by L M Lacee
‘We will have some explaining to do, it seems.’ Linkor laughed desperately at his own joke.
Hawk drummed his fingers on the table as he said. ‘I suppose, but you will not be explaining anything.’ Giving him no time to dispute this, Hawk continued. ‘We know your plan was executed as a spur-of-the-moment decision by you and the people on Terra. You and your rebellion or more than likely an employee of a Master made some dangerous assumptions. Linkor Inkorin, you and your high spirited rebellion attacked our Star Daughter’s shuttle and unfortunately for you, her young and other young were on board. For that alone, you do not leave this room alive. Sadly for you, your fate was sealed the min you took the credits and made the decision to betray your people and the Star Daughter.’
‘Where are my swarm?’
‘Dead…Where else?’
Hoarsely, he asked as shock thrummed through his body. ‘What do you mean dead?’
Hawk shrugged as he said nonchalantly. ‘Dead is dead. Give me the name of your employer.’
Ignoring the softly spoken question, Linkor asked. ‘Why have you killed them? I do not understand, this is not the Star Daughter’s justice. There is no corporal punishment on Maikonia. So why are they dead? I demand you bring my father here.’
Hawk eyed the male as though he was unsure what he was and stated. ‘Did I not just say why your fate and the fate of the others of your rebellion was sealed? You are right, this is not the Star Daughter’s justice it never was. This is the Star Child’s justice, another thing your employer forgot to mention to you. Any Maikonian can be called upon to deliver the Star Child justice. You picked the wrong side to join, you furin olesho and now you will pay for that decision. Because once you leave this world, you become the property of the Star Child. You think we wanted to make you puppets, you have no idea what that means. But you will learn. And your first lesson will be that you are more than just flesh and blood.’ He raised an eyebrow and told the stunned male. ‘When you finally figure that out, remember you caused this by trying to take the life of the Star Daughter. A being that is the vessel for the Star Child.’
Linkor fell back in his chair as his face lost its smirk and color leeched from his skin. ‘What did you do to my swarm?’ He tried to sound strong and determined, but the words were filled with fear.
‘I asked them the same question I will ask you.’
‘So if I do not answer I will die?’
‘Yes.’
‘If I answer, I will live?’
Jarrod said triumphantly. ‘I have it, we have no need to listen to any more of this tuap.’
Hawk queried. ‘Someone we know?’
‘Yes, well I do.’
Hawk said to Linkor. ‘You are of no use to us anymore. We will offer our condolences to your family. But I am thinking they will be relieved.’
He was dead before his head hit the table. Tired of the waste of life he saw before him, Hawk asked. ‘Any point in questioning the others?’
‘Always.’ Harm said. ‘You never know what they will tell you.’
Hawk nodded to the two Warriors who came to remove the body. Mins later Kent and Sarn escorted in the next male, who knew very little about anything. He was dead before he rested his hands on the table in front of him. The last male knew a staggering amount, not that he was willing to tell them without brokering a deal.
Unfortunately for him, there were no deals to be had. Jarrod searched his memories for every scrap of information he possessed. It seemed this male had overheard all the conversations between Linkor and the facilitator. This was the same person who was responsible for placing the poison in Peyton’s products. Harm left with Sedeen before the male died to collect the traitor, Hawk asked them to bring her to his office.
Mins later, as the last body was removed, a voice filled with the coldness of space rang around the world. Chilling the blood of all who heard it and proving the Star Child was aware of the attempt on Peyton’s life.
JUSTICE IS MINE!
FORTY-ONE:
Thirty mins later, Harm and Sedeen dragged a kicking, screaming female to Hawk’s office in the training Hex. The female’s screams of outrage subsided when she saw Kent and Sarn directing blasters at her.
She wrenched her arms from Harm and Sedeen’s hold and straightened her clothing, then smoothed her short brown hair back into place as she sauntered into Hawk’s office.
Netta followed them in and stood just inside the door. She watched as the female walked over to the chair and demurely sat; crossing her long legs and looking about her. Her eyes flitted over Netta and returned to Hawk, who sat behind his enormous desk. She was thirty-three yentas old, five foot-nine inches tall and well-muscled. There was nothing overly remarkable about her, unless you looked into her hard blue eyes. Hawk had seen that expression before. It was what he called the glint of discontent. An expression he had observed in many females over the yentas. Usually they were in relationships not filled with love, as his and Karen’s were, or they worked for an employer who was tight-fisted with a credit.
Hawk lifted his eyes from the female to Netta and asked. ‘Commander, are you sure?’
Netta smiled tightly as she answered. ‘Yes.’
‘You know why she has been detained?’
‘Yes, I watched the interviews.’
Netta’s eyes once more fell on Daphne Larton, Trina had asked Netta to put her in the trials for Peyton’s guards. She told Netta, Daphne had been captured with her on Earth. Only last weken Daphne had passed the first trials and was at present in the middle of the second round. Everyone liked her, she was pleasant, unassuming, and helpful. Netta had been going to recommend her to Reeve as a guard for the children. Walking to stand behind Hawk’s desk, Netta felt her anger surface and had to take several breaths to settle her Rie.
When she knew she had herself under control, she said to Daphne. ‘I would ask what they offered you to betray us, but truthfully, I do not care. All we want to know is, are there any more like you and if so their names?’
Daphne sneered as she said. ‘As if I would tell you and don’t try any of that mind crap on me. I am protected.’
‘You idiot.’ Netta said as her eyes bled to gold and her hands clenched. ‘It has already happened, they cannot protect you against Jarrod. He is the Kail and if you don’t know what that means, you are even more foolish than I thought possible.’
Daphne sat with her mouth open, her eyes wide in fear as Netta scornfully told her. ‘Truly you are the best they could get?’
Her lips snapped together as her eyes hardened and she spat. ‘You shut your mouth. He told me I was the only one he could trust. If I wasn’t, why would I have been the one to take the initiative and poison her, it almost worked too?’ She mumbled to herself, then she laughed as she tugged on her hair. ‘He trusted me enough to give me the credits to buy that lot today, they are mine.’ She sniffed as she boasted. ‘You think you got all his people, you know nothing.’
She gave a derisive look at Jarrod, who had not moved or spoken since she had arrived. He knew she was not skilled enough to withstand his assault on her shields.
Netta pushed once more. ‘Were.’
‘What?’ Daphne asked, her eyes searching out the others in the room, then finally refocusing on Netta. ‘What did you say?’
Netta smirked like she did when she wanted to annoy Melody. ‘I said were, your winged soldiers. They are all dead now.’
Daphne snarled as her mind started to fray, her own natural shields and the ones placed on her began to unravel. Reverting to English, she screamed as spittle foamed at the corners of her mouth. ‘You lie. You fucking whore… you lie.’
Netta grinned as she replied in the same language. ‘Nah, you know me Daphne, I don’t lie.’ She shrugged. ‘Why would I have to?’
With those words, Daphne’s mind just gave up the fight. Fear overrode every protection she had, allowing Jarrod to strike quickly and precisely. She had no idea he was in her mind as he went to wo
rk ferreting out all her secrets.
Daphne wanted to cry as she stared at Netta, she had seen what she could do in training. And as she watched the gold become more pronounced in Netta’s eyes. She knew there was no way she would live through the night. She made a last-ditch attempt to save her life.
‘I have agents on all the worlds, you are fucking dead, as is that fat cow Peyton. We missed her today but he will get her tomorrow or the next, she is a dead woman walking.’ She laughed, hysteria in her tone, and said in Coalition. ‘As for you, Kail. My Master is better than you, he hid from you before and can again. He is the greatest Master ever born.’
She stopped speaking when Jarrod yawned in the face of her rant. She looked at Netta, who was looking at Jarrod. ‘Did you get it?’
‘Thank you Netta, I did.’
She started walking from the room. ‘Well okay then, thanks Daphne for the information. May the Stars have mercy on your needar I have none. I reiterate you are as stupid as I thought.’
The fear Daphne was feeling poured from her and turn her face into a mask of hatred. She jumped from her chair, her fingers curled into claws, then suddenly crumpled to the floor like a boneless doll.
They all looked from the body on the floor to Netta, then to Hawk, who stared at the dead female.
Jarrod asked him. ‘Did you know you could do that?’
Netta stopped in the doorway as he answered. ‘I did not do it.’
They all turned to Netta, who shrugged. ‘The Rie takes many forms, so I found out.’
Sedeen asked. ‘On what?’
‘Ahh, animals, you know.’
Sedeen grinned. ‘That will make hunting interesting.’
‘Ha-ha.’ She said as she left. No one spoke as the same two Warriors came in with an air floater and took the dead female from the room. Netta wandered back in as they were leaving, a frown on her face. ‘Just thinking.’
Hawk asked. ‘What Netta?’
‘How did we miss her?’
Harm said. ‘When they searched, she was not on Prime.’
Jarrod said. ‘No, she was on Terra, apparently Terra was overlooked.’
Netta looked out the window at nothing, then said. ‘You have to wonder at the coincidence of that. First Jax has an oversight, then she hides there until recently. And the bomb was placed on the shuttle while we were there, and no one searched the planet.’
Jarrod said. ‘I dislike coincidences.’
Hawk agreed. ‘That is something we all share. Jax, where is Reeve now?’
Orbiting Terra waiting for the all clear.
Jarrod asked Jax. ‘I would like to speak to my father please.’
As you wish Kail.
Cemeru appeared on screen. ‘Jarrod, the Star Daughter?’ He demanded sharply, his expression one of apprehension.
Jarrod hurriedly assured him. ‘I am sorry Papa, she is well, it is for another reason I need you.’
Relieved, Cemeru asked. ‘My son, are you well?’
‘We all are.’
‘What is it I can help you with?’
‘Papa when you and the others scanned the planets for a traitor, did you search Terra?’
‘I do not remember. We must have done, why would we have not?’
‘We have just questioned an agent she hid on Terra.’ He then explained what they had found from her and the other prisoners.
Cemeru frowned. ‘I dislike this.’ He called Malchol and Reeve over and quickly explained what Jarrod had told him. Reeve frowned as he asked. ‘What can be done to bring this traitor out into the open?’
Jarrod smiled. ‘Malchol, do you remember the searchlight we constructed?’
He grinned. ‘As a matter of fact, I do and was talking about it to Reeve a short while ago.’
‘We will use that Malchol.’
‘On planet or before we go down?’
‘Oh before.’ They grinned like boys.
Jarrod said. ‘I will fetch Avana, you have Papa.’
‘No.’ Reeve said. ‘I will do it.’
‘Can you?’
Reeve smiled. ‘I have done something similar in the past. Hence the discussion with your brother.’
‘Amazing!’ Jarrod said, startled at another thing the Elite had already done.
Reeve said. ‘I do not know why, I am an Elite.’ He thought for a min. ‘In saying that it may serve us well, not to mention this to my Darby, she is an excitable little female.’
Netta said. ‘It may serve you well to explain it to her sister, though!’
Reeve looked at her, at the unamused face, and said. ‘We will commence in five mins.’ Then disconnected.
‘Huh, I still have it.’ Netta said with a smile. ‘So what you gonna do?’ She asked Jarrod, who along with the others smiled at Reeve’s reaction to her.
‘I am going to use a mental link my brother and I established yentas ago, and feed Malchol my skills and power. We will scan the population much like a searchlight from a shuttle. If they do have a Master there and he is hindering a search. We will be able to bypass the compulsion to not see, he has undoubtedly placed on the planet and expose him. Our search will pinpoint the exact people who are traitors. As a Master he will not have been able to help himself, he would have marked all of his people. Then Reeve will not have to Stormtrooper it, as Peyton says.’
‘You need Avana and Reeve for this why?’
Jarrod paused with his explanation and Netta could see he chose his words carefully. ‘It does have some element of danger involved.’
Hawk asked. ‘What would that be?’
Jarrod hurriedly assured him. ‘Not to Reeve or Avana.’
‘I was not only concerned about them!’ Hawk told him. ‘You and Malchol are my concern as well.’
Jarrod nodded as a warmth he was getting familiar with spread through his body. ‘We have to be monitored in case of burn back.’
Harm said. ‘That sounds bad.’
‘It can be, when we create so much energy between us. We can cause a loop and the power will circulate between us, getting more intense each time it is passed back until we are consumed. It is rare, but having monitors lessens the chance of it happening.’
‘Okay, I volunteer!’
Jarrod gently said. ‘Netta no.’
Midnight said. I offer myself, bonded.
Jarrod rubbed his head. ‘No, my bonded as skilled and mentally capable as you are. This is no task for you. Trina would not be pleased.’
Netta smiled. ‘That is why you will use me. Apart from Sedeen here. I am the only one not mated or with young. We use me.’
Jarrod crossed his arms. ‘Netta, Avana has a mind-set for this.’
‘As do I, to use an over-done statement, I am an Elite, I can do this. Jarrod trust me, I will protect you. This is what I do.’
He looked deeply into her needar and saw she was right, she could do this. ‘Very well.’
Midnight asked Netta. What of your bonded?
She smoothed the fur on his head and said. ‘I depend on you to see to him for me if needed, Mystic Midnight.’
He bowed his head at the title. I will do so. He looked her in the eyes. I do not want to.
Thank you.
Jarrod rubbed his neck. ‘Hawk, we will do it here and we cannot be disturbed.’
‘How long?’
‘Mins, it is fast.’
‘That is why the burn out?’
‘Yes the power we will generate is tremendous and the search will be fast, very fast.’
Netta sat and placed her hands on the desk, palms up as she had seen Avana do. Jarrod nodded as he placed his on top of hers and said. ‘Good luck.’
‘You too.’ She looked up at the others and said. ‘We have this, but it might be a good idea not to mention this to the sisters. They too are excitable.’
Hawk grunted as Harm nodded with a grimace when Sedeen said. ‘I enjoy living.’
Sarn and Kent just grunted in agreement they enjoyed living too. Netta grinned
and closed her eyes and met Jarrod on a plane of existence within his mind.
FORTY-TWO:
Nice place, this is in your mind, right?
Yes, I like it, it has its uses.
Can I do this?
I should imagine you Netta can do anything. I will show you how later.
Thank you, I can see how it would come in handy.
Netta looked down at herself and saw she was in her body. So am I or are you making my body?
I am doing so, this is my construct.
Okay, that is cool.
Then Malchol and Reeve arrived. Netta!
Yep brother, it is I.
Why?
I am an Elite.
If she dies, do not bother trying to live, they will kill us. Reeve told the males glumly.
Jarrod shook his head. Tell us something we do not know.
Netta grinned. Aww!
They looked at her with varying degrees of annoyance; she grinned more.
Ignoring her, Jarrod told Malchol. We have enough power with the involvement of the Elites. We can cover and search all the planets and moons quickly.
He nodded in agreement and with a smile for Netta, they all joined hands and a beam of brilliant silver light emerged from their combined forms. Netta and Reeve followed it within Jarrod’s mind, as it spread out over the whole of Terra. Cemeru watched the light with his own special ability.
Within seconds they all saw the beam pause and then pulse one red beat. Cemeru marked the location and then the light traveled on. Soon they had the location of seven more pulses on Terra. Light spread out and covered each of the other planets and then the moons. No more red pulses were found.
Netta asked Reeve. Done you think?
It is.
So how do we recall them?
Go back and punch the Kail.
Really?
Yes, it is how I will do it.
She smiled as she asked. An Elite thing?
He smiled like the feared Warrior he was. No, it is a brother thing. I will have words with the Kail later. It will involve the mat, you may tell him so.