Asteroid (3 page)

Sebena blinked. “I beg your pardon, Captain?”

“The Alliance has authorized your residence transfer to Zeering. You will be eligible to return to the Sheppan in three months.” He smiled as the officer put a plate in front of Issul and then himself. Sebena’s breakfast was served last and she waited for Issul to begin before she took a few careful bites.

The food was not what she was used to, but if she didn’t have to man her gun today, she should have time to work it through. The captain’s species had similar requirements to her own, but there was a density to the foods offered that wasn’t going to sit well.

“I see. When was I going to find this out, Captain?”

“We received the notice this morning. Too bad, you are our best gunner. No one has an accuracy and yield rating like you do, Hadros.”

Sebena sipped at the water again. “That is very true. My accuracy was the reason I made it into the Volunteer program. It is my defining characteristic.”

Issul seemed curious. “Is it? How so?”

“Targeting and precision was determined during the interview process. They tested me afterward and it was confirmed that my reflexes were above normal. I was offered the position in the Volunteers just before the launch day. I waved goodbye to my family and was on the first wave out to the stars before I knew what was happening.”

The captain sat back. “I never knew that.”

She blushed. “I don’t really have much interaction with anyone here aside from the gunners and they don’t ask questions.”

The captain had a serious expression, but when she looked at Issul, he had something different on his features.

“Do you miss it?”

She swallowed. “I really do. Knowing that I have a world where my family is that I cannot return to is hard. I mean, I know I agreed to it, but it doesn’t make it easier.”

Issul nodded. “I understand that better than you could ever know.”

Clearing her throat, she asked, “Captain, how close were we to Zeering?”

“Two days away. We are entering his system now.”

She swallowed. “I see. When will we be within distance for planet fall?”

“Six hours from now.”

“So, six hours from now…”

“You will pilot the Avatar to the planet Zeering and remain there with him as he adjusts to the changes that have occurred in the society. You will not only be there as the possible mate to this avatar, but also as his bodyguard.”

Her resentment fell away. “What?” She looked between the captain and Issul and cocked her head. “Why would he need a bodyguard?”

Issul leaned back in his chair and a slight smile curved his lips. “Because someone has already attempted to kill me.”

Sebena listened with a bit of shock as Issul explained that his ship did not strike the asteroids by chance. A blast had taken out his starboard propulsion and it had sent his ship spinning into the field.

They had chosen that moment to strike because the mineral-rich field was well known for blocking any signals.

“Do you know who did it?” She was already devising a plan to keep Issul safe, which was ridiculous as there was little chance of anyone causing him physical harm on the surface. The planet would keep him safe.

Zeering took control of the body. “There is a religious order on my world who has been attempting to gain a foothold with me by putting up one of their own as avatar. I have been refusing them on the grounds that Issul was still alive, but they claimed that there was no chance that he would return. They requested that they be allowed to submit candidates to me for the last one hundred years and I have rejected each one. They will be submitting another candidate in two days and with Issul’s return, there is bound to be a large fuss.”

She looked at the face and read the expression of the planet in the man’s body. Zeering was quiet and didn’t want any trouble. He was shy and just wanted the folk on his surface to get along.

“Zeering, how long have the people on your surface been there?” She wanted to bite her nails, but it was inappropriate for the captain’s table.

“One thousand forty-two years. They arrived one hundred years before Issul did, but I could not take them as Avatars. They burn out too quickly.”

“What species are they?”

“Reeban. They are not close enough to what I need to use as a vessel, but they do not like Issul. They were offended when I chose him as my avatar.”

The Reeban were feathered and easily irritated, but they were also fiercely loyal when given reason to be. If there was a problem, it was likely that a small minority were fanning the flames.

“Why would Issul be safe with me? You have far more power than I do to keep your Avatar safe.”

“He needs to get to the throne that they have constructed within the temple of Zeering. If he can take the seat, they will accept him as my chosen. This was an arrangement devised by the priests, but I have managed to keep any of their candidates from taking the seat of the Avatar.”

The grim cast to his voice let her know that those who tried to sit on the throne never stood up again.

She nodded. “So, you want him guarded until he can park his tush on the throne?”

“Precisely. You seem the kind of woman who can guard those under her care. I trust you, Sebena.” His eyes were equal parts gold and navy when he said it and she blushed again as the admiration in his tone melted her.

Captain Helov looked between them and he smiled slightly. “Gunner, you will be given a set of weapons and the safety of the Avatar will be on your shoulders. You have six hours to requisition any additional items that you think you will need. Good luck, Gunner.”

She fought tears at being forced away from what was her home. Sebena straightened her shoulders and inclined her head. “Avatar Issul, I will meet you in the starboard shuttle bay in six hours. I have lists to make.”

Sebena got to her feet and turned to leave, but Issul grabbed her wrist. He stood and leaned toward her. “Thank you for this, Sebena. I will not forget it.”

The memory of their first kiss ran through her thoughts and she relaxed, some of the worry for her future melting away at the genuine concern in his eyes. “I know you won’t.”

He released her wrist and she left the room, her mind running through possibilities and everything she would need to defend a planet’s body against some angry birds.

Chapter Five

Sebena was quiet as she piloted the ship toward Zeering. She was wearing stunners strapped to each thigh and a stun rifle was stowed in the back. Now that they were alone, she had a request to make.

“Issul, can you ask Zeering to change my hair colour? I know it is not normal for a planet to make changes to someone other than their Avatar, but I know it can be done.”

He looked at her with confusion. “I like your hair colour.”

She smiled. “Thank you, but the Reeban determine rank by the crest colour.”

A hint of understanding came to his eyes. “And you want your rank to be high?”

“It will make things easier. Pink is one of the rarest colours for a female and so I think that if it was my colour, it might ease things along a bit. At the very least, it will offer a distraction for them. They will be watching me and not you when you ascend the throne.”

They were approaching the atmosphere. She hoped that he agreed, because this was one thing that they needed for any of her nine schemes to work.

“Give me your hand.”

She extended her right hand to him and his palm slid along hers. Power ran up her arm and crawled up her neck, coming alive along her scalp.

She couldn’t see what was happening to her hair, but the energy flowing through her gave her the same tickle as licking a nine-volt battery.

“There. It is a very pretty shade, but I will miss your original colouration.” He sounded wistful, but there was admiration in his gaze.

She fought her blush and tugged her hand free. “Thank you, Issul and Zeering. This will be most helpful. Now, I just need to find a place to land us within walking distance to the temple.”

“Why don’t we just land in the city?”

“If the attacks on you were truly assassination attempts, then we need to come in quietly, bringing as little attention to ourselves as possible. Barring that, I will land us right in the centre of the square and I will blast our way into the temple and up to the throne.”

“You will bring as little damage to the population as you can?”

“Of course. These are stunners calibrated for the Reeban specifically.” She patted the unit at her hip.

“What is your plan?”

“We land, take the streaker out and get to the temple as rapidly as possible. Do you know how to drive one?”

He looked behind them to the transport unit lashed in the back of the battered shuttle. “I have never flown anything like that.”

“Do you mind if I fly it then?”

“I am happy to let you take charge of our transport. It will simply be a relief to be back in contact with the surface of Zeering again.”

It was a relief that he wasn’t going to be insulted by her piloting the streaker. In her time in the Alliance, she had run across few males who insisted on driving and the results were never as good as if she had been behind the controls.

The com chirped and she opened the line.

“Incoming shuttle, identify yourself.”

Sebena drew in a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “This is the landing shuttle out of the mining ship Sheppan, Alliance registration one-oh-two-two-five.”

There was a pause and then the voice returned. “What is your business on Zeering?”

“Trading for supplies. The Sheppan suffered an asteroid strike and lost half its food supply. We need proteins and as much vegetation as I can locate.”

“Acknowledged. Please hold your position.”

She nodded and winked at Issul as he sat and watched her playacting.

“Please land at the spaceport. You have zone fifteen for your landing and three days on the surface. I hope you find what you seek.”

“Thank you. A good day to you.” She disconnected the com and found the beacon that they lit for her. She entered the atmosphere and she could feel Issul vibrating with energy and anticipation. With her head down and hands on the controls, she brought them down into the skies of Zeering.

Her landing zone was on the far side of the spaceport, but it was still within reasonable distance to the temple. A flicker on the com panel made her smile. She gestured at Issul to keep quiet. They had planted an open-com virus during the first communication.

She had expected it, many worlds kept close tabs on visitors. Merkil had once come back to the ship fleeing an angry set of Tival parents who had planted a tracker on his ship when he landed. The captain had paid the family for the seduction of their daughters and Merkil had been reprimanded, his pay had been garnished for the remainder of the year.

Sebena landed them neatly on their assigned spot and rapidly unbuckled her harness before the shuttle had even powered down. Issul followed her lead and in seconds, she was wearing her rifle across her back and straddling the streaker.

Issul wrapped his arms around her waist and whispered in her ear, “Ready when you are.”

She struck the cargo release and the entire back of the mining shuttle cracked in half, opening wide to let them out.

Sebena breathed deeply to calm herself and throttled the streaker into high. It levitated on a magnetic field and as she moved the controls, they shot forward. The security team that had been heading toward her shuttle froze as she zipped past them. The streaker was a nickname for a magnetically accelerated personal transport. If it was piloted by someone who knew what he or she was doing, it appeared to be nothing more than a streak of colour as it moved.

Issul’s hold was firm but not crushing. His energy was pulsing through the tight bodysuit that wrapped her from neck to ankle. The dark suit had been Nilia’s suggestion when she heard about the situation Sebena was entering. No sense tangling herself on a baggy mining suit. If she needed to move, she needed to be wearing something more practical. The skin suit was it.

She watched the temple grow as they got closer. Issul’s hold tightened on her waist and ribs.

Security forces were organizing in front of her, so she took the streaker up. Shots were fired from the ground, missing them by inches but heating the air around them.

“That is not friendly.”

Zeering spoke in her ear, “I will provide a distraction.”

Under them, the ground shook, blurring the temple slightly as it rocked under the onslaught of the planet.

Sebena landed the streaker on the flat roof of the temple. Issul immediately let her go and stood to help her from their conveyance.

“I can feel the seat of power calling to me.”

She smiled and was going to speak, but a shadow moved and she lifted one of her stunners, blasting the priest before he could bring his own weapon to aim.

Seeing a Reeban up close, she blinked at the feathers crowning the head and the beaklike nose that sat proudly in the centre of his face. “Okay. Now I know what we are dealing with. Let’s get you where you need to be.”

She drew her other stunner and took point. They knew no one was behind them. There was no other place for the priests to hide on the sunny roof. Armed and on alert, she started down the stairs with Issul at her heels.

The priests blocked her at regular intervals. She almost laughed when one said, “Halt in the name of Zeering.”

He ended up on the floor, but she propped him up nicely. He deserved respect for standing up to for what he believed in.

The journey from the roof of the temple down to the throne room took them half an hour. Issul walked behind her and let her do the work the entire way. She didn’t mind. There was a certain satisfaction in knocking men on their asses at a distance.

The throne room wasn’t guarded. The pulsing power of the navy blue quartz was unmistakable. She knew that power and as Issul walked past her, he was humming with the same rhythm.

Priests suddenly coursed from all doorways and watched the avatar take the steps to the throne.

Sebena knelt and brought her stun rifle around, aiming at anyone who even hinted at raising a weapon.