It was starting to get much more peaceful now. Hour by hour, day by day more women and their alien partners were allowed to leave the infirmary. But not Halo and Suriani. Though now able to get to his feet without falling over, to eat on his own and manage short conversations, he was far from recovered. He slept almost all the time and Suriani had to persist in forcing him to drink the eight bottles of protein liquid the doctor had ordered.
'Is there permanent damage, do you think?' Suriani had asked Miktar earlier.
'It's possible but I can't know for sure. His body had shut down and it's taking time to recover because of his age—but that's not unexpected.' He gave her a comforting smile. 'You'll be here some time yet but you will leave—and you will leave whole.'
Suriani wasn't so sure.
She was lounging beside Halo as he slept. The room was dark, the lights low. Two people entered the infirmary as she lay awake: a man with a bald head and a beard and a woman with tattoos down her neck. It seemed he'd done something to his hand.
She watched as Miktar attended them, making a firm comment that the man needed to be more in control of his emotions. The man hadn't been happy about that. The woman glanced at Suriani. Suriani had seen her earlier on but couldn't recognise her as one of the abducted.
Miktar treated them quickly and they left.
Suriani turned her eyes back to the ceiling. It was hard to know the time without the sun, without clocks. The only way she could orientate herself was through the routine of the medics. She supposed she should try and get some sleep but she hadn't seen Kylie for a while and she was beginning to get worried. It had been over a day. Where was she? What if something had happened to her?
She got her answer the following morning.
Suriani rubbed at her face as she woke. Beside her, Halo was still sleeping, his shoulder rising and falling as he lay on his side. He was so close to her that their foreheads were almost touching. His hand was on her hip. He must have turned over while he'd been sleeping.
'Mama,' came a voice.
Suriani turned with a start. Halo snorted but didn't move.
'Kylie!' she hissed. Careful not to wake Halo, she sat up. Kylie reached over and then they were hugging. 'Oh my God! You're okay. Where have you been?'
Kylie pulled back with a crooked smile. Suriani pressed a hand to her mouth in shock. 'Your—your eyes.' There was a yellowish tinge to them. 'You're bonded!' Suriani looked around for Lew.
'He's not here. Still tired.' She studied the empty beds. 'It looks like they've started unloading people.'
Suriani hardly heard her, unable to pull her eyes away, feeling both elated and sickened. She was bonded. She was stuck. Just like she was.
'Are you okay?' Suriani said, reaching out to take her hand. 'He didn't ... force you ...'
Kylie jerked her eyes to hers. 'No. I made the choice—I think.' She touched the side of her head. 'I'm just not sure. I'm not sure what my wants and desires are anymore.'
Suriani slid to the edge of the bed. Kylie was sitting in the chair. Suriani grabbed her face and studied her daughter's eyes. It was more than just the eyes. She was different in the way she held herself, in the way she looked back at Suriani. Even her voice sounded a little different.
'Are you happy?'
'Yes,' she said quietly. 'Yes,' she repeated with more certainty. 'I am. I love Lew. It might be just the hormones talking—the bond—but I do love him. Probably too much.'
'I know what you mean.'
Kylie nodded at Halo. 'How is he?'
'Improving—slowly. They say that he's fine but I'm not convinced.'
'He's older.'
'He's not that old! And he's strong. Well, he'll be strong once he's recovered.'
Kylie smiled at her, then she looked past Suriani's shoulder. Suriani turned. Miktar was approaching them.
'So, you're fully bonded,' he said to Kylie, clearly pleased.
Kylie gave a tight nod.
'How is Lew?'
'Tired.'
'But well?'
She nodded again. 'He's sleeping.'
'Good. I have hope that you all will be well.' He studied Halo with his intelligent yellow eyes, then looked at Suriani. 'And how do you feel?'
'Normal. Just tired.'
'Great. If you're feeling well, then Halo will be okay.'
The two women watched him as he finished tapping away at Halo's monitor, his handsome face smiling. With a final glance at them all, he said, 'Let me know if you need anything,' then walked away.
Kylie sighed. 'How did this happen? What is the likelihood of all the women in the world that they should choose us?' There was a choke in her voice.
'Oh, Kylie.'
'Don't look guilty. It's not your fault. How is it your fault?'
'It just feels that way. I should be there to protect you.'
Kylie shook her head. 'None of this is your fault—it's the bond. I haven't been there for you either.'
'You shouldn't be. You're the daughter.'
Kylie shook her head again, then looked around the room. 'I wonder what's going to happen now. Are they just going to keep us here? On this ship? What are we supposed to do?'
They both looked over as the door opened. In strode that dark-haired "doctor" and that remarkable woman with the white braids. Suriani and Kylie stared as she went over and sat down on one of the benches.
'She's the only alien female I've seen. I wonder why that is,' Kylie said.
'She's not an alien.'
'What do you mean?'
'She's an ordinary woman who's been dramatically changed by the bonding—that's all.' Kylie frowned in disbelief. 'It's true You haven't been here, listening, seeing it all. I have. She's pregnant and they're all excited about it. Apparently, our species are not supposed to have children.'
'Children.' Kylie looked a little sick. I-I didn't even think about it.' She touched her throat with a shaking hand. 'How could I have not even thought about it? What's wrong with me? Am I an idiot?'
Kylie stood, panicking so much she was shaking. Suriani pulled her back down. 'Don't worry. You're not pregnant.'
'How could you know?'
Suriani nodded over at the woman. 'See that rash around her eye—that's how you know.'
Kylie looked unconvinced.
'Why is that so hard to accept, with everything that's happened to us?'
Suriani didn't dare admit it but she felt a little relieved for her daughter—maybe even a little excited. It had always troubled her that Kylie had so suddenly set her heart against any another relationship—and children. After everything had fallen apart so suddenly with Sabit, she hadn't allowed herself to recover.
Lew seemed like a nice man. And since they were bonded, there was no way he could leave her. Not like Sabit. Suriani grimaced. How his name still filled her up with rage. How could any other woman be more beautiful and perfect than her daughter?
The woman with the white hair caught Suriani watching. They'd taken some blood and some scrapings off her. Several of the doctors were talking excitedly around her.
The woman came over. 'Hello. I haven't introduced myself. My name is Alexis.'
Suriani understood her completely, speaking Zibon. She sounded foreign. Maybe American?
'I'm Suriani and this is my daughter, Kylie.' Suriani tried not to stare at her rash.
'You look similar.' Alexis nodded over at Halo. 'I'm glad he's better.'
'Me too,' Suriani said.
'How did you get abducted?' Kylie suddenly asked her.
'In a similar way as you, I imagine.'
'How long have you been here?'
'Only a couple of weeks. Me and six others were taken around the same time. I know what you're thinking. I was resentful too.' She touched her rash unconsciously. 'And now things are even more complicated.'
'Is this what you wanted?' Kylie continued, almost accusingly.
Alexis blinked.
'Kylie, don't be so rude,' Suriani said.
'No. Not in the beginning. In fact, I'm not sure if I do want this. Does that answer your question?'
Kylie didn't respond.
Alexis sighed. 'I'm sorry this has happened to you, but it couldn't be helped.'
'So you knew about it and didn't stop it.'
'How was I supposed to stop it?' She frowned. 'Karate chop one of them in the back of the neck? Kill them and take over the ship?'
Kylie was glaring. 'It's not fair.'
'Yeah, well, life's not fair.' Alexis folded her arms.
Kylie looked away, lips pressed together. Suriani turned with a start when Halo started to stir. She rested her hand upon his shoulder.
*
'Suriani,' he croaked.
The room was blurry. His eyelids felt heavy. When had he fallen asleep? He couldn't even remember. He grabbed at his head with a wince. He had a throbbing headache.
'I'm here, Halo,' Suriani said, sliding her smooth hand into his.
He gripped her tight. She felt like an anchor, something tying him down to reality. Without her, he knew he'd be lost in his dreams, unable to wake up.
'I've never slept so hard in my life,' he croaked.
Finally, the room started to clear. His mouth was so dry it made his throat ache. Suriani handed him some water. He drank, looking curiously up at the woman standing by his bed. He thought he'd seen her before.
When his eyes cleared enough, he sat up tall with a start. 'What?' He stared at her face. The mark? He rubbed at his head. He must still be dreaming. 'But aren't you a Rictorian?'
'As far as I know.' Red flooded the woman's cheeks.
'Halo, you're being rude. Why is everyone so rude?'
Halo jerked his eyes to Suriani.
'It's okay,' the woman said. 'I'll have to get used to it.
Halo turned back to the woman, his eyes trailing over her affected eye.
'Well,' she shrugged, giving an awkward smile. 'I guess I'll see you all later.'
Halo watched as she walked away.
'What's going on?' he asked. Then he saw Kylie. His eyebrows shot up. 'How long have I been out for?' Was everybody bonded and pregnant? Was he even awake? Shaking his head, he fell back into his pillows. 'How is Lew?'
'Sleeping.' Kylie looked down into her lap with a frown.
Halo glanced at Suriani who slowly shook her head at him. Rictorians were too complicated. Perhaps Halo was better off going back to sleep. Then he noticed how empty the room was. The beds had been removed, the machines pushed back into place. Except for the pregnant woman, they seemed to be alone.
'Where is everyone?'
'Gone.'
'Just like we should be.' He tried to sit up but Suriani pushed him back down again. 'Your heart stopped, Halo. You almost died. I almost died.'
'Right,' he croaked.
Kylie was frowning at him.