“Valtus, will you tell me what happened after I was rescued?”
“Yes.” Swallowing hard, I dismissed the covetous thoughts swirling in my head.
Kacie placed her back to the window and focused her attention my way.
“What I’m about to say next might be an upset,” I began.
She tensed momentarily and then relaxed. “I have to know, Valtus, even if I do get upset.”
I was certain she would respond that way. “No one suspected that Rymar kept a captive female separate from the others for his own personal use. We found you when we invaded the facility on Cryton. The other females were above ground with Zhorn guards. The choice to search in the lower levels was made to ensure no other threats remained on Cryton.”
“So, what you’re saying,” she breathed out, “is that rescue was never coming?”
“No. Not a soul knew of your sale or abduction other than the males who participated in the contract.”
“How,” Kacie faltered, “How did he purchase a human being who wasn’t for sale?”
“That is one of many questions I am trying to answer.”
“I’m an officer in the ISP,” she argued. “A linguist and cultural expert that many ambassadors were beginning to trust. My knowledge about Earth and human culture was in great demand.”
“Perhaps that is why you were chosen.”
“I don’t understand how I could be any kind of threat.” She was growing flushed. Her cheeks were pink.
“This is more upset.”
“Damn straight,” she blurted. Kacie’s hands released mine and she pushed from the table, rising to her feet as I stood at the same time. “This is insane. I can’t fathom the need to hurt, degrade, and harm other races.” She spun and walked to the window, placing her forehead on the cool surface. “Valtus, I don’t want to believe this is all true.”
“I never lie,” I assured her.
She sighed as she lifted her head and turned in my direction. “That’s not what I meant.”
Another human expression I misunderstood. “Rymar will face a Braxtharian tribunal along with his brother Bly. They will answer for their crimes.”
“Tell me that facility on Cryton is shut down.” Kacie’s fists clenched at her sides. I sensed anger and upset.
“We destroyed the settlement. It’s nothing but debris. Motok gave the order once all the females were safe and our crew was back on board the Vindicator. Nothing remains of the facility, even the lower levels. It would take several span to rebuild. I don’t anticipate the slavers returning any time soon. It would cost too many credits to yield a profit.”
“And Rymar?”
“He’s in the detention block on deck one. High security. He won’t be leaving his cell until he arrives back on Vindar for trial.”
“He doesn’t deserve a trial. Neither does Bly,” she spat with venom. “Those men are vile.”
“They are, breh’ha. Justice will be served. The Braxthar people will demand it.”
Kacie stood taller, her shoulders squaring back. “I’ll take the witness stand if I need to, just to ensure they’re both convicted and sentenced to death. Exile is too lenient. Too many human women have suffered. They can’t be allowed free.”
“No, I agree.”
She inhaled a deep breath and released it. “Thank you, Valtus. I need to talk to my sister. Will you visit me later?”
“Yes.” I could never deny a single request she made.
When Kacie was gone, I realized I never mentioned that I was leaving. I would have to explain to prevent any upset.
The comm on my uniform beeped. “Valtus?”
“Yes, Commander?”
“We’re ready.”
“On my way,” I announced, leaving the viewing pod and deck fifty to meet Motok, Orion, and Rexnor in the Commander’s chambers. His personal compartment was the only place on the starship without constant monitoring. When I arrived, the brothers were already present and seated around a polished table with a smooth surface. The furniture was constructed from Velantium, the same precious stone that was used to craft our swords and various weapons as well as armor chest plates and spaulders.
“What’s this about you resigning?” Rexnor asked, thumping my shoulder.
I gave him a stern look. “I have my duty.”
He snorted. “You are the best warrior of all of us.”
Rexnor’s good humor and friendly demeanor were not common among Braxtharian warriors. Many were serious and rarely smiled. Most did not reveal such displays of emotion, me included. In the presence of our leaders, we did not show weakness.
Motok and Orion were defensive of their brother. He was different but that did not mean he wasn’t as strong, brave, courageous, or battle hungry as the rest of us. Rexnor was simply relaxed in a way that I nearly envied. If I ever chose to indulge the impulse. The crew on the Vindicator knew he was as great a warrior as the rest.
“Yes,” Motok agreed. “Dangerous missions are often the result of a warrior’s duty.”
“As it should be,” Orion agreed.
“You shouldn’t be going anywhere alone though.” Rexnor ticked his head in my direction. “This about your past?”
The brothers were the only males who could ask me such personal questions. I would never indulge this conversation with any other warrior. “Yes.”
Orion crossed his arms over his chest. “I understand your need for vengeance.”
Motok gestured to a seat as I joined them. “We are here for you, Valtus. You’re family.”
I considered Motok, Orion, and Rexnor my only family. The past ensured I had no other.
“Family,” I agreed, keeping my emotions from rising to the surface and displaying how deeply I was affected. Emotional responses were not usually so easily distracting. Since the discovery of human female abductions and finding Motok’s mate Kerra, I had struggled with keeping a tight hold on my feelings and the remnants of my past. Kacie dredged up those dark moments I never wanted to think about again.
“We all know humans have been disappearing, but the numbers are low and sporadic enough no one has yet made a significant connection,” Orion began and brought the meeting to task. “The blame has been focused on the slavers. As disturbing as the news may be, they aren’t the only or the most prominent threat. Mostly, these missing females are connected with the Interstellar Space Program on Earth.”
“Agreed,” Motok answered. “My mate and her sister are only two of the females captured with connections to the ISP but there are many more. That knowledge is not being shared.”
Who was responsible for kidnapping females in the ISP? Was it only Rymar and Bly?
“I finally decrypted the files you downloaded from those terminals on Cryton, Valtus.” Orion frowned as he shook his head. “There were numerous files. Many of them contained blueprints for the same kind of slave colony we found on Cryton. Trade agreements. Bills of sale. I found contracts with both Rymar and Bly’s signatures.”
“What kind of sales? More human female captives?”
“Human slaves were the most prominent but other species were also listed.”