Nikhil (Kaliszian Book 1) (16 page)

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"So what's going to happen to us?" It was Paul who asked the question after Mac finally stopped speaking. "If we can't tell them where Earth is?"

"I don't know," Mac told them honestly. "What I do know is that they are nothing like the Zaludians or the Ganglians."

"And this repair unit... it helps?" All eyes went from Mac to the three Jerboaians that had returned a short while ago. There were still large patches of fur missing, but what remained now seemed shiny and silky, healthy-looking.

"It does. I'm feeling much better, not so weak and tired. I was bruised and had a split lip yesterday. Today that's all gone. It can even heal scars." She looked at Jen and saw the shock on her face.

"It... it can take this all away?" She did a circular gesture in front of her face.

"Yes, it can repair all the scars, Jen. It can repair any internal damage. It just can't...”

"Can't what?"

"It can't repair your ankle."

"Why not!" Paul demanded.

"Because it's fully healed. If it weren't...”

"I see," Jen whispered.

"I'm sorry, Jen."

"It's not your fault. It's not anybody's fault." She looked up at her friends. "You all have to use this machine and their educator. Maybe then, between all of us, we can figure out where Earth is."

"You need to use it too, Jen," Mac told her.

"No. There's no reason to."

"No reason...”

"Mac, what good does it do to fix the outside if what's broken is on the inside?"

"Jen...”

"And I don't mean my leg. I mean my heart. They can't fix that, so what's the use. You guys have a chance though, a chance to fully recover from all this. To get back home and return to your lives. I don't."

"Don't say that, Jen!" Mac wrapped her arms around her friend trying not to cringe when all she felt was bone. "You still have Kimmy. You know she's looking for you. You got that text from her right before we left."

"That I ignored."

"So."

"Mac, you know Kimmy and I hadn't talked in nearly six months. For me to just ignore her when she finally reached out... she must hate me."

"I'm sure she doesn't. No one could hate you, Jen."

"Yeah, well you didn't know me before, Mac. I wasn't that nice of a person."

"That's a lie," Craig spoke up. "You've always been a nice person, Jen, a good one. Look at all of Todd's crap you put up with."

"Craig!"

"I know, and I'm sorry I shouldn't speak ill of the dead, but you did. I was on the receiving end of his phone calls and texts when you first took Kimmy in. He could have been more supportive."

"Maybe, but I wasn't that nice to Kimmy either, especially toward the end... now she'll never know how sorry I am."

"She will," Mac said, squeezing her hand. "You can tell her when we finally get back home, as long as you don't give up. You didn't in that mine, Jen. When we were all so hungry, you found a way to make the food stretch. We wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you."

"And I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for
you
." Jen squeezed Mac's hand in return.

"Then don't give up. Not yet. Not anyone." Mac looked at the nine men encircling them. "We've come this far together. Let’s see if we can't make it home together too."

The men mumbled their agreement, and Mac turned to look at Jen.

"Alright," Jen reluctantly agreed. "No giving up."

"I think we need to continue to keep Jen's existence a secret," Craig announced.

"What?" Mac's eyes shot to his. "Why?"

"Because we don't know what these... Kaliszians will do to her. Look at you!"

"Me?" Mac gave him a shocked look. "What are you talking about?!!"

"You were
kissing
one!" he told her angrily. "Why? How do we know they didn't do something to make you do that?!! That their machine didn't...”

"It didn't! Look that kiss... Nikhil and I...”

"Nikhil? That's his name?" Jen asked quietly.

"Yes. He's the one that found me in the mine. He carried me directly to the Healer, Healer Luol, and Luol put me in the deep-repair unit."

"How long were you in it?" Jen asked.

"Six hours."

"How do you know it was that long?" Craig demanded.

"Because that's what Luol told me when I asked."

"And you believed him?"

"Yes. There was no reason for him to lie about it."

"What happened next?" Jen pulled Mac's gaze back to her.

"They asked me some questions, most I couldn't answer, and then Nikhil took me to his quarters."

"He...”

"Did nothing... at least not the way you mean. He helped me with the cleansing unit, fed me, and then I fell asleep. When I woke up, he made sure I ate again, then took me back to Luol to finish my treatment and then I used their educator. That's why I can speak and understand their language now along with every other known species. I also know a great deal about them and their history. The one the Ganglians forced on us only contained two languages."

"You
know
about them? These Kaliszians?"

"Them and every other species. It's amazing, Jen, the things I know now that I didn't before."

"And that's all because of their educator?"

"Yes."

"Do you know why we were taken?" Craig asked quietly.

"Not really. I mean," she held up her hand to stop everyone from talking at once. "I know we were taken for slave labor. The Zaludians were illegally mining on this planet, which is called Pontus by the way. The Kaliszians only just discovered what was going on because they were on the opposite side of their Empire, defending it from another species. The Kaliszians don't know why the Ganglians were assisting the Zaludians. Apparently, the two don't normally get along. There's more."

"What?"

"It seems the Kaliszians have intercepted several Ganglian ships; one had a female on it they claim was similar to us."

"So they do know where Earth is."

"No. The Ganglians had deleted their navigational information before they were boarded."

"Why would they do that?"

"My guess is they are trying to keep Earth's location a secret for some reason, but no one knows why."

"Do you think they would tell you if they did?" Jen asked quietly.

Mac thought about it for a moment, not because she didn't know the answer, but because they deserved her to take her time. "Nikhil would tell me."

"You trust him that much?" Craig asked doubtfully.

"Yes." Mac's eyes silently pleaded with Jen's for understanding.

"Jen," Craig pulled her gaze from Mac's. "We can't trust that."

"I trust Mac, but I understand your concern, Craig. I'll stay back until we know more."

"Jen, you need the repair unit if only to manage your pain."

"Pain?!!" Paul sat down next to Jen and cupped her jaw, making her gaze meet his. "What pain?"

"It's nothing, Paul." She gave Mac an angry look.

"Mac?" Paul looked at her.

"She's been in constant pain since the attack," Mac told them for the first time.

"Mac!" Jen exclaimed.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Paul asked quietly.

"What good would it have done to tell you, Paul?" Jen said. "When there was nothing you could have done."

"But there is now." Mac broke in. "You can be pain-free."

"You don't know that," Jen argued back. "If they can't even fix the problem, why do you think they can make the pain go away?"

Mac couldn't argue with that because she didn't know. "If I find out they can, will you, at least, let them do that?"

Jen was silent for so long that Mac didn't think she was going to answer. "I will," she finally said.

"That still doesn't explain why you were kissing that man!" Craig said.

"Male," Mac corrected.

"What?" Craig frowned at her.

"They don't use the term man; they say male. You'll learn that after you use their educator. And it's a much better experience than what we had with the Ganglians."

"You keep dodging the question," Craig snarled.

"I don't mean to, it's just hard to explain... you see Kaliszians wear these beads in their hair and...” The doors of the area slamming against the wall cut her off.

P
arlan ignored Onp and Nroa as he shoved open the doors to the survivors’ wing, uncaring that it sounded like a blaster shot as they slammed against the walls, causing all the traumatized beings inside to jump. His anger and disbelief had grown as he cleansed and every step it took him to get here. How could the Goddess have blessed one like Nikhil with a True Mate, even if she was one from another species? Nikhil was a large, blundering male with no connections to power except for the fact that his manno worked for a Minister.

He
was an Elite Warrior.

He
descended from a powerful bloodline.

He
had access to more credits than any Squad Leader.

He
was Parlan Spada.

If anyone deserved a True Mate, it was
him
.

His gaze scanned the area, searching for the humans, until he found them huddled in a corner like the insignificant beings they were. They didn't look any better to him cleansed than they had filthy. Could the Goddess really have chosen one of these creatures as a True Mate for a Kaliszian? Maybe she was punishing them, the way she had because of General Rayner's ancestor, with the Great Infection.

"I will speak with the female," he announced in Kaliszian, as he walked toward the group.

"What's he saying?" Jen asked, pulling her hood down lower.

"He wants to talk to me. Stay here." Rising, Mac weaved her way through the guys that were closing ranks around them, not knowing what was going on. "It's okay, guys," she spoke in English, knowing only they would understand. "He wants to talk to me and no, he can't understand anything you say in English."

"He's an asshole, Mac," Paul informed her from the back.

"I'll keep that in mind," she replied, then stepped out and faced the Kaliszian Warrior that had stopped in front of them.

Parlan didn't know what he expected, but it wasn't the beautiful creature that stepped out from behind the gray wall of capes. She was exquisite, if slightly strange looking. Waves of dark, multicolored hair flowed loosely around her face. He'd never seen a female's hair loose before, as Kaliszian females always restrained theirs with a clip and it was braided. She wore what appeared to be a storm covering, and it conformed to a body that while thinner than what he liked, still had his shaft stirring with interest.

"Who are you?" Mac demanded.

Her question had him pulling his gaze from where her covering ended, to find brown eyes staring at him defiantly. Good, he liked a female that fought. He enjoyed making her submit to his wishes. "I am Elite Warrior Parlan Spada. I am the warrior General Rayner felt most trustworthy to see to you and your people."

Mac just stared at the male speaking to her in an oily voice. She didn't like the way his gaze traveled over her. It made her feel like she needed another shower.

When she didn't immediately respond, he frowned. "You do understand Kaliszian, don't you?" Parlan demanded. "Aren't you able to speak it?"

"Yes," she answered.

"Then give me your name!" he demanded.

"Why?"

"What do you mean, why? Your species does have individual names, don't they?" he asked snidely.

"Yes."

"Then what is yours?" Parlan demanded again.

"Why do you want to know?" Mac continued to question.

"Because I have been put in charge of you," he told her smugly.

"You think you are in charge of me?" Mac raised an expressive eyebrow at him.

"Yes."

"That is an untruth, Parlan!" Nikhil roared, storming into the area followed by Onp and Nroa. He'd been enraged when Onp had contacted him to say Parlan was demanding to speak to the Earth female. He hadn't even taken the time to explain himself to Treyvon as he rushed to his Mackenzie's side. He did not trust why Parlan was demanding to see her. "How dare you try to deceive my True Mate!"

"Nikhil," Mac cried out, gratefully taking the hand he held out to her. She hadn't realized how truly uneasy Parlan had made her, not until she felt the security of Nikhil's embrace.

"You are safe, Little One, as I vowed you would be," Nikhil reassured her, pulling her close.

"True Mate?" Parlan, as far as Mac was concerned, gave a bad impersonation of confusion.

"You are saying you did not see this?" Nikhil lifted the strand of her hair that held his True Mate bead.

"Of course I didn't, Squad Leader," Parlan denied. "Had I seen it, I never would have approached her. As your... True Mate is not Kaliszian, perhaps you should instruct her on what is the proper conduct for one. Obviously she isn't intelligent enough to know."

"Why you...” Nikhil moved her behind him, stopping her from saying more, as did the sound of him pulling out the sword strapped to his back. Onp and Nroa moved in to flank her, silently letting Nikhil know that they would protect her.

"You dare to insult my True Mate, Warrior Parlan?!!" Nikhil growled lowly, pointing his sword at Parlan.

Parlan took a startled step back, unable to believe Nikhil had reacted so strongly to his words, and frantically reached behind him searching for the hilt of his sword. There was no way he could not respond to Nikhil's challenge, for Elite Warriors did not back down.

"
Squad Leader
! What in the name of the Goddess is going on?!!" Treyvon's question echoed in the room full of silent observers, having followed Nikhil from the training field.

"Warrior Parlan has not only insulted my True Mate but has tried to deceive her," Nikhil replied lowly, never taking his gaze off of Parlan.

"Warrior Parlan, is this truth?" Treyvon demanded.

"I merely stated that perhaps she should be instructed on the proper conduct of a True Mate."

"Sheath your sword, Squad Leader," Treyvon only addressed Nikhil as Parlan was never able to draw his, and waited until Nikhil did before turning his attention to Parlan. "Now tell me, Parlan, how would
you
know what the proper conduct is for a True Mate? Do you have one no one knows about?" Treyvon questioned.