Part 33 (1/2)

”It actually gives me great pleasure, especially if they suffer a great deal beforehand. You have no idea what delightful cruelties and games Taemin and I had planned for you and Varian; I'm sorry he wasn't playing Ryker and we didn't get our eager hands on you two. Making people bleed and cry and beg and do whatever I command is a delicious and intoxicating sensation. If I had my old crew with me, I'd let them have fun with you two before I discard you. I'd really enjoy watching you take on two and three men at a time, and taping it to send to Varian as his last memory of his lost love. And don't say you wouldn't, that you'd die first; I have chemicals that will make you do anything and everything I desire. I'm only sorry androids don't have the right equipment to provide that little diversion for me.”

Jana knew it was unwise to say anything provoking at that delicate point in the woman's mental balance. She was relieved Canissia hadn't followed up on her earlier threats of torture. She didn't know why the s.a.d.i.s.tic creature hadn't kept her word, and she certainly wasn't going to remind her into doing so by hurling curses and insults at her.

”I thought I had gotten rid of you when I gave you to Ryker. I underestimated your powers. You had the same affect on both brothers; even Taemin craved you. Because of you, I lost all three prospects, you alien witch. I was forced to kill Baruch and Moloch and that sister of his because of you. I tried to entrap Ryker because of you. Now, I'm on the run because of you. It's your fault Ryker tried to murder me.”

”You're wrong about that, Ca.s.s,” Jana pointed out. ”Ryker said it was an accident that killed Zan. He told me you were too valuable to him as a spy to kill you. And it wasn't my fault I came here and intruded on your life and plans; I was captured and enslaved. Every place I went, every person I met, and every thing I did was under orders because I had no choice; I was a prisoner in your world. If anyone is to blame for your misery, it's Varian and it's you.”

Canissia glared at Jana. ”Me!” she screamed. ”How dare you!”

Jana a.s.sumed a gentle tone to cover her slip. ”As long as you love him and chase him, he'll abuse you and hurt you. Get over him, Ca.s.s, and push him out of your life as I did. He isn't wort h it.”

”That public proposal and marriage offer were tricks to lure me out of hiding so he could destroy me and protect you. He never intended to marry me; it was a trap to locate you and get you back. You, you, you, everything for you! But not much longer. I have time and the means to exact my revenge: I didn't rush it. I planned this very carefully. I don't care who gets hurt as long as I destroy you. That's how I will punish Varian. Killing him isn't the way; ruining the only thing he loves and wants will be his living h.e.l.l. In a few months, I'll tell him where you are. What he finds left of you when he comes, if anything, he'll reject.”

”If he loves me that much, he's probably looking for me this minute. Kagan had orders to check on me within two hours if I wasn't back home. You can't have much of a lead on a search party. Give it up before it's too late. Do so and I'll convince them to be lenient with you. If they value their connection to Trilabs, they'll grant my request. I'll give them no choice.”

”Let you help me?”

Jana watched the fiery redhead burst into soul-chilling laughter. Her aqua eyes glittered with hatred and coldness. Evil and something akin to intimidating madness seemed to shadow her.

”I don't need or want your help or your friends.h.i.+p,” Canissia scoffed. ”I've never needed anyone's. I can take care of myself; I always have. When you're gone, I'll be happy again and Varian will be punished for all he's done to me. He'll live and die knowing he's responsible for your destruction.”

”You're talking and acting like a woman scorned, Ca.s.s. Get hold of yourself and think clearly or you'll be in the worst trouble of your life. Maal will come after you, too; I'm carrying his great-grandchild, remember? Between him and Varian and their forces, you won't have a minute's peace to enjoy your revenge. They'll hunt you down like a wild animal and kill you. There's still time to end this recklessness. I beg you, don't do this.”

”As soon as I've dealt with you and informed Varian of your fate, I'm leaving Maffei. They'll never locate me to hurt me again.”

The woman acted as if she hadn't heard a word Jana had said and wasn't tempted to stop her evil scheme. Jana grasped it was futile to argue and reason further. ”I'll fight you on this, Ca.s.s; I have to.”

”You'll lose, that's a promise. Where you're going, you'll beg and pray for death a thousand times over before it finally releases you from your suffering. I hate you, Jana Greyson. I hate Varian. We'll be there soon.”

Jana watched Canissia leave and the door close.

”She's crazy, Jana; she's going to do it,” Andrea shrieked in panic.

”We aren't dead yet, my friend. Don't lose hope and faith. Varian and Nigel will locate us and rescue us; you'll see.” Please, G.o.d, let that be true.

The following afternoon, Canissia came to fetch the Earthlings, and brought two android guards with her. ”We're here. Ready to go?”

Jana's heart began to pound hard and fast. Terror ruled her senses. She paled and trembled. Where are you, my love? We need you. ”Don't do this wicked and cruel thing, Ca.s.s. I'm begging you. I'll do anything to save my baby's life. I'll get on my knees. I'll give you Trilabs for protection.”

”Shut up, it's too late for bargains.”

”It's not too late to change your mind, Ca.s.s. I'm begging you.”

”No, please!” Andrea shrieked. ”We'll do anything you ask.”

”Take them to the shuttle,” Canissia ordered the androids.

The strength of the mechanical beings couldn't be resisted or overcome. Jana and Andrea were escorted to the shuttle bay and placed aboard a craft. Andrea was crying and shaking. Jana was filled with anger and hatred for their grinning captor.

”You'll be sorry for this, Ca.s.s; he will hunt you down and kill you. No matter how far or how fast you run, Varian Saar will find you and kill you.”

”No way, no way. Goodbye, Jana, forever this time. Oh, you will have about an hour's rest before the men can reach the place the shuttle will drop you. Make all the defense plans you like, but they won't help you escape their savage l.u.s.t.”

Jana and Andrea huddled together and held hands as the craft traveled to the surface of the male penal colony. Jana whispered a message to her.

Andrea nodded and murmured, ”Oh, Nigel, my love, where are you?”

”I'm sure our men are searching for us. We have to stay safe and alive until they come. They will, Andrea; I know they will.”

They landed and the two women were taken outside. ”Remove your clothes,” one android said in a monotone voice. ”Give them to me.”

As planned, Jana and Andrea raced for cover as quickly as possible. The androids were not as swift or agile as the two humans. Soon, the women were able to hide. As instructed, Andrea did not move or speak to avoid being detected by their trackers' sensors. For twenty minutes, the androids searched in vain while the two women observed and trembled. They heard one android report the situation and heard Canissia order them back to the s.h.i.+p.

The shuttle zoomed into the sky and Jana and Andrea were alone in what resembled a lush jungle. They heard birds with strange calls. They smelled an abundance of flowers. They felt the high humidity and heat.

”What now, Jana? She said those prisoners would reach us in...”

Thirty minutes. ”A plan, we need a plan of defense. d.a.m.n, d.a.m.n, d.a.m.n! I can't think; I'm too scared. We have no weapons or food or supplies. And we'll be outnumbered. The best we can hope for is male dominance, a leader who might claim us and keep us from the others.”

”Canissia said only the worst criminals were sent here. They'll be battling over us like wild animals over raw meat.”

”Maybe she was lying to scare us. Maybe this place is uninhabited.” Or inhabited with dangerous creatures and mutants like Luz. The thought of being ripped apart by predators caused her to shudder in panic. She stroked her lower abdomen and prayed for her child's survival.

”Oh, Jana, they're going to come soon and ... I'd rather die. Kill me, Jana; find some way to kill me. Don't let those beasts rape me. Please.” Andrea began to sob and Jana tried to comfort her.

After the auburn-haired female regained control, Jana voiced her thoughts aloud. ”I doubt it would do much good to collect makes.h.i.+ft weapons; there will be too many of them to battle and no place to escape to in their world so that would only antagonize them. We should get out of this area as they're sure to come to investigate for new arrivals, but I don't know in which direction to head to elude them. I could walk us straight into their clutches. Just let me think a minute. I-”

Jana went silent. She pushed greenery aside and let her gaze search the sky. When Andrea started to question her actions, Jana ordered her to listen. ”The shuttle,” she said, ”it's coming back. Maybe Ca.s.s changed her mind. Maybe she did this to scare us.” Or maybe that evil and deviant b.i.t.c.h wants to hover and watch the action to make certain we're ... What to do, J.G.?

Chapter Twenty.

”Maybe Canissia ...” Jana went silent and stared as the craft made curious maneuvers to signal ”rescue alert,” which Varian had explained to her on Luz. But was it a friendly shuttle?

Andrea shook her arm. ”What, Jana?” she demanded. ”What is it?”

”Just stay still and quiet. It might be a trick to draw us out of hiding, like the one she pulled at Darkar with those Androasian markings.”

Jana peered through the verdant bushes. When the shuttle landed, the door opened and faces appeared. Her heart leapt with joy and relief. She grabbed Andrea's hand and shook it in excitement. ”It's them! Let's go before those evil prisoners arrive.”

Varian jumped down the steps with Nigel and a security team in tow. His narrowed sapphire gaze shot in the direction of noise and movement in the tangly vegetation. When Jana and Andrea came into sight, he holstered his weapon and ran toward them, as did Nigel. The heavily armed team spread out and took a defensive position.

Varian hugged Jana so tightly that the breath almost was squeezed from her lungs. ”Kahala be thanked, you're safe and alive. I feared I had lost you, my love. If we didn't have witnesses, Mrs. Triloni, I would cover you with kisses from head to toe!”

When Jana lifted her head to look at him, she saw tears in his sapphire eyes. She knew time was limited for talking and staying. ”I knew you would come,” she said in a low voice, even though she knew they couldn't be overheard. ”I never lost faith. But I was scared witless,” she added with laughter to dispell her tension. ”We'd better get out of-”

”Just let me look at you for a minute. Kahala, I'm ten years older after enduring this terror! I would have returned on schedule,” he explained, ”but there was an emergency rescue on a s.h.i.+p about to explode. We had to stop and save its crew, and solar flare-ups knocked out our communications. I swear I would have made the deadline or contacted you if-”