The door hisses shut behind me as I leave her chamber.
I’d rather have stayed – to have just watched her sleep for hours – but I still have responsibilities to talk care of.
I stride up the hallway, back to the cockpit at the front of the ship. Kitos and Hadrian look up from their gunnery stations.
The controls of the two Orb-Cannons don’t have to be manned at all times – we have AI programmed to run general defense – but for a warrior species like ours, it’s a calming feeling to scan the empty space around us with our own eyes; knowing we’re ready to face any potential threat. In times of uncertainty, like these, I too would prefer to have my hands on the trigger of a powerful weapon.
Kitos’ eyes are narrow.
“What was the pain flowing through the Bond, Daccia? What did you do to her?”
I held up my hand, to reassure them that I hadn’t done anything to harm Allie.
“I restored her weapons.”
Hadrian grunts. “Are you out of your fucking mind? She’s used them against us once already. She’ll do it again, you know.”
“That’s a risk I accept. If she uses those weapons against us, we’ve got bigger problems than a broken Orb-Drive, or a 600-volt shock. It means our own mate rejected us.”
My battle-brothers stare up at me, and I feel the concern through the Bond as they face that grim reality.
“Allie needs to accept us on her own terms,” I warn them. “Not through coercion or captivity. If she uses those weapons on us? Then we deserve it. We’ve lost her forever.”
Kitos shifts uncomfortably in his seat. He hates that I’m right.
“It’s true, Hadrian,” Kitos turns to his battle-brother. “We need to give her those weapons back – so she feels safe on her own, even from us. Allie can’t think we’re trying to manipulate her into taking our protection. We need her to trust us.”
“Trust us?” Hadrian shakes his head. “Trust us? Are you kidding me? We can’t fucking trust her! We need to keep her locked up until we get somewhere safe. There we can explain her future to her – and make her understand what’s going to happen to her with us.”
Hadrian growls the words out, but I can sense he doesn’t quite believe them. He’s tense, and he has the same fear gnawing in his belly as the fear gnawing in mine:
The fear of losing our Fated Mate.
“Besides, we’ve got more pressing problems,” I try to divert the argument. Looking up, I bark: “AI – how long until we arrive on Salcus?”
“Twenty standard hours until atmosphere,” responds the smooth, emotionless voice of the ship’s computer.
Twenty hours.
Just twenty standard hours to plan an operation that will determine then rest of our lives.
This is supposed to be standard prisoner transfer – taking custody of two suspects from another triad of Aurelian Law Enforcement agents.
Aurelian Law Enforcement agents with a fully functioning Reaver.
With a functional Orb-Drive, we could go anywhere – even far, far away from the reaches of the Aurelian Empire.
And if we fail? What’s theft on top of one of the worst atrocities in the criminal code?
The Empire can only execute us once.
“Kitos,” I demand, “what do you we about the triad we’re meeting?”
“I took the liberty of researching them while you spoke with Allie,” Kitos nods. “They’re new recruits – led by a lad named Dantus. He’s fresh out of his hundred years of service, as are his two battle-brothers. Picking up these smugglers is only their second assignment.” Kitos’ eyes narrow. “He’s a smart young lad, though – and his triad is brave and loyal.”
“AI – bring them up on screen.”
The AI projects a hologram of the three young agents. I remember when I was just like them – eager, fresh-faced and inexperienced. I remember the thrill of my first arrest.
I remember, too, when life was divided into good and evil. Black and white. I remember when duty to the Aurelian Empire mattered more than anything else.
These young agents are still in the flush of youth. On the one hand, they’ll be unequivocal about the rule of law. If they find out what we’ve done, they’ll give their lives in an attempt to bring us to justice.
On the other hand – if we’re successful, and we steal their Reaver and escape, they won’t be judged too harshly for being hoodwinked by more senior agents. What is that Old-Earth expression?
Good judgement comes from experience – but experience? That comes from bad judgement.
“Okay, here’s the plan.”
Kitos and Hadrian look up at me. Dissent and frustration are suddenly gone from their faces. They’ve heard me say those three words before, and it’s always meant the same thing – order in the face chaos. Hope, in the face of despair.
I outline my scheme:
“We land on Salcus. Check into a hotel and wait for Dantus and his triad to land. Then, we arrange the prisoner transfer.”
I turn to the first of my battle-brothers:
“Kitos – you’ll stay and guard Allie in the hotel.”
Then, the next:
“Hadrian, you’ll come with me.”
I tap my knuckles against the side of the ship. This plan will be a betrayal of everything I’ve ever held dear – every vow of duty to the Empire I’ve ever taken.
But I’ll do it all for her.
“We’re bringing stun-guns only,” I tell my battle-brothers. “With the element of surprise, they won’t be a match for us – but we’re not going to kill them. We are not going to hurt them.”
There are some lines even I won’t cross. Dantus and his triad have done nothing wrong. Nothing except hold the standards of an Empire I’m rapidly losing faith in.
“We’ll deliver swift, clean knockouts from the back,” I tell them. “They won’t know what hit them. We’ll even knock
