by L M Lacee
Which Dentarm felt gave him and his comrades the freedom to act and answer anyway they cared to. He had decided he would answer as expansively as he wished. This was his time, perhaps the only time he would have to air all his grievances. There was nothing to fear, so he may as well have some fun before he had to face his parents.
With this in mind, he remained defiant and resolute as Kent and Sarn marched him down the short hallway. Finally they reached a beige door. It opened into a beige windowless room with minimum furniture, a featureless expression of starkness. It was enough to render a person with a feeling of hopelessness, which was Dentarm’s first thought as the Warriors shoved him none too gently into a chair.
When he realized the two males standing with Prowlers against a wall were the Solverea brothers, he started to sweat. The rumors they had heard about the Assaens since they arrived on Prime were frightening. It was said; they were incapable of compassion and when they hunted; they did not stop until their objective was met. Their drugs apparently could turn a fearsome fighter into a quivering draggo in seconds.
His mind raced as fear finally edged the cockiness from his mind. Linkor had told them all before the attack that the Solverea brothers were not on the planet. He began to worry if that fact was wrong, as evidenced by the two Solverea’s standing here, was everything they knew to be truth also wrong.
Suddenly his attention was taken by the two males sitting opposite him. He had been so concerned with the two deadly Assaens; he had not seen the First Commander and the other male sitting opposite him. Dentarm looked toward the Warriors who had delivered him to this room and encountered the blank stares of both guards. Which for some reason was more disconcerting than if they had expressions of anger or hatred on their faces. To see nothing made him even more fearful of what was to come.
He took a deep breath and swallowed his nerves, placing his worries under an attitude of arrogance. He lazily turned back to the males at the table and asked. ‘So where are my parents, I expected them to be here?’
Hawk raised an eyebrow, in a voice that could freeze ice he said. ‘I do not care who you are, why you did what you did or how you got here. It is of no concern. I want only one thing from you!’
Dentarm smirked as he asked. ‘What is that Commander?’
‘A name!’
‘I find that interesting, only one. I know so many.’
‘A name of the individual, species, or world who financed this attack.’
Dentarm had no intention of naming Linkor’s father. So doing what he always did, he fell back on sarcasm. ‘So sure it was a male, are you?’
‘The name?’
‘He does not know.’ Jarrod told him. ‘He has no idea what you are asking. He thinks you are referring to someone’s father.’
Dentarm looked at the male and wondered how he knew that. ‘You think you can read my mind, can get in.’ He laughed and slapped the table. ‘We are protected.’
‘No, you foolish olesho, I am in and you are of no use to us.’
Before Dentarm could think or speak, his head dropped onto the table. Kent opened the door and two somber Warriors entered with an air floater. At a nod from Hawk, they removed the body and at the same time, Kent and Sarn left to select the next prisoner.
When they arrived at the door of the room holding the Draygons. They stood outside and listened to the laughter and shouts of hilarity as the males within called to each other. Making suggestions of what the male they had taken to be questioned had answered, most were anatomically impossible.
What disgusted Sarn was how they seemed to be amused by what their parents or elders would think of their actions. Not one of the males seemed concerned their relatives would be ashamed by what they had done or failed to do.
Silence met Kent and Sarn as they entered the room. The large bronze male sat with his back against the wall. His arms resting on his knees, a container of water held in his hands. He looked at the two Warriors and asked with a superior and careless attitude, as if the answer did not matter to him. And yet Sarn could see the genuine worry he tried to hide in his brown eyes.
‘What of Dentarm?’
Sarn asked. ‘Who?’
Linkor’s lips tightened, as if the male did not know who he spoke of. He hissed between his teeth. ‘The male you already took, did his parents come for him?’
Linkor prayed that was so, as his contact had assured him it would be for all those captured. Now though, looking at the huge males, he was worried.
Sarn looked him over and raised an eyebrow, then smiled a slow mocking smile. Linkor scowled in confusion at the Warrior’s expression. Why would the male not say what had befallen Dentarm. If he were dead, the Warrior would proclaim it to frighten them. If he was released to his parents, he may not. Yes, that was it, he realized the Warrior did not want them to know their relatives had demanded their release and the weak Warmaster and Commander had given in. Just as Linkor knew they would.
He opened his mouth to sneer his knowledge to the two Warriors, then felt it was better to wait to use it. To reassure the others once the Warriors had gone. So decided, he watched amused when one of the Warriors hauled Ikorial up.
Grinning in defiance, Ikorial flicked his wings at the Warrior. Sarn snarled from beside him just as Ikorial felt a blaster on his neck.
Kent said in voice that came from the depths of his chest. ‘Do so again Draygon, and I will rip them from your body.’
Ikorial smirked unintimidated as he said. ‘As you say, Warrior.’
He then followed Sarn from the room, preferring to walk rather than be dragged. At least this way he maintained his shield of dignity. Kent followed behind him, closing the door on hoots and scornful laughter from the remaining males.
Ikorial worried about what they had done with Dentarm, but then remembered what Linkor had told them before they went into battle. The Star Daughter, the real one with power would not involve herself with this, she would leave it to these Warriors to gather the information. Even the weak Warmaster was powerless to anything but issue threats. All of Linkor’s swarm were chosen because they were tough, fearsome Draygonissia fighters. Not Draygons under a traitor Warmaster and his scalluts command. When they took their rightful place on this world and all the worlds as promised. Coraan would see who he had traded for an alien scallut.
When they reached the beige door Ikorial entered behind Sarn who pointed to a chair at the table. Hawk nodded to the two Warriors. He could see the anger in their eyes, something had happened to upset his males. He would find out what had taken place before they returned to the prisoners, for now he looked at the sneering, sharp- eyed male and stated once more.
‘I do not care who you are, why you did what you did or how you got here. It is of no concern. I want only one thing from you.’
‘What?’ Ikorial asked suspiciously. ‘I furin know nothing.’
‘A name.’
‘Whose name?’
‘The name of the individual, species or world who was behind this attack.’
‘I do not know?’
‘The name.’
‘He does not know.’ Jarrod stated as the males head hit the table.
Hawk rubbed his hands over his face as the same two Warriors entered when Kent opened the door, an air floater between them. Before Sarn and Kent left for the next prisoner, Hawk asked. ‘What happened?’
Kent stated. ‘They seem to want to use their wings, Commander.’
Rave stood with Midnight and Cobalt. We will go with you and dissuade them from doing so, with your permission First Commander.
Rave like the others stepped lightly around Hawk. None of them had ever seen the Elite so coldly angry before. Hawk stared at Kent, his expression becoming colder as a light sheen of purple covered his eyes. ‘Kill any who think to touch you or the Prowlers.’
Kent nodded at his order and with Sedeen followed the Prowlers from the room. The noise from the prisoners was louder as they drew nearer. Rave snarled as
Midnight and Cobalt growled.
It seemed as if the taking of the second male released something in the remaining Draygons. Their bravado appeared to have reasserted itself.
This puzzled Kent and Sarn, who had seen the deaths of both males and knew the others were just as condemned.
Rave summed it up by saying. Olesho’s.
Sedeen snorted in contempt and said. ‘I have witnessed this often. You look confused, my friends.’
Sarn nodded. ‘We are, we have taken two of their males from here and not returned them. Why are they not afraid the same will happen to them? It makes no sense.’
Sedeen smiled. ‘Has anything this day made sense? My friends, males like these believe what they want to. I would wager they have convinced themselves they are to be questioned and then released to their parents. It will not occur to them they are never going home.’
Kent scratched his head as he softly said. ‘That is just stupid, they tried to kill the Star Daughter. Surely they must understand that alone would warrant a death order.’
Cobalt interjected before Sedeen could. And yet Tivna Melody says fools are fools.
With nothing more to say, Kent opened the door and the room instantly fell silent. Cobalt slipped inside with Rave and Midnight, followed by Kent and Sarn. The large male just stared at the Prowlers until Rave lifted his top lip in the Prowlers version of a sneer. Causing the males wings to tremble, but he made no other move or sound. The Prowlers spread out and stood in front of the sitting Draygons.
When Sarn pointed to a male, he rose quickly and quietly. Common sense stated this was not a time to annoy the aggressive Prowlers, who were showing impressive canines and long thick claws.
The male shuffled over to the waiting Warriors, pain etched into lines on his face. Sedeen walked back into the interrogation room ahead of the prisoner and reported what he had seen. Hawk grunted but otherwise did not comment.
Kent and Sarn escorted the male from the room as the Prowlers slowly left. Rave looked back over his shoulder at the large bronze male. You should be thankful that the Pride Leader was not here.
There was no time for Linkor to reply as the door closed after the Prowler with a finality that took the humor from the room.
FORTY:
A similar scene to the first two interviews was repeated until only three males remained. Then finally Kent and Sarn escorted the large male into Hawk. He was calmly composed and sported very few wounds. Hawk was told he had been directing the attack from a nearby knoll.
It seemed he had quickly surrendered when confronted by Rage, who had confirmed he was the leader of the rebellion.
Coraan had not been surprised to see the male in the room when he and Hawk had spoken with the prisoners. The smirking look on the male’s face was one he knew well. Coraan had snorted when they had left the prisoners and told Hawk, Harm and Jarrod when they had met in the hallway.
‘The large male is an olesho. He has long been a pain in my ass, as Melody would say.’ He shook his head. ‘I should have killed the basterad, yentas ago. He is Lord Inkorin’s son and will be the leader of all these fools. Furin hayda, some of these males are descended from Warmasters.’ He had sighed and rubbed his hands over his face. ‘I will tell their parents and elders, it is a sad day for us.’ He looked at Hawk. ‘Make sure they can bring no more shame on their families, on any of us. Do what I could not.’
Hawk had replied. ‘I will and I am sorry for what you must do.’
Coraan sadly told him. ‘Their relatives are going to be horrified. Foolish… foolish males, how did they think they would survive this?’
Harm told him. ‘They think because our Madam does not believe in corporal punishment that makes us weak.’
Coraan shook his head. ‘One does not relate to the other. Attacking her, especially at home, they must have known we would retaliate.’ He looked at Jarrod. ‘May we have a Mystic to scan the Draygons again?’
‘I will come tomorrow and Coraan did we say thank you, for you and your Draygons swift action.’
Hawk said. ‘I thank you as well, we are pleased you are here, brother. We know this is not your fault. You are a honorable Warmaster.’
‘You did and once more I thank you on behalf of myself and my Draygons, but I say if not my fault, then whose?’ He walked off as sadness hung over him, for what had happened and for what he had to do.
Hawk sat now, remembering the look on Coraan’s face as he waited for the one known as Linkor Inkorin to take the seat provided. He was a large male, almost as big as Coraan and Ranarra. Hawk supposed he was handsome although the soft round face and thin lips made him look petulant. His dark brown eyes looked around sharply, missing nothing.
Linkor hid his growing dismay when he did not see any trace of the members of his swarm, and more so when he realized who stood against the wall. Fear gripped him for a moment, then he shoved it down deep, knowing he could not show these males what he was feeling.
He immediately asked. ‘Do you know who I am?’
The smirk Hawk decided was his natural expression or something he had perfected until it became a permanent feature. He responded to the demand with a negligent shrug. ‘I do not care.’
Linkor’s mouth opened and closed for a few seconds while he assimilated the unexpected answer. He continued as though Hawk had not spoken. ‘I am the only son of Lord Inkorin.’
Harm and Sedeen’s snorts of contempt made him smirk more as he said. ‘You think that means nothing, Assaens?’
Harm casually crossed his arms as he leaned back against the wall. ‘It means nothing.’
Linkor lifted his top lip in a further display of contempt as his wings moved slightly.
Hawk said. ‘My sympathies for him and your mother.’
‘Sympathies are for draggos. Males such as I need nothing from you. My parents do not rule my life. Like our Warmaster, they sold me out.’
He must have realized he sounded like a spoiled child or it was the contempt that entered Sedeen’s eyes when he looked at him, which made him hastily say. ‘Our race out, we are puppets to you and the scallut you call Star Daughter.’
If he was hoping the barb at Peyton would cause a reaction, he picked the wrong target. Hawk and the others in the room were more amused than angered. How much angrier could there be!
He tried another route and stated. ‘We should rule here.’
Sedeen said. ‘You rule the air.’
‘That is not enough.’
Kent grunted as he said. ‘That is the problem with your kind, it is never enough. Nothing would be.’
‘Quiet scaloup, your betters are speaking.’ Linkor flicked his hand in contempt toward Kent, who took one step away from the door. Salmah rose and walked to him, stepping tightly around his body. Brushing his legs as she did, forcing him to stroke a hand down her back. Instantly he calmed, although his face remained as hard as granite. Linkor smirked at the Warrior as Salmah sat with him.
Hawk leaned back in his chair. ‘You are very free with your opinions, especially in the circumstances you find yourself in.’
‘What?’ His wings made a brief movement which Hawk took for agitation. The male was not as calm as he wanted them to believe. ‘What circumstances?’ He looked around. ‘I am in no danger here.’
Hawk silently laughed as he found himself repeating words Peyton had once uttered. ‘It amazes me you would think so.’
The male flicked his wings open and closed. ‘Truly… What will our punishment be? We did nothing that wasn’t unexpected. Every society has its rebellious element, which is what we are.’
Harm stated. ‘So just high spirited youngsters?’ ‘Exactly, we will get a slap on our wrist or banished, unlikely though.’
‘Considering who your grandfathers and fathers are or were!’ Stated Hawk.
Linkor nodded. ‘Of course, they are held in high regard, respected and revered above all others. As sons and grandsons of the ones you call Lords, we always will be. Even this Warma
ster if he and his mate breed, which I have heard is unlikely.’ His wings fanned again when no one reacted to his words. ‘If they were to have draggo’s, they too would have been honored as we are.’
‘Except,’ Hawk said, ‘you forgot some things when you planned this endeavor.’
With a curl of his lip, Linkor asked. ‘What would they be, First Commander?’
‘We are not on Dargann and your relatives have no standing here. And your Warmaster handed you over for Maikonian justice.’
Before he could reply, the walls and windows trembled, and the ground whispered of regret. Nowhere was immune to the roars of pain and sorrow as they became one long wail of despair. The sound traveled around the world as families discovered their sons and grandsons had committed the ultimate act of betrayal and had died for it.
Linkor paled as he asked. ‘What was that?’
Hawk answered in a voice devoid of expression. ‘That was the sound of families finding out from our Warmaster that they have been betrayed and dishonored.’