Imminent Danger: And How to Fly Straight Into It (34 page)

“I kept warning you not to trust me,” Varrin said. “But you’re too stubborn to listen to reason.”

“Don’t play all high and mighty with me!” Eris cried. “What do you mean, option two? You’re seriously going to sacrifice me to save your own hide?”

“I thought my answer was quite clear. But I can repeat it, if you’d like. Yes, I have condemned you to death. Trust me, it’s really for the best.”

“But why?” Tears welled up in her green eyes. “I thought—all this time, I thought …”
I thought you might actually have been starting to care about me.

Varrin gave her a piercing look. “Thought what?”

“Thought that you’d changed,” she said. Looking into his eyes, Eris couldn’t catch even a glimpse of the Varrin she thought she knew. “But I was obviously wrong!” she raged. “You’re the same insensitive, self-serving jerk you were the day you kidnapped me!”

Varrin said nothing.

“He’s going to hunt you down!” she railed, changing tacks. “You moron, he’s going to capture you again, and then you’ll end up dead, or imprisoned, or whatever, whether you like it or not!”

“What would you suggest I do?” he demanded. “Give you to the Ssrisk to be sold into slavery and ensure my own return to Rakor as a captive? How could I possibly rescue—no, never mind.” His face became impassive again.

“At least with option one we’d both survive, even if only for a little longer!” Eris shouted. “Kari, you really haven’t changed at all, have you?

“Now now, play nice,” Kratis interjected, stepping between them. The admiral looked delighted by the turn of events. “I do so enjoy crushing a person’s hopes and dreams before killing them. It makes the death sweeter.”

“You are despicable,” Eris told him viciously. “But at the same time, Admiral, I guess I have to thank you. I don’t think I’d have ever believed his truly heartless nature until you forced him to reveal it.”

She turned to Varrin, looking for a reaction.
Is he just going to stand there staring at me?
Eris thought incredulously.

Varrin looked past her to Kratis. “My freedom?” he asked.

“As promised,” Kratis agreed. “You may leave on your ship as soon as—”

“Sir?” one of the officers interrupted. “Prince Varrin’s ship is currently on the Ssrisk vessel. They tractored it aboard.”

Eris gasped. “Oh no! Miguri!”

“This does complicate things.” Kratis sighed. “I apologize, my prince, but I must deal with the Ssrisk before I can release you to your ship.”

“You see?” Eris demanded of Varrin. “This is where he goes back on his word!”

“On the contrary,” the admiral said. “Prince Varrin is free to go wherever he likes on board so long as he does not sabotage my ship. He is a Rakorsian and therefore honor-bound by our agreement.” Turning to his officer, he added, “Have someone take the terrestrial to a holding cell.”

Two guards approached Eris. Not quite able to believe this was really happening, she looked desperately to Varrin. The prince held her gaze for a moment and then looked away without a word.

“Take her away,” Kratis barked. “I have had enough of terrestrials for one day.”

As soon as Eris was dragged from the bridge, Kratis said, “So, my prince, now that we’ve taken care of that little bit of business, tell me truthfully—why did you board my ship?”

Varrin shrugged. “To assassinate you, of course.”

Kratis nodded and then peered curiously at him. “I must admit your decision to accept my offer of freedom in return for the life of the terrestrial surprised me.”

“Then you must be losing your touch,” Varrin said. “Any self-respecting Rakorsian puts his own well-being before anyone else’s—except the emperor’s.”

“Strength and glory to the emperor,” Kratis intoned. “But surely you are aware that the moment your ship Pulls, I will come after you?”

“No Rakorsian worth his
klavk
lets his prey escape. I remember the martial code as well as you do, Admiral. Stop testing me.”

Kratis bowed. “As my prince commands.” He peered closely at the seemingly unflappable young man. “You haven’t changed at all.”

Varrin snorted. “I certainly hope not.”

“But your choice still puzzles me. You claim to have no feelings for the terrestrial, and yet I know you have risked yourself to protect her before. Why choose death for her over mere enslavement?”

“Don’t forget I get my freedom as part of the deal.”

Kratis waved a hand impatiently. “We are experienced military men, Prince Varrin. Do not fool yourself. Even with your prodigious talents, you will not be able to elude me for very long. So again I ask, why have her killed?”

Varrin stared at the admiral for a long moment and then shrugged. “It may surprise you to learn that, for the girl, a life of servitude and oppression without any hope of escape would be far worse than death. Even though she obviously doesn’t realize it.”

“Since when did you start considering what would benefit terrestrials?”

“I haven’t,” Varrin said. “But this particular terrestrial was my companion for some time. An ally, if you will. And, as a self-respecting Rakorsian, I pride myself upon treating my allies with at least a modicum of respect.”

Kratis inclined his head to Varrin and gave him a regretful look. “Your years in exile have given you wisdom. It is a shame you must die for your childhood mistakes.”

“You really think the emperor will leave my brother as his only successor? Don’t make me laugh. I may be facing a few years in prison, but death? Not a chance.” Varrin glanced around the crowded command deck. “It’s been years since I was aboard such a fine ship. I’d like to look around while I have the chance. You have my word that I will in no way sabotage you or your craft.”

“Very well,” Kratis said. “I shall send word when your ship is retrieved. You may, however, consider simply remaining aboard my vessel. If you stay, you will be allowed the benefits of your rank. But if I am forced to hunt you down, you will be treated like any common criminal.”

“Tempting offer. We’ll see how things turn out. I’m a pretty good pilot, you know.”

“Then I eagerly await the chase.”

Kratis crossed his arms over his chest and bowed to Varrin, who returned the gesture and then sauntered from the room.

Eris was furious. As the two Rakorsian security guards marched her along the corridors, she tried to push aside the knowledge that she had just been sentenced to die. She focused instead on imagining how satisfying it was going to feel to smack Varrin the next time she saw him.
If I even see him again,
she thought
. I can’t believe I actually thought he’d changed! How could he pull something like this? This whole time, has he just been playing with me?

“That bastard!” she shouted. “That
bastard!
I can’t believe I ever let him kiss me!”

“Silence,” one of her guards commanded.

“Oh, don’t you start on me,” Eris snapped. “I’ve had enough of stupid, stuck-up Rakorsians to last me a lifetime.”

“Quiet, terrestrial,” the other guard said. “Be glad you have this slight reprieve before your execu—”

SLORP.

The guard clutched at the glistening blue spike that had suddenly pierced his throat. He made a gurgling noise and then toppled to the floor, dead.

“Ssrisk!” the other guard snarled, drawing his striker. But before he could fire, a second spike shot down the hallway and impaled him through the heart.

As a troop of Ssrisk warriors thundered toward her, Eris frantically scanned the corridor for an escape route. But the Ssrisk reached her and surrounded her before she had taken more than a few steps. Eris gulped.
Looks like I might not be alive long enough to worry about being executed by Kratis.

The leader removed his helmet, and Eris recognized the face of the only Ssrisk she thought she would ever be glad to see. “Grashk? You’re alive!”

Her old prison guard
phhh
-ed in amusement. “When the Claktill claimed you were on board, I was skeptical, but it appears he spoke the truth.”

“The Claktill?” Eris blinked. “You’ve seen Miguri? Where is he?”

Miguri popped out from behind one of the Ssrisk, grinning broadly. “Eris!” he squeaked as he weaved his way between scaly legs to latch onto her knees in a hug. “You are unscathed!”

“And so are you!” she agreed, equally delighted. “And why are you all right, exactly?”

“After a rather bewildering series of events, I formed an alliance with the Ssrisk.”

“You did what?”

Grashk
phhh
-ed loudly. “Captain Hroshk has allied with the Claktill to gain an advantage—although a very small one—over the Rakorsians. The alliance is temporary.”

“How temporary?” Eris asked. Getting no reply from Grashk, she rounded on Miguri. “And you saw no problem with this?”

“At the time, an alliance seemed the best option.” Miguri shrugged. “And Hroshk promised us a reward for helping him.”

“Our freedom?”

“Something like that,” her little friend said evasively. “Do not worry. I have it all figured out.” He paused. “Mostly.”

“Now you sound like Varrin.”

Miguri glanced around. “Where is the Rakorsian?”

“Busy torturing kittens with his buddy Kratis, I imagine.”

“You are speaking of the Rakorsian admiral?” Grashk hissed. “Captain Hroshk said Kratis planned to capture the prince, not ally with him.”

“Varrin made a deal with Kratis,” Eris explained. “And Varrin thinks Kratis will actually honor his word and let him go free. Like they won’t be after him the second he clears the solar system! That idiot! What was he
thinking?
”

“Who can ever tell why the Rakorsian does what he does?” Miguri asked. “But regardless of whether or not he is on our side, we must still disable the comm interrupter if we wish to call the Psilosians to our rescue.”

Eris looked around at their towering Ssrisk companions. “Uh … Miguri, you weren’t supposed to tell them about our secret plan.”

“We desperately need help,” her friend said matter-of-factly, “and the Ssrisk are willing to give us that.”

“Except Grashk practically admitted they’re going to betray us!”

“That is correct,” the six-armed alien grunted. “I suggest we make the most of our alliance while it lasts.”

She peered at the blue reptile suspiciously. “I never figured you for a team player, Grashk. Why would you even help us?”

“I will work with whomever I must in order to accomplish my goals.”

“Which are?”

The Ssrisk bared a mouthful of very sharp and pointy teeth. “To wipe the Rakorsian plague from the face of the galaxy,” he hissed. “I will help you disable the comm interrupter so we can call the Psilosians down upon this abominable ship. While Kratis is being destroyed, my own ship will slip away unnoticed.”

Yeah, and then they’ll go back to Earth and abduct more teenagers, no doubt.
Eris knew she couldn’t allow that to happen but decided it wasn’t her immediate concern.
Let’s deal with one enemy at a time
. “Right,” she said to her unlikely new allies. “How do you feel about cracking some Rakorsian skulls on the way to the comm deck?”

“I feel very good,” Grashk said.