by S. E. Smith
Rebel Base - Ice Moon of Tesla Terra:
“Let me go,” La’Rue growled, jerking her arm away from her guard’s grasp. “I know how to walk.”
La’Rue’s scowl turned to an expression of awe when she saw the huge man walking toward them. His dark red skin and piercing eyes swept over her. Fortunately, the expression glinting in his eyes was more curious than hostile.
La’Rue drew to a stop, once again shrugging off the guard’s hand. She pushed back a strand of hair that had been tickling her cheek. She didn’t miss the raised eyebrow the huge man directed at the thick metal cuffs that restrained her wrists.
“General Gomerant, there was only the woman and a small service bot onboard the freighter. Teams continue to search for any hidden compartments and tracking devices,” the guard said.
A shiver ran through La’Rue when the General turned his dark brown eyes on her. There was a sense of power exuding from him that made La’Rue now second guess her decision just to fly into the hidden military base. Of course, she hadn’t realized there was a base here. Her first thought had been that the ship Sergi was on had crashed on the frozen moon, and he needed help.
Honestly, if it hadn’t been for HL-9, La’Rue wouldn’t have made it either. She needed to remember to give the little service bot an extra oil dip for his amazing navigation through the ice cliffs. If I get a chance, she thought. She had been shocked when from out of the blinding storm, two fighters had suddenly appeared and flanked her.
“Do you have any?” General Hutu Gomerant asked.
La’Rue blinked, she had forgotten what the question was. “Any what?”
“Hidden compartments or tracking devices,” General Gomerant inquired.
La’Rue nodded. “There are two false walls where I store valuables when I’m making a run. One is in the engine room and the other in the galley,” she replied.
“And the tracking device?” General Gomerant asked, his tone deeper and filled with a thread of warning.
“Only the one she put on me,” a familiar voice announced while walking toward them across the hangar.
La’Rue’s eyes widened and her lips parted in relief. “Sergi!” she breathed, ignoring the other three men and starting forward. She turned to growl at the guard when he grabbed her arm again.
“I will see to her. Check the compartments she mentioned and run another scan over her ship,” General Gomerant ordered, stepping to one side.
“Yes, General Gomerant,“ the guard said with a nod to his comrade.
“Wait, bracelets?” La’Rue asked, twisting just enough to lift her wrists up without breaking contact with Sergi’s eyes.
The guard waited for the huge Torrian’s nod before he pressed a series of buttons and pulled the cuffs from her wrists. La’Rue dropped her hands and pushed past the General. She looked up when Sergi stopped in front of her, her lips parted on a teasing retort. The words never formed as they were smothered by his powerful kiss.
Any concern that he would be upset that she had tracked him down melted along with her body against his when he drew her into his arms. Her hands slid over his shoulders and up around his neck.
The sound of a throat clearing finally reminded them of the fact that they were standing in the middle of a hidden hangar and that they were not alone. La’Rue looked up at Sergi with a bemused smile. He smiled back at her before turning his attention back to General Gomerant.
“This is La’Rue Gant,” Sergi introduced. “La’Rue, General Hutu Gomerant.”
“Welcome to the rebellion, Captain Gant,” Hutu greeted with a warm smile.
“General,” La’Rue politely replied, turning in Sergi’s arms to look around her in amazement. “What is this place?” she asked, staring around her.
“Hope,” Hutu responded.
Sergi walked next to La’Rue through the tunnels of the moon base. He had notified Josh and Hutu several days before of La’Rue’s imminent arrival and warned them that she was not to be harmed. Hutu had not been happy when he’d been informed that she had placed a tracking device on Sergi. Nor was the Torrian General pleased that Sergi had not destroyed the device after he first discovered it.
In the end, Hutu had acquiesced, mostly due to Josh and Ash vouching that Sergi would never do anything that would endanger the base or the rebellion, though Hutu had insisted that La’Rue’s approach was to be carefully monitored to ensure that no one else was following her. Sergi had remained in the control center as she approached the moon. He knew the base’s defense system would automatically activate and fighters would be deployed. What he wanted to ensure was that they did not open fire on the Star Runner.
As soon as the freighter had landed, Sergi had made his way down to the landing bay. He had wondered as he crossed the large open hangar filled with rebel fighters if his physical reaction to La’Rue a week before would be any different now. He’d had a lot of time to think about his attraction to her over the last few days. What really shook him was the fact that he couldn’t stop thinking about her.
“You found your friend?” she asked as they walked down the excavated corridor.
“Yes. I found Ash, as well as Josh,” he replied, wrapping an arm around her waist as they stood to the side to allow several motorized carts filled with supplies pass them.
“They were both there on Turbinta?” she asked with surprise.
Sergi shook his head. “No, Ash and Kella, a Turbintan, had traveled to the planet searching for the pods,” he explained.
La’Rue turned to look at him in horror. “A Turbintan? As in a merchant or as in an assassin?” she quietly exclaimed, looking around them.
Sergi chuckled. “I think Kella would definitely qualify as an assassin. She killed the woman you warned me about,” he said, turning her around and guiding her down the corridor again once it was clear.
“Tallei? She killed a Master Turbintan?” La’Rue breathed in disbelief. “Sergi, this woman is very dangerous. I’ve heard stories about the Turbintans. When a student kills their master, they then assume the master’s title and position. The other students can either accept or assassinate the new master in order to assume the position of master themselves. Just the thought of always having to look over my shoulder would drive me insane.”
Sergi turned the corner and paused outside of a set of lifts. They entered one when the doors opened. He didn’t say anything until he knew they were alone. Ash and Kella had been dealing with that same Turbintan reality and subsequent unease since their arrival.
He ran his hands up La’Rue’s arms and looked down at her. “Ash and Kella love each other, La’Rue. Tallei murdered Kella’s family, stealing her away and forcing her to be trained as a Turbintan assassin. She has already risked her life for the rebellion and fought beside Ash. I’m asking that you keep an open mind when you meet her. She has been through enough without people judging her without knowing who she really is,” he shared.
He could see the conflict in her fade. A rueful smile curved her lips and she nodded. Her next words took him by surprise.
“Just like you, Sergi,” she said, leaning up to brush a kiss on his lips. “We all have a story.”
The lift stopped and opened before Sergi had a chance to ask La’Rue what she meant. He held her hand as they stepped onto the level reserved for living quarters. His jaw tightened and he paused. La’Rue’s assigned dorm was to the right and his quarters to the left.
“What is it?” she asked when he didn’t proceed in either direction.
“You’ve been assigned shared quarters,” he said, looking down at her.
“Oh.” She bit her lip and looked down the passage before she turned to look back at him. “What about you? Are you sharing quarters with anyone?”
A soft, inviting smile curved his lips. “One of the benefits of being considered an Ancient Knight of the Gallant Order is having my own living quarters,” he admitted.
She tilted her head to the side and ran her tongue along her lips. “Wou
ld you be opposed to some company?” she murmured, stepping closer to him.
Sergi could feel his groin tighten. Oh, yes…. He had been alone far too long. He knew his eyes must have conveyed his desire because La’Rue released a soft hiss.
“I only have one bed,” he commented with a slight challenge in his voice.
“That’s all we’ll need,” La’Rue replied, boldly running her hand down his stomach.
“Remind me to thank Hutu for leaving us alone,” Sergi stated, turning and grabbing her hand. “My quarters are this way. I’ll inform Josh and Ash we will be fashionably late.
Chapter Fifteen
Plateau: World of Floating Islands
General Roan Landais carefully guided his spaceship through the treacherous outer rings of Plateau. It was an isolated planet in the outermost regions of the known galaxy. This very isolation and distance had protected the planet and its inhabitants from the notice and reaches of the Legion – for the most part. If his father and uncle were to know what he suspected, nothing would save this world from the same devastation that Jeslean had suffered.
His ship broke through the upper atmosphere and glided down through a pristine blue sky. His breath caught at the magnificent sight of the floating islands which hung above the vast blue-green ocean below. Plateau was known to the very few who had visited it as The Floating World. The residents lived on the floating rock structures that were inter-connected by thousands of hanging bridges. The islands were made of a porous lava rock that absorbed the lighter than air gases released from the ocean below.
He carefully navigated the sleek long-range fighter to an island floating a greater distance away from the others. Only a single bridge connected it to the nearest island. Carved into the massive center peak was a large cathedral.
He flew over, carefully searching the island before he circled around and then landed on the nearest island tethered to it. Shutting down the craft’s systems, he unstrapped and stood. Within minutes, he was stepping off the narrow landing platform and onto the fine gravel surface.
He could sense the eyes of the residents following him as he strode toward the wide hanging bridge leading to the island of the cathedral. The difference between the eyes watching him here and the eyes that watched him elsewhere was that they would not be filled with fear, hatred, or suspicion – these people accepted his presence and were merely curious.
Roan crossed the bridge and walked up the path to the steps leading into the elaborately carved structure. Workers paused and bowed their heads to him in greeting. Roan stiffly returned the greetings. He paused at the bottom of the steps and looked up. There were new statues on display since the last time he had been here. His eyes rested on one statue in particular – the likeness of Jemar de Rola stood tall and proud with his hand resting on his young son’s shoulder. The message was clear. This was a tribute to the fallen Knight of the Gallant as well as the future knight lost too soon.
His mouth tightened and he pushed away his regret. There was nothing he could do to bring back the old knight and his son. He could only focus on the future.
He climbed the steps and entered the surprisingly bright interior. Anyone looking at the cathedral from the outside would think it would be dark and dreary on the inside. Instead, strategically placed mirrors reflected the abundant sunshine coming through the narrow windows and shining off of the polished black walls.
He walked along the wide nave centered between the towering arched columns. At the far end was a beautifully carved spiral staircase that led to the upper levels and terraces. He would find the person he needed to speak with at the top.
Twenty minutes later, he emerged at the top of the stairs. Through a set of large carved double doors, depicting the history of the formation of the stars, he spied the tall elegant woman he was seeking. He entered the room, bowing his head in respect to the women standing guard on each side of the open doors. His footsteps slowed to a stop when he was within a few feet of the woman silently looking out at the vast ocean below.
“Grandmother,” he politely greeted.
“Roan,” Roanna murmured, turning to smile at him. “It has been too long since you last visited.”
“Yes,” Roan replied, not elaborating on his reasons. “How is Grandfather?”
“Calstar is tending his plants and talking to the wind. He would enjoy it if you would ask him yourself,” Roanna replied with a tender smile.
“I don’t have much time,” he confessed.
Roanna’s smile faded and grew sad. She turned away from him to stare back out at the ocean. Guilt ate at him. He walked over to stand next to her.
“I’m looking for something that came from a distant world,” he quietly murmured.
“Why do you seek it, Roan?” Roanna quietly asked.
“The capsule is here, isn’t it? Who was inside it?” he asked in a voice harsher than he meant for it to be.
Roanna lifted her chin. “Yes, it is here. We will not give you what you seek, though,” she stated.
“Grandmother, it is dangerous to have the pod and the person it contained here. If my father or Lord Andronikos learn that you have had either one here, they will destroy this world,” Roan warned.
“You would have us give you the life of another to save our own? This is not our way, Roan. It was not the way of your mother, either,” Roanna quietly replied.
A muscle ticked in Roan’s jaw. He was well aware that it was not the way of his mother. Her refusal to accept the overweening ambitions of his father and uncle had been a contributing factor to her death. In the end, it had been her refusal to allow Coleridge Landais and Andri Andronikos to corrupt her son with their own ambitions that had forfeited her life.
“One life for many thousands, Grandmother. Where is the pod and the contents?” Roan demanded.
Roanna tilted her head and considered him a moment. “Find your grandfather and you’ll find what you seek,” she finally instructed.
“Thank you,” he said in a gentler tone, pausing and bowing his head before he turned on his heel and left.
Roan had a pretty good idea of where his grandfather would be. He descended the steps and retraced his path back to his ship. Soon, he was flying away from the larger islands and out toward the open ocean where several smaller untethered islands dotted the horizon.
He searched over almost a dozen of the islands before he discovered what he was seeking – an island with a small hut and a large garden. The smaller islands tended to float further above the ocean, drifting along on an invisible current of air. He landed once more on a narrow, flattened section of ground. In minutes, he was walking up a different path.
Roan saw the old man kneeling in the garden at the foot of a woman’s statue. His eyes moved from his grandfather to the young woman kneeling beside him. The woman rose first, looking at him with curious eyes before she turned and bent to help his grandfather stand up.
He had found it. What his father and uncle were willing to kill thousands of innocent lives for– one of the Ancient Knights of the Gallant – and she looked nothing like he’d expected. He slowly walked forward, then paused a few feet away, his gaze locked onto the woman’s delicate features. His eyes followed the movement of her hand when she lifted it to brush away a strand of hair that blew across her cheek in the gentle wind.
“Roan, you have come. I knew you would,” his grandfather said in a trembling voice.
Sergi rolled to his side when the comlink buzzed for the second time. His fingers fumbled for the device on the table next to the bed. He looked at the image that flashed across the screen and groaned.
“Who is it?” La’Rue asked, rolling to face him.
“Josh this time,” he replied, stroking his hand down her bare back. “I have to go.”
“I’ll go part-way with you. I need to check on my freighter and H. That little bot can get rather wacky if he is left to his own devices too long,” she said with a sigh. “Or, I can just stay here and keep the bed
warm.”
Sergi chuckled. “I like that idea better,” he admitted.
He released a soft curse when the comlink he had been given chimed again. Picking it up, he pressed the connection link.
“I received the first message,” he growled.
“Hey, don’t blame the messenger, but I thought I should warn you that Hutu is about ready to send a security team to your living quarters to make sure that La’Rue didn’t kill you in your sleep,” Ash informed him in an amused voice.
“Tell the large red bastard that if anyone comes in my rooms uninvited, I will be the one doing the killing,” Sergi shot back.
“Ouch! Didn’t you get any… well, you know… any?” Ash asked.
“I have a lot of time to make up for,” Sergi retorted.
“Really? I thought that you and Mei…,” Ash started to say before Sergi’s snort cut him off.
“Mei and I did not have that type of relationship, Ash. I will be there in ten minutes,” he replied, severing the link.
“Mei? Isn’t she the one you almost died trying to find?” La’Rue asked, sitting up and pulling the blanket with her.
“Yes. You have no need to worry. I thought of her more as a younger sister,” Sergi replied, sliding his legs over the side of the bed and standing up.
He looked over his shoulder when he felt La’Rue run her hand over his bare buttock. She had that damn pleased expression on her face that made him crazy with desire. His reached out and traced the pattern of spots that ran down from her forehead to just above her waist.
“You are beautiful, dusha moya,” he murmured.
La’Rue twisted until she was kneeling on the bed. She placed her hands on his bare shoulders and stood up. He raised an eyebrow at her when the covers pooled around her ankles.
“You aren’t so bad yourself – for an Ancient Knight,” she teased, brushing a kiss across his lips. “We’d better get dressed before Hutu’s security team gets here. I don’t relish being back in wrist cuffs while being paraded nude through a military base.”