Chapter 24

CHAPTER 24

Siroc

" W arlord, we're receiving a communication from the freighter." Koloth turned to me. "Jane is on the bridge demanding the ship be rerouted. The bridge crew can't be contacted. The ensign who sent the message doesn't know their status because she is in a communications relay terminal on the other side of the ship. They only have short-range transmission and are grateful somebody heard them."

My gut dropped. Koloth and I were in my Slipstream-III transport. Originally used in short-range battle, this one had been reworked into a passenger ship. It was powered by an intense system of vistran crystals and was small enough to get around hostile enemies quickly. I had chosen it because I knew it could catch up with the freighter, which moved slower by nature. The freighter's hull was not designed for the speeds the Slipstream-III could achieve.

This was the only reason why we were able to catch up with the freighter. It was there on our view screens. I had been about to hail the freighter and request a docking bay assignment in their on-board hangar. Now, I'd need to come up with a new plan.

"Where does she want to take the freighter?" I asked.

"The ensign didn't say, but since a new course hasn't been set, it's safe to say that the bridge crew didn't comply with the order. Everyone else is locked down."

"She wants to take it to the other quadrant."

"How could the control over her implants be effective this far from Mitra?" Koloth asked.

"If Elnok is Evis-Vok as we suspect, he has technology that could probably transport him anywhere, faster than our ships could carry us." I slapped a palm on the armrest. "He's probably on the freighter right now, controlling Jane."

"How has she not been killed already?" asked Koloth. "That freighter is filled with warriors."

I narrowed my eyes. "We need to get on that ship and find out what's going on." But Koloth had a point. There was no reason for the guards not to attack Jane with their weapons. They had more than spears. Blaster weapons of all sizes and output levels were issued to not only the warriors who were on board for security, but a segment of the crew as well. On top of that, there were force field capabilities and other security features built into freighters to evade and incapacitate pirates or other enemies. It made no sense that a single human female, even with augmented strength, could seize control of a freighter of that size with a crew and security so large.

"We can slide into a shuttle bay if we're fast enough," Koloth said. "But I don't know which ones are empty. It will be a risk."

"We're taking it. Pick one and go. We can't wait for her to decide to implement a static shield around the freighter. Once that happens, there's no getting in."

"Or getting out," Koloth said. "What are we doing once we get inside?"

"I'll find a way to get through to her," I said.

He swiveled in his seat and looked at me. "And if you can't?"

My chest tightened. "One step at a time."

"Warlord, if we can't bring Jane back, we may have to—"

I held up a hand. "I know what has to be done," I said. "That is the last resort." My claws extended, digging into the armrest padding. "The very last."

Koloth said nothing more. He increased our speed and put a scanning damper on our small shuttle to help it evade the freighter's proximity alerts. It had a fifty-fifty chance of working. My biggest concern was landing the shuttle in an occupied docking bay.

"Here goes nothing," Koloth muttered as he brought us right up to an open bay and drove us inside.

He bit out a curse. There was another ship there, but it was small—smaller than ours. There was barely enough room, but we managed to clear the force field, which sealed off the atmosphere inside the freighter and added gravity.

"We have to move," I said, and got up from the operator seat. Koloth and I wore heavy body armor with as much weaponry as we could comfortably carry. I knew that this could happen, but I had been hoping we would arrive before Elnok took control over Jane's implants. "Leave our spears here," I said. "We stick to blasters."

Koloth nodded with a hint of relief. "They are faster."

"Adjust the settings accordingly," I said. "There are several that can stun an enemy without killing them." The worst-case scenario wouldn't come to pass, I told myself. It just wouldn't. I'd find a way to get through to her. "If we encounter Elnok, kill him," I said. "I don't care if it gets us in trouble with some unknown, obscure, galactic society from the other quadrant. He needs to be stopped. Sever his connection with Jane and she's free."

"I hope that's how it works," Koloth said.

So did I, because the alternative was that severing the connection could kill Jane. But either way, the connection had to be severed.

Much of the ship had been locked down. Crew members were sequestered in their stations with heavy blast doors shut and locked. I imagined the engineering crew was trying to wrest control of the ship, transferring guidance and navigation from the bridge to their controls. That didn't always work, depending on the configuration of the ship. The passageways were eerily quiet and deserted.

"Why am I seeing no warriors?" Koloth asked. "They should be swarming these halls, trying to fight their way onto the bridge."

But there was no sign of them. No sign of a struggle either. The freighter looked deserted.

"She's here," I said. "And so is he."

"Your warlord instincts at work?" Koloth asked.

"Mate instinct," I said.

The bridge was sealed shut, which did not surprise me. We tried several attempts to get in before I remembered that I had a security clearance code that got me past every Mitran lock there was.

"Tell me you remember it," said Koloth.

"Of course I remember it," I replied. "I just haven't had to use it in a long time." I frowned at the keypad. "Or ever. This is absurd."

"Does the handprint work?"

"No. That was done away with during the last war. It was too easy to cut off a hand."

Koloth sighed and looked at the ceiling. "It will take a very long time to cut through this door. We can do it, though."

I thought of the female behind it. Of the terrified warriors and crew members and likely very alarmed It-tellans who would undoubtedly open fire on the ship to retrieve the dralkan, killing all aboard. The code was in my mind. I closed my eyes, reached out, and entered a series of symbols into the keypad. The lock disengaged and the door slid open.

Standing there on the other side was Jane, or what was left of her.

The female gazing back at me was not the same one I had spent weeks with, had fallen in love with, had found pleasure with. This one stared at me with perfectly white, opaque eyes, skin as gray as rock, and an expression so empty, it was hard to believe that there was anyone in the body at all.

"Jane," I said in a broken voice. "Jane, can you hear me?"

Her voice was different, too. "Jane is gone," she said tonelessly. "I am Siku, agent of the Evis-Vok. My mission is to deliver this ship to coordinates 3988-29A." She cocked her head to the side. "Are you a representative sent to effectively pilot this ship to this destination?"

Every single crew member and warrior on the bridge lay on the ground, motionless. I saw no blood, but the sight made me freeze. "Jane, did you kill all these people?"

"They live," she replied. "Unless my demands are not met."

I let out a breath of relief. "That's good to hear," I said. "Jane would be devastated to hear that you killed all these people."

Siku did not even blink. "Jane is gone. I am Siku. I repeat my question. Are you the representative who can pilot this ship to the destination?"

I glanced at Koloth, who gave me a meaningful look back. "Yes," I said, slowly nodding. "We will take the ship wherever you like."

"Good. No one presently on the ship would comply."

" You can't pilot a ship?" I asked, edging over towards one of the empty navigation seats.

"I have not been programmed to operate a ship of this class and primitive design."

"Tell me something, Siku." I made a show of taking my time to access the navigation controls. "If these people aren't dead, what did you do to them?"

"I restricted the blood flow to their brain," she replied. "And then I engaged their somatic systems, inducing an unconscious state."

"Telekinetic abilities." Koloth had slowly moved to the seat beside me. "You made them faint and then put them to sleep."

"Amazing," I said, trying to keep my voice light, but inwardly reeling over this new information. Being able to hurt or kill without even touching someone was an ability even Urix hadn't seen coming. "Jane is just as clever. May I speak with her? May I speak with Jane, please?"

Siku frowned—a telling expression since she had made none until now. "Jane is not here. Jane is gone." But her voice sounded different. There was an edge to it, as if she was under strain.

"Oh, I think she's in there somewhere," I said. "You can hear my voice, can't you, Jane?"

"I—" Siku's face folded in a grimace and she hunched over.

"It's working," I said. "Jane, please—"

Just then the door slid open and a new, but expected figure entered. "You cannot reach her," said Elnok, but he no longer looked quite like he used to. He had removed the purple robes and the horns were gone. The tall, slender being still had the dark red skin of a Mitran, but his features were now little more than indents on his face. The tiniest slit for a mouth, soft, concave craters where eyes would be, and the slightest bump for a nose.

"Warlord, you do not know when to give up." He spread his clawed hands. "You've lost. This female is mine. This ship and everything on it are mine. When I have delivered the dralkan to its intended buyer, the ship and everyone on it will be destroyed. You sealed your own fate and that of your Thrail."

"I figured out your weakness, Elnok." I smiled and rose slowly from my seat so I did not alarm Siku. "You have no actual power. Your physical body is so weak, you can barely function. You only survive by controlling others. By implanting their bodies with devices to make them powerful, and by forcing them to carry out your plans. Did you put something in Magni's head too?"

"Magni and the rest of the Elders did not need implants to be controlled," he said. "Their own boredom and feelings of insignificance were enough for me to work with. This female is our prototype, however. The human body accepts our implants so perfectly and so completely, we intend to utilize them more in the future. Look at her." He waved a hand vaguely in her direction. "She is perfection."

"You cannot suppress the true Jane forever," I said. "Human bodies may accept your implants, but they have incredible willpower. Their minds are strong, and they do not stand for being controlled against their will."

"Siku is not having difficulty keeping control over this body. She told you multiple times. Jane is gone, Warlord. Mourn her if you must, but do not search for that which is no longer here. Now sit back down in that seat and guide this ship to the coordinates Siku gave you. Do it now, before the It-tellans become aware of the situation and bombard this ship with weaponry."

"If you're going to destroy us anyway, why don't I just let that happen? They will destroy the dralkan in the process."

"You know it won't work that way," he said. "The It-tellans will destroy the canisters, but the dralkan will continue to exist in space. There will be a battle. Our forces will fight the It-tellans. It will be fairly evenly matched, but chances are good that we will succeed, collect the dralkan , and be on our way. Meanwhile, the Urrak space station, home to the It-tellans, will be destroyed and their civilization largely wiped out." He cocked his head. "Now sit down at that terminal and do as you were told."

"You can't fly the freighter either?" I asked.

He lowered his head, looking more evil than ever. "It appears you need some motivation. Siku, kill his companion."

Siku raised her hand in a cupped gesture, head tilted, eyes flat and dark.

Beside me, Koloth seized. He grabbed for his throat as an invisible force squeezed there, cutting off his air.

My spikes rose on my skin, through the spaces left for them in my armor on my back and arms. My claws grew longer. "Stop. Killing him will not make me comply."

But Siku did not seem to hear me. She tightened her hand and Koloth's eyes rolled back in his head. He made choking noises and continued reaching for his throat, even though nothing was there.

I surged towards Siku-Jane, but she held up her other hand, and I found myself smacked up against an invisible barrier. It was as if she'd enacted a force field around herself that I could not push against.

"Jane!" I bellowed, desperate to get through to her before Koloth was killed by her hand. "Jane, listen to me, you must fight back." I tore ineffectively at the invisible wall before me with my claws. All that did was send a mild electric shock through me, but I wasn't worried about that. I had to get through to her. Jane had to find her way back.

"You are wasting your time, Mitran," Elnok said. "And mine."

I ignored him. "Jane, listen to me. I'm here. Your Siroc is here. You've got to fight this. Fight for everything you are." I knew she could hear me. I saw it in the flicker on Siku-Jane's face. "I read your letter. I know everything and I still love you." My voice was hoarse, but I was determined that she hear me. That the Jane buried somewhere underneath all of the Evis-Vok tricks could still be reached.

"You did not fight so hard to get away from Alexander to fall to this creature. You are stronger than this. You are meant to survive!"

The force field holding me back wavered. It was a small amount, but I felt it and I knew something was happening. "That's it! Keep fighting. She's weakening. Do not let her control you. Do not let her kill Koloth."

A horrible-sounding growl rose from Elnok's chest. "Enough of this," he shrieked. "Kill them both!" He swung a hand through the air. "Now. One of these other Mitrans will do as they are told once they see the death of their warlord."

But Jane-Siku didn't move. Her smooth brow furrowed and her mouth opened in a grimace. The hand holding up the force field against me released. She let out a grunt and gripped the wrist of her other hand, the one crushing Koloth's throat.

I rushed to Jane's side. "Keep fighting," I said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "I'm here. I'm here and I love you and I will never leave your side. We will get through this, but you have to win. You cannot let Siku and Elnok control you."

I could feel the tension raging through her body. The muscles under my hands were as tight as stretched ropes. Perspiration slid down her temples. Her face had gone from that deathly gray to red as she fought an internal battle that would determine whether all of us lived. Or all died.

"Enough of this," snarled Elnok. He reached behind him and pulled a weapon that had been secured on his back. I barely had time to see it, and I might've missed it if not for Koloth's warning grunt.

I drew my weapon and fired, but I was not as quick as Elnok. Two streams of green blaster crackled through the bridge. His shot seared my shoulder, knocking me backwards and away from Jane, causing my shot to miss. My weapon skittered across the floor. Pain bloomed in my shoulder and I clamped a hand over the deep burn that rendered my arm useless.

"Jane," I called out in a hoarse voice. Elnok came forward, weapon raised. "If you will not kill these two, then I will."

What occurred next happened so fast, my eyes had trouble tracking the movements.

Koloth was released from Jane-Siku's mental grip. He collapsed to his knees just as Jane turned and crossed over to Elnok so fast she was a blur. She whipped the weapon out of Elnok's hand and threw it across the room. "No more," she said in a cracked voice.

His unusual features twisted in a grotesque grimace as he transformed more. The skin on his body melted away like wax, leaving an uneven, silvery white gash of light hovering on the bridge. "You will obey me," he said, and burned brighter for a moment.

Jane staggered backwards, gripping her head as she struggled to push back against Elnok's control.

I reached for my other blaster, but another slash of green sliced through the bridge.

Elnok, twisted in pain and let out a staticky cry. He flickered out, leaving a puddle of plasm on the floor and a cloud of black smoke in the air.

Koloth lowered his smoking weapon.

Jane sank to her knees, dragging in deep breaths.

I looked to Koloth, who was still gasping and rubbing his neck. "I am alive," he said, then nodded to Jane. "Go to her."

I ran to her side and pulled her against me with my good arm. Her eyes opened and I caught a glimpse of beautiful blue-green eyes before they closed again and she leaned into me. "Siroc."

Blood flowed from my shoulder, but I didn't care. Jane was safe. Koloth was safe. My Thrail was mine again. "Koloth, take the freighter out of lockdown and send out a ship-wide message. Get this freighter back on track for the Urrak space station and get a medical team in here."

"Yes, Warlord."

"You saved my life," I said. "Just call me Siroc."

He shot me a look. "I'll think about it."

I stayed kneeling beside Jane, running my hand over the short hair on her head.

"We did it?" she whispered in a barely audible voice.

"We did," I said. " You did. My brave, powerful mate. You saved us all."

"Feel like…hit by a truck."

I let out a rusty laugh. "You're going to be fine," I said. I felt tears burn in my eyes. "Thank Skrah for that."

Her eyes opened for a second before her heavy lids closed again. "You and me. Are we okay?"

"Of course, we are." I took her hand in mine, the one that still had strength in it. "Never doubt that."

A line creased between her brows. "But I'm married. To that asshole and—"

"Not for long," I said firmly. "I will get that taken care of and make sure your government gets your brother's credits returned to him. This…Alexander will lose everything and enjoy life from a cell. I will see to it personally. Take that worry out of your mind."

"Okay then," she said, slurring her words. "If you say so. I'm gonna take a lil' nap."

I smiled, running my fingers down her cheek. "You do that. I'll be here when you wake up."

"I love you, Warlord," she said, leaning into me. "I'm gonna stay as Jane."

"Yes, please," I said. "She's the one I fell in love with."

A sweet smile moved over Jane's lips. "I kind of fell in love with her too," she said in a sleepy, wistful voice. "And I fell in love with you at the same time."

Crew and warriors flooded the bridge. They'd been trapped in the lower levels, forced there by Siku's telekinetic powers. Voices clashed around us, some giving orders, some tending the crew. It was a blur, a smear of sound to me. I leaned over my fierce, strong mate. My heart had never felt so full, so grateful. As of today, it would be my life's mission to make sure that Jane knew she was loved and cherished. We were one, along with any children we brought into our lives. I would spend the rest of my days making sure she knew that I was hers.