Angela Verdenius (11 page)

Alasdair’s head snapped around.  “Cujo?”

“Yes, Sir.”

Involuntarily, Alasdair’s fingers curled onto the panel, his nails scraping down the metal. 
Cujo.  He’d been looking like a hound in heat when he’d seen Molly.  That bastard wanted her, he just knew it!

“Get a lock on Cujo’s ship,” Alsandair snarled.

Startled at his vehemence, the two controllers looked up.

“Now!”

Hastily they averted their gazes to the control panel, concentrating on getting a lock on Cujo’s spaceship.

Alsandair stared at the radar screen, his mind not quite chaotic.  Almost panicked.  Certainly fury, mostly towards that womanizing bastard Cujo, but panic also at the thought of Molly leaving him.

Molly… 
“When you figure out what you are, who you are, and what you expect from me, then come and see me, Alsandair.  Until then…”  She turned in the bathroom doorway to look sadly at him.  “Until then, I don’t know what to think or who to trust.”

The last memory he had of her was like a knife turning in his gut. 

Had she chosen to trust Cujo?  Could she have chosen Cujo over Alsandair?  The pain speared out to dive deep into his heart.  “You can trust me, Molly,” he whispered. 

“Sir?” One of the controllers glanced up questioningly.  “I’m sorry, Sir, I didn’t hear what you said.”

“Nothing.”  Alsandair shook his head, trying to still his churning gut.  “Have you locked on?”

“Yes, Sir.”  The controller frowned.  “But the spaceship isn’t moving.”

“Broken down?”  Hope leaped to life inside him.

“I can bring up a picture now… Oh no…”  The controller looked grimly at the picture that appeared on the screen beside the radar. 

Alsandair stared at the ruined spaceship as it drifted in space.  The metal casing was twisted, smoke trailing away from it.  Parts of the hull were torn apart.  “How many inside?  Any life?”

“Two people, both breathing but not moving otherwise.”  The controller tapped another key.  “There were three onboard. Molly’s body pattern is locked into the ship’s records.”

Oh God
.  He could almost feel the sweat pop out on his brow.  “She’s not there?”

“No.”

“Whoever attacked the ship has taken her.”

“It would appear so, Sir.”

Alsandair stared at the screen. 
Oh God, Molly!
  Who would have taken her?  Who would have wanted her?  How had they known she was onboard? 

Inside himself something started to roar, fury pushing up past the panic, the possessive beast inside him, the one who had claimed Molly before Alsandair even consciously knew it, pouring up and outward, spilling his fury into the room.

Rage beat at Alasdair’s temples, his voice a low, guttural growl.  “Get a lock on every ship within two hours of Cujo’s.”

The controllers cast him a furtive glance before returning to their keyboards.  

The door slid open but Alsandair didn’t look around as the Major appeared by his side.

“Cujo’s ship.”  The Major appeared calm, the only thing giving away his concern the tightness between his eyebrows.  “I’ve sent out a rescue ship.”

Alsandair nodded.  Saving Cujo wasn’t his primary concern right now, except that the treasure hunter might know who attacked them.

One of the controllers sat back.  “There are only two ships within that distance to Cujo’s, Sir.”

“Who?”

“One of our patrol ships that has changed course to intercept Cujo’s.  The other ship is a Repulsaen.”

Awareness pricked through Alsandair.  “Repulsaen?”

“Yes, Sir.”

“There was one approaching us before.  Did it make contact or land?”

“No, Sir.  We were observing it, but it left not long after Cujo’s ship, and…” The controller’s eyes widened a fraction.  “The Repulsaens’ were the only ones within the vicinity when Cujo’s ship was attacked.”

The Repulsaens.  Alsandair gazed unblinkingly at the picture of the Repulsaen ship.  It was ice white, lean, menacing.  “They’ve got Molly.”

The Major shook his head.  “We don’t know for certain-”

“They have her.”  Alsandair ignored the startled look from the Major.  “Every sign leads to them.  I can feel it.”

“Feel it?”  The Major blinked.

Yes, he could feel it.  Deep inside himself, he just knew they had his Molly.  “Contact the Captain of the Repulsaen ship,” Alsandair ordered.

“Amirov-” the Major began.

“I know they have her.”  Alsandair glared at the Major.  “And I want her back.”

“We all want her back, but to just accuse them-”

“They have her.  I’m getting her back.”

Puzzled, the Major shifted his stance slightly.  “Captain-”

“If I have to go myself, I will.”

The sound of an incoming communication caught everyone’s attention.

  Alsandair took one look at the insignia on the Repulsaen’s closed-neck tunic and knew exactly who he faced.  “Captain Regor.”

“Captain Amirov.  Major.”  Regor’s eyes glinted.  “To what do I owe the pleassssure?”

Alsandair didn’t waste time.  “You have onboard a woman.”

“A woman?”

“My woman.”

“Amirov!” The Major took in a deep breath.  “Captain Regor, I-”

“I don’t know what woman you mean,” Regor said.  “The only femalessss we have on board are our priesstesss and doctor.  I-”

“You freakin’ slimy reptiles!” A voice shrieked.  “Let me go!”

A roaring filled Alasdair’s head as Molly’s voice, filled with fear and indignation, seared his hearing.  Palms flat on the control panel, he leaned forward to glare directly into Regor’s eyes.  “You have what is mine, and I want her back. 
Now
.”

“And why, exactly, do you have her?” The Major queried, his voice controlled but anger spiking his tone. 

Regor didn’t pretend to misunderstand.  “I am sssorry, Major.  Thisss woman isss sssomeone who sssshould not be, an abomination that you cannot begin to underssstand.”

“Bring her back,” Alsandair commanded furiously.  “Immediately.”

Regor’s slitted eyes shut briefly before reopening.  “Thissss woman will be dealt with under our lawssss, Captain.  You mussst accept that we know what thissss meansss in regardsss to our peace contract with the Galaxy Command.  But it isss what we have to do.”  His eyes flickered again, his tongue spiking out, and in sudden shock Regor jittered in his seat, a slime coming out on his skin. 

“What the…” The Major frowned.  “Captain Regor?  What’s happening to you?  What-”

The screen went dark, but not before they heard Molly screaming.

Fury and fear raking at him, Alsandair almost ripped the panel off the control board.

“Regor has broken the treaty by attacking one of our people and kidnapping what belongs to the Narc Military.”  The Major linked his hands behind his back.  “Send a message to Galaxy Command to check that it is the Repulsaens collectively that have waged an offensive against us, not just Regor going rogue.  Captain Amirov-”  He stuttered to a halt.  “Amirov?”

“He’s already left to fly out with the squadron,” the soldier by the door informed him calmly.

“What?”  The Major gaped.  “I didn’t give the order to fly the squadron!”

“He did.”  The soldier remained stoic.  “To save Molly.”

“But there has been no authorisation!”

“He’s gone to save Molly.”

“This is not logical!”

“Matters of the heart never are, Sir.”  Dr Surnace walked into the room.

“What are you talking about?” The Major demanded, vexed.

“The rescue crew is on its way.”

“Have you completed a distance body scan on Cujo?” He asked immediately.  “Is he all right?”

“Bruised and battered but nothing permanent.  Squiggy is also fine and in the same condition.  Cujo was conscious for several minutes, enough to inform us via communicator that the Repulsaens’ attacked first, and they wanted Molly.”

“They’ve got her.”  The Major took a deep breath.  “Captain Amirov is already flying out with a squadron.  Doctor, Cujo is to be taken care of when he gets back.”

“But of course, that’s my job.”

“Yes, well…” The Major rubbed the bridge of his nose.  “And Squiggy.”

“Of course.”

“This is a mess.”  He sighed.  “How did Regor even know about Molly?  All knowledge was supposed to have been wiped from every memory apart from those on this station.”

“They must have known about her before the decision was made.”  Dr Surnace thrust her hands into the pockets of her jacket.  “I just wonder how many more know about her?”

“A mess.”  Straightening his shoulders, the Major strode to the door.  “Let me know when Cujo and his friend are on board.”

“Yes, Sir.”  Dr Surnace watched him disappear.

~*~

Narc Section Five

Deep Space

Repulsaen Spaceship

Molly had never been so scared in her whole life.  Before her stood seven foot tall reptilian creatures with green, lumpy skin, slitted eyes, reptilian heads and clawed hands and feet.  They stood upright, looking part lizard and part…sort of human…but mostly reptile.  She couldn’t tell the difference between them except for a slight different shading of the green, and some of them wore different insignias on their dark green uniforms.  At least they didn’t have tails…that she knew of, anyway.

The one called Regor was the biggest, his eyes glinting, his skin shiny with some kind of oil.  The shortest was draped in a cloak, the hood covering her face.  Molly knew that it was female only because she’d been introduced as the Priestess Rainus.

Freaky.  Freakin’ freaky, and she wanted out of this nightmare.  She wanted Amirov to come to the rescue.  Even Cujo would be a welcome sight right now.   Hell, Squiggy she’d kiss if he just walked through the door right now with a plan. 

But most of all, she wanted Amirov.

If wishes were riches, she’d have a fortune by now.

“What do you want from me?” Molly asked tremulously.

“Asss we’ve already told you, it isss not you we want.”  The priestess, Rainus, answered in her hissing voice.  “It isss your death.”

“Shit!  Are you kidding me?’ Molly babbled.  “I didn’t do anything!  I don’t even know you!”

“We know you.”  Rainus approached the table upon which Molly was strapped down.    “And what we know, what you have, will dessssstroy usss.”

“I don’t have anything!”  Molly shrank back from the clawed hand that hovered over her. 

Behind the small group gathered in the doorway, she heard a hiss, a snarl, a cough, and then something hit the floor.  There was a murmur of alarm and the group swung around to look viciously at Molly.

“I didn’t do anything!” she almost screamed.  “I was right here the entire time!  Please-”

“Begging isss nothing to ussss.”  Grabbing the disc above the table, Rainus brought it down towards Molly’s face.  “Knowledge isss what we sssseek now.”

“I doubt I know anything you need to know!”  Molly recognized the disc but couldn’t avoid it when it was pressed to her temple.  There was a snap of power and the disc at her temple shivered, a sharpness pricking her skin.  Her stomach churned at the thought of what was next to come, and sure enough she felt something start to burrow through her skin.  “Oh, shit. Not this agai-”

~*~

Narc Section Five

Deep Space

Narc Military Attack Squadron

Alsandair commandeered the pilot’s seat of the attack ship, flying it at warp speed, the stars a blur as he led the attack squadron through space.  The warp speed had been recently updated with a test version of the fastest speed available.  Though not yet put through its paces, he’d been given permission to fly at test speed.  

Even if he hadn’t been given permission, Alsandair would’ve flown at it regardless.  Molly was in danger, and he meant to get her.

Get Molly.

Get his woman.

Anybody who stood in his way was going to be trampled underfoot.

Glancing at the digital clock on the side of the radar, he saw that they were less than an hour from the Repulsaen ship.  His co-pilot brought up the image on the radar and scanned it, showing the laser pits.

The gunner in the seat behind the co-pilot did another check of the lasers, nodding tersely when he caught Alsandair glancing back at him.  “All ready to go, Sir.”

Alsandair nodded, bringing his attention back to the space shield before him.  Fanning out either side of his ship were five other attack ships of the squadron, armed and ready to fight.  Alasdair was hoping the presence of the attack squadron would be enough for the Repulsaens to give up Molly, but he wasn’t counting on it.  Whatever it took, he was focussed on getting her back alive.

And then he was never letting her out of his sight again.

~*~

Narc Section Five

Deep Space

Repulsaen Spaceship

Floating in the tank, partly conscious, Molly watched as Wally slipped back inside the room.  In his hand he carried a cage containing several green lizards.  As she watched from between her eyelids, her vision hazy as she floated in the tank, she saw him set the cage down and busy himself with the equipment on the table behind him.  Finally he held a syringe in one hand and pulled a lizard from the cage in the other.  He inspected it all over before finally inserting a needle into it and withdrawing something.  Putting the lizard back in the container, he put whatever he’d pulled out of it into a little clear dish.  Taking another syringe, he added something to the mix before injecting the contents into some eggs he pulled from a little heating device.

What the hell was he doing?

Wally looked over at her.  “A pity you can’t enjoy this.  Sleeping there so contentedly while I use your DNA and mix it with the lizard’s.  This is one experiment in its infancy, but I will make it work.”

Opening a fridge, he studied the contents, smiled, then pulled the jars from the depths and lined them up on the cabinet.  In her sluggish haze, she could make out that they were deformed lizards of some kind, but could feel no horror.