Kim shrugged. “I guess.”
“Why else would they target us?”
“I don’t know.” She blew out a long breath. “I just feel like we are losing, you know?”
“Yes, but we have to keep trying.” Ava could tell that Kim was discouraged. They had all been there at one time or another, and sometimes you just wanted to give up. But then what? Everything was destroyed, and there was nothing else to do but hunt the aliens.
“I know,” Kim sighed. “I’m just tired. These long shifts are getting to me. We should talk to Jamison and Stuart about better shift rotations, giving us days off every now and then.” Stuart was the other squad leader, and Ava knew Kim was right. They rarely took days off, and after almost a year, it was too much.
“You’re right. I don’t think any of us can keep up the pace forever. I’ll talk to Jamison.” She gave her a reassuring smile.
A loud knock startled them both. Jamison stuck his head in. “Five minutes, Thompson.”
“Shit!” Ava cursed as she jumped up, quickly pulled her gear out and started to dress. Time had gotten away from her.
When she finished dressing, Kim teased, “You look like a ninja.”
“Whatever!” She shot her a grin. Unlike Kim or the others, Ava preferred the full-face mask, showing only her eyes and lips. The body armor hid all her curves, making her look more manly. She didn’t need to give the aliens any reason to single her out. All the reports that she’d read said that the gray aliens kidnapped women, and she refused to be a victim. She fought like a man, and she’d die like a man, even though she was very much a woman.
She grabbed her knives, sliding one inside each boot, then grabbed her gun and joined the others. It would be a long night.
Chapter Three
Zekke
(Somewhere near the Dreama Sector)
Sitting at his desk and looking at the holo-pad, Zekke went over tactical plans. His was one of ten warships heading to Earth, and he needed to be ready when they arrived. Kavvan had been an asset, filling Zekke in on what he knew about the planet. When he and Jakke had first arrived, the Earthers had flooded the airways with cries for help. Now all was silent, which had Zekke a little worried. The Tureis could have left Earth, leaving it an empty rock floating in space. That wasn’t uncommon. They destroyed everything they touched. Why the species was allowed to exist was beyond him. Zekke would annihilate every last one of them if he could.
He grabbed his comm unit. “Rhett. Report to my ready room.”
“On my way, Commander.”
When Rhett entered, Zekke addressed his second. “Make sure these plans are sent to each commander. I want soldiers on the ground within one standard hour after arrival.” He handed Rhett the holo-pad.
“Yes, Commander,” Rhett replied as he glanced over the orders. Zekke leaned back in his chair and waited. He knew it was coming. “Commander, I have to object to these plans”.
“Duly noted,” Zekke said as he clasped his hands, his elbows resting on the chair arms.
“But you are still going.” It wasn’t a question. Rhett knew that once Zekke had made up his mind, it was difficult to change.
“Yes.” He wanted to see Earth. The humans had piqued his interest, and he wanted to see their home, maybe find some clues as to how they could be true mates.
“It would be wise to take Tullan with you, Commander.” Tullan was his head of security.
“We will see. You are dismissed.”
Rhett kept his face expressionless and then turned on his heels and walked out. Zekke wondered about Earth. He had seen many worlds before, but curiosity about this planet had him constantly speculating what it was like. The female humans had laughed at the Azziarin cold season, talked about the lavender-colored water, and marveled at the height of the trees. What could their Earth be like if these things enticed them?
His comm unit beeped just before Sazze’s voice came across. “Commander, we are entering the Dreama Sector.”
“Understood.”
Zekke headed to the bridge. The large view-screen would give him a good look at the planet. When he walked through the door, his crew snapped to attention. “As you were,” he said absently before sitting in the captain’s chair. There is was, the humans’ planet. “Sazze, magnify image.”
“Yes, Commander.”
The magnification gave him a better, more detailed view. It was small and blue. He knew the human females were always in awe of the lavender-colored water on Azziar. Earth water was blue and covered much of the planet. What will I find down there? he puzzled.
Ava
“Thompson, location?” Jamison’s worried voice came across the transceiver, but Ava ignored him. “Thompson?” She reached over and shut it off. Ava had gotten separated from the team, and the enemy was everywhere. The last thing she needed was Jamison’s voice giving away her location.
Phaser fire hissed by, barely missing her head. “Oh, shit,” she quietly exclaimed, then quickly turned around and automatically shot back before dodging behind the building. She didn’t know or care if she’d hit her mark; right now, she needed to escape the area or find a good hiding place. After a second of deliberation, she decided to hide.
Taking advantage of the darkness that somewhat concealed her position, she darted inside a long-since-destroyed building, a shell of what it once was. The stairwell looked sturdy enough, and after testing it to see if it would bear her weight, she took her chances and climbed several flights.
On the fourth level, Ava found the darkest corner and slid down to the floor. She sat with her back against the wall, legs curled to her chest, forehead resting on her knees. The pounding of her heart echoed in her ears. At least she knew she was still alive. If any Tureis had followed, she would be hard to spot without the light of the moon. Being dressed in all black also helped.
Her arm stung from the phaser fire that had struck her earlier, and blood trickled onto her shirt. Body armor was great, but it didn’t protect arms, legs, or the head.
Earlier, when the enemy had attacked her team, she darted behind one building while the rest of her team scrambled in the other direction. She should have paid more attention. The enemy cut her off from them, and she was lucky to be alive.
Dawn was fast approaching. She needed to get out of there. At the very least, to find a safer location to hide until night came.
Thirty minutes later, not hearing any noise or any indication that someone other than her was in the building, Ava decided on a plan. Getting to her feet, she headed to the rooftop. The building was ten stories high. Surely the damned aliens wouldn’t be up there, and she’d have a safe place until nightfall.
When she cautiously pushed open the door to the roof, she peered around it, and finding the roof area empty, she pushed it open the rest of the way and looked for something to secure it. She wasn’t stupid enough to think she could stay there all day and not rest. Running through the city all night had left her hungry and tired.
In her search for something to jam the door, she spotted a long metal pole. “Perfect!” She scooped it up and jabbed it through the double handles, effectively locking the roof off from the lower floors. Now she could rest in peace.
She sat down in the center, straightened her legs, and leaned back on her hands. The sun had just peaked over the horizon, sending rays of pink to mix with the blue sky. It reminded her of all the times she’d sat on her porch in years past.
“How is army life?” her mother would ask as they sat on the porch sipping hot coffee.
Ava shrugged. “It is what it is. You know what I’m talking about.”
“I do,” her mother sighed. “I never wanted that kind of life for you.”
“Mom, let’s not start this again. I’m very happy with what I do,” Ava said as she watched the sun rise.
“I know. And if you’re happy, then I’m happy. I love you, Ava.”
She smiled at her mother. “I love you, too, Mom.”
Quit t
hinking about that! Those days are over!
Remembering her transceiver, she grabbed it and tried to contact Jamison. “Jamison?” When there was no reply, she tried again, “Jamison, can you hear me?” No reply. “Jamison?” She tried once more, with no response. “Crap!” She threw the transceiver down.
She lay down flat on her back with her hands behind her head and looked at the few clouds that sprinkled the sky. It looked normal, like any other day except for the space ships coming and going, which didn’t occur as often now. The body armor was uncomfortable, but she left it on. It was about thirty-five degrees outside, so the armor at least provided some warmth to her mid-section. Maybe she could rest for a while and then search for the day squad.
Zekke
“Are you sure this is a good idea, Commander?” Rhett asked.
Zekke shot his second in command a glare, then continued with his task. That one look was enough. Rhett pressed his lips tightly together. Dressed in the standard black military jumpsuit, Zekke grabbed his sheathed short swords. The thin leather crisscrossed his back, the swords’ silver hilts peeking above his shoulder blades. He holstered a phaser on his hip and stood ready to see the new planet. Tullan and Macce flanked him as he walked past an unhappy Rhett.
Everyone they passed moved out of the way as they headed to the cargo bay. He knew he intimidated others. He wasn’t as big as Kollin, but he was just as deadly.
The cargo bay was a bustle of activity. Other shuttlecraft were filling with soldiers, preparing for their departure. Zekke looked on with satisfaction. Soon they’d give the Tureis a fight.
Before he entered the shuttlecraft, he turned and faced his second.
“Commander, let the others go first and check out the situation. You don’t know what you’re walking into,” Rhett tried once again, which irritated Zekke.
Zekke knew Rhett was right and that he was acting irrationally. Heading down to earth with the first teams was not standard procedure, but Zekke wasn’t weak; he could fight better than most of his soldiers.
“Enough!” His command echoed in the cargo bay as it bounced off the walls. Rhett snapped to attention. Zekke eyed his second and then said, “You are in charge until I return.”
“Yes, Commander.”
As they descended to Earth, he could feel the anticipation hum through his body. He didn’t know why; this was just another mission. He would never admit it, but he was anxious to see this new planet. Anticipation changed to trepidation, though, when he spotted the large buildings in the distance. Some were missing roofs; others were half-destroyed by fire. It was the mark of the Tureis. Destroy everything.
After the Tureis’ attack on Azziar, the Azziarins had developed new technology to locate and fight them, and this was helping Zekke now. Once they discovered the average Turei body temperature, it was easy to scan for them. The initial heat signature scans showed several highly-populated Turei areas scattered across the planet. Zekke had chosen this area to declare war on the them; he just hoped he and his crew didn’t end up having to defend themselves from humans.
When the shuttlecraft landed, Macce popped the hatch, and chilly air rushed in. It was cold! He remembered the human females laughing at Azziar’s cold season, and now he understood why. He shivered before shaking the coldness off.
He followed five of his soldiers out, glanced at the other shuttlecraft that were landing, and then began his inspection of the planet. The ground was covered with a hard, gray material. He tested it with his foot. There was no give in it; the surface was unforgiving. Why would they do that? He lifted his eyes to the blue sky and spotted one lonely sun hanging there. That explains the coldness.
When the last shuttlecraft landed, and all the soldiers had disembarked, Zekke gave the order, and they started their practiced sweep of the area. The Azziarin soldiers trained hard and knew their enemy well.
Chapter Four
Zekke
As they moved between buildings, Zekke noticed even more destruction and shook his head. Death and destruction were all the Tureis knew. They would rob a planet of anything they deemed valuable, whether people or resources. Most of the time, both.
They split off into groups of five, covering as much ground as possible. Smaller groups were smaller targets. Tullan, Macce, Durrak and Nollan traveled with him.
They trekked over the flat, hard terrain, and it wasn’t long before they found the enemy. Zekke reached over his shoulder, grabbed the handle of his short sword, and sliced the Turei before he could draw his phaser. Within standard minutes, all four of the Tureis lay dead at their feet. Zekke grinned wickedly at the sight. This was what he lived for.
They kept moving forward, and the deeper they moved into the city, the more Tureis they encountered. Some they shot, some they fought. This would not be as easy as he’d first thought. The city provided too many places to hide.
Right after killing six more, Zekke lowered his head, let out a big breath, and leaned against the side of the building. It had been standard hours of hunting and fighting, moving from one group to the next. The Tureis were very organized, something uncommon for them.
“Commander?” Macce raised an eyebrow in question.
Zekke shook his head. “The Tureis have a stronghold on this planet. This will not be easy.”
“No,” Tullan said as he, too, leaned against the wall to rest. “They’ve been here a long time. But we’ve seen and fought worse.”
“That we have.”
After a short time, Zekke stood up straight and said, “Let’s go.” He glanced up at the sun. “It won’t be long until dark.”
Ava
Ava woke up cold and hungry. Her body ached from sleeping in the body armor. She rolled to her side and pushed up to a sitting position. The sun was half hiding behind a building. Darkness would soon descend. She’d slept longer than she’d intended to, but it was a restless sleep. It was all but impossible to get comfortable lying on concrete. She grabbed her transceiver and switched it on.
“Jamison?” It crackled with static. She shook it hard and grinned a little. That was her answer to a lot of things. “Jamison?” she tried again.
The transceiver crackled and popped before a voice flowed out, tinged with a mix of worry and relief. “Ava, where are you? Are you okay?”
“I’m okay. I spent the day on top of a building, but I’m not sure which one.” She jumped to her feet and quickly stretched her arms over her head and arched her back. She rolled her head from side to side, trying to relieve her stiff muscles. Her arm still hurt from the phaser wound, but it wasn’t too bad. Thank God it was more of a graze than a direct hit.
“Give me an idea of your location, and we’ll come and find you.”
She walked over to the edge of the building. It was hard to get her bearings; so many buildings were damaged and so many others destroyed. She sighed. “I don’t know where I am, exactly. Things look much different from up here. Just meet me at the Old Bakery. I’ll find my way there.”
“Ava,” Jamison’s voice warned, “It’s not a good idea to be out alone. That’s why we work in groups.”
It was true. But she wouldn’t sit here and hope they found her. “See you at the Old Bakery,” she said, then switched off the transceiver and clipped it to her belt. The battery was almost dead. “Time to go,” she muttered as she grabbed her rifle and slung it over her shoulder. She grabbed the pole that secured the door, pulled it out, and gently laid it down. The last thing she needed was to make a lot of noise and draw the Tureis to her location.
Grabbing the metal handle, she pulled the door open and listened for any sound before stepping through. She swung her rifle around, clicked the safety off, and pointed it in front of her as she silently headed down the stairs.
Outside in the alley, the sun had dropped behind a tall building, and darkness was quickly descending around her. The cold, crisp air stung her eyes, and Ava could see the rush of steam as she exhaled. Heading to the end of the alley, she peeked
around the corner and spotted two gray aliens heading her way. She jerked back, plastered her back against the wall, and raised her weapon. With a quick move, she spun around the corner and fired twice, killing them both. She needed to get away from there! Without a silencer, she knew that more would quickly descend on her location.
Sticking to the back alleys, she cautiously turned one corner and then another. She recognized the area, and the Old Bakery wasn’t very far away.
Just as she was about to turn another corner, Ava stopped dead in her tracks—she could hear the sound of fighting grunts close by. It had to be one of the teams or a vigilante human. Either way, she would help.
With her rifle raised, she spun around the corner and froze. Five sets of eyes jerked her direction. Five white-haired aliens stood over several dead gray ones.
Her eyes locked with the one she sensed was in charge. Authority wafted from his muscled body. His sharp, cold gaze trapped hers. His blue cat-eyes reminded her of shards of glass, beautiful to stare at, but they could easily cut. Warmth blossomed, starting at her middle and spreading outward. Ava somehow felt connected to him, and it was both sensual and terrifying. The roaring of her beating heart echoed in her ears.
He stood like a mountain over a dead, gray alien, blood dripping from the tip of his sword. The other four looked to him, waiting for their cue. He sniffed the air and growled. Her eyes widened in fear and her legs slightly quivered as his fangs lengthened. The cold faded from his eyes, and heat took its place. Hot desire shone as bright as the summertime sun. When he briefly closed his eyes, the connection broke. Ava did the only thing she could think of… she ran!
The Old Bakery wasn’t very far, so she pumped her legs and ran faster, uncaring of the gray aliens. But if any stepped in her path, she’d shoot them. Part of her wanted to turn around, run back to him. It didn’t make sense. She ran faster. When she rounded the corner, she spotted Jamison down the street, standing outside with the rest of her squad.
Zekke: A Scifi Alien Romance (The Azziarin Series Book 5) Page 3
