The Girl from the Stars Series Boxed Set

by Cheree Alsop

  Tears filled her eyes and a smile spread across her face.

  “Tariq!” she yelled.

  Her voice echoed through the massive docking bay and workers stopped to look at them, but Liora didn’t care. She almost fell down the side of the Nine in her effort to reach the floor.

  By the time her shoes touched the ground, Tariq was there, sweeping her into his arms. She kissed him again and again, telling herself with each one that he was truly there, holding her, kissing her back just as fiercely. It felt too wonderful to be true, and a sob tore free from her throat.

  “Oh, Liora,” Tariq said, his voice breaking. “I was so worried about you.”

  “I thought you’d never wake up,” she told him with her face buried against his chest. “I thought I would come back and find out you had died. I almost flew away instead of landing.”

  “Where would you have gone?”

  “Nowhere,” she replied. “I would have flown until the Nine ran out of fuel, and then waited until I died.”

  Tariq held her gently back from him. His gaze was tumultuous when he looked down at her. “Why would you do that?”

  “Don’t you remember?” Liora asked him. “We live together or we die together. That’s how it is. That is the only option.”

  Tariq’s tears broke free and a wavering smile touched his lips. He nodded as he looked down at her. “We live together or we die together. That’s the way it is.”

  “I love you, Tariq Donovan,” she said, using the backs of her fingers to wipe his tears gently from his cheeks.

  “And I love you, Liora Day,” he said, using the cuff of his soft shirt to do the same for her.

  “That’s Warden Day,” Creeden said as he walked past them.

  Tariq stared after him. “Who was that?”

  “A member of my crew,” Liora replied.

  “You have a crew?” Tariq gave her a skeptical look. “Liora Day has a crew?”

  “I usually go solo,” she said.

  He nodded. “I know. That’s why I’m so surprised.”

  “The Warden Day Warriors!” Creeden shouted from the other end of the hangar.

  “If he’d put as much thought into the mysteries of the Macrocosm as he does our crew name, he’d have solved cold fusion by now,” Kray said on her way past.

  “At least he’s thinking about something,” Tanlia said. “That’s more than he usually does.”

  “Can we get to the medical wing already?” Waylan asked as Zanden and Gunsa helped him walk down the docking bay. “This bullet is killing me.”

  “Then you should have avoided it,” Gunsa pointed out.

  “Maybe if everyone wasn’t busy shooting at metal objects, I wouldn’t have been hit,” Waylan shot back.

  Zanden met Liora’s gaze and grinned. He touched a finger to his forehead in a casual salute and turned his attention to helping Waylan along.

  “That’s your crew?” Tariq said with a hint of doubt in his voice.

  Liora nodded with a feeling of pride that brought a smile to her face. “That’s my crew. They fought well against the Ketulans and….” Her smile faded as the thought of what she needed to do returned. Seeing Tariq had banished everything else from her mind, but Brandis was in trouble.

  “Liora, do I need to run you through the scanner to make sure you’re alright?” Tariq asked, watching her closely.

  Liora shook her head. “I’m fine, but we need to go rescue Brandis.”

  “I know.”

  There was something to his tone that caught Liora’s attention. She gave him a closer look. Concern showed in his eyes and there were shadows that hadn’t been there before.

  “What is it?” she asked.

  “Liora, read my thoughts.”

  She stared at him. Tariq had never asked her to intrude in his mind before. The few times she had done so by accident had hurt them both.

  “Why?” she asked.

  “They showed me something,” Tariq replied. “I don’t think they meant to, but they did.”

  Before she could ask who he meant, Tariq took her hands in his.

  “Do it. Hurry before the memory loses its clarity.”

  Liora closed her eyes. She pushed away the fact that they stood in the middle of the Corian base’s hidden defense bay. The noise of other ships landing, repair crews getting to immediate work, and supervisors calling out orders faded to the background. She stilled her thoughts and pulled carefully, reminding herself that she was working with the man she loved instead of with a machine that had tried to kill her brother.

  The memory Tariq wanted to show her surfaced immediately. She saw it from a distance, yet it felt as though she was the one in the memory.

  Tariq fought to reach the orbs on Ralian. The Nameless Ones tore into him, shredding his body as they pulled at his soul in their attempt to suck him dry before he could reach the Omne Occasus orbs. The pain was unbearable and she saw his steps falter. He fell, rose again, and fell against the case. The Nameless Ones battered him mercilessly, and Liora felt the strange sensation of life being pulled away. He collapsed to the ground.

  “He’s gone, soulless one,” the leader of the Nameless Ones hissed to Liora. The voice was distant and muted. “He was weak, and had little left to give. We took what he had, his memories, his fears.” The leader paused, then said, “His love for you. It’s gone, Liora.”

  Tariq gritted his teeth and pushed up to his hands and knees. Nobody could ever take away his love for Liora. He would protect her if it was the last thing he did.

  The Nameless One continued to speak, its voice a grating, dry rasp, “As a token of our anger against your betrayal, we have sucked everything that made him what he was. He is an empty shell, worthless, useless. Your love is in vain.”

  “That’s where you’re wrong,” Tariq replied.

  He felt everyone turn to look at him. The attention of the Nameless Ones was palpable, as well as their hatred. He lifted his hand and slammed the blade into the green orb, followed by the black one. A burst of power shoved him backwards behind the case.

  Black and green energies swirled together in a whirlwind that sparked and pulled, drawing the Nameless Ones in. Tariq felt the force pulling on him where it could reach him, coaxing what remained of his life from his body. He opened his eyes just enough to see the form of the leader of the Nameless Ones standing in front of Liora. He couldn’t hear what was said, but satisfaction swelled in his chest when he saw the Nameless One pulled backwards into the whirlwind.

  You think you’ve won.

  The voice in his mind felt like claws scratching inside of his thoughts. He couldn’t move; he couldn’t get free. It was the most painful thing he had ever experienced.

  You’re wrong, human. You’ll pay. You’ll see.

  An image surfaced in Tariq’s thoughts. It was of a planet encircled by red and blue rings. The image dove through the clouded atmosphere to the surface where liquid bubbled, then hardened into thick lumps of red rock. A sulfur scent filled Liora’s nose and a dome met her gaze. The image took her to the top where voices reached her ears.

  “They eliminated the Gateway, Master,” a voice said.

  “The Sadarin were supposed to ensure that didn’t happen.” The voice that replied forced the tones as though they were spoken underwater.

  “The Sadarin failed,” the first voice said. “The orbs were destroyed.”

  “You told me that the Coalition’s greed would ensure that the Omne Occasus was used. They would destroy a galaxy, and that would open the Gateway. We need access to their planets.” There was a pause and a crash. A moment later, a Ketulan burst from the side of the dome. One of its claws hung crookedly and it listed to one side as it flew away. “These machines are useless to me.” The voice grew stronger. “Who destroyed the orbs?”

  “The Ketulans have brought the name Liora Day.”

  A grunt sounded, followed by the words, “Bring this Liora Day to me. If she refuses to come along in peace, make her
an offer she can’t refuse.”

  Liora took her hands from Tariq’s. His face was pale, but he watched her.

  “They set a trap for you.”

  “It’s only a trap if I don’t know what I’m getting into,” Liora replied. She lifted her helmet to shove it back on her head.

  Tariq grabbed her arm. “Liora, wait. You don’t know what you’re getting into. We don’t know what they’re capable of.”

  Liora met his gaze. “They have Brandis. That’s enough for me. He searched the entire Macrocosm to bring me home, and I will do the same for him.”

  “Not alone,” Tariq said.

  “That’s what we keep telling her.”

  Zanden stepped out from behind the next docking station. Liora realized he had been waiting there the whole time. Kray and Tanlia followed, with Gunsa and Waylan close behind.

  “Warden Day, leader of the Fearless Six,” Creeden glanced at Tariq and gave him a skeptical once-over. “Seven Defenders of Corian and the rest of the Macrocosm, we are reporting for duty.”

  “You’re seriously going to have to work on that,” Kray said.

  “I think it’s perfect,” Creeden replied.

  “We could have saved the Macrocosm by now,” Waylan said dryly.

  “You’ve been listening to our conversation?” Liora asked.

  Zanden lifted his shoulders in an apologetic shrug.

  “It was my idea, Warden,” Creeden said. “A good team never leaves its commander alone.”

  “It was the quietest I’ve ever seen Creed,” Tanlia told her.

  Liora couldn’t help the smile that crossed her face. She turned back to Tariq. “Well, what do you say?”

  An answering smile touched his lips. “I say I’m putting my money on the Damaclan.”

  Girl from the Stars

  Book 4- Day’s Journey

  By Cheree L. Alsop

  Chapter 1

  Liora took her hands from Tariq’s. His face was pale, but he watched her.

  “They set a trap for you.”

  “It’s only a trap if I don’t know what I’m getting into,” Liora replied. She lifted her helmet to shove it back on her head.

  Tariq grabbed her arm. “Liora, wait. You don’t know what you’re getting into. We don’t know what they’re capable of.”

  Liora met his gaze. “They have Brandis. That’s enough for me. He searched the entire Macrocosm to bring me home, and I will do the same for him.”

  “Not alone,” Tariq said.

  “That’s what we keep telling her.”

  Pilot Zanden stepped out from behind the next docking station. Liora realized he had been waiting there the whole time. Kray and Tanlia followed, with Gunsa and Waylan close behind.

  “Warden Day, leader of the Fearless Six,” Creeden glanced at Tariq and gave him a skeptical once-over. “Or possibly seven, Defenders of Corian and the rest of the Macrocosm, we are reporting for duty.”

  “You’re seriously going to have to work on that,” Kray said.

  “I think it’s perfect,” Creeden replied.

  “We could have saved the Macrocosm by now,” Waylan said dryly.

  “You’ve been listening to our conversation?” Liora asked.

  Zanden lifted his shoulders in an apologetic shrug.

  “It was my idea, Warden,” Creeden said. “A good team never leaves its commander alone.”

  “It was the quietest I’ve ever seen Creed,” Tanlia told her.

  Liora couldn’t help the smile that crossed her face. She turned back to Tariq. “Well, what do you say?”

  An answering smile touched his lips. “I say I’m putting my money on the Damaclan.”

  “Then it’s settled,” Zanden said. “Fuel up, team. We’re heading out as soon as the Nines are resupplied.”

  “Can we get to the medical wing first?” Waylan asked. “This bullet is killing me.”

  “Then you should’ve avoided it,” Gunsa pointed out as he and Zanden helped the man limp toward the end of the dock.

  “Maybe if everyone wasn’t busy shooting at metal objects, I wouldn’t have been hit,” Waylan argued.

  Zanden met Liora’s gaze and grinned. He touched a finger to his forehead in a casual salute and turned his attention to helping Waylan along.

  “That’s your crew?” Tariq asked, his voice filled with skepticism as he watched the ragtag group walk away.

  Liora nodded with a feeling of pride that brought another smile. “That’s my crew. They fought well against the Ketulans.” Her smile faded as the thought of what she needed to do returned. Seeing Tariq back on his feet had banished everything else from her mind, but Brandis was in trouble.

  “The Warden Day Warriors!” Creeden shouted from the other end of the hangar.

  “If he put as much thought into the mysteries of the Macrocosm as he does our crew name, he’d have solved cold fusion by now,” Kray called over her shoulder.

  “At least he’s thinking about something,” they heard Tanlia reply. “That’s more than he usually does.”

  “We’re in trouble,” Tariq muttered.

  Liora lifted a shoulder. “Actually, I think we’re far better off than we’d be without them.”

  “You’re putting a lot of faith into untrained merchant guards.”

  Liora glanced back at him. “You didn’t see them in action. I think you’ll be glad to have them along.”

  Tariq put his hand on the ship Liora had flown. The name ‘Day’s End’ stood out sharply along the side.

  “Do I get to fly one of these?”

  “Depends.” Hyrin, the Talastan, came around the end of the ship and grinned at Tariq. “If Liora’s father doesn’t like you, he won’t authorize it.”

  “Why wouldn’t her father like me?” Tariq asked in surprise.

  “I don’t know,” Hyrin replied with a shrug. “You’re the bad boy, the sulking ship medic who looks like he’d rather kill someone than talk to them. And you’re interested in his daughter.” He shrugged again. “What’s there not to like?”

  Tariq caught up to the Talastan. Liora heard him ask, “Seriously? Do you really think that’s what the Senior Commandant thinks? Does it matter what he thinks? If I love his daughter, he doesn’t get a say, does he?”

  The worry in Tariq’s voice held her. Liora couldn’t get past how amazing it had felt to see him standing there in the hangar out of his coma. He had nearly died when the Nameless Ones attacked him. She paused, then corrected herself. He had actually died. When she reached him, his heart was silent and no breath stirred his lips. She had brought him back by pushing everything she had into him, and it nearly cost both of them their lives.

  What a strange turn her journey had taken. She had started out fighting for her own survival. Now, entirely against her Damaclan training, she had been willing to give all of it up so that the man she loved would return. She had no regrets.

  “Officer Day?”

  She turned to tell the woman that she was no longer an officer. Her heart skipped a beat at the sight in front of her.

  The woman was impaled on a long claw. Blood dripped from the corner of her mouth and her hands scrabbled at the metal.

  “Ketulans!” Liora shouted.

  The huge Ketulan dropped the woman to the floor and made a stab at Liora. Liora ducked under the starship she had flown into the dock. When she appeared on the other side, two other Ketulans were ready for her. They were too high to reach with her knives, and the power sources that were her only option to slay them would be impossible to hit without a gun.

  “Liora, get out of there!” Tariq shouted.

  Liora ducked back under the Nine and ran toward the rear of the ship. She reached the end and jumped against the wall, then threw herself backwards. She landed on the ship and took off running across the top.

  The thought that everyone within her father’s hangar would be killed if the Ketulans weren’t stopped drove her forward. She saw the edge of the big Ketulan and changed her an
gle. At the last step on the Nine’s wing, she leaped and landed on the Ketulan’s back.

  Shots rang out. Yells filled the air. A glance over her shoulder showed four more of the machines wreaking havoc in the hangar. Pilots fired shots at them and bullets whirled through the air.

  “They’re metal!” Creeden shouted. “Stop shooting unless you can hit the power source!”

  A pained scream tore through the air.

  The Ketulan beneath Liora spun to the left in an attempt to throw her off. Liora grabbed onto anything she could. The metal bit into her hands as she fought to keep her hold. The Ketulan was nearly big enough to house a man inside. Its claws reached back at her. The metal was stained with blood that shone bright red in the hangar’s light.

  “Not this time,” Liora said.

  She grabbed onto the arm of the claw and swung down, unsheathing her knife as she did so. Before the Ketulan could react, she stabbed her knife into the first power cell she saw.

  The machine spun in a tight circle. Liora’s hand slipped and she dropped the knife. She slid her fingers into a gap in the metal beneath the Ketulan and dangled as it fought to dislodge her.

  Liora spotted the second power cell. She unsheathed her second knife and drove it into the cylindrical tube. Sparks showered down onto her, but the machine continued to fight back. Liora saw a third power cell tucked beneath the one she had just destroyed. She pulled a knife from the sheath at her wrist, but every time she reached for the power cell, the Ketulan shook. She knew if she fell, the machine would shred her before she even reached the ground.

  “Liora!”

  She looked down at the sound of Tariq’s voice. He had his gun out.

  “Catch!” he shouted.

  He threw the weapon into the air.

  The Ketulan’s claw reached out for the gun. At the last second, Liora kicked the claw away and caught Tariq’s weapon. Her other hand slipped free. She fired as she fell. The bullet hit the power cell and the Ketulan exploded.

  Tariq tried to catch Liora, but a Ketulan ran into him at full speed, shoving him against the Nine. Liora hit the ground hard and curled into a ball as pieces of the Ketulan rained down around her.