while, Tamara heard Fakzi return to the cabin. She waited until she
heard the soft thud of a shuttle leaving the ship. She wasn’t going to go far but she wasn’t going to placidly wait for him to return. He was off the ship. Time to escape. If the sex hadn’t meant anything to him there was no point in staying.
She ran her fingers lightly along the floor of the cage until she felt the film she’d left there. She gently slid it up and threaded it through the bars. She placed her other hand through another section and held the film over the hand plate. It was awkward but she finally managed to put enough pressure on the film for the lock to flick open. Grinning, Tamara gently pulled the film into the cage and carefully laid it back on the floor.
“Gage will find the film,” Fakzi said as he padded up to the cage.
“Probably.”
“You do not seem disturbed by that possibility.”
“I don’t ever intend to be locked up here again.”
Fakzi didn’t answer, just silently watched as Tamara opened the cage door.
Tamara looked at Fakzi. “You won’t stop me.” She made the question a statement.
She was learning that Fakzi answered statements without a problem. Apparently giving answers to unasked questions didn’t carry the risk that questions did.
“No. You will not leave Gage. There is no need for me to stop you.”
Tamara crawled out of the cage. “I most certainly am going to leave him.”
“No, you love him. You will not leave.”
Tamara snorted. Fakzi was deluded. Tamara stood up. She raised her hands over
her head and stretched. She hadn’t been in the cage long but the very thought of it made her muscles tense. She moved to the cupboards and searched until she found something to wear. Another short tunic. It would do for now. Then she made her way
to the door. The palm plate easily gave way to the second film. She looked out into the living area of Gage’s cabin. Fakzi silently padded out with her. Tamara eyed the liock.
She briefly thought about locking the creature in but changed her mind. Tamara had
been locked up so often, she couldn’t do that to any other sentient being.
It was time to find the plans for this ship. She’d been too quiet lately. Gage seemed to quell her normal spirit. She’d been passive long enough. Once she had the plans for the ship, and maybe if she was lucky, she could find out where they were. Then she could make escape plans. She ignored the twinge of regret caused by the thought of
escaping.
Chapter Ten
Gage cradled the throttle, easing the shuttle into the atmosphere. The orange planet always threw him a little. Some kind of mineral in the water turned it a peculiar hue, giving the entire planet an orange cast. Combined with the white clouds, it looked like an old-fashioned desert he’d once had. The shuttle jarred as it hit the air. Like a rough road but his ride took it well and soon he was flying above the city.
He was alone in the shuttle. Both David and Fakzi had wanted to accompany him
but he didn’t want to risk them. As he’d told David, “Someone has to stay on the ship just in case this is a trap. I want some backup that command doesn’t recognize as such.”
“You will need me,” Fakzi said aloud for David’s benefit.
“A vision?” Gage asked.
“Truth. You will need me at some point in the future.”
“Here? Now?”
Fakzi closed his eyes and waggled his head from side to side. “I am sorry. I cannot tell the time when I will be needed. All I know is that I will be critical to your success.”
“Take him with you,” David said. “He can stay in the shuttle so he’s close if
needed.”
“No. I want the shuttle fitted with the newest missile launchers. Technicians will
come on board. I don’t want anyone at command knowing about Fakzi.”
“You broke many rules to bring me with you.”
“Yes. So if you can’t say for certain that you are needed on this trip, I’d rather you stay here. David, I’m
heard the soft thud of a shuttle leaving the ship. She wasn’t going to go far but she wasn’t going to placidly wait for him to return. He was off the ship. Time to escape. If the sex hadn’t meant anything to him there was no point in staying.
She ran her fingers lightly along the floor of the cage until she felt the film she’d left there. She gently slid it up and threaded it through the bars. She placed her other hand through another section and held the film over the hand plate. It was awkward but she finally managed to put enough pressure on the film for the lock to flick open. Grinning, Tamara gently pulled the film into the cage and carefully laid it back on the floor.
“Gage will find the film,” Fakzi said as he padded up to the cage.
“Probably.”
“You do not seem disturbed by that possibility.”
“I don’t ever intend to be locked up here again.”
Fakzi didn’t answer, just silently watched as Tamara opened the cage door.
Tamara looked at Fakzi. “You won’t stop me.” She made the question a statement.
She was learning that Fakzi answered statements without a problem. Apparently giving answers to unasked questions didn’t carry the risk that questions did.
“No. You will not leave Gage. There is no need for me to stop you.”
Tamara crawled out of the cage. “I most certainly am going to leave him.”
“No, you love him. You will not leave.”
Tamara snorted. Fakzi was deluded. Tamara stood up. She raised her hands over
her head and stretched. She hadn’t been in the cage long but the very thought of it made her muscles tense. She moved to the cupboards and searched until she found something to wear. Another short tunic. It would do for now. Then she made her way
to the door. The palm plate easily gave way to the second film. She looked out into the living area of Gage’s cabin. Fakzi silently padded out with her. Tamara eyed the liock.
She briefly thought about locking the creature in but changed her mind. Tamara had
been locked up so often, she couldn’t do that to any other sentient being.
It was time to find the plans for this ship. She’d been too quiet lately. Gage seemed to quell her normal spirit. She’d been passive long enough. Once she had the plans for the ship, and maybe if she was lucky, she could find out where they were. Then she could make escape plans. She ignored the twinge of regret caused by the thought of
escaping.
Chapter Ten
Gage cradled the throttle, easing the shuttle into the atmosphere. The orange planet always threw him a little. Some kind of mineral in the water turned it a peculiar hue, giving the entire planet an orange cast. Combined with the white clouds, it looked like an old-fashioned desert he’d once had. The shuttle jarred as it hit the air. Like a rough road but his ride took it well and soon he was flying above the city.
He was alone in the shuttle. Both David and Fakzi had wanted to accompany him
but he didn’t want to risk them. As he’d told David, “Someone has to stay on the ship just in case this is a trap. I want some backup that command doesn’t recognize as such.”
“You will need me,” Fakzi said aloud for David’s benefit.
“A vision?” Gage asked.
“Truth. You will need me at some point in the future.”
“Here? Now?”
Fakzi closed his eyes and waggled his head from side to side. “I am sorry. I cannot tell the time when I will be needed. All I know is that I will be critical to your success.”
“Take him with you,” David said. “He can stay in the shuttle so he’s close if
needed.”
“No. I want the shuttle fitted with the newest missile launchers. Technicians will
come on board. I don’t want anyone at command knowing about Fakzi.”
“You broke many rules to bring me with you.”
“Yes. So if you can’t say for certain that you are needed on this trip, I’d rather you stay here. David, I’m
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