Aggressor by Dean Crawford

Author:Dean Crawford [Crawford, Dean]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2014-09-18T07:00:00+00:00

XXV

‘Say what now?’

Taron Forge watched the Marine Lieutenant as he unlocked the doors of Taron’s cell.

‘You’re free to go, captain.’

Taron remained where he was, suddenly unwilling to leave the relative safety of his cell and uncertain of what the Marine had in store for him. He looked at the adjoining cell where Yo’Ki was likewise being released. She glanced across, suspicion writ large across her exotic features.

‘Just like that?’ Taron asked.

‘Just like that,’ Lieutenant C’rairn confirmed. ‘Captain says you’re no damned use to us and doesn’t want to waste our limited resources having to feed you both, not to mention your ship taking up space in the bays. So, get out of here.’

Taron stepped out of the cell and was even more surprised when C’rairn produced Taron’s pistol and handed it to him, the magazine fully charged. Yo’Ki’s weapon was also returned to her in likewise pristine condition.

‘What’s to stop your captain blowing us out of existence the moment we lift off?’ Taron asked.

‘We don’t care,’ C’rairn replied with the briefest of smiles. ‘But like I said, the captain doesn’t want to waste resources so he won’t bother shooting you down. Best for you to just get the hell off of our ship before somebody wastes a few calories and cuts your throat, know what I mean?’

C’rairn rested one hand on the sheathed knife on his webbing belt. Taron managed a grin, but he began walking.

‘Thank your captain for a wonderful stay won’t you?’ he suggested as he joined his co-pilot.

‘Escort them to the launch bay,’ C’rairn ordered the two Marines who had accompanied him. ‘Make sure they get aboard their ship immediately.’

Taron kept walking and ignored the two Marines who fell into step behind them and followed as they walked toward the launch bay, several minutes away across the ship.

‘I don’t like this,’ Taron uttered beneath his breath.

Yo’Ki shrugged.

‘I’m not complaining either,’ Taron said. ‘But, this ain’t right. Salim’s got hostages down there and we’re the captain’s only real bargaining chip so far as we know, and he’s just going to let us go?’

Yo’Ki glanced sideways at Taron and lifted one perfectly shaped eyebrow.

‘Sure, maybe we aren’t that important,’ Taron shrugged. ‘Kind of degrading, you know what I mean?’

Yo’Ki jabbed him in the ribs with one elbow but said nothing as they kept walking.

Taron led the way to the launch bays and walked out to see rows of Raython fighters parked beside each other along each wall, and at the far end of the bay the Phoenix waiting for them, her main ramp still raised as they had left it.

‘You see anything amiss?’ Taron asked Yo’Ki.

She shook her head, her long black pony-tail swinging and catching the light. All around them maintenance crews were swarming over the Raython fighters and three older bomber craft that Taron recalled were named Corsairs – an appropriate name considering the circumstances.

Yo’Ki tapped Taron in the side as they walked and nodded toward the Corsairs. Taron spotted instantly the heavy plasma weapons being loaded into their bomb bays.

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