“When I start to come back, if the enemy is in range, make sure everyone fires at them at once to keep their heads down. While they are taking cover they can’t fire at me.”
“Oh, yes; of course. Good luck, Jamestaylor.”
James carefully lowered the gun over the rampart and scrambled over after it. He lay on his stomach. The next piece of cover was over to his right. Using his knees and elbows, the heavy laser in the crook of his arms, he inched slowly forward. The dust got in his mouth and eyes. The larger rocks cut into his knees and elbows. His arms started to ache – the heavy laser was living up to its name. The outcrop he made for seemed in his mind to get further away. His breath was coming in gasps, and the dust made him want to cough. His knees and elbows were red raw.
Finally he made the outcrop. When he got there he found it had only been ten minutes. He rested for a few moments to ease his aching arms. He checked the next section of his route. The outcrop ran down to the gully with only a few breaks. If he crouched low, he could make it down out of sight of the enemy. He cautiously looked over the top. There was no sign that he had been spotted. He held the laser tightly in his hands and, keeping behind the ridge of the outcrop, he ran for the gully. He dived the last few feet and lay at the bottom of the gully. His heart beating so hard he felt it would come out of his chest. His arms and legs shook with the effort. He lay still to get his breath and let the shaking subside.
As soon as he had recovered sufficiently he pulled the gun round and peered over the edge of the gully, looking along the barrel. He engaged the targeting system. It followed where he pointed the gun. If he moved his head to one side or the other, the sights moved out of his view. He swung towards the furthest heavy gun. They had almost finished setting it up. The operator was sitting behind it and had started to swing it to the crag’s defenders. It was at the limit of the laser’s effective range. James turned up the power to maximum and aimed at the base of the barrel. He held his breath and fired, holding the trigger longer than normal to make up for the extreme range. It was several seconds before the target exploded. He quickly changed position, lifting the heavy laser round to aim at the next one. He fired, it too exploded.
He had given his position away. A section of the assembled Gunards broke away and started to run towards him. They had a way to go, but it would be a close thing. Ignoring the approaching Gunards, his hands slippery with sweat, he repeated the process twice more. All four of the enemy’s big guns were knocked out. Small arms and rifle fire were hitting the ground round him now, and laser bolts were streaking over his head. The approaching troops were almost upon him. He held the trigger and swept them with the laser beam. The leading ones fell, and the others dived for cover. He stood and swept the prone survivors. The power indicator was blinking red. He smashed the gun on a rock, dropped it, and - keeping low, he ran for his life.
He was reasonably safe until the end of the crag. There was then a couple of hundred yards of open ground to cross. The Sinestrians had opened up with everything they had, so it was now or never. Taking a deep breath, James ran as fast as he could zig-zagging as he went. The hairs on the back of his neck prickled as he expected to feel the burning sensation of a laser bolt. The distance seemed even further than it did before. Sweat was streaming down his face and getting in his eyes with the collected dust making them sting. He reached the ledge and jumped, intending to dive over and roll as he hit the other side. There was a searing pain in his back and chest as he dived. He hit the ground hard just before he passed out.
Sixteen: A Trap is Sprung.
James woke up suddenly with a start. He sat up, his right arm aching. His memories came flooding back.
I must have been shot!
He looked round – he was in a cabin similar to the one he had been allocated in the destroyed ship. He pulled open the loose shirt he was wearing and looked at his chest. There was a large, star-shaped scar on the right, level with his heart. It had totally healed. He moved his right arm; except for some stiffness there was nothing wrong with it. Overall he felt good, almost buzzing.
He lay back down and attempted to access the ship’s computer. It requested a logon. James smiled to himself, I will bypass that later.
He searched the many minds on the ship – some were blank, others were active. He touched them gently so as not to make his presence known. Most were people he did not recognise. About twenty were from the old ship, including Ilithyia. He smiled to himself; she had survived.
One change from the old ship was a female security guard posted outside his door. He wondered why. He suddenly had an idea – why not take the chance to experiment with his telepathic capabilities? He touched her mind, finding that she maintained a weak shield. He pushed gently, watching for anything that might suggest she was alert to his presence. He sensed her shake her head but otherwise nothing. He found a crack in her shield and he pushed through with ease. He could see all her memories, everything about her. It was like he was standing on a cliff with her experiences and personality stretched out below. She remained unaware of his presence. He put a suggestion in her mind, Scratch your nose. He could see through her senses that she idly scratched the side of her nose. He left her mind as quietly as he had entered.
He shuddered; he could control her with little effort but the contact seemed so personal, almost as though he had violated her in some way. He could control the dominant females if he had to but, he shuddered again, he would only do it if he were desperate. There was one thing he did not understand – these people were originally Lantians, the same as he was. The Guardians were Lantians and they apparently had powerful telepathic abilities. It would seem that these people only had rudimental capabilities, enough to work with their computer systems but little else. The males had none at all. There was no reason for it that he could find in his memories. He would have to ask Tristain or Cassiopeia, if he ever saw them again.
His stomach rumbled he realised he felt hungry and thirsty. He sat up again and swung his legs round onto the floor. His head spun; he shut his eyes and waited until it passed. He stood up carefully, not wishing the dizziness to return, cautiously walked to the door and keyed the latch. He almost fell over when it opened.
The guard turned to him. “Jamestaylor, can I get you anything?”
“Yes please, I’m very hungry – some food and drink would be good.”
“Certainly, Jamestaylor, please return to your bed. You should not be standing, yet let alone walking about.”
“OK, thank you.”
He trembled and his legs started to shake, so perhaps she was right. James returned to his bed as requested. About ten minutes later a valet knocked and the guard let him in. He held a tray of food. James sat up.
“Please stay there, Jamestaylor.”
The valet placed the tray on James’s knees, turned and left. Even though he was ravenous, James ate warily; there was no point in making himself sick. When he had finished he put the tray to one side and lay back down. He drifted off to sleep. He was woken by knocking and just managed to sit up when Ilithyia walked in.
“Hello, Jamestaylor, how are you feeling?”
James sensed the tension had returned. She didn’t seem as comfortable with him as she had been on the Moon during the battle.
“I’m fine, thank you, Ilithyia – what happened?”
She sat down on the foot of his bed. As much as he knew it annoyed her, he was drawn to her dark, fathomless eyes. After a moment she glanced away, avoiding further eye contact.
“After you were shot?”
“Yes.”
“The Gunards chasing you up the slope were all killed. The main force started to attack, but without the support of their heavy lasers it faltered. They withdrew and were probably waiting for reinforcements and replacement heavy weapons when our fleet arrived. If you had not destroyed the Gunards’ heavy guns they would most certainly have been too late. The fleet evacuated us. You were seriously injured, but it would seem you are strong and fit. Your
wound was sealed, the damage repaired, and here you are three weeks later.”
“Three weeks?”
“Yes, you were kept sedated to allow your body to heal. The doctors say you will be fit enough to resume some training and exercise tomorrow. I will see you then.” She stood and started for the door then hesitated… “Oh by the way, I have been promoted to Captain on the strength of the action against the Gunards. I could not have done it on my own. Thank you.” She turned back to the door and left.
James thought to himself. Oh well, I suppose a grudging thank you is better than none at all! He lay back down and went to sleep.
The next morning when he awoke he did indeed feel refreshed. He showered, dressed, and shortly after his breakfast arrived. After he had eaten his fill he sat quietly watching the stars flash by the windows of his cabin. His mind wandered, his thoughts returning to the battle on the Moon, in between the Gunard attacks when he thought of another lifetime as an RAF officer, a time that seemed to belong to someone else. He was still sitting looking out of the windows when Ilithyia arrived. Her knock made him jump and he looked round as she walked in without waiting for his acknowledgement. He wondered to himself, why did she bother knocking?
“Right, Jamestaylor, we should go to the gym and see how you get on. I will of course be easy on you.” She smiled.
James could not fathom the emotions swirling through her mind. The tension however was still apparent.
“OK, but you need not take any special care on my part.” He looked her straight in the eye to annoy her. She looked right back and did not register any annoyance that James could feel.
“Come on then, our time slot is booked from now.”
James rose and followed her. The layout of the ship was the same as the last one, and as they walked James tried to make small talk.
“So what difference does being made Captain make to you?”
“Oh, more pay, better quarters, and once this mission has ended a command of my own.”
They soon reached the gym, where a pair of shorts and vest were laid out as before. James changed, picked up the practice sword and walked back to the main hall.
This time Ilithyia was waiting for him. She stood legs slightly apart, the vest and shorts leaving very little to the imagination. James felt his face flush and he looked on her differently to their last encounter.
She smiled; seemingly unaware of the effect she was having on him. “Ready?”
James nodded.
She launched her attack; they traded blow for blow and James started to breathe hard with the effort. He was tiring faster than he expected. He dropped his guard for a moment and she caught his hand, knocking the sword from his grasp.
She swung again to catch him and seal her victory. He caught her wrist and twisted her arm behind her back. Doing so he had to pull her close, their faces were nearly touching. He felt her breath on his cheek. She tried to twist away but he held her tighter and in a reckless moment he kissed her. She pulled back for a moment then returned the kiss hard, dropped her sword, lifted one long leg and wrapped it round his. She pulled his legs from under him and they both fell to the floor. He was almost unprepared for her urgency. His right hand slid under her vest and he felt her small firm breast harden to his touch. She twisted both legs round him and ripped of his vest. Her mouth was hot on his. He was caught in her emotions and could not control the force of them.
She let go for a moment so they could dispense with their shorts. She released her hair, shook her head, and it cascaded down over her breasts. Then it was as if she were trying to dispense with the anger and passion at the same time, to still hurt and take control. James responded to her urgency, and she squeezed him tight with her long legs locked round his, and digging her fingernails into his back she pulled him to her. She bit his lip as he entered her. Her body was hot and slippery with sweat. They moved together, and she was making little groans with the rhythm of their movement. When the climax came her body pulsed in waves as she squeezed him. Her legs crushed him deep within her, straining against him.
It was as if they held each other tight enough they would become one, a whole complete person. The crisis passed. They relaxed, James held her in his arms, running his fingers through her long black hair. He looked into her magnificent dark eyes. She was crying.
“I have never felt like that before, ever.” A sob caught her throat. James kissed the tear on her cheek, and she responded again, her mouth seeking his. This time they made love softly and gently, for each other, exploring each other’s bodies with their lips and hands. Their lovemaking was long and lingering. Afterwards, they clung together tightly for a while. Then, when they pulled apart, James sighed and propped his head on his elbow so he could look into her face. She looked into his eyes without tension and smiled.
“We have reached the end of our gym session, Jamestaylor. We will have to return to your cabin straight away.”
James stood and held out his hand to help her up. She took his hand. They quickly put on their shorts and vests, grabbed their clothes and ran together to his cabin. To James’s relief the guard had gone. They opened the door, went in and closed it quickly behind them.
Ilithyia leaned against it as it closed and laughed. “There is a problem!”
James had never heard her laugh before, and it was a soft gentle laugh. He kissed her. She pulled back and looked into his eyes, and in a semi serious tone she said, “There is only one shower!”
He could see the merriment in her face. The solution to the problem was inevitable. Afterwards, they lay in each other’s arms on James’s bunk and slept a dreamless sleep of exhaustion.
James woke first and lay watching her sleep. She must have sensed him as her eyes fluttered open. She smiled and sighed.
“Jamestaylor, what do we do now?”
“Ilithyia, my name is James, Taylor is separate, that’s my family name.”
She placed her fingers over his mouth and shook her head.
“Jamestaylor, only the Empress is allowed two names.”
“Oh, then Jamestaylor it remains then.” He smiled.
She suddenly jumped up. “I had better get back to my cabin before I am missed.”
As she stood by the bed James reached for her.
She twisted out of his reach laughing. “Later, Jamestaylor, wait until I come back for your lessons.” She laughed again. “What would you like me to teach you?” She skipped off to the bathroom.
James lay back and stretched. She returned wearing her uniform, her hair held back tightly in its usual braid. She bent and kissed him then left the room.
Yes, what do we do now? James thought.
She came the next morning as usual and greeted him with a smile. “Well, Jamestaylor, I’m afraid it is time for your lessons.” Her smiled broadened wickedly.
Over the ensuing weeks she did teach him more about Sinestrian history, protocol and how to act with the Empress. They also continued the exercise periods in the gym, although the gym showers were never again used.
James remained confined to his cabin and was only permitted to use the gym at the allotted time. The only person he saw over the following weeks was Ilithyia. As they neared their destination Ilithyia lost some of her brightness and became increasingly withdrawn. James’s heart felt heavy; neither of them knew what to expect at the end of the voyage.
It was the evening of the last day, and the next morning the ship was to dock in the main shipyard of the Sinestrian central world. James was to be transferred directly to a shuttle and taken to the Empress’s winter palace. Ilithyia would be posted to her new command.
After making love for the last time, Ilithyia snuggled against James, her head on his chest. She idly drew shapes with her finger on his stomach while he stroked her soft silken hair.
“Ilithyia, whatever happens I will find you.”
“How, Jamestaylor? You should not make a promise you cannot keep.”
“Ilithyia,” his tone made her lift
her head and look at him. “There is something I have not told you.” He felt her stiffen.
He squeezed her shoulder. “Just before I was captured for the second time a Guardian AI activated my latent telepathic capabilities. I am able to override your ship’s computers at will. I will use whatever it takes to get back to you.”
Ilithyia’s eyes widened. “Jamestaylor, can’t you do it now?’
“It is too dangerous, we are being watched. Once I have completed whatever task the Empress wants me for I will probably be able to slip away unnoticed. We will not be so high profile and will not be missed.”
She nodded, and her hair tickled his chest.
“I thought there was something. I often felt your emotions in my mind.”
“You never mentioned it?”
“Jamestaylor, I did not want you to block it off. You cannot hide or falsify emotions.” She snuggled back down. “I will wait for you to come for me, however long it takes.”
The next morning James was awake early and dressed in the uniform he had been given after his was ruined during the battle. He had insisted his RAF insignia was fitted to it, and they had done as he asked without question. He felt they were humouring him, but if it got what he wanted done it didn’t matter.
Ilithyia had already left for her new posting. James wished they could start the voyage all over again and for it to go on forever. He had a feeling of dread when she had left. His thoughts were interrupted by a knock on his cabin door. A security guard entered flanked by two overdressed men. The guard made them look small. James estimated she was at least two or three inches taller than he was.
“Jamestaylor, please follow me.”
She turned and walked down the corridor. The two men fell in either side of them. It was the first time in weeks James had been further than the gym. They walked in silence to a door at the end of the corridor which opened silently to a large open corridor. It was busy, with many people walking up and down. To avoid any issues he kept his eyes locked on the back of the guard. He noticed the men on either side kept their eyes firmly on the deck in front of them.
Guardian Generations Page 14