“Devora,” Sarai spoke softly, reassuringly. “I know what it’s like to be afraid. I’ve been afraid my whole life, but I’ve come to realize something.” She set the gun down carefully on the table, then came across the room to sit with them on the floor.
“I’ve realized that I don’t like living in fear, and I don’t want my children to live in fear any more, either,”
she continued. “Until now, I never saw how I could change that. I see now, though.”
“What do you see?” Calla asked dully. Jess was gone. They’d each found a chance at freedom in their own way, but they had no way to find each other. It was a big quadrant.
“I see that we don’t have to stay here,” Sarai replied. She looked more animated than Calla had ever seen her. “Those slaves revolted, and they left. We could have our own little revolt.”
“You want to kill Seth and Calvin?” Calla asked, horrified.
“No, of course not,” Sarai said. “But we could leave them here. I listen to all of you talk; I know this ship is capable of flying without a pilot. All we have to do is leave. Once we’re gone we could send help for Seth and Calvin. But by the time they’re rescued we’ll be long gone. Don’t you see? This could be our only chance. We’ll sell the ship and make new lives for ourselves!”
“I can’t do that to Seth,” Calla said. “He doesn’t deserve to be treated that way.”
“I don’t deserve to be treated this way, either,” Sarai replied fervently. “Neither do my children. Seth hasn’t done anything to help us.”
“Think about what she’s saying, Missy,” Bragan added, watching her closely. “I don’t know this Seth very well, but I do know that life isn’t easy for a slave on the run. If he ever finds out, he could return you to your master for a reward, or even take you himself. You don’t have any rights, you know.”
Calla could see their logic, but leaving Seth seemed so wrong. She loved him. Of course, he didn’t love her, she reminded herself. When their contract was up, she might never see him again. She’d have enough money to get herself set up somewhere, but that wouldn’t help Sarai and her children. Just the thought of leaving them with Calvin made her blood run cold.
“I’ll have to think about it,” she said finally. “What about you, Bragan? What would happen to you if we did it?”
“You can just leave me here,” he said earnestly. “It won’t change anything. I’m stuck on this rock no matter what. While you’re thinking, though, I would really appreciate something to eat.”
“Of course,” Sarai said, startled into giving a out a little laugh. She sounded happy, Calla realized. She’d never heard Sarai sound happy before. “I’ll get you something.”
Calla sat thinking as Sarai fed the man. Maybe she should take the ship. If she did, they could go somewhere and sell it. They’d get enough to start over, and if they went far enough away, Seth would never find them. Calla had no doubt his anger would be terrible. If she did do it, she didn’t want to take any chances he’d find her… A whirring noise from the airlock caught her attention. The men were back.
Sarai leapt away from Bragan, busying herself in the kitchen area.
“Think about it,” Bragan softly, his eyes locking with hers. Then the airlock door opened, and Seth and Calvin walked were there. Seth’s gaze flew to his prisoner, noting the gag had been removed.
“I told you not to talk to him,” Seth said angrily to Calla. “He’s dangerous.”
Chapter 9
Devora stared up at him with guilt written all over her lovely face. Why was she talking to Bragan? Sarai was scuttling around like a mad woman, refusing to look at any of them. The children were nowhere to be seen. Something was definitely going on, Seth thought.
“Why were you talking to him?” He repeated his question.
“Um,” Devora said, casting her eyes about. Then she gestured toward a small bowl of water and a rag.
“I was worried about him. He wasn’t moving, so I decided to clean off his face and make sure he was all right. When he woke up he wanted some water. We–I mean, I–gave him a drink and some food. That’s all.”
No one said anything, and silence fell over the room. Calvin glared at her, then muttered, “Stupid women,” before turning to pull off his suit. A new stench–that of vomit–followed him. Seth tensed at Calvin’s tone; he had long since realized the man was a fool as well as a menace, but he learned a great deal about the Pilgrims from him. In fact, he was pretty sure Calvin thought Seth was considering joining the cult. It was probably the only reason the man hadn’t turned on him yet, Seth reasoned.
As for Devora, he would keep a close eye on her. She seemed to be up to something, but he had no idea what interest she would have in Bragan. Maybe she was just trying to help the man; he did look pathetic slumped there on the floor.
“Well, don’t talk to him any more,” Seth finally said. “I’ll make sure he’s fed from now on.”
“What are you planning to do with him?” Devora asked bluntly.
“We’ll kill the bastard,” Calvin blustered. “He’s a murderer, he deserves to die.”
“Not so fast,” Seth broke in quickly. “Bragan, if you give us the information we’re looking for we may spare you.”
Bragan’s eyes grew wild at Seth’s words. He tensed his entire body, then spat at Seth like a snake.
“I’ll take that as a sign you don’t want to talk right now,” Seth said, sighing. His mission had grown far more complex than he’d ever anticipated. He’d come to the belt to collect information on a dangerous cult. Now he had a family to rescue, not to mention a band of revolutionary slaves running around. Not that he blamed them for fighting back; the working conditions in the belt were unbearable. Quietly he admitted some admiration for the men who’d risked their lives to fight back. He would have done the same in their situation. It created complications for the occupation and peace process, however. The Saurellians couldn’t afford to look weak right now.
“Calvin, let’s eat and we’ll talk about tomorrow,” he said finally.
“Woman, bring me my food,” Calvin bellowed and Sarai jumped. “And bakrah !”
He missed eating with Devora, Seth thought as he sat with Calvin that night. The man was telling him the Celestial Pilgrim’s theories on racial purity. Seth listened with one ear, keying a small pocket recorder to preserve everything the man said for the Saurellian intelligence analysts. Calvin’s theories were so delusional and violent that they made him feel ill at times; it was hard to stay focused. Devora and Sarai eventually took small plates of food in to the children. Seth wished deeply that he could go with them.