by Keri Kruspe
“Right now he’s focusing on Earth,” Chloe chimed in. “And guess what Earth has in abundance compared to the rest of the galaxy?”
“Human females?”
“Ding…ding…ding! Give the boy a gold star!” She rested her glorious breasts on the tabletop as the discussion heated. “Think of it. If the Chancellor has sole possession of us valuable human women, he’d have free rein throughout the galaxy. We’re the only thing between several species facing extinction or keeping their race alive.” The human’s warm rich face became flushed with an orange-red glow, highlighting her anxiety.
Now the sordid plot formed in his mind. “Are you trying to tell me the Chancellor wants to conquer Earth solely to monopolize the human females? To take control of the galaxy?”
“We don’t have proof…yet…but we think that is the main reason.” Aylzrunth joined the conversation. “What better way to make the nine systems go along with anything he does when they are under that threat?” He gave D’zia a piercing glare. “You Zerins have no need for the human females, so the only thing that will affect you is to put a huge dent in the profits you earn with the Exchange.” The disgust couldn’t be clearer on the male’s face and fisted hands.
What the Runihura said might be technically true, it still made D’zia flush at the unfair accusation. They never took a female who wasn’t willing to go. Since he’d been in charge of the human women on the StarChance, he had a unique insight into the ones who participated. If the Chancellor used his MindWipe weapon on Earth, he could turn the planet into a breeding farm of mammoth proportions. The humans would lose their free will and they’d never be viable citizens of the Consortium with all the protections that entailed.
That was assuming the Consortium survived the latest threat to its democracy. The Chancellor had a reputation of being a narcissist, but D’zia knew a raging sociopath when he saw one. “Is there any way we can take it from him?” That would be all the proof he’d need for Qay and the Council. If nothing else, if the weapon worked, he’d rather the Zerin royal family had it instead of the unstable Chancellor.
“Dream on.” Chloe snorted. “We’ve only uncovered the proposed plans, not the actual device. I’m doing some digging to see if I can locate where it is.”
Danka shit! He had to get a copy of those plans. “I don’t suppose you’ll share what you’ve got, eh?”
Shysutá shrugged a shoulder, as she tapped her lower fingers on the tabletop. “Maybe. Let’s discuss, how do you humans say it?” She checked Chloe for confirmation.
The pretty human answered with a decisive nod. “Quid pro quo.”
The Merkaba nodded. “Yes, quid pro quo.” She brought her attention back to D’zia. “You give us something and in return, we’ll do the same.”
Shysutá changed one of the holographic screens to a 10-15 isolated from the other ones in a cavernous hangar. “This ship is spaceworthy, but for some reason, the Erkeks have moved it away from the others. Interestingly enough, there’s a lot of unusual activity surrounding it.” She glanced around the room before her deep violet eyes were staring into his with laser-like scrutiny. “They’ve posted a large number of guards, but we think this is your way off Naraka. So, Duke, all you have to do is grab this ship and head out to FiPan to get your TrueBond.”
He returned her stare. “Let me get this straight. You want me to stroll in, steal a heavily guarded ship, and hope they don’t notice when I take off into space with it?”
Her head tilted and she gave him an evil smile. “Oh no, my doubting Duke. We want them to notice. You see, while they’re focused on you, the rest of us will set off the explosives we’ve planted to blow the tragroler shit out of this place.” She sat back with a satisfied smirk. “Of course, we’ll do that after we’ve grabbed some of those ships for ourselves.”
“You want me to be your bait?” D’zia’s eyebrows raised in surprise. What did he expect? Who’d ever heard of assassins volunteering to help anyone out of the goodness of their hearts?
“Yeah.” A pleasurable grunt came from the Runihura. “All the risk is on you and not the rest of us. Have you ever heard of a more perfect plan?”
“Don’t get out much, do you?” D’zia snapped. He turned to the Merkaba as the dark male next to him chuckled. The eztli’s ass was too stupid to be offended. “Shysutá, with all due respect, how do you propose I get their attention and get away with a ship at the same time?”
There were snickers all around before he finished the question.
“What?” Now he was irritated. He had no trouble laughing at himself, but he’d rather be in on the joke.
“Oh, don’t mind them, honey,” Vovin the Nrgwenya waved her delicate hand to include the table. “Don’t you worry none, we’ll watch over you.”
He snorted. “Okay…am I going to be in on the plan or not?”
“Look, Zerin,” the Sismall’s sharp snout twitched as his whiskers wiggled when he talked, “don’t worry. All ya gotta do is break into the hangar where this ship is and we’ll take care of the rest.”
“Once you get there, it will trip the alarms and divert attention your way, for just a few clicks, mind you.” Vovin continued the story. “We’ll be right behind you, sort of, with each of us at intermittent ships we intend to…ah…relieve them of.”
“Best of all, we’ll plant these babies all around the compound, goin’ off…at the same time.” Hard to believe a rock species like the Felsblock could smile. Garstig pulled it off, exposing block teeth as he opened a knapsack to show the explosives nestled within.
Holy maggoty hell, he had enough explosives to blow the entire planet apart.
“If you use all that, we won’t have to worry about anything because we’ll all be reduced to space dust.” D’zia snorted. He leaned back and planted his feet on the floor as he crossed his arms.
“Again, don’ you worry, Zerin,” Garstig closed and patted the sack with affection. “I’s got it all under control.”
Goddesses save him from overconfident aliens.
“So this is all going happen at the same time?” It might work. If the AoA team waited before they set off blasts around the compound. The confusion might buy them all enough time to escape with their ships.
“What about their communications. You’ve got that taken care of as well?”
“Oh ye of little faith!” the human Chloe quipped. She raised her right hand over her heart. “Of course I do.”
He remembered none of the details about Chloe from when she came on board the StarChance. Even so, her claim surprised him. He didn’t think any of the humans who’d boarded the StarChance had the technical talents she boasted.
She narrowed her eyes and glared at him. It didn’t take long for her to defend herself. “What? I’m an expert in computer communications on Earth and one of the best hackers in North America. Ya got a problem with that?”
“No. But I admit I’m really, really impressed,” D’zia confessed. “I don’t remember any of the human females we brought on board who had that ability. I’m surprised we never discovered that about you.”
“Hello!” She waved her expressive hand back and forth. “Did you not hear me say I was a professional?” She snorted. “I knew the minute someone accessed my e-Reader. I have to tell you, your people were sloppy and arrogant. Maybe sometime I’ll show you what you carelessly missed.” She gave a sniff of dismissal.
“Okay, but what about getting the proof we need regarding what’s going on here?” Getting Lora back was the top priority, but he still had to figure a way to get what he needed against the Chancellor. It didn’t hurt to ask.
“Lord, why does this boy not hear me?” Chloe put her fists on her voluminous hips and glared around before her expression hardened in his direction. “I’ve got that covered as we speak. Right now, I have a worm in their system. It’s gonna finish in an hour and we’ll have all the information and proof we need.”
“And when are you going to share that with me?”
“Now, now Duke, don’t you worry your pretty little head about that.” Shysutá smirked. She made a weak attempt to reassure him with words, but her nose in the air told another story. “You’ll get it in due time.”
D’zia took in a deep, frustrated breath. Trying to get them to share their info would be a nightmare. Then again, what choice did he have? It’s not as if he could say no. He had nothing to bargain with. Plus, he had a good chance to get one of those ships.
“Okay.” He relaxed in the uncomfortable, hard chair. “Not that I don’t have any choice but to suck it up, right?” His chest lightened at the confused expressions around the table. Yes, using Earth slang had its purpose. Apparently, his meaning was clear to Chloe who gave a condescending snicker.
“Good, I’m glad to hear you’re on board.” Shysutá sat back with an attitude of confidence.
D’zia didn’t doubt she was confident since she held all the cards…another human slang phrase he liked. “Yes, Rouva.” He gave a slight head bow in respect. His body tensed. He’d do anything to get Lora back. All he had to do was not die first.
* * *
LORA
Lora took in her surroundings, and rubbed her bottom where the hard landing stung. Tall mirrors around her gave an eerie image of her infinite forms patting herself. Hmm, she squinted at herself. While the tousled hair look might make a comeback…on her…not so much. She resembled a crazy homeless person, complete with ratty hair, a limp and dirty jumpsuit, and unattractive puffy eyes.
“You still there, JR11?” she asked in silent communication to her AI companion while she let her arms hang at her sides.
“Yes, thank you,” the soft voice replied.
A whooshing sound startled Lora as one of the mirror doorways dissolved. It was an open invitation to enter a room highlighted in shadows.
“Please enter, Lora Dharma Callahan,” a feminine metallic voice intoned. “Sit, refreshments are provided. The master will be with you momentarily.”
Lora took her time going to the open the doorway to peek inside. The room was comfortable enough, furnished with plump cushions around a low table in the center. The table was laden with various dishes, some with fragrant steam curling up to perfume the air.
Lora’s stomach rumbled its protest. Her last meal had been the night before. She might be starving, but this girl wasn’t about to trust some unknown alien. With light steps, she entered the room as the mirror evaporated behind her. With the doorway gone, claustrophobia choked her. There wasn’t another door or window to make an escape. Great, another prison cell.
Swallowing hard, she walked father inside. There wasn’t much to see, only a ring of fluffy pillows carelessly strewn under the round table bearing refreshments. The walls had no corners and were made of some type of warm walnut that matched the floor. She loved how the seamless wood interwove together a single piece. There were no seams or variations on the grain of the wood to hint otherwise.
What she couldn’t figure out was where the warm glow that lit the room came from. It was as if the pores of the wood were luminous, even along the edge of the floor. A warm breeze whispered over her bare arms. The warmth settled the slight shiver she wasn’t aware she had. The effect was comfortable and welcoming.
The cushions on the floor were in a myriad of deep, rich natural colors, matching the cozy theme. The same wood as the walls made up the table, which stood on short, sturdy legs with swirls and etchings engraved up and down the posts. She wasn’t an art expert, but she’d bet anything the details on the table had been done by a professional hand.
Lora chose a billowy, charcoal-colored pillow to sit on. She was thankful when the cushion conformed to her backside with easy support. It reminded her of the chairs aboard the StarChance. Damn, those chairs in the teaching room had been comfortable enough to sleep in. She was bone-tired, but sleep was the furthest thing from her mind. No matter how welcoming the room and food appeared to be, she wasn’t about to forget where she was and who she had to meet—The Dread Pirate Maynwaring.
Jeez…Dread Pirate. Again, the name made her want to chuckle at its absurdity, but she wasn’t stupid enough to believe an Earth reference had any relevance to her situation. At least kidnapped by the pirate was far better than being at the mercy of crazy Dr. Numb Nuts.
At least she hoped so.
The cushion was comfortable, but she sat ramrod straight and refused to relax. It might be torture to sit in front of the tempting food, but who was to say the food wasn’t a trap? Hmm, maybe JR11 could examine it for her…she was about to ask when a section of the wall dissolved.
Standing in the doorway was a figure covered by a long, black billowing robe from head to foot. It resembled a burka back on Earth, except it had no slit for eyes. The long sleeves covered the arms up to the gloved hands with six fingers. In the palms of this mysterious, ah, person, lay a glowing orb. The colors fluctuated and swirled as they rolled together but never mixed.
Lora stood. She never took her eyes away from the approaching figure. She’d rather face a problem on her feet rather than on her butt. Holy shamoka, why was she always on her butt when the bad guy walked in?
The figure stopped a few feet in front of her. It was a couple of inches taller than her five feet two inches. Wait…this couldn’t be the Dread Pirate…could it? “Who are you?” Lora kept her tone cool while inside twisty knots wreaked havoc in her stomach. She clasped her hands behind her back to hide their shaking.
“Do not worry, we will get to introductions soon.” A metallic voice came from inside the glowing ball, the colors reacting to the words. The eerie sound was clear as it echoed throughout the small room. It was weird how the covered figure hadn’t moved an inch since it stepped out from the transportation mirror. Lora guessed it could be another android or robot. The movements were too stilted and stiff to be an organic being.
“We know you must be starving and tired. Please sit and enjoy the food in front of you.” The figure holding the ball swiveled stiffly with the orb in hand to include the food-laden table in an open invitation.
Okay, now she was confused. Should she stand here like an idiot or sit like a passive moron? Choices…choices. Maybe it was best to sit. If nothing else, she was tired and her feet hurt.
“Please, eat,” the orb entreated her again. “We assure you, the food is healthy and tasty. Trust us, if we’d wanted to harm you, poison would be our last option.”
Lora was nothing if not stubborn. “JR11,” she talked to the little bot with their internal communication, “what do you think? Can I eat the food?”
“I’m afraid I cannot help you with this, Miss Lora,” the tiny voice replied. “I would have to sample the food first and I don’t think you want my presence known.”
“True.” Lora agreed and didn’t touch the food.
“Come now, please eat. We assure you, we mean no harm.” Again with the persistent nudging.
“Are you the Dread Pirate Maynwaring? Why am I here?”
The orb ignored her first question and answered the second one. “You’ve been brought here to answer some pertinent questions.”
Considering she didn’t have a choice, she nodded. “Okay. What do you want to know?”
“Why were you on the Chancellor’s prison barge?”
Well, a harmless enough question. “Because the rat-bastard had me kidnapped in the middle of the Exchange and gave me to a sadistic fuck for experiments.”
“Why did he want to experiment on you?”
Lora shrugged. She hated to admit her ignorance, but she answered as she let her hands drop to her lap. “I have no idea. He told me he needed me to ‘help him take over the galaxy’, whatever that meant.” She used air quotes.
There were a few moments of silence. Lora got the impression she’d surprised him with her statement. “What was the name of this ‘sadistic fuck’ who wanted to experiment on you?”
“He told me his real name, but all I can remember is Dr. Numb Nuts,” s
he admitted to her strange companion. “He was an ugly green creep, that’s for sure.”
In the center of the table, a holographic picture hovered above the food. “Is this him?”
As if he was in front of her, the image of the creepy doctor stood there. It was so lifelike she wanted to kick him in the balls and enjoy watching him double over in agony. “Yeah, that’s him all right. Tall, green and puke ugly.”
“Interesting.” Again, there were a few moments of silence after the image faded away. “And you have no idea why?”
“No, I think they were going to take me to his secret lab somewhere around here.” She shuddered with remembered pain. “He did some preliminary tests before we left the palace, though. That was bad enough, and I can tell you I wasn’t looking forward to any more of his tender lovin’ care.”
She glared at the figure in front of her. “Okay, now that I’ve answered some of your questions, it’s my turn.” Although she doubted her pleas would go anywhere, she had to try. “I’ve got to get out of here as soon as possible. My TrueBond is on a prison pod heading toward a possible death sentence. I’ve got to go and get him.”
The orbs colors swirled tighter as if in reaction to her statement. “And what does that have to do with us?”
“Okay, I get it. You’re a pirate and you want money. What if I told you my TrueBond could pay you a lot of money…er…or whatever you use for currency around here.” She was so worried about D’zia her anxiety choked her. “But we’ve got to hurry because if he reaches the Chancellor’s palace all bets are off!” The last word came out in a high pitch.
Great way to play it cool, diphead.
“This is an opportunity we might consider.” The orb pulsated in a slower pattern. “What is the name of this person you seek?”
Caution reared its ugly head. “If I tell you, what guarantee do I have you’ll work with me and not against me in retrieving him? Not to mention letting us go with no strings attached.”
The barked laugh that came out of the orb made her stomach drop. Shit, she hoped she hadn’t made things worse.
