Unchained (18 page)

She gave him a long, skeptical look and
shook her head. “The price is too high. It’s not worth dying
for.”

“
You can’t live the rest of
your life not knowing what happened, Cidra. It’ll eat you alive,”
he insisted, fully waged in a battle he did not dare lose: to keep
her close.

“
As opposed to losing you
which would kill me all at once?” Anger flashed in her
eyes.

Powerful satisfaction warmed him. “I didn’t
think you cared.”

Cidra clenched her fists and stared back at
the floor. “Just because I lost my nerve on the dance floor doesn’t
mean I don’t care.” Then she drilled him with a stern look. “And
don’t try to change the subject.”

“
If I only could,” he
muttered, but secretly, he was ecstatic. The warrior had
re-emerged. Now all he had to do was point her toward the
battlefield.

“
What about the Kin-sha and
Syrus’ last wish? What about your father’s name and your family’s
honor and Barrios? Not to mention the millions who died on Dakru.
Don’t they figure into the equation?”

Her jaw tightened. She looked away but not
before he saw the impact of his words. There was more at stake here
than all the points he’d brought up. Her very sanity was on the
line. And his. For the first time he realized how much he needed
her. He pushed forward, driven by one thought: to keep her tied to
him as long as possible. For that, he was prepared to fight
dirty.

“
Whoever did this it still
out there, free to terrorize other worlds. They proved they can
kill without conscience and not leave a trace. They’re good, Cidra,
deadly, fast, and dangerous. I, for one, want them
neutralized.”

She struggled for an out. “It’s been ten
years. Maybe they aren’t even around anymore.”

“
There’s only one way to
find out.”

She took a deep breath. “All right, but
we’ll be careful. Very, very careful. No unnecessary chances. And
from now on, you don’t make a move without me. Deal?”

He suppressed a triumphant grin, his world
in order once again. “Deal.”

Barrios’ bulky form filled the doorway of
Grey’s office, casting a long shadow across its occupants. Grey,
Cidra, and Decker turned to him in unison from their positions
around the holo deck table. Decker nodded a greeting and returned
to laying in a program for the holo deck.

Cidra smiled at her old
friend. He was the last crew member to board
Calíbre
before their scheduled
departure for Saurel. Barrios looked happier than Cidra had ever
seen him.

“
About time you got here.
How’s Rosa?” Cidra asked. It was a gratuitous question. The sparkle
in his eyes said it all.

Barrios beamed. “She’s just fine.” He
hitched his head toward Grey. “And she’s been worried sick over
you, Stone. I can see why. You look like death.”

Grey smiled grimly. “You should have seen me
two days ago.”

Between the Triox and Cidra’s care he felt
much better than he looked. And with the way Cidra had been eyeing
him lately, he felt invincible. She watched his every move,
painstakingly tracking his recovery. He had the distinct feeling
she was keeping her distance until he healed. He had more
motivation than he knew what to do with.

“
You missed all the
excitement,” Grey drawled, prompting a grimace from
Cidra.

“
I’ll say. Anyone we know?”
Barrios frowned.

Grey barely nodded. “Remember the ambush
over Avion?”

Barrios grunted and shook his head.
“Persistent bunch, huh?”

“
You have no idea,” Grey
muttered.

“
I think I’ll head to the
galley and start the evening meal,” Barrios said with enthusiasm
and disappeared.

Decker spoke up. “Here we go. Program loaded
and executing.”

On impulse, Grey reached for Cidra’s hand
under the table. He slid his fingers through hers, linking them
together. She glanced at him in surprise, but he was completely
focused on the holo deck rising from the center of the table. The
grid fluttered and filled with a full-dimensional star map of the
galaxy. Frame after frame, the holo image zoomed down to a specific
sector. Then an opaque cylindrical cone materialized horizontally,
overlaying the sector.

“
It’s a cone,” Cidra
observed, her eyes glued to the image. It started at one tiny point
and ballooned into a three-dimensional wedge that continued to the
edge of the star map.

“
Correct.” Decker tapped
keys and gave the computer verbal instructions. “I integrated the
precise coordinates of the Galena’s battle scene into the actual
star charts.”

“
So the Galena is the
small, starting point,” Cidra noted.

“
Right again,” Decker
acknowledged. “Then I calculated the exact position of the Galena’s
landing bay doors when the transport escaped. The white area
represents all possible vector paths of the transport. It starts
out small, expanding over greater distances. Therefore, the cone
shape.” Decker grinned. “And before you ask, yes. You are looking
at the galaxy as it appeared on the day of the attack.”

Grey said, “Everything within that cone is a
possible target. We are lucky the transport was pointing at the
outer spiral arm of the galaxy and not through the galactic
nucleus. Makes the job easier.”

Cidra noted with dismay the massive target
area displayed. It extended out into infinity since they had no way
of knowing where the transport dropped out of hyperspace. The task
of picking through thousands upon thousands of systems one by one
seemed indomitable.

Decker must have sensed her despair. “Don’t
worry, we’ll narrow it down.”

Grey concurred. “He’s right. Now we play a
game of elimination and see who survives the cuts. You’ll see.” He
glanced at Decker. “Are you ready?”

Decker nodded.

Grey’s eyes gleamed. “First cut, all systems
without red giant suns and white or gray planets.”

Realization dawned on Cidra as some areas in
the ghostly wedge turned black. He was using the information in the
note from Syrus’ box written by the original transport crew. She
turned to say something to Grey and inhaled sharply. He looked like
a hunter, his eyes piercing and his full attention on the
quarry.

“
Out of those left, keep
only the systems where the red giant and the planet would be
visible together with the naked eye.” His eyes narrowed.

Decker worked feverishly and more systems
blacked out.

Grey continued his instructions. “Good. It’s
probably safe to eliminate systems with unusual characteristics
that the crew of the transport didn’t mention. Additional visible
planets or moons, nebulas, asteroid belts.”

Decker said, “I’m also removing any systems
with volatile or destructive natural forces.”

Cidra’s hope soared as isolated pockets of
white became distinct. She squeezed his hand.

Grey’s eyes never left the display. “Better.
Now eliminate systems with advanced civilizations capable of space
travel. They would have detected the transport and either rescued
or destroyed it.”

Grey smiled at the greatly diminished search
area and turned to Decker. “That’s more like it. Load the remaining
possibilities on a micropad. I’ll take a look at them in my
quarters.” He released Cidra’s hand, stood up and stretched his
healing body.

“
That’s it?” Cidra asked
and glanced back at the holo image. “But look at all the systems
left. How do you know which one it is? Don’t we have to check them
out? Don’t we have to...” Her next question was cut off by a
sizzling kiss that blanked her mind.

When she opened her eyes, Grey was smiling
down at her. “You’ll have to trust me, Cidra.”

He straightened, took the micropad from a
clearly amused Decker and walked out of the office.

Cidra stared in his wake, the kiss still
burned on her lips. She wanted to jump up and run after him. Wanted
another kiss more than her next breath.

She suddenly realized that Decker was still
grinning at her.

Rising on shaky knees, she told him, “I’ll
be in my quarters if you need me.” She paused. “On second thought,
I’ll be in the lounge. I think I need a drink.”

Commander Plass stood ramrod straight
outside Tausek’s quarters, staring at the door. He’d lost track of
how long he’d been there and didn’t care. He dreaded his impending
task. Dreaded the answers to the questions he had. Answers that
could shatter his steady, routine world.

Yet duty called as it always did and he
stepped forward into the door’s activation field. The interior lay
flooded in red like a bloodbath. Plass shivered, he’d seen enough
blood to last him a lifetime, many lifetimes.

Tausek stood in his customary position by
the bank of windows viewing the crimson sunset as Plass approached
him. The corvits watched him come to a halt with morbid
interest.

“
I expected you yesterday,
Commander.”

Plass frowned. The icy greeting did not bode
well for the tone of the meeting.

“
Yes. Our sources on Avion
had a difficult time gathering information,” he answered
succinctly, determined to push this encounter along as quickly as
possible. “Apparently, Syrus Almazan was well-liked and
well-protected. However, the information is guaranteed reliable.
Cidra Faulkner left with a man by the name of Grey Stone. He is a
successful treasure hunter and most likely a Kin-sha since he was
reported to have resided with Almazan for some time.”

Tausek kept his back to Plass. “Did your
reliable sources tell you where they are now?”

Plass winced at the acerbity. “A search has
been launched beginning with his home base planet of Vaasa. I
expect to locate them shortly.”

“
Find her and kill her,
Commander. I don’t care how you do it or who you take with
her.”

“
I understand, sir.” Plass
nodded and braced himself. “I also have information on the security
breach into our primary information systems. I am told it was an
unorthodox method originating from Stone’s ship.”

Tausek didn’t respond.

Plass continued, choosing his words
carefully. “I have no idea why they would be interested in the
Avion shipment negotiations.”

“
Neither do I, Commander.”
Tausek’s voice sounded slightly off.

Plass pursued his course. “As you requested,
I have personally reviewed those records myself. The only incident
in that time frame was a strike on a refugee ship per your orders.
The official records appear incomplete. Do you recall anything
unusual about that incident?”

“
I have reviewed those
records, Commander. They
are
complete. The action was routine and necessary at
the time,” Tausek answered abruptly.

“
Of course,
sir.”

A painful silence descended as Plass
wrestled with his next move.

Unexpectedly, Tausek spoke first. “Under the
circumstances, I think you should personally handle the elimination
of Cidra Faulkner.”

The Commander shifted uneasily. “I am.”

“
I want you to be present
to identify her body and deliver it in time for the annual
Celebration.” Tausek words hung in the air as thick as
blood.

Plass narrowed his eyes. “But my duties
here?”

“
Can be handled by
Lieutenant Stoll,” Tausek cut in.

Unable to think, Plass simply stared at
Tausek’s back. “As you wish.”

“
I wish,” Tausek answered
tightly. “Dismissed.”

Plass departed with the distinct feeling
that he was being dismissed—permanently. It was evident he had
crossed the line and would pay for his curiosity with his position
or worse. It was the latter that motivated him. Before that
happened, he’d make sure he found out exactly what happened ten
years ago.

CHAPTER TEN

Cidra watched the planet of Saurel fill the
K12’s viewport as they approached. It dangled in black space as if
suspended by an invisible string, girdled and attended by nine
smaller moons. As planets went, it offered little in the way of
aesthetics, lacking significant relief from a monotony of gray.
Even as the K12 drew closer to the surface, the terrain remained
flat and barren, all but dead.

Few lifeforms could withstand the broiling
heat induced by the planet’s twin suns. Saurel and its tiny moons
were destined to bake in a tight, vertical looping orbit, pawns in
the gravitational battle between the dueling stars.

The race who inhabited this scorched,
desolate world did so for a singular reason: consistent underground
temperatures. The Saurel race had outgrown their original home
planet and founded a new home here. With the twin suns heat evenly
distributed over the entire planet, the rock beneath maintained an
unvarying, unwavering warmth. The planet was custom-made to
regulate the volatile body temperatures of the Saurelians and
protect their fragile skin from sunlight. Below the planet face,
they thrived.

Private residences, businesses, factories,
schools were hewed from the bedrock beneath the scalded surface—a
world connected with tunnels and shuttles. The Saurelians developed
the technologies they needed to forge and support their
enterprises. Their very existence was an engineering marvel and so
were the unrivaled fighter ships they produced. Ships that could
shift the balance of supremacy, guarantee outcomes, and reign in
absolute terror.

Still, Cidra suppressed a shudder when she
looked at the planet. To say the Saurelians were a male-dominated
society would be an understatement. Females were looked upon as
little more than slaves and servants, granted negligible rights and
freedoms. Only when they married and bore offspring were they
considered of any value.