by Liza Probz
And it doesn’t hurt that he’s handsome, she thought. And he kisses like a playboy.
Still, there was too much riding on her being smart and making the right choices. Brook couldn’t trust anyone at this point. Everyone and everything could be the enemy.
“Captain Brooklyn,” Ontarii said, moving closer.
She straightened her arms, making sure to accentuate the pistol in her grasp.
The major paused as a frown marred his perfect features.
“I’m not Hareema,” he said, his words like ice.
She stared him down. “Prove it.”
Chapter 13
Ontarii stared down the barrel of the laser pistol and barely kept a leash on his anger. How dare the human female pull a weapon on him? Now? After they’d kissed so passionately he thought they might have become one sometime later in the night.
“I’m not Hareema,” he said, unable to hide his disappointment and rage.
She stared at him, her beautiful eyes filled with distrust. “Prove it.”
The major wished he knew how to do so. He considered her words. She was right; they had been separated. It had only been for a few moments, but if he knew his enemy at all, he knew that was more than enough time for a Hareema agent to get the drop on its prey.
And if he'd been out of her sight, then she'd been out of his.
"I could ask you the same," he said. "Prove that you're human."
The female rolled her eyes. "If I were the Hareema, why would I bother confronting you? Wouldn't it make more sense to wait for an opportunity to ambush you and take you by surprise?"
Ontarii nodded. "Of course. But who knows what ulterior motives an infiltrator could have. Maybe you need to get information out of me. Maybe you hope to memorize my mannerisms so that you can convincingly take my place on the flagship."
His eyes burned into her. "Or maybe you just want to fuck with me."
The captain's face tightened at the thought of fucking with her. That’s exactly what he wanted to do before she’d put her weapon in his face.
"I passed your human test once already."
"Then you could pass it again."
His bioelectricity. This was the means to prove his condition. "The Hareema cannot imitate a Zantharian's bioelectric ability. Our scientists postulate that we've evolved in order to combat our ancient enemy. Let me test you, and prove myself at the same time."
Ontarii extended a hand in her direction, powering up his energy reserves. Captain Brooklyn skittered backwards, her weapon raised high and her finger growing taut on the trigger mechanism.
"Don't even think about it," she said, her pitch rising to indicate panic.
"Captain, listen to reason," he said, lowering his voice and trying to project a logical calm. "Look at my body."
She laughed, a noiseless thing closer to a hiccup and holding no mirth. "Oh, believe me, I have been. As I said before, this isn't the time or the place for that."
Confused, he shook his head. "I merely meant for you to look at the bioelectric charge held in my skin. I don't know what you're talking about."
"Is that part of your sick plan?" she asked, her eyes wild. "Distract me with your masculine wiles as you dismantle my crew and try to take over my ship?"
She was accusing him of seduction under false pretenses, of not feeling a genuine attraction to her. That's ridiculous.
"You’re being irrational." He was quickly losing his ability to keep his composure.
"Don't mock me. Two hours ago, we didn't even know your race existed."
Her breathing was rapid, her chest jerking up and down. Ontarii's anger met with a sudden concern for her. His yellow skin mottled, patches of blue and red appearing here and there. The thought crossed his mind that he'd never felt so emotionally confused.
"Maybe you were never a Zantharian to begin with. Just think about it: I've been going on your word all this time, and it’s cost me my entire crew."
She was right. She had no context by which to judge his actions, since he was literally the first non-terrestrial life form she'd ever encountered. Still, the fact that she distrusted him completely grated on his nerves.
"Calm down." His anger rose with painful efficiency. He took the tone of command, falling back into it as naturally as combing his tendrils back in the morning. "I realize that you're upset, but it's time to pull yourself together. I'm on your side. I'm not the enemy."
"And I say again: Prove it." He could tell she didn't appreciate his tone. Captain Brooklyn wasn't one to back down from an adversary. If anything, it only served to make her burn hotter.
It was a trait he would have admired, if it wasn't currently directed at him.
Chapter 14
She'd had enough of the creature before her. At this point, Brook didn't care if he was a Zantharian or a Hareema. He was 100% asshole either way.
No more time for mistakes. Brook thought hard about what he'd told her, attempting to determine whether he could have been telling the truth at any time.
He saved your life, she reminded herself. He could have let you drop.
It was true. And the way his body had reacted against hers. How could something like that be faked?
That still left the dilemma of Ontarii being replaced by the Hareema while they'd been separated. His being able to convince her with his words that he was what he said he was seemed unlikely.
She needed hard proof. But how?
Brook tried to remember everything he'd told her about the Hareema. They were shapeshifters, and such excellent mimics that they could imitate an object or person's molecular structure. The only way the Zantharians had been able to trace them to the Earhart had been the residue they left when they were forced to morph back into their original shapes every six to eight hours.
That's it!
An idea formed in Brook's mind, one that would enable her to ensure that the major was a Zantharian, and that he could be trusted.
She spared a glance at the main console, furiously typing in a command. Looking up suddenly, she saw that Ontarii was several paces closer, his hand outstretched and his energy weapon charged.
Brook dropped to the floor, narrowly avoiding the pulse of energy sent in her direction. She rolled forward, kicking upward to tag the alien in the back of his knees.
The Zantharian fell forward, and in a second Brook was on his back, the laser held to the base of his skull.
"Move again and I'll blast you," she growled.
"You're making a mistake," he grunted back at her. "And when you realize it, I'm going to enjoy punishing you."
Punishing me? The idea sent a shiver down her spine, but not for the reason she would have expected.
How dare he speak of punishments when he was the one face-down with a laser pointed at his skull? And why does the promise of punishment excite me?
She blocked the thought as the bridge door slid open. The four FIDOs, NASA's defense robots, plodded into the room, awaiting her command. Brook barely had time to activate them before Ontarii tried to jump her again.
"Intruder alert," all four FIDOs chanted in unison. Their shoulder weapons were revealed and aimed at the Zantharian, giving her some semblance of relief.
"Now, listen carefully," she told him. "You're going to stand up and put your hands in the air. You will not charge your bioelectric weapon. You will follow the FIDOs down the hall and do as I say. If you don't, me and my robot companions will blow a hole in you the size of Earth's moon. Do you get me?"
The Zantharian's reply was muffled, but she managed to make out a "Yes”.
Brook got off the major's back but kept her laser pistol aimed at his head. Ontarii slowly stood, brushing his hands across his chest to clear off imaginary dust.
She risked a look at his face and what she saw there hurt worse than she'd expected.
Ontarii's features were carved in stone. His eyes were colder than the emptiness of space. He was furious that she'd gotten the drop on him.
Bro
ok could admit to herself that she was hurt. If it was Ontarii and not a Hareema agent, she'd hoped that a part of him would be proud of the plucky human captain for getting the upper hand. Instead, he was behaving like an elitist who could never accept a human female as an equal, or maybe he was just one pissed off Hareema. There was only one way to find out.
As they walked along the corridor, Brook wished she could grow eyes in the back of her head. Heck, along the sides too. She swiveled her gaze back and forth, holding her breath for a Hareema ambush at any moment.
None came.
They made it down the corridor, through the mess, and into the hall that led to the crew quarters, the infirmary and the airlock.
They came to a halt outside the airlock door. Brook hit a button to reveal the manual control panel that was a smaller version of the one on the bridge.
Brook set the controls that limited all operations of the airlock to herself, requiring a personal access code to open or close the airlock doors. Then she pressed the button to open the door.
The captain motioned with her weapon, gesturing for the Zantharian to get inside.
He towered over her, staring down at her with a face like a dark nebula, ominous and black.
"You're making a mistake," he grumbled.
"I don't think so." She nudged him forward with the barrel of her pistol, almost fully assured that the major was lost somewhere on the ship and she was standing in front of the enemy. “If I am… you can do anything you want to me when we rectify this.”
Seemed like a good deal that any hot-blooded male wouldn’t be able to pass up. Besides, if he were a Zantharian, then she owed him something for being so harsh toward him. Another kiss seemed like a mutually beneficial payment.
With one more scathing look, Ontarii stepped into the airlock and turned to face her. “Remember your words, woman. Anything.”
She gave him a sultry look, being quite an ass herself now. “That’s right. Anything the major wants.”
She hit the button on the door and opened the window shade to peer inside at him.
He had turned his back to her, and behind him was the airlock hatch. With a few taps of the console buttons, Brook could open the hatch and let the emptiness of space inside.
Without environmental controls or gravity, the Zantharian would freeze while he suffocated to death, his body floating out to join his comrades.
The major turned toward her and seemed to be trying to say something. She gave the command to initiate two-way communication between the inside of the airlock and the corridor.
"What did you say?" she asked.
Ontarii frowned at her. "Are you going to space me? Are you that fucking hysterical?"
The captain flushed with anger. "Hysterical? Do you know the etymology of that word? It's from the Greek word meaning 'womb’. A mental disorder tied almost exclusively to women. Just another way to disenfranchise the female and discount her thoughts and actions."
The major laughed. He laughed! "You're lecturing me on sexism while threatening to kill me. You humans really are too much."
"From sexism to racism, huh? I guess I should have expected it. But honestly, I think you're just upset that a puny human female was able to box you in so efficiently."
His mouth flattened into a straight line.
"I'm not even sure you are a human female," he said, his eyes like black flames. "Your reluctance to submit to my test tells me that you have something to hide."
"I submitted to your test once before. Excuse me if I'm not eager to have a thousand volts shot through me again so soon."
"A convenient pretext," he shot back. "I'm supposed to take your word that you're not an enemy agent, but you won't take mine. Not quite fair, is it?"
"I don't care about fair," she fired back. "All I care about is protecting myself and my crew, and completing my mission."
"Bang up job you're doing so far."
Brook inhaled as if she'd been slapped. It was a cheap shot. One she hadn't expected from the major.
"You know what," he said, adopting a cruel smile. "Maybe I do believe you. You are human, because, frankly, you aren't smart enough to be a Hareema agent. You're sloppy. You're weak. And, honestly, you verge on incompetent. Save your promises to give me what I want. I’ll get it as soon as I get off this fucking ship."
“And what would that be?”
“Freedom from your madness and a beautiful woman to fuck until I can’t stand.” He turned his back to her and crossed his arms over his massive chest.
His words ripped into her. Not moments before he’d held her in his arms, comforting her at the loss of her crewmember, and had kissed her more passionately than she ever remembered being kissed before.
And he'd saved her life.
But on the bridge he'd been tampering with the controls, then he'd tried to blast her with his energy weapon. It was a complete turnaround from his earlier actions.
Maybe this isn't the major. Maybe it is. Who the hell knows?
Ontarii was a prick, but he hadn't been intentionally cruel to her yet. This new asshole stabbed her left and right, his last blow about taking another woman to bed a bit more than she could handle. Perhaps it was only the newest of lust between them that made her want to know him more, but either way, his words had chilled her desire significantly.
There was a high possibility that he had been replaced, and it was the Hareema now who was goading her on, afraid for its life.
And it had good reason to be.
With the press of a couple buttons in the correct sequence, the large hatch doors before the creature would open, and it would have less than a minute before the harshness of space robbed it of life.
She didn't think even a block of jelly could withstand a vacuum.
Maybe it was time to find out.
Chapter 15
Captain Jennifer Brooklyn stood in front of the airlock door, her hand hovering over the button that would open the exterior hatch. The precious oxygen in the small chamber would rush out, and the cold void of space would rush in.
Major Ontarii, the first alien she’d ever met, would tumble into the blackness of space to join his dead comrades if she moved even an inch forward.
That is, if he was Major Ontarii.
When she’d moved him into the airlock, she’d planned only to hold him there for the next eight hours or so, or until he became a block of red jelly. If he changed, he was a shapeshifting creature known as the Hareema, who were hell bent on taking over her ship and invading JL-398, or, as those who lived there called the planet, Zanthar.
If he didn’t change, then he really was the Ontarii. That meant he could be trusted.
But, if it was him, he was going to be pissed.
Brook bit her lip, her hand trembling over the button. The major stared at her, his eyes dark, his expression hard. Just before she’d locked him into the airlock at laser point, he’d tried to blast her with his bioelectricity. By the look of things, he was highly considering doing far worse to her than a quick jolt to her nervous system.
The thought made her unaccountably sad. Before distrust had built a wall between them, the handsome alien major had kissed her so passionately, she’d gotten dizzy. Ontarii had held her gently in his strong arms, comforting her at the discovery of the corpse of one of her crew.
Now it would appear that he hated her.
Worse still, the man in front of her might not even be Ontarii. It could be a Hareema operative, playing off her fears and ignorance, trying to manipulate her into its grasp.
Either he was a shapeshifter, and therefore a risk she couldn’t afford, or he was an angry leader with a fleet at his back and revenge in his heart. Either way, she was making an enemy as she stood there deliberating.
Brook never would have imagined her current scenario as she headed toward JL-398 to look for the missing scientist, Dr. Sylvia Cohen. She didn’t know whether to believe Ontarii when he'd told her that Cohen was alive and well, and in the compan
y of the Supreme Regent of Zanthar.
Instead of making it to the planet and staging a rescue of the scientist, she was stuck out in space, her crew missing, except the ones who were dead.
“Captain Brooklyn,” Ontarii started, his voice like broken glass, but he was interrupted by a loud banging noise coming from outside the corridor.
Brook turned, peering down the hallway, but was unable to determine the source of the sound. She took a couple of steps down the hall towards the crew’s mess.
“Captain, wait!” Ontarii’s face tightened as his eyes narrowed. “You can’t go down there.”
Brook shook her head at him. “I need to find out what that is. The ship could be malfunctioning, or it could be a member of my crew, injured and in need of help.”
“Or it could be a fucking Hareema agent setting a trap for you,” he growled at her with hate in his gaze.
His warning gave her pause, but there was the issue of her not trusting him at all that pushed her to ignore him.
“Stay put,” she said, turning her back on him and starting down the corridor, feeling like an idiot for her comment.
Stay put? Really? Where was he going to go?
“No!” His shout came out of the speaker above the door and echoed down the hall, making a shiver slide up her spine. “Let me out. You can’t go out there alone.”
“I’m not alone,” she replied over her shoulder. “I’ve got my FIDOs.”
She left with her chin lifted and her shoulders square. With her four robotic companions at her back there was nothing to fear.
Chapter 16
Ontarii had never felt more helpless in his life. The captain walked away from him with her robots behind her like there was nothing to be concerned with. She didn’t understand how little help her robots would be against the Hareema.
And here he was, trapped in the airlock, unable to do anything to protect the fragile human female. The need to protect her surged inside of him and thoughts of ripping the door off the airlock in order to go after her rolled over him. If only he were that strong.
