Chapter Twelve: Tom
Damn. Could this get any worse? Not only did he have to play host to these pieces of worm vomit, but now Sara thought that he was going to sell the humans they were after to a life of slavery and worse. And then there were the reports of Zon's agent. Was Rayo really warning him, or was he carefully feeling out Tom's position? Did the other T'shav suspect that he was Zon's agent himself?
Just keep calm, he told himself as his musth-addled head told him to just kill Rayo and his crew and be done with it. Stay in control.
The bedroom door closed, hiding Sara's form from him.
"That's some female you've found."
Rayo chuckled and tapped his shoulder. Instantly Tom wanted to rip the man's arm off for daring to threaten him. His hands clenched, but he was just able to keep himself under control.
"You shouldn't do that. Musth," Tom reminded him.
Rayo backed up a step, holding up his hands. "Sorry. But you've got quite a girl there… you know she's human, right?"
Tom's eyes widened. His heart pounded, and all his instincts told him to strike now. He trembled, wanting to lash out. "Yes. It's none of your business, though."
"We could just kill you and take her," Rayo said, still smiling. "When I heard that Zon's son was sent after a shipment of humans, I thought of you. You showed up just at the right time to get this job. And then your so-called escape from Flanard really—"
Rayo didn't have a chance to finish. Tom drew one of his daggers and lunged, sinking the blade through the man's collar before he had a chance to react. The crew members Rayo had brought aboard cried out. They reached for their weapons. Tom was able to kill another one before two shots rang out; two dropped like stones, smoking holes in their backs. The last remaining alien whipped his head around to see Sara standing in the bedroom door, holding a gun.
Tom threw his knife, sinking it into the alien's chest. He fell, gurgling, and Sara finished him off with a blast from the gun. Tom rushed for the ship's controls. He didn't bother scanning to see if there were lifeforms on Rayo's ship before he turned the ship's weapons on it. If there was anybody over there, by the time the scans were complete they could destroy Tom's ship.
As the fiery explosion of the ship was smothered by the vacuum of space, Tom slumped back into his chair. Adrenaline spiked through him, and now that there was nobody left to fight he wanted to go back to Sara and brace her against the wall, to wildly sate his desire the way they had their first time together.
The warm muzzle of a blaster pressed into the back of his head.
Sara's ragged breathing filled his ears. "Plot a course back to USC space."
Tom rested his hands on the controls but didn't move them. "Sara, I know you feel betrayed, but—"
"Feel betrayed? Were you just going to pretend like you were on my side until we brought the humans back to the corporation? Would you have sold me, too? Everything you said about Starmates, you were just trying to seduce me. You wanted to use me for sex during your musth, and then earn a little extra by selling me!"
Think calmly, he told himself severely. What else was she supposed to think? He needed to keep his head, not let his hurt get the better of him. He struggled against the feelings of betrayal and anger that made him want to break his fist on the ship's navigation.
"That's not it at all. Please let me explain."
"There isn't anything else to explain. So either turn this ship around or I swear I will kill you."
Tom closed his eyes. He could either attack her and risk things going too far and one or both of them getting hurt, or he could risk his own life and call her bluff–which probably wasn't a bluff. Well, at least I know now that she didn't plant the tracker. Unless she thought I was up to this the whole time.
But no. She had seemed genuinely shocked when Rayo stated the Ruziers Corporation planned to sell the humans. He had been stupid to suspect her of selling out her fellow humans in the first place. Taking a deep breath, he swiveled the chair to face her. The gun pressed into his forehead now. Sara's golden bionic eyes were merciless.
"You can either listen to me, or you can shoot me, Sara. I have a mission and I am not going to abandon it."
"I told you to—"
Tom's hands came up. He twisted the gun away from himself; a blast went off, hitting the floor. Sara screamed and let the weapon go. It hung loose in Tom's hand as he stared up at her. She stared back, her hands pressed to her mouth. Guilt and relief warred in her eyes. She thought she had shot him. She really did care…
"It's okay," Tom murmured, standing. He removed the power packet from the gun and put it in his pocket while leaving the gun itself on the chair. "Neither of us are hurt, it's okay."
Sara trembled as she looked up at him. Tears filled her eyes and she shook her head. "I was actually starting to fall for you. Or maybe that was just the musth. I should never have trusted that a T'shav could be honest. Never."
Tom fell back a step. He was used to being discriminated against because of his heritage. It was true that the vast majority of T'shav worked as pirates and mercenaries, but that was because they couldn't get any other work. They were mistrusted, and when a person was driven to the brink of civilization, what other choice did they have but to take whatever job was offered? And if the only jobs offered were being pirates, then a pirate you became.
"I should never have trusted you. I should never have helped you."
"Sara, please. Listen to me. Think. I was hired by the corporation, but that's not the reason I'm out here."
Her eyes widened slightly and Tom pressed his advantage, praying that she would believe him.
"You heard them say that one of Zon's agents was out here. That's me."
"You?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
Tom's throat was dry, so worried that she wasn't going to believe him. He moved a little closer, wanting to pull her into his arms and reassure her. But when he moved closer, she backed away. And considering that she still considered him no better than Rayo and his crew, it really was no wonder why. He withdrew again.
"I told you that I have a human mother." Would she put together the dots that he was Zon's son? If he told her, would he believe her? "I love my mother, and I was raised to respect all species, not just the handful that are part of the United Species. When I heard that there was a ship full of humans who were going to be sold off like this, I volunteered to take the mission. I'm not bringing them to the Ruziers Corporation, I'm taking them to Zon, and the human sanctuary he set up. He has the strength to protect them."
"I want to believe you." Sara's shoulders slumped. "I want to, Tom. I wish I could. But if I do and I find you that you never…"
"It's why I was calling myself Bond. Because if I went by my real name, then they'd have known."
"Or Tom isn't your real name and you were setting me up."
"Before I even knew that Flanard was after us?"
Sara shrugged listlessly. "All I know is that right now I'm not thinking clearly, and if I let myself believe you… then it's all over."
Tom felt his whole body sagging. He'd have to prove himself to her. Once they were at the sanctuary and his musth was over, she could see that he was telling the truth, and they could have a rational discussion.
"I guess it's back to lockup for me now?" she asked, her voice even.
Tom sighed. "I'm sorry I have to do this."
"I'll believe you when I'm not your prisoner." Sara turned on her heel and marched away, stepping over Rayo's body as she headed into the bathroom. His heart heavy, Tom followed.