The Chalice (17 page)

Anne hunkered down next to Um e. “I would guess we’re running away.”

Her thoughts as well! A small hope wriggled its way through her brain cells. She bolted to a sitting position, heart racing. Maybe the U.S. Government was ontheir tail! Maybe they were going to be rescued! Reality hit with a resoundingthum p. Dum bass!

She flopped back down. The hum an race hadn’t developed interstellar travelyet— at least not that she knew of. But who knew how long they’d been in thepseudo toilets? If it’d been a long time, why would they be searching now? Wemight just be a dot of forgotten information on a crashed data bank. Could a

thousand young women just disappear without someone asking questions?

“So what’re we running from ?” she grumped. “Leastways they could tell us

that.”

“Perhaps you’ve forgotten we can’t comm unicate yet.” Anne picked at a hangnail, finally biting at the sliver of skin. “I used to have my nails done once a week,” she groaned, scrutinizing her fingertips critically. “I loved having pretty hands. But none of my acrylics survived the goop in the transport cage.” She shuddered at the m emory. “Still makes me nauseous.”

The viewing screen in the com munal cham ber was silent. Frustrated, Karaslipped from  the bed and tiptoed through the crush of females, heading to the exitpanel. “I’m  bored and when I get bored, I get hungry. Right now, I’m  bored andhungry.”

“You think it’s safe to go out there?” Dread pushed her way through. “Maybe they’re all dead and we’re flying through the universe with no one to navigate— forever lost. We’ll probably run out of food and fuel. Might even have to resort to cannibalism  to survive.”

Kara ground her teeth. Eating people! Just like Dread to come up with the

worst case scenario. “Oh, for God’s sake! Are you ever optim istic?”

Dread snorted. “Tell m e one thing about this whole frickin’ nightmare that’s

even a tiny bit optim istic and I’ll shut up for the rest of the day.”

“You’re still alive— now shut up!”

The panel slid open. With as much enthusiasm  as the proverbial sacrificiallam b, she leaned out, taking a careful look around the perimeter. Stools, tables,benches. Green marbled walls. Otherwise em pty, nothing had changed since theysought refuge in the sleeping cham ber. Everything looked normal— sort of.

“I think its okay.” She headed to the food service equipm ent, stomach

rumbling in anticipation. The sensors picked up her approach. A few clanks and zings and the magical kitchen began the process of preparation. Delicious sm ells wafted from  the shuttered sideboards causing her stomach to growl even louder. In less time than it took to walk across the room, steam  hissed from  the equipm ent.

W ith the com pulsion of a flock of excited banty hens, the girls rushed forward,chattering and exclaiming about the long wait, how m uch life sucked right now,the breeders, the food—too much to com prehend. She opened a cubbyhole andselected a plate laden with a selection of green, blue and red item s, and a smallserving of those bread things. She snatched a second piece from  another plate.

“Hey!” Dread grabbed at the tidbit. “That’s m ine.”

Kara popped the m orsel in her mouth, grinning as she chewed. “Tastes pwetty

good,” she mum bled around the food. “You thood have som e.”

The bread disappeared from  her plate. “Thanks. I think I will,” Dread snickered.

“Watch your back next time.”

She found a seat, ignoring the black woman. Hanna, Ume and Anne grouped

around her. My ladies in waiting! She glanced at Dread. And the wicked witch!

“We need to get out there and see what’s going on.” She tasted a green slimy

thing and spit it out. “Don’t eat those. Tastes like boiled worm s.”

“How do you suggest we do that?” Anne picked at her food, pushing it around her plate and sam pling the more appealing scraps. “In case you haven’t paid attention, the entryway to the outside hallway is triggered by those wristbands the breeders wear. I watched and they swipe them  across the panel. Those wristbands are interconnected to the entire com  system  and I betting just about everything else on this ship as well.”

“W hy didn’t I notice that?” Dread slurped a long red bean thing, flipping pink

juice on Kara’s arm .

Scowling, she swiped at the offending blot, flicking the moisture on the black

woman’s leg.

Anne’s eyebrows drew together. A slim  elegant hand slapped the table. “W illyou two pay attention and quit harassing each other? We’ve got more im portantthings to think about.”

Kara sat back, crossing her arms. “Such as?”

“Such as finding out what’s going on. We should’ve heard something by now.”

Leaning forward, big Hanna rested her elbows on the table. “I tink ve should

take a breeder’s wristband and then go see vat is happening.”

Kara’s eyes perused the room . “W hich breeder? The one that isn’t here?”

“She’s right,” Ume said, straight hair bobbing in agreement. “But we need a diversion. Once inside, we can take him  down and rem ove the wristband.” She shrugged slender shoulders. “Sim ple and effective.”

The idea had merit, but not without problem s. “I’ve noticed they m ove in

packs, like wolves. Haven’t seen just one yet.”

“Don’t you get it?” Dread’s voice rippled with excitement. “Right now they’re focused on something other than us. Something way more im portant. It’s the perfect time to strike. They won’t want to divert available manpower to som ething they’ll consider trivial.”

“But vat if they send the huge one?” Hanna’s eyes rounded in worry. “He vill

be hard to take down, even vith all of us.”

That definitely was a major problem . Tegan wouldn’t come. He’d be too busydoing whatever they were doing and the huge breeder was always one stepbehind. She for one didn’t want to tangle with scary bodyguard.

“They won’t send him . They’ll send someone else,” she stated with as m uch conviction as she could. “I’m  guessing they’ll send one of the guys who wear the little shoulder scarves. They’re not like the others. Less physical. Maybe they’re like servants or something.”

“I could take vun of dos down.” Hanna grinned, eyes twinkling. “You just let

me.”

The strategy developed, growing by leaps and bounds. “Okay, here’s what

we’re going to do.”

****

Tegan paced the bridge, alternating between the navigation charts and theviewing screen. The single blip was now on a parallel course to the Seeker’s path,staying just outside their firing range. He scrutinized the grid. Still no sign ofanother Deg’Nara ship. Just this one. Watching and waiting.

According to Vaux’s calculations, the small craft’s fuel load should be runninglow. But those calculations were based on the data they’d gathered about the Stingers previous to the great sleep. There was nothing in their current databanks to indicate how m uch the Stingers m ight have advanced since the purge.

To further their advantage, he ordered the crew to push the Seekers hard,hoping to burn out even m ore of the Stinger’s energy resources. Just a little m oretime and they’d be out of range. He scratched his chin, half-listening to the comchatter. By now, the Stinger’s crew would’ve contacted the Deg’Nara’s centralcore and reinforcements launched. He experienced a tiny flicker of despair,thoughts dark, riotous. He couldn’t bear the thought of now failing when theywere so close.

“Lord Tegan,” Branos said. “There’s trouble in the women’s quarters.”

His head jerked, glaring at the young male. “W hat trouble is this?”

“As instructed, I’ve monitored their com munications with the other Seeker ship and kept in constant contact through the image projections.” He gulped, as if forcing the words. “They were eating and then they began scream ing and falling down. Some appeared to be having convulsions and I…I fear several might be dead.”

His heart thrum med, his stomach tensed. Dead? Dying? Their Chalices—theirhoped for future! “Get down there and see if you can help. Report backim mediately.”

Branos rushed towards the entrance, only to be shoved out of the way by the

huge form  of Mordaq. “I’ll go,” he ground out. “Branos is needed here.”

****

Hanna balanced on a bench near the entryway, ready to pounce the minutethe breeder rushed in. I hope this works, Kara thought, or we’re in som e serioustrouble.

The girls kept up the charade, screaming and moaning, and for the most part,overacting. Some were on the floor clutching their stomachs and wailing whileothers staggered in circles like a bunch of Saturday night drunks on a two weekbender.

“Do you really think they’ll fall for this?” Anne reclined on the floor pretending

to be dead.

“They won’t if our dead girls keep talking.” Kara fell to her knees, sobbing as

loud as she could. Very professional if I do say so myself!

The panel slid open and a large figure rushed into the room . With onebounding leap, Hanna landed astride the breeder’s back. In concert with the bigwoman, Um e erupted, kicking out and landing a solid crunch on the knee of theinvading male, effectively tripping him .

Kara caught a glimpse of the guy’s face as he grunted and fell forward— toolate to stop the im pending debacle. It was the huge bodyguard! All three hundredpounds of him ! They were so screwed!

He fell forward, roaring with the force of an enraged lion, but with a speedunheard of in a male his size, he rolled, at the sam e time pinning the luckless Hanna beneath him . He hand came up ready to mete out punishment when— hefroze. His shocked eyes flared, locked with the equally shocked gaze of the big

woman. And then he did the unbelievable. The huge hand drifted down, fingers curling in the tawny locks of hair, stroking and caressing. A growling rum ble echoed from  the massive chest. Hungrily, his eyes devoured her, like a starving

man hypnotized by the sight of a well-prepared feast.

Kara started forward, only to be halted by Anne’s hand. She put a finger to her

lips. Okay, so we wait.

Hanna reached up, cradling the bodyguard’s face between her hands. A look ofcalm  acceptance and yearning spread across her features. She pulled him  down ina lip-licking, tongue sharing embrace so hot Kara felt the waves of sexual heat.

Dumfounded, her mouth fell open, unable to com prehend the sight before her.

“W hat the f…,” Dread breathed, eyes bugging out.

Oblivious to the watchers, the huge breeder deepened the kiss, at the sam etime the muscular hips worked between Hanna’s legs, pumping against the softspread of her well-shaped thighs.

Kara felt her face flush. “Somebody needs to get a room,” she m uttered,

em barrassed.

“Not exactly what we planned, but it seems to be working,” Anne m urmured.

His head dropped to Hanna’s neck, nuzzling and sucking, as he groaned withunrestrained passion. Huge hands m assaged the weighty breasts, lingering on thebudding nipples.

“I feel so violated.” Dread nudged Hanna’s foot with her toe.

Round eyes peeked over his massive shoulders. Eyebrows arching, Hanna

mouthed the word “go,” fluttering her fingers.

“Get the bracelet,” Anne hissed.

Ume lunged down and with a flip of her wrist, dislodged the band, scuttlingback out of reach but the lust-driven breeder paid her no m ore heed than hewould an annoying gnat.

“Go” Hanna m outhed again, fluttering her hands. “Go!”

Anne flashed the wristband at the panel and the door slid open. She fled out

the door with Um e and Dread hot on her heels.

Kara motioned to Leah. “Get them  back in the women’s quarters and staythere. If we don’t come back— do something,” she whispered, running behind theothers. The door slid shut with the merest whisper of sound.

****

Ashen-faced, lips trem bling, Branos coughed, saluting. “Sir,” he choked out. “Mordaq is assaulting one of the women--and four of the Chalices have escapedfrom  the female quarters,” he finished in a rush.

Tegan’s stom ach plum m eted, his thoughts churned. Mordaq assaulting afemale! It just wasn’t possible. And the fem ales were loose— roam ing the ship. “Bythe Gods,” he exclaim ed. “W hat nonsense is this?”

He rushed to Branos’ viewing monitor. Disbelieving, he gaped at the images,assim ilating the incom prehensible. Mordaq lay atop a woman, writhing andtwisting in unrestrained lust, forcing his passion on the female.

Gnashing his teeth, hands fisted, he watched, incredulous and shocked. Evenin the dark times, nothing prepared him  for such a horrendous betrayal. Of themall, Mordaq was the one he trusted most. To see him  thus refuted everything heknew about the Warrior. Shaken, his heart thrummed with pain. For hisdeplorable deed, Mordaq’s fate would be death and it would be his duty alone to

mete out punishment— a duty he would gladly give to another. The bleak thought

sickened him .

Mordaq rolled to the side and he caught a glim pse the female’s face, crim sonlips parted, bruised by the force of the bodyguard’s attack. Her smooth skinglowed, flushed with dewy drops of moisture. Spellbound, Tegan watched as sheopened dreamy eyes, gazing into the face above her. Fem inine fingers tangled inthe Warrior’s silver hair. A slow smile spread across her visage.