Taken (Calliston Series - Book 1) (6 page)

"Vik," said a disheveled-looking colonel. "Glad you're alive."

"Roger," Viktor said, and gave the older man a brief hug. "What do you know?"

"Nothing. We don't know what happened. Before the power went down, there was nothing on the sensors or visuals. We thought it might have been the Lyrissians," Roger said quietly.

"It was," Tarn said, having heard Roger. He walked forward with his daughter limping beside him. "Some of my people that I thought loyal to me are working for someone else."

"Would that someone else be these?" Roger asked, and led them to the bridge proper, where a fatally injured Orka lay.

S'rea snarled.

"I believe so," said Tarn, and he explained exactly who the Orka were. He nodded at the Orka laid out on the deck. "That is a female child."

"Just a child?" said Roger.

"It is unusual, even for the Orka," Tarn agreed.

Viktor edged closer to the Orka for a better—yet cautious—look. "What's that around her neck?" he asked, indicating the metallic band that encircled her throat.

Tarn opened his mouth to reply, but looked to his daughter, unsure of the words in Common.

"A restraint," S'rea translated. "If they disobey, it will inflict pain as punishment. If they are obedient, then it will reward them."

"Barbaric," said Roger.

"It makes them a formidable and despicable enemy," she said.

"Roger?" a female voice called out.

Roger excused himself and Viktor followed him. "Is that Martha?" Viktor asked.

"Yes," said Roger. "She was injured. The damn girl jumped in front of me when that Orka thing attacked."

"Second-in-commands are trained to do that," Viktor said as they rounded a console.

"Well, they shouldn't," Roger snapped.

Viktor raised an eyebrow at his friend but let the matter drop, especially when he saw Martha and her injuries. The Orka had almost succeeded in disemboweling the poor woman.

"Stop gawking, Jacobs," Martha told him from her prone position on the floor. "You look like shit too."

"I don't think she's going to die, Roger," said Viktor.

"I've already ordered her not to," said Roger.

Martha ignored them both and said, "I have a plan. But you'll need torpedoes and to get them outside."

Roger nodded. "I'll go," he said.

"I will come with you," Tarn told them.

"You were poisoned a few days ago," Roger reminded the Lyrissian.

"Even then, I am still stronger than you, U-man."

Viktor shrugged. "Your crew are all injured, Roger. You can't do this alone. You need both of us."

Martha said, "You'll need blasters. That bow and arrow of yours might work on Lyrissian backsides, but not on those creatures."

"Aye aye, ma'am," Viktor said. He threw her a mock salute before he exchanged his bow for a pulse blaster. Tarn also accepted one.

"And Jacobs, I want him back alive. So I can kick his ass for putting it in danger," said Martha.

"What is it with you and younger women?" Viktor asked Roger quietly.

Roger grinned. "They're more lively," he said.

"Bossy too."

"The nearest torpedo storage bay is two decks down," Martha explained. She eyed the trio and said, "You'll probably only be able to haul two out between you. They're heavy. You'll need to go another deck down and to the starboard side airlock, it's on the other side of the ship."

"Why can't we use the port one?" Viktor asked.

"The Orka are docked on that side," Roger told him.

"How do you know when you can't even see their ship?" asked Viktor.

"This is my ship. I know," said Roger.

"The way the Callisto shook," Martha said.

"Got it," said Viktor. "How do we get out without power?"

"Emergency release," said Roger.

Viktor nodded. "Ready to go?" he asked the other two.

Tarn turned to his daughter and gave her a long hug. Roger clasped hands with Martha and the pair had a moment. Both scenes left Viktor feeling very uncomfortable.

S'rea looked over her father's shoulder at Viktor and said to him, "If my father dies, U-man, and you do not…"

"I got it."

* * *

"I'm surprised they're not trying to take the bridge," Viktor murmured as they headed for the torpedo storage bay.

"There is nothing of value to them there," Tarn told them.

"The ship is deaf, blind and dumb," said Roger. "It makes more sense to spread out from your entry point and go from there. Maintaining a clear route back to their ship."

Tarn grunted in agreement. "If I were them, I would take your shielding systems. The Orka's shields are almost nonexistent."

"That's a good thing," said Roger. "That'll make this easier."

"We've just got to get past the Orka running around loose on your ship first," Viktor said.

Their trip was suspiciously uneventful. Viktor and Roger carried one torpedo between them while Tarn hefted the other under his arm. Both humans were envious at how easily Tarn carried his torpedo while they strained under the weight of their own.

A noise up ahead made them pause. A lone Orka turned a corner, and before anyone else could react, Tarn had his pulse blaster up and fired. It was meant to stun humanoids, but these Orka were in a completely different league. It appeared to be only dazed.

"Shit," said Roger.

Tarn fired again, lowering the torpedo to the deck as he did so. The beam clipped the Orka and spun it around, bouncing off the corridor wall. A high-pitched wail emanated from deep within the Orka.

"What's that?" Viktor asked while he tried to use his shoulder to block out the painful sound to one ear.

"Calling for help," said Tarn. He sprinted toward the Orka, pulling his twin sabers from his back and easily cutting the disoriented Orka down.

"Help?" said Viktor, and groaned. "Move it, Roger!"

"Just keep up with me," Roger said.

Roger started to jog, and Viktor lurched after him. Tarn retrieved the other torpedo and quickly caught up.

"How fast are these things?" Roger asked over his shoulder while he navigated the corridors to the starboard side.

"Very fast," said Tarn. They felt the deck vibrate beneath their feet before that help even arrived.

"Shit," Roger said again.

"At least they don't have blasters," said Viktor.

A blue energy beam burned a hole into the corridor wall ahead of them.

"Shut your mouth, Vik," Roger ordered.

They reached the ladder on the starboard side before the Orka. Only Tarn was able to exchange blaster shots with the Orka as he brought up the rear.

Roger lowered his end of the torpedo onto the deck. "Stay here," he told Viktor before he grabbed the ladder and slid down a few rungs. With his blaster in hand, he leaned backward and snuck a peek at the deck below. "It's clear," he yelled.

"You should lower them down," Viktor said to Tarn as they fired at the Orka. Tarn grunted in agreement and left Viktor to keep the Orka at bay on his own.

Viktor crouched low to the deck and wondered if it were a good idea to be so close to a Space Corps torpedo while weapons were being fired in his general direction. Luckily for him, the Orka were firing wildly. From what he could see, the blasters were the standard-issue ones found on every Space Corps vessel. They had obviously picked them up from fallen Callisto crewmembers, which meant this was the first time they had handled energy weapons. Their unfamiliarity with the weapons was probably why they were unable to hit him. Still, one could get a lucky shot.

Viktor was relieved when the torpedo next to him was dragged away to the ladder. He slowly edged back, all the while firing. The stun effects of the blaster did not seem to deter the Orka, though. They all rushed forward, and even when they had been hit they kept moving—just slower and mostly in the wrong direction.

"Wha!" Viktor exclaimed as something grabbed him from behind and dragged him back. His feet dangled in the air next to the ladder, and he only had a moment to grab hold of a rung before he was let go.

"Hurry," was all Tarn said from beside him on the ladder. "More are coming."

Viktor nodded. He slid the rest of the way down the ladder and joined Roger. He took one look at his friend, who was as white as a ghost, and asked, "What happened to you?"

"I killed one," Roger said quietly. He stepped aside so Viktor could see a small Orka with a large hole where its chest should have been.

"I'm starting to feel left out," Viktor said sarcastically.

Tarn bent to pick up his torpedo. "You can kill the next one."

"Thanks," said Viktor dryly.

* * *

S'rea checked Martha's injuries. Like her, the Space Corps woman had been on the receiving end of an Orka's claws. S'rea frowned at the three deep slash marks.

"You should have seen the other guy," Martha told her through gritted teeth.

"I have," S'rea said. "Some of your internal organs have been damaged."

"That explains why it bloody hurts." Martha winced.

S'rea's eyebrow lifted in surprise at the outburst.

"You're doing that thing Jacobs does," said Martha. "You should ease up on him. He's had a rough time."

"He brings it on himself." S'rea sniffed. "He knows not to touch me."

"Maybe he likes you," said Martha. "Sometimes men touch women they like. Sometimes they get drunk and hit on you."

"Men hit you?" S'rea asked.

"No, it's a figure of speech. An overly friendly way of showing they are interested."

S'rea considered this as she rewrapped Martha's bandages. She recalled Viktor had been drunk when she returned to his quarters, so she asked, "What does it mean when an intoxicated man has a cold shower, clothes and all, before greeting you?"

"He's an idiot," was Martha's reply, "but he respects you."

"U-mans are strange," S'rea finally said.

"Speak for yourself," Martha said with a grin that turned into a groan. "Where's that bloody medic?"

* * *

"Do you have Lyrissian-sized EV suits?" Viktor asked Roger as they carefully lowered the torpedoes by the airlock.

Roger shook his head.

Tarn grinned at them and said, "I will defend this airlock."

"That's all I ask," Roger said. He opened a storage locker and selected an EV suit for Viktor. "Should fit you."

Viktor took it without comment and watched Roger put on his own before attempting to do the same. Roger made a few readjustments to Viktor's suit before they turned to the airlock. Tarn had already moved the torpedoes into the small bay and was waiting for the Orka, sabers at the ready.

"Good luck," Viktor said to Tarn, who only nodded in response.

The two humans stepped into the airlock and sealed the door behind them.

"You all right?" Roger asked.

"Just discovered I'm claustrophobic," said Viktor. "Other than that, I'm fine."

"Good. Hold on," Roger ordered, and opened the airlock.

"To what?" Viktor demanded as his feet left the deck.

"A torpedo," said Roger, whose feet remained in place. He grabbed hold of Viktor and activated the magnetic lock on his boots. "I don't need you floating off into space. Who would I get drunk with after this?"

"Tarn?" Viktor suggested.

"I don't think that would help Alliance and Lyrissian negotiations."

"You'd probably insult him," Viktor said.

Roger nudged the now weightless torpedo in front of him. "Speaking from experience?" he asked.

"Funny man," Viktor muttered.

The pair continued their banter as they stepped out of the airlock and onto the hull of the Callisto. It wasn't until they were completely across the Callisto that they were able to even see the enemy vessel. The vessel itself was the color of space—practically invisible until they were able to touch it.

"That explains why you couldn't see it," said Viktor. "But what about sensors?"

Roger reached out and touched the vessel that was attached to his own. The surface wasn't as solid as the Callisto's hull. "Hold me," he told Viktor, and grabbed his arm. Once he was sure he was securely anchored, he lifted both legs and stood on the space-colored vessel. The magnetic locks were not able to hold him in place, and if it hadn't been for Viktor, Roger would have floated away.

"That's not good," said Viktor.

"No, it's not."

Viktor groped the enemy vessel. His fingers were clumsy in the EV suit, but they gained some traction on whatever the material was that coated the ship. He looked through the visor of his helmet at Roger.

"That could work," said Roger.

"At the moment, it's our only option," Viktor said. "Unless you want to blow your ship up too."

"Never," Roger growled.

Viktor smirked. Space Corps commanding officers had the reputation of being married to their ships. Destruction of a Space Corps ship was only ever considered if there was no alternative available. It seemed Martha had competition for the colonel's affections.

"Follow me," Roger said, and grabbed hold of the ship's exterior.

It was slow going as they walked across the vessel on their hands. They had to nudge and grab the torpedoes in front of them as they traveled forward.

"I hope you know how to set these off," Viktor grunted. Sweat bobbed around his face, unhindered by gravity.

"Time delay," said Roger.

"How long?" Viktor asked.

"Shut up," said Roger. "Counting."

* * *

One of the bridge crew had been identified as a cross-trained medic. S'rea had made him attend to Martha first. The medic, however, seemed hesitant to touch the second-in-command.

"What is wrong?" S'rea demanded.

The medic gulped. "This is a bit out of my league," he said. Because S'rea didn't understand, he continued, "I'm trained in basic first aid—cuts, bruises, breaks, administering some drugs. She's bleeding internally. I'm not qualified for that. What if I kill her?"

"She will die if you do nothing," S'rea said.

This did not help the medic—if anything, he looked even more miserable.

S'rea growled. "Give me that," she said, and took the medical instrument from him.