Dagon didn’t deny it. “She has the same amount of oxygen these men had. How is it she has managed to survive when they did not?”
Adaos shook his head. “I still don’t believe it’s possible. The information the Sectas have gathered indicates that Earthlings are deceptive beings. They even deceived the Lasaran princess into trusting them, then captured and ruthlessly tortured her. The Earth woman must be lying.”
“What lie would explain it?”
The healer shrugged. “Could she be working with the Gathendiens?”
“No. She loathes them as much as we do.”
“So she says.”
“I believe her words to be sincere.”
“Then perhaps she is inside an escape pod. Such would easily explain how she has survived so long.”
“Why would she lie about being in a pod?”
“Perhaps she hoped it would drive you to find her faster.”
Dagon shook his head. “She isn’t in a pod.” Her panic upon realizing as much had sounded genuine.
“Then I am as puzzled as you are, my friend.”
Nodding, Dagon turned to leave. “Send me the men’s identities as soon as you’ve confirmed them.”
“Yes, Commander.”
Dagon headed for his private office. Once he sank into the chair behind his desk, he tapped his earpiece. “Janek, get me Lasaran Commander Tiran of the Tarakona.”
“Yes, Commander.”
The clear screen that hovered above Dagon’s desk lit up, and Adaos’s face appeared. “I have confirmed the Lasarans’ identities and will send them to you now.”
“Thank you.”
Adaos disappeared, and three files floated onto the screen. Each boasted a picture of a Lasaran male, a list of identifying information, and a brief description of his life and position.
The screen went blank. Then Tiran’s face and shoulders filled it. Like Dagon, he appeared to be sitting at a desk in his private office.
“I have Commander Tiran for you,” Janek announced.
“Thank you, Janek.”
Dagon gave the comms officer a moment to remove himself from the conversation, then leaned forward. “Tiran.”
“Good to see you, Dagon.”
“I wish I had a better reason for contacting you.”
Tiran’s lips tightened. “What did you find?”
“Three of your men, floating in a debris field. Two wore suits. One didn’t. All are dead. I’m sending you their identities now.” He tapped the screen and sent the files to the Lasaran.
Tiran scanned the files, then spat out an obscenity. “Napelo’s lifemate just found out she’s breeding.”
Dagon swore as well. Pregnancies on Lasara were exceedingly rare thanks to the insidious virus the Gathendiens had released upon them. “I’m sorry I couldn’t reach them sooner.”
Tiran shook his head. “We’ve managed to retrieve more escape pods containing survivors.”
“Any Earthlings?”
“No. All Lasaran. What about your Earthling?”
“I haven’t heard from her in four days, but I believe she may still live.”
Tiran shook his head, his features dark with regret. “If Lasarans—with their greater regenerative capabilities—cannot survive this long, how could an Earth woman?”
“She said she could slow her heart rate and her breathing to conserve oxygen.”
“Sectas believe that is impossible.”
Dagon shrugged. “The Sectas are wrong. I heard her oxygen monitor myself. The first time I spoke with her, she had twenty-six hours left. Three days later, she had fifteen.”
Tiran frowned, his look turning thoughtful. “Perhaps that explains it.”
“Explains what?”
“The peculiar briefing I—and the other Lasaran commanders—received. Our sovereign has been in contact with Eliana’s commanding officer.”
“Seth?”
Tiran nodded. “I was not able to convey your message regarding the Earthling’s wishes before King Dasheon and Queen Adiransia spoke with him.”
Dagon frowned. “Eliana didn’t want him to know her situation.”
“I’m afraid that was unavoidable. Our sovereigns are outraged by the Gathendiens’ attack and are even more disturbed by our inability to keep the Earthlings safe.” Tiran leaned toward the screen and lowered his voice. “King Dasheon is trying to form an alliance with this Seth that he said would greatly benefit us and fears that will no longer be possible if we do not recover all of the Earth women alive.”
Dagon’s curiosity rose. “Do you know why only women were in their party?”
“No. He hasn’t mentioned that.” Tiran’s voice lowered further. “But there is something else. Something above my clearance level.”
“What do you think it is?”
He shook his head. “I believe those in power think the Gathendiens attacked the Kandovar because the Earthlings were aboard.”
Unease filtered through Dagon. “What interest would they have in Earth women?”
“I don’t know. Nor do I know if the Gathendiens wanted to kill or capture them.”
Again, the thought of a Gathendien warship creeping up on Eliana while she was utterly defenseless in her suit drove shards of ice through his veins.
“Our sovereign wanted complete honesty between them,” Tiran continued, “so he disclosed all we know to her commanding officer—that at least ten of the women were safely ensconced in escape pods when the ship began to break apart, and we have reason to believe four others were as well.”
“What reason?”
“They were last seen helping Lasarans into escape pods and should have been in close enough proximity to duck into pods themselves.”
Dagon wasn’t as confident of that as Tiran’s people. Eliana had been helping Lasarans, and she had ended up being launched into space in only a suit.
“Since we’ve managed to successfully retrieve escape pods carrying Lasarans, we have hope that the Earthlings will also be recovered soon.”
“And Eliana?”
“When her situation was imparted, this Seth became enraged. He refused to accept the reality of her imminent demise and kept insisting you race toward her with every ounce of speed your ship can muster, that you not deviate from your course. And no matter how long it takes you to reach her, he demanded you bring her body on board and run whatever scans you must to determine whether she is actually dead.”
Dagon frowned. If she was dead when he reached her—and just the idea of it twisted his stomach into knots—they would not need scans to confirm it. What he had seen of the deceased Lasaran men had verified that.
“Eliana said he’s like a father to her,” he offered as a possible explanation for the Earth commander’s behavior.
“Ah.” Sadness and understanding darkened his friend’s features. “The common belief among Lasarans has been that Seth must be in denial and therefore needs the confirmation before he can let himself fully acknowledge her loss and grieve. It is said that his eyes even glowed with madness when he addressed our sovereign, but the fool who carried that tale surely exaggerated. Earthlings’ eyes don’t glow.”