still on M’Kal, or even in the same area where that video was taken.”
He doesn’t say it out loud, but it’s all over his face. In fact, it’s all over all of our faces. Lokyer may not even be alive at this point in time.
“But we still need to make the effort. You never know. We might get lucky, and anyway even if they have… ah… even if they have moved him somewhere else, we might find important clues as to where to find him.”
“Or to find those who abducted him and avenge his loss if not.”
I turn sharply toward Grantian, and though none of us are happy to hear his proclamation, we all know it could turn out to be prophetic.
M’Kal is a world rife with subterfuge and armed mercenaries walking the streets, and we are going there, right into a nest of our enemies.
I should be afraid, but all I can think of is my earlier faux pas with Zander.
Damn chemical reactions in the brain, anyway.
Chapter Three
Zander
“Zander, you take Thrase.”
With one hand on his hip and a lazy smile, Solair gives me a nod. I just blink at him, not sure on what to make of the expression in his face. As he continues announcing the three teams that’ll go down to the surface, I knit my eyebrows together, slowly realizing he is pairing up jalshagar.
Swipt is taking Ilya, while Grantian is going with Lamira. The fact that he has put me up with Thrase does raise some suspicions. Not that our pairing is inefficient, which is what truly matters. Clearly, my attention to detail, weapons’ expertise, and engineering knowledge will be a strong match for Thrase’s analytical qualities.
She’s one of the smartest people aboard the ship, and our combined brain power should prove a match to whatever situation we may find ourselves in. Still, Solair’s choice appears to have been made with ulterior motives. Intuitive as always, the Queen’s Captain seems to be aware of my “situation.”
“Of course,” I finally say, straightening my back and stopping short of saluting him. The lack of proper military protocol on a ship like ours seems like a horrendous inefficiency, but I’ve come to enjoy the freedom that comes with it. After all, most of the situations we’re in require the crew to be nimble and think on their feet. Formality usually lends itself to slow-moving operations. “Thrase, are you ready?”
“Absolutely,” she replies, not a hint of doubt in her voice. Most women would be reticent about accepting such a job, but Thrase doesn’t seem fazed by it. I’m not surprised. Despite her lack of military expertise, she has already shown she can keep her head over her shoulders, no matter the situation.
“You know what you have to do,” Solair continues, looking away from me and using his gaze to take in the rest of the crew assembled on the bridge. “Be careful, and don’t take unnecessary risks. Eyes peeled at all times, and try to gather as much information as you can. Gear up, and move out. It’s go time.”
Amidst the shuffling of feet, heavy combat boots stepping on the bridge’s smooth floor panels, our little group of six heads out. Each pair takes a different route, Grantian and Swipt engaging in whispered chatter with their jalshagar. And that’s when I realize I haven’t said a word to Thrase. Clearing my throat, I stop when we reach a bifurcation and turn to face her.
“Like Solair said, we should gear up,” I tell her, tilting my chin toward the corridor leading into the armory. She replies with a nod, and I find myself at a loss for words again. I just take in the brightness in her eyes, the small mouth in her heart-shaped face, and the way her mop of straight hair tumbles perfectly over her shoulders. “I think you’ll like to see what I’ve been working on. It’s a—”
“Beam weapon?” she cuts me short, a hint of a smile on her lips.
“How did you know?”
“I’ve heard you talk to your guys about it,” she replies.
“Right, of course.” Clearing my throat once more, I force myself to look away from her and start heading down the corridor, her soft footsteps telling me she’s trailing after me. “Are you familiar with the physics of atomic electromagnetic forces? I’ve been developing a prototype that I think will do well in the field.”
Before she has the chance to reply, I continue explaining all the improvements I’ve made to the standard beam pistol I