Chapter 15
MarIK watched until Sharon’s war ship disappeared in the sky. He prayed to the Goddess that she would make it to the Katieran transport safely. She had become everything to him in such a short time. His only regret was not claiming her the night before like he wanted. At the time, he felt it was the right thing to do, but now, he wished he had claimed her when she told him that she wanted him to. He did the honorable thing by waiting, but at that moment, his heart wished differently.
This was probably for the best. As he thought that, another war ship flew closer, looking like it was going to either fire on him or was searching for a location to land. His best chance was to go back to the cave and hold up there as long as he could.
Going back that way, he was grateful no one else other than those two Morins had come across the cave. He was amazed that Sharon was able to kill one of the Morins, though he wished she hadn’t been put in that position. The fault was his own for leaving her but he might not have been able to acquire a war ship if she had been with him. Her height and small stature would not fool anyone — if they had been spotted, she would have stood out as a female.
MarIK went inside and checked the dead Morins. He first checked them for weapons and kept them for himself. Then he dragged each one outside and rolling them down to the bottom of the ridge. When he returned to the cave, he rolled the boulder back to block most of the entrance. He left just enough space for him to fire his phase ray to the outside. The cave walls were thick enough to give him some protection in case the war ships fired on him from above, and any warrior on the ground would have to get close enough to the boulder to remove it. He would kill any who tried it.
The sound of a war ship above caught his attention. Looking out, he watched as one war ship landed a few feet away from the cave entrance. He didn’t hear any other war ships but that didn’t mean there weren’t ground troops out there. If he were commander, that would have been something he would have ordered. Ground troops could cover more area while the war ships provided coverage from above. The fact that the pilot of the war ship landed instead of staying in the air made him think that there were no troops out there, but that could be a ruse to get him to show himself.
He recognized the male when he reached the top of the ridge. It was Lieutenant FisON. He wasn’t the brightest warrior, but he was one of OrIN’s favorites, which was why he moved up the ranks despite the fact that MarIK flunked him out of most drills. MarIK saw the moment FisON spotted the cave entrance and began walking that way. MarIK decided to give him a warning. He shot his phase ray, aiming a few feet in front of the male. FisON stopped and pulled out his own weapon.
“Show yourself, traitor!” FisON yelled, not even bothering to find cover.What an idiot, MarIK thought.
“I’m not the traitor, OrIN is,” MarIK responded.
“You went against your superior.”
“He went against our laws and our Goddess by trying to take not one, but two females. He was the one who made a deal with our enemy.”
“He has a higher vision. You just can’t see it. Come out of there now.”
“I think I’ll stay here — but thanks.”
FisON wasn’t expecting his refusal. He took out his phase ray and pointed it at the boulder. “Come out and I’ll take you back alive, but if you don’t, I’ll be forced to take your dead body back to OrIN.”
MarIK smirked. “That’s big talk for a male that never even passed one full drill.”
“Those drills were ridiculous!”
“One drill involved a situation like this. Perhaps if you had finished the drill, you might know how to handle me better.”
“Look, send out the female and I’ll leave you alone. OrIN wanted both of you brought back alive, but I can make an exception and just take the female. I’ll tell him that you abandoned her.”
“The female didn’t make it out. She died in the explosion.”
“You lie!”
“She is not here. I’m willing to let you check for yourself.”
“What’s the catch?”
“You agree to take me in alive, straight to OrIN.”
“Are you planning to plead for your life?”
“No.”
“What are you wanting to see OrIN for?”
“That’s between me and OrIN.”
“Fine, throw your phase ray out here.”
MarIK made sure to hide the weapons he had obtained from Morins. Then he threw his phase ray out and stepped back. If FisON wanted MarIK, he would have to move that boulder himself, without any help.
MarIK stood back and folded his arms over his chest as he watched the boulder slowly roll out of the way. FisON cautiously entered, holding his phase ray pointed at him.
