Chapter Five: Sara
Sara hesitated. If it was true that his mother was a human, then she had reason to trust him. T'shav were known as mercenaries and barbarians, but there were also known to have strong family bonds. And it was true, she really did want to tell somebody about her past.
"Well?" Tom rose a brow as he served the cooked hissu along with a type of grain resembling a mix between corn and rice.
Sara sighed and began. "I was born on Earth in the year 1989. From what I've figured, if I hadn't been taken, I would have turned twenty-seven this year. I was in the military. Air force, so I was a pilot. I loved flying. There was such magic in looking down on the planet, seeing the land in patchwork beneath me. Spaceflight doesn't hold a candle to it. Probably because it's all black out there."
"Space flight can be boring."
Sara accepted a spoon from Bond and scooped up a bit of the grain. "When I was twenty-three, I was in a house fire. My friend's kids were trapped inside, so I went back in to get them out. Which I did. I managed to save them."
"That was very heroic of you. Mom told me that your human buildings didn't have the fire suppressants that we have ourselves."
Sara shook her head and shivered at the memories. She had tried her best to forget all of this, even though sometimes her bionic eyes would twinge and she would have a flashback to that horrible fire and feel the smoke clogging her lungs again.
"Was that when you were taken?"
"No. It was when I lost my eyes. Something happened, and I got hit in the face with a piece of debris. Both of my eyes were damaged beyond repair. No more flying for me. And then I was taken. I remember going to bed, falling asleep, and when I woke up I was in this strange new world, and I could see."
Bond nodded, his gaze steady on hers. He had the blackest eyes she had ever seen. They were really quite lovely.
"The people who woke me up explained about Earth, how I had somehow been in status for thousands and thousands of years, that Earth was a dead planet, and that if anybody found out I was human, I would end up dead, a lab rat, or a slave. They got me into the United Species Corps and disappeared. I've never seen them again, and I have no idea why they helped me in the first place."
"Many of the humans I've met have similar stories," Bond said. "I think my… corporation has something to do with it, but it's technically illegal, so they to keep to a low profile. I'm sorry that you can't go home, Sara."
Sara smiled at him, relaxing despite her previous misgivings. Maybe it wasn't such a bad idea to trust him. She squeezed his hand. Telling Bond even that little bit about her past was a relief. Until now, there was literally nobody that she had been able to tell. Just saying it out loud felt like a huge burden had been lifted from her shoulders.
"So what about you?" she asked "Any tragic backstory?"
Bond shook his head. "My father has a fleet of ships, my mother is human, and they are deliriously in love. I've never met anybody happier together than the two of them, and I'm not saying that just because I'm their son."
His eyes lit up as he was talking about his parents, and a soft smile spread across his face. Sara was surprised when a pang hit her heart. He wanted the same relationship. Despite his muscles, devilish appearance and tendency to skewer people with a broadsword, he was a romantic. Whoever got this guy was a lucky girl.
He thought that she was the one. She busied herself eating, trying not to think about the implications of that. They hardly knew one another. Yes, she found herself being drawn to him on a sexual level, but 'I wanna have sex' and 'I love you' were two extremely different things. Bond was a little intense for her.
Does it really matter? she wondered. I don't owe him anything. And as soon as we've got these humans safe and sound, I'm out of here.
She would just have to keep telling herself that.
***
Things continued to be friendly between them over the next few days. Sara was surprised that Bond never made things awkward by insisting that they were Starmates. She had known men in the past who had decided that they were perfect for her and wouldn't let it go, but Bond was different. He seemed happy building their friendship first.
Sara could only hope that he wouldn't end up whining about being friend zoned if, in the end, she didn't develop romantic feelings for him.
Sexual attraction was not in question, but Sara was determined to keep a firm hold on her passions. The last thing they needed right now was to become bed buddies and for Bond to think that meant that she was going to stay with him forever and ever. Or worse, getting pregnant, although since Sara hadn't had her period since her abduction so she wasn't sure if she was even capable of having babies anymore.
Still, the dreams that woke her in the middle of the night, sweating and panting with a deep ache that she could never satisfy herself, were driving her to her breaking point.
Several days later they landed on a planet controlled by the Planchet Corporation to repower. Sara went with Bond to the power station. Being in the ship all the time had worn her patience thin, and while she wasn't much of a shopper, she enjoyed browsing the local products while Bond haggled over the price to repower the ship.
Today, though, he was in a grumpier mood than usual. "You'll fill my ship for half that price," he demanded of the Aphrosian at the bar. "Do you hear me?"
"I hear you, Sir, but the power costs more than that to collect in this region. I really can't let it go for any less than—"
"Do you want to keep your head on your shoulders?" Bond snarled.
The Aphrosian paled. "Sir, I—"
Bond snarled and grasped the hilt of his broadsword. Sara hurried over, placing herself between the two aliens. The last thing they needed was this! What was going on with her companion?
"Pay the man what he's asking," she said, narrowing her eyes at Bond. "The sooner we repower, the sooner we get out of here."
Bond glared at her, but she wasn't about to back down. Eventually, he nodded. "Fine. Your price is acceptable. But I want the micro fractures in the power tanks and exhaust ports all fixed while we wait."
He stormed away while the Aphrosian protested. Sara gritted her teeth and paid the alien the last of her few helixes to cover the extra expense and went after Bond. He had been moody ever since they got low on power. Though her own nerves weren't in the best of shape, they had been getting along up until now. She wasn't going to let him bully people, though!
"What the hell was that all about?" she demanded halfway back to the ship. "We're getting further from United Species territory. Of course, things are going to be more expensive."
"And what happens when we run out of funds? Did you think you were helping that man make an honest living? No! Everyone out here is a pirate and savage who would tear us both to pieces and sell our parts in a heartbeat."
"Oh, you mean like you?" Sara's hands clenched. "Kidnapping a Corps officer?"
"I didn't kidnap you. I rescued you. I have never once told you that you couldn't leave," Bond hissed. "If you want to leave, then you can. I'm not forcing you to stay with me, I asked you to stay so that you could help me."
"Maybe I will leave then!" Sara ignored the hurt look that flashed over his face. "Whatever. I'm tired of being stuck in that ship. I'm going for a walk. Don't leave without me. Or do leave, see if I care."
She walked away, trying to ignore the twisting of her gut. That was the first fight she and Bond had had–well, since they had gotten to know each other, anyway, and it wasn't sitting well with her. She felt like she was losing her best friend. Tears pricked her eyes.
The docking ports were close to a forest full of vibrant pinks and oranges that made Sara's head hurt until she adjusted her vision to filter out the colors. That was a great thing about bionic eyes, they could do things organics couldn't. Her depth perception was a little off in black and white, but at least she didn't have to deal with the clashing colors anymore. The forest was thick, full of sounds. It was like an animal punk-rock band.
Sara kept to the edge of the forest, stewing in her anger at Bond. As the hours passed, though, she started to regret what she had said.
He's not a pirate or a savage. He's a good man doing a good thing. And I love him. She shook her head rapidly. Like. I like him. I don't love him.
That was ridiculous to even think. She didn't even know him! They had been forced together, yes, but it was hardly enough for love to develop!
But what if it was?
A humming noise brought her back from her thoughts. Her head came up, but she didn't see anything. She backed away from the forest, all the same, ready to run, and drew her weapon. But when something huge came out of the trees at her, she didn't have time to use it. A burning cold pain stabbed into her shoulder and she fell to her knees. The gun dropped from her hand.