Page 6 of Healing Creek
“What’s she doing?” The largest of the Arena Dogs rumbled the question.
Jupiter answered from where he still kneeled at Feeona’s side. “She has a neural implant that allows her to interface with computers. She’s using it to control the ship’s security systems.”
“Icy!” It was Knock, the human with spiky hair, that spoke. “So, she was the one controlling that drone earlier. Wha—”
Mercury silenced him with a look. “Even if the humans fight, a dozen trained men and fifty untrained humans are no match for six Arena Dogs.”
There was a swell of noise from the green aliens. Creek waved a hand at them to quiet them down. “And eight Dreat.”
Mercury looked at him with raised eyebrows and Creek wondered if his input was unwelcome. Mercury was alpha, and Creek was not pack. But his was the only voice the Dreat had, so he spoke.
“Just telling you what they said. They want to help.”
Seneca barked respectfully to regain everyone’s attention. “There’s also a small team of mercenaries, sent by Roma, planting enough explosives around the ship to destroy it. We must have less than thirty minutes now.”
“Way to bury the lead,” Knock mumbled.
Was Roma so determined to end them? Something surprising twisted in his gut. He might be ready to be done with this life, but these powerful males were not done fighting for a better one.
Mercury growled in disgust and concern. “Then we warn the ship’s occupants and leave now.”
The Dreat grunted and muttered. Creek spoke over them. “There are more Dreat in the slave hold.” He rolled his shoulders. “And some humans.”
Mercury hesitated a moment. “Can we stop the explosions?”
Seneca nodded. “Yes. With Fee’s help.”
Mercury chuffed a pleased noise in the back of his throat. “The ship will be a good asset in the fight to free our people.”
To free our people.Mercury was speaking of more than just freeing those on the ship. He was speaking of using the ship to free all of the Arena Dogs. Was that even possible? Creek had never even heard the resistance propose such a monumental task. His throat tightened, making it hard to get a deep breath. His hollow belly hungered for the possibility of freeing his brothers. The spark of a dream settled somewhere deep in his chest to be examined later. He forced out a shuttering breath. For now, they had to focus on the task of taking the ship.
Jupiter and Seneca helped Fee to a sitting position as she forced her eyes open. “I need to get to the security station. I can control things much better from there.”
“I can help,” Knock chimed in.
Feeona blinked her eyes several times. “Great. With two of us we should be able to use the ship’s sensors and intercoms to help our strikers as we go.” She managed a smile with those words. “Sen,” she said. “You’ll have to go after the mercenaries with the explosives. You know where—”
“Mercury is faster.”
Their leader nodded. “I’ll go. What else must be done?”
“I’m interfering with the bridge crew’s actions as well as I can,” said Feeona, “but we need someone up there to stop the pilots from engaging the skipdrive.” The skipdrive was the engine that allowed ships to travel vast distances like a stone skipping across water.
Seneca raised a hand. “I’m familiar with piloting controls.”
“Excellent,” said Mercury. “You and Carn go to the pilot station then.”
Carn, the biggest of the pack, nodded.
Jupiter spoke before the alpha could assign him a task. “I’ll stay with my mate and the human to make sure they are safe while they work. You can see this work leaves her vulnerable.”
“I can take the Dreat and we can retrieve the slaves,” Creek volunteered. “They could be a help in securing the ship.”
Mercury studied him then dipped his head in a nod. The other Arena Dogs left Creek with the Dreat, and he rallied them around. They all looked to him now.
His life on Roma had never given him any experience leading others. He’d been a cage fighter, battling alone. Jupiter and their rescuers had been a pack in the gladiator arena—a team united that cared for and looked out for one another. Creek had learned to rely on no one.
Yet the pack had included him in their plans. Listened to his suggestions and trusted him with an important task. He was older than the others and his body was broken from years of abuse, but he owed their pack his very life.
