Stardancer (Tellaran Series) (31 page)

Kinara came to, coughing violently. Smoke filled the bridge. Strong hands, Aidar’s hands, clasped her from behind, pulling her up. She stumbled, her feet caught in her skirt. He pulled her out into the hall and she was dizzy with the need for oxygen.

He half-carried, half-dragged her forward. She clung to Aidar, grateful the lights here still worked. Klaxons beat through the hallways with a high shrill sound. 

The body of one of her guards lay across the doorway to the bridge. Yentek, Kinara thought dully. Aidar had recommended him as both strong and clever. In her mind she could see Yentek playing with his children at the Az’anti estate.

“We must hurry,
Cy’atta
. The Tellaran ship is moving in, they are going to board.”

Kinara shook her head. “There were heavy cannons under the forward shields too, Aidar.  I should have known.”

He swung her into his arms. “We must reach one of the shuttles.”

Her arms went instinctively around his neck, her head aching as his long strides jostled her.
There’s something about being on a ship dead in space, something you can feel in your bones.

Wait, what about—

“I’ve got to get below and get everyone out!” she cried. “Oh, gods, they’ll be trapped down there!”

“The Tellarans will be boarding,” he said shortly. “They will tend to their own.”

“They don’t even know they’re here!”  She pushed against his hold.  “They won’t look. I’ve got to get down there!”

He hesitated then gently put her on her feet. 

“Get to a shuttle,” he said, giving her a nudge in that direction. “I will tend to the Tellarans.”

Her eyes met his and he sighed.

“Well did I know you would not obey me.”

She managed a smile. “Wouldn’t want me to change now, would you?”

He muttered something under his breath and she concentrated on keeping up with him. 

Her pounding heart made the pain in her head worse. The air was foul. Twice Aidar lifted her over debris. She swallowed hard at the sight of her wounded warriors. She sent the able-bodied Az-kye back to help and she was adamant they take the injured and seek their own shuttles. 

Aidar stopped abruptly and Kinara felt the vibration under her feet too.

“They are boarding.” Aidar pulled her along. “We must hurry!”

Kinara forced herself into a run. The lights flickered, then came on again as systems struggled to keep the ship habitable. She skidded to a halt in front of the holding room, slapping her palm against the doorpad. She hit the pad again. 

The door refused to open.

Tears of pure frustration welled up in her eyes as she pounded on the door. Faintly she heard a sound from the other side. 

Aidar urged her aside. He gripped the door edge with his fingers and bared his teeth as he strained. The door began to move. Hands on the other side of the door joined Aidar’s efforts. In another moment the opening was wide enough for Kinara to slip inside.

“What’s happening?” Kyndan demanded the instant she was through.

“The
Sun Dragon
is linked with the
Ty’pran
,” she said to the assembled Tellarans.

“They’re boarding?” Tedah asked sharply.

Kinara nodded. “They didn’t give me a chance to let them know you were here. We have to get you over to the
Sun Dragon
.”

Kyndan’s mouth drew into a grim line. Quickly he organized the Tellarans into teams, assigning squad commanders to each.  

Kinara watched silently as the Tellarans readied themselves, tears stinging her eyes. No time for goodbyes. No time to tell them how sorry she was for everything.

But she could see them to safety. 

“They don’t know this ship,” she said to Aidar. “I have to take them.”

There was the slightest flicker of doubt in his dark eyes. “And then we return to Az-kye,
Cy’atta
.”

“Of course,” she said frowning. “Once I get them to the
Sun Dragon
.”

She waved the first group forward and fell in behind him as he led the way.

Aidar managed to get them mid-ship in minutes.  

Kinara half hoped to run into a group of Tellarans from the
Sun Dragon
. What she would say to them she didn’t know but at least they could have taken the others over to the Tellaran ship. 

Miraculously, Aidar found a working schematic at one of the junctures. Kinara, looking at the display, let her breath out in relief. The atmosphere leak had been sealed off. The way was clear for them to move ahead. The
Sun Dragon
had established their link aft. She sent the others on, sure now they would meet up with Tellaran forces quickly.

Frowning, she backtracked, passing the Tellarans in groups of three or four.

“What do you,
Cy’atta
?” Aidar demanded. “We must go below and take a shuttle now.”

“I need to see that Tedah and Kyndan make it.”

“They will be fine,” he said shortly. “It is now time for us to go.”

“It will just take a moment.” She quickened her pace. The last Tellarans had passed her.

“You treat them as children,” he snapped, clasping her arm. “They will tend to themselves.”

Angry words bubbled to her lips but she spotted Tedah coming at a jog. Her frown deepened when she saw that he was alone.

“Where’s Kyndan?”

Tedah gestured at the corridor he had come through. “Back there. He found one of the Az-kye wounded.” He nodded to them to follow. “Come on.”

Kinara put out a hand to stop him. “No, Tedah. Go with the others. Aidar and I will find him.”

Tedah began to protest but Aidar spoke first. “Know you well not to argue with her, Tedah.”

“You can argue with her, Aidar. Just always be ready to duck.”

Kinara gritted her teeth. The whole ship could blow any second and they were standing around joking. “Tedah, you have to go!”

“With your permission,” he said to Aidar then to her surprise hugged her tightly. 

Tears stung her eyes. “I’m sorry,” Kinara whispered. “For taking you away from Lianna.”             

“I know,” he said roughly. “When you get back to Az-kye tell Lianna I love her. Tell her I’ll find a way for us to be together.” He stepped back and smirked. “And tell Baruta if she thinks a little thing like a war is going to get rid of me, she’s badly mistaken.”

“Nisara wouldn’t let me talk to her.” Kinara swallowed. “Would you tell her I’m sorry? For taking her from Dael?”

“Yes, I will.” Tedah turned to Aidar. “And
you,
take care of her. She’s lousy at taking care of herself.”

Aidar nodded. “When you return to Az-kye, it would please me if you were a guest in our house, my friend.”

Tedah’s grin came full force and he clapped Aidar’s shoulder. “Count on it. Now get yourselves out of here.”

She spared Aidar a glance as she ran. “Did I just see you sorry to say good-bye to a clanless Tellaran?”

He turned dark eyes on her. “Think you,
Cy’atta,
that I cannot feel friendship?”

“I didn’t think you’d ever feel it for Tellarans.”

She ducked under a fallen beam. The leak might have been patched but the damaged environmental controls were doing little to warm the ship. It was blasted freezing in here. Kinara pulled the hood of her cloak up.

Kyndan was kneeling beside Nyat tearing his white shirt into strips.  One glance at Nyat’s thigh told her that he had already managed to slow the bleeding.

“I found him in one of the side passages,” Kyndan said shortly as he bound the wound.

“How are you, Nyat?” Kinara asked, kneeling also.

His face was pale, but he kept his expression stoic. “I am well enough,
Ti’antah
.”

She smiled faintly at the lie. 

“I’m glad you’re here,” Kyndan said. “Aidar, find a med-kit and I’ll—”

“Kyndan,” she said quickly putting her hand on his arm. “We’ll take care of Nyat. More Az-kye ships are on their way and the battle is liable to start again any minute. You need to get to the
Sun Dragon
.”

“Kinna, if you think I’m gonna leave you——”

“Kyndan,” Aidar said firmly, “she is my wife. It is now for me to care for her.”

Kyndan glared at him for a moment then gave a reluctant nod. “I want your promise that you’ll take good care of her.”

“By my honor and name, I will.”

Kinara squeezed Kyndan’s hand. “I’ll be all right.” 

“You’d better keep your promise, warrior,” he warned. “That’s my little sister I’m trusting you with.”

Kinara hugged him briefly. “Go on, get to the
Sun Dragon
.”

Aidar helped Nyat to his feet. The warrior was clearly in pain and limping but he refused to lean on Aidar for support. He barely slowed them down though and they soon reached the downward spiral that would take them to the lower decks and the shuttles there. 

Damage to this part of the ship was serious. The air was pungent with smoke and there was barely enough light for her to see. The alarms had fallen silent. Kinara could only assume that the power to those systems had finally given out. 

Gods, I hope there’s still a shuttle left.

The shuttles on the starboard side were their best bet. The
Sun Dragon
’s weapons had done most of their damage on the port side but these corridors were in bad shape. If they had to go around, it might take longer than they had. Kinara hurried ahead, trying to see if they could get through at all. 

“Aidar, did the schematic say that the way was clear across the —”

A blaster bolt cut her off. She cried out as Aidar yanked her back to the relative protection of the wall. Shots ripped across the spot where she’d been standing. The ship’s lights flickered crazily but the hall was lit up with the intense blue light of blaster fire.

Aidar darted forward. Horrified, she saw that he intended to draw his sword.

“Oh gods, no!” she cried, grabbing his arm. 

He looked around at her and the breath shot out of his lungs when the bolt tore through his side. 

She tried to catch him as he collapsed and she went down under him. His teeth were clenched, his body curled in pain.

“Stay where you are!” shouted a voice in Tellaran.

The quick footfalls of Tellaran soldiers echoed in the hall. They had no protection now. These men could cut them down in seconds.

“Hold your fire!” she cried in Tellaran.

There was a moment of confused shuffling but they didn’t lower their weapons. A glance showed Nyat sprawled further down the corridor, unconscious but still alive.  

Aidar’s labored breathing was in her ear. He struggled, trying to stand. She tightened her arms around him.

“Don’t move,” she whispered to him in Az-kye. “They’ll kill us.”

“I will fight,” he gritted out, reaching for his sword.