“We have company, my Katta,” Zio interrupted. “The Harryor ships traced the molecule lock back to us.”
“I should just turn you over.” Katta shot flame, singeing the top rim of his ear. “Let them play rip-you-to-shreds. I hear it’s one of their favorite sports.”
The Alligator grabbed his ear, risking her further punishment. “Spidarr syndicate controlled.”
Katta debated, sparking his knuckles. “Showed up just to watch you explode?”
Grunting pain, he lowered his hand, collapsing flat on the deck floor. “Explode or give them the data cube, Corporal.”
Deciding the Alligator wasn’t deceiving her. Or it was good bet he wasn’t, Katta glanced over her shoulder. “Can you outrun, handsome stallion?”
“Long enough to reach your world, my precious.”
“Evade back to Yemisque?” When the Alligator twitched, she scalded his knee.
“Evade, no. Unless you desire weapons’ play. They have deployed a beam-spun net between their two ships. I am on course for your world.”
“Skedaddle toward my world until their net drops.”
“All power to flash speed, skedaddling. Hold your feet, prettiest.”
Katta backed against the nearest solid surface, braced and was instantly suspended. The ship surged, streaking to flashpoint. Regaining her feet, she stepped forward. The Alligator lay still as death. “Who did you pass the cube to?” Her palm itched, popping large sparks.
“No one. The Circux messenger was aboard my vessel. I released it near Yemisque. Blensur became a risk, too emotional over your sister.”
“More company, my Katta. Three Pelobb cruisers on intercept toward us.”
“Great star rats!” Katta swung toward the weapons’ panel. “Caught in the crossfire of a syndicate space war.”
“Weapons are powered, ready.” Zio smoothed his palm over the last operational panel, the one he kept disguised from any official port inspection. “Ten percent loss in speed when we use them.”
“Give me the whole scene. Battle suggestions, stallion?” Katta focused on the prepared weapons’ array.
“Clash of the syndicate titans, my woman.”
“Yeah, the trick is in the maneuvering. Any ship tricks I should know about?”
“Jezexx weapon.”
“Our last stand. That would suck our energy to limping travel.”
“No. Half-speed, my Kattalonia. Kryo power cell.”
“I’m impressed, stallion. Cut speed twenty percent. Let’s keep the Harryor beam net operational. Alter course gradually, straight into the beast flying jaws of the Pelobb."
“We’ll be shredded to space ribbons, Corporal,” the Ambassador weakly growled.
“Should have thought of that before you stole my father’s data cube. We wouldn’t be in this space theater mess.” Katta didn’t look up from the array.
“Uselessly speak again to my woman, enemy, and your flesh will be hoof-smashed.” Zio eased his ship toward the Pelobb’s black battle cruisers. They swiftly approached in an elongated triangle, each one outlined in neon menacing green.
“How pilot-good are you between the lines, my stallion?”
“Superb, prettiest.”
“Pelobb’s have attached weapons, diverting energy to shielding. Get ready for the light show.”
Without targeting, Katta shot a three-pronged burst, using up half her weapons’ bank. The enormous red flares streaked toward the battle cruisers. Before they could separate their flight position, they were struck. “Inner firing capability is destroyed. There’s your between-the-lines, handsome.”
“The lane between their weapons’ fire.” Zio rapidly adjusted their flight path, charging between the fire from their outer weapons’ tubes. White deadly streams missiled toward them, but slid over their shielding with no direct hit.
Firing constantly, the Pelobb rotated their cruisers to a perpendicular approach, narrowing their attack vector. Katta shot another three-pronged burst, depleting her weapons’ bank. The red flare torpedoes smashed through, disintegrating the Pelobb’s white-blazing streams. The massive red explosion enveloped the Pelobb cruisers, disabling more of their weapon tubes.
Zio veered his ship above the enemy cruisers. As they hurtled past, limited attack streams scraped uselessly over their shielding. Unable to alter course, the Pelobb cruisers crashed into the Harryor's beam net. Like insects caught in a web, they were hanging and trapped. Now, with their speed severely reduced from the weight of the cruisers, the Harryor enforcement ships couldn't catch them.
Katta’s blood triumphantly rushed. “Time for weapons' power up?” Danger always lurked around the space corner.
Zio grabbed her, crushed her lips with his. Seizing her mane, he pressed her hard against him then let her go.
Katta reeled dizzily for a moment with the feel of him emblazoned on her.
“We are currently at cruise speed 4.9 gigs, adored woman.”
“Our position between Yemisque and my world, courageous stallion and excellent pilot?”
“Near midpoint, prettiest.”
Katta felt him glow from her words. He glanced twice at his monitoring holo-screen, and by his expression didn’t want to believe what he observed.
“Now wild hell what?” She spared a quick glance for the Ambassador.
“Another ship is on intercept. Magnifying.” His heart seemed to plummet then she watched strength rear up from his loins. His jaw clenched.
“Trouble likes us too much, stallion.” Katta glared at the Ambassador when he started to rise. He slumped back down. “Stay or be stunned.” Her palm already aimed, she sprayed warning sparks toward him.
“Discovery booth,” Zio threatened. “I know how to use it.”
“An Admiral ship from my world.” Serpents twined in her belly and slithered up her spine. “Back to Yemisque, stallion, cruising speed only.”
“Katta, what’s wrong?” Zio spun to face her.
“My instincts are rampaging. Admiral ships don’t patrol this far. Only on enemy chase.”
“Someone you don’t recognize, Ambassador?” Zio growled. Immediately, he altered their course as if they intended a normal return to Yemisque.
“Stun wave incoming!” Swiftly, Katta added power to shielding. Within moments the entire ship rocked, slammed, but not stunned to immobility.
Zio caught her, stabilized her body quickly.
Mind connect…please! The strength of his embrace reassuring, Katta desperately hoped he heard her telepathic plea.
Mind connect, my woman.
Limp toward Yemisque. Give me communication.
Zio placed his woman before the weapons’ panel and instantly dropped the power level of his ship. Then he opened the communications’ relay.
Katta waited, rapidly draining power build-up from the weapons’ bank into operations. Skillfully, Zio hid their power levels from outside scan.
That’s my stallion!
“Whinny, whinny, prettiest.”
Katta smiled. She couldn’t help it.
The instant the Admiral blipped on the communications screen, Katta blazed her gaze on him. “Your reason for attack?”
“Corporal Kattalonia Svelle of Windsworld, you are under suspicion of treason. You are ordered to return as our prisoner.”
Katta stared, paralyzed for a cosmic blink. She laughed. Held her belly and laughed loudly.
But Zio didn’t laugh. Instead, his gaze glittered with stallion viciousness.
“Got a real prisoner, if you want him,” Katta taunted, then strode toward the Alligator Ambassador. Gripping the top of his flight garment, she hauled him upwards. “Look familiar, Admiral Thotrous?”
“Surrender at once, Corporal, or your companion’s ship will be seized. Ambassador, your testimony against the Corporal and her father will absolve your involvement.”
“You will not touch my woman with the filth of your accusations. My ship is not yours to seize. This is universal territory. I assur
e you my government will fiercely exact all justice.”
“Prince Ziocese Dred of VectorEquine,” the Admiral’s Second in Command screen-appeared. “Your reputation precedes you, indeed. This is not your battle. Justice belongs to our citizens. Provide cooperation.”
Katta whirled, remembering to hold onto the Ambassador. Prince! She mouthed to him. Feverish shock replaced her blood. She whirled back, her gaze deadly focused on the Second in Command. “Snarly Mongoose, haven’t witnessed your poor mug for ages. Now I know why. How long have you bedded down with the syndicates?”
“The only cooperation will be yours, Admiral Thotrous,” Zio savaged. “Corporal Kattalonia is mine by chase, designated by our law as my wife. Our laws are galactic enforced, always, I can assure you.”
Katta whipped her head around. Wife! She mouthed again. Whipping her head back, she let the Ambassador fall. “By the fierce way, Snarly, this might be of considerable interest to you. The data cube the Ambassador stole from my father has been blown to plasma smithereens. That just might make you unpopular in the syndicate bed. Tell the truth and you might be spared the stomping wrath of my…my husband.” Katta almost choked.
The Alligator Ambassador raspy-grunted. “Wrong heart, Corporal.” Katta pivoted, looked down at him and used every sensing to know if he lied. “Admiral played us for pawns,” he barely whispered.
“I know the way of your sire, Prince of VectorEquine,” Snarly trumped. “He would disapprove of your chase.”
“Do not mistake my sire’s disapproval with lack of stampede enforcement. You will realize that now includes my wife’s family.”
Zio was so ferocious, Katta gazed up at him. Primal to rear and kick and destroy, his features were untamed in appearance.
“You will realize, Prince of VectorEquine,” the Admiral lost-in-space-cold intoned, “by our law you are not permitted as the Corporal's husband.”
“I can choose my own damn husband, even if I didn’t choose. Pardon me, handsome stallion.” Mind Connect! Katta marched to the weapons’ panel.
“Prettiest wife.”
Illegal molecule lock, stud. The Admiral. Your Discovery booth.
When?
When we get the galloping fast out of hell.
Jezexx weapon?
You read my mind, stallion.
“Corporal, this is your last warning,” the Admiral commanded, his tone designed to chill blood. “Surrender to judgment. You know what we can accomplish against you, the Prince’s ship.”
“Yes, I do. But do you know what we can accomplish against you, your grandiose ship?” Katta looked up from the panel, smiled.
Lure them closer, Katta.
“I have recorded every vile offense to my wife. I believe judgment will be mine, Admiral,” Zio ruthlessly promised.
“You’re a carnal-ridden fool, Prince. You would force a war rift between our realms over a traitorous woman?” Snarly Mongoose sneered.
“Don’t be carnal bitter now, Snarly,” Katta baited. “Just because I refused your ride. Heard all the complaints. Short shrift, Mongoose.”
“Repeat those words on neutral ground, Second. We will duel.” Katta felt Zio’s fury to charge and stomp on Mongoose.
“Ramping up the stun gun, Admiral?” Katta sing-sang and smiled widely.
“Your insubordination, Corporal, is noted.”
Katta laughed heartily. “Admiral, really, sure as ray guns, why do I care about insubordination next to treason?”
Close enough, my woman.
“Don’t do this, Corporal,” Snarly Mongoose appealed. “Come back. Prove your innocence.”
“Snarly, you almost sound like you care,” Katta flipped her hair back, flashed a grin then she scowled. “But that’s flushed down the great black hole. Like I believe justice would ever occur.”
“Corporal…” the Admiral barked.
Katta bumped up their shielding from the hidden power reserve.
“Cut communication, stallion. We’re about to be stun-waved.” Almost instantly their ship rocked. “Shielding held, sending power to weapons.” Katta clung, watching Zio ready the molecule-lock, recovered from an undetectable system.
“Beaming now. Locked. Transference complete,” Zio reported, glancing at the image of the Admiral inside his Discovery booth.
“Gallop,” Katta yelled.
The florescent yellow stream ribboned toward them. Once attached, nothing they had could free them.
“Evasion initiated.” Zio grabbed her. The ship spun madly, dancing like a hyper top, tossing them from one end of the consol to the other. Just as suddenly, they stopped. Her head reeling crazily, Katta desperately spoke, “Point me toward weapons.”
“My woman,” Zio adored. “The weapon is fired.”
“Good stallion… or should I say good prince stallion.” Katta collapsed, hyperventilating. “What does it do?” she asked between pants.
“Dims the enemies’ lights. No place to party on board.” One arm around his woman, Zio initiated Kryo power and cruised them toward Yemisque.
“For how long?” Katta wished her head would quit spinning like an out-of-control kaleidoscope.
“We’ll be back on Yemisque, prettiest one.”
“Ambassador?” Katta clenched her eyelids tightly, trying to block out the infernal whirling space-hole before her mind’s eye.
“The Ambassador is unable to stand.”
“Any more unwelcome company?” Her space-hole grew to a huge gray vastness.
“None on the scope, my wife.”
“Wife,” she murmured, then collapsed, her mind blank.
Zio tenderly lifted his woman into his arms, carrying her to their bed. He slipped off her garments, gently slid off her boots. Placing the restoration blanket over her, he watched his wife until her color returned. Releasing a long breath of relief, he waited until her breathing calmed to normal. After touching his lips to her brow, then slowly stroking over the extravagant thickness of her mane, Zio pivoted. He’d decided on stomping persuasion. The Admiral would obligingly confess. Grateful his Katta wouldn’t hear the traitor’s begging screams inside the Discovery booth, Zio grimly entered.
* * * *
Knowing she awakened, Zio galloped toward his woman. He had wrapped her in the restoration blanket, and had placed her in their private cove on the healing sand of Yemisque.
He snuffled her belly, since she’d tossed the blanket aside.
“I am not your wife, you bad stallion! Even if you are magnificent.” Katta scowled fiercely, sitting up rapidly.
Beach ride, prettiest?
“Admiral? Ambassador?” She couldn’t help herself. Katta stroked his muzzle and kept stroking the velvet warmth.
Confessed their treason. Will return by prison ship. Your sister arrives to help Blensur
“Dad?” she murmured, a plummeting intuition.
Being held until full investigation.
Katta sighed resignation. “Me?”
New directive bounty on your hide.
“Ignored by our Master of Security.”
Informed them he could not comply.
“Hell’s hearts! Let me guess. Because I'm your wife!”
Tropical path ride, prettiest?
“Forces-of-the-cosmos, stuck with you, aren’t I?”
Meadow ride to the oil pit? Zio snuffled his wife’s face, breathing in her sultry blaze scent.
Katta kissed his beautiful soft muzzle. She couldn’t help it. “Great defensive move against the yellow-terrible lasso tow, as it’s known in my world, stud prince.”
Don’t lasso a stallion. Zio raised his head and vigorously shook his fiery red mane.
Standing, Katta was not at all surprised to find she was naked. “What is this prince business?”
Zio snaked his neck to tenderly nip her bottom. Then, playfully backing away, he reared. Landing, he watched her regally.
Katta rubbed her bottom and frowned, which was difficult to do at a princely stallion. “Wild
fast ride?” she dared.
Coming to her, he offered his sun-gleaming back. Katta swung astride, knowing that’s what he wanted and not a discussion about his royal status.
Powerfully, Zio leapt into a long striding gallop. Feeling his Katta’s thighs naturally grip him, he raced along the wet sand beach. His blood boldly pounded, euphoric. His woman rode him. His wife.
Katta flowed with him, his mane deliciously flying in her face.
Your thighs are mine, prettiest wife.
You can bring a stallion in from the carnal wilds, but you can’t always tame ’em.
Untamed mounting later!
Yes! Bad boy stallion.
She squeezed him with her thighs. Wilder and freer, her body moved with him. Oooh, my stud prince, you make me feel so reckless.
Leaning forward with his racing momentum, she hugged his crested neck. Then she gripped a fist full of his mane, urging him faster. Zio lengthened his stride, galloping on his pride and happiness, as well as on his flying hooves.
“I love you, prettiest Kattalonia.” He spoke to himself. She wasn’t heart-ready yet.
The End
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Tangerine Carnal Dreams Page 10
