Chapter 10 – Motok
The Vindicator was under attack.
The warning boom shot across the hull of my ship was proof we’d been fired upon by an enemy vessel.
If I had to guess I’d say it was a Zhorn warship but any of the Seekers were as likely to chase us down and board.
They wouldn’t destroy our battle cruiser.
Our cargo was too precious. Slavers understood the value of their possessions and wouldn’t risk damaging goods.
Credits were only made by the successful sale of such merchandise. Any trauma or lasting effects could negatively impact the potential reward. I may be pissed at such logic, but it kept the human female alive and unharmed. At least for the present.
Noises outside the main hangar proved the enemy vessel had locked onto the hull and would soon be boarding.
Veet!
Rexnor and Orion crouched next to me behind the crates as we waited for the breach.
Valtus was on the upper deck with the flight crew, taking control of the bridge in my absence.
They would barricade and lock themselves inside.
It was imperative that the remaining warriors defend the ship and ensure the vessel wasn’t overtaken.
My First would guarantee our weapons were online and our flight crew unharmed.
The first to enter were the Tylons. I couldn’t help but think these tentacled vermin were the bottom feeders of the alien races.
Their only real weapon was that gel-like toxin.
Yes, they could regrow those damn tentacles, but they were easily severed in battle.
The suckers could leave a nasty mark but didn’t do more than give a slight bruise.
They were only a threat to humans. Most species weren’t vulnerable to their clumsy and goopy attacks.
When they entered, I ran forward, claws extended and proceeded to hack my way through the nasty fuckers. The word popped into my head and I was pleased that I used Kerra’s human insult so appropriately. She’d get a good laugh out of that once our ship was secure.
Minutes later, my brothers and I shoved the bodies and limbs into the trash compactor. They were launched into space moments after we entered the corridors of the Vindicator in search of more Seekers. Screams echoed down the hall as I froze. Female. My female.
A rush of adrenaline pumped through my bloodstream. Kerra was in danger. The Tylons were nothing more than a decoy meant to distract us from the true threat. The Zhorn and the Tylons must have reached a temporary agreement. Slavers knew no mercy.
Kerra’s screams echoed down the long, narrow corridor as I roared and charged forward.
I no longer cared about the ship or any other being inside it, even my brothers.
The entirety of my focus rested on my human.
She was in danger. Voices faded into the background as my hearts pounded relentlessly in my chest and the fear of losing her overrode common sense.
Around the next bend, I found the group of Zhorn making their way toward the docking bay as her body was flung over the shoulder of one of the largest among the boarding crew. He turned and caught my furious gaze as his black eyes blinked white and his slimy tongue hissed in response.
He yelled in his language as his companions stopped and turned to fight while he kept up his pace and almost reached the docking bay door.
A few more feet and I’d never see Kerra again.
The female’s eyes were wide with fright and I refused to allow her capture.
My vision narrowed as a reddish haze filled my line of sight.
I barreled into the Zhorn as he slammed into the hull and she dropped to the ground.
I couldn’t pause in my assault to ask if she was alright.
The Zhorn immediately fought back and we grappled with one another, banging into cargo crates and pummeling fists into one another in an effort to gain the upper hand.
Our fight brought us directly into the hangar.
We were dangerously close to the docking bay hatch.
I spied the emergency release pad only feet from my current position.
Kerra’s eyes met mine and I looked pointedly at the button and then the hatch several times in quick succession.
I think she understood. Backing up and shaking her head, she ran for the doors as they opened and more of the Zhorn entered.
I ducked and swung my fist as it connected with the slaver’s jaw.
He slumped down in a daze and I yelled out instructions the same moment my palm hovered above the pad.
“Strap on the harness! To your left!”
I gave her no more than a few seconds to comply.
The emergency hatch popped open as I pressed down and everything in the room was sucked into deep space.
The Zhorn leader I had fought didn’t stand a chance.
His back was up against the hatch and he flew out the second the release engaged.
Kerra was strapped to the side of the interior bay wall as I instructed her to do.
Her face was pale, but she was safe. I’d grabbed the only other emergency equipment in the room and was thankful the clasp had secured to the front of my uniform.
My body was weightless as I flew up in the air and dangled while the rest of the Zhorn were sucked out of the airlock and joined their companion in the cold, vast emptiness of space.
Another few seconds lapsed before the hatch was closed and gravity reengaged.
I landed with a hard thud on the metal decking as the doors opened and my brothers rushed inside.
“Tok!”
Kerra’s terrified scream caused my body to tremble and I disengaged the clasp.
I pushed up from the ground and immediately ran forward, meeting her frazzled smile with a reassuring one as she tried to unclasp the emergency harness.
Fumbling with the snaps and clasps, she wasn’t doing much more than becoming flustered.
Her lower lip quivered as our eyes met and I placed my hands over her own.
“I’ve got this.”
The second she was free Kerra was in my arms and I lifted her up, hugging my human’s body close while I inhaled the sweet fragrance of her skin as she cried and blubbered nonsense.
“I wasn’t going to die, breh’ha,” I assured her, my fingers brushing across her cheek with a possessive and assuring touch. “Neither were you. The Zhorn were the only ones in danger.”
Relief flashed within her green irises and I leaned in, tempted to press my lips to hers, touched by her genuine concern.
“I thought you were going to be sucked into space, too.”
A warm chuckle sounded behind us as Rexnor caught our attention. “My brother is one stubborn bastard. He wasn’t leaving you.”
Orion snorted. “Something like that.”
Valtus waltzed into the room, his expression grim.
“I hate to break up the happy moment, but we’re compromised, Commander.
The Vindicator is badly damaged. Shields are at thirty percent.
Systems are failing all over the ship. Life support is the only one currently functioning since I switched the emergency power to boost it.
The warp drive is damaged, and the cloaking tech is malfunctioning.
We won’t be traveling any further on this vessel. ”
Orion cursed under his breath.
“I suggest we leave via the pods. There’s no way we can make the necessary repairs without additional risk. We’re still attached to the Zhorn vessel even with most of their crew dead or incapacitated. Their emergency beacon is engaged. It won’t be long before more warships arrive.”
“The transport was also damaged when the Zhorn attacked,” Orion added. “Not to mention the fact that they can track that vessel much easier than the pods.”
Sighing, I held Kerra tighter and nodded to Valtus. “Inform the council of our detour. We’ll land on the closest planet and find a ship to take us the rest of the journey to Vindar.”
Valtus crossed his arm over his chest and then bowed, turning on his heel to leave the room.
We didn’t hesitate to make our preparations.
I was lowering myself into one of the horizontal pods only minutes later.
A small pack of essentials was placed in the only empty compartment behind my head.
These escape pods were designed as a sleek and fast way to depart but only intended for one body and quick trips.
The air would give out twice as fast with two and so the distance we could travel was shortened.
I didn’t inform Kerra she was the cause of this slight setback.
“Climb inside and I’ll strap us in.”
Her doubtful expression was comical. “Are you sure about this?”
Smirking, I lifted a hand. “Would you rather stay behind and wait for more of the Zhorn? Or perhaps the Tylons are more to your liking?”
She didn’t answer but stuck her little pink tongue out at me as she climbed in and sat on my lap.
I had to lay all the way back, but she fit snug against my body.
The belt crisscrossed over our chests and then lower over our hips.
She was safe but I couldn’t resist wrapping my arms around her anyway.
She shifted until her cheek rested against my suit and directly over my hearts.
That indescribable pull I felt when she was near filled and consumed my thoughts as I placed a gentle kiss on the top of her head. “This may be a bit unsettling.”
She immediately lifted her head to stare into my eyes. “Explain.”
“These pods move fast and enter the atmosphere at alarming speeds. Don’t worry. There’s an emergency control panel if anything malfunctions.”
“If anything malfunctions!?” she squeaked, her voice rising much too high. I could feel her heart begin to race. “We’re going to die!”
“No,” I replied calmly, “we are not. This is a common means of travel. All is well.”
“It’s not well!” she contradicted as her breath increased and I thought she might hyperventilate.
“Kerra.”
She wasn’t listening.
“Kerra,” I called more firmly. “I won’t allow anything to happen to you.”
Her glassy stare worried me, and I did the only thing I could think of in that moment.
I leaned down and pressed the softest of kisses against her warm and supple lips.
The connection sent jolts of electricity through my veins and I was flooded with a barrage of desire and liquid fire.
The flames licked their way through every cell in my body as I briefly shivered.
Cosmos help me. I was already in way over my head.
“Kerra,” I breathed against her lips. “I will protect you.”
Her eyes deepened the shade of emerald as they focused on my own. “You kissed me,” she whispered in shock.
The pod chose that moment to propel down the chute and out into space as she cried out and buried her face in my neck.
My arms tightened their hold and I cradled her close as the velocity didn’t allow any further movement once we reached max speed.
I wasn’t aware how long we traveled this way.
All knowledge flew out of my head. I was in a fog, dazed by the experience we just shared.
A part of me hoped it would last forever.
I never wanted to release her from my touch.
That one kiss had decided everything in less than the blink of an eye.
She was mine. Truly. If ever I doubted, it was now no longer possible.
I had to find a way to keep this female close. Somehow. Some way. I couldn’t entertain the idea of walking away from Kerra once we returned to Vindar. It was no longer an option.
The screens lit up as we approached our destination. I already knew where we were headed and decided it was best not to mention the planet before we arrived. Kerra would have too many questions and she currently had enough to worry about.
“We’re almost to the planet’s atmosphere. It’s going to be bumpy.”
She whimpered as the little pod shook and flames licked up the outside of the small vessel.
Colors of red and tangerine mixed with a cool blue and vivid purple.
The window above us rattled as she gripped my arms tighter.
Her eyes were squeezed shut and she missed our grand, fiery entrance.
I was glad. My human was entirely too fearful at times.
Her anxiety became my own and the less I had to worry about, the better.
The pod began to slow and evened out where moments ago we had been moving with the nose pointed downward. Landing gear popped out beneath us and made loud clicking noises as she trembled.
“Almost there,” I whispered, placing another kiss by her temple.
The pod banged through a few trees and we landed roughly. The hull bounced a few times and then skid along the ground for a full minute before coming to a complete stop. I didn’t dare to inhale a deep breath until I was sure that we were safe on solid ground.
“Where are we?”
“Altos.”