Fourteen
Two planet rotations later, Kasia was back on the bridge of the battle station, seated once again on Vector’s lap.
The embedded control panel in front of her held the schematics of ships designed and built during the past five solar cycles. One of them, she was hoping, would be the Vault, the top secret Humanoid Alliance escape vessel.
“We have a visual, Captain,” Chuckles announced.
Kasia shimmied with excitement. They’d been waiting for that, the last piece of their plan to fall into place.
“Cut the engines.” Vector squeezed her hip. The monitoring range for the battle station had been extended. They shouldn’t appear on the Vault’s unmodified sensors. “And put the visual on the main viewscreen.”
The image depicted a cube-like vessel. Kasia had seen that shape during her explorations. She searched through the schematics.
“Got it.” She displayed the appropriate diagram on the main viewscreen, positioning it beside the image of the ship.
Truth chuckled. “I love this—”
Vector glared at him and the other male stopped talking.
All the beings on the bridge studied the schematics. There was silence.
Kasia frowned. They must be communicating through the transmission lines. She squirmed. Vector hadn’t returned the earpiece to her. She couldn’t hear the conversation.
Rough fingers gripped her chin. Sensation flowed through her. Vector turned her face toward him, studied her for a moment.
“Reckless,” her warrior murmured, that description sounding like an endearment. He caressed her right ear as he fitted the earpiece. She trembled, responding to his touch as she always did, her nipples tightening, her body heating.
She had the handheld set for the range of transmissions used on the battle station and a barrage of voices assaulted her ear. Everyone was speaking at once. She tried to lock on Vector’s voice. He was engaged in multiple conversations.
She looked at him, holding out the handheld.
He sighed, took the device from her, narrowed the conversations to one.
She is human, easily damaged, Dissent argued.
I’m aware of that. Vector didn’t hide his irritation.
Kasia’s cheeks burned. They were talking about her.
She should be left here with Doc, where she’ll be safe. Her friend was concerned about her. She understood that. But his demand that she be excluded from the mission annoyed her.
She’d worked tirelessly beside them for planet rotations, adding her input to the plans, uncovering information that could help them. Her place on the team had been hard-earned. No one would take it away from her.
Kasia opened her mouth.
Vector covered her lips. She is part of my team. That decision is final.
Dissent bowed his head, didn’t say anything.
Because her warrior was too damn dominant to defy. Kasia gazed at Vector with open admiration and heartfelt appreciation. He had stood up for her, wanted her by his side.
Vector’s eyes glinted. “To reiterate.” He released her mouth, switching to verbal communications. “We’re entering through this docking bay.” He indicated the docking bay farthest from the bridge. “I’ll lead the fifty warriors on the first team.”
“And me,” Kasia added. “You’ll lead one human also.” She glanced at Dissent, lifting her chin. He would have to resign himself to that fact.
Her friend narrowed his eyes at her.
“I’ll lead fifty warriors and one very obedient human.” Vector pivoted her until she sat across his legs. Dissent was no longer in her field of view. Her back was to her friend. “The human will remain with me on the Freedom, while the rest of the team gains control of the Humanoid Alliance vessel.”
“I will stay on board the Freedom.” Kasia had accepted that limitation. “Can I access the Humanoid Alliance’s systems?”
The systems would be beautiful, the code clean and new, the programming highly advanced, the best the Humanoid Alliance could design.
“No, you can’t access their systems.” Vector shot down that idea. “North will remain here, at the helm of the battle station.” The first officer nodded. “Once we’ve commandeered the Humanoid Alliance vessel and have opened the docking bays, Dissent will lead the next wave of warriors.”
Kasia looked over her shoulder. The J Model stood taller, his head held at a cocky angle.
He should be honored by the role.
Vector knew the abilities of his own crew. Her need-to-always-be-in-control warrior must have been tempted to give the task to Truth or Chuckles.
Yet he had trusted that part of the mission to Dissent, a male he had never fought with, a warrior he had once viewed as a rival, an adversary.
His decision pleased Kasia. She cared for Dissent, loved Vector, and wanted them to be friends.
“We leave now.” Vector’s announcement sent fear shooting through her. She thought they’d have more time. “Any delay will increase the probability of the Humanoid Alliance ship detecting us.”
The warriors around them nodded. Kasia had no choice but to do the same. They knew more about missions than she did.
“North, you have the bridge.” Vector slung her over his right shoulder. She gasped, his hard form pushing the air from her lungs. He strapped one of his arms around her legs, stepped forward.
And abruptly stopped.
She looked behind her. Dissent had moved in front of them. His arms were crossed over his chest, his expression serious.
“You’ll protect her?” Her friend’s gaze searched Vector’s countenance.
“He’ll protect me.” Kasia answered for her male, hoping to prevent any farther arguments about whether or not she should be part of the mission.
Vector smacked her ass and her spine bowed, pleasure entwining with the pain. “I would die for her.” His voice was a low rumble.
Lines appeared between Dissent’s eyebrows. “When you arrived, you wanted to kill her.”
“He wouldn’t have done that.” Kasia volunteered.
That earned her another smack on the ass. “I changed my mind.”
The two warriors stared at each other.
Dissent dipped his head and stepped aside. “Look after her for us.”
“I’m looking after her for me.” Her arrogant male strode through the doors, stomped along the hallways, heading for their warship. His bootheels rang against the floor tiles.
Truth and Chuckles followed them. The other warriors on their team were completing last-moment inspections of the Freedom, would be loaded before the four of them arrived in the docking bay.
“Don’t be upset with Dissent.” Kasia placed her palms on Vector’s back, savoring the flex and release of his muscles against her skin. “He cares for me.”
“He loves you,” Vector muttered. “They all do.”
Did he love her too? Kasia was reckless but not reckless enough to ask that question. “They love me as they love a friend, as you love your brethren.”
Her possessive C Model grunted.
“I’m your female.” She would always be his. “You’ve made that clear.” Kasia paused. “And I’ve made that clear also.” She lowered her voice. “They all know I want you.”
“Female.” Vector rumbled, the sound arousing her. “We have to focus on the mission.”
Right. The mission. The confrontation with the Humanoid Alliance would be violent, deadly.
Kasia didn’t want to focus on that. She feared for her cyborg’s safely.
“I’ll look for more information on the enemy ship.” Kasia unclicked a handheld from her flight suit. “It might make a difference.”
She wasn’t a warrior, wasn’t experienced in missions or taking action. But gathering information was something she could do and she did it well.
“It has already made a difference, female.” Vector carried her into the fully repaired Freedom.
That was his home, was now hers. Their home would always be shared with others, but having lived on battle stations and ships for over twelve solar cycles, Kasia was accustomed to that. She would find any other type of home too quiet, too lonely.
“The enemy ship was designed for minimal staffing.” She flipped through the classified communications. “Commander Alakai is a paranoid bastard. He doesn’t even trust the males who have been reporting to him. Only two of his officers were designated to accompany him if he needed to escape.”
“He won’t escape us.” Vector’s words were edged with grim satisfaction.
Truth grunted softly in agreement as he closed the door behind them.
All the cyborgs yearned to inflict pain on the Humanoid Alliance elite, seeking vengeance for past injustices against their brethren.
Kasia didn’t attempt to dissuade them. The commanders on the Vault were the worst of the worst, the males responsible for horrific, heartless acts, too warped by that escalating carnage to redeem. They had to die or they would merely rebuild their forces and continue those atrocities.
“Keep the transmission line you share with me open.” Kasia told Vector as he walked with her to the bridge. “I’ll continue to communicate anything I uncover after you relocate to the holding chamber.”
As a precaution, all the cyborgs would leave the bridge once they neared lifeform-scanning range. They each wore a modified handheld clipped to their body armor.
The devices should block the scanners, make them undetectable. Kasia had tested them herself. But if something went wrong, a storage chamber filled with cyborgs on a warship might be explained as an oversight. They were weapons. Commander Smith could have forgotten he had them.
He wouldn’t forget about the cyborgs if they were stored on the bridge. The Humanoid Alliance wouldn’t accept that explanation, would perceive the warriors’ presence as an act of war and fire on their warship.
Taking that risk was unnecessary. Vector didn’t need to be on the bridge to navigate the Freedom. Her skilled cyborg had modified a control panel in the holding chamber for that task.
“The transmission line I share with you is always open.” Vector plunked her down on the captain’s chair. “It has been open since the first planet rotation you communicated with me.”
Chuckles and Truth claimed their seats. Her uptight captain stood beside her.
She liked having him close to him, dreaded that he would have to leave her.
“I’ll be communicating with you.” Constantly. Kasia looked around them. The main viewscreen before them displayed the opening docking bay doors. According to the systems, the space around the battle station was clear.
“The Freedom’s doors are closed. The docking bay doors are open. Truth, perform a systems check.” Vector placed his palms on the control panel embedded in the console before them and the ship’s engines rumbled to life.
“All systems are functional, Captain.” Truth’s expression was now deadly serious.
Because this was a deadly serious mission. They could all perish during it. Vector, the male she cared for, the male she loved, could die.
Kasia frantically searched for any information that might tip the balance in their favor, that might ensure they survived the encounter with the Humanoid Alliance. She couldn’t lose her warrior, not now, not ever.
“Scanning for lifeforms.” Vector always performed that task himself and she knew why. He feared a repetition of the tragedy on Furud One. “One human detected.”
“That’s me, standing in for Commander Smith.” She jauntily saluted Vector. “The lifeform blocking is working, Captain.”
Vector pressed his lips into a thin white line, communicating his displeasure with her flippant response, his lack of humor increasing Kasia’s anxiety.
Missions were intense.
Her cyborg maneuvered their ship out of the docking bay. The transition was smooth, appeared effortless. Kasia, after her disastrous attempt at stealing the vessel, knew the task was much more difficult than he made it look.
They entered open space. Stars sparkled on a background of black. It was beautiful, calming, a stretch of peace before the battle began.
Kasia reached over and placed one of her hands on top of Vector’s, grateful to be sharing the moment with him.
“Truth, set our course.” His voice was gruff.
“Our course is set, Captain.”
Vector, being the cautious male he was, verified the programming. He used only one hand, the hand she wasn’t holding. More systems checks were performed. “Activate the projection.”
“Activating the projection, Captain.” Chuckles obeyed that order.
An image of the dead commander was projected over Kasia’s body, the older human male sitting where she was, in the captain’s chair.
She gazed at his hands, his arms. They appeared real, as though they originated from her form.
It made her uneasy. She detested the male, didn’t want any part of him touching her, even if that was an illusion.
“Vector.” She shifted in her seat. “Captain.”
Vector glanced at her. Their gazes met. Whatever he saw in her eyes caused the hard set of his jaw to soften. “Warriors, prepare for battle.”
“Yes, Captain.” The cyborgs left their posts. The doors closed.
She was alone with her male. Except for the projection of the commander. She looked down at the arms and her top lip curled.
“Concentrate on me, not him.” Vector scooped her out of the chair, lifting Kasia high against his chest. “I want all of your attention.” His touch eased her distress. His strength took her breath away.
“We’re supposed to be focusing on the mission.” She raised her chin, gazing at him, only him.
“You are my mission.” He captured her lips, the force of the kiss pushing her head back. She opened to him, eager for his taste, for the slide of his tongue along hers.
Her cyborg didn’t disappoint her, ravishing her mouth with fierce strokes. His nanocybotics bubbled and fizzed. One of his hands cupped the back of her head, holding her to him, as though he feared she would escape him.
Kasia was done running and had no intention of retreating from her male’s embrace. She pushed back, pressing her flesh against his, her curves flattening against his unrelenting muscles. His warmth engulfed her. Her feet twitched as they dangled in the air.
She wrapped her legs around his waist, securing herself to him. He was an immovable force in a turbulent universe. She tugged on his body armor.
“Not here.” Vector pulled back from her, catching both of her wrists in one of his big palms. “And not now.”
“It could be here and now.” Kasia wiggled, rubbing her flight suit-covered mons over the ridge in his garment. “We have enough time before the mission for a good, hard fuck.”
He gazed at her, his eyes bright with tempestuous strikes of energy.
Was he thinking about taking her? Because she certainly was thinking about being taken. Her pussy dripped with wanting.
“We don’t have the time now, female, to enjoy all the sensual, stimulating things I want to do to you.” Vector lowered her slowly, gliding her form over his, allowing her to feel the rigidity of his cock, that evidence of his desire drying her mouth. “That need you’re feeling?” He cupped her mons and she moaned. “Once this mission has been completed, I’ll satisfy it and more.”
Stars. Kasia stared at him. She desired him.
“I plan to devote planet rotations to showing you.” His voice deepened. “Everything.” He dipped his head and closed lip-covered teeth around one of her earlobes, the tinge of pain thrilling her. “I will dedicate an eternity to breeding with you, to caring for you, to ensuring you never want for anything again.”
“I need you now.” She couldn’t wait.
“I need you also.” Vector set her down, resting her booted feet on his leather-covered toes. “But we have forever and the mission can’t be delayed.”
Her stomach twisted. “We’ll soon be within range of the Humanoid Alliance scanners.” Kasia didn’t have to look at the viewscreen to determine that. She saw the approaching danger in his eyes. “You have to leave and I have to hide.”
“You’ll hide first. Then I’ll leave.” Vector opened a compartment in the console. The small space had been cleared of objects and could fit her. Barely. They’d tested it.
“I’ve been in tinier spots.” Kasia said that for both of them.
It wasn’t a lie. When she voyaged to the battle station, she’d stowed upon a shuttle, folding her long, lean body into a container that was supposed to carry nourishment bars.
Vector helped her into the compartment. Her knees pressed against her chest. Her feet tilted toes upward. Her head bowed. Truth had drilled holes in the exterior, improving the airflow.
“Could you pass me my handheld?” She wiggled her fingers, unable to reach for it.
Vector placed the device in her palms, drifting his fingers over hers as though he needed, as she did, one more caress before their mission. “If you’re in any peril, experience any damage, contact me. Immediately.”
“I will. I can do this, warrior.” Kasia summoned a smile, striving to reassure him. “I’ve done it in the past. I won’t jeopardize the mission.”
“Frag the mission.” He crouched beside her. “You’re my priority, not eliminating the Humanoid Alliance officers, not justice for my brethren. You. I will turn this ship around—”
“Don’t turn the ship around.” She stopped him. “We need to do this. For our future and the future of our offspring. We need to be free of our enemies.”
“Our offspring.” His gaze lowered.
“The offspring we will eventually have, solar cycles from now.” She wasn’t carrying his child, as far as she knew, and she wouldn’t give her cautious warrior another reason to end the mission. “I’ll transmit with you constantly. You’ll know my every thought.”
“That’s a scary proposition.” Vector’s lips twitched as he straightened. “Don’t exit the compartment until I give you the order.”
“Yes, Captain.” She mimicked his males. “But don’t dawdle when giving that order.” Kasia grinned at her big C Model as he shut the door, casting her into darkness. “I love you, warrior.”
Shit. She jerked, banging her head on the top of the compartment. Pain shot over her skull yet she barely noticed it.
She had told Vector she loved him.
Kasia was tempted to send him a transmission, tell him it was a joke. But that would be a lie. She did love him.
Look before you leap. Her momma had always told her that. Think before you act. That was her warrior’s refrain.
When would she learn those lessons?
Maybe he hadn’t heard her. Maybe his enhanced hearing had somehow failed. Maybe he had sped across the bridge, moving at cyborg speed, and had been out of range.
Female. That single word transmission told her that none of those maybes were reality. He’d heard her blurted words.
Focus on the mission. She frantically transmitted back. We’ll talk about this later.
Much, much later.