3013: Targeted (3 page)

Hawke’s dinner was served by one of the other staff, a pretty, young Krytos female who couldn’t have been more than a few years past twenty. She was small for her species, standing only a few inches over six feet. Hawke knew that when it came to her race, though, looks were deceiving. Even the smallest Krytos was dangerous when they shifted into their battle form. Their nails would extend into claws, their fangs lengthened, and their strength, speed, and endurance would be enhanced for as long as they held that form.

As the female set down his plate of food, she gave him a shy smile, and he couldn’t help but smile back. He’d never met a shy Krytos before. “Is there anything else I can get for you?” she asked.

“The food looks great, but if you have a moment, I do have a question for you. Two actually.”

“I can’t stay long, the kitchen is imploding tonight, but I can try to answer any questions you have before I head back.”

He grinned in thanks. “First question. What’s your name?”

“My name? Um, it’s Jenza.”

“Hi, Jenza. I’m Hawke. I arrived today, and I keep hearing rumors about the station commander getting killed while he was in this bar. Do you know what happened?”

She nodded. “I was here. Some human friends of T’karra had a claiming ceremony here, and we were all celebrating. One minute everyone was happy, and then there were armed men and shooting and so much smoke. Danor ordered me to hide behind the bar as if I were a mere child who didn’t know how to fight.”

“No, I can see you’re no child. So, did you hide?”

Jenza shook her head, making the bells attached to some of her long braids chime softly. “I defended my home like all Krytos should. My little sister was upstairs, in the living quarters. I would never let anything happen to her.”

“Does anyone know how the attackers got in or what they wanted? I mean, this is a Krytos sanctuary! It’s supposed to be safe for everyone.”

Jenza lowered her voice. “I learned later the men were here to take the humans’ mate away with them. It had nothing to do with us. As for how they got in, the stupid Alliance doesn’t know anything yet, or if they do, they’re not telling us. I’ve heard some of the others say it may be time to move to another sanctuary, somewhere safer, but this is the only home I have ever known. T’karra and her brothers are my cousins. I love them and this place, and I will not leave.”

Well, that was an interesting bit of news. If the Krytos were unhappy with the investigation, there was nothing in the reports about it. Of course, why would there be? The ones investigating it were hardly going to admit things weren’t going well. It was why he and Brandt had come early. To find out what
wasn’t
in any of the reports. The sanctuary was an important source of income for X2, not to mention the fact it was home to a significant number of Krytos with no other home. Once he and Brandt officially arrived, reassuring T’karra and the others would have to be high on the new commanders’ to-do list.

“I wouldn’t want to leave my home, either, Jenza. At least, I wouldn’t if I actually had one. I was worried there was a vendetta against the sanctuary or something, but if it was an Alliance thing, it’s not likely to happen again.”

“I hope you’re right.”

Another Krytos female crossed behind Jenza, her fair hair and smaller build marking her as likely being a hybrid. She had a sour expression on her face as she poked Jenza sharply in the shoulder. “You’re falling behind.”

Jenza glanced back toward the kitchen and swore under her breath as she saw the row of orders waiting to be taken to their tables. “I have to go.”

“Thanks for the conversation.”

She flashed him another shy smile. “You’re welcome.”

The other female sauntered back to her part of the bar and resumed taking drink orders, her expression wavering between indifference and surliness depending on who her customer was. She seemed the crankiest when serving Alliance personnel, but she was never openly hostile. He chalked it up to tension over the attack a few weeks ago. If his home had been violated, he’d feel the same way.

Once he was alone, Hawke attacked his steak with enthusiasm. He hadn’t been hungry until he’d smelled the meal in front of him, but now he was famished. The crush of customers in the bar had thinned out by the time he was finished, and as another elite walked past, he noticed the way the floor reacted to each footfall. The floor itself looked like black marble, but the flecks and swirls of red in the material held a faint glow that grew brighter when pressure was applied. As people walked, a tiny light show flared beneath their feet, helping to light their way through the bar as well as giving away the location of anyone who was on the move. He hadn’t noticed it coming in because he’d been looking up, focusing on making his way through the crowd.

The gaming tables were still doing a booming business, but elsewhere, there were a few empty tables and booths that had been full not long ago. It was getting late, and while a station like X2 never shut down completely, it was approaching the time when things were quietest. After dessert, he’d meet up with Brandt, and they’d wander the station, enjoying the peace and getting a feel for their temporary home. It was a ritual they’d started years ago.

He felt a shift in the air beside him and turned to find T’karra claiming the seat to his right. She set down a plate between them, and his eyes widened as he took in the generous portion of dark chocolate cake slathered in whipped cream, more chocolate, and sprinkles of what looked like powdered sugar. She grinned and gestured to the confection. “You still have room for dessert, or will I have to eat this whole thing by myself?”

“When it comes to all things decadent and delicious, I’m insatiable,” he told her as he picked up one of the pair of forks she’d brought with her.

The corners of her mouth curved upward in amusement. “I’ll have to remember that.”

“Do you memorize all your customers’ quirks?”

“Not all. Just the ones who
intrigue
me.”

Hawke’s mouth went dry as the sands of Mars at the husky note that had crept into T’karra’s voice near the end of her comment. She wasn’t the only one intrigued. When she lifted a forkful of the chocolate confection to her mouth, he found himself watching as her lips wrapped around the morsel and drew it into the depths of her mouth. When a faint moan of appreciation rose from her throat, the sound resonated in every cell of his body, making his blood sing and his cock stir. When he finally remembered to taste the dessert, the flavors reminded him of the woman at his side, sultry and full of fire. By the second bite, Hawke knew he’d be back for more. Now he’d met T’karra, his mission had changed. Getting the station secured and back to normal was still his primary goal, but now he had a second one.

Her.

***

CHAPTER THREE

“Ready?” Brandt asked as he straightened his uniform one last time. He’d made sure the steel-grey and black jacket was immaculate, and his black boots had been polished to a mirror finish. First impressions were important, and after everything he and Hawke had discovered while they’d been secretly observing their future command, they were going to need every advantage they could get.

“I’m going to miss not having to shave every damned day,” Hawke muttered from inside his room. The big elite walked out into the hallway, and Brandt had to fight the urge to laugh at his best friend’s disgruntled expression. The scruffy stubble had been shaved off, and Hawke’s hair was back to regulation length.

“Welcome back, Commander Summers. I barely recognized you without all the hair.”

“Very funny. I was just getting used to being comfortable every day. I swear this uniform is too small. I feel like I can’t fucking breathe.”

“The uniform is fine. It’s all in your head, or maybe you shouldn’t have eaten so many of those desserts at the Black Hole. You’re looking a little soft around the middle.”

Hawke shot him a black look. “Fuck you. I’m not the one who’s been skipping workouts since we got here, or did you think I wouldn’t notice?”

“Anyone tell you that you nag like an old woman? There’s nothing wrong with taking a few days off, you know.”

“For you, maybe. You know what happens when I don’t blow off my excess energy.”

“Fair point,” Brandon said with a nod. It had been a long time since Hawke had lost control of his temper, but the memory was still vivid. Ever since the enhancements, Hawke had boundless energy. The medical experts hadn’t been able to pin down exactly what caused it. The upshot was that Hawke needed to keep physically active, or he started getting wound too tight. Too much inactivity invariably led to a loss of temper, and when a six-foot-ten, elite soldier with extensive hand-to-hand training lost his temper, things got broken, including bones.

That
minor
flaw was the reason Hawke wasn’t back on Earth, guarding Regents or other high profile Alliance personnel, which had been his original career path. Instead, Brandt had his best friend at his side as the two of them worked together to troubleshoot problems within the Alliance. Problems like the ones currently plaguing X2.

Hawke’s wrist-unit beeped, reminding him of the time. In fifteen minutes, the vessel they were supposed to be traveling aboard would arrive at the station. Despite having made it clear they wanted no official welcome, both men had heard gossip indicating the senior officers were planning on meeting the ship. Those plans were going to be interrupted in five minutes, when he and Brandt arrived in Ops.

Neither of them were pleased their first orders were being ignored, but they weren’t surprised. They had learned X2 was something of a dumping ground for problem officers. Add to that the fact Commander Janes had a somewhat relaxed leadership style, and it quickly became evident why the station was in trouble, and how the mercenaries could have slipped on board.

All that was all about to change.

“Looks like it’s time to go. We’ve got an investigation to finish, asses to kick and a station to reorganize. Farewell, sleep. It was nice knowing you.” Hawke headed for the door with Brandt only a few steps behind him.

“It’s not the lack of sleep that’s worrying me,” Brandt commented as they exited the hotel suite they’d been using during their brief assessment period.

“You’re worried? About what?”

“You. Specifically, how many pieces T’karra Ryvern is going to tear you into when she finds out you’ve been less than honest about who you are. What were you thinking, spending so much time with her?”

“I told you, it was an accident. Then I started to get to know her, and I just…fuck I don’t know, I was enjoying myself. I know it was a bad idea, but once you meet her you’ll understand.”

“I always said women were going to be your downfall. I can only hope the bloodstains come out of the carpet. There’s no room in the budget for me to have it redone.”

“Nice to know you’ve got my back,” Hawke said, slowing down so Brandt could catch up. They had their rituals, and one of them was to always enter a new command situation side by side. It helped make it clear to everyone present they were a team.

Brandt shot him a sideways look and then grinned. “You know I do. I won’t let her kill you, and I promise to visit you in the med center every day while they’re growing you a new spleen.”

“I’m really feeling the love right now.”

“That’s not love, it’s indigestion from all those desserts you devoured while you were off the clock. Suck in your gut, soldier, we’re back to work, starting now.”

They reached the hotel doors and stepped through them together, into the throng of men, women, and alien races that were now theirs to govern and protect.

* * * *

T’karra was reviewing inventory reports when her wrist-unit chimed. The ID showed it was her youngest brother, Verak, calling. “Unless the bar is on fire or the station is falling into a black hole, I am too busy to deal with whatever you’re calling about. Handle it yourself.”

Verak’s cheerful grin filled the vid-screen. “And hello to you, too, sister mine. You told me to notify you the minute I got word the new commanders had arrived. They’re here. Apparently they walked into Ops an hour ago. The first casualties of the change in command came staggering in here a few minutes ago looking to drown their sorrows.”

“They’re
here
?” T’karra snarled.

“Yeah. I’m still getting the story, but it seems they’ve been here for a few days incognito, doing recon and getting a sense of how things really are.”

Irritation flared as she listened to her brother’s words. “So, we waited for news while they played spy on their own people? For their sakes, these devious tactics of theirs better have provided them with some fresh intel about how and why our home was attacked and our peace threatened.” T’karra wasn’t sure if she approved of the new commanders’ tactics or not, but she did appreciate the fact they were making some kind of effort.

Verak chuckled softly and then winked at her through the vid-link. “By the looks of the faces at the bar, I’d say the new commanders are more concerned with results than they are with making friends, which might bode well for the investigation…and our profit margins if their officers keep coming in here to drink away their sorrows. When I get more information out of the humans, I’ll relay it to you.”

“Thanks. You can tell me what you’ve learned when I get back.”

“You going somewhere?” Verak asked, but the gleam in his black eyes told her he already knew where she was going.

“Of course I am. I’m headed to Ops to have a talk with the new commanders. I want to know what they’re planning, and where they are on the investigation into what happened to our home. If they’ve been here a while, then they should already have some answers for me.”

Verak laughed. “I almost feel sorry for them. I will see you when you get back.”

“If you’re going to feel sorry for anyone, it should be for Danor. Since I have to go deal with this, I need him to check on the inventory. As far as I can tell, there are several crates of Shaulian ale missing, and I want to know why. Find our brother and tell him to figure it out, after all, security is
his
job.”

“I’ll let him know. And T’karra? Try to remember that humans are a delicate species. Don’t break the new commanders, or we’ll have to wait longer for this fucking investigation to end.”

She growled under her breath. “I’ll try, but I make no promises. I want answers, and these two better be ready to give me some. I’ll see you when I get back.”

Verak signed off with a wave, and T’karra headed to her quarters on the upper level. As much as she wanted to go see the new commanders immediately, she also knew the value of a first impression. If she showed up with dust in her braids and beer stains on her shirt, they would never take her seriously.

Half an hour later, she was walking across the concourse toward Ops, her boots ringing on the deck plating with every step she took. She wore a skirt that swirled around her legs as she walked, the fabric slit up the sides to ensure she had the freedom to move, or defend herself if needed. Her fitted boots ended just at her knees, with a heel high enough she stood as tall as an elite. She’d selected a flowing, black and crimson top that left one shoulder and arm bare. Her only adornments were the red and black beads she had attached to the ends of some of her braids, and the black-handled dagger all Krytos wore as a silent reminder they would never again be caught unawares by those who would seek to hurt them.

T’karra moved with a determination others could sense, and most stepped out of her way, allowing her to pass straight through the crowded main floor until she reached the elevator that carried her out of the bustle and up into the command center. Even the soldiers standing guard at the doors straightened as she stepped out of the elevator and approached, though neither one made way so she could enter.

“I’m here to speak to the new commanders,” she informed them before they could ask what she was doing there. Not that they couldn’t guess after all the visits and messages she had left in the past few weeks, but she knew they’d ask anyway.

“Do you have an appointment?” The one on the left asked. T’karra recognized him from her bar.

“Officer Carrs, you know damned well I don’t have an appointment, because they haven’t been on the station long enough for me to make one. Besides, I never needed an appointment to see Commander Janes.”

“Things have changed, ma’am. If you like, I can let them know you’re here, and see if they have time to see you.”

She let a soft growl of annoyance rise from her throat as she flashed her fangs at the young officer. “You did not  call me, ma’am, did you Carrs?”

“No ma’am—I mean, yes, I did. Shit. I’m just trying to do what I was told, please don’t hurt me.”

She indulged herself in another growl as she did her best to hide her amusement. “Tell the new commanders the proprietress of the Krytos sanctuary here on X2 has formally requested a meeting.
Now
.”

“Yes Ma—I mean, I’ll do that right now.” Carrs lifted his wrist-unit and tapped out a few quick keystrokes, then a few more. There was an answering chime within moments, and he exhaled in relief at whatever message he received.

“I take it I have my meeting?” she asked.

“Yes. I’m to escort you in.”

“I don’t need an escort, Carrs. I’m very familiar with the way to the commanders’ office.”

“They’re not using that space. Hell, nothing is the way it was. These two…well, you’ll see for yourself. If you’ll follow me? I have orders to escort you, and I intend to follow those orders to the letter.”

T’karra nodded, more than a little curious about what she would find inside. “Then lead on.”

Once inside, T’karra was immediately struck by the tension in the air. The twin scents of anxiety and fear stung her nose, making her wince. Everyone spoke in rushed whispers, and she had never seen the operations floor so energized. Officers scurried between workstations or stared at vid screens with near frantic intensity.

Carrs wasn’t kidding. Things had changed.

Instead of being lead toward the area Janes had always used as an office, Carrs headed for the area usually used as an informal meeting room. The walls were made up entirely of transparent materials that could be made opaque when needed, but at the moment they were clear, allowing T’karra to see more changes had been made inside. The circular table was gone, replaced by two identical desks facing forward so whoever sat at them would be looking out over the operations floor. Rivers of data seemed to flow across several wall monitors and a number of holographic displays, and one wall was completely covered by what looked like surveillance footage from all over the station. The outer windows overlooked one of the station’s five docking arms, and beyond that were stars beyond count, scattered across the dark void of space.

“They’ve really only been here a few hours?” T’karra asked in a low whisper.

Carrs nodded once. “Like I said. Changes.”

They walked to the open doorway, and Carrs knocked twice, drawing the attention of one of the two men standing watching the surveillance footage. His hair was so blond it was almost white, and when he turned around to face her she found herself surprised at the sudden surge of sexual heat that coursed through her veins at the sight of the new commander. He was younger than she’d expected, and far better looking. He filled out his uniform in a way she could truly appreciate, and despite the fact he was only a few inches taller than she was, his physical presence made him seem much larger. He had a face that looked like it had been sculpted by a master artist, a study in symmetry and male beauty. In short, he was gorgeous, and for the second time in a matter of days, T’karra found herself powerfully attracted to a man she knew nearly nothing about.

It was disconcerting as hell.

“T’karra Ryvern is here, Sirs,” Carrs announced.