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JARDUN
I delighted in waking with Laria’s body entangled in my embrace, strands of her golden hair splayed across my chest. It was a pleasurable experience, one I wished to prolong but knew was not possible. The first light of the sun’s rays peeked through the gaps in the leaves, and it was nearing time to leave.
Zaedon must have known Laria was with me; otherwise, he would not be tromping around and making more noise than a chaugwas in heat.
“I take it someone is trying to get your attention?” Laria opened her perceptive green eyes and propped her chin on my chest.
“Zaedon.” I ran my fingertip along the silky skin of her arm. “Garyck would not hesitate to interrupt us.”
“I guess we should be thankful that Zaedon was up first, then.” She winked, then leaned forward and nipped my chin.
I pushed several locks behind her ear and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Laria, I...” I what? I did not want to let her go, but what could I say? I could not tell her I wished for a life together. I had no idea if any of us would survive the day. And if we did, then what? What kind of life could I offer her? I was a warrior, bound to protect the drezdarr, to protect my people as well as hers.
Her smile faded. “I know.” She pulled from my arms, then rolled onto her hands and knees and reached for her clothes.
With a disappointed groan, I forced myself to do the same.
Shortly after I emerged from the alcove within the tree trunk, I spotted Sloane entering the clearing carrying two bags. I assumed one belonged to Laria.
Sloane dropped the bundle at her feet. “Has anyone seen... Oh.” She grinned when I held the leaves away from the alcove’s opening so Laria could exit behind me. I would be the first to admit that I did not understand the ways of human females, but was glad to see that at least one of Laria’s close friends approved of our night spent together. Celeste appeared a few moments later. And though she appeared hesitant, she offered Laria a supportive smile.
If any of the males disapproved, they kept their comments to themselves. Burke might have been silent on the subject, but his irritated behavior and cool demeanor were indications that he was upset.
After a quick meal of rations and preparing the chaugwai for travel, we left the loicryn behind and used the nearest ridgeline to complete the remainder of our trip. We made better time than I had expected and reached our destination before midday.
Leaving the chaugwai a short distance away, we moved in a crouch to the rocky ledge overlooking what remained of the Earthers’ spacecraft.
“To tell you the truth, I’d expected to see signs of Doyle’s men long before now.” Burke set his bag on the ground, then flattened his body next to an outcropping of rocks to get a better look below.
“It is possible that they arrived after we left and started searching the other outlying outposts, as we intended,” Zaedon said.
When I had devised the plan, I knew the odds of it working were not in our favor. So far, taking the direct route over the ridge into the wasteland seemed to be successful. It did not explain the uneasy feeling creeping through my system.
Burke reached inside his bag and pulled out a medium-sized pouch. “I figured these might come in useful on this trip.” He opened the pouch and retrieved an object that resembled two thin cylinders joined in the middle by a small piece of metal.
“Where did you get the viewers?” Celeste grabbed them out of his hand and held them up to her eyes.
“I acquired them from another Earther.” Burke held out his hand and wiggled his fingers until she returned them.
“Don’t you mean you confiscated them without paying for them?” Sloane asked.
“No, I believe that’s your area of expertise.” Burke smirked. “A guy owed me a few cradassons and couldn’t pay, so he gave me these instead.”
“What else have you got in there?” Sloane rolled on her knees and reached for Burke’s pouch.
Burke snatched it from her hand. “Nothing you need to see, touch, or abscond with.”
Sloane harrumphed, then crossed her arms. “Well, you’re no fun.”
“I’m a lot of fun, but I’m rather fond of my belongings and would like to keep them.”
“May I?” Laria waited for Burke to give her the viewers, then turned and handed them to me. “These will magnify the view and make everything appear closer. Hold them with the smaller end to your eyes and point them at whatever you want to see. You should be able to get a better look at the ship’s exterior and the entrance. You should also be able to see how many guards Doyle has posted.”
“You have done this before?” I asked.
Laria smiled. “Once or twice.”
I knew very little of her past, but becoming skilled at what she did took practice. I would bet she had been in similar situations more than two times, but refrained from stating my opinion. I held the viewers as she had instructed, and watched the world in front of me change focus. I was amazed at the clarity and detail.
I had not been a part of the old drezdarr’s emissary group who had greeted and initiated the rescue of the humans. I had seen several pictures of the vessel taken before their exploring expedition began, and shared via the data sources the survivors had provided to Khyron and his father.
The vessel was much larger than I’d imagined, and from this viewpoint, the majority of the hull appeared to be intact. The portion closest to the bottom of the rock wall was partially covered with drifted sand. The rumors that Doyle had turned the vessel into his personal compound were accurate. “I count five transports, including the one the human male Rick used when he left the outpost.” They were all situated in an area to the left and not far from the large space vessel. “I do not see the solarveyor used by the soldiers.”
“Perhaps our assumptions that they were working with Doyle were incorrect,” Zaedon said.
“It is possible they served under Sarus during the war, then maintained a pretense of loyalty to the drezdarr afterward to escape punishment.” Disdain filled Garyck’s tone.
My friend rarely shared his views, but I was aware of the emotional and physical scars he had received in connection to that particular subject. “It is possible they simply abandoned the outpost for fear of being imprisoned for attempting to steal the females.” My chest tightened. I glanced at Laria and was reminded of how differently the events of that evening could have gone.
“Are there any guards posted outside?” Burke asked.
I tilted my head slightly so I could see the area on the opposite side of the vessel. Several males meandered along the perimeter. They appeared heavy in conversation, their demeanor indifferent, leaning toward boredom. “There are three armed with swords.” I lowered the viewers and returned them to Burke.
He moved away from the ledge, then squatted near a smooth area in the loose sand and used the tip of his blade to draw a diagram. “From what my friend told me, the ship has an access entrance close to the point where the ship butts up against this rock wall. There’s a lot of damage, but we should be able to use it to get inside. From there, locating the engineering level shouldn’t be a problem.”
Burke tapped a spot on the outer edge of the circle he’d drawn. “The lifts won’t be operational, so we’ll have to use the tunnels to reach the upper levels.”
“What about finding Vurell and the antidote?” I pushed aside the overshadowing dread that we might already be too late to save the physician’s life.
“That’s where the girls come in,” Burke said.
Sloane cheerfully bobbed her head. “The three of us”—she pointed to include Celeste and Laria—“used to play in the ducts when we were kids. If the antidote is anywhere on that level, I’ll be able to extract it for you.”
“I do not understand,” Garyck said. “How do you plan to accomplish the task without being caught?”
“Let’s just say I’ve always had a talent for acquiring things.” She wiggled her fingers with a mischievous grin.
Garyck frowned and slapped his hand over his armband.
“You need to stop making that grumpy face.” Sloane tucked her arms across her chest. “If I was going to take your precious piece of jewelry, I would have done it already.” She waggled her brows. “Besides, there’ll be plenty of opportunities during the trip back to the city.”
Garyck snorted. “We shall see.”
Not one to be dissuaded, Sloane jutted her chin. “Yes, we will.”
“If you two are done...” Burke glanced at each member in the group, his gaze contemplative as if taking his time to choose his words. “Whatever we do, we need to do it carefully and be prepared for anything. The swords the males outside are carrying might be for show. There’s a good chance that the ones inside are armed with weapons other than blades.” He returned his knife to its sheath.
“What are you talking about?” Laria pinned Burke with a glare.
“There were cases of laser pistols and blasters stored on the ship. The Earth exploratory council kept it classified. Only certain members of the security team were given the information. Doyle was one of them. If the weapons survived the crash, there’s a good chance he may have salvaged them.”
“You bastard.” A sob tore from Celeste’s throat. “All these years you knew we had a way to protect ourselves from the attacks, to save people we cared about, and you didn’t tell us.”
Burke said, “After the crash, those of us who returned to salvage what we could weren’t able to access that area of the ship. I thought everything in those storage areas had been destroyed.”
“So what makes you think that’s changed?” Sloane asked.
“A few months ago, I ran into some mercs I occasionally do business with. One of them got drunk and was bragging about how Doyle had taken over the vessel and some of the things he found. The weapons were mentioned.”
“Why didn’t you tell us then so we could have done something about it?” Laria asked.
“I was afraid if I said anything, the three of you would have come out here and tried to stop Doyle on your own.”
“Of course, we would have,” Celeste said.
“That’s my point.” Burke puffed out a heavy sigh. “I had no way of knowing if the information was accurate, and I wasn’t willing to risk any of you getting killed over a rumor. But now that we’re here...”
“We can find out if your associate was telling the truth.” I shared a knowing glance with Zaedon and Garyck. Swords were no match against laser pistols. If the weapons existed, they would need to be destroyed. If there was a chance that Sarus was still alive, or if any of those loyal to him found a way to obtain the advanced weaponry, many more ketaurrans, as well as humans, would lose their lives.
“Was volunteering us to help Jardun an excuse to get your hands on the weapons?” Laria clenched her fists, her cheeks flushing.
“Hey, just because the war is over doesn’t mean we can afford to be lax. Sarus hated our kind, and he had a lot of followers, some who would do anything to get rid of the current drezdarr. How long do you think we’d survive under their leadership?”
The fact that my friend was slowly dying from poison was proof of his statement.
The brief hint of regret on Burke’s face was quickly replaced with irritation. “So, yeah, I’ll do whatever it takes to keep all of us breathing, even if it means not disclosing important information.”
Burke and I might share a common goal, but it did not mean I approved of his methods. And neither did the females—the evidence was apparent on their angry faces. He had not been forthcoming with me and he’d betrayed the trust of his friends. I would not be opposed, or stand in the way, should Laria decide to exact some retribution for his actions.
“We’re definitely going to finish this discussion later,” Laria said, then redirected the conversation back to the mission. “Do you have any suggestions on how we should avoid getting shot?”
“Don’t attract attention, and don’t get caught,” Burke said.
“Yeah, that was helpful,” Sloane grumbled.
“Let’s say everything goes the way you planned with the rescue. How are we going to get back to the city?” Laria asked. “We obviously can’t use the chaugwai again. Doyle’s not going to let us leave without a fight, and they can’t outrun gunfire.”
“While you find the doctor and the antidote, Celeste and I are going to acquire one of those transports.” Burke gestured toward the ledge.
With three males guarding that side of the vessel, I was not sure I agreed with Burke’s plan. “Why take Celeste? Why not Garyck or Zaedon? They are much stronger and better equipped for battle.”
“It’s not strength he needs.” She flicked her hair over her shoulder and smiled. “It’s a distraction.”
LARIA
After removing everything from the chaugwai, we gathered our bags and prepared to make our way down the rocks to the sandy surface below. Of course, we had to wait a few extra minutes so Celeste could say goodbye to Lou. She would never admit it—and would usually throw a punch at anyone who commented—but she had a soft heart when it came to animals, even if the creatures were the lizard variety.
Traveling to the basin was slow. Some of the ledges were narrow, others steep. Some portions lacked any kind of cover, and we were lucky we made it to the area near the tail end of the ship without being seen by any of Doyle’s men.
So far, things seemed to be progressing smoothly. We had a decent plan for getting inside, for reaching the lab, but it was the unknown that had my senses tingling. My internal warning system, the instinct that made my skin itch with dread, had been buzzing from the second we started our descent along the ridge.
I continually glanced toward the corner of the large vessel that wasn’t buried in sand, expecting to see an unfriendly welcome party.
Burke interrupted my thoughts when he spoke to Jardun. “Celeste and I will stay here, give you time to reach the labs before we take out the guards.”
“Zaedon, I want you to remain behind with Burke in case more males arrive and he requires assistance.” Jardun issued the order in a tone that refused discussion.
I wasn’t sure if his decision revolved around being a protective male, or if he didn’t trust Burke any more than I did at the moment. Celeste could handle herself in any situation, but the vulnerable side she kept hidden sometimes appeared at the worst possible times and led to trouble. I was relieved that Zaedon would be staying behind to look out for my friend’s safety.
Having an additional person outside meant we’d have backup in case things went badly inside. From what I’d seen since we started this mission, I knew the bond of loyalty between the three vryndarr was strong. Zaedon would never leave without his friends.
“Fair enough.” Burke turned to me. “Once you get inside the passageway, the access entry to the tunnels should be to your right. From there, you can take it to the upper levels and find the lab.”
It was a good thing this portion of the ship hadn’t suffered much damage; otherwise, getting inside without security codes would’ve been a problem. Fortunately for us, the exterior hatch wasn’t completely sealed. The thick metal edge was warped in a few places leaving a gap between the seal and the hull of the vessel. Ketaurran males were much stronger than humans, but I didn’t realize how much until I watched Jardun and Garyck pry open the exterior hatch without breaking a sweat.
“Laria,” Burke said.
I paused in the entryway and glanced at him over my shoulder. “Yeah.”
“You guys be careful.”
Mistrust and the sting from being used again would take me some time to get over. His concern for our safety might be genuine, but it was a little too late in the delivery. “That’s the plan.” I turned and followed Jardun, meeting up with Garyck and Sloane who were already inside and waiting for us.
We’d left our bags outside, but Garyck had retrieved a portable glow emitter before entering the ship. The small device contained several pieces of zapharite. The stones, used to absorb solar energy, gave off a blue-green glow and produced plenty of light to see down the long corridor in front of us.
It was obvious from the thin layer of untouched sand and dirt coating the floor that no one had been in this area of the ship for years. We continued along the passageway until we reached the first metal support beam
“This should be it.” Sloane pointed at the faded red lettering painted above a panel on the wall that said “Authorized Personnel Only.” After leaning forward and retrieving a thin knife from her boot, she used the blade to remove the fastening screws holding the vertical rectangular panel in place.
Once Sloane set it aside, Garyck placed a hand on her arm to stop her from going inside. “I will go first.”
“Seriously, you’re going to pull the overprotective male thing with me?” She returned his glare.
Sloane was tough and rarely backed down from anything or anyone. I was about to mention that we didn’t have time for a battle of wills, when she stepped aside. “Fine, oh big and scary one.” She made a wide sweep with her hand. “You can go first.”
To me, Garyck’s snorts sounded a lot like his grunts. I thought they were simply noises he enjoyed making.
It seemed Sloane had the ability to interpret their meaning. “Don’t you female me, you cantankerous oversized lizard,” she said as she climbed in behind him.
The inside of the tunnel seemed more confining than I remembered, and I was glad I wasn’t claustrophobic. Of course, back then, I’d been a lanky teenager without the additional muscle and curves on my hips. “This brings back memories,” I said to Jardun as I reached for the next rung in the ladder. Voices carried, and since I didn’t want to alert anyone to our presence, I kept mine low.
“How so?” His hand brushed the outside of my thigh. He’d been in my personal space, never far from my side, since we’d started the climb. Not that I minded. After spending a night in his arms, I continued to crave his nearness. Remembering our evening of pleasure also brought a pang of sadness. I had no regrets about our time together, but falling for him was a bad idea, one that could only end in heartbreak—mine.
What I did, the risks I took, was hard on a relationship. It was why I’d never gotten involved with anyone. Jardun might believe I was his ketiorra, but it didn’t guarantee a future together.
I tamped down the disconcerting thoughts, then paused to tighten my grip on a rung before glancing at him over my shoulder. “I’ve been in the engineering tunnels before, but never this far down in the ship. Mostly the ones near the labs.”
Confusion furrowed his brow. “Why would you purposely want to be in such a cramped area?”
I understood why he asked. His broad shoulders were inches from touching the walls on either side of us, and he probably felt confined. “Let’s just say Celeste, Sloane, and I weren’t always good at staying out of trouble when we were younger.”
He chuckled. “It does not appear that things have changed much since then.”
His attempt at humor warmed me. The risks he’d seen me take over the last couple of days were far bolder than any of my teenage antics. “I would have to agree with you.”
