Chapter Eight

When our molecules stopped whizzing about, we stood on an ice-cold transporter platform.

A fat toad with pebbly green skin and soulless black eyes was at the control console. He made a loud croaking gurgle and bared his sharp, pointed teeth. "You will make me very rich, Zadie."

"Who is that?"Chiara asked.

"That is Crom, the leader of the Shadow Thieves Guild, and he just made a really big mistake."

"Mistake? I think not. With you I can steal whatever I wish, whenever I wish." Crom's gaze settled on the nestlings and Tabors. "Them, I will ransom back."

A brilliant orange glow popped into existence behind him.

I smiled. "No, today you die for murdering my parents."

"Die," Crom cackled. "You are standing in a suppression field. Your weapons will not work."

"I don't need a weapon when I have a Katanic shapeshifter."

The spinning light accelerated until a vortex formed. Bolts of green lightning crackled wildly around the growing opening.

"What?"Crom spun around, took one look at the portal, and ran for the door.

Adan strolled out of the vortex dressed like an Old West marshal complete with six-shooters and a badge. "You are under arrest, Crom." There was a streak of black as a tentacle shot from Adan's chest and looped around Crom's waist.

I cringed when a huge maw formed where Adan's face should be.

Chiara and the babies chittered loudly.

Huh? It was almost as if they were cheering Adan on.

"No! No! You cannot eat me!"Crom's feet kicked wildly.

"Sure, I can."Adan quickly stuffed Crom inside his gaping maw.

"How does Crom fit inside him?"Chiara wanted to know.

I shuddered. "Don't know. Don't wanna know."

A klaxon began to blare the battle station alert.

I checked the scanner on my warrior's bracelet and heaved a breath of relief. A Coletti warbird and an Askole battle cruiser had arrived.

"Kill the power Zadie,"Adan said.

I laid my bare hands on the transporter console and concentrated. Poof! It was pitch black. I couldn't see Chiara or even Adan.

The nestlings chittered loudly.

"Do not be alarmed,"Chiara reassured them. "Zadie and Adan will protect us."

The Tabors scurried up to my head. "We no like."

"It's okay. Without power, they have no weapons or shields," I replied.

The auxiliary power kicked in. For a fleeting moment the console came to life, until I took everything down except life support. My father always wanted to know how I did it, but I didn't really know. I just wanted the power to go away and it did.

A harsh sulfurous glare filled the transporter room glazing everything with a cold, unearthly light. A mechanical voice issued commands in languages I didn't know.

"Stay with Adan until I come for you,"Jedrick instructed.

"Yes, sir." In my mind's eye I watched Jedrick and Father Trayon tear through Crom's mercenaries.

A child's wail sounded in my head. "Did you hear that?"

"I did," Chiara answered.

Adan's head swiveled like an Earth owl. "I also heard the child."

"Crom likes to take children with psychic abilities away from their parents, but not this time." Mentally reaching out, I scanned the area. The little girl was in the cargo hold. I touched her mind gently. "I'm coming to help you."

"Momma hurt bad," the little girl cried.

"We're going to get her help too. Okay?"

"You promise?"

My parents' faces flashed across my mind. She wasn't losing her mother too. "I promise. What's your name?"

"Hesta."

"How many males are guarding you?"

The images of three heavily armed mercenaries formed in my head. I shared them with Chiara and Adan. "Very good, Hesta."

"You come now?"

I turned to Adan, who nodded his head. "We come now."

"I can port us to the cargo hold,"Chiara said.

Adan morphed into me. "I'll be the distraction."

My jaw dropped. It was like looking into a mirror, except I didn't have breasts yet or big red lips or a huge butt. "I don't look like that, and can't you just eat them?"

"I ate too many Rodan soldiers on the other ships, and there is not enough room for more." A booted foot protruded from his side.

Curiosity got the better of me. "How many did you eat?"

"Three hundred."

"Wow. That's a lot."

"As I said, this form will distract them. Count to twenty then go." Adan darted out the door and ran screaming down the hallway.

"Is that what you will look like when you are fully grown?"Chiara inquired.

"Goddess, I hope not. His butt is huge."

The spinning vortex from hell erupted around us and a few seconds later we appeared in the back of the cargo hold. I looked around in horror. There had to be over a hundred people and none of them were in good shape "Hesta?"

"Here."

My gaze fell on a tiny Farin female in filthy overalls. She crouched protectively over her mother's bloody body. Her face held a mixture of fear and defiance. I hurried over to her and quickly scanned her mother. "Jedrick, I need Shrek in the cargo bay. Now."

"What is wrong?"

I shot him an image of the badly bleeding mother and all the injured people crammed into the cargo bay.

"Where is Adan?"

"He is distracting the guards."

"I will bring the medics."Our link snapped.

Hesta's mother moaned pitifully, "Help us."

I took a better look at her injuries and shuddered. She had been whipped.

"Please, help momma,"Hesta pleaded.

I hugged her. "A big, bad Coletti warrior should be here any second now with the medics."

"Each Askole battle armor has a first aid kit in the right-side pocket. There should be a bottle of Stop Bleed in it. It will also help with the pain," Chiara advised.

"Thanks." I pulled the kit out and to my relief there was a bottle.

The babies crawled out on my arm to watch. "What do?" A baby Tabor asked.

"I'm gonna make her owies better." I sprayed all the gashes I could find. Almost immediately they scabbed over.

"Thank you,"the mother whispered.

Where the heck was Shrek? "The medics should be here any time now."

Hesta clutched my hand. "You will help us find Papa too?"

"Yes, we will,"I said brightly, trying to disguise my dismay. I'd do whatever I could to help her. I just hoped her Papa wasn't dead. "Where was the last place you saw your father?"

"On our ship,"Hesta answered.

I frowned. Not good. I reached out and touched the nasty bruise on Hesta's cheek. If I had a healing wand, I could fix it. The first chance I got; I was stealing one. "Who hit you?"

"Crom."

"He will never hit you again,"I assured her.

"Promise?"

"I promise."

Chiara chimed in, "I will help in the search for your father."

Hesta eyed her hesitantly. "You will?"

"Yes, our people are great trackers."

Huh? I didn't know that. "How did you and your mother end up in Crom's cargo hold?"

"His pirates attacked our ship. We hid, but they found us,"Hesta sobbed. "They whipped Momma."

"It's okay. It's okay. You're safe now." I patted her back.

Poof! Jedrick appeared next to me, and his furious gaze surveyed the cargo hold. "Crom has much to answer for."

"Adan ate him."

"Good, we can interrogate him later,"Jedrick replied.

I frowned. He wasn't listening to me. I tried again. "Adan ate him."

"He can also vomit Crom back up."

I wrinkled my nose in disgust. "Won't he be all icky?"

"Yes, and very willing to talk," Jedrick said.

Nausea rose in my throat. Ick. I didn't want to be anywhere near them when that happened.

Zarek teleported into the cargo hold with Shrek.

Jedrick walked over to them.

A few seconds later a glittering blue light formed and when it vanished, Father Trayon and an itty-bitty Askole medic stood there. Huh? He was a dead ringer for Max.

I waved at Shrek. "Hesta and her mother need your help."

He quickly scanned the cargo hold and his mouth tightened into a hard line. He rushed over to us and knelt beside Hesta's mother. "I am called Shrek." He ran his healing wand over the mother. "Sleep." The mother's eyes closed.

Hesta reached out and touched Shrek's right ear. "Soft."

A giggle escaped me.

Shrek smiled at her. "Let me check you over too."

Hesta nodded shyly.

"Zadie,"Jedrick motioned to me.

I trotted over to him. "What's up?"

"The Queen Mother wants Chiara and the nestlings returned to her immediately."

Chiara tightened her hold on me. "Now?"

"Yes. She is anxious to get her nestlings back,"Jedrick replied.

"Oh." A sharp pain erupted in my chest. Would I ever see Chiara again?

Jedrick squeezed my shoulders. "You will."

"Good. She's my only friend."

A Tabor suddenly stared into my right eye. "We friends."

"I don't even know your names." I brushed a finger over her soft little body.

"Me Orla."

"Nice to meet you, Orla."

Another Tabor perched on my nose. "Me Bao."

"Hello, Bao."

A tiny Tabor crawled down to my chin. "Me Ceri."

"Greetings Ceri."

An even smaller Tabor hung from my bangs. "Me Aiko."

"Hi, Aiko."

"Me Kaia." A baby Tabor peered into my left eye. "Me hungry."

"As soon as I can find a food processor, I'll feed you."

"Kay."

The biggest Tabor dropped to my shoulder. "Mealie bugs? We like mealie bugs."

"Okay and what's your name?"

"Me called Esme."

"Howdy, Esme."

"Want my momma," Esme cried and snuggled under my chin.

"I'll try to find her for you." I stroked her back.

Father Trayon zoomed over to us and held his arm out to Chiara. "We must go."

"Yes, Father." Chiara reluctantly curled herself around his wrist.

To my surprise the nestlings buried themselves in my hair and twittered loudly. "C'mon kids, it's time for you to go home." I reached for one of them and yelped when he bit my finger. That little brat had drawn blood. I stuck my finger in my mouth. "I think they want to stay with me."

"They cannot,"Father Trayon growled.

I shrugged. "If they don't want to go with you, I'm not making them."

"They have no choice."

"Sure, they do." A gray whirlwind erupted around me. "Ballock's balls!" Once again, I got sucked down that endless black hole. The vortex spat me out in another cavern, but this one had colorful murals covering the walls and lights. I got to my feet and froze. There was a ginormous Shani staring at me, and boy, did she look angry. I curtsied. "Queen Mother your nestlings are safe."

She rose up and hissed angrily. "Are they?"

"We bite, she dies,"the Tabors said in unison.

I latched onto Esme before she could attack the Queen Mother. "No! She's their mother and she's upset because they were taken from her. Just like your mothers are worried about you. All of you stay put and maybe she won't eat us."

The baby Tabors perched defiantly on my shoulders.

"C'mon kids,"I poked the closest nestling. "Don't you recognize your own mother?"

The nestlings just clung to me and shook.

I cleared my throat nervously. "Ah, it's like this your highness, your kids were kept in a nasty, little cage in the Rodan's lab. They were forced to watch as a lot of really bad things happened and they're still a bit upset. Maybe if you talk to them, it will help."

The Queen Mother lowered her head and made this weird whistling sound.

The nestlings let out happy chirps and swarmed over to her.

Tears welled in my eyes. Mother always read fairy tales to me, and I loved happy endings.

"Where is Chiara?" The Queen Mother demanded abruptly, showing her teeth.

Yikes! It took everything I had not to run for it. "She's with Father Trayon."

"Why?"

"Ah, well, you would have to ask him. I'm just a kid and they don't tell me things."

The Queen Mother eyed me suspiciously. "You are a child?"

"Yep, I'm twelve."

"Where are your kin?"

"Dead," I said sadly.

A large Shani wearing silver armor approached the Queen. "The Coletti Overlord wants an audience, my queen."

"Let him through."

"Yes, my queen."

Poof! Zarek was suddenly standing next to me. "Are you injured?"

"No." I grabbed his hand and clung to it.My Mother would tell me to stop being a pussy, but the Shani Queen terrified me.

"Zola is dead. Your nestlings have been returned to you unharmed and the Rodan ships circling your planet have been neutralized," Zarek stated.

"Where is Chiara?"

"Chiara is with Commander Trayon."

The Queen Mother reared up. "I want her here! Now!"

"Lower your shields and Trayon will transport down with her," Zarek said calmly.

With an angry hiss, the Queen Mother turned to the armored soldier. "Allow him through."

"Yes, my Queen."

A glittering blue light appeared in front of me. When it vanished Father Trayon stood there with Chiara curled around his neck.

The Queen Mother snapped, "It was your duty to protect the nestlings, Chiara."

"No," I interjected, "It was yours. You can't blame Chiara for what happened when she was millions of kilometers away."

Zarek gave me the side-eye.

"You dare question me?" The Queen Mother hissed.

My temper flared to life. I was sick to death of adults blaming everyone but themselves. I shoved my memories of what happened on the Rodan ship into the Queen Mother's mind. "Chiara risked her own life and mine to rescue them. You should be proud of her."

The Queen Mother suddenly flopped to the floor.

I stared at her in utter horror. Had I killed her?

"My Queen!" Chiara slithered down Father Trayon's leg and crawled over to her.

I tried to follow her, but Zarek had a death grip on my hand.

"Out of the mouths of babes," Zarek muttered.

Father's Trayon's tentacles stood straight out from his head. "When she attacks, watch her tail."

Attacks? Would apologizing help? All I wanted to do was protect Chiara.

The baby Tabors huddled around my face. "She eat us?"

I petted them. "No, Zarek won't allow that to happen, and neither will Father Trayon."

Making strange popping noises, the Queen Mother raised her head and shook it. "You are very strong for one so young."

"I meant no harm, your highness. I just wanted to show you what really happened."

"I will never forget the memories you shared with me. The Rodan must be annihilated." The Queen Mother's gaze settled on Zarek. "Send me your treaty. I will join the Alliance."

Zarek's fingers flew across his warrior's bracelet. "Your oracle should have it."

"I do." A small Shani slithered into the cavern with a commlink attached to his back.

The Queen Mother's forked tongue hit the device repeatedly.

Huh? It kinda looked like she was typing with her tongue. Since they didn't have arms, how did they get their armor on or attach commlinks?

"They are a telekinetic race,"Jedrick advised on our private link.

"You've been in my head the whole time?"

"I have. It is my duty to protect you."

That's when it hit me. I liked having Jedrick in my head. Even when my parents were alive, I always felt alone. I didn't feel that way anymore.

A triumphant smile pulled at Zarek's lips when the Queen Mother announced. "The treaty has been signed."

"I have called a war council to announce your decision. I also sent you a list of planets where the Rodan have been sighted," Zarek said.

The Queen Mother lowered her head to look Zarek in the eye. "I will have my soldiers scout them."

"Mallox's labs are scattered about the galaxy, and they must be destroyed before he creates more mutants. Be warned, he badly wants the Shani's ability to open wormholes. Any of your people he can capture will be used in his experiments," Zarek stated.

"I will caution my soldiers." The Queen Mother's tail suddenly lashed out.

Shock and mind-twisting pain shot through me. Gasping for air, I grabbed my neck and fell to my knees.

"I have you,"Jedrick said, blocking the pain.

I sagged against the ground in utter relief and was dimly aware of a furious Zarek demanding, "What have you done?"

"Zadie now wears my mark. No Shani will ever harm her and any who wish to damage her will face my wrath."

Oh yay.

Zarek picked me up. "You have bestowed a great honor on her."

What? Was he crazy?

"Zarek can hear your thoughts,"Jedrick inserted.

I sighed. Of course he could. "What about Chiara?"

"Chiara has been an asset in our hunt for the Rodan. If we are to find and destroy their labs, we need her continued assistance,"Zarek put in blithely.

The Queen Mother's tail twitched. "She may stay with the Askole."

"Thank you, Queen Mother."Chiara shot over to Father Trayon and crawled up his leg.

Zarek cuddled me against his chest. "I will hold the war council in two hours."

"Leave us. I have much to discuss with my commanders."The Queen Mother slithered off.

There was a flash of black and we appeared in a sick bay. Zarek tilted my head to one side and examined my neck. "Are you still in pain?"

"No, Jedrick is blocking it."

Right on cue, Jedrick teleported into sick bay and took me from Zarek. "You continue to surprise me."

"Mother always called me a shit magnet."

"That you are."Jedrick placed me on an examining table. "Your marks are similar to Māori tribal tattoos."

"Can I see them?"

"Once Shrek has treated you."

I smiled at Shrek. "How is Hesta's mother doing? Will she be scarred from the whipping?"

"No, unlike you, she received treatment in time. Her main concern is finding her mate." Shrek ran a healing wand over my throbbing neck.

I looked up at Jedrick. "Are you looking for him?"

"We are."

"If you can't find him, what's gonna happen to Hesta and her mother?"I sighed in relief. The pain was gone.

"Their families have been contacted and they are waiting for them at the Deltax Space Station." Jedrick handed me a mirror.

The black marks covering the left side of my neck were awesome. Made me look like a badass.

"I think it is time to see how much of your knowledge Zadie has retained," Zarek said.

I grinned. "I remember it all. I have a photographic memory."

"Is that true Shrek?" Jedrick seemed a bit surprised.

"It is,"Shrek confirmed.

Jedrick stared at me for a long moment. "Would you like to pilot the captured pirate ship to the space station?"

"Yes!" I jumped off the examining table. "Let's go."

Jedrick took my hand and teleported.