To Clan and Conquer (Clan Beginnings) (21 page)

“Well, it’s nicer than a bunch of fields of grain.  I have a sudden urge to lick all that—”

He abruptly silenced himself, and Tranis looked up again to see Governor Artmak heading their way.

As the Dramok drew near he reported, “All shuttles are prepared.  We’re close to your deadline, Commander.”  He looked doubtfully at the machinery lying between Lidon and Tranis.  “Is this shuttle going to fly?”

“It will, but it won’t be with the evacuation.  We have a plan that may save the colony itself if it comes under attack, Governor.”

Artmak gave him a hopeful smile.  “That would be a gift.  A lot of hard work went into this effort.”

“You may commence the evacuation.  Weapons Commander Lidon and I will stay behind to put my plan into place.”

“As you will, Commander.”

Degorsk scowled as Artmak hurried off.  “Your plan wouldn’t mean putting life and limb in jeopardy, would it, Tranis?”

“Only mine and Lidon’s.  Everyone else should be safe.”

The Imdiko didn’t look one bit reassured.  “It’s just a bunch of damned fields of grains and vegetables.  What are you doing putting yourselves in danger like this?”

Lidon gave him a steady gaze.  “It’s not just a farming colony, Degorsk.  It’s the Empire’s borders.  Pieces of that have already fallen, leaving us vulnerable.  Not to mention a lot of people dead.”

“And one crappy shuttle is going to save Wetor?  You must be insane.”

Tranis’ tone was mild.  “Thank you for your faith.  I suggest you go find a shuttle to evacuate on.”

Degorsk simply stood there, glaring stubbornly at them.  Tranis had the idea he wouldn’t budge from that spot, that he would remain rooted there, arguing until they were forced to leave him behind or take him along.  The strange, protective urge he’d felt before towards the Imdiko rose again, making his voice sharp.  “That was not a request, Doctor.  Get going.”

A stubborn look settled over Degorsk’s face.  “If you can stupidly risk your lives, why can’t I?”

Lidon stood up and marched over to the Imdiko.  They were the same height, but the threatening attitude made the Nobek seem to loom over the other man.  He growled, “Degorsk, take that gorgeous ass of yours and put it in a shuttle, or I’ll beat it to a nice shade of purple and put it on one myself.”

Tranis rose and joined him in intimidating Degorsk, who was trying not to cringe and not quite succeeding.  “No, Weapons Commander.  It’s my turn to wear that ass out, which I’ll do anyway at my earliest convenience for him not immediately obeying an order.  Your only choice in the matter, Degorsk, is whether I do it right now in front of everyone here, or if I do it later in the privacy of my quarters.”

Degorsk hunched a little under their combined glares, his expression frightened and angry.  A spicy scent tinged the mere inches that separated the men.  A quick glance told Tranis that the Imdiko was just as aroused as they were.

We’re going to have to find something other than beatings to punish this one.  He likes it a little too much.
  The thought made Tranis harder than ever.

Degorsk’s lips compressed into a straight line.  He turned around and stormed away with another word.

Tranis and Lidon exchanged a look.  The first officer let one side of his mouth twist up in a wry grin.  “You picked yourself a stubborn one, Nobek.”

Lidon didn’t smile, but there was amusement in his voice.  “Yes, and extremely disrespectful, to boot.  I’m going to have to buy quite the inventory of disciplinary instruments.”

He did grin then and got back to work.  Tranis joined him, not bothering to hide his arousal at the thought of Degorsk’s ass writhing beneath Lidon’s excellent discipline.

Chapter 9

Degorsk stomped away from the two jerks he had somehow let himself become entangled with.  Stupid damned Nobek and Dramok.  Did they really think he could fly off in a shuttle, remaining safe while they courted death?  Sure, he had no skills that would help whatever ridiculous scheme they were up to, but he also couldn’t stand to wait long, silent hours wondering if they still lived.

He slowed his furious march as he neared the other shuttles everyone else was boarding.  He stared at open hatches accepting lines of men who were escaping the colony.  If he got on one, it would be cramped quarters, with everyone nearly shoulder to shoulder.  Yet he’d still be alone.  Again.

Lidon.  Tranis.  Those assholes had made it so Degorsk couldn’t bear to be without them.  Knowing he’d fallen for the young Dramok as well as Lidon was an unhappy surprise, and the doctor cursed his stupid heart for doing it.  Yet there it was, impossible to ignore.  He was in love with a man twenty years his junior, along with the Nobek he’d done everything in his power to stay away from.

Fuck.

He looked back at them, their dark heads bent close together as they worked like fiends to get that sorry ass wreck of a shuttle operational.  So they could go get themselves killed.

A lump formed in his throat.  He couldn’t do this again.  He simply couldn’t.

Degorsk turned and headed for the medical carts loaded with the machines he’d fought loudly with the medical staff to leave behind.  He walked around them, as if looking for something that couldn’t be abandoned after all.  After assuring himself no one was paying attention, he ducked down behind them.

Using those and other carts for cover, Degorsk managed to sneak out of the bay with no one the wiser.  Once outside, the Imdiko looked around, taking in his surroundings.  He needed somewhere to hide until the last shuttle took off and left him behind.  The nearest building was only a few steps away, and he went in.

It only took a quick glance to know this was the dockmaster’s office.  No one else was inside, but three of the computers had been left running on the half dozen desks in the middle of the room.  Vids scrolled readouts of atmospheric conditions, reports from orbiting satellites, and shipping schedules.

It was as good a place to wait out the evacuation as any, Degorsk decided.  He’d know exactly when the last shuttle left.  Then he would join Lidon and Tranis and be in very big trouble.

Tranis had already promised to beat him for insubordination.  Now Degorsk had disobeyed a direct order.  There would be hell to pay from both men for his defiance.

He sighed and patted his own rear with sympathy.  “My poor ass.  I won’t sit for a month.”

Degorsk dropped into a chair at one of the desks, enjoying his unbeaten, pristine butt for possibly the last time.  He had no illusions how profound the punishment would be and he winced in anticipation of it.  Still, better to have a broken ass than a broken heart again.

Half an hour passed.  Degorsk watched shuttles fly off on the vid, disappearing into the sky.  Three had gone, leaving only one on the launching pad now.  He could hear its engines cycling up.  He grinned.  In moments, Lidon and Tranis would be stuck with him.

The door behind him hissed open and he jerked around as the pair walked into the room.  Both halted to stare at him in shock.  Degorsk had an insane moment when he thought he would burst out laughing.  He had never seen Lidon look stunned.  That he had been the one to put such an expression on the stoic Nobek’s face was pure triumph.

Then fury darkened both the faces before him, and Degorsk was glad he hadn’t laughed.  It would have possibly gotten him badly hurt.

Tranis shouted, “What the fuck are you doing in here?  You’re supposed to be leaving!”

The telltale sound of the last shuttle lifting off filled the room.  Degorsk smiled weakly.  “Oh, it was time to go?  Guess I’d better get back to the dock and grab my ride then.”

He tried to stand on legs that didn’t want to hold him up, not under those livid stares.  Lidon streaked across the room and helped him up by yanking Degorsk’s collar.  The Nobek screamed in his face.  “You know that was the last one that just left, damn you!  You’re supposed to be safe!”

Rage boiled off the weapons commander.  Degorsk didn’t dare speak.  He was too scared.  Lidon was really, really pissed off, the angriest Degorsk had ever seen him.

Tranis approached slowly, his steps measured.  The iciness in his voice frightened Degorsk as much as Lidon’s raw fury.  “You disobeyed a direct order, Imdiko.  I want to know why.”

Degorsk licked his lips.  Tranis had called him ‘Imdiko’ instead of doctor.  That meant the anger he felt was of a personal rather than professional nature.  The frigid glare the Dramok gave him wasn’t because of Degorsk’s insubordination.

Protesting was only going to make the other two men madder.  Probably nothing Degorsk could say would calm them down.  They’d wanted him safe and sound and somewhere else.  How could he make them understand ‘safe’ wasn’t always an option?  That sharing death with the ones you love was imminently preferable to continuing on alone?

“I’m waiting, Degorsk.”  Tranis’ eyes were getting darker, meaner, narrowing as he readied to lower the boom.

Degorsk blinked against the brutal stinging in his eyes.  His voice was little more than a whisper.  “I just couldn’t.  I couldn’t go and wait and wonder if you’d gotten yourselves killed.  I can’t be left behind again.”  He stared into Lidon’s face, pleading. “I
can’t
, my Nobek.”

The anger bled from Lidon’s face.  He relaxed his grip on Degorsk’s collar without letting go and pulled the Imdiko close to press a kiss to his lips.  He gave Degorsk as gentle a look as a Nobek could muster.  “I know.  I’m still beating your ass royally for putting yourself in danger like this and making my life more difficult.”

Degorsk grimaced and fought for his composure.  “I figured on that.  Can’t say I’m looking forward to it.”

Lidon’s brows drew together and he glared.  “You shouldn’t.”

Tranis sighed.  He reached up to squeeze Degorsk’s shoulder then pulled away.  He told Lidon, “I want him restrained so he doesn’t take off on us again.”

“I can do that.  I believe there are some cords in a storage bin over there.”

Tranis went and got them, black flex cords meant for securing cargo.  The binds were soft, and Degorsk made no complaint as Lidon tied his wrists together behind his back.  Then the Nobek pushed him back into the chair and tied him to that.

It really wasn’t necessary.  Degorsk had no intention of running off.  He wanted to stay as close as possible to the two men.  He still didn’t protest, realizing it would not be appreciated at this point.  Tranis and Lidon were genuinely worried for him.  Their anger had been a thin veneer over the fear that his staying behind would get him hurt.  It warmed him inside to know he meant that much to them.

While Lidon bound him, Tranis got to work on the computer at the next desk.  Degorsk watched the Dramok tap furiously, his fingers flying over the keyboard at an awesome speed.  Faster than Tranis could have issued voice commands.  Impressive.

To show he wasn’t going to fall apart after his emotional display, Degorsk asked, “So what are you doing now?  About the defense, I mean.”

Lidon answered.  “Programming the defensive shielding into the same frequency as the shuttle.”

Tranis grunted impatiently.  “Damn it.  Passcode protected.  I should have figured on that.”

“Hold on.  I’m pretty good with codes.”  Finished with trussing Degorsk within an inch of his life, Lidon joined Tranis.  Now his fingers flew, even faster than Tranis’ had.  While they worked, Degorsk simply sat and watched them.  Even with brutal punishment on the horizon, the Imdiko felt good about his situation.  He’d stayed behind, with the Nobek he belonged with.  And maybe the Dramok he belonged with too, though only time would tell on that one.

After a couple of minutes, Tranis grinned at Lidon.  “You are good.”

“Thank you.”  The weapons commander looked quite pleased with himself.

After a few more moments, the pair straightened and nodded to each other.

Tranis said, “That’s it.  Now we just have to get into position.”

Both dark heads turned to regard Degorsk.  The Imdiko’s stomach flipflopped, but whether with fear or anticipation, he wasn’t quite sure.  They stepped close.

Tranis said, “Quiet for a change.  Regretting your rash actions?”

Degorsk stuck his chin out.  “Not one bit.”

Lidon’s gaze was filled with dark promise.  “That may change.”

The Nobek freed Degorsk from the chair, but kept his wrists bound with a length of cord hanging like a leash.  Lidon wrapped that in one fist and grabbed the Imdiko’s waist-length braid with the other, close to his head.  He used both to pull Degorsk to his feet.

Degorsk hissed.  “Ouch.  Can I keep my scalp, please?”

Tranis snorted laughter and started for the door.  Lidon shoved Degorsk, making him follow.

The Nobek told him, “Walk.  And if you want to keep
any
of your hide, keep your mouth shut.”

A dozen insults formed in Degorsk’s head, and he wisely kept every one of them to himself.  Instead, he obeyed his Nobek, watching Tranis’ tight, muscular ass as he followed him.  He’d get as much pleasure out of life as he could before the pair made it miserable with punishment.