Any Port In A War_An Alien Galactic Military Science Fiction Adventure by Tim Marquitz & Michael Anderle & Craig Martelle

Author:Tim Marquitz & Michael Anderle & Craig Martelle [Marquitz, Tim & Anderle, Michael & Martelle, Craig]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: LMBPN Publishing
Published: 2018-07-28T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fifteen

Back in the tunnels, the crew was quiet, and Taj understood. After what they’d witnessed, she couldn’t blame them. There was nothing to be said after a display like that, people they’d known all their lives being executed in front of them with no way to be saved that didn’t result in more needless deaths.

Memories flittered through Taj’s brain, and her stomach tightened into a hard knot, an ember of disgust burning inside, threatening to set her alight like dry tinder. She’d held herself in check as the aliens killed her people, but now, removed from the situation, her fury simmered.

Taj wanted more than to simply rescue her people, she wanted revenge; to see the captain on his knees before her, begging for his life. Her lips trembling, she swore she’d see the man dead if it was the last thing she did.

The cold chill of the tunnel barely touched her as she slunk through the darkness, grateful for the ability to see in the dark. The staleness of the air seemed to close in on her, threatening to choke her at every harsh breath she sucked in.

Thoughts swirled in her head, plans, ideas, schemes, a churning maelstrom of what ifs and what could be. None amounted to anything, but she pushed on, desperate to think of some way she could get to the barn and free her people unseen.

She even cast a prayer Rowl’s way, though she knew the great goddess wouldn’t reply, even if she was listening. Rowl was a capricious god, more likely to sow chaos and create havoc than answer prayers. She’d thumb her nose in the direction of those of her kind unwilling to do for themselves, but still, Taj had to try.

She’d never once had so much riding on her decisions. To have it now was maddening, and Taj struggled to keep her thoughts positive, productive, but it was like hoping to see a reflection in a puddle during the rain. Everything was distorted, blurred beyond her comprehension.

“I need to get Jadie,” Torbon mumbled, stumbling behind, putting distance between him and the rest of the crew as if he were ready to bolt away.

They stopped and turned to face him. While Cabe and Lina advanced on Torbon, closing the distance, Taj held her ground, wondering if it were better to let him go. They were all staring down the barrels of the enemies’ guns, so would facing them head on be any worse than skulking about, trying to take the aliens out one at a time? Eventually, no matter what they did, things would escalate.

Still, when that time came, they had to be ready. Taj had to make them ready.

“We’ll get her,” Cabe assured, but there was no conviction in his voice. He was as lost and worried as the rest of them, adrift.

“We will,” Lina reinforced as Torbon stared between them, no faith reflected in his eyes.

He stood limp, defeated, and it showed in the lines in his face and the slump of his shoulders.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.