Page 53 of Warrior
The youngling was one of the smallest, wide pale purple eyes gazing hopefully at me.
“Are we going to be okay, Mr. Daicon?”
I gave Daisy’s shoulders a squeeze before bending and lifting the small male in my arms. He jerked at my touch butrelaxed against my shoulder. His sharp chin raised in a gesture of boldness, but holding him, I felt a tremble so deep it must have shaken his very bones.
“We are going to fine little one.” I said the words loud enough for all the younglings to hear. “I give you my word as a Vaktaire warrior. I will see you all safe and away from this place.”
A cheer erupted, echoing through the chamber. The vote of confidence from the younglings touched me, but nothing meant as much as the faith in Daisy’s eyes when her gaze caught mine.
???
As a Vaktaire warrior, I could go a week without sleep, longer if imbued with the adrenaline of battle. The younglings tired easily, but their small hands proved invaluable for maneuvering through tight spots I would have had to circumvent boulders to reach.
George was right. The guards proved to be pre-occupied, not missing the younglings who worked by my side all night and through the next morning. We ceased only when Daisy arrived with food, insisting we stop long enough to eat.
In the late afternoon of the next day, I pushed my hand through to the other side of the tunnel. After that, it took a few more hours to clear a space large enough for everyone to squeeze through. I sent most of the younglings back to the common area for food and rest, save for George and Ewok, who insisted on accompanying me to scout.
The tunnel was narrow, littered with debris from the explosion that caused the cave-in. In some spots, there was barely enough room for me to squeeze through. We made ourway painstakingly, taking time to shift away rocks and fallen beams in order to make the trip easier for the ones who would follow.
When light broke the din ahead, I cautioned George and Ewok to silence, and bade them to press tight to the shadows. The tunnel widened, opening out onto a concrete slap surrounded by stacks of metal bins.
Four ships sat on the tarmac, two were skiffs no larger than the one Xaden used to escape. One was large enough to hold us all but looked to have damage on the back quarter panel. The final ship would have to do—a troop carrier, currently in the process of being outfitted for the guard’s escape. It was an Aljani vessel, easily flown unless the AI security was engaged. I doubted it would be a problem. The guards didn’t know of my presence and considered Daisy and the younglings no threat.
Guards milled about, laughing as they spoke of escape and explosions. I wanted to kill every one of the bastards for what they contemplated for Daisy and the younglings.
By my count, twenty guards milled about the dock. At least four guards accompanied the younglings into the mines every morning, with two or three doing patrol. I could take half a dozen guards without breaking a sweat. A dozen if I had room to move and fight. But nearly thirty guards were too many, even for me.
George and Ewok thrummed with excitement. Taking a moment to commit the layout of the dock to memory, we slinked back into the tunnel.
“When can we leave?” Ewok bounced as he walked, despite the lack of sleep.
“Early morning will be the best time,” I said, recalling Xaden’s advice.
“There are a lot of guards,” George worried.
“True,” Ewok mused, tapping his furry chin with fingers covered in dust.
I led the younglings, admonishing silence, until we slipped back through the obstruction, and I placed a boulder to hide the rift.
When I gave the all-clear their voices raised in excitement, their ideas for getting around the guard presence ranged from the ridiculous to the realistic. These two younglings had seen more death than many adults, yet their young minds still considered battle as a thing of play. A game to win without the scent of blood and screams of pain and death.
I knew better.
Chapter 13
Daisy
I heard them well before they entered the common area. George and Ewok chattered excitedly about how to make the guards think a monster called the Lieriti occupied the tunnels. There was a hint of regret in Daicon's voice when he informed them a full-grown Lieriti wouldn’t fit in the tunnels—the creature grew as big as a battle cruiser. I don't know what caused this particular topic of conversation but was relieved to hear the monster wasn't nearby.
My three best guys sauntered into the light, covered in dust but looking elated, all things considered.
“What’s going on?” I skipped down the stone steps. Ewok broke into a run, greeting me at the bottom with a tight hug.
“We broke through, kida!”
"Good job!" I slipped an arm around Ewok's shoulders while reaching out to rub the fuzz atop George's head. It felt like the down of a baby chicken.
Daicon stopped a few feet away, hands on his hips in a casual pose. His expression suggested I would celebrate with him later. I looked forward to it.
