by S. E. Smith
As he backtracked, he spotted Legion soldiers in the midst of the crowd, but Ash knew if he kept his head down, he’d be fine. He was one in a sea of people all dressed pretty much the same.
He was replaying in his mind how her skin had been the familiar forest green one minute, and Torrian red the next. It was enough to blow his mind. He was trying to process how she did it when he ran into a group of Legion soldiers as soon as he turned the corner of the alley.
Lost in thought, he made the mistake of mumbling a curse word when a Legion soldier pushed him back against a table filled with merchandise. Irritation filled him for a brief moment, but the soldier wasn’t even looking at him, he was just trying to bully his way through the crowd.
“Damn, take a chill pill, dude,” Ash muttered under his breath.
The soldier froze and his gaze zeroed in on the man who had spoken with an unfamiliar accent in the universal language.
Shit.
“Drop your weapon and remove your face coverings,” the soldier ordered.
“Okay, okay, keep your pantyhose on,” Ash muttered.
The soldier had eight of his buddies nearby. Ash noticed them in all. If there had been half that many, he wouldn’t have thought twice about kicking their asses. If the number wasn’t intimidating enough, each of the eight held a lethal looking weapon aimed at his head and chest.
Ash held his left hand out while he shrugged the rifle off of his right shoulder. Holding it out, he dropped it to the ground. Next, he slowly reached up and pulled off the goggles. An unexpected sense of déjà vu swept through him.
“Hey, guys, how’s it hanging?” Ash asked.
The soldier speaking to him looked at him in surprise. Ash gave the soldier a cocky grin right before he threw his goggles. This probably wasn’t going to end well, but he wasn’t going down without a fight.
The man’s instinctive response was what he was hoping for. When the tip of the man’s rifle rose up in the air, Ash grabbed the end of it, forcing the soldier off balance while doing a high kick to the chin of the man standing next to him. He pulled on the end of the rifle, jerking the soldier toward him, then swung the man around and slung him against the four men standing behind him. His elbow struck out at the soldier on his left. Two more soldiers started toward him before falling face first onto the street, dark burn marks scorched into the back of their uniforms.
Ash barely had time to jerked back when one of the soldiers shot at him. The man’s aim went slightly wide thanks to the long walking stick that knocked the rifle upward at the last moment. Ash ducked when the long walking stick swung around toward his head. The loud crack told him that there had been a Legion soldier coming up behind him.
In a matter of seconds, the eight guards were either unconscious or dead. The crowd, which paused to watch what was happening, quickly dispersed when Kubo slammed his walking stick into the ground. Ash turned in time to watch Kella striding toward him with a furious expression on her face.
“You… You could have been killed,” Kella snarled in a furious tone.
“But, I wasn’t,” he replied.
He stumbled back a step when she aimed one of her pistols at him. He held up his hands, a surprised grin curved his lips, and he shrugged nonchalantly. Obviously his lack of remorse was not helping her temper because her eyes flashed and she actually growled at him.
“It is not amusing,” she snapped, stopping in front of him and glaring at him with disapproval.
Ash’s gaze softened. “Did you know you are beautiful when you are angry?” he asked.
Kella snapped her teeth at him and turned to aim her pistol at one of the soldiers when the man groaned. Ash grabbed her wrist to stop her from shooting him at the same time that Kubo popped the guy on the head, effectively silencing him. Ash shook his head. He was going to have to remember that aliens were as bloodthirsty as humans.
“I suggest we get out of here before they wake up or more arrive,” Ash stated, turning to Kubo. “Thanks, old man.”
Kubo chuckled. “I am not as old as you think, Ashton Haze.”
“… or as blind. I swear you are pulling my leg, Kubo,” Ash muttered.
“There are many levels of blindness – not all are with the eyes,” Kubo retorted. “Let us retreat from the eyes of the Legion forces.”
Ash turned to Kella when he felt her tremble. It was only then that he realized he was still holding onto her wrist. He glanced at her just in time to see her gaze skitter away from him. Ash looked over at Abeni and Noma where they waited in the shadows, expressions of uncertainty and apprehension on their faces.
“Kubo, I have two others who need your protection,” Ash said.
Kubo turned his head in the direction of Abeni and Noma. One of Kubo’s men murmured to him. Kubo replied in a low voice.
“My men will see that they are taken to a safe place,” Kubo replied. “What of the Turbinta?”
“Kella? She’s with me. At least….” Ash started to say, turning to look down at Kella.
“I am with Ash,” Kella confirmed in a tone that brooked no argument.
Kubo’s lips twitched. “I hope you realize what you are doing, Ashton Haze. Let us return to the safety of the caverns. My men will take care of the soldiers,” Kubo said.
Ash grunted and released Kella’s hand. He wasn’t sure exactly when his grip on her wrist had loosened and slid down until his hand was holding hers. Amusement, and some other emotion he couldn’t quite put his finger on, caught him off-guard.
He didn’t need to try to catch her gaze to know that she wouldn’t look him in the eye right at that moment. There was something about her brash strength and surprising shyness that fascinated him. The combination of alpha toughness and vulnerability was sure to make for an intriguing relationship. All he had to do was convince Kella that they could make a dynamic team if she gave him a chance.
Ash bent and retrieved the rifle he dropped, along with his goggles. Then he and Kella followed Kubo. A quick glance told him that Abeni and Noma were already gone. A swift shaft of regret swept through him. He didn’t have the chance to thank them for their help and apologize for endangering their lives. He would have to make sure that Kubo understood how much he owed the boy and his grandmother. He didn’t know how he would pay the old man back, but he would find a way.
“I have ordered a search of every building, General Landais,” Commander Shec Jatur said.
“What of the many spacecraft leaving the planet?” Roan Landais asked.
“I have ordered each ship searched as well, but there are thousands of them. Without additional troops, it will be impossible to search them all. This is a major spaceport with hundreds of flights arriving and departing daily. There are also many landing areas outside the city,” Commander Jatur replied.
Sweat beaded on Shec’s upper lip. He resisted the urge to wipe it away and hoped General Landais couldn’t see it on the video display. He swallowed when he saw his commanding officer’s eyes flash in irritation.
“I do not want excuses, Commander Jatur. I want Hutu Gomerant and those who were with him. Is that clear?” General Landais instructed.
“Yes… Yes, General,” Shec replied.
“Contact me when you have relevant information,” General Landais ordered before ending the call.
Shec sat back in his chair. He was aboard one of the smaller command ships which were equipped for planetary use. He glanced up when the door to his makeshift office chimed.
“Enter,” he ordered, lifting a hand to wipe the nervous sweat off of his upper lip.
The door opened and one of his ground patrol leaders stepped inside and walked forward to stand at attention in front of the desk. The man kept his gaze forward, staring over Shec’s head. Shec scanned the man’s dirty uniform, noting the blood on his temple and the discoloration on his cheek where a bruise had formed.
“What happened?” Shec demanded.
The soldier turned his gaze to meet Shec’s intense stare.
“We were responding to a call from Squadron Six. A civilian alerted them to a possible sighting. An investigation of the dwelling showed the residents broke through a back wall and escaped. The suspects were intercepted several blocks later,” the soldier stated before his voice faded and he pressed his lips together.
“Well… Was it General Gomerant?” Shec demanded, pushing his chair back and rising out of his seat.
The soldier shook his head. “No, sir. Squadron Six and the civilian have disappeared. My squadron…. we were on our way to back up Squadron Six when a civilian bumped into me. He was dressed as a Torrian local, but there was something different about the way he spoke. I instructed him to remove his head covering and goggles. He… was of a species I have not seen before,” the soldier said.
“What did he look like?” Shec demanded.
“His skin was a dark brown, as were his eyes. There was not much visible. He overpowered the seven soldiers and myself using fighting skills I have never seen before. Two men were killed,” the soldier replied.
Shec’s eyebrows rose. “He killed two soldiers and defeated six more by himself?” he demanded in disbelief.
The soldier shook his head. “He had help. I saw… I believe I saw a Turbinta assassin and a blind man before I lost consciousness. When I woke, I was several miles outside the city. I…. The rest of the squadron is still missing,” he replied in a quiet tone.
Shec watched the soldier lean forward and place a disk on the desk in front of him. He frowned and bent to pick it up. He turned it over, but there were no markings on it.
“What is this?” Shec demanded, returning his gaze to the soldier’s face.
“It was with me when I woke. I did not have it before. I have not looked at the information,” the soldier stated.
Shec’s fist closed around the disk. So, the resistance was now using Legion soldiers as a messenger. Shec’s lips tightened in annoyance.
“Dismissed,” Shec ordered.
“Yes, sir,” the soldier replied, taking several steps back before he turned sharply on his heel and exited the room.
Shec sank back down onto his chair. His hand trembled slightly as he inserted the disk into the computer in front of him. He sat back, stunned when an image of a large, rectangular object appeared in front of him.
“The Ancient Knights have returned and the new Order of the Knights of the Gallant have risen. The first awakening of the resistance has begun and the time of the Legion rule is coming to an end,” a voice stated calmly before the image faded.
This time, sweat beaded on Shec’s brow and ran down the collar of his uniform. He played the message several times, pausing to stare at the scorched image painted on the side of the capsule. It was identical to the one on the patch found at a farm outside of town. He pulled out a cloth and wiped his face before he touched the communications panel.
“General Landais, I have a message you should see. I’m uploading it now,” Shec said.
14
“Are you still not talking to me?” Ash asked, leaning back against the wall and watching Kella sharpen her knives.
She continued to ignore him. An amused smile curved his lips. For the past two days, she had given him the silent treatment. She had stomped, huffed, puffed, and blown him off. He could see the fury still burning in her eyes, but every once in a while, when she thought he wasn’t looking, he also caught a look of confusion.
“You know, I don’t think I’ve ever met, much less dated, a woman with that many weapons on her before,” he said casually, tilting his head to look at the impressive display. “I’m honestly surprised you can even stand up. They must weigh a ton.”
Kella paused, her shoulders stiff with anger before she shook her head and picked up the largest blade and turned to face him. Ash eyed her warily when she bounced it in her hand before she stepped closer to him. He straightened his leg, placing his foot on the ground instead of having it up on the carved stone bench where he was sitting.
She turned the blade in her hand so the handle was facing him and held it out. He ran a hand down his pants before he reached for it. He blinked in surprise at how light the knife was, especially considering the amount of metal in the blade.
“It is important not to be slowed down. The Turbinta use a special metal to form weapons. It is strong, yet light. A good Turbinta mentor instructs their pupils how to create a weapon that is made for them alone. The handle is custom-made for my grip. The balance is designed for my style of fighting,” she explained.
“Interesting,” Ash said.
He stood up and stepped away from her to an area in the large common room clear of any obstacles. Holding the knife in his right hand, he began doing the Naname-tsuki kata. The moves when done in slow motion were mesmerizing. He executed each graceful move with a natural instinct born from years of training. When he was finished, he turned toward Kella and bowed, holding out the knife she had given him.
“What did you just do? I have never seen anything so beautiful before,” Kella asked in a quiet voice.
“Judo,” Ash replied with a smile. “It is a form of self-defense.”
Kella looked at him with a skeptical expression. “How can a dance keep you safe?” she asked.
Ash chuckled. “Come at me with the knife,” he instructed.
“No,” she said, starting to turn away.
“Come on. It will be alright,” Ash assured her.
Kella shook her head and glanced at him before staring out the doorway. He could see the doubt in her eyes. At least it was better than the anger, and she was talking to him again, so he was making progress.
“Ash, it is not safe for me to come at you with a weapon,” Kella finally said, turning to look at him.
“I won’t hurt you. I promise,” he replied with that crooked smile that showed off his dimple.
Kella released an exasperated sigh. This strange man was driving her crazy! For the last two days, he had teased and tried to provoke her into talking to him. His behavior had greatly undermined her determination to remain mad at him for the stunt he pulled back at the market. No one in their right mind would take on eight Legion soldiers alone – in broad daylight.
When she finally made it to the alley and saw him surrounded, she had planned to sneak up on the soldiers. She made it halfway to them when Ash suddenly began doing his strange moves. Granted, he had been doing well on his own, but there was no way he could have succeeded alone in taking down all those men. She shot two of the soldiers when they lifted their weapons to fire on him. An uncharacteristic fear had filled her along with a fury she never felt before.
She turned the knife in her hand. Perhaps if she showed him how dangerous it was here, or on any world, he would be more careful. She didn’t question why she should care; she just knew he had to understand that this was different from what his grandmother had taught him. The world was not a good place. It was a dark and dangerous one.
Gripping the knife in her hand, she turned and moved as if to attack him. Her breath hissed out when a second later, she found herself leaning forward in an awkward position and the blade in her hand was deftly removed from her numb fingers. She slowly straightened when Ash released her arm and pulled her against his body.
“The first lesson I learned: don’t let anger blind or guide you. Find your center, your balance, and open yourself to everything that is going on around you,” Ash murmured in her ear.
Kella struck at him again. Her elbow caught him a glancing blow. When she tried to wrap her foot around his ankle to pull him off balance, she felt her body lifted off the ground. Ash caught her in his arms before she hit the hard surface of the floor. She stared up at him in shock.
“Next I learned to anticipate my opponent’s moves by recognizing how he or she uses the muscles in their body,” he said, pulling her back to her feet.
“I learned the same,” she replied.
She lifted her knee, aiming for his groin, but he blocked her. Fascinated, she struck
out again and again, using the moves Tallei taught her. Ash blocked her most of the time. She landed a few good blows, but she was more curious about processing his techniques. Sometimes, he surprised her, capturing her and holding her in a way that made it impossible for her to move, while at other times flipping her so quickly, she was looking up at the ceiling before she knew what had happened.
She rolled and pushed up off the floor. Her eyes glittered with determination when she saw the mischievous grin on Ash’s face. She wiped her hands down her black trousers and cracked her neck. Keeping her gaze on him, she twisted enough to pick up two blades from the table.
“This is one of the few times I genuinely miss my vision. Ash, you might need this,” Kubo said, his voice laced with amusement.
Ash raised his hand and caught the long walking stick that Kubo used to help guide him. She watched warily as Ash twirled it. The movements were precise, fluid, and unusual. Curious, she lashed out at him. He deflected her attack with a sharp stinging slam.
They circled each other. Once again, he blocked each of her attacks. His use of the long walking stick was reminiscent of the other man using the Staff of the Gallant Order. Before she realized what happened, both of her blades went sliding across the floor and she found herself pinned against Ash’s body with the long walking stick pressed against her throat.
“Release me,” she ordered, her hands clutching the stick to keep it from cutting off her air supply.
A shiver went through her when she felt his warm breath against her cheek. His lips touched the curve of her earlobe. Tilting her head to the side, she drew in a deep breath.
“For a price,” Ash replied.
Kella felt her body tense. “Price? What is your price?” she asked warily.
“Nothing too dire. A kiss would be nice, but I’ll settle for a truce if a kiss is too high a price,” Ash chuckled.
Kella’s lips twitched in amusement. They had attracted a rather large audience. She would demand a price of her own. She nodded in agreement, unwrapping her fingers from the stick and holding her hands up to show she would not fight.