Alien Refuge (33 page)

Through sheer will alone, the Nobek lurched to his feet and forced himself to wade through the nearly knee-high drift, carrying Tori away from the blazing house. He managed a dozen steps when a mighty crash thundered behind him, and a wave of heat blew his long hair forward in streams. He was dimly aware that the roof must have collapsed, but the thing uppermost in his mind was to get his daughter to safety.

“Amgar,” he tried to call, but his voice was gone. All that escaped his lips was a slight wheeze. Groteg didn’t know that, and he kept talking. “Utber, get her in the shuttle and keep her warm. No time for snowsuit. Get her – get her warm.”

A fit of coughing seized the Kalquorian, and he fell to his knees again. This time the world went darker than gray, and Groteg fell onto his back, Tori still clasped to his burning chest. He couldn’t breathe, and he thought perhaps he was dying.

Safe, Baby Sunshine
, he thought as the darkness thickened, taking him away.
You and my sons and my clan are all safe
. Nothing else mattered.

* * * *

Iris woke in the clan’s bed when she sensed activity. She opened her eyes, missing the warmth of the men’s bodies. Blinking, she saw all three Kalquorians on their feet. Jol and Ospar were hurriedly putting on their armored formsuits. A still naked Rivek helped the Dramok dress, managing to keep pace with the faster Jol.

Iris sat up, alarmed at the grim faces. “Has something happened? Thomas?”

Ospar glanced over as he sat on the edge of the sleeping mat, sealing his formsuit’s seams shut while Rivek shoved traction boots on his feet. The governor’s worried face gentled a little as he looked at her. He said, “No, sweet one, Thomas is still asleep. It’s the middle of the night yet. A colonist’s home has caught on fire, and we’re going to see what we can do to help.”

Jol speared her with a much more stern look. “The fire is suspicious. You and Thomas will stay here with Rivek. Do not leave our home.”

He and Ospar were dressed, and the Dramok rolled over to drop a quick kiss on Iris’ lips before they raced out of the room.

Rivek crawled back into the bed and drew her into his arms. She looked up at him worriedly. “I’d say it’s suspicious, all right. Our homes have fire-dampener systems, which we’re required to have inspected and tested every three months.”

The Imdiko nodded and clutched her close. It was almost as if he was trying to shield her with his body rather than snuggling with her. “The greatest concern, beyond that of the safety of those who live there, is that the home belonged to an Earther woman who had clanned.”

Iris’ eyes widened in shock. Few such women joined Kalquorian clans and stayed on Haven. Thoroughly shunned by the majority of the Earthers, their clans usually applied for re-assignment elsewhere and took the women away from the black stares and vicious catcalls. The few who did remain tended to take up residence in the Kalquorian village, staying far away from their fellow Earthers. Iris knew of only two women who remained on the Earther part of the colony, having had their new clans move in with them.

More than ever, she was terrified of what she and Thomas might face when they returned to their own house.

Taking a deep breath to steady herself, Iris asked, “Whose home is it?”

Rivek’s grip tightened. “Clan Amgar’s. The Matara’s name is Sara Jones.”

Iris gasped. Like Iris, Sara had been widowed, leaving her to fend for herself and her children all alone. The two women hadn’t known each other more than to nod to one another after church services. Their respective lots had left no time to make friendships, not when they had to care for the needs of their little ones.

It had been quite the scandal when Sara had accepted a clan’s help after the birth of her third child nearly killed her. Further complicating the matter had been the impending failure of Sara’s crops. With winter fast approaching, things had become desperate for the Jones family. Father Stephen had gone from homestead to homestead, begging for help. Several had donated some food, but not nearly enough to see the family through. Now that Iris thought about it, she’d heard rumors that Governor Hoover and Ospar had clashed over the issue. The gossips had reported that Ospar threatened to take over the communal stores of food meant for sale, with the intent to give a portion of it to desperate Earthers like Sara.

What Iris did know was that Sara made an appeal to Governor Hoover for help. Her plea had been met with an offer of a loan. The terms of that would have left Sara hard pressed to repay, especially given her weakened state following the birth of her youngest child. Iris had privately reviled Governor Hoover’s ‘pick yourself up by your own bootstraps’ mentality. The gossip she’d heard left her certain that Haven’s Earther side of government should have offered some kind of temporary aid to the desperate family. Had Hoover loosened the purse strings a little, the Jones family wouldn’t have been forced to rely so heavily on the Kalquorian clan that had showed up to salvage their crops.

Iris had not been among those who expressed shock when Sara joined Clan Amgar. After all, it was the only way left to ensure her children’s welfare. At the time, Iris had felt sorry for Sara, that she had felt forced into doing the unthinkable to take care of the little ones.

However, Iris’ attitude had changed after these last few days with Ospar’s clan. She could now appreciate it might not have been just desperation that spurred the Earther mother to join with Clan Amgar. Sara might very well have been in love, especially if the Kalquorians had shown the same devotion to her children that Ospar, Jol, and Rivek had displayed with Thomas.

All these thoughts about Sara Jones’ clanning situation were only background noise to Iris right now. There was something much more important to consider in the here and now. Filled with horror, Iris whispered, “Rivek, there were three children in that house. One is still a baby.”

Rivek’s worried face eased a little bit. “The initial report is that Sara and the little ones are all safe and receiving medical care.” The tension returned, and Iris detected a touch of grief in the Imdiko’s eyes. “However, one of the men is dead, though I don’t know which one yet. Imdiko Utber is on our household staff, so I know them all well. The loss is terrible.”

Utber. The name was familiar, and after a moment Iris remembered him. He’d made Thomas those chicken fingers for their first lunch with the clan. He had mentioned he was used to children who were picky eaters.

Iris’ chest ached. Seeing the even greater pain Rivek felt, she slid her arms around him. “I’m sorry. You must be close to them.”

“Utber and his clanmates are good people, always looking to help others. That’s how they ended up assisting Sara and falling in love. They adore her and the little ones. They even had the two oldest children take part in the clanning ceremony, which I had the honor of officiating. You should have seen their Nobek with Sara’s little girl. Groteg loves Sara, but he worships that child.” Rivek’s breath hitched.

The emotion in his voice had Iris near tears. She felt bad about being selfish right now when someone was dead and Rivek suffered for it. Even greater than her concern for his friends however was fear for herself and Thomas. Would they have to leave Haven after having stayed with Ospar’s clan? She certainly couldn’t take the chance anything like a fire would happen to them.

Her trembling must have communicated some of her worries to Rivek, because he stroked her hair comfortingly and said, “It’s all right, my lovely. You are safe here.”

Iris believed him. No one could get past Ospar, Jol, and Rivek to harm her, and more importantly, Thomas. It was what would happen when she and her son had to leave that frightened her.

* * * *

Ospar followed Jol out of their private shuttle, his heart sinking as he saw the blackened, smoking ruin that had been a family’s home. Smoke stung his nostrils and made his eyes water.

Borl hurried up to them, his hair an inky spill over his white snowsuit. Jol intercepted him. “Report.”

Borl bowed to them both before sharing the unthinkable news. “Dramok Amgar is dead. He handed the boy children out of a window to their mother and Imdiko Utber, then went to look for Nobek Groteg, who had gone after the daughter. Groteg and the girl child got out, but Amgar did not.”

Ospar’s heart plummeted. It seemed impossible that Amgar was dead. He’d worked in Acquisitions, right there in the administration building where Ospar saw him almost every day. Amgar’s Imdiko was a prized member of Ospar’s house staff. The governor had attended the ceremony that had given them a Matara and children. They had been very happy that summer day only a few months ago.

He blinked against the sting in his eyes and stared at the still occasionally flaring debris that crews continued to spray down. “Has his body been recovered?”

“Yes. Nobek Groteg is in bad condition from smoke inhalation, which the children are also being treated for. They’re all expected to survive.”

Jol’s face was tight, but his voice stayed steady. “The fire containment team is having trouble getting that fire to go completely out. Accelerant must have been used. I’m going to talk to the investigative team. Guard!”

At his Nobek’s shout, a security officer hurried over. “Sir?”

Jol looked him over, no doubt assuring himself of the man’s worthiness before ordering, “You will watch over the governor.”

“Yes sir.” The officer bowed to Jol, who rushed off.

Ospar’s mind was far from his personal safety. His ears were full of the crackle of stubborn flames, the hum of the gathered emergency shuttles, and the hiss of spray fighting to put the fire completely out.

Amgar is dead. Most likely murdered since not only did the home’s suppression systems not stop the fire, but accelerant was used. Someone set that blaze, someone who didn’t care that a good clan, their Matara, and innocent children might die. Someone who might have wanted them all to die.

Ospar’s thoughts went to his Imdiko, Iris, and Thomas. There was a security detail always on duty at the clan’s home, so he shouldn’t be worried. But looking at the remains of this homestead where a man had just lost his life, Ospar couldn’t help the urge to dash back home to stand guard over his own family.

They are mine. I will do anything to keep them safe, but I’m not sure that I can. Not when there’s this level of hatred for Kalquorians and Earthers living together.

Ospar shook himself. He had a job to do, one that included caring for more than his immediate clan and those he wanted to add to it.

Gathering his senses, he told his aide, “Borl, see to Amgar’s clan. Give them anything they need. Anything, even if it means going into my personal accounts to cover the cost.”

Borl nodded. “Yes, Governor. It will be done.”

Borl left him to stand there with his bodyguard. Ospar watched numbly, wondering how in just a few days things had gone from burning crosses and angry missives to attempted abductions and murder. The E.I.K. had only been a nuisance a week ago. Now they were a real threat that had to be dealt with swiftly or Haven Colony would be in dire trouble.

I’ll have to put a curfew in place. Maybe even martial law. Hoover will be beside himself. The colonists might protest. Such actions could add more to the E.I.K.’s numbers, but what else can I do? People are dying!

The hum of an approaching shuttle finally tore the Dramok’s gaze from the terrible, smoking remains. He turned to see a shuttle land. He recognized the governmental identifiers on its bow, telling him it had been taken from the Kalquorian’s shuttle pool. The hatch opened, and the bent body of Councilman Maf lurched out.

“I need another guard on the councilman right now,” Ospar told his security. The man spoke on his com and another Nobek headed their way.

Ospar moved quickly to greet Maf, worried the crippled Dramok would slip on the slick snow-covered terrain. Before he got to him, the councilman’s assistant Sitrel swept out of the shuttle to stand at Maf’s side. Ospar’s pulse calmed a little. The last thing he needed was for someone of Maf’s rank getting hurt on his watch.

Ospar and the Nobeks reached the two men who stared with grave expressions at the ruin of Clan Amgar’s home. “Councilman. It is a surprise to see you here.”

Maf shifted his gaze to Ospar’s face. “I was wondering what all the excitement was with emergency shuttles zooming past my quarters and warning claxons blaring. I hope you will forgive my prying into your colony’s affairs. It looks like a home caught on fire?”

Ospar nodded, his heart heavy. “The shared home of a clan and an Earther woman with children.”

Maf’s eyes widened. “By the ancestors. There were children in there? Is everyone all right?”