Knight in Shining Alien?: Athrian Warriors Book One

by Ginger Branch

  Not even thirty seconds later, they were striding onto the bridge and Hailey was calling for Loku. Loku took one look at her face, stopped what he originally was going to say, and instead asked, “How may I help you, Hailey?”

  “I need to know who can tell me how to use the bond that Jarrek and I share. I need him to stop his bone-headed move and get his ass back onboard this ship.” Hailey told Loku, for now skipping over their earlier scene in an effort to concentrate on what was more important. Saving Jarrek’s very sexy behind.

  “I can tell you what my father told me. We have mayhap a handful of men that could describe the use of the bond. If you will give me three minutes, I will have them come to the war room. While we wait, perhaps you will do me the courtesy of telling me what has happened?” Loku was happy that she was not tearing into him over their earlier meeting, but he was still the First Officer and in charge of this ship in Jarrek’s absence. He led Hailey and Sidhawk towards the war room while he gestured for his aid to send out the necessary messages to the older crewmembers.

  Sidhawk stepped up and answered the questions Loku had. “Hailey has spoken to the Goddess, who has assured her that she and Jarrek are meant to be together, however, Jarrek is in danger and if Hailey cannot figure out how to work the bond, so that Jarrek is aware that she is willing to accept him and their bond, Jarrek will succeed in getting Varill to kill him.”

  “The Goddess spoke to Hailey? That is amazing!” Loku exclaimed and then the rest of what Sidhawk said kicked in. “I knew that no good cruvek was going to do something stupid.” He growled.

  “Yes, Loku, we can all growl at him later. Tell me quickly what your daddy told you.” Hailey said and rolled her eyes at him, before taking Jarrek’s seat at the table.

  “Well my father did not tell me much. He only said that if I were ever lucky enough to find a Cordisa, I was to close my eyes and think of her, all that we are to each other. We are essentially the same person through the bond and it should not be a struggle to understand the other half of ourselves.” Loku told her.

  “Save me from existential garbage please. I need clear and precise instructions. I don’t speak woo-woo.” Hailey snarked to Loku, and wondered why did the damn instructions to stuff that was really, really important have to come wrapped in nonsense or mystic haiku crap?

  “I do not know the language woo-woo, so was not speaking it. What did you mean by that, Hailey?” Loku asked, as confused as others by her weird speech.

  “I meant that I don’t understand the instructions Loku. Can you please explain it to me again, in a way that I can understand it?” Hailey explained, not even bothering to explain what she really meant. Now was not the time for the language issue to crop up. She had to save Jarrek. She was starting to get a horrible feeling in her gut.

  Loku was about to try again, when the chime sounded for entry. Giving permission, he welcomed the warriors and asked them to take a seat. “Briefly, as we are short on time I will say that the woman seated with us is Jarrek’s Cordisa and they have just bonded a couple of hours ago. The Goddess has spoken with Hailey and let her know that Jarrek is in trouble and about to get himself killed. She is looking for information on how to work their bond so that Jarrek knows to come back to the ship immediately as Hailey does love him and will accept the bond. We need any information that you can give to us on how that this can be accomplished quickly. Did I miss anything Hailey, or is there anything you wish to add about the situation at hand?” Loku asked turning to her.

  “No Loku, I believe that sums it up. I will need you to be very specific with me on how to reach the bond. Cryptic information is a waste of my time and not something I am willing to try to deal with.” Hailey told the waiting men.

  They all looked to each other for a moment and then turned back to her and said the same thing at the same time. “Just close your eyes and think of your bonded mate.”

  “Seriously? Just close my eyes and think of Jarrek?” Hailey tried to verify with them. It sounded too simple. She didn’t want mystic woo-woo crap, but thought it would be a little harder than that.

  “I am not sure you understand exactly what a bond entails, Your Highness. You and Jarrek are now one. The same person, but separate. You should be able to feel what he feels, experience what he does, and know what is around him and how to change it. It is the same with him. He should know how you feel, what is going on around you and what he needs to do to change it or fix it, if it requires fixing. However, if he is being hurt or tortured, he may try to keep you out. Not that he will be successful, but he can limit you somewhat on the access side. You just have to be more determined.” Calmron B’el Sassony tried to explain the bond to her in a way that he hoped she would understand.

  “Oh determination won’t be a problem. I was told by the Goddess that I need to let him know that I accept him or he will get himself killed.” Hailey said in a dry tone of voice. That caused all of the warriors to murmur their astonishment that she had met the Goddess. Hailey didn’t understand what the big deal was.

  “Well everyone needs to pipe down. I am going to try to let him know right now.” Hailey said as she called for quiet. She mentally crossed her fingers and tried to reach Jarrek. Thinking of the way his skin felt against hers. How warm it was and the delicious sent of his skin when he surrounded her with his body. The drugging influence of his kiss and the way she felt as he filled her with his cock. Feeling the tingle begin to cover her skin, she knew somehow that it was working. She was reaching him on a level she never knew could exist between a couple. She tried to sink into his body and be Jarrek, so that she could perhaps slip inside his mind and he could absorb the love she felt for him. The conversation she had had with the Goddess, and that she really wanted him to come back to her. Except, she found pain, broken ribs and a scream of “NO!”, ringing in her head, before everything leading up to that moment, just seemed to rewind and show her in fast forward what had occurred.

  15.

  A Little Torture

  “Ahh, Jarrek. My very old friend. How wonderful it is to see you again. I must say that you are looking much better than the last time I saw you. You are so much prettier when the black and purple starts showing on your skin. I really have to work on your ugly face though. It just begs me for correction. Every time we talk I mean to get started on that, but you look so good in purple, I start with that. My guards have done us both a favor, would not you agree?” Varill questioned after walking around Jarrek and checking the lovely work his guards did. He gestured for a couple of guards to pick him so that he could look Jarrek in his swollen, purple and black eyes. “Where is my pet? Have you brought back my property?”

  Jarrek spit blood at Varill. He hoped that his men could hear that he was a captive and had already left with his daughter, brother and the poor other woman they found. “You will never have my Cordisa Varill. I will see you dead first.”

  Varill just licked at the blood and enjoyed it. Chuckling a little, he said, “Oh Jarrek, such a manly cliché, how droll. You must have something better than that. Perhaps I should have my men bring your lovely brother in here with us. He has not been as abused as the others with him have, but I have helped him look better. Shall I give you matching looks? No, that would not work on your face. I really must go with the original work I think will make you the most beautiful. But perhaps your brother will help you find your tongue to answer my questions without all of the posturing, hmm?” Varill asked.

  “You would have a hard time producing him Varill, as you have been quite lax in your security. There has been no one to challenge me when I came to remove my brother and daughter from your tender care. I have come and gone three times since we last spoke.” Jarrek taunted Varill.

  Varill screamed for his guards to verify the veracity of Jarrek's claims, but already could tell that he spoke the truth.

  “Dammit, Jarrek. I will rain fire on your ship and kill all aboard. Those who do not perish in the first wave will wish they had when
I let my guard have them. I may have been lax in my security and should have anticipated that you would try to rescue your brother, but we have recently found such entertaining vids from my pet's home planet, I was a little distracted. The kind that shows how we can penetrate our enemy's with our shafts while simultaneously causing the maximum amount of pain and anguish to bring our hormones to peak. We may even be able to produce females of our kind again. I will be lauded, heralded with the resurrection of our race. First, though I have to get enough of my own young ready. Once I have my own army, dedicated to me only, and not the crown of Yurzzat. I will return and crown myself King. We will conquer my little pet's planet and keep the females for breeding and the men to satisfy our need for pain and humiliation to keep our hormones at peak.”

  Varill began pulling out his knives and laser cutters, in preparation of making Jarrek more beautiful, before he sent him to meet his creators. Walking over to Jarrek, he carefully made his first cut to his face. Precision was key to creating perfection.

  “Lurzar here has been telling me the most amazing tale. That the females of their kind can also be used to torture and penetrate, but that they carry their young inside them and not in eggs. He is working on a female to see if that is true and if he can impregnate her. We will see if she can carry our young. If it is successful, I may just take up residence on my Pet's planet and make it my world entirely. I could create a planet of children dedicated to my rule and me. With my trusted guard and Second here to help me create more females of our kind, we could repopulate the race that you and yours have decimated. Why, do you know that we are a race of practically nothing? We have five such ships like my own here and only the rulers of my planet left and they are cryogenically frozen to preserve the leadership of our people.” Varill relayed to Jarrek as he kept his cuts slow and steady.

  He wanted to make sure that he got deep enough to really make the changes stick. Varill would have to make sure Jarrek healed with the perfection that he was creating before sending him to his death. He wanted to make sure that Jarrek looked his best for the ridiculous female they worshiped.

  “You know my friend; I can already see some improvement to your face. I really feel that you are going to look just perfect when I am through. Let us take a small break and perhaps discuss where my pet is and what you have done while you were on my ship these three different times as you have stated.” Varill asked as his guard came back with the knowledge that Kirrek and the daughter were indeed gone. It seems Jarrek had also managed to take Lurzar's playmate, who was being informed of that fact now. “I have been informed of your brother's rescue along with my second’s female. Perhaps you can save yourself some pain by telling us where they are?” Varill stepped back as Lurzar came up to Jarrek.

  “Where my toy? Want my experiment back now!” Lurzar managed to grit through the slit of his mouth.

  “I would never return a female to your care. I would not even give you a luzarian worm. They are far away from you and that is all that matters. I have ships headed this way to join me in blowing you to hell.” Jarrek managed to get out from behind a clenched jaw. His teeth were in danger of shattering, so tight a hold did he have on them. They would have to work harder if they wanted him to scream out his pain.

  “Perhaps I can help convince you to return what belongs to me. I have watched many of the vids that they have on the little white marble, and they have practices in pain there that are very much to my liking. I think I will share some of them with you.” Lurzar promised him. Looking for permission from Varill, who nodded and sat back in his seat to watch the coming show, his shaft already rising in anticipation.

  “Yes, my new King likes that idea very much.” Lurzar said and turned Jarrek's head to show him Varill's rising shaft. Stepping back he removed his clothing and walked casually over to the instruments lined up for Varill's use in making Jarrek's new face. “Let us start by removing some of your pretty red skin, and then I will break a few bones and sink my shaft inside you. You may not enjoy this, but we will I assure you. Perhaps his Majesty will avail himself of your body as well. Would not that be nice?”

  No! That was the only word screaming inside his head. Perhaps he was hasty in wanting Varill to kill him. His body began to tingle and he felt relieved all of the sudden. Closing his eyes, he allowed himself to sink inside his body to figure out what was going on and found himself with his Cordisa in the Goddesses’ chapel. He felt her confusion and love for him and was so happy to know that she did love him. Jarrek watched as the Goddess came alive and spoke with her, Holy Goddess above! They were beyond blessed that she had come to them. Hailey was going to accept their bond; she just had to save him from being an idiot. Jarrek watched as Hailey spoke to Loku and some of his other warriors about how to work the bond and her relief that she was able to reach him.

  “Too late, my love. I am sorry that I failed you, failed to give you time and a choice. I wish that I could escape and come back to you, but they have found a way to kill my symbiot’s ability to morph away from here. I am too late; I love you and will see you on the other side when it is your time to come join me. Please let our daughter know of the love that we have for one another and her.” Jarrek pushed his thoughts and feelings to her along their bond. He ignored all that was being done to the outside of his body; it no longer mattered what they did, he was about to join the Goddess and if she allowed it, watch and protect Hailey and their daughter.

  16.

  To Save a Corduva

  Marthos had just completed his secondary mission and was heading back to the ship when he ran into Bruthus and Rometho. Each signaled the completion of their missions and were turning back to the ship when Jarrek’s comm engaged and they listened to his capture and beating. They all raced back to the ship to see if the others heard the capture as well and to come up with a plan.

  There they found a controlled type of chaos as Sameth worked to save the small little female. She looked as though she came from the same marble that Hailey had, but her body painted a clear picture that she was not left unaware of the things happening to her, nor was she spared their torture. She was missing skin from her breasts, stomach and thighs from what they could see. She was not as lush and round as Hailey and her skin was not as dark. In fact she looked almost translucent her skin was so fair. Her black hair did not help darken her skin. The small female had her hair shorn to her head in a spiky style and they wondered if the Krakill had cut her hair off as part of their torture. They felt horrible and said a prayer to the Goddess to watch over the little one.

  “Did you hear the Commander’s capture?” Marthos asked into the frenzy.

  “Yes. Shemrick and I were just discussing what we should do, if anything.” Heathrick replied still watching over the small little female he had saved.

  “I was charged with returning Kirrek and the Commander’s daughter back to the ship with all haste if something should happen to him. I just wondered if we should leave a volunteer behind to rescue him if there is an opportunity.” Marthos said looking around at each face.

  Hearing a sound back at the entrance hatch, they all froze and pulled their weapons. Bruthus and Rometho going back the way they came. Seeing Darthos they let out a breath and released the tension that had turned their bodies into killing machines. They saw the state he was in, turned, and led the way back into the medical bay, re-sheathing weapons as they walked. They knew that he would have to wait for medical attention, but they could get him strapped to a berth and ready him for Sameth’s attention.

  They should have brought another medical officer with them. Sameth was only one person and with the little human, Kirrek and now Darthos injured and needing attention, he would need a few extra hands. Fortunately, although they were both severely injured, they were not in danger of dying and Sameth could spend all of his energies on saving the female.

  When the other warrior’s did not hear fighting but instead them returning back to medical they wondered what is was they had heard
before Darthos came into view, slowly dragging his battered body into medical. Marthos turned to Bruthus and said, “I believe that you should get us out of here, Captain. We must return to the ship in all haste. I want our Princess safe and the small female may need more attention than Sameth will be able to provide on the small amount of medical supplies that we have. I am charged with their safety and have agreed to follow his directive.” Marthos hoped he was up to the challenge that Jarrek had given to him. Kirrek would probably be the hardest to convince.

  Bruthus looked at Marthos, not really surprised by his Commander’s directive. When you were lucky enough to find your Cordisa you made plans for every contingency. Taking one last look at the small female who continued to capture his attention, he went to get them back to the Sh’dow al D’th. “Poor little thing, Goddess protect and watch over her.” Bruthus prayed as he took his seat and began his stealth maneuvers to get them back home.