Page 18 of Star Cruise Captain's Story

“Give yourselves up or I’ll start by shooting the women,” Baxtir yelled.

“He’s not bluffing,” Daveed said. “Bastard’s crazy.”

A blaster bolt hit the women’s cage, close to where the three prisoners were huddled together, proving Daveed’s point.

“I’m going to try to outflank him. I can get at him if I go behind the cage and through the antechamber on the other side,” Gil said, having studied the layout while he was on guard duty. “Cover me.”

“I’ll keep him busy.” Daveed checked the power level on the mini blaster and grimaced. “Until the charge runs out on this toy.”

“I’ll be quick.” Smoothly Gil slid out of position and faded into the shadows, making his way deeper into the room, as he’d planned, while his brother fired a barrage of shots at the pillar sheltering Baxtir, preventing him from getting off any more blasts of his own. He was close to entering the small antechamber from which he could creep up on Baxtir from behind when five more Jlonngi men burst into the prison chamber, weapons out. Daveed switched focus to the newcomers and drilled one man, who fell in a heap, but the other four spread out and took cover.

“The odds have changed in my favor,” Baxtir said, clearly gloating. “Surrender to me now, both of you, or watch the other hostages be slaughtered. I can always send a team into town and scoop up more people to serve as sacrifices for tomorrow. Their deaths wouldn’t have the same impact as killing Sectors citizens but I won’t hesitate. You can’t get out of the room anyway.”

Gil hesitated. He had his persona mine, which would let him blow up the entire area, taking out Baxtir and his men, but Daveed, the other prisoners and he would die in the blast. Jake and the team would be setting off their own explosions in a minute or two. If he could stall Baxtir, there could still be a chance of pulling off the originally intended rescue.

“I’ll count to five and then my men will kill the first hostage.” Baxtir said. “We’ll start with the old woman.”

“All right, don’t shoot. I’m coming out,” Gil said, tossing his blaster into the lighted area.

One minute,Jake said in his ear on the subaural com.Midorri is planting the last bomb now and high tailing it to safety.

As he emerged into the light, Gil knew his brother was staring at him in disbelief but Daveed threw the mini blaster away and walked painfully to join him. The thugs were on them the next instant, pinning their arms behind their backs and forcing them to their knees on the hard stone floor. Holding his weapon at the ready, Baxtir stepped out of hiding and came to stand truculently in front of Gil. Grabbing him by the chin and forcing him to raise his head, Baxtir said, “Why did you do this? Is this some ploy of Arturo’s? A doublecross perhaps?”

Gil remained silent. Another small quake shook the floor. The angry god was definitely waking up but would his wrath help them or make the situation worse?

Baxtir studied his face and then stared at Daveed. “I remember reading in the file you had a brother—is this him?”

“I’m not telling you anything, you sick fuck,” Daveed said. One of the thugs struck him in the head with a blaster butt, knocking him face first on the floor before the other guard yanked him to his knees, nose bleeding and his lip split open from the impact with the floor.

The Jlonngi leader punched Gil in the jaw. “You’ll make a good addition to my ceremony tomorrow. Maybe I’ll spare one of my other hostages, for now. The old woman perhaps.” He rubbed one eyebrow while pondering the idea, exchanging a glance with the nearest soldier. “Show my benevolent side, send her home in style.”

“It would add to the drama, sir,” the guard replied.

“I’ll consider it but for now, we can proceed with my original plan.” Baxtir holstered the blaster and drew a wicked knife, testing the sharp tip on his own finger before pressing it to Gil’s neck. “A little playtime for me and my men, ahead of the main event in the morning, I’m not done exacting my revenge on your brother, so you can watch.”

Blood trickled down his neck and under his collar but Gil kept his face blank. He’d be triggering the persona mine right about now if he didn’t know he had reinforcements coming.

The floor rocked again from another, slightly stronger quake and immediately thereafter came a muffled series of explosions. Dust fell from the stones overhead and Baxtir and his men tried to keep their balance as a third quake hit. The Jlonngi looked around wildly and one bolted for the door. Just as he reached the threshold, staggering like a drunk, there was another explosion and the entire stone lintel collapsed, crushing him.

Gil made his move, grabbing the distracted guard on his left, battling for possession of the man’s blaster. He got the upper hand and shot the Jlonngi in the gut, allowing the dying man to fall to the floor as he spun to check on his brother. Daveed lay across Baxtir where the Bringer of Death was sprawled on the floor. Daveed’s fist was clenched around the hilt of Gil’s knife which he’d used to good effect, slashing the cult leader across the throat and then plunging the blade into Baxtir’s heart.

Jake and Jayna burst through the rear entrance, emerging from the corridor already firing at the four remaining Jlonngi, who fell to the floor. Maeve and Emily came next. Both ran immediately to where Gil knelt beside his brother.

“Are you all right?” Maeve asked, touching a fingertip to the slash on his neck. “I was so worried —I wanted to break in here even before the explosions but Jake was adamant we had to wait.”

“He was right and I’m glad you obeyed his order,” Gil said. Addressing Dr. Shane, who had her medkit open already and was working on Daveed’s various injuries, he asked, “How’s he doing?”

“He’ll live,” she said. “I’m doing a quick combat dressing and I’ll give him Adrenephix so he has the strength to walk out of here but he’s going to need a lot of time in the medbay.”

Daveed stirred and opened his eyes, seeking Gil out. “Thanks,” he whispered in a hoarse voice.

Gil clasped his brother’s raised hand. “You’d have done the same for me.”

“In a heartbeat.”

“Keys or do we burn the locks off?” Jake asked impatiently. “We don’t have time for a reunion right now.”

Gil tossed him the key. “Jake Dilon, Special Forces badass, member of my crew,” he told Daveed, who had an eyebrow raised. “Leader of this rescue mission.”

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