Morgan jerked awake. It took a moment before her groggy mind worked. She groaned and sat up, rubbing her eyes.
“Not today, Chief. Lots to fix.” She yawned and scratched her head. The only thing she wanted was a steaming cup of hot coffee. Not dealing with some egotistical alien.
Rough hands grabbed her forearm and yanked her to her feet.
“Hey! Let go. What do you think you’re doing?” Morgan jerked her arm out of the tight grip of a small Ozevroc. Great, it was Grozzik, one of the nastiest Ozevroc around. She deliberately turned to High Chieftain Welozz and ignored the annoying little shit trying to grab her again. When he placed his grimy hand on her, she stepped on one of his bare foot-paws and ground her heel into it. She smiled when he squealed like a stuck pig and hopped out of her reach.
“Sacred gone!” The navy-blue fur on the Chieftain’s neck bristled. “Return or die!” He thumped his ever-present staff on the metal floor. The two sets of his dark, beady eyes narrowed as a growl rumbled out of his thin, black lips. “Human die!”
Crap. By the looks of him, he might really mean it this time.
She held up her hands, hoping to calm him down. “I’m sorry, Chief. I don’t know what you’re talking about. What is sacred?” It was hard to believe anything was sacred to these guys.
The High Chieftain’s growl increased in volume. “Talon of Ancients… sacred. Must return to Sanctum of Reverence now! You die!”
“Hang on, hang on.” Morgan spied her multicorder on her workstation. “Give me a chance to see what I can find. Okay?” She edged away from the angry alien and shuffled to the workstation, keeping her eye on the furious Ozevroc leader and his handful of protective goons.
Welozz snarled, but that didn’t stop her from moving away. Holding back a sigh of relief, she powered up her handheld and inserted the name Talon of Ancients. Good thing she’d been smart enough to interface her device with the Ozevroc computer system when she found herself their prisoner.
Her eyes widened when the information came back with a picture. She sucked in a breath and skimmed the information.
“Talon of Ancients” is a striking and intricately crafted object that is approximately a foot long, shaped like a curved claw, and made from a combination of precious metals and crystalline materials. The surface is adorned with elaborate carvings and symbols that glow faintly with an ethereal blue light, a representation of its holy stature. The metal is a deep, lustrous black, while the crystalline segments shimmer in shades of blue and green.
The Talon of Ancients is embedded with small, polished gemstones at key points, each representing an element of Ozevroc culture and history. The base of the claw features an ornate handle wrapped in a silken, dark-blue fabric that is both durable and soft. The artifact exudes a sense of ancient power and reverence. Its very presence invokes awe and respect in the Ozevroc.
Aboard theNebula Viper, The Talon of Ancients is housed in a special chamber known as the Sanctum of Reverence. The Sanctum is a small, dimly lit room in the most secure part of the ship, accessible only to the highest-ranking members of the Ozevroc delegation. The room’s walls have intricate tapestries depicting the history and legends of the Ozevroc people. The air must be maintained with a faint, soothing fragrance of sacred herbs.
At the center of the Sanctum stands a pedestal made of the same crystalline material as the Talon itself. A protective energy field surrounds this pedestal, bathing the artifact in a shimmering blue light. The Talon of Ancients rests on a velvet cushion atop the pedestal, prominently displayed for all who enter the Sanctum to see and venerate.
The Sanctum of Reverence is not just a place of safekeeping, but also a site of ritual and meditation. The artifact is more than just a way for the Ozevroc to pay homage to their ancestors. It’s the absolute seat of their governmental power. Whoever possess the Talon of Ancients has absolute authority over the species. The loss or destruction of the artifact would not only be a cultural and spiritual catastrophe, but would throw the entire Ozevroc civilization into a quagmire of civil unrest. This item must remain secure at all costs.
Morgan gulped. Holy God, if this damn thing was missing…
She peered at the High Chieftain. “You say it’s gone?” Her voice came out raspy. “When did this happen?”
The clank of metal being thrown around made her jump.
The little troop the High Chieftain brought with him was tearing the place apart.
Not that she blamed him. If this Talon meant as much to them as she read, she could understand their single-minded devotion to finding it.
Speaking of finding things, where was Ari? She glanced at the alcove he’d gone to sleep in. The only thing there was a discarded pile of blankets and rags. Where in the hell did the man go?
And how did he leave the room without thenuteshsnare zapping him unconscious?
Ari stumbled. Pinwheeling, he righted himself before he planted face-first on the hard floor. Blinking, he glanced around. Where was he? The last thing he remembered was lying on a lumpy pile of mismatched blankets and rags trying to fall asleep. Damn alcove Morgan told him to use barely gave him enough room to stretch out.
It was obvious he wasn’t in the alcove—he wasn’t anywhere in the massive engine/hanger room. He blinked against the dim, artificial lighting, his eyes slowly adjusting to the unfamiliar surroundings. The air carried a metallic tang, mingling with the faint scent of something earthy and musk-like. His footsteps echoed softly on the metal floor. He had to be in theNebula Vipersomewhere. With no other choice, he ventured ahead into the unknown, keeping in mind Morgan’s warning about being found outside without an Ozevroc guide. Lined on the scruffy, unwashed walls were exposed circuitry and conduits. Taking the rhythmic glow as a guide, he kept close to the walls.
With each step, his senses sharpened with cautious curiosity. Each corridor seemed to twist and turn, a labyrinth of metallic passageways. Every once in a while, he’d stop and listen for any sign of movement. All remained eerily silent. The farther he went, the more alien the surroundings became. Strange symbols adorned the walls, and he passed rooms filled with unfamiliar technology—machines that hummed with energy and devices that blinked with erratic lights.
So far, so good. No one was in sight. He just might find something familiar before anyone saw him.
As he rounded a corner, Ari’s breath caught. Damn, he shouldn’t have gotten so happy-clappy.
Ahead, two Ozevroc were in some king of argument, their long snouts bobbing animatedly as they gestured with their six arms.
Ari’s heart raced, and he pressed himself flat against the wall.Tiamat’s titties!The only thing to do was wait. Every muscle tensed, making his headache grow as he watched the Ozevroc continue with their gibberish discussion. When one of them glanced in his direction, Ari held his breath. With every fiber of his being, he willed himself to become part of the shadows.
