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He waved me over and with one last sigh, I abandoned my futile mission on the tablet and sidled up to my alien. "There, do you see that purple light?"
My eyes followed his outstretched finger until I found the purple glow from a sun, gleaming behind another, darker planet, almost as if it were a halo around the alien world.
"Pandrax," he said, referring to the giant planet in front of the sun.
We approached the massive planet at a dizzying speed. "In a few hours we will be at court."
Resolution steeled my spine. This would be it.
"We should let the others know," I suggested.
I was already wearing dark pants and a shirt. The selection of clothing aboard theVyperwasn't great, since it had originally only been manned by Garth and his crew. But it didn't matter to me, beggars and choosers and all that.
"Let's go." He nodded.
The way to the human quarters was by now as familiar to me just as the way to my office had been back on Earth, at what seemed a lifetime ago.
When the doors parted, we were greeted by a hive of activity. Somebody must have already informed the others that we were about to land on Pandrax.
"The emperor is expecting us," Garth announced. "But I want you to remain quiet in the background while Silla and I will speak to him, unless you are called upon, clear?"
Many anxious faces stared up at him, some apprehensive, some fearful, and some—like the soldier, whose name I found out was Eric Penn, and the little gang he had formed—calculating.
"Why does she get to talk? Don't we get a say in this?" Eric asked.
"In due time," Garth replied, before moving straight in front of the soldiers. "Are we going to have a problem here?"
Garth towered over Eric by nearly a head, but the soldier was also strongly built and used to commands; he didn't back down. "Not unless given cause."
Garth glared down at him, but must have found what he was looking for and nodded grimly.
"Your time will come warrior," he promised.
"I want to stay with you," Kevin requested, moving to Garth's side. During the last few days the kid had not only grown stronger physically, but mentally too. I was sure he still missed his parents terribly, but his bravery impressed me.
"And you will, little warrior, I promise. All of you"—he turned in a circle—"will find a spot, choices, I promise you that."
"I want to stay with you too." Susan sidled up to him, pressing her hand into his bicep, and turning my stomach acidly.
"We will find the appropriate place for you," Garth said, frowning as if for the first time noticing her flirting with him.
"Oh, I can think of a few appropriatespots. Let's start in your bed, I can show you—"
I could hardly believe my ears or her audacity, but Garth pointedly took her hand before she even finished her sentence.
"Please don't make a fool out of yourself, merrily, it's not becoming."
"Oh come on, you can't tell me you prefer this"—again she measured me from head to toe—"walking corpse to a full-blooded woman like me, you have no idea—"
While she was talking her hand sneaked up Garth's chest. Anger bubbled up inside me for her touching him, calling me a corpse.
"Get your hands off him," I threatened.
"Or what zombie bride?" she sneered.
That was it. Anger the likes I had never known, spilled over from inside me, and I pushed her away from Garth.
She stumbled back, and only the help of a man steadying her kept her on her feet, otherwise she would have been sprawled on the ground.
