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Irene sat at the dinette, her back to the table, when Rusp returned. He looked deflated, as if he’d suffered misfortune.
“It go same as always, huh?” Jemi sat next to Irene, holding her. She’d almost stopped shaking. He reached and briefly squeezed his Nobek’s hand as Rusp passed.
“I never be his favorite son.” Rusp smiled weakly, indicating it was an attempt to joke. His clanmates smiled as feebly.
He stood next to Sherv, who’d paused pacing at his entrance. The Dramok patted his shoulder. “Thank you for talking to him. What he say?”
“Is bad. Earther and Kalquorian can have children together. Empire claim they rescue human women, but I think kidnaps are because we have three hundred years to extinct.”
“Three hundred years?” Jemi paled, then shook his head. “Still not right to take women from station.”
“Not only station.” Rusp gazed at Irene miserably. “Kalquor take all Earther Mataras they find off Earth. Give to clans.”
Cold sliced through her. “It’s like the Church said. They’ll make us sex slaves.”
“No, not…well…they promise you be equal to us. Live in best home, with biggest rank clans. Not slave, but you have to be clan Mataras.” He shook his head. “Maybe it is slave if no choice. I don’t know. This is too insane for me to understand.”
Irene shoved past the horror of what his world was doing. “How much trouble are you in for helping me?”
Rusp shrugged. “If caught, arrested. Face charges.”
Sherv’s jaw jutted stubbornly. “No matter. Irene wants home and parents. We find a way to take you there, don’t let Nil take you to Kalquor.”
Rusp nodded, his gaze meeting Irene’s. “Is correct to keep you safe, no matter what happens to us. I tell father I do it, and I mean it.”
Tears sprang to her eyes. They’d risked everything. “You shouldn’t be in this position. I don’t want you to suffer because of me.”
Sherv came to the bench where she sat and knelt before her. “This not your fault. Our people do this to yours. We can’t help other Mataras, but we fix for you.”
He kissed her, as if to put a seal on a solemn vow. Irene clung to him, weeping and kissing him in return.
She managed to smile when they parted. “If all clans were like yours, I’d almost be glad to be kidnapped to Kalquor. There can’t be better men than you three. I’m so lucky to have met you.”
“We lucky too.” Sherv drew a shuddering breath and stood. He faced Rusp. “We need to choose safe place to hide until safe to take Irene to her people.”
“We should go to place few Kalquorian fleet goes. Remember first off-world show we play?”
Sherv’s face lit. “Rexadux Station. Alsepu space.”
Jemi snorted. At Irene’s questioning gaze, he said, “First audience was five. None Kalquorians. Two leave middle of first song.”
Rusp chuckled. “Slow start.”
“Good place to avoid Nil. We hide trail, he not search there, I hope.” Sherv hurried to the cockpit to talk to the pilots.
Jemi hugged Irene. “We get you home. You see.”
“I’ll never be able to make this up to you. To think we’re in this mess because I wanted to roam around and listen to alien music.” She glanced from him to Rusp.
Rusp waved her concerns off. “Not because of you. Stop blame yourself. You do this too much. Earth say you guilty so much, you believe it.”
A fresh concern woke. “Your father said they had proof Kalquorians and Earthers can produce children together.”
“Yes. This why empire do terrible thing.”
Sherv rejoined them. “Leave false trail mean we reach Rexadux one week. Kalquor week,” he advised Irene. “Ten your days.”
She brushed aside this news. “What if I’m pregnant? I can’t go home if what we did…” Her voice trailed off as her heart hammered.
