Daegan

by Veronica Scott

  He’d whiled away the long hours of waiting making leisurely love to his mate in their makeshift bedroom, later playing cards with her and the other soldiers in the central meeting room, taking a turn at guard duty and catching a few naps. Flo spent a few hours locked in intense conversation with Darik’s MARL12 unit but he didn’t press her to explain what they’d been discussing, figuring she’d tell him in her own good time.

  Finally the storm moved off and the flyers from the north were due to arrive any minute. Daegan could sense how nervous Flo was to face the other Alpha now she’d mated with him and permanently left the other man’s extended pack. He squeezed her hand in reassurance. If this Aydarr was as exceptional as everyone seemed to think, he’d have no trouble with Flo giving her loyalty to her mate.

  The first flyer set down and soldiers deployed efficiently as the craft took off again immediately. Daegan approved. Best not to take the risk of being caught with their meager air force on the ground. The second ship landed and the hatch opened slowly. The man who could only be this Aydarr came down the ramp, his mate beside him and the surprisingly large silvery AI floating slightly behind her. A massive enforcer walked behind them. Daegan sized the enforcer up, well aware the warrior was doing the same to him.

  I could take him. It wouldn’t be an easy fight but I’d beat him and he knows it.

  Shifting his focus to the Alpha again, Daegan felt an anxious part of his Badari soul relax as he recognized and accepted the dominance level of the man approaching him. If they ever fought, Daegan would come close to winning but never achieve victory. He doubted any other Badari on the planet could take Aydarr down, so strong was the Alpha aura surrounding the other. Knowing they’d never come to blows was a relief. He could follow this man and respect him, but not bow to him, not swear the blood oath of a vassal Alpha. He could maintain his own separate pack and lead it as he saw fit. His own level of inborn dominance was only narrowly behind Aydarr’s, or so his instincts insisted. The other could rule the planet and he could rule his southern hemisphere, for such was the dream in Daegan’s heart.

  All this occurred in an instant of time but Daegan, Aydarr and all the other Badari present knew the order of things and settled down.

  Aydarr was extending his hand and Daegan stepped forward to clasp forearms with the Alpha as warriors do. “I’m pleased to meet you,” Aydarr said. “Congratulations on your mate bond.” His warm glance took Flo in as well as he made the comment before introducing the woman at his side with palpable pride. “This is my mate, Jill Garrison.”

  Jill looked nothing like Flo but the two women shared the indefinable air of being warriors in their own way, tough and determined. He shook hands with her, having been coached by Flo earlier in the afternoon.

  “My enforcer, Mateer.”

  The huge man acknowledged the introduction politely.

  “My enforcers are locked in cells on the island,” Daegan said. “I look forward to freeing them and letting them and the rest of my pack loose on the Khagrish.” He directed his attention beyond Aydarr as a third and a fourth flyer landed, disgorging their passengers. He stiffened in outrage. “You send your cubs to war?”

  Aydarr didn’t avert his gaze from Daegan’s face, keeping his own impassive, although Daegan held steady against the undeniable weight of the other Alpha’s power pushing on him in response to the challenge. “No, although even the young must learn the way of things eventually to survive in this world but we don’t send boys to fight. This is Yonn, alpha-born of our Generation Eleven and he’ll be far away from the combat zone, with bodyguards. He’s here to assist with your cubs and cadets when we evacuate them.”

  Yonn reached Aydarr’s side and nodded politely to Daegan, although he gave Flo a big grin. “I’m proud to play any role in this historic operation,” he said, extending a hand to Daegan. “Aydarr thought it would be reassuring to your cubs to have me among them.”

  As they clasped arms, Daegan received a wave of power from Yonn, young and fiercely wild, even a bit undisciplined, but he understood it wasn’t meant as a challenge. The alpha-born was excited, a bit frightened and quite determined to carry out his part in rescuing the island Badari. He was worried Daegan might interfere with this first huge assignment he’d been given. In spite of himself, Daegan smiled. “I appreciate any and all help in getting my people to freedom. Welcome to the islands.” Looking at Aydarr, he added, “I’ll detail two of my men to travel with Yonn and the cubs as well, so my young have familiar faces nearby.”

  “Shall we go inside and have Kierce and Gabe give us a final briefing?” Aydarr said. “I’m anxious to get this action underway. We don’t want to spend too much time on the ground here.”

  “MARL’s already blocking the Khagrish comms channels from here to the north,” Jill said as the AI beside her became a shining blue and green color. “The clock is ticking.”

  Flo lagged a few steps behind as the others stepped inside for a rapid-fire briefing. She and Yonn exchanged greetings and Daegan heard real affection in their voices, which pleased him. His mate was respected at all levels of the other pack, which is as it should be for she was an exceptional person.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  The plan was to go in right after sunset, based on the timing of the last few storm squalls and the superior night vision of the Badari. The flyers dropped the soldiers off on a deserted beach to the west of the lab complex as planned and the various teams dispersed to accomplish their specific assignments. Flo was in her usual state before action—calm but hyperalert, reflexes hair trigger. She was intensely aware of Daegan by her side and a little thread of worry crept into her mind. She’d never gone into combat with someone she loved before. Buddies sure, and close friends, but never a lover, much less a mate.

  He gave her a tight smile and she relaxed. I’ve got your back.

  Likewise. He was a deadly warrior and so was she and so were all the men and women around them. Their duty to fight to the best of their ability and rely on the Lords of Space and the Great Mother to keep them safe. Normally she’d be flying one of the ships, hovering above, out of view as yet but ready to strafe the complex as well as to engage any Khagrish flyers escaping into the air, not that any ever had. Aydarr’s forces were too efficient to allow any Khagrish to come close to escaping the closing pincers of their attacks.

  My new reality, better get used to it.

  She’d done ground combat assignments on occasion during her stint in the Sectors Special Forces and had no trepidation about her abilities under direct fire.

  She did like being on the telepathic wavelength with the Badari, instead of having to wait for updates on the comlink. She and Daegan were in charge of liberating his men so she checked her belt one more time to verify she had the neurocontroller device and could remove the damn bracelets. A different team was tasked with freeing the cubs and cadets and getting them to safety outside the lab. Their evacuation to the north was to occur immediately so even if this operation failed, the next generations would be free and safe.

  MARL had done his thing, taking over the computer systems running the lab. Nothing so sophisticated as artificial intelligence here and none of Jill’s handy backdoors in the software but MARL was ridiculously arrogant about his superior powers. Once again he proved his talk wasn’t idle boasting, as he negotiated with and then took over the rudimentary core intelligence of the local system. The Khagrish were never good with such things and even less so at this secret lab. Must have missed a few updates along the way. She grinned as she moved with her team of assaulters, slinking along the edge of the building, heading for the entrance. The Khagrish wouldn’t know what hit them because right now all they were seeing on their vids and in their systems was what MARL wanted them to see.

  The alien AI opened the back door to the barracks she was assigned to and the squad moved inside, checking their corners and flowing smoothly through the corridors. She and Daegan stopped at the first cell, where Ivokk and the other soldi
ers in this pod stood waiting eagerly. The rest of the Badari moved around them, continuing to the next cell, with a small hunter/killer team heading for the security guard at the front entrance.

  MARL switched off the force field at the front of the cell and Daegan stepped inside, Flo right behind him. She began removing the bracelets and Daegan handed out weapons from the sack he was carrying over his shoulder. The operation was quick and quiet, although joyous greetings sounded in her head.

  The newly armed soldiers formed up with Daegan and her at the head of the column and they moved back into the corridor, skipping the next cell where a team of Aydarr’s was nearly done releasing the second pod, and entering the third.

  Guards confirmed down. The building is ours. Sarl’s report was concise.

  Guards eliminated here as well, said Kierce from the building where the young Badari were held. Commencing evacuation.

  Flo felt Daegan relax a fraction. The safety of his cubs and the older boys was high on his list of concerns. She worried about them but she was also worried about the human women. Her team still wasn’t sure what building the women were in.

  The mass of freed Badari and the infiltration team exited the building and moved efficiently toward the main barracks where the Khagrish security forces were housed, which was expected to be the primary target. The somewhat more upscale building where the scientists and lab techs lived was secondary.

  Daegan was in the lead, next to Kierce, and Flo was on their six as they surrounded the guard barracks, waiting for the signal from Aydarr signifying the forces at the secondary target were in place. He and Jill had taken a team to the main admin building and already dispatched the Khagrish there. MARL was now harvesting the data from the huge computer bank, after which the building would be destroyed to prevent anyone else from accessing the information.

  This is all too smooth, too easy, Flo said privately to Daegan.

  No sooner had the concern crossed her mind than there was the sound of blaster shots fired and yelling. An alarm blared in the night and the lights went on in the targeted buildings before MARL cut them from his spot in control of systems.

  Emarron and three of his cronies decided to cast their lot with the Khagrish, may they rot in hell, said Rokhan on the broad Badari band, as shots continued to flash through the night. The guards at the scientists’ residence are dug in.

  Here at the barracks as well, Daegan said, although anyone could see from the weapons fire both outgoing and incoming that a battle was well underway. Are the rebels dead?

  Yes. Rokhan’s voice was uncompromising. I doubt we’ll have any more traitors, not now. Two of our men are down, the healers are attending to them.

  Flo shook her head, concentrating on the fight at hand. She targeted the window from which shots were coming and the next time there was a burst, she rose as soon as the bolts flew and fired once. There was a scream and no more shooting from that spot.

  The battle was fluid and shifting and she focused on her part in it. At one point the guards managed to establish snipers on the roof of their barracks and one of Aydarr’s flyers came over at a low altitude and wiped the nest of shooters out, but not before several more Badari were wounded.

  Pull back! Pull back —the enemy is going to blow up the building!

  The alert came barely before the sound of the entire barracks and the building next to it both detonating in a huge ball of red fire which shook the ground. Flo was dimly conscious of Daegan throwing himself on top of her to act as a living shield as debris and shrapnel flew in a deadly rain.

  Bastards would rather die than be in our hands, Aydarr said in her head on the general telepathic link. Leaders report on injuries.

  Her ears were ringing and she couldn’t hear actual noises too well. Daegan pulled her to him and began rapidly checking her over for any injuries. I’m fine, she said mentally. How about you?

  Not too bad, took a few hits but I’m healing already. Do the Khagrish usually kill themselves when Badari attack?

  “They fight to the death,” she said, testing her ears and relieved to hear her own voice, even if it sounded like her head was stuffed with cotton.

  “They’re so frightened of what they created—us—they can’t even contemplate we might be honorable to our prisoners,” Mateer delivered his assessment as he and his squad joined them.

  “Do you suppose Nyddfalorr was in there?” Flo asked. “And—and the women?”

  “Not likely,” Daegan answered before the enforcer could speak. “He wouldn’t have had the guts.”

  “So then where is he and where are the women?” Flo was getting frustrated.

  The techs are dead, reported Kierce. They drank poison rather than face us. Barricaded themselves in a medlab and suicided.

  Nyddfalorr’s communicating, Aydarr said. I need you two to join me in the admin building.

  Guessing he’d spoken only to her and Daegan, Flo turned and hastened toward the building he’d specified, where Jill and MARL were collecting data. Her mate was right on her heels as she entered the lobby, rushing past heavily armed Badari on high alert.

  Aydarr strode from the corridor leading into the depths of the building. “Nyddfalorr wants safe passage for himself, his pilot and a lab tech. He’s holding the women hostage and says he’ll kill one every fifteen minutes until we meet his demand.” Aydarr focused on Flo. “He’s already killed one woman and thrown the body out the door, to prove his resolve. He also wants a Badari hostage to take with him.”

  “I’ll go.” Daegan’s statement was instantly offered in a tone leaving no room for argument. “It’s my responsibility as Alpha here.”

  “Obviously we’re not going to allow him to escape the island,” Aydarr said, nodding to acknowledge Daegan’s having volunteered. “But I want him and his two companions out in the open, away from the women. I’ll have snipers in position.”

  “He might have booby-trapped that building as well,” Flo said.

  Aydarr agreed with her assessment. “I think we have to assume he did, yes. We’ll get the women out as rapidly as we can once Nyddfalorr has exited.”

  “I’m going in with you,” Flo said.

  Daegan’s jaw clenched and his eyes glowed hot. “No.”

  “Remember my superpower with the force barrier? Well, allow me to show you what else I can do.” She concentrated hard on what the MARL12 unit had told her about how it perceived the world when casting the disruption shield around itself and anyone nearby. The back of her neck ached but from the startled expressions of her companions, she knew she’d managed to become effectively invisible. “It’s the MARL implant,” she said. “I’ll go in right behind you, in this mode and shoot him. He won’t be expecting an ambush like this.” Flo let go of the shield and her knees buckled a bit.

  “Amazing,” Aydarr said, eyes narrowed. “Why don’t I send in MARL12 to create the disruption shielding and three soldiers instead of risking you?”

  “Because that’s a lot of people when Nyddfalorr will be watching like a hawk for a double-cross. He might sense something. I’ll go in behind Daegan—less chance for anything to go wrong with a one woman invisible army.”

  “I hate to say it but she’s right.” Aydarr turned to Daegan. “She’s in your pack, you decide.”

  “I may be your mate, but this is a strictly military situation,” Flo said, a little incensed at the implication she thought Aydarr was making, that he wouldn’t give an order to Daegan’s mate. “I can do this and we end the standoff a lot more quickly and safely.”

  He looked as if he wanted to argue but she knew and he knew it was a sensible idea. I hate to risk you. His message was private but out loud he said, “We’re wasting time—tell Nyddfalorr I’m coming in and don’t tell him Flo is coming too.” He managed a tight grin.

  He’s killed a second hostage, Mateer said, rage boiling in his mental ‘voice’.

  We’re sending Daegan now. Tell the scientist there’ll be a small flyer waiting at the edg
e of the landing field. Aydarr’s fangs and talons were on full display. Flo believed he felt the deaths of the human women as deeply as he’d regret any casualties on their side today. But the Alpha wouldn’t take any comfort from her. From Jill maybe but his own mate had to stay with MARL, because the alien AI refused categorically to leave Jill’s side for any reason. If Aydarr wanted all the data, which he did, Jill had to remain in one spot.

  Nyddfalorr says put Daegan into force binders, and send him in naked so the Khagrish can see there are no hidden weapons. Now Mateer’s voice rang with disgust.

  “He seeks to humiliate me even at this moment,” Daegan said, “But it won’t work. Such tactics have never worked on us but the Khagrish don’t seem to understand we know our own worth.”

  Aydarr escorted them to the defensive perimeter Mateer had established to contain the enemy presence in the annex where the scientist had taken refuge with the women. Flo was astounded the Alpha would leave Jill behind, even as heavily guarded as she was, but took it as a sign of respect from him for what she and Daegan were going to attempt.

  While her mate shed his clothes and allowed Mateer to fasten the force binders on his wrists behind his back, Flo peered at the two pitifully crumpled bodies outside the entrance and swore. From this distance, in the dark, she couldn’t tell who the victims were but she had to work hard to get a grip on her fury.

  “Ready?” Aydarr asked her.

  “As I’ll ever be.” She reached for the invisibility, ‘bending’ the light waves around her much as she’d manipulated the threads of the force barrier. She was going to have one hell of a headache after this but she refused to let her mate go into the grasp of the Khagrish without backup. Without her. Anything less was unacceptable and not happening.

  “We’re sending in the hostage you requested,” Mateer yelled. “Don’t shoot him.”

  Daegan walked toward the entrance and Flo stayed right behind him, careful to be lost in his shadow cast by the light of the moons so she didn’t cast one of her own. The portal slid open as he approached and he stepped inside the room, Flo practically treading on his heels to be sure she made it inside.