"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 friendship," 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 ship.

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 makeshift 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 ship 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-"

She pressed her fingers to his lips to silence him. "I know, and the deadline doesn't matter. All that matters is that we love each other."

Varian gazed at her adoring smile, and his heart melted.

"Yes, Rogue Saar, I love you and I want to marry you. I think the rest of our talk should be in private and out of danger," she hinted, "or the others will wonder why Ryker's wife and brother are being so intimate."

"Are you all right, Moonbeam? Did she hurt you?"

"We're fine," Jana a.s.sured him as she touched her stomach. "Ca.s.s knows about the baby; she tested me on her ship. She thinks it's Ryker's."

Varian grasped her hand to guide her to the shuttle. "Break it up, Nigel," he teased his friend, "you two can kiss and hug aboard the ship. Let's get Mrs. Triloni and your sweetheart out of here before we have company."

Jana glanced at the well-armed rescue team that was on watchful alert for intruders. She smiled and greeted the security chief. "Ferris Laus, you look wonderful; I'm delighted you made it here in time."

"If we'd been any slower, Varian would have gotten out and pushed. We do seem to have a lot of excitement and adventure with you two."

Jana smiled. "Life is anything but dull around this s.p.a.ce pirate. He makes a good friend and brother-in-law," she said for the deluding benefit of the others nearby. "Thanks to all of you."

"You're more than welcome, Jana. You have lots of friends on the Wanderl.u.s.t and elsewhere who will be happy to see you returned safely."

The shuttle took off within minutes of the approach of numerous savage-looking criminals. It docked in the enormous starship that was...o...b..ting the confining location. The force shield was reenergized around the penal colony. Varian, Jana, Nigel, Andrea, and Ferris headed for the bridge.

"Jarre, take us after Miss Garthon," Varian ordered. "Braq, give us starlight speed. Coran, don't lose her on your sensors for a minute. All right, men, we have a big job to do; let's catch us a traitor. "

"How can you ever find her? She has cloaking," Jana ventured, as the ship left in pursuit of the fleeing Canissia.

Varian sent her a broad grin. "But we have an anticloaking device. There's no place she can hide from our new sensors, if we stay within range. She isn't far ahead. We'll follow her spent fuel trail until we catch up. It's one of your late husband's designs, and it works perfectly. Brec had it installed before we left Star Base after the Galactic Gem's rescue. We also have a new antiinterference system, so we won't lose contact again."

"How did you locate us? Ca.s.s said no one would search here."

"She made the mistake of dropping her shield for a few minutes to check the news concerning your disappearance; I guess to see if she was in the clear so far. Brec put out a full alert on you as soon as Kagan realized something was wrong. A patrol ship with the new systems detected her presence but didn't close in to attack and risk endangering you two. They followed you and guarded you until we could reach the area and take charge of your rescue."

"You mean, you've been closing in on us and we weren't in danger?"

"She had already dropped you when we arrived and scared her off. We have the advantage over her: we can penetrate her shield, but she can't pierce ours. When we approached and detected a shuttle returning from the surface, I guessed what she had in mind for you two. We lowered our shield to scare her into leaving fast so we could rescue you without a delaying battle. She probably thinks we're a prisoner-delivery vessel, so she cloaked and ran. She's gliding along thinking herself safe and alone."

"And thinking me and Andrea are dead, or worse. And we would have been very soon if all of you hadn't rescued us. Thank you, everyone, Varian."

The crew turned, nodded, and smiled, and a few chatted with her.

"As soon as we capture Ca.s.s, I'll take you home to Darkar." he promised Jana.

Jana and Varian played along with the last ruse, but it was difficult, as they wanted to hug and kiss and talk.

"I hope you put her under the jail when you catch her," Andrea said.

"I guess that translates to, do our worst to her," Nigel chuckled. "We will, my sweet." He kept Andrea nestled close to him as the two lovers touched and smiled and savored their reunion. He had already told the crew, his friends, that the woman with Jana was his fiancee.

"She's a terrible person," Andrea said. "Evil personified. If it hadn't been for Jana's wits, she would have tortured us all the way to that horrible place. If she hadn't been crazy, Jana could have talked her into releasing us. I'm so glad to be away from that wicked witch."

"Why did she abduct you, Jana?" Vaiden, an old friend, asked.

"She held Ryker responsible for betraying her evil deeds to Varian after they reconciled. She was involved in that kidnapping episode with Taemin, among other crimes." Jana glanced at Varian. "I'm sure all of you know she's obsessed with winning your commander. When he broke off their engagement, she thought it was because of me. When I became a widow and was free again, she feared Varian and I would ..."*

The ebony-haired man smiled. "It's all right, Jana," he told her. "I'm sure everybody knows or suspects I never got over you and I'll do about anything to get you back."

Jana was astonished. "Commander Saar, you shouldn't speak like that."

Varian had decided to let the crew, mostly close friends, overhear a few things to initiate gossip about a new romance. "Why not? It's the truth, something I realized after I foolishly let you get away from me. Ask my friends; they raked me over rocky ground about that big mistake, so did Tesla. I hope it isn't too late to correct it."

Jana was amazed by his bold conduct. "Really, sir, you shouldn't talk like this. I'm ma-I guess I'm not married anymore. Still ..."

"I'm sorry if I'm embarra.s.sing you or making you uncomfortable, Jana; it's just that I've been so worried about you that it's loosened my tongue. The only reason I sold you to Councilman Procyon was to protect you against death threats from my many enemies, and because I was too blind to see I was in love with you. Our good friend Draco realized we were in love; that's why he let me buy you from him. After you earned your freedom, I was going to ask you to marry me. I shouldn't have decided to wait to tell you my feelings and plans until after I finished my mission to Earth. I had you back, so I thought I had plenty of time to confess to you later and I arrogantly believed you had to know how I felt without my telling you. I can't blame you for running off from a captor who had auctioned you and s.n.a.t.c.hed you back without telling you why. I thought you had been kidnapped and Ca.s.s was responsible. She'd dropped out of sight, too. I put out that phony story about our engagement to lure her into the open so I could question her about you."

Varian grasped her hand as he continued. "I never suspected you were working at Trilabs with my brother, that you two were confined in the complex doing a long experiment and didn't hear about the investigation, or that my crazy ruse would provoke you into marrying Ryker. I know you two were good friends and had a lot in common, but you didn't love him, Jana; you couldn't have, because you love me. I hurt you by keeping secrets and I'm sorry. When you've had time to adjust to Ryker's death, I'd like us to see if we can get back together. If you'll give me a chance to make up for the past, you won't be sorry. I give you my word of honor."

"Varian, I don't think this is the time or place to discuss-"

"I have to be honest, Jana, before my old ruses do more damage. When I learned you had married Ryker, I was forced to hide the truth and to let you go. My brother is dead and you're free again, so it's past time I was totally honest. If I had been truthful months ago, we would be married today. I lost you to Ryker and almost lost you to Ca.s.s's treachery; I don't want to risk losing you forever. Stars above, Jana Greyson, I love you, woman! How much plainer can I be?"

Jana knew he must have a good motive for what he was doing, so she would play along by feigning surprise. "You what?"

"I love you. I have since we met."

Varian and Jana pretended to have slipped into a world of their own, oblivious to the presence of the others around them.

"Why didn't you tell me this a long time ago, before I..."

When she paused, he said, "Because I was a blind and stupid fool. Can you forgive me and let me try to make things right between us?"

The crew remained still and quiet so nothing would intrude on the romantic scene.

"I ... Ryker has been dead such a short time, Varian. I shouldn't be thinking about you or your offer this soon, or even listening to it. Ryker was good and kind to me. It would be disloyal to-"

He interrupted in a gentle tone. "My brother, your husband, is dead. We're alive, Jana. Ryker would want you to be safe and happy."

"But ... it seems wrong; too soon. Tell him, Nigel."

The First Officer grinned and shook his head of curly brown hair. The creases around his hazel eyes and near his mouth deepened as his smile increased. "I can't, because I agree with him. What's more romantic than best friends marrying best friends?"

Jana widened her eyes in astonishment. "Marrying?"

"That's right, woman," Varian clarified with his own broad grin.