by L M Lacee
Melody grinned. ‘I did, Sedeen has data drives.’ Instantly he was all business as he said. ‘Come with me, where did you find them?’
Just then the two barely conscious Draygons were carried in on air floaters. Healer Heddro and Melody’s mate Coraan were walking with his brother Ranarra toward Melody.
‘Oh look hubby is here?’ Netta chortled at her own joke.
Melody growled. ‘So annoying Knife girl.’
Netta smirked as she wandered off, she was sore in places she had not thought she owned. It was her own fault, she had become involved in several sword fights with workers, who thought they were Warriors. As predicted she had won but it had taken too long for her to teach them why it was not wise to fight someone who knew swords better than they did. Thinking about it she probably should have remained on board the ship after all she was still recovering from her fight with Hawk. The regen could do only so much, the rest was nature or so Heather often quoted. Ahh well too late for that now.
With a grimace she held her ribs as she aimlessly looked around. Suddenly she felt eyes on her and cussed softly, more so when she heard a booming voice say.
‘Commander to a healer now.’
‘Yes sir.’ She said automatically, dayam! She hung her head and sighed as she bit her lip, technically she was the same rank as Marlo but who argued with that voice, not her that was for sure.
The room stilled when the voice nobody wanted to hear said. ‘Commander Howl are you hurt?’
‘Ummm, Star Daughter, it’s just a scratch.’
‘And yet you are walking and holding your side like it is a major wound.’
Closing her eyes Netta swayed a little, dayam and double dayam. She mumbled. ‘Yeah, it could look like that I suppose.’
Silence met her words, she opened her eyes surprised they had been closed. When had that happened and how did Marlo get in front of me? ‘Oh look, there are two of you.’ She gave him a goofy smile. ‘Hey there papa frowny.’
Marlo grabbed her as she collapsed. Coraan took her from his arms, lifting her easily onto an air floater.
‘We are returning to the ship. I will make sure Heather sees her.’
‘Thank you.’ Said Peyton from behind him and his wings shivered at the tone in her voice. It appeared the Star Daughter was still in control. ‘My pleasure Star Daughter.’
She turned from him and as he watched her, Marlo nodded. ‘Off you go, take her and them.’ He nodded to his brother Ranarra, who was with the two captured Draygons. Coraan took one more look at the small glowing figure and then his mate, saying. ‘Keep my mate safe Commander.’
‘As always, Warmaster.’ Marlo said as he walked after Peyton.
Melody stood with Hawk and Sedeen, Coraan saluted her. She nodded to him and watched him leave with Netta on the air floater.
‘How long do we have Commander Hawk?’ Peyton asked, now back to herself. He checked with Darby and said, ‘Less than an hour, Star Daughter.’
‘So everything is in place then?’
‘Yes, we have hidden our arrival, and it is business as usual as far as it looks from orbit. Jean has reset all the systems, and we have identified the codes. Darby will wait for them to signal their intent. If they start to run, we will blockade them. It should be an easy take down.’
Peyton grinned and whispered. ‘You have done this before?’
He grinned back as he affirmed. ‘We have many times, it should be said that Raiders are predictable. They always try to escape and they always die.’
‘So you are assuming Raiders will have been contracted to deliver the sleepers.’
‘Most definitely, who else.’
‘Oh good point. Well dispense with them as you see fit Commander.’
‘Thank you Star Daughter.’
She asked Lonn as he went to pass her. ‘Is there an office I can use?’
‘Third door on the left Star Daughter, it is ready for you. Warrior Virin will be your tech specialist. He is new, Commander Darby is trying him out.’
‘Thank you, have him come in when he is ready.’
‘Yes Star Daughter.’
She said to Hawk. ‘I will see the shooter please.’
He nodded and said to Kent. ‘Secure the female and use extreme caution.’
‘Yes Commander.’
Peyton watched the female stand among her workers, an arrogant smirk on her face. This was someone who was so full of her own importance, she did not recognize the danger she was in. Peyton would wager she had the belief she was not in any.
She turned away from her and whispered. ‘Hawk you in?’
He shook his head and answered just as quietly. Even though it would be impossible to hear them over the cries and shouts of the prisoners and Warriors.
‘No, you can do this, Marlo and Melody are with you. I will take command out here. You know who she is.’
‘Yep, she shot Dinas.’
‘She did, and she is sister to Uthar, Sether and Thanikis. Dinas said she is very intelligent and treacherous. I was told this is her project.’
Peyton stilled. ‘Really?’ Now she understood the arrogance and the look of superiority the female wore.
‘Well give us three mins, then have her escorted in please.’
‘As you wish, Star Daughter.’
SIXTY-ONE:
Peyton and Melody walked into a dull green, windowless office to find Harm, Marlo and Sedeen with Rave, Braace, and Cobalt already there. They all nodded to her as she entered.
Melody snorted. ‘Seriously this is one depressing office.’
She was right there was not a thing to find enjoyable about the sparsely furnished room. No plants or artwork, nothing of a personal nature.
Peyton asked. ‘Whose office was this?’
Harm answered. ‘Karleo Jenerika’s.’
‘Huh, that makes sense.’
Melody asked Warrior Virin, the tech specialist. ‘You alright?’
He was sitting as close to the wall as he could get, without actually being on the wall, in a chair that was way too small for him. ‘Yes, Commander Melody. Specialist Darby said to stay on the wall, but this is as close as I can get.’
Melody nodded and hid her smile from the worried Warrior, as she gently explained. ‘I think you will find she meant for you to fade into the background.’
He thought about it. ‘Yes, I think she said something like that.’
‘Well, Warrior Virin, I need you behind the Star Daughter. I will show you where you are to sit. So you can talk to her if you need to and she can talk to you.’
‘That sounds like a well thought out reason.’
Melody heard Harm cough to cover his laugh as the others all smothered their smiles at the male’s innocent comment. She showed him where to sit as everyone else took their places and was pleased the young Warrior appeared more comfortable in the larger chair.
Harm, Rave and Marlo with Braace leaned against the walls on either side of the room. Melody stood just behind Peyton on her left as Warrior Virin was on her right. Sedeen and Cobalt stood in the shadowed corner his blaster set to kill. He would take no chances with Peyton and Melody in the room.
Peyton took her seat behind the desk and asked. ‘Are we all ready?’
They all answered. ‘Yes.’
‘Sedeen, you and Cobalt seem well suited.’
‘Thank you, Star Daughter.’
Harm asked. ‘Brother, you are bonded?’
‘We are, this is Cobalt, my bonded.’
‘Welcome.’ Harm and Rave greeted him.
Harm said. ‘Heather will be jealous.’
Peyton nodded. ‘No doubt. So Harm, are you going to take command of my scouts?’
‘Are you going to stop me from going on missions?’
‘Ahh, not anymore.’
‘I have so far not discussed it with Heather, but I very much like the idea.’
‘Well after you do that, you get back to me. Sedeen and Cobalt, are you wanting to join m
y new scout unit?’
‘If you will have us?’
‘You know I will, but you should know it is not always this exciting.’
Melody said. ‘Don’t lie to the poor male, and his bonded. It so is and you know it.’
The others all grinned as Peyton shrugged. ‘Well okay most of the time it is. Oh look, here she comes, the very intelligent Emperor’s sister.’
Lukkas and Iaan led a smiling Karleo into the office that was formerly hers. She smirked when she heard the comment from the one they called the Star Daughter. Iaan placed a chair for her to sit in, opposite her own desk.
Karleo replied to Peyton’s comment. ‘Thank you, I am well regarded.’
Peyton shrugged, the female was not exactly beautiful nor was she plain, she was just average looking for a female from Jenersar. Karleo Jenerika was as tall as her brothers and as slim, but she had a lighter gray skin tone than either Thanikis or Sether. Her eyes were oval and thickly lashed. Nothing spectacular about her really, nothing to indicate the intelligence Hawk spoke about.
Peyton smiled and said. ‘I have heard that about you, so what are you doing here?’
Karleo returned the smile and said languidly. ‘I could ask you the same thing?’
‘Oh you could, but I asked first, so you tell me and then I may tell you.’
Karleo waved her hands still in mag bracelets around, as though it made no difference to her that they were tied together. ‘We are running experiments on the planets dying days and what effect that has on beings with wings for future studies.’
Peyton asked with feigned interest. ‘That seems like very ambitious work. How far along have you got?’
‘We are in the early days of the research.’
‘I wonder is there anything we could do to help.’
‘You could leave, so we could continue.’
‘Well, we cannot do that. We are waiting for a ship to arrive.’
Karleo said nothing as she felt an itch… no, it was more like a tickle in her mind. It was annoying and yet when she tried to locate it, the tickle seemed to disappear only to come back again. Most irritating, she checked her shields and found them intact. So with a determined effort she tried to ignore the sensation.
Peyton asked politely. ‘Is there a problem, you went quiet for a min?’
‘No… no problem. So what ship are you waiting for?’
‘It is carrying Warriors like these.’ She pointed to Lukkas and Iaan.
Karleo asked again. ‘I did not know a ship was expected. What are you doing here?’
‘I answered that.’
‘No, you said you were waiting for a ship. What I am asking is. What. Are. You. Doing. Here?’
‘Oh see?’ She said to Melody. ‘I thought I had answered that question. Guess I am not as clever as Emperor Uther’s sister.’
‘Well who is?’ Melody asked with a bored expression.
Peyton smiled with her lips only as she turned back to Karleo. ‘So I am here to intercept your ship and retrieve my Warriors. Then my people will squeeze as much information as they can from you and your people and learn everything you know. Oh and before you worry.’ She said and her voice became as cold as ice. ‘I do not care how my people obtain the information. I will know everything, you and they know, before I leave here.’
Karleo felt a trickle of sweat roll down her spine as the weight of Peyton’s stare bored into hers, and the annoying tickle in her mind increased. ‘Warriors. So you are the one to have corrupted our Warriors?’
Marlo said. ‘We were never yours?’
She turned slightly to face him, looking him over and appraising his age, and suddenly her breath caught in her throat as she realized she knew this Warrior.
‘I know you? I know your clutch. My brother wishes to speak to you.’
‘Clutch, I have heard that term before somewhere now where was it?’ Peyton asked in a frigid voice as her fingers drummed on the desk.
Lukkas explained. ‘It means birth group.’
‘Why didn’t she just say that?’
‘Clutch is deemed derogatory.’ Virin answered, his voice neutral.
Peyton swiveled to look at him and saw he was very young, maybe younger than Iaan. She gave his hand a pat. He stilled as he looked at her, a little stunned at the simple touch.
‘Oh I see, she was being a bitchre.’ She mind-sent to him. You look at her and see power. I look at you and see greatness.
Thank you Star Daughter, I am loath to say it, but she scares me.
I know she does. I cannot make that fear go away, that is for you to do. All I can say is remember how you feel now and when you are dealing with people, think about how you want them to feel about you.
He nodded slightly and his voice was hesitant as he said. Yes, Star Daughter.
Virin it is not a weakness to visit the Mystics. It shows strength to know when to ask for help.
I will do so, Star Daughter.
I know you will.
Karleo’s voice became hard as Peyton turned back around. ‘What did you do to me?’
‘Why do you ask that?’
Her eyes became haunted as she said. ‘I… never mind it is of no matter.’
Obviously she did not want to say her mind sending ability was gone. Peyton smiled a genuine smile as she asked. ‘Are you sure, is it something we can help with?’
‘No, it is nothing.’
‘Well okay then.’
Angry at not being able to access her ability and positive this female knew she was mind-blind. Karleo wanted to scream. Between the female and the itch in her mind she felt her control slipping.
‘You know your Warrior here.’ She pointed with her bound hands to Marlo. ‘Killed thousands of his own kind, when he set fire to the complex they were housed in. He also killed over two hundred and fifty innocent scientists and technicians as well as destroying yentas of work. Then he and his clutch systematically hunted and eradicated every worker, caretaker, instructor, and support staff associated with the compounds. Regardless of their age, it made no matter to them, they killed everyone. Then they destroyed their residences, leaving nothing of their lives behind. In one weken they killed over a thousand of my people, if not more.’
Peyton blinked several times before saying. ‘Really, they were busy. So do you think your brother would want to talk to me? You see, until recently I had no inclination to converse with him. But I find I will have to. It seems your brother Thanikis may have had some of my people interfered with, and seriously that cannot go unpunished. So what do you say, should I contact Uther?’
Karleo sat stunned, she had just told this female, this short round pale being, that her Warrior had killed a thousand people, and she ignored it. What kind of female was this? Were the stories they were receiving from their network true. Was this really the Star Daughter written about in their histories? Once again she felt sweat dampen her back and the itch intensify, as tension tightened all her muscles. She could feel herself losing her grip on reality and could not seem to stop herself as she blurted. ‘You do not care, they killed so many. There is no compassion in your needar is there?’ Her eyes widened as Peyton’s words finally bypassed the itch and penetrate her analytical mind. ‘Have you spoken to my brother?’
‘Which one?’
‘Sether and his family.’
Peyton smiled as she said. ‘You know I think I may have?’
Karleo hung her head as she murmured. ‘Suntarian akarim mesa norh deithern.’
Everyone that was not a Warrior looked at Marlo, he raised a sardonic eyebrow as he told them. ‘It is a prayer. Goddess avenge those of our hearts.’
Peyton eyes widened as she asked. ‘Oh, who is this Goddess? I would like to meet her.’
Marlo shook his head. ‘There is no Goddess. She is a mythical divinity the First Emperor gave to his people. She apparently offers them hope and gifts.’
‘Amazing, was the hope for a better life without him and were the gifts besto
wed on every citizen or just his family?’
Marlo grinned. ‘That about sums it up.’
Peyton smiled at him, then looked at the female again. ‘So Karleo Jenerika, why are you here?’
‘I told you.’ She looked around, her eyes locking on Lukkas, then drifting to Iaan and finally Virin. Who just managed to stop himself squirming in his chair.
She said softly to herself. ‘We were wrong, you did not kill the Warriors. You took them and have hidden them all these yentas. How is this possible?’ She gazed at Marlo, shock and fear warring for a place in her eyes as she stared again at Lukkas and Iaan. She whispered. ‘How?’
Melody answered her. ‘Because he, like all the Warriors, are smart, inventive and very, very good at what they do. Honestly, you call yourself intelligent, you thought they would kill their own? Unlike you and your family, our Warriors have values.’
She screamed in outrage. ‘They wiped over a thousand of my people from the world.’
Melody rolled her eyes. ‘All innocent, I am sure.’
Anger replaced the shock and fear in Karleo’s eyes as she snarled. ‘Of course there were innocents, yet he and his Warriors did not care. They killed our truly gifted scientists and destroyed valuable research, and you call that valuing life?’
‘No.’ Melody declared. ‘We call that justice.’
Karleo looked at each person and read disgust, amusement and contempt in their faces. All except the Star Daughter, she sat passively, her eyes never wavering. Karleo found her stillness unnerving.
Peyton asked again, her voice softer. ‘What are you doing here?’
‘I told you.’ Karleo answered, finally the itch had lessened. Now she could think a little clearer.
‘Yes but you lied. I realize it is a hard concept for your family to tell the truth. But if you explain and it is the truth, things could go well for you.’
‘So if I tell you the truth, I will live?’ Karleo raised a mocking eyebrow at the simplicity of the statement. Peyton snorted her contempt at her question. ‘Hayda no, you are dead. It is just a matter of how you die.’
Karleo smiled, disbelief in what Peyton said evident in her voice as she spread her hands as wide as the cuffs would permit. ‘Well then as it makes no difference. We are reanimating the Warrior program using the Draygonissia for the replacement codex.’
