The ice around her heart cracked, the image of that other woman not burning quite as harshly, muted by what he'd just shared.
His past had made him a man who thought he always had to be in control, who blazed his way through obstacles and people when he could, but it had also made him a protector, a man who would look after those he considered his.
She'd remind him later that she didn't need protecting. He wanted a chance to prove himself, and she had the sense he'd apply every bit of his formidable will and intelligence to the task. And that just might make it worth the work it would take a woman to get to the core of him—at least she hoped so.
"Logan Stark, what am I going to do with you?"
His gaze went molten and his arm tightened around her, holding her close against his hard body.
"Stay with me, Kiri te Nawa, and we'll find out together."
Xarrok
Birth of an Empire
The Beginning
Written by Catrina Taylor
Published by The Writing Network
Copyright 2013
Cover by The Writing Network
Content Editor Jason Dodge
Technical Editor Nancy Medina
Dedication:
This series is dedicated first, and foremost to my incredible and talented children. They inspire me, drive me, and fuel the most amazing ideas through their curiosity.
This series is also dedicated to Jason who has believed in me, always.
The universe of Xarrok is dedicated to the readers who have continued to be a source of unique perspectives, delightful encounters, and inspirational conversations. I hope to continue to entertain you for many books to come. May every day that comes continue to bring smiles, joy, and excitement to your lives.
Chapter 1
The redheaded fleet commander sits on her bridge, looking across at the tactical information. “They have how many ships?”
“Sixty ma’am.”
“That’s it? Are they Cybernetics, or using their technology?”
“No ma’am. Just Dentonian.”
“Open a frequency, full view. I want them to see the person who can order their destruction.”
As the Fleet Commander stands and strides across her bridge to the holo projector, she ignores the increasing empathic familiarity she senses. During battle preparations, she has often found herself fighting through the rising emotions of those under her command. She steps up onto the large round platform. Activated by her weight, the panels beneath her feet light up as she walks to the center of the holo projector.
Her petite, soft features are clearly frustrated, and her green eyes light up with fire as she waits for the Dentonian commander to appear. Several frustratingly invasive minutes pass until the opposing Fleet Commander appears on her projection screen. The moment he does, her eyes widen slightly, then quickly return to anger. The full weight of her authority shines in their depths. “Fleet Commander, your ships are no match for mine, and your fleet is less than half of the one I command. Surrender and I’ll allow you and your people to survive.”
After a brief moment of clear surprise, the Dentonian Fleet Commander regains his composure and speaks harshly to her. “We will not surrender our ships or the planet you orbit. There is a Dentonian colony below and we intend to protect it. Stand down or we will engage you.” As he speaks to her through the holo projector he reaches for her telepathically.
His eyes trace her form, petite as it is. Her dark red hair tightly held back, allows him to admire her whole face and striking green eyes. When he establishes a long, unforgotten link with her, he projects gently, ~Why are you there, my Sontair?~
Her eyes narrow and she glares at him through the holo projection. “Commander, I am not giving up our position to a weaker command.”
She projects orders to her tactical officer who sends the orders to the fleet. The Xenonian fleet moves into attack formation, but does not fire. After a moment of looking into his dark eyes, the same eyes she once longed to get lost in, she then responds to him telepathically. ~Why, after so long, do you speak such words of affection?~ She watches his strong features as if she is trying to memorize every muscle and nuance of him.
“We will not go down without taking your fleet with us.” He gestures angrily to his crew who order the Dentonian ships to respond in kind. The Dentonian vessels that have the ability to, raise various protective shields. The entire Dentonian fleet arms weapons.
He pauses briefly. Still amazed to be looking at her, he projects, ~Because they are words you should have heard sooner. Because I should have been there when you asked me to, and because I mean it.~
She glares at him through the viewer. “You are outmatched. Why sacrifice so many lives Commander?” She shifts her stance and projects to him. ~I am not the same woman you left for dead all that time ago.~
The Dentonian Fleet Commander looks at her stoically, and projects, ~Remember where we started.~
He carefully reaches into her mind, and starts the flood of memories. Focusing on the point of their first contact, years before, he draws it to the forefront of her mind. He then watches her through the holo projection, looking for the slightest glimmer of what was once there. He finds himself hoping beyond hope that the woman he so loves is still alive inside of her battle hardened exterior.
~*~
The warm wind fluttered over the grain field, bending the stalks as it moved. The sky was clear and the air crisp with an early fall warmth hugging everything around her. Kala sat in the field, crying into the breeze, hoping the wind would carry her tears from any who might have been searching for her.
She softly began to project her thoughts, and her hearts’ broken shame, ~ I never meant to. She’s my closest friend. I …~
She took a ragged breath as the tears continued to flow. Sitting among the grain she forced herself to ignore the sounds and voices that echoed in her mind. As she sought solitude, she recounted what had happened the hour before. The young woman was still in painful shock of her actions, regardless of how unintentional they were. She ached knowing her friend was hurt because she could not control her abilities well. With her friend in the hospital, she also worried everyone would learn of her secret, and that added a layer of intense fear.
~She did not deserve this. I would never have done anything to hurt her.~
Soon even the sound of her sobbing was projected outward as well.
~*~
He lay in the bunk with his hands under his pillow, one wrapped around his pistol, finger on the trigger. The near quiet of the moment was interrupted when he heard the sounds of a woman’s tears. Carefully he opened his telepathic mind to hear her, and hesitantly he listened to her words, before interrupting with a projection of his own.
~Are you ok?~
Her tears stopped when she heard the voice of a man in her mind. She sat up and looked around before cautiously projecting, ~No. Who are you?~
She sniffled . Peering over the stalks she squinted her eyes, looking across the field for the face that might be projecting to her.
~I’m Yatrell. I can hear you.~ He projected as he tried to search for her location. ~Is there anything I can do to help?~
Try as he might, he was unable to pin point the source of her projection. If it wasn’t for the fact that there were so many other active minds around him, that might not have been the case, but on this night, he was unable to find her.
~Not unless you can hide another telepath. They will be angry at me for sure. They don’t know. I… I didn’t mean to do anything to her. We were playing a game, it … it just happened.~ Her body shuddered with her next ragged breath.
~Who are they?~ Yatrell projected, relaxing his mind more hoping to locate the young woman.
~My… owners. They will be furious. They hate telepaths. Well, at least, they distrust them incredibly.~
She tucked her legs under her and sat hidden in the grain field. She desperately hoped no one would find her for some time yet.
/>
He was confused by the thought that a slave would be so far from home. ~Your owners? Where are you?~
~Xenonia.~ She projected outward, but held her face in her hands, still ashamed.
~How?~ He focused his mind and extended himself trying to find her, but she was still beyond his normal reach. ~Do you know how far you are from me?~
With great effort, he used the weak link she made to carefully reach out for her, and establish a solid telepathic link. It was still weak, but at least he knew this would be a way to find her in the future.
~What do you mean? Where are you?~ She projected as she peered over the grain stalks again looking for him.
He traced the link back to her with some effort and difficulty. ~Kala, I am on the far side of Dentonian space. ~
She frowned hearing her name, ~How do you - ?~
He cut her off as he projected, ~I’m linked to your mind.~ He then realized this was new to her. ~You have never done that before, have you? Linked to someone, or entered their mind, intentionally.~
~No.~
He sat up on the bunk and looked around to confirm he was alone. He hopped off the bed, and walked to the port window. ~Kala, have you had any training? Do you even know how you found me today?~
~No.~
He sat on the ledge of the window, connected to this distant voice, unsure of how or if he should help. ~Kala, relax your mind and listen for my voice, not the voices you hear around you, just mine.~
~Alright. I…~ Although she struggled to focus, she did eventually hear only him. ~I did it. I hear you.~
~Good. Now I hear you much better. You have established your first solid and intentional link. It can help to calm a mind, if you are listening too many at once. If one is willing, you are able to talk, like we are, privately.~
She smiled and shifted her position again, feeling something different, ~Thank you, Yatrell. I need to go now. My master’s girl is coming.~
He shook his head hearing that. Slavery had been done away with on Dentonia centuries ago, ~Ok, Kala. If you need something again, just repeat that process and I’ll listen.~
~Thank you. I will.~
~*~
Months later she sat in the same wheat field. The crop’s harvest had been gathered. Her mind wandered to the conversation with the stranger, in some unknown location. She briefly looked around and then she closed her eyes. She focused with all of the effort she could muster. When she heard his voice again, she shuddered.
~No. That’s not him.~ None-the-less, she continued to listen.
“Move in. Take what you can carry, and we’ll deal with the rest,” he said to his team.
He paused, and looked around. For a moment, he thought he’d heard something out of sorts. Shaking his head to clear it, he continued the mission, and moved into the town they’d just conquered. A short woman with broad shoulders approached him, and asked about the relocator beam for the supplies.
“We don’t have the power resources to squander on such small and trivial uses. Now, get in there and do your job.”
She complied. He and the rest of the team began to collect supplies and items left behind by the enemies.
~No. He’s … at war? In the fighting?~ Kala’s confused voice projected across light years.
He hesitated as he filled his pack and realized what he’d heard. He took a moment to focus his mind, ~Hello again, Kala. Not a fan of war time spoils, I take it?~
She hesitated, surprised to hear his voice in her head again so clearly. ~Ah, not sure about war things. I’ve… the boy of my house left for war. His mother returned from it victorious. A celebration was held for her.~
He shook his head while compiling his items, ~Well, I guess that’s good. You’ve never seen battle, then. You won’t either if you stay where you are.~
Once he pulled everything he could from this location, he moved into the next building and found a nice cache of weapons. Searching through them, one by one, he selected the best and most unique for himself and marked the rest for pick up.
Confused she listened to his activities, ~What are you doing?~ Her projection became slightly stronger and a little clearer this time. She noticed the change causing her to be more confident.
~I’m making sure our soldiers have what they need.~
~By taking from the homes of the enemy beaten?~
~They would do no less, and often do far worse. We gave the civilians time to leave the city before we came down. We are only taking what is needed and we move forward from here. ~ He chuckled as he found a small bomb in the shape of a baby bottle. ~Judging from the unique weapons I’m finding, this is not a civilian town.~
She frowned at the idea someone would use their child in such a manner. She projected ~Where are you?~
He paused and chortled, ~You really don’t want to know.~
~Yes, I do. That is why I asked you.~ she asserted.
~Alright, lady, you asked for it. We’re on Trax Beta. Your glorious people’s colony.~
He finished collecting the various items and headed back toward the meeting point to wait for his team.
She gasped hearing his words. Her stomach churned and she fought to calm herself. ~I… I … had no idea.~
~Of course you didn’t Kala. You’re not in the war. You know none of this. Now, focus on your dolls and reach me when I’m not dealing with a mission.~ He cut the connection with her and turned to one of his co-team leaders as she approached.
“Find anything interesting?”
Anara smirked, “I always find something interesting.”
~*~
Kala stood in her spot and turned around, trying to fight back her urge to scream. She was angry that her people would do something so callous. She ran as fast as her legs would carry her, across the field, and all the way home. She ran into the house and to the bedroom of her master and her master’s husband.
She threw herself at the feet of the woman who sat on the balcony. “Please, Master, I must know something.”
The woman bestowed Kala with a warm smile. “What is it child? What brings you so urgently to me?”
“Master Andor, I want to know if it is true that the Xenonian council has allowed for open deception in the war.” Kala hoped upon hope that the Dentonian was wrong. That what she heard from him was not the truth.
Her master frowned but nodded, “Yes, Kala. War is very ugly, and we must protect our people by any means necessary.” She smiled warmly once more at her young servant, “But you have nothing to worry after. You are safe here, in our home. War will not come to Xenonia.”
The facts disturbed her, but she refused to make that known. Calmer than when she arrived. “Thank you. I will prepare dinner.”
“Good. Thank you, my dear. When you are done with your chores this evening, I would be interested in learning what prompted that question. You may go now.” The older woman with streaks of gray through her hair, sat perfectly poised in her chair as she waited for Kala to depart.
Kala curtsied slightly, “Thank you.”
She turned and went about her chores. Her mind fixated on the conversation held across light years. She avoided the conversation about war with her master that night, and several times over the next number of months. She also avoided contacting Yatrell. She just couldn’t bear the idea that her people were so ruthless and talking to him only cemented that fact to her. He’d reached to her a handful of times, but most she dismissed. The few times she didn’t dismiss the conversation, she kept it short and uneventful.
One day, while she was in her girl’s room, cleaning, he reached out to her again. She was uncomfortable with him doing so, and afraid someone would notice. He kept the conversation brief and mentioned that things were changing around him. He told her that she should be careful who she trusts. Kala dismissed his concerns quickly by explaining that her master assured her the war would not come to Xenonia. None-the-less, his urgency lingered with her long after the conversation ended.
Not long after the Denton
ian’s request for caution on her part, Kala became a topic of discussion at her home. A young suitor came calling for her. They were of the same age and Kala did enjoy his company but he couldn’t afford to purchase her freedom, nor was he in position to make a challenge on her behalf. She accepted this as she was expected to, however she still felt a loss over it. As she was crying again one night, missing this young man’s company, she accidentally projected her crying across light years again.
~*~
He moaned as the woman before him enveloped his phallus with her mouth. Watching her move along the full length, he smirked, “You’re enjoying that aren’t you?”
The woman looked up at him, eyes dancing from his strong chin to his broad shoulders and chest. She said nothing, and continued to service him with enthusiasm. It was then he heard the crying. He tried to focus on the pleasure he was receiving. As the woman drew him close to climax he felt his muscles tighten, and several words fluttered through his mind.
~Maybe I need to leave Xenonia. There are other planets I can serve on. The family has other homes off world I could serve and be safe in.~
He blinked his eyes and looked at the woman with him. She became incredibly disappointed when he didn’t achieve the goal. He leaned over and kissed the woman deeply but projected back to Kala.
~You have some really bad timing, girl. Don’t leave your happy little planet, or your happy little life.~
~I am a slave. I am here until purchased or I find another family that will take me on, and address my family debt to the master and her husband, but I can’t find someone.~
He pulled out of the kiss and his eyes took in the whole of this woman’s body with great desire. The woman stared at him, studying his reactions. She realized he was distracted by something else. She put her cloths back on and left him in his room, alone. He frowned when she left and lay back on the bed.
~Ya really interrupted something good this time, lady.~
Kala blushed as she started to realize what she had interrupted. Her projection stammered from the surprise, ~I … I … I’m sorry. I didn’t realize … I mean I …didn’t know.~
Nebula Nights: Love Among The Stars Page 107