Page 160 of Pets in Space 10

What says he? The vicious cult had tried to steal the Thirteenth System and overturn the Order of the Five Warriors. “I thought they were all slain or captured.”

“Of four freighters, one was disabled early in the invasion and left to drift in orbit around Prime. It seems that some of the despoilers escaped under the cover of battle.”

“But how did they remain undetected?”

“In the days after the battle it was pandemonium. Most of the surviving flyers were deployed over Bright Star Deuce seeking the survivors of the destroyed Serengeti Starburst. Including Monsignor Lucius who was missing for two days. A few flyers came to Prime to rescue the survivors of a Third System spear, but they went down on the other side of the planet. It is ill luck we chose to drop the platform near the despoilers’ location. ”

“Could they have seen the flyers dropping the cargo and migrated here seeking rescue?”

“Rescue? Not likely.” They came even with the blaze, and Lochan turned east toward it. “As for migrated . . . escape modules do not move once they land.”

“Could they have come in flyers?”

“The armada accounted for all the flyers. But even if they missed one or two, that would not have been sufficient for the dozen despoilers who attacked our camp.”

A shiver ran down her spine. “Could there be more?”

Lochan let go of her hand to lead the way up the dune.

“My guess is that the modules all dropped at once. With the freighter drifting so slowly, they would have landed in a cluster. They were probably spread over no more than ten miles. Fewer, if they knew how to operate the guidance controls. We are two hundred miles north of the attack. We should be safe from the despoilers.”

It was a comforting thought. They crested the dune, and she could see that the flyer had separated into two sections; the rear section was burning, including what had been the passenger area.

Lochan grunted. “Luck of the First Warrior.”

“What say you?”

“The pilot section is intact. We might have communications.”

“Do we need them?”

“We need the rescue beacon embedded in the console. We are at least fifty miles south of the target landing site and the minerals in these mountains interfere with the instrumentation. The flyers will be dependent on visuals to locate us. The fire helps, but once the sun is up, it will be less visible.”

***

Adele followed Lochan upwind of the destroyed flyer, avoiding the heavy smoke billowing from the burning debris. Using her searchlight and their helmets as projectiles, he confirmed that a promising rock outcropping was devoid of inhabitants.

Rogue scrambled up the rough side without difficulty, but Adele found herself mildly winded. Finding a smooth section, she soon had Rogue curled in her lap. “I thought I was in better shape. It was not a long walk.”

Lochan settled next her, his thigh brushing hers “It is the altitude.”

She recalled how the rocky peaks had towered over the basin. “How high are we?”

“Twenty-seven or twenty-eight hundred meters.”

Surprised, she turned toward him, the firelight revealing his pensive expression. “You said we came two hundred miles.”

He gestured toward the woods. “That is the tree line.”

She had been so fascinated with Prime’s strange colors she had not considered the details of their flight over the planet’s surface. “Those hills we went over on arrival. They are the foothills. The basin is a valley.”

“There are other valleys hidden in the mountains, but the basin is the largest.”

Mountains and valleys were natural, but the strangeness of the planet kept throwing her off balance. “You said we are fifty miles from our planned destination. One of the smaller valleys?”

“Our goal was the north end of the lake. It shallows to wetlands then a small plain. A large enough area that the mountains do not interfere with the instruments.” He shifted on the rock, his eyes scanning the surroundings. “Is there any chance you have something useful in those pockets?”

“Other than my utility tool, only some rags, and a few odds and ends. Anything hard went into my gear bag so I could sleep.” She sighed and eased back against the hard surface. “How long until dawn?”

“It was first bell after dark of night when we left the campsite. Mayhap third bell now. Another two to three bells until dawn. Sleep if you can.”

The night seemed endless. The stars above, alien. Closing her eyes, she saw Thyme’s distorted body. Miles’ violent death. Her eyes flew open. “They killed them.”

Lochan sighed. “They died with honor, battling despoilers.”

Hundreds had died in the battle for the Thirteenth System. Hundreds more in earlier battles. She sat up, locking her arms around her knees, trying to ease the ache in her heart. “Those were the first two I knew. It is not the same.”

Lochan’s arm wrapped around her shoulders. “No, it is not.”

She realized that while he had barely known the Serengeti guards, he lost long-time friends and companions in the battle for the Thirteenth System. While admiring his courage, she had never considered his grief. “I am sorry.”

“For what?”

“That you grieve for your lost friends.”

“It is never easy, but to be in the militia or security forces means accepting the possibility.” His head tilted to the stars. “Naught of value is ever gained without cost.”

Leaning on her elbows, she followed his gaze to the stars swirling over this strange planet. “I cannot locate the peacock.”

“We are east of our campsite. Look farther to the west and almost directly above us.”

Shifting her gaze, she found the dual stars that formed the eyes. Relaxing back against the stone, she said, “I see it.”

Lochan’s soft rumble held curiosity. “Are you devout as well as devoted?”

At the age of sixteen, selecting a warrior to follow was a rite of passage. Many held little true faith, entering the shrines once or twice a year for festivals because custom required it.

Adele was not rigorous in her spiritual practices, but she was more than a festival devoted.

“The historical Mulan Tsao was remarkable. An archivist who forged a society of scholars into an army of citizen soldiers strong enough to discourage those who would have plundered her planet and destroyed the archives. As a deity, I find her protection takes the form of guidance. There is wisdom in her teachings.”

Lochan shifted his position, rolling his shoulders. “As there is in the Fourth Warrior’s code of honor and battle tactics. But then, he had the vistrite crevasse to protect.”

“It took the combined might and wisdom of all Five Warriors to end the anarchy and establish order.” It was well-known history, but looking at this alien night sky, huddled on rock near burning wreckage, she wondered, “Given tonight’s events, it seems anarchy is never far.

I wonder if that is why the seer marked the sky with the Five Warriors’ animal symbols.

To show us the Five Warriors’ protection extends to this system. ”

He chuckled. “Possibly. However, Monsignor Horatio believes the First Warrior’s leopard graces the Prime sky while Jonathan’s ferret the Deuce sky as a sign that Matahorn will dominate the Thirteenth System.”

She sat up, staring at him. “The First Warrior over Prime meaning the First System and Matahorn Headquarters? Jonathan over Deuce because the Margovians are his genetic descendants?” She shook her head.

“Typical warrior hubris. In hindsight, Jonathan’s ferret is over Deuce because that is where the vistrite is. ”

“You are no doubt right about the ferret.” His tone shifted to quiet challenge. “Hubris?”

Lackwit. He is a warrior, and you have called him arrogant. She struggled to find words that would soften her statement but she could not unsay it.

Mulan’s grace. I have had my last kiss from this man.

“I have found that many warriors believe their genetics make them infallible. Even the Five Warriors were not infallible. So, yes. Hubris.” At his narrow gaze, she hastened to add.

“Which is not to say I do not have the utmost respect for Monsignor Horatio and the other Bright Star governors. Their valor in defending the Thirteenth System is indisputable.”

His expression unchanged, he ran a forefinger over his upper lip.

I have destroyed any hope of additional Vortex installations.

His expression softened. “You are ever forthright, and I find it pleasing that you trust me enough to speak so openly. Nor can I refute that some of my fellow warriors are more concerned with their genetics than their honor.” He cupped her chin, tilting her eyes to his.

“But, do not let this untamed system lure you into recklessness. There are others who would take exception to your opinions.”

Relieved by his words and gesture, she leaned in to brush her lips against his mouth.

With a sharp moan, he pulled her close, deepening the contact.

The rock was hard and cold beneath her, his strong form hard and arousing as he bent over her.

His eyes glittered with passion and promise.

Dropping his forehead to hers, he said. “Our first time together will not be on rock.”

***

Hazy gold and burgundy streaked the tops of the trees.

The stars faded in the dark green sky as the sun’s first light reached from below the horizon.

Cresting the dune behind Lochan, Adele was dazzled by the brilliant jade lake.

The forest on the far side was a thin line of dark blue. “It is bigger than Fort Rimon Bay.”

Lochan’s head turned from side to side as he scanned the area. “Large enough to be an inland sea, except it is freshwater.”