by S. E. Smith
“Except us,” Dagger muttered, looking around the room. “So, where does that leave us?”
Razor turned his gaze to the small group of men. “Behind enemy lines,” he replied grimly.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Saber gazed around him with a new appreciation. Ajaska Ja Kel Coradon’s fantastical story that began in the past and moved to the future before returning to the present was difficult to wrap his mind around. The Kassisan refused to give any other details about the supposed ‘ship’ or the warrior who piloted it. All he would say was that some things were best left unexplained.
Saber wasn’t sure if he agreed with the Kassisan, but deep down, he knew the male was speaking the truth. There were just too many facts that he knew, and was able to prove when he shared recent Intel that Razor and Hunter were able to confirm as being accurate.
“What do you think?” Dagger asked, matching his stride.
“That we’d better be prepared,” Saber finally said. “The combined forces of the Waxian and Drethulan forces do not concern me. Our military is four times the size of theirs and we are better trained. Neither one of those species has ever had a military force under one rule because they are too busy either killing each other or looking for credits.”
“Until now,” Dagger pointed out, folding his arms across his chest. “The fact that they are both working together here on Dises V shows something is not right.”
“Until now,” Saber agreed, looking at Dagger when he suddenly touched his arm. “What’s wrong?” he asked when he saw the serious look in Dagger’s eyes.
“I think I know the warrior that Ajaska was talking about,” Dagger reluctantly admitted. He glanced around, running a hand through his hair. “I don’t know why I didn’t piece it together at first.”
“What happened?” Saber asked.
“It was after Jordan and I escaped from the Spaceport,” Dagger muttered, his eyes dark with memories. “The starship we were in was damaged. I had to make an emergency landing on a moon that was filled with Gartaians of all things. While we were there, a strange red crystal ship appeared out of nowhere.”
Saber released a low curse. “Did you tell Hunter or Razor about this?” he asked in disbelief.
Dagger shook his head, staring blankly down the hallway as if he was still locked in his memories. “No, I wasn’t in a ‘good place’, as Jordan would call it, for almost a year, if you remember,” he replied with a bitter twist of his lips.
“Yes, I remember,” Saber murmured. “What happened?”
Dagger’s lips twitched. “I met some of the strangest creatures I have ever seen in my life,” he chuckled with a shake of his head. “Two bumbling Frenchmen from Earth who drank too much, two service bots that I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy, and a man who was more machine than living tissue.”
Saber stared at Dagger with a raised eyebrow, waiting for him to continue. A snarl escaped him when his friend didn’t say anything. Dagger jerked, as if he was lost in that time instead of standing next to Saber.
“Well?” Saber finally asked.
Dagger shook his head. “His name was Jarmen,” he replied in a quiet voice. “He was searching for someone, according to the two Frenchmen.” Dagger looked back at Saber. “He helped me repair the starship, and he saved our lives when we were attacked. Then he, his unusual crew, and the red crystal ship just vanished,” he finished quietly before he turned and started walking again.
Saber didn’t miss Dagger’s use of phrases like ‘appeared out of nowhere’ and ‘vanished’. He released a deep breath and paused in the hallway to look around. They were back in the landing bay.
It was three times the size of the landing bay aboard the typical Trivator warship. The hanger was filled with a wide variety of fighters, from old to new, from Dises V models to more advanced ones that he was not familiar with. His gaze scanned the workers. They were just as diverse as the fighters. He jerked in surprise when he saw a familiar figure sitting at one of the benches.
“Taylor,” Saber muttered.
Dagger turned and glanced over to where Taylor was sitting at a workbench. Small flashes of light showed that she was working intently on something. She was a lot like her sister, Jordan, and yet different.
“I’ll leave you for now. I think I’ll go see if I can get any more information out of Hunter and let him know what I just told you. Trig and Ace have gone off exploring. They will report what they have found later this evening,” Dagger said.
“I’ll find out what Taylor knows as well,” Saber muttered, not looking at Dagger.
Dagger’s soft chuckle followed him as he strode across the hanger. He paused when a service bot crossed in front of him with a muttered apology before continuing. It was only when he was almost to the bench that he saw his leg brace.
“Taylor,” Saber called in a soft voice.
Taylor’s head jerked up and she glanced around. A chuckle escaped Saber when he saw that she was wearing a magnifying headset. Her beautiful brown eyes looked huge in the optical lenses. She blinked several times before she grinned up at him.
“Hey, you were gone again!” she said in a slightly accusing tone. “One of these days I’d like to wake up and have you still there beside me.”
Saber could see the slight reserve that came into her eyes as she spoke. He knew what she was thinking, that he would reject her again like he had the last time. Reaching out, he gently removed the headset and set it down on the bench before bending and capturing her lips.
He felt her surprise before she relaxed into him and returned his kiss. She slowly rose off the stool she was sitting on and wound her arms around his neck. His hands slid down her back to her ass and he lifted her up so she could wrap her legs around his hips.
Several minutes later, they were both breathless as they stared at each other. Taylor tenderly ran her fingers down over his cheek before rubbing her thumb over his bottom lip. She smiled when he carefully lowered her back to the stool.
“What are you doing?” he asked, glancing down at the circular device she was working on.
Taylor released a sigh and turned back to the bench to pick up the watch-size controller. He reached for it when she handed it to him. Turning it over, he saw the steady glow.
“You recharged the controller,” he murmured, turning it back over and studying it with a frown. “What is that?”
Taylor glanced at what he was pointing to. “An Elpidiosian red crystal,” she said. “It took a few tries to understand how to tap into its energy without burning out the motherboard, but with the help of Commander Rue, I was able to do it. I don’t think you’ll have to worry about it going dead for at least a few centuries or more. The power inside just a tiny piece of these crystals is amazing!”
“Almost as amazing as you,” Saber murmured, staring down at the glowing crystal that was no bigger than a granule of sand.
“I think you want some,” Taylor replied with a happy sigh as she propped her chin up on the palm of her hand.
The clatter of a tool on the bench next to Taylor told Saber that the technician working at it was able to read the meaning of Taylor’s statement by her tone and body language. The young male was trying not to get caught staring at Taylor. A low growl from Saber informed the male that he wasn’t being successful.
“Have you eaten?” Saber asked, picking up the brace and the back casing to the controller.
Taylor shook her head. “No, I wanted to get this fixed first,” she admitted, sliding off the stool.
“Let’s go get something to eat,” Saber muttered, shooting the young tech another look before he cupped Taylor’s arm. “You are right,” he muttered after they were several feet away.
“I was right about what?” Taylor asked, startled.
“I do want some,” Saber replied with a grin.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Later that evening, Taylor lay with her head tucked in the crook of Saber’s shoulder. A soft sigh escaped her. She
slid her fingers over his stomach and up his chest before laying her palm over his heart. Turning her head, she pressed a kiss against his heated flesh.
“What are we going to do next?” Taylor asked, rolling over onto her stomach so she could look down at him.
Saber turned his head and smiled tenderly at her worried expression. Lifting his hand, he brushed a long strand of her hair back behind her ear. He knew the answer to her question. Dagger and Trig had stopped by earlier when they were eating. Taylor had just left to go speak with Maridi and Lonnie.
“We leave in a few hours,” he admitted. “There is not much we can do here without the Council’s approval. Razor and Hunter need to return and hold a meeting.”
“What happens if the Council refuses to listen to them?” Taylor asked with a frown. “They seem to be total knuckleheads.”
Saber chuckled. “They are, at times,” he agreed, leaning up to brush a kiss across the tip of her nose. “This time will be different. Ajaska will also address the Council. If the Alliance refuses to agree, Razor has the authority to overrule them as the High Chancellor. The Alliance needs the support of the Trivators; without it, they are powerless to protect their star systems."
“Will he do it? Take control?” Taylor asked in surprise.
“Yes,” he stated bluntly.
“Wow!” Taylor muttered, turning and curling up against him again. “Wow,” she repeated after several long seconds of thinking of what that meant from everything she had learned in school.
“Yes, wow,” he agreed, shifting so that he could roll until he was staring down at her. A wicked smile curved his lips. “I think I’d like to see if I can make you say that a few more times before we leave.”
Taylor slid her hands down over his stomach again, this time heading in the opposite direction. He loved the challenging grin she gave him, as if daring him to try. His breath caught when she wrapped her hands around his cock and stroked him.
“Wow,” she breathed when she felt him grow at her touch.
“The cloaking device will keep us from being detected during departure until we meet with my starship,” Ajaska explained as they walked around the exterior of the warship that he had arrived in.
“This is incredible,” Trig muttered. “I could have used a device like that on more than half of my missions.”
“You aren’t the only one,” Hunter agreed.
“Where’s Razor?” Saber asked, looking around the hanger.
Hunter frowned. “Commander Atlas detained him as we were walking down here,” he replied.
“There he is,” Dagger observed. “It looks like Maridi found Sword and Thunder.”
Saber turned and watched as Commander Atlas, Razor, Thunder, and Sword walked toward them. All three men had a grim expression on their faces. Both Sword and Thunder looked like they had seen better days. They weren’t wearing the typical uniforms of a Trivator warrior, but the clothing of one of the nomads that inhabited the area.
“Sword, Thunder,” he greeted.
“Hey, guys,” Taylor said with a welcoming smile that didn’t hide the worry in her eyes.
“We need to leave immediately,” Razor said, glancing at Ajaska. “It would appear that one of your fears has come true.”
Ajaska’s face tightened. “Where?”
Saber frowned when Razor glanced at Taylor before he looked back at the others. He could tell from the muscle throbbing in Razor’s jaw that he was beyond furious. Saber slid his arm around Taylor and pulled her protectively closer to him.
“Earth,” Razor replied in a clipped tone.
Taylor’s eyes widened. “Earth,” she whispered. “But, it’s under the protection of the Alliance. There are still Trivator forces there!”
“Not enough for what is coming, I’m afraid,” Ajaska replied. “My ship is ready. I suggest we leave immediately.”
“But, what about the people here?” Taylor asked, her gaze catching sight of Maridi and Lonnie further down the landing bay.
“We will be ready to strike,” Commander Atlas assured her.
Saber watched as Commander Atlas signaled the hanger crew to prepare for a departure. The area darkened until only a series of red lights lit the area. It was enough for the workers to prepare for a night departure. Gripping Taylor’s hand, he pulled her up the ramp behind him.
“Saber,” Taylor whispered as they followed Ajaska and the others to the seats where they would strap in for takeoff. “Why would anyone attack Earth? Surely they know that the Trivator and Alliance have promised it protection. The humans are still rebuilding after… after you guys came.”
“I know,” Saber replied quietly. “The Alliance and the Trivator forces there will do everything they can to protect your world. We do not know what is happening yet. There will be a debriefing once we are on the Kassisan warship.”
“I would like to be there,” Taylor murmured.
Saber glanced at Hunter, who shook his head. He understood that even though Hunter understood Taylor’s desire to attend the meeting, this was a matter of war. He glanced down and grimaced when he saw Taylor shoot Hunter a murderous glare before she narrowed her eyes at him and smirked.
“Taylor,” Saber growled under his breath.
Taylor sat back and folded her arms across her chest. “I didn’t say anything,” she muttered.
A silent groan swept through Saber. Taylor, Jordan, and Jesse would probably know more about what was going on than he did by the time everything was said and done. He gripped her hand as the small transport took off. It was going to be a long night.
Later the next day, Taylor watched as Saber moved silently through their room on board Ajaska’s warship. She waited, knowing that he had a lot on his mind. Her eyes followed his hands as he removed his shirt. A warm glow filled her as she ran her gaze over him.
“You really have bulked up,” she murmured.
“What?” Saber asked, turning to look at her.
Taylor grinned. “I said you look yummy,” she replied, wiggling her nose at him.
A startled chuckled escaped Saber and he strode over to the bed in their cabin. Taylor quickly rolled over onto her back when he braced his arms on each side of her, trapping her. He slid his knee onto the bed and pressed it against her hip.
“I do not believe I’ve ever heard a Trivator warrior called ‘yummy’ before,” he murmured.
Taylor giggled and slid her hands up his chest. “Well, I could show you just how yummy you are,” she suggested, walking her fingers back down and running them along the edge of his pants. “I could do a taste test. I’ll start with your….”
Her giggle was smothered by his kiss. He had been gone all night and most of the day and she missed him. She had taken advantage of that time to contact both Jesse and Jordan to let them know that she and Saber were alright.
Several hours earlier:
“When are you coming home?” Jordan had demanded, holding Helena, her and Dagger’s daughter in her arms. “Here, go play with Leila,” she finally whispered when Helena kept trying to squirm out of her arms.
Taylor laughed when she heard the two little girls squeal with delight. A moment later, Jesse’s face appeared on the screen. She could feel Jesse searching her face to see if she was really happy.
“He loves me,” Taylor said with a grin.
“Let me see your wrists,” Jesse demanded.
Taylor shook her head, but raised both of her wrists. “We are having a ceremony when we get to Rathon. We are on a Kassisan warship at the moment and they don’t have the equipment to do it here,” she explained.
“He’d better or I’ll kick his ass into next week,” Jesse replied before she released a sigh. “I was so worried about you, Taylor.”
“Me, too,” Jordan admitted. “What happened?”
Taylor remembered wondering if she should tell her sisters everything that had happened. After a few seconds, she knew she should. They had never kept secrets from each other. Drawing in a deep
breath, she told them everything – including why they were coming back in such a hurry.
“I can hack into the Council’s system and see what they have,” Jordan suggested.
“Jordan,” Jesse admonished before she wiggled her nose. “I think you should break into Razor’s instead. He would have more info than the Council.”
Taylor laughed at Jordan’s astonished gasp. “What about Kali? Shouldn’t she know as well?” Jordan asked.
“I’ll call her,” Jesse promised. “If Earth is in trouble, she’ll want to know. Her brother is still there.”
“She’ll kill Razor if he knew Destin was in trouble and didn’t say anything or give her a warning,” Taylor agreed.
“When will you be here?” Jesse asked, turning to look at Taylor.
“In less than a week,” Taylor guessed. “The Kassisan warships are a little faster than the Trivator ones. At least this one is,” she added.
“We’ll be waiting,” Jesse replied, reaching out to touch the screen. “I’m glad that you are safe. I miss you.”
“I miss you both, too,” Taylor murmured before she signed off. “I miss you, too,” she repeated with a soft sigh.
Saber pulled back to stare down at Taylor when he felt her withdrawal. He touched her cheek, brushing her hair back against the pillow. She gave him a sad smile.
“What is bothering you, little star?” Saber asked in a husky voice.
Taylor raised her hand again and touched his lips. “I was just thinking of my conversation with Jordan and Jesse earlier,” she admitted.
A knowing look filled Saber’s eyes and he slid down to lie beside her. Pulling her into his arms, he held her close. He felt the soft sigh that escaped her.
