Page 21 of Brute's Mate

Knowing I have a little time before I must escort Jenny and Margo to the mess hall, I seek out Captain Warren only to find him passed out in his command room. As he snores loudly, I study his communication logs before heading off to check the various surveillance devices I’ve secretly installed in strategic places around the worldship. I download the information from each device on my wrist comm and hurry back to my quarters.

I immediately delve into the trove of information I’ve gathered, and I send a message to Admiral Tornn, requesting he contact me as soon as possible. A thrill rushes through me because I’ve discovered the information my cousin was seeking—the truth behind Officer Nathan Gonlaz’s treasonous actions.

The video comm the engineers recently installed in my quarters flashes red and blue, and I slide into the chair in front of the device and answer the call. Tornn’s familiar face fills the screen.

“Admiral,” I say with a nod.

“Officer.” He leans closer to the screen, and I notice he’s seated at a communication console in the command room. “Well?” he asks. “What can you tell me?”

“There are several groups of traitors among the humans who wish to overthrow Captain Warren, though the groups are poorly organized, and they often fight with one another. The male you asked me to investigate—Security Officer Nathan Gonlaz—belongs to a group known as The—”

“The Saviors,” he says, cutting me off.

“Ah. Officer Paddax must’ve been reunited with his rebel mate,” I say, doubting the information could’ve come from another source. “I trust he extracted a full confession from her?”

Tornn nods. “Yes, he did. According to Paddax’s mate, The Saviors hoped the virus would kill all the males aboard theHaxxal, or at the very least, make us all too sick to fight back. They planned to attack us so they might retrieve the thirty females, though Sheila doesn’t know the details or the timeline. However, Officer Paddax has some theories about how the human rebels might go about this.”

A growl rumbles from my chest, and I glance toward the door, anxious to tear through the corridors and hunt down Nathan Gonlaz and the other males involved in the rebel plot. “What are Officer Paddax’s theories?” I force out, returning my focus to Tornn.

“He believes they could find a way to disrupt the hyperdrive bubble we’re traveling in, then rapidly create a new hyperdrive bubble that only surrounds theJansonnaand theHaxxal. Before the other vessels in our fleet could recover from the sharp slide out of hyperdrive, the humans could disappear, taking theHaxxalwith them.”

“But the remaining ships in our fleet would eventually recover,” I say confidently. “We would hunt them down.”

Tornn frowns and appears uneasy. “TheHaxxalis our most technologically advanced ship. If they managed to jump far enough, we might have difficulty tracking them down. And it’s doubtful they would continue the journey to 58-Z. They would likely use theHaxxal’sresources to find another habitable planet. Officer Paddax pointed out that if the humans held theHaxxaland all its resources, they could survive for decades longer in open space, and I think he’s right.”

“That is a wild, ambitious plan,” I say, unable to restrain a smile. “Only one problem—we defeated their little virus before it had a chance to destroy a single one of us.” I chuckle. “But The Saviors likely have no way of knowing the plan hasn’t worked. None of them are on the command team, and even if they were, it’s not as though we speak with Captain Warren and his comrades about the happenings on our vessels. If an illness was spreading on any of our ships, we wouldn’t complain to thefluxxinghuman captain about it. Humans possess inferior medical knowledge and technology. They wouldn’t be able to help us in any way.”

Tornn snorts. “They probably intend to proceed with their plan regardless of this uncertainty. If they manage to disable our shields, they will likely attempt to board theHaxxal.”

Bloodlust hums in my veins, and my nostrils flare as I straighten and my muscles tense. “With your permission, Admiral, I would like to gohunting.”

He laughs. “Cousin, I appreciate your enthusiasm, but even if we had definitive proof that The Saviors were planning to try boarding theHaxxal, the terms of the alliance dictate that we must turn any and all traitors over to Captain Warren rather than taking justice into our own hands.”

I growl. “You always ruin my fun, Admiral.”

He waves a hand at the screen. “Remain on theJansonnaand continue as you were. If you learn anything new, contact me at once. I must consult with the emperor and his advisors before I make any decisions regarding The Saviors, but I suspect Emperor Radakk will want us to follow the terms of the alliance and turn the traitors over to Captain Warren. But it’s my understanding that the worldship captain is quick to execute traitors. Perhaps he’ll let you watch, cousin.”

“Very well,” I say with a theatrical sigh as I lean back in my chair. “I will continue to play the spymaster. But you owe me a strong drink when I return. And a bride.” I think of Jenny. “If it’s not too much trouble, I would like to claim one of the human females from the next batch we receive.” Somehow, I will ensure Jenny is among that group of females. And if she’s not, I will find another way to claim her.

“Your name is already on the list.”

Relief fills me to hear my cousin confirm that I’m already slated to receive a human bride from the next batch. While my cousin had told me I would be rewarded for my service to the Darrvason Empire upon my return to theHaxxal, he’s never come out and said I would receive a bride. Until now. Jenny. I must have her.

“Thank you, cousin,” I eventually say, and we end the call.

I depart my quarters, intending to track down Nathan Gonlaz. But when I arrive at the corridor he’s scheduled to patrol, he’s nowhere to be found. Where is the traitorous human male hiding? My fury rising, as well as my suspicions, I begin a thorough search of theJansonna.

Chapter11

JENNY

Momand I hustle through the corridors, eager to return to our quarters after grabbing a quick breakfast in the mess hall. We want to be around in case Ellie calls. She hasn’t contacted us yet, though not even a full day has passed since the private video comm was installed in our quarters.

I doubt she would call during school hours or mealtimes, since she knows our schedule, but I still feel guilty for leaving my quarters this morning. I miss her so much it hurts, and I don’t want to be away when she finally reaches out. I pray it’ll happen soon.

Though Brute usually escorts us to and from the mess hall, he’s currently nowhere to be seen, and for reasons I’m not ready to examine, his absence bothers me. I shouldn’t concern myself with his whereabouts, but I can’t help it.

He’s probably with Captain Warren. Or consulting with the engineers. Or sitting in an alcove somewhere while he communicates via his wrist comm with someone from theHaxxal. Someone like Admiral Tornn.

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