Captivate (Alien Cadets Book 2) Read online

  Basher involuntarily licked his teeth.

  Ha, I saw that. Just kidding. Your teeth are fine.

  Basher tapped the screen twice. Little imp.

  However, I don't think you brushed your teeth today. Oh, hey, you didn't even go back for a shower, did you?

  Basher shifted his feet. He had put deodorant on again, she didn't see everything.

  Senator Fontley was still talking. “Indeed, I laugh to confess that I originally suspected that abominable computer of the sabotage. It was a Rik experiment, you know, which must excuse my suspicions. I am not often wrong, but I admit it when I am.” He nodded to Sam and Nat.

  Hey, he’s talking about me!

  Faal had tensed at his words, his inner eyelid nearly closing as he followed the senator’s gaze to Sam and Nat’s glasses. “Indeed, I don’t wonder at your suspicion. The Rik are ever treacherous and their experiments doubly so.”

  Basher didn’t like the direction of this conversation, or the keen sense of satisfaction he received from Faal. From Sam and Nat’s frowning expression, he gathered they were not pleased at this development either. In fact, this was the most animated he had seen Nat in a long time.

  There was no exact reason this information should be withheld from Faal, but he was, in some ways, their enemy. There was no reason to give him information.

  “Let’s return to the point,” Sam said briskly. “The acting director of the Rik interim government arrives in Selta this evening. Any official decisions regarding the Rik should be made after we have allowed her to hear the charges and offer any defense.”

  “If I may offer a suggestion,” Faal began.

  “Actually,” Sam said, “while we appreciate all your help, the remainder of this investigation is a uniquely human and Rik issue. I have examined the legal precedents, and to allow a non-affiliated, non-species member of another planetary affiliation to attend the hearings would be objectionable.”

  Senator Fontley looked vaguely vexed at this, and Basher quickly backed Sam up. “I’ve sent all the pertinent files to your computer, Senator Fontley.” He nodded at Faal. “So while we have appreciated your help, we invited you here this morning to thank you for your services and assure you that you are free to continue your travels. We won’t be needing any more of your valuable time.”

  Faal looked amused at this. “Of course you are correct on all these points. However, as a member in highest standing in the Galactic Council, I planned to offer a very different service to Senator Fontley. If there is a legal dissolution of contract between the Humans and the Rik, it will need to be recognized and ratified by a member of the Galactic Council. As I was the acting judge at the time of the human trial, and the original treaty, I am uniquely positioned to do so.”

  Basher was at a loss and clearly Sam was too.

  Not so, Senator Fontley. “Of course! We will be honored to have the countenance of your position during these hearings and your advice in the conclusion. I only hope this may be the start of a long and prosperous relationship between our two species.”

  Faal tipped his head. “As you say. It would be a healthier relationship than you find with the Rik, I can assure you.”

  Basher understood Senator Fontley. He was a politician and he was more than willing to trade the Rik, and possibly Claire, for the patronage of a powerful Merith like Faal. It was somewhat disgusting to watch his blatant sucking up, but Basher could understand his reasoning and his priorities.

  Sam’s jaw was rigid, but he remained silent. Basher assumed he’d made the same conclusion. The Rik certainly hadn’t made it easy for Sam to defend them, Basher thought.

  ***

  Claire was unnerved to realize that Sage's 'contact' in Upper Selta was another Rik in a human body. Somehow she'd expected another comforting, flamboyant Crosspoint like Francois. How many Rik were on Selta, Claire wondered? How many human/Rik were there?

  She didn't ask, because she didn't want to know.

  After they'd surreptitiously gotten away from the train station during the midmorning slump (no one seemed to be waiting for them, which felt too easy to be true), they'd rented a ground-car and Sage took them expertly to a lower entrance of what proved to be a huge block of residential suites. Pleasant, matted hallways led deep into the quiet structure. Sage pulled a key out of his pocket and unceremoniously unlocked one of the many doors that lined the hallway.

  Sage's contact was a handsome European guy with thick blonde hair and a Dutch accent.

  He bowed (bowed? Claire thought) to Sage briefly, and then clapped him on the shoulder in a friendly way. "Sage, it is good to see you! How long has it been? I was happy to hear that you are alive and well -”

  "It's been a long time," Sage said, cutting him off. "Thank you for arranging the flat for us on short notice."

  "Of course, of course, it's the least I can do. Have you seen -?”

  "Here's the price we agreed on," Sage said, handing him a roll of Seltan currency.

  Claire didn’t like that they were using up so much of their money, essentially for nothing, but Sage had reminded her while they were on the train how much they’d earned from Francois and laughed at her worry. “It’s not so much to pay for a good favor,” he’d said.

  “It isn’t much of a favor if you have to pay for it. Isn’t this guy your friend?”

  Sage looked blank. “What does that have to do with it?”

  Claire shook her head. She already knew Rik ideas of friendship were different, and she hadn’t meant to bring it up again.

  "Karel, we're dead on our feet," Sage told his ‘friend’. "We spent all night in a public garden, so I think we just need to crash now. Can I meet you for dinner tonight? To catch up?"

  Claire wasn't blind to the significant look being passed between them but she was too tired to do more than note it. She wasn't surprised that Sage didn't want to 'catch up' with her around. That would be more than awkward for everyone. Apparently Karel didn't know she was a real human.

  There were several large beds in the flat, which was prepared for a Merith family. Sage nodded to Claire and Juliet, "You girls take that bed. Athlete and I can share this one."

  "I'm good here," Athlete said. He grabbed a cushion for his head and sprawled on the floor. "G'night."

  After their long and anxious night - followed by a stressful train trip - Claire was more than ready to crash. She and Juliet sprawled on the bed, not even bothering to take off their shoes. Claire was asleep before Athlete began to snore.

  ***

  During their lunch break, Nat excused herself from the negotiation room. She could feel a pressure in the base of her neck that meant another migraine was coming. Sometimes they were brought on by stress, and she’d been horribly tense after Senator Fontley started talking about Akemi.

  Sam followed her out. “Another headache?”

  “Not quite yet, but it’s coming.”

  “I wish you would take something.”

  Nat shook her head. “I don't know how many times I've told you. I don’t like sedatives, it’s too much like...” she trailed off. “I’ll take a painkiller though.”

  He said nothing, just walked next to her as she returned to her room. In the past, Nat would have taken his presence as a sweet consideration for her. Now it just felt like he was dealing with another duty: Walking his sick girlfriend back to her room. Check.

  “What did you think of all that?” Sam asked eventually.

  “I wasn’t happy about it, obviously, but I don’t think there’s any overt danger in Faal knowing Akemi is here. He might have heard rumors about her anyway.”

  Sam only looked at her, a slight frown between his eyes.

  “What?”

  “That’s all?” Sam said. “What about the rest of it?”

  “Oh. Well, you know I thought the Rik were guilty all along. Look what they did to Akemi –”

  Sam threw up his hands. “It’s not all about Akemi! The treaty is about to be dissolved and if Fon
tley has his way we’ll be neck deep in a Merith alliance before we know it. Don’t you care?”

  Nat flared. “Of course I care.”

  “Well, it’s hard to tell. You were at the top of all our political science classes on Spo and you haven’t said a thing to me about any of this. You could be helping, but –”

  “Helping? I WANT the treaty dissolved Sam. I don’t know how else to say that. The Rik are a despicable race, and I don’t care what happens to them. Last night in Akemi’s dream –”

  “For heaven’s sake! You have got to stop watching her dreams. You’re… you’re addicted.” Sam took a deep breath. “I’m sorry. I know you’ve been concerned about Akemi since the explosion, but I don’t think this is healthy for you. In fact, I think her dreams are hurting you more than they’re hurting her. Heck, she probably doesn’t even remember them.”

  They reached Nat’s door, and she used her token to open it, coldly furious. If Sam’s sister had been the one tortured by the Rik and then nearly killed in an explosion due to their sabotage, he would think the same as she did. He thought he was being so impartial, but it was only because they hadn’t touched him.

  Nat went in without saying anything, and as the door slid shut, she heard him say, “Don’t forget to take the painkiller.”

  CHAPTER 35

  Claire woke up in the flat in the evening, having slept most of the day through. Sage was gone and Athlete and Juliet were in the open living area, watching news reports on the screen. Claire settled next to Juliet, who obligingly translated for her. (Oh, how Claire missed her glasses!)

  It was like tabloid TV. Apparently humans weren’t the only ones who loved a good intrigue. There were affairs, scandals, and big secrets revealed. One of the stories was particularly sensational, “Septuplets born with double-faceted eyes!” Only that may or may not have been a bad thing. Actually, as Claire watched that story, it turned out to be a scandal, as the eyes were proof of infidelity on the father’s part. Who knew? Or that aliens would even care about infidelity?

  Selta was a microcosm of the galaxy. It was a kind of neutral Switzerland, Claire gathered, and full of celebrities: from politicians and emperors to cultural pop stars.

  Soon there would be an athletic competition, something like an Olympics, and Athlete explained several of the sports to her when they popped up on the news reports. There was longing in his voice, and she wondered if he would have competed for the Rik, had things gone differently for him.

  It seemed strange to Claire that she knew so little about all these aliens that made up the population on Selta. She knew the Spo, Merith, Tergre, Vel, Crosspoint, and Rik, but there were five other species on the planet that she barely knew about. She’d been off Earth for nearly four years now, and she’d learned so little about things.

  She counted on her fingers: she’d gotten to know a couple Merith on the Diarena’s ship, two Crosspointers (counting Francois), and her five Rik friends. She kept expecting every culture other than hers to be simpler; easier to stereotype and catalog in her brain, but it wasn’t. Faal was evil, no doubt about it, but Kitteh and the other Merith on the ship had been okay. The Rik were painted as evil scavengers of society, but her Rik were kind and intelligent.

  It was just a confusing galaxy. So while Sage had dinner with his friend, and Juliet tried to flirt with Athlete, Claire watched the reports.

  That’s when she saw the other cadets on the news.

  They stood on an observation deck by one of the huge Seltan spinners. Claire wasn’t positive, but it looked like the same one that was just below the Spo embassy, where they’d escaped. There were two cadets, waving and talking to people in the crowd around them. Sam she recognized from the footage she’d seen of the trial. The Japanese girl with him didn’t look familiar, but she had the same cadet tattoo on her cheek.

  When they waved, Claire could see the other tattoo on their wrists.

  “The human delegation has been investigating the sabotage of their planetary space station,” the Spo announcer was saying. “But they agreed to a public viewing on the platform yesterday morning. They are staying at the Spo embassy, and if you want to catch a glimpse of these true humans, they can occasionally be seen entering and exiting the embassy on level H.”

  The screen flipped back to the video of Sam and the other cadet girl waving at the crowd, and Claire saw that Basher was in the background behind them.

  “Our reporter was disappointed to observe however, that the true humans are very similar to the Rik/Humans we are all too familiar with, so we don’t advise you to get your hopes up.

  “The humans have not issued a report on their investigation, but inside sources say the prime suspects are Rik. Without a doubt, this must challenge the very strange arrangement they have with both the Spo and the Rik. It is also rumored that Faal of Merith II is assisting with the investigation. This surprising species has certainly dived into the deep end of galactic politics.

  “The only official statement the humans have released is a reminder that all true humans have a Crosspoint tattoo on their wrist,” the screen flicked to a picture of the intricate tattoo. “And that any human without this tattoo is definitely a Rik and should be treated with all caution and reported to the Spo embassy immediately. The humans have jurisdiction to prosecute anyone who removes a Rik from Selta.”

  The newscaster went onto another story, and Juliet sighed. “This is going to make it harder to get a ship. People are more cautious for several weeks after a warning.”

  ***

  “No one will risk it,” Karel said bluntly. Sage sat across from him in a small, dimly lit diner. The smell of fish permeated the air... fish roasting, frying, sautéing, and chilling. Not really fish, of course, but the salt water equivalent grown in tanks on the Lower Seltan levels. Sage and Karel sat at one of the many small tables in tiny chairs that put their knees uncomfortably high.

  “We must get away,” Sage said. “You see that. Our only hope is to get to Earth and blend in. We just need a ship –”

  “No. Even if we found a pilot and ship willing to take us all, we couldn’t get through the port. The Seltans have set up temporary checkpoints.”

  Sage rubbed his forehead. “So we’re back to that blasted tattoo. I can’t believe a little bit of ink is going to be the death of us.”

  “It’s the real thing or nothing,” Karel agreed.

  Sage was lost in thought, when Karel added, “Why were you so anxious to shut me up, by the way? When you arrived this morning?”

  “What? Oh, that’s because the new girl, the darker one – she’s a real human.”

  Karel’s eyes got wide. “Oh, really?”

  “Yes, really. It’s on her account I’m in a rush. She’s managed to make a personal enemy of Faal of Merith II. If she doesn’t get off Selta soon, she won’t last long.”

  Karel raised his eyebrows. “She makes a dangerous resource to cultivate then. Hadn’t you better cut her loose?”

  Sage shook his head. “She could be… useful to us as well. But I’m not sure how to make it work.” He pulled out the old token from the embassy, and showed it to Karel.

  “The ink is in the embassy. The human hound at the embassy, name of Basher, is looking for us. Mostly looking for her,” Sage said, thinking aloud. “He has access to the embassy and access to the ink... Perhaps, we could use that. Claire could get near him, I’m sure of it, since we have a way to contact him. Perhaps she could get near him and, I don’t know... steal his token?”

  Karel stroked his blonde mustache. “How did you turn her so fast? I mean, stealing from her own kind to help you... that’s impressive, Sage. Even for you.”

  Sage shifted uncomfortably. “She cares about us. I think she would be willing to help. Stealing the token won’t work though – he’d realize as soon as he got back to the embassy.”

  “Maybe we could copy it? It’s the electronic signal we need...”

  Sage finished his fish. “I don’t know if it�
�s possible. Can you check with Mische? She would know if anyone would.”

  Karel smiled reminiscently. “We all thought you were crazy, you know. With your fascination in human psychology. But all that testing is paying off for us now.”

  Sage frowned. “I regret what I did to those people. The testing was wrong. Claire’s helped me understand people better than I ever did before, without any coercion. She thinks cruelty and captivity are worse than killing.”

  Karel raised his eyebrows. “Claire? Is that her name? I don’t recall you being much interested in names. Is she something special?”

  Sage almost shook his head and then nodded. “I... defied Faal for her.”

  Karel’s eyebrows went up.

  “I know, I can’t believe it myself,” Sage admitted.

  “Wow. Have you –”

  “Never mind.” Sage didn’t want to discuss Claire. Karel had a simple mind even when they were Rik and his human host did not seem to have helped. Sage had hand-picked the humans for many of his associates, but apparently he hadn’t done Karel any favors.

  “Never mind her,” Sage said, again. “She doesn’t know about my past and I’d appreciate it if you don’t bring it up. It might sway her against us if you spring it on her.”

  Sage got to his feet and gave the token to Karel. “If Mische can figure something out, we’ll have to make a play for the ink right away. Have the others ready to go on my word.”

  Karel nodded, throwing some money on the table. “But Faal – if he takes issue with this girl, we could all be in danger.”

  “I know. I’ll figure it out.”

  “Even if you do, this Claire doesn’t know about us. How will she react when she realizes she’s helping a lot more than five Rik get to Earth?”

  “I think I can bring her around,” Sage said. “And I have a Crosspoint who’d be willing to do the actual tattooing.”

  Karel grinned. “That’s the old Sage, I know. Always collecting resources.”

  Sage nodded a curt goodbye and walked briskly down the small street away from the fishy smell of the place. This alley was similar to the one they’d carried Claire through the night they’d escaped and she’d been so ill. That had been a stroke of genius on his part, to bring her with them. She was good for them all, and so... genuine.