rescue orbiters. It is still too dangerous for them, even with protection.”
“Perhaps you are right. But there will come a time soon when that will change and it will not be so dangerous anymore. Eventually, they will come.”
He turned abruptly, anger building inside him, for he did not want to acknowledge the truth of those words. “If they do come, they will find nothing but the Clans. The rest of their people are gone. We will post extra sentries to keep watch. She remains with us!”
After a moment of silence, his companion replied, “Of course. I will see that it is done. Another problem might exist, however. Physically, she will survive. But she has yet to see herself. If our healing elements, added to her own, do not work, she might end up taking her own life. We have seen it before, even in those less…damaged. The others are concerned.”
“No!” He shook his head, refusing to accept the tragic words. “She would not give up like that. She is strong. She will live,” he whispered, turning back to the monitor. He barely heard the sigh behind him or the door scraping closed, which once again left him alone with his turbulent thoughts and emotions.
The others cared about her survival for selfish reasons only. He knew. Hell, he supposed he did too. But his reasons were completely the opposite of theirs.
He had not expected to feel anything but hatred for the woman—one of the planet’s elite. Instead, he felt so much more. If she did recover, the others would demand her torture and enslavement. They blamed Xylon’s upper echelon for many things. She would be used to bargain for their needs.
He was not so certain their anger served a real purpose anymore. The sins of those who had lived before them could not be changed. They had survived many generations without direct help from the Xylons. Counting on any help from the few who might have survived did not bode well in his mind.
Whatever happened, she would be in danger. Even given his high position in the groups, he did not know if he could protect her from the Clans’ wrath and planned manipulations. Things would have been so much easier if he had not allowed her to touch his heart.
With a growl of frustration, he flipped off the monitor to conserve power. The fingers of his left hand curled into a fist. “She will live. I shall see to it. And I shall never allow anyone to harm her.”
He turned and touched the cool rock wall, knowing she lay on a mat on the other side, awaiting his return. “That is my vow—the promise I give to you, Tar’a. On my life.”
And if she wanted to leave him to find her own people again? He shook his head, his heart clenching. He did not know if he could ever be strong enough to let her go.
* * * * *
Planet Xylon
Auxiliary Underground Shelter
His mouth dry and his palms feeling a bit moist, Briggs stood in the middle of the conference room. Now that the meeting was over and everyone had gone, he finally had a quiet moment alone to think. There had been a lot of surprising and shocking information to absorb from the briefing. Some of which he hadn’t entirely understood.
As soon as he had some time in a private location, he intended to document everything as best as he could remember for later review and transmission back to Earth. At first he’d thought this room would be perfect but people had been in and out and he knew some of the others would be returning soon. Besides—he glanced up into the corners—the room was monitored. He’d tried to enter one night after everyone had gone to sleep but the door had been locked. Just as well, he supposed, considering the surveillance system.
As he studied his surroundings, he suddenly realized just how white this particular room was. Not an important observation, but the excessive brightness reminded him of the decontamination room. Laszlo’s suggestion of using that room as a safety area for those remaining behind, after the rest of them took off in the
“Perhaps you are right. But there will come a time soon when that will change and it will not be so dangerous anymore. Eventually, they will come.”
He turned abruptly, anger building inside him, for he did not want to acknowledge the truth of those words. “If they do come, they will find nothing but the Clans. The rest of their people are gone. We will post extra sentries to keep watch. She remains with us!”
After a moment of silence, his companion replied, “Of course. I will see that it is done. Another problem might exist, however. Physically, she will survive. But she has yet to see herself. If our healing elements, added to her own, do not work, she might end up taking her own life. We have seen it before, even in those less…damaged. The others are concerned.”
“No!” He shook his head, refusing to accept the tragic words. “She would not give up like that. She is strong. She will live,” he whispered, turning back to the monitor. He barely heard the sigh behind him or the door scraping closed, which once again left him alone with his turbulent thoughts and emotions.
The others cared about her survival for selfish reasons only. He knew. Hell, he supposed he did too. But his reasons were completely the opposite of theirs.
He had not expected to feel anything but hatred for the woman—one of the planet’s elite. Instead, he felt so much more. If she did recover, the others would demand her torture and enslavement. They blamed Xylon’s upper echelon for many things. She would be used to bargain for their needs.
He was not so certain their anger served a real purpose anymore. The sins of those who had lived before them could not be changed. They had survived many generations without direct help from the Xylons. Counting on any help from the few who might have survived did not bode well in his mind.
Whatever happened, she would be in danger. Even given his high position in the groups, he did not know if he could protect her from the Clans’ wrath and planned manipulations. Things would have been so much easier if he had not allowed her to touch his heart.
With a growl of frustration, he flipped off the monitor to conserve power. The fingers of his left hand curled into a fist. “She will live. I shall see to it. And I shall never allow anyone to harm her.”
He turned and touched the cool rock wall, knowing she lay on a mat on the other side, awaiting his return. “That is my vow—the promise I give to you, Tar’a. On my life.”
And if she wanted to leave him to find her own people again? He shook his head, his heart clenching. He did not know if he could ever be strong enough to let her go.
* * * * *
Planet Xylon
Auxiliary Underground Shelter
His mouth dry and his palms feeling a bit moist, Briggs stood in the middle of the conference room. Now that the meeting was over and everyone had gone, he finally had a quiet moment alone to think. There had been a lot of surprising and shocking information to absorb from the briefing. Some of which he hadn’t entirely understood.
As soon as he had some time in a private location, he intended to document everything as best as he could remember for later review and transmission back to Earth. At first he’d thought this room would be perfect but people had been in and out and he knew some of the others would be returning soon. Besides—he glanced up into the corners—the room was monitored. He’d tried to enter one night after everyone had gone to sleep but the door had been locked. Just as well, he supposed, considering the surveillance system.
As he studied his surroundings, he suddenly realized just how white this particular room was. Not an important observation, but the excessive brightness reminded him of the decontamination room. Laszlo’s suggestion of using that room as a safety area for those remaining behind, after the rest of them took off in the
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