I ignore the smell which is still stuck fast in my nostrils. The one which was only chased away by Gillian’s presence. This entire ship is a mausoleum and the sooner we are away from it the better.
If anything wanted me to celebrate life, it was coming here.
The lights in the switching room are not functioning. Instead the only illumination comes from the various flickering switches which tick slightly as they run through their algorithms. I do not have an issue with the lack of light, my eyesight being more than good enough to see even in the darkest of dark places, but it seems odd this place would have a malfunction when everywhere else seems to be operating.
I grit my teeth. I hope it doesn’t mean something else isn’t working in here, such as the mapping system my mate needs in order to get her home.
I make my way carefully through the maze of switching mechanisms until l find the correct one.
And it’s not what I was expecting. Instead of an item I believed would need a flyer to transport, instead it is large, but not so large my Sarkarnii form cannot carry it and my mate. Admittedly, it will take us the best part of a nova-week to returnto the main continent, but it will, at least, mean we are not stuck here.
That is, providing the flyer I saw on my comm is working. I have high hopes it might be.
I retrace my steps as the lights go out completely.
Perhaps this old ship isn’t in as good a state as I thought it was. I increase my pace to get back to my mate. The bridge, at least, has some light from outside so she won’t be completely in the dark. Her eyes may be beautiful, but they are small and unlikely to be as good as Sarkarnii eyes.
“I’ve found it, my mate,” I announce as I turn into the bridge.
The situation which greets me is not one I could possibly be ready for. I count six Sarkarnii females, each one partially shifted with wings and tails. One of them has hold of Gillian, her clawed fingers covering her mouth, making white and red indentations in Gillian’s skin. When she wriggles and attempts to fight, she is gripped tighter. The squeal of pain she makes sends my rut soaring.
Without thinking, I let rip with a burst of flame at the nearest female.
“Do that again and I’ll execute your little pet.” A strident voice pierces through the fog of my anger.
A Sarkarnii female, only just shorter than me, steps between us. She is the largest female I have ever seen, and she certainly has the sharpest fangs.
“Dalox?” she queries.
“I am Dalox. Admiral of the fleet and member of the High Bask. I order you to stand down and release my mate.”
She looks over her shoulder at Gillian.
“That’swhat males are mating with these days?” She snorts out a few cinders. “No wonder you’re looking tired and old.”
“You are part of my fleet and you will take my orders.”
She takes a step towards me.
“I am Dyana. I am the leader of the Nostenii, and we take orders from no male.” She bares her teeth at me. “Especially after we were abandoned to die.”
There’s a dull thump behind her. “Don’t trust her, Dalox,” Gillian shouts. “She said she would bite you.”
I briefly see my mate as she attempts to get away from her captor but is pulled back violently, her head impacting with a bulkhead and her body going limp in the female warrior’s hands.
I leap for her, but I’m brought down onto the ground.
“Your mate is right,” Dyana says, crouching next to me. “You shouldn’t trust me.”
And she sinks her fangs into my hand.
GILLIAN
Igroan as my eyes roll open and the headache starts. At this rate, I’m going to end up with something permanent, the amount of times I end up hitting my head.
Although, that seems the least of my worries when I see my surroundings. I’m in the jungle, that much is clear, but I’m also in a rough crate crudely welded together and with no obvious exit. There’s only just room for me to lie down, and as I scramble to my knees, squeezing one eye shut at the pain in my head, I notice the other thing missing.
One great big alien dragon warlord.
