Chapter 17
MarIK ate the food that the warriors brought for him, knowing that they did that behind OrIN’s back. OrIN believed in starving his prisoners and keeping them sleep deprived in order to make them weak. His methods had always been questionable to MarIK and he had tried to overrule them whenever he could behind OrIN’s back.
“What’s going on with OrIN and the Morins?”
“OrIN and the Morins are arguing again. The team that went to the tunnels came back empty handed. They found no bodies. The other team that went to the cave is due back any minute.”
OrIN knew that he they would also find nothing there. Knowing OrIN as well as he did, it wasn’t hard to predict what the male would do next. “He’ll call for the transport to be brought soon. If the Morins back out of the deal, he may have a battle on his hands.”
“The Morins are very displeased but we’ll be ready for them, Commander.”
“Whatever happens, our priority is to keep the Morins from leaving. We need to find where their transport is hiding.”
Shuffling at the door had both men standing up and ready to fight whatever threat came in. One of the rebel warriors entered, nearly out of breath, as though he had run there full speed. “The team arrived without the female. OrIN ordered to have you brought before him.”
MarIK looked at the men gathered around. “I appreciate your support, but if things turn bad I want you to escape and turn yourselves into the Katierans. They owe me so give them my name. I believe they will show mercy.”
“OrIN will torture you before he kills you because he feels you betrayed him.”
“I did betray him,” MarIK admitted. It had been a hard decision to make, but he had no regrets. He wanted his warriors to understand this.
“It was the right and honorable thing to do. We won’t leave you, Commander.”
He nodded, the only outward show of his emotions. The males were good males who had been led astray. He felt a tremendous amount of responsibility for being part of that. They all deserved a second chance to prove their honor and worth. He would do everything he could to make sure that happened.
The warriors surrounded him and made it look like they were bringing a prisoner to OrIN as they walked down the corridor. MarIK heard the raised voices before they entered the rooms used for the previous banquet. It looked like OrIN was trying to smooth things over with the Morins by offering them a meal. The angry looks on the Morins’ faces showed that they weren’t pacified in the least.
“You have failed to keep your end of the deal, OrIN,” the Morin commander growled angrily.
“We lost the girl, which is a shame, but we did aid in repairing your transport. That should be worth something to you.”
“What would be worth it to me is finding another use for you.” The Morin commander looked at several of his warriors.
“What do you mean?” OrIN still didn’t understand the danger he was in.
“If we don’t have the female...perhaps the Katierans would be interested in trading the location of the Morinians in exchange for the rebel leader.”
“Over my dead body!” OrIN yelled.
“They may accept your head for the exchange, so keeping you alive is not a priority.”
MarIK slowly surveyed the entire room. Morins were everywhere. Why would OrIN allow so many to be brought here and without keeping track of where they were? The situation posed a major security threat.
He turned to speak in a low voice to Lieutenant RosET and Lieutenant StemER. “Get our warriors ready for a battle.”
Lieutenant RosET motioned for their warriors to spread out. MarIK had a bad feeling that things were about to turn from bad to worse for everyone in that room. He knew his old leader would not take a threat like that idly. OrIN thought too much of his ability to control situations — that was one of his fatal flaws.
As if on cue, OrIN put his hand on the phase ray that was in his pocket. “I could trade you to the Katierans in exchange for the removal of the existing Prime family. If I were to bring down the enemy of my people, it would make me a hero and I could finally claim the Prime Leader position as mine as it should have been.”
The Morin commander laughed, “You’re no leader. I have fought many Katierans, Kiljorns, and Colonists, and I can safely say that you are nothing compared to any of them. You are weak, OrIN, so weak your own commander betrayed you and you let a small female escape your hold. You are nothing and your warriors know it.”
“Watch what you say, Morin.”
“Why? What are you going to do? You’re a traitor to your own people. You’ve betrayed the Katieran nation, your Goddess, and your own honor. I have never met a male less worthy than you.”
OrIN pulled out his phase ray. “I’ll show you my honor!” He fired, but his aim was off and the phase ray missed the Morin commander. It was enough to be the catalyst for the chaos that ensued.
The Morins started firing on Orin and his men. MarIK didn’t want to help, but at the same time, he couldn’t let the Morins get away. He turned to the warriors behind him.
