Page 24 of Einar (The Brigands of Ruk #2)
Chapter Twenty-Four
EINAR
Standing at the top of the ramp, my massive feet braced shoulder width apart, I glare at the closed cargo bay door before me. Slavic , Ruarc , Murgul , and Falon are off the Zenith , leaving Bikar on board to monitor everyone’s location and me here to guard the main entrance on and off the ship. Our comms are all tuned to the shared channel, and I have been listening with increasing alarm as Ruarc and Slavic relay information.
“ We must get the frack out of here now. The Velgriddix have issued a bounty for any information concerning a certain flesh cargo and the pirates that stole them. Apparently , the main swarm ships are under the assumption that there was a breeding princess on board. They even sent out a detailed description of the ship, and guess who it resembles?”
The bottom drops out of my stomach at Ruarc’s words, and it takes everything in me to remain where Slavic ordered me to stay, guarding the ramp. My instincts are clamoring at me to return to my Starshine’s side and protect her at all costs.
“ Shet , get back on board, but we will need to stall as long as possible. They just started refueling and Falon’s comm signal is flashing. I am going to head down to the lower levels to see if I can find him, but you leave us if it becomes necessary.”
Frack .
That . Is . Not . Good .
We cannot afford for Falon to become lost on the lower levels. Not with a drayt bounty on our heads now. To my relief, Falon’s voice sounds off shortly after I hear Slavic get on the lift. Thank the gods of Ruk , Slavic found Falon .
“ Calm yourself brother, your anxiousness is bringing unwanted attention our way.”
“ They can smell the females on us, and the Velgriddix have issued a bounty. We need to leave now!”
WHAT DOES HE MEAN THEY CAN SMELL OUR FEMALES ? WHO IS “ THEY ”?
I cannot believe that I did not think that with all the other species on Navale that some of them have superior senses … such as smell. I am pulled from my inner reverie by Falon’s next words. “ I am well aware, as my informant met me the moment I stepped off the lift. We are known to attack first and ask questions later, so for now, just keep that snarl on your face and walk with me.”
“ Did you get what we needed?”
“ I did, and then some. The females should be happy, if we make it back to the ship that is. Don’t look now, but we are being trailed by a Jynrel .”
Falon was assigned to get translators, so at least one thing went well this rising, but the fact that the two of them are being trailed by a stinking Jynrel does not bode well. Slavic’s snarled question sounds off next.
“ How did this news get out so rapidly?”
Nodding my head, I silently agree. I would very much like to know the answer to that question as well. The whine of the door snaps my attention to the main cargo bay door. Ah , that must be Murgul or Ruarc , quite possibly both of them. Bikar wouldn’t have lowered the main door if there was a risk of anyone other than one of our brothers entering the Zenith .
“ No clue, big brother. Comm Bikar and tell him to get the Zenith ready to launch as quickly as possible.”
Snickering , I shake my head as I watch Murgul and Ruarc rush inside. Bikar does not allow the main door to open any more than absolutely necessary for both of them to enter the ship, and Murgul almost gets his tail caught when Bikar then rapidly closes the door. He wordlessly snarls at me as he takes up the position on my right as Ruarc slides into position on my left.
Bikar’s next words make all three of us tense.
“ Got a slight problem with that Slavic . I just happened to look down at our fuel status, only to realize instead of it increasing, they were siphoning it out. I managed to shut off the main fuel valve, but now we have less than we did when we got here. We need that fuel Slavic , but I do not want to open the ramp to go out and confront them. Especially now that there have been several Korgons spotted at the entrance gate. I think they’re waiting on us to lower the ramps.”
Frack . That is not good at all.
The Korgons must have showed up right after Ruarc and Murgul got back on board. Talk about timing … had they been a nano-tic later… we would be battling Korgons and Jynrels , trying to keep them off the ship.
Pulling my axes from my side, I twirl them, loosening my wrists and arms up. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Ruarc and Murgul draw their weapons and warm their muscles up in preparation for a fight. Korgons are every bit as big as I am, and extremely difficult to beat in a fight. Fair or foul. Those blue, four armed pieces of filth never travel alone, but I refuse to let one of them get passed me. They will defile our Starshines , killing them in the process. There is a reason the Commanders have that entire species on their metaphorical kill list. Not that those esteemed males would ever openly admit they have such a list.
If the Korgons are going to invade the Zenith , it will be through the door in front of me. There is no way they will fit the bulk of their bodies through any of the other openings … well, not easily anyway. And that does not even count the fracking Jynrels , that run in packs. A rough growl proceeds Slavic’s next words.
“ Looks like we are going to have to improvise then, Bikar . Look on the scanners and tell me what other ships similar in size are docked.”
“ On the North side is a Jynrel ship that is being loaded now, so the ramps are open. Oh wait. Well , would you look at that? Seems like the gods are looking out for us this rising. An Emperor Pyrkyne cruiser just docked two bays down from us. However , the fuel tanks are a match, as are the remote connections. Its cargo hold is cloaked, so I cannot see what they are hauling. The Navale’s log is showing this is a drop and pick up, so they will not be here long.”
I feel my lip curl as Bikar mentions that filthy race of beings before Slavic barks out his next rapid-fire question.
“ Firepower ?”
“ Nothing the Zenith can’t handle. Their crew is small, but you know how overly confident those pigs are.”
“ Can you disconnect the fuel hose without exiting the ship?”
“ Already did, then set the hull to shock any who touch her.”
“ Excellent , we are at the lift headed your way. Keep me updated.”
Taking a deep breath, I force myself to relax as I listen to Bikar and Slavic snap back and forth at each other. My brothers are returning to the Zenith , and we have a plan. Slavic’s plans have never failed us before, and I have full confidence in him as my brother and our captain. The faint sound of the lift tells me that Slavic and Falon are on their way back up from the lower levels.
“ If we encounter any resistance, you get to the ship. The females need those translators. Worst case, leave me and I will catch the next ride out of here.”
“ No can-do big brother, where you go, I go. So , pull those big boy breeches up, and let us get to the ship.”
Relief fills me at Falon’s words. None of us will permit Slavic to stay behind, that is unacceptable.
“ Bikar , open the cargo bay door wide enough for Falon and I to slide in and then take off. We will make our way up to the main areas once the ship is out of the Navale’s orbit.”
“ Frack , brother, that is going to be a rough few tics. It gets mighty cold in the cargo bay.”
That is an extreme understatement. But … what other choice do we have?
“ You have any other ideas? Falon and I can hold our own easily against the Jynrel , but not if they are joined by the three Korgons that just walked onto the dock. We cannot risk lowering the main ramp.”
Vibration beneath my feet tells me that Bikar is lowering the cargo bay door, and they are going to proceed with that plan. There is no way that the Korgons , or the Jynrel can gain access to the Zenith through the main door, not with Bikar in control of all the systems onboard.
“ Slavic , get that door closed or both of you can say your goodbyes.”
Bikar’s shout comes just after the Zenith jerks all around us, signaling our departure from Navale .
“ Shock the hull, the fracker won’t let go.”
Fracking Korgons are not the brightest species, but even they know that one zap from a ship the size of the Zenith will kill them, so it doesn’t surprise me when the clang of the cargo bay door rattles through the floor.
“ That was too close.” Falon huffs out.
“ I agree little brother. Let us grab a few of these crates and head up. I would prefer to escape this cold as quickly as possible.”
At least it sounds like Ruarc and Falon were successful in more than just translators. The human females need coverings desperately, and I agree with Ruarc . I do not want my precious Starshine to touch anything the fracking bugs did.
“ Bikar , get everyone to the helm and keep track of that Pyrkyne cruiser.”
“ Already ahead of you.”
Turning , I motion for Murgul and Ruarc to join me. We need fuel, and the filthy pigs are going to give it to us.