy cocked his head and emitted a low growl. For a moment Aimee wasn't sure whether he was going to dart deeper into the woods or just stand there barking like an insane puppy. But he surprised her. Ziggy, the traitor, took off back towards the pond like a herd of rabid Rottweilers were chasing him.

"Coward!" she yelled, turning to follow. "You could at least wait for me."

At least she'd meant to turn. She'd also meant to follow. Aimee couldn't move. If she'd done what she'd meant to do, she'd be walking nice and easy back around the pond, but she wasn't.

She thought for a moment that her muscles were locked in spasm from the two laps around the track during gym yesterday, but her hands and arms were paralyzed. She tried to clench her fingers into a fist and could feel perspiration bead on her forehead from the effort. She was motionless.

What the hell?

Even her lips could not move to speak those three words.

Light materialized around her as if someone had switched on a spotlight from above. She tried to squint against the vivid assault, but even her eyelids were frozen in place. Instead, all she could do was watch as the light grew brighter–bright enough that she could see through her hands. That freaked her out. Her hands were transparent, and she could see through them to the mottled leaves on the ground below.

The hum intensified and she began to feel lightheaded.

One lurch of her stomach and she felt nothing at all.

CHAPTER ONE

Aimee woke to the sound of voices.

She was in bed, but not her own. Had it been her own, she would have heard the fan and she would have heard Ziggy snoring. She also would have smelled the honeysuckle outside, and the vanilla candle on her desk.

This was not her bed. And she didn't know these voices. The heated discussion reminded her of her parents, but it didn't sound like them. Still, when someone was arguing, it was always safer to stay out of the way. Aimee feigned sleep as she eavesdropped on the hushed debate.

"This is your mistake."

"We can't do anything now. We have to leave."

"We can't take her."

"We can't stay. We have to leave now."

Another voice entered the room.

"They are coming, Vodu."

For a moment Aimee felt eyes upon her. She tried to keep her breathing steady.

Vodu, the man with the elderly voice spoke. "We must go then. You had better hope we have the opportunity to return and bring this child home."

"One child will not go missing, Vodu."

"Perhaps if that child was you, Salvan, it might be true."

Aimee heard Vodu's voice retreat from the bed. "You must prep her for the journey, and then get to your chamber."

The swooshing sounded again, and Aimee knew she was now alone with the young voice, Salvan.

Waking up a few moments ago, she was still in that ethereal land where dreams reigned and the light of clarity slowly grew brighter. As her senses returned, fear set in. Her hands trembled, but at least they were free. She was not bound in anyway.

"Why did you chase that animal away? It was all I wanted. Now you've gotten me in trouble."

Aimee cringed when she felt a hand trace up her arm.

"But you are much more fascinating than the animal," Salvan whispered.

She knew she had been kidnapped. From the conversation, it sounded like this Salvan guy had been after Ziggy at first, but God knows why. He wasn't a show dog or anything. He had more knots than fur.

Whoever these strangers were, they appeared to be stuck with her and were taking her along to their destination.

With quick resolve, she decided that she was not going to let that be easy for them. She grabbed the sheet and lunged off the bed all before Salvan could react. She charged towards where she thought she heard the door, but impenetrable white walls surrounded her.

Oh, why hadn't she taken a peek around before daring this mad escape?

Aimee whirled and saw her captor for the first time. He was young. Maybe a few years older than her. He had blonde hair and pale blue eyes, and dressed in an odd grey uniform. No. Silver. Woven from a peculiar material that glistened like the paint job on her old bike. Her captor cocked his head and watched her. The gesture reminded her of Ziggy.

"Fascinating," he said as if she was a bug under a microscope.

"Let me out of here." Aimee felt her breath coming in gasps as it did every time she started to panic. "This is all just some big mistake on your part, so just let me go home."

Salvan grinned. "I'm afraid we've already started on our journey so that's not possible."

Breathe.

She shoved her hands in the back pockets of her jeans to keep them from trembling. "Look, you don't have to take me back. Just let me off on the side of the road somewhere. I'll find a way to get home. I won't report any of this. Just let me go."

Salvan looked past her shoulder. "Drop you off on the side of the road?"

She followed his glance. A strangled sound leaked from deep in her throat. Practicing the trick for self-control her guidance counselor once advised, she drew air in through her nose. It was enough ammo to let loose one massive scream.

If it was possible to pass out on your feet and still stand erect, that was the state Aimee was in right now. She held her hands out, seeking something to grab onto. She saw the bed she had just fled. It was elevated and covered in a plush silver spread, similar to the material Salvan wore. On either side were two bowl-shaped chairs, silver in color as well. There were no lamps, but light emanated in a soft glow from the ceiling. Another source of illumination was the far wall comprised of a bank of windows. It was to that wall that Aimee moved on numbed feet. A scream bubbled up in her throat again, but she choked it back as she reached the glass and stared out.

Stars were distant, but more vibrant against a black void. On the nights that she would sit out by the pond and memorize constellations, they were nothing more than distant pinpoints of light in random patterns. Out this window, they shined with life and mass. There were literally millions of them—as if a hole in the ozone layer ripped open to offer this unique vista.

But it wasn't the stars that fascinated her so much. The stars were easy to look at compared to the giant bright orb filling the other half of the casement windows. She recognized the sight from text books and documentaries. Blue. The deepest blue you could ever imagine, with swirling white clouds like the pattern inside a cotton candy machine. It was so close she couldn't even grasp its full circumference. Struggling to breathe, she took in the familiar land patterns, recognizing the form beneath a layer of clouds. It was the distinctive outline of Africa.

The sphere that was illuminating this room was a planet.

It was Earth.

Aimee passed out.

Carrie Brenneman played the trumpet. She also played a mean game of softball. She was Aimee's best friend despite the fact that Aimee had not a single coordinated bone in her body. Time and time again, Carrie tried to recruit Aimee for some sport league, but the results usually ended up with a black eye or sprained wrist. So instead, marching band was the only place where these two outcasts compromised.

On one scary occasion, Carrie and Aimee missed the band bus to the game and stood on the curb contemplating their options. A senior they did not know rolled up in front of them in a souped-up Civic. His car smelled like cigarettes and a tattoo of a dragon branded the arm hanging out the window. He asked if they missed the bus and wanted a ride.

Aimee and Carrie took that ride only because they were desperate to catch up with the band, and too naïve to think about the consequences. Ironically, the boy ended up being decent. He talked genially about football and insufficient parking at the stadium during the seven minute trek.

After they arrived safely, the shock of what they had done settled in and a pact was made to never accept a ride from a stranger again. Just because they'd been lucky the first time didn't mean that they were stupid enough to tempt the fates again. Aimee was certain that she wouldn't have done something that stupid again.

"She's coming out of it," a woman's voice intruded on Aimee's bad dream.

At least she hoped it was a bad dream. Maybe she'd hit her head and this was the voice of a pleasant nurse in the emergency room. Wouldn't Carrie laugh at the dream?

Aimee's eyes opened. A woman with long blonde hair and wide violet eyes was watching her. She looked exotic and beautiful, dressed in the same silver uniform Aimee had seen before—but this woman's figure did the costume justice. Her expression was tender and sympathetic. She smiled down at Aimee and Aimee felt her eyes well up. All she wanted right now was to tell Carrie about the bad dream.

"I want to go home," she choked out.

The woman made a _tsking_ sound and touched her arm.

"I know you do. A terrible mistake has placed you here, but we cannot go back to your home yet."

Aimee sat up. She was back on the bed, and knowing the windows were behind her, she fought the urge to turn around. If she didn't look, then perhaps this was all a mistake. But, she could no more ignore the windows than she could ignore the fact that a computer monitor hovered in midair alongside the woman, suspended just out of her reach.

A dream. A bad dream is all this was. She was no longer scared to look out the windows, because quite honestly, none of this was real. Aimee gave this dream woman and her ridiculous floating monitor a big smile as she hefted off the bed and started towards the Plexiglas wall. Her steps faltered. Earth's glowing surface was no longer there.

Recognizing that this was a dream, nonetheless, she ran up to the window and leaned her forehead against a surface that had no temperature. Not hot. Not cold.

Around her was total darkness. Not the darkness of night, but rather the heavy onyx of space.

"It's gone." Aimee whispered, twisting her head in search of the familiar planet.

_Don't panic. You'll wake up soon_.

"Yes," The woman joined her at the window.

Aimee cut a quick sideways glance at her and noticed that the bobbing computer had been left behind. Her dreams weren't normally this imaginative.

"We had to make a hasty departure," the woman explained, her tone clipped, but kind. "We didn't want to draw any unnecessary attention from your military."

Playing along with the hallucination, Aimee asked, "Who are you?"

"I am Chara." The woman smiled. "You are in shock. We have given you some serum to ease that. I should be able to answer any of your questions now."

The impulse to laugh was there again and Aimee felt lightheaded. They'd drugged her. That was good. She couldn't imagine how freaked out she would be if they hadn't drugged her. Wait, drugs were bad. Her sluggish mind had trouble keeping up.

She leaned against the glass pane, or some clear substance that resembled glass. Whatever this transparent barrier was, it was the only thing to separate her from the black void of space. It felt as if she leaned far enough, she could simply float away.

Was that another planet?

In a haze caused by a new bevy of stars–and perhaps the serum this dream woman gave her–Aimee saw a jade sphere off in the distance. Its circumference was bound by a golden ring—a crooked halo. She tried squinting to get a better look, but her eyes lost focus and it faded into the milky stratosphere.

_To hell with it_.

She was going to ask the dream woman her most pressing question.

"Where am I?" For all the bravado that was put into that question, Aimee heard her voice crack.

Chara arched a perfectly shaped eyebrow. "You are on the Guardianship HORUS."

"Guardianship." Aimee repeated, her mind grappling in denial. "Is it like a space shuttle? Are you an astronaut? How did I get here?"

The dream woman sighed, but her smile conveyed such serenity that Aimee started to feel the panic ebb. Those must have been some very strong drugs.

"What name do you go by?" Chara asked.

"Name?" Aimee stumbled to answer the nice, easy question. "Aimee. Aimee Patterson."

"Aimee Patterson." Chara tilted her head and enunciated the words as if she was learning a foreign language. "Why don't I take you to our commander, and perhaps he can answer your questions."

Answers.

For a moment the cobwebs in Aimee's head receded. She felt remarkably lucid and ready to take on her captors. Maybe she could talk some sense into this _commander._ He could just turn this whole thing—whatever it was—around, and take her home.

Chara passed the floating computer and stood before a bare wall. She waved her hand at it, and with a gust of air the barrier evaporated to reveal a cylindrical hallway. Hesitant, Aimee followed Chara into the corridor and felt a swoosh of air against her neck. She spun about to discover that the room behind her had disappeared. Curious, she reached out to touch the wall, and went so far as to wave her hand in front of it, imitating Chara—but nothing happened.

_A dream_.

"Aimee Patterson?" the woman prodded gently.

"Aimee," she mumbled.

"Follow me, Aimee."

She liked the way Chara said her name. As if she used too many long _e's_. _Eeem-eeee._

A whisper of wind tickled the hair against Aimee's neck as Chara waved her hand to disclose a chamber lined with illuminated tubes, like a grand pipe organ. Chara stepped inside and dusted her fingers across the keyboard, the grid pulsing beneath her touch. Aimee followed her, and managed a discreet glance at the dream woman. Blonde hair glistened as if infused with diamond conditioner. Her silver uniform reflected off the lights in this small chamber and molded to her like a layer of skin. The material looked like it should crinkle with every movement, but it was silent.

Chara was tall, but the boots she wore might have attributed to some of the height. Her complexion was flawless, making any conjecture on her age rough. Aimee guessed her to be close to her Mom's age. The woman just seemed like a Mom—not Aimee's mom, but a Mom. Aimee felt a stab of longing for her real mother.

"Ready?" Chara asked with a smile.

And Chara's eyes. They were what put Aimee at ease in a dream so bizarre and _so_ _lengthy_. Before, she had deemed them violet, but in this small chamber—at this close range, they looked like sparkling amethysts. Whatever color they were, they were beautiful.

"Ready for what?" Aimee tried to shake herself into paying attention.

Chara's fingers flexed and Aimee felt her body jerk. The chamber, which she now guessed to be an elevator, was not moving up or down, but traveling at what felt like a high velocity—in a horizontal direction. For one brief second, Aimee nearly smiled because it reminded her of an amusement park ride—the Scrambler—but she clamped down on that enthusiasm and stared at Chara, amazed that the woman stood with her arms crossed, seemingly unaffected by their transport.

As quickly as it started, the chamber drew to a halt. Chara reached for the jigsaw panel, but slanted a glance at Aimee. The pause was odd. It was as if Chara were giving her a moment to collect herself for the newest shock. That didn't bode well.

"Welcome to the heart of the HORUS," Chara announced with a smile. One flick of her wrist and the wall evaporated.

Aimee had once taken a cruise to the Caribbean with her parents. She was old enough at the time to explore the ship without their supervision. In the middle of her adventure, the cruise director took notice of her and offered a tour of the captain's deck. It was breathtaking. Perched atop the ship, the deck offered a 360 degree view of the ocean and was flanked with panels of controls. Monitors detailed radar, speed, weather, and their charted route. It so impressed Aimee that for two years thereafter she was determined to captain a ship someday. As college loomed however, her aspirations turned to something more practical–like engineering. This fall she would be attending the College Of Engineering at NC State University. She doubted they could teach her how to architect something as impressive as what she saw right now.

"Oh my–" was all she could manage.

More than ten times the size of that cruise ship's deck, Aimee had to strain to focus on the people hard at work in the far recesses. The length of a football field, this deck offered a panoramic view—only it wasn't of the sea. A vista of cosmic wonders with static stars and blue-green nebulae made her gasp. She walked towards the closest window to observe the arcing trail of a comet.

A woman dressed in the conventional silver uniform turned from her console to gape at her with unabashed curiosity. Aimee felt uncomfortable under the scrutiny and returned to Chara's side, trying to keep her jaw from hanging open. It wasn't working.

"Okay," Aimee announced. "I'm ready to wake up now."

CHAPTER TWO

"It's not a dream," Chara offered softly, looking up as someone approached.

"Vodu," Chara bowed her head in respect.

_Vodu_.

Aimee remembered that name. The kind, elderly voice when she first woke. She could see him now with his white hair and deep-set blue eyes, and skin that seemed tan when everyone else around her was very pale. He was tall, but his shoulders hunched slightly with age, and his uniform was different than the others. It was silver, yet the style varied. His silver shirt was long and not nearly as tight as what Chara or that Salvan-guy had worn. Every nuance of this man indicated he held an exalted role.

Aimee searched the deck to see if there were other uniforms similar to Vodu's, but everyone looked the same. There were disparities as far as physical traits, of course, although predominantly all the people were fair in coloring. Blondes, pale brunettes, blue eyes, green eyes. The consistent factor that she noticed was that there didn't seem to be an unattractive person in the crowd. Even Vodu, with his wrinkles and tan skin appeared very regal.

"How is our guest doing?" Vodu asked Chara, while staring directly at Aimee.

"Her name is Aimee Patterson, Vodu," Chara informed. "I believe she is experiencing some displacement shock. She thinks she is dreaming."

Vodu shook his head in sympathy and narrowed his eyes as he turned to glare at the young man standing nearby. Aimee recognized Salvan, the blonde who had supposedly plucked her from her peaceful stroll along the pond in error. He stood now with his hip against a console, his arms crossed and a smug expression on his alabaster face. His pale hair was a little long and curled up beneath his ears, and he wore the familiar silver apparel over a lean body. He was probably close to perfection, along the vein of Corey Burnfield, but she perceived his perfection as a flaw. He looked too pretty–maybe even feminine. Regardless of his appearance, he made her uneasy, dissecting her with his eyes as if she was a specimen.

"We apologize, Aimee Patterson, for the mistake that was made in bringing you here, but I assure you that you are not dreaming," Vodu explained. "Soon the shock will wear off and there will be people here to help you acclimate to your new surroundings."

"Just Aimee," she replied.

Vodu's words settled in and Aimee felt a nagging sense of doubt that she was ever going to wake from all this. She'd landed in a world full of perfect people from the stars and she felt frumpy and awkward in their presence. Maybe it wasn't so different from high school, but at least she had known what to expect there.

"Where exactly am I?" The question made her feel vulnerable, but it had to be posed. "And don't say the Guardian ship, Hoorah, or whatever."

Vodu looked perplexed. He glanced over her at Chara for insight, but the woman shrugged her shoulders.

"You are on the Guardianship HORUS. We have just completed our _Lifequest_ , a journey where we visit planets from four galaxies to collect samples." Vodu shot Salvan a disappointed glance. " _Not_ human samples. Plant life, mostly. Occasionally some wildlife, as young Salvan here was aiming for."

Aimee was distracted. Silver uniforms flooded the bustling deck, but in her peripheral vision, she caught a glimpse of someone dressed in black. When she turned to look, there was no one there.

This had been the answer that she'd screwed up her courage to get?

"It was an accident that you were taken from your home, Aimee Patterson." Vodu explained, still patient. "But it is an accident we cannot correct just now."

"Aimee," she whispered, still searching the expansive room with its industrious, shiny staff.

Then she saw it again. A black uniform. It was like the others, tight enough to detail the tall, brawny frame. Its fabric shimmered with gold flecks to make it glisten, but not as obnoxiously bright as the others. Aimee was so busy admiring how striking the fabric was on the obviously masculine body, she didn't yet manage to raise her glance. Once she did—even from this distance she found herself locked by eyes of such intense amber that they made her breath hitch. They were like looking into the sun. You knew you weren't supposed to do it—that it might damage you—but it was so beautiful you just couldn't help it.

It was a young man standing off the melee of the busy deck, his shoulder hitched against the window so that the black void of space was his backdrop. No wonder she couldn't locate him on her second pass. His uniform looked just like the panorama behind him—black, with subliminal bursts of light that flashed as he moved.

"I know you are in shock and denial," Vodu continued, either unaware or insensible to her roving gaze. "We understand these traits. We've seen them before with other species we've picked up along our travels."

"I thought you only picked up plant life," Aimee mentioned absently, her eyes still locked with the young man in the shadows.

Just because she was distracted didn't mean that she wasn't listening. It was a survival trait in her household.

He had dark hair, shorter than the styles that seemed common in this bizarre place. She guessed him to be older than her, although something in his countenance hinted at a maturity far beyond his physical years. He stared at her, his mouth set in a straight line. Not congenial, not disapproving. Not even curious. He just watched her–almost as if she were his prey.

Aimee felt a chill and realized that Vodu was still talking.

"On occasion—such as in your case—our life-tracker locks on one thing, and something else jumps into the field before we can terminate the beam."

"So is that what this ship is? A bunch of others like me that you _accidentally_ picked up?" Aimee broke from the amber gaze to search the deck again. "Is that what you all are? Who are all these people? If not accidental victims, then what—NASA? Everyone speaks English so I guess you're from NASA, and not the Russian space program or anything."

"Nasssah?" Vodu rubbed at his jaw. To his right, Salvan snickered.

Against the backdrop of the cosmos, the man in black continued to watch her.

"No, we are not part of your space program," Vodu answered with a tolerant tone, "or the Russians. We speak your language because it is what you communicate in. We speak many dialects. If you started talking in Russian, we would accommodate."

"Madre de Dios." Aimee dropped a line that her friend Carrie always used when she was mad.

" _Si, hablamos Espanol, tambien_." The old man responded with a perfect Latin inflection.

Aimee was about to drop another test when a siren like none she had ever experienced pierced the deck. It was so invasive and unexpected she cowered on her knees. The shock made her nauseous.

Vodu moved nimbly for an old man. He jogged to the highest platform, a console filled with silver figures whose fingers sashayed across luminous keypads like master maestros. A computer floated by and someone snatched it with trembling hands.

"What is that noise?" Aimee asked of Chara, whose serene countenance now harbored tiny wrinkles of fear around her eyes.

"We are being tracked." Chara told her as if that explained everything.

"Tracked?" Aimee asked, a new fear entering her mind.

If these people had floating computers, spaceships, and laser beams—then what possible situation or entity could make them afraid?

"Chara." The woman holding the suspended computer cast a strained look their way. "We need you."

The siren sounded like a high-pitched fire alarm of nuclear proportions and Aimee lifted her hands over her ears, but Chara was speaking to her. She followed the movements of her lips. Yep, they were worried. Aimee didn't even begin to think that some special forces from Earth were coming to save her, but the fear in the eyes of these people was genuine. It didn't take a brain surgeon to realize that if they were in danger, so was she.

How could this situation possibly get any worse? Yesterday she feared being humiliated by a Ferrari-driving jock. Today her fright knew no bounds.

"Stay here," Chara ordered. "I will be right back."

Aimee opened her mouth to respond, but the deck shook as she was jolted several feet across the floor. Fighting for balance, she looked up at the transom and to her horror saw a hulking vessel that looked remarkably like the Manhattan skyline. That was the best way to describe what she witnessed outside the bank of windows...New York City afloat in the stars. As if that wasn't odd enough, the vessel came with what she perceived as two large, clawed feet. It was from these feet that a beam was emitted, and the HORUS trembled as that ray made contact.

If the foreign craft outside was as large as Manhattan, then what the heck was the size of the HORUS?

Aimee wanted to scream at the absurdity of her plight. This simply could not be happening. But the HORUS shook again and this time she was knocked to her knees. Strong hands grabbed her arms and hauled her up against a body that felt powerful and secure. She looked up into amber eyes that were so intense they exposed her vulnerability all the more.

"You can't stay here." The male voice was soft and husky, but she could hear it over the dissonance because he was so close.

"Do you know where the Bio Ward is?" he asked.

"Bio Ward?" she mouthed, her fingers curled around his arms.

"Zak!" Vodu called. His tanned face looked strained. "We need you out there."

Molten eyes glanced away from her towards the elderly man. "I'm on my way."

"Get her out of here. She—"

A blast hit the HORUS and Aimee would have fallen were it not for Zak's strong grip. He looked back at her and must have read her frantic expression. He did not break eye contact with her, but spoke to Vodu.

"I'll drop her off in the Bio Ward on my way."

"Good." Vodu clutched the panel for balance. "Zak. Be careful out there."

"Always."

Aimee felt herself pulled from the deck, and though she did not know this young man in the strange black uniform, she somehow felt safe in his presence. He exuded a take-charge charisma, and everyone they passed tipped their head towards him as if in a silent bid for luck.

The hand that was not secured around her arm flicked impatiently at the door to the horizontal elevator.

Inside, Zak surprised her when he touched a panel and the door collapsed into the floor, yielding to a huge plate of glass. Blazing along at parallel hyper-speed, Aimee was able to witness first-hand the destruction being imposed by the enemy craft. Sapphire beams flashed from the ship's feet in myriad directions like a Disney laser show—only these were not innocent strobes, and they had one destination. _The HORUS._

"What is happening?" she asked in a hoarse voice as the HORUS shook again.

"It's the Korons," Zak uttered with distaste. "They must be as surprised to see us as we are to see them." He shook his head. "Inconvenient piles of rock and sand. Planet invaders."

"Planet?" Aimee felt the blood drain from her face. "They are from another _planet_? This is getting to be too much. Somebody better tell me where the hell I am."

Zak let go of her and frowned. "There is no time to explain what you want to hear. You were taken from your planet by accident. You are on the Guardianship HORUS. We just finished our _Lifequest_ around the four spectral galaxies, and taking you on board was—" he seemed to hunt for a word, "–a misfortune. We are not hostile like the Korons you see over there, so don't look so panicked. We start the Lifequest over again soon. You will be back on your planet in no time."

_Thank God!_

Maybe she would be back in time to tell her friends it had just been a family emergency. Heck, her parents were probably so busy talking over each other that they hadn't even noticed she was missing yet.

A blast of radiant lightning was followed by a thunderous vibrato. That shudder was powerful enough to hurl Aimee against the glass wall. When her cheek smacked the panel she squealed, prepared for the tempered pane to shatter and eject her into space. Powerful hands seized her shoulders and drew her from the threat of oblivion. She was aware of a heart other than her own beating against her chest. She inhaled the fabric of his uniform, thinking that the material looked remarkably like space itself. Celestial camouflage.

Another sharp quake threatened to topple her, but she was pinned against that bizarre uniform, trapped within inflexible arms. Panic brimmed as she started to struggle. She didn't know this Zak at all, and here she was, splayed against him like syrup on a pancake. Yet, the embrace was something to lock onto in a world full of chaos. Everything around her was surreal—but the heart that beat against hers was something tangible. The warmth of another body and the comfort of the embrace, as unintended as it may be, represented the first sense of stability she had experienced since this whole nightmare began.

"Hang on," Zak's voice was as steady as his body. "You'll be safe in the Bio Ward. I have to go."

"Where are you going?" She hated the desperation in that question.

"I have to go out there." He nodded at the fireworks display. "Don't worry. Our Warriors will get this under control."

Another shudder shook the HORUS, and in the glow of a nearby explosion she saw the focus on Zak's face. He was indeed a _Warrior._ Prepared to go to battle to protect his own. In his eyes she saw the flares of lasers and the starburst of ensuing flames, and she also saw worlds she could never imagine. In those eyes, she saw determination. At that moment he looked as she would have expected Hercules or Alexander the Great to look before embarking on a battle.

"You said I could go back to Er—home soon, right?"

His nod was automatic. "We'll be back there as soon as the next _Lifequest_ is complete...that is, as long as the Korons don't succeed here."

Now released from his arms, Aimee felt dizzy and splayed her palms flat on the glass panel, absorbing the bedlam around her. The hulking silhouette of the Koron's ship was barely discernible, obscured by a host of small crafts that darted about like lasers themselves. Shark-shaped vehicles emitting a green glow from their aft-ends drew brilliant wakes like neon markers. She tried to trace them, but they transformed into hyper-blurs, barely differentiated from the beams firing on the HORUS. Every now and then one of the streamlined sharks would zoom by close enough that she could distinguish a solitary figure at the helm.

Aimee swallowed. "How long does a _Lifequest_ take?"

Zak waved his hand and halted the horizontal motion, disrupting her equilibrium as she collided into him. He set her back and considered the question. "Not long. I think in your terms it's only about five revolutions of your planet."

Five years.

Aimee closed her eyes.

And she prayed.

CHAPTER THREE

"Alright. We're here," Zak announced.

Aimee cast one final look at the Koron's ship and hastened after Zak as he exited the elevator. His wide shoulders eclipsed the view of the stark white corridor. Before a bare wall, his hand jerked impatiently, causing the barrier to dissolve under his command.

How the heck did these people find their way around here? Nothing was labeled. Would it be so tough to throw in a few mundane doorknobs? Instead, everyone just waved their hands and doorways suddenly appeared. How did they even know where the doors were?

"How—" she started to ask, but Zak's hand lifted again to enter another chamber.

This one looked remarkably similar to a travel show she had seen on TV. It was a special about exotic hotels, and the featured location was a resort in Finland built entirely of ice. A bar sculpted from ice. Beds carved from ice. Tables made of ice. That's what this room looked like. There were glass beds lined up row after row in barracks style. Some were occupied. Banks of glass cabinets were filled with intricate colored flasks that resembled Genie bottles. Glass tables and chairs sat occupied by chatting personnel. They paused in mid-sentence to glance at the ceiling as the distant sound of thunder marked another strike by the Koron's ship.

A young woman stepped up before them and asked Zak, "Is she injured?"

Zak let go of Aimee's arm. Aimee wasn't even conscious he had been holding it until the warmth disappeared. "No. Vodu just wants her safe."

The woman nodded and offered her a sympathetic smile. She possessed the signature set of features Aimee was beginning to identify with everyone aboard the HORUS...everyone but Zak, that was. This woman had long, sandy blonde hair and soft green eyes. Her countenance was pleasant and her voice matched the kindness.

"I am Raja," she introduced herself. "One of the junior scientists here. We'll find some place comfortable for you to wait out this—" she glanced up at the arched ceiling, "—storm."

Zak gave a brief nod and turned to leave.

_No!_ Aimee hastened after him, grabbing his arm. Beneath her fingers a muscle pumped. She dropped her hand.

"Take me with you," she pleaded. "You are going out there. You can—" she hesitated, "—fly me home."

There was no pity in his eyes. There was no impatience. To her dismay there was only resolve.

"That's not possible," he vowed.

Another rumble shook the floor. Zak was already backing away. Irrationally, she wanted to ask him if he was going to be safe, but Raja appeared at her side with another benevolent smile. "Come. Zak needs to go."

Aimee watched him turn, and this time she predicted the spot on the wall he was going to wave at. Even though it was not marked, she could now discern the outline of the door. It was a small triumph, but it kept the cloud of mystery from overwhelming her. When his tall body disappeared she felt displaced and anxious. She glanced around her.

"Don't worry," Raja read her expression. "You will be safe here. The Bio Ward was built directly at the center of the HORUS to keep it structurally impenetrable."

Yeah, well, if the whole damn ship blew up it didn't matter where the core was, now did it?

Aimee gave a courteous nod and trailed behind Raja as she marched down the aisle of glass beds. Passing one that was occupied, she saw a middle-aged man deep asleep with a glowing patch over his right eye. He looked like a stellar pirate.

"What is that on his eye?" she asked as they continued past.

"He was blinded during the first strike today. The Korons possess solar rays that will destroy the naked eye. That is their plan. Blind their foes first, and then annihilate them."

"Annihilate?" Aimee's voice caught.

Raja turned around and offered a feeble smile that faltered when the next rumble filled the chamber. "Well, they _intend_ to annihilate, but they never succeed. Our Warriors are too cunning, and they wear shields over their eyes."

" _He_ didn't." She pointed at the guy on the bed.

"The first strike caught some of our _Watchers_ off guard. That's mostly who you see in here right now. Watchers." Raja's hand waved at the sparse inhabitants. "It's when the _Warriors_ return that this place will get busy." Worry lines poked at the corners of her glossy lips.

"Zak," Aimee hesitated, "he's a Warrior?"

"One of our best." Raja nodded, continuing to amble through the empty beds. There had to be hundreds of them.

"Will he be—" The floor jerked. Aimee grabbed onto an elevated cot for support. When the tremor stopped, she repeated, "Will he be okay?"

"He usually is," Raja assured. "That's why he's one of our best."

They stopped before a bank of flat-topped chairs with spherical foundations. A tablet floated before each seat. The tablets looked like bobbing iPads. "You can stay here for now. Use one of the JOHs if you would like."

"Joes?"

Raja reached for one of the hovering monitors and drew it close. She tapped on the screen and it came to life. A face stared up at her. Not human, but a synthetic representation of a face. An animation, almost like a cartoon character made from a mosaic of azure glowing crystals. Black cavities in the crystal orb depicted eyes and a mouth. That onyx mouth spread into a smile.

"Hello Raja," the reedy voice greeted. "I am experiencing some intermittent time-outs due to the solar interference from the Koron's ship."

"I understand." Raja pushed the monitor through the air so that it hovered before Aimee. "JOH, this is—" she arched an eyebrow. "I'm sorry, we didn't even have the time to be properly introduced."

"Aimee," she quickly injected.

"JOH, this is Aimee. She is new to the ship. Can you please watch after her for a little while?"

The blue head flickered for a second, but the black grin remained. "Oh yes, I've heard about her already. I have so many questions."

Raja turned the monitor around so that it was facing away from them as she whispered, "JOH will spend hours trying to learn from you. He thrives on filling up his data banks, so if you get tired just tap the screen and he'll go away. He's really quite obnoxious after a while," she chuckled.

Aimee felt her throat tighten. To her utter horror, her eyes started to fill with tears. Everyone was leaving her.

The woman grew concerned. "Don't worry. We will be safe. The Korons have tried to attack us before. They never succeed. They won't today either."

To disprove that testimony a muffled explosion clapped overhead. Raja ducked, but rushed an assured look back on her face. "I'll be back to check up on you in a little while. This should all be over soon."

Oh, how she wished it could all be over.

Aimee watched Raja's slim silver suit recede down the aisle. She then moved over to one of the glass chairs and sat down. She expected it to be cold, but it was remarkably warm, and padded. It honestly looked like she was sitting in a big, inverted football helmet. She stooped over with her elbows on her knees and noticed her jeans and sneakers, which looked so out of place. Peeking up from this crouched position she studied the spacious chamber and watched other women like Raja administering to the few patients.

The _watchers_. Hah. A rather simple job. How could you miss a ship that size? It didn't exactly sneak up on you.

She jolted when a door appeared a few feet away and someone passed through. The barrier quickly dropped closed behind them.

Well, maybe the ship _could_ sneak up on you.

Aimee continued to survey the Bio Ward. It was the size of a circus arena, with a dome-shaped, mirror-plated ceiling. If she squinted real hard she could see a distorted image of herself looking down. The floor looked like black marble, but she never heard the tread of Raja's boots against it. They weren't really boots. More like footies attached to the bottom of the suit. Footies with heels.

Aimee counted nearly twenty patients out of a myriad amount of beds. They were all male, and most of them possessed eye patches. _Watchers_. If she lived on this ship, she would never be a Watcher. She would be a Warrior.

Hah, right. She played the clarinet...she didn't shoot lasers.

Sighing, Aimee glanced at the tablet hovering before her. It trembled in the air each time the HORUS shook from impact. She reached for it and guided it closer, gently tapping the dark monitor. A blue crystalline head lit up with a black gash that served up a grin.

"Hello, Aimee."

"Hello," she replied, casting a furtive look to see if anyone watched as she spoke to Sesame Street's futuristic cookie monster.

"Are you going to fill me full of tantalizing knowledge about your planet now?"

_Boom_. JOH flickered and the staff in the Bio Ward ceased their tasks to gape at each other.

"Don't worry, Aimee. The HORUS infrastructure is still intact."

Aimee noticed a woman nearby staring at another floating monitor. Even from this distance, she could recognize JOH's face on that screen as well. The woman gave a brief nod and tapped off the screen.

"Are you talking to other people at the same time?" Aimee asked.

JOH paused and she swore his blue orb wobbled in affirmation. "I am conversing with 3256 people at the moment. 3255 now."

"How?"

"How?" The black eyes flattened.

"How do you speak to 3255 people at the same time?"

"I—I don't know how to answer that." He regrouped and smiled. "So let's talk about you, then."

"And your name is Joe?" Aimee persisted. "Everyone around here has funny names. How did you end up with Joe? That name comes from my planet."

Oh my God, did I just say my planet? Not my town, or my country...but my planet.

"My name is too long to pronounce in any language. It is a series of symbols of which the first three represent a sound equivalent to JOH."

"So your name isn't really Joe, it's JOH."

The black eyes flattened. "JOH."

"Right," she almost grinned at the blue head. "I'll call you Joe."

The screen flickered.

Computers were the same no matter what universe you were in.

"JOH is useless. I would not look to him for any insight."

Aimee's head snapped up at the intrusion. For a moment she wanted to shrink back into her seat and drag JOH close for protection. The black line across the lower half of JOH's blue head no longer curved up. He watched her with unblinking eyes until a hand reached across the monitor and tapped it, obliterating his face.

"So they stuck you in here until all the heroes could return victorious?"

It was Salvan. He stood before her. She had never heard his tread on the marble floor.

"You are not a Warrior," she observed. "You are a Watcher?"

Salvan's face pinched in distaste. "I do more important things than either of those menial tasks."

"I realize I am a foreigner, but it seems to me if the Warriors return victorious as you stated...that wouldn't be a menial task, right?"

She didn't like the man, so she didn't mind pushing his buttons. "Why are you in the Bio Ward?" she proceeded before he had an opportunity to counter her challenge.

"I am—" he glanced around. In profile, he did look feminine with his perfect, aquiline nose. "I needed some supplies."

Aimee nodded. "Oh, well, don't let me hold you up. I'm fine."

"You're fine?" A pale blonde eyebrow arched. "We are at battle. You are in an environment that has to be a complete shock to your system. You have been abandoned here in the corner, and you are _fine_?"

He moved in closer so that her view was blocked by his lanky frame. She didn't like being boxed in.

"You appeared to be in shock on deck before Zak hauled you off." The way he said "Zak" was more like _Seck_. "I don't know why Vodu would turn you over to him. I'm sure Zak released you to the staff and took off as soon as he could. His motivation is simple and insular."

"Which is?" The conversation finally interested her.

"Fly. Fly and fight. It's all he cares about."

_That's two thoughts_. "He was courteous."

Salvan crossed his arms and looked down at her. "Well, I'm just suggesting that you might want to stay away from him."

"And why is that?"

"I just said. Nothing matters to that man. He does not care about people. He cares about himself."

Well, she sure was no judge of character after having spent only a few minutes with Zak, but if someone seemed to care about himself, she'd venture Salvan was the better guess. Even now he rested his fists against his hips and stood straight as if the correct posture could boost a few extra inches of height out of him.

To her right, the wall opened and Raja appeared. "Aimee. I need you to come with me."

_Oh, thank God_.

"Salvan." Raja acknowledged him with a dip of her head and concealed distaste in her eyes.

"Raja, I can take her. I know you are busy."

No. No. Please. I don't want to go with him.

"She is a woman. I'm afraid where we're going you cannot come along."

A muscle spasmed on Salvan's eyelid. After a moment he bowed and retreated.

"I will see you later," he addressed Aimee. His glance flicked up towards the dome and he added, "If we live that long."

"Don't take him seriously." Raja placed a hand on Aimee's shoulder and snapped her other hand at the wall so that they could pass through. "He is ummm—" Her forehead folded into a frown. "He is what you would call, melodramatic."

She nodded and smiled, seemingly pleased with the analysis. "The last report from Vodu was that the Warriors were making great progress and that the Koron's ship may begin to retreat soon."

"With its tail between its legs," Aimee quipped.

Raja frowned again. "That ship has no tail."

"Never mind," Aimee sighed.

The room they entered was much smaller than the Bio Ward. It resembled the first-class cabin of a 747 with its rounded corners and oblong windows. The windows did not look out into space though. They appeared to be monitors tracking the movement of other people on board the ship.

"Here." Raja pointed at a futon resting atop a glass pedestal.

Beside it, Aimee saw the first sign of décor in the form of a white vase with a purple blossom sticking out. The petals of the flower undulated, and even the violet stem seemed to pivot in sync with her movements. She sat atop the futon and the stem settled back into place.

"That uniform is for you." Raja nodded at the silver bodysuit lying across the divan.

"Can't I stay in my jeans? I'm much more comfortable in them."

"It is for your own safety. We all wear these for a reason."

"Which is?" Aimee fingered the fabric and remembered the sensation when she touched Zak's arm. It felt remarkably like flesh. _How strange._

"Please, put it on and I will explain afterwards." She stepped towards the curved wall and added, "I'll be back in a few minutes."

Aimee glanced at the windows. "Can they see me?" She watched a man speeding along in a horizontal elevator, his arms crossed and his expression intense.

"You can tap the screen and they will go away. This room is for recovery. More often than not Warriors are in here, and they want to keep track of what is happening on the ship."

"Warriors are in here... _recovering_?" It was probably a lame question, but she posed it nonetheless. "Recovering from what?"

"Battle injuries. We do what we can in the Bio Ward, but if we have to replace vital organs they usually recover in here. It's much quieter."

"You replace vital organs? Where do you get the replacements?"

Confused by the question, Raja replied, "the organ vault in the back of the Bio Ward."

Right. That would be next to the spare limb locker.

Aimee felt it best to hold her tongue. Instead, she glanced back at the windows, surprised to recognize Vodu dictating a command on the deck. He did not appear as anxious as earlier.

"If I tap this screen can outsiders still watch me through these?"

Raja chuckled and Aimee thought it made the young woman look much more attractive.

"No. Tapping them locks them. Sometimes it's best to keep the status of our Warriors—" her lips quirked in consideration "—a secret."

Raja moved closer to the wall and Aimee was almost certain which section was going to collapse. And indeed her hunch was correct. The wall dissolved and the Bio Ward was revealed.

"I'll be back shortly," Raja said. "You'll like the suit. They're very comfortable."

Aimee passed down the aisle of windows, tapping them until they went dark. She spun on her sneaker fast enough to catch the purple flower snap back into place. On closer inspection she could find nothing suspicious about the plant. Its lavender bloom faced forward inside an innocent veil of petals.

"You stay still," she ordered.

Searching the recesses of the ceiling, Aimee could not locate any cameras or nooks through which someone could watch her, but she was still uncomfortable as she hurriedly removed her clothes and slipped into the silver bodysuit. A few feet away she caught her reflection in the dark window. The suit made her look thinner. It accentuated her chest, so that for once in her life she actually felt like she had something up there. She rubbed her palms down her stomach as chills broke out on her arms from the sensation of the material. It truly felt as if she was caressing bare flesh.

A million prickles of light flowed across her arm as she held it up and twisted it around to inspect the sleeve. The suit was remarkably comfortable. She glanced at her sneakers tossed at the foot of the bed. This outfit had boots built right in. Comfortable soles that she could slip her foot into and instantly feel taller with the benefit of the one-inch heel.

A shrill metallic thump filled the chamber. Aimee clutched her heart and started to cower behind the bed as she noticed the wall give way and Raja's slim silhouette fill it.

Spotting her anxiety, Raja smiled and shrugged, "I let you know I was coming."

So, the knock was a doorbell of sorts. Interesting.

"What do you think of your new clothes?"

Aimee stared down at her arms again. The sleeves tapered around her wrists so seamlessly she could barely discern a hemline. With her eyes cast down, she noticed a stain developing at the base of her abdomen. A green circle the size of a baseball formed in the shiny silver fabric and seemed to spread. She looked up alarmed.

"I didn't spill anything on it! I swear it was clean when I put it on."

Raja circled her, the woman's eyes scanning her body with uncomfortable precision.

"You need to eat," Raja observed.

"I wouldn't exactly call myself skinny," Aimee retorted as her hand settled on her stomach to hide the green blemish.

"The suit indicates that you have been without food for a lengthy period of time," Raja explained, continuing to inspect her body. "Long enough to alert us."

"The green stain?" Aimee's eyes widened in disbelief. "The suit tells you if I'm hungry?"

"Yes. But green is good. If anything turns red, then there is a problem. None of your internal organs have lit up. You are very healthy, Aym-hee."

What a strange accent the women on this ship had.

"The man who brought me to the Bio Ward...Zak. How come he wears a black uniform?"

"Ahh, Zak. He is different."

"How so?"

Raja tapped one of the windows to reveal an assembly of silver-sheathed people flanking an empty podium. "He is from Ziratak. His planet was attacked by the Korons. "His family—" she hesitated, "—the casualties were considerable. By the time our Warriors were able to touch down on the surface, there was nothing left to rescue—except for a child." She managed a soft smile. "When Zak was brought back here we learned that his genotype differed from ours. His organs could not be read by our suits so we had to design a much more complex one."

So Zak had been plucked off his planet just like her. But her family was still home, safe and sound. Zak was not so fortunate. It tugged at her heart to think of the young boy, all alone.

"And what about you?" Aimee broke from the thought. "What planet did you come from?"

Raja frowned. "I was born on the HORUS."

"And your parents?"

"No."

"Where were they born?"

"Come." Raja waved. "We will talk later. Vodu is about to speak. I'm hoping it is to announce that this battle is over."

Aimee hoped that as well. With all the stress she was subjected to, she was surprised that her suit didn't light up like a Christmas tree. It was one thing to have been abducted by aliens from your back yard. But she had not been allowed the time to absorb that fact, and instead had to worry about imminent death from a marauding ship that resembled Manhattan.

"Aym-hee. Come."

Aimee jerked to attention and jogged to catch up.

CHAPTER FOUR

Lined shoulder to shoulder in a packed horizontal elevator, Aimee took a deep breath.

She felt their sidelong glances. Their curiosity. Even though she wore their uniform, she was still an outsider.

She was an alien.

The abrupt halt of the transport brought on a bout of inertia. Aimee glanced down at her abdomen to see if the nausea registered there. The suit was still silver with a pale trace of lime infused in the material. Raja promised that she would eat as soon as this assembly was completed.

But, what were they going to feed her?

What surprised Aimee was the organized exit from the elevator. In single-file they marched into the corridor, their silver boots falling in stride without even trying. Back home it would have been a stampede of epic proportions—even when there was nothing to rush to.

With her eyes glued to the long sweep of Raja's gold hair, Aimee was afraid she would lose the young woman when an influx of people merged into the march. That's what this was. A march. A procession to the unknown.

The ceiling progressively inclined until they approached a massive marble arch, similar to the Arc de Triomphe. Men and women of varying ages filed beneath the ornate portico into a colossal theatre. If Aimee were to relate the chamber to something back home, it looked like the place where they held the Academy Awards. Rows and rows of seats extended in front of her, with glass balconies lining walls that seemed soluble. Yes. Wet. Water ran down a cherry wood facade.

She squinted up at the tiered balconies climbing nearly eight stories high and detected the blurred motion of people filing into their seats. A podium the size of a baseball field sat elevated in the middle of the ring of seats. It was empty, but there was minimal conversation as everyone stared at it in expectation.

There had to be literally thousands of people in here and yet she could barely distinguish a hushed whisper. Raja turned down an aisle near the stage and Aimee followed, catching the woman's quick glimpse over her shoulder to make sure Aimee was in tow. Once seated, Aimee looked around and recognized Salvan's dusky hair two rows ahead of her. _What luck_. As if sensing her stare, he turned around and pinned her with a sneer. It unnerved her.

She was even more conscious of the silence, and if it weren't for the collective murmur of approval that sounded like everyone had just finished a hamburger, she would have never noticed the solitary figure that materialized on stage.

It was Vodu. He looked majestic in his unique garb. It wasn't that Vodu's physical stature was daunting...he still looked like an old man. It was the respect he commanded.

First there was silence, and then the murmur of approval. No, not approval, it was almost a purr of relief as he appeared.

He raised his hand and the entire assembly went still.

"Citizens of HORUS. Our battle with the Korons has ended."

Aimee expected an ovation. Beside her, Raja made a little tickle sound in the back of her throat. So did the entire assembly until the echoing murmur filled the hall.

Vodu nodded and raised his hand.

_Silence_.

"Our Warriors were able to encourage the Koron's vessel to move along with only minimal retaliation."

Zak was there. His sudden appearance startled her. She had not seen him climb onto the stage, and yet he was abruptly there. He looked so tall next to Vodu, and all along she had considered Vodu an impressive figure.

Zak's black uniform sparkled under the overhead glow. Glancing down at her own uniform she noticed a pink tinge across her chest. _Breathe!_ One huge gulp and her suit resembled a foggy mirror again.

"Zak led this attack," Vodu called out. "We owe him our gratitude."

In front of her, she could see Salvan's shoulders stiffen. He did not hum like the others.

"We were forced to temporarily modify our course. As a result we will not pass by Anthum for another _ren_. JOH will keep you informed on the estimated arrival in Anthum's solar system. Also," Vodu revealed a rare grin, "I have been told that the young ones will be performing a concert for your pleasure later. Check with JOH on the schedule, and please commend these future Warriors, Watchers, Scientists, and Entrepreneurs."

Aimee glanced around, but nowhere could she distinguish any _young ones_. She felt as if she was the youngest person here–with Salvan and Raja maybe only a few years ahead of her.

Vodu dipped his head and the hum started up again. It was infectious. She nearly joined in. This was their form of applause. En masse, everyone stood, preparing to exit. Aimee rose and hefted up on the toes of her new boots for one last glimpse of the beguiling black uniform. Instead, her glance collided with the pale eyes two rows in front of her.

"Are you going to see the young ones perform later?"

Aimee dodged Salvan's question by searching Raja's face. There was a conspiratorial glint in Raja's eyes. "Perhaps a little later. Right now Aimee needs food."

Aimee's stomach roared with approval as Raja and Salvan both glanced down at it.

"Uh, I guess I am a little hungry."

"We have many venues for eating on the HORUS, but I wanted to bring you back here for now so that I can confirm your digestive system will handle our cuisine."

The rumble from her stomach died down.

"What...what am I having?" Aimee sat in the corner of the recovery room, watching the _windows_ expose people still exiting the exhibition hall.

The wall opened and a thin silver man appeared with a tray. He handed it to Raja and the barrier closed again.

"We cultivate our food on the HORUS."

_Cultivate_. _Yum_.

Aimee angled her head to glimpse at what sat on the tray. There were three lumps. One looked like stuffing. One looked like mashed potatoes, or maybe grits, and the last was meat she gathered by its sinewy texture.

_Tastes like chicken_.

She pointed at the last scoop. "What is that? It looks like meat. You cultivate meat?"

" _Sumpum_."

"Something?"

" _Sumpum_ ," Raja repeated. "We originally found them on a planet in the Janiah system. Actually, they were the only warm-blooded life form on the entire planet. Everything else was vegetation. We brought back some _sumpum_ along with their food source, and here they have thrived ever since."

_Oh my God!_ They were going to take Ziggy, her cocker spaniel, and _cultivate_ him!

Aimee decided to test out the other items and leave the _sumpum_ for last.

"And this?" She pointed at the innocuous mashed potatoes.

"It's a pulverized form of vegetation. Made from a stalk. It's quite—" Raja searched for a word, "—delicious."

The utensil Aimee was provided with resembled a spoon, but it looped around three of her fingers like a set of rings. It was a heck of a lot easier to hold than chop sticks, but a little overkill compared to a fork. She tasted the creamy white substance and smiled up at Raja. "It tastes like cereal."

"What is cereal?"

"It's—"

Raja held up a finger. "Wait." She reached over and hauled a floating computer over. She nudged it in Aimee's direction and nodded. "Tell JOH. Then we all can know." She rose and approached the wall. "I will be back shortly."

With Raja gone, Aimee was less timid. She tapped the dark screen and the silly blue face appeared, smiling and sparkling with its gaping black mouth. "Hello Aimeeeeeeeee."

Aimee felt the ee's would have rolled on forever had she not cleared her throat and interrupted. "Hello, JOH."

"You pronounce my name funny." JOH observed with a celluloid accent.

"You pronounce _my_ name funny," she countered.

JOH's black mouth stretched thin, but in seconds it curved back into place. "Are you going to teach me about Earth now?"

"I will, but first Raja told me you would explain what this food is."

" _Sumpum_." JOH clicked and smacked crystal lips.

"Besides the Sumpum."

Black eyes sliced sideways onto the right-side of his orb. _Was he actually looking at her plate?_

"Crup."

Crap?

"Which one is the crap, I mean, _crup_?"

"The pulverized _keela_ stalk. The—" His animated face literally frowned in concentration.

" _Keela_ ," Aimee repeated. "It is good. I told Raja that it tastes like cereal. What we call oatmeal. If you could put a little maple syrup in it, it would be perfect."

"Ote-meel. Tell me about ote-meel and seer-hup."

Aimee told JOH about her favorite breakfast. She told JOH about her favorite dinner. She told him about life on Earth. She told him about college, and war, and baseball...and she found that he was a cordial listener. He injected questions, but he was not obnoxious. Being able to talk about home so freely took a slight edge off the debilitating fear of being here. Describing her house to JOH made it seem not so far away.

Aimee hesitated and looked up at the _windows_ and quickly rushed to each one to turn off the screens. She pivoted back towards JOH and nearly collided with him as he floated in her wake. She grabbed his frame and hoisted it up in the air so that now his face hovered even with hers.

"Now it's my turn," she whispered. "Tell me where I am."

JOH's eyes widened. "The HORUS."

"I know that." She grew impatient, fearing Raja would return and interrupt. "What is the HORUS? Where is it in relationship to my planet? Who are the people on this ship? Where do they come from? When can I go back home?"

JOH's mouth opened and closed several times. "I asked you one question, Aim-eeeeeeee."

Could computers pout?

"I must re-sort your questions into a tabulated sequence in order to answer them adequately. What are the people on this ship? Where do they come from? What is the HORUS? Where is it in relationship to my planet? When can I go back home?" JOH paused and his smile returned. "May I proceed in this order?"

Using the strange utensil, Aimee shoved in a mouthful of _crup_ as she nodded. "Please."

"You call yourself, human." JOH began. "You think that your race is exclusive to your planet. What you call human, we call _mecaws_."

"Mecaws?" She tested out the word. "I had wondered why everyone looked human and not like a big green squid or something."

"They look _mecaw_ , not human."

Aimee nearly laughed at his exasperation.

"Okay, so _mecaws_ are not exclusive to Earth. Where else can you find them?"

JOH snorted. "Where _can't_ you find them is the more appropriate question. They may differ from planet to planet. Some have contrasting compositions—blood, you call it. But they all look pretty similar. To me at least."

"Of course," he was quick to add, "there are planets with big green squids on them too. I don't know what a big green squid is, but I imagine you have encountered other terrestrial beings then."

JOH did not wait for her affirmation. He continued.

"The _mecaws_ on this ship come from a planet called Anthum."

JOH's face dissolved as another orb filled the screen. It was a green planet resplendent with dark patches of water and wispy white swirls–so achingly similar to Earth. Another image flashed of a temple with columns of black marble and stairs of the same ore. A waterfall trickled down the center of the stairway, and exotic plant life flanked the water. At the top of the temple, a globe of the same coloring was suspended by golden streamers, like a giant marbleized piñata.

Another picture appeared. A family stood in a courtyard lined with trees. Sun beams poured through the branches to score the attractive faces of a man, woman, and female toddler. The females were dressed in white gowns and the man wore a white bodysuit illuminated by the wayward rays.

"Anthum," JOH's face filled the frame, shattering the serene scene. "It still looks like that. The buildings stand tall, but there are no people left to inhabit them."

"Why?" Aimee frowned.

"Wait–I'm calculating a time translation."

The way JOH's face crinkled, it looked more like he had gas. "About thirty revolutions of your planet ago the citizens of Anthum became ill. A disease spread quickly. Scientists determined that it originated from a plant used in their diet, but by that time the illness had already adapted into a contagion. There was an island region of the planet that had yet to fall ill, but it was a matter of time before the plague reached their shores. The island inhabited many of our scientists and exploration masters. Work was underway to build a craft capable of spending endless orbits in space for exploration. It became a race to complete that ship in hopes of getting the island's dwellers into space before the disease could claim them too."

Aimee leaned forward, rapt by the tale. "They got away? That ship was the HORUS?"

JOH smiled. "Yes. Initially there was great sadness over the loss of their planet. Their people. Then there was panic. What if someone contaminated had made it on board? Scientists created the suit that you are wearing to monitor the internal organs of the Anthumians. If the disease is present, your organs will light up with a red glow rather than the yellow shade of normal failure."

Aimee glanced down at her abdomen. It remained blissfully silver.

"Currently, the HORUS travels the galaxies in search of a cure for the disease so that the Anthumians can return home. We retrieve plant life from every planet in a quest for an antidote."

"But you retrieve more than just plants," she interrupted. "You pick up people."

JOH's mouth thinned. "You were a mistake, Aimee. Some children of the original scientists fancy themselves experts in the craft. These rogue offspring may be as dangerous to us as the disease itself."

The ominous ring of that statement left Aimee anxious. She was alone. Far from home on a ship that could harbor a plague that destroyed an entire race.

"You are safe, Aimee." JOH read her expression.

How interesting that a computer could read emotions and offer empathy.

"There were two more questions," she reminded.

"In terms that you would use, the HORUS is about 6,790 light years away from your planet, and heading away from it at a very swift pace."

"Why are you heading _away_?" Aimee gulped. "Why can't you go back if you move so fast?"

"Revolutions, Aimee. Everything in space moves in circuits. You can't go against it. We reach Earth's galaxy every five revolutions of your planet. That isn't long at all."

"Five years is very long!"

"Years. Right. You call them _years_." JOH blinked and added the word to his databank.

"So that is the answer to my last question," she added feebly. "I can't go home for another five years?"

Maybe there was some legitimacy to what JOH was saying, but she didn't buy it. If they could make vessels like the HORUS, they could fly her back home... _now_.

"Aimee, your planet has already completed an eighth of a revolution."

Her jaw dropped. "What? I've only been here a day–maybe two."

"Days." He tested the word out. "Time as you know it works different in space. We have travelled a great distance in what may seem a short time to you. Let me see if I can translate some numbers you may identify with. If my data proves correct, your planet has a distance of measure called a kilometer?"

Aimee bobbed her head.

"The galaxy we are about to enter is approximately 64,000,000,000,000,000 kilometers away from Earth. The HORUS travels that distance very quickly, but consider how much of your time must have passed back on Earth while we were making that journey."

Forty-five days. Her parents must have assumed she was dead by now. Her friends had moved on. College was starting.

She had missed her eighteenth birthday.

Aimee lifted her hands to her face and started to cry.

CHAPTER FIVE

Unable to take anymore, Aimee shoved JOH away. After a period of self-wallowing, she began to pace and narrowed her eyes at the black windows. When activated, they revealed only the interior of the ship, and she wanted to see outside.

Claustrophobia wrapped around her throat like an anaconda. Within this narrow white chamber she could not get a proper grasp of her plight. She needed to get out.

Aimee rose and stepped up to the section of the wall that Raja had passed through. Lifting her hand, she waved it over her head. Nothing. She tried to emulate Raja's casual flick of the wrist. Nothing. She took a step to her left and repeated the motion, and then to her right. Frustrated, she threw both her hands in the air and crisscrossed them back and forth. Nothing.

She stuck her tongue out at the wall.

It opened.

With her head down, Aimee shouldered past the aide that had most likely opened the door from the outside.

Within the Bio Ward, she retraced her steps down the aisle of beds, conscious of the inquisitive glances of both patients and physicians. Raja was nowhere to be found so Aimee darted back to where she remembered the horizontal elevator being located. Rather than draw attention by flapping her hands frantically at the wall, she was relieved to arrive just as a couple stepped through. They cast a brief glimpse at her, but continued on. With the exception of her dark hair, in her silver-skinned suit she could walk unnoticed amongst them.

Longing for the traction of her sneakers as opposed to the slippery soles of these boots, Aimee cast one final glimpse in each direction. She jogged a few steps and darted into the open compartment.

The wall sealed, securing her inside the confined space like the closing walls of a trash compactor. _Think, Aimee_. She stared at the panel of lights, uncertain which sequence prompted the vessel into action. What had Chara touched? Aimee had watched her, but was so too overwhelmed to focus on the details.

She wouldn't make that mistake again.

_Deep breath_.

If 45 days had truly passed already back home, she should be starting her Engineering Fundamentals class at NC State soon. This circuitry panel would serve as a preliminary exam. If she could master these alien electronics, surely she could pass the class.

It was not heat-activated, nor was it triggered by a simple swipe of the hand as other facets of the ship. Logic dictated that randomly pressing buttons could result in unpleasant, if not deadly repercussions. A bank of illuminated controls. Three sets of three. Each set consisting of blue, purple, and green lights. Though she was completely boxed in, she knew that three sides of this compartment contained windows somehow triggered to open on demand. The other wall faced the interior of the ship. With brazen confidence, she pressed the three blue buttons and the external walls dropped. The tableau made her stumble backwards. The last time she had gazed out these windows the view was occupied by the body of the Koron's ship.

Now, eternal night hugged her like a black satin sheet.

Focus.

The green buttons beckoned. _Green means go_.

It couldn't be that simple.

She pressed the vibrant emerald switch on the top row and an overhead light cast a stark glare against the black backdrop. She pressed the knob directly beneath it and tripped a few steps as the cabin revved into motion. There was nothing in the black pocket of space outside to indicate in what direction she was traveling, but she felt the velocity. Before the chamber journeyed too far, she chanced tapping the bottom green button. The elevator slowed. Tapping the third blue switch drew the walls back into place, concealing the view. With a sense of empowerment, she pressed the last purple button and the transport halted.

_Whew!_

She had just passed her first engineering test.

Feeling a tad cocky, she waved her hand at the wall and it dissolved into an empty corridor.

She looked at her hand. _Wow_.

A quick glimpse in each direction revealed that the coast was clear. She jogged towards the right because _right was always right_.

The lust to escape had waned and the reality that she had no clue where she was settled in. The iridescent corridor looked conical at both ends as if each way led to obscurity. Aimee scanned the immediate area and felt her knees buckle in relief. She sprinted toward the floating tablet several yards away, snatching it from the air and slamming her palm on it.

"That's not necessary, Aim-eeeeeee."

JOH's black orbs lolled slightly and then fell back into place.

"JOH! Thank God I found you."

"I have 9022 gods listed in my database. Must I thank all of them?"

Aimee fell back against the wall and laughed because suddenly that was the funniest thing in the world. She was so grateful to see this stupid blue face staring quizzically at her.

"Aim-eeeee, Raja is asking where you are. She is quite desperate."

"I shouldn't have run away," Aimee conceded. "I just started panicking."

JOH's head squished into a line and then righted itself. "Chara is nearby. She is coming."

"Are you speaking to them while you're speaking to me?"

"Yes."

"Do you know how to keep secrets, JOH?"

"You treat me like I am inferior, Aimee."

The tone of affront nearly made her chuckle.

"I know what secrets are," he continued, "and yes, I've been motivated to keep one or two. But not many."

"Fair enough. I don't want to hide right now," she rationalized. "I am lonely, and I am afraid."

"Aimee—"

Aimee jumped at the gentle touch on her shoulder. She pivoted and fell under the spell of Chara's sloe-shaped eyes. There was empathy in that gaze. And the soft curve of shiny lips made Aimee feel she was in the presence of a benevolent deity.

"Aimee," Chara started again, "I know you are afraid and overwhelmed by everything that has happened to you. I cannot offer you false promises of returning home swiftly, but I can assure you that you are safe and you are with good people. It is the best we can propose right now."

Some of the tension left Aimee's shoulders. "I acted a bit irrationally, didn't I?"

Chara smiled. "You did nothing that I would not do if I found myself alone on your planet."

When it was put that way, Aimee had to agree.

"Come this way," Chara beckoned, leaving the floating JOH behind only to pass another one twenty feet later. "You are just in time to catch the young ones practicing."

"Practicing what?"

Ahead, the deceptively conical corridor broadened into an arch similar to the one that marked the entrance to the assembly hall. This arch was crafted with artwork of industrious people in fanciful gardens fenced by vine-laced pillars.

Aimee hesitated under the broad portico, studying the figures. Initially it looked like ancient Greece, but there was a modern element to the imageries. Some people stood atop roaring streams on mystically suspended bridges. Others hunkered over small crafts the likes of which she had never seen. One wore a crown with rays shooting from its rim.

"Aimee." Chara waited a few steps ahead.

Aimee blinked and followed Chara into an undersized version of the auditorium she had been in this morning. It was empty except for a group of ten to fifteen children all dressed in petite silver bodysuits. They varied in age from as young as five years, to as old as maybe eleven or twelve. An awkward screech filled the chamber. The echo of that semi-melodic noise rumbled in the dark corners of the amphitheater.

As she approached the group, she discovered that they were playing musical devices—instruments that resembled an alto clarinet. Shiny. Gold-plated. These shafts had tiny holes bored through them and a tube that flared at the bottom. The holes seemed ridiculously small. No wonder they produced the off-key chorus of squeaks.

Aimee winced as the child closest to her filled his cheeks up and blew for all he was worth, producing a hellish peal that fell into a wobbly, but solid note. She couldn't resist. She applauded his efforts by clapping. His whole face either turned red from embarrassment or effort, but he gave her a bashful smile and peeked at her from under long blonde bangs. She estimated that the child was about nine or ten years old.

Curious, Aimee smiled back and asked, "Can I try it?"

Green-flecked eyes widened and he held the instrument out to her, casting a quick glimpse towards Chara for approval. In her periphery she saw Chara nod.

"What's your name?" Aimee asked as she gripped the tube, still warm from his hands.

"Gordy," he mumbled.

"Gordy?" she repeated. "That's an awesome name."

His smile grew.

"That's not his name." A slightly older girl spoke out. Her hands were planted on her slim hips and long tawny hair was tossed back over her shoulder. "His name is Gordeelum. When he was little he could only say Gordee."

Gordy looked down at his silver boots, embarrassed.

"Are you his sister?" Aimee asked.

"I am." The girl stood straight, her hands still on her hips.

Aimee stifled a snort. Girls don't change no matter what galaxy you are in.

"Who are you?" The sister challenged. "I don't recognize you. You look like you're from that last planet we stopped at. They were all tall too."

Aimee frowned and glanced at Chara. "How is it that everyone speaks my language?"

"JOH enacted the system-wide translation program the day you came on board. It's common practice with visiting dignitaries. Consider it an honor."

"What if someone more important than me shows up?" _Hah, that sounded hysterical._

Chara sat down in one of the sphere-shaped chairs and draped her hands atop her crossed legs. "Then JOH will have _you_ go through the translation program."

"Oh right. I'm going to learn an alien language in a matter of minutes."

Chara didn't flinch. "Yes. You will. The words are fed to us electronically from our uniforms."

Aimee frowned. "So if you don't have the uniform on, you would not be able to speak to me?"

Chara smiled. "We retain what we have been fed. The translation stays in us. We're pretty _quick_ as you might say."

"So, _are_ you?" The girl demanded, interrupting their conversation. "From Sureen?"

"No." Aimee shook her head. "I'm from a planet called Earth."

"Hmmph," she frowned. "Never heard of it. Whatever. As you can see, Gordy can't learn how to play the _Tak wand_. He's hopeless."

The _Tak wand_ , Aimee mouthed and then looked at Gordy who still stared at his feet.

"What's your name?" Aimee asked the girl.

"Wanza." Her chin tipped up.

"Nice to meet you, Wanza."

Aimee returned her attention to the _Tak wand_. Those holes were tight. Nothing more than glorified pinpricks. Couldn't they give kids on this ship something easier to start with?

The mouthpiece did not have a reed—the thin slab of wood affixed to the air hole that gave it the vintage woodwind sound. Instead, this mouthpiece was carved into something resembling a fishhook. Aimee slipped it between her lips and affixed her fingers over the center hole. The closest she could liken to the note, G. She tightened her lips and gave a brief puff of air. A melodic chord came out of the instrument. It staggered her because she was used to the sound of the clarinet, which in her mind was as symphonic as a goose with gas.

"Wow." Gordy looked up. "Do it again."

She took a deep breath and mastered the single note before letting her fingertips toy with the other holes. Soon she got the hang of what sequence sounded best and the tune she played was pleasant even to her ears.

"Can you show me how?" Gordy took a step towards her.

"Of course." She dropped down into one of the sphere chairs so that she could be eye-level with him. "The trick is to put this in your mouth and press your lips together so tight...as tight as you can. This way, when you blow, it will all go into the—" she struggled to recall the name, "— _Tak_ _wand_ , and not leak out. Here." She handed Gordy the instrument. "Put it in your mouth and press tight."

Gordy took the _Tak wand_ and put his lips around the fishhook mouthpiece.

"Squeeze your lips," Aimee emphasized. She took a gamble and added, "Pretend you're eating _Sumpum_."

The boy's nose wrinkled up in distaste and his lips flattened around the mouthpiece.

"That's it! Now blow."

Gordy's cheeks puffed slightly, but he kept his lips pressed firm and the air flew through the instrument, emitting out of the fluted end with a melodic sound. He jumped back wide-eyed.

"Perfect!"

Within seconds she was immersed in a crowd of children, all crying, "Show me!"

Distracted by the flourish of activity, Aimee realized that someone was standing in the shadows watching her. She didn't see him at first on account of his dark suit, but he stepped forward into the ring of light. He was an intimidating profile that dwarfed everything in his perimeter. Even from the shadows, she could feel his eyes on her. One more step and he was close enough that she could see them, so sharp and intense.

"Zak." Chara broke the spell.

Zak strode down the aisle. In this group, he looked like a giant. He cast a quick smile at Chara and then his eyes returned to Aimee. His lips dropped into a straight line. She swallowed self-consciously.

Around her, the children all tipped their necks back and stared up at him, slack-jawed. Gordy stirred at her side and braved a step forward. "How many ships did you get, Zak?"

Zak crossed his arms. The form-fitting black uniform glistened over muscular shoulders. With his focus on Gordy, Aimee stole the opportunity to stare. His hair was dark and short and looked much different than the flaxen style that seemed predominant amongst the males of the ship. His jawline was sculpted into a permanent look of conviction. His cheekbones were high and lent an exotic air to his face. When he smiled at Gordy, Zak's profile was truly handsome, so much so that Aimee realized she was holding her breath–waiting to hear his husky voice.

"At least four, Gordeelum."

"Were you scared?" Gordy asked.

Zak grinned. "Oh yeah. I was scared. But I couldn't let you down now could I?"

Gordy giggled. "You did good. I can't wait until I can be a Warrior." He pointed his finger and his cheeks puffed up to make explosion sounds.

"If you're as good in the seat of a _terra angel_ as you were on that _Tak_ , you'll be a great Warrior."

"You heard me?" Gordy beamed.

"Yeah. It sounded great."

Gordy glanced up at Aimee. "She taught me."

Aimee felt the golden eyes converge on her. Again his grin slipped. _Why?_ She tried to over-compensate with an exaggerated smile. "He had it in him all along. I just gave him a little guidance."

Zak said nothing.

"Thank you for saving our lives today," she added. _Oh God, that sounded lame._

Again he remained mute. After an awkward moment of silence he addressed Chara. "I managed to board the Koron's ship. I have some samples for the atrium."

Chara's eyes rounded in sympathy. "Oh Zak, you didn't have to board their ship. Are you alright?"

Zak's expression was strained and his answer was curt. "Yes."

Uncomfortable under Chara's compassion, he continued. "Vodu wants me to take her there." He jerked his head at Aimee.

Aimee came alert.

"That's a great idea," Chara agreed, rising to her feet. "Alright, everyone, show me what you've learned today."

She stood tolerant as the circle of children wrapped around her.

Aimee glanced at Zak and he gave a curt nod. "Follow me."

Out in the corridor, Zak reached for a floating table. Atop it rested an object concealed beneath a cloth. He touched the corner of the table and set it into motion. It progressed down the corridor at a measured pace ahead of him. Aimee quickened her step to match his stride.

"That came from the Koron's ship?" She nodded at the ambiguous lump.

"Yes."

"How did you get on board their ship?"

A snap of his wrist opened the linear transport. "I flew into their landing bay."

"And they didn't shoot you?" She followed him and his portable table inside.

Zak tapped the second green button. _Hah, she knew that already._

"No." He leaned back against the alabaster wall, looking like a black exclamation point. "We had already disabled all their war-crafts."

"Were you hurt?" Aimee studied the lean lines of his torso, searching for any tinges of color in the onyx suit.

"No." His eyes dropped to her chest and traced down to her stomach. "Were you?"

Aimee's hand splayed over her stomach and the butterflies flitting around inside it. "No," she whispered.

They traveled in silence, the horizontal inertia setting her on edge. She mimicked his stance and leaned back against the wall.

"I get it," she whispered.

Perhaps it was the soft pitch of her voice, but Zak turned to look at her. "What do you get?"

"That I'm a big inconvenience to you. That you're some hotshot Warrior and you don't have time to be showing some...some..."

What am I?

__ "Some _alien_ around."

"Some alien."

She looked up, hoping he might have smiled at the depiction, but his jaw was locked and his eyes were trained on the far wall.

"I get that I'm a burden around here, but I didn't ask for any of this. I don't want to be an inconvenience. I want to go home."

He shifted, propping his shoulder against the wall so that he could look down at her. She waited for a sarcastic retort, and yet he remained silent. She chanced a look up and found herself locked in the hypnotic gaze of a lion. That stare left her feeling vulnerable. She was aware of his power. This man was not like the others on this ship. They were all fair, slim, and tepid. He was dark, dynamic, and commanding.

Were all the Warriors like him, or was it that he was an alien to this race too?

The horizontalator jerked to a halt and she nearly collapsed into him. He made a motion like he was going to touch her, but stopped short. Instead, he tapped the floating table, ushering it out into the corridor.

They walked in silence until Zak halted before a wall. It was marked with symbols that formed a ring. Hieroglyphs—and a script that she could not decipher.

"What does it say?" she asked.

Beside her, Zak's profile looked pained.

"It says, _this will bring us home_."

"Oh." A smile tugged at her lips. "Then I think I'm going to like this place."

Eager to see inside, Aimee reached up and waved her hand. She heard a deep chuckle from the man beside her.

"I see you're getting the hang of things around here."

"Apparently not." She settled her hands on her hips. "It didn't work."

"This door is locked," Zak stated. "Very few people have clearance to come in here. Only Warriors bringing back discoveries–and a select group of scientists."

Zak reached up to one of the symbols and molded his hand and fingers in the same pattern. The symbol lit up. He moved counter-clockwise and emulated another icon with his hand. It too lit up. He continued in a random sequence that she paid close attention to, until over half of the symbols were illuminated.

The wall dissolved, but there was no bright room to enter into. Instead, they were welcomed by a dark tunnel. She could see light maybe twenty or thirty yards ahead, yet the murky shroud of the immediate area intimidated her. Zak stepped into the shadows and she wasn't about to be left behind. She trailed after him and felt a whoosh of air as the wall closed behind her, ensnaring her in darkness. She wanted to reach for Zak's arm, but felt uncomfortable doing so. Instead, she focused on the light ahead and followed the sound of his steps.

"What is this place?" she whispered.

"Just wait." His tone was deep. "You'll see in a minute."

It started to grow brighter, but not by much. The light seemed diluted. It rippled on the walls as if it reflected off of water. In fact, she swore she heard the sound of a rushing stream.

Zak paused and maneuvered his table up against the wall. Cast in shadow, he was a daunting sight as he turned towards her.

"This was where you were supposed to go when you were brought aboard the HORUS." He stepped back and held his hand out.

Aimee followed his lead and gasped.

She walked out of the tunnel and located the source of the rushing water. A three-story waterfall cascaded down a series of stacked boulders into a churning pool. Something gold flashed beneath the surface, but it was the reflection from above that held her attention. She looked up and whispered, " _Oh my_."

Above her there was no ceiling. For a moment she felt as if she was in the field behind her house, staring up into the night sky—only this black sky was filled with wondrous chunks of life so vivid that she lifted her hand in a mystified attempt to reach for them.

The engineer in her shattered the spell. "How can we breathe?" she challenged.

Zak chuckled. His head was tipped back as well, and for a second she was distracted by the bob of his throat as he swallowed.

"It's not open," he explained. "It may look like it, but there is a shield up there. It is of a composite that can't be seen by the naked eye."

Aimee lowered her head to marvel at the immediate environment. Before her lie a forest—a network of trees and exotic plant life that seemed to span as far and wide as the majestic cap of night.

"This is beautiful," she said in awe, stepping up to an odd tree.

The trunk was gray, with a granular surface similar to cement–yet, when she tapped her knuckles against it, it felt squishy. The foliage looked like purple cabbages glued to squat dinosaur arm branches. Beside it, another unique tree with spindly twigs appeared as if it would disintegrate under a simple breath.

Rows and rows of plant life lined up under the dome of space. Aimee squinted and distinguished cliffs and more waterfalls dotting the forest–all with an intricate canal system feeding them life.

Something moved in the underbrush beside her. She jolted as a furry head emerged from the leaves. Its fur was white with roots that were nearly black. The front legs poked out of the leaves. They were stout–only a couple inches high with black spongy paws. The size of those paws seemed intended to support a creature the size of an elephant—not this little furry fellow who appeared no bigger than a Koala bear. The animal had a round black snout, but the eyes were barely visible beneath the mop on top of its head. It took another step out from its fertile shelter and Aimee tripped backwards, feeling Zak's hand land on her back for support.

"He doesn't bite," he pointed out.

"What is it?"

"A sumpum."

"A _sumpum_. You eat that?" She felt the warmth of Zak's palm through her suit. The contact felt good. She didn't dare risk turning to look at him.

"Some people do. I'm not too fond of it."

"I couldn't eat it. It's too cute." She smiled at the furry-headed creature. "Why does it have such huge feet when it's so small?"

She frowned when Zak laughed at her question. To her dismay, he released her back and leaned over with his hands on his knees and started to whistle.

Aliens whistled?

The _sumpum_ cocked its head in Zak's direction. It's plump, spongy feet took a few tentative steps towards them and Aimee stiffened. Zak was close enough to detect her resistance and whispered, "Don't worry. Bend over and call him. He gets intimidated if you're too tall."

Aimee mimicked Zak's stance.

Okay, how do you call an alien miniature llama?

"Come here, little fellow," she cooed. "Don't be afraid."

The _sumpum_ swung his head towards her and she thought she detected the shift of ears within the downy mass of hair. The thick feet took a few more steps until they were on the edge of the dirt.

"Should I go up to him?" she whispered, wanting nothing more than to pet this precious creature.

"No, he'll come to you."

"Come on, boy." She tried again and held her hand out in invitation.

The paws hit the surface, sounding like wet sponges smacking a car. The _sumpum_ was longer than she expected, the back end of his body still tucked in the leaves. A long dachshund-shaped torso stretched out two inches above the turf. It continued plodding towards her until finally its thick rear feet emerged from the underbrush. Except, that wasn't the end of the _sumpum_. His long body kept going until finally a third set of paws accounted for the rear of the six-foot-long creature. On its backside was a tuft of white hair and she swore it wiggled slightly as it approached.

"Can I pet it?" she asked.

"Yes, but be careful. If you scare him, he'll stand up."

"Stand up?"

"On his hind legs. If he feels intimidated by height he stands up on his rear feet. It's an awkward sight."

Aimee dropped down into a full crouch and extended her hand. The _sumpum_ shuffled over and nudged it with the top of his head.

"He's so soft!"

The creature tipped its head up inside her palm, the spongy nose tickling her skin. It made a sound as if it sneezed and then the front half of his body turned back towards the underbrush. Eventually the back half fell in behind—and soon the creature disappeared into the bowels of the forest.

"How can anyone eat that?"

"If you're hungry enough you'll eat anything."

Zak turned back towards the floating table he had left just inside the tunnel. He hauled the cloth off to reveal a tiny sprig of life in a silver pot. It literally was a stick with a single pinkish leaf on it. It reminded her of Charlie Brown's Christmas tree.

"You found that on the Koron's ship?" she asked.

"Yes." He lifted the pot and inspected the sapling. "Come with me. We've got quite a walk."

He started down an aisle of trees and she had to rush to catch up to his long stride. If _sumpums_ were afraid of tall people, thank God Zak had stooped over.

"So you're collecting plants? You think that little stick might hold the cure to your disease?"

Zak halted. He turned and looked at her. "You've been talking with JOH."

"Yes. He told me how the whole planet was consumed by a disease, and that they can't go home until they find a cure. How do you know the cure comes from a plant?"

"It was a plant that killed them. A vine that grew in the fields and destroyed the food. The disease came from a hunger that caused enough desperation to tempt everyone into eating the tarnished food. Then, the disease mutated and was transferred by touch, by air, by water-"

"But—" Aimee looked into his eyes. "You weren't from that planet. Aren't you immune?"

"No one is immune, Aimee." His tone was grave. "That's why we wear these suits. If anyone shows a sign of the disease they immediately have to be placed in a wing of the ship that has a separate ventilation and hydration system."

"Has it happened? Has there been an epidemic on the ship?"

Zak shook his head and stared at the little twig in his hands. "Not in many years."

"Are there still people living in this other wing?" Her question came out as a faint whisper.

"No," Zak answered. "No one lasts there very long."

Aimee wrapped her arms around herself, suddenly feeling cold. "How will you know when you've found a cure?"

"Our scientists have the disease captured here in the labs. They test all the plants in this atrium against it. Everything we bring back is analyzed immediately."

"But it's not just plant-life. You were going to bring back my dog...and you ended up with me instead."

Zak made a sound of disgust and turned at an intersection of exotic flora with phosphorescent leaves.

"That was Salvan," he argued. "He is rogue. He wants to be the one to find the cure. From what I understand, his father was a brilliant scientist on their planet. And Salvan–" Zak shook his head. "Salvan did not possess his father's gift. In fact, in his efforts to try and emulate his father, he ended up destroying more than he created."

Aimee listened attentively. She did not know Salvan, but she believed Zak's depiction. It corroborated her own sentiments regarding the lanky stranger who plucked her from her peaceful world.

"What does his father say?"

"Salvan's parents were on the mainland when the disease struck."

Zak did not elaborate. He didn't have to.

When Aimee tried to speak, her voice cracked. "Did they test me when I came on board?"

His pace slowed. He looked at her out of the corner of his eye, and his jaw was tight as he responded bitterly. "Yes."

Frowning, Aimee stopped. "Why do you look at me like that?" she asked his back as he kept walking.

He halted but did not turn around.

"I don't understand your question."

Aimee refused to catch up to him. She held her ground. "You look at me like I am an inconvenience. Like I am an enemy. I didn't ask to come here. I don't want to be here. I want to go home. I am not an enemy."

He turned now and his expression was dark. Dark and attractive even in condemnation. "You are Salvan's pet."

She slammed her hands down on her hips. "I am nobody's _pet_. I have seen this Salvan for maybe five minutes since I've been on this monstrosity."

"You were asleep for what you would call a week. In that time, Salvan tested you."

A chill coursed through her at the thought of being unconscious with that man for such a long period of time. "And?"

"Your blood came up negative as we all suspected. We are certain the cure will come from vegetation. Warm-blooded creatures are merely a vessel for what they eat anyway."

"I'm not Salvan's pet." Aimee couldn't get past that.

Zak crossed his arms. "He will try to make you into one."

Before she could rant a response, Zak nodded over her shoulder. "Do you recognize that?" he asked.

Aimee spun around, still angry, but a smile consumed her face at what Zak had pointed out.

"A palm tree!" She ran up to it, feeling the coarse bark. Glancing up into the balmy leaves she laughed when she saw a coconut. "It's a palm tree!" She grinned over her shoulder, her anger momentarily forgotten.

His morose expression eased. "If you say so."

"How did you know this was from Earth?"

He tipped his head down at the plaque in the ground. A series of symbols were inscribed on the chrome surface. "It says so."

"But we don't have palm trees in North Carolina. Did you make another stop?"

He surprised her by joining her and testing the endurance of the trunk with the palm of his hand. "We stop at all the planets in the path of our metagalactic orbit."

"Right. Once every five years." Some of her enthusiasm waned.

Zak's gaze dropped from the coconut to meet her eyes. His head cocked slightly to the side and he seemed to sense her dispirit. "I like your planet."

"You've actually been _on_ Earth? Did you come down and get me? Did anyone see you?" The questions would have continued to roll from her tongue if the rustle of a _sumpum_ didn't startle her. She saw its two rear feet disappear into a thicket of red weeds.

"We don't often visit the planets personally. Our salvage stream will extract whatever we need to bring back. That ray is very accurate. If we see a seedling this size," he held up the pot, "the salvage stream will retrieve it. That's why the _accident_ of picking you up seems suspect to me."

Indeed. It wasn't as if she had inadvertently jumped into that ray of light. It suddenly appeared around her, and nowhere else.

"Your salvage stream feels weird."

"I imagine it would, considering you were broken up into about three billion pieces."

Aimee glanced down at her arms and wiggled her fingers. "I guess they put me back together okay."

When she looked up, Zak's eyes lingered on her arms and climbed up to her face where she could feel them tracing over her hair and touching the curve of her cheek before they met hers. "Yes, it looks like they did." His voice was husky.

Aimee cleared her throat. "So when were you on Earth?"

Stepping off the dirt embankment, Zak strolled over to an empty plot and crouched down to deposit the seedling into a pre-dug hole. Mud wound around the base of the sprout without him touching it. A light emanated from behind the blank plaque in the ground as symbols formed on the chrome surface. The light faded and Zak stood up.

"On our last pass." His dark eyebrows dipped in recollection. "As a Warrior, we must protect the HORUS. There was another ship traveling just outside your galaxy at the time. We suspected it was the Korons. They are nomadic, and always searching for a new place to settle. Earth is the only planet in your universe with _mecaws_ on it, so it's the only planet worth spending any time visiting. The Korons know that as well, but they are not a peaceful group as you saw in this latest battle. Anyway, I had to track their beam and make sure they weren't sending some of their own down there."

"What does a Koron look like? Is it human...ummm...a _mecaw_?"

Zak chuckled. "No. Not at all. A Koron looks like a—" His fingers went to his forehead in thought. "I'm trying to think of something on your planet to compare. You have something they call a Terracotta?"

"Terracotta?" Aimee glanced one last time at the palm tree and stepped back down to join him. "My mom has terracotta pots on the deck. The Korons look like pots?"

"No, no." Zak shook his head, frowning. "You have people called Terracotta. They are made of rock."

He was making her head hurt. "Oh! The Chinese warriors. The Korons look Chinese?"

"No. The rock part."

"Oh," she snapped her fingers. "The Korons look like the statues of the Terracotta Army?"

"Yes. They are rock people and you can't fight them in hand-to-hand battle. It's impossible."

"You've tried?" She was horrified at the image of Zak going up against a burly stone soldier. He was a Warrior, and his body might appear to be chiseled from rock, but his flesh was warm to the touch. Aimee caught herself staring and blinked her eyes.

He stared back, which disconcerted her all the more. That connection was finally broken when he spoke. "I reached the surface of your planet just as they were coming through. We have superior weapons, but your atmosphere impedes their effect. I had to try a physical assault."

"Oh my God, what happened?"

"The Korons are formidable, but they have a very substantial weakness. Their greatest foe is water, and your planet was gracious enough to rain on them." She caught his quick grin. "They disintegrated before I even had a chance to draw my star-laser."

"Did anyone see you?"

"A little girl and a canine." His grin remained. "Do I look like I'd fit in on your planet?"

How could she answer that?

Yes, he was human. He would fit in that respect. But, Zak was more attractive than any human male she had ever seen. To think of Corey and how he thought he was the best-looking guy in school. _Wow_ , was he wrong.

Granted, Zak was older, but it wasn't that. It was the dark intensity to him. The feeling that when you were near him, you were around something powerful. In his presence you were motivated to better yourself. To achieve more. She wanted to impress this man. Not merely because of his physical attributes, but because she knew he executed his best every moment of the day. No second was left to waste. Even this small task of planting an alien seedling was important—seemingly more important to him than his heroic acquisition of the sapling.

And yes, there were his physical features. He was taller than most of the men on the ship. She would venture to guess over six feet. But it wasn't the height so much as the way he carried himself. Always standing erect. Always prepared.

The black suit slid across his muscular frame. He was not bulky like a football player. He was lean and solid, and she guessed that he could probably hold his own in a hand-to-hand combat with a stone rebel.

All these facets aside, the feature so unique to Zak were his eyes. In them she saw the dawn of new horizons—worlds, the likes of which were unimaginable. Each world he entered into with confidence–not fear. If she looked hard enough, she could travel to those galaxies in one glance from him.

"Aimee?"

And that voice. That husky timbre that made her cheeks grow warm and her stomach tumble.

"You might be able to blend in if you wore sunglasses," she mumbled.

"Your sun does not hurt my eyes. No sun does."

Of course not.

_"_ Where did you go?" she asked. "Where on Earth?"

"I've been there twice. Once to a place they call, New Jersey. The other was—" He rubbed his fist over his eye, deep in thought. "Shine-ah."

"China?"

"Yes, that's it."

"No wonder you knew about the Terracotta Warriors."

Zak hoisted his hand. "Let me show you something," he said.

She thought he was going to touch her, but he had hefted his hand to point at the nocturnal ceiling. Why did she think of it as night? It was space. It was always going to look like this.

Before he could speak, she asked, "How do the plants in here thrive with no sun to nurture them?"

Zak's hand dropped, but he looked patient. A faint smile dusted across his lips. "Most are accustomed to this environment. Your palm tree and some others are nurtured with solar rays from the ground. We emulate your sun with cosmological lamps embedded in the turf."

"Oh."

"Now, look up there." He pointed at the stars.

On instinct, Aimee moved in closer to him to narrow down the direction of his finger. She felt the heat of his body and her shoulder brushed up against his arm.

_To hell with the stars_.

"There, the green one. Do you see it?"

A jade sphere, the size of a lime floated within a ring of orbiting bright lassos.

"Yes."

"We're going there next." He brought his hand back to his side and glanced down at her, noticing how close she was. Did she imagine that his eyes flared slightly, or that his lips parted as if to add more, but the words were forgotten.

Reluctantly she dragged her gaze away from his to look up at the celestial roof. "Are you going to retrieve some more plants?"

"That's our intention."

The somber ring to his tone drew her eyes back. He was staring up at the planet and a muscle twitched in his jaw.

"What's wrong?" she whispered.

"It's just that I've never been there before," he explained in a tone that made her shiver. "Every time I enter into a new system...I never know what to expect."

"Are you afraid?"

"No. I'm not afraid."

Well, she was.

CHAPTER SIX

"I have to head back."

Aimee didn't want to leave here. She didn't want to say goodbye to this magical vestibule with its crown of stars and its vast forest. She didn't want to leave the funny-looking _sumpums_. And she didn't want to leave this enigmatic man. Being with him had given her the first touch of normalcy since she had walked Ziggy around that pond.

"I understand," she whispered.

Zak's gaze dwelled on her again. It was as if he was committing her face to memory. But that was a silly notion.

"I have to start readying the _terra angel_ for the flight tomorrow," he explained.

"Can I see it?" she rushed. "Your _terra angel_?"

Again his eyes brushed across her face...lingering. One eyebrow arched before he managed a brief nod. "You've never seen one, have you?"

"Honestly, I have no clue what a _terra angel_ is, but it sounds interesting." She beamed.

Some of the intensity left his expression. He didn't go so far as to smile, but he looked less like a lion now.

He started back down the aisle and hesitated, waiting for her to fall in next to him.

"Where did you learn to play the _Tak wand_ so well?" he asked.

The compliment made her feel good. "It's similar to something I play back home."

"You did well today with the young ones."

When she glanced up at him, she detected the shadow of a single dimple carved beside his mouth.

"Gordeelum has never been able to do anything but squeak," he observed.

"I was him once," she mumbled, "but I learned."

"Do people come to listen to you play on Earth?"

Aimee snorted. "No. Just my parents, but that's because they have to."

Distracted by the stars, he progressed silently as they wove their way through the endless passageways of vegetation.

"How big is this place?" she wondered out loud.

"There are 2,340 unique forms of plant life. Fifty-two exclusive warm-blooded creatures—"

"Fifty-two?" she croaked and instinctively sought to distance herself from the dirt embankments flanking the walkway. Her motion brushed her arm against Zak's.

"Most are harmless."

"Most?" she squeaked.

Zak chuckled. "Most."

Aimee inched away, but she still remained tight in his orbit. Searching the shadows between the exotic trees, only once did she detect the motion of something on the prowl.

"Has anyone ever been attacked in here?"

"I could lie to make you feel better."

Aimee stopped and gaped at him. "Please do. Please lie."

He laughed and she thought the sound suited him. The intensity was gone, revealing a congenial side to the Warrior.

A semi-circle of light suddenly pooled around her feet, followed by a rush of chilled air. Aimee jumped at the kinetic sound of the wall evaporating to expose the harsh illumination of the outside corridor. A single silhouette stood framed by the backlight.

Beside her, she noticed Zak's smile vanish.

The figure stepped forward from the shadows.

It was Salvan.

"What are you doing in here...with _her_?" Salvan barked at Zak.

At her side, there was only silence. Zak's face was void of expression, but his stance was rigid with disdain.

"Aimee," Salvan smiled at her. She could tell the gesture was forced. "You should be back in the labs with Raja. _She_ can escort you around."

Aimee found it interesting that Zak didn't state the obvious...that Vodu himself had placed her under Zak's care. Instead, Zak crossed his arms and offered quietly, "I was just leaving."

He stepped towards the light.

"But—" she called out.

She saw him hesitate. He turned to look at her and the rush of adrenaline produced by that heavy glance pumped through her veins.

"Aimee?" Salvan's high voice pierced the air. "I'm about to do some tests. Do you want to join me and see what some of our scientific processes are?"

Aimee had not released Zak's eyes. He stood tall and stoic and did not break that connection. She felt the animosity between the men like a thick blanket of sludge.

Without glancing away, she answered, "No, umm, Vodu told Zak to bring me back to the deck."

There was silence. Zak did not even blink at her assessment, but he did look away...finally. She felt inexplicably lost without that link.

"Oh really?" Salvan's acrid tone cut into her thoughts. "Well then, you must not keep the old man waiting."

Feeling his eyes on her back, Aimee jogged through the portal. As it closed, the last thing she saw was Salvan's scornful sneer aimed at Zak.

Troubled by that obvious friction, she stumbled backwards and knocked into a floating JOH. She glanced at Zak. "You two don't like each other very much, do you?"

Zak smirked. "No. We don't like each other very much."

He left it at that and started off down the hall, heedless of whether she followed.

"Hey, wait."

"Aimee," his long stride stalled. "I told you that I have to get ready. You should have stayed with Salvan. He would have time to show you the atrium in greater detail. He could do exactly what he said...explain the testing that goes on there. The methods in which he dissects every living creature. He can entertain you with tales of his scientific prowess."

"You mean he could explain why he plucked me from my home without my consent?" she added bitterly.

Zak's lip jerked back in a brief grin. "I would have enjoyed hearing him explain that." He gave her a sideward glance. "Something makes me think you would see past his delusions."

"Damn right I would." She had her hands on her hips, but surrendered to Zak's emerging smile with one of her own.

"You lied," he challenged.

"He looked so smug. Like he thinks he's better than you. I wanted to show him that Vodu entrusted _you_. I don't know why you didn't do it yourself—so no, I didn't lie."

Zak said nothing.

"He's not better than you," she pressed the issue.

"And how exactly would you know that?"

"Instinct."

It was true. She had shared an equal amount of time with each man, but instinct told her who to trust. Granted, Zak was from a planet other than the people of the HORUS. His attractive shell could very easily conceal a demon.

His eyes held hers and it seemed that he was trying to analyze her as well.

"I have to get going." He broke the spell.

Again, Aimee jogged to keep up.

"Can you tell me something?" she called from a half step behind.

"What?"

"How do you find your way around here? All I see are long white walls. You seem to know what to walk up to and wave your hand at. What if you abandoned me right here and I had to find my way back to the main deck...what would I do?"

His pace did not let up. He jerked his head at a floating computer. "You'd ask JOH."

That didn't pacify her. "Alright, well let's just call me old-fashioned and say that I didn't want to rely on a computer. That I wanted to find my way around on my own."

Zak halted and she nearly collided with him.

"Look at this." He cupped her shoulder and inched her towards the wall. She tried to take her mind off of his touch and focus on his demonstration.

"What do you see?" he quizzed.

"A solid white wall. One of a million around here."

"No." He shook his head.

His hair, which she had thought was dark, hosted a thousand different shades of brown and gold. With such highlights and the glint of tan on his face, she would have guessed that he spent a lot of time in the sun.

"Trust your instinct. Look at the wall, Aimee. Relax and just look at it. What do you _see_?"

Aimee took a deep breath, still aware of the warmth of his hand. She closed her eyes for a few seconds and then opened them to stare at the bare surface. It had texture, almost like cloth. She reached out to touch it and it felt like rubber. She jabbed her finger into it and it yielded to the pressure. But it was still a blank canvas. Nothing more.

"Look again," he encouraged with a soft voice.

Aimee drew in another deep breath and relaxed. She focused on the wall, noticing a phosphorescent glow she had not even considered before. It was subtle, but the barrier was definitely no longer simply white. It was an understated version of the body suit she wore, loaded with complex pastel molecules. In trying to identify all those hues she began to see a pattern. It was like looking at a whiteboard that someone had just erased. Residue from a blue marker blurred into cryptic shadows. She had thought the shadows were byproducts of the omnipresent light above, but now they developed into something substantial.

In a swirl of blue and pink tones, she began to discern symbols. Reluctant to leave his touch, but needing a better perspective, she retreated from Zak's hand.

"Do you see it?" He grinned as if she were suddenly in on a great conspiracy.

"I see something."

She squinted. When they abducted her they could have at least thought to grab her glasses from the dresser as well. "I see letters–or symbols."

"No, think bigger than that. Look at the whole wall and try to relax."

"If I was any more relaxed you'd think I was in a hammock on the beach."

That comment earned her a frown from Zak. He crossed his arms and she tried not to stare at the contours the gesture made. She focused on the wall and took another deep breath...to _relax_.

_There!_ Now it seemed so obvious she wondered how she ever missed it. Zak must have read the realization on her face because she caught a flash of white teeth when he smiled.

"What do you see?"

"I see a—room. I see the room behind this wall?" she asked, witnessing the diaphanous image of a wide chamber with a vaulted ceiling and windows filled with a spider web of stars. A man sat at a desk, his head hunkered over whatever he was working on.

"Yes. Now on the other side."

She spun around and was amazed that she had only noticed a white barrier before. Now the wall was merely a thin veil, like a satin curtain. Behind it she perceived a huge chamber filled with tables and activity. People bearing trays moved about. There had to be a hundred of them.

"This is one of the eating facilities," Zak explained. "It's small. Less formal."

Eager now, Aimee started down the hall, inspecting room after room, some so beautiful she gasped at the display. Glancing up and down the path she was assaulted by the complexity. It was hard to even recall the original stark corridor. This view teemed with highlights.

"How?" she gaped at Zak.

"It takes a while. You are so used to looking with your eyes. They get in the way. If you relax and look with your mind, it's all here for you to see."

"It's amazing, but—" she glanced back at the man hunched over his desk, "isn't this an invasion of privacy?"

"Come here." Zak cocked his head in the direction of their original path.

Aimee followed him and noticed the change even before he pointed it out. Several yards ahead the wall was blank again. She tried to relax, but could only discern a faint line that possibly represented a doorway. She took a few more steps and was able to see into the next room, but as soon as she retreated, the wall before her was barren. She frowned at it. The engineer hungered for answers.

"What just happened?"

"Rooms can be cloaked by the people inside, if desired. To offer privacy."

"That line that I see. Is it a door? Do you just wave your hand at it to open it?"

"Not if it is cloaked. You would have to touch the door and a signal will go to the people inside to uncloak it."

"I want to find a door that I can open myself."

Suddenly she was desperate for this one liberty.

Zak pointed to the next chamber. As she stepped up towards it she was amazed at how she could have missed this view. Though it was like looking through a fogged-up window, the interior of the ship was no longer a mystery. She searched the frame and located the rectangular entryway. She waved her hand, but nothing happened. She reached out to touch the panel, thinking that it was so transparent that her hand could pass right through it. But as flimsy as it may appear, it was a solid barrier. She knocked her fist against it and looked back over her shoulder at Zak, who leaned against the wall behind her.

"How?" The thirst for knowledge consumed her.

Using his shoulder, he hefted off the wall to join her. He swiveled his wrist and the door evaporated. She reached out and stuck her hand through the open space.

"What did you do different than me?"

He chuckled at her petulance. With another flick of his wrist the door was back in place.

Aimee all but stamped her foot with impatience.

"You're just waving your hand around in the air like you're trying to catch a _Monawk_ ," he observed.

"A Monawk?"

"A bird."

He reached over and put his hand on top of hers, engulfing it. His palm was rough, with a patch of callouses as if he had spent a lot of time working outdoors...or battling Korons. The friction elicited a shiver, but she concentrated on what he was doing. He lifted her hand and pointed at the left side of the door, and then he swung their joint hands to the right side of the door. The barricade disappeared. Next, he pulled her hand from the right side back over to the left and the door closed again.

"It's like turning a page in a book," he explained.

She wanted to try, but again she didn't want to sever this contact. He broke the moment by releasing her and nodding. "You do it."

Aimee hauled her hand from left to right and the door disappeared. She shrieked in delight.

"You did it." Zak smiled.

That look of approval made her stomach lurch. Maybe the cereal did not agree with her. She distracted herself by taking a step into the chamber. It appeared they had found a back entry into the huge assembly hall she was in this morning. It looked ominous cloaked in deep shadows now that the young ones were gone. She glanced back at Zak standing in the doorway.

"JOH can turn on the illumination for you."

"That's okay. Can I still see your _terra angel_? Isn't that what you call your ship?"

She sounded pathetic.

He considered the question and a shadow of doubt crossed his face.

"Yes, but briefly," he cautioned. "At least the main deck is near the flight level. I will be able to get you back to Vodu."

"Thank you."

Zak hesitated at the sincerity in her voice. With the backlight, his eclipse was a formidable one, and yet she did not fear him.

"I said briefly," he reiterated.

"No, thank you for showing me how to _see_ around this place."

"You would have figured it out soon enough." His gaze was sharp. "You strike me as being very astute. You picked it up much quicker than any visitors we have had before."

Pointing out that she had a scholarship probably wouldn't have inflated his opinion any.

"How is it possible? These walls. What are they made of?"

"An ore used in the homes on Anthum. This technology was commonplace there."

Aimee nodded. She would have liked to have seen this planet. It sounded like a bunch of dork engineers such as herself.

"You're welcome." Zak's deep voice cut into her thoughts. He wasn't smiling. He was just looking at her like he wanted to add more, but he jerked his head and turned back into the light. "Come on. You can tell me where the lateral transport is."

She had to smile at that. He was tossing her the proverbial bone. "Deal," she beamed. "Lateral transport. That's the horizontal elevator, isn't it?"

She was learning. Learning made her happy.

So did this teacher.

CHAPTER SEVEN

The launch bay stole her breath with its magnitude. Science fiction movies could not do it justice. It had to be the size of an aircraft carrier. What struck her far more than the enormity of the bay was the fact that several hundred yards away sat a gaping hole—a portal to the yawning chasm of deep space. There was no protective barrier. If she were to stroll to the end of the platform, she could simply leap off into the stars.

Aimee inhaled deeply, wondering how it was even possible to draw in oxygen. The air smelled acrid, but that could be the giant vessels rumbling in their bays as silver-suited men clambered around them like caterpillars hanging onto leaves.

"There is no oxygen in outer space. How, or _what_ are we breathing?"

Zak was in full Warrior mode now. His expression was tense, and his eyes keen. He assessed every flourish of activity with the vigilance of one in charge. Men approached him with questions to which he offered somber guidance. He never stopped moving and Aimee found herself jogging again to keep up.

"Oxygen is piped in," he explained, never tempering his stride. "Though the bay is always open, we have a vaporous barrier that traps the oxygen inside."

His pace slowed and she watched his expression transform. A look of contentment settled over him. As he stopped and stared, she detected that dimple toying with the corner of his mouth again.

Aimee followed his gaze and drew in a sharp breath.

"Is that it?" she whispered.

"Yes." The quirk of his lips conveyed pride and awe.

Having suffered a series of overwhelming experiences recently, this craft did little to settle her stomach. It was sleek and narrow. Not as big as she would have expected—as if there could be any expectations in this surreal world. As best she could describe it, the vessel looked like a creature from the ocean depths. There were minimal contours to the body, enabling it to glide easily under the waves. It was crafted of a brilliant silver alloy, the reflection off the vivid veneer capturing her pensive expression.

Its shape was that of an automatic weapon. A large-scale Uzi. It had a long nose and a cockpit that hung beneath the body of the craft. A band of glass wrapped around the middle of that cockpit. It appeared tight, designed for a single occupant. The rear end of the craft flared into large cylinders that dwarfed the front-end.

"Did you name it?"

"What?" Zak looked puzzled. "It is a _terra angel_. That's its name."

"Come on," Aimee prodded. "Everyone has a name for their vehicles. I had a name for my bike, and the used car I just put a down payment on."

She might as well have been speaking Greek, but her point was conveyed. There was a glint in Zak's eyes, but it was a sad glint.

"I call her, Zari."

_A her._ Men's cars were always female.

"Zari." Aimee cocked her head, thinking the vibrant, pistol-shaped craft didn't meet the pretty expectations of the name. "Named after a girlfriend?"

Someone like Zak had to have girls lined up by the dozens.

His expression was quizzical again, as if he didn't understand the term.

"No," he denied quietly. "Not a girlfriend."

He climbed up the small set of stairs that led up to the cockpit and traced his fingertip just beneath the rim of the glass. With a soft hiss, a doorway slipped open and Aimee was allowed a glimpse into the interior.

A dashboard of black and gold housed an intricate circuitry panel. The driver's seat looked like a narrow soup ladle meant to hug its passenger in tight. The design of the cockpit was to afford complete control to the occupant of that seat. There was no room to stand or move about except for a small cargo area directly behind the chair. That area was stacked with what she could only guess were weapons. The sight of them jarred her.

As much as she understood Zak's role as a Warrior, the impact of it had not struck until she saw the guns that he could wield in an effort to destroy his enemies.

She retreated. The motion did not register with Zak as he picked up the first sleek weapon.

She took another step backwards and this time he glanced over his shoulder with an arched eyebrow. His stare halted her escape.

"Are you afraid of me?" he asked in that husky voice.

She barely heard him amidst the din of activity in the bay. Rooted to the ground, she lost her voice until finally Zak nodded and uttered, "Maybe you should be."

Before she could respond he continued. "Can you find your way back to the deck?"

She swallowed and bobbed her head.

"Good. And you remember that if you get lost you can always ask JOH."

Again she nodded. This time she detected a grin on Zak's lips.

"I think you will master the halls of the HORUS now, Aimee."

His encouragement made her stomach tumble. Space sickness. Had to be.

"I have to get ready to head out," he reminded.

Aimee cleared her throat and croaked, "Thank you for showing me the atrium, and for teaching me—"

"I didn't teach." This time a full grin appeared. _God, he was gorgeous_. "I just told you to relax."

Zak turned his shoulder back towards the cockpit and reached for another mysterious weapon.

_That you did_ , she thought.

Aimee's feet woke from their daydream and started to cooperate. She waved a farewell, but Zak was focused on the task at hand. Her whisper of goodbye went unheard.

With no debilitated Warriors around, the back room of the Bio Ward was serving as her accommodations. Sometimes she sat on the elevated bed and watched the internal _windows_ , studying the activities of the ship's personnel. But, before lying down, she made a point of switching each display off. At first she slept fitfully, always waking to find the spindly purple flower jerking back into position once it caught her watching. After some time, however, it grew used to her presence and they eventually reached a civil coexistence.

It amazed Aimee how easy it was to find her away around the ship now. Granted, she could not read the symbols, which probably referenced locations and directions, but she could see into the compartments and identify whether it was a place she wanted to be. On one of her investigative treks through the ship, a JOH startled her by hovering in the middle of the corridor and blocking her path. She stepped to the right and it shifted to the right. She stepped to the left and it mimicked her motion. Finally she tapped its screen and the big blue face smiled up at her.

"What?" she scowled.

She was not as happy as this technologically advanced hovering box of circuitry seemed to be.

"Chara is looking for you. May I tell her I found you?"

JOH might be the source of all knowledge, but at least he respected privacy. Zak told her he would do that.

Zak. An image of him gazing up at the stars in the atrium clashed with the portrait of the Warrior possessing a deadly weapon. He had warned her to be afraid of him. He had also taught her how to orient herself in these halls.

He beguiled her.

"Aimee?"

"Oh, umm, yes, please tell her I'm on my way."

JOH's eyes flattened into slits.

"What?" she asked.

"I'm telling her. I am also telling her that you have learned to navigate your way around. She will be very—" he flickered, "—proud."

Aimee smiled, but she didn't know if the smile was at the prospect of Chara being proud or for the way JOH struggled to define the word.

This lust to navigate around the HORUS was simply a product of survival. She did not want to rely on others. She needed to be self-sufficient.

"JOH, can you tell me what those symbols say?"

Specifically she was interested in the most ubiquitous hieroglyph, an X with a line through the center and two points on each end of the line. It appeared at every intersection.

"That symbol represents the brain of the HORUS. What you call the _deck_. Follow the symbol and you will find the brain."

Cool.

"And this one?"

It looked like a teacup, but with a ray of sunshine spouting from its core.

"That would represent the closest eatery."

Aimee cleared her throat to disguise her glee at beginning to learn the secrets of this not-so-complex ship. "And this one?" It was a dismembered circle, dissected into equal, unattached pies.

JOH's eyes flat-lined again. He was thinking. "The scientist quarters."

Doubting that he meant their sleeping accommodations, Aimee guessed that it was their laboratories.

"I can accompany you to the deck where Chara is waiting, Aimeeeeeee."

Aimee grinned at the earnest blue face with its eyes now cast into a pair of triangles. "I think I can find my way, JOH. But if I get lost, I'll catch up with you down the hall, okay?"

"You are smart, Aimeeeee."

Approval from this floating computer shouldn't mean anything, but she felt a brief flash of self-pride.

"Thanks, JOH. You're not too bad yourself."

"I am never bad," he stated. "I am always good."

"I believe that." She shook her head and laughed. "Tell Chara I'm on my way."

Aimee gently tapped the screen and continued to smile at the empty panel.

Her eyes slid to the wall, as she tried not to notice the occupants behind it deeply engrossed in a book. It was disconcerting to watch their private moments, but they chose to be on display. On the other side of the corridor the wall was blank. The room was _locked_. Whoever was behind it elected not to be seen.

Aimee reached an intersection and located the X with the line through it emblazoned on the wall to the left. She turned that way. A few feet later another X marked a spot in the middle of the hall–not at a juncture. Aimee took a deep breath and relaxed, and there it was, a familiar oblong panel. She reached into the air to her left and swung her hand to the right. The doorway to the lateral transport slid open.

So cool.

Pleased with her success at locating the lateral transport, and for having figured out how to commandeer it...all that was left was to determine when to stop the thing. Previously, she had been preoccupied with the view. Now she faced inwards, away from the windows, and noticed a series of symbols flash by at a rapid pace atop the door. They rushed by so swiftly that it was like watching an animated cartoon. There was barely time for the images to even register in her mind. She finally recognized the X with a line through it, and slammed her palm down on it. The transport slid to a stop and the door skidded open.

Across the hall an X with a line through it was lit up towards the right. She exited the chamber and headed in that direction.

Aimee recognized the approach to the main deck. The drone of activity was like the subtle underscore of a cafeteria. She climbed a set of sparkling stairs and reached the apex, staring into the pulse of the HORUS. So many silver-suited bodies. An army of glittering ants. Some had mechanisms attached to their ears. Some engaged in conversation with floating JOH's. And some charted a course on a digital overlay atop the vast expanse of windows. Beyond this flurry of activity was a vista so unique and grand...and so dark.

Aimee hugged the periphery of the action and stepped up to the closest window, pressing her forehead against it to see if she could glimpse down beneath the ship. The glass was slightly cool against her skin. The view below held nothing new. If she craned her neck though, far off to the right was a green orb smothered in a yellow veil of smoke. She was so absorbed with the sight that she nearly missed the reflection in the glass as a figure approached from behind.

"Aimee."

The deep voice brought her to attention. She wanted to call him _Mr._ Vodu. Or _sir_. Her mother always taught her to respect her elders with the use of their title, but did titles apply here? The man had introduced himself as Vodu, and no matter how aristocratic he appeared in his tailored sparkling suit, she knew of no other way to address him.

She settled on, "Hello."

"I hear from JOH that you are learning things quickly around here."

"I am."

She searched the rash of activity, curious over what the technicians with the transparent map were doing. The desire to master the mechanics of this ship clawed at her. But that thirst for knowledge was ambushed by a sudden and harsh bout of homesickness. An image formed of her mother's troubled face as she sat at the kitchen table and whispered her daughter's name.

"I understand that time moves quickly up here," Aimee pushed the image aside to revisit in private when she could surrender to the grief. "How long until the HORUS returns to Earth?"

White hair gleaming, Vodu laced his fingers nodded.

"Time. You equate that to a span of life." He swept his hand in the direction of a console with holograms atop it. A miniature replica of the green planet with yellow smoke hovered a few inches above a grid scored with lines and points. She watched the slow revolution of the orb as it progressed across the undulating grid beneath it. "We see time as a unit of distance, or a measure of travel."

"I understand that," she offered. "A light year is a measure of time, not distance."

Vodu's eyes widened. "If you ever decide to stay on the HORUS, you could be a great asset to this team."

The compliment made her feel good.

"This is not my world." Just saying those words made her throat restrict.

"I know." Vodu nodded. Age lines caged the corners of his lips.

He stepped over to the interactive grid and swiped his hand across it. Immediately, the green planet began to shrink in size and was flanked by a new series of globes, like someone had spilled a jar of marbles. Vodu's hand crooked again and these new planets diminished. The green orb was barely a spec as new bodies formed beneath his touch and then shrank. She started to understand what he was doing. He was reducing the galaxy or galaxies for a broader perspective—in effect, zooming out. A gasp escaped her lips when she thought she recognized the rings of Saturn, but none of the familiar planets from her solar system flanked it. Finally, Vodu lowered his hand.

"There," he said, tipping his head.

Aimee traced his glance and sucked in her breath. Three bodies away from a bright flare sat a swirling sapphire marble. It was such a vibrant shade of blue. She recalled an image of Myrtle Beach and could almost feel the hot sand between her toes.

"I see you recognize your home." Vodu smiled. "We are here." The tip of his finger wiggled on the far left-side of the three-dimensional panorama.

"Of course we are," she whispered in defeat.

"Before you get dejected, watch this." He made a circular motion, and the miniature universe began to rotate in a slow arc. It was not a true circle, but planets that were close to her now advanced to the other side of the console. Earth approached her hand. She resisted the urge to reach out and touch it.

"Where are we?" she asked.

Vodu pointed at a spot close to him.

"So we're still just as far away, only the universe has flipped."

"The universe, as you call it, has rotated. It is in a constant state of rotation."

"What is it orbiting around?" she asked. "There's no big sun that the entire universe revolves around."

"You are a smart one, Aimee." Vodu's white teeth flashed. "Even our scientists aren't clear on that answer. If you find yourself looking for something to do as you wait to return to your planet, I would love to see you work with them."

_A job_. More than a job. A learning experience greater than anything she could achieve in college. Imagine returning to Earth with a degree in celestial rotation? So much for intelligent life in outer space. They had the same questions her scientists had back home.

"I might do that." She tried not to appear too enthusiastic.

"If it was simply what you call gravity," he continued, "then the universe might be more like a solar system. Your solar system contains 8, well maybe 9 planets that orbit around one sun. But your solar system rotates as a disk."

Aimee walked over to the hologram and pointed at the HORUS's location. "So how do you get from here—" she ran her finger in a straight line through the air, dissecting stars and planets and a host of cosmic clouds in her path until she touched the vibrant blue dot, "—to here?"

Vodu shifted his palm over the display and the planets altered again. This time she tried to pay close attention to their pattern.

"You notice that the universe does not rotate as a disk, where all the planets are lined up in a row. This orbit is up and down, sideways...it is haphazard, but it _is_ moving, and it does possess a pattern that we've been able to rely on." He pinched his pointer and thumb together as if he was squeezing the universe. The spot that identified the HORUS shifted closer to Earth. "We will reach this position in nearly three of your _years_. For us that is slightly more than a half-revolution, or what we call a _renna_. A full revolution or orbit is a _ren_. It takes a _ren_ to get back to your planet. It's the span of our _Lifequest_."

"Five years," she whispered. "But they tell me that time moves quicker in space. That what feels like days to me is already—" she hesitated, "—what we call months."

"Yes."

Aimee's hands flattened on the panel. She leaned over and peered through the layers of celestial objects. The thrill of learning new things waned and the homesickness began to fester. Vodu must have read her expression.

"The HORUS is a fast ship, Aimee. I acknowledge what a grievous mistake was made in taking you from your planet. I have made it my personal mission to get you back as soon as physically possible."

He touched her shoulder, his warm palm curled around it in solace. "Please try to be patient. In the meantime we will do our best to make your stay aboard the HORUS a pleasant one. I had Raja prepare you your own quarters. I think you will find them comfortable."

A room? My own room? Not the Bio Ward?

How long had she been sleeping in the Bio Ward? A week? A month? Who could tell? But, suddenly sleep without a meddlesome purple plant sounded euphoric.

"Really?" Her voice croaked and she cleared it, adding, "Thank you. May I see it?"

"Of course." He smiled and waved over a JOH.

"Take Aimee to her room," Vodu instructed.

JOH's blue face beamed. "Certainly."

Aimee memorized the symbols along the journey to her quarters despite the distraction of JOH's relentless questions. It humored her to think JOH's data regarding Earth would all be quotes from her.

JOH halted and hovered.

"We are here."

Aimee looked at the wall. It was white. At first she thought it was locked, but she realized she had tensed up. She closed her eyes and opened them again and could see the soft contour of the door. The interior was murky, but she distinguished the outline of a bed and a wide window. She reached out with her hand and swiped the door from left to right. It opened.

"I didn't teach you that," JOH remarked in affront.

"No, you didn't. How come? Are you holding out on me, JOH?"

His mouth formed a thin black line. "You did not ask."

"Bah," Aimee scoffed as she walked through the portal and smiled.

It was like diving into the ocean. An underwater effect was produced by a rippling light behind vibrant blue walls—walls with no angles. The floor and ceiling curved at the edges. On the far side sat a solid panel of glass. She felt like she was inside a fishbowl.

With JOH at her side, she walked up to that window.

"That view still staggers me."

"You like it?" JOH's voice sounded like he had inhaled helium.

It was hard not to laugh at him.

Before responding, Aimee swung around and studied the interior. The bed was high off the floor as was common on this ship. A thick silver comforter was draped across it, as well a plush silver pillow at its top. Beside it were two spherical chairs of an opalescent shade that made them blend with the walls. Behind this, a partition of sturdy white columns clashed with the theme. These columns looked like they belonged on the steps of a Greek temple. Well, not that big, but they certainly were grand. She walked around to peer behind them and clapped her hands in delight. _This was the bathroom._ What caught her eye was the small pool illuminated by underwater lights. She climbed the three steps to look down into it. It wasn't something she could dive into, but she could certainly relax up to her shoulders in it.

"Yes," she responded. "I like it."

He bounced twice contentedly.

"Now before you go," she hoped he took no offense at the implication.

Could computers take offense?

She saw the curve of his mouth flatten in expectation. "Could you show me how to lock the room so that no one can see in?"

Somewhat mollified that he could be of assistance, JOH's eager smile returned. He floated towards the portal.

"Wave your hand directly upwards."

"That's it? Well, heck. I should have been able to figure that out."

"Who is _heck_?"

Aimee rested a hand on her hip. "You need to work on your translation program, and I need to get some sleep."

JOH opened the door.

"How did you do that?" She peered out into the empty corridor.

"I emanate a beam that simulates the movement of your arm."

"Oh." She glanced out again. "Cool. Well, I'll see you later, JOH."

"Good night, Aimee. I will be working on my translator program."

Finally alone, Aimee tested out JOH's instructions and swung her hand up in the air. The room dimmed. Other than that one small indication, she had no way of proving out the validity of JOH's instructions. She believed him though. He was a computer. It was his job to dole out accurate information. Besides, her barricade of temple columns protected her from the outside view, and it was to that shimmering pool that she retreated.

Removing her uniform, she saw a basin with running water mounted to the wall. No one told her otherwise, so she had been sticking her suit under running water in the Bio Ward to wash it. She did so now, and then climbed the few blue steps to the pool's ledge. Swinging her legs over the edge, she dipped them into the water up to her knees. The temperature was perfect. Slightly warm. She submerged until she was sitting on a bench inside, deep enough that only her shoulders and head were exposed. With her neck resting against the rim, she closed her eyes.

It was the first moment of relaxation since she had boarded this ship.

The room was beautiful. The pool was divine. The view of the stars was like no other.

_But it was not home_.

CHAPTER EIGHT

Aimee grew used to her new accommodations and began to develop a daily routine—even when it was impossible to reference what a _day_ was. There were no clocks. Her watch was still stuck at the time she left Earth. She used only the cycle of fatigue and hunger to deduce a 24-hour period.

Whatever time represented–a considerable amount had passed. This morning Aimee woke with a start. She wanted to close her eyes and crawl back into her dream. In that dream, she was in her bed–the sound of the oscillating fan filling the window. Her blanket was tossed at her feet, and Ziggy's snoring could be heard from somewhere in that region. It was hot. Her parents did not turn on the air conditioning until it hit ninety. On the nightstand was a hardback book held open by a jar of pennies. ENGINEERING FOR DUMMIES. Even in her dreams she was a geek.

Aimee kept her eyes shut tight. As long as she could not see reality, then reality was not there. It worked somewhat. She could still smell coffee brewing downstairs. Any moment now, her mother would knock on the door and yell, "Time to get up, Aim."

Tears leaked from the corners of her eyes.

" _I'm okay, Mom_ ," she whispered. " _Don't worry...I'm okay_."

What could her parents possibly be thinking? Was there a federal search underway, or did they just assume she ran away from home? No, her father was the _federal search_ type. He was probably personally grilling Corey Burnfield.

That thought made her smile. She opened her eyes and rolled onto her side. There was no sunrise to look out on. But it was a brand new vista of rainbow-colored constellations. God knows how far they had traveled. Today, Zak had a new planet to visit. _A planet_. He would set foot on a new world. How many had he seen? Was this mundane for him?

Aimee draped the comfortable spread across her shoulders and padded barefoot behind the columns. She still did not trust the _lock_.

After cleaning and dressing she felt human again. Hah, _human._ Or should she say, _mecaw_?

Carrie would laugh at that. How she wished she could share the joke with her.

There was a mirror above the pool and Aimee stared at her reflection. Tracing her hand down the side of her suit, she noticed curves she didn't think she had possessed before. Her hair hung in rich auburn waves below her shoulders. Her face was clear with a healthy touch of pink to her cheeks. Her deep blue-green eyes, framed by long dark lashes grabbed her attention. She had not seen her reflection in quite some time, and her eyes fascinated her. They looked wiser, if that was possible.

The Aimee in this mirror was not a high school graduate...this Aimee looked like a woman.

A sound outside startled her. She whirled away from the mirror and poked her face around the edge of the column. It was a staccato tap at her door. Not a knock. It was artificially produced. It sounded like a mechanical woodpecker. Ah yes, their cute idea for a doorbell.

Aimee swung her hand from left to right and the barrier slid open, but the silhouette that filled it made her stumble back.

"Hello, Aimee." Pale blue eyes shifted around the room. "Much better than the Bio Ward."

Salvan.

His lanky form filled her doorway. With her room dimly lit and the outside corridor so bright, she could only see his profile. He stepped inside and it was all she could do not to chastise him for his callous assumption that he was welcome. She refrained though. She was still the outsider here and did not know the rules. Perhaps such an invasion of privacy was commonplace.

"Hello, Salvan. I was just leaving."

"Oh." A pale eyebrow jerked up. "Where are you heading? I can travel with you."

_To wish Zak luck on his journey_.

"Vodu asked that I meet up with some of the scientists today. He said it would be a good learning experience."

Something flickered in Salvan's eyes. Disapproval?

"Good, then you can definitely pass the time with me. I'm a scientist."

_Not a very good one according to Zak_.

"I—uh—" Aimee started inching around him so that she was closer to the door. She felt his eyes trace her every move.

"I would love to show you my laboratory, Aimee." His voice had a strange ring to it, as if he was afflicted with allergies.

"Vodu is expecting me," she lied.

Sylvan's lips quirked. "Is he?" He stepped closer, which blocked her access to the door. "He would certainly understand if you took an excursion to the lab first."

Aimee didn't know which was greater. The fear of being physically attacked by Salvan in his lab, or the fear that he wanted to dissect her there.

Salvan's eyelids dropped as his gaze dipped down her body. All those imagined curves she had noticed in the mirror felt exposed right now in the tight-fitting body suit. His gaze drifted back up and lingered on her mouth for a moment before he returned to her eyes. He smiled. There was no warmth to the gesture.

"No, really. I'm going to be late," she cried as she charged past him, using her shoulder to force aside the arm that sought to corral her.

With the element of surprise on her side, she managed to bolt into the open corridor. Aimee spun back to determine whether Salvan pursued. In the corner of her eye she caught sight of a JOH floating a few feet away. She lunged for it and smacked the screen.

"Hello Aimee." The blue face beamed.

"JOH." Her voice was raspy as she saw Salvan advance a step towards her. "Can you tell me how to get to the deck? Vodu is waiting for me."

"But Aim—"

She knew JOH was about to divulge that she had already figured out how to read the walls. She didn't want Salvan aware that she held that trump card.

"JOH, please hurry."

JOH's mouth thinned into a solid line. "Follow me."

Aimee positioned the JOH between herself and Salvan as if the weightless monitor could wage a battle for her. She swiveled the device so that it now faced Salvan. That incited a dark glare from the man. He ambled out of her doorway and said, "I see you are busy. Perhaps later then."

She watched the back of his silver uniform as he stalked away, and only released her breath when he entered a lateral transport.

Aimee sagged back against the wall. Beside her, JOH swung around and the crystal face did not look pleased.

"Is there something wrong, Aimee?"

She cast one more glance down the hall, expecting Salvan to reemerge at any second.

Perhaps she was overreacting. Perhaps he was just a quirky man looking for a friend. Perhaps he was sincere with his invitation for her to see his lab. But if it was all so innocent, what was that malevolent look on his face a second ago—as if his plans had been foiled, and she was to blame?

"Aimee?"

Aimee nodded and managed an unconvincing smile. My God, she was trying to reassure a computer.

"Yes."

JOH looked confused, a blend of straight lines.

"Why did you lie, Aimee?"

Damn, he was intuitive.

"I didn't lie, JOH. For a moment I just forgot my way."

"You're lying again. It makes me curious." JOH's normal falsetto faded into a whisper.

Was he capable of sensing danger?

Aimee hefted off the wall and started down the corridor, tracking the symbols that would lead her towards the deck. She paused, realizing that she had just validated JOH's suspicions. But instead of harping on that fact, he floated patiently at her side.

"I was just nervous, JOH. I'm new here. I don't know everyone. I don't know how to gauge people."

"You are afraid of Salvan." It was a statement.

"No. No. Of course not." She started walking again.

"There are others who fear him."

Aimee stopped.

"There are?" She grabbed JOH and held him steady before her. "Why?"

"I have not been able to determine that. But I have seen others react like you just did. It makes me curious. I need to investigate."

Somehow that admission made her feel better. As if JOH represented the authorities and he believed in her anxiety.

"If you ever learn anything, can you tell me, JOH?"

"All you have to do is ask."

JOH thrived on questions nearly as much as he thrived on answers.

"I like you, JOH. You are alright."

"I like you, Aimee. You are completely right too."

Aimee laughed and stalled at the next intersection. She studied the symbols up high on the corner. The familiar X with the line through it pointed towards the left. A new icon pointed to the right. It was a diagonal line with a straight line intersecting across the top. It looked like a gun.

"What is that, JOH?"

"That's the launch bay."

The launch bay. _Zak._

"Okay." She nodded. "I know my way now."

JOH's crystal eyebrow descended. "I sense you are about to leave me."

"You sense correctly," she grinned. "But no worries, I'm sure I'll run into you again in a few feet." Her smile faded. "Thank you for—" _For saving me_ , "—for helping me."

"I'm just doing my job, Aimee." His familiar smirk returned. "I am going to do some investigating now."

She would be curious to see what his research yielded, but right now there were more pressing matters to address. Like a hieroglyph that resembled a gun.

"Bye, JOH." Aimee tapped his blue face on the cheek and he faded away.

Spinning around, she looked up at the gun and started down that corridor with reserved enthusiasm.

If the launch bay seemed active when she had last seen it, today it was teeming with personnel as if in preparation for the arrival of a dignitary. A raucous noise filled the air and Aimee clamped her hands over her ears. Only a hundred yards away, a craft similar to Zak's now hovered about three feet off the ground. The massive cylinders looked like tympani drums aglow with blue flames. Not really flames, per se, but a blue charge similar to the ripple of air visible atop a jet engine. Inside, the low-slung cockpit of this _terra angel_ was a seated man. He wore an egg-shaped helmet that bobbed around as he checked the interior. With a final nod his head jerked back a split second before the craft roared through the bay, its radiant tail nearly blinding Aimee. She squinted at the vehicle as it slipped through the partition at the end of the bay and disappeared into the endless night.

In the very next slot another craft ignited and the sound rumbled up her legs, making them unstable. She pried her hands away from her ears and began inching her way along the wall at the rear of the deck. If people noticed, they were too preoccupied to acknowledge her.

_Terra angels_. She liked that. These were not harbingers of death. These crafts were chaperones meant to explore and protect. Although the fact that they were commandeered by Warriors didn't play into the whole _angel_ concept.

Along the rear wall she passed by groups of Warriors—tall, strong, and resplendent in their silver uniforms. Assistant personnel executed visual examinations of the uniforms, typing in notes on hovering JOHs. One Warrior possessed a tinge of yellow across his abdomen and seemed to be arguing its innocence. From what Raja had explained, a trace of yellow could be anything from hunger pangs to a bout of diarrhea.

Aimee slipped unseen behind their debate. The last time she was here this bay had been quiet and she and Zak were able to cross over the deck without incident. If she were to attempt that same path today, a host of vibrating spacecrafts with nuclear reactors strapped to their backs would treat her like an inconvenient gnat in their haste to take flight.

She located Zak's ship. _Zari._ It was idle. No throbbing engines. Also, there was no sign of the man himself. A sea of silver uniforms milled about the deck, but nowhere could she locate the familiar stunning figure in black. She reached his _terra angel_ and ducked down under the frame between the engines and cockpit. She peeked around to see if anyone was approaching, but the closest group of men were busy examining the adjacent craft. One man barked off an order in a language she could not interpret.

Aimee ran her palm along the sleek underbelly of the _terra angel_. It was cold to the touch. She inched closer to the cockpit, and shivered from the pervasive chill. Yesterday she had not been in close enough proximity to realize that this machine __ was a giant popsicle. Blowing into her clamped hands to induce warmth, Aimee searched for the secreted lever that Zak had used to open the cockpit. Locating it, she cast a hasty glimpse over her shoulder and then touched the release mechanism. The door lifted with a soft hiss. Again she looked around, but no one paid her any heed.

The warmth of the cockpit beckoned–not to mention the allure of the bank of switches and dials as beguiling as diamonds to a tech-hungry college student.

Aimee slipped inside and gasped when the door fastened shut behind her. Crouched on the tips of her toes behind the pilot's chair, she swiveled to see if the culprit was outside. There was no one. It must have closed automatically. She fished near the door for a latch that would release it, but was unsuccessful.

The mesmerizing complexity of the dashboard distracted her. Polished black panels sloped beneath the wraparound glass bulwark, but sat latent, awaiting the pilot to bring them to life. The polished surface gleamed like the lacquered hood of a grand piano. She slid her hand along that gleaming panel as screens jumped to life beneath her touch. Half-expecting JOH's bright face to appear and berate her, Aimee shot a glimpse outside again to see if she had attracted any attention. Aside from the fact that activity had stepped up, no one glanced at her craft.

Returning her focus to the illuminated screens, she realized that they depicted a detailed view of the area in front of the ship. The monitors appeared to be heat-censored because when a man walked across the deck fifty yards away, the figure registered on the panel as a moving red licorice stick.

The red form continued by and the screen was vacant again. Aimee glanced up to confirm that there was no one between her and that yawning portal into night. Illogical as the thought might be, she began to consider the likelihood of her mastering this spacecraft and hijacking it back to Earth. It was absurd, of course–but the overwhelming urge to do _something_ to secure her release overruled logic. She frowned at the panel, trying to make sense of the markings. Taking a deep breath didn't help.

Aimee heard a voice.

She dropped onto her hands and knees, below the window. It was actually two voices, and one she recognized as the rich timbre of Zak. She began to shimmy her way into the tight compartment behind the seat. To her dismay the panel to the ship swung up.

Damn this neon suit.

He is going to see me.

Zak's voice was so close she jumped and hit her head on the top of the bin. Her limbs trembled when she caught a glimpse of his black suit climbing the steps into the craft. With the misguided philosophy that if she couldn't see him, then he couldn't see her, she clamped her eyes shut.

The hiss of the panel dropping back into place, followed by the vacuum of silence confirmed that the door was sealed tight again. The shuffle of fabric against fabric indicated that Zak was in here with her. Opening her eyes, she expected to be staring down the barrel of some exotic ray gun, but all she saw was the back of the seat in front of her. Zak's elbows were visible on each side as he leaned forward. Lights flipped on and they radiated off her suit like Christmas tinsel. Zak was still facing forward, though.

Beneath her, the floor began to vibrate and she could hear Zak talking to someone over an intercom. His words were a blend of languages. Understanding one out of every four words, she was able to get the gist that he was obtaining clearance to take off. Fireworks of panic blasted inside her head. She had to reveal herself now while she could still get off the ship.

Aimee fell back on her butt as the _terra angel_ thrust forward. Where was the explosion of rockets? Where was the countdown? Where was the _make sure all trays and stowaway items are secured_ , speech?

The force of gravity hauled her flat against the rear of the ship. She noticed a blur of lights fly by in the windows, but it was like tears streaming out of her eyes. She flattened her palms on both sides of the bin for stability and her teeth chattered at the sheer force of speed.

The roar stopped and her stomach felt like it had climbed out of her mouth and now floated around in front of her. The vibration was gone and there was an unearthly silence.

Zak barked off a few more commands and then, he too, fell silent.

Curiosity ate at her to climb up and peek out the window, but she remained still, calculating her options. After about ten seconds she concluded that there weren't any. She could hope to hide back here for the duration of Zak's trip, but already her kidneys were reminding her that even in space a lady needed to relieve herself. Where the heck was the bathroom on this thing? Oh right, it was designed for a man.

Zak's arm shot out and she could see his fingers manipulating controls on the left-side panel of circuitry. The black synthetic material of his suit hugged the muscle in his forearm. The limb withdrew and Aimee peeked around both sides of the chair to see what he was doing. He was controlling a panoramic replica of the view outside. If he zipped his fingertip along the right-side panel, the craft banked to the right. His left hand moved in a quick jerk and the _terra angel_ catapulted around a nebulous obstacle. The spacecraft was ultra-sensitive to his command. At the next swipe of his hand, Aimee tumbled onto her side and let loose a muffled cry.

" _Gayat!_ "

Aimee didn't know what the word was, but it had to be one doozy of a curse from Zak's native tongue.

"Who is back there?" The English translation kicked in.

She hesitated and then cleared her throat. "It's Aimee."

There was another muttered curse, followed by a smack against one of the boards. The craft jumped under each of Zak's jerky motions. Aimee knew he was mad, but she refused to cower. She just wanted to go home.

A deeply drawn breath sounded and then he managed a composed voice. "What are you doing on my ship?"

_Yeah, he was not happy_. The notion nearly made her smile.

"I didn't intend to stay on it," she defended. "But I climbed in, and then the hatch closed, and then next thing I knew you were on board, and before I even had a chance to say, _Zak, I'm here_ , whooosh, we were off into the cosmos. And then I thought—I thought that maybe I could convince you to fly this thing to Earth."

A heavy silence loomed from the front seat.

Aimee opened her mouth to add more, but snapped it shut when she heard him say, "Stop."

"Stop what?"

"Stop talking."

She opened her mouth again, but snapped it shut as Zak swiped his hand on the side panel and she tumbled onto her side.

"Dammit, you could give me some warning before you do that," she admonished.

"If you were an approved passenger you would be secured in place, and I would not have to give you any warning."

She hated it when people were right.

"I have to concentrate," Zak continued. "We're in the approach to Bordran and it is a tricky one. In this atmosphere, I'm unable to rely on the _TA's_ automatic landing instruments. I have to do this manually—and I need quiet."

Aimee held her tongue...for a second. "Am I going to go flying through the windshield when you land this thing?"

"Possibly," he grated.

She thought she detected a grin in his response. It aggravated her because it was at her expense. She climbed up onto her knees and spread her hands out, plying her palms flat on each side of the craft for leverage.

No longer concerned about being detected, she could now inch her chin up and look out the panoramic window. She gasped, startled to find that the green planet which had appeared so minuscule on the HORUS, now dominated the right side of the craft and seemed only miles away.

"It looks peaceful enough."

Oh my God, I'm going to land on an alien planet!

"What you are seeing is a thick cloud of gas. The planet is far beneath that ring, and the voyage through that vapor is not an easy one. So yes, you could quite possibly end up going through the windshield. Fortunately, the windshield is made of a composite strong enough to withstand tremendous air and water pressure, as well significant fluctuations in temperature." He hesitated while maneuvering the craft, and then added, "and catapulting young women."

"Is there anything I can do?" she cried, oblivious to his sarcasm.

"In front of you there should be a symbol that looks like a—"

"A circle with a line through it?"

"Yes. That one. Run your finger along the line, and back up a bit."

"Run my finger along the line and then back up?" she asked. "Or back up and reach forward and run my finger along the line?"

The sigh was unmistakable from the front seat.

"Either. If something hits you, then move."

Aimee frowned. "You aren't being very nice."

"I didn't ask for a guest."

"I didn't ask to be taken from my planet."

"I didn't take you from your planet." Zak countered and added a hasty, "do it now, Aimee."

She reached forward and traced the tip of her pointer finger along the line and then sat back on her heels. A quick whirr sounded and the flat surface before her transformed as a disc slid out and opened into two concave walls. _A jumper seat!_ It looked like a cracked egg shell. She climbed into it and was now seated comfortably with her back against Zak's. As soon as she sat down the curved walls slid further, ensconcing her inside the egg.

"We have a strict schedule to maintain. I can't alter it by taking you back to the HORUS. Fortunately, this trip to Bordran is a simple one or else your _stunt_ would not only pose an inconvenience, but it could put you in jeopardy. And another thing—you don't even know how your body is going to react to the air on Bordran. This capsule will fill with their oxygen and gasses shortly before entering their atmosphere to acclimate us. What if you get sick?" Zak paused only a moment, "I'll tell you what. I'm going to leave you on here, sick or not, and finish my job. I have responsibilities. If I am late, I risk missing my rendezvous with the HORUS and could spend the next _Ren_ in this star system."

Aimee rolled her eyes at the relentless berating. "Oh please. Like the HORUS would just take off without you."

"The HORUS is constantly moving, Aimee. It doesn't pull up in a parking space and put the brakes on. It is up to me to execute my mission and get back to the ship all within the cycle it takes to orbit this system."

"Even if you were delayed I think you're being a little dramatic when you say you'd be stuck here forever. One, this little _terra angel_ of yours looks like it moves pretty fast. You could catch up."

Aimee leaned forward so that she could see past the frame of the chair and study the planet looming outside. _No way! No way was this happening._ She still couldn't believe it. "And two, if you couldn't catch up to them, don't they go in this big circle around the universe? Won't they be back here again?"

"A _Ren_ ," Zak repeated. "It's a long time."

"Five years," she countered. "You all tell me that five years is nothing up here."

"It's a lot when you're alone."

On that somber declaration, Aimee fell silent. She listened to Zak's movement. The swoosh of his arm. The tap of his fingers on the panels before him. The brief communications with the HORUS, some of which she could not understand.

She leaned forward again–as far as the restrictive seat would allow, and watched their approach to Bordran. It was like looking through lime green saran wrap. You couldn't quite focus on the planet itself...or perhaps she was just missing her glasses.

"Are you alright, Aimee?"

The deep-voiced sincerity startled her.

"Yes," she whispered.

"You've never been to another planet, have you?" he asked quietly.

"No." Her head shook. "But I've been to Disney World."

"Disney World? Is that near either of the places I visited?"

"No. You would have remembered it if you had been there." She was getting melancholy. She tried changing the subject. "What is this Bordran like? Have you been here before?"

Zak executed a maneuver with the craft that made her stomach tumble, but soon the ship righted itself. "Sorry about that. It's not easy breaching their atmosphere. I have to get the _TA_ in the proper trajectory. Bordran's formula of gasses will start to filter into the cabin soon. Let me know if you feel funny, I'll see if I can tweak it any."

"What happened to, _I'll leave you on here whether you're sick or not_?" she countered.

"It will be easier if you are not sick. And no, I have not been on this planet, but I've heard that it is—fertile."

"Fertile?"

"Green. Wet."

"Well, dammit, I can see for myself that it's green."

Zak chuckled quietly.

"Green, as in very lush flora," he explained. "Wet, as in very marshy. It is why Bordran is an important stop on our circuit. We missed it on the last _Ren_. This could be a rich resource for us."

"Why can't you just beam something up from the HORUS like you did with me?"

"It would make it easier, wouldn't it?" he quipped. "This atmosphere is tricky. The gasses are so thick–perhaps meant as a deterrent to lock something out, or to lock something in. Anyway, our beam gets diffused inside their clouds."

"Are you the only one who does this sort of thing?"

"No, there are several Warriors that do recon missions. After all, the entire crew of the HORUS is united in one goal."

"To find a cure for the virus." Aimee speculated.

"To find a cure for the virus so that they can once again go home."

"But," she hesitated, "that is not your home."

This time the silence between them was heavy.

"My home was destroyed," he declared quietly. "I cannot go back there yet. If I cannot rebuild my home, then at least I can help to reconstruct the home of the people who saved me."

So many questions roiled through Aimee's head. She yearned to know more about this intense man. But a funny sweet smell filled the chamber and she sneezed.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Yes." She sneezed again. "I smell...honeysuckle?"

"I'm not sure what honeysuckle is. I don't think we have a sample in the atrium. You didn't happen to bring any with you, did you?"

Aimee thought of the big bushes with tiny yellow flowers that constantly needed to be trimmed along their driveway. "No. I didn't."

"The Bordran gasses have started. Their oxygen supports _mecaws_. Humans. But the oxygen has a very sweet smell to it. It's just possible it could make you sick. Look down at your suit. Is everything okay?"

Aimee glanced down at her stomach which remained blissfully wrapped in silver. She ran a cursory check over all the other major organs and there wasn't even a faint shade of pink to be found.

"All clear here."

Hah, I sound like a co-pilot.

"Alright, are you secure?"

The eggshell curled around her as she tested the resistance of the walls and found them to be very rigid. If she allowed herself, she might start to panic at the inability to break out of its confines, but she had faith in Zak. She was able to lean forward enough to stare at the nearly blinding green veil. There was no way to discern a planet beneath the vibrant stratum.

Distracted, Aimee wondered if Zak wore sunglasses when he passed through here. She was going to ask, but the _terra angel_ bucked under her feet and she yelped.

"Is everything okay up there?" she called out.

"Yes. We'll be through it shortly. Hold on."

There wasn't much to hold onto other than the rim of the seat beneath her. The glow outside was so distracting that Aimee tucked herself back inside her shell and squeezed her eyes shut, counting the relentless shudders as if they were thunderclaps.

" _Gayat_!"

She recognized Zak's curse. Maybe it meant, _dammit_. Whatever it was, it didn't bode well.

Before she could even ask what was wrong, the craft shuddered. It felt like they had been hit by a truck. Unable to lean forward, inertia plied her back against her seat.

Aimee struggled to right herself, prepared to ask if this was normal when another collision shook the _terra angel_. Were it not for her little cocoon, she would have been flung against the wall.

"Zak! Is this normal?"

Another thunderous impact and now the spacecraft started to rock—a dreadful wobble of instability—a sign that the pilot had lost control. Aimee caught a glimpse of her suit. The patch around her stomach glowed yellow. _Yeah, like she needed the suit to tell her that she was going to throw up._

She tried to call out to Zak, but the cadence of explosions drowned out her voice. Finally she could hear him over the clamor.

"Aimee, brace yourself. We're going to crash."

Crash?

There was no chance to respond. The ship vibrated so severely that her jaw jiggled in its sockets. She tucked her knees up inside the egg shell, praying this little alcove would protect her.

Somehow she felt safer knowing that she was facing the opposite direction of the nose of the craft, but Zak—

It was her last thought.

CHAPTER NINE

Someone was calling her.

It was a male voice. Her Dad? Had she overslept?

"Aimee?"

Normally, she could smell him. Her father wore an aftershave that alerted you ten feet in advance that he was coming. She wrinkled her nose but only smelled smoke. _Smoke!_

Her eyes flew open and were besieged by orbs of gold. She blinked away the sting of smoke and gulped in air as the trauma kicked in.

"Zak!"

His glance trace down the length of her body and back up again.

"Are you hurt?" His voice was hoarse.

Her elbow throbbed, but she doubted that would register on the suit.

"No. I don't think so." She stared at the man crouched down in front of her. "Are you?" she volleyed.

"No." He rose, using the outside of her shell for support.

Aimee stared at his chest. It was broad and rose and fell on troubled breaths, but the fabric remained a solid onyx shield.

"What happened?" She poked her legs out of the seat's confines.

Zak stepped back to give her some space. His dark hair was mussed and there was a smudge of blood at the top of his right temple.

"Oh my God. You are hurt!" she cried.

When she would have reached for that wound, he held a hand up, deterring her. "I'm fine," he stated. "It's just a scratch. We were very lucky, but we can't stay here. We have to leave the ship."

"Why? Are you afraid it's going to blow up?"

"No," Zak stooped to peer out the window, but a veil of smoke obscured the view. "I'm afraid whoever shot us down will finish what they started."

Red splotches of panic flooded Aimee's cheeks.

Zak used his shoulder to shove open the outside panel. With all the fancy mechanical bells and whistles this little space ship had—in the end it came down to elbow grease to force it open.

Zak craned his head and looked in each direction before turning back towards her. "It looks clear. Let's go."

Fear kept her rooted. This stupid little egg made her feel protected. Zak must have read her panic. The tense set of his jaw eased. He held his hand out.

"Come on, Aimee. It will be okay."

False assurances–but she reached for that hand. The grip was confident. She linked her fingers with his and felt the impetus as he tugged her from her seat.

Zak stepped down onto the surface, but for her it was a leap. She hit the ground and felt the suction of the terrain as she sunk into mud. Not much was visible because the smoke still stung her eyes. Careless of whether it was awkward or not, she clung to Zak's hand for all she was worth. She was not going to lose this man.

"There is a patch of trees only a few _centrams_ —I mean, _yards_ away," he whispered.

Aimee squinted, but could distinguish nothing in the pervasive fog.

"If you say so."

She felt the tug of his hand and followed his heels as she concentrated on the strange turf.

Jogging a short distance, they entered a thicket of trees that resembled cactuses with pale yellow spikes. It was ironic to find a species associated with drought on such a fertile planet. There was no relationship between these gigantic trunks and the spiny cacti from home, though. When she tipped her head back, these trees were as tall as her eyes could see.

Smoke still seeped in between the lofty limbs, and somewhere atop that gaseous canopy was a dark sky. It wasn't a blanket of night–more like the rich mauve of pre-dawn. A dawn with no visible stars.

It was warm too. Humid. It felt like a jungle. A jungle with cactus trees.

What did you expect from your first foreign planet?

Zak let go of her hand. She panicked again and sought him out in the shadows.

"Was there an explosion? I didn't see any fire when we jumped out of the ship, but there's so much smoke...."

Zak scanned their environment. His gaze was keen, his demeanor alert. She just now noticed the weapon in his other hand.

"It's not smoke. These are the indigenous gasses of Bordran. It is why we had to land here instead of using the salvage stream."

"Who shot us down?" Her voice wobbled.

Zak executed a slow pivot with his weapon extended. It might resemble a gun, but she had no doubt that it fired something other than bullets.

"I'm not sure." He kept his voice low. "They told me that the last time we visited Bordran it was primarily uninhabited. It's always dark, and not the most hospitable environment for _mecaws_ , but I'm sure some nomadic culture decided to make it their home."

Aimee shivered despite the heat. She pictured a giant purple Cyclops with fangs, and the talons of a hawk.

"What about _Zari_? Can she still fly? Are we stranded here? How will we get back?"

Zak stepped deeper into the thicket. She could hear the suction of the wet ground tugging at his feet. She fell in close behind him.

"I can fix _Zari_ ," he tossed over his shoulder, "but whoever shot us down probably knows where the ship crashed so they will be here soon. Chances are they are just scavengers. We don't have to worry about it being the Korons at least."

Right. The Korons hated water. And this place was one giant bayou.

"So what is the plan?" she asked.

"We find a secure refuge and wait them out."

"What if they scavenge the ship?"

"Then—" Zak turned around. His expression was as menacing as this perpetual twilight. "I'll have to kill them."

"Oh." Aimee gulped.

"Or disable them," he hedged. "Whatever it takes to get us back in that _TA_ and on our way." He turned away, leaving her to contemplate the man she was stranded with.

_Was he dangerous?_

Of course he was dangerous. He was a Warrior. This was his job. But was she in danger with him?

"This looks good." His husky tone invaded her thoughts.

As they tramped deeper into the jungle of tall cactuses, a new crop of fauna appeared. Thick ivy vines wrapped around the trunks of the trees in an attempt to scale their way to the tops. The ivy was so pervasive that Zak called her attention to an alcove formed beneath a mesh of the writhing creepers.

"You first." His attempt at a smile was lame.

Aimee looked into the lair of shadows and then tipped her head back to peer up at the trees. For a moment, she was reminded of the woods on the other side of the pond. Her fear of that forest had come to fruition.

With one more uneasy glance into that thicket of shadows, she tensed at the sound of someone, or _something_ plodding through the mud. Over her shoulder her eyes connected with Zak's. Danger flashed there, and when he nudged her, she dove into the cave. He followed, his tall frame eclipsing her view of the outside. Urging her deeper into the shelter, Zak crowded her into the pit that smelled of mud and seaweed. Her hands fell flat onto the mucky surface as she crept deeper inside.

Zak pressed back against her, using his body as a shield. His black suit diffused the glare of her silver one. With the touch of his hand on her thigh he indicated for her to remain still. She didn't need the warning.

Except for the quivers of fear, she remained motionless. Attentive. Listening. Afraid to breathe.

The footfalls approached. Whatever it was, there was more than one of it. Or maybe it was a _sumpum_ and had six feet. God, she hoped it was a

_sumpum_.

Aimee noticed Zak's arm shift and saw the flash of his gun in the limited light.

Then, I'll kill them.

The emotionless way he had uttered that. What type of life did this man lead?

Zak swiveled on his heels and leaned in close. Close enough that she felt his breath against her cheek and then the slight touch of his lips against her ear. A blanket of goosebumps showered over her body.

"I am going out there," he whispered against her hair so that no one else could hear.

"No!" she had to choke on the word so that she didn't shout. Instead she shook her head vehemently. Again his lips brushed her ear.

"It sounds like there are only two of them. I like my chances, but you cannot move. Do you hear me? Don't try anything crazy, Aimee. Please stay here."

Don't try anything crazy–like climb into his ship and pretend that you're going to fly it back to Earth.

She nodded, and her fingers clawed into the mud.

Zak shifted, and then with one surge his black form melted into the shadows.

Never before had she felt so alone. Fear took on a whole new meaning. What did she have to fear back home? College? Worrying how she would fit in, or whether she would get good grades? Wondering how she was going to help her parents pay for tuition. Fearing that Ziggy was getting old and would die soon.

Here in this burrowed outcrop of vines, with her only link to reality—her only source of protection now swallowed by the night. In this black realm, she waited for death to come at the hands of a creature the likes of which a human had never seen.

Here, she knew fear.

Aimee tensed at the sound of a skirmish. Curiosity clawed at her insides, but terror overruled it and made her shrink back even further. Curse this damn silver suit. She might as well have strapped on a few neon signs while she was at it.

A strange sound ensued. Something electric—an exposed current—or a sparkler. A loud thump rumbled as the clammy ground beneath her palms vibrated.

"Aimee."

Zak.

Relief welled into tears, but she blinked them back and crawled towards his voice.

"It's okay, Aimee. They are—" he hesitated, "—they are not a problem anymore."

Still hesitant, she stuck her head out, unable to locate him.

"Zak?"

"Right here."

He was directly in front of her. But dressed in black and standing before a cactus, he blended with the tree itself.

"Wh—what happened?" she stammered.

Zak tipped his head. She followed that direction.

_Oh!_ Well, it wasn't a purple Cyclops. As best she could tell in the dark, it looked like two jolly green giants. Not giants, but judging from their reclined position, they were about seven or eight feet tall. They had humanistic features. Their skin was the color of the algae that rimmed the pond in her back yard. They wore suits—or armor of intricately woven shrubbery. You wouldn't think a leaf could offer much in the form of protection, but the density of this weave of vegetation seemed impenetrable. Well, evidently not _that_ impenetrable. They lay on the ground and Zak stood above them, his chest heaving slightly.

"Are they dead?" she whispered.

Turmoil lingered in Zak's eyes. "I'm not sure. I've never seen this race before. They must thrive off the flora on this planet. I don't want to chance that they undergo any sort of photosynthesis or such."

"So what is your plan then?"

"We're going to tie them up as a precaution, and we're going to have to wait it out and see if others come. I need time in that ship—" He glanced up at the tree tops. "—and I need daylight."

"What are we going to do until then?" Her voice pitched.

"Shhh." Zak scanned the woods, the gun still secured in his grip. "There's not much of a choice. We hide out for the night in this cave. If it is still quiet by morning, then I can work on the _TA_."

"We're spending the night in _there_?" she squeaked.

"We need to stay near the ship in case others come, but we can't stay _in_ the ship in case others come."

Translation was that Zak did not want them to sit vulnerably inside the _terra angel_. He wanted the advantage of being outside in case any giant green men showed up.

Aimee stared at that black alcove with dismay. She wrapped her arms around herself. The onslaught of night was very subtle because it had been dark on this planet to begin with. But now that the temperature was falling, the nagging chills of fear wormed into her limbs.

"Can you help me with this?"

"Huh?" She was distracted—still staring at that darkened lair.

"Can you help me tie them?"

Zak had crouched down beside the giants and was using belts from their uniforms to bind their arms and legs. The belts were like gnarled tree roots. Aimee stooped beside him and caught a strong whiff of vegetation. She wrapped the root around one of the giants' ankles, worried that the creature would kick her. The feet were large and swathed in tree bark and the legs looked like hard-packed green clay. These green giants were a manifestation of the jungle itself. A gangly succession of limbs and leaves hell-bent on making her life miserable.

Aimee twisted the cord around three more times and secured it as best she could with a knot. Zak joined her and gave a hefty jerk to the end of the loop for good measure. He retrieved his laser and stood up, surveying the area with the keenness of a trained predator. Poised for attack, his rigid stance made Aimee all the more paranoid.

"Okay, it's time." He nodded at the cave.

She gave him her best plaintive look, but he just shook his head.

With one final glance at the inert giants, Aimee got down on all fours and crawled into the black chasm. Zak fell in behind her, prompting her to scoot in as far as she could go. She settled against a meshed wall of roots and vines, grateful to find solid ground to sit on. The smell of mud pervaded the niche.

Aimee felt Zak's leg stretch out next to hers and was glad for that contact.

"You're hungry."

"What? No, I'm not hungry at all."

"Yes you are," he said quietly. "Your suit."

Aimee glanced down. In the darkness she could see a faint yellow glow emanating from her abdomen. Great, her stomach was a damn night light.

It had not lit up because she was hungry, though. It was the contact with his thigh that set her on edge.

" _Your_ suit." She shifted the balance. "Why is it black?"

Zak remained silent. She thought maybe he had heard something outside so she held her breath.

"I have a different molecular composition than the people of Anthum."

_No kidding_. The passengers on the HORUS all were fair in color, but Zak—Zak definitely had a unique genetic makeup.

"But you said that you're susceptible to the virus too?"

"So they tell me."

She could feel his shrug against her shoulder.

Aimee hesitated. The dark emboldened her.

"Zak–" she paused. "How did you end up on the HORUS? Did the virus strike your family?"

He did not respond.

She had gone too far. Not only was it none of her business, but she sensed that whatever happened to strand Zak on the HORUS was traumatic. She wondered how old he had been, but there was no chance she was going to ask.

"No," he answered quietly.

Aimee thought he was going to end it at that. She was conscious of a strange chirping sound coming from outside, but Zak seemed unconcerned.

"A disease did not destroy my home." He surprised her by continuing. "The Korons did."

Aimee frowned. Having never encountered one, she had nonetheless developed a strong dislike for this alien race.

"What happened?" she prompted.

Zak took a deep breath and shifted his body. The warm length of his thigh no longer brushed against hers. She missed it.

"I was very young."

He stopped there, and she could tell he was debating whether to continue.

"You don't have to—" she floundered.

"No. It's okay." He adjusted his spine against the roots that contained them. "Neither of us are going anywhere."

Despite his forced levity, there was still another long pause in which she doubted he would elaborate.

"I knew something was terribly wrong by the look on my mother's face," he began. "She put my sister and me down in the vault beneath our house. It was a chamber designed to protect us from the horrible sandstorms that raged through seasonally. Our mother told us she was going outside to get our father and that they would join us soon. She said to stay deep in the shadows and not to open the access panel unless we recognized one of their voices."

The dark clung to them with thick, humid talons. For as moist as the air was, night still brought on a wave of frigid air. Aimee trembled and wrapped her arms around her knees.

"Are you alright?" Zak's hushed concern warmed her.

"I'm fine. Tell me, Zak. Tell me what happened."

He sighed, but it wasn't a sound of impatience, rather a lifetime of fatigue.

"We stayed down in the dark for hours until Zari, my sister, grew anxious. I was still young enough to fear disobeying my mother's order, but Zari decided that she was going to go up and look for them. She told me to crawl under our father's work table. It was carved out of a mineral that would withstand most weather catastrophes. She said, _don't come out until we come get you_. She repeated it over and over as if now she was the adult."

Zak hesitated. It was so still in this small cave that Aimee could hear him swallow.

"So, I crawled under that table and I peeked out to watch her climb the steps. She had her hand on the latch and she looked back down at me to make sure I was staying put. She saw me watching and gave me a smile—and then she pushed open the latch—"

Aimee could sense Zak's agitation.

"There was an explosion." His voice grew hoarse. "They must have seen the latch opening and fired. She—she was gone—turned to dust in an instant. That dust floated down the stairs. I could see it against the light—"

Aimee gasped. She didn't even think. She reached for his arm in the dark, wrapping her fingers around it.

"And then a shadow filled that light. I was so traumatized at that point. All I knew was that I couldn't see the sparkling dust now because of that shadow. I wanted to see the dust. It was my sister. I wanted to see where it landed."

Zak did not withdraw from her grip.

"But something was up there," he shuddered. "Something locked out all the light, and I wanted to cry because Zari wasn't there to tell me what to do. So I just listened to her last command. I listened and I obeyed. I crawled back far under that table and I didn't move. I didn't move when I heard the heavy steps coming down those stairs. _Heavy_ steps. The sound of rock smacking against rock. I didn't move when that last footfall hit the floor of our vault, and I didn't move when the steps began to circle the room."

He paused. "I didn't move when they stood before the table. I saw their boots–formed from sand. Their feet were so big. Their legs seemed endless. To me it looked like a stone sculpture come to life, and I bit my palm to muffle my crying. Those stone feet and legs stood right before me, and I thought that soon I would be dust on the floor as well. But a sound came from above. Their dialect. A sing-song chain of grunts...and then the stone feet retreated."

"What happened, Zak?" Aimee refused to let go now. She wanted to hug the young boy who had just lost his sister.

"I listened to Zari, Aimee. I listened to her and I stayed under that table until my father, my mother, or my sister would come get me."

"Oh, Zak." A sob formed deep in her throat.

Zak coughed. When he spoke again, his voice was void of emotion. His brief dip into grief had faded. Zak, the Warrior, had returned.

"No one knows how long it was. They say the siege of the Korons lasted for days. They destroyed every settlement. The weather and topography of our planet was enticing to them. We came from such an arid land."

"And the Korons don't like water." Aimee added.

"Right." Zak confirmed. "That they don't. They took over our planet much as these green creatures found this planet to be hospitable to them."

"But Zak, what happened to you? How did you get out of there?"

"Vodu later told me that I must have been under that table for at least three days. The HORUS received a distress call at the initiation of the Korons' attack. It came too late, but it did come. They were much more sophisticated than the Korons. They had sensors to detect life and they found me. Vodu said that I was weak and couldn't open my eyes because the light hurt them so much. He said that for as frail as I was, I fought them. I kicked. I scratched. And I told them that I had to stay under that table until my family came back."

Aimee could sense Zak glancing around. "So you see," he paused, "I don't really mind this cave. I like the dark."

"They took you away?" she asked. "And brought you onto the HORUS?"

"Yes. I was in shock for a very long time." He flexed his arm and this time Aimee let her hand drop.

"Vodu knew," he murmured. "He trained me to become a Warrior because he knew that one day I would go after the race that took my home. My family."

"Have you?" Aimee whispered. "Have you gone after them? Have you gone back to your planet?"

"Once." He shifted. "It is a wasteland now. Pockets of Korons still live there, but many have moved on. They say there are bands of rebels who survived the attack, but I could not find any. The orbit to reach my planet is shorter than yours. It is about four of your _years_. The next time I return I will be better prepared. I will be stronger. I will search for the rebels again, and together we will flush out the remaining Korons...and rebuild."

Zak fell quiet and Aimee used this opportunity to absorb his tale.

"Aimee, that _terra angel_ out there...I must protect it. If I need to kill these creatures, I will. I am angry that they shot it down and jeopardized it."

"Naturally you're upset. First, it's _your_ ship. Second, it bears the name of your sister."

"No." She could hear his head shake. "When I went back to my planet, I was able to locate what was left of my house. Vodu still had the coordinates." Zak hesitated. "I found that vault, Aimee. I found that table. And I found a layer of dust on the floor. Sand filled with sprinkles the color of the dress Zari wore that day."

Aimee's breath lodged in her throat.

"I scooped up a handful of that sand and it sits in a compartment inside that _terra angel_. It travels through every galaxy with me."

That was the catalyst. Aimee felt tears leak from behind her eyes. What pain this man harbored, and yet he carried himself with dignity, and not with a grudge...or hostility.

"You are sniffling," he observed. "Are you cold?"

Aimee shook her head and then mumbled, "A little." But she thought the chill had more to do with his tale than the environment.

Zak shifted and she felt his arm slip around her back. At first she stiffened, but then relaxed against him, grateful for this warm haven.

"What about you?" he asked. "Tell me about what you've left behind."

How could she possibly answer that—after the story he just shared? What epic disaster had her parents been through? The year they were audited? The death of Aunt Penny to cancer? Her mother missed her older sister desperately, but it was not spoken of often.

"Are your parents alive?" he prompted.

It was such a sad question. It was tragic that he even felt compelled to ask it.

"Yes. I have no brothers or sisters, though. My mom had some complications with me so she was never able to have more children." _And so they smother me. No. They love me. They love me so much, and now they don't know where I am_.

"I'm sorry." There was sincerity in his deep tone. "Do they have a trade?"

"A trade? Oh, my father is an engineer, just like I am studying to be."

"An engineer." He tested out the word. "Ah, you will be building spacecrafts. You make sense now."

"What do you mean, I make sense?"

"You can see your way around the HORUS. You were able to get into my ship. You have an analytical eye. You are very intelligent."

Having never felt pretty, she used to think that she craved being told she was. But somehow, when Zak so matter-of-factly stated that she was intelligent—it tickled her lungs—it was so much more gratifying.

"I don't know about intelligent," she felt blood rushing to her cheeks, "but my parents always said I was resourceful. Not resourceful enough though. I can't get back home."

"You tried. There is respect in that."

A branch cracked outside. Aimee jerked from her slouch.

"Stay still," Zak whispered.

She felt him shift and saw his outline fill the entrance to their cave.

"Be careful," she warned.

He slipped into the night and Aimee crawled to the cave's entrance to locate him. It was pitch black, with no benevolent moon to cast the faintest glow. Light did filter through the forest, but it seemed to emanate from the ground as if some of the vegetation was phosphorescent. Still, it wasn't enough to help her locate Zak. She longed to join him and assist, but she knew he would want her to stay put.

Before she could panic, he returned. He burrowed through the entrance and announced casually, "Animal life. Something like a _sumpum_. Salvan would love to get his hands on it."

The thought of the pale scientist made her cringe.

Zak settled back against the roots. "We have several hours until light hits this planet. You better try to sleep, Aimee."

"I'm not sure I can," she mumbled, although the dark veil of fatigue reached for her.

"Are you cold?"

_If I said yes, would he put his arm around me_?

"A little."

She felt the warm band slip around her back. There was a slight tug to urge her to relax against him. She didn't need much coaxing. She was tired, and his chest was wide and comfortable. Settling inside this cocoon, she laid her head against his collarbone.

"Tell me, Aimee," he spoke softly. "Do you have a man back home?"

"A man?" No. The one _man_ who had showed any interest really wanted her dad, not her.

"Umm, no. No men."

"I'm surprised," his voice drifted. He sounded tired as well.

Aimee closed her eyes and listened to the beat of Zak's heart. He was human. She could hear it in that confident cadence.

"What about you?" she asked. "Do they do things like get married here?"

"Married." He tested out the word. "Yes. You become _bonded_. It's pretty much a universal term. Married is a new word for it...at least for me."

"Do couples ever become _un_ -bonded?"

"No. Bonding is something special. For a couple to feel that much for each other—there is no chance of it ever coming apart. My parents were bonded when they were very young. They knew already that they would spend the rest of their lives—"

Zak stopped. Aimee had reached up and placed her hand flat on his chest. Fatigue gave her liberties she would never attempt during the light of day. Her palm pressed the shiny black fabric.

"How old are you, Zak?"

There was no answer and she thought either he had fallen asleep or was still too upset at the mention of his parents.

"In your years?" he probed. "That's hard to calculate. My planet was much larger than yours and took a path far greater. They tell me that I'm almost twelve revolutions of my planet, which is probably twice as many as yours."

"Twenty-three," she calculated. "You are twenty-three of my years."

Aimee surrendered to a yawn, but continued in a whisper, "You look twenty-three, but you act—you seem so much older."

Zak chuckled softly and she felt a puff of air against her hair. "I feel old, Aimee. I feel very old."

"You need to sleep." She didn't even know if she had said the words aloud. His heartbeat had finally lulled her into slumber.

CHAPTER TEN

"It's time."

Her butt hurt. But the rest of her was quite comfortable. She yawned and slipped her arm around the pillow. It moved beneath her.

"Aimee, it's time."

She frowned. _Time for what_?

"Aimee."

The word brushed against her ear and she jolted awake.

"Easy there. That's my jaw you almost broke."

Aimee rubbed the top of her head and blinked. Light filtered in from the opening of the cave. Outside, clouds hugged the ground like diaphanous snow drifts. Cognizance returned and she sat up straight, grinding her palm into her eye and staring at Zak who wore a bemused smile. It looked really good on him.

"Are you going back to the ship?" she asked.

"Yes. It has been quiet out there. Maybe we're going to get lucky."

"Or maybe they were waiting for the morning as well."

Zak shook his head. "I admire your keen sense of impending doom."

She had to laugh at that. "I'm here to help."

He smiled, but his lips thinned and his eyes grew alert. He moved to the rim of the cave. "I'm going inside the ship, but I want you to stay here. You can see the _Zari_ from here. When I open the panel, you run like an upright _sumpum_ is after you. As soon as you're in, we're taking off—" he paused and added, "—that is, if I can fix the damage. And don't you dare ask me what we're going to do if I can't."

Aimee snapped her mouth shut. It was exactly what she was going to ask.

"Alright," he leaned forward with his weapon extended, "remember...as soon as you see that panel open—"

"I become an Olympic sprinter."

Zak's lip curled up at the corner. "You think I don't know what that means? I have heard of your Olympic games. They're nothing compared to the _Zurt_ challenges on my planet."

"Oh, sure, sure. _My planet is bigger than yours_." Aimee laughed, trying to subdue her apprehension.

Zak looked at her. When he stared at her like that she felt her ears go numb and the world go fuzzy. All she could see was a golden light...and it beguiled her. It beckoned her. But she could not go to it. The golden light shifted, and he was gone.

From her perspective, the looked like a big horse lying on its side with its legs stretched out. The swell of the cockpit resembled the swell of the horse's belly. She saw Zak slip inside without incident and she finally started to breathe again.

There was light now, but it was a haze bogged down with clouds and wispy vapors—a haunting version of the Aurora borealis. Lofty cacti secreted a glistening liquid that trickled down their sides as if the tree was crying. Red-stalked plants spiked out of the ground to form a stockade around Zak's ship.

Aimee hugged her arms about her and listened for him. What did she expect to hear, Zak hammering away? She didn't hear a hammer, but she did hear _something_. It wasn't coming from the _terra angel_ , though. It was coming from the opposite direction. It sounded like the wind sifting through the underbrush...but there was no breeze.

Shifting onto her knees, she leaned forward for a better view. No signal from Zak. The hatch was not open. Her head turned into that whisper of wind as it channeled from the other direction. On it rode the musty scent of cedar and moss.

Aimee squinted.

_There!_ The vegetation wriggled, while the stalks around it remained as straight and stoic as British guards before the Tower of London. In the melee of underbrush, the stretch of a jade trunk emerged. She would have disregarded it as one of the myriad cacti competing with each other for dominance over the rosy skyline, but this trunk was mobile. She followed its progress until it grew and produced branches. No—not branches. Arms.

A long torso resplendent with leaves emerged and Aimee looked up at the head shadowed beneath a crown of woven vines. Moss grew over a stony face with lifeless eyes the shade of a stagnant pond. She yanked her head back into the shadows.

It was the jolly green giant, and he didn't look very jolly. Slung across his chest was a weapon akin to a bow and arrow, but from her brief glimpse, she could tell the arrows were much more potent than anything earthly.

To her horror, another set of arms and legs trailed—a forest of athletic limbs with a single goal. Aimee swerved her head to follow the trek of their soulless eyes.

Zak.

Could he see them from inside the _TA_? Was he completely vulnerable to this attack? Damn him for not leaving her with some method of communication.

As elusive as the trickle of a breeze, the tree men advanced.

_Think. Think. Think_.

Aimee cast a futile glance at her surroundings, but what single obstacle could she produce to halt them?

The green giants were now only ten yards away from Zak's ship. It was hard to see them. It was hard to hear them.

She watched helplessly as they drew their weapons and the first arrow arced towards the _terra angel_. When it struck, an explosion shook the ground beneath her. Her cry of protest was muffled by the next tumult.

Through the melee of fog and smoke Aimee noticed the hatch slide open as return shots volleyed through the air. They weren't like lasers, though. Either they were invisible, or lost in the vapors. Their shock waves were evident on impact. One struck a giant in the shoulder as the creature staggered backwards under the impetus. Where he faltered, his teammate rallied and struck the ship again.

Zak was trapped. There was no way he could fend off this assault.

Frantic, Aimee looked out into the trees for some magical weapon. The only advantage she had was that these giant vegetables had no idea she was behind them. She considered running out into the path and waving her hands in the air as a distraction. It could possibly afford Zak a few precious seconds to regroup. But she would be dead before he could do any damage.

_Think. Think. Think_.

Another explosion shook the ground. The trunks of the giant cacti shuddered. The motion caused her eyes to latch onto the over-sized vines snaked around them. These thick lanais were within reach. Without considering the consequences, she lunged out of the cave, grabbed the closest vine, and started to unwind the thick cord.

She was a little freaked by the fact that the plant in her hand squirmed like an earthworm, but there was no time to dwell on it. Crawling into the thicket of trees, she banked on the fact that her tread would be drowned out by the blasts.

On all fours, she braved the clearing between the trunks, passing directly behind the three green men. Bursts of hot air stirred her hair as Zak fired another shot. One of the giants stumbled backwards, nearly colliding with her. She held her breath, but the creature righted himself and drew his bow. Aimee cleared the path behind them, dragging the vine with her. Now she had to find a way to circle back and cross the ground in front of them... _unseen_.

As she contemplated this feat, the vine began to wrap around her wrist and climb up her arm like a boa constrictor. She swallowed a shriek and clawed at the groping flora. It wound tighter as her hand grew numb. With her free hand, she grappled in the underbrush for something to strike the creeper with. Locating a rock, she struck the cord snaking along the ground beside her.

Undeterred, the vine continued to scale her arm. This time, she lifted her hand and slammed down with all her strength. A sharp edge must have clipped the python. A golden viscous substance oozed out of the wound and the grip on her arm faltered. One more smack and the vine was severed, and the pressure on her forearm ceased.

The detached end lie on the ground, still secreting its foul-scented, gilded blood. It began to jerk and hefted into the air in a slow, winding arc. It was probing for something—probably the rest of its body. She crawled backwards, out of reach. The vine then swerved in the opposite direction, sensing the stony feet of the green giants. Again it hoisted into the air, its severed end swaying back and forth, lurching towards the closest thing it could grab onto...the legs of the jungle creature. It wrapped around them and squeezed, toppling the giant despite his roar of protest. The vine continued its trek and latched onto the next creature, toppling him as he tried to use his bow to hack at the root.

Zak took advantage of this interruption and fired off two shots which debilitated the fallen beasts. The third jungle man, the one originally wounded, stood off to the side and just now drew his bow. Aimee's glance jerked towards Zak and she realized he did not see the creature. He thought all his foes were incapacitated. Out of a cloud of smoke, he emerged from the spacecraft.

Across from her, the jungle man raised his bow. The point of his arrow was on a collision course with Zak's chest. The string drew back with a creak that sounded so loud to her.

"No!" she screamed.

Aimee launched from the underbrush, aiming for the giant's legs and praying that the motion would offer Zak the second he needed to shoot. If he was late, she was dead.

Before she could connect with the giant, it swerved, hurling an object at her. Whatever it was, there was no time to avoid impact. A burst of pain beset her shoulder as she was knocked backwards by the force.

Next to her, the air hummed. Her body bounced as the giant toppled to the ground. Pain pulsed in her shoulder—each red hot beat worse than the previous. Her sight began to cloud. Blinking for clarity, she swore that Zak fell to his knees in front of her.

Oh, don't let it all be for naught. If he was shot too, then I've been a complete failure.

"Aimee."

Blinking did not assist with her muffled hearing.

"What have you done?"

Was he scolding her?

She felt strong arms slide beneath her knees and back, and then she was weightless.

Nestling into this warm haven, she closed her eyes.

"I'm okay," she whispered.

"Hold onto me."

She heard Zak's order, and obliged with her one good arm, hooking it over his shoulder. His grip on her constricted and she was less conscious of the pain now, and more aware of him. With her head crooked against his throat, she smelled his skin—a combination of the sultry air, the metallic residue of explosives, and ironically, the soft scent of something like soap.

"I need to get you back into the _TA_ so I can evaluate your injury. We'll have some protection in there. Can you make it?"

"Mmmm hmmmm," she mumbled. She was so tired.

"Aimee, stay with me. Don't fall asleep." He held her tighter.

Aimee draped her hand on the back of his neck. His skin was so warm. A cord of solid muscle. "So sleepy," she murmured.

"No. We're here. Hang on to me. I have to let go to open the door."

She hugged him tighter and whimpered when her shoulder smashed into his. The rustle of the hatch could be heard, and then she felt Zak's arm wrap around her again as he climbed inside the craft. It was dark in there. It made her even drowsier. Aware that Zak had set her down, she sensed the familiar egg shell curl protectively around her.

"Aimee, look at me."

Mumbling a protest, she closed her eyes.

Zak's fingers were under her chin, gently inching her head up. "Look at me," he commanded.

She frowned and opened her eyes. The sun. Her sun. From her solar system. That's what she saw in his eyes. It was beautiful. Her heart raced and it had nothing to do with the trauma of the attack.

The beauty disappeared and was replaced with the harsh reality that he was aiming a gun at her. She jerked back, but was confined inside her seat.

Was she so badly injured that he had to put her down—put her out of her misery—like a horse?

"I'm okay. Really, I am!" she cried.

Her eyes were fixed on the odd weapon when she saw Zak's finger jerk. No ray was emitted, but she felt a jolt to her shoulder as if she had been shoved. She reached for her arm but already she could tell that the pain was gone.

"What did you do to me?"

Zak was crouched down eye-level with her. He leaned in to inspect her wound.

Cautious fingers tested her shoulder, enabling her to see the extent of the damage. A three inch gap in the fabric exposed her flesh, which looked pale next to the vibrant silver material. There was no gaping wound, though. No blood. The pain was minimal. Honestly, all she could feel now was the touch of Zak's fingers on her bare skin.

"Why did you do that?" His gaze left her injury to probe her eyes. "Why did you throw yourself at that creature?"

"Y-you were trapped," she stuttered. "You would have been killed."

She was in a seated position inside the egg shell, and Zak was before her, crouched between her legs, measuring her with an intensity that made her heart stutter.

"I fight alone. I am a Warrior. If I fail, then I die alone. There is no time and not enough men for it to be any other way."

Perhaps it was post traumatic emotion, but Aimee felt tears creep up behind her eyes.

"That is very sad." She cleared her throat. "But today you were not alone. Today you had help. And today you didn't—" her voice caught, "—die."

Zak studied her. Long and hard. It didn't make her uncomfortable. For others, he might use his eyes to intimidate, but she just found them beautiful. It was when they dropped to her lips that her breath faltered.

"No." His voice was husky. "Today I didn't die."

His head lowered until she could feel the soft dust of his breath against her lips. She closed her eyes and tilted her chin...

...and felt nothing but air.

Aimee's eyes snapped open to discover Zak still watching her, though he had withdrawn to a safe distance. His expression seemed conflicted.

"Why did you have to pick my ship to hide in?" he fired quietly.

Breathless, she tried to respond.

His gaze remained on her lips. "Your shoulder should be fine now," he vowed, sitting back on his heels.

"Wh-what happened to it?" Aimee was still reeling. "What did they shoot me with?"

Banishing his inner conflict, Zak was all professional when he spoke.

"I've seen weapons like what they used on you. I'm willing to bet they grabbed those bows from some rogue group of Korons that came through. The firearm they used is not deadly, though. It's intended for immediate range. It will debilitate, and hurt like the bite of a _shorhuck_ , but it won't kill you."

Aimee looked at the gap in her suit and thought of Zak's fingers there. "Then why did it rip my suit if it's so innocent?"

"I'm trying to figure out the translation. It's like an electric shock, as if someone had touched you with a raw burst of power. There was enough friction to burn through your suit, but it did minimal damage to your arm. And what I hit you with was just a simple pain killer. They're in that compartment over there," he nodded his head to her side, "if you need any more."

"Oh." Her mouth clamped shut.

"Aimee," Zak reached out and gently touched her chin. "Don't do that again." He sobered. "Next time they might not have innocent weapons, and I don't want to see you get hurt. You scared me."

The gravity of his words made her tremble. The sincerity in his eyes made her breathless.

"I was afraid for you...and...and...your sister is in here. I wasn't going to let them destroy this ship."

Something changed. Some minute detail. The hand beneath her chin opened and his warm palm rested against her cheek. His head angled, and his smile was filled with a new kind of pain.

"You would make a good Warrior." His voice was husky.

The fingers dusting across her cheek reached up and stroked her hair.

"Now, my little wayward space creature," he whispered hoarsely, "it's time to see if this _TA_ can make it out of the atmosphere."

He sat back on his heels again, and Aimee missed his touch.

"You fixed it?" she asked.

Zak stood up. "Well, mostly. We can take off. We can fly." He climbed around her into the front seat and she could hear his voice behind her shell. "I'm just not sure we can land."

Zak was good for his word. They did manage to take off from Bordran. It was a little shaky—unsteady motion that Dramamine couldn't fend off. But they were out of the funky-hued atmosphere and back into the stars. For the first time Aimee felt a sense of security in this netherworld. How odd to find comfort in the black expanse of space over the stability of land. Perhaps it was the pilot behind her.

"Did you even get what you were going there for?" she asked, watching a blanket of fuzzy lights bathe over the craft like an exploded daffodil.

"Hah, yes. All of that chaos just for one plant. But you have to understand—we look at every plant as, _maybe this is the one_. Maybe this is the antidote that will save us and let us go home."

"You mean let _them_ go home? Will it let you go home?"

Silence lingered behind her. After a lengthy delay, Zak answered.

"The people of Anthum saved me. When they are safe, then I will go home."

_There's nothing there for you_.

"What if there are no rebels left?" Her heart ached for him.

"I know you're sitting back there, thinking I'm crazy," he said quietly.

"No. I understand, Zak. I really do."

And she did. His quest may end up being futile, but she understood his desire. Her yearning to return to her planet could wage a war against any rational argument against it.

They were silent, lost in their own thoughts until finally she heard him say, "Thank you, Aimee. Thank you for saving my life—"

_Boom_.

"What was that?" she cried out.

A shriek as loud as a banshee emanated from every nook of the ship. Aimee had visited her father's car manufacturing plant and remembered the piercing sound of saw through metal. Increase that by twenty decibels and that was the clamor she just heard.

"We lost some of the stabilizers," Zak shouted. "Coming out of light speed isn't as smooth as it normally would be. We're nearing the HORUS. Now the fun is about to begin."

"When you say _fun_ , I don't think you mean it in the literal sense."

The screeching abated and Aimee felt the ship coast back into a level rhythm.

"Aimee, inside the shell of your chair is a red square. If you place your palm against it, it will shut the shell. We have no motion halters. They were irreparable."

"You have no brakes," she translated in a whisper.

Zak didn't hear her. "With the velocity that we are coming in at...it's going to be hard to aim for the landing bay. And if we _do_ make it, we have to hope they have set up enough of a bolster to stop us."

"I didn't hear you talking to them."

"I couldn't speak to them until we came out of light speed. I'm about to now, but I didn't want you to learn the news that way. I wanted you to hear it from me. When I tell you to put your hand on that red square—" he banked the spacecraft to the right, "—you do it."

"Yes, captain." She saluted and smiled, but the smile was just a reflex. She was scared.

Aimee could hear it all now. Zak was speaking into an intercom, relaying the exact state of their wounded _terra angel_. It wasn't good. If she understood correctly, they were fashioning a net of some kind inside the landing bay. What type of net could corral a vehicle coming in just under the speed of light?

She traced the inside of her shell and committed the location of the red square to memory in case her eyes were clamped shut when it came time to use it.

"Okay." Zak broke into her thoughts. "It won't be long now. I can see the HORUS."

Aimee poked her head out to scan the windows on her right. There it was. She had not seen the HORUS when they took off. It was magnificent. All the movies about outer space—they came nowhere close to depicting this epic structure.

Last year she had taken the Summer Science and Engineering program, a four-week class for select high school students across the country. If they had witnessed the construction she was looking at, the curriculum would change for years to come.

A single pipe-like structure represented the core. This foundation was literally miles long and perhaps a mile or two wide. Size was difficult to gauge in space, but there was no denying the magnitude of the HORUS. From that cylindrical foundation, hundreds of little cities protruded, hooked to that pipe with squat, illuminated legs.

As they grew closer, she recognized the scores of lateral transports dissecting the surface—a melee of flashing lights. The ship looked jewel-encrusted, shimmering with a million diamonds, each diamond representing a tiny window lit up from inside. Small crafts hovered around the satellite cities, bobbing like boats tethered in the water. One of the satellite cities she could identify. The arced roof was made of glass and the interior was too dark for her to see, but she knew it was the atrium. My God, it was huge.

"Alright, it's time," Zak warned. "You better close your seat now."

"But I won't hear you then," she hesitated. "I won't be able to see anything. That will just make me panic more."

"You'll panic, but at least it gives you a better chance to live."

Aimee's palms were damp as she gripped the seat cushion beneath her.

"What about you? Does your seat close around you? You're in the front." Her voice hitched. "You're going to get the brunt of it."

He didn't answer.

"Zak?"

She listened and could hear him talking in low, earnest tones to someone on the ship. They now flew parallel to the HORUS. Despite the fact that the ship was so extended, they were eating up real estate at a fast pace.

"Whatever happens, Aimee," Zak was talking to her and she had the sense that he had concluded his communication with the HORUS...that it was just them now. "If there was such a thing as a co-Warrior—" she could hear a slight grin in his voice, "—you wouldn't be a bad one to have."

"Wouldn't be a _bad_ one? I think I was damn good. I saved your butt, dammit. I single-handedly tackled three giant jungle men—well, the snake or vine tackled them, but still—"

She realized she was rambling. She could see a gaping hole in the side of the HORUS and knew it had to be the landing bay. It looked like a mouth, and it wasn't smiling.

"Aimee—"

There was regret in Zak's weighty pause, but he had no time to complete the thought.

"Now. Hit the button _now_!"

Aimee slammed her hand down on the red square. The shell began to close and in that dwindling gap she glimpsed a rush of light. Then there was nothing. She was trapped inside a black tomb.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

This cocoon had to be the closest thing to Hell that she could imagine. It severed all noise—all light—all contact with the outside world. In here the only sound was that of her ragged breath. There was no warning of impact, although she knew from Zak's last words that it was imminent. She splayed her hands on the inside of the shell to gauge the size of the chamber. It was very tight with little room for her to bounce around if they hit anything. She guessed that was the idea, but eggshells were made to be broken, and slamming into a 100-story skyscraper at the speed of light would likely do the deed.

"Zak?" she shouted.

If he answered, she couldn't hear it. The silence, the unknown, it began to eat at her. Her palms slammed on the inner shell, seeking the release mechanism. She had to get out. She had to—

Aimee's forehead cracked into the rigid panel. Her body hefted into the air and hugged the top of the casing and then crashed down hard against the bottom. She cried out in pain as her shoulder slammed into her seat.

There was little room to be jostled, but she felt scrambled inside this egg shell. In one final lurch, the force of acceleration splayed her forward so that she hugged the shell like a frog on a screen door. It felt as if her insides were being ripped out through a hole in her back.

She screamed. And she kept screaming until suddenly everything fell still. That stillness only pacified her for a second and then her screaming resumed.

The egg shell cracked open and Zak was there. His arms were around her. His lips were on her forehead, and then his mouth was against her ear, as he whispered, "You're okay, Aimee. We did it. We did it."

We did it.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and collapsed into him as the emotion came crashing down on her. Tears welled up in a tsunami of trauma and relief, her body racking with uncontrollable sobs.

"It's okay, Aimee. You're safe." He continued to assure even as she was aware of voices rushing towards them.

Zak's hand soothed down her back. Her head was tucked so tight into the crook of his neck that she could feel his pulse. She could feel the vibration of his voice as he whispered again, "you're safe." He drew her tighter into his arms. "You did great."

Aimee clung to him until she was conscious of a throng of people congregated around them. She lifted her head and the first thing she saw were those golden eyes. The second thing she saw was the rugged grin on his lips. Her tears began to dry and her mouth curled up into a smile.

"That wasn't so bad," she murmured.

"Zak! Zak!" Men climbed through the debris.

Aimee caught her first glimpse of the wreckage around her and her smile faded. "Oh my."

The long nose of the _terra angel_ had been severed and lie immersed in a glutinous substance. That same creamy liquid now seeped into the cockpit which was still intact. Strewn around the deck were fragments of the ship, some afloat in the viscous liquid.

"Wh-what happened?"

Zak jumped down from the cockpit and turned to reach for her. She relied on the solid hands around her hips. As her feet hit the deck, she lifted one boot, noticing the glue sticking to it.

" _Ginka_. It is a substance used for improvised landings. It acts as a net and also douses any potential flames."

"It's pretty much disgusting." Aimee hefted her other boot, using Zak's shoulders for balance. She was reluctant to let go of him.

"This stuff stopped us from crashing?" she asked, incredulous.

"I wouldn't say that it _stopped_ us, but it decelerated us some. I tried to get the ship under control at the end. It fought me, but that combined with the _ginka_ blanket..."

"We're alive," Aimee filled in with a smile.

Zak smiled back and finally dropped his hands from her waist. His eyes remained locked with hers despite the activity springing up around them. Aimee didn't want to look away. Not even for a second.

"Step away from them!" A voice boomed.

An arc of silver-suited men had circled them in celebration, but it now parted as Salvan marched brusquely into their core. Zak's hand wrapped around the small of Aimee's back and he moved in closer, positioning himself as a shield.

"What do you want, Salvan?" Zak's voice threatened. "You don't belong on the deck."

Salvan halted a few feet away and tossed his disheveled hair back into place.

"I do now." He patted his chest.

Salvan's glance dropped and his lips narrowed as he noted the connection of Zak's hand.

"You should have stayed away, Zak," Salvan chastised. "You should have stayed on that planet. Maybe you could have saved your girlfriend." He spat the last word.

Zak's touch fell off her back, but only so he could crowd Salvan, glaring down at him.

"You better start making some sense because my patience is at its limit. In case you haven't noticed, we've been through quite a bit of trauma, and Aimee's been wounded. I need to get her to the Bio Ward."

Salvan tipped his head back and met Zak's stare before slicing his pale gaze in Aimee's direction. He sneered as he spoke. "Oh, she's going to the Bio Ward alright. You both are."

Aimee jumped when she felt hands clamp onto her arms, like shackles.

"Zak!"

She was hauled away from him and saw that he too had been seized.

"Talk fast, Salvan," Zak's eyes turned dangerous, his biceps swollen with resistance. "What's going on here?"

"It's for your own good." Salvan smiled. It was a soulless gesture. He crossed his arms and his eyes dipped in disdain down Zak's suit. "While you were gone, the disease struck. The epidemic is astounding. We have practically filled the Jay-nine. At this point we're just waiting for those people to die so that we can move the newly afflicted in."

Aimee shuddered.

"You didn't by any chance bring back a cure on your— _quest_." Salvan uttered the last word with contempt.

Aimee could see that Zak was stunned. She caught the tell-tale dart of his eyes across the suits of the men around them.

Salvan read into that glance. "They have not contracted it yet. That's why I brought them. But at the pace this epidemic is advancing, it's just a matter of time." He paused, and Aimee wondered if she detected sincerity in his words, or—enthusiasm. "There is no vaccine. There is no method to protect them—or you. Everyone simply waits their turn to die. But I need to get you to the Bio Ward now for testing. We need to confirm your status. I am trying to calculate a formula for the rate of advance."

Salvan pursed his lips and added, "Vodu has asked that you take over. He—"

"No!" Zak jerked against the restraint on his arms. "Tell me Vodu is okay."

"His suit revealed the first signs. He's in the Jay-nine now."

To Aimee, this was the first indication that Salvan possessed emotions. He seemed concerned for Vodu's well-being. Or perhaps it was just that he didn't like the idea of Zak being in control.

"Come on." Salvan waved his fingers and Aimee felt the hands at her sides urge her forward.

Frantic, she sought Zak's gaze, and though his was grave, his nod of reassurance boosted her feet into motion.

The journey to the Bio Ward was a somber one. No one spoke. No one looked at each other. Aimee tried over and over to draw Zak's attention, but he was tense and deep in thought. No doubt he feared the fate of the HORUS' leader, a surrogate father or grandfather.

Aimee's eyes bounced about. She could not make out the graphics on the walls so clearly with her own thoughts in a state of turmoil. Had she survived the battle with the green giants, and a near death experience with that crash landing only to succumb to a foreign disease? Was she going to die on a table in a strange space vessel so very far from home?

It couldn't be helped—her fatalistic glimpse at the suits of oncoming traffic. She searched these strangers for traces of red at their midsections.

The door to the Bio Ward slid open. When last she was here, only a handful of beds were occupied by a few rugged Warriors. Now, it looked like a homeless shelter, and there were plenty of red abdomens to be found.

Maybe it was heartless, but she had to voice her concerns. "If we're healthy, doesn't it jeopardize us to be near them?"

She wasn't sure who she directed her question to. No one was looking at her.

"It's too late," Salvan responded. "If it were just one or two cases, there is a chance to keep those people quarantined, but we don't know what triggered the disease in such a violent manner. Every satellite of the HORUS has been impacted. Everyone has been affected. There is nowhere to go to be safe. It is as swift and devastating an impact as the original destruction of Anthum."

He stopped and scowled.

"And I can't help wondering what triggered this outbreak. For all the time that has passed since the HORUS departed Anthum, the instances of disease have not been epic. They were contained. Why this sudden onset? What has changed?"

He stared hard at Aimee and she felt the air grow cold.

"And the only answer I can come up with–" Salvan's voice was icy, "—is you."

"What?" Aimee jerked her arm free from the man clutching it. "But you tested me."

"Your genetic makeup is different. How accurate can my test be?"

Oh my God. If I truly brought this destruction on...

"You brought her on this ship, Salvan. So if that were the case, which I doubt it is–" Zak stepped forward. "This would be _your_ doing. Your greed has proved the demise of these people."

Salvan leered at him. "Speaking of genetically deviant beings."

Zak stared him down and Aimee could see a muscle pump in the Warrior's jaw. His hand clenched into a fist, but Raja stepped up and interrupted. Aimee caught the revealing dip of Raja's glance to her abdomen. Aimee looked down as well to confirm that it was still silver.

"Test their blood to see if it has struck them yet, or how far advanced it is," Salvan ordered Raja.

"But I thought the suit lights up." Aimee aimed her question to Zak. His hard expression softened when he looked at her.

"If your suit lights up, it's already too late."

Free from the grip of the sentries, she wrapped her arms around herself and jumped when Raja touched her shoulder.

"You are hurt?" The young woman looked concerned.

Aimee reached for the torn fabric. "No. It feels fine. You have enough on your hands to worry about."

Raja's smile was weary.

"Come," she said. "We'll take a look at your blood."

Raja started to usher her away, but Aimee looked frantically over her shoulder. " _Zak?"_

Tall and enduring, Zak's wistful gaze told her that she had to go. She felt like crying again. She didn't want to leave him. What if–what if she never saw him again?

"I will see you soon," he whispered. "I _want_ to see you soon."

Aimee's throat clenched.

"Go with Raja, Aimee," he added huskily. "It's going to be okay."

His eyes contradicted that.

She held onto that glance even as Raja drew her away. She held it until a stream of patients and doctors filed between them and all she could see was Zak's dark hair above the melee.

And finally, she could not see him at all.

She turned and noticed the knot of tension nestled between Raja's eyebrows.

"How bad is it?" Aimee asked in a confidential whisper.

The undertone was unnecessary with all the chaos around them. Several JOHs blocked the aisles, as patients shouted out denials. Some clawed at their suits, tearing at the condemning patch of light across their abdomens.

Raja worriedly reached for Aimee's hand, holding a silver instrument similar to a thimble over the tip of Aimee's pointer finger. After a weighted pause, Raja's frown dissolved and her shoulders slumped.

"You are clean." The woman's tawny hair fell forward as she dipped in close to speak. "You are the first clean report today," she confided. "Maybe this infection will take a turn."

Aimee grabbed Raja's hands. They were cold.

"Raja. What about you?"

There was panic in the blue eyes, and the fingers in Aimee's hand trembled.

"How long?" Aimee asked with hushed urgency.

"It won't be long now before the color registers," Raja explained, glancing down at her own suit. "I have to keep working. The number of scientists are—" she scanned the vaulted room, "dwindling."

Fear of sounding callous was tossed aside by desperation. "I don't understand. How can you work on people? Won't you...infect them?"

"Once the infection is airborne—masks, protective gear—nothing has blocked it. You either succumb to the disease, or you are immune. But when it strikes with this severity like it did to our planet...there is no immunity."

Aimee felt her palms grow moist. "But you said I was clean."

Raja nodded, defeated. "I hope you stay that way, Aimee. I really do. But you need to be prepared. It's just a matter of time for all of us."

Aimee snapped her hand back. "No!"

"Raja?" An older man with graying blonde hair and dour lines around his mouth interrupted from the aisle. With dismay, Aimee noticed that his stomach was lit up as red as a traffic light. "We need you in the lab."

Raja cast a plaintive look at Aimee, but Aimee just nodded. "Go ahead."

"I'll be right back. Please—" she hesitated, looking over her shoulder. "Please, Aimee. You have to stay here. Please be here when I return."

"Raja, you have to go."

A well of emotion flooded Aimee and she reached forward to hug the woman who had to be only a few years older than her. Much too young to die.

At first Raja tensed. Then she wrapped her arms around Aimee and whispered, "It's going to be okay."

But it wasn't. Aimee needed to know the statistics. She needed to know exactly how dire the situation was. She grabbed the closest JOH, and this time the blue crystal face that illuminated under her touch did not look so jovial.

"Hello Aimeeee."

"Hi, JOH."

"You sound sad, Aimee."

"So do you," she countered.

JOH's black mouth flattened.

"JOH." She leaned forward to exclude the patients in the surrounding beds. "Tell me honestly. How bad is it?"

His dark eyes skewed sideward and back again. "Very bad. There is a vault filling with casualties. They are trying to keep that process out of the public view so as not to cause any more panic."

"How long does someone have if their blood tested positive?"

"In your calculation of time...two, maybe three weeks."

Aimee's heart lurched.

"How long do they have if their suit has lit up?"

JOH looked straight at her and answered, "Two or three days."

Aimee clutched her fist to her chest. _Oh, Raja_.

"JOH, they said Vodu—"

The black orbs bulged and then poured back into place. "Not long. He is in a separate chamber being attended to by our top scientists."

Depression was boring its way into her soul. "They said I have not tested positive. Do I stand a chance?"

JOH remained quiet.

"JOH?"

"I am not capable of lying, Aimee."

_Oh no._ "Tell me."

Another long pause and then he answered, subdued. "Even though you are from a different planet, your genetic composition is similar enough to the Anthumians, making you just as susceptible as them." Again, he hesitated. "And Aimee, even if you were not to succumb...would you want to be the only living creature left on this ship?"

A moan lurched from deep in her throat. She shoved the JOH out of the way and charged into the aisle. A young aid grabbed her arm and urged her back onto her bed, but she yanked free and raced up the lane. Aware of curious glances, what troubled her more were the sad, desperate gawks. She ran past them, thinking that if she was fast enough, she would never make eye contact.

Outside the Bio Ward, Aimee collapsed against the wall. Posted beside the entrance were a group of Warriors, looking suspiciously like guards. One caught sight of her and approached, but Aimee grabbed a JOH and swung it before her face, pretending to engage in ardent conversation. In actuality, she refused to tap the screen. She refused to hear any more of JOH's condemnation.

Ignoring the Warrior, Aimee turned and stalked down the hall with her shoulders drawn back, attempting a look of composure. There were too many distractions for the guards to pay her much heed.

She had no idea of her destination. This was not her home. She was a stranger in a world that was dying. There was no place to run to for solace. Nowhere to hide from this insidious fate. It was all around her–on every face–on every suit.

Drawing in a deep breath, she stared at the walls of the corridor, willing herself to read them.

Recognizing one symbol that might offer peace, she aimed for it.

CHAPTER TWELVE

The door slid shut behind her.

Silence.

A hush born from night—a night that blanketed her.

Aimee gazed up at the atrium, into a world of glittering orbs and interstellar clouds. It was a new world, and yet it was comforting and familiar. In this forest the trees might be foreign, and the animal-life unique, but this was the closest connection she had to home. Somewhere on Earth, people were looking up at stars just like these.

She moved quietly down an alley, hearing the soft cadence of her boots against marble. She was positive this was the lane she was looking for, but the path was flanked by unrecognizable plants.

There.

It stood alone, eclipsed by the black desolation of space. A single palm tree.

Aimee stepped up close, her eyes climbing the coarse trunk until she reached the apex, an amalgamation of balmy leaves. A coconut clung beneath the soft arc of a palm frond. She smiled, remembering the taste of coconut.

"I knew you would be here."

The husky voice did not alarm her. He belonged in this forest as much as she. Two strangers from different worlds.

She didn't turn around, nor did she flinch when she heard him move up behind her.

"This isn't something we can hide from, Aimee."

She was tired. So drained.

"I know that, Zak. But—" Defeated, she confessed, "I'm scared."

"I know you are." His tone was sober.

Aimee caught a reflection of them in the pane behind the palm tree. Zak was so tall. The top of her head came just below his chin. She could see him studying their reflection as well. Their eyes locked in the glass.

"Zak, how much time has passed back on my planet?"

His head tipped back as he calculated.

"Hard to guess. You've been here awhile–and the sheer distance, well, maybe three revolutions."

"Three years," she said, staring at her countenance.

Auburn hair dipped below her shoulders, lustrous under the ambient light. Her face was cast in a blue glow—and yes, there was a maturity to it now. That maturity came from experience and not necessarily time. Her eyes collided with Zak's again.

"I'm twenty-years-old on Earth," she murmured. With more vigor, she added, "And now they're telling me that I'm going to die. I don't want to die, Zak."

Zak stepped into the path of her reflection. He stood before her. Even in the filtered glow from the atrium, his eyes smoldered. They bore into her, making her feel vulnerable and desirable all in one glance.

"You aren't going to die, Aimee."

She shook her head, angry with the tears that began to well. "You can't make that promise."

He reached for her arms as his head dipped close to hers. So close that if she just tilted her neck back, she could—

"I won't let you die." His vow was hoarse.

"Why?" she pleaded.

"Because—"

Zak leaned in and his lips claimed hers. It was a soft kiss, but his grip on her arms confirmed that husky promise. Gentle sweeps of his mouth made her legs grow weak. She leaned into him, returning those kisses, feeling a tear slip from the corner of her closed eye. He parted from her, but the warm flesh of his forehead still pressed against hers.

"That's why," he whispered.

Aimee wanted to respond, but his mouth proved too tempting. She could feel his lips so near to hers and she yearned for that heated connection. With the end of her world close at hand, liberation that she had never possessed before manifested itself. She reached up and cupped his cheeks in her palms, pulling him closer so that she could kiss him again.

Until this moment, she hadn't really considered her age. Age was a moot point in space.

Every bit of the woman in her poured into this kiss. She shivered when his lips brushed across hers and returned for a deeper caress. Her hands slipped up behind his neck, reveling in the coarse texture of his hair.

Zak's arms folded around her, pulling her tight into his embrace. She felt his heart pounding and it exhilarated her to know that she was the reason for the hastened beat. The friction of his lips against hers turned her body into liquid and she was afraid she might pour out of his arms.

"Aimee," he whispered, "I am not going to lose you."

She whimpered and reached to kiss him again, but he held his mouth just out of reach.

"I threw myself into the role of the Warrior," he spoke. "And I was damn good at it...but at what cost? I never even considered a woman in my life before." His hand reached up to cup her face. "And then this stranger shows up. This beautiful stranger who stows away on my ship. A girl who attacked men twice her size because she was _afraid for me_. A woman who has survived near death with me." His eyes glowed. "I want you. I want you in my life."

Aimee dusted her fingers against his jaw, where a muscle pumped beneath her touch. He was so beautiful with his chiseled chin and high cheekbones. Exotic and handsome. She drew back to take in more of him...and screamed.

"Zak!"

"What?" He jerked back. His eyes flashed and his body tensed. He was alert, seeking out a foe. "What did you hear?"

She whimpered and clamped her hand over her mouth.

"Aimee, what's wrong?" Zak reached for her.

She held her hand up between them and pointed. Zak's glance followed her finger.

"No." He stumbled back.

His hand dropped to his chest and his palm flattened over the blushed glow beneath it. The red pulsed through his fingers and Aimee's eyes locked onto that radiance.

"Oh, Zak, no," she cried. She broke from her stupor and reached for him, shaking him out of frustration and pain. "No. This can't happen. I want you too. This can't be happening."

Zak was speechless, still staring down at his stomach. He looked up, anguished.

"You have to leave me now," he ordered.

She surged against him, her arms looping around his neck. "No."

"Aimee." His touch on her hair was tender. "You are so beautiful and so strong. I have no doubt that you will find some way to beat this."

Tears poured from her eyes now. She used the back of her hand to swipe at them and Zak reached up with his thumb to assist.

"Raja said that once the suit lights up," she hiccupped, "you may only have days."

Zak's smile was sad. "I have so much to prepare, and yet—"

"Yet?"

He cupped her cheeks, brushing the tears. "I want to be with you."

Aimee smiled through her sobs. She hefted onto her toes and kissed him.

Zak's head jerked back. "You can't do that."

"Why?" Her laugh sounded hysterical. "Are you afraid I'll catch this from you? There is nowhere to go, Zak. Nowhere to hide. No safe distance."

"Dammit."

"Where did you learn that word?"

He flashed a cheerless grin. "You said it about ten times in our travels."

"Oh." She dropped her arms to her sides. "Zak." Her hands trembled. "I'm afraid that when we walk out of this atrium I may never see you again. They will take us somewhere—separate us—and we will just wait to die. Alone." Her throat restricted to the point that she could barely speak. "And I'll never be able to tell you how I feel about you."

Zak relaxed. There was a resigned quirk to his lips as he urged, "You can tell me right now."

She had to smile at that. If there had ever been any doubts about her feelings, they were dispelled by the ardor in his eyes—by the soft grin, and that simple and husky statement.

"You—" she began, ready to say something eloquent, but she ended up resorting to the raw truth. "You make my heart hurt."

Dark eyebrows narrowed. "Well, that's not good."

"Yes. It _is_ good. It hurts like there is a hug trapped inside my chest, and that hug is so tormented because it can't wrap around you."

The eyebrows lifted.

"And you make me talk too much. Back home...I don't talk. Everyone else talks and I just listen, but around you—"

"Keep talking," he insisted.

His encouragement made her heart hurt again.

"I admire you," she asserted. "You have commendable goals. You don't want to just go to college and become an engineer...you want to banish the Korons from your planet and rebuild your world. That humbles me."

The pulsing red glow on his abdomen mocked her declaration.

"And you didn't yell at me for stowing away in your ship."

Zak smiled. "Maybe I was glad you did."

Aimee held her breath. "And when you look at me like that," she hesitated, "you make me feel like a woman."

His smile vanished. His eyes smoldered. He took one step forward and thrust his hands into her hair, tipping her head back as he dipped down and took her mouth. He kissed her again. Slower. Softer.

He stopped only to brush the words against her lips, "You _are_ a woman." Gradually his head lifted so that he could look in her eyes. "And I wish you could be mine."

Aimee mewled a protest.

"But—" his glance drifted down to the red reflection off her uniform.

"No." She grabbed for his arms. "No, Zak. No." She shook her head. "There has to be a way to save you. To save us."

"I've been trying, Aimee. My commendable goals are irrelevant now. I can't go back home until I find a way to end this disease—" he stopped himself.

They both knew he would never make it back there.

Instead of finishing, Zak wrapped his arms around her and drew her tight into his embrace. She nestled her cheek on his collarbone and felt his head resting on top of hers. They stood in that silent embrace for a long time. The stars around her were smeared by the tears in her eyes. Brilliant slashes of white paint on a black tarp.

Somewhere in the nearby trees, a _sumpum_ stuck its head out. The rustle of the leaves roused Zak as he lifted his chin and set Aimee back slightly so he could look into her eyes.

"You are not red yet, so let's get you back there. Maybe you will be okay."

Aimee touched a finger to his lips to silence him. Then she replaced her finger with her lips. He kissed her back.

"Aimee." His forehead rested against hers again. "We can't hide from it here."

She stepped back—away from that warmth—out of his arms—and stared at him with tears in her eyes.

"Dammit," she cursed.

"Dammit," he echoed with a sad smirk.

He offered his hand. She looked at it for a second. So strong. It was a tool used to fell creatures the likes of which she had never seen before. This hand was capable of wielding weapons that could end a life in a millisecond. She reached for it and entwined her fingers with his.

"I wish I was the antidote, Zak. I wish Salvan had done something right for a change and brought back a cure from Earth. But no. He just grabbed me, and I can't help you. I can't help myself. How cruel is fate to bring us together...only to—"

Zak frowned. "Don't say the words. Don't say them, Aimee."

He squeezed her hand and she squeezed back.

She was never going to let go.

"I knew you were memorizing the combination that first time we came here," Zak smirked as they exited the atrium.

Before Aimee could reply, a JOH sailed towards them. It was lit up like a firecracker, the blue crystalline face flashing a brilliant yellow overlay. It emitted a raucous alarm, and after a moment of this chaotic appeal, JOH's normal facade returned. His mouth was set in a grim line.

"I'm sorry, Zak. You know it is my duty to report all X-codes."

Zak nodded. "I know. We're on our way."

"There are so many, Zak." JOH's black slits portrayed angst.

"Vodu?" Zak urged. "Is there any word?"

"He has been moved deep into the Jay-nine."

Aimee slanted a look at Zak, noticing the earnest set of his jaw.

"What exactly is the Jay-nine?" she asked.

"It's where they put the worst cases."

A strangled protest bubbled up in her throat. This disease had been surreal to this point, but now the impact was forming a lasso around her. Her only link to sanity was the grip of Zak's hand.

She caught JOH's black eyes flicker down to that connection. Perhaps she just imagined it, but there seemed to be a sad resignation to his animated face.

"I'll guide you." JOH didn't offer. It was a command. "The halls are packed near the mouth of the Bio Ward. We will go in the back way."

"The back way," Zak explained to her, "is through the laboratories."

_The laboratories_.

A chill charged through her. Why did that word sound evil?

The laboratories were a series of rooms stacked behind the epic health facility. These were walls she could not see through and Zak answered her unvoiced question. "There's too much security back here. They've implemented cloaking layers within the walls. It is an alternate technology to turning the lock on or off. These are permanent barriers that eyes or ears cannot penetrate."

"What's so secretive? Everyone knows the scientists are tucked in back here, searching for a cure."

"As impractical as it may seem," JOH explained, "there is always an option for sabotage. Security must be very strong."

They entered into a narrow corridor, tight enough that they were forced to walk single-file. JOH led the way with Zak taking up the rear. The trek was disconcerting with seemingly no end in sight. JOH halted suddenly, and Aimee felt Zak's hand reach for hers. To her right, a door was partially open. Through it she caught a glimpse of elevated tables, gaunt faces, jaundiced skin, and scientists in caps with veils.

The obstruction halting JOH's progress was the unexpected emergence of a man in a silver suit, his head concealed beneath a white fabric hood. A thick meshed mask obscured the eyes and mouth. He clutched a metal portfolio to his chest. Aimee gasped when the man reached up and tore off his hood.

It was Salvan. His pale hair was disheveled and his eyes were bright with panic and zeal. That fervent gaze dropped to Zak's chest and Aimee swore a glint of pleasure flashed there. But then those eyes dropped further to note Zak's hand linked with hers. Salvan's eyebrows furrowed.

Aimee could feel him trying to seek out her torso, but she was standing sideways in the tight alley, her chest pressed up against Zak's arm.

Salvan composed himself as he addressed Zak.

"It looks like you will be joining Vodu in the Jay-nine satellite."

Aimee choked on panic, which caused Salvan's eyes to snap towards hers. "Don't worry, Aimee. I'm sure you will be following them shortly. I will need to test both of you to gauge how far along you are." He turned around and waved his hand. "Follow me."

Aimee looked up at Zak. A muscle in his jaw pumped. He offered her a brief nod and whispered, "Be strong. No matter how much I don't like that man, he's right. This analysis still has to be completed."

_Be strong_.

She glanced down at his chest.

How can I be strong?

Salvan slipped into a compartment to their right. As they followed him inside, Aimee noticed that it was a rather spartan lab. It contained a metallic table and steel shelves that lined stark white walls. These ledges were loaded with paraphernalia seemingly intended for torture, and she would scream bloody murder if they were applied to her body in any fashion.

Salvan flipped open his portfolio.

"I have the test results of the blood that was taken just after your _graceful_ landing in the flight bay."

Salvan's lips pursed and Aimee felt Zak's hand constrict. She squeezed him back for encouragement.

"Aimee's plasma has not been affected," he paused and added, "— _yet_. Zak, your blood showed signs of the advancing disease. Based on your suit's alarm, it is progressing at the speed we anticipated." He nodded towards the table. "Now, if you will just climb on there, I'll call in my assistant to run another test." He clapped the portfolio shut and clutched it to his chest like it was the book of all knowledge, entrusted only to him.

Aimee touched Zak's arm, urging him towards the table. Her tears were curtailed for the moment. They would come later. Right now she wanted answers. She wanted to know how much time she had with him. If it was just days, she intended to make it a lifetime.

A young woman arrived and Aimee was anguished by the similarity in appearance to Raja.

"Salvan, Raja? Is she—?"

Salvan's reptilian eyes flicked towards her. For a moment there was a flash of anguish there, but he blinked and his gaze remained as stark as the walls.

"She is gone."

"Gone?" That word drilled a black hole through her heart.

"In the Jay-nine."

She hated the Jay-nine.

The young assistant slipped a sparkling green bracelet around Zak's wrist. Aimee had lost hold of his hand when he sat on the table. She watched the bracelet throb a strobe light that beat in time with his pulse. Dragging the armlet back off his wrist, the woman held it up to her eyes.

"Salvan?" She frowned. "Look at this."

Zak's head snapped at the tone of her voice.

Snagging the bracelet from her, Salvan hefted it up to his eyes. He scowled. "Well, obviously it's wrong. Take it again."

The woman applied the bracelet to Zak's wrist and this time everyone in the room focused on that pulsating glow. She removed it, held it up, and announced, "It's the same."

"Let me see that." Salvan wrenched the device from her hand.

"What does it say?" Aimee asked, fearing the worst.

Salvan shrugged, but he looked far from unaffected. "It would appear the disease is regressing in him."

When Aimee gasped, he added quickly, "We'll take it again in a few minutes and see if there is any fluctuation. Meanwhile, we have to check you. I'm sure you've contracted it by now."

"Your attitude does not help this situation." Zak berated.

Up until this point, she could tell he was holding it together, but now anger crept into Zak's tone.

"My attitude," Salvan spat, "is a professional one. We have chaos here. With Vodu near death and you heading down the same path. It would appear that I am going to have to take over soon."

"In what universe would you possibly be next in the chain of command?" Zak fired.

"In this universe, _illness_ is our foe. Your weapons. Your _terra angels_. Your Warrior skills will not hold much influence. A man of the sciences...a man who can _help_ these people... _that_ is your future leader."

"How exactly are you going to help them?" Zak challenged. "There is no cure, and you sure can't find one."

Salvan's face grew red. He clutched the aluminum portfolio tight to his chest with one arm and the other pointed at Zak. "I'll be alive yet. That's more than you will be able to say."

"But you just told me the disease is receding inside me."

"A fluke," Salvan barked. "Your fate is inevitable."

"I think I would like the opinion of another scientist."

Aimee watched the verbal volley, but she was distracted by the portfolio clasped to Salvan's chest. It was metallic and reflective—reflective enough to act as a mirror.

"Salvan—"

"They are all busy right now." Salvan continued his debate with Zak, ignoring her.

"Salvan—"

"You just don't want to face the truth."

" _Salvan_ —"

"What?" he cried with wild eyes aimed at her.

Aimee nodded at him. "What is that you are holding?"

The scientist glanced down. "My notes, of course."

"Can I see them?"

"Absolutely not." Pale eyebrows vaulted.

"Well," she hesitated, "could you just lower that case for a moment?"

"I don't know what you're going on about, but we don't have any time for these interruptions."

"Salvan." A sense of calm possessed her. "Put your notes down on the table."

Zak caught her eye. Curiosity in his gaze was replaced with enlightenment at the suggestive tip of her head.

"Put the notes down," Zak ordered.

Salvan glanced back and forth between them, and then finally to his assistant who stood rapt in the corner. She edged back a step.

Expelling a curse that Aimee could not translate, Salvan slammed the portfolio onto the table. The loud clap of metal against metal startled her, but she realized with dismay that her hunch was correct. A red band dissected Salvan's suit, making his abdomen glow. He glanced down at it in dismay, and then he shouted at the assistant. "Give me the bracelet."

She gawked at his stomach, her mouth agape.

"What are you staring at? You'll be looking like this any day now."

Tears welled up in the corner of the young woman's eyes and Aimee wanted to punch Salvan.

"You don't know that," Aimee hollered. "You just said Zak was getting better."

" _No_ one is getting better. No one." He looked slightly rabid, and then his eyebrows dipped in consideration. "Except for one."

"One?" she and Zak asked simultaneously.

Reluctant to respond, Salvan grabbed his portfolio and flipped it open, his finger skimming the interior. His lips moved as he recited the figures.

"Gordy." The young woman inserted with a tremulous voice. "Gordeelum, the boy."

Salvan glared at her, but the young woman took one last fortifying glance at his chest and then squared her shoulders.

"Everyone on this ship has been tested and _all_ have shown the initial traces of the disease," she explained. "Progression has been on schedule, with some more accelerated than others." She paused. "Except for Gordy. He tested positive initially, but the follow-up test showed nearly no trace of the disease. He is locked in a chamber nearby." Her eyes fell to the ground. "He's very scared."

"Oh, poor Gordy," Aimee cried. "You can't keep him alone. He must be terrified."

"He must be tested!" Salvan shouted. "There has to be something unique to his genetics that could hold a potential antidote. He must be a deviant. He needs to be kept in a sterile place and above all, he cannot come in contact with anyone infected...which is everyone."

Slipping the bracelet on his wrist, Salvan waited listlessly until it lit up and then yanked the device off, cursing the readout. He hurled the ring across the room where it rolled on its side and warbled into a resting place on the obsidian floor. Stooping to pick it up, the woman swiped her light brown hair back from her eye.

"I am Corin."

She did not offer her hand. Aimee wasn't even sure they had that gesture here.

"Hello, Corin. I am Aimee and that is—"

"Zak." Corin blushed. "I don't think there is anyone aboard the HORUS that wouldn't know Zak."

Salvan snorted in disgust.

Zak shook his head. Seated with his hands gripping the edge of the aluminum table, his bunched shoulders revealed his tension. He was an attractive man, but right now the most appealing feature was his chest–and the red glow that was fading back to black.

"Zak," she gasped. "Your suit."

Startled, he looked down, splaying his hand across the dark fabric.

"We need to test you again." Corin extended the bracelet, waiting for Zak to thrust his hand through it.

He hesitated and slipped his wrist into the green bangle. It lit up like a band of Kryptonite until Corin drew it off. As she held the device up to the light, Aimee was aware of the collective pause of breath. Corin slowly smiled.

"It's clear." Her smile grew. "Completely clear!"

Zak looked like he had been slapped. His head jerked back. "Test Aimee," he ordered.

Aimee held her hand out aware that her fingers shook. Corin looked sympathetic as she slid the bracelet over those trembling fingers. The band pulsed with a vibrant green glow, but Aimee felt nothing.

"It's clear, Aimee." Corin's eyes flared with the prospect of salvation.

Zak launched off the table and hauled Aimee up into his arms. She clung to him. He was going to be okay. He was going to live. Her knees buckled under the magnitude of the notion, but Zak held her so tight she didn't fall.

"It's going to be okay," he whispered against her ear.

Salvan charged forward and wrenched the tool from Corin's hand. He grabbed the woman's slim arm and forced her fingers through the ring. Corin tried to lurch from his grasp. Zak stepped forward, seizing Salvan by the shoulder, hauling him back with enough force to slam the crazed man against the wall.

"What does it say?" Salvan cried, undeterred.

Zak sealed him to the wall as he struggled to peer around Zak's shoulder.

Aimee was so consumed by the men wrestling in the corner she barely heard Corin's muted cry. She turned to find the woman with her hand up over her mouth as she stared at the readout on the green hoop.

"Corin?"

Bright blue eyes met hers. The anguish in them gave Aimee the answer she didn't want to hear.

"The disease is advancing in me," Corin stated, crushed. She added a nervous laugh. "I guess it was a little too much to hope that there was a sudden alteration to the pathogen."

"Oh, Corin." Aimee put her arms around the woman, thinking how slight her frame felt. "It can still turn around. Look at Zak."

"The entire ship needs to be retested," Salvan demanded, struggling against Zak's grip. Zak was bigger and it took little effort on his part to keep Salvan restrained.

"Corin," Salvan continued, but saw that the woman was disconsolate and not even listening.

"JOH!" he barked, wriggling his arm free to tap the screen.

JOH's blue face appeared with alert black eyes, absorbing the scene.

"Everyone on the HORUS needs to be analyzed immediately," Salvan shouted.

"Tests were run just an hour ago." JOH pointed out.

"Now!" Salvan's eyes bulged as his chest throbbed a vicious red flare. "It can't be that only three people on this god-forsaken ship are safe from this curse."

JOH blinked.

"Now!"

"I will see to it." JOH floated away.

"And you two need to be quarantined." He glared at Aimee. She shivered under that crazed stare.

"Corin," Salvan continued his dictation, disregarding his restraint. "Take them to the BX lab. It is sterile and unoccupied."

"That's your research lab." She pointed out, still flustered by grief.

"Did it sound like I was asking for an opinion?" Salvan finally shrugged off Zak's hold, only because Zak allowed him to.

Zak addressed Corin. "Will someone oversee this?"

The words, _someone sane_ were implied.

She nodded. "Yes, there is a group of scientists supervising the official testing. Several physicians are still healthy enough to make the rounds at Jay-nine to assure everyone is—" she swallowed, "—comfortable."

"And what about you?" Zak asked with compassion. "Where will you go from here?"

Corin twirled the thermometer in her hands. "I—I can help with the testing for a little while. I will be in the labs if you should need me. My symptoms won't become apparent or debilitating for a couple of days yet."

Aimee wanted to know how the disease manifested, but she had the wretched premonition that she would witness the signs firsthand.

"Follow me," Corin instructed. "I'll take you to the lab where Gordy is. You should stay there."

Aimee cast one last cynical glance at Salvan. He was engrossed with his tablet and scratching his hair. Not a casual scratch. His pointer finger dug in like a hook with enough effort to draw blood. It disturbed her. She opened her mouth to say something, but Zak shook his head and whispered, "Leave him be."

"Corin," Zak said. "I want to see Vodu."

Corin fretted at the notion. "If you are battling this disease...and winning," she hesitated, "why would you want to subject yourself to that, or even risk jeopardizing yourself?"

It marveled Aimee to see Zak's strong conviction. The look he gave Corin was patient and resolved.

"It has already been established that physical contact and proximity play no role in transmitting this virus," he reminded. "It is airborne, and at an acceleration that we can't calculate. So if I go to the Jay-nine, it will have no greater impact than if I was to remain standing here. It's in the HORUS' ventilation."

"The Jay-nine has a separate ventilation system," she argued feebly.

"Both have already been compromised," Zak's tone was soft.

Corin tilted her head. She sought another argument, but became distracted by the glow of her own chest. With her face still cast down, she nodded, defeated. "You will excuse me if I don't accompany you. I don't want to go there...just yet."

"I understand." Zak's voice was solemn. He turned toward Aimee. As soon as their eyes met, his pained expression eased. He reached out and rubbed her arm. "I'll be back soon."

_No!_

"I'm going with you," she whispered.

That declaration pained him. "You don't want to go there. You don't want to see it. Stay here."

"Compromise with me. Come with me to see Gordy and then I'll go with you to the Jay-nine."

Zak frowned, but a grin tugged at his lips. "I fail to see how that is a compromise if you're getting both things that you want."

She couldn't contain her quick laugh. "You really haven't been around women much, have you?"

"No. But I already know you well enough to realize I'm not going to rationalize my way out of this debate." He paused and then added, " _Dammit_."

The impulse to reach up on her toes and kiss him was strong, and he seemed to read that in her eyes. His own smoldered.

"If I said no, you would just stow away, wouldn't you?"

"I would," she affirmed.

"Alright, but we have to hurry," Zak urged.

Aimee took the cue and stepped up to Corin, gripping the woman's arms. "Are you going to be okay?"

"I will be if more recovery cases are identified like both of yours." She smiled weakly.

"There will be!" Aimee squeezed for emphasis.

"I have to stay here as long as I can," Corin explained, her eyes darting towards the hunched figure in the corner.

Salvan was speaking to JOH and paid no heed to them. He was a demented man lost in a battle he would never win.

"Gordy is two doors down on the left." Corin reached for a panel on the wall and tapped a button. "I've unlocked it for you."

"Thank you, Corin. We will be back soon."

Two doors down, Zak waved his hand to open the chamber. It was a sterile room similar to the one they had just been in. It contained an elevated table and a spherical chair tucked into the corner. White counter space with transparent cabinets accommodated decanters of mystical colors.

At first, Aimee thought they had the wrong place. It appeared to be empty. Taking a step around the pedestal she located the young boy sitting cross-legged on the floor. He held a JOH down on his lap and let loose a faint giggle at whatever joke the blue character had just cracked.

Aimee cleared her throat and Gordy's head jerked up. His shoulders quaked slightly, but the blessed sight was his clear silver uniform.

"Hi," he said, watching her curiously.

"Hi, Gordy." She smiled.

Zak walked up behind her as Gordy's eyes grew wide—wide enough she could see the lights of the ceiling flicker there.

"Zak!"

It was as if his greatest hero stood before him in the flesh. Gordy shoved the JOH aside and it floated back up into the air.

"Hello, Gordeelum." Zak crouched down so that he was on eye-level with the seated boy. "It's not very nice being locked away in a room like this, is it?"

Gordy's eyes bubbled up immediately and Aimee dropped down beside Zak, sitting on her heels and offering Gordy a sympathetic smile.

"I don't know why I'm here, Zak. Were you sent to rescue me?"

Zak swiped a hand over his face.

He looked so tired, Aimee thought. Heck, the man had just crash-landed onto the flight deck of the HORUS. He just contracted a life-threatening disease and told a woman he wanted to be with her. And then, miraculously, he seemed to be recovering from the reputed life-threatening disease. Yeah, he was tired.

Zak dropped his hand and studied Gordy solemnly.

"Gordy, they tell me you are special. That you are stronger than everyone on this ship."

Pale eyebrows lifted. "I am? I'm not stronger than you. No one is."

The idolization pinched Aimee's heart. Zak had such an impact on the citizens of the HORUS, and he didn't even know it.

"They say that you are so strong, you're not getting sick like some of the others."

The boy's expression was torn between pride at Zak's accolades and indecision, along with a strong dose of fear.

"Why can't I be with my parents?"

"You will be. They are just getting tested right now."

"JOH said it's because my Mom makes me eat _crup_. That's why I'm not sick."

Aimee laughed. "JOH is probably right."

"Listen to me, Gordy." Zak waited until the boy focused on him. "You won't be here for long. We'll be back in a little while, okay?"

"Okay." Gordy's eyes misted up again. "How long?"

Zak grinned. "As fast as a _terra angel_ can lap the HORUS."

Gordy laughed. "If it's you flying, then you will be back here before you even leave."

"I'm not _that_ fast." Zak raised his eyebrows.

Gordy giggled again and then glanced at Aimee. His cheeks started to flush and she grew alarmed, but he cast her a sheepish look and admitted, "My friends think you are cute."

Now she blushed.

_Me? Cute?_

Gordy addressed Zak as if the conversation was confidential—man-to-man stuff. "They say Aimee looks different than all of us. She has that dark hair—like you. Are you both from the same planet? Can I go there someday?"

There was an ache in Zak's expression and then it passed. "You want to go there and get your own dark-haired woman, is that it? Because this one is mine."

It was a casual declaration to a young boy, but it tickled the inside of her stomach. She met Zak's eyes and held his gaze until Gordy interrupted.

"Nah, that's okay. You'll be back as fast as a _terra angel_? You promise."

Zak's eyes lingered on hers a second longer and then he turned to Gordy with a confident smile. "I promise, Gordeelum. Until then, JOH told me he has some lessons for you."

Gordy rolled his eyes. "I'm so tired of lessons."

"Lessons beat staring at the wall, no?"

"I guess." Gordy shrugged.

Zak stood up and Aimee followed. At the door they both looked back. Gordy remained cross-legged on the floor and reached up in the air to snag the floating JOH. JOH must have decided the youth needed some entertainment. He dodged to avoid Gordy's hands.

"Hey!" Gordy shouted and lunged again. But JOH outmaneuvered him. On the next attempt, Gordy giggled.

_Thank you, JOH_ , Aimee thought. You're alright in my book.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

They traveled in silence inside the lateral transport. Zak leaned his shoulder against the wall and watched listlessly as the symbols flashed by. He startled Aimee when he spoke.

"I wish you weren't coming with me." His voice was hoarse.

"I know." Her throat felt thick. "But, I'm scared. Much more scared than the crash-landing. Much more scared than attacking a walking tree. This—" she waved her arm, "—the extent of this overwhelms me. They are telling us that thousands of people are going to die. That this will soon be a ghost ship."

"Not everyone is going to die."

She looked at him. He was a beaten Warrior. A man who seemed too tired to stand under the weight this world had burdened him with. Shadows lurked beneath his eyes, and his jaw clenched. He wiped at his face again, as if he could brush away the fatigue.

Their eyes met.

Zak hefted off the wall and reached for her, his hands resting on her shoulders as he looked down at her with a tired smile.

"I know you're scared," he said softly.

Touching his chest, she countered, "I know that _you_ are scared." She was startled when his hand clamped down on top of hers.

"What—what should I expect to see in the Jay-nine?" She changed the subject. "On our planet a plague wiped out millions of people. It was many years before I was born, but I read about it, and it was horrible. The population was covered in sores, and they say the cloud of death suffocated the air." Her fingers curled against his chest. "Prepare me. Is that what I'm going to see here?"

Zak evaded her gaze. He stepped back and stared at the approaching satellite. It was a spherical structure connected to the main body of the HORUS by a single column. The sphere bore rings of lights, the upper and lowermost loops flashing yellow. As they drew closer, she could see a thick black band around the middle—a depression in the surface. To her surprise, she realized that the depression was an assemblage of outdoor balconies. No one stood on them, though. And just when she was about to ask about them, Zak spoke.

"This disease manifests internally. There are no visible sores to speak of. One of the reasons for the suit is because the virus is such a silent predator. It attacks the—" he hesitated as if waiting for the translation, "—liver. People in the advance stages will have yellow skin and sad faces. _That_ is what you will see."

Were sad faces any less dramatic than open lesions?

Suddenly Aimee didn't want to go there. But the structure of the Jay-nine now filled the window to the point that she could no longer see past its circumference. The lateral transport was about to slip inside this sphere of death.

Zak reached for her hand. He didn't look at her, but his fingers squeezed with encouragement. Aimee took a deep breath as the door slid open.

Expecting the worst, she was surprised to exit into an innocent chain of corridors remarkably similar to those in the main body of the HORUS.

Zak still held her hand and she tried to relax enough to read the symbols around her, but they were faint, like fading murals on a cave wall. One symbol loomed at every intersection. She tried to pretend that she could not interpret it, but the truth was that it looked remarkably like a skull.

There were very few JOH's here. She only saw one about every fifty feet. The skull emblem grew larger and more pronounced until she could no longer discount it for what it was.

Ahead loomed two stately doors. Two _physical_ doors—the types you opened with your grip and not a fancy hand trick. The doors were almost three stories high and looked imposing with their beveled surface. Aimee felt as if she stood before a sinister depiction of the gates of Oz.

Zak stepped up to the entry and rapped his fist against it. The resonance was hollow. Suspecting that they were being scanned, he cast a hasty glance up towards the arched ceiling.

A groan like the call of an elephant sounded as one of the panels slowly swung outward. They backed out of its path, noticing the pallid man that shoved the portal from behind. He opened the towering door wide enough that his broad shoulders could fit through as he stepped out. With arms crossed, his stance was meant to intimidate. The intimidation was mitigated by the pale rose slash across his abdomen. His features were common to the rest of the Anthumians, but unlike everyone else, a thin band of rust-colored hair hugged his jaw. Perhaps in the Jay-nine there was no time or care left to shave.

With his eyebrow cocked, the man gaped at their midsections.

"Why are you here?" he barked. "You are not ready for this place yet."

What surprised Aimee was that he was the first person to _not_ recognize Zak.

"I'm here to see Vodu." Zak explained.

"You really want to go in there?" The man nudged his chin to the side.

"Yes."

"And her?" The man glanced at Aimee. "She will wait out here?"

Zak turned towards her. His eyes conveyed the message, _this is your last chance_.

She shook her head.

"She's coming with me," Zak declared.

Exasperated, the bearded man blew air out of his lips. "Your choice." He stepped back. "It's busy in there. They issued a ship-wide mandatory blood test. As if the mandatory blood test from two hours ago wasn't good enough...or the one from four hours ago. Bah, whatever—follow me."

Uneasy, they trailed him through the doors.

This was the anti-Oz, Aimee thought. Black marble columns towered five stories up into a massive vestibule. Each story was lined with black and gold spiked railings, the uppermost floors locked in shadow. With a trick of acoustics, voices drifted to them—the eerie whispers of mourning.

Before them, a posh fountain plumed a cascade of water. It was a welcoming touch for this macabre hotel—this resort of the damned.

To the right of the fountain a lobby desk stretched the length of the wall. Behind it stood a petite blonde, watching them curiously. The bearded man ushered them up to the desk and leaned against the obsidian counter as he announced, "They are here to see Vodu."

The blonde's lips formed an 'o'. Her discreet glimpse at their uniforms registered surprise. "They'll need to be tested up there."

"Yes. Yes. Imagine us walking five meters without being tested," the bearded man quipped. "As if all these damn assessments really do anything. The results are all the same. Doom." He forced a quick smile for the woman who looked displeased with his sarcasm.

Aimee could not see the woman's midsection behind the counter, but judging by the fatigue in her posture and the shadows under her eyes, she could surmise her fate.

"Please excuse Selmak." The receptionist extended them a sympathetic smile. "He has not quite mastered the hospitality aspect of his position." She smacked the arm of the bearded man and he hefted from his slouch against the counter.

"Vodu is on the third floor. He has a private chamber." She glanced up into the atrium and added, "But, Selmak will have to escort you up there."

The ominous addendum gave Aimee a chill.

Selmak tapped the counter and winked at the woman. He stepped back and was all professionalism again as he ordered, "Follow me."

Zak met Aimee's eyes and offered silent encouragement. She nodded. She could do this. It was no different than a hospital visit, right?

Passing the sprawling desk, Selmak strode onto a disc embedded in the marble floor. The disc depicted a sun with molten layers bubbling around the sphere. He backed up, inviting them both to join him. As soon as they did, Aimee jolted when the disc disengaged from its marble moorings and began a gradual ascent. The woman behind the desk grew smaller as Aimee shrank back from the edge, afraid of tumbling off. Zak reached for her arm to tuck her in close against him.

Their ascent halted at the third floor, where her eyes were drawn to the sharp spikes along the railing. Was this a hospital or a prison?

Selmak stepped off and Aimee was more than happy to follow. It was too disconcerting to stand on that little slip of rock, and she wasn't very fond of heights. A hasty glimpse across the atrium revealed other discs in various states of transport. One floor above, a man and a woman boarded a disc. The man held onto the woman slumped against him. As they descended Aimee could see that the woman clutched him for support, her forlorn eyes staring up at him.

It was a sad image.

"This way," Selmak barked.

Jarred by his voice, Aimee yanked her gaze from the atrium only to be confronted with the onset of death. There were no rooms here. No privacy. It was an open space that revolved around the atrium. And she truly meant _revolve_. Down below, the desk and fountain remained stationary, but her perspective towards them changed as the floor slowly rotated. She was surrounded by rows of cots. Each bed possessed a single chair and table stationed next to it in a pathetic attempt to make the atmosphere hospitable.

All of the beds were occupied, and some of the chairs were filled. The silence was pervasive enough to make her want to claw at her ears. There had to be hundreds of people on this floor and yet there was no sound. No talking. No coughing. Heck, not even a sneeze. As she passed by the beds she saw men and women of varying ages dressed in their silver uniforms, their bellies aglow with the red hue of infection. Their faces were sallow and their eyes vacant. In some cases she wasn't even sure if she was staring at corpses already.

Zak's arm around her could not ward off the disturbing images as they marched through the heart of this tomb and invaded the privacy of people who barely gave them a second glance. The ones that were seated, however, did watch. They watched with a lecherous zeal, their bloodshot eyes opened wide, searching Aimee and Zak's suits, believing salvation was imminent. One even stood up as they approached, but Zak pulled her in tight and urged her forward even as she swore she felt the ghostly touch of fingers on her arm.

Aimee kept her glance averted by staring at the shiny toes of her boots. She didn't want to meet the hollow eyes, or the shadows where vibrancy once lived. Still, there was no way to avoid the relentless silence. _Speak!_ She braved another glance up and realized that there was no medical staff milling about. That was why there was little communication. These people were lying here, waiting to die.

"My God, Zak. Why isn't someone helping them?"

His expression was pained. He too kept his eyes averted.

"They are helping them. The assistance is remote though. In the labs. And sedatives are released from the suits of anyone whose discomfort has reached a certain level."

His summary was all so clinical. The hell with pain relievers. Where was the empathy?

"Zak?" Her plea was desperate, and his eyes turned sorrowful at the tone.

"Do you think I want this? Do you think I would handle it different?" His fist clenched, and he added. "This was the way they ran the first epidemic when it broke loose on the HORUS. I was not here at that time, but I've heard about it. It would appear their ways are already defined."

Zak halted and let Selmak continue walking until the man was out of hearing range.

"Aimee, this is why I need to speak with Vodu. I can't sit by and watch the extinction of these people. It happened to my planet and I won't let it happen here."

Emotion tampered with his voice. Around them, individuals perked up. Seemingly sightless, their heads inclined to feast on the sound.

"Hey!" Selmak pivoted and stalked back. He kept his tone low, but not low enough. "Around here you have to hurry."

_Or else you will be too late_.

Zak glared at the man. Recognizing the fine line of duty that Zak walked, Selmak bowed his head in reluctant submission.

"It is what it is," he defended.

"Well, it's going to change," Zak vowed quietly.

Selmak began to walk backwards. "Who _are_ you? I have never seen a black uniform before."

"You don't know Zak?" Aimee inserted.

_How could this man not be aware of him?_

"I live in the Jay-nine." Selmak spread his hands in explanation. "We spend all our time preparing for an event like this. We don't get to keep up with what's going on aboard the main ship." He spun forward again, as if he knew they had reached their destination. "This way," he called over his shoulder.

Aimee did a quick scan of the wall ahead, happy to break from the desolation behind her. The wall was void of symbols or doors. She squinted, but came up blank.

"There's nothing there to see," Zak whispered beside her. "I am as blind as you right now."

Slightly mollified, she still wondered where they were going. It appeared as if Selmak was about to walk straight into the wall.

He stopped before it and crossed his arms. Aware of their questioning looks, he offered, "In order to be admitted, you have to be tested. You will have to be tested again before coming back out."

"But, it's not like we will contract this disease from the person we are visiting. We either have it or we don't already." Zak pointed out.

"The tests have a rhythm–a formula for detecting boosting patterns and rates of progression, or regression. Although we haven't seen the latter...ever."

_He didn't know about her and Zak_.

A drawer slid out of the wall, startling her. It was a flat aluminum shelf with a compartment resting on the end, similar to a metal toolbox found in a mechanic's garage. A hole was bored into the side of the case.

"Stick your arm in, please," Selmak ordered her.

Aimee fed her arm into that dark opening with trepidation, sensing she was about to get bit.

"Further," he prompted.

She inserted her arm all the way up to her elbow.

"Okay, hold still."

No biting. Maybe just a brief draft.

Selmak frowned at the analysis he was reading.

"Interesting," he muttered. "From the last report I had, there wasn't a single clear case on the ship."

Well, supposedly there were now three cases, but she refrained from stating that.

"Your turn." He nodded at Zak.

Zak impatiently thrust his arm in.

Selmak's rusty eyebrows hefted. "Well, if that isn't as strange as a two-legged _sumpum_. You are clean too."

"Zak!" Aimee cried.

Zak looked startled, momentarily reeling from the information. There were no smiles shared though. Each was aware of the bleak truth sitting directly behind them.

The drawer slid back into the wall, its outline seamless.

Selmak reached forward and placed his palm flat on the barrier. The area beneath his hand began to change colors as if a water leak stained the sheet board. That stain continued to expand until it reached eight feet in height and then transformed into an actual doorway. Selmak cast an edgy glance over his shoulder and stepped inside. "Hurry," he prompted.

Aimee and Zak fell in behind him, and a breath after her foot cleared the entry, the wall coagulated behind her.

Visibly relieved to have that wall behind him, Selmak explained, "The chambers back here are for the elite, but we don't like to draw attention to that fact. Most of the people out there are too incoherent to even guess that it is nothing but a solid wall behind them."

Aimee turned around and she could gaze through that barrier as easily as if it were glass. The view was depressing. "We can see out but they can't see in?"

"Correct."

"I would think the people in here have little desire to see the view," she mentioned.

"This is just the foyer," Selmak explained. "The rooms are further in. Come on."

Now, the architecture was similar to the main body of the HORUS. Aimee could look into each room, although a few were locked. The ones that were not locked contained beds and simple seating areas. What struck her as odd was the presence of _decor_. Artwork hung on the walls, and several rooms had plants set on the bedside tables.

"There are plants in some of these rooms," she commented aloud.

"Individuals can't take plant life from the main atrium, but the affluent are able to procure them. Knowing that a plant will ultimately be the weapon to battle this disease, it is considered mental medicine to have one by your side."

Their traditions weren't too far off from hers. When someone was sick, you sent flowers or plants. But it was not a custom reserved for the rich.

"Vodu is in there." Selmak pointed to a doorway to their right. "I will wait outside." His eyes darted between them both. "Please don't be long."

Zak nodded and drew in a deep breath, no doubt preparing himself.

Offering an anxious smile, she reached for his hand. He looked down at that connection and curled his fingers around hers before he flicked the door open.

The lighting was dim. It took Aimee a moment to acclimate. At first, all she could distinguish was the hulking shadow of the bed against the wall. Potted purple flowers sat on pedestals on either side. Their smell was sweet, but they reminded her of a funeral home.

Then she saw Vodu. With his eyes closed inside shrunken sockets, and his skin sallow, she would have never identified this man as their strong leader. His frame, which was once imposing, now seemed frail beneath the thin blanket. That blanket muted the rose-colored light across his stomach, but the glow still filtered through. His resplendent robe was cast across the foot of the bed making him look shorter because it covered his legs. This was not their commander. This was a very sick man.

Zak stood beside the bed with hands clasped as if he battled the desire to reach out and touch the inert figure.

"Vodu," he called quietly.

Vodu's forehead knotted in a frown, deepening the long grooves. His eyes remained closed.

"Vodu," Zak tried again. "Please. I need your wisdom."

The eyes stayed shut, but the thin lips cracked into a weary grin. "Wisdom is something I cannot give."

Aimee could see Zak's shoulders slump in relief.

"Humility is the first step to wisdom you once told me," Zak recited.

Vodu snorted and opened his eyes. For a moment the sharp blue irises stared straight overhead, and then they slanted towards Zak's voice.

"Zak. You should have not have come here. This is a bad place."

His shrewd glance narrowed on Zak's chest and his white eyebrows vaulted. "Good. Good for you. I knew you would hold off the longest. You are strong."

"I am not alone. Aimee is healthy as well." Zak swept his arm out to draw her towards the bed.

Vodu looked at her and the grooves on his forehead diminished.

"Ahh, my two outlanders have avoided this cursed disease. This is wonderful news."

"Vodu, there are others. Others who had blood tests that came back negative."

"Really?" The old man struggled to gain leverage on his elbows. "Zak." He looked earnest. "By now you know that I have named you next in command. Let us all plead that you stay healthy and can lead any survivors on the quest to return to Anthum. I know it is not your land, but—"

"It is the land of the people who saved me. And not until they are safe—from disease—from Korons—not until then will I return home."

Vodu nodded and one elbow collapsed. Aimee surged forward, but he held a gnarled hand up to stop her.

"If my son were alive, he would have taken over the HORUS. If he had lived long enough to bear a son of his own, that young man would have been a fine Warrior just like you."

"There are many fine Warriors on this ship, Vodu. Why me?"

Vodu finally quit the battle and sagged back against the pillow. "When you first came on this ship you used to hide..." He smiled and closed his eyes. "...but you would hide somewhere close to me. You had to keep me in your sights at all times. I would pretend that I didn't see you—"

"And then you would bend over and smile at me while I was under the console," Zak finished with a grin. "I would scowl to keep from laughing every time you did that."

"Oh, you were so good at scowling." Vodu smirked. "It took a long time for you to talk, but I felt like I was reaching you. We had our own communication."

"You were older. You were different. You did not intimidate me as much as the others."

Vodu laughed, which turned into a throaty cough. When it subsided he said, "I must not be a very good leader if I can't intimidate."

Zak smiled. "You intimidated others. Just not me."

"You remind me so much of him. Of Jaspar. He would have been a fine Warrior had not this cursed disease claimed him and his beautiful mother." Vodu's voice was raspy now. "If anyone from the HORUS survives...you will take care of them? You will lead them until they are ready to lead themselves?"

"Yes, but only temporarily, until you are back on your feet."

Vodu snorted. "You are full of the diplomatic fodder of a leader already."

"Aimee?"

Aimee spun towards the soft voice at the door.

"Chara!" She circled the bed and gave Chara a hug, trying to ignore how gaunt the woman felt, or how the red of her suit reflected off her own uniform.

Aimee drew back and searched her face. The violet eyes were still beautiful, but they were eclipsed with yellow rings, and the beautiful olive-skinned face was sallow, with shadows clinging to her high cheekbones. These nagging traits aside, Chara was still stunning to Aimee.

She set Aimee back, holding the tops of her arms. "You don't need to be here." She turned to Zak and added, "Neither of you."

"Oh Chara," Vodu tutted. "No one can hide from this."

She frowned at Vodu and then focused on Aimee again. "I would be lying if I didn't admit that I am happy to see you—" her glance dipped down, "—looking so healthy. It is actually why I am here. There is a JOH in the lobby asking for both of you. Raja sends word that you are to get back to the Bio Ward immediately." Pain filled her beautiful eyes. "I hope that does not mean that what I am seeing is temporary."

Aimee's breath caught. Could it be? Was she misleading herself by thinking she had avoided the wicked talons of this disease? She met Zak's eyes and her worry was mirrored there. But his nod was confident. He was the leader now and he would face this deadly predator head on.

"We better get back," Zak reasoned. "Vodu." He rested a hand on the blanket above Vodu's arm. "Stay strong. This is not over yet. You too, Chara. We will see you soon."

Aimee stepped up and hugged Vodu, feeling him pat his hand on her back. She could smell the plant beside his bed. Something sweet. Something citrusy. Maybe it wasn't so bad. Maybe it _would_ bring him health.

"Take care of him for me," Vodu whispered near her ear.

Aimee hugged a little tighter. "I will."

One last embrace with Chara brought moisture to the woman's eyes. Seeking composure, she blinked away the momentary weakness. "Stay healthy," she ordered in a quiet voice.

Zak had a hand on Aimee's shoulder as he urged her out into the hall where Selmak waited with his arms crossed.

"No time for testing," he rushed. "They want you back there NOW."

As they moved brusquely through the Jay-nine, Aimee had the sinking feeling that she would be back to this ghostly satellite very soon.

And it wouldn't be to visit.

The JOH met them just outside the double-doors, his blue face straining to catch a glimpse between them as the barricades rolled shut.

"Aren't you allowed in there?" Aimee questioned. "Don't they need computers too?"

"Computer?" Black eyebrows vaulted. "Why do you keep mentioning computers? I have heard of them, but not actually seen one." His eyes volleyed around.

"Ah, never mind."

"What is so urgent?" Zak injected. "I need to get to the deck. I need a status update on the remaining personnel and their capacity to work."

"Salvan said—"

"Salvan?" Zak's voice grew loud. "You hauled me away from Vodu's deathbed to do Salvan's bidding? I do not have time for, nor do I care about what Salvan says."

They were back in the main ship, moving at a fast clip to keep up with Zak's long stride.

"It's not just Salvan," JOH pleaded, floating closer to Aimee. "Raja confirmed his request. She said you must get back there now."

"Is it a matter of life or death?" she probed. "Or can I go speak with Raja while Zak checks on the deck?"

Zak flashed her a look of gratitude.

JOH wavered, slowing their progress. "They said to get you both."

"Korons have been in the area." Zak pointed out. "We're all going to die anyway if a band of their ships are hiding in our wake. I have to get to the bridge, JOH."

JOH's eyes went flat. "There is no positive scan for Koron ships in our vicinity."

Zak tipped his head back in frustration. "That was an _example_. JOH, Vodu asked me to oversee flight operations for now. I have to do this for _him_."

"Look," Aimee cut in. "There is no time for debate. I will go see what is so urgent and you can check in on the deck. If anything, at least I will be able to delay them for a few minutes while you get things in order. If it's truly an emergency, I'll have JOH come get you."

Zak stared at her. "Would now be an inappropriate time to tell you that I have strong feelings for you?"

In her periphery Aimee noticed JOH spin around to offer privacy.

"I don't want to split up with you," Zak cut off her response. "With all the chaos going on, I don't want to chance letting you out of my sight."

"Because you have strong feelings for me?" she grinned.

Relaxing only slightly, he said, "I'm serious, Aimee."

She sobered. "I know. And I'm serious that I will be fine. You need to go see to the HORUS, Zak. I will talk to you as soon as I find out what's happening in the Bio Ward. You know I'll yell real loud if it's critical."

She stepped up to him and without either considering it, his arms were around her and he dipped to kiss her. She wanted to lock out everything and kiss him like this for hours, but he drew back, just out of reach.

"We're going to have a very long talk later," he whispered against her forehead, pressing his lips to the small bruise there.

She felt her stomach go queasy and it had nothing to do with a disease and everything to do with his husky declaration.

"You keep him with you at all times," he nodded at JOH. "I will contact you through him as soon as I get to the deck."

The JOH spun around and teetered in the air before righting itself.

"Oh good," he prattled. "Something other than blood test results volleying around. I look forward to assisting you, Zak."

Zak frowned at the device and then looked Aimee in the eye. He packed a lot into that powerful gaze.

"Be careful," she whispered, her throat closing as if she had swallowed a sock.

Watching his eyes trace her hair and then dip down her body, lingering before they hiked back up to hers, Aimee had the uneasy feeling that he was committing her to memory. She didn't like that. It reeked of farewell.

"I'll talk to you shortly." Was all he said before he turned away.

Straining to catch the last glimpse of his wide shoulders as he disappeared into the transport shaft, she struggled to breathe.

She missed him already.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

JOH started off, his tinny voice calling, "Come on, Aimeeeee."

"But JOH, the Bio Ward is the other way." She hesitated until he finally slowed and whirled around.

"We are being called to the private science labs."

"By who? Raja said we were needed in the Bio Ward, immediately."

JOH's eyes flat-lined as he searched for the source. His eyes bounced back open.

"It _is_ Raja. They are conducting some tests in the X-jen lab. They have a lead and they need to confirm that you are still healthy."

"They found something?" Aimee started to jog to catch up with him.

"Yes, yes. That is what she is saying. She says to hurry!"

JOH was flying so fast now Aimee had to sprint to keep up. But if it meant that a cure was in sight, she could understand his enthusiasm. Hah, an enthusiastic computer, who would have thought? Oh right...he wasn't a computer.

The halls were empty. Murals and rooms sped by her without a chance for them to form a conscious impression in her brain. JOH came to a halt so suddenly, Aimee nearly crashed into him.

"We're here."

She looked up at the wall and had to slow down her respiration in order to phase everything out and bring the images into clarity. There was the door, but the interior must have either had the lock thrown or it was a high security chamber. More likely the latter.

JOH tried to open the room remotely, but was unsuccessful. Aimee swept her arm in the air to draw the panel ajar, but she too failed.

"Is Raja still talking to you?"

JOH's eyes slipped into horizontal lines and then popped up. "She is coming."

Aimee felt a pinch in her shoulder. It felt like a bee sting.

_There are no bees on the HORUS_.

She slapped her hand over it, but her arm fell limp to her side. Her legs started to buckle and the floor rushed up. Before she hit it, two arms scooped her up. The chest that her cheek was pressed against possessed a red glow. She tried to look up at the face, but all she could tell was that this was a male physique.

It wasn't Zak. This man was in silver.

"Okay, JOH. You are not needed anymore."

Aimee started. It was Salvan. She struggled in his grasp, but her limbs had numbed and were useless.

"But Zak said I was to stay with Aimee at all times, Raja."

Raja?

"JOH?" Her voice was weak. "JOH, that's not Raja!"

Salvan juggled her, trying to clap his hand over her mouth. "JOH, she is very sick. The disease has brought on deliria. I have already notified Zak of the situation."

Aimee could see JOH's eyes turn into slits as he searched to verify if that was true or not. In that moment of vulnerability, Salvan slipped inside a doorway and locked it. A faint whirr could be heard as JOH attempted to open the door electronically.

"He is going to tell Zak, and whatever it is you are trying to achieve here will be over." Aimee fought Salvan's grip to no avail. There was no sensation left in her arms and legs, and it terrified her. "What have you done to me?"

"You've been given a serum to weaken the muscles of your extremities. If I were to set you down right now your legs would not support you, so you might as well give up the dream of fleeing. And as far as that JOH is concerned...all he can report back is where he last saw _Raja_. You and I will be long gone."

Even as he stated this, she was aware of him carrying her to the end of the empty chamber and passing through to the next. Her foot clipped a bed, but she knew this fact only by the sound. She couldn't feel the sensation.

"How is it that JOH sees you as Raja?"

"Oh, that is simple. JOH reads a chemical impression to establish identity, something you call DNA. I injected myself with Raja's DNA. It's temporary. It fades quickly. If he were to see me now, he would be able to establish my proper identity. But he won't see me now," Salvan chuckled as Aimee's free arm slammed into a wall.

Perhaps she did not feel it now, but the way he struggled to carry her, she was definitely going to have bruises later...if she lived to see them.

"Why have you done this? What do you want from me?"

Salvan charged through another doorway. They were not traveling down the main corridors. He was zig-zagging through interior chambers, making it impossible to track him. But they wouldn't be tracking him, would they? They would be looking for Raja. Surely Zak would figure it out. _Right?_

Salvan grunted when he tried to readjust his hold on her. He didn't have muscles like Zak. Zak had carried her effortlessly through the forest.

Salvan entered a laboratory with diffused light pouring from phosphorescent tubes mounted beneath an elevated aluminum bed. He dumped Aimee on top of that cold surface. Through her suit, her back felt the sting of icy metal, yet her legs felt nothing. She struggled to sit—to slide her legs off, but her limbs refused to cooperate.

"Save your efforts. You aren't going anywhere. Unlike the chemical veil, your drug will last over an hour. That gives me plenty of time."

"Dammit, Salvan, plenty of time for what?" Her heart pumped loudly in her ears.

Salvan grazed his hand against the wall and the room illuminated, bringing his silhouette into stark contrast. Emotionless eyes darted from her to the table, to the door, to the counter behind him, and volleyed back to her again. His ashen hair was knotted above his left ear as if he had been scratching there repeatedly. And his chest heaved from the effort of carrying her.

"Something interesting has happened, Aimee. It has been confirmed that there are only three cases of resistance to the disease on this ship. You, Gordeelum, and Zak. I had a long chat with Gordeelum to ask exactly what contact he's had with both of you. He told me about your tutoring on the _Tak wand_." Salvan's lips twisted in distaste. "And I'm guessing from the way you and Zak were carrying on, that you have kissed him."

Aimee struggled to lift herself up by her elbows. Even that small feat was impossible. She lie prone and watched Salvan pace before her.

"I blame Vodu for all of this. When you first came aboard the HORUS, I wanted to dissect you to see if there was anything useful in your genetic composition...but no. He said, _She's a mecaw, not a plant_. So he let me test your blood and that was it."

Salvan reached up and scratched above his left ear, while staring at the floor. "But alas, I suspect that it's your saliva that holds a compound that can battle our biggest enemy. Imagine that."

What scared her the most was that he wasn't even talking to her. His gaze was keen, but introspective. Turning his back on her, he approached the counter and withdrew items from the glass-faced cabinets. Foreign instruments, the likes of which she had never seen, nonetheless, the context of their use could not be mistaken. They were meant to cut.

Salvan approached her with a metallic prod. The tip pulsed with a searing blue light.

"So you see, Aimee. Let your boyfriend come. He will be too late. He shouldn't mind that you sacrificed yourself for the greater good of this ship."

"If it's my saliva, then can't I just spit in a cup or something?" Aimee's eyes bulged as she saw him approach with the device. It looked like a glowing knife-sharpener. "What is _that_?"

Glancing at the stick in his hand, he said, "This? This is used in surgery. It's a beam that will slice through flesh and bone seamlessly. Like a laser." He looked back at her with a grin. "Yes, a simple sample of your saliva should be enough for our scientists to create a serum, but think about all the potential treats that lie inside that lovely body of yours. It is my obligation to the citizens of the HORUS to research the possibilities."

Aimee tried to withdraw from the advancing instrument, but she couldn't even manage to wiggle a finger now. She used the only piece of her anatomy that still worked. She screamed for all she was worth.

With a sense of pleasure, she noticed Salvan wince as his eyes darted towards the door, but his glance returned, along with a smug smirk. "Everyone is in the Bio Ward, Aimee. No one remains in this wing. Scream all you want. You will stop in a minute."

The prod neared her abdomen. It looked like a sharp icicle, and the man who possessed it was a pale angel of death. She screamed again as tears started to stream from the corners of her eyes.

_Mama. Daddy. I miss you_. _Zak, I—_

Her eyes clamped shut, awaiting that first incision, praying that her stomach was as numb as the rest of her.

There was a loud clatter, like a thunderclap, as a billow of air washed over her. At her side, the sharp point of heat pierced through the fabric of her suit and she screamed again—this time from pain.

Roused by the sound of combat, Aimee could not twist her body to locate the skirmish. She heard the distinct smack of fist against bone as the battle shifted. And then she saw him.

Zak.

Salvan swayed and nearly collapsed forward against Zak's drawn gun.

A woman cried out.

"No, Zak. We don't kill our own."

Aimee could see Zak's eyes now. She could read his dark response. _I am not one of you_.

He holstered his weapon on the black belt at his waist, and instead, settled for the force of his fist. Salvan went down with a thud.

"Aimee!" Zak was at her side.

She had enough feeling to sense his arms slip around her, and his lips trace against her cheek. "If I had been a minute later..." his voice was hoarse.

Aimee searched his face to assure that it was really Zak and not Salvan playing some sort of freakish genetic trick. But she recognized the familiar golden eyes filled with angst. Worry aged Zak, making him look more rugged—a man you would not wish to cross.

"Zak?" She wanted nothing more than to throw her arms around him. "I can't move."

Zak slipped his arm under her knees and then reached around her back, pulling her to his chest. She felt weightless in his grasp.

His grin was tight. "That's because Salvan is too much of a coward to face you without an advantage. He knew you'd overpower him."

She let loose a smug chuckle. "Damn right I would."

"Damn right," he repeated.

He turned around with her in his arms and now she could see the inert figure on the floor. Raja leaned over Salvan, performing a scan with one of her tools. She looked up at Aimee with a weary smile. Raja's face bore a hint of jaundice and her midsection glowed bright. "I'm so glad we made it here in time. He was just about to—"

"Raja, it's my saliva. It can save you!"

Raja stood up and cast a disgusted look down at Salvan.

"Yes. We eventually concluded that without Salvan's help." She followed Aimee's glance down at her waist. "Don't worry. I'm not going to drop right here in front of you. I have time. Enough time to work with the other scientists on a serum." She drew in a ragged breath. "Aimee—you may save us all."

Tears welled up in Raja's eyes.

Aimee saw the desperation there—the raw agony of a woman grasping for hope.

"Take what you need," Aimee encouraged. "Hurry."

Swiping at her eye with the back of her hand, Raja then reached towards the cabinet. Her toe clipped against Salvan's leg and she stumbled. After righting herself, she extracted an apparatus that resembled a vial.

"Is he dead?" Aimee asked Zak.

"No," Zak shook his head. "He'll be out for a while. The guards will come take him away, but we have to wait. There are fewer guards in action than normal."

"Here." Raja approached with the vial in hand. "As much as you can possibly spit up. We only need a little bit." She held the jar out to Aimee.

Trauma had left Aimee's mouth dry. It was a feat to produce any saliva on demand. Clamping her lips shut, she relaxed and felt some liquid pool in the back of her throat. Working it up to the tip of her tongue, she leaned over as if she was in the dentist's chair. _Now spit_.

Raja grabbed the vial. Azure eyes widened. "This is going to work. I just know it," she enthused. "I gave you something to accelerate the sensation in your arms and legs. You'll be back on your feet shortly."

She glanced down at Salvan with aversion. "Zak, you'll watch him until the guards arrive?"

"He's not going anywhere," Zak affirmed.

"Okay." Raja looked anxious. "I will communicate with you shortly."

As she watched Raja leave, Aimee thought she should feel awkward just hanging around in Zak's arms, but his heat and the solid thud of his heart proved reassuring.

"You can set me back down. It may be a while before I can stand on my own." Her grin felt strained.

"Maybe I like holding you."

Aimee looked up into his eyes. "How did you know? How did you know where to find me?"

Zak stepped back to the elevated bed and set her down on it. He swung her legs over the edge and propped her up as he sat down beside her, settling her against his shoulder.

"That JOH that I left with you traveled all the way up to the deck to personally deliver his message. He felt that his system might have been compromised and did not want to share the information via the network. And then he told me that Raja had kidnapped you and that you were very sick." Zak reached between them and linked his hand with hers. "That image didn't make sense. I tracked Raja down in the Bio Ward, and with Salvan missing—it didn't take much to conclude what happened to you."

Concern narrowed his eyebrows. "The big question," he continued, "was _where_ to find you. For that we worked with JOH to track down your DNA. Salvan still had a trace of the cloaking serum in him, but he forgot to hide you. He was too obsessed and too arrogant to sort out the details."

"What about the deck?" Aimee asked. "You couldn't just leave it. They need you up there."

"There are enough people remaining at their stations to assure me that we have control. And there were no Koron ships tailing us," he added with a grin.

Aimee smiled at that, and then sobered at the sight of the charcoal scar just beneath her ribs. She wanted to touch it but there was not enough strength in her arm.

"You saved my life, Zak. He was just about to slice me open."

Zak released her hand to gently touch the charred fabric. His eyes slid towards the inactive figure on the floor, and his hand slipped from her to reflexively curl into a fist.

"The only reason he is alive right now is because I made it here in time. I'm still struggling, Aimee." A simple head shake could not banish his demons. "I'm struggling not to reach down there and put my fingers around his neck."

Aimee moved her own fingers, using them as claws to drag her arm closer to him. She touched him and the connection proved enough of a distraction.

"You don't kill your own, Raja said."

Black eyebrows descended. "But—"

"Hush," she interrupted. "My planet has too much racism. These are your people, Zak, and you know it. That is why it was so important for you to reach the main deck in their time of crisis. That's why you needed to lead them. You will not let anything happen to anyone on this ship. _Anyone_." She purposely stared down at Salvan.

For a while Zak remained silent and she shared that silence with him in comfort.

Still in conflict, his gaze settled on her side. "Does it hurt?" Hoarse concern deepened his tone.

"No. It burned for a second, but now it just itches and it's driving me crazy because I can't scratch it."

He reached over and pinched the fabric of her silver suit about an inch above the black scar and then pulled the material back so that it wasn't chafing her skin. "Does that help?"

"Oh my God, that is heaven." Her eyes rolled with relief.

"The material is burned. It's digging into your skin. We'll get you a new suit as soon as you can move."

Aimee concentrated and swayed her feet as they dangled over the edge of the bed. "See, it's getting there. I can move my legs...and my fingers too." She wiggled them. "My arms just feel like cement."

"Cement?" Zak hesitated and then lifted his eyebrows. "Ahh, we had a composite like that. It was what our dwellings were made out of. Liquid rock. I remember as a child asking my mother if I could go swimming in it."

"I'm guessing she wouldn't let you."

"No. But she said that knowing me, I'd find a way out of it." His smile was poignant.

"Zak, do you think I really have the component to cure this disease?"

Zak hefted off the bed and turned around to stand before her. His palms fell flat on the surface on either side of her thighs. With his dark features and riveting eyes, and that wicked grin—it was enough to make Aimee's skin prickle with goose bumps.

"I can't tell that, Aimee. But I wouldn't mind if you experimented on me some more."

This playful side of Zak was irresistible. She loved the brooding, intense man—but this mischievous, sexy guy was so alluring.

Wait a minute, did I just say, loved?

Before that thought could register, Zak's lips were on hers and she couldn't think. Her arms wound around his neck and she sat up straight into his embrace.

Zak's mouth pulled away from hers, just far enough that he could whisper, "I think your arms are working again."

And then he kissed her, and she was lost, clinging to him with renewed strength.

When Zak finally drew back, she could tell it was with great reluctance. She whimpered from the loss of his touch.

"I want to show you so much," he declared in a husky voice. "It scares me, Aimee. I don't share with people. I never shared with people. I am dependable. I am loyal. I do everything in my power to protect the citizens of this ship—" he looked her in the eyes, "—but I have never shared anything of myself with anyone. And I want to now."

His hands dropped off the bed and he stepped back. "It's very alarming."

Forlorn, Aimee glanced down at the floor, wondering if she would be able to stand if she slipped off the bed.

There was only one way to find out.

Her feet hit the ground, but her legs felt like spaghetti noodles. Propping her elbow against the bed, she used her upper body to support her, and gradually the numbness receded enough to enable her to stand.

She took a step towards Zak, knowing that he would catch her if she stumbled. He was letting her do this on her own, though. The confidence in his glance motivated her. She managed one step, followed by another. One more step and she planted her palms against his chest and smiled up at him.

"I'm back," she professed.

"Yes you are." He grinned.

They were interrupted by the arrival of the guards. Brawny men in crisp silver uniforms. Two out of the three men exhibited red-tainted abdomens. They bent to haul Salvan to his feet as his head lolled atop his shoulders. Pallid eyes fluttered open and latched onto Aimee. There was a maniacal avarice in them—as if he was a homeless animal who had not eaten in weeks, and she was a rare steak.

In that instant, a JOH flitted into the room and bobbed up and down to draw attention.

"Raja needs you," he rushed. "In the C-3 chamber of the Bio Ward." He paused a second and added, "the _real_ Raja."

"Can you make it?" Zak reached for Aimee's arm. "Are you okay to walk?"

"If it's good news, I can fly!"

But what if it was bad news? Either way, I have to know.

"Aimee—"

Salvan's chilled voice froze her. Her body jerked under the assault of that simple summons.

"I am not through with you."

Zak filled the gap between her and Salvan.

"I let you live," Zak fumed. "Don't make me regret that."

Aimee peered around Zak's shoulder to see Salvan's face pinch with aversion. "You are not with her all the time. You have a ship to command, don't you? She will be vulnerable. And if you are so patriotic, why would you deprive the Anthumians their opportunity to learn more from her composition?"

A shiver ran down her spine and she slipped behind Zak to avoid connecting with the manic blue eyes of the scientist.

Thick shoulder muscles bunched before her as Zak reached forward. She could see his hand traveling towards Salvan's neck and she could hear Zak's lethal threat.

"They tell me that it's not right for me to kill you. Maybe I am _too_ patriotic." His hand wavered. "But if you ever touch her again, I will cut off your hands."

With no more regard for Salvan, Zak turned and muttered, "Come on. We have more important places to be."

They entered the main laboratory, a giant vaulted structure packed with industrious scientists huddled over exotic instruments that looked capable of performing anything from neurosurgery to deep sea diving. Raja leaned over, her golden hair cascading in front of her shoulders. She sensed their approach and glanced up. She wore safety glasses, and inside those lenses Aimee witnessed a kaleidoscope of whirling particles. Cells, perhaps? Chromosomes? The goggles were like a microscope strapped to Raja's face.

Raja lifted the goggles atop her head and beamed. She pinned her shoulders back to show off the front of her suit. It was a heavenly shade of silver from head to toe.

"Raja!"

Raja, who normally appeared so pretty and reserved, now stood with the goggles on top of her head, resembling a frog. The straps caught in her hair making the fine strands spike out around her head.

"Aimee—" She stepped up and grabbed Aimee's arms, squeezing them. "I was the first trial. There was no time to go through the proper protocol. What was the worst that was going to happen? My fate was already sealed." She drew in a deep breath. "But the effect was instantaneous. The damaged cells were repaired within seconds of the injection."

Raja shook her head in wonder, and then looked at Zak. "There is an element of Aimee's saliva that we've been able to emulate. We produced enough serum to disperse in the Jay-nine. If they report back what we are expecting to hear, the remainder of the ship will be given a dose, and after that we have the ability to manufacture the serum synthetically."

Zak crossed his arms. His face expressed cautious enthusiasm.

"And Aimee? All you require from her is that small sample given in the vial? You won't be searching for a way to get inside her?"

Raja's lips thinned. "Not all scientists are like Salvan. As best we can determine, the anti-oxidant stems from something that Aimee ate once—or repeatedly—to the point that it has worked its way into her glands."

"Wouldn't it be easier to determine if you were to slice me open?" Aimee's voice faltered. She wasn't really suggesting it, but she wanted to hear Raja refute the offer.

The zeal in Raja's glance waned. She offered a discreet smile. "No, Aimee. We are not going to dissect you. You will be able to help us voluntarily if you choose, and it will in no way be invasive." She paused. "If Vodu recovers from this disease...if we didn't reach him too late, he will dole out Salvan's punishment. If it _is_ too late," she flicked her gaze towards Zak, " _you_ will determine his fate."

Zak didn't say anything. He glanced at Aimee and his gaze lingered on the singed material beneath her ribs. He took a deep breath and declared, "Let's all hope Vodu lives, then."

The wait was not long. Reports were coming back via JOH that all the cases of administered serum in the Jay-nine had repaired the damaged cells, and the disease was completely eradicated. Very shortly thereafter, Vodu himself appeared in one of the _windows_ along the wall. He looked tired, but his skin bore a healthy pigment and his eyes were as vibrant and commanding as ever.

"Aimee," he began. "I cannot apologize enough for the acts of Salvan. If we had lost you—" He shook his head to negate the thought. "But his mistake in taking you from your planet, be it intentional or not, has saved our race. Our gratitude cannot be measured. I am on my way back to the deck now." He glanced off the right of the screen and Chara's face joined him. Her hair was lustrous, her skin flushed, and her violet eyes could seduce a monk.

"Zak, I would like you to meet me there," Vodu continued. "I have checked our coordinates." He looked directly at Aimee as he added, "We have less than half an orbit until we reach your solar system. Our greatest gift that we can offer is to return you to your home."

Aimee's eyes locked with Zak's. She could no longer hear Vodu or the metallic clangs of the scientists at work. She was only aware of a buzzing inside her ears—the sound you heard right before you were about to faint. But, she wasn't going to faint. Fainting meant that she would lose that connection with Zak. His gaze harbored shadows of pain, resolve, and some unnamed emotion. It was that elusive facet that she held onto. She wanted to cry out, _say something, Zak. Say you don't want me to go_.

"Zak," Vodu called, "the deck."

Zak blinked. He stood erect and nodded at Vodu. "I'm on my way."

Vodu and Chara disappeared. Zak looked at Aimee. He didn't speak, but it was as if she could hear his heart pound. It beat as heavy and solemn as hers.

Raja cast a discreet glance between them and murmured something about needing to get back to work. She bowed and retreated. Even JOH spun around and trailed after her.

Still, nothing was said. A few scarce feet separated them, but Aimee was wholly aware of him. She could feel the weight of his thoughts bearing down on her. She wanted to go to him—to feel his arms around her and hear him murmur words that would assure her that everything was going to be alright. But he stood resigned.

"I have to go," he whispered.

Aimee nodded. "I know."

She cursed the tears that worked their way behind her eyes. Why was she crying? She would see him again. Probably within the hour. After his meeting with Vodu.

"Aimee—"

That was why she was crying. It was that hoarse tone of finality with which he uttered her name. The tears started to fall unchecked now until his face blurred before her.

"Don't." She heard him say.

And, still he did not touch her.

"Aimee." His husky call came again, but she just shook her head and stepped back. One pace. Two.

Distance. She needed distance before she lost it.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Aimee sat on the ledge of the pool inside her room. Her finger traced a pattern in the water as she watched the ripples tickle the border on the far side. She had donned a new suit and now peered out the window at the stark black curtain of space. Occasionally brilliant fragments came into view, like floating shards of glass.

JOH was nearby with his mouth clamped shut. He looked impatient, but he knew enough not to speak to her now. Still, he practically vibrated with the need to do so.

Aimee stood up and approached the celestial vista. She squinted at the static orbs in the distance. Was one of them Earth?

_A half-orbit_. How long was that? Time was so undefined here. It seemed like no time at all had passed. And yet, it felt like centuries had transpired.

If their calculations were correct, nearly five years had passed since she walked behind that pond. She was twenty-two years-old on her planet. Her body might reflect that, but her mind felt much older. Much wiser. And, with enlightenment came pain.

She placed her palm flat on the glass. It was not cold to the touch.

Staring at her hand on that clear plane, she noticed how pale it was. They were all so pale on the HORUS, and now she had become one of them. Zak was not pale. It was not that he was a bronzed California lifeguard, but his skin was the tone of a man who had lived in the sun. How did he retain that?

What did it matter? She was going home.

JOH bobbed beside her as if he was riding the Bonsai Pipeline. She tapped his screen and his eyes slid in her direction.

"You know you don't have to hit me like that," he challenged, sounding miffed. "You can just say my name."

"Well, why the heck didn't you tell me that long ago? Raja told me to tap your face."

"You didn't ask."

Aimee shook her head. "Of course."

JOH clamped his mouth shut...for a minute. "You seem depressed, Aimee. I thought you would be happy to be returning to your parents."

"Now you psychoanalyze as well? What kind of computer are you, anyway?"

"Stop calling me a computer. I cannot adequately translate what the symbols J.O.H. represent, but I am an integrated forecaster majoring in dialect, historical, and informational storage. My reference base scopes the majority of the universe. I am the communications host of this fine ship. I use genetics for identification, although I accept that I recently erred with that attribute. You can be assured that I am restructuring that identity practice as we speak. I am capable of operating most every synthetic function on the HORUS with the exception of some rudimentary culinary tasks."

"You don't cook? Do you do windows?"

"Which windows, the ones we use to view the events of the ship or the exterior plated _alorium_ panels?"

Aimee sighed. "Alright, JOH. I won't call you a computer anymore."

His frown morphed into a smile.

"But you'd be a little more credible if you had legs," she added.

His black eyebrows crisscrossed. "Those limbs are nothing more than _mecaw_ inconveniences."

"JOH, how much time do I have?" She paused. "How much time before we reach my solar system?"

"A little less than half a rotation of the _Alphi_ galaxy. The _Alphi_ galaxy moves like what you would call a cyclone. So that would be the equivalent of—" his eyes flat-lined, "maybe a quarter of your _years_."

90-some days in a galaxy that moved as fast as a tornado. She had already begun to formulate her own time-translation during her spell on the HORUS. 90 Earth days was something like a week on the HORUS. One week and she would be back home.

I have been gone for five years.

Have my parents changed? Will they accept that I have changed?

"JOH, I'm going to go take a walk."

He glided towards the door and waited like a puppy with his tail wagging.

"Alone."

If he had a tail, it just stopped wagging.

Aimee traveled the corridors of the HORUS with confidence. What had initially been an intimidating, sterile world was now vibrant with color and activity as she peered through the diaphanous walls, sometimes seeing three chambers deep. The murals were what fascinated her the most, though. Today she slowed her pace. At least it was some modicum of speed that she had control over.

She studied the images of life on Anthum. As best she could relate, they looked like works of art from ancient Greece. The buildings. The gardens. All the women had long, shimmering hair. Some wore flowing gowns, and some the traditional bodysuits. Men were adorned in outfits similar to the ones they wore on the HORUS. Their bodies were bigger though. Stronger. And the murals depicted them in various states of construction.

One graphic looked like a group at work on the HORUS itself. The mural scaled the length of the corridor as she stepped back to take it all in. Platforms were stacked as high as the eye could see, and each platform was loaded with men and women toiling over the exterior of the ship. Both sexes worked in tandem to lift and haul. There seemed no delineation between genders when it came to labor tasks, but there was a very obvious contradiction in physical forms.

Aimee slipped into a lateral transport and tapped the blue crystal on the console. The outside panel dropped open.

_Alorium_. She should have asked JOH more about _alorium_. It would be a cinch to pass engineering school if she knew the composition of the material so similar to glass _._

The transporter slid to a stop and she stepped out, glancing in each direction. The corridors were no longer vacant. Groups in animated conversation traveled down the hall, their faces alight with smiles. No traces of red could be detected on their suits. One woman noticed Aimee and broke away from her friends. She had vivid green eyes and strawberry blonde hair, and a healthy blush to her cheeks. She stood before Aimee and wrung her hands nervously. "They tell me that _you_ are the one. You are the one who saved us."

Aimee's face turned pink. She had done nothing. She had spit in a cup.

At a loss for words, she was saved when the woman flung her arms around Aimee's neck and gave her a warm hug.

"Thank you," the woman gushed.

"I didn't do anything," Aimee fumbled, but the woman had already let go and jogged back to join her friends. They continued down the hall, and for the moment Aimee was alone.

With a weary sigh, she glanced up at the wall and recognized the symbol she was looking for.

The door slipped shut behind her. She was swathed in the peaceful stillness of the forest. Silence. Even the wildlife sensed her despair and remained respectfully mute. For the most part it was like standing inside a fertile vacuum, and yet this represented her sanctuary. A place to connect with her home.

_Home_.

She was going back. She should fall to her knees with gratitude and excitement, and yet...

Aimee moved down the third aisle, passing between cross-walks. The sound of the running spring broke the stillness. She turned one last corner and there was the palm tree. Dropping down onto the bench across from it, she sat forward with her elbows atop her knees.

_When was Christmas up here?_

She wished she had known. It would have been nice to make some ornaments for the dangling fronds.

Reclining against the bench, she tipped her head back and stared up at the stars. Never again would she experience them this close—this vivid without the lights of her cities to dilute them—or the filter of the atmosphere to make them flicker. In the world she was returning to, night was so distant—too remote to touch.

She knew he was there.

No sound revealed him. No motion exposed him. There was nothing to indicate the arrival of a new presence...yet, she was certain he was near.

She turned her head and there he stood.

Tall. Stoic. Stunning. Half his face was cast in shadow, and the other half basked in starlight. He took her breath, and her skin tingled under his gaze.

"Zak." She rose.

He stepped forward, but not close enough.

"Is Vodu okay?" Aimee asked, concerned by his somber expression. "Chara?"

"They are completely cured," he proclaimed in his husky tone. He cleared his throat and added, "The serum is now being dispersed throughout the ship," he hesitated. "You did it, Aimee. You healed everyone."

Aimee frowned. "I wish people would stop saying that. I didn't do anything."

Honestly, she was uncomfortable with the magnitude of it all. Heroes saved lives. She was no hero.

"If we weren't so close to your planet they probably would have arranged a ceremony to herald this event." Zak's dimple carved a shadow in his cheek. That simple physical anomaly softened what would otherwise be a wholly formidable facade. "But they'll have the event whether you are here or not. You will be an idol."

His grin fell.

"What is it?" She felt a lump form in her throat.

Zak took another step, which brought him close enough to touch. He kept his hands down at his sides, though. Torment reined in his eyes—eyes that eluded hers. Finally they locked on hers and she felt her chest squeeze at the connection.

"What if I asked you to stay?" His voice was rough. "What if I did something totally selfish and asked you to stay?"

Aimee's heart soared. She nearly lurched into his arms, but the nagging shadows in his gaze, and the straight set of his lips told her that he did not share in the joy.

"You don't look like that's what you really want."

He took that final step out of the shadows so that all the beveled facets of anguish were revealed on his face. His hands rose to cup her arms.

"I want you in my life. That's what I want. For the longest time I have been the outsider, the Warrior—a stranger raised to protect this ship. You don't make me feel like any of those. You don't expect anything of me. You don't treat me as _different_. You make me feel like _Zak,_ and I had almost forgotten who he was."

Aimee's throat tightened.

"I—" she had to swallow in order to continue. "I am falling in love with _Zak_. I happen to think he's a really great guy."

He hauled her in close against him, tucking her head beneath his chin.

They fit so good together.

"I am falling in love with you too," he whispered into her hair. "And I don't want to lose you."

His embrace constricted in testimony to that fact.

Aimee drew back enough to look up at him. "Why do I sense an unhappy ending?"

Again the tears manifested despite her best efforts to keep them contained. One slipped down her cheek and Zak dipped to erase it with his lips.

"Listen to me," he whispered close to her ear. "I can't be that selfish. You need to go back and you know it."

Aimee protested, but he kept talking.

"When you left your home you were still a girl. Here you have grown into a woman. A beautiful woman, might I add. You need to go home and finish what you were starting there. You need to pursue that education you told me about, and—" he raised an eyebrow to halt her interruption. "—you know you want to see your parents. You were taken from them without warning. No parent should have to go through that."

He could no longer kiss away her tears. They fell unchecked. An image of her parents on the back porch steps, holding each other and looking forlorn nagged at her.

"And—" Zak squeezed her again. "I need to finish what I started, Aimee."

That declaration made her jerk back. Concern and denial flooded her.

"What do you mean?"

"We are less than two orbits away from my planet—"

"Zak, no! You can't go back there. The Korons—"

His smile was sad and tender. "It does sound like you may be falling in love with me."

"Dammit." She tapped her fist against his chest. "You will get hurt."

"If there are survivors on my planet—these bands of rebels I've heard rumors of—then it is my duty to join them and unite whoever is left. Together we can force the Korons to find somewhere else to call home."

"You? You alone? Why is it your duty alone?"

"Aimee," he shook his head. "You know the answer to that. I am not from this ship, and I have a personal—" he hesitated, "—vendetta."

"Vendettas end in death," she cried.

Recognizing the resolve in his stare, she offered an alternative. "What about bringing Warriors from the HORUS? There are thousands of men on this ship...even more. Bring an army with you. Bring ten armies with you."

"Then you'll feel better?"

"No." She dipped her head down, her forehead colliding with his chest. "Nothing is going to make me feel better. You want me to go."

Zak lifted her chin with his finger. "I want you more than you'll ever know. But I want us to come together without the past to haunt us. I want us to share a new life. Aimee," he pleaded. "There will always be regret in your eyes. There will always be a longing for your home because you were taken from it too soon." He caressed her cheek, using his thumb to brush at the tears. "That longing is in me as well."

She struggled to respond, but emotion had claimed her throat. She stood still, feeling his warm palm on her wet cheek.

"Five of your years, Aimee," he whispered. "Five of your years. It gives you the time to achieve your education. It gives you the time to be with your family. It gives you the time to reconsider a world so different from your own."

Both of Zak's hands held her cheeks now, as he tilted her head back, wanting for her to focus on him. All she wanted to do was flee the inevitability in his eyes.

Finally, she clashed with his gaze and knew without a doubt that she loved him.

"Five years," he repeated quietly. "It gives you the time to decide if you want me in your life."

She opened her mouth, but he raised his eyebrow again.

"The HORUS will be back then, and I will be waiting. If you still want me, Aimee, all you need to do is stand in those woods five years to the date and minute we send you back. If you're not there, I'll know that you have moved on and that you don't want to be with me."

Her chest felt like she wore a cement vest. She couldn't breathe. She splayed her hands against Zak's ribs, feeling his heartbeat. It seemed so long ago that she had fallen asleep against that rhythm in a dark, dank cave.

"I don't want to leave you," she whimpered.

"And I don't want to leave you."

Zak leaned forward and his mouth touched hers so gently it incited new tears. He kissed her again. "Dammit, Aimee." He wrapped his arms around her. "Please be in those woods. Please be there waiting for me."

"I will," she cried against his chest. "I will."

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Zak's arm was across her shoulder and hers was linked around his waist. She needed his support. Her legs were quaking. They stood on the deck of the HORUS, where the panoramic scene revealed the brilliant red explosion of sunrise over the surface of Mars. From this close perspective she could see waves of sand dunes, and shadowed craters.

"It's beautiful," Vodu's rich timbre commented from beside her.

Aimee was about to agree, when she noticed that Vodu was looking in the opposite direction. She followed his gaze and gasped. _It was beautiful_.

In the distance, white cotton candy swirled over a deep azure pool speckled with diamonds. Beneath the layer of clouds, a blue and green sphere beckoned with familiarity. The sight sapped the strength in her knees and Zak was quick to brace her.

"You have a lot of water on your planet," Vodu marveled. "I don't think you have to worry about the Korons settling down there anytime soon."

Aimee let loose a quick laugh and looked away from the beguiling tableau to one just as impressive. Zak grinned at her and then brushed his lips on her forehead. She clutched his waist even tighter. She didn't want to let go.

Feeling torn in half, she realized that Earth represented all that was familiar to her. While Zak represented a future.

Vodu stepped up before her, severing the view.

"It is almost time, Aimee. It's best to say our goodbyes now."

_No_.

Raja appeared with a timid smile. Aimee had to let go of Zak in order to return the young woman's hug. Given more time, Aimee thought she could have cultivated a great friendship with Raja. They both were shy, quiet, and preferred technologically-advanced gadgets over feminine customs.

"I will miss you," Raja whispered. She glanced at the planet outside and added, "I wish you had more time to teach me about your medical practices."

_Grandpa says, if something is wrong–stick it in saltwater_.

"You're way ahead of us, Raja," Aimee vowed. "You keep going. You will be the head scientist in no time."

Raja rolled her eyes. "There are so many that are better than me. But maybe one day—" She drew back and sniffled. "Have a safe journey, my friend."

Aimee reined in the tears. She was not going to cry. The crying would come later...when she was alone.

There was a commotion in the air beside her. JOH bobbed and swayed. If he wasn't a computer she would suspect he'd been drinking too much.

"JOH?"

He snapped to attention. "Aimeeee."

Would they notice one missing JOH?

"I am going to miss you, JOH."

The black crystals that formed his mouth drooped. "I did research on those computers that you always talk about," he said. "Now you must realize that I am not a computer. A computer would not miss you back."

The impulse to hug the floating tablet was strong, so she just tapped the top of its frame. "The National Football League has 32 teams. The tallest building on Earth is in Dubai. The orange is the most commonly grown tree fruit, and a giraffe can clean its ear with its tongue."

JOH's eyes flat-lined. He was feeding in the data like a dog with a biscuit.

"I have something for you, Aimee." Chara touched her shoulder.

_Chara_. Beautiful and tender. An angel that eased Aimee's terror when she first arrived. Aimee would forever be grateful to this woman.

"It is from an admirer who was too shy to come here and give it to you himself."

Aimee looked down at the item Chara handed her. A _Tak wand_. Dammit, the tears threatened to break down the levy.

"Tell that someone I will miss him very much, and tell him that he better practice real hard because when I see him again, I'm going to want a concert."

Chara smiled and her eyes glistened. She stepped back as Vodu moved in. He engulfed Aimee in his embrace.

"The Gods were looking out for us the day you were taken from your planet. You know that I am sincerely sorry for the means with which you were brought here. Disciplinary action has been taken for Salvan's misdoings. He will spend many years in the detention satellite."

Just hearing Salvan's name put her on edge, but Vodu hugged her again. " _Thank you_ seems such an inadequate thing to say."

"I have to thank _you_ , Vodu. My parents will be pleased to know how well you took care of me."

Vodu's white eyebrows knotted. "Aimee," he hesitated, "judging from what I know of your planet, sadly, they probably won't believe you. I mean no disrespect, but your planet is the only one we have come across that has had no experience with others in the universe. You are very fortunate."

Aimee nodded. "We are blissfully naïve. Don't worry, Vodu. I intend to keep it that way."

The old man looked relieved as he smiled and patted her shoulder.

"Go back there and make us proud, Aimee Patterson."

Was it really that long ago that they all called her Aimee Patterson?

"Are you returning to Anthum?"

Vodu flashed white teeth. "Yes. The HORUS will continue its tour of the galaxies. This disease may have been cured, but we're not so ignorant as to believe we are safe. What this ship is doing...our collection in the atrium...it's a positive thing. We may be able to help others like us one day." He nodded in conviction. "So some people will go back to Anthum and some will carry on here. At least they know they will have a home to return to whenever they want."

That made Aimee feel good. Everyone should have a home to go back to.

The thought drove her to Zak's face. He was not smiling like the others. But then again, Zak was never really like any of the others.

"I will take her to the transfer station," he said in a low voice.

Vodu nodded and bowed before stepping back.

"Safe journey, Aimee."

Aimee's gaze swept over Raja, Chara, JOH, and Vodu, and committed their faces to memory.

"Safe journey to all of you," she whispered.

The transfer station was a chamber located just off the flight deck. It was dark except for the ambient light coming from the controls and the bank of windows overlooking the sapphire globe outside. Aimee squinted when she saw a flash of light just above the surface. _Hah_ , the space station. Wow, did they have a long way to go.

She turned around. Zak stood behind a console, watching her.

"I don't remember this place," she said. "I don't remember much of anything when I first got on this ship." With a frown, she added, "I remember Salvan's voice."

"Let's hope you forget that."

His eyes traced down her body. "You look good in those strange clothes."

Aimee glanced down at the outfit she wore the day she was taken. Five years might have passed, but the jeans still fit. She caught Zak eyeing the unbuttoned collar of her cotton shirt. With the uniforms worn on this ship, nothing below the throat was ever exposed. He seemed to enjoy the view.

"Do I need to be jealous of Gordy?" he asked, aiming to keep things light despite the revealing tension in his voice.

Aimee twisted the _Tak wand_ in her hand and smiled. "No, I like the tall, dark, and handsome type."

"Hmmm, you find me handsome? You never told me that."

"I would think you might have figured it out by the way I kissed you."

This flirtation was the first glimpse of Aimee, the woman, coming through. She wanted more of it. She wanted more of him.

She stood a few feet away from Zak and both were locked in a gaze that stole the oxygen from the room.

"I don't want to go," she whispered.

Zak's stiff posture relaxed. The apathy in his eyes faded.

"Come here," he beckoned softly.

Aimee was in his embrace instantly. She pressed her cheek to his chest and wrapped her arms around him so tight she thought she could haul him along with her.

"Come with me," she pleaded. "You've been there before."

She felt his chin on top of her head as he held her tight.

"Don't you worry, _Zer-shay_. I will be back on your planet very soon, and I'll be coming for you."

Aimee's heart hurt.

"Zeer-shay? What does that mean?"

"It is from my language. It translates to _pretty one_. My father used to call my mother that."

She tipped her head back to look into Zak's eyes. For her, the sun would forever be linked with the vibrancy witnessed there.

"I like that." She smiled and then sobered. "You're coming back for me, Zak. You promise?"

He tucked a finger under her chin and stole a kiss. "Five years. Nothing will keep me away. But, if you are not in those woods I will understand. I will understand that you have a new life."

Aimee reached up and touched his lips.

"I love you," she whispered.

Zak looked pained. The muscle in his jaw pumped. He shook his head and she panicked that she had revealed too much.

"Those are painful parting words." His voice was husky.

Indeed they were. When she would have added more, Zak stepped back. She whimpered with fear that this was it. Lifting his hand, he gestured for her to remain where she was as he reached down to the belt looped around his hips.

What he withdrew was a chain that dangled through his fingers. It was silver in color, but sparkled much more vividly than the conventional alloy. A small rectangular pendant hung from the bottom. It looked very much like a diamond except for its shape.

"It's not a _Tak wand_ ," he smirked, "but I wanted to give you something of me."

Zak reached behind her neck and the trace of his fingers against her skin made her tremble. His touch lingered there until he drew his fingers through her hair, and finally away. Once the necklace was fastened she reached for the pendant and tested it out with her fingertips. Holding it up to the light, she watched it sparkle with a host of dancing colors as if the universe had been captured in this simple oblong slice of metal.

"It's beautiful, Zak." She looked up. "What is it?"

His dimple flashed. "Would you believe it's a little chunk of my ship?"

Aimee laughed and rubbed the pendant again.

"I think the term you use is _romantic_. I guess I'm not too romantic."

"It's absolutely perfect." She watched it blaze.

"I had it cut down from a piece of the wreckage. I thought—" he hesitated, "I thought that the fact that we survived that crash together meant something foretelling. That we were connected and were always meant to be together. I wanted to give you a piece of that memory—that promise to take back with you."

Distressed, she started feeling light-headed.

"Zak—"

"No." His glance jerked away, but not before she caught the bleak pain on his face. Staring out at Earth, his fist clenched against the window.

Without warning he pivoted and stepped up to her. His hands swept into her hair and he tipped her head back, kissing her with a need that drew tears to her eyes. She clung to him, returning that kiss, and whispering his name when their lips parted.

It was impossible not to notice the red light flashing on the console. It might as well have been mounted atop an ambulance. Zak drew back, but his hands were still on her shoulders. Visibly upset, he mustered up a grin.

"The next time that light goes off, I'll be standing here, waiting for you."

She grabbed his arms. "Zak—" Her voice failed.

Zak took her hand and walked with her to the pedestal mounted a few inches off the floor. He aided her as she stepped up on that platform with the speed and agility of a reluctant hundred-year-old. When she stood facing him, he squeezed her fingers, but could no longer manage a smile.

Their eyes connected for what seemed like an eternity. She saw his love there and knew that she mirrored that avowal. Zak shook his head, a reflexive lurch, and then he retreated so that just the tips of their fingers touched.

With one last look, he released them.

Turning his back to her, he moved in behind the console.

When he finally glanced up, his eyes glittered.

"I love you, Aimee. Come back to me."

He pressed the button.

"Zak!" Aimee felt numb. Her limbs were useless. She wanted to jump off and run to him, but she couldn't move. It was happening. She began to see through her hands. She was dissolving...and so was he, behind her veil of tears.

EPILOGUE

A lofty stockade of pine trees began to form around Aimee. Her hands filled into flesh and the buzzing in her ears receded. For a moment she was locked motionless until some of the numbness wore off.

She listened.

A symphony of birds heralded the warmth of the midday sun while a mosquito buzzed near her ear. Overhead, the pine trees swayed in the breeze, their needles sounding like a cascade of crystals showering down upon her. Through their swaying boughs she caught a glimpse of a cornflower blue sky. She squinted against the sun and kept looking—hoping for a sign of the HORUS, but there was nothing. Just the empty heavens.

Sensation returned as she dropped to her knees and wept. Grief ripped her soul, which still hovered in the stars. She cried at the feel of the dirt beneath her hands and knees, and the familiar scent of dried pine needles and honeysuckle. Once upon a time these woods had scared her. Now they represented a portal to a world she longed to return to.

It took Aimee a long time to stop crying. She sat cross-legged on the musty earth, staring up into the canopy of trees—just waiting. Maybe they would come back.

But as the sun moved past the tree line, Aimee drew herself up and wiped away her tears. She patted off her dirty knees and slapped her hands together to clean them off. She would not look up again. Instead, she looked forward.

Everything felt so vibrant. She could smell the algae from the pond—a pungent, humid scent that warped her back in time. The pond had swelled since she last saw it. The trees that flanked it had grown taller. Beyond them, like a little suburban castle, sat the house she had grown up in.

Five years.

Aimee's stomach started to knot. Would her parents still be there? Would they scream when they saw her? Would they think she was a walking corpse? Would they welcome her? What if Zak was wrong and too much time had elapsed for her to resume her life?

She forced her feet to move.

The two-story colonial house had been painted. Nothing drastic. Just a fresh coat of baby-blue. It was a color her father favored for his University of North Carolina roots. The cars in the driveway were new, but one was the make of her father's plant. She prayed that was a good sign.

The honeysuckle bushes were plush with yellow flowers and the old swing-set was rusted out, but still standing. Aimee felt the warmth of the sun on her face. That nurturing heat was like saltwater...it could cure anything.

She reached for the pendant dangling on her collarbone and rubbed it between her fingers as she stepped into the perimeter of her back yard. The back porch door was open, with only the screen closed. She wasn't sure what to do. Should she call out? Should she climb the stairs and knock? Where was Ziggy to stage a fuss? Even if he was inside, he would be at that screen door by now, pushing his nose against it in an effort to get out.

Again she panicked that it was someone else's family occupying the house now, and that hers had moved on.

As her steps decelerated and her trepidation grew, a woman swung open the screen door. Her head was cast down while she rummaged in her purse.

_Mama_.

Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail. The rich brown shade was now lined with gray. She was much thinner. The arm that fished through the purse looked like a stick.

Oh Mama, I need to make you some biscuits.

Aimee was afraid to say anything, and yet the little girl in her wanted nothing more than to run to her mother and hug her so tight.

She took a few tentative steps, drawing to within fifty feet of the woman on the stairs.

Keys jingled in the woman's hand as she sighed in exasperation. When she glanced up towards her car, she noticed Aimee's approach. A tremor coursed through her slim frame. She stumbled and Aimee did not hesitate. She ran the rest of the way, dropping down onto her knees just as her mother's hit the ground.

"Tom." Jennifer Patterson shrieked, her eyes brimming with tears. "TOM!"

"It's me, Mom." Aimee caught her mother's arms when the woman started to collapse. "It's me."

"Aimee," she croaked.

Dry hands reached for and cupped Aimee's cheeks. Inquisitive fingers continued back into Aimee's hair as she lifted it and bent to inspect her ear. Her mother shuddered. She must have identified the pear-shaped beauty mark behind Aimee's left ear.

"What the hell, Jen?" Aimee's father's voice boomed from inside. "Did you lock the keys in the car again?"

He pushed open the screen and froze.

Several years older than her mother, her father had gone completely gray now. It looked dignified on him, but shadows rimmed his eyes.

Aimee saw him mouth her name. He pushed open the door fully and started down the stairs, using his hand against the wall for leverage.

Urging her mother to stand, Aimee assisted her, aware that her mother was devouring every facet of her face.

"Baby," Tom Patterson took a tentative step towards them. "Is that really you?"

Aimee started to weep. "Daddy—"

He had his arms around her and she caved against him with gulping sobs. She could smell him. The musky aftershave had not changed. The faint mechanical tang of the plant still clung to his clothes. She drank in that scent like it was the finest perfume in the world.

"Aimee," her mother howled and Tom reached for her, bringing them into a tight family hug.

A short while later, Aimee stared across the kitchen table at the dazed expressions on her parents' faces. Her mother's trembling hands were wrapped around a coffee mug. Her father kept rubbing his face as if to clear his vision.

"What happened, Aim? We had police—so many police." He spread his hands. "And when they failed we had private investigators."

"I—" Images of that day flooded her head.

The walk with Ziggy. The eeriness of the woods. The sensation of being paralyzed...and then her hands, disappearing before her eyes.

"I took Ziggy for a walk out into the woods."

"You were always afraid of those woods," Jennifer mentioned without speaking to anyone in particular.

"Someone grabbed me." Aimee improvised.

Was it not true? Wasn't I abducted?

"Dammit." Tom's fist pounded the table hard enough to make Jennifer jump. "I knew it. Who Aimee? Who?" His head shook in woe. "I always suspected it was someone from my company. Extortion. I kept waiting for a ransom call."

She felt so bad for the trauma her parents had been through. But would telling them the truth ease their souls, or just torment them all the more? If she were to share her tale, she would earn a one-way ticket to a psychiatric ward.

"I never saw them. They put something over my face, and then they hit my head, and I don't know, maybe they drugged me as well...but I seriously don't remember much of what happened, and I didn't remember where I lived for the longest time. I couldn't remember my home."

It was a lame explanation, but the intensity on her father's face indicated that he believed her.

Having already been fed up by the way the authorities wrote the case off as, "just another teenage girl running away," her father was reluctant to even notify the police that she had returned home. After much debate, Jennifer finally convinced them it was the right thing to do. But they would do it tomorrow. Tonight was about celebrating this reunion.

They spent the evening at the kitchen table with her parents relaying the events of the past five years. Aimee took the news pretty hard that Ziggy had passed away two years after she disappeared. Every night for those two years, Ziggy tried to escape out the back door and charge to the pond.

From behind a Campbells coffee mug, Aimee discreetly studied her mother. Full lips that once opened into a smile capable of winning the world over were now flanked by pronounced grooves. Mischievous blue-green eyes had become tepid. Fingernails that had always been painted were now neutral. The fingers trembled as she handed over a plate of donuts. This was not the same woman Aimee had known five years ago. Jennifer no longer talked over her husband, and instead, deferred to him. It hurt Aimee to see that. That wasn't her mom.

But somewhere under this veil of angst a spark had ignited. It started with a furtive smile when Tom recited the saga of the neighbors' chickens getting loose. It was followed by a snorting laugh at the physical description of the first policeman to arrive at their house.

All this time, Jennifer kept finding reasons to connect with Aimee's hand. With each touch, Jennifer's spark grew brighter. It finally registered with her that her daughter was at her side.

When the clock struck 2am and yawns replaced conversation, Aimee's parents accompanied her upstairs. It was not surprising to find that her room remained untouched. Her old laptop still sat on the white wicker desk. Framed photographs of the pond and Ziggy hung on the wall—photographs Aimee herself had taken when she aspired to be a photographer.

A band program was taped to the closet door and Carrie's pink knit sweater was still folded over the back of her desk chair.

Sheesh, Mom and Dad, you could have at least returned it!

The heavy down bedspread on the twin bed looked so appealing, as well the oscillating fan mounted on the window sill. The room was perfect...but it was also the room of a girl. With remorse, Aimee realized she had outgrown it.

"Are you going to be okay here?" Jennifer stepped up behind her and gently rested her hands on Aimee's shoulders.

Aimee spun around and gave her a tight hug, which Jennifer returned along with a sob. Tom joined the embrace.

"I'll be fine," Aimee assured with a smile. "We'll talk more in the morning. You guys need some sleep."

"You're lucky that's a twin bed," Jennifer declared. "Or I would be lying there beside you tonight."

Aimee smiled. "That wouldn't be so bad, Mom."

Alone, Aimee sat cross-legged at the foot of the bed with the comforter wrapped around her legs. Staring out the window, she listened to the haunting jingle of wind chimes on the back porch. The backyard was lost under the cloak of night, but the sky...the sky was alive with flickering symbols of distant worlds. Aimee strained to recognize any of the celestial bodies, but they were too far away.

She reached into her tee-shirt and clutched the pendant. Her mother had been eyeing it curiously, but refrained from asking where it came from.

Aimee rubbed the smooth material between her thumb and pointer finger.

Zak.

She stared into that night sky.

Was he okay?

How much time had passed?

For as much as it was a relief to be home and reveling in her parent's warmth, Aimee knew her heart still lingered somewhere beyond the night.

Five years later...

Come back to me, Aimee.

Aimee jerked awake. In that netherworld between sleep and morning, exotic golden eyes watched her from the dark. Usually she resisted stirring so that she could linger with him in her dreams for a little bit longer. But, today was different. Today she was up and alert. She squinted at the bedside clock in her apartment to confirm the date was really here. The magnitude of that notion produced a bout of nausea.

In the past five years, she had fulfilled her goals. She obtained her industrial engineering degree and was hired immediately by her father's competitor, a car manufacturer that was impressed with her futuristic design concepts. She moved into this south Charlotte apartment eight months ago, and she passed through her daily routine, trying to hone in on her engineering skills.

Five years was a long time. She had to be fair to herself and see if there was someone on this planet that might affect her the way that Zak did, but any dates she attempted fell pathetically flat. It was hard to manage a date when the pendant burned a promise against her flesh. As a result, she never had a boyfriend and focused solely on her studies.

Her parents had finally healed, and with her off at college they learned to enjoy life together. Even now, they were away on a cruise in the Caribbean. The last time she was over their house, she had sat on the back deck with her mother and revealed that she remembered more from those missing years. She told her mother that she recalled meeting someone—someone that she'd like to one day see again.

Jennifer had probed relentlessly for more information, but Aimee left it at that. Instead, she composed the letter that now sat on the kitchen table for them to discover when they returned. In the letter, she explained that she had to find that missing love. She told them not to cry, and not to search for her. She would be safe, but she would be unable to communicate with them for a while. She assured them not to fear for her, that she would be back again.

They would grieve, but nowhere to the extent of the first time. And nowadays, their bond was stronger than ever. In her letter, she assured them that she loved them, but it was time to fill a gap that the journey of five years ago had created.

Aimee showered and pulled on her jeans along with a red and black NC State tee-shirt. With her fist, she rubbed a circle in the steamed mirror and stared at her reflection. Her auburn hair was sleek and long now. She grabbed a scrunchy and pulled it back into a ponytail. Long black lashes framed turquoise eyes—eyes that never required glasses. She had not grown any taller than the five- foot-seven she had achieved at seventeen, but her body was much more toned from five years of track and field practice.

Aimee dipped into her tee-shirt and watched in the mirror as the pendant flashed like a sparkler on New Year's Eve.

Turning away from the reflection, she grabbed her purse off of the kitchen counter, stuffing the _Tak wand_ hidden behind the cookie jar into it. Next week Goodwill would be here to collect what was left in the minimally furnished apartment. With one last glance around, she conceded that this place was not home. She would not miss it.

Aimee used the Light Rail and a bus to get to her parent's house. She didn't want to just leave her Jetta in their driveway and alarm them all the more. At the foot of the stairs to the back porch she snapped off a twig of honeysuckle and laid it across the letter on the kitchen table. She glanced up at the butcher-block clock. It was almost noon. She had to hurry.

It was insufferably hot and humid outside. Gnats danced around her head as she hiked the muddy banks of the pond. Over the years, ragweed and tree roots had changed the terrain, making it impossible for her father to attack the area with the tractor. He left it to overgrow. Aimee believed it was his subconscious desire to create a barrier.

Do not pass this point.

She cleared the pond and entered the dark realm of the woods on the other side. Immediately, the temperature decreased. The trees had grown so much that not even a flash of sun filtered through their dense limbs. The strange cessation of sound still unsettled her. She had not been back here since the day she left the HORUS. That first year she had been tempted on many occasions to camp out in the woods and wait. Maybe Zak would find a way to come back for her. It was a desperate notion. Zak was as stubborn as she, and he would want her to fulfill her goals. He would want her to return to him on her own terms, with no qualms.

Even now... _especially_ now...the nagging fear that he had moved on tortured her. The notion was a thick worm with gnashing teeth crawling inside her stomach. He was a gorgeous guy. He could have any woman he wanted. Why would he want her?

Aimee stared up, but the canopy of leaves locked her to this world. Maybe the HORUS wouldn't even be able to find her under here.

Searching the ground, she swore this was the exact spot she stood on so many years ago, but the landscape had changed. What if right now a beam was pointed twenty or thirty yards away and Zak was up there assuming she did not want him?

Aimee began a desperate pace back and forth. Perspiration dotted her forehead. She had waited so long— _so long_...and never once had her feelings diminished. There were no doubts. No reservations. She wanted to be with Zak. If he did not come for her...she couldn't even imagine the grief.

Aimee glanced down at her watch. _Twelve twenty-five_. Five minutes late. That was it. He was not coming. He had found someone else. Maybe one of his own kind. How stupid was she to believe that he would wait this long for her?

Aimee clutched the pendant with such pressure she thought it might snap. But, this was a composite that could withstand the abuse of light speed—surely it could handle the force of her thumb.

Twelve twenty-nine.

Her shoulders slumped. Tears stung her eyes. At least she would be able to collect her letter off the dining room table before her parents discovered it.

Defeated, Aimee began to retreat to the pond, but her toes had fallen asleep and she stumbled over a tree root. Too much time standing idle. She attempted another step and the other foot failed her. Aimee's glance jerked up into the tangled veil of foliage, yet she could detect nothing. Her fingers tingled and she splayed them out before her. They glowed, while a hum filled the air—a hum similar to the whir of an oscillating fan. The cavern of pines glimmered as her fingers began to fade. She could see through her palm right down to her sneakers.

She smiled.

I'm coming, Zak.

Aimee Patterson's last act on this planet was to tip her head back and gaze up into the leaves...and beyond.

BEYOND SERIES

Want to learn more about the fate of Aimee and Zak? Be sure to check out the BEYOND Series!

BEYOND

BEYOND: TWO SUNS

BEYOND: THREE PATHS

BEYOND: FOUR WORLDS

ZON

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

USA TODAY bestselling author, Maureen A. Miller's first novel, WIDOW'S TALE earned her a Golden Heart nomination in Romantic Suspense. A great fan of the romantic suspense genre, she broke from tradition to share this story. Years may pass, but fantasies rarely fade. BEYOND is a manifestation of a childhood fantasy.

And yes, Maureen played clarinet in the marching band!

You can learn more about Maureen on her website at www.maureenamiller.com
