The Chalice (10 page)

time to acquaint themselves to our presence. We are after all quite different and

they might need time to adjust.”

“They do know all we have to do is open the chamber, don’t they?” Vaux’s

fingers played across the panel. “There’s no way for them  to deny us entry.”

“I think we should give them  time. This has been a trying situation for all of us

and we don’t want to cause added stress.”

Besides, it gave him  some needed respite before he approached the femalesagain. He wiped a hand across his forehead, grateful for the reprieve. More tim eto assimilate, study their language, gather information about the females’ culture. Know the opponent!

“Well, I’m  hungry,” Shagal groaned. “Can we at least eat? I was so nervous at the thought of meeting my Chalice, I couldn’t stomach food.” He strode to the nourishment station and pressed several panels. “Since that isn’t going to happen, we might as well relax.”

Tegan agreed, realizing he was hungry as well. Now that the crisis had passed,he was beginning to calm  down, looking forward to the adventure with growinghopes. His Chalice was m ore than acceptable, the Chiagan-Se faced a new future,and he’d survived to be a part when so many had not. Humbled, he vowed not todisappoint their cherished memories.

“W hat about the female?” Vaux nudged the body.

“Let her sleep. She’ll awake soon enough and maybe by then the females will

venture out.”

****

“W hat’d you think they’re doing out there?” Anne pressed her ear against the

panel, her face skewed in concentration.

“You can’t hear anything,” Um e snorted. “This room  is insulated from  the

eating cham ber. The only way we’ll know is if we open the door.”

“Any of you smart enough to realize they can open the dam n door from  their side?” Dread picked at her fingernails, chipping off the red paint. “There’s a panel just like this one on the other side. If they wanted to, they could m arch right in here and there’s nothing we could do to stop them .”

“So why haven’t they?” Kara asked. “After seeing them , I doubt we have a snowball’s chance in hell of winning in a standup fight. Good grief! Even the sm all ones are big.”

“They’re handsome creatures.” Dread peeled the last of her polish off, rubbing

at the cuticles. “For really white guys.”

Kara had to agree. Especially the big one— the one who’d sm iled. Dom inant

leader-type male. That much she surmised from  the deference the others gave him . He was— interesting. Firm, sculpted lips made for kissing and other things flashed through her m ind. Too bad about the Vam pire eyeteeth! Other than that, his teeth had been perfect—straight and white— like the rest of him . She’d been fascinated by the silky hair and glittering eyes, alm ost like polished glass but exuding rays of inner warmth. In a white vam pire alien sort of way, he was kind of sexy.

He’d seemed surprised when the women sprinted from  the room . Mouth gapingopen and eyebrows arched. But what did he expect? We aren’t here because wewant to be.

Still, the breeders hadn’t made any threatening moves. They’d been almost

hesitant, unsure. As they should be!

“Do you think they killed Moira?”

“If they don’t, I will,” Dread growled. “She never shut up once while we were in there. Drives me crazy with her whining.” She snapped a thong strap, wiggling her plum p butt. “Only thing m akes me crazier is these dam n panties or whatever they are. Think they’d be smart enough to give us some decent clothes.”

Anne glanced down, grim acing with distaste. “They were wearing practicallythe sam e thing, although I noticed theirs were much nicer and covered more. Must be the standard wearing apparel.”

“Standard or not, I want some clothes,” Dread huffed, snapping another strap.

“Like wearing som e damn rubber bands.”

“There’s a possibility I can disable the panel from  this side.” Anne fiddled with the controls, brows furrowed. “Though it won’t do m uch good if they can open the door from  the other side.”

“Maybe we should pile stuff against the entrance.”

“You smoking crack again, girl? Everything’s m olded to the floor and walls. Ain’t nothing we can move.” To give credence to her statement, Dread kicked a bench. It rem ained solidly in place. “Same way the beds are. All of it’s molded into the main structure.”

“Anything besides the thongs in the storage units?”

“Nothing,” Ume said. “I checked everything when I was looking for possible

weapons. This area is strictly for dorm itory purposes.”

Kara sighed, feeling like a third class passenger trapped in the bowels of the Titanic. “So all we really have are the makeshift weapons we m ade from  theeating utensils? Not m uch good against giant man and his army of clones.”

“Dere not so many m ens bigger dan m e.” Hanna’s wistful statement came as a

surprise. “I vas always bigger dan most.”

“Well, hell, girl,” Dread laughed. “There’s a whole smorgasbord out there to choose from .” She grinned, an evil twist of her full lips. “Why don’t you step outside and look around. Maybe save Moira while you’re at it.”

“I…I vas just m aking a statement,” Hanna stuttered, indignant. “But I vould go

out dere if it vas needed.”

“Leave her be, Dread,” Kara said. “Better yet, why don’t you wander out there

and look around. You know, scope out the enemy. Maybe take a few hostages.”

“We really need to know what they’re up to.” Deep in thought, Anne drum med her fingers in a nervous staccato against the wall. “Um e. Could we raise the door just high enough so we could to see what they’re doing?”

Ume shook her head, the black bob swinging. “We could try— but I have noidea if we could stop it from  opening all the way.” She crouched down, examiningthe door. “If we could brace something under here and close the panelim mediately after we punched it open, might be able to keep it ajar—just enoughto see under. Anybody have any objections?”

Didn’t sound like the best idea, but they were out of options. Either hide inhere for the rest of eternity and starve to death, or do something constructive. Decision made, Kara nodded. “That’s what we do then.”

“I have something we can use,” a young voice called from  the back of the quivering m ass of traumatized wom en. A slim  girl pushed through the crowd. “This was on the counter in the bathing area. I think it’s soap or perhaps lotion.” She shrugged, bouncing the small orb in her palm . “It’s really hard.”

Anne took the item, exam ining it from  every side. “Looks good— pretty solid.” She handed the article to Ume. “As soon as I open the panel, I’m  going to punchit closed. Slip this under and hold it until the door touches it. Get your hand outof there fast in case the door crushes it.”

“W hat do we do if it opens all the way?” Dread’s eyebrows arched over her

dark eyes. “Throw eating utensils at them ?”

“If that happens,” Anne added, “it’s up to the rest of you to make sure they don’t get through.” She swiveled around, facing the freaked out females. “Is everybody ready?”

Kara’s fingertips tingled, arm  hairs stood on end. By some nasty trick of fate,she was standing right here on the front line of defense. How’d that happen? W hycan’t I be safe in the back like the rest of them ? Although none of them  were saferight now.

Dread’s eyes found hers. “You okay?”

“Just peachy.”

“You look like you’re going to faint.”

“Facing death does that to m e.” She pressed her hands flat against her upper

thighs, willing them  to quit shaking.

“Just rem em ber what Um e taught us. Use it if we have to.”

“Here we go,” Anne called out. Her hand covered the control panel. She

hesitated a brief mom ent before punching the blue button.

****

All heads swiveled as the panel to the females’ quarters slid upwards. Tegan’s

hand froze, the bite of food forgotten.

“They’re com ing out,” Shagal whispered, fairly bouncing with excitement.

“W ha…?”

The panel slid to an abrupt halt and then started back down, stopped by an

object wedged underneath.

“W hat are they doing?” Vaux exclaimed, bending over. “What is that?”

Tegan leaned sideways, tilting his head. “They’re trying to see out,” hemurmured, grinning in spite of himself. “They’re using a fem ale stim ulator orb tokeep it open.”

“Maybe they’re sending us a m essage.” Mordaq dropped down on his chest,

angling for a better view. “Making it clear we’re unnecessary.”

“That’s kind of disgusting,” Vaux snorted, lip curling. “Crude, really.”

“I think it’s a sim ple matter of trying to see.” He sat back up, staring at his

bowl, lips twitching.

Vaux sniffed, wiping his lips. “If they want to see what we’re doing without us

seeing them , why don’t they use the viewing screens?”

“I would guess it’s because they don’t know how.” W hy would they? If Kormak’s logs were correct, the Chalices had only been awake for a short tim e. W ithout guidance, how were they to learn?

“Access the ship’s com puters and open a line to the viewing screen in the females’ chamber so they can watch us.” He laughed. “This is a perfect opportunity to prove we mean them  no harm  and we’re peaceful.”

“I suppose you want m e to do it,” Vaux grum bled, shoveling food into his

mouth, “even though I’ve not finished eating.”

“I suppose your stom ach is m uch m ore important than the fem ales.” Shagal’s snide comment stung the tech, causing Vaux to flinch in reflex. He studied his food, unwilling to meet Tegan’s eyes.

“The Chalices and I would appreciate your prom pt efforts.” Tegan spoke softly, his words easing the tension triggered by Shagal’s criticism . “I suspect they’re as curious as are we.”

Vaux nodded, lips pressed in a firm  line. He stood up, bending at the waist. “As

you wish, Milord.”

“I’m  not your Lord,” Tegan m urmured for Vaux’s ears alone. “I’m  your friend

asking for a favor.”

“You will always be Lord,” Vaux replied. “By right of birth and leadership. None of these others possess the qualities and skills inherent in your ancestry.” He glared at Shagal. “Though some m ight like to think they do.”

“Do what?” Shagal’s brows rose curiously. “Are you whining again?”

Vaux stalked from  the room , seething with righteous indignation.

“One day you’ll push him  too far,” Mordaq warned the smaller m an. “He m ight act like an artisan, but he’s a Warrior at heart— born and nurtured by the best.” He grinned, silvered eyes snapping. “Though I’d pay to see the battle.”

“You’d love to see m e bested, you mean,” Shagal grumbled around a m outhful

of food. “I’ve no doubt you’d enjoy the show.”

“W hat are they doing?” Kara crouched beside Ume. The Oriental girl was flat

on her stom ach peering through the small opening. “Can you see anything?”

“All I can see are feet. They seem  to be sitting at the tables. I can hear them

talking too.”

Kara’s stom ach grum bled. Her mouth watered. It’d been hours since they’d lastdined and from  the delicious smells drifting in, the breeders were eating. Pissesme off! Big tim e! The fanged weirdoes were out there enjoying dinner and thewomen were stuck in here starving. Didn’t seem  right.

“W ish I had som e of that,” Dread m uttered darkly. “One of those hot bread

thingeys.”

“Look at this,” a girl called out, her voice high with excitement. “It just cam e

on and we can see them .”

On the wall above them, in full living color, a wide video screen of the

community room  drew her attention.

“You have got to be kidding.”

The breeders were grouped in small clusters, eating or talking. As the wom enwatched, the entire assem blage looked up and—waved, sm iling like village idiots. Her eyes were drawn to the center. Surrounded on every side, the big guydominated the scene, but unlike the rest, he sim ply gazed in their direction as ifassessing their reactions.

He has to be the big boss! No other explanation. Another thought surfaced.

W hat if they can see us!

“Do you think they have cameras in here?” Nervous, she pushed her way

through the crowd, checking the ceiling for electronic equipment.

“Probably wouldn’t see it anyway.” Dread bum ped into her as she stopped,

staring at an object in the corner.

“W hat about that?” She pointed to the article. “Looks like it could be a

camera.”

“Dam n right it does.” Dread scram bled onto the table, scrutinizing the object.

Can’t tell for sure, but I’m  guessing it is.”

“Can we cover it?”