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“Thank you.” She left flight control and headed that way. Each shuttle had a name but they were also numbered. She spotted the number six and headed toward it. None of Rogers’s team members were in sight. Nor were the Veslors. The ramp to the shuttle wasn’t guarded. She just walked up and into the passenger area.
Battle transports weren’t anywhere near as nice as passenger ones. She studied the stripped-down interior. No one had even tried to make them look particularly welcoming. Metal walls and beams, with some thickly wrapped electrical conduits showing. The seats had buckles but they weren’t grouped together along the walls. Instead, they were spaced a few feet apart in the center area, in rows.
Footsteps sounded behind her, and she turned. It was one of Rogers’s team members, Parker Tellis. She’d gone over the files of each man on the tactical team assigned to work with the Veslors. He was born on Earth, had no siblings, and had lost his parents as a teenager. Fleet had snapped him up before he’d even turned legal. It was probably because he’d been an orphan, with no one to intercede on his behalf. It was his responsibility to oversee weapons for the team.
He paused in the entrance, staring at her.
“Hello, Mr. Tellis. Forgive me for not using your fleet designation, but they’re too long. Please just call me Abby. I’m observing today.”
“I’m aware of who you are.” He glanced back before looking at her again. His expression wasn’t exactly friendly, but his tone wasn’t disparaging. “Rogers is pissed.”
“I’m sure he is.”
His lips curved a little at the corners but he masked that almost-smile fast. “He doesn’t like you much. Especially after you got him in hot water with the commander.”
“Well, he was breaking regulations by overworking the Veslors. Keeping Rogers happy isn’t my job, Mr. Trellis. It’s making sure orders from the commander are being followed.”
He gave a slight nod. “What he was doing wasn’t right. Even if the aliens are great fighters. I know what it’s like to be treated bad. I don’t got any problem with them.”
“I’m glad to hear that.” She looked away from him. “Where can I sit without someone yelling at me for being in their spot? Are the seats assigned? This is my first battle transport.”
“Seating isn’t assigned, but avoid the front row by the cockpit, and the row near the doors. Rogers always sits in the first row to be close to the pilot, and the Veslors like being near the doors. They’re always the last ones to board but the first ones out in case we’re jumping into a situation.”
“Situation?”
“A fight, Miss Thomas. They said they were trained that way.”
“Ah. Thanks for the clarification. Call me Abby, please.”
“It’s better for me if I don’t call you by your first name. I don’t need the grief from my team.”
Abby respected his honesty. She nodded and crossed the shuttle, taking a seat in the back, farthest from the open door. It might have been the armor suit she wore but the seats didn’t seem designed for comfort. The helmet attached to her belt didn’t help as she strapped herself in, and there were more seatbelts than normal, too. Not only were there straps to pull over her shoulders that locked into another that wrapped around her waist, there was a strap for her lower thighs, as well.
“Why this one?” She held up the long belt, gaining Tellis’s attention.
He paused checking out the weapons storage locker. “It’s to keep us from being thrown around if we’re flying into bad weather conditions or if we’re under fire. You’re not carrying touchy weapons, though. Your legs bucking won’t accidently set off a blaster or an explosive.”
“Thanks.” That was grim. She watched as Tellis checked the weapons stored on the vessel. He closed it and took a seat near the front, far from her.
Other tactical team members began to arrive. Rogers entered behind his team, met her gaze, and his mouth pressed into a tight line. He didn’t say a word though. Instead, he bypassed the passenger area and entered the cockpit, probably to check with the pilot or to avoid her altogether.
The Veslors boarded last. A few of them spotted her, immediately looking confused. She guessed Rogers hadn’t informed them that she’d be observing. It wasn’t a surprise. Rogers was an ass. One of them, a tall one with black hair and bright green eyes, held her gaze. He bypassed the seats by the door and walked toward her, taking a seat on her left.
“You’re Abby Thomas.”
She smiled brightly, glad to talk to one of the Veslors. “I am. And you’re Drak.”
He appeared surprised as he strapped into the seat, adjusting the many weapons on his body. “How did you know my name?”
“I looked at your files. There wasn’t much in them, though. I know you’re not mated, work as a mercenary for your planet, and your grouping came highly recommended. It also says you’ve fought and won many battles for your king. The person who wrote your file said you guys are the best of the best.”
“Mercenary?” He gave her his full attention, now that he was strapped in. “Isn’t that a paid killer?”
“It’s someone paid to do dangerous work, mostly.”
“We’re fighters.”
He didn’t like the term mercenary. She made a mental note. “Understood.”
His bright green eyes reminded her of emeralds, if said emeralds were cat-eye shaped. They were beautiful. His dark skin really made the color more spectacular. He had a handsome face, for an alien. It helped that they had a lot of features resembling humans.
His pointed ears intrigued her. So did the texture of his skin. From a distance, it looked somewhat like hers but up close, she could see a fine cover of tiny hairs. Her friend Vivian said it was fur and swore it felt like velvet to the touch.
She realized she was staring rudely and glanced away.
“Why are you here?”
Abby met his gaze again. “I’m observing for Commander Bills. He wanted to know what you guys do down on the surface.”
“We will be hunting Cadia while they sleep.” Drak reached up and tapped his nose. “They smell bad and are easier for us to find.” He dropped his gloved hand, only to lift it again immediately, tugging on the suit near his throat.
“You don’t like the suits? I noticed none of your grouping are wearing Veslor armor.”
His eyes narrowed. “I heard you were on the Gorison Traveler.”
“I was. Your full body armor was tough-looking. Brassi and his grouping wore them while fighting the Ke’ters.”
“We weren’t allowed to bring our armor.”
She frowned. “But your suits are better than the ones we use.”
“Much better and stronger. Ours are more comfortable, too. Humans are smaller. These suits fit tight.”
Abby was confused. “United Earth wouldn’t allow you to bring your own armor? That’s stupid.”
“Our king didn’t. He felt it would be too tempting for your race, who might want to study them.”
That made more sense. It was also a reasonable concern. Abby could see why the decision had been made. The Veslors would be unwise to give away technology if they could sell it to make a profit. She also wouldn’t put it past someone from Earth to “borrow” their armor to see if they could scan it for replication. “Well, hopefully, our two races can make a bargain soon and we’ll be able to manufacture your suits.”
“Our armor isn’t for sale or trade.”
“Oh.” That surprised her. “But it’s better than what we have. I’m sure they’d meet whatever price you set.”
“We don’t know if we can trust your people yet.”
Abby let that stew in her head but didn’t take offense. “That’s probably a good idea. It’s not like humans have welcomed your kind with open arms.” She shot a glare toward the front as Rogers came out of the cockpit. She lowered her voice. “There are too many idiots like that one.”
He made a snorting noise.
She smiled at him, seeing amusement on his fea
tures.
“I sat with you to ask questions. May I?”
“Of course. Ask anything you like, Drak.”
“Why have you stuck up for us?”
“That’s easy. Veslors came to our rescue, and I got to spend hours watching them on the Gorison Traveler. One of my best friends is also mated to one. Vivian’s not the type to lie to me. I can see how much she loves Brassi and his grouping. Their cub is adorable, and they made me his godmother.”
“What’s that?”
“Godmother? It’s like a promise that if anything ever happens to them, I’ll do whatever it takes to keep Klad safe. That’s their son’s name. I would, too. Even if it meant I had to move to one of your planets in the Veslor solar system to raise him. I just hope nothing ever happens to Vivian or Brassi. She’s pregnant again.”
“They are having another cub?”
She nodded. “They are.”
His gaze ran down her. “I find that difficult to believe.”
“Why?”
“I don’t want to upset you by speaking my thoughts.”
“I’m hard to offend, and I don’t get upset easily. Go for it.”
He licked his lips. She saw that his tongue was dark instead of pink. “It’s just…how we breed to gain a cub. It’s difficult to believe one of your females was willing to allow it once, but certainly not twice.”
She pondered his words. “I’m not sure I understand.”
He looked away. “We should stop talking of this topic.”
She replayed what Vivian had said in her message. At the time, she hadn’t really thought about it, but now she did. “It’s something kinky.”
He looked back at her and his eyes narrowed. “Kinky?”
“Something considered not really normal.” She leaned in closer. “What is it?”
He glanced at her mouth before peering deeply into her eyes. His were gorgeous. He leaned in closer. “Can you keep a secret, Abby Thomas? We don’t like others to know too much about us. They could use that knowledge against us.”
“Yes. I swear on my life.” She meant it. “I don’t want any harm to come to Veslors. That’s why I’m here. I’m looking out for you guys. I owe your kind my life.”
He studied her, seeming to take that information in and mull it over for long seconds. Then his expression softened. “Our bodies must be shifted to become fertile,” he whispered, before sitting up straight, watching her reaction to his words.
She thought about them a moment before they sank in.
He meant in another form. That beast one she’d heard about—and seen, since Klad was actually more alien tiger than actual kid, and would remain so until he was old enough to learn how to shift. “Oh!” she breathed.
That amused glint returned to his eyes. He kept his voice low. “You human females must be braver than I believed. Even our females wouldn’t stay in this form to breed a cub. Yours have no choice.”
“Well,” she chuckled, amused. “Vivian is a brave woman. What about, um, this form you’re in? I take it you can’t make cubs that way?”
He shook his head. “Unmated Veslors copulate in this form, since we’re infertile. Only mated pairs have cubs. It’s considered wrong otherwise. It’s just how we are.”
“That’s good to know.”
The shuttle engines came online and the noise loud. They didn’t have sound dampeners in battle shuttles, either. Further conversation was out as they lifted off and left the platform. Within minutes, gravity disappeared as they exited Defcon Red to head toward the nearby planet’s surface.
Chapter Four
Tobias was a beautiful planet. Abby could see why it had been chosen to become a colony. There were two suns instead of one, and four moons. The landscape was filled with yellows, reds, and vivid greens. It was breathtaking. The only drawback was the air felt heavier in her lungs than normal.
They exited the shuttle and she noticed Drak kept close. She remembered how the trading grouping had been protective of Vivian. One of them had kept at her side the entire time she’d been with them searching for Ke’ters. It was possible Drak would be the Veslor who’d look out for her. She hoped so, already liking him.
The shuttle dropped them miles from the gleaming silver buildings that made up the settlement. She could see it in the distance. They were in a hilly area with a lot of rocks and bushy vegetation. On Earth it would have been considered a desert.
The shuttle rose into the sky and disappeared. Once it was gone, it became eerily silent, with only the slight breeze to rattle the sparse, colorful plants. They sounded dry, like crunching leaves when they swayed.
“Put your helmet on,” Drak ordered, lifting his own over his head.
She released it from her belt. It was a hard shell that connected at the neck of the suit. One little twist locked it into place with a click over her head. “Is the air bad? I was told to wear this suit. Not one of the bulkier oxygenated ones.”
“You’ll breathe fine. Even if a windstorm strikes. There are gills on the side of the helmet to let in fresh air and they have filters to keep out the dust. You need to wear the helmet to protect your skin from the two suns. They are strong enough to cause uncomfortable burns.” He glanced down at her hands.
She raised them. “I put on the gloves as I got out of the shuttle. Everyone else was already wearing theirs.”
“Good. They’ll protect you from the suns and the unfriendly plants.”
“What does that mean?”
“Some vegetation here will cut your skin if touched. They can detect any moisture, including blood, and try to access it. The stems will automatically attempt to suck it into the base of the plant.”
She glanced around again at the beauty of the landscape. “Got it. Pretty but don’t forget dangerous.”
“That’s the way with most planets. The better the beauty, the more dangerous the inhabitants. That would include both animals and vegetation.”
“I wouldn’t really know. I’ve had to visit a ton of colony planets but I never leave the settlements. I’m usually there to troubleshoot computer problems or update their operating systems. A shuttle will drop me off, I’m shown where I’ll sleep, and I work all my waking hours while there. That leaves me no time to explore beyond whatever building I’m in. Windows and view ports aren’t common in areas with computer systems. Then I’m picked up right after the job is completed.”
Rogers made a shrill whistling noise. She saw all the Veslors flinch. It made her glare at the team leader, figuring he knew it was tough on their sensitive ears. She cataloged that as the first mental complaint she logged on her mental list.
The asshat in question climbed up onto a huge rock and gripped a heavy-duty laser rifle.
“You all know the drill. Seek and destroy.” His gaze landed on Abby, and he grimaced. The masks over their faces were clear, leaving his features on display. “We have a guest today, so bubble wrap her. Milts and Peters, she’s yours. Make sure she doesn’t get hurt. We don’t need the grief.”
That news didn’t make Abby happy. Milts was the one who had insulted her before, and she wasn’t keen on the idea of being with the human team on the surface. She guessed that was probably the reason Rogers wanted her with them. To make her miserable.
Drak stepped closer. “I will protect the female.”
“That’s not your job, Veslor. I give the orders. Milts and Peters get babysitting duty. You use that nose of yours to find us some nests to blow to hell and back.”
One of the other Veslors stepped forward. It was the leader of the grouping, Roth. “Drak can do both. We’re protective of females. We’d feel better if she were with one of ours.”
“Commander Bills expected a Veslor to be assigned to me,” Abby informed Rogers.
He glared at her. “The commander isn’t here. I’m in charge. This isn’t a dating service or an opportunity for you to flirt,” Rogers snapped. “This is work.” He turned his attention back to Roth. “Just forget she’s got ti
ts. You’re with the fleet now. It doesn’t matter what’s between our legs when we’re on duty. Milts and Peters have her. You do your job, or I’ll send you back to Defcon Red. Got it?”
A few of the Veslors snarled.
Abby had come to the surface to prevent trouble, not become the cause it. “It’s fine.” She made another mental complaint to bring up with the commander. Rogers had a shitty disposition, and he refused to listen to her. The latter was more of a personal gripe, of course.
Drak bent and unstrapped one of the smaller weapons from his thigh and turned to her, going to his knees at her side. She was stunned when he gently grasped her armored leg and wrapped the strap around her upper thigh, tightening it to conform to the groove there.
He stood, holding her gaze. “Use it if needed.”
She peered down. It was a small blaster. It looked almost like a gun in shape, if said gun were swollen. “I’ve never fired one before.”
“Aim and pull the trigger. Hit the area under the mouth on the Cadia. They breathe air, and it will stun them for a few seconds while they choke on blood from the blast.” He lowered his voice. “Shoot the mask if the threat is human. It won’t kill in these suits, but it will temporarily blind them when the face plate webs. Run after firing. Come directly to one of us. We won’t be far from you, regardless of what he orders.”
“Thanks.” The implications scared her. The Veslors didn’t trust the human team either. It’s not baseless paranoia if you aren’t the only one worried.
Abby was a firm believer in that saying.
“What in the hell are you doing?” Rogers stormed over, saw the weapon Drak had given her, and scowled. “No. I won’t have her shooting us.”
Drak turned on him, putting his body between her and the team leader. “She won’t have a reason to shoot you, will she? Are you implying you’re a threat to her?”
Rogers stepped back, looking furious. He glowered at Abby next. “You don’t pull that blaster from its holster. Got me?”
“I hear you loud and clear, Rogers.”
He spun away. “Let’s get this shit show on the road. Fall in. Veslors, get your noses busy!”