Shielder — A new Science Fiction Romance (Book 1, Shielder Series) (18 page)

"I'm going to my cabin. When I come back
out, you and those kids had better be cleaned up and run through
decontamination." He stormed past Sabin, who offered a mock salute.
"Get the hell off my ship, Travers."

He headed down the corridor for his own
cabin and the oblivion alcohol could give. Oblivion from his own
reprehensible past, as well as the waif who'd managed to turn his
life upside down.

The silver lanrax scurried after Chase, the
cabin panel closing with the finality of a death knell behind it.
Nessa sagged against the bunk wall, filled with despair. Now
what?

All she could think to do was take the
children and flee, hoping Chase would be in his cabin long enough
for them to get away. She pushed onto shaky legs, meeting Sabin's
taunting gaze.

"Tsk, tsk. You lied to Chase. Told him you
didn't know what you would use to pay for transport. And all the
while, your pockets were stuffed with his gold."

"It's none of your business." She started
for the lav.

His hand on her arm stopped her. "It
is
my business. And you're going to put the miterons back
right now. If you don't, I'll be forced to tell Chase."

"I can't put the gold back. Don't you see?
It's my only way to get the children and me out of here."

"No. You can't take an Elysian transport. It
would be too dangerous. You're far safer with Chase. He'll get you
to Star Base Intrepid. He'll probably even give you the money you
need to go on from there."

Nessa didn't see how a public transport
could be any more dangerous than the situation she now faced with
Chase. As furious as he was with her, no telling what he might do
next. "I'll take my chances on Elysia."

Sabin shook his head. "No, you won't, Nessa.
My ship is next to this one, and I'm not departing until Chase
does. I'll be watching the hatch, and I'll notify Chase if you try
to leave. Put the gold back."

She felt like a helpless creature caught in
a snare. "I have to leave," she insisted frantically. "I don't know
what Chase—"

"Chase won't hurt you or the children,"
Sabin interrupted. "He's just very angry right now. Go put the gold
back."

Her feet dragging, she headed for the vault,
Sabin right behind her. She didn't have his faith that Chase
wouldn't harm her. Halfway down the corridor, she faltered and
whirled around. "Then take us with you," she pleaded. "You can drop
us off at a star base."

"And give you money for transport fare? I
think not. I'm not a credit institution." Sabin pointed toward the
vault. "Go on."

He just didn't want to help her. It was that
simple. Anger flared. "Don't you care about anything but hunting
people and collecting gold?" she demanded.

"Not really. Put the miterons back."

Filled with dread, she returned the coins to
the vault. She wondered if she'd have a chance to retrieve them
after the ship departed Elysia—assuming she lived to have another
shot at escaping. At least Sabin didn't know about the coins in her
boots.

He reached past her and entered a sequence
of numbers on the vault panel. "That should keep you out for a
while." He strode to the unconscious prisoner and wheeled him
toward the hatch. "Tell Chase I took Marak to turn him in. Probably
best not to expose the children to the likes of him. I'll also
message him the new code on the vault. See you around."

Panic flooded Nessa and she ran after him.
"Please take us with you!"

He turned back and for a moment, his
expression softened. "Believe me when I tell you Chase is your best
bet. He talks a tougher game than he plays. Stars, I've seen him
give medicine to a sick prisoner who was condemned to die anyway.
Mark my words, he'll help you with those kids." He stooped to
retrieve the other package he'd brought.

"But—"

"Forget it. You're not coming with me." He
handed her the package. "This is for you, from Moriah. She thought
you might like it. It occurs to me it might help you with
Chase."

Confused, she stared at the plain package.
"I don't understand."

"Just be nice to the old man. Really, really
nice. I promise you, everything will work out okay. Don't forget to
clean up those kids and go through decontamination. That always
puts McKnight in a good mood."

With a jaunty wave and a maddening smile,
Sabin slipped through the hatch, taking Marak with him. Nessa
decided she hated him. Then she thought about him returning Turi.
Well, maybe she didn't hate him. But he was a selfish, greedy
man.

A noise down the corridor drew her
attention. The silver lanrax scratched and pawed at Chase's panel,
chattering pitifully. She sighed and scooped up the lanrax, holding
her by the scruff so she couldn't bite. "Come on, let's put you
where you can't bother the captain."

She went to her cabin and turned the lanrax
loose after closing the panel. The children hadn't moved from the
lav. She squatted beside them. "It's okay. Those men are gone now.
You're safe and no one is going to hurt you again. What are your
names?" They stared at her silently with terror-stricken eyes. She
began to wonder if they were truly mute, unable to speak.

"Okay, then. Let's get you cleaned up. Have
you ever had a shower? I'm going to turn on the water in this
stall. You stand in the water and get wet, and then you rub soap on
yourself and your hair."

At least they were malleable, stepping into
the stall at her urging. But they just stood under the water, and
Nessa ended up washing them. It took three soapings to get the
matted crud out of their hair, and two scrubbings to get the grime
off their skin. Their nude bodies didn't bother her; she'd taken
care of younger children from the time she was nine seasons of age,
until her seizures had begun.

The boy looked young, perhaps six or seven
seasons of age. The girl appeared on the verge of crossing into
womanhood, with delicate, budding breasts, and the beginning fuzz
of pubic hair. She was quite pretty Nessa realized, as the layers
of dirt came off.

"Okay, that's enough." Nessa turned off the
water and gently prodded the children to stand under the infrared
dryer. She wasn't talkative by nature, but she sensed she needed to
keep up a flow of words. Hopefully her tone of voice could convince
the children she meant them no harm.

"We're going to the decontamination chamber
now. All you have to do is sit on the bench and let special rays
clean away any germs on your skin and hair. You can't even feel
it."

They followed her docilely, but the boy
balked at the entry. He stared into the small chamber, trembling
violently. "It's okay. There's nothing to be afraid of." Nessa
eased him through the panel, lifting him slightly.

He stood stiffly by the bench, the
expression on his face one of absolute terror. He shook even more
when Nessa turned on the sanitizing rays. She gathered both
children against her, telling them over and over that they were
safe. When they were through in the decon chamber, she foraged in
the supply cabinet and found two blankets to wrap around them.

"See? That wasn't so bad. I'll bet you're
hungry. Let's get you something to eat." She took them back to the
cabin, since she didn't know how to operate the food replicator in
the galley. Sitting on her bunk, they watched, round-eyed, as she
dug into her bag of supplies and brought out some of her hoarded
bread and cheese. They stared at the food with obvious longing, but
seemed afraid to take it.

"This is for you." Nessa took the boy's
hand. He started in alarm and tried to pull away. She pressed some
bread into his hand. "It's yours." He looked at her, uncertainty in
his hazel eyes, and she nodded. "Eat it." He finally took a
tentative bite.

She did the same with the girl, placing
bread into her hand. When she looked back at the boy, he had
crammed the entire piece into his mouth, as if afraid she might
take it back.

"I wish you could talk," she sighed in
frustration. "Then I'd know whether or not you understand me."

Chewing some bread, the girl considered her
a moment. "I can talk," she offered so softly, Nessa wondered if
she'd heard right.

"What did you say?"

"I talk. Brand don't. He hasn't talked since
the first time they used the rods on him."

The cruelty some beings displayed defied
belief. Nessa leaned forward. "So his name is Brand?"

The girl nodded.

"And what is your name?"

"Raven."

"What pretty names. Is Brand your
brother?"

"Yes, mistress. I take care of him.
Sometimes I take the rod for him."

Nessa felt a catch in her throat. She knew
Jarek would have watched over her in the same situation. Spirit,
how she missed him.

"I'm not your mistress, Raven. I'm your
friend. You can call me Nessa. Now, eat some more bread and cheese.
If Brand sees you eating, maybe he won't be so afraid."

Both children ate more, but Nessa limited
the amount, afraid they might get sick if they consumed too much.
Then she noticed their eyelids drooping and realized how exhausted
they must be.

She patted the bunk. "Lie down. You can
sleep as long as you like."

They both looked amazed. "We're not allowed,
Master," Raven explained in her soft, singsong voice. "We sleep on
the floor or against the wall."

"You are allowed to sleep here now," Nessa
insisted. "I order you to."

She finally convinced the children it was
all right, and they snuggled down on the mat. They fell asleep
quickly, dropping off in the instant, boneless way children enter
sleep.

Now what? she wondered, standing and
stretching.
Chase
. An odd shiver skittered through her. She
would have to deal with him sooner or later. He said she was his
slave, to do his bidding. She didn't know for sure what he meant by
that, although she readily conceded her indebtedness to him.

Perhaps she should ask him if he needed
anything. She could help him clean the latest cuts and scratches on
his face, like she had helped him with his wounds from Saron.

Actually, going anywhere near Chase was the
last thing she wanted to do, but she'd never been a coward. She
preferred to meet her fate head on.

Her gaze fell on Sabin's package, which
she'd dropped by the lav. Curious, she retrieved and opened it. Her
breath caught on a soft gasp. Inside was the Saija silk robe she
had admired in Moriah's mercantile. She lifted the garment
cautiously, afraid it might snag on her rough hands. The rich
russet fabric shimmered and whispered as it cascaded toward the
floor.

She had never seen any apparel so beautiful,
much less ever dreamed of owning such a thing. She luxuriated in
the faint woodsy smell inherent to Saija silk, in the satiny
sensation caressing her hands. Amazement, then gratitude, swept
through her at the thought Moriah had sent this wonderful gift to
her, Nessa dan Ranul, an outcast.

Moriah had also included an elegant brush
and comb set and a small vial of sweet starflower oil. Emotion
tightened Nessa's throat. She had a friend! An honest-to-goodness
friend. Why else would Moriah have so generously sent these items,
if not in friendship?

Touched, Nessa started to fold the robe, but
then paused, staring at it. She needed to face Chase. Her own tunic
hung in tatters around her. She could wear the robe. Maybe, if she
looked as pleasing as possible, Chase wouldn't be so angry. Maybe,
if she wore something special, he might find her a little bit
appealing. She quickly rejected that last thought. She would never
be pretty. But she would be far more presentable in the robe than
in her rag of a tunic.

She had gotten in the shower with the
children and gone through decontamination, so she was clean.
Decided, she shed her tunic and boots, then dabbed a small portion
of the starflower oil on her body.

She slipped into the robe, enthralled with
the feeling of the silk against her bare skin. It fit her small
frame so well, she decided Moriah must have had it cut down in
size. The neckline scooped lower than she had realized and the robe
split at each side, midway up her thighs. Not that it mattered—she
wouldn't have parted with the robe for anything just then.

Taking her new brush, she brushed her hair
until it crackled with static. She set the brush down slowly. She
had delayed as long as she could. With a prayer that her improved
appearance would soften Chase's anger, she took a deep breath and
left her cabin. The silk swished around her legs, exposing them
with each stride. Nessa slowed her pace to better control the
exposure.

Her courage faltered when she faced Chase's
panel. He had been so furious with her. Perhaps later… No. She
would need his help with the children. She didn't know how to use
the food replicator. He could get proper clothing for them. Best to
make amends as quickly as possible. She sounded the tone.

Nothing. She sounded the tone again. Still
nothing. "Captain McKnight, are you all right?" He didn't answer
and alarm twinged through her. She punched the panel control,
entering his cabin cautiously. Having never been inside before, she
didn't know what to expect.

Chase's cabin was bigger than hers.
Unadorned white walls gave the room a stark appearance, softened
only by a case full of reading disks. A massive exercise machine
took up one side of the room, and a control console and computer
lined the wall directly opposite the entry panel.

Turned partly away from her, Chase slouched
in a large, high-back chair, his booted feet propped on the
console. Clutching a half-empty bottle against his bare chest, he
didn't bother to look at her. "What do you want?"

"I came to see if you needed anything."
Nessa paused, hating the telltale nervous quiver in her voice. "Or
if you need assistance, like cleaning the cuts on your face."