Tha-lah (8 page)

“Tha-lah is that you, daughter?” Ry-ahl asked, drawing his sword. This was his worst dream come true.

“Ry-ahl, you fool, what do you think you’re doing?” Aj’l gasped, trying in vain to stop him. “Put away that sword, you drunken piece of crap.”

What she didn’t know was he was neither drunk nor a fool. He just played the part of a drunken slob because everyone talked freely around him, thinking he was intoxicated. That was how he’d been able to accumulate the amount of data he’d given Briq in the first place.

Now it was necessary to blow his cover and save his daughter. Ry-ahl tried to keep calm but failed. The scream burst out before he could regain his composure. He was getting his daughter out even if he had to hack every single critter there. The Galadonian prince would be first. How dare he put a collar around her neck?

“Don’t even think of interfering, whore,” he said with a snarl without taking his gaze off the Galadonian. “This doesn’t concern you.”

The prince jumped several feet into the air, thanks to his oddly shaped legs, avoiding his attack.

“You’re making a big mistake,” a Pendo’rahn freight captain yelled, blocking his way. “I don’t have time to explain things to you.”

“Draw your sword or die like a coward, but I want her back,” he challenged, but the prince ran off with Tha-lah.

“I’m truly sorry for this, but you’ll thank me later.”

He didn’t see the fist until it was too late. His last thought was how swift Pendo’rahns were despite their size.

Chapter Thirteen

Reunion

Rag’
mar
was secured in the upper-level docks. The asteroid belt was huge with massive bridges connecting them. This particular area was more upscale than the one they’d left. Most businesses there catered to the rich and bored with expensive overindulgences.

“What happened?” Groo’lat rushed to Tha-lah’s side, wrinkling his nose.

“It was nothing.” Except for the part where she’d thrown up all over the prince. His expensive robes were now ruined.

“Priestess, you forget I can sense everything you feel?”

No, the deeper her fear, the angrier he became. His wrath wasn’t directed at her, but she was certain he’d kill anyone who’d cause her pain.

“I had to carry the priestess to make a hasty retreat,” Xy explained, removing his soiled tunic. Of course he wasn’t wearing anything underneath in true Galadonian fashion. “She got a bit sick on the way.”

“You touched her?”

No one appeared to move a muscle, waiting to see what her lover would do. Touching a Pendo’rahn’s branded mate was an unforgivable offense.

“There was a fight. Xy had to get me out fast.” A simple explanation wouldn’t be enough when he was so close to violence. She used their spiritual connection to make him understand. It worked. Groo’lat gathered her tenderly into his arms.

“Explain.” Commander Dru-lah had been silent until now, but she saw the tension etched in the hard planes of his face. Tha-lah sensed every minute Mah’yanna spent in captivity was like a sharp knife through his heart.

“Wait,” O’frahm exclaimed, entering the
Rag’
mar
followed by her father. She wanted to run and hide, but her mate kept her firmly in place. “You better sit down, priestess.”

Tha-lah stared blankly into space after learning of her father’s relentless search over the past five years. Lies, everything had been lies from the beginning. He’d never sent her away, never indentured her as a surrogate. She’d been kidnaped by the consortium to force him into giving up control of the mines.

Goddess of mercy. She sobbed. Was Mistress Dal’vyaa involved in the dealings as well? How could she ever forgive her?

Heed my words, daughter,
the goddess whispered.
This path of bitterness and resentment can only lead to your soul’s total consumption. You can’t be my servant while carrying them inside. Open your heart, my child. It’s time to forget. You now possess a unique perspective no other wandering priestess has. Draw from that source, and become a healing instrument. I’ve given you a strong supporter as a mate, forever branded
on
your soul.

“I’ve missed you, Ne-yii.” She rushed into her father’s loving arms, hugging him tightly. Ne-yii was the name a Trac’xian young female called her father. Tha-lah had never stopped calling him that even when she came of age.

“Prince Xy, I’ll offer you all my fortune for the release of my daughter.”

Poor Ne-yii had endured so much suffering. While she thought herself indentured, he was dealing with uncertainty. For her the possibility of going home kept her centered. Her father had roamed the galaxies like a puppet with hope as his only companion. The consortium was, in a sense, a worse enemy than the Kreeh-nosh. They used emotional blackmail to keep everyone in check.

“What?” Xy looked horrified. “No, it won’t be necessary…” he blundered, pleadingly looking at her.

“Surely you understand she was never meant to become a slave?” Ne-yii responded indignantly.

“We understand, however, you have it all wrong.” O’frahm stepped in, handing the prince a clean robe.

“Then why are you dressed like one?”

Thank the goddess she’d covered up as soon as they’d returned. Having her father see her dressed like that had been humiliating.

“Because we’re undercover, trying to find information about a kidnapped officer.” She saw no harm telling him. He couldn’t go on thinking she was a sexual plaything for a debauched prince. The others didn’t agree, by the looks on their faces.

“Do you mean Security Chief Mah’yanna? She’s kept under heavy guard on a small asteroid.” Ne-yii told them that about a month ago three Jog’nafan packs had showed up and taken control of the abandoned rock.

It’d been used as a testing facility for bio-weapons under Kreeh’nosh rule. The small lab remained ignored because it was outside the interconnected cluster, accessible by shuttle only.

Rumors started circulating shortly after about the death match against a Pendo’rahn officer. Bets had been placed all over the galaxies with odds against her survival. Some even said she was part of a Kreeh-noshian experiment.

“When is this fight?” Her mate tried to keep his anger under control for her sake, but it was like trying to cage a living thing.

“Tomorrow.”

Instead of two or three days to plan their strategy, they had to move up their timeline. Failure wasn’t an option.

“Commander, we must act now before it’s too late.”

Her mate proposed a preemptive strike, since the element of surprise was their best chance. They all feared for the security chief.

“Agreed,” Dru-lah answered, clenching his jaw.

Tha-lah knew she could help clear the officer’s head before the mission. It’d be interesting to see her mate’s reaction during a healing session.

“Wait, there might be another way.”

Ry-ahl explained that a supply ship was due to arrive in one hour. The freighter captain was a member of the Jog’nafan royal pack secretly working against the Kreeh-nosh.

“I’ll fetch my things,” Tha-lah said.

When two elite warriors blocked her way, she questioningly looked at her mate. He just shook his head.

“I can’t let you go. It’s too dangerous.”

She tried to step away, but he held fast. Why couldn’t he understand how important it was for her to be there?

“Warrior, surely you know the security chief will need my help. I have to be there when you find her.”

Neither of them was willing to compromise. He wanted to protect her. She understood that much.

“You’re staying, and that’s final.”

Unyielding is a warrior on the path of vengeance. Wise is the one who opens a new one before him…
Tha-lah considered the passage in the ancient Trac’xian codex. This wasn’t the time to argue. One of them had to concede.

“I beg your pardon, but who are you to decide?” Ne-yii asked, reaching over and taking her hand in his. Few people were now able to touch her without making her recoil. Her father was one.

“Oops, it’s about to get real, priestess.” She groaned inwardly at Xy’s twisted sense of humor. “You might as well spill the beans.”

Tha-lah promised herself to come up with a suitable penance to punish the rascal.

“I’m her mate,” her warrior declared proudly. “She’s mine.”

“Is he speaking the truth, my daughter?” her father asked softly, his voice devoid of anger.

“Yes, Ne-yii, we’ve bonded. This is Groo’lat, my mate.”

Those simple words sounded so incredible to her. To think that just two weeks ago, she’d been a surrogate. Now she was a wandering priestess with a Pendo’rahn elite warrior as a branded mate. The goddess had infinite wisdom, indeed.

“Then you must listen to him and stay here.” Her father’s words were so unexpected. He’d raised her to always speak her mind, always stand up for herself.

“Ne-yii…” It should be up to her to make that decision, even if she knew deep down they were right.

“This operation needs their full attention. I’ll stay with you. We have a lot of catching up to do.”

She nodded and gave her mate a little disappointed jab.

Chapter Fourteen

The Elite

The loading docks were located on the largest asteroid in the belt. It was one of the busiest hubs in the entire network with new ships constantly arriving. Every corner was bustling with activity. Ry-ahl’s contact owned a large six-sectioned freighter. Each of them was made up of five hundred storage cubes.

That kind of ship was perfect for delivery into hard-to-reach areas. Depending on the order, a single cube or an entire section could be remotely detached and maneuvered. The elite warriors now traveled to the inner part of the belt concealed inside one of them.

Tyl’mok, the freighter captain, had most of them rigged to avoid life signs detection. He was unlike any other Jog’nafan they’d ever encounter. Groo’lat knew he was still ruthless, but true to his cause.

“I’m in the business of making credits while ruining the consortium,” Tyl’mok proudly declared when asked why he helped them.

His wife and sons had been kidnaped and killed by mercs working with the consortium. As far as the Kreeh-nosh, he blamed them for the downfall of his race.

“Two minutes to dock.”

Groo’lat looked up still surprised at the added feature. The cube had a concealed AI and a fully independent navigational system. Tyl’mok had told him only three of his containers had one. There was no telling when freight had to separate and make a run for it. Pirates and mercs were a constant hazard in these parts.

“Warriors, activate your armor now. Groo’lat, you’re with me. Xy, O’frahm, you’re together. The rest of you take your positions by the exits and cover us,” Commander Dru-lah ordered. It was the second mission under his command. His reputation as one of the best combat warriors in the armada was well deserved.

Groo’lat vowed to fight with all his strength and skills to bring Security Chief Mah’yanna back safe and sound. As a sign of atonement, he carried the same ro’traal from the prison. It’d belonged to a guard who had died during the attack. By slaying as many enemies as he could, he would bring honor to his senseless death. Commander Dru-lah agreed to return it to the family.

Squaring his shoulders, Groo’lat followed his commander out while sending his mate all his love. This was no longer a suicide mission. He now had a reason to live.

“Docking completed. Opening hatch doors.”

An assortment of robotic units unloaded the cargo as the warriors quickly deployed. Once inside, they had to avoid detection as long as possible.

The asteroid was a small facility with only three levels. Based on Tyl’mok’s specs the lower level was just storage, the second contained the research lab and the first level the actual testing and subject holding cells.

“Spread out. Search pattern nineteen eighty,” Commander Dru-lah ordered, drawing his ro’traal.

Groo’lat activated the holo map, which pointed to the corridor to the right. According to it, there was a row of cells fifty feet ahead.

“Attention, the fight schedule has changed. Proceed to the main testing area now. You have two minutes or you’ll be disqualified.”

The sudden announcement could only mean T’zaal knew they were there.

* * * *

“Sir, we’ve detected seven life signs near the cargo bay.”

A Kreeh-nosh foot soldier rushed in with the news. T’zaal hated working with these lowly incompetents, but had no other choice. Once he defeated the Pendo’rahns, he’d go after the insolent breeders. Those who refused to submit would be killed instantly.

“Is there a small female among them?” He knew the answer already, but wanted concrete proof of the Pendo’rahn duplicity.

“A female is with them. She’s a Pendo’rahn warrior.”

“Check again. The female should read as Pendo’rahn but much smaller.”

“Negative, the only female is just your average size warrior” the foot soldier replied while narrowing the search parameters.

“Very well then, make the announcement. The fight starts in two minutes.” T’zaal had expected something like that to happen. After all, he didn’t think for a moment Briq would just hand over his mate.

He was still angry over Gaal’ya’s betrayal, but he still had some of Gigi’s voice stored in a secured location. What he really wanted was to test his serum. He couldn’t think of a better subject than the strongest female in the armada.

“Sir, should we dispatch security to intercept?”

“No, let them come.” T’zaal plans hinged on everyone witnessing what he could do to all Pendo’rahn females.

He left the command center, heading for the cells. She was still full of defiance like her brother had been all those years ago. Torturing her, knowing she was a Prahn-kril, gave him untold pleasure. Briq had stolen a very valuable subject and injured T’zaal’s leg. Having his sister publicly humiliated was only fair.

“I see you’ve awakened, filthy Pendo’rahn whore.” She’d lost consciousness after silently enduring forty-eight hours of painful tests. Truth was they were completely unnecessary. He just wanted to make her suffer.