Neutral Space(14)

“What are you up to?”

“Scouting. I dare not say too much you never know who’s listening.”

“Artemis, I can’t hit you.”

“Just a couple where they can see them, you must. I hit you.”

“Yes, I noticed. Didn’t you ever learn to pretend? You hit really hard.”

“But you’re so cute when you go all bleary-eyed.” She teased.

“That’s really not funny.”

“But I hit you all the time. I humiliate you in front of all those men.” She was trying to work me up so I would hit her anyway.

“It won’t work Artemis. I know why you did it and I could see that you hated doing it. You can hide it from them but not from me.” I sighed. “Is this really necessary?”

She nodded. “I want it to look like you were so happy to have me back that I can hardly walk.”

“We really have a weird relationship; you know that, right?”

“Jack I…”

“Just don’t look, God, I can’t believe I’m doing this.” I smacked her as hard as I could knocking her to the ground. She got up, and I punched her in the jaw not as hard, but enough to leave a good bruise.

Then I wrapped my hands around her throat avoiding her windpipe and squeezed just hard enough for another set of bruises. I can’t imagine the amount of trust she placed in me to let me do such things, but the most confusing was how I earned it. I nearly cried when I saw a tear roll down her cheek. Just one tear was all that escaped, and it had nothing to do with physical pain. “Let’s call it an early night,” I said my voice shaking.

“Wait,” She hit me square in the eye but not as hard as she usually would have. Then she scratched my neck and down my chest with her nails. Somehow it made me feel better, but she looked just as upset as I felt.

“The sooner we get out of here, the better. I can’t take much more of this.”

“I think I’d rather let them have me than keep this up.”

I turned abruptly realizing she was serious. “Don’t give up; we’ll get out. Do whatever it is that you’re planning tomorrow and we’ll go from there, all right? I can’t lose you again Kheda.” I whispered in her ear. She kissed me long and hard, but I pulled away. “Let’s go to sleep.” There was a reason we hadn’t done anything on Micea. Nothing that involved the war or even the fact that we were two different races. It was something with her, and I wasn’t going to let her go back on whatever that was now. Not like this. I’d be prepared, too, whenever she was ready.

She said nothing for a week about her scouting expedition. For a while, I was beginning to think it was a wash. Then, one night, she pulled me away from dinner early. I was afraid she was going to try another crazy scheme like last week but she led me to the hospital wing. We made it through the corridors which wasn’t hard at this time of night. The guards were sure the prison was escape-proof. As long as the prisoners were under control and in reasonable numbers, they could go almost anywhere they wanted in the evening. There were cameras everywhere, and it made the guards even lazier.

We went into Teesa’s office which I’d never been in before. She pointed under the desk, and I crawled in. She locked the door and opened a drawer before meeting me under the desk. “What’s this all about?”

“There are no cameras in here, and she has a signal scrambler in case of bugs in her office.”

“Then why are we under the desk?” I frowned at her.

“The door has a window. I locked the outer door, too, but I didn’t want to take any chances. I found our way out.” She glanced up at the ceiling then around the edge of the desk.

“So it was worth all the snide comments?” I asked running a hand over the scratches she gave me.

“Stop joking Jack.” She smacked my arm and frowned.

“All right what’s the plan?”

“We steal the supply ship,” Kheda said quickly.

“I think they’ve thought of that.” I thought she was crazy.

“They have but only after it’s unloaded.” She explained. I was curious now. “Stowing away in their excess cargo won’t get us anywhere they check for that and we won’t have control of the ship. And stealing the ship once it’s unloaded and ready to depart is the oldest trick in the book. But I say we take it as soon as it docks.”

“I still don’t think it’s going to work.” I sighed.

“I have friends here; I told you that. Some of them served with me they know the charges against me are false.” Kheda folded her arms over her chest.

“But you did disobey orders.” I pointed out.

“Those are the charges the public heard. My prison paperwork and the part the public didn’t see was that I was found guilty of treason.” She explained.

“Treason? But why?” I sat up and struggled to keep my voice down.

“It’s too much to tell you now. This is your last chance if you want out.”

“No, it’s been too late since the day I met you.” She stared at me “So, what’s your plan?”

The supply ship came once a week like clockwork. We were going to hit it hard and fast before the guards put two and two together. Her friends turned out to be some of the guards, and we're going to have us on unloading duty that day along with Dan. Artemis didn’t really trust him, but she agreed that we needed the additional muscle at least until we got to the first trade ship. She got herself on unload duty the week before we planned to leave to be sure nothing had changed. She mapped out the timing and had it coordinated like a proper military operation.