Star's Storm: Lords of Kassis Book 2 (11 page)

Jarmen lifted his head and walked silently
back down to the prison cell holding Jazin. His thoughts turned to
a time when it had been him in such a place. His torture had been
different. His tormentors had been the scientists experimenting on
ways to create the ultimate warrior. They had succeeded to a
certain extent. His body and mind were that of the perfect warrior.
He could move, think, and kill faster than any other. The one thing
they failed to do, though, was eliminate his conscious, no matter
how many times they tried.

Jazin had discovered information about the
illegal research facility from a drunken guard on leave. The man
had a video chip of some of the experiments. He swore it was the
only thing that kept him alive. The man told Jazin that other
guards who decided to leave the research facility would disappeared
only to later become one of the casualties of the researcher's
experiments. He was determined he wouldn’t end up becoming a
monster like what the doctors had created or dead like some of the
other guards he had known. He had shown Jazin the disk. Jarmen had
been the monster they had been working on at the time. A fortnight
later, Jazin and a small group of his elite guards had entered the
facility determined to shut it down. The battle had been brief but
deadly. The researchers had ordered all experiments to be
terminated immediately if the facility was breached. Jarmen wasn’t
sure how many there had actually been but he knew he was one of the
few to have survived from the records he had been able to hack into
before the files were destroyed. He had been severely wounded by
the guards. It had been Jazin who had saved him and taken him to
the small isolated planet he now called his own. He had built a
home and research lab of his own and only communicated with the
young Kassisan prince who kept his existence a secret. He owed
Jazin his life and more.

Jarmen had breathed a sigh of relief that
Tai Tek had been called away. It would appear the elusive group of
alien warriors he was trying to deal with wanted to meet with him
and see what he had to offer in person. Jarmen could only hope they
would take one look at the councilman and slit his throat but he
didn’t hold too much hope for that simple of a solution. Still,
this would give Jazin a day or two to recover before he was
subjected to more torture. Jarmen had weakened several links on the
chain to make it appear the links gave out from the weights
attached and not through the help of someone. He did not want to
give the bastard any more warning of the impending invasion than
necessary. He opened the door to the Jazin’s prison cell, stepped
in and shut it quietly behind him.

“Either an apparition with glowing amber
eyes just walked into my cell or the Gods have sent me a savior,” a
hoarse whisper sounded in the darkness.

Jarmen grinned and lifted the cloak from his
head. His dark amber eyes glowed with an eerie light in the
darkness. “Neither, my friend. Just a monster to keep you
company.”

Jazin’s dry chuckle hurt so much he drew in
a breath until the pain faded. “Don’t make me laugh, Jar. It hurts
too damn much.”

Jarmen moved silently closer to where Jazin
was sitting up against the back wall. He held out a small container
of water and a power vitamin. He turned and sank down on the cold
floor next to his friend. He didn’t say anything for several
minutes while Jazin drank the water and took the small capsule.

“So, what’s the plan? How did you know where
I was?” Jazin asked in a slightly stronger voice. “And do you have
any more pain patches? I hurt so bad I can hardly think.”

Jarmen looked at the torn flesh on his
friend’s shoulder and felt bad he couldn’t have sneaked a regen bed
or something in. Instead, he pulled several patches out of his
pocket and handed them to Jazin who placed one on his neck with a
sigh of relief. Jarmen watched as the tension slowly ebbed out of
Jazin’s face as the medicine took the edge off.

“I was contacted by a friend of yours. She
told me that you lived and needed help,” Jar answered in a rusty
voice.

Jazin’s head jerked up and he stared at his
quiet friend intently. “Who?” He demanded in a harsh whisper.

“A female named Madas Tal Mod. She said she
had a dream,” Jar said, handing Jazin an energy bar. “Eat. You will
need your strength. She said she is bringing the fiercest warrior
in Kassis to save you.”

“The fiercest warrior in Kassis?” Jazin said
with a frown of confusion. “Torak or my father?”

“I do not know. She just said the fiercest
warrior in Kassis. She said the Gods sent the warrior to help you,”
Jarmen said resting his head back and looking around the ragged
rocky surface. “My prison was bad but at least it had a cleansing
room and bed,” he commented in reflection.

The energy bar hovered halfway to Jazin’s
suddenly dry mouth. His throat closed as Jarmen’s words replayed in
his mind over and over. The warrior sent by the Gods. The fiercest
warrior in Kassis. Star.

His hand fell weakly to his side. “Stop
them. Tell them to leave me here. Contact them and tell them
whatever you have to but make sure they do…. not…. come…. here!”
Jazin bit out savagely. “Now! Before it is too late.”

Jarmen turned to look at Jazin puzzled. “It
is already too late. I have been monitoring the star ship we
modified. They are not only on the surface of the planet, but at
least three of them have disembarked from it. I do not know their
location at this moment. They do not have a communications device
activated.”

“Damn you,” Jazin cursed trying to stand
weakly. “You have to find her. You have to stop her before she gets
herself captured or killed.”

“Who?” Jarmen asked puzzled.

The huge Tearnat looked more than capable
of protecting herself,
Jarmen thought in confusion. He rose and
grabbed hold of Jazin’s arm when he staggered drunkenly.

“Star!” Jazin hissed in frustration and
fear. “My mate! Star is the warrior Madas was talking about, not my
brother, father, or warriors. She is sending Star in. I’m going to
kill that lizard if anything happens to my mate,” he vowed, shaking
off Jarmen's hand as he tried to make his way to the door.

He had only walked a couple of steps before
his legs gave out on him and he sank to his knees. His fists
pounded weakly into the cold, hard floor in rage and helplessness.
He couldn’t even walk much less fight, how was he supposed to stop
his mate from trying to rescue him. It was a suicide mission.

“I will do what I can,” Jarmen said helping
Jazin back up and gently settling him back against the wall.

“I won’t last another beating,” Jazin said
in a tired, dead voice. “It is better for her to leave me. I can’t
even walk. There is no way I can make it out of here without
getting her killed.”

“You are not alone. With help, we will get
you out,” Jarmen said stubbornly. “You made me believe in you. Now
it is time for you to believe in me,” the normally calm voice
sounded harsher, gruffer than Jazin had ever heard it before.

“I can’t lose her,” Jazin said quietly. “If
Tai Tek gets his hands on her, I would give him anything he wanted.
Even then, he would still kill her. You have to promise me....,” he
said swallowing the bile that rose in his throat. “You have to
promise me that you will protect her with your life and,” he paused
again as his throat tightened in grief. “You have to promise if she
is captured you will kill her swiftly before Tai Tek can harm her.
I won’t let him torture her.”

Jarmen frowned as he watched the emotions
flickering over Jazin’s face. “You would have me kill your mate if
she is captured?” He asked in a tight voice.

“Yes,” Jazin responded softly. “You’ve read
the reports of what Tai Tek has done to other females. I… won’t let
that happen to my Star.”

Jarmen’s mind brought up the reports he had
downloaded from Tai Tek’s personal files. That was another thing
they had worked on this last visit. It had taken Jarmen a while but
he had finally been able to hack into Tai Tek’s private accounts to
help locate him and determine what he was up to. In those files
were records of the hideous things the ex-councilman had done to
some of the women in his House.

“I promise,” Jarmen said reluctantly. “I
will not let your mate suffer.”

“Thank you,” Jazin said staring blindly up
at the ceiling. “Please keep her safe,” he whispered on a quiet
prayer.

Star leaned forward and wiped the sweat
beading on her forehead away against her sleeve as she balanced on
the narrow ledge she had stopped at to rest for a moment. She
looked up at the side of the cliff they were scaling. They were
almost to the top, thank goodness. They had landed a short distance
away not wanting to take a chance of being seen disembarking from
the star ship. It might be invisible to the eye but they were not.
She could tell Armet had fought a fierce battle with himself before
he gruffly told her she better not get hurt or he was going to
personally whip her ass. He had spoken quietly at length with Dakar
before he had glanced her way one more time before closing the
landing platform door. She and Madas had stood off to one side near
a small cluster of rocks while the two men hashed out whatever was
bothering them.

Star had been a nervous wreck while Madas
had just watched the exchange with a small grin on her thin lips.
“They will learn not to doubt you, little warrior,” Madas said
humorously.

“Yeah well, I think I have enough doubt for
all of us,” Star muttered as she looked down at her trembling
hands.

Madas tilted her head to one side and looked
carefully at her little friend. “Do you doubt you can get through
the vent?”

Star frowned and shook her head. “Of course
not,” she scowled.

“Then you doubt you can cross the wire,”
Madas said.

“That will be a piece of cake,” Star
scoffed, folding her arms across her chest and glaring at her
friend.

“Then you doubt that Jazin can be rescued,”
Madas suggested calmly.

Star’s frown turned to blazing rage and
defiance. “No,” she growled, letting her arms fall to her side
where her fists clenched. “I am going to bring him home no matter
what!”

“Then what is there to doubt?” Madas asked
gently.

Star opened her mouth and then closed it.
Her eyes gleamed in amusement when she realized Madas had been
tricking her out of her fear and insecurities; just like Walter
used to do all the time. Her friend was one very, very smart
lady.

Star chuckled softly. “Do you do this to
Gril?” She asked with a small grin.

“All the time,” Madas responded lightly.
“Come, let us begin our climb. If you need help, ask. I am a very,
very good climber.”

Over two hours later, Star stared up in envy
at the way Madas used her front claws as well as her tail to climb.
She could appreciate her friend’s offer to help but she felt a
sense of satisfaction at being able to hold her own. She looked
down to see how Dakar was doing. She could see the glisten of sweat
on his face and shoulders as he climbed just to the left of her. He
glanced up and stared at her for a moment before he nodded to let
her know he was doing alright.

“Are you doing well?” Dakar called up
softly.

Star nodded silently to show she heard him
and that she was fine before she turned her attention back to the
next and final climb to the top. She reached over, feeling for a
good grip. She felt along the narrow edge making sure she could
hold onto it before pulling herself up. She was just getting ready
to reach for the next hand hold when she heard Madas’ voice call
out in warning. Star had just enough time to see Madas jump to a
small ledge as several smaller rocks broke loose. What caught her
attention was the larger boulder that wobbled precariously before
shifting down ever so slightly. Star stared at it for a fraction of
a second before she realized that she had to move – and move fast.
She called out to Dakar in fear as the boulder shifted a little
more.

“Go,” he yelled out. “I’m clear of it.”

Star looked trying to see where she could go
even as more rocks fell, biting into her shoulders and choking her
with dust. About four feet from her was a small outcrop. The
problem was there was no foothold as the rock wall curved too far
under it. If she was able to jump to it, she would be dependent on
just the grip she had with her hands. Madas harsh hiss echoed
loudly as the boulder shifted again and began moving slowly at
first then faster. Star had no choice. It was either try for the
outcropping or fall to her death. Taking a deep breath, she focused
on the ledge imagining it was a bar being swung out for her to
catch. As both Madas and Dakar’s cries of horror resonated around
her, she pulled the imaged to her and jumped. She felt the strength
in her legs as the adrenaline flowed giving her the extra she
needed to reach out and grip the rocky surface. Her left hand
slipped but her right hand held until she found herself hanging
almost sixty meters in the air by one hand.

“Gods, no!” Dakar cried out harshly when he
saw Star’s tiny body dangling precariously.

Madas own strangled cry mixed with his.
“Hold on, little warrior,” she called down frantically, trying to
find a safe way back down.

“I’m fine,” Star called out as she swung her
left hand up and gripped the rocky ledge.

Using just her upper body strength, she
pulled herself up until she was able to get her foot onto the
ledge. Balancing on the tips of her toes, she swiveled around on
the narrow ledge and looked up at Madas with a grin. Her heart was
pounding like crazy but she felt more alive than she had since the
time she had done her first solo trapeze act.

Dakar’s oaths echoed as he began climbing
again until he was almost level with her. His dark face promised
Star he was not as excited about her little stunt as she had been.
She raised her eyebrow at him before turning back around and
studying the rock face again. The boulder incident turned out to be
a blessing. She saw it would actually be easier to climb up from
where she was at now than from where she had been before. Star
looked at the incident as a simple test, as Madas would say, by the
Gods to see if she was strong enough for what lay ahead of her.