Chapter 14

~ Hel ~

Penny was laying on her back, balancing Armon’s tiny infant on her bare feet, as she held out each arm. “Come on, little guy. You can fly. You’ve got wings, just flap them.”

Rolling her eyes, Hel cautioned, “Armon and Amie are going to be pretty pissed if you drop their kid.”

“I’d never do that. I’m teaching him to fly.”

Alexis joined the conversation. “I guess that makes sense, ‘cause you have so much flying experience and all.”

Ignoring their wheedle, she continued to coax the child to move his wings back and forth.

Suddenly, the ship’s klaxons sounded and the white lights along the top of the room began blinking. Vraden’s voice sounded over the com unit. “Brace yourselves, my queens. We are approaching a battle.”

“Can you tell who is fighting?”

“We know little of the people in this sector of space, but we have integrated the information from your handheld into our databases. Drawing from that information, it appears a Dratex trade ship is being attacked by an unmarked ship with no transponder frequency.”

“Sounds like pirates. Can we render assistance?”

“Yes, but this is not our fight.”

“Put us in position between the two ships with our shields on maximum. I’m on my way.”

“Your will be done, my queen.”

Raec met her in the doorway and they headed to the bridge. As soon as they crossed the threshold, the ship jolted. Raec lifted his chin. “No need to worry, my queen. Our shields will hold.”

“The Dratex ship is issuing a distress call.”

“Open a com to the Dratex ship.”

A cat like face shimmered into view. The creature had orange facial fur, large expressive green eyes and a relieved expression on his face. “Thanks be to the gods, we are saved by our new Maruvian allies. The Galactic Council will be pleased that you were so willing jump to the rescue of a member world.”

“It is an honor to intervene on your behalf.”

Vraden spoke quietly. “The pirate ship scanned our armaments, broke off their attack and is moving away.”

“They’re not getting off that easily. Permanently disable their ship and set a beacon in orbit blasting their coordinates and the code MP900800700600. It’s the Galactic Council’s code for prisoner pickup.”

The Dratex captain spoke. “You must be the human queen. I’ve heard of your shrewd cunning in battle.”

Hel shook her head. “Captain Helena Watson, formerly an Earth Gov soldier, and current captain of…Vraden’s Pride.”

Raec’s head snapped around and his expression told her that her choice in names for their ship had pleased him greatly.

“Commence repairs. We will check back with you after dealing with the pirate ship.”

As the screen went blank, Vraden’s pride filled-voice spoke. “We are targeting their engines now, my generous queen.”

The sound of their laser cannons firing rang out three times before Vraden spoke again. “It is done. I would classify their engines as a total loss.”

“That was a little too easy.”

Raec chirped a happy noise. “Their ships are cobbled together from junk–”

“Sorry to interrupt, but our scans show there are human females in their cargo hold.”

Standing from the captain’s chair, Hel commented. “It’s lucky for them that we’re scanning cargo holds nowadays. How many are there?”

“I am showing a total of one hundred and thirty-three. They are all concentrated in a small space. It must be standing room only where they are housed. Their vitals indicate they are upset. I’m showing nineteen other humans throughout the ship.”

“So we’re selling our own people now, are we? Open a com line to the pirate ship.”

A human man’s face jumped onto the screen. He looked disheveled and his bright red hair looked like a greasy mess atop his head.

Her eyes narrowed as she took a step forward. “Commander Connor. It turns out that the ‘verse is a very small place after all.”

“Don’t be ignorant, Watson. You’re traveling long established trade routes between Earth and the worlds of the Galactic Council. It was inevitable that we would eventually run into each other.”

“I’m sorry to say you are looking a little worse for the wear.”

“You are the root of all my problems.”

“You mean your poor choice to attack my little sister is the root of your current difficulties. I imagine that Captain Douglas gave you that nasty scar down the side of your face, stripped you of rank and threw you off the orbital space platform.”

“Worse. He court-martialed me. Fortunately I’m resourceful when I need to be.”

“So you broke out, stole a ship and grabbed a bunch of women to sell?”

“I traded dirt on military corruption to gain my release. Several of us pooled our resources to purchase a junker and we got it running. I’m a legitimate trader according to Earth Gov.”

“That just shows there’s no real justice in the world. If there were, you wouldn’t have a cargo hold full of terrified women.”

“Gathering up a bunch of scruffs proved less trouble than rounding up strays. I offered them a free meal and they came running. It seems my new scar is no barrier to luring women.”

“I’m betting they came for the food, not the company. In any event, I want them.”

“I’d sooner cut their oxygen and let them die.”

“I’m willing to trade for them.”

“What could you have that I would possibly want?”

“Pleasure stones. I’ll trade you one stone for each woman.”

“A pleasure stone for a scruff? I’m not a complete idiot. One stone could buy a thousand worthless scruffs.”

Raec growled in his throat. “Let me kill him, my queen. It would be an honor.”

“It figures that you would end up with a nasty alien in your bed.”

“Look, I’m not enjoying this little insult fest quite as much as you are. I’ll make you one final offer. If you accept my trade, I’ll pull the prisoner pick-up beacon from around your ship and let you be on your way.”

“You’d really trade a stone for every woman I can give you? Even the children?”

Gritting her teeth, she forced herself to respond. “Especially for the children, you pathetic piece of shit.”

“I accept the deal.”

“We trade face-to-face with you alone. I don’t trust any of your crew.”

Sensing a trap, he countered, “I will not meet you if you are armed. I’ll scan and there had better not be any weapons. We each bring one person to watch our back or the deal’s off.”

“I just want to get the women and get the hell out of here. So, I accept your terms. You’ve got twenty minutes to gather the women up.”

As soon as the screen went dark, Penny’s trembling voice sounded from the doorway. “You’re really going buy women… from him of all people?”

“Hell no.”

Raec interjected cautiously. “I will attend you on this venture, my queen.”

Glancing up at the ceiling above Penny’s head, she responded, “I’m taking Armon. I believe he has a score to settle. Once Connor is dead, we take the women and the stones and leave the beacon in place. The galactic council can decide what to do about the other pirates.”

Vraden made a relieved sound. “That sounds like the queen we know and love. I could scarcely believe you were really going to give our precious stones to such undeserving males.”

“I don’t mind trading a stone for a person’s life. I just don’t see any reason to pay a pirate for stolen merchandise.”

“I don’t think we should be buying women full stop.” Penny’s outraged voice rang out.

Turning back to her little sister, Hel acknowledged, “Neither do I, but in our messed up world it might come to that occasionally.”

“Come, my queen. I am eager to get my claws into the Commander who dared to touch my Penny.”

“Your Penny?”

“She has claimed me. As I belong to her, she belongs to me.”

“You have a mate already.”

Snorting a growly laugh, he responded, “This is not what I meant. Our people are sentinels. We swear our allegiance to one family. My line will forever link to Queen Penny, therefore vengeance is mine.”

They headed towards the loading bay. Although Penny had brightened considerably at Armon’s declaration of service, Hel wasn’t sure how she felt about it. What’s more, she didn’t have time to dwell upon it. “Penny, I want you and Alexis to greet the women as soon as they enter our ship. Get them out of the loading bay on our side and sick the personal assistants on them.”

Alexis met them coming in the other direction. “That sounds like fun. I hear there are over a hundred of them.”

Hel quipped, “You hear a damned lot about what goes on aboard this ship. Are you sure you aren’t hard-wired into it?”

Flipping back her hair, Alexis revealed a tiny com device attached to her ear. “My Drale is a bit of a prodigy when it comes to electronics.”

“You’re making me covet. It’s one of the original sins, so that’s not nice.”

Laughing, Alexis murmured, “I’ll ask him to make you one.” Turning more serious, she cautioned, “Be careful around that damned Commander. I don’t trust him any further than I can throw him.”

“I won’t turn my back on him for a second.”

“I can’t believe Earth Gov just let him go.”

“I’m beginning to believe they’re incapable of ever doing right by someone.”

Stepping into the loading bay with Armon, she heard them attaching their ship to the docking ring. When the door slid open, Connor stepped through with another man.

“I thought you were bringing backup?”

Bringing up one finger, she pointed up. Armon dropped from the ceiling, landing on his claws with a growl.

The man with Connor took a staggering step backwards. “What the fuck do you call that?”

Swiveling her head to look at Armon, she tried to imagine what it would be like to see him drop down in all his flaming glory. He was large and little scary, but she honestly didn’t think he merited the reaction the other man exhibited.

“Calm down. He’s a sentinel.”

“Do you have the stones?”

Kneeling beside the box her drones had left behind, Hel lifted one of the hand-sized stones and tossed it to him. Catching it in one hand, he smiled. “These are the ones. I can feel the effect when I hold it.”

“I’m glad to see there are some alien things you approve of, Commander.”

Shooting her a dirty look, Connor shouted, “Send the scruffs through.”

Skinny, alarmed women were shoved through the docking ring in small groups. His sidekick slapped every woman on the back as she walked past sending them stumbling forward, counting them off.

“He’s going to need to stop hitting them, or I’m renegotiating the trade by ten percent.”

“Cut it out, Baxter.” Turning to Hel, he jeered, “Still trying to save the ‘verse one person at a time, Watson?”

“That’s the job we both signed up for. I don’t know what in the hell you’re doing, though.”

“Making my way using whatever tools are at my disposal.”

Baxter shouted, “That’s all one hundred and thirty of them.”

“There were a hundred and thirty-three. Our deal was for all of them.”

“The other three are in bad condition.”

“Then you had better get them here before they die. I might pay for damaged merchandise but I won’t pay for dead ones.”

Raising his voice he shouted, “Bring in the other three.” Glancing up at Hel he murmured, “Don’t say I didn’t warn you, girl.”

Several of his crew brought in three women who were beaten and barely conscious.

Hel shouted into her com device. “Get healers down here immediately. We have three women down.”

They must have been waiting just outside the bay because they rushed in with floating transport boards and immediately began loading the women up as the others looked on in horror.

“It’s pretty stupid to damage your own merchandise.”

“They were inciting the women to riot. I made an example of them.”

“I can’t believe I was even feeling guilty about killing you. Shows I’m nothing like you, I suppose.”

A malevolent grin split his face. “The thought of you trying to kill me makes me want to laugh.”

Bringing her hand to her chest, she stepped back. “You misunderstand. I won’t be killing you. We have people for that now.”

Quicker than anyone could see a huge claw whizzed through the air. At first Hel though Armon had missed, then Connor’s head slowly tilted back, rolling from his shoulders in a gruesome display. As the body fell into a bloody heap, Hel turned to look at Armon.

“See how I did not pounce on him and rip his throat out? This is me being civilized.”

Armon’s growly voice made her want to pat him on the head and say “good doggie”, but since her initial reaction was bizarrely out of sync with the situation, she simply nodded her approval.

“Sorry, but I’m amending my offer. We’ll be leaving with the women and my payment. I’m leaving the beacon, so the Galactic Council security team should be by to pick you up soon.”

“You heartless bitch–”

“Don’t start. I might decide to just clean house while I’m here. None of you have really pissed me off, so I’m letting you walk back onto your ship. I’d get moving, ‘cause the Maruvians don’t tolerate women being abused.”

The crew members made a run for it and she could hear their docking ring being disengaged. Turning to the women and children, she tried to think about what to say to alleviate their concerns.

Penny came bouncing into the room. Skidding to a stop in front of the bloody body of Commander Connor, she stilled.

“He can no longer harm you, my little queen. You are avenged.”

Turning to look at Armon as he spoke, she took a deep breath and flung herself at him. “Do you think my bad dreams will go away now?”

Wraping her in his arms, the growly creature replied tenaciously, “If they do not I will make them.”

As the medical team removed the injured women, Raec stepped forward. “Welcome to Vraden’s Pride, my queens. It is our honor to rescue you from the pirates who stole you away from your home world. Rest assured my queen is wise and compassionate. She will see that you are well cared for and make it to your destination of choice safely.”

Vraden joined him. “My son is correct. Please know you will be well cared for aboard out ship. We are your humble servants. If you will permit us, we would like to see that you are cleaned, fed and rested.

One of the women spoke up. “You just killed a human. Why should we trust you?”

Hel approached Raec and Vraden, sliding her arm around Raec. “Allow me to address that issue. They didn’t kill anyone, I did. Connor tried to rape my little sister. Since Earth Gov didn’t see fit to punish him, I did. If you’ve got a problem with that, your quarrel is with me.”

“Who are you?”

“My name is Helena Watson. I used to be an Earth Gov soldier, but now I am the person in charge of this vessel. Raec is my chosen mate, and Vraden is his father. I’m taking us to the Maruvian home world. If you do not wish to stay with us, Queen Carolyn will see that you are escorted safely to the world of your choice. Maruvians do not purchase brides like the other worlds. We only accept women who truly wish to join our family groups.”

“What’s a family group?”

Smiling, Hel responded sincerely, “Why don’t we get you all cleaned up and get some decent food in you and we’ll explain all about that.” She could see their anxiety levels coming down.