Page 21 of Rebels Rising (The Intergalactic Union #3)

Dorian

I didn’t think they realised the rest of us had followed. The conversation we’d all just overheard was a bit of a nightmare to process, more so for some than others, but the implications were major. There was someone on the ship that wasn’t supposed to be here, but his allegiance was still up in the air. Was he on our side because of his own child, or was he simply playing coy to keep tabs on them all?

I hoped it was the former, because the latter would break far too many hearts, one of which would undoubtedly be Liberty’s, which would lead to an angry Artemis on the warpath. Another one.

Unexpectedly, the entire ordeal just made me miss my family. I’d give anything to see my siblings right about now, to tousle with my brothers, to eat father’s cooking despite how ill it would make us on the nights ma would be out working. Stars, I’d even allow my sisters and nieces to dress me up however they saw fit or allow my nephews to climb over me like a playground apparatus. All the things that had annoyed me before, I couldn’t wait to experience them again.

I may have come from an impoverished planet, but my family was a lot less dysfunctional than all the others’, I was beginning to realise. At least I grew up with freedom to be who I wanted to be, with parents who were very much in love in a place that didn’t judge based on race, wealth, or status.

I couldn’t wait to get back.

Unfortunately, just as Bromm was about to leave for the cafeteria, an alarm bleated on the holo-table, interrupting Libby.

‘What’s happening?’ she asked, panic raising her voice as she glanced towards her son.

‘The scanners have detected an incoming ship. It’ll be on us in a day,’ Eloria informed us, switching to her professional personal in an instant and turning to Artemis. ‘Captain, we need to change course. They’re catching up.’

Artemis plucked Baldr from the GC’s lap, positioning him so Liberty could see for herself that he was safe, at least for the time being.

‘Are we still on course for the asteroid field?’ she asked the pilot.

‘Yes but therein lies the problem. We can no longer go around it and we can’t turn back without running straight into the enemy.’

‘There’s one more option,’ she prompted, causing the Yu’Rom female’s eyes to widen comically.

‘Captain, I may be a skilled and experienced pilot, but there is no way I will be capable of manoeuvring this ship through such dangerous terrain.’

Artemis placed a grounding hand on Eloria’s shoulder, looked her in the eyes and spoke with a conviction I wished I felt in that moment. ‘You focus on flying this ship and leave the rest up to me. I won’t let us go down.’

I could see the indecision in Eloria’s expression, but her face quickly hardened and she gave Artemis a single, decisive nod. ‘Okay, I trust you, but how?’

She turned to face us, her eyes skirting over me and Xander only to land on Adara, Reece, Bromm and Cadmus. ‘I’m going to need your help.’

Bromm stepped forward without hesitation. ‘What do you need us to do?’

‘The nanites should have infiltrated your biology enough to enter the web. I’m going to need your help shielding the ship. We’ve got to think about the enemy ship’s fire power and potential collision with asteroids. It’s time to put your abilities to the test.’

‘What if it doesn’t work?’ Reece asked nervously. ‘I’ve never been inside the web before. I wouldn’t even know where to begin.’

‘I have,’ Addy spoke up from beside Xander who’s head whipped around at her admission. ‘I accidentally connected to the ship last night. I told Henrik, but then Bromm woke up so we didn’t have the chance to tell anyone else until now.’

‘I’ve been there,’ Cadmus piped in.

‘We know,’ I deadpanned, and he had the audacity to smirk.

‘I don’t know how reliable you’ll be, Cadmus,’ Artemis redirected the conversation back on topic. ‘Bromm collapsed randomly. It could happen to you at any moment, or it might not happen at all. The point is, we can’t just rely on using your abilities.’

‘Which is why you need us,’ Reece concluded.

She nodded. ‘Exactly. Do you think you could try and enter the web now?’

‘I can give it a go, but I don’t know how successful I’ll be. I don’t know what I’m doing.’

Addy stepped up beside him. ‘I can teach him while you sort out the rest, Captain,’ she offered.

Artemis looked to Reece, a question in his gaze, but he merely shot her a reassuring smile. ‘Go on. Addy’s got me. You need to sort out the rest of the ship.’

She patted his arm then turned to face Xander. ‘We need to secure the children, and someone needs to keep an eye on our stowaway in case he tries something.’

‘He won’t try anything A. He’s on our side,’ Liberty’s voice drifted over, startling me. I’d completely forgotten the call was still active.

Artemis faced her friend, her expression grim and apologetic. ‘I trust you Libs, but I don’t trust him. I can’t risk everyone on board.’

Liberty’s lips thinned into a straight line but she conceded without any further argument. ‘I get it. After T… I get it.’

‘Speaking of, where is Tormik?’ I asked.

‘That’s his name?’ Liberty asked, her nose scrunched in disgust.

My curiosity over the entire Tormik situation was reaching its peak, but it still wasn’t any of my business so I held back. As my ma would say, my nose did not belong over there.

‘Actually, Dorian has a point. Bromm, did you see Cameron with T or his mother at all?’

He shook his head no. ‘They’ve been in the same vicinity as they’ve started volunteering with the kids as well, but other than that there have been no interactions between them that I’ve seen.’

‘Well, let’s keep an eye on them all the same. Urman, you’re volunteering, right?’

‘I am,’ he confirmed.

‘You’re now my eyes on the inside. I want you to report back to me after every shift, and if there’s any suspicious activity then inform me immediately.’

‘Understood, Captain.’

‘Xander, I need you to find Foryk and fill him in. I could use a second pair of eyes in the cafeteria, and he’s surprisingly good with kids anyway. I’m not sure how close he is with his family, but until they can prove they can be trusted, we don’t trust them. Not completely.’

‘Understood, Captain. I’ll get right on that.’

‘I’ll send updates to your holo-tabs every turn. If you don’t have one, stick close to someone who does,’ she instructed, then her eyes met mine and I knew I wasn’t going to like what she had to say.

‘I’m going to need a sitter, Dorian. You up for the job?’

I groaned long and low. ‘No, but do I have much of a choice?’

She smirked, amusement turning her eyes from an almost black shade to lighter, more amber brown. ‘Unfortunately not. It’s all hands on deck, soldier. I need someone I trust to take care of them.’

‘I’ll do my best,’ I promised, though if I would be able to keep that promise I had no idea. In fact, I sincerely doubted it. I may have been well-versed with kids, but those two were T.R.O.U.B.L.E.

She handed me the small blonde boy and I took him without complaint, especially when his first act in my care was to gaze up at me with those big green eyes then rest his head on my shoulder and promptly fall asleep. My heart melted, and I was a goner.

I held wrapped my free arm around him, hugging him to me and I knew I would give my life for him without a second thought. It should have scared me, but I couldn’t bring myself to care.

‘Come on, little guy. Let’s get you settled somewhere safe.’ I twisted around to find Dave Junior eyeing up Baldr like he was just waiting for the moment to chow down on him. I could practically see him salivating, and it sent a shiver up my spine. I was going to need to keep an extra close eye on him to keep him from devouring Baldr. Or any kids, for that matter, but it seemed he was awfully fixated on the sweet blonde boy.

‘Okay, buddy. Let’s go somewhere less populated, hmm?’ I cooed at the oversized animal I was trying my best think of as a pet rather than the killing machine they were depicted as in the stories, hoping he’d see me as a friend and follow without a fuss. He didn’t of course. All six if his red eyes zeroed in on me with narrowed intent, and I got the feeling he was glaring at me like I was the only thing standing between him and his meal. Actually, in that moment, I probably was.

I glanced anxiously towards where Artemis and the others infected with the nanites had moved further inside the cockpit, already deep in discussion. I didn’t want to interrupt. I’d been given a task by my captain and I should be able to see it through. So what if it was babysitting duty? It was just two younglings that needed me to watch over them while their guardian was busy. No big deal.

I took a tentative step out the door and patted my leg, calling for Dave Junior to follow. Instead, as soon as my toe touched the floor outside the cockpit he released a deep, menacing growl that was more vibration that sound. It caught the attention of the others and Artemis shot me a worried look.

I didn’t want to look like a wuss, like I wasn’t capable to the simple task I’d been given, but it was soon clear that this assignment was anything but simple. One more step outside caused him to release a snarl that had shivers wracking my entire body. Bal lifted his head and blinked blearily at the Kikshrut, then did something that almost knocked me over with shock.

I had only ever seen him try to play with the animal, annoying him in the process but always pushing forward as if that in itself was fun and games. Not once had I ever seen this little boy lose his temper, least of all with Dave Junior. But that was exactly what happened. He scowled at Dave Junior, wrapped his arms around me neck and started babbling angrily, waving a finger in his direction like that was all it would take to ward him off.

All it did was provoke the beast even more.

‘Dorian, don’t move,’ Artemis warned, slowly approaching Dave Junior like he was about to bite her head off. I obeyed.

She got close enough to rest her hand firmly on Dave Junior’s back, stroking down his purple fuzz. Unfortunately for her, he whipped around and bit her, mangling her arm with a single clamp of his jaw. When he saw it was her that had touched him, however, he immediately let go and backed away with an apologetic whimper.

‘ Dave Junior ,’ she snapped, sounding exactly like my ma when she was telling off me or my siblings. And sometimes pa. ‘That was not nice. We do not bite or growl at friends.’

Blood dripped from her arm momentarily, but then she was fully healed and standing with her hands on her hips, her lips pursed in displeasure. The fact that she didn’t even flinch at the pain was chilling in and of itself, but after everything I’d witnessed when it came to Artemis, it shouldn’t have surprised me that a bite from a fucking mythological creature of death and destruction wouldn’t faze her.

The three red eyes closest to me darted in my direction with a glower while the three on the other side peered innocently up at Artemis. I didn’t think she’d fall for it, but I was shocked yet again when she melted, bending down to press a kiss on his snout.

‘Be nice, Dave Junior.’

He backed down, ears flat against his head as he conceded to her admonishments, acting as if he were genuinely apologetic for his actions towards Artemis while still glaring daggers at both me and Baldr. I was certain then that he was more than just an animal. He may have been a baby himself, but there was intent in the way he behave that belied an intelligence that matched our own, and I wondered if we’d gotten them wrong the whole time. What if they weren’t animals but a sentient species in their own right, and they were just sick and tired of being treated like lesser beings simply because we failed to understand them?

I cradled Baldr to my chest protectively as I met the Kikshrut’s eyes defiantly. I was the adult here, not him. I was putting my foot down, even if his temper tantrums would kill me.

Artemis’s gaze bounced between us, catching onto the showdown and her frown reappeared, a V forming between her brows. ‘I think I’ll just keep Dave Junior here while you take Bal,’ she said, her fist gripping Dave Junior’s scruff and making him cower from her. I understood the dynamics of their relationship a lot better after that display. Artemis was quite literally the only person in the entire Intergalactic Union that he couldn’t kill, so listening to her was his only real option. Whatever else their relationship contained, it really only boiled down to that one point. Artemis was the top dog, and his job was to fall in line.

The final epiphany I had was that I was in no uncertain terms going to be found alone with that creature. Ever.

‘Right,’ I said, not knowing what else to say. ‘I think I’ll just… take him to the cafeteria to play with the other kids. Keep him occupied.’

‘Okay. And I’m sorry about Junior, Dorian. I didn’t think he’d react like that. He’s been fine with everyone else I’ve left him with.’ She gestured to where GC Stanson and Adara was sharing a chair, Adara perched on the arm.

‘Maybe he’s not so great around me?’ I suggested.

She contemplated that for a beat. ‘It’s possible. Regardless, I won’t ask you to look after him again.’

I gave her a bleak but grateful smile, already backing out of the room. ‘Thanks.’

Baldr settled back into me as we headed down to the cafeteria. As I approached the door I doubted my decision as he snuggled into me sleepily, debating whether the cafeteria was the best choice for him when it was so noisy. I wasn’t sure what he’d been subjected to while The Program had him captive, nor was I sure if he had bonded with any of the children just beyond those doors. My new inclination was to seclude us in my bunk where it was calm and quiet, but the impending danger of the ship following us and the asteroid field we were about to enter had rattled me enough that I didn’t want to be alone.

Settled in my decision, I stepped through into the habitually hectic room, only to stop short as soon as I entered. Someone rushed towards me, and it took a moment for me to process that it was Foryk, his finger raised to his lips as he shushed me. And I understood why. For the first time ever after stepping into this room it was silent. Like, completely and utterly quiet. The only sound to be heard were the soft snores of all the children as they slept peacefully, not a single one of them awake. Baldr’s breaths soon joined in with the others having fallen asleep in my arms.

‘How?’ I mouthed the word, completely astonished.

His response was to shrug and gesture towards Bal as if his sleeping state was answer enough.

The Tornu I recognised as his and Tormik’s mother approached, eyeing Baldr in a way that reminded me of Dave Junior, like she wanted to steal him for herself, though obviously not to eat. I hoped. I watched her cautiously as she took up a position beside Foryk, my gut twisting uncomfortably when he scrunched his nose in disgust and moved away to the other side of the room. Her eyes tracked him mournfully, but she was quick to dismiss the brush-off and focus back on Baldr.

Her attention never drifted from him once, not even to glance at me despite the fact that I was holding him. It was disconcerting, to say the least, and my guard immediately went up. Something about the way this woman was behaving wasn’t sitting right with me, and I didn’t like the way she had fixated on Bal.

My instincts were correct when she wordlessly reached over to pluck him from my hold, but I pulled away and gave her my back to block her access to him. I shot her a glare over my shoulder that I hoped conveyed my distrust in her actions, and she scowled right back. Instead of backing off she tried to move around to my front. When that didn’t work, the bitch actually tried to reach over my head to take him from me that way.

I was about to lay into her when Tormik suddenly popped up, inserting himself between us. I couldn’t see the look he gave her, but whatever that look said she didn’t like. He shook his head curtly, using his larger body to block her view of us, and I finally figured out what it was that Artemis had first seen in him. Their past may have been shrouded in mystery and betrayal, but he was fighting to protect a child he had no connection to from his own mother and that was enough to prove to me that he wasn’t a complete write-off.

Now, if only Artemis could see it for herself, she might be able to sleep a little more peacefully at night. I could see how much strain she was under every time someone brought him up.

Morgrid finally gave up her attempts to get around her son, choosing instead to motion for us to leave the room so we could speak freely without disturbing the kids. I shot Tormik a questioning look, and he nodded with a slight frown and slumped shoulders, as if the weight of all our problems were physically crushing him.

I made eye contact with Foryk from across the room, the same question in my expression which he also responded with a nod of approval. I wasn’t sure what was happening, but I decided to trust that the brothers, Foryk at the very least, wouldn’t let anything bad happen to Baldr.

So, I followed Morgrid out into the hallway, Tormik a step behind.

As soon as the doors shut, blocking any noise we made from entering the room, Morgrid rounded on me.

‘You need to give me the boy. Now,’ she demanded, taking a stern tone with me that made my spine straighten. Who was this woman to speak to me as if I were a misbehaving child?

‘I don’t think so, lady,’ I practically snarled, moving Bal away from her again. I didn’t know what her end game was, but this wouldn’t end well for her. Not if I was forced to get Artemis involved. And I would if I felt she was a big enough threat to the sweet boy snoozing peacefully in my arms, drool dripping from his open mouth and pooling in the fabric of my jumpsuit.

‘Mother, what are you doing?’ Tormik asked, as equally as baffled as me.

‘He needs to be with the other children until we can get him back to his mother,’ she snapped. ‘Tor, he needs to be in our care. How can we protect him if he’s not in there with the others?’

‘He’s not going anywhere with you,’ I stated clearly so there could be no misunderstandings. ‘Artemis, our captain , tasked me personally with his care, so until she says otherwise he stays with me.’

‘And how is a puny thing like you going to protect this boy, hmm?’ she asked, her derisive tone and comments causing me to grind me teeth as I fought back my own responses. I wasn’t large like a Tornu, but there was nothing puny about me.

‘That is none of your concern,’ I bit out.

‘That boy is most definitely my concern. I happen to know his mother, and he deserves to be taken care of by someone who cares about him,’ she said, and my head started throbbing as my blood rushed up in my anger. By now, I was likely turning purple.

‘Mother, it doesn’t work like that,’ Tormik attempted to calmly deescalate the situation, but it was clear it wasn’t working.

‘Of course it does. We were the ones who tried to free her in the first place. Even though we failed – especially because we failed - the least we can do is ensure her son is returned to her safely and in one piece,’ she responded, her nose in the air so she could look down on me as she spoke. I wanted to punch that superiority complex right out of her, maybe break her face a little in the process.

‘Look, lady. I don’t care who you are or what you believe you’re entitled to, but unless you’re a cyborg named Artemis then I’m not handing him over to you.’

Morgrid stepped forward, her posture aggressive, a menacing glower twisting her brutal features. Tormik wedged himself between us again, his hands out to block his mother’s progress.

‘Mother, stop . This is insanity. You have no right to take Baldr, and I’m sure Artemis or Liberty wouldn’t be too pleased if you tried. You’re not a kidnapper, mother. You’re better than this.’

‘I can’t in good conscience leave this young boy in the care of a woman who has never known anything beyond The Program and its whims and pawns him off on random men, Tormik,’ she snapped at him, the words slashing like a whip. I had never hated someone so much as in this moment, and I’d been held captive by evil scientists.

‘Watch how you speak of her,’ he growled, a dangerous note to his voice that had the older woman immediately backing away in caution. ‘She and Liberty raised that boy inside The Program for an entire solar. How dare you accuse her of being incapable. Artemis has sacrificed everything for the people she loves, including Baldr, and you are not in any position to deny that. As of a few days ago, we were the bad guys from her perspective. She has no reason to trust us, and you have no right to try to take Baldr into your care and further that distrust in the process.’

‘ Tormik ,’ she exclaimed in disbelief.

‘No, mother. You have gone too far. I understand you’re grieving the loss of Father, but this is too much. You need to back off.’

‘Tor,’ she tried gentling her tone. ‘I know you love her, but that love is blinding you. Your father would not stand for this. She let them take him once, proving she is incapable of keeping him safe, and your father was killed because of her actions. I can do it. I can protect him. You know this is the right thing. For the boy.’

‘His name is Baldr, not the boy, and he is not yours to take,’ I spat out.

‘You don’t understand,’ she tried again, and this time Tormik physically restrained her from getting any closer with his arms wrapped tight around her torso before tossing her away from us.

‘Go lay down, Mother. You’re not thinking straight,’ he ordered her.

‘Tormik…’

‘ Now , Mother. Before you do even more irreparable damage. Go sleep it off.’

‘But… the kids…’

‘Will be fine with the rest of us watching over them. Just go.’

She sniffed, her nose raising even higher in the air as she dusted herself off. ‘Fine.’

She stormed off down the hallway without looking back, and I knew then that whatever that had been about had nothing to do with Baldr specifically.

Tormik turned to me, his expression pinched with distress but apologetic, nonetheless. ‘I am so sorry. I know she was behaving completely irrational, but please give her some grace. She has just lost her mate and isn’t taking it well.’

‘Clearly,’ I grumbled.

‘Please, forgive us.’

I sighed, the entire confrontation depleting me of mental energy. ‘You’re not to blame here Tormik. I should be thanking you for stepping in.’

‘It was nothing. She really just needs to sleep it off. She’s been working ‘round the clock with the kids to keep herself busy and her mind from wandering back to Father’s death. She’s just tired, I swear. Please don’t tell Artemis. She’ll kick us off the ship if she finds out.’

‘I’m not going to lie,’ I warned him. ‘Not to Arty, and especially not about you. She doesn’t trust you as it is, and I don’t want her to think I’m colluding with you to kidnap Bal.’

‘We’re not trying to kidnap him, Dorian. I swear. She’s just exhausted and grieving. That’s all it is,’ he pleaded, desperation taking hold.

I sighed, knowing I was about to butt in where I wasn’t welcome but also done with the entire ordeal. And not just with Morgrid. Tormik and Artemis needed to put their past behind them and move on, and someone was going to have to make the first move.

‘You misunderstand me, Tormik. Artemis doesn’t deserve secrets and lies. You’ve done that before and it hasn’t worked out well for you so far. You need to tell her what happened here. It might help rebuild some of that trust,’ I told him.

‘I… what?’

‘You need to talk to her, Tormik. Be honest. Start proving that you’re trustworthy. She won’t be mad about your mother if she knows the truth. Well… not too mad, at least. She’ll be furious for a bit, but in all the time I’ve known her she’s never been unfair in her judgements.’

He contemplated his words before speaking, opening and closing his mouth multiple times before finally letting them out. ‘Why? Why would you try to help me mend my relationship with her?’

I shrugged. ‘You helped me, the least I can do is help you. I doubt it will fix everything between you, but it will help her see that you mean no harm. I’ll vouch for you and your actions today, but you’re the one that needs to put in the effort.’

His gaze probed mine, searching for any hint of deception but he wouldn’t find any. He scratched my back, I would scratch his, simple as.

‘You’re serious?’

I nodded decisively, eager to just make my point and move on. ‘I can see you’re not a bad person, Tormik. Whatever mistakes you made in the past… It’s hard to watch the two of you in the same room together. It’s painfully awkward, actually, and the least I can do after you stood up to your own mother for Baldr’s sake is give you the opportunity to make things right.’

He released a long breath through his nose, a flicker of hope shining dimly in his eyes. ‘Do you think I have a chance?’

My eyebrows danced between arching and frowning, undecided on if I should focus on my confusion or my surprise at the way he suddenly let down his walls, showing me a glimpse of vulnerability. ‘A chance for what?’

‘To make things right.’

‘I don’t know exactly what you did, Tormik, but there’s always a chance to do the right thing. It’s up to her if she sees it, though.’

‘Thank you.’

I gave him a thin-lipped smile. ‘Don’t mention it.’

As we re-entered the cafeteria I had to wonder if I’d just opened up another bag of shit for Artemis to deal with. It was highly possible, but my gut told me Tormik was a good guy at heart. He just needed the chance to prove it. She needed to pull up her big girl panties and deal with the situation, too. Whatever it was he did that she was struggling to forgive, she needed to look past it to see who he was now.

I had a feeling that was going to be the only way forward without her kicking him and his mother off the ship. I just hoped she wouldn’t get so mad about this incident that she’d do it anyway.

Regardless, if anyone deserved a break from all the shit it was Arty, and I just hoped the stars would shine down on them both and relieve them from this vicious cycle of animosity. I’d done my part, it was up to them now.