Vall's Will by Linda Mooney Page B

you’re here, their scientists are going to run more tests on you.
Hopefully, they’ll discover what species you are. If they do, they’ll notify
your home world. Wouldn’t you like that? To be back among others of your kind?
You might even find your family. Maybe even discover you have a brother or
sister. Wouldn’t that be wonderful?”
    Vall continued
to stare at her in obvious disbelief. Slowly, he started to reach for her, but
Will backed away, keeping deliberate distance between them.
    “I’ll keep
in contact, Vall. I’ve left orders to be kept abreast of your status.” She
gave what she’d hoped would be a chuckle, but it sounded strangled instead.
“Maybe, if we’re out in this direction, and you’ve found where you belong,
we can return you to your world.”
    It was an empty
hope, but he didn’t need to know that. Right now, they both had to go through
this separation, no matter how much it hurt. And it hurt so terribly bad right
now, she was fighting the tears.
    Vall lifted a
hand in her direction. Despite her moving away, he managed to reach out and
trace the edge of her face with his fingertips. His hand lowered until it
touched the side of her neck and her insignia. At the feel of the raised flesh,
he paused to give her a puzzled look.
    “It’s my
rank. All warriors have one.”
    His hand lowered
until it rested on her lap, on top of her wrists. She felt helpless and unable
to continue retreating. His touch was like a healing salve, sending warmth and
calmness into her bloodstream. What she wouldn’t give to close her eyes and let
him caress away all the stress and worry floating within her soul like flotsam.
    Sadly, she
grabbed his hand and squeezed it. “I must go now, Vall, but we’ll see each
other again soon. You have my word.”
    Slowly, she rose
from her seat, never taking her eyes off the young man. Behind her back, she
kept her other hand ready for what she knew he would eventually do. She didn’t
have to wait long.
    She had barely
straightened up and started to turn around to leave, when Vall leaped to his
feet, his arms outstretched to stop her. Bringing her hand around, she shot him
point blank with a light, stunning pulse. Vall collapsed unconscious into the
seat, where he would sleep for about an hour. By the time he awoke, the Trinity would be gone. Giving him one final look, she inhaled a shuddering breath
and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.
    Will hurried to
the landing bay where the ship was readying for departure. As she ran up the
gangplank, she ordered for immediate liftoff. By the time she reached the
bridge, the ship was clearing the pad.
    “Any
communication from the Regency?”
    “None,”
Granth answered.
    “There will
be. Magnus, plot a course toward the Anurza system.”
    “Captain?”
By his confused tone, she could tell he didn’t understand why they were heading
into an almost starless void toward a solar system with less than a handful of
habitable planets. Looking around the bridge, the rest of her crew appeared to
be just as clueless.
    “Just do
it.”
    The navigator
bent over his console. “Plotting a course, Captain.”
    She waited until
they were well clear of all navigational routes before she hit the intercom
button to address the entire ship’s crew.
    “This is
Captain Tayte. As you are all aware, we are entering open space and heading
toward the Anurza system. We are not under orders to go there. It is solely my
decision, and I will explain why. You know we recently attacked an Objurian
ship. What you don’t know is that the ship contained their queen mother. During
our rescue of their prisoners, the ship self-detonated. Although we didn’t
directly kill her, the Ben Objure hold me responsible for the queen’s death.
Inasmuch, they have sworn a vendetta against me, against this ship, and against
the Regency.”
    The crew was
watching her, waiting to hear what they would do next. Will bit her lips.
“That is why we had to abandon