Chapter 15
FIFTEEN
“The sandstorm is easing, but communication is still down.” Drex looked up from his screen. “It concerns me that we had no knowledge of the trouble you were having in Tagja City. Perhaps we need to develop a backup, with the growing Sifter problem.”
Virak crossed his arms. “Agreed. But that is a conversation for another time. Right now, Sifters have breached the city and my people have no idea of my whereabouts. They may think me dead.” He ran a hand through his hair.
“We have an adequate military. They are capable of dispatching a sect of Sifters. What I loathe is the fact that the Berulian sent to attack me tried to abduct Jessa. She was nearly killed.”
Drex raised a dark eyebrow and gave him a considering look. “Sifters are not honorable. They will use anything as a weapon.”
“After the attack on Exir City last year and now this, it is safe to say their aim is to control the planet. They have entrenched themselves in the remote areas where we cannot rout them.”
“No,” Drex agreed. “We don’t have the manpower. These smaller attacks are meant to weaken us.”
“We are the only obstacle to controlling all of Virilia’s resources, which are considerable.
An all-out attack is inevitable.” Virak dropped into a seat opposite Drex’s unoccupied throne.
If his prediction was correct, the Sifters’ objective would be to ensure no Virilian ruler sat there ever again.
Drex sighed. “There is one thing I can do. I consider it a last resort.”
“What?” Last resort didn’t sound bad at a time like this.
“My brother, Trak, gave me a device, should an emergency arise, and I needed to contact him.”
Virak blinked. “What is wrong with that?”
“It’s a banned device, as it uses mirulli crystals to operate.”
Virak’s brows went up. Mirulli crystals were a rare and unstable power source.
They were a key ingredient for a vector cannon, which was profoundly and universally banned due to its planet-destroying capabilities.
Anyone found possessing one was subject to imprisonment and the forfeit of their ship.
“So you have a mir-sau resonator device in your possession?”
Drex nodded shortly. “Trak asked me to store it away. We argued over it, of course.”
A smile pulled at Virak’s lips. The day that Drex and Trak didn’t argue was a rare one.
Drex was the opposite of his brother, who marauded over the quadrants, buying and selling questionable goods.
Where Trak’s ethical tendencies were muddy at best, Drex was as principled as they came.
It was what made him ideal for the throne.
But the younger Letu brother was not lacking.
In this case, Trak’s practicality, and his ability to persuade Drex to accept the mir-sau resonator, were key traits and ones Virak was grateful for.
Drex winced. “My brother has an affinity for banned devices.”
“Mir-sau resonators can cut through any interference and frequency jamming to allow communication,” said Virak. “In this case, Trak’s affinity may save us.”
“Or kill us, if the mirulli crystals explode when activated. Like I said,” grumbled Drex, as he strode to the exit and beckoned Virak to follow, “it was a last resort.”
They strode through a dim corridor to the palace’s command center. It looked similar to Virak’s in Tagja City, although it was clear that Drex spent more time here than Virak did in his. Drex dropped into a well-worn seat and began waking up large, clear screens.
Virak watched Drex access his personal commands and pull up the controls for the mir-sau resonator.
The screens flooded with messages ranging from advisories that a banned device was active in the palace, to urgent warnings about the unstable nature of mirulli crystals, to one surely put in place by Trak himself—inquiring if the size of the king’s testicles were sufficient in size to operate a device such as a mir-sau resonator.
If Drex noticed that one, he didn’t deign to acknowledge it. With a swipe of his hand, all the warnings blinked off. A muscle flexed in Drex’s jaw. “I hate to reach out to him on this device,” said Drex quietly. “But there is no other way, and he has capabilities we do not have down here.”
“I would do it with less hesitation than you,” said Virak. “Your brother commands a fleet of heavily armed warships. Soliciting his assistance in this instance is the logical thing to do.”
“Right.” Drex expelled a harsh breath. “Logical. Keep reminding me of that.” He activated the sequence and transmitted an open communication session to Trak, wherever he was.
Time stretched as the screen remained blank. Then, with a flash of white and a burst of static, Trak Letu’s gloating face filled the screen. “Sweet stars, half-brother. I am truly horrified to see you.”
“As I am to you, always,” Drex replied pleasantly. “I trust you, Anna, and the children are well in whatever illicit situation you are currently in?”
“Illicit?” Trak pressed a hand to his chest. “For shame, Drex. I am far more upstanding these days. I have an example to set for the little ones, don’t you know.”
Virak made a circular motion with his hand to prod them along, knowing that these two could verbally spar for hours if left unattended.
Drex nodded and frowned into the screen.
“I am here with Virak Braal of Tagja City, which has come under attack from Sifters. We are currently in the midst of an impenetrable sandstorm, cutting off communication between the two cities.” Drex ground his teeth together. “We need your help.”
Trak leaned forward, peering into the screen. “Virak is there?” He lowered his voice. “You must ask him what happened with that Earth female—the one who left.”
Drex made a growling noise. “I will not ask him. He arrived with a new human companion who appears pleased with her match, so let’s leave it at that, shall we? Now, I need to discuss—”
“Just ask him,” Trak pressed. “I’m dying to know.”
“In that case, I’m sorry to hear of your imminent passing,” Drex gritted out, shooting Virak an apologetic look. “King Virak’s personal life is none of your business.”
“But—”
“I will tell you myself, when next we meet,” Virak interjected.
“Ah, there you are, Virak.” Trak leaned back with a crooked smile, not at all abashed for being caught trying to gossip. “How’ve you been? New female, eh? Glad to hear your troubles are in the past.”
Virak crossed his arms. “Can you assist us, Trak?”
Trak’s expression turned serious, as it always did when the teasing was over. “My ship is two quadrants away, presently, and we are about to engage in a tricky rescue mission.”
Drex groaned. “I am afraid to ask what outlaw you are liberating, brother.”
“If you must know, we will be rescuing an abducted settlement of Sislus, who have been enslaved on a Yerkin moon. It’s a rather bad situation.”
“Oh.” Drex sat back, clearly surprised. “This is new.”
“I told you,” said Trak with arched brows. “I have an example to set. But as for your situation, I have a ship in your region who can assist. I will send you their coordinates and order them your way. They are yours to command until you get things under control.”
Virak listened to Trak speak and couldn’t help but be impressed with the younger Virilian’s command and confidence.
He recalled a time when Trak was incapable of keeping out of the most basic of trouble.
In his early days in space, Trak had ended up doing time in nearly every detention center in existence.
The young prince who kept mistresses on every space station, got smarter over time, however, and learned how to avoid trouble. He’d grown powerful and wealthy.
It was ironic that these days Drex relied on his brother as much as Trak relied on him.
After decades of paying bribes to see Trak freed from whatever predicament he’d landed in, it was understandable that Drex would forget sometimes that his (technically) half-brother was someone who could be relied upon.
“Thank you, Trak,” said Virak gravely. “Tagja City owes you a debt.”
Trak didn’t even blink. “You pay it every day by having to stay there and rule.” He shuddered. “Still don’t know how you two don’t die of boredom in those stuffy throne rooms. Anyway. Keep my home planet secure. Our children deserve a safe home.”
Drex looked flush with pride. “Consider it done,” said Drex. “And thank you.”
“We need to cut this off. Your mirulli crystals are going to overheat,” said Trak, attention on his screens. “After our mission is complete, we’ll return to Virilia.” He winked at Virak. “I’ll be looking forward to our chat, Virak.”
Virak nodded. “I hope my answer lives up to your expectations.”
“Oh, me too. My imagination has painted you as a total sexual deviant.” Trak winked. “Letu out.” And the screen went blank again.
Drex leaned back. “That’s my brother. I would apologize for him, but…”
“Please, don’t.” Virak chuckled. “I’m afraid he will be disappointed, though, when we have our chat.”
“So you’re not a sexual deviant?” Drex asked it in a joking manner, but Virak could hear the twinge of curiosity. The brothers were not that dissimilar.
“I’m afraid not,” Virak replied with a sigh. “Just a bit…reserved when it comes to closeness. My upbringing prepared me to rule a city, not dispense affection.”
“Have things changed with Jessa’s arrival?
” Drex regarded him with gentle inquiry, which was the only reason why Virak bothered to engage in this odd conversation.
This was a departure for the all-business ruler of Exir City.
Becoming a partner and a father had changed the stern, militaristic leader.
Virak clasped his hands behind his back. “Perhaps.” The truth was, everything had changed since she came into his life, but that was more of a confession than he was prepared to have with Drex that evening. “We’ll see.”
“She seems quite taken with you,” Drex murmured. “Does she plan to return to Earth?”
Virak’s chest tightened. “As far as I know, yes.”
Drex let out a sigh. “Well then. I wish you and Jessa all the best for your union—however you both decide to proceed.”
Virak nodded, amused by the restraint in Drex’s tone. He knew the male had opinions about his and Jessa’s “union”—he had some himself—but was exercising restraint, as kings did. “Thank you. I am grateful for your hospitality.”
Drex made a face. “Oh, quit the stiffness, Virak. You would—you have—done the same for me and my people. And for stars’ sake, seduce that female until she can’t imagine a better life on Earth, and convince her to stay with you. I’ve never seen you so happy.”
Virak smiled at that. So much for kingly restraint. It wasn’t hard to imagine a friendship with Drex, when his guard wasn’t quite so high. “She does make me happy,” he said quietly. “I can only hope…” he trailed off with a shrug. “She will do as she wishes.”
Drex grunted. “You’re going to have to fight for that female, if you want to keep her.”
“I think you’re right,” said Virak on a sigh. If only he knew how to go about doing that.