She emitted the raven cal to stun the poor cat. She hurried to him before anyone mistook his anger and fear. After placing a hand upon his head, she scanned his mind and saw through his eyes. Dr. Nare looked like a troublemaker. Too, the physician’s fright suddenly appealed to Walter’s infatuation with fresh meat. Further in his mind she saw what he intended to do. “No, bad kitty. Sleep.” The feline fel over and despite the area becoming safe, she continued to sense terror. In fact, it escalated before turning into pain and anguish. She focused on the emotions until she discovered its source. In her mind, she clearly saw what happened to Private Pinski. Reina ran past soldiers, rounding corners too quickly and bounced off wal s in an attempt to get to her friend. After a sliding stop in front of the animal compound, she tapped a finger against the door impatiently.
“Open,” she said with a roughened voice. She’d no time for this!
Her eyes were scanned and a mechanical voice said, “Access denied.”
“Open!”
Her eyes burned from the repeated retinal scans. When she al owed the raven within her to fly, her pupils expanded to fil her eye sockets and they became very sensitive. Normal light didn’t necessarily bother her. The infrared examinations did. Using her mind to reach into the data beast and mental y rearranging its programming, she final y heard, “Granted.”
Once inside, she cal ed out, “Pinski? Answer me, help me find you. It’s Reina.”
Whimpers attached to pain and horror battered Reina’s mind. Pinski feared answering because she didn’t want the cat to seek her out again. The Whimpers attached to pain and horror battered Reina’s mind. Pinski feared answering because she didn’t want the cat to seek her out again. The poor woman!
“Close,” Reina said before the door shut. “Secure, no admittance.”
No more felines could leave. How Walter got out remained a mystery. She sought the injured woman and in Reina’s mind’s eye, found her huddled under the desk. Pinski would be safe for the time being. Now to locate the cat. Reina visualized him up on a shelf with Pinski’s blood surrounding his mouth and covering his front paws.
The interior door to the cat cages stood open. Reina strode confidently inside, reached out to her left and retrieved the firearm in the emergency station. She strummed the gun to life by flipping a switch. The soft whirring relayed the weapon’s readiness within seconds. Raze jumped beneath her feet and she adjusted her stance automatical y. The raven state afforded her extreme coordination and focus. The alarms sounded as the computer issued a warning through the speaker system. “General power failure. Auxiliary power in ten…nine—”
“Oh God!” Pinski cried out.
Scant lights came up and she realized the auxiliary tried to surface. Her arm extended to her right as the cat prepared to attack. Without looking in its direction, seeing it clearly with her mind, she leveled the weapon upward two feet and pul ed the trigger. She blasted the cat and hit it twice more on the way to the floor. Sure the beast was dead, she walked to the cages.
“Seven…six…”
The pretty black cat with the white chest ran toward the door. She drew the weapon before firing. The lock fused to the surrounding metal.
“Five…four…”
The largest and most feral of the beasts nudged its door. She drew up her leg, placed her boot against the door and blasted the lock. Secured. When he tried to take her foot, she pul ed back and stepped away. “Such a bad kitty!” Her mind fanned out to view al the other cats at the same time. They cowered in cages and she waited to see which one would make the next move.
“Two…one. Auxiliary power on.” The lights flickered before the computer said, “Main system now online.” After the mechanisms locked the cages, she heard hammering on the door and ignored it. Pinski would be tended first. She hurried to the desk before shoving it away. The poor, frightened woman! Such a mess and she’d lost so much blood. Reina gathered her from the floor and carried her to the shower unit before hitting the button. The wounds needed sterilized because it wouldn’t take long for the feline’s saliva to make haste through her veins, wreaking havoc with her immune system.
“It’s al right now, Pinski. We’l get you to Dr. Nare and he’l make you wel .” She spoke softly as she stepped from the enclosure.
“My hands,” Pinski said, having great difficulty drawing a breath.
Reina looked down as she walked. “They’re not too bad. I’ve seen worse and they healed good as new. I’l bet it hurts though.” In front of the entrance, she squinted as the scanner tested her eyes. Mental y reaching into the data beast, she sighed tiredly before making her request. “Open.”
The door hesitated but unlocked and slid away. Four soldiers and Dr. Nare rushed in with guns drawn. One of them tried to take Pinski and Reina stepped back reflexively. No longer needing to walk between two realities, she drew herself back to her woman form. Shuddering, breathing hard, she handed the private over. Dr. Nare took Pinski as he and a soldier walked from the compound. The other three men checked cages as she stood at the door.
Able to concentrate on her own needs then, she brought her arms up to cross at her stomach. She shivered as she tiredly left the room. She could exist in duality for short periods of time. Practice and discipline al owed it. A constant source of discomfort was tolerating the bitter chil until she regained a bit of warmth.
She felt Raze tremble as its weapons deployed. The vessel shifted when answering fire hit in return. She wanted to be with Gage. The corridor appeared to tilt and she bumped the wal before sliding down to sit on the floor. Funny, she couldn’t recal the route back to her chamber.
“Lady Raven, are you injured?” a young, red-haired soldier asked.
“No, Sir, but I seem to have lost my way.”
“You’re bleeding. Let me take you to medical.”
She swatted his hands away when he tried to get hold of her. She accepted only the use of his arm and pul ed herself up. “They’re busy there, Sir. Are you needed at any station right now?”
“I’m to look for injured.”
“Are there others who do this or only you?”
“There are many, Lady.”
“If you could spare a few minutes and point me to my chamber, you’l be free to go about your business.”
“Right this way, Lady.” He began walking slowly, glancing back often to make sure she fol owed.
Once they’d made it to her chamber, the young man appeared reluctant to leave.
“Sir?” she asked.
“You don’t look wel .”
“My first time on a vessel and it’s a bit more than anticipated.” The floor lurched and she adjusted her stance.
He chuckled, retracting the arm that’d gone out to catch her. She wouldn’t fal . He said, “Yes, ma’am, I take your meaning. But your head, Lady. The general gave explicit orders to the entire crew that we’re to see to your safety.”
“It’s nothing and I’m safely back where he expected me to go. You may leave.”
“I beg your pardon, but since you wouldn’t accompany me to medical, I’d like to see your head tended before I take leave. If you don’t mind?”
“Very wel , Sir.”
The uncertain young man quite obviously tried to fol ow orders to the letter. She didn’t wish to cause him further concern about shirking his duty. He fol owed her to the relief area of the chamber and watched as she took a cloth and wet it. After dabbing at her temple, she pul ed the hair back and examined the area. “See? Al better.”
He released a breath and slouched slightly. “It’s as you said, Lady Raven, nothing but a scratch. The look about you stil relays il ness however. Is there something I can do?”
“I’m simply tired, Sir. After boarding Raze I’m afraid my eyes and mind have been taken with al its wonders. I’ve but managed a few minutes of sleep.
Like a child, I’ve been too overly engrossed in fancy, pretty things to rest. I’l do so now.” The room tilted and her knees buckled. The k
ind young soldier caught her and her face heated with embarrassment despite the chil stil running through the rest of her. Once seated on the bed, she made the effort and smiled. “You’ve been most kind and have done wel in your duty. Thank you.” He backed toward the door. His worried expression and hesitance to leave made her stomach tighten. If she wasn’t so tired, she’d laugh.
* * * * *
“Corporal?” Gage asked, seated and turned away from him.
The youngun probably scanned the others in the room before realizing he’d been addressed. Corporal Lobank had stood for hours waiting for attention. Gage couldn’t spare a moment until now. He heard Lobank’s boots as he stepped forward. “I’ve come to report on the lady raven, Sir.”
“Continue.”
“She’s at rest in her cabin, Sir.” Gage tensed despite the lackluster report. Her cabin was not where he’d instructed her to go.
“Not in medical?”
“No, Sir, she wouldn’t accompany me. Prior to leaving her though, she tended her wound and it appeared superficial.”
“Are you a physician, son?”
“No, Sir.” Gage swung the chair toward the boy. By the look of dread on Lobank’s face, he understood Gage’s orders weren’t open for debate. When he’d instructed the crew to see to Reina’s safety, he’d expected them to damn wel take it seriously.
“And you left her?”
“After discussion with Sergeant Lobank and Lieutenant Gunther, Sir.” Taking the word of his brother could be overlooked but Gunther was a lack-wit.
“They’re physicians?”
“No, Sir,” he said, letting his eyes stay closed a bit when he blinked. “They observed the lady with Walter and watched the relay from the animal compound. She received no damage and they agreed she seemed wel , Sir.”
“Explain.”
“Sir?”
“Walter. ”
“The large feline the lady fed. Sorry, Sir, Private Pinski said the lady named him Walter.”
“What does her trip to the animal compound this morn have to do with her head bleeding this eve? I swear if you’ve taken lessons from her…” Gage drew a breath and forced himself to speak more calmly. He’d get no answers if he upset the corporal further. “Please, stand at ease, son. Now, Lobank, from the top. Take your time and explain to me what happened. We’re not battle ready at the moment, so we have as long as you need.” Despite his eyes stil widening with trepidation, the youngun attempted an answer. “I was in the vicinity, scouting for wounded, when I happened upon the lady with Dr. Nare. They stopped to tend Private Baker. He’d broken his arm, Sir. That’s when the cat, Walter, came upon them. The lady went to Walter and put him to sleep.”
Gage’s hand passed over his face. The visual he’d just gotten couldn’t be correct. Leaving his hand on his forehead while resting an elbow on the command chair, he remained composed. “Go on.”
“She went straight to the compound and gained entrance.”
“How?”
“She was scanned, rejected, issued the command again and the door opened, Sir.”
“Al right.” Tampering with his data beast would cost one lady raven much. No one aboard Raze dared fiddle with his toys! There was a reason she’d been rejected from that area.
“My brother and Sergeant Gunther watched the lady from outside through the monitor. Once inside, she secured the door, Sir.”
“They couldn’t get in?”
“No, Sir.”
“But she did.”
“Yes, Sir.”
“Continue.”
“They said she kil ed one of the felines and caged the others before auxiliary power came up. Then she carried Private Pinski to the door and they took her to medical.”
“They took the lady to medical?” He needed to have a care. Words coming through clenched teeth put the corporal back on edge and Gage wanted more answers.
“Private Pinski, Sir. A cat mauled her.”
“LeRoy!”
“I’ve located it, General.” One of the reasons LeRoy received promotion to a colonel was his ability to read Gage’s mind. “On the monitor, Sir?”
“Immediately.”
The images were recorded because the monitors remained awake even if other systems in the ship didn’t have power. The large screen on the bridge switched from the vast space before the Raze to the footage he’d requested. He gripped the arm of the chair as Reina put the massive cat to sleep. LeRoy replayed the image of her gaining access to the animal compound three times at Gage’s request. Yes, Reina had indeed managed something extraordinary to gain entrance. It wouldn’t happen again.
Once she’d gotten inside, the camera also had an angle of the large cat on the shelf above and to her right. The blood on the cat relayed its involvement with the private. His stomach turned as the lady grabbed the laser, targeted the cat and shot three times as it pounced. She hadn’t looked at the feline and hadn’t flinched at its demise.
Gage found himself standing as he watched her seal the cages. The aggressive male almost got hold of her. She went to Pinski, carried her to the shower and then to the door. Pinski wasn’t much smal er than the lady but Reina appeared total y unaffected or burdened by the private’s weight. He remained frozen until the footage showed Reina and Lobank entering her cabin. The screen went blank and Gage turned to the corporal. “Corporal Lobank?”
“Sir?”
“Dismissed.”
Saluting, he replied, “Yes, Sir.”
Gage stood there a moment contemplating exactly who’d be the target of his building rage. Seeing only one woman in his mind’s eye, he said,
“LeRoy?”
“Sir?”
“You have the helm.”
“You have the helm.”
He’d gotten a few paces down the hal when LeRoy ran up behind him. “Gage?” He stopped and turned. “I see the look on your face and you’d best take a walk before you go to her.”
“She gained wrongful entrance into that compound. I expressly told her to go to medical with Nare. We spoke about her irrational behavior by going near the felines and yet less than an eve later, one of them almost took her foot. Al this after handling a firearm on my ship, without my damn permission, before she tended her own wound and convinced Lobank to leave her injured and in her cabin. You don’t think I should go see the raven directly?”
“No.”
“I do.”
“And you’l regret it. She doesn’t understand our way.” LeRoy offering excuses on the woman’s behalf didn’t sit wel . He didn’t care for his second-in-command defending her.
“She has the knowledge—”
“Which is worth spit and you know it.” LeRoy said quickly. “She acted and saved Pinski. In her mind, because the private let her play with the cats, they’re friends.”
“If she would’ve been hurt or worse kil ed—”
“Major Deacon wil die. But she’s fine and wil stay that way if you don’t rip her pretty little head off.” He’d been about to say something utterly stupid. He hadn’t even thought of her value as a tracker in finding the major. He’d been concerned about his own personal loss. “A walk it is, Mason. Keep us safe until I’m back on the bridge. We can expect more attacks now that we’re on the right course.”
“More of them got away than we initial y thought. They’re gathering strength out there and the major’s a bit of bait.”
“Do you think that knowledge would change his mind on where we’re to go?” Gage knew the demise of six combat vessels would be worth the president getting his son back.
“No.”
“I think you’ve the right of it. You, Dunn, Brach and I should speak on the matter. We’l need al our abilities and a bit of prayer to pul this one off.”
“General.” He saluted. “I’l return to my post.”
Chapter Seven
How very interesting—the lady slept naked. Gage stood and admired her from the side of her bed. By the dark skin beneath her c
losed eyes, her exhaustion was evident. He’d been careful not to make a sound. Curled as she was, her hands were bal ed together and tucked beneath her chin. With her body in a fetal position, she huddled as if attempting to retain warmth. Cautiously reaching out, he found her skin chil ed to the touch. Did the woman only retain a normal temperature when aroused?
The appropriate course of action would’ve been to layer her in blankets and bid heat from the bed. He didn’t feel particularly appropriate at the moment and removed his tunic. After many hours on the bridge in a battle situation, he possessed enough heat for both of them.
The ability to fly, observe situations through the eyes of their prey, the raven at times could be a perfunctory tool in the apprehension or destruction of one’s enemy. The text remembered verbatim, he couldn’t seem to relate the words to Reina. He’d witnessed her performing as a weapon when she retrieved the injured private. Viewing her now, he could only see the deeply arousing, vulnerable and soft female asleep on the bed. Clearing his mind of al the nonsense, he preferred to see her as a woman, not some sort of bizarre tool to be used to gain another star upon his sleeve.
Once naked and ready for sleep, he took a moment to brush dark hair from just above her left temple. The wound was but a scratch and barely visible.
He rethought his initial estimate of Lobank’s neglect. He’d need to speak to the corporal and let him know he hadn’t been remiss in his duty.
Gage crawled in beside her and she stirred. “Easy, Lady, I’ve come to warm you and close my eyes.”
“Is it over?” she asked sleepily.
“For now.”
“There’s something I must tel you.”
“Would it be about Walter and your escapades in the kitten room?”
She yawned and trembled and he gathered her close. Stil sleepy, she came eagerly to his side. She’d probably been drawn to the heat of his body.
The reason mattered not because he simply liked her wil ingness. “Why didn’t you draw the covers over yourself?”
“I thought I did.”
“Your smal body’s nearly frozen.”
“Gage,” she said, seeming bent on a confession. “I didn’t think beforehand but with you close, I think I may have erred. Again.” He did enjoy the use of his name when lying next to her naked.
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