The Chalice (20 page)

“W hy would you allow them  here?”

“I didn’t allow them ,” Tegan growled. “They followed when the alarm  went off and there was no time to deal with them .” He strode to the control panel and pushed Branos aside, muting the alert signal.

“ Go make sure the females stay out of the way,” he demanded. “Keep them

occupied.” Branos sprang into action, heading towards the Chalices.

The Deg’Nara ship was m aking its run. Straight at them !

Vaux flicked a hand across the panel. “They’re running out of fuel. I’msurprised they lasted this long. They’re making a last ditch effort to take us outbefore their engines fail.”

“W hy aren’t their weapons powering up?”

Confused, Vaux peered closer at the screen. “I’ve no idea. We’re certainly in

range.”

“Lord Tegan,” a tech called out. “The Deg’Nara ship is hailing us.”

“Hailing us?” Vaux frowned. “The Deg’Nara never com municate. They sim ply

attack.”

Tegan studied the bleep on the chart, taking note of the Stinger’s now erraticcourse. The Deg’Nara ship’s maneuvers weren’t m aking sense. They should befiring their weapons by now. What were they up to?

There was only one way to find out. “Open comm unications.”

“We risk too m uch! Any com munications with the destroyers will confirm  our

existence,” Vaux exclaimed, standing firm  and making no effort to comply.

“Do as I ask,” Tegan ordered. “The Deg’Nara would have reported in by now in

any event—but it m ight be interesting to see what they have to offer.”

Vaux snorted but bent to the task, cursing his fate, his existence and those

foolish enough to step into his circle of wrath.

The screen flickered and a black helmeted form  materialized.

“Chiagan-Se— I offer you my greetings and goodwill,” the ritualized voice intoned. “Thanks be to the Gods for your tolerance in acknowledging my transmission.”

The formality of the phrasing was both interesting and unexpected. The Deg’Nara were not known for ceremony either personally or in their dealings withoutsiders. Rather, they attacked first and asked questions later. The use of thevoice suppressor was confusing as well, concealing the gender of the speaker.

“W hat is it you require?” Tegan asked, refusing to be drawn into an amiable

discourse with a hated enemy.

“The voice chuckled. “The directness of the Chiagan-Se is to be adm ired. I am

grateful. I was not expecting you to respond to my hail.”

“It is a matter of som e dispute am ong us. There are those who would target your ship with little rem orse for the consequences.” He paused, giving effect to his words. “I ask again, what is it you require?”

The figure reached up and snatched off the helm et, shaking out long dark hair. Tegan gasped. The image both startled and shocked him . She smiled from  acountenance not wholly Deg’Nara nor Chiagan-Se, but an attractive m ixture ofboth worlds. Thick dark brows arched over large silvered eyes, mocking now asshe anticipated his perusal.

“W ho are you?” he rasped, staggered by her appearance. Except for the brows

and coloring, the face was all Chiagan-Se. “W hat are you?”

The dark hair swung as the head tilted. “My name is Siri Lautu. The Lautu isthe nam e given by the Deg’Nara m ale who bred m e but my mother was of the Chiagan-Se.” Full lashed lids drooped to half-level, covering the brilliant pupils. “May I come aboard? You are no doubt aware m y fuel is running dangerouslylow.”

“W hat about your crew?”

The chin came up, the silver eyes frosted. “I am  alone.”

“Do not play games,” he snarled. “A Stinger’s crew always consists of three.

W hat about the other two.”

“They.Are.No.More,” she replied. The full lips pressed together, the jaw line

tensed as teeth gnashed together.

“Explain.”

The eyes grew soft, pleading. “The air is failing. Breathing is difficult. Please,”

she whispered. “Let m e come on board and I will answer all your questions.”

“She’s playacting. A spy,” Vaux snapped, face flushing. “A ploy to gain access

to our ship. Chaigan-Se blood or not, she’s all Deg’Nara.”

He agreed, but for some reason unknown in his universe, she was of ChiaganSe lineage. A female of the Chiagan-Se—even a half-breed— was cause for greatrejoicing.

“Bring her on board.” He turned, facing the crew. “You,” he pointed at Branos. “Attend to the female. Lock her in the storage com partm ents below decks.” He grinned, challenged by the unexpected turn of events. “There’s little trouble she can cause down there. Once we’re beyond the outpost’s range, I’ll spend some time interrogating her.”

Vaux’s m outh drew down. “I say blow her and the ship into the void.”

Mordaq exploded onto the bridge. “What’s happening?” he panted, wiping

sweat from  his chest. “I heard the alarms.”

“Good of you to join us,” Shagal sm irked. “Our last visual of you proved…

interesting.”

Tegan waved at the huge bodyguard. “Go with Branos.” His hands clappedtogether. “We’ve discovered a hybrid Chiagan-Se female. There is hope for ourspecies.”

“W hat about the hum an Chalices?”

“W hat about them ? Our project still stands. They’re the future mates of the

breeders, but I would welcom e a fem ale with our genetics as well.”

He resumed his position near the helm . “Keep the Stinger in the docking bayuntil we enter the safe zone then destroy it. We don’t want any trace of the shipleft behind to give the Deg’Nara a direction. The less information they have aboutus the better. Let the Deg’Nara wonder what happened— if they care.”

Chapter Twelve

“I don’t know about you,” Anne whispered. “But I feel like I’ve entered the Twilight Zone.” She nodded at the huge screen. “Wonder who the woman is. She looks different from  the others.”

Like sheep in a holding pen, driven and corralled by the ever watchful guarddog, the four women clustered together, held in check by the manipulations of afiercely determ ined Warrior. If they moved, he moved, channeling them  into aconfined space near the far wall of the bridge. Relentless and resolute, he allowedno deviation from  his realm  of control.

Eyes downcast, Kara inched towards Dread, one centim eter at a time, countingeach tiny step. If the obnoxious breeder caught on to her m achinations, he’d beon her like stink on shit.

“W hat’re you doing?” the black girl m uttered aside. “Mr. Nasty’s watching.”

“I’m  attem pting to escape.”

Dread snorted. “Good luck with that.”

She didn’t really plan on running, but this ridiculous pseudo-prison wasstarting to suck big time. Anything was better than just standing here gawking atthe wall, even suffering harassment from  the muscular droid.

The lighting changed, dimm ing as the screen flicked off and the window to theuniverse reappeared. Spellbound, she gazed into the abyss, awed by the pure

majesty of infinitesimal space. Overwhelming and unimaginable, it was beyond

comprehension. Small bits of luminosity sparkled in the depths of the darkness, like lightning bugs dancing on a sum mer breeze. She’d seen some years ago in Alabama when her foster fam ily went there for vacation. Mostly she rem em bered the heat, but the lightning bugs stayed with her. The distant stars rem inded her of those.

She pressed against the pane. Som ewhere out there Earth revolved aroundthe sun and life as she knew it continued. At least she hoped it continued. A pangof hollow em ptiness settled on her soul. She’d never truly appreciated the lifeshe’d been given. Being an orphan wasn’t always good, but she’d had it betterthan most and there was hope for a better future. But what hopes and dream scould be fulfilled in this screwed up reality?

A hand settled on her arm . “Ka-Ra,” Tegan m urm ured, tugging at her arm . “Go

back.”

She flicked a quick glance at his face. Not what she expected. His soulful lookwas so infused with open warmth, she didn’t have the heart to delay any longer.

There wasn’t m uch reason to and the other girls would be clim bing the walls.

She nodded. “Go back.”

He sm iled, a slow, sexy outpouring of pure male m agnetism —so melting, ittook her breath away. Dazed, she stood there mouth gaping, panting like anoverheated distance runner. She blinked, studying him  up close and personal. Apart of her stupefied brain realized for the first time he was younger than she’dguessed. Still a young man, but aged by the weight of his lost world.

She felt his fingers brush a lock of hair from  her face, tips lingering for just amom ent. Lightly. Caressing. Knees became jelly, hands lost feeling. The roomwhirled, dissolving into m ist until just the two of them  remained, surrounded by amulti-colored aura of resonant emotion.

“Be.u.ti.ful,” his husky voice whispered, tracing his hand over her cheek and across her lips. The touch gentle yet provocative. Snowflakes kissing the contours of her face.

Might not have the right words, but he definitely had all the right moves!

****

Forcing himself to disregard the Chalices’ departure, Tegan focused instead onthe viewing screen and the dark void of space stretching beyond. Oblivious to hispresence, the junior techs scurried about intent on their assigned duties. Vauxkept a tight rein on the bridge and for an old ship in need of a major overhaul, itfunctioned to the best in the senior tech’s capable hands.

He felt itchy, unsettled. The female Ka-Ra’s presence aroused his sexualresponses in ways he’d never im agined. The overpowering urge to take whatshould be given filled him  with self-loathing. He was not an anim al succumbing tothe desires of the flesh. He was a Warrior. Guardian to those in need ofprotection. His teeth gnashed together, the elongated canines grazing the tenderflesh of his m outh. Tasting blood, he trem bled, experiencing a mom ent ofuncertainty. The cares of youth had been ripped away by the invasion of the Deg’Nara, leaving little joy in its wake. Only the hopes instilled by the Seekers’prom ise of a bright future kept despair at bay. He’d been raised as successor tohis father, trained in all aspects for his prospective role, but was he fit to lead?

His thoughts returned to his father. Noble and caring, beloved of his wife and

adored by his many concubines, he ruled with a fair hand and an iron will.

Tegan’s   lips   quirked.   Ah!   The   concubines!   Intelligent   and   beauteous. Unsolicited gifts to his father, the concubines hailed from  every sector of the Chiagan-Se realm  and were tolerated by his mother as a necessary condition ofhis father’s status. His father’s frequent visits to the harem  were sociable as wellas fact-finding and m ost often with his queen by his side. He viewed thesefemales as friends and confidants, not as bedmates— m uch to his mother’s relief.

Countless decisions on every level of the hierarchy were aided by the thoughtfulinput of the concubines. They were the true ambassadors of their home worldsand worked for the good of all.

Tegan himself had spent many hours in the harem , enthralled by the grace andknowledge of the blissful females. They in turn delighted in tutoring him  on thecomplicated aspects of physical relationships. Though denied their touch by hisyouth and station, they were effusive in their descriptions and open enjoyment ofthe subject of procreation. Male com panions were provided if the concubines sodesired, and because their positions were never in dispute, quarrels seldom  arose. Few left the harem , content to bask in the adm iration of the populace and partakein the benefits of an honored subject, but if a concubine expressed the desire tofind a life mate and bear children, his father’s immediate benevolence insurrendering any claim  to the female caused no disrespect. Suitable partnerswere explored and found for these few malcontents— and one less female for hismother’s concern!

From  their explicit guidance, he knew how to please a female— if he could justget his hands on one. Perhaps if he had a willing female now, he’d not bechastising himself for his body’s treacherous reaction to the Chalice. Unbidden,her face formed in his thoughts. He breathed a sigh, willing himself to relax.

His heart spasmed. What ultimately had been the concubines’ fate? They’ddisappeared long before the final massacres, gone before the first wave of battlehad diminished. It was thought some of the younger ones m ight have escaped,but to place too m uch hope on that unfounded belief left him  open to more grief. They were as treasured aunts or favored sisters, lost with everything else.

“ Lord,” Branos interrupted his tortured m usings. “The hybrid female is in the

small storage com partment on Level Nine.”

“Keep her there. No contact until I’ve had a chance to interrogate her. If she

wishes to bathe or sup, attend to her needs.”

“As you wish.” Branos cleared his throat, shuffling his feet and wringing his

hands. “She’s insisting on an audience with you posthaste.”

Tegan growled, the sound rum bling from  deep within his chest. Now was notthe tim e to be cloistered with the enemy, even one who professed to beotherwise. His current fram e of mind was too eager for battle and the femalemight prove to be useful if the Deg’Nara followed.