Hankura's dreams took him far from the reality of his captivity. In his dreams, he was on Aledus with Chelle at the Tharn Sea.
A soft purple hue spread through the long thin clouds that stretched across the sky and the sun shown as a lavender ball sinking toward the Tharn Sea. Low wavelets rippled the salty water and rolled gently toward the shore, lapping at two naked lovers entwined in the sand. Only the hovercraft fifty meters away revealed human presence on an otherwise deserted stretch of beach.
"You know this is crazy, don't you?" Hankura murmured, exploring the curves of her face with his eyes. He felt such love in her gaze, in her touch, and in the passion of their mating. He didn't really care that they had no blanket and that they were covered with sand.
Such a moment should last forever ... and it would, if only in his thoughts.
Chelle laughed softly, caressing the back of his neck with her fingers. "I suppose that making love in the sand has some drawbacks---but it was what you were thinking." She reached to brush a bit of damp sand from his shoulder.
Ah, Hankura. This place is more beautiful than all of Salla. Nothing men have made could match what is already here. I would like to stay here all night.
"Darling, there isn't a dwelling for klicks." he pointed out. "Making love in the sand is one thing---"
"So? Have you never slept under the stars before? I have missed it. But you're right. We could come back another time and bring at least a blanket."
Hankura smiled and pulled her closer, molding her body to his. Softly, he kissed her mouth, savoring the caress of her lips on his own. It's getting cool. We'll have to go soon.
Ah, but you are so warm. Chelle moved her hands sensually over his shoulders. She kissed his throat and hugged him tightly, almost fiercely. I love you so much, Hankura. Sometimes, it scares me how vastly empty I would be without your love, without the joining of our thoughts.
My darling Chelle, I never really understood love until I knew yours. I am still amazed that you look to me with such tenderness and respect. You find strength inside me that I never knew I had. How awesome and beautiful this flower is inside us, an exquisite madness that consumes us.
He turned on his back with the warmth of her body to shield him from the ensuing coolness. With one hand, he stroked the soft curve of her buttock, and he used the other to push her wet hair away from her face. "The sun has set. We should go now, love."
"Before I can tempt you to make love again?" she laughed softly and gave his mouth a quick touch with her own.
A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth, and he framed her face with his hands. I am already tempted, but we would be much more comfortable sharing a nice warm bath back in our dome.
"That sounds lovely. But, can we swim for just a few more minutes to get the sand off before we put on our clothes?"
"Sure." He pressed her from him so she could get up. Then Chelle took his hands and helped him up after her. As they brushed the sand from each other, they were drawn irresistibly into another torrid embrace.
After a few minutes, Chelle broke the mood, jabbing him playfully in the ribs and running into the water. She laughed and splashed water at him as he chased her.
"Chelle!" He lunged for her and caught her with one arm. His momentum knocked her off her feet, and they both went under the water for a few seconds then bobbed to the surface. "Chelle, it won't help you to shield your intentions when you get that gleam in your eyes."
"But you love it," she giggled and wrapped her arms around him.
Hankura laughed and lifted her into his arms, carrying her from the water back to the rock where they had left their clothes. Shivering in the cool night breeze, they shook off the water and dressed quickly, then climbed into the air-wedge.
He set the controls and started the power pack. The craft lifted into their air and turned 180 degrees in heading from west to east. It began moving at a steadily increasing rate of speed toward their home on the far side of Salla, about 1500 klicks from the eastern shore of the Tharn Sea.
Once the craft was moving, Hankura cuddled Chelle half on his lap, with her legs stretched out across the other seat. They shivered together until the inside temperature reached a comfortable level.
"Let's come back here again---before we begin the routine of my studies and your work," she murmured, snuggling close in his embrace. I'm afraid if we don't come back before that, we'll never come here again.
You may be right. We can come back if you like, and we'll bring a blanket and some supplies.
That would be lovely. Chelle smiled sleepily and reached up to touch his face in a familiar caress. Her eyelids drooped, and she drifted contentedly to sleep before his eyes.
She is like a wild thing, he thought with a stab of conscience, watching her beloved face so vulnerable in sleep. The first day they spent together on Earth was wild and free like this day. So many times they had made love in the cool moss under the trees.
Like Aledus, Earth was also a world with many faces. They might have been free forever there in the mountain wilderness. Hankura would never know. He did know that freedom would only come to them on Aledus in stolen moments such as these.
His mouth tightened ruefully as his eyes fell on the red and blue patch affixed to her sleeve. Take her from Aledus. An inner voice urged him. Don't let this world destroy what you hold precious in your life.
As he was rudely awakened from sleep, the nightmare of his reality came back to him full force. A wave of grief immobilized him for a moment.
"Get up, physician!" The soldier nudged him again, harder. "Gantan is badly wounded. Help him."
Hankura rose. He obeyed meekly while seething inwardly over Kaara's murder and Chelle's rapes. Sleep had only come to him when he was finally able to block out reality from his mind. The rest helped him gather strength for what he must do when the time was right.
The Tregan shoved him roughly through the doorway, and he stumbled on the stairs to the crude infirmary. It was a room with a table and a few simple medical supplies, lined up on two shelves opposite the outside entrance.
The Aledan could see the wounded man was dying before he came close to the examining table. There was little Hankura could do for him without a sophisticated life support system and fully equipped surgical cell. The soldier died before Hankura could start the examination.
When the other Tregan realized it, he punched Hankura in the chest and knocked him against the wall. Stunned, he slid to the floor. Hankura was tempted to retaliate with chackrin, but the timing was wrong.
Unfortunately, the Tregan didn't think so. Hankura managed to block most of his punches and dodge his kicks, but the Tregan was clearly determined to kill him. As Hankura was deciding to become the aggressor, Stagg and a guard came and pulled the soldier off him. The commander bellowed a reprimand then ordered the guard to help the soldier carry the body out to the incinerator.
When they had gone, Hankura faced Stagg with what he hoped was a convincing look of apprehension. Only Hankura felt little fear. He hated the Tregan too much to think about fear. That would come later, much later.
Hankura coolly appraised the other man. Stagg was taller and stockier, hopefully slower. And the Tregan Commander would hardly expect an attack from the cowardly physician.
"I couldn't save that man," murmured Hankura and he stepped back from the Tregan. As he did, he noticed a laser hanging invitingly on Stagg's belt.
"I didn't come to talk about him," sneered Stagg, his eyes full of contempt. "I came to tell you about your woman."
Hankura stiffened. He didn't need to hear any of it to know how the commander had tormented his mate. He had known her pain and humiliation acutely through the bond of their minds as he now knew her grief and despair.
"No more!" Hankura muttered and crouched as if in anguish.
The Tregan grinned smugly just before Hankura executed a perfect chackrin kick to his middle. The physician regained his balance in a fluid move and then brought his other foot up to crush Stagg's larynx and windpipe.
The commander fell backward, sinking to the floor. Hankura jumped on him and felt his hands close around the commander's throat. Already suffocating, Stagg could only struggle helplessly as Hankura finished choking him to death. At last, Stagg ceased his struggles. Hankura sat back, still straddling the body, and stared at the ugly scarred face, blue tinged lips and bulging eyes. He took his hands slowly from the man's throat, looking at them as if they couldn't be his own. Hankura had never killed anyone in his life. He could hardly believe it was over so quickly.
Then the hairs on the back of his neck began to prickle as his seventh sense alerted him to danger. He pulled Stagg's laser from its holster and stood facing the door with his feet slightly apart. Remembering combat training he never thought he would need, he leveled the business end of the weapon at the door.
The door was flung open, and Mograton burst into the room. His weapon was holstered on his belt.
Hankura hesitated for only the span of a breath, and Mograton reached for his weapon. Cold hatred filled Hankura's eyes, and the Tregan stared in surprise as the physician squeezed the trigger. Mograton gasped in pain as the Aledan cut his face viciously then took out his heart with a wide beam setting.
The smell of burnt flesh brought a guard running into the doorway with his laser drawn. Hankura killed him with a single shot and didn't stop to think about it.
The Aledan had much to do. He snatched the weapons from each of the dead men. From the guard, he took a pouch belt and strapped it over his lean hips. Then Hankura dragged each of the bodies to the stairs and shoved them tumbling into his former cell.
Moving stealthily to the door, he stopped to scan the dusty compound by sight and insight. Zev was high overhead in its red phase, and Hankura guessed it was about midday. If that were so, most of the raiders would be out of camp until dark. That would give him plenty of time if he worked fast. Hankura didn't know how long his luck would hold out.
There were two guards beside the barracks entrance where Chelle and the other women were being held. And from the jumbled vibes he was getting, there were at least two Tregans inside harassing them.
Hankura closed his eyes and drew an uneven breath then made a run for it across the compound. Pressing his back flat against a hot steel panel, he paused to catch his breath, trembling. Laser poised in hand, he waited and listened to make sure that no one noticed the sound of his footsteps on the packed earth.
He could hardly hear anything over the wild pounding of his heart and the blood thundering in his ears. He'd grown weaker during his captivity than he thought.
But he could do it. He had to.
Closing his eyes for a moment, he gently probed the barrier Chelle had erected in her mind against his telepathy. No gentle coaxing would convince her to let down her guard. For Goddess' sake, woman, open your mind. Help me!
Inside the barracks, Chelle's eyes widened and her head jerked toward the source of Hankura's mental assault. Hankura, please don't . . ..
It's all right my love. His mental touch became gentle and soothing. I've come for you, but I need your help.
I feel you are very close. Where?
He sent the vision into her mind without words and showed her his plans. The prospect filled her with fear for all of them, but it gave her hope, too.