Part 22 (1/2)

”I won't be pretending or faking anything with you, woman.”

At sunrise, Jana was awakened to a hairy and naked threat that was squatting beside her and poking her with fingers that were dirty and fuzzy. She came to instant alert. She scrambled to a sitting position with a shriek of surprise that caused the ugly cavelike man to become agitated. He jumped up, stared at her from a crouched stance, and sent out a menacing air. His huge balled fists plummeted his hairy chest as if telling her he was the leader. It was a gesture similar to ones she had seen on nature shows about gorillas, of which the male reminded her in body shape and appearance, though his enormous head did not. Scraggly, smelly hair grazed his shoulders. His nose was like a pig's snout, his black eyes round and beady like a weasel's except for their large size. His protruding facial bones revealed big lumps and long, sharp ridges. Dark, wiry whiskers struck out from all over his face. His flesh was pale yellow and his thick lips were brown. When he opened his mouth to form unintelligible words, it looked as if there was enough old food around his teeth to make a meal for a small animal. As he puckered his lips and made blowing sounds like signals, his breath stank like rotting vegetables combined with spoiled meat.

Jana wanted to retch and run. Her frantic gaze located Varian near the flat boulder's edge almost behind her. Two naked creatures cut him off from her and their weapons. He nodded but didn't speak, as if talking would be a threat to the Neanderthal-like creatures. She knew she must not make any sudden moves against the intruders. She a.s.sumed that if communication were possible, Varian would be doing it. Her gaze swept over the surrounding area to sight a group of mutants. The band looked ready to scale the rocks and attack them the moment a signal was given by the three atop it.

Jana realized that even if she and Varian could get to the weapons lying near her, they had only seventeen shots left, nowhere near enough to defeat this large band of savage primitives. Her frightened gaze searched the horizon in vain for a shuttle. She wished the keelars hadn't left the saturated area or would return to scare off these beasts. She knew Varian, even with his great strength and skills, couldn't attack the two strong males entrapping him. To do so would risk being thrown into the growling crowd below and perhaps be torn to pieces and devoured.

As the wild brute near Jana stopped studying her and inched forward, she trembled in terror and revulsion. The way he fondled his exposed manhood while eyeing her revealed that the filthy animal had mating in mind. The panicked Earthling prepared herself for the alien beast's a.s.sault and her defensive battle with him. Yet she feared there was no way she or Varian could prevent impending ravishment by the stalking beast.

Chapter Fourteen.

Jana knew she must make an attempt to save their lives. With caution and a slow pace, she wriggled backward by moving her palms and b.u.t.tocks against the flat-surfaced stone. As she did so, she forced a relaxed gaze on the foul-smelling, furry creature who watched her with curiosity but without advancing again. She was relieved that she had redressed last night after her lovemaking with Varian, as a naked woman might drive this beast crazy with l.u.s.t.

Her groping fingers made contact with the two weapons. She grasped one to use and the other to toss to Varian when the opportunity came, if it ever did. She surmised that the moment she presented a threat to the wild men, she and her lover would be pounced upon and further imperiled. With only seventeen bursts of power left in the two weapons, she couldn't risk wounding these beasts. She glanced at the creature a few feet to her right, his enormous and erect maleness pointing directly at her. It was telling her that if she didn't remove his grim threat she would be brutally raped by this primitive gang. She must kill him first or he might leap forward and disable her. Jana reasoned that her sudden defeat of the pack leader should take the two beasts standing near Varian by surprise and freeze them long enough for her to shoot them next. Then, Varian could a.s.sist her in confronting the many others on the ground who were sure to rush them.

Stop stalling and do it. J. G. You have no choice. This is a life-or-death struggle. Do it before it's too late.

Jana's armed hand rounded her body and she fired the alien weapon. It gave off a loud ”bzzzt” and an iridescent beam as the charge blasted into the mutant's heart with full power. He howled and thrashed then collapsed to the rock as the others gaped in astonishment. She wasted no time before whirling and firing at the other two, striking both motionless creatures in the center of their chests. Close to the edge, both lifeless bodies tumbled to the ground amidst startled and rigid primitives who continued to gape. Their slow recovery of courage and simple wits gave Varian time to rush to Jana's side and take the weapon she held out to him.

”Back-to-back position,” he ordered, and she obeyed without question or hesitation. ”They'll rush us as soon as they realize their clansmen are dead. Make every shot count, Moonbeam, because we don't have many.” As his keen gaze kept a lookout for trouble, he asked over his shoulder, ”Where did you learn to shoot like that? Three direct hits, and under pressure! Martella said you were trained before she gave you lessons.”

Jana pressed close to his muscular back as she responded. ”My father taught me. We used to target shoot, hunt quail, and such. Thank goodness Martella showed me how to use these weapons. There was no denying what was on my cave man's mind: heavy mating.”

”You're right. That big leader had me worried. I was afraid he'd grab you and snap your neck before I could defeat the two separating us. I'm glad you kept a clear head and s.n.a.t.c.hed us the advantage.”

”Advantage? You call what we have an advantage? Fat chance, Saar.”

Jana watched the confused mutants gather around the bodies to sniff and nudge their companions as if they wondered how the three had been defeated without a physical battle. After the truth settled in, they began to jump up and down and wail like injured animals. They growled, snorted, stomped, and made clawing motions at the couple.

”I think I made them a little bit angry. Where's the other gun?”

”The keelars rooted it into the sand and I couldn't find it in the dark. I planned to look for it this morning but never got the chance. I was relieving myself over the edge when those two sneaked up on me.”

”They sneaked up on you? I can't believe that's possible.”

He chuckled. ”Caught me with my pants down as you Earthlings say. I heard a shuffling noise behind me but thought it was you sneaking over to tempt me again. If the wind had been in my favor, I would have smelled them. We'd been having a silent showdown for thirty minutes while the others gathered around. Since they don't talk, they take speech as a show of threat. I was glad you caught my hint to stay silent.”

Jana watched naked men gather into small units and make signs with their hands, no doubt plotting their offense against the stranded couple. She chatted to lessen her tension. ”I dared not take my eyes off him, so I hoped you were watching me and catching my line of thought.”

”Actually, I was about to try to toss my two over the edge and dive for the weapons when I realized what you were doing. You didn't panic and you reasoned out the course of attack with perfection. You're as brave, smart, and daring as you are beautiful and delicious.”

”Thanks for the compliments. Just save the last shot in case we don't scare them off, which appears unlikely. I don't intend to become a slave to a band of h.o.r.n.y and savage primitives.”

”Don't worry, Moonbeam; I won't let them get their dirty paws on you. I'll make cert-On guard, here they come. No wounding, Jana, or he could require another shot to disable him and we have none to spare.”

From a defensive back-pressing position, they stopped nine mutants from scaling the formation to reach them. While she watched the enraged men cl.u.s.ter for another rush, Varian rolled the apparent leader to the ground in case he was their objective. They had five blasts left, two in her weapon and three in his. A few of the creatures began another a.s.sault, taking the couple down to three charges of energy before they retreated.

”You would think this loud noise and bright light would panic them. They must be too dense to realize we're using powerful weapons. We'll be in big trouble as soon as they comprehend we have no more shots of magic.”

”At least some are being scared off, Jana love. They might be stupid, but they've caught on to our superior strength and position and their danger. The dead are being carried away now.”

Jana glanced over her shoulder, eyed the situation, and refuted, ”Not far, Varian. Look; they're piling the bodies and returning for one last big attempt. They'll probably come at us at once. We'll-”

He felt her go rigid and silent. ”What's wrong?”

”A shuttle just materialized from nowhere. We're doomed now. It's too late to run or not be seen. d.a.m.n!”

Varian whirled and eyed the approaching craft as it dipped its right wing twice, then its left one three times. He recognized the signal, relaxed, and lowered the weapon in his hand.

She stared as the vehicle opened fire on the mutants and scattered them. Soon the barbarians were running for survival and leaving the dead behind in their frantic haste. ”It appears Taemin wants us for himself,” she murmured in dread as the craft came to hover about ten feet above them. She knew an escape was impossible and any attempt was hazardous. With sunlight cut off, it was almost dark beneath the large vessel. She heard the steady hum of a healthy engine as the shuttle seemed to park in midair. She was surprised there wasn't any strong rush of wind; it was almost deathly calm. Varian put his arm around her waist and drew her close.

She sent him a resigned smile. ”Well, Rogue Saar, we gave it our best shot, but it's over for us. I'll never forgive you if you let me fall into the evil hands of Taemin and Canissia. Do what you must and kill me fast.”

He cuffed her chin and smiled. ”We'll be fine, Moonbeam. That's-”

She cut him off with, ”No, we won't. They'll torture us and kill us. Our good luck has been used up. We'll never get another chance to escape their clutches or to survive their trap. Please, use your last shot on me.”

”Tell me you love me. There isn't much time to be honest before they open the hatch and reach us.”

She fused her gaze with his, and noticed he didn't appear worried. ”All right, I do love you and want you. Now, shoot me. Quick.” She watched an expression of mingled joy and victory spread over his face.

”And let you miss a reunion with Nigel? That's his shuttle. See.”

Jana whirled and stared at two men in Star Fleet uniforms who lowered a rope ladder for them to climb. She was about to scold Varian for tricking her when a rescuer shouted for Prince Ryker and Princess Jana to hurry aboard before their presence was detected with the cloaking s.h.i.+eld down. Jana grasped the st.u.r.dy but swaying rope and mounted it, with the disguised Varian close behind and coaxing her to rush. The distance was short, so she didn't have time to experience much, if any, fear.

After they were inside and the hatch was locked, the detection deflector went back into effect to conceal the craft from enemy radar. The cloaked shuttle was piloted toward a rendezvous with the Kiunterri that, with cunning wisdom, remained in sight of Pyropean sensors.

In front of the regular crew on the Kiunterri's bridge, Jana and ”Ryker” Triloni were told that Nigel Sanger had received ”Ryker's” emergency transmission and coordinates, after being ordered into this border area by Varian Saar to check on them because Taemin's invitation and timing were suspicious. The temporary commander of this stars.h.i.+p had set his course to allow a slow pa.s.s over Luz on its way to pretend to ”make an official call on the Tabrizes” to inquire about the couple's whereabouts and motive.

Jana looked at the hazel-eyed man with thick and curly brown hair who had been a close friend of hers. Once more, she reminded herself he hadn't betrayed her long ago, that someone had faked Nigel's voice while drugging her. He was one inch shorter than Varian's six-four frame, and was the same age of her lover: thirty-one. ”Thank you, old friend, for rescuing us in the nick of time. Can we get out of this enemy sector fast?”

”As soon as I meet with the Tabrizes to ward off suspicion. I'm sure the shuttle wasn't detected because we s.h.i.+elded her while she was visible for rescue.” Nigel explained ”Varian's” clever ploy to them, one that would be used to explain their rescue in public soon. ”You'll hide while I dupe the Tabrizes. We can't afford to make them suspicious or to enlighten them before we can get you two out of any danger lurking here. I'm sure you're both eager for a good meal and hot bath. We'll handle that now.” The creases deepened around his hazel eyes and full mouth as he grinned; so did the dimples in his cheeks.

”That sounds wonderful, Nigel, as if you read my mind. Needless to say, I feel a wreck in this torn and dirty dress.” She a.s.sumed it was hard for Nigel and Varian to conceal their twelve-year friends.h.i.+p and genial rapport during this pretense. She was glad she didn't have to try.

The s.h.i.+elding device was remounted in the stars.h.i.+p to avoid suspicion and all clues to the rescue were destroyed. Nigel explained to the couple in the presence of others how, after being ordered by Commander Varian Saar to keep a close eye on them, he had used debris and sensitive instruments to track them to this sector. With the aid of the signal ”Ryker” had sent, he had located them. Following ”Varian's” suggestions, he rescued them in secret. ”Not a moment too soon from the way it looked on monitor.”

”It was getting a little hairy down there,” Jana quipped.

”As soon as we finish here, you two can thank the man responsible. Varian's waiting to greet you two on-Rigel at Star Base. Do you have any objections, Prince Ryker, Princess Jana?”

”None. In fact, a genial meeting with my brother is long overdue.”

”I concur with my husband's decision.”

Varian and Nigel talked while Jana lazed in a tub of bubbly water for an hour. The best friends decided to let Jana believe for a while that the ruse demands were being met because of her promise to aid Varian.