Page 2 of Touch the Stars (Ghara Empire #1)

The Bajiki Syndicate had tried for centuries to subjugate the Gharan Empire. But Buuren was a revered officer of the Undetan warriors, life-bound to protect Undet and the empire from all threats. What had driven his beloved brother to betray his warrior’s vow, his family, and his emperor?

“You must find her, my human heir, before the Bajiki do, Warrior. If you do not…” The red tinge of anger returned to his eyes as he gazed across the placid pool, all three hands clenched into fists.

Succession would be disrupted, and the Bajiki would strike. This must not happen.

He straightened and pushed his shoulders back. “I vow they will not have her.”

The imperial gaze returned to him. “Forgive me, Warrior. I…fear for my heir.” He gripped the edge of the bench with his dominant hand, muscles bulging as he pushed himself to his feet. “Come to the pool’s edge to see the image of the one you seek. Have care that your feet do not touch the water.”

“Yes, my liege.” He rose, then stepped to the water’s edge to gaze upon the glassy surface.

The emperor extended his left secondary arm over the water and murmured an incomprehensible word.

Something flickered, then solidified just below the surface.

An oval face, surrounded by waves of golden hair.

Rich, dark eyes set below artfully thin eyebrows, and lips of the palest pink.

Her bosoms and hips were full and curvy.

A female of such strength and striking beauty. His breath leached from his lungs.

He leaned closer to peer at a small, barely visible cloud-shaped birthmark on her neck. The identifying mark would assure that he had the correct female.

“She is our next grand empress?” There was no keeping the wonder filling his heart out of his voice.

“Yes.” The word was clipped as the emperor waved his hand over the water again. The regal vision disappeared. “Her life, and the safety of our empire, are in your hands, Warrior. Time is of the essence. You have twenty-one days to locate and deliver my heir.”

So little time for his ship to make such a journey.

The emperor turned and strode back toward the audience chamber. He hurried to keep up. “You will leave your own ship here during your service to the empire and take my personal Nebula-class cruiser. It runs on hava-quartz, making it one of the fastest in the galaxy.”

That made twenty-one days much more doable, thank the stars. They passed through the archways and into the audience chamber, where a furry Kavian imperial attendant waited.

“Attendant Nak has already stocked the ship with provisions, and entered the coordinates and the DNA identifier of my heir to make extraction easier.”

The long-faced, rodent-like being prostrated itself, belly up, but the emperor barely gave the attendant a glance before turning to him.

“Secrecy is vital to success. You will communicate daily updates to me only. Do what you must to assure no one from my heir’s home world knows of our existence before it is time to reveal ourselves.”

That made sense. “Yes, my liege.”

“Travel with haste and safety, Warrior Bataar. Heed your Warriors’ Code and let no harm come to those less fortunate because of your actions or inactions. Go with my blessing under your wings and the fate of the empire in your hands.”

He dipped his head in acknowledgement of the traditional imperial farewell. “I live to serve the Gharan Empire.”

As the emperor moved back toward the gardens, the Kavian attendant rolled over and scrambled to stand upright, smoothing his paw-hands over his white and orange sash. “Come, come, Warrior Baatar. Nak is my name. Your personal armaments already be aboard the cruiser. Come, come.”

“Thank you, Attendant Nak.”

A sense of urgency and purpose filled him as he followed Nak through the sprawling complex. He was hardly worthy of the honor and privilege of being in the future empress’s glorious and exquisite presence, yet here he was preparing to escort her to her new home, Ghara.

And restore my family’s honor.

Moments later, he and Nak entered the docking bay and approached the imperial Nebula-class cruiser. Black as the deepest space, with lines so sleek it appeared to be in motion even though it was docked. What a beauty it was!

Nak made a tittering sound. “You like?”

“I like.” Love . Worship .

“It is one of four Nebula-class cruisers in existence. All are part of the imperial fleet, they are.” Nak slid a side-eye look his way. “It is good. Fun to fly

He snapped his full attention back to the Kavian. “ You have flown it?”

“Yes, yes.” Nak’s voice was full of pride. “Alone, I have. It accommodates up to five beings, but only one needed at the controls. Flies itself during sleep cycles, it does. Come, come.”

At the top of the boarding ramp, Nak paused. “ Neltai .”

A three-meter-square section of the cruiser’s hull shimmered in undulating waves, converting from solid to semi-permeable. The technology of the Ancient Ones was used only by imperial ships.

“See?” Nak beamed. “Decontamination and pressurization chambers needed not. Follow now to the command center.” He scampered through the rippling wall.

Nak’s excitement wrapped around him as he stepped through the cruiser’s hatch. A burst of crisp air surrounded him, decontaminating him from head to foot, then he was aboard and hurrying to keep up.

The ship’s spacious command center filled him with awe as he ran his palm along the decadently soft, white leather of the room’s command chair.

“There you sit.” Nak pointed to the command chair. “It is more your size than mine. Is good, good.”

It was good. A grin that refused to be suppressed pushed at the corners of his mouth as he sank onto the cushioned chair. “Touch-control pad, I see.”

No wonder Nak could pilot it.

“Yes, yes. Very easy. Key in your imperial identity number and control be yours, until your return to Ghara.” Nak smoothed his whiskers with one paw, then his beady gaze darted around the room as though he was suddenly nervous.

The Kavian stepped closer to the chair and stood on his tip-toes as if to convey a secret.

“Something you must know. Friend, my friend, Daarga. He is Undetan, like you. Disappeared, he did. I know not where. Last seen in the grand emperor’s private chambers.

Some think he is on a mission, a secret one.

Maybe so, maybe not. Like you, he is big, can take care of himself, but I worry.

Always we bid each other farewell. Always . This time, nothing.”

“If Daarga is on a secret mission, there may have been no time to come see you.” Which was completely plausible.

He bounced his knee up and down with his foot as eagerness to depart filled him. It was time to prepare for launch, not discuss the whereabouts of a missing imperial attendant. That was the emperor’s concern.

Buuren disappeared without a word to anyone .

The sudden realization sliced through his impatience.

Unease rolled through his belly, and he stilled his leg.

Undet warriors always alerted a trusted being upon departure.

Someone would have known if Nak’s friend had left the imperial compound.

Just like General Tuuli knew he had been summoned to Ghara, and now Nak knew he was leaving Ghara by the emperor’s orders.

But who knew about my brother?

“Yes, yes. Right, you are.” Nak stepped back waving one paw-like hand. “Go now, you must. Safe journey to you, Warrior Baatar.”

Nak scampered out of the room, appearing a moment later on the deck, paws raised in the “All clear” signal.

It was time. He gave the lingering anxiety a mental shake off, then keyed in his identification. The cruiser purred to life. The mission to acquire the heir of the Gharan Empire was all that mattered. The lives of everyone he loved depended upon him bringing the heir safely to Ghara.

I will not fail.