Chapter 2
~ Cassidy ~
Entering the dining hall the next morning, Cassidy noticed Sarah and her daughter Lea sitting at the captain’s table with Yearl. Naturally, he was making a fuss and trying to feed them both. Krylonian males considered that behavior romantic, but Sarah wasn’t making it easy for him. Catching the older woman’s eye, Cassidy gave her a little two-finger salute. It made the woman smile, and her little one giggle.
As always, Cassidy was careful to survey the room as inconspicuously as possible. Her eyes took in every detail, seeing different groups of males and females clustered around tables. Though dining was the pretense for being together, the vociferous warriors wasted no time attempting to capture the women’s romantic interest.
At first, their preening and bragging about their military conquests had fascinated Cassidy. Since women outnumbered men on Earth, the unequaled power dynamic ensured women were the ones responsible for impressing men with their looks and achievements. It was fascinating to see the role reversal.
At some point, their sycophant prattle became more annoying than interesting. It was also a diversion from the more important task of analyzing her new environment. Living on Earth had taught her, when a situation seems too good to be true, there’s usually something else going on.
There were almost two thousand human women on the huge warship, all bound for one of the Krylon home worlds. Sylon was the planet they were expected to settle on after choosing a warrior. It was reputed to be ruled by three different alien princes, working in unison to create a better world. Cassidy didn’t give two hoots in hell about who the rulers were, and honestly didn’t expect she’d ever set eyes on them.
She was far more interested in the everyday lives of the Krylon military. The males seemed to be a tight-knit bunch. They were a bit stoic and fiercely competitive with one another, but definitely doable as husbands. That is, if there was no behind the scenes shenanigans going on to ruin things.
Several members of Earth military came in, and filled their trays. She had learned years ago to scurry on out of their way. It was common knowledge that they were trouble, wrapped in a crisp, flashy uniform.
Snagging a seat with her sister on the corner of a small table, she knew that she had some explaining to do.
“What the hell is Earth Gov military doing here? Sometimes I feel like that guy who fell asleep and woke up a hundred years later.”
Grinning, Cassidy filled her in, “The Sylon home world made some kind of top secret deal with Earth Gov. You won’t believe this, but they are allowing humans to settle on one of their unpopulated continents. Their world is five times the size of Earth and the continent they picked for us is bigger than Eurasia.”
“I figured they would segregate us.”
“Not us. We can live wherever we want. They consider us citizens of their world and that makes us welcome on any continent. The Earth settlement is for Earth families, including men and children.”
Cassidy watched her sister tear up slightly as she swallowed thickly. “We truly are saved.”
Trying to keep things light, she teased, “Sure, if Earth Gov can manage to stick to the stipulations of their treaty. Every time they break a rule, it costs Earth Gov a hundred more females. This was supposed to be a voyage for fifteen hundred women, but we have almost two thousand aboard now.”
Carolyn rolled her eyes. “I’m not surprised. Earth Gov is used to having things their own way. I hope they keep screwing up, so more of us can get a chance at a better life. How crazy is that?”
“That thought had occurred to me as well. We all apparently must learn to get along eventually.”
“I love the Krylonians. I may not have found my perfect mate, but as a people, I really do love them.”
“Well, if you don’t find one you like, they will let you interview men from the other two species.”
“Finheads are out. I don’t like the aquatics because of the scales. They say the clones all look alike. I don’t know about being married to a man that I couldn’t pick out of a lineup.”
“I’m tracking with you one hundred percent on that one, sister.”
As they ate, Cassidy felt the hairs stand up on the back of her neck. Someone was watching her, and it was a bit unnerving. Stealing a look around the room, she realized it was the scarred warrior from the night before. What had her handler called him? Commander Darcon or Daron… something like that.
Jerking her chin at him in acknowledgement must have startled him; the huge warrior froze, dropping food off the tip of his metal, two-prong fork. One of the other males stalked over to him, yelling something she didn’t catch. The aliens had given them a shot of virus specifically designed to implant other languages, yet if they spoke fast or slurred their words, it was almost impossible to understand what they were saying.
As she watched the odd interaction, she noticed something interesting. All the males at that table were unkempt. Looking around the room, she noticed all the other warriors were neat, well-groomed, and downright presentable. Though many had scars, they were nothing like the disheveled warriors. Every single man at the far-back table looked like carnage on a leash. Now, wasn’t that a fascinating mystery?
“Oh, no you don’t. I know that look.”
Carolyn’s voice was just background noise to Cassidy. Picking up her tray, she waggled her eyebrows at her sister, and made for the back of the room. Slamming her tray down at the table, she wiggled between two very stunned warriors.
The one who had been screaming stammered, “Wha… what are you doing here? You may not sit near the clanless.”
“The say what now?” Playing innocent, she stammered, “What are the clanless?”
Looking like his head was about to explode, the belligerent man stated flatly, “Men without clans.”
“I’m not sure what a clan is.”
“If you’d care to join me, I’d be pleased to…”
Making a shooing gesture with her hand, she demanded curtly, “Go away. I wish to talk to the clanless.”
“Begging your pardon, you may not speak to them.”
Placing her hand dramatically on her chest, she tried to look earnest. “I’m sure I misunderstood what you just said to me. Males don’t tell females what they may and may not do.”
“But miss…”
“Cassidy, are you causing trouble?”
Turning curious eyes on Sarah, Captain Yearl, and her sister, she responded, “Miss Sarah, how can you even think that I’d be causing mischief on your husband’s shiny new battleship?”
“Spit it out, sis. What did you find?”
“Do you know the Krylon lied to us?”
“We never.” Captain Yearl’s indignant tone was just what she hoped to hear.
“Well, I was told personally by you that we could have our choice of any Krylon male. Yet, when I came to investigate these males, your loudmouthed sidekick told me they were clanless and I couldn’t sit with them. Would you mind explaining that little contradiction?”
Appearing extremely put out and aggravated, Yearl explained, “You may sit with whomever you please. Our society is broken into thousands of clans, scattered over dozens of planets. It’s the fabric that holds our society together. If someone is cast out of their clan or if their clan dissolves, they are adrift without land or a means to care for a female. I believe my chief engineer simply attempted to explain that they would make poor life mates.”
Playing devil’s advocate, Cassidy asked provocatively, “So if I were to choose this one, there would be no objection?” Tapping the one closest to her on the shoulder, she gazed at the annoyed captain.
Running his hand through his hair, the captain finally stated, “Your choice would be honored. Is this the one you want?”
“Heck no. I’m just seeing what my options are.”
“You’re a constant source of aggravation for me, Miss Cassidy. I’ll be happy when we reach the Sylon home world.”
Sarah shrugged. “At least she’s not still insisting we’re using discount rodent meat from the open-air markets on Sorel for the stir fry.”
“Yes, that did spark quite a bit of outrage among the females.”
“How was I to know it was for those energy bars you guys love so much. I mean, we women don’t eat them, but technically, rodents are used in foodstuffs aboard this vessel. Even if your men don’t care what’s in their food, we women sure do.”
Sighing, Yearl shot a wearied look at his new bride. “Come, my sweet. I require a neck rub.” The poor man sounded a little dispirited.
As they walked off, Cassidy called after them, “I know you’re insinuating I’m a pain in the neck. You’re not fooling anyone, captain.”
Carolyn wormed her way between two warriors. “Leave the poor man alone. I can’t believe you accused them of using rat meat. What in the hell is wrong with you?”
Dropping back into her seat, Cassidy propped her chin onto one upraised hand. Leaning over to look her sister in the eye, she stated menacingly, “I can’t help it. I have an inquiring mind.”
“And look what operation discovery has gotten you. A seat at the table with a bunch of guys who…”
“Don’t say it. I want to know all about how they got to be clanless.”
Just then a buzzer sounded and the entire table of men got up and left the room.
Cassidy complained as she shoved food into her mouth, “Just my luck. I’m so close to solving the riddle of the clanless, and duty calls for the lot of them.”
Glancing at her over her glass, a strange look came over Carolyn’s face.
“What?”
“Don’t you get it, Cassidy? They are the scruffs of this world.”
Shock tore through her. “What in the hell makes you think that?”
“Just look at them. Their hygiene sucks and their clothing smells like sweat. Remind you of anybody?”
“They have tons of resources here. Why would they limit anything for them?”
“I don’t know, but we owe it to them to figure this whole thing out.”
Cassidy stared at her normally fun-loving sister. “You’re starting to sound like me. If that doesn’t scare the hell out of you, I don’t know what will.”
“Actually, I kind of admire your voracious appetite for mystery and intrigue. Let’s see if we can wheedle some information out of the ship’s computer.”
Grinning, they both pulled out their electronic tablets.