Chapter Fourteen
Alanah woke up in the middle of the night screaming.
“What is it? What’s happening—what’s wrong?” Bram was instantly on the alert, sitting up in bed and reaching for his blaster, ready to kill or maim anyone threatening his bride.
But soon he realized the truth—there was no intruder in their bed chamber—Alanah was just having a bad dream. Her eyes were squeezed tightly shut and she was crying out and writhing beside him.
“No! No you can’t! They’ll be killed—all killed!”
Putting down his blaster, Bram took her by the shoulders and shook her gently but firmly.
“Alanah? Sweetheart? Wake up, little one—you’re having a nightmare. Wake up,” he told her.
At last her gray eyes flew open and he saw stark terror in their depths.
“Oh Bram,” she gasped, clinging to him. “It was awful! I saw it—I saw it and it’s headed straight for my people! It’s going to kill them all!”
Bram felt cold all over.
“What is it, little one—what did you see?” he demanded, but he thought he already knew.
Alanah shook her head, her eyes troubled.
“I hardly know what it was—something like a giant boulder rushing through the blackness. But somehow I knew it was headed right for us—for my kingdom!” She shook her head. “It can’t be true, right? It must be that I’m having bad dreams because I haven’t asked you yet what danger my people are in. I’m sure you just meant we’re all in danger of dying off with no males, right?”
Bram shook his head, worried.
“I’m afraid not, little one—that, at least, would be a gentle death. No, the danger that threatens your little planet is exactly what you saw in your dream, though I do not know how you came to dream it.”
“What? A huge rock is really headed straight for us?” She shook her head. “But…who is big enough to throw such a thing at us? One of the Gods?” She put a hand to her mouth. “Oh no—maybe they heard me disavow them and say I would worship only your Goddess from now on!”
Bram shook his head gently.
“That’s not how it works, little one. And no god or goddess hurled this rock—this asteroid—at your home world. It just happened to get launched out of orbit around a much larger star than your own and now it’s headed right for you. But please don’t worry,” he added, trying to make her feel better. “We still have at least a week and a half until impact.”
Just then a crackling sound came from a small black square mounted high on the bed chamber wall.
“Captain,” came a familiar voice—Ren’s voice, Bram realized. “Captain, I’m very sorry to wake you at such an hour but there’s some news on the world-killer. I think you’d better get down here to the science lab.”
* * * * *
They dressed hurriedly, Alanah in the clothing Bram had produced for her on the simulator and he in his uniform.
Ren, Bram’s friend who was a physician and scientist, was pacing the floor in a large room filled with equipment and machines Alanah didn’t understand. Mounted on one wall was a mirror which showed the outside of the ship—a viewscreen, Bram had called it.
“I’m sorry to wake you up in the middle of the night. I didn’t want to be-speak you—I thought my mental voice might be mistaken for a dream.” Ren ran a hand over his brown hair which was, for once, not in braids. Released, it flowed down his back like a chocolate river. Alanah wondered distractedly if all Jor’gen Kindred had hair so long. She still hadn’t seen Bram’s out of its braids which he wore clubbed at the back of his neck.
“It’s all right,” Bram said briskly. “You have news?”
Ren nodded grimly.
“Unfortunately yes. The world-killer has changed trajectory and the outcome is now much, much worse.”
“What?” Bram frowned. “But it was already on a course to hit Alanah’s planet. How much worse could it get?”
“It was set to hit somewhere around their north pole,” Bram explained. “It would have caused an extinction level event across the world but there would have been some time—a day at most—before the effects hit the women of Princess Alanah’s kingdom.”
“And now?” It was Alanah who asked, her mouth dry as dust.
Ren blew out a breath. “And now, well…I’m afraid it’s headed directly for your kingdom, Princess,” he said formally. “And it’s picked up speed. We have barely a day before it hits now.”
“What?” Bram exploded. “But you said we had at least a week!”
“That was before it slingshotted around a blue giant star and tripled its velocity.” Ren said tightly. “I’m telling you, Captain—there is no more time for wooing. We need to get down there with shuttles and scoop those females up—all of them—as fast as possible so we can get away to a safe distance. We don’t want to be anywhere near this planet when the world-killer hits.”
“World-killer?” Alanah whispered. “Is that what you call it?”
“Yes, because that is what it is.” Bram’s face was a mask of tension.
“But…but don’t you have weapons aboard your ship?” Alanah demanded. “Like the one you used to explode the gnasher? Can’t you just…just blow this thing out of the sky?”
“We explored that possibility at length, Princess,” Ren said, nodding his head deferentially. “Unfortunately, the asteroid headed towards your planet is twice the size and mass of our Mothership. Our weapons aren’t strong enough to completely disintegrate it. Even if we shot at it, we could only break it into a lot of smaller, but still deadly, particles which would rain fire and destruction down on your world.” He shrugged his shoulders. “Either way, the result is the same.”
“Death for my world,” Alanah said, putting a hand to her forehead. “Oh Gods…death. Just as I dreamed it.”
“You dreamed of the world-killer?” Ren frowned.
“Yes, although…I don’t know why or how,” Alanah whispered.
Ren looked thoughtful. “Maybe the dream was sent to you by the Goddess. Now you know the threat is real—hopefully you can convince your people to come away before it hits.”
“Maybe…” Alanah was filled with fear and uncertainty. Oh Gods, what were they going to do?
Bram took her in his arms and held her close, giving her comfort with the warmth of his big body.
“I’m so sorry, little one,” he rumbled. “I thought we would have more time to get your people used to the idea of coming with us. But now…”
“If they don’t come, they’ll die.” Alanah’s voice was hardly a breath but she could hear the horror in her own tone.
“I’m afraid so,” Ren said. “We need to get them back up to the Mothership and get to a safe distance as soon as possible.”
“But if we just show up there, intent on rounding them up, we’ll scare them to death,” Bram protested. “They’ll never learn to trust us…or think of us as potential mates.”
“Yes, they will,” Alanah said, lifting her chin. “They will if I explain things to them. I just need you to bring a few things with us to show them.”
“You’re sure they’ll follow you, Princess?” Ren asked.
“Alanah is their leader.” Bram spoke with confidence. “They trust her and will obey her.” He looked down at her. “Just tell us what we need to do, sweetheart. We’ll follow your lead.”
“All right.” Alanah squared her shoulders. “Here’s what I think…”
But even as she explained her plan, she couldn’t help having misgivings. Her people would listen to her—as long as another voice didn’t speak louder. As long as Thiera didn’t poison their minds against her and the idea of going with the giants.
Oh Goddess of the Kindred, she thought, sending a prayer for the first time to her new deity. Please help me bring my people to safety. Please let my voice be heard.