Page 59 of Kameer's Mate
Our attention returns to the screens. Officer Gorrsum is pacing in front of the viewscreen, while his brothers are busy getting the escape pod ready for launch. A quick glance at the sensors shows they’re being clever and covering their tracks, deleting security footage from the known security feeds while also attempting to install an invisibility cloak on the escape pod.
Officer Brute stands and lifts his wrist comm to his mouth. “I need a full security team to Deck Twelve. Officers Frennk, Nixx, and Dizzox are attempting to steal an escape pod. I also need a security team to depart for theJansonnaimmediately to arrest Officer Gorrsum for attempted murder.” He meets my gaze. “We have multiple security teams in place, as well as several armed shuttles ready for launch if they succeed in deploying the escape pod.”
I rise to my feet, eager to return to Mandy. Eager to inform her that the trap worked and the threat to my life is no more. But something doesn’t feel right.
Officer Brute points at another screen. “There’s a probe collecting matter from the explosion. Likely in an attempt to secure your biological matter to prove your death.” He shakes his head. “Fools. Even if they managed to kill you, surely they must realize the Darrvason Empire would challenge Officer Gorssum’s ownership of the asteroid belt in the Intergalactic Court. For their plan to work…” His voice trails off and his eyes go wide.
“For their plan to work, we would all have to be dead. But they wanted me dead first because they know if anyone can stop them, it’s me.” Their evil plan hits me like a blow to the chest.Fluxx. I bolt into the corridor and head for engineering while barking orders into my wrist comm to my comrades who are already on duty, instructing them to prep a Level 10 work area for my immediate use.
A detailed update comes through on my wrist comm from Officer Brute.Escape pod launched before security team arrived on Deck Twelve. Criminals’ attempts to activate invisibility cloak on pod failed. Pod appears to be outfitted with advanced navigational abilities and illegal beaming technology. Pod headed for human worldship. Our armed security shuttles are failing to launch. Sabotage suspected.
I run faster and finally reach engineering. Beaming technology. Just as I suspected.Fluxx. I rush to the Level 10 work area as my comrades scatter out of my way. But just as I get started on hacking the escape pod’s stolen navigation system, one of the screens flashes blue before Officer Gorrsum’s face appears. His brothers hover behind him.
I growl and make an obscene gesture, then resume my work. Too bad Gorrsum didn’t disintegrate when his brothers beamed him onto the escape pod. Beaming technology is notoriously dangerous, which is why my people don’t use it. Or rather, we’re not supposed to.
“Imagine my disappointment, old friend,” Gorrsum says in a smug tone, “when the probe didn’t find your biological matter in the shuttlecraft’s wreckage.” He chuckles. “But, knowing how difficult you are to kill, I was ready with a backup plan. Several backup plans, in fact. This time, I will succeed.”
I snarl, though I don’t spare a glance at the male. I continue my work as I disable all the recently modified probes I can locate within the hyperdrive bubble.
There’s a countdown showing the precise moment half the probes will falsely detect radiation, which will of course activate the hyperdrive’s safety protocols and take the fleet out of hyperdrive, thus giving Gorrsum and his brothers a window of escape.
It would seem probe 347-X’s recent glitch wasn’t a glitch at all, simply a probe that had fallen out of sync with the other modified probes a bit early.
Fluxx, how could I have missed it? I curse again. In my haste to return to Mandy during the emergence of my mating fever, I’d made a terrible blunder.
“What are you doing?” Officer Gorrsum shouts, and I revel in the panic in his voice. He’s worried I’m about to thwart him. Good. I hope he soils himself in fear.
I locate the codes secretly inserted in the other altered probes, codes that will cause the hyperdrive bubble to combust on the next formation if not removed, an event Officer Gorrsum and his brothers undoubtedly hope will occur after their escape from the fleet.
“What’s he doing?” Officer Gorrsum shouts again.
I’m aware of Gorrsum’s brothers murmuring in the background. I should deactivate the video comm feed, though there’s a part of me that wants my former friend to witness the destruction of his plans.
“It worked!” someone yells. Frennk?
“Ah, Chief Kameer,” comes Gorrsum’s smug voice again. “I believe I have something you might want.”
I spare a glance upward and my heart stops.
Mandy.
Somehow, they got past theHaxxal’sdefenses and beamed her aboard the escape pod. A low growl resounds from my throat.
They’ve taken my heartbonded mate as a hostage.
Chapter 31
MANDY
Firm hands grasp me.I feel disoriented from a sudden change in location. Somehow, I know I’m not on theHaxxalanymore. Cold dread fills me as I blink and slowly become aware of my surroundings.
I’m in a small shuttlecraft, or perhaps it’s an escape pod. I’m not sure. But I’m here against my will, and I have a very bad feeling. Four Darrvason males come into focus. They’re so similar in appearance that I think they must be brothers. One of them, the oldest, looks familiar. I think I’ve seen him on theJansonnabefore. Yes, I think he’s one of the engineers who’ve visited the human worldship.
Voices reach me, but I don’t comprehend the words being spoken. Darrvason. Someone is shouting in Darrvason. The same someone yanks me in front of a video comm, and I gasp at the sight of Kameer.
Though I don’t know the names of the Darrvason males who have, by all appearances, taken me hostage, it’s obvious they’rethe individuals behind the attempts on Kameer’s life. I swallow hard and try to look brave as I stare at the video comm.
Kameer looks ready to commit murder. Ready to raze an entire galaxy. I’ve never seen his eyes so dark, nor his jaw so tense.
