Out of Bight, Out of Mind Read online

  Aaron’s composure fractured. Control escaped him. “She’s dead!” he screamed. “We lost her five months ago! What kind of sick fucking joke is this?”

  “Calm down, Captain. She can’t be dead. The chip was active, although now that I’m looking at the readings, it looks like it might have been removed from her. But no doubt about it, it’s her chip.”

  “Where. Is. Ford?” he demanded through clenched teeth.

  The security officer checked his screen. “Looks like…oh fuck. Only one vessel it could be.”

  “What?”

  “Well, based on Dr. Hypatia’s time of arrival and on how they both left range together, they must be on the B’autachia.”

  * * * *

  Caph, roused from sleep by Aaron screaming at him over the ship’s intercom, came pounding onto the bridge. “What the fuck? What’s wrong?”

  “Prepare to leave. Now.” Aaron punched the com link to the dockmaster’s office. “This is the Tamora Bight. We need to depart now. Emergency.”

  “Whoa, Captain. Cool your jets. You’re not scheduled to go for another hour.”

  “Do not argue with me, dammit. We have to leave. Now. I don’t have time to explain.”

  “Sure, calm down. We’ll get you unhooked. I’ll dispatch a crew. Give us fifteen and give the ’tude a chill, why doncha?”

  Caph slid into his chair, set Bucky on the console in front of him, and started going over his assigned preflight checklists. “Where’s Ford?”

  Aaron didn’t answer him as he overrode Ford’s terminal and frantically punched commands into the ship’s computer in preparation to depart.

  Caph turned to him. “Aaron, did you hear me? Where the fuck is Ford?”

  How do I tell him? That apparently Ford ran off on some sort of wild chase? It couldn’t be a coincidence that Emi’s chip was sensed on the same ship Ford left on. He couldn’t tell Caph that, not when the big guy was finally showing signs of coming out of his grief. “I think he cracked under pressure, got drunk off his ass, and found his way onto the wrong ship. We have to go after him.”

  “Oh, fuck. What ship?”

  “The Beyant battle cruiser.”

  Caph stared at him for a moment, jaw gaping. “Holy fuck.”

  Aaron and Caph quickly got under way. It took them two hours to catch up to the convoy’s trailing security vessel. “Pan, pan, pan. Emergency hail. This is Captain Aaron Lucio of the DSMC Vessel Tamora Bight to the rear ship in the Beyant escort security crew.”

  A few seconds later, a man responded. “Tamora Bight, this is Commander Jared Logans, ISNC Vessel Praunglia. What can we do for you, Captain Lucio?”

  “I’ve got a missing crewman who apparently found his way onto that Beyant battle cruiser. I need to get him back ASAP.”

  Aaron heard a flurry of garbled talk before the commander returned to the com link. “Um, sorry, no can do, Captain. I doubt that happened, but even if it did, they’re untouchable until we get to Mars.”

  “It did happen, because the station security office tracked his chip. And what do you mean they’re untouchable until Mars? I’ve got to get my man back.”

  The other man’s voice grew hard. “They are not officially a treaty race yet. To prevent any misunderstandings they are required to maintain radio silence and be in a no-contact status, unless they have an emergency on their vessel requiring them to ask for assistance. Meaning only in the case they need to abandon ship. Likewise, we are not allowed to contact them for anything other than official communiqués. If you’ve got a runaway crewman, he’s stuck there until Mars. All we are allowed to do is transmit navigational info, coordinates, and docking info to them via official and secured channels.”

  Aaron felt a tension headache threatening. A dangerous throbbing pounded behind his eyes. “How long until we get to Mars?”

  “At this speed? Nearly four months. You’re welcomed to tag along behind our convoy, Captain. Or go ahead and meet us there, if you’ve got jump-cap. But be warned, if you try to interfere with this convoy in any way, we will be forced to disable your vessel and take you into custody.”

  Aaron signed off and pounded on the arm of the command chair. “Fuck!”

  Chapter Eighteen

  Doubt thou the stars are fire;

  Doubt that the sun doth move;

  Doubt truth to be a liar;

  But never doubt I love.

  —William Shakespeare, Hamlet

  Yanna sat across the mess hall table and smiled with amusement as Erin closed her eyes and slowly chewed, savoring the Terran food.

  “This. Is. Heaven,” she whispered.

  “Good?”

  “Great! You are the best big brother ever.”

  “Ever?”

  “Ever.”

  “You can’t remember if you had a big brother or not. How do you know there’s not one better than me?”

  “Any brother who would do this for me has to be the best ever.” She finished her food and let out a burp. “Excuse me.”

  “That sounds like an approval.”

  “You have no idea how good that was. Not that your food isn’t good,” she quickly added, “but…” She shrugged.

  He nodded. “I completely understand, a’tein. I am sure I would feel the same way in your situation.”

  She accompanied Yanna to the bridge for a little while, then went to her cabin to take a nap and sleep off her full tummy. They were on their way to Mars, finally. Possibly on the way to finding out who she was. As soon as they had the treaty signed, she would be protected, as would the Beyants, by the treaty. Then she wouldn’t have to worry about the men facing any sanctions for not turning her over immediately.

  And if she couldn’t figure out who she was, or didn’t like what she found out, she would be free to remain with them for as long as she wanted. No one could force her to stay on Mars if she didn’t want to. She was officially a Beyant.

  Maybe selfish on her part, but she wasn’t about to give up a sure thing for a wispy, scary what-if past.

  * * * *

  Ford belatedly realized maybe the whiskey had played too much of a part in his decision. As he sobered up, his head throbbing with pain from the hangover, he realized how badly he’d fucked up. They were under way. A few times he’d heard crew walk past his hiding spot.

  Aaron and Caph had to be panicked by now.

  But that woman was Emi. He was sure of it.

  The only way to know is to find her for myself.

  He carefully moved the filters out of the way and listened at the locker hatch. Silence. Working slowly, he carefully opened the hatch and climbed out into the deserted corridor.

  He had no idea where to go, and the occasional placards on the walls were written in Beyant. Praying they wouldn’t kill him outright or dump him out an air lock before he found Emi, he slowly made his way down the large corridor until he rounded a corner and nearly walked headlong into a Beyant crew member.

  Ford didn’t know who was more shocked, himself or the Beyant.

  Ford held up his arms in what he hoped was a universal sign of surrender. “Emi. Dr. Hypatia. Please, take me to her.”

  The Beyant looked terrified. He screamed at him while pointing at the floor. Ford slowly sat, keeping his arms over his head as the guy ran over to a panel and paged someone. Within a minute he was surrounded by armed Beyant guards who nervously trained their weapons on him.

  “Emi,” he begged. “Please. Just let me see her. I know she’s here. Please?”

  One of the guards stepped forward. “English standard?” he said, his accent thick.

  Ford nodded, relieved. “Yes, I speak English standard.”

  More agitated jabbering amongst themselves in Beyant before another man showed up. The new guy pointed to himself. “Pabo.” He pointed at Ford. “Your name?”

  “Ford Caliban.”

  “Ford?”

  He nodded.

  More jabbering and conversing over their com system between Pabo and
someone else.

  Finally, Pabo pointed at him. “Up. Now.”

  Ford kept his arms up and slowly stood. They frisked him and let him keep his wallet, handheld, and picture card, but they kept their weapons trained on him.

  “Arms down,” Pabo said, waving at him.

  He lowered his arms. “Please, take me to Emi.”

  “Who?”

  “Emi.”

  Pabo looked confused. “Who Emi? No Emi here.”

  “She’s a woman. A human woman. I know she’s on board, I saw her.”

  Pabo shook his head again. “Only one woman. No Emi.”

  “But I saw her with you guys on the station. I know it’s her.” He pointed to his left hand, where he still wore his wedding band. “Emi. My wife. She has to be here. I saw her get on board with some of your guys.”

  Pabo’s eyes widened. He grabbed Ford’s hand and stared at the ring as he jabbered at another Beyant guard. Then, in standard, he asked, “What this mean?”

  “It’s my wedding ring. The woman with you, Emi. Does she have one, too? Like this?” The distinctive and unique pattern was a matched set. Emi’s ring matched all three of their bands. He pulled out his picture card and scrolled through it, stopping at one that showed all four of them. He pointed to her. “That’s Emi.”

  The man shook his head as he stared at it. “No Emi. Erin.”

  Ford struggled against his hangover and frustration. “No, that’s not Aaron. That’s Emi.” He pointed at Aaron. “That’s Aaron.” He pointed at Emi again. “Emi. She’s my wife.”

  “No. No Emi. Erin,” Pabo said.

  Ford’s patience hung by a thread, compounded by his throbbing headache. It’d be worth attacking these guys just to get himself killed and put out of his misery, but he had to find out for sure. “Eh-meee,” he slowly said, tapping the picture card again. “Not Aaron. Emi. A Terran woman. Aaron’s a man. Emi is my wife. Aaron is my husband. That male there.”

  Pabo shook his head. “No,” he said with every ounce of the conviction Ford was feeling. “I tell you. No Emi.” He pointed at Emi. “Erin. Erin Cafford Raoulx.” He frowned, looking suspicious. “What you want with Erin?”

  Ford cried, unable to hold back any longer. “What the fuck is wrong with you people? That’s not Aaron! Aaron is on our ship. He’s a man, with a dick and testicles.” He shook the picture card. “This is Emi. Please, Emi is our wife. A human woman. We thought she was dead. If she’s here, take me to her. Please.”

  “I know what woman is. I know what man is. Erin is ambassador’s daughter. Woman, not man.” Pabo herded Ford along the corridor ahead of him. “Come now. This way. Bridge. Talk to Commander Raoulx.”

  * * * *

  When the guards led Ford to the bridge, the tall man Ford had seen on the station was pacing the deck. Up close, Ford could tell the Beyant stood even taller than Caph.

  And he wasted no time crossing the bridge and getting in Ford’s face, towering over him. “Who are you? How dare you stow away on our ship?” His English standard was far better than the other man’s.

  Ford held up his hands. “Please, I just want to see Emi.” If he was wrong, he’d let them kill him. He didn’t care anymore. “My wife, Emi. I know she’s here. I saw her with you on the space station.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out the photo card again. “See? Emi.” He glared at Pabo. “That idiot keeps asking about Aaron. Aaron’s our husband. This is Emi. My wife. A Terran female. Woman.”

  He didn’t miss the look of shock in the Beyant commander’s face as he stared at the picture card. Before Ford could react, the Beyant grabbed Ford’s shirt and hauled him up to his toes. “What do you want with Erin?” he growled in Ford’s face. “Why do you want her?”

  Ford felt what little remained of his control dissolve. He either wanted to be reunited with Emi…or he wanted these guys to just put him out of his misery. “Fuck! What the hell is it with you people? Why do you keep calling Aaron a woman? You speak standard. I’m a man. Aaron is a man. Emi is a female, a woman.” Tears streaming down his face, Ford babbled out the story as best he could, ending with seeing Emi with them on the space station. As the story progressed, the Beyant’s expression softened. He eventually released Ford and turned away from him.

  Ford sank to his knees, holding the picture card up to the commander as if in prayer. “Please! If she’s here and she’s alive, please, take me to her.” He pointed at the picture of all of them. “This is our family,” he said, showing it to the guy. “That’s me and Emi and Aaron and Caph.”

  The Beyant turned, his brow scrunched. “What was your name again?”

  Ford struggled to hold on to his fraying sanity. “My name is Ford, for chrissake. I’m Ford.”

  “And the other two men? What did you call them?”

  “Aaron and Caph.”

  He looked thoughtful. “Aaroncaphford?”

  Ford nodded. Finally, this guy was starting to get it. “Yes! Aaron, Caph, and Ford. I’m Ford.”

  The Beyant walked over to one of his men and spoke to him. The man nodded and his fingers flew over the console. Ford heard his own voice, and Emi’s, drift from a speaker.

  That afternoon before all hell broke loose, when he was explaining the jump engine to her. She’d recorded it to play back later.

  He nodded, his heart racing. “Yes! That’s me talking to Emi. Please, where is she?”

  The Beyant spoke again, indicating he wanted the playback stopped. Then he pointed at a video screen. Ford watched the video. On it, their auxiliary lifepod was slowly and carefully brought into one of the Beyant hangar bays. He watched as a team of armed Beyants surrounded it, led by the commander. Ford held his breath as he watched them remove an unconscious Emi from it. It looked like the Beyant commander personally carried her from the pod, handling her gently and with care as they laid her on a stretcher.

  Sobbing, Ford scrambled to his feet and ran over to the screen, pressing his hands to it as the picture froze.

  “She is alive! You found her!” Without thinking about the implications, he turned and raced over to the commander and threw his arms around the Beyant’s neck, hugging him. “Thank you! Oh my gods, thank you! Thank you!”

  The Beyant peeled Ford off him and handed him over to Pabo. “You wait here. I will return.”

  * * * *

  Yanna’s head spun as he stormed off the bridge. He had no reason to doubt the Terran’s story. Any man crazy enough to sneak onto a military vessel in search of a woman, and then hug his captor, must be desperate.

  The picture didn’t lie, either. It looked like Erin in a much happier time, with a beautiful smile on her face, surrounded by three men.

  Including the crying one now blubbering on his bridge.

  And he wore a matching ring. That could not be mere coincidence.

  He hated to disturb her nap but knew he couldn’t let this wait. He owed it to her, not to mention he worried that if kept waiting too long, the silly Terran man might accidentally hurt himself or one of his men in his quest to find Erin.

  Her soft voice replied to his page. “Come.” She sat up, sleepy, as he walked in. “What’s wrong, Yanna?”

  “I need to bring you to the bridge to show you something, a’tein.”

  A tired smile curled her lips. “More food?”

  “Not quite.”

  He held her hand for the walk to the bridge. How would she react? When they reached the bridge, he stopped before they entered. “I want you to hold on to me if you need to, a’tein. All right?”

  She nodded, obviously confused. “Okay.”

  They walked in.

  * * * *

  Ford thought his heart would stop. Her hair looked different, and her skin had turned a different shade, and she’d definitely lost a lot of weight, but it was her.

  Her unmistakable grey eyes.

  His jaw gaped. “Emi!” he gasped. He started to step forward, but Pabo grabbed his arm and held him.

  “She recalls very l
ittle before she arrived,” the commander told Ford. “Her memory is almost completely gone about her past.”

  She froze, then started speaking in fluent Beyant to the man Pabo had told him was Commander Raoulx Yanna.

  The commander spoke with her as she stared at Ford. The commander walked with her, holding her hand as she took a few tentative steps closer.

  She asked Ford something in Beyant. He shook his head. “I don’t understand, babe.” She looked like she was in shock.

  He could sympathize.

  The commander made a motion and Pabo released him. Then the commander spoke. “She asked who you are.”

  “Babe, I’m your husband, Ford. Ford Caliban. The drugs that guy slipped you, it made you lose your memory.” He pulled his handheld out of his pocket and scrolled through it to the notes, then held it up to show her. “I can synthesize the antidote, but I don’t know if it’ll work this many months later. He left the instructions before he killed himself.”

  Alive! She was alive!

  She stared at him.

  “Emi, I love you. I never gave up hoping we’d find you. Me and Aaron and Caph, we’ve missed you so much.”

  She released the Beyant’s hand and stepped closer, studying his eyes. “Aaroncaphford.” She said it as if one word, like the Beyant had earlier.

  He nodded and showed her the picture card. “Aaron, Caph, Ford. Aaron Lucio, Caphis Bates, and me, Ford Caliban. We’re your husbands.” He held up his hand, pointing to the rings on hers.

  She grabbed his hand and looked at his wedding band as tears spilled down her face. She said something in Beyant.

  He didn’t miss the fact that she still wore her rings.

  The commander translated. “She said tell her about the jump engine.”

  Okay, weird, but anything she wanted, he’d talk about. In his shock, he couldn’t recall what had been on the audio playback the Beyant had provided earlier. He tried to remember what he’d said to her that day, all the other times he’d patiently explained it to her. Her eyes locked on his as he talked, her hand tightening around his until he’d finished.