Star's Storm: Lords of Kassis Book 2 (14 page)

Madas jumped down, landing lightly on the
metal access ledge surrounding the cable. A moment later, Dakar
landed beside her. He quickly scanned the open area where Star had
said she was at. He did not see anything which meant she had
already accessed the lift that would take her down to the control
room. He drew in a deep, calming breath trying to calm the nerves
that twisted in him at the thought of what would happen to Star if
she was caught.

He turned when he felt a slender hand brush
his arm. “She will be fine,” Madas said looking, not at Dakar but
at the tower across from them.

“Defenses down,” a soft voice suddenly
caressed his ear.

“She has taken the control room,” Dakar said
harshly as the breath he drew in earlier was released in relief.
“Let’s go.”

Madas attached the hand bar to the wire and
launched herself over the edge. The slight downward angle allowed
her to slide at a steady rate of decline. She swung into the opened
area the moment she was close enough and turned. Her arm reached
out and grabbed Dakar around the waist as he came in after her a
little faster than he thought. She steadied him before quickly
releasing him and stepping back.

“Thanks,” Dakar said gruffly.

“Let us get Lord Jazin and get out of here,”
Madas said nodding toward the two dead men. “I expect there will be
many more before we are though. I would just as soon not be one of
them.”

Dakar nodded and stepped toward the lift.
The device was still attached to it so they could enter. He pressed
the device and the lift opened. Pulling the device off the key
panel, he stepped inside the lift and waited for Madas before
pressing the inside panel. Within moments they were descending
rapidly down the tower to the ground floor control room. Both he
and Madas pulled their laser pistols out in preparation. They
wanted no surprises.

*.*.*

Star turned as the door opened to the
control room, drawing the crossbow around in front of her. She was
about to release the arrow she had ready when the glowing eyes
froze her finger on the trigger. She stared at the face intently
before a frown twisted her face into a scowl.

“Well, are you going to come in or are you
going to let everyone and their brother know that something is
going on?” She asked impatiently.

She turned back to the control panel and
focused on what she had been doing. Armet told her to disable the
communications system so that the warriors could not send and
receive instructions. She was trying to find the panel he showed
her in the diagram.

“What are you trying to do?” The raspy, deep
voice asked hesitantly.

Star glanced over her shoulder at the hooded
figure. “Armet and Dakar said I needed to disable their
communications systems but I can’t find the panel that looks like
the one they showed me,” she complained.

“I will disable it,” the man replied
quietly.

Star watched as his amber eyes appeared to
swirl with color as he focused for a moment. “It is disabled,” he
replied before turning his head.

Jarmen went to take a step back but stopped
in surprise as a tiny, slender hand touched his arm. He jerked in
surprise at the feel of another being touching him, even if it was
through the material of his shirt. His eyes fastened on the light
blues ones staring at him intently.

“Is he still alive?” The husky voice of the
female asked with a tremble in it. “Jazin. Is my mate alive?”

“Yes,” Jarmen responded. “His lives.”

Star’s eyes filled with tears and she
sniffed before she moved close enough so she could wrap her arms
tightly around Jarmen’s waist. “Thank you. Thank you so much for
everything. I’ll never be able to repay you for what you have
done,” she choked out.

Jarmen stared over the head of the female
who had her arms wrapped tightly around him. Warmth flooded his
system as feelings he had never encountered before tore through
him. This is what it meant to receive a hug. His brain processed
the information it was receiving and analyzed the effects on his
body. He breathed in deeply. Shock flowed through him at the
resulting reaction. He was able to detect every scent and break it
down to its most elemental form. The classification of flowers that
mixed with her hair follicle, the lotion she had with another
delicate scent, the salt, sweat, and natural aroma of her skin. All
of it came to him and was processed, analyzed and stored. His arms
closed lightly around her wanting to see if the feel of her skin
matched what he had read about. The sensors on the tips of his
fingers picked up the texture and he almost groaned at the
softness. His own skin covering was not as soft as this and the
times he had touched Jazin to help him stand or to grasp his hand
had never felt this soft, delicate, and smooth.

The door leading from the tower opened
suddenly. Jarmen immediately went into defense mode, turning so his
body was between the door and the female in his arms. He raised his
arm, several beams of light focused on the center of Madas and
Dakar’s chests as his head turned toward them. The male thrust the
female Tearnat he met on outer edges behind him and raised his own
weapon.

“You the informant?” Dakar asked
harshly.

“You the rescue party?” Jarmen asked briefly
in return.

Dakar kept his weapon aimed at Jarmen but
raised his other hand, palm out in greeting. “Yes. Now, let go of
Lady Star or I’ll blow your head off,” he gritted out.

Madas chuckle behind him, pulling Dakar’s
attention away for a brief moment. It was long enough for Jarmen to
assess the protective tone the male had for both females. Jarmen
reluctantly released the tiny female in his arms and stepped back.
He was surprised that this was the first time he really looked
around the room. He had been so fascinated by the tiny female he
had not even assessed the room. He quickly counted ten unconscious
forms. Frowning, he looked at the female again trying to understand
how she could have taken out so many warriors at one time.

“What is this?” Jarmen asked, gently
touching the woven mask covering the lower half of Star’s face.

“A plant fiber mask that Madas made for me.
It protects me from the knock-out bombs she gave me,” she replied
pulling the mask down.

Jarmen breathed in deeply. He could faintly
pick up the residue from the plant pollen in the air. He shook his
head as a slight wave of dizziness threatened him. He would need to
analyze it more in-depth when he returned to his home. For now,
they needed to hurry. It was late so many of the guards were
sleeping but that would not last long once someone tried to use the
communications system and realized it no longer worked.

“We must hurry before they become aware that
something is wrong,” Jarmen said. “I will take you to Jazin. Dakar
and I will carry him out. Are you capable of defending us should
the need arise?” He asked, looking first at Star then at Madas.

Both women looked at him with a raised
eyebrow. He wasn’t sure what that meant but hoped it was a yes. He
was about to turn away when he froze. An incoming message was being
transmitted. Tai Tek had returned and he wasn’t alone.

Jarmen turned his head and looked at the
three warriors standing near him. “It is too late. Tai Tek has
returned. I will detain him and his men as long as possible while
you rescue Jazin. Go to the end of this corridor, down two levels,
turn left for the next two turns then three rights and down another
level. He is in the fifth cell. I will return if I can. Hurry, Tai
Tek has brought additional warriors with him.”

Star watched wide-eyed as the man with the
glowing amber eyes disappeared through the door and down the
opposite way he told them to go. She started when Madas gripped her
arm and started pulling her out the door and down toward the stairs
at the end of the corridor. Her heart began beating as adrenaline
kicked in. Dakar followed closely behind them.

“How will we carry Jazin if he can’t walk?”
Star asked as they hurried down the stairs.

“I have something that will help,” Dakar
muttered behind her. “Don’t worry, we will get him out of
here.”

Ajaska stared at the information coming in.
There were almost a dozen Elpidios warships in orbit around the
small planet. With the nine Kassisan warships and the three Tearnat
warships that were just coming into orbit they were evenly matched
in number. The biggest difference was the technology. The Kassisan
warships were superior while the Tearnat and Elpidios were evenly
matched in not only technology but in their viciousness in
fighting. Ajaska had only had the privilege of meeting a Elpidios
warrior once before. Actually, it was three Elpidios warriors and
he was lucky to have survived the incident. He rubbed the back of
his neck and glanced at his oldest son in discomfort. He had never
mentioned the encounter simply because he could barely remember
most of it. He had been very drunk at the time and had been much
younger. All he could really remember was he barely made it out
with his life and a massive hangover the next morning.

“Sir, we are being hailed,” the ensign at
the communications console called out breaking into his
thoughts.

“Open communications,” Ajaska said standing
up straight and clasped his hands behind his back with a silent
prayer to the Gods.

The Gods were obviously not listening at
the moment,
he thought in resignation when he recognized the
face in the center of the view screen.

He winced as the face that appeared in front
of him turned dark as surprise and something else flashed across
it. He wasn't the only one who remembered a little more about that
night so many years ago. A sigh was wrenched from deep down as he
studied the face he had hoped to never see again. It was a little
older like him but he would never forget it.

“Greetings
âme soeur
,” the voice said
coldly. “Much time has passed since you disappeared.”

“Mena,” Ajaska responded coolly.

“So, you remember me?” The tall female said
with a sarcastic chuckle. “Why are you here?”

“My son has been taken prisoner,” Ajaska
responded harshly. “I have no quarrels with the Elpidios but I do
with Tai Tek and those responsible for his abduction.”

The light blue skinned female rose slowly
from the center chair. Torak looked at his father with a raised
eyebrow of inquiry before he turned back to the commander of the
Elpidios warship. He stepped closer to his father, standing just to
his right and behind him in silent support.

“Another of your sons?” Commander Mena Rue
stated looking at Torak with clear, intelligent eyes. “Did your
father tell you he was mated to not one but three Elpidios warriors
at one time before he disappeared?”

The tightening around Torak’s mouth was the
only indication that he did not know. Commander Mena Rue’s lips
twisted into a smirk before she looked Ajaska up and down. She felt
a shiver run through her as she thought back to the few hours of
pleasure she had enjoyed with the huge Kassis warrior almost forty
years before. She wondered at the time if it had been her
imagination or the excessive drink that made the memory more than
it really was but as she stared at the broad chest, she had to
secretly admit it was neither.

“What proof do you have that the Kassisan
councilman has your son?” Commander Mena Rue asked sharply.

“My son is there,” Ajaska bit out in
response without answering her question.

Mena didn't point out that obvious fact. She
had a squadron of warships to think about instead of a misplaced
soul mate who had been nothing more than a one night stand many
years ago. Her commanding officer had ordered her to secure the
needed crystals that the Kassisan had promised. Their world was
dying and needed the energy the crystals could give to work the
necessary shields to protect it from the radiation that was slowly
killing it. They had a way of preventing the death of the planet.
What they did not have was the energy source to do it. She had been
told to not return unless she had at least one supply ship filled
with the life-giving energy crystals. Tai Tek had approached the
leader of her world with a promise. In return for their help in
ridding the corrupted ruling family of Kassis, he would give them
access to all the crystals they would ever need. She had been
skeptical about the man’s promise. Hell, she didn’t even like him
and neither did the Supreme Admiral but the Grand Ruler had ordered
the mission.

Now, she was faced with a deadly armed force
that out matched hers. If she refused, she could probably take out
a few of the ships but there was no doubt in her mind that she
would lose all of hers. She studied the huge male and his son and
knew that they would fight to the death to retrieve their missing
family member. Her eyes shifted to another figure that came up from
behind the two men standing in front of the viewport. Her eyes
widened in surprise as a petite female with the dark blue eyes of
their oceans moved to stand near the younger version of Ajaska.
Something about the female tugged at a distant memory. Mena's frown
turned even darker as the knowledge stayed just out of her
reach.

“Since when do the Kassis allow females
aboard their warships?” Mena asked with a raised eyebrow.

“That is not what is important right now,”
Ajaska said straightening to his full height as worry for Jazin's
safety pressed down on him. “Is Tai Tek on board one of your
ships?”

Mena looked at the dark fury burning in the
eyes of the Kassis leader and decided right then and there she
would not oppose him. Getting herself and those under her killed
would not get them the desperately needed power crystals. Besides,
something was telling her that the Elpidios Grand Ruler was talking
to the wrong Kassisan if he wanted them. She relaxed her stance to
show less aggression in the hopes that they would be able to get
out of this alive.