Chapter 14

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

T araxan pounded on the barrier but it refused to budge. Mr. Tiddles chittered anxiously, also pawing at the clear material.

Jane's eyes were wide and terrified. "What's happening?"

"We will not allow you to waste any more time on this foolishness, Commander Bellkandis." The mechanical voice of his tester echoed in the small room, and this time he could see that Jane understood. "It is time for you to return to your duties. The female will remain here."

"No," he growled, and Jane echoed his protest.

"If you do not, you will both be destroyed."

Jane gave a muffled sob. "You can't do that."

"We can and we will." The voice seemed to soften fractionally. "Once he has departed, you will be released."

"You cannot expect her to survive on her own," he protested.

"I… I'll be fine. And at least I'll know you're safe." Tears still streamed down her cheeks, but she tried to smile at him.

By the Swords, what was he going to do? He had absolutely no intention of leaving her behind. He would rather stay here with her than leave without her. But what if he couldn't leave…

Would the testers still carry out their threat?

It was a gamble he was willing to take. He would rather die here than exist without her.

He placed his open hand against his side of the barrier, and she mirrored the gesture, her hand impossibly small in comparison.

"Trust me," he whispered. "I love you, Jane."

"I love you too. Taraxan." She carefully pronounced his full name, but he shook his head.

"I will always be Tarax to you."

He forced himself to draw away. "Stay with her," he ordered Mr. Tiddles, then took off at a run.

The doors to the hangar were open now, and he paused long enough to examine them. Good . They were standard blast doors, designed to shield the rest of the building from any accidents with a ship in the hangar. A fierce grin crossed his face as he stepped inside and eyed the waiting ship. An Imperial Class fighter—fast, efficient, and deadly. He had trained on one in his academy days, and it would be perfect for his needs.

He climbed into the cockpit and fired up the engine. It responded immediately with a familiar throaty rumble. But instead of beginning the takeoff procedure, he snapped open a small, concealed panel and initiated the self-destruct sequence.

"What are you doing?" The tester's voice echoed through the hangar.

"I am destroying the ship."

"Why?"

"Because I will not leave Jane. I would rather die."

"You will both die!"

He forced himself to shrug. "It would be foolish to destroy her once I am no longer around. I do not think you are foolish." Or at least he prayed that they were not.

He thought he detected a muffled argument, but the words were unintelligible. At last, the voice spoke again.

"We still cannot allow the human female to leave this planet. You will agree to remain here with her?"

"Of course." He didn't even have to consider the matter. His duties, his honors—they meant nothing without her.

"Very well. Terminate the self-destruct sequence."

"I cannot. There is no option to terminate it once it is in progress." That was not strictly true, but he didn't trust the testers. If the ship was still usable, they might try to force him to leave a second time.

"Then leave the hangar. Immediately."

Triumph roared through him as he climbed down and raced for the doors, slamming them shut behind him and locking them in place. He heard the muffled sound of an explosion from the hangar, but he ignored it as he hurried back to the lab.

Jane was still pressed against the barrier, her face pale. He started to roar his frustration, but then the barrier lifted into the ceiling and Jane tumbled into his arms. He had just destroyed his only hope of leaving this planet, but he couldn't find it in himself to care. Jane was here, and she was safe, and they were together. Nothing else mattered.