Stardancer (Tellaran Series) (2 page)

How sweet this moment had seemed in the safety of her rooms when she’d imagined it. The bile rose in her throat. With this last order she was going condemn everyone on that ship to death.

Maybe—maybe I should
—

Under her feet she felt a jolt, almost like an impact against the hull.

“What was that?” Kinara demanded sharply.

“I don’t know,” Nisara cried, her fingers a blur over the helm panel. “My controls just went dead.”

She all but shoved the woman out of the way to see for herself but the controls didn’t respond to her touch either.

“Weapons?” Kinara called.

“Online,” Kern replied.

At least we can still fight.

The deck lurched under her feet and catching herself Kinara saw the weapons and communication displays go dead, then the main engines powered down. 

“What the hell is going on?” Kinara muttered even as Tedah was calling for status reports and ordering systems checks. 

The lights on the bridge dimmed further as the power levels fell and there was a hush on the bridge. Kinara suddenly felt lightheaded. Was life support faltering? It had to be because she thought she saw the
Ty’pran
move.

Her eyes went wide.

The
Ty’pran
is moving!

“Tedah!” she cried, gripping his arm.

He followed the direction of her gaze. “Fucking hell!”

The Az-kye ship was just starting to power up. A warship that size would take several minutes to return to peak efficiently, enough time for the
Rapier
to escape, if their systems had been functioning.

“We need to get the engines back online and run like hell!” Tedah snapped. “Mari, get down there and get us
moving
!”

Her face ashen, Mari took off for the lift.

The Az-kye ship was maneuvering into attack position.

Kinara gripped the helm; her body felt heavy, her thinking slow. She tried to shake it off. “Tedah, is there any—some way to buy us time?”

Gods, I’m so tired.

Kinara frowned. Even with environment systems down life support couldn’t have given out so quickly—

Tedah swayed where he stood.

Nisara fell across her controls.

Something’s wrong with the air supply!

In a rush of panic Kinara shoved Tedah toward the rear of the bridge. The suits in the aft compartment were self-contained.  If they could get into them fast enough—

“Suit up! The air’s—”

Her head felt so heavy. Kinara made it halfway across the bridge and gripped the command chair for support.  

So tired.
 

“—tell them—everyone to—”

The last thing she saw was the
Ty’pran
bringing the full force of its cannons to bear against her ship.

Someone touched her hair. 

Kinara forced her eyes open. The man sitting beside her tilted his head as he looked down at her, his eyes so dark she couldn’t make out the pupil. His hair was pale gold, tied back so she couldn’t tell how long it was.

The walls fluttered.

Are they supposed to do that?
She couldn’t recall walls ever doing that before.

His fingers slid through her hair again.

Wait, who . . .?

She sat up and winced, quickly pressing her palm against her head at the rush of dizziness.

Instead of her usual coveralls she was dressed in a loose, white smock. She had to grab to the bedpost at the foot of the bed to get to her feet. She leaned heavily against it as the room came into focus and saw that he had stood too, watching her with silent interest.

Drapes fluttered around the bed she stood beside; a draft of cold air raised goosebumps on her bare arms. The bed stood on a raised platform at the end of the room. On the other side she could see couches spaced around a centrally located fireplace. The fire was lit and the burning wood gave off a sweet, spicy scent. 

Kinara frowned and he reached out a hand as if to steady her.

He was close enough that she had to tilt her head back to look him in the eye. A long healed scar ran from his temple to his cheek but didn’t make him any less handsome. His golden hair caught the light of the fire but as light as his hair was, so were his eyes dark. He had the darkest eyes she’d ever seen, the blackness catching the light and warmth of the flames.

Gods, he’s beautiful.

The shape and cut of his muscles were evident through his black clothing and there were tiny white scars on the back of his hand. She blinked up at him as he moved to stroke her hair again. His caress was soothing, tender, and it felt so natural, so
right,
that Kinara leaned into the heat of his body. His fingers slid through the strands, his thumb running along the skin of her cheek. 

His touch ran gently over the skin of her throat.  She shivered as he traced her collarbone. 

His mouth curved at her tremble.

His hand slid lower, brushing over the peak of her breast. Kinara’s breath drew in sharply at the sensation and he took in her reaction. His fingers ran over her ribs, dipping into the curve of her waist.

With surprising gentleness for such a powerfully built man, he pulled her against him as if curious to see how well they fit together. No one had ever held her like this. His touch was so confident, so perfect, that he couldn’t possibly be real. 

Don’t let me wake up yet.

He brought his mouth to hers. His gentle warm lips touched hers for only an instant before he deepened the kiss, lazily exploring.  

She softened against him, her arms winding around his neck, returning his heat with her own.

Kinara’s heart was hammering as he drew away a little to look at her.

His dark eyes were hot, his voice husky when he spoke.

Kinara frowned a little at the buzzing in her ears.

Heat ran through her belly as his hand slid up to cup her breast, his thumb lightly teasing the peak. He touched his forehead to hers.  He spoke again and the buzzing crystallized into words. 

That’s Az-kye!
 

Her mind went white with shock. With a cry she pushed away, backpedaling so fast her spine slammed against the wall and jarred her to full, horrified wakefulness. 

The disabled
Rapier
, the
Ty’pran
taking aim . . .

A rush of shame hit her.
Gods, I let him—!
  

The Az-kye hadn’t moved and she swallowed hard. She’d seen holos of them of course but she never expected to face one of their warriors in person. His mass alone intimidated her. She was tall but he was easily a head taller and as powerfully built as a full-grown sular. His high-collared, long-sleeved black clothing—it took her a bile-raising instant to recognize it as animal
skins
—was decorated with garnet, cobalt and silver beading over the left shoulder. The tip of a sword’s hilt showed over his right shoulder, the strap of the back scabbard crossed his chest diagonally and his trousers disappeared into knee-high black boots. The wicked scar down the left side of his face wasn’t the only one he bore. 

She touched her own cheek, remembering those scars crisscrossing over his hand. 

Gentleness from an Az-kye? It wasn’t possible. They took no prisoners.

The crew!

Kinara’s frantic glance darted around the room. No longer dreamlike, the steady flickering of the fire revealed it to be artificial, nothing more than a hologram. The heat which seemed to come from it, and the scent of burning wood, no more than small touches to help buoy the illusion. 

But large as these chambers were, they were empty save for her and the Az-kye.

“Where am I?” she demanded. “Where is my crew?”

His only response was the slight furrowing of his brow. 

Kinara gritted her teeth. This savage wouldn’t be able to speak Tellaran. In her hunt for them she’d spent months studying everything she could find about the Az-kye, including their language.

She spoke his language now, the words heavy and awkward on her tongue.

A ghost of a smile touched his lips. “So you can speak properly.”

“Where am I?” she repeated.

“In my quarters.”

“And where is my crew?”

“Below.”

“Take me to see them.”

“No.”

Kinara blinked at his simple, flat answer. “I
must
see them.”

He looked perplexed. “Why?”  

“I need to see if they’re all right.”

He tilted his head, looking genuinely curious. “What would you do if they were not?”

The breath rushed out of her lungs. “Are they hurt?  Do they need me?”

Understanding lit his dark eyes. “You are their healer.”

“No, I’m not a healer. I’m their commander.”

“This cannot be so.” He shook his head a little. “
You
cannot have led them.”

“Why not?”

His gaze ran over her. “You are female.”

Kinara felt her nostrils flare. “
So?
”

The Az-kye was a blur of movement. His sword was free of the scabbard at his back and at her throat so quickly she scarcely had time to gasp.

He stayed like that, his sword held in a two-handed grip, every muscle rock steady, the gleaming blade just under her chin. His blond brows were low over his fierce black eyes, his square-jawed, scarred face hard and set. Shaken by the suddenness—the
violence
—of it Kinara could do nothing more than stare at him and take quick terrified breaths.

His dark eyes narrowed. “You are no warrior.”

With quick, practiced movements he sheathed his sword.

Kinara’s hand went to her throat.
Gods, I’ve never seen anyone move so fast!

The Az-kye loosened the strap across his chest and took the scabbard from his back. He laid the sword in its scabbard on a table near the holo-fire.

Her knees were shaking. She wasn’t even sure how she managed to stay standing. 

He regarded her coolly. “The other Tellarans are unharmed.”

It took Kinara a moment to find her voice. “And I’m just supposed to take your word for that?”

“Yes.” He paused. “Why would you not?”

“Oh, I don’t know,” she said sharply. “Because you might be lying?”

He went very still and his dark eyes smoldered. “I am a warrior. I do not
lie
.”

She tried again, speaking deliberately. “I have to see my crew.  They’re depending on me.”

His brow furrowed at that. “What do they depend on you for?”

“To get them out of here! To take them home!”

“
You
will not take them anywhere. And this ship is taking us home.”

“Wait.” Kinara’s stomach tightened. “What do you mean ‘home’?”

“Home,” he said slowly as if speaking to a young child. “The Imperial World.
Az-kye
.”

Their capital, smack dab in the center of their territory. Oh, not good.

“Are you—” She swallowed. “Are you going to kill us there?”

“I will make a gift of you to the Elders.”

“What does
that
mean? What will they do with us?”

He shrugged. “They will keep you or gift you. Perhaps sell you in the Empress’ City.”

Gift? Sell? Oh, no, oh man.
“You don’t mean . . . you’re going to make us slaves?”

“
I
do not make you slaves. You are such already.”

She’d known the Az-kye practiced slavery, yet another measure of their barbarity. Kinara’s fingers twisted the skirt of her white shift.

How did I get into this thing anyway?  Wait, did he—? 

The thought of those dark eyes seeing her bare, those fingers tracing of her skin . . .

Kinara wet her lips. “I don’t think you understand our ways,” she said carefully. “It’s my duty to see to my people’s welfare.”

His lip curled. “
Tellaran
ways. I will see to their keeping now.”

“You can’t do this!  We’re Tellaran citizens!”

“It is done,” he said simply, turning away.

She darted forward. “Take me to see my people now!”

His brows rushed together, his eyes hard. “I have given you my answer. Your insistence displeases me.”

“I have to see them!”

“What you
must
do, Tellaran, is please me or I will kill one of them now.”

Her lips parted in horror.

He smiled tightly. “Now you are obedient.” He turned away. “This day has been a tiring one, Tellaran. Pour wine for me.”

He settled himself on one of the low couches near the holo-fire.

She tried to calm her breathing.

He just threatened my crew, that means they aren’t dead
and
they’re being held somewhere on this ship. If he can get to them, I can too.

Her glance darted around the room but there was no hint of how much time had passed since her ship had been taken.

I can’t have been knocked out that long. They would have needed time to set up a tow for the
Rapier
and they moved our people over to their ship. We can’t be much farther into their territory yet but we’ll fight all the way back to Tellaran space if we have to.

There was a bottle and cups not far from his elbow. He threw an impatient glance at her.

Kinara set her jaw.
Sooner or later this Az-kye will drop his guard and I’ll get my chance. But for now, maybe I’d better play along.

The floor was icy under her bare feet. She bent over the table, awkwardly lifting the heavy bottle. It would have taken him less time to pour it himself. In the end he had to help her steady the cup to keep it from spilling.

He took a deep draft. “You have done well.”

Her hand itched to bring the bottle down on his head. 

“Thanks,” she grumbled, putting the heavy bottle back down. “It was a real challenge.”

“You are insulted.”

Kinara narrowed her eyes. “Do you care?”

“No.” He pointed to the floor beside him. “Sit, Tellaran.”

She folded her arms. “I have a name.”

His dark eyes were amused now. “What were you called?”

“I
am
called Kinara Maere.”

“This name is too Tellaran.” He settled back, holding his goblet, and looked her over. A smile flittered across his face. “I will call you
Cy’atta
.”

He’d called her an Az-kye word that translated as “stardancer” and for a moment Kinara was speechless. She wasn’t even sure it was a real name. In fact it sounded suspiciously like the kind of moniker a Tellaran might give a newly adopted sercat, like “Midnight” or “Snowball.”