Alutia Rising, Anniversary Edition (Alutia Rising Series, Book 1) (39 page)

“Direct hit to sections seven and twelve!
Sending emergency engineering teams! Secondary explosions in
section one, three, eight, nine, ten...” Lieutenant Pablo screamed
the damage report as the Ero'Cia lost its GM field for an instant.
Daniel flew through the air to slam against the wall, somehow
landing on his feet as the gravity returned. He stumbled back to
his station, wiping the blood free from his eyes. Relief poured
over him as he found that they'd finally exited weapons
range...
it’s over.

“Com! Inform fleet we are taking command of
the 2
^nd
TSB battle group. Helm, 90 degree burn! Medical
team to the bridge! We have seriously wounded!” Captain Aysi
shouted, her voice unnatural, drained of all the expected emotion.
Daniel turned, wondering what would cause the change in the always
boisterous Captain Aysi.

Lying on the floor next to his station was
Executive Officer Geoff, having caught a piece of flying debris in
the side of his head, spilling its contents across the base of the
bridge.

Daniel turned from the horrid sight, catching
his breath and swallowing the rising bile. With trembling hands, he
started sending causality and damage requests to his array teams.
As he waited for their replies, he scanned the shambled mess of
starships being displayed on the bridges CID that had once been the
TSB Fleet, still shaken by the sight of the dead XO.

Eight of the sixteen TSB battleships had been
destroyed, while four more were heavily damaged, having fallen out
of formation. Sixteen cruisers had been destroyed, with ten more
being heavily damaged. Twenty-two corvettes were destroyed, ten
with minor damage. Fifty-six frigates, both EW and standard, were
destroyed, with another thirty damaged. Daniel shook his head in
disbelief at the level of destruction, before accessing the command
audio channel, hoping to hear the order to retreat, to stop this
useless charade.

“...repeat...all TSB starships immediately
commence 90 degree burn. Once turn is complete, prepare to
redeploy, next contact estimated in two hours....repeat...” Daniel
muted the channel and again glanced over his shoulder at the dead
XO, now being rushed from the bridge by a frantic medical team.

Fresh anger welled within him as he knew it
was only a matter of time till they all shared the same, useless
fate.

The black “coffin”, which Trent had learned
to be a type of unpowered transport shuttle, lowered slowly into
the empty recess within personal shuttle bay one. Trent took a deep
breath, hoping Taku had accomplished what he claimed he could,
falsifying the shuttle’s docking location sent to docking control,
and there wouldn't be an armed detachment rushing into the bay the
moment he exited the maintenance tunnel.

As Trent’s finger hovered over the releases
icon, the front of the shuttle slid open, revealing the form of a
woman. She wore a dark red and black jumpsuit, so tight he thought
it must be made of spandex, hugging her womanly curves to the point
of bursting. She stretched, carefully climbing free of the shuttle
while scanning the small bay. Finding it empty, she pulled off her
helmet, letting her long, silky black hair tumble free.

Trent froze, his heart trying to flee his
chest.
It’s her,
his mind screamed,
the woman from my
dreams!
He watched, mesmerized, as, like a lost child, she
wandered slowly towards the PDU in the center of the room, a subtle
hint of confusion in her darting eyes. Trent found himself locked
in place. He didn't know what to do. Fear had overtaken him.
Freezing his every muscle as a well of emotions exploded free of
his closed heart.

Nothing good has ever come from these
feelings
, he knew, calling forth memories of only pain and
betrayal.
Why not just stay here
, the words appeared from a
dark place within his heart,
just let this evil woman walk into
Sir Simwa's hands,
it urged, its whisper tempting.

“No,” the idea vanished alongside the word.
He had to protect her. He had to keep her safe. Away from Sir Simwa
and his men, no matter the hated feelings she caused to form within
him.

He struck the release icon, the access port
sliding open. Carefully, he pulled himself through, along with a
blinding cloud of grey dust. He clumsily grasped the ladder
extending down the wall before him, climbing down, stumbling to
regain his feet. He turned to the black haired beauty, forcing the
childish desire to flee from his mind, and smiled awkwardly. The
laser arc she had leveled on his chest, aiming directly for his
rapidly beating heart, clattered to the floor as she stared upon
him with utter disbelief.

“Trent?” she whispered, her voice like a
goddess whose words were never meant for mortal men to behold. It
took all his will not melt where he stood.

She knows me,
the knowledge made him
want to scream for all the world to hear. He rushed forward, not
really comprehending why, but knowing it the right thing to do. She
didn’t turn, didn’t flee, just continued to stare upon him,
beckoning him with her gaze. He slowed a half meter away, inching
closer and closer, until her breath caressed his lips, and her musk
tickled his nose. He stared into her emerald green eyes, finding
relief, and something else...something that made his mind go blank
and his chest ache for her tender touch.

A tiny animal with purple fur suddenly
crawled onto her shoulder with a squeak, reminding him of a
marmoset, but with six thin arms and four beady eyes, staring at
him curiously. He stared upon the unknown creature, his mind
clearing at the sight, then back to the woman who graced him with a
smile that would forever haunt his dreams. He was about to beg her
name, when a crash broke him free of his trance.

Shouts echoed from outside the door, many
feet shuffling past, heading from the hanger bay in the direction
of docking control. Trent grabbed the woman's hand and pulled her
towards the access port leading to the maintenance tunnels.

“Please be advised; escaping through the
maintenance tunnels will be a hindrance should you be discovered.
Risk of capture is significantly less if you proceed through the
TSB Earth Base’s primary hanger bay,” explained a monotone voice
that Trent found all too familiar. He spun, looking to the woman,
her gaze, though seductive, still locked in disbelief, then down to
the bronze sphere being projected a few centimeters above her
exotic bracelet, “Sir Simwa has seized control of TSB Earth Base in
the name of the NHA and contact with those loyal to him or his
cause is not recommended. Once retrieval and formal awarding of
Star of Terra is completed, it is advisable to flee TSB Earth Base
with all haste. Please proceed into the corridor and to the
transport tube station situated on the far side of the hanger bay,”
Trent stared at the sphere, uncertain if he should listen to its
suggestions. The woman, noticing his hesitation, placed a tender
hand on his cheek, turning him so as she could stare into his eyes.
He blushed furiously, placing a hand to his chest to keep his heart
from escaping.

“This is Vin, a Program,” her voice entranced
him, “it would be unwise for us to not heed its advice,” her words
calmed his fevered mind, even as they reverberated through his
aching heart. He nodded his understanding, fearful to speak, for
the words of his yearning may spill forth. When she removed her
hand from his cheek, his heart cried out at the loss of her touch.
But it again sang joyously when she grasped her hand in his, a
sense of relief coursing through his flesh while he guided her
towards the door.

Carefully, he peeked his head beyond, peering
down the corridor and finding it clear. He took a deep breath,
glancing back to the woman while tightening his grip, only to
almost collapse to the floor as she threw her hair back with a nod.
They dashed towards the open hanger bay door, bursting into the
enormous hanger bay.

Hand in hand, they sprinted to the nearest
stack of silver crates, kneeling between two. He pulled the woman
close, scanning their surroundings. The hanger bay appeared empty,
though it was hard to be certain with the silver crates stacked
randomly throughout, blocking his view. A gentle breath caressed
his neck, and he suddenly became acutely aware of the soft body
pressing against his. He felt himself push closer, the flowery
aroma, mixed with her feminine fragrance, rising from her flesh,
beckoning for his touch, threatening to drown his rational mind.
She gazed into his eyes questioningly, and he flushed, forcing an
embarrassed smiled.

What’s wrong with me,
he questioned,
this is totally unlike me,
he knew, hurrying out from
between the crates, weaving between the smaller stacks in the
direction of the next large pile about 25 meters away.

They paused briefly, scanning the area ahead,
before hastening to the next stack. Slowly, they made progress, and
when they were about halfway across the hanger bay, distant voices
touched his ear. Panicked, they rushed to nearest stake of crates,
only two high, finding a narrow crevice between that was completely
hidden. He forced the woman in first, then slipped in behind.

Trent's body pressed against her in the
narrow crevice, filling her mind with his earthy, but heady musk,
sending her heart aflutter. His arms somehow found space around
her, allowing him to draw her ever closer, making sure no matter
how hard she tried; she'd be unable to move, unable to escape his
grasp.

Her breath became rapid, almost matching the
frantic pace of her heart, while her skin began to burn, flushing
pure scarlet. Trent's cheek brushed against her ear and she found
that her arm had slid around his waist, allowing her to bury her
face in his neck. The voices came closer, partially masked by rapid
footfalls. Sasha tried to suppress the sound of her beating heart
that threatened to muffle all sound.

“...system made a mistake about where the
personal shuttle landed...no one knows if it’s a false
alarm...still wants us to search all 200 bays...it's going to
take...” the voices faded as the group rushed passed without pause.
Trent continued to hold her close, and Sasha found herself
unconsciously caressing his back, her mind lost in his
presence.

Trent, noticeably reluctant, pulled himself
away, but kept one arm around her waist while they wiggled free of
their hiding spot. Sasha glanced to his face, finding cheeks flush,
with a light covering of perspiration growing on his brow.
Unconsciously, she started studying his dust covered features,
noticing he looked slightly different, almost younger, then the man
she first beheld in the record so long ago.

Trent’s curly, dirty brown locks appeared
fuller, and the age lines, less pronounced. His skin, though
showing his tension, was smooth with none of the years of hardship
she had sensed before. His nose and ears seemed smaller, their size
more in line with his large, oval shaped head, while his jaw was
just as pronounced, masculine, as she remembered. His lips, which
he licked when her gaze touched them, were full and luscious, while
his hazel green eyes twinkled, though hid something dark deep
within.

Trent’s hand slid around the nape of her
neck, then down her arm to grasp her hand. Her heart skipped, a
shiver of pure pleasure moving in its wake. Terra purred loudly
from between her bosoms, sensing an unexpected emotion, or one she
convinced herself was unexpected, bursting forth to fill her every
pore.

Trent started forward, forcing Sasha to
tighten her grasp on his clammy hand, fearful of losing his touch.
She had no problem matching his speed as they hurried again across
the immense hanger bay, careful not to be seen as they scurried
between the stacks of crates.

After what felt like an eternity, they
finally arrived at a long run of adjacent doorways, which Sasha
assumed led to the transport tube station. As Trent peered through
a crack in-between two crates, Sasha unconsciously slipped her arm
around his waist, pushing her cheek into his. His warmth
transferred into her, coursing through her flesh to pierce her very
heart.

Trent tensed, but her light caress seemed to
place him at ease. He put his own arm around her in response. She
let her mind linger on the touch, ignoring the feelings growing
ever stronger within, before turning back to the task at hand.

When no one appeared, Trent started to pull
away, signaling that he was going first. A feeling of loss struck
her as he moved away, around the crates. But he paused, glancing
back at her, then his hand, before rushing back. With a strength
that felt like he was telling her he would never again let go, he
grasped her hand, signaling for her to follow. She could only nod,
her heart returning to her chest as an enormous sense of relief
washed over her.

Together, they ran to the doors, moving
adjacent to one that was partially open. Trent gradually leaned
forward, peering through the crack.

Two burly ex-TSB crewmen lounged in the
center of the lobby, their backs to the hanger bay door, playing
cards while occasionally glancing towards the circling transport
tubes. Trent turned back to the woman at his side, clenching his
teeth to help hold back the urge to embrace her, and made a gesture
that there were two people within and he would take them out with
his laser arc. She nodded, fear evident in her caring eyes, then,
as he was about to rush in, she pulled him back, forcing him to
muffle a grunt.

She gestured wildly with her hands, trying to
say something, but Trent couldn't understand. He stared into her
eyes, seeing a look...a look he would follow knowingly to his
death...that told to let her handle this. Reluctantly, he nodded,
trusting his life to this extraordinary beauty. She pointed at his
laser arc, then to his holster. After a second, he complied,
putting away the weapon.