Gamma Raiders: Storm Squadron Alpha: Scifi Alien Romance Novel (10 page)

“Let me try mine,” Kira said. Reaching into her vest pocket, she retrieved the fallen marine’s access card and held it up to the scanner. A series of beeps and chimes as the lights flashed green and the terminal opened up.

“Nice work, Thorne,” said Reina.

“Let’s call base and finish this thing.”

“Wait,” said Reina. “I need a minute first.”

Kira cocked an eyebrow. “A minute to what? Let’s end this before they find us.”

Reina hesitated, searching for the right words. “It’s just … there’s someone back home I need to talk to, and I can probably do it from this station. There’s no way for me to get in touch from our base up in Dennegar belt. They’ve got security locked down way too tight up there.”

Kira frowned. Something about it didn’t sit right with her.

“Please. This is important. I don’t have anyone else. One message, just to let him know I’m okay.”

She didn’t like the idea, but how could she prevent her friend from getting a message out to someone who cared about her? What kind of friend would deny the only chance to communicate with the outside world? Besides, she reasoned, there’s nothing to worry about. The system would more than likely have additional layers of security preventing outgoing messages from moving to unauthorized channels. The terminal would deny her permission, and Kira didn’t have to be the bad guy.

“Sure, Reina. But hurry. I’m ready to end this thing.”

“Thanks, Kira.”

Reina slid into the chair and waved her hands in front of the holopad, initiating the communication channel. Reaching down to the keyboard in front of her, she hammered out a series of instructions on the keypad beneath her.

The display flashed and chimed as a long string of data written in a language Kira didn’t understand scrolled through the air.

As Reina continued typing, a series of images flashed by too quickly for Kira to process, then the system flashed an error message.

“Looks like it’s not going to work. I’m sorry, Reina.”

Reina smiled, and reached down inside the top of her boot, retrieving a small green and brown data chip. “Not to worry,” she said. I came prepared.”

She plugged the chip’s connectors into the terminal’s data port and waited as the system downloaded the data. When the crawl bar completed, the system flashed “access granted”.

“Holy shit, what was on that thing?” said Kira. “Where did you learn how to do that?” She realized how little she knew about Reina’s background.

Reina smiled with a shrug. “What, a girl can’t be a techie? You, of all people, should know better.”

“No, you’re right. I didn’t mean to …”

“I studied encryption tech back on Viran Prime. Who knew it’d end up being so useful?”

“You hacked into that system like it was nothing.”

She shrugged. “The Rebellion’s system security is pretty old, and I’ve been working on this algorithm for years. It’s gotten me out of trouble a few times.”

Kira felt a lump growing in her throat. None of this sat right with her, but she was probably being paranoid. And besides, who was she to judge her friend for keeping secrets when she was having a relationship with the squadron leader? She tried to push her suspicions aside.

Reina continued tapping away at the keys as streams of data whirred around them in mid-air. With a satisfied final thump on the keypad, she closed the program and retrieved her chip. “Well, that’s that,” she said. “Let’s call in the cavalry. I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait to get back that lovely little hunk of rock back in the belt to take a nice warm shower.”

“Hell yes,” said Kira. “Let’s get out of here.”

Reina swiveled around in her chair, turning back to the control panel in front of her. “Let’s see,” she said. Running her finger across a touchpad on the metal desk, she dialed in the comm frequencies to open a channel with Ja’al.

His shimmering figure appeared in the holodisplay before them. Kira’s skin flushed as she looked at his glowing golden skin. She did her best to hide her reaction, but she couldn’t wait to get her hands on that perfectly sculpted body. Luckily, Reina was focused on the image and didn’t seem to notice.

“Commander, we’re in the comm room, requesting immediate evac.”

“Cadet Blackwell,” he replied. “Well done. I expected nothing less from the two of you.”

Kira saw that she wasn’t the only one fighting to hide a smile. She’d make sure he had plenty of reason to smile soon enough.

“You’re the only two that made it?” he asked.

“I have no idea where the others are now,” said Kira, “but if all these gods damned sirens are any indication, the marines know exactly where they are.”

Ja’al nodded in understanding. “Not to worry. We’ll get the final report soon enough. You two stay put—we’ll send a shuttle and get you back to the transport.”

“Copy that, Commander,” said Reina. “The sooner the better.”

Ja’al punched his console to end the transmission.

“Alright,” said Kira. “I guess we wait.”

“Hey Kira,” Reina said. “Thank you. We wouldn’t have made it this far if it wasn’t for your little ruse with the elevator. I wouldn’t have been able to contact my friend without your help. You’re a damn fine rebel.”

Kira shrugged. “Yeah. Thanks, Reina.”

She wondered what other secrets her new friend might be keeping up her sleeves. But she supposed that she was entitled to her privacy. They’d only known each other for a couple of weeks. She probably just hadn’t had a chance to open up yet. Getting to know someone takes time, and the Storm Training didn’t allow much opportunity for bonding.

But she’d need pretty advanced systems knowledge to bypass that security protocol. Dated tech or not, it was impressive. And a little bit scary. Kira was just glad Reina was on their side.

Chapter 10

The sun descended over the horizon, blanketing the sky with an ephemeral tapestry of orange and purple as Kira watched from the makeshift camp that the crew had established. With the training exercise behind them, the cadets were scheduled for some much needed off-time, and the crew had elected to spend the night camping on the planet’s surface, savoring the open air of the surrounding forest. Such luxuries were scarce out in the cold, black space of the Dennegar belt.

Kira sat on a fallen tree, looking up at the setting sun as the myriad hues of violet gave way to a blanket of stars. In the distance, a massive bonfire burned brightly as the Storm cadets and the marines they’d skirmished earlier in the day laughed together, the tension and conflict of the exercise behind them.

The smells of cooked meat from the afternoon’s hunt wafted towards her, and her mouth watered in anticipation of the meal. But she wasn’t in a hurry to join them. Moments like this were rare, and it was important to appreciate them. To be able to forget, if only for a moment, the pressures of training and the war with the Kamaran Empire.

For the moment, there was only the forest and the night sky.

She leaned back, resting her body comfortably on the log, letting the wood dig into the knots in her back. Her body was sore all over, aching in places she didn’t think were possible. Kira never shied away from physical activity, but carrying a pulse rifle all day, strafing her way through the base in a crouch, had taken more out of her than she’d expected.

She took a deep breath to release the tension from her muscles and shut her eyes when she felt a presence above her.

“Didn’t expect to find you here,” said Ja’al. “Don’t you know there’s a party going on?”

Kira opened her eyes and smiled, taking in the sight of his body, glowing faintly in the starlight. He was dripping wet, the water highlighting the muscular lines of his flat, ripped abs.

“You’re not there either,” she said as she sat upright. “Besides, I thought I’d take the time to myself. Who knows when we’ll get to see something like this again. I thought I’d take it in while I could.”

Ja’al smiled warmly and sat down beside her, heat radiating from his body. “A wise thing to say. Life in space can wear on you.”

“You seem to be handling it alright,” she said. “But then, I wouldn’t expect anything less. You never let anything get under your skin.”

Ja’al looked off into the distance, gazing out at the Orvatalia nebula’s diaphanous web of color in the sky. “You handled yourself pretty well out there, too. You and Reina were the only two to survive the test,” he said. “Don’t let the pressure get to you.”

“How could I not? It comes so easy for everyone else. I was never a soldier. I was never a leader.”

“That doesn’t matter, Kira.” He pulled his gaze from the horizon and stared into her eyes. She’d never noticed how blue they were. How beautiful. “You’ve got more ability than you give yourself credit for. You should be proud of the work you’ve done.”

Kira smiled. It felt good to succeed. One small victory at a time. “I am proud,” she said. “But I’ve got a long way to go.”

Ja’al grabbed her chin and turned her head back to him. The touch of his strong hands sent warmth surging through her body. “You deserve to be here just as much as anyone else does, Kira. And today, you proved it. I respect your courage.”

Her skin flushed, embarrassed by the compliment. She didn’t feel courageous. She felt scared out of her mind. But there was no use in arguing with him. She needed to be strong. Soldiers of the Rebellion, especially Storm Squadron pilots, needed to keep their cool. “Thank you, Ja’al,” was all she could manage.

Tracing his hand down her shoulder, the water from his still wet skin left a trail of moisture that cooled in the breeze. Her breathing deepened as she leaned into him, resting her body against his solid, muscular frame. “How do you do it,” she asked. “How do you stay so calm? In the face of all this?”

He tightened his hand around her palm and closed his eyes, drawing a slow, deep breath. “One moment at a time, Kira. There’s nothing certain about what we’re doing. The Empire could discover our location at any moment. There’s no safety in the life we’ve chosen. So the only way through it is to accept it, appreciating every moment we have. And spend it with the people we care about. The people who give us meaning.”

She absentmindedly traced her fingernail in a small wave up and around his arms as he spoke. Feeling his muscles tense, she lifted her head and looked up to him. “You’re fighting for them,” she said. “For the people back on Kamara. The ones you left behind.”

“Yes,” he said. “They make it personal. I didn’t want to leave my family. My friends. The people I cared about. But I saw what life had become for them. And when I saw that Prince Adaar was willing to do something different, I had to follow him. I saw something better for all of us, and I had to act. No matter what the costs.”

“I would have given anything to know my family,” she said. “I couldn’t imagine leaving them behind.”

Ja’al grabbed her wrists and pulled her in close, his mouth hovering inches from her. “Your family isn’t your blood, Kira. It’s the connections you make. The bonds you form,” he said. “The people we care about are worth fighting for. No matter the costs. I’m sorry you never knew your parents. But you can still experience the strength that comes from knowing someone and being accepted for everything you are. The good with the bad.”

“It sounds beautiful,” said Kira. She closed her eyes gently as he pressed her lips open and kissed her. She wanted the life he offered. Releasing her body into his touch, the tension melted away as a surge of warmth flooded her core.

He parted her lips with his tongue, hungrily exploring her mouth as his hands traced down her body. Cupping her breasts in his hands, Kira felt her nipples harden against the thin layer of cloth between them.

She drew in a breath as she nibbled on his lower lip, tasting his skin, savoring the warmth of his touch in the cool night air. Her hands ran along his muscular thighs and up towards the bulge that grew in his shorts.

Ja’al traced his mouth down her neck, to her collarbone, sealing his lips around her skin as he sucked her flesh into his mouth. Kira felt his lips tighten into a smile as a faint moan of pleasure escaped her lips.

“I want you,” he said, lowering her body to the ground. “I’ve wanted you since the moment we met.” He drew his mouth lower onto her breasts, pushing the thin layer of fabric aside as his tongue circled her skin.

Kira’s back arched as the breeze drew across her skin, cooling her body where his mouth had been. He seized the moment to pull her shirt out of the way as he kissed his way down her body.

She parted her lips in a moan as he worked his hands gently over her, guiding her arms up over her head and pressing them to the ground as he slid her shirt up over her head. As he floated over her, she admired the lines of his body, glistening in the starlight. The hard muscles flexing as he held her. The hungry look in his eyes as he took in the sight of her body. “I have to have you. Now.”

Ja’al was a man who went after what he wanted, without hesitation and without apology. And now he wanted her. Kira didn’t know how it would end. Didn’t know whether she’d be able to do what was necessary to keep them together.

But for the moment, it didn’t matter. The only thing that mattered was the feeling of his hands sliding their way up her thighs, pressing his fingers into her hips. The bulge of his cock pressed between her legs. The heat and wetness of desire flooded down through her until the desire blossomed into aching need.

She reached for the button on his pants, freeing him from the fabric. “I want you inside me,” she said.

Ja’al descended onto her, kissing her with ferocity as he held his body against hers. “I thought you’d never ask,” he said.

He pulled her pants free from her body as he held her against the soft ground. Hovering over her still, she quivered in anticipation as he traced his tip around her entrance. Kira felt the surge of warmth, the rush of wetness as he held himself near her.

He entered her with a smooth, slow stroke, parting her lips and pushing himself deep inside her. She tightened around him as he filled her body, pausing for a moment that lasted longer than she could stand.

Her body loosened as he drove inside her, each penetrating thrust filling her with pleasure. Kira shut her eyes tightly. A moan escaped her lips as she leaned her head back against the soft ground.

As he drove himself faster inside of her, he pulled her hips against him. “I want you to come for me,” he growled into her ear.

Without waiting for a response, he gripped her beneath her thighs, his powerful hands lifting her legs out of the way. He rested his palm on her mound, circling her as he pulled himself out, leaving her breathless, feeling the emptiness of his absence.

The floodgates were open, and all the desire that she’d held back for so long came rushing to the surface. She’d never felt the ache of longing so intensely.

“Beg me,” he said. “Show me how much you want it.”

She quivered as he hovered above her; the look in his eyes was primal. Kira could see the hunger, a raw passion that would devour her. And she needed to feel it. To feel him.

“Please,” she said. “I need you inside me.”

With a victorious grin, he plunged himself into her. With a skilled and steady rhythm, he rocked his body against hers, building his speed as the waves of intensity and pleasure filled her.

It started slowly. The tingling warmth surging through her, building into a hot molten fire in her core. “Beg me,” he said. “Tell me how much you want it.”

Kira bit her lip to stifle the moan that threatened to erupt. She could barely contain herself. The low growl in her ear as she felt him swelling inside her was more than she could bear. The raw power and burning desire sent her over the edge.

“I’m going to come,” she said breathlessly, her back arching in pleasure as she thrust her hips up into him.

Ja’al brought her back to the ground as he thrust deep inside her, burying himself to the hilt as she moaned. The waves of pleasure shot through her body, exploding in a feverish burst.

Her body still pulsed, trembling in pleasure as her hips found the ground. She drew in a deep breath as Ja’al smiled at her, pausing long enough for a faint moan of satisfaction to escape her lips before sliding back inside her.

Kira wrapped her arms around him, pulling him in closer to her. He buried himself inside her again. He wasn’t going to let her rest, she thought as he quickened his pace and the slow, steady build of pleasure began in her again.

Her eyes fluttered open long enough to glimpse his arms flexing as he worked himself deep inside her. His body glowed gold against the night sky, and it grew more luminous as his pleasure built.

She lifted her hips, wrapping her legs around him. She wanted to feel him deep inside her. She smiled in delight at the pleasure he took in her body. A man like Ja’al kept everything so close to the vest. She understood, now, the depths of the passion he concealed. And she admired him even more for his ability to control his emotions.

But here, surrounded by the trees as the bonfire burned in the distance, she felt the flames of his passion. The deep intensity that made him a leader. The strength that made him a man.

Her body tensed around him as he penetrated her, thrusting deeper and faster as he leaned in and kissed her neck. The warmth coursed through her as she felt him stiffen inside her. Seeing this side of him, the raw, unrestrained passion and pleasure, was more than she could stand.

He flexed against her, holding her fast to the ground as he shut his eyes. Kira felt the change in his breath as he drove himself deep inside her, thrusting harder than before. Her body tensed, and her hips rocked up to meet him as she purred with pleasure.

With a deep growl into her ear, she felt the warmth of his seed spreading inside her. The feeling sent her over the edge as her hips bucked wildly against him and her core exploded again. Waves of pleasure shot through her extremities as every inch of her skin tingled with electricity.

When Ja’al finally relaxed his body, he collapsed beside her, breathing heavily. Beads of sweat covered his face, dripping down his strong jaw as he caught his breath. He closed his eyes and a warm smile drew across his lips.

She leaned in and nuzzled up beside him, running her hands along his broad chest as she relaxed, comfortable in the care and protection of his body. She took in the moment, savoring the scent of his bare skin, mixed with the distant smoke of the bonfire and the trees as the sound of drums beat in the distance.

No matter what happened, no matter where this journey led them, she was grateful for this moment. Happy in his arms. And for the first time she could remember, she felt like she had found a home.