by S. E. Smith
“Just… be careful,” Jesse said.
“We will,” Hunter said before he nodded and they turned away.
“Jesse?” Taylor asked in a low voice from behind her.
“Yes, squirt,” Jesse responded, never taking her eyes off the figures climbing into the transport that would take them down to the planet.
“I’m scared,” Taylor whispered.
“So am I, sweetheart. So am I,” Jesse whispered back, fighting tears as she watched the doors seal the transport area close and the small warship take off.
*.*.*.
“What do you mean there is a situation?” Jesse asked.
She had her back to the room and was looking down at the planet far below. One week had turned to two which was turning into three. The only news she was getting were the little bits and pieces that she was picking up from the warriors around the warship. She knew something bad must have happened when the rooms would grow quiet when she walked in and the warriors stared at her with compassion.
The commanding officer of the Star Raider, Jag, stood stiffly behind her. He had postponed this meeting as long as possible. The only reason he was having it now was because the human female had charged into his personal quarters with one of her sisters in tow and refused to leave short of violence.
“This goes no further. The situation on the planet turned out to be a trap,” Jag finally said. “The Alliance Council is aware of what is going on and we have it under control.”
Jesse turned and wrapped her arms around her waist. Her face was calm, devoid of emotion. She didn’t give a damn that the Alliance council was aware of what was going on. She wanted to know where Hunter, Dagger and Saber were.”
“Where is Hunter?” Jesse asked again.
“I told you, we are taking care of the situation,” Jag said coldly.
Jesse flicked a glance at Jordan who nodded. “I’m not one of your warriors,” Jesse said coldly. “I don’t give a shit about your Alliance, your situation or your need-to-know information. I want to know where my husband is,” she said in a low, menacing voice. She dropped her hands to her side, revealing the long hunting knife she held in the palm of her hand. “I’ll do whatever in the hell I have to do to get him back.”
Jag’s eyes narrowed on the weapon she held. “Are you threatening me, female?” He asked in disbelief. “I could snap your neck at the very least. You’ll be lucky if I just throw you in the detention cell!”
“Where is my husband?” Jesse asked, taking a step closer.
Jag’s eyes flashed with fury. He should have refused to bring these damn alien females aboard his warship. If it wasn’t for the fact that Hunter had claimed this one as his Amate and her sisters were his family, he would have. He did not need this type of disobedience on-board.
“Not that it will do you any good but we lost contact with him and the two warriors with him over a week ago. There was heavy fighting in an outer province. We believe they were captured after they defended several wounded members of the ground force that were being evacuated,” Jag snapped. “Is there anything else you would like to know before I throw your ass in detention until they are recovered.”
Jesse’s face relaxed a little. He had said they were captured, not killed. She could handle that. She could live knowing Hunter was still alive.
“Just one thing,” Jesse said. “Do you know where they are being held?”
Jag’s eyes glanced at the screen up on his desk. Jesse glanced at it and realized it was a map of the city. Her eyes moved back to his before she smiled at him.
“Thank you,” she said. “That is all I needed to know.”
“Good, because your ass is going to be warming one of the detention cells in two minutes,” Jag bit out.
“No,” Jesse said as she waved the knife at him. “In less than thirty seconds, you are going to be dreaming on the floor.”
“What the fuck…” Jag’s eyes widened as Jordan stepped up quietly behind him and pressed the injector into his neck. “You…” His eyes widened as his knees gave out under him and he fell face first into the floor.
“Ouch,” Taylor said, poking her head in the door. “That is going to leave a knot. Did you get the information you wanted?”
“Yeah,” Jesse said as she drew in a shaky breath. “We need to get off this ship before he wakes up. If he was pissed before, he is going to be livid when he wakes. Are you sure you want to do this? It is going to be dangerous and I… I think it would be better if you two stayed here.”
Jordan was already shaking her head. “We’ve already been over this, Jesse. We make our own decisions for now on. We know how dangerous it is. We’ve lived dangerous,” she said as she moved over to the screen and started typing in commands. “If we do this together we have a chance of finding Hunter, Dagger, and Saber.”
Taylor grinned. “Besides, we warned them we’d come get them if they didn’t come back,” she reminded Jesse.
Jesse watched as Jordan’s fingers flew over the tablet in her hand. Her sister had always been good with computers but she had been spending extra time learning the programming on board the ship. It had been Taylor’s idea to go after the guys. Jesse shook her head.
“What’s wrong?” Jordan asked.
“How did I ever get so lucky to have two such wonderful sisters?” Jesse asked in a husky voice filled with emotion.
“I think we are the lucky ones,” Taylor said coming up and wrapping her arms around Jesse’s waist. “Now, are we going to go kick some ass or not? I have an old fuddy-duddy to rescue.”
Jesse snorted as she gave Taylor a quick hug back. “He’s going to strangle you if you keep calling him that.”
“Yeah, but he has to catch me first,” Taylor said cheekily before looking at the unconscious captain of the Star Raider. “Do you think he might be nicer when he wakes if we cover him up and put a pillow under his head?”
“It couldn’t hurt, squirt,” Jesse chuckled. “Just hurry.”
“On it,” Taylor said.
Chapter 14
Jesse blinked when the crate she was in opened and light poured in. She and Jordan had hidden in two supply crates while Taylor had slipped into one of the racks up high. They figured she was smaller and more nimble then they were and could open the crates to let them out.
“We’ve got to hurry,” Taylor said looking over her shoulder at the open platform. “They are unloading and returning for more supplies.”
Jesse bit back a groan as she rolled out of the container. Jordan was rubbing her hip. The crates had been filled with boxes of supplies and the hard edges didn’t make for a comfortable journey, especially as they went through the rough atmosphere.
“Come on,” Taylor said anxiously. “They are really moving things fast.”
“Let’s go,” Jesse nodded. “I’ll go first.”
Jesse peeked around the edge of the transport they were on. Warriors were all shouting and moving rapidly. Explosions could be heard in the distance. Jesse had a sense of déjà vu. She shook it off and jumped from the back of the transport, waving to Jordan and Taylor.
Glancing around, Jesse picked a dark alley that ran along the area where they had landed. With a nod, she took off running as fast as she could. A startled shout behind her showed that they had been seen.
Jesse heard Jordan’s screams coming from behind her. She turned in time to see one of the Trivator warriors wrapping his arms around her. Jordan was fighting to break free but the commotion had attracted additional attention. Jesse felt eyes swivel to where she and Taylor were standing.
“Go,” Taylor said, pressing the backpack she had into Jesse’s hands. “Find Hunter and bring him home.”
“Taylor,” Jesse started to say.
“I’ll lead them away from you, Jesse,” Taylor said with a determined smile. “You’ll have to do this alone.”
“Thank you,” Jesse whispered as Taylor ran out into the open waving her arms.
“Hey, slow pokes!”
Taylor yelled as she ran back to help Jordan.
Jesse turned and disappeared into the dark alley. The years of running and navigating debris quickly came back to her. So did the need to move like a ghost. She slid between some slabs of fallen stone, becoming one with the shadows. She would wait until dark. She lay silently and closed her eyes as she focused on her breathing as the sounds of light footsteps ran past her hiding place.
Jesse concentrated on the items that she had with her to help keep her calm. She had a couple of knives including the one that had belonged to her dad, several cylinders of spray that would hide her scent, water, food, the tablet with the map of city with possible sites where Hunter and the others might be held and some medical supplies. She also had Taylor’s bag now. She wasn’t sure what was in it but if she knew her little sister, it was probably something useful.
Now, she thought as another explosion shook the ground under her, now comes the hard part.
*.*.*
Jordan winced as the bonds holding her hands behind her back tightened. Her eyes moved to where Taylor was sitting. Her little sister looked very young and very scared as the commander of the Star Raider paced back and forth in front of them. Furious didn’t quite express how he was feeling.
“I should...,” he started to say glancing first at Jordan then at Taylor. A low frustrated growl rumbled through the room before he drew in a deep breath. “Where is the other female?” He asked instead, looking at the two warriors standing on each side of the two females.
“She escaped into the city. We haven’t located her yet,” one of the warriors replied.
Jag turned to look at Jordan. “You not only endangered your lives with this stupid little stunt, you’ve endangered the lives of my warriors,” he bit out harshly.
“I’m sorry,” Jordan started to say quietly. “We didn’t mean...” She stopped speaking when the huge warrior in front of her waved his hand, cutting her off.
“I don’t care what you mean or didn’t mean,” he snarled out. “You jeopardized a mission. You endangered lives through your recklessness and you attacked a commanding officer. All those offenses are punishable by prison or death.”
“Then do it,” Taylor said suddenly.
“What?” Jag said, turning to stare in shock at the tiny alien female who barely stood to his chest.
“I said do it,” Taylor whispered before her voice grew louder. “Because if we got the chance to do it again, we would. Do you think we didn’t know we could get killed? Do you think we don’t know what it is like to be hunted or to have bombs exploding around us or people trying to kill us all the time? Do you think we don’t know what it is like to have someone promise to come back but they don’t?”
“Taylor,” Jordan exclaimed in concern. “Don’t...”
Taylor turned to Jordan. Tears poured down her pale cheeks and she began to shake. She shook her head at Jordan. She couldn’t hold it in any longer.
“No, Jordan. It’s the truth. We would do it again and again and again until we brought them home,” Taylor cried. She turned back to look at Jag. “I was eleven years old when your people came to my world. I was in middle school. All I could think about was doing gymnastics and how I was going to get out of doing my homework until you came,” she whispered. “In one day, we lost our dad, our home and everything else we knew. In one day, your people took everything I knew away.”
“Taylor, baby, don’t,” Jordan begged.
“Don’t what? Tell them what it is like to go days without food? What it is like to not be able to sleep because you are afraid someone is going to sneak up out of the dark and kill you, or worse? Do you think I didn’t know what you and Jesse did? How you would take turns giving me your food or go without so I could sleep or at least not be afraid to? Don’t tell them about what those men did to you?”
“Taylor!” Jordan hissed in pain. “Stop.”
Taylor’s face crumpled and she impatiently wiped at it. “We promised them, Jordan. We promised them that we wouldn’t leave them behind. We promised them that we could come after them. They are our family, Jordan, and I’m tired of losing my family. I’m tired of them promising to come home and they never do,” Taylor sobbed. “I’m tired of being scared. I want Hunter and Dagger and... and Saber to come home and I want to feel safe again.”
Jag nodded to one of the warriors to unlock Jordan’s hands so she could go to her younger sister who was silently sobbing. He watched as Jordan pulled the younger girl into her arms and rocked her back and forth, trying to soothe her with soft words of encouragement. Seeing them together, he realized just how young both of them were and how much pain was etched into their eyes. It had never concerned him before the effect of their going to new worlds. They went because it was what was ordered. Now, he questioned the orders.
Was there a better way? He wondered.
“Take them to their quarters and make sure they stay there,” he ordered the two men standing back near the door. “Find their sister,” he added, glancing at Jordan who was watching him. “Get Thunder and his team on finding Hunter, Dagger and Saber. I want them brought back.”
“Thank you,” Jordan said softly.
“Don’t thank me yet,” Jag said roughly. “While we know the general region where they were last reported, it is still a lot of ground to cover.”
Jordan nodded. There was nothing else to say. The commander had already turned his back on them in dismissal. She wound her arm around a now quiet Taylor and followed their guards out. She could only hope that Jesse was safe and having better luck.
Chapter 15
Jesse crawled over another section of fallen stone. She paused to listen before she glanced upward. She might be able to see a little more from up high.
She had been following several strange creatures for the past hour. This was the third day she had been on the planet. The first day had been terrifying. She had to hide numerous times as both Trivator warriors and the strange red-skinned creatures that made up this world danced around each other.
She discovered that most of the residents of the city were thankful for the Trivator’s intervention. The little she had overheard and understood, thanks to the translator that was implanted in her ear, gave her a clearer picture of what was going on.
A group of miners not from this planet had come to work in one of the mines. It would appear they found a cache of valuable gems and decided they wanted to take control of it. When the local residents resisted, they hired a group of mercenaries to come in and take over the local government. They discovered word had already been sent to the council of the Alliance asking for assistance so they had set up a trap to kill whoever came to help the local inhabitants.
Jesse had a lucky break when she had caught a glimpse of two creatures that she suspected were part of the mercenary group. They had hidden across from her when one of the Trivator battle transports flew over. She was about to climb out of her hiding place when a sixth sense told her to wait a few extra seconds. They had darted out of the alley across from her and run by her without ever seeing her.
Jesse reached up and began climbing the uneven wall to the top of one of the low buildings that made up the city. She pulled herself up and over the wall, rolling onto her knees. She was about to stand when a shiver of warning swept over her. Not thinking, she rolled onto her side and aimed the pistol she had found in the backpack Taylor had shoved into her hands at the dark figure standing over her.
“Jesse!” The dark voice hissed in stunned surprise. “What the fuck are you doing here?”
Jesse’s hand dropped and she rolled to her feet in one fluid motion. Not stopping, she rushed the figure and threw her arms around the stunned male’s neck. Thick arms wound around her shaking body and held her close for several long seconds.
“Where is he?” Jesse asked in a low husky voice. “Saber, where’s Hunter?”
*.*.*
Saber pulled Jesse’s body back into the shadows. He winced as he put weight on hi
s injured leg. He had cursed under his breath thinking he had been discovered when he saw the figure coming over the side. One of the locals had been hiding him for the past two weeks after he had been pulled from under a pile of debris following the explosion that had cut them off from the rest of their team.
“What the hell are you doing here?” Saber asked gruffly as he lowered her to her feet so he could shake her. A look of horror crossed his face. “Where are Taylor and Jordan?” He asked hoarsely. “Where are your sisters?”
Jesse’s teeth rattled as he shook her again, this time harder. She spread her palms on his chest to get him to stop. She was exhausted and barely hanging on to her sanity with worry over Hunter.
“They are safe,” she whispered. “At least, I’m pretty sure they are.”
Saber jerked back and slowly lowered himself onto a makeshift bed. “What the hell does that mean? You think they are alright.”
“They were captured as we snuck off the supply transport. Well, Jordan was and Taylor was leading the others away so I could escape,” Jesse replied with a worried frown when she noticed how difficult it was for him to sit down. “Saber, you’re hurt.”
“It’s nothing,” he growled.
“Yeah, nothing causes sweat to bead up on your brow and turn you pale enough to make the moon look like a black hole,” Jesse said, rolling her eyes. “Let me take a look.”
“I said…” Saber bit off as another shaft of pain ran through his leg. “I think the cut is infected. The residents don’t have any medicine to spare.”
“Then it’s a good thing I came along, isn’t it?” Jesse responded softly.
She knelt beside him and gently pulled back the edge of the his pants that were torn. A deep cut almost twelve inches long ran down his leg. The area was hot and swollen and a dark yellowish-green puss oozed from it. Jesse looked up at Saber’s glazed eyes and knew he was running a high fever. She had thought the heat of his skin had been because of the outside temperatures that were near ninety degrees if she had to guess.
