Myka launched the power-down sequence and set the landing hooks.

Raine, already strapped into one of the crew seats, had become deathly quiet on approach. “Are you ready for this?”

She nodded, her shaking hands struggling to unlock the seat harness. “I will do whatever I must to save my son.” Her voice was hushed, but there was determined strength in her movements.

If they were going to get in and out alive, she’d have to keep her emotions in check. He waited for her to fully unbuckle and stand. “I would like to give you a small token.”

Skepticism creased the corners of her eyes. He didn’t blame her. Until a few hours ago, she didn’t even know his race existed. He lifted her hand, palm up and placed a dozen or more little black nodules in her hand. “What are they?”

“Seahorse fern seeds. I found them in the food packs. If you grow them, they are good in salads, or you can steam them.”

She nudged them with her finger. “Do you think they will survive on earth?”

He shrugged. “I don’t know, but you said you felt uncomfortable because there was nothing organic here. I want to provide a level of comfort, even though the seeds are small, and to some irrelevant.”

“The gesture is kind and appreciated.” She placed a hand on his chest. “You are a good man, Myka. No matter how this turns out, remember you are a good man, a worthy man for so many reasons.”

He brought her hand to his lips, then paused when voices outside the ship’s hull drew his attention. “We had better go.”

“Yes. We don’t have much time.”

Myka lifted Beck from the medical pod and placed him in Raine’s arms. “Command is aware you are on board. They scanned the ship on approach. Remain calm and stay behind me. I’ll do the talking.”

Her arms tightened around her son as the stubbornness lifted her chin. The determined fire in her eyes gave him a boost of energy.

He picked up the sealed vacuum case and released the back hatch. He waited while the hydraulics lowered the ramp, then stepped forward into the large cargo bay, his eyes adjusting to the bright light.

He only got to the end of the ramp before Commander Stuttgart barked at him to remain where he was.

The short man—with a shorter fuse—maneuvered his way across the ample space with a set of armed security guards following close on his heels. “Protector Myka, what the hell is this?”

The little man’s legs hastened in his direction. His hair, cropped short in the typical military style, didn’t move. There was no need for the short hair, other than for appearances. This figurehead assigned by the Elite to safeguard the ship had never seen battle. An engineer by trade, he was better at fixing rather than protecting things. And his wrinkled face was starting to show his antiquity.

“Your pod, sir.”

“Don’t try to placate me, son.” He stuck the cigar he never lit in his mouth and pointed at Raine and Beck. “Humans. You just signed your death warrant, Protector.”

Myka’s muscles tightened. “Not necessarily.” He set the case down on the floor to free his hands and feet. His senses were on full blast.

The commander tugged his cigar from between his lips. “What did you say, you pile of Dronag dung?”

He fought the urge to squash the ship’s hypocrite like the piece of trash he was, but he’d play nice for now. “According to the Interstellar accord, biohazard waste is prohibited.”

“And the reason you were sent to retrieve the pod. Try telling me something I don’t know.”

“Yet these two humans were impacted by the biohazard spill. According to section ninety-three, paragraph seven, it is our responsibility to offer them medical assistance.”

“Don’t be spouting sections and paragraphs to me, you cocky recruit,” Stuttgart sputtered, knowing full well Myka wasn’t anything close to a recruit. The commander had seen his file.

Myka’s forefathers had established the Protectorate, and were held in high esteem. Another reminder to Stuttgart that Myka’s family association could still lend limited protection.

“You can kiss your transfer goodbye, Myka. And you,” he pointed to the nearest scientist checking equipment. “Incinerate these two. We don’t need the headache.”

You bastard. Myka reached for his weapon when a voice shouted. “Belay that order!”

Chief Scientist Gabrielle Fathoms entered the cargo hold carrying a clipboard under her arm. “Commander, do I need to remind you this is still my ship? Your only job is to offer protection, not that it’s needed.”

Stuttgart’s face turned red. If he wasn’t careful, he would pop a few more blood vessels.

“Gabrielle,” the commander acknowledged with a bit of starch in his tone.

The scientist raised a brow in warning at the informal greeting. “Protector, report,” she brushed past the station commander to address Myka directly.

“The energy pod was broken and leaking when I found it. These two have been directly exposed and need our assistance.”

“There will be no disposal of these two. Take them to the test lab.”

“The testing lab?” Myka turned, “but that—”

“Arrest this man,” the scientist demanded.

Myka yanked his arm out of the nearest guard’s grasp. “On what grounds?”

“Treason. If these humans are infected, you could have compromised this whole ship.”

He glared a warning that if he was touched again, body parts would be broken. He took a step closer to the scientist. “If an infection is your concern, why did my bio-unit not detect any outward contamination?”

Fathoms’s brow hiked up a notch. “Is every person aboard this ship incompetent? I said arrest this man.”

“Myka!” A shrill scream, the kind only a terrified mother could make, echoed through the cargo bay.

He pivoted to see Beck stripped from Raine’s arms by two scientists.

“Unhand my mate,” he bellowed, only to feel pain shoot up his back and through his arms. Every muscle in his torso spasmed, and he went down to his knees. His mind went blank from the pain. His vision blurred. Cold metal clamped around his wrists.

His commander yanked his head up by his hair. “Your mate? I don’t think so.” Myka nearly gagged from the stench of stale tobacco. His head rocked to side as the commander shoved him away in disgust. “No Protector can take a mate. Take him.”

His mind and body, still trying to process the pain, couldn’t fight being hauled to his feet. He blinked to clear his vision. A second later he got a glimpse of Raine. The fear in her eyes sent rage pumping through his veins.

When she had disappeared through the massive metal doorway, he turned to the commander. “You have no right to touch her. She is under my protection.”

The little man laughed.

“You’re a long way from home, son. Besides, I say what happens on this ship, stays on this ship.” He signaled to the two numbnuts standing beside him. “Get him out of my sight.”

Myka yanked on the security cuffs, knowing he’d never get them to budge, but the attempt made him feel better. The past five minutes reminded him of his arrest eighteen months ago for punching another commander for inappropriate behavior toward a female Protectorate novice. What was it with assholes who believe they’re entitled and untouchable?

Myka was marched past the storage bays and into the lift section to take him to the holding cell level.

“You could just lock me in my quarters,” he suggested, hoping the security team would be dumb enough to fall for the suggestion.

“Be quiet and keep moving,” the lead guard barked.

A few minutes later one of the holding cells opened, and he was shoved into the cramped room. Being locked inside the stark room with only a bed, sink, and toilet made him twitchy. The door slid shut. He walked the eight steps in one direction, then back again, letting the silence settle in.

Is this what his life had come to?

He squeezed the back of his neck to get rid of the knots.

The memory of his mother telling him to make her proud came to mind.

He didn’t think this moment was what she had in mind. She had wanted him to focus on his studies and training, yet he never had much patience for either, and always managed to escape his tutors, which had come in handy a time or two.

He needed to find a way out. He had a mate and a child to protect.

And nothing, not even a jail cell, would keep him from getting to them.