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  They waited as the craft hovered over them and the clear tubing lifted them onboard. Janai made sure Segr’n wasn’t bleeding again then gave Ash some pain herb leaves and set his arm. The difficult part was seeing him in pain, but she needed to align the bones before she could mend them. A bone healing would drain a lot of energy from him, so she decided to wait until they were safely in the free-zone. She made both patients as comfortable as possible for the ride back, while Blal’k strapped the little ones in. There was plenty of time before first light. And the other transport was going to need the safety of the mountain cavern after the slave rescues.

  Crying brought Janai’s attention around to a little Earth girl whom they’d rescued. She made her way to the child and sat next to her. “Are you hurt?” The girl continued crying. Janai sent a brief energy through her body. Just scratches and bruises that took little healing energy to mend. Afterwards, the child was still sobbing and her entire body began to shiver as she buried her face in Janai’s lap.

  “She’s scared,” the little Earth boy seated on the other side uttered. He had his small hand on the little girl’s back. Janai crooned softly to calm the child.

  40 ~ Memories

  Janai sat on the edge of Ash’s bed in the hospital chamber, waiting on news of Segr’n’s condition. Janai had taken care of Ash’s broken arm, and the E’treun healers were working on Segr’n. They had the ability to work together when healing, something Janai’s focus healing didn’t allow. The E’treuns wouldn’t be exhausted after the task, either. She trained under Divia’s watchful eye, but there were many E’treun healing ways she would never be able to master. They, in turn, couldn’t heal themselves the way she could. Janai was stronger as an individual healer than any of them, a great advantage on missions.

  She leaned toward Ash and placed a kiss on his cheek. “How’re you feeling?” The room was empty except for the two of them.

  “A little tired. But, thanks to you, the pain’s gone. What about you? I hope you’re not letting what Sarah said affect you too much.”

  She let out a sigh. “I don’t know what to think, Ash. She blames us for everything. Maybe we should’ve searched harder to find her.”

  “I’m not going to listen to that. We never gave up the search, and too many people would’ve been in danger if we’d done things any other way.” She shrugged. “Sarah has every right to be upset about what happened to her, but that’s no excuse for her behavior. You know. If you hadn’t stopped that soldier, he probably would’ve broken more than just my arm.”

  She gave him a puzzled look. “I didn’t do anything. I couldn’t even get near him.”

  “Maybe Vala or Blal’k—”

  “No,” two voices said in unison. The two friends made their way to Ash’s hospital bed. Pethe entered behind them.

  “Wasn’t us,” Vala said. “We’ve had this discussion already and no one’s taking credit.”

  Blal’k had liquid eyes focused on her. “We thought you did it, Janai.”

  She shook her head in thought. “No, I wasn’t even close.” Then she remembered the talk of the Morgee shutting down. “He must have run down on his own.”

  “Could be.” Blal’k turned to Ash. “Too bad he got hold of you first.”

  “Glad to see you’re okay,” Pethe said.

  “I’m in good hands.” Ash pulled Janai close.

  Vala smirked. “I’ve noticed.”

  Janai raised a brow at her Aknidean friend.

  “How are my favorite children?” Divia said as she entered the room, and Janai wondered if the woman was going to call them children the rest of their lives. The elderly healer smiled to reveal large, gray teeth. The reddish hue of her eyes seemed vibrant today.

  Janai noted the slight bounce in Divia’s step. “Things must’ve gone well.”

  “Yes. Segr’n should fully recover. Things were rough for a while but he’s sleeping now. We’ll just have to wait and see.”

  “Good. Did you ever find out what happened to him?”

  “No, he wasn’t conscious long enough and we wanted him to rest.”

  Janai eyed the older woman. “And how are you?” Divia was typical of the healers she’d been around as a young child, including her parents. Healers worried over others like mothers with sick infants but had a tendency to neglect their own health.

  Divia let out a rich laugh. “I’m training you too well, young one. I’m a little tired but otherwise fit.”

  “Then you’d better get some rest, Healer.”

  The elderly woman laughed again. “I think that prescription is for all of us.” She gave a long look to the three visitors. “We can talk tomorrow.” They said their good nights and slinked from the room. Divia sealed the door behind them. “Janai, you can take the bed next to Ash, and I’ll sleep over here. We’ll stay near the injured tonight.” She pressed off the lights. “I’m not getting into bed until you two are separated.”

  Janai and Ash chuckled and kissed goodnight, then Janai drifted to the next bed and was out almost immediately.

  Numerous lost friends and relatives haunted her dreams. A smiling Sarah appeared and reached out, but when the girl got close, she turned into a spiny, flesh-eating snapper lunging for Janai’s throat. Janai screamed and jerked awake, only to find herself screaming in silence. After a moment, she realized where she was and looked over to Ash’s hospital bed. Her promised one slept, his handsome face peaceful in the dim light. Divia’s bed was empty, so Janai was content to watch her sleeping future mate. She had lost track of time when Ash began to stir.

  “Good morning.” She smiled, made her way to his side and gently kissed him.

  “Morning.” He yawned.

  “Let me see your arm.” She took his injured arm in her hands.

  “So that’s really what you’re up to. You kiss me to put me under some sort of healer’s spell.”

  “That’s right. Now hush up and let me do my work.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” His lavender eyes sparkled.

  She sent a small amount of energy into his arm and searched out the previously broken bone with her healer sight. When she found what she was looking for, she pulled the energy back into her own body. “Well, the bones are still together and mending nicely. But they’re still weak, so I don’t want you doing much until it’s completely healed.” He gave her a silly grin. “I mean it.” When he didn’t respond, she narrowed eyes on him. Suddenly, he grabbed her with his good arm and kissed her soundly on the lips. “Stop trying to distract me.” But she liked the way he distracted her and couldn’t help smiling.

  He laughed. “I’ll be careful. Let’s go get some breakfast. I’m famished.”

  A smirk danced on her lips. “I can tell.”

  Divia entered, looking weary, and Janai turned to her mother. “You all right?”

  “Just tired, child. Segr’n had some problems last night.” Her pale blue skin was nearly white. When Janai frowned, Divia added, “Oh, he’ll mend.” She sat on a padded stone chair. “He just gave us a scare. That’s all.”

  “You should’ve wakened me.”

  “There was nothing you could do to help this time. And you needed your rest.”

  “I could’ve taken his injuries.”

  “No.” The older healer’s tone was sharp but her large eyes softened. “It would’ve been too much for you. You’re not strong enough, yet. You saved his life by stopping the bleeding when you did.”

  The woman was right. Janai had seen the nasty injuries inside the boy, but admitting she could be helpless at times was still difficult.

  “We’ll be watching him carefully.” Divia She stood and waved her fused-fingered hands. “Now, go and get yourselves some food.”

  Janai narrowed her eyes on her mother. “You sure you’re all right?”

  “Yes, now go.”

  Janai and Ash made their way from the hospital room and stopped at the bath chambers to freshen up, then continued, hand in hand, to breakfast. The others we
re already eating when they arrived. Krav’n ran into Janai’s arms even before she made her way past the tables. Blal’k was sitting with the others today, while a Sitopan boy served. Janai was a little envious at the way the boy could juggle several plates, while at the same time performing cooking duties. She wondered what life would be like to have more than just the two arms she was born with. She also wondered if having a third arm to dispel energy would enhance her healing abilities. After retrieving their plates, the trio made their way to the table where others from the Freedom Team sat. Janai lifted Krav’n onto the bench next to her as Ash sat on the other side.

  Blal’k stirred his breakfast. “Hi. How’s Segr’n?”

  “He’s had a rough time,” Janai told him. “But Divia says he’ll recover. Where’s his sister?”

  “I think one of the guardians took her in.”

  The food smelled enticing and Janai was suddenly hungry. She took a bite of her root bread as she studied the young Ronarian man sitting across from her. “How are you?”

  Blal’k shrugged. “Disappointed.” His liquid eyes were dull as he narrowed vertical lids. “I never would’ve thought Sarah capable of—”

  “None of us did, Blal’k. I’m sorry. I know how close you two were.”

  He nodded. “Thanks.”

  Krav’n focused liquid eyes on the older Ronarian. “What’s wrong with Sarah?”

  “She’s in trouble,” Blal’k told him.

  “Can I help?”

  Blal’k smiled. “I’ll be sure and let you know if you can.”

  “Okay.” Krav’n took an enormous bite of bread.

  “Slow down,” Janai said. “You’ll choke yourself.” He smiled through puffed out cheeks and blinked vertical eyelids at her. She and the others laughed. “You’re impossible.”

  Something warm and wet slapped her in the back of the neck. There was a roar of laughter behind her. She lifted her hand and wiped off a blob of sticky grain meal, then turned to see a chuckling Sitopan boy at the next table waving a spoon at her.

  “Oh, you’re going to get it.” She scooped some grain meal onto her spoon and flung it at him. He managed to block most with his three hands but she smiled at the portion that stuck to his pink forehead.

  “War!” someone yelled.

  And the fight was on. Food flew across the room, landing on everything and creating a sticky mess that clung to the floor and walls, not to mention people. Laughter rang out from every table as globs of ammunition flew toward “enemy” tables. The guardians fled after futile attempts to stop the war. There were squeals of laughter amid the soft thudding sounds of bread hitting bodies, tables and walls.

  Janai was about to lob a root bread projectile at the next table, when someone caught her eye and she looked to the entrance. One of the elders had entered the room with two guardians and was standing near the doorway. Janai tried to yell over the noise but she was too late. A blob of grain meal smacked the elder square in the side of his head. The room became suddenly and eerily quiet. No one moved. Janai held her breath.

  After what seemed like an eternity, the elder took an offered towel from one of the guardians and wiped the food from his head. The glimmer in his eyes betrayed the stern look on his face, but Janai doubted the younger ones caught the elder’s amusement. “No one leaves until this place is spotless. Is that clear?” The guilty murmured their agreements. Then the elder focused eyes on Janai’s table and shook his head. “Freedom Team members should show more restraint.” A slight smile danced on his full lips.

  “Yes, sir,” the group said in unison.

  Janai started to laugh. Ash nudged her in the ribs and she pinched her lips together to keep the smile from her face. The elder left the room with the guardians behind him. Janai turned to see Ash grinning through a face full of goop. In fact, grain meal dripped from every member at the table, which started them chuckling again, until the guardians returned and stood by the doorway, solemn looks on their faces. Janai and her team feigned shame as they began cleaning up the mess, but sporadic chuckles escaped now and then.

  41 ~ The Ancient Code

  Janai and Ash sat hand in hand on a large rock and gazed out at the setting suns. The sky was still light and a couple of stars shone dimly above.

  “I’m glad Segr’n is all right,” Janai said.

  The Ronarian boy had regained consciousness the previous day. He was eating and getting stronger. She couldn’t help but smile when he’d insisted he was strong enough to go to on the next mission. He’d joined with the Freedom Team and wanted to help overtake Sarah and the Morgee. Divia had informed Segr’n that he would rest for several days before she’d even let him out of bed. He had attempted to argue the point but lost out to the very persistent E’treun healer.

  “I’m glad he’s on our side,” Ash said. “He’s certainly got courage.”

  “Yes. And stubbornness.” The two chuckled.

  Janai caught sight of Vala and Blal’k walking back from the distant trees. Invisible fencing still protected the free-zone, but everyone was more cautious because of Sarah’s child soldiers. Vala waved a tied vine of dead jumpers at Janai and Ash. Blal’k held up a basket of fish from the nearby stream that fed water into the caverns.

  Ash motioned to the trees. “Looks like our hunters had some luck today.”

  Janai smiled at a memory of the Ronarian man’s incredible swimming abilities. The fish never had a chance. A group of younger children made their way back from scavenging baskets of roots, grasses and fruits from the area. They sang as they walked with baskets balanced on their heads and shoulders. Janai smiled at the innocence they projected.

  Ash pulled away from her. His eyes had the unfocused look of communication and she waited patiently for him to bring his attention back to their present place.

  “What is it?” she said, when he looked at her with wide, lavender eyes.

  “It’s Tish. She’s found the key to the E’treun code.”

  “What?” Janai knew the girl had a gift for written languages and had been working with the translators to break the ancient code, but Tish was still a child. She hadn’t seen much of the girl lately, either.

  “The elders have called a meeting.” Ash stood and offered Janai a slender, but strong, gray hand. She allowed him to pull her to her feet. “Vala. Blal’k. Meeting in the elder’s chambers.”

  The two hunters nodded and stepped up their paces. Janai and Ash quickly made their way through the illusion, down the maze of dimly lit hallways, and to the meeting chambers. Others were already waiting around the table, chatting excitedly about recent events. Tish stood with the translators at one end of the large stone table. They made their way to the young Earth girl.

  “Hi.” Tish inched her way toward them. “Is Vala coming?”

  “Yes,” Janai told her. “She and Blal’k are just back from the hunt. They’re probably washing up.”

  “Oh.” The girl looked tired as her dark eyes scanned the room. “Are all these people here because of me?”

  “I think so.” Janai placed an arm around the girl’s thin waist. “You’ve done something amazing, I hear.”

  Tish shrugged and put her head on Janai’s shoulder. “I just figured out the symbols. That’s all. Why’s everybody’s making such a big thing about it?”

  Janai smiled and hugged the girl closer. “I think we’re about to find out.”

  Tish shrugged again and Janai had a sense the girl wasn’t feeling well, so she gently laid a hand on her forehead. There didn’t seem to be any fever but she sent a slight amount of energy through Tish’s body just to make sure. The child was exhausted, and Janai sucked in a breath to stay her rising anger at the translators for not taking better care of her.

  What’s wrong? Ash’s mental voice asked.

  I think they’ve been overworking Tish.

  I’ll contact Bast and have him send Divia here.

  Janai guided Tish to the bench and sat next to her. Vala entered and sat on the o
ther side of the girl. Tish pulled away from Janai and leaned her weight onto the Aknidean hunter. Ash put himself next to Janai, while Blal’k took a seat on the other side of the Vala.

  Janai caught the concern in Vala’s eyes. “Divia’s on her way.” She stroked Tish’s thick, wiry hair. “Too much work, I think.” The hunter nodded as she studied the girl in Janai’s embrace.

  The elders called the meeting to order just as Divia arrived. She checked on Tish and then took a seat beside Blal’k. Janai could tell the woman was angry. The translators were going to get a tongue-lashing after the meeting. She almost wished she could to watch. She, herself, wanted to tell them a thing or two.

  “All right,” one of the E’treun elders said. “Let’s get right to business.” He smiled. “We have wonderful news. You all know that the translators have been working to break the ancient Morgee code.” There were murmurs and head nods from many in the room. “Well, Tish has found the key.”

  The girl smiled at the elder. Excited noise built and the hairs on Janai’s skin rose.

  The elder waved his hands for silence. “Our geneticists will use the information to complete a virus deadly to the Morgee, one that will accelerate their aging process.

  Cheers rolled around the packed room. Ash squeezed Janai’s hand. Vala kept a protective arm around Tish.

  A female geneticist stood and the room became silent again. “The virus will take a little time to develop, but we began working on it when the raids started. We have all but the final stage complete.”

  Janai couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Why didn’t someone tell us before? She gripped Ash’s hand tighter.

  As if her thoughts were being read, the geneticist said, “We didn’t inform you of the research, in case of failure, but with Tish’s breakthrough, we’re very hopeful. The new information provides the last step needed for the viral code, and if we’re correct, the virus will reach even the off-world Morgee, so the entire race of soldiers will cease to function.” The E’treun woman smiled. “We estimate the code to be complete in a couple of months.”