Kiljorn Commander (16 page)

“He is in a killing rage because he believes you are dead. If any of us try to go inside he might kill us in the state he is in.”

“Well I am not dead! Help me up!” She allowed the lieutenants to pull her to her feet. She tried to walk closer to the shuttle but she only got about five feet from it before the lieutenants stopped her.

“Do not go any farther. He is so distraught he may not recognize even you. I have never see a male in this state before and I do not know how to handle it. We called for medics to bring tranquilizers but we cannot use it while he is inside the shuttle.”

Damn it!
She needed to see him, make sure he was alright. “TylOR, I’m fine, honey. TylOR!” There was scuffling inside the shuttle and then another roar. Did he even hear her. “TylOR, you get ya sorry ass out here right now or so help me I'll find me another mate!”

There was silence inside the shuttle. Then the sound of boots coming toward the shuttle opening. That’s all it was now because the doors were somehow knocked loose. She bit her bottom lip waiting as her heart raced. What she saw next would stay with her for the rest of her life.

TylOR appeared in the opening completely covered in blood. He used what he could to wipe his eyes so he could see. He looked out and searched the docking bay for the voice that he thought he heard. A sweet voice that broke through his fog of rage. Then he found her.

“Elizabeth,” he groaned her name as he leapt out of the shuttle onto the docking bay floor.

“TylOR!” Lizzie tried to rush to him but the lieutenants were holding her back.

TylOR growled at the males holding his mate. “Let her go!” His thoughts were going back to rage again. Kill the male touching his mate. Take his mate and keep her safe.

“Let me go,” she whispered to the lieutenants.

“But he could hurt you.”

“No, I think I will be safe. It’s you men, I am worried about. He got a look in his eyes when he saw you holding me back. I don’t think that is a good look. Let me go. Get the tranquilizers ready just in case.”

The lieutenants reluctantly released Lizzie and slowly backed away from her. Lizzie now free rushed toward TylOR. His eyes were still focused on the lieutenants. She called out his name before launching herself at him. “TylOR!”

TylOR caught sight of his mate jumping toward him. He caught her in his arms and pulled her tight against him. “Mate!”

“Baby, I was so scared.” The tears finally came now that she was safe in his arms. Now that he was safe. She felt his thundering heartbeat start to slowly slow along with his breathing.

“Me too. I thought you were dead. I lost it.” He sounded angry with himself for losing control.

“It’s okay.”

He pulled back to look at her. “There is so much blood. Are you injured? Do you need a medic?”

“I’m not hurt. Lieutenant LoEK jumped in front of me and took the hit. He didn’t make it. The blood is his. Are you hurt? You are covered in blood too.” She ran her hands over his shoulders and chest looking for injuries.

“It is not my blood.” He told her. He looked up for his second in command, TenON.

“Commander, are you okay?”

“There is still one male on the shuttle breathing. He had hidden himself inside a storage cabinet and locked it from the inside. The other male is…dead.”

“We will take the living male to a holding cell. Maybe you and your mate should both go to the Medic wing to be checked out,” TenON suggested.

“Yes, that is a good idea.” TylOR lifted Elizabeth into his arms and carried her out of the docking bay.

*****

Negotiator StrykER watched as the lieutenants dragged in a crying male. "This must be one of the Purist rebels. Where is the second male?”

One of the Lieutenants cringed. “Commander TylOR believed his mate had been killed and went into a killing rage. He ripped the other male’s head and arms off him. Blood and body parts were everywhere. I do not think I have ever seen anything so gruesome.”

Interesting
. “Is Miss Connell okay?” StrykER couldn’t imagine the world without the spark of the small woman with beautiful hair.

“Yes, Commander TylOR took her to the Medic wing to be checked over.”

StrykER turned his attention to the Purist rebel whimpering in his cell. “So, what is your name?”

“Lieutenant CalamRI,” the male answered.

“What was the dead male’s name?”

“Lieutenant HarvEY.”

So far the male was being forthcoming. The images StrykER saw in his head matched his answers. “Where are the two of you from?”

There was a pause as the male finally calmed down. “East coast of Kiljor.”

“Really? I thought RojAY said you were from one of the mining colonies.”

“That is a lie! I never said anything!” RojAY yelled from the cell next door.

“Do I need to have you removed?” StrykER glared at the irritating male.

“You have no power here. You are not the Commander. You are not even a real officer.” RojAY sneered.

Stryker got that a lot. He resigned from his military post in order to become an interrogator. Because of that, a lot of males did not respect his position. Though the position was one of prestige among the council.

“Do you want me to call for the Commander? He just got finished ripping one male’s head off. I am sure he still has the energy to handle another one,” StrykER warned him.

“No! Do not bring him here.” Lt CalamRI looked scared. “The male has gone completely crazy!”

StrykER did not react when he picked up images of TylOR tearing apart the other male. “That happens when your bond mate is threatened.”

“It was an accident. We were not going to hurt her.”

StrykER grew angry. He hated it when they out and out lied. He got images from the male of the things they had planned to do to the poor female. She wouldn’t have stood a chance with them.

“Tell me about the Purist rebels. How big is the Rebellion? Who is the leader?” As he shot off question after question the Purist rebel verbally denied any knowledge of a Purist Rebellion. But the whole time image after image popped into his mind, which told a different story.

*****

Lizzie rested her head against TylOR’s shoulder. She ignored the blood. Males jumped out of TylOR’s way. If it weren't such a horrible situation, she would have found it hilarious. At that moment her humor left her.

They entered the Medic wing and medics jumped to help them. “Over here, Commander. We have two beds available. Are there any more casualties?”

“No.”

At that moment Lizzie remembered DugER. “What about Lieutenant DugER?”

The medic answered, “He is in critical shape but we believe he will pull through. There may be damage to his spine that cannot be completely repaired.”

“Will he be able to walk?” Lizzie was horrified.

“If he does it will be with some difficulty.”

“Can I see him?”

“Not right now. He is heavily sedated while the nanos work on repairing the damage. Perhaps in a couple of days he will be up for visitors.”

Lizzie nodded with understanding. She was now laying on a bed but TylOR was standing by her side. “Go sit down before you fall down.”

He smiled at her bossiness. He loved her bravery and strength. “I love you, mate.”

“I love you, too. Now go sit down because craning my head to look up at you hurts my neck.”

He chuckled as he clamored over to a bed. The medic stopped him before he sat down. “Commander, perhaps we can get you a shower first. That way we will know which blood is yours.”

“I will not leave my mate.” TylOR glared at the medic.

“TylOR, there are five lieutenants guarding the Medic wing. The rebels are in holding cells. I am safe. You are covered in disgusting blood and smell. Go take a damn shower.” He grunted as he went to the shower in the medic room. Lizzie noticed everyone had stopped to stare at her. “What?”

“I have never seen the Commander handled like that,” the Second Commander TenON said, shaking his head and smiling.

“Well, he needs a shower.”

*****

An hour later Stryker entered the medic wing. He found TylOR laying back on a bed with Lizzie by his side on the same small bed. She was half on top of him and completely asleep. He lowered his voice.

“How are the two of you doing?”

“We are both fine, just bruises. What did you find out?”

“The two males, CalamRI and HarvEY, are Purist rebels from one of the mining colonies. They met up with RojAY six months ago and he helped get them a position with fake identification on a Kiljorn transport. RojAY told them his sister had to be relocated to the Colonial Planet and that is when they hatched a plan to travel to the Colonial Planet and they planted a bomb.”

“Did they give you the Purist rebel leader’s name? Are they planning something else?”

“They wouldn’t talk about the leader but I saw images of him and his second in command. I sent lieutenants to check their quarters for any vital information.”

“So we don’t’ have anything?”

“Actually, I did find out something with the images in the rebel’s mind running rampant. But I think I should speak to Prime Leader KadEN as well.”

“What else did you find?”

“A plan to blow up the wormhole.”

“Oh Kitana!”

Chapter Twenty

“Wait.” TylOR carefully slid Elizabeth out of his arms and laid her on the bed. He got off the bed and walked outside the medic wing. He addressed the security liaisons, “You will guard her with your lives.”

“Yes, sir.”

TylOR continued down the corridor with StrykER following him. “Tell me how.”

“The Purist Rebel Leader OrIN is sending a ship to go through the wormhole. While inside the wormhole, the ship will self-destruct. The result will be that the wormhole will collapse and be unable to reopen. There could be far reaching repercussions for the nearest solar systems on either side as well,” StrykER told him as they found a remote area away from anyone's hearing.

“So it isn’t just the Colonial Planet that they targeted?”

“These rebels onboard were only assigned to take care of the bomb on the Colony as a distraction and delaying tactic to keep the Katierans, Kiljorns, and Colonists away from the wormhole. Their main objective is the wormhole.”

“Come with me, I have to send a warning to all three leaders and to Commander AshOR.” TylOR headed toward the command center.

“Lieutenant, get a secure line and request an emergency communications call with Prime Leader RendEL, Prime Leader KadEN, Leader LarIS, and Commander AshOR.” TylOR cleared the room of all personnel not needed for the call. Second Commander TenON joined him.

It took about fifteen minutes. “Commander, I have everyone on line.”

Four images appeared on the large viewing screen. KadEN was the first to speak. “Commander TylOR, I assume you have important information regarding the bombing on the Colonial Planet?”

“Yes, sir. We have discovered at least two Purist rebels and two sympathizers onboard. The Purist rebels posed as Kiljorn officers with the help of two Kiljorn citizens, a brother and sister. They attempted to take my mate off the ship. My mate was saved by her guard. One of the Purist rebels is dead and the other is locked up in the holding cell with the brother and sister sympathizers. Interrogator StrykER questioned those in the holding cells and uncovered a plot to destroy the wormhole.”

“Kitana!” Prime Leader RendEL cursed.

“How do they plan to destroy the wormhole?” Leader LarIS asked.

“The Purists plan to send a ship into the wormhole with a self-destruct timer. Once it blows up inside the wormhole, it will cause it to collapse in on itself, possibly closing it off for good.”

“Is it just one ship or more than one that they are sending?” Commander AshOR asked.

TylOR looked to his side at StrykER. StrykER spoke, “From what I could get from the questioning, it appears that only one set is planned. But the leader of the rebels may have more than one ship at his disposal to implement his plan.”

TylOR continued, “I suggest all transports going to and from Earth be put on temporary hold.”

RendEL frowned. “Unfortunately we have a transport with Earth females en route. They are already halfway to the wormhole.”

“Then I need to go through the wormhole immediately,” AshOR said.

TylOR didn’t like it at all. If his brother went through the wormhole and the Purists were able to destroy it, AshOR would not be able to get back home. That was unacceptable to him.

“I do not think that is a good idea. If the Purists succeed, you will be stuck on the other side,” TylOR spoke directly to his brother.

“I know, but the Morins are a threat to the females on that transport. I have to go,” AshOR returned.

“Commander AshOR is right. Someone needs to continue the pursuit of the Morins. Leaving them on the other side is just too dangerous. Commander AshOR will go through the wormhole to continue searching for the Morins as planned,” Leader LarIS said.

Prime Leader RendEL spoke next, “Prime Commander ConEL is already at the wormhole guarding it on this side. I will inform him of what is going on.”

Prime Leader KadEN asked, “What is your ETA for the wormhole?”

“My transport will arrive within thirty minutes. I will have a scan of the area to see if we can catch the ship before it gets in range of the wormhole,” TylOR told them.

There was a long pause as everyone gave orders. KadEN looked at TylOR, “Keep us updated on what is happening.”

“Yes, sir.” TylOR looked at his younger brother and felt true regret that they had not gotten along. Now it might be too late for them. “Be careful, AshOR.”

“You too, big brother. If something happens and the wormhole closes, take care of both my sisters and my nephew.” AshOR gave him a crooked smile before ending the communications line.

TylOR gave out orders. “Put us on Yellow alert. I want every fighter we have ready in case we have to fight warship to warship.”

Second Commander TenON responded, “Yes, Commander.”

TylOR hated to ask him to do this but he needed more information. He turned to StrykER. “Could you continue questioning the Purist? We need to find out if they have moles or sympathizers on Kiljor or the other two nation’s planets.”