Page 40 of Rescuing Mara (Warriors of Arracate #2)
KEEPING FREYA
T’Rak
M y brother is dead, my little brother, the one I was tasked with to protect is gone. Grief washes over me as I stare at the remnants of the Sternotheri Mothership - the place where T’Kar was killed.
We were raised as warriors. Our father, the fiercest of his generation, trained us with never-flagging discipline. We knew what we were getting into, and T’Kar died doing what he loved and believed in - serving our King.
O’Rec, my crewmate, is King now. I am happy for him, and though his kidnapping was the reason we were out here in the first place, I cannot hold him responsible, nor his mate. The one I hold responsible is the High Commander of the Sternotheri - our nemesis. And I am determined to end him, once and for all.
I feel the nearness of my crew before they enter Command. They silently flank me, sharing in my grief. I am thankful for them but do not want to linger on this soul-crushing sorrow. So, I search for my Warrior Calm, and when I find it, I inhale deeply, pushing all the pain down.
“Did you pick up a trace?” My question is directed at O’Rec, but D’Var answers.
“Yes, we did, my friend. The ship appears to be slightly damaged. The cloaking is not working as well as it should be.”
A menacing grin splits my face. “Time to go hunting.”
We fall back into our roles automatically, and before long, we are on a tracking course. The ship does not go fast or get very far, but after traveling for a day, O’Rec notices another signature.
“Could it be another Sternotheri ship?” D’Var asks, and O’Rec nods.
“Yes, it could be. Marra said that all the vessels were hailed back to the Mothership, but a couple never arrived.”
This makes me wonder. “If there is another ship, it would be logical to assume they would travel together. The High Commander is very paranoid. He would want to surround himself with allies.”
As my crew gives me their agreement, we follow the two ships; my theory appears to be correct as the signature continues together.
A couple of days later, however, O’Rec abruptly stops the ship because a small Sternotheri cruiser hovers in front of us, in the middle of open space.
“That is strange,” D’Var says.
I nod. “We need scans.”
“Already on it,” he winks.
The scans do not make things any clearer, and I have D’Var and O’Rec bring out their mates. L’ren and Marra immediately rush into Command.
“Is something wrong?” L’Ren asks in a high voice. D’Var pulls her against him to sooth her.
“No, my Zarra, at least, not like you think. Do you see that ship over there?”
She nods. “Why isn’t it moving?”
“That is the question.” D’Var answers.
“There is more,” O’Rec continues. “That is a Sternotheri ship, but our scans show no Sternotheri lifeforms. Instead, our scans show the heat signatures of six humans.”
“Humans?” Marra cries out before wincing. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to be so loud, it’s just. Humans? Six of them?”
I nod. “What do you think they are doing? Do we hail them? Or enter their ship? Or destroy it?”
“No destroying!” Marra calls out. “No destroying,” she repeats, but softer. “If there are humans on board, we have to see if they need our help. They might react poorly if we hail them. It’s somewhat unconventional, but I believe our best bet is just to enter the ship. Also, we can’t assume that because they’re human, they are friendly. What do you think, Lauren?”
“I agree. Not all humans are good.”
We quickly come up with a plan. We will attach ourselves to the top of the ship and use the entry tubes on both sides. L’Ren and Marra will be safely tucked away in the hiding spot. I will enter the ship on the starboard side, and D’Var and O’Rec will enter on the port side.
I let the ship hover above the Sternotheri cruiser before I attach our landing gear to its top. Right now, they must notice we are here, so time is of the essence. We quickly launch the entering tubes, and I make it to my side of the enemy ship. I use a hyper-laser to cut through the hull, and when it’s done, I kick in the wall, jumping onto the ship.
I freeze as I look upon a tall human female, the most beautiful creature I have ever seen; her long blonde hair is braided and reaches the small of her back. She is scowling as her piercing blue eyes take me in. All the while, she has a gun pointed straight at me. Something pierces my Warrior Calm - it feels like a pull leading straight to her. It is the bond. It is all-consuming; she must be —.
“Mate.” I can’t hold back the word I croak out in wonder as I stare at the one female in the universe made especially for me.
She steps back and raises her gun. “Oh, hell no!”