Prime Selection (11 page)
“Secure them at wrists and ankles.” Nadia threw one of the men her extra set of restraints as did A’tem. “We’ll leave them for the Prime military to deal with.” She counted heads and frowned. “I thought there were nine mercenaries.”
“Commander.” One of the three Prime crewmen, all of whom she recognized as
Galanti
crew members, spoke. She hadn’t learned all the new crew members’ names yet.
“One of the mercenaries got past us and headed into the main tunnel which leads to the surface. He will bring others.”
“If he attempts to make it back to the military compound, I’m fairly certain he’ll run into the Gold rescue teams.” The teams should’ve landed and begun to secure the facility not long after she and Bram had shut down the weapons system.
The three men bellowed their approval. Prime tended to be a noisy bunch when their battle hormones were elevated.
Nadia should talk; she’d yelled just as loudly during the attack. She clicked her com unit. “Aeron?”
“Nadia! Status?”
His concern came over the headset clearly—and it was more than concern for the general welfare of the men. Aeron had feelings for her. Too bad her emotions and heart were already tied to another man—one who was too stubborn to give up a pipe dream and accept what was in front of him.
“We’re fine. The men you sent held their position and we trapped the enemy between us. One got away and is probably heading for the surface.” She looked over the three-man team. “All wounds, but for A’tem’s, are superficial.”
A’tem protested. “And I’m also fine, Aeron. It’s a minor chest wound for a Volusian.”
Aeron came back. “Good. Make your way back. Gold has sent teams to the surface from the
Galanti
and the
Leonidas.
They are taking the battle to the enemy. They should make short work of it.”
Nadia chuckled. “Should be like shooting fish in a barrel.”
The trussed up enemy glared. But when her team eyed her as if she were crazy, she laughed and explained, “An old Terran saying which means the battle would be easy.”
“Very colorful,” Aeron said. “And true. Be alert. There could be isolated groups of the enemy on and in the mountains.”
“We’ll be fine.” She looked at the three Prime standing over the downed enemy and then at Bram and A’tem. “I think the team-building aspect of the maneuvers has been very successful. I’m proud to serve with such brave and quick-thinking soldiers. We’ll see you soon.”
After she signed off, Bram came to her side. “Commander, you neglected to tell Commander Ard you are among the wounded.”
“No, I’m not.” She took a mental inventory and concluded she had no pain, thus she wasn’t wounded. “It must be the enemy’s blood.”
“It’s your blood.” A’tem came to her other side. “A laser cut along your waist. Your uniform top is shredded and singed. Doesn’t it pain you? It looks very deep.”
Nadia looked down. “Well, damn. I don’t feel it. Must be the adrenaline.” Or Huw’s extra-strength adrenaline coming over their connection. He was very close now—and raging mad.
A’tem pulled a small med kit from his waist pack. “Let’s just make sure it continues to be painless, Nadia.”
Before she could protest, A’tem injected a bolus of painkiller and then applied a smaller version of the healing cold laser to the deep laser tear at her waist. She shuddered as the icy numbness swept over her side.
“That should hold until Dr. Morgan can look at it.” A’tem repacked his field medical kit and stowed it in the pack attached to his utility belt.
“Thanks, A’tem.”
“Nadia! You are hurt! I am coming.”
“I’m fine. Pay attention to your surroundings. No need to come. See you at the
cave.”
Huw didn’t need to be distracted by her minor injuries while he was fighting off mercenaries, especially the Antarean ones. He could get himself or his men killed.
Gritting her teeth, she cut off the pathway to Huw. Cutting the connection, with him so close and his battle rage so strong, felt as if a piece of her soul had been torn from her body. Every one of her instincts demanded that she stay in touch, lend him her strength, monitor his health.
Also, with the mental connection now blocked from her side, the pain from her wound and her general exhaustion almost took her breath away. She barely managed to stay upright. Only the painkiller and ice laser treatment kept her from whimpering in pain. All she wanted was a warm meal, a good, stiff drink, and eight solid hours of sleep—but she knew she wouldn’t see that particular combination of luxuries anytime soon.
Glancing at the concerned faces of her team, she shrugged. “I must’ve zigged instead of zagged. I’m fine.” She waved a hand toward the exit from the small cavern in which they’d battled. “Let’s get back to our people. Oh, and keep a look out for our missing team. They might’ve sheltered in this cave system.”
The six entered the tunnel and used LED lights to illuminate their way. The Prime on point spoke up. His voice while low carried easily as it echoed off the stone walls of the narrow, roughly hewn tunnel. “Commander, the missing team came into the secured perimeter after you and your team left on your mission. They are all well. Just tired and dehydrated.”
Thank God, they were safe. It had been a constant worry niggling at the back of her mind even as she’d dealt with all the other issues of keeping her people alive. No matter how successful she’d been—if she had lost those six, she would’ve failed.
“Thank you, Crewman…” She needed to stop thinking of them as Prime crewman one, two, and three. Plus, she was fairly sure the one who’d spoken was under her direct command in the science lab. He was her exogeologist. The merger had occurred so quickly, she was still attempting to put names and faces together.
“Science Technician Jod … Bre Jod.” He continued to walk, shining his light from side to side. “And, Commander, we heard what you said to Commander Ard—and we are equally proud to serve with you. You fight like a Prime.”
And coming from a Prime male—that was an extreme compliment.
“Thank you, Tech Jod.” Nadia looked over her shoulder at the other two; the movement pulled her wound and made her hiss.
Dumb move, Nadia.
The two crewmen trailing looked a lot like Bre. Well, all Prime looked a lot alike, but these three more so than others. She suspected they were kin and using last names would become confusing quickly. “And your teammates, Bre? Would you introduce them, please?”
Bre looked over his shoulder. “Gladly. The one your left is my youngest brother, Cred Jod. And the one on your right is the middle brother, Cas Jod. We entered the military and trained as Elite at the same time. Our mother has worried ever since.”
Bre’s brothers looked slightly embarrassed by their brother’s words. She chuckled.
Mothers, got to love them. They even embarrass the most alpha of males.
“Nadia?” A’tem touched her elbow. “What’s so funny?”
“Sorry, but Bre’s words and his brothers’ obvious embarrassment brought up a memory. I thought my mother would have a heart attack when she heard I’d entered the Alliance Military rather than go into research or teach at the university. Mothers never want their children in danger. But I bet Bre’s mother is proud of her sons all the same.”
“Yes, sir,” Cas said from behind her. “She is.”
Bre held up a hand. “We must be quiet now. The tunnel to the surface is near and it intersects with several other escape tunnels in this particular cave system. The
apayebo
who escaped could be lurking anywhere. I suggest you all stay here while I scout ahead.”
The men circled around Nadia, awaiting her orders. The mood was one of confidence in her leadership, and for the first time since the Alliance had merged Wulf’s crews into Gold Squad, she felt optimistic about a woman’s role managing a mostly Prime crew.
“Do it, Bre. Click your com unit if you see the enemy, and we’ll come to back you up,” Nadia said.
The Jod brothers looked at her, the trio’s eyes glittering like bonfires in the relative darkness of the cave tunnel. She read them as being somewhat in shock and wondered what she’d said to cause them to feel so strongly.
“Thank you for your trust in my judgment,” Bre finally said. “I won’t be long.”
Turning off the light he carried, he slipped into the darkness and disappeared.
“How does he see?” Nadia asked his brothers.
Cred grinned. “He doesn’t. He uses his spatial sense. For some reason, our brother has one of the early traits of a Prime warrior. His abilities are similar to the Terran creature that flies and sends out signals. It is why he went into exogeology. He is in his element underground.”
“The Terran creature is called a bat.” Nadia couldn’t stand any longer. Her knees were shaking and her body trembled with adrenaline drop. Plus, she kept fighting the instinct to drop her mental shields and check on Huw. She sat on the cold rough ground of the cave tunnel and rested her head against the rock wall. She took a drink from her water bottle and allowed herself a small sigh of relief. “Just before Bre left, you all seemed shocked by something? What was it? Did I misstep?”
“No, sir. We couldn’t believe you accepted Bre’s suggestion on how to proceed.
Prime officers tend not to appreciate rank-and-file soldiers making suggestions,” Cred replied.
Cas and Bram mumbled their agreement.
Cred sat by her side and placed his light on the ground. The way the light reflected around the tunnel reminded her of sitting by a campfire on the Steppes of Russia on hunting trips during her early childhood.
Bram and Cas sat on her other side and A’tem sat in front of her. Her men had surrounded her with the protection of their bodies, and she wasn’t sure whether to be flattered or insulted. She decided to be neither; she was too tired.
“Then why did Bre take the chance of making the suggestion?” Nadia asked. “Is it because I’m a woman?”
“No, no, though any Prime male would wish to protect a female in their midst,” Cas said. “Commander Ard informed us that in the Alliance military there is no ‘I’ in team.
He said we must learn to work as units, big and small. That serving in Gold would be more along the lines of what we as Elite soldiers do on secret missions. Everyone’s ideas and suggestions are important. Did he misinform us?”
“No. That’s exactly what you’re to do. The Alliance while we have chain of command has found team-building allows for more productive crews. Commander Ard was one hundred percent correct.” Nadia paused and felt the need to add, “But an order from a superior officer is still an order.”
“We understand the difference, Commander. We may have input, but we must follow orders,” Bram said.
“Good. I wouldn’t want you to get into trouble.” Nadia patted Bram’s arm and removed her hand quickly. It felt wrong to touch him, more wrong than a few hours ago.
She had a suspicion it had to do with Huw being on planet. “Bram, you saved us precious time and lowered our risk of being captured or worse with your ideas and actions. I’ll take your input anytime.”
“Thank you, Commander.” Bram closed his eyes. “I sense Bre’s calmness.”
Bram stood and offered an arm to Nadia. She took it, not wanting to offend him, but quickly let go. His touch resulted in an effect similar to spiders crawling on her skin.
Man, I’m in deep shit. Huw will never accept this connection. Will I ever be able to
touch another man casually? Sexually?
“Thank you, Bram.” She turned to look at Bre as he came into the light provided by Cas and Cred’s LEDs. “We all clear?”
“Yes, Commander. At least to the surface exit. I suggest we stick closely together.
The enemy has to be fleeing. They could choose to head to the caves, hoping to escape.”
“I agree. You take point again, Bre. Cas and Cred, would you take the rear again, please?” The brothers inclined their heads and took up their positions.
Nadia moved out behind Bram with A’tem at her side. Soon they’d be safe and she would be alone to think over all the sensory and psi changes she’d experienced since she’d landed on Tarn. She needed to make a decision as to whether she should tell Mel, and maybe Lia, about what was happening to her. She was concerned the changes taking over her mind and body could affect her work.
Huw was one person she’d never approach on the topic. He’d made it clear she was a colleague and he wanted nothing to do with whatever was happening between them.
God, it hurt
.
His team had met with one or two groups of fleeing mercenaries and had dealt with them easily. His bigger concern was where and what Nadia was doing now. Driven by a need stronger than his will, he attempted to link with Nadia along the path shining like a beacon in his mind. He found nothing. It was as if he’d hit a rock wall.
The mental pathway was there, but had been shut on her end after one short exchange assuring him she was fine. Nadia’s strong shields went even further to convince him that she was merely a talented telepath and nothing more.
Just keep fooling yourself.
