Chapter Three

Alex woke with a start. It took nearly a minute to focus, then another to realize what he’d focused on. It was the ceiling of a single cabin on a luxury liner speeding its way back to Scotian. He sighed and checked the time. Five hours since he and – damn, it hadn’t been a dream – since the two of them had basically stowed away on a cruiser he’d paid to board. Maybe if he closed his eyes again? This had to be a dream. First his father, then the inheritance. Who leaves someone a person in their will?

Then there was Harvey, and that close call back at the shuttle bay.

The adrenaline had worn off in a rush. Alex didn’t even remember lying down, but at least he’d kicked off his shoes. He hated wearing shoes and had the habit of kicking them off the instant he was in his own quarters without even thinking about it. Now he considered undressing completely so he could get some real sleep, but the adrenaline fall-out was over. Tired as he was, his mind was beginning to work again and didn’t want to give him any more time off.

With a quiet groan, he rolled over and sat up, rubbing what was left of the sleep from his eyes. Evan was on the couch, asleep in a position that couldn’t possibly be comfortable. Alex considered waking him, letting him finish out the night on the bed, but then thought better of it. The man had lightning-fast reflexes and he’d already proven himself more than capable at hand-to-hand confrontations. Sure, Doctor Slater had promised him Sha’erah were incapable of killing their owners, but startling the guy out of a sound sleep might invalidate that exception.

Besides, he needed to think, not argue.

After checking the ship’s time, he padded barefoot to the table nestled against the far wall. Embedded in the table was an automated menu connected directly to the ship’s dining rooms, so passengers could place orders for delivery without even calling up the kitchen staff. Alex used it now to order coffee and a high protein soup. He paused before hitting the send button. Evan was still sleeping, and if it hadn’t been for his restless mind, he would be too. But the guy would have to eat sooner or later. He changed the order quantity and sent it in, glad that at this hour, it would be delivered by service ‘bot.

Now there was nothing to do but relax.

As if.

Alex leaned back in the chair, elbow resting on the edge of the table, and chewed at the tip of a finger. The silver ring felt cold against his skin as he sat there, staring at Evan, a person he supposedly owned. He hadn’t even had time to absorb it, let alone allow himself to realize he’d made the choice to keep this . . . this . . . Sha’erah. What had be been thinking? A man had offered nearly twice what Evan was worth, more money than Alex had ever dreamed of, and he’d not only turned him down, but then ended up running for his life because of it. Now what?

Alex ran a hand through his hair and felt the new silver ring on his finger. He’d had a solution right there, staring at him from the vid-screen. What did it matter to him what Harvey wanted Evan for? He didn’t know these people, didn’t know Evan. God knows he needed the money. It was the only reason he’d come here, accepting the estate of a man he’d spent a lifetime hating.

What he got was unreal.

“All right, just get a grip, Alex.” He sighed quietly and walked to the washroom to splash cold water on his face. The mirror reflected back a tired, confused man whose chin was again sporting the hint of a beard that made him look so much like his father. “You really screwed me over this time.” He glared at the reflection as water dripped from his face. “What in hell am I supposed to do with this guy? I can’t own someone.” It wasn’t right. Moreover, it was morally repulsive. What were people going to think? What if he lost financial backing because of this? Alex slapped his face with another handful of cold water. What backing?

He stared at the water running down into the recycle tube, then looked up again. This time the face he saw was neither his, nor a shadow of his father’s.

“Shit!” Alex lurched backwards, slamming into the towel warmer as he spun around. “Don’tDO that!”

“Do what?” Evan was standing in the doorway, looking as dark and angry as ever.

Alex had to take a few deep breaths before he could speak again. “Sneak up like that!”

“You should have woken me, it’s dangerous to go anywhere until we know Harvey didn’t get men onto this ship.” Evan was still glaring, but he’d backed up two steps.

“I didn’t expect an ambush waiting for me in the bathroom.” Alex shook off the last of the sudden adrenaline rush and stepped back up to the sink. “Besides, you looked like you were sound asleep.”

The look Evan returned was anything but appreciative. “I shouldn’t have been.” He stormed away from the door and paced to the center of the room, then spun around. “I’m never to be asleep when you’re awake, I just – didn’t feel you wake up.” He looked down suddenly, shaking his head.

“What do you mean, you didn’t feel me wake up?” Something about that didn’t sound good at all. Cautiously, Alex stepped out of the bathroom, keeping a wary eye on Evan.

“With Spencer I could – I could feel when he was awake, or about to wake up.” Evan looked up again and shrugged slightly. The minute apologetic glance altered almost immediately back to his usual matter-of-fact stare. “It must have been due to how long I’d been with him.”

“Must have been?” Alex went back to the bed and sat down. “Is this some Sha’erah thing you failed to mention?”

Evan sat in the chair at the table, but his reply was delayed by a round of coughing. When it subsided, he looked up again. “I’ve only ever known one other Sha’erah in my life. Jerrak, until he died.”

Alex blinked. He wasn’t sure he fully understood what Evan was saying. “You mean even you don’t know how you work?”

Evan’s eyes flashed with dark anger. As he opened his mouth to answer, the door chimed, startling both men. “Stay there!”

“It’s dinner,” Alex chastised his roommate, but made no move to get off the bed. His heart was still in his throat, even though his head was trying hard to convince him there was no way Harvey would have followed them this far. It was only dinner, surely.

Evan pressed the door monitor and scanned the hallway for a long moment, then slowly opened the door a crack, then further, just enough to allow the service ‘bot to hand him the trays. When he’d secured the door again, he nodded to Alex.

“I can’t imagine anyone following us this far.” Alex walked to the table and took a seat. He was angry at Evan’s presumptions, but too flustered to say anything.

“Then you can’t imagine much.” Evan took the opposite seat. “Harvey’s not going to give up that easily, even if he doesn’t want to venture far from Cryian himself.”

That was close to his limit. “Look, I wasn’t born yesterday.” Alex pushed one of the two bowls of soup toward Evan, narrowly avoiding a mess. “I know what kind of person my father was.” He shoved the second cup of coffee across the table, wondering if his lie could be heard screaming inside his skull. “And I saw what kind of person this Harvey guy is. But I can handle myself now that we’re out of there and on the way back home.” He didn’t realize ‘home’ only related to him until the word was out.

“You’ve proven yourself handy in a fight, but how are you at an ambush?” Evan wrapped a hand around the coffee but didn’t taste it or the soup as he watched Alex. “Harvey knows who you are, where you came from, and what you do. He also knows where you’re going.”

Alex shoved his spoon into the bowl angrily. He wasn’t right. Okay, maybe he had a few good points, but he wasn’t right! “He can’t keep this up.” The soup was easier to talk to than Evan, so he concentrated on watching the meat and vegetables swim around in the dark broth.

“He can until you’ve sold me.”

That sounded like a query, but Alex wasn’t ready to answer it. For himself or for Evan. “All I need is funding and I can get the Ascalon on its way to the middle of nowhere. We’ll be safe out there, that’s for sure.”

“We?”

Alex looked up suddenly and tried to recover some time. “I’m still trying to figure out what in the hell I’ve done. I can’t think that far into the future. Not yet.”

Evan merely nodded and sipped his coffee.

It couldn’t be that easy. Alex knew he wanted to drop the whole subject, but how could Evan? They’d been bashing heads about every word he said since the first minute they met, now he was just nodding and drinking his coffee.

“Look, I can’t own a person.” Alex let his spoon hang forgotten in his hand. He couldn’t understand why his mouth wasn’t listening to his head when it told him the conversation was over.

“But you do.”

“No,” Alex shook his head and held up a hand. It just happened to be the one adorned with silver. He glanced at it. “What I own is a ring I can’t get off. The rest isn’t something I have a right to.”

“It’s not just a right, it’s a rarity.” Evan’s voice was so calm, so reasonable, he might as well have been talking about a small pet Alex had been given as a gift. Only Alex had never owned a pet in his life.

“Well, no one asked me if I wanted to accept it.” Frustrated, he pushed his chair back and stood, then began pacing the small room. His bandaged hand was throbbing and he could feel his exhausted body trying to process another rush of adrenaline. He knew Evan wasn’t the enemy. Deep down, he knew that. The guy was just the equation. The reason behind everything that had risen up to grab Alex’s quiet, ordered life by the throat and squeeze. Hell, it would be easier if he WAS the enemy. Easier if they could just duke it out. Sure, Alex would probably lose any physical fight between them, but at least they’d have a winner and they could go their separate ways. Alex could live with losing.

Well, maybe not to Franklin.

“God, I’m right back where I started!” He slumped down on the couch and pressed his head back until he was staring at the ceiling again. No funding, no inheritance – at least that he could use – and Franklin preparing his ship even now. “I need to find out who’s on this ship, see if there’s anyone I can use.”

“What do you mean?” Evan stayed in the chair at the table, but had turned it to face the couch.

“My ship needs funding.” He glanced toward the table, then remembered the incident just the other morning. “But you know that.” Hell, he’d scanned every file in the PDA, he probably knew more than Alex by now.

Evan nodded once, unaffected by the accusing stare Alex was directing his way. “You get corporations to fund your expeditions, so they can profit from the findings?”

Alex didn’t bother replying.

“What do you get out of that?”

He stared at the ceiling. “I get to explore. Find things no man has seen before.” Alex closed his eyes and pictured the nebula. Slowly, the hell of the past week began to ebb away, replaced by a familiar tingle. “Do you have any idea what that’s like? To be the first one to see a new system? To be on the first ship to enter into a new region of space?” He glanced at Evan. “To be the first person to see a new star or explore a new planet?”

“No.”

Suddenly Alex sat up. “Have you ever been away from Cryian?”

“Yes, but not often.” Evan suppressed a yawn. “Your father didn’t like to leave, so he sent me on errands for him.”

He didn’t want to know what kind of errands.

“Errands?” His mouth hadn’t gotten the memo.

Evan blinked heavily, obviously fighting sleep. “Yes. Business trips, he called them.”

He wasn’t exactly forthcoming. “Why don’t you go back to sleep? I need to make some calls.” Alex got off the couch and dug around in his pack until he found the PDA.

“I can’t.”

“Why?” He sat down on the bed and flipped open the small panel.

“Because I can’t trust you not to leave the room.” Evan stood and walked to the couch, but didn’t get comfortable. He had his coffee in one hand and was prying the lid off a prescription bottle with the other.

“Great.” Alex shot him a nasty look but he could see it was ignored. He wanted to argue the point, but figured it was useless. After all, the guy was right. He had every intention of heading out to see who was on the cruiser while he still had time. “Fine, we’ll both stay here till morning.” He glanced at Evan, but the man just stared back, swallowing several pills. “I promise.” The computer beeped inquisitively at him, but Evan’s look never wavered. He wasn’t buying it.

Evan nodded at the PDA waiting patiently in Alex’s hand. “It’s too early to call Scotian.”

“What?” Alex checked the time. “Damn.” Two in the morning. He just had to be right. “Fine. It can wait, then.” Without another look toward the couch, Alex peeled off his shirt, then his pants, and shoved both feet under the light blanket. “Turn off the lights when you’re ready.” He didn’t bother with pleasantries.

Less than a minute later, the lights in the room were reduced to sleeping luminance. There was a rustling off to the side as Evan got comfortable on the couch, then silence.

Silence so loud Alex’s thoughts reverberated inside his skull.

__________

When the speakers in the room announced the second call for breakfast, Alex rolled over and realized he’d fallen asleep at some point. Probably just an hour ago, judging by the way he felt. This time, Evan was awake and sitting at the table, black hair still damp from a shower.

“Is black the only color you wear?” Alex got up and walked groggily toward the bathroom.

“Yes.” His reply was short and to the point, with no inflection.

Okay, not a morning person. “Figures.” He shut the door this time so there wouldn’t be a repeat of last night’s startling. After cleaning his teeth and face, Alex stripped off his boxers and stepped into the shower. The Terria Rose II was just as luxurious as her sister ship and boasted full washrooms in every cabin. Her speed of travel and the fact that her routes were through the heart of the more populated sections of space allowed for fresh water showers in abundance. Alex could have spent all morning in there, letting the spray pound some sense into his head, but he was too keenly aware of the other man sharing the room. He didn’t even know this guy and he’d already spent the last three days completely in his company. Either that doctor on Cryian II was right and he was perfectly safe in Evan’s presence, or he was running on sheer luck.

The shower did much to revive Alex, as did being back onboard a cruiser returning to civilized society. He could almost believe his life was getting back on the main course.

After drying off, Alex pulled on a fresh pair of pants then glanced at Evan while he fumbled around his pack for a clean shirt. He was at the table, staring at the embedded display with one hand pressed palm down on the panel. “What are you doing?”

“Searching the ship’s passenger list.” He looked up for a moment. “You wanted to find out who was onboard.”

“You what?” He fumbled with a button on his way to the table. For some reason, he hadn’t expected Evan to be doing anything for him. “How did you get into those files from here?”

Evan continued to scroll through the names that appeared on the table’s display. “Easy. All I need is access to one of the computers. From there I just go where I want.”

“Where you . . . Never mind.” Alex finished with his buttons to buy some time. He hadn’t allowed himself to really think about what this Sha’erah was capable of or how his father had used that capability. He reluctantly allowed himself to look at the names scrolling by. If the file was there, he might as well use it. “Any sign of Harvey’s people being here?”

“They wouldn’t exactly register when they boarded. But the ship is fully booked and there haven’t been any reports of unusual activity or suspicious passengers.” Evan continued scrolling. “I don’t recognize anyone. Unless you want to give me a name to search for, you’ll have to take a look at it yourself.”

Alex cleared his throat and looked for more buttons to fuss with. This wasn’t exactly kosher, accessing a ship’s files without permission. “Carpenter.” He swallowed the last of his reluctance and sat down, looking at the display upside-down. “Do you see a Carpenter listed?” This wasn’t the ship he’d planned on taking back, it was too soon. But it was worth a shot, starting near the top of the alphabet, as it were.

Evan scanned some names, then pointed to the screen. “Miranda Carpenter, room 8B11. She boarded at Sirui station with a one-way ticket to Scotian.” He looked up at Alex. “You know her?”

“She’s early.” Alex looked at the name, eyebrows creased. “They weren’t due back for another week.” He frowned at the screen, but the name was right there, in glowing black and white. “Her father was interested in the Nebula. But he’s not here?”

Evan shook his head once. “She’s the only Carpenter listed. Do you want me to contact her?”

“What? No.” That’s just what he needed, a tattooed, black-clad angry man asking Miranda if her father was going to invest in the Ascalon’s expedition. Hell, he wasn’t even sure if he could let Evan walk around the ship. If anyone figured out what he was . . .” I’ll talk to her. I need to make some calls first.” He pulled the PDA from its usual pocket and checked the time.

“It’s ten o’clock.”

Alex looked up from the machine, feeling a return of the constant irritation that had plagued him since first meeting VanHolt. “Don’t tell me, you have an innate sense of time?” He didn’t even bother to hide the sarcasm.

“I checked before you woke up.” Evan didn’t try hiding his own, either. “I have a responsibility, too.”

“Whatever.” He flipped open the case and starting checking for messages. The first screen held several passwords, but the next screen looked . . . different. His files were listed as usual, and indicators told him what messages were waiting for his attention. But something wasn’t quite the same. Angrily, he looked up, meeting Evan’s watching gaze. “What did you do?”

“Your security wasn’t as tight as it should be. Harvey got in, and other people have come close.” Evan shrugged nonchalantly. “I fixed it.”

“You fixed it? It wasn’t broken!” Alex refrained from chucking the small computer at the man, but it took great effort. “You read everything in here, didn’t you? Then you took it upon yourself to ‘fix’ the security?” His face was burning. The only thing keeping him from launching more of an attack was the vision of two dead men in the spaceport tunnels on Cryian II.

Evan’s eyes flashed. He made no attempt to back off or even pretend to look apologetic. “Your security needed to be improved, so I improved it. Harvey was too close to your personal files, he could have accessed everything in there if he’d tried again with the measures you had in place.”

“And that gives you the right to just fix it?”

“There can’t be secrets, don’t you understand? I need full access to everything if I’m going to be able to serve you properly. If you’d sold me to Harvey I’d be doing the very same for him right now.”

“Serve me prop – How does you getting full access to my life serve me properly?”

They stared each other down for a moment before Evan answered. “Other people have tried to break your codes before.”

Alex blinked. “What?”

“Over the past two years, you’ve had eight close calls. One nearly accessed your flight plan three months ago.”

“You – How do – What!?” Why couldn’t they stay on one subject and fight it out? The rules kept changing mid-argument. And why in hell did every conversation with this man turn out this way? “Who did?” Numbly, he realized he was already losing the battle.

“Someone from a computer onboard a ship called the Vision. They didn’t get in, but they came close. Very close.”

“Shit.” Alex swallowed hard, the origins of the fight fading quickly. “That’s Franklin’s ship.”

“He’s the man trying to reach the nebula first?”

Alex nodded, barely aware of the source of Evan’s information and the reason for their current friction. “Did he get anything?”

Evan shook his head. “Nothing he was looking for.”

“But he tried? That bastard!”

“I don’t understand.” Evan leaned forward, resting an elbow on the table. “You both want to be the first one to that place, how secret is the flight plan? Isn’t it just . . . there?”

Alex set his forgotten PDA on the table and stood. He felt angry and confused all at once and needed to pace around the room. “Not to it, through it.” He reached one end of the small room and turned around, glancing momentarily at Evan, his anger at the Sha’erah forgotten for a deeper frustration with Franklin. They’d resorted to some nasty tricks in the past, but they’d never broken into each other’s files illegally. At least, he hadn’t.

“Nebulas are dangerous to navigate even when you know what’s inside or beyond. This one is different. No one has been there before, so we don’t know what’s in it or how to get through it. I’ve got a flight plan, he’s got a flight plan. One of us will beat the other based on that flight plan.”

“So if he knew yours, and compared it with his . . .”

“He’d stand a better chance of beating me in.”

“What if you had his?”

Alex stopped pacing and stared at Evan. For a split-second, possibilities he’d never considered flashed through his mind. If he had Franklin’s plans? Evan could get those plans. That’s what he did. That’s what his father . . .

“No.” Alex shook his head sharply. “No, I don’t work that way.” He met Evan’s gaze, expecting a snort of disappointment at his spineless methods. Instead, he saw something completely unexpected mirrored there. A look of, could it be, respect?

“Do you want me to order breakfast?”

“Um . . .” He had to organize his thoughts just to consider that simple subject. “Yeah. Order breakfast. I need to check in with my ship.”

Evan set about closing the files and changing the display while Alex retrieved his computer and walked to the couch. He fell into the cushion and flipped the unit open again. No messages. Everyone must be waiting for him to call in with the good news.

Well, it was news.

“Duvia residence.” The answering machine drawled in the best imitation of a hired servant its servos could manage.

“Alex Marcase calling for Madame Duvia.” Alex glanced over the PDA at Evan and found him busily placing a breakfast order, apparently not listening in though he knew the room was too small for any privacy.

“One moment please.”

He counted on his mother always leaving him on hold, it gave him time to think of a way to start his explanation.

“Alex, there you are. I was going to call you today if you didn’t check in.” Madame Duvia’s face beamed at him from the small screen. “Well, what’s the good news?”

I should have started with Jeff. “It’s complicated, mother. I don’t have the funding.”

The perfect smile vanished. It didn’t fade away with the slow realization of disappointment, it simply vanished as if from hours of disaster preparation. “How much did he leave you? Did that bastard blow his entire estate and make you fly out there for nothing?”

Alex sighed and glanced again at Evan. “Like I said, it’s complicated. I can explain later, but there wasn’t a cash estate. Have you spoken with Commodore Wilcox again?”

“What do you mean it wasn’t a cash estate? What was it?”

Why couldn’t he get one simple conversation out of anyone? Just one. “It was . . .” The discomfort was palpable. “He left . . . He kept a Sha’erah.” Alex paused, waiting for her dramatic, incredulous reply.

“He left it to you?” There was surprise in her tone and on her face, but not the type Alex had been expecting. “You brought it with you? Why in heaven’s name didn’t you sell it there?”

Alex felt his face turn red with embarrassment and cold from shock. Evan was watching him now, no emotion or reaction showing on his own face. “Mother you – you know about these Sha’erah?”

“I know they’re worth millions! Wasn’t there anyone willing to buy it there?”

“Mother,” Alex tried desperately to lower his voice and return a stern look of reprimand, but that was a look Madame Duvia never accepted from anyone, least of all her son. “He’s right here!”

“You can’t be thinking of finding a buyer in Scotian! Alex, no one here could possibly pay what a Sha’erah must be worth these days.”

“I can’t believe you even know what they are. What he is.” Alex corrected himself immediately. “Until three days ago I didn’t think they existed.” Why did Evan have to sit there so calmly and listen to this? “He’s a person, mother. Not an object. I can’t – I can’t sell a person.”

“They’re not even human, Alex, of course you can sell it.” She bit her bottom lip in thought. “I might be able to find a buyer, given a day or two.”

“I can’t believe you knew about these people, all this time.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. Everyone, or at least nearly everyone, knows they’re still made. But what’s the use talking about something you could never hope to afford? Most of us simply ignore them, let our children assume they’re myths.” She waved a dismissive hand. “It’s unimportant. Until now, anyway. You have to let me do some checking.”

This was definitely a huge mistake. “Mother, listen to me . . . No, just . . . just forget it, all right? There’s too much going on right now. I’ll explain it all later, but don’t do anything!”

“Now you’re being stubborn!” Madame Duvia’s face morphed into her best scolding frown. “You certainly can’t keep it! I won’t allow you to make such a mistake.”

“Goodbye, mother. I’ll call you when I get in.” Alex ended the call before she could reply or even begin to sputter. His face was still red, he could feel his cheeks burning. Evan was watching him, apparently unaffected by the woman’s attitude, but Alex was filled with the need to apologize. “She’s not usually that rude.” He smiled awkwardly and raised his eyebrows in a display of perplexed surprise.

Evan cocked his head slightly to one side. “Are you angry because she knew about Sha’erah?”

“Wha – Oh, mad?” He’d been so concerned with the way his mother had referred to Evan as an ‘it,’ he hadn’t really absorbed everything else. “Yeah, a little. I had no idea she knew.”

“She’s right.” Evan’s reply was interrupted by the chime of the door as a delivery robot announced their breakfast was in the hallway. He retrieved the trays and continued. “You’ll probably have trouble finding a buyer on Scotian who can afford to pay what Harvey offered.”

Alex blinked, desperately trying to keep his mind on the various tracks it was constantly trying to switch to. He held up a hand. “Can we just – please – stick to one topic at a time? At least for a little while? I’m getting dizzy.”

Evan stopped placing items on the table and looked up, puzzled.

“No, on second thought, let’s not talk about anything for a little while.” With that decision made, Alex sat down and began eating breakfast. Evan didn’t say another word, but returned to his seat and ate quietly, coughing occasionally until he took another dose of the medication the doctor had sent with him.

The silence was a much-welcomed relief and the simple task of eating helped Alex sort things out. He found himself bouncing back and forth between feeling sorry for Evan’s current situation – the guy certainly never asked for any of this – and feeling as if the entire universe had conspired to ruin his life and his chances to beat Franklin to the nebula. Hell, at this rate, his mother in a run-down shuttle with half a load of fuel could probably beat him to the Nebula!

He had to get what was left of his life on track. Once he got back onboard the Ascalon, and out into space where he belonged, things would right themselves. That’s where he belonged, out there, millions of miles away from everyone. It was so focused there. So simple. Life consisted of your ship, your crew, and your goal. Everything revolved around them and them alone, even emergencies were easily handled as long as you knew your ship, your crew, and your goal. He longed for that simplicity again.

Breakfast and the silent respite were over all too quickly. Evan gathered the dishes and sent the tray through the return chute under the table, then went to the couch to sit quietly, watching Alex.

“All right.” As much as he wanted to crawl back into bed for the duration of the flight, he had to get back out into society and repeat the sales pitch. “We’re relatively sure none of Harvey’s men got onboard?”

“I can’t be positive.”

“Great. Well, I need to get out there and see some people.” Alex retrieved his PDA and slid it into a pocket. “At least talk to Miranda Carpenter.”

Evan stood, looking as if he was about to argue.

“What are my chances of going out there alone?”

“If I knew for a fact it was safe, you could do whatever you wanted.” Evan’s gaze narrowed sternly. “But it isn’t.”

Alex sighed. “Look, this isn’t going to work. If Harvey couldn’t take no for an answer on Cryian, that’s his problem.” He walked determinedly to the door, but Evan was quicker, placing a hand over the keypad and effectively blocking his way.

“He won’t take no for an answer no matter where you go or how long it takes.”

“This is stupid!” Frustration got the better of Alex. He stormed away from the door but stopped halfway to the other side of the room and spun back around, glaring at his barricade angrily. “If he could just steal a Sha’erah from someone regardless of them being for sale or not, then what prevents him from doing it? There has to be something my father did other than frighten people away. If something’s not for sale, it’s simply not for sale!”

Evan’s eyebrows knit together as he contemplated that statement. He shrugged. “There was just never any question. He’d made a decision.”

“Fine.” Alex felt his mouth about to charge ahead without waiting for his better judgment to catch up, but it seemed to be in command. “I’ve made a decision then. I’m sick of this crap, I have a life to get on with.” He raised his hand and actually spoke to the ring around his finger. “I’m keeping you! Got that? You’re not for sale and that’s all there is to it!”

As he turned to Evan, triumphant in his ability to make an actual decision, something began happening to the ring.

“What the . . .”

The smooth silver was moving.

“What is this?”

“I don’t know.” Evan stared at the ring, apparently as surprised as Alex.

Before he could begin to worry, it stopped moving. Now, instead of a smooth ring of shimmering, plain silver, the metal circling Alex’s finger was engraved with a deep, intricate pattern. He touched it, and felt the typical gripping when he attempted to pull it over the knuckle. Aside from the new pattern displayed, nothing had changed.

Alex swallowed. “Why did it do that?” He stared at Evan. The man looked dazed. His eyes were focused somewhere beyond their current galaxy. After a moment’s hesitation, he began to shake his head very slowly from side to side, still staring off in internal space.

“Evan?” Alex swallowed again. Was this some kind of Sha’erah thing? The guy had gone pale. His head shaking was now accompanied by seriously knit eyebrows and a dark, confused look. Hesitatingly, Alex reached out and lightly touched Evan’s arm. “Are you all right?”

Evan blinked once and focused on Alex, apparently unaware of the hand that had touched his arm. “I don’t know why it did that. It looked . . . It looked different when he wore it.” He blinked again and seemed to focus more clearly. “Did you say you were keeping me?”

“How did it look different?”

“You meant that?”

Alex pressed at his eyes with the heels of both hands. One or both of them wasn’t communicating well. “Yes, I’m keeping you. We can talk about it later. I wanna know what this thing did and why. What made it look different on my father?”

Evan shook his head slowly from side to side. “It was different. More plain, with just one line around the middle. But it was always like that.”

“Why did it change just now?”

He shrugged. “I don’t know.”

“You don’t know?” This was doing nothing to alleviate Alex’s apprehension. “I thought this was something your people created?”

“It is, but I don’t know everything about it. I don’t think anyone does.”

“Well that makes no sense!” Alex blinked, eyebrows arched in stunned confusion. “Silver metal doesn’t just fly from a data reader onto someone’s finger, then refuse to be pulled off as if it was alive or something, without someone knowing what in the hell it is and how it works!”

Evan simply shrugged. “Someone does know, but I don’t.”

“Great.” Alex looked at it again. It hadn’t changed any more. It was sitting there on his finger happily shining back at him. “Okay, fine.” He’d made one decision and so far was alive to regret it. Maybe he could continue on in this vein and get his life back in some sort of order. “I guess until it leaps off and tries to kill me there’s nothing more to do.” He looked at Evan. “Can we go look for Miranda now? I have business to take care of.”

Evan stared at him, blinking a few times. “How do you want me to address you in public?”

The question took Alex by surprise. “I’m not comfortable with this master/slave thing, okay? Just call me Alex.”

“Yes, sir.”

“No, no ‘sir,’ just Alex.” He looked at Evan, trying hard to appear sympathetic. The guy looked like hell, probably due to the pneumonia. He was beginning to feel a little self-centered. “Okay? I’d rather we tried to be friends, so just call me Alex.”

Evan nodded once. “I’m a Sha’erah, you’re my Keeper. That’s all there is.”

“Not anymore.”

“I don’t understand.”

Alex sighed deeply, then shook his head once. “We can talk about this later.” He opened the door and motioned for Evan to precede him into the hallway. “I don’t quite understand it myself.”

As they made their way down mildly crowded corridors, past luxurious suites, spas, and gaming rooms, Alex couldn’t help noticing the looks they were awarded on occasion. Looks blending surprise and fear with admiration and – he was pretty sure – jealousy. Just how many people knew about Sha’erahs, anyway? Couldn’t be that many.

“You said black is all you wear?” Perhaps it was Evan’s look. He was certainly foreboding with the space-black hair, frighteningly dark eyes, and completely black clothing.

“Yes.”

“Why is that?”

“Spencer liked the image. He said it kept people on their toes, to be nervous around me.” Evan’s tone suggested a measure of disapproval.

“So that’s all you have? Black?” Alex caught Evan’s nod out of the corner of his eye. “Well, maybe we’ll do something about that when we get back to my ship.” It was going to be tricky enough introducing Evan to his crew, let alone finding a place for him there. Alex had a sinking feeling that nothing in his life from that moment on was going to be easy ever again.

Except perhaps finding Miranda Carpenter.

“Alex! I can’t believe it.” The thin auburn-haired figure bounced toward them through a crowd assembled in the upper deck viewing area. “I thought you’d be coming back next week. What brings you home so early?” She greeted Alex with a quick peck on both cheeks, then immediately turned her gaze to Evan.

“Miranda, this is Evan.” Alex motioned to his right. “He’s . . .”

“My God, he’s fantastic!” Miranda took one step back and swept her eyes over Evan. “A Sha’erah! Don’t tell me, Alex, this is your inheritance?”

“You know what he is?” Alex was beginning to wonder if he was the only person left alive who hadn’t known. It was as if the entire universe had conspired to keep this one secret from him. Or had he been living in a bubble all this time?

“Don’t be silly, Alex. Of course –” She stopped herself and turned back to him, biting a lip in a mock pout. “Oh, but I don’t suppose you knew. My father had one when I was a child.”

“What?” Alex knew his mouth was hanging open. Both Evan and Miranda were staring at him. “Your father? But I’ve known you since we were kids.”

“He had to sell him when I was very young, to pay for the new business. I was devastated and refused to eat for a week.” She sighed. “I think you and I met that same season.” Her attention returned to Evan. “So, tell me, Alex, why didn’t you sell him? I never would have pegged you for a Keeper. Not in a million years.”

“It’s complicated.” Alex regained control of his gaping mouth. “I don’t suppose your father . . .”

“Oh, I should have told you.” Miranda sighed again and dragged her gaze away from Evan. “He’s decided to go ahead and invest. My aunt talked him into it, even put up some money herself I think. He’s still there, enjoying the visit. Frankly, I couldn’t be bothered. The woman drives me crazy, which is why I only came along for the shopping, and found an early ride home.” She held out a hand, displaying several multifaceted jewels. “I believe when you get back, you’ll find your ship is fully funded. Too bad, really. No offense, but I think if my father had been aware you’d inherited such a prize, I might have had him talked into making a purchase, instead of an investment.”

“He’s not for sale.” Alex swallowed, still reeling from the fact that Miranda’s father had once owned a Sha’erah. He glanced at Evan and caught the man’s eye. “Look, Miranda, I’m grateful for your father’s funding and I’ll call him the instant I get back to the Ascalon. But right now I think Evan and I are a bit too tired for socializing.

“Don’t be ridiculous.” Without permission, Miranda squeezed herself between both men, then snaked her arms around theirs. “You two can sit around all day tomorrow. Today you’re going to escort a rich, bored girl around this beautiful ship.”

He couldn’t argue. He wanted to, very much. But her father had just agreed to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on his behalf, investing in a risky venture that could – though Alex staked his reputation that it wouldn’t – fail miserably. So he played along. Evan said nothing, and only spoke when a question was directed at him. Even then he’d glance at Alex first before saying a word. They followed Miranda through all of the ship’s main attractions, playing the part of the trophies she so obviously wanted to show off. Alex had never felt more conspicuous in his life, but even that feeling quickly gave way to confused self-examination as it became more and more obvious that he – and he alone it would seem – had been unaware of the reality of Sha’erah.

Everyone they met knew what Evan was, and most simply by a glance at his tattooed neck or hand. Though Miranda took great pleasure in telling them anyway. Alex quickly realized any hope they may have had of remaining unnoticed by any of Harvey’s men who might be onboard was lost. Still, as Evan pointed out once when Miranda was occupied, the word was spreading that Alex was unequivocally Evan’s Keeper, and no offer of sale would be entertained. Evan seemed to feel that would do the most good in dissuading Harvey and anyone else with the idea of forcing Alex’s hand.

By the time they were able to pull out of Miranda’s constant company, it was well past the late dinner hour.

“I definitely need a drink.” Alex found a table in the darkest corner of a lower level bar and ordered a scotch. “What about you?”

“No, I’m tired enough as it is. I can’t risk blurring my senses now.” Evan sat down and made a wary scan of the room.

“I thought you said we were safe?” Alex motioned to a waitress.

“We can never be too careful.” Evan finished his visual inspection of the immediate area and seemed to relax a little. “Your safety is my primary concern.”

“Is that right?” Alex ordered his drink and leaned forward. With both elbows on the small table, he could rub his forehead hard enough to try and push out half their wasted day.

“I thought you’d be happy.”

Alex glanced at Evan without moving his head out of his hands. “About the funding? I am. I just – I can’t figure out how I could have gone all these years being the only one who didn’t know about you. Sha’erah, I mean.” The waitress dropped off the glass of scotch and threw Evan a glance, then scurried off. “I suppose even she knows what you are.”

Evan merely shrugged.

“God I’m tired.” Alex rubbed his eyes, then downed half the scotch in one swallow. The past few days were struggling to catch up with him. He glanced at Evan. “How’s the cough?”

“Better.”

Evan’s jaw clenched suddenly and Alex realized he must be stifling a yawn. He sat back in the chair and fingered the glass in front of him, watching the Sha’erah through the dim lighting of the bar. It hadn’t really occurred to him that Evan was as much of an individual as he was. That he must have feelings, regardless of his background. Or that maybe – just maybe – he might not be all that bad a person. Maybe this wasn’t going to be so horrible after all. If his plan worked, and Evan grew to accept him as a friend instead of an owner, they might find they actually had things in common.

Perhaps life was going to straighten out after all. He had his funding. All he had to do now was get back to Scotian, get his crew filled out, and get underway. He’d have to find something for Evan to do onboard, to keep him occupied if nothing else. Find some quarters for him to stay in. Alex fleetingly wondered how hard it would be to get Evan to accept living quarters away from his. His own cabin was two-bedroom, but he shared that with Jeff, his copilot, and Jeff’s current wife. There was probably something available next door, if he did some shuffling around.

He should call ahead, let Jeff know what was going on. Alex sighed and finished his drink. He’d never realized what a bubble he’d lived in all this time. Even as a child, he must have turned a blind eye to everything he didn’t care to concern himself with. Could he really have been that focused in his ignorance?

Probably.

Alex shoved the empty glass aside and looked at Evan again. “You look like hell.”

“I’m all right.”

“The hell you are. Come on, I’ve had it myself.” Alex stood and waited for Evan to join him. The man was so slow and deliberate, he wondered if he was going to end up carrying him back to the cabin. “You haven’t slept in a while, have you?”

“I couldn’t risk it while Harvey was out there.”

“Well, I don’t think we have much to worry about.” Alex turned and led the way out of the bar and back toward their deck. “Besides, the way Miranda was parading us around the ship, if Harvey’s men are onboard they’d be stupid to try anything.”

“Don’t underestimate their capacity.”

Alex laughed shortly. “Right. Well, we’ll be there the morning after tomorrow. Since I don’t have to work the crowd any more, we can lock ourselves in the room for the rest of the trip. I think I could sleep that long myself.” He stifled a yawn of his own and keyed open the door to their room. “Listen, do you want the bed? I feel bad that –”

“No.” Evan turned and locked the door, then pressed his palm against the keypad. Several lights flashed in sequence, then a loud clunk was heard inside the wall. “They don’t utilize the security they have here. It’s a waste.”

“Or they’re just not as paranoid as the people of Cryian are.” Alex peeled off his shirt and tossed it over the back of one chair.

“It’s ridiculous not to use something to its full potential.” Evan’s face showed great disgust that appeared to go beyond his disappointment in the door locks. “You’re only cheating yourself by doing that.” He gestured toward Alex. “I’m sure you use your ship to its full capacity, and your crew.”

“Of course, but . . .” His reply was interrupted by a page. He pulled the PDA from his pocket and answered the call. “Miranda.”

“Alex, I just spoke with my father, told him you accepted his offer of funding.”

“Thank you, I’ll call him as soon as I get back.”

“Don’t worry about it.” She purred. “Listen, I was wondering, if you didn’t have anything planned, I’d love to borrow your Sha’erah for the evening.”

Alex blinked several times as his face began warming with the realization of her intent. “Borrow him?” He glanced at Evan questioningly. “Can you hang on a second?” Before she could reply, he muted the input. Evan was standing next to the couch, watching him calmly. “Did you . . . ?”

“Did I what?”

“I mean, it’s entirely up to you.”

“No, it isn’t.”

Alex’s face flushed again. “I’m not making this decision.” God, what was he, a pimp? “If you want to spend time with her, feel free.”

“Are you telling me to?”

“No.” He glanced back down at the screen. “But if you want to . . .”

“I don’t.” Evan replied flatly. “But I will if you want.”

Alex swallowed. “Miranda, I’m sorry but he’s not . . . available.”

Miranda made a great show of sighing her regret. “I can see you still have some things to learn about being a Keeper, Alex. Well, never mind. You’ll get the hang of giving orders, just like you do with your crew. Meantime, I guess I’ll go fishing in the lounge.” She terminated the call with a quick flash of perfect teeth in a less than happy smile.

The silence that followed was uncomfortable, but Evan didn’t seem bothered at all. “Did you, ah, I mean before . . . Did you have anyone?”

“You mean did I have a girlfriend? No.” Evan adjusted the cushions on the couch. “Spencer didn’t want me forming any alliances, but he sent me out to entertain women now and again.”

“He sent you to . . . And you didn’t mind that?”

“What do you think?” Evan tossed one of the pillows to the floor to make room. “No, I didn’t enjoy it, but I did it because he ordered me to. Luckily, that wasn’t too often.”

Alex’s face burned red again. He obviously had a lot to learn, but some of it he wasn’t sure he wanted to. There was no way in hell he was going to put that bit of information to work for him! “Well, this has been a day. I need a shower.”

He made it a quick one, hoping to get out with enough time to put in a call to his ship before Jeff was asleep. And timing it just right so he placed the call while Evan was in the shower wasn’t a bad idea either.

“Jeff, hope I didn’t wake you.”

“You did. But considering your news, I can forgive you.” Jeff rubbed his eyes and kept his voice low so as not to wake his wife.

“So, you know?”

“Your mother called, then no more than an hour later I got notice from the bank about Mr. Carpenter’s sponsorship. Way to go, Alex.”

Jeff’s expression wasn’t in par with his congratulations. “Yeah, well, it was luck. But listen, that’s not why I called.”

“It’s that Sha’erah, right?”

“Mother?”

“She told me.”

“Damn her.” Alex ran a hand through his wet hair. “It’s complicated, Jeff. But I am keeping this guy. We’ll find something for him to do, I’m sure.”

“I dunno. What’s he like?”

Alex shrugged. “We don’t communicate well, that’s for sure. I’m hoping that’ll change when we get settled and on the trip. Maybe he just needs some stability after all this. He’s been with my father since he was born. I guess I can’t blame him for being a little out of joint.”

“You’re keeping him?” Jeff sat farther up in the bed and shot a glance over his shoulder. “Alex, I’m not so sure that’s a good idea. I know about these things.”

“Doesn’t everyone?” Alex didn’t try to hide his sarcasm. Of course Jeff knew about Sha’erahs. Everyone did, after all. It was obviously the big secret God had kept from him since childhood. “It’ll be all right, Jeff. He’s not all that bad, really. I think.”

“I’m not comfortable with this, Alex. But we can discuss it when you get here.” He glanced over his shoulder again. “I’d better sign off before I wake Alice.”

“Right. See you tomorrow.” Alex put the PDA away and fell back onto the bed, staring up at the ceiling. Something wasn’t right in Jeff’s tone. Something Alex feared but wasn’t ready to deal with.

When Evan came out of the shower he immediately dimmed the lights, then found his way to the couch and practically fell onto the cushions. Within minutes, to Alex’s surprise, he heard the soft breathing of a sleeper.

He shoved one arm under the pillow and contemplated the pattern in the ceiling tiles. After a long while, he realized if he half closed one eye and tilted his head, he could imagine the Pendulum Nebula in the pattern above him. That’s all that mattered now. He had funding. His ship would be ready to leave port by the end of the week. The only focus he needed now was beating Franklin out there. Everything else would fall into place, once he was out in space again. Things always worked themselves out when he was on the Ascalon, commanding a crew, hurling through uncharted space.

Out there it didn’t matter who did and didn’t know about Sha’erahs. It didn’t matter whether Alex was a Keeper or who his father had been. That’s what he loved most about deep space exploration, leaving everything but the goal behind.

They’d find a place for Evan, get launched, and beat Franklin to the nebula. Maybe by then Evan would have adjusted out of this master/slave mode.

Maybe by then Alex would know how to talk to the guy without running into an argument.

Hell, maybe by then, they’d even be friends.

Next Chapter

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