Collateral Trade

by Candace Smith

  The oldest elder approached with a parchment-wrapped parcel in his arms. Chaya raised an eyebrow and prepared to take the questionable package, but the dark twin held it out to Sharell. “The Ancient asked to see our vault. This has been buried behind scrolls and art masterpieces for longer than my lifespan, though I was not aware of its existence. She instructed me to give it to you, if your mate did not stop you from boarding for battle. The Ancient said not to open it until you were in your quarters.”

  Sharell bowed her head, and Danilo was silently relieved she behaved. “Thank you, elder. I am confident of my mates’ abilities to protect me and calm my fears.” She raised her eyes and they flashed brezan green, matching her ring. “We will show everyone the fierce pride and strength of Actana.”

  When they walked to the shuttle, the elder whispered, “The Ancient is right. Their mate is a warrior.”

  Sharell sat in Tian’s lap, holding the package. She watched Chaya’s every move without distracting him. Something told her she would need to know how to do more than steer the small craft.

  Can you hear me, mate?

  Sharell tensed. Yes, Tian.

  We can guide you from the battleship if need be. Do you see the silver levers on the sides of the dash?

  Yes.

  When you lift them, they open the weapons bay doors. The lasers are controlled by the green buttons on the top of the steering device.

  Thank you, Tian. Is this something I’ll need to know?

  I don’t know. She felt him stiffen and shudder. I can sense your need to know how to fly the shuttle, and as much as I hate this, I want you prepared. You know I will be with you.

  I know. Sharell leaned back and watched them close in on the huge battleship docking bay. She hoped she would not need the information Tian gave her.

  If Sharell thought the Cathisis was a modern marvel of technology, the battleship was truly astounding. Its brushed metal surfaces had archway doors and etchings carved into the finish. It was in their strange Actana dialect, but eventually she recognized them as symbols and could make her way around.

  The three ships traveled together, with the Commanders and mates shuttling to one ship or another for dinner. While the men held their covert meetings, the women held their own.

  Tempest explained Miranda’s history, finishing with how she built the temples. “For a long time, everyone thought she was the last of the ancient Atlantian bloodline. Before the destruction of Atlantis, we knew the Realm had tried to corrupt a few of the mystics. We just had no information they had managed to escape.”

  Tempest leaned back in her chair. “We thought the last Atlantians had made it to Earth. Apparently, those who became traitors used the partial remaining system of slip-streams to escape. They discovered the Realm was going to execute them. Even though they swore allegiance to the Realm, their power made the Royals nervous. It didn’t take much for the Magistrates to decide that the Atlantians they compromised could just as easily turn on them.”

  “What are these slip-streams?” Rue asked.

  “They’re like a system of worm holes through the outer worlds. The original Atlantian ancients built them to travel to places that could support them. They held special rituals on the planets and built vast repositories for a magical crystal called nelam. It’s in most of the temples Miranda built on Valistara. I guess the Atlantians always figured they might need the slip-streams to escape the Realm, but by the time it came around, they had no chance to use them. Rather than give the Royals access to them, they destroyed the entrance within the inner worlds. Now, it’s kind of a treasure hunt to find them, though we know Earth had different portals.”

  “And these ancients managed to escape to them? Did they destroy Earth?”

  “No. We managed that on our own. Several from our planet have found them, though. Once these rogue wizards land on a new world, they suck the nelam from the planet and cause the slip-streams to become unstable. Basically, they are a one-way trip. We have found several outer worlds inhabited by Earth travelers.” Tempest took a sip of her drink. “We’ve left them alone, because this was generations ago and they’ve set up new societies that are doing fine. That is, until these ancients arrive to disrupt things.”

  “These ancients don’t want to rebuild?” Rue asked.

  “Oh, they rebuild, all right,” Tempest laughed. “These guys are really… really, really… old. I guess they’ve gone a little bonkers. Anyway, they build crap and eventually suck the life out of the planets. Then, kapow, everything is destroyed and they move on. Miranda caught a vision of one of the planets the ancients were on, and we held a month long nightly vigil, sliding the streams between time.”

  “She can do that?” Sharell asked.

  “Yes, but it knocks the heck out of her. Quiseeria is an old west type world, complete with gunslingers, and she barely managed to help Kera save it. Now, the ancients are on some kind of water world called Aquadea, but they might be gone before we can get there. They’ve used up the crystal beneath the surface for their building and the waters are rising. There might not be any land or people left by the time we get there.”

  “What then?” Rue asked.

  “The idea is for us to catch up, just before the ancients hit the stream again. Miranda is going to work with the priestess to roll back time again, or maybe press it forward. She’s going to try to lower the seas so the people will survive. We need to catch these turkeys before they shoot off someplace else.”

  “How do we do that? I mean, they sound too dangerous to bring onto our ships,” Sharell said.

  “We don’t bring them here.” Tempest smiled. “They hate Earth people because they can sense the Atlantian link to us. Basically, we… and I mean us three… are supposed to piss them off so they follow us into the slip-stream.” Tempest held up her ring. “A specific stream. One that Miranda is rebuilding to Vallasteria. The priestess have constructed a prison made of nelam crystal and empowered it to bind them.”

  Sharell was silent for a moment, and then she burst out laughing. “Do you have any idea how ridiculous this sounds?”

  Rue had little experience with magic before she met the Vallasterians, but crazy shit had happened since she left Earth. Rue thought of the women in the Birthing Temple on Lameria, and how they had been able to project visions. “Is it crazier than your big guy crawling around in your frikkin’ head and making you horny enough to jump him in the baths?”

  “So not fair. Tian just has an emotional side most guys are missing.”

  “I’m sure Isari wouldn’t mind finding his, if that’s what it does,” Rue laughed.

  Tempest shook her head. “I could just imagine Tali being able to do that. He drives me nuts with his poetic endearments, speaking out loud.”

  “So, what happens if we can’t get these wizards into the slip-streams?” Sharell asked.

  Tempest was silent for a moment. “That’s where the guys and the battleships come in. It would take all three to fight the ancients’ magic. If we fail, the warriors are supposed to destroy the planet before they can escape again.”

  “Shit,” Rue drawled.

  “Yeah, shit,” Tempest agreed. “So, we aren’t going to fail. We’ll each grab hold of one by the neck, if we have to. We just gotta’ get them into the stream.”

  The meeting broke up, and Sharell stood and yawned, taking Tian’s hand when he came to walk her to their shuttle. She was silent, and Tian asked, “You know why you are here?”

  “Yes, part of it.” She also understood she could not tell them. They would try to stop her, and she knew she had to succeed. There was no way her mates could help blow up the planet and destroy her, no matter the cost to the Realm. Somehow, Tian knew not to press her for details. Sharell figured he would be more upset if she were evasive or lied.

  A week after they left Actana, Sharell finally opened the parcel. Inside was a pair of black pants, a vest, and boots. She had always known this was what the package contained. It had been in
her bonding vision. Sharell put them on, feeling Tian’s wavering calmness undulating towards his brother.

  Chaya just stared. His eyes contained his silent anger, but he did not speak. Sharell walked up and ran her hands down his chest. “I need you to take me to the practice arena.”

  “Mates do not…”

  “Chaya, I need to go. You need to make sure I am as prepared as I can be. I need you to do this for me, Chaya.”

  “Do you know how hard this is for me?”

  She laid her head on his chest. “I feel it, Chaya. This is not something I asked for. It is something we must do to keep our children and people safe. And I need your help.”

  Chaya could not imagine setting her loose to do whatever this battle entailed. Isari and Taliquant were having the same misgivings, but they had more experience believing and trusting in the Ancient. They also knew that sometimes her visions involved sacrifice.

  “Tian, you too. I need you to get my mind straight,” Sharell said.

  The training bay was mostly empty. There were target areas and guns, some simulated shuttles that she might check out in private with Tian, and various areas to practice hand to hand combat. Nisanta’s dark twin was holding his own in a holographic boxing match. “Perfect,” she whispered.

  The man turned and looked as though he wanted to run. Other than quiet thanks for introducing Janella to him, he had avoided Sharell. He straightened, and decided it was time to offer an appropriate apology to his Commander’s mate. He walked up with his hand extended to Chaya, and Sharell swung her long leg forward and kicked him in the balls. He bent over and his jaw connected with her doubled fists, only to have his throat mashed by her jabbing elbow on the upswing. He collapsed on the mat, groaning.

  Sharell grinned down at him. “That makes us even for not telling anyone Ayana had been escaping.”

  Chaya and Tian stared at her. Their eyes strobed between dark anger and light passion from her display. Is she not magnificent, Chaya?

  See how her breasts push against her vest with her deep breaths. And her leg sweeping out… why did she not attack us?

  “Now,” Sharell began. “Apparently the guys I’ll be facing are really old, so I doubt I’ll need more than that to kick ass.” She did not see the need to mention they were ancients with more power than Miranda, and scrambled noodles for brains. She looked at Chaya’s shocked expression. “What?”

  “You could have done that to us?” Tian asked.

  Sharell shrugged. “I took self-defense like a maniac as soon as I was old enough. I figured you’d either shoot me or put me in that cage in your room. Either way, it seemed easier to try to get with your program.”

  “All along you were trying to mate with us?” Chaya asked. It certainly did not seem that way.

  “No, but I couldn’t get out of your room, so I decided it might be better to try to cooperate.” She looked at their incredulous expressions. “Oh, come on. It wasn’t that bad.”

  Chaya looked down at the man on the ground. “It wasn’t that bad,” he amended. “What is it you want me to teach you?” He actually felt a little better, knowing she was not defenseless. It was terribly confusing.

  Sharell walked over to the lap pool and stared into the water. “I need you to teach me how to swim.” When she was five, her father called her a baby for still needing arm floats. He pulled them off her arms and tossed her into the deep end of the country club’s pool. Her mother jumped in with her clothes on to save her. Sharell had not gone near water over her head since then.

  Tian felt her fear and sent a calming wave. “Thanks. You know why?”

  “I know why, and I have already told Chaya. We don’t need to speak about it.”

  Chaya’s eyes beat anger and he worked to accept Tian’s calming influence. “You will need to know how to do this? I don’t like that you will have to face a fear from your past, as well as having to do this in battle.”

  “I don’t like it either, but the planet we’re going to is almost underwater.” Sharell decided not to mention the slip-streams.

  Chaya walked up to a cabinet and removed a bottle. He tossed it in his hand and turned to bring it back to them. “I will teach you to swim, but if you get tired, take one of these. They will conserve your oxygen and you will be able to stay submerged for about an hour.” Sharell stuck the bottle into her pocket. She would split the contents with Rue and Tempest.

  Just before she began removing her clothes, Nisanta’s dark twin stumbled over. “I am sorry. I was a coward for not admitting she escaped, but I had no idea she would try to hurt you.”

  “We’re even,” Sharell replied.

  The man pulled his gaze away from her. The sight of a lady warrior was disarming. “Um, Janella. Is she a warrior, too?”

  “I taught her to hold her own, so you’d better watch yourself.”

  “Yes. Yes, I will warn Nisanta of this.” He staggered away.

  Sharell laughed. “Janella couldn’t hurt a fly. There wasn’t any reason to teach her self-defense, because Security wouldn’t let the guys near us anyway.”

  Chaya taught her how to swim underwater and dog paddle to the surface for a gulp of air. She was strong, and moved gracefully below surface, but looked like a drowning rat when she broke for a breath. Half the time, her hair covered her face and she sucked whistled gasps between the soaked sheet. Still, beneath the water, she was a lean mermaid, her nude body stretching and pulling her forward.

  Tian stripped and jogged down the steps. “Diane and Larry joined in a pool.”

  “You are certain of this?”

  “Absolutely,” Tian replied.

  Sharell took long strokes to reach the shallow end and stood gulping in air. “How was that?” She looked at the light passionate eyes and lowered her gaze to magnified erections under the water. “Pretty good, I guess.” She waded over to the steps and sat on Chaya’s lap, wrapping her arms around Tian’s neck.

  Chaya held her buoyant breasts, entranced by the taut nipples. He pinched and pulled, enjoying the increased length. Sharell squirmed in his lap, feeling herself clench wetness. Her lips brushed across Tian’s and she darted her tongue into his mouth. She felt him reaching for something and sat up.

  He took an oxygen pill from the bottle in her pocket and popped it into his mouth. “The chapter might have ended differently if Larry had one of these.” With that, Tian slid off the step and submerged. His blonde hair floated in long golden strands and his hands wrapped around her waist.

  Sharell gasped when he lifted and turned her so she lay with her back against Chaya. Chaya was still absorbed with her breasts, and he hissed and bit into her neck when his brother settled Sharell onto his cock. “Oh, damn,” Sharell gritted out. Her thighs were spread outside Chaya’s and his entire length sank into her.

  Tian’s face moved towards her pussy, and she struggled to slam her thighs together. Chaya mumbled, “You will not…”

  “I know. I know, dammit. Not without permission. Tian better be able to use his mind link underwater.” If he could, he was purposely ignoring her. Sharell was in crisis by the time he finally surfaced, still using his fingers to toy with her clit while her hands batted and splashed the water. By the time Chaya finally gave her permission to come, most of her fear of the water was gone.

  The battleships continued to cruise to the outer worlds. They passed Rashilla Three and Lameria, approaching their destination. The men knew their battleship plan, and the women had settled on their own devised strategy.

  Commander Chaya stared at the speck through the viewport, and turned the helm over to his relief. He walked slowly to his quarters. This would be their last night before they reached Aquadea and the battle ahead.

  After mostly holding Sharell, with Tian pushing confidence and calmness into her until weary lines surrounded his eyes, she slept between them while the twins stared into the darkness.

  They were awoken to the sound of battleship station alarms ringing through the corridors. Chay
a dressed quickly, and Sharell rose and walked to the door with him. He held her face in his hands and searched her brezan eyes. “Will you be here when I return?”

  Tian walked up behind her, and said quietly, “Protect her shuttle, Chaya. I will stay here to keep away from the battle and concentrate on calming our mate.”

  Chaya’s lips crushed down onto hers. He glared into her eyes. “I will come for you when this is over. I will find you, Sharell. Tian and I will bring you home.”

  She smiled. “I know you will, Chaya. Now, go kick some ass.”

  She dressed slowly with Tian sitting next to her. “Thank you, Tian. I can feel your influence and I’ll be all right.”

  She sat up and ran her fingers through his hair. “My life was so empty and scary before I met you. I’m not ready to give up on that. You asked me once how I could bear my loneliness. I’m not lonely any more, Tian. I have a family who loves me.” She rested her head against his chest. “Feel me, Tian. Feel who I am, and come find me.”

  Sharell felt him freeze, and she whispered, “I don’t know how I know this, but something is going to happen. Even Chaya can sense this. I will need you to search for me. Please, please don’t give up and leave me alone.”

  “We will find you, Sharell. Listen for my voice when you are afraid.” Tian searched for her mouth and kissed her slowly, memorizing her taste and every inch of her. Then they rose, and he walked her to the shuttlecraft.

  * * * * *

  Tian had been sneaking her to the practice arena to guide her with the simulator. She was confident with the controls and could accurately land in a small bay. First, she flew to Rue.

  Isari was standing beside her. Rue was dressed in her warrior garb, with a dagger buckled into a holster on her belt. “Let go, big guy. It’s time to get on with this drama.” Rue threw her arms around his neck and kissed him. “Get back to the helm before Varpin drives this thing into the planet.” She swiped the tears off her cheeks when she climbed into the shuttle. “My big guy won’t teach me how to fly these things.”