Jaz
We trudged our way back to theStardrifterthrough the diminishing storm.
Zyair was fiercely strong, but with his muscles misfiring and cramping, he could barely walk. Add in the pulses of pure lust coursing through him to me, and we were a weaving, panting mess as we navigated the sand-blown streets.
With what was going on through the link, it was a small wonder we could walk at all. Rhodes and Xandros had decimated the manticores at street level, and taken the fight to the sky. Rhodes, in dragon form. But true to his intent, Xandros had snagged one of Brentoq’s shiny starhoppers.…
I’d sensed his joy as he used a manticore pilot—in less than pristine condition—to disable the security system before taking off in his ship. He was using its remote firing feature to happily shoot the crap out of anything that came at him…
The fighters tracked them both, no longer attempting to capture the Drakes alive. The murky sky lit up with phaser fire.
By leading the pursuit away from us, Rhodes and Xandrosgave us a chance to make our way to the dockyard. By the time we got there, Zyair leaned so heavily on me that I could barely move.
Yani had the external sensors watching for us. The ramp lowered as soon as we approached.
The Drolgok embraced me with relief written all over her leathery features and a suspicious liquidity to her eyes. She pushed herself up beneath Zyair’s other shoulder, and as we staggered up the ramp, we outlined the plan.
Before we’d made it to the top, Rhodes landed just outside theStardrifter. By the time we entered the hall, he was a large naked humanoid.
With what radiated from Zyair, I had a difficult time ignoring his unclothed state in such close proximity. I was relieved when Yani fetched the coveralls for him.
Zyair could barely stand. Rhodes helped us get him to the medbay, where Yani began to assess him. Meanwhile, Rhodes and I enacted Plan Red Herring.
We picked up some fruit and headed for the aft storage bay.
Kurt glared at us as we entered in apparent mid conversation.
“Are you sure they won’t follow us if we take that starship? I’d rather take theStardrifter,” I said.
“They are looking for theStardrifter, now,” Rhodes growled. “We no longer have shields. Taking this other ship should mislead them, if not, we will at least have a chance of getting away.”
I screwed my face up in what I hoped resembled heavy contemplation. “Where did you guys put the ship down?”
“It is outside a warehouse two streets east of the dockyard,” Rhodes said. “We must depart as soon as Zyair is capable.”
“You aren’t leaving me here.” Kurt’s voice was a mix of desperation and belligerence.
I unlocked the chain and opened the door to hand him the plate of fruit. “I’ve brought enough food to hold you until they find you,” I said. “After what you’ve done, you aren’t coming with us.”
Kurt lunged at me, but Rhodes shoved his fist into the human’s chest and sent him reeling backward.
“I wanted to terminate you,” he snarled at the human. “Be grateful Jaz stopped me.” To me, he said. “We have wasted enough time on him. We have to get Zyair healed, and get to the starship.”
Kurt had visibly paled and hugged the back bars. I pretended to struggle with the lock. “It’s not shutting properly,” I complained.
“Leave it,” Rhodes said. “We will secure the bay door.”
I dropped the lock, and we rushed out of the bay. As I activated the door, I tweaked a brow at Rhodes.
“Hope he remembers the override,” I murmured.
“If he does not, we can release it from the bridge,” he reminded me.
I stifled my guilt as we hurried there. Kurt’s fate was in his own hands, and after what he’d done, letting him go was more than he deserved.
Once on the bridge, I set the navcube back in its holder. Immediately, it lit the bridge up with its hologram—showing all the ships darting and diving above the city. Somewhere in the midst of that was Xandros.
Yani and Zyair joined us. The golden Drake didn’t look one iota better.
