by Vi Voxley
Oh shit, Lana thought when the girl reacted to that by curling up even more.
It was very obvious what her opinion of the match was. Lana felt like she had to do something.
She dashed from cover before Corden could stop her, leaving the general behind. Looking back, she saw him slip away, knowing he would be keeping an eye on her.
"Hey," Lana said, coming closer. "Miss? You can come out now."
She hoped to God the girl came to her senses and didn't provoke the guy who had just set wild beasts on a helpless crowd to find her. Not that Lana didn't understand. In her stead, she wouldn't have relished the prospect of coming out from under the table either.
Table's good, she thought. When you stay under there, you don't have to be the gesha of the greatest monster alive. On the other hand, if you stay there, we might all die today.
Who knew how many Torons Worgen had locked away, ready to be used as his tools for destruction and fear? There were certainly plenty of them aboard the Flora, Lana knew.
The girl had heard her voice and was staring at her, shaking her blonde head furiously. And Worgen had seen her too, the bloody spear still in his hand.
Lana had never heard of a gerion killing his gesha, but judging by the murderous look on Worgen's face, she just might get to be the first. The general's triumph had immediately turned into ash.
"Just come out," Lana called, trying to sound comforting but failing. "We can talk about this."
"There is nothing to talk about," Worgen said.
He reached the blade of his spear under the table, nearly cutting the girl. Both she and Lana cried out, but Worgen wasn't out to break her, merely threaten some more. He kept the blade perfectly still while the girl climbed out from under the table, supporting herself with shaky hands against the edge of it.
Worgen looked her over from head to toe. Lana watched him instead. The girl—the young woman, rather—was pretty enough, but her entire being screamed I don't want to be here. Lana couldn't honestly blame her, but she needed her to keep it together, at least for a few more days.
"This can't be right," Worgen said.
Oh fuck.
"You are my fated?" the general went on. "No spirit, no temper. No fire. You are nothing."
Clearly he talks to a lot of women. The man is charming as fuck.
Those were the mad thoughts that flew through Lana's head as she contemplated Worgen blowing up the Flora as a punishment.
"I will not accept this!" the general bellowed then, startling them all.
The girl screamed again when the spear came whizzing through the air, aiming for her pale, slender neck. Lana cried out too.
"No!" she yelled.
She wasn't sure if either one of them had stopped Worgen, but the blade was hovering above the girl's shoulder, inches from her skin. The look on the general's face was indescribable. There was fury, but Lana saw confusion for the first time in those dark pits. The hand holding the spear was shaking, although Lana was completely sure it had never done that before.
So it hadn't been them. It was Worgen. The man who had emerged from the nightmares of the entire galaxy was incapable of hurting his gesha. For some reason that was the most unbelievable part of the whole thing for Lana. All three of them seemed surprised, in fact, until Worgen laughed.
His laughter carried over the entire atrium, now almost empty but for the dead.
"You are not what I expected," he growled to the girl, lowering the spear. "But you seem to do the trick. I feel the bond... I can almost taste it. The power flowing through my veins, it's real. Yes, you are mine."
The spear slid back into the sheath on the general's back. He took the girl under his arm like he'd done to Lana before, only now seeming to notice her standing there.
"Captain," he drawled. "Make sure your ship is ready to jump. And keep me updated on the progress of my army. I will come to inspect them soon."
"I will have to ask the scient—"
"You will do as I say," Worgen said. "And so will they."
Lana said nothing more, unwilling to make the situation even worse than it already was.
"Where are we going, General?" she asked absently, her mind spinning with all the ways the day went from heaven to hell as she watched the poor girl shake with fear.
Worgen smiled, not an ounce of warmth in it.
"Set course for Briolina," he said. "I am going home."
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Corden
The world was sharp like a knife.
Corden listened to Worgen's ominous order, feeling the sort of righteous rage he'd rarely experienced in his life. The new course he commanded changed everything. The mad general would approach Briolina over his dead body, which Corden knew might very well be the price.
If he had any say in the matter, the only way Worgen would get anywhere near their home world was as a corpse, the proof of his victory.
He'd expected to have a bit more time, but it didn't matter now. If Worgen truly meant to bring war to Briolina, he'd have it. Brions were not some helpless species to be conquered as easily as Worgen made it sound.
The Abysmal was the more pressing problem, which meant Corden had to tackle it as well as dealing with the general himself.
Leaving Lana was painful, especially after it had become clear Worgen had no problem with letting her die. But as Corden watched the other general completely focused on his new gesha, he decided it was safe to risk it.
The atrium was already filling with people again, cleaning up the mess the Torons had left behind. Later, Corden would have to find out what had happened to them and whether the packs were still ready to fight. It was clear Worgen had somehow managed to lure off the four beasts from the others, but his own plans for them were more complicated than that.
Corden had used their sense of justice before, but he couldn't leave them to rampage through the Flora on their own. With everything hanging on the edge of a blade, the Torons would have to do as he said.
There were too many aspects to his plan. Too many things that could go wrong. Corden grinned. He was becoming more and more like his brothers, even if it wasn't his choice to be so reckless. This was more like Diego, playing out the hand he'd been dealt.
Corden wasn't used to games he didn't know he could win.
His body called to Lana, to make sure his gesha was safe. Putting her in danger took a worse toll on him every time he was forced to do it, but he admired her spirit. It pleased him that Lana wouldn't have allowed him to keep her out of the picture even if he'd demanded it. She had spirit. Sometimes too much of it, even.
The general slipped away from the atrium, heading for the bridge.
After the first time they'd met, Corden had established a way to call Yarel to him when he needed the commander. He would set off a minor alarm, alerting no one but the Palian. Once Yarel had shut it off, they'd both head to the same cargo bay.
It took Yarel a while to get there this time, but Corden had expected that much. With Worgen's callousness plain for all to see, the Flora was in turmoil. There was bound to be trouble, which was one of the reasons Corden called him. Yarel arrived, a frown on his face, but it wasn't the same hopeless expression that Corden had seen on him the last time.
That was good. At least there was one more fighter aboard the carrier other than Lana and himself. One more man who didn't immediately give up when told he'd lost.
In fact, it was an ancient tactic to force the enemy to surrender by convincing them they had no hope. Corden liked interesting methods like that, but unfortunately he doubted it would work on Worgen.
"I saw the atrium," the Palian said instead of a greeting. "It was carnage."
Corden had seen the bodies too. The lone Toron who was left behind when the others charged after him had reaped a toll. He felt sorry for the women, but the general knew there had been no time to lure the fourth without alerting Worgen.
"I regret the deaths. One of the Torons didn't follow. He was t
oo far away."
"Not an accusation, General," Yarel said, his normally kind eyes shining with malice. "Without you, it would have been much worse. We owe you a debt once more. I meant to say that I am surer than ever that he must be stopped."
Corden allowed himself a smile. No Brion ever fully relied on others, not even their own unit, but capable allies were a gift worth cherishing.
"What do you need from me?" the commander asked, the question becoming more commonplace by the day it seemed.
"Two things, and neither of them are easy. You heard we were changing course, right?" Corden asked.
"To Briolina, yes."
"He must not be allowed to reach the planet. The damage the Abysmal could do is almost unthinkable."
"I understand."
"So it is clear we must stop him before he gets there. I need you to restore order on the Flora. Under no circumstances is anyone to provoke Worgen to rid himself of the fleet now that we actually have a plan to save it."
The Palian nodded grimly. The expression really didn't suit him, but under the unusual darkness, Corden detected determination.
"I will," the commander said. "It won't be easy with the bodies still lying there, but I think that's a small matter compared to the bigger problems. I don't think Worgen cares about the mood on the ship either."
"He doesn't," Corden said. "But the less you draw his attention, the better. He has his gesha now. That should keep him occupied."
"I meant to ask you about that, General," the Palian said, to Corden's surprise.
"What about them?" he asked.
"It doesn't feel right," Yarel offered, clearly aware he was treading on dangerous topics. "May I speak honestly?"
"Yes."
"I know the bindings are sacred to you. If it was anyone else, I would not doubt the bond for a second. For example, when you claimed Captain Cormac was your fated, I knew you were telling the truth."
"I remember."
"But a man like that... I feel like something's wrong."
"Like what?" Corden asked.
"It's too convenient," said the Palian. "He needs a gesha and can't find her. The whole danger idea was valid, but the fact he does indeed find her is too—"
"Unbelievable," Corden finished, deep in thought.
Perhaps the Palian was right. For Brions, it was unimaginable that a man would lie about the bond. Corden had been shocked to see the recognizing moment happen, but even he had not questioned it. But Yarel was not a Brion and he was far from stupid, so the general had to consider his words. Did the Palian see something he hadn't? What he was saying was true. It was awfully convenient for a gesha to present herself like that, in a made-up situation. Not unheard of, but highly unlikely.
"It's almost impossible to know for sure," Corden said after a moment of consideration, "but I don't think what you're suggesting is out of the realm of possibility."
He could practically see the weight lifting from Yarel's shoulders. The Palians were not a species that sought conflict. The commander took a great risk, suggesting something that contradicted Brion core values. Corden appreciated courage in all its forms, including speaking up even if it meant angering a dangerous ally.
"I thought you should know," Yarel concluded. "As for the ship, yes, I will take control of it. Captain Cormac has a lot on her mind to deal with insignificant matters. It is better that she handles General Worgen and this course change. I only fear for the Torons. What Worgen did to them..."
The Palian couldn't go on. For Brions, the Toron history was a nasty event, but the Palians found it physically repulsive. It stood against everything they believed in.
"I will handle the Torons."
The Palian nodded. "That's good, General, but I can't imagine how even you could calm them down after something like this."
"I have no intention of calming them down. I just need to aim their need for revenge. Which brings me to the other matter."
Yarel straightened up, like an officer listening to his superior. Corden noticed it, but didn't feel the need to point it out.
"The fake program needs to continue," he said. "You and Captain Cormac must keep it going. Let her handle it while you deal with restoring peace."
"Wouldn't Worgen want it to happen anyway? It was his wish, after all."
"We can't be sure," Corden said. "He definitely can't keep it up if he means to jump to Briolina's doorstep. Perhaps he thinks he has enough men or that the Abysmal is enough. Or he will jump the fleet and transport the lab to the flagship so he can continue the work there."
"That is... true," the Palian admitted. "But why should we want to keep this up?"
Something in his words brought the image of Lana before Corden's eyes again. She would still be on the front lines of that lie if they meant to continue. Yet that didn't change the facts.
"The less originals he has, the better," Corden said. "And they will be the key to getting me aboard the flagship. Not to mention Worgen has to slow down his approach to let the originals travel between the ships."
"You mean to take their place," Yarel said, his eyes shining with hope.
"Something like that," Corden admitted. "Keep that in mind. If we get to Briolina, we're as good as dead."
The smile fell from Yarel's face.
"What makes you say that?" he asked.
"The fleet," Corden said. "He no longer needs it. We have already seen he doesn't keep anyone alive because of sentiment. There is another reason and it can't be good."
"Can you guess why, General?"
Corden frowned.
"I have many guesses and none of them are pleasant. Most likely, I think the Levi gave him an idea of how to get some value out of the fleet."
A long silence followed while Yarel seemed to search for words and Corden waited.
"I will make it happen, everything you ordered," Yarel finally said, that grimness clinging to him like a shroud.
"Good," Corden replied, "then we are on the path to victory."
***
"Her name is Helia," Lana said back in her captain's quarters.
They were on course to Briolina, approaching the Brion home world slowly but surely. Corden regretted that the galaxy wasn't a bigger place. If nothing happened, they would arrive within a week.
Lana and Yarel had done well. The Palian commander had apparently explained in as few words as he could what they needed to do, judging by her words. Together, Lana said, they'd convinced Worgen that he couldn't jump to Briolina without halting the process of creating his army. Naturally they hadn't phrased it quite that way. Through some creative lies and emphasizing that they would like to save the fleet, Lana had fed the idea to Worgen.
The general had ordered the fleet into faster flight without jumps. He'd done that after Yarel had mentioned almost in passing that he might lose the fleet in the course of unpredictable jumps, that some of them might attempt to escape. Of course that was also phrased as precaution, a way to protect the fleet from its future mistakes. Corden doubted Worgen cared about the smaller ships anymore, even if he did plan to use them as ammo against Briolina. But the thought of losing the Flora was a much bigger concern, so that bought them some time.
"I don't know much else," Lana went on. "I didn't get to talk to her. But she looked so frightened when he took her away. I wish I could talk to her, say it's going to get better. What?"
Corden was lounging on the couch, watching her undress with a lust that never died, never eased up. He liked the feeling, a constant ache for her, even when she wasn't near him. And the fact she got more beautiful to him every second they were together was even better.
At first he'd been drawn to her by the bond, noticing only the overall picture. Lana was a beauty, with her big blue eyes and the cascading curls, with her divine body and the curves that he could barely keep his hands away from.
But the more he looked at her, the more the general began to notice the little things. The way a strand of her hair kept falling over he
r eyes, mirroring his braid. The small birthmark on her lower back, visible every time she lifted her hands up and the blouse she wore rolled up too. She had a habit of playing with the neckline, exposing her soft breasts every time she did.
"Would you say that from experience?" Corden asked, a deep hunger in his voice.
"Yes," Lana said, glaring, but he could see the joy in her eyes. "I want her to know that. I was scared too, but now—now I am happy, I think."
"You think," Corden repeated.
Lana smiled and it brightened up her whole face. It was the smile of someone who truly was happy and Corden couldn't have ripped his eyes from her if he'd tried.
"I am," she corrected, a hint of reprimand in her voice. "Only I wish I could enjoy it. In case you didn't notice, we're living on a spaceship that could be destroyed at any moment by the lunatic with the indestructible ship traveling before us."
Corden laughed, his deep and sonorous voice echoing through the room.
"Why are you laughing at me?" Lana asked, a sudden challenge in her eyes.
"I am not," Corden said, serious again. "He is not going to blow up the Flora until the lab is here, the Palians are here, and the most valuable warriors of his crew are here as well. We are safe for a while, as safe as we can be."
"What about the rest of the fleet?"
"They would be better off if he just forgot about them."
"Is he going to?"
"I don't think so."
"So they are in danger," Lana concluded.
Corden stood up and walked over to her, wrapping his hands around her warm, amazing body. The lust was still burning in him, but he kept it in check. As much as he wanted to experience the pleasure of fucking her again, there was something even more important. He wanted Lana by his side all the time and right now she needed his comfort more than his body.
Not that he couldn't sense her body responding to his.
"We all are," he admitted. "But it's far from hopeless. Worgen is not going to throw away his one chance at making Briolina his. You might not believe this, but he has a plan. His actions seem insane to you, but he has victory in his sights."
