CHAPTER TWENTY
Then, strangely, the rope stopped its wild swinging, even though the room continued to rock under his feet. Heart in his throat, Arek watched as Mia slid down the curving length in one silken swoop, and into his arms. With a smile on her face!
He caught her in his arms and rocked back the few steps it took to keep his balance, a crazy laugh bursting from his chest. "God, woman, you surprise me every time you turn around."
She chuckled, and peered over his shoulder. "I surprised Team Nebula, also."
Arek snorted even as he swung around with her in his arms to find the floor empty save for them. "Fine with me. That Armond has some kind of psi powers. Don't want him too close to us."
She looked at him. "He does? But Arek, that means he must have helped me. That rope didn't stop swinging by itself."
Arek staggered as the room moved again. Mia wriggled in his arms. "Arek, let me down. We must go. Something is happening, and the tremors will get worse, I feel sure."
"Deuce, report," Arek ordered as he set her on her feet.
"Ms Jag is correct," the AI told them primly. "This structure, the mountain as you call it, has begun acceleration."
"Begun?" Arek demanded. "Where is it headed?"
"Toward Octiron HQ on Primaera", Deuce said. "Time is running out. So may I suggest the two of you get moving?"
Arek merely grunted in answer, his attention on Mia. She was turning away from him, balancing lightly on one foot as she looked, or sensed around the place. He waited, one hand on his weapon, scanning for movement.
"This way," she called, and set off, running lightly across the tilting floor. Arek followed, staggering occasionally, only his strength saving him.
Mia led the way into a narrow corridor, once again lit by subtle openings in the rock walls. At the end was a door—and it was closing.
"Run!" Arek bellowed. "Don't stop for anything!" Such as him, if he didn't make it.
He did, but by he left some skin and, he was certain, a year off his life behind.
Armond and Vin were poised opposite them. No other contestants were in sight.
Between the two teams stood a clear podium, mounted on the top was the Octiron prize box.
"I have it!" Mia shot toward the podium, with Armond running to meet her, his face in a grim scowl.
Mia reached the box and snatched it up with a triumphant feline rrowl.
Vin skidded to a stop next to Armond, her grand bosom heaving as she panted. "No! It can't end this way," she wailed.
"This is not the end," Armond said, his voice like soft thunder in the small room. "Vin, I will not fail you."
Energy built in the room, pushing at Arek. Mia paled, her arms shaking, the box trembling in her grasp.
"What the hells are you doing to her?" D'Arek bellowed. "Release us, psi-freak, or you won't live to enjoy what you've stolen!"
"Easy everyone," Vin said, her eyes huge. "We can all get out of this alive. Armond, honey, D'Arek is worried about Mia's safety, not the prize. Don't hurt him."
The woman turned to Mia. "Mia, please—let go of the box. If we don't win, Armond and I will be separated. Permanently."
D'Arek struggled with incredible force, but was unable to free himself. It only added to his mounting rage. "Don't listen to her, Mia. It's a trick—I've warned you to trust no one."
The energy streaming out of Armond was barely controlled and increasing rapidly.
Vin began to shake, her eyes wild.
"Vin?" Armond's grip on the couple held. "What did you do to her, Aurelian?"
He moved toward D'Arek, who glared back. "It was you, psi. You're going to kill us all."
"Stop... both of you." Vin got the word out on inhale.
"Listen to her," Mia begged, her eyes wide with horror. "Both of you, stop arguing, and Armond, just stop!"
"She's right," Vin gasped. "Armond, I can't deflect in here. You can't lose control." She managed another gasping breath. "Mia, please—let us have the prize and we all live. Armond can't control his power. Not without me and I can't help him in this room. We will all die here today if you don't."
"All right," Mia gasped. "Take the prize. You need it, we don't. D'arek, it's all right. Prize or no prize, we win."
The Aurelian gave her a long look, and then nodded. "Very well. Armond, stand down. You have my word as an Aurelian that we will not try to prevent your winning."
"And my word as a Tygean," Mia added.
"Now, honey," Vin gasped. "Let go."
As suddenly as it had built, the power in the room released. Arek staggered wildly and then fell onto his hands and knees. Mia crawled to him, and he sank to one hip, with her wrapped around him. "Safe," he muttered, breathing her in. "You're safe."
"Farewell, friends," Vin called from across the room. She and Armond were at an open door, the box under one of his arms. "Thank you."
The room shook again, harder this time. "What the hells?" Arek demanded.
Mia leapt to her feet, tugging at him. "Come, Arek. We must go—that's not Armond, it's this mountain."
They raced from the room, following the other couple down a long corridor, bouncing off of walls at times, adding new bruises to their collections.
Finally Deuce spoke, his voice loud. "To your left, Starry Night. You are nearly at the docking bay. I await you there, but I can hold the ship only for a few more secs!"
"Hold it!" Arek yelled. "We're coming."
And they made it... racing around the last curve in the strange corridor and into the air-lock with only time to close their helmets before their ship slid into the dock. Arek and Mia raced aboard, hand in hand.
"We're away," Deuce said. The hatch shut behind them, and the cruiser lifted off from the mountain, and then shot away.
Arek sank into the captain's chair, hands on the controls. "Coordinates to Primaera," he ordered. "No, wait." He looked over at Mia, who was curled in the nav chair, and smiled slowly. "Coordinates to clear space—in the opposite direction. About twenty-four hours should be enough time, wouldn't you say, Tygress?"
"Purrr-fect amount of time for you to experience your first shift-mating," she agreed. "And mine. I've been waiting for the right male to come along."
"Then you've found him," he told her. "All the way out here... in the shadow of the stars."
* * *
From one of his homes on Frontiera, Logan Stark watched the closing ceremonies of Octiron's Great Space Race.
Beside him, his wife was curled on the luxurious sofa, a look of bemusement on her lovely face. "They certainly do use a great many laser lights, don't they?" she murmured.
"Yes," he agreed. "Octiron never misses a chance to create a spectacle for the masses."
She looked over at him. "But this time, they've gone too far, haven't they?"
He nodded slowly. "Yes, I do believe they have."
"And what are you going to do about it, Mr. Stark?"
"What makes you think I'm going to do anything, Kiri mine?" he asked, reaching for her hand. When they were together, he liked to be touching her. It never failed to soothe him, stilling his restless intellect, at least for a time.
She chuckled, and leaned in to kiss his cheek. "Oh, Logan. Because I know you, my paladin. You won't miss a chance to use your vast network of influence to right a wrong. Octiron is throwing innocents to the monsters, so you'll ride to the rescue. Or at least send someone else to the rescue."
He gave her a look. "A paladin, really? But you're right. I have set certain pieces in play. I think when it comes to another season of the Race, Octiron may find that they are expected to behave a bit more justly… or find themselves with a great deal less advertising."
Turning his head, he kissed her soft lips, and broke the link to the holovid. "And now, I believe I hear the patter of tiny feet."
She giggled against his mouth at his description, as the solid house shook with the thunder of running feet. Three children, four mawwrs, two canines and a catamount cub burst into the room. The children, all three with their father's height and their mother's lovely, tawny skin, ran to fling themselves onto the sofa with their parents, babbling about the game they'd been playing on the lawn with their uncles. The dogs barked happily, and the mawwrs leapt to the top of the sofa, hissing at them.
A slim, handsome man and a much larger one with a homely, square face stopped in the doorway. "Sorry," said Kai to his sister. "We stopped the big catas from getting in, at least."
Behind him, Bronc chuckled. "Not that you can tell."
Logan Stark, arms full of noisy children, shook his head in wry agreement.
But he did it smiling, for the quazillionaire space magnate had never been happier or more content.
* * *
Epilogue
From their luxurious stateroom in Octiron's HQ on Primaera, Arek faced his parents. The elder A'Renoqs sat in the garden of their home on Aurellan.
"So, you have survived your adventure," the general said. "Even thrived."
Arek's mother smiled, her eyes bright with tears, although Aurelian pride forbade she actually shed them. "Son, it is so good to see you safe and well."
"Thank you, mother," he said. "I am well. And I have news."
"What?" the general asked. "Second place in a competition is hardly news."
Arek gave his father a look. "No, sir. I am aware that ceding the victory is not news-worthy. But it was the right thing to do."
"You missed the closing ceremonies," A'Lara A'Renoq said. "I watched, hoping to see you there. It was quite the spectacle." Her expression said she'd found it in poor taste.
Arek grinned. "Sorry, mother, but no way was I taking part in that mess. We watched it from our room. My news is this—I have found a bride."
His mother gasped quietly.
The general's eyes narrowed. "The Tygress? I absolutely forbid it. You will marry a suitable woman of our people—one we have a hand in selecting, as is customary."
Arek set his jaw. "No, sir. I will not. I wish to marry Mia Jag, and I will do so. I hope you and Mother will attend our wedding on Bryght, but if you choose not to, that is of course your choice."
The general stared at him for a long, fraught moment. Then he sat back on the sofa, and smiled.
"In that case, we'll be there. Oh, and by the way, plans are well underway to post an embassy on planet Bryght. The job of heading up security there is yours, if you want it."
Arek's mouth opened, then closed. He stared at the man who had raised him, and slowly shook his head. "You are telling me you approve of my choice?"
His father raised his brows. "This is your choice to make, not ours. A man who won't fight for his chosen mate is not a man I want fighting at my side... or serving in a position of importance. And besides, I've met her father. A fine man, if hot-tempered like most of their race."
Arek's mother leaned forward. "I so look forward to meeting your bride and her family, my son. I will prepare a bridal gift and have it couriered to her."
"Thank you, mother. Father..." Arek gave his father a look of mingled humor and exasperation. "I will consider your offer."
"Do that. We have much to discuss about that, and about another effort in which I've been engaged, along with some very influential beings."
Arek and his father exchanged a look of understanding, and ruthless intent. "Thank you, sir."
"My pleasure. Now I suggest you get back to your lady."
Arek rose. "Yes. I have much to tell her. We shall see you both soon, I hope."
All he had to do was survive another quarking 'jump' to get back to the Milky Way Galaxy. He was not looking forward to that. But at least the process was easier on his Tygress.
His mother smiled, tipping her head to look past him. "I don't think you'll need to look far."
Their holovid winked out.
Arek turned, to find Mia standing in the doorway of their shared suite, her eyes wide and bright. She wore a flattering ensemble of topaz lii silk knit, which clung to her lovely figure and emphasized her golden eyes. Her hair was down, the way he liked it, framing her face and shoulders.
"Those were your parents?" she asked. "You really are serious about our future, if you've told them. Your father is a little… scary."
Arek grinned at her. "Yes, he is. But so is yours. And I still have to face him in person."
He opened his arms, and she hurried into them, tiptoeing up to kiss him. "Silly, he's going to love you, and so will Tryon. They'll have another manly male in the family, to balance the females. With me, my mother and Tryon's wife, they've been outnumbered."
"Good to know I'll be of use."
She smiled as his hands wandered down to cup her bottom, clad in thin, slippery silk. "Come with me, and I'll show you another way you can be of use, Commander."
"For you, Tygress? Anything. Anything and always."
Thanks for coming along on Mia & Arek's adventure! Hope you had as much fun as they did… without the scrapes and bruises.
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