Caged With The Alien Warrior

38.

Ronan

Aanya wanted me? Out of everyone, she wanted to marry me?

I stared at her in awe and disbelief and a whole slew of emotions swirling in my chest. She said it so adamantly. She really wanted to stay with me?

How could she want me? I wasn't worthy of her or Lani. Stars, I couldn't even get them away from the Szentists unharmed. How could she think I was worthy of her and Lani now?

But before I could say anything, the doors banged open with a flurry of activity.

"Where's our son?"

The words banged around my head, echoing. Their son, Kier. My cousin, Kier. Who I left behind, if he was still with the Szentists.

Guilt wrapped around my heart like a vice, squeezing tighter and tighter. So tight I felt like I couldn't breathe. Were the circular walls getting closer, smaller? Black spots dotted my vision.

Aanya placed a soft hand on my arm, looking up at me with concern swimming in her brown eyes. "Are you alright, Ronan?"

Lani cooed, as if repeating Aanya's sentiment.

"I– I'm fine." I took a breath and forced myself to push back my feelings, locking them in a vault. Now wasn't the time for this, soldier.

"Are you sure? Can we go and–" Aanya started but was cut off.

"Mother! Father, what are you doing here?" my cousin Kallum said, standing from his spot on the Council as Aunt Mae and Uncle Korath stormed into the room. We shared so much, from our purple skin to our shared childhood. memories.

"We just got an alert for a blood match." Uncle Korath explained. "You must've found our son, then?"

Kallum looked at me, stricken. Something like hope lit up his eyes. "You found Kier?"

Pandemonium broke out in the room, voices yelling and overlapping.

We lost Kier when he was on a diplomatic mission but officially, the Council declared him dead and ended the search. But I couldn't do that to Kier.

Kallum and Kier were basically my brothers. Their family took me in after... well, after everything happened. They treated me as one of their own, even when I brought shame onto the family. Kallum and Kier were the best males I knew.

I couldn't tell Kallum I was looking for Kier due to his position on the council, but he had to know that I wouldn't stop looking for Kier when he went missing.

"Who are they?" Aanya asked me quietly.

While everyone else was arguing, I explained who Aunt Mae and Uncle Korath were to me.

Aanya nodded, taking my hand and holding it tight. I relished in the feel of her skin against mine, giving me strength.

"Silence!" Ami, the Head Councillor said above everyone.

"What happened to you both?" she asked Aanya and I, rubbing her brow. "From the beginning."

Aanya and I both looked at each other before she squared my shoulders and started, sharing her point of view being abducted by the Szentists before I came into the picture. I shared my perspective of the events as well.

The Head Councillor looked at Aanya. "So you're reporting to the council that you're from a planet unknown to the Intergalactic Alliance and were taken from said planet, illegally experimented on by the Szentists, found a human-Rhodinian hybrid baby, and escaped with Commander Hawke after they attempted a breeding experiment on you both?" Disbelief dripped from her tone.

"Yes," Aanya replied, stoic. She squeezed my hand and I squeezed hers back. We had each other.

I scowled, free fist clenching. She was telling the truth. We both were.

"And you, Commander Hawke. You went on an unsanctioned mission to find your cousin, Kier Hawke. In the process you were captured, imprisoned with this human woman, and your team was unable to locate you."

"Correct, ma'am." I nodded. I gave her the data stick to confirm what we had said.

The Head Councillor stuck it into her datapad and gasped at the proof of our situation.

While she went through it, Aunt Mae spoke up. "I am sorry for what you've had to endure, Ronan and Aanya. But this still doesn't explain the blood match?" Aunt Mae said, voice soft but strong and steely.

"Yes, did you find Kier?" Uncle Korath said, gruff.

The Szentists words replayed in my head on a sick loop.

"He has no information. Now that Specimen 23 and Specimen 56 have expired, we are in need of a new pair."

"He is compatible with Specimen 124."

"We will find out if you're lying, Specimen 124."

Finally, I met my Aunt and Uncle's gaze. "No, we didn't find Kier. Only Lani. They called Lani's parents Specimen 23 and Specimen 56 and they said both had... expired." I stumbled on the word. "Aanya saw Lani's mother pass away and the Szentists had no reason to lie about Lani's father's death. There may be proof and details on the datastick, but we never saw Kier. I don't know what this match is."

"I believe I can shed some light on that," Krono said, weathered face pale. "We did a blood test on Lani, the child Aanya is holding. Specifically, a paternity test because you said her mother is, er, was human. The father is a 99% match to Kier Hawke."

Aunt Mae faltered, letting out a broken cry as she fell into Uncle Korath's arms.

Lani was Kier's daughter. Oh my Stars, Lani was Kier's daughter.

But, if Kier was Lani's father, that also meant Kier was dead. 

✶ ☾ ✶

AUTHOR'S NOTE

Some of your guessed that, but I think I surprised some of you! Whaddya think of the chapter?

Also, how're you doing on a scale of 1-10? I'm a 7 this week, not great but not bad either!

Comments and votes are much appreciated.

Virtually yours,

Ro