Waiting Shapeless

Chapter 48. Deep space, unknown location

"Yes." Nodded Gaunth. "The Welvet were prepared to shoot whoever it was that shot first. Since I shot you, they shot me, making it look like I was also killed. It worked out perfectly, Hud."

"But Natilliea..." Hud Said, his head still spinning. "They wouldn't just let her go along with a dead Pardos." He knew that Natilliea was incredibly valuable to the Rhaa still.

Gaunth nodded, his wide grin flashing his small fang like teeth. "They blew up the station Hud. They destroyed the entire thing."

"What??"

Gaunth's grin grew wider. "Immediately after shooting me down, they attacked the Rhaa. You and I were pulled out, the Welvet killed or took captive all of the Rhaa they could find in the station, and then they blew the entire thing up."

What!! Hud was floored.

"The PPF... they killed the Rhaa??"

"Eh." Shrugged Gaunth. "Yes, but maybe not as many as you are thinking. But the Rhaa have better things to worry about now than getting her back." He gestured toward Natilliea. "They declared full out war against the PPF."

Hud sat down with absolute astonishment. The thick mist initially wafted away from him, then smoothly encompassed his lower half.

Everything had changed. Nothing was ever going to be the way it had been.

"We're free now, Hud." The Rhaa said proudly.

The idea of that even being possible still wasn't real to Hud. Were they really free?

Maybe Hud was free now. But as long as Gaunth was a Rhaa, he would be expected to be part of the clan. And if any Rhaa found out that he had betrayed his species like he had, he would be killed.

"What are you going to do, Gaunth?" Hud asked, looking up at him.

The Rhaa snorted. "Ah. Well, I'll have to stay in hiding. The Umifetter promised to give me as much protection as they can provide, but I will have to stay low. Maybe 'till I die. Sounds almost like I went from one prison to another.

"But," continued Gaunth, looking down, "I want to try to help other Rhaa like me escape. The PPF said they would be willing to assist me in that endeavor."

Hud joined Gaunth in watching the swirling mist.

"So now... what should I do?" Hud said wearily, thinking out loud more than asking a question.

The Rhaa laughed. "Anything you damn well please!" Then his face became serious. "But... Hud." He suddenly looked very anxious. "There's something you need to know. I've wanted to tell you this... since..."

Hud fixed his eyes on the stubby Rhaa.

"I don't know how to say this, Hud." He looked down and sighed. "Natilliea," Gaunth flinched as he spoke, "she actually gave birth before they..."

Hud sat up straight. What??

"The child," continued Gaunth, not willing to meet Hud's eyes, "of course they were going to kill her. But I stole her... I took her away. I took the child far away from the Rhaa. They think she died."

Gaunth finally looked up at Hud. "You have a daughter, Hud. She is still alive."

Hud jumped to his feet, and pushed the large Rhaa into the wall. "I have a daughter that is still alive, why would you keep this from me??" He yelled into the Rhaa's face.

"Hud." Said Gaunth bitterly. "You idiot, you would have gotten yourself killed. What do you think you would have done if I had told you that? The first thing you would have done was go out looking for her, and the Rhaa would have found out and then killed you. And then they would kill her too."

Hud backed off. Anger mixed with astonishment flushed through him violently.

Everything had changed. His world was completely upside down now.

"Where is she?" Demanded the Pardos.

"She's on Oi. In Gallidon." Replied Gaunth smoothly.

Oi... Thought Hud. "...The Lougémas planet??"

Gaunth nodded. "The Rhaa don't have enough patience to deal with the Lougémas. Neither does the government. It was a perfect place for her, I swear to you Hud. I did my best for her."

His daughter was alive. It was about a year ago that it had all happened; the baby would only be one year old now.

Tears formed in his eyes as he thought of his baby on Oi. She was a mix between two species, something that was not only illegal but also unaccepted in the Pentaverse. Hud could only imagine how much she would have suffered for that.

"I need to find her." Hud said, without hesitation. "Tell me how I can find her."

Gaunth shook his head sorrowfully. "That I do not know, Hud. All that I know is that she is alive."

"How do you know that she is alive but not where she is??" Snapped Hud.

Gaunth smiled. "She's a fighter like you Hud. Of course she is still alive."

A small sense of pride swelled up in Hud. He had a daughter.

"There is a small ship for you," Said the Rhaa, pointing outside of the room, "docked to this ship. It's yours. The Umifetter gave it to you. It has no connection to the Rhaa whatsoever, so you can travel without fear of being discovered."

"Gaunth. You fat, old bag." He spat. They looked at each other darkly. Then Hud's face twitched with a smile. "Thank you. Thank you for everything."

"Don't expect any hugs buddy." Growled the old Rhaa. "But, you are welcome. Don't waste away your new life drinking that 'beer' stuff, okay?"