To Touch the Stars

by Tess Mallory

  Eagle's fingers tightened against each other. Yes, he knew all too well. He had once been a member of that elite corps of assassins. "Tell me, who's running your empire, now, Garnos? You or the Cabinet?"

  Zarn frowned at his use of his first name. "Don't try to use your gift for strategy on me. I need my Cabinet. They help maintain the links between the governments of the worlds under my control. I have placated them by telling them you are in hot pursuit of these rebels and that you will return the child to me within seven solar days."

  Eagle leaned toward the screen, letting his frustration show. "Why do you say it like it's a story you've created? What the hell do you think I'm trying to do?"

  His father stared at him for a long moment without speaking, and once again Eagle felt the subtle shift in the universe around him. He had felt it first with Telles, now with his father. Things were changing but he couldn't understand how, or why.

  "I will be honest with you, Eagle. I am not sure what you are doing. Bring the child to me and then I will be sure."

  "I'm amazed that you can't see what your Cabinet is trying to do by casting suspicion on me," he said, carefully keeping his features taut, his gaze never leaving that of Zarn. "You know I have as many enemies as you, as many who would see me defeated and cast from your side. Divide and conquer, isn't that how the subversives work?" Eagle clenched his jaw, lifting his chin arrogantly. His father appreciated arrogance. "The rebellion gains new converts daily. Only by sticking together may we weather the next tide of dissent when it comes."

  Zarn inclined his head slightly. "You have created the suspicion with your behavior over the last few months. But I was not worried about it at the time because I had a way to restore you to favor. You would be assigned to Station One and when I found the child—I knew I was very close to discovering her—she would be sent to you. You would deliver her to me and in this way you would receive credit for the capture. All is not lost, however. All you have to do is bring her back." His stern face softened, the lines around his lips easing. "Good luck, my son."

  The screen went black and Eagle sagged forward, letting his head rest against the console.

  "You back-stabbing, filth-ridden, zanacle -plagued son of a bitch!"

  Eagle spun around to find Captain Sky glaring at him, hands on her shapely hips, her eyes flashing murderously.

  "Did you hear him, Kell?" She demanded of the man standing behind her.

  "Yes, I heard it all," he said calmly. "As I told you, your sister is still but a child, and her evaluation of human nature is immature at best."

  "I can explain—" Eagle began, only to be cut off by the quick downward thrust of Sky's hand.

  "Shut up! I'm going to take your worthless hide and—"

  A message blared suddenly from the corn unit next to the door. "Captain—incoming message. Highest priority."

  Sky crossed to the unit. "Incoming message? From where?"

  There was a long pause, then T'Varr's voice came back to her, shaken. "From two parsecs away, Captain. But—there's nothing there!"

  Sky didn't hesitate further. She snapped into action and headed through the doorway, tossing orders over her shoulder. "Bring him to the bridge," she ordered. "If Zarn's out there, I'll put a plasma-blaster to his baby boy's head and dare him to fire the first shot."

  "There's nothing there, Captain. And the request for communication has not been repeated."

  Sky spun the command chair around wearily in the direction of her communications officer, T'Varr. She glanced over at Eagle, standing with his arms folded over his broad chest, his legs squarely apart. He gazed out across the bridge as if he owned it. How could she have ever entertained feelings of guilt over violating his mind? The only thing she regretted now was that she hadn't probed him more completely; she might have been able to find vital information about Mayla. The realization that she had violated another person's mind had made her hesitate, and that, combined with her embarrassment over her fantasy—she shook her head physically as if to dispel the thought and tried to focus on her command, her crew.

  She refused—refused—to think about what had happened before she'd realized she was not in one of her own fantasies but in the mind of an intruder. A warm blush stole to her cheeks unbidden as she glanced at Eagle again. This time he met her gaze and she quickly turned away, focusing on the back of T'varr's head and forcing her attention back to the matters at hand. It had to be Zarn. But where was he? They weren't close to any worlds and sensors had picked up no ships in the vicinity. Sky's dormant senses went on instant alert.

  "Run another sensor scan of the immediate area and check for ion emissions, trails, anything," she ordered, leaning forward slightly, her fingers clutching the arms of the chair.

  "I already did. No one is out there, Captain." T'Varr turned and gestured with one hand to the earmike that allowed him to monitor the communications. "I couldn't even trace where the signal was coming from because it broke off before—Wait." His eyes widened and he looked up at Sky, nodding. "He's back. He demands we answer."

  "Who's demanding? Let's see who's so anxious to talk to us. Put it on screen."

  The views ere en, which could be turned off to show real space, or used by the computer to display distant views or visual communications, stretched across the front of the circular bridge, which measured about thirty feet across. Three officers shared the bridge with the captain, each in charge of one of the three main stations—communications/sensor, helm/weapons, and science/navigation. The screen was suddenly illuminated with the four-foot-high image of a man's face, and Sky's palms grew suddenly damp with sweat against the slickness of the chair arm as her worst fears were realized. That face adorned banners and flags in every world in this quadrant: Lord Zarn, ruler of the Dominion. She wasn't in the least surprised.

  Intense green eyes, too much like Eagle's, stared back at her, and Sky took a deep breath, her mind racing. The man was undeniably attractive. He was about sixty years old, the lines of experience graven in his face only adding to the overall appearance of a man of power. His nose was prominent, aristocratic, his eyes deep set and long lashed. His lips curved up in a smile that could only be described as charming.

  Yeah, charming like a snake. Sky couldn't help the slight shiver that danced down her spine as she noted the glint in the eyes of the man who had murdered her parents. Cruel. This man was cruel, evil, depraved. And his son was just like him. She didn't care what Mayla said or what his own thoughts had revealed. Whoever Ranon was or had been, he was dead now. Dead and buried in Eagle's subconscious mind.

  Don't let him see you sweat, she cautioned herself.

  "I am Captain Skyra of the Defiant. Identify yourself and state your business." She was amazed her voice sounded so cool, so calm, when actually she could feel the sweat forming on the soles of her feet inside her boots and a cold bead of perspiration was making its way slowly down the back of her neck.

  "How do you do, Captain Skyra of the Defiant." One side of his mouth lifted a little higher and his eyes mocked her as his feigned courtesy continued. "I am Lord Zarn, ruler of this system. I do beg your pardon for detaining you, but I believe you are in possession of a couple of items that belong to me."

  Sky ran her tongue over her lips before she realized she had done so, and she saw Zarn's gaze quicken with lust. She gritted her teeth. His thoughts were obvious, even without the aid of a mind-probe.

  "I don't know what you're talking about," she said, hating the fear creeping unbidden into her voice. "I'm headed for Canara to take on supplies and give my crew some time off."

  "In need of a little recreation, Captain? Excellent. I myself have grown weary of the heavy weight of authority and responsibility I must carry daily. Perhaps we might mutually ease one another's burdens." Zarn's dark brow rose questioningly even as his lips curved up in sardonic assurance.

  From the corner of her eye Sky saw Eagle's face darken and he took a step forward before catching himself. Interesting. She tossed Z
arn her own arrogant grin. "No thanks. I'm afraid I haven't time. Thanks for calling, drop by if you're ever in the neighborhood, and—"

  "Excuse me, Captain, but I believe you still have two items belonging to me."

  Sky narrowed her eyes and leaned forward, balancing her forearms on her thighs as she clasped her hands together. "I don't think so, unless you've lost a rather smelly cargo of tanusian root, because that's all we're hauling this time around."

  "Please prepare to be boarded."

  The transmission ended abruptly and Sky's feet hit the floor. "Ajax—plot a course out of the quadrant!" She turned and shouted at her navigations officer. "Cordo, prepare to get us the hell out of here."

  She crossed in front of Eagle, ignoring the way his gaze followed her. There was no denying the strength in the determined set of his jaw. His eyes flashed her a look promising—what? Retribution? Revenge? She'd have her own revenge before this day was over.

  "It will take him about five minutes to punch in the commands necessary to punch through your shields," Eagle said. "I suggest we get out of here." Ignoring him, Sky brushed by him and strode to the navigation console, leaning over the helmsman's shoulder. "Have you got us ready, Ajax? Weapons armed?"

  "Ready as we'll ever be," the double-eared Denebian said, his voice filled with doubt.

  "Stand by, Cordo." She straightened and paced the small space between their stations, hands behind her back. "T'Varr, keep your sensors sweeping around us. He's out there somewhere, and I want to know where!"

  "You'll never find him," Eagle said, taking a step forward.

  "I think it's time for you to get off my bridge, space-boy." Sky glanced back over one shoulder. "Where is Kell? You can rot down in cargo until I can think of a less elegant jail for you."

  "You need me up here," he told her.

  "Like hell," She turned on her heel, snapping out orders. "Ready aft phasers, Cordo! Keep the shields at maximum." She paced to the other side of the bridge. "Where the zlaughk is Kell?"

  "Are you out of your mind?" Eagle circled behind the helmsman and grabbed Sky by one arm. He stumbled backward, from weakness or weariness she couldn't tell, but the movement brought her abruptly against him and her arms went around his waist to keep from falling.

  Sky felt as though her body were on fire, burning with a delicious heat that warmed her from the outside in, spreading through every nerve ending touching him, across her breasts, over her stomach and down. She looked up into his eyes and realized with a jolt that her foray into his mind had connected them on a psychic level—not deeply enough to read each other's thoughts, but enough to create an abnormal sensitivity between them. He wanted her. Even as he stood there glaring and hating her, he wanted her. She knew it. And she wanted him. The realization sent a Shockwave through her veins. The doors to the bridge swished open behind her and Kell entered, his tall, lanky form moving quickly to Sky's side. "Let her go at once," he commanded, his hand coming down roughly on Eagle's shoulder.

  "Gladly," Eagle said, dropping his arms from her as though he had been the one burned, though his eyes never shifted from her face. He cleared his throat and ran one hand through his dark hair. For an instant, Sky wanted to follow the gesture with her own fingers. She shook herself mentally and turned her attention to her second in command, hands on her hips.

  "Where have you been?" she snapped at Kell. "Take his jardeesh and put him—"

  "Do that and this tub is going to light up the heavens, and us with it," Eagle said. "Are you threatening me, Colonel?"

  His fists were knotted at his side as he met her gaze squarely. For a scant second she remembered feeling as though she might drown in those green, green eyes. She shook away the fleeting memory. It hadn't been real—that was what she had to remember—it hadn't been real, just a fantasy in their minds, nothing more.

  "Do you really think you can outrun or outfight him?" he demanded. "He'll squash you like an insignificant speck of protoplasm."

  Sky spun away. She stalked over to the command chair and sat down, her face and her thoughts fixed straight ahead. "Not if he thinks I have something he wants, like you. I'm just trying to get some distance so I can put together a plan. I'm wondering—should I offer to give you back simply in return for his promise of a safe escort out of the system, or should I demand a little money as well?" She shot him a derisive look. "You know Daddy best, space-boy. What do you recommend?"

  Eagle moved to stand behind her, his hands resting on the back of her chair. He bent down and Sky stiffened as his lips came dangerously close to her ear. He spoke softly. "I recommend you let someone with a little common sense command this barge. Don't you know that Zarn has cloaking capabilities and that some of his transporters can pierce shields now?"

  Sky felt the blood drain from her face but she didn't move as she shot her scornful reply back to him. "Are you suggesting your father is able to float unseen through space, wait until his unwary victim appears, then slip through a force field like a ghost—with enough men to take over a ship?"

  "I'm not suggesting it, I'm telling you it's a fact. I helped develop both the cloak and the transporter, and if you've got one ounce of intelligence in that pretty little head of yours, you'll listen to me."

  "Don't you dare patronize me, Colonel!" Sky shouted. She took a deep breath, bringing her temper under control before turning to face him. He was still too close but she refused to back down. "Why should I believe you? Why would you want to help us?"

  "Because I have my own reasons for wanting to keep the child away from Zarn."

  Sky gave him a scathing look. "Sure you do. Well, tell me then, what do you suggest we do, surrender? I'm sure that's what you want, Colonel, but I, on the other hand, don't intend to go down without a fight."

  Kell took a step forward. "Maybe you should listen to him, Captain. If Zarn can really do the things he says—"

  "P'tosh!" Sky shouted the curse, swiveling her chair around to face her first officer. "Don't be a fool, Kell. He wants us to believe this nonsense so we'll give up easily." She spun back around. "T'Varr—anything on sensors yet?"

  The officer shook his head, dark eyes fixed on the screen in front of him. "Nothing. I can't even pick up an ion trail. No one is out there."

  "Oh, he's out there all right," Eagle said, leaning close to her again. "If you want to save your hides, I suggest you take evasive action and warp this tub into maximum."

  Sky stood, quickly putting a little distance between them. She would have almost been willing to go down in a sheet of flame from Zarn's phasers rather than do anything this twisted son of a mind stealer suggested. But he was right. She hesitated only another moment before nodding sharply.

  "Cordo, max our warp. Ajax, set our course in an Alpha-Zi pattern and let's get out of here before Daddy dear decides to invite himself to dinner." She glanced back at Eagle, her voice taut. "Any other suggestions, Colonel?"

  "There is an asteroid field not too far from these coordinates. Duck inside and you'll lose him. I happen to know Zarn has a fear of asteroid fields."

  "How human of him," Sky said, hands on her hips. "I happen to have a few qualms myself. However… Ajax?"

  "I know the field," the Denebian said, nodding. "I can do it."

  "Wonderful." Sky turned and faced her prisoner. He stood on the level just above her command chair and she disliked having to look up at him, but she didn't want to be anywhere near him either, so she held her lesser position. "Kell, you have the bridge. Colonel, you will come with me. You have a great deal of explaining to do."

  Eagle's eyes narrowed beneath his dark brows and he folded his arms across his chest, the thick muscles flexing in a defiant kind of body language no one could misinterpret.

  "I'm not the only one, Captain."

  Chapter Six

  Eagle sat in the briefing room, anger rolling over him like an ocean's wave. He was fighting to keep his temper, struggling to be in a level frame of mind when the captain and her minions walked throu
gh those doors in a moment to listen to his demands. And he was suddenly in a position to make them. He knew Zarn, knew his ships, knew what he would likely do next. If Sky and her renegades wanted to stay alive, they'd better damn well listen to him and they knew it.

  He leaned his head against both hands, his elbows propped on the table. He had planned to trick Sky into going to the place he was supposed to meet Telles, or else take the ship and pilot it there himself. Now he had the terrible fear his transmission had given away his friend's position to Zarn. His father might be on his way to find Telles even as Eagle waited for Sky to sashay into the briefing room.

  Eagle pushed himself up from the table and began to pace. Zarn had demanded he recapture the child and bring her to him on Rigel. Then he had turned around and attacked the ship before he could make a move. What else had he said? "You have two items that belong to me." Was it possible he believed the child was aboard the Defiant?

  With the help of her helmsman and navigator, Sky had managed to put some distance between her ship and Zarn's, and with Eagle's direction, the Defiant now lay hidden on a chunk of rock in an asteroid belt light-years away from where Zarn had made contact. Did the Kalimar think his son wouldn't make good on his promise, or had it just been his way of stirring things up on board the rebel ship so that Eagle had some sort of advantage? He stopped pacing. He didn't know what his father was up to, but he intended to find out.

  The doors slid open and Eagle turned, expecting to see Sky flanked by Kell and her security chief Instead, she stood alone just inside the doorway, her cool, turquoise eyes meeting his for only a scant millisecond before she walked crisply across the room and took a seat at the long oblong table. Suddenly it all rushed up at him: Her ruthless capture of him, the threat of the mind-probe, the waiting for the needle to pierce his brain, the violation of his mind. No, he wasn't going to tell her anything, not until he gave some kind of vent to the rage tearing him apart inside. Zarn might find them—at the moment he didn't give a damn. This woman had scarred him, and he wanted some kind of payment, some kind of revenge.