Chapter Two

“CAPTAIN SHOU, I am Captain Ti of the Onfre star cruiser Beylord. Thank you for responding to our distress signal.”

Do you really come in peace? “If you are offering assistance, we will accept.”

“How may we assist you then?”

Captain Shou inquired.

That is the question, isn’t it? “Our antimatter fields were failing, but they were stabilized, so we do not need to dump the core. We need to repair the dilithium crystal converter assembly. Warp is offline. All we have is impulse.”

“Which means you’re getting nowhere fast.”

Ti nearly reacted but managed not to at the last second. Funny how those had been his exact words too.

“Yes. We also have damage to Medical. Substantial damage. Equipment is malfunctioning, and there are injuries.”

“Fatalities?”

Captain Shou asked.

“None. So far.”

“But no way to treat the more significant injuries, am I correct?”

“Yes, Captain Shou. Some are definitely significant and may require surgery.”

“I see.”

The Tah’Narian’s gaze lingered on Ti’s injury, but he refused to react. Yes, he was injured, but he was not incapacitated. Well, he could do without the blurry vision, but he was fine.

“If I’m not mistaken, your ship was under attack by space pirates?”

Ti gritted his teeth. “Yes.”

“They are getting increasingly bolder. To attack an Onfre warship smacks of desperation… or is it arrogance?”

Captain Shou mused.

“It is concerning,”

Ti admitted. It was one of the reasons they’d been caught unaware. And shame on him.

Other races normally avoided the Onfre. They had a reputation, after all. His people and the Tah’Narians had declared an uneasy truce after what happened many years ago.

The truce mainly consisted of the two species avoiding each other as much as possible. This had the potential to be either the first civil interaction between the two species since the attacks had occurred—or it could end up in another war.

“Regardless, neither is acceptable.”

Captain Shou straightened abruptly. “The offer of assistance stands, Captain Ti. We will treat your wounded first, if you find that acceptable. No harm will come to you or your crew while you are onboard. You have my word as a starship captain.”

Which actually meant more to Ti than saying “as a Tah’Narian.”

“I will also offer assistance in repairing your dilithium crystal converter if you will give me your word as a starship captain that my crew will not come to harm,”

Captain Shou said.

This time Ti couldn’t hide his surprise. “You would do that?”

“Our people have a long and painful past, Captain Ti. The two of us have a chance to start a healing process. Trust has to be earned before forgiveness can follow, something that has been on my mind for a while now,”

Captain Shou admitted. “I am willing to take the first step.”

If a Tah’Narian could do such a thing, then Ti could do nothing less. “And I will take that step with you.”

Captain Shou finally smiled. “Thank you. I will send the coordinates to beam over. My team and I will meet you soon, Captain Ti.”

“Acknowledged. And thank you, Captain Shou. Captain Ti out.”

The viewing screen went back to a picture of the Tah’Narian ship floating in the blackness of space.

Ti’s first officer approached. “Are we really doing this?”

Ti understood his first officer’s hesitation. He had concerns of his own. But Ti also knew that if nothing was ventured, nothing was gained. Ti had learned to trust his gut over time. And his gut was saying take the chance.

“Go to Medical and make arrangements for those there to be moved to Transporter Bay One immediately,”

Ti said. “Helm? Send a ship-wide message that anyone needing medical attention is to also report to Transporter Bay One.”

“Yes, Captain.”

“First Officer? You’re staying here. You have control over the Bridge.”

“Yes, sir, I have the Bridge. What senior officers are you taking with you?”

“The science officer, the tactical officer, and the operational officer. I’m leaving the chief of engineering. He’ll be needed for when the Tah’Narian team arrives. I’m also leaving my weapons chief, plus our chief medical doctor.”

“Maybe you should take your weapons chief.”

“No. That could be misconstrued. Besides, I would rather have him here.”

“And if the Tah’Narians turn out to be unfriendly?”

Ti stared at his first officer for a moment. If he was wrong and this turned into the worst-case scenario, what were they going to do? Their ship was basically incapacitated, and several of his crew were injured. They could fight, of course, but they would be going into it already damaged. It wasn’t a promising situation.

“If they turn out to be unfriendly, go down fighting.”

Ti shrugged. “Dying in battle is an honorable death. But be friendly until there is a reason not to be friendly. Give this a chance and do nothing without my say-so. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Captain.”

That was as good as it was going to get. Nodding, Ti left the Bridge.

A SHORT time later, Ti, his senior officers, and several wounded beamed over to the Tah’Narian ship. Nerves were running high, although his people carefully hid such an emotion.

For one thing, they were armed. But Ti was sure the Tah’Narians would be also.

As soon as transportation was completed, Ti’s gaze fell on the huge, white-headed Tah’Narian. There was no mistaking who he was. Everything about him shouted warrior, which was something Ti could appreciate. They may have defeated the Tah’Narians during the war, but that didn’t make them any less of a worthy opponent.

Stepping off the transportation pad, Ti immediately strode forward. Stopping short of the Tah’Narian, Ti pounded the closed fist of his right hand on his chest, then hissed loudly as a sign of respect. “I am Captain Ti of the Onfre. Thank you for your offer of assistance.”

“Greetings, Captain Ti. I am Captain Shou. Welcome to the Algol.”

Captain Shou’s gaze briefly dipped to the weapon on Ti’s hip, then returned upward. “Please be at ease.”

“Thank you, Captain Shou. We are at ease.”

Just as Ti had expected, the Tah’Narians were armed.

After introductions were made, Ti and his men followed the Tah’Narians to Medical. Ti had assumed the journey would be filled with awkward silence, but his Tah’Narian counterpart was very adept at small talk. What was even more surprising was that Ti enjoyed their brief conversation.

“Here is Medical,”

Captain Shou said as he stopped outside an automated door in one of the corridors they had traveled through.

Ti nodded as he followed Captain Shou inside. Their Medical, oddly enough, resembled the one on his ship. He had no idea why he had assumed, wrongly, it would be different. A starship, after all, was a starship.

Their Medical was a brightly lit room, furnished with a dozen medibeds. Next to the beds were freestanding consoles and an overhead monitor. He also saw an imaging chamber, an isolation ward, and a surgical suite that was occupied. Plus, several well-appointed offices that looked like they were for staff.

Captain Shou escorted Ti and his senior officers over to another Tah’Narian. Ti, of course, noticed there were also some non-Tah’Narians. His nerves heightened when he remembered exactly why a Tah’Narian starship would be in this quadrant—their yearly visits to other planets for much needed mates. Humans, weren’t they? From a backwater planet called Earth.

This put a completely new spin on everything, and quite frankly, Ti was shocked their distress call was even answered. The Tah’Narians had their mates on board.

The situation suddenly became more tense. If Ti had known this, he wasn’t sure he would have allowed himself and his men to beam over. Why hadn’t the other captain told him?

Everybody knew how desperate the Tah’Narians were for mates thanks to Ti’s people seeding their atmosphere and destroying their ability to reproduce.

“Doc, this is Captain Ti of the Onfre star cruiser Beylord.”

Captain Shou turned to Ti. “Captain Ti, this my Chief Medical Officer Tanlor Kere. Will you allow him to treat you and your crew?”

Ti nodded his head slightly. “Of course.”

His instincts told him to prioritize his men, but he also knew that the quickest way to calm their emotions was for him to go first. Once his crew saw that he was treated with respect, their apprehension would lessen. Hopefully.

Ti was the strongest warrior on his ship and the most respected. If he tolerated being touched by the Tah’Narian doctor, so would his crew. Captain Ti reluctantly took a seat on one of the medibeds, facing the Tah’Narian doctor. Ti’s crew stood behind him, watching cautiously.

Tanlor Kere approached him with a friendly smile, his hands held up in a nonthreatening gesture. “Please call me Doc, Captain. I assure you, I mean you no harm.”

Ti nodded.

After receiving permission, Doc moved closer. Several of the Onfre stiffened, their hands playing over weapons when Doc touched Ti.

Ti met each of his crew member’s eyes, reassuring them he was okay. The very last thing he needed was for tensions to escalate, especially since the Tah’Narians had their mates there in Medical.

Why did they have their mates there? Why were they not under lock and key?

Nevertheless, that action had Captain Shou’s officers tensing, their long tails skidding across the floor and their ears flattening on their heads.

Concerned, Ti watched. His people also had tails, but they were not the long slender things the Tah’Narians had. Still, one of Ti’s officers saw that and allowed a bit of fang to show. Another narrowed his eyes in warning.

Ti cleared his throat. “At ease.”

Both of his men relaxed at Ti’s warning. The last thing he wanted was for a small, insignificant response to escalate into full-on aggression.

“Captain? May I now take your vitals?”

Ti’s thoughts were interrupted by Doc’s question. “Yes.”

“Thank you.”

Doc pressed a device against his neck. “Your vitals are stable,” Tanlor Kere said as he pulled back from Ti’s neck. “Outside of the gash, which is treatable, are there any problems that you’re having I need to know about?”

Ti was uncertain if he should mention the vision problem but decided that he might as well take advantage of the medical services being rendered. Doc quickly addressed the issue and treated it.

“Now, if I may, I’m going to examine the cut.”

Moving slowly so everyone in the room had a clear view of his hands, Doc examined the long gash that ran from Ti’s temple to his jawline.

As the Tah’Narian treated him, Ti’s gaze canvassed the room, checking for threats and accessing any possible dangers. He refused to let this get out of hand. He did notice one of the humans staring at him. Before he could stop himself, Ti’s forked tongue flicked out to taste the air.

Captain Shou pulled the human into his arms.

Ti understood he needed to de-escalate the situation. “Thank you for offering to help us. I must admit I was surprised that you offered assistance, considering the cargo you are carrying.”

“Would you like something for the pain?”

Doc offered as he cleaned the cut and prepared to stitch Ti up.

“Thank you, but that is unnecessary.”

A small sound came from the surgical suite, which was located in the back. Another human was back there watching, an elegant, dark eyebrow raised. Ti’s attention was immediately captured.

This human was different. Who was he, and why was he in restraints? This human, unlike the others standing around, was a predator. Every instinct Ti had shouted that. But there was also something else to the human—a darkness that cried out to be dominated.

That especially spoke to Ti.

“Those pirates are a menace to everyone.”

Captain Shou shrugged. “They would’ve killed your crew just so they could salvage your ship.”

“Indeed,”

Ti answered as an uneasy silence blanketed the room.