My usual sarcasm and cynicism had died down since returning to my home state. Being in Texas makes me…restless. The serenity of the Colorado mountai...ns calms me, and Tori wasn’t quite sure what to expect from me in this subdued mood. But she didn’t question me or seem perturbed, because she could see that I was content. She reached out and placed her hand on mine as I downshifted, maneuvering around another switchback. The parking lot appeared over the next rise, as did the old train car which. I forced myself to take a few deep breaths. I had to calm down! Once the Velqui left, I had to remember how to activate the emergency transponder. We may be just close enough to the border for a Terran Hegemony naval ship to respond.Oh God, I hoped my Mom is okay!No, they won't take her. She's well into her forties. They'll take the young ones first. Young like... me.No, they won't take me! They have plenty to pick from! There's Mindy, she's only a year older than me. And Frank, he's twenty.. He always insulted her as soon as he came home. She was afraid of who it might be. She rolled around on the bed, trying to get the blindfold off to see who was there. It was no use. No matter how hard she tried, Beth couldn't get the blindfold off. Whoever was in the room still did not speak. She was lying on her back naked.All of a sudden, she felt large hands on her hips pulling her to the edge of the bed. Then, what felt like a tongue, touched the inside of her right thigh. She tried to move. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ZanyiaI landed amid the soldiers recovering from the wave. Their horses sodden coats dripped. Some of the guards lay on the ground, struggling to stand in their waterlogged armor. I grinned at them as their horses whinnied in surprise at my appearance.“Get the bitch!” snarled a man in full armor, a rich cloak of blue spilling off his shoulders.“Bitch!” I hissed as a sword swiped at me.I jumped with ease to my right. My tail twisted behind me, guiding me. The soldier.