Page 39 of Zahhn's Mate
The screen goes blank, and there’s a collective gasp in the corridor. For a few seconds, no one moves. We all exchange horrified glances. But eventually, several people take off down the corridor, and soon the entire group is dispersing.
I stand in front of the alcove, trying to decide whether to rush to the mess hall where I work or return to my quarters. If I go to the mess hall, I’ll be among friends. But if I return to my quarters, I’ll know if my father comes back in one piece.
I suspect the group of armed men, my father included, were still on the elevator when the captain gave his little speech. If the rebels were smart, they would’ve ditched their weapons and fled to their quarters immediately.
Two hundred human men… dead. I’m stunned that many people were able to cram onto the twelve shuttles.
The battle ended so quickly, I doubt many Darrvasons aboard theHaxxalwere sick, if any were sick at all. Perhaps the virus didn’t work in the way my father hoped it would.
I take a deep breath, send up a silent prayer for Zahhn’s safety, then hurry to the mess hall.
Five of my coworkers are seated at a table in the back, sipping mugs of coffee. There are a few other people scattered around the mess hall too. I join my friends and gratefully accept a mug of coffee.
“Hey, ladies and gentlemen.” I give a playful wink and sit casually in my chair, adopting the confident persona I habitually wear as armor. But my demeanor falters when Caroline’s eyes suddenly brim with tears. I place a gentle hand on her shoulder. “Are you okay?”
Caroline covers her face and sobs.
I shoot a questioning look at the others, and Johnny finally speaks up.
“During the attack, she saw her father tackled by two security officers,” he says with a frown. “They found a blaster poorly hidden under his shirt, which they confiscated, and they dragged him away while he screamed about a plan to assassinate Captain Warren.”
“He’s going to be executed now,” Caroline sobs. “Traitors and murderers are always executed. What will I tell my mother? What about my baby sister? Oh God, they’re going to be heartbroken.” Her sobs deepen, and I rub her back in an effort to soothe her.
But she’s not wrong. Traitors and murderersarealways executed. Shit, even suspected traitors meet the same dark fate. Little proof is required.
I consider Officer Brute’s words.More information will be forthcoming as we investigate the rebel threat to the Darrvason Empire.
I glance around the mess hall, going cold with trepidation as I half expect security officers to storm inside and arrest me.
While I’ve never been involved in a rebel plot, there’s a good chance my father is about to be charged with treason. What if I’m implicated along with him? We share the same quarters, and it would reason that investigators might believe there’s no way I wasn’t privy to the rebel goings-on that occurred right under my nose.
Then there’s the speakeasy to consider. More rebel activity directly under my watch. Yet I always pretended not to know. If I heard something suspicious, I would start humming loudly under my breath and walk away.
Caroline finally stops sobbing. She takes a few deep breaths, wipes her face with a napkin, and stands up. She glances at a nearby bench. “I think I’m going to lie down. I appreciate you guys, I really do, but I need some alone time. Maybe I’ll get luckyand fall asleep.” She approaches the bench, lies down, and curls up with her back facing us. Poor thing. My heart goes out to her.
But will I soon face the same grief as her?
A young woman approaches our table, and I’m so lost in my thoughts that I almost don’t recognize her at first. But my spirits brighten when her identity registers in my mind. “Hey, Mandy, good to see you,” I say. “Please join us.”
“Thanks,” she says, taking a seat next to Johnny. “I was on the other side of the mess hall and just noticed you sitting here. I don’t want to be alone right now.” She gives me a thin, watery smile, and she tucks her trembling hands onto her lap. “My poor mother. She’s going to be so worried about me. I was on my way to the salon when the attack started.”
“Why wasn’t your mother with you?” I ask. “I thought you both normally worked at the same time.” Mandy and her mother are beauticians who mostly serve Founders and their descendants, though both women have cut my hair a few times over the years.
A shadow crosses Mandy’s face. “My sister isn’t doing well. She can’t even get out of bed today. I’d hoped the recent trip to the medical bay would help—we traded a favor with Captain Warren in exchange for the extra credits needed to visit a doctor—but sadly, Tasha’s only gotten worse.”
“What’s wrong with her?” Johnny blurts, and I kick him under the table. He gives Mandy a sheepish look. “Sorry. I don’t mean to pry.”
Mandy shrugs. “We don’t fucking know. Some days she’s fine, other days, her entire body becomes stiff, and she can’t bend her legs or arms. She can barely open her mouth to take food and water. She also frequently develops high fevers, and her hair’s falling out too.”
I immediately think of Zahhn. Could he help Mandy’s sister? I make a mental note to ask if I ever speak with him again. Surelythe Darrvasons possess superior medical technology compared to us. But after our attack on their lead ship, will they be willing to share?
“Wow, that sounds bad,” Johnny says. “I’m really sorry.”
“I’m sorry too.” I aim a comforting smile at Mandy and pray her sister will make a full recovery soon.
“How long do you guys think the shelter-in-place will last?” Johnny asks, clearly eager to change the subject.
“Probably until the Darrvasons and the command team finish rounding up the remaining rebels, however long that takes,” Mandy says. “Two hundred human men were killed on theHaxxaltoday, rebels, all of them, but surely some of their comrades stayed behind. I mean, who hacked our systems and fired at theHaxxalnot once but twice?”
