Chapter 21 Jasmine
Jasmine
Ifollowed Wrexxon through the warbird, my hand locked in his iron grip, and for once I wasn't even thinking about pulling away.
The deafening wail of the sirens ricocheted through the cavernous ship and rebounded off the steel beams and stairs and platforms. Boots boomed overhead and around us as warriors jumped and ran with arms pumping and battle axes bared.
The ship lurched again, and I stumbled, but his grip kept me upright.
Then we reached a gap between platforms that was too wide to step across, with a drop below that disappeared into shadows.
My heart seized, but before I could protest or ask what he was doing, Wrexxon scooped me into his arms like I weighed nothing.
He bent into a crouch before leaping, and then we were flying through the air and landing on the opposite platform with a jarring thud that rattled my teeth.
Instead of putting me down, the Raas kept running, taking a massive steel staircase three steps at a time as I clung to him, my arms wrapped around his neck. Even scared out of my mind, some part of me registered that I actually felt safe in his arms, which was absolutely insane.
At the top of the stairs, he finally set me down, releasing my hand as wide double doors swished open. He strode through, and I hurried to follow, not wanting to be left behind.
I slowed as I entered what was clearly the command hub of the warbird, startled by the sight of so many massive Vandar warriors standing at consoles.
Although I’d seen more of the Raas than I’d expected to, I had never seen so many enormous aliens clad in nothing but boots and kilts, their chests bare and etched with swirling black.
Fingers tripped across consoles, hands swiped at hovering holographic displays, grizzled voices bellowed numbers in incomprehensible Vandar.
Shouts were muffled by a bubbling undercurrent of static and beams of laser fire scored the viewing glass that stretched across one wall.
Two Vandar rushed to Wrexxon, and I recognized them as the officers who’d flanked him during the lottery.
"—dropped out of hyperspace without warning—"
"—caught us without stealth shielding active—"
"—three Imperial cruisers, weapons hot—"
They glanced at me but didn't mention my presence, nor did they question why their leader had brought a human female onto the command deck during an attack, even if their narrowed eyes told me exactly what they thought.
I was glad I wasn’t expected to explain myself because I was speechless.
As much as I’d heard of the Vandar’s terrible hordes of warbirds, their ruthless skill in battle and their talent for war strategy, nothing had prepared me for this.
Even with enemy ships darting around them and weapons fire battering their hull, the Vandar remained relentlessly focused. No more so than the Raas himself.
Wrexxon seized command from the moment he stepped into the room, his voice cutting through the chaos, his orders sharp and clear. The response from his warriors was instantaneous as they made his words into fierce action.
"Evasive maneuvers, pattern Keth-seven," he barked. "Alert the rest of the horde to break the amoeba and disperse to the regrouping coordinates on my mark."
The ship tilted sharply, banking into a roll that made my stomach flip. I stumbled, catching myself on a nearby standing console, gripping the edge hard enough that my knuckles went white.
Wrexxon flicked his gaze to me, seeming to remember I was there before muttering a series of Vandar curses under his breath.
He crossed the deck in three long strides, took my hand without a word and led me to the wall.
There was no seat but when he pressed a panel, straps emerged that were long enough to strap me down.
He had to jerk on the wide restraints to make them snug enough to secure me, as they were clearly designed for Vandar bodies.
Then he leaned down, his mouth near my ear because it was too loud to hear otherwise. “Do not move.”
That was hilarious since I was literally lashed to the wall, but before I could ask if he was joking, or even find my voice, he’d backed away and resumed calling out orders.
Wrexxon’s two officers now stood at consoles as he moved between them, staying impressively upright as the warbird dipped and swayed. The leather straps of his kilt slapped his thighs and swayed as if tossed by a stiff breeze.
"Incoming!"
The ship rocked violently. As the warbird shuddered and shockwaves rippled through the hull, I was thrown hard to one side, the straps biting into my chest and shoulders as they caught me. My head snapped to the side.
Wrexxon had crouched as if assuming a battle stance, but his head swiveled to me, his golden eyes locking onto mine across the chaos. Then he straightened and turned to the front of the ship.
"Shields weakened but holding,” a Vandar called out. "Minor hull breach but no casualties.”
“Direct all warbirds to launch photon torpedoes at the lead Imperial ship,” Wrexxon commanded. “Let’s show them what it feels like to anger a horde.”
The warbird pivoted, releasing weapons as it spun and as torpedoes burst from other warbirds around us. They all converged onto a single gray battleship, which exploded with such force that chunks of the hull cartwheeled toward us.
"Evasive!" Wrexxon shouted.
The ship rolled hard, as the remnants of the enemy ship slammed into us.
On the heels of that, the remaining Zagrath vessels turned their ire and their weapons on us.
The entire command deck shook as plasma beams tore into the hull.
Sparks flew, ceiling panels crashed onto the floor, and finally the console nearest Wrexxon exploded.
The blast was blinding as white-hot light and shrapnel scattered outward. Wrexxon was thrown backward, his massive frame hitting the deck hard and then going still.
"No!" The scream tore from my throat before I could stop it. I fought against the restraints, my hands scrabbling at the buckles, trying to free myself.
I couldn’t explain why I was consumed with terror that the Vandar I’d vowed to hate and had truly despised many times since he’d taken me from my home might be dead. Hadn’t a part of me wanted to kill him myself?
As the command deck descended into controlled chaos and I flailed against the restraints keeping me from collapsing, I had no explanation for why I was so desperate for the Raas to be alive.