by T. J. Quinn
“Know, that the loss is not yours alone. I lost my own home and my family. So did many of the warriors that serve you. We can’t even determine who or how many were killed and how many were taken as you were. But we have made it our mission to find as many as we can and free them from the Empire.”
There were murmured ‘thank you’s’ then questions about sanitary facilities, food and sleeping arrangements. Until the salvage teams returned with the bunks, the only place for them was on the deck. With that in mind, we had them all bring their blankets with them.
While I was answering their questions, an autocart arrived with protein bars and drinks for them. There were two stockpiles of raw food in the mining compound. Food for the guards, and food for the slaves that was barely fit for humanoid consumption. We took the guards’ food and left the survivors the slave fare. We also took their main food processor to install in the cargo bay for our rescues.
I assured them that the salvage teams were working as fast as possible and were due back aboard by the end of the day. It was only a matter of time before the Empire discovered their battle cruiser was missing and contact with the mining operation lost. Our sensors hadn’t reported any ships approaching the system. That could change at any moment. We wanted to be far away before they discovered what we had done.
It was evening for us when the salvage teams returned with the material they confiscated from the mining colony. Dread Eight’s teams were just finishing, so we waited for them to get back to their ship before we left the system in case there was trouble.
The rescues had made pallets of their blankets on the deck of the cargo bay and many had gone to sleep. Our morning was soon enough to start retrofitting the cargo bay to quarter our rescued guests for the journey back to Farseek.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
ZARED
Sometimes Harper surprises me. When we were finally alone in the privacy of our quarters I finally took her in my arms and kissed her thoroughly as I want to from the moment I spotted her in the cargo bay. She seemed pretty fatigued that I expected her to be ready to sleep almost immediately. That didn’t happen.
“Fuck me,” she whispered when I freed her mouth from mine. “I really need you to fuck me now.” She slid a hand down between us and rubbed it over my stiff cock. With that it started to throb and I could scent her desire. That was all the invitation I needed to move us into the bedroom start pulling off clothes.
Soon as we were naked, she slid on to the bed and I followed intending to take some time to arouse her. “I’m ready now, just fuck me please,” she murmured urgently. I was a little surprised, but more than happy to oblige.
There was no doubt that she was thoroughly ready as I slid easily into her warmth. We both groaned our pleasure in joining. It seemed like my body surged with endorphins as we found our rhythm. Harper clung to me, meeting each thrust with her fiery passion that seemed to assert her claim on me as her mate. She urged me without words to drive my cock into her hard and deep, slowing only briefly when she came twice. Somehow I held out until the third time that was so worth the wait.
As my seed surged inside her from my throbbing cock, and she held me tightly to her breast I heard her whisper, “Mine! You are mine!”
I smiled, reveling in her quiet declaration of claim of me and the pure carnal delight of having my cock sheathed in the warmth of her silken tunnel hugging me there as she hugged me with her arms and legs.
“Always,” I whispered back fervently, “And you are mine!”
“Always,” she whispered just before I kissed her long and deep.
My cock barely softened so we stayed joined until it arose fully again and we fucked again.
I’m sure she knew as I knew that I would be dead had I not been suited in my armor. That pain was all but forgotten and the wound almost healed by the nanites and the healing potions infused by my armor. As I stared into her eyes that were fierce in her passion, I knew I would never forget this night when I knew beyond all doubt how deeply this woman loved me.
I knew I’d be a whole lot more cautious with my life in the future because I sorely wanted the chance to make babies with her one day and watch them grow up together.
Within a few days and with help from those we had rescued, the cargo bay was turned into functional quarters for them. We even found materials to section off a portion for the women to have privacy. That still left a substantial portion of space for our supplies.
I had hoped to take the Narovian up to the bridge to confer with the navigation officer. Using our holographic star maps, they could possibly pinpoint the location of his world and use it as a point of reference to locate Earth. I wanted that for Harper so she might contact her family to let them know she is safe. I was about to have someone look for him, Harper pointed out that Nora was also missing.
“Fated mates,” she said. “Remember? One of your people said he told them they mate for days once they find meomee.”
“So, they are probably both in her quarters,” I replied.
“There is no need to disturb them now,” I said.
”No, need. Even if he knows exactly where Earth is, we have more pressing issues here,” she agreed. “By now my family has probably accepted that I won’t be coming back. Had I left of my own accord, they know I would have contacted them by now. From what Sahvin said, we are very far away.”
I grimaced, knowing how they must feel. None of the people we rescued knew of my family before they were taken. They were from a different region as were those transported by Dread Eight.
“It’s okay, Zare. I knew the moment you told me I am solmatu that I wouldn’t be going home regardless,” she said with a faint smile, resting her hand on my arm. “For now, our home is here.”
“And it appears it will be so for quite some time. Our AI has gleaned more information about the dispersal of our people. Thousands have been taken to a Sargan prison world called Julconi.”
“Is that where we’re going next?”
“We’re good, but not that good,” I admitted. “They’ve got at least four battle cruisers patrolling that system to make sure none of those people escape---or are rescued. The planet itself is run by a conglomeration of gangs. It won’t be nearly as simple to get in and free our people as it was on that mining colony.”
“You will also need a lot more ships to transport that many people. We only have eighty extra people, and resources are maxed out,” she observed.
“We’re hoping to find more of our Dreadnaughts have returned to Farseek by the time we get there. We have ten in all, more than enough to defend our world. Probably sufficient to take subdue the battle carriers and take Julconi.”
“Would a battle carrier be big enough to transport them?”
“We’re considering that, but first we have to capture one. Then we need a crew even with the AI which would have to be reconfigured,” I explained.
“What about the people we just rescued? They have lost loved ones, too. Some of them want to help,” Harper said. “We heard that from more than half of the people we interviewed.”
“But few if any are trained warriors,” I explained.
“Do they need to be warriors just to drive the bus?”
“Huh?” I frowned. She had inadvertently slipped into her original language.
“I mean the ship. If you have the Dreads escort the ship, do you have to have warriors running it?” she said. “If you could somehow get a battlecruiser or some kind of massive transport ship…
“We could go on to Julconi and take back our people. But it will still take at least two more Dreads to deal with the battle cruisers,” murmured thoughtfully.
“These people know that Farseek is in ruin and they aren’t all that eager to get back there. I think it would make more sense to them to go after the resources we need to continue the mission. A lot could happen in the time it would take to get to Farseek.”
“It’s certainly worth discussing. We were thinking in terms of begi
nning to put Farseek back together by return the people we rescued back. But it’s not going to happen. Farseek will never be what it was. Whatever we raise from the ashes will be new and different from the Farseek of my childhood.”
Two beeps sounded, reminding us that it was time for us to go our separate ways. Harper was continuing her training and I was due to attend a meeting with the senior staff to discuss our next move. I leaned across the table and kissed her lightly on her lips.
As we left our quarters, she went one way and I went the other, considering what we had discussed. We were thinking battle strategy and Harper was thinking logistics with a bit of piracy thrown in.
We hadn’t gotten out of the Sargus Empire yet. Hijacking a fully staffed battle carrier was beyond even our abilities. It would be a lot more difficult than blowing one up as we had at Breskaa. Empire battle carriers held up to three thousand soldiers. Our Dreadnaughts generally carried about one hundred. We could squeeze in another hundred if we stacked them up in the cargo bay as we did with our people from the mining colony.
CHAPTER TWENTY
ZARED
The meeting went better than I expected, when I outlined Harper’s suggestion. It wasn’t that we couldn’t form a realistic plan. We were thinking like warriors unaccustomed to budgetary restraints of our current status. We were on our own; we couldn’t just put in a requisition to the Consortium for a transport ship. Although it would be foolhardy for us to attempt capturing a battle cruiser, taking a minimally manned freighter was a more realistic endeavor.
What we were planning was piracy. We didn’t see that as a problem since we were going to do it within enemy territory. We were certainly wanted fugitives already after we took out a battle cruiser, stole two-hundred slaves, and plundered the colony for anything we thought we could use.
In reviewing the skills of our rescues, there were four people who had space piloting experience. The women had done a thorough job of interviewing each person and recording useful information. Just as Harper said, most of them didn’t want to return to ruined Farseek without trying to rescue their loved ones. They would have agreed to go almost anywhere to escape slavery on that mining colony.
While none of them had been trained as warriors, there was a couple who had been in law enforcement. Farseek was less affluent than other Consortium worlds. Its people were still skilled in occupations held by androids and robots on worlds like Halor. Farseek may not have had the wealth of the Halorans, but they had all they needed for a comfortable lifestyle.
The people we rescued were motivated by the same need to find their loved ones as the Farseek Warriors. They were willing to work for that and to learn the required skills to that end. Some would be trained with the Earth women to provide support for warrior operations while others who met the requirements and were willing would train as warriors.
We made a new plan and dropped out of FTL as soon as we were in a safe place between star systems. Dread Eight dropped out nearby and we sent out an encrypted signal to the rest of the Farseek Dreadnaughts. Even if anyone decrypted the message they wouldn’t understand the code. It could be hours it could be months before we got a response, if we got one. So, we didn’t just wait to hear back from them.
We used intel we had already gathered to locate a ship repair facility within a few weeks travel where we might find the kind of ship we could need to transport a thousand or more people. It would be the kind of ship that was so large that it would be assembled in space. We would go there as if needing service and reconnoiter to see if any ships were docked of the type we would need and assess the odds we could steal it and escape with it.
We hoped by then we could connect with our other Dreads before we tackled the prison world. We would probably do it with two if we commandeered a transport ship. We’d gone against bigger odds, but things had changed in the months since we’d found our world in ruin. We were no longer Consortium Warriors. We were mercenaries and probably going to be pirates soon.
The entire company agreed that we would do whatever we had to do to find and bring our people home. The Sargans chose the wrong world to ruin, the wrong people to murder or force into slavery. We would take whatever we needed and fight anyone who tried to stop us from finding them and freeing them.
We felt like we owed them that because we weren’t there to defend them when they needed us.
Finding Harper was an unforeseen windfall in my life when I had lost everyone I loved, not knowing if they were dead or alive. Solmatu, my beautiful soul mate, she is the love of my life. I’ll never forget my wonder when I first caught her scent and her beautiful smile when she walked up and introduced herself to me---Harper Avery from the planet Dirt. Every time I think of it I smile to myself.
I hope one day our mission will be finished and I can take Harper back to Farseek to build a new home where we can raise the children we will make together. I wish there were a safe place for her to stay while the ship is in harm’s way, but I doubt she would go. I thought at first it was the heat of passion when she said it. “Don’t you even think around leaving me somewhere safe if you go and do this. I would rather die with you than live without you.”
But after I thought about it, I realized I felt the same about her. That is solmatu.
HARPER
It was mid-morning when Lieutenant Avantu came to the gym where we were finishing our strength training for the day. We were all being called to a meeting in the cargo bay with the other rescues. Zared gave me a smile as we entered but I didn’t go to him. I stayed off to the side of the group with my fellow Earthers. Admiral Degatu was front and center with Zared.
They went over their proposal with the entire group. I was surprised and pleased that it included a variation of what Zared and I discussed. When they finished outlining the plan, they called for a yay or nay vote as to whether the Farseekans wanted to go with the mission or back to Farseek. They voted to continue the mission. Even the few not from Farseek voted to keep to the mission. It was unanimous.
I knew then and there that it could be years before Zared and I could finally make a home on Farseek and start our family. I was okay with that as long as we could work toward that end together. My life on Earth seemed more and more like a distant dream from an alternate reality. Occasionally I still felt a twinge of regret that my family and friends might never know what became of me. But I couldn’t dwell on it.
After the decision was made to continue the mission Zared and I went back to our quarters so we could be alone to talk. He didn’t want to put off our formal mating ceremony in the presence of his people. He no longer believed it would serve to emphasize what they had all lost.
Finding each other was a turning point in both our lives and it would reflect the turning point in all their lives with the new mission ahead of us. I agreed, probably for more selfish reasons---to make it known to everyone that this man was mine.
I also learned that Zared had been keeping a journal as well even before we met. One day when we finished finding his stolen people, we would mesh them together to tell our story for our children and their children, and all who come after us.
I was now one of the Farseek Mercenaries with my mate, Commander General Zared Maktu. As we kissed to seal the deal, that of course led to other things. Somewhere between walking into our quarters and making our way to the bedroom, Zared got a teasing glint in his violet eyes.
“Harper Avery from the planet Dirt, I love you,” he said and laughed as we were helping each other taking off clothing.
“I love you too, warrior man.” We laughed together and started kissing again affirming our love with actions as all that was necessary had already been said.
THE END
Excerpt from
Asgar Drogon General
By
T.J. Quinn
Chapter One
Sasha slammed the door behind her and sighed with relief when she realized Eleanor wasn’t home. She had had a terrible day at the office, and a
ll she wanted now was a warm bubble bath and some time for herself. She loved being a lawyer, but every time she came up with situations like the ones she was forced to confront today and wondered why the hell had she chosen to work surrounded by all sorts of scoundrels.
And she wasn’t referring just to the criminals she helped put behind bars, no; she was referring to some of the prosecutors and even lawyers she had to work with. People that only cared for their personal glory and that only worshiped one god: money.
With a deep sigh, she took off her stilettos and walked right to her room, getting rid of her clothes and throwing them on the bed.
A few minutes later she was sunk in her bathtub, allowing the hot water to work a few small miracles, dissolving the knots of stress formed on her neck and back.
She stayed there for a while until the water started to feel too cold. Only then, she got up and changed the bathtub for a quick shower.
She was putting on some clean clothes when she heard some noise outside her room.
“Eleanor, baby, is that you? I thought you had therapy today,” she said as she opened up the door just to close it as fast as she could when she saw the men… creatures… whatever they were, standing in her hallway.
But she wasn’t quick enough, and soon the creatures were pushing her along with her door. She fell to the floor, and one of the creatures approached her.
She got up as fast as she could, barely managing to escape him, putting the bed between them. He pointed her with some sort of weapon, and she threw herself over the bed, but before she could do much more, the other creature had grabbed one of her foot and was pulling her towards him.
