Temerity, p.11
Temerity, page 11
part #3 of StarStation Series
“Get the fuck up that tree and away from me,” I ordered, ducking my head away from his knowing gaze. He stepped close and hooked his fingers in the waistband of my pants. “What are you doing?”
“I’m going to kiss you now, and you’re going to like it because you will, because it’s me, and I’m amazing--mmph.”
I stopped his words with my mouth. His surprised gasp allowed me to sweep in and kiss him until his knees were weak or so I hoped. Tyr moaned before taking over quickly. He pulled me close to him, our groins rubbing against one another's. His taste was sweet and bitter as we kissed. It was the essence of Tyr, and I loved it. I needed more of it. I sought entrance, and he accepted eagerly. Our tongues entwined, and I melted. The impromptu kiss explained to me how much he wanted this, where I shared how much he meant to me, and I hoped he understood the message.
“Gratch--”
“Sorey,” I muttered, dropping my head to his shoulder. Offering my first name was a gift, and honestly, I ached to hear him call me Sorey.
“What? Sorey? What?” he looked at me with confusion until clarity dawned finally. I felt my ears burn, and I regretted offering my name. He must have noticed something since colour washed over his face. “Oh. Well. Thank you,” he stammered as he cupped the nape of my neck with his hand. He leaned back and must've found some expression in my face because the smile he gave me lit him completely. He grabbed tightly and rocked me wildly.
We stood in that chaotic embrace and remained encapsulated in the moment of hope and acceptance, need and lust. He leaned back and stared at me, serious as he could ever be. “You trust me?”
“Honestly? I want to say yes,” I started, but he placed a finger on my mouth, stopping the words.
“That’s all I care about right now.” Tyr leaned forward and hesitantly kissed me again. The power and shock missing this time, the kiss was emotional and allowed me to feel everything Tyr did. When he pulled back again, his eyes were red-rimmed but sure. “I’ll be super careful, but I needed to know.”
“I can’t stop you. Just, can’t you find a better tree?” I asked plaintively. I cast around, trying to find one that didn’t seem like Tyr was going slide down if he attempted to climb it.
“There isn’t one. They all look like this,” Tyr argued. I lifted my hands, placating and stepped away so he could do his thing. A pair of arms snaked around my waist as Tyr gave me a tight squeeze. “I’ll be right back. I promise.”
I watched the distant horizon, making sure no dangerous creatures snuck up on us. I could hear Tyr grunting as he pulled himself up, and I winced as I imagined his splatted body if he happened to fall. To take my mind off his death-defying moment of reorientation, I wandered a short distance away. I could see the trees thinning in the distance, but I didn’t think that was the way Tyr wanted to go. At this point of our adventure, I was willing to let him decide. Maybe I was ready to trust him to understand what was best for my crew. His assurances were sincere, and I was just a stubborn ass.
“Gratch? You okay?” he called down from his ungodly height, and I shouted yes back up to him. He waved back and continued, “I have a good idea as to where we went wrong and how we can fix it. I’ll be right there.”
By the time he made it down, I was absently watching a beetle flex its iridescent wings as he tried to attract a female. The liquid shimmer was a fascinating colour, and I jumped when Tyr touched my elbow.
“Beetles are fun, but that one’s dangerous. Come on. I sort of know where we are.” Tyr slid his hand down my arm until he could hold my hand. His smile was one of contentment as he strolled through the jungle. Again, I was reminded of a casual hike I had seen on entertainment vids.
“Can we do this when we’re not on a time limit?” I asked wistfully. It felt like a dream, a good one where it ended cozily and everyone was happy.
Tyr stumbled as he walked and looked at me with wide and hopeful eyes. “That... that sounds pretty cool. I’d like that. I’d like that a lot.”
His steps seemed lighter, and a small smile hovered on his lips like he had a secret he couldn’t contain, and I'd done that to him. I'd given him that boost, and I couldn’t stop my smile either.
Our hike was uneventful afterward. We made good time, despite me stopping to stare at every furry creature and crawling insect. Tyr tolerated it with good humour, and I itched to take pictures or try to commit these to memory for Damon. He’d have a field day out here.
When we got to the outskirts of the starstrip, Tyr paused. His nose twitched, and the lines in his forehead deepened. I elbowed him gently, asking him without words if everything was all right. He blew out some air and shrugged. We followed the edge of the cut grass until we found the main entrance. I could see that some activity had been happening recently, but there was no one around. Stepping close, I whispered almost silently, “This feels wrong?”
Tyr nodded and had us kneel in the tall grass. “There should be someone watching for guests. Can you hear anything? Motors? Fans? Anything mechanical?”
I cocked my head to the side and listened intently for the noises. Eventually, the faint hum of a fan penetrated the silence. “Inside, somewhere.”
“Here’s the plan. We go in through the front door as though this was normal, but I want you to be ready to move if there is anything untoward happening, okay? I do not want you anywhere near this place if it’s overrun with grey robes or other enemies,” Tyr said seriously. I nodded, but I had to question the plan because it seemed obvious.
“Why are we acting normal?”
“Because if the Paternai are here, they’ve spotted us. If there’s no one available to greet us, why make life difficult for us? I don’t know about you, but I’m a bit tired, and I don’t want to crouch.” His logic was terrifyingly accurate, and I had no choice but to agree with it.
The starstrip was eerie, and I kept my head straight ahead as Tyr led us down the centre of the complex. I saw evidence of where small shuttles used to land, and the scent of plasma propulsion filled the air. Everything was neat and tidy. No garbage was drifting around.
Once in the main hangar, shells of shuttles and mechanics’ toolboxes were open at various stations. This place looked like it was in working condition. “Do the Asyrans still use the starstrip?”
Tyr glanced around and hummed. “It could be an education centre? I know the Asyrans said we could use it for the duration of our mission. So I’m not quite sure what its current application is at the moment.”
“It’s very neat and organized, so I wondered.” I explained. Tyr smiled and tugged me along. He made quick work of the searching the place out.
We eventually found ourselves in what looked to be the living area for the Paternai. Packs were stacked neatly against one wall, and cooking utensils were waiting to be used near the travelling stove. I wondered why there was no one here. Maybe they just left for a reconnaissance and would be coming back soon. My nerves tingled as I continued to inspect the space. Something was going on here, something untoward.
Tyr tossed me a pile of clean clothes before disappearing down a different corridor. “I’m gonna take a shower, get this jungle grit off. There’s another here if you wanted to take advantage of the moment as well.”
I thought about Tyr's suggestion for a brief second before following Tyr to the showers. Any other time, I would say this would be when Tyr made his move, but we both wanted to be clean now.
PERSONAL LOG:
It’s taken a lot longer than I expected to get Commander Gratch’s trust. He’s surprisingly astute when it comes to matters regarding members of his own crew. It pleases me. I can trust him then with details of the Paternai’s overall mission.
When we entered the starstrip, I hadn’t expected it to be abandoned, not when the mission is this vital to the success of our people. We cannot allow the infiltration of the Siwu into Maternai ranks. The moment was made worse when I saw the note on the shower wall. I'll have to explain to Commander Gratch what happened and what we need to do next. I hope he understands. I like him, both as a member of the VCC and as a person. He’s got a good head on his shoulders, and I think he’d make an excellent liaison between the Paternai and the VCC.
Next log to be entered once more information has been acquired.
CHAPTER 15
Tyr banged on the door as I was showering and muttered something I couldn't quite catch. The sound of the water running and my attention on cleaning myself meant I didn't hear everything. I continued to stand under the steaming shower, allowing the heat to melt my tension away. He banged on the door again, a lot more aggressively this time.
I paused as I scrubbed soap into my hair. I obviously didn’t hear Tyr correctly when he told me we had to move. There was no one here, so it had to be safe. I wanted to think that, but I was already rinsing the soap out and turning the water off. We moved at breakneck speed. Clothes were thrown on, and Tyr tossed me an arm tablet while affixing a new one to himself. If he was concerned about our safety, I had to accept it. He knew this area better than I did. I trusted him. It stunned me how much I did.
“I am so sorry, Gratch. Unfortunately, shit has hit the fan, and we need to get out of here.” Tyr apologized as he led me down a rabbit warren of corridors. The way this hangar was laid out confused me, but Tyr kept a hold on my hand as we jogged.
“What’s going on?”
“Not here. Once we’re back in the jungle, I’ll explain. Right now, there is a possibility of too many ears. I don’t want to tip anyone off.” He was breathless as he spoke, and I nodded. Now wasn’t the time. I thought woefully of the stove and the provisions possibly stored there. Real food would be nice, but at least we were fresh and clean. I was mostly pain free, and I could easily think. The two knocks to my head explained why I hadn’t been able to focus on the situation at hand.
We crouched as we exited the building, Tyr calling halt so he could have a look around. He tapped the arm tablet, and I could see a 3-D image of the surrounding area. His focus was intent as he swiped through screens and tapped rapidly. “Okay, the river is about two kilometres that way. It will lead us to the lake and then a straight shot to the resort. Apparently, you were right, and we need to go back.”
“I was a shit and didn’t know what was going on,” I offered. He snickered and puckered up. I kissed him lightly. “You’re a fool though.”
“I’ll take what I can get. That’ll sustain me until whenever.” Tyr grinned, but it didn’t reach his eyes.
Sneaking off the property was a challenge when it was midday and stinking hot. I didn’t want to crouch, but I knew it was safer. When we found ourselves in the shade of the jungle, Tyr pulled us to the side of a tree and took a deep breath.
“The message in my shower stated that the Siwu had managed to discover that the Paternai were hiding out there. So, the Paternai just left rather than creating a situation. I’m not sure where they are, but I’m going to assume back at the resort. I am so sorry, Gratch. I feel awful about making you go back and forth like this.”
“Not a worry. We'll figure this all out when we're safe. I'm sort of having fun. Do you think the Siwu are there still?” I asked, waving away Tyr’s apology. Our adventure had given me time to get my head back in the game and understand what the hell was going on. I was still fuzzy on the details, but I think I knew the main points. The Siwu and Maternai wanted my people.
Tyr thought about it and glanced back. He was silent for so long, and I was getting antsy. “I don’t know. I didn’t get a sense of any living people on the strip. There’s no way they could be that silent.”
A hot and cold feeling raced through me at his words, and the sudden drop in colour in Tyr told me he was on the same wavelength. “Do you think it’s the grey robes? I know they’re silent, but can they be that discreet?”
Tyr bit his lip as he thought. Slowly, he shook his head, but there was still a hesitation. “We’re fine. No one raised an alarm while we were in there making noise, so we are good.”
“If you say so,” I murmured. The look he levelled on me was fierce, but I wasn’t going to disagree. “What? I agreed with you.”
“That was not an agreement. It was an 'I agree to disagree' comment,” Tyr grumbled. He jerked his head once toward the river, and we began moving. Our pace was gruelling, and the humidity was stifling, but there was no time to relax. We had to figure out what the hell was going on and stop it from happening. Tyr muttered under his breath constantly as we charged through the underbrush. I worried we’d be running into the predators and the vines, but Tyr was intent.
Everything was going well. We were keeping up with each other fine, and we were so loud that no creature wanted to get in our way.
Which made what happened next shocking. A metal hand clamped itself around my ankle, forcing me to fall face-first into the soft leaf litter.
“Target acquired.” The robotic voice grated on my ears, and I tried to kick free, but its grip was too tight. White light filled my vision as the pain ripped me apart. It was not going to win. I was not going to go down without a fight. Fuck the robots.
“Tyr,” I grunted. The automaton dragged me through the leaf litter, and I fought as hard as I could, but I was no match. “Tyr, run!”
“What?” Tyr turned around, and I watched as confusion turned to rage as he realized what was happening. “Why the hell would you tell me to run, you idiot?”
“Because you need to,” I snarled viciously. Even with my foot caught by the large automaton, I fought hard. I kicked at the cables, trying to unhook them. Tyr peeled each digit away, but always, the robot returned to grip it, tighter each time. “Stop, Tyr. It’s going to break my leg if you continue.”
“I will not.” Tyr turned his attention to where I was kicking and worked on releasing the cables. “You are vital to me and my mission. So, fuck you.”
The automaton lifted its bright red eye and focussed it on Tyr. The aperture changed shape as its attention shifted. “Destroy obstruction.”
“Tyr, leave, please,” I exclaimed. I didn’t like the sound of something gathering energy as the automaton lifted its other arm and aimed at Tyr. “Do not make me beg you to leave. I will hate you if you do.”
“I will not fucking leave you, you asshole,” Tyr snapped. He wrestled with the robot but was unsuccessful. A ball of energy appeared from a small gun perched on the automaton shoulder with a small laser beam aimed at Tyr’s chest.
“So help me, Tyr. If you get dead, I will not be responsible for my actions.” Each word was forced out of my throat as I worked on freeing myself from the ever-tightening grip on my shin.
When the shot happened, I was deafened by the loud burst of energy. A tree splintered from the force of the plasma. I frantically looked around but couldn’t find Tyr anywhere. Dark thoughts filled my head, and I felt the will to fight slip away. He'd left me. I couldn't believe he'd actually listened. What was the point now? Becoming boneless, I let myself lose. There was no way I could win, not without knowing where Tyr was or what had happened.
Taking advantage of my defeat, the automaton lifted me up easily and tossed me over its angular shoulder. A needle was shoved in the side of my neck, and I was lost to the ether.
The first thing I saw when I woke up was the smiling face of someone not familiar to me. I was lying down on a cool metal slab with my hands and legs restrained. I didn’t say anything as I tried to gather as much information as possible.
“Commander Gratch, nice of you to finally wake up. We have a lot to do and a short time to complete it.” The smiling person leaned over me and touched my face gently. “You’ve got quite the bruise on your face. It shouldn’t be a problem for the surgery. You might bleed a bit more, but that’s part of life.”
“Meister, his blood pressure is rising. We need to keep it stable,” someone whispered from the dark. The meister waved away the comment as he smirked down at me. I stared silently back, not giving him the satisfaction of any reaction. He would not see me weak or scared. Breathing through the pain, I did what I did best--I began to think about my escape.
“What we want to do is test your psychic impulses. At first, there will be no enhancement. We need an official baseline. And through each successive test, I will add an implant to make you more susceptible to psychic bonding,” the meister explained casually as though this wasn’t going to ruin my life. He studied my face carefully, and I refused to react, even if his assistant could see the results in the blood pressure scan. Yes, his words chilled my blood, and the idea that the meisters had the capability to physically alter one’s psychic state frightened me but not enough to stem the anger that flowed through me. I would not allow this slimy, simpering asshole to attempt any kind of experiment. No fucking way.
“Commander Gratch, your cooperation in this endeavor will help a lot of people within the known universe. If we can control who has the ability to bond with any psychic creature, then those who bond involuntarily, like your friend Commander Trest, have an opportunity to say no. You’re helping your friend. Isn’t that what you want? Why you came to Asyra’s Moon?”
I couldn’t remain silent, not after than subtle attack. “Not like that. Not when you’re experimenting on unwilling people. That’s dangerous to everyone. It gives you too much power. I refuse.”
“Who said you had a choice? Meister Tyr said you were going to be a stubborn one. Well, it’s a good thing he softened you up then.” The man patted my shoulder and moved from my table. I thought I could see a smirk on his face before he turned away.
I knew exactly what he was doing. He was trying to get me to admit who Tyr was and why he was on the moon or riling me up to a point where I was a danger to myself. I wasn’t going to give the man the satisfaction. I trusted Tyr. Yes, he'd fucking left me to the robot. But there had to be a reason. Tyr would come through with some StarGod awful excuse, and he would try to get me to buy it. Which I wouldn’t. But he’d be here, and I’d kick his ass for making me doubt his sorry posterior. Asshole.
