Tha-lah (3 page)

“Yes, but as your AI, I must warn you this action might put you in harm’s way. The occupant could be a violent criminal.”

“Can you identify the species?” Not all prisoners were violent criminals. The prison was divided into sectors, depending on the type of crime. Some areas housed petty thieves, techno pirates, etc.

“Negative. There is a lot of interference in the area.”

“Open the bay door. That’s an order.” She couldn’t ignore her responsibility. Even the most fearsome enemy merited assistance. The goddess demanded infinite compassion and love.

“Pod has been successfully recovered. Life signs inside still faint.”

“On my way. Bring the hover bed online. Try to find the encryption to unlock the door. If you’re unable to, get ready to blast it open. I might have to use my supply of gly-urq, but I can’t allow anyone to suffer.” Tha-lah said a silent prayer, asking for strength. She had no weapons to defend herself.

After several minutes, the AI successfully unlocked the pod’s door. Tha-lah’s initial shock had worn off, leaving her with a lot of questions. The passenger inside was a Pendo’rahn elite warrior, judging by his torn uniform. Most surprising yet, according to the AI, his wound perfectly matched the ro’traal beside him. Someone had run him through with his own weapon, but whom?

After removing the patch of old gly-urq, she poured her own stash over him. She lingered her hands over the hard planes of his chest.

“Vital signs are now stable.”

She blinked, looking around, feeling guilty for indulging in such frivolity. “Activate field and continue monitoring his signs.”

The field would keep the gel and him in place. She roamed her gaze up and down his fit body, taking in the length of his manhood. This was a warrior’s body, trained and honed from childhood to protect the galaxies.

A slight stirring spread from her breasts to her core. Her insides tightened reflexively just from looking at him. Tha-lah gasped, surprised at her own reaction. She’d been with countless males, given pleasure to many. Never had she responded with such desire. Goddess help her, he was dangerous. Even unconscious, his face was troubled.
Who are you, my dear broken warrior?

Chapter Five

Wandering Priestess Tha-lah

There was no pain in death just cold and numbness. His only regret was leaving his family to face the shame of his actions. How could he have been so blind?

“Oh, I see you’re awake.”

He blinked, trying to adjust his eyes to the harsh glare of the lights. A warm hand touched his brow in a soothing caress.

“I can’t move or feel anything.” His voice was hoarse, likely because he suffered smoke inhalation.

“I apologize for the restraining field,” a soft female voice responded, “but it was a necessary precaution. You were badly wounded.”

Groo’lat turned, following the sound of her voice. Her face came slowly into focus.

A Trac’xian female smiled down at him. She was very beautiful with the large round eyes common of her kind. Her irises weren’t the typical single color, but multicolor, signaling her as a member of a higher cast. Her nose was small and flatter than a Pendo’rahn’s. Her hair was short, outlining her face, and had several shades of browns and orange in it.

“Release me at once. You’ve no right to hold me like this.” He tried in vain to free himself.

“As I said before, warrior, the field is necessary to help in your recovery.”

“How long have I been incapacitated?” He couldn’t remember anything beyond the point when he’d entered the pod and then set a course for Pra’mm.

“We, my AI and I, found you yesterday on the brink of death.”

“Where exactly are we?” She must’ve been right in the middle of it. How had she survived?

“We’re in my shuttle on the outskirts of the A’tor system,” she replied softly.

“Why didn’t you immediately return me to my people?” She might not be working alone. For all he knew she could be a spy working with the Kreeh-nosh.

“The area was swarming with Jog’nafans. We couldn’t waste time. After my AI had detected your wound, I thought it best to take you to safety. I wasn’t sure if you’d survive, but I had to try before calling for help.” The words tumbled out in rapid succession as she described how close he’d come to dying.

“Deactivate the field. I’m taking over this ship.” Groo’lat didn’t have time to dance around. The Kreeh-nosh had a two-day head start on him. He had to find a fast ship and catch up with them.

“I will, but don’t do anything reckless or you’ll re-open your wound.”

He landed on his feet as soon as the field was gone. “AI, under Protectorate wartime law, I’m hereby seizing control of all your functions.”

He menacingly towered over her. She took a step back, seeming surprised by his sudden outburst. Groo’lat groaned inwardly, noticing her robes for the first time. She was a Trac’xian priestess.

“I am afraid I cannot obey that order.”

It was impossible for a ship’s AI to disobey a direct order from a Protectorate warrior. All Protectorate planets programmed their AIs with a special wartime clause. Any warrior could potentially take over any craft with a simple command.

“This isn’t an ordinary shuttle, warrior.”

He scanned the room, taking in every detail. It looked like an outdated model, maybe four or five years old.

“Priestess, you’ll order your AI to turn over command controls this instant.”

“Tha-lah.” Came her soft reply.

“Excuse me?” He frowned, leaning closer.

“My name is Tha-lah. From now on you may call me by my name,” she said, calmly staring at him.

“As you wish, Tha-lah. I’m an elite warrior, Groo’lat,” he explained patiently. “I’ll return your ship as soon as my mission is over. The life of my commanding officer is at stake. I’ll find you a safe place when we get to Quiinlyx.”

His list of transgressions kept growing, but it was unavoidable. He couldn’t take her with him, so in a sense he was stealing her ship. Groo’lat felt like a worthless piece of heqriu’l crap, but what choice did he have?

“Really, you think you can take control of this ship and leave me behind?” Her nose twitched, and he resisted the urged to rub his finger against it. She was breathtaking. He missed being with a soft female. “It’s the goddess’ will that we take this journey together.”

“The goddess must be mistaken. I can’t allow you to become entangled in this. It’s too dangerous.”

The place he was headed to was one of the worst in the galaxies. Only the dredges of society ventured there. He wasn’t coming out of that alive, so he couldn’t risk someone as delicate as she.

“Allow? I’m a Protectorate free citizen and a priestess. You don’t have a say in what I do.”

Had he heard correctly? Had she actually challenged him? “I do. In military matters, I make all the decisions. There’s nothing you can do, Priestess Tha-lah,” he said, backing her up against the wall and then caging her between his arms.

“Oh, but that’s where you’re wrong, warrior. You see,” she paused dramatically, “I’m a wandering priestess.”

He closed his eyes, avoiding her amused stare. Of all the people in the galaxies, she was the only one exempted from the law. Technically, Groo’lat wasn’t on board a ship. He was inside a temple. Frackk him.

Groo’lat had no other choice but to grudgingly agree to her terms. Tha-lah wouldn’t relinquish complete control, but agreed to share command. He’d never met such an outspoken Trac’xian female.

Usually, they assumed a submissive role. He found himself thinking if things were different, he might try to seduce her. Their verbal sparring stirred some basic urges. Having his cock inside that argumentative mouth would surely silence her.

“Tread carefully, priestess. You don’t want to cross me,” he breathed, his face barely an inch away from hers. The show of force failed when she rested her hands against his chest, spreading her fingers. Groo’lat pushed away, confused by the sudden need to take her.

That could never happen again. He refused to give another female that much power over him. Luckily, she was a frackking priestess. If not, he might offer her a contract she might never forget. Groo’lat was no slacker with females. Sometimes he sparred with five of them. Elite warriors loved combat and sex.

* * * *

“May I ask what you are doing with my systems, warrior?” the AI asked after the priestess had gone to sleep.

Groo’lat’s measures were intended to spare her in case he failed. If he was captured, it had orders to leave him behind. If the ship was captured, then she was better off dead.

“I’m just making sure they’re in working order,” he said evasively while reprogramming the environmental systems.

“I am fully operational. Why are you programming life support to dispense lethal gas?”

The damned AI was too inquisitive for its own good, but for his plan to work he needed someone intelligent to carry out his instructions. He outlined the reasons for his modifications, citing Protectorate laws justifying his decision.

“Understood. You have programmed the air filtering system to distribute deadly gas in the event of capture.”

The Badlands was a lawless place, and Tha-lah wouldn’t stand a chance of surviving there. It was the only compassionate thing he could do to protect her.

Why had she insisted on taking the path to damnation with him? Death was a reality for which a warrior prepared all his life for. Some challenged it by taking on dangerous missions. It was said the closer a warrior got to death, the sharper his senses became. He was prepared to die, but was he ready to forfeit her life?

Chapter Six

The Priestess and the Kreeh-nosh

“You have a saved holo-vid message. It was programmed to play a couple hours after departure,” the AI explained.

Since they’d been busy saving the warrior, it’d been placed on hold. “Play it.”

Tha-lah had no idea who it could be from. Maybe the seller wanted to give her special instructions, or it was a routine security message.

“Tha-lah, my sister, I wish you much health and peace in your journey.”

Fih’rra went on to describe how she’d hidden her tri’lu inside the shuttle. The Labonian who’d sold her the ship was her lover. He’d told her about a secret compartment next to the command chair.

“I’m happy to hand over the stone to you, my sister. My lover and I’ll be married soon, and our business is booming. So you see, it’s the goddess’ will you take the stone to Glaxia Prime. In her wisdom, we all thrive.”

She found the warrior asleep in the control room. The stubborn male thought he was well enough to go on a mission. Thank the holy one his body knew better by shutting itself down in a restorative slumber.

Tha-lah went on her hands and knees, feeling the edges of the metal plates. It was a simple push and release door, which opened with a loud
click
. Her gaze darted nervously back at his handsome face. He was still sleeping soundly.

She reached inside and closed her fingers around a metal box similar to the one she’d given Briq. Would she be able to channel its power? A tri’lu stone was matched to a novice, according to their energy signature. They worked together using bio-harmonic resonance.

Her hand trembled as she opened it, and she looked at the beautiful gem inside. She’d keep it with her and await divine insight.
Thank
you,
Fih’rra. Goddess permitting your stone will bless many.

Tha-lah returned to her room and then crawled onto the small sleeping platform. She dreamt of faraway places and a strong, sad warrior with a broken heart.

* * * *

Sometime later the AI bleeped again with an incoming message in real time.

“The Protectorate ship,
Toq’
ma’lal
, is hailing us.”

Had she heard correctly? Was the flagship really out there? “AI, is our guest still at command?” She should find a way to change the voice settings and maybe call it Light. AI was so impersonal.

It emitted a series of beeps before answering. “Warrior Groo’lat is at main control. Breathing patterns suggest he is asleep. Should I wake him?”

“Negative. Run a scan and confirm ship’s ID code.” One of her regular clients had told her once that pirates and mercs often used fake ID codes to fool travelers.

“Identity confirmed. Flagship
Toq’ma’lal
is waiting for our response.”

“Activate holo-vid.” She straightened her robe and smoothed her hair, making sure she was presentable. A priestess should always look clean and serene even when her heart pounded.

“Trac’xian female, power down your engines and prepare to be boarded.” The order was issued without any preamble.

Escaping never entered her mind. Even at full speed, she couldn’t outrun them.

“Briq?” Tha-lah exclaimed, recognizing her benefactor. “I’m truly overjoyed our paths have crossed once again.” Meeting him out there was no coincidence, but the all- knowing plan. He was a gentle male despite his fearsome exterior. What was he doing on board the ship, wearing a bio-suit?

“Tha-lah, what’s the meaning of this? Why are you traveling with an injured warrior?”

She knew sooner or later he’d ask her about Groo’lat. The
Toq-
ma’lal
sensors were among the most sophisticated in the armada. Rumor had it they could pick up any life sign two sectors away.

“It’s a long story. Permission to come on board so we can speak.” Of all the people in the galaxies, she was glad it was he she’d bumped into. He had a strong sense of integrity and fairness.

“Request granted. An escort will bring you to my quarters.”

Just as she’d thought. There was more to him than met the eye.

She found out later he’d been, in fact, one of the Protectorate’s most decorated officers. His valor and strength were legendary. The Kreeh-nosh had captured and experimented on him. Briq had escaped, turning the tables, waging a relentless war against them ever since.