Moonbeams and magic (41 page)

"Our mission would not be this close to victory without all you and Cypher have done, and with Raz Yakir's help," he added. "With success in reach and credited to you three, no one in the UFG or I-GAF could protest your secrecy and actions." He saw Starla and Raz Yakir smile in relief "Will I use the same type of device Starla used to destroy the other crystals?" Dagan asked.

"Yes, just attach them near the crystals, set the timers, and put a safe distance between you and the explosions."

After all plans were made, Dagan remarked, "These are clever ideas and they should work."

"Using Iverk and Tochar's images were Bree-Kayah's suggestions," Raz Yakir revealed. "It was mine for her to use Eick's. I needed to have a recording of the dark bond between Eick and Iverk as evidence for the High Council. Our Ysolte was a leader of elite status; he was trusted, respected, admired. I am certain my accusations would have been believed, but having proof assures its acceptance by his friends and family."

"I think that's wise, sir," she concurred.

"So do I," Dagan agreed with them. "Sometimes it's hard to believe somebody you love and trust can betray you." The Kalfan related how Syrkin had once been his superior and friend until Tochar darkened his heart and gained control of his mind and actions.

Starla explained to Dagan that she hadn't related her

ideas to him earlier because they had been out of contact when the plans had occurred to her.

"I understand, and I'm glad you followed through with them. As I said, we're a perfect match, a perfect team; and my ego is intact."

"You and Bree-Kayah have done a superior job on this assignment; you have saved the United Federation of Galaxies and perhaps lives beyond it."

"First," Dagan reminded the elderly man, "we have to defeat Tochar and destroy those weapons."

"You will succeed; I am certain of that fact. When your final deed is done, there will be a ceremony here to reward you two with our highest commendations and with gifts of gratitude. A celebration will follow it. Your family, friends, and superiors will be invited."

"That's kind and generous of you, sir, but we only did our duties."

"No, Bree-Kayh Saar, you went far beyond your duties to achieve these glorious goals. I shall never forget how you offered your life to save mine. Your parents and family and people will be very proud of you."

Once more, she thanked the ruler for his heartwarming words.

"Now, you can rest and visit with each other tonight and tomorrow while the preparations are being made."

Starla snuggled into Dagan's tender embrace in the large and luxurious suite they had been supplied by Yakir, one guarded by a cyborg. They had feasted on a delicious meal, laughed, talked, relaxed, and soaked for an hora in a sunken bathing pool. The chamber's lighting was diffused, soft and lovely music filled their ears, heady fragrance wafted in the air, and dark reality was far away. It was as if this was the first time they could be themselves, could feel safe and be

assured of privacy, and could concentrate only on each other.

While in the pool, they had kissed and caressed each other until they were compelled to make love in a feverish rush, urged to sate the desires which had smoldered during their long span of denial but were quickly fanned into urgent and blazing needs upon contact. Afterward, they had bathed, dried off, and moved to a spacious sleeper. They had talked and titillated each other for an hora until endless passions were rekindled.

As Dagan nibbled at her earlobe, he murmured, "No one will disturb us tonight and tomorrow, so many glorious horas alone." He lifted his head and locked their gazes as he added, "But I'm glad that cyborg is standing guard since Yakir can't erase your fake record until Tochar is apprehended, just in case he checks on Starla again. He shouldn't, but thsit Jiendal is unpredictable and dangerous. I don't want anybody reading that false file, then seeing you and harming you by error."

Starla kissed his cleft chin and stroked his ebony hair. "Don't worry about me; I'm safe with you, my skilled par-sec jumper."

"I hope so, but we aren't taking any risks; no showing this beautiful face and ravishing body outside this room or Yakir's meeting chamber."

"I promise to be careful and alert; you do the same."

"I will." Dagan drifted his fingertips over her bare skin. "Just out of curiosity, my love," he asked, "did you change completely into a man?"

Starla laughed merrily. "No, I was given only Eick's outward image. But," she added as she laughed again, "that would have been an interesting and enlightening experience." As he grinned, she slipped her fingers around his engorged manhood, moved her hand up and down its length, and said, "Then, I would know how this feels."

"Wonderful," he responded in a husky tone as she stimulated him.

"And how this feels," she added as her questing lips and tongue kissed and licked a path to his arousal and tantalized it wildly and skillfully.

"Rapturous and breathtaking," he said in a now-ragged tone as his body burned and his craving for appeasement increased at a rapid pace. He moaned and writhed as she enthralled and pleasured him. Wlien he began to teeter on the brink of release, he controlled that reaction, rolled Starla to her back, and blissfully assailed her body. He took her to the pinnacle of ecstasy many times with his roving hands, lips, and tongue before she cascaded over its beckoning edge.

Dagan continued to stroke and kiss her, allowing that splendid and enchanting experience to mingle with the next.

He looked at her radiant expression and glowing eyes and said, "You're the most beautiful and utterly irresistible woman who's ever existed. I'm lucky you were unattached. I would have tried everything imaginable to win you away from him, even if I had to pursue you from one side of the Cosmos to the other. It's incredible I found someone so compatible and perfect for me. I can hardly wait until we are mates by law; then, you will be mine forever, Bree-Kayah Saar."

Starla's fingers swept aside a stray lock of black hair, then looked into his adoring blue eyes. "I am yours, Dagan, in every way except one, and that will be taken care of as soon as this mission is completed. I, too, would have done anything and everything to win you away from another woman, for I am greedy, selfish, and possessive when it comes to you. You stole my heart and wits with ease and speed, you cunning space pirate. I could never replace you if I lost you."

"You won't ever lose me, my love, never."

Their mouths meshed, their hands roamed, and their spir-

its soared into passion's realm. They made beautiful, imaginative love until they were sated, fatigued, and contented. Soon, they surrendered to peaceful slumber in each other's arms, to awaken the following morning to enjoy that deega and night in a similar manner.

Starla and Cypher left orbit around Ulux in the cloaked Liska. Dagan, Auken, Sach, and a cyborg guard departed in the Adika. Five ships of Serian patrol units followed close behind them, cloaked for secrecy. While en route, they would be joined by several I-GAF teams.

Dagan stored the transmutation phials in a safe place; he realized he was looking forward to the procedure and to the heady but dangerous adventure looming before them. The cyborg assigned to him was to guard the two prisoners and keep them drugged for their unknowing but willing participation. He was glad Starla would be staying out of the perilous action, as his concentration on the ruse would be better knowing she was out of harm's way, and Yana s presence at his side would be suspicious. At last, Tochar Galic would pay for his evil, including the murders of his family and friends, and would never be given another chance to imperil Starla. Bree-Kayah, he corrected, the name soft and lovely on his tongue and in his head, perfect for the woman he loved.

In a few wegs, if everything went as planned, he reminded himself, this mission would be over and a new life would begin for Curran Thaiter and Bree-Kayah Saar, as mates. He wished they were taking this trek together, but this wasn't the time to indulge themselves or to appear unprofessional to the other team members while en route to a crucial event. Soon, they would have plenty of time to stimulate and sate their endless desires. They could enjoy a daily existence together with no more secrets to guard, disguises to use, perils to confi-ont and vanquish. At least

they could communicate with each other during this journey, view images, and talk on occasion. But until they reached Noy, there was little to do.

Yet, Dagan couldn't dismiss a twinge of worry. He hoped nothing had been overlooked and no mistakes were made. But with Iverk's unplanned death, they didn't know if the Serian traitor was supposed to contact Tochar after their rendezvous, nor did Auken or Sach when interrogated with Thorin. Tochar's standard order was that during raiding treks, there was to be no communication between him and the pirate ship to prevent any advanced technology from detecting their signals and locating their positions. Yet, if Iverk had been told to contact him and did not, Tochar's suspicions could be aroused to a hazardous level; the fiendal had the means to blast the Adika and all other ships in their small fleet into oblivion. Even so, no weapon they possessed could match a Destructoid or be protected against its firepower. Or, Dagan worried, Tochar might refuse to come to the ship, even at Auken's and Iverk's urgings. Of course, Iverk could go to the fiendal 's dwelling, but a nervous Tochar could have a unit of Enforcers with him or be heavily armed. If so, that would make the fiendal's capture difficult or impossible, and might create a situation where he—himself—was exposed. There was no way he knew everything the two villites had said to each other, since Iverk couldn't be interrogated. If Tochar caught him in a mistake, the game was over; and if Tochar had plenty of hirelings with him, death was a strong probability.

There was also the slim possibility that the shapeshifting chemical or process could fail. He certainly didn't want to remain as Iverk or Tochar for the rest of his life! There was also a possibility, even if he reached the defense sites, that the destruction devices wouldn't work. And there was a chance he might encounter someone who suspected he wasn't the leader and challenged him. No plan, the I-GAF

officer reasoned, was totally foolproof, but he hoped and prayed the impending ones were.

Aboard the Liska a short distance away, Starla was experiencing similar fears and feelings. "He'll be walking into this danger all alone, Cypher; there's no way I can go with him as a backup in any form. If I had thought about it sooner, I could have transmuted into Auken. I want to be with him; I want to guard him, to help him."

"Do not be afraid, Bree-Kayah. He will succeed."

She laughed and said, "That sounds like human confidence to me. Have you inserted a human traits' chip I don't know about?" she teased.

"My programming has not been altered or upgraded since we began this mission. However, on future assignments, that would be a logical addition."

Starla did not tell the android this might be their last mission as a team, and she felt guilty about keeping that news from him. They had been together for a long time, and she would miss him if she retired. But, she and Dagan—no. Cur-ran —might team up for a while until they were ready to settle down in one place and have a family. Sharing adventures and meeting challenges together sounded exciting and tempting to her. Perhaps Cypher would make an excellent protector and assistant for them . . .

"He likes you," she murmured almost unknowingly to her companion.

Cypher's silver visual sensors locked on her. "That does not compute."

"Sorry, my friend. Dagan likes you," she clarified. "You heard what he said about you in Raz Yakir's chamber about how important you are to this mission and its success. As I do, Cypher, Dagan views you as being alive, a friend, a teammate, a good and loyal companion."

The android analyzed her words, tone, and expressions.

He deduced all were sincere and complimentary. "If I were human, your praise and feelings would be moving to my emotions. It is beneficial he views me in that manner since you have become close to him. He is a superior teammate for you. His personality and presence are acceptable to me."

Starla laughed at his use of "acceptable." "I am delighted you find Dagan admissible and satisfactory for our tight unit," she teased. "I wouldn't want you two conflicting at every turn when he joins us permanently."

"Does he intend to resign from I-GAF and work with us?"

"Yes, and I hope you don't mind. Do you have any objections?"

"I am programmed to protect, obey, and assist you. My chips do not allow me to complain or defy your orders."

"But they allow you to have an opinion and to tell me if I am wrong."

"I do not locate a reason to disagree with your decision this time."

"That's all I needed to hear, Cypher. Thanks."

After orbit was obtained at Noy, the mind-controlled Auken contacted his leader in the settlement. "We've returned, Tochar, but we have a problem: Iverk is with us and he wants you to come talk with him."

Elsewhere on the Adika, Starla and the disguised E>agan listened to the conversation in progress via a transmission device on Auken. Another one embedded in Auken's ear allowed Dagan to pass messages to him which Auken relayed to his friend on the planet's surface. But they had anticipated most of Tochar's questions and reactions and had prepared Auken for them.

"Bring him to my dwelling," Tochar said in an annoyed tone.

"He refuses to leave the ship," Auken replied.

"Let me talk to him."

"He's locked himself in my quarters."

"What is wrong with him?" Tochar raged. "What happened on Ulux? Why is he here? This is foolish and rash."

"He's acting strange and secretive. He gave us the crystals, but he insisted on coming to Noy with us to speak privately with you."

"Put me through to him in your quarters." After Iverk's image appeared on his viewer screen, Tochar demanded, "Why are you here? This is reckless. You have probably exposed yourself. Come—"