by Lily Thomas
Great. Well he had nothing to take if they were space pirates.
The ship came to a stop looming over him with its weapons and size. Damn. That was the kind of ship he needed if he wanted to take on the Frirens and bring their arenas to a halt.
They sat in silence. He stared at the screen waiting for the other ship to make the first move. They were the ones who were armed to the teeth so it was only polite.
Another console let out a shrill shriek.
Raever hit a button and up popped the face of another Vrak’rir.
“Heard you could use some assistance from a friend.”
Haldon.
“I heard you were in prison finally.” Raever folded his arms in front of his chest. It was clearly a lie which was a bummer since Haldon deserved to be in jail. He was the mobster of the universe. “And when did we become friends? The last time I saw you we were pointing plasma pistols at each other.”
Haldon scoffed as he waived it away. “That was years ago, Raever. What’s a little friendly fire between two old friends?”
“You nearly killed me.” Raever grumbled. The man was insane, like medically insane. Haldon was the one Vrak’rir that all other Vrak’rir were wary of, he could be a friend one moment and an enemy the next.
“Minor details.” Haldon waved it away as he leaned in towards the screen. “Do you want help or not?”
Raever leaned back in his seat. He wasn’t sure he could trust Haldon.
“Tick tock, Raever. I hear your mate is in a Friren arena. How long can she last there before someone slices her head off?”
Raever tried not to let any emotions flicker across his face. Haldon had him there though. He wasn’t really in a position to refuse any help he could get his hands on.
“What do you get out of helping me?” He wasn’t about to trust Haldon as far as he could throw him.
Haldon leaned back having the audacity to look offended. “As if I would need something in return when helping out a dear friend.”
Now he’d been upgraded to a dear friend. Raever wanted to laugh at the craziness of this situation but he also knew Haldon was known for violent mood swings. One false move or smile and Haldon would blast his ship into smithereens as likely as he would assist Raever.
“I want you.”
“Sorry.” Raever held up a hand. “I’ve already got a mate.”
Haldon’s eyes narrowed as he frowned and despite there being space and metal walls between them he swore he could feel Haldon burning holes into him.
“Not in that way you idiot.”
Okay. No joking with Haldon. All business. “Me? Why?”
“You will work for me from now on. When I need you, you drop everything and run to my side. In return you can expect fair pay and any resources you need to bring down the Friren arenas.”
“What would you want from me exactly?”
“Those are my conditions, do you accept?” Haldon asked, not about to answer any more questions about his motives.
Haldon wasn’t going to give him any more information other than that but did he really need any more? He was being offered a job, a way to provide for his mate, and the ability to rescue Evelyn. He was a man in a desperate situation and he’d take anything being offered.
“I accept.”
“Good. Here are your ships. Use the men on board as though they are your own.”
Two more ships dropped out of sub-space.
Raever’s heart swelled in his chest. He was coming for her with two of the largest war ships he’d ever set eyes on.
“He’s taking long enough to come back.” Demard grumped.
Here she thought she was supposed to be upset about Raever not showing up. She was his mate after all, and it’d been a couple weeks. Demard had so far honored his promise of keeping her safe from all the arena fighting.
Evelyn glanced over at Demard. “Perhaps that’s a good thing. Maybe he’s moved on.”
Demard burst into laughter and wiped a tear off his blue cheek. “That was funny human. Raever will never be able to move on until you’re back in his arms. It’s the Vrak’rir way.”
“I’m glad he hasn’t come back.” She lied. It was a half-truth. She wanted him to come back to rescue her, but that was selfish. Just because she wanted to see him and sleep next to him again wasn’t enough reason to hope he’d come back to save her. She did miss him at night though, so she was divided on the subject.
“Speak for yourself then. I’m hoping he comes back to at least rescue me. I’m growing tired of fighting all these damn aliens.” Demard grumped.
“Well –” The arena shook and her hands flew out to grab onto the edges of her bed so she wasn’t shaken to the floor. “What the hell is that?”
Demard rose from his seat as the arena shook with force again, and he had to throw out his arms to keep his balance.
“Maybe a large creature in the arena?” She rose from her seat as confusion rocked her.
“It doesn’t seem quite right.”
A blast sounded throughout their barrack, screaming could be heard from out in the hall, then it turned into roars of excitement.
“I’m afraid to even open the door.” Evelyn glanced over at Demard who also looked stunned. “I’m guessing this kind of thing has never happened before.”
“Stay behind me.” Demard approached the door with caution and then opened it. Outside in the hall people were hightailing it towards the gate that led to the arena.
“Should we follow?”
“Yes,” he glanced down at her, “but don’t stray from my side.” Demard took her hand and led her into the flow of people when there was an opening large enough for the both of them.
They ran with the rest of the frantic crowd until they filed out into the arena. Someone had blown the gate open. The metal was still red hot from whatever plasma shot had hit it. They stopped at the side of the arena with everyone else and everyone looked up above them where two large warships hovered high above them.
Holy shit!
Her heart sank. “Are they here to save or kill us?”
Demard’s mouth had dropped open and she wasn’t sure if that was good or bad.
“Hello?” She shook his hand as her heart went into overdrive.
Seeming to gather himself he muttered, “They’re Vrak’rir warships.”
Vrak’rir!
Several small shuttles flew out of the belly of the monstrous warships and landed in the arena while plasma shots began to fire down on anything that might threaten the ships above.
The small shuttles landed in the arena, their ramps came down and soldiers decked out in full armor marched out with some serious plasma rifles in hand.
“And the soldiers?” She asked eagerly.
“Vrak’rir.” Demard still sounded awed by the sight in front of him.
“Raever?”
“Who else?” Demard turned to her. “What other Vrak’rir would come for the arena with such fire power?”
A tentative smile spread out over her face. She may have wanted him to move on and not worry about her, but she was still pleased he’d felt the need to come after her, no matter the risk.
One of the armored men strode over to her and took her into his arms. “You didn’t think I’d leave you here by yourself, did you?” A familiar voice asked from behind the visor of the helmet.
“Never even crossed my mind.”
Chapter 11
“Raiding the arenas?” Evelyn shook her head and frowned as she laid her glass of water down on the conference table in front of her. “I’m not sure about that.”
“What aren’t you sure about?” Raever asked from his chair.
“Won’t innocent people be killed during these raids?” She paused. “I mean, we could potentially kill the innocent.”
“We can keep the casualties to a minimum.” Another Vrak’rir said from the other side of the table.
“Who are these people again?” Demard asked from where he sat o
n her other side as he hitched a thumb at the Vrak’rir sitting with them.
She turned her eyes to Raever.
“Haldon’s men.”
“Woah.” Demard laid his hands flat out on the table. “You sure about that?”
“Sure, about what?” She asked looking between them.
“It was the only way to rescue you both. It wasn’t like I had a choice. Everything I once owned is now gone.”
“Yeah, but we’re talking about Haldon here.” Demard shook his head, his onyx eyes holding what she could only classify as agitation, and an agitated Vrak’rir unnerved her.
“He just wants my help.” Raever said.
“Your help?”
“Ok!” Evelyn rose from her seat, drawing all eyes to herself. “Who the hell is Haldon? And why does his name strike fear into all the eyes of the Vrak’rir sitting here every time his name is mentioned?” She was done being ignored.
“Haldon,” Raever searched for words, “he’s… insane.”
“Like really insane?” She asked not knowing if he was only exaggerating.
“Let’s just say this, be glad you aren’t his mate.” Demard cringed.
“Why? What happened to his mate?” She looked over at Demard.
Demard shrugged a shoulder. “He hasn’t found her as far as we are aware. He’s just bad business. You humans call us ‘the blue devils of the universe’, well, he’d be classified as your Lucifer. We’re just the blue minions.”
She looked over at Raever. “And you made a deal with the Lucifer of Vrak’rir?” She didn’t like the sound of that.
“I did.”
She dropped back down in her seat. “So, now that you’ve accepted his offer there is no going back?” She didn’t really like the sound of a Lucifer Vrak’rir owning all their asses.
“There is no going back.”
“Ok then. Then there isn’t any point in discussing it anymore.” She would just pray Haldon stayed far away from them. Right now, they had more important things to discuss, like what to do about the arenas. “The arenas. You think we can take them out without harming innocent people?”
Raever folded his fingers together as he leaned slightly over the table. “There would be risks. I can’t make promises, but you’ve seen how little your first written piece has done.”
He was right. It hadn’t garnered the type of responses she’d been hoping for. It’d been lost in a universe of information and done nothing to rally people.
“He’s right.” Demard spoke up. “There are ways we can keep causalities down but action speaks louder than words. If we want people to take action someone needs to lead the revolt.”
Raever nodded.
“We can be sure to target any defenses and leave the arenas intact until everyone is on board. Then when the arena is empty we can blow it up. It will take their time and money to rebuild arenas.” Another Vrak’rir spoke up. “If we destroy enough, it will set them back when it comes to rebuilding.”
Evelyn leaned back in her seat and let them all discuss this. As long as they knew where she stood on unnecessary killing then she’d let them hammer out the fine details. She just wished her sister was here to see what she was doing. Hopefully, her sister would be proud of her.
“Raever.” A voice came out of the speaker on the table.
Raever hit a button. “Yes?”
“You might want to bring your mate down here to the medical bay.” The person on the other side cleared their throat. “I’d explain over the speaker, but I think it’s best that she come in person.”
“We’ll be down there in a few minutes.” Raever rose and presented her with a hand. “Shall we?”
“I wonder what they want with me.” Evelyn placed her hand in his.
“Continue the conversation.” He instructed the men before guiding her through the halls of the massive spaceship.
“Could it be her?” Raever stood next to her looking through the window of the medical bay and at the human woman lying on a medical table.
“Maybe.”
“But how?” Raever looked over at her. “I thought you said your sister had been killed by the Frirens in the arena. That her body had been sent back to you.”
Evelyn glanced up at him and the distinctive braids that framed his azure face. “Well… it was sent to me, but I never got enough courage to go to the coroners and look at her body. Instead, I had it cremated and decided to leave the past in the past.”
“So, you didn’t actually have any evidence of her death.”
“The medical examiners said she was my sister. I just didn’t think they got messed up in this day and age.” She shrugged. “I guess I was wrong with that assumption.”
“I’m not sure if I should be happy for you or not.”
“Why not?”
His black eyes took on a haunted look as he read the medical pad he had in his hand. “We found her as a prize for an alien. If she’s been in the arena this long, then I can only imagine what trauma she may have experienced.”
“You’re saying she may have been…” She couldn’t even say the words.
“I am.” Raever stroked the back of a claw over her cheek. “Not everyone who wins a prize is good to them.”
Evelyn looked back at her sister. She was in an induced comma until her body finished healing. She’d been found in poor condition. “We’ll just have to take it slow with her then.”
“We’ll get through this together.” He hugged her against his side.
She smiled. “At least I have her back with me. She was strong, she can get through this.”
“And I have no doubt she’ll be proud of what you’re doing.”
“I hope so. I just can’t wait until she wakes.”
