by S. E. Smith
Josh’s lips twitched. “You’d have fit right in back home,” he retorted.
“Josh,” Cassa interrupted. “We have everything.”
Pack’s face was tight with frustration, but also resignation. It was clear that whatever conversation Cassa and Pack had, it hadn’t gone the way Pack wanted. Josh’s lips twitched in amusement. From the steely determination in Cassa’s eyes, he had a pretty good idea what Pack had been wanting – Cassa to remain behind.
“We’re ready as well,” he responded.
A sudden knock on the door drew their attention. Hutu motioned for all of them to move to the back room and remain quiet. He peered down at the digital readout in his hand. Walking over to the door, he cracked it.
“Legion troops are heading this way,” a man murmured before disappearing.
Hutu turned, his face grim. “Let’s go,” he muttered, grabbing one of the heavy bags.
Josh took up the rear, making sure that he kept Cassa shielded as they hurried out of the back door. They kept to the shadows. On several occasions they paused and waited when Legion soldiers hurried past them.
“This way,” Hutu muttered, nodding to a section of repair bays.
The small group slipped inside when the double doors slid open. Josh’s eyes widened when he saw a spaceship inside. Hutu hurried over to the ship and pressed a device to its side. A section underneath began to descend. He turned and glanced at Josh and Cassa.
“You two get the supplies on board,” Hutu instructed, dropping the large bags he was carrying. “Pack, you get the locks on that side.”
Pack nodded and handed his bag to Josh. Josh bent and grabbed a fourth bag while Cassa carried two up the back platform. He quickly followed her and set them down before retrieving the other two that Hutu had dropped.
The sound of shouting outside of the repair bay drew his attention. He handed one of the bags to Cassa when she returned and drew one of the hand blasters that Hutu had given him.
“Pack, I need you to help me get the engines going,” Hutu yelled, running to the platform. “It is time to go.”
“This lock is stuck,” Pack replied, working the lever back and forth.
“Go help Hutu. I’ve got this,” Josh said, thrusting the bag he was holding at Pack and kneeling down next to the lock. There was a piece of metal jammed in the gears.
Josh swore, glancing over his shoulder. The pounding on the doors spurred him into action. Glancing around, he saw a long metal rod. It looked like what had been jammed into the locking mechanism.
Someone doesn’t want anyone leaving, Josh thought grimly as he rose and hurried over to it.
Grabbing the end of the pipe, he returned to the locking mechanism and hooked it in between the two sections and pressed down on the piece trying to work it free. His jaw clenched as he worked it back and forth.
“Let me help,” Cassa said, grabbing the end piece.
Josh glanced up at her. “Work the controls back and forth,” he suggested. “It is wedged in too tight to work it free.”
Josh strained on the bar while Cassa worked the controls back and forth. His gaze kept flickering to the double doors. They were re-enforced to help protect the outer structure in case of a mishap while the ships were being repaired. He had seen the same thing while at the training compound in Dallas. Still, the doors wouldn’t last much longer. His fear was proven right when a dark red line formed along the edge.
“Now,” Cassa cried, slamming her hand down on the control again.
The gears jerked for a moment before the piece of metal flew out and the lock released. Josh threw the bar to the side and pulled the blaster at his side. Reaching for Cassa’s hand, he wrapped his fingers around her wrist and began pulling her toward the spaceship. The loud boom of the door exploding inward made them flinch. Josh’s hand rose and he fired several shots at the soldiers trying to squeeze through the narrow entrance.
Cassa ran to the ship and up the platform, firing as well. He heard Cassa yell to Hutu and Pack to get them out of here even as she slammed her hand against the control panel. Josh backed away, continuing to fire until he could no longer see the soldiers.
“We have to get buckled in,” Cassa said in an urgent voice, grabbing his arm.
Josh followed Cassa as she ran down a long corridor. He could feel his stomach shift as the spaceship rose at a high rate of speed. Realizing that they weren’t going to make it to the cockpit, he caught Cassa’s arm and pulled her into a small alcove where a ladder lead to the upper level. He pinned her between his body and the ladder and wrapped his arms around both of them.
“Hold on to me,” he ordered quietly in her ear.
Cassa wound her arms around his waist, hugging him tightly against her as the ship shot upward. For a moment, Josh felt weightless. A soft chuckle echoed in his ear.
“The ship's gravity will kick in momentarily,” Cassa murmured.
Josh’s eyes glittered and he grinned. “This is a little different from back home,” he commented.
“What’s different about it?” Cassa whispered.
The smile on Josh’s lips faded and his gaze grew serious. The sadness still haunted Cassa’s eyes, but it had dimmed a little. He knew seeing her brother, Pack, had helped a great deal.
“Think of being in a can with enough explosives to shoot you into space and that about sums it up,” he replied, his gaze moving down to her lips. “I’m going to kiss you again.”
Cassa’s lips parted and her eyes darkened. Her hands splayed across his back and she rose onto her toes. Josh knew that she was just as affected by him as he was with her.
Their lips met in a harsh, desperate kiss. He silently cursed his need to keep them steady. All he wanted to do was run his hands over her, caress her, and wipe the fear and pain away.
It took several long minutes for him to realize that a voice was calling his name. He reluctantly pulled back, pressing several smaller kisses to her lips before he released a sigh. Her gaze reflected her own disappointment.
“I guess we’d better answer them,” he murmured.
Cassa nodded, her cheeks flushed from their kiss and the excitement of their escape from the planet. He tested his footing before he stepped back. She had been right – the ship's artificial gravity was working.
“Hey, we need to jump to light speed,” Pack yelled. “You two need to be strapped in. We’ve got Legion fighters coming at us.”
“Damn it,” Josh growled, grabbing her hand. “Let’s go.”
Chapter 15
Andri Andronikos stood gazing out of the headquarters on Jeslean. His eyes were narrowed in thought. All but one of the Knights of the Gallant Order were now dead. Andri clenched his fist. The last one had slipped through the fingers of the Legion commander sent to Tesla Terra.
“Enter,” Andri ordered when he heard the quiet knock on the outer door.
“Lord Andronikos, the Commander on Tesla Terra is reporting in,” his assistant stated with a bow.
Andri turned and nodded. “Send it through,” he ordered, returning to his desk.
“Yes, sir,” the man replied and stepped back out of the room.
A moment later, the image of the new Commander of the Battle Cruiser he had sent to Tesla Terra faced him. His lips tightened at the man’s grim expression. In the background, he could see a haze of smoke in the air and hear the sound of alarms.
“Shut off the alarms,” the Commander ordered before returning his attention to Andri. “My apologies, Lord Andronikos.”
“What happened?” Andri demanded.
“An empty pod was found, my Lord,” the man replied grimly. “Commander Cota decided to investigate it personally. He suspected that whoever was in it might have received help from some peasants in a nearby valley. Shortly afterwards, all contact with Commander Cota and the troops with him were severed. I immediately sent a team to investigate – they were all dead.”
Andri’s eyes flash with cold rage. His fists clenched again befo
re he relaxed them. This was one of the most blatant attacks to date against the Legion and could not go unpunished.
“What of the peasants?” He asked harshly. “Where they questioned?”
“The vineyards were burned to the ground, though fresh graves were discovered,” the man continued. “The vineyards belonged to Jemar de Rola. His name was on one of the fresh graves.”
A muscle ticked in Andri’s cheek. He knew all too well who Jemar de Rola was. He was silent for several seconds before he spoke again.
“Did you find any evidence of who may have been in the pod that was discovered?” Andri finally hissed.
The man shook his head. “No, but we suspect whoever was in it is with Hutu Gomerant, a trade merchant from the Spaceport. We tracked him and several others to a repair hanger. They lifted off before we could stop them. I ordered the Battle Cruiser to pursue them.”
“And…,” Andri asked with a cold glare.
The man nervously swallowed. “We engaged them, but they escaped. The transport they were on contained a modified weapons system that we were not expecting. They escaped into hyperspace before we could prevent it.”
“Find out where they went and send me all the items that were recovered,” Andri ordered, ending the message. He stared down at his desk for several long seconds before he pressed the communications console once again.
“Yes, my Lord,” Roan Landais answered.
Andri stared at the cool mask on the face of one of his deadliest Generals. Roan’s father had been in his service from the beginning. His father had trained Roan from a small boy to serve the causes of the Legion.
“Have you intercepted the other pod?” Andri asked in a sharp tone.
“Pod? If you are referring to the signal, then no, not yet,” Roan responded stiffly. “The one on Tesla Terra has been retrieved?”
“The pod, yes, the contents, no,” Andri replied. “Find the pod you are searching for – and the contents. Do not underestimate the danger. General Cota did and he and a troop of Legion soldiers are dead. I want the contents, General.”
“Yes, my Lord,” Roan replied with a bow of his head.
Andri cut the communications once again. He raised his head and stared out the window. A thoughtful expression crossed his face and he once again touched the communications console. This time a very different face appeared.
“I have a job for you,” he said, staring at the shadowy image.
*.*.*
Josh’s gaze followed Cassa as she moved around the narrow galley on board the Tracer, Hutu’s modified transport. The battle earlier had caused only minor damage thanks to Hutu’s defense systems. Hutu came in wiping the dirt off of his dark red hands.
“Your brother has become a good pilot,” he said, nodding to Cassa when she handed him a hot drink. “If I had known earlier, I would have talked to your father about recruiting him sooner.”
Pain flashed across Cassa’s face and she slid onto the seat next to Josh. Josh immediately wrapped his arm protectively around her. Shooting Hutu a warning glance, he held Cassa close to him.
“What is the real reason the Legion Director wants me and my crew?” Josh demanded. “They were determined to capture us.”
Hutu sighed and slipped into the seat across from Josh and Cassa. He glanced at Cassa for a moment before he turned his attention to Josh. Josh could tell the man was having an internal battle with himself.
“A long, long time ago, this region was ruled by an advanced species, more so than what is here now. It is said they studied the stars, wondering what was out there. In time, they built great spaceships and they left Jeslean, the birthplace of the Gallant Order.
Cassa shook her head and laid her hand over Josh’s hand. “Surely no one really believes this, it is a child’s tale told to children. Before the Legion, it was another monster,” she argued.
“It matters not whether it is true, it is what gives people hope. That is something that Lord Andronikos does not want. If the people have hope, they have a reason to fight. Word is already spreading about the strange spaceship that was discovered. No matter how hard the Legion tries to keep it a secret, people will find out. What happened yesterday will only make it more mythical.” Hutu paused and looked at Josh. “It is imperative that we discover what happened to your friends before Lord Andronikos’ forces do.”
“If they are even alive,” Josh murmured, glancing down at where Cassa held his hand.
“There were five signals reported, each moving in different directions. Yours and another have been tracked. I have men looking for the other three. If they are alive, we will find them,” Hutu promised.
“How do you know so much about what is going on?” Josh asked, tilting his head and staring at Hutu.
“The Legion isn’t the only one with spies,” Hutu replied. “I will relieve Pack for a while. I suggest you both get some rest. The next few days are going to be dangerous at the most, exciting at the least.”
“Why do you say that?” Cassa asked, sliding out from behind the table when Hutu stood up.
Hutu grinned. “We are going to be right under General Landais’ nose,” he said with a chuckle. “It does not get more dangerous, or exciting, than that.”
“I hope you know what you are doing, Hutu,” Josh retorted with a grim look.
Hutu’s eyes softened for a moment. “I do,” he promised. “I want to see how much training Jemar did with you, Pack, and Cassa. I will start tomorrow. I suggest you worry more about that at the moment. If you are to fight and win, you need to be ready.”
*.*.*
Josh walked in silence slightly behind Cassa down the narrow corridor. There wasn’t much room on the transport, so sleeping accommodations would be tight. He paused, glancing into the narrow room. It was barely big enough for the bunk.
“How are you doing?” He asked quietly, reaching up to touch her cheek when she paused and turned towards him. A trembling smile curved her lips and tears filled her eyes, but she blinked them away. “I never did thank you for your help back there at the Spaceport.”
“You never have to thank me for helping you,” she murmured. “It will take time. It is still hard to believe that my father and Jes… Jesup are gone. The Legion has a lot to answer for.” She glanced down at her hands which were splayed across his chest. “I had heard stories of their brutality. I’m ashamed that I was reluctant to stand up against them.”
Josh’s hand slid up under her chin and he lifted it. His expression was serious as he stared down at her. He wished there had been some way to shield her from the pain of losing her father and little brother. Deep down, he still fought with his own guilt that he had been partially responsible for bringing this grief to Cassa’s family, even if it had been unintentional.
“Never be ashamed of being who you are,” he said in a quiet, firm voice. “You are an incredibly beautiful and strong woman.”
“Josh,” Cassa whispered, gazing up at him. “Just so you know, I’m going to kiss you.”
A soft chuckle escaped him before her lips captured the sound. The feelings that had been burning inside him flared into white-hot embers, refusing to be extinguished this time. Life held no guarantees, he and Ash had always known that. The last few weeks, and his growing feelings for Cassa, had just made it more obvious.
“I want…,” Josh started to say.
“… You to stay,” Cassa’s hushed words mixed with his. “Stay with me tonight.”
Josh pulled back and stared down at her with a fierce expression. If he stayed, it would be for more than one night – it would be for a lifetime. Cassa was not a woman to be toyed with and discarded. She was the type of woman to make a man realize he was being given a chance at something special the moment he saw her.
“This isn’t about one night, Cassa,” Josh warned her. “This is about forever.”
A sad expression swept across Cassa’s face before it cleared. “Then, I accept your forever, Josh,” she responded in a soft voice.
Josh stepped forward, pressing Cassa backwards into the long, narrow room. His lips captured hers in a hot passionate kiss that sealed his vow that this was not just a short term relationship, but one that he planned to make permanent.
“You have no idea how hard it has been to keep my hands off of you,” he muttered, working the fastenings of her tunic.
“You are not the only one,” she whispered, brushing her lips along his jaw.
*.*.*
Josh was surprised by the trembling in his fingers as he carefully pushed Cassa’s outer tunic off her shoulders. The faint markings along her forehead and left cheek ran down over her shoulders. He wanted to kiss every one of the marks.
A soft, startled hiss escaped him when Cassa pressed her lips against him and twisted so she could push him back against the closed door. Her hand fumbled for the panel and she locked it. His own hands began moving frantically over her. He pulled far enough back to grab the bottom of her shirt and tugged it over her head. He tossed it to the floor, his eyes narrowing in desire.
“You have no idea how beautiful you are,” he murmured.
Cassa raised an eyebrow before she leaned in and pressed a kiss to his lips. “Why don’t you show me?” She murmured in invitation before kissing him again.
Josh’s mind sizzled as he turned her and pressed her back against the bed. There were times when it was best to take your time and there were times when you just couldn’t wait. A soft groan escaped him when she ran her hands up under his shirt.
This was definitely a time when waiting was highly overrated, he thought as he let go of his control.
“You have too many clothes on,” she whispered frantically, tugging at his shirt.
Josh released a soft chuckle and sat back, straddling Cassa’s slender hips. He quickly pulled his shirt off and tossed it to the floor next to hers. His jaw clenched when she ran her hands over the heated skin of his stomach. The muscles tightened at her touch and his hips jerked forward. The movement caused his already aching body to tighten even more.