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“Come on, don’t do this to me, Mirilla!” he shouted, shaking her awake.

Mirilla appeared to rouse just a bit, then fell right back into unconsciousness.

“At least she is still alive, all is not lost yet.”

Rokai’s chest rumbled a bit, but he went to the other female who was still alive. “Can you hear me? Wake up! We’re going to get you out of here.”

The woman, though still alive, didn’t respond.

“He probably drugged them,” Elspeth said.

“Yeah. Let’s get them out of here and back to my ship before all hell breaks loose.”

“You expecting trouble?” she asked.

“Yeah.”

“Well, why didn’t you say so?!” she asked, hurrying back over to the old male who was now conscious again and moaning pitifully. “Hey, asshole! Found the females! Want to know how we knew you had them? Eienir wouldn’t have stolen a credit band from a Cruestaci warrior if you paid him enough. So, we knew it was you. Say hello to all your fellow fuckers in eternity!” she put the gun in his mouth. He started crying and obviously trying to beg for his life. “I’m sorry, can you beg a little more pitifully. I think it’s getting to me.”

The male was sobbing, his hands together in prayer in front of his chest.

Elspeth started laughing. “Oh, wait, I was wrong. You deserve to die — twice. If I can figure out how to do that, I’ll be back.” She fired the blaster, taking off the back of his head, and sending him to hell or whatever hellish afterlife he might have believed in, just like she promised. Then she ran over to whereRokai was still trying to wake either female and grabbed the one he had not called by name, throwing her over her shoulder. “Let’s go.”

Chapter 32

Rokai waited while the ramp of his ship extended and the door slid open, then he hurried up the ramp and into his ship. “You coming?” he snapped over his shoulder.

He heard Elspeth’s footsteps on the ramp as he got Mirilla settled on one of the benches against the back wall of the main cabin.

She looked around briefly, then settled on the second bench butting up against the one Mirilla was now lying on. Elspeth checked the pulse of both women, then turned and looked at Rokai. He was already seated in the command chair, flipping switches and pressing buttons.

The sound of the ramp folding up into the side of the ship and the door sealing caught her attention for a brief moment before she walked forward and without waiting to be invited, took the seat next to Rokai.

“What do you need me to do?” she asked.

“Just strap yourself in.”

Elspeth sat tensely, waiting for Rokai to finish the take off sequence and lift them both away from the space port and any repercussions from what they’d just done.

The engines started firing, and Rokai lifted them off the port’s surface. He seemed to visibly breathe easier as he locked the ship onto his chosen trajectory.

“That was easy,” she said.

“Hard part is yet to come,” he said.

“What’s that?” she asked, looking warily at him.

“Telling her mate that I found her.”

“Yeah, I didn’t think she was yours. Yours goes by a different name. Rose, or Rosie, something about a rose.”

Rokai pinned her with a glare “Who are you?” he demanded.

“I told you, Elspeth.”

“How do you know so damn much about me?”

“Anyone that moves in the circles I do, which are the same circles you do — or used to, and has any sense at all makes it their business to know all about the major players. Makes it easy to choose sides if the time ever arises.”

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