by Sahara Foley
Excalibur was leaning on his sword, a huge grin spread across his face. “What are you smiling at?” Pam asked petulantly. She felt as if she were the only one taking this mission seriously.
He peered down at her, causing that flutter again. “I am getting closer to freeing my mate, little one. Weesa fired precisely where she needed to. She has destroyed all the control panels but for a few minor ones.” Looking over at the silver ship, he said, “Good shooting, Weesa.”
Weesa's silver, chrome-plated hull turned a faint shade of pink, as Olso and Emeara blushed. Imagine, being complimented by a Shalit, they whispered between themselves.
Pam shook her head in disbelief. What is it about this Shalit that makes women turn into stupid females around him? Besides, he's supposed to only obey me. Oh, great, now I'm jealous of a ship, she thought, turning her attention back to the prison.
Men were yelling and screaming, running from the crumbling, smoking building. Some of them stopped mid-stride when they saw the silver ship floating fifty feet above the ground. Pam saw the fear in their eyes, as they realized they were at the mercy of whoever was on board.
Picking up his sword and slinging it across his shoulder, Excalibur stepped forward. “Drop your weapons, and start evacuating the prisoners,” he thundered in a voice sounding as if it came from a loud speaker. “You six,” he said, pointing at them with his sword, “move over there.” With a wave of the shiny weapon, a row of long tables appeared. “You will begin preparing meals for the prisoners.”
*Pam, you and Excalibur go find our King and Queen. We will keep a watch over the guards,* Weesa said.
With brisk steps, Pam strode past the Shalit, conscious of her half-exposed breast, and his smoky, silver eyes following her. As she approached the smoldering hole that used to be a doorway, the men standing there moved swiftly aside, averting their gazes. Carefully picking her way through the rubble, Pam saw black burnt marks on the floor and walls, going the full length of the long building. Damn, that's one powerful weapon, she thought, biting her lip.
To the right of her, a door slid open, and several guards came limping out, their uniforms and faces covered with blood and dust. They stopped, leaning against each other, staring at her. Death had come to them in the form of a large, blond man carrying a shiny, silver sword, and a female with burns on her chest and stomach, a silver streak flashing in her raven hair.
Reading their thoughts, Pam stopped. What silver streak? She reached up and pulled a lock of hair forward over her eyes. Sure enough, it was a shiny, silver color. When did that happen? I'm not old enough for gray hair, yet.
Excalibur reached out, curling the lock around his finger, a sexy smile playing on his lips. “It becomes you, Pamela. Just as you marked the Husken Silver with your blood, the Silver has marked you.”
Peering into Excalibur's deep, dark, silver eyes, Pam found herself being enveloped with that same feeling of 'home.' Holding her spellbound with his gaze, a look of desire and uncertainty flickered behind his eyes. He licked his lips. Pam found herself standing on tiptoes, leaning forward; waiting for him to kiss her. With a sigh, he quickly stepped away, turning toward the elevator.
Pam shook her head. What just happened? I didn't want to kiss him. Did I? Looking around her, she saw they were being smirked at by the guards.
Roughly pushing them aside, Pam entered the elevator car, followed by Excalibur. Cheeks burning with embarrassment over what almost happened between them, she studied the buttons on the panel. They were in a language she couldn't read. She stood there, picking her fingers. Which one should I push?
Excalibur reached over her shoulder, punching the third one from the top. When he pulled back, he left a trail of masculine sweat behind. Inwardly, Pam groaned, gritting her teeth. Ugh! Why is he sweating? It's not like he ran a marathon or anything. She clenched her hands, digging the nails into her palms. Is he doing this on purpose? The smell of a man sweating was the biggest turn on for her. God! I can't wait till he finds his mate, and leaves me alone.
The elevator shuddered to a stop, the doors sliding open. Pam stepped out, looking both directions in the hallway, but there wasn't anyone around. In the distance, she heard screaming, unsure if it came from guards or prisoners. Hopefully, none of them were her father. She studied the numbers on the cell doors, shrugging her shoulders. She couldn't read Calen. She turned toward Excalibur. Seeing him striding down the hallway, she followed. He stopped in front of a door, and pulled the lock control, but nothing happened.
“Weesa must have taken out the power to this area of the prison. Stand back, little one,” Excalibur instructed, pushing her out of the way.
He braced himself, tree-trunk legs spread apart, sword in both hands. He raised it over his head and brought it down, smashing into the middle of the metallic door with a resounding crash that echoed through the corridor. The door blew apart in two pieces, both falling inward.
Chapter Eleven
Arthur had been drifting in and out of fitful dreams when he was jerked awake, his cot jumping and bucking beneath him. Gripping the sides of the cot to keep himself from being tossed to the floor, he heard men yelling as they ran up and down the hallway. What the hell? Was that an earthquake? His cot gave another violent shudder, hairline cracks forming along the concrete floors and walls. What is going on?
Heart racing, he mentally scanned the area, trying to find the cause of the commotion. When his mental probe passed over Panth, he caught images of Panth's dream. Panth and his brother and sister were on Teth. Wait a damn minute. Arthur hadn't been able to read Panth's mind since being thrown in this stinking cell. Something's changed, but what? He concentrated harder. That straitjacket sensation damping his psychic abilities had disappeared.
Blood pumping with excitement, Arthur telepathically reached out to his cellmate. *Panth, wake up. I think the prison is under attack.*
Panth's soft, cocoa-brown eyes snapped open. He swung his legs over the side, sitting up, gazing at his roommate. “You are correct, my friend. The power nullifier has been deactivated. I believe someone has come to rescue you and the Queen.”
“I just hope it's not too late,” muttered Arthur. “From what I can feel from Daisy, she's not doing very well.” Arthur stared at the cell door. “We must prepare ourselves. We don't know whether they will be friend or foe coming through the door. General Mayo may have already ordered his men to execute me.”
“I agree. We are too weak to fight for very long. We will only have one attempt to try and gain our freedom. I shall direct my energy into you, to help increase your powers.”
Nodding at each other, hope reflected in their weary eyes, they braced themselves, not knowing what to expect.
With a resounding clang, the metal door blew apart, cleaved in half. As the demolished door crashed inward, Arthur beheld a blond-haired giant with a double hand grip on the sword Excalibur. Not waiting for introductions, Arthur threw a powerful PSI blast at the stranger, fueled by Panth's own psychic energy. Silver eyes wide with surprise, the giant stumbled backward out of the doorway, then disappeared.
Arthur and Panth fell limply on their dirty cots, weakened by their fight. Arthur barely had the energy left to move his head. Seeing a shadow cross the doorway, Arthur raised his trembling hand, praying he had enough juice left to defend himself and Panth.
“Arthur, no! Don't fight us. We are here to get you out,” yelled a long-legged, beautiful woman. She had shoulder-length, black hair with a striking, silver streak on one side. One of her breasts was peeking out of a sapphire blouse that had seen better days.
Why does she look familiar? he wondered, his hand falling weakly to his side. His mouth dropped open. Did she just speak English? He hadn't heard his native tongue in many years.
“Who are you?” Arthur managed to croak.
Struggling to sit up, Panth whispered, “Arthur, they must find Daisy and Pohat.” Then he fell over, unconscious.
Arthur stared at his furry friend. They were saved. But, he co
uldn't seem to get anything moving, and his mind wouldn't function. He turned his gaze to the beautiful woman, pleading with his eyes for her to help Daisy. Licking his dry lips, he took a deep breath, trying to get the words out. “Upstairs, somewhere. My wife, Daisy, and his sister, Pohat. Please, find them.”
The tall, blond man appeared in the doorway. “Stay, and help them, little one. I will find who they seek.” He pointed his sword at the ring on Arthur's pinky finger. “Take care of that ring, my friend.” He vanished into thin air.
On shaky legs, Pam knelt next to the man who was her father. She blinked back tears as she took in his scruffy beard, gray complexion, and gaunt cheeks. He looked like pictures of POWs she'd seen from Vietnam. She gingerly took his wrist, feeling for a pulse. It was faint, but steady.
Arthur gave her a small grin, nodding toward his cellmate. “I'm okay, but I think my friend needs help.”
Pam glanced to where her father nodded. She'd been so concerned about him she hadn't noticed the other person in the cell. Her eyes widened in surprise as she gazed at the other occupant. What the hell is that? Not only did it have matted, reddish-blue hair all over its body, it had too many arms and legs. Shifting closer, the stink from the creature caused her eyes to water. How the hell am I supposed to help it when I don't even want to touch it?
“His name is Panth,” Arthur said in a hoarse whisper. “He saved my life by sharing his food with me. If you feed him some meat broth, he should be all right. Me, too, as we've almost been starved to death.”
Kneeling in front of the hairy man, she blinked as he slowly opened his soft brown eyes and she saw two sets of eyelids. This just keeps getting weirder and weirder, she thought, shaking her head.
*He is a Tethian, Pamela,* said Weesa's harmonic voice in her head. *Their eyelids have adapted to the hot, dusty planet they live on.*
“Then, why haven't their bodies? How can a person with all that hair live on a hot planet?” Pam shook her head. “Never mind, we have more important matters. What do I need to do?”
*Excalibur has found and retrieved our Queen, and a female Tethian. They are on the brink of death*. Weesa's voice sounded worried and scared. *They need nourishment, which will quickly replenish their energy. Arthur always referred to something he used to make called 'soup.' Excalibur has the guards preparing some now. You may want to try it on the Tethian and Arthur.*
Pam nodded her head. Yes, chicken soup. Mother always fed her chicken soup when she was sick. Pam pictured two lidless cans of warm, chicken soup. Two cans, with spoons, appeared on the dirty floor next to her knees. She quickly picked one up, handing it to her father, who took the can with trembling hands. Instead of using the spoon, he started drinking directly from the can. Well, whatever works, she thought with a shrug, removing the spoon from the second can.
Wrinkling her nose, Pam studied the smelly mass of fur in front of her. She really didn't want to touch him. There were mites crawling in out of his fur. With a shudder she reached out and helped Panth sit up, then handed him the can of warm soup. He grasped it with both of his upper hands, while bracing himself with his lower arms. Hmm, an extra set of arms could come in handy, Pam mused, while Panth took a tentative sip of his soup, then started eating with the same gusto as her father.
While the starving men slurped away on their meals, Pam glanced around the small, dingy cell. The floor and walls were dull gray, with splatters of what looked like rust, although Pam had a pretty good idea the splotches were actually dried blood. In the farthest corner sat an overflowing bucket of Human waste and urine. Well, not all Human, she thought, eyeballing the Tethian. Next to the bucket laid a small furry chunk of what she assumed was meat. It had maggots crawling over it, making her stomach flip flop. No wonder they're half-starved. Who could eat that crap?
Pam took a couple of deep breaths, trying to calm her queasy stomach, but the cloying stench in the cell almost made her add to the mess. “Oh my god, I can't stand the smell.” Standing, she faced the wall between the two cots. Slowly the blocks dissolved, leaving an opening. Cold, fresh air flowed into the cell. “Ah, that's better,” Pam said, sniffing a few times. Looking down at the multi-limbed man, she said, “By the way, your, eh, sister and Daisy have been found and are outside, being tended to by Weesa.”
“How are they doing?” Arthur asked with concern, tossing his empty can onto the floor.
“Not very well, I'm afraid,” Pam said with a frown. “Weesa's doing everything she can to try and save them.”
Arthur hung his head as tears tried forming, but he was too dehydrated to cry. Their rescue might've been too late. He looked up, meeting Pam's eyes, still getting the feeling he knew her, but he was too weak to do a mental probe. “Thank you for saving us. I don't remember seeing you before, but you look so familiar, and you speak my language. Are you from Earth?”
Pam knelt before him, gently taking his bony, dirty hands in her soft ones. “I'm your daughter, Pamela. Ruth is my mum.”
Arthur's mouth opened and closed a few times before the words came out. “My daughter? How?”
Pam laughed. “Well, I imagine it happened the way everyone makes babies.” She looked sideways at Panth. “At least, normal for Humans.” Panth chuckled in a deep, musical tone.
“That's not what I meant, and you know it,” Arthur scolded her. He studied his daughter. Other than the color of her hair and eyes, she looked very much like Ruth. “I'm sorry, Pam, you said? I had no idea Ruth was pregnant. If I did, I would've come back to Earth. I wouldn't have stayed away.”
“I understand, Dad. Mum explained everything to me. She wasn't supposed to be able to get pregnant. You know what they say, 'shit happens.' ” She gave him a rueful smile.
“What about your boyfriend, the huge dude wearing a toga? What does he want with my ring?” Arthur twisted the dainty, silver ring on his right pinky finger.
“He's not my boyfriend,” Pam vehemently denied, shaking her head. “Besides, he already has a girlfriend. He's, um, he's…” she faltered. How in the world can I tell my father I released the Shalit? She took a deep breath. In a rush, she blurted out, “Weesa kidnapped me, and made me release the Shalit from Excalibur. She explained it was the only way to save you. The Shalit wouldn't help, unless he could release his mate. And, his mate is the female Shalit trapped in the ring you wear.” Pam cringed, waiting for her father's outburst.
Arthur stared at her, speechless. His face grew paler, eyes rolling up in his head, and he fell over unconscious.
Oh, no. What have I done? Pam shook his shoulders. “Dad? Father, what's wrong? Please, wake up.” The sound of a tin can clattering onto the floor made her look up. She found herself staring into enormous brown eyes.
“You are Arthur's daughter? And you released a Shalit from its prison?” His eyes looked around in fright. “My Osso. Where is it? We are all in danger.” He struggled to rise, but fell back with a loud moan.
“Excalibur will not hurt you,” Pam said defensively, cradling Arthur in her arms. “He is my friend. Without his help, we wouldn't have been able to save you. You should be thanking him, not trying to run from him.” Her eyes flashed with anger at her father's rather strange friend.
Panth's frightened eyes stared off over Pam's shoulder. Turning, she saw Excalibur standing in the doorway, arms across his chest, a knowing grin on his face. Oh, great. How much of that did he hear? She fumed, glancing down at her father with a frown.
“Little one, are they ready to be moved? Weesa is waiting for them, and anxious to treat your father. Some of the guards are getting restless and appear to be ready to fight, though most of them fear you, and Arthur. They are afraid you will disintegrate them.” He chuckled. “They are not aware of what I am, and, for now, I am enjoying my anonymity.”
“I'm sure you are,” Pam snapped. God, why didn't he just collect his girlfriend, and get out of here? Fearful for her father, and upset with Excalibur's cavalier attitude, she concentrated on Weesa and the meadow. Finding th
e area set-up for her father and Panth, she BLIPPED! the four of them to the waiting beds.
Panth sat up, wide-eyed. Amazing! Arthur's daughter had the same powers he did. No one on Calen or Eilsel would've been able to teleport themselves, let alone four people. Looking around the crowded field of milling guards and moaning prisoners, he spied his sister lying in a bed not far from them. He took off with slow, shuffling steps, his four legs working in concert.
Pam stared after him, entranced by his fluidity of motion. He looked like he was dancing. She shook her head. She needed to figure out what to do with the guards and the prisoners. She stood, hands on hips, surveying the meadow. Weesa had erected several long rows of webbed cots for the prisoners who needed medical attention. The ambulatory inmates were moving from cot to cot, looking for loved ones.
Tears prickled the back of her eyes as Pam witnessed the outcome of the inhumane treatment perpetrated on these hapless people. Some of the prisoners were barely alive, others moaning and crying in pain. She clenched her jaw, anger infusing her body, the same type of anger that overcame her when she blew up the guard shack. Balling her hands into fists, taking a few deep breaths, she concentrated on trying to keep control of her rising energy. The last thing she wanted to do was inflict more pain and death on the survivors.
Peering around again, she noticed several groups of guards standing off to the sides. They appeared to be whispering among themselves, pointing at her, Weesa, and the prisoners. They were definitely up to something.
Pam narrowed her eyes as Weesa mentally told her over one third of the prisoners were beyond help, most already dead, or soon to be. All at the hands of these callous Calen men. It would be so easy to obliterate them, right here and now. I would avenge my father for what they've done. She crossed her arms over her tattered blouse, thinking of her mum. What would mum do? Mum would tell me to think with my head, not my heart. If she killed these people out of revenge, she'd be no better than them. Isn't that why they kidnapped my father? Revenge for the Council of Twelve? Pam sighed, gazing down at her blue tennis shoes. Her mum was right. It wasn't up to her to decide the fate of the guards. It wasn't hers to avenge.