Beast Planet 2: Captive Salvation (13 page)

The platform slowed and landed on a large open square, which I supposed would have been a lovely garden at some stage in the city’s history.

I sucked in a needed breath, letting it out slowly and trying to calm the rising nausea. Now was not a good time for morning sickness.

Releasing his grip around my waist, he snatched up my hand. I needed to jog to keep up with Morrdrook’s fast stride. Zakiu scrambled about. Although we’d planned for this contingency, the air was thick with a sense of panic.

“Shah!” Killiu and one of Morrdrook’s top military commanders came to a skidding halt in front of us. They bowed.

“Report!”

“There are three Druel battle cruisers, and one transport ship in orbit. Drones are already searching the surrounding areas. If they were able to lock on to our energy signatures as before, it won’t be long before they know we’re in the city. If they don’t already…” Commander Jurra’s face shadowed with dark rage. He had survived the first Druel onslaught. “The cities only have a light protective shield up.  It will not be able to withstand a full attack from three battle cruisers.”

“They are going to want the bulk of us alive for their twisted games,” added Killiu.

“How long before Galvan can activate the Guardian Shield?”

“Within the hour, all the other cities have finished installing their parts. Ours is the only one left.”

“Then we only have to wait out the hour. But we have to be ready just in case. I know they will also want all the impregnated human women and I won’t allow that to happen. Killiu, take Aunna and the other human women to the vault as we discussed. It is up to you to protect them.”

“What?” This was the first I’d heard of this. “No, I’m staying with you.”

The men turned their gaze to me. I swallowed under their angry gazes.

“With all due respect, my Shahess, you must protect your bud, the future ruler of Zakiu.” Jurra gestured towards my lower stomach. “Females do not fight in battles.”

I glared at Jurra, taking a step forward.

“My place is by my husband’s side, to do whatever is needed to win against the Druel.”

Morrdrook moved to stand in front of me and gripped my upper arms. I tilted my head back to meet his intense gaze.

“Aunna, I have never commanded anything of you that is not within reason. If anything happens to me, you are queen and everyone will look to you for leadership. Go with Killiu and the other women. Take them to the stasis vault, it is the safest place on the planet, even against the Druel. The other women will look up to you, so stay calm and help them through this.”

I pursed my lips, not liking this but I found myself sighing in acceptance. From his hard tone I knew I would not win this argument, not here.

“Alright, I’ll take the women down to the vault.” But that didn’t mean I would stay.

“Thank you, Aunna. All will be well, trust me.”

It wasn’t that I didn’t trust my husband. It was the Druel on our doorstep I didn’t trust.

“Quickly go change and I will see you when this is over.” He placed a swift kiss onto my lips and turned to walk away with Jurra.

“Our ships can’t match the power of the battle cruisers, so we’re going to have to rely on the fact they want most of us alive. I know it will come down to a ground fight…”

Morrdrook’s words trailed off as he turned and disappeared around the corner. A hand on my arm startled me.

“Shahess Anna, please hurry.”

I nodded, turning in the other direction to our chambers.

* * * *

“It’ll be alright. The Guardian Shield is almost ready, once it’s up and running we will be protected. No more Druel, no more aliens out to take what doesn’t belong to them.” I announced over the worried chatter of the women.

The men had come to drop off their women at the entrance of the tunnel that lead to the stasis chambers, kissing their tearful mates, before heading back out to take up stance against the Druel.

“Come on. Nothing can get beyond these walls, not even the Druel.”

The women, along with the Zakiu females were here, about a hundred in all. They walked through the large doors.

Rachel lingered at the back of the group, her pretty blue eyes filled with worry.

“What happens if one of our men gets killed?”

I put my arms around her shoulders, giving her a hug.

“Anything is possible, Rachel, but think about your man. He, along with all the other Zakiu are strong fighters, and they now have the added advantage of superior weapons. The city even has a shield over it to stop any bots getting through. Trust he’ll be back to get you real soon.”

She nodded, pulling from my embrace, and hurried through the door.

“That is everyone except Augurra, she and Galvan are mates and she refused to leave him.”

I knew the feeling. Everything in my mind and heart screamed at me to go back to him, and I was not going to ignore it. I’d done my duty and helped get the women to safety.

“Come, my Shahess, go through and I will lock the vault doors,” Killiu urged.

I took a step back. “Go ahead, but I’m not going in.”

“I thought you would resist. I admire you wanting to fight, but I have to do my job.”  Killiu stepped in to grip my wrist and drag me forward.

In a practiced move, I twisted my hand in a sweeping motion, breaking free of Killiu’s grip and darting backwards out of his reach. Killiu’s eyes widened in shock.

“And at the command of your Shahess, seal the vault. I’m not staying here. I hold you responsible for these women, but not me.”

“Anna, Morrdrook wants you to be safe.”

“My place is fighting at my husband’s side, not hiding away like a coward.” I turned and jogged back down the cavernous corridor. I took one of the anti-gravity lifts back up into the palace.

The ground shook under my feet as the Druel fired directly at the cities’ shield. I pursed my lips in determination, weaving my way through the palace corridors, out down the steps through the grounds and into the streets.

Many of the soldiers were on high points around the city ready with their weapons. Several hover bikes flew around, ready to engage the enemy.

“Aunna!” I turned to see Morrdrook—with weapons strapped to his body—come barreling down a side street, flanked by several of the Zakiu soldiers from the stasis chambers. “Why are you not with the other women?”

“Because my place is here with you.”

“Foolish woman.” Yet the pride in his gaze negated his words.

Another round hit, harder than the last. Morrdrook gripped my arm, pulling me against the building and covering my body with his as the dome reached its breaking point. It sizzled and sparked before exploding into a blinding light. Sparks rained down around us.

With the city’s protective dome gone, sunlight flooded down. “This is it, go to your posts!”

“Yes, Shah!” They bolted past him and down the street.

The machines came swarming in like thousands of flying ants. Energy bolts filled the air as the soldiers fired at them. When hit, they shot out sparks and exploded into bits before dropping down into the city.

“Attack drones, the worst of the Druel
’s
mechanical army.” Anger added a deadly edge to Morrdrook’s tone.

As fast as the soldiers cut them down, more flew in to take their place. He tugged me to my feet, glancing around, before his gaze met mine.

“How are we going to fight against three ships?”

“Not you, Aunna,” he drew in a deep breath, the markings on his arms glowing brightly in anger. “We only have to hold them off long enough to get the Shield running.”

He shook his head. “But I sense something is wrong. Will you go and see what is taking Galvan so long? He said it should be working by now. I wouldn’t ask you but every available male is fighting.”

I didn’t want to leave him, but from the determined look in his eyes, I knew he was going to forge straight into the heat of the battle.

“I’ll go.”

“Here.” He unhooked a Put disruptor from his belt, placing it into my palm.  My fingers curled around the handle. “Aunna, hurry. I know they will send additional ships soon and we will be more outnumbered than we are now.”

I nodded, taking a step back to look into his eyes. “Don’t you dare get yourself killed, you hear me?”

His lips curled up in a smile. “Never, my Aunna. I promised you forever, and forever with me is what you are going to have.” He closed the short gap between us, hooking his hand into my hair, drawing me up onto tiptoes, his lips crashed over mine in a brief, passionate kiss. He broke away. “Go quickly, we’ll hold them off for as long as we can.” He turned and ran after the other soldiers. I knew he was heading straight for the front line. No other place would do for him.

Heading for the military installation, I turned and ran as fast as I could through the winding streets. I jogged up the steps, pushing open the door of the main building.

I ran through the twisting corridors, made the last turn to the right and came to a skidding halt at the sight of an attack drone, hovering over Galvan’s slumped body.

Bloody hell!
How had a drone gotten into the building? My lungs burned, as I held my breath for a second, before giving into the need to gulp down much needed oxygen after running so hard. It didn’t matter how it had gotten in, it was here and a deadly threat.

“Galvan!” Augurra’s scream got both mine and the drone’s attention. She ran out from the control shield room, directly in line of the droid.

Oh shit, this wasn’t good
. “Augurra, no! Get back!” I bolted forward raising the disrupter, but it was too late. The drone shot out its power bolt hitting Augurra in the chest. Her body jerked violently before she slumped to the floor beside Galvan.

The drone’s high pitched whine as it powered up again made me wince. It swung around towards me.

“Oh no, you fucking well don’t!” I jabbed the trigger, hitting the drone head on. It sparked wildly before bursting into flames, smashing to the ground and rolling in into the wall. Never had I been more thankful I’d learned to fire the weapon.

Stepping around the drone wreckage, I knelt down beside Augurra and Galvan, checking to see if they were alive. I sighed in relief, feeling the beat of their hearts, when I pressed two fingers, each in turn, to their pulse points.

The whine of another drone made me glance up. I took aim and fired, before it could get any closer.

I stood to grip Galvan’s legs and dragged him backwards into the control room. I pushed aside the rippling pain in my abdomen as I raced back to get Augurra out of harm’s way. Two more attack drones hummed around the corner towards me.

“E!”

“E is here Anna.”

“Seal the control room door, now!”

“Compliance.” The door slid shut. In the center of the room was a flat shiny table which was chest height, for her. Lights flashed around a hole in the center of the table in which the holographic image of the three big black Druel ships hovering in orbit shimmered. I watched as more drones fell out of the ships like pepper from a grinder.

Overwhelmingly outnumbered, our only hope was to get this damn shield up and running.

Panic hit as I my gaze skittered over the controls. I had no idea what to do. Heck, I even had trouble programming a DVD player back on earth. It was up to me to get this thing going. I glanced up again at the blue sparkling beam, running through the center of the room.

“E, what do have to do to activate the Guardian Shield?”

“Crystal pathways not complete, Guardian Shield cannot be activate.”

Oooh dear, this is not good.
The emotionless tone of E, in that moment grated against my nerves. Adrenaline mixed with fear, made my hands shake. I pressed them flat onto the table and drew in deep breaths, letting them out through my nose. Trying not to give in to the rising panic at E’s announcement.

Stay calm and think.

“What are the crystal pathways, and how do I fix it? Tell me slowly and simply.”

“Affirmative. Behind you is a crate of pathway crystals.”

I turned around and saw the metal boxes stacked up against the wall. I flipped open the lid, reaching in to pull out a clear, flat blue crystal the size of a piece of A4 paper. It was etched with a circuit board. Pathway crystals, I got it now.

“Do all these have to go into the machine?”

“Affirmative.”

“Okay, where do they go?”

“Under the table, you will see the pathway network.”

I turned again and squatted down. Sure enough under the table were ends of other pathway crystals sticking out, making me think of a pretty blue Christmas tree. Setting the pathway crystal in my hand back in the box, I shoved each heavy box under the table crawling. I jumped at the sound of a rhythmic pounding outside the door.

“Oh God, is that the attack drones?”

“Affirmative.”

“Will the door keep them out?”

“Door holding at 87 percent, estimated time to breaking through three minutes and forty-five seconds.”

My mouth dry, I forced down the panic. There was no time to lose. “E, hurry, which one first?”

* * * *

Sweat trickled down the side of my temple, my hands clammy and still shaking as I slid the second last crystal into place. I had no idea how long it had taken, but it seemed too damn long.

“Estimated door failure in thirty two seconds.”

“Fuck!”

I pulled out the last one, spotting the last slot. I lifted the crystal pathway, holding my breath as to steady my trembling hands and slid it into place.

“It’s done. Are they all in properly?”

“Affirmative.”

I slid back on my ass, gripped the edge of the table to haul myself up.

“Activate the shield. Now, damn it!”

“Cannot comply, you must go through the activation sequence.”

Bloody hell
. “Tell me which buttons!” I stared at the symbols on the panel, panic finally gripping me. I screamed as someone touched my arm. I swung around and saw Galvan gripping my elbow. His usually clear blue eyes were red-rimmed and bloodshot.