Sacrifice:The Shenkar War (56 page)

             
Now with one of the Knights down, the Shenkar could devote all his attention to the remaining Knight. The Knight was very good, but the day’s battle was apparently taking its toll as he fell back under a fierce attack from the big Shenkar. Leah took aim at the Shenkar’s back and fired off several shots. The Shenkar’s armored back absorbed most of the energy, but it definitely got his attention. Kicking an upended table at the Knight, he then reached down, grabbed up a discarded knife, pivoted, and threw it with full force at Leah. There was no pain at first as the knife slammed up to the hilt into her chest. The next thing she knew, she was on the floor, lying against a barrier, laboring to breathe. The pain intensified as her body became aware of the knife protruding from her chest. Her breathing became harder, and she could feel one of her lungs filling with blood.

Hanscom Air Force Base

              Evan saw the knife slam into Leah’s chest and watched her hit the floor. He felt helpless, as she was most certainly fatally wounded. Without Tim, he could barely fend off Krailsha’s attacks. Without anyone to distract him now, Krailsha renewed his attacks on Evan with an intense ferocity. Evan was moving and parrying as quickly as he could, but he was becoming heavily fatigued and it was only a matter of time.

             
As Evan brought his sword up to block an incoming attack, the Shenkar suddenly spun and brought his foot up, slamming it into his chest. Evan was propelled back through the air and crashed hard into the wall. It took him a few seconds to shake the stars from his eyes. The armor had absorbed much of the impact, but he was still shaken up. He became aware of Krailsha standing over him. Looking up, he stared into the soulless black eyes.

             
“
I guess you Templar Knights are not as tough as I have been led to believe. You all die so easily--well, now you will join them.”

             
Krailsha’s plasma sword came up as he prepared to deal his killing stroke. Evan looked around, but his own sword was out of reach and there was no way he would be able to get to it before Krailsha delivered his killing strike. There was nothing he could do but wait for the blow to come.

Krailsha’s sword began its deadly descent, but it was interrupted when blue lightning slammed into the hand holding the weapon. Krailsha jerked his hand back with a cry of pain as his sword fell to the floor, a mass of charred metal.

              “
I’m not done with you yet,” came a labored voice from across the room.

             
Looking up, Evan saw Liam half standing, half leaning against a barrier. A hand pressed to his chest while the other was still outstretched, his fingers like claws.

             
“
WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO KILL YOU?!” screamed Krailsha.

             
“
A lot more than you can deal out,” Liam said wearily.

             
Krailsha roared and launched himself at Liam. He closed the distance in a mere fraction of the time Evan thought possible. But what was even more amazing was the speed at which Liam reacted. One second he was leaning there, barely able to stand without the assistance of the barrier, and then the next his sword came up and he was moving in a blur. He sidestepped Krailsha as he entered the space Liam had just been occupying.

             
It happened quicker than Evan thought possible. As Krailsha passed, Liam’s sword came up, around, and down again. Krailsha’s body crashed to the floor, his head hitting the floor and rolling for an additional ten feet.

             
“
Christ, Liam, I thought you died!” Evan said as he pulled himself off the floor.

             
“
I did . . . technically. Gotta love alien technology,” Liam said with half a smile.

Hanscom Air Force Base

              Liam crossed to the room to Leah quickly. Pulling her into his arms, he looked down at her limp form. Checking for a pulse, he found a very weak one, but no amount of medical attention could save her now--at least nothing on this planet. Taking his armored glove off, he then pulled the knife carefully from her chest and immediately dragged it across his skin. Pressing the open wound on his hand to the one on Leah’s chest, he drew in on himself. His eyes closed as he drew deeper into his own body, searching inward. His mind merged and became one with the nanites. Directing the flow of his nanites, he sent them through his own bloodstream into Leah’s, telling his nanites to repair the wound.

T
he nanites began their repair work, restoring muscle and weaving tissue fibers back together as if they had never been damaged. Over the next fifteen minutes, he worked the nanites to restore the damage the knife had done. Finally, just before finishing, he directed more of his nanites into Leah’s body and worked them again with a new task.

With the work done, he sat back, holding Leah in his arms
, and waited. It was now that he became aware of Evan and Tim standing near him. Also, he saw Crystal, Steve, and Dimitri moving about the room, administering help where they could. A mother was holding her son, tears of joy in her face as she looked down at him. The little boy had a bandage around his head but otherwise seemed okay. Soldiers were also present, helping people and carrying out the dead--there were so many dead soldiers, but at least it was over now.

             
Liam became aware of a hand caressing the side of his face. Looking down, he saw that Leah was awake, although she looked tired.

             
“
Hey, sleepy,” Liam said with a smile.

             
“
Hey,” Leah said groggily but with a smile as well.

             
“
How are you doing?” Liam asked.

             
“
I feel like I have been hit by a truck. Last thing I remember is a--” Her voice cut off suddenly as she looked down at her chest, her hand coming up to trace the pink flesh showing through her ripped shirt.

             
“
You will be okay; I took care of it.”

             
“
You took care of it? How did you take care of it? I should be dead. As a matter of fact, I saw you take a sword through the chest. Why wouldn’t you be dead?” Leah asked.

             
“
Courtesy of the alien technology that courses through my bloodstream,” Liam said with a smile.

             
Leah’s face grew more serious now as she looked deep into his eyes.
“
I love you,” she said with no trace of a smile on her face.

             
Liam smiled at this and then leaned down and kissed her deeply. In that kiss, the world stopped. He absorbed all of her into his senses: the softness of her lips on his, the sweet smell of her perfume mixed with the scent of her shampoo, the feel of her hand on the side of his face, the fingers of her other hand working into his hair at the back of his head. The kiss seemed to last for hours, and it seemed that they were the only two people around.

             
Finally, with incredible reluctance, Liam broke the kiss and pulled his head back. His heart was pounding so hard, he wouldn’t have been surprised if it erupted through his chest. Leah’s face was flushed as she smiled warmly up at him, her fingers still working through his hair.

Liam was finally able to find his voice after several seconds.
“
That was more than I ever thought possible.”

             
Leah’s face shined at the compliment, but tears shone in her eyes and then her face grew serious once again.
“
I just wish I could have pulled my head out of my ass a long time ago and realized the incredible guy I had before me. When I thought I lost you, I felt dead inside. I can’t lose you again. I think I would truly die if I did.”

             
“
You won’t lose me. I would tear apart the Shenkar Federation to make sure you are safe.”

             
“
And I believe you could do it,” came a voice from behind them.

             
Turning, they saw Tim standing there. Smiling, Liam stood and helped Leah to her feet. Still unsteady, she used Liam to stand.
Sensing she still need his help, he slipped an arm around her waist, holding her against himself.

             
He indicated Leah with his hand as he spoke:
“
Leah, please let me introduce you to a friend of mine and fellow pilot, Tim Wellmo.”

Leah smiled and extended her hand in greetings. Taking her hand, Tim smiled
back.
“
Pleasure to finally meet you, Ms. Aecrin. I have heard so much about you.”

             
“
Hopefully, it was all good,” Leah said with a smile.

             
Tim smiled and then turned his attention to Liam.

             
“
How goes the cleanup, down here and up there?” Liam asked, indicating the immediate area and then pointing up to where they had left the fleets engaged.

             
“
Everything is going well. All Shenkar warriors have been eliminated. As for the battle up in space, I just got word that all of the Shenkar forces have been destroyed or disabled. Rescue operations are under way for any pilots who went extravehicular.”

             
“
Any word on Admiral Kelvin?” asked Liam.

             
“
No, from all reports, he died with the
Tryliene
. He had the skeleton crew he had on board escape before the
Tryliene
blew, but from what the survivors said, he didn’t leave the bridge.”

             
“
That is too bad. He will be sorely missed. From a strategic standpoint and from a more personal . . . he was a good friend. So have we received any orders?”

             
“
Nothing as of yet. We are expected to report to Fleet Admiral Saunders for a debriefing as soon as everything calms down a bit. Crystal, Steve, and Dimitri are currently helping with the cleanup effort as well as first aid, and Evan has gone in search of the base commander to see how else we can help,” Tim explained before turning to address Leah.

             
“
Is there anything I can get you, Ms. Aecrin?” asked Tim.

             
“
A beer? I could really use a drink,” Leah said with a laugh.

             
Tim smiled as Liam also laughed.

             
“
Well, let me see what I can find,” Tim replied.

             
He gave a quick salute to Liam, did a quick about-face, and then walked out of the room. Leah looked back at Liam.

             
“
He isn’t really going to look for a beer for me, is he?” she asked.

             
“
Actually, I do believe he is,” Liam said with a smile.

             
Leah looked from Liam to the door again and back to Liam before she laughed.
“
You’re messing with me.”

             
Liam smiled even more at her laugh.
“
Let’s get you up and out of here. I am sure you would like to be in your own home.”

             
Leah smiled and then took a tentative step forward. Liam had to reach out and grab her to prevent her from falling as her legs seemed to have turned to jelly.
“
Whoa, I guess I am a bit more out of it that I thought I was,” Leah said with a half smile.

             
“
Yeah, well, you did almost die.”

             
And without another word, Liam scooped Leah up in his arms. Leah didn’t say a word, only smiled as she rested her head on his shoulder. In silence, Liam carried Leah through the passageways and up the stairs. They traveled for twenty minutes before they finally made their way up to the entrance.

Hanscom Air Force Base

              The setting sun was still bright as they exited the underground complex. The day was cool but still rather warm for December. Liam carried Leah over to a parked Humvee and set her on feet.

             
“
I will make arrangements for your car to be returned to your apartment,” Liam said as he opened the Humvee door to let Leah in. As Leah sat down inside the Humvee, she realized for the first time that this was the same Humvee Private Jorkins had brought her here in. Turning, she looked into the backseat and saw the briefcase she had retrieved from Liam’s quarters. Leaning over, she pulled the case from the backseat as Liam climbed into the driver’s side.