Starfire Page 17

  He’d insinuated himself into every aspect of her role aboard the Elector, in discussing the issues involved in forming a shield over the shuttle that made it undetectable, even in the route they would take from insertion to touch down and in what part she would play on planet—he was there.

  She sighed and reached for the door of the shuttle, running one last check to be sure everything was in place, that every aspect of the retrofitting was removed, then a quick check of the exterior. Time had run out. Once satisfied, she wiped her hands down the soiled flight suit, then headed for the door. She and Chowd had decided that, given the level of preparation they had just completed, full security systems would be in place now on the bay.

  She placed her hand over the reader. “Level four security clearance only.” She turned away to see Raven walking up the corridor toward her, his feet clanking on the decking.

  “Done?”

  She nodded. “It’s as ready as it will ever be. Have I got time to change before the briefing?” She looked at Raven and noted he looked as soiled as she felt.

  “Yeah, we have about an hour. Come on, we’ll use my cabin.” He grinned.

  “I don’t have a spare uniform in your cabin. Remember?” Her voice was teasing, but she still felt uncomfortable knowing that most of the crew were aware that she and Raven were sleeping together. She nearly passed out at the word involved, but there wasn’t another term she could think of that came close to describing their situation.

  “Well, I did offer to let you move in with me.” He leered, and she laughed.

  “Yeah, like that would be the right thing to do. No. We need to keep separate cabins, even if only for us to tag-team between.” She stopped, feeling the giddiness subsiding, and looked at him. “We need to keep our own areas. You know that. Duvall is right—if it goes badly...well, we each need somewhere to retreat to.” She reached out and grabbed his hands. “You know I don’t mean to be difficult, don’t you? I just don’t know how to do this yet, but I promise, I’m working on it.” Her voice caught, rough and uncertain, and she watched his eyes soften.

  “I know you’re trying, and I love you for that.” He dropped a quick kiss on her nose and looked into her eyes. “I can wait for it to be right.” Then, winking, he grinned. “So, when do I next get to check out your gorgeous body? Now or later?”

  Jemma laughed, and his eyes crinkled in the corners as he too smiled. She knew it was exactly as he had planned, and she couldn’t help the bubble of mirth that rose.

  “Come on, I need a quick shower and change.” She dragged him toward her cabin, pulling him by the hand.

  “I already dropped a fresh suit into your cabin, so I can join you,” he whispered into her ear. She stopped and turned, and he cannoned into her from behind.

  “What? When did you do that?” She hadn’t expected him to be so close, so she brushed against him when she turned.

  “This morning. I knew it was likely to be a hands-on day, and I wanted to be sure that we could get the maximum time together before the mission started. Knowing that you refused to keep a spare suit in my cabin, I dropped it in before starting my shift.” His shining blue eyes looked intently into hers. “It doesn’t mean I’m moving in, just making it more comfortable for both of us.”

  She felt he was trying to get inside her mind to see where the problem existed. “You’re right. It’s not like you’re moving in. Come on, time is getting is wasting and we need to get ready.” She turned again and palmed the door open.

  * * * *

  Raven released a breath. Jemma was still so skittish, and he needed to take it slowly. But every word he spoke to her was the truth. He could wait, no matter how difficult it was for him. He watched her shimmy out of her flight suit and felt his heart rate speed up as it always did when she was around. She was truly a beautiful woman, an amazing pilot, and had a super quick mind. He wanted her with him forever.

  Raven reached for the clips of his uniform and started to divest himself of it. They had a limited amount of time before the briefing and he wished there was more. He closed his eyes, knowing his responsibility to the crew, the Empire, and Duvall had to come first.

  Jemma climbed out of the unit, and he passed her the towel he had snagged as he climbed in. The water sluiced over him.

  “When this mission is over, I’d like to talk about maybe leaving some items in each other’s cabins. Not invading each other’s space, just to make it easier.” Her voice echoed, and for a moment he was stunned. Elated. Excitement fizzled along his nerve endings, setting his entire soul aflame.

  Not now. Don’t get ahead of yourself, Raven, otherwise she’ll back off at a million miles an hour! He stopped and turned toward her. “Water off. I thought you didn’t want to do that?”

  Her eyes glittered, and a faint blush sheened her skin. “I know, but I was thinking about what you said. You’re right. It isn’t giving up our space, and it certainly isn’t a deep commitment. But it’ll make it easier for both of us. I do want to make this work, Raven. I know it’s difficult for you, and I am trying to... I don’t know...” Jemma’s voice tapered off.

  Her blush deepened, and he could see how hard it was for her. He also knew she needed to say the words as much as he wanted to ease her discomfort.

  “I really want to make whatever this is between us work out right. I know you keep saying you love me, but I still don’t know what to say or do. You let me take the time I need and do it my way, and I know this is hard for you too.” Her head dropped, and she was looking at the floor again. If there was one thing she did that he could decode, it was her deep discomfort from her dropping her head.

  He reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder. “I’ll do whatever it takes for you to understand I love you, and whatever it takes to show you that I value you above all things.” His voice stayed soft.

  Her head snapped up. “But what if I don’t think I’m worth it?” Tears swam in her eyes.

  “You are, but if this is too much, too fast, then talk to me and we’ll work it out together.”

  Stepping forward, he opened his arms, and she stepped into them. He savored the feel of her against him, close, skin to skin, taking and giving strength. His eyes closed, and he let the scent of her calm and quiet him. One day soon he hoped she’d see the value of what they had, and then they could plan a future together. He just needed patience and time.

  * * * *

  Jemma grabbed a seat at the conference table, looking around. The people at the table were now familiar to her, only Meredith remained an unknown factor.

  A palpable air of excitement hovered as they prepared for the showdown. It was there in the vibrations of the table as feet and fingers tapped and the subdued chatter. Duvall had a meal prepared as they ran through the tactical aspects of the assault.

  “So now that we’re all here, let’s run through the last information we have at hand.” Duvall nodded to Grayson who reported on the arrangements he’d made for the Elector. Her fingers twined in Raven’s as she listened intently. When Mellissa gave her report, she slid her hand free.

  “Okay?” Raven’s soft question caught her off guard.

  “Yeah. I just want to take some notes.” She tugged out her handscreen and started tapping as the information on known impact zones and possible areas for future attack were shared. Then came the sobering statistics of known deaths and losses.

  “Well, since the food is here, let’s take a break and eat.” Duvall waved to the large platters that had been placed in the center of the table.

  In almost silence the gathered filled their plates. The smells of the meats and vegetables wafted up from her plate as she ate, the knots in her belly loosening until she remembered she’d soon be called on to add to the reports.

  After the dishes were cleared, Duvall called them back to attention. “Chowd?”

  Chowd’s report was just as sobering. “We’ve made all the preparations for entry into the atmosphere. Jemma and I have ascertained that
there’s a dark zone in their scanning. It only gives us about twenty feet of flyable space where we’ll be off their radar, but I’m confident that with her skill, we can remain in the zone. The greatest threat will be if we meet any traffic, as that will interfere with our flight plan. We’ve also created a small device which would allow us to jam their comm. systems, but it’ll be touch and go as it has a limited reception area.”

  Jemma straightened in her chair and glanced at the gathered crew. “We fitted it to the front of the shuttle, and all the retrofitting has been removed. With some judicious work, we’ve altered the tail and wing configuration to get maximum speed out of the shuttle. I’ve also preset coordinates, so that on my signal, it will fly itself to a small settlement hidden here, just in case something happens.” Jemma pointed to a small area on the holographic construct of surface of the planet. “I’ve also added a cloaking screen, where it’ll assume the image of its surroundings. It’s a bit like having a monitored parking zone, and we’ll know exactly where it is. But my plan is to get out with at least one spook ship.”

  She looked around the table, assessing each participant. Duvall nodded slowly in agreement with the planning.

  Jemma continued, “Chowd also raised some concerns that, even with what we know about the spooks, there could be some issues with the controls. He has asked that Meredith be available in case there are issues. At this point, I don’t think we’ll need her on the planet for that, but I’d like her on standby.”

  Meredith looked up, her dark eyes questioning, and nodded slowly. Duvall’s mouth tightened, and she could see Mellissa place her hand over one of his.

  “I know she’s your sister, Duvall, but she is also a trained member of the Admiralty. Chowd has informed me that she’s more than able to protect herself, but that’s an aspect of our job. We take the risks for the Empire. We keep the citizens safe and protect them, however we need to. You took that oath, I took that oath, and so did Meredith.” Jemma’s words were carefully spoken as she watched him, his gaze on his sister. His eyes swiveled to meet hers, dark and angry. The room was silent, and she felt her back itch and prickle. Finally he nodded, and Mellissa shot her a grateful look. The feeling retreated.

  She exhaled, letting the pressure wash away. She’d initially been unsure when Mellissa had asked her to raise it in this forum. But she’d said what needed to be said and he hadn’t jumped all over her.

  “I know Mellissa appreciated your speaking out,” Raven whispered to her.

  She turned to look at him. “I just hope he takes it in the manner it’s intended.”

  The meeting continued and she held on to Raven’s hand, listening to the rumble of his voice as he gave a short report. When Duvall requested any further information, Chowd spoke up.

  “Duvall, there’s some conjecture as to the safety of the Empire infiltrator. I’ve been working on a plan to get to her and free her if possible. I believe now would be the appropriate time to share some of the information I’ve gleaned over the last six months. I have contacts within Crick Sur Banden’s camp, some very long-standing connections.” He turned to face the questioning gazes of the newer crewmembers at the table. “Duvall has been aware of this for some extensive period of time, together with my full identity. Most of you know me as Stuart Chowd, but my full title is actually Chowd Sturat Sur Banden. My father is Crick Sur Banden, and my mother was a slave he took as concubine.”

  A ripple of surprise and consternation filled the air, and Jemma found herself tensing slightly at this information. She kept her eyes on his face as he waited, calmly shuttered against the reaction.

  “I was considered a lesser son, not being full Ru’Edan, but after his other son died, my mother was concerned that he’d try to brainwash me into thinking that the Ru’Edan was the superior race. She died trying to get me to the Empire. When Crick Sur Banden found us, she injured him, giving me time to take his personal shuttle. He killed her. My mother was half-sister to Admiral Elphin, which is why my identity has remained hidden until now. That’s why I’ve been working covertly with a range of operatives within the Empire to get information to the Admiral.” He paused, and for the first time Jemma noted the slightest gray tinge to his skin. “Grayson and Elara have known for some time too, as it has been necessary for both medical and service reasons to have others understand the situation I have been in.”

  He glanced around to those sitting at the table, and Jemma would have described the air as thick with tension.

  “My friends have indicated that the infiltrator has been watched for some time, as Crick Sur Banden knew she was slipping information through diplomatic channels to the Admiralty. What he didn’t know was that I was the one receiving the information. The last update I heard, before we left Earth, was that he had plans in mind for her and that his use of Xeradax, a Ru’Edan drug, has been increasing. Xeradax is highly addictive, with side effects that include paranoia, hallucinations, and eventually the closing down the nervous system with prolonged use.”

  He paused again, looking around almost ruefully.

  “It’s understood that he has been becoming increasingly unstable for some time and that there are, within his ranks, dissidents who regret their choices in joining the rogues and fear him. That, and the fact that his dependency on the drug has increased markedly in the last six months.” His voice had become heavier, and now he looked and sounded exhausted, something Jemma had never seen from him before. “I believe that I can get her out of there, but it may necessitate me doing things that seem incomprehensible and leveraging a number of my contacts. It may necessitate me going under cover with him for a period, though we won’t know until we get there. I’ve spoken to Duvall about this eventuality and he agrees, we may need to do whatever works by the end of the mission.” He looked at Duvall, who nodded.

  Meredith raised her head and said, “They know you’re tied to Duvall. I intercepted a transmission from the Admiralty. There’s an infiltrator there too, on the Ru’Edan side. We’ve been working on that since Duvall destroyed their plans to stop the Earth Empire formation. I hadn’t had time to work out who it was, but they knew who you are. I believe that they’ll try to take you, as Crick Sur Banden thinks you’re coming back to the fold. So that would work in our favor if need be.”

  “Shit! Are you sure, Meredith?” The words erupted from Duvall.

  “Absolutely. It was the last transmission I intercepted before leaving for my mission.” She looked grim. “I’ve already made the Admiral aware of this and they’re seeking the infiltrator using information from the transmissions I’ve intercepted and decoded.” She stopped and looked at the rest of the crew. “I believe he may be within the hangar crews. To the best of our knowledge, he’s male, possibly thirties or forties, and trying to hide in plain sight. He has knowledge of the comings and goings that only the hanger crews would be privy to. We believe he’s been in place for some time, as we’ve been watching the information dribble through, so we can stay abreast of his plans. He knew when you came in with Mellissa, Duvall.”

  Duvall scowled at the piece of information, and she nodded in understanding.

  “He also knew where Jemma was initially placed within the academy and when she was deployed to the Alpha Squadron. I would imagine they also now know that she’s with the Elector.”

  Jemma sat up and looked at Duvall, who nodded.

  “They’ve been following you for some time. That’s why we sent you to the academy. Of course, you had to learn how to survive in your new time and we couldn’t keep you on the Elector at that point. However, we did have crewmembers keeping an eye on you. Particularly Raven.” Duvall spoke quietly.

  “What? What do you mean Raven kept an eye on me?” She swung quickly to look at Raven. A red tide rose over his cheeks, and she narrowed her eyes.

  “The Admiralty thought it might be safest to put you somewhere secure, but have someone watch over you. I volunteered, Jem. I wanted to make sure you were safe. Actually, to be honest,
I needed to know that you were safe and I had good contacts in the academy. Chowd wasn’t able to work there, given his background, and if it had been Duvall...well, you would have refused to see him.”

  “Oh God!” Her voice became strangled as the truth was revealed, making her feel shallow and self-absorbed. His hand squeezed hers, and she examined how she felt. Sure, she wished she’d known earlier, but she felt pleasure that he felt her important enough to protect. She squeezed his hand and heard him breathe a sigh of relief. They would need to discuss this later, and she gave him a tentative smile.

  “Okay then, we believe that they know we’re coming,” Duvall stated.

  “Yes, but I think that we can use stealth in our favor. We need to draw their attention to the Elector while the others go in.” Meredith’s voice was steely. “If we can get their focus there, it will mean Jemma can fly the shuttle and arrive at the base before they realize it, then neutralize their security systems. Once that’s complete and the fleet arrives, they’ll be ready to deploy the ground troops they have on standby. The Admiral has authorized whatever means are necessary to shut down Crick Sur Banden. He personally would rather see him taken alive, but if necessary, a body will be sufficient for the rogues to surrender. At least, that’s what all our intelligence has pointed to.”

  “Right. We need to prepare a plan for the Elector to act as decoy long enough for the shuttle and crew to do their job. Let’s get another look at the star chart.” Duvall hit the button, and the chart rose above the table.

  * * * *

  “0100 hours and just dragging in. Reminds me of my past and partying, but this time I’m just plain dead on my feet.” Jemma yawned loudly, raising her hands into the air. “But you know what? We need to talk, and I’d rather get this cleared away right now.” She kinked her neck to the side and back as they stood in his quiet, blue office.

  “Yeah, I can see why you think that. Duvall, Grayson, Chowd, and myself...well, we all thought he might come after you. You were so angry, with your refusal to talk to any of us. Chowd, unfortunately, is banned from all those areas because of who he is, Duvall was too close to Mellissa, and you were refusing any contact there. We thought Grayson would be too close as well, which is why we all agreed I was the lucky candidate. Didn’t you ever wonder why I was around at the academy so much?”