Huen: Sci-Fi and Fantasy Romance (Zhekan Mates Book 2)

by E. A. James

  He took a step in her direction, leaning over her and flipping on the holo display. A three-dimensional map flickered to life, showing the intended route of the mission.

  Kira watched as the holo display traced their path through Terran space, skirting Rengar territory and finally edging through Bandurian space to make the rendezvous with Nico Rax – the bounty hunter tasked with the last leg of the mission.

  “Simple enough,” Kira said, but in her mind, she questioned the route. It seemed odd to fly through Bandurian space, and so close to the Galactic Bazaar, in order to make the rendezvous. The Bazaar was a hotbed for pirates and raiders, and without question, an unmarked freighter would be too good to pass up if they ran into one of those groups.

  Kira drew in a deep breath, steeling herself. “Alright, consider me briefed - what’s our estimated time of departure?”

  She was beginning to think that this man didn’t speak. He hadn’t said a word to her yet.

  To her surprise, he did respond. "Now," he said gruffly.

  “What about our guest?”

  “Secure, and none of your concern. You will not be interacting with him.”

  “Good,” Kira said, mentally noting for the first time the distinct gender pronoun in reference to the prisoner– him.

  Without another word the man left the room, leaving her alone to work. She familiarized herself with the control panel one more time before initiating the engine system. The anti-matter reactor hummed to life, and within seconds, Kira had thrust. She ran through her pre-warp diagnostics check and found everything in surprisingly good working order. Kira suspected that a lot of engineering hours went into preparing this ship for the mission.

  In reality, it seemed as if their mission would be a simple one, as long as the prisoner remained controlled and they avoided any pirates.

  Kira confirmed the coordinates one last time and the ship’s automated assistant replied in an eerily mechanical voice “Coordinates accepted.” She took a deep breath and engaged the warp system.

  As the ship accelerated to warp, Kira leaned back in the captain’s chair and tried to figure out what she would do for the next two weeks. The autopilot system should take them about three hours outside of the rendezvous point and these two meatheads didn’t seem very eager to chat.

  Kira reviewed the ship’s database and logs, looking back over its service as a freighter. She noticed that a great deal had been manually deleted from the logs, probably in an effort to conceal illegal shipments. Kira guessed that this was how the Terran Alliance had come to be in possession of the freighter.

  For the first time since her whirlwind meeting with Grimm, Kira felt fatigue wash over her. She leaned back in the captain’s chair and let herself drift to sleep as the ship hurtled through space heading for Jaantu 7.

  As the first few days passed, she began to relax. The ship was functioning well and the guards mostly kept to themselves, periodically checking in on their flight progress. She still had her questions about the nature of their mission, but the simplicity of it eased her mind, at least slightly. Her faith in Grimm was partially restored, and the two men he assigned to work as her guards seemed capable enough.

  Kira had ventured some walks through the freighter to stretch her legs, but she could tell the guards were not fond of her roaming too far and tended to keep a close eye on her. She did what she could for exercise on the flight deck, but the confinement was starting to eat away at her.

  Nearing the last leg of their journey Kira had to drop the ship out of warp to manually navigate an asteroid field that wasn’t in the ship's database. Kira didn’t mind the work, and at the very least, it was giving her something to do.

  Just as she was finally beginning to feel at ease, the man with the snake tattoo’s voice came over the ship’s communicator.

  “Captain, we’ve got company,” he informed her.

  She had been watching the small dots on her sensor array as well, hoping they were nothing more than trading vessels going about their business. Unfortunately, though, it appeared that those dots were following them. She glanced at the display and counted.

  Four. There were four large dots on the sensor array.

  “What are they?” she asked into the intercom.

  “It looks like Zel’Dar, Captain,”

  “Well, that’s just wonderful,” Kira muttered, grabbing the controls with purpose. The dots on her screen were not ships; they were the dense spots of a swarm.

  A swarm of Zel’Dar could contain anything from a few dozen of the insect-like creatures to hundreds of them. Due to their hard exoskeletons and unique biology, the creatures often flew through space unprotected with no need of ships or equipment. Still, they posed a threat to any vessel with the misfortune of stumbling into their path. In this case, the asteroid field had concealed the swarm until they were nearly on top of them.

  As she squinted at the screen, she could see that each of the four large dots consisted of at least a dozen smaller ones.

  “Are the shields up?”

  “They were never down,” Snakeman replied, as she had decided to call him.

  She knew the Zel’Dar were unable to reach faster than light speed, but they still weren’t clear of the asteroid field and making a jump could destroy the ship. It wouldn’t take long, but it might be just enough time for their visitors to catch up with them.

  Her mind began to race in the quick, analytical way it so often did when she found herself in high-pressure situations. The options buzzed in her head as she debated between trying to find a way to escape, and formulating a plan of attack.

  Glancing down at the warp generator and back out at the asteroid field, she saw that her best choice was the latter of the two options—attack. Judging by the sensor array’s report, she knew they wouldn’t have enough time to elude them.

  “Any chance they’re just curious?” she asked over the intercom.

  “Doubtful.”

  “Good, then there’s no reason I can’t do this,” she said, pulling up on the controls sharply.

  The ship rose quickly, as she spun the vessel around to face the swarm of Zel’Dar heading their way. Piloting the vessel forward, she increased her speed, zipping straight for the mass of winged, grotesque looking, oversized pests.

  “Captain, what are you doing?” Snakeman’s voice came over the intercom.

  For a second, Kira thought she could sense a hint of fear in his tone. It amused her to think of the large, cybernetically enhanced man huddled in the corner of the control room with a look of panic on his face.

  “They’re closing, and we’re not out of the asteroid field, we have a new plan,” Kira replied.

  “Bring the weapons array online,” she ordered gruffly as she continued leading the ship forward, her sights set on the largest of the clusters of Zel’Dar on her screen.

  “Done,” Snakeman said.

  Kira pulled up the weapons control system and target locked onto the Zel’Dar swarm. The control panel blinked red awaiting her command. Kira checked the missile count on the freighter and silently swore when she noticed only thirty-two available. That wasn’t going to be enough.

  “Snakeman,” Kira said firmly into the intercom.

  “Me?” the man with the snake tattoos voice came back, confused.

  “Yes,” Kira said quickly. “I would ask for Lizardman, but he doesn’t seem to enjoy talking to me as much.”

  “What do you want, Captain?”

  “Get up here, now. I need someone to man the disruptor's.”

  “On my way, Captain.”

  Clicking the intercom off, Kira fixed her attention on the images of the Zel’Dar. The mass of oversized bugs was now visible through the Flight Deck’s view screen.

  Checking the weapons array again, she reached over and let the first missile fly. She didn’t wait to see if it hit and instead fired the second. She quickly cycled through targets, firing and evading.

  Pressing the ship forward, she dove
downward, making sure to evade the ripple effects of the missiles’ explosion. The ships automated assistant came to life and notified her when her ammunition had been expended. The mechanical voice just added to the tension.

  Zel’Dar we’re still all over her sensors. A number of the Zel’Dar had detached from the swarm and were closing on the freighter fast.

  “What the hell are you doing to us?” Snakeman demanded as he threw open the Flight Deck door.

  “Giving us a fighting chance,” Kira replied, her jaw clenched and her eyes still glued to the screens in front of her. “Do you know how to work the disruptor's?”

  Snakeman simply scoffed and slumped himself down in the chair to her right. Grabbing onto the controls for the multi-barreled disruptor's attached to the front and rear of the ship, he turned to her and nodded.

  Turning the ship around quickly, Kira once again began a head-first charge towards their unexpected visitors. Snakeman let the disruptor's loose, taking down four or five of the Zel’Dar at a time.

  Kira kept her focus on the images in front of her, both out the windows and on the screens. She wove the ship through the buggy-eyed, black and green, horde of winged vermin, swiveling the massive craft tactfully, giving her companion the clearest shots as possible.

  As Kira moved through the swarm she could hear projectiles impacting on the freighter. The automated assistant chimed in again “Shields at 72%.” Snakeman continued his relentless assault; his precision with the disruptors was uncanny.

  Kira continued to pilot the freighter on pure adrenaline, her body was tense and racked with sweat. Projectiles continued to pummel the freighter and the mechanical voice continued to warn her of her impending doom.

  As Snakeman worked, the frenzied group of Zel’Dar began to calm, their carcasses floating around the ship lifelessly. Still shaking with the rush, Kira spun the ship around one more time, searching the view screen and sensor array for any sign of movement.

  “Shit,” Snakeman said. “That was intense.”

  “Things with me tend to be,” she said confidently as she leaned back in her chair checking her instruments, still not convinced they had managed to eradicate the swarm of Zel’Dar.

  Just then, a small, single light began to flicker on the screen, showing movement at the rear of the ship. She pushed herself up, quickly, trying to grab for the controls.

  "There's something…" she started.

  She was cut off when the ship lurched forward and the lights flickered. They lost power for a total of seven seconds, but then the system shuddered to life again with the lights flickering around them. Working the controls, she tried to turn the ship around.

  “I’ve lost control,” she said, looking at Snakeman.

  The ship’s automated assistant sprang back to life, “Hull Breach Detected,” the mechanical voice seemed to be losing power and Kira thought it might not remain online for much longer.

  “Shit!” Snakeman said. He quickly reached for the intercom “Check the control panels? We’ve lost navigation and there has been a hull breach.”

  Silence.

  “Report!” he said into the intercom again. “Do you copy?”

  Silence.

  “Fuck!” he said, pushing himself up and quickly hurrying to the door.

  “What’s going on?” Kira asked, standing to follow him.

  “You stay here,” he ordered her firmly as he broke into an inhumanly fast run down the corridor.

  Kira clenched her jaw and waited, eye’s peeled down the corridor for any activity. Ten minutes passed. The only noise was the occasional groan from the metal work of the ship’s hull. Fifteen Minutes…

  Kira dared to activate the intercom, “Snakeman, do you copy?” Icy silence followed her words. Thirty seconds passed with no response.

  “Fuck!” Kira swore. She took a deep breath, reached down and pulled the Phantom off of her hip and against her better judgment, set off down the corridor.

  CHAPTER SIX

  Kira kept her back pressed against the wall and her steps soft and steady as she approached the ship’s lounge.

  She had no idea what she would find. Had a Zel’Dar somehow managed to board? Had Snakeman and his look-alike simply decided to relax after the attack and forgot to inform her that everything was fine?

  Her heart started to beat harder in her chest and her hands tightened around the grip of her weapon. Just then, the sound of someone moving around just up ahead made her breath catch in her throat. Steadying herself, she pushed herself away from the wall and raising her gun, she stormed into the ship’s common area.

  Standing there, looming over the bloodied body of Snakeman was a man she didn't recognize. His tall, muscular frame hovered in place for a moment before he spun around to face her, his movements quick and precise. He raised his own weapon and trained the sights on her. He was wielding a plasma rifle, although his weapon wasn't what she was worried about. His size and presence were enough to make her start to panic.

  “You’re the prisoner,” she said, her words coming out sharp, laced in a surprise.

  “Are you asking me, or telling me?” he replied.

  His voice was calm and his demeanor was controlled. His tanned complexion and dark features were almost ominous, and the rugged, disheveled look he had about him only added to his imposing presence. He took a step in her direction, his gun still pointed at her.

  She backed up quickly, demanding, “How did you escape? What happened to the guards?”

  “Put your weapon down,” he said, ignoring her questions.

  “Tell me!” she ordered.

  “I don’t want to have to hurt you,” he said, taking another step towards her, “but if you don’t lower your weapon right now, you’re not leaving me much choice.”

  He took another step in her direction and she squeezed the trigger of her Phantom, sending a pulse of energy flying towards him. In a flash, he stepped to the side, just out of the path of the surge. His movements were swift, unnatural even, and sent a chilling ripple running down Kira’s spine.

  His eyes still locked on her, he said, “I would advise you not to try that again.”

  Returning his stare with her own, filled with frustration and disgust, she lowered her gun, slightly.

  “Now you,” she said.

  “Put it on the ground.”

  “No,” she snapped, raising the gun again. “You first.”

  He stared back at Kira and then slowly leaned forward and set his weapon on the ground, kicking it away and spreading his arms out at his side. “Your turn.”

  Kneeling down, she placed her sidearm on the floor, pushing it to her right and standing up again quickly. Their eyes locked once again, and the room filled with a tense silence.

  “Who are you?” she demanded.

  “Who are you?” he shot back.

  "Captain Kira Winter, and I'm the pilot of this…,” her nose wrinkled as she finished, "…this once fine vessel."

  “I am Commander Luthor Rockhold, but I’m known as Thor,” he replied. “And, yes, I am—or was—the prisoner on this ship.”

  “How did you escape?”

  “When the power failed during the attack, the door to my cell was unlocked, temporarily.”

  “That was awfully convenient for you,” Kira muttered.

  "It was," Thor said, crossing his arms over his chest, "even more since my incarceration was unjustified."

  “Said every guilty man ever,” Kira replied sarcastically.

  “Perhaps,” he said with a shrug.

  “You don’t really think I’m that gullible.”

  “You don’t have to believe me.”

  Her curiosity was rising, and the awkward tension passing between them was mounting. She took a slight step to her right, and he stepped to his left, keeping himself planted directly in front of her.

  "Just tell me," she said with a frustrated grunt. "It's clear that neither of us is going anywhere, and this stand-off is getting old—fast. What mak
es you believe you’re innocent?"

  “I was a soldier in the Arcanum,” he began.

  “So were Snakeman and his twin,” Kira noted quickly.

  “Snakeman?”

  Kira motioned to the lifeless body of her former bodyguard lying on the ground about 20 feet away from her. "Snakeman," she said firmly.

  “I’m not going to ask,” Thor said, looking at the man over his shoulder.

  “Good. I wasn’t going to tell you.”