Sister Katherine Read online

  Chapter 4

  The men took Katherine to the chapel. The building was like all the rest on the colony, a simple box-like white structure but for the steeple at the top. Inside, it wasn’t quite as utilitarian as the other convent buildings with its stained-glass illuminated inserts that mimicked windows. The soothing scent of incense, burned at many a service, washed over Katherine as the door opened to admit her.

  The softly lit environs were hushed until Katherine entered the chapel. She was instantly greeted with shouts from the younger girls, who dashed down the middle aisle between the blanket and pillow-covered pews. They threw themselves at her. The two smallest, Marci and Darci Soames clung to her fiercely, hugging and crying and laughing all at once.

  “Sister Katherine! Sister Katherine!”

  Katherine knelt to wrap her arms around them, tears stinging her eyes. They were all right. Her girls were okay. She buried her face in first Marci’s and then Darci’s cotton-candy foams of black hair, kissing their soft cheeks. There was fourteen-year-old Brenda to embrace, her round face streaming with tears. Blond Ashley kissed Katherine back almost as ardently as a lover in her relief to see her. And more, over forty more girls, mostly teenagers, exclaiming and crying and jostling to get close.

  Nine-year-old Marci refused to let any of the older aspirants push her aside. She clung to Katherine like a burr, her thin brown arms locked about the nun’s waist in an uncompromising grip. Katherine made no attempt to brush her youngest off, keeping one hand on the girl’s shoulder as she greeted the others, seeking to calm their fears. They cast frightened glances at the Nobek guards. The Kalquorian sentries stood around the perimeter of the stained glass lit panels on the walls. The three men who had walked in with Katherine received their share of terrified glances as well.

  Katherine hated to see the fear. “It’s all right, my girls. It’s all right,” she reassured them.

  She was aware of the elder sisters standing nearby, but for now she concentrated on the youngsters. Sixteen-year-old Ashley was one of the more mature and capable of the aspirants, and Katherine directed her questions to her. “Is anyone hurt?”

  “We’re okay, Sister.” The fresh-faced teen darted a glance at the Kalquorians. “The aliens say they’ll leave soon and we’ll stay here.”

  Brenda clasped her arms around her thick waist, hugging herself for comfort. “Is that true?”

  Katherine gave her a confident smile she didn’t feel. “That’s what I’ve been told. They don’t intend to hurt you. They have no reason to harm young girls.”

  “You know this for a fact? You trust the words of Earth’s greatest enemy?”

  Katherine started at Mother Superior’s voice. The lined face of the eldest nun stared at her, having quietly made her way through the crowd of aspirants. Whether by accident or design, the holy icon of the Church that hung over the chapel’s altar seemed to float over Mother Superior’s head.

  The great metal cross with the Star of David at its center and crescent moon at the top gleamed in the chapel’s soft light. It seemed to cast its reflected beams all around Mother Superior, bathing her in sacred illumination.

  Even wearing only a nightgown that billowed about her stark frame, her tangled gray hair loose to her shoulders, and eyes black-hollowed with strain, an aura of absolute command remained with Mother Superior. Katherine dipped her head in respect before slowly rising to her feet. Marci’s continued clinging made her ascent somewhat clumsy, but Katherine made no attempt to pry the child’s hold loose. In fact, she clutched her tiniest closer to her side.

  Katherine darted a glance at the quietly waiting Simdow, who stood with his equally silent clanmates a few feet back. Her tone carefully nonchalant for the sake of the girls, she told Mother Superior, “They have no use for anyone who has been sequestered in the chapel. You are all to remain at the convent.”

  Mother Superior’s dark eyes narrowed. “They have a use for you though, don’t they? Then again, it is what you wanted, isn’t it, Sister? To be among these alien men? To minister to their needs?”

  A chill raced down Katherine’s spine, and she stared at the head of the Europan convent. The hint of a sour smile appeared on Mother Superior’s face.

  “Yes, Sister Katherine. I know all about you and your wish to tend to our enemies’ souls. These ‘fellow creations of God’, I believe is how you put it to the Church? But then again, God created Satan too, didn’t he?”

  “We were given free will,” Katherine said weakly. “I’d only hoped to convince the Kalquorians that they did not have to pursue the path they were on. I wanted them to find the right way with faith and prayer. To teach that the love of God was the better route to everlasting peace.”

  Mother Superior’s stare never wavered. Katherine felt skewered by that discerning gaze. “I’ve been watching you and hearing how you speak of God’s love and everlasting mercy. What of his punishment, Sister? What of his judgment against those who sin in their hearts? Would you have taught these alien creatures, these abominations, such things? You’ve certainly been remiss about it where the aspirants are concerned.”

  Katherine’s body stiffened. “Children should know they can trust God and that he cares for them. That his love is without condition, his forgiveness theirs simply for the asking.”

  “They should also know how their immortal souls lie in jeopardy for their transgressions, lessons I fear you may have forgotten to teach.”

  Mother Superior grasped Brenda by the shoulder. The aspirant, like the rest of the girls, looked from her to Katherine as if watching a tennis match. Their eyes were wide with fear. Mother Superior was strict but fair. They trusted her. Yet they trusted and loved Katherine too. The conversation was confusing them, tugging at their loyalties.

  Katherine said nothing to refute Mother Superior. She did not want the girls feeling as if they had to choose between the two nuns. It wasn’t fair to them. They needed confidence in their elders right now, not dissension.

  Mother Superior looked behind Katherine. The younger woman knew she stared at Simdow, Vadef, and Miv. Katherine’s insides shrank, and she wanted to say she was not in their company by choice. She wanted to assert that she was a prisoner, one who would soon be faced with an unspeakable fate. She kept silent, however. She would not give her little ones any cause for more terror than what they had already been subjected to.

  Mother Superior’s lips curled as she looked at the Kalquorians before she returned her attention to Katherine. “Perhaps the reason you do not speak of God’s wrath is because you fear reminding yourself of the punishments you are due. You walked into this holy place with the evidence of his judgment. With the proof that God has turned his back on you.”

  As if to illustrate her point, Mother Superior herself turned away from Katherine. She walked away to join the small number of elder nuns standing in a knot. Katherine did not dare to look at them. She did not want to see their recriminations too.

  The aspirants remained hovering near her. Their eyes were wide with concern, but they did not leave her side. Katherine gathered what warmth she could from that.

  Marci stood on tiptoe and whispered loudly, “Why is Mother Superior mad at you, Sister? You can’t help that we got invaded.”

  Katherine found a smile for her littlest. She bent to kiss that sweet cheek. “I think we’re all afraid of what has happened. But remember, you’re all right. No one has hurt you, and they’re not going to hurt you. What you must do is be very good girls, pray, and mind what Mother Superior and the sisters tell you. Know that I love you very much, as does God.”

  “You’re not going!” Darci cried. She grabbed one of Katherine’s hands as other girls joined in the clamor.

  Katherine hugged her, hugged all the ones she could reach. “My darlings, I have to. I have to leave, but my heart will stay with you.”

  Marci suddenly yanked free of Katherine. She darted away, running straight at the trio of Kalquorians who had accompanied Katherine to the ch
apel. Without the slightest show of fear, she punched the biggest one, Miv, in the thigh.

  Her dark eyes flashing at him, she shouted, “You are bad! Bad, bad men! For taking Sister Katherine away, you will be punished. You are bad and God hates you!”

  Katherine raced over to pull Marci away from the staring Kalquorian. Miv and the rest seemed shocked. None of them made a move towards the shaking, furious child as Katherine put herself between her youngest and the aliens.

  Katherine wiped the flow of tears flooding from Marci’s eyes. “Darling, no. I am going to go and talk to these men to be sure everyone will be safe. Please, don’t cry. Don’t be scared. Everything is going to be all right.”

  Marci burrowed against Katherine, clutching tight. From the voluminous folds of Katherine’s gown, the little girl’s muffled voice begged, “I don’t want you to go. I love you. I want you to stay with me.”

  Katherine’s own tears splashed her cheeks. “Please, sweetheart. I swear it will be okay. Trust in me, won’t you?”

  She motioned to Darci to collect her sister. The elder girl was now crying, along with most of the aspirants. Sobs rang through the chapel.

  As she tugged Marci away, Darci whispered, “Be careful, Sister. We’ll pray hard for you. We love you.”

  Katherine smiled through her tears. “Thank you. Be strong, girls. I love you all.”

  She turned away before she could completely fall apart in front of them. She rushed past the Kalquorians, barely noting they followed close behind.

  Katherine kept the sobs at bay until she was outside the chapel and the door closed behind them. She crumpled on the steps that led down to the sidewalk, unable to walk for the terrible grieving convulsions shaking her body. She was dimly aware of Simdow and Vadef kneeling on either side of her while Miv stood uncertainly over them.

  Hands awkwardly stroked her hair as if to comfort. The men seemed at a loss as to what to do with her for a few moments.

  Finally Simdow said, “I am sorry you had an argument with your superior. Being chastised is not easy, especially when it happens in front of other members of your crew.”

  Katherine continued to cry. The sharp words Mother Superior had used on her had been painful, but not nearly as much as leaving her girls behind … not when they were crying and begging her not to leave. It felt as if her heart had been ripped out in bloody shreds.

  Simdow tried again. “Matara, why are you crying so hard? Is it the younglings? The little ones are safe. Did you not see that?”

  She looked at him. Could she make them understand? These aliens who looked so similar to her own kind but were not?

  This one named Simdow, who Katherine had discovered was the Dramok, or leader, of the three certainly seemed sincere. It was hard to not appreciate the handsome man’s appearance even as she looked at him in fear. With the slight scattering of evening beard darkening his strong jaw, he seemed so … human. His arrow-straight nose and almond-shaped eyes leant a certain grace to his masculine features. He certainly appeared gentler than the Nobek, but stronger than the smallest of their number, Imdiko Vadef. Simdow looked concerned about her, and Katherine couldn’t detect the slightest indication it was only an act.

  Did these Kalquorians feel? Did they know compassion like Earthers? Could they possibly understand her pain?

  Between sobs, Katherine managed to say, “They are like my own children. If only I knew for sure they’ll be all right; that nothing and no one will harm them.”

  Simdow patted her head. His voice was firm. “I assure you, they will be. I swear it by my every last ancestor.”

  Anger found the means to spark, driving back some of Katherine’s misery. She glared at the man who looked at her with tenderness she didn’t want to see. In the growing light of the convent’s false morning, the kindness that he might be pretending for her benefit infuriated her.

  She snapped, “Why should I trust the word of a Kalquorian? An invader? What guarantee can you offer me?”

  He gave her a level look. “Katherine, you are a prisoner of the Empire now. I have no need to negotiate with you or to tell you lies to make you conform to my wishes. I have no reason to lie about this.”

  He had a point. She scrubbed her tears away and met his eyes. “Then tell me the truth. All of it.”

  Simdow considered her for a moment. He drew a deep breath before answering. “The truth of it is, an invasion of Earth will be underway soon. Perhaps within days. The man known as General Patrick Hamilton was who we were after when we came here. He has the means to get us past Earth’s security grid.”

  “That’s why you came here? To capture him?”

  Simdow nodded. “If he hadn’t landed on Europa, we never would have noticed you here. His capture was our primary objective.”

  Katherine swallowed. The sisters and aspirants were nothing more than collateral damage of the war. “What are you going to do with General Hamilton?”

  “We will force him to give us the codes we need to invade Earth. Once we have control over your planet, the younglings here will be sent home to their parents. We have no interest in stealing children from your people.”

  On one hand, Katherine was relieved to know the children would not be taken to Kalquor. But hearing the aliens were readying to take over Earth demolished most of that sentiment.

  “You’re invading Earth itself?”

  Simdow nodded. “Things have taken a turn for the worse for the Empire. We must end this war before your people destroy us.”

  Katherine stared at him. When he said nothing more, she looked at Vadef and Miv. The Imdiko’s pretty face was gentle but troubled. He gazed into her face as if pleading for understanding. She had none to give, so she looked up at the Nobek.

  Miv’s fierce face gazed back. What he was thinking, Katherine could not tell. She noted the knives he wore on his belt. Another knife was strapped to his thigh. The man was armed like a pirate of old, she thought.

  The thought of trying to take one of the Nobek’s weapons was tempting. However, Katherine knew she could never in a million years try to harm another being. What could one helpless woman do against such a man anyway?

  Simdow stood, and so did Vadef. The two men bent to help her to her feet. Katherine let them without complaint. She knew she had no choice.

  Simdow said, “It’s time to go, Matara. Now that you know the little ones are safe, you will join us on our ship.”

  Katherine’s mouth went dry as her heart slammed into overdrive. “Your ship?”

  Simdow nodded. “Your new home. You are ours now by right of conquest.” He glanced at the other two men. “Are we in agreement?”

  The Nobek snapped a nod. After a moment, the Imdiko’s head also moved up and down.

  Simdow took a breath. “All right. As leader of Clan Simdow, I claim you as our Matara.”

  He headed down the walkway, tugging Katherine along with him. The other two followed. Simdow’s touch was gentle, and Katherine wondered how soon that would change. Her insides went cold at the thought of what the three men would make her do with them. She had the barest notion of what sex entailed, only that it meant the man invading the woman in a painful and humiliating manner. While once Katherine had accepted such an idea as necessary for herself when she’d been engaged to a man years ago, she had never truly relished it.

  Yet she’d had ideas of being held by a huge, strong man. Of being kissed and caressed. Those thoughts had run rampant in her mind these last few years, ever since she’d become aware of the Kalquorians. Her fantasies had never included the brutal act of coupling with them, only of being embraced by the aliens. Still, such visions had lacked in virtue. As much as Katherine had told herself it was no worse than a child wanting to cuddle with her mother, she’d known her thoughts ran counter to what a pious nun should want.

  Now she was enslaved to three aliens. She was their chattel, their concubine. She looked at them; big, terrible creatures despite the tenderness they momentarily treated her wi
th. Had she really once had sinful thoughts about such men?

  * * * *

  Settling in the seat on board the shuttle that would take his clan to the spyship, Simdow drew a deep breath. He’d come down to Europa, bursting with excitement. A lot of that had dimmed. Reality had taken hold with its many concerns.

  He sat on one side of Katherine, with Vadef sitting on her right. Miv sat near the shuttle’s aisle, on the other side of their Imdiko. No one looked particularly happy, not something Simdow would have expected from clanning a life-bringing Matara.

  Of course, a lot of that had to do with Katherine’s reactions to them. Right now she shook noticeably in the huge seat that made her seem tinier than ever. The shadows under her eyes were so dark that they looked like bruises. She couldn’t have been more obviously terrified than if she wore a sign proclaiming it. It made Simdow sick to know he was the reason for her being this way.

  How the fuck was he supposed to handle this?

  Miv interrupted his ruminations with his own concerns. In their language so Katherine couldn’t understand he said, “My Dramok, she is not willing.”

  Simdow looked over Katherine and Vadef’s heads to lock eyes with his Nobek. Miv’s sentence of military service following four years of prison had come about because he killed a man, a monstrous creature who had forced himself on Miv’s sister. To say Miv had firm ideas about how women should be treated was putting it lightly.

  Simdow could well understand his clanmate’s concerns. “No, she’s not willing at all. It may be quite a while before she is ready to be intimate with us.”

  A muscle twitched in Miv’s jaw as he gave voice to his tensions. “I would prefer to wait for however long it takes. I must also tell you I will be affronted if you and Vadef … do not wait as well.” He lowered his burning gaze. “I am sorry, my Dramok.”