Alien Redemption [Clans of Kalquor 06] (42 page)

The commander from that group stepped over to confer with Tudlu. “He’s just outside the perimeter, next to that rock. I damned near tripped over him. He’s sitting there, still as a statue, and not responding to anything we say.”

Tudlu jerked his head at Erybet and Conyod. “Let’s go. The rest of you, surround the Nobek but do not threaten or engage with him.”

The guards slid away, taking up positions around a large, decorative stone, big enough to come up to Conyod’s chest. The Imdiko saw his clanmate crouched in the rock’s shadow, staring towards the complex. Sletran looked both blank and alert all at once. It was a bizarre expression, one Conyod had never seen him wear before.

He started towards him, moving between Erybet and Tudlu. “Sletran?”

Tudlu’s thick arm, as strong and unyielding as a metal beam, swung out to block him, touching Conyod’s chest. Erybet stared at Tudlu and growled.

The security guard kept his arm up, holding Conyod back. His tone was diplomatic, however. “Your pardon for my restraining your clanmate, Dramok, but if your Nobek wakes we don’t know what state of mind he’ll be in. I only wish to protect the Imdiko.”

Conyod shoved against the unmoving barrier. “He would never hurt me.”

Tudlu shook his head. “Probably not, but many men were changed by the war. My brother was one. He suffered a flashback and injured his Imdiko, something none of us thought he was capable of. I must insist you keep your distance until we know Sletran is safe for you to approach.”

Erybet sounded tired. “He’s right, Conyod. Talk to Sletran from where you are.”

Conyod stared at his Dramok in shock. The situation was ludicrous. Erybet knew Sletran would never harm him. But the look on Erybet’s face was firm, and Tudlu’s expression was even more uncompromising. They weren’t going to let him near his Nobek.

Conyod gave in with bad grace. “Fine. I’ll wake him from here if I can.” He gave Tudlu a hot glare, curling his lip back to show a fang. “Stop touching me.”

Tudlu lowered his arm. “I meant no insult, Imdiko.”

Conyod turned away, centering his attention on the still motionless Sletran. “Sletran. My Nobek, wake up.”

No response. Sletran stared at the compound like Conyod wasn’t even there.

Conyod tried insults. “Damn it, wake up you crack-skulled Nobek! Do you know what an idiot you look like? Wake up!”

Nothing. Conyod didn’t need anyone to tell him that eventually security was going to get tired of waiting. They’d take matters into their own hands, and Sletran could get hurt if his self-preservation snapped out of whatever hypnosis he was under.

Then again, Sletran’s self-preservation looked pretty much out of whack, considering he was surrounded by a dozen knife-wielding Nobeks and remained unaware of it.

That gave Conyod an idea. He warned the others, “Sletran’s going to want to protect me if this works. Stand back.”

Before anyone could stop him, he let some of his panic feed into his voice and called,

“Sletran, it’s Conyod. Help me, my Nobek!”

Conyod saw an instant of wild desperation on Sletran’s face. The next instant Tudlu whirled away, hit hard by Sletran. Conyod didn’t get to see anything else before he was shoved down on the ground. He looked up to see Sletran standing over him in a defensive posture. The Nobek pushed Erybet behind them and twisted this way and that, keeping the security guards in sight.

His growl was thunderous as he showed his fangs.

Conyod felt relief that the Nobek was finally awake, but the guards were closing in and they obviously meant business. “Put your knives away!” he yelled. “It’s okay, Sletran. Stand down.

No one is threatening me.”

“No? Then why are they holding blades? Why did you yell?”

Erybet said, “You were sleepwalking again, and we couldn’t wake you up. You wandered into their territory, Sletran. You are trespassing.”

“We’re at fault here, not them. Stand down, damn it.” Conyod pushed at Sletran’s legs, making the now confused Nobek get out of the way so he could climb to his feet. His knees felt bruised.

Sletran was finally easing, his fangs folding back. He jerked in a graceless circle, looking all around. “Where – where are we? The Matara complex?” Horror filled his face. “By the ancestors, why am I here?”

“That’s a very good question, Nobek,” Tudlu said quietly, returning to face the clan. “Are you with us now? Are you willing to submit to a body search?”

Sletran blinked at him. He hunched in shame. “Yes.” He straightened and spread his arms and legs.

When the thorough frisk revealed Sletran had no weapons other than a very small knife tucked in one boot’s inner pouch, Tudlu addressed Erybet. “I’m satisfied for now that this is a case of trauma-induced sleepwalking and that no harm was intended. I’m willing to let this go for that reason, along with having seen the Imperial order of no engagement.”

“No engagement?”

Tudlu gave him a narrowed stare. “Law enforcement is not allowed to kill Sletran without having absolute proof of his intent to harm.”

Erybet and Sletran exchanged a look. “I’m not aware of any such order,” the Dramok said with obvious confusion.

“Registered by Emperor Bevau himself for both you and Nobek Sletran within the past week.” Tudlu cocked an eyebrow at him. “I’m only a security officer, Dramok. I have every right to detain your clan, but I don’t want to tell Emperor Bevau why I had two of his finest placed in holding cells.”

“Thank you.”

“You realize, however, I will have to make a report to Global Security about this incident, due to the problems involving the Mataras. I’m sure they will have questions for your Nobek.”

Erybet nodded heavily. “Of course.”

“I must also inform you that if you or any member of your clan returns to the compound area without prior approval from the compound’s security office, we will have no choice but to assume hostile intentions. Imperial order or not, we will react as if it is a threat, Dramok. Is that understood?”

“Yes.”

“Then you are free to go. Once I hear from Global Security that they have cleared your Nobek of malicious intent, I will be contacting you for the information I need for my report.”

“Thank you.” Erybet sounded more like a man given a death sentence than one who’d dodged major trouble. “You have our contact information?”

“Yes, seeing as how you clanned a Matara who was here.” Tudlu’s eyes narrowed for an instant. He looked at Sletran, who had gone back to hovering protectively near Conyod. “I will arrange for transportation to take you home. I hope you will feel better soon, Nobek Sletran. I trust your clan will see to it you get the help you need before something truly terrible happens.”

“We will,” Conyod said. He aimed his glare at Erybet, but his Dramok didn’t look at him.

True to his word, Tudlu arranged for a security shuttle to take them home. Its lights flashed until it exited the tunnel that led out to the beach, and then the pilot turned them off to avoid attention and further embarrassment to the clan.

Except for the humble thanks Erybet offered as he disembarked, the clan was silent until they got into their home and found a wide awake Rachel waiting for them.

Chapter 16

Rachel stopped her nervous pacing the instant the men crossed the threshold of the greeting room. They also stopped short, seemingly surprised to see her up and waiting for them. Well, what did they expect? That she wouldn’t notice their absence, the comforting warmth that helped her sleep so soundly these days?

She scowled, unable to contain her anger now that she could stop worrying about what had taken them away in the middle of the night. In Kalquorian she demanded, “Where you go?”

Erybet’s devastated expression brought fear stabbing her heart. “Sletran had another episode. We followed him.”

All three were obviously upset. Conyod looked seriously pissed off and Sletran’s expression was as if he’d been sickened to his very soul. Rachel felt more scared than ever.

“What? Where you go?”

Sletran’s head lowered. He peeked at her through the hair that fell forward to cover his face.

“The unclanned Earther Matara complex.”

He whirled on the other two men, his face reddening in sudden anger. His voice was a low roar. “Now we know. I must be the killer. Why else would I be there?”

Conyod turned just as red. He yelled back, “You were not there to kill anyone.”

“Then why? What reason could I possibly have to lurk around where all those Earther women are?”

“I don’t know!” Their faces were only inches away now. Conyod fought for control and managed to speak in a steady tone, though there was still a raw undercurrent to it. “You are not a murderer. You will never convince me of that.”

Rachel’s thoughts were in a whirl. Sletran thought he might be the man killing Mataras?

No, that made no sense, not when he beat himself up so bad for having let New Bethlehem’s slaughter happen.

She moved to stand at Conyod’s side, looking up at the shaking Nobek’s face. “You are good, Sletran. We be alone sometimes. You no hurt me.”

He closed his eyes. Pain sliced a path over his expression. “I would never hurt you, Ray-Ray. You are one of the few good things left to me.”

Erybet touched Sletran’s shoulder. “You have no idea why you went there? None at all?”

Sletran shuddered. “There is only one answer. Erybet, you know you have to turn me in for suspicion. You have to make this stop.”

Erybet closed his eyes. “Global Security has already sent officers to question us before this.

The complex’s security is going to contact them. I have no doubt they’ll be here for you soon.”

Cops were coming for her Nobek? Rachel’s heart stuttered. She grabbed onto Sletran’s arm and clung to him fiercely. “No! You no do wrong. I am sure.”

He managed a semblance of a smile for her. He pulled free of her grasp so he could wrap his arm around her, pulling her tight against his body. “
I’m
not sure of that, Ray-Ray. But I am glad you have such faith in me, misplaced as it may be.” He gazed at their Dramok. “Erybet, I want to tell them everything when they take me away. I can’t live with this secret any longer.”

Erybet swallowed hard, but the compassion on his face told Rachel how much he cared for Sletran. “Yes, my Nobek. As your Dramok and commanding officer, I release you from our order of silence. I will meet with Emperor Bevau himself and explain my treason.”

Sletran drew in a great breath. Suddenly he relaxed. Relief replaced all the other hectic emotions that had filled his being. “Thank you so much, my Dramok. To have the burden lifted from me is worth any torture I face for my actions.”

Rachel’s heart skipped again. “Torture?”

All three men reacted, their expressions stunned. She barely noticed their stares, hardly registering she’d just spoken in English. Instead, her thoughts were centered on a dark place, a place where she hung chained from the ceiling, where unanswerable questions were shouted, where jeers and insults rang in her ears, where knives cut flesh, where shockwhips seared her nervous system, where fists pounded until her bones broke.

They couldn’t let that happen to Sletran. Not her big, strong, protecting Nobek who laughingly taught her to curse in his language.

She gripped him hard. “No. No torture. I would die before I let them hurt you.” Tears were coursing down her cheeks as she begged a wide-eyed Erybet, “Make him run away. Order him to go somewhere and hide so he’ll be safe!”

Sletran lifted her in his arms, bringing her up so she was face to face with him. He was smiling, his teeth bright in his dark face. “That you dare to speak your language again in my defense … that you care that much that you would overcome the pain you’ve been through …

that you would do this for me … Rachel … my Matara…”

His mouth captured hers, enveloping it in soft, gentle kisses. Now that terror and love had opened her throat letting her speak again, Rachel couldn’t seem to stop the torrent of words that flooded out between his loving possessions. “I love you, Sletran. I know you didn’t do anything wrong. You don’t deserve to be hurt anymore. Please, don’t let them take you. Please, please, for my sake.”

“Don’t cry, my little Ray-Ray. No tears, sweetness. I’ll be all right. I know for a fact now that I’ll be all right.” He kissed her harder than ever, making her breathless and incapable of further protests for a moment.

The visitor announce buzzed through the room, jerking their lips apart. His voice filled with dread, Erybet called. “Who is it?”

A dark, dangerous voice answered. “Global Security. Open immediately.”

Erybet looked at Sletran. The Nobek nodded and set Rachel back on her feet. She burst into terrified tears, and Conyod pulled her away from Sletran, wrapping her in his arms. He looked as scared as she felt.

Erybet stood at Sletran’s side. His shoulders drawn back and head held high, the Dramok ordered, “Enter.”

The door opened and three Nobeks wearing black formsuits with red and silver insignias on their chests stepped in. The one in front, shorter than everyone but Rachel and exuding absolute authority, stepped right up to Sletran. His hand was on the blade sheathed in his belt. “Nobek Sletran, I assume you know why we're here.”

Sletran looked him in the eye without flinching. “Good day, Officer Breft. You’re here to arrest me.”

Breft raised an eyebrow at him. “Actually, that remains to be seen. Can you explain what you were doing at the unclanned Earther Matara complex?”

“No.”

The officers exchanged looks. Rachel swiped at the wetness on her cheeks. She had to be strong for her Nobek. She felt pride at his stoicism, but inside she quaked at what these big, dangerous cops could do to him.

One stepped forward to Breft’s side. He looked a little older than the rest, and he limped.

He frowned deeply. “How many of these episodes have there been?”

Erybet answered that one. “That we know of? Half a dozen, perhaps.”