by Calista Skye
“Kira,” he said, answering the incoming transmission. She wouldn’t react well to the news. But she deserved to know what was happening. He called her to his room to break the news, and to gauge her reaction. After her confrontation with Jomanak, he had no idea what to expect from her. The ability to read people was not a gift he possessed. That was her territory.
“Please come in.” He set the stone carving back on its small perch and stood.
The maglock released and Kira rushed into the room, throwing her arms around him. He inhaled, savoring the scent of her skin. Lavender. A rarity in the blackness of space. A gift to be appreciated for as long as it lasted.
His mouth found her soft lips, and he kissed her deeply. All the longing that remained unexpressed and hidden inside him boiled to the surface. There was no telling what the future held. She could still walk away from him. From the Storm Squadron. But for the moment, everything was right.
He tightened his grip around her, feeling the soft curves of her body pressed against him, and felt himself stiffen against her. He could take her now, ravish her in a fit of passion and fiery desire. The warmth of her breath on his cheek and the faint purr that escaped her lips begged him to indulge the urge.
But it wouldn’t be right. He needed to tell her what had happened. To do otherwise wouldn’t be honorable. Ja’al summoned the deep reserves of will inside him and released her.
“What is it Ja’al?” she said.
Of course she sensed his hesitation. Not that he expected otherwise. He would have preferred to control the situation, telling her the news in his own way. It would have been easier for her. But he had encouraged her to trust her instincts. To follow her intuition. And losing control of the situation was a price he would gladly pay to see her become the woman she was destined to be.
“Kira,” he said. “Things are about to change for the Storm Squadron.”
“You’re talking about me taking top position on the leader board? Being the squad leader for our upcoming exercises.”
His lips curled into a faint smile. “Yes,” he said. “You seem to have made your peace with the idea.”
Kira shrugged. “What choice do I have? I’m not going to quit. Where else am I going to go? Besides, I think a nice shiny set of stars of my uniform would bring out the color of my eyes.”
“And they’d look great on my floor,” he laughed. She had already expertly diffused his tension. She’d do fine as a leader. But she still didn’t know about the Kamaran fleet, and that could change everything.
“See, Ja’al. You’re worried over nothing.” She put her arms around his waist. “I’ve got this.”
“I see you’ve found your confidence,” he said. “I’m glad to see it.”
She smiled warmly and leaned in to kiss him, but he held back.
“There’s been a development,” he said.
Kira pulled away, raising her eyebrows. “You sound serious. Even more than usual.”
“I’m sorry, Kira. I want you. There’s nothing I’d like more than to take you right this minute,” he said. “But this can’t wait.”
Kira’s lips drew into a frown as she nodded. “What’s going on?”
Ja’al placed his hand on the small of her back, guiding her to sit on the side of the bed. “The Empire has found us,” he said. “Somehow, despite our precautions, they’ve discovered the location our base.”
She looked aside, her eyes narrow as she processed his words. “You’re sure?”
Ja’al bowed his head, a single solemn nod. “They’re gathering their fleet here in Gamma. The warships have already arrived. The fighters will follow soon enough.”
Kira shut her eyes, her fists tensing as she breathed. “What are we going to do?”
He saw her running the scenarios in her mind, processing the implications of an impending attack. To her credit, she didn’t panic. She practiced the slow, measured breathing that he had taught her. Instinct and restraint, in measured doses. Ja’al watched them fuse within her, an intricate dance of synthesis as she weighed the implications.
“The senior officers are preparing their reports,” Ja’al said. “We’re convening to discuss the status and preparedness of our forces in a few hours.” He shook his head. “But I don’t expect that we’ll have many options at our disposal. We haven’t had the time, yet, to secure enough forces to defend ourselves from such a large-scale attack.”
“No. No. No.” Kira stood and paced around the small chamber. “We can’t let them win.”
“We don’t plan to,” said Ja’al. “But we can’t withstand their assault.”
“We’ll have to retreat,” she said. “Get everyone out of here. Find another location to set up our base. Cloak all the ships and escape to hyperspace before they can follow us. That’s the plan, right? It has to be …”
“We’ll know for certain soon enough,” Ja’al said. “But I expect you’re right. We’ll have to evacuate Dennegar.”
He looked up to her, watching her connect the dots. He admired the way her mind worked. The spirit and resilience she showed in the face of a challenge. A surge of warmth rushed through his body, swelling his heart. Kira would play the hand she was dealt, but she would never accept defeat.
“But even with the cloaking devices …” she said softly.
“Yes,” Ja’al said, placing a hand on her shoulder. “Someone will have to cover our escape.”
“I’m not ready to lead them,” she said. “I can’t do this.”
He wrapped his arms around her body and drew her in close. “I’ve watched you over the last few months, Kira. I’ve watched you grow. I’ve seen the way your beliefs in what’s possible have changed.”
“I don’t want to lose you,” she said.
“You won’t.”
“But what if—”
He held his fingers to her lips, silencing her as he leaned in to kiss her. Ja’al felt her relax in his arms. Whatever else the future had in store, she was safe, now, with him.
Kira kissed him back with an intensity that rivaled his own as she ran her hands over his chest.
“What are you doing?”
“Acting on my instincts, Commander,” she said.
Ja’al smiled as he leaned into her neck, kissing along the line of her shoulder and up to her chin as his hands found the zipper of her jumpsuit.
He slowly worked it free from her body, teasing the soft skin underneath as his lips worked along the curve of her breasts. “You,” he said. “On the bed, now.”
Pulling her arms free from the skin-tight material, Kira backed slowly onto the bed, staring up into his eyes with a hungry expression.
Ja’al tore the shirt from his body and climbed on top of her, pressing his body against her as he explored her body with his mouth. Her lavender scent still lingered in the air, driving him into a frenzy of passion as he pinned her wrists back against the mattress.
He felt Kira’s body beneath him and stiffened against her as she pressed her hips up into him.
“This needs to come off,” she said, freeing a hand and reaching for his belt.
He grabbed her wrist and pinned it back behind her. “Patience, my dear.”
“You like to be in control don’t you?” she said.
“Is that going to be a problem?” he asked, cupping her breast in his hand as his lips circled around her, and he lightly flicked his tongue against her.
“No,” she whispered, bucking her head back into the pillow beneath her as Ja’al sealed his lips around her skin, gently sucking her nipple. “No problem here.”
“I didn’t think so,” he said, kissing further down her body, weaving his fingers in slow circles around her skin. He stopped at her waist, tracing his fingers over her belly and beneath the band of her pants. “But how long will you be able to hold back?”
As he slid the tight material down over her hips, he paused, admiring her smooth, beautiful skin. In the soft light of the cave, the moment felt surreal. Her body q
uivered in anticipation below him as he placed the heel of his hand against her, moving in slow, gentle circles.
She moaned softly as her body warmed. The sound washed through him, filling him, coursing through his veins. The pleasured moan of a woman like Kira, so fiercely indecent and filled with life, was more than he could stand. It took all his self-control not to tear her panties off.
He buried his face between her legs, parting her lips as he sealed his mouth around her. Running his tongue along her folds, he felt her tense her legs around him, pulling him in closer to her.
“I need you inside me,” she said.
“Patience,” he growled. There was no need to rush. A woman like Kira deserved his time and attention. He nibbled her folds as he slipped a finger inside her, parting her lips.
“Oh, gods!” she gasped as she tightened her legs around him. He circled her with his tongue as he worked his finger inside her, feeling the pulses of her body as her hips began to lift. “More,” she said.
Ja’al quickened his pace, tracing an intricate pattern as he ran his tongue along her, sucking and nibbling as she quivered beneath him.
Her breath went shallow as her body began to pulse. “Don’t stop,” she said. His cock stiffened, aching to feel her. She raked her fingers through his hair, holding his head as she quivered. “Don’t stop.”
With a heavy breath, she moaned as her body shook. Ja’al held her in place while she bucked beneath him, biting into the pillow to stifle her moan.
When she settled back to the bed, she looked up at him through half-open eyes. “Fuck me. Now.”
“Is that any way to talk to your commanding officer?” he said, hovering above her.
“If we’re going into battle,” she said. “Then training is finished. You’re not my commanding officer anymore. And I’m in charge.”
She reached out to him, pulling the heavy steel clasp of his belt open as she eyed him hungrily. “And I order you to strip,” she said.
Ja’al laughed to himself. “This isn’t the kind of leadership you were trained for,” he said.
She shrugged. “I’m listening to my instincts.”
***
“I’ve got instincts of my own,” he said, pushing her back down on the bed.
She looked up at his body, the soft golden glow of his skin intensified by the dim light and the arousal surging through him. The fullness of his erection pressed against her as he hovered above her body. It was the anticipation that did it. The slow, careful tease and the building of desire was more than she could take.
“Fuck me,” she said, running her hands along the ridges of his abs as she traced her way down to his cock.
Ja’al leaned into her, kissing her feverishly as he entered her, sliding the entirety of his length deep into her body. With a moan, she wrapped her arms around his body and held him there, pressing his hips against her.
The warmth of his body filled her as he plunged himself inside, slowly and deliberately, every thrust carrying the weight of his hunger and his need.
He leaned into her, arching his hips as he quickened his pace. “You feel so fucking good,” he growled, a low deep rumble in her ear. Through half-open eyes, she looked to his face. The lines of his jaw curled into a wicked smile. She nearly lost control as she rocked against him, her body clenching around him as he fucked her.
Kira lifted her hips to meet him, pulling him further inside as he slammed himself against her, shaking her body. She gripped his forearms, felt them tense. His every muscle, sculpted by an unwavering to his training, flexed in unison as he worked his body against her.
With a deep stroke, he leaned in lower to her ear. “Come for me,” he said. “Again.”
Kira felt the heat rising inside her at his words. The certainty of the command. The pressure and uncertainty of her impending leadership faded into the background. For the moment, she could relax into his control. The weight of their situation was a distant memory. The only thing that mattered was the heat of his body against her, filling her.
She gripped his ass and pulled him in, rocking herself faster as he pounded against her. Warmth spread through her body, a steady rise of pleasure, the urgent burning of desire as she felt her control slipping away.
Here in his arms, filled by the strength and passion of his control and his need, she was safe. She was home. The world slipped away as her focus narrowed. Her world was all pleasure and sensation. Her eyes closed as it overcame her.
His body tensed as he drove himself into her with all the force and passion and power of a warrior, every stroke driving her closer to the edge. Her body tingled as she dug her nails into his back, clenching the golden skin that radiated with his arousal, glowing more brightly with every thrust.
She felt him stiffen inside her as he bent in closer. The low growl of his voice as he built toward his climax surged through her. Her senses filled the intensity of his need.
And she needed him, too. She released herself to the moment, allowing the warmth to overtake her. She pressed her lips to his shoulder, moaning into his skin as the feeling consumed her. Electricity coursed through her, an explosion she couldn’t contain. She squeezed herself around him, bucking and thrashing as she came.
Ja’al held her body fast, driving himself deep inside her as his breath grew shallow. She felt the warmth of his breath on her cheeks, quicker now, and more intense as his eyes closed. His body quaked and pulsed inside her as she felt the heat of his seed spilling inside her.
His muscles relaxed as he collapsed on top of her, breathing heavily, the smile of release on his lips.
Kira leaned back into the pillow as he gently caressed her face, smiling in the soft light of the room.
“We have to survive,” she said. “No way I’m giving that up.”
“We will,” said Ja’al. His voice was steady and certain. “I believe in you, Kira Thorne.”
She leaned back and gazed at the rock ceiling in a haze of satisfaction and exhaustion. She hoped she was up to the challenge. Here in Ja’al’s arms, it all seemed so easy. But in the heat of battle, with her team depending on her to make the right decisions, would she be able to do what was necessary?
Kira pushed the doubts from her mind, relaxing into Ja’al’s comforting embrace. He believed in her. Had seen something inside her and drawn it out. Now she just needed to believe herself. And she was running out of time.
Chapter 13
When Ja’al arrived at the War Room, most of the other senior officers had already arrived. Jalai, the Malotravian woman who led the rebel marines, and Rymar, the strategy officer, sat in silence. Ja’al nodded to each in turn. Though Ja’al was technically their superior officer, the rank carried little weight under such dire circumstances. The tension in the atmosphere made a formal salute feel unnecessary and out of place, and he didn’t expect one. Considering the stand that he was about to take, it was better this way.
Tyrus entered next, but his usual, lighthearted smile had vanished. He, too, understood the gravity of their predicament. And though his levity might bring some much needed relief, he didn’t want to push.
He’s so young, thought Ja’al. But at seventeen, Tyrus had already been through more than most of the cadets. He grew up among the Gamma Raiders before the rebellion began. And he understood the weight of their mission. It had been seared into his soul, alongside his technical expertise. It saddened Ja’al to see someone his age shoulder the burden of command. But there were few he’d rather have at his side.
When Prince Adaar joined them, the small cadre of officers rose to greet him before taking their seats around the small, round table in the center of the room.
“We’re all here because we have a decision to make,” said Adaar. “I won’t sugar-coat the situation. There is no time to waste.”
His words hung heavy in the air, clinging to the thick rock walls like moss. It seemed fitting, deep inside the belly of an asteroid, that the walls felt like they were closing in around them.
“Each of you are here because you’re the most trusted of my officers. I’m relying on your wisdom and experience to help make a difficult decision.”
Ja’al was grateful for the Prince’s desire to consider the perspectives of people close to him. He may not share Kira’s ability to read people, but he did understand the wisdom in considering the opinions and views of people with varying backgrounds and expertise. That quality was one of the reasons Ja’al had fled Kamara with him so long ago. It was why he was willing to follow him still, risking his life for the Rebellion. The respect was mutual.
Adaar powered up the holodisplay, projecting a luminous three-dimensional map of the Gamma quadrant into the air. With a wave of his hands, he marked the Rebel base on the edge of the Dennegar belt, and then scrolled and rotated the image to mark the location of the gathering Imperial fleet.
“The Kamarans have assembled a fleet here in the system. A course of action they would only take if they had discovered the location of the base.” said Adaar.
Ja’al studied the image in front of them, making a mental note of the distance they would need to travel. The fleet was too close. When the attack began, there wouldn’t be much time to react.
“And their numbers have grown,” said Adaar. He zoomed in on the image, showing a new model of star destroyer. It was surrounded by a swarm of fighters that flitted about the perimeter of the fleet, ready to take immediate defensive action at any sign of a threat.
“What about a pre-emptive strike?” said Jelai. “They still think they’re hidden from us. With the element of surprise on our side, we could do some heavy damage. If we take out the destroyer, the rest would retreat.”
Adaar nodded. “You’re right, Jelai. The cloaking devices that Tyrus developed for the Raiders would allow us to get in and do some heavy damage to their fleet. At the least, it would buy us some time.”
