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“I know they attacked my home and destroyed lives. I grew up on Kychek, and we had our fair share of visits from the Patrol. I know that they have stolen women from all over, using them as fodder for their repopulation initiatives. And I know that they have outposts just like that one all over the universe with countless other victims in their grasp.”
As I spoke, my words became more impassioned. I was speaking not from the knowledge that Tayla and Adreax had given me aboard their ship, but from my experience under the Patrol’s thumb. Who were these men to question me after all I’d been through?
Before I could unleash another torrent of righteous fury, Nivek cut me off.
“The Patrol? You mean the Sovann’ash?”
“The who?” I asked, growing irritable.
“The Sovann’ash. The soldiers running that outpost.”
“Sure. Call them whatever you want. Where I’m from, they’re just the Patrol.”
“And what is it you mean to do next? Why have you come here?”
“I didn’t mean to come here,” I answered, snappishly. “I asked Malik to take me back to my ship and my people, which he refused to do. So, if you want to get rid of me, it’s as simple as ordering him to take me back where I belong.” I gave them both a sarcastic smile.
Nivek sat back from the desk, crossing his arms and shrugging with indifference. “I do not give orders. I am only tasked with keeping the Brotherhood secure. Our members are free to operate as they please. They do not owe me their obedience, although I do expect their loyalty.”
It was my turn to scoff at this outrageous notion.
“What the hell kind of operation is this, then? Some kind of clubhouse?”
Malik snorted a laugh. “Hardly. The Vaclan Brotherhood is a well-established organization. We are quite notorious in some parts of the universe.”
“Yeah? Well, I’ve never heard of you, and it doesn’t seem like you do much around here, so if it’s all the same to you, I’d like to leave.”
I tried to hold my head high, chin up and eyes level with Nivek’s. I wasn’t going to let him intimidate me. Not after learning that this guy wasn’t even in charge. As far as I could tell, he was some kind of glorified security guard, but if he couldn’t command Malik to take me back, I wasn’t going to let him tell me what to do either.
This was why I’d left Kychek behind, after all. I was tired of listening to shameless men and their ideas of what was good for me or what I ought to be doing. Being aboard Tayla’s ship was the first taste of freedom I’d had in my entire life, and I was absolutely not ready to give it up now.
“You’re free to leave any time you’d like,” Nivek answered snidely. “I don’t suppose anyone here would stop you. Unless Malik has something else in mind.”
I growled in disgust, and Nivek snickered wickedly. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Malik shift on his feet, but he said nothing to dissuade Nivek of the notion.
“Well? Do you?”
“No. You are free to go.”
I scoffed.
“Seriously? I’m free to go? I don’t even know where the hell I am. How am I supposed to get back to my people?”
“You could try asking nicely,” he remarked, amusement belying every word.
My face grew hot with anger as I drew a deep breath through my nose to keep from snapping at their mockery.
“Fine,” I breathed, rolling my neck to release the tension I was holding in my shoulders. “May I use your comms unit, please?”
“Afraid not,” Nivek chimed in. “The Vaclan Brotherhood allows no outbound broad spectrum transmissions. Too risky. Your friends are welcome to hail us when they are near.”
“What? Are you kidding me? How are they even supposed to find me out here? They probably think I’m dead. Or maybe they’re trying to figure out how to rescue me from the outpost. They could be risking their lives on a fool’s errand as we speak!”
Nivek nodded. “This is unfortunate. Perhaps someone on the Vaclanheim will help you. Do you… have anything you could exchange for this service?”
His eyes raked over me once more and I shuddered in disgust, backing away instinctively. But this only caused me to bump straight into Malik who was standing close behind me, and his arms wrapped neatly around my waist in an instant, that strange mechanical hand cool against my body. At his touch, a fresh round of goosebumps raised themselves on my arm and I felt a tingle of something else deep in my core.
“That’s enough,” he growled over my head, shielding me from Nivek. “I have more questions, but I will not allow you to terrorize her.”
