Page 16 of Game on Askole

She wouldn’t get any argument from me. The Overlord was a ruthless bastard. Anyone who got in his way was either conquered or exterminated. Even so, I couldn’t shake my grief for the billions of Coletti people who had been massacred. “What started the war?”

Detja cocked her head to one side and studied me. “You truly want to know about the Great War?”

“I do.” After the Tai-Kok and Rodan had slaughtered millions of our people, I understood the need for revenge. None of us would be safe until all the monsters were dead.

“As you wish.” A faint smile touched her mouth. “Six hundred years ago, an Alliance general by the name of Samor Tigres unleashed a deadly rain of Gall bombs on Tanith. The general held the entire Coletti race responsible for the death of his mate and tried to annihilate every male, female, and child.Mercywas not in his vocabulary. A lethal dose of radiation poisoned the surface and vaporized the seas.”

“How did anyone live through that?”

“The Overlord was fifteen when the bombings began. Even then, he was a force to be reckoned with,” Detja said proudly. “Drawing on his considerable mental powers, he herded the battle-weary and injured survivors into underground caverns before the second wave of Gall bombs hit. Zarek found an old warbird in a hidden bunker and used it to raid other worlds for much-needed supplies. It took him three hundred years to rebuild the Coletti Empire into what it is today.”

Too bad Central Command wasn’t as persistent in protecting their citizens as the Coletti. “You now live in caves?”

Detja laughed. “Not exactly.” She touched a floating holoscreen. “This is our world now.”

The images of the Coletti subterranean cities were impressive. They were each a perfect Eden complete with blast doors. Every city had its own artificial sun, parks, waterfalls, lakes, and critters of every type.

“This is my home,” Detja said, and the view changed.

The Overlord’s palace was like something out of a fairy tale. The intricately carved black stone rose gracefully from a turquoise lake. The structure came complete with arched gateways, flower-covered terraces, and colonnaded streets.

“I’m impressed. Where do we bunk down?”

“Until you no longer smell like a deceased skunk, you will be housed in the old warriors’ barracks.” Detja gestured, and Rho stepped into the room. “Please take her to the barracks.” She teleported away.

An angry scowl twisted the big guy’s face. Wonder what had his panties in a twist. I sniffed my jumpsuit. Yep. That would do it. I smelled worse than the rotting corpse of a week-old road-killed skunk. Made me wonder if the Coletti Tucson headquarters smelled as bad. It would only be polite to ask and thank them for bringing me to the far side of the galaxy. “Good morning, or is it afternoon? Whatever, just wanted to say how happy I am to be on Tanith and enjoy all its radioactive glory.”

Rho growled like a rabid dog.

Someone had gotten up on the wrong side of the bed. I patted his arm. “Really. What’s not to like? I absolutely love antiques, and the surface of Tanith has to be an archaeological treasure trove.” I rubbed my hands together. “I can’t wait to go antiquing.”

“Are all Jones females insane?”

Knowing Aunt Tess, she was using her critter control to drive the Coletti warriors nuts. Sam was a whiz at building homemade bombs and had probably blown something up. I gave Rho an understanding smile. “The Tai-Kok made all of us a bit psychotic, but in a good way. I mean, there’s nothing quite as satisfying as killing monsters. Don’t you agree?

“Killing good.”

Hmm. Brief and to the point. He did kinda remind me of a caveman. Not quite civilized. I asked blithely, “How many monsters have you killed?”

“Many.”

“I just bet you have.” I patted his arm again. “So, big boy, want to do a little antiquing with me?”

“No!”The word was a roar.

“Wow. What happened to your sense of history? Don’t you want to preserve your family’s keepsakes?”

Rho leaned down until we were nose to nose. “My family and home were vaporized. There is nothing left to retrieve.”

“Oh my God, you’re breaking my heart, but you’re not alone anymore. You got us girls.” I kissed his cheek.

Rho reared back like I had cooties or something. Oh. Wait. I sort of did. “I am a warlord. I live to serve the Overlord. I do not want or need your pity.”

“Pity? Who said anything about pity? How long has it been since you had sex?”

Rho’s jaw dropped.

“That long, huh?” I gave him a come-hither look. “I can fix that.”

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