Xavier: An Omnes Videntes Novel Read online

  “She’s been crying her eyes out like she lost her best friend.”

  “Will you patch me through to her?” Xavier asked. Her mind had felt so closed to him when he had reached out to her moments before.

  Oona pulled up a security vid and shared it with him. “She just went to sleep. Do you want me to wake her?”

  Disappointed but relieved she was safe, Xavier said, “No. Please, signal for me on the Hadrian when you dock.”

  “Will do.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  Sparrow snuck out of the cargo bay as soon as Oona’s ship docked. She caught a ride on a cart with a dock worker to the land port offices and then hired a transport at the front. Ocet Industries was closed for business. Sparrow got out of the transport at a restaurant, went inside, out of a back exit, walked a few blocks amid crowds of people, and got into another transport. This one dropped her off in a rough section of businesses. She went into an apartment building, found a vacant one on the fourth floor, and rented it for a week. An upfront payment with a bonus on a preloaded credit chip kept the owner from asking questions. The sympathetic perusal the woman gave her suggested that she assumed Sparrow to be attempting to free herself from an abusive situation. The two black eyes and knot on her forehead had contributed to that assumption.

  Finally alone, Sparrow sat on the clean floor of the one-bedroom, unfurnished apartment. Both Bishop and Ocet had been taken into custody. All she had to do was avoid arrest by the Militia, Enforcers, and Xavier. It was a good thing that she was done crying over the man who had tricked her since there wasn’t even any waste paper in the bathroom. Fear rushed through her when someone signaled for entrance.

  “Miss, it’s Hetta, your landlord.” Cautiously, Sparrow went to the door. The woman was alone. “May I come in?” Sparrow moved aside for her and quickly locked the door once she was inside. Hetta had two large baskets that she put down on the floor. “I brought you a few things. I won’t tell anyone you’re here. If you need errands run, there’s a boy named Cory in the building who is fast, dependable, and keeps his mouth shut.”

  Sparrow glanced up at the woman’s eyes before looking away. “Thank you. There are some supplies I need.”

  “I’ll send him to you,” Hetta said.

  After she had left, Sparrow looked in the baskets. In one, she found a pillow, blanket, and towel. In the other, were bottles of water and baked goods. Sparrow demolished the food. She refilled the bottles and placed them within the cold storage unit on the kitchen counter.

  The next signal for entry was from the boy Hetta had sent up. Sparrow loaded some credits onto his chip, gave him a list, and sent him on his way. Xavier knew she had stolen all of her credits. It was probably what he was using to order her arrest. She had been an idiot. When Cory returned with her supplies, she gave him a bonus and got to work. First, she separated out the loose components into what she would use to construct a weapon and what she would make to trick the facial recognition bots. The tools Cory had found would have to do. After she had made herself a blaster, she hid it within the thick black hoodie he had purchased and ate the lunch she had gotten him to pick up. Deciding to lay low for a few days, she put her head down on her borrowed pillow, covered up with the blanket, and went to sleep.

  Xavier watched as Sparrow left Oona’s ship and then remained within several yards of her until she was safely within her apartment. Then, he rented an apartment on the same floor. He was careful to keep his eyes hidden behind protective glasses. Without her knowledge, he had evaluated her thoughts and feelings. Sparrow felt hurt and betrayed. Ocet had poisoned her mind against him. She was afraid of him. Ocet had devised the worst torture possible for a mated Laconian male and had implemented it.

  The loss of Sparrow’s trust hurt him more deeply than any experiment to which his creator, Dr. Stanley Crispus, had ever subjected him. Xavier paced back and forth. If he were to subjugate Sparrow with his own psychic will, a part of her would always doubt him. He would have to try to win her back without the use of his telepathic abilities. However, his empathic bond to Sparrow was too powerful to be ignored.

  As he sensed her mind calming as she physically relaxed, he was no longer shut off from his wife. As she drifted off to sleep, he felt the empathic bond between then strengthen. He made certain that her dreams were peaceful before settling down to rest.

  His injuries had been treated aboard the Hadrian, even though he had fought against those lost hours of consciousness. Xavier had surprised Bishop just as he had prepared to recapture Sparrow and Juju. The pulse grenade Bishop had hurled at him had stung, but he had still prevailed in arresting him and turning him over to the Enforcers. Now, the Militia had both Bishop and Ocet in custody. Commander Bosh could investigate them.

  Sparrow had been given immunity for her cooperation, but she didn’t know it, and he didn’t know the best way to let her know. Even though Inquisitor Beck deemed his mission a success, Xavier didn’t have unlimited time. He had to return to the Parvac Empire, and he needed to convince Sparrow to go willingly with him. Living without her wasn’t something he wanted to contemplate.

  The next morning, Xavier was certain that Sparrow had no intentions of leaving her apartment, so he went out and purchased some food and supplies of his own. He searched for answers to his own problems in the minds of strangers but found no solutions. Throughout the remainder of the day, Xavier spied on his wife. She had sent an errand boy out to buy her a vid-screen. What she did once she had it filled him with worry. Sparrow was searching for information about her birth mother, Kris Roland.

  The next night, he shadowed her when she left her apartment and went to the sex district. His tiny little wife walked along a dark street where prostitutes of every sex and alien race offered themselves for a few credits. The street reeked of disillusionment and stale alcohol. A male, who began following lustfully after Sparrow, found himself jerked backwards by his jacket. The man flailed and dragged his heels before Xavier punched him repeatedly in the face and tossed him into an alley. Xavier had shielded Sparrow from his unrestrained violence, but had encouraged its observation by the vagrants in the street. He believed his message had been clear.

  He waited a few minutes before following Sparrow into a virtual sex bar. Xavier pondered how best to fill with mind-numbing fear anyone stupid enough to consider engaging his wife in such activities without alerting her to his presence. Consenting adults who entered the establishment checked out virtual reality masks and created for themselves an avatar. However, most of Kris Roland’s credits came from the rental of the interactive bodysuits that could be linked to the masks. The suits were equipped with either robotic penile inserts or vaginal sheaths for optimal experiences. However, the inserts and sheaths were controlled by the person’s virtual partner.

  The music was so loud that Xavier could feel it through the thick soles of his shoes. However, the music was preferable to the orgasmic moans of the bar’s clientele. Sparrow sat with a mask she had deactivated at the end of the bar with a drink. She wasn’t here for sex. Concealing his features with a mask, he took up a position within range in case she needed him.

  Kris Roland had bought the bar twenty years ago and had since provided the people of Amphictyon with a way to relieve sexual urges without becoming physical. Patrons sat in darkened booths and engaged in all sorts of virtual sexual activities. Sparrow didn’t say anything to Kris Roland. She watched her birth mother for a while, and then she left. Leaving his mask on the bar, Xavier followed her.

  Several blocks away, Sparrow stopped and angrily turned. “I know you’re there. I can feel you. I’ve been waiting for you to arrest me since yesterday. Just get it over with. After all, you were just using me. Just like she did. She used me and then sold me. That’s kind of poetic. Isn’t it? For me to begin and end virtually the same way? Yeah, virtually. Those masks are based on my invention. I made myself one of those out of an old vid-screen and some fabric when I was a little kid, before she sold me. I m
ade myself a virtual friend to play with because the real ones didn’t like me.”

  Sparrow stood before him on an empty, dark street, full of pain and defiance. Xavier took out his vid-screen, scrolled, and slowly walked closer to her. He held it out with her immunity from prosecution decree from the Galaxic Government open for her to see. Sparrow stared at it as though it was nothing but a trick before taking it from him.

  “I don’t get it. If I’m not a fugitive, why are you tracking me?”

  “Don’t you remember? I can do nothing else. You carry my soul along within you, as mine is entwined with yours. I love you, Sparrow Ponidi. Ocet has manipulated you and turned your love for me into fear.” Xavier went down on his knees before her, pleading as the damned might for their lives. “I beg you. Never fear me. I am yours. Allow me to prove myself to you, but please don’t turn me away.”

  Sparrow stared first into his white eye, streaked with orange and purple, and then into his eye of solid black. His pain seemed genuine. “What do you want from me?”

  “I want to wake up to you each morning and sleep beside you each night for all of our days. Anything you wish to share with me, any time you wish to share with me, I will cherish. Please, Sparrow.”

  “How do I know you aren’t planning to turn me over to the Parvac Empire?”

  Xavier raised an eyebrow at his wife. Rhetorically he asked, “What do you know of the Empire’s laws regarding females?” He grinned at her. “I assure you that they are practically nonexistent. Because of your skills, you will be monitored in whichever system you choose to reside. Will you come back with me to our vessel and consider my words? Or, if you are concerned that I might steal you away, you could await word from Parvac aboard the Hadrian. Parvac is home to a Galaxic Embassy where, if at any time you were to feel threatened, you could seek asylum.”

  Sparrow stared distrustfully down into his eyes and then at the official pardon in her hands. She gave Xavier’s vid-screen back to him. “I’ll agree to stay on the Galaxic ship. If they assure me that Parvac has no intentions of executing or imprisoning me, I’ll consider listening to what you have to say.” Sparrow frowned at the huge smile Xavier bestowed upon her.

  Standing, he hailed a transport, held open a door for her, and got in beside her. “Land port,” Xavier told the driver.

  Sparrow looked down at Xavier’s hand where he rested it on his thigh and was overcome with heart wrenching sadness. Hesitantly, Xavier covered her hand with his. She looked down at his hand and then back out of the window. He could feel her emotional withdrawal and realized it was the reason he had lost his connection to her a few times. When she felt emotionally overwhelmed, she withdrew. From what he had learned of Asperger’s Syndrome, such a reaction was perfectly normal and expected. That she had trusted him enough to make eye contact filled him with hope.

  Xavier directed the driver to the Hadrian’s berth. The crew making repairs to Oona’s ship had called it a day. Oona and Juju weren’t in any hurry to leave and were allowing their crew some shore leave. They deserved some rest and relaxation. He owed the bounty hunter for protecting Sparrow. He got out and held open the door for her. Sparrow thrust her hands into the pockets of the black, over-sized hoodie she wore rather than taking the arm he offered her. She expected soldiers to arrest her on sight and was surprised when they didn’t.

  An officer with short blonde hair and solid black eyes waited for them at the base of the massive starship’s ramp. Sparrow didn’t hold his gaze, looking away quickly. She looked at everything but those intimidating black eyes.

  Xavier said, “Commander Bosh, this is the Lady Sparrow Ponidi, my wife.”

  Quaid grinned at the boyish excitement and happiness radiating from the deadly Laconian hybrid, who his own wife had bound accidentally to herself. “It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Lady Ponidi,” Quaid said with a bow.

  “Thank you. You, too,” Sparrow mumbled. She risked a glance up at his dark-blue Galaxic Militia uniform.

  “My wife has suffered grievously at the hands of both Parker Bishop and Trevor Ocet. She fears retaliation for her time spent enslaved, when she was forced to create weapons. She awaits assurances of the Empire’s pardon of her, as do I.”

  Quaid said, “Lady Ponidi, you are welcome to await word on the Hadrian. I assure you that you will be safe while aboard.”

  “What about AIs?” Sparrow asked.

  Quaid grinned. “Have you ever been aboard a Galaxic starship, Lady Ponidi?”

  “No.”

  With a charming smile, Quaid said, “Let’s see what you think of our security. Shall we?” He gestured for his guests to precede him up the ramp and into the ship.

  Sparrow’s eyes darted around the ship as she observed all of the military transports and soldiers. Quaid took them up to the diplomatic suites.

  “Nice. Thank you for your hospitality, Commander Bosh,” Xavier said.

  Quaid had a mischievous grin on his face. “You know. The Princess Teagan Probus once stayed in these very rooms. Space is very limited onboard, so I hope the two of you won’t mind sharing. Should you need anything, call.” Quaid vanished before Sparrow could put her jumbled thoughts into an articulate objection.

  “I’ll stay out of your way. I promise,” Xavier said.

  Sparrow explored the quarters they had been given. She hadn’t expected Xavier to remain with her, sharing a room. Ocet’s words still pinged around in her thoughts.

  Telepathically, Xavier said, “Thank you, Quaid.”

  In response, Quaid said, “I will help in any way that I can. Mauling her mind as Ocet did is yet another charge against him. To have treated a young woman in such a reprehensible manner will not go well for him.”

  “No, things have been hard enough for her.”

  Xavier felt ashamed of himself. As Sparrow’s husband and protector, he had failed her. Ocet never should have been near her. Instead, the bastard had invaded her mind. Xavier had already pressed charges against him. For a Laconian male to enter the mind of another male’s wife was one of their worst crimes. It was viewed as an assault against each partner in a Laconian marriage and a violation of their bond. Quaid was sympathetic to that as were the other Laconians onboard. Xavier focused all of his attention on his wife.

  “Will you allow me to escort you to sick bay?”

  “Why?”

  “Sparrow, you have untreated injuries. For example, both of your eyes are black.”

  Sparrow walked into the bathroom and looked at her reflection in the mirror. “Can we eat first?”

  “Yes.”

  Xavier showed Sparrow to the officer’s dining room. She looked around in awe. “I still can’t believe they haven’t arrested me,” she whispered.

  Xavier placed his hand over Sparrow’s. “My love, you never had a choice. Bishop adopted you at a very young age and controlled every aspect of your life until you escaped from him. He is the one who will be punished for what he forced you to do.”

  Sparrow had held his eyes with hers the entire time he had spoken. Now, she focused instead on her plate. As usual, the appetizers, soup, salad, entrée, and dessert served in the Hadrian’s dining room was some of the finest food Xavier had ever eaten. Unfortunately, his satisfaction disappeared when Sparrow started wheezing, and red angry hives began appearing on her skin. Xavier jumped up. Sparrow stood, pushing herself away from the table.

  Noticing the situation, a few officers cleared the way as Xavier picked Sparrow up into his arms and rushed her to sick bay. After an injection and a few minutes with an oxygen mask, Sparrow could breathe again. A nurse helped her change into a gown. Xavier frowned at the ugly red welts spanning Sparrow’s stomach, arms, and thighs. Nurses spread cream over the areas and encouraged her not to scratch.

  “What happened?” Xavier asked. He realized that fear was an unexpected emotional response to loving a woman.

  “The doctor told me I had an allergic reaction to the strawberries. I guess it was a good thing we w
ere so close to a medical facility,” Sparrow said.

  “May I help you resist the urge to scratch?” Xavier asked.

  “I’d rather you come and help me scratch. Ugh.”

  “May I?” Xavier asked again.

  “Alright,” Sparrow conceded.

  Xavier entered his wife’s mind and hid from her all of her discomfort. Sparrow sighed and relaxed against the pillows. A nurse started an IV.

  “You should be back to normal within the hour. Now, let’s look at this contusion,” the doctor said as he examined her forehead. “You narrowly escaped a skull fracture.”

  All of the attention and prodding made Sparrow nervous. Without thinking, Xavier soothed her. Startled, she stared at him. Xavier clasped his hands behind his back and took a step back to give her some space. She was beginning to free herself of Ocet’s manipulations, but Xavier felt that she needed to arrive at her conclusions on her own so that she would trust them.

  Sparrow asked, “Can I file charges against my birth mother for selling me to Bishop?” She was angry. “She sold me and stole one of my inventions.”

  The doctor took her question very seriously. “Yes, I’m sure you could do so. I’ll have someone speak to you about pursuing litigation in the morning. For now, I’m sending you to your quarters with a nanite patch, a pain patch, and a mild sedative.”

  A kind nurse placed Sparrow’s cleaned clothing into a bag, and then helped her into a robe and slippers. Xavier took the bag. This time, when he offered Sparrow his arm, she took it. They were silent on the walk to their room. Xavier tucked Sparrow into bed and then took a quick shower before joining her. Instead of becoming stiff and arguing as he feared she might, she allowed him to hold her. When Xavier reached down to lace their fingers together, Sparrow gripped his hand fiercely. Her grasp only loosened with the combined effects of the pain patch and sedative.

  Once she slept in his arms, Xavier did something that he had sworn he would never again do. For the first time since he was a child, he cried. Out came all of the visceral fear of losing Sparrow along with the cumulative pain from years of an unrequited longing to be loved. The woman in his arms didn’t understand the scope of her importance to him, but he intended to spend each day of his life showing her.