Each time they stopped as they passed through the quadrants, she was left aboard. It was only then, after the third stop, that she realized just how serious he had been about protecting her.
1
Four Months Later
Stars surrounded the ship in an endless field, one that changed only minimally as they traveled through space. Oh, the placement of the stars did shift as they flew from one quadrant to another, but to someone who knew dick about space, it all started to blur together in an unending, unvarying nothingness. They were now on month four of their journey to salvage in an outer alliance system, and it felt like they would never get there.
Terri held back a sigh. There were some impressive sights to be seen, but only if she happened to be on the flight deck, looking out of the viewing screen at the right time. It wasn’t as if the male she mated a few months ago ever alerted her to anything new they were coming across unless it was to tell her to brace for impact, or to hide when someone was hailing his ship.
It was only a couple months ago that just being in space had still been a fascinating adventure to her. It was preferable to the dying world that she had grown up on. When she left the planet with the alien salvager, Veral, she had been excited about what the universe held. Unfortunately, the adventure had already dried up when it became apparent that the male was not only overly protective but territorial to the point that she never got to do anything.
After an unpleasant incident with a male trader the first—and only—time she had been on a space station, she was left locked on the ship with Krono, the enormous canid-like dorashnal, whenever Veral had to disembark. There was a vague promise that she would be able to get out when they got a salvage assignment, but this was the first one that had come up.
His worry was understandable. She got it. Being on the space station just once made one thing really clear to them: with the human species nearly gone and almost unheard of in space, and Terri likely the only one of her species who left Earth, it made her exotic and coveted. She hated it.
After dealing with the gangs on Earth who gleefully kidnapped women, she hadn’t considered that in space she would be dealing with the same issues. Unfortunately, even the slightest interest in her direction drove her overprotective mate murderous. She didn’t pity those who had tracked and attempted to board their ship only days after leaving the space station. As far as she was concerned, they got what they deserved, but it did suck that it resulted in Veral being paranoid about anyone even knowing that she was onboard.
Terri shifted in the seat he had installed near his and glanced at her mate’s profile. The vibrissae that hung from his head like numerous thin, black tentacles made a whispering hiss from their tiny rattlers as they moved around his shoulders. It still amazed her that the huge alien beside her was her mate. Every inch of him was lethal to the core, his cybernetics glowing under his skin adding to the impression, especially when knowing that his cultural norm was to be “advanced” enough that emotional impulses that overrode the cybernetic codes were considered a defect.
She didn’t want to complain of how bored she otherwise was, not when she had changed his life the moment that they mate bonded. All his work to control his emotional impulses so that he wasn’t branded as defective had gone out the window when the intense emotions of the bond had left him helpless to hide them. He knew that his affection, love, and even jealousy—all things she greedily enjoyed—were a death sentence. Because of that, he had given her the choice to stay on Earth.
She could have lived her life in safety in the sanctuary city, but she chose to be with her mate. She willingly chose this life with him. She didn’t regret it—there was really nothing for her on Earth—but she did worry that her decision to accompany him had made his attempts to avoid his people all the more difficult.
He refused to speak of it when she attempted to bring it up, but it had become an uncomfortable point between them. Everything was fine as long as she didn’t mention it, but it didn’t stop her from thinking about it constantly as of late. Even in plotting out their course to check out wreckage on another planet, she had noted that Veral had gone out of his way to burn extra fuel to avoid inhabited zones.
All because of her.
She wasn’t stupid. She knew that eventually they would see more bounty hunters from Argurumal. They already had two who came after them on Earth, and Veral was certain that it was just the beginning. She also knew that he was worried about it, even if he didn’t share his concerns with her. The only thing he allowed himself to vent his grievances about were the males whenever they encroached anywhere near their ship. Though he hated other aliens’ attempts to steal her, he didn’t truly worry about them. Much of his venting was an outlet for his true concern: his people tracking them down. The salvager was their only refuge, and it wasn’t exactly secretive when they depended on taking odd jobs.
At least this time she would get to do some actual salvage work, and she was going to be on a planet! Sure, they made a stop to retrieve furs for an employer, but Veral had insisted she stay inside due to the number of unmated males approaching their ship… and that was before the space station incident. This time, since they were salvaging alone, she would be able to get out. She grinned at the idea of getting to stretch her legs on an alien world. If only they could just speed up the travel time. She’d assumed that they would be there in a matter of days—not months.
“You are restless, anastha,” Veral observed, his mandibles making a soft clicking sound as he examined a schematic blown up on one corner of the viewing screen.
Terri hid a frown. She hadn’t meant to be so obvious.
“I am just eager to get started on our salvager,” she corrected with a small smile.
His eyes turned toward her and narrowed, his mandibles letting out a sharper click. Although her mate wasn’t particularly expressive unless under the influence of strong passion or rage, she had come to notice the subtle nuance of his “you’re full of shit” expression.
“Honestly! Okay,” she conceded after he kept staring. “I may be feeling a bit impatient. I guess I didn’t realize just how long it would take.”
A soft chuff erupted from her mate, his glowing blue eyes warming by degrees.
“Is this not what I told you? There are great distances that have to be traveled when salvaging.”
“I know,” she grumbled. “I just didn’t think it would be that long. Plus I didn’t get to leave the ship with you when you last refueled and restocked our supplies, so it feels like it’s stretching on forever. How many more days are we estimating here, anyway?”
She frowned at the way Veral’s vibrissae quivered in amusement, his lips tugging upward. Her face flushed with embarrassment as she shot him a mild, chastising scowl. It was bad enough that she verged on whining—not that it wasn’t a legitimate observation—but now he was laughing at her.
“Time estimation: eight days until we are in orbit of outpost planet Tignr.”
She cocked her head. “Outpost planet? Does that mean there are people there?”
Veral shook his head, his vibrissae swinging with the movement. “Negative. The outpost planet is on the edge of the Megnax system and could serve as a defensive base if threat ever broached that part of the system.”
“So why haven’t they sent someone out before now? Why contact us if it’s within their own system?”
That alone confused her. From what Veral had told her, professional salvagers were typically employed to retrieve property when it was either too far away or too dangerous to retrieve themselves.
Veral clicked thoughtfully. “The planet is far enough away from their regular trade routes that it is more cost efficient to hire a salvager, especially when retrieving valuable cargo in a potentially hostile environment. A professional salvager is trained to work within parameters that include unknown factors. The royal house is paying well due to these factors.” He paused and hissed. “Recent scans transmitted reveal that the ship i
s estimated to have gone down over area comprised of dense foliage.” He frowned. “Unfortunate.”
Terri’s eyebrows rose. “Why? Do you have something against plants? It sounds like a nice change from the brutal conditions of the desert.”
“It is illogical to suggest that I bear ill-will toward plants,” he scoffed with another chuff. “If you look at the schematics, you can see the issue. Thick plant life indicates the presence of ample amounts of water, which can be problematic with equipment. We will not be able to take the collection units in with us. Thick plant life will not only conceal the wreckage but hamper any recovery. It would have been better if the ship had crashed in the arid band just above the jungle, or in the wasteland zones.”
She couldn’t say that he was wrong, but she also wasn’t going to pretend like she wasn’t happy that they were going somewhere green. Instead, she made a noncommittal sound in her throat as she leaned forward, studying the schematic. As best as she could make sense of it, anyhow. Some of the information she still couldn’t quite make heads or tails of despite Veral’s best efforts.
She was grateful that her mate was teaching her to read the various symbols and markings, but it was slow going and she wasn’t retaining it well. It was maddening! Terri always considered herself reasonably intelligent, and yet she struggled with many of the basics that were common knowledge among the spacefaring races. Her mate’s unflagging patience didn’t make her feel any better. In fact, it made her feel like a useless drain of resources every time he had to reteach her something. She comforted herself that at least she had a broad sense of the topography, even if many of the details were still vague.
Eyeing the schematic of the planet, her attention was drawn to a squared off coastal section that was almost smack in the center of the tropical band.
“That marked area—that’s where we’re going, right?”
“Correct,” Veral replied as he enlarged the area.
Several deep gullies were marked out bordering a long inlet from the sea. She pursed her lips. Ravines could make access a bit more challenging than she was imagining. And the water was plentiful as Veral said.
She licked her lips. “Uh, what are the chances of it being in the water?”
Tromping through shallow water she could handle. Anything more significant…
“Odds of submersion with the water and landmass ratio of the area is approximately sixty-five percent.”
“Oh, fuck. Please don’t let it be submerged,” she prayed to whoever was listening. “I can’t swim, and this would be a really bad time for a crash course.”
Veral grunted, his mandibles quivering slightly, just enough to betray his unease. “It would not be ideal. Argurmas are made to sail over deserts, not to swim,” he muttered.
She raised an eyebrow at him, her curiosity piqued. “Do you know how to swim?”
“The mechanics of it—yes, I have that information. I also have experience in the practical application of those mechanics to propel myself through water when necessary. My ability, however, is unsatisfactory.”
“So if I start drowning, don’t look to you to save my life,” she said. “Got it.”
His head whipped to her, an affronted snarl rumbling in his throat. “I would not allow any harm to come to my mate and offspring. My ability is adequate enough to secure your safety.”
Terri laughed, her hands raised in surrender as her mate vocalized as an exasperated click from his throat, far louder than the subtle sounds made by his mandibles.
“Your humor is questionable, anastha,” he growled, returning his attention to the viewing screen.
A frown pulled at his mouth as he downsized the schematic and enlarged a pulsing mark on their navigation board in the opposite corner. His lips peeled back into a frustrated growl.
“To our quarters. Immediately,” he ordered brusquely as he pushed up from his chair to stride across the deck.
Terri bit her lip. She was once again being sent to her room like useless baggage. “Veral, maybe there’s something I can do to h—”
“To our quarters!” he barked out, his vibrissae rattling as they snapped through the air. They gradually slowed as he focused on her dismayed expression. He swallowed and glanced back at the alert on the navigation board. When he spoke again, his voice was measured once more, though carrying a note of concern. “Anastha, you must return to our quarters… and quickly.”
“We’re supposed to be in this together. Partners and mates, helping each other,” she reminded him softly.
“This is true, and right now you will serve your part by following my directions. An unknown vessel approaches, and I will not chance any harm coming to you. You know where the blaster is. Your job presently is to protect our offspring should anyone board the ship and attempt to harm you.”
He regarded her firmly for a moment before turning once more to his controls, giving his full focus there. She waited, watching him, hoping he might call her back to remain by his side to face this unknown. Any hope that he might fled as his vibrissae began to stir once more in agitation. Kronos looked up from where he lay against one wall and whined, the cluster of vibrissae around his head moving alertly.
Pressing her lips together, Terri nodded and left the flight deck with Krono following close on her heels.
2
Veral narrowed his eyes on the approaching vessel. For the last several minutes, he had been ignoring the comm request from it as his mate made her way to their quarters. He knew she was unhappy with his decision to send her away, and her impatience and restlessness were becoming increasingly more apparent, but it was what was necessary.
He did not trust anyone when it came to her safety. Least of all those who send out emergency hails in the vast stretches of space between habitable planets so close to the system’s fringes.
Linking into his ship’s systems, he tracked Terri as she made her way toward their room at the well-fortified heart of the vessel. Strictly speaking, it wasn’t the official captain’s quarters on the salvager. That was a large room that stretched across the entire front of the vessel beneath the protective shelter of the flight deck. It had once been luxurious, with a vast viewing screen.
When Veral took over the ship, however, being a reasonable and cautious male, he calculated the chances of damage done during an attack even with the protection of the flight deck and found it unsuitable. It had not taken him long to convert three of the smaller crew quarters that went unused near the center along a narrow corridor into one large chamber, and he turned the other room into a storage and work area. It had served him well over the years, and now with a mate on board the past several galactic standard months, he could not think of a safer place for his female.
Autolocking the door behind her, he withdrew his consciousness from the ship and accessed his comm system.
“Open frequency. Respond to hail,” he ordered.
The system complied, and the viewscreen in front of him opened a window that filled the surface with the frowning countenance of the Blaithari. The delicately scaled pink male regarded him hesitantly through gold eyes before bowing and bringing all six of his palms up in supplication, the scarlet crests of his hair arranged in six knots bobbing as he moved. Veral curled his lip at the copious amounts of jewelry dripping from the male. The male was a fool to comm a stranger who might rob him. Even the robe he wore was of the finest quality that spoke of wealth of a station or prestige.
Either a very wealthy trader or a male of a noble house from Blaitharsha.
Veral’s mandibles clicked as he returned the Blaithari’s regard suspiciously. “This is Salvager Vessel 289-Veral. What assistance do you require?” he growled ungraciously.
He could almost sense his mate’s disapproving glance at his immediate hostility and repressed a smile. Terri was a soft-hearted female. She did not understand the necessity and thrill of instilling fear into one before they got it into their heads to do something unwise.
The Blaithari cl
eared his throat nervously. “Greetings, Salvager Veral. I thank you most graciously on behalf of Oulia and Motang, the benefactors of…”
“These details and thanks are unnecessary,” Veral interrupted, his vibrissae twitching more aggressively around him. “What assistance do you require?”
“Yes, of course… I… that is…I, Egbor of House Torg’bornor formally request emergency transport to Zarcruga.”
“No. I will transport you to Janilik. It will put me two days off schedule, but it is within my means.”
Egbor gaped. “But that is not where I need to go! I am to settle into an agreement on Zarcruga, not Janilik. I am already behind schedule.”
“Then get on your long-range comm and find someone else to assist you,” Veral replied coldly. “Zarcruga is behind me, and I do not have the time or inclination to backtrack many days to transport you. You can repair your ship and continue on to Zarcruga from Janilik. Your business on Zarcruga is no concern of mine.”
The male looked around at the males nearest him as if seeking some support. Veral’s lips quirked as he took note that not one of them took their master’s side against him. The male wilted as he faced Veral once more.
“We are left with no choice. Our life support systems barely have enough power and are in rapid decline. We do not have the power to send a long-rage comm. It is only fortunate that we managed to bring our ship to a stop when the thrusters went offline rather than sail beyond the regular trade routes. There are only five of us who require lodgings upon your ship…”
Pirate's Gold (Argurma Salvager Book 2) Page 2
