“Wouldn’t be the Circux messenger with an unauthorized passenger. Touch and go, that’s their motto.”
“Unless the Ambassador purchased one for private use. The other question, who had this designed, delivered as a mere commercial craft for hire?"
“Off planet deal by the hire company or orchestrated by one of your top level administrators.” Zio frowned at the depth of the syndicate’s parasitical tendrils.
“Someone went to a red giant’s worth of trouble. For the Ambassador’s personal escape or in general use by the syndicate? Don’t have access to the company records. Find out how long it’s been in service. Most recent model, though.” Katta paced before the screen.
“Anything we accomplish before following Ambassador Alligator? Our Master of Security just sent escape details. Initiating traffic scan now on his allowance.”
“Yeah, you can show me how this wonder ship works. Might need a second hand. Time frame?”
“First dusk star, on the change of security staff. Follow his escape from here? Or from orbit?”
“If the Alligator runs straight to his craft, I’d rather be out there. Hiding in the Rikkin debris field. Can’t detect our direct chase for awhile. Our Master of Security find out anything else?”
“Specifics of how he operated on your world. Details of his meetings where, when. Snarly Mongoose, the name used in original syndicate contact.”
“Snarly Mongoose?” Katta whirled. “Had a training mate in cadet flight school called Mongoose. Snarly when we’d wake at dawn. He hated it.”
“Know where he is now?”
“No, but Jessa could find him on the extra quiet. Planet-wide network of friends. Speaking of…Blensur?”
“Mind isolated from the Alligator. Talking true according to the energy-scan signatures. Do you want contact with Jessa? Info-gathered from your craft."
“Smooth, stallion. Offer what I want, then tell me you illegally info-gathered.” Katta shook her head, clearing away her irritation to get beyond his invasion.
“Men take care of their women, my prettiest.”
Katta shook her head again, resisting the urge to throttle him just enough to teach him a lesson. “Give me what I want, stallion.” Katta sighed fiercely, rubbed the back of her neck, and temporarily resigned herself to fate. “How secure?”
“Running through Yemisque’s private connect,” Zio assured his woman.
Katta nodded. The Master of Security was renowned for untraceable communication.
“Katta!” Jessa beamed relief. "The Goddess! Where are you? Who are you with? Love what you’re wearing.” Jessa stared at Zio.
“Jessa, pay attention for a zillionth of a moment, will you?”
“Dad is worried about you. What do I tell him?”
“Tell him nothing yet, except I’m still flying hot on the trail of the real traitor. Do you hear me?”
“Got ya. Introduction please.” Jessa smiled perky charm.
“Zio, Dred, bad boy stallion. Choose one.”
“Dred!” Jessa’s face lit up, bright as a ten moon planet.
“Yeah, he caught me. Get over it in a hurry!”
“Ziocese Dred of VectorEquine.” Stepping from behind the panel, he performed a perfect bow. “A loveliness to meet you, Jessa, sister of my one woman.”
“Quite the princely portrait, Ziocese. Thrilling to finally meet you. So terribly sorry you can’t come here. One monumental shame, don’t you think, Katta?”
“Monumentally terrible─”
“Wait till I spill this one to all the gal pals─”
“You can’t, Jessa. No one. Saving Dad depends on it.”
“I am assisting my Katta in saving your father.” Zio spoke with such formal charm Jessa stared, didn’t speak.
“Mission stealth, Jessa. Get the scene?”
“Sure as stars.” Jessa nodded, mesmerized, not flying at full girl speed. “You’re on mission stealth.”
“Riely Borquyz, I need you to find out where he is quick, on the quiet.”
“Who is he?”
“Flight training mate who could be useful to us. When you find him play spy…get every detail on him.”
Jessa smiled, delighted with herself. “One of my more phenomenal talents,” she explained, tossing back adorable honey ringlets.
“Absolutely true,” Katta verified, spared a brief smile. “Jessa, a vital question. Did you know a man from off world named Blensur?”
To Katta’s total surprise, her sister blanched, and nervously fiddled with her necklace. “You know him,” she prompted.
“I do,” Jessa fragile-spoke, her eyes luminous with memory. “Is he on Yemisque?”
“He’s here. Where did you meet him?”
“An evening ball, the welcome of Ambassador Gowethor from Riphorub. We danced…danced late into the night. How did you find him?”
“Entire long story. Seems he has quite the heart torch for you.”
“He said he’d return… I…”
“When did you last see him?”
“The day before the horror when they came for Dad. Katta, are you saying he stole the data cube?” Jessa’s eyes widened to unthinkable betrayal.
“No, no, he didn’t steal it.”
“But he was involved. I know you, Katta.”
“Jessa, right now that’s not important. I know it seems extremely important. Your Blensur doesn’t have the cube, doesn’t know where it is. He’s with the Master of Security, helping us.”
“Is he coming back?”
“He wants to. I’m strategizing on the situation. Jessa, can you do what I’ve asked?”
“Anything to save Dad, you know that!” Jessa set her refined chin.
“We’re about to leave Yemisque. Tell no one, not even Dad. I’ll contact on your private screen. Remember our code word?”
Jessa nodded, the determined spark in her eyes kept her from blurting it out. “Someone in the High Up is involved.”
“Looks that way. If they put you in the corner, tell them I told you I was following a hot trail, no solid results. Play along, get along.”
“I’ll just chatter them dizzy. Mom?”
“She still with Aunt Breshy?”
“In ritual seclusion. I’ll keep her there.”
“That’s my sis! Tough under oceans of pressure.”
“How many stud times, Katta?” Jessa’s eyes shown with expectation and excitement.
“Ask the rutting stud. Oops, sorry. Gotta go.”
Zio cut their contact.
“Any incoming craft of interest?” Katta faced the helpful stud who grinned as if he'd eaten a field of oats. “Chase the wrong woman?” she silky-flamed.
Zio sauntered toward his woman. “One craft. A quartet of Vixen women. Hardly our level of enemy. Your sister, my woman, is amusing brightness. The feminine contrast between you is enjoyable.”
“Welcome to the family,” Katta sliced before she thought. “Or not. It’s superficially stupid… I mean…if…if we were…”
“Kattalonia,” he soothed. “I knew from the moment our eyes blazed to each other you didn’t carry the view of your culture.” He stroked his fingers through her hair. “Your mane is sweet luxury, and you are pleasing to me beyond all else.”
Fires ran through her in brutal conflict. Wildfire yearning for him, the yearning sizzle to run from him, and an inferno of need to save her father, her world.
“What’s the next move?” She tried to think. It was difficult with the stallion sight of him, his primal scent, his very being. Difficult with tangerine carnal dreams surrounding her, the essence of Yemisque infiltrating her very essence.
“My next move, my woman.” Zio grabbed her, slung her over his shoulder before she could pummel him and twist free. A few swift strides, he carried her behind his panel, to his mounting platform. He touched on verbal mode.
“No!” Katta writhed against his capture.
“We’ll hear,” Zio growled, wild to ride her. As if sh
e were pretty fluff, he lifted her from his shoulder and placed her down on all fours. Quickly he arranged her to his carnal pleasure, her lavish haunches displayed.
Katta heaved breaths, her breasts pressed against the warm slick surface he'd put her on. Her legs were drawn up beside her hips utterly exposing her to him, to his ruthless cock, as if she expected anything else. His hand trapped her back, pushing her still. Annoyingly, she dripped wet excitement for him.
Languid anticipation for his woman, Zio brought forth his lanced cock. He slid his thumb pad over her succulent moisture, savoring. He savored her blossoming scent for him. Savored her blaze mating heat. He gripped her haunches, struck into her. His need was so great, so fierce, he grunted. Struck again, feeling her shocked, pleasured sheath, hearing her shocked, pleased little whimpers.
Needing more of his woman, Zio thrust his hands beneath her breasts, plundering with caresses. She arched, straining more into his hands. He forced her breasts free of the tight fabric, and rubbed vigorous caresses over her lust swollen breasts. Her bud-hard nipples burned rapture into his hands.
God, to the racing prairies, he adored his Katta’s breasts. He adored every satin voluptuous and delicate inch of her, adored belonging inside her. Her little scalding sheath clenched him rhythmically.
Zio squeezed and rolled her huge ripened nipples between his fingers until she opened more to him. Powerfully, he thrust. She cried out and blossomed ecstasy for him.
Trapped by her own carnal need, Katta abandoned herself to his ferocious rutting. His lunging lusty strikes took her, making her wilder and wilder with need. Wanton, helplessly she felt every virile inch of him, the shape of his cock indelibly branding her. Indelibly marking her.
She whimpered. Waves of pleasure exploded, bliss emanating from his forceful cock.
He took her, possessed her as she needed, wanted. Forever he lunged his stallion prowess. Katta writhed inside, savagely wanton, wildly glorious with the feel of him.
Finally, she could only whimper. Euphoria cascaded through her flesh until she stirred, worried about her father. His hands slid gently from her breasts, circled caresses over her back.
“Katta,” he roughly called her name, seared in the ecstasy of her and plunged deep inside her. Raw rapture consumed him, brought him to the blackness, the womb blackness of the cosmos. To be reborn. In her.
“Katta,” he breathed her name into her silken mane.
“Circux messenger. Heading Yemisque,” the ship’s voice sultry sang.
Zio freed his woman, watched her twist around, cover her breasts, warrioress ready. He spun to his panel. “No scheduled Circux messenger.”
Katta nodded, jumped down. Hope coiled in her belly. Hope, this was the Circux messenger carrying her data cube.
“Intercept, Corporal?”
Katta paced, thinking. “Can you replicate the data cube?”
“Component replicator. Switch out?”
“If the data cube is on board. If we can remove it, a tricky operation. Then replace a false cube, scrambled data, follow the Ambassador. If.”
“Holo builder, false information transplant,” he suggested.
“Brilliant idea, stallion. Deceptive information, or obviously fraudulent information? What would do the most damage?”
“You’re over-thinking, prettiest.”
Katta halted, knowing he was correct. “Probably too much stallion rampaging against my rump,” she singed with her tone. “Can we intercept, discover the contents in time to stop the Ambassador’s escape?”
“No, prettiest.”
“Let’s go see what’s inside.”
Zio accelerated power up. “Informing the Master of Security. Weapons’ array, Corporal?”
“Handsome stallion, thought you’d never ask.”
“Beside me, Katta. Set to operate at required distance from Yemisque. Cleared to ascend.”
Blood on fire, she charged to the weapons’ array luminous and familiar. Reviewing the operational procedures as they floated upwards and gathered speed, she deftly skimmed her fingertips over the practice array. “Battle experience level?”
“Been around the galactic a few rough times, prettiest.”
“Could get tricky and fight-sticky, stallion, if the Ambassador catches us.”
“Exiting atmosphere. Hang on, my Kattalonia.”
Moments later they jumped to half hyper light.
“Lovely ship, stallion. Fancy and fun. I bet you thought I couldn’t resist.”
“You can’t resist me, my woman. Circux messenger on screen.”
“Irresistible stud, how soon before you scan? I can deflect the defense system.”
“No need, prettiest. Energy absorption layer is sufficient. Scan within ten-point, three-point, four-point.”
“Why, you just think of everything a perfect starship needs. And I thought you were just debauchery lunging your way through the cosmos.” Katta flamed her own mind scan toward the robotic Circux messenger craft.
“Hold scan!” Katta latched onto his forearm. “It’s rigged to plasma explode. No data cube. My mind scan!"
“External scan?”
“Quick scan! Locate the nearest debris cover.”
“Invisibility cloak, my Katta. Minimal distance, the Ambassador’s craft isn’t equipped to discover us.”
“And how long have you had this ship?” Katta removed her hand, annoyed because it felt stuck to him.
“Since the age of man-turning, my gift.”
“You indicated it was from profit!”
“I did. Profit provides maintenance, upgrades, my adored woman. Scan initiated. Follow the Ambassador as planned?”
“As planned. It’s not right,” she quietly spoke. “Something is wonky. Corporal instincts.”
“The Ambassador is launched. Heading consistent with Circux messenger. Analyzing scan. Next move?”
“Stay out of sight. Prepare to follow any sudden change in course.”
Chapter Ten
“Katta,” he warned. “Two Harryor enforcement ships on approach for Yemisque. They appear to be laying in wait for the Ambassador.” Zio swiftly adjusted his pulse streams in preparation for their defense.
“Damn the complication. They must have been on lurk mode. If they get their grubby two-fingered paws on the Ambassador, that means no winning dice on retrieving the data cube.” Katta glanced at the three-dimensional readout, recognizing the shape of the Harryor ships, but not the symbols. “Do you have a way to cripple their ships without detection?”
“If they lock on, I can disrupt their force-net then cause a malfunction in the power drive. That will delay their pursuit, my Katta.”
“Yes, that’s my handsome stallion.”
Zio enhanced the invisibility of his ship while soaring toward the Harryor enforcers. “Ambassador is on evasive course,” he reported.
On the main view screen, Katta watched the enforcement ships loom larger as Zio increased their intercept speed. “Your disrupt procedure, handsome?”
“Blue beam frequency, prettiest.”
“Illegal in this sector, stallion. But only results rule.” Katta flicked her gaze toward the panel his fingers hovered over. There was nothing standard about it.
Zio stalked the Harryor ships, after closing in on them. The moment lock-on occurred, he positioned his fingers. Pale blue waves unfurled before them, shooting toward the force-net. At the same time, they zoomed toward the Ambassador, as he closed in on the Circux craft, a small robotic messenger.
Before Katta could blink again, terrible blasts of bluish white flame streamed in two directions. The Circux craft had exploded.
“Booby trap!” Katta shouted. “The Ambassador’s craft is going to blow!”
“Cascade reaction,” Zio agreed.
“Can you pull him out of there?”
“Illegal molecule lock.”
“I won’t tell. Count stars on it.”
Moments later the Ambassador’s craft motion-slow explod
ed in a giant glowing ball of orange and white. He landed on their bridge, on his back, coughing. Katta sprang forward, slamming her hand down on his forehead.
“Brain pain. You know what I can do with fire, Alligator. Where’s my data cube?”
Katta sparked him. He twisted, convulsed. “Sexterminator,” she reminded. Pathetically, he groaned. His whole body quaked.
“Sabotage,” he croaked. “The cube was on the messenger.”
Katta took her hand off his forehead, stepped back. “Who?”
“Spidarr syndicate,” Zio answered. “Their signature is on my external scan of the Circux. Payback, Ambassador? Invade their territory?”
“Spidarrs claimed your world first, Corporal. We got there first.” The Ambassador glanced backwards, his eyes widening at the tiny sparks leaping from Katta’s aimed palm.
“Brain fry,” she snarled. “You have just made me exceptionally unhappy.”
“Take me back, Corporal. I’ll talk.” Hoarsely, he begged.
“Fat lot of nova good that will do me, Alligator. You can’t identify the traitorous worm who has betrayed his own world. My world, you scum reptoid, and my father. I should brain fry you for that alone.” Katta’s glare could have fried him. “Why should I bother? You’re an easy target for termination by whoever the piss-licking betrayer is. Or oops! He escaped. By golly asteroid, how did that happen?”
“Your confession is holo-recorded, Ambassador,” Zio fierce spoke. “I believe that is already acceptable proof.”
“Got something to offer.” He choked out a couple of ragged breaths.
“What? You vile bag of crap.”
“I walked your real traitor's dream once. Energy marked him, similar to how you marked me, Corporal.”
“Where!” Katta ferociously demanded.
“Heart. Wanted to read his heart energy toward us.”
“Why didn’t you locate him?” Katta bounced sparks off the top of his head, searing his hair and hide, just because she could. Quickly, the burn-stench was cleansed from the air.
“I tried.” He didn’t move, despite his smoldering scalp. “But time expired. I had to get the cube, leave.”
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