Page 6 of Black Star

Chapter Six

Nadira thought about his words as the days turned to weeks and weeks turned to months. She never did get her own cabin, and the one time she asked about it Mikiel snapped at her, “I’ll get to it when I have time!” She got the impression he wasn’t one to yell, but he seemed to have no patience where she was concerned.

Their time together grew more and more strained, and it confused Nadira as much as it hurt her. To make matters worse, the sexual tension between them was almost palpable. He never touched her -- he’d promised he wouldn’t -- but that didn’t stop the smoldering looks he gave her. Unfortunately, with all the time that had passed, she wasn’t sure if those looks were looks of lust or anger and resentment. In her quest to master the Sword Breaker , she had done her best to ignore him and even though this was what he expected her to do, she was afraid he had grown to hate her for it.

For her part, she’d gotten to the point where she couldn’t concentrate when he was around. Any link she might have been able to form went out the window every time Mikiel walked into the room. She could sense the ship’s impatience with her, which was also frustrating, but it wasn’t a sensation new to her. Nadira had often sensed the same emotion from the Black Star . That combined with her constant sexual awareness of Mikiel made concentration impossible.

Now she sat at the pilot’s station performing one mindless hyperspace maneuver after another. Mikiel sat behind her and to the left. She could almost feel the burning sensation at the back of her neck, knowing he was as focused on her as she was on him.

Without warning, there was a tremendous lurch. The ship made an emergency rapid descent into normal space. The only possible cause for that kind of immediate descent was a near collision with something that wasn’t supposed to be there. Claxons blared, lights flashed, and she expected pandemonium to engulf her. But all noise from the other officers in the control room ceased and everyone concentrated on their respective panels. A stream of information flooded her console.

Immediately, she began to process, as a stream of data was force-fed into her brain. It was uncomfortable, and totally unexpected, but she managed and was amazed when she realized she actually understood most of what was being given to her -- information that would have taken her several minutes at best to process in any other manner.

“It’s the Black Star , Sir.” Hers was the only voice all around them. “And it’s directly in our path.”

“I’m aware of that,” he snapped, and waved her to silence. Apparently she had made some breach in protocol but she’d be damned if she knew what it was. Her face heated and she knew it must be as red as a Drazilian Firebush.

Without another word, she turned to the information streaming into her head. The Black Star seemed unaware of their presence, but Nadira had no doubt they were looking for her. Apparently her father wasn’t willing to let her go so easily. Not only were the Black Star ’s defenses on minimal only, but there was no indication she was ready to fire, which meant they had time to capture her old ship without firing a shot.

Her heart raced. What should she do? This was her one chance to get out of this, but if she did anything to give them away, she might lose any possibility of linking with a cyborg intelligent ship.

And she might get them all killed.

Nadira sat motionless at her console. Apparently, the rest of the crew were communicating by some means other than what she was used to, so she concentrated on processing the data stream. The only clear order she could make out from the conversation within Sword Breaker ’s master internal comm system was to stand down and not make a move. There was simply too much information for her to pick out anything else.

Are you ever going to let go and let me have control?

The voice was male, deep, and very soft. It was almost buried underneath the torrent of information flowing inside her brain and seemed almost to be an afterthought. As if the voice didn’t expect her to hear it, anyway.

So. You’ve finally decided to pay attention. Took you long enough . The voice was stronger now, but still very non-obtrusive. Are you ready to do this?

Nadira was stunned. The Sword Breaker had made first contact with her, not the other way around. She didn’t know what the ship meant, but the only answer that popped into her head was, I’m not taking advantage of the vulnerability of the Black Star to catch Mikiel an interstellar prize .

Do you really think that’s what he wants?

Do you really think he doesn’t? I haven’t learned much, but I do know the Asalians don’t have any more of a clue about cyborg intelligent ships than the Vok’nair do. He knows I couldn’t link up with the Black Star , but his government doesn’t believe him and wasn’t happy he let her go in the first place. They still want the Black Star and if he can take advantage of this situation, he might still get back in their good graces.

Do you think the opinion of anyone matters so much to him that he would endanger the lives of so many people?

If not for that, then what? Why engage the Black Star at all?

Have you not been listening to anything going on around you? The ship was annoyed now and Nadira could tell he thought her daft.

They haven’t said a word.

Have you not used your psycom?

My what?

Psycom. Everyone aboard this ship is fitted with one to avoid confusion during battle.

Well, not me. I guess that’s something my benevolent master forgot to see to. I get all the data entered into your data banks at once, and what little I can glean from your master comm, but nothing else. And the information coming to you is simply too much for me to catch more than bits and pieces.

There was a sigh and a very long pause.

No wonder you’re confused and frightened. The last thing Mikiel wants right now is a confrontation with the Black Star.

If that’s true, then why did we come out of hyperspace?

Did they teach you nothing when they trained you to fly space ships? The voice was more than just impatient now, it was condescending. You came out of hyperspace because there was another ship directly in your path. Had I not pulled us out, we would have hit the Black Star at a speed faster than light. What do you suppose would have happened then?

I know that. But one order from him and a minor course correction, and our flight is not disturbed at all.

Not if the Black Star was also in hyperspace.

Nadira blinked, startled. Oh. I didn’t think of that.

You weren’t thinking about anything. And I’d appreciate having your full attention when you attempt to fly me. You might have a grand reputation in the Vok’nair Empire -- the tone in his voice said he believed otherwise -- but I’ve yet to see any of it here .

Goddess! Are all the male members of this society so exasperating?

Only with females who are acting stupid. You are far too intelligent and far too adept at flying ships to be so careless.

I can’t concentrate! That infernal beast behind me keeps me in a state of constant arousal and I can’t think when he’s around! Make him stop and I’ll be more careful!

I see. In a flash, all the annoyance and condescension was gone, replaced by understanding. Nadira could almost believe the ship had experienced it first hand.

I could be off the mark as I can’t connect with the good captain’s thoughts and feelings as I can yours, but I think he is experiencing much the same thing. His actions indicate he wants you near, yet is unwilling or unable to satisfy himself. His argument with you shortly after you arrived seems to have prevented him from, shall I say, making the first move.

We’re wasting time with useless nonsense. How am I supposed to communicate? He’s either unaware I haven’t been fitted with their communication devices or doesn’t want me to know what’s going on now with the Black Star.

Just be ready. When I tell you, push the sublight engines to maximum to a point one thousand meters off the starboard side of the Black Star. They haven’t detected us and you should be able to engage a tractor beam and capture her without firing a shot.

I don’t understand. Any second in command worth his pay will see us coming.

Not if he’s not linked and the Black Star doesn’t want him to see .

Nadira sat in stunned silence, barely able to input the instructions she was preparing to execute. There was a bigger picture here she wasn’t seeing.

Only because you haven’t tried, my dear. Sword Breaker sounded more like a fatherly figure now than a cyborg entity.

The claxons had long since quieted, and the silence was deafening as Nadira waited. Sweat trickled down the back of her neck and between her breasts, and the clingy uniform stuck to her damp skin. She reached out with all she was to the Sword Breaker , trying her best to get a feel for what was happening. All she sensed was a building sense of excitement. Black Star would finally take her place beside him. After all these decades.

Now, Nadira! Now!

Nadira pressed the button to execute the commands she had already entered. It worked like a charm, just like Sword Breaker had said it would. The Black Star seemed to be caught completely off guard, except Nadira knew better. The information had been there. She could sense it in the back of her mind. The link with the Black Star she had tried so hard to form all those months ago was grossly incomplete, but a link nonetheless.

The command team let out a collective breath. One young man a little less disciplined than the others pumped a fist in the air in celebration. Mikiel’s expression was blank. He gave nothing away, but his eyes were focused squarely on her. She tried to hold his gaze, but it wasn’t long before she dropped her eyes. He knew something had happened.

“Even though we have every right to bring the Black Star back to Homeworld, I gave my word to let her go. We can hardly fault her captain for attempting to rescue a valued crewmember. Tow the Black Star back to Vok’nair space and disable her weaponry. If she tries to follow us, disable her engines. Then set a course back to Asalian space with all possible speed. I’ll be in my quarters.” When Nadira turned to obey his command, he grabbed her arm and dragged her from the pilot’s station to the door. She cried out as his fingers bit into her arm, but he didn’t loosen his grip. He hissed in her ear. “Not a word until we’re alone.”

You cannot let him make Black Star go away . The ship sounded almost frantic, not the smug, self-assured entity of only a few moments ago. Convince him to bring her with us and try to get her to join forces with the Asalian Coalition.

He doesn’t care about my opinion. What makes you think he’ll listen to me?

Just be honest with the questions he asks you. Answer everything. Tell him what you feel.

Why? Why is this so important to you?

Sword Breaker answered her with silence.

Before she could question the ship further, Mikiel opened the door to their quarters and yanked her inside. “How did you know what maneuver I was planning? I know for a fact you haven’t been implanted with a psycom unit, yet you executed my exact command the instant I opened my mouth to give you the instructions.”

Nadira swallowed. She was so confused and disoriented she didn’t know what she should do. If she did as the Sword Breaker instructed, the goal would be to capture and turn the Black Star into an Asalian ship. If she didn’t, they would tow her old ship to safety. Only a few months ago, she would have kept her mouth shut. Now, well, she missed the Black Star . She might not want her old ship turned into an Asalian vessel, but she wanted to walk her decks again. Besides, Nadira realized there was something else going on. Something she was missing, but thought she ought to be able to see clearly. “I’ve made a tentative link with Sword Breaker . He told me what I should do.”

Mikiel studied her intently. “What else did it tell you?”

“That you should take the Black Star with you and convince her to join us.” Goddess, Nadira hoped she’d done the right thing. If not, even her father wouldn’t be able to get her out of this one should he succeed in rescuing her.

Mikiel paced the room twice before sitting down on the bed and scrubbing a hand over his face. “The ship told you this.” He made it a statement instead of a question. He looked wearier than Nadira had yet seen him. Usually he wore a mask over his emotions. This sudden lapse in control meant he was either weary indeed, or he was simply becoming used to her. She rather liked the latter.

“What would you have me do? I doubt your friend Damon will join an enemy force without a very good reason. The longer we stay in Asalian space, the greater the likelihood of us being discovered by another vessel more concerned with bettering their career than the good of the Coalition. Your precious Black Star might end up stardust.”

“Then take us to neutral space.”

Good idea! Thank you, my dear. Thank you . The Sword Breaker now expressed his relief with an almost human inflection to his words.

Mikiel raised an eyebrow. “Neutral space.” He considered it for a moment. “Do you think you can convince Damon to defect?”

“I honestly don’t know.”

“Is there anyone there who has linked with her?”

“I don’t know.” Nadira found she enjoyed this simple information exchange with Mikiel. He wasn’t yelling at her, and she wasn’t avoiding him. They simply talked. It was a pleasant experience. “I do know that there is something going on between the Black Star and the Sword Breaker . I just don’t know what it is, and this stubborn ship of yours hasn’t seen fit to tell me.”

Yet. Not yet. Soon, my dear .

Nadira wasn’t sure why she suddenly felt bold enough to openly study Mikiel, but she did so now. His black uniform, lined in gold, fit his large, firm body snugly, hugging the contours of his muscles. From strong arms and powerful thighs to a massive chest and rock hard abdomen, Mikiel was the perfect specimen of manhood as far as she was concerned. The intense features of his face only accentuated his masculinity and rugged maleness. Nadira didn’t think of herself as having a very creative imagination, but the things she had done to this man in her dreams and daydreams made her wonder at that assessment of her character. Even now, she was wondering if he would stop her if she simply shrugged out of her clothing and draped her body over his.

“We’ll try it your way. If you can’t convince Damon to join us, we can always part ways without fear of a Vok’nair ambush.” His statement startled her. She had been sinking fast into a sexual haze. When she realized he was actually listening to her input, she almost had to shake her head to make sure she’d heard him right. Before she could comment on his last statement, he opened communications with the command room. “Central Command, this is the commander. Change our course to the Sclactian sector. Best possible speed.”

“As you command. Sir, the Black Star is demanding to know our intentions.”

Mikiel stood and walked to Nadira until her breasts would surely touch him if she took a deep breath. She had to tilt her head back to keep his gaze. Never taking his eyes from hers, he gave instructions to the officer. “Inform the Black Star we will be discussing a possible alliance between our two ships. Make sure you word it exactly like that. Don’t embellish.”

“It will be as you command, Sir.”

Nadira couldn’t stop herself. Her hands rested lightly on his chest before she realized she’d moved them. Her palms burned where they touched him and she could feel the ridges and valleys of his muscular frame. His chest moved in and out deeply and rapidly with his breathing and desire sparkled in his eyes.

“I understand what you tried to tell me when I first came aboard. What I don’t understand is why it mattered to you that I make a conscious decision to come to you.”

“I want no regrets, Nadira, and I don’t believe in taking advantage of a woman for sex. But you --” He brought a hand to her face to stroke her cheek and chin. “-- I knew from the moment I saw you I wanted you. Now I’m beginning to think I’ll do anything I have to in order to keep you.”

Her breath caught in her throat. Goddess, the man knew the way through a woman’s defenses. Especially ones as flimsy as hers. “Then why have things been so awful between us? I thought you might hate me and I didn’t know why.”

He smiled then and pulled her to him in a tender embrace. “It is difficult to keep a civil tongue when one is sexually frustrated beyond belief and the object of that frustration lies only a few feet away each night.”

“You could have given me the separate living space you said I’d have that first day.”

“And give someone else the privilege of joining you there? I think not.” He held her to him tightly, sending a thrill through her that was almost overwhelming. “Besides, there’s no one on this ship who would be as gentle with you as me.”

Nadira snorted. “Forgive me, but you aren’t the first person I think of when I picture a tender lover. You’re more the type to swoop down and conquer.”

“You don’t think I can be gentle?”

“I think -- oh!” She cried out in surprise when he scooped her up and threw her onto his bed, following her down to cover her body with his. He lay sprawled out between her legs and rested his weight on his forearms. Nadira’s breath came in little gasps of excitement. This was it. This was really it.

“I can be gentle.” He lowered his head to hers and whispered once more, “I can be gentle.” And he kissed her.