Fearless (Battle Born Book 12)

by Cyndi Friberg

  “Go on,” Drex encouraged.

  Jakkin cleared his throat. “The continual assault rapidly drained our shields. The usual defense would have been to dive deep or fly up and over. I try to avoid anything that’s expected.”

  “What did you do instead?”

  A sudden rush of guilt and grief nearly closed his throat. This is where he admitted to the entire fleet, and everyone on Earth, how badly he had failed. “I headed right toward Jason’s ship, then dove at the last possible moment.”

  Calm, soothing affection flowed into his mind. He looked at Kelsey, but couldn’t manufacture a smile. He might not have started the fight, but he was at least partially to blame. And an honorable warrior took responsibility for their actions, regardless of how unpleasant.

  Drex nodded, his features utterly expressionless. “Did the maneuver work?”

  “Almost. My tail section made contact with Jason’s ship. The collision spun both ships out of control. We were able to regain control relatively fast, but Jason’s ship spun in a tight spiral halfway across the continent. I’d never seen anything like it.” Jakkin shook his head as regret washed over him.

  “Was there anything you could have done to bring Jason’s ship out of the spiral?” He spoke precisely, reminding Jakkin not to expound.

  Pushing back his emotions with a deep breath, and decades of discipline, Jakkin shook his head. “There was nothing anyone could have done.”

  “Is there anything you should have done that you did not do?”

  Jakkin squared his shoulders and raised his chin, looking straight ahead. “I should have shot down Jason’s ship over the desert.”

  Marsden came up out of his chair with an animalistic snarl and lunged across the table. Before he could do more than growl, however, the guards to either side of the judges’ table rushed forward and slammed him back down into his seat.

  “This is your last warning, Mr. Marsden,” the senior judge snapped. “I understand that this is emotional for you, but we will not tolerate another outburst.” Then he motioned to Jakkin. “Please continue.”

  “If I’d been more ruthless that day, all those humans would still be alive.” It felt liberating to say it out loud, to finally express his mistake. “It all happened so fast, but I’m truly sorry that I hesitated.”

  “Did you stay to help with the injured?” Drex drew Jakkin back into the present with his firm tone and calm expression.

  “Of course.”

  Drex nodded and finally smiled. “I have no more questions for this witness.”

  The senior judge nodded, then looked at Jenna. “Would you like to challenge.”

  “Oh yes.” She stood and smoothed down her skirt before walking around the table. “There are several details in your accounting that confused me. Let’s start at the beginning. Shall we?”

  It wasn’t really a question, so Jakkin just stared back at her.

  “Shortly before you arrived we watched the recording of what took place in the command center of your ship on the day in question. Can you please remind the judges who fired their weapons first, or should I replay the video file?”

  Jakkin tensed already disliking the direction she was headed. “We fired a warning shot designed to defuse the conflict.”

  “Who instigated the conflict?”

  “Marsden did when he pursued me.” He tried to remain calm, but her questions were clearly meant to incite his anger.

  “What did Royce Marsden say when he identified himself?”

  Jakkin had never wanted to harm a female, and Jenna was just doing her job, but it didn’t keep an image from forming in his mind. He saw himself rush around the lectern and wrap his hands around her throat.

  “Do I need to repeat the question?”

  “No. I heard you.” Seeing no way around it, he admitted, “Marsden told me to leave or he would consider it an act of war, but he didn’t have the authority to back up the threat.” He glared at Marsden before adding, “He’s not an official representative of the U.S. government.”

  “Actually, he is and was at the time. I’ve entered into evidence statements from four of the senior agents within Solar Warden. According to all four statements, they held an informal election and chose Royce Marsden as their interim leader.”

  “I had no way of knowing that.” Jakkin glanced at Drex. He would be able to tear down Marsden’s testimony during his challenge, but there was nothing he could do to help Jakkin now.

  “Who authorized you to invade U. S. airspace?”

  Damn it. This was why Drex wanted to focus on the bombing. The L. A. nightmare wasn’t nearly as cut and dry.

  Answer honestly. None of this is important to our case.

  Jakkin snapped his head around toward Drex as his voice sounded clearly in Jakkin’s mind. He hadn’t activated Jakkins com-bots. The lawyer was naturally, or had been enhanced so he would be, telepathic.

  Jenna was looking at Drex too and suspicion narrowed her amber gaze. Had she sensed the telepathic transmission? That was almost as unusual as what Drex had done.

  “Is there a problem?” The judge drew their attention back to the trial.

  “No, sir,” Jenna said. “Commander Arvik, please answer the question.”

  “I was dispatched by General Lux.”

  “And does the United States have the right to defend their airspace?”

  He sighed, then said, “Yes.”

  She paused for a moment then shrugged. “I have no more questions.”

  “You may go,” the judge said, and Jakkin understood that it was a directive not a suggestion.

  Thrilled to have the frustrating exercise behind him, he walked toward the door, motioning for Kelsey to join him.

  “What a disaster,” he groaned as they reached the corridor. “I fell right into her trap.”

  “It doesn’t matter.” She hooked her arm through his as he led her toward the shuttle bay. “It’s over and there is no way he can weasel out of taking responsibility for the bombing.”

  “Did you know Drex is telepathic?”

  She shook her head. “How did you find out?”

  “He told me not to worry when Jenna started eviscerating me.”

  She chuckled. “It wasn’t that bad.”

  “It felt that bad.”

  They took the shuttle to Lunar Nine and grabbed a bite to eat, though neither of them was very hungry. Then they shuttled back to the Fearless, wanting to hear the verdict in private in case things didn’t go their way.

  Unfortunately, the trial didn’t conclude that night, but dragged into evening the following day. Alyssa came to keep Kelsey company as they waited for the trial to wind down.

  “This is killing me,” Alyssa said, pacing in front of the sofa where Kelsey sat.

  Both of their mates had used work to distract them, but the humans had yet to solidify their occupations. Kelsey knew Jakkin had spoken with General Lux about utilizing her skills, but the general had yet to respond.

  “Waiting around is part of any surveillance,” Kelsey pointed out. “I guess I’ve gotten used to it.”

  Alyssa had just settled down enough to join Kelsey on the sofa when Jakkin and Dakar walked into the cabin.

  “They’re about to read the verdict.” Jakkin motioned to the wall display, which was currently muted so the females could talk.

  “Volume sixty percent,” Kelsey ordered and the sound returned.

  The senior judge cleared his throat before he began. “Royce Marsden of Earth, we find you innocent in the matter commonly known as the L. A. Massacre. The person directly responsible perished along with his victims.”

  The feed flashed to Marsden. He looked elated, but his joy was to be short-lived.

  “However, in the Vingarra bombing, you are fully liable and guilty of murder and attempted murder many times over.”

  “But that wasn’t my fault!” Marsden yelled. “The bomb wasn’t supposed to—”

  The judge ignored Marsden and continued
on as if he weren’t arguing with everything the judge was relating. “You will be transported to Penal Colony Six where you will live out the remainder of your life. If at any point during your incarceration you request a lethal self-injector, one will be provided for you. May your god have mercy on your soul, because the battle born will not.”

  Kelsey could almost hear the cheering no doubt erupting on Earth, but all she felt was relief. She stood and rushed to Jakkin, wrapping her arms around his back. “It’s over, love. It’s finally over.”

  He tucked her head under his chin and held her close. “I thought this would make me happy, but I can’t celebrate something so tragic.”

  “This is closure, for all of us,” Alyssa said. “It will allow us to heal.”

  Jakkin nodded, his chin rubbing against the top of Kelsey’s head.

  “Let’s give them some privacy,” Dakar suggested.

  Alyssa squeezed Kelsey’s shoulder as she passed. “I’ll com you tomorrow.”

  Kelsey waved her off without leaving the shelter of Jakkin’s arms.

  “Are you all right?” Jakkin asked once they were alone. “I know Solar Warden was a big part of your life. You have to feel sort of…I don’t know, abandoned.”

  She eased back far enough to look at him. “Water under the bridge, my love. I have no regrets.”

  “Glad to hear it.” He leaned down and kissed her mouth, but didn’t linger. “So, Dakar and I had a long holo-com with his big brother while we were waiting for the verdict.”

  “Which one? He has two, no actually three if you count the Outcast.”

  “The one who’s a general,” he clarified with a smile.

  “Oh, Sedrik.” She sighed dramatically. “So handsome and commanding.”

  He reached down and pinched her bottom. “First you threaten me with Zilor Nox, and now Sedrik. Are you feeling neglected?”

  “Maybe.” She rubbed against him suggestively. “Want to do something about it?”

  “After you hear what Sedrik had to say.”

  “Fine.” She harrumphed, feeling particularly feisty.

  He laughed, swung her up into his arms, and headed for the bedroom. “You’re trouble today. There’s no way around it. So I’ll make this quick.”

  “I hope not.” She laughed. “I’m feeling neglected, remember? We should make this last for hours.”

  “I’ll do my best, hellion. Now pay attention.” He nipped her on the neck, then sat on the side of the bed and arranged her on his lap. “Orientation will still take place at the Bunker, under Morgan’s supervision. However, Sedrik wants the interviews to take place aboard the Fearless. We mutually agreed that the volunteers will feel more comfortable, and answer more completely, if there are more females on the panels. Dakar and I immediately thought of Alyssa and you.”

  Kelsey stilled. “You want us to become interviewers?”

  “No. Sedrik wants you and Alyssa to run the interview program. He’d like you to create a comprehensive set of questions that will reveal what we need to know without making human females feel attacked. You’ve both been through the process, so you know what worked and what can be improved.”

  “That’s certainly true.” She looked past him as the possibilities churned within her mind. “I guess there isn’t much call for a female spy in the rebellion.”

  “Oh I wouldn’t say that either. Sedrik mentioned you to Kaden, and Kaden was very interested in meeting with you.”

  “Kaden, as in commander of the hospital ship?”

  “Kaden, as in the person most familiar with covert operations. He spent many years as a spy. Just like you. The battle born don’t often need covert agents, but when they do they call on Kaden.”

  “And Kaden would like to meet with me.” She couldn’t conceal her smile. At heart she would always be a spy.

  “But the interview program will give you something meaningful to fill your time in between missions. And I know you and Alyssa have gotten close. I thought this would please you.”

  “It does. It’s just a lot to take in all at once.”

  “Well, we’re literally making it up as we go along, so you’ll have a ton of input into how it comes together.”

  “‘Comes together’?” She grinned as she turned around and straddled his legs. “I like the sound of that.” She pushed him over backward and stifled his laughter with her mouth. The details of her new life could wait for a little while longer. All she cared about in that moment was sharing pleasure with her mate.

  THE END

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  Thanks, Cyndi

  Coming Summer 2017

  Featuring Drexel and Jenna

  Coming Fall 2017—Series Finale!

  Featuring Sedrik and Rebecca

  And don’t miss

  The exciting spinoff series

  Outcasts, Coming Fall/Winter 2017

  Featuring Arton and Lily