Quest for Freedom Page 25

  She gazed at him in disbelief at first then to Ash who seemed just as stunned. A smile crept onto her lips. She pulled him close and planted a kiss on his hairless, head ridges.

  “I hate them,” Penny snarled, and the group looked at her. She slowly raised her head and focused green eyes on Janai. “I miss Lance.” Her bottom lip began to quiver and Blal’k pulled her toward him.

  Janai studied the lost expression on the girl’s face and remembered her brother looking much like that when he’d admitted his hatred of the Morgee over a year ago. “I know, Penny. I miss him, too.”

  The girl kept the wooden doll on her bed, the doll Lance had carved for her, and his knife in a drawer, the only remembrances she had of him, besides memories. “He was a brave knight.”

  Janai couldn’t help but smile at the memory of Lance thrusting sticks into invisible enemies. He always claimed Penny was a maiden in distress and he had to rescue her from a terrible dragon. Which was exactly what he did the day he cut through a Morgee tentacle with his carving knife. He’d saved his sister, but the massive amount of power that surged through his body proved too much. The dragon won.

  “Yes, he was very brave,” Janai told the girl.

  Penny did something that caught Janai completely by surprise. She sat up tall and with a determined look on her face. “Blal’k’s my brother, now.” She scanned the others. “And you’re my family.” The hardships of this life had aged the little girl and she seemed much older than her seven years, but her statement gave Janai hope that she would survive, despite the circumstances. Penny seemed stronger now, even in her frail-looking body.

  Janai smiled at the freckled face. “We’re all family.” Penny studied her and smiled back.

  Then from somewhere across the room a single voice began chanting, “Beat the Morgee! Beat the Morgee!”

  Others joined in until the entire place reverberated with the sound of voices chanting and utensils banging in unison on the stone tables. Janai let the energy pass through her, manifesting itself in anger and hope.

  39 ~ Renewed Fighting Force

  They had two of the ground transports now, leaving the Morgee with only four to maneuver across the rough terrain of the E’treun planet. With Sarah now aware of who was involved in the raids, the Freedom Team would have to be extra careful. The E’treun counselors had mentioned that some of the children reacted to their situations with violence toward others. The girl had obviously never forgiven Janai for her harshness.

  “Don’t beat yourself up about it,” Ash insisted. “There’s no way you caused Sarah to turn out the way she is.”

  “I’m trying to convince myself of that.” She turned away from the sunsets and focusing on her future mate’s lavender eyes. She found strength in his gaze. “Things are such a mess, Ash. I thought once we found a way to defeat the Morgee—”

  “I know.” He pulled her close. “Now we may have to fight children.”

  She rested her head against his chest. “It’s not right. When Sarah fired her weapon at me—I just felt—numb.” She wrapped arms around his neck. “I’m thankful all she got was my leg.” Her leg ached at the memory of that pain. Her body trembled and she pulled away. “This changes everything. And if the Morgee decide to send their followers here—”

  “Look. The E’treuns posted watchers at the illusion entrances.” He took her by the shoulders. “If anyone tries to go in or out, we’ll know and we’ll be prepared.” A chill breeze blew against her skin and she shivered. “It’s getting cold, Janai. We should go inside.”

  “Not yet.” She turned back to the sky with the setting suns and breathed in its peacefulness.

  The healer and messenger stood silently as the first of the two suns disappeared beyond the horizon.

  “Hey, you two,” Vala’s voice brought them both around. “Sorry, but it’s time to go.”

  “We’ll be right in,” Janai called. She and the others watched as the Aknidean girl disappeared through the illusion that concealed the free-zone.

  Ash pulled Janai close and kissed her softly on the lips. Then they headed inside and made their way to the waiting transports. Other members of the Freedom Team were already here. Friends and relatives were here to say goodbye once again.

  “I don’t want you to go away again.” Penny was crying and holding onto Blal’k’s webbed hands.

  “I know.” He knelt down to the girl’s level. “But this is the only way to defeat them. We talked about this.”

  Penny sniffed and Janai could tell the little girl was trying to be brave about the whole thing. Her stomach tightened at the sight. “I know.” Penny wiped her nose on her sleeve. “But I want to come with you.” She stiffened her back. “I can fight the Morgee, too.” A slingshot swung in front of the girl’s face when she held it up. “I’ve been practicing.”

  “I know you have. And you can come hunting with me when I return. But you’re too young to go on these missions.” He smiled. “Besides, your guardian needs someone to tuck in at night.”

  Penny slowly lowered her weapon. “I’ll miss you.”

  “I’ll miss you, too.” Blal’k held her in an embrace.

  “Promise you’ll come back.”

  “I promise.”

  Arms wrapped around Janai’s waist and she looked down at Krav’n. His bottom lip quivered. She picked him up and held him close. He was getting heavier by the day, it seemed. She placed her lips next to his ear. “We’ll be back soon.” He didn’t say anything, but she felt his head nod. The two pressed foreheads together. Ash touched heads with the boy and Janai handed him over to his guardian. “Take good care of him.” She stroked Krav’n’s cheek and watched as the boy’s guardian carried him out of the room.

  “He’ll be fine,” Divia told her. The elderly healer took Janai by the shoulders. “You just watch out for yourself.” Her large eyes scanned the group. “All of you.” She drew Janai close and kissed her cheek. “Be careful, my daughter.” Janai drew strength from her mother’s words.

  ****

  This time, Vala led another team in the second ground transport. The young Aknidean man, Nuren, who’d brought the disturbing news about the carrier ship, joined Vala’s group.

  The scientists and translators had finally deciphered enough of the ancient code to locate the panel that controlled main power to the dome. Rejuvenated soldiers wouldn’t lose their power, of course, but the darkness would make them blind. And that’s where Gaffnel’s night sight would come into play. The group would have nearly an hour to find Sarah and deal with her. Without the soldiers to protect the girl, Janai hoped to capture her and personally drag her off to the free-zone, in ropes if she had to.

  “Ready?” Ash said.

  Janai turned to him. “No. But let’s do it anyway.”

  Once on board, Janai took the controls beside the Aknidean boy. The craft jerked into motion as they made their way out into the night. Ash kept in contact with Pethe and the other transport, and each delivered the runners to their drop locations to liberate more slaves from the camps. Then they dropped the two invasion teams off near the dome.

  Janai’s transport headed to the mountain cavern, while the other traveled to a pick-up site where earlier rescued slaves would be waiting for passage to the free-zone. She needed Pethe in the dome this time, and since neither driver was a messenger, they’d have to time this rescue. Nuren took Pethe and Vala with him to find the main energy panel and shut the place down. Ash, Blal’k, and Gaffnel stayed with Janai, and the group headed into the hidden tunnels to locate Sarah and wait for the blackout.

  “She could be anywhere,” Janai grumbled. “Or not even in the dome at all.” She listened to the familiar humming. It seemed to seep into her bones.

  “Nuren said she always comes back here at the end of the day,” Ash told her. “So she must be here somewhere.”

  They made their way through the tunnels. They’d gotten through the first two rooms and into the next tunnel when a noise ahead stopped
them.

  Someone’s in the tunnel, Janai sent to Ash. Footsteps came toward them and they flattened their bodies against the wall. As the shape rounded the corner, Janai aimed her weapon.

  “Don’t shoot. It’s Segr’n.” The Ronarian boy stepped closer, and Janai recognized him as the boy they’d run into last time. “Hello, Healer Janai.”

  “Just what do you think you’re doing?” she shot back, lowering her weapon. “You want to give us away?”

  “No.” The boy held up his webbed hands in apology. “Sarah ordered the tunnels searched and I volunteered, along with two others who want to help you.”

  “I’m sorry, Segr’n.” Janai tried to calm her pounding heart. “You scared us, that’s all.”

  “I’ll let Pethe know,” Ash told her, and he turned away for a moment.

  “Thanks for volunteering, Segr’n,” Janai said. “I’m glad you’re on top of things.”

  The Ronarian boy’s liquid eyes sparkled in the filtered light of the tunnels. “I made enough to finally bring my sister here. She’s in a sleep room with the other young ones. Sarah put them all in one room away from us to make sure we didn’t run out on her. And we have guarded visits with them each day.”

  “Do you know where Sarah is right now?”

  “Oh, sure. She sleeps in a private chamber. But there’s a Morgee soldier guarding her door.”

  Ash pulled out the map of the dome. “Can you show us where?” They moved near the illusion doorway for more light, and Ash placed the map on the floor.

  Segr’n studied it a moment. “Here.”

  Ash grunted. “There’s no tunnel to that room.”

  “She probably knew that,” Blal’k hissed.

  “Can I help?” the Ronarian soldier said.

  Janai eyed the boy and scanned her group. “We have another team that’s going to black out the dome. I want Sarah. If we can get her away from here, maybe we’ll have a better chance to rescue the rest of you and stop the Morgee.”

  He thought a moment. “I could distract her guard just before the lights go out. Maybe I can get him away from her door.” He gave a pleading look to Janai. “Could you take my sister and the others, too? Then the Morgee can’t threaten to hurt them if we mess up.”

  Janai smiled. “We’ll certainly try. But what about you?”

  He shook his head. “I could do more for you here. The others trust me. If I know my sister’s safe, I don’t mind sticking around to kick some Morgee butt.” His last statement took Janai by surprise, and she gained a new respect for this young boy. “There aren’t enough guards to stand watch over all the halls. I’ll lead the ones I find away, then you can go for Sarah.”

  “All right.”

  “They found the panel,” Ash said. “We should get going.”

  They followed the Ronarian soldier to his sister’s chambers and waited while he brought four sleepy, little children into the tunnel. Janai had no idea what the boy said to the little ones but not one of them made a sound. The group made their way to the tunnel exit nearest Sarah’s room and watched from the safety of the illusion wall.

  Segr’n ran down the hall, where the Morgee soldier was guarding Sarah’s room. “I heard something back there. Sounded like weapons’ fire coming from holding chamber six.” The guard looked at him for a moment. “I’ll stay here and make sure Friend Sarah is safe.” The Morgee soldier disappeared down the hall and Segr’n triggered Sarah’s door to open.

  Ash sent word to Pethe to turn the lights out. Abrupt darkness and silence swept through the dome and they told the little ones to stay put, while they made their way to Sarah’s chambers with Gaffnel in the lead. He moved swiftly using his night sight and the others had to blindly hold on and follow.

  Janai stumbled over someone and almost went down. She heard a thud then Blal’k grunted and cursed. “Blal’k? You all right?”

  “Yeah. Just bumped into the wall.”

  Once inside Sarah’s room, Gaffnel pulled the others behind him. He must have grabbed the sleeping girl, because she tried to cry out. Her voice was muffled. The others gathered around feeling their way for the girl’s limbs. She fought like a cornered animal and almost knocked Janai off her feet. Gaffnel grunted.

  “Let me go!” Sarah screamed, obviously free from the Sitopan’s grip. “Guard!”

  “Shut up, Sarah,” Blal’k snapped. “Your guard can’t see in the dark. And we’re taking you off your little throne.”

  “Who is that? My soldiers know this dome. They’ll find me, even in the dark. Besides,” Her speech was slow and deliberate now. “Take me out of here and the Morgee will kill one slave every day until my return.”

  Janai was stunned. “Sarah, I can’t believe—”

  “So it’s you, Janai. I’d recognize that voice anywhere. I thought you might be back. You really think I’d take a chance on getting captured after finding out you were alive and stealing from me? By the way, how’s your leg?”

  Ignoring the girl’s last remark, Janai said, “What you’re doing is wrong, Sarah. We can take you and all the rest to the free-zone. We found it.”

  “You left me here. I was sent back to the mines.” Her voice cracked. “I waited for you but you never came. None of you ever came.” Suddenly, she sounded strained, and Janai guessed she was trying to wrench herself free. Sarah let out a frustrated groan. “When the Morgee started training slaves as soldiers, I thought, why not? It was obvious I couldn’t depend on anyone else. And at least I’d get out of the camps. So I cooperated, and I live very well here. I get food and I get gems to trade for anything else I want. When I learned to communicate with the Morgee and began teaching them the slave languages, they promoted me. I have friends here. And they won’t dare leave me.”

  “We’re here now, Sarah.” Janai reached towards the girl’s voice. “We had no way of knowing where they’d taken you.” She found the girl’s shoulder and gripped her gently. “I’m sorry.”

  Sarah was quiet for a moment and seemed to relax a bit Janai’s grip. Then she stiffened. “Shut up,” she snapped, jerking her shoulder away. “You’re nothing but a liar, Janai. Guard!”

  Someone stifled the girl’s screams again.

  “We can’t take her if they’re going to kill others,” Blal’k said.

  Morgee boots clanked down the hallway. They were distant and slow but they were approaching. Janai cursed and took off her vine rope, tucking her sinsabe in the breast of her jumpsuit. She felt Gaffnel near her and pushed the rope at him. “Tie her.” She ripped a piece of cloth from her jumpsuit leg and bound the twisting girl’s mouth. We need to get the little ones out of here, she sent to Ash. Where’s Segr’n?

  I don’t know, Ash sent back. I don’t think he’s here.

  Janai pushed the bound girl onto the floor.

  “I’m disappointed in you, Sarah,” Blal’k said in a low voice. “I never stopped looking for you. I thought of you as a sister.” The girl made a muffled sound through the gag.

  “Let’s go,” Janai said.

  They held onto Gaffnel and headed for the tunnel’s illusion entrance, which used an emergency power source to allow them through. The only things that worked in the dome just now. Once inside the tunnel, they could finally see in the dim light. Janai could tell Ash was sending a message, probably to Pethe, about what had happened.

  “There you are,” she said when she saw Segr’n. He was leaning against the wall and the children stood near him.

  “I decided to go with you. Where’s Sarah?”

  “We had to leave her,” Blal’k said.

  Segr’n grunted, and Janai knew something was wrong. She got closer to the boy and saw that he was gripping his stomach. A stain of blood was beginning to form on his jumpsuit. “You’re hurt.”

  “I’ll be okay. Let’s just get out of here.”

  Janai ignored him and forced him on the floor. She quickly sent her energy through him and, using her healer sight, found the gash in his stomach and staunched the ble
eding. There were other injuries but she’d need to take them into her own body and that would leave her unconscious. She pulled the energy back to feel Ash nudging her. The sound of Morgee boots grew closer. Ash and Blal’k hooked arms around Segr’n, while Janai and Gaffnel each grabbed two children. They ran. The tunnels twisted and turned leading them, stumbling, into a darkened holding chamber that seemed to be empty, and into the next set of tunnels. Even though Gaffnel was leading them, they had to move fast, and Janai could feel bruises forming on her legs from bumping into things in the dark. They made their way through the next set of dimly lit tunnels into the ground transport room. The darkness was suddenly gone as lights illuminated the room. The familiar humming began again.

  “We have to hurry.” Blal’k squinted at the sudden brightness.

  “The Morgee are close,” Ash said.

  There was no craft in the transport room this time. They crossed to the opposite wall that they knew to be one large illusion, allowing the transports to travel in and out of the dome. They ran through the illusion wall and out into the night. The waning moons gave them some light. As they rounded the dome toward the trees, Ash cried out. Janai turned to see her promised one in the grip of a Morgee soldier. The little ones screamed. She grabbed her weapon, and together with Blal’k, lunged at the soldier’s tentacle. But he was jerking and twitching, taking Ash with him and flailing the Kritine boy as he moved. Vala and Pethe came from somewhere nearby to help them. Ash cried out again and suddenly the soldier flung him to the ground. The glowing eyes went dark and the Morgee soldier froze.

  Janai ran to her promised one. He was cradling his arm. “Ash?”

  “I think it’s broken.”

  “Can you stand?”

  “Yes, I think so.” He grunted.

  “You guys all right?” Vala said.

  “Ash is hurt,” Janai told her.

  The others appeared from the safety of the trees. Vala and Janai helped Ash, while Nuren and Blal’k carried the now unconscious Segr’n. The little ones went with Pethe and Gaffnel. They got to the trees and into the next clearing when Janai saw the low light of the ground transport.