by Celeste Raye
The heart beneath her head beat faster. Her dragon was awake. She turned her head and kissed the tattoo she loved so much.
"You're purring, baby," he said as he stroked her bare bottom. "Are you content and happy?"
"I am. You have that effect on me," she answered. "Let's stay like this forever."
"I wish we could. I would keep you locked up with me forever, making love constantly if that was an option. However, that isn't possible. Torbin will be here soon, and we must finish scouring the rooms for treasures before he arrives. If his men find gold or jewelry we haven't added to the pile, he'll swear we were intending to keep it for ourselves. Punishment would be swift. So, sweet girl, we must rise immediately."
"How do you know he's coming today?" she asked. "You said communications didn't work out here."
"Word will have reached him of yesterday's encounter. No one, including what law enforcement there is on Delti Utopia 6, cares that two derelicts were killed, but they do expect a pirate leader to question the man who committed the act. It is an unspoken contract between the two sides of this world. Law enforcement turns a blind eye to theft from tourists or visitors as long as the pirate captains control their crews and leave those who reside here permanently alone," Tann told her.
"What will he do to you?"
"Nothing. He may laugh merrily when he gets the full story. He won't punish me. You see, pirates take from tourists, space stations, and ships. The banished derelicts scavenge what they can from the pirates. So, I removed some of his pests which will make him happy. In essence, I did him a favor. Now, get up, before we start something I would need hours to finish."
"Yes, boss," she laughed, rising from his chest. "We have to check on Tika anyway."
"Ah, you've been worrying about her. You needn't have. I should have told you. The weapons never touched her. I would have known, even in the state I was in. She was only exhausted from the ordeal and the energy it takes to fly for the first time. That's why I ordered her to eat."
"Won't she wonder what happened to us?" Mariana asked.
"She may be a child, but she was aware of our emotions. She knows exactly what happened here. She's less naive than you," he declared. "Gather your belongings. Find a bag of some kind to store it all and write your name on it. Bring it to the control room. Tika and I will do the same. Torbin will search them for booty, but he will honor our right to keep them. The others will run through this ship like ants to gather what they desire, and he will claim the captain's cabin."
Bags in hand, the trio returned to the control room. Mariana's drawstring pouch held the last of the coins and jewelry they'd found. Tika had been discovered in her cabin, eating canned fruit and grinning, when they'd left their sanctuary. She was perfectly fine and just as Tann had told Mariana, she knew what had transpired between them. Even now the mischievous grin remained.
"It's about time ya showed up," Torbin announced when they entered the control room. "Ya almost left me waitin' too long for your own good. I guess ya can be forgiven since ya appear to be bringin' my treasure."
Mariana's hand shook as she poured the contents of the drawstring bag onto the pile already there, making it grow considerably. "That's the last of it," she stuttered. "Oh, except for the captain's cabin. We never went in it."
"Tann's trainin' you right. Just in case, I'll be searchin' them bags. First, we've got issues to address. Heard tell you killed some men yesterday, my boy. Explain yourself," Torbin demanded.
"It's simple. They tried to take Mariana, and I stopped them. Case closed."
"Word was, they were incinerated by one dragon and another one attacked the rest."
"True enough," Tann admitted. "I was in dragon form. The child, Tika, is Naga. I was teaching her to fly. She was the other dragon they spoke of."
"Well, that's an interestin' turn of events. Two Naga in one pirate crew. I'll certainly find a way to use that to my advantage. Come here, Mariana. Let me see what damage the reprobates did to my merchandise."
Mariana felt Tann tense and his anxiety rise. She shook her head at him in warning. She didn't want Torbin to learn of their relationship. He'd find a way to use it, like everything else. Head held high, she used her newfound courage to walk up to the pirate.
"Ya sure look different than the last time I saw ya. Cleanin' up did ya some good. You're a beauty. The clothes don't do much for ya, though," he said, taking note of the ragged camouflage pants and oversized shirt. "I can fix that. Bruises need some healin' or, maybe old Lolita can cover 'em up with somethin'. Where else ya got 'em?"
"My legs mostly, and one across my belly," Mariana answered.
"Ah, well, they got a few days to fade. I can't get back into the big house before the weekend anyhow. The little dragon ain't allowed in at all. I tried, but no go. So, she can pickpockets in the market for her keep. She better not hold out on me though."
"One coin out of every four is hers to keep; isn't that your usual arrangement?" Tann asked through gritted teeth. "In turn, we keep her safe."
Torbin eyed him speculatively. "I suppose I'll stick with the usual, seeing as she's special. Ya took her under your wing for teachin', I guess." He laughed uproariously at his own joke. "Ya get it, boy. Under your wing and you’re a dragon."
"I get it," he said without laughing. "The answer is yes. She's my ward, and I'm training her."
"Then, she can stay with ya while ya conclude my business. I expect both of ya back in the city in three days. I sold the cargo, and you're to deliver it. It goes to a space station: Alpha Beta. If ya leave tonight, ya can be back on time. I know exactly how much gold you'll be gettin', so count it. The girl goes with me, for some trainin' of her own."
"No!" Tann barked. "She goes with me, and I'll deliver her with your gold. The bruises will fade by then."
"It ain't negotiable, boy. She leaves here with me, ya deliver the goods, and bring me the gold. Ya caused me enough trouble and grief as it is. Penance has to be paid, and ya haven't finished it yet. Argue or disobey, and ya might as well join the derelicts. Ya understand?"
"It's clear," Tann ground out.
"The girl needs our tattoo anyway. That needs time to heal too. It's a pity to mark that porcelain skin, but we have to claim her," Torbin declared, sneering at Tann's anger. "The hair has to be changed too now that she's a fugitive. That's right, girl. I know who ya are and where ya came from. I read the description and figured it out right quick. There's a bounty on your head, but it don't interest me none. You’re my possession now, not that alien's slave. We'll hide ya in plain sight. Cut your hair, dye it black, and dress ya in style. Ya won't match the description at all. I'll get more gold with you stealin' than any bounty."
Mariana saw the movement of Tann's cheek. He was grinding his teeth. An explosion was about to erupt, and she had to stop it. He wouldn't win a fight against the twenty men with Torbin, not in man's form. As he'd explained to Tika, the area inside the ship was too tight to transform without injury.
"It's okay, Tann. Torbin's mark is necessary for my safety. It's best to get it now, while the bruises heal too. I came here to be a pirate, remember? He's making my dream come true. Thank you for teaching me the rules," she calmly stated. Hopefully, he understood what she was trying to convey. She didn't want him to fight. She'd manage to protect herself from Torbin and as his property, he'd protect her from other pirates and anyone who wanted to claim the bounty. She wasn't going back to be sold, not ever. She'd make this life work for her.
Tann nodded, tersely. "Use what you've learned. Torbin's mark will protect you, as will our connection."
"What connection?" Torbin immediately asked.
"Our connection as a crew, Torbin. We stand against all others, do we not?" Tann answered, though that wasn't the connection he'd meant and Mariana knew it.
"True," Torbin replied. "His teachin' never ends, does it, girl? I'll search the bags now. Men, go have some fun. There's a ship to be looted."
With the bags searche
d and the ship ransacked, it was time to go. Tann and Mariana hadn't gotten a chance to say goodbye or have any conversation at all. Torbin was there every moment, and they couldn't risk giving anything away. They relied on their connection and instincts to read what the other was feeling. Tann was angry and torn apart inside. Mariana could sense his emotions. She didn't exactly feel thrilled to be leaving without him, but determination surpassed her anxiety. She sent out vibes to reassure him that she was strong enough for this. She could be a pirate yet remain his sweet baby. At this moment, there was no other choice. They were at Torbin's mercy. He had all the leverage. Guns and lasers could kill a dragon the same as a human. Torbin could hand her over to the authorities any time he wished and take the bounty. Tika could be dumped among the derelicts and be destroyed within minutes. So, obedience and patience were the only correct moves.
There was more inside Tann's head that he wouldn't allow her to know. She could feel that too. It was a big portion of who he was and it hurt that she couldn't reach it, that he didn't trust her with it. She desperately needed a hug goodbye, to feel his heart under her hand, and to kiss the dragon tattooed over that beat. It was denied to her. The best she could accomplish was syncing her heart and breath with his, to make him understand that she knew where she really belonged.
Tika cried. She did so for them all. Only the child was allowed to show true emotions without suspicion. It was the only advantage she possessed.
Chapter Twelve
Tann
During the trip to Alpha Beta, Tann had plenty of time to think and regret. The small crew Torbin had lent him, not just to operate the ship, but to keep an eye on Tann, never said much. They resented being under the command of someone Torbin didn't fully trust. They left him to stew in his own thoughts, of which he had thousands.
This trip was the one that could cost Torbin's gang prison time. The technology was worth more than all the years he'd been in business. All Tann needed to do was set up a sting. Sending an encrypted message to the authorities would be so simple. He'd be done with the undercover work and could move on to bigger things, including a promotion. However, turning in Torbin would also mean trouble for Mariana. As part of the crew, she would be arrested. There was no denying her loyalty to Torbin once she wore the damning tattoo. If, by chance, Torbin was able to evade the authorities she would be in danger from him. The easiest and most logical to blame for the leak in plans were the newest members. Tann would be out of his reach and so would Tika. That left Mariana to be punished for it, even though she knew nothing and was innocent.
Either he ignored his duty and let Torbin continue his raiding, which would carry the stigma of treason, or he betrayed Mariana, his soulmate. Both of them would be broken and alone, but she would suffer a worse fate. The freedom she had risked escaping for would forever be out of her reach. She would never believe in love or trust again if she survived at all.
Tika wouldn't forgive him either. She'd run as far away as she could, right into more danger with no one to protect her.
How could he decide right from wrong in this situation? Was there such a thing? Evil and wrongdoing were supposed to be punished. He was the law and had sworn to that duty. He'd volunteered for this assignment to remove one more band of outlaws. However, Mariana wasn't a part of the original deal, and she hadn't done anything illegal as of yet, except for running away from slavery. That was an issue he would handle later. To him, it was something that could easily be ignored and forgiven. The buying and selling of humans was definitely wrong in his eyes. The fact that most slaves sold themselves in the first place, just to have food and a roof over their heads, made it even more distasteful. Slavery had been abolished hundreds of years ago, so how had they managed to take a step backward in time? It was insanity.
Procrastination and confusion made the decision for him. He'd waited too late to send the message. His ship was within hours of arriving at the space station, so there was no time to set up a sting. He could definitely alert the authorities at Alpha Beta, be arrested along with the crew, and sort things out about his assignment later, but that would include Tika being put in a home for orphans or slipping into slavery. Mariana would still be in Torbin's evil hands as well. No, that was not an option.
Tann was overly alert as he landed. Torbin had set up this transaction, and he didn't trust the man not to set him up. For all he knew, there would be law enforcement waiting to arrest him, other pirates to kill him, or thieves bent on taking the technology without payment. He couldn't even count on the crew to protect him or Tika. Their loyalty was with Torbin. He was basically on his own.
Before he disembarked and faced whatever was waiting on the dock, Tann checked his hidden weapons. The thin laser was in his waistband, the gun was in his right boot, and knives were in the left boot and all three pockets of the cargo pants he'd confiscated from one of the cabins. He had excellent aim with all of the weapons and was one of the fastest of the space force. If he was going to be a pirate, he was determined to be the best.
There were men waiting, though not the type he'd expected. They wore expensive suits instead of pirate's rags or the white jumpsuits depicting those in technology, and they were human. Alpha Beta wasn't a human space station. He stared at them with surprise and wariness. They did the same. Maybe, they had been expecting Torbin, or they sensed he was Naga, who didn't usually lower themselves to piracy.
"You are not Torbin nor his second-in-command," the white-haired one announced as if Tann didn't already know that. "We don't know you. We only work with those we trust. This is irregular, to say the least. Who in the blazes are you?"
"My name is Tann. Torbin sent me to deliver the goods. That's all I know. He never said you had to meet directly with him. Give me the agreed upon gold, and I'll hand over the technology. Whatever deal you made with Torbin doesn't concern me."
"We can't trust you. You're not who we expected or normally do business with. This could be a trap," a short, fat man replied.
"No shit. You're not who I expected either, so Torbin put us in the same boat," Tann shot back.
A COM link buzzed and the white-haired man went to reach into his suit pocket.
"Careful, mister. Use two fingers and move slowly. I don't want a gun fight. You wouldn't win," Tann calmly ordered.
Keeping his eyes locked on Tann, the man removed his COM link. It was larger than most, thus the pocket storage instead of his wrist. A face appeared on the screen as he answered, "Torbin, what is this? Are you trying to cheat us? Who is this man?"
"He's one of mine. Check the tattoo. Ya can trust him not to cheat ya. He has a lot at stake over this deal. I have someone he don't want harmed, and he owes me."
"Our arrangement has always been to meet you or your second-in-command face to face. You have broken our trust."
"Not true," Torbin retorted, "You’re lookin' at my face right now. This shipment was too dicey for my taste. It was too tempting for ya to betray me, so I couldn't risk an appearance. Deal with Tann or the shipment returns for another buyer. My men have orders to shoot to kill if the need arises. Just because I'm an uneducated pirate, it don't mean I'm a fool."
Tann was learning a lot more than he'd bargained for by listening to the debate. Perhaps his inability to make the choice on who to betray had been a good thing. Torbin had dealt with these men before, which was a shock considering they handled high-end merchandise that Tann hadn't known Torbin usually had access to. It helped explain his full pockets. These supposedly upstanding citizens were into stolen merchandise. That could be something worth investigating, much bigger than Torbin and the pirates.
"We have men watching who carry weapons as well," the man declared with anger.
"I expected no less. You're not fools any more than me. So, it's a standoff. Get it done and no one will be the wiser."
"Show us the merchandise and prove that it works."
"The Naga will as soon as ya produce the gold and he verifies it's real and the amount w
e agreed to. Let me speak to him," Torbin commanded.
"Why didn't you give me a heads up, Torbin?" Tann demanded. "You threw me into the lion's den without so much as a warning. Were you hoping they'd shoot me on sight?"
"They're too civilized for that. Ya didn't need to know nothing. This was sort of a test. So far, ya passed, and it better continue. Don't forget, I've got the girl, and I think ya grew a bit fond of her."
"What do you want? How do you want this handled?" He refused to let Torbin bluff him into confirming his suspicions.
"One man, the fat one, goes inside to check the technology, but only after ya weigh the gold and test it for purity. Search him for weapons. He hides 'em in strange places. My men know where. Three guards go with him, and ya stand watch over the gold and them others. Take off as soon as the switch is made. Don't trust 'em."
"I don't trust anyone, including you," Tann dared reply.
"You're learnin'," Torbin answered.
Tann gave the COM link back and demanded, "Let's see the gold."
Reluctantly, the man motioned toward another ship docked a short distance away. Down its ramp came carts filled with bags. Tann realized Torbin wasn't dealing with coins or even gold nuggets. By the shape of the bags, he knew they held gold bars, usually only seen in the treasury departments of the known inhabited planets. Something really big was going on, more than the space force had bargained for.
It took more than an hour to count the bars and test each one. There was no way Tann was falling for a trick where only the top bars were real. Once done, the authenticity confirmed, he allowed the fat man to be searched and escorted inside. He prayed Tika had obeyed him and was locked safely in her cabin.