Page 66 of Alien Peacock
“She has a mission,” the robot reminds me. “It’s just as important to her as yours is to you.”
“She also has my Mark,” I tell him. “Does it mean nothing to her? Well, you’re right. I do have a mission of my own.”
Cerak rolls to the door. “She helpedyouwithyours.”
I glare at him. “What’sthatsupposed to mean?”
“It was just an observation. Shall we go?”
I frown. “You’re coming to the war on Eo?”
“I’m not an alien,” he points out. “I’m a robot. Nobody will mind. And this place is going to be noisy until all these guys are gone.”
The freed captives file past us, having to set up their sleeping quarters inside our rooms because I’ll use theRevenge.
I march out. “Suit yourself.”
We enter theRevenge, noticing the captives have left it nice and clean.
“At leastsomethinggood came from that,” I growl as I start the saucer. “Three hundred slaves freed. But I’ll never believe a Fire Mage again.”
“Probably a healthy policy,” Cerak says as he settles in for the ride. “They’re even less dependable than most organics, I find.
17
- Maeve-
The journey through hyperspace is the worst time I’ve ever had. I keep thinking about Tara maybe being dead, and about how I failed the mission almost right away.
But I mostly think about Arelion. He’s on his way to a war where he might get killed. And the last thing I did was to leave him without a word, after I said I would stay.
IHe should understand. I have to do this. But I worry he’ll hate me and think I was just using him.
It’s weird, though.Justwhen I was getting used to being in space.Justwhen I was coming out of my shell and even sometimes acting bubbly.Justwhen I was starting to feel free, just when I had a love life for the first time in my life —that’swhen I had to run right back into uncertainty and danger.
The Mark he left on my hip tingles and itches. Is he thinking of me, or was that just mythical nonsense?
“I didn’t expect this to work,” I remind myself. “That relationship was a luxury I can’t afford. Beingsafeis a luxury I can’t afford.”
But It doesn’t land. Twice I decide to return to Gigori, and twice I keep going.
“What if he’s right?” I mutter. “What if that Earth girl on Xap Station is a total stranger, not Tara at all? Maybe not even an Earth girl? What if I can’t help, and I just end up getting captured myself?”
“Are you expecting me to answer these questions?” Bari asks. “Or are you talking to yourself again?”
I look down on her. “Canyou answer them?”
“It sounds a lot like organic gibberish to me. So, no.”
“Well, there you go.”
She stretches one paw. “You know how I feel about organics talking to themselves, so I won’t repeat it.”
I get to my feet, just to walk off some tension. “You really think I’m crazy?”
“All organics seem crazy to me. But you’re no more of a lunatic than most of them.”
I kick at a console. “It’s weird, though. The Bululg were always right on our trail. We only got away because Arelion is good in a fight and he survived being shot many times. What if this is a trap we’re about to step into?”