Major Ontarii pressed on. “I was on your prison planet. Your scientists have made a big discovery, an upgrade we’re lucky you weren’t equipped with before you infiltrated the human ship.”
“Then they’d figured out how to adapt the human scientist’s device, to make us impervious to your energy blasts?” The Hareema captive chortled. “That proves that we are within a stone’s throw of achieving our goal. And you’ll never be able to stop us now.”
“Yes, your little upgrade has the rebellion in a tizzy. They’ll be stepping up their efforts to take you down from the inside. And we’ll be happy to help them.”
The thing with Brooklyn’s face laughed with undisguised glee. “You’re no match for us.”
Major Ontarii smiled back, a cruel smile that Jeffrey was glad wasn’t aimed at him. “We’ll see.”
The major turned on his heel and left the room without another word. Jeffrey glanced at Kat, who wore a slight frown as she watched Major Ontarii depart.
“Time to go get my ship back,” he said to her softly. She nodded, then followed him to the entrance. Before they left, she turned to the scientist.
“Hit him with a blast of electricity,” she said.
The scientist nodded, then turned on the electric floor. The creature’s laughs gave way to screams.
Kat walked out of the chamber, not bothering to look back.
That woman has ice water in her veins, Jeffrey thought, following her out into the corridor. She set off in a new direction and he paced after her, going over the situation in his mind.
It seemed the Hareema weren’t as infallible as he’d feared. If rebels were working from within the Hareema power structure to take them down, perhaps the humans and Zantharians could find a way to join forces with them.
Kat walked in front of him, her motions stiff. Still, he couldn’t help staring at her well-toned bottom. He had a weakness for firm behinds, and hers was the firmest he’d ever seen.
Jeffrey figured that his intuition about her feelings for Major Ontarii were correct. Still, he refused to abandon hope. Despite her desire for the major, she’s still responded when he’d kissed her, when he’d licked her body with abandon.
The memory of her taste once again made his flight suit uncomfortably tight. It was damned difficult to keep his mind on his mission when he couldn’t stop imagining her lips on his, her body naked and writhing beneath him.
“I’ll never be under you again,” she’d said, her anger evident. Even though she promised to put up a valiant effort to ignore his charm, Jeffrey knew that the prize would be worth any fight.
She led him into a wide chamber with high ceilings and several stations interspersed throughout. Walking up to a desk she addressed the male seated behind it. “Is the ship ready to go?”
“The last of the crew just arrived. Everything has been checked and double checked. You are cleared for departure immediately.”
Kat nodded, making her way through a large archway and not watching to see if Jeffrey followed.
I’m getting tired of tagging along after her like a lost puppy.He picked up speed until he came up alongside her. She moved away to make sure their shoulders didn’t touch.
They’d entered some kind of hangar, with several Zantharian ships parked in rows along the center. The outer wall held three large membranes, presumably for the ships to make their way through.
Kat hurried to the smallest ship in the hangar. It resembled something sleek, dark gray with two fins on either side and a smaller one on top.Like a dolphin.
The entry hatch was open, and she climbed inside, Jeffrey following behind her. The ship was small, the interior tightly packed. They were in a corridor of some sort, with a low ceiling that his head nearly brushed against, and slightly curved walls. There were hatches dotting the walls, which Jeffrey assumed were for storage.
Kat finally decided to acknowledge his existence, pointing toward the rear of the ship. “The crew quarters are there. They consist of a bunkroom and a small mess. Unfortunately, a ship of this size has no captain’s quarters.”
Although it sounded as if she’d sneered the last words, he nodded, preferring to pretend he hadn’t noticed her tone.
“This way to the bridge,” she said, leading him to the membrane at the other end of the corridor. She entered and he went in after her, seeing that five Zantharian crewmembers were already aboard.
“Everything is ready for departure, Lieutenant,” the Zantharian perched in front of the center console chirped.
“What are your orders?” another asked.
Kat opened her mouth to respond, and Jeffrey nudged her gently with his elbow. She looked over at him, her face dark. It was a wonder that she hasn’t gone bright yellow. Still, if he was going to assert his command, it was best to do so from the beginning.
“This is Lieutenant Jeffrey Brunt. He’s in command of this mission.”
