9. Lorken
Lorken
Iavoided my majak’s gaze as I strode from the hangar bay. He had his orders. Any further questions could be discussed later—after I spoke with my battle chief.
My boots clanged on the steel floors as I raced up a twisting staircase and then across a suspended bridge that swayed precariously over the chasm of the warbird.
I didn’t spare a glance at the raiders who stepped aside as I rushed past, but I was grateful to be among them once more.
Even though I hadn’t been on the planet for long, I’d missed the cacophony of pounding footsteps and echoing shouts and rumbling engines.
Heat and dust and the white-hot sky had reminded me why I preferred the cool darkness of our warbirds.
I leapt from one platform to another and then took a wide staircase two steps at a time, striding through double doors that swished open to reveal my command deck. I exhaled as I was engulfed by the buzzing static of transmissions and the beeping of consoles. This was home.
“Report,” I barked, as I took in the enemy ships firing on the planet.
Zarn spun on his heel at my approach, the flap of his battle kilt slapping his thighs as he clicked his heels in salute. “Brother, I mean, Raas. Welcome back to your command deck.”
The other raiders standing at consoles turned at my arrival and clicked their heels before pivoting back to the battle at hand.
“What is the damage to our horde?” I asked Zarn.
“Minimal, Raas,” he said, shifting into the solemn voice he used when addressing me on the command deck. “We have used our amoeba defense pattern to keep the enemy from locking in on us, and we have remained invisible as much as possible.”
“Aside from when you descended through the planet’s atmosphere and let loose a squadron of fighters,” I corrected.
“You mean the successful rescue of our away team, Raas, and majak?”
I ignored this statement as I tracked the movement of Zagrath ships across our viewscreen. “I want to put space between us and the enemy before they figure out that we’ve left the planet and taken some of their prize targets.”
Zarn frowned at me. “You wish us to abandon the battle?”
“I wish for the rest of our horde to provide cover. Part of my promise to Raas Wrexxon was to ensure the safety of the people who saved his battle chief. Now that they’re on board, it is my duty to protect them and get them to safety.”
I did not want to say that I suddenly felt the overwhelming need to protect Athena. The thought of putting her in further danger made heat prickle the back of my neck and caused the tip of my tail to quiver.
Zarn cocked his head at me but did not question me again.
“Understood, Raas.” He took two long steps to a console where he instructed the tactical officer to relay new battle plans to the horde.
When he returned to me, he clasped his hands behind his back.
“Request to fire on the enemy as we depart, Raas.”
I gave him a single nod, which provoked a wicked grin.
“Fire on the lead ship,” Zarn ordered. “Then use evasive pattern Zarn One.”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “Zarn One? You named an evasive pattern after yourself?”
He slid me a wink. “Easier to remember.”
I bit back a groan. Zarn had always been the charming one, the one who used his smiles and wit to get out of sticky situations, the one who did not seem bothered by destiny. Before I could remind him that his job was serious, the doors glided open behind us.
My majak took his place at my other side without looking at Zarn. “All our new guests are in their quarters, Raas. Food has been sent to your quarters for the female, but I told her I was unsure if you would be joining her.”
My brother’s head swung to me, his eyes wide. “Which female?”
“Not the one with blue hair,” I said quickly.
“No, she seemed to prefer our battle chief,” Dawz added, as he kept his gaze forward.
Zarn wasn’t so easily distracted. “The dark-haired beauty then.” Irritation spasmed his features before they smoothed again. “Why is a female from the planet in your quarters, brother?”
Once again, I was reminded why I should have chosen another raider as my battle chief. Despite my brother’s talent for battle and strategy, he was still my younger brother.
“Because I am Raas,” I said through gritted teeth. “I may bring aboard any female I wish.”
Zarn eyed me. Another problem with having my brother on the bridge was that he also knew how often I’d railed against taking a mate.
I had been outspoken about not taking a Raisa when other warlords did, and I’d been especially dismissive of other warlords who’s taken human mates.
But my brother also knew why better than most.
“The Raas has chosen to take a war bride,” Dawz added.
“Like Raas Wrexxon?”
My majak finally turned to my battle chief. “Exactly. It is an excellent negotiating tactic.”
Zarn’s tail slashed the air behind him. “And what were you negotiating for, brother? I thought you, of all people, knew the danger in forcing matches.”
I didn’t bother to answer him. I couldn’t. Every word he spoke was justified and true. Like him, I had witnessed firsthand the misery of mates forced together.
Instead, I turned to Dawz. “I will join the female in my quarters.” I flicked a gaze at Zarn. “We have more terms to discuss.”
As I left the command deck, I heard Zarn volley orders for the attack on the Zagrath fleet.
I didn’t need to stay to know it would be successful.
My brother might be cocky—even for a Vandar—but he backed it up with impressive strategic prowess.
There was no doubt that we would strike our targets and escape unharmed.
“Which is why he’s your battle chief,” I said under my breath, as I left the command deck and began to wind my way through the warbird again.
Despite all the reasons why it would be wiser not to have my younger brother serving under me, the fact remained that he was the best at what he did. And what he did was come up with bold and sometimes reckless plans like descending through the clouds to rescue our away team.
I shook my head, trying to think less about my brother and the battle with the Zagrath and more about what I was going to say to Athena.