Star's Storm: Lords of Kassis Book 2 (8 page)

Star studied the huge female Tearnat’s eyes
intently. “Where?”

“My vision did not show me where he was but
it did give me clues. Clues that someone who is familiar with the
man who took him would know. Clues that would help us find him,”
Madas continued, reaching out to grip Star’s hands tightly in her
own.

“Who?” Star asked a little louder. “Who
would know?”

“I would,” Dakar’s voice said quietly from
behind them.

Star turned her head to stare at the large
Kassisan warrior. His face was grim. Dark shadows rested under his
eyes and he looked thinner than he had a little over a week ago.
Deep lines cut grooves around his mouth and the muscle in his jaw
ticked as he held himself under ridged control.

“How? How could you know?” Star asked
softly.

“Because I was Tai Tek’s Captain of the
Guard. It was my job to keep him safe, alive,” Dakar answered
harshly. “I was undercover. Lord Ajaska suspected Tai Tek was
behind the deaths of several councilmen years ago. I was assigned
to his House. I pledged total loyalty to him and over time worked
my way up to Captain of the Guard.”

“Won’t he know that you betrayed him?” Star
asked, turning so she could look at the face of the man who
suddenly appeared darker and more dangerous than she
remembered.

Dakar shook his head briefly. “He believes I
was killed during the battle. Images of my body, riddled with laser
blasts, were sent out. My brother publicly condemned me as a
traitor to our people. As far as everyone is concerned, I no longer
exist,” he explained in an emotionless voice.

“But,” Star began shaking her head in
confusion. “Wouldn’t people recognize you?”

Madas chuckled. “No, they would not. I had a
most difficult time in understanding why Dakar was in my dream. I
knew Adron very well having met him many times over the years
during meetings with Tai Tek. I did not recognize Dakar as being
Adron, Kel Mul Kar’s brother. Only Torak, Manota, and River are
aware of his identity.”

Star’s forehead creased in confusion. How
could no one recognize him? She shook her head trying to clear it.
The movement cause her head to spin.

“Drink,” Madas encouraged, releasing Star’s
hands so she could pour a cup of hot tea from the tray sitting on
the small end table next to them. Madas pressed the cup into Star’s
hand. “You must be ready.”

“I don’t understand,” Star confessed looking
back and forth between Dakar’s tired face and Madas.

“I underwent facial reconstruction so I
wouldn’t be recognized,” Dakar said, the muscle in his jaw ticking
fiercely. “It was the only way without truly dying. When my brother
was given the assignment to go with Manota to your home world,
Torak asked that I step in to protect Lady River. He felt since I
knew Tai Tek and how he thought, I would know better than anyone
how to protect his mate from being assassinated should Tai Tek try
again. In addition, it gave me more time to – adjust to my new
features.”

“I approached Dakar,” Madas said with a smug
smile curling her thin lips. “After a few words, I knew why he was
in my dream.”

“You tricked me,” Dakar muttered with
flashing eyes.

“Yes I did, didn’t I?” Madas said with a
twinkle in her eyes.

“So what do we do now? Where do you think
Jazin is being held?” Star asked anxiously, leaning forward. “When
can we leave?”

“We go after your mate is what we do now,”
Madas said with a chuckle. “Dakar believes he knows where Lord
Jazin is being held based on the descriptions from my dream.”

“He is being held on Geylur Prime II. I’m
sure of it. Tai Tek has a prison base there and the description
matches the terrain of the planet,” Dakar replied, throwing a dark
look at Madas.

“We leave within the hour,” Madas grinned.
“I have appropriated an elite Tearnat star ship for our journey. It
is a gift from a friend of Lord Jazin. It is a prototype that holds
much promise, I have been assured. It just needs to be tested.”

“Who will be going with us?” Star asked
looking back and forth when Dakar snorted at Madas’ use of the word
‘appropriated’.

“Just us,” Madas said with a hiss of
excitement.

Dakar grunted. “We both felt that the fewer
people who knew what we up to, the better. The prison is a
fortress. I am not even sure how we will be able to get into it
much less get back out.”

“I need to see River before we go,” Star
said looking steadily at Madas. “She has some items I need to
borrow.”

“Call her but make sure she understands that
she must tell no one, including her mate if possible,” Madas said
rising to her feet. “I will pick up the items you need on my way
out and meet you at the star ship.”

Star rose as well. She looked at the huge
female Tearnat with her heart in her eyes. “You really are very
beautiful,” Star said giving into the urge to wrap her arms tightly
around the other female. “Thank you for giving me hope.”

“It is my pleasure, little warrior,” Madas
hissed quietly, holding Star tightly against her for a moment
before she pulled away to brush Star’s long hair back from her
face. “I look forward to seeing the female warrior in action.
Something tells me your enemies will not know how to handle
you.”

Star’s eyes glittered with determination.
“They are going to learn what happens when they mess with my
family,” she bit out fiercely.

Dakar groaned and shook his head. “You know
if Lord Jazin is alive he is going to kill me for letting you go,
don’t you? Gril is going to be right next to him helping,” he
muttered under his breath.

Both women chuckled at the look of
resignation on the large Kassisan warrior’s face
.

Dakar better just make sure he isn’t in
the way when, not if, they found Jazin alive because I’m going to
take out anyone who tries to stand in my way of bringing him
home,
Star thought as hope welled up inside her.

Star dropped down onto the ground outside the
South House, pausing to make sure she hadn’t been seen. She had
used a different method than her and River did when they snuck out.
This way was a little more challenging but she had been less likely
to be seen or caught. She felt bad about not telling Armet what she
was doing. She reminded herself that she said she would
try
to tell him when she decided to go somewhere first, not that she
would.

Besides,
she thought trying to
consoled her guilty conscious,
I did leave a note explaining
that I couldn’t tell him about it beforehand but for him not to
worry about me. That I wasn’t alone and I knew what I was doing –
sort of.

She stood up and jogged to the end of the
building where Dakar said he would have a transport waiting. She
breathed out a sigh of relief when she saw it just where he had
promised it would be. Star quickly ran over to the waiting vehicle
and slid into the back. She turned breathlessly to thank Dakar
again for not trying to insist on going without her. The words died
on her lips when she saw he was not alone.

“Uh, hi Armet,” Star squeaked out, looking
into the dark, glowering eyes of Jazin’s Captain of the Guard.
“Fancy meeting you here,” she added with a guilty expression.

“Yes, fancy that,” Armet growled out. “You
were supposed to let me know if you needed to go somewhere.”

Star wiggled uncomfortably in her seat at
his accusing glare. Pushing a strand of hair back that had come
loose from her braid, she bit her lower lip and snuck a peek at
Dakar who was busy maneuvering through traffic. She glanced back at
Armet’s furious face.

“I did – sort of,” she said with a soft plea
for understanding in her eyes. “I left you a note.”

Armet’s face didn’t relax. “I do not read
your language,” he reminded her before turning around and facing
forward. “Do you know how to shoot a laser pistol or wield a laser
sword?” He asked gruffly.

It took a minute for Star to understand he
wasn’t going to return her to the palace. “I know how to shoot a
gun and use a regular sword back on my planet. I’m assuming it
isn’t much different,” she responded hopefully.

Armet glanced back at her sternly for a
moment before he turned back around again. “Never assume anything.
Your life and the lives of your comrades rest on your ability to
use both. I will work with you on the way to wherever in the God’s
name we are going,” Armet stated coolly.

Armet was startled into silence when he felt
a pair of small, delicate arms wrap around his neck from behind.
Soft lips caressed his cheek before Star rested her soft one
against his in a fierce hug. Armet felt his heart jerked in
response to the unexpected embrace.

“Thank you, Armet,” Star whispered in his
ear before giving him another kiss. “You have no idea how much this
means to me. Jazin is my life.”

Armet breathed out deeply when the little
warrior released him and sat back in her seat. He stared out the
window with sightless eyes. It had been so long since he had felt
his heart beat in warmth that he was startled to know that it still
could. Not since the woman he loved chose another male from his
clan. There was something about these female warriors from another
world that got under a male’s skin and drew unwanted feelings from
him. Perhaps it was their spirit, their grace, or just their joy in
the simple things. All that mattered to him was he would live up to
his promise to protect her or die trying.

*.*.*

Dakar pulled the transport through the gates
of a nondescript port. Older shuttles and transports were arriving
and departing in a maze of organized confusion. Men yelled to one
another as they moved huge shipping containers from one loading
dock to another. Dakar pulled down the narrow road between the
shuttles, slowing down at times to let men and equipment cross
before he sped up again. He continued down the long narrow corridor
between the marked pads, traveling towards the very end of the
row.

Star sat forward watching everything with
wide eyes. There was so much of this world that she didn’t know
about. In some ways, it wasn’t much different from Earth and in
others she had a hard time wrapping her head around it. Especially
when she saw a shuttle lifting up into the air before disappearing
in a burst of light.

“Madas has the star ship secured at the end.
She said not to let the looks of it deceive us. It is much better
than its exterior appearance,” Dakar said skeptically.

“Where are we?” Star asked as she watched a
man in a huge machine that looked like the robot from the movie the
Iron Giant
bend over and pick up a container about the size
of a large SUV as if it was a toy and walk away with it.

“Loading Dock Port II. This port is
primarily used for off-world imports and exports to the mining
colonies on the moons and to the Spaceports along the edges of the
Kassis star system,” Armet explained. “What docking pad is Madas
at?”

“One thirty four A,” Dakar responded slowly
down and parking next to a small metal building.

“You have got to be joking,” Armet said in
dismay as he got his first look at the older class Tearnat star
ship Madas had acquired for their mission.

“Isn’t it wonderful!” Star exclaimed
excitedly. She leaned over the seat between the two warriors who
were staring at the dilapidated star ship in front of them in
horror.

Both men turned to look at Star in disbelief
before looking back at the star ship. Armet let out a torrent of
silent curses when his second look at the star ship didn’t look any
better than the first. He hoped that they didn’t get killed just
trying to get off the ground. He was going to have a long
conversation with Madas Tal Mod about the difference between a star
ship and a pile of worthless bolts. He pressed the button to
release the door panel and slid out. He looked at Dakar who was
slowly getting out of the transport on the other side. The look on
the other warrior’s face confirmed that he felt the same way.

“I swore I would protect Lady Star with my
life,” Armet gritted out. “How in the hell am I supposed to do that
if I get us both killed without ever leaving the damn planet?”

Dakar studied the star ship in dismay.
“Perhaps it will look better up close,” he murmured in a doubtful
voice.

Star climbed out of the back of the
transport, anxious to be on their way. She wanted to find Jazin and
every second longer it took twisted at her heart to think of what
he might be suffering. She reached for the small pack she had
brought with her. Walking by Armet, she called out over her
shoulder.

“Come on, what are you waiting for?” She
asked impatiently as she strode toward where Madas had climbed down
the loading ramp and was waiting for them with an amused expression
on her face.

“A miracle?” Armet muttered before he
grabbed his own bag out of the floor board of the front seat.

“I don’t think we could be so lucky,” Dakar
muttered under his breath following his two companions.

*.*.*

Madas watched with amusement as the two
Kassisan warriors approached. Both had looks of dismay and
skepticism on their faces. She knew what they were thinking. It was
exactly what she had expected they would. While the outside did not
look very impressive, it was what was inside that counted. She
wouldn’t tell them that this was the prototype vessel that Lord
Jazin had been working on before he was ‘killed’. The morning after
her dream, the man Lord Jazin had been working with contacted her.
Jarmen D’ju introduced himself simply as a friend of Jazin. He
spoke on condition that Madas did not mention his name to anyone.
He stated it was better for him to remain anonymous. Jazin had made
Jarmen promise if anything happened to him, Jarmen would contact
Madas and ask that she help protect his little mate. He told Madas
that Jazin had mentioned her and how she had saved the life of his
tiny warrior. Jar listened as Madas told him of her dream before he
shared his doubt that Jazin had been on board the fighter when it
exploded. He sent her video from the surveillance equipment from
the Uri Spaceport. The blurry images show an unconscious Jazin
being hauled away while a Tearnat climbed into the fighter and took
off. Madas recognized the Tearnat in question. He had been a
personal guard to her son, Trolis. This information affirmed her
belief that her dream was indeed a vision from the Gods. D’ju met
with her on the outskirts of the Kassisan star system, just past
the third planet ring. He knew she would know how to operate the
star ship. All he needed to do was show her the modifications that
had been done to it. Once he was satisfied Madas understood the
operating system, he had disappeared saying he would do what he
could to help rescue Jazin when the time came.