“No, he should remain there and take care of things on Earth. As much as I would love for him to be here, he has important things to do, and rushing home won’t make them find Tryval any faster.”
“Very well. I’ll convey your wishes to him, but I can’t promise he’ll abide by them.”
Haven kissed Tilia on the cheek before making her way to her room. She stared out the window, looking up at the sky, and wondering where Tryval was, and what was happening to him. What if he’d been killed during the raid and the body had been blown up with the ship? If they couldn’t find Tryval, would the council delay her mating with Dryden indefinitely? Not that she only wanted him found in order for her to get married. She was genuinely concerned for him. Being abducted by space pirates didn’t sound like much fun.
Staring up at the suns, she said a prayer for Tryval, hoping that wherever he was he was safe and healthy. Then she prayed for the warriors who would be looking for him, wishing them a safe journey and the best of luck in finding the father of her child, along with any other survivors of the Excessia. Zelthrane-3 might be a peaceful world, but this served as a reminder that there was ugliness out there, and much closer to home than she’d have liked.
Chapter Ten
Dryden stood in the middle of the Terran Station and stared at the notes in his hand. He’d only been gone eight hours, but it seemed a lot had happened in such a short time. His mother’s message said Haven was adamant he remain on Earth to do whatever was necessary, but at the moment, all he could think was his daughter’s biological father was in trouble, and his mate was worried.
He walked to the nearest department and picked up the phone off the counter. Zwyk stared at him with a raised brow, but didn’t say anything as he made his call. It was damn near ten o’clock at night, and he hated to call so late. Thankfully, he had his manager’s home number memorized. Floyd picked up on the fourth ring, just as Dryden was about to hang up.
“This better be important,” Floyd griped. “I was damn near asleep.”
“Floyd, it’s Dryden.”
“Sorry, boss. What can I do for you?”
“I just landed a few minutes ago, but I won’t be able to stay the week like I’d planned. I need you to take care of things a little longer for me. When I’m able to come back, we’ll discuss a raise for you, along with more responsibilities. If you can handle things for me another week or two, I will make it worth your while.”
“I hope everything’s okay, boss. It’s not like you to take off right after getting here,” Floyd said.
“I have a family emergency, but I’m sure everything will be fine. Thank you, Floyd. If you have any questions, please come use the Vid-Comm at the Terran Station and get a message to me.”
“Yes, sir,” Floyd said.
Dryden hung up and handed the phone back to Zwyk.
“Family emergency? Everything all right with your parents?” Zwyk said.
“Tilia and Harvol are fine. My future mate is worried. The father of her child is in trouble. Who do you have at the station who has a fast ship? We only have shuttles docked on Earth and I need something that can move a lot faster.”
Zwyk tapped on his computer. “We have a Sketaline6000 docked that belongs to a Purlane warrior. His crew remained on board, but I’m showing there are ten of them. There’s also a Rumigar2000 docked that’s owned by a Markisite warrior pair. They reported a crew of six.”
Dryden drummed his fingers on the counter. “Have either asked for repairs?”
Zwyk shook his head. “Just fuel.”
“The Sketaline6000 is faster and the crew is larger. Do we know why the Purlane warrior is here? Would he still be in the building?” Dryden asked.
“The report says he’s here for entertainment purposes. He landed four hours ago and his ship has already been refueled. It’s doubtful he remains in the building.”
“Who would know of his plans?” Dryden asked.
“You can ask reception. She’s human and single. If he’s not mated, it’s possible he stopped to flirt with her.”
“Thank you, Zwyk. I owe you one.”
Dryden took off toward the front of the building at a run. Everyone got out of his way as he sped past them, skidding to a halt at reception. The woman blinked up at him. He couldn’t remember her name, as she was fairly new.
“There was a Purlane warrior who landed a little while ago,” Dryden said. “Do you know where he was going?”
“Which ones are the Purlanes?” she asked, her brow furrowed.
“Bright pink skin and dark turquoise hair. They’re usually quite tall.”
She smiled brightly. “He stopped by here on his way out. Asked where the best places were in town to meet eligible females. I sent him to the Blue Oyster.”
Holy hell. This time of a night on a Friday the place would be packed. On the upside, even in a crowd it shouldn’t be too difficult to find someone with hot pink skin. He thanked the receptionist and ran to the parking lot, pulling out his keys as he went. His truck fishtailed as he sped out of the parking lot and drove across town to the strip of bars and clubs. The neon lights of the Blue Oyster glowed in the dark and he cursed at the long-ass line waiting to get inside.
He parked half on the curb and barely remembered to lock the truck before he bolted for the front of the line. A bouncer who looked like he doubled as an MMA heavyweight threw up an arm to block him.
“There’s a line,” the bouncer said.
“I need to locate someone inside,” Dryden said. “It’s an emergency. There’s a Purlane warrior I was told came here tonight, and I need access to his ship. Someone’s life is in danger.”
The bouncer sighed and let him inside, whether he bought his story or not. Dryden paused at the edge of the dance floor and scanned the crowd. On the opposite side of the room, he saw the warrior, a head above everyone else in the room. Shoving his way through the gyrating bodies, he fought his way to the warrior’s side. The Purlane didn’t even notice him, he was so intent on the female in front of him. Dryden stepped between them, careful not to knock the female to the ground.
“I need your help,” he screamed over the techno music pounding through the speakers.
The Purlane frowned. “I’m busy.”
“Please. I’ll pay you. I’ll… Hell, I don’t have much to offer, but I have an emergency and need you take me somewhere.”
The Purlane motioned for Dryden to follow him. They stepped into the back hall, which was much quieter, even if it did smell like piss and smoke.
“My name is Warlyn,” he said. “Now what is it you need with my ship?”
“There’s a woman I wish to mate on my world, who is pregnant with another’s child. The father of that baby has been taken by pirates in a raid. I need to find him and take him to Zelthrane-3.”
“And where was he last seen?” Warlyn asked.
“I don’t know. The message I received didn’t give the details, only that the ship he was in had been blown up and it was believed pirates had enslaved all those on board.”
The Purlane sighed. “Very well. Let’s return to the Terran Station and find out more details about that ship.”
“What do you want in return?” Dryden asked.
Warlyn looked out toward the dance floor. “A mate. Convince your council to give me time here so that I may find a mate. I don’t need access to their bride applicants, just permission to be on Earth. I can take care of the rest.”
“Done.”
Warlyn followed Dryden to his truck. On the way, the Purlane used the telecommunication device on his wrist to contact his ship and ask them to be prepared to take off within the hour. At the station, Dryden went straight to one of the conference rooms and dialed the council on the Vid-Comm. It was still early enough in the day that someone on his world should be available.
“Dryden,” Larimar said when he came on screen. “I take it you’ve heard the news.”
“Yes, Councilman. I would like to join th
e search for Tryval and this Purlane warrior has agreed to help me. What can you tell us about the situation?”
“The Excessia was last reported having docked at Vrylon9 yesterday. It was a few hours after they disembarked that reports of debris in the Falian galaxy near Prilian were reported. Further investigation proved it was the remains of the Excessia. There were some… parts among the wreckage, so it’s possible Tryval is gone. We didn’t want to worry Haven more than necessary.”
Dryden felt sick knowing the male might be dead, and all because he’d wanted to see the mother of his child. The pirates needed to be stopped, but they were like Earth’s plague of locusts he’d read about. They devoured everything in sight and multiplied almost overnight.
“If Tryval cannot be found, what will happen with Haven? I know the council wanted this meeting between them before agreeing to our mating.”
Larimar sighed. “If Tryval is not located within the month, we will approve your mating. It wouldn’t be fair to Haven or you to make you wait indefinitely for a male who may very well be dead. With some luck, survivors will be found who can tell us more.”
“Do you know if any of the worlds in the Falian galaxy have already been checked for survivors?” Dryden asked. “I’m assuming warriors were dispatched.”
“We sent out three ships. One is checking Prilian, one is checking Krylox, and the third is investigating the space station Jeron5. There’s a lot of territory to cover and it could take days if not weeks. Are you sure you want to join the search? We would understand if you wanted to return to Haven’s side,” Larimar said.
“I can do more for her by locating Tryval. In exchange for his assistance, Warlyn has asked that he receive permission to return to Earth in order to search for a bride. He prefers to find his own instead of using the bride program,” Dryden said.
“I will agree to those terms. Make sure any fuel used is charged to the council.”
“Thank you,” Dryden said.
“Good luck, Dryden. I have a feeling you’re going to need it.”
Dryden ended the call and went straight to Tyril’s office. The Terran seemed surprised to see Dryden.
“I didn’t realize you were back on Earth. Did you need help with something?” Tyril asked.
“I’m about to go on a rescue mission. I need some weapons in case there’s trouble.”
Tyril frowned. “You’re not trained as a warrior.”
“Even I know how to point and shoot,” Dryden said.
“Very well. Thrace is on duty. I’ll page him to meet you at security. He’ll give you whatever you need.”
“Thank you.”
As Tyril accessed the intercom system to page Thrace, Dryden and Warlyn walked to the security office at the back of the station. Thrace was waiting for them when they got there.
“It’s good to see you, Dryden,” Thrace said. “But why are we meeting at security? Is there an issue?”
“I need weapons,” he said.
Thrace looked him over before unlocking the security office. He accessed a panel on the far wall and Dryden watched as the wall slid open, exposing the armory. Thrace browsed the selection before selecting two small laser guns and a glyk. He handed them to Dryden, then strapped a holster around Dryden’s waist.
“Is this problem you’re facing on Earth?” Thrace asked.
“No. In the Falian galaxy.”
Thrace nodded. “If you should get into trouble and need help, call for me.”
Dryden thanked him and followed the Purlane to his ship. The crew gazed at him in curiosity when they boarded, but Warlyn made the introductions, then beckoned for Dryden to follow him to the front of the ship. Warlyn claimed the captain’s chair and issued the commands for takeoff, while entering their coordinates into the system.
“We’re on a rescue mission,” Warlyn told his crew. “Take us to the Falian galaxy. We’ll stop at each space station and planet until we find the male we seek. If any of you would prefer not to accept this mission, I can leave you at a station along the way and you can request another ship to pick you up.”
There were murmurs amongst the crew, but they stuck with their captain.
Dryden found an empty seat and made himself comfortable. As the ship exited Earth’s atmosphere the crew began to buckle.
“We’re going to fold space,” Warlyn said. “There’s a little-known wormhole not far from here that should drop us out near the Falian galaxy.”
“So, you’re saying the trip that should have taken more than a day will take how long?”
“About five hours, give or take. It will depend on if we run into meteors or pirates. There are two empty crew rooms on board. You should probably get some rest in case we run into trouble and need all hands.”
Dryden wasn’t certain he could sleep, but he thought it was the Purlane’s way of subtly asking him to get out of the way. Now that Warlyn knew he wasn’t a warrior, he doubted the Purlane would want him underfoot. The crew on board would have been trained in combat. Dryden escaped to the crew quarters and stared out the porthole. Time seemed to stretch forever, and with each passing minute, his unease grew. By the time they reached the Falian galaxy and the first space station, Dryden had decided this was a bad idea. It was like… what was that Earth saying? Finding a needle in a haystack? He hadn’t understood the expression until he’d actually seen a haystack.
“We’ve reached Seeton Prime,” Warlyn said over the comm. “Meet me in the airlock.”
Dryden made sure his weapons were ready before making his way to the airlock. Warlyn and two other warriors were waiting for him.
“While you were in crew quarters,” Warlyn said, “I contacted your council and asked for a picture of the Traxian. My crew has also seen the image and we’re ready to help you. Stay close to one of us at all times. I don’t wish to send you back to your mate in several pieces, or have to explain that you were captured by pirates.”
Dryden would have been insulted, but he knew the warrior had a point.
He followed them into the airlock and waited for the outer doors to open. When they stepped off the ship, the stench of unwashed bodies assailed Dryden’s nose. He followed the Purlanes into the market place, where locals hocked their wares and pirates paraded flesh in front of eager buyers. It disgusted him that people were so eager to embrace slavery, and he wished there was a way to wipe it out completely.
They paused at each slaver’s station and examined all the bodies being auctioned to the highest bidder. They saw two Traxians at the fourth station and Dryden paused. Neither were Tryval, but it was possible they’d been on the Excessia. While he wasn’t a wealthy man, he knew the council would pay him back for any monies spent in an effort to locate the hybrid.
The first Traxian was brought out, a ferocious glare on his face as he studied the crowd. As the bidding began, Dryden listened to the numbers go higher and higher. It slowed when the bid reached 10,000 marks.
Dryden lifted a hand. “Eleven thousand marks.”
The slaver pointed to him. “Eleven thousand to the Zelthranite.”
There were murmurs in the crowd, but no one bid against him. After a moment, the slaver banged a gavel.
“Sold to the Zelthranite in the back. You may either come pay for your purchase now, or wait until you’re finished bidding. I have another Traxian who may interest you.”
Dryden nodded and folded his arms, trying to look like he belonged amongst the bloodthirsty lot. When the second Traxian came up for bid, Dryden won and went to pay for both males. They looked confused, as everyone knew it wasn’t customary for a Zelthranite to purchase slaves. He gave them a subtle signal he hoped they would understand. The last thing he needed was them asking questions out in the open.
They stopped at several more slave stations, but didn’t find more Traxians. They had already been sold or were never there. Dryden and the Traxians followed the Purlanes back to the ship, and once they were on board he finally breathed a sigh of relief.
“Yes,” the first one answered. “We were captured along with most of the crew and several passengers.”
“Do you know if Tryval was among those captured?” Dryden asked.
They shared a long look, and Dryden hoped they weren’t about to share bad news. The last thing he wanted to tell Haven was that the father of her child was dead. He waited for them to speak.
“Tryval fought against the pirates when they boarded us. He’s young, but he’s skilled with most weapons,” the first Traxian said. “That last we saw of him, he was battling with two pirates near the airlock as they paraded the rest of us onto a ship. If he was captured, he wasn’t held with us in the cells below ship.”
That didn’t sound promising. Dryden stepped back as the Purlanes showed the Traxians where they could stay and fetched clean clothes for them. Dryden followed Warlyn to the front of the ship with two other crew members.
“The fact they didn’t see him doesn’t mean he’s dead,” Warlyn said. “It’s possible they kept him in nicer quarters if he fought well, in hopes of keeping him in good shape.”
Dryden’s stomach sank. “The gladiator games on Luresta?”
He supposed it could be worse. Tryval could have been taken to the Karvikian death rings. No one came out of there alive, and there would be no way to get Tryval out. The Karvikians would not accept payment and would likely capture all of them and force them to fight to the death. Once you entered the ring, there was no escape. Even if you lived to fight another day, eventually your luck would run out.
Warlyn nodded. “We need to contact at least one other ship and go check out Luresta. If your Traxian is still alive, I bet that’s where he’s been taken.”
Dryden nodded and gave him the names of the three fastest Zelthranite ships, in hopes those were the ones used for the search. When the captains answered, he was relieved that he’d guessed correctly. Once everyone had been given the information, they all changed course and headed for Luresta. Dryden just hoped they could make it onto the planet without getting caught and kept for the games. He was far smaller than the others, but the Purlanes would make excellent gladiators.
Haven and the Alien Mechanic Page 12
