by L M Lacee
Darby said. ‘Well, that explains why the surface is dry and dust laden.’
‘Yes but not red?’ Melody said with a small smile directed at Darby.
‘Really, burgundy is a sort of red.’
There was a noise from the ones Matt had dropped on the ground, stopping anymore conversation. They all looked at them as Pantarr said. ‘They are the ones who hurt me and the little ones.’ He stood behind Peyton as she took his hand. ‘I will not allow them to hurt you anymore.’
‘Alright.’ But he said it doubtfully.
The miners looked like they had been created from an alligator and a gorilla. They were tall, well over eight feet in height with huge barrel chests, their torsos were covered in striped orange and yellow hair, while their two sets of arms and one set of legs were covered in an avocado colored leather similar to alligator skin, as was their stumpy tail. Their faces had short snouts with loads of teeth and sunk in beady eyes, their heads were bald, but there was a raised orange stripe that looked like someone had taken a wide paintbrush and run it from their foreheads down the back of their heads to their necks breaking up the color avocado.
‘These are Eictorians from the planet Eictoria.’ Marlo told them. ‘For those of you, who have never encountered this species before they are venomous, there is a sac of venom under their bottom jaw, both male and females have them and they are deadly. They have to bite to release it, and there is no known antidote.’
Larson mused. ‘I wonder why they are here. They are seldom seen this far from their home world.’
Alexx agreed. ‘That is true, they will work for anyone, do anything and they like females, all species of female and they do not have to be alive. In truth their females are no better, no male is safe from them. Their whole species are a scourge on the universe.’
Raley added. ‘Thankfully, they can only breed with their own kind, when they reach maturity at a hundred yentas old and only every twenty yentas.’
They all heard Netta murmur. ‘And we are all grateful for that.’
Marlo looked at Netta, then told her. ‘The downside to that, is they live a very long time or so we believe? Their females look no different to the males and again, we are thankful they cannot cross breed.’
Larson said quietly. ‘Not that there would be anything left of the male or female if they could. Sadly they use them up.’
Matt asked. ‘Obviously, not their own species.’
Larson answered. ‘No, although I have heard it is a dangerous time for them when they mate. If not satisfied the male or female will kill the one they mate with.’
Alexx murmured. ‘Their mating can go on for wekens at a time.’
Melody asked. ‘You have to wonder what they add to the universe.’
Marlo said. ‘I do not fathom it.’
Raley said. ‘Some things are just mistakes. I feel these are that.’
Darby asked. ‘Did they start off like that though?’
Alexx answered. ‘No, they mutated. From what species we do not know, they just did. I feel and I know I am probably in a minority here, but it must be agony to be them.’
No one agreed with him, but then no one disagreed either. Netta asked. ‘How do you know so much about them?’
Alexx told her. ‘We were unfortunate enough to be present at an interrogation of a male of their species.’ His closed expression matched his brothers.
Melody quickly said. ‘Thank you Commanders.’ Ending anymore questions, she then said into her link. ‘Dinas, we will need samples from these males called Eictorians. I think we will want to find an anti-venom.’
‘Yes Commander.’
Matt toed the two bound males. ‘These are miners, Koles and Frales, they have elected to not tell me more. We have found several Prowlers behind these dwellings, they need medics and there were several children in cages.’ His voice dropped. ‘Commander there are two adult females, they are not good.’
‘Thank you, Matt. What are you and your Warriors doing now?’
‘We will leave and scout the other small settlement and surrounding areas, where it looks like there were, or are miners. Then we will go to the mine and scout around there.’
Melody agreed. ‘Do that. Then come back here, take Prowlers with you please. Stay alert.’
He saluted and faded. Peyton turned to Jarrod. ‘Specialist Jarrod, can you see about the females first please and if you cannot help them? I hate to ask but please could you ease their suffering.’
‘Of course, Star Daughter.’ He looked over at the Warriors and asked. ‘The children?’
Alexx and Raley said. ‘We will come with you to get them.’
Melody said. ‘I will go with you.’ She whispered to Peyton. ‘Can you take over, I feel there is something for me to do.’
Peyton nodded as Melody left with the others. ‘Thank you Commanders.’ Peyton called after them, then she said to the others. ‘I am going to try to find the children.’ With that warning she sent out a pulsing wave of light sweeping the surface of the planet and found nothing, other than several miners in the Falears custody coming toward them, as well as the people who had gone with Jarrod. The Falears returned shortly with more of the Eictorians.
‘They were on their way here to find out who turned the lights on.’ Matt told Peyton. ‘Also be aware the light bothers them.’
‘Good to know.’
Rave said. The Prowlers have found nothing on the surface.
‘Neither did I.’ she turned to Pantarr and asked him. ‘How safe are all the tunnels?’
‘What are tunnels?’
She sent him pics, he studied them for a min then said. ‘Oh them, very safe. I made them good.’
‘Alright.’ She gave his arm a pat, as she said to Netta. ‘We will need Bacon.’
‘She won’t like that?’ Darby told her, Peyton nodded as she agreed. ‘I know but I want those children found.’
‘I was just saying.’
Peyton looked around as she said. ‘Thank you for that, Darby. Okay, this is what we are going to do. See that hut there, use that for the prisoners. Kerol you and your Warriors, please handle them. Netta, you spent time around the bayou?’
‘Yes.’
‘Ever catch gators?’
‘Listen to you talking Cajun.’
‘Smarty pants.’
‘Yeah, on occasion.’
‘Know how to snout tie?’
‘Yep, you bet I do. So we need tape or ties?’ Kerol jogged to the shuttle and exited mins later with what looked like rolls of insulation tape.
‘This will do.’ Netta gave them a quick lesson in leg and snout tying the Eictorians. When she had finished the first, she handed the tape to Kerol, and he did the next. Peyton asked. ‘Have you all got that?’ There was a collective. ‘Yes.’
‘Good proceed.’ Kerol and the Warriors made quick work of tying the prisoners and then dragging all the miners into the hut. Peyton turned as Jarrod, Alexx and Raley returned. Jarrod shook his head. Sadness was a lump in her chest at his gesture.
He and the other two males had two children each in their arms, they were filthy and around three yentas old. It was hard to say if they were Paolo’s children, she hoped they were.
Netta called out. ‘Dinas triage please.’
He moved swiftly from the shuttle, then with one quick look he turned about and rushed back in calling.
‘Patty, my heart, brace yourself.’
Peyton asked. ‘Where is Melody?’
Jarrod said as he passed the two children he carried to a Warrior. ‘She remained with the Prowlers.’
‘Jorge, Marlo and Larson, please go help Commander Melody. Do what you can and ask Commander Melody to come to me please, if she can.’
‘Yes, Star Daughter.’
Pantarr asked Peyton with awe in his voice. ‘Are they all scared of you?’
‘I hope not.’
‘Then why do they do things for you. You don’t hit and growl at them. You are nice and they still want to
do things for you. What do you do to make them do that?’
‘I ask. I have found when you ask someone nicely, they like to do things for you and all these people here are my friends.’
He whispered. ‘Even the ones that fade away?’
‘Especially them.’ She whispered back and heard snickers from within the huts. ‘I like them and I think they like me, so when your friend asks you to do something, you do it if you can. Remember it is always nice to say please and thank you.’
‘I will remember that for when I have my peoples.’
‘You do that, but for now can you please go with Specialist Jarrod and he will tell you how to take care of the ones we could not save.’
‘Star Daughter, I do not know what that means?’
‘I know sweetie, my friend Jarrod will show you. Please remember to speak softly when you talk to him.’
‘As you wish, Star Daughter.’ She smiled at the term he was observing and learning. He left with Jarrod, they used mind-speaking, she monitored for a moment but he was talking softly, so she left them and raised her eyes to Melody’s closed face as she moved from around the hut, anyone looking at her would assume she was angry. Her sisters knew it was hurt that caused that look.
Peyton asked softly. ‘Bad hon?’
Melody gave one sharp nod and asked. ‘What can I do for you?’
‘We need Bacon.’
‘He is far too young for this shit.’
Darby moved with Netta and carefully ran their hands over her back, calming her and letting her know they were there. They desperately wanted to hug her, to help ease her pain, but knew she would never tolerate such a display. For her it would show she was weak. She however accepted the touch of their hands with a small nod. Peyton said quietly. ‘I know but I searched the surface. I cannot penetrate the land mass without hurting Pantarr. The Falears and Prowlers searched, but they cannot find them. Bacon can scent them, then lead the Prowlers through the tunnels. Otherwise we could be here forever and truthfully how long can they have?’
Melody grimaced, then softly said. ‘I know you are right. I don’t like it but I will comm for him to be sent down and when he arrives you can ask, but if he says no, that is it, right?’
‘Of course. I love him too, Melody.’
‘Yeah, I know.’ She moved off a little and comm’d Hawk for Bacon to be brought down. Fanharr stopped by her when she had finished. We will watch him, he will be protected.
‘I know you will.’ Melody said, unhappy about having to ask Bacon to do an adults task. Which she knew had the potential to have a tragic outcome. Unfortunately, she knew they were right. He was amazing at scenting, it was his ability, but still it hurt to have to ask him. She turned back to Peyton and Fanharr, hoping to take her mind off what she was going to ask her boy to do. ‘You both should know Jorge and Jarrod have matches here.’ She indicated the Warriors who were carrying ten emancipated barely alive Prowlers toward the shuttle. Fanharr growled. They are young, not more than twenty. I will rip them a part. To hurt them like this.
Melody looked at Peyton and said. ‘That is more or less how I feel.’
Peyton softly said. ‘Let us ask them about that, before that happens.’
From the direction Jarrod and Pantarr had gone, came a humongous roar of agony and anger that shook the planet. Rage must have frightened Pantarr because everything stilled. The planet seemed to be waiting, and then Peyton realized he was. Quickly she sent him waves of assurance and comfort, and then the planet moved hesitantly again.
Fanharr told them with sadness in her voice. Rage just found the dead. They were all Prowlers.
‘How many?’ Melody asked, her heart hurting for Rage and the dead. No Commander ever wanted to lose any of their Warriors. Rage was no exception.
Eleven. Fanharr told her as Rage roared again and everyone heard him demand of Peyton. They are ours, we seek retribution for what they did to our pride members.
Peyton hung her head and closed her eyes for a moment and sent back. As is your right, Pride Leader.
She then said to Jorge and the others. ‘Take them up to Heather, they are expecting them.’
Jarrod met Jorge at the steps of the shuttle, Jorge cradled a gray Prowler in his arms, sorrow and pride waged a war in his voice as he stated. ‘His name is Tipper. He is mine.’
A Warrior carrying a black as night Prowler in his arms stopped by Jarrod, who placed a hand on the Prowler as he softly told him. ‘I must stay here with our Star Daughter. I will come for you when I return.’
Jorge told him. ‘Jarrod, I will care for him, as if he was my own.’
‘Thank you my friend, his name is Midnight.’ He smoothed his hand over Midnight’s head and told him. ‘Stay with Jorge and Tipper, you will be safe with them and Jorge will tell me if you need me.’
The Prowler sighed weakly as Jarrod stepped back and watched them enter the shuttle. He breathed deeply, clenching his hands tightly into fists as anger and retribution rose up and stained his mind and needar with the taint of death. He could feel the pulse of power that sang in his veins, begging to be released to rain destruction down on those that had hurt his bonded. He fought for composure, fought to reassert his balance, but felt himself slip into the rage that summoned the madness that made them Masters and caused fear wherever they went. There was no reasoning in his mind now, just blind anger.
Then he felt her hand on his back as a soft calm warmth stole through him. He started to feel the waves of comfort as he breathed deeply in and out, his mind calmed, his hands loosened and his heart beat quietly once more. He remained still, letting the feeling of serenity flow through his body into his heart and needar. After a few mins he sighed and let the remaining anger and madness go and felt her softly withdraw her hand.
‘See my Jarrod, you are not a monster, you are just a male that hurts and with that hurt becomes angry.’
He looked at her as he asked. ‘You believe that, after what you just saw and felt?’
She smiled and hugged him. ‘Oh yes, my brother, I really do. The desoul that rides you, rides me also and like you, I refuse to allow it to win. We Jarrod are so much stronger than the rage. We have to be, we need to be, for our needars and hearts, for those we love. That is why my dearle brother you were gifted the Adee, because you are so much more than what those Elders said you were.’
He turned and bowed his head as he said. ‘I will strive every day to believe in me, as you do.’
Peyton smiled as she told him. ‘It’s what I do every day, otherwise our family will just nag us to death.’
Jarrod grinned. ‘That is so.’
THIRTY-EIGHT:
Marlo and his three brothers walked back around from behind the huts and stood waiting to see what she would do with them now. The Star Daughter had not made them return to the ship which surprise them, they assumed when their duty was fulfilled she or the Commanders would kick them out of the way. And truthfully she did not seem to need them, she was surrounded by the Warriors she knew.
Darby casually wandered to where the four Commanders stood, looking around and nodded to them saying. ‘Hey, so weird place, huh?’
Larson smiled. ‘You are correct but remember he is unfinished.’
Darby nodded as she tried to shuffle a little closer to the four. ‘Is it alright, if I stay with you? I am a little unnerved.’
Marlo translated that to mean she was scared. Alexx smiled. ‘We were just about to ask you the same thing.’
Darby’s eyes squinted as she asked, surprised. ‘You are scare… I mean unnerved too?’
Raley shook his head. ‘No, we are feeling a little uncomfortable, as though we are in the way. The Star Daughter hardly needs us. We are new, so have not found our place yet.’
‘Oh, I feel like that all the time or…’ She said. ‘I used to before we came out here, it is better now. So yeah, stay with me and you should know if she did not want you here, you would not be.’
Marlo looked down at her
and said. ‘You will always be safe with us.’
She smiled one of her rare smiles and said. ‘I thank you. I can see why Peyton likes you.’
Marlo smiled at the innocent revelation. Melody called out. ‘Commanders can you please escort Specialist Darby, so she can check their comps’. Darby, do your thing. I would appreciate the planet becoming silent.’
Peyton hurriedly said. ‘Not you Pantarr, Commander Melody meant comp’ silence.’
‘Oh alright, Star Daughter. I like talking.’
‘Good hush now please. Darby, if possible can you find out who the employer was, just in case.’
Jarrod snorted unintentionally and froze for a min, until her voice asked with a smile in its depths. ‘You were saying Specialist Jarrod?’
‘Not a thing Star Daughter.’
She was sure she heard Marlo and his brother’s laugh. ‘Sounded like something?’ She said aside to Melody, who grinned and commented. ‘Males… he probably is allergic to all the dust.’
Darby said with a twinkle in her eyes. ‘It is a known fact, males have way more allergies than females that is what makes us the superior gender.’ She grinned with Melody and Peyton who laughed, the males not so much. Marlo stomped away. ‘Come on Specialist Smarty Pants.’
‘What does that mean?’ Alexx asked Larson who told him. ‘He has no idea. He just heard my Helen call Pepper that.’
‘It means clever dick.’ Marlo snarled back at his brothers.
Raley grinned and asked. ‘Which means?’
Marlo growled loudly. ‘Shut up the lot of you and search the furin building.’
The females laughed harder. ‘He is priceless.’ Peyton cried through her laughter.
‘I do not understand?’ Pantarr said as he looked after the four males.
‘It is alright sweetie, we made a joke and no I am not telling you what joke means right now.’
Marlo and his squad brothers walked over to the hut that had the transmitters on the roof with Honor. After a few mins Larson came out and signaled Darby could enter. They heard her saying. ‘Look at that, now that seems very sophisticated equipment for gators don’t you think?’
