Prophecy

tranquilliser gas and start decontamination. We don't want to give them too many shocks at once.'

Marcon nodded, signalling to a crewman, who touched the crystals on his console. The spy-cam’s screen went blank as the tiny floating camera was recalled, and moments later the main screen filled with an image from one of the ship's on-board cameras.

The energy shell's golden glow faded as the Net dispersed to reveal two confused humans in a pale room. They clung to each other with wide eyes, then relaxed as the tranquilliser gas took effect.

Tallyn glanced at Marcon. 'We'll let them recover for a while, I think.'

On his way to his quarters, he wondered how they would react to their translocation. The tranquilliser gas would calm the male's aggression, so his primitive projectile weapon did not pose a threat. Tallyn was more concerned that the transfer's shock would make the girl overwrought.

Chapter Four

Rayne studied the strange room, her heart thudding. She had flung herself at Rawn when the golden light engulfed them, her skin prickling with static power. The glow had faded to reveal the odd white room. Rawn had held her with one arm while he drew his gun and glanced around, then a wave of dizziness had washed over her, along with a slight sensation of detachment. Several minutes had passed since then, and Rawn studied the featureless walls with a scowl, hefting his gun.

'Where are we?' Rayne's whisper was a thread of sound in a pit of silence.

Rawn muttered, 'Out of the frying pan and in the fire.'

'What?'

'I don't know.' He released her and went over to the nearest wall, running his hand over its silky smooth surface. 'This is weird.'

Rayne sank to the floor as shock drained the last of her energy and her stomach knotted. After so much hardship and struggle, she had thought her life was about to return to normal. The confusing and possibly dangerous situation had ousted her joy at finding Rawn. She rubbed hot tears from her stinging eyes as the possible ramifications of this new and inexplicable predicament overwhelmed her. Rawn prowled the room, testing the walls and finding them solid, apparently.

'I don't know where we are, but this isn't the work of the autocrats,' he muttered. 'They don't have this kind of technology.'

'Then who? The aliens?'

Rawn frowned at her. 'What aliens?'

Rayne told him about the scarlet saucer, the white-clad man, and the two incidents since then. It sounded bizarre even to her, but Rawn listened with a wrinkled brow. When she finished, he remained tight-lipped, unable to offer any explanation. Telling her tale made their situation seem more threatening, and she wondered if whoever had captured them was listening.

A tense hour dragged by while they waited for something to happen. Rawn pacing the room, then holstered his gun and sat beside her. They relaxed as the vertigo lessened and fatigue set in. Rayne struggled to keep her eyes open, although Rawn told her to sleep. She jerked into nerve-jangling wakefulness when a soft hum and swish broke the tomb-like silence. A section of seamless wall slid back to reveal an alcove with a basin and toilet. After Rawn inspected it, Rayne used it to refresh herself with cool water. As soon as Rawn had used it, the door swished shut again. Moments later, a narrow beam of purple light swept across the cell, making Rayne's skin crawl. Rawn banged on the wall and swore at their unseen captors.

'Any more stunts like that, and I'll shoot a hole in the wall,' he promised.

'I don't think you can do much to them.'

'We'll see about that.'

A few minutes later, just as they relaxed again, another section of the wall slid back to reveal two glasses of clear liquid. Rawn eyed the beverages, lifted a glass and sniffed it.

'Smells like water.'

'We had water from the basin,' she pointed out. 'Unless we weren't supposed to drink that.'

'But I think we're supposed to drink this.'

'Why?'

He shrugged. 'It's probably got medicine in it.' He put the glass down. 'Whatever it is, I don't want it.' He glared around at the walls. 'You hear me, you bastards out there? We won't co-operate until we get an explanation. Show yourselves, you cowards! We're not animals, so stop treating us like them!'

Rayne tugged his arm. 'Stop it! We don't want to make them mad.'

'They're making me mad.'

'They might be the ones who helped me.'

'Well they're not acting very bloody friendly now.'

Another strained silence fell as they waited for a response to Rawn's outburst and their refusal to drink the water. Undoubtedly they were being watched, and Rayne was sure it would only be a matter of time before their captors were forced to communicate with them. The response came sooner than she expected, in the form of a soft masculine voice that spoke in oddly accented English.

'We apologise for the quarantine's necessity. Unfortunately, if you wish to meet us, you must drink the liquid in the glasses.'

Rawn yelled back, 'Where are we? What do you want?'

'You are aboard a space ship called Vengeance, and we wish you no harm,' the disembodied voice said.

'Why have you kidnapped us?'

'That will be explained once you have imbibed the medicine.'

'What does it do?' Rawn demanded.

'It is merely to eradicate unwanted bacteria that could be harmful to our health. Your world is, unfortunately, an unhealthy place. Once you have drunk the medicine, you will be released after a set period of time.'

'And if we refuse?'

'That is not an option we are prepared to accept. Eventually you will become thirsty and drink the medication. Obstinacy will merely prolong your incarceration.'

Rawn glared around at the walls. 'I could shoot my way out of here!'

'No. Any attempt to use your weapon will be countered by an increase in tranquilliser gas. I urge you to co- operate.'

'I'll bet you do!' Rawn shouted. 'But why should I co-operate with you, huh?'

'Because you wish to leave the room,' the voice stated.

'But I don't want to be bullied by the likes of you!'

Rayne gripped his arm. 'Stop it. Let's just drink the medicine. This is a pointless argument.'

'How do we know it isn't poison?' he demanded.

'Why would they bring us here to poison us? They could have killed us any time.'

'Maybe they want to use us in some kind of experiment, like damned guinea pigs.'

She shook her head. 'I don't think so, but what choice do we have? Like he said, they'll just keep us locked in here until we get so thirsty we drink it. Let's rather do it now and get it over with. There's really nothing else we can do.'

'You're too damned fatalistic, Ray. I could shoot a hole -'

'No you couldn't, and even if you did, what then? If we're aboard a space ship, there's nowhere to run, is there?'

Rawn let the gun drop to his side, his shoulders slumping. 'Guess not, if that's true. But I don't like this. It's all too damned neat and prepared, as if it was planned. I feel like we're in a damned laboratory. And I'll tell you this, if I start to feel sick, I will shoot my way out of here and take a few of those bastards with me.'

Rayne glanced up at the walls. 'Will the medicine make us sick?'

'No,' the voice replied. 'Side effects should be minimal. At worst, some cramps and diarrhoea may result.'