Infiltration: Chapter Four Scene One

 

 Goodbyes are the worst.

AlphaSpace Station

CaptainKila stood at the bottom of the ramp leading to the umbilical connected to hisspyship, glancing from Piras to their clanmate Hope and back. He pretended timewasn’t wasting, or that he was already behind schedule.

“We’llbe fine,” Piras assured him for the millionth time. It sounded no more truthfulthan when he’d first uttered it.

“Thestationmaster and Nobek Kuran are working together to make sure we haveprotection. Especially Piras,” Hope added.

TheirImdiko Lokmi stayed silent. He was leaving too, and Kila thought he probablywasn’t enthralled by the situation either.

Thedifference was, Kila was the Nobek, the clan protector. As loyal as he was toKalquor, his clanmates were his personal responsibility. He’d be unable to dohis duty by Piras and Hope while on the mission of discovering what hadhappened to the spyship orbiting Bi’is.

Therewere those who’d love to get their hands on Piras. Certain people believed heowed them his life in exchange for those he’d allowed to be taken.

“Weneed to know what happened to the other ship, my Nobek. You need to learn ifBi’is possesses some sort of weaponry to use against us. Or if the shadowvessel we encountered there returned and harmed our people.” Piras spokesoftly. Not as Kila’s commanding officer, nor as his Dramok. He spoke assomeone who intuited Kila’s heart and the war waging within it.

“Iknow. It doesn’t make this shit easier.” His com beeped, the display showing itto be the first officer’s frequency. He snapped, “On my way.”

“Acknowledged,Captain.” Dramok Deram’s tone was official, betraying no sign he’d noted Kila’stemper. Smart man.

“Don’tput yourself in stupid situations,” Kila snarled to Piras. “So help me, if youdo, when I get back—”

“I’llmiss you too.” Piras glanced between him and Lokmi. “Please don’t kill eachother over those damned engines, Chief.”

“Allour captain has to do is keep his big, clumsy paws off them.” Lokmi hugged Pirasand Hope in turn. Kila heard him whisper in their Matara’s ear, “Keep an eye onhim, okay?”

“Becareful out there,” she urged, blinking to keep tears at bay. Throughout theirclanship, she hadn’t been separated from any of them.

Herhug for Kila was strong for such a small woman. He buried his face in her darkhair, inhaling as much of her scent as he could. Depending on what he found, hecould be gone months.

Thethought churned his stomach. When he and Hope separated, he glared at Pirasonce more. “Promise me.”

“I’llbe fine. I won’t run through the station shouting, ‘I’m Dramok Piras, I gave upLaro Station to the Basma, so come kill me.’”

“Asshole.”Kila hugged him briefly, then turned away. He stormed onto the ship, Lokmi onhis heels.

Ifanything happened to his Dramok while he was gone, he’d tear the station topieces. What had happened on Laro wouldn’t compare to his wrath.

* * * *

The alien force dubbed the Darks has grabbed control of keypositions on Kalquor and the Galactic Council of Planets. Other leaders arestill unaware of the threat among them. The galaxy is wide open for destruction by an unfathomable enemy.

Former emperor Nobek Yuder has suspicions, but due torestrictions placed on him after his prison sentence, he can only stand by andwatch helplessly. A renegade Royal Councilman has designs to bring him back tothe political arena, but doing so could destabilize the Kalquorian Empire,leaving it vulnerable to invasion.

Meanwhile, one man on the brink of death, the only man whocan detect the nearly invisible Darks, is pulled from a lifeless shuttle byCaptains Kila and Nako. His incredible story tells them they’re in a raceagainst time to save not only the empire but the whole galaxy…but are theyalready too late?

On Earth II, Governor Stacy Nichol’s relationship with ClanRihep continues to grow. So does the danger, as opponents make deadly movesagainst her and the orbiting Kalquorian station where the clan lives. NobekKuran is determined to keep his clanmates and would-be lifemate safe, but howcan he stop a faceless enemy?

Relationships, old and new, are strained to the breakingpoint at a time when Earthers and Kalquorians need each other more than ever.The Darks are closing in, and no one is ready to oppose them.

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