Chapter 21
MarIK warned his warriors. “Be careful, the Katierans might not realize we are trying to help. Don’t challenge them.”
“Yes, sir.”
Just as he rounded the corner to the docking bay, he came across Lieutenant Commander LazAR. He raised his hands to show LazAR he meant no harm.
“We’re here to help.”
LazAR nodded and motioned for his warriors to lower their weapons. “Sharon called me and told me what happened.”
The transport shook suddenly.
“What the hell is that?” MarIK asked, although he already knew the answer.
“Our transport has taken a direct hit.”
“Who’s attacking?” MarIK asked.
“The rebel transport.”
“It’s a distraction to give OrIN time to escape. He’s going for a war ship.”
“That’s what I would do. If he blows the docking bay doors, it will be a while before we can launch any war ships to go after him.”
“We need a distraction of our own,” MarIK suggested.
“What do you have in mind?”
“What would he want the most right now?”
“Besides escaping? He would want…”
“A chance to take me out. So let’s give him his chance.” MarIK knew it was a risk, but if he could stall OrIN long enough for LazAR to make a move, they could end this thing once and for all. The transport took another hit. MarIK looked at LazAR. “Let’s do this.”
MarIK followed the warriors down the corridor and then waited until they took positions outside the docking bay inner doors. The doors opened and he entered the docking bay. The warriors that OrIN had guarding the doors turned their weapons in his direction. MarIK held up his hands to show he was unarmed. “Where are you going, OrIN?”
His old commander looked up as he came out of a shuttle. He spotted MarIK and his smile grew. “I had tried to come see you before I left, but the outer cell door was locked.”
“Well, here I am.”
“I see that.” He approached MarIK with sure strides despite a warning from one of his warriors indicating that they needed to leave. “You shouldn’t have betrayed me.”
“I should have turned from you a long time ago.”
“Leader OrIN, we need to leave right now.”
Again, OrIN ignored his warrior as he pulled out phase ray. “It saddens me that I must end you.”
OrIN’s warriors were now piling into the shuttle. MarIK could see that they were ready to go with or without OrIN. “Your warriors are about to bolt on you.”
OrIN didn’t even glance back. “They won’t leave me.”
The shuttle fired its engines and then OrIN did glance back at them, just as the shuttle door closed. OrIN glared at him. “What in Kitana are you doing?”
In the moment that OrIN was distracted, MarIK reached for an overhead suspension hook and lunged forward to connect it to OrIN’s bodysuit.
“Let me go!” OrIN yelled as he tried to hit MarIK in response.
