Cosmos' Promise: Cosmos' Gateway Book 4 (7 page)

Cosmos focused as the information was fed through the visual connections to his contacts. His eyes flickered, rapidly assimilating the information. His lips tightened in fury as he moved the three dimensional structure around with his fingers. RITA2 had broken into the computer defense system but had to back out when a warning had sounded alerting her to an unfamiliar script that detected such hacking.

“Can RITA2 bring the security and weapons systems down?” Cosmos asked.

He moved down the holographic image until he came to the cliff on the northern side. There was a small entrance to an underwater cavern at the base a little over seven meters under the surface. He moved further down along it but could only see a small section. He needed to send probes so he could have a complete structural map of it.

“Not yet,” RITA replied. “She is testing the system but hasn’t found a way in yet without alerting their system to her entry. I’m running additional scenarios through my programming to see if I can help her.”

“I need information. I need to know the layout of the structure, the weapons system, the security features including personnel, and the location of every person inside the structure. Can RITA2 program and guide the sensors inside?” Cosmos asked as he walked over to a sealed containment unit.

He palmed the door leading into the area before walking over to open a box that was filled to the top with tiny round beads about the size of a marble. He scooped up a double handful and placed them in a small bag. Each ball opened up into a small flying sensor that looked more like a tiny silver beetle. Each one could search out a specific spot, connect with the others and begin sending back information such as mapping an area in three dimensions, weapon locations, movements of enemy personnel or, in extreme cases, be used as an explosive device if it was discovered.

He would have RITA2 program them to search out and map the fortress as well as the underwater cave. He needed to know if it would work to hide the equipment he would need to steal Terra away. He raised his left hand and stroked the delicate circles hoping she could feel his touch. It tore at him that her father would be such an ass to send his own daughter to a place that he must know would be terrifying to her.

“RITA2 said the sensors should be able to infiltrate the fortress,” RITA responded after a short break. “She will have to make sure they appear as natural as possible as the defense system is extremely sophisticated.”

“Open a Gateway in an uninhabited area along the coast. I need somewhere where I can deploy my equipment without it being seen,” Cosmos ordered as he left the enclosed unit. “Once I get Terra out, I will need you to open the Gateway back here. I want a containment placed on the other side. You make damn sure no Gateways can open from their side to ours,” Cosmos bit out.

RITA hesitated a moment before she responded. “Cosmos, if you do that you will cut Tink and her family off from Earth, not to mention the three men from Prime. How about RITA2 and I regulate who can come through?” She asked in a voice so much like Tilly that Cosmos briefly closed his eyes.

“I won’t take a chance of Teriff declaring war on Earth,” Cosmos grunted out.

He grabbed the bag he had packed and trotted down the staircase to the lab he had created in a sealed unit under his warehouse. This was one lab no one except RITA knew about. Here, he could do stuff that would scare the shit out of every military adversary in the world and create things that countries would go to war over. The inventions here almost made the Gateway look like a child’s toy - almost.

On the main floor was a series of different types of vehicles. He walked over to his newest creation. He had only been able to do limited tests with it and then only far out at sea. Two months before he had come close to being discovered by a fishing trawler that had ventured off the course it had plotted as he tested his new Multi-Function land/sea/air vehicle, or MFV Transport. It looked like a jet ski jacked up on steroids only it could also fly and submerge. He thought to market it for emergency rescues for offshore oil platforms. It also had endless uses for the military. That was the problem with most of his inventions. He knew if he could think of ways to twist them to use as a weapon then so could others. That was why he was very selective with what he gave out.

“Cosmos, I’ve set a location that should fit your needs. Please reconsider letting RITA2 and I regulate the Gateways. She can run interference on her side and I can run it on ours,” RITA insisted. “I can’t leave Tilly, Angus and the girls all alone there. Please, give us girls a chance. Pretty please,” RITA begged. “I’ll even throw a few icy showers and other things at dumbass if you let us.”

Cosmos felt his lips twitch as he thought of RITA’s sudden insistence of calling Teriff ‘dumbass’ now and just how miserable she could make his life. The fact that there would be two RITA’s working against him almost made him feel sorry for the old guy. He rubbed the back of his neck knowing he was going to give in. She was going to do what she wanted anyway. He had learned that lesson a long time ago.

“Alright,” Cosmos agreed reluctantly. “You two can regulate who comes and goes. And you have my permission to make that son-of-a-bitch’s life as miserable as you want.”

A loud sigh came out over the sound system. “Thank goodness,” RITA said gleefully. “RITA2 has already informed Tilly and Tresa about what dumbass has done. He is about to discover a new level of Hell,” she chortled.

Chapter 7

Tilly, Angus, and Tresa had been able to keep Terra distracted yesterday by having her examine Tansy. Terra had smiled and confirmed what the other healers had said, that Tansy would be alright but that her body and mind needed time to rest and heal. They had been surprised when Mak asked them to stay with Tansy until he returned. When Angus had asked where Mak was going, the huge warrior had quietly explained that he had one last thing to do before his mate woke. Tresa had warned both of the older Bells that Mak had sought the Right of Justice against the men who had harmed their daughter and had been granted it.

“What is the Right of Justice?” Angus had asked looking at Tresa and Terra’s worried expressions.

“My son will deal out justice to the men that were brought back to our world. Borj did the same thing with the men who harmed Hannah,” Tresa said hesitantly. “Our ways are different from yours. I have been studying your culture through RITA2. We do not have prisons to keep those who break our laws. Each clan deals with justice according to their customs. For a serious offense against another, the warrior may claim the Right of Justice. The one seeking justice chooses the weapons to be used. The one accused has a right to defend himself and can pick from the chosen weapons first. It is believed that the Gods guide the hand of the warrior seeking justice.”

“What happens to the loser?” Tilly asked wide-eyed.

“They die,” Terra murmured, looking out at the darkening sky. She turned her head. “Mak will not lose. He is our fiercest fighter. No one can beat him. He will kill the men who were brought here.”

Tilly shuddered and shrank into Angus. “What happens if he somehow loses?”

Tresa sighed as she gazed at the tense face of her daughter. “Mak will not lose. Terra is correct when she says no one can defeat Mak. He will return.”

“But…. Isn’t that a little barbaric?” Angus asked pushing his glasses up on his nose. “What if the person accused is innocent? What if someone is falsely accused? What do you do with a small infraction?”

Tresa smiled. “The Right of Justice is not asked for lightly and never without evidence that the wrong has been committed. The council and Teriff must approve such a request before it is granted. Lesser offenses are taken care of by the council judges who are appointed to different zones within the clan’s territory. You must accept this is part of our world, Angus. Prime warriors are very fierce. They must be controlled with an iron fist otherwise the leader and council would be seen as weak,” Tresa insisted before turning to look worriedly at her daughter. “Terra, tell me what concerns you.”

Terra looked at her mother. Tears glimmered in her eyes before she looked down at her palm. “I have found my bond mate,” she replied quietly. “He is a human male. Father was not happy. I worry that he will not accept Cosmos’ claim on me because he is a human. What will I do if father refuses?” She asked, a beseeching look clouding her silver eyes.

Tresa rose and walked over to where her daughter was standing near the window. She gently grasped her hands and turned them palm up so she could see the bonding mark. A tender smile curved her lips. She looked into Terra’s seeking gaze and lightly touched her cheek.

“He will not refuse him,” Tresa assured her with a look of determination coming into her own eyes.

“But…..” Terra whispered. “But…. What if he does?”

Tresa’s right eyebrow rose. “Then he will discover the true meaning of war,” she vowed.

*.*.*

It was early the next morning when RITA2 informed Tilly and Angus about what Teriff had done. Tilly and Angus had hurried to Teriff and Tresa’s living quarters to confront him. Tilly had been worried about Terra since she had not been able to locate her and the young girl’s bed had not been slept in. She had promised Cosmos that she would look after Terra, and by damn, she would not break that promise! Angus had suggested that perhaps she had gone to visit her parents as she would want to know what happened at the warehouse after they left. It had been while they were on their way there that RITA2 had let slip that Terra had been taken away.

Now they stood in the middle of Tresa and Teriff’s living quarters. Tilly was shaking with fury as Teriff told her that he had sent Terra away. He would never let his daughter mate with a weak human male, even if he was her bond mate.

“You sent her where?” Tilly screeched drawing a pained look from Angus.

“Now dear,” Angus began trying to pull his tiny wife back into his arms.

“Don’t you ‘now dear’ me, Angus Bell,” Tilly growled in a low voice. “Teriff, have you lost your ever-loving mind? You have to bring Terra back right now! I promised Cosmos I would watch over her until he came for her.”

“I told you, I will not allow her to be mated with a human male!” Teriff snapped out in anger.

Teriff’s face was tight with annoyance and determination. He had returned from battle with adrenaline pulsing through his body. He had decided it was in Terra’s best interest and safety if she was secure within the Isle of the Chosen’s fortress. It was the only place he could think of to send her until he could decide what to do with her.

After what had happened at both warehouses, he would not take a chance of anything happening to his beautiful daughter. He did not want to give her to the Northern clan leader but if it was a choice between Hendrik and the human male, he would. He needed time to review the agreement the huge warrior had presented him first.

It didn’t help that he had returned from battle with his body fueled by adrenaline, making him hard and horny for his very beautiful and stunningly passionate bond mate. Since Tink had appeared on his world and talked with his bond mate, his life had exploded into never-ending bouts of fulfillment. He and Tresa had been together for years but never had she responded with the unprovoked passion that now consumed her since she discovered the power she held with just her touch.

The women of Prime were raised to tolerate the touch of their mates. He would like to find the ancients who decided that the women of his world should be taught to hold their passions back. He would personally kill them! He understood part of the reason was to make the lack of having a bond mate more tolerable for the males. If they knew how passionate a female could be there would have been war among all of the surviving men.

Now that new females who were compatible with their kind had been found, he could only hope that war could still be avoided. Already the Eastern Clan had tried to kidnap one of the human females. His son, Borj’s mate had been kidnapped by Core, Merrick’s second in command. Merrick ruled the Eastern Clan. It was only the fact the men of Merrick’s clan were so desperate for information that such females existed that prevented Teriff from killing the entire bunch. Well, that and the fact that his new daughter had done a pretty good job of letting the males know she was not going to be cooperative.

In truth, Teriff could not blame the other clans for demanding information. Even now, he fought to protect his only daughter from being taken against her will by a Northern Clan who wanted to use her to force Teriff to give them access to where the females had come from. Hendrik was a bear of a warrior who would do whatever was necessary to bring hope back to his clan. The Northern area of Baade was a harsh world that few could survive in. The icy tundra and fierce storms made the men strong but few women could handle such an environment. Hendrik had recently inherited the duty of Clan leader after his own father was killed in an avalanche just six months before.

Early this morning, Tresa had demanded to know if it were true that he had sent their daughter to the Isle of the Chosen. He reluctantly admitted he had sent her there late last night. A shiver of foreboding ran through him. The feeling had increased when he had taken his shower alone this morning. The damn thing had been like ice and Tresa had refused to join him. In fact, she had told him that she had a ‘headache’ and would not be joining him until it went away. Teriff looked over to where Tresa was standing stiffly by the windows with her arms crossed and a fierce expression on her frowning face. He had a feeling her headache was going to last a very long time.

He tried to explain he had not wanted to send Terra away but felt he had no choice. His guards had reported members from different clans had been trying to breach the walls as news of the human females had spread. Copies of a vidcom of J’kar’s mate telling about the pleasures of the ‘birds and the bees’, the strength and cunning of his son Borj’s mate at having escaped the clutches of the men who would harm her, and the unusual beauty of his newest daughter, Mak’s mate, were exploding like a wild fire out of control. One of his security specialists informed him that communication lines were filled with tales of the women. On top of that, even the council had come to question him about Tilly and Angus and even Tresa’s passionate responses to him.