Worth Fighting For (Little Blue Book 1) (15 page)

“Yewma fell just right, to protect you,” Jeri said as she helped her up. “I was just around the corner when it blew. The corner acted as a cover, but it still knocked me back a bit.”

Juno looked and saw they were at a junction. She turned to look at the now blocked passage before them.

“Nahsee,” Juno called out, her voice rough from the heavy smoke.

Thick black smoke, piles of debris, and hanging wires blocked her view, but she heard the male answer back.

“I’m here. Are you all right? Where is Yewma?”

Juno heard him coughing.

Jeri answered him. “Juno’s fine. I’m with her. Yewma is trapped under a beam, and he’s unconscious.”

Juno heard the male curse. “Ok, you two need to go around, through the hangar passage, and cut across it.”

“Wait! We can’t just leave Yewma here,” Juno said angrily. “He’s vulnerable to fire and the smoke. And you didn’t answer my questions. Are you all right?”

“I’m trapped here, and the communications are down. You two go. Rescue crews will find us and help us.”

“Why can’t we just wait here with you and Yewma until rescue crews arrive?” As Juno asked, she looked around and noticed no one ran by their way. The halls were deserted, at least in this section.

The tone in Nahsee’s voice made her wince. He sounded like he was trying to reason with an unreasonable child.

“Listen carefully, Juno. You are the mate to the Advocate of Earth, the commander of this ship. You are the most important person to him, which makes you important to all of Earth, and in turn, this makes you the most important person in all four alliances. For him, you need to keep yourself safe. As for Yewma and myself, it is our honor to protect you. Please don’t make that honor be given in vain.”

Tears rolled down Juno’s face. That last part sounded like he was saying his final goodbye. Jeri pulled her away from them, and the further she got, the harder Juno cried. She didn’t want anyone to die because of her. She’d hardly gotten to know them, yet now they seemed to be such an important part of her life.

They reached one of the hangars, where there were scores of people scrambling about. Black soot marred the walls, and flames licked over the metal of burning shuttles and talons. The crews were frantic trying to extinguish them.

Jeri reached out and snagged the closest male and had no problems issuing orders for him to take two other males to go and rescue the two trapped guards. The male quickly glanced at Juno, then back at Jeri and nodded curtly. He called for two others, and they took off down the hall she and Jeri had just come.

“You should have asked for directions, before you sent him off,” Juno told her. “I recognize this as the hangar we arrived in … at least, I think it is…”

“I know where we are.” Jeri pulled Juno along the perimeter. “Sharrow let me see the schematics for the ship, and I started to memorize it. I don’t have it all, in detail, in my head, but I’m confident enough that I know where I’m going.”

Juno tried not to trip over hoses and mangled metal as they navigated the outskirts of the hangar.

After making their way down another maze of hallways, Juno was relieved when she recognized the door to her quarters. However, a Zori and two Malastant males she didn’t recognize stood in front of her door. She suddenly got an uneasy feeling about them. They turned her way, and started for them.

“Juno, run!” Jeri yanked her behind her, and took a defensive stance.

Juno looked around, but saw two other males advancing from behind them.

“Uh, I can’t. Two more coming from behind. What’s going on?”

“Hold right there, females. You both need to come with us. Come quietly so you will not get hurt,” one of them commanded.

Jeri pushed Juno down to the ground and pulled out a small laser pistol. “Stay down, and don’t move,” Jeri ordered her.

There was no mistaking that Jeri meant business, so without question or hesitation, Juno curled up in a ball, on her knees, with her hands over her head, and stayed put. She tensed and squeezed her eyes shut tight. She heard yelling and a rapid popping noise. Thuds and grunts added to the noises.

Juno yelped when something bumped her hip, and then again when something banged against her side.
Good thing my ribs are healed
, she thought.

A loud hissing noise filled the air, causing the hair on the back of her neck to prickle as it stood up on its end. Goosebumps ran down her spine. The crunch of grinding rocks followed. Sounds of panic filtered through the assembly of other sounds, and she felt the floor underneath her quake.

Juno jolted and yelped when something touched her shoulder. She looked up, through her arms, and saw Jeri, once again, standing over her, only this time there was no halo of sparks. She was covered in blood.
Eww! Gross.

“Let’s get in your quarters. Krog and Creeleek came to the rescue, and they’ll guard the door.”

Juno stayed mute as Jeri helped her to her feet. Her knees buckled when she saw all the puddles of blood, and bloody lumps that splattered on the floor and walls. The blood and chunks on the walls were dripping down them, and the metallic taste of blood was heavy in the air. The door to her room swished open, and Jeri rushed her inside, just getting her to the toilet in time for her to spew.

Her diaphragm locked in place, and Juno felt like she was going to pass out before it finally released, and she was able to breathe again, before her stomach pushed out more. Juno could barely walk. Her legs were still wobbly, so when she was done, Jeri helped her clean up, then helped her to her bed, where she collapsed.

Chapter Seventeen

“Someone turn that blasted alarm off!” Tasid shouted. It had been going nonstop for over ten minutes, and it wasn’t helping the situation. He looked over his screen of reports. Fires were being fought in the two hangars where two transports had exploded.
Definitely not an accident
. There were mass casualties and damage throughout the ship. Several of their talons were destroyed in those blasts, and they were under attack by enemy fighters from without.

“Sharrow, get those talons in the cargo holds flying,” he ordered roughly.

“I’ve been working on that since this whole thing started. The explosions inhibited access to them. The flyers have been working with the rest of the crew to free the talons. Our exterior defenses are holding. The enemy flyers seem to be focused more on everyone else
but
us.”

Sharrow suddenly growled loud enough to get the attention of the entire room.

“What is it?” Tasid asked.

Sharrow leveled a pointed look at him. “I can’t get a hold of Yewma or Nahsee. They reported they were heading back to your quarters, but after that last explosion, I haven’t been able to raise them.”

Tasid struggled to tap down the panic that threatened to rise.
Those are the males guarding Juno.

“Send Zada and Vessa to check the route they took, and send Krog and Creeleek to my quarters, in case they’re already there.”

“Sir, the humans’ old space station has been destroyed,” Qurriq reported in a level voice.

“Shit!” Errim cursed. “Good thing the crew was already transported off of it and onto the bigger one. But I know it meant a lot to them and they were looking forward to keeping it for historical purposes.”

A screen popped up, showing Pyx. “The fire in the first hangar bay has been extinguished. We are finally able to start bringing in the talons from the cargo hold.” He was dirty and had injuries, but sounded strong.

“Good, send anyone you can spare to the other hangar, to help put that one out as well. Those fires are our number one priority.”

“Already have, sir. I also wanted to tell you that three of my males were grabbed by your mate and another, and ordered to help two trapped males, Yewma and Nahsee.”

Alarm pinged through Tasid’s body, and he felt Sharrow suddenly by his side, looking over his shoulder at the head engineer.

“Where are the females?” Sharrow asked.

“I don’t know, but I believe they headed in the direction of their quarters. The two males were trapped in the hallway that originally led to them, so I believe they had to go through the hangar.”

Tasid felt Sharrow retreat back to his station, and knew he was going to try to locate them, so he questioned Pyx further.

“How are the males? Were they able to tell you anything?”

“No. Yewma was unconscious and trapped under a large beam. It took my males a bit of effort to free him. He is in critical condition. Zada and Vessa took him to medical while my males continue to try to free the other male, who is trapped on the other side of the debris. He has recently stopped talking to my males, and we fear for him.”

“Let me know as soon as you free him.”

“Yes, sir.”

The screen disappeared, and Tasid slammed his fist down on the arm of his seat in frustration.

Burren slightly turned in his chair towards Tasid. “Sir, the space station has successfully destroyed the Oblivion ships targeting them. They are sending their remaining flyers into the atmosphere, to assist Little Blue.”

“Good, let them know that once Little Blue is secured, only then can they send flyers to assist the moon station.”

“Yes, sir.” Burren turned back around.

“Skane, watch out for that floating debris from that destroyed satellite,” Qurriq called out.

“I am aware, thank you.”

Tasid continued to read over reports and send out orders. The moon base was under attack, his ship was under attack, and Little Blue was under severe attack, but as he looked at the information, something about the attacks caught his attention. They didn’t seem assertive enough.

“Sharrow, gather a team of flyers, I have a special mission I want them to do.”

“How many, and what is the mission?” he asked.

“Have them target each of the lead Oblivion ships, and tag them with a transmitter. Have the other flyers give them a diversion to cover them.”

Sharrow didn’t argue, which was a testament to how loyal his crew was. It was a suicide mission, since they were outgunned and outnumbered, but Tasid had a feeling it was necessary.

Tasid and everyone else in the room watched the battle on the screens, as the flyers flew their talons with fervor. The tension in the room grew, the longer the battle lasted. Some flyers were able to be rescued by other flyers, when their talons were destroyed, and others weren’t as fortunate.

Tasid hated this part of leadership the most. He was the one who had sent those males out there to their death. He wasn’t the one who pulled the trigger, but he felt like he was just as responsible.

Qurriq suddenly stated, “Sir, the Oblivion ships are jumping to warp.”

“Sir, the moon base reports that they are no longer under attack,” Burren informed him.

Tasid turned to Sharrow. “How many ships did the flyers tag?” he asked him.

“They just tagged the final ship, which just jumped to warp.”

“Burren, get Ambassador Jurresh. Mark our request urgent.”

The screen popped up in front of him, and his father’s face was serious. “What is your urgency?” he asked.

“I am unsure if you have been informed, but for over an hour now, we have been under attack by Oblivion ships. They concentrated their efforts on Earth. The last ship just jumped to warp, but we tagged them with transmitters.” Tasid typed in the frequencies of the transmitters and sent them to his father as he continued to report.

“We are unable to follow,” Tasid finished.

“Say no more, I’ll send ships. I’ll keep you informed,” his father said with serious urgency. Then the communication was disconnected.

“Tasid,” Sharrow said, looking up at him. “Zada sent a message a while ago, reporting that Juno is safe in your quarters, but that he wishes to speak with both of us as soon as we have a moment.”

Tasid heard the strain of concern in Sharrow’s voice. He heard it, because he felt it, too. He turned to Errim.

“Take over. Everyone is to be on clean-up. And split the flyers into groups. I want them running patrols, in shifts, so they can be adequately rested in case of another attack.”

“I’ll handle it,” said Errim.

Tasid nodded as he stood. “Thank you. I’ll check on Benny for you.” He saw relief cross Errim’s face.

“Thank you.”

Tasid and Sharrow left the command deck and started down the hall. As they neared, the first thing he noticed was the stench of blood right before he turned down the hall where his quarters were located. Once he turned the corner, he then noticed large amounts of blood and gore lining the floor and walls, and Krog and Creeleek, who were actively guarding the door on high alert. Zada was slowly removing the blood with a small scanner usually used for teeth.

“What happened?” both Tasid and Sharrow said at the same time.

Tasid growled at the male. “You said she was all right. Did you lie?”

Zada jumped up. “From what I was able to find out, so far —”

Tasid listened to Zada reporting about the blast and the injured guards. He felt his blood drain from his face. Then Creeleek climbed down the wall with a speed and grace Tasid almost envied, to continue the report.

“We arrived to see three males fighting with Jeri. She had already killed two, so we quickly dispatched the rest. Krog’s protective instincts kicked in a bit strong, and he won’t allow anyone but you to enter, until you say otherwise. Jeri is with her. She was unharmed, but the sight of this filth made Juno ill. That is why Zada is attempting to clean it up with the only thing available to him for the time being.”

Sharrow roared and stomped towards the door to Tasid’s quarters. Krog reared up, and roared back. Tasid had known Sharrow for a long time, and knew just how formidable the male was, but no one crossed a Craigor in protective overload and won. Sharrow smartly backed up, but growled in frustration while doing so.

“Move! I need to see my mate, and you can see Tasid is right here,” Sharrow growled out angrily.

Tasid could see it peeved Sharrow off that Krog looked to him first, for permission. Tasid was just as anxious to see his mate, so he nodded his head, and Krog stepped aside. The door swished open. Juno looked up from where she was lying on the bed, and saw him as he entered.

“Tasid!” Her voice sounded relieved, and she leaped up and ran to him. Tasid eagerly opened his arms and picked her up, burying his face in her neck.

Tasid didn’t realize just how much he missed his mate until he had her in his arms. His breathing was labored, his chest ached, his eyes prickled with tears, and his muscles shook. He knew he needed to check her for injuries, but he was fighting hard enough not to fall onto the floor with relief now that she was safe in his arms.

His ears picked up Juno’s muffled voice.

“I’m so glad you are all right. I was so scared they went after you, too.”

Tasid regained his senses, and the need to check her for injuries overcame him. He placed her down and squatted down in front of her. His eyes were wide open as he darted his head side to side, scanning her body, looking for any more injuries. He touched her on her shoulders, slightly lifted her arms, pulled at one side of her waist to turn her, and patted her down.

“Are you hurt anywhere?” he asked. “Are you feeling any pain? Do you need a physician?”

“No, I’m fine,” she answered quietly, but Tasid didn’t believe her.

“Jeri is hurt,” Sharrow said angrily.

“No, I’m fine. They’re just minor bruises,” Jeri insisted, giving him an irritated look.

“We should take them both to medical,” Tasid told him.

“Really, we’re fine,” Juno tried telling them, but Tasid wanted to be sure.

“Hey! Put me down, you giant barbarian.” Jeri struggled in Sharrow’s arms as he picked her up.

“I’ll lead the way,” Sharrow told him.

Tasid ignored Juno’s irritated huff as he lifted her into his arms once again. He wrapped his guardian wings around her, as Sharrow did Jeri, and they both exited his quarters. Krog, Creeleek, and Zada followed directly behind.

“Are they injured?” Zada asked, worry clear in his voice.

“No,” Jeri answered.

“Yes,” Sharrow answered at the same time Jeri did.

“Maybe,” Tasid had said at the same time.

Tasid bit back an agitated growl. It would have been comical, if the situation wasn’t so serious.

“We’re taking them to medical to have them checked out to make certain. Have you seen Benny?” Tasid asked. “I promised Errim I would check on her.”

Zada’s face turned from worry to remorse. He lightly cursed. “I’m sorry, I thought you knew. When Vessa and I took in Yewma, Benny was brought in shortly after. They were still working on her when I left. She was in serious condition, and they were concerned about losing her.”

Tasid felt Juno still in his arms, and Jeri stopped struggling, too. Sick dread filled his gut, and it twisted tight.

Tasid was careful where he stepped as they made their way through the halls. The ship was in worse shape than he thought. There were tubes and lines hanging down from panels that were blown out in the ceiling and from the walls. Some sparked, while others buzzed. Burn marks marred the panels in places, and there was debris in spots on the floor.

“How is Yewma?” he asked.

“He should survive, but they were concerned about his head injury. I had Vessa stay with him, and I left before I learned anything more. I was still needed to help free Nahsee. They had him freed by the time I got there, but he was severely burned and unconscious. I couldn’t stay to see to his wellbeing. I sent the others on to medical with him, and I hurried to your quarters to check on Juno.”

Tasid felt Juno’s body shake just a little. He heard her silent sobs. Tasid trilled to her and rubbed her back.

“Calm, little mate, everything will turn out for the good.”

They finally reached the level medical was on, but the halls were packed with the injured, and medics and volunteers helping them. Most of the volunteers were the females.

Tasid recognized Kaycee handing out drinks to some of the patients. Her red, puffy eyes looked their way and spotted them. Her face crumpled, and tears fell down her cheeks. She left her things on the cart and ran towards them. Tasid let Juno down and opened his wings to let her out. Sharrow did the same, and the three females entangled their arms around each other.

Tasid’s anxiety grew as he helplessly watched his mate cry. Each tear and sob tore at his heart.
This is why mates are not taken off-planet. How can dignitaries who live off-world deal with this?

Tasid hovered close behind, as did Sharrow. It was unusual to see the normally gruff male fretful. They listened as Kaycee began to tell them what had happened.