Orphaned warrior dragon.., p.24
Orphaned Warrior (Dragon Spawn Chronicles Book 5), page 24
“I’m sorry, dear,” Blakesley said. “It must be a tight fit so that if the ship is jostled, you’re not tossed about. I’ll add foam insulation as well, but don’t worry. You’ll be able to break out easily once someone unlocks the crate.”
What if no one unlocks it?
He grasped her shoulders and turned her to him. “It will be alright, my dearest.”
He pressed toward her. If not for her apprehension rooting her in place, she would’ve stepped back. He lowered his head. She blinked at the realization that he wished to kiss her. She wasn’t sure she wanted him to, but maybe she should allow it. After all, he was risking his life to help her right now.
She tilted up to meet him. His hot breath carried an edge of desperation. When their lips met, he bore down on her with a passion she didn’t share. His tongue swept between her teeth. She almost bit it but allowed the frenzied assault.
When he pulled back, his eyes were wild—and triumphant. She coughed, breathlessness making it hard for her to take in air. Her heart thudded, but not with his excitement. She wasn’t sure what she felt. Dread perhaps.
He frowned. She lowered her head, knowing full well he’d sensed her emotions. She tried to block them, using the method Jori had said he used, but her nerves were too rattled.
He traced his thumb down her jaw, then sighed. “Come. Let’s get you suited up. You’ll have plenty of oxygen for the trip.” He glanced at the MM tablet wrapped around his wrist several times as he led her to a dimly lit closet where a suit waited on a shelf.
“Is everything alright?” she asked, worried about Jori.
He didn’t answer right away, then snapped his attention to hers as though finally registering what she’d said. “Oh, yes. Of course. I’m just monitoring bridge activities.”
A crease of confusion still etched his brow, but she took him at his word. Surely, if it was something important, he’d tell her.
“Here you go.” He waved her inside. “Take your time. You want to make sure it’s on correctly. I can help you with the helmet.”
She entered and he stepped back, letting the door shut her in for privacy. Her anxiety had become a steady buzz. It was just enough to cause her hands to tremble as she grasped the dull white suit. It was bulky but appeared in good repair, though not as pristine as Jori’s. And the helmet and gloves were separate pieces. She slipped her leg beyond the body, surprised at how snug it was. Her foot pinched despite the largeness of the shoe.
When she slid her arms in, her chest tightened. You can do this. You must do this. Freedom is just on the other side of that door.
With effort, she managed to get the enviro-suit on sans the helmet. Tucking it under her arm, she waddled out.
Blakesley chuckled. “You look positively adorable!”
The burn in her cheeks wasn’t entirely from self-consciousness. “It’s hot in this thing.”
“Ah!” He rushed to her. She flinched, thinking he’d take her into his arms again. But he grasped her gloved hand. “See this?” He tapped a display embedded in the suit’s forearm. It lit up, displaying three large buttons spaced far enough apart that her fat protected fingers wouldn’t hit the wrong one. “There are nibs on the tips of your gloves. Just use them to tap through to the temperature options and adjust.”
She tried it. The suit cooled almost immediately.
“Go ahead and see what other features it has,” Blakesley said. “It’s a good idea to know how it operates.”
He glanced at his MM again. His brows drew in and deepened as he tapped the screen.
The sense that something was wrong grew stronger. “Has Jori made it to the space station yet?”
“Not yet,” he replied without looking up. His jaw twitched as though he were grinding his teeth.
“How much longer?” She pressed.
He pinched his lip, but he didn’t seem to be thinking about her question. “Fifteen minutes.” He huffed. “Excuse me a moment.”
“Sure.” She brought her hand up and touched her mouth, then realized the gloves wouldn’t allow her to bite her nails and settled for folding her arms instead. That didn’t work so well either. The suit was too damned bulky.
Abelard stepped away and turned his back to her. He tapped the comm behind his ear. “Ramir, am I seeing this right?” he asked. “Vance’s shuttle just initiated the docking procedure?”
Zaina didn’t hear the reply, but Abelard’s noisy exhale told her he was irritated. For the life of her, she couldn’t figure out why.
He returned to her with a smile. She cocked her head. “Are you sure everything is alright?”
“Of course,” he replied.
Her insides wriggled. He could be lying, but why would he do that? Did something happen and he was protecting her? That didn’t explain his irritation, though.
Abelard’s demeanor switched to a forced cheerfulness. “Now let’s see about getting the helmet on and secured.”
She agreed, letting him place it over her head. A cool, stale air circulated and chilled the perspiration on her forehead. He directed her to the crate. She climbed inside despite her unease.
Oh, please God. Let everything be alright.
41 – Sucker-Punch
The shuttle’s ramp eased down with an ear-splitting whine. Jori wiped his palms down his thigh. That took care of his hands, but a clamminess remained over the rest of his body. He brushed his fingertips over the object in his pocket, feeling somewhat reassured.
Air from the asteroid base whisked in. He filled his lungs to calm his nerves. A musty scent clung to nasal cavities. A hint of cleaning chemicals combined with the deeper metallic one of machinery was only a small part of it. The rest reminded him of hot sand on a cool day.
The ramp touched down. Vance’s steps jounced, signifying a low artificial gravitational setting. Jori followed and realized outrunning this man wouldn’t work. Vance would capture him in one mighty bound. The element of surprise combined with agility were Jori’s only advantages.
He assessed his surroundings, noting the multiple docks separated by energy fields. Cargo vessels, transport ships, escort fighters, or a combination thereof occupied the six docking platforms. Luggage carts, mobile maintenance vehicles, and other machinery such as forklifts, stackers, and pallet jacks dotted the floor.
It was perfect. All he needed now was a destination.
He licked his lips and reached for the flash bomb. Vance gripped his shoulder, making his heart jump. He peered up, expecting the worst but all Vance’s attention focused on the three approaching individuals.
The bald woman with a broad face wore a white coat-like outfit, marking her as either a doctor or scientist. Her large, round eyes were glued to a tablet. The pale man with mechanical arms reminded Jori of an engineer. He had on an azure jumpsuit that looked similar to those worn by the nearby mechanics, but stains didn’t blotch his. His brows curved in apparent anger but Jori only sensed boredom. The leader was a dark-complexioned man wearing a buttoned-up maroon jacket that made him look like an ambitious spacecraft salesman.
None spared Jori a single glance. Their motions didn’t hint at any interest in him either.
Sweat beaded on Jori’s upper lip. Although he’d assumed they’d be cautious about tipping Vance off, he hadn’t expected them to utterly disregard him.
The man in the jacket put on a grandiose smile and bowed to Vance. “Welcome, Sir. I’m sure you’ll be pleased with your new acquisition.”
“Where is it?” Vance asked in a clipped tone.
“It will be along shortly. I trust you have our payment?”
Vance waved his hand at the medium-sized crate just inside the shuttle. “Here.”
Jori’s eyebrows snapped up. Here? I thought Blakesley was sending it. Two shuttles, he’d said. The second one would leave as soon as they’d struck a deal. He’d even seen it on the schedule.
An invisible weight laden with uncertainty descended upon him. Had Vance created a fake entry? It would be just like him to string Jori along and give him false hope. But if that was the case, how had Blakesley not known?
He considered the others in the bay. If these three weren’t in on his escape, perhaps someone else was. But not a single person paid him any mind.
Another trio of people arrived, leading a roll cart carrying some sort of device. Jori’s fingers twitched over the flash bomb as he waited for a sign. However, these new arrivals also showed no interest in him. He caught the eye of a grey-haired man, but it was no more than a cursory glance.
Jori’s pulse quickened. Something wasn’t right. He recalled Vance’s demeanor on the shuttle and suspected a connection.
The man in the maroon jacket made a grand sweeping gesture toward the machine. “And here it is. Just as you ordered.” His grin spread, showing his straight white teeth. His eyes twinkled as though showcasing a masterpiece.
A rectangular box nearly as tall as Jori encased the contraption. The showman opened it up, displaying components recognized as an oscillator, transistor amplifier, heat sink, and electronic circuitry.
“This is one of the most powerful signal jammers ever made,” the man said. Jori didn’t detect a lie, but the boast was evident.
The man closed it back up and patted the top of the machine as though it were his favorite child. “Just attach your antenna and plug it to an adequate power source and this baby will give you a hole plenty wide enough for your vessel to pass through.”
A chill sizzled down Jori’s spine. As the man explained the controls, Jori looked about wildly. He wanted to make a break for it, but where were his rescuers? A closer inspection of the other people in his line of sight revealed cybernetics. The mechanic working on a ship on a nearby platform used tools that were a part of his cybernetic arm. Another technician had a cord running from the back of his head to the diagnostic panel. And when the big-eyed woman lifted her eyes to answer one of Vance’s questions, a glint of mechanisms appeared in her pupil.
These people weren’t on his side. They were MEGAs. Jori wouldn’t be surprised if they also worked for MEGA-Man.
Chusho. He should run for it anyway—hide, find a communications room and make a call, stowaway on another ship stopping for a visit. He must do something.
A clap and a pinch to his shoulder jolted him. Vance peered down at him with a dangerous glint. “You’re not going anywhere.”
Jori locked up. Did he know? Had Blakesley ratted on him or had Vance figured it out somehow?
“What do you think of my new device?” Vance asked as he flicked his hand at the contraption.
Jori swallowed, the dryness scraping his throat. “What’s it for?”
As the showman ordered workers to retrieve his payment and put the machine in its place, Vance’s creepy smile made Jori’s bones quiver. “It will disable a shield.”
If not for his trepidation, Jori would’ve rolled his eyes. “What shield?”
Vance’s grin widened. “I’m going to destroy Halden, the Tanirian Protectorate’s home city on Vanir.”
Jori almost choked. The Tanirian Protectorate was one of the Cooperative’s most influential members. It comprised two star systems with two habitable planets and seven moon bases. To attack their government headquarters would be a detrimental blow to both their egos and their economy.
A wicked gleam sparked in Vance’s eyes. “Now that I’ve told you my secret, you will tell me yours.”
Irritation poked through his dread. He almost said, not this again, but the man’s grip on his shoulder tightened painfully.
“What’s…” The calm of Vance’s voice hinted at a menacing monster coiled beneath. “…In. Your. Pocket?”
Jori’s gut lurched as though he’d been sucker-punched. He should say something, but his tongue stayed locked inside his mouth.
“No need to tell me,” Vance replied. “I already know. Hand it to me now or I’ll take it from you. And truest me—” His eyes flashed. “—you won’t like that.”
Jori’s spine stiffened, but it was too for willful action. He’d been caught. His insides tremored, but he retrieved the flash bomb from his pocket and placed it in Vance’s hand without revealing his trepidation.
*****
Breathless and with a cold tingling sensation spreading over his body, Major Abelard Blakesley darted onto the bridge. Something was wrong. The shuttle should’ve exploded.
“What’s happening?” he demanded.
“Vance received the device and will leave the base in fifteen minutes,” the woman at the operations station replied in a monotone voice.
“Jori too?”
“Yes, Sir.”
Damn it! That the imp hadn’t escaped was the least of his concerns. Did the bomb Blakesley had planted get discovered and disabled? Or was there a glitch that would cause it to go off on the return trip? Both would be bad, but the latter might still be salvageable.
He rushed to his office. The terminal wouldn’t turn on quickly enough and his heart battered like an industrial jackhammer. It finally blinked on. He tapped away. Surveillance, bot repairs, maintenance logs. He checked it all. If Vance had found it, there’d be some evidence. And he would’ve confronted him already, too. Perhaps the wiring in the bomb had come loose or the timer malfunctioned.
Blakesley dropped into his chair and ran his hand down his sweaty face. That must be it. It malfunctioned. Maybe it wouldn’t go off at all. This would set back his plans, but only a little. There’d be other opportunities.
Everything will be fine. He repeated the thought despite the niggling disquietude. There was nothing he could do but wait and see. And if Vance returned without incident, he’d meet him with a smile, then discreetly let Jori know to get Zaina from the crate.
The boy would realize there’d been no rescue from the base, and he’d tell Zaina. How would Blakesley handle that? Alienating them created unnecessary complication, but it’d be worse if Vance knew.
The sensation of a thousand phantom spiders crawled through his insides. He probably knows and he’s playing with me. He bounded to his feet. The need to keep up with his racing thoughts prompted him into the hall where he broke into a fast walk. Where he headed, he had no idea.
He held no hope of being pardoned a second time. His only recourse was to fight back. For that, he needed a weapon powerful enough to penetrate Vance’s armor.
A cold realization stopped him in his tracks. His initial plan had fallen apart, which meant Vance would foresee such a decision. Damn it.
I can run. Vance likely wouldn’t see it coming since all his focus was on Jori. The idea had its appeal for another reason. Blakesley filled his lungs with purpose and headed to the cargo bay where Zaina waited.
The little vessel wasn’t as fast as the Black Thresher, but it had a cloaking device. All he had to do was disable the transponder. It’d be easy.
A nearby conveyor opened. Three cyber soldiers emerged, withering his conviction. They turned a sharp ninety degrees and faced him with the same alert dullness held by most of their enhanced soldiers.
Blakesley’s comm chimed, making him yelp. He swallowed, then answered. “Yes, Sir.”
“Meet me in the shuttle bay,” Vance said.
Blakesley’s thoughts spun and splattered in a million directions. Before he made up his mind to flee or fight, the soldiers converged at his sides, their body language declaring that he had no choice but to comply.
This means nothing. Perhaps Jori had tried getting away and Vance only suspected Blakesley had something to do with it. Or he just wanted him to see the device. The man couldn’t be aware of his attempt to blow up the shuttle. He’d taken precautions and had been extra careful. All this was merely a coincidence. It had to be.
I’m not ready to die.
42 – Obsolete
Jori plodded along like a prisoner headed to his execution. The shock of getting caught had worn off. Heavy resignation replaced it. Mind dazed, body numb, and eyes downcast, he entered the shuttle. It occurred to him he should put on a guise of courageous defiance, but what was the point? Vance would see through the lie to the pathetic and defeated person underneath.
He eased into the copilot seat and buckled in. He did those things, but it seemed like someone else did them and he merely watched. The same disconnect took over his brain as well. He had so many questions, but they remained hidden as though trapped beneath a thick layer of ice.
Vance double-checked the straps securing the device, then approached the cockpit. He didn’t speak, nor had he spoken since Jori had handed him the flash bomb. Despite the silence, he cringed inwardly as the weight of the man’s fury pressed around him.
This was worse than his father’s blustering rage. At least with Father, the consequences had been swift. This hollow anticipation of punishment felt like drifting through the abyss on a low tank of air.
Vance secured himself in the pilot’s seat. Jori studied the hard set of his jaw and the flare of his nostrils. The man operated the controls, jabbing a button here, yanking a lever there, and ignoring him with blatant loathing.
A heat grew over his face, partly due to shame for getting caught. Although he’d accepted the consequences of his failure, he might not be the only one to suffer. Anger also fueled him. Vance had no right to be upset. Of course he’d tried to escape. That’s what people did when held against their will. Stupid chima.
His internal temperature spiked with indignation. “How did you know?”
Vance’s jaw muscles knotted. “You still haven’t learned, have you?”
Jori clenched his teeth. Couldn’t the man give a straight answer for once? “Learned what, exactly?”
“To see! You’re so intent on a single aspect that you failed to recognize the most obvious one of all. You’re blind… And you’re stupid.”
Jori scowled. That last comment sounded much like one his father would say, and it had the same effect. He didn’t deny it out loud, knowing it would do no good, but resentment curled his lip and made him wish he had the strength to strike this chima down.
