Critical Path

“Please, both of you stand; we can work something out,” Aimee said, indicating for the two of them to stand.

Khan behind them also stood and remained quiet, observing the scene around him. Maria wondered what he was thinking.

Since they were captured, he’d barely said a word, making Maria think that he was having second thoughts about allying himself with Maria, Layla and the others. He never really seemed to gel with the group.

“So what now?” Layla prompted.

“For newcomers, I always give them two choices,” Aimee said. “You’re welcome to stay with us and take up a job. We’ll discuss your skills and what you can offer, and we’ll find you a place within our home. If that doesn’t appeal, then I’m afraid we don’t tolerate tourists. You’ll be escorted away and will not be welcomed back in the future. We value our safety here highly.”

Maria didn’t need to be reminded of that after seeing the video of the battle with the other croatoans.

The Unity fighters defended themselves with a rabid fervor.

Maria turned to Layla. “I don’t know about you, but I have no desire to stay.”

“Me neither,” Layla said, adding, “but a part of me is fascinated by this place. The dynamics between the humans and croatoans is something I’d love to study, but I understand the situation.”

“But what about Charlie and Denver?” Maria said to Aimee. “The men who—”

“I know who they are,” Aimee replied. “They’ve… decided to stay for a while. They’re helping me, well, all of us, with an engineering problem. They’re perfectly safe, I can assure you.”

“I want to see them before we leave,” Layla added with a steely tone to her voice. “I’m sure you can understand my concern for my friends.”

Aimee inclined her head in agreement.

She turned to a pair of croatoan guards behind the group and requested that they escort Maria and Layla to Charlie and Denver’s new accommodation.

Before they were taken away, Aimee added, “Perhaps once you’ve spoken to your friends, you will change your mind about your decision and decide to stay after all.”

Maria just nodded, sure she didn’t want to stay, but now intrigued as to what she had promised Charlie and Denver. She couldn’t imagine those two being happy to stay behind in a town full of aliens. They’d shown no liking of them in the past, nor was tolerance high on their agenda.

Layla looked equally confused as they were led away. She shot Maria a quizzical look. Maria just shrugged her shoulders.

As the aliens led them across the settlement, Maria looked back to see Khan step close to Aimee. “I wonder what he’s decided?”

“I’m sure we’ll find out,” Layla replied. “He’s difficult to read.”

“Perhaps he’s just spent too much time surviving on his own. This might be strange for him.”

“Perhaps,” Layla said.

They fell quiet and continued their march through the narrow streets, heading for a series of shanty huts perched on the steps of the settlement’s high sides.

* * *

Khan waited until Maria and Layla were out of earshot.

He stepped forward to Aimee. Two human guards and a remaining alien gathered around him, protecting their leader, but she waved them off and encouraged him closer.

“You heard the offer,” she said.

“I did.”

“And what’s your answer? Do you want to stay with us or leave us?”

“It depends,” Khan said, leaning a little closer. “It depends on what jobs you have. I have a unique set of skills that I’ve trained over the years as I’ve survived in the woods, watching all this fighting going on, avoiding the attentions of both human and alien alike. If I stay, I don’t want to be a farmer or a blacksmith or some other dull job.”

Aimee raised an eyebrow. “Oh? So what is it you would like to do for us here?”

“For you,” he corrected. “It seems to me a woman in your position is likely to have a number of enemies. All human colonies have people with differing ideas. That can cause a number of resentments and plots.”

“I’m well stocked in the protection area,” she said.

“I’m not talking specifically about protection,” Khan said. “I’m talking about offense. You must have opposition or detractors who you would like to see… neutralized. I can do that. I have a way of going unseen. It’s surprising how much information one is privy too when people only see an average man.”

Leaning in closer and bringing her voice down so only Khan could hear, she said, “You’re hired. You start work this evening. I have an objective for you.”

“Very well,” Khan said with a smile on his face.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Thick gray clouds conspired to smudge away most of the sky’s orange tint.

A rumble of thunder cracked overhead. Charlie stood under Augustus’ cabin porch, hands on hips, and surveyed the rooftops of Unity.

For the first time in weeks, rain started to fall. A good sign the planet was starting its recovery from the croatoans’ early stages of terraforming .