Flames of Arousal

by Kerce, Ruth D.

Lair of Xylon

  Brianna burst into Command Center, her security team on her heels. “I’m here!”

  The door whooshed closed behind her. “Send all current reports to my terminal. I need full updates immediately.” She rushed to her command post, sliding into the only cushy seat among the other metal chairs in front of a line of monitors and computer panels.

  While she logged in and brought up her data feeds and charts, her lead security officer stood at attention beside her. The other two security officers stationed themselves on either side of the entry.

  “Good to see you,” Tara greeted. “We’re at Code Red.”

  “I know that.”

  “Six minutes until the Council meeting,” Torque informed her.

  Well, they would just have to wait for her. She had other things to do first. She keyed in a few commands at her station to organize the incoming data into a readable format. “We have an Egesa breach of the Lair. Update all underground security patrols when functionality allows.”

  “What?” both Tara and Torque responded, disbelief in their voices, as if they never really expected the Lair to be infiltrated by the creatures. Even though they knew a possible Egesa had registered on her tracker earlier.

  “Visually confirmed?” Torque asked.

  “Yes, visually confirmed by my team. While trying to get me free, they located a male Egesa near the Initiation Chambers. He’s locked up in holding now. Shut down all nonessential floors and lifts. Nonessential personnel are to be confined to quarters.

  Make sure all security personnel have handheld trackers. Where there’s one Egesa, there’s more. Be sure security keeps watch for Agents, too. They’ll be harder to spot.

  Have security teams check out anyone they don’t personally recognize, no matter how they’re dressed or their supposed rank. If you can’t get the message through on the emergency vid-cell channel, transmit the orders by code to the main security terminal screen. When teams start checking in, they’ll see it.”

  “Brianna, ground lasers just came online,” Torque reported, renewed excitement in his voice.

  Great. Now they had some firepower. “Start taking out Egesa foot troops, a flank at a time.” Her heart pounded from the adrenaline rushing through her body. “Send the kill reports directly to my terminal. Do not inform the Council of our losses.” If they knew how low their forces really were, they’d try to override her command decisions.

  “Engaging lasers.” Torque fired as ordered.

  Brianna watched as the weapons information popped up on her screens. “Tara, lock our computers down. I don’t want the Council to have access to any data right now.

  Command Center access only.”

  “They’re going to balk at that.”

  “Tell them it’s a malfunction. I just hope they haven’t properly interpreted the data accessible to them up to now.”

  “Marid fighters are moving into range,” Torque reported.

  “All right. Via console command, send coordinates to stagger our fighters into three space formations. Place one formation just outside our outer boundaries, one outside our inner boundaries, and the last formation in the upper atmosphere. As enemy fighters move within those ranges, have our pilots systematically take the fighters out.”

  If Xylon was defeated, it wouldn’t be without a fight. She had no intention of just rolling over and letting Daegal fuck them up the ass…so to speak. “What’s the status of our long-range communications?”

  “Not dependable,” Tara let her know, sounding quite unhappy about the situation.

  As she flipped some switches, she grumbled something under her breath. “Only codes are transmitting unhindered. Voice channels are filled with static and wave interference.”

  “Use my call numbers to send coordinates to the lead fighters protecting Tamara and Sunevia. I want them to reposition their squadrons to come up behind the Marid fighters and cut them off. Once voice communication is reestablished, contact our long-range patrol ships doing data collection outside the planetary system and send them to Tamara and Sunevia for support.”

  “They’re not outfitted fighters,” Torque interjected.

  “I know, but they’ll be armed for at least minimal defense. What’s the status on the life-support problem?”

  “Fully functional again,” Tara answered. “But a variety of systems—everything from food processing to docking system controls—keep going in and out.”

  Damn it. Daegal was trying to drain their resources and distract them. “Haven’t our codes been updated yet? Give me status.”

  “I’m working on changing them, but it’s slow going,” Torque told her. “We’re dealing with so many malfunctions that I can’t keep up with all of them.”

  “The recode priorities are life support, Command Center, weapons, engineering, and med-lab in that order. Work outward from there.”

  “Taking care of it,” Torque replied. “It’s still going to take time.”

  “Any word on our recently missing Warriors, Tara?”

  “None.”

  Brianna adjusted the collar on her uniform, unfastening the top button, so she could move and breathe easier. She’d feel much better if Braden or Erik were here right now.

  They had much more experience in battle situations. But then, so did Torque. She looked over at her brother. He must have sensed her stare, for he glanced her way and winked. That one small acknowledgement eased some of her tension.

  She had no doubt if Torque felt she wasn’t doing a good job, he’d try to take over—

  authorized or not. And Tara would back him up, even if Brianna objected to his interference. Of course, her security team would back her up. She just hoped that sort of situation, one of them against the other, never arose.

  “Any progress on stabilizing short-range communications?” she asked her sister.

  Tara checked her panels, then shook her head. “Sorry. Still out for the most part.”

  “We need our communications stabilized. Change our signal networking system.

  Bounce our voice communication waves off the research satellite orbiting the Ice Moon.

  Reposition the grid if necessary to accommodate.”

  “It’ll jam up. That satellite can’t handle our command frequencies. I’ll need to reconfigure. The grid was constructed for top-secret, scientific communication exchanges only through very high wave channels. If I alter its angle, the system will probably only work on an intermittent basis.”

  “Will it be better than what we have now?”

  “We’re at thirty-five percent functionality right now. The IM satellite will boost that to sixty percent, if I can get everything configured correctly.”

  “Then do it. Priority, short-range messaging only. Match our frequency for compatibility. Adjust all vid-cells and Command Center comm links through the main computer to transmit and receive properly in conjunction with the new settings. Vid-cells for Class 1 and Class 2 Warriors only.”

  Torque turned to look at her. She didn’t flinch. Her command automatically left Tara out of the loop. She hadn’t done it on purpose, but she couldn’t overload the circuits with Lair-wide access, and she needed to remain in contact with her top Warriors. No way existed to clear the vid-lines for only one specific officer.

  Tara simply nodded and went back to her controls.

  Torque looked as if he wanted to say something. But he remained silent, then turned and continued working.

  Brianna felt grateful for their support. They needed to work as a team or the Lair and Xylon were doomed. A light on her panel blinked and a beep sounded.

  “Council is summoning me.” She slid out of her seat. “I’m on my way. My security team will accompany. Torque, you will take commands only from me. Understood?”

  Meaning, if something went wrong, he was to take over any way he could. Not follow orders from the ranking Council member. She trusted her brother to carry out her wishes,
even before he responded.

  “Understood, Brianna.”

  * * * * *

  Dome of Marid

  Daegal sat in his command chair, feeling weak. Damn it. He needed another shot already. The stimulant he was taking for his weakness and pain seemed to last less and less time between each injection.

  Time was running out. They needed to take out Xylon quickly, then without the Warriors around to interfere, he could move on to their primary target.

  More power. The thought made him tingle. But this was about so much more than just obtaining power. This was about survival.

  He beeped his personal Healer, while the Top Commander stood in front of him, giving his report. The man tugged at his full facemask. Little good it would do him.

  After all these years, the mask had adhered to his face and couldn’t be adjusted enough to bother. He didn’t envy the man for his trials. “How many Egesa are on the inside?”

  “Just a handful, so far, that we know of. We’re having a few equipment problems.

  Our interference with their systems is affecting our transmitters for some reason. We’ll get it worked out. I’ve got several crews looking at the complication.”

  “Other than that, everything is moving along smoothly?” He expected a positive report. Nothing else was acceptable.

  “Not quite.”

  The fingers of his right hand clenched into a fist. “Meaning?” He didn’t like complications, and from the worried look in the Top Commander’s eyes, he knew he was about to hear more bad news.

  “They’ve changed security measures. The Lair is locked down tight. We might not be able to get additional troops inside. Their in-flight fighters are moving into a better defensive position. And they’ve started taking out our foot patrols with ground lasers.

  We’re trying to disengage the lasers, but I think the codes have been changed. Also we think they’ve reestablished some communication ability. Either that or they’re strictly using codes to contact their fighters and troops. Generally codes are not as effective as voice, because only so many permutations exist, but they’re dealing with the restriction well.”

  Daegal sat up straighter in his seat. “Change of command?”

  “Feels like it to me.”

  Damn, had his sources been wrong? Was Erik, or maybe even Braden, back down in the Lair? Perhaps Torque had taken over or another Class 1. He’d expected the Xylon Council’s ranking member to be in command by now. An easy take-down. But it had to be a Warrior of some skill. “Find out who’s issuing the orders. Pull their records and get the information to me fast.”

  A buzz from the front of the room interrupted their conversation. “Come,” Daegal ordered.

  The door slid open. Marid’s ranking Healer stuck his head in. “I brought the stimulant for you whenever you’re ready.”

  Daegal motioned him inside. He glanced at the Top Commander. “Do you need a shot?”

  “No, I’m fine. I’ll find out that information for you.”

  “You do that.” His anger simmered as he watched the Top Commander leave. The man should be suffering, too. The fact that the Commander wasn’t frustrated the hell out of him. Petty, considering all the other problems the man had to deal with, but still… He looked at the Healer. “Hurry up. Let’s get this over with.”

  * * * * *

  Lair of Xylon

  Briggs doubled over in pain. Holding his stomach, he moaned loudly. Come on, come on. He knew they were monitoring him. Certainly they’d check his status when they noticed him in distress.

  A moment later, the two female Warriors from earlier rushed into the Initiation Chamber, concern in their eyes. From his bent position, he watched them as best he could without being obvious about it. He heard the door slide closed, locking them in together.

  “What’s wrong?” one of them asked. They both leaned over him, trying to help him sit on the bed.

  He was happy to see females were females, no matter the planet. Their concern would be their downfall. He jerked up, catching one under the chin with his head. She fell like a rock. He punched the other in the jaw, sending her to the floor, to lie unconscious next to the other one.

  “Sorry, ladies, but I had no choice. I have to get out of here.” Taking out women always rubbed him the wrong way. But he had a job to do. And he hadn’t killed them, nor would he. Murder wasn’t necessary, no matter what his superiors had told him about complications and how to handle anyone who got in the way of this mission. He searched them for weapons. “Nothing. Shit.” He needed to find some sort of protection.

  Without a weapon, he remained too vulnerable and probably wouldn’t last long. At least they’d given him back his flight suit and boots.

  Cautiously peering through the observation portal, he approached the door panel.

  He looked for the button he’d seen Brianna and the others press. There! He pushed in on the large green disc. The panel slid open. The sound he’d once thought so soft, now seemed exceedingly loud to his ears and he cringed.

  He glanced out, peeking around the panel frame. No alarm. Nobody came running.

  He looked both ways in the deserted corridor. One way ended after a few yards. In the other direction, from his vantage point, he could see the lengthy corridor, but not how far the corridor went. That’s the way he’d go.

  Slowly, he moved out of the room and through the area, staying close to the wall.

  He glanced into rooms as he passed. More chambers. All devoid of people. Other rooms he didn’t know the function of, but which held equipment and supplies, appeared empty too, except for one, where a lone woman worked at a computer station. He slipped by her, unnoticed. He looked in the unlocked rooms he passed, but didn’t find anything that resembled a weapon.

  Stopping at the end of the corridor, he studied the panel in front of him. “Damn!”

  he cursed, his voice low. “Blocked.” No wait. On the far side, the panel stood open a few inches. He strode over and peeked through. Nobody. He tried to squeeze through, but he was too big. Damn it.

  Backtracking, he looked for a different way out. Nothing. Not even a ladder up or down to another deck. He returned to the panel. He needed leverage. He pulled a long, narrow but firm piece of metal through the opening. It looked like a piece cut from the other side. This must be where Brianna’s team had broken through. He wedged the metal into the opening and worked to get the panel separated a few more inches. He wouldn’t need much to get free.

  * * * * *

  Brianna and her team stood outside one of the lifts still in service, waiting for the doors to open. “If there’s trouble with the Council, I can count on all of you to back me up, right?” She glanced from man to man, her tension easing when each one of them nodded without hesitation.

  “We’re behind you, Brianna,” her lead officer acknowledged. “We have no intention of surrendering to the Egesa. Death would be preferable.”

  Brianna agreed. And only victory would save them from that death. She suspected Daegal planned to enslave non-threatening Xylons only, and kill any Warriors or Breeders. Trying to turn that many would be too difficult. She hadn’t voiced her thoughts though, not wanting to add to the current tension.

  She felt grateful for the support of her team. All Class 1 Command Warriors had a private security team, but they were only put into service during a Code Orange or higher to help protect the lives of the Command Officers. She, Laszlo, Braden, Erik, and at one time, Torque, all had teams. Tara did not, however. Even though she was a Class 1 and in charge of security, she hadn’t yet made command status. Generally, no more than a handful of Warriors held command ranking. She felt bad for her sister. Tara was a skilled Warrior, but through a series of bad decisions, a hot temper, and her independent nature, she hadn’t conformed enough to earn the ranking. When she got into a state, her sister could be even more rebellious than Torque.

  A commotion drew Brianna’s attention down the cor
ridor. Her spine stiffened. A problem had arisen, and it was headed their way. Her heart picked up its pace, and the hair stood up on the back of her neck. “Weapons,” she ordered her team.

  Two male techs ran around the corner toward them. “Egesa troops coming!” they warned as they rushed past.

  Brianna and her team engaged their disruptors just as three Egesa rounded the corner. One of her men was immediately hit by laser fire and fell. She dropped to her knees beside him, firing back.

  Her lead officer dropped one of the Egesa before taking a hit to the shoulder.

  Brianna caught another Egesa in the eye with a well-placed shot. The creature screamed and toppled over. Her third team member killed the last Egesa with a precision shot to the stomach. She glanced over at the man. “Good aim. Take these two to med-lab.”

  Though she couldn’t accompany them, she wanted her men taken care of.

  “You can’t go unescorted.”

  “I’ll be fine.” The lift door opened, and she hurried inside. “Go!” The door slid closed on Lift 6, and she punched the button for the Council members’ deck. She snatched the vid-cell off her belt. “Command, can you read me?”

  “Go ahead, Brianna,” Torque said. “Communications is working.”

  “We just killed three Egesa on the Command floor. Two of my men are injured, but alive, and are on their way to the med-lab, accompanied by my third man. Sound a lockdown, breach alert for this floor. Seal the center and arm yourselves. I’m headed for the Council Chambers.”

  “Affirmative. Do you need replacement security?”

  “No. I need you to get the transport-connectors working, Torque. That’s top priority. We’re going to need better and faster mobility than foot power, especially if the Egesa have working connectors of their own down here.”

  “I’m on it.”

  “What the hell?” The lift was going down to the Initiation Chambers, not up to the Council Chambers. She hooked her vid-cell back onto her belt. “Now what’s going on?”

  Her grip tightened around the disruptor in her hand.