Chapter 3

With the knowledge that they hadn’t made a clean getaway, Talak could no longer pretend that he could abandon Alliyanna to her fate. There was no way he could protect her, and it was evident that the duke had a vast network that could find them easily. So, what could he do? What should he do? As his clan’s leader, he’d committed to helping Alliyanna; it was now a matter of an honor debt to keep her safe. And that meant safety from both the duke and her father. He should have just spaced her and been done with her. However, his mother would have done the same thing to him when she learned about it.

Plus, he had to admit she was pretty attractive young women, not exactly someone he would typically pursue. He preferred older, more mature women, and his preference was raven-haired and taller with a more athletic build. Still, he could see why she would tick many of the boxes on a male’s wish list: long, lustrous Auburn hair, a striking appearance and piercing intelligent blue-green eyes, pale complexion. She had a slim but athletic build; she had a personality to match. Alliyanna was independent but not aggressive and had a quick wit and intelligent. In short, she was a product of her upbringing and out of his league, so he should not think along those lines at all. He knew she was destined for a man of high station and a house with more honor than his. In truth, if she were only the daughter of the father, he could hope to be a suitable match. But because she was her mother’s daughter, it was impossible. Her mother’s House held too much honor and respect, too much wealth, and controlled too much land and industry and commercial interests.

All of these things have worked in her favor until now. Now, these were to her detriment; she was too recognizable and could easily be identified. Even if you didn’t know she was a baroness or engaged to Duke Birsha, she stood out in the crowd. Her regal bearing and mannerisms were not those of a farm girl. Nor were they of a trader or an administrator. So, Talak would have to coach her on how to blend in, or she would be captured in no time. “why do you allow yourself to get drawn into other people’s troubles? “He asked himself for the millionth time.

Talak scanned the bustling streets of Farmworld III, trying to push away the oppressive feeling of anxiety that had settled in his chest. He turned to Alliyanna, who was visibly shaken from the firefight. “We need a place to stay, but it can’t be a hotel or any public housing. Too many eyes watching,” he said, scanning the crowds for anyone who might be listening. Alliyanna nodded, her thoughts racing. “Do you have a plan?” Talak hesitated, then nodded slowly. “I have a friend, Kalen. He’s a mechanic and runs a small repair shop on the outskirts of the city. He values discretion, and he can keep us hidden. It would be safe there for a while.”

“Will he understand the situation? I don’t want to put him in danger,” Alliyanna replied, worry lacing her voice. “Of course,” Talak reassured her. “Kalen has seen enough in his life to know when to keep his mouth shut. Besides, he owes me a favor. He’ll help us.” “All right then,” Alliyanna replied, feeling a flicker of hope amidst her dread. “Lead the way.”

They navigated through the crowded streets, with Talak keeping a protective eye on their surroundings. After a short walk, they arrived at a modest building nestled between two larger structures, its faded signage indicating it was a repair shop. Talak pushed open the door, and a small bell chimed overhead. The interior was filled with the scent of oil and metal, and tools were scattered across the workbench. Kalen looked up from under the hood of a tractor, wiping his hands on a rag, his brow furrowing in surprise upon seeing Talak. “Is that you? I haven’t seen you in ages!” Kalen exclaimed, dropping the rag and coming over to greet him.

“Good to see you, Kalen,” Talak said, then gestured to Alliyanna. “I need your help.” Kalen’s expression shifted from excitement to concern as he noticed Alliyanna’s distressed demeanor. “What’s going on? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” Talak explained their predicament in hushed tones, ensuring no one else could overhear. As Kalen listened, his jaw tightened, and his eyes narrowed. “Come with me,” he said, leading them to a back room filled with spare parts and equipment. On the floor in the corner of the room was a heavy box. Kalen pushed the box, which moved effortlessly. The trapdoor became visible, and Kalen opened it. Glo-lamps lighted the stairs and gave off a greenish hue of light. They descended the stairs one person at a time. The underground room was not big, but it was comfortable. It had clean bedding, military rations, and drinking water. But right now, it is as good as a five-star hotel.

“This is where we can lay low for a while. The front is always busy, so no one will come back here unless I call for them.” Alliyanna took a deep breath, feeling the tension ease just a bit. This was a sanctuary, even if it was temporary. As she settled into a corner on an old but comfortable chair, Talak and Kalen worked out the details of how they Talak scanned the bustling streets of Capitol, trying to push away the oppressive feeling of anxiety that had settled in his chest. He turned to Alliyanna, who was visibly shaken from the news about her impending marriage. “We need a place to stay, but it can’t be a hotel or any public housing. Too many eyes watching,” he said, scanning the crowds for anyone who might be listening.

Alliyanna took a deep breath, feeling the tension ease just a bit. This was a sanctuary, even if it was temporary. As she settled into a corner on an old but comfortable chair, Talak and Kalen worked out the details of how they would keep her safe in the days to come, planning for every possible outcome.

This was just the beginning; they had to figure out their next moves carefully. But for now, they had found a refuge, and at this moment, it was enough to keep her safe in the days to come, planning for every possible outcome.

Talak discussed his next moves with Alliyanna. He still had to perform his duties as a trader and make deals to keep his clan and business interests alive. “I need to sell the goods I brought here and find the best deals and bargains I can get us closer to the Capitol. I don’t know what I can buy until I sell my goods and know what my profits are. But I will do what I can to get us closer to the core of the Empire and keep you safe. It may take us some time to get that far. My ship doesn’t have the capability to run at multiples of Hyperspeed. Also, I have to get the shields repaired and probably should have them upgraded as well. If I could swing it, I would look at another ship, one with better armor, advanced shielding, and at least defensive weapons. But that is too rich for my blood. And you can’t use your family’s money without alerting everyone to your presence. So, we stick to the plan we have.

So, most of his goods were not suited for this world, but the genetically modified seeds and the frozen embryos, the machine parts that he’d been hoarding, could bring top prices here. The seeds were a strain of pest-resistant wheat and corn plants that not only resisted the pests and were able to increase production by 20 percent but also true seeds that they bred and allowed the plant to shed life-bearing seeds. IE you could plant them and grow more plants. Very few GMO seeds permitted that. These high-tech products would make him a good profit here. The frozen embryos were for a strain of cattle that were hearty and resistant to disease, and when crossed with the local variant, they would produce bigger, stronger cattle with higher milk production and better-quality meat. But a bonus was that their hides were thicker and made higher-quality leather. When it was tanned, it was more supple, and it was nearly natural. These embryos were all female because they were as large as the native bulls; if they used male embryos, the female native population would be unable to carry the calves to term.

He set about making inquiries about who might need his new products, and when he found out about acquiring a sales license and setting up his stall in the market just outside the main port, he had more customers than he had products for. This set off a bidding war. And it turned out that he had made an incredible profit. Enough to fix his ship and make some upgrades. He still had a large credit balance, and so he started looking for the types of goods that could get him closer to the core and the Capitol.

Meanwhile, the band of mercenaries and bounty hunters were combing the city for Alliyanna. They knew she had to be close. They saw the Star Shadow. They looked in every hotel in the town, and she wasn’t anywhere to be found. They spotted Talak and followed him. He ran around in circles the first day, talking to various individuals and going to different port and government offices. Every night, he went back to his ship. They were nearly sure he was alone.

They ransacked the ship, looking for Alliyanna, who was not on board. They watched every departure and could, with nearly one hundred percent certainty, eliminate the possibility of her escaping on any of them. Her holo and description were plastered everywhere in the port and on the public bulletin boards, with an outrageous award for her being brought to the duke. They had run out of options. After Talak had completed his business, his ship was repaired, and the new cargo was delivered and stowed. They acted. They abducted him in what was made to look like a robbery and kidnapping gone wrong. They didn’t kill him because they needed to know where Alliyanna was hiding. But they didn’t care if he was beaten, bruised, and broken. So, they grabbed him just outside his ship. They carried him to a derelict building and began to torture him about her whereabouts. He held out as long as he could. But they were too much for him. After three days, he broke down and told them where she was hiding. They gave him an injection, threw him into the streets, and left him for dead.

Kalen wiped the sweat from his brow as he finished tightening a bolt on the engine he had been repairing. He cast a glance around the cluttered workshop, filled with the hum of machinery and the faint scent of metal and oil. Yet beneath the familiar noise, a nagging tension twisted in his gut. It had been over 24 hours since he’d last heard from Talak. While he understood that negotiating deals could take time, the silence felt ominous, especially regarding the precarious situation Alliyanna found herself in. He glanced toward the back room where Alliyanna was resting, her dark hair cascading over the arm of an old chair. She deserved peace, a semblance of safety, but the uncertainty gnawed at him. The shadows seemed to lengthen, and every creak of the floorboards echoed like a reminder of the bubbling danger outside. If anyone caught wind of her whereabouts, who she was, or the pact that had been made, it could spell disaster. Kalen’s decision began to take shape in his mind.