Page 30 of Zinnia and the Zombie (Alien Abduction #26)

J axx prowled restlessly from one end of their apartments to the other.

The suite of ornate rooms was more luxurious than anywhere he’d ever stayed, but luxury wasn’t safety, and opulence wasn’t freedom.

They’d been in the palace for less than two weeks, and as grateful as he was for the Emperor’s hospitality, he couldn’t shake the feeling of being… contained.

He briefly considered returning to bed but his mate had already spent most of the previous night trying to ease his restlessness and, enjoyable as that had been, she needed to sleep.

He had an open invitation to train with the Fleet but sometime during the long years since he’d lost his ship, he’d also lost his enthusiasm for military discipline.

To his relief the door the bedroom opened and Zinnia emerged, looking enticingly disheveled, her hair tumbling around her shoulders. She came directly to him and put her arms around his waist, leaning against him with a sleepy smile, and his tension immediately eased.

She leaned back to smile up at him, then frowned. “What’s wrong?”

He shrugged, unable to articulate the feeling of frustration that had driven him from their bed. “I wasn’t sleeping.”

“You don’t want to be here, do you?”

“It’s very comfortable,” he said, his voice as neutral as he could make it, but he couldn’t deceive his perceptive little mate.

“But you feel caged,” she said softly.

He nodded, grateful that she understood. “We’re safe here, but it’s as if we’re just… waiting. Waiting for other people to make decisions.”

“And that’s not who you are.” She took his hand. “You’re a warrior, not a courtier.”

“And you?” he asked. “How do you feel about this place?”

She considered the question. “It’s overwhelming. Beautiful, but overwhelming. Ella has been incredibly kind, but…” She squeezed his hand. “This isn’t where we belong. Not for long, anyway.”

“I almost wish we were back on the Grorn ship,” he admitted. “I had a mission—an important one.”

“I know you still want to find your people.”

“I do. And I don’t want to sit around waiting for Tanaca’s sources to find them. I’ve given him all the information I have, but I’d still rather be out there looking.”

“Why don’t you tell him that? He’d probably like having someone else gather information for him.”

“I suppose it’s worth trying.”

“Now why don’t you come back to bed and let me help you relax,” she said, leading him back to the bedroom. “Or at least let me try.”

“The bed is too far away,” he growled, and pulled her towards him.

He was just about to lower his lips to hers when the communication panel chimed. Another annoyance of palace life. He reluctantly released her and prowled over to the panel.

“What?” he snapped.

“Good morning, Commander Jaxxlariat.” Laris said coolly, a hint of disapproval beneath the formal address. The female assigned as their court liaison did not like him, and her studious politeness only emphasized her dislike. “Lord Tanaca requests your presence in the South Hangar in half an hour.”

“Very well. My mate will join me,” he said firmly.

“Of course.” Laris gave a barely audible sigh as she closed the channel.

“I guess we’re not going back to bed after all,” Zinnia said, giving him an amused look. “But you could join me in the shower.”

“If I did, we would undoubtedly be late.”

She laughed and stroked her fingers teasingly across his lamellae before disappearing. He fought back the urge to chase her and tried to decide if this would be a good opportunity to broach Zinnia’s suggestion with the Senior Advisor. He decided to wait and see.

Lord Tanaca waited for them in the center of the hangar, his face in its usual composed mask. Beside him stood Admiral Gernagan, the stern-faced head of the Imperial Fleet whom he’d met during the previous security briefings.

But it wasn’t Tanaca or the admiral that captured his attention. It was the ship.

Instead of the battered Grorn vessel, a completely different craft rested in the docking cradle.

Sleek, elegant, with the unmistakable curved lines of Kaisarian engineering, it gleamed under the hangar lights.

It was smaller than a military vessel but clearly built for speed and extended travel.

The hull was primarily silver with subtle blue accents that seemed to shift and flow as they approached.

“I trust you slept well,” Tanaca said politely as they approached, and Zinnia smiled at him.

“Very well, Lord Tanaca.”

Courtesies over, Tanaca came straight to the point.

“As you know, the Grorn vessel was impounded for intelligence purposes. My engineers are currently dismantling it to learn what they can about Grorn technology.” He smiled slightly.

“Since we have taken possession of your ship, the Emperor thought you might require a replacement.”

He stared at the ship, understanding slowly dawning. “This is… for us?”

“It’s a KX-7 scout vessel,” Admiral Gernagan said. “It’s fast and maneuverable, with enough firepower to defend itself while remaining inconspicuous in most sectors. Originally commissioned for deep reconnaissance, but modified for extended independent operation.”

“It’s a gift from the Emperor,” Tanaca said calmly. “And perhaps a strategic investment. The coordinates of the Zathixian beacon are already programmed into its navigation system.”

Words failed him. A ship of this caliber was worth more than most beings would see in a lifetime.

“This is far too generous,” he finally managed.

“It is impolite to refuse a gift from the Emperor.” Tanaca gave him a cool smile. “The Empire rewards those who serve its interests, and your intelligence on the Grorn has already proven useful. I am sure that if you discover any other useful information, you will share it with us.”

Tanaca’s voice was as polite as ever, but Jaxx was well aware that it was an order rather than a request. It didn’t bother him. He was more than happy to do anything in his power to help the Empire prevent the Grorn from fulfilling their prophecy.

He also understood the unspoken message. The Emperor was releasing them from any obligation to stay at court, providing them with the means to pursue their own path while maintaining the connection to the Empire. It was both generous and politically astute.

“We should see the interior,” Admiral Gernagan suggested, already moving toward the boarding ramp.

Zinnia looked up at him, her eyes wide with excitement and disbelief. He nodded, and they followed the admiral aboard.

The interior of the ship was as impressive as its exterior.

The main deck contained a compact but well-equipped command center, with a pilot’s station and navigation console facing a large viewport.

Behind that was a comfortable common area with seating that could be reconfigured for various purposes.

Off the main area, corridors led to personal quarters, a fully stocked galley, and—most impressively—a small but advanced medical bay.

“The med-bay is equipped with the latest imperial technology,” Gernagan explained. “It has regenerative capabilities and comprehensive xenobiological databases, including the latest research on humans.”

The admiral bowed politely to Zinnia and she smiled at him. Such medical facilities would typically only be found on much larger vessels.

“As I said, it’s been modified,” Gernagan replied. “The Emperor was quite specific about the accommodations.”

They continued the tour, discovering storage areas, maintenance access points, and a hydroponics bay that made Zinnia gasp with delight. Everything was designed for efficiency, comfort, and long-term sustainability.

“The engines are state-of-the-art,” Gernagan continued as they returned to the command center. “You won’t match a military cruiser for raw speed, but you’ll outrun most civilian craft and many lighter military vessels.”

Zinnia had been unusually quiet during the tour, trailing her fingers along surfaces, peering into compartments, her expression one of wonder. Now she turned to Tanaca, who had joined them in the command center.

“Why?” she asked simply. “Why is he doing this for us?”

Tanaca regarded her thoughtfully. “As I told your mate, the Empire benefits from strong allies. You are free to pursue your own path, but I hope that path will occasionally bring you back to Kaisar. But in the immediate future…”

Tanaca stepped to the navigation console and activated it. A holographic star chart materialized above the panel, far more detailed than the ones on the Grorn ship. Systems were clearly labeled, with color-coding indicating political alignments, danger zones, and safe harbors.

“Your coordinates are here,” Tanaca said, highlighting a point in what appeared to be a sparsely populated sector. “The beacon was last detected in this region. We’ve provided all available data, but I must caution you—the signal was weak and intermittent. There are no guarantees.”

“We understand,” he said. “Any chance is better than none.”

Tanaca nodded. “Admiral Gernagan will remain to answer any technical questions. The ship is fully fueled and provisioned. You may depart whenever you wish.” He turned to leave, then paused.

“Oh, and one more thing. The ship’s registration and authorization codes identify you as official consultants to the Imperial Court.

It should… smooth your path through Imperial territories. ”

With that, he departed, leaving them with the admiral, who proceeded to walk them through the ship’s systems and controls. Despite his stern demeanor, Gernagan was thorough and patient, ensuring Jaxx understood every critical function.

When the admiral finally left, they stood alone in the command center of their new ship—their new home.

“I can’t believe this is happening,” she said softly, running her hand along the navigation console. “Yesterday we were homeless. Now we have a ship.”

“A very impressive ship,” he agreed, still processing the magnitude of the gift. “The Emperor is remarkably generous.”

“Or remarkably calculating,” she countered with a small smile. “Either way, I’m not complaining.”

He activated the navigation display again, studying the star chart. It was no longer a mystery of blank space with scattered points of light. Now it was filled with information—trade routes, planetary systems, spatial anomalies, all meticulously documented.

And there, highlighted in a soft blue glow, were the coordinates for the Zathixian beacon.

A destination. A purpose.

“It’s really possible, isn’t it?” she said, coming to stand beside him. “Finding your people.”

“Yes,” he said hoarsely. “For the first time since I woke from stasis, it feels truly possible.”

She smiled up at him. “How long until we can leave?”

Not long at all as it turned out. Laris sprang into action with her usual efficiency, undoubtedly spurred on by her happiness at their departure.

All of the clothes from their suite were transferred, along with Zinnia’s collection of plants, supplemented by a number of others that Ella insisted on giving them.

The two females said an affectionate farewell, and less than twenty-four hours later, they were ready to depart.

Zinnia took the co-pilot’s seat, watching happily as he programmed in the course to the coordinates of the beacon.

He completed the pre-flight sequence, and the ship hummed to life around them, all systems operating with quiet efficiency.

Through the viewport, the hangar doors began to slide open, revealing the sky beyond.

“Are you ready?” he asked.

“Let’s go find your people.”

He guided their new home out of the hangar and up through the atmosphere, leaving the complicated maze of the Imperial Palace behind.

As the blue sky darkened to the star-filled black of space, he felt the last of his restlessness fade away. They were no longer trapped, no longer hunted. They had a ship, a destination, and each other.

And that was the most perfect ending he could imagine.