The Torid Affair by Laurann Dohner
Chapter Thirteen
Jessa argued with Randy Birch as he practically dragged her into the main area of Med Bay from the decontamination showers, where their shuttle had docked. “I can handle this myself if you allow me to go to my lab. It’s got everything I need and my med kit should already be waiting for me. The nurse manning the showers promised to drop it off there once it had been sterilized.”
“I’m not pissing off a Veslor. Maith said to take you here, so I am. He’ll kick my ass in training if I go against him. You don’t scare me, lady. He does.”
As if things couldn’t get worse, the doctor who rushed to greet them was none other than Cynthia Kane. The chief of staff scowled as she came closer, running an assessing gaze from Jessa’s face down to the loose one-piece garment she’d been given after her shower.
“Follow me,” the taller doctor demanded. “We’ve set up in exam room six for you. I called in Dr. Zoner to assist. He’s our ophthalmologist.”
“I think she needs an electronics expert instead,” Birch replied.
“I don’t need anyone. I can handle this in my lab. I have a fully functioning med bed and all the spare parts for my ocular implant.”
Cynthia Kane swung around and glared at Jessa. “I’m not ignorant of synthetic modifications.” She stepped closer and lifted a gloved hand, cupping Jessa’s jaw, tipping it higher.
Jessa allowed it, remaining silent as the doctor carefully study her damaged eye.
“I think you’re going to need a full replacement. We’re also going to have to regenerate some of the tissue around the eye socket. Your eyelid isn’t closing. I’m seeing first-degree burns on the top layer of your skin, which implies the area around the implant probably suffered more severe burns, if this was caused by a power surge.” Kane shifted her gaze, holding Jessa’s. “Just shut up and let us help you.”
Jessa hesitated, debating. “Some of my modifications are classified. I need to work on this myself.”
Cynthia Kane didn’t bat an eye. “I was sent an additional file from fleet headquarters once it was reported that you were injured. It seems they had flagged you, in case of just such an event. I’ve been brought in on certain matters…and a Dr. Barns sends her regards.” She looked at Birch. “You’re dismissed.”
The task force leader gave a sharp nod and exited Med Bay.
Once they were alone, Kane sighed. “Is the secondary implant damaged?”
“No.”
“Are you certain? I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s attached directly to your brain.”
“I ran a diagnostic on the flight up, and again while I was going through decontamination. There’s a layer of shielding between it and my ocular implant. It protected it from heat damage when my implant fried.”
“I’m still going to run a scan. I was given instructions on how to shut off the signal it broadcasts, to shield it from being seen, and I’ve already reprogrammed the med bed to send the shutdown code.” Cynthia Kane appeared flustered as she glanced around. She lowered her voice, though no one else was close enough to hear them. “What in the hell made you agree to let someone put that kind of tech in your head? They tried to implant interface devices for minicomputers like that forty years ago, and all recipients suffered brain damage or eventual death. Were you aware of that?”
“I am aware. How much information were you given?”
“Not much. Just your current medical files, so I knew what I was dealing with. The fleet will send a secondary med team if I can’t fix what’s wrong with you. They’re on standby, waiting for my report. Jesus! I thought you were super-smart, Brick. That was a dumb fucking decision. I guess now I know why you’re a genius. You literally have a computer inside you.”
Jessa debated again. “You were sworn to secrecy?”
“I was threatened that if I ever share what I’ve learned about you, my career and my future will be destroyed. I’m not suicidal.”
It didn’t surprise Jessa. The fleet were sticklers for keeping secrets contained. “This was done to me when I was eight years old. So I don’t deserve a lecture from you—or to be insulted.”
Shock distorted the other woman’s features.
Jessa figured that was enough information for Kane to realize that she hadn’t had a choice in the matter. Adults made medical decisions for minors.
“Can we get on with this? I’d really like to check on the teenager they flew up with Prissa disease. He’s my patient. You had any staff treating him vaccinated, correct? They’re following stage-four quarantine regulations? He was highly infected. The parasites are quickly dying off, but he may still be contagious for a while longer.”
“Yes. I immediately downloaded the information on Prissa disease and followed protocol.”
“Thank you.”
Kane gave her a speculative look before turning away, and Jessa followed her into exam room six. Only two other medical personnel waited. Both were older, probably career fleet. It made sense to Jessa. The fleet higher-ups would only want people in that room who had a lot to lose if they blabbed what they were about to see and do.
“Remove the jumpsuit,” the female nurses ordered, holding up a sheet to give Jessa a privacy wall.
The male nurse retrieved a gown, holding it out for Jessa before turning his back to them.
Jessa stripped and put on the gown before getting on the med bed. Kane started the scan. Jessa lay there taking slow breaths, studying the hologram that appeared above her, seeing the damage in her head to her ocular implant.
It made her flinch. Kane was right; it would need to be completely replaced. “I don’t have a full replacement unit stored. Just parts. They’re in drawer six on the right side of my desk, inside my lab.”
“Understood, but we have full units available,” Kane informed her. “We have seven crew members with the same ocular implants onboard. The colors on the new ones have the ability to mimic the other iris to match. It makes them almost impossible to identify. You’re the only one I know who doesn’t attempt to hide that you lost an eye.”
“There’s a purpose for the blue. It’s all I’m allowed to say.”
Kane was staring at the hologram. “I’ve never seen anything like this secondary device. It is integrated into part of your brain. I’m not seeing any damage around the tiny tentacles they used to secure it. What exactly does it do, besides act like a computer?”
“Classified,” Jessa sighed.
Kane gave a sharp nod. “I’m not reading any damage to your brain. No bleeds. Not even any bruising. That’s good. The tissue appears to be healthy where that minicomputer is connected.” She asked about headaches and pain.
“The area around my ocular implant aches a little, but that’s it,” Jessa admitted.
Kane tapped at the control pad on the med bed.
Jessa cursed when something jabbed her ass. “Don’t put me out!”
“Too late.” Kane met her gaze. “Sleep. I’m going to bring Dr. Zoner in once I reprogram the bed to only show your ocular implant. He’s going to assist me with replacing it.”
Jessa fought to remain awake but the drug acted fast, making her sleepy. “Blue…” she got out.
“I heard you the first time. You have my word. I have your full medical file and the original lens color is stored there. I’ll duplicate it.”
Jessa lost consciousness.
Maith had suffered through decontamination, along with everyone else who’d been inside the bunker, once they were flown back to Defcon Red. Most of the task force teams had stayed on the surface, using portable shower units to make certain they didn’t spread Prissa to the population. His grouping remained on Torid. Maith had demanded to go to Jessa, and Roth agreed to let him leave.
He entered Med Bay but was immediately told the exam room containing Jessa had been locked down. One of the humans brought him a chair to wait outside the sealed doors.
Hours passed. He frequently got up to pace, worried. No procedure should be taking so long.
The door finally unsealed. Cynthia Kane and a male he’d never seen before exited. The female saw him and came to a halt. “Mr. Maith. To what do we owe the pleasure of your company?”
The human male cleared his throat. “I’m leaving now.” He hurried away.
Maith wanted to see Jessa but the doors had auto-sealed. He stepped closer but they didn’t open. He turned back to Doctor Kane. “How is Jessa?”
“I’ve been over this with your people before when Miss Wade stayed in Med Bay. I can’t give you updates on patients.” The female appeared annoyed.
He wanted to inform the female that Jessa was his mate, but resisted. “I know what her injuries are. Were the burns around her artificial eye minor? She implied they were. I need to know if she is well and recovering.”
The female glanced around before taking a step closer. “I know you two don’t get along. That’s no secret. Hell, there are betting pools on whether you’ll eventually snap and knock her on her ass, or if she’ll be the one to punch you first. You’ve both gotten into arguments with plenty of witnesses—so why do you give a shit?”
“We were trapped together. I treated her minor injuries, then forced her to return to Defcon Red. And I would never knock Jessa on her ass or harm her in any way.”
The female narrowed her gaze. “Is this a situation like Mr. Roth and Miss Wade’s? He mated her days after she was released from my care.”
Maith said nothing. He couldn’t, knowing it would upset Jessa.
“Look.” Cynthia Kane sighed, lowering her voice. “You don’t want to get involved with her. You need to trust me on this. She’s not a normal human and her situation is…different. I can’t say more. I will tell you that she is fine and healing.”
“Jessa has no family here. Her only sister is at a remote location and can’t come to her. Our grouping has accepted her as family. She’d tell you that if you ask her. Please tell me if you were able to repair her artificial eye.”
She hesitated, probably considering everything he’d revealed. “Total replacement. It’s a better model than the original one. We regenerated all the damaged tissue and nerves she suffered from the burns surrounding the ocular implant. We got lucky, because the receptor hub it was connected to wasn’t damaged. It basically means the new implant will sync with her brain. Dr. Zoner kept the new model hooked up to a visual display to verify it’s properly working and made all the necessary adjustments she needed. She’ll be able to see when she wakes. That will be in about an hour.”
“I’d like to see her.”
“No. I’m sorry. I’ve already breached privacy laws by sharing the little information I already have. I also learned from Mr. Roth how stubborn your race can be about a female you’ve taken under your protection. I don’t need you snarling at my staff and scaring the shit out of everyone while you prowl outside her door. Please leave Med Bay, and I’ll tell her that you were here when she wakes. At that point, you can visit her if she gives permission.”
“I’ll be back.”
“I have no doubt.”
Maith growled under his breath and left Med Bay. He immediately went to find Abby. She was the human he needed to speak to most. Drak’s mate would help him figure out the best way to approach Commander Bills about Jessa’s fleet contract. That male was powerful enough to help.
He found Abby in their family cabins. She worked from their home often. The female grinned, getting up from the table after shutting down her data pad. Her gaze kept going to the door he’d just passed through.
“The rest of our grouping remains on Torid. Drak isn’t with me.”
Disappointment showed on her face. “Are you okay? What’s up with the dark gray jumpsuit and the matching booties? Were you hurt?”
“No. I had to go through decontamination. It’s a long story. We need to talk.”
“Is Drak okay?”
“He is fine.” Maith motioned to the table. “Sit. You know Earth things. I need your knowledge and intelligence.” Abby was a good female. Smart.
“Let me grab us some drinks and something to eat.”
Maith helped her put food and drinks on the table before they both sat.
She studied him carefully. “What do you need to know?”
“Jessa is my mate.”
He expected her to be surprised by that information—but he was the one startled by that emotion when Abby chuckled.
“What is funny about that?”
“It makes sense. You two hated each other a little too much. Congratulations.”
“We aren’t mated yet, but we will be. What do you know about orphans raised by the fleet?”
She sobered. “Not all that much. Earth has their own orphanages on the planet. Kids who lose their parents while living on a colony or space station are usually given to family. Sometimes there isn’t anyone to take them in. Most colonies and space stations don’t have a system in place to house and raise those kids in a safe environment, so I’ve heard that the fleet takes them in. They have their own dome city on Mars. I’ve read a few stories about what’s contained there over the years. Not only are there military training facilities, but entire educational systems. To me, they sound like boarding schools. That means housing and education all in one. I’d assume part of it includes where they keep any orphaned kids.”
“Did you know those younglings are forced by your fleet to work for them when they grow into adulthood?”
He got his answer by Abby’s stunned expression.
“Jessa told me your fleet owns her until she is thirty-five years old, and she wasn’t given a choice.”
Abby shook her head, astonished. “That can’t be true.”
“She wouldn’t lie to me. Jessa trusted me with her secrets. She also has a sister that your fleet keeps her from seeing. They’ve enslaved her sister as well, until she reaches that same age. I need your help figuring out how to free them.”
Abby sat back in her chair. “Maybe you misunderstood?”
“I didn’t. Jessa insists your fleet and United Earth wouldn’t allow her to become my mate because they own her for another nine years. They are making her pay back all the food, education, and medical care she was given as a cub by working for them. She swore me to secrecy because she fears your fleet will take her away for reprogramming, but she agreed we could talk to you. We’re a grouping. Her problems and secrets are ours to fix. She’s my mate, Abby. I need her to be freed. I also need to free her sister, or Jessa may fear harm will come to Anabel in retaliation. She didn’t say as much, but I know she must consider that consequence.”
Abby leaned her elbows on the table and braced her chin in her hands. “I need to bring Howard in on this. He’d know the truth.”
“He’s fleet.”
“Exactly. He’s also family. Do you trust me?”
“Yes.” Maith didn’t have to think about it. Abby was a part of his grouping.
“I trust Howard. He won’t betray us if we talk to him about this. Let me call him and ask him to come here. He can verify if any of this is true, and maybe fix it if it is. He’s got connections that my family doesn’t. He might be able to pull some strings.” She rose to her feet. “It’s going to piss me off if the fleet is forcing kids into indentured service as adults.”
“What is that?”
“It’s basically what you called it. Enslavement. Let me reach out to Howard.”
Maith thought about it. Commander Bills had been good to them. Roth trusted the male more than he did others on the vessel. “Fine.”
Maith ate his meal at Abby’s insistence, until Commander Bills arrived at their door. Abby let him in. The male wasn’t in uniform and appeared as if he’d come from the gym. He knew the human worked out regularly to keep in good physical shape, and even sometimes showed up to spar with the task force teams.
“I’m here. What’s so important?”
Abby put her hands on her hips. “I’m calling for a family cone of silence. This is all off-the-record, top-secret stuff. Okay? You’re not fleet right now, just my uncle.”
Commander Bills scowled. Then his gaze went to her stomach and he grinned. “You’re pregnant?” He tried to hug her.
Abby put her hands on his chest. “No. That’s not it. Are you Uncle Howard right now or Commander Bills?”
He sighed. “Uncle Howard. What’s wrong? Is someone giving the Veslors trouble again?”
Abby glanced at Maith before taking a deep breath, facing the human male in charge of Defcon Red. “Maith wants to mate with Jessa. You’d know her as A.R.S. Brick. She said she can’t. Do you know why she’d say that? She told Maith the reason, and he shared it with me…but I told him it can’t be true.”
Maith saw the male’s features turn grim and a wariness showed in his eyes as their gazes met.
“Well, shit,” Commander Bills muttered. He moved to the couch and collapsed. “That’s going to be a problem.”
Abby threw up her hands. “It’s true? The fleet forces orphaned kids they’ve raised to work for them? What the fuck?!”
Maith enjoyed seeing Abby get mad. He already was.
The commander slouched a little in his seat. “I never agreed to it. I didn’t even know that’s how we got some of our members until we had a problem when I was a sub-commander on Vental. One of the task force team members took two hostages, demanding that his younger sister be freed from her fleet contract or he’d kill the hostages, then himself. She’d fallen in love and attempted suicide after her request to marry had been denied.
“It made no sense to me at the time. Why would she even need to go through official channels to get permission to marry? Her boyfriend was already stationed on our boat. It wasn’t like they were denying her a transfer to wherever her new husband would be. Then my commander explained that the siblings were fleet-raised…and what that actually meant.”
Abby took a seat near the commander on the couch. “They can really stop Jessa and Maith from mating?”
“Yes. Even more so, because her contract isn’t a standard-issue one. I’m made aware of anyone brought onboard my vessel in her situation, because we must keep an eye on them. No one wants a repeat of what happened on Vental. That task force member ended up killing the hostages and himself, just as he promised. We couldn’t talk him down. He said his sister would just end her life as soon as she was given another opportunity if he couldn’t get her free, so there was no reason for him to live either. The two people he took out? I thought they were just random visitors. It turned out they were sent by headquarters from a secret division of highly trained operatives, who handle adult orphans if any of them start to crack.”
“It isn’t right to make a child repay for their care,” Maith growled.
“I agree.” The commander held his gaze. “I’ve gone out of my way to give those individuals a happy workplace and freedoms they wouldn’t see on other vessels. I carefully studied Dr. Brick’s file when she was assigned to me. I didn’t like what I read. Her last commander gave her shit hours, stuck her in Med Bay to work, and there were countless infraction reports from her chief of staff. All petty bullshit. The jerk seemed to resent her and didn’t appreciate her skills. I allocated her a private lab to avoid having to deal with bullying from other medical personnel. I also appreciate her skills and make sure she knows it.”
“How do we break her contract?”
Maith tensed, waiting to hear the answer to Abby’s question.
The commander slumped farther. “We don’t.”
Maith snarled.
Commander Bills slowly stood. “I would if I could, Maith. But when that incident happened on Vental, they locked down all knowledge of what really happened fast and tight. Orders came straight from the top. The official reports were changed to make it appear as if the task force member had a mental breakdown over nearly losing his sister. Records of his demands and the information he shared with the negotiators about being an orphan and forced to work for the fleet were erased. We were told to keep silent and never bring it up. Those orders came directly from United Earth at the highest level.
“A secondary team arrived to pick up the sister from Med Bay. They not only took her, but her boyfriend as well. A week later, when I tried to get an update on them, it was as if neither had ever been in the fleet…like they’d never even existed. Hell, the flight logs were changed. There’s no record of the shuttle that came to pick them up. It was all wiped. It takes a hell of a lot of power to accomplish something like that.”
“It’s not right for the fleet or United Earth to force children into slavery to work off some stupid debt they never should’ve acquired in the first place,” Abby stated softly.
“I know. It’s also highly classified. They don’t want that secret getting out.” The commander shook his head. “I’m afraid that headquarters will send a team and make A.R.S. Brick disappear if she even requests to mate.” He stared at Maith. “They took that woman’s boyfriend with her. Do you hear what I’m saying? They probably guessed he’d raise hell over her disappearance, and made sure that couldn’t happen. One of those secret teams might see you and your grouping as a threat if they take A.R.S. Brick from this vessel.”
The decision was already made for Maith. “They can’t take Jessa from me if we return to Veslor space. My king would go to war to protect us if your planet came after our grouping or mates. We have strong alliances with over forty alien races who’d stand with us. My grouping will leave with our mates before your fleet can stop us.”
“Shit.” Commander Bills used a hand to scrub his face. “The fallout might be epic. We’re talking a break in the alliance and a possible full-scale war.”
Abby shot to her feet and grinned. “Yes. We are.”
“Have you lost your mind?” The commander gaped at her.
Maith also wondered why the female seemed so happy.
“No. We are talking about a full-scale war. One that Earth couldn’t possibly win. Think about what would happen if all the facts were laid out to United Earth officials and the top fleet admirals, Uncle Howard. What’s more important? Dissolving a few contracts? Or going to war with over forty technologically advanced alien races? We’d be annihilated! Let’s not forget that the Veslors have started to supply a lot of space stations with food. Riots would start up again if those deliveries stopped because we’re no longer allied with Veslors. The threat alone should force them to do the right thing.”
“This will work?” Maith hoped it would.
Abby smiled again. “We could also add in the threat of releasing information on what they’re doing to those kids. That would start a nightmare shitshow in the news press. I can see the headlines now: ‘Taxpayers Fund Fleet and United Earth Officials to Indenture Orphans into Forced Service.’ I know how much D Corp pays in taxes to United Earth. To find out they’re making kids work off a debt that’s already been paid by every business and working person will be a nightmarish scandal.”
“Damn.” Commander Bills stood. “That might work…but it’s risky.”
“No, it’s not.” Maith stood as well. “We will tell them that our king has been informed of the truth, and he will be. We keep in close contact with our king. Jessa and her sister no longer belong to your Earth. They are Veslors—and we defend our people to the death. Make that clear.”
Abby faced the commander. “I’m going to call my parents and tell them what’s going on. D Corp is crucial to United Earth, since our tech runs every fleet vessel. My parents are in direct contact with important, powerful people. Not to mention other families who run companies that supply crucial products to the fleet. We’ll make it clear that we stand united in righting an injustice if we need to play hardball. You know my parents will agree once they learn orphans are being enslaved. We’ll apply pressure so hard, they won’t have any other option but to give in gracefully.”
Commander Bills snorted. “This might end my career early, but I’m going to call for a meeting with the heads of fleet and United Earth.”
“Tell me when. My grouping will be there.”
Commander Bills stared at Maith. “Let me do this first and talk to them. Trust me, I’ll get the message across and make it damn clear what the consequences will be. If they aren’t reasonable, then I’ll bring you in.” He looked at Abby. “Hold off on calling your parents. Last resort, okay?”
Abby sighed. “I’m going to let them know what’s going on, but we’ll maintain a family cone of silence. They won’t share any information with others unless it becomes a necessity.”
Maith wanted to argue that he should be there when the commander spoke on Jessa’s behalf, but Abby walked to him and touched his arm. He looked down at her.
“Humans have a lot of pride. Sometimes so much that it causes them to make stupid mistakes and decisions. Uncle Howard can approach them in a way that it doesn’t put their backs against the wall. Let him try it his way first.” She turned to the commander. “Maybe point out that if it they refuse, what happened to Jessa and other orphans could get leaked to the news press. Businesses and citizens fund the U.E. and the fleet. Nobody wants their tax dollars used to do shitty things to kids.”
Commander Bills nodded. “I’m going to go shower, collect my thoughts, and then put in a request for an emergency joint meeting with the head admirals and the U.E. ruling committee. It usually takes a few hours to pull everyone in. I’ll let you know as soon as I speak to them.”
The commander left, and Maith immediately began pace.
Abby turned to him again. “We’ll figure this out. Worst case, I’ve taken over a fleet vessel before to help a friend escape being arrested. I can do it again. That’s the good thing about knowing their systems so well, since my family designed them.”
“I’m going to contact my king to tell him what is going on and then I will return to Med Bay. I want Jessa within my sight.”
“I’ll make some calls and stay here to let Darla and Vera know what’s going on when they come back with the cubs from a playdate. Can you update our grouping on Torid?” She glanced at his wrist device.
“Yes.” He saw worry on her face and reached out, taking her hand. She was a sister to him. “It will be fine. We’re Veslors.”
Her smile was answer enough that she believed. “Yes, we are.”