The whole crew has been detained at the base, and is being interviewed one by one. We have no idea what’s going on.”
“I’m sorry about that, but I’m not surprised. They are probably looking for evidence to use against me. I also doubt FREN wants a bunch of you wandering around the galaxy telling stories about a defrosted Viking right now .”
“ I had the same thought. I wonder if they’ll force a memory erasure for the whole crew?”
Frey shuddered. For a Pavlovan, the TSA’s casual attitude to wiping sensitive data from their population’s minds was considered barbaric. It was also hugely damaging to telepaths. Everyone knew that the TSA tended to do a mind sweep first and deal with the inevitable claims from outraged citizens afterward. If said citizen hadn’t gone crazy…
“ Have you seen Einarr?” Frey couldn’t help but ask.
“ No .” Slavin hesitated. “ They knocked him out and took him to the medical wing. I don’t think they will let me see him .”
“ I’m certain they won’t let me see him. I’ve been locked up in the high security wing .”
“ Have you told them that you are mated to the Viking?”
“I didn’t see the point. It’s not as if they are going to let me stay with him or anything.” Tears pricked behind Frey’s eyelids and she resolutely swallowed them down. “ It’s better for him if he doesn’t have to deal with me while he is rehabilitated .”
“ I don’t think he’d agree with you .”
“ He doesn’t have much choice. Neither of us do.”
“ Still… If I do see Einarr I’ll tell him that you’ve been detained .”
“ Don’t. I don’t want him to think he has to rescue me or anything .” Frey took a steadying breath. “ There is something you can do for me, though .”
“ What is it ?”
“ Find out if there is a government representative from Pavlovan on this base and tell them about me. Tell them everything. ”
“ Done. Anything else?”
“Check and see when the last time these planets aligned? I bet it was around four thousand Earth years ago when Einarr and his brother were first trapped in the ice.”
”I’ll do my best.” Slavin paused . “I have to go now. It’s my turn to be interviewed. Wish me luck.”
Chapter Eight
Einarr opened his eyes and stared up at yet another white ceiling. He was bound to the bed and he couldn’t move anything but his fingers and toes.
“Oh good, you are awake.”
There was a whirring sound, and his pallet suddenly rose at an angle until he was almost vertical but still strapped to the bed. The healer, Aziz, who had welcomed him to the base, stood beside him, her bright blue uniform now covered with a white coat.
He fixed her with his most intimidating glare. “I am getting tired of being knocked out, tied up and treated like an animal of low worth.”
She had the grace to look ashamed. “I am sorry about that. We wanted to get as many of the medical unpleasantries accomplished as possible while you were unconscious.”
He became aware of a myriad of small irritations on his skin, as if he’d been eaten alive by a swarm of biting insects. His head felt as if he’d received another blow from an axe.
“Where is my brother?”
“His ship hasn’t landed yet. It is expected within the hour.”
“Then I wish to be free to greet him.”
She sighed. “We’ll do our best. We’re still waiting on test results.”
“I do not care what you are waiting for. I want to see my brother.”
“If he’s survived as well as you have, you’ll be seeing plenty of him. The pair of you will need to enter a program of extensive rehabilitation.”
Einarr ignored that. “Where is Frey?”
“Science Officer Frey?” Aziz’s expression sharpened. “Why do you want to know?”
He raised an eyebrow. “Because she is of my blood.”
“I’m not sure I get your meaning.”
“Frey belongs with me. Where is she?”
“I believe she’s still here on the base.”
“I know that.”
“I’m sorry about that, but I’m not surprised. They are probably looking for evidence to use against me. I also doubt FREN wants a bunch of you wandering around the galaxy telling stories about a defrosted Viking right now .”
“ I had the same thought. I wonder if they’ll force a memory erasure for the whole crew?”
Frey shuddered. For a Pavlovan, the TSA’s casual attitude to wiping sensitive data from their population’s minds was considered barbaric. It was also hugely damaging to telepaths. Everyone knew that the TSA tended to do a mind sweep first and deal with the inevitable claims from outraged citizens afterward. If said citizen hadn’t gone crazy…
“ Have you seen Einarr?” Frey couldn’t help but ask.
“ No .” Slavin hesitated. “ They knocked him out and took him to the medical wing. I don’t think they will let me see him .”
“ I’m certain they won’t let me see him. I’ve been locked up in the high security wing .”
“ Have you told them that you are mated to the Viking?”
“I didn’t see the point. It’s not as if they are going to let me stay with him or anything.” Tears pricked behind Frey’s eyelids and she resolutely swallowed them down. “ It’s better for him if he doesn’t have to deal with me while he is rehabilitated .”
“ I don’t think he’d agree with you .”
“ He doesn’t have much choice. Neither of us do.”
“ Still… If I do see Einarr I’ll tell him that you’ve been detained .”
“ Don’t. I don’t want him to think he has to rescue me or anything .” Frey took a steadying breath. “ There is something you can do for me, though .”
“ What is it ?”
“ Find out if there is a government representative from Pavlovan on this base and tell them about me. Tell them everything. ”
“ Done. Anything else?”
“Check and see when the last time these planets aligned? I bet it was around four thousand Earth years ago when Einarr and his brother were first trapped in the ice.”
”I’ll do my best.” Slavin paused . “I have to go now. It’s my turn to be interviewed. Wish me luck.”
Chapter Eight
Einarr opened his eyes and stared up at yet another white ceiling. He was bound to the bed and he couldn’t move anything but his fingers and toes.
“Oh good, you are awake.”
There was a whirring sound, and his pallet suddenly rose at an angle until he was almost vertical but still strapped to the bed. The healer, Aziz, who had welcomed him to the base, stood beside him, her bright blue uniform now covered with a white coat.
He fixed her with his most intimidating glare. “I am getting tired of being knocked out, tied up and treated like an animal of low worth.”
She had the grace to look ashamed. “I am sorry about that. We wanted to get as many of the medical unpleasantries accomplished as possible while you were unconscious.”
He became aware of a myriad of small irritations on his skin, as if he’d been eaten alive by a swarm of biting insects. His head felt as if he’d received another blow from an axe.
“Where is my brother?”
“His ship hasn’t landed yet. It is expected within the hour.”
“Then I wish to be free to greet him.”
She sighed. “We’ll do our best. We’re still waiting on test results.”
“I do not care what you are waiting for. I want to see my brother.”
“If he’s survived as well as you have, you’ll be seeing plenty of him. The pair of you will need to enter a program of extensive rehabilitation.”
Einarr ignored that. “Where is Frey?”
“Science Officer Frey?” Aziz’s expression sharpened. “Why do you want to know?”
He raised an eyebrow. “Because she is of my blood.”
“I’m not sure I get your meaning.”
“Frey belongs with me. Where is she?”
“I believe she’s still here on the base.”
“I know that.”
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