I pulled the brakes and we stopped, suddenly. I set the ship down with a hard thud and we hurried to exit the ship, and I tossed Riley a weapon. “Just worry about protecting yourself. And don't you dare try to be a hero,” I said. 'There's time for that later.”
She nodded, and I opened the hatch to leave the ship, looking around as I exited. I didn't let Riley come out at first, not before I checked for enemies. And that's when I saw them.
An army of men, marching toward us. Weapons drawn. My blood ran cold for a moment thinking the worst. But then I saw the ray of sunlight streaming through the dark clouds that hung over my head.
“Alright. We're in business,” I said, feeling my heart race. “He did it. Vink did it.”
“What? What is it?” Riley asked, coming out of the ship against my orders.
“It's them,” I said, tears forming in my eyes.
“It's who?” she asked.
“My brothers. They're here, Riley. They're here to help us.”
Chapter Four
Riley
As Jendrish's men approached, so did the enemy. And a pitched, raging battle broke out in front of my very eyes.
“Get back in the ship, Riley,” Jendrish yelled at me as he ran toward the battle raging on in front of him. I turned, ready to retreat as he'd told me to, but that was when I realized where we were at.
We were near where I'd escaped. The building where I – and so many others – had been held captive. I recognized the back entry of the building, just barely. And better yet, everyone was distracted and running around fighting with one another. Nobody noticed me – or if they had, they'd decided that I wasn't worth the time or energy to fight. Which was just fine with me. Better than fine, actually.
I decided to make a run for it. I rushed away from the battle, giving one last worried look back at Jendrish. He was locked in a fight with a large man who had red and black hair, muscles bulging out from everywhere, and a face that looked – mean.
“Please, keep him safe,” I prayed to myself. Please, just please let him be okay.
The door to where I had been kept opened and I made a quick dash for it. Someone had stepped out to join the fight, and I hit them over the head with my weapon, knocking them out. His body slumped to the ground and I had to resist the urge to kill him right then and there. Taking a deep breath, I rushed inside and found that the cages were still full of women. Even more than the last time. Women of all races and species. And yet, the all had one thing in common – they looked terrified. My heart broke for them.
Jendrish had given me a device to use to deactivate the electronic security on the cells. I pulled it from my pocket and placed it against the locks. I looked around as the women began chittering excitedly, calling to me, begging to be let out. One-by-one, the cell doors opened. No one had come out yet to stop me – and for that I was relieved and thankful
The women came pouring out of the cells – just a massive wave of humanity. They all clustered in the corridor, unsure of what to do next.
“Come on,” I said, motioning for them to leave.
I wasn't entirely sure where we were going to go, but we had to leave here. We couldn't stay or somebody would eventually find us and then things would get really, really bad. There were just so many women there and I wasn't sure if we could hide everybody or not.
But on the spur of the moment, I decided that at least we could try to board the damaged ship Jendrish and I had gotten there in. Perhaps close it up and keep us there and keep us safe until the battle was over. Because the cold, harsh reality was that if Jendrish and his men didn't win this, we weren't getting home regardless. And if they did, we'd be safe.
The door to the cells opened, and I saw a familiar face that turned my insides to liquid. My hands trembled as he shouted at me.
“Run!” I yelled to the women. “Go outside toward the big ship with the open doors. Climb aboard, now!”
They listened, especially once they saw the guard coming toward me, lurching down the hallway. I held the weapon Jendrish had given me and pointed it at the man. Seeing me with the weapon in my hand, the man's smile faltered slightly, but he stopped dead in his tracks. Which was the desired result.
“You'd think you'd have tightened security since the last time I was here,” I said.
“Oh, we have,” he said, smiling at me. “No one is getting off the planet alive. You can run outside, but you're not going anywhere. Or at least, not very far, anyway. I can promise you that.”
“Maybe you're right,” I said. “But I also know most of us would rather die trying to escape than be stuck here in a goddamn cage a minute longer.”
I held the gun steady, even as I struggled with my nerves. I couldn't tremble. I couldn't show him weakness or fear. And to shoot and be accurate about it, I needed to do it with a steady hand. I looked the man in the face and saw a small, cruel smile touching his lips. Despite the revulsion and hatred that flowed through my body for him, I was finding it difficult to actually pull the trigger. I tried to force myself to just squeeze it, but I couldn't. I was having a hard time making that ultimate decision.
But if I didn't shoot him, he was certain to alert others and bring a lot of armed men down on our heads. I had to remind myself – this was a man who willingly held us against our will and sold us to others for sex. He didn't deserve to live. But still, making that choice was a lot harder than I thought it would be. And the longer I stood there debating with myself, the more I could tell he doubted my ability to actually follow through and pull the trigger.
I remembered Nicole, the first women I'd gotten to know, and the first one I lost as she was dragged from the cell and sold to the highest bidder. She hadn't gone quietly or easily, kicking, hitting, biting, and screaming the entire time. She was a tough lady. As I thought about her, I got to wondering – was she even alive anymore? Would I ever find out? Or would her fate forever be a mystery?
She was gone – possibly even dead – and it was all because of the man standing right before me. Well, him and others like him.
“Oh, you'll die alright,” he said. “But not before I fuck you personally.”
As his words echoed in my ears, I was suddenly filled with a dark, abiding rage. I hated this man with my entire being and I wanted him dead. Without thinking, the rage took over and I pulled back on the trigger. A loud burst caused a few of the women to scream, but then silence descended over us all. I stared at the remnants of the guard, who now had a big, gaping hole in his head. His hair was singed and a pool of blue blood seeped out all over the floor around him.
“Oh God, I killed him,” I said, trembling as I looked at the fallen man.
“He deserved to die,” a woman said, reaching out to me. “Let's go, sweetie.”
Taking a deep breath, my body still shaking, I followed her and before I knew it, I was in the lead once more, guiding the women to the ship. Outside, chaos reigned. Men were everywhere fighting with each other. Bodies littered the ground and blood seemed to soak the dirt. I tried to find Jendrish in the flurry of battle, but I couldn't make out any faces.
Only a few men remained at all – most had already fallen. Which didn't look good at all.
Once the others were secured on the ship, I ran back out. I screamed for Jendrish, calling out for him over and over again. But there was no answer. Now, only a few men remained, all of them dead or dying. I searched their faces, turning over the dead, afraid of what I might find.
But there was no Jendrish. None whatsoever.
Did that mean he'd captured? Was he chasing somebody else down? Where had he gone?
“JENDRISH!” I screeched, falling to my knees, tears rushing to my eyes.
I knew I shouldn't be yelling – not with the enemy so close by. But my heart was breaking thinking of all the terrible things they might have done to him. I came with him because the idea of never seeing him again hurt too much. And yet, there I was, faced with that same possibility even though I came with him anyway
. Not only that, but I had a ship full of women that I was responsible for.
“Are you Riley?” a male's voice called out from behind me.
“Yes, I am,” I said, tightening my grip on my weapons as I turned and stared apprehensively.
“Jendrish has been looking for you,” he said. “Come with me, please.”
I looked toward the ship full of women and wondered – was this man to be trusted?
“We've won, Riley,” he said. “We're arresting the Regent Council now. Everyone is safe.”
I still wasn't sure if I should believe him or not. Didn't know if I should go with him or not. Or whether this was just some trap. And I stood there frozen in fear.
“My name is Vink,” he said again. “I'm a friend of Jendrish's.”
As soon as I heard the name, I recognized it. From the call Jendrish made the other night on the ship, while I was asleep. I woke up to him talking to someone, someone who was helping him.
Someone named Vink. And the more he spoke, the more I recognized the voice. A wave of relief swept through me and I loosened my grip on my weapon.
“We've won,” he said again, smiling even wider. “And Jendrish is alive and well, I promise you.”
“Can you make sure they're safe?” I said, pointing to the ship behind me. “I can't leave them without knowing they're guarded.”
Vink nodded. “Of course.”
He sent several men over, men that reminded me more of Jendrish than the guards we were fighting against. I couldn't be sure this wasn't a trap, however, but I had little choice. I followed the strange man, hoping I'd made the right decision.
Chapter Five
Jendrish
I was covered in blood from head to toe – some of it my own, most of it belonging to my enemy. We'd taken out the Regents' guards, but it had been bloody and terrible. It was about as bad as I'd been expecting it to be. But my men had acted bravely and fought fiercely. Now we were walking toward the building that housed the chambers where the Regents were said to be meeting. They were in for a very unpleasant surprise.
They'd locked themselves inside their chambers, hoping to protect themselves from us if the battle had turned in our favor and not theirs. But little did they know, we had people on the inside. People with keys. People who secretly hated them as much as we did. Our support network went far and wide – which was how we managed to win this war once and for all.
And now, these bastards were going down and I was going to personally handcuff them all. Or kill the ones who refused to give themselves up.
I should have been celebrating, but my mind kept drifting back to Riley, which sent a wave of worry and fear through me. Where was she? Was she okay? Had she fallen? I'd lost sight of her during the battle – she'd run off and not toward the ship like I'd told her. After that, I couldn't find her, and I feared the worst. She was a tough woman and had been through so much. And she was only one person against so many.
The doors to the Council chambers opened with a swish, and the Regents were sitting at the front, their eyes wide with surprise and not an inconsiderable amount of fear as we walked in. I was the first to step inside, and I made the announcement.
“For crimes against other living beings, I, put you under arrest,” I intoned. “You will be tried by a High Court, but trust me, I will push for the harshest sentence possible.”
On Optorio, the death penalty was rare, but not outlawed. In cases of intergalactic law – such as this one, where women were being abducted from systems all over the galaxy – it was very likely they'd all be sentenced to death. And as I made my announcement placing them under arrest, I believe they knew it.
I personally handcuffed all of them and felt an enormous wave of satisfaction in doing it. That satisfaction only deepened as I watched them all being taken away. Again, I should be celebrating, but Vink had yet to return with Riley and I was starting to fear the worst.
That's when I heard her voice call out to me, “Jendrish!”
I turned and Riley ran toward me, a wide smile on her face. We embraced, clinging to each other tightly, the moment she reached me. But then I remembered the blood covering nearly every inch of me and stepped away. She wouldn't have it though, and pulled me closer once more, kissing me in front of everyone. Not that I minded. In fact, I was proud of her, proud of what we had, and I wanted to kiss her just as badly.
Someone cleared their throat not too far from us.
“We have another guest,” Vink said.
I turned and saw our former king – Bazarok – the man who said he'd never step foot back on this planet, striding into the Council chambers. He walked toward me, hand outstretched to shake. He gave me a broad smile as I shook his hand. And when he spoke, he sent my brain spinning. I was overcome with gratitude and felt a little weird about being in the spotlight, as he personally thanked me for restoring peace to the planet.
“It's my pleasure, sir. But really, the credit belongs to the troops. They're the ones who made this all happen,” I said, resisting the urge to bow since he wasn't technically our king. Not yet at least. I looked up at him, hopeful. “Does this mean you're coming back to claim the throne?”
“No, not at all,” he said. “I meant it when I said I wasn't interested in the throne. Instead, I'm here to set up a new government since the previous one is now in prison for serious crimes. There are some serious flaws with allowing one small group to amass and hold all the power. There must be a middle ground – one that truly represents the people. ”
A new government. Of course. Not that I should be surprised, but I was disappointed that Baz was serious about not returning. We needed leadership like him, someone to be the strength and moral compass for the government so things like this never happened again. But I knew it was just a dream. Baz was never coming back – there would be no king.
“Everyone get cleaned up and join me in the Great Hall,” Baz said. “We need to talk this out and get a move-on, my wife and I have a baby on the way.”
“Sir, I didn't know you were expecting,” I said.
“We're not. We can't have children with humans, not naturally,” I said. “We've chosen to adopt a little boy instead.”
“Congratulations,” I said. “That's great news.”
Bazarok was happy, I could see it in his eyes and in the glow about him. And I couldn't blame him for seeking out his own happiness, wherever he found it. I glanced over at Riley and smiled, feeling happy myself. Now that we'd stopped the slave trade, I could forge ahead with a future that included her. Hopefully, a long, long future of love and happiness.
Or so I could hope.
Chapter Six
Bazarok called the meeting to order, and the room instantly grew silent. Riley was tending to the women, as she wasn't officially one of us since she was a human, and therefore was not privy to internal governmental matters. But my Royal Guardsmen were present – including Vink who sat beside me.
“It's so great being back together again,” he said.
“Isn't it?”
I had to admit, I loved being part of the Royal Guard and it was something I missed dearly. These men had quite literally risked their lives today. Some of them had given their lives. And they'd all done it for something they could have ignored. But they didn't. And that's exactly the type of men we were. That's exactly the type of men this government needed.
“We are, of course, going to elect a new council, from those most loyal to Optorio. From those most dedicated to it,” Baz said. “And I can't think of anyone more loyal than those seated here today. But first, a few changes I'd like to propose. I want to reinstate the Royal Guard. We need an army with a strong moral compass to help run the affairs of our planet – and to help those who need it most.”
“But I guess we need to re-name it since we no longer have a king,” someone whispered nearby. The person they were talking to agreed and chuckled softly.
Baz heard them and smiled. “On the contrary. I've decided that in add
ition to a council, we are going to elect one person to act as king. The king will serve as the check against the Council and the Council will serve as the check against the king. Power is distributed and cannot be amassed by just one person.”
The crowd gasped and people started chatting amongst themselves. This was huge news. Bazarok might not be king, but someone would be. The idea of having someone loyal and moral on the throne was a nice thought, but we'd have to be careful in choosing them, of course. I glanced over at Vink and smiled, already knowing we had an excellent candidate for such a position.
“Of course, they will have to work with the council,” Bazarok continued once the chamber settled down. “This king will not be a dictator and will not have the final authority. But he will be a strong figurehead who can help keep the systems in check. The Royal Guard will also be present to support this king and to make sure no one group has too much power. With all of these positions, I want you to think carefully before making any decisions or nominations. Let's pick people who are strong, moral, virtuous, and who will do what's right by Optorio. I want you all to take this very seriously and select men from among you who you believe are worthy.”
Baz fell silent again and looked out over the chamber as we all talked amongst ourselves. I didn't need any more time to make my decision. I already knew who I was putting up for the king's position. Vink deserved it more than anybody else in this chamber.
“Do we have any nominations for the king?” Baz asked.
The room went silent as people perhaps, suddenly seemed to timid to speak out loud. On the other side of the coin, I was glad to not see the room descend into the chaos of people talking and screaming over one another. Efficient and orderly is always for the best.
“Yes, Jendrish?” Baz asked.
“I'd like to nominate Vink,” I said as I stood up. “He has always been the most loyal member of the guard, and someone I trust to always put the needs of the people first. He is the most qualified man for this job.”
“Very well,” Baz said.
Vink stood up, and I assumed he was ready to accept, but instead shocked me to the core when he opened his mouth and replied.
Rocor (Dragons of Kratak Book 5) Page 41