The Chalice (6 page)

Ume stood like a little general, alert and ready.

Danesha plunked down in a seat beside her. “This shit’s getting on my nerves.

If we’ve been kidnapped, where’s the frickin’ kidnappers?”

Kara rested her chin on her hand, watching the doorway. “I don’t know what to

think. Just gets weirder and weirder.”

“Well, som ebody better have some answers soon, or I’m  taking this place

apart.”

From  the look on Dread’s face, she wasn’t kidding. Sym pathizing with herfrustration, Kara chafed at the lack of relevant inform ation. W hatever was goingon, it wasn’t good. None of the women had any memories of this place until theywoke up in the pod area. Maybe they’re watching us! The idea gave her thecreeps. Jum py, she scanned the room , nerve ends tingling. Couldn’t see a camera,but then she’d never seen the door until the hallway opened up. Here, as in thepod room, the interior was stark, bare of artwork, alm ost Spartan in décor.

They were virtual rats in a m aze, m inus the jolts of electricity, but the sam erules seemed to apply. Follow the path and the rewards awaited at the end—ergo,the scraps of clothing and the food. She ran her fingers over the tabletop,admiring the silky texture. Made of some sort of translucent azure bluesubstance, it felt cool to the touch. She shifted, peering down. The thigh highstool cradled the contours of her butt as if m ade for her. More weirdness.

Just didn’t make sense. What m otivation could there be to abduct so m any allat once? She shivered, chilled. Warm  air heated the room  to a cozy level, but thetem perature wasn’t the problem . It was the conscious realization of hervulnerability. Lack of control.

“They’re here,” Um e said.

Like a herd of deer caught in headlights, the women straggled in, grouped

together as they edged through the entrance.

“It’s okay.” Kara waved them  in. “There’s clothing—sort of— in the lockers.

Bathrooms and sleeping quarters are to your left.”

Chattering with excitement, the wom en rushed to the storage units, ripping

them  open.

“These aren’t clothes,” a disgusted Southern voice drawled. “My mam a’d just

die if she saw m e in this.”

“Better’n naked,” another added.

“W hen you’re dressed,” she continued, “we’ll try some of the food.”

“My stom ach thinks my throats been cut,” a voice called out.

Anne strolled by the banquet, sniffing and touching. “I don’t recognize any ofit, but as Danesha said, they wouldn’t go to so m uch trouble just to kill us.” Shepopped a morsel in her mouth, grinning as she chewed. “Not bad.”

The women converged on the serving line, making their selections. Mouthwatering, Kara reached for a dish of hum mus-looking paste. Slipping a finger intothe grainy mass, she gingerly licked a tiny bit. Really good! Not hum m us, but awhole ocean better. She picked out a round object she guessed was fruit and

some spongy stuff that might be some kind of bread. Smelled wonderful! She found a seat across from  Dread and began eating. Pieces of the confusing puzzle bombarded her brain, but none of it made sense or connected. W hy were they here?

Startled out of her reverie, she ducked as a hologram  formed in the center of

the room , floating above the heads of the diners.

Feminine screams and cries echoed throughout the cham ber. Frightened voicescursed or prayed for deliverance. Stunned, Kara froze, right hand halfway to her

gaping mouth. Her heart drummed a rapid staccato in her heaving chest.

Dressed in a long black robe with a draping hood much like a priest’s, only thelower half of the image’s face and hands were visible. It began speaking. Thevoice was that of their nemesis from  the pod room .

“Human females,” he began. “Welcom e. This will be your hom e from  now until we reach the ninth planet of Croumus. I offer m y congratulations to each and every one of you. Being selected as the future m ates of the Chiagan-Se is an honor beyond your meager comprehension. . .”

“W hat the frick is he talking about?” Dread shouted, leaping to her feet and

stum bling backwards. “Selected?”

“… I’m  sure you’re curious about the future. But it’s im portant you know why you’re here.” The figure hesitated, as if gathering its thoughts. “The Chiagan-Se were once the rulers of the known universe. We are a noble and honorable people and those under our rule prospered and peace abounded. Knowledge was the building block of our society. Music and the arts flourished. In such a productive environment, the Warrior caste melded with the scholars form ing working coalitions. Life was good.”

A snarl twisted his wrinkled old lips. “But the rewards were not without a price. The Deg’Nara, those soulless monsters of the rem ote fringes, coveted our wealthand achievements. They attacked, first the outposts and then our entirecivilization, destroying everything. Women, children, the old and the weak weremurdered. The home planet decimated beyond belief. We faced completeannihilation.” He heaved a sigh, wiping a skinny hand across his chin. “They leftonly the young Warriors and a few scholars alive— to die slowly and without hope. A fitting end they said. Those of us who survived outfitted the few ships thatescaped destruction and began our search, seeking suitable breeders, or Chalicesas we call our blessed females. We found an obscure planet and, ultim ately foundyou, human females. Fem ales with the genetic makeup to breed with our kind.”

“You have got to be kidding,” Anne exclaimed, aghast.

“… Soon, the Chiagan-Se males will join you and your new lives will begin.”

“I dinnae noo what he means,” Moira wailed. “Cannae we go home?”

“Doesn’t look like it,” Kara whispered, shocked. Fury welled up in a red haze. She slapped the tabletop, hands fisting in anger. W ho were these frickin ChiaganSe? And why us? Her teeth ground together, jaws tight with tension. She wanted to scream  in rage.

“Well, I ain’t putting up with this bullshit!” Irate, Dread raked containers from

the table in a flying arc. “Nobody kidnaps me without m y say-so.”

“Kidnappers never ask,” Um e murm ured, stepping back. “But I suggest we

open negotiations for our release. Perhaps they will be reasonable.”

“Yeah— like all of this was reasonable.” Kara covered her face, blocking out the

horror-stricken faces of the others. Make this all go away!

“…W ithin twenty-four of your Earth hours, the breeders will arrive and present them selves. Please take the time to prepare— beautify yourselves. Be the best that you can be.” He chuckled, a low coughing noise. “I obtained that phrase from one of your people’s propaganda broadcasts.”

“Oh, great,” Dread spat. “He watched the frickin’ TV.”

“… I wish I could be there to celebrate with you, but my part is finished. I die knowing my people will live.” Hands clasped across his waist, the hologram bowed. “Be strong.”

The image faded away.

Chapter Four

Tegan wiped the sweat from   his brow, breathing in shallow pants. Hestretched, feeling rejuvenated, invigorated by the strenuous workout. He flexedan arm, taking heed of the thick veins criss-crossing the bulging bicep. His once-heralded strength had degraded to som e degree during the long confinement—and that he could not abide. He was a Warrior, first and foremost.

And what of his Chalice? Would she find him  pleasing? He suffered a mom entof self-doubt. Ruefully, he admitted he was untried in the ways of joining. Beforethe time of war, because of his young age, he’d been kept apart from  his fecund Chalice as was the custom . By the time he’d reached his prime and assum ed hisrole as successor to his father, the Deg’Nara had slaughtered her along with everyother female. Denied his other half, he’d never felt the gentle touch of a willingfemale, nor experienced the joys of binding.

He shook off his wayward thoughts, concentrating instead on honing rustybattle skills. Drawing his Chiagan-Tar, he gazed in fascination as it hummed,glowing blue as it changed, form ing to his hand. The preferred weapon of the Warriors, the Tars were united with the bearer by sim ple em otion. Blue whencalm  or resting, green when alert or flaring red in battle. Most were gifted to theyoung acolytes by their mentors when they com pleted the first level of Rah-Sul. His  was   an   offering   from  his   father,   handed   down   through   innumerablegenerations of Chiagan-Se rulers. He examined the engraved handle, noting theintricate filigree encasing the green Cholodine stones. Priceless and beautiful. Itwas now his sole possession and his only legacy.

He pressed the weapon to his forehead. “Father,” he whispered, filled with

bitter vengeance. “I salute you.”

The weapon sang, flaring to bright red, em pathizing with his churningpassions. He gripped the Tar in both hands, swirling it above his head and thenslicing down. For hours he practiced, focusing on the complex exercises of SavakSul, the highest skill level of com bat, seeking oblivion from  the pain of hisravaged heart.

****

The room  pulsated with the roiling tension of the pissed-off women. Som ecried, some wailed in frustration, while others sat frozen, silent effigies unable tocomprehend or digest the inconceivable. Panicked, she felt the stirrings of a freshanxiety attack rearing its ugly head. Breathe, she told herself. Just breathe.

“If that dam n hologram  thinks I’m  preparing myself for some kind of weirdo, he’s in for a big surprise.” Incensed, Dread slam m ed her fist against the wall, her whole body seething with fury.

“Ve can’t agree to dis.” Hanna stood up, arms crossed, a raging tower of pure

fem inine wrath. “Ve m ust do someting.”

“We need to fight,” a voice cried. “Freaking assholes!”

“Everyone settle down.” Anne’s calm  voice rose over the cacophony of excited railings. “Until we meet the breeders, as he calls them, I doubt there’s m uch we can do.”

“So we just sit here twiddling our thum bs while we wait?” Kara’s ire rose in volume, nourished by the churning emotions of the irate wom en. “I don’t think so. We need to plan— decide if and what we’re going to do when these breeders make their appearance. I for one don’t plan on cooperating.”

“Cooperation might be our only choice,” Ume said. Her face changed, grew

harder. “But if I must fight, I will.”

The room  resounded with the women’s wholehearted agreement.

“Me, too!”

“So will I!”

“Just point m e in the right direction!”

Kara tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, collecting her disjointed thoughts. W hat to do? She wasn’t set-up for this kind of crap. Dealing with com pletelyunknown antagonists presented a sizeable dilemma, one which they were ill-prepared to face. As captives and unarmed, they had few resources.

“We need some sort of negotiation tactic and I think Anne would be a great

choice.”

Heads nodded acceptance. She continued. “If it comes to a fight, Ume and Hanna will be in charge of self-defense. Most of us’ll need crash courses— bestmethods, quickest results, that sort of thing. I’ll coordinate, if that’s okay.”

“Lead on McDuff.” Anne grinned.

Kara glanced around the room . “Anybody see anything we can use for

weapons?”

“I’ve already looked,” Ume adm itted, her voice laden with disgust. “Other than

the odd eating utensils, I found nothing.”

“Can we m ake something out of them ?”

The Oriental looked thoughtful. “We might be able to file them  down forknives.” She brightened somewhat. “Bolos? The articles of clothing might suffice ifwe loaded them  with some heavy items.”

“Might work well as slingshots,” a voice called out.

For the first time since they’d woken up in this bizarre situation, the wom en

laughed— loudly and verging on hysteria.

Dread pulled her m akeshift bra out and let it snap back. “That isn’t such a badidea.” She tapped her full lips with blood red fingernails. “We could load ‘em  upwith some of the eating utensils and let ‘em  rip.”

“All this is well and good,” Anne observed. “But what do you think we’d accom plish? Attacking might just serve to make our opponents more aggressive and unresponsive to our overtures. And if we succeeded in the assault—which I doubt— keep in m ind we have no idea where we are or how long we’ve been gone. We have to consider all the alternatives.”

Anne’s discourse brought to mind the m um mified remains of those poor girls

who died in transit. Creepy and unnerving.

“Vell, ve haf to do someting,” Hanna growled. “I vill not villingly subm it to dees

fiends.”

“None of us vill, er, will.”

If what Anne said was true and this construct wasn’t man-made, who the hellare their captors and what do they look like? For all she knew, these creatureslooked like a bunch of frickin’ Hunchbacks of Notre Dame— or worse! And thehologram  called them  breeders. For crissakes—breeders? Didn’t take much of an IQ to figure out what that meant. She felt her knees quake. Bile rose in herthroat, bitter and hot. Rape and long years of enslavem ent loomed in their futureif they couldn’t come up with something, and she wasn’t about to lie down andgrit her teeth while he or it did the nasty.