Chapter Fifteen — Part 6

“For every ten thousand mindless Scandivats, there is at most one of me, a Hunter. All Hunters are different than the others — all of us are alone. In my case, I’m an outcast, which makes me even more alone. The Central is the only entity within the Hive that we must answer to. All the thoughtless ones answer to us.

“I don’t know what cataclysm befell the Central who spawned me, I’d been sent away to study your species. I know only that it must have killed her. Perhaps her premature death is responsible for the race war. Perhaps the actions of humans have cost the Central her life. The problem is that the Scandivat consciousness does not comprehend Humanity as being different. If a human did kill the Central, then they would think the whole Human Race responsible, and that could trigger a war.”

“That’s bad.” Tiffany let out a worried little sigh. “So even if the human beings responsible have already paid for their crimes, then the race may continue on its destructive path until the new Central is aware of the difference in human social structure.”

“Wow, this is way over my head.” I said. “Why haven’t you gone back and imparted your knowledge of human individuality to the Central.”

“Because I can’t. I’m exiled. The link’s broken. I’ve thought a great deal about this, and can fathom only two reasons. The first reason is that I wasn’t present when the old the Central died, and therefore have no link to the new Central. The second is that the current Central has exiled me.” Captain Reed clicked his jaws once. “I think the second reason is the most likely one — I could pose a threat to his control of the Scandivat Collective. There may be other possibilities beyond my comprehension.”

I shook my head, trying to gain new knowledge from the old. “New mission. Mama, Papa, we’re taking Captain Reed home. We’re going to the Scandivat home world.”

“My people are no longer on their home world.” Captain Reed said.

“We need to go to your world and try to find out exactly why they’ve left.” I explained.

Captain Reed set the coordinates into the navigation computer. We jumped unexpectedly into Otherspace, and I had to smile. “I take it we’re on our way now.”

“Yes.” He said. “We’ll be there in ten hours. Thank you for your help.”

“If you wanted help, Captain Reed, why didn’t you ask for it before?” Kotian said.

“I don’t know that your human mind will understand, but when one has lived a lifetime in the Hive, one does not learn how to ask for help. Only how to give it.”

Using the Otherspace laws of gravity to my advantage, I walked up the wall next to Captain Reed, staring down at him. “If you need help, you really need to ask us.”

Captain Reed pulled his claws back into their pads, then touched my cheek. “Why are you doing this?”

My answer was instinctive. “Because it feels right.”

“Did it feel right,” Captain Reed said. “To leave your mate to another?”

“Sometimes things that feel right hurt like hell. Such things are best not discussed. At least not right now.”

It had hurt to find out he didn’t love me, it had hurt even more to see him leave me so soon after admitting it. Especially since I still loved him. Using Otherspace gravity laws, I walked up to the ceiling, then out of the room, leaving my parents and the Captain to discuss human emotions. I didn’t care; I just didn’t want them to see me cry. As it turned out, I didn’t shed a tear.