Captured for Their Use

by Ivy Barrett

  Later that afternoon, the sequence of events was finalized. The Tavorians would form the mega-gate, and the six shielder-ships would pass through first. Once the portal was hidden, the actual procession would begin. The dogs of war were going to take out the manufacturing station, while the Brokvata blew up as many military targets as they could identify, starting with the massive base originally located by Ram’s probe. Savator would take out all the bomber/harvesters. If the device they’d dug up on the deserted mining colony didn’t work, the computer virus should finish the job. Ram’s ships were going to stay shielded and still until the carriers arrived. Once the carriers were on scene, Ram’s fleet would spring into action and destroy the massive ships as quickly as possible.

  The biggest fight of the entire summit didn’t come from arguing warriors but from one feisty human mate.

  “There is no fucking way you’re leaving me on Nestril!” Celeste shouted when both Ram and Galzar insisted she return to the planet with the other females. They were in Ram’s cabin, and Lorna had just left to be with her mates. “I will not stay behind and wring my hands, wondering if either of you is coming back to me.”

  “That’s not what we’re suggesting,” Galzar said firmly. “We need you and Lorna, and the mates of the other leaders, to distract the captive females and help them remain calm. The vast majority of the captives don’t have your training or experience. They’re not used to dangerous situations.”

  “That’s cheating,” she grumbled, folding her arms across her breasts. “You can’t give me a job and make me feel important. That doesn’t change the fact that you’re leaving me behind.”

  “You’re a strong, capable female, but you do not know our technology,” Ram insisted, following Galzar’s example. Pointing out that she wasn’t a warrior would just piss her off, and they didn’t have time to discipline her if she insisted on being stubborn. “As Galzar said, this is important. We know you and Lorna can handle it.”

  “You’re starting to patronize,” she warned, then harrumphed. “Fine. Lorna and I will babysit the others. It will give us more time to plan Brianne’s rescue and convince you to free the slaves. I haven’t forgotten about either, I assure you.”

  Ram fought back a smile. He had already decided to free the slaves but had yet to tell her. If he was killed during this battle, the next general might feel differently. He didn’t want to give Celeste false hope. “The hotel across the street from our apartment building has been set up as temporary housing for the females. The sector will be heavily guarded, so everyone is free to move around freely within the designated area. You can take a room at the hotel or walk back and forth from our apartment. The choice is yours. We don’t expect this to take more than a day or two, but it depends on how quickly the Skarilians respond to our aggression.”

  “I understand, but I sure as hell don’t like it,” Celeste grumbled, but she went to Ram and hugged him tightly. “How soon do you two leave?”

  “As soon as all the females are evacuated and the gatekeepers arrive,” Galzar told her.

  She gave Ram a lingering kiss then moved into Galzar’s waiting arms. “You better both come back to me.”

  “We’ll do our damnedest,” Galzar promised, bending down to kiss her mouth.

  * * *

  Three days later, Galzar stood on the command deck aboard the Elizian surrounded by a crew that had chosen him. Now that he’d earned their respect, they would follow him regardless of where his orders led. “This plan has lots of moving parts,” he told them. “It’s best if we focus on our objectives. We’re going to take out the manufacturing facility and then the entire spaceport. We’ll attack simultaneously with the Brokvata, so things will move quickly.”

  An image of the mega-gate filled the main display. It was only visible from this dimension. The networked illusion was working perfectly on the other side. Like the mouth of a long tunnel, the massive opening appeared to lead nowhere. A steady stream of ships flowed into the darkness, occasional flickers of light hinting at the immense amount of energy required to maintain the passageway. When the gatekeepers arrived, they had a support team with them. Apparently the ‘feeders’ would produce an endless supply of energy for the networked gatekeepers, allowing them to keep the gate open for however many days necessary to transport both fleets. Nothing like this had ever been attempted before, but the Tavorians seemed confident that their strategy would work.

  Ram’s fleet led the way, passing through the portal three or four at a time. Their camouflage shielding engaged as they emerged on the back side of Tavor. They immediately created an invisible perimeter, leaving room for the Ventori ships behind the planet. Though tedious and time-consuming, everything had gone as planned. If their luck held, the Skarilians wouldn’t realize the Yashonty were involved until after the carrier ships arrived.

  The dogs of war were next in line. They, along with the Brokvata, would be the first battlegroups to attack, so they were the first Ventori ships to arrive. The procession would continue as the offensive began. As well as taking out strategic targets, the battles would distract the Skarilians from the continuing procession.

  Like so many planets targeted by the Skarilians, Tavor was a scorched ruin. It was a stark reminder of why this attack was necessary. Any civilization powered by the suffering of others had no worth in any dimension. The amoral bastards must be stopped.

  The Elizian moved into position, the dogs’ sleek fighters close behind. Savator’s order would set them in motion as soon as the Brokvata were ready as well. They needed to hold or at least divide the Skarilians’ attention while Savator brought the captured bomber through the gate and reactivated the ship.

  Some of the tactics might be unusual, but the danger was nothing Galzar hadn’t faced before. However, the ramifications and possible rewards of this battle were staggering. A win could end the Skarilians’ tyranny and allow countless races to rebuild their worlds. A loss, on the other hand, might cost Galzar much more than his life. It could cost him his mate, his future, his soul. He would not fail his precious mate. He would never allow—

  “Showtime, warriors.” Savator interrupted Galzar’s rambling thoughts. Establishing a shared frequency between all the alliance ships had been part of the summit. “Go for the dogs of war. Go for the Brokvata.”

  The Brokvata’s leader signaled their readiness.

  Galzar did the same.

  He took a deep breath and focused on the officers surrounding him. “Here we go, brothers. Everyone knows what to do.”

  The Elizian sprang into action, whipping around Tavor and heading straight for the Skarilian stronghold. They didn’t know for a fact that it was the enemy’s home world. At the very least, it was a strategic hub.

  Following his own advice, Galzar focused entirely on his mission. Objective one, take out the space dock in orbit around the largest moon. The Elizian headed straight for the moon, the dogs of war fanned out behind. Once the Elizian was positioned to protect the attack, the fighters took the lead. Sweeping downward in a graceful spiral, the fighters blasted the manufacturing facility. The complex quickly succumbed to their ion cannons, filling the display with bright explosions of light.

  “Bombers approaching from the planet,” the tactical officer warned.

  “Come about,” Galzar ordered. “Fire at will.”

  Rhythmic blasts arced through space, effortlessly finding their targets. But the bombers returned fire with equal accuracy. Energy blasts peppered the Elizian, most being absorbed by their shields. Two of the bombers exploded, but another swarm took their place.

  “Try a concussive pulse,” Galzar advised. The weapon was new, not yet tested in battle. A wave of destructive energy would radiate outward from the ship, disrupting and perhaps destroying anything in its path.

  The ship shuddered as the pulse was triggered. It took half a second for the wave to reach the bombers then the small ships went twisting and spinning out of control. It was amusing to watch but ultimat
ely ineffective. The bombers quickly righted themselves and began firing again.

  Galzar glanced at the master matrix. Shields were at sixty percent, but damage from the bombers was minimal. Still, they weren’t dealing any significant damage either.

  The dogs had moved on to their secondary target, a military base on the surface of the moon. Their ion cannons seemed to work best, so Galzar followed suit. “Stick with ion cannons and pulse blasters. We’re going to have to swat those fucking flies one at a time.”

  “Understood.”

  Pulse after pulse echoed as the cannons fired repeatedly. The Skarilian bombers were fast and agile, making it almost impossible for the Elizian’s targeting systems to lock on.

  What was taking Savator so long? The bombers should be dropping or exploding by now.

  Galzar shifted his gaze to the row of smaller displays. A patchwork of destruction marked the path the Brokvata had taken. Damn, those males were good. The dogs were holding their own as well, and as of right now, the Elizian had managed to keep the bombers out of range of the fighters.

  Suddenly, a gleaming ripple appeared to the right of the planet. The wavy seam opened, and a Skarilian carrier ship emerged.

  Damn it! They’d hoped to have the bombers destroyed before reinforcements arrived.

  The dogs took out the last of their targets and joined Galzar in destroying the bombers. Swarm was the only word to adequately describe the Skarilian ships. They crowded together, flying in perfect synchronicity until their targets were simply overwhelmed.

  The dogs fired in frantic bursts, as did the Elizian, but there were simply too many bombers. Not only were they flying up from the planet, but they were also streaming off the carrier in endless torrents.

  “Fire the concussive pulse again,” Galzar directed. It would buy them a moment or two, allow the dogs to move to better positions.

  The Elizian shook as the pulse burst from the ship. The bombers spun, pitching wildly like leaves in the wind. Their close proximity to each other caused many to collide. Explosions filled the screen, clearing the field enough for Galzar to realize his mistake. The dogs of war were spinning just as wildly as the bombers.

  “Cover our fighters!” he yelled. “Keep those bombers away from our ships.”

  With deadly precision, ion blasts picked off every bomber that spun too close to one of the dogs of war. Galzar scrubbed his hand over his face and gave himself a firm mental shake. Any mistake, even a minor one, would cost lives in battle. He knew better.

  “Dogs, check in. Is everyone all right?”

  One by one, each fighter checked in, and Galzar blew out a shaky breath. Despite the unintentional complication, the pulse had worked remarkably well. At least half of the bombers had been taken out by the collisions. The dogs regained control of their ships. Unfortunately, the bombers did too.

  “Here we go again, brothers.” Galzar squared his shoulders and said, “Look sharp.”

  * * *

  Celeste covered her mouth with her hand, shaking despite her determination to remain calm. A Tavorian probe straddled the dimensions allowing a real-time recording of the battle to be transmitted. Celeste had no idea that such a thing was possible. But then, Tavorians traveled between dimensions all the time, and they were secretive as hell. It wasn’t surprising that they had technology no one else knew about.

  The live feed had been set up in the ballroom of the hotel housing the captive females. Groups of women came and went, watching until the tension grew too much to bear. Celeste and Lorna were the only two masochistic enough to watch the entire battle. Ram’s fleet had yet to uncloak. It was imperative the Skarilians not realize the Ventori had help until all the carrier ships had responded to the aggression.

  The Ventori battlegroups were taking out targets all over the planet, and the space dock had been destroyed. Currently, the Elizian and the dogs of war were fighting off a dense group of bombers. One of the carrier ships was positioned nearby but hadn’t done more than dispatching a swarm of the automated ships.

  “This is worse than not knowing what’s going on,” Celeste whispered behind her hand.

  “No, it’s not,” Lorna said, her voice as tense as Celeste’s. “My imagination is more twisted than reality.”

  Celeste turned and faced her sister, lowering her hand to her side. “Distract me. I need to think about something else for a minute or two.”

  Lorna split her gaze between Celeste and the display, but it was obvious the majority of her attention remained focused on the battle. “Has Ram agreed to release the slaves? It’s obvious you accepted his claim, so I suspect his attitude toward humans has evolved.”

  “He refused to commit one way or the other until after the battle, but I’m relatively sure he’ll give in.”

  That drew Lorna’s gaze to Celeste’s face. “Because he wants to please you or because he has actually changed?”

  Troubled by Lorna’s penetrating stare, Celeste looked back at the battle. “Does it matter as long as the slaves are freed?”

  “Not to them, but it would to me.”

  Celeste sighed and dragged her gaze away from the disturbing images. “Evolved is the perfect word. Ram is steeped in traditions that I find ridiculous, but he is changing.”

  Lorna nodded. “That’s understandable. Their culture is very different from ours, and war has made them even more hardcore. My mates still have attitudes that anger me from time to time, but they are both making remarkable progress.”

  “Speaking of your mates. Has Moxtel contacted his uncle, and has the king agreed to release Brianne?” Celeste had pestered Lorna about this every day and intended to continue doing so until Lorna got results.

  “I’ve asked Moxtel every day, just like you’ve asked me to. There is only so much he can do. His uncle is ignoring Moxtel’s requests for a comm. It’s hard to change someone’s mind when they refuse to speak with you.”

  “So how do we get an audience with the king of Rylar?”

  Lorna smiled. “That’s exactly what I asked Moxtel this morning.”

  “And? What did he say?”

  Lorna turned her head and looked at the battle as she said, “His answer was the same as Ram’s. We’ll talk about it after the battle.”

  They lapsed into silence as Celeste shifted her attention back to the display. She wasn’t sure what was producing the image, but it was relatively far away. The entire battlefield was on display, which was nice. But the ultra-wide angle created little detail. It was hard to tell one ship from another. It had been easy to locate the Elizian while they were up near the moon. Now they were in the thick of the battle, so the ship looked similar to all the others.

  “Why are the bombers still active?” Celeste murmured. “I thought they’d be gone by now.”

  “It’s okay,” Lorna said offhandedly. “They’ll be fine.”

  As if hearing Celeste’s complaints, bombers started exploding. The chain reaction started near one of the destroyers. That must be where Savator was overseeing the battle.

  “Finally,” Celeste breathed, but she exhaled too quickly. The string of explosions sputtered out as quickly as it began. “Damn it.” She pressed her hand against her throat, discouraged and afraid. “The Skarilians must have found a way to counteract the code.”

  “We still have the virus,” Lorna reminded.

  Celeste shot her a sidelong glance, but Lorna was staring at the display. It had been too long. If the virus were going to work, it would have by now. This was bad, extremely bad. If they had to contend with the bombers through the entire battle, it was unlikely they’d be able to take out the carriers.

  Adding insult to injury, two more carriers emerged from space and immediately launched their bombers.

  “Oh, my God,” Celeste cried. “They can’t fight all of those. Not even with Ram’s help.”

  “Don’t panic, sis. There was a last-minute change of plans.”

  The fourth carrier arrived a few minutes later, dispe
nsing the final swarm. The Yashonty finally uncloaked and began firing, but Celeste could hardly breathe. The space all around the planet was thick with the tiny, yet deadly ships. They attacked in hypnotic spirals, overwhelming the much larger ships. No matter what the alliance ships did, they couldn’t keep up with the swarm. It looked hopeless.

  So why the hell was Lorna smiling?

  “Come on,” she muttered. “Work. This has to work.”

  Celeste had no idea what she was talking about, but all the bombers stopped firing at once. The entire scene seemed to freeze, and then the bombers plummeted like stones toward the planet.

  Shocked and confused, Celeste felt her jaw drop.

  “Yes!” Lorna yelled, pumping her fist in the air. “Take that, you fucking monsters.”

  Her cry was echoed by the other women in the ballroom.

  “What the hell just happened?” Celeste cried. “It looked like the virus and auto-destruct failed.”

  “Which is exactly what we needed the Skarilians to think,” Lorna told her. “Belton realized that if they blew up or disabled a bunch of bombers, the other carrier ships would stay away. The Skarilians are ruthless. Life means little to them. They would have sacrificed this planet to save their fleet. We needed all the carrier ships to be on scene before we took out the bombers. Besides, the virus needed time to spread to all the ships.”

  “It would have been nice if you’d explained all of this before I had a heart attack.”

  Lorna waved away the objection with a smile. “I told you not to worry. Besides, the battle isn’t over yet.”

  Celeste couldn’t argue with that. The carriers were massive, and they were not going down without a fight.

  Ram’s fleet targeted two ships, while the Ventori ships targeted the others. The Skarilians were greatly outnumbered without the bombers, but the carriers made even the destroyers look like toys.

  “Looks like the Partonese images worked. Our side must have located their conduit generators, or the Skarilians would have jumped by now,” Celeste said softly.

  “That Melmon bitch told them where to target. She knows her life is on the line, so she’s singing like a bird.”