Legend Beyond The Stars (32 page)

Too many secrets. Her lips twisted into a cynical smirk and she stepped further away from his personal space, every nerve ending aware of his unwavering regard.

“The others?” she croaked through a throat parched dry. Her eyes flickered around the chamber. Tarak’s men were freeing the occupants of the other tubes. She shuddered as she saw them carefully lift limp forms into their arms.

There was no sign of Atolo or any of his assistants.

Ignoring her question, he took first one of her hands and then the other to examine her bruised and bloodied wrists. “These will be seen to immediately.”

He waved a shayote over her form and with narrowed eyes examined the data.

“Get that thing away from me!” she choked out. “Don’t you dare pretend you care! You betrayed us.” She wobbled on her feet and lurched backwards. Fury, disappointment, despair and a hurt so deep it scared her, battled for supremacy in her mind.

“Be still Alana, while I check you for damage.” His voice was curt and cold.

She shivered. A tear dribbled down her cheek. He muttered in a furious undertone, words she didn’t quite catch but it sure sounded like he was cursing. Well, let him swear. Maybe he was pissed off his uncle had not completed the rape of her life-giving cells. Maybe he was ensuring she was unharmed so he could perform some different barbaric experiment on her body.

Distaste flooded her. “You bastard!” Alana met his eyes.

He reattached the shayote to his belt, never once taking his gaze from her. From various directions of the room, came the sounds of exploding machines, the mutter of the Darkon warriors and cries of women. A whiff of smoke drifted between her and the Commander. Her nostrils flared.

She smelt death in the chilled air.

“You blame me for this?” His voice vibrated with outrage. “You believe I am capable of such atrocities?”

“Atolo said you know of this place, knew what was being done here, that it had your sanction. You knew and you let these dreadful experiments continue. You knew of this place where all those poor people have suffered so much pain.” Her eyes narrowed. “Just so your precious race, your oh so wonderful, mighty race could regain its supremacy and rule the stars. You promised us safety and yet you left us to be hauled here to be treated like slabs of meat.” She took a deep breath and wailed. “You lied to me.”

The warlord in front of her straightened to his full intimidating height. Waves of furious energy blasted from him with the shockwave of a nuclear explosion. She almost reeled on her feet from the effect. “You can think this of me?”

Her heart breaking, shattering, she mumbled through her tears and the horrifying images past and present which tormented her. “Those poor babies. How could you do such a thing?”

”You tell me. You seem to know so much about me, why do you not tell me how much I enjoy wallowing in blood and misery.”

She flinched at his snarling tone and scrubbed at her wet cheeks.

“Aren’t you afraid I’m going to throw you into a medie tube and rip out your womanly organs myself?” He thrust his furious face close to hers.

Confused, Alana could only stare into his turbulent eyes. She blinked. Molten lightning flashed in their depths.

With a rough curse, he swung away and marched over to the far wall, barking into his compu as he did so.

Alana stood isolated.

Alone.

She choked over the bile roiling in her stomach. Trying to ignore the hostile glances of the other warriors as they walked around her. Trying to ignore the joy of the women as they cast themselves onto their particular warrior’s breast.

Trying to ignore the claxon sound of alarms that pulsated through the complex and to any danger which might still exist.

All she could think of, all she could feel was a rising flood of dismay and confused regret at her hasty words. She had been so swift to condemn. So quick to judge him guilty. So quick to label him another Scott.

She recalled Tarak’s tenderness, his eager hands, his hungry mouth, the urgency of his body as he claimed her, how closely he had held her and sighed into her hair.

How he had stood between her and certain death.

How he had laughed as they danced together. How safe, how cherished his embrace made her feel. How his touch had sent her to the stars.

I’m such a fool
.

I love him
.

Her inability to trust her feelings of inadequacy which had been forged so long ago on the side of a mountain, had erupted from deep within her. Her hasty words had destroyed the fragile kernel of trust which had begun to blossom. Those damming words and the look in his eyes as they had spilled from her mouth; as she had stood there she saw the chasm widen between them to an impossible width.

His expression told her he considered she was the one who had betrayed him.

Bone deep fatigue slammed into her. Alana wobbled on leaden legs towards the furthermost row of containers and wrestled with the fastenings. Why had she thought it would be easier to turn away from the hope of happiness, than risk her fragile heart again?

Too late.

She was already involved way over her head. Alana gazed at the Commander as he issued orders and conferred with his men. Even as her accusing words had tumbled from her mouth, she had known deep in her heart he was incapable of such infamy. This had all the stamp of Rajan’s involvement. For these crimes against humanity, someone would pay.

Cold reality doused her back to the immediate situation.

There was work to do. She had to forget her problems and stop wallowing in self pity. A relationship with Commander Tarak, next ruler of the Darkon Empire had been doomed from the start. There had never been any hope of a future with him.

She had a mission to complete. She had people counting on her.

Her training reasserted itself. She pulled her knife from inside her boot and snapped the locks. When the lid slid back she locked eyes with the woman inside and gave a reassuring smile. With care, she helped the woman to emerge from what would have been her tomb.

“Alana!”

Alana, one hand gripping the woman’s arm in support, turned to find Jessamine stumbling towards her. Despite the circumstances, her heart lightened and she smiled. She let go of the other woman just in time, as Jessamine flung her arms around her and hugged her with a ferocity which had her choking down more tears. Damn it, she wasn’t usually so emotional.

“Thank the Lord, you’re okay.” Jessamine sobbed and they clung together.

“Yeah, ditto.” Alana disentangled herself. She swiped her sleeve under her nose. “Any idea on the status of the other women?”

Jessamine mopped her face with her soggy handkerchief and gave a wobbly smile. “All good, on this level. Although I have to admit, it sure was a close run thing.”

”It looks as if they arrived in the nick of time,” Alana said. The smoke thickened. She was aware of her friend’s close scrutiny while they moved towards the next container, only to be brushed aside as a warrior hastened forward to deal with the locking mechanism.

“Yay, here comes the cavalry,” Jessamine sang out when she noticed Tarak and a group of warriors striding down the aisle. One of the men broke off and ran towards them. Waving a fist of victory in the air and with a whoop of happiness, Jessamine launched herself at Casis.

Alana thrust her hands into her pockets so she wouldn’t give into her desire to throw her arms around Tarak’s neck and beg forgiveness for her hasty words. He stopped within touching distance. He had removed his helmet, and Alana’s blood froze at the remoteness of his expression as his eyes met hers.

“This level is now secure. The women who have been freed are being removed to the safety of the Ark.” His voice was so cold and crisp, a look of startled surprise appeared on Jessamine’s face.

Alana ignored her friend’s curious eyes and answered in a voice as devoid of emotion as his, “Thank you. I’m going to investigate the other levels. Jess, you okay to accompany me?”

“As always, Captain.” Jessamine gulped but her gaze was steady as she met Casis’s frown. She removed herself with reluctance from his embrace.

Heartened by this show of support, Alana’s chin lifted as she waited for Tarak’s refute of her assertion. His next words startled her.

”Very well. Magar has reported an area where he is unable to breach the security. It is two levels below here and is the only level left to sweep and contain. I would suggest you would be better occupied with accompanying me in case you are needed. Despite what you believe of me, I have no idea what we will find.”

Alana could feel the sting of shame scorch her face at his derisive tone. Without waiting to see if she would follow, he spun on his heel and strode away. Feeling as lousy as a plague-carrying flea on a rat, she hurried to keep up with his long stride.

Hell, she knew she shouldn’t have said all that crap but it was better this way, wasn’t it?

They had no future together. Their destinies lay an entire universe apart. Then why did she feel as if her heart bled inside her breast?

She glared at his back as they marched along before squeezing her eyes shut for a brief moment. This was not the place for personal introspection. She had a job to do and who knows what they would find in the secured area. At the remembrance of the horrors she had already seen, nausea rose and it took all of Alana’s concentration to force the sickness to abate. If Tarak saw her throwing up, she knew she would be back on the Ark and in the Analysis Chamber before she could take her next breath.

Despite the harrowing situation she was in, a flicker of warmth deep inside burst into life with this thought. Her strength of will returned—whatever lay ahead, she would deal with it. It was unfortunate she could feel in her bones, it was not going to be pleasant.

She shuffled into a chute and found herself wedged between Tarak and the wall. He stared at a point above her head and held a rigid stance to keep his body from touching hers.
Sorrow for what she had lost—had so quickly thrown away—sliced at her heart and she swallowed as her stomach rolled over sickeningly.

The touch of his hand under her elbow, as he steadied her when they emerged from the chute, almost undid her. When he released his hold, her sense of loss was so immense she could have screamed. He led the way along the corridor and she limped after him. Gratitude warmed her cold bones when she realised he had slowed his pace. Had he had done so out of consideration of her tired and battered body?

She sniffed miserably.
Damn him, why did he have to be so considerate? Was it an ingrown courtesy? Or something more? Dare she trust he truly did care?

They found Magar with a small squad of Darkon warriors waiting in front of what Alana thought was a solid wall of metal. She cast a quick assessing look at the fallen soldiers on the ground, ascertained they were no longer a threat and turned a puzzled gaze to Tarak. There was movement behind her and someone jostled her in the back.

“Ooops, sorry. Just me, honey,” Jessamine mumbled into her ear.

Alana noticed her friend’s face pale with shock, her eyes glassy. Concerned, she squeezed her hand.

Jessamine gave a weak smile. “Don’t worry, I’m honestly okay.” She gulped. “I’ve never seen the aftermath of a battle before.”

“You’re doing fine, Jess. Keep close to me.”

“Sure thing.” Jessamine jerked her chin in the direction of the wall. “So now, what? And what is the Commander doin’?”

”Your guess is as good as mine.” Alana shrugged.

When Tarak stripped off his protective gloves and stepped closer to the wall, she narrowed her eyes and watched with interest.

The other men fell silent. Alana noticed how they constantly scanned the area for danger, their hands hovering at the ready over the weapons on their belts. On this lower level the alarms could no longer be heard. The sounds of plitza fire and explosions had faded. A leaden silence deadened the air, choked off any sound before it had a chance to emanate.

“This place gives me the creeps,” Jessamine muttered. Casis moved closer and ran a hand over Jessamine’s long braids.

Alana watched their exchange of reassuring glances, and turned aside. Ahead she could see Tarak conferring with his First Officer. Both of them stepped closer to the wall. Their bare hands pressed against the metal. Alana stood on tiptoe and craned her neck to try and see what they were doing, but their broad backs blocked her vision..

The strident shriek of another alarm broke the tomb-like quiet. In spite herself, Alana jumped in surprise.

A disembodied metallic voice informed, “Containment breech. Warning, this facility will shut down in thirty sectons. Containment breech. Warning.”

Commander Tarak swore.

Fluently.

“Stand back all of you!” he snarled.

Alana found her arm grabbed by Casis as he hustled her and Jessamine further away.

“Magar, we blow it,” barked Tarak.

“What are they doing?” Alana asked Casis.

“Setting nix charges.” Casis voice was grim. “The Commander was unable to break the schematics with his bio-signature. Get down.” He pushed them to the floor, covering them with his body.

There was a muffled explosion and the ground rippled beneath her. She hoped all these explosions would not cause the ice to fracture. The last thing they needed now was a disintegrating planet. She gazed anxiously at the ice until the movement subsided.

Nope, all good so far
. Heaving a sigh of relief, she straightened. Tarak stared at her, his eyes searching as if he delved inside her very soul. For one long moment they stared at each other before he turned aside.

Shaken, she gazed at his immense form as he led the way through the gaping hole in the wall. Jagged pieces of metal protruded from the sides, a faint grey smoke obscured the entrance. The remaining warriors followed their leader leaving Casis, Jessamine and Alana to bring up the rear.

The warning stopped, leaving behind an ominous silence.

They stepped into the small anti-chamber. Alana noticed how Casis’s hand reached out and took hold of her friend’s.