Star Alliance (31 page)

Prax’pedax glanced at Kladomaor, intrigued. Kaylan may not have had Ma’jasalax’s training in the Mardoxian sect, but she certainly had a keen insight.

“We believe the Drars may have set the conditions for the Mardoxian trait to be possible throughout the galaxy. Until now, the Boxans were the only species to have a strong inclination toward this trait,” Kladomaor said.

Prax’pedax looked sharply at Kladomaor and then at the group of Humans. “Are you saying the Mardoxian potential is present in Humans?”

“Beyond the shadow of a doubt,” Kladomaor said.

Prax’pedax glanced at Ma’jasalax. “This is unprecedented, and now I can see why you’re so keen to keep them out of Xiiginn hands, but I’m afraid this complicates things.”

Kladomaor narrowed his gaze. “How?”

“I’m afraid I can’t allow you to leave for the time being,” Prax’pedax said.

“You have no authority to stop me,” Kladomaor said.

“In this you’re mistaken. The nature of this mission gives me a certain amount of autonomy. Finding anything remotely related to the Drars could help us take back our home and cure all those who were afflicted by the Xiiginns. This station is operating under blackout protocols. The only reason we answered your hails was because you were in trouble,” Prax’pedax said.

Kladomaor was about to reply, but Ma’jasalax spoke first.

“Give us some time to discuss this new development so we may come to a resolution that is satisfactory to all,” Ma’jasalax said.

“Of course. Take all the time you need. We’ll speak more later,” Prax’pedax said.

The station commander left them, but two of the station’s soldiers were posted outside the doors.

“So that’s it? They’re just going to keep us here?” Kaylan asked.

Kladomaor was silent while his mind whittled away at the possibilities.
 

“How much time are we talking about here? Is there any possibility the Xiiginns could track us here?” Hicks asked.

“Highly unlikely,” Kladomaor said. “Prax’pedax is right about the blackout protocols. If he’s truly onto something about the Drars, he can temporarily hold us here.”

“I think we should learn all we can while we’re here,” Ma’jasalax said. “In the meantime, I can try to reason with him.”

“And if he won’t see reason?” Kladomaor asked.

“Then you’ll do what you do best,” Ma’jasalax said.

“I could help if we’re looking to try and get out of here,” Zack said.

“No!” Kladomaor said. “They’re already suspicious of you. I don’t want to give them any reason to treat us more firmly.”

“What do you suggest we do then?” Kaylan asked.

“We’re his guests. Let’s see what they’ve discovered. After that, we’ll take you before the Boxan council and then back to Earth,” Kladomaor said.

Kaylan nodded.

Considering all that had happened, Kladomaor thought the Humans were coping quite well. They had proven to be a highly resilient species. He needed to check on the ship repairs just in case he had to take matters into his own hands. If that were to happen, the Humans might have to leave their ship here, which they wouldn’t like. Kladomaor left them to check on Triflan and the repairs.
 

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ship would be completed any time now. They still didn’t have clearance to leave, but having a working spaceship brought them a lot closer than they had been before.
 

 
The now-familiar stomping that followed Zack throughout the ginormous space station came to a halt when he did. Over the past two days he had tested the boundaries by quickening his stride to see how far away his escorts would let him go. It was slightly amusing to him when the heavy footfalls of the Boxan soldiers quickened to catch up with him; it was less amusing when they shot some sort of beam that froze him in place. At least he’d learned something by having a bit of fun at the Boxans’ expense, even if they’d had the last laugh.
 

 
Zack had arrived at the conclusion that the Boxans as a race were quite standoffish when they couldn’t meet you on their own terms. Their presence here on this asteroid space station was a prime example. Zack had been in enough situations to know when he was being barely tolerated. There were exceptions of course. Gaarokk was quite easygoing and open with them, and Etanu had pointed out that the Boxans had suffered a great many disappointments since they had been cast out of the Confederation.

“That’s just it. I’m not sure I believe their being cast out is their greatest upset,” Zack said.

Etanu was with him, along with Emma, Kaylan, and Efren. They were at the docking area and within sight of the Athena. Their ship was tiny compared to the other ships at the dock.
 

“Are you saying you think the Confederation isn’t important to them?” Etanu asked.

Zack shook his head. “No, it’s important to them, but it’s the Xiiginns’ and the Boxans’ own place in the universe that are more important to them. They feel responsible for what the Xiiginns have done, but without the Confederation, and perhaps if they abandon the Star Shroud program, what will they do then?”

Kladomaor’s time was mainly spent in meetings with Prax’pedax, but he’d managed to take Hicks, Redford, and some others around the dock, showing them the different ships. Redford had hardly slept since they’d been here, and Zack thought the astrophysicist had seen more of the station than anyone else.
 

Gaarokk waved over to them as he approached.

“Indeed, what will we do?” Gaarokk said.

Zack blanched. “You heard me from all the way over there?” he asked.

“We have excellent hearing,” Gaarokk said.

Zack glanced at his soldier escorts and wondered if they had heard some of the things he had said about them earlier. “Good to know,” he said.

“How much longer will they keep us here?” Kaylan asked.

“I don’t think it will be that much longer—certainly not for any extended period of time. Finding evidence of the Drars is an astonishing discovery. They were an advanced civilization that existed well before any of us,” Gaarokk said.

“Yeah, but they fought an interstellar war and were never heard from again,” Zack said.

“That is true. Some Boxans believe our fate is tied to theirs, so it’s important that we learn all we can about them,” Gaarokk said.

“What have they learned so far?” Zack asked.

Gaarokk was about to answer when a nearby door opened and a group of Boxan soldiers headed in their direction. Zack had a sinking feeling they were there for him. The two soldiers that were assigned to watch him closed in from behind.

The Boxans came to a halt and their leader gestured toward Zack. “This one will come with us,” the Boxan said.

Without waiting for a reply, his soldier escorts prodded him forward. Zack was sure the nudge had been gentle by Boxan standards, but his shoulder ached nonetheless.

“What’s the meaning of this?” Kaylan asked.

The rest of them were following along.

“The commander wishes to speak with him,” the Boxan said.

Kaylan walked by Zack’s side. “Did you do anything?”

“No, I swear,” Zack said. “Those two have been with me the whole time.”

Zack glanced at Gaarokk, and the Boxan told him not to worry. Zack wasn’t reassured.

They were led through a series of rock-walled corridors, and the Boxans they passed all seemed to be quickly making their way somewhere. They brought Zack to the large room that was the command center for the entire station. Boxans were working at various workstations throughout. Zack caught sight of Kladomaor by Prax’pedax’s side, and neither Boxan appeared to be happy to see him. They were on an elevated platform so they could oversee the command center. Zack recognized some of the Boxan soldiers as being part of Kladomaor’s crew.

The Boxan soldiers guided him to a small circular platform and had him stand on it. The platform glowed amber, and Zack found that he couldn’t move his legs. He looked at Kaylan, alarmed.
 

Kaylan rounded on Prax’pedax. “We’ve been nothing but cooperative with you. Why are you holding him?” she demanded.

“Cooperative! Then tell us why a wormhole has been detected on the edges of this system,” Prax’pedax said.

Kaylan looked at Kladomaor. “The Xiiginns are here?” she asked.

“We’ve found that a signal has been broadcasting our position since shortly after we arrived,” Kladomaor said.

“I didn’t do anything,” Zack said.

Kladomaor’s lips pressed together, and he looked at Kaylan. “He may not even realize he’s under their influence.”

“He’s not,” Etanu said, stepping closer to Zack. “The Xiiginn, Kandra Rene, tried many times to control him, and every single time she failed.”

Kladomaor shook his head. “She might have been wearing away his control, learning the best way to apply her influence.”

“If that’s the case,” Zack said, “anyone here could be under their influence.”

“We thoroughly examined him,” Kaylan said. “Our medical officer compared his brain scans from before he was captured to after, and there were no anomalies that could be explained as having been caused by the Xiiginn influence.”

Prax’pedax narrowed his gaze. “How do you know anything about the effects of the Xiiginn influence?”

“I told them,” Gaarokk said. “They have a right to know what they’re facing, and given the fact that Zack was their prisoner, it was prudent that they be equipped with a way to determine if he was affected.”

“The only problem is that the effects can be different, depending on the species,” Prax’pedax said, and looked over at Kladomaor. “Is this the one who deciphered the Star Shroud protocols?”

Kladomaor nodded. “He could have done this. He could have configured a broadcast signal to tell the Xiiginns right where we are.”

“I’m telling you I didn’t do this,” Zack said.

Prax’pedax’s stony gaze took them all in. “We have no choice. Take the Human into custody and put him in one of the holding cells.”

Etanu started to move toward Zack. “Don’t,” Zack said. He didn’t want them to start fighting with each other, not with the Xiiginns coming for them.

“You don’t have any proof,” Kaylan said.

“The safety of this station comes first. We’ll investigate—” Prax’pedax was saying when Kaylan interrupted.

“How are you going to have time to investigate?” Kaylan said. “If the Xiiginns are attacking, you won’t have the time. He’s a member of my crew. I’ll confine him to the Athena and assign one of the crew to remain with him at all times. You can even post guards outside the ship to make sure he doesn’t leave.”

Zack watched Kladomaor glance at him as if trying to figure out whether he was lying. He knew he hadn’t consciously done anything, but someone had. How else could the Xiiginns have followed them here?

Kladomaor turned toward Prax’pedax. “As his commander, she has the right to investigate the alleged actions of one of her crew.”

Prax’pedax’s mouth drew downward and his flaxen eyes went cold. “So be it. However, I want all the Humans to return to their ship immediately.”

The amber glow from the platform beneath Zack’s feet went out, and he was able to move again.
 

“I’ll have my soldiers see to it,” Kladomaor said.
 

The Boxan soldiers surrounded them, and they were ushered from the command center.

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emerged in the Qegi star system. The signal they’d received had come from this area, and Mar Arden first believed it was a Boxan trap. Hoan Berend, the commander of the warship, argued that they couldn’t afford not to investigate. The paltry signal was their only lead for following the Humans. Mar Arden used the fact that they had to repair their ships to see how long the signal would persist. Sion Shif had taken up the comms post and was monitoring for any signals in the system. After they had received the initial signal from the Qegi star system, the young Xiiginn had firmly believed it came from the Human. But in Mar Arden’s experience with compulsion, there were certain degrees of resistance a species could exert. Most species they’d encountered couldn’t resist them, with the exception of the Nershals. Never before had they encountered such conflicting results when trying to control another species as they had with the Humans. Kandra Rene, who was quite gifted at compulsion, had failed to get their Human captive to do anything except experience pain. That Human had been defiant from the onset. Sion Shif, on the other hand, appeared to have successfully brought at least one of the Humans under his influence. It was a problem he looked forward to exploring when they found the Human home world.