~ Tham ~
Tham leashed his anger, as the large Taron guard nudged him along with a thump to the back with his battle blaster. The impact sent a shock of pain radiating from the impact sight. Such behavior was typical of the brutality slaves were forced to endure from their Taron masters.
Barely lifting up his head as they walked by, Tham made sure to catch Jensen’s eye. The older human turned out to be a gift from the gods when it came to ensuring the safety of his little one. Being taken by an overlord was risky business. They might want you to clean a waste removal tube, or they might need fresh meat for their horrible, scaly Yucak. Surviving was foremost in his mind since he had a little on relying on him.
Jensen nodded his understanding to look out for her. Therefore, Tham went without a fuss. Being a slave meant he had no choice but to comply. Resistance was both futile and dangerous. Disobedience was dealt with quite harshly by the overlords. Slaves were all too aware of how expendable they were aboard the Taron ships.
Tham had been born and raised aboard a Taron vessel, so this was the only life he’d ever known. His grandmother had survived for many years. Long enough to raise him and nurture whatever little cunning and charm he’d been born with. At her knee, he’d learned the concept of freedom, for she had entertained him with tales of living freely on a real planet. The idea of feeling the ground beneath his feet and breathing air that wasn’t purified thousands of times had always thrilled and intrigued him.
He’d dreamed of one day enjoying freedom. It was now a dream he also wished for his small daughter. In the tradition of his people, he’d already started teaching her about the concepts of freedom. Jensen helped her understand when his rough voice failed him. His little one didn’t care what he sounded like, only that he spoke to her. For this he was grateful. Being rejected by the only person in the verse who mattered to him would have been worse than a slow painful death.
Stretching his spine in an effort to tamp down his frustration, Tham wondered how it was that beings with the language skills of a child managed to rampage their way through the galaxy conquering worlds. Hell’s fire, only their elite soldiers, even spoke complete sentences.
While the many of the species they subdued created and used a wide variety of contemporary languages. Some few, like his own, were fluent in multiple languages and created majestic pieces of art and musical compositions. Though he hadn’t been exposed to such, the others spoke fondly of their accomplishments.
Stopping short, the overlord shoved him towards an access tunnel. Dracon staggered out of another corridor with an overlord at his back. The vampire prime took it all in stride, giving him a quick jerk of his chin in acknowledgment. Tham suppressed a smile when his overlord nudged him along with a blaster blow to the back. The big man intentionally slowed his steps, turning to look the big blue brute in the eye. “Did you need something?”
“Move faster.”
Turning slowly Dracon ambled along at a decelerated pace until he was standing shoulder to shoulder with Tham. “Greetings, brother.”
“Greetings, sir.” Watching the overlord peck out a code on his wrist communicator, Tham waited for the door to slide open. Within microns, it slid open but stuck halfway.
The Taron shouted. “You fix and then you fix.” The creature’s huge head wobbled on his shoulders as he spoke, making Tham think it might snap off his skinny neck and roll away one day.
“Your overlord is limited.”
Dracon wasn’t wrong. Sighing, Tham stepped forward and scanned the metal slave bracelet he’d always worn against the engineering panel. Once again, the overlord pecked out a code on his communicator and the access panel slid open.
“You fix, then you fix.”
Gritting his teeth so hard his fangs cut into his lower gum line, Tham nodded. “I understand and comply.” Watching the guard approach, the other Taron, he turned his attention back to the task at hand.”
“So, we are to fix and then fix?”
Finally smiling, Tham replied quietly. “I believe he wishes us to fix the door then fix whatever is wrong with the filtration unit.”
“Fix good.” To hear a vampire prime, emulate the foolish speech patterns of their captors was nothing short of hilarious.
“I did not know you had a sense of humor, sir.”
“The closer we get to Earth, the closer I come to finding it.” Lowering his voice, Dracon asked. “You and yours are ready?”
“Yes, sir. We are seventeen strong, not counting the little ones.”
“The time is near. Be alert for the signal.”
“We are eager to participate.”
Glancing at the two Taron guards, they watched them wander out into the corridor. They appeared to be attempting to convince two more passersbys to join in some kind of betting game involving multi-sided dice. It wasn’t unusual for them to wander off completely. The low-status guards were easily distracted.
“Their stupidity and inattention are making our job easier.”
“We have never given the Taron reason to be cautious of us, sir.”
“The Taron create nothing of worth. Their civilization exists solely to conquer and steal the wealth and technology of other worlds, using every new piece of recovered technology against the next world they invade. I will not grieve their loss.”
“Me either.” Glancing at the gambling group as they worked, Tham murmured. "I'm anxious because of my little one, but I don’t see another way for her have a normal life.”
“I will admit that it has been easy to lose hope, for it seemed that our suffering was never ending. There has never been the slightest opportunity for us before now. My own daughter is a young woman now. I would not see her waste away in the belly of this metal beast, never knowing a moment of peace. Better to die trying for a better life than miss our only opportunity to escape. You have a human friend. What does he say?”
“Jensen reports his people are cunning and ruthlessness. They fight amongst themselves for sport and profit. He thinks they will relish the opportunity to unite against a common enemy and will embrace those of us who join them in battle.”
Dracon nodded, “I have heard they thrust for the blood of their enemies, and kill with impunity. Surely, with a human at our side, we might have a real chance at victory.
The mere thought of overthrowing their Taron overlords sent a thrill snaking through Tham’s gut. It would mean not only freedom for his little one and himself, but freedom for all of his kind being held aboard the ships. “The Taron are at their weakest now. It has been so long since they felt defeat, they have grown complacent and lazy. Their pilots seem to be deteriorating as well.”
Dracon wiped his hands on a rag he pulled from his worn uniform. “I and many others believe it the substance they use to fold space-time. Exposure to it slowly drives the pilots mad. So far from their home world, it is nearly impossible to obtain replacement pilots. They have a guild that controls that job classification, much to the Taron’s detriment.”
“Their shortsightedness is our gain, I think.”
Slapping Tham on the back, he addressed the one issue Tham didn’t want to talk about. “It is nice to speak with you. Your reluctance to speak grieves the others, and isolates you.”
“Apologies, sir. My voice is rough, and speaking out only draws strange stares and ridicule. I would have my little one grow up thinking her father quiet rather than flawed.”
“These are precarious times, my brother. Keep your little one near and don’t hesitate to ask for help if you find yourself in need.”
“My daughter and I manage to get by with help from Jensen.”
“Stick close to your human friend if you make it to Earth. Our kind has not been welcome there for over a thousand years.”
“Jensen is my little one’s preferred feeding partner and I am his protector. Our bond of friendship is stronger than most.”
“Jensen has proven himself to be a friend to the Vampiere many times over the years. He has our trust and support. If a threat comes that you cannot manage alone, call upon you vampire brothers for support and know that we will come to your aid without question.”
“Thank you, sir. I will remember. If Jensen and I can do anything to further the cause, you have only to ask.”
Finishing their task, the two men who rarely had an opportunity to meet, went their separate ways. Each had their own worries about the coming battle. For his part, Tham was certain freedom from the intergenerational oppression they were subjected to aboard the Taron vessels was something truly worth fighting for. It was also something worth dying for, should it come right down to it.
Tham was luckier than most, for he’d traded protection and food from his daily ration to a woman in exchange for giving him a daughter. Though her mother had eschewed responsibility for her from the day of her birth, Tham didn’t care. The beautiful little girl was his reason for surviving in this hellish environment. Caring for and protecting her was his only care. Thank the gods that Jensen had grown attached his little one because he keeping her fed. It was a deb Tham could never come close to repaying.
Jensen had regaled him with tales of the females from Earth. The few times he’d been with the female, during the time they were trying to conceive, left him longing for more. However, that particular female wanted nothing to do with him after fulfilling her end of the bargain. Tham didn’t blame her. He was large, discolored, scarred and unattractive by anyone’s account. Still, he’d been shocked senseless when Jensen told him there were millions of females on his world and many never managed to find mates because there were significantly fewer men.
Tucked into the far recesses of his mind was an idea that maybe one of those millions might find it in her heart to care for one such as him. The rational side of his brain cautioned him not to waste precious time and energy hoping for such a thing, but his soul called out for a mate. In his mind’s eye, she was sweet, delicate and in need of a strong protector. His imaginary mate looked at him with open acceptance, if not admiration. She wasn’t reluctant to be touched by him and easily slid her hand into his when they walked together. Tham let his mind drift, as he headed back to his section of the ship. Such daydreams were likely all he would ever have, but he enjoyed them none the less.