Angel Mine

by Vijaya Schartz

  Heat crept up Acielon’s neck and cheeks. “I spoke to another outworlder, but she is not with them. She has a bright aura and a pure heart.”

  The Chief Archon’s bright turquoise eyes narrowed upon him with new interest. “She?”

  Acielon steeled his resolve. He must defend Fianna. “She is a human enforcer, bent on taking their leader to face justice for his crimes.”

  “Oh?” Lord Abraxas chuckled. “She must be pretty. You seem quite taken with her.” He smiled. “Nevertheless, you must avoid these foreigners... all of them... at least for now.”

  “What do you mean, for now?” Acielon refused to acknowledge the interdiction. He must protect Fianna from these dark, lost souls.

  Reading his rebellious thoughts, the Chief Archon snorted. “We must let them believe they can indeed leave the planet.”

  “But they can. Did you not hear what I said?” Acielon couldn’t help the frustration in his voice.

  “Yes, but...” Lord Abraxas shook his head. “With such primitive tools, by the time they harvest any measurable quantity of crystal, especially if they spend much time in the cave, they will start changing.”

  “Changing?” Acielon remembered the stories from his childhood. “So, the legends are true?”

  “Yes, of course. Legends are the best way to plant the seed of truth in young minds.”

  Acielon considered the implications of the truth facing him. “So, those who fell from the sky in the past eventually became like us... in time?”

  The Chief Archon smiled. “You are young, Acielon, born on Azura. It is not the case for the other Azurans.”

  Acielon glanced at the circle of Archons, said to have lived thousands of cycles. “You mean to say, the other Azurans were foreigners once? But they never speak or even think about their former lives.”

  “Why should they?” Lord Abraxas steepled his fingers. “What makes the Azurans so special and powerful is this planet. All who crashed on Azura in the past and managed to survive, eventually became Azurans... with all the abilities and noble qualities you take for granted.”

  “But the foreigners I saw in the cave are corrupt beyond redemption.” Tarkan’s greedy gaze flashed upon his mind. “They could poison our society. I do not believe they can change.”

  “They will.” The Chief Archon closed his eyes briefly. “The crystal at the planet’s core grants its inhabitants special abilities. This is why it is forbidden to leave the planet.”

  “What would happen if someone left Azura?” Acielon held his breath, waiting for the answer.

  Lord Abraxas inclined his head. “Outside the influence of Azura, they would return to what they truly are, what the Azurans once were, regular beings, mortals subject to suffering and disease, severely flawed, just like the outworlders you so despise.”

  Acielon let his shoulders drop. So much for his dream of exploring the universe. He would never want to become like these despicable strangers. “So, you are not going to do anything?”

  The Chief Archon shook his head slowly. “All we need to do is stay away from them and wait. Azura will protect itself as it always did, by turning these wicked strangers into beautiful, righteous beings with pure souls.”

  “But what if they leave right away and bring more humans? What if they don’t stay long enough, and rain their ugly violence upon us? What if they try to kill us!” Acielon wondered about death for the first time in his life.

  Lord Abraxas chuckled. “Given the self-healing abilities of the Azurans, I doubt they could. But if they attack this planet or threaten to do it harm, we shall mobilize our legions... like we did in the faraway past.”

  Acielon wanted to scream his frustration at such lack of concern, but he knew better than to argue. The Chief Archon had spoken. The issue was closed.

  “Go home, Brother Acielon.” Lord Abraxas smiled and his eyes twinkled. “There is no cause for alarm. Azura will take care of itself in its own way.”

  Acielon had lost. He bowed. “Sorry for disturbing you, Venerable Ones.”

  Upon a sign from their Chief, the Archons rose from their white marble seats, spread their mighty white wings, and vanished in a flapping breeze. The blue light and the vibrating harmonies waned. Only the pattering of rain on the blue crystal dome broke the silence. A single feather fluttered down to the shiny marble floor.

  Acielon sighed. His heart felt like a boulder in his chest. What if Fianna captured Tarkan and flew away with him right away? She looked so sad on the Monalisa. What if she still liked that wicked, no good, scarred face, ruggedly handsome human, despite his criminal ways?

  If Fianna left with that man, Acielon would never see her again. He refused to let her leave. He must stall her. Keep her safe, close to him. Since the legends were true, she might have a future with him on Azura... as his life companion.

  * * *

  Fianna rummaged around the Silver Angel. Perfect name for such a beautiful ship. Its hatch had required more subtlety to open than the Monalisa’s, but thanks to her enhanced vision, she had coaxed the mechanical tumblers to line up and open for her. Not too different from breaking into an antique, low-tech safe.

  Sheba loped and sniffed around the luxurious lounge then draped herself upon a white couch. “Sheba like nice ship.”

  Fianna scoffed. “Who wouldn’t?”

  According to the floor plans engraved on the bulkheads, this space yacht had the latest gadgets onboard, including stealth engines, a cloaking device, ample space for hidden compartments, a private brig, a galley, and a fully stocked medical bay. Acielon was right. A much better ride than the Monalisa.

  Like on the Monalisa, every piece of electronic equipment onboard, every console, every power source, every viewer was carefully sealed inside a cube of thick clear, luminescent gel. Could the bulky padding really protect these devices from the planetary shields? What disabled her ship was no ordinary electromagnetic pulse. Yet, her own flesh had protected her implants and software.

  A flapping of wings and a gentle breeze made her turn around. The aroma of cinnamon filled the space. Her heart beat faster. “Acielon?”

  Sheba raised her head and turned her pelt white, like the couch where she lay.

  Acielon materialized in the lounge and carefully sat on the white couch, next to Sheba, then petted the cat’s head. “I see I’m not the only one who likes this ship.”

  Sheba closed her eyes and purred under his caress. “Sheba like.”

  “Traitor.” Fianna chuckled.

  Somehow, the refined decor in white and blue hues enhanced Acielon’s turquoise eyes and his tan, muscular chest. Fianna envied the cat.

  Stop it and focus. She struggled to ignore the seductive appeal of his very presence. “How do you do that?”

  His brow furrowed. “Do what?”

  “Vanish, reappear, stay dry in the rain, seduce animals, control plants, pass through bulkheads?” She shook her head. “And you actually fly, don’t you? I felt the wind of wings, I swear.”

  “Please, do not swear.” He smiled with the most charming dimples. “I don’t know how I do it. I was doing it before I could walk.”

  Fianna remembered having her hands full with her little brother’s antics a few cycles back. “If children have such abilities, raising them must be hell in this place.”

  “I would not know.” He chuckled. “I am still considered an impetuous child.”

  Could he be a minor? “How old are you?”

  “Almost a hundred cycles.”

  “A hundred?” Fianna gasped. Even if the cycles were shorter on Azura, he was three or four times older than she was. Humans only lived two hundred cycles on average, three if they led a sheltered lifestyle. “How long do your people live?”

  “I do not know. In my entire life, I never heard of anyone dying.”

  “You mean, Azurans live forever?” Fianna swallowed hard. “Do you ever get sick or injured?”

  “Rarely, and we usually heal in less than a day.”

&
nbsp; Fianna started to understand why the Alliance feared them. They were indestructible. With all these strong attributes, she wondered how Acielon would be as a lover. Her insides melted at the picture of them kissing. She erased the image from her mind and exhaled slowly. Stop it, girl. It’s the pheromones. Focus on your mission.

  Sheba stared at her. “What is pheromones?”

  “Never mind.” Fianna turned to Acielon. “So, are Tarkan and his thugs hiding in the cave? Are they coming back soon, or do I have to go get my quarry over there?”

  Acielon rose from the couch and walked around the spacious living quarters, distractedly touching the glowing gel boxes encasing the electronics. “They plan to return in the morning to pick up more tools.”

  “Tools?” She’d never known Tarkan to do hard labor... not on purpose. “What for?”

  Acielon gazed straight at her. “To mine the crystal.”

  She fought the need to walk up to him and touch him. “What kind of crystal?”

  Fianna should have guessed Tarkan had not chosen this planet only for its isolation, to hide from the authorities. He was after something lucrative, as always.

  “Here.” Acielon dug into the folds of his loose pants and pulled out a glowing blue gem in the shape of a large, flat teardrop. A shiny blue string was threaded into a pin hole in the top. He handed it to her. “I harvested it for you.”

  “For me?” Fianna gasped. “Why?”

  “I thought you might like it, and it would look good on you.”

  She couldn’t remember when anyone gave her something valuable for no reason. Tarkan’s gifts always came with unpalatable conditions. Her natural mistrust kicked in. “What do you want in exchange?”

  “Nothing.” He stared straight at her with an open face. “I just want you to have it.”

  In shock, she extended her hand. He deposited the luminous stone in her palm. Their fingers touched and she shivered with the electrifying contact.

  “When I saw the crystal, I thought of you.” He smiled. “The crystal makes me happy. You make me happy.”

  “What?” Her heart jumped at the candid statement. “We don’t know each other. How can I make you happy?”

  Acielon shrugged. “You just do.”

  The warm stone in her hand tingled. She couldn’t help but stare at it. “It’s beautiful.”

  It reminded Fianna of the strange blue glow of the planet seen from space. “If Tarkan plans to mine it, it must be valuable. Does this crystal have special properties, store information like quartz? Or maybe serve as a power source?”

  Acielon chuckled. “It is all that and much more.” He took the pendant by the string. “Let me.”

  She faced him, shaken at the expression of concern in his eyes. Docilely, she lowered her head to let him loop the string over her head. The crystal rested comfortably on her chest. She enjoyed the weight of the stone and its warm contact.

  Acielon took a step back and smiled. “Perfect. Just like I imagined it would look on you.”

  Fianna touched the glowing pendant on her chest. “Thanks. It’s a lovely gift.”

  “I am glad you like it.” His piercing eyes shone, the same color as the crystal.

  She would never look at that pendant without thinking of him. Stop that romantic nonsense. Focus on Tarkan. Triblets! She’d let the gorgeous native distract her from her mission. “So, you said Tarkan intends to set up shop here for a while.”

  “Right.” Acielon grinned. “You have plenty of time to catch him.”

  But Fianna could not wait. “I must capture him when he comes back for supplies.”

  Acielon frowned. “But he has a dozen people with him.”

  “And I have no intention of hurting them.” Fianna owed them a debt. They had taken her in, long ago, had been the only family she remembered. “I’ll have to separate Tarkan from the rest of the Dragon Squad to catch him.”

  “What if the others hurt you?” Acielon’s face tensed. He hesitated. “I understand they are not afraid to kill.”

  “Neither am I!” Fianna immediately regretted her abrupt tone.

  The disappointment on Acielon’s face would have been comical if not so heart breaking. “You? Would kill?”

  Fianna turned away, unable to face his disapproval. “To protect the innocent, or to prevent a mass murderer from killing again, you bet I would.”

  “I could never kill anyone.” Acielon dropped on the couch, like a broken man. “Only our legions of Avenging Angels are sanctioned to kill the unworthy.”

  “I’ve a license, but I’m no angel.” Fianna scoffed. “I didn’t get to be a bounty hunter by being soft. Killing is part of my job description.” She patted her crossbow rifle. “I can take care of myself. And I have Sheba.”

  Sheba stretched and yawned. “Sheba protect.”

  Acielon’s face stilled. “What will you do if you catch him?”

  “Not if, but when I catch him, I’ll take the sonovabitch back to civilization, where he can serve his consecutive sentences in a high security prison for the rest of his life.” Fianna needed to do this quickly, if she wanted to save her brother.

  Acielon’s stubborn brow furrowed. “I cannot help you catch Tarkan. Violence is against everything Azurans hold sacred.”

  “You refuse to help me?” Fianna flinched at the stab of betrayal. “But these louts are threatening your planet. I know how they operate. Once they get a taste of wealth, they won’t stop. They will probably bring others to help loot your natural resources. Don’t you care about your home? Won’t you fight for it?”

  “I cannot disobey the Council. They decided not to interfere.” He stared down at his bare feet. “I should not be talking to you. It is forbidden.”

  “Yet here you are.” She smiled. “With your abilities, and Sheba’s help, we could make a short work of it.”

  “I am sorry. I cannot help.” So much regret in his baritone voice.

  Fianna couldn’t stand inertia or excuses. “You have these amazing abilities. Why not use them to help your people?”

  He shook his head sadly. “My people recoil at the very idea of violence.”

  All talk and no action. He wasn’t the first man to let her down. Fianna swallowed a bitter comment. “Then I’ll tackle Tarkan and his Dragons with Sheba... as I planned all along.”

  His limpid turquoise eyes pleaded. “I shall watch you from afar, but I cannot take part in any fight... or hurt anyone.”

  “Suit yourself, pretty boy.” Fianna snorted in disgust. “I need to prepare this ship for takeoff. Just stay out of my way.”

  She started for the engine room. Anger roiled inside her chest. How disappointing. Acielon was a wimp. Such a waste of wonderful abilities and beautiful muscles.

  Chapter Four

  Acielon opened his eyes to shut out the vision. “The sun is rising. The Dragon Squad is getting out of the cave. They are coming back here, but they are still half an hour away.”

  The big cat squinted at him, draped atop the clear gel block encasing a large piece of technology.

  “You count time in standard hours?” Fianna wormed her slender body, head first, into a gap in the deck, offering a view of her lovely bottom.

  He cleared his voice and looked away from temptation. “Hours are hours, right? On Azura, there are twenty in a day.” Acielon wondered about time on other planets. “What are you doing?”

  “Triblets!” Fianna stilled, legs sticking out, head and shoulders engulfed in the metal gears of the Silver Angel. “I’m checking the low-tech engines. They will need to warm up.”

  Acielon tensed. She could not leave, not so soon. “Tarkan will see the flames or hear the engines. He will know someone is onboard.”

  “I’m counting on it.” Her hand groped blindly on the deck for a metal tool. She grabbed it and her hand disappeared again. “As soon as he comes inside to check his ship, I’ll seal the hatches and get this bird in the air.”

  “But what if he is not alone when he comes
onboard?”

  Fianna scoffed. “He is too proud to let his Dragons search his ship. Especially if he believes he left the hatch open by mistake.”

  Acielon could not let her leave. “Tarkan will not let you catch him so easily. He is stronger than you.”

  “Maybe.” Fianna wormed deeper under the console. “But Sheba will make sure he doesn’t escape... or interfere. Together we’ll get him securely to the brig. I’ve mapped the path.”

  “Sheba help.” The cat, lounging on her large, opalescent cube, disdainfully looked the other way.

  “What if Tarkan overcomes Sheba?” Acielon recoiled at the thought of the splendid animal getting hurt or killed. “The man is heavily armed.”

  The feline emitted a short sneeze. “Nobody kill Sheba.”

  How did the puma know this despicable man wouldn’t harm her? Were they friends? Something clenched Acielon’s insides. Not for the first time since he met Fianna, he considered his own mortality. “Anyone can be killed.”

  “Not Sheba.” Fianna wormed out from under the console and stood up, wiping her brow with the back of the hand holding the tool. “She is genetically engineered. Her hide is supple, but tougher than titanium armor.”

  The feline emitted a low growl. “Sheba bulletproof.”

  “Blaster proof, blade proof, arrow proof, shock proof, smash proof.” Fianna grabbed her weapons belt from a gel block encasing a box and buckled it on her hips. “It would take a super-blaster to do Sheba any damage, and with her nanobots, she would quickly heal and recover.”

  “Nanobots?” Acielon savored the strange word.

  Out of a black bag Fianna had brought from the armory, she retrieved more daggers she sheathed into her boots. Under her arm braces and vest, she tucked chains, and other small objects he suspected to be weapons.

  “Nanobots are tiny robotic organisms that target damaged cells in the body and make speedy repairs.”

  Acielon remembered Fianna’s injury in the crash. She now seemed fully recovered. “Do you have nanobots?”