I couldn’t help but laugh. “As you wish, oh mighty Left Hand of the Dragon!” I pulled away from her, just in case. I mean, she did have a dragon slaying dagger after all.
To my unexpected joy, she actually broke down into a little laugh herself. It was soft, but it was honest. “I think I’d prefer to be the Wings, if that position is open. Or perhaps there’s another … hole that can be filled?” She arched a thin eyebrow, a hungry grin on her lips.
I blushed … but only a little. What can I say? I was in the wider galaxy now, and I had to start acting like it. “Wing is fine with me, and maybe we can talk about that other prospect once we get out of here.” I thumbed back at the still-sealed door. “Death by sentimentality, remember?”
Alyra growled under her breath. “How dare you use my own arguments against me?” I stared her down for a moment, and she finally relented with a sigh. “Of course, my dragon. Let us see what can be gathered. If I remember, Clara secreted away some stashes of phasic crystal, as well as some interesting data-drives the Resistance might find of use.”
Phasic crystals were like the diamonds of Star Conqueror, compact, portable, and worth tons of money on the open market. We walked into the vault proper as I wondered just how much this little raid was going to fuel the Resistance, between Clara’s resources, Alyra’s knowledge, and the cloaking drive technology. Everything in the vault proper was actually very neatly arranged, not a surprise with how much of a neat freak Clara was, with warehouse-style metal frames forming clearly labelled niches for crates full of various supplies. Naturally, there was no lift system or the like. Why would you need anything so convenient when you could fly like a Matriarch?
Clara had already gathered up a small, sealed case under one arm, while Tulip was practically bouncing off the walls, hopping from crate to crate. “I still can’t believe you snuck all this stuff here from under the Matriarchy’s noses.”
“The power of the low-level administrator, my dear,” Clara said with a laugh. “Bureaucracy always wins in the end, don’t you know?”
Alyra scoffed. “Or your overseer simply didn’t care about your petty playthings. I did know about this, remember?”
While the banter was fun, we needed to save it for the ship. “Okay, ladies, let’s get cracking. Tulip, Alyra says there’s at least one case of phasic crystals here. You get that. Clara, well, you’re already set.” I turned towards Alyra, but she was already flying up to a high crate. “Well, you do you, Ms. Wing of the Dragon.”
“Trust me, David Briggs,” she called down as she grabbed a small case. “This is something your Resistance will want.”
“You know what, Alyra?” I called up as I browsed crates myself. “I do trust you.”
Tulip laughed as she hopped down from an alcove, a plastic box tucked under an arm. “Phasic crystals recovered! If this thing is as full as it seemed when I peeked, well, the Resistance might actually be able to restart warship production. What about you, David?”
I frowned thoughtfully. While my first instinct was to check the one weapon rack here, I realized there was a more important weapon to look for than a gun. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love my firearms, but there was something more critical at this juncture. “Clara, do you have any actual Matriarchy scripture or holy books or, hell, anything about the workings of the religion? Legends, lore, scrolls, anything?”
Clara looked at me as if I was crazy, which I admittedly might have been, and then pointed a long finger at a dusty alcove in the corner. “There are a few ancient books in that case there, though I don’t know why you would bother. It’s obviously all propaganda, darling.”
“You know, Clara,” I mused as I grabbed the case and maglocked it to my armor. “I’m not one hundred-percent sure about that.”
32
Turner flashed his huge teeth at us and kicked back in the engineering station on the Orion’s bridge, a triple XL ‘Remember Nakatomi Tower’ T-shirt pulled over his barrel-shaped body. “Wow, so I sit out just one mission, and you guys kick all the ass. You blew up two Megadreds without me too!”
We were already hurtling across hyper-space, the surprisingly tiny cloaking device installed in the Orion’s sensor array, and we had all spent the last thirty minutes trying to encapsulate our adventure on Balarian into an understandable story. We probably wouldn’t have managed it if Alyra hadn’t occasionally stomped her heel and enforced a little rigid order.
The Bolderian demo man held up the spare Mandible Elite we had swiped. “However, I can forgive you, David Briggs, because you brought me my very own Elite rifle.” He looked it up and down. “Do you think I can get this modified to shoot explosive bullets?”
Alyra rolled her eyes. “You have just been regaled with a tale of the return of the dragons, the valiant rescue of not one, but two Matriarchs from the control of the Mother of Chains, and the greatest blow struck in the name of the Resistance for decades, and you are worried about explosive bullets?”
Turner laughed at her. “Oh, I care about all of that, for what Bolderian isn’t stirred by tales of honorable, kickass warriors fighting for justice and freedom?” He patted the rifle. “But explosive bullets are something to also care about. Trust me, young lady, you’ll understand one day.”
I leaned back in the captain’s chair, my power in unarmored mode for the first time in … well, it was only a day, but it felt like ages. “Actually, what I really find hilarious is that you’re barely batting an eye at the fact that I brought two ex-Matriarchs onboard.”
Turner shrugged. “I like you, David Briggs. You are a man of honor like me.” He waved a meaty hand at Tulip. “Besides, Tulip vouches for them. Any friend of Tulip’s …”
“… is a friend of mine,” I finished for him. “I’m glad you trust me, buddy, and next time, we’ll definitely bring you along.”
Clara tapped her lip as she strolled around the bridge, her fingers trailing across the consoles. “So, friends and darlings, should we discuss crew accommodations and other, well, visitations and allowances?” She flashed me a seductive smirk. “I, for one, wish to become more closely acquainted with my new commander now that we’re out of danger.”
“He’s great to get to know biblically,” Tulip said with her Cheshire cat grin, stroking my shoulder. “But I would like to spend more time with you, not just more time in bed.”
Alyra huffed, flopping down into the defense console’s chair. “I am his Wing, and we have had the least time to … bond. If I am to properly do my duties for my dragon, as well as ensure that we are all … taken care of, I should spend time with him first.”
Turner laughed, deep and loud, as he got to his feet. “David Briggs, you are a blessed man, do you know that?”
I looked up at him and found myself grinning broadly. “Yeah, I suppose I am.” Behind Turner, the ladies continued their, uh, negotiations. “I know Tulip says that we humans are prudes and all, but you’re cool with all this, too? It’s not just a Fertish or Matriarch thing to be this … open?”
“No, man,” he said, clapping me on the shoulder with a meaty hand. “I have a mate at the Resistance base on Centaurus, and we Bolderians mate for life, but this is how most of the galaxy is. So, my advice to you? Enjoy yourself! These are beautiful, passionate women. Trust me, I know these things.”
The discussion between the ladies seemed to have been sorted as Turner hooked his thumbs into his fatigue pockets. Tulip who had been taking notes on a fresh tablet, glanced back at us. “Well, guys, I know I’m certainly looking forward to some R and R.”
“Hell yeah!” Turner grinned. “With the loot we’re bringing back, it’s going to be a heroes’ welcome home for us all. Hope you folks like hugs and handshakes.”
“Perhaps,” Alyra grumbled. “While I am certain your Resistance festivities will be rather cheerful, I find myself concerned still.”
Clara blinked at her fellow ex-Matriarch, then frowned slightly. “The Mother of Chains.”
“That and so much mo
re, Clara. I know more secrets about the Matriarchy than the entire Resistance does, and even that only scratches the surface.” Alyra looked at me. “My dragon, you may have freed us from her, but you know what she did. I won’t be the last trap set for you. If anything despises you more than the High Priestess, it is her.”
“Chains, huh?” Turner grunted as he went back to his station. “Those blow up real easy, so don’t you worry, ladies. I’ve got a whole case of bombs with her name on them … or I will once I break out the grease pen.”
Tulip rolled her eyes and lightly popped the Bolderian in the arm. “Turner, this is serious.”
“But I was being serious,” he muttered, only slightly chastised.
Shaking my head a little at him, I turned my chair so I could get a good look at Clara and Alyra. “I understand your worry, Alyra, and I appreciate it, but you know what’s in my head, just like I know what’s in yours. I won’t back away from a chance to save more of you from whatever the Mother of Chains really is.”
Tulip put a hand on my shoulder and squeezed softly. “And I’ll be right there with him. I fought all my life to be free, so I won’t rest until all those girls I couldn’t save before are made free too!”
Turner slammed a fist emphatically on his console. “Ditto!” he roared.
“Well, dear Alyra, what can you say to that?” Clara said with a bit of a snort and giggle.
The former Left Hand of the Matriarchy just shook her head and rubbed her temples. “Gods above, we shall either cut a swath of vengeance across the galaxy or be instantly annihilated, and I don’t know which.” She pointed a finger across the bridge at me. “I will hold you accountable either way, my dragon.”
“Just tell me one thing, Alyra.” I leaned forward, elbows on my knees. “You’ve seen what the dragon can do now, and we’re all only going to get stronger. With what you know and the information we gained on this mission, can you come up with a plan to win this war?”
She considered that a moment, all eyes now drawn to her as she rubbed her chin. Those startling blue eyes glanced at me sidelong, hard for a moment before softening. “Before today, before fighting you three, I would have said it was impossible. Now, though … yes. Yes, my dragon. It will not be easy, and many may die on both sides before it ends, but we can win this war.”
“Then we’re going to do it.” I smiled for a moment, but then realized that I was still covered in blood and grime. Hell, we all were outside of Turner. “But how about we all take the time to properly clean up? We don’t want to present ourselves to Resistance command smelling of sewers and blood.”
Tulip nodded as she reattached her new suit tablet to her wrist. “Oh yes! I want a well-deserved shower and a full body grooming. After all that we’ve been through, I could tear this suit off right now, if you catch my meaning, David?” She brushed past me, shooting me a sly wink and her Cheshire cat smile.
Alyra led the way off the bridge towards the crew quarters. I was right behind her and Tulip as Clara brushed beside me as well. “Darling, how about we arrange some time for a more private conversation?” She whispered hotly in my ear. “Soon, perhaps?”
This was shaping up to be some amazing R and R after all. I smiled softly at her and nodded. “It’s a date.”
Tulip’s cat ears fluttered. “A date? Clara, I thought we just got this entire mess worked out!” She shook her head, but her chastising tone was more playful than anything. With an exasperated sigh, she added, “Well, if you’re going to try to bend the schedule, maybe we should extend that date, eh, sister?”
Clara’s nose tilted up as she smiled broadly. “Oh, darling, you certainly know I would share anything with you … anything.”
Turner laughed as he followed along, nudging me in the ribs. “Hot damn, brother. You rock.”
“If you can schedule this until after we’ve all had a proper bath,” Alyra said as she cleared her throat, “perhaps you can convince me to attend as a judge and arbiter. After all, as I said, I must ensure that David treats us all properly, as well as ensure that you get equal time with him. That was our agreement, after all, and I cannot shirk my duties to you or my dragon.”
From being almost fired by some petty asshole to saving the galaxy, turning into a dragon, and, well, this. I had to admit, sometimes, life can be very good.
Thank You for reading!
Curious about what happens to David next?
Find out soon in Star Conqueror Recompense!
Author’s Note
Dear reader, if you REALLY want to read the next Star Conqueror novel- I’ve got a bit of bad news for you.
Unfortunately, Amazon will not tell you when the next comes out.
You’ll probably never know about my next books, and you’ll be left wondering what happened to David and the gang. That’s rather terrible.
There is good news though! There are three ways you can find out when the next book is published:
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Star Conqueror: An Epic Space Adventure Page 24