by S. E. Smith
*.*.*
“You go low,” Harden said. “Find the gray bastard and kill him. I’ll find the girl and anyone else and take them out.”
“What about Crane?” Moss asked.
“He will find the kid. He had to secure the ship. We have twenty minutes to get in and out if we don’t want to fight the damn Zion military,” Harden growled. “I want to be out of here before they arrive.”
Moss nodded and turned. He ran down the long platform, letting his eyes sweep the upper cargo bay. Once he reached the end, he grabbed the thick metal handholds on each side and slid down the ladder, ignoring the individual rings. He was focused on one thing and one thing only, kill the male who had killed his brother.
Harden briefly watched Moss before dismissing the other male. He didn’t expect him to survive. He knew what the Alluthan hybrids could do. He had watched one of the bastards in action. What was left behind was not a pretty picture.
Chapter 18
Krac moved through the lower cargo bay, pausing behind one of the few containers in it. He let his eyes sweep the area. He pulled on his other senses to help him locate the male he knew was in here. A slight sound to his left had him turning in the opposite direction to go around the tall structures.
“I know you are here,” the male’s voice called out. “Fight me. One on one.”
Krac’s eyes narrowed at the challenge. He had expected the male to try to ambush him, not outright call him out. He glanced around the side of the container and watched as the male stepped out into the open area.
He recognized the huge male as being one of the men from the medical tower, the one who had grabbed Violet. He had also grabbed the wounded man. Krac ran a comparison of the two men in his mind. The similarities between their eyes, nose, mouths and bone structure suggested a close DNA relationship existed between the two.
“I will kill you,” Krac stated calmly as he stepped out. “Like I did the male.”
“You killed Mace. He was my brother. Now, I will kill you,” Moss replied angrily.
“Why is the New Order after Gracie?” Krac asked, stepping lightly to the side as the male shifted.
“I don’t know,” Moss said. “I don’t care. You killed Mace. That is all I care about.”
Krac felt a moment of regret that the huge male was going to die. It was obvious he was not very intelligent. His brother had probably used his larger strength to his advantage. Unfortunately, that would not change the male’s fate. He needed to eliminate him before Harden found Skeeter and Violet.
“Where is the other male?” Krac asked, shifting again as the other male did.
“He is going to kill the girl. He’s mad she stole the kid.” Moss shrugged. “She shouldn’t have made him mad. He is mean when he is mad.”
Krac became still. “So am I,” he replied before he struck.
He caught the male in the side, but the blow was deflected as the male twisted in a surprisingly fast move. He ignored the blow to his own back as he turned. They faced off, slowly circling each other. Krac ignored the sharp pain of the knife wound to his back. He had already sent the command for the nanobots in his bloodstream to repair the damage to his kidney which had been pierced by the long, sharp blade.
He jerked back when the male swung out his hand with the knife. His own hand came down and gripped the thick wrist and twisted it sharply. The male was prepared and rolled with movement, pulling out of his grasp. That move prevented Krac from snapping the large male’s wrist.
“You are strong,” Moss commented as he surged to his feet. “I’m strong too. You cannot beat me.”
“I have no desire to beat you,” Krac replied, shifting to his left as another swipe aimed at his throat this time swept by him. “I aim to kill you.”
Moss grinned. “Then we are the same.”
Krac moved, stepping into the male this time as he struck. He shut down the pain sensors inside his body as the knife went deep between his ribs. Instead, he focused on wrapping his hands on each side of the male’s head and twisting. The move pulled the knife across, opening up a three inch slice along his ribcage, but it gave him the best advantage at ending the fight as quickly as possible. With a quick, hard jerk he snapped the male’s neck.
“No,” Krac muttered as he released the male, letting him drop to the floor of the cargo bay. “We are not.”
He grimaced as he pulled the knife out of his body. He stumbled a little as he turned and braced his right hand against one of the cargo containers. Drawing in a deep breath, he focused on healing the damage. A soft curse escaped as it took a little longer than he liked to heal. He needed to get to an access panel so he could see where the other male had gone.
Pushing away from the container, he focused on the lower exit. He was almost to it when a sharp blow to the center of his back threw him forward. He cursed that he hadn’t checked the area more thoroughly as darkness descended around him. His last conscious thought was to activate the nanobots to repair the damage as quickly as possible, even as his body shut down to prevent excessive blood loss.
*.*.*
“Where’s the female and the kid?” Harden asked darkly.
Froget clutched his side where a laser shot had pierced him. The male had surprised him when he dropped down out of the conduit tubes running along the ceiling. He was able to get a few hits of his own as he watched in satisfaction at the blood running down the human’s face before the male had shot him.
“Safe,” Froget growled back in defiance. “You’re a dead man. There are three Zion warships headed this way. You’ll never get the kid before they get here.”
“Wrong answer, little man,” Harden replied as he fired another shot into Froget’s thigh. He watched in satisfaction as the creature howled in pain as he collapsed. “Now, let’s try this again. I ask you a question. You answer it truthfully. If you don’t, I fire another shot into you until you tell me what I want.”
“You’ll... you are going to kill me anyway,” Froget hissed hoarsely. “Why should I tell you anything?”
Harden shook his head. It was always the same. The last act of defiance, the hope that something would save the poor fool before they begged for their life. Unfortunately, he didn’t have time to enjoy disillusioning the little green creature. The male was right. If he didn’t get what he wanted in the next few minutes, he would either be a dead man or leave empty handed. Neither choice was in his plans.
Pulling out a sharp laser knife, he knelt over the fallen body and drove it into the wound in the amphibian’s leg. A loud tortured scream filled the corridor as he twisted it. His other hand pressed down on the male’s shoulder to hold him still.
“Where is the girl and the kid?” Harden asked one last time.
“Go to hell,” Froget panted.
Harden shook his head as he pulled the knife out of the wound. He looked down at the pale figure trapped under him. Always the same, stupid heroics all for nothing.
“You can wait for me there,” Harden replied as he drove the knife in his hand through the creature’s heart.
“NO!!!!!” A hoarse cry echoed behind him. “Frog!”
Harden’s lips curved as he slowly rose and turned. He had hoped the screams from the creature would draw out his prey. He figured if the female was compassionate enough to steal the kid, she would have some feelings for a member of her crew.
So predictable, he thought as he stared at the pale, shaking figure standing outside of one of the crew cabins.
His eyes flashed over the curvy redhead holding a small laser pistol aimed at his chest. It wouldn’t do her any good. She could shoot him all she wanted. He had paid a small fortune for the special material that made up his clothing. It could absorb the blasts from any small to medium size laser pistol or laser sword rendering them useless. The only place that was vulnerable was his head. Very few adversaries went for the head shot first. That gave him the advantage of killing them before they recognized their mistake. He didn’t have to worr
y about that with the terrified female standing between him and his prize.
“Where’s the kid?” He asked, taking a step away from the dead male. He palmed the knife at his waist as he moved forward. “Tell me and I might not make you scream as loud as your friend there did.”
*.*.*
Skeeter refused to look at Frog’s lifeless body. She couldn’t. Instead, her eyes stared into the cold eyes of the human male. He was the one from the Part’s shop on Pryus. She refused to look anywhere but at his eyes. Bulldog said a person’s eyes told you about their soul. He said if they were cold and lifeless, so was the person. She had once asked him what he saw when he looked into her eyes. He had told her he saw the beauty of the universe.
She blinked rapidly when she thought of Frog’s big, round eyes. They had always been filled with warmth, humor and a touch of exasperation when he looked at her. Tears filled her eyes at the thought of never seeing that look again.
“Why?” She choked out. “Why did you have to... to... kill him? He never hurt anybody. He...” Her voice broke as the reality of what was happening sunk in. “He was my friend.”
“My heart is truly bleeding,” Harden replied sarcastically. “Where’s the kid?”
Skeeter shook her head and took a step backwards as he continued toward her. “Stop. You can’t have her. She’s just a little girl. Leave her alone.”
“Can’t do that, sweetheart. It’s a shame you have to die. I’m sure we could have had a good time otherwise, but I just don’t have the time to be nice to you. I need the kid now,” Harden snapped, stopping when Skeeter widened her stance and aimed the pistol.
“No,” she whispered.
“Wrong answer, sweetcake. Just like your friend. Bulldog should have taught you never to take something that isn’t yours. You might have lived if he had,” Harden said in a sharp voice at the same time as he flicked his wrist.
Skeeter jerked and tilted, but his words kept her focused long enough to pull the trigger. She remembered one very important piece of advice Bulldog gave her when he was training her to shoot. A piece of advice Harden obviously wasn’t expecting from the stunned look on his face.
If you have to shoot someone, Lulu Belle, Bulldog’s voice whispered in her mind as a small hole appeared between Harden’s eyes, make sure it is between the eyes. A head shot will stop just about anything.
Her eyes fluttered as blood began to trickle from it. She barely heard the hoarse curse as her body fell in sync with the other male. She hoped Violet was right when she said nothing could stop her Uncle Krac because he was now the only thing standing between the bad guys and her.
Crane stood frozen, staring in disbelief at the corridor of bodies. He jumped when a small warning signal buzzed at his waist. He glanced down at Harden’s unseeing eyes with another curse.
Turning on his heel, he rushed back the way he had come. As far as he was concerned, this mission was over. There was no way he was about to take on three Zion warships. He was just glad that he didn’t have to face the big gray bastard that had taken Moss out. He had watched the fight between the two males, waiting for a clear shot from the upper platform with the laser rifle he carried. It had been a lucky break when the male had turned his back, giving him a clear shot.
It is time to disappear, Crane thought as he climbed into the pilot’s seat of the sleek starship that Tillman had loaned them. If Tillman doesn’t kill me, the Leader will. Thank God those Zion bastards aren’t going to give a damn about a couple of short haul freighter crew or a lab rat as long as they get the kid back or I’d really be in deep shit.
Chapter 19
Krac’s mind came back online before the rest of his body. He quickly ran an internal scan. Flexing his shoulders, he felt a small twinge of pain, but it quickly subsided. He pushed up off the cold metal floor of the cargo bay. Either Harden had circled around or there had been another, uncounted for, intruder.
He rose to his feet. Crossing to the panel by the door, he slapped his hand and connected to the security system. His lips tightened when he saw that a clear path to the upper living levels and the bridge were open. As a last thought, he searched out the door to Skeeter’s cabin. It had been sealed earlier. Dread pooled low in his stomach when the computer showed it was open.
Ignoring the still healing wounds in his side and back, he broke into a run. He breathed evenly in and out as he focused on the layout of the freighter, hoping Frog had found a safe place for Skeeter and Violet to hide. He connected to the comlink in his ear.
“Froget, status,” he ordered as he rounded the corner near the galley. “Froget, give me a status now!”
His breathing began to grow erratic when he didn’t receive an answer. He cursed when he realized Skeeter must not be wearing one or she would have answered him. He rounded the last corner leading to Skeeter’s cabin and the bridge. Bile choked him when he saw Froget’s blank stare and the blood pooled around his body.
His eyes moved over the body of another male. This one he recognized immediately as the assassin called Harden. A thin stream of congealing blood ran from the center of his forehead down to his hairline.
“No,” he whispered stumbling over Harden’s outstretched arm when he saw Skeeter’s still body lying outside her cabin door. “Please, no. Please, please, no.”
He stumbled forward and fell to his knees next to Skeeter’s pale face. He didn’t know who he was begging for mercy. He just knew he would never survive the pain that was threatening to overwhelm him if she was dead. His fingers shook as he gently caressed her pale cheek before his hand moved down to the knife protruding from her chest.
“Krac!”
His head jerked up at the sound of his name. Bran and Cooraan stood poised to fight while several other Zion warriors checked the bodies of the other two males. Desperation surged through him at the look of compassion and regret on their faces.
The hand laying on Skeeter’s chest moved ever so slightly. He could feel the rise and fall as she breathed. She was still alive.
“Please. Help her,” he croaked out. “She is alive.”
Bran cursed, stepping forward to kneel next to the female as he snapped out an order for a medical team. “Where is Violet Jefe?”
Krac’s eyes moved to the dead assassin. There had been another intruder. The one that had shot him. Was it possible the male had escaped with Violet?
“I don’t know. Froget and Skeeter were protecting her,” he replied, looking back down at Skeeter’s pale face.
“Let me take a look at her,” a feminine voice murmured. “I need a stabilizer kit, stat!”
Krac stood up and took a reluctant step back when another member of Bran’s crew passed him. He recognized the female as the Chief Medical Officer. He watched as she placed several stabilizer electrodes on Skeeter.
“Spread out!” Cooraan ordered the warriors. “Find Violet Jefe and search for anyone else that might be on board the freighter.”
“Krac,” a very faint voice whispered.
Krac took a step forward as the medic moved to the side. He knelt down next to Skeeter as her eyes fluttered as she regained consciousness. He tenderly lifted her hand when she struggled to reach out for him.
“Shush,” he murmured. He ignored those standing around him, watching in disbelief as he tenderly caressed her. “You will get better.”
A faint smile pulled at her lips at his growled order before it died. “Frog,” she whispered as tears filled her eyes and overflowed. “He… killed Frog.”
“I know,” Krac said gently.
“Ask her where Violet is,” Bran ordered from behind him.
“You’d better hurry if you have any questions for her,” Toolas warned, looking at the tablet in her hand. “Her blood pressure is dropping. I need to get her back to the Conqueror if you want me to save her.”
Krac’s eyes flashed in anger as he felt Skeeter’s hand tremble violently in his. He briefly closed his eyes and breathed deeply before opening them, knowing
Bran was right. They needed to know about Violet. The longer it took, the more danger she could be in. He nodded before focusing down on Skeeter’s pale face.
“Skeeter, where is Violet? Was she taken?” He asked, leaning closer when her lips barely moved to answer him.
He sat back and nodded to Toolas as Skeeter’s hand went limp in his. He heard Toolas call out urgently to the medics to get Skeeter back to the Conqueror stat. He rose and moved to the side as they carefully lifted her onto the stretcher. He stood frozen against the wall, pain radiating through him. It felt as if his heart was being ripped out of his body as he watched the small group hurry away.
“Krac. Krac, what did she say?” Bran asked impatiently.
“Magic words,” he murmured, finally turning to look at the Zion Grand Admiral. “We will find Violet if we say the magic words.”
Cooraan looked back and forth between Krac and Bran before shaking his head. “Does anyone know what in the hell that means?”
Krac looked back at Cooraan before he turned to gaze at the twinkling lights in Skeeter’s cabin. He wouldn’t allow Violet to see Froget’s body. He remembered the haunted look in Skeeter’s eyes when she told him about what happened to her when her parents were killed. He would not let that happen to Gracie and Kordon’s daughter.
“I know,” Krac replied quietly. “Clear out the bodies. The amphibian male is to be treated as a warrior. He deserves a warrior’s death rite. I will examine the other body and dispose of it later.”
“What of Kordon and Gracie’s daughter?” Cooraan asked in frustration.
Krac turned and looked at both men with a calm determination. “I will not let her see this. The green male was a friend to her. I will not let her see him like this. Ty and Malik will be here any moment. She knows both of them. I will release her to them once they arrive. Until then, I will stay with her.”
Krac didn’t give either male a chance to argue. He stepped into Skeeter’s cabin and palmed the door control, closing it and sealing him and Violet in the magical world that Skeeter had created.