Hope made a face. “Dismal. Few and far between.”
Kila’s grin fell a little. “I was hoping it was better than how it appeared.”
Hope tried to absorb this turn of events. “You came out here to cripple Maf’s fleet. To take out Copeland too, I hope.”
Piras nodded. “Copeland is still a worthwhile prize to be won. It wasn’t the original plan, but we’re concentrating on rescuing Haven and Rokan at this point. Particularly Haven, with all those civilians. If we can make it happen, we’ll redirect our attention elsewhere, in hopes of getting our hands on Maf.”
“With one ship. And our help, which admittedly, won’t be much help at all.” Hope grimaced. “Will you mind if I’m not too optimistic on your chances against over five hundred ships?”
“We’ve got a few tricks which will help even the odds,” Lokmi said. His gaze hadn’t strayed from her face the entire time they’d talked, as if he were as riveted by her as she was with them. Hope glanced from one man to the next to the next, fascinated by how such different faces and bodies could be equally delightful to gaze at. Good night, was she ever getting bonus material for her lust files. Her sex spasmed.
“Tricks, huh? Like your phase ability,” she noted, telling herself to stop getting distracted. Her response to these three men was asking for trouble.
It would be a good idea to get them out of her bedroom. And to be fully dressed. At least they showed no indication they wished to ravish her. Hope told herself that was a good thing.
Yes, she needed to concentrate on the important stuff. She waved her hands at them, shooing them like flies so they would back away. “Let’s go talk to my father. He should be in on this right from the start. First, I need to make sure my sister has gone to bed. We don’t involve her in our work.”
“Good. She’s too young,” Kila said, dipping his head with approval as he stepped aside.
“Tell me you didn’t abuse the phase ability while you were watching us,” Hope said, getting out of bed. She tugged at the hem of the nightgown, which had crept up to above her knees. She didn’t wait for an answer. “Avert your eyes, gentlemen. I’ll throw on a robe to start with so my father doesn’t feel the urge to blast you into bits.”
Kila made a noncommittal noise, turning away as she headed for her closet. The other two men followed suit, giving her some measure of privacy as she made herself a little more presentable. For a brief moment, Hope wondered at the scent of cinnamon which hung in the air. Then her head filled with the monumental developments, distracting her from the mouthwatering aroma.
The Naths now had allies within the Kalquorian Empire. She and her father weren’t quite so alone in their fight anymore. It was yet another realization to make her giddy.
Presentable at last, Hope opened the door to the main area of the family quarters. She gazed at the sitting area. Her father sat there alone with his handheld. When he raised his head to note her presence, she called softly, “Did Charity go to bed?”
“About half an hour ago. What’s up?”
“I found out we have friends in unexpected places. Your buddy Admiral Piras is on our side.”
He gave her a quizzical stare. “What makes you say that?”
“He’s here. Along with a couple of his friends. Don’t lose your mind, okay? I think we’re all right with them.”
At her signal, the three Kalquorians followed her out into the sitting area. Borey jumped to his feet with an exclamation. Hope noticed how his hand shot to where he usually carried his blaster on his hip. He’d taken the holster off, thank the prophets.
The three aliens bowed. Piras said, “General Nath, it is a pleasure to be able to talk to you about our mutual goals.”
“What would those goals be?” Her dad’s eyes were narrowed.
“Destroying this fleet, saving Haven and Rokan colonies, and deposing the Holy Leader.”
“How the hell did you get into my daughter’s room?”
Hope couldn’t stop herself. “They’ve got phase technology, Dad! I was staring into space, thinking about—” she stopped herself in time. “I was thinking and, pop! There they were.”
Borey’s brows climbed up his forehead. He gaped at the Kalquorians. “You’ve got phasing?”
Piras chuckled. “I do apologize for the surprise visit. Under the circumstances, it seemed the best way to talk with you privately. We have a lot to discuss, General, including the phasing devices.”
“You boys get started. I’m going to put on some daywear.” Hope ducked back into her room and ordered the door closed.
She hoped her father would agree this sudden alliance was a good thing.
* * * *
Lokmi wished he had some of Kila’s Nobek-trained control. He was having a hard time not fidgeting. Meeting Hope in the flesh had his mind racing.
The Imdiko was certain Piras needed to get his eyesight checked. Had he really mistaken the lovely woman for a boy? Sure, her proportions weren’t as curvy as some females Lokmi had seen, but she had no masculine qualities. He thought she resembled a shorter version of a willowy Plasian. With her pretty face, framed by hair as black as a Kalquorian’s, and the glimpse of lissome legs he’d enjoyed, Lokmi couldn’t imagine how anyone could think Hope was a male.
“Not even close,” he muttered. Kila glanced at him, and Lokmi pressed his lips together.
Piras was still telling General Nath about their original infiltration mission, which had warped into a rescue for the civilian colonies under Copeland and Maf’s threat. Lokmi knew all the particulars on the matter. He had a few more moments to think about Hope before he needed to get to business.
She knew about the obstacles to phase technology. She was well-versed in microscopic machinery and computer equipment. Lokmi thought he could talk shop with her for hours, and they’d never run out of things to say.
Smart and beautiful. He could barely contain his delight over Hope Nath.
There was the whisper of sound as a door opened, but it wasn’t the one Hope had hidden behind. Another girl, this one with brown, wavy hair and far more generous proportions, stood in the doorway, blinking at them. Lokmi guessed her to be Hope’s sister and bowed in automatic respect. Piras and Kila followed suit.
Except for the angular shape of her eyes, this girl’s features had little in common with Hope or their father, with one exception. The angry-wary expression she wore was identical to General Nath’s initial reception.
“Are we okay, Dad? Am I dreaming Kalquorians are in the sitting room?” Her voice, filled with warning, was lower pitched than Hope’s.
Nath made shooing gestures to her. “Dreaming, yes. As well as forgetting you dreamed it. These men were never here.”
The girl’s suspicious expression was replaced by a snide smile equal to any Kila had ever worn. “Great. Good. Forgotten. Vive la révolution.” The door closed, shutting her sneering face away.
Kila had reported the younger daughter was long on attitude. Lokmi thought the girl’s derision had said it all. Her brash personality made General Nath’s easy command over her, gaining instant obedience, all the more impressive. The general was the Earther equivalent of a Dramok.
Hope returned to the room, clad in a brown uniform which appeared to be about a size too large. It also concealed the gentle slopes of femininity she’d been graced with. Now Lokmi could understand how Piras might have mistook her for a boy, as long as he hadn’t seen her face.
She was still captivating, Lokmi thought. Her miniature listening devices, her grasp of phasing, the flash of intelligence in her dark eyes—and yes, damn him for being shallow, those gorgeous legs—he was intrigued beyond all sense. It was with the greatest determination that he directed his attention to Nath as the general began to share his efforts to unseat Copeland.
Lokmi was disappointed to hear Nath echo Hope and Kila’s assertions that Earther resistance numbers were low. “Copeland’s most ardent followers remain among his military forces. As long as he’s in p
ower, so are they. We’ve got a captain and a few engineers with us, but the majority of dissenters are technicians and civilians.”
“It sounds like you’ve only lately tried to drum up support,” Kila said.
“More like almost two decades,” Nath snorted. “We were close to overthrowing him on Earth. We had a strong leader in our Chairman of Infrastructure. He had popularity to rival Copeland’s. The kind of man who united rivals into one cohesive force for the betterment of all. We could have gone from revolution straight to a stable government, no problem. It was all so perfect.”
Lokmi asked, “What happened?”
“The war. Armageddon.”
The Imdiko winced with his admiral and captain. Even though Lokmi had not been part of the invasion force, he still felt guilt. It didn’t matter that the nuclear devices had been rigged even before Earth and Kalquor had known of each other’s existence. Hell, the nuclear warheads had been put into place decades before the Empire’s attempt to occupy its enemy’s home planet. Lokmi still felt a twinge of blame. His race’s effort to end the war had made Earth uninhabitable, turning its few survivors into refugees, a people without a home.
Piras stood and paced. “The destruction of your planet could have been avoided had we known it was booby-trapped.”
Nath showed no sign of blaming them. “It could have been worse. We in the resistance had started dismantling some of the nuclear stockpiles under the cities. We’d smuggled them off-world to detonate in remote parts of space. Had we not done so, there wouldn’t have been anyone left for you and the Galactic Council of Planets to rescue.”
Kila’s voice filled with respect. “You managed to hide an activity like that from Copeland?”
“As I said, we were close to removing him from power. He was cut off from much by war’s end.”
Hope sighed. “Armageddon put us back at square one. Most of our allies were lost in the blasts. We ended up left with those closest to Copeland, who’d run like rats as soon as we knew your fleet was on the other side of the wormhole. Copeland ordered Dad to go with him, and Dad grabbed Charity and me when he realized there was no stopping you or saving Earth.”
Nath took up the tale. “I was the one senior staffer left alive who was part of the resistance. You’re looking at the sole member of the secret opposition who remained close to Copeland. Outnumbered the way I was, I couldn’t move against him, not even in the chaos of the first days after the blasts.”
“And there have no opportunities to unseat him since then, I take it.”
Borey shook his head. “Not without deadly consequences. It’s been a matter of carefully determining who among us isn’t a fanatic. I know there are many not blindly devoted to Copeland, but few are willing to resist. They’re too afraid of losing what little they have left.”
“Those who are willing to fight are splintered into several factions, each with their own agendas. All we have in common is one enemy.” Hope rolled her eyes. “The arguing between the groups is ridiculous.”
Kila’s mocking grin was for the situation, not the Naths. “Without a charismatic leader to take the Holy Leader’s place, one who possesses a viable plan for the future, deposing him brings a new set of problems. You would soon be fighting amongst yourselves.”
Nath spread his arms wide. “You see to the heart of our problem, Captain Kila. The one reason I haven’t found a way to kill him outright.”
Piras continued to pace. Lokmi noted how Hope watched him, her gaze fascinated. Then she glanced at him. Her face flushed to note his gaze on her, and she glanced away.
Piras asked, “How many ships would your allies be able to take out of the fight for Haven? Through sabotage, I mean.”
The general considered. “Just shy of fifty ships, I would say. Those are the ones where we have personnel in key places who can disrupt engines and-or weapons. I’ve got one captain on my side among the fleet. He commands the Walls of Jericho.”
Lokmi shook his head when Piras and Kila looked at him. “More than two hundred battlecruisers to build phase devices for, then install? Admiral, I can’t see it happening.”
“It may not have to. Not all of them, at any rate. General, you said many of your vessels were in poor repair. You told me the Kalquorians manning them weren’t fully trained yet.”
“Only to some extent. I’ve done my best to retard the training of Maf’s men, but you Kalquorians are a smart bunch. Many of the ships can fight in some capacity. Combined with Maf’s destroyers, it will be devastating to the Imperial ships defending the colonies.”
“Maybe not. I have an idea to incapacitate the destroyers.”
Nath jerked in surprise. “All of them?”
“With luck and skill, yes.”
“I’m not a big believer in luck, Admiral.”
“Nor am I, which is why it’s a damned good thing I have plenty of skill.” They all grinned at his little joke.
Piras turned serious again. “I can make it so the destroyers turn their weapons on each other. I could also have several go after the loyal ‘cruisers.”
Kila added, “It would give Haven’s defenses plenty of distraction to work with. They’ll no doubt jump into the fight and destroy as many on Maf’s side as they can.”
“The ‘cruisers remain my biggest worry. Lokmi, is there any way at all that you can give me a hundred phase devices for those?”
“Can you give me two weeks?” With Hope watching him, Lokmi reined in the sarcasm as best as he could. “That’s twice the machines we spoke of before.”
“I know. And two weeks is almost certainly out of the question.”
Lokmi sighed, but he offered his most reasonable smile to Hope, as if it were she and not Piras asking for the impossible. “I’ll push the men as best I can. If I can get the help Mostar promised me from the security and fighter divisions, we might be able to get something done. No promises, Admiral, especially since we need the time to install them as well.”
“Understood.” The admiral turned to Nath. “General, if you can continue to help me to delay the attack, I’d be most appreciative.”
“I’ll do my best to support you in saying we’re not ready.”
“Nevertheless, we may be pushed before we have everything in place. I recommend you have your people ready to act at a moment’s notice.” Piras spoke to Kila. “We’d better get back to our ship.”
Kila grinned at Hope. “After I take those listening devices from Matara Hope. I can plant them on Copeland and Sitrel when I’m phased.”
Hope glanced at Nath, who nodded to her. She had gotten up and started for her room when she paused. “Wait. Is there any chance you could give us at least one of those personal phasing devices?”
It was the Kalquorians’ turn to exchange meaningful gazes. Piras said, “Right now, we’ve got just enough for our own crew. Lokmi is already going full out to rig the ‘cruisers.”
Nath waved the idea off. “I don’t see a real need for us to have to run around the ship invisible anyway. I’ll need it even less, once Captain Kila has the listening devices on Copeland and Sitrel.”
“Not for you or me, Dad. For Charity.” Hope gave Piras an appealing look, which made Lokmi’s heart thump painfully. “My sister has caught Copeland’s attention. He’s about to make her his latest wife.”
Lokmi started then laughed at the idea. “That child? Surely not. It would be unconscionable.”
The stares he got from Hope and Nath made the unbelievable real. The unsurprised revulsion on Piras’s face and Kila’s furious glare let him know such a situation was possible. His jaw dropped. Sure, Charity was obviously reaching physical maturity. But her youth was also firmly on display. No decent man would think of such a thing.
Piras gave him a warning glance before gently speaking to the Naths. “Forgive our chief engineer. He is not aware of Copeland’s collection of mates.” He fairly spat the last words out.
Lokmi tried to make sense out of what was being said. No. It co
uldn’t be. “Collection?”
Kila’s stormy expression didn’t waver and his voice was a growl. “He divorces but keeps all the wives he’s ever had.”
“The ones who don’t disappear,” Hope added. Her meaning was clear, even to Lokmi, who didn’t want to believe such things. “Charity is the age he prefers them to be when he first marries them.”
The horror was real. Lokmi finally accepted what he was told, and he turned to Piras. “I will personally put in the extra hours to make a device for the general’s youngest daughter, Admiral. I assume I can’t golitel da ofethal bechut awya?”
Piras’ lips trembled at his request to cut Copeland’s dick off. “Make a device for each member of this family, Chief.”
“With pleasure.” But not as much pleasure as it would have given Lokmi to relieve the Holy Leader of his manhood.
Borey stood as they did and saluted them. “My thanks, Admiral Piras, Captain, and Chief Engineer, particularly for the coming phase devices. I’m in your debt.”
Hope had also risen, and Lokmi thought she gave her brightest smile to him. For a moment, he couldn’t breathe under her wondrous regard.
* * * *
Lokmi’s thoughts circled endlessly around Hope as his clan rode back to the destroyer in their phased shuttle. One moment he was thinking of how much fun it would be to tinker with mechanical devices with her, debating and collaborating on technological breakthroughs. The next, his mind offered far more erotic images: stroking her silky black hair, kissing his way up those fabulous legs, watching her dark eyes glaze with pleasure as he made love to her.
Piras stood in the doorway between the shuttle’s cabin and cockpit, talking to Kila as the Nobek piloted them home. The Dramok’s voice was a background drone to the imagined cries of excitement Lokmi wanted Hope to make, using his hands and mouth and cocks to bring her to ecstatic release. He wondered if she was like Kila, who enjoyed fighting for dominance in the sleeping room. Perhaps she would be similar to Piras, who handed over all control. Either scenario with the Earther would be enthralling, Lokmi decided. His own natural inclination to control made him want to hold her down helpless as he gave her orgasm after orgasm.
Alien Revolt (Clans of Kalquor Book 11) Page 11