Chapter Thirteen
There was a flash of black and we were on one of the new stealth fighters. I looked around in awe. “How fast can it go?”
“Warp twelve.” Zarek sat in the pilot’s chair and motioned to the co-pilot’s seat. “Buckle up.”
I fastened my battle harness and studied the control panel. There were several notable differences from the Talon fighters, but I was sure I could fly it.
“Yakira has the original J-31fighter and allowed us to copy its more unique flight capabilities.”
Okay, that got my attention. “How did she come into possession of one of the deadliest ships in the galaxy?”
“She found it,” Zarek answered.
My eyebrows rose. “Found it?”
“Yakira and Ziyad were running from the Rodan and stumbled upon it.”
I shook my head. “Unbelievable.”
“There are a few things you must know about Yakira and Ziyad. Like you, both had difficult childhoods. Yakira was three years old when she was captured by the Tai-Kok and taken aboard one of their slaughter ships. Before she could be rescued, they ate her legs and right arm. Her foster father rescued her from the Tai-Kok ship and took her to the nearest medical center. She was given bionic limbs, and her mind was wiped.”
I shuddered. Jedrick’s memories of the slaughter ships were something out of your worst nightmares. Yakira was lucky she had survived.
“The male who rescued her is a Bjarke mercenary and thief. As are her foster brothers. Two of which you have already met,” Zarek added grimly.
“Let me guess. Ivan and Loki.”
“Yes.”
“You can’t choose your family.”
Zarek’s smile held a feral edge. “No, you cannot. Ziyad is Yakira’s partner and best friend. She is half-Askole, half-Rodan.”
I stiffened when the image of a creature some mad scientist had dreamed up appeared in my mind. Ziyad had the face of an Earth dinosaur called the T-Rex, tentacles, and the black armor-plated skin of an Askole. “That’s Ziyad?”
“Yes.”
“Since the Rodan and Askole are deadly enemies, how was she even conceived?”
“Her Askole mother was raped.”
“Oh.” I swallowed hard. My mother had comforted several women who had been raped by Crom’s soldiers. I still remember their tears and bruises. Mother had ground up some hop weed and mixed it in the rapists’ food. “If they can’t get it up, they can’t rape anymore women,” Mother had said gleefully. And they hadn’t.
“Your mother was a most unusual female,” Zarek commented.
“You have no idea. Did Ziyad’s Askole family take her in?”
“No, they tried to kill her.”
“What? Why?”
Zarek grimaced. “They considered her a monstrosity that could not be allowed to live.”
“None of what happened to Ziyad’s mother was her fault.”
“No, it was not. Yakira’s foster family adopted her too.”
“Good. I can’t wait to meet her.” I could use more friends.
“There are a few things you need to be aware of. Ziyad inherited the Rodan’s ferocious hunger. She cannot go too long without food, or it gets messy.”
I frowned. “Messy? Like she starts eating anything she can get her hands on?”
“Yes.”
“Oh. If there isn’t any food available, can I stun her?”
“Because of her atypical genetic makeup, I would not suggest it,” Zarek replied.
“Pisses her off, huh?”
“Yes. You do not want to get her angry.”
“Gotcha. Anything else?”
“Ziyad’s ability to communicate is limited to telepathy.”
“Not a problem.” Why hadn’t Jedrick told me any of this?
“We are at war,”Jedrick responded.
“You’re still eavesdropping.”
“I am.”
Zarek tapped an icon on the control console. “There are some issues I must deal with. Would you like to pilot the ship?”
“I would love to.”
Zarek smiled. “It’s all yours.” He walked off.
Butterflies danced in my stomach. I was flying a stealth fighter!
“Your combat pay from the last four years is in your account. You can spend it anytime you wish.”
“Wait a minute. I got paid! I have an account?”Color me surprised.
“I thought you knew that.”
“No. I’m just a kid and my parents never had bank accounts. I was happy I was getting three meals a day, had a bed to sleep in and clothes that fit.”I could feel Jedrick’s discomfort. “It’s okay.”
“No, it is not. On your warrior’s bracelet there is an icon that looks like a safe.”
“I see it.”
“Tap it.”
I did and my jaw dropped. I had two million credits. “This can’t be right.”
“Your bonus won’t show up for another two days.”
“I get a bonus?”
“Every warrior in the battle groups gets a victory bonus of a million credits.”
No wonder the warriors were so happy. “And I get the bonus too?”
“You hold warlord status, and your psychic gifts won us the battle.”
I kept staring at the amount on my bracelet. I’d never have to steal again, never have to go hungry again, and I could buy stuff like from a store.
Jedrick gave my mind a gentle caress. “Try to stay out of trouble.”
“Where’s the fun in that?”
“Behave, Imp,” Jedrick warned.
I changed the subject. “Rumor has it that there was a Rodan sighting in sector twelve. Are you sure you don’t need me?”
“My warriors can handle them. If you need anything, let me know.” Jedrick severed our link.
I let out a sigh. For four years, I had been at his side through every bloody battle. The constant warfare had left its mark on me and some days, all I wanted was to be alone. But on a ship with over two thousand warriors that was impossible. On the other hand, I wasn’t sure I could live without him. A blip appeared on the long-range scanner. I brought it up. It was a stealth fighter with two females onboard. I couldn’t wait to meet Yakira and Ziyad.
Zarek strolled into the control center and handed me a bag. “Detja insists you need proper clothing.”
“She does?” I opened the bag and there were three tunics, leggings, and short boots. One was turquoise, one was green, and the last one was black with a silver design. I ran a finger over the silky material. “They’re awesome, thank you, sir.”
Zarek inclined his head and took back control of the ship. “I added Detja’s commlink number to your bracelet. You may call her any time you have female questions.”
I cringed. Did the entire galaxy know I had started my period? I put my new outfits in my backpack.
“Me hungry,”Esme complained.
I frowned; my appetite had returned too. “You’re always hungry.”
“Mealie bugs! Mealie bugs!” Esme hopped up and down. “Mealie bugs! Mealie bugs!”
“Maybe they don’t have any mealie bugs.”
Zarek smiled. “The food processor is in the crew’s quarters, and it has mealie bugs.”
“Thank the Goddess.” I petted Esme. “Can I bring you anything?”
“No and don’t forget to change. Your uniform will attract too much attention.”
It would? “Okay.” I unfastened my battle harness.
“Did Jabaan ever tell you who his father was?”
I blinked in surprise. Where had that come from? “No, he just said his father was a sadistic bastard and that the entire Coletti Empire was hunting him.”
“Anything else?”
“Well, there was that one time when father got really drunk, and he said he had castrated the sadistic bastard by grinding up some Pooja flower and putting it in his food. It was the only time I ever caught a mental glimpse of the sadistic bastard.”
“Show me.”
I flashed Zarek his image. The sadistic bastard was as big as Zarek and had a nasty scar across his right cheek. “Does that help?”
“Yes.” A muscle twitched in Zarek’s jaw.
“Do you know him?”
“I do.”
“Mealie bugs,”Esme asked hopefully.
“Go. Feed the youngling,” Zarek said.
I wanted to ask more questions, but the fury glittering in Zarek’s eyes had me high tailing it for the crew’s quarters. Looked like my grandfather had had a run-in with the Overlord and I hoped he wouldn’t hold it against me.
I quickly ate two pieces of chocolate cake and changed into my new turquoise outfit.
“It is time,” Zarek announced in my head.
“Coming, sir.”I grabbed my bag and Esme jumped on my shoulder.
“They are transporting you to their ship,”Zarek announced.
A glittery yellow transporter beam engulfed us. “What? Why?”
“Jedrick has engaged the Rodan battle fleet. I will let you know the outcome.” Zarek abruptly severed our link.