AllFreeNovel
Share Us
"Do you think that's going to work?" my officer asks.
"Look around. This is the best shot we have right now and should work at least once, especially if they’ve purposely cut the lights; there are probably some humans who’ve escaped. And I doubt these Octopods have ever heard a human audiobook. And with the way their sensors are, they might assume we've sensors to mask our life signs too. Hopefully, they'll get nervous we've taken their cargo and are moving out."
"How long are we going to wait?"
"Just a few minutes."
All of our eyes are on the empty corridor as the book plays. I'm not even listening to the words, and I don't think anyone else is either. Then, as I suspected, out of thin air, we're attacked full-on by four Octopods. They are fast. Their tentacles hold guns as they move through the corridor at an alarming rate. I'm hit in my arm and leg, but my armor protects me. My men and I fire and manage to take out two in the initial attack, but two have retreated, and now they know there are no humans with us.
I take stock of my men. Only one is down, but he's not dead. I leave him and another here to guard him. The rest of us move forward. We'll attack now that we know their numbers.
"I believe I wounded one of them badly," an officer tells me.
I nod. I think he did too, but they move so fast it's difficult to say. Octopods can regenerate tentacles quickly with technology. If only we could do the same, I lament.
We get further down the corridor than we did before. My boots step in wet Octopod blood, and then I kick a tentacle out of my way. Finally, the Octopods that are left fire on us, but instead of taking cover, we push forward. There's only two of them and four of us. We fire, and they move toward what I assume is the cargo bay. We begin to fire wildly. My thoughts go to Ivy and then to the other humans. The last thing any of us wants is for them to reach the cargo bay and kill all the humans. These humans are especially valuable as they've all been taken before, and the GC will recognize some of their voices. It's important that the greater galactic community acknowledge that the Dulu, Octopods, and Agnorrians are working together illegally.
We kill the remaining Octopods. But not before they manage to wound some of the humans. We take note of the humans. No one has died. It doesn't escape me that there are so many of them in such small cages. I’m frantically scanning for Ivy now as we try and open the cages.
Chaos at our appearance has ensued. Some humans begin to thank us in Alliance, and some fall to their knees, thanking the goddesses in prayer. Others shout obscenities at us because they don't believe we're going to return them to Earth. They think they'll be sold as pets again. My men try to assure them all they'll be returned to Earth. No one bothers with translators or speaking English because most of these people either have translators or speak Alliance.
We finally get the cages open, and my men try to calmly get them to our larger ship, where Orr is waiting to take them back to the base, where they'll be processed and returned to Earth.
I surprise everyone by rushing into the cage that matches Ivy’s tracking device, pushing aside scared humans. “Ivy?!” I call out. “Where are you? Ivy?”
When I see her, I run towards her, screaming her name, but just as I do and almost touch her arms, another human woman grabs my dagger and begins quickly stabbing Ivy in the side. I stop the woman’s hand from stabbing again. But she’s already given Ivy a death blow. All I hear from the woman is, "I won't let them take you as a pet."
I call out, "No!" When I realize what's happened, I push the human woman away so strongly that she goes flying across the cage and take Ivy in my arms. I run as fast as I’ve ever run in my life to get her back to medical on my ship. "Please, goddesses, don't let Ivy stray into the darkness." Once I get on the ship, I activate the medical pod and place Ivy inside. It's almost like déjà vu seeing Ivy again in the medical emergency pod. Are the goddesses punishing me?
I don't blame the human woman who did this. No doubt she had a terrible life out in the galaxy and didn't want that for Ivy. Unfortunately, she didn't know that was never going to happen. I watch impatiently as the medical pod begins its assessment.
The medical pod closes so slowly, and it seems to take even longer before it begins scanning Ivy. After a minute, it locates her ailments and begins treating her. I hover over her through the glass. She looks dead. I triple-check her life signs. She's not dead. The medical bed must have her in a coma now. I can’t stop looking at her and hoping she survives this. It’s all my fault. I did this.
Through my comms, I'm being called. I leave the medical room and lock the door with my DNA, which is my right as her husband. Then, I attend to the rest of this mission. We must find the Dulu that are hiding somewhere on this ship and detain them until the GC arrives to take the ship and the Dulu and, if there are any more Octopods alive, back for sentencing.
Forty-five minutes later, Orr messages me.
We need to take Ivy. You cannot keep her on your ship. Those are direct orders from Commander Fox. She will be safe. I swear.
I message back.
No.
Sem, I do not want to disrupt the medical cycle. Come and let us in the room. Orr
If you refuse, you will be sent back to the Empire for punishment. Commander Fox
Reading this last message, I know I have to release Ivy now, or I may never see her again. If I’m returned to the Empire after what I have done, I will be put to death. I return to my ship and open the medical room for Orr and some of his men to retrieve the emergency medical pod.
"She will be safe. I promise."
I nod and touch the top of the glass where Ivy's face is as she passes, escorted effortlessly by two men. "If anything happens to her…"
"Nothing is going to happen. We've done this how many times? Now, do your job so you can come back to her. Walk in the goddesses' light."
"May they always guide you," I reply and then catch one last glimpse of Ivy's medical pod as it turns a corner.
Orr puts his arm on my shoulder for seven seconds and then leaves without another word.
