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  Vala shifted her earflaps. “There.” She motioned to a bin against the far wall and drew her light-fire weapon.

  The others followed. They slinked to the bin and waited until Ash nodded that it was safe to trigger the panel to open.

  “Please,” a small voice whimpered from inside the bin. “Don’t hurt me.”

  Janai hooked her weapon back into her vine-rope belt and crept closer. “It’s all right. We won’t hurt you.” She reached inside to pull the small Sitopan child out, but the girl struggled against her, crying with fright. “We’re here to help.”

  The girl was too frightened to listen, so Janai began to croon softly as held the child firmly by two of her three arms, sending calming messages to her. Finally, the girl stopped struggling and allowed herself to be lifted from the bin. She wrapped her three small arms around Janai’s neck. Janai held her close and thin legs encircled her middle. The child shivered, and Janai smelled the familiar odor of stale urine.

  “Let’s get out of here,” Ash said, urgently.

  They hurried to the illusion doorway of the last tunnel that led to the outside. They quickly made their way through the nearby trees to the location designated for pickup. The other groups were already waiting there with their stolen goods. The ground transport stopped near them and they stood underneath waiting for the tube to lift into the belly of the small ship.

  Once on board, Pethe and the Aknidean boy steered the transport away from the rumbling of the dome and back to the hidden, mountain cave.

  35 ~ Old Friends, New Enemies

  “It’s all right,” Janai said for the umpteenth time. “I promise we’re safe now. No one’s going to hurt you.” She stroked the soft, downy hair on the child’s head and finally felt the small hands loosen their grip.

  Ash helped her sit on the floor with the girl. She rocked the little one and sent a slight amount of energy into her hands and through the girl’s body in search of injuries, then pulled the energy back. Other than the need for food, this child was physically healthy.

  “I’ll get something for her to eat,” Blal’k said without prompting.

  “Broth and bread, if you can manage. Nothing too solid.” Janai turned her attention back to the child. “Let me look at you.” She gently pulled the girl’s head away from her chest and studied the small features accented by the long, thin nose. She guessed the girl was about three or four Earth years old. “I’m Janai.” The child slowly looked up. “What’s your name?”

  “Cerne,” the child mumbled.

  “I’m pleased to meet you, Cerne.” Janai smiled. “This is Ash.” She placed a brief hand on her promised one’s arm then turned to the cooking area. “Blal’k’s making you some food. Are you hungry?” She fought back a frown at the dullness in the child’s pink eyes.

  Cerne nodded and pulled away slightly. “This is a safe place?”

  “Yes, it is.”

  The little girl reached a hand up and touched the pattern spots on Janai’s neck. “You have a nice face.”

  “Thank you.” Janai smiled. The girl jumped when Vala placed a bulb fruit bowl of water near them. “It’s all right. It’s just water. I’m going to wash you while we wait for Blal’k’s food.”

  She took the offered rag from Vala and dipped it into the water bowl. These bulb fruit bowls had been a blessing many times over. Cerne allowed Janai to strip off the soiled clothing and clean her up. She was careful not to make any sudden moves that might startle the girl. Ash and Pethe moved off to communicate with the E’treun messengers, and Janai chided herself for the pang of jealousy she felt. Pethe is just a messenger. Ash is promised to me. She knew Pethe respected that relationship but she couldn’t help the way she felt.

  Others put down sleep skins, while Vala took the little girl’s jumpsuit to the wash area. Blal’k brought root broth and a piece of bread to Janai. Cerne was now wrapped in skins and somewhat clean. She sat in Janai’s lap and ate the bread dipped in broth. Janai stopped her from devouring it too quickly for fear that her stomach would reject the food. Blal’k went back to the cooking area to dish food for the rest of them.

  After she finished her meal, the little Sitopan girl fell asleep. Janai smiled as she laid the child on nearby sleep skins and tucked them around her thin body. She then joined her group for a hot meal of root stew, bread and dried fruit.

  Vala tasted the stew and then looked to Blal’k. “I think you and I need to hunt some real food as soon as we can, old one.” The Ronarian’s head ridges moved slightly as he smiled. Vala turned to the two Aknidean messengers, when there was no rise from the cook. “Have the E’treuns come up with anything?”

  “They’re still working on it,” Ash said. “Bast told us the Morgee may be recruiting the children to take their place as the next generation of soldiers, since they’re finally running down.”

  “That’s what it seems like,” Janai said. “But Sarah doesn’t have any siblings for them to threaten, so why is she so cooperative?” She picked at her piece of bread. “As a matter of fact, she actually seemed to enjoy threatening the others.”

  Ash ran a hand through his hair. “The scientists don’t know why some of the children have turned.”

  “Did you see the necklace she was wearing?” Blal’k hissed. The muscles around the Ronarian man’s head ridges twitched.

  “Yes,” Vala said quickly. “Maybe she’s working for gemstones.” Her yellow eyes scanned the group. “Or maybe the Morgee threatened her or—” She broke off suddenly and glanced at Blal’k.

  “Or what?” the Ronarian said. Vala simply stared at him. “It’s all right, Vala. I won’t go ‘Morgee’ on you.”

  The Aknidean girl kept her eyes on Blal’k. “I just thought the soldiers may have—tortured her to get her cooperation.”

  Blal’k took in a long breath and Janai watched him carefully. “Could be,” he finally said. “But we won’t know for sure until we can ask her.” He continued to eat his meal. After a long moment, he looked at Janai and smiled. “I’m all right, Healer. It has been a long time since we saw Sarah.” He narrowed his eyelids. “Things have changed.”

  Janai placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. “I’m sorry, Blal’k.”

  “I know. Besides, it’s not our fault. None of this is. Sarah’s probably just doing what she thinks she needs to for survival.”

  “Probably.” There were a few moments of silence as the group finished their meal. “Any more messages from Bast?”

  Ash thought a moment. “Divia wants us to keep Cerne with us until after the next raid. We can’t afford to waste time going back to the free-zone. And we need to keep the transport close in case something goes wrong.” He took her slender gray hand in his own and focused eyes on hers. “Besides, she feels the girl has bonded with you and it might be best not to hand her over to anyone else just yet.”

  “Yeah, I thought as much.” She smiled. Ash’s face became grim. Her stomach tightening. “What else?”

  Ash ran his hand through his hair again. “If some of the children are truly followers of the Morgee then they would be a threat to the free-zone.”

  Janai thought about this a moment before understanding the impact of his words. She opened her mouth to say something.

  But Vala was already speaking. “And they can penetrate the illusions.”

  “Yes,” Ash said.

  Blal’k’s liquid eyes grew wide. “We have to stop them. We have to stop Sarah.”

  The group was quiet while preparing for bed. There was no need, yet, of having anyone on watch. They were safe in this place for now. If the Morgee discovered them, well, they would deal with that when and if they needed to. Besides, the large beings couldn’t cross the illusion wall. They would need the children for that. Janai checked on the little Sitopan girl, Cerne, before bedding down. Ash lay near Janai and the two held hands as they fell asleep.

  ****

  Crying awakened her and she sat up instinctively to look around the hideout. The smoot
h walls were dim with the artificial light and she rubbed the sleep from her eyes. The sobbing came from Cerne. The little girl had her three arms wrapped around her legs and sat rocking herself.

  Janai scooted beside her. She placed an arm around the shivering child and stroked her downy hair. “It’s all right. Did you have a bad dream?” Cerne nodded. Janai pulled the girl onto her lap and cradled her. Small arms wrapped around her neck and she held the girl closer.

  She all right? Ash’s mental voice called in her head.

  I think she will be. Eventually. We have to stop them, Ash. They’re just children.

  I know. And so were we, once. We survived, Janai. And we will stop the Morgee.

  She nodded. But they were lucky ones. She cringed at the memories of so many lost friends, the ones who didn’t make it.

  Janai, Ash’s mental voice broke through her thoughts.

  She looked at him and forced a smile. He smiled back and nodded to the girl in her arms. Cerne was out and Janai gently laid the girl on the skins and covered her. Then she made her way back to her own bedding and forced herself to sleep.

  ****

  Wake up sleepy.

  Janai opened her eyes and gave a weary smile to her promised one. I’m up, she sent, groggily. Janai rolled her sleep skin and retrieved her vine rope. Her sinsabe lay nearby and she checked the contents before securing it around her waist. Cerne was still asleep and the peaceful look on her face betrayed the harshness of the child’s young life.

  “You going to wake her?” Ash said.

  “No. Let her sleep until breakfast is ready. She needs the rest.”

  Ash wrapped an arm around her waist, pressed his body close, and planted a soft kiss on her lips. Her heart began to race and heat rose into her cheeks.

  “Well,” Vala said. “Looks like you two are up.” The girl’s yellow eyes were bright and a slight smirk danced on her lips. She had her bow and arrow draped across her back. Janai smelled jumper stew and shot a look at the girl. “We were careful, Janai.”

  Blal’k had joined the Aknidean girl on her hunt, and Janai had slept through the little escapade. Her protective instincts were strong and she wanted to scold the two. She opened her mouth to say something but pushed the urge away, knowing they were old enough and experienced enough not to put themselves in unnecessary danger. The jumper stew smelled delicious so she clamped her mouth shut.

  Ash’s hands caressed her back and crept a bit too low. She giggled and smacked his arm. “You’re going to get us into trouble.” She raised a brow at her future mate and he chuckled.

  “Breakfast is almost ready,” Blal’k called.

  “About time, old one,” Vala said.

  Blal’k narrowed liquid eyes on her then laughed. Cerne stirred and Janai crossed, smiling, to comfort the child.

  ****

  It took a little doing, but Janai finally convinced the Sitopan girl to stay with the drivers. The child’s already pale face blanched at the mention of the Morgee and the rockdome. She gave no further argument. Although, she did cling until Janai promised they’d see each other again.

  I hate making promises I’m not sure I’ll be able to keep, she sent to Ash.

  It’s for her own good, Ash’s mental voice responded. Besides, I don’t plan on any of us getting caught or injured. His tone was firm. So don’t even let the tiniest of doubts roll around in your head, Healer.

  Yes, sir, she sent back, not hiding the smirk on her lips.

  I mean it.

  I know.

  The Freedom Team boarded the ground transport and headed out into the night. They dropped off Janai, Ash, Vala, and Blal’k near the rockdome. The familiar rumbling rang in Janai’s ears. Ash had taken the lead. As they came around the dome to one of the panel openings, Ash gasped and stopped abruptly.

  Janai ran into him and saw the soldier standing near the entrance. Why didn’t you sense him? she sent to Ash.

  I don’t know—wait. His eyes are dark. The soldier was completely frozen.

  Vala put her lips to Janai’s ear. “Someone’s coming.”

  “Janai?” a whispering voice called out. “Is that you?”

  “Who’s there?”

  “It’s Gaffnel.” The Sitopan runner stepped from the shadows but was still barely visible. They dropped off him and his partner the first night.

  “Where’s—”

  “She’s hiding over there in the trees.”

  She couldn’t see him well enough to tell which direction he indicated but she trusted his night sight.

  “She’s injured,” he said with some urgency.

  Janai’s hand automatically rested on her sinsabe. “Take me to her.” She and the others followed the younger boy’s footsteps.

  “We were making our way back from delivering maps to our last camp, when Kayla fell into a hole.” His voice vibrated as he ran. “It was covered with brush and I didn’t see it. I managed to pull her out but I think her leg is broken. We were headed to the mountain hideout when I saw you.” He stopped near a cluster of trees.

  “Kayla? It’s Janai.”

  The Earth girl rustled some nearby shrubbery. “I’m here.”

  There was just enough light filtering through the trees so when she got close enough, Janai could make out Kayla’s figure. She tucked her weapon into her vine belt and knelt next to the younger girl. She pulled up Kayla’s jumpsuit legging, and placed her hands on the injured leg. The familiar surge moved into her hands and she sent a gentle probe of energy through the girl’s body until she found it.

  Janai wiped her damp hands on the pants of her own jumpsuit. “It’s broken.” She fought the instinct to heal the girl right here and now.

  “But you’ll mend her, right?” Gaffnel murmured.

  “Not here,” Ash said. “A healing would take too much out of them both.” He looked at Janai. “I’ll tell Pethe to bring the transport back and pick them up.”

  “I have to set the leg first.” She pulled some pain herb leaves from her sinsabe. Then she gave an inquiring look to the Sitopan runner.

  “I gave her one pinch already.”

  “Well, she’s going to need a little more.” The dried, bitter-tasting leaves pinched off easily and Janai instructed the girl to chew on them. Gently, she tore the patient’s legging away from the injured area and ripped the cloth into strips.

  “Did you disable him?” Vala pointed in the direction of the frozen soldier near the dome.

  “No. He was like that when we got here.”

  “Kayla,” Janai said softly. “I can’t take a chance on putting you to sleep here, so this is going to hurt some. The pain herbs will help, but you’re still going to feel it.” She wished they weren’t in danger. If she used her sleep talent on the girl, there was a chance she wouldn’t be able to wake her during an attack. If that happened, and the girl was under too long, the chance of waking her at all would be slim.

  “Can’t you wait until we get to the hideout?” Gaffnel said in a worried tone.

  “No, I need to set her leg now. She shouldn’t have been walking on it.” She felt around the ground for a stick and found what she was looking for. “Put this between your teeth,” she told the girl. “Bite on it when you feel pain.” Kayla hesitated. The girl was scared. “I’ll be as gentle and quick as I can but I have to set that leg.”

  “Okay.” The girl whimpered and put the stick in her mouth. Ash, Vala and Blal’k gathered around Kayla and helped her lie down.

  Hold her, Janai sent to Ash. “All right, Kayla, I’m going to—” She snapped her patient’s leg in place, hoping her words had distracted the girl. Kayla gave a muffled cry.

  Pethe’s almost here, Ash’s mental voice called.

  “It’s over, Kayla.” She took some long sturdy sticks Blal’k had scavenged and made a splint for her patient, securing the sticks to the girl’s leg with strips of cloth. She checked her patient’s pulse and fought back the urge to use her focus healing. “You all right?”


  “Yeah,” Kayla groaned. “But I would hate to know what it feels like without pain herbs.”

  Janai smiled at the girl’s sense of humor. “Luckily you didn’t have to. The transport’s on its way. We’ll get you and Gaffnel to the cavern.” She offered a handful of pain herb leaves to her patient. “Here. Chew on these if the pain gets too strong.” She narrowed eyes on the girl. “But only a few at a time, like I gave you before, understand?”

  “Yes, Healer.”

  “I mean it, Kayla. If you take too many in too short a period of time, they’ll stop working.”

  In a matter of moments, the craft arrived and the two runners went aboard.

  Janai said to the drivers, “Get them food once you’re back at the hideout.” She would have to wait to check on the girl once they finished in the dome.

  36 ~ Duped and Discovered

  Ash led the armed group back to the dome, going around the opposite side from the frozen soldier. Once inside, the rumbling became a low hum, and they followed the series of tunnels and illusion doorways until they came to the cylinder room. The energy tubes were in one of the bins against the wall. The room appeared empty, but the large, gold cylinders that held the Morgee during rejuvenation were closed, and Janai felt the hairs stand on her arms at the thought they might each contain a soldier. She looked at Ash.

  He nodded and kept his voice low. “There are three, but they’re not fully charged, yet.”

  Great.

  The cylinders wouldn’t open unless someone triggered them from the lighted panel with the ancient E’treun symbols, but that didn’t make Janai feel any better. If any of Sarah’s followers caught them, the illusion doorways and tunnels would no longer be safe. She cringed at having to injure one of those children, but she might not have a choice if confronted.

  Let’s go quickly and maybe we can avoid that, Ash sent.

  They moved swiftly to the bins and scoured one or two, without luck, then headed through the next illusion doorway. Suddenly, there was a sound outside the room and Janai’s heart hammered in her chest. They were safe behind the illusion. All but Blal’k. He stayed in the room to close the bins, when the door opened and two Morgee soldiers entered. He couldn’t make it to safety without one of the soldiers spotting him.