Stealing Jia (Coletti Warlords #12) - Gail Koger Page 0,29
hunger.” Chiara shivered. “They want to eat us.”
“That’s not going to happen. Ever. The only ones dying is them but let me see what’s going on.” I linked mentally with Trayon. On the view screen was a large, battle-scarred Rodan in a spiffy leather uniform. Hisses, clacks, yawps, and grunts spewed from the Rodan. The universal translator converted it into Askole, “Surrender or be destroyed.”
“If you destroy our ship, your son will also die,” Trayon responded.
That creep was Cason’s father?
His reptilian eyes full of rage, the Rodan commander roared, “That thing is not my son.”
Hmmm. Had the little missus been sleeping around? That would explain why he gave her to the Yagga. Either way it didn’t look good for us. There were seven Rodan battle cruisers against Zarek’s warbird and our ship. There had to be a way to even the odds. My gaze settled on Chiara. “Can you port us onto a shielded Rodan ship that’s one thousand meters away?”
“I can,” Chiara said.
“Are you sure? I’m not going to lie to you. What I have planned is going be dangerous.”
“I will do what I must to stop them.”
I scooped Pepe up. “Good. Now all I need are some weapons.” I jogged back to our quarters with Adoz flying beside me.
The battle cruiser’s laser cannons fired. Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
Our ship pitched radically as the enemy ships’ torpedoes struck the shields. Kaboom! Kaboom! Kaboom! Kaboom! Kaboom!
I staggered off balance and hit the wall.
“How long can the shields hold?” Chiara asked nervously.
My stomach knotted. “A really good question.” I hurried into our quarters.
Another salvo shook the ship.
With one tap on my gauntlet a panel slid back to reveal all sorts of weapons. I slid a laser pistol into my holster and loaded up on thermite grenades.
Pepe whined. “No like boom booms.”
“Me either.” I put Cason in his crib and hugged Pepe. “I need you to stay and protect Cason. Can you do that for me?”
“Where go?”
“Chiara is going to port me onto the Rodan ships and we’re going to blow them to kingdom come.”
“Me help.” Pepe wrapped his paws around my arm. “No leave me.”
“If the Rodan breach our shields, they will teleport their soldiers onboard. Once they find Cason, they will kill him. I need you to keep him safe.”
“No like.”
“I promise I’ll come back.” I ruffled his fur. “Please. Family looks after each other.”
Pepe licked my face. “Me stay. Guard Cason. No die.”
“Father Trayon gave me this awesome armor that will shield me against laser blasts and other nasty things.” I gave Pepe a big kiss and put him in the crib with Cason.
The baby Rodan latched onto Pepe.
“Pepe is not a chew toy.” I gave Cason his bone and plucked the evil twins off my head. “You’re staying here too.”
“No. We go. We bite. They die,” LeeLee said.
LooLoo added, “Protect Momma Jia and Chiara.”
Their web balls did come in handy, but I couldn’t take babies into combat. “No. It’s not safe.”
LooLoo protested, “We warriors.”
“I know you are. If the Rodan get on this ship, Trayon will need your help. Okay?”
“Kay.” The Tabors said in unison.
Plus, I knew if anything happened to them, Bey would eat me. I put the baby Tabors in the crib.
Adoz chirped at me.
“He wants to go with us,” Chiara translated. “We can use his dragon fire.”
“An excellent idea. You’ll be my secret weapon Adoz.” With a pleased chirrup, Adoz landed on my shoulder. I took a deep breath. I could do this. If I didn’t stop the Rodan, we’d all die, and I wasn’t going to let that happen. “As the Americans like to say: Are you ready to kick some Rodan ass?”
Chiara raised her head and her startling blue eyes met mine. “The Rodan destroyed my home, ate my friends, and hurt my family. I will do whatever it takes to stop them.”
“Me too. Those monsters have slaughtered millions and it’s time they were held accountable.” Drawing on Trayon’s knowledge of Rodan ships, I projected the image of their engine room to Chiara. “If we port in behind that instrument panel, I can place the thermite grenades there, and after I set the timers we move onto the next ship. Is that doable for you?”
“Yes.” Chiara coiled around my waist. “Are you ready?”
Cradling Adoz, I touched the controls on my gauntlet and the helmet formed around my head. “Let’s do this.”
A gray whirlwind erupted around us. Thirty seconds of falling down an endless black void and poof! We were in the Rodan ship’s