“I’m with you.” Smith nodded. “I hope you know what you’re doing.”
“So do I. All I know is if we want to live, we better be on the planet and dug in like ticks. At least if we’re quarantined on the surface, we’ll have what we need to survive.”
Chapter Eleven
Melissa glanced around the bay. Wall to wall, they’d packed it as tight as it would go with the Genesis II’s crew. Short of evicting the animals, there wasn’t any other place to put them. However, that wasn’t the biggest issue. The extra passengers were taxing the fuel and oxygen reserves.
Around the bay, several arguments progressed over things as simple as the color of someone’s blanket. Melissa elbowed Frank. He glanced over to where two men shoved one another.
“On it.” He went in one direction to break up that fight before it escalated and she went the other way to deal with the women yanking hair over a blue blanket. She hadn’t expected to be babysitting up here. They acted like animals.
“Stop it.” Melissa snatched the blanket away. The women turned and quickly sank to the floor when they saw who’d taken it. “Keep it together.”
“I saw it first.”
Melissa grabbed another blanket off a cart and tossed it to one of the women. “There’s nothing wrong with the green one.”
The woman glanced down at the blanket in her hands and then back up, a scowl on her face. Melissa pulled her lips back and growled. The woman ducked her head down and looked at the floor. “The green’s fine, Captain.”
“I know it is. One more fight and I’m locking you up in one of the cages.” Melissa spun on her heel and headed for another altercation. This time it was over who got the corner. A freaking corner of a damned cargo hold. Territorial, much? This was asinine. “Enough! Both of you, out of that space.” Both males slunk away. If they’d had tails, Melissa was certain they’d be tucked between their legs.
She reached up and rubbed her forehead. It was beginning to throb. “How am I supposed to fly the damned ship when I’m chasing off after them like a kindergarten teacher?” Melissa surveyed the hold. Shock had set in. It was a good thing. There was no other way she could possibly handle this. When they got to the surface, she’d grieve. She’d find a dark room, lock herself away, cry, and drink that bottle of rum until she was no longer cared. But right now, she didn’t have time for a single tear; life demanded her attention.
She’d need more than one bottle of rum at this rate. “You’re going to owe me big-time for this, Kaleb Titan,” she muttered as she eyed another impending argument and headed for it. “No. Goddamn it! That equipment is delicate.”
The woman and man moved away from the cryo-cell, clothes disheveled. No, she’d been wrong. Arguing wasn’t what they had planned. Melissa shoved her hands into her hair and groaned.
Frank came up behind her. “They think you’re alpha. They’re following some kind of an instinctual pack creed, and congratulations—it appears you’re top dog.”
Melissa gave him a wry smile. “Or top bitch. That’s what I feel like right now. I’ve been doing nothing but breaking up petty arguments and sexual flings in the last hour. I need to get back up on deck and check our fuel supply. I don’t have time for this. I can’t be both here and there.”
“Look, we know what we’re infected with, they don’t. If some kind of primitive pecking order has kicked in, I suggest we use it to our advantage.”
Melissa nodded. “An excellent idea, Frank. Pick out the natural leaders. We’ll set up packs.” Melissa plucked his sleeve. “Starting with you. How’d you like to be second in command?”
Frank snorted. “I have enough of a problem taking care of myself. I’m sure there are others that will be happy to jump right in.” He pointed at a particularly large man with his arms crossed over his chest, glaring at them. “Look at that fine, smiling fellow.”
“No need to argue. You’ve been volunteered.” Melissa slapped him on the back. She glanced over at a couple of enlisted female soldiers who were sending heated looks Frank’s way. “Start putting your group together. Those two look like they’re dying to be in your pack.”
“I don’t know the first thing about babysitting.”
“I need your help, Frank.” She tried to smile, but it wouldn’t come. “I’ve had a really bad day and I’m having a hard time keeping it together. Please.”
He frowned. “There’s something you’re not telling me?”
Melissa nodded. “They killed my sister. She was a member of your command crew—a communications officer.” Tears filled her eyes. “The last thing I need to do is get emotional about this right now. I can’t. I need your help. I have to keep my focus on landing this ship and getting the crew safely on the planet. I can’t take any more stress.”
“Shit. I’m sorry. I didn’t know.” Frank reached for her.
Melissa raised her hand. “Please. Just put the packs together. If it works, it might save us all. I don’t know how much longer before I have to land this vessel. The more organized and under control they are when we hit the planet, the better.”
“Aye, Alpha,” Frank said. He saluted.
***
“Captain James, do you copy?”
The com remained dead. Kaleb tapped it with his finger. “Captain Bryant James, this is Colonel Titan. Do you copy?” Nothing. He glanced at Jessica and shook his head. “I’m not getting through. I don’t know if there’s something wrong with the com down here or if something else is going on. The transmitter says his shuttle is this way.”
The humidity clung to his skin and hair, forming water droplets as though he stood under a shower. The mist floated hip level from the ground in clouds of moisture so thick, he could reach out and squeeze it from the air.
“Then we’ll go that way.” Jessica switched her weapon to the kill setting and slung the strap over her shoulder. She brushed the hair clinging to her forehead aside and reached behind her to twist and knot it off her neck. Once satisfied it was out of the way, she lifted her weapon to ready and started into the forest and toward where the scanner indicated Captain James had landed. “You coming?”
“Yeah.” He stared at the nape of her neck. Vibrations of lust hummed through his body. The need to come up behind her and nip the delicate skin, taste her, feel the heat of her body against his naked flesh, was all but overwhelming. However, now was not the time, nor the place.
Someone needed to tell that to the animal inside.
Ever since he’d set his feet on the planet’s soil, his inner wolf had come alive, demanding to run, demanding he set the beast free to see where it would take him. Kaleb reined in the urge and focused on the forest around him. “Describe what these hives look like.” He kept his voice to a whisper, knowing she’d have no problem hearing him.
“They’re about twelve feet tall and about as wide, spherical with a paper-like husk and similar to a wasp’s nest.” She stopped and cocked her head. “Do you hear that?”
He nodded. It sounded like breathing. At first he’d mistaken it for the wind, but no air moved around them. The farther into the forest they went, the louder it became, accompanied by the sounds of hundreds of heartbeats pounding like primitive drums. “We’re close.”
Jessica raised her hand, signaling him to stop. She nodded toward a break in the vegetation and lifted her weapon. Clouds of steam and humidity twisted in front of them, dancing like specters. He narrowed his gaze and the outline of a shuttle took shape. He pointed to his eyes, then at Captain James’s shuttle, and signaled he was boarding alone.
Jessica shook her head and pointed at herself, him, and then the shuttle.
Kaleb scowled and shook his head. He pointed at his chest and back at the shuttle, at her and the ground where he was standing. Like hell she was going to board the shuttle with him. If they’d gotten Captain James, they still might be in there.
She shook her head, pointed at herself and the shuttle. She raised an eyebrow, pointed at him and then the ground
at her feet.
Kaleb shook his head. This was asinine. He wasn’t a catcher behind home plate, and this wasn’t a game. She would listen. God help him, she’d listen. He ground down on his teeth, pointed at her and then the ground at his feet in his firmest gesture, certain she’d get the message.
She got the message, all right. Jessica shifted her rifle, unfurled her middle finger, and shot him a smile before moving toward the shuttle’s ramp and open hatch. Kaleb started after her, fuming. She’d pay big-time for it when they got back. That was twice now she’d disobeyed an order and pushed his patience.
Plus, he could smell her amusement at his anger. Damned woman.
She had the rifle snugged up against her shoulder, ready to face off with whatever might come out of the shuttle.
Jessica stopped outside the hatch and pressed back against the side of the shuttle, lowering her weapon. “Bryant isn’t in there. I’m not picking up any of the hijacker’s scents, so there’s a good chance they don’t know he’s here. I’m guessing he heard what we heard and went in that direction.” She pointed to where the sounds came from.
“You ever do that again and I’m going to paddle your ass until it’s scarlet. I’m in charge of this mission.”
“You can certainly try, sir, but I don’t recommend it. Besides, you know as much about reconnaissance as the average citizen off the street. I’ve already told you once to stop trying to protect me. I’m capable of taking care of myself.”
“You’re not special forces, Jessica. You’re going to get yourself killed.”
“No more than you are.”
“It’s my risk to take.” He glared and stepped nose to nose with her.
“Let me quote from our recent conversation—you’re a fucking scientist, not a tactics officer.” She poked him in the chest. “You don’t know what the hell you’re doing, and I do. So knock off the super-soldier routine.”
Super-soldier? Oh God. He snorted back the laugh and did his best to maintain a straight face. He’d been going all hardcore military and didn’t have a clue what he was doing, no more than a kid playing with toy soldiers. She’d called him on it and she was right—she knew more. He grabbed Jessica’s arm, pulling her down the ramp and into cover.
“I think we better get out of here….”
“I agree,” she whispered.
He closed his eyes and listened. That sound…it came from the left. He tugged on Jessica’s sleeve and nodded in the direction. They’d come down to destroy the hives and anything else that might be a danger to them. But it might not matter. He’d no idea of the long-term effects of the infection, plus who knew what they’d find down here? This could be their final moment together. There might not even be a future and here he’d been arguing with her, threatening to paddle her ass.
There was so much he hadn’t said to her and needed to. He wanted to tell her why he didn’t want to infect her. He couldn’t bear to condemn her to this planet or death. He’d wanted her, needed her. He needed them both. It was the hardest thing he’d done, telling her no, turning her away after he’d infected Melissa.
Her pain. He’d sensed that first and she wouldn’t give up. No, didn’t matter to her. She’d pushed and pushed. He’d become angry, frustrated that he couldn’t protect her from his fate or Melissa’s, that he’d failed her and had no choice. He hadn’t meant for it to happen the way it had and he’d no excuse for the way he’d treated her when it did. “About what I did….”
Jessica clamped her hand over his mouth. “Don’t say it.” She pulled her fingers away and kissed him softly. “The choice I made was the only one I could. I couldn’t imagine life without you or Melissa.” She frowned. “As a kid, I was bounced from foster home to foster home. I never had a real family. I was abandoned in a train station when I was four years old. They never found my parents.”
Tears filled her eyes, wetting her lashes. “You told us out here you didn’t care about rank or military regulations. We were family. You, me, Melissa—and I loved you for it. I still do.” She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and gave him a smile. “When I first saw Melissa’s sister in that pod, I thought it was her. My world collapsed. I couldn’t speak or function. Something I loved more dearly than my own life had been ripped from me. You can’t possibly understand how dead I felt. Then you spoke. Your voice on the com pulled me out of the shock and I knew I wasn’t alone. As long as I had you, I’d never be alone.” She tipped her head back and held his gaze. “I don’t want to be alone.”
Kaleb pulled her close, holding her against his chest. “I’ll never let that happen. I promise.”
***
Kaleb’s com beeped. He reached up and opened the channel. “Titan here.”
“Got the entire crew of the Genesis II packed into the bay. I’m going to need some coordinates soon. We’re sucking up more fuel than I anticipated.”
“Working on it, Melissa,” he replied. Even though he and Jessica had covered about four clicks in the last two hours, they still hadn’t located the aliens or their hive. Until they found them, the ship couldn’t land, not if they could possibly be walking into a trap.
“Work a little faster. I can’t land this ship on fumes. I had to pull the animals out of stasis to conserve fuel. Everyone’s awake and cranky. I can’t deal with that right now. I need those coordinates.”
“I’ll get them. Now that you’ve got the entire crew in the Ark’s bay, I need you to put the Genesis II on autopilot and send her into deep space. If that bomb detonates, I don’t want it near the planet,” he said.
“Roger.”
“You up for landing the Ark?” He knew he was asking a lot. She was heavier on the load than anticipated and the big vessels didn’t set down on soil very often. A lot could go wrong on a routine landing. Landing an overburdened, overtaxed, freighter-class ship that was never meant to leave space wouldn’t be pretty.
“Have faith in me, sir. I can set her down. Got my big-girl panties on.”
“It’s not your skill I’m worried about.” He smiled. “What color are they?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know?”
“Be careful,” he said. “I intend to find out once this is over.”
“Careful is for the scientists. I’m an academy girl. The Ark will make it down, sir. She’s a good ship, but this will be her last flight. I doubt she’ll hold together for another launch, with or without cargo. Where I land her will be her final resting place. Pick a good one.”
“I’ll transmit the coordinates as soon as I’ve cleared the sector.”
“Standing by.”
They followed the sound of the hive through the forest to the edge of a plateau that overlooked a valley. He stopped and grabbed Jessica’s elbow. “Am I hallucinating?” He had to be. Across the horizon, ruins stretched from one end of the valley to the other. Buildings of stone, metal, and glass were packed together. Everywhere, vines, vegetation, and forest grew between them and on them. The city was well fortified, with five walls ringing it as though the ruins were the center of a bull’s-eye, but these, too, had felt the effects of time, crumbling in places. Even in its decaying state, it was awesome to behold.
From appearances, it had been a while since anyone had occupied the city. Regardless, no one could deny what sat in front of them. Nature could never craft the perfect lines and angles. This planet had belonged to somebody, at some time.
Might still belong to somebody.
Jessica didn’t blink. “I thought this planet was never colonized.” She lifted her hand to her brow and looked out over the city. “Who do you suppose they were?”
“I say we go down there and find out. We’re headed in that direction anyway. Perhaps there’s a clue to their identity and what happened.” Part of him was curious, and the other part wanted to run. It wouldn’t be the first walk he’d taken through a ghost town. Every time it was the same. Creepy. This time his senses were running hot. He could see, smell, and feel more than he ever had bef
ore. It increased the creepiness factor at least tenfold.
“Spooky.” Jessica grabbed his hand. “The only thing I can hear is that hive. It’s freaky. I never realized how alive our world was until I set foot on one without any birds, insects, or animals. Not even the wind dares to whisper. It’s like a giant vacuum.” Jessica rubbed her arms.
Kaleb glanced down, noticing the goose pimples racing across her skin. He wasn’t the only one sensing something was off. “Or maybe we’re closer than we think.”
“Perhaps.”
He pulled her down the slope, heading for the ruins. The encroachers wouldn’t be far from the shuttle and could be in the city. A definite possibility, as the city was too overgrown to land within the walls. He doubted the hive was down there, but it was close. God, was it close. Every nerve in his body tingled. As Jessica had pointed out, the presence of living energies was impossible not to notice.
And they had his undivided attention.
***
“It looks like a museum.” The building’s vaulted ceilings bespoke a classical architecture, like something straight out of ancient Rome. Graceful arches rose at least fifty feet above them. Carved stone with intricate designs. The details were enough to give any archeologist worth his paycheck a boner.
“Major wood,” he murmured.
“What did you say, sir?” Jessica said.
“I was just thinking….never mind.” He’d known a guy in grad school who would have killed to see this stuff. He frowned. Why would he even think for a second anyone would want to be in his shoes? He’d condemned himself and everyone under his command to exile, and soon he’d have to explain.
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