Page 115 of Exiles on Earth

My hands find El-len again, as if I need the shape of her in my palms at all times. She wears a white dress, her shoulders bare and hair loose like a cloak. She looked like a warrior goddess descending amongst the Parthiastocks to rescue me, a shining star pulling me with fierce gravity.

I won’t be separated from her anymore, but exhaustion drags at all my limbs as if my scales have turned betrillium heavy. I can’t fight a single Parthiastock, let alone a score of robots.

“Ah!” El-len pulls her necklace off, dangling an iridescent chip in the air. “Can we use this?”

I take the chip in my hand. “The All-Mother’s token! Excellent. I’ll get the pilot to call her now and ask her to get the ship ready.”

The Pranastock looks like he might faint when I give him my request to contact the All-Mother, but he complies.

“My thanks,” I tell him while we wait for the connection. “And also, my deepest gratitude for looking after my mate.”

“Mate?” He startles, looking back at El-len and then at me. His mouth drops open. “You’re the Gerverstock, 345961LIA. I didn’t watch the Games, but I heard all about it. You’re an inspiration.”

I shift uncomfortably as his eyes turn admiring. “Well, I didn’t win?—”

He looks at El-len again. “Yes you did. I wondered why she was hunting down Gerverstocks. She was looking for you.”

My hearts beat harder, warmth for El-len flooding through me.

The pilot sighs. “I want to turn around, but I can’t disobey orders from the Prif.”

“I know. Land as far away from the launchpad as you can, and I’ll see if the All-Mother can rescind those orders.”

The Pranastock shakes his head miserably. “The Prif outranks the All-Mother. Her command overrides all others.”

He’s right, but I can only worry about a few things at a time. I need to prioritize finding a ship first.

The All-Mother answers, her holoimage beaming directly into the cabin next to us.

“El-len, have you found him?” she asks, then immediately gasps when she sees me.

“Yep. He’s safe and sound, although he very nearly wasn’t.” El-len clings onto my right arm, wrapping hers around mine as if braiding us together.

“Oh my stars, I’m so happy you found him.” And she does genuinely look delighted, scales shining with a bright silver light. She quickly collects herself, smoothing down her abaya robes. “What can I do for you?”

“We need to use your ship,” I say, holding up the chip El-len had been wearing.

“Of course. Keep it.”

My head swims. A mate and a ship, all in one day. “My thanks. We need it to be ready to take off as soon as we get there, to avoid any… incidents.”

Her scales dim slightly. “My ship is an older model, it takes a while to check the systems and warm the engines. I’ll have to input the destination and set off the launch sequence. When I do, you’ll only have a finite time to board, but then it’ll take off immediately.”

“How much time?”

“Five earth minutes. As I said, it’s an older model.”

“Five minutes is tight, but plenty. And please order our pilot to head to your launch pad.” Inspiration strikes. “Say it’s for a female’s safety, that El-len needs Earth air as soon as possible for her health.”

The All-Mother beams. “Genius. A female’s safety comes above orders from even the Prif.”

I tighten my hand around El-len’s as the car shifts direction. “We’re going to have to run when the pilot lands. No matter what, get on that ship. I’ll be right behind you.”

“No, I’ll be behind you,” she insists stubbornly. “They won’t shoot you or whatever if I’m in the way.”

It makes sense, but the idea of putting her in danger of a blast makes my scales crawl. “El-len, no.”

Her face sets, and I know she’ll hunker down like a Parthiastock protecting the law. Then her delicate, delicious lips curl upwards in a smile. “Look at you, being all assertive. You asked the All-Mother for loads of things, and now you’re telling me no. You’ve come a long way.”