“Computer! Activate maximum shields and jam that ship’s communications!” Qhasheik shouted over the screech of the siren. “And turn off that damn noise.”
“At once, master.” The ship’s feminine tone was a crazy mixture of sultry bitchiness.
Another jarring thud shook the ship, but not as hard.
Zamush tightened his grip around Jelena.
“That one hit the shields.” No sooner had Abiditan said that than a bright expansion of light flared on the floating monitor.
“What was that?” Zamush couldn’t help the frustrated growl. Jelena shivered under his embrace.
Katsuki scrambled her fingers over the flickering lights on the round navigation console. “You’re not gonna believe this, but when their weapon bounced off our shield, it boomeranged back and blew them up.”
“Holy shit. We ain’t that lucky.” Qhasheik’s hands rapidly flew over the controls as he watched the monitor readings. “By galaxies’ hairy balls, you’re right!” He whistled. “I guess I made that shield a little too strong.” He waved a hand over a yellow light that turned orange. “There, I’ve activated the cloaking device. Fingers crossed it works.”
“What do you mean, fingers crossed?” Katsuki turned and glared at her partner. “I thought you ran enough tests to make sure.”
Qhasheik shrugged one shoulder. “Tests are one thing.” He gestured to the monitor showing the damaged ship’s debris floating in blackness. “But as you can see, reality is something completely different.”
Abiditan claimed a section of the navigation console. “There aren’t any other ships in the vicinity. Let’s hope you jammed them before they alerted Akurn we were in the area.”
“No transmissions reached the planet Akurn.” The ship’s feminine voice responded with a heavy sensual inflection.
While Zamush appreciated a sexy female voice like the next man, listening to it during a crisis was annoying.
“Well, that’s good.” Qhasheik swiped the image on the monitor and the darkened planet Akurn appeared on the screen.
“Okay, Abiditan.” He returned to the command chair in the middle of the round navigation console. He twisted the seat to face the Akurn and rested his chin on his fist. “Where do you want us to land?”
Abiditan leaned on the console, facing Qhasheik, his eyes unfocused. “I think it would be best if we landed out of sight of my family’s estate. We’ll use the Transkip to take us to what I hope is still an unused portion of the house.” He blinked, his attention on Qhasheik. “I beg you, watch your mouth when you’re around my family. They may be progressive for Akurns, but you being a smartass will only make things worse.”
“I know how to behave myself.” He rose from his chair and sauntered to Abiditan. He grabbed the Akurn around his neck and brought him close. “Do you?” The last word came out muffled as Qhasheik claimed the other man’s mouth in a blistering, open-mouth kiss.
Damn, the two of them reminded Zamush of Alexander the Great’s love for the Macedonian nobleman, Hephaestion.
“Ugh. Do you two have to do that in front of me?” Jelena laughed. “Nothing will get done if you guys start that crap.” She glanced at Zamush, her eyes crinkling as she smiled. “Don’t you just hate it when your parents get all mushy front of you?”
Zamush stilled. He’d give anything to see his father kissing his mother senseless one more time.
“Boys!” Katsuki clapped her hands as if the two men were errant children. “Jelena’s right. Let’s land this bucket of bolts. Once we get settled at Abiditan’s place, there’ll be plenty of playtime later.”
Qhasheik pulled back with hooded eyes and a sensual smile. “See? That’s all you gotta do to shut me up.”
Abiditan’s return smile was full of promise as he touched his forehead to the other male’s. “Oh, I’ll do more than that.”
Qhasheik growled low as they separated. The tip of the extra limb hanging down his back wagged like the tail of a dog.
“I’ve already put in the coordinates of where I think it’ll be safe for us to land.” Abiditan dropped into the seat behind his lover. “I’ve been gone so long, I can’t be sure if the area is still uninhabited or not.”
Jelena squirmed out of Zamush’s hold and went to the Akurn. “It’ll be just fine.” She rubbed his drooping shoulder.
He patted her hand with a grateful smile.
Zamush clenched his hands behind him. He missed her warmth.
“Okay, let’s do this. Everybody take your seats! Let’s land on a hostile planet where the natives would love nothing better than to execute us rather than look at us. Fun times, my friends. Fun times.” Qhasheik grinned.
Once they settled the ship, Qhasheik told everyone to meet at the ship’s Transkip mirror within the hour. Their target was Abiditan’s family estate, Esharra.