“Having fun?” an amused voice queried.
The soldier on top of the woman scrambled to his feet, his fingers fumbling at his pants. The woman got up slowly, straightening her skirts and looking coyly at the speaker who was just out of sight of the warriors.
Easing her head forward slightly to peer through the bushes, Tenia saw that a squad of ten soldiers had arrived. A sideways glance confirmed that Serena had also spotted them. Silently, Tenia slid the laser from the holster on her thigh, Serena copying her movements, both of them tense, both breathing evenly, silently.
“Shit, you scared me!” the drunken soldier swore.
“Finished quick, though, didn’t you?”
The drunk leered. “I can go for hours.”
“No doubt.” The first soldier laughed and gestured to his squad. “Come on, let’s get this patrol done around the fortress, then we can have a rest for an hour before the next one is due.”
So, a patrol walked the grounds every hour. Interesting.
The squad moved off and the drunk gave the woman a sloppy kiss before he staggered into the tunnel. She wandered off in the direction from which they’d come, disappearing through the bushes.
Tenia and Serena waited for a short time until they were sure they were alone again, before Tenia turned her head to regard Serena.
“Do we go in?” Serena asked softly.
“It could be dangerous. If we’re seen; even if we kill whoever sees us; it’ll put the soldiers on alert.”
“That’ll jeopardize our mission.”
“Obviously the tunnel does lead into the soldiers’ quarters.” Tenia’s lips pursed in thought. “But how far does it go? We have to know.”
Serena shrugged. “Then let’s go.”
Stealthily they entered the tunnel, finding it to be larger than the two previous ones with many twists and turns. Torches that dimly lit the darkness were sputtering on the walls. Though nothing disturbed the quiet, they proceeded cautiously.
Nearing the end of the tunnel, Tenia heard muffled voices. Not wanting to alert anyone to their presence if only one or two soldiers were there, Tenia drew her dagger, Serena following suit. Killing a soldier with a dagger was quieter than a laser blast that could go through flesh and blast into a wall.
The wall ahead of them was actually a steel door that stood open a crack, showing a thin strip of light. The voices came from the other side.
Quietly, Tenia put her eyes to the crack. It did, indeed, open into the sleeping quarters of some of the soldiers. Six beds stood in the room, four of which held sleeping men while two were empty. By inclining her head she could see the drunken soldier talking to another man who was getting dressed. The drunk mentioned the name of a tavern and something about the woman he’d been with. The other man laughed and nodded then sat on the bed to pull on his boots.
It was all she needed to know. Now that she had the information, there was no need to linger. She gestured to Serena and both of them retreated back down the tunnel. At the entrance, Serena peered out warily then nodded to indicate it was all clear.
In silence they slipped through the shadows, keeping to the shelter of bushes when they could until finally they were back at the fleet craft. Once inside, Serena started the silent engines while Tenia searched for patrols on the radar. Within minutes she counted four patrols, and as they waited, ready to fly off at a second’s notice, they watched the radar until it became clear that the four patrols made constant rounds of the fortress.
“That’s it,” Tenia said. “Let’s go before we push our luck too far.”
Within seconds the fleet craft was sheering through the night sky, no lights to give them away, the radar blocker keeping their presence undiscovered.
Once they’d left the Inka Empire planet, Serena announced, “We’ll have to stop somewhere for fuel.”
“Can we make it to the Outlaw Sector?”
“The closest we’ll get is Pendow. How’s that?”
“Not good. There’s always the risk of soldiers.”
“And bounty hunters.” Serena shrugged. “Ah well, think of the excitement.”
“Yes,” Tenia replied dryly. “Because we don’t have enough of that already.”
Serena flashed her a beaming grin.
~ * ~
“The forests of Zartep are very isolated, miles from settlements.” Darvk studied the galaxy map.
“Makes sense,” Maverk drawled. “The wenches need privacy.”
“But how have they kept their whereabouts secret for so long?”
“They likely took different directions each time,” Red suggested.
“You’re not as dumb as you look.”
“Why, thank you.”
Darvk gave him a rude gesture and left the cabin. The closer they got to Urion, the lighter his heart grew. Even Maverk was becoming his usual cheerful self. Though there was still a chance they wouldn’t find Tenia, they were closer than ever.
Going up to the third floor to check on his captives, he saw Aamun straightening up from his lounging position against the door.
“How are they?”
“Sleeping like babes,” Aamun replied with a grin that turned wistful as he added, “These Reeka wenches sure are beautiful, but not like my Monia.”
“Mayhap I should send you home. I couldn’t face her if anything happened to you.”
“She’d never forgive me if I didn’t help prove your lass’s innocence.”
“I just realised…” Soberly, Darvk looked back towards the dining cabin where some of the crew were eating. “I never thought about it before, but I never asked anyone to volunteer for this. Not everyone may want to get involved. This could get more dangerous and-”
“Nay. Monia and I talked about this on the viscomm. If we can’t help our friend, what sort of Daamens are we? Everyone is in agreement, which includes the crew if you have ideas of asking them,” Aamun added shrewdly. “As we have always done and our ancestors before us, we Daamens stick together.”
Unspoken gratitude made Darvk’s throat tighten.
Aamun cleared his throat. “You going to check on the wenches, make sure they’ll sleep for a while longer? I don’t want to be here alone when they wake up.”
Obviously the subject was closed, so Darvk simply said, “We’ll get to the mountain this afternoon. They’re due more sedation in two hours but I’ll give it now to prevent them waking before then.”
“God help us if they do.”
Darvk laughed. “Frightened of them?”
“Aye,” was the heartfelt reply. “I want to father more children in the near future.”
~ * ~
The fuelling station was deserted, apart from the shack where the proprietor slouched in the doorway picking his teeth. He watched the craft out of expressionless eyes. In his business, you didn’t ask questions or give answers. He made an excellent living from outlaws fuelling up at his station, and he wasn’t about to jeopardize it by being nosey and asking how Reeka outlaws had gotten hold of an Argon fleet craft. The answer was obvious, anyway. They’d stolen it and good luck to them.
He and Tenia met halfway between the craft and shack.
“Fill it up?”
She nodded, studying the lank, greasy, grey hair and the weather-lined, brown face, instinctively knowing he was no threat to them.
He pulled open the small hatch beneath the craft and walked over to the round, steel plate in the ground. Pulling back his shirt sleeve to reveal a tiny control panel on a wide leather band around his wrist, he swiped his fingertip over the little screen, tapped twice, and the steel plate in the ground slid open. A heavy, round, metal pipe rose up, angled and clamped onto the fuel panel of the fleet craft. The man stood, arms folded, staring at the fleet craft expressionlessly as fuel pumped into the tanks.
Stretching lazily, Tenia watched as a little boy no older than five years appeared in the doorway of the shack. He chewed his finger while eyeing her curiously. Behind him appeared a woman with a care-worn f
ace. Seeing Tenia, her eyes brightened.
“She misses having women to talk to.” The man leaned against the side of the craft.
“I’ll bet.”
The woman gestured to her. “I have fresh fruit, warrior.”
Now that sounded tempting.
“It’s not expensive. Nice and ripe and juicy.”
Glancing over her shoulder, Tenia saw Serena staring wistfully at the woman.
“Three days we’ve lived on dried food,” she sighed.
“Are you trying to tell me something?”
“My mouth’s watering, does that mean anything to you?”
“You’ve got some sort of gum disease?”
“I’m starved for fresh food!”
“Oh, well, why didn’t you just say so?”
“You’ve got a sarcastic streak, sister.”
“Jealous?”
“I’ll be dead from hunger in a minute.”
With a laugh, Tenia started toward the shack. “Keep a watch on the radar for approaching ships.”
Inside the shack were rows of crated fruit, the different fragrances filling the air in the surprisingly well-lit room. Ten minutes later she was carrying a small crate laden with fresh produce.
As she left the shack, the man appeared beside her. “Friends of yours?”
Following the direction of his gaze, she swore. Not far off stood a sleek black ship. Right beside it an Empire fighter ship was landing. The door opened and soldiers readied to spill from it.
“Bloody hell! Serena!” Dropping the crate, she ran for the craft while yanking her laser free.
Serena appeared in the doorway. “What’s wrong?”
Hearing her name shouted, Tenia saw a group approaching rapidly. Leading them was a lean figure in a billowing white shirt and tight black pants.
Sinya.
“Start the engines!” she yelled.
“They’re on.” Alarmed, Serena watched the approaching group. “How the hell did those ships get past the radar?”
“Tenia!” Sinya shouted.
“Stop in the name of the Inka Empire!” roared a soldier.
Tenia was twenty paces from the craft when a crackle sounded. The soldiers were firing lasers. She returned the fire, Serena adding covering fire with her laser. There being no shelter, the soldiers and pirates hit the ground.
Ten paces from the craft she felt a burning in her thigh and fell.
“Tenia!” Serena leaped out of the craft and ran for her friend, spraying laser fire in the direction of the soldiers.
Desperately, she pushed to her feet. “Go back!”
In horror she saw Serena spin around and sprawl onto the ground. Skidding clumsily up beside her, Tenia dropped frantically to one knee. “Where are you hit?”
Serena shoved her. “Leave me!”
“Get ready.” Tenia grabbed her arms. “I’ll help you up and we run like hell for the craft.”
Tenia hauled Serena up, and at a staggering run they covered the last paces to the craft while the dirt lifted in sharp spurts from the laser fire peppering the air and ground around them.
Grasping the handle, Serena heaved herself up and Tenia gave her a last, forceful push.
A soldier rounded the back of the craft, his laser drawn, and she thought the end had come. Even as she swung her own laser around, she knew he’d kill her before she had the chance to pull the trigger. But he went down as a pirate cannoned into him and they hit the dirt in a tangle of arms and legs, the laser flung free.
For one split second her gaze locked with grim black eyes. Sinya. The pirate who’d betrayed her and Reya and left them to die at the end of a hangman’s noose.
She started to swing the laser around, intending to kill him, when another laser blast skimmed her wrist and she dropped it. “Damn it!” She pulled herself up into the craft and felt her ankle grasped just as she flung herself inside the doorway.
“Got you!” A soldier snarled. “Your scalp will look great on my wall!”
Twisting around, she grabbed the ledge above the door, pulled herself up and kicked out with the heel of her other boot, smashing his nose.
Blood spurting, he screamed and staggered back, releasing her.
The door slid shut just as another face appeared and she could hear the thud of fists on the door, then she was thrown sideways into the wall and fell to the floor as the fleet craft suddenly took off.
Serena, bless her!
Tenia clawed her way up the wall before staggering into the control cabin. She blanched at the sight that greeted her - the dark-haired warrior was slumped at the control panel, unconscious.
Quickly making sure the radar blocker was still attached, she set the craft on automatic pilot, knowing they were safe from being followed or caught, silently thanking Reya for having the foresight to steal an Argon fleet craft.
Knowing the crafts warning system would alert her to any obstructions ahead, she turned her attention to her friend.
Ignoring the throbbing in her own leg, she lifted Serena in her arms and carried her into the cabin containing the bunks. Once she laid her down, Tenia inspected the wound in her side. Blood flowed freely from the laser blast, the skin around it a narrow, black strip. It was burnt and dead, needing to be cut off before it became infected. This was one chore she hated.
Jaw clenched, she attended Serena’s wounds, then her own, relieved that they weren’t serious. Painful, true, but not serious.
Blood loss and pain, but they’d live to fight another day.
~ * ~
Connie watched the four big traders approach, her eyes lingering on the Daamen with the black goatee in the middle. What was his name again? Morgan, that’s it. Tenia had mentioned him. Her gaze switched to the dark-haired giant. Darvk, the man determined to wed Tenia. Interesting. The other trader was young, with a curly mop of black hair. And there was the thorn in Reya’s side, the blonde Maverk. Her lips twitched. Maverk’s obvious attraction to Reya, which she apparently didn’t return, was always entertaining.
When the big trade ship had landed just four days ago, the Reekas had been armed and ready for a fight, but Reya had recognised the Daamen trade ship and though she’d sworn in exasperation, she’d ordered her sister warriors to remain on guard and out of reach while she met Darvk, who came striding down the ramp with determination stamped all over his ruggedly handsome face.
To say the dark-haired captain hadn’t been pleased to find that Tenia had gone on a mission was putting it mildly. True, at first he hadn’t believed it, but when Reya had looked him right in the eyes and repeated it, when she invited him to scour the mountain himself for Tenia’s presence, she’d seen the Daamen acknowledge the truth.
Rubbing her chin, Connie watched the men draw closer. Reya had demanded they leave, the Daamens had refused, and now they were at a stand-off. An uneasy truce between the traders and the warriors had been established.
It made for interesting times, something that provided some of the warriors with entertainment when Reya faced off against the giants. They’d little enough to laugh about in this harsh life, so amusement at anyone’s expense was to be enjoyed.
She could almost feel sorry for the big captain if she wasn’t aware that things could very soon come to a head if Tenia returned while the Daamens were still here. There was no way to warn Tenia, no communication with the Argon fleet craft, so…Connie gave a mental shrug. Well, nothing to be done about it now.
Heading back into the main cave, she met Reya. “We have visitors.”
“I heard,” Reya replied calmly. “Come if you want.”
“Wouldn’t miss it for anything.” Connie grinned, unfazed by the frosty look she received.
Since the arrival of the Daamens several days ago, the looks from Reya had grown steadily colder.
Merly met them in the entrance. “The trader Captain wants to see you.”
“Figures.” Reya stepped out into the warm sunshine to face the four giants waiting patiently. “B
ring your bodyguards, Darvk?”
“To protect us in case you plan to throw us to the ground and have your wicked way with our bodies.” Maverk winked.
She sent him a withering look. “What do you want, pretty boy?”
“It’s what Darvk wants.”
“Oh? Well, what is it?”
Folding his arms, Darvk gazed down at her. “I’ll ask you again. Where did Tenia go?”
“And I’ll tell you again. Away.”
“Exactly where?”
“No answer. Again.”
“You said she was on a mission. What mission?”
“You don’t listen very well, do you?”
“I do more than listen, I think. She’s checking out something you’ve discovered, isn’t she?”
“You’re the one with the answers.”
“You’re all outlaws, Reya, wanted personally by Shari, and with every bounty hunter hoping for a glimpse of your race.” Abruptly, he shoved one hand through his hair in exasperated frustration.
The big trader had been nothing but exasperated and frustrated ever since he’d realized that Tenia wasn’t with her sister warriors. Connie could almost feel sorry for him. Almost.
“Damn it, Reya,” Darvk snapped. “You all willingly put yourselves in danger!”
“Find it before it finds you.”
Darvk’s temper slipped a notch. “Tenia and some of your warriors nearly died not long ago. If we hadn’t been there you might be burying them now.”
“Lucky us, eh?”
If there was one thing Reya was good at, Connie mused, it was giving answers in such a cool, detached manner as to make the blood boil.
His blood was boiling, no doubt about it. Big hands clenched into bigger fists. “Tell me where she is.”
Reya looked at him with cool detachment.
Maverk frowned. “He’s worried sick, Reya. Take pity on him.”
Reya didn’t even arch an eyebrow.
“What if she’s dead already or captured?” Darvk argued.
“It’s a risk we all run.”
A muscle jumped in his jaw. “You’re bloody cold sometimes.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment. Thank you.”
Becoming aware of dark eyes studying her, Connie glanced over to see Morgan looking at her. He grinned, the neatly trimmed goatee and moustache giving him a smooth, piratical appearance. Long black hair was caught at his nape with a strip of rag. Her gaze fell lower to the leather vest hanging open, revealing his heavily muscled arms and chest.
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