Rebellion (A Titan Romance Book 1) (4 page)

A
kyra sat
in the commander’s seat of her vehicle, now with blaster shields down. The road diverted around the major town nearest Outpost Zebra, keeping the high ground, a testament to the growing threats of local infidels.

She and Polli watched the landscape morph in the final kilometers of their route from calico swirls of dry, ancient riverbeds and jagged mountains ripped from the crust of this planet’s violent geological past, to the black, glassy volcanic rock that became more predominate as the convoy gained elevation, until a section of the road needed to be carved right into the obsidian.

Raemus' winged escort stayed above them the whole way. Despite that, Akyra only sighed relief once the remaining two armored troop carriers passed under the massive gun turrets of the outpost’s main gate.

She and Polli removed their helmets at the same time.

Akyra looked up through the front windscreen to see four of the five Raptors move away from them unceremoniously.

“Banshees, this is Thunder Company escort. Welcome to our little slice of heaven. Chow hall opens at 15:30 local time. See you there.”

Akyra and Polli laughed together, Polli saying, “Did they just ask us out…
to chow
?”

Akyra opened up a map of the outpost on her forearm tapper for the umpteenth time. “Kinda sounded like it.” She looked up to the white hawk-like shapes of the Raptors gliding away toward their landing zone. “I think one of the Raptors is still with us.” She pushed her mic into place, “Thunder Leader, this is Banshee Leader Actual. If you don’t mind, we still have a job to do. I’d like a ground unit with us all the way to the labs. Can we see to that?”

Raemus' calm low voice answered. “Copy, captain. Park your vehicles where you’re at for the moment. I’m dropping my Raptor down right in front of you.”

Polli smiled at Akyra and winked, butting into the conversation, “Uh copy, captain. We’ll take all the beefy muscle we can get around us. Banshee Leader
Actual
, out.”

Clarx, the only other team member who would have been on the comm, howled with laughter behind them, his mic muted. Akyra shook her head at Polli, who just crossed the line.

Raemus' Raptor roared and made a furious dust cloud as it touched down in front of Akyra and Polli’s armored troop carrier. The two captains waved at each other from their seats.

“Do you think they’re short on women around here?” Polli said.

Akyra popped her seat harness and began collecting her gear. “Kinda get that impression. That hunky Titan captain kept staring at my stupid bloody nose the
whole time
.”

“I thought for sure he was gonna ask you to play doctor.”

“Cute. Some other time.
You
ladies do what you want to these poor soldiers. I need to stay in control of this contract.” She patted the Bio-Teck cube. “Then again, be careful, Sergeant Paxton. These guys are beasts.”

Polli smacked her cheeks. “Lucky us.”

Raemus and the six other Titans from his Raptor continued escorting Akyra’s Sec-Ops team on foot along the wide boulevards of the combat outpost. More than half of Akyra’s team stayed with the vehicles, under Valarae’s watch, restocking gear and securing barracks for the night.

Akyra apologized again for the request of extra security despite being inside the wall. Her orders clearly stated the delivery of the parcel to the Bio-Teck Laboratory required protective security by all means necessary.

“Don’t apologize, Captain Roux.” Raemus motioned to the cube floating atop the hover dolly between them, its enviro-controls unit floating in tandem. “That little item is a hot topic around here. I personally think you’re doing the right thing by keeping up security.”

“Well, if you know anything
I
should know,” Akyra said, “let’s have it. This morning’s ambush still has me on edge. Truth is, I have no idea what’s inside this little package. It wasn’t in my briefing, and I don’t like to ask too many questions.”

Akyra watched various soldiers and contractors—all human, all male—maneuver around their party, paying special attention to avoid Raemus and his towering Titans.

“Then again,” Akyra added, “when it comes to Bio-Teck wizardry, I’m happier not knowing. No offense.”

Raemus laughed. “None taken.”

Bio-Teck Laboratories occupied the upper floors of the Religious Oversight tower, a twenty-storied elliptical building standing at the center of the nearly five square kilometer outpost, its blue reflective skin shining so brilliantly Akyra struggled to count the drones orbiting its highest floors. Fifty meters away, one single entrance at its base gave access to the building, and Bin Ar-Drezar, the outpost’s Religious Officer, waited to meet them.

Akyra knew this man was Raemus' highest superior within twenty light years.

The intense blue building wasn’t particularly impressive compared to the might and glory Akyra saw around the galaxy, nor did Bin Ar-Drezar intimidate in his glittering robes as they approached him, but Akyra was
definitely
glad Raemus was with her. Not only was he a burly—extremely well-armed—escort, but he was her guide into this new place. Her peer by rank at least. His smile and friendly conversation, unreserved and kind, was a great comfort.

I like this Titan captain. Not that I’ve met any others. But it’s finally good to meet a kick-ass officer who doesn’t need to be a complete asshole to impress me.

From behind the massive Titan, Akyra imagined what he might look like without his battle armor.
They don’t sleep in their armor, do they?
Perhaps he has a dress uniform, too? Stretching over his broad shoulders. Pinned tight around his thick neck. Those arms would surely be a sight. The kind of powerful arms that might feel so warm and comforting wrapped around a girl. The kind of powerful arms that might feel best with no dress shirt at all. Naked. Pressing on naked skin. Pressing softly at first—

“Captain Roux!” Bin Ar-Drezar exclaimed as he reached out a hand. “Welcome! The Church is always happy to host such a competent, renowned Security Operations commander! Allow me to welcome you to Outpost Zebra.”

Akyra shook the Religious Officer’s soft, limp hand, noting not only his white painted face but also the ruddy discoloration running down from his eyes, the tell-tale signs of tears stained red from frequent use of the church sanctioned, mind-altering Ghula drug.

As Akyra saw it, ROs throughout the galaxy were of two kinds: either truly devoted servants, or attention-seeking workaholics. All of them, however, were bureaucrats right through their white, pasted faces to their fragile little bones.

No question which group this RO belongs to
, Akyra thought. She said with exaggerated reverence, “Thank you, your excellence. What lovely robes.”

Akyra signaled to Clarx, to whom she delegated the final, secure stages of the delivery, to continue leading a handful of her team into the building, while she managed the proper protocols required of meeting Bin Ar-Drezar. He was eager for the task. Everyone watched as the soldiers, their red armor contrasting against the brilliant blue of the building, disappeared inside with the floating Bio-Teck cube in tow.

Good riddance to that thing!

“Thank you, captain. We are deeply saddened by your run-in with those awful locals this morning. I heard you ordered Captain Raemus to destroy your third vehicle from the air? I’m
so
sorry. We
try
to see that every guest feels the protection of The Almighty.” He glanced to Raemus without expression.

“My team
and
your delivery are safe. We are grateful for Captain Raemus' intervention on your behalf.” She added diplomatically, “Of course, I don’t see any reason to report any oddities to my superiors on Dehlosse-5. Locals sometime get frisky.”

Bin Ar-Drezar lit up. “Such good news. Glory to the Almighty.”

Akyra became uncomfortably aware he
still
held her hand. “Glory to The Almighty.”

Akyra’s comm crackled. “Captain Roux, this is Nilsson.”

“Go ahead, Clarx.”

“Captain, you’re not going to believe this. The guys here at the labs are refusing the Bio-Teck cube.”

“What? That doesn’t make any sense.”

“I know. Guy says he knows it’s theirs, but he can’t accept it without his documentation in order.”

“And?”

“And his documentation isn’t in order.”

“Clarx, I gave you one fucking job.”

“I know, captain. Do you want to talk—“

“Yes, dammit! Find whoever is in charge up there, and give him your headset. Please don’t make me come up there. I will seriously kick your scrawny ass.”

“Captain?” Bin Ar-Drezar stepped up to Akyra, rubbing his fingertips together. “Is there an issue with the parcel?”

“No, there’s nothing wrong with the cube, your excellence. There might be something wrong with your Bio-Teck Labs, however.”

Akyra only needed to speak with the lab administrators for a minute before she knew something else was seriously screwy with this mission. The arrival of the cube and its contents was no secret to anyone at the lab. They knew it arrived today via a contracted Security Operations team from Dehlosse-5, but they were forbidden to accept anything into their consecrated labs without hard approval from off-planet church officials, which never came.

Akyra emphasized this last point to Bin Ar-Drezar, who seemed excessively embarrassed by the situation, insisting he could do nothing to change it for the moment.

“Clarx,” Akyra whispered, “get your team and the cube down here as soon as you can.” Akyra stepped in close to Raemus, almost leaning on his armor, shielding her words from Bin Ar-Drezar. “Keep your eyes open, Clarx. Come down a different way, if you can. Nothing about this is right.”

“Copy. On our way.”

“Captain?” Bin Ar-Drezar shuffled back into her line of sight. “If I may suggest a solution? My offices are perfectly capable of holding
our
parcel until our labs receive necessary approval, which will surely arrive by morning. It’s the least we could do after your long, difficult day.”

Akyra took a few deep breaths. There was something very wrong here. Her intuition shouted that there was a right and wrong decision to make
right now
. This wasn’t a combat situation—where she had a knack for quickly processing huge amounts of variables from multiple sources—but there
was
conflict in the air. In any normal situation, trusting a base’s Religious Officer was a no-brainer, even if he seemed a little vain and self-serving. But something else nagged her.

Shit. I need to make a decision. Now.

She glanced up to Raemus' face. He also seemed uneasy about the situation. And when he had her attention, he pulled in his lips and frowned. The only thing missing from his expression was a head shake.

Which he can’t do if he’s hiding his own distrust of Ar-Drezar!

“Your excellence, you’re too kind to offer. But the safety of the Bio-Teck cube is my responsibility. It’ll stay with my team in the barracks for the night.”

“Captain Roux! I can’t allow you to burden yourself any more! Absolutely not.”

“Forgive me, your excellence. I have a sanctioned contract with a church seal to complete. It doesn’t seem to be over.” Akyra turned to Raemus, who suppressed a grin. She said to him, “Captain Raemus, you are no longer needed to be our escort.” It pained her, saying this to the one person whom she felt safe with. In fact, his smile disappeared at her words, and his eyes almost blackened entirely. She added, “Whatever this is about, I feel it’s my responsibility to handle.”

“With all due respect, captain.” Raemus glanced coolly at Bin Ar-Drezar, who fiddled anxiously with a hem of his robe. “I wouldn’t leave your side even if you ordered me to.” He smiled again. “Which you can’t.”

Akyra’s heart jumped, and she let out the breath she held for too long.

Raemus nodded to her, his eyes already returning to normal.

Whatever was going on, from the mysterious ambush to these tangled bureaucracies, whatever was trying to foul up her mission, whatever was so ridiculously valuable about that fucking Bio-Teck cube, it was immediately clear that Raemus and Akyra were on the same team.

Thank The Almighty.