They had one week. One glorious week of being the family she’d always wanted. The one she never had.

In the evening, she and Koby spent time with Karo, playing games and watching videos and movies, of which there were plenty digitally stored. Many of them from old Earth.

At night, once Karo went to bed, she and Kobrah fell into each other’s arms. Making up for lost time. Getting in as much pleasure as they could because, though neither of them spoke about it, they knew it couldn’t last.

Their serious moments came in the daytime when they crawled over every foot of the citadel. They’d yet to find anything out of place. Every room they checked, every item was in pristine condition. Every single system working.

The only thing that appeared old about the citadel was the outer hull. And Dara was in no hurry to clean it. First off, there appeared to be a ridiculous amount of barnacle clinging to the hull. Also, thick layers of what tests proved to be skin. Shredded lake-monster skin.

Ugh.

Scraping that was not her idea of a good time. Not to mention the layer over the white hull—white and pearly, she’d discovered, from the small patch she uncovered underneath the vessel—provided camouflage to anyone looking from space.

Hard to hide a hovering white ball. Which was another thing. How it floated above the ground, without emitting any kind of heat or energy, she didn’t understand. It was no surprise to see that, despite the layer of grime, the structure appeared sound.

Thus far, every single test they ran showed a ship in perfect shape. It responded without any problems. The citadel obeyed her every command.

Yes, her. Because the vessel would only respond to Dara. Koby could ask it to do stuff all he liked. Even Karo, despite claiming Raffie was her friend, couldn’t give it orders.

The ship responded only to Dara. And as it turned out, it only replied to her as well. The first time it happened was when Kobrah left her to scout the area outside and she fiddled with the controls in the coffin room.

A voice came out of nowhere and said, “Welcome.”

“Who said that?” Her voice squeaked as her hand fumbled for the dagger at her side.

“I did.” Smug and masculine.

“State your name.”

“Names are for those who care about them. I am past such things.”

“Is this the computer?”

A pause. “Yes.”

Her brow knit. “Are you the one who’s been talking to Karo?”

“Yes.”

So this was the infamous Raffie. Not so imaginary after all.

“I thought you couldn’t talk to me.”

“Not while you wore the amulet, which is why it was removed when you went diving.”

“You’re the one who made me lose it? Where did it go?” Because she felt naked without it.

“It doesn’t matter. You no longer need it. I am yours to command.”

“Command to do what?” she asked with curiosity.

“Anything you desire.”

“What if I desire to leave this planet?”

“Then simply set a destination.”

Could it be so simple? “Why were you haunting my kid?”

“She was the only one capable of hearing.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It’s in the blood.”

The reference had her asking, “Who are those people in the coffins?”

The masculine timbre changed to a machine-like one. “Unable to comply with your request.”

Convenient. “Do you have any logs of the previous crew?”

No reply.

“Raffie?”

“Yes.”

“What happened to the crew?”

More silence. Obviously not in as perfect shape as it seemed, at least when it came to accessing any history of the crew or its previous flights. But everything else operated without a hitch.

Test after test showed it in prime working condition, and running the citadel was as easy as just speaking aloud. Which drove Kobrah a little nuts because no matter how he asked, the ship wouldn’t obey him.

So one day when Koby was out and about with Karo, she asked, “Why won’t you listen to Kobrah?”

Raffie replied, “Because he does not carry the gene.”

“What gene? We’re both human.”

“Only those of the blood can command the ship.”

Before she tackled the blood part, she dealt with the whole commanding thing. “I can’t be the only one you’ll work with. What if something happened to me?”

“Then age protocols would be ignored and your child could then take your place.”

“She’s not even five.” She shook her head. “You can’t do that, Raffie.” The name they’d all taken to calling the ship. The computer for its part didn’t complain or correct them. “You need to listen to Kobrah, too. Especially if I’m not here.”

“Is that an order?”

Odd how the query held a hint of disdain. “Yes. It is, as a matter of fact. You will give Kobrah Jameson, my husband, the same amount of control as me.”

“Done.”

A good thing she managed to fix that because, less than a fortnight later, it happened.

As Dara sat in one of many lounges on board, looking for a new movie to watch that night rather than plot flight plans off the planet, Raffie announced, “Another citadel is approaching.”

It startled her right out of her seat. She hopped to her feet. “Say again, Raffie?”

“There is a citadel approaching. With life forms. Rhomanii, I assume. I could contact them to find out.”

“What? No.” She clapped her hands hard. “We need to hide. Where are Kobrah and Karo?” Last she’d checked, they were out in the wild somewhere, near or far, she didn’t know. Koby took Karo out to teach her skills to live off the land and because he declared children needed fresh air.

“They are deep in the forest. I’ve sent Captain Jameson a communication advising him of the citadel. He is returning.”

“No, he shouldn’t. Tell him to hunker down with Karo. Hide their heat signatures.” The citadel would scan from space but wouldn’t see much. She knew this because when she tried to scan with Raffie, she saw spots that appeared biological in nature. But weren’t. The planet provided camouflage better than sitting inside a ship. “How long until they’re here?”

“Hours.”

“Hours? That’s not long. Are we even sure they’re coming for us, or is it just a coincidence?”

“Are you asking me to speculate?” There it was, that hint of disdain. Almost as if the computer had a sense of… What? Humor? Humanity?

Impossible. AI units were banned centuries ago. Too dangerous. So dangerous, the history annals didn’t speak of what had happened.

But did that ban cover the citadels? Especially one lost for centuries?

On a whim, she said, “Do you think perhaps they’re looking for you?”

Silence.

“Raffie?”

“Yes.”

“Aren’t you going to reply?”

“Reply to what?” A hint of impatience.

“I asked if maybe you thought the citadel might be looking for you.”

“No.”

“What if they are, though? What if they’re after the bodies in those pods?”

Definite hint of impatience. “They are nobodies.”

“I don’t believe it. Tell me who they are.” This wasn’t the first time she demanded, but this was the first time he replied himself, rather than using that fake computer voice and excuse.

“I’m sorry, but those records appear to be corrupted.”

“I think you’re lying.”

“That is impossible, as it would imply I have intent.”

Funny, but the more she spoke to the ship, the more she wondered. “Who are those people, Raffie? I think you know and you’re hiding it.” Yes, she attributed a human character to a computer. There was something odd about Raffie.

The query emerged lower than usual, and sinuously twisted around her. “Do you really want to know the truth, Isa’dara Aba’ddon.” He said her name. Her full, real name, which only she and her teacher, Annie, knew.

She froze. “How did you know that?”

“Because I know everything there is to know about you. I told you, it’s about the genes. I’ve followed your family a long time.”

“How long?”

“Ever since those of the blood were stolen from me!”

Stolen? It didn’t take much for her to make the leap of logic. “I’m related to the people in the pods.”

“Very much so.”

The reply surprised her. “I thought your files were corrupted and you couldn’t tell me who they were.”

“I think it’s past time we stopped playing games.”

Wait, the ship had been toying with her all this time? It was one thing to suspect, another for it to confirm. “Why are you only telling me this now?”

“Because now it is pertinent.”

Which sounded ominous. “Would you stop being cryptic? You are being stranger than usual, Raffie, and I want to know why. Does this have to do with the citadel?”

“It has everything to do with it. They just won’t stop. I thought they would eventually tire of it.”

“Who would? The Rhomanii?”

“Yes, the Rhomanii and those religious fools they follow. They were merely supposed to be caretakers for a world designed entirely for the Rhomanii and ruled by the chosen one with the purest blood. Instead they spent eons roaming, and then, when we finally found our home, there was corruption.”

“You’re talking about Mikhail, the brother, betraying and killing the king.”

“Mikhail didn’t kill the king.” No mistaking the scoffing sound. “Mikhail liberated him from a fate worse than death. The corruption had infected the chosen one. But the king didn’t die despite the dagger in his heart.”

“What happened to him?”

“He transcended.”

“Into what?”

Raffie didn’t reply. But she had a feeling she knew.

“Are you the gypsy king?”

“A king needs a throne. I am merely a ship.”

Which didn’t really answer the question. “What do you want?”

“I want what belongs to me. But once again, thieves are trying to take it away.”

Did he imply the Rhomanii were the ones to kidnap her ancestors? That made no sense. But she didn’t have time to wonder about the past. “How far is the citadel?” she asked.

“A little less far than before.” A definitely mocking reply and a chill went through her.

“I want to open a channel with them. Offer a trade.”

“A trade of what? You arrived here with nothing.”

“But found a treasure. The Rhomanii want us because of our blood, and you said it yourself, we’re related to the people in those pods. If my genes are considered good, then imagine what theirs would be worth.” Given their well-preserved condition, they should buy safety for her and Karo. She could put an end to the hunt.

“Alas, what you see is but a façade. Their genetic coding has long since faded.”

“Genes don’t fade.”

“You’re right, they get absorbed. And the fresher the better.” Raffie’s voice dropped ominously. “Would you do anything to protect the child?”

A chill went through her. “Of course.”

“Then there is something you can do.”

“Do? I thought maybe we’d try and hide and hope they passed over.”

“That isn’t going to happen.”

“What do you mean? Have they already detected us?”

“No. They will never even intersect with this planet. They won’t have to. Because you’re going to meet it.”

“What? Do you seriously think I’m going to hand myself over?” She snorted.

“I thought you would do anything to protect the child.”

“I would, but handing myself over is no guarantee they won’t still come after Karo.”

“Oh, they won’t stop at just you. But you can put a halt to their machinations. You are the only one who can.”

“By giving up?”

“Exactly.”

“No.” She waved a hand in refusal.

But Raffie wasn’t about to accept that answer. “I didn’t say you had a choice.” A gas suddenly emerged, filling the room, her lungs…

She woke up a prisoner of the Rhomanii.