“Isn’t this list the one Ember gave you?” Piele asked Riodan.
“Yes,” Riodan projected the list onto the holotable superimposing it over Zahara’s list. They were identical.
They studied the list of both male and female students. Then a second list appeared next to the first one. Riodan projected his copy, it too was identical.
“This is the list of known younglings that have gone missing. They are suspected to be victims of the Tiagerians or the Free Traders.”
The second list was a lot longer than the first list. Zahara swiped the table controls and names on both lists highlighted. “These are students that have gone missing after they were reported to have traveled to Jusdisa Pyloto for a holiday, but when the records were checked there is no record of them being at the school or even traveling to Pyloto.”
“Do you notice that there are four extra names on Zahara list that is not on the list that Ember had?” Zayda pressed the table to highlight four names.
Octavia, Destiny, Ember, and Elise names appeared on the list of missing students. The younglings had been targeted.
Zayda couldn’t believe that so many younglings had gone missing in connection to Piele and Riodan’s matra friend. “Nobody investigated the missing younglings?”
“Who would investigate?” Zahara countered, “They are orphans. They have no family to advocate for them.”
“Didn’t the students at the school question as to why their friends didn’t return?” Piele asked the natural question.
“They did. But who believes younglings?” She shrugged. “To most of the galaxy younglings lie or exaggerate. There are no records so who are you going to believe? An adult with appears as to be an upstanding citizen or a youngling?”
“But the question is why?” Zayda didn’t understand how anyone could betray the trust of another being such as this.
“She is broke,” Riodan added. Zayda thought he was deep into something on his computronic.
“Broke?”
“Broke. Her stipend that she receives from late mate wasn’t enough to support her lavish lifestyle.” Riodan explained. “I also looked into her sistah's finances at her school. It has been steadying losing credits than all of a sudden, she started getting an infusion of credits from her sistah, Jusdisa. I cross-checked the deposits and they seem to appear approximately three months after a youngling goes missing.”
“But this still doesn’t answer the question of what does this have to do with the attacks on us from the Tiagerians?”
“Our younglings were the next victims of this plot?” Zayda pointed out.
“It was common knowledge that Jusdisa took orphans in over the break. When the Antarion Flu broke out, our matra probably left Jusdisa with no options, but to accept our escort of the younglings. If she protested our help too much it would have looked suspicious.” Piele leaned back in his seat rubbing his chin in thought.
“That would also explain why the Tiagerians followed you to Bleu Hell.” Riodan pointed out.
“I am not understanding?” Zayda was confused. That explanation didn’t make any sense to her.
“Picture this. Our younglings were scheduled to travel on the luxury liner with their chaperone. Educolar is quarantined and their normal chaperone falls ill. Piele and I are talked into escorting them by our matra. This all throws a wrench in the Jusdisa plans. Maybe the chaperone is in on it or maybe not at this point we don’t know.”
“Okay I am tracking you, go on.” she encouraged.
“The little hellions get us kicked off two luxury liners. Maybe the Tiagerian were supposed to pick them up from there or somewhere along the route. Remember there is never a record of any of the listed younglings being on Pyloto. Now they are scrambling to get a plan in place to retrieve the younglings and everything is failing. The bar fight may have been arranged to take Piele out of the picture and to leave me alone with the four younglings making it that much more difficult for me to protect them.”
“It would have been easier to take one of us out then both of us.” Piele supported his bratha.
“When that didn't work they tracked Sparks Fly and attacked. They were probably going to board the ship, kill the adults and taking the younglings.”
“Well that was an epic fail,” Zayda commented drily.
“Hence the second attack. More firepower. Less than successful results.” Riodan continued.
“So now what?”
“We catch all the parties red-handed,” Piele said gleefully.
“The younglings stay here safe at the Citadel,” Zayda stated quietly.
“Let me reach out to my contact on Pyloto.” Riodan reached for his comm unit and started tapping.
Chapter Eighteen
Riodan contact on Pyloto happened to be the head of the Pyloto Security Forces, PSF who was more than happy to listen to what Riodan had to say.
“You need to head this direction if you want to be in on the bust. We will start investigating things from our end.” Storm Pyloto spoke while glancing over his notes from their conversation.
They were back on Sparks Fly, docking with the Pyloto docking platform in orbit.
Lumeriee floated high up in the colorful clouds of Pyloto. The drop from the orbital platform above the planet down through the clouds in Piele and Riodan personal dome craft was a new experience for Zayda.
Dome crafts were a unique type of vehicle made specially to travel the thick clouded atmosphere of Pyloto. Visibility through the clouds was nonexistent. These clear cover vehicles maneuvered through the clouds at high speeds using echolocation to prevent accidents.
Zayda was excited at the speed they traveled from space to the planet enjoying the view of the stars as they dropped down into the clouds. Once planetside, they zipped around the clouds that sparkled in a rainbow of colors. The finally landed on a dome close to the residence that belonged to Jusdisa Pyloto.
Like the rest of the floating platforms on Pyloto, it was shadowed in the methane clouds that changed color as the day progressed.
The estate was a beautiful platform that rested on the edge of the city like many of the wealthy residents of the planet did. Zayda could see that there was a light perimeter around the platform which prevented anyone from sneaking up on it. Smart.
Piele continued to observe the security from their perch. Through the protective glass of the dome they were in, he studied the pattern of the robotic patrol that surrounded the estate. Though the estate appeared in good condition there were tell-tale signs of neglect. The robotics that patrolled the estate was not state of the art. They appeared to be several years old.
There were no live guards patrolling the platform, which in and of itself was not indicative of anything. But combined with the lack of movement detected under the dome, it indicated that few living creatures inhabited the area. A dome that size should have at least housed a sizeable staff.
Piele watched as a small transport pulled up to the dome. Two beings exited the transport. He recognized them.
“Riodan, do those two look familiar?” He handed him the bincoglasses as he pointed to the beings he wanted his bratha to look at.
“Yes, those are the two Tiagerians that tried to approach the younglings when we were on the Gateway to Redemption.”
“What about you Zayda?”
She took the bincoglasses as Riodan handed to them. “Isn’t the taller one the asshole who tried to pick me up in Bleu Hell? The one that started the bar brawl?”
Piele laughingly answered, “Wow. You really do believe in the power of denial. Sorry, le chan paalo' atractivo, no matter how many times you refuse to admit it. You started the altercation in Bleu Hell.”
“Technicalities.”
They watched as an older Pylotorian female opened the door coming out to meet the group as they exited the transport tunnel that connects the transport landing area to the domed estate.
“We are in position,” sounded over the Captain’s comm.
&nb
sp; “Okay so who is kicking in the door?” the Captain looked at the three of them.
Zayda jumped up and down waving her hand. “Me. Me. Me.”
“I guess it is you then,” Riodan’s dry tone showed his disappointment.
“You got to beat up Myelard Fonetergut.” She pointed out.
Riodan reluctantly agreed.
“You started a bar brawl,” Piele countered.
“Doesn’t count.”
“Why not?”
“I was defending myself from unwanted masculine advances. Acts of self-defense can’t be held against me. It’s in the rulebook.”
“There is a rule book?”
“Sure there is. Somewhere.”
“Younglings.” Captain Pyloto exasperated voice broke in on their argument. “Don’t make me have to separate you two. Let’s go.”
They followed behind the Captain as they quickly approached the front door.
“Pyloto Police,” Captain Pyloto announced loudly.
Zayda took a running start and with a loud “Hiya” side-kicked the front door.
The door flew off its hinges to land in the foyer. Captain Pyloto and his officers rushed into the empty foyers. Clearing each room as they went.
Riodan, Piele, and Zayda followed behind them. They had to stay in the background as the condition of them being present since none of them were official Pyloto Security Forces. They stood at the end of a hallway as the officers cleared what appeared to bedrooms on the floor above where they entered the home.
A loud shriek emanated from the room as the officers rushed in. Zayda hurried to the door to see what they found.
“Oh.” She stopped in shock. It took her a moment to process the image in front of her.
“What the hell?” Piele demanded behind her.
Laughter echoed from Riodan’s broad chest.
Jusdisa Pyloto had the two Tiagerians, Lyon and Puma, strapped to a bench with their bare asses pointing towards each other. She stood between the two of them dressed in a leather strap outfit that revealed more than it covered, holding a large paddle with both hands.
They had burst in on her disciplining her subs.
“Wow. All I can say is just wow.” Zayda shook her head in disbelief, eyes open wide as she took in the scene.
“Well to each their own.” Piele stared mouth hanging open, fangs exposed. “Though I didn’t know paddles came quite that large.
Riodan grabbed his sides a loud, rolling laugh exited him. He gulped in a couple of large breaths of air trying to control himself. Captain Pyloto approached them. “Jusdisa Pyloto you are under arrest for trafficking of a live being, trafficking of a being under the age of accession and racketeering.” He listed the charges as he put the sonicuffs on her.
“And for being an all-around douchebag,” Zayda announced loudly.
“It wasn’t just me,” the older female dressed in leather announced, “I can give you names. I can give you dates.” She cried out as the police escorted her and her cohorts out. She continued to plead with them, loudly.
“Shut up Jusdisa,” the taller Tiagerian, Lyon, told her.
“Hey, I still don’t want to hang with your crew.” Zayda laughed as the police uncuffed the Tiagerians only to provide them new, less sexual cuffs.
“You just have to get your comments in?” Piele teased Zayda.
“Yep, it’s not fun if you don’t have the last word.”
“I can give you Anders Moss the leader of the Free Traders,” Jusdisa announced loudly getting everyone’s attention.
“Let’s get these people processed so we can start questioning them,” Captain Pyloto was eager to hear Jusdisa information.
“I can give you locations of his brothels. I can give you locations of his bases. You ask for it I can give it to you.” Jusdisa had an eager look on her face. Her green eyes blazed with passion at the idea of making a deal.
“Shut up Jusdisa,” The Tiagerian growled at her again before stiffening, a gurgling sound came from him as a line of blood trickled from his mouth. His eye rolled back into his head as he slowly started to collapse onto the ground. A loud shriek emanated from Jusdisa as she was pulled to the ground by his weight. It was cut off when his large body landed on her covering her completely.
“Somebody is shooting,” Captain Pyloto announced loudly. “Get down.”
People hit the ground as chaos broke out. Security officers rushed to the sides of the victims attempting to stem the bleeding.
Captain Pyloto could be heard issuing orders over his comm.
Piele and Riodan shielded their mate with their body as the surrounding domes were searched. After the site was deemed safe the moved back to the transport staging area.
Captain Pyloto approached them a little while later. At the questioning look in their eyes, he shook his head. “One of the Tiagerian is dead. The other one is severely wounded with a low chance of survival. Jusdisa is alive and babbling away. That Tiagerian landing on her probably saved her life. Someone seriously wanted them dead. Some high-powered projectile weapon that would go through flesh, but not shatter the dome of the city. So thankfully whoever did the hit wasn’t trying to kill us all.”
He shook all three of their hands. “There is nothing more that you can do. I will have officers escort you home. I will contact you if we get viable information from Jusdisa.”
Chapter Nineteen
“I am sorry about your matra’s friend.” Zayda her eyes soft, tone gentle, “But I am glad this is over and that the younglings are safe.” Zayda lowered herself slowly to the sofa letting her breath out slowly. She felt like she had been going nonstop since meeting her mates. She stared out the window at the changing colors of the methane clouds that surround the brathas’ home, enjoying the beauty hidden in such a deadly way. Once cleaned of the dirt from the victim’s room, she felt better and ready to process everything that had happened.
“Me too,” Riodan collapsed next to her. “I just don’t look forward to explaining all of this to matra.” He groaned throwing a hand over his face at the thought.
“Matra is a sensible female. We will give her all the facts. She will understand that we were only doing our job.” Piele interposed while pacing the room. It was obvious he still suffered from the adrenaline rush of the past several days.
“I know, but it will still be hard on her. She will question her judgment in choosing her friends.” Riodan glanced at his bratha.
“She will, but she will also have our support and the support of our Patras. Because when it comes right down to it. None of us saw the illegal activities that Jusdisa was involved in. She had been involved in them for years and no one had a clue.” Piele clamped a hand on his bratha’s shoulder in silent support.
“Now we have to figure out what to do about the hellions. Jusdisa was their legal guardian since all of them were orphans.” Riodan rubbed the back of his neck as worry about the younglings hit him.
“I guess they are going to have to stay at the Citadel,” Piele spoke his thoughts out loud.
“Unless we can find a family that is willing to adopt them.” Riodan pointed out.
“Yeah Right. Where are we going to find someone crazy enough to adopt those four hellions? Four different families may be willing to take them separately, but nobody is crazy enough to take all four of them. And I don’t think they would agree to have a second family broken up.” Piele argued with Riodan.
“Hey, I love your guys’ home,” Zayda announced suddenly.
“Thanks.” Piele was confused at the sudden topic change. He would have thought that Zayda would want to discuss the young she so fiercely protected.
“Yes, it is definitely a large place.” she continued, getting up from the sofa and wandered around the living room. “Large enough for a few more bodies.”
Riodan sat up. Finally catching on.
“I guess there is plenty of room if your family wants to come for a visit.” Piele confusingly intoned.
“We will get to the discussion of family in just a few, but that is not what I am talking about right now.” She glanced back laughing.
“She is talking about having the younglings come and live with us,” Riodan explained to Piele.
“Temporarily?”
“Permanently.” Zayda turned to face her mate to see how they were processing her idea. “How do you feel about being Patras?”
Riodan and Piele looked at each other then turned to look at their mate.
“We are going to have to beef up security. I’ll be damned if some low life comes sniffing around our younglings.” Piele growled.
“I’m going to see if I can get ahold of Justin. He should be able to give us the latest in computronics to monitor the house.” Riodan pulled out his comm unit and attempted to get ahold of his friends. “Weird. He’s not answering. Well, I will contact him later.”
A huge smile covered Zayda’s face as she listened to her mates make plans to care for the youngling that when she first met them they were trying not to kill themselves. So much had changed in the short time that they have known each other.
She discovered in her that she could be a good mate to not one, but two terrific males.
She grabbed ahold of her mates to drag them off for some fun activities in their bedroom.
Epilogue
“Okay. Explain to me again why we are here,” Piele whisper to Zayda as he tugged at the uncomfortable collar of his formal wear, “and in these uncomfortable clothes.”
“Uncomfortable? I am in a fucking dress.” Zayda hissed back at him.
“And you look beautiful.” Riodan soothed her.
“We are here because none of us had the balls to tell my matra that we were mated with younglings and had no need to attend a ball designed to get mates.” Zayda smiled at her mates, “Besides, at least we hid out on Sparks Fly as long as we could. You didn’t have to meet the parentals before the ball and do some bonding thing.” She pointed out.
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